Names and Faces

Loscalzo Receives AHA’s Paul Dudley White Award

Joseph Loscalzo, MD, PhD, chairman of the Department of Medicine and Hersey Professor of the Theory and Practice of Medicine at HMS, in May received the American Heart Association’s Paul Dudley White award. The award is named in honor of Paul Dudley White, a revered Boston cardiologist and a founding father of the American Heart Association. It is given annually to medical professionals who work to reduce disability and death as a result of cardiovascular diseases and stroke.

Loscalzo is recognized for his achievements in cardiovascular system research. “I am delighted to receive this award from the American Heart Association. Because of the AHA’s enormous support for the research community, of which I am proud to be a part, we are able to continue our efforts to find cures for cardiovascular disorders that affect so many individuals,” he said.

Loscalzo is the editor-in-chief of Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, a senior editor of Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine, a member of the Advisory Council of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health, and a member of the Council of Councils of the National Institutes of Health. He has been elected to the American Society for Clinical Investigation, the Association of American Physicians and the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies.

Hodi Directs New Melanoma Center

Stephen Hodi, MD, is the new director of the Melanoma Center at the Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center (DF/BWCC). Hodi oversees clinical trials of melanoma therapies and facilitates basic research studies. The center is a collaborative effort with experts from Dermatology, Medical Oncology, Pathology, Radiation Oncology and Surgery.

“This is an exciting time when advances from multiple disciplines are merging to offer profound opportunities to alter the standards by which we currently treat people with or at risk for malignant melanoma,” said Hodi. “The establishment of the Melanoma Center is a recognition of this opportunity while laying the foundation for DF/BWCC to lead the effort to impact this disease.”

Research projects within the program include tests of small molecules that inhibit B-RAF, a gene for a key enzyme, or kinase, which is mutated in about 50 percent of melanoma patients, as well as studies of therapeutic vaccines for the disease.

“To truly make an impact in this area, we have to both care for and study the whole spectrum of patients with melanoma, from early to advanced disease, in a comprehensive fashion,” said Thomas S. Kupper, MD, director of the Cutaneous Oncology Program at DF/BWCC. “Under Dr. Hodi’s leadership, the DF/BWCC is primed to take the lead in melanoma clinical care and translational research and make a real contribution to the successful treatment of our patients with this deadly disease.”

Weiss Selected for Recognition Award

Scott T. Weiss, MD, MS, of Channing Laboratory, in May received from the American Thoracic Society the 2008 Recognition Award for Scientific Achievement. He was recognized for his contributions to the prevention and treatment of lung disease, most notably in the health impact of environmental tobacco smoke, airway responsiveness as a risk factor for COPD, asthma risk factors and asthma genetics and pharmacogenetics.

Schlondorff Wins Young Investigator Award

Johannes Schlondorff, MD, PhD, a fellow in Martin R. Pollak’s laboratory at BWH, in April received a 2008 Young Investigator Award from the American Society for Clinical Investigation. Schlondorff’s project, “TRPC6 regulation and its role in glomerular pathobiology,” explores at the molecular level the effects of mutations in the gene TRPC6 and how those mutations lead to the development of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), a common form of kidney disease and significant cause of end-stage renal disease. The goal of the project is to understand how mutations in TRPC6 affect the pathway of disease development, which could one day lead to targeted therapies.

Singh Named Director

Ajay Singh, MD, clinical director of the Renal Division and Dialysis Services, was named director of Post-Graduate Medical Education in the Department of Medicine.

“Ajay is a distinguished teacher, an admired clinician, a contributor to education scholarship in both Internal Medicine and Nephrology, and an accomplished clinical researcher,” said Joseph Loscalzo, MD, PhD, chairman of the Department of Medicine.

Singh has been the director of the Department of Medicine’s main CME course, Intensive Review of Internal Medicine (IRIM), for the past 10 years. In this role, he has worked to develop new post-graduate courses, books and distance learning programs.

Strichartz Awarded Humphry Davy Medal

Gary Strichartz, PhD, professor of Anesthesia and Pharmacology and director of the BWH Pain Research Center, was awarded the Humphry Davy Medal by the Royal College of Anesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland. The award recognizes Strichartz’s many contributions in research and teaching to the understanding of mechanisms and practice of local anesthetics.

Cytogeneticist to Receive Korean “Nobel Prize”

At 38, Charles Lee, PhD, will be the youngest recipient of the 2008 Ho-Am Prize in Medicine when the BWH clinical cytogeneticist receives the “Nobel Prize” of Korea in Seoul on June 3.

“I am truly honored and indebted to my hard working lab, wonderfully supportive colleagues and, most of all, my valued collaborators from whom I have learned so much over the years,” said Lee.

Lee’s 2004 discovery of widespread structural genomic variation in humans has revolutionized human genetics. Because of his work, scientists already have associated some of these genetic variations with increased susceptibility to AIDS, autoimmune diseases and cancer.

“Dr. Lee is an excellent example of a new breed of genetic scientist – a translational molecular pathologist,” said Michael Gimbrone, MD, chairman of Pathology. “His basic discovery is not only paradigm-shifting but may well be translated into new strategies for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, strengthening the promise of personalized medicine.”

Lee, who came to BWH in 1998 for his clinical cytogenetic training, is an assistant professor of Pathology at BWH and HMS. He was born in South Korea in 1969 and immigrated to Canada when he was a year old.

The Ho-Am Prize was established in 1990 in the memory of the late Byung-chull Lee, founder of the Samsung group of companies, and is awarded annually in five disciplines.

Gitlin Named MPS Educator of the Year

David Gitlin, MD, director of the Division of Medical Psychiatry at BW/F and assistant professor of Medicine at HMS, in April was named Educator of the Year by the Massachusetts Psychiatric Society (MPS). Gitlin previously received the BWH Emergency Department Consultation Service of the Year three times since 2002. Gitlin serves as a councilor on the MPS board and is vice president of the Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine.

MPS represents the majority of psychiatrists in Massachusetts. Its members are committed to providing outstanding medical/psychiatric care through accurate diagnosis and comprehensive treatment of mental health and emotional illnesses. MPS also promotes public and professional education, legislation that addresses the needs and rights of the mentally and emotionally ill and allocation of public and private resources for treatment, research and education.

Wolf First Recipient of APDIM Educator Award

Marshall Wolf, MD, director emeritus for medical residency programs in the Department of Medicine, was selected as the first recipient of the Association of Program Directors of Internal Medicine Distinguished Medical Educator Award. The award recognizes Wolf for his contributions to the field of graduate medical education. Wolf will receive the award at the association’s fall meeting.

OWC Celebrates Decade of Accomplishments

In the past decade, BWH women faculty have taken on more professorships at Harvard Medical School than ever before, largely due to the work of the Office of Women’s Careers. In 1998, 12 percent of all associate professors were women, and today women hold 27 percent of BWH faculty positions.

Women postdoctoral fellows, clinical and research faculty gathered April 7 to celebrate the Office for Women’s Careers’ tenth anniversary and its accomplishments. Carol Nadelson, MD, director of the OWC, received praise and congratulations for her undertakings in leading the organization.

“Carol is a fabulous mentor and leader. She is tireless and persistent, and, because of her hard work, we are seeing growth in the number of women professors in the institution,” said Gary Gottlieb, MD, MBA, BWH president.

Women have taken on more assistant and full professor faculty positions during the last decade. In 1998, 28 percent of assistant professors were women, and today 36 percent of assistant professors are women. Women hold more full professorships, as well, increasing from 9 percent a decade ago to 11 percent today.

The OWC, affiliated with the Center for Faculty Development and Diversity since 2006, publishes an annual booklet highlighting the accomplishments of women faculty, and this year’s is the most robust yet. It features awards, honors, appointments, grants, publications, teaching and clinical activities, community and professional services and pioneering achievements of women faculty and fellows at BWH.

“Under Carol’s leadership, the Office of Women’s Careers has done so much for so many,” said Raina Fichorova, MD, PhD, in OB/Gyn, who was recently promoted to associate professor.

Nadelson Recognized at APA Meeting

Carol Nadelson, MD, director of the Office for Women’s Careers, in May will receive a Special Presidential Commendation at the annual American Psychiatric Association meeting in Washington. Nadelson is being recognized for her dedication to the health and well being of women and their families, her mentorship and for her ground breaking leadership in promoting the career development of women physicians.

Loscalzo, Walsh Lead Cardiovascular Committee

As BWH is poised to open the doors of the Carl J. and Ruth Shapiro Cardiovascular Center next month, hospital leaders have formed a committee charged with building a truly innovative, integrative Cardiovascular Center of Excellence that provides seamless multidisciplinary care and coordinated services across the distributed campus and network.

BWH President Gary Gottlieb, MD, MBA, tapped Joseph Loscalzo, MD, PhD, chairman of the Department of Medicine, to chair this Cardiovascular Center of Excellence Leadership committee, and Kate Walsh, BWH’s chief operating officer, to serve as co-chair.

“After working to build and now open the Shapiro Center, we can expand on the work of the Cardiovascular Center of Excellence towards the elements of cardiovascular care that will differentiate the BW/F for many years to come,” Gottlieb said. “We must focus on care that enables innovation, fuels research and rapidly translates our findings to truly integrated, multidisciplinary care.”

This 15-member group, which began meeting in February, is charged with accelerating the translation of new knowledge in cardiovascular care, ensuring cardiovascular volume growth and functionally integrating all components of care required to create a true center of excellence. The leadership committee will collaborate with and support the other committees and groups that have been working towards opening the Shapiro Center next month.

The Cardiovascular Center of Excellence Leadership committee includes: Dale Adler, MD; Kenneth Baughman, MD; Ralph Morton Bolman, III, MD; Peter R. Brown; Michael S. Conte, MD; Marcelo Di Carli, MD; Joanne M. Foody, MD; Elizabeth Glaser; Mairead Hickey, PhD, RN; Janina Longtine, MD; Marc Pfeffer, MD, PhD; Debra Rogers; and William Stevenson.

Whittemore Elected ASA President

BWH Chief Medical Officer Andy Whittemore, MD, in April was elected president of the American Surgical Association (ASA), the nation’s oldest and most prestigious surgical organization, which was founded in 1880. Whittemore, who trained as a vascular surgeon and served as its division chief at BWH, has been chief medical officer since 1999, and he has led many hospital efforts that have made BWH a national leader in patient safety.

“It’s an honor to serve as the ASA president,” said Whittemore, who last year served as the association’s first vice president. “The ASA’s dedication to elevating standards of the medical/surgical profession through science and scholarship fits perfectly with BWH’s mission of providing excellent care, conducting groundbreaking research and training the clinicians of tomorrow.”

As ASA president, Whittemore said his agenda will be dominated by two major challenges. First, the incipient shortage of general surgeons nationwide must be remedied; second, a system to ensure that surgeons are re-credentialed based upon measurable sustained competency must be implemented. Additional issues remain the mandated CMS reductions in reimbursement and the increasing detrimental impact of litigation, especially claims derived from emergency care.

Whittemore’s election as president is quite an achievement and enhances BWH’s already stellar reputation among surgeons the world over, said Michael Zinner, MD, chair of Surgery at BWH. “The ASA surely is the preeminent surgeons association in the world, and all of BWH should be proud to have Andy serving as president,” he said.

Whittemore is the fourth surgeon with strong BWH ties to lead the ASA as president. Most recently, John A. Mannick, MD, BWH’s former surgeon in-chief, served as ASA president in 1989; transplant pioneer Francis D. Moore held the post in 1971; and cardiac surgery pioneer Elliott Carr Cutler of the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital was ASA president in 1947. J. Englebert Dunphy, who was a PBBH faculty member in the 1950s, served as ASA president in 1961.

Chiodo Elected to Second Term as MOA President

Christopher Chiodo, MD, of the department of Orthopedic Surgery, was elected to a second term as president of the Massachusetts Orthopedic Association. As the state’s orthopedic specialty society, the Massachusetts Orthopedic Association organizes physician and patient educational initiatives and promotes state legislative initiatives that affect orthopedic patients and physicians. In addition, Chiodo recently was named assistant editor for the orthopedic journal, Foot and Ankle International. As assistant editor, he will be responsible for evidence-based reviews on various topics in foot and ankle surgery.

Czeisler Wins Two Awards

Charles Czeisler, MD, PhD, in March won the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Sleep Foundation for his dedication to excellence in sleep science, his commitment to mentoring investigators and his advancement of sleep medicine in public health policies.

In addition, Czeisler received the Lord Adrian Gold Medal from the Royal Society of Medicine in London in April. The medal is awarded to distinguished medical practitioners who aim to advance the practice of sleep medicine. Lord Adrian was the president of the Royal Society of Medicine who won the Nobel Prize for his work on the electrical activity on the nervous system that led to the development of sleep electroencephalogram in the physiological and pharmacological investigation of the sleep-wakefulness continuum.