Winter 2008-2009 - Mayo Clinic

Winter 2009
Mayo Alumni
Child Life
Therapeutic play is effective
in reducing psychological and
physiological stress for children

Mayo Alumni
Winter 2009
Features
2 The needs of the patient come first …
regardless of their age
Child Life specialists at Mayo Clinic help ensure pediatric patients’
needs are met, including play. It’s not all fun and games — research
indicates that therapeutic play is effective in reducing psychological and
physiological stress for children facing medical challenges. Child Life
staff combine pediatric science with face-to-face contact to ensure
children are prepared for medical experiences.
10 Center for Tobacco-Free Living
Mayo Clinic’s new Center for Tobacco-Free Living was designed to
provide hope to people who have struggled with trying to stop smoking.
Through guilt-free education and access to Mayo’s Nicotine Dependence
Center treatment services, the new center hopes to attract some of the
more than 600 patients a day who pass its space on the 18th floor of the
Gonda Building.
16 Leadership Council for Alumni Philanthropy
One of seven leadership councils supporting The Campaign for Mayo
Clinic, the Leadership Council for Alumni Philanthropy has a goal to
secure $28 million in alumni gifts by the end of 2009. Educating alumni
about Mayo’s funding needs in order to maintain its leadership position
in health care is essential to the council’s success.
20 New emergency cardiac “super” drug
Clinicians and researchers around the world are closely watching
results of clinical trials of CD-NP, a chimeric protein that has therapeutic
potential to treat acute and chronic congestive heart failure and improve
renal function in patients undergoing heart surgery. Mayo Clinic
physician-scientists John Burnett, M.D., and Ondrej Lisy, M.D., Ph.D.,
developed the new drug.
Mayo Update
22 News Briefs
22 Staff News
23 Obituaries

G
iven the current national and international economic crisis,
we have invited Mayo’s president and CEO, Denis Cortese, M.D.,
to comment on the organization’s short- and long-term responses
to the situation.
Mayo Clinic’s financial health
The challenges facing health care today are great, and they’re not
likely to subside, even when our nation’s economy rebounds.
Although we did not foresee the current global economic crisis,
we did anticipate major economic challenges in health care based on
Medicare reimbursement rates and the number of people reaching
retirement age.
In the last few years we have taken a number of steps to improve
Mayo’s financial outlook including: fully funding our pension plan,
building our endowment, conducting a capital campaign to sustain
our education and research missions, and launching our Mayo Clinic
Health Policy Center to influence health care reform. This has put us
in a better position to deal with the current crisis, but increasingly the
economic downturn has underscored the importance of our ability to
adapt and change.
Short- and long-term responses
We’re taking a number of immediate actions to improve our short-term
financial outlook, including increasing access for patients who meet our
triage criteria, aggressively managing expenses, delaying some capital
projects and reducing planned capital expenditures, and fast-tracking
projects that have potential for the greatest positive impact.
For the long term, our strategic plan continues to be our guide.
Our goal for 2009 and beyond includes transformational change that
will allow us to increase the value of our care for our patients. We will
accomplish this by relentlessly pursuing quality, driving out waste,
improving our efficiency and effectiveness by integrating across the
enterprise, developing new and innovative models of care, and
evolving to meet the needs of tomorrow’s patients through
individualized medicine.
Best regards,
About the cover
Mayo Clinic formally established
a Child Life Program in 1988 to
facilitate the emotional and
physical well-being of our
youngest patients.
Denis Cortese, M.D.
President and CEO
www.mayo.edu/alumni | 1

2 | Mayo Alumni Winter 2009

Child Life
Child Life specialists help ensure pediatric patients’ needs are met, including playtime
eds are met includi
time
P
hilip Fischer, M.D., medical director of Mayo
Eugenio Litta Children’s Hospital, says the patient
care he provides is most effective when it’s part of a team.
“Coordinating my care with that provided by the Child Life
team makes our patient care better,” says Dr. Fischer, a
professor of pediatrics in the College of Medicine.
A central goal of pediatric health care is to facilitate the
emotional and physical well-being of children in the hospital.
Research indicates that therapeutic play is effective in
reducing psychological and physiological stress for children
facing medical challenges.
“What looks like play to a child is actually therapy,”
says Dr. Fischer. “Child Life staff combine the best of
pediatric science with fun and practical face-to-face contact.
They have a true understanding of child development
and techniques of play.”
Child Life staff augment medical care in these ways:
• Ease pediatric patients’ fears
• Teach and prepare children for medical and
surgical procedures
• Help children and families cope with the stress
of being in the hospital
• Advocate for family involvement in the
hospital experience
• Engage children and families in activities and
the treatment experience
• Support families during grief and bereavement
• Provide information and resources
For inpatients at Mayo’s children’s hospital — the Mayo
Eugenio Litta Children’s Hospital located within Saint Marys
Hospital, Child Life specialists work closely with physicians,
nursing staff and other team members, including parents,
to determine and meet patients’ needs. In the pediatric
emergency room, Child Life specialists are present 10 hours
a day to assist patients, nurses, physicians and other
team members.
“A hospital stay can be frightening and traumatic for
a child who may be away from family members and other
comforts of home,” says Randy McKeeman, director of
Child Life Services at Mayo Clinic and a certified child life
specialist. “Children in the hospital may be lonely and lack
stimulation. Research in recent years shows that stress can be
a major inhibitor in the ability of a patient to heal and stay
“What looks like play to
a child is actually therapy.”
healthy. Child Life specialists help children effectively
manage stress and, hopefully, heal faster. Research shows
that the long-term implications of a negative medical
experience can be profound — post-traumatic stress,
increased fears and decreased cooperation — for pediatric
patients not effectively prepared for a medical experience.”
During therapeutic play, children are encouraged to
ask questions and express feelings about their fears and
concerns. Child Life staff can elicit valuable information
while helping young patients learn what to expect from
medical procedures.
All in a day’s work: Dr. Philip Fischer (left), medical director
of Mayo Eugenio Litta Children’s Hospital, works closely
with Child Life staff, including (from left) Jane Heser,
Randy McKeeman and Carli Kramer.
www.mayo.edu/alumni | 3

Sean Trewin (left) with his family, including
sister Abby and parents Patrick and Karen,
and (above) when he was treated for Burkitt’s
lymphoma at Mayo Clinic.
“Several studies have shown that therapeutic play is
effective in decreasing anxiety and fears for children,” says
McKeeman. “Children not only showed greater cooperation
during stressful procedures, but they also were more willing
to return to the hospital for further treatment. Other studies
show physiological benefits from therapeutic play, including
lower blood pressure and pulse rate, less palm sweating,
and a shorter time between surgery and first voiding.
Mayo Clinic’s primary value is that the needs of the
patient come first, and Child Life services support that.”
Patients’ perspective
Sean’s story
Four-year-old Sean Trewin described the effect of anesthesia
administered prior to his bone marrow biopsies as “hard
snow that makes my head feel funny before I go to sleep.”
His mother, Karen, relayed that information to a Child Life
specialist at Mayo Eugenio Litta Children’s Hospital, who
speculated that the anesthesia might be acting too quickly.
The Child Life specialist talked to Sean’s anesthesiologist
about slowing down the rate at which the medication was
administered. Sean noticed the difference and told his
mother he felt better.
“The Child Life specialist advocated for us and made
Sean’s treatment easier,” says Karen Trewin, who lives in
Decorah, Iowa. “They were a great resource for us at a very
trying time in our life. Child Life services showed us that
Mayo was there for us in all aspects of the patient experience,
in all facets of our care.”
Sean, now 13, had Burkitt’s lymphoma. When his
parents received his diagnosis, his mother was so upset that
she fled the room. Jane Heser, a certified child life specialist,
comforted her in the hallway.
“I was pregnant with my daughter at the time, and it
was all so overwhelming,” says Karen Trewin. “Sean’s first
hospitalization was eight weeks long. I alternated between
being frantic and hopeful. Jane and her colleagues were as
much a comfort and help to my husband, Patrick, and me as
they were to Sean.
“They told me it was important for Sean to be around
other people and have stimulating activities, and also
important for us to take a break. The staff did activities with
Sean on Easter so we could go out to dinner with my parents,
who were visiting.”
4 | Mayo Alumni Winter 2009

Will’s story
When 6-year-old Will Canan was diagnosed with a cancerous
brain tumor, a Child Life specialist helped his parents, Liz
and Tom, determine how to explain the condition to Will and
his sister, Katherine, then 8.
“Katherine asked me questions like, ‘Is cancer
contagious?’ and ‘Is Will going to die?’” says Liz Canan.
“The Child Life specialist assured me these questions were
normal and helped me answer them. Within 12 hours of
Will’s diagnosis, he was undergoing an eight-hour surgery.
We were emotionally and physically exhausted, and Will was
quite ill afterward. Child Life staff planned activities and
crafts for Katherine and took her to the playroom. Siblings
are often forgotten when they have a sick brother or sister in
the hospital. Katherine enjoyed this time, thanks to the help
from Child Life staff. They gave her undivided attention,
which we couldn’t give her then. It was an incredible support
to our family when we most needed it.”
During a recent visit to the pediatric subspecialty clinic,
Will ran into a friend who also has cancer. “As the boys
played electronic games, Will explained the particulars of a
treatment the other boy would be having — a treatment Will
previously had,” says Liz Canan. “He used language he
learned from Child Life staff. The conversation was so
casual and normal. Child Life staff helped ease Will’s
anxieties when he had procedures, and Will helped ease a
friend’s anxieties. I consider that a tribute to those at Mayo
who have provided his care. They included him in what
was going on with his illness and, as a result, he has been
an easy patient. He has handled his illness with maturity
and grace, free of fear.”
Will Canan (above) was treated for a cancerous brain tumor at Mayo Clinic.
His family includes parents Tom (left) and Liz (right) and sister Katherine.
www.mayo.edu/alumni | 5

Rioghna’s story
When Rioghna Pittock had surgery to reverse an ostomy
she’d had since age 2, her siblings, Hannah, 10, and John, 8,
didn’t realize how sick their 5-year-old sister would look
when they visited her in the hospital.
“Everyone in the family was very excited as Rioghna
kissed her siblings goodbye the morning of the surgery,” says
their mother, Siobhan Pittock, M.D., a consultant in Pediatrics
and Endocrinology and instructor in pediatrics at Mayo
Clinic. “The other kids expected Rioghna to be just as excited
as she was before the surgery. They were quite shocked when
she appeared tired and pale. Child Life staff distracted them
with toys and crafts so they had time to adjust.”
“It’s never a good situation when a child is in the
hospital. I’m so glad Mayo has tremendous Child Life
services because not every hospital does,” says Dr. Pittock.
“It was a good experience for me to be on the side of
benefiting from Child Life services because I promote them
to my patients. It’s good to see firsthand that what I tell
patients and their families is so true. Child Life staff are
excellent extenders of the care we provide. As far as I’m
concerned, Child Life services are a vital, essential part of
pediatric care at Mayo. They notice things about family
dynamics that providers may not notice, and the children
sometimes tell them things they don’t tell us.”
Rioghna Pittock when she was in the hospital (above)
and today (left), with her family: (clockwise from top
left) Dr. Sean Pittock, a Mayo Clinic neurologist;
Dr. Siobhan Pittock; baby brother Fionn; brother
John; and older sister Hannah.
6 | Mayo Alumni Winter 2009

Providers’ perspective
Jane Heser’s story
“I try to see things through the child’s eyes,” says Jane Heser,
a Child Life specialist. “I consider myself a teacher who helps
pediatric patients understand what’s going on, what pieces of
equipment are for, what’s required of them and how they can
cope with it all. We use simple, honest, developmentally
appropriate language, and respect kids as intelligent,
sensitive learners.”
Heser tapes tubes on a doll to show a child the purpose
of different medical tubes. She engages a mother and 2-yearold
in a game of peekaboo to coax the child to wear an
oxygen mask. She distracts a toddler with a spinning toy
while blood is drawn. She leads Halloween trick-or-treaters
on a parade through the main level of the hospital. She helps
patients learn about medical procedures in the hospital’s
medical play area, complete with a small X-ray box.
Her job isn’t all fun and games. She helps a teenager plan
his funeral. She helps parents make plaster hand molds and
handprints of their terminally ill children. She helps make
memory boxes for parents to preserve precious reminders of
their children, including locks of hair. She helps parents and
children with difficult conversations about death and dying.
Heser shares a story about four siblings. One sister was
having a bone marrow transplant, and the other was the
donor. Heser worked with the sisters to show them how
medication would be administered during surgery and how
the transplant would happen. The transplant patient never
lost her spirit during her monthlong hospitalization, says
Heser, in part due to visits with her siblings.
“Those visits were the highlight of her day,” says Heser.
“I planned activities and crafts for them, and they were eager
to participate. It was wonderful to see how important togetherness
was for this family and this patient. A family should
have the opportunity to do what it normally does, even when
a member is in the hospital.”
“I’m so glad Mayo has tremendous
Child Life services because not
every hospital does.”
Mayo Clinic was ranked as one of America’s Best Children’s
Hospitals by U.S. News & World Report (June 9, 2008). Mayo
was ranked in three specialties: neurology and neurosurgery,
digestive disorders, and heart and heart surgery. Mayo Clinic
has been ranked as a top pediatric hospital every year since
U.S. News & World Report began ranking hospitals.
www.mayo.edu/alumni | 7

Carli Kramer’s story
Carli Kramer’s interest in Child Life services stems from
an experience as a teen growing up in Rochester. A friend
was treated for cancer at Mayo Clinic, and Kramer noticed
how Child Life services supported the family. She says
pursuing a career in the profession was “a small way to
honor my friend.”
Kramer works in the Emergency Department. “We
move at a quick pace, meeting families and assessing their
needs in a short time,” she says. “We prepare kids and
families for tests, procedures and surgeries and help them
through it. We do a lot with play and distraction, getting
even the youngest kids through tough procedures like
stitches and IVs.
Kramer tells about a young patient who had nursemaid’s
elbow. “She was in hysterics. I tried for 15 minutes to comfort
her,” says Kramer. “Then I brought in ‘The Little Mermaid’
DVD. The girl immediately stopped crying and chattered
nonstop about the characters she loved. She was treated
without a fuss. Sometimes simple things or just the right
familiar item make all the difference.”
The hardest part of the job, says Kramer, is when a child
dies. “It is one of the most humbling parts of what I do,” she
says. “A little boy died, and his parents needed time to say
goodbye. His 7-year-old brother was outside the room. I
asked him if he wanted to talk or do something. He spotted
Guitar Hero nearby and said he wanted to play. He showed
me how to play, and we laughed about my mistakes. I helped
him check out of what was going on in a healthy way. Kids
work through things differently, and play is a huge part of
it. It’s the ‘business of childhood’ and most often your
best way in.”
“Play teaches children how
to handle the world and is
the primary way in which they
relate to their environment.”
8 | Mayo Alumni Winter 2009

Dr. Philip Fischer and his family hosted Harka (fourth from left) when she had heart surgery at Mayo Clinic four years ago.
Dr. Fischer visited her family (pictured) at their home on the outskirts of Ulaan Bataar, Mongolia’s capital city in March 2008.
Dr. Fischer’s story
Dr. Fischer participates in organizations that bring pediatric
patients from third-world countries to Mayo Clinic for
medical care. The Fischer family has hosted some patients
and families.
“Some of these patients are from countries where
physicians don’t necessarily explain medical things to them,
and families aren’t accustomed to being involved in decision
making,” he says. “Child Life staff are a bridge between
medical staff and these patients and their families.”
Jane Heser, a Child Life specialist, worked with one
patient who was staying with the Fischers. “Jane let him
dress up like a doctor to teach him what to expect in the
hospital,” says Dr. Fischer. “At home, during his recovery, he
dressed up like the doctor and I was his patient. Hands-on
activity like this is important for children’s understanding
and can make the difference between a miserable patient
experience and a simple, easy experience. It’s amazing how
fear can be erased, optimism can be restored, spinal taps
can be less traumatic, stitches can hurt less, and nasogastric
tubes can be swallowed more easily.
“Children from all cultures play. It is essential to
human development. Research shows that play has a
positive effect on cognitive and social development,
particularly when adults participate in play with children.
Play teaches children how to handle the world and is the
primary way in which they relate to their environment.”
www.mayo.edu/alumni | 9

No lectures, no blaming, no judging
Center for Tobacco-Free Living educates and motivates tobacco users to seek help
I
n November 2008, Mayo Clinic opened its Center for
Tobacco-Free Living on the 18th floor of the Gonda
Building. Part of the Nicotine Dependence Center, the new
1,000-square-foot facility features interactive displays — The
Anatomy of Addiction; Smoke and Mirrors: The Truth Behind
Big Tobacco; The Science of Quitting; and Supporting a
Tobacco-Free World.
The Center for Tobacco-Free Living was intentionally
located on the same floor as the Annenberg Pulmonary
Medical Center. Many pulmonary patients use tobacco, and
some of these 600-plus patients a day walk past the new space
on their way to appointments. For those who stop by, tobacco
treatment specialists are available to answer questions and
schedule consultations.
“This center is designed to provide hope to people
who have struggled with trying to stop smoking, provide
information about why quitting is difficult and provide
easy access to tobacco dependence treatment services,” says
Richard Hurt, M.D., director of the Nicotine Dependence
Center at Mayo Clinic, a consultant in Internal Medicine
and professor of medicine.
“Few people aren’t aware that tobacco is harmful, but
those who use it often feel ashamed and stigmatized,” says
Michael Burke, Ed.D, coordinator of Nicotine Dependence
Center treatment programs. “This new facility helps patients
and their loved ones understand the powerful biological
component of tobacco dependence, and provides information
about proven, effective treatments. The new center also
includes compelling information about how tobacco has been
marketed and exciting information about genetic research
into nicotine addiction using a zebrafish model.” (see page 14)
Smoke and Mirrors: The Center for Tobacco-Free Living features
information detailing how tobacco companies market a product that
contributes to the leading cause of preventable deaths in the United States.
10 | Mayo Alumni Winter 2009

The Tobacco-Free Living center’s primary goal is to
support those seeking treatment for tobacco dependence
by providing:
• Research-based information about the biological basis
for tobacco dependence and why some people have more
difficulty quitting tobacco than others
• Personal stories from patients who became tobacco-free
• Information about the most effective treatment methods
• Easy access to treatment
All information is presented nonjudgmentally. “People
who use tobacco don’t want lectures,” says Tom Gauvin, a
counselor in the Nicotine Dependence Center. “They have
already heard about the dangers of tobacco, and they may
feel ashamed about their lack of success in quitting. By
using the disease model to help patients understand tobacco
dependence, we alleviate the guilt and shame and increase
the chances of success for these individuals.
“The Center for Tobacco-Free Living is intended to be a
safe environment in which tobacco users can be supported
and become engaged in the possibility of treatment. The
straightforward, educational, positive tone is designed to
excite and encourage people in their fight against tobacco.
Ideally, of course, the center is an accessible clinical entry
point for treatment in our Nicotine Dependence Center,
but we want people to seek effective treatment anywhere.”
Sheila Stevens, coordinator of education programs
at the Nicotine Dependence Center, says that tobacco
dependence treatment is underutilized. “More than
40 million people in the United States smoke,” she says.
“Most want to stop but, without treatment, only 3 percent to
Grand opening: (from left to right) Glenn Forbes, M.D., CEO of Mayo
Clinic in Rochester; Andrew Limper, M.D., chair of the Department of
Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine; Richard Hurt, M.D., director
of the Nicotine Dependence Center; and Denis Cortese, M.D.,
president and CEO of Mayo Clinic, opened the Center for Tobacco-
Free Living on Nov. 20, 2008 — the date of the American Cancer
Society’s 33rd annual Great American Smokeout.
5 percent of quit attempts are successful. Many people don’t
understand that treatment greatly increases their chances of
successfully quitting. If someone has diabetes, a combination
of education and medication helps them manage their illness.
If the first effort does not succeed, medication is changed,
more counseling is provided and the health care team keeps
working with the patient. That doesn’t often happen with
smoking. Patients get lectured, and their willpower is
questioned. Our counselors work hard to develop effective
partnerships with patients without lecturing or blaming.“
The Nicotine Dependence Center provides outpatient,
residential and hospital services. Many patients in the residential
program have tried other types of treatment without
success. Mayo’s residential program has a 52 percent success
rate for one year after treatment. Among outpatients, the
The Anatomy of Addiction: This display in the Center for Tobacco-Free Living shows how addiction to nicotine occurs.
Cigarettes rapidly deliver a large amount a highly addictive substance, which causes changes in the brain. These changes
cause craving and withdrawal.
www.mayo.edu/alumni | 11

success rate is 28 percent after a year. Some patients who are
hospitalized at Mayo Clinic for another reason are treated
simultaneously for tobacco use. Approximately 32 percent of
those patients are tobacco-free one year later. This compares
with the average success rate of 3 percent to 5 percent for
people who try to quit tobacco use without treatment.
“We’re proud of our success, but we’re relentless in the
pursuit of new ways to help patients,” says Ivana Croghan,
Ph.D., coordinator of research programs at the Nicotine
Cigarette smoking accounts for
90 percent of lung cancer cases.
Dependence Center and an associate professor of medicine.
“We have conducted more than 180 research studies in the
last 20 years, and we try to quickly translate what we learn
into better patient care. We have been instrumental in
testing many of the current treatments, including nicotine
replacement products — patches, gum, inhaler, nasal spray
vaccine, lozenges; bupropion, varenicline, gabapentin, herbal
medication and combinations of medications. We have
worked with various forms of tobacco dependence, including
chewing tobacco; different types of users, including
adolescents, young adults, adults and Alaskan natives; and
concurrent medical conditions including ADHD, COPD,
cancer and alcoholism.”
Nicotine Dependence Center
Mayo Clinic’s Nicotine Dependence Center was one of the
first in the country to focus exclusively on treating patients
who have tobacco dependence. Since 1988 when it opened,
the center has treated more than 40,000 patients. Treatment
usually combines counseling and medication. Specialists
trained in motivational interviewing help patients build
upon their strengths to succeed.
An eight-day residential treatment program is effective
with patients who have tried other methods without success.
Education
The Nicotine Dependence Center has educated more
than 8,500 health care professionals about evidence-based
treatment. Participants in these education programs have
included physicians, nurse practitioners, physician
assistants, dentists, psychologists, chemical dependency
counselors, respiratory therapists, nurses, social workers
and other professionals.
In 2009, the Nicotine Dependence Center will begin
offering classes via webcast.
The center also offers an intensive five-day course for
health care providers who work with tobacco-dependent
patients. Successful completion earns providers the Tobacco
Treatment Specialist Certification.
The Science of Quitting: Visitors to the Center for Tobacco-Free
Living learn that the key components for treating tobacco dependence
are counseling and medications, including nicotine-replacement
therapy and other prescription drugs. Treatment with medication
can more than double an individual’s chances of quitting.
12 | Mayo Alumni Winter 2009

Center for Tobacco-Free Living
Research
The Nicotine Dependence Center’s research program has
made notable contributions to the field of addiction research
and tobacco dependence interventions. Initially focused on
nicotine replacement therapy trials, the research program
has expanded to include behavioral interventions for tobacco
users, population-based epidemiological studies, research to
determine the cost-effectiveness of various interventions,
outcomes research, and tobacco company document research.
Mayo researchers have conducted more than 75
randomized clinical trials involving more than 10,000
research participants. The program continues to grow
through investigator-initiated peer-reviewed grants and
sponsored research. Investigators from the program have
published more than 100 peer-reviewed articles in the
last 10 years.
To learn more about treatment or training
programs, visit ndc.mayo.edu.
The Mayo Clinic Nicotine Dependence Center:
• Has treated more than 40,000 people in its outpatient and
residential programs, or in the hospital setting. More than
1,000 patients from six countries, 48 states and the District
of Columbia have been treated in the residential program.
• Has attracted more than 8,500 providers from around
the world to its educational courses.
• Has enrolled people from more than 35 states and
eight countries in its Tobacco Treatment Specialist
Certification Program.
• Has hosted an annual International Tobacco
Dependence Conference for 15 years.
• Educates Rochester-area students and teachers about
health and well-being.
• Has made presentations to medical providers around
the world.
“In my more than 30 years at Mayo Clinic, this project has been
the most creative I’ve been involved with. The team involved had
boundless energy and unimaginable creativity.”
Richard Hurt, M.D.
Director: Richard Hurt, M.D.
Coordinator of treatment programs: Michael Burke, Ed.D.
Coordinator of education programs: Sheila Stevens
Coordinator of research programs: Ivana Croghan, Ph.D.
www.mayo.edu/alumni | 13

Center for Tobacco-Free Living
Zebrafish provide clues
to nicotine dependency
Nicotine is the substance in tobacco that drives the
addiction. A major genetic component has an important
role in nicotine’s ability to lead to tobacco dependence in
some individuals and not others. However, many questions
remain about the pathways and processes that underlie
these genetic differences.
Researchers at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, led by Stephen
Ekker, Ph.D., a professor of biochemistry and molecular
biology, are using zebrafish to help understand the genetics
behind different responses to nicotine. Zebrafish provide
a useful model for studying genetics because these fish
reproduce prolifically, develop rapidly, are transparent
early in their development, and have a number of organs
and tissues that are comparable to humans. Using
sophisticated techniques for studying genetics, researchers
have identified genes that, when expressed, make zebrafish
more responsive to nicotine. Because these genes are
similarly active in humans, further study may help to
identify more effective and individualized treatments
for people addicted to nicotine.
youtube.com/mayoclinic
Visit Mayo Clinic’s YouTube channel to view these
videos:
• “I’m so happy I quit smoking”
• “Help to stop smoking”
• “Stop smoking — why it’s so hard”
During their first two months on YouTube, these
videos were viewed 3,200 times.
At current smoking rates, more
than 1 billion people are expected
to die in the 21st century from
tobacco-induced illness.
Laura Moore, a family nurse practitioner and tobacco treatment
specialist at the Nicotine Dependence Center, showed her daughter,
Halle, the zebrafish aquarium during the open house of the Center
for Tobacco-Free Living.
14 | Mayo Alumni Winter 2009

Mayo Clinic Alumni Association 66th Meeting
Oct. 29–31, 2009
Headquarters: Camelback Inn, Scottsdale
Host: Mayo Clinic in Arizona
Theme: Exploring New Frontiers —
A Mayo Tradition
General meeting chair: Victor Trastek, M.D.
Scientific program chair: William Stone, M.D.
Thursday, Oct. 29
• Registration and pre-meeting activities
• Evening welcome reception
Friday, Oct. 30
• General and breakout scientific sessions
• President’s Gala — The Doctors Mayo Society dinner
and program
Saturday, Oct. 31
• General and breakout scientific sessions
• Named lectures: Judd-Plummer, Raymond Pruitt, and The
Doctors Mayo Society Lifetime Distinguished Achievement
• Presentation of Mayo Clinic Alumni Association Awards:
Humanitarian and Professional Achievement
Watch for updated meeting details and registration information.
Alumni traveling to Dubai, Oman and Egypt in
February 2010
Make plans now to join colleagues, friends and mentors
at the 2010 Mayo Clinic Alumni Association International
CME Conference:
Dubai Feb. 9−12
Oman Feb. 6−9
Pre-conference tour option
Egypt
Post-conference (seven-day maximum) tour option with
Nile River cruise
Mark your calendars. Details will be mailed soon.
www.mayo.edu/alumni | 15

Alumni answer the call
Alumni answer call for help, spearheaded by The Leadership Council for Alumni Philanthropy
T
he Leadership Council for Alumni Philanthropy is
one of seven leadership councils supporting The
Campaign for Mayo Clinic. To date, this group’s efforts
have resulted in alumni contributions of $22.5 million to the
campaign. The goal is to secure $28 million in alumni gifts
by The Campaign’s conclusion at the end of 2009. Overall,
The Campaign for Mayo Clinic is on track to meet the goal
of raising $1.25 billion.
The Leadership Council for Alumni Philanthropy led by
example: It was the first of the seven leadership councils to
reach 100 percent member participation in The Campaign.
“It’s significant to have all members of leadership
councils financially support the philanthropic cause. When
we approach others for support, they often ask about the
support of staff and alumni,” says Joseph Fiore, M.D., a
consultant at Mayo Clinic in Arizona who chaired the
Leadership Council (formerly the Alumni Committee on
Development) from 1982 to 2006.
“Our Leadership Council knows Mayo is the best in
the world and wants to be part of the preservation of this
wonderful medical institution and its philosophy — the needs
of the patient come first,” says Carl Soderstrom, M.D., current
chair of The Leadership Council for Alumni Philanthropy.
According to Dr. Fiore, the Alumni Association’s
Executive Committee embraced development as one of its
integral functions. “There’s an unavoidable reality —
philanthropy and development are integral to Mayo’s
survival,” he says. “We can no longer afford to support all
three shields on the practice alone. Many alumni had never
been asked to participate in supporting Mayo in this way.
But when the prospect is proposed to them, they’re often
eager to preserve the uniqueness of Mayo.”
The Leadership Council for Alumni Philanthropy
has focused on educating alumni about Mayo’s funding
needs in order to maintain its leadership position in
health care.
Giving by Mayo alumni has more than tripled in the last three years, increasing
from an average of $2 million per year prior to 2005 to more than $6.3 million
per year from 2005 to 2008.
16 | Mayo AlumniI Winter 2009

“Our greatest challenge in enlisting alumni support
for The Campaign for Mayo Clinic was to alert them about
the financial shortfalls that lurk in the future,” says
Dr. Soderstrom. “Philanthropy is no longer a ‘nice to have.’
Instead, it’s a must-have if Mayo is to remain a leader in
academic medicine. This message resonated well with
alumni. Helping this institution to advance medicine and
educate future physicians and scientists is something alumni
are willing to support.”
Miguel Cabanela, M.D., a consultant in Orthopedic
Surgery at Mayo Clinic in Rochester and chair of The Doctors
Mayo Society, says it’s impossible for Mayo’s practice to fund
research and education. “Philanthropy is more important
with decreased reimbursement and the economic climate,”
says Dr. Cabanela. “Our alumni know that Mayo Clinic
opens its doors to everyone, so they’ve supported The
Campaign for Mayo Clinic.”
Dr. Soderstrom attributes this support, in part, to
Mayo’s history of reaching out to alumni through hosting
international meetings, welcoming visiting alumni home
to Mayo campuses, and offering effective programs
through the Alumni Association.
“Mayo’s alumni have the deepest respect for the
organization and proclaim that regardless where they
practice, they are much better at their work because
of their education and training at Mayo Clinic,” says
Dr. Soderstrom. “They tell us they feel like part of a
family. In surveys, they have reported that they have
incorporated aspects of the Mayo model into their practices
and that they have enduring reverence for everything
Mayo represents. When they became aware of the need
for support to ensure Mayo’s three-shield excellence is
maintained for generations to come, they answered the
call willingly and eagerly.”
“Our alumni know that Mayo Clinic
opens its doors to everyone, so
they’ve supported The Campaign
for Mayo Clinic.”
If you would like information about ways to support
Mayo Clinic, including a particular area of clinical practice,
research or education, contact Robert Giere, director of
Alumni Philanthropy, giere.robert@mayo.edu, 800-297-1185,
or a member of The Leadership Council for Alumni
Philanthropy.
On average,
approximately
10 percent of
alumni give to
Mayo Clinic.
www.mayo.edu/alumni | 17

About The Leadership Council
for Alumni Philanthropy
Leadership Council for
Alumni Philanthropy
• All members are Mayo alumni and most are not on
Mayo Clinic’s internal staff.
• Members are invited to join the Leadership Council
by a small nominations committee.
• The group was formerly the Alumni Committee on
Development.
• The council serves Mayo Clinic and the Mayo Clinic
Alumni Association by actively working as volunteers
with the Department of Development in advising
and supporting Development activities focused
on alumni.
Chair, The Doctors Mayo Society
Miguel Cabanela, M.D.*
Francis Chucker, M.D.
David Dines, M.D.
Peter Doris, M.D.
Mayo Clinic Rochester
Orthopedic Surgery, 1973
Washington, D.C.
Internal Medicine, 1961
Mayo Clinic Rochester,
Emeritus
Internal Medicine, 1957
Downer’s Grove, Ill.
Internal Medicine, 1972
Activities include:
- Making recommendations about and contacting
prospective alumni benefactors
- Assisting with membership recruitment for
The Doctors Mayo Society (TDMS)
- Providing recommendations on TDMS programming
- Identifying potential benefactors
Secretary/Treasurer, Alumni Association
Eric Edell, M.D.
Mayo Clinic Rochester
Pulmonary Diseases, 1988
Past Chair, Leadership Council for Alumni Philanthropy
Joesph Fiore, M.D.
Mayo Clinic Arizona
Dermatology, 1974
Robert Giere
Eric Edell, M.D. David Teegarden, M.D. Carl Soderstrom, M.D. Francis Chucker, M.D.
18 | Mayo AlumniI Winter 2009

R. Wynn Kearney, M.D.* Mankato, Minn.
Orthopedic Surgery, 1972
Past President, Alumni Association
Scott Litin, M.D.*
Sukumar Nagendran, M.D.
Peter Sidell, M.D.
Mayo Clinic Rochester
Mayo Medical School, 1977
Internal Medicine, 1981
East Hanover, N.J.
Internal Medicine, 1997
Fort Myers, Fla.
Thoracic Surgery, 1977
Chair, Leadership Council for Alumni Philanthropy
Carl Soderstrom, M.D. Peoria, Ill.
Dermatology, 1972
K.L. Spear, M.D.*
Naples, Fla.
Dermatology, 1983
President, Alumni Association
David Teegarden, M.D.
Tyler, Texas
Gastroenterology, 1975
Suzanne Ildstad, M.D.*
Moon Park, M.D.
Louisville, Ky.
Mayo Medical School, 1978
Honolulu, Hawaii
Anatomic and Clinical
Pathology, 1971
Medical Director, Department of Development
John Noseworthy, M.D.* Mayo Clinic Rochester
Neurology
Robert Giere, Ex. officio Mayo Clinic Rochester
Development
Karen Herman, Ex. officio Mayo Clinic Rochester
Mayo Alumni Center
Amy Williams, M.D., Ex. officio Mayo Clinic Rochester
Nephrology, 1990
Sarah Panetta, Ex. officio Mayo Clinic Rochester
Development
*Not available for photo
Sukumar
Nagendran, M.D.
David Dines, M.D. Joseph Fiore, M.D. Peter Doris, M.D. Peter Sidell, M.D. Moon Park, M.D.
www.mayo.edu/alumni | 19

I
t relieves pressure on a failing heart, boosts kidney
function to help clear the body of excess salt (natriuresis)
and water, and may just be the newest emergency cardiac
“super” drug.
It is CD-NP, a chimeric protein rationally designed by
Mayo Clinic physician-scientists John Burnett, M.D., and
Ondrej Lisy, M.D., Ph.D. CD-NP is created by fusing a portion
of the amino acid sequence of the recently discovered
Dendroaspis natriuretic peptide (DNP) to a core structure
of the human vasodilatory and antifibrotic protein C-type
natriuretic peptide (CNP).
Dr. Burnett calls the result of this synthesis a unique
“super-natriuretic peptide.” He is director of Mayo Clinic’s
Cardiorenal Research Laboratory, a consultant in the
divisions of Cardiovascular Diseases and Physiology and
Biophysics, and the Marriott Family Professor of
Cardiovascular Research.
“CD-NP has therapeutic potential to treat acute and
chronic congestive heart failure, and also improve renal
function in patients undergoing heart surgery,” says
Dr. Burnett. He and Dr. Lisy, a fellow in Cardiovascular
Diseases and an assistant professor of medicine, have
worked for several years to create CD-NP.
It’s a bird,
it’s a plane, it’s a
super-natriuretic peptide!
“Our new drug is carefully designed to improve
kidney function and relieve congestion in patients who
have congestive heart failure,” says Dr. Lisy. “Most of the
currently used drugs either worsen or do not improve
renal function. This is a significant clinical problem.”
In congestive heart failure, a chronic condition, the
heart cannot effectively pump enough blood to the body’s
other organs. Heart failure affects 5.3 million Americans
and is a significant and growing public health problem.
More than 650,000 new cases are diagnosed every
year. In heart failure, worsening kidney function is an
independent predictor of morbidity and mortality in
heart failure.
“The real elegance of this drug is the idea of exploiting
the desirable properties of two peptides,” says Dr. Burnett.
“We’re very excited about this combination drug. It has
a lot of potential to aid patients in heart failure whose
recovery might otherwise be hampered by subsequent
kidney function. CD-NP is designed to be administered
intravenously, but we envision new technologies in which
we can turn this into a product that can be taken orally, like
any other pill. You could have IV treatment in the hospital,
then go home and follow up with a pill.”
20 | Mayo Alumni Winter 2009

The parts of the whole
CNP is a naturally occurring hormone produced in cells
that line the wall of blood vessels. A 22-amino-acid molecule,
CNP was first discovered in the brains of pigs. In humans, it
works like nitroglycerin, dilating blood vessels. CNP also
has very strong antiproliferative properties.
DNP was originally isolated from the venom of the
African green mamba snake (Dendroaspis angusticeps),
a fast-moving, highly venomous tree dweller.
“A constant review of the world’s research literature on
natriuretic peptide biology led to intense study of the version
found in the green mamba,” says Dr. Burnett.
DNP attracted Dr. Burnett’s attention after it was
isolated in 1992. DNP is genetically different from other
natriuretic peptides, which act in concert with receptors in
the cardiovascular system to keep fluids and toxins moving
when the heart is under pressure. However, when kidneys
fail, the body cannot clear these fluids and toxins. DNP
appears to offer stronger support for the kidneys.
In 1999, Dr. Lisy was lead author of the first in vivo
animal study detailing DNP’s ability to flush water and
sodium from the body. In subsequent studies of heart failure
in animal models, he showed that DNP has a potent cardiac
“unloading effect” by enhancing the glomerular filtration
rate, a measurement of kidney function and by clearing salt
and water.
measuring glomerular filtration rate and renal function. In
patients with stable chronic congestive heart failure, infusion
of CD-NP not only was well tolerated (hypotension occurred
only in very high doses) but it also significantly improved
kidney function — the most promising finding.
These results proved the initial hypothesis by Dr. Burnett
and Dr. Lisy — that the administration of CD-NP in heart
failure patients would lead to diuresis and improved kidney
function with minimal blood pressure effects. The results
also put clinical development of this new investigational
drug on the fast track. Studies are under way to start
Phase 2-b clinical trials.
Particularly because the latest agents approved by the
Food and Drug Administration to treat heart failure may
have deteriorating effects on kidney function, results of the
trials are closely monitored by clinicians and researchers
around the world.
What’s next
In a very short time, CD-NP moved from preclinical studies
at Mayo Clinic’s Cardiorenal Research Laboratory to clinical
trials. This potential new drug has already progressed from
the initial trial testing its safety in human volunteers to
testing its efficacy in certain diseases.
In October 2008, interim data from a multicenter,
open-label Phase 2 clinical study of patients hospitalized for
acute heart failure was announced. Findings indicated that
CD-NP infusion had very favorable cardiac unloading effects.
It significantly reduced pulmonary capillary wedge pressure
and increased diuresis, thus decreasing congestion.
In December 2008, data from a completed multicenter,
open-label, ascending-dose clinical trial of CD-NP was
announced. Preliminary results have defined the
maximum-tolerated dose of CD-NP and characterized the
effect on blood pressure and kidney function. The study
showed improvement in the biomarkers used as surrogates
Dr. Ondrej Lisy and Dr. John Burnett designed CD-NP, a
“super-natriuretic peptide” with potential to treat congestive heart
failure and improve renal function in patients undergoing heart
surgery. Clinicians and researchers around the world are closely
watching results of clinical trials of this drug.
www.mayo.edu/alumni | 21

Mayo Update
News briefs
1950s
W. Philip Ball published
“The Physician in Winter”
in the October 2008 edition of
The Journal of the American
Medical Association (JAMA).
Jorge Solis-Manjarrez had an
Excellence in Medicine award
named in his honor, Mexico City.
1960s
Herbert Semler promoted to clinical
professor of medicine, Division of
Cardiovascular Medicine, at Oregon
Health and Sciences University,
Portland.
Lewis Woolner named clinical
scientist of the year by the Association
of Clinical Scientists. He directs the
Pathology Residency Program at the
University of Louisville, Ky.
1970s
Ian Henderson received the
Australian Orthopaedic Association
Research Award in recognition of his
contribution to orthopaedic research,
Melbourne.
Virinder Moudgil appointed
provost and senior vice president
for Academic Affairs at Oakland
University, Rochester, Mich. He also
was named chair of Academic Officers
of the Presidents Council of the State
Universities of Michigan.
1980s
Ann Montgomery promoted to
clinical professor in the Department
of Family Medicine at the University
of Washington, Spokane.
1990s
Josef Gurian appointed assistant
professor of surgery at Virginia
Commonwealth University and
received the award for excellence in
teaching from the Medical College of
Virginia Medical School, Richmond.
He is vice president and incoming
president of the Washington
Metropolitan Otolaryngology-Head
and Neck Society and was voted
“Top Doctor” in Otolaryngology in
Washingtonian Magazine.
Stephen Meraw voted president
elect of the Midwest Society of
Periodontology and president of the
Detroit District Dental Society Eastern
Branch. He also was awarded a
master’s degree in Health Care
Management from the School of
Public Health at Harvard University.
Kenneth Stone elected chair of the
Department of Orthopedic Surgery at
Marshfield Clinic, Marshfield, Wis.
2000s
Pablo Castillo received the 2008
Distinguished Teaching Award from
the Minnesota Medical Foundation,
University of Minnesota Medical
School, Minneapolis.
Thomas Kottke named medical
director for Evidence-Based Health,
HealthPartners, Minneapolis.
Julie Thacker appointed assistant
professor of surgery at Duke
University, Department of Surgery,
Durham, N.C.
Jarrod Wall joined the faculty at the
Southern Illinois University School of
Medicine in Springfield as an assistant
professor of general surgery.
Staff News
Michael Ackerman received the Luther
Distinguished Service Award from
Luther College, Decorah, Iowa.
David Agerter named CEO of Austin
Medical Center — part of Mayo
Health System.
Brent Asplin named chair,
Department of Emergency Medicine,
Mayo Clinic Rochester.
Charles Beatty received the Luther
Distinguished Service Award from
Luther College, Decorah, Iowa.
Jeffrey Cornella named one of
America’s Top Doctors for Women
in Women’s Health magazine.
Bart Demaerschalk appointed
editor-in-chief of Journal of
Brain Disease.
Wyatt Decker received the American
College of Emergency Physicians
Heroes of Emergency Medicine Award.
David Dennison participated in the
American Society for Surgery of the
Hand Young Leaders Program.
Dennis Dickson received the
American Parkinson Disease
Association’s 2008 Fred Springer
Award.
David Dodick named one of America’s
Top Doctors for Women in Women’s
Health magazine.
Sherine Gabriel installed as the 72nd
president of the American College of
Rheumatology at the annual meeting
in San Francisco.
Evanthia Galanis appointed
to the board of the Society for
Neuro-Oncology.
22 | Mayo Alumni Winter 2009

Peter Gloviczki received the
President’s 2008 Leadership Award
at the 10-year celebration of the
Vascular Disease Foundation in
Washington, D.C. He also delivered
the Robert R. Linton Distinguished
Address at the Annual Meeting of
the New England Society for Vascular
Surgery in Newport, R.I.
Todd Golde selected by Jacksonville
Business Journal as a 2008 Health
Care Hero.
Thomas Grys certified a diplomate
of the American Board of Medical
Microbiology.
Peter Harris received the 2008 Homer
Smith Award from the American
Society of Nephrology.
Judith Kaur appointed by President
George Bush to the National Cancer
Advisory Panel to advise the
director of the National Cancer
Institute on cancer priorities.
Rajiv Kumar received the 2008 Louis
V. Avioli Founders Award from the
American Society of Bone and Mineral
Metabolism.
Donald Layton received the Patient
Volunteer-Advocate Award for
Distinguished Service in Cancer
Education.
Carlos Mantilla received a Teacher
of the Year Award from the Mayo
Graduate Student Association.
Kay Medina received a Teacher of the
Year Award from the Mayo Graduate
Student Association.
Michael Mohseni received a Mayo
Clinic Florida clinical research grant
to continue the “Runners Science”
study for a second year.
Steven Moran received the 2009
Sterling Bunnell Award, the highest
honor bestowed on a hand surgeon
by the Hand Society.
Justin Nguyen named interim chair
of the Division of Transplant Surgery,
Department of Transplantation, Mayo
Clinic Florida.
Stephen Riederer served as president
of the 20th meeting of the MR
Angiography Society in Graz, Austria.
Juan Romero received the 2008
Novartis Award for Hypertension
Research.
William Rupp named CEO of Mayo
Clinic Florida.
Joseph Sirven appointed editor-inchief
of epilepsy.com.
Elson So chaired the National Institute
of Neurologic Disorders and Stroke
Workshop on Sudden Unexpected
Death in Washington, D.C.
Latha Stead received the Emergency
Medicine Residents’ Association
Mentorship Award from The American
College of Emergency Physicians.
She was the 2008 inaugural Visiting
Professor of Emergency Medicine at
Harvard Medical School, the first
invitation for a Mayo Clinic physician.
Nilufer Taner selected by Jacksonville
Business Journal as a 2008 Health
Care Hero.
Michael Wallace selected by
Jacksonville Business Journal as a 2008
Health Care Hero.
Susan Wilansky named one of
America’s Top Doctors for Women
in Women’s Health magazine.
Obituaries
1940s
Professor Dr. med Rudolf Juchems, 79,
died Sept. 5, 2008. He received his
medical degree from the University
of Bonn in 1956 and completed his
residency in Wuerzburg, Germany,
in 1962 after a fellowship in internal
medicine at Mayo Clinic in 1961. In
1970, he was appointed professor and
chair of the Department of Internal
Medicine in Aschaffenburg, retiring in
1996. He was a founding and honorary
member of the Mayo Alumni German
Speaking Chapter and hosted the first
scientific meeting of this society in
Bonn in 1996. A cardiologist
specializing in internal intensive care
medicine, he was a member and
participated in scientific societies in
Germany and abroad. He was a
member of The Doctors Mayo Society
and Plummer Society and honorary
member of the European Council
of Emergency Medical Care and
Resuscitation Medicine. Professor
Juchems received the Bundesverdienstkreuz
am Bande, one of the highest
civil orders of the Federal Republic of
Germany. He is survived by his wife,
Olga, and five children.
Norman Christensen, 93, died
Nov. 18, 2008, in Sun City, Ariz.
Dr. Christensen received his medical
degree from Rush Medical College,
University of Chicago, and completed
a Mayo Clinic residency in internal
medicine in 1947. He was a physician in
the U.S. Navy during World War II.
Dr. Christensen joined Mayo Clinic’s
Department of Internal Medicine in
1947 and led the Mayo Clinic “Tetanus
Team” until he retired in 1976.
www.mayo.edu/alumni | 23

Mayo Update
Dr. Christensen’s family provided a
leadership gift to Mayo Clinic to name
a lecture hall on the 10th floor of the
Gonda Building the Dr. Norman A. and
Kathleen B. Christensen Lecture Hall.
Colin Holman, 91, died Nov. 13, 2008,
on Mercer Island, Wash. Dr. Holman
received his medical degree from the
University of Pennsylvania Medical
School, Philadelphia. He served in
the military during World War II.
Dr. Holman joined the Department of
Radiology at Mayo Clinic in 1949 and
retired in 1980. Dr. Holman was a past
president of the American Society of
Neuro-Radiology and the American
Roentgen Ray Society and was an
emeritus fellow of the American
College of Radiology.
Vernon Mattox, 94, died Dec. 11, 2008,
in Rochester, Minn. Dr. Mattox received
his Ph.D. from the University of
Virginia, Charlottesville. He joined the
Department of Biochemistry at Mayo
Clinic in 1942 and was chair from
1964 to 1971. He was a professor of
physiological chemistry at the College
of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, and in
1973 was appointed as the Hill Family
Foundation Professor of Biochemistry
at Mayo Medical School. Dr. Mattox
served on the editorial board of the
Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and
Metabolism and was a member of the
Minnesota Mental Health Medical
Policy Commission. He was a member
of the American Society of Biological
Chemists, Inc., American Chemical
Society, Endocrine Society and
Mayo Alumni Association.
1950s
Frazier Fyke Jr., 84, died Sept. 21, 2008,
in Ridgeland, Miss. Dr. Fyke received
his medical degree from the University
of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, and
completed a Mayo Clinic residency in
internal medicine in 1956. He served
in the military during the Korean War.
Dr. Fyke was in private practice in
Jackson, Miss., and was a senior
partner with Jackson Medical Clinic
and medical director of the Medical
Assurance Company of Mississippi. He
was a fellow of the American College of
Physicians and former chief of staff at
Baptist Medical Center, Jackson.
Maurice Kelley Jr., 84, died
Oct. 19, 2008, in Hanover, N.H.
Dr. Kelley received his medical
degree from the University of
Rochester School of Medicine and
Dentistry in Rochester, N.Y., and
completed a Mayo Clinic residency
in gastroenterology in 1959. He was a
captain in the Air Force Medical Corps,
stationed in England. Dr. Kelley was
an associate professor of medicine at
the University of Rochester School of
Medicine and Dentistry. In 1967, he
became the first section chief of
Gastroenterology at Dartmouth-
Hitchcock Medical Center in Hanover
and was a professor of medicine at
Dartmouth Medical School. Dr. Kelley
was a member of the American College
of Physicians and received its Laureate
Award in 1993. He was a member of
the American Medical Association
and American Federation for
Clinical Research.
1960s
Ernest Herrmann Jr., 83, died
Sept. 8, 2008, in Rockville, Md.
Dr. Herrmann received his doctor of
philosophy degree from the University
of Maryland, Baltimore. He served
during World War II with the
U.S. Navy. Dr. Herrmann was on
the Mayo Clinic staff from 1961
to 1962 and established the Viral
Laboratory. He was a faculty member
of the Peoria School of Medicine,
College of Medicine, University of
Illinois, before retiring in 1987.
Robert Ryan, 81, died Oct. 31, 2008, in
Rochester, Minn. Dr. Ryan received his
medical degree from the University
of Cincinnati College of Medicine and
joined the Department of Biochemistry
at Mayo Clinic in 1967. He served in the
U.S. Army. Dr. Ryan was a professor of
medicine in the College of Medicine,
Mayo Clinic. He received the Mayo
Distinguished Investigator Award
in 1986 and the Mayo Distinguished
Alumnus Award in 1994. He was an
officer of the Endocrine Society and the
Society for the Study of Reproduction.
He received awards from both
societies, as well as the Drake Medal
from the University of Cincinnati
College of Medicine. Dr. Ryan served
on the National Institutes of Health,
Ford Foundation and World Health
Organization. He retired from Mayo
Clinic in 1990.
Roy Shorter, 83, died Oct. 27, 2008,
in Rochester, Minn. Dr. Shorter
received his medical degree in 1948
from Westminster Hospital Medical
School, Imperial College London. He
was a lieutenant in the Royal Naval
Volunteer Reserves. Dr. Shorter was
a special appointee in the section of
Experimental and Anatomic Pathology
in 1958 and returned to Mayo in 1961
as a consultant in that section. He was
a professor of pathology and internal
medicine in the College of Medicine,
Mayo Clinic. Dr. Shorter received the
Teacher of the Year Award from Mayo
Medical School in 1986 and the Mayo
Medical School Faculty Service Award
in 1989. He retired from Mayo in 1991.
24 | Mayo Alumni Winter 2009

Mayo Clinic Alumni
Association Officers
David Teegarden, M.D., Tyler, Texas
President
S. Mark Laney, M.D., Fort Worth, Texas
President Elect
Eric Grigsby, M.D., Napa, Calif.
Vice President
Eric Edell, M.D., Rochester
Secretary-Treasurer
Scott Litin, M.D., Rochester
Past President
Karen Herman, Rochester
Director
Executive Committee
Terrence Cascino, M.D., Rochester
(Department of Education Representative)
Maria Collazo-Clavell, M.D., Rochester
Michael Farnell, M.D., Rochester
Jason (Jay) Golbin, D.O., Rochester
(MSGME Representative)
Margaret Johnson, M.D., Jacksonville
Andrew Landstrom, Rochester
(MGS Representative)
Jeff McKenzie, MMS II, Rochester
(MMS Representative)
Stephen Riederer, Ph.D., Rochester
Carl Soderstrom, M.D., Peoria, Ill.
Daniel Wochos, M.D., Scottsdale
Board of Directors 2007–2009
Kenneth Brookler, M.D., New York, N.Y.
Thomas Daugherty, M.D., Winchester, Va.
Nancy Elwess, M.D., Plattsburg, N.Y.
Bernard Harris, M.D., Houston
Robert Kazan, M.D., Chicago
Peter Layer, M.D., Hamburg, Germany
Kevin Madden, M.D., Scranton, Pa.
Matthew Melin, M.D., St. Louis Park, Minn.
Melissa Merideth, M.D., Bethesda, Md.
Neal Richmond, M.D., Louisville, Ky.
David Romness, M.D., Arlington, Va.
Robert Spinner, M.D., Rochester
Mack Sullivan, M.D., Elkhart, Ind.
Pamela Sylvestre, M.D., Memphis, Tenn.
Karl Tamussino, M.D., Graz, Austria
Robert Van Dervoort Jr., M.D.,
Nashville, Tenn.
Nicole Webel, M.D., Seattle
Torrence Wilson, M.D., Rochester
Executive Editor — Priscilla Russell
Editorial Assistant — Patricia Voerding
Advisory Board — Steven Altchuler, Ph.D., M.D., Eric Edell, M.D., chair,
Brigitte Barrette, M.D., Matthew Bernard, M.D., Charles Burger, M.D.,
Michael Farnell, M.D., Michelle Felten, Nancy Henry, Ph.D., M.D., Karen Herman,
Richard Hurt, M.D., Nicholas LaRusso, M.D., Paul Mueller, M.D.,
Lonzetta (Loni) Neal, M.D., Priscilla Russell, Sylvester Sterioff, M.D.,
William Stone, M.D., Robert Viggiano, M.D., Dietlind Wahner-Roedler, M.D.,
Alexandra Wolanskyj, M.D.
Alumni Center
507-284-2317
Karen Herman, Administrator
507-538-0162
mayoalumni@mayo.edu
Physician Referral
Arizona 800-446-2279
Jacksonville 800-634-1417
Rochester 800-533-1564
mayoclinic.org/medprofs
Patient Transportation
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800-237-6822
mayomedicaltransport.com
For information
about alumni meetings
and receptions,
visit
mayo.edu/alumni
Mayo Alumni magazine is published quarterly and mailed free of charge to physicians,
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Please send correspondence to: Mayo Clinic Alumni Center, Siebens 5-33, Mayo Clinic,
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Rochester, Minnesota 55905
Board of Trustees announces
named professorships
The Mayo Clinic Board of Trustees recognized four
awardees of Mayo Clinic named professorships at
its quarterly meeting in November:
Sundeep Khosla, M.D., Dr. Francis Chucker and Nathan Landow
Research Professorship
Walter Wilson, M.D., Edward G. Rosenow, III, M.D.
Professorship in the Art of Medicine
Diane Jelinek, Ph.D., Gene and Mary Lou Kurtz
Professorship in Multiple Myeloma Research
Douglas Packer, M.D., John M. Nasseff, Sr.,
Professorship in Cardiology in Honor of Dr. Burton Onofrio
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and stay up-to-date
Don’t forget to register for the newly enhanced Mayo
Clinic Alumni Association Web site, mayo.edu/alumni.
Registering will allow you to access:
• Online Alumni Directory
• Alumni Groups (departments, specialties, regional)
• Colleague Notes
• Events Calendar (including online dues payment)
• Member Services
Before you can access the password-protected
“Alumni Services” feature, you must contact the
Alumni Association office to obtain a verification
number for use in registration.
Alumni Association offi ce
mayoalumni@mayo.edu
507-284-2317
mayo.edu/alumni