By Tammy Kielian, PhD – UNMC Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology
As a native Nebraskan from Stanton, I graduated from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln before leaving the state to earn my Ph.D. at the University of Kansas Medical Center. I then completed a postdoctoral fellowship in neuroimmunology at Dartmouth Medical School and went on to become an independent scientist, establishing my research laboratory at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.
The Biomedical Research Development Fund was instrumental in my recruitment to the University of Nebraska Medical Center in 2008, allowing me to establish my research group in Nebraska and form meaningful collaborations with basic science and clinical researchers at UNMC. This fund has been one of our state’s most powerful tools for attracting and retaining critical research talent in Nebraska.
For more than 25 years—18 of those at UNMC—I have led a laboratory focused on understanding why the immune system is unable to clear infections associated with hip and knee implants and following neurosurgery used to access the brain to treat conditions such as brain tumors, epilepsy, and brain aneurysms.
You likely know someone who has experienced an infection after surgery.
My team and I are working to develop new technologies to better diagnose and treat Nebraskans suffering from these chronic infections.
My current research funding comes from the National Institutes of Health, including two awards totaling nearly $1 million brought into our state. I employ eight hardworking, tax-paying individuals who buy groceries, support local businesses, and come to work every day to improve the lives of others. I am just one example among many. Overall, at UNMC, research supported by the Tobacco Settlement Biomedical Research Development Fund has demonstrated a 16-to-1 return on investment.
Some might say I run a successful small business—and that is accurate. I pay my employees, balance my laboratory budget, and ensure our work remains sustainable. The state’s investment through the Tobacco Settlement Fund has been money well spent.
I am deeply grateful to be doing my most important work here in Nebraska—my home. I am proud that I was able to return and serve Nebraskans through this research, made possible by the Tobacco Settlement Biomedical Research Development Fund.