October 30, 2026
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center announces the following research results, faculty honors and grants that were recently given to individuals:
Jarjour named master of the American College of Rheumatology
Wael Jarjour, MD, professor of Internal Medicine and director of the Division of Immunology and Rheumatology at The Ohio State University College of Medicine, was named as a master of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), one of the ACR’s highest honors recognizing leadership, research, education and service in rheumatology. Jarjour, also the Martha Morehouse Chair in Arthritis and Immunology Research, will be honored during the ACR Convergence in November.
Urman receives grant to test AI-enabled system for detecting respiratory decline
Richard Urman, MD, Jay J. Jacoby Professor and chair of the Department of Anesthesiology at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, received a three-year, $3.5 million grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s Small Business Innovation Research program to support a multisite clinical trial of an AI-enabled, wireless, alarm-activated system designed to detect emerging respiratory decline.
One-minute mindfulness exercise gains support from operating room teams in pilot study
A one-minute mindfulness exercise before surgery was well received by operating room teams in a pilot study from The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. A total of 116 individuals participated, including surgeons and nurses. More than half of respondents reported favorable perceptions related to calmness, clarity, stress and contribution to patient safety. Overall, 61% said they would recommend the mindfulness exercise to other surgical teams, and responses were similar among physicians and other staff. The study findings, published in the journal Explore, suggest the brief practice may be easy to fit into the fast-paced operating room and should be studied further. The research was led by Timothy Pawlik, MD, PhD, chair of the Department of Surgery, and Maryanna Klatt, PhD, director of the Center for Integrative Health, both at Ohio State Wexner Medical Center.
Singh elected secretary of the Biophysical Society
Harpreet Singh, PhD, professor of physiology and cell biology at The Ohio State University College of Medicine, was elected secretary of the Biophysical Society, one of the world's leading scientific organizations dedicated to advancing research at the interface of the physical and life sciences. Singh is internationally recognized for his pioneering research on intracellular ion channels, particularly mitochondrial potassium and chloride channels, and their roles in cardiovascular physiology, metabolism and disease. His work has advanced understanding of the molecular mechanisms that regulate heart function and opened new avenues for therapeutic development in cardiovascular disorders. His four-year term starts July 1, 2027.
Gallego-Perez named American Heart Association fellow
Daniel Gallego-Perez, PhD, professor in the Departments of Biomedical Engineering and General Surgery at The Ohio State University and The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, was elected a fellow of the American Heart Association through the Council on Basic Cardiovascular Sciences.
Gallego-Perez’s research focuses on developing nanotechnology-enabled therapeutic platforms for regenerative medicine and gene therapy. His work has led to numerous high-impact publications, multiple patents and several technologies licensed to industry. He is the lead inventor of Tissue Nano-Transfection (TNT), a groundbreaking non-viral gene delivery platform. Gallego-Perez is director of the Center for Advanced Nanotherapeutics within Ohio State’s Gene Therapy Institute and holds the Edgar C. Hendrickson Chair in Biomedical Engineering. He also has been named a fellow of the Biomedical Engineering Society and the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering.
Six Ohio State physicians named 2026 Most Trusted Physicians
The inaugural list of the 2026 Columbus Most Trusted Physicians includes six physicians with The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center: Shahid Nimjee, MD, PhD, (neurosurgery); Michael Jonesco, DO, (internal medicine and sports medicine); Bryant Walrod, MD, (family medicine and sports medicine); Kendra McCamey, MD, (family medicine and sports medicine); Allison Rhodes, MD, (internal medicine and obesity medicine); and Natalie Beckett, DO, (internal medicine). They are among 113 local physicians nominated by their peers for recognition. An additional 13 health care professionals were also nominated. OffCall partnered with the Columbus Medical Association to create the recognition. Physicians and other health care professionals nominated colleagues they would trust to care for their patients and families. OffCall is a private, verified network where physicians can connect with colleagues.
Media Contact
Amy Colgan, Ohio State Wexner Medical Center Media Relations, Amy.Colgan@osumc.edu