Featured Program
Dr. Donskey’s research lab primarily works on research to guide and improve infection prevention practices. Many of the projects completed in the lab are based off practical clinical questions identifying knowledge gaps in infection prevention procedures or implementation. The lab also works with industrial partners like Clorox and Gojo to test novel chemistries or technologies used for disinfection, sterilization, or hand hygiene. Until recently, the lab has worked primarily with C. difficile, MRSA, and whatever the bug de jour is. Since the pandemic, Dr. Donskey and his lab were on the front line working throughout the pandemic on research to better understand transmission of COVID and how to protect staff and veterans from infection.
Through his work with the CRC, Dr. Donskey was the lead PI for 3 important Pfizer vaccine trials including a C. difficile vaccine trial and 2 COVID-19 trials. He was the lead investigator for 18 VA sites in Pfizer’s C. difficile vaccine trial which enrolled 156 participants locally and 1,100 among the 18 sites. The Cleveland VA was the only VA nationally that took part in the Pfizer COVID vaccine trial, bringing an effective vaccine and boosters to staff and veterans’ months before the public. In 2021, the lab was 1 of 5 VA labs awarded a contract from the national VA to study transmission routes and perform sequencing of COVID isolates from across the nation. This has allowed the lab to expand and develop a genomics extension. Through collaboration with our partners at Case Western Reserve University, Dr. Donskey’s research lab has been able to publish numerous articles on outbreak investigations of COVID with sequencing analysis. Since 2020, the lab has published 45 publications on infection prevention for COVID including everything from the Pfizer vaccine effectiveness and N95 mask disinfection to effectiveness of plexiglass barriers and ventilation in grocery stores. Through this work, Dr. Donskey’s lab has since been selected as 1 of 7 sites nationally to be included in the CDC’s study of the effectiveness of seasonal Influenza, COVID-19, and other respiratory vaccines which will begin in the new year.
Through the years he has worked with many students that are interested in research and medicine from high school students to infectious disease fellows. He is an exceptional mentor and has fostered a love for research and a deep knowledge of infection prevention in students that have studied under his guidance. Students who have studied under Dr. Donskey have gone off to residencies and fellowships at the Cleveland Clinic, Yale, Emory, and many other well know establishments. Dr. Donskey and his lab are a dedicated group of scientists who work hard to better understand infectious disease prevention and improve patient care.
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Research Forums
Research forums will be held monthly at the VA in Room K119. Our winter schedule for forums is listed below. If you are unavailable to attend in person, you will have the option to view the presentation via Teams.
Tuesday, January 17th, 2022 @1:00PM
Clinical Research Center Updates
presented by, Margaret Tiktin, Director, Clinical Research Center.
Microsoft Teams meeting; Join on your computer, mobile app or room device
Meeting ID: 256 795 426 880 Passcode: eNYYwq
Or call in (audio only)
+1 872-701-0185,,994951389#
Click here to join the meeting
Tuesday, February 21st, 2022 @ 1:00pm
Research Compliance
presented by, Jennifer Zindle, Research Compliance Officer & Heba Alhmidi Research Compliance Auditor
Tuesday, March 21st, 2022 @1:00PM
Pharmacy Overview and Q & A
presented by, David Panning, Clinical Pharmacist
Reporting publications and presentations to VA ORD
VA investigators are required to notify VHA Research Communications of all scientific publications or presentations, upon acceptance by a journal or meeting sponsor, in accordance with VHA Directive 1200.19. Please submit your notifications using ORD PubTracker Website system by following the simple steps below:
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Go to the ORD PubTracker Websiteby copying and pasting the following URL into browser: http://vaww.pubtracker.research.va.gov (Access restricted to VA Intranet)
- Click the submission type – pre-publication, presentation, media, or other – and fill in the form (Be sure to upload a copy of the presentation abstract or complete accepted article)
- For technical assistance with the PubTracker site, contact the ORD Web Team Web@va.gov.
Congratulations to VA investigators below, whose VA applications were approved for funding.
BLR&D Merit
Andrew Pieper: Preservation of brain NAD+ as a novel amyloid-independent strategy to prevent, treat, and reverse Alzheimer's disease
RR&D SPiRE
Svetlana Pundik, MD: Brain Connectivity Changes with Spinal Cord Stimulation Treatment of Chronic Pain: A Resting State NIRS/EEG Study
Upcoming VA Research Funding Deadlines
The next round of VA Grant submissions will take place in March 2023. This will include BLR&D and CSR&D Merit and CDA applications as well as RR&D SPiRE applications.
If you are considering submitting an application, please reach out to Christine.Hendricks@va.gov for additional information.
Office of Research & Development
VA ORD offers webinars on a wide range of topics including but not limited to human subjects research, research safety, technology transfer and VAIRRS implementation.
Upcoming webinar: VAIRRS Monthly Webinar Series: VAIRRS University Walk-Through
Tuesday, Jan 24 2023 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Objective(s):
Purpose: Join the VAIRRS January webinar to learn more about VAIRRS University, a revised training library designed to promote self-education and independent learning. This new platform will allow VA research employees to easily locate and access VAIRRS-specific training resources.
The purpose of VAIRRS Monthly Webinar is to provide expert advice, training, demonstration, and/or direction to the VA research community regarding the various topics around the VA Innovation and Research Review System (VAIRRS).
Click the ink below to pre-register for the webinar.
VA WebEx Enterprise Site - Register Meeting
Previous Webinars can be found at:
https://www.research.va.gov/programs/orppe/education/webinars/default.cfm
Stay Connected
VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System
Cleveland Research Website
Office of Research & Development
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