The Latest News from UI Health Care

After a national search, Vikas Dudeja, MBBS, FACS, has been selected to serve as chair and department executive officer of the Department of Surgery. 

Vikas Dudeja, MBBS, FACS, has been appointed chair and department executive officer of the Department of Surgery in the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine. He will begin in his new role on June 30, pending approval by the Iowa Board of Regents.  

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An expert in pancreatic cancer and other hepatobiliary cancers, Dudeja currently serves as a tenured professor and the director of the Division of Surgical Oncology in the Department of Surgery at The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). His research primarily focuses on understanding the pathobiology of pancreatic cancer and pancreatitis, with the goal of developing innovative treatment strategies for these challenging diseases. He is dedicated to translating laboratory discoveries into clinical applications and currently serves as the principal investigator of two multi-institutional clinical trials aimed at evaluating novel therapies for pancreatitis. His laboratory is supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Defense, and Veterans Affairs merit awards. 

“I am delighted to welcome Dr. Dudeja to Iowa as he is an exceptional surgeon-scientist who will bring a wealth of expertise to UI Health Care,” says Denise Jamieson, MD, MPH, vice president for medical affairs and the Tyrone D. Artz Dean of the Carver College of Medicine. “His blend of surgical leadership, clinical expertise, and dedication to research will build upon the department’s focus on providing leading-edge patient care, the education of future surgeons, and first-rate research.”   

Dudeja completed his residency in general surgery at the University of Minnesota and completed fellowship training in surgical oncology at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. He earned his medical degree from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). 

Dudeja is a distinguished member of several esteemed organizations, including the American Surgical Association, the American Society of Clinical Investigation, the Halstead Society, the Society of Clinical Surgery, the Society of University Surgeons, and the Southern Surgical Association. His exceptional contributions to the field have also earned him the prestigious James IV Association Travelling Fellowship. Additionally, Dudeja was recently elected president-elect of the Association for Academic Surgery, further solidifying his reputation as a leader in academic surgery. 

Beyond his leadership roles, Dudeja is a prominent figure in the academic and medical publishing world. He serves as associate editor for Frontiers in Immunology and Pancreatology and is a member of the editorial boards for both American Journal of Physiology and Surgical Oncology Insight. 

Dudeja has been instrumental in starting innovative treatment programs for cancer patients at UAB, such as the Hepatic Artery Infusion Pump Program for patients with colon cancer liver metastases, and the Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy Program for patients with peritoneal malignancy, the only such programs available in the Deep South. 

"I’m honored and excited to join the University of Iowa Health Care team," says Dudeja. "I look forward to working alongside my colleagues to provide exceptional surgical care, train the next generation of surgeons, and continue research to find innovative cures. Together, we will carry forward Dr. Denise Jamieson’s vision to help Iowans and build upon the strong foundation set in the department by Dr. Ronald Weigel.” 

Jamieson expressed her gratitude to Ronald Weigel, MD, PhD, MBA, FACS, for continuing to serve as the department’s chair and department executive officer until his successor begins. Weigel will remain a part-time faculty member, continuing his research activities alongside his role as the medical director for cancer programs with the American College of Surgeons. 

Jamieson also thanked members of the search committee—led by Matthew Howard, MD, professor and chair of the Department of Neurosurgery, and Douglas Van Daele, MD, vice dean for clinical affairs and executive director of UI Physicians—for their work in conducting a national search for the position.  

As the chair and department executive officer, Dudeja will oversee all aspects of the department, representing faculty and serving as the spokesperson within the Carver College of Medicine, UI Health Care, and in interactions with practitioners across the state and nation. 

Patients with symptomatic, severe tricuspid valve regurgitation now have more treatment options available at UI Health Care. 

Two new minimally invasive procedures offer a reduced recovery time and provide an alternative to daily medications and ongoing monitoring for patients who are often at high risk and do not qualify for surgery.  

Tricuspid valve regurgitation occurs when the valve between the two right heart chambers (right atrium and right ventricle) doesn’t close as it should, and blood flows backward through the valve. As a result, less blood flows to the lungs, leaving patients with extreme fatigue, shortness of breath, and the feeling of a pounding heartbeat. Some patients are born with the condition, and others develop it later in life due to infection or other health issues.

In fall 2024, UI Health Care began offering transcatheter tricuspid valve repair treatment, where a catheter is used to deliver clips to the tricuspid valve leaflets to hold them together and reduce the blood flowing backwards. Additionally, UI Health Care will soon offer a transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement option, where the valve is replaced with an artificial one. 

“While these treatments are new to the U.S., tens of thousands of patients have benefitted from these treatments in Canada and Europe, and through clinical trials” says Phillip Horwitz, MD, an interventional cardiologist and the executive director of UI Health Care Heart and Vascular Center.

The transcatheter tricuspid valve repairs are performed by interventional cardiologists who have advanced training in these procedures and clip technology. Patients are often able to return home the same day as the procedure. 

“These new tricuspid valve procedures have been proven to provide real symptom relief for patients. The fast recovery and minimally invasive nature of the procedures bring new options for patients who have few other choices,” Horwitz says. “We are excited to bring these treatments to Iowans and help improve their quality of life in a convenient, effective way.”

Learn more about UI Health Care’s tricuspid valve treatment program at uihc.org/services/tricuspid-valve-repair-and-replacement.

The Carver College of Medicine announced the latest cohort of the Stead Family Scholars Program in fall 2024. 

The program recognizes and advances the development of outstanding early-career scientists who are becoming recognized leaders in their research fields. Established with the support of Jerre and Mary Joy Stead, scholars receive $125,000 per year for three years to pursue new, unexplored ideas that promise consequential discoveries. They also benefit from specialized professional development programs in leadership and communication. 

The program has already made it possible for seven Stead Family Scholars in previous cohorts to expand their programs, pivot into new methods, and publish new findings.

The 2024 Stead Family Scholars include:

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Georgina Aldridge, MD, PhD (R17)
Assistant Professor
Department of Neurology 

Aldridge’s lab seeks to evaluate the underlying causes and contributing factors of multiple-etiology dementia, including Lewy body dementia. She studies the relationship between aggregates that build up in the brain and changes in sleep, mood, cognition, and psychiatric function. 

“While it is essential that some researchers focus on the earliest stages of disease, our research is unique in focusing and adapting to times when symptoms are at their worst,” Aldridge says. “We feel that understanding and objectively tracking the relationship between these complex psychiatric symptoms—hallucinations, anxiety, depression, insomnia—will help us understand the circuits and develop treatments.”

With this award, she will monitor these symptoms across time in individuals living with dementia, comparing how symptoms interact and differ by disease type.

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Deniz Atasoy, PhD
Associate Professor 
Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology 

Atasoy’s research focuses on central neural circuits regulating appetite and glucose homeostasis. 

“This work will employ cutting-edge neuronal activity measurement techniques to understand which brain circuits are responsible for sensing drops in blood glucose and orchestrating necessary response to prevent potentially deadly hypoglycemia,” Atasoy says. “We will be able to do this in an awake and behaving animal model as hypoglycemia occurs in real time as opposed to earlier attempts, which relied on isolated and fixed brain slices.”

The research will inform approaches to diabetes treatment, such as how to counter undesired hypoglycemia that can occur as a side effect of insulin.

“I am honored and excited for the opportunity this scholarship will enable,” he says.

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Rebecca Dodd, PhD
Associate Professor 
Department of Internal Medicine–Hematology, Oncology, and Blood and Marrow Transplantation 

Dodd is co-leader of the Cancer Genes and Pathways Program at UI Health Care Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center. Her research focuses on understanding cancer growth and metastasis with an emphasis on malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs)—rare but aggressive tumors that mostly affect children and adolescents. 

“Metastasis is the leading cause of death for patients with MPNSTs,” Dodd says. “However, there is currently no targeted treatment for metastatic MPNST patients.”

With this funding, she plans to test innovative anticancer therapies and develop biomarkers for metastatic disease.

“My laboratory will be able to deepen our understanding of the cellular and molecular events that drive MPNST metastasis,” she says. “Developing new therapeutic strategies that target metastatic events is critical to improving outcomes for cancer patients.”

University of Iowa Health Care and Mission Cancer + Blood will create a comprehensive statewide cancer care network aimed at keeping high-quality cancer care local for Iowans.

In December, UI Health Care and Mission announced an agreement to establish a network uniquely positioned to address Iowa's elevated cancer rates.

“By adding Mission to our growing system of care, we can better collaborate with health systems and critical access hospitals to improve cancer care in Iowa,” says Denise Jamieson, MD, MPH, UI vice president for medical affairs and the Tyrone D. Artz Dean of the Carver College of Medicine. “We intend to build on Mission’s long-standing, trusted partnerships to bring the highest quality cancer care closer to home for all Iowans.” 

Patients at Mission will continue to have access to the same high-quality cancer care at its 20-plus community locations in Iowa. Ultimately, Mission’s patients will have greater access to clinical trials and enhanced resources from UI Health Care and its Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, Iowa’s only National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center.

“Addressing Iowa’s cancer rates requires better collaboration across the state,” says Phil Stover, JD, MBA, CEO of Mission Cancer + Blood. “Both organizations realized that together we can provide more patients with access to comprehensive services, shorten the time between diagnosis and treatment, and expand options for the latest therapies. This is the right thing to do for Iowans.” 

U.S. News & World Report lists UI Health Care Medical Center as “High Performing” in its 2025 ratings of “Best Hospitals for Maternity Care.”

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The “High Performing” designation is the highest level a medical center can earn as part of the annual ratings. U.S. News evaluated 817 hospitals from across the U.S., and only half of all hospitals evaluated for the 2025 ratings edition were recognized as among the nation’s best.

“I’m extremely proud of our team continuing to earn national recognition at a time when more babies are being born at our hospitals than ever before,” says Christian Pettker, MD, professor and chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. “Not only are we looking to expand maternal health services at our campuses to ensure we’re here for those who need us, but we’re also providing outreach support in rural communities. We’re educating and supporting emergency care teams and frontline providers around the state to bolster their obstetric skills.” 

The ratings methodology was based entirely on objective measures of quality, such as cesarean section rates in lower-risk pregnancies, severe unexpected newborn complication rates, exclusive breast milk feeding rates, birthing-friendly practices, and other measures.