AlumniBulletin - The University of Alabama at Birmingham

More documents

Recommendations

Info

From the Development Office We are pleased to welcome Jennifer Philpot as director of development for the UASOM. Jennifer comes to UAB from Vanderbilt University after three years in their Undergraduate Reunion office. There she worked on reaching class reunion fundraising goals and traveled extensively to Atlanta, Cincinnati, Memphis, and Chattanooga. Prior to joining Vanderbilt, she worked with St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital in its fundraising division. Jennifer says she looks forward to working with UASOM alumni across the country. With medical research so critical to the UASOM’s growth, Jennifer will be working closely with the Department of Pediatrics and several other UASOM departments to facilitate their research. She is excited to be working with children again and to be able to draw on her experience with St. Jude’s in this arena. Jennifer’s work will cover a lot of ground and it will help the UASOM advance its research mission in many critical fields. In addition, she will work with the S. Richardson Hill Society and Dean’s Advisory Council to encourage input and support. The Gwaltney Family Endows Chair PROVIDING SUSTAINED SUPPORT FOR CYSTIC FIBROSIS RESEARCH By Norma Butterworth-McKittrick For many years the Gwaltney family has generously supported UAB research efforts to find a cure for cystic fibrosis. Recently, Nancy R. Gwaltney ensured the future of cystic fibrosis research by establishing an endowed chair in the School of Medicine. The Nancy R. and Eugene C. Gwaltney Family Endowed Chair in Medical Research initially will be used to retain Eric Sorscher, M.D., an internationally recognized researcher in the area of cystic fibrosis and the director of UAB’s Gregory Fleming James Cystic Fibrosis Research Center. Under Sorscher’s leadership, the center is conducting pilot and feasibility projects related to determining the genetic and biochemical bases of cystic fibrosis. Sorscher and his colleagues also are seeking ways to help improve the quality of care for people who suffer from this debilitating disease. Collabora-tion between the center’s scientists and the clinicians at the Children’s Hospital Cystic Fibrosis Care Center are translating research findings into improved patient care. “This magnificent gift will ensure continued progress toward helping people with cystic fibrosis and ultimately finding a cure for this terrible disease,” Sorscher emphasizes. “The generosity of the Gwaltney family solidifies UAB’s leadership role in cystic fibrosis research nationwide. We are very grateful for their kindness and ongoing support.” “Mrs. Gwaltney’s gift will serve to enhance our excellent program in cystic fibrosis by recognizing the contributions of Dr. Sorscher,” adds William B. Deal, M.D., vice president and dean of the School of Medicine. This endowed chair will also serve as an enduring testimony of the Gwaltneys’ devotion to their granddaughter, Amelia Staley Gwaltney, who has cystic fibrosis. PROGRAMS WORTH SUPPORTING: Department of Genetics By Dawn Mesa Bruce Korf, M.D., Ph.D. 20 The newly formed Department of Genetics at UAB has hit the ground running. Since its formation in November 2002—as a union of the Department of Human Genetics and the Department of Genomics and Pathobiology—the department, chaired by Bruce Korf, M.D., Ph.D., has begun to have an impact on UAB and the many communities it serves. According to Thomas Malone, administrative director of the department, some important developments took place after Korf’s arrival in January, beginning with the recruitment of Nathaniel Robin, M.D., as the new director of clinical services. Formerly of Case Western Reserve University, Robin began June 1 with an eye toward expanding the clinical services available at UAB and in the surrounding community. The other significant recruit was Ludwine Messiaen, Ph.D., who arrived July 1. Formerly of the University of Ghent in Belgium, she is the director of the newly created Medical Genomics Laboratory, which will perform genetic testing for a multitude of disorders. “This lab will be one of the cornerstones of our department,” says Korf. “The type of testing offered will lead the way to more personalized medicine in the future—from the diagnosis of rare genetic disorders, to the treatment and management of common disorders such as diabetes and arthritis, to determining how much of a drug a patient should receive to maximize efficacy and minimize side effects.” The laboratory will work collaboratively with other UAB departments, especially the department of pathology, to make UAB a leader in the integration of genetics into medical diagnosis and treatment. The department hopes to establish an endowment to fund the Medical Genomics Laboratory. One disorder the Medical Genomics Laboratory will test is neurofibromatosis type 1, or NF1. This test was developed by Messiaen, and UAB will be the only place in the world offering this type of testing. NF1 also happens to be Korf’s area of clinical and research expertise, and this presents a huge opportunity for the department to make a significant impact on the treatment of this disorder. To capitalize on this opportunity, Korf has begun the process of establishing an NF center, which will position UAB as a world leader in the research and treatment of neurofibromatosis. Korf is enthusiastic about the many new initiatives planned in the department, including joint efforts with the Cancer Center and with the Cystic Fibrosis Center to recruit new faculty. The department hopes to add up to eight new faculty members in different specialty areas in the coming five years. For more information about how you can help contribute to the endowment for the Medical Genomics Laboratory or help fund the NF center, please contact Brett Scullen in the Development Office at (205) 975-7240, or see the envelope enclosed in this issue. In addition, to learn more about the work being done in the Department of Genetics, please visit its Web site at [www.uab.edu/genetics].
PROGRAMS WORTH SUPPORTING: The Nancy R. and Eugene C. Gwaltney Family Endowed Chair in Medical Research By Dawn Mesa Ask Eric J. Sorscher, M.D., about the research currently taking place under his direction at the Gregory Fleming James Cystic Fibrosis Research Center at UAB, and it quickly becomes apparent that the center’s work revolves around patients. “The center focuses on understanding the basic mechanisms of cystic fibrosis [CF], why people with CF get sick—from the gene that’s functioning improperly, to ways in which that gene’s expression influences cells, to the way those cells are involved in the disease process,” says Sorscher. “An awful lot of what we do is research directed toward new therapies. When we have an idea about something that might benefit patients as quickly as possible, we try to test it in the clinic.” With a very active group of researchers who are both scientists and clinicians, the center has a strong team that is capable of quickly taking new therapeutic approaches into the clinic. This activity has led to the publication of numerous articles on research findings. Recently, the faculty in the center published a study in the Journal of Pediatrics on a new drug therapy that led to weight gain and improved lung function for CF sufferers. The center has also published the results of a gene-therapy trial, outlining some of the challenges that will be faced in genetherapy treatments for cystic fibrosis and CF patients. An additional study, which used an approach to CF therapy developed by UAB microbiologist David M. Bedwell, Ph.D., has shown that for a subset of patients with a specific form of CF, it’s possible to correct the problem in the nasal airways. One of the UAB investigators, Szuszanna Bebok, M.D.—in collaboration with CF researchers in Israel who have many patients with this particular form of the disease—will soon publish the results of this study in the New England Journal of Medicine. The center is also a member of a select nationwide group that tests the latest therapies in CF treatment. Currently, it is the lead center for a multicenter trial in particular strategies being explored by Bedwell and pediatrician John Paul Clancy, M.D. “All of the newest therapies are being tested in Birmingham,” says Sorscher. For instance, when azithromycin was announced last year as a new means of treating the lung infections that CF patients often get, UAB was one of the sites that was integral to the trial. “It looks as if this medication will be very beneficial to certain people with cystic fibrosis,” he says. Sorscher emphasizes two things about the CF research in the center: “The fact that UAB has an outstanding ability to grasp the fundamental science—understanding the CF gene and its function in cells—and the outstanding group of people in the center who can take that science and move it to patients as quickly as possibly in a rigorous, high-scrutiny fashion. The system here makes it possible to ‘settle’ the issue as to whether there is potential in a particular therapy or medication for helping people who suffer from CF.” For information on contributing to The Nancy R. and Eugene C. Gwaltney Family Endowed Chair in Medical Research, please contact John Lankford, Ph.D., at (205) 975-7341, or see the envelope enclosed in this issue. A RECEPTION IN POINT CLEAR Gerhard Boehm, M.D., and his wife, Linda, along with Arthur Corte and his wife, Beverly, hosted a reception for alumni, residents, fellows, and friends to meet William B. Deal, M.D., vice president and dean of the UASOM. The event was held at the home of Dr. and Mrs. Boehm in Point Clear, Alabama, on Wednesday, May 7, 2003. Guests from Mobile and Baldwin Counties attended the event. Deal expressed a desire to offer alumni, residents, fellows, and friends an opportunity for membership in an elite group called the Dean’s Partners, a group committed to reinforcing the financial backbone of the School of Medicine. More specifically, Deal envisions the Partners providing the necessary funds to sustain the UASOM’s national reputation and ensuring its future by attracting and providing scholarship support to bright and talented young men and women. Dean’s Partners are asked to invest in the School of Medicine by contributing annually. If you would like to become a member, please see the pledge card attached in this issue or contact Meredith Murdock at (205) 934-4469. (Counterclockwise from top left) Betty Ruth Spier, M.D., and David G. Walsh, M.D.; William R. Staggers, M.D., and William B. Deal, M.D.; Hosts Gerhard A.W. Boehm, M.D. (left), and A. Arthur Corte (right) with Deal; Bobette (Mrs. Lowell J.) Friedman and Angus Cooper; Alumni and friends of the UASOM. 21
Page 1 and 2: AlumniBulletin ALABAMA MEDICAL V O
Page 3 and 4: ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTO
Page 5 and 6: News Briefs to quit. “Primary-car
Page 7 and 8: News Cover Briefs Story disease in
Page 9 and 10: It’s a complex issue, and one tha
Page 11 and 12: Cover Story support political candi
Page 13 and 14: Feature Stories participate in the
Page 15 and 16: Coming Home NEUROLOGY CHAIR RETURNS
Page 17 and 18: The UAB Physician Services Departme
Page 19 and 20: Physicians’ Forum being made by j
Page 21: Brandon Robbins Brandon Robbins Joh
Page 25 and 26: Volker Hall News By Dawn Mesa A $25
Page 27 and 28: Alvin Victor Shih Jennifer Margaret
Page 29 and 30: Alumni Association News ALUM BABES
Page 31 and 32: ALUMNI FORM Alumni, Let Us Hear Fro
Page 33 and 34: Alumni Profile Alumni Profile: Theo
Page 35 and 36: In Appreciation The S. Richardson H

AlumniBulletin - The University of Alabama at Birmingham

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?