FALL 2013 | SANFORDHEALTH.ORG
Moving closer to a cure The Sanford Project
discoveries Spring 2013
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Message from Alex Rabinovitch Moving Closer to a Cure Updates from Development & Research Events Calendar
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from Alex Rabinovitch, MD
Sanford Health Development & Research 1305 W 18th Street PO Box 5039 Sioux Falls, SD 57117-5039 For questions or additional information email us at discoveries@sanfordhealth.org or visit us on the web at sanfordhealth.org
The momentum is building as we begin to analyze the results of the Sanford Project’s first clinical trial, launched just three years ago, that tested the application of two drugs, Sitagliptin and Lansoprazole. Over the coming months we will be able to determine if patients were able to reduce, or even no longer need, insulin injections and have their blood glucose levels return to normal. The Sanford Project’s next trial, scheduled for implementation early next year, will test a novel probiotic in patients recently diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. This trial, called PROBETA, will use TSO (an intestinal parasite proved to improve health in other diseases) to see if it can stop the autoimmune attack against insulin-producing beta cells. The Sanford Project Team plans to enroll 120 patients in 16 sites across the U.S. Thank you to everyone who has made this significant progress possible. Together, we are truly changing the landscape of science and health care in our pursuit for a cure to type 1 diabetes.
Alex Rabinovitch, MD Todd and Linda Broin Chair, The Sanford Project
moving closer to a cure The Sanford Project The Sanford Project remains steadfast in its goal. With every clinical trial, the team is moving one step closer to finding a cure for type 1 diabetes. Launched in 2008, the Sanford Project is one of the four initiatives made possible through Denny Sanford’s transformational gift. The project combines clinical components of patient care and science into one of the most
promising and fast-moving fields of research: regenerative medicine. The team, led by principal investigator Alex Rabinovitch, MD, recently completed the first clinical trial called REPAIRT1D. The trial combined two drugs initially intended to treat other disorders: type 2 diabetes and gastric hyperacidity. Results will be released later this year.
“Studies in patients with inflammatory bowel disease have reported that TSO improved their conditions,” says Dr. Rabinovitch. “PROBETA will use TSO in type 1 diabetics to see if it can stop the autoimmune attack against insulinproducing beta cells, thus reducing or eliminating the need to inject insulin to control blood glucose levels.”
updates
The team plans to enroll 120 patients ages 8 to 21 who are within the first three months of their diagnosis of type 1 diabetes. A majority of the patients enrolled in the first clinical trial came from Sanford Health system in Sioux Falls, SD, and Fargo, ND. Participants also came from Children’s Hospital and Clinics of Minnesota in St. Paul and Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego, CA. The Sanford Project Team is comprised of (back row) Sheila Austin, RN-CPHN, Lynn Bartholow, Alex Rabinovitch, MD, Carmen Sandman, RN, Kurt Griffin, MD, (front row) Zhiguang Guo, MD, PhD, Mary Kinkel, PhD, and Alexei Savinov, MD, PhD.
“The objective was to determine if patients could reduce or even no longer need insulin injections and have their blood glucose levels return to normal,” says Dr. Rabinovitch. “That means the two-drug combination may have protected or even regrown pancreatic insulinproducing beta cells in these patients. Plus, the autoimmune attack against the beta cells may have stopped.” Dr. Rabinovitch joined Sanford in 2009 from the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He brings expertise in beta cell regeneration in diabetic patients, and was honored by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation with the Excellence in Clinical Research Award in 2007. In addition to being the Todd & Linda Broin Chair of the Sanford Project, Dr. Rabinovitch also serves as a professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the Sanford School of Medicine at University of South Dakota. Other members that make the Sanford Project possible are Zhiguang Guo, MD, PhD, Alexei Savinov, MD, PhD, Mary Kinkel, 4 | discoveries
PhD, Lynn Bartholow, CCRC, Sanford Project manager, Carmen Sandman, RN and Sheila Austin, RN-CPHN. A new addition to the team is Kurt J. Griffin, MD, PhD, who recently joined Sanford from the University of Arizona. With the first trial complete, Dr. Rabinovitch and his team are ready for round two. The second clinical trial, PROBETA, will test a novel probiotic in patients recently diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.
“ We have high hopes that our Sanford Project clinical trials aimed at curing type 1 diabetes will produce significant results,” says Dr. Rabinovitch. “This could potentially improve or even fully correct the abnormal glucose levels that complicate and threaten the lives of people with type 1 diabetes.” Probiotics are organisms such as bacteria or yeast that are believed to improve health. The specific probiotic that will be tested is an intestinal parasite, called TSO, which is carried in pigs, but is not harmful to humans.
For PROBETA, the team will yet again involve patients within the Sanford Health hospital/clinic system in Sioux Falls and Fargo. But this project will also incorporate 16 sites across the entire United States. According to Rabinovitch, the Sanford Project team is awaiting FDA approval for the PROBETA trial. Details about the trial will be released locally and nationally later this year. In addition to Denny Sanford, the Sanford Project is supported by a $10 million donation from Todd and Linda Broin. Sanford Health is also committed to support the project. Through federal, other private grant-funding sources and private gifts, Sanford will seek to establish research efforts totaling more than $100 million annually. “We have high hopes that our Sanford Project clinical trials aimed at curing type 1 diabetes will produce significant results,” says Dr. Rabinovitch. “This could potentially improve or even fully correct the abnormal glucose levels that complicate and threaten the lives of people with type 1 diabetes.” To learn more about the Sanford Project, visit sanfordresearch.org.
John Lee, MD, a nationally renowned Sanford head and neck cancer specialist, is partnering with Etubics Corporation to move a vaccine for HPV to clinical trial.
Sanford Research HPV Vaccine Moving to Clinical Trials Etubics Corporation has received a $1.03 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to move a vaccine for human papilloma virus (HPV) developed by a Sanford researcher to clinical trials. The vaccine was engineered by Sanford Research’s John Lee, MD, and his team in collaboration with Etubics. In October, a study led by Lee and published by Cancer Gene Therapy indicated a Etubics drug (Ad5 [E1-, E2b-]), when used in conjunction with chemotherapy and radiation, successfully improved long-term survival of animals expressing HPV. The grant will support the necessary pre-clinical experiments to allow Etubics’ HPV vaccine, which targets head and neck cancers, to enter into clinical trials. The Etubics drug delivers E6 and E7 proteins of HPV (HPV-E6/ E7) as a safe vaccine, giving it the ability to deliver a long lasting “active” immune response against cancer targets and educate the immune system’s T-cells to act as if the cancer was a simple virus.
translating this vaccine to a human application could be a game changer,” said Lee, a Sanford Clinic Ear, Nose and Throat specialist. “The incidence of head and neck cancer is on the rise, and research has indicated that HPV is playing a key role in that.” HPV is the leading cause of more than 90 percent of cervical cancers and is linked to 60 percent of head and neck cancers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Currently, no HPV therapeutic vaccine is effective at treating established tumors, despite its success with preventing HPV infection.
“While the results of our trials in animal models were exciting, the potential of sanfordhealth.org | 5
backgrounds and may target a single muscle or the entire body. Symptoms often begin during childhood and can worsen over time. A many as 500,000 people in the United States suffer from dystonia, which has no cure and is the most common movement disorder behind essential tremors and Parkinson’s disease.
Michael Kruer, MD, a Sanford pediatric neurologist and neurogeneticist, was awarded over $850,000 in funding from the National Institutes of Health to further genetic research on juvenile Parkinson disease and dystonia.
Pearce Broadens Understanding of Batten Disease A protein that protects cells from breakdown may be missing in those suffering from Batten disease, according to a study conducted by Sanford Research’s David Pearce, PhD, and published by PLOS ONE. The study, “Osmotic stress changes the expression and subcellular localization of the Batten disease protein CLN3,” appeared in the June issue of PLOS ONE. Dr. Pearce’s study found that under stress conditions the CLN3 protein moves to different parts of the cell to protect itself from breakdown. In patients with Batten disease, the multifunctional CLN3 gene may be missing, not allowing the cell to respond to stress and ultimately causing it to die. Batten disease, most commonly found in children, is a group of neurodegenerative diseases that results in seizures, blindness, motor and cognitive decline and premature death. It is caused by gene mutations that cause premature decay of cells. “This is important because previously it was assumed that CLN3 was only found in one place in the cell,” said Dr. Pearce. “If the CLN3 is missing, then a cell cannot respond appropriately to stress; ultimately the cells may die due to the lack of this response.” Led by Dr. Pearce, who also serves as chief operating officer and vice president of Sanford Research, 6 | discoveries
the Pearce Lab for Genetically Inherited Diseases of Children at Sanford Research is globally known for its research of Batten disease. Dr. Pearce has studied the genetic disorder for more than a decade.
Kruer Awarded NIH Funding for Genetic Research The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded Michael Kruer, MD, of the Sanford Children’s Health Research Center, a fiveyear, $860,000 grant to support his research on genetic forms of juvenile Parkinson disease and dystonia. The grant is just one piece of Sanford Health’s growing Pediatric Movement Disorders Clinic, led by Dr. Kruer, designed to connect children with some of the most challenging conditions to cuttingedge clinical care and research. Juvenile Parkinson disease begins under the age of 21, and can affect children as young as kindergarten age. It is a neurodegenerative disorder that progressively destroys the neurons in the brain. Initial symptoms can include rigidity, stiffness, resting tremors, slow movements and impaired speech and motor skills. Although rare, study of this aggressive form of Parkinson disease has spurred major advances in the understanding of the biological basis of adult-onset Parkinson’s. Dystonia is a movement disorder that causes involuntary contractions of muscles. It can affect men, women and children of all ages and
The NIH grant will allow Dr. Kruer, a geneticist and movement disorders researcher at Sanford Children’s Hospital in Sioux Falls, to continue to unravel the molecular basis of these diseases through the use of yeast and mouse models. “These studies will provide us with insight into the fundamental biology of Parkinson disease and dystonia, and will help us understand why crucial neuroprotective mechanisms fail, with applicability to millions of people worldwide,” said Dr. Kruer. Dr. Kruer is a pediatric neurologist and associate scientist at the Sanford Children’s Health Research Center. He was recognized nationally for his research last year by the Child Neurology Foundation.
New Research Ideas Backed by Sanford Seed Fund Four Sanford clinicians have been selected to receive funding from the Sanford Seed Grant Research Fund, established in 2011 to grow and evolve unfunded research ideas of Sanford clinicians. The proposals were selected based on the criteria of purpose and priority, scientific integrity, potential for future funding and feasibility. “The Sanford Seed Grant Research Fund creates innovations in patient care at Sanford by resourcing the exploration of new ideas,” said David Pearce, PhD, chief operating officer and vice president of Sanford Research. “These grants fuel our physicianscientist culture by providing Sanford clinicians with the startup resources required for bringing their research to the forefront.”
The recipients include: Drs. Dubert Guerrero & Paul Carson, Sanford Clinic (Fargo), “Evaluation of Patients with Persistent Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Colonization” This study is a quality improvement initiative with the main goal being to establish a practical yet safe algorithm to reduce patients requiring contact precautions for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Drs. Lindsay Hines & Thomas Haldis, Sanford Neuroscience Clinic and Sanford Heart (Fargo), “Cognitive Functioning Improves Following TAVI: Cerebral Perfusion Trumps Embolic Injury” The aim of this study is to determine if cognitive functioning, mood, and ability to manage activities of daily living improves following transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). The study will also compare post-TAVI changes in cognitive functioning with subclinical embolic brain injury as determined by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Drs. Angela Myers, Michael Kruer & Patricia Crotwell, Sanford Children’s Specialty Clinic/Cytogenetics Lab (Sioux Falls), “Mapping novel genes for undiagnosed pediatric neurological diseases” Using the resources and expertise within the Sanford Genetics Laboratory, this study will map currently undiscovered gene mutations that lead to inherited neurological diseases of childhood in highly genetically informative families.
Kirstin Williams, NP & Keith Miskimins, PhD, Sanford/ USD Medical Center/Sanford Research (Sioux Falls), “Pilot study using metformin to reduce cardiac toxicity in breast cancer patients” The objective of this study is to determine if co-administration of the medications metformin and doxorubicin in breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant therapy will reduce the number of patients who develop a significant change in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).
Science for a Day: Sanford Center hosts the 2nd annual “It’s All About Science Festival” An estimated 5,000 people packed the Sanford Center for the “It’s All About Science Festival” on Saturday, June 8 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Its goal was to promote and encourage a science based community as the festival celebrated the exploration of science, technology, engineering and mathematics for the second year in a row. The festival consisted of 52 scientific exhibits, 30 poster presentations and five stage performances, including four showings of “Bill Blagg’s The Science of Magic” and one showing of the “Sanford Underground Research Facility Tour with Bill Harlan.” The event also hosted a regional Research Poster Competition and numerous hands-on scientific demonstrations.
for every one person applying – those are good odds. The number-one economic need right now is science careers with a focus on healthcare, and if we can get kids interested in science today, they will have a job waiting for them in the future.” The event was organized by a planning committee that consisted of 35 people from industry, nonprofit, educational and business organizations. Each person put in about 40 hours over the course of the year, starting in November, to make the event happen. The rest of the year is spent preparing and promoting other regional Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programs. Partnering organizations included SD BioTech Association, Black Hills State University, Dakota Sciences, Dakota State University, University of SD, East Dakota Educational Cooperative, Sanford School of Medicine, SD EPSCoR, ND State College of Science, Washington Pavilion, Pioneer, Sanford Underground Research Facility, SoClear, TSP, 3M, Augustana College, SD Department of Education, Area Health Education Center, SD School of Mines & Technology and EROS/USGS. Major sponsors of the event were Sanford Health, Poet, 3M, SD EPSCoR and Brown and Saenger. An estimated 5,000 people attended the 2nd Annual It’s All About Science Festival at the Sanford Center this summer.
Although the majority of people who attended seemed to be young children, associate scientist in the Children Health Research Center and organizer for the event, Jill Weimer said that the targeted age range was 0-99. The event was community based and had something for every age. “Compared to other states, South Dakota is doing well economically,” Weimer said. “Today there is an average of six jobs in scientific health
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IV (DPP-IV) enzyme, which degrades an insulin-producing hormone, is inhibited to determine if that combination also regenerates and preserves beta cells. Individuals with type 1 diabetes lack adequate numbers of their beta cells, which are responsible for producing insulin and maintaining proper blood sugar levels.
A study published in Scientific Reports, led by Sanford Research COO and Vice President, David Pearce, PhD, revealed how location and sex can affect mouse models.
Sanford Publishes Discovery of Environmental Impact on Mouse Strains used for Disease Models A study addressing how location and sex can affect mouse models in scientific research authored by Sanford Research’s David Pearce, PhD, appears in July’s issue of Scientific Reports. “Location- and sex-specific differences in weight and motor coordination in two commonly used mouse strains” focuses on the migration of Pearce’s mouse colony from the University of Rochester (NY) to Sioux Falls after his move to Sanford Research in 2009. Pearce found the shift in environment caused changes in the weight, motor coordination and motor learning capability of mice. Additionally, those changes also varied between male and female mice. Differences between Rochester and Sioux Falls included, for example, diet and slightly adjusted testing protocols. In general, the mice in Sioux Falls were heavier and slower than those in Rochester. Pearce’s study reveals why scientists performing the same mouse-model research in two different labs may experience different outcomes. “We have long thought that environmental factors can have an effect on behavioral experiments, which has caused us to wonder how well we can reproduce experiments 8 | discoveries
in different settings,” said Pearce, Sanford Research’s vice president and chief operating officer. “In our move from Rochester to Sioux Falls, we found that many factors, including local diets and handling procedures, had a significant influence on how our mice models reacted.” Published by Nature, Scientific Reports is a primary research publication focused on timely, peer-reviewed papers authored by experts within their scientific field.
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation to Support Sanford Project Study A grant from the Juvenile Research Diabetes Foundation (JDRF) will provide Sanford Research’s Zhiguang Guo, MD, PhD, with nearly $500,000 to study a protein that may promote regeneration of cells in patients with juvenile (type 1) diabetes. Guo’s proposal, “Promoting human beta cell regeneration and survival by activating GPR119,” will be funded for three years. Guo is a scientist with the Sanford Project, an emerging translational research center focused on targeted diabetes research, cures and care. Using a mouse model, Guo and his team will determine if the GPR119 protein can promote the regeneration and prevent the death of beta cells when activated. Additionally, the GPR119 protein will be activated while the dipeptidyl peptidase
“At the clinical onset of type 1 diabetes, patients still have a small percentage of beta cells remaining, so if we are able to increase the number of beta cells, diabetes could be reversed” said Guo. “Success in our experiments could mean new therapeutic approaches to treat patients with type 1 diabetes.” Guo’s lab primarily focuses on methods to restore beta-cell numbers and function to treat type 1 diabetes.
Reilly Named Dr. Ben Perryman Sanford Research Employee of the Year Karla Reilly, a clinical research team member since 2005, has been named the Dr. Ben Perryman Sanford Research Employee of the Year. Karla is the primary research coordinator for Vascular Associates and has served as a back-up coordinator on a variety of other studies. She obtained her CCRP certification in 2011 and was promoted to a certified clinical research coordinator within the department. Karla has been integral in the development of the organization’s successful VA Clinical Research Program, and has been successful in securing enrollment for difficult studies and retaining participants throughout the follow-up period. In addition to her meticulous work, Karla maintains an exceptional work ethic, is an excellent representative of clinical research both internally and externally, and has been a mentor for many staff over the years.
Collaborative Research Center for American Indian Health Announces Pilot Grants Five research projects have been selected to receive funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as part of the Collaborative Research Center for American Indian Health’s (CRCAIH) inaugural pilot grants program. The CRCAIH’s pilot grant program was created to fund cutting-edge transdisciplinary research to address health disparities experienced by American Indians in South Dakota, North Dakota and Minnesota. “We were overwhelmed with the response to the request for proposals and look forward to seeing the projects’ results in the next year,” said Amy Elliott, PhD, the principal investigator for the CRCAIH and a senior scientist and director for Sanford Research’s Center for Health Outcomes and Prevention. “Each project was reviewed by an expert external review panel based on scientific merit and community involvement, and we are optimistic about the answers each study will produce.”
The following projects were selected for funding: •
John Gonzalez, PhD (University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth) Is my healthcare making me sick? Microaggressions in American Indian healthcare.
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Jessica D. Hanson, PhD (Sanford Research, Center for Health Outcomes and Prevention Research) Reliability and validity in a prevention program for American Indian women.
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Alicia Claire Mousseau, PhD (Little Wound School, Oglala Sioux Tribe) Using mindfulness to reduce risky behaviors among American Indian youth.
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Soonhee Roh, PhD (University of South Dakota, School of Health Sciences) Determinants of care and life quality in American Indian women with cervical cancer.
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H. Bruce Vogt, MD, FAAP (University of South Dakota, Sanford School of Medicine); Jay Memmott, PhD, MSW (University of South Dakota, School of Health Sciences) Assessing the impact of lay patient advocate training in tribal communities.
The CRCAIH’s pilot grant program was created to fund cutting-edge transdisciplinary research to address health disparities experienced by American Indians in South Dakota, North Dakota and Minnesota.
Sanford Health Foundation Foundation Embarks on Multiple Campaigns Through various campaigns in its four regional locations, the Sanford Health Foundation is raising more than $50 million for everything from enhancing specific areas of health care to transforming health care delivery overall. Sanford Health Foundation, Bemidji A cancer-focused campaign will kick off this fall through the Sanford Health Foundation of Northern Minnesota. Funds raised will help further develop cancer services at Sanford Bemidji by updating equipment and technology as well as expanding diagnostics and treatment options, including adding treatments not currently available in the region. “Our goal is to enhance cancer care for our community,” said Penny Echternach, Executive Director of the Sanford Health Foundation of Northern Minnesota. “We want to ensure people in this region have access to everything they need to fight cancer, right here, so they won’t need to travel and be away from home.” Sanford Health Foundation, Bismarck The $20 million Builders of Excellence Endowment Campaign was launched last fall by the Sanford Health Foundation in Bismarck. The matching gifts campaign will double donors’ investments while building a base of permanent support for programs throughout Sanford Bismarck. Nearly $3 million has been raised so far. “This is an historic time for our Foundation and our health system,” said Tom Petrik, Vice President of Development. “We’ve never had the opportunity before to maximize our donations with matching dollars. The impact on health care in our region will be realized for generations.”
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Childhood Nutrition and Fitness Initiatives: fit fit Develops Mobile App Series Though a series of fun and engaging apps, fit is continuing to activate kids to live a fit and healthy lifestyle related to FOOD, MOVE, RECHARGE and MOOD. Move2Draw connects fun, friends and fit using the mobile app and online Move2Draw website. It is a simple and fun way for kids to MOVE and to create their own unique drawings. The Building Tomorrow Today campaign for Fargo’s new medical center has raised more than $15 million toward the $50 million goal.
Sanford Health Foundation, Fargo The $50 million Building Tomorrow Today campaign continues in the Fargo region. Now in its second year, it has raised more than $15 million toward the $50 million goal. All funds raised throughout this endowment campaign will expand programs and services in conjunction with development of the new medical center in southwest Fargo and repurposing and expansion of the current downtown campus. “This campaign is unprecedented not only in its fundraising goal, but in its vision,” said Lonnie Pederson, Vice President. “Our donors will help transform health care delivery in this region forever.” Sanford Health Foundation, Sioux Falls The multi-million dollar Gift of Time campaign will kick off this fall by the Sanford Health Foundation in Sioux Falls. The campaign will raise funds for a state-of-the-art, acute care hospice facility on the campus of Sanford USD Medical Center. The proposed 25,000 square foot facility will include 22 patient and family suites and a special section devoted to children’s hospice care. “Quality time is more precious than ever when one is nearing the end of 10 | discoveries
life,” said Chad Rohlfs, Director of Development. “Our new Hospice facility will provide the gift of time to people in their final days and hours. Time to enjoy special memories, time to be husband and wife, mom and dad, son and daughter, or brother and sister, time to cherish together when it’s needed most.” For more information on Sanford Health Foundation campaigns, visit foundation.sanfordhealth.org.
Edith Sanford Foundation Edith Sanford Breast Cancer Foundation Launches TeamEdith™ The Edith Sanford Breast Cancer Foundation is off to a running start with TeamEdith, its new sports engagement platform that promotes and encourages healthy lifestyles. In June, TeamEdith debuted at the Cohasset Triathlon in Cohasset, Mass., one of the premier races in New England. Sixteen athletes competed as members of TeamEdith, pledging to raise at least $200 each to support Edith Sanford’s mission to unlock each woman’s genetic code to advance today’s prevention and treatment, and end breast cancer for future generations. At
the end of the day, these athletes not only met their targets, but surpassed them by 25 percent. TeamEdith will be the benefactor of two more East Coast triathlons this year, including one in Atlantic City, N.J. and another in North Wildwoods, N.J., as a result of the Foundation’s partnership with event organizer Streamline Events. You don’t have to travel across the country to be an important member of the team. Simply visit edithsanford.org/teamedith and select an existing event, or start an event of your own (it can be anything from walking around your block to water-walking in your local pool, or just fundraising around your participation in any athletic event). Whether you’re a seasoned triathlete or about to walk your first 5K, TeamEdith will support your efforts with tips, encouragement and incentives. Most importantly, 100 percent of every dollar you raise will directly support Edith Sanford’s cutting-edge genomic research to find the cures. Join TeamEdith today, and embrace a healthy and fit lifestyle while supporting the Edith Sanford Breast Cancer Foundation’s efforts to end breast cancer forever!
• App: The app is designed for creating and sharing pictures on a mobile device using GPS. There is currently a free download on Apple and Google Play (Search “Move2Draw”). • Website: The website is designed to display and organize pictures as well as to view details such as miles traveled, hours logged, drawings completed and badges earned. In addition to Move2Draw, the fit team is working on a full suite of mobile apps around FOOD, RECHARGE and MOOD. The Move2Draw app is a simple and fun way for kids to MOVE and create their own drawings.
Sanford World Clinic in Cape Coast, Ghana, will implement its first major service expansion focused on prenatal care and women’s education.
World Clinic Ghana Services Expand to Include Prenatal and Women’s Education Sanford is proud to announce that it will be implementing the first service expansion to its core services in Ghana this fall, focused on prenatal care and women’s education. Prenatal care refers to the preventative medical and nursing care recommended for women during pregnancy, with the goal of providing regular check-ups that allow providers to treat and prevent potential health problems throughout the course of pregnancy while promoting healthy lifestyles that benefit both mother and child. Sanford will expand upon its current services to implement a prenatal program, in addition to reproductive health education for its female patients, with a beta test site program planned for the Adenta clinic over the coming months. Adding these types of services is critical, as the majority of patients at Sanford’s clinics are women of child-bearing age. Moreover, these types of programs assist Ghana’s progress towards the attainment of the eight Millennium Development Goals adopted by world leaders aimed at transforming the face of global development cooperation, including promoting general equality and empowering women, reducing child mortality, and improving maternal health.
Duncan Clinic Adds Providers and Services Jacque Gillespie, APRN-CNP, who has more than 27 years of pediatric experience, rejoined the Duncan World Clinic in July. Jacque is a strong addition to Sanford’s trusted team of Duncan pediatricians, Drs. Deena Wise and Arjun Nepal. The Duncan clinic has also expanded its services in two areas. First, recognizing that families are driven by busy schedules and the desire to be seen as quickly as possible, Sanford has established new walk-in clinic hours Monday through Friday. Second, the Duncan clinic is now providing allergy skin testing and immunotheraphy, which provides individualized evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of allergies for children. Oklahoma is frequently ranked as one of the most challenging areas for seasonal allergies.
OHSU Residency Affiliation in Klamath Falls The Klamath Falls Clinic and Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) are collaborating on a residency affiliation program. Under this program, Sanford allows OHSU’s medical residents to gain additional clinical experience by rotating through its Klamath Falls clinic. Sanford’s physicians will instruct and serve as role models for the medical residents, with the objective that these residents will be able to provide patient care that is compassionate, appropriate and effective for the treatment of children’s health problems and the promotion of health. sanfordhealth.org | 11
events
give.
September 12: Sanford Community Lecture Series
Back to Basics: The Role of Basic Research in a Clinical World Peter Vitiello, PhD, Associate Scientist, Children’s Health Research Center, Sanford Research 5:30-6:30 p.m.
October 10: Sanford Community Lecture Series
A Molecular Perspective of Breast Cancer from a Scientist who is a Survivor Kristi Egland, PhD, Sanford Cancer Biology Research Center, Sanford Research 5:30-6:30 p.m.
If you are interested in providing philanthropic support for any of the research or major initiatives featured in this publication, please contact the Sanford Health Foundation. Thank you.
October 11: Second Annual Sanford Genomic Medicine Symposium Bringing Genomic Medicine into Clinical Practice Medical staff, scientists, residents and students are invited to learn from national experts about incorporating advances in genetics and genomics into clinical practice. Register by Sept. 27 at sanfordhealth.org, Keyword: Genomic Medicine Symposium.
Sioux Falls Region: (605) 328-5700
November 14: Sanford Community Lecture Series
Bismarck Region: (701) 323-8450
Giving the Gifts of Sight & Health Nathan Kasselder, SD Lion’s Eye and Tissue Bank 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Fargo Region: (701) 234-6246
Bemidji Region: (218) 333-5515
December 12: Sanford Community Lecture Series
foundation.sanfordhealth.org
* Unless otherwise noted, all events will be located at the Sanford Center, 2301 East 60th Street North, Sioux Falls, SD 57104
Edith Sanford Breast Cancer Foundation: (855) 463-3484
When Your Powerhouse Goes Bad: Mitochondrial diseases and disorders Megan Landsverk, PhD, Director, Clinical Molecular Genetics Laboratory, Sanford Health
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edithsanford.org