51ĀŅĀ×

In a speech to attendees of 51ĀŅĀ×ā€™s Health Scholars Research Symposium, W. David Arnold, M.D., emphasized the important role of physician scientists in bridging the worlds of research and patient care, noting that translational medicine must go both ways: from lab to clinic, and from the bedside of patients back to the lab.

ā€œItā€™s not unidirectionalā€¦Itā€™s really a circular kind of trajectory,ā€ said Arnold. ā€œWe put patients at the center of care. We also need to do that with research. Our patients are our motivation.ā€

To emphasize his point, Arnold, the executive director of the NextGen Precision Health Initiative and professor at the University of Missouri School of Medicine, shared the story of one of his patients, Maura.

She came to the neuromuscular clinic experiencing progressive loss of muscle strength and function and was diagnosed with ALS. Arnold said he and the rest of the team couldnā€™t give her the answers she wanted, but they could try to reduce the burden of ALS on her life. Later, at her funeral, he learned from her family that her involvement in research gave meaning to her suffering.

ā€œThis is the reason that I wanted to talk about her case,ā€ Arnold explained, saying Maura inspired him. ā€œI do think as a physician we need to bring the next best thing to our patients. And so, I feel like itā€™s my responsibility to bring clinical trials and do things in the lab that actually matter.ā€

Arnold, who leads translational research in neuromuscular physiology related to health, aging and disease, shared his journey from growing up in rural Appalachian Kentucky to becoming a physician.

ā€œI wanted a job I could depend on, and I wanted to make sure that job was worthwhile. That I could contribute to peopleā€™s health and wellbeing. So, I thought that being a physician was a good path,ā€ said Arnold.

He described being on the ā€œconveyer belt of medicine,ā€ until he saw the power of research while working in a faculty position.

ā€œYouā€™ll often see the clinical world and research are often two different universesā€¦but physician scientists are super critical for connecting the world between discovery and clinical implementation,ā€ he said.

Arnold advised medical students who attended the talk to ā€œfind a space where you are really, really motivated to find an answer to your question. Ideally, itā€™s a space where not a lot of other people are working and where you can contribute.ā€

Examining age-related weakness peaked his interest. Now, Arnold focuses on understanding age-related decline in muscle and nerve function through clinical and preclinical studies. Rather than simply extending lifespan, his research aims to improve health spanā€”the number of years individuals maintain function, independence and quality of life.

Arnold closed his talk saying, ā€œResearch matters, not just for creating therapies, but itā€™s hope, itā€™s team. I always tell my patients that clinical research is a team. We need them just as much as they need us.ā€

Student researchers, faculty mentors and health professionals attended the Health Scholars Research Symposium for a day of learning, recognition and collaboration. The annual event was co-hosted by the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, College of Health Sciences and Professions, and the Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service. Following Arnoldā€™s keynote speech, a poster symposium was held highlighting the work of student researchers, with several receiving awards for their innovation and research excellence.

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Basic/Biomedical Research

• Faisal Reza, OMS I (Perfect Score)
  ā€œFinite Element Modeling Analysis of Traumatic Brain Injury Induced by Frontal and Crown Impactā€
  Mentor: Dr. Michael Hanna

Clinical Research (Tie)

• Sahej Bindra, OMS II
  ā€œQualitative Investigation of Pre-Participation History and Physical Examination with Scholastic Athletesā€
  Mentor: Dr. Aaron Lear
• Caden Togrul, OMS II
  ā€œImproving Efficiency of Clinic Visits in Radiation Oncologyā€
  Mentor: Dr. Maxwell Tran

Social Behavioral/Medical Education/Policy Research

• Zoya Bessler, Undergraduate Student
  ā€œAssessing Comfort Levels Regarding AI Usage in Clinical Healthcareā€
  Mentors: Dr. Kelly Nottingham, Dr. Cory Cronin, and Sara Berens