Surgeon general addresses WSU medical school
United States Surgeon General David Satcher, MD, PhD, is committed to making progress in eliminating racial disparities in healthcare, he said during the sixth annual Dean’s Distinguished Lecture at the Wayne State University School of Medicine. Two lecture halls were filled to maximum capacity with students, faculty members and administrators who provided repeated standing ovations and great applause in support of Dr. Satcher’s plans to improve public health.
Wayne State doctors considered "the best" by their peers
Wayne State University School of Medicine doctors comprised 26 percent of the latest list of "Best Doctors in America - 1999." School of Medicine alumni appeared 169 times, for a total of 19 percent of the Michigan list.
Seeds of cancer treatment are planted in technology
With a $2.5 million grant from the United States Department of Defense, the Wayne State University School of Medicine and the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute will soon use flat panel sensors, similar to those used by the defense department, to detect and treat prostate and lung cancers which were formerly difficult to see.
Michael Diamond, MD, says internal adhesions can be a difficult problem for women receiving infertility treatment. He and his colleagues are investigating the efficacy of Interceed and Seprafilm, two adhesion-reducing agents.
Girija Ganesh Konduri, MD, associate professor of pediatrics, is conducting research focusing on how changes occur in the lungs to get a baby ready for its first independent breath. In particular, he’s trying to determine how the process gets disturbed in children with respiratory problems.
Smooth muscle cells provide CV clues
Li Li, PhD, assistant professor of internal medicine, is conducting research to learn more about the molecular mechanisms for the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. Specifically, she is characterizing regulation of SM22, a gene that is highly expressed in smooth muscle cells.
Nutrition plays role in risk for Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
John Hannigan, PhD, professor of obstetrics and gynecology, is conducting research to determine why prenatal alcohol exposure affects children differently. With a new grant from the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Hannigan is exploring poor maternal nutrition as a risk factor associated with alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorders in children.
Eyes are susceptible to drug toxicity
With more than $800,000 from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Hitoshi Shichi, PhD, professor of ophthalmology, is investigating drug metabolism and drug toxicity in the eye. In particular, he is studying acetaminophen (the major ingredient in Tylenol and Excedrin) which is known to be safe at low therapeutic doses but causes liver damage in overdose.
Finding clues to tumor cell resistance
Escherichia coli, the common bacterium that has received its share of bad press over the last few years, is harboring a pumping system with the potential for some very good news, according to Domenico Gatti, PhD, assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular biology. "This simple protein system in bacteria will serve as a model for the more complex system in tumor cells, which is responsible for the extrusion of anti-tumor agents," he said.
Rafi Fridman, PhD, associate professor of pathology, and Shahriar Mobashery, PhD, professor of chemistry, have a long-established collaboration to achieve an important goal: to develop new compounds that will help prevent the dissemination of cancer cells. They believe that understanding the structure of MMPs and their mechanism of action is a necessary step toward developing new methods to control their damaging activity.
Diabetes center to serve entire state of Michigan
The WSU School of Medicine received a $3 million commitment from the State of Michigan to establish the Wayne State University Morris Hood, Jr. Comprehensive Diabetes Center. (See related story about Morris Hood, Jr., for whom the center is named.)
Morris Hood honored before his death
State Rep. Morris Hood, Jr., a powerful advocate for Wayne State University and Michigan’s higher education institutions, died in October--just shortly after being honored with the establishment and naming of the Wayne State University Morris Hood, Jr. Comprehensive Diabetes Center.
Women encouraged to use strategic decision-making in careers
Karen Holbrook, PhD, senior vice president and provost at the University of Georgia, was the keynote speaker at the symposium, "Career Issues of Women in Academia," held in September at the Wayne State University School of Medicine. She offered advice to women about embracing change, making decisions, taking risks, balancing opportunities and moving forward.
Susan Eggly, internal medicine instructor, traveled to Uzbekistan with support from the Open Society Institute to teach the English language to professionals who want to learn more about American law, medicine and journalism.
Graduate students awarded for research
The second annual Graduate Student Research Day, held in September, hosted more than 60 Wayne State University students who shared their research with peers and faculty from various biomedical and basic science departments. More than 300 people attended the event to learn more about research projects underway around the campus.
Student achievement recognized
Congratulations were exchanged among students who were recognized for outstanding achievement during academic year 1997-98. An honors convocation ceremony was held this past September to celebrate their success.
A new research recognition award has been instituted by the Research Development Committee of the Wayne State University School of Medicine Faculty Senate. The first Faculty Research Excellence Awards were presented to three people from basic science departments and three people from clinical departments. Winners each received a $2000 honorarium.
AAMC honors Dr. Whitten for contributions to minority education
Charles Whitten, MD, associate dean for special programs, was presented with a Special Recognition Award at the annual meeting of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) in November. The AAMC’s Group on Student Affairs-Minority Affairs Section honored Dr. Whitten for his history of leadership in addressing minority issues in medical education.
Dr. Frank elected to Academy of Scholars
Robert Frank, MD, professor of ophthalmology and anatomy/cell biology, has been named to the Wayne State University Academy of Scholars, a distinctive group of just 36 faculty members from various departments in the university.
Crissman appointed associate dean
Dambach named interim VP for research and dean of Graduate School
Herbert named chief administrative officer
Schenk appointed interim vice chair of family medicine
Spry retires after more than 25 years of service
Faculty members receive teaching awards
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