The research mission in the Department of Medicine has several goals, the most fundamental of which is to gain new knowledge through discovery and work to apply it for the benefit of our patients and others in our state, nation and world. That goal can only be accomplished with a concerted, collaborative effort among all members of our department that includes faculty (both research and educator focused), staff and trainees. I want to use this column to call attention to our research-based vision, resources and accomplishments as we continually work towards achieving this ever expanding goal.

Perhaps our most important resource in the DOM research mission centers around our colleagues who actually do the research. I want to introduce some of these people to our readers. Meet our new director of our Digestive Diseases division – Sarah C. Glover DO,

AGAF, Professor of Medicine. Dr. Glover came to us recently from the University of Florida. She has already built a strong national and international reputation as a physician scientist whose primary clinical interest in innovative therapies for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and whose primary research interest is understanding innate immune mechanisms in the pathophysiology of IBD. It is important to note that her clinical and research interest compliment one another. She is a prolific author, speaker and funded researcher. She has recently received NIH funding as the prime principal investigator for a R21 that is studying innate immune mechanisms (both local and systemic) in inflammatory bowel disease patients with accompanying periodontal disease. She also has a second R21 and industry-sponsored clinical trials for IBD patients. She is also studying the gastrointestinal manifestations and potential therapeutic approaches to patients with a rare condition known as hereditary alpha tryptasemia. Patients from across the nation who have this illness come here to see her for their care.

A prolific writer, Dr. Glover has recently published papers in prominent journals that report on her research and describe clinical approaches to these unusual disease manifestations. Two such recent papers include:

Tang Y, Tan SA, Iqbal A, Li J, Glover SC. STAT3 Genotypic Variant rs744166 and Increased Tyrosine Phosphorylation of STAT3 in IL-23 Responsive Innate Lymphoid Cells during Pathogenesis of Crohn’s Disease. J Immunol Res. 2019 Jun 19;2019:9406146. doi: 10.1155/2019/9406146.

Li J, Glover SC. Innate Lymphoid Cells in Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Arch Immunol Ther Exp (Warsz). 2018 Dec;66(6):415-421.

Dr. Glover is married and the mother of four children. She lives in Madison and is excited about being at UMMC. I hope many of you will introduce yourself to Dr. Glover when you see her in the hallway. If you have an interest in her research and would like to learn more about how you might collaborate with her, feel free to reach to her at scglover@umc.edu.