September 2000   Volume 2    Number 1

A Message from the Dean Welcome back to a new school year! I trust your summer was enjoyable and productive. This new academic year promises to be an exciting one, and I’d like to provide you with an update on recent news and developments: • The Center for Clinical Trials is open for business, and is already assisting our faculty with clinical trials, with an average turn-around time from submission to approval an amazing three weeks. • We will break ground on the new Health Sciences Facility II in October, and completion of this state-of-the-art research building is expected late in 2002. • We will soon complete and implement our new five-year strategic plan. • The Division of Orthopaedic Surgery in the Department of Surgery has achieved departmental status. The new Department of Orthopaedic Surgery increases the number of medical school departments to 23. • We will complete our New Century Medicine fund-raising campaign well ahead of schedule. To date, more than $63 million – 97% of the $65 million goal – has been raised. I am extremely pleased to report that the School of Medicine received $156,398,979 in research funding in FY2000, an increase of $18,325,495 – or 13.3% – over FY1999. This level of funding translates into $500 of external funding for every square foot of research space. This level of research productivity places us among the premier medical schools in the country. In addition to that bit of good news, we have recently received word that Myron M. Levine, MD, and the Center for Vaccine Development have been awarded $20.4 million from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. This five-year award will be used to develop and test a “stealth” mucosal measles vaccine that can be used to immunize infants in developing countries, particularly in Africa. This now becomes the largest single grant on an annual basis in School of Medicine history. The Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) has submitted its report to the School of Medicine. The review was exhaustive, time intensive, and not a little nerve-racking, but I am pleased to tell you that the School of Medicine received a fair and accurate reporting, and a full seven-year re-accreditation. The LCME listed 18 institutional strengths and just three areas of concern. This was an extremely favorable review. If you would like a complete list of our institutional strengths as outlined in the LCME review, please contact my office. Our greatest success is still ahead of us, and I look forward to working with you toward our goals. DONALD E. WILSON, MD, MACP Vice President for Medical Affairs Dean, School of Medicine   NFL STAR JOINS SCHOOL OF MEDICINE TEAM IN CELIAC CAMPAIGN National Football League Pro-Bowl quarterback Rich Gannon has joined the University of Maryland School of Medicine in a nationwide public awareness campaign to tackle celiac disease, a genetic disorder that is far more common than previously thought. Nearly one out of every 150 Americans suffers from celiac disease, according to new School of Medicine research. One of those Americans is Gannon's 3-year-old daughter Danielle. “Danielle was really sick and at first no one knew what was wrong with her. We went for test after test, until she was finally diagnosed with celiac disease in 1998,” says Gannon, who flew to Baltimore to kick off the campaign in a July 6 news conference in the Health Sciences Facility. People who suffer from celiac disease are unable to eat foods that contain the protein gluten, which is found in wheat and other grains. The disorder can cause severe intestinal problems, but few people — even those who have the disorder — have ever heard of it. “We want people to know that celiac disease is a real problem, but that there is no need to suffer with it,” explains Gannon. “A gluten-free diet can eliminate the symptoms.” The Oakland Raiders quarterback and his daughter will appear in a public service announcement for television to explain the disease and encourage testing. In conjunction with the public service campaign, the Gluten-Free Pantry, a Connecticut-based company that makes gluten-free foods, is marketing a gluten-free cake mix called, “Danielle’s Decadent Chocolate Cake.” A portion of the sales will be donated to the University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research. “Celiac disease may be one of the most common genetically based disorders,” says Alessio Fasano, MD, professor of pediatrics, medicine, and physiology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, and co-director of the University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research. Dr. Fasano has completed a study to determine the prevalence of celiac disease in the US. Using a blood test for gluten antibodies, Fasano and his research team screened 10,000 people for celiac disease. Preliminary results show that as many as one out of every 150 Americans has celiac disease. Originally, celiac disease was thought to affect one out of every 7,000 Americans. The findings were presented at the Ninth Annual International Symposium on Celiac Disease, held August 10-13, 2000, at the Marriott Hunt Valley Inn. The University of Maryland School of Medicine and the Center for Celiac Research hosted this year’s conference. Dr. Fasano says more testing for celiac disease is the key to preventing the symptoms. “In Europe, celiac disease is widely known and can usually be diagnosed in three to four weeks. In the US, people often suffer for 12 to 14 years before they are ever even tested for celiac disease,” says Dr. Fasano. “American doctors have the knowledge and the training, but we’re not testing for celiac disease. The problem is that the disorder causes many vague symptoms, and we are not used to thinking about celiac disease as the cause.” Adds Dr. Fasano, “We need to change our thinking, but we are confident that this awareness campaign and Mr. Gannon’s support will encourage people to start looking at celiac disease more closely.”   School of Medicine Hosts Governor's Cancer Disparity Conference The University of Maryland School of Medicine hosted the Governor's Conference on Cancer Disparities July 19th and July 20th. Hundreds of doctors, public health experts, cancer prevention advocates and policy makers gathered in the Medical School Teaching Facility to discuss ways to improve cancer care in Maryland's underserved communities. Participants identified risk factors and addressed higher cancer rates among African Americans and other minority groups. In Maryland, for example, the mortality rate is higher for African Americans with colon and prostate cancer. And in Baltimore City and on the Eastern Shore, the death rate for breast cancer patients is higher for African American women. Nationwide, according to the National Institutes of Health, African Americans are about 34 percent more likely to die of cancer than whites. “Recognizing and defining the problem is the first step,” said Dean Wilson. “By identifying the barriers to care, we can develop the strategies necessary to diminish the suffering caused by cancer.” Congressman Elijah E. Cummings (D-MD) opened the conference with a moving speech. Congressman Cummings spoke of a childhood friend whose mother died at a young age because her breast cancer went undiagnosed until it was too late. “We must improve access to affordable health care so our children can grow up with the support of their parents and grandparents,” said Cummings, a key sponsor of the conference. “Baltimore City and every county in the state was represented at the conference,” said Claudia R. Baquet, MD, MPH, associate dean for policy and planning and conference organizer. “This meeting will help save lives by improving communication and cooperation among the health care providers who serve urban and rural populations.” Work sessions focused on prevention, screening and early detection, reducing tobacco use, and increasing minority participation in clinical trials.		The John Beale Davidge Alliance This year marks the 22nd anniversary of The John Beale Davidge Alliance, a major gift recognition society for alumni, faculty, and friends of the School of Medicine. The Alliance, founded in 1978 when the Davidge Hall Restoration Project began, now has 475 members, 44 of whom joined this year. “Impressive numbers,” says Larry Pitrof, executive director of the Medical Alumni Association, and manager of The John Beale Davidge Alliance. “We are very fortunate to have alumni, faculty and friends who really care about the School of Medicine and appreciate the education the School of Medicine provides.” Donald E. Wilson, MD, MACP, vice president for medical affairs and dean of the University of Maryland School of Medicine comments, “The loyalty of our alumni, faculty and friends is demonstrated by their generous donations.” John Beale Davidge, MD, founded the School of Medicine in 1807, was the School’s first dean, and its first private donor. Alliance membership may be attained through: • A pledge of $10,000 in cash, securities, property, or a gift-in-kind to be fulfilled within ten years. • Establishment of a deferred gift of $50,000 or more in a bequest, charitable trust, or gift annuity. Current Faculty & Staff Membership of The John Beale Davidge Alliance Robert A. Barish, MD Joseph W. Burnett, MD Frank Calia, MD, MACP William T. Carpenter Jr., MD John M. Dennis, MD Howard Eisenberg, MD James P. G. Flynn, MD, MPH Eve J. Higginbotham, MD Anthony L. Imbembo, MD Guiseppe Inesi, MD Kenneth P. Johnson, MD John A. Kastor, MD Allan Krumholz, MD Vinod Lakhanpal, MD Garvin S. Maffett, EdD Andrew M. Malinow, MD M. Jane Matjasko, MD Joseph S. McLaughlin, MD Herbert L. Muncie Jr., MD Morton I. Rapoport, MD Stephen C. Schimpff, MD Nathan Schnaper, MD Philip A. Templeton, MD Umberto VillaSanta, MD Debra S. Wertheimer, MD John F. Wilber, MD Donald E. Wilson, MD, MACP Theodore E. Woodward, MD Each new member is presented with a personalized Waterford decanter at the annual John Beale Davidge Alliance luncheon, and names of all members appear annually on the honor roll, published in the winter Bulletin magazine. To inquire about honor levels within the Alliance or to request more information, please contact the Medical Alumni Association at 410-706-7454.   Center for Vaccine Development Receives $20 Million from the Gates Foundation The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has awarded a $20.4 million five-year grant to the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s Center for Vaccine Development to develop a new type of measles vaccine. The goal is to create a safe and effective “stealth” vaccine that, for the first time, would protect infants less than nine months old, and dramatically reduce the suffering and death rate from measles in developing countries. Measles is a largely forgotten disease in most wealthy industrialized countries because of the current measles vaccine’s success rate. By contrast, measles still commonly causes severe disease and many deaths among infants and young children in poor developing countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that measles kills more than 900,000 children each year in underdeveloped parts of the world. While widespread use of the current injected measles vaccine in the developing world has saved the lives of millions of children, the disease is far from being eradicated because of a window of vulnerability among infants five to eight months old. Newborns are protected against measles by antibodies passed to them from their mother, but those antibody levels drop dramatically after five months. At the same time, low levels of the mother’s antibodies neutralize the effectiveness of the measles vaccine if it is given before nine months of age. For that reason, the WHO recommends that the current measles vaccine not be administered until children are nine months old. “We are pleased that the Gates Foundation has asked us to take on this very ambitious project. It will involve laboratory work as well as clinical testing in Africa and South America,” says Myron M. Levine, MD, DTPH, professor of medicine and director of the University of Maryland Center for Vaccine Development. “Our goal is to close the window of vulnerability for infants by developing a safe and effective vaccine, despite the presence of maternal antibodies.” A new vaccine that is administered orally or as nasal spray would allow an infant to develop protection from the measles virus while avoiding an attack by antibodies inherited by the mother. That is why it is being described as a “stealth” approach, says Dr. Levine, who adds that such a vaccine would be much easier to administer than an injection, especially in the least developed areas of the world. School of Medicine Creates New Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Orthopaedic surgery has been elevated from a division within the surgery department to a full-fledged department of its own. The move will streamline patient care, research, and doctor training by uniting the School of Medicine's world-renowned orthopaedic faculty under one administrative roof. “Creating the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery will improve efficiency and help the University of Maryland continue to recruit and retain the country’s most talented orthopaedic surgeons and researchers,” said Dean Wilson. “That will benefit our patients and our students.” Orthopaedic physicians on the School of Medicine faculty treat patients at health care facilities within the University of Maryland Medical System, including Kernan Hospital, the University of Maryland Medical Center, and the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center. “The new department will consolidate orthopaedic care, education and research,” says Andrew R. Burgess, MD, professor of orthopaedic surgery and acting chair. “As a department, we will be better able to attract research funding and maintain our international reputation for excellence in orthopaedics.” Orthopaedic programs at the School of Medicine include total joint replacement, hand surgery, spinal reconstruction, and the University of Maryland Sports Medicine Program at Kernan Hospital. Faculty physicians serve as team doctors for the Baltimore Ravens, the University of Maryland, College Park, UMBC, and Coppin State. “Orthopaedic surgery is the busiest service in Shock Trauma,” says Dr. Burgess, who is also chief of orthopaedic traumatology. “In addition to performing more than 2,000 surgical procedures every year, the orthopaedic trauma faculty has pioneered new surgical techniques and published research that has dramatically improved emergency care.”   Mark your calendars for the 7th Annual Interdisciplinary Women’s Health Research Symposium. Smoke Gets in your Eyes, Heart, Ovaries… A Symposium on Tobacco and Women’s Health, will be held on Friday, November 10, 2000, at the Baltimore Marriott Inner Harbor. For more information, contact Pat Hawthorne at phawthor@epi.umaryland.edu or at 6-2866.