GHSU Today. Summer 2012 by Augusta University

GHSU

the magazine for Alumni, Faculty and Friends S U M M E R 2 0 1 2 V O L . 3 9 N O. 2

photo ÂŠ jpainting

Welcome Mat for Wellness n

Institute of Public and Preventive Health Unveiled page 18

Conference Helps Chart the Path page 21

Georgia Prevention Center Highlighted page 25

from the w w w. g e o r g i a h e a l t h . e d u

editor

Our Mission

Dear Readers,

Leading Georgia and the world to better health by providing excellence in biomedical education, discovery and service. Our Vision To be a globally recognized research university and academic health center, while transforming the region into a health care and biomedical research destination. Our Values n Collaboration n Compassion n Diversity n Excellence n Innovation n Integrity n Leadership GHSU Today is produced quarterly by the Division of Communications and Marketing. GHSU President Ricardo Azziz, M.D., M.P.H., M.B.A. Interim Vice President for Communications and Marketing Roman M. Cibirka, D.D.S. Editor Christine Hurley Deriso Photographer Phil Jones Writers Toni Baker Christine Hurley Deriso Denise Parrish Jennifer Hilliard Scott Sharron Walls ©2012 Georgia Health Sciences University

CHRISTINE HURLEY DERISO

We wordsmiths pride ourselves on our storytelling ability, but words don’t really do justice to the story that has been unfolding on our campus for the past few months. I have been telling the enterprise’s story for 27 years and consider myself something of an amateur historian on the subject, having overseen several projects tracing our advancements since the university was founded in 1828. So I speak with some authority when I note that Georgia Health Sciences is experiencing the greatest growth spurt and the most profound period of change in its 184-year history. It’s difficult to imagine a more exciting time to be a member of the Georgia Health Sciences community. I hope that this edition of GHSU Today captures some of the palpable excitement not just on our main campus in Augusta, but statewide as our reach and influence expand. What’s more, we hope you’ve had a chance to experience the excitement in person. Several recent events, including Homecoming, Commencement, a visit from Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal, a public health conference and a celebration of our strategic plan, Transformation 2020, have rolled out the red carpet for thousands of visitors while casting a brighter-than-ever spotlight on our enterprise—a fitting prelude to our imminent consolidation with sister institution Augusta State University. You can read about these and many other events in this edition of GHSU Today. As GHSU President Ricardo Azziz notes, we will be better-positioned than ever to fulfill our mission when the consolidation launches our ascendance as the next great American comprehensive research university. Exciting times? No doubt. But even more exciting is the realization that this is only the beginning. n

GHSU

the magazine for Alumni, Faculty and Friends SUMMER 2012

V O L . 3 9 N O. 2

Building a Healthier Community Institute of Public and Preventive Health Unveiled

7 A New U

“Consolidated” Mission Statement Approved

21 Common Ground

Conference Charts Path to Healthier Community

25 Welcome Mat for Wellness

Georgia Prevention Center Helps Build Healthy Communities

28 A Big Footprint

Scenes from Commencement 2012

departments

2 news at a glance 5 “sculpting in clay”

– President Ricardo Azziz

12 research roundup 43 class notes 48 gift planning

32 Nobel Wisdom

Nobel Laureates Impart Advice

Transformation 2020 Enterprise Celebrates Strategic Plan

35 Captain of Compassion

2012 Beard Award Recipient Katie Cook

36 Rich Heritage, Dynamic Future Scenes from Homecoming 2012

40 Making their Mark

2012 Distinguished Alumni

46 Dr. Leila D. Denmark

February 1, 1898 - April 1, 2012

news at a glance Partnering for Success

Legislative Leaps

n An $8 million grant from the

n Stressing his goal of overseeing

Robert W. Woodruff Foundation will help build an interprofessional state-of-theart simulation center in the university’s planned Education Commons building. The commons is slated to be a fivestory, 160,000-square-foot building with classroom space for GHSU’s College of Dental Medicine and Medical College of Georgia. The lab will include standardized patient rooms and high-fidelity patient simulators. The simulation lab will be used by the various health professions disciplines. The total construction cost of the project, including the simulation lab, is $76.5 million. “Partnerships like this one with the Woodruff Foundation are critical in advancing the vision of Georgia Health Sciences to be a globally recognized research university and academic health center, while transforming the region into a health care and biomedical research destination,” said GHSU President Ricardo Azziz. “Research has repeatedly shown that students and clinicians trained with simulation demonstrate markedly better knowledge, skills and behaviors at the bedside.” To date, GHSU has secured $23 million for the project, including the Woodruff grant. l

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a small government that “does a few things exceptionally well,” Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal visited the Georgia Health Sciences campus April 24 to explain the impact of fiscal 2012-13 legislation on the GHS community, Augusta and the state at large. “This truly is a victory lap for the people of the state of Georgia,” Deal said, citing legislation that includes $94 million in additional funding for higher-education enrollment growth, $28 million in bond funding for GHSU’s Education Commons and funding to foster and grow 400 new Gov. Nathan Deal residency slots statewide. “We have to invest in this expansion,” Deal said of the residency funding. “Without these slots, many of those who have been educated in Georgia have to leave our state for a residency, and unfortunately, many never return.” Likewise, the Education Commons funding will help ensure growing enrollment for GHSU’s Medical College of Georgia and College of Dental Medicine, increasing GHSU’s already considerable economic impact on Georgia and addressing health care workforce needs throughout the state. Deal also reiterated his vision of a top-50 public medical school at GHSU. “That’s a strong promise,” President Ricardo Azziz said, thanking the Governor for recognizing Georgia Health Sciences’ statewide significance as a “great asset and growing economic engine. As the next great American university, we are committed to excellence.” l

Artist’s rendering of Education Commons building

Combating Cancer

Building Bridges

n The GHSU Cancer Center has been granted three-year accreditation with commendation by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer. The center met standards in all 35 quality-of-care measures in eight areas judged important by the commission, and it was awarded commendation in seven of those areas: cancer committee leadership, data management and cancer registry, clinical management, research, community outreach, professional education and staff support and quality improvement. Accreditation follows an on-site evaluation by a physician surveyor. Approval reflects voluntary commitment to the highest-quality cancer care and a rigorous selfevaluation and review process. “Commission approval signifies that our program ensures patients have access to comprehensive care, a multispecialty team approach to Dr. Samir Khleif coordinate the best treatment options, information about ongoing clinical trials, access to cancer-related support and, most importantly, excellence in quality care,” said Dr. Samir Khleif, Director of the Cancer Center. l

n In Peru, a country with only one dental professional per

Campus Enhancement n Georgia Health Sciences will begin construction later this year on a project that will enhance the section of LaneyWalker Boulevard that runs through campus. The Laney-Walker improvement project is primarily funded by a grant from the Georgia Department of Transportation with additional funds from the university. The current design concept is intended to make the roadway safer for the estimated 8,500 pedestrians who cross it daily and beautify the current streetscape. The GDOT Transportation Enhancement grant began conceptually in 2006, was submitted in 2009 and awarded to GHSU in September 2010. “Safety is a top priority,” said GHSU President Ricardo Azziz. “This project will not only make it safer for the thousands of faculty, staff and students who cross one of our busiest thoroughfares, but also will make our campus more attractive.” The project will create two lanes of traffic, rather than the current four; eliminate curbside parking between 15th Street and R.A. Dent Boulevard; add bicycle lanes on either side of the road; incorporate slightly elevated crosswalks that are compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act standards; and add more trees, grassy areas and plant beds. Construction is expected to begin this winter and conclude by summer 2013. l

9,000 people and a 95 percent prevalence of dental cavities and periodontal diseases, the GHSU College of Dental Medicine has reached across international borders to help improve the standard of dental care in the region. In the city of Cusco, GHSU officials joined Peruvian officials March 31 to celebrate the official opening of a dental clinic. “I often speak of building bridges, bridges that will ensure the strength, relevance and excellence of the Georgia Health Sciences enterprise and of the many communities we serve,” said GHSU President Ricardo Azziz, who attended the ceremony with his son, Jonathon. “This bridge with Cusco is one of our farthest-reaching.” The collaboration between the university and the local health care community began in 2006 when Dr. Daron Ferris, Professor of Family Medicine at GHSU’s Medical College of Georgia, opened CerviCusco, a cervical cancer clinic. The country’s oral-health needs led to the opening last fall of a state-of-the-art dental clinic on the building’s third floor. Furnished with donated equipment and supplies, the clinic hosts skilled dentists and students worldwide who consult with the Peruvian staff to expand oral health care. “This is a wonderful opportunity for us to work side by side with the talented, dedicated community dentists in Cusco to provide high-quality advanced services to Peruvians in need,” said GSHU College of Dental Medicine Dean Connie Drisko. l

Employee Generosity n Georgia Health Sciences employees contributed $274,230.67—exceeding the goal by more than $70,000—in this year’s employee giving campaign. “We are so grateful for those who supported Georgia Health Sciences during this campaign,” said Senior Vice President for Advancement and Community Relations Susan Barcus. “The campaign enabled us to show our pride in the work we do every day to lead Georgia and the world to better health.” Contributions to the “Stand Up, Stand Out” campaign will support GHS Medical Center renovations, the Education Commons construction, research expansion and other areas specified by donors. “Your donations make a difference in the health of our patients, the education of our students and the lifesaving research of our Susan Barcus scientists,” Barcus said. The donations also attract external support, she noted. “Our collective investment sends a powerful message to donors—tangible proof we believe in our organization’s mission so much that we choose to invest our own funds to ensure its success.” For more information, visit www.georgiahealth.edu/giving. l G H S U TO DAY

Faculty Lauded n Nine researchers and faculty members at Georgia Health Sciences University were recognized May 3 for work ranging from landmark studies in fluoride and hypertension to outstanding dedication in educating and mentoring students, fellows, residents and junior faculty. Recipients of GHSU Research Institute Awards were: Dr. Gregory Harshfield, Mahesh Distinguished Research Award; Dr. Jay Hegde, Emerging Scientist Award; Dr. Martha Tingen, Distinguished Research Award; and Dr. Gary Whitford, Lifetime Achievement Award. Recipients of Outstanding Faculty Awards, presented by the University Faculty Senate, were: Dr. Judith Stallings, College of Allied Health Sciences; Dr. Kalu Oguburke, College of Dental Medicine; Dr. Krishnan Dhandapani, College of Graduate Studies; and Dr. Christy Berding, College of Nursing. Dr. David Hess was honored both as a recipient of a 2012 Distinguished Research Award and a 2012 Outstanding Faculty Award for the Medical College of Georgia. The assembly also honored faculty members retiring this year from the university. They are Donna Domyslawski, Michael Frentzel and Steve Harrison, from the College of Allied Health Sciences; John Stockstill, Stephen Hackman, Robert Loushine, Wayne Herman, Norman Weller and Gary Whitford (now part-time), from the College of Dental Medicine; William Kanto, Jill Miller, Priscilla Gilman, RuthMarie Fincher, Ruth Neal and Chris White, from the Medical College of Georgia; and Cathy Green, Gerald Bennett and Judith Salzer from the College of Nursing. l

For Kids’ Sake n For Ty, it was bone cancer; for Hannah, respiratory failure; for Mallory, seizures, and for Omari, a triple whammy of sickle cell disease, Down syndrome and a heart valve defect. These children are just a sampling of patients from all over the Southeast, separated by circumstances and geography, but sharing the common denominator of illnesses that led them to the same place – Georgia Health Sciences Children’s Medical Center, one of the nation’s best hospitals for quality pediatric care. Patients and families shared their experiences at the GHS Children’s Medical Center during the 2012 Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Celebration, a telethon that aired live from the hospital lobby June 3 on WRDW-TV Channel 12. The event celebrated the funds raised by sponsors and donors to benefit CMC programs and services at the CMC. This year’s total was $787,400. The broadcast included video tours of the hospital; conversations with patients, donors and staff; and recognition of committed sponsors. The hospital has been a beneficiary of Children’s Miracle Network proceeds since 1986. For more information or to make a donation to bolster next year’s total, call 706-721-4004 or visit giving.georgiahealth.edu. l

SUMMER 2012

Vision Rehabilitation

Dr. Julian Nussbaum

n Nearly 14 million Americans – about one in every 20 people – have visual impairments and 61 million more are at high risk of serious vision loss. To help with this growing problem, Georgia Health Sciences has opened a Low Vision Rehabilitation Center. The center, a collaboration of the Georgia Health Sciences University Medical College of Georgia Department of Ophthalmology; the College of Allied Health Sciences Department of Occupational Therapy and Driving Simulation Laboratory; and the GHS Medical Center Department of Rehabilitation Services, offers care strategies to patients with low vision. “This is the first step in uniting vision research science with practicing ophthalmologists and occupational therapists in an environment that enriches a visually impaired person’s life,” said Department of Ophthalmology Chair Julian Nussbaum, who hopes to expand the program throughout the Southeast. He plans to eventually integrate research and teaching components into the program through the university’s Vision Discovery Institute. l

Camera crew captures excitement of 2012 Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Celebration

Ricardo Azziz:

Sculpting in Clay: Reflections on Leadership and Transformation

What Will Change? The Consolidation of ASU and GHSU

“

”

If you want to make enemies, try to change something. – Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924)

s we continue to move forward with the ASU-GHSU consolidation, two of the most common questions asked are, “How will we be different?” and “How will we change?” And the short answer is, of course, that none of us can foresee how we will change; none of us has the ability to see into the future. And, of course, many things will not change. Our focus on educational quality, excellence and success; our aim to retain affordability; our emphasis on transparency, inclusiveness and fairness; our drive to maximize local, community and state value; the high value we place on the liberal arts; our goal of growing our research and discovery efforts; our obligation to be prudent stewards of state and philanthropic resources; our objective of providing excellent and cutting-edge clinical care; and our desire to provide and coordinate access for those local students not fully prepared for university life. These and many other things will not change. But it would be disingenuous not to recognize that a number of changes, large and small, will occur as we become New U. The transformation is great and so will be some of the changes. Let me try to highlight some of the higher-level differences we may see:

We will be a completely new comprehensive research university . . . and we will have to act like one. First and foremost, we must recognize that, despite how much some want things to remain as they were, we will be a completely new university. A comprehensive research university with an aligned and integrated health system. One university. There will not be us and them . . . or here and there. We will be one faculty, one staff, one student body, one university. We will not be an overgrown GHSU, solely focused on the health care professions and health-related sciences. We will also encompass and value the liberal arts and humanities, the education and business professions, STEM education and the many other disciplines that we have yet to identify and bring to our new university, in the near and far future. And we will not be an overgrown ASU. So we cannot expect to solely focus on attracting and serving local students. Nor

on simply emphasizing undergraduate studies at the exclusion of graduate pursuits. Nor can we shun research as if it was a foreign element in education and in university life. Nor will we be able to expect the same level of intimacy that has existed on the campus for so long. We will need to act like the much bigger comprehensive university we will be, with state and national relevance, competing with national peers. For as we have noted before, it is our competitors who make us who we are, define us and drive us to excel, help us be ready and prepared to succeed when new challenges emerge . . . and our competitors will be nationally ranked top-50 universities . . . nothing less. We will be more fluid and change-oriented. To survive, we will have to adapt. And that means having the ability to devise new approaches and new paradigms to address the many challenges we do and will face. No longer can we assume that we are somehow magically insulated from the outside world. And the rate of transformation will initially have to be very high, driven by our need to tackle the many and growing number of issues that must be addressed as we consolidate. But even after this initial period of consolidation, we will have to be persistently fluid, continuously adapting to an everchanging environment. To be clear, this is not about remaining flexible to the external winds of change that can bend us without breaking us. This strategy is about proactively seeking new paths, about learning to swim upstream against strong currents and endeavoring to ride the high currents of change as we steer over treacherous and uncharted waters. And as much as it seems impossible, we will need to learn to not only accept but to seek new developments and continued transformation. Pace will matter . . . and it will be fast. We will not have the luxury of assuming that somehow the speed at which time ticks is set by us, that somehow if we move slowly, so does the rest of the world. The pace of our response and our implementation will have to match— no, actually, it will have to exceed—the pace of our fastest competitors. G H S U TO DAY

The swiftness and direction of our response will be molded But we should also recognize that leadership is not about by our need to deal decisively with a myriad of forces of all being loud and obstructionistic. Leadership is something we stripes, local, state, national and global . . . in education, in should expect from all members of this, the most enlightened demographics, in job market, in economy, in health care, in the institution of society: a university. Leadership is about being liberal arts, in research and scholarship of all types, in science, part of the solution, not part of the problem. in funding, in the political process, and so on and so forth. We will be growth-oriented. Last but not least, we will have to focus on growing our Pace matters. It matters greatly. We cannot afford to be slow new university. With regard to our consolidation, 1 plus 1 will on the uptake, because in this environment, we will simply fall not equal 2. 1 plus 1 must equal something much greater. further behind. We are not bolting on one university to another. This is a true Will we always get it right the first time? No. But we can consolidation, a true transformation. Staying the same is not reassess, and correct and adjust if necessary, as we continue the iterative process that is the creation of a new university. The an option. It will only ensure we get smaller, lose relevance, lose competitiveness. In fact, staying the same will have to be fear of making mistakes should not paralyze us into inaction; it determinedly avoided. should simply force us to carefully assess all available data at To compete with the great universities of our state and our the time, and then, as all leaders should, make a decision. This is what I mean by ‘sculpting in clay’—the phrase I chose as the nation, we will have to attract more students by offering more programs . . . in breadth, name of my blog. We have to strike a balance between So how will we change? In a nutshell, we depth and strength, by recruiting more faculty and progress and perfection will be a completely new comprehensive staff, and by building more as we advance the great facilities. While we will be volume of work before us. university, competing with peers in the We will need to able to grow modestly with increase our emphasis the same number of faculty, state and beyond, acting like the great on leadership staff, programs and facilities American institution we will be, adapting we currently have, growth development and responsibilities. will be limited and certainly and accepting of change, responding We will be a billionnot transformative. And as rapidly and decisively, emphasizing the dollar enterprise, with we grow and recruit new more than 1,000 faculty, colleagues and leaders, training and responsibility of our leaders staff, almost 10,000 students, they must believe, as we do, over 10,000 employees and focused on growth and development. that we are building the next and half a million great American university. patient visits yearly. So how will While ‘shared governance’ (more on that later) will continue we change? In a nutshell, we will be a completely new to be key, decisions will have to be made, and made in an comprehensive university, competing with peers in the state efficient, nimble and timely manner. We will have to strive and beyond, acting like the great American institution we will for transparency, although the need by some of exhaustively be, adapting and accepting of change, responding rapidly and seeking complete consensus at every turn will simply not be decisively, emphasizing the training and responsibility of our possible. leaders and focused on growth and development. Leaders will have to assume the full responsibility they Fear of change is rooted in the fear of the unknown and in are given, a duty they cannot and should not eschew or shirk. the fear of the possible loss of status and privilege, of comfort Leadership development will be de rigueur. While the aptitude and security, of the expected and the routine. And yet the to lead may be inherent, the skills for leadership are learned. opportunity the future now holds for us is extraordinary – a Choices will have to be made on the best data available at the truly once-in-a-century chance to create a lasting contribution time and with the greatest degree of engagement possible. to the education and welfare of Georgians and the nation, That is the value and obligation of leadership. a chance that will enhance not only our community and our Do not get me wrong. Leadership is not about titles. state, but the personal growth and development of us all. Let’s Leadership is a quality that all of us—faculty, staff, students, seize it. n administrators and managers—can and should demonstrate.

Follow his blog at: azziz.georgiahealth.edu 6

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Mission statement affirms role of consolidated university

eorgia Health Sciences University’s imminent consolidation with Augusta State University has completed several pivotal milestones recently. The University System of Georgia Board of Regents in early May approved a mission statement for the consolidated university:

to provide leadership and excellence in teaching, discovery, clinical care and service as a student-centered comprehensive research university and academic health center with a wide range of programs from learning assistance through postdoctoral studies.

“It was important that the new mission reflect the true breadth and scope of the new comprehensive research university, which would include an aligned and integrated health system,” said GHSU President Ricardo Azziz, who will oversee the consolidated university. “Our focus will remain on educational quality, excellence and success, but it is important that our mission reflect the new reality – that we will be a completely new comprehensive university, competing with peers in the state and beyond, acting like the great American institution we will be, adapting and accepting change, responding rapidly and decisively, emphasizing the training and responsibility of our leaders and focused on growth and development.” The mission will become effective after accreditation by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association

of Colleges and Schools, expected next January, after which the Board of Regents will formally approve the consolidation. Next steps include submitting three proposed names for the new university to the Board of Regents by July 20. The board is expected Dr. Shirley Strum Kenny to review those names at its August meeting. More than 1,200 suggestions for the name were collected from members of the GHSU and ASU communities throughout April. Also, the Regents appointed Dr. Shirley Strum Kenny as Interim President of ASU. She will assume the post on President William Bloodworth’s July 1 retirement date. Kenny served as President of Queens College, City University of New York from 1985-98 and of the State University of New York at Stony Brook from 1994 until her retirement in 2009. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. For more information about consolidation, visit http://asughsu.org. n

G H S U TO DAY

20 20

Transformation 2020

Thousands of Georgia Health Sciences

employees and their families attended

a carnival-like celebration June 2 of the

enterprise’s strategic plan, Transformation 2020. The plan, a roadmap that clarifies

the enterprise’s strengths, goals, hopes and aspirations, will be aligned with Augusta State University’s existing strategic plan

when the universities consolidate, creating a whole that is exponentially greater than the sum of its parts. For more information, visit

www.georgiahealth.edu/transformation2020.

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Celebration

G H S U TO DAY

20 20 10

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G H S U TO DAY

Research Roundup

Window of

Hope Dr. David C. Hess monitors a patient.

SUMMER 2012

transfusion of adult bone marrow-derived stem cells 24 to 36 hours after a stroke may improve patient recovery, opening a treatment window that currently slams shut within hours, stroke specialists say. “We have very little to offer patients with moderate to severe strokes after the four- and one-half hour treatment window for the clot buster tPA has passed,” said Dr. David C. Hess, Chair of the Medical College of Georgia Department of Neurology. GHSU is one of about 10 study sites for MultiStem, a novel stem cell therapy developed by Cleveland-based Athersys Inc., that may reduce stroke size and enhance recovery even if administered more than a day after symptoms begin. The stem cells can be used in conjunction with tPA for ischemic strokes, those caused by oxygen deprivation in the brain, Hess said. tPA is currently the only Food and Drug Administration-approved drug therapy. About 140 adults with moderate to severe strokes resulting in movement and/or speech deficits will be enrolled nationally in the clinical trial; GHSU expects to enroll about 10 patients. Some participants will receive a placebo while others will receive a single intravenous infusion of stem cells. Two different doses are being studied to assess safety and efficacy. Laboratory studies have shown the cells can reduce stroke size and damage by secreting nourishing trophic factors whose signals and growth factors help keep injured cells alive, reducing inflammation that targets injured brain cells and helping grow new blood vessels that re-establish blood and oxygen to the area. The cells also seem to reduce the spleen’s response to stroke, which is to send more immune cells to the brain where they can contribute to the damage. The stem cells do not seem to make new brain cells directly and few stay in the brain longterm, although the healing effects appear very durable based on preclinical studies. Study participants will be followed for one year, receiving periodic blood tests to look for inflammatory factors and magnetic resonance imaging to look at stroke size. “We hope stem cell therapy will help patients get better and get better faster,” Hess said. n

Special Delivery

DNA-covered submicroscopic bead used to deliver genes or drugs directly into cells to treat disease appears to have therapeutic value just by showing up, researchers report. Within a few hours of injecting empty-handed DNA nanoparticles, GHSU researchers were surprised to see increased expression of an enzyme that calms the immune response. In an animal model of rheumatoid arthritis, the enhanced expression of indoleomine 2,3 dioxygenase, or IDO, significantly reduced the hallmark limb joint swelling and inflammation of this debilitating autoimmune disease, researchers report in the study featured on the cover of The Journal of Immunology. “It’s like pouring water on a fire,” said Dr. Andrew L. Mellor, Director of GHSU’s Medical College of Georgia Immunotherapy Center and the study’s corresponding author. “The fire is burning down the house, which in this case is the tissue normally required for your joints to work smoothly,” Mellor said of the immune system’s inexplicable attack on

bone-cushioning cartilage. “When IDO levels are high, there is more water to control the fire.” Several delivery systems are used for gene therapy, which is used to treat conditions including cancer, HIV infection and Parkinson’s disease. The new findings suggest the DNA nanoparticle technique also has value for autoimmune diseases such as arthritis, Type 1 diabetes and Dr. Andrew L. Mellor lupus. “We want to induce IDO because it protects healthy tissue from destruction by the immune system,” Mellor said. The researchers were exploring IDO’s autoimmune treatment potential by inserting the human IDO gene into DNA nanoparticles. They hoped to enhance IDO expression in their arthritis model when Dr. Lei Huang, Assistant Research Scientist and the paper’s first author, serendipitously found that the DNA nanoparticle itself produced the desired result. Dr. Tracy L. McGaha, GHSU immunologist and a co-author on the current study, recently discovered that similar cells also prevented development of systemic lupus erythematosus in mice. n

e r u s o p x E e k o m S M ore than 75 percent of fourth-graders in urban and rural settings have measurable levels of a nicotine breakdown product in their saliva that documents their second-hand smoke exposure, researchers report. A study of 428 fourth-graders and 453 parents in seven rural and seven urban Georgia schools also showed that the urban children were more likely to be smokers – 14.9 percent vs. 6.6 percent. Additionally, urban children have the most exposure to smokers: 79.6 percent vs. 75.3 percent, according to findings

presented to the 15th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health March 20-24 Dr. Martha Tingen in Singapore. “It’s bad news,” said Dr. Martha S. Tingen, Co-Director of GHSU’s Child Health Discovery Institute and Interim Program Leader of the GHSU Cancer Center’s Cancer Prevention and Control Program, citing the role of smoking in low birth weight, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome,

cancer, cardiovascular disease, asthma and infections, among other conditions. The findings are another reminder to pediatricians to talk with parents and children about smoking habits during every checkup and to researchers that more communitybased studies are needed to give parents and children alike the skills they need to avoid or stop smoking, Tingen said. They also indicate that geography and health disparities need to figure heavily into tailoring solutions. n

G H S U TO DAY

Sodium Side Effect

Dr. William E. Rainey and Dr. Silvia Monticone, a physician scientist from the University of Torino, Italy, who spent a year in Rainey’s lab.

SUMMER 2012

early 40 percent of the small adrenal tumors that cause big problems with high blood pressure share a genetic mutation that causes patients to retain too much sodium, researchers report. The study of 47 human, benign adrenal gland tumors also showed a mutation of the gene KCNJ5 is twice as likely to occur in women – 71 versus 29 percent – as it points to potential new treatments for some patients who don’t respond to current hypertension regimens, said Dr. William E. Rainey, Scientific Director of GHSU’s Adrenal Center. Addititionally, when scientists put the mutated gene into an adrenal cell, it immediately starts producing the sodium-retaining hormone aldosterone. “We found it turned on a whole series of genes that cause the cell to produce aldosterone,” Rainey said. Typically, KCNJ5 appears to help normalize levels of the sodium-retaining hormone aldosterone by regulating how much potassium is pumped in and out of aldosteroneproducing cells on the outer layer of the adrenal glands. Abnormal protein produced by the mutated gene alters the cells’ electrical status. “When this gene has a mutation, the cells lose control and just start producing aldosterone all the time,” said Rainey, corresponding author of the study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. “The combination of too much salt and too much of this hormone leads to high blood pressure and tissue damage,” said Rainey. A 2011 study led by Yale University and published in the journal Science showed that the tumors had a KCNJ5 mutation. GHSU researchers helped link the gene to aldosterone production. Now the GHSU Adrenal Center is moving forward with studies to determine why women with adrenal tumors have more of the mutated gene; Rainey suspects an estrogen link. They also want to know if any of the dozen potassium channel inhibitors already on the market for heart and other disorders can help these patients as well. n

A Healthier Shampoo

andruff sufferers now have a non-toxic product to treat the condition, says a GHSU researcher. “Most current effective anti-dandruff shampoos contain ingredients that are toxic to humans and the environment,” according to Dr. Stephen Hsu, GHSU Professor of Oral Biology. “Our green tea shampoo uses technology without coal tar, sulfate, sulfur or toxins. It’s environmentally friendly, and it works.” Lipadan technology, Hsu’s patented green tea formulation, can penetrate the skin’s waterproof barrier, unlike water-soluble green tea. This enables the hair-friendly green tea components to combat major causes of dandruff: excessive cell growth, oxidative stress and inflammation. Coal tar, a common ingredient in conventional dandruff shampoos, works by slowing the production of skin cells, but it is carcinogenic in high doses and banned for cosmetic use in many countries. Green tea polyphenols promote the skin’s metabolic equilibrium, shield against autoimmune diseases and provide antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-cancer and anti-inflammation properties. “We cannot put green tea in a bottle and expect it to work. It has to have the Lipadan technology,” said Hsu, who began developing the product based on his “remarkable results” with tests on mice. His company, Camellix LLC, markets products based on his green tea technology. In addition to ReviTeaLize anti-dandruff shampoo, a hair-loss shampoo will soon be launched and upcoming products may include shaving cream, body wash, dish soap, facial soap, hair conditioner and gel. Patents are shared with GHSU. n

Dr. Stephen Hsu and his green tea shampoo.

G H S U TO DAY

Dr. Alvin V. Terry Jr.

Preventive Medicine Technician Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Israel Garrison, assigned to 2nd battalion, 11th Marines, sprays pesticide at a soggy drainage area

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oldiers in war zones and farmers tending their fields can have in common chronic exposure to chemicals that impact their nerves. In large doses, these agents, called organophosphates, are rapid killers of people and pests that can also produce chronic disabilities such as problems with learning and memory, headaches and pain, said Dr. Alvin V. Terry Jr., pharmacologist at GHSU’s Medical College of Georgia. A Department of Defense grant is helping him document the less understood – and probably more common - consequences of low-dose exposure for long periods. “The use of these chemicals is like making the Faustian bargain,” said Terry. “They are great for enhancing farming productivity and getting rid of vector-born illnesses, but they are almost ubiquitious in our environment.” He hopes a prospective look at their cumulative toll will help minimize their side effects. “Once we have identified there is a problem and we know the mechanism, we have a much better chance of treating people,” he said. Terry will study varying doses of chlorpyrifos, an insecticide used by farmers and the military during the Gulf War, as well as the nerve agent, diisopropylfluorophosphate. He is the first to look at the agents’ impact on the axons, which enable brain cell communication. “We are talking about the highway,” he said of the pathway that has information, molecules, growth factors and other things made by the cells moving constantly in both directions. Terry is finding this fundamental brain function may be a particular target of chronic exposure to organophosphates. He’s already shown animals with chronic exposure have impaired communication in the body. Now he is studying axons as well as the brain’s white matter, which has been documented to shrink in some Gulf War veterans. Terry want to see if chronic exposure has a similar impact. He was corresponding author on a paper published earlier this year in Neurotoxicology and Teratology that indicates chronic, low-level exposure leads to chronic spatial learning and memory deficits. Dr. Nathan Yanasak, Director of GHSU’s Core Imaging Facility for Small Animals, is collaborating on the new study that will do baseline, then follow-up brain images of rats after lowlevel exposure for 30 days. The researchers will then follow the rats until the agents are no longer detectable in the body. A manganese tracer will gauge activity up and down axons. n

COURTESY U.S. NAVY/MICHAEL D. HECKMAN

Probing Pesticides

Drs. Kenneth C. Iverson (left) and Brian J. McKinnon

Help for Hearing

ochlear implants may be a safe, effective option for some organ transplant patients whose hearing loss results from their transplant-related drug regime, researchers report. Antibiotics can destroy dark cells in the inner ear, and drugs that keep the immune system from attacking a transplanted organ can prime the inner ear for infection, according to Dr. Brian J. McKinnon, otologist and neurotologist at GHSU’s Medical College of Georgia. In fact, cochlear implant patients typically get vaccinations to bolster their immune response to common infections since an electrode, connecting the device to the inner ear, can become a highway for bacteria and viruses. “If you do make the immune system work better, [the patient] may reject the organ,” McKinnon noted. Consequently, only a few transplant patients worldwide have received cochlear implants. However, the new, small retrospective study provides more evidence that patients can restore their hearing without additional health risks if they wait at least six months after the organ transplant and take the right antibiotic before and after the cochlear implant procedure, McKinnon said. He and Dr. Kenneth C. Iverson, Chief Resident in otolaryngology at MCG, are co-authors of the study published in the American Journal of Otolaryngology. “This study adds to the growing evidence that successful cochlear implantation can be achieved in appropriately selected renal transplant patients,” McKinnon and Iverson write. They have continued to use the device selectively in transplant patients and plan a larger, retrospective study. n

A cochlear implant is a small, electronic device consisting of: n

A microphone to pick up sounds

n A speech processor, which selectively filters the sound

An external transmitter coil held in position by a magnet placed behind the ear n

A receiver and stimulator secured in bone beneath the skin, which converts the signals into electric impulses and sends them through an internal cable to electrodes. n

n An electrode array that collects the impulses and sends them to different regions of the auditory nerve.

G H S U TO DAY

Building a

Healthier Community GHSU Unveils Institute of Public and Preventive Health BY SHARRON WALLS

WINTER/SPRING 2012

The United States

Photos through page 24 are from GHSU’s May 15 public health conference, during which the Institute of Public and Preventive Health was unveiled.

COURTESY CHRIS THELEN

he United States spends more on health care than any other nation, yet its citizens have lower overall health and life expectancy than that of many developed nations. In Georgia, 30 counties have lower life expectancy than Third World countries such as El Salvador, Thailand and the Gaza Strip. In addition, chronic conditions account for more than 75 percent of U.S. health care expenditures. To address these and other public health challenges, Georgia Health Sciences University has established an Institute of Public and Preventive Health integrating the enterprise’s public health research initiatives, hosting community programs and cultivating a public health fellowship program. Georgia ranks among the top states nationwide in incidence of Type 2 diabetes, infant mortality, pre-term, low-birth and teen-birth rates, obesity, tuberculosis, hepatitis and AIDS. “We must address these health inequities and examine the social, racial and economic causes of poor health in order to provide better health for our citizens, with greater cost-effectiveness and economic benefit for our state,” said GHSU President Ricardo Azziz as he unveiled the institute during GHSU’s “Delivering Value in Public and Preventive Health” conference May 15. (See page 21) Initially, the institute will focus on community-related service activities and on interdisciplinary research programs that concentrate on health management and administration, epidemiology, Dr. Andrew Balas behavioral health and health education, environmental and occupational health, and biostatistics. Nearly 40 faculty scholars from GHSU’s five colleges will staff the institute, and

InIn Georgia, Georgia 30 counties have lower life expectancy than Third World countries such as El Salvador, Thailand and the Gaza Strip. additional research faculty members are being recruited. Researchers of the new institute already receive more than $6 million in external grant support annually. “The GHSU Institute of Public and Preventive Health will conduct cuttingedge research and provide services responsive to emerging community health needs,” said College of Allied Health Sciences Dean Andrew Balas, who will

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serve as founding Director of the institute. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The new institute will bring great energy and new scientific evidence to our efforts at improving public and preventive health in Georgia.â&#x20AC;? The Georgia Prevention Institute will integrate with the new institute and be renamed the Georgia Prevention Center. It will continue its focus on behavioral health and health education research and childhood obesity (See page 25). A health management and information studies component will build on expertise and resources in the College of Allied Health Sciences Department of Health Management and Informatics. Population studies will be supported by the College of Graduate Studies Department of Biostatistics. The new institute will also establish a community health network group to respond to emerging public health needs, support new networks and provide population data management infrastructure. An advisory board of community stakeholders will support and counsel the institute to ensure quality, relevance and progress. Ultimately, the institute will develop innovative multidisciplinary public health research, apply and test novel public health strategies and technologies, and advocate for effective public health policy and law. n

Illustrative 2012 activities include: n Grant program for research addressing community health needs n Health behavior screening and education to address needs of the elderly n Forum focused on health issues of teens and young adults n Community health updates for public and private stakeholders n Public health seminar series n Consortium of regional employee health benefits managers n Collaboration with Ft. Gordon on health issues of military personnel

For more information, call 855-TAKESTAND (855-825-3782) or visit www.georgiahealth.edu/ipph.

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Common Ground Conference Charts Path to Healthier Society BY CHRISTINE HURLEY DERISO

hen partnering with the community to improve public health, Dr. Georges Benjamin wants one expert in particular at the table. “There’s a little old lady on her porch in every neighborhood who knows everybody’s business. That person needs to be engaged,” said Benjamin, Executive Director of the American Public Health Association. “It’s got to be grass roots or it doesn’t happen. That’s the way to make it stick.” Dr. Georges Benjamin G H S U TO DAY

Other seats at the table, he said, should be filled by health care providers, educators, entrepreneurs, legislators and community leaders, among others—which almost perfectly describes the makeup of the conference where Benjamin shared his observations. He was the keynote speaker for Georgia Health Sciences University’s “Delivering Value in Public and Preventive Health” conference and public forum, held May 15 at Augusta’s Ray & Joan Kroc Corps Community Center. The conference featured local and national experts in areas at once disparate and united. Their vantage points were different, but the common goal is a healthier society.

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“We have to focus in like a laser on patient populations,” Benjamin said, stressing that although public health emphasizes a bird’s-eye view, the results serve the best interests of every individual. GHSU President Ricardo Azziz couldn’t agree more. He unveiled the university’s new Institute of Public and Preventive Health at the conference, noting that the institute will tap into multiple existing GHSU strengths while creating synergy for emerging projects. Even though the institute, on paper, is nascent, “we are already a large enterprise and indeed number one in Georgia in National Institutes of Health dollars per full-time research faculty,” Azziz said. The Augusta area’s disproportionately high rates of lifestyle-related health problems, he said, warrant urgent measures. “We are a sick county in a very sick state,” he said. Benjamin noted that the United States “spends twice what other industrialized countries spend

on health care but doesn’t have the results to support it.” As this magazine went to press, the country was awaiting a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the constitutionality of a segment of federal health care reform legislation, but “regardless of the ruling, our problems won’t go away,” he said. Benjamin advocates a health care system that stresses prevention and healthy lifestyles. Few disagree with this thesis, he added, so community leaders should seize the opportunity to find common ground. “We need to focus on the 80 percent of things we agree about and not on the 20 percent of things about which we disagree.” He urges community leaders to rally their neighbors around causes that affect each and every one of them. “We’ve got to figure out how to get the public more engaged and not just complain when there’s something they’re upset about,” he said, bemoaning the fact that the biggest public outcries he has witnessed during his long career in public health regarded mandatory motorcycle helmets and ferret euthanasia. One reason for widespread public apathy, he said, is a sense of futility, disconnect and frustration with

a highly dysfunctional health care system. “The health market does not act like a normal market. Our price structure makes no sense whatsoever. None of us have any idea what we’re paying for other than a co-payment.” But the stakes are too high to tune out, Benjamin said, noting that in his home city of Washington, D.C., socioeconomic status exerts a 10-year difference in average life expectancy. “Why does the public tolerate disparities like this?” he mused. “It’s not a secret at all, yet what are we doing about it? You see it in counties and states all over the country. Where we live determines our life expectancy.” Inertia, he stressed, is no longer an option. “We can’t be silent anymore. It’s very important to know the facts, engage the public, be vocal advocates, show the results of effective programs and use the political process.” Andrew Webber, President and CEO of the National Business Coalition on Health, concurs. “We have a health issue and a tremendous cost issue, which has implications for the future of our country and our competitive advantage,” he said during his address to conference attendees. “Health care costs are hitting the bottom line and making us less competitive.” But he emphasized that money isn’t the top consideration, even in the business world. “Our interest is not just at a workforce level but at the community level, because from where do we draw our future workers? From the community. Employers can do everything right business-wise, but if their employees go home to unhealthy communities, their investment is compromised.” Conversely, he noted that good business makes for good health, citing education and employment as top indicators of well-being. “If health is our goal, maybe economic development should be our top priority,” he said.

Stepping Stones to Better Health Editor’s note: Following are observations of some of the speakers at the “Delivering Value in Public and Preventive Health” conference and public forum:

“We share a lot in common with the public health community. It is the business imperative to be all about population health improvements.” – Andrew Webber, President and CEO, National Business Coalition on Health

CONTINUED

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Dr. Linda C. Degutis, Director of the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, applauded her fellow speakers’ emphasis on public health but urged the experts to be mindful of the extensive individual suffering that depletes the vitality of each community. The suicide of one of her nephews, and the lifelong disability of another caused by an Army helicopter crash, are always on her mind as she works to improve prevention measures in the nation. “That’s exactly why we do this and why our work is important,” she said. “Just looking at the numbers doesn’t give you the full picture.” She agreed with Webber that good health is also good business. “Prevention is far cheaper than treatment,” she said, particularly in areas such as addiction, violence and injuries. Georgia Health Sciences has played a pioneering role in prevention, chiefly through its Georgia Prevention Center (see page 25) and an innovative statewide health-delivery model. “The Georgia Health Sciences enterprise is uniquely positioned to leverage capabilities across education, research and patient care to lead in many areas of health care, including population-based health care and research initiatives,” according to the enterprise’s strategic plan, Transformation 2020. “As the state’s sole academic health center, the enterprise fills several unique roles in Georgia, including serving as the state’s resource for advanced and complex care.” Every clinical initiative reflects that imperative, said Davis S. Hefner, Georgia Health Sciences Executive Vice President for Clinical Affairs. “Whatever we invent should have the elements of prevention, prediction and personalization,” he told conference attendees. “And as we play a statewide role in advanced and complex care, we have to partner with the Dr. David S. Hefner community in what they do really well, which is primary care.” All of the conference participants lauded Georgia Health Sciences’ initiative in bringing disparate voices together—an effort other communities should emulate. “We cannot continue in the way we’ve been going. We are simply running out of resources,” said Dr. Gail Wilensky, Economist and Senior Fellow at Project HOPE and former Director of the Medicare and Medicaid Programs. “Those of us who come from different spheres and walks of life need to come together. Talking past each other just makes it harder. We really can find common ground.” n

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“[In a crisis situation], no longer are we looking at an individual; we are looking at a system.” – Col. Christopher M. Castle, Commander, Eisenhower Army Medical Center, and first responder during 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan

“One of our goals is to put injury and violence prevention on the map as the premier achievement of the 21st century.” –Dr. Linda C. Degutis, Director, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control

Welcome Mat for Wellness

BY CHRISTINE HURLEY DERISO

Georgia Prevention Center Helps Stop Disease in its Tracks

hris Bridges* grew up with disease at his doorstep. “We have a history of high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol in my family,” he said. He was a healthy child, but the strokes, heart disease and diabetes-related complications of family members served as continual reminders that life was pretty fragile. His family members’ health problems also portended his own future. Or not. Chris may have drawn the short straw in terms of hereditary risk factors for cardiovascular disease, but he was incredibly lucky in terms of timing and geography. He happened to grow up in Augusta just as the Georgia Prevention Center came of age. The Georgia Institute for the Prevention of Human Diseases was founded by Georgia Health Sciences in 1981 to study lifestyle-related adult diseases that were alarmingly showing their fingerprints in childhood. The institute, which recently became a component of the Institute of Public and Preventive Health and was renamed the Georgia Prevention Center, rolled up its sleeves to try to turn the tide. “It was my colleague and good friend, Dr. Maurice Levy, who said, ‘Why don’t we develop an institute of preventive medicine?” said Dr. William Strong, Professor Emeritus of Pediatric Cardiology and retired Section Chief. CONTINUED

Drs. Maurice Levy (left) and William Strong

*not real name

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Dr. Titus H. J. Huisman

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Strong was immediately intrigued. “What we did have in Augusta that was relatively unique was a population with a fairly high rate of sickle cell disease and hypertension,” he said. “Early on, I became involved in those two areas, primarily because of an interest in pediatric cardiology.” Soon after joining the GHSU faculty in 1969, Strong tagteamed with Dr. Titus H.J. Huisman, who founded GHSU’s Sickle Cell Center, evaluating the ability of Huisman’s patients to exercise. This was one of the country’s earliest pediatric exercise studies—an undertaking that seems nothing short of prescient in light of today’s childhood obesity crisis. He and Levy, who developed GHSU’s Institute of Human Nutrition with Dr. Elaine Feldman, immediately sensed a wellspring of potential in gleaning lifestyle risk factors in childhood that planted the seed for adult diseases such as hypertension, heart disease and diabetes. Dr. William Moretz, then Dr. William Moretz President of GHSU, agreed to launch the undertaking in 1981, but without any funding. “That was the first research institute on campus,” Strong said. “But we had to obtain our own funding. It took almost four years before it was able to come into reality. In the meantime, there was a great deal of interest on campus, but unfortunately, no money.”

GHSU formed its Research Institute that year to lay the groundwork for extramural funding—an initiative that bore fruit in 1985. That’s when Strong, Levy and their new colleague, Dr. Frank Treiber, a developmental psychologist who would go on to serve as GHSU’s Vice President for Research from 200509, obtained GHSU’s first National Institutes of Health grant. The grant, exploring the relationship of childhood diet and exercise to future heart disease, laid the groundwork for Georgia Prevention Center grants exploring genetic, environmental and psychosocial aspects of diseases then considered to have their onset in adulthood. Their efforts took on new urgency as the country realized that diseases such as hypertension and Type-2 diabetes were now showing up in youths. Dr. Greg Harshfield, who was named Director of the Georgia Prevention Dr. Greg Harshfield Center in 2005, noted that 1 in every 400 children and adolescents in the United States now has Type-2 diabetes, a startling percentage that threatens to rise unless society can get a handle on the crisis. Harshfield is exceedingly proud that GHSU was among the first institutions in the nation to sound the alarm. “This university played a pioneering role in topics such as childhood obesity that are now discussed on a daily basis, including at the White House,” he said. “These kinds of health issues affect not only countless individuals, but society as a whole.” The center, which has garnered approximately $75 million in grant funding since its inception, now targets all ages and multiple health conditions, including diabetes, congenital disease, substance abuse, COPD, cystic fibrosis, obesity and many others.

“I think it’s exciting that even in the past few years of hard economic times, we’ve doubled our funding,” Harshfield said. “The center has stayed vibrant and relevant across four directors, changing focus to meet evolving health needs and research priorities, always striving to stay at the cutting edge. We’ve also had key support throughout the years from people such as Dr. William Kanto (Chief Medical Officer for Georgia Health Sciences Health System and former Chair of the Department of Pediatrics, which housed the center for many years). I see the center fitting in very well with GHSU President Ricardo Azziz’s mission.” Center researchers look not only at lifestyle-related risk factors for disease but at physiological mechanisms, genetic epidemiology and many other factors,

Dr. William Kanto

then develop lifestyle interventions, drug treatments and other therapies that can turn the tide. Areas of research focus include the effects of regular exercise on children’s academic performance, the effects of stress on salt retention, genetic factors underlying coronary artery disease, diastolic function, obesity prevention and smoking cessation. But Georgia Prevention Center

“The hope [when we started the center] was that we could become a part of a golden era of medical breakthroughs. We’ve come a much longer way than our pedestrian thoughts could have imagined. Being a part of this evolution has been a very positive thing.” – DR. WILLIAM STRONG researchers do far more than study these diseases in laboratories. They regularly visit schools, churches, community centers and other sites to discuss wellness and subject their theories to real-world tests. What effects, for instance, do new mothers’ weight problems and depression have on the health of their infants? Researchers go straight to the sources to find out. In addition to working with the community members on their specific research focus, the researchers match them with area resources and do everything possible to ease their burdens. In addition to taking their studies to the streets, Georgia Prevention Center researchers also bring their sources to campus. Resources include a gym, a van to transport study participants and laboratories to study body composition, metabolism, stress reactivity, echocardiography, biochemistry and molecular genetics, among other things. This requires unparalleled trust between the center and the community. “This place is an innovation in how children will be treated,” said Dr. Melinda Beavers, who conducted research at the Georgia Prevention Center while earning her M.D./Ph.D. degree. “It is a connecting point between the world of science and the real world.” The center, she said, has earned the community’s trust. “Parents are very excited for their children to be able to connect with the medical community in a way other than needing to see a doctor,” she said. “I think they see the center as making Augusta a better place and making the community a better place.”

Bridges, who participated in Georgia Prevention Center studies throughout childhood, couldn’t agree more. “I’m sure my parents saw my participation as an opportunity to give back and possibly find a cure or ways to prevent the diseases in my family,” he said. He concedes that such lofty goals were lost on him in childhood. He was just thrilled to shoot baskets or play video games, oblivious at the time that the physiological measurements taken during the activities were laying the groundwork for biomedical breakthroughs. “The video games were definitely my favorite,” he said with a smile. Of course, his perspective as an adult adds innumerable new layers to the benefits he received. “My participation in the studies has encouraged me to be more health-conscious, to increase my physical activity and to watch what I consume,” he said. “I feel I’m doing my part to help future generations.” Strong couldn’t be more pleased to hear such a glowing endorsement. “The hope [when we started the center] was that we could become a part of a golden era of medical breakthroughs,” he said. “We’ve come a much longer way than our pedestrian thoughts could have imagined. Being a part of this evolution has been a very positive thing.” Harshfield concurs. “What I want the research participants to know is that they’re making a difference, and we thank them for it,” he said. “Their participation in our studies is changing the way medicine is practiced.” n

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Commencement ‘A Big Footprint’ Nobel Laureate Ferid Murad urged GHSU’s 795 graduates to “leave a big footprint” during the 2012 Commencement ceremony. Georgia Health Sciences photographer Phil Jones captured these scenes from the event.

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t 2012

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metal into a casting at the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s foundry in Grovetown, Ga.

BY SHARRON WALLS

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Nobel Wisdom World-Renowned Scientists Impart Advice at GHSU

BY CHRISTINE HURLEY DERISO

Dr. Ferid Murad

hallenging the emerging generation of health care professionals to “leave a big footprint,” Nobel Prize Laureate Ferid Murad counseled hard work, persistence and patience as guest speaker at Georgia Health Sciences University’s 2012 commencement ceremony May 11. “You can be sure that the medicine and research practiced in the next 20 to 30 years will be quite different than it is today,” Murad told the university’s 795 graduates. Murad, who with two colleagues received the 1998 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine for discovering the role of nitric oxide in the cardiovascular system, challenged the graduates to establish and continually reassess long-term professional goals while forging strong personal relationships and having fun. Murad, the son of poor immigrants who was the first member of his family to attend college, recalls memorizing the orders of customers in his family’s small restaurant. He also tallied their bills in his mind “as a game and mental exercise,” he said. “In my free time, I would do math problems, crossword puzzles and memorize license plate numbers, lists of random numbers and words in the dictionary. These mental

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games proved very useful later when I was learning medicine and chemistry.” The exercises also reinforced his strong sense of discipline and resilience, qualities that came in handy as he worked his way through college. After graduating first in his class in Case Western Reserve University’s M.D./Ph.D. program, he completed a combined clinical and research fellowship at the National Heart Institute, finally completing his training at age 34. “I thought about more fellowship training but decided it was time to get a real job and support my wife and five children,” he said with a laugh. As Director of the Institute of Molecular and Cellular Signaling at George Washington University, Murad revels in a career that draws on skills in clinical medicine, basic research, business and teaching. “I have enjoyed all of these aspects of my career and can assure you that I must continue to learn,” he said. “My students and trainees generally teach me more than I

teach them. Indeed, this learning process should never end as your profession advances. The development of longterm learning skills and self-discipline is probably more important than some of the factual data you will learn.” As exciting as his Nobel Prize was, he is more excited by the potential that his findings unleashed. “Although we have learned a great deal about the biological effects of nitric oxide, I believe much more can be learned to maximize its application in medicine in the future,” he said. “Nitric oxide research has become one of the most popular areas in biology. Many drugs have been developed and many more are in clinical trials. Our research has influenced the health care of millions of people.” Quoting Jonas Salk, he said, “I feel that the greatest reward for discovering is the opportunity to do more.” Such a noble footprint is within reach of every GHSU graduate, he assured the class, noting, “There may be a future Nobel Laureate in this graduating class.”

Dr. Oliver Smithies

“You can be sure that the medicine and research practiced in the next 20 to 30 years will be quite different than it is today.” –DR. FERID MURAD

“You can ask people for help. Good scientists will always help. If they won’t help others, they don’t classify in my mind as scientists. But the reciprocal is that you have to help others.” –DR. OLIVER SMITHIES

obel Laureate Oliver Smithies’ pioneering role in genetically altering laboratory mice has dramatically changed the landscape of biomedical research. But esoteric expertise wasn’t what he wanted to convey during a May 10 visit to campus. As the Department of Physiology’s ninth Mahesh Lecturer, he wanted to impart more basic lessons gleaned from humble roots in a small English village. “Even though it was a little village, it did produce a Nobel Laureate,” he said of the lush green countryside of Halifax, Yorkshire that he called home. “An adjacent village produced two Nobel Laureates, both taught by the same teacher. There must have been something magical about the place. I’ve decided it was the water.” Of course, his tongue was firmly in cheek. The common denominator of the three Nobel Laureates, he said, was boundless curiosity and teachers who challenged and inspired them. Smithies, whose PowerPoint presentation consisted of handwritten notes and formulas compiled over a 60-plus-year career, challenged the filled-tocapacity audience to tap into their own homespun wisdom as they advance their careers. For instance, it was early in Smithies’ career that he invented gel electrophoresis by recalling the tendency of his mother’s laundry starch to become gelatinous in water. He continues to jerry-rig his own inventions to this day when needed, including one to expedite polymerized chain reaction. His students have affectionately dubbed the inventions NBGBOKFO (no bloody good but OK for others). Necessity, Smithies noted, is the mother of invention, recalling that his lack of a camera as a young man led him to hand-draw his assays and other laboratory observations. Speaking of no-frills supplies, he urged his audience to keep good notes. “Then, when your cell phone rings or your Tweeter twits,” he said to laughter, “you’ll remember where you were.” Collaboration is also vital, he said. “You can ask people for help. Good scientists will always help. If they won’t help others, they don’t classify in my mind as scientists. But the reciprocal is that you have to help others.” CONTINUED

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Another bit of advice? Respect the basics. When he started genetically analyzing proteins, he sought out the first literature ever published on the subject: a 1910 paper describing sickle cell disease. “The best way to learn about a new subject is to go back to when it was first discovered,” he said. “The first papers are relatively simple and easy to understand.” But a good scientist can never read too much, he stressed, noting that one of his favorite parts of teaching is that “if you teach things, you have to read carefully.” Smithies also counsels fledgling scientists to boldly pursue avenues that may reap few rewards. He joked that his first published paper in 1948 has the distinction of “never having been quoted by anybody. Then you have to ask yourself: What was the point? The answer is that I learned good science doing it. And if it doesn’t matter what you do, you better enjoy it.” He still works evenings and weekends “doing crazy experiments,” he said, “because it’s not work. Find something that you like to do.” The parting words of Smithies, Weatherspoon Eminent Distinguished Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill whose 2007 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine attests to a prolific and well-loved career, were, “I don’t know.” As the words flashed on the screen, he explained, “That’s what makes science exciting.” n

About the Lectureship The Virendra B. Mahesh Lectureship was established in 2001 in the Department of Physiology as a lasting tribute to its namesake, who helped establish GHSU’s Ph.D. program in endocrinology in 1965. The program was funded by National Institutes of Health training grants for 34 years. Mahesh, a pioneer in steroid biochemistry and reproductive biology, chaired the Department of Physiology and Endocrinology from 1972-99. His polycystic ovarian disease research is world-renowned.

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Captain of Compassion Beard Award Recipient Views Mankind with Reverence, Respect BY JENNIFER HILLIARD SCOTT

er maturity and commitment to patients led a professor to dub her “Captain Cook.” But for Katie Cook, the nickname was not a complete misnomer. After graduating from Notre Dame in 2001 with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, she began her military career at Fort Stewart, Ga., where she coordinated training for 27 army medics and maintained more than $6 million in medical equipment. She was deployed to Iraq in 2002 and as 1st Lt. Executive Officer, her supervision of 85 soldiers earned her a Bronze Star Medal and Combat Medical Badge for support work – all amid active ground combat during Operation Iraqi Freedom. She returned from Iraq in 2003 and earned a master’s degree in clinical anatomy from Creighton University. There, she worked as a teaching assistant in the medical gross anatomy lab, teaching 120 first-year medical students what they could learn from their “first patients.” “Her journey into (that lab) led Katie to her first patients, the cadavers for whom she held such respect and esteem and ‘who served as my first teachers of medicine and of reverence for the human body,’” wrote Dr. Kathleen McKie, Associate Dean for Student Affairs in GHSU’s Medical College of Georgia. Cook took on the same role in 2009 after her first year of medical school. “She (fulfills) the meaning of the word physician, which is ‘teacher,’ in (that) role,” McKie wrote. “She imparted not only the anatomic knowledge of the body but reverence and respect for the human being.” Those qualities also carried over to Katie’s care of living patients. “Katie is a constant patient advocate and she considers the emotional needs of patients in addition to their challenging clinical problems,” wrote Dr. Steven Holsten, Associate Program Director of the general surgery rotation in the Department of Surgery. “She was particularly effective in the (Surgical Intensive Care Unit) working with a patient and her family that had terminal ovarian cancer. The patient had severe

sepsis and was non-responsive, yet Katie was very concerned with the patient’s dignity and the emotional state of the family. She was a key player in providing compassionate care in a setting that can be stale and clinical, and I admire her for that.” In a similar story, Dr. McKie wrote “Katie had the fortune to get to know a couple from rural Georgia when the husband was hospitalized at GHS Medical Center following a stroke. She spent many hours listening to the couple talk of their family and recount tales of their grandchildren noting that she could not cure or offer solutions, but she could listen and relate. The time she spent answering questions, explaining situations, reassuring when she could, and providing the support and the human touch of a health care provider will not be forgotten by Katie or by the couple she cared for and supported through such challenging events.” Katie’s compassion, sensitivity and willingness to help others earned her GHSU’s 2012 John F. Beard Award for Compassionate Care. She received the award and earned a medical degree during commencement May 11. The $25,000 annual Beard Award is endowed by William Porter “Billy” Payne and his wife, Martha, to a graduating GHSU student who exemplifies caring and compassion in health care. Payne, Chairman of the Augusta National Golf Club, established the award in 1998 to memorialize his father-in-law, who died of cancer in 1997. The award honors GHSU President Emeritus Francis J. Tedesco and Mr. Beard’s physician, Dr. Mark F. Williams, a 1988 MCG graduate who treated Mr. Beard during his hospitalization at MCG. “I would let (Katie) care for my wife and children, and if you know surgeons, [you know] that is the highest compliment I can pay my friend,” Holsten said. n

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Rich Heritage, Dynamic HOMECOMING 2012

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how out, art s k o o c ’s t n A Preside e among r e w e c n and da hundreds y b d e y ities enjo the activ students d n a y lt i, facu of alumn Sciences’ h lt a e H eorgia during G lebration e c g in m meco 2012 Ho ege Each coll . 9 2 5 2 April guished in t is D d e ent also pres g ards durin w A i n m Alu ed tion, them a r b le e c the re.” mic Futu a n y D , e ritag “Rich He

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G H S U TO DAY

HOMECOMING 2012

SUMMER 2012

G H S U TO DAY

Making Their Mark

Distin

GHSU Recognizes Distinguished Alumni during Homecoming 2012

BY JENNIFER HILLIARD SCOTT

The College of Allied Health Sciences honored Dr. Elizabeth Kenimer Leibach, Senior Research Scientist and Project Lead on the Evidence-based Laboratory Medicine Project for the Division of Laboratory Science and Standards at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Leibach, the former Chair of the GHSU Department of Medical Technology, earned her bachelor’s degree in medical technology in 1972 and a master’s degree in cellular and molecular biology in 1976. Leibach joined the faculty in 1973 as a Clinical Instructor in the Department of Medical Technology. After working at hospitals throughout the country, she started Healthcare Management and Educational Services, Inc., in 1992, to provide consultation related to rural health care delivery and laboratory services. She returned to GHSU as an Assistant Professor in 1993. She is a lifetime member of the College of Allied Health Sciences Alumni Association and Secretary/ Treasurer of the GHSU College of Graduate Studies Alumni Association. She is a member of The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi and is a six-time recipient of the Georgia Society for Clinical Laboratory Science’s Contributions to the Profession Award. Leibach also serves on the Boards of Directors for Walton Technologies and Walton Innovations.

SUMMER 2012

The College of Dental Medicine honored Dr. Grant Loo, a general dentist in Augusta and a 1990 graduate. Loo has served on the College of Dental Medicine’s Building Imperative Steering Committee since 2006 and was an initial donor to the college’s Thousand Thanks Campaign to raise money for the new building, which opened last year. He is past President of the College of Dental Medicine’s Alumni Association and serves as a delegate of the Eastern District of the Georgia Dental Association. He is a member of the American Dental Association, The Academy of General Dentistry and the Thomas P. Hinman Dental Society. Loo is a member of the International College of Dentists and the Pierre Fauchard Academy. For more than 20 years, he has mentored GHSU dental students and hosted visiting foreign dental students.

nguished Alumni ALLIED HEALTH SCIENCES

DENTAL MEDICINE

GRADUATE STUDIES

Honored in the College of Graduate Studies was Dr. John A. Copeland, Associate Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Senior Associate Consultant for Cancer Basic Science at the Mayo Clinic. He received his masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree in endocrinology in 1983 and his doctoral degree in physiology and endocrinology in 1992. Copeland researches urological and thyroid cancer, translating clinical observations into new therapeutic targets. He is the principle investigator on two National Institutes of Health RO1 grants and co-investigator on several NIH and Department of Defense Foundation Grants. He is a member and grant reviewer for the American Association for Cancer Research, a member of the American Thyroid Association, the American Urological Association, the Society for Basic Urologic Research, the Society of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Biology and the Endocrine Society. He is a member of the Department of Veterans Affairs Merit Review Subcommittee for Oncology and a Senior Editorial Board Member for the American Journal of Cancer Research.

MEDICAL COLLEGE OF GEORGIA

NURSING

Dr. Cecil F. Whitaker Jr. received the Medical College of Georgiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Distinguished Alumnus Award for Loyalty. A retired obstetrician and gynecologist from Columbus, Ga., he received his medical degree in 1962 and returned to GHSU in 1965 to complete his residency after serving in the U.S. Navy. Whitaker retired as President of Obstetric and Gynecologic Associates of Columbus, Ga., P.C. The $1.5 million Cecil F. Whitaker, Jr., MD Chair in Cancer, held by the GHSU Cancer Center Director, is named for him. In 2011, St. Francis Hospital in Columbus honored Whitaker with the Dr. Clarence C. Butler Service and Leadership Award. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Medical College of Georgia Foundation and served as its Chair from 1997-99. He was President of the Medical College of Georgia Alumni Association from 1995-96 and the Georgia Obstetrical and Gynecological Society from 1987-88. He also serves on the advisory boards of the South Atlantic Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the South Central Obstetrical and Gynecological Society, LLC. CONTINUED

G H S U TO DAY

Dr. Patricia C. Davis received the Medical College of Georgia’s Distinguished Alumnus Award for Professional Achievement. Davis, a 1977 graduate, is a radiologist at Northwest Radiology Consultants in Atlanta. Davis completed a residency in diagnostic radiology and a fellowship in neurovascular radiology at Emory University. She served as a Professor in Emory’s Department of Radiology and, in 1990, started the pediatric neuroradiology service at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s Egleston campus. She is an examiner for the American Board of Radiology’s Diagnostic Oral Boards and received the board’s Lifetime Service Award in 2009. She is a Fellow of the American College of Radiology and a member of its Expert Panel on Neuro Imaging. She is past President of the American Society of Pediatric Neuroradiology and a member of its Research Committee. Davis is past President of the Southeastern Neuroradiological Society.

Dr. Karen J. Minyard, Director of the Georgia Health Policy Center at Georgia State University’s Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, received the College of Nursing’s E. Louise Grant Award for Excellence in Clinical Practice, Administration and Community Service. She received her master’s degree in nursing administration from GHSU in 1979. Minyard leads policy, research and technical assistance programs for the GHPC, focusing on end-of-life care, child well-being, health philanthropy, rural health, cancer and access to care for the uninsured. She also teaches doctorallevel seminar and management courses at Georgia State. From 1979-86, she was an Assistant Professor in the GHSU Department of Nursing Administration. In 2002, Minyard was named Distinguished Researcher of the Year by the Georgia Rural Health Association. In 2005, she served on the board of Gov. Sonny Perdue’s

SUMMER 2012

Dr. Marion Broome, Dean and Distinguished Professor at the Indiana University School of Nursing, received the College of Nursing’s Phoebe Kandel Rohrer Founder’s Award. Broome, who earned her bachelor’s degree from GHSU in 1973, spent her early career in pediatrics as an officer in the Army Nurse Corps. Since 1978, she has held faculty positions at GHSU, Rush University, the University of Wisconsin and the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where she was Associate Dean for Research. She joined Indiana University in 2004. She researches pediatric pain and pediatric research ethics. She has been named a University of South Carolina Outstanding Alumnus and an Indianapolis Woman of Influence.

Steering Committee for the Healthcare Prevention Initiative. She is a member of the Board of Directors for the Georgia Rural Health Association, the National Network of Public Health Institutes, the American Project Access Network and Georgia Health Decisions.

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CLASS notes

Allied Health Sciences Dental Allied Medicine Health Graduate Sciences Studies Medicine Nursing Dental Medicine Graduate Studies

Medicine Nursing

Awards? College of

Professional Honors?

Special Activities?

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Allied Health Sciences

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Mary Westra Davidson (’78), an Expanded Practice Dental Hygienist with La Clinica del Carino in The Dalles and Hood River, Ore., is President of the Oregon Board of Dentistry. She has endorsements and permits in nitrous oxide, local anesthesia and restorative functions.

Dr. John B. Black (’69), of Swainsboro, Ga., recently received the city’s Our Town Hero Award. The Whitfield County native earned his Ph.D. in endocrinology from GHSU and served a variety of roles in higher education before returning to Swainsboro to become President of East Georgia College. He retired Dec. 31, 2011.

George “Bo” Hamil Jr. (’78), of Carrollton, Ga., has been reappointed to the State Board of Physical Therapy. Hamil is President and CEO of Southern Therapy Services Inc., a regional rehabilitation company. He has served as a physical therapy clinical instructor for more than 30 years. He is the immediate past Chair of the board of First Georgia Banking Co. Hamil earned a master’s degree in counseling from West Georgia College. Benjamin J. Smith (’99), a physician assistant in rheumatology at the McIntosh Clinic, P.D., has been named the 43rd President of the Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals. He is the first physician assistant to serve as President.

College of

Dental Medicine Dr. Stanley D. Satterfield (’77) received the 2011 Georgia Dental Association Community Service Award for his role in establishing and supporting the dental care component of Mercy Health Center in Athens, Ga. He has served on the center’s board and works Fridays each month providing oral surgery for patients. He frequently treats Mercy patients in his private oral surgery office when the center is overloaded, which it often is. The center opened in 2001 and moved to a larger permanent facility in 2007 due to the volume of patients seeking care. Dr. Lavonne K. Fore (’87) operates Fore Orthodontics, in Rome, Ga. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and her master’s degree from St. Louis University. She achieved lifetime board orthodontics certification in 2001.

Dr. Jep Paschal (’93) operates Paschal Orthodontics in Madison, Ga. He completed two residencies at the University of Texas and is certified in prosthodontics and orthodontics.

College of

Nursing Mary Margaret Richardson (’74) recently received a Profiles in Caring Award from the Valdosta State University College of Nursing for her contributions to nursing, nursing education and health care leadership. She earned her master’s degree at GHSU after earning a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Valdosta State. She served on Valdosta State’s faculty in capacities including Professor, Assistant Dean and Director of Continuing Education from 1976 until her retirement as a Professor Emerita in 2002. Valdosta State Interim President Dr. Louis Levy characterized her as “bold and fearless when it comes to getting things done.” Marilyn Farmer (’85) has been named the 2012 Humanitarian of the Year by the Athens Regional Foundation for her years of service to Athens Regional Medical Center and the community. She has served on the Athens-Clarke County Planning Commission and the Athens Women’s Club and has chaired fundraisers for the March of Dimes and American Cancer Society. She has also served on the Clarke County Board of Commissioners, now the Athens-Clarke County board. In addition to her service at Athens Regional, she has coordinated patient care at Family Life Enrichment Centers.

Maj. Gen. Jimmie O. Keenan (’89), of Springfield, Va., has assumed command of the U.S. Army Public Health Command. Keenan is the 12th commander and fourth nurse to lead the U.S. Army Public Health Command. She received her master of science degree in nursing administration from GHSU and a master’s degree in strategic studies from the U.S. Army War College. She is a recipient of the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters, the Army Commendation Medal with four oak leaf clusters and the Army Achievement Medal. Keenan received the General Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award for the Health Services Command in 1988, and was a regional finalist in the White House Fellowship Program in 1992. She is a member of the Order of Military Medical Merit and a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives.

G H S U TO DAY

Contact Christine Hurley Deriso, Editor, at 706-721-2124 or email cderiso@georgiahealth.edu.

We would like to recognize our alumni from all five colleges.

Medical College of Georgia Dr. Betty B. Wray (’60), of Augusta, Ga., received a Lifetime Achievement Award for distinguished service to the Southeastern Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Society. Wray is a Professor Emerita in Pediatrics and Medicine at Georgia Health Sciences University. She is a past President and longtime member of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, earning its Gold-headed Cane Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2007. Wray has served as a Delegate to the Medical Association of Georgia through the Richmond County Medical Society and received a Distinguished Service Award from the society in 1999. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, earning its Lifetime Achievement Award through the Georgia Chapter in 2000. Wray received the Medical College of Georgia Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2000. Dr. Bruce Gillett (’64), of Marietta, Ga., recently published “Quarter-Peeled Oranges,” a book of poetry. All proceeds support Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Gillett owns Marietta Neurological Associates. Dr. Paul E. Stanton Jr. (’69), of Johnson City, Tenn., retired as President of East Tennessee State University after 15 years. He was named President Emeritus by the Tennessee Board of Regents, and will continue to work part time. Prior to being named President, Stanton was Dean of Medicine. Dr. Julian D. Sharpton (’74), of Royston, Ga., joined the Athens, Ga., office of Reddy Urgent Care. Sharpton previously ran a family practice in Royston, Ga. He is board certified by the American Board of Family Medicine. Dr. Mercedes Dullum (’79), of St. Croix, Virgin Islands, has been appointed Virgin Islands Health Commissioner by Gov. John deJongh Jr. Dullum completed a general surgery residency at the University of Mississippi Medical Center and a thoracic surgery residency at George Washington University Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Dr. P. Merrill White (’79), of Knoxville, Tenn., is President-Elect of the Tennessee Orthopaedic Society. White practices at Tennessee Orthopaedic Clinics. Previously, he served as an Assistant Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at North Carolina Baptist Hospital. He is a member of the North American Spine Society and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. White completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at North Carolina Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem, N.C., and an adult spine surgery fellowship at Rothman Institute and Jefferson Hospital in Philadelphia.

SUMMER 2012

Dr. Howard T. Walpole Jr. (’81), of Nashville, Tenn., has joined Okyanos Heart Institute as Chief Medical Officer and Interventional Cardiologist. Previously, Walpole served as the Chief of Cardiac Sciences at St. Thomas Hospital in Nashville, Tenn. Walpole received a bachelor of science from the University of Georgia and an MBA from Emory University.

Dr. Guy Gober (’84), of Tiger, Ga., retired from the U.S. Army National Guard. He served as a medical officer and was mobilized five times during conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan and received the Iraq Campaign Medal with two campaign stars and the Army Commendation Medal. He owns and operates Tiger Urology in Rabun County, Ga. Dr. Mark L. Mudano (‘84), of Milledgeville, Ga., has joined Effingham Health System as an Orthopedic Surgeon. Prior to joining Effingham Health System, Mudano was with Southeastern Orthopedics in Milledgeville. Mudano completed a fellowship in reconstructive knee surgery and sports medicine at the Medical College of Georgia. He is board certified through the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery. Dr. Tillman Pearce (‘85), of San Francisco, Calif., was appointed Chief Medical Officer of Threshold Pharmaceuticals. Pearce will oversee the development of oncology drugs. Prior to joining Threshold, Pearce served as Chief Medical Officer for KaloBios Pharmaceuticals. He has a bachelor’s from Tulane Universtiy and is a board-certified internist and hematologist. Dr. Ken Howard (‘92), of Rome, Ga., has been named to the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians Board of Directors. Howard practices as Harbin Clinic in Calhoun, Ga. He is board certified by the American Board of Family Practice. Dr. Douglas W. Lundy (‘93), of Mableton, Ga., was named as a Top Doc in orthopaedics by U.S. News & World Report. Lundy practices at Resurgens in Marietta, Ga. He completed a residency at Georgia Baptist Medical Center in Atlanta and a fellowship at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn. He is board certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Lundy is a member of the American Orthopaedic Association, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the Orthopaedic Trauma Association, the Georgia Orthopaedic Society, the Southeastern Fracture Consortium, the ACS

Committee on Trauma, the Medical Association of Georgia, the Atlanta Orthopaedic Society, the Arthroscopy Association of North America and the Georgia Orthopaedic Society. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.

Dr. Jessica C.E. Thomas (’06), of Nashville, Tenn., has joined Tennessee Neurology Specialists at Middle Tennessee Medical Center in Murfreesboro, Tenn., as the Medical Director of the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit. Thomas received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia and a master of public health in epidemiology from Emory University. She completed her residency in neurology at The Ohio State University in Columbus and a fellowship at Vanderbilt University.

Obituaries Dr. H. Calvin Jackson (Medicine, ’42), 91, died March 31 at his residence in Manchester, Ga. Jackson completed an internship at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta and served in the U.S. Army-Air Force as a medical officer at two U.S. Air Force hospitals from 1946-48, achieving the rank of Captain. He was a charter Fellow and life member of the American Academy of Family Physicians, a life member of the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians, a life member of the Medical Association of Georgia and past President of the Meriwether-Harris-Talbot County Medical Society. He served as Meriwether County Medical Examiner for the state of Georgia for 42 years. He served on the board of the MCG Foundation and was a past President of the MCG Alumni Association. Dr. J. Harold Harrison (Medicine ’48), 86, died June 2, at his residence in Bartow, Ga. Dr. Harrison was born in Kite, Ga., served as a Captain in the U.S. Army and went on to become a pioneer in the field of cardiovascular surgery. In a career that spanned over 50 years, Dr. Harrison operated on some 7,000 blocked neck arteries and developed the nation’s first vascular training program at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Atlanta in 1959. Dr. Harrison attended the University of Georgia. He interned at the Medical College of Virginia and completed his residency training at Grady Hospital in Atlanta. Upon retirement, Dr. Harrison remained heavily involved with the MCG Foundation and Alumni Association, of which he served as Past President of both. Dr. Harrison was a past GHSU Vessel of Life Award recipient noting significant contributions to his alma mater and the field of medicine. Survivors include his wife Sue; sister Mahalah Harrison of Evans, Ga.; step-daughter Stephanie McLain of Douglasville, Ga.; step-son Scott Fitzgerald of Evans; seven grandchildren; four nieces; two nephews; and numerous great nieces and nephews. Dr. Robert G. Bursey, (Medicine, ‘67), of Herndon, Va., died Feb. 1. He was 70. The Boston native earned a bachelor’s degree from North Georgia College & State University and a doctorate from Clemson University. He was President of Ajinomoto Corporate Services, where he had worked for 15 years in nutritional biochemistry. Bursey had previously worked for the National Dairy Board as Senior Vice President of its nutrition and dairy foods research program, as well as for Kraft Foods, where he conducted nutrition research and product development. He also held leadership positions with professional organizations including the Institute of Food Technologists and published numerous articles in scientific journals. Survivors include his wife, Betty Johns Bursey of Herndon; two daughters, Heather Lopane of Charlotte, N.C., and Tara Cooksey of Washington, D.C.; one brother; and four grandsons. Dr. Daniel G. Phillips (Medicine, ’68), of Spokane, Wash., died Jan. 3. He was 68. The Augusta, Ga., native earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia and completed his residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Emory University. Phillips was a Flight Surgeon in the U.S. Air Force. As an obstetrician/gynecologist, he delivered more than 6,500 babies. Survivors include his wife Bonnie Phillips; his daughters, Laura Harper, Lisa Westbrook, Lydia Myers and Leah Southard; his brother, Thomas Phillips; two nephews and two great-nephews.

Allied Health Sciences Dental Allied Medicine Health Graduate Sciences Studies Medicine Nursing Dental Medicine Graduate Studies

Medicine

Nursing

We’d like to hear from you Changed addresses lately? Have a question or concern? Want to learn more about participating in alumni programs? Contact: Scott Henson Executive Director, Alumni Affairs shenson@georgiahealth.edu 706-721-4416

G H S U TO DAY

Dr. Leila DaughtryDenmark MCG’s third female graduate dies at age 114 Dr. Leila Daughtry Denmark, the third female graduate of the Medical College of Georgia and one of the world’s oldest people, died April 1 at age 114. Denmark, a retired pediatrician who died at the home of her daughter in Athens, Ga., was born Feb. 1, 1898 in Portal, Ga. She earned her medical degree from GHSU in 1928, then became the first resident of the newly opened Henrietta Egleston Hospital for Children, now Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, and admitted its first patient. Following the birth of her daughter, Mary, Denmark opened a pediatrics practice in her Atlanta home in 1931 and continued to practice until her retirement in 2001 at age 103. At the time of her retirement, she was the oldest practicing physician in the United States. She received the 1935 Fisher Award for outstanding research and diagnosing, treating and preventing whooping cough and was named Atlanta’s 1953 Woman of the Year. She received alumni awards from Tift College, Mercer University, Georgia Southern University and GHSU. She received honorary degrees from Tift , Mercer and Emory University. Denmark received the Shining Light Award from the Atlanta Gas Light Company and the Atlanta Business Chronicle Lifetime Achievement Award. She was a member of the American Medical Association and the Georgia Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. A book Denmark wrote about childrearing in the early 1970s, “Every Child Should Have a Chance,” is in its 14th printing. “Leila was the kind of physician we hope all of our graduates become—a pioneer in their field, a caring and kind caretaker and a consummate professional,” said GHSU Medical College of Georgia Dean Peter F. Buckley. “She led by example, counseling us to be better parents, to raise healthier children and to set an example ourselves—to ‘live right and eat right,’ as she would say.” Survivors include daughter Mary Denmark Hutcherson, two grandsons and two great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband of 61 years, John Eustace Denmark.

SUMMER 2012

Dr. Leila D. Denmark and the Class of 1928

Feb. 1, 1898 - April 1, 2012 Observations of a life well-lived Editor’s note: The following quotes in a recent article about Dr. Denmark in Medical College of Georgia Medicine magazine attest to a sterling career, indomitable personality and stalwart character.

“I never had a bad day in my life [at MCG]. That’s a wonderful school. You couldn’t go to a better school than the Medical College of Georgia.” —Dr. Leila Daughtry Denmark “All of her life, she said she wanted to mend things, to fix things. If an animal got sick on a farm, or if the flowers were wilted, she would want to fix them.” —Mary Hutcherson, Denmark’s daughter “She has just meant a great deal to the medical college. I just wish I could say the words and have them be as meaningful as they should be.” —GHS Medical Historian in Residence Lois Taylor Ellison “[The MCG Admissions Committee] was trying to deny her [upon her application in 1924], and she said, ‘I will not be denied; I want this.’” —Dr. James D. Hutcherson, Denmark’s grandson and a 1991 MCG graduate “Pediatrics is somewhat trendy. One decade they say one thing and the next, they recommend something else. Her recommendations were just very practical and made sense to me.” —Madia Bowman, a “Denmarker” who used Denmark as a pediatrician for 10 of her 11 children

G H S U TO DAY

Tony Duva, J.D., M.P.A., Senior Director of Development for Gift Planning

The Neighborly Thing to Do

GIFT planning

Options for Remembering GHSU in Your Will

For years, leaders in higher education have espoused the importance of toppling ivory towers, dismantling barriers, flinging open doors and ensuring that universities are fully immersed in their communities—for n A bequest of a fixed dollar amount.

the betterment of both.

Since our inception in 1828, GHSU has considered one of its most important roles to be that of a good neighbor and an excellent steward of the public trust. Whether through the millions of dollars of care we have provided through the years to citizens who could not pay . . . or through research activities that have yielded both immediate and long-term benefits to local participants . . . or through our countless mutually beneficial partnerships with corporations, foundations, individuals and other entities . . . . or through the thousands of jobs we create and the multibillion-dollar impact we have on the economy . . . . or through the extensive volunteerism and community involvement that has always characterized our faculty, staff and students—being neighborly just comes naturally at GHSU. This will be more evident than ever when GHSU’s consolidation with Augusta State University is complete in 2013, dramatically expanding our footprint and cementing our reputation as the next great American university. Signs of our growth are evident statewide, through our medical college’s partnership campus in Athens, its clinical campuses in three geographically dispersed regions, our new state-of-the-art dental building here in Augusta, imminent construction of a new Education Commons and the acquisition of riverfront

property that will make our university more visible and more relevant than ever. Make no mistake: The larger our footprint, the more powerful our impact will be on the lives of each and every citizen. Of course, this growth requires capital. Gov. Nathan Deal recently visited our campus to reiterate the strong support he and the Legislature have bestowed, and will continue to bestow, on a university that demonstrates such a strong return on taxpayers’ investment. Philanthropic organizations, such as the Woodruff Foundation, continue to express their votes of confidence in our mission through generous grants. Our own faculty and staff recently exceeded the fundraising goal of our employee-giving campaign by over $70,000, donating almost $300,000 in fiscal 2012. So many people are clearly on board during this period of unprecedented growth. May we count on your help as well? The more support we have, the better a neighbor we can be, both locally and statewide. Please contact me to explore ways to advance our mission while enhancing your own financial portfolio. I look forward to getting started today. n

n A percentage of your estate, allowing you to keep the division of the estate residue in desired proportions regardless of its size. n A contingent gift in which funds go to GHSU if a designated beneficiary predeceases you. n A trust that pays income to a designated individual for life, with the remaining principal to be given to GHSU thereafter. n A gift in memory/ honor of yourself, your family or a person you have loved or admired.

For help in making your plan, contact Tony Duva at 1-800-869-1113, 706-721-1939 or aduva@georgiahealth.edu

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G H S U TO DAY

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Ship-Shape Debate Three doctors fought for their figurative lives during the Medical College of Georgiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s April 20 Raft Debate. The debate features three specialists arguing their importance to humanity as they fight for the lone spot on the lifeboat of a sinking ship. Shipmates included Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology Paul Weinberger (from left), Assistant Professor of Medicine Adam Berman (debate winner), along with Assistant Professor of Pediatrics Chris Edwards.

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