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September 2009

Dear Colleagues:

What’s on my mind this month is our tremendous leadership in science and medicine, as evidenced by a number of discoveries and innovations by our faculty, making us "first" in many areas. What follows is but a sample of our preeminence in the field, highlighting the impact that we make every day in the lives of so many. We are truly "first among equals."

Our cardiac surgeons preformed an extremely rare triple bypass heart surgery using robotic assistance. This minimally invasive procedure is an alternative to open-heart surgery for patients with multiple blocked coronary arteries. We are the second in the nation to perform robot-assisted triple bypass surgery and the first in the world to achieve the triple bypass using an advanced minimally-invasive heart-lung machine. Johannes Bonatti, MD, professor of Surgery, pioneered this approach for cardiac patients.
Aldo T. Iacono, MD, associate professor of Medicine, and his team adapted a small, portable artificial lung, using a newly-approved catheter, so that for the first time patients can be liberated from a ventilator and a traditional, cumbersome lung machine while waiting to receive a lung transplant. Patients can now walk, talk, eat and exercise on a treadmill while waiting for new lungs.
Similarly, we were the first in Maryland and only the third in the United States to perform a single-port, natural orifice kidney removal surgery through the navel for a living kidney donor. During the procedure, surgeons use a single opening in the navel as they manipulate a camera and two laparoscopic instruments to separate the kidney from its attachments in the abdomen. The kidney is then removed through that same opening. Only a tiny bandage is required to close the navel. Rolf Barth, MD, assistant professor of Surgery, led the surgical team that performed the single-incision kidney removal. The team included Benjamin Philosophe, MD, PhD, associate professor of Surgery, Andrew C. Kramer, MD, assistant professor of Surgery, and Eugene J. Schweitzer, MD, professor of Surgery.
Ahmet A. Baschat, MB, ChB, professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, and his team were the first in the US to test the Monica AN24 fetal monitor, which may provide valuable information about changes in an unborn baby’s heartbeat and movement over an extended period of time. This small device (about the size of an iPod) measures on the mother’s skin the electrical impulse of the fetus’ heartbeat, detected with electrodes similar to an electrocardiogram. The system then uses special software to separate the maternal and fetal heartbeats. It can collect data on fetal heartbeat and uterine activity for nearly 24 hours, much longer than ultrasound. It allows physicians to see changes in uterine contractions and fetal heartbeat and movement through the day and night, rather than just a snapshot of what’s going on at one particular time.
H. Richard Alexander, Jr., MD, professor of Surgery, and his colleagues are testing for the first time a new procedure called percutaneous hepatic perfusion to treat melanoma that has spread to the liver, targeting tumors with a dose of chemotherapy that is 10 times stronger than patients could otherwise tolerate. In this Phase III clinical study, physicians use a specially designed delivery system with catheters and filters to make sure the cancer-fighting drug is applied only to the liver, thereby reducing the risk of damaging nearby organs and minimizing possible side effects for patients.
Our researchers have begun to solve some of the mysteries of the common cold by putting together for the first time the pieces of the genetic codes for all the known strains of the human rhinovirus. Steve Liggett, MD, professor of Medicine, and Claire Fraser-Liggett, PhD, professor of medicine, completed the genomic sequences of the viruses and assembled them into a "family tree," which shows how the viruses are related, with their commonalities and differences. This work provides a powerful tool that may lead to the development of the first effective treatments against the common cold.
In addition, our researchers have identified a common gene variant that appears to influence people’s risk of developing high blood pressure. The STK39 gene is the first hypertension susceptibility gene to be uncovered through a new technique called a genome-wide association study and confirmed by data from several independent studies. Located on chromosome 2, the gene produces a protein that helps to regulate how the kidneys process salt, which lays a key role in determining blood pressure. This discovery, by Yen-Pei Christy Chang, PhD, assistant professor of Medicine and Epidemiology & Preventive Medicine, and Alan R. Shuldiner, MD, professor of medicine, has great potential for enhancing our ability to tailor treatments to the individual—what we call personalized medicine—and to more effectively manage patients with hypertension.

All of these faculty deserve congratulations for their perseverance, dedication and commitment to excellence. Although I chose to highlight them in this message, I would be remiss not to acknowledge the great work achieved by other faculty, complementing the School of Medicine’s extraordinary accomplishments, which lead the nation and the world in science and medicine.

In the relentless pursuit of excellence, I am

Sincerely yours,

E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA
Vice President for Medical Affairs, University of Maryland
John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor &
Dean, University of Maryland School of Medicine

Nicole Ammerman; Magda Beier-Sexton; and Abdu Azad, PharmD, PhD, MPHD

Nicole Ammerman, graduate student; Magda Beier-Sexton, laboratory manager; and Abdu Azad), PharmD, PhD, MPH (pictured), professor, all from the Department of Microbiology & Immunology, co-published "Laboratory Maintenance of Rickettsia rickettsii"and "Growth and Maintenance of Vero Cell Lines" in Current Protocols in Microbiology, November 2008.

Dawn E. Alley, PhD

Dawn E. Alley, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Epidemiology & Preventive Medicine, co-published an article entitled "The Effect of Obesity Combined with Low Muscle Strength on Decline in Mobility in Older Persons: Results from the INCHIANTI Study" in the June 2009 edition of the International Journal of Obesity, 33(6): 635-44.

Mona Baumgarten, PhD; Denise Orwig, PhD; Michelle Shardell, PhD; William G. Hawkes, PhD; Patricia Langenberg, PhD; Patricia Jones, MA; Patrick McArdle, PhD; Shayna E. Rich, MA; and Jay Magaziner, PhD

Mona Baumgarten, PhD (left), associate professor, Denise L. Orwig, PhD, assistant professor, Michelle D. Shardell, PhD, assistant professor, William G. Hawkes, PhD, assistant professor, Patricia Langenberg, PhD, professor, Patricia S. Jones, MA, project manager, Patrick F. McArdle, PhD, assistant professor, Shayna E. Rich, MA, MD/PhD student, and Jay Magaziner, PhD, professor and chair, all from the Department of Epidemiology & Preventive Medicine, co-authored “Pressure Ulcers in Elderly Patients with Hip Fracture Across the Continuum of Care” in the May 2009 edition of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 57(5): 863-870.

Brian Berman, MD;
Lixing Lao, PhD; and
Grant Zhang, PhD, LAcD

Brian Berman, MD (pictured), professor, Department of Family & Community Medicine, and director, Center for Integrative Medicine; Lixing Lao, PhD, professor; and Grant Zhang, PhD, LAc, assistant professor, also from the Department of Family & Community Medicine and Center for Integrative Medicine, co-authored "Extract of the Chinese Herbal Formula Huo Luo Xiao Ling Dan Inhibited Adjuvant Arthritis in Rats" in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2009 Jan 30;121(3):366-71. In addition, Dr. Berman authored “Huo-Luo-Xiao-Ling Dan Modulates Antigen-directed Immune Response in Adjuvant-induced Inflammation” in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2009 May 4;123(1):40-4.

Margaret Chesney, PhD

Margaret Chesney, PhD, professor, Department of Medicine, and associate director, Center for Integrative Medicine, authored "Prevalence of Mood and Anxiety Disorders in Women with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus" in Arthritis & Rheumatism, 2009 May 28;61(6):822-829.

Douglas O. Frost, PhD

Douglas O. Frost, PhD, professor, Department of Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics, co-authored “Effects of trkB Knockout on Topography and Segregation of Uncrossed Retinal Projections” in Experimental Neurology, 2009, 195, 35-44.

Ann Gruber-Baldini, PhD

Ann L. Gruber-Baldini, PhD, associate professor, Department of Epidemiology & Preventive Medicine, co-published an article entitled "Implementing a Restorative Care Philosophy of Care in Assisted Living: Pilot Testing of Res-Care-AL" in the February 2009 edition of the Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, 21(2), 123-133.

Jon Mark Hirshon, MD,
MPH, FACEP, FACPM

Jon Mark Hirshon, MD, MPH, FACEP, FACPM, associate professor, Departments of Emergency Medicine and Epidemiology & Preventive Medicine, is a contributing author to “The National Report Card on the State of Emergency Medicine,” a state-by-state evaluation of the emergency care environment. Dr. Hirshon was a leader of the subgroups that evaluated and managed the data for this massive project, which was sponsored by the American College of Emergency Physicians. Maryland ranked fourth overall among the 50 states, based on assessment of five aspects of emergency medicine: access to care, disaster preparedness, patient safety, public health/injury prevention and medical liability. The report was published in the January issue of Annals of Emergency Medicine.

Jennifer Hopp, MD; Tricia Ting, MD; and Allan Krumholz, MD

Jennifer Hopp, MD (pictured), assistant professor; Tricia Ting, MD, assistant professor; and Allan Krumholz, MD, professor, all from the Department of Neurology, co-published "Practice Parameter Update: Management Issues for Women with Epilepsy—Focus on Pregnancy (An Evidence-based Review): Vitamin K, Folic Acid, Blood Levels and Breastfeeding. Report of the Quality Standards Subcommittee and Therapeutics and Technology Assessment Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology and American Epilepsy Society" in Neurology, which was published April 27, 2009. Additionally on April 27, 2009, Drs. Hopp, Ting and Krumholz co-published "Practice Parameter Update: Management Issues for Women with Epilepsy—Focus on Pregnancy (An Evidence-based Review): Teratogenesis and Perinatal Outcomes. Report of the Quality Standards Subcommittee and Therapeutics and Technology Assessment Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology and American Epilepsy Society" and "Practice Parameter Update: Management Issues for Women with Epilepsy—Focus on Pregnancy (An Evidence-based Review): Obstetrical Complications and Change in Seizure Frequency. Report of the Quality Standards Subcommittee and Therapeutics and Technology Assessment Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology and American Epilepsy Society" in Neurology. Drs. Hopp and Krumholz also co-published "Parietal Lobe. Nonconvulsive Status Epilepticus," Kaplan & Drislane, eds., Demos Publishing: Chapter 9, 2009.

Miriam Laufer, MD, and
Mark Travassos, MD

Miriam Laufer, MD, assistant professor, and Mark Travassos, MD, fellow, both from the Department of Pediatrics and Center for Vaccine Development, co-published an article entitled “Resistance to Antimalarial Drugs: Molecular, Pharmacologic and Clinical Considerations” in Pediatric Research, Volume 65, Issue 5, Part 2 Supplement, May 2009.

Eric Manheimer, MS

Eric Manheimer, MS, research associate, Department of Family & Community Medicine, and director of The Cochrane Collaboration Complementary Medicine (CM) Field, authored "Acupuncture for Migraine Prophylaxis" in Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2009 Jan 21;(1).

Andrei Medvedev, PhD,
and Wenji Piao, PhD

Andrei Medvedev, PhD, assistant professor, and Wenji Piao, PhD, post-doctoral fellow, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, co-published a book chapter entitled "Analysis of Functional Role of TLR4 Tyrosine Phosphorylation" in Toll-Like Receptors, Humana Press, Book Series: Methods in Moleular Biology. (2009) Vol. 517, pp. 145-67. Additionally, Dr. Medvedev and Katherine Squibb, PhD, professor, Department of Medicine and Epidemiology & Preventive Medicine, co-published an article entitled "Involvement of TLR2 AND TLR4 in Inflammatory Immune Responses Induced by Fine and Coarse Ambient Air Particulate Matter" in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology, April 2009 edition.

Daniel J. Morgan, MD, and
Eli N. Perencevich, MD, MS

Daniel J. Morgan, MD (pictured), assistant professor, and Eli N. Perencevich, MD, MS, associate professor, both from the Department of Epidemiology & Preventive Medicine, co-published "Adverse Outcomes Associated with Contact Precautions: A Review of the Literature" in the March 2009 edition of American Journal of Infection Control, 37(2):85-93.

Steven D. Munger, PhD

Steven D. Munger, PhD, associate professor, Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, co-authored “Olfactory Receptors: G Protein-coupled Receptors and Beyond” in the Journal of Neurochemistry, 2009, 109:1570-1583, and authored "Olfaction: Noses within Noses," in Nature, 2009, 459: 521-522.

Aruna Panda, BVSc, PhD, MPH

Aruna Panda, BVSc, PhD, MPH, assistant professor, Department of Pathology and Program in Comparative Medicine, co-published an article entitled "A Y526Q Mutation in the Newcastle Disease Virus HN Protein Reduces Its Functional Activities and Attenuates Virus Replication and Pathogenicity" in the August 2009 issue of the Journal of Virology, Volume 83, Issue 15: 7779-7782.

Charlene Quinn, PhD; Ann Gruber-Baldini, PhD; Michelle Shardell, PhD; Michael Terrin, MD, CM, MPH; Erik Barr, BA;
and Kelly Weed, MA

Charlene C. Quinn, PhD (pictured), assistant professor; Ann L. Gruber-Baldini, PhD, associate professor; Michelle D. Shardell, PhD, assistant professor; Michael L. Terrin, MD, CM, MPH, professor; Erik Barr, BA, research analyst; and Kelly Weed, MA, project manager, all from the Department of Epidemiology & Preventive Medicine, co-published a paper entitled "Mobile Diabetes Intervention Study: Testing a Personalized Treatment/Behavioral Communication Intervention for Blood Glucose Control" in the July 2009 edition of Contemporary Clinical Trials, 30: 334-346. In addition, Dr. Quinn, co-published "Commentary: Male Osteoporosis—Policy Gaps in Prevention and Treatment" in the May 2009 edition of the Journal of Aging and Social Policy, 21(2): 119-129.

Donald Wilson, MD, MACP

Donald Wilson, MD, MACP, dean emeritus, has published a motivational book detailing his rise through academic medicine to become the first African-American dean of a major medical school in the United States. The book, Wilson’s Way: Win, Don’t Whine, was co-authored by Cindy S. Spitzer. Dr. Wilson retired from his position as vice president of medical affairs, University of Maryland, and dean, School of Medicine, in 2006.

Various Department of Emergency Medicine Faculty

The following faculty members from the Department of Emergency Medicine were invited speakers at the Scientific Assembly of the American Academy of Emergency Medicine (AAEM), held in Phoenix in March 2009:

Fermin Barrueto, MD, clinical assistant professor, presented "Lethal Toxicology" and "Sugammadex: A Possible New Reversal Agent for Rocuronium."

Amal Mattu, MD, associate professor, spoke on the topics of "High Risk ECGs," "Cardiology Updates," and "Resuscitation for Emergency Physicians: The AAEM Course."

Larry D. Weiss, MD, JD, professor, spoke on the topics of "Emergency Physician Advocacy" and "Ask the Experts: Medico-Legal Panel: EMTALA Update, Fraud and Tort Reform." Dr. Weiss also is president of AAEM.

Also, Robert L. Rogers, MD, assistant professor, presented "Asymptomatic Hypertension in the ED: Don’t Just Do Something, Stand There," and "Which Hypertension Patient Needs a Workup for End Organ Damage?" Michael E. Winters, MD, assistant professor, presented "What Should I Do After the Patient is Intubated?" Roger M. Stone, MD, MS, clinical assistant professor, hosted the EMS panel and presented an update entitled "Hot Topics in EMS Oversight."

Michael D. Witting, MD, MS,
and Amal Mattu, MD

Michael D. Witting, MD, MS, associate professor, and Amal Mattu, MD (pictured), associate professor, both from the Department of Emergency Medicine, organized the 8th Annual Resident Research Forum, which was held in June 2009 in Davidge Hall. The guest speaker for the event was David C. Cone, MD, the editor of Academic Emergency Medicine, who presented a talk entitled “Writing and Publishing in Emergency Medicine.” Following Dr. Cone’s lecture, eight University of Maryland residents presented the results of research conducted during their residency. The top award for best lecture was shared by Christina Bennett, MD, for her assessment of the ability of fecal occult blood testing to predict gastrointestinal bleeding in heparinized patients, and Stephen Liang, MD, for his study of the transmission of Acinetobacter baumannii to the gloves, gowns and hands of health care workers.

Laure Aurelian, PhD

Laure Aurelian, PhD, professor, Department of Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics, was a distinguished guest lecturer at the 108th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Dermatology Association in Fukuoka, Japan, in March 2009, presenting "HSV Infections: Recent advances." In April 2009, Dr. Aurelian presented "Regulation of Cell Life-Death Decisions in Chemogene Therapy" at the California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute in San Francisco, California, and "ICP10PK: A Future in ALS therapy" at The Forbes Norris MDA/ALS Research Center, also in San Francisco. In addition, in May 2009, Dr. Aurelian was the seminar series organizer of "Viral Infections: Current Research," sponsored by Kyushu University in Fukuoka, Japan.

Brian Berman, MD; Lixing Lao, PhD; and Elizabeth Kimbrough Pradhan, PhD

Brian Berman, MD, professor, Department of Family & Community Medicine, and director, Center for Integrative Medicine, and Lixing Lao, PhD (pictured), professor, and Elizabeth Kimbrough Pradhan, PhD, assistant professor, both also from the Department of Family & Community Medicine and Center for Integrative Medicine, presented "Challenges of Research in Traditional Chinese Medicine Herbs" at the North American Research Conference on Complementary and Integrative Medicine in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in May 2009. Additionally at the same conference, Dr. Pradhan presented "Bravenet: The First Practice-based Research Network in Integrative Medicine" and "Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Trauma Survivors."

Kevin Chen, PhD, MPH

Kevin Chen, PhD, MPH, associate professor, Department of Family & Community Medicine and Center for Integrative Medicine, presented "Meditative Therapies for Addiction Treatment: Theory, Research and Clinical Application" at the North American Research Conference on Complementary and Integrative Medicine in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in May 2009.

Wilbur Chen, MD

Wilbur Chen, MD, assistant professor, Department of Medicine and Center for Vaccine Development, presented "Humoral and Cellular Immune Responses of Elderly Adults to High-Dose Influenza Vaccine" at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases’ Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases consultation meeting, entitled "Cellular Immune Responses in H5N1 Vaccinated Adults," in Bethesda, Maryland, in June 2009.

Margaret Chesney, PhD

Margaret Chesney, PhD, professor, Department of Medicine, and associate director, Center for Integrative Medicine, presented "Mind-Body Interventions: Is There Power in Positive Thinking?" at the North American Research Conference on Complementary and Integrative Medicine in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in May 2009. Also in May, Dr. Chesney presented "Medical Psychology Meets Complementary, Alternative and Integrative Medicine: Is There Common Ground?" at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland.

Joyce Frye, DO, MBA, MSCE

Joyce Frye, DO, MBA, MSCE, clinical assistant professor, Department of Family & Community Medicine and Center for Integrative Medicine, presented "Homeopathic Medicine: A Safe and Effective Therapeutic Category in Obstetrics?" at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in Washington, DC, in May 2009.

Delia Chiaramonte, MD

Delia Chiaramonte, MD, clinical assistant professor, Department of Family & Community Medicine and Center for Integrative Medicine, presented "Navigating the Healthcare System Effectively" at the Alzheimers Association Conference "Dementia at Midlife" in Baltimore in May 2009.

Wilbur Chen, MD

Wilbur Chen, MD, assistant professor, Department of Medicine and Center for Vaccine Development, was interviewed by Voice of America (VOA) on April 28, 2009, regarding the H1N1 flu vaccines. Voice of America is a multimedia international broadcasting service funded by the US Government through the Broadcasting Board of Governors. VOA broadcasts approximately 1,500 hours of news, information, educational and cultural programming every week to an estimated worldwide audience of 134 million people. He also was interviewed by Globo International, a Brazilian TV network, and the Baltimore Sun, on April 30, 2009, about the H1N1 flu virus. In addition, Dr. Chen was interviewed on WTOP Radio on June 10, 2009, regarding pandemic influenza preparedness.

Patricia Langenberg, PhD and J. Kathleen Tracy, PhD

Patricia Langenberg, PhD, professor, and J. Kathleen Tracy, PhD, assistant professor, both in the Department of Epidemiology & Preventive Medicine, were featured in a July 10, 2010, Jewish Times article that illustrated the Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women’s Health (BIRCWH) Program. The BIRCWH Program is a University of Maryland, Baltimore initiative that was designed to encourage research in women’s health.

Diane Marie St. George, PhD

Diane Marie St. George, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Epidemiology & Preventive Medicine, was featured on NewsandSentinel.com of Parkersburg, West Virginia, on June 25, 2009, for designing and implementing a "Teach Epidemiology" workshop geared to equip nurses and school teachers with a better understanding of teaching disease patterns and distribution.

Rajabrata Sarkar, MD, PhD

Rajabrata Sarkar, MD, PhD, was recruited to join the Department of Surgery as the Barbara Baur Dunlap Professor in Transplant Surgery in March 2009. The Barbara Baur Dunlap Professor title is currently held by Stephen Bartlett, MD, professor and chair, Department of Surgery, and will be transferred to Dr. Sarkar on October 6, 2009. An expert in treating blood vessel disorders and a nationally-known researcher in blood vessel growth and development, Dr. Sarkar also will serve as head of the Department of Surgery’s Division of Vascular Surgery. Dr. Sarkar comes to the University of Maryland from the University of California, San Francisco, where he was an associate professor of surgery and a vascular surgeon since 1999. Dr. Sarkar graduated from the University of Michigan Medical School, also obtaining a PhD in physiology from the University of Michigan. Dr. Sarkar serves as a permanent member of the National Institutes of Health Center for Scientific Review panels and is investigating the use of gene therapy to turn on the growth of arteries and capillaries damaged by traumatic injuries to soldiers. This research is funded by the Department of Defense. Additionally, he will serve as chief of Vascular Surgery at the University of Maryland Medical Center.

Meredith Bond, PhD

Meredith Bond, PhD, professor and chair, Department of Physiology, received a five-year $1,764,043 competing renewal training grant from the National Heart Lung & Blood Institute for "Training Grant in Cardiac and Vascular Cell Biology." This renewal contains four pre-doctoral and four post-doctoral training slots.

Wen-Chin Cheng, PhD

Wen-Chin Cheng, PhD, post-doctoral fellow, Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, received a two-year $100,000 post-doctoral fellowship grant from the Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund for her project entitled "Hippo Signaling Pathway in Control of Human Hematopoiesis."

Curt Civin, MD

Curt Civin, MD, professor, Department of Pediatrics, associate dean for Research, and director, Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, received a two-year $200,000 grant from the Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund for his work entitled "The Hippo Pathway in Control of Hematopoietic Organ Size and Stemness."

Anthony D. Harris, MD, MPH

Anthony D. Harris, MD, MPH, associate professor, Department of Epidemiology & Preventive Medicine, received a five-year $900,025 K24 grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease for his project entitled "Clinical Research in Antimicrobial Resistance and Hospital Epidemiology."

Andrei E. Medvedev, PhD

Andrei E. Medvedev, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, received a two-year $275,000 R21 grant from the National Institutes of Health entitled "TLR4 Mutations: Molecular Mechanisms of Impaired LPS Sensitivity."

Louis DeTolla, VMD, PhD, DACLAM

Louis DeTolla, VMD, PhD, DACLAM, professor, Department of Pathology, and director, Program in Comparative Medicine, received a one-year $278,237 grant from Lab Products, Inc., located in Rockville, Maryland, for his work entitled "Evaluation and Use of a Novel Water Provision System for Laboratory Mice." Dr. DeTolla received another one-year grant, in the amount of $57,919, from Lab Products, Inc. for "Evaluation and Use of a New ABSL-3 Biocontainment System for Mice and Small Animals."

Margaret M. McCarthy, PhD

Margaret M. McCarthy, PhD, professor, Department of Physiology, received a $21,144 summer student supplement grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke to support her current grant entitled "Estradiol and Hippocampal Development." This supplement is issued under the National Institute’s of Health Notice NOT-OD-09-060 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Min Jung Kim, PhD

Min Jung Kim, PhD, post-doctoral fellow, Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, received a two-year $100,000 post-doctoral fellowship grant from the Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund for her project entitled "Interplay of Hypoxia-Induced Factor-1 (HIF-1) and MicroRNAs in Hematopoiesis."

Steven D. Munger, PhD

Steven D. Munger, PhD, associate professor, Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, received a five-year $1.6 million grant from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders for his work entitled "Mechanisms of Alimentary Chemosensation."

Daniel J. Morgan, MD

Daniel J. Morgan, MD, assistant professor, Department of Epidemiology & Preventive Medicine, received a five-year $689,149 K08 grant from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality for his project entitled "Improving Patient Safety and Disease Management While on Contact Isolation."

Istvan Merchenthaler,
MD, PhD, ScD

Istvan J. Merchenthaler, MD, PhD, ScD, professor, Department of Epidemiology & Preventive Medicine, received a four-year $1.2 million grant from the National Institute of Aging for his work entitled "Novel Treatment of Menopausal Hot Flashes with an Extradiol Pro-drug."

Mary-Claire Roghmann, MD, MS, and Wilbur Chen, MD, MSD

Mary-Claire Roghmann, MD, MS, associate professor, Department of Epidemiology & Preventive Medicine, and Wilbur Chen, MD, MS, assistant professor, Department of Medicine, received a two-year $170,058 grant from Maryland Industrial Partnerships for their work entitled "Feasibility of Toxin-based S. aureus Vaccine." Their work will be conducted in conjunction with Integrated BioTherapeutics, Inc.

Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine

The Division of Gerontology, within the Department of Medicine, has changed its name to the Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine. The name change better reflects that geriatric medicine is the medical practice of caring for older persons and that gerontology is the study of aging. The name change coincided with the appointment of Steven R. Gambert, MD, MACP (pictured), who joined the Department of Medicine as a professor and associate chair of Medicine for Clinical Program Development. Dr. Gambert will be co-director of the new division in partnership with Andrew Goldberg, MD, professor, who headed the former Division of Gerontology.

Bryan M. Soronson

Bryan M. Soronson, administrator, Department of Neurology, was elected chair of Business and Research Administrators in Neurology, or BRAINS, which is part of the American Academy of Neurology, for the 2009 to 2011 term.

Lisa M. Shulman, MD

Lisa M. Shulman, MD, Eugenia Brin Professor of Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders in the Department of Neurology, was elected to serve as secretary of the American Academy of Neurology.

Richard Colgan, MD

Richard Colgan, MD, associate professor, Department of Family & Community Medicine, was chosen by the University of Maryland School of Medicine Class of 2009 to receive the American Medical Student Association’s Golden Apple Award. Dr. Colgan received the Golden Apple Award at the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s Convocation Ceremony on May 15, 2009. This award recognizes a faculty member who has shown particular interest in medical education and excellence in teaching during the clinical years.

Kevin Ferentz, MD

Kevin Ferentz, MD, associate professor, Department of Family & Community Medicine, received a special recognition award from the Maryland Academy of Family Physicians at its Annual Meeting in June 2009 in Ocean City, Maryland. The award was in recognition of Dr. Ferentz’s steadfast dedication and hard work throughout his 20-plus years of service to the organization in every major capacity of leadership.

David W. Scott, PhD

David W. Scott, PhD, professor, Departments of Surgery and Microbiology & Immunology, and Center for Vascular and Inflammatory Diseases, received the 2009 Scientific Achievement Award from the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists, which was presented at their National Biotechnology Conference in Seattle, WA, in June 2009. Dr. Scott’s award reflects the contributions he has made by developing a gene therapy model to eliminate undesirable immune responses in a range of diseases such as type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, uveitis and hemophilia. He and his collaborators developed fusion proteins comprised of an immunoglobulin molecule with target proteins in these diseases. Importantly, they recognized that the immunoglobulin contained regions that could reduce these aberrant immune responses. Application of these proteins in disease models and to the development of safer therapeutics is continuing.

Andrei E. Medvedev, PhD

Andrei E. Medvedev, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, received a Junior Faculty Travel Award from the American Association of Immunologists (AAI) for his abstract entitled "Reprogramming of TLR4 Pathways in Endotoxin-tolerant Cells," which he presented at the 2009 AAI meeting in Seattle, WA, in May 2009.

Christine Wells, PT, PhD

Christine Wells, PT, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Science, has successfully completed the American Physical Therapy Association requirements for recertification as a cardiopulmonary clinical specialist. This certification is valid for a 10-year period.

Ellen Wruble-Hakim, PT, DScPT

Ellen Wruble-Hakim, PT, DScPT, assistant professor and vice chair for Academic Affairs, Department of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Science, has successfully completed the exam requirements for recertification as a certified wound specialist in June 2009. This certification is valid for a 10-year period.

Anne Reicherter, PT, DPT, PhD

Anne Reicherter, PT, DPT, PhD, successfully completed the American Physical Therapy Association requirements for recertification as a clinical specialist in orthopaedic physical therapy in June 2009. This certification is valid for 12 years.