HMHRI 4th Annual Research Symposium: CAR T Cells, Cannabis, Environmental Health, and More

CAR T cells’ latest developments, cannabis as witnessed from the emergency room, and the health impacts of environmental factors at the earliest stages of human life were a few of the topics explored at the annual Hackensack Meridian Health Research Institute (HMHRI) Research Symposium on May 29.

More than 200 attended the fourth-annual event, held at the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine (HMSOM), and viewed virtually across the Hackensack Meridian Health network.

“This symposium was the best yet,” said Ihor Sawczuk, M.D., FACS, the president of Academics, Research, and Innovation at the health network, who offered the opening remarks. “We had relevant and exciting topics, and the dialogue was enlightening. This is how we make connections, and develop new ideas and innovations across the breadth of our operation.”

Two insightful panels brought together notable experts from across the state’s largest and most comprehensive health network. “Research Using Cannabis” was moderated by Hannah I. Lipman, MD., MS, the vice president of Bioethics for HMH, and also the Linda Farber Post Chair in Bioethics and professor at the medical school. Taking part in the talk were: Robert Stern, M.D., psychiatrist, and Heba Ekladios, M.D., a psychiatry resident at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, who spoke about cannabis legalization and its impact on older adults; Nasim Ahmed, MD., the chief of trauma medical director of the Surgical Intensive Care Unit at Jersey Shore, who went over some observations of outcomes for patients following traumatic injury following cannabis usage; and Sondra Maureen Nemetski, M.D., Ph.D., a pediatric emergency medicine attending physician at Hackensack University Medical Center and assistant professor of pediatrics and emergency medicine at the medical school, who spoke about cannabis legalization in the COVID-19 period and what was witnessed among young patients. 

“Clinical Implications of Emerging CAR T Cell Research” addressed the science’s upside for treating cancer and autoimmune diseases. It featured Martin Gutierrez, M.D., the director of the Drug Discovery/Phase I Program and co-chief of Thoracic Oncology at HMH; Anna Broder, M.D., MSc, professor at the medical school and director of the Division of Rheumatology and vice chair of Research at Hackensack University Medical Center; and Krupa Pandey, M.D., director of the Center for Multiple Sclerosis and Related Conditions at the Neurosciences Institute at Hackensack University Medical Center and a professor at the medical school. Dr. Gutierrez spoke about experimental therapeutics for solid tumors, Dr. Broder talked about cell therapies for systemic autoimmune diseases, and Dr. Pandey talked about the burgeoning promise of using T cells in complex neurological afflictions. 

Two scientists from the Hackensack Meridian Center for Discovery and Innovation (CDI) addressed their ongoing work. The Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) program was the focus of the remarks by Judy Aschner, M.D., a director and member scientist at the CDI and also professor of pediatrics at HMSOM. She talked about the large national study which aims to better understand the impacts of environmental health on human life, from the earliest stages of life onward. Lung cancer screening to save lives was the initiative presented by Lisa Carter-Bawa, Ph.D., MPH, APRN, ANP-C, FAAN, the director of the Cancer Prevention Precision Control Institute (CPPCI) at the CDI, as well as the deputy associate director of Community Outreach and Engagement at the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, and director of Cancer Community Outreach and Engagement at the John Theurer Cancer Center. She talked about ways of reaching people eligible for life-saving tests through Facebook and other innovative outreach.

Two nurse-scientists delivered insights from a “Fatigue, sleepiness, sleep quality and working night shift study.” The clinical-setting results were from: Susan H. Weaver, Ph.D., RN, CRNI, NEA-BC, of the Ann May Center for Nursing; and Teri Wurmser, Ph.D., MPH, RN, NEA-BC, vice president for Nursing Research, Grants and Academic Affairs, and Dean of the Georgian Court- Hackensack Meridian Health School of Nursing.

Award winners from the HMSOM Medical Student Research Day and the HMH Resident/Fellow Research Day had time at the podium. The study of patient-derived organoids for pre-treatment screening of possible therapies in colorectal cancer was work delivered by first-year medical student Pramath Kalelkar, whose mentor is Kevin Tong, Ph.D., of the CDI. A 25-year analysis of studies assessing the role of spirituality and religiosity in suicide risk among adolescents was the focus of work by Mohammed Junaid Rana, M.D., whose mentor is Adam Sagot, DO, a child-and-adolescent psychiatrist. 

The closing remarks encompassing the many highlights of the day were given by Mohammed Quadri, M.D. MBA, vice president of strategy for Academic, Research, and Innovation and an assistant professor at the HMSOM.