K Scholar alumnus receives NIH grant for COPD study

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David M. Jacobs, PharmD, PhD

Published June 2, 2021

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David M. Jacobs, PharmD, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, a University at Buffalo Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) K Scholar Alumnus, has received a $962,000 award from the NIH National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) to develop a real-time readmission risk-prediction algorithm to lower hospital readmission rates for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

As reported in UBNow (and in a School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences story), the five-year NHLBI Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award will contribute to Jacobs’ efforts toward helping clinicians provide individualized treatment at the transition from hospital to home for COPD patients. Jacobs says these patients experience high rates of early hospital readmission: “Each year, 7.8 million hospital-discharged patients are readmitted, costing the United States $17 billion.”

In addition, the award will provide Jacobs with guidance and resources to grow as an independent clinical investigator. His primary mentor is CTSI Associate Director Sanjay Sethi, MD, Director, Clinical Research Office, and Professor and Chief, Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.

In a May 2020 CTSI feature, Jacobs reflected on the CTSI K Scholar program experience and how it impacted his research career. The program provides research mentoring, funding, and career and professional development to outstanding junior faculty and senior fellows transitioning to independent faculty positions.

“Receiving the CTSI Scholar Award has made a significant career-related impact,” Jacobs explained. “It has allowed me to focus my time and energy on the development of my research, and has laid the groundwork to apply for other extramural grants.”