Inside... - University of Pittsburgh :: MSTP

The Pitt-CMU MSTP Newsletter
Volume VIII, No. 1
Fall 2009
Celebrating Old Traditions, Creating New Traditions
Yearly innovations at 13th Annual MSTP Retreat bring new life to even student-favorite events
The 13th annual Pitt/CMU MSTP
retreat was held at the University of
Pittsburgh Biomedical Science Tower
and Seven Springs Resort. Dr. David
Hackam opened the retreat with his
keynote address entitled “Adventures of a
Surgeon Scientist: Turning a Dark Knight
into a Quantum of Solace,” his compelling
story of being an academic surgeon
with a thriving research program aimed to
understand and therapeutically target the
pathogenesis of necrotizing enterocolitis
(NEC) in premature infants.
Next, students listened to research
presentations given by Christin Glorioso
(G5) and Cyrus Raji (MS3) as well as a
Above top left: Dr. Guillermo Romero accepts the 2009 William E.
Brown Outstanding MSTP Mentor Award. Above top right: Students
speak with peers and faculty about their research at the Friday morning
poster session. Above: The Pitt-CMU MSTP, Retreat 2009. (Photo
credits: Benjamin Mantell (G2) and University of Pittsburgh CIDDE)
report from the students who attended
the National MD/PhD Student Conference
this year. Meanwhile, participating
faculty met with MSTP Director Dr.
Clayton Wiley for the latest news and
updates about our program. Students
and faculty convened once more for the
poster sessions. This year, students
were grouped by graduate program
rather than alphabetically, allowing for
more efficient interaction among student
and faculty researchers within the
same field.
Awards were presented during
lunch. The recipient of the 2009 William
E. Brown Outstanding Mentor Award
was Guillermo Romeo,
PhD (pharmacology and
chemical biology), and
the recipient of the Drs.
S. Sutton Hamilton MSTP
Scholar Award was Sherrie
Divito, PhD (MS3).
Many congratulations
to both well-deserving
awardees!
A group photo-graph
in rare Pittsburgh sunny
weather concluded the Friday
Research Day events,
and we packed up our
posters before heading
out to Seven Springs.
An Italian buffet awaited
us at Seven Springs,
as well as an inaugural
Quizzo showdown bet
w e e n p r e - a r r a n g e d
groups composed of students
from every level of
the program. Mark Doyal
(G2), Jeffrey Koenitzer
(G2) and David Wheeler (G2) wrote and
hosted the Quizzo event, perplexing
students, program administration, and
guests with questions encompassing
history, Pittsburgh trivia, Step 1 USMLE
material, geography, pop culture, and
MSTP-related trivia such as “How tall
is Dr. Wiley” The winning team was
promised a selection of cookies baked
by retreat co-chair Liang Kang (G2).
Students spent the rest of the night
singing Karaoke and partaking in other
activities. At 10:30 p.m., the first-year
class was escorted for the revival of the
annual “welcoming of the first years”:
a trek, on foot, straight up the steep
and slippery Seven Springs ski slope,
a challenging climb aptly described as
symbolic of their MSTP training to come.
Dr. Clayton Wiley started Saturday
morning events with his annual “State of
the Program” presentation and discussion.
This was followed by a completely
new component to the MSTP retreat: a
formal career advice presentation by an
alumnus, given this year by David Volk,
MD, PhD (Class of 2004), Assistant
Professor of Psychiatry at the University
of Pittsburgh. Students responded
enthusiastically to the added detail and
time for discussion of Dr. Volk’s experiences
and advice.
Peer mentoring tables were arranged
for lunch, after which the rising
MS4s gave pithy and humor-filled
presentations about their experiences
in the program and advice for younger
students. Students then split up for
professional development workshops.
Students attended one of three offered:
see page 3, Retreat
Inside...
2009 MSTP Retreat, 1, 3
Alumni Updates:
Michael Pezzone, 2, 6
Co-Director’s Corner, 3
Non-Traditional Residency
Advice, 4-5
Introducing the First Years, 5
Recently Awarded PhDs, 6
Newly Funded F30s, 6
Student Publications, 7
Upcoming Events, 8

Profiles in Medicine: Michael Pezzone
An alumnus from the Class of 1994 shares his rewarding experiences as an MSTP student and
now a physician-scientist at Pitt
2
The marking of the 25th anniversary
of our MSTP in 2008 allowed many
alumni of our program a walk down
memory lane. “I remember there weren’t
too many students ahead of me in the
program here in Pittsburgh,” reminisces
Dr. Michael Pezzone, now an Associate
Professor of Pharmacology & Chemical
Biology and Medicine in the Division
of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and
Nutrition. Dr. Pezzone graduated from
the program in 1994 and recalls only
three people being in his MSTP class.
He notes how far the program has
come from when he started in 1987,
“I think after so many years of this
program’s existence, you really start
to get a consensus for what is best for
the students.” He specifically noted
how the career development courses
in grant writing and ethics, which were
not in existence while Dr. Pezzone was
a student, have really helped contribute
to the breadth of knowledge that is
imparted to students by the Pittsburgh
MSTP.
After graduating as valedictorian
of his high school class in New Castle,
Pa., Dr. Pezzone studied at Cornell
University, majoring in chemistry and
biology. Dr. Pezzone was drawn to
chemistry mainly because “it isn’t just
a didactic type of science, I really enjoy
the hands-on aspects of it, including lab
work.” At the time, his undergraduate
program was designed with a year of
research which allowed him to work on
his honors thesis of “Structure-activity
relationships in glycosidase inhibitors.”
His research with Dr. Bruce Ganem in
the Department of Chemistry resulted in
a publication as an undergraduate, and
he graduated cum laude in 1987.
The summer prior to medical school
matriculation, Dr. Pezzone did research
at the University of Pittsburgh through
the Mellon Pre-doctoral Fellowship in
Psychiatry, during which time he studied
an autoimmune basis for schizophrenia.
From this research experience he soon
realized “immunology, stress, and
autoimmunity seemed to be areas of
research (he) enjoyed working on.”
Although Dr. Pezzone did not
formally apply to a dual-degree program,
he had heard of combined degree MD-
PhD programs as an undergraduate.
During the late eighties however, there
were not many MD-PhD programs
that were well structured. Dr. Pezzone
elected to hold off joining a MD-PhD
program until he had started medical
school, as the first two years would
be identical whether or not he was in a
combined degree program.
It was fortuitous that Dr. Pezzone
was working in the lab of Dr. Bruce Rabin
when he started medical school, who
was then the director of the MD-PhD
program. Dr. Rabin mentored the predoctoral
Pezzone and encouraged him
to apply to the program. On comparing
the opportunities he had for research at
that time, Dr. Pezzone recalls that “back
then there weren’t too many options
available. For example, I had initially
wanted to do research in cardiology,
but there weren’t too many benchtop
cardiology options available like there
are now. It kind of limited what you could
go into.”
Dr. Pezzone joined the graduate
department of Experimental Pathology,
continuing to work with Dr. Rabin
on a project titled “Characterization
of the Pathways Mediating Stress-
Induced Immune Alterations in the
Rat.” His primary interests were in
identifying central neural pathways and
neurondrocine pathways and how these
modulate immune function. “The nice
thing about pathology is you can do
anything with what you learn in graduate
work. It is a field that encompasses and
is easily applicable to many areas.”
Later, after graduate school, when
he was trying to find a specialty to pick
based on his background and research
interests, “everything seemed to lead to
working with gastrointestinal disease
and irritable bowel syndrome. Internal
medicine in general seemed to have
the most flexibility to it, and having the
ability to see patients was a plus for
me.”
Upon graduation, Dr. Pezzone
continued his training at UPMC, joining
the Internal Medicine Residency
Program in 1994. He was one of the
first to take the Clinical Investigator
Pathway, which combines research
and clinic time for the first two years
of the program. Dr. Pezzone started
working with Dr. William de Groat in the
Department of Pharmacology, who was
studying pelvic visceral pain, and he
found many overlapping mechanisms
and pathways when comparing Dr. de
Groat’s work with the visceral bowel
pain that he was interested in studying.
During his gastroenterology fellowship
at UPMC, Dr. Pezzone continued
studying neuro-immune interactions
and pain and was able to start his
fellowship doing independent research
because of the industry funding he
already had obtained on his own. Less
than two years into his fellowship, Dr.
Pezzone was granted a K award on
neuroimmune mechanisms of visceral
hyperalgesia, and subsequently he was
promoted to a faculty position.
Despite the current funding
environment being less than favorable,
Dr. Pezzone is currently working on
approximately 5 clinical trials, and
spending 40 perccent of his time
working on research and 60 percent of
his time in the clinic. He teaches lectures
see page 6, Pezzone

Tumor growth is highly dependent on its
microenvironment. Surrounding stroma,
including fibroblasts, myofibroblasts,
leukocytes, and endothelial cells can
affect the invasive behavior, growth,
polarity, and differentiation of cancer
cells. Induced death of stromal cells
has led to death of co-cultured prostate
cancer cells in vitro and to tumor
shrinkage in vivo. Stromal cells are
themselves altered by proximity to
cancer cells and this “reactive stroma”
acquires tumor-promoting activity in vivo.
Cancer cells and normal cells in their
microenvironment are interdependent
and evolve together by conducting a
dynamic molecular dialogue.
Students in the MSTP are not
malignant. I have in fact been impressed
by the smooth scientific differentiation,
cooperativity, and organic professional
growth of members of our student body.
But we do take a page from cancer
physiology. A goal of training for MSTP
students is to develop skills that do not
die, knowledge that proliferates, and
an ability to adapt and thrive both in
familiar and in challenging scientific and
intellectual environments.
One of the primary mechanisms
that supports the survival and growth
of the MSTP student is the process of
social learning. Even a casual observer
of our MSTP would recognize that social
learning is constitutively active within and
outside of the classroom. The Research
Basis of Medical Knowledge class
offers a venue for vertical transmission
of knowledge, presentation styles, and
charisma from MS2 to MS1 students
(and challenging questions in the
other direction) insofar as first- and
second-year students join together for
a portion of the class.
It has been a pleasure
to see students in our
interactive enrichment
classes manifest depth
of thinking rather than
death of thinking. The chemistry within
and between years is also evident in
the effectiveness and creativity of the
many student committees that support
and shape Pittsburgh’s MSTP. Input
from most of you and from faculty
indicates that the graduate years and the
longitudinal clinical clerkship succeed in
providing role models, bilateral learning,
and professional growth.
I have been impressed by
discussions with students in which they
indicate an interest in choosing thesis
committee faculty whose participation
will benefit them both in terms of scientific
input and longitudinal networking. Such
an active approach i.e., “what do I want
to get out of my committee/attendees
at my talks/interviewers for positions,
etc.,” rather than “what will they want
from me” can help you to control your
Co-Director’s Corner
A Message From Richard Steinman, MD, Ph D
Co-Director of MSTP
own trajectory as a physician, scientist.
Currently, a student-facultyadministration
committee is re-evaluating
and revising the MSTP curriculum to
optimize its objectives and coherence
and to minimize redundancy. Within this
curriculum, we anticipate (more later)
three successive summer professional
development courses starting prior to
MS1. These will be framed to build
skills and a knowledge base relevant
to each stage of students’ progression
through the MSTP. In combination with
the expertise derived from MD and PhD
training and other enrichment classes,
we hope that this equips our students
to triumph over obstacles in their
future training, disseminate widely and
seed new biomedical paradigms that
bolster health.
Retreat, from page 1
Choosing a research mentor (with Dr.
Guillermo Romero), Negotiating your
first job (with Dr. Clayton Wiley), and
Scientific writing and revising (with Michelle
Kienholz).
A few hours of sun, volleyball,
swimming, tennis, or sleep was enjoyed
before the banquet dinner and keynote.
Dr. Paul Rosen presented the evening
keynote address, challenging students
to seek to gain skills that would
help them not only as researchers
and clinicians but also to be able to
recognize and optimize human factors
variables that affect patient care.
With the conclusion of the
official retreat program, students
enjoyed the rest of the evening with a
poker tournament, jam session, or other
activities. Sunday activities included
paintball, golf, and whitewater rafting.
by Liang Kang (G2)
Above top: MSTP students intently playing
poker. Above: Dr. Stetten, Maxx Horowitz
(G3), and Danny Roh (G3) jam together on
their guitars. Right top: The MS2s rock it
out in Karaoke with a rousing rendition of
“Wake me up before you go go” by Wham!
Right: MS1s and some upperclassmen take
the symbolic hike up the Seven Springs ski
slope. (Photo credits: Liang Kang (G2))
3

How to navigate non-traditional residencies
One alumnus’s experiences and perspective on the post-graduate training opportunities outside
medical residencies and how to maximize your degrees to find the one that fits you.
4
MSTP graduates have a venerable
collection of skills: a comprehensive fund
of knowledge, the ability to communicate
complex information to a broad range of
audiences, the ability to synthesize data
in literature, and the capacity to become
world experts in medical science. The
job of a physician-scientist is a natural
extension of these skills. However,
it is important to realize that being a
physician-scientist is not the only career
option available to MSTP graduates.
My Path
My story serves as an example of a
non-traditional approach to post-MSTP
training. I plan to use engineering
innovation to improve health care
efficiency and affordability through
entrepreneurship. This broad goal
includes fields such as medical
technology, medical informatics, and
medical robotics. In seven years or
so, I would like to be responsible for
bringing together university research,
industry, and investors to create private
companies to address these issues.
Coming to the decision not
to pursue a medical residency was
extremely challenging, requiring months
of self-reflection about my career goals,
skill set, and risk tolerance. As I spoke
with friends and colleagues about
the choice and my goals became
more specific, I began to identify local
organizations to help me determine what
the next step should be. Ultimately, I
settled on a list of three potential career
paths: management consulting, midsized
company, and entrepreneurial
fellowship.
Advice
I believe there are common elements
to career planning that can benefit all
students. The most important point is
that the immediate years after the MSTP
should be viewed as a “residency.” It is
difficult to immediately step into a high
level professional job after the MSTP. We
are simply not ready. Early post-MSTP
life is typically an intense 3-5 year period
of relatively little income, long hours,
and a precarious sensation of drowning.
In exchange, the Residency teaches
critical skills, supplies performance
feedback, and helps build a network of
contacts that will establish and maintain
a career.
I have found that there are 3 key
considerations when selecting a good
Residency:
1) Obtain Missing Skills. First, one
must concretely define a job description.
Instead of selecting a job title the goal is to
identify critical career accomplishments,
which may or may not align with job
title. Second, one must identify the key
ingredients required to accomplish the
critical career goals. This step cannot
be performed in a vacuum; it requires
online research and face-to-face
communication with people of different
backgrounds who have already achieved
these goals. Finally, one must perform a
“...maximally leveraging your
training means understanding
what your future employer
will value...and then recasting
MSTP training to match
those values.”
self evaluation to determine both missing
skills and existing strengths. This step
requires brutal honesty or the consult
of several honest mentors. Successfully
performing this step helps both to select
the best residency and to maximize the
chance of getting into that residency.
2) Get Mentorship. The value of
mentorship cannot be overstated.
Multiple mentors in different fields and
career stages have incalculable career
benefit. Mentors can provide an unbiased
ear for ideas, feedback, personal
connections, and recommendation
letters. Many individuals have helped me
secure interviews, connect with program
directors, and on occasion get hired
without applying.
3) Maximally Leverage Your Training.
Dr. Jenny Grandis is an MSTP mentor
whose life is an outstanding example
of how to combine clinic, research, and
family. She emphasizes that an MD/
PhD is qualitatively different from either
an MD or PhD, and MSTP graduates
should carve out a niche unto their own,
in effect “branding” themselves. This
is relatively easy in medical residency,
since most residency directors know the
value of MSTP applicants in increasing
department funding and prestige. In
exchange, physician-scientists can
negotiate to expedite their training.
Thus, MSTP training can be maximally
leveraged in research-intensive medical
residencies. In other Residencies, the
value of MD/PhD training is variable.
However, regardless of Residency
type, maximally leveraging your training
means understanding what your future
employer will value in the near term and
then recasting MSTP training to match
those values.
Potential Career Paths Considered
One of the biggest challenges facing
a new graduate is how to select a
residency. Here is a brief summary of
residency categories I considered, with
the aim to gain skills in entrepreneurial
pursuits.
1) Matriculate into an MBA program.
Benefits of an MBA include learning the
educational foundations of business and
making important networking contacts.
However, an MBA prolongs schooling
and may not be the best way to obtain
the skills that MSTP students lack.
2) Take a job doing management
consulting. These large firms apply
analytical thinking to the problems of
very large companies. The short term
contracts serve as great way to find out
more about the business world, gain real
job experience, and make contacts. In
addition, good consulting firms have
a strong tradition of mentorship and
feedback, which is excellent for career
development.
3) Work in a small startup. In a small
company, an MD/PhD can serve as a
physician liaison, technical designer,
and also have some business roles.
There is a sharp learning curve, and
the work is quite exciting and variable
from day to day. In addition, an MSTP

graduate can leverage their training by
working on a project that matches their
medical and research interests. However,
getting the most out of the experience
almost requires having a share in the
company, which requires getting in on
the ground level. In addition, the funding
environment for small bio- and medicaltechnology
companies is extremely
precarious following the economic
meltdown.
4) Work in a large company. Large
companies have neither the extreme
personal risk nor huge potential rewards
of the startup. However, they are an
excellent way to make a career. The pay
is good and the work is often predictable,
but success is measured entirely by
profit rather than scientific achievement.
As a MD/PhD it is often difficult to ascend
very high on the corporate ladder, since
high-level promotions often require
business experience.
What I am Doing
As it turns out, I found one residency off
the beaten path: the Stanford Biodesign
Fellowship. The Biodesign Fellowship
is an 11-month immersive, mentored
fellowship designed to create the next
generation of medical technology
entrepreneurs. They accept eight fellows
per year, which are divided into two
teams of four. The first 1-2 months
of the program are a crash course
in business education, focusing on
medical technology. The teams then
work to identify potential problems in the
hospital, and by the end of the fellowship,
they build a solution prototype and
form a business plan. Throughout the
fellowship, the teams meet with one
of the directors weekly for mentorship
and also get connected with Silicon
Valley entrepreneurs and other Stanford
faculty. One month of the Fellowship is
scheduled for an externship in which
students work at a startup or venture
capital firm.
Conclusions
MSTP training was a truly unique
opportunity to gain personal and
professional growth during a remarkably
transformative period in my life. Preparing
to build a career after this experience
was both exciting and daunting, as there
are a variety of career options available
both inside and outside of medicine.
By looking at different types of career
paths, I found that the residency is a
critical feature of career success. More
importantly, good residencies all provide
training, mentorship, and maximal career
advancement. I hope MSTP students
appreciate the tremendous value of their
training and use it to build satisfying
careers in whatever field they chose.
Daniel Bishop - Daniel just finished up his BS
in bioengineering from Arizona State University
and plans to pursue his interests in medical
diagnostic technologies and nanotechnology in
the bioengineering graduate program at Pitt or
CMU. In his free time, Daniel loves to cook for his
fiancée. Sounds like she’s a lucky lady.
Lauren Brilli Lauren attended Washington
University and received her BS in biomedical
engineering. She loves working with children and
plans to enter pediatrics after completing the
MSTP program, with her graduate degree focusing
on developmental biology.
Andrey Finegersh - Andrey graduated from UCLA
in 2008 and then spent a year working at NINDS
prior to entering the MSTP program. He plans to
continue to pursue his interest in neuroscience
during his graduate years by joining the CNUP
program. In addition to research, Andrey enjoys
playing guitar and tennis.
James Fisher - James is a Pittsburgh native who
graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 2009
with a BS in chemical engineering. James wishes
to pursue his PhD in the field of bioengineering,
with an emphasis on tissue engineering and
artificial organs. When not pursuing engineering,
James can be found in the arctic regions where
he single handedly rebuilds igloos for troubled
aborigines.
Neil Kelly Neil graduated from MIT and plans
to put those years of schooling to good use in
the computational biology department during
by Pedram Afshar, MD, PhD, Class
of 2009
Dr. Afshar can be contacted at pedram.
afshar@stanford.edu
(Note: This article is abridged. Students
can contact Dr. Afshar or log onto the
Zone for the full version.)
Introducing the First Years
his graduate years. In his free time, Neil enjoys
swimming and skiing, as well as software
development.
Mark Langhans Mark graduated from the
University of Notre Dame in 2008 with a degree in
biochemistry, and will likely join the Department
of Structural Biology. He is interested in cartilage
research and surgery, and enjoys playing pick up
basketball and skiing. To top it off, he’s a huge fan
of the Fighting Irish.
Craig Lehocky - Craig attended the University
of Pittsburgh and will be joining either the
bioengineering or neuroscience Departments for
his graduate years. He enjoys ice hockey, outdoor
activities, and playing the guitar and banjo. So next
time you need to head out to Tennessee for a banjo
battle, make sure you bring Craig.
Brian Rosborough Brian is the lone internal MSTP
transfer student. He completed his undergraduate
degree at Bucknell University and has joined Angus
Thomson’s lab in the Department of Immunology
for his graduate research. In his spare time, Brian
enjoys music, guitar, golf, snowboarding, football,
wine, and trying not to lose money playing poker.
Emily Rosenberger Emily graduated from
Wesleyan University in 2007 and plans to join
the Epidemiology Department for her graduate
research. When not performing meta-analyses,
Emily spends her time exploring local coffee shops
and restaurants, kayaking, and reading.
by Alanna Peterson, G1
The incoming MSTP class of 2009. Back row (left to right): Mark Langhans, Emily Rosenberger,
Andrey Finegersh; Middle row (left to right): Daniel Bishop, Craig Lehocky, Lauren Brilli, Neil Kelly;
Front row: James Fisher.
5

Student Accolades
Congratulations to our newly funded F30 Awards!
Amin Afrazi, Regulation of TLR4 Signaling in Enterocytes in Necrotizing Enterocolitis (Mentor:
David Hackam, MD, PhD)
Agnieszka Kalinowski, Molecular Determinants of Lamin A Accumulation in Human Aging and
Disease (Mentor: Kris Noel Dahl, PhD)
Gerald Nora, Processing of Alternative Structures in Telomeric DNA (Mentor: Patricia Opresko,
PhD)
Daniel Roh, Homeostatic Roles of Connexin43 in response to DNA Damage (Mentor: James
Funderburgh, PhD)
Deepak Soneji, Sensitization of Intact Nociceptors Following Contralateral Nerve Injury (Mentor:
Richard Koerber, PhD)
Jeremy Tilstra, The Role of NF-kB Signaling in Aging (Mentor: Paul Robbins, PhD)
Congratulations, Doctor! Recently Awarded PhDs
Mehret Birru The Associations of Ethnicity, Cardiovascular Risk Factors, and Socioeconomic
Status with Subclinical Cardiovascular Disease, Advisor: Karen Matthews, PhD (Epidemiology; Pitt)
Christopher Crowe Critical Role of Interleukin-17 Receptor Signaling in the Immunopathology
of Influenza Infection, Advisor: Jay Kolls, MD (Immunology; Pitt)
Sherrie Divito Recipient Dendritic Cells Dictate Allograft Fate, Advisor: Adrian Morelli, MD,
PhD (Immunology; Pitt)
Corrine Kliment Extracellular Superoxide Dismutase, Oxidative Stress and Extracellular Matrix
Syndecans in Pulmonary and Cardiac Fibrosis, Advisor: Tim Oury, MD, PhD (Cellular and
Molecular Pathology; Pitt)
Cyrus Raji The Role of Hypertensive Vascular Disease in Brain Aging and Neurodegeneration,
Advisor: William Klunk, MD, PhD (Cellular & Molecular Pathology; Pitt)
Peter Vosler Critical Role of Eukaryotic Translation Initiation Factor 4G Degradation in Mediating
Ischemia-induced Neuronal Death, Advisor: Jun Chen, MD, PhD (Neuroscience; Pitt)
Genevieve Woodard Evaluating Novel Risk Factor Associations for Subclinical Cardiovascular
Disease, Advisor: Kim Sutton-Tyrrell, M.P.H., Dr.P.H. (Epidemiology; Pitt)
6
Pezzone, from page 2
for the second year Digestion and
Nutrition course, rounds with residents
and works with fellows in the clinic, all
of which allow him many opportunities
to teach medical trainees. Dr. Pezzone
emphasizes that “an advantage of
being an MD/PhD is having the ability to
work on clinical trials and make clinical
observations that can then be studied
in animal models of disease. It’s great
being able to work on both sides of the
equation.”
In addition to the progress made
with his work on gastrointestinal pain
research, Dr. Pezzone has also received
the honor of being named one of
Pittsburgh Magazine’s Top Doctors for
the past two years. He enjoys being
invited to conferences for patient
organizations as well as speaking to the
public about new therapies and clinical
trials that have the potential to help a
great many of his patients that suffer
from pain with no identifiable source.
Over the course of the 22 years Dr.
Pezzone has spent here at the University
of Pittsburgh, he has found that what
he values most are the connections
and collaborations he has established
with other faculty. He believes that
this would certainly not be the case
had he gone elsewhere for residency
or for fellowship. Dr. Pezzone’s pearls
of wisdom for current students in our
program, whether they be starting out
in their pre-clinical medical school years
or are thinking about residency program
applications is “to find good mentors
and keep working hard. Your persistence
will pay off.”
by Lolita Nidadavolu, G1
Dr. Pezzone can be contacted at
pezzone@pitt.edu.

New MSTP Student Publications through October 2009
Agrawal, V., Johnson, S.A., Reing, J., Zhang, L., Tottey, S., Wang, G., Hirschi,
K.K., Braunhut, S., Gudas, L.J., Badylak, S.F. (2009). An epimorphic regeneration
approach to tissue replacement in adult mammals. Proceedings of
the National Academy of Sciences. Accepted.
Agrawal, V., Brown, B.N., Beattie, A.J., Gilbert, T.W., Badylak, S.F. (2009).
Evidence of Innervation following Extracellular Matrix Scaffold Mediated
Remodeling of Muscular Tissues. Journal of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative
Medicine. Accepted, PMID: 19701935.
Gilbert, T.W., Agrawal, V., Gilbert, M.R., Povirk, K.M., Badylak, S.F., Rosen, C.A.
(2009). Liver Derived Extracellular Matrix as a Biologic Scaffold Material for
Acute Vocal Fold Repair. Laryngoscope. 119(9): 1856-63. PMID: 19572393.
Redman, P.T., Hartnett, K.A., Aras, M.A., Levitan, E.S. and Aizenman, E. (2009).
Regulation of apoptotic potassium currents by coordinated zinc-dependent
signaling. Journal of Physiology. 587:4393-4404.
Aras, M.A., Saadi R.A. and E. Aizenman, (2009). Zn2+ regulates Kv2.1 voltagedependent
gating and localization following ischemia. European Journal of
Neuroscience. In press.
Urban, N.N. and A.C. Arevian. (2009). Computing with dendrodendritic synapses
in the olfactory bulb. Ann NY Acad Sci. 1170:264-9.
Bales, J.W., Wagner, A.K., Kline, A.E. and C.E. Dixon. (2009). Persistent Cognitive
Dysfunction After Traumatic Brain Injury: A Dopamine Hypothesis.
Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Rev. 33(7):981-1003.
Bales, J.W., Ma, X., Yan, H.Q., Jenkins, L.W. and C.E. Dixon. Expression of
protein phosphatase 2b (calcineurin) subunit a isoforms in rat hippocampus
following a traumatic brain injury. Journal of Neurotrauma. Sep 14, 2009.
Epub ahead of print.
XuFeng, R., Boyer, M.J., Shen, H., Li, Y., Yu, H., Gao, Y., Yang, Q., Wang, Q.,
and T. Cheng. (2009). ADAR1 is required for hematopoietic progenitor cell
survival via RNA editing. PNAS 106(42):17763-8.
Cackowski, F.C., Anderson, J.L, Patrene, K., Choksi, R.J., Shapiro, Steven D.
and G.D. Roodman. (2009). Osteoclasts are important for bone angiogenesis.
Blood. First Edition Online. DOI: 10.1182/Blood-2009-08-237628
Wells, A., Chao, Y. and Q. Wu. (2009). Biology of Cancer Metastases to the Liver.
Molecular Pathology of Liver Diseases. Monga PS, editor. Springer Press.
Goff, J.P., Shields, D.S., Seki, M., Choi, S., Epperly, M.W., Dixon, T., Wang,
H., Bakkenist, C.J., Dertinger, S.D., Torous, D.K., Wittschieben, J., Wood,
R.D. and J.S. Greenberger. (2009). Lack of DNA polymerase theta (POLQ)
radiosensitizes bone marrow stromal cells in vitro and increases reticulocyte
micronuclei after total-body irradiation. Radiation Research. 172:165-74.
Momciloviæ, O., Choi, S., Varum, S., Bakkenist, C., Schatten, G. and C. Navara.
(2009). Ionizing radiation induces ataxia telangiectasia mutated-dependent
checkpoint signaling and G(2) but not G(1) cell cycle arrest in pluripotent
human embryonic stem cells. Stem Cells. 27:1822-35.
Yan, J., Hokey, D.A., Morrow, M.P., Corbitt, N., Harris, K., Harris, D. and D.B.
Weiner. (2009). Novel SIVmac DNA vaccines encoding Env, Pol and Gag
consensus proteins elicit strong cellular immune responses in cynomolgus
macaques. Vaccine. 27: 3260-3266.
Yan, J., Reichenbach, D.K., Corbitt, N., Hokey, D.A., Ramanathan, M.P., McKinney,
K.A., Weiner, D.B. and D. Sewell. (2009) Induction of antitumor immunity
in vivo following delivery of a novel HPV-16 DNA vaccine encoding an E6/
E7 fusion antigen. Vaccine. 27(3):431-40.
Divito, S.J., Haught, J.M., English J.C. 3rd, and L.K. Ferris. (2009). An extensive
case of dermonecrotic arachnidism. J Clin Aesthetic Dermatol. 2(9):40-43.
Ogren, J.A., Bragin, A., Wilson, C.L., Hoftman, G.D., Lin, J.J., Dutton, R.A.,
Fields, T.A., Toga, A.W., Thompson, P.M., Engel, J. Jr, and R.J. Staba.
(2009). Three-dimensional hippocampal atrophy maps distinguish two
common temporal lobe seizure-onset patterns. Epilepsia. 50(6):1361-70.
[Image on cover]
Oh, H.-I., Ye, S.H., Johnson, C.A. Jr, Woolley, J. R., Federspiel, W.J. and W.R.
Wagner. Hemocompatibility Assessment of Carbonic Anhydrase Modified
Hollow Fiber Membranes for Artificial Lungs. Artif Organs. Accepted.
Ye, S.H., Johnson, C.A. Jr., Woolley, J.R., Oh, H.-I., Gamble, L.J., Ihsihara, K.
and W.R. Wagner. (2009). Surface Modification of a Titanium Alloy with a
Phospholipid Polymer by a Plasma-Induced Grafting Technique to Improve
Surface Thromboresistance. Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces. 74:
96102.
Isse, K., Specht, S., Lunz, J.G. III, Kang, L.I., Mizuguchi, Y., and A.J. Demetris.
Estrogen Stimulates Female Biliary Epithelial Cell IL-6 Expression in Mice.
Hepatology. In press.
Kliment, C.R., Suliman, H.B., Tobolewski, J.M., Reynolds, C.M., Day, B.J.,
Zhu, X., McTiernan, C.F., McGaffin, K.R., Piantadosi, C.A. and T.D. Oury.
(2009). Extracellular Superoxide Dismutase Regulates Cardiac Function and
Fibrosis. J Mol Cell Cardiol. 47(5):730-42. PMID: 19695260
Guo, R.J., Funakoshi, S., Lee, H., Kong, J., and J.P. Lynch. (2009). The intestinespecific
transcription factor Cdx2 inhibits â-catenin/TCF transcriptional
activity by disrupting the â-catenin/TCF protein complex. Carcinogenesis.
Epub ahead of print.
Davidson, H.C., Leibowitz, M.S., Lopez-Albaitero, A. and R.L. Ferris. (2009).
Immunotherapy for head and neck cancer. Oral Oncol. May 11, Epub
ahead of print.
Milutinovic, P.S., Zhao, J. and J.M. Sonner, (2009). Tolerance to isoflurane
does not occur in developing Xenopus laevis tadpoles. Anesth Analg.
108(1): 176-80.
Cantor, R.S., Twyman, K.S., Milutinovic, P.S. and R. Haseneder. (2009). A
kinetic model of ion channel electrophysiology: bilayer-mediated effects
of agonists and anesthetics on protein conformational transitions. Soft
Matter. 5: 3266-3278.
Yang, M., Adla, S., Temburni, M.K., Patel, V.P., Lagow, E.L., Brady, O.A., Tian,
J., Boulos, M.I. and D.S. Galileo. (2009) Stimulation of glioma cell motility
by expression, proteolysis, and release of the L1 neural cell recognition
molecule. Cancer Cell Int. In Press.
Roh, D.S., Cook, A.L., Rhee, S.S., Joshi, A., Kowalski, R., Dhaliwal, D.K. and
J.L. Funderburgh. (2008). DNA cross-linking, double-strand breaks, and
apoptosis in corneal endothelial cells after a single exposure to mitomycin
C. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 49(11):4837-43.
Roh, D.S, and J.L. Funderburgh. (2009). A Brief Review: The Impact of Mitomycin-C
During Photorefractive Keratectomy on the Corneal Endothelium.
J of Refractive Surgery. Accepted.
Sanders J.L., Boudreau, R.M., Cappola, A.R., Arnold, A.M., Robins, J., Cushman,
M. and A.B. Newman. Cardiovascular disease is associated with
greater incident dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) decline in the
oldest old: the Cardiovascular Health Study All Stars Study. J Am Geriatr
Soc. Accepted.
Amesur, N., Wang, D., Chang, W., Weiser, D., Klatzky, R., Shukla, G. and G.
Stetten, (2009). Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter Placement by Experienced
Interventional Radiologist using the Sonic Flashlight. Journal of
Vascular and Interventional Radiology. In press.
Anderson, B., Silverman, G.K., Loewenstein, G.F., Schulkin, J. and S. Zinberg.
(2009). Factors associated with physicians’ reliance on pharmaceutical sales
representatives. Academic Medicine. 84:994-1002.
Morris H.M., Stopczynski R.E., and D.A. Lewis. NPY mRNA expression in
the prefrontal cortex: selective reduction in the superficial white matter of
subjects with schizoaffective disorder. Schizophrenia Research. In press.
Urish, K.L., Vella, J. B., Okada, M., Deasy, B. M.,Tobita, K., Keller, B. B., Cao,
B., Piganelli, J. D. and J. Huard. (2009). Antioxidant levels represent a
major determinant in the regenerative capacity of muscle stem cells. Mol
Biol Cell. 20: 509-520.
Vella, L.A., Yu, M., Fuhrmann, S.R., El-Amine, M., Epperson, D.E., and O.J.
Finn. (2009). Healthy Individuals Have T Cell and Antibody Responses
to the Tumor Antigen Cyclin B1 that When Elicited in Mice Protect from
Cancer. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 106(33):14010-5.
Vella, L.A., Yu, M., Phillips, A.B. and O.J. Finn. (2009). Immunity Against Cyclin
B1 Tumor Antigen Delays Development of Spontaneous Cyclin B1+ Tumors
in p53-/- Mice. Ann N Y Acad Sci. In Press.
Gao, Y., Cao, G., Zhang, W., Hu, X., Stetler, R.A. Vosler P.S. and J. Chen. Neuroprotection
against hypoxic-ischemic brain injury by inhibiting the apoptotic
protease activating factor-1 pathway. Stroke. Accepted.
Vosler, P.S., Graham, S.H., Wechsler, L. and J. Chen. (2009). Mitochondrial
targets for stroke: Focusing basic science research toward development
of clinically translatable therapeutics. Stroke. 40(9): 3149-55.
Vosler, P.S., Sun, D., Wang, S., Gao, Y., Kitner, D.B., Signore, A.P., Cao, G.
and J. Chen. (2009). Calcium dysregulation induces apoptosis-inducing
factor release: Cross-talk between PARP-1 and calpain-signaling pathways.
Experimental Neurology. 218: 213-220.
Garrido, J.L., Wheeler, D.S., Leiva Vega, L., Friedman, P.A. and G. Romero.
(2009). Role of Phospholipase D in Parathyroid Hormone Type 1 Receptor
Signaling and Trafficking. Mol Endocrinol. Epub ahead of print. PMID:
19837945.
Wen, J., Zhu, X., Liu, B., You, L., Kong, L., Lee, H.I., Han, K.P., Wong, J.L.,
Rhode, P.R. and H.C. Wong. (2008). Targeting activity of a TCR/IL-2 fusion
protein against established tumors. Cancer Immunol Immunother. 57:
1781-1794.
Chavez, J.L., Wong, J.L. and R.S. Duran. (2008). Core-shell nanoparticles:
Characterization and study of their use for the encapsulation of hydrophobic
fluorescent dyes. Langmuir. 24: 2064-2071.
7
7

University of Pittsburgh-Carnegie Mellon University
Medical Scientist Training Program
526 Scaife Hall
3550 Terrace Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15261
8
Upcoming Events
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The University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie
Mellon University’s MSTP Newsletter
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