Dear Colleague: 

Navigating Change with Thoughtful Leadership
The world around us is shifting rapidly, and with it comes a flood of emotions, questions, and uncertainties. In times like these, it is natural to seek clarity, reassurance, and a sense of stability. We want to take a moment to share insights into how leadership at the School of Medicine approaches moments of significant change. 
 
At the heart of our response lies a commitment to our mission, vision, and values. These foundational principles guide us as we navigate uncertainty and make decisions in the best interests of our faculty, staff, students, and the communities we serve. While it may seem that changes and directives are unfolding at a dizzying pace, rest assured that leadership is working diligently behind the scenes to chart a steady course. 

A Measured and Deliberate Approach
When waves of change arrive, your leadership team tries to gain perspective to ensure a measured and thoughtful response. This process involves: 

1. Gathering and Digesting Information: We are committed to staying informed by reviewing large volumes of information as it becomes available, recognizing that this information is often complex and subject to frequent updates. We work to distinguish facts from emotions and ambiguity to provide clear and accurate guidance. 
2. Establishing Guiding Principles: We seek to identify consistent principles that anchor our decisions and allows us to adapt to the nuances of new developments. 
3. Collaborating with Experts: We engage with legal counsel and other experts to ensure our decisions are legally sound and in compliance with evolving policies and regulations. 
4. Understanding Impact: To make informed decisions, we aim to understand who is affected and how. This involves listening to diverse perspectives, fostering discussions, and forming committees to ensure we have a comprehensive view of the situation. 
5. Communicating Thoughtfully: Clear and timely communication is vital during periods of change. We are working to identify the right audiences for key messages, the appropriate ways to deliver information, and the right balance of transparency and timeliness. 

Practical Day-to-Day Guidance
We encourage all members of our team to continue their work with focus and dedication. While the broader landscape may shift, the essential work of research, education, and patient care will continue. Please keep doing what you are doing to advance our shared mission. If there are specific changes that impact your work, you will be directly notified by the leaders closest to your area.  

Cultivating a Culture of Respect and Kindness
During periods of uncertainty and change, it is more important than ever to treat one another with respect and kindness. Change can evoke strong emotions, and we encourage everyone to approach conversations with patience, empathy, and an open mind. By fostering a supportive environment, we can ensure that everyone feels heard and valued as we navigate this journey together. 

Supporting Your Own Journey Through Change
We encourage everyone to reflect on how they can incorporate some of these practices into their own approach to change. Consider taking time to gather accurate information, focus on guiding principles, and seek support or diverse perspectives when needed. Building personal resilience and practicing self-care are also critical. 
 
If you find change particularly challenging, please know that support is available:

• Student and Resident Mental Health Clinic, 303-724-4716
• Faculty and Staff Mental Health Clinic, 303-724-4987
• Additional well-being resources provided by our campus are listed on this mental health resources website
• Supporting Yourself While Supporting Others in Challenging Times, a 50-minute virtual session for faculty and staff, will be held at noon Friday, February 14, led by Elizabeth Chamberlain, PhD, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry. Here’s the Zoom link to participate.
• Grounded Together: Navigating Global Uncertainty, for students and residents, is a four-week in-person support group, starting February 12. The meetings will be at 5 p.m. on Wednesdays in the Student and Resident Mental Health Clinic in the Anschutz Health Sciences Building. Contact Noa.Heiman@cuanschutz.edu for additional information.

Upholding Our Mission
We remain steadfast in our mission to advance medical education, research, and patient care. Even as we navigate changes in the external landscape, our commitment to excellence and service remains unwavering.

To keep you informed, a campus resource webpage has been posted. The CU Anschutz Federal Transition Update page includes FAQs, guidance on executive orders, and additional important information. Please refer to it when you have questions about recent actions that affect our operations.
 
We know that uncertainty can create anxiety, but we also believe it is an opportunity to demonstrate resilience and shared purpose. Our vision states that we will serve as collaborative architects who respond quickly to the changing needs of society. As we continue to assess the current situation and adapt to new information, we ask for your patience and trust. Together, we will more forward in a way that reflects the values and principles that make the School of Medicine a beacon of hope and innovation. 
 
As John Maxwell once said, “Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.” Let us choose to grow together as we adapt to the challenges and opportunities before us. 
 
Thank you for your dedication to our mission and for supporting one another.

Unity in Diversity Mixer
Please mark your calendar for the Unity in Diversity Mixer, at 6 p.m. Friday, February 28, in the Anschutz Health Sciences Building Atrium. The event will highlight Black voices, experiences, and contributions in our CU School of Medicine community. Enjoy music, appetizers, and meaningful connections as we honor the past, celebrate the present, and inspire the future. RSVP online.

Faculty Updates
Marisha Burden, MD, MBA, Professor of Medicine and Division Head of Hospital Medicine, and Angela Keniston, PhD, MSPH, Assistant Professor of Medicine, are co-authors of an article selected as a winner of the ABIM Foundation’s 15^th Annual John A. Benson Jr., MD Professionalism Prize. The article, “Identifying and Measuring Administrative Harms Experienced by Hospitalists and Administrative Leaders,” was published by JAMA Internal Medicine on June 24, 2024.

Martin McCarter, MD, Professor of Surgery, has been named inaugural chairholder of the Gary, Debbie and Brandon Mandelbaum Endowed Chair in Melanoma Research. The Office of Advancement announced last week that the chair honors the enduring relationship between the Mandelbaum family and CU Anschutz, as well as the Mandelbaums’ longstanding support of William Robinson, MD, PhD, Professor of Medicine, and his groundbreaking melanoma research.

Recent Publications
Thomas F. Stoop, MD,  who is a PhD candidate at Amsterdam University Medical Center and former research fellow at the CU Anschutz Medical Campus, is corresponding author of an original investigation published January 23 by JAMA Oncology describing patient outcomes following resection of pancreatic adenocarcinoma after preoperative (m)FOLFIRINOX (combination leucovorin calcium [folinic acid], fluorouracil, irinotecan hydrochloride, and oxaliplatin in full or modified dosing) chemotherapy. Co-authors from our campus include Richard D. Schulick, MD, MBA, Chair of Surgery and Director of the CU Cancer Center, Marco Del Chiaro, MD, PhD, Division Chief of Surgical Oncology, and Wells Messersmith, MD, Division Head of Medical Oncology.

Beth Ann Jirón Tamburini, PhD, Associate Professor of Medicine, is corresponding author of a research article, “PD-L1-CD80 interactions are required for intracellular signaling necessary for dendritic cell migration,” published January 29 by Science Advances. Six colleagues from our campus are co-authors.

Szu-Wei Huang, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, and Mamuka Kvaratskhelia, PhD, Professor of Medicine, are corresponding authors of a research article published January 27 by PLOS Pathogens describing the primary mechanism for highly potent inhibition of HIV-1 maturation by the antiviral medication lenacapavir. Six colleagues from our campus are co-authors.

Kelly R. Wolfe, PhD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, is corresponding author of an original investigation published January 24 by JAMA Network Open finding that among hospitalized children with congenital heart disease, the implementation of an inpatient developmental care program was associated with reduced incidence of delirium and higher cognitive scores. Twelve colleagues from our campus are co-authors.

Sarah A. Taylor, MD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, is corresponding author of a clinical research article, “Increased serum GM-CSF at diagnosis of biliary atresia is associated with improved biliary drainage,” published January 29 by Pediatric Research. Ronald J. Sokol, MD, Distinguished Professor of Pediatrics, is a co-author.

Jenna J. Guthmiller, PhD, Assistant Professor of Immunology and Microbiology, is corresponding author of an article published January 23 by PLOS Pathogens about the receptor-binding characteristics of the H5N1 influenza virus. Marina R. Good and Devika Suja, both members of Dr. Guthmiller’s lab, are co-authors.

Joseph Simonetti, MD, MPH, Associate Professor of Medicine, is a co-author of an original investigation published January 28 by JAMA Network Open that assesses firearm and opioid access, as well as firearm storage information, among military veterans. Dr. Simonetti is a physician and researcher with the Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center and the School of Medicine’s Firearm Injury Prevention Initiative.

Three members of the Biomedical Informatics faculty – Casey Greene, PhD, Chair, Sean Davis, MD, PhD, Professor, Arjun Krishnan, PhD, Associate Professor – are co-authors of an article, “Integration of 168,000 samples reveals global patterns of the human gut microbiome,” published January 22 by Cell.

Audrey E. Hendricks, PhD, Associate Professor of Biomedical Informatics, is corresponding author of an article, “Characterizing substructure via mixture modeling in large-scale genetic summary statistics,” published January 16 by The American Journal of Human Genetics. Eleven colleagues from our campus and the University of Colorado Denver are listed as co-authors.

Medical student Claire L. Jacobson is corresponding author of an article published January 29 by Scientific Reports that proposes potential interventions to improve post-firearm injury care, based on a retrospective chart review of emergency department and readmission patient encounters at an urban safety net hospital. Six colleagues from our campus are co-authors.

Events
David Schwartz, MD, Distinguished Professor of Medicine and Immunology and Associate Dean for Translational Sciences, will present the Spring 2025 Chancellor’s Distinguished Research Lectureship, “From Discovery to Insight: Uncovering the Role of MUC5B in Lung Fibrosis,” at 4 p.m. February 4 in Hensel Phelps West Auditorium.

Arturo Casadevall, MD, PhD, Bloomberg Distinguished Professor and Chair of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health will deliver the Dean’s Distinguished Seminar lecture, “Thoughts on the Origins of Virulence,” at 3 p.m. Tuesday, February 11, in Hensel Phelps West Auditorium. A reception in the first-floor atrium will occur after the lecture. The Dean’s Distinguished Seminar Series brings notable scholars to campus to discuss their work. All are invited. You can find more information about this and other events on the campus events calendar, where you can also sign up for event notifications.

State of the School
Thank you to all who attended or watched my first State of the School address last Wednesday. It was a great pleasure to present our plans to elevate our School of Medicine to Top 10 in 10 years. You can watch the address on the 2025 State of the School webpage and read an article summarizing the talk.

There are always challenges on the path to any great accomplishment. As we chart our journey and set out to fulfill our mission, we have great assets that any school would envy. Most of all, we have terrific faculty, staff, and partners to help us serve our patients, students and trainees, and community.

As I said in the talk: “You should know that we remain steadfast advocates for our people and your work. Medical research and comprehensive care are central to our institutional mission, which is to educate, to innovate, and to improve all human lives.” 

Have a good week,

John H. Sampson, MD, PhD, MBA
Richard D. Krugman Endowed Chair
Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs and
Dean, University of Colorado School of Medicine