Vanessa Nomellini, M.D., Ph.D.

Surgery - Burn, Trauma, Acute and Critical Care Surgery
Chronic Critical Illness
Critical Care Surgery

Biography

Vanessa Nomellini, M.D., Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery at UT Southwestern Medical Center. She specializes in trauma and critical care surgery, immune dysfunction after injury and sepsis, and chronic critical illness.

Dr. Nomellini earned her medical degree at the Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, where she also earned a doctorate in molecular and cellular biochemistry. She completed a residency in general surgery at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics and received advanced training in surgical critical care through a fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania Health System.

Board certified in general surgery and surgical critical care, Dr. Nomellini joined the UT Southwestern faculty in 2022. She is the former Medical Director of the Multidisciplinary ICU Recovery Program at the University of Cincinnati. She also previously served as Medical Director of the Trauma Survivor Network in Southern Ohio.

At UT Southwestern, Dr. Nomellini is the Research Director of the Division of Burn, Trauma, Acute, and Critical Care Surgery and the Co-Director of the Center for Organogenesis Research and Trauma.

She is a member of a wide range of professional societies, including the American Burn Association, the Association for Academic Surgery, the Society of University Surgeons, and the Shock Society, for which she co-chairs the Preparedness Committee.

She serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of Surgical Research and Critical Care Explorations.

Dr. Nomellini has been invited to present lectures throughout the country and has published copious peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, and research reports. Her recent publications include a contribution to The Trauma Manual: Trauma and Acute Care Surgery.

Education & Training

Medical School - Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine (2006-2010)
Residency - University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics (2010-2015), General Surgery
Fellowship - University of Pennsylvania Health System (2015-2016), Surgical Critical Care

Professional Associations & Affiliations

American Burn Association
American College of Surgeons
Association for Academic Surgery
Central Surgical Association
Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma
Shock Society
Society of University Surgeons
Society of Critical Care Medicine
Surgical Biology Club

Honors & Awards

Inductee 2020, Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society
Fellow of the American College of Surgeons 2018
Rhoads 5 Fellow of the Year 2016, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Penn Presbyterian Trauma Surgical ICU Fellow of the Year 2016, University of Pennsylvania
Emergency Medicine Trauma Award 2014, University of Wisconsin
Highest Junior Exam Score, American Board of Surgery In-Service Training Exam 2011, University of Wisconsin
Travel Award 2007, Meeting of the Society for Leukocyte Biology

Books & Publications

Books
- Physiologic Response to Trauma in The Trauma Manual: Trauma and Acute Care Surger
  Nomellini V, Sims C. (2019), Philadelphia, PA, Wolters Kluwer
- Conscious Sedation in Mont Reid Handbook for General Surgery Residents
  Johnson BL, Nomellini V (2016), Philadelphia, PA, Elsevier
- Modern Techniques for Protein Assessment in Success in Academic Surgery: Basic Science
  Nomellini V, Kennedy GD (2013), New York, NY, Springer Press
- Sex hormones and immunosenescence in Aging, Immunity and Inflammation
  Gomez CR, Nomellini V, and Kovacs EJ (2009), New York, NY, Springer Press
- Aging and Impairment of Innate Immunity in Contributions to Microbiology: Trends in Innate Immunity
  Nomellini V, Gomez C, and Kovacs EJ (2008), Basel, Switzerland, Karger AG
Publications
- Evaluating the Utility of High Sensitivity Troponin in Blunt Cardiac Injury.
  Nathwani JN, Baucom MR, Salvator A, Makley AT, Tsuei BJ, Droege CA, Goodman MD, Nomellini V, The Journal of surgical research 2022 Sep 281 104-111
- Tracheostomy decreases continuous analgesia and sedation requirements.
  Wallen TE, Elson NC, Singer KE, Hayes HV, Salvator A, Droege CA, Nomellini V, Pritts TA, Goodman MD, The journal of trauma and acute care surgery 2022 May
- Acute and Chronic Hematologic Implications of Emergency and Elective Splenectomy.
  Singer KE, Bercz AP, Morris MC, Elson NC, Wallen TE, Hanseman D, Pritts TA, Nomellini V, Patel SH, Makley AT, Goodman MD, The Journal of surgical research 2021 11 267 197-202
- Hitting the Vasopressor Ceiling: Finding Norepinephrine Associated Mortality in the Critically Ill.
  Singer KE, Sussman JE, Kodali RA, Winer LK, Heh V, Hanseman D, Nomellini V, Pritts TA, Droege CA, Goodman MD, The Journal of surgical research 2021 09 265 139-146
- Burn Injury Impairs Neutrophil Chemotaxis Through Increased Ceramide.
  Beckmann N, Schumacher F, Kleuser B, Gulbins E, Nomellini V, Caldwell CC, Shock (Augusta, Ga.) 2021 07 56 1 125-132
- Lymphocyte Immunosuppression and Dysfunction Contributing to Persistent Inflammation, Immunosuppression, and Catabolism Syndrome (PICS).
  Bergmann CB, Beckmann N, Salyer CE, Crisologo PA, Nomellini V, Caldwell CC, Shock (Augusta, Ga.) 2021 06 55 6 723-741
- Olfactomedin 4-Positive Neutrophils Are Upregulated after Hemorrhagic Shock.
  Kassam AF, Levinsky NC, Mallela JP, Angel K, Opoka A, Lahni P, Sahay RD, Fei L, Nomellini V, Wong HR, Alder MN, American journal of respiratory cell and molecular biology 2021 02 64 2 216-223
- Staging and Personalized Intervention for Infection and Sepsis.
  Beckmann N, Salyer CE, Crisologo PA, Nomellini V, Caldwell CC, Surgical infections 2020 Nov 21 9 732-744
- Immunotherapeutic options for inflammation in trauma.
  Tobin JM, Gavitt BJ, Nomellini V, Dobson GP, Letson HL, Shackelford SA, The journal of trauma and acute care surgery 2020 08 89 2S Suppl 2 S77-S82
- Scald Injury-Induced T Cell Dysfunction Can Be Mitigated by Gr1⁺ Cell Depletion and Blockage of CD47/CD172a Signaling.
  Beckmann N, Huber F, Hanschen M, St Pierre Schneider B, Nomellini V, Caldwell CC, Frontiers in immunology 2020 11 876
- Distinct Neutrophil Populations in the Spleen During PICS.
  Sengupta S, Caldwell CC, Nomellini V, Frontiers in immunology 2020 11 804
- Enigmatic role of coagulopathy among sepsis survivors: a review of coagulation abnormalities and their possible link to chronic critical illness.
  Winer LK, Salyer C, Beckmann N, Caldwell CC, Nomellini V, Trauma surgery & acute care open 2020 5 1 e000462
- Optimizing Lower Extremity Duplex Ultrasound Screening After Traumatic Injury.
  Baker JE, Niziolek GM, Elson NC, Pugh AM, Nomellini V, Makley AT, Pritts TA, Goodman MD, The Journal of surgical research 2019 11 243 143-150
- Consumptive coagulopathy is associated with organ dysfunction during PICS.
  Winer LK, Beckmann N, Veile RA, Goodman MD, Caldwell CC, Nomellini V, American journal of physiology. Lung cellular and molecular physiology 2019 05 316 5 L946-L952
- Amitriptyline Treatment Mitigates Sepsis-Induced Tumor Necrosis Factor Expression and Coagulopathy.
  Xia BT, Beckmann N, Winer LK, Kim Y, Goetzman HS, Veile RE, Gulbins E, Goodman MD, Nomellini V, Caldwell CC, Shock (Augusta, Ga.) 2019 03 51 3 356-363
- Lower Extremity Duplex Ultrasound Screening Protocol for Moderate- and High-Risk Trauma Patients.
  Martin GE, Pugh A, Williams SG, Hanseman D, Nomellini V, Makley AT, Pritts TA, Goodman MD, The Journal of surgical research 2019 03 235 280-287
- Amitriptyline Reduces Inflammation and Mortality in a Murine Model of Sepsis.
  Xia BT, Beckmann N, Winer LK, Pugh AM, Pritts TA, Nomellini V, Gulbins E, Caldwell CC, Cellular physiology and biochemistry : international journal of experimental cellular physiology, biochemistry, and pharmacology 2019 52 3 565-579
- Sooner is better: use of a real-time automated bedside dashboard improves sepsis care.
  Jung AD, Baker J, Droege CA, Nomellini V, Johannigman J, Holcomb JB, Goodman MD, Pritts TA, The Journal of surgical research 2018 11 231 373-379
- Variability of fluid administration during exploratory laparotomy for abdominal trauma.
  Baker JE, Martin GE, Katsaros G, Lewis HV, Wakefield CJ, Josephs SA, Nomellini V, Makley AT, Goodman MD, Trauma surgery & acute care open 2018 3 1 e000240
- Chronic Critical Illness and Persistent Inflammation: What can we Learn from the Elderly, Injured, Septic, and Malnourished?
  Nomellini V, Kaplan LJ, Sims CA, Caldwell CC, Shock (Augusta, Ga.) 2018 Jan 49 1 4-14
- Sphingosine rescues aged mice from pulmonary pseudomonas infection.
  Rice TC, Pugh AM, Seitz AP, Gulbins E, Nomellini V, Caldwell CC, The Journal of surgical research 2017 11 219 354-359
- A Murine Model of Persistent Inflammation, Immune Suppression, and Catabolism Syndrome.
  Pugh AM, Auteri NJ, Goetzman HS, Caldwell CC, Nomellini V, International journal of molecular sciences 2017 Aug 18 8
- Importance of high clinical suspicion in diagnosing a Marjolin's ulcer with an unusual presentation.
  Carlson AR, Nomellini V, Neuman HB, The American surgeon 2014 Feb 80 2 E61-2
- The Department of Surgery at the University of Wisconsin.
  Nomellini V, Kent KC, The American surgeon 2013 Nov 79 11 1123-30
- Dysregulation of neutrophil CXCR2 and pulmonary endothelial icam-1 promotes age-related pulmonary inflammation.
  Nomellini V, Brubaker AL, Mahbub S, Palmer JL, Gomez CR, Kovacs EJ, Aging and disease 2012 Jun 3 3 234-47
- Interleukin-6 contributes to age-related alteration of cytokine production by macrophages.
  Gomez CR, Karavitis J, Palmer JL, Faunce DE, Ramirez L, Nomellini V, Kovacs EJ, Mediators of inflammation 2010 2010 475139
- Comparison of the effects of aging and IL-6 on the hepatic inflammatory response in two models of systemic injury: scald injury versus i.p. LPS administration.
  Gomez CR, Nomellini V, Baila H, Oshima K, Kovacs EJ, Shock (Augusta, Ga.) 2009 Feb 31 2 178-84
- Aging and animal models of systemic insult: trauma, burn, and sepsis.
  Nomellini V, Gomez CR, Gamelli RL, Kovacs EJ, Shock (Augusta, Ga.) 2009 Jan 31 1 11-20
- Innate immunity and aging.
  Gomez CR, Nomellini V, Faunce DE, Kovacs EJ, Experimental gerontology 2008 Aug 43 8 718-28
- An age-associated increase in pulmonary inflammation after burn injury is abrogated by CXCR2 inhibition.
  Nomellini V, Faunce DE, Gomez CR, Kovacs EJ, Journal of leukocyte biology 2008 Jun 83 6 1493-501
- Aging and impairment of innate immunity.
  Nomellini V, Gomez CR, Kovacs EJ, Contributions to microbiology 2008 15 188-205
- Advanced age exacerbates the pulmonary inflammatory response after lipopolysaccharide exposure.
  Gomez CR, Hirano S, Cutro BT, Birjandi S, Baila H, Nomellini V, Kovacs EJ, Critical care medicine 2007 Jan 35 1 246-51
- Cloning and expression of a mouse member of the PLUNC protein family exclusively expressed in tongue epithelium.
  LeClair EE, Nomellini V, Bahena M, Singleton V, Bingle L, Craven CJ, Bingle CD, Genomics 2004 Apr 83 4 658-66

Research

Chronic critical illness
Utilizing immune phenotypes to prevent chronic critical illness
Immune dysfunction in trauma, burns, and sepsis

Clinical Focus

Chronic Critical Illness
Critical Care Surgery
Immune Dysfunction after Injury and Sepsis
Trauma Surgery

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