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  • Trauma Interdisciplinary Group for Research (TIGR)

Trauma Interdisciplinary Group for Research (TIGR)

An entire team of specialists optimizes treatment for critically injured patients; the same is true of optimizing research in the field. In response, the Surgical Critical Care section has formed the Trauma Interdisciplinary Group for Research, or TIGR, to consolidate multidisciplinary research efforts in trauma care.

TIGR encompasses both basic and clinical research, and includes biomedical scientists, physicians, nurses, nutritionists, physical therapists, respiratory therapists and health informatics experts. The group meets regularly to share research findings and discuss new ways to advance trauma patient care.

Current projects include studies involving sepsis, organ failure, acute lung injury, inflammation, substance abuse, wound-healing, genetics and other factors that may affect trauma outcomes. The National Institutes of Health and local sources support this research in an effort to reduce the burden of illness and injury.

The Surgical Critical Care team embraces the vision of collaboration, because everyone involved in trauma care has the same priority: our patients.

Current Members

Elizabeth (Beth) NeSmith, PhD, MSN, RN (Chair)
Assistant Professor, College of Nursing
Sepsis, organ failure, acute lung injury; Influence of chronic stress on inflammatory response to trauma; Effect of hsp90 inhibitors on inflammation following trauma; Relationship of cocaine abuse to subclinical renal disease; Translational Research

Regina Medeiros, DNP, MHSA, RN, CCRN (Co-Chair)
Trauma Program Manager, College of Medicine,
Department of Surgery, Trauma/Critical Care
Acute outcomes of trauma/Evidence-Based Practice/Simulation/Disaster

Jennifer Anderson, MBA, RRT, AE-C
Director, Respiratory Care Services,
GHSU Medical Center

Ventilator management, weaning, and optimal respiratory outcomes

Traci Hentges, BSN, RN, CCRN
Staff Nurse, GHSU Medical Center, Shock Trauma ICU;
Clinical Nurse Leader Student
Acute outcomes of trauma/Evidence-Based Practice

Linda Atteberry, MD
Asst Professor, College of Medicine, Trauma/Surgical Critical Care
Open abdomen management, thoracic trauma outcomes

Ramona (Mona) Herrington, BS, RRT
Senior Respiratory Therapist, GHSU Medical Center
Ventilator management, weaning, and optimal respiratory outcomes

Craig Baal, BSN, RN
Staff Nurse, Shock Trauma ICU, GHSU Medical Center
Acute outcomes of trauma/Evidence-Based Practice

Chris Hogan, MD
Assistant Professor, Critical Care Fellow, GHSU Medical Center
Acute outcomes of trauma

Randall Baker, PhD, RRT
Asso. Professor, College of Allied Health Sciences, Chair,
Department of Respiratory Therapy
Health disparities, ventilatory management, asthma

Steve Holsten, MD
Assistant Professor, Critical Care Fellow, GHSU Medical Center
Acute outcomes of trauma, Post traumatic stress disorder

Richard R. Bias, MBA, FACHE
Senior Vice President of Ambulatory and Network Services
GHSU Medical Center
Systems management, trauma process and outcomes

Vibha Kumar, MD, M.Phil
Assistant Professor, College of Allied Health Sciences,
Department of Health Informatics

Public Health, Informatics, Trauma/Emergency Services
Study design, data collection and entry, data analysis, implementation and evaluation processes, outcome and preparation of reports for epidemiological surveillance and studies

James (JB) Bittner, III, MD
Chief Resident, College of Medicine, Dept of Surgery,
GHSU Medical Center
Acute outcomes of trauma

Matt Lyon, MD
Asso Professor, College of Medicine,
Department of Emergency Medicine
Health Disparities in Emergency Care, Rural Emergency Medicine, Ultrasound

John Catravas, PhD
Regents Professor, College of Medicine, GHSU
Sepsis/Acute Lung Injury, Molecular/biochemical pathophysiology
Pharmacologic treatment development

Keith O'Malley, MD
Professor, College of Medicine, Department of Surgery,
Trauma Critical Care
Acute Outcomes of Trauma

Brandi Cross, MD
Surgery Resident, College of Medicine, GHSU Medical Center

Mary Anne Park, MSN, RN, CCRC
Director, Dept of Surgical Research, College of Medicine
Research coordination/IRB

Jessica Dillard-Wright, RN, MSN
PhD Student, College of Nursing, GHSU

Celeste Ray, PT, PhD
Senior Physical Therapist, GHSU Medical Center
Functional Outcomes Following Surgery

Yanbin Dong, MD/PhD
Professor, College of Medicine, GA Institute for the
Prevention of Human Disease and Accidents
Genetics, Inflammation, Stress, Renal, and Vascular Pathophysiology; Vit D in Acute Outcomes of Trauma

Shawn Roberson, BSN, RN, CCRN
Staff Nurse, GHSU Medical Center, Shock Trauma ICU,
Nurse Practitioner Student
Acute outcomes of trauma/Evidence-Based Practice

Jennifer Edmunds, MSN, RN
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Shock Trauma and Surgical ICU,
GHSU Medical Center
Acute outcomes of trauma/Evidence-Based Practice

Siddaramappa, Umapathy, PhD
Assistant Research Scientist, Vascular Biology Center,
Georgia Health Sciences Center
Acute Lung Injury, Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome; Animal models of ALI/ARDS, translational research

Colville Ferdinand, MD
Asso Professor, College of Medicine,
Department of Surgery, Trauma/Critical Care
Acute outcomes of trauma

Saku Sundaram, DPT, PT
Clinical Manager, Rehabilitation Services, GHSU Medical Center
Functional Outcomes Following Trauma

David Gardner, RN, BSN, MACS
Trauma Nurse Clinician/Case Manager
Acute outcomes of trauma

Arthur Taft, PhD, RRT
Asso. Professor, College of Allied Health Sciences,
Program Director, Respiratory Therapy
Ventilator management, weaning, and optimal respiratory outcomes

Siera Gollan, RN, MSN
PhD Student, College of Nursing, GHSU
Trauma Systems Research

Gagan Thangjam, PhD
Post-Doctoral Fellow, College of Graduate Studies,
Vascular Biology Center
The role of heat shock protein 90 inhibitors in reducing inflammation

Joyce Gonzales, MD
Asst Professor, College of Medicine, Vascular Biology Center
Pulmonary Disease

Alexander Verin, PhD
Professor, College of Medicine, Vascular Biology Center
Molecular mechanisms of acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome

Mark Hamrick, PhD
Professor, College of Medicine; Interim VP for Research
Mechanisms underlying normal and abnormal growth, development, and aging of musculoskeletal tissues

Stephanie White, RN, MSN, MPH, CCRC
Nurse Clinician, Dept of Surgical Research, GHSU
Acute outcomes of surgery/translational research

Michael Hawkins, MD, FACS
Professor, College of Medicine, Department of Surgery,
Chief, Trauma/Surgical Critical Care
Acute outcomes of trauma

Steve Whitney, MSN, RN
Nurse Manager, Shock Trauma & Surgical ICU, GHSU Medical Center
Acute outcomes of surgical critical care/ Evidence-Based Practice/Simulation
  Haidong Zhu, MD/PhD
Asst Professor, College of Medicine, GA Inst for the
Prevention of Human Disease and Accidents
Genetics, Inflammation, Stress, Renal, and Vascular Pathophysiology; Vit D in Acute Outcomes of Trauma
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