Current Research Support

  • International Thyroid Oncology Group (2022-2024)
  • Department of Defense W81XWH2010559 (2020-2022) – Chen
    • Skin Grafting from 9- Gene Genetically Engineered Pigs in the Treatment of Burns: An Experimental Study in Monkeys
  • National Cancer Institute Early Stage Surgeon Scientist Program (2022-2025)- Gillis
    • Molecular Influences of Racial Disparities in Neuroendocrine Tumors
  • Association for Surgical Education CESERT Program (2020- 2022)- Lindeman 
    • Measurement of Operative Self-Efficacy: The goal of this study is to create an instrument to measure operative self-efficacy in general surgery residents and to collect evidence for validity of the instrument.
  • Robert E. Reed Foundation (2021- 2025) – Chen 
    • Gastrointestinal Oncology Research Grant
  • UAB Healthcare Educators Academy (2019- 2021)- Lindeman 
    • Job Crafting to Decrease Burnout and Improve Wellbeing: The goal of this study is to determine whether an educational intervention teaching “job crafting” can decrease burnout and improve wellbeing among front-line leaders within the health system.
  • Southern Group on Educational Affairs (SGEA) of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Medical Education Research Scholarship and Evaluation (MESRE) (2019-2021) – Lindeman 
    • What is Meaningful in Medicine? A Mixed-Methods Examination of how Healthcare Professionals Define and Enhance Meaning in their Work: The goal of this study is to determine what physicians across the spectrum of training and practice and non-physician healthcare professionals define as “meaningful” in their work. An additional aim is to determine the relationship between meaningful work and burnout, resilience, mindfulness, and perception of job resources.
  • AAES Paul LoGerfo Award (2021-2023)- Lindeman 
    • Entrustable Professional Activities in Endocrine Surgery,  Ensuring Trainees are Prepared for Unsupervised Practice: The goal of this study is to determine whether the assessment of EPAs is feasible in endocrine surgery fellowships, compare assessments of fellows to those of residents, and define the percentage of fellows entrustable for unsupervised practice at the time of fellowship completion.
  • Alabama Enrichment Fund (10/1/15-9/30/25) – Chen
    • Signaling Pathways in Endocrine Malignancies: This $2 million grant funds research focusing on investigating signaling pathways that regulate the proliferation of endocrine cancers and on developing novel strategies to translate these laboratory findings to clinical practice.
  • NIH/NIDDK T35 DK116670-01 (4/1/19-3/31/24) – Chen/Locke 
    • Short-Term Research Experiences Advancing Medical Students (STREAMS):
      The goal of this project is to train medical students in translational and health services research.
  • NIH/NCI RO1CA228399 (12/1/18-11/30/23) – Olson
    • Parathyroid Tumor Clonal Status as a Biomarker in Primary Hyperparathyroidism: This subcontract from the University of Maryland aims to study clonality in patients with hyperparathyroidism. Dr. Chen serves as the UAB PI under this subcontract.
  • NIH/NCI T32 CA220102 (7/1/18-6/30/23)- Chen/ Dudeja
    • Surgical Oncology Research Training Program: The goal of this grant is to allow the training of surgeons in cancer research and investigation. Dr. Chen serves as Associate Program Director.
  • Novo Nordisk (11/1/18-10/31/22) – Chen
    • Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma Surveillance Study: This proposal is a national effort to understand the incidence and etiology of medullary thyroid cancer.

Completed Research Support (2015- present)

  • Entrustable Professional Activities for General Surgery Resident Assessment Research in Medical Education (RIME) Award (2018- 2020) – Lindeman

  • Entrustment as a Framework for Assessment in General Surgery Residents American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) Visiting Scholar Award (2018-2020) -Lindeman

  • Predictors of Burnout in Resident Physicians: Are Individual or External Characteristics More Reliable? Association for Surgical Education (ASE) Multi-Institutional Education Research Group (MERG) Award (2018- 2020)- Lindeman
  • American Cancer Society MEN2 RSG (7/1/13-6/30/18) – Chen 
    • Notch Signaling in Medullary Thyroid Cancer
  • Concept Mapping to Enhance Surgical Resident Knowledge of Endocrine Surgery Partners Centers for Expertise Award (2016-2018) – Lindeman 
  • American Cancer Society (1/1/11-4/30/17) – Chen 
    • MEN2 Thyroid Cancer Professorship
  • NIH/NCI RO1 CA121115 (5/1/09-4/30/15) – Chen
    • GSK3-beta Signaling in Medullary Thyroid Cancer
  • NIH/NCI T32 CA090217-11(7/1/11-2/29/16) – Chen 
    • Surgical Oncology Research Training Program
  • NIH/NIDDK T35 DK062709-06 (4/1/11-9/30/15) – Chen 
    • Surgery Summer Research Experience for Medical Students
  • Doris Duke Charitable Foundation (1/1/12-9/30/15) – Chen (PI) 
    • Surgery Clinical Research Experiences for High School Student