Research February 2026 Newsletter
Dear Colleagues,
We are pleased to share an exciting update as we prepare for Research Day 2026, taking place on Tuesday, April 21st.
It is our honor to announce that Gary M. Vilke, MD, FACEP, FAAEM, Professor Emeritus of Clinical Emergency Medicine at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine, will serve as this year’s keynote speaker. Dr. Vilke is a nationally recognized leader in emergency medical services and risk management, with a distinguished record of scholarship and innovation.
Dr. Vilke’s work has had a significant impact on the research community. He has authored two textbooks, coauthored more than 70 book chapters, and published over 270 peer-reviewed articles. His research has appeared in leading journals including Resuscitation, The New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA, and Annals of Emergency Medicine, among others. He also serves on the editorial boards of four major medical journals. We look forward to the insights he will share with our research community. You can read his full bio here.
Additional details, including the call for abstracts and the full event agenda, will be distributed in the coming months.
Thank you for your continued dedication to advancing research and discovery across our institution. We hope you will join us for what promises to be an inspiring and engaging Research Day.
Warm regards,
Michael Wilson, MD, PhD
R&D Grant Proposal Submission Guidelines
Carilion Basic Science Research Lab 2025 Year in Review
Update to Form 1099 Reporting for Research Participant Payments
Discover Grant Opportunities with GrantForward
NIH Required Research Security CITI Training Now Available
Making Surgery Safer for Patients on Blood Thinners
Preliminary Agenda for 2026 Carilion Clinic Research Day
VTCSOM Research Symposium
Celebrating Growth and Collaboration in Surgery Research
The department of surgery has added two new members to their research team, both of whom will report directly to Sydney Webb:
- Briana Apgar, Biodesign Program Manager
- Dr. Miebaka Roberts, who has been promoted to Senior Research Associate (formerly Clinical Research Coordinator)
In addition, the team is hosting two MPH student interns from Liberty University, Dr. Bright Agbotui and Dr. Nana Dangpa Wandji. They will be supporting projects focused on surgical outcomes and participating in shadowing experiences. This internship is a great opportunity to highlight how we can bridge public health and community service with surgical care.
Carilion Clinic TriNetX
Virtual Training Schedule
Carilion offers instructor-led, focused training for an in-depth, step-by-step learning experience building patient cohorts and delving into Analytics. The facilitator will be Dee Myers. Please get in touch with HART@carilionclinic.org with the subject of 'TriNetX Training' for training outside of the scheduled sessions. If you haven’t taken a class or need a refresher, this is your opportunity to do so! Let Dee Myers know which date you prefer and she will send a meeting invitation.
- Feb 4, 10:30am - noon
- Feb 19, 1:30 – 3pm
- Mar 4, 10:30am – noon
- Mar 26, 1:30 – 3pm
https://redcap.link/v5pw9j7j to sign up for TriNetX digitally.
For more information visit:https://redcapweb.carilionclinic.org/redcap/surveys/?s=dcUCIpMAzk8BqKH2
Health Systems Science Research Interest Group
The Health Systems Science Research Interest Group meets bimonthly to discuss the scholarship of quality improvement and implementation science with the goal of creating a learning health system at Carilion Clinic.
If you’re interested in joining the email list for this group (our meeting times vary), email Dawn Smith (dvsmith@carilionclinic.org). For question about the group - email John Epling (jwepling@carilionclinic.org).
Clinical Trial Highlight from the Department of Medicine: OTAC
The OTAC trial (Outpatient Treatment with Anti-Coronavirus Immunoglobulin) involves more than 50 sites internationally. Our research team’s extra efforts on New Year’s Eve added the 700th participant to OTAC—a key milestone for both Carilion and the study itself.
OTAC is a multi-center, randomized clinical trial that investigates the safety and efficacy of a single dose of anti-COVID-19 hyperimmune intravenous immunoglobulin among adults with recently diagnosed SARS-CoV-2 disease who do not require hospitalization. Key eligibility include:
· Age ≥55 years OR age ≥18 years with an immunosuppressed condition
· Positive test for SARS-CoV2 within 5 days
· Symptom onset within 5 days (if the patient is symptomatic for COVID-19)
For more information, visit Study Details | NCT04910269 | Outpatient Treatment With Anti-Coronavirus Immunoglobulin | ClinicalTrials.gov