Scholarly Activities and Opportunities
Clinical
COVID-19 Registry for Research Projects
The core UIC database is housed in REDCap and is derived from data extracted retrospectively from UI Health patient electronic medical records. UIC investigators can apply to use this core database by submitting a Research Concept Form, which will be reviewed by the Registry’s Steering Committee. Upon approval, the investigators will be provided with a deidentified dataset with the requested variables, following the IRB approved process.
Active: Not Recruiting Members
Stipend: No
Contact Name: PI Kirstie Danielson, PhD
Contact Email: kdaniel@uic.edu
Division: Infectious Diseases
End Date: 2024
Air filtration to improve indoor air quality (IAQ) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) outcomes in a high-risk urban population of U.S. military veterans
Project Description: The primary goal of this HUD-funded study (ILHHU0049-19) is to investigate the effectiveness of stand-alone air filtration for improving indoor air quality (IAQ) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) outcomes in a high-risk urban cohort of 80 U.S. military veterans with COPD. Additional secondary goals of the study are to: (1) investigate housing-related factors that may contribute to COPD exacerbation; (2) investigate the utility of using low-cost sensors for indoor air pollution epidemiology studies and for providing actionable or useful information on the quality of their indoor air to patients and their physicians, and (3) evaluate the costs and benefits of using stand-alone air filtration to improve IAQ and COPD outcomes. Participants will be recruited from the Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Medical Center using a community-based participatory process in which stakeholders, including patients, physicians, and local nonprofits, will assist in the development of research objectives, recruitment, retention, and dissemination of results. The study objectives will be met by combining measurements of environmental conditions and indoor and outdoor air quality (using both research-grade and low-cost sensors) with housing condition assessments, respiratory questionnaires, and records of clinical outcomes.
This study addresses significant unmet household and medical needs among high-risk Veterans with COPD and is co-led by investigators at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago.
Minimum training: Resident, Fellow
Number of trainee openings: 1
Site: Jesse Brown VA Medical Center
Stipend: No
Contact Name: Israel Rubinstein, MD
Contact Email: irubinst@uic.edu
Division: Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep & Allergy
Post Date: 05.07.2026
Clinical and Procedural Outcomes for Patients being treated with an invasive approach for Pulmonary Embolism (PE) at UIC and JBVA
Project Description:We are focused on tracking procedural and clinical outcomes for patients undergoing lytic therapy or catheter based thrombectomy
Minimum training: Student, Resident, Fellow
Site: UIC
Stipend: No
Contact Name: Adhir Shroff/Khalil Ibrahim/Amer Ardati
Contact Email: arshroff@uic.edu
Division: Cardiology
Post Date: 02.15.2022
Clinical and Procedural Outcomes for Structural Heart Disease Procedures at UIC and JBVA
Project Description:We are focused on tracking procedural and clinical outcomes for patients undergoing TAVR, TEER and LAAO procedures.
Minimum training: Student, Resident, Fellow
Site: UIC
Stipend: No
Contact Name: Adhir Shroff/Khalil Ibrahim
Contact Email: arshroff@uic.edu
Division: Cardiology
Post Date: 02.15.2022
Diet and Microbiome Related Projects (Multiple)
Project Description: The Mutlu Lab has multiple projects examining the role of diet and microbiome in the development of colon polyps, breast cancer, and inflammatory bowel disease. The lab has a large tissue bank with corresponding metadata. A number of ongoing projects examine steroid hormone metabolism by gut bacteria in human specimens; methanogens in diverticulosis and colon polyps; and the role of diet interventions in inflammatory bowel disease. Projects that examine environmental factors that affect the gut microbiome are also ongoing. Clinical projects involving tissue and data collection from patients can also be completed for candidates who need longer term projects.
Most work will involve human subjects. Thus, for most projects, before any research can take place, human subjects’ training and certification will need to be completed using the UIC CITI training modules. Those who contemplate to do bench work will also be required to complete Bioraft training, some of which may be in person. As such, candidates are asked to contact us in advance of their contemplated research time. Those who have a strong background in advanced math and/or statistics and/or bioinformatics are highly encouraged to work with us on our existing data.
Minimum training: Student, Resident, Fellow
Number of trainee openings: 2-3
Site: Gastroenterology- 840 S Wood, 7th Floor
Stipend: No
Contact Name: Ece Mutlu, MD, MS or Lucille Ray, PhD
Contact Email: emutlu@uic.edu or lray5@uic.edu
Division: Gastroenterology and Hepatology
Post Date: 05.07.2026
Genetic predictors for kidney disease in a longitudinal cohort of patients with sickle cell disease
We are investigating clinical and genetic predictors for kidney disease in a longitudinal cohort of patients with sickle cell disease. This has led to projects investigating the effects of hemolysis (e.g. cell-free hemoglobin and heme exposure) and of environmental risk factors (e.g. tobacco, diet) that may contribute to the pathophysiology of kidney disease. We are also testing our candidate genes and pathways in vitro (tubular, endothelial, and podocyte cells) and in vivo in a transgenic sickle mouse model.
Active: Not Recruiting Members
Minimum training: resident, fellow
Site: UIC
Stipend: No
Contact Name: Santosh Saraf, MD
Contact Email: ssaraf@uic.edu
Division: Hematology
Post Date: 05.07.2026
Endoscopic Mucosal Resection Database
Retrospective
Active: Not recruiting members
EUS elastography for pancreatic cancer
Prospective
Completed
Esophageal database
Prospective and retrospective
Active: Not recruiting members
Sleep/circadian related glucose metabolism research
This project looks at the different ways glucose metabolism affects sleep and the circadian rhythm
Minimum training: Student, Resident, Fellow
Number of trainee openings: 1
Site: UIC
Stipend: No
Contact Name: Sirimon Reutrakul, MD, CDCES
Contact Email: sreutrak@uic.edu
Division: Endocrinology
Post Date: 05.07.2026
Environmental exposure to metals/metalloids as drivers of cardiometabolic disease
This is an epidemiological project using data from Starr County, Texas, a predominantly Mexican American region of the country with markedly high rates of diabetes and diabetes-associated mortality. The goal is to understand the relationship between urinary metal/metalloid levels and cardiometabolic outcomes. Skills of use include advanced statistical approaches such as SAS, STATA, and R.
Minimum training: resident, fellow
Stipend: No
Contact Name: Rob Sargis, MD, PhD
Contact Email: rsargis@uic.edu
Division: Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
Posted: 05.07.2026
Disparities in Endocrine Care
Literature review to document disparities in care across all realms of endocrinology, including diabetes, thyroid, pituitary, adrenal, calcium/bone, etc. It is anticipated that this will be a collaborative project with endocrine fellows and medical students. This is a new initiative.
Minimum training: resident, fellow
Stipend: No
Contact Name: Rob Sargis, MD, PhD
Contact Email: rsargis@uic.edu
Division: Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
Posted: 05.07.2026
Land Use, Urban Planning, and New Urbanism in the Genesis and Prevention of Cardiometabolic Diseases
Land Use, Urban Planning, and New Urbanism in the Genesis and Prevention of Cardiometabolic Diseases: Initially this will be a literature review examining evidence linking land use to cardiometabolic disorders with a primary focus on diabetes. Extension of this work will examine how land use patterns across Chicago and the U.S. may influence cardiometabolic disease rates. It is anticipated that this will be a collaborative project with endocrine fellows and medical students.
Minimum training: resident, fellow
Stipend: No
Contact Name: Rob Sargis, MD, PhD
Contact Email: rsargis@uic.edu
Division: Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
Posted: 05.07.2026
Clinical Care as a Vehicle of Exposure to Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals
Clinical Care as a Vehicle of Exposure to Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals: This project builds off of prior work discussing the ethical implications of endocrine-disrupting chemicals in medications and medical devices. Opportunities here would include further evaluations of existing literature as well as potential collaborations with the College of Pharmacy to better understand the extent of the risk. There is potential here to pursue various facets of clinical care.
Minimum training: resident, fellow
Stipend: No
Contact Name: Rob Sargis, MD, PhD
Contact Email: rsargis@uic.edu
Division: Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
Posted: 05.07.2026
CRESCENT Project
1. CRESCENT project: building the foundation. Training the trainees on sickle cell disease (IRB approved)
2. Menopause in sickle cell disease (IRB approved)
Minimum training: student, resident, fellow
Stipend: No
Contact Name: Marwah Farooq, DO
Contact Email: mfarooq2@uic.edu
Division: Sickle Cell Disease
Study of a PST-Trained Voice-Enabled Artificial Intelligence Counselor (SPEAC) for Adults with Emotional Distress
Study of a PST-Trained Voice-Enabled Artificial Intelligence Counselor (SPEAC) for Adults with Emotional Distress
Project Description: https://reporter.nih.gov/search/5zEMeGHv8k-cUrP4eZmT2A/project-details/10031359
Minimum training: student,resident, fellow
Site: Westside Research Office
Contact Name: Jun Ma, MD, PhD
Contact Email: Maj2015@uic.edu
Division: AIM
End Date: 12/31/2025
Ventricular Arrhythmias in Patients with Sickle Cell Disease
Ventricular Arrhythmias in Patients with Sickle Cell Disease: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is one of the most common structural genetic disorders of hemoglobin, affecting around 100,000 patients in the U.S.,1 most often African-Americans.2 Advances in the care of SCD have improved life expectancy and quality of life but the improved survival of patients has resulted in a rise in the incidence of chronic cardiopulmonary manifestations of the disease such as myocardial infarction (MI), pulmonary hypertension (PH), left ventricular diastolic dysfunction and cardiac arrhythmias.3 Although cardiac autonomic dysfunction, ischemic episodes, QT interval prolongation and myocardial fibrosis have been proposed, the underlying mechanisms for the increased incidence of cardiac arrhythmias in SCD patients remains unclear.4,5,6 Previous studies showed that a prolonged QT interval and ventricular tachyarrhythmias were significant predictors of worse outcomes including greater hospital length of stay and increased mortality as compared to a cohort without arrhythmias.7,8 However, the risk factors associated with increased risk of ventricular arrhythmias in patients with SCD remains unknown. We hypothesize that hemolysis per se leads to structural and biochemical changes that increase the risk of developing ventricular arrhythmias in patients with SCD. We will evaluate the incidence and prevalence and identify risk factors for the development of ventricular arrhythmias in hereditary hemolytic anemias (HHA) in a single center, retrospective analysis. Utilizing our well-characterized registry of 1039 HHA patients, we will examine demographic, comorbid, laboratory, and echocardiographic parameters and correlate cardiac structural and hemodynamic parameters and hemolytic profile with ventricular arrhythmia development.
Minimum training: Resident
Stipend: No
Contact Name: Dawood Darbar, MD, PhD
Contact Email: darbar@uic.edu
Division: Cardiology, Hematology/Oncology, StARR Research
IGNITE Study
IGNITE is a 2-arm randomized clinical trial (RCT) of a fully digital integrated behavioral intervention (“I-CARE”) in 440 adults aged 50-74 years with comorbid depression and obesity who self-identify as racial or ethnic minorities. The digital I-CARE intervention integrates two evidence-based behavioral programs: a video-based behavioral weight loss program and a voice-based virtual coaching program for problem-solving therapy for depression management. Participants randomized to the digital I-CARE intervention will complete active treatment by month 6 and maintenance by month 12. Follow-up assessments will occur at 6 months (primary endpoint) and at 12 months. Participants randomized to the waitlist control condition will receive active treatment in the digital I-CARE intervention after completing their 6-month assessments. The study objectives are as follows: (1) to determine the efficacy of the digital I-CARE intervention in depression and obesity management at 6 months, (2) to identify predictors of treatment success at 6 and 12 months, and (3) to characterize participant experiences and perceptions of the digital I-CARE intervention using mixed methods.
PI: Jun Ma, MD, PhD
Minimum training: Resident, Student, or Fellow
Contact Name: Amruta Barve
Contact Email: amruta@uic.edu
Post Date: January 15, 2025
End Date: August 31, 2028
Quality Improvement
Addressing Microaggression in Medicine
Addressing Microaggression in Medicine: The goal of this Quality Improvement project is to address microaggressions in the workplace in an effort to improve the wellness and mental well-being among our trainees, faculty, and staff, enhance patient care, and increase DEI within the DOM. Our primary outcomes are improving workplace inclusivity, decrease burnout, and improving well-being among our trainees, faculty, and staff.
Minimum training: Student, Resident, Fellow, Faculty
Site: Jesse Brown VA Medical Center
Stipend: No
Contact Name: Alana Biggers, MD
Contact Email: abiggers2@uic.edu
Division: Interdisciplinary
End Date: 2025
Jesse Brown for Black Lives (JB4BL) Clinical Committee
Jesse Brown for Black Lives (JB4BL) Clinical Committee: JB4BL is an interdisciplinary task force whose mission is to address racial disparities in clinical care through anti-racism advocacy, educational initiatives, and quality improvement projects at the Jesse Brown VA. There are currently four active sub-committees:
Clinical Algorithms Subcommittee (Aim: advocating for the removal of race in clinical algorithms that exacerbate health disparities)
Substance Use Disorder Subcommittee (Aim: Improve management of substance use disorder through evidence based clinical approaches and not criminalization)
Minimum training: Student, Resident, Fellow, Faculty
Site: Jesse Brown VA Medical Center
Stipend: No
Contact Name: Cheryl Conner, MD; Marci Laragh, MD
Contact Email: Cheryl.conner@va.gov or Marci.laragh@va.gov
Division: Interdisciplinary
Post Date: 02.15.2022
End Date: 2025
Translational
Islet cell transplant (ICT) as Treatment for Type 1 Diabetes (T1D)
Islet cell transplant (ICT) can functionally cure type 1 diabetes (T1D) by restoring insulin-producing β-cells. However, human donor islets are scarce and many recipients convert back to T1D. While ICT is slowly improving, few consistent predictors of ICT outcomes, in particular recipient factors, have been identified. Consequently, there is a critical need to identify modifiable recipient predictors of ICT success. The long-term goal is to further improve ICT precision medicine. Therefore, the objective of this study is to identify modifiable recipient baseline factors that predict ICT clinical outcomes, to focus the development of feasible, effective pre-ICT interventions to enhance success. Our compelling preliminary data found that greater β-cell function up to one year following first ICT was significantly related to recipient baseline levels of markers of better vascular health: higher HDL, lower blood pressure, narrower carotid intima-media thickness (all clinically available), and lower intercellular adhesion molecule-1. These data are the basis for our central hypothesis: favorable recipient baseline vascular health predicts better ICT outcomes, mediated by enhanced recipient insulin sensitivity and lower β-cell death. Please contact PI for further information.
Stipend: No
Contact Name: PI Kirstie Danielson, PhD
Contact Email: kdaniel@uic.edu
Division: Endocrinology
End Date: 2024
Study of a PST-Trained Voice-Enabled Artificial Intelligence Counselor (SPEAC) for Adults with Emotional Distress (Phase 1)
Study of a PST-Trained Voice-Enabled Artificial Intelligence Counselor (SPEAC) for Adults with Emotional Distress (Phase 1): Depression and anxiety are the leading causes of disability and lost productivity, and are often underdiagnosed and undertreated owing to access, cost, and stigma barriers. Novel and scalable psychotherapies are urgently needed. Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) offer a transformative opportunity to develop intelligent voice assistants as virtual health agents accessible on personal devices. Meanwhile, major advances in human neuroscience have fueled a paradigm shift to study brain mechanisms underlying behavioral health interventions. Leveraging emerging science in these transdisciplinary areas, this project aims to develop and rigorously test a novel voice-enabled, AI virtual agent named Lumen, trained on Problem Solving Therapy (PST), for patients with moderate, untreated depressive and/or anxiety symptoms. The project will investigate the effect of Lumen on engagement of a priori neural targets—amygdala for emotional reactivity and dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) for cognitive control—as putative mechanisms. The project has 2 phases: R61 (years 1-2) and R33 (years 3-5). Focusing on Lumen development and refinement as well as pilot testing, Phase 1 has 2 specific aims. Aim 1 on Lumen development and refinement will proceed in 3 stages: (1) focus groups (n=24 participants), 2) scenario-based clinician evaluations, and (3) a formative user study (n=20 participants). Aim 2 is to pilot test Lumen in a 2-arm randomized clinical trial (pilot RCT), among 60 participants with moderate, untreated depression and/or anxiety who are randomized in a 2:1 ratio to receive PST with Lumen (n=40) on a secure study iPad or be on a waitlist (n=20). At weeks 0 and 14 participants will complete functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to assess neural target engagement as well as validated surveys of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) (e.g., depressive and anxiety symptoms, functioning, quality of life). In addition, participants will complete ecological daily diaries of mood, stress, appraisal and coping for 7 days every 2 weeks during the 14-week follow-up period. The Phase 1 milestones are (1) establishing the functionality, usability, and treatment fidelity of Lumen; and (2) demonstrating feasibility, acceptability, and neural target engagement. Achieving these milestones will provide the basis for the future R33 phase (Phase 2) focused on examining target engagement and PROs in a larger 3-arm RCT by comparing Lumen with a waitlist control arm and an in-person PST arm.
Minimum training: student,resident, fellow
Site: Institute for Health Research and Policy
Contact Name: Jun Ma, MD, PhD
Contact Email: Maj2015@uic.edu
Division: AIM
End Date: 12/31/2025
Estrogen as a Novel Therapy for Acute Lung Injury
Project Description: Our lab has previously identified claudin-5, a tight junctional protein, as a critical mediator of endothelial cell barrier function and we have reported that the upregulation of claudin-5 is associated with lung vascular protection in a mouse model of acute lung injury (ALI). Existing evidence of increased claudin-5 expression by estrogen coupled with clinical evidence of gender differences in ALI outcomes suggest that the administration of estrogen may represent a novel ALI therapy. This project would investigate the effects of estrogen on lung endothelial cell signaling and function, both in vitro and in vivo, in a mouse model of ALI.
This is a StARR research opportunity. No prior research experience required.
Minimum training: Student, Resident, Fellow
Site: COMRB
Stipend: No
Contact Name: Jeffrey Jacobson, MD
Contact Email: jrjacob@uic.edu
Division:Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep & Allergy. StARR Research
Posting start date: 02.15.2022
End Date: 2024
GI
Our work in mice has demonstrated that loss of PI3Kg (simulating system inhibition) or feeding a high fat diet (HFD) enriched with omega-3 fatty acids (w3 HFD) suppress the pancreatic tumor phenotype. However, when combining w3 HFD with PI3Kg loss we observed far worse pancreatic disease and NAFLD nearing steatohepatitis (as reported in these mice on a w6 HFD). This supports that PI3Kg suppression (and perhaps other cancer targets) plus HFD, regardless of the type of fat, induces far worse PC, pancreatitis, and NAFLD. Our preliminary clinical study demonstrates the presence of underlying FLD in 14% of all AP patients compared to 2.6% in controls, further establishing this potential in humans. Similar findings were observed in PC patients, as nearly 50% had liver disease (FLD) compared to patients without PC. These correlations suggest that a subpopulation of PC and AP patients are primed for developing compromised metabolic states that hinder or even reverse the anticancer effects of certain drugs. To further support these clinical findings, we want to peruse the medical records to establish larger patient cohorts and better define underlying FLD in PC and AP patients and the type of FLD associated with these diseases. Other clinical parameters will be considered as we build out this data based on these findings.
Active: Not recruiting New Members
Minimum training: resident, fellow
Site: UIC
Stipend: No (*some individual projects have potential for stipends)
Contact Name: Paul Grippo, PhD
Contact Email: pgrippo@uic.edu
Division: Gastroenterology
Posting start date: 06.14.2022
Pulmonary
Collection of BAL and blood samples from ARDS patients (and MICU controls for comparison), and associated generation of clinical database, to evaluate for associations with genetic expression, gene mutations, protein biomarkers, and inflammatory cell function. Goals are to provide novel insights into mechanisms of ARDS development and to generate clinically-useful predictors for prognosis and therapy selection.
Minimum training: resident, fellow
Site: UIH
Stipend: No
Contact Name: Steve Dudek, MD
Contact Email: sdudek@uic.edu
Division: Pulmonary
Posting start date: 06.27.2022
The ALOHA Trial
The ALOHA trial: Addressing Quality of Life, Clinical Outcomes, and Mechanisms in Uncontrolled Asthma Following the DASH Dietary Pattern: Project Description: https://reporter.nih.gov/search/qKpOCxOvFUa9yemAI8aLNg/project-details/10295652
Minimum training: student,resident, fellow
Site: Westside Research Office
Contact Name: Jun Ma, PhD, Amruta Barve
Contact Email: amruta@uic.edu
Division: AIM
End Date: 9/30/2025
Microbiome in health and disease
Microbiome in health and disease: Our research interests are host-microbiome interactions in health and disease. Our research is supported by the NIH, DOD, VA, and a few other research awards. https://cancer.uillinois.edu/member/jun-sun-phd/
Minimum training: student,resident
Contact Name: Jun Sun, PhD
Contact Email: junsun7@uic.edu
Division: Gastroenterology and Hepatology
Immunometabolism biomarkers in high-risk lung cancer screening patients and patients with early-stage lung cancer
Immunometabolism biomarkers in high-risk lung cancer screening patients and patients with early-stage lung cancer.
Determine staging improvement since enacting high risk lung cancer screening clinic at UIC.
Quality Improvement: evaluation of OSH referrals to thoracic oncology clinic and potential improvement of external referral process.
Minimum training: Student, Resident
Site: COMRB
Stipend: No
Contact Name: Frank Weinberg, MD, PhD
Contact Email: fweinb1@uic.edu
Division: Hematology/Oncology
Basic Science
Basic research in type 2 diabetes and obesity
Basic research in type 2 diabetes and obesity: The Layden group focuses its research on type 2 diabetes and obesity. Our laboratory-based studies look at novel genetic pathways involved in these diseases utilizing transgenic mouse models and studies with human tissues. A few examples include investigating how the gut microbiota mediates these metabolic diseases through nutrient sensing receptors, developing novel receptor agonists to treat these diseases, and understanding how glucose is intracellularly metabolized through novel genetic pathways. Please contact us if interested, to discuss possible projects.
Minimum training: student,resident, fellow
Site: Laboratory
Contact Name: Brian Layden, MD, PhD
Contact Email: Blayden@uic.edu
Division: Endocrinology
Posthoc Research Opportunity for Resident
Fac
- Faculty Information
- Name: Howard Gordon, MD
- Email: hsg@uic.edu
- Department of Medicine
- Project Details
- Project Title Jesse Brown VAMC Registry for Research on patients with COVID-19
- Brief Description of the Study: This study has a database of all patients at Jesse Brown VAMC who had COVID-19. The data includes a wide list of clinical variables, including medication, labs, etc.
- Type of Data Available: REDCap dataset, that could be enhanced with chart review or additional Data Warehouse queries (depending on resident programming skills).
- Size and Scope of Data Set: over 20,000 unique patients, over 400 variables
- Resident Involvement
Specific Tasks for Resident(s)
there is an umbrella IRB protocol – if a resident has a research question then they could be added on to the IRB as an additional substudy with one of the VA co-investigators supervising the resident.
Estimated Time Commitment (the resident would need to do all the work for any additional data collection if needed and for analysis). - Authorship & Academic Output
Resident would be expected to lead the project and first author publications (mentoring would be provided).
- IRB Status
- IRB Approval Status
Amendment to existing IRB would be needed. - IRB Number
IRBNet #157295
Posted 10/2025