2022 Faculty Awards Recipients and Years of Service Recognition

T. Karl Hoskison, MD, Associate Professor of Internal Medicine, School of Community Medicine

T. Karl Hoskison, M.D. graduated from the Oral Roberts University College of Medicine and completed his Internal Medicine Residency at the University of Oklahoma in Tulsa. He is currently an Associate Professor of Medicine at the OU-TU School of Community Medicine. He teaches medical students, physician assistant students, and medical residents in multiple venues, including bedside instruction and didactic sessions. He has received multiple teaching awards, including The Stanton L. Young Master Teacher Award, one of the most prestigious honors from the OU College of Medicine, which honors a teacher who goes beyond excellence in the classroom or on clinical rounds.

Mary Beth Humphrey, MD, PhD, Professor of Medicine, College of Medicine

Dr. Humphrey’s research focuses on the impact of myeloid cells in human osteoporosis, heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, Alzheimer’s disease, and polycystic kidney disease. She studies homeostatic bone remodeling in osteoarthritis and chronic inflammation-induced osteoporosis, and is exploring molecular mechanism transmitted via TREM2 in macrophages and osteoclasts, including related pathways in microglial cells and brain-resident macrophages in Alzheimer’s disease. Additional work revealed anti-inflammatory effects of vagal nerve stimulation with altered macrophage and T cell filtration into the heart that is associated with decreased cardiac fibrosis and improved heart function. New vagal nerve stimulation studies in osteoarthritic mice will determine if it will alleviate pain or improve joint health. Other studies explore the role of unique TREM2- expressing cyst-associated macrophages in cyst formation in polycystic kidney disease.

Sherri Baker, MD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, College of Medicine

Sherri Baker, M.D. is “Sooner born and Sooner bred,” growing up in Norman, Oklahoma. She was the first in her family to go from high school directly to college, and dedicated her career to giving back to the profession of medicine. Her greatest accomplishment was being elected by national peers to the AMA Council on Medical Education. This position enables her to have long-lasting and large-scale impact to medical education. She is also very proud of her leadership of a complete revision to the admissions process since choosing the next generation of physicians is so important for the profession.

Amanda Bogie, MD, Professor of Pediatrics, College of Medicine

Amanda Bogie, Section Chief of Pediatric Emergency Medicine (PEM) since 2011, is an accomplished, passionate educator, researcher, and clinician. The PEM fellowship she founded in 2009 now has 25 alumni. She also created an undergraduate course on clinical research. Among her many ongoing and completed research collaborations, she was site PI for the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network, is currently a Co-PI for the IDeA States Clinical Trials Network, and is a Co-PI a pending NIH award for Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS CoV-2 infection. Dr. Bogie established and acquired funding for an endowed professorship in her section that supports education and simulation training. She also championed a new state law to allow exception-from-informed-consent research in emergency medicine.

Kenneth E. Randall, PhD, Professor of Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Allied Health 

Ken Randall is a homegrown member of the OU family, born and raised on a farm in central Oklahoma. He is a physical therapist, psychologist, master educator and clinician, researcher and change-agent in communities. Dr. Randall has taught thousands of students and countless community members. He is a mentor to graduates, peers, faculty, and staff. He has treated Olympic and collegiate athletes, Broadway stars, international conductors/maestros, and ballet troupes, but his passion is caring for vulnerable and underserved populations. His research and community engagement interests, which always involve students, are in fitness and wellness in special populations, including children with leukemia, adults with mental illness, Oklahoma’s teachers, and underserved members of the community. Dr. Randall is a pacesetter in teaching, scholarly inquiry, and service-outreach to the university and community.

Jimmy D. Ballard, PhD, Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine 

Dr. Jimmy Ballard is known for his impressive and consistent contributions to the field of Microbiology. His publications, peer-reviewed grant support and national and international reputation are remarkable. Dr. Ballard has made seminal contributions to the understanding of how bacterial toxins affect cell physiology and the immune response. His research in Anthrax, C difficile and Clostridial pathogenesis has been groundbreaking and led to seminal discoveries that changed our understanding of mechanisms of bacterial pathogenesis and fostered the development of new treatments that improved human health. Since 2003, Dr. Ballard has received numerous grants totaling over $21M in funding from extramural sources, including many from NIH. Dr. Ballard has been an important asset to the mission of the University in promoting high-quality research, but also advanced the standards and reputation of the institution.

Courtney W. Houchen, MD, Professor of Medicine, College of Medicine

Courtney W. Houchen, M.D. is Chief of the Section of Gastroenterology, Regents’ Professor of Medicine, and holds The Eason Chair of Oncology. He has developed an international reputation for his study of cancer stem cell biology and tumorigeneses. He has been continuously funded by the several federal and private agencies and currently holds three NIH/NCI awards and two VA Merit Review grants. In 2010, he co-founded COARE Inc, a biotechnology company dedicated to developing novel therapeutics for several gastrointestinal cancers. He is a full member of the Stephenson Cancer Center Biology Program and serves as a research mentor to medical students, graduate students, residents, and fellows at OUHSC.

Susan E. Conway, PhD, Professor of Pharmacy Clinical and Administrative Sciences, College of Pharmacy

Dr. Susan Elaine Conway is a professor of pharmacy and a clinical pharmacy specialist in ambulatory care. Since 1999, her faculty position with the University of Oklahoma College of Pharmacy has been co-funded by INTEGRIS Health where she has provided direct patient care and clinical leadership initially for their Anticoagulation Clinics and more recently within Comprehensive Medication Management services. In 2020, she was promoted to Director of Experiential Education. Annually, she leads pharmacy student immunization training and the campus-wide vaccine clinics. This year, she provided clinical leadership for 60 vaccine clinics which have provided over 30,000 COVID-19 vaccines.

Kai Ding, PhD, Associate Professor of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Hudson College of Public Health

Dr. Kai Ding is a biostatistician who collaborates with clinicians, basic scientists, and public health researchers to provide statistical support in study design, data monitoring, data analysis, manuscript development, and grant writing. The major areas of his collaboration include cancer, ophthalmology and public health. Over the years, Dr. Ding has helped with numerous grant submissions, resulting in 35 successful grant applications funded by a variety of agencies (e.g. NIH, DOD, VA, and CDC) and has co-authored nearly 80 publications with 34 of these involving the participation of a student, resident, fellow, or junior faculty. He also teaches a combination of theory and applied courses for students in various degree programs, both within, and outside the Hudson College of Public Health.

Tabitha Garwe, PhD, Associate Professor of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Hudson College of Public Health

Tabitha Garwe, Ph.D., MPH is a tenured Associate Professor of Epidemiology in the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology with a dual appointment as an Adjunct Associate Professor of Surgery in the Department of Surgery, OU College of Medicine. She is actively involved with graduate teaching and mentoring of public health, graduate, and medical students as well as research training of clinical residents and faculty. Her research includes collaborative clinical research and independent research on trauma systems and outcomes. Her research mentoring of clinical residents and collaborative research efforts have resulted in numerous peer-reviewed publications and scientific presentations.

Beau Hawkins, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, College of Medicine

Beau Hawkins, M.D. is an interventional cardiologist who specializes in the care of patients with peripheral artery disease and critical limb ischemia. He is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center where he serves as Program Director of the Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship Program. He developed a multidisciplinary limb preservation program of the OU Cardiovascular Institute, geared towards improving the care of patients with peripheral artery disease. His research interests are clinically-based, and focus on interventional device therapy and health outcomes in patients with peripheral artery diseases. He has held several committee positions in the American College of Cardiology (ACC), Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAT), and Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Association (ACGME). He is a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha and Gold Humanism Honor Societies.

Katherine O’Neal, PharmD, Associate Professor of Pharmacy Clinical and Administrative Sciences, College of Pharmacy

Dr. Katherine O’Neal has been with the College of Pharmacy since 2010 and is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmacy: Clinical and Administrative Sciences and Adjunct Associate Professor with the College of Medicine Department of Internal Medicine. Her clinical practice is with General Internal Medicine ambulatory care. Dr. O’Neal also serves as the ambulatory care pharmacy residency program director, ambulator care specialty track degree option director, student faculty advisor for 3 organizations, and spearheaded the development of the dual PharmD/MBA program. She has served as the Chair of the HSC Faculty Senate and currently serves as Secretary-Elect.

Matthew Walters, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, College of Medicine 

Dr. Matthew Walters is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep section of the Department of Internal Medicine. He received his Ph.D. in Molecular Virology from the University of Leeds, Leeds, UK. The major focus of his research program is to understand the cellular processes that regulate airway epithelial stem/progenitor cell fate decisions during repair and regeneration of the lung. Dr. Walters’ current funding includes an Oklahoma Center for Adult Stem Cell Research grant and a P20 grant in which he is a Project 4 principal investigator. His publication record includes 42 journal articles, multiple published abstracts, and numerous national and international presentations. An active lecturer in the School of Dentistry and the Graduate College, Dr. Walters mentors graduate students, post-doctoral trainees, and junior faculty.>

David Fields, PhD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, College of Medicine

Dr. David A. Fields is an Associate Professor in the section of Diabetes and Endocrinology in the Department of Pediatrics and the CHF Chickasaw Nation Endowed Chair in Pediatric Diabetes. He completed his Ph.D. in Exercise Physiology from Auburn University and received post-doctoral training in physiology and nutrition at Washington University in St. Louis. The overarching focus of his research program is to understand how perinatal body composition affects future health. His current NIH study characterizes human breast milk in a diverse group of mothers with a focus on better understanding how it impacts early body composition. Dr. Fields has published 93 peer-reviewed publications, conducted 21 IRB-approved study protocols, and received over $3.5 million from federal, local, and industry funding sources. He also mentors junior scientists through his role as Associate Director of the Pediatric Metabolic Research Program.

Sixia Chen, PhD, Assistant Professor of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Hudson College of Public Health

Dr. Sixia Chen is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Hudson College of Public Health and serves as the Faculty Affiliate for the Health Promotion Research Center (HPRC) and Director of the Novel Methodology Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Research Design Core of the OSCTR. He is a Faculty Affiliate of the TSET Health Promotion Research Center. Dr. Chen performs as faculty biostatistician for the Biomedical and Behavioral Methodology Core, Biostatistics Core for Stephenson Cancer Center and Sooner Survey Center at OUHSC. He received his Ph.D. in Statistics from the Iowa State University. His independent research program focuses on missing data analysis, survey sampling, data integration, big data including machine learning, empirical likelihood methods, and nonparametric methods. Dr. Chen’s collaborative research program focuses on Native American Health Disparities, Tobacco Research, and cancer prevention and control. He has published 57 journal articles and co-authored 120 presentations. His current grant funding, which includes an NIH R21 award for which he is the principal investigator, exceeds $2.5 million. Dr. Chen also serves as a mentor to graduate students and fellows at OUHSC.

Jooyeon Hwang, PhD, Assistant Professor of Occupational and Environmental Health, Hudson College of Public Health

Dr. Jooyeon Hwang is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Hudson College of Public Health. She received her Ph.D. in Industrial Hygiene and M.S. in Environmental Health Sciences from the University of Minnesota. Dr. Hwang was a postdoctoral fellow at the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health. Her research has focused on evaluation of the relationship between occupational exposure to specific contaminants and adverse health effects in several different industries, including mining, agricultural, and public safety, including firefighters. She has published 20 articles and given 22 presentations at national, international, and local meetings. Dr. Hwang currently holds a CDC/NIOSH K01 award, an NIH/NIEHS R21 award, and seed grants from the OSCTR and Stephenson Cancer Center ACS. She also serves as a mentor for graduate students at OUHSC.

Peter Nelson, MD, Professor of Surgery, School of Community Medicine

Peter R. Nelson, Professor in the Department of Surgery at the OU School of Community Medicine – Tulsa has been a faculty member since 2017. Although Dr. Nelson is a gifted and compassionate clinician, his great success as a surgeon is only superseded by his dedication and commitment to teaching. Over his 22-year career, Dr. Nelson can claim an amazing total of 126 mentees that have all thrived under his direction. As early as his undergraduate years, Dr. Nelson has had a passion and been recognized for his teaching ability. His teaching philosophy centers around finding teachable moments at every opportunity. His biggest contributions have been his innovation and ability to address the needs of surgeons at different times in their career. Dr. Nelson’s “Redefining Surgery” program has reached tens of thousands of medical students and is published guidance on becoming a surgeon that directly addresses the concerns of medical students including work/life balance. His “Career Development Course” for the Association of Academic Surgery is a similar program designed to guide the career of the academic surgeon. Dr. Nelson’s work focuses on strengthening future medical care and improving education for the next generation of surgeons which proves that he is undeniably worthy of the Provost’s Teaching Award for Seasoned Faculty.

Lynn Jeffries, PT, DPT, PhD, Associate Professor of Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Allied Health

Dr. Lynn Jeffries is currently serving as the Past Chair of the Faculty Senate. She has served on the Faculty Senate since 2015 and has been a vital member of the Executive Committee since 2017. As Faculty Senate Chair in 2020-2021, she served on the Regents Faculty Advisory Council, attended the Research Strategic Planning Oversight Committee, the Benefits Review Board, and was a member of the Search Committee for the HR Director, among other commitments. Additionally, she attended all of the Town Hall meetings regarding the OU Health merger and duly reported back to the Senate to keep members up-to-date with the latest information. Dr. Jeffries is an Associate Professor and Vice Chair in the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences in the College of Allied Health, and is a member of additional committees within the College. Her service to the University and the Senate is immeasurable.

Heloise Anne Pereira, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
CA Patent 2,908,693: Peptide Compounds and Methods of Production and Use Thereof

Paul DeAngelis, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
US Patent 10,969,365: Nanopore Analysis of Glycosaminoglycan Compositions

Rodney K. Tweten, Ph.D., George Lynn Cross Research Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology
MX Patent 381872: Pneumolysin Mutants and Methods of Use Thereof
KR Patent 10-2304828: Pneumolysin Mutants and Methods of Use Thereof
KR Patent 2017/03881: Pneumolysin Mutants and Methods of Use Thereof
AU Patent 2015349787: Pneumolysin Mutants and Methods of Use Thereof
CN Patent ZL201580071394.2: Pneumolysin Mutants and Methods of Use Thereof

William H. Hildebrand, Ph.D., George Lynn Cross Research Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology
CA Patent 2,872,003: Selective Anti-HLA Antibody Removal Device and Methods or Production and Use Thereof

Weidong Wang, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Internal Medicine
US Patent 11,203,582: Benzamide Derivatives for Inhibiting Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress

Courtney Houchen, MD, Professor, Department of Internal Medicine
KR Patent 10-2344616: Anti-Doublecortin-Like Kinase 1 Antibodies and Methods of Use

Dongfeng Qu, Ph.D., Professor of Research, Department of Internal Medicine
KR Patent 10-2344616: Anti-Doublecortin-Like Kinase 1 Antibodies and Methods of Use

William Berry, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery
KR Patent 10-2344616: Anti-Doublecortin-Like Kinase 1 Antibodies and Methods of Use

Sandra Arnold, PT, PhD, Professor of Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Allied Health

The 2022 recipient of HSC SGA Robert A. Magarian Faculty Award is described by their students with the following statements: “She has inspired countless students, significantly enriched research and literature, and exhibited leadership that is above and beyond that of any ordinary professor” “She is actively involved in the classroom and inspires her students to strive for excellence.” “Her thirst for knowledge is infectious as she has inspired me and other classmates to pursue research” And “in and outside of the classroom, she has a way of humbly listening, then having an authenti c conversation to determine how she can assist and support the student.”