University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine
2021 State of the School
Notable achievements, accomplishments and developments, as well as a look ahead.
Education
Amanda Wong, P.A. '20 | Alumna, Physician Assistant Studies
Top Education Accomplishments of 2020/2021
Education

UNR Med graduates 64 new doctors in first-ever hybrid hooding ceremony
May 14, 2021 • UNR Med hosted its first-ever hybrid (in-person and virtual) hooding ceremony, conferring Doctor of Medicine (MD) degrees to 64 fourth-year medical students of the Class of 2021, graduating as northern Nevada's newest physicians.

Aaron Dieringer, M.D., MPH, named as assistant dean of admissions for UNR Med
April 6, 2021 • The University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med) has named Aaron Dieringer, M.D., MPH, as assistant dean of admissions and chair of the admissions executive committee.

UNR Med fourth-year medical students receive residency assignments
March 19, 2021 • Fourth-year medical students from the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med) were among the approximately 18,000 medical student nationwide who learned where they will spend their residencies today as part of Match Day - including in northern Nevada, throughout the state and across the nation.

Myron J. Gomez, M.D., FACS named as surgery co-chair for UNR Med
March 16, 2021 • The University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med) has named Myron J. Gomez, M.D., FACS as a co-chair of UNR Med's department of surgery.

Medical students honor anatomical donors for their gift of teaching and discovery
December 15, 2020 • Death can advance life. Anatomical donors - those who donate their bodies to medical education and research after passing away, teach medical students about far more than gross anatomy. Anatomical donors essentially become medical students' first patient by posthumously teaching them how to care, work as a team and develop a sense of curiosity and scientific discovery.

Amanda Wong, UNR Med Class of 2020 PA Studies Program graduate, completes aerospace medicine elective clerkship with SpaceX
November 24, 2020 • Amanda Wong, UNR Med Class of 2020 PA Studies Program graduate recently had the privilege of participating in a three-week aerospace medicine elective clerkship with SpaceX and their team of flight surgeons at the space flight company’s rocket development and launch facility in Boca Chica Texas, and shared her experiences.

UNR Med medical students create a healthy curriculum for Washoe County high school students
September 8, 2020 • A team of medical students from UNR Med is creating and teaching original curriculum to promote preventative care and healthy lifestyle choices among high school students in the Washoe County School District (WCSD).

Inaugural Physician Assistant Studies Program Class of 2020 graduates from UNR Med
September 1, 2020 • Two years after the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med) launched its new Physician Assistant (PA) Studies Program, the inaugural class graduated in a Physician Assistant Studies Virtual Completion Ceremony, becoming the first graduates of the program.

UNR Med welcomes class of 2024 with first virtual White Coat Ceremony
August 7, 2020 • The University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med) today welcomed 70 new first-year medical students with a virtual white coat ceremony. Traditionally, medical students receive their first white coats during an in-person ceremony to mark their educational journeys toward becoming physicians.
Renown Health Affiliation
Danielle Eaton | Senior Director, Research Operations and Administration
Top Affiliation Accomplishments of 2021
Renown Health Affiliation

Renown Health and University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine hosted affiliation agreement certificate signing event

Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents approve Renown Health and University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine Affiliation Agreement
June 11, 2021 • The Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) Board of Regents voted today at its monthly board meeting to approve an affiliation agreement between the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med) and Renown Health that will establish the first fully integrated health system in Nevada.

Governor Sisolak signs Senate Bill 342
May 20, 2021 • Today, Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak signed Senate Bill 342 into law. The bill authorizes the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) Board of Regents to enter into an agreement to affiliate with a publicly or privately owned medical facility or related entity, whether for profit or not for profit, to further promote and enhance a medical education or health education program at a university.

Renown Health and UNR Med provide update on proposed intent to affiliate to Nevada System of Higher Education Board of regents

NSHE Board of Regents unanimously approve UNR Med/Renown Health LOI
September 15, 2020 • On Friday, September 11, the Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents unanimously approved the UNR Med and Renown Health Letter of Intent (LOI) to explore a high-level clinical integration.

Renown Health & University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine announce intent to affiliate
COVID-19 Response
Mark Pandori, Ph.D. | Director, Nevada State Public Health Laboratory
Top COVID-19 Response Accomplishments of 2021
COVID-19 Response

Scientists analyze efficacy of decontamination technology in eradicating bacteria and viruses such as human coronaviruses in frequently worn items
April 20, 2021 • In response to the global need for effective sterilization techniques, researchers from the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med) and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) collaborated on a study evaluating the efficacy of a dry-sanitizing device. Subhash Verma, Ph.D., associate professor, department of microbiology and immunology at UNR Med, led the study.

Published study: unusual SARS-CoV-2 mutation prominent in northern Nevada in early 2020

Nevada State Public Health Laboratory detects first confirmed case of South African B.1.351 COVID-19 variant in Nevada

Nevada State Public Health Laboratory detects new COVID-19 strain B.1.1.7 in Nevada

Statewide survey shows that 65% of Nevadans and 77% of Nevada health care workers are likely to get COVID-19 vaccine, once available

New statewide study launches to understand public and provider attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccine

Project ECHO Nevada to join new nationwide initiative to fight COVID-19 infection in nursing homes
November 16, 2020 • Project ECHO Nevada, an innovative health care delivery solution out of UNR Med is joining a nationwide training program to help keep COVID-19 from spreading in area nursing homes, and to prepare and equip staff so that they can better protect residents and themselves. This is an essential nationwide initiative in the fight against COVID-19.

Medical students help Reno’s homeless and underserved amid COVID-19

Nevada State Public Health Lab-led team studying COVID-19 reinfection

Reflections from the Dean: The Role a Medical School Plays in a Pandemic

UNR Med expert on aging will testify to U.S. Senate group
Research
Subhash Verma, Ph.D., | Associate Professor, Microbiology and Immunology
Top Research Accomplishments of 2021
Research

Scott Earley Ph.D., Department of Pharmacology, receives Outstanding Investigator Award from the NIH National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

$2.3 million in NIH funding awarded to UNR Med researcher to advance hypertension research and treatments

Danielle Eaton, senior director and research manager, UNR Med Clinical Research Center, appointed to dual role as executive director, Sierra Veterans Research and Education Foundation
October 20, 2020 • Danielle Eaton, senior director and research manager for the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med) Clinical Research Center (CRC), has recently been named executive director of the Sierra Veterans Research and Education Foundation (SVREF).

$1.5 million in NIH funding awarded to UNR Med researcher to advance understanding of brain-degenerative diseases

UNR Med Department of Pharmacology's Heather Burkin, Ph.D. receives $1.6 million NIH award for preterm birth research

Research ‘rock star’ has advanced gastroenterology science and scientists

Dr. Dagda research team discovers possible link between psychological distress, Parkinsons’s and immune system dysfunction with possible implications to the current pandemic
June 30, 2020 • Ruben Dagda, Ph.D., associate professor of cellular and molecular pharmacology and physiology, and his research group collaborated with Mariana Grigoruta, M.D., Ph.D., a former graduate student with Dr. Dagda's research group, and Alejandro Martinez, Ph.D., from the University of Juarez in Mexico published "Psychological distress and lack of PINK1 promote bioenergetics alterations in peripheral blood mononuclear cells" in Scientific Reports.

UNR Med brain researcher receives $1 million in National Science Foundation funding to study brain synapses

Lucia Notterpek, Ph.D., named as associate dean, Biomedical Research
June 16, 2020 • UNR Med has named Lucia Notterpek, Ph.D., as associate dean for biomedical research and professor of physiology and cell biology.
As associate dean, Notterpek will oversee basic science research programs at UNR Med, serve as an advocate for basic biomedical laboratory research, and represent the needs and interests of researchers.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Sonia Figueroa and Mirabel Dafinone | Class of 2024, M.D. Candidates - Student Representatives, Council on Diversity Initiatives
Top Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Accomplishments of 2021
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Anthem Funds Initiative to Address Nevada’s Physician Shortage, Support Nevada’s Diverse Pre-Med Students and Promote Health Equity

UNR Med Cardiologist, Associate Professor, Lorrel Toft, M.D., brings awareness to anti-racism in cardiology practices
March 2, 2021 • Lorrel Toft, M.D., UNR Med cardiologist, associate professor, along with colleagues, have published "How to Build an Anti-Racist Cardiovascular Culture, Community, and Profession," in the in Journals of the American College of Cardiology (JACC).

Diversity in health care starts at the beginning

It’s past time to talk about health care disparities
July 14, 2020 • Black infant mortality is more than twice that of white infants, regardless of mothers’ educational or socioeconomic status. These stats are sickening, but they are not new. Long-standing structural racism has caused stunningly large disparities between white people and people of color. These inequities in health and health care have recently been exposed by the coronavirus pandemic and brought to the forefront by the Black Lives Matter movement.
Community Outreach
Peter Reed, Ph.D., MPH | Director, Sanford Center for Aging
Top Community Outreach Accomplishments of 2021
Community Outreach

June is Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month

Virtual Rural Health Day conference to address Nevada’s rural public health infrastructure

June is Aphasia Awareness Month