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Camillo Ricordi, M.D., the Stacy Joy Goodman Professor of Surgery, Distinguished Professor of Medicine, and Scientific Director of the Diabetes Research Institute at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, was knighted in the Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana (the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic) during a ceremony last night at the Coral Gables home of the Consul General of Italy, Marco Rocca. Dr. Ricordi was bestowed with the Italian honor of "Cavaliere Ufficiale" (Officer). Only in exceptional circumstances can someone be knighted at the level of "Cavaliere Ufficiale," skipping the mandatory first level of "Cavaliere" (Knight). Knighthood in the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic is the highest recognition that can be conferred by the President of the Republic. The Order rewards merit in the fields of science, literature, arts, economics and public service as well as social, philanthropic and humanitarian contributions. Department of Pediatrics 'Families First' Program Wins Excellence Award
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The 'Families First Network,' a Department of Pediatrics program that's funded by The Children's Trust and uses extensive community-based partnerships to serve families with young children, was awarded the 2009 Excellence Award for Early Childhood Programming "for providing exemplary culturally competent, interactive and strength-based curriculum and services to a broad and diverse population of children ages birth to 5."
Department of Pediatrics research associate professor Connie E. Morrow, Ph.D., principal investigator of Families First, and Elana Mansoor, Psy.D., assistant professor of pediatrics and program coordinator, collected the award, which was presented by The Children's Trust at its fifth annual Champions for Children ceremony held at Jungle Island on November 13.
Second UM Innovation Technology Showcase Wows Investors with Breadth of UM Discoveries
11/20/2009
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Standing by the poster that represented research from their team at the Diabetes Research Institute, Miller School researchers Margarita Nieto, M.D., and Samuel Rosero, M.D., proudly repeated the same information to potential investors and visitors at the UM Innovation Technology Showcase.
And for good reason. Led by principal investigator Ricardo Pastori, Ph.D., "Molecular Biology Studies of the Endocrine Pancreas" explores the manipulation of microRNA to improve insulin production – research with enormous potential to help millions of diabetics.
"This research could have such high impact in the lives of so many people in our society," said Nieto, a post-doctoral associate. "Through UM Innovation we are meeting directly with people who understand the importance of this level of research and are looking for ways they can take the best research to the marketplace."
UHealth and Jackson Announce Plans to be Smoke Free Campus in 2010
11/19/2009
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The Miller School of Medicine, UHealth – University of Miami Health System and Jackson Health System came together to take a bold step during the 34th annual Great American Smokeout. During this year's event marking the national program, Pascal J. Goldschmidt, M.D., senior vice president for medical affairs and dean, stood side-by-side with Eneida Roldan, M.D., president and CEO of Jackson Health System, to announce that the University of Miami/Jackson medical campus will become smoke free March 1, 2010.
The Smokeout, started by the American Cancer Society, is aimed at encouraging people to stop smoking for one day with the hope that they will kick the habit for good. Dean Goldschmidt, a renowned cardiologist and CEO of UHealth, told the scores of people gathered Thursday morning in Alamo Park that he has seen the damage smoking can cause. Tobacco use is the number one preventable cause of death in the United States. While he acknowledged that quitting smoking can be difficult, the Dean declared that the goal is "to promote health and to promote wellness for everyone."
HIV-Infected Children on Multiple Antiretroviral Drugs Could Suffer Heart Damage
11/20/2009
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One of the big questions surrounding the use of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for patients, especially children, with HIV has been the risk of long-term complications. New findings from research headed by Steven E. Lipshultz, M.D., professor and chairman of pediatrics and associate executive dean for child health at the Miller School, show the hearts of HIV-positive children treated with this multi-drug antiretroviral therapy had less muscle and smaller heart chambers but had increased heart function, which may be a compensation for their smaller hearts. However, there was progressive deterioration in heart function such that the HAART-associated effect was lost by 10 years of therapy.
Some of the abnormalities were sustained, and researchers found a decrease in heart muscle from normal to inadequate during the first 10 years of exposure to antiretroviral therapy.
The findings from the NIH multicenter study were presented at the Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association on November 18 in Orlando.Cancer Survivor Meets Researcher Who Helped Save His Life
11/18/2009
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The thank you meeting between 21-year-old cancer survivor Steven Guarin and veteran Miller School cancer researcher Eckhard Podack, M.D., Ph.D., lasted only 30 minutes, but was nearly two decades in the making.
In the early ‘90s, Podack, Sylvester distinguished professor and chairman of microbiology and immunology, created the antibody that is a key component of SGN-35, a potential new drug that vanquished Steven’s anaplastic large cell lymphoma, bringing him back from the brink of death in June.
So when Steven, a UM communications student, returned to the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center Tuesday for another dose of SGN-35 heÂ’s receiving under the auspices of a Phase II clinical trial, he was delighted Dean Pascal J. Goldschmidt, M.D., introduced him to the man he calls his hero.
“Thank you very much,’’ Steven told Podack, shaking his hand. “I’m thankful you dedicated your life to research. There are many to thank, but you are the first. It feels good to not be sick.’’
Miller School Researchers Present Findings at AHA Scientific Sessions
11/17/2009
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A multidisciplinary team of clinical and basic science researchers in the Vascular Biology Institute at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine has discovered a possible molecular signature of coronary artery disease in bone marrow stem cells. The dramatic findings were presented on November 16 at the American Heart AssociationÂ’s Scientific Sessions in Orlando.
Coronary artery disease remains the number one killer in the United States and much of the Western world. It is characterized by a buildup of plaque that narrows blood vessels leading to and from the heart, but how the disease develops is still poorly understood. One long-held hypothesis is that the ability of the bone marrow to continuously release cells that repair vascular damage, preventing plaque buildup, somehow goes awry in people with coronary artery disease.
UM Miller School Names Interim Chief of Division of Rheumatology and Immunology
11/17/2009
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UM Miller School Names Interim Chief of Division of Rheumatology and Immunology Eric L. Greidinger, M.D., associate professor of medicine, has been named interim chief of the Division of Rheumatology and Immunology in the Department of Medicine at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
"Eric Greidinger is an outstanding rheumatologist doing groundbreaking work in the fundamental immunologic lesions which underlie collagen vascular diseases," said Marc Lippman, M.D., Kathleen and Stanley Glaser Professor and Chair of the Department of Medicine. "He has already developed a robust plan for building the division academically and clinically."
President Shalala Reminds Medical Students and Policy-Makers to Remember Patients in Health Care Debate
11/11/2009
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University of Miami President Donna E. Shalala came to the Miller School Wednesday to brief first- and second-year medical students on the progress of -- and prospects for -- the health care reform bills making their way through Congress.
Confident that lawmakers will be debating the conflicting House and Senate measures extending health coverage to many of the 47 million Americans without insurance by early next year, the former secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services offered sage advice to both the future doctors and the rule-makers who will be implementing the legislation:
Get to know and understand the behaviors of the people who the reform measures -- and the young doctors-to-be -- intend to serve.
UM Researcher Receives $9 Million NIH Grant
11/10/2009
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Sara J. Czaja, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and co-director of the Center on Aging at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine has received renewed funding of $9 million over five years from the National Institute on Aging for the Center for Research and Education on Aging and Technology Enhancement (CREATE). The renewal marks the eleventh straight year of grant funding from the National Institutes of Health and has resulted in CREATE I, CREATE II and now CREATE III.
A multi-site center, CREATE is a collaborative effort between the Miller School of Medicine, UM's College of Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Florida State University to help older people adapt to the information age. Dr. Czaja also has a secondary appointment in UM's Department of Industrial Engineering.
Open House at Hussman Institute for Human Genomics is Celebratory and Informative
11/10/2009
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An entity Dean Pascal J. Goldschmidt, M.D., deems one of the Miller SchoolÂ’s crown jewels, the John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, recently hosted an affair that put its technological and human prowess on display for an appreciative audience.
Ostensibly an open house, the event on the third floor of the Biomedical Research Building also served as an opportunity to fete the InstituteÂ’s accomplished scientific staff, as well as a visionary philanthropist whoÂ’s fully onboard with the InstituteÂ’s mission.
“We have created a formidable genomics program that’s been made stronger by an extraordinary $20 million naming gift from John Hussman and his wife, Terri,” Dean Goldschmidt told more than 100 people, including the Hussmans. “John and Terri, we are forever grateful for your support.”
Five Miller School Faculty and Students Awarded UniversityÂ’s Highest Honor
11/10/2009
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In a traditional ceremony that was at once solemn and celebratory, Iron Arrow Honor Society, the University of Miami’s highest honor reserved for those who go above and beyond in displaying the society’s qualities – love of alma mater, character, leadership, scholarship and humility – welcomed five new members from the Miller School on November 2.
The newest members are:
Eduardo C. Alfonso, M.D., chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology and director of Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. Holder of the Kathleen and Stanley J. Glaser Chair in Ophthalmology, Alfonso is known for his clinical expertise and research in eye diseases, corneal surgery and ocular microbiology.
UM Miller School of Medicine Names New Chair of Psychiatry
11/05/2009
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One of the world's leading experts in the field of psychiatry, Charles B. Nemeroff, M.D., Ph.D., is joining the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and UHealth – University of Miami Health System, as professor and chairman of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Dr. Nemeroff spent the past 18 years building the psychiatry department at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta into one of the top ten departments in the United States. Currently he is the Reunette W. Harris Professor of Psychiatry at Emory.
"The Miller School of Medicine needs a strong leader in psychiatry and behavioral health and we have found that person in Charlie Nemeroff," said Pascal J. Goldschmidt, M.D., Senior Vice President for Medical Affairs and Dean of the Miller School and CEO of UHealth. "Like other large metropolitan areas, South Florida has a sizeable population of individuals with significant mental health disorders, and the presence of a world class leader in psychiatry can positively impact the community in a broad and deep manner."
Miller School and UHealth Partner with Alonzo Mourning Charities and Overtown Youth Center to Launch Clinic
10/29/2009
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For many years, the Miller School of Medicine has provided compassionate health care that has made a difference in the lives of thousands of people in Overtown. That longstanding relationship, built on the Miller School's commitment to the community, took another leap forward today with the announcement of a new clinic at the Overtown Youth Center (OYC), born through a partnership among the OYC, Alonzo Mourning Charities and the Miller School and UHealth - University of Miami Health System. The clinic will bring high quality health care to the center's children and young adults.
Through the new partnership, announced by Miller School Dean Pascal J. Goldschmidt, M.D., NBA great Alonzo Mourning, and Carla Penn, executive director of the youth center, UHealth physicians will screen OYC participants for various illnesses, refer them to other doctors in certain cases, and provide care as needed.
A Decade Later, Lifestyle Changes or Medication Still Lower Type 2 Diabetes Risk
10/28/2009
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Study reports on persistence of benefits seen in the Diabetes Prevention Program
After following participants in the Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study for 10 years, researchers at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and at 26 other medical centers in the United States conclude that intensive lifestyle changes aimed at modest weight loss reduced the rate of developing type 2 diabetes by 34 percent compared with placebo in people at high risk for the disease. Results of the study, which examines the persistence of the interventions first tested in the Diabetes Prevention Program, appear online in The Lancet on October 29.
Participants randomly assigned to make lifestyle changes also had more favorable cardiovascular risk factors, including lower blood pressure and triglyceride levels, despite taking fewer drugs to control their heart disease risk. Treatment with the oral diabetes drug metformin reduced the rate of developing diabetes by 18 percent after 10 years compared with placebo.
Miller School Wins Reaccreditation
10/23/2009
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The Miller School of Medicine has been reaccredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), it was announced on Wednesday, Oct. 21.
The news had been awaited for more than half a year, following a multi-day, on-site LCME evaluation of the Miller School's Miami and Florida Atlantic University campuses back in February.
In a letter dated Oct. 16, LCME officials announced that the Miller School’s status as an accredited medical school had been renewed for eight more years. The letter also identified five areas of excellence singled out within the Miller School.
“It’s gratifying to have the strengths of the institution recognized by an external peer-review group,” says Pascal J. Goldschmidt, M.D., Senior Vice President for Medical Affairs and Dean, and CEO of the University of Miami Health System.
“Our core education programs were endorsed by the same LCME process that granted us reaccreditation,” Goldschmidt adds. “We have the hard work of Miller School education team, faculty, students and staff to thank for this strong vote of confidence.”
Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute Holds Open House
10/23/2009
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A Miller School component whose mission is to redefine how medicine is practiced held its official coming out party Thursday evening, Oct. 22.
More than 100 people, including Dean Pascal J. Goldschmidt, M.D., and University of Miami President Donna E. Shalala, were present for the Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute’s open house ceremony.
Simply stated, the goal of the Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute (ISCI) is to use stem cells to replace human cells and organs that have been damaged by disease and age.
“Every once in a while in medicine, new opportunities materialize that can really change the way medicine is conducted, and offer new opportunities to improve human health,” ISCI Director Joshua Hare, M.D., told an audience under a white tent erected alongside the Biomedical Research Building.
Bascom Palmer Eye Institute Professor Named Educator of the Year
10/22/2009
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Steven J. Gedde, M.D., professor of ophthalmology and director of the residency program at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine’s Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, was named Educator of the Year by the South Florida Business Journal. The 2009 Excellence in Health Care Awards were presented during a ceremony today at the Hyatt Regency Pier Sixty-Six in Fort Lauderdale.
“We all want to make a difference in the world and enhance our profession,” says Gedde. “Recognizing that I can best accomplish this by teaching others has helped me to become a more effective health care educator.”
Under his leadership, the Bascom Palmer residency program is ranked the nation’s top ophthalmology training program. Gedde, Bascom Palmer’s residency program director for the past ten years, is a glaucoma specialist with a special interest in glaucoma surgery and medical education.
UM HEAT-IT-UP Program Gets Off the Ground
10/21/2009
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Ten newly trained and now computer savvy volunteers heard themselves called medical pioneers for their participation in a unique project aimed at changing the way primary care is delivered and how patients interact with their health care providers by using a computer and the Internet. The official launch of the Overtown "Health Education and Access Through an Information Technology Utilization Project (HEAT-IT-UP)" took place on October 14 the Jefferson Reaves Sr. Health Center in Overtown. The primary care clinic serves as the family medicine residency training site and is also a United Health Foundation Center of Excellence.
"You are pioneers and on the cutting edge of changing the way health care is delivered in this country," said Robert Schwartz, M.D., professor and chair of family medicine and community health and project director. "This project would not have been possible without your willingness to take part and you will now influence how millions of people across the country will receive their health care in the future."
UHealth Senior Leadership Team Discusses Best Practices at UCare's Seventh Leadership Development Institute
10/19/2009
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As part of UHealth – University of Miami Health SystemÂ’s targeted efforts to create a unified, patient-centric health system, about 400 leaders participated in the latest UCare Leadership Development Institute (LDI). The sessions – the seventh iteration of the LDI series launched in 2008 to strengthen the culture of teamwork and excellence – were held October 15 and 16 and covered a range of topics that participants could immediately use in their respective departments as they push themselves and their staffs to excellence.
The sessions covered several learning objectives, including standardizing the process for selection (peer/behavioral interviewing to ensure commitment to standards of behavior); effectively managing performance; sharing best practices for results across the health system; conducting effective meetings; and building pride in the system by sharing stellar “Pillar” results and showcasing physician achievement. The Pillars of Excellence of UHealth are service, people, quality, growth and finance.
Medical Student Meets His Match, and the Dean, in the Gym
10/16/2009
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Not everybody would appreciate a workout as a gift, but first-year medical student Paul Rothenberg was thrilled when his aunt gave him a high-intensity, weight resistance session she won at a silent auction for his 27th birthday.
Neither was the former college football player and gym denizen daunted about his exercise partner — Miller School Dean Pascal J. Goldschmidt, M.D., a marathon runner and weight trainer who's known almost as much for his physical fitness as his expertise in cardiology.
Miller School Student DOCS Bring Compassionate Care to Little Haiti with Fifteenth Annual Health Fair
10/13/2009
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Two weeks before this year’s Little Haiti Health Fair, project manager and Miller School medical student Tameka Joseph and two classmates took to the airwaves of local Haitian radio to spread the word about the annual health fair and invite listeners to pre-register. Later the trio and other students would hit the streets of Little Haiti to encourage residents to attend the 15th Mitchell Wolfson Sr. Department of Community Service (DOCS) Little Haiti Health Fair and receive the free health screenings that have helped save many lives.
On Saturday, it was evident their efforts paid off. At 10 a.m. when the gates of the Center for Haitian Studies opened, dozens of men, women and children streamed in, eager to be seen by Miller School faculty and other volunteer physicians, and dozens of medical students who provide a wide range of services while gaining valuable patient contact experience.
Researchers at University of Miami Miller School of Medicine Identify Gene Responsible for Regenerating Optic Nerve
10/8/2009
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Researchers at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine have identified a family of genes that may control the ability of the optic nerve to regenerate. The discovery of this gene family, as published in the October 9 issue of Science, is a big step forward for both visual science and neuroscience. The finding may one day lead to treatment advances for diseases such as glaucoma and optic nerve stroke (also called anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, or AION), as well as spinal cord injury and other neurodegenerative diseases of the brain and spinal cord.
The axons of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) form the optic nerve which transmits electrical impulses from the retina to the brain allowing a person to see. RGCs that are damaged or injured result in diminished or lost vision. Once thought incapable of regenerating, RGCs showed improved regeneration in the optic nerve after manipulating one of these recently identified genes.
Dr. Roberto Heros to Receive Prestigious Harvey Cushing Medal
10/13/2009
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Roberto C. Heros, M.D., professor and co-chair of neurological surgery and residency program director, has been selected as the 2010 recipient of the prestigious Harvey Cushing Medal.
The Cushing Medal is the highest honor given by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) to a neurosurgeon. The award, established in 1976 and given annually since 1977, recognizes an AANS member for distinguished service in the field of neurosurgery.
In his award letter, AANS president Troy M. Tippett, M.D., praised Heros for his selfless dedication to medicine and neurosurgery. "Your contributions to neurosurgical education, your efforts in helping to bring the XIV World Congress of Neurological Surgery to fruition, and your personal traits, scientific honesty... are models for all neurosurgeons and deserve the highest recognition our specialty can bestow," Tippett wrote.
Dr. Nestor de la Cruz-Muñoz Named to Key Positions at the University of Miami Health System and Miller School of Medicine
10/12/2009
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Nestor de la Cruz-Muñoz, M.D., has been named chief of the Division of Laparoendoscopic and Minimally Invasive Surgery and co-director of the Center of Excellence for Laparoscopic and Minimally Invasive Surgery and assistant professor in the DeWitt Daughtry Family Department of Surgery at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Dr. de la Cruz-Muñoz will also retain his current position as medical director for bariatric surgery at University of Miami Hospital, part of UHealth – University of Miami Health System. Previously, he was head surgeon of Miami’s Surgical Weight Loss Institute specializing in general, bariatric, and advanced laparoscopic surgery.
“It is an honor to join the Miller School and UHealth which provides leading-edge patient care based on clinical research,” said Dr. Nestor de la Cruz-Muñoz. “The benefits of laparoscopic surgery for patients are tremendous, and with the health system’s commitment to groundbreaking research and education, the opportunities for innovations are endless.”
Miller School Stimulus Grants Balloon to $40.5M, Dr. Lisa Metsch Wins $12.3M Grant
10/6/2009
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The federal fiscal year closed last week with a flurry of notices announcing $23.6 million more in stimulus grants for Miller School faculty, swelling the number of awards to 48 and the grand total of research funds to $40.5 million.
Holding out new promise for breakthroughs in everything from genetics to diabetic foot ulcers, Miller School faculty account for the lion's share of the overall $66.5 million the University has raked in to date under the auspices of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
The act, which provided $8.2 billion for research priorities of the National Institutes of Health, generated 382 requests for $312.6 million from Miller School researchers alone. Of the 48 grants awarded so far, 11 came in two new, highly competitive categories, Grand Opportunities (GO) and Challenge Grants. That's no small feat considering that applications for Challenge Grants alone surpassed 20,000, a record for the NIH.
John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics Forms Scientific Collaboration with Life Technologies to Advance Autism Research
10/8/2009
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Next-Generation SOLiD™ System to Help Researchers Identify Genes
Associated with Autism
Genetics researchers at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine’s John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics will embark on the next phase of their search for genes that cause autism. By forming a collaboration with Life Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: LIFE), the institute will apply the latest genomic sequencing technology to its extensive autism family dataset to begin one of the first large-scale sequencing projects of its kind. The autism genetics research team at the Hussman Institute for Human Genomics is led by Margaret A. Pericak-Vance, Ph.D. along with senior co-investigators John R. Gilbert, Ph.D., and Michael L. Cuccaro, Ph.D.
Miller School Hosts Expert Panel on Improving Patient Communication
10/8/2009
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Better communication is the key to better health, according to experts on communication in health care. Knowing how to bridge the patient-doctor communication gap could directly affect the amount and quality of information you receive as a patient. This topic was the highlight of an October 4 luncheon held on Miami Beach and hosted by the Jay Weiss Center for Social Medicine and Health Equity and the American Academy on Communication in Health Care.
Monica Broome, M.D., FACP, assistant professor of clinical medicine and director of the Communication Skills Program at the Miller School, chaired the inaugural event and was joined by Paul Haidet, M.D., FAACH, associate professor of medicine and director of education at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston, as an expert panelist.
Nobel Laureate is Keynoter at UM Innovation Technology Showcase
10/6/2009
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Bert Sakmann, M.D., Ph.D., the 1991 recipient of the Nobel Prize in Medicine and the new scientific director of the Max Planck Florida Institute, will be the keynote speaker at the second annual UM Innovation Technology Showcase at the Four Seasons Hotel in Miami on Nov. 19.
Credited with revolutionizing modern biology by establishing the existence and function of ion channels, Dr. Sakmann may be a newcomer to South Florida but he's no stranger to the kind of groundbreaking innovations the showcase is designed to spotlight.
"We are very excited about the quality of technologies being displayed at this year's technology showcase,'' said Bart Chernow, M.D., MACP, vice provost of technology advancement, vice president for special programs and resource strategy, and professor of medicine. "The fact that we have the honor to have Professor Sakmann as the keynote speaker adds even more value to this special program."
UM Supports the American Heart Association Heart Walk
10/5/2009
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More than 100 employees from UHealth-University of Miami Health System and University of Miami Hospital took part in the American Heart Association‚ Start! Heart Walk at Tropical Park in Miami on Saturday. The walkers raised more than $10,000 for the fight against heart disease and stroke. Miller School Dean Pascal J. Goldschmidt, M.D., took part in the walk, along with Ralph Sacco, M.D., professor and chair of neurology, and president-elect of the American Heart Association. Dr. Sacco is the first neurologist to head the national organization. The annual walk is the premier fundraising event for the association and takes places across the country on the same day.
UM Physician Uses Endoscopic Ultrasound to Provide Targeted Radiation Therapy
10/6/2009
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Use in Prostate Cancer Shows Promise for Other Applications
A two-year collaboration between gastroenterologists and radiation oncologists at the University of Miami Health System (UHealth) has resulted in a new application of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) that benefits prostate cancer patients. Afonso Ribeiro, M.D., associate professor of medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology, led the study which examined the feasibility and safety of using EUS to implant markers in prostate cancer patients needing targeted radiation therapy. The results have been published in the September issue of the journal Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.
Sylvester Cancer Researchers Awarded Millions for Breast Cancer Study in Black Women
9/29/2009
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A team of researchers from the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine has been awarded a $4 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to study the effects of stress management in black women with breast cancer. The scientists want to develop innovative and effective ways to help underserved women as they navigate a difficult time in their lives.
Although the reasons for racial disparity in breast cancer death rates are not fully understood, several factors likely play a role, including the biology of breast cancer, the quality of breast cancer treatment, and socio-cultural factors. Suzanne Lechner, Ph.D., research assistant professor of psychiatry and psychology, is leading the five-year UM study. The study is dubbed Project CARE, and according to Lechner, is designed to help women Cope, Adapt, Renew, and Empower one another after breast cancer treatment. Lechner hopes to uncover some of the social and psychological factors that affect survivorship among black breast cancer survivors.
Evening Focuses on "Science of the Mind"
10/1/2009
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Miller School psychiatrists Eva Ritvo, M.D., and Ewald Horwath, M.D., are on a mission to strip away the curtain of secrecy and shame society has arbitrarily erected around mental illness.
Toward that end, on Tuesday, September 22, Ritvo opened her Miami Beach home to University of Miami trustees and Miller School leaders. The objective of the informal affair was to highlight the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, to garner support for its efforts, and to discuss stress-avoidance techniques.
Sylvester Cancer Researcher Expands Breakthrough Immune System Findings
9/23/2009
Publishes Study in Prestigious Journal Nature
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A prominent researcher at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the Miller School, has taken another major step in understanding the mechanisms of the immune system. For the second year in a row, Glen N. Barber, Ph.D., professor of medicine and Eugenia J. Dodson Chair in Cancer Research, and Hiroki Ishikawa, Ph.D., a post-doctoral fellow, have published their findings in the prestigious journal Nature (online edition September, print October).
Bascom Palmer Surgical Team Uses Blind Patient’s Tooth to Restore Her Sight
9/16/2009
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When doctors at the Miller School’s Bascom Palmer Eye Institute first approached Sharron “Kay” Thornton about using one of her teeth to restore her lost vision, the Mississippi grandmother was understandably incredulous.
Now Thornton, the first recipient of a modified osteo-odonto-keratoprosthesis (MOOKP) in the United States, is a believer in miracles and a beacon of hope for patients around the world blinded by severe corneal scarring.
The 60-year-old grandmother is reading newsprint and boasting 20/60 vision in her left eye just two weeks after undergoing MOOKP at the Miller School’s Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, the nation’s No. 1-ranked eye care center and the first here to use a tooth as a platform for a prosthetic lens implanted in a cloudy cornea.
Click here to watch a video of the news conference
Gifted Researchers Receive 2009 Glaser Award
9/18/2009
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A longtime supporter of the University of Miami, the late Stanley Glaser keenly appreciated that medical innovation springs from the laboratory, and thus had a soft spot for Miller School researchers.
Glaser’s area of interest was highlighted on Wednesday, September 16, with the presentation of the 2009 Stanley J. Glaser Research Award to four exceptional young investigators. The ceremony took place in the Clinical Research Building, and recognized masterful research generated by Ren-Hua Chung, Ph.D., Kenneth Fields, Ph.D., Jacob McCauley, Ph.D., and R. Grace Zhai, Ph.D.
Chung and McCauley are both with the Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation Department of Human Genetics, Fields is with the Department of Microbiology and Immunology and Zhai is with the Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology.
Dean Goldschmidt and Leadership Team Kick Off Flu Shot Campaign
9/15/2009
Employees are urged to get free seasonal flu shots now
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One by one, Dean Pascal J. Goldschmidt, M.D., and members of his executive team rolled up their sleeves Monday morning to receive their annual flu vaccinations. In almost no time the process, an efficient one organized by the Employee Health Office, was over and everyone was back at work.
With flu season fast approaching, the top administrators made sure to get the shots to protect themselves and send a clear signal to faculty, staff and students that it is imperative they do the same.
"It is absolutely critical for the employees of this University and medical school to get 100 percent vaccination [for the regular flu] so that at a time when we also have to deal with swine flu, nobody is getting the regular flu and contributing to challenging the wellness of our community," Goldschmidt said after he received his flu shot. "We have to be responsible and do what's right to prevent our employees from having the seasonal flu. And once a vaccine becomes available for the swine flu, we will also start a campaign for vaccinations to avoid that problem for our employees."
UHealth Sleep Team Dominates at Great Coconut Grove
Bed Race
9/15/2009
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The UHealth Sleep Team (from left) James Seyfried, UM student; Stephen Lopez, office assistant at the UHealth Sleep Program; Katherine Arce, polysomnography technician at the UHealth Sleep Program; Harshil Patel, UM student; and Chaz Hollins, sleep product consultant at Respironics, put on an enthusiastic performance for the Miller School at the Great Coconut Grove Bed Race held over Labor Day weekend. Out of 44 teams, UHealth brought home the second-place trophy with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the UHealth Sleep Program.
Alberto Ramos, M.D., assistant professor of clinical neurology, served as one of the celebrity judges, and 8,000 fans cheered on the teams.
Balkany, Expert on Cochlear Implants, Steps Down as Chair of Otolaryngology
Telischi Named Interim Chair Imagine growing up without hearing the sounds of childhood: the bells on an ice cream truck, Saturday morning cartoons, your mother's voice.
Miller School‘s AIDS Research Center Hosts Conference on HIV, Women and Aging
Menopause, osteoporosis and HIV usually aren’t mentioned in the same breath, but all three were hot topics at what is believed to be the first U.S. conference on an emerging issue in AIDS research: women aging with the virus.
Miller School Rises in the Rankings of Best Medical Schools for Hispanic Students
The Miller School has jumped one spot to rank as the second best medical school in the country for Hispanic students, according to the September 2009 issue of Hispanic Business magazine.
Miller School Hosts AAMC Visit for Prestigious Community Service Award
In the hopes of winning an acclaimed award for community service, leadership for the Miller School hosted a breakfast meeting on Monday, August 31, to kick off a one-day site visit from representatives of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).
Miami Institute for Human Genomics Receives $20 Million Gift to Support Research
The Miller School’s Miami Institute for Human Genomics, nationally known for its groundbreaking work in unraveling some of the medical mysteries behind autism and other common diseases, today received a $20 million gift to support its critical research efforts.
Sports Illustrated Cover Article Chronicles Marc Buoniconti's Story
The work of The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, a Center of Excellence at the Miller School, is receiving extraordinary national publicity through the latest issue of Sports Illustrated, which features a cover story on Marc Buoniconti, president of both The Miami Project and its fund-raising arm, The Buoniconti Fund.
► Shared Resources Fair
► UM Sponsorships Available for “Targeting Cancer Invasion and Metastasis” Symposium
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