Research Planning Committee
The Research Planning Committee (RPC) advises the dean of the Saint Louis University School of Medicine on policies, activities and long-term objectives pertaining to research.
About the Research Planning Committee
The Research Planning Committee is the advisory body to the dean of the SLU School of Medicine about policies, activities and long-term objectives pertaining to research in the School of Medicine (SOM).
Members are appointed by the dean to a three-year term, with the recommendations of the Committee on Faculty Affairs.
The committee’s activities include:
- Reviewing nominations for awards and fellowships
- Reviewing research centers and cores
- Reviewing major equipment requisitions
- Administration of the internal study section
- Administration of the SOM President's Research Fund
All meetings are held on the fourth Wednesday of the month except for the November and December meetings.
Meetings are from 2:30–4 p.m. in the Doisy Research Center, Ninth Floor Conference Room.
Funding Opportunities
School of Medicine President’s Research Fund (PRF)
The PRF supports projects with a strong potential for obtaining external funding for SLU investigators.
The Research Planning Committee administers two cycles of the PRF for the School of Medicine.
The PRF01 application season is from Nov. 1, 2025, through Jan. 15, 2026. Funding starts July 1, 2026.
- The maximum award term is 12 months.
- PRF01 Application Guidelines
- Log in to myslu.slu.edu and click the OpenWater icon in the ‘My Apps’ tab. Log in with your current SLU email address (i.e., first.last@slu.edu) and your password. You will be asked to set up your profile when you log in.
- Deadline is 5 p.m. (CST) on Jan 15, 2026
The PRF03 has rolling application submissions. Expedited reviews within 30 days. Funding available within 90 days post-application submission.
- The maximum award term is 12 months.
- PRF03 Application Guidelines
- Log in to myslu.slu.edu and click the OpenWater icon in the ‘My Apps’ tab. Log in with your current SLU email address (i.e., first.last@slu.edu) and your password. You will be asked to set up your profile when you log in.
- Deadline is 5th of each month (August through May) at 5 p.m. (CST)
Contact for medical school applicants: Sandra Cornell, sandra.cornell@health.slu.edu.
2025 School of Medicine Winners
- Kana Miyata, MD, Internal Medicine, SGLT2 inhibitors’ off-target mechanisms of kidney protection
- Brent Tetri, MD, Internal Medicine-Gastroenterology, The role of ABHD5 in protecting against metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH)
- Jianguo Liu, MD, PhD, Internal Medicine-Infectious Diseases, Role of E-box binding protein in MCP-1 polymorphism-mediated susceptibility to pulmonary tuberculosis infection
- Jeff Teckman, MD, Pediatrics, Investigating the Role of USP20 and CTSZ Gene Ablation on Autophagy and Inflammation in A1ATD Mouse Model
- Tinghai Xu, PhD, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Structural Insights into DNMT3A-3L-Mediated Mammalian de novo DNA Methylation in Chromatin Context
- Jaya Gnana-Prakasam, PhD, Ophthalmology, Role of Beta-hydroxybutyrate in Retinal Function
2024 School of Medicine Winners
- Susana Gonzalo-Hervas, PhD, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cathepsin L-mediated remodeling of the nuclear proteome
- Ryan Teague, PhD, Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Maternal Obesity and Immune Dysfunction in Neonates
- Kyle McCommis, PhD, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Structure and transport/inhibition mechanisms of the human mitochondrial pyruvate carrier
- Kevin Chen, MD, Plastic Surgery, Custom 3D-Printed Nasal Conformers for Improved Cleft Nasal Outcomes
- Vincenza Cifarelli, PhD, Pharmacology and Physiology, Determining the role of a novel E3 ligase Ube4A in intestinal function and IBD
- Oleg Kisselev, PhD, Ophthalmology, Mechanisms of inherited retinal degeneration
2023 School of Medicine Winners
- Rajeev Aurora, PhD, Molecular Microbiology and Immunology/Pediatrics, Development of a gnotobiotic mouse model to study the effect of breastmilk microbiome on neonatal health
- Stephen Ferris, PhD, Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Developing next-generation dendritic cell cancer vaccines
- Chien-Jung Lin, MD, Internal Medicine-Cardiology, Extracellular Matrix in Vascular Diseases
- Andy Nguyen, PhD, Internal Medicine-Geriatrics, Progranulin as a Potential Therapeutic Target to Enhance Cognitive Function in Alzheimer's Disease
- Kedar Padhye, MD, Orthopedic Surgery, Machine Learning for Implant Classification in Spinal Revision Surgery
- Krishan Pandey, PhD, Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Determine the structure of a transient intermediate in retroviral integration pathway
- John Tavis, PhD, Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Engineering tractable HBV polymerase derivatives for structure, mechanism, and drug discovery studies
- Victor Tse, PhD, Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Development of Fusion Loop-Null Live Dengue Viruses to Define Immune Correlates of Protection
2022 School of Medicine Winners
- Ryan Teague, PhD, Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, Parental obesity and inherited immune dysfunction
- Sarah George, MD, Internal Medicine - Infectious Diseases & Immunology, Determine how obesity and insulin resistance alters durability of adaptive immunity after COVID vaccination
- Xiaofeng Fan, MD, PhD, Internal Medicine – Gastroenterology, Anellovirus as a Risk Factor for Hepatocellular Carcinoma
- Robert Fleming, MD, Pediatrics, The effect of monoferric transferrins on erythroid suppression resulting from acute and chronic inflammation
- Yasar Caliskan, MD, Internal Medicine - Nephrology, Molecular Phenotyping of Graft Ischemia-Reperfusion injury with Single Nucleus RNA Sequencing using our novel PROTECT Normothermic Ex Vivo Kidney Perfusion Model
2021 School of Medicine Winners
- Getahun Abate, MD, IM-Infectious Diseases, Cross-reactive nontuberculous mycobacterial immunity in patients with past infection and capacity of high risk patients to mount T cell immune responses
- Elise Alspach, PhD, Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, Sex Disparities in Anti-Tumor T Cell Responses
- Ian Mitchelle de Vera, PhD, Pharmacol & Physiol Science, Germ Cell Nuclear Factor as a Novel Therapeutic Target for Germ Cell Tumors
- Julie Dillard, MD, Pediatrics-Administration, The Role of PDE3 in a Murine Model of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia
- Alexis Guenette, DO, IM-Infectious Diseases, Immune Response to SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination and Breakthrough Infections in Cancer Patients, including Bone Marrow Transplant Recipients, in Comparison to Normal Healthy Adults
- Daniel Hawiger, MD, PhD, Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, Blocking and enhancing tolerogenic functions of dendritic cells by targeting BTLA
- Jacki Kornbluth, PhD, Pathology-Administration, NKLAM: An RBR E3 Ubiquitin Ligase Essential for Regulation of Innate Immunity
- Jianguo Liu, MD, PhD, IM-Infectious Diseases, A new treatment for endocrine resistant breast cancer by targeting MALT1
- Ranjit Ray, PhD, IM-Infectious Diseases, Understanding molecular mechanisms by which SARS-CoV-2 orchestrates immunopathogenesis
2020 School of Medicine Winners
- Angel Baldan, PhD, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, The Role of FSP27b on Dietary Lipid Absorption, Lipoprotein Secretion, and Oxidative Metabolism
- James Brien, PhD, Molecular Biology & Immunology, Development of a mRNA Vaccine to Protect Against Dengue Virus Disease
- Krishan Pandey, PhD, Molecular Biology & Immunology, Determination of retroviral integrase-DNA complex assembly mechanisms by cryo-EM
- Sandeep Dhindsa, MD, IM-Endocrinology, Effect of transgender therapy on hormone receptors, adipogenesis and inflammation
- Wilson King, MD, Pediatrics, Constructing a novel mechanical aortic and pulmonary heart valve using Metal 3D Printing and nanotextured graphene coatings
- Mustafa Nazzal, MD, Abdominal Transplant Center, Perfusion Regulated Organ Therapeutics with Enhanced Controlled Testing (PROTECT): Mitigating ischemiareperfusion injury in marginal liver to increase deceased donor pool.