February 6, 2015
MEDICAL UNIVERSITY of SOUTH CAROLINA
Vol. 33, No. 23
Diversity chief: Hip-hop is who I am By Mikie HAyes Public Relations
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t 6 feet 4 inches and 290 pounds, there’s no wonder why the South Carolina Gamecocks wanted Anton Gunn as their star offensive lineman. Much to the chagrin of his opponents, he did not fail. And after recently serving as director of external affairs for the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services responsible for advising President Barack Obama and then– HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, there’s no surprise why MUSC wanted him to tackle the newly created position. The resume entries between USC football player and MUSC executive director of Community Health Innovation and chief diversity officer read like a superstar on the fast track: master’s degree, community organizer, presidential campaign director, state legislator, federal government official. Credentials like that could well land someone in the top leadership position in the land. But at this point in his life, Gunn isn’t interested in continuing in politics. Serving in the South Carolina House of Representatives, as the first black representative from his district no less, was satisfying enough, at least for now. Other ambitions occupy his focus, and in some ways, they are loftier even than public service. On Jan. 12, the Medical University welcomed Gunn to its senior leadership team. Gunn is just beginning to write the playbook that will help others understand the meanings of diversity and inclusion and, at the same time, build stronger ties with the community. Yet, after only three weeks, and with much to get his head around, Gunn knows he wants to “transform lives and move the needle.”
A Hip-Hop Life Such a well–positioned career path by the age of 41 might suggest a predestined path of ease, but that wasn’t the case. Things could have gone very differently for Gunn had he not made purposeful choices — had he not, in his words, “fallen in love with hip–hop.” In middle school, he found himself at a crossroads. As a
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Black History Month MUSC kicks off a month of events.
Top photo: Anton Gunn and friend, will.i.am of the hip-hop group the Black Eyed Peas, at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver. Right: President Barack Obama and Gunn take a moment to reflect out of the presidential campaign schedule. young teen growing up in Norfolk, Virginia, he could well have taken the wrong path. But he started listening to hiphop music and it completely changed his focus. The words and lyrics spoke to him, and as a result, he started looking at
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See Diversity on page 6
photos provided
MUSC Inventor
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Carlos Salinas Obituary
Student takes top award in competition.
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Meet Cheri
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Employee Welllness
READ THE CATALYST ONLINE - http://www.musc.edu/catalyst
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Families invited to participate in science, technology event Staff Report The 2015 Charleston STEM festival is a free, family–friendly celebration of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (known as STEM) in the Lowcountry. The festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 7, at Brittlebank Park on Lockwood Boulevard in downtown Charleston. Attendees will enjoy dozens of interactive exhibits and hands–on demonstrations to inspire excitement about science, technology, engineering and mathematics, including: Can You Crack the Code?; The Amazing World of Birds of Prey; Build-A-Buoy!; Underwater Robotics; Telescopes and Optics; You Be The Chemist; and Go Fish! photos provided Postdoctoral Fellow Dr. Lilliane Harris assists a child in a demonstration at the 2014 STEM festival.
MUSC’s students host an activity table at last year’s STEM event.
Editorial of fice MUSC Office of Public Relations 135 Cannon Street, Suite 403C, Charleston, SC 29425. 843-792-4107 Fax: 843-792-6723
Editor: Cindy Abole
catalyst@musc.edu Catalyst staff: Mikie Hayes, hayesmi@musc.edu Dawn Brazell, brazell@musc.edu J. Ryne Danielson, daniejer@musc.edu Helen Adams, adamshel@musc.edu Sarah Pack, packsa@musc.edu Jeff Watkins, watkinsj@musc.edu
The inaugural 2014 Charleston STEM Fest drew more than 1,500 visitors to 40 interactive exhibits and spurred a lot of interest in STEM organizations, projects and education in our community. Community organizations continued the celebration after the oneday kickoff with STEM–related lectures, presentations, programs and open houses for several weeks following the festival. "STEM education is important for the economic success of our region and for developing a skilled workforce," The Catalyst is published once a week. Paid adver tisements, which do not represent an endorsement by MUSC or the State of South Carolina, are handled by Island Publications Inc., Moultrie News, 134 Columbus St., Charleston, S.C., 843-849-1778 or 843-958-7490. E-mail: sales@moultrienews.com.
says Darren Prevost, director of the Lowcountry STEM Collaborative. "Festivals like this bring STEM to the community in a new and exciting way so the message about the importance of STEM education and the impact of these disciplines in our community can reach a wider audience." Liz Sheridan, student services manager of MUSC’s Office of Student Programs, is helping oraganize the event. “MUSC students are excited to be staging an exhibit with the STEM festival,” she said. “Our theme is ‘inspiring the future of health care through STEM education’ and targets local school children, K–12. We’ll have hands–on activities to demonstrate how the next generation of health care professionals will depend on science, technology, engineering and mathematics in their careers.” MUSC associate professor Cynthia Wright, Ph.D., is on the festival’s steering committee and helped organize MUSC’s exhibit. “The STEM festival is a
great way for MUSC to engage with the local community to spread awareness of research and educational opportunities in the biomedical and health sciences,” she said. “Hopefully some of the children participating will remember that science and math can be fun when thinking about future career choices.” The 2015 Charleston STEM Festival is an initiative of the Lowcountry STEM Collaborative and is funded through donations from MUSC, Boeing, MWV Specialty Chemicals, Berkeley County School District, Charleston Southern University, The Citadel School of Engineering, The Citadel School of Science & Mathematics, Clemson University, The College of Charleston School of Sciences & Mathematics, Google, Lowcountry STEM Collaborative, the S.C. Coalition for Mathematics & Science and Trident Technical College. For information, visit CharlestonStemFest.org and www.
New resource to share research successes Attention all research faculty, students and staff: Do you have exciting research news or findings that you would like to see shared with the MUSC community, other scientific institutions and/or the general public? To help increase awareness about the research successes found here at MUSC, we have created a dedicated email address through which that information can be collected and appropriately disseminated.
Send an email to research-comm@ musc.edu with some basic information about what you would like to have shared, and you will be contacted by a communications expert who will help deliver your message to the appropriate audience(s). Share this address with everyone in your research cohort and encourage its use whenever appropriate. Help spread the word out about the amazing work being done here at MUSC.
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Black History Month series examines culture, history, health By JAne MA Public Relations
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arter Woods, the founder of the Association for the Study of African–American Life and History, writes, “We should emphasize not Negro History, but the Negro in history. What we need is not a history of selected races or nations, but the history of the world void of national bias, race hate, and religious prejudice.” The point of studying African-American history is not to write a separate narrative, but to fit the African–American experience into a collective narrative that acknowledges the vital role that it has played throughout history. To that end, in 1976, President Gerald Ford established Black History Month, stating that it is an opportunity to “honor the too–often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” Black History Month is being celebrated all over the nation, and MUSC is no exception, with events and lectures hosted on campus for students, faculty and staff throughout the month of February. Many of the planned speeches will address resolving racial disparities in health care and health care education but are also meant to celebrate diversity, inclusion and the contributions and achievements of African–Americans in health care and all fields. With this subject high on the list of the institution’s priorities, conversations such as these are important to the MUSC community. One of these sponsored events is a lunchtime lecture series titled “A Century of Black Life, Culture, History, and Health,” and will be held in the Basic Science Building every Wednesday in February with lunch being provided for the first 50 guests. The speakers include MUSC President David Cole, M.D., FACS, and Willette Burnham, Ph.D., co–chairperson of the Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Planning Committee. Another featured speaker, Ebony J. Hilton, M.D., assistant professor in the Division of Critical Care Medicine, spoke passionately on why these talks are important and her own personal experiences as an African–American health professional. Hilton is a native of Little Africa, which she joked, is “a tiny place out in Spartanburg County — you’ve probably never heard of it.” She attended College of Charleston for her undergraduate studies and then MUSC for medical school and residency. She is board–certified in both anesthesiology and critical care medicine. She is also the first female African–American anesthesiologist to be hired by MUSC. She recalls the journey that she had to make in order to reach her position: “I had plenty of support from home, even as the child of a single parent, in a
“I felt that my purpose was to serve as an example, to let others know they are not alone.” Dr. Ebony Hilton small–town household. My mother always supported me even as she pushed me. Ever since I was 8 and told her I wanted to be a doctor, she started calling me Dr. Hilton, even writing it in my birthday cards every year. But I think that African–Americans, particularly in medicine, feel alone in a professional sense. The further along I got in my chosen career path, the more I looked around and noticed that there was no one else like me. There was a lot that I had to figure out on my own.” It is this paucity of professional mentorship that motivates her in her work and influences the message she hopes to convey in her lunchtime talk. She said, “Whenever things got tough or the work felt
overwhelming, and I thought that maybe I couldn’t do it...I dug deep, and what I found was a voice that said ‘well, why not me?’ And so I continued, and I felt that my purpose was to serve as an example, to let others know they are not alone.” Hilton draws inspiration and strength from her heritage and cultural history: “Lineage is important,” she said, “and it absolutely motivates me to think about how far African–Americans have come and how much they’ve overcome. My mother was in third grade when schools integrated in South Carolina. That’s one generation removed from where I stand.” Finally, she advocates approaching medicine with a perspective informed by both history and compassion. She discussed the historical relationship between African–Americans and medicine and the continued distrust that perpetuates even to this day. She cited the Tuskegee experiment, a study that allowed syphilis to go untreated in several hundred African–American subjects, as an example of just how recent this history is. The study lasted 40 years and was not formally terminated until 1972, following a public scandal and outcry. She said that the relationship between African–Americans and medicine is still healing from history, and that this process can be helped along by understanding its history and blazing a trail.
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Special care dentist, educator, scientist to be remembered Staff Report Carlos Francisco Salinas, DMD, professor of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics and director of the MUSC Craniofacial Anomalies and Cleft Palate Team at the James B. Edwards College of Dental Medicine, died at his home in Mount Pleasant on Jan. 14 after a long, courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. Salinas also served as co– director of the Clinical Resource Core of the Center for Oral Health Research. He was born on April 9, 1941 in Iquique, Chile. He was the son of Salinas the late Dr. Carlos Salinas and the late Dr. Victoria Cerda. Salinas earned a DDS at the University of Chile, in Santiago, Chile, in 1963. He came to the United States in 1972, having been awarded an NIH–Fogarty International fellowship in Medical Genetics in the Moore Clinic of Clinical Genetics at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. He was recruited to MUSC in 1974 where he developed his academic career, including earning a DMD from MUSC in 1985. Salinas dedicated his academic career to the service of individuals with special health care needs as well as their families. His areas of clinical research included the study of craniofacial anomalies; ectodermal dysplasias; the relationship between oral health and systemic disease; health disparities; and special care dentistry. He founded and served as director of the South Carolina Special Olympics Special Smiles Dental Program. In 2008, the South Carolina Oral Health Coalition and South Carolina Dental Association created the Dr. Carlos Salinas Award, which is awarded each year for excellence in treating individuals with special health care needs. Most recently, he was awarded the 2013 Outstanding Career Research Award
by the Friends of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, an organization within the National Institutes of Health dedicated to the advancement of oral health research and well–being. Salinas prepared more than 100 scientific publications and edited five books. His first book on Craniofacial Genetics, written in Spanish, was sponsored by the Pan American Health Organization and was widely used in the Spanish speaking scientific community. He was awarded grants from the NIH Fogarty International Center, NIH/ National Center for Research Resources, South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the Duke Endowment. He was active in academic societies including the Special Care Dentistry Association and American Cleft Palate and Craniofacial Association. Salinas helped found and served as president of the Society of Craniofacial Genetics. He also served as director at large of the Special Care Dentistry Association Board and was a Fellow of the American College of Dentists. Salinas’ civic activities included serving as Honorary Consul of Chile for South Carolina since 1978 and was a founding member of the South Carolina World Trade Center. He was a member of the Partners of the Americas South Carolina Chapter, founded Circulo Hispanoamericano de Charleston (1978) and served as chairman for the City of Charleston Quincentenary Committee in 1992 in which replicas of Christopher Columbus's sailing vessels visited Charleston Harbor. He also volunteered his time at the East Cooper Community Outreach Dental Clinic of Mount Pleasant for many years. Salinas continued his academic and civic pursuits throughout the course of his illness. He presented his dental students with their final exam on Dec. 10. From his home, he received colleagues and friends and provided
photos provided Dr. Carlos Salinas, center, is joined by James B. Edwards College of Dental Medicine students and faculty at a Special Olympics event. colleagues with clear instructions to continue his academic work. His hobbies and interests included history, archeology, photography, his garden, soccer and telling stories about his grandchildren. Salinas is survived by his wife of 52 years, Maria Cordova–Salinas, DMD, of Mount Pleasant; two sons, Carlos Miguel Salinas of Washington, DC and Claudio Andres Salinas of Troy, Michigan; daughter, Maria "Lola" Salinas, M.D., of Louisville, Colorado; sister, Ana Luisa Salinas of Knoxville, Tennessee; two brothers, Jorge Marcelo Others when learning of such a dire diagnosis might rightfully have gone off and justifiably pursued some sort of recreational bucket list. Carlos, true to his character, only worked harder to complete his research and writings and to insure that his initiatives continued. He was a true gentleman — a person of honor, compassion and dogged determination. We will all miss him. — John J. Sanders, DDS Dean, James B. Edwards College of Dental Medicine The MUSC community has lost a great leader, educator, clinician and scientist. Dr. Salinas was an incredibly generous man who never ceased to share his enthusiasm for joyful living. During his long and distinguished career at MUSC, he had a profound influence on those around him and his role in the advancement of our
Salinas of Valdivia, Chile and Cristian A. Salinas of Santiago, Chile; and seven grandchildren. A Mass of Christian Burial for Salinas will be held at 10 a.m., Friday, Feb. 13 in The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Broad Street, Charleston. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the MUSC Foundation, Office of Development, College of Dental Medicine for Salinas-Dental Program for the diagnosis and treatment of individuals with special health care needs, 18 Bee Street, MSC 450, Charleston, SC 29425. profession will remain an enduring legacy. Dr. Salinas was a renaissance man whose interests and activities spanned from sciences to history, archeology and diplomacy. He was a champion for the individuals with special health care needs, and thanks to his leadership and vision, we are better able today to care for them and their families. — Luis P. Leite, DMD Chairman, Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics Dr. Salinas was a gentleman in every sense of the word. He had such a heart to care for people especially those with special needs. His attitude was exceedingly positive all the way to the end. He will be sorely missed. We take great peace knowing he is in the Father’s arms. — J. Mark Barry, DDS Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs
See sALinAs on page 11
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Meet Cheri
Cheri Echevarria
Department Flowertown Primary Care Physicians How you are changing what’s possible at MUSC I intentionally treat every patient I encounter as if they were my own family member or friend. I would want no less if I were a patient. How long at MUSC 2.5 years Family Husband, Steve; daughter, Megan, 18; son, Seth, 10; and dog, Willow Cities or countries where you’ve lived Scotland and Puerto Rico
Thinking about selling?
CALL ME!
Favorite winter memory Building a snowman with my kids Something I’ve tried and will never do again Skiing
Visit www.EdHunnicutt.com
Words of advice Life is what you make of it.
IP02-1280322
Greatest moment of your life Discovering the love of my life
843.270.0292
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diversiTy Continued from Page One life differently. Equality, acceptance and inclusion became watchwords. “Health care is what I do,” he explained. “Hip–hop is who I am. It’s how I see the world. Hip–hop music saved my life, if you will. I was on the verge of being a juvenile delinquent – ending up in a jail cell or beat up in the street somewhere. But I fell in love with music, and I wanted to be a musician… a hip–hop artist. That desire made me learn English and writing because I wanted to be a good rhymer — I wanted to be a good MC. That propelled me to college, and I got a college degree and then later my master’s degree.” But music is more to him that songs queued up in his iPod. “Hip–hop is what I use to motivate myself in the morning; it’s the soundtrack of my life and my generation. It’s the attitude that I have to everything, which is, ‘I may not have a whole lot to begin with, but I’m going to take what I do have and use it to transform how you see me and how you see the world — and transform lives in the process.’ It moves the needle.” At the very heart of the matter, this behemoth of a man, who, in his playing days, could clear the line of scrimmage like he was moving ants, will tell you he cares deeply about people and how they are treated. And while it may take a bit of time to get the lay of the land, his desire to ensure that MUSC employees and patients are valued, understood and treated respectfully is already in his game plan.
Two BuCkeTs Gunn described his responsibilities as falling into “two buckets,” the first relating to diversity and inclusion. He explained his philosophy: “Health care is an important industry in that we touch lives in multiple ways, and there are a lot of people who touch those lives. One patient can come into contact with as many as 200 personnel during an inpatient stay. The success of treating that patient with care and having the best outcomes possible can happen if that goal is important to all 200 people and they each contribute to the fullest and give it their all.” Part of the success of that formula, he said, is acknowledging that while those 200 people are part of a team, each person is an individual, and each
photo provided
Anton Gunn fields questions at a White House engagement Summit in Atlanta, Georgia. individual is different. “My goal,” he added, “is to make sure, from top to bottom, from left to the right, that every person who works at MUSC feels respected, feels valued, feels included, feels like a part of the organization, and understands that the differences between us are what make us strong as an organization. Everyone deserves that, and by valuing each other’s differences, we will be able to demonstrate MUSC’s commitment to treating everyone fairly and with respect.” When he talks about patients, those same principles apply. “All patients deserve to be treated with dignity and respect and given the best care possible, no matter who they are,” he said. “The more ways we can effectively serve our patients and the broader community, the better we are as an institution. We’re here to save lives, improve lives and make people better. Everyone at this institution is focused on the same mission — helping and serving our patients in the best way possible.” “And there is added value,” he continued, “when you operate from that framework. It creates opportunities for us to do more good: More patients, more credibility, more success stories, better outcomes, better research, more recognition — it all becomes a selffulfilling framework. Now we need to improve how we work together more effectively to accomplish that.”
While that may seem like a tall order, Gunn believes it’s achievable. “We all lived somewhere, we all went to school somewhere, we worked different places, we have different values and cultural experiences. These things can help us treat each other and every single patient we come in contact with more effectively,” he said.
LeveLing THe pLAying fieLd His strong belief that people should be fully valued for all they bring to the table, not just the title they hold or job they perform, is a viewpoint not commonly observed in the work place. Leadership, he believes, should be interested in the many skills and experiences people can bring from their lives to the institution. A person may work in the maintenance department, for example, and after hours, be the pastor of a large church. “But those leadership skills are being completely overlooked,” he said. “Somebody may have a skill set that could solve a problem that the institution has had for five years, but we may never know about it because nobody ever asked or shared. Our people have interesting and important life experiences that we should know about.” For Gunn, it all boils down to values, and diversity, he said, is a value just as accountability, innovation, compassion, and teamwork are. And to a large degree, according to Gunn, diversity is a
word that is much too narrowly defined. His goal is to help people embrace a much larger definition, but more importantly, embrace more about each other. Gunn explained that people tend to think of diversity in terms of the most common differences they are familiar with: race, gender, sex, age. He believes many more factors make up diversity, “things like what part of the country you came from, your culture, where you attended school, your educational level, religion, socio–economic status, a disability, what you do outside of work, even height and weight.” While at first blush some of these differences may seem less relevant to the workplace, Gunn said that these differences actually matter a great deal as they get directly at the root of the assumptions people make about one another. In addition, they are precisely the types of differences that can directly impact collaboration, openness and the trust — or lack thereof — that people feel when working together, he believes. According to Gunn, the more broadly we define differences and look for commonalities, the easier it is for employees to feel connected to the institution, other employees and patients. Feeling connected, he added, offers the opportunity to form closer working relationships and to feel a part of shared institutional values. And an important aspect of that to him is not simply looking past each other’s differences, but acknowledging them. “Understanding is the most critical piece,” he said. “Understanding, respecting and being inclusive of the differences in the people we work with will help us serve more patients more effectively.”
BuCkeT # 2 “How do we build inclusivity internally, across the organization, while also recognizing that diversity exists outside of the organization?” Gunn asked. He answered the question himself: “We’re part of the community, and every part of the community deserves to be valued, and not just as a patient. Just because you’re not a patient right now, doesn’t mean you’ll never be a patient. An important part of our role is to be a part of the community in every way,
See Diversity on page 7
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diversiTy
Continued from Page Six
shape and form, so people feel a connection to the organization, and we are recognized as a valued part of the community. “For instance, we have employees who come to work here every day and have for 20 years. When we see them at work, we know what they do at work, but they are also valued and respected people in the community when they go home. They’re Girl Scout leaders and church leaders. They run summer reading programs at the local school and do meals on wheels. In other words, they do important things outside of work, in the community. People who they touch may not be patients at the time, but I’m pretty sure people ask them where they work, which means they are reflections of the institution. So diversity and inclusion is both internal and external,” he President Obama and Gunn at the S.C. said. Presidential Campaign office in Columbia. Another responsibility in his role as director of Community Health Innovation is addressing the health In order to continue to succeed, Gunn believes the of the community, and according to Gunn, it’s is one community must be engaged in the conversation. “How of the things MUSC has to get right as an institution. A do we continue to find ways to innovate, using the assets patient coming to the hospital needs to come “for the we have to deliver the best care, offer the finest education, right thing at the right time,” he explained. Statistically, and conduct cutting–edge research? The community has not only does this lead to better outcomes for patients, it to be a part of that and population health has to be part lowers health care costs; this approach is also a pillar of of the discussion.” the Affordable Care Act. And the ACA is something Gunn just happens to THe sTArT of A new seAson know quite a bit about. In 2010, President Barack Obama Two buckets. One tall order. Where to start? appointed Gunn to serve as regional director of the U.S. “First, I’m part of a bigger team. On a football team Department of Health and Human Services for Region there are 11 people, and everybody has a job to do. I IV, which includes eight Southern states. know what job I’m supposed to do — I have to figure out After just two years serving as the senior member what my teammates do and make sure we have a plan of the department’s regional office, Secretary Sebelius together to be successful. That’s the only way a team appointed Gunn to serve as the director of external wins.” affairs in the Office of Intergovernmental and External “Second,” he continued, “the secret of being a Affairs at HHS. Serving as a senior official in the Obama successful leader is learning how to listen. Every Administration, Gunn advised the President and organization has an organizational culture. I have to Secretary on public engagement strategies to introduce learn MUSC’s culture. I have to listen to the challenges, the ACA to Main Street America. He then gave more opportunities, strengths, weaknesses of the organization than 800 presentations on the ACA throughout the and the people, and I have to listen to a lot of different nation, earning him the reputation as one of the foremost people in order to do that. People need to have a voice experts on Obamacare, and the title Mr. Health Care. and platform to share with the organization how they feel Because of this experience, he feels strongly about at work.” MUSC’s responsibility to the community. “We have “Ultimately, my responsibility will be focused on to figure out how we do a better job of engaging the helping figure out how to address our challenges and broader population and improving measurable health improve our context for how a diverse workforce gives us outcomes before they come in our door,” he said. That a competitive advantage to accomplish all of our goals will require getting to the root of how people understand across the enterprise,” he said. their relationship to health care and will require tackling Gunn is ecstatic to be back in South Carolina. He fell subjects like public health, access to care, health literacy, in love with all the possibilities this state offers him and and health disparities. his family and everyone in the community. “I want to That will also require building partnerships in the help individuals live up to their possibilities,” he said. community. “We can do a better job of meeting patients “I’m a firm believer that if you are not healthy in your where they are – even before they’re patients. Sometimes mind, body and in your spirit, you cannot fully live out that means a completely different cultural framework your God–given potential on this planet. My commitment than you’re used to delivering care in. We have to ask is to help people live out the life they want to live. We ourselves, ‘What can we do with the school districts, the churches, the local businesses?’ We’re all interconnected,” do that by improving health outcomes across the board, eliminating health disparities and helping people feel he said. “We have to build the right kind of partnerships affirmed as human beings in every area of their lives.” to provide better care, better value, better outcomes.”
Welcoming gunn to muSc “I am delighted to welcome Anton Gunn, MUSC’s first executive director of Community Health Innovation and chief diversity officer, to the MUSC family. He brings a wealth of experience and expertise to MUSC and adds tremendous dimension to our senior leadership team.” David Cole, M.D., FACS, President of MUSC “I have known Anton for several years. Professionally, he is a wellknown accomplished leader in diversity and health care innovation. On a personal note, I am familiar with his style, persistence, phenomenal communication ability, and hardworking nature. He will do well at MUSC, and I am delighted that he has joined the leadership team!” Patrick J. Cawley, M.D., CEO MUSC Medical Center “As we establish and advance MUSC’s Population Health program, we look forward to working closely with Anton to ensure the needs of all South Carolinians are met.” Mark Lyles, M.D., MUSC Chief Strategic Officer “I look forward to partnering with Anton to achieve our enterprisewide Diversity & Inclusion goals, and I value the expertise and commitment he brings to the work!” Willette Burnham, Ph.D., executive director of student programs and student diversity
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Student wins innovation prize with brain stimulation device By J. ryne dAnieLson Public Relations
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an the human brain be hacked? Bashar W. Badran, an MUSC neuroscience Ph.D. student, believes so, and he is working on the technology to make it possible. Badran is not alone in his belief. His proposal for a non-invasive method of brain stimulation won the 2015 student inventors competition. Sponsored by MUSC, the University of South Carolina, Clemson University and the South Carolina Biotechnology Industry Organization, the competition allowed student inventors from across South Carolina to pitch their ideas, the best of which was chosen by the students themselves. Badran and MUSC have filed a provisional patent for a prototype transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulator. This device is capable of stimulating the vagus nerve through its auricular branch, which extends into the ear. “The vagus nerve runs from your gut to your brain,” Badran said, explaining that it is responsible for a wide range of autonomic functions, including regulating heartbeat, blood pressure and respiration. “Vagus nerve stimulation has a lot of cool effects,” he continued. “It can aid in the treatment of stroke, epilepsy, depression and tinnitus. There are also antiinflammatory effects and it can decrease heart rate and anxiety. There is a lot of interesting animal research out right now. A good example is stroke recovery. Rats that have VNS active during rehabilitative training have 90 to 100 percent greater gains in motor function versus ones that have rehab alone.” Currently, VNS requires a costly, invasive procedure and the implantation of a pacemaker–like device into a patient’s chest, with wires connecting it to the vagus nerve at the base of the neck. Nonetheless, brain stimulation is often the only alternative to psychiatric drugs, Badran said, “which are systemic, have a lot of side effects and often don’t work. For epilepsy, particularly, when patients don’t respond to meds, there are not a lot of other options beyond an invasive approach.” There are some major issues with such a surgery, however. “The surgery costs about $50 thousand, and if there are any complications — for instance, it stops working, the battery dies or corrodes, or the electrodes malfunction — you have to go in and do another full surgery. And the biggest con is that there’s only a onethird response rate. So you pay that money, have the procedure done and hope that you get better —but only about a third do.” Badran’s new method works by attaching an electrode to the tragus — the fleshy nub at the front of the ear. A
photo provided
Doctoral student Bashar Badran, center, accepts his award (and an iPad mini) from Michael Rusnak, executive director of the Foundation for Research Development, and Tom Finnegan, director of MUSC’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
Badran’s device, still a crude prototype, consists of wires and unipolar electrode clamps. He hopes to build a more advanced, self-contained device soon. branch of the vagus nerve arcs through the ear on its way to the brain, allowing for non-invasive, low dose, electrical stimulation. “I like to say this is like hijacking the brain through the ear,” Badran said. “If you can figure out the right stimulation parameters and what dose to deliver, you can have a direct brain effect through the ear, which is pretty much the most science fiction thing you can think of.”
See Award on page 12
photos by J. Ryne Danielson, Public Relations
Badran demonstrates his non-invasive vagus nerve stimulator.
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MLK Jr. contest winner praises Dr. King’s legacy Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the MUSC Multicultural Student Advisory Board and Office of Student Diversity sponsored the ninth annual student essay contest for students. Essays had to demonstrate an understanding of Dr. King’s legacy and impact on humanity. The winning essay was featured at the Jan. 15 Dr. King Day program.
By georginA dukes College of Health Professions
Y
oung males of color left dead in the streets, disrespect against those who risk their lives daily to protect society and riots destroying communities that races united to build. Is this the legacy that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. left for humanity? Recently witnessing the different points of view of the mistreatment of certain races, sexes, sexual orientations — and the list goes on —had me confused about humanity and where the nation is headed. Are we really bred to hate and discriminate against those who are different from us? Should we really fear those who are not like us? Has anything changed since Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. made his monumental movements in the 1960s? These questions rotated through my mind when I saw the opportunity to write about my understanding of Dr. King’s legacy to humanity. When I think of Dr. King’s legacy, I envision breaking silence, using education to overcome ignorance, providing courageous leadership in adversity and destroying
Georgina Dukes receives her certificate and award from Dr. Willette Burnham.
hate with love. Although the current shootings, riots and protests occurring in our nation seem to show the dim and unjust side of humanity, the legacy that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. left shows otherwise. No matter what you believe or whose side you represent when it comes to the issues surrounding discrimination, the fact that you can speak your opinion shows that you have a voice. Having a voice is key to freedom, as Dr. Martin Luther King famously stated, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” Do you hear the noise in the media, in the community and all over social networks? That is Dr. King’s legacy still impacting humanity. There is no more silence about issues that we know need to change. We are breaking the silence as a nation. When you see individuals in opposition peacefully protesting and passionately debating, know that Dr. King’s legacy is shattering silence word by word. There is an abundant amount of ignorance in the world today. So many individuals don’t fully comprehend many issues that are occurring. Dr. King believed that if we educate ourselves, we won’t succumb to stupidity and ignorance. As a graduate student attending a top medical university in the state of South Carolina, I am a firm believer that education has paved the way for me not to deteriorate into the ignorance that presents itself in society. This legacy of embracing education has created generations of leaders who embrace diversity and embrace change. For example, I find it amazing that I attend an institution where leaders embrace diversity and seek to create a peaceful and just community. Many students of this institution with whom I have spoken with are beginning to realize that diversity is not based solely on skin color, gender, or sexual orientation. Diversity can be based on one’s socioeconomic status, ethnic background, regional location—or even on personal preferences like whether or not you like sports. Like Dr. King encouraged us to, we are using our education to distribute
photos by Anne Thompson, Digital Imaging
MHA student Georgina Dukes reads her winning essay at the Jan. 15 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Commemorative program. knowledge and embrace each other because of our differences and move forward toward a vision of unity. As a future leader in health care, I know that I will be challenged with ensuring that my organization embraces diversity with patients and employees. I know that I have the ability to be an effective and transformational leader because of the legacy that Dr. King has left. He showed the world how to be a genuine and courageous leader. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led not only black people but many individuals from diverse backgrounds. He showed that being an effective leader is not only leading during the good times of comfort and convenience but standing up for your community, organization or institution when there are times of challenge and controversy. He didn’t look for a consensus; he created one by encouraging individuals to become dedicated to creating a nation where there is justice and equality. This is the type of leader I can become because of his powerful legacy. I also know that in order to be a catalyst that I must step outside my comfort zone to create that change. I must struggle. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy encourages us to get uncomfortable to create change that would benefit and protect our future
patients, our future employees, our communities, and the world as a whole from the injustices of ignorance. Although we are taking small steps toward positive change, we are moving somewhere, no matter how fast we are going. Yes, there are still a few broken pieces that need repairing, but overall, we are moving in the right direction. The great Martin Luther King Jr. said, “If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.” Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream has left an impact on humanity because it is no longer a dream — it is a vision that my mother’s generation and now my generation is acting on daily to improve justice, equality and equity for all in a peaceful way. For “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that”. In order to continue the fire that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. fueled through his legacy, we must continue to be the light breaking the silence, remain educated, display courageous leadership and show love in times of trial and chaos. Editor’s note: Georgina Dukes is a Master in Health Administration student, Class of 2015, in the College of Health Professions.
10 THe CATALysT, February 6, 2015
Exercise for a healthy heart throughout February February is designated as maximum heart rate. An American Heart Month by the easy estimation is to take American Heart Association 220 – age for men and and designed to raise awareness 226 – age for women. about heart disease which is the The “talk test” is another number one cause of death in easy method that simply the United States. maintains that one According to the Centers for should be able to hold a Disease Control and Prevention, regular conversation while an estimated 600,000 people die exercising but still be of heart disease in the U.S. each intense enough to promote year. The good news is that most perspiration. risk factors for cardiovascular q Time (how long): Susan Johnson disease are lifestyle–related, The ACSM suggests a which means we can change minimum of 15 minutes our behaviors to reduce our risk for of continuous exercise to elicit any developing heart disease. improvement in cardiorespiratory Of the modifiable risk factors — fitness. More deconditioned individuals smoking, poor diet, obesity, stress and may require multiple, shorter sessions alcohol abuse — a sedentary lifestyle is until they develop a base from which thought to be one of the most significant improvements in cardiorespiratory contributors to heart disease. So how fitness can be made. Studies also suggest much exercise do we really need to keep that even shorter bouts of high intensity our heart healthy and does it matter activity can improve fitness and reduce what type of exercise, how hard we work risk for heart disease. out or how long our sessions are? q Type (what kind): Types of According to recommendations by the cardiovascular fitness exercises include American College of Sports Medicine, rhythmical, repetitive activities that the U.S. Surgeon General, the Centers involve large muscle groups and are for Disease Control and the American performed over prolonged periods. Heart Association, recommend a These activities provide the greatest minimum of 30 minutes of moderate improvements in cardiovascular fitness. activity each day as a minimum amount Some examples of activities that fall into necessary to see a reduction in the risk this category include walking, cycling, for heart disease. swimming, jogging and aerobic class– Also, it does matter how we exercise, type activities. and that more is better. Follow these Remember, before beginning an FITT (frequency, intensity, time and exercise program be sure to consult a type) principles when considering an physician. This is especially important exercise plan for heart health: for anyone over age 40, who is obese, q Frequency (how often): The has a pre–existing condition or is taking American College of Sports Medicine medication. recommends three to five sessions per For information on exercising for heart week to improve cardiorespiratory fitness health, visit www.heart.org. To learn and to achieve or maintain optimal body about fitness classes and memberships, fat levels. For optimal health, try to find visit www.musc.edu/hsc or call the some time to be physically active every MUSC Wellness Center at 792-5757. day, even if it is not planned exercise. Every little bit counts. Wellness Events q Intensity (how hard): There are q Take the Monthly Mindful Challenge many methods for monitoring exercise and be eligible for prizes by completing intensity. Some have been standardized a short survey at the beginning and end and are suitable for application to the of the month. One employee will be general population and for individuals featured in our “Spotlight on Wellness” of different fitness levels. The most column in The Catalyst. The February common is target heart rate — exercising challenge is “Elevate your heart rate.” at a level where the heart is beating To begin, take the challenge survey at between 50 to 85 percent of the
Health at work
http://tinurl.com/mdxqchc. q Sodexo’s Got Heart — Each week during Heart Month, the cafeterias will support the health of our employees by offering tasty, baked sweet potato fries and other heart-healthy side items on Fried-Free Fridays. q Quit Smoking in 2015 — MUSC is conducting a research study to see if magnetic stimulation can reduce nicotine cravings and make it easier to stop smoking. Payment for participation is provided and free parking is available. For information, contact Scott Henderson, 792-5560. q MUSC Employee Fitness Series — Join Katie Blaylock for a free Cardio Power class from 4:15 to 4:45 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 18 at the Wellness Center. For information or to register for the class
email musc-empwell@musc.edu. q Chair massages — Free massages are offered to employees midday on Wednesdays. Check broadcast messages for locations and times. q Farmers Markets — Fresh fruits and vegetables are available from local farmers on Fridays from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Horseshoe.
MUSC Urban Farm
q Midday Work and Learn — 12:15 to 12:45 p.m., Tuesdays q Early Bird Maintenance — 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. Wednesdays Center/Library lobby q Sunset Work and Learn — 4 to 5 p.m., Thursdays q First Saturday Family-friendly Work and Learn — 9 to 11 a.m., Feb. 7.
THe CATALysT, February 6, 2015 11
sALinAs
Continued from Page Four
A
The passing of Dr. Salinas is a great loss for all of us at a personal and professional level. At a personal level, he was a friend and a mentor to many, and at the professional level he did exemplary and landmark work in the area of Craniofacial Genetics. Our dental students participated in Special Olympics and conducted many research projects with Dr. Salinas as their mentor. He will be greatly missed by all. May his soul rest in peace. — Tariq Javed, DMD Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs, College of Dental Medicine
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Carlos was a humanitarian in every sense of the word and his mere presence at any occasion was both calming and dignified. Wanting to help others and enjoying helping others are the requisite attributes of a good clinician-scholar and an absolute requirement for great clinician-scholars like Dr. Salinas. In perpetuity, Dr. Salinas will be immortalized in the pantheon of American greats as a distinguished scholar, educator, administrator, commander and legendary mentor. I was honored to have known him and to have called him friend. In bereavement, I am reminded of the words of Alexandre Dumas. “The friends that we have lost do not repose in the bosom of the earth, but are buried deep in our hearts.” — Theresa Gonzales, DMD Department of Stomatology and Division of Oral Pathology Dr. Carlos Salinas was a distinguished scholar, educator, administrator, researcher and mentor. Carlos loved what he did and he was always available to help faculty, residents and students. His compassion for his patients, colleagues and friends has left a lasting impact on my life. I am honored to have known him and to have called him friend. — Cynthia L. Hipp, DDS Director, Pediatric Dentistry Residency Program The heart filled love and compassion that Dr. Salinas poured over all he touched was amazing. He was a good friend and helped me immensely. Wonderful memories of time that Dr. Salinas shared with me will be cherished forever. — Ted McGill, DMD Department of Oral Rehabilitation It was truly an honor to know him and I will miss him greatly. I found him to be an authentic and genuine person in both expressing his desire to help others and actually serving. I interacted with him in a number of ways: research, committees and teaching. Most recently, it was my privilege
and pleasure to aid him in directing the Clinical Genetics course this past semester. He was one of the most “down to earth” intellectuals I have ever met. May his family and friends be comforted by the peace that passes all understanding. — Michael Kern, Ph.D. Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology and Department of Oral Health Sciences Dr. Salinas fought a great fight! Not just for his life at the end but throughout his career for those special needs patients who often do not have a voice. I am grateful for the trail he blazed for me and am only sorry he did not get to see the dedicated space on the first floor get up and running last week. Dr. Salinas will be missed but his spirit will always be with us. — Michelle Ziegler, DDS Department of Oral Rehabilitation Dr. Salinas was such a caring quiet soul. He was a great humanitarian both in his native land but right here with students. He taught me in dental school and was oh so encouraging at a difficult time for me. I was the only African-American student in my dental class of seven women and 45 men. He went above and beyond the call of duty to insure I knew he cared about me and he would always be available if I needed him. I will miss him dearly. — Gwen Brown, DMD Director of Diversity, College of Dental Medicine I will remember Dr. Salinas as a true gentleman; an always courteous and helpful co-worker; a dedicated educator; a voice for those who could not speak for themselves; a friendly face; and most of all, mi amigo. May God grant unto him eternal rest and peace. And may He also grant unto his family a comfort which goes beyond human understanding. — Richard Duncan, DMD Department of Stomatology I had the great joy of collaborating on a number of projects with individuals from Dr. Carlos Salinas’ homeland, the Republic of Chile, and it was here that Carlos took great pride in my collaboration and welcomed my colleagues to Charleston whenever they came to visit. He took great interest in our work, and as only Carlos would do, went out of his way to make certain that if there was anything he could assist with, he would be there to help. He will be greatly missed both in Charleston as well in Chile by the many people he touched through his international presence in research and diplomacy. — Michael G. Schmidt, Ph.D., Office of Special Programs and Vice Chair, Department of Microbiology and Immunology
12 THe CATALysT, February 6, 2015
AwArd
Continued from Page Eight
Badran hopes his device can be a low–cost, non-invasive alternative to traditional VNS, both in the United States and in less developed countries. “Nearly 80 percent of epilepsy cases occur in developing nations where they don’t have access to treatments like this,” Badran said. “These electrodes cost me about $50 to make, and the total cost of the device should be under $500. Spending $500 for a take-home device versus $50,000 for an implantable one is a really good deal, especially for places that don’t have access to operating rooms.” Badran said he has taken the first step in a long process. “We’re getting a 3–D printer to help with prototyping. Right now it’s pretty crude, just wires and electrodes. Eventually, we’d like to build a hearing-aid like device that clamps onto the back of the ear. A patient could take it home, have it sync to their phone via Bluetooth, and stimulate their brain using just a mobile device.” Badran said the next step is a 15– person safety trial. “We’re still optimizing
the power, pulse width, and other parameters to get the optimal effect, but the stimulation is basically painless — just above a tingle.” Badran cites the support of his mentor, Mark S. George, M.D., distinguished professor of psychiatry, radiology and neuroscience, Layton McCurdy Endowed Chair, and director of MUSC’s Brain Stimulation Lab, as indispensable to the success of his project. Also indispensable, MUSC’s Foundation for Research and Development has collaborated with Badran to make his invention a reality. The FRD brings together medical researchers with entrepreneurs and venture capitalists to commercialize new inventions and get them to patients that need them as quickly as possible. Michael Rusnak, executive director of the FRD, said the foundation supports students’ ideas for changing the world, providing them with the tools and resources to do so. The inventors’ competition, he said, was just one part of a day-long innovation workshop, which brought in students from across the state. “The people at the FRD were great,”
Nominations for diversity awards being accepted
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Entries must include the nomination form and two letters of endorsement for each nominee. All submissions should be received by 5 p.m., Friday, Feb. 9 to burnham@musc.edu. For information, visit http:// academicdepartments.musc.edu/esl/ studentprograms/studentdiversity/ ebhiggins/nominations.html.
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MUSC’s Office of Student Diversity is accepting nominations for the Earl B. Higgins Award 2015. Nominations are being accepted for the Earl B. Higgins Achievement in Diversity Award and the Student Leadership in Diversity Award. Nominees should be individuals who have contributed significantly to diversity.
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Neuroscience doctoral student Bashar W. Badran pitches his idea to student inventors from universities across the state at MUSC’s Student Innovation Day held Jan. 24 at MUSC’s campus. Badran said. “I couldn’t pitch my idea until we had filed an invention disclosure and applied for a provisional patent. They helped me with all the paperwork.
We met on a Friday afternoon, filed it by 5 p.m., then I gave the talk on Saturday.” For information about innovations, visit http://www.musc.edu/frd.