Jenny Flythe, MD, associate professor of medicine in the division of nephrology and hypertension, and Chad Pecot, MD, associate professor of oncology, have been elected to the American Society for Clinical Investigation.
Flythe’s research is focused on improving the safety and experiences of individuals living with kidney disease by bettering clinical and patient-reported outcomes. Her research group uses various clinical study designs and approaches including epidemiology, clinical trials, qualitative methods, and implementation research. The group collaborates with diverse stakeholders to enhance research design, promote dissemination and clinical uptake of findings, and improve care delivery. Flythe is also vice chief of the division of nephrology and hypertension.
Pecot is the third hematology-oncology member from UNC to be elected to the ASCI. He studies how RNA interference (RNAi) can regulate cancer metastases. Because metastases are responsible for the death of nearly all cancer patients, the ability to control this process is vital. In collaboration with the Carolina Center of Cancer Nanotechnology Excellence, Pecot is studying how nanoparticle-based platforms can be exploited to target the metastatic process. His ultimate goal is to create next-generation RNA therapeutics that block these pathways and enhance the lives of cancer patients.