Names and Faces

Steele Named First Walter Morris-Hale Chair in Urologic Oncology

From left, Jerome Richie, Kathryn Arnone and Graeme Steele.

BWH established the Professor Walter Morris-Hale Distinguished Chair in Urologic Oncology and named Graeme Steele, MD, as the first incumbent.

The chair honors the late Morris-Hale, who spent 33 years at Smith College in Northampton, Mass., in a career of teaching government, focusing on the study of multi-ethnic societies. He studied and lectured at several colleges and universities in the U.S., Europe and Africa, and he authored, “Conflict and Harmony in Multi-Ethnic Societies: an International Perspective.”

The chair was announced during an event in June attended by Urology staff and friends, family and former students of Morris-Hale, who died in 2006. “It’s been a privilege and an honor to learn about Professor Walter Morris-Hale and his impactful, accomplished life, and a wonderful blessing to receive such a generous gift for the Urology Department at BWH,” said Jerome Richie, MD, chief of the Division of Urology. “It marks the beginning of a new chapter of research and discovery for us.”

Stanley Ashley, MD, the Frank Sawyer Professor of Surgery, vice chairman of Surgery and director of the General Surgery Residency program, thanked the friends and family of Morris-Hale and spoke of the late professor’s generous spirit and BWH connection. “It was his passion to help others and in this case specifically African American men who are at great risk of facing prostate cancer that, through a series of events, connected Walter to BWH,” he said. “We are honored to receive this transformational gift and are thrilled to focus on meeting new, meaningful milestones in this arena.”

Steele came to BWH from Johannesburg, South Africa, where he was chief of the Division of Urologic Surgery at the Medical School in Johannesburg. Richie called him, “a top surgeon and researcher,” who is actively involved in urologic research and improving patient care. Steele’s research focus includes the role of heat therapy in the management of symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia as well as the epidemiology of testicular cancer.

Mahler, Pomahac Named Health Care Champions

Bohdan Pomahac

Miriam Mahler

Two BWH leaders were named as 2009 Health Care Champions by the Boston Business Journal, which annually selects “ the best and the brightest in the Bay State’s world-class health industry. This year, the newspaper recognized Miriam Mahler, CNM, MPH, program director of Midwifery, in the nursing category; and Bohdan Pomahac, MD, medical director of the Burn Center, in the innovator category.

Pomahac made international headlines in April when he led a 35-member surgery team in a 17-hour partial face-transplant that provided patient Jim Maki with a new nose, upper lip, hard palate and cheeks. It was the second face transplant procedure done in the U.S. and seventh in the world.

Pomahac worked for three years to develop the radically new, life-giving procedure to allow people with the most severe facial deformities to regain a sense of normalcy. He never lost sight of what this procedure meant to both the patient and the family of the donor, Joseph Helfgot. Pomahac collaborated with the New England Organ Bank to support Helfgot’s wife, Susan Whitman-Helfgot, and his family through every step. Pomahac and BWH made a life-long commitment to care for Maki both physically and mentally.

A steadfast advocate for all of the women in her care, Mahler has made it her life’s work to be the voice for those who otherwise would have no voice in the health care system. An exemplary nurse midwife in every aspect of care delivery, she works with her clinician colleagues at 10 community health centers in a constant effort to improve care for all patients.

She leads a team of 20 nurse midwives who care for patients at BWH and community health centers in providing prenatal care with compassion, dignity and respect while caring for more than 1,200 women in labor each year. The recipient of this year’s BWH Thomson Compassionate Leadership Award, Mahler recently was involved in efforts that resulted in BWH purchasing and donating electronic fetal monitors to the community health centers. She also spearheaded an initiative to translate patient education materials into languages for all patients in the community health centers, including Haitian Creole, Vietnamese and Spanish.

Pomahac, Mahler and all the recipients were featured in the Aug. 7 issue of the Boston Business Journal and honored at a breakfast in September.

Wolfe Receives Potamkin Prize for Research

Michael Wolfe, PhD, of the Department of Neurology at BWH, is one of three researchers to receive the 2009 Potamkin Prize for Research in Pick’s, Alzheimer’s, and Related Diseases, from the American Academy of Neurology (AAN). The Potamkin Prize honors researchers for their work to advance the understanding of Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders. Wolfe is recognized for his discovery of gamma-secretase, one of two amyloid-producing enzymes involved in causing Alzheimer’s disease. The $100,000 award is to be used toward continuing Alzheimer’s research and will be shared evenly between the three researchers. Wolfe and fellow recipients received the award during the AAN’s 61st annual meeting in Seattle this spring.

Lockley Receives Australia-Harvard Fellowship

Steven Lockley, PhD, of the Department of Medicine at BWH, has been named one of six 2009 Australia-Harvard Fellowship recipients by the Harvard Club of Australia Foundation. The fellowship supports an intellectual exchange between Harvard University and Australia through collaboration with senior Australian research organizations. Lockley has an appointment as honorary associate professor at Monash University’s School of Psychology in Australia. When he visits his chief collaborating researcher, Dr. Shantha Rajaratnam, for two months starting in October, he will teach behavioral neuroscience and lecture in the Sleep and Chronobiology Research Program. He also will help research to characterize sleep and circadian rhythm disruptions and investigate the effects of extended work hours on sleep, alertness and performance of medical interns.

Malhotra to Lead American Thoracic Society

Atul Malhotra, MD, a pulmonary intensivist and medical director of the Sleep Disorders Research Program and clinical chief of the BWH Sleep Medicine Division, was elected chair of the American Thoracic Society Assembly on Sleep and Respiratory Neurobiology and named to the American Thoracic Society Board of Directors. The assembly collects, interprets and disseminates information concerning clinical and research aspects of respiratory neurobiology, sleep and control of breathing. Malhotra has extensive expertise in the area of critical care as well as sleep apnea research, as he is a PI on five active NIH grants and author of more than 90 original manuscripts.

Weinblatt Awarded Marian Ropes Award

Michael E. Weinblatt, MD, co-director of Clinical Rheumatology, received the Dr. Marian Ropes Award for excellence in arthritis care and leadership in the fight against arthritis from the Arthritis Foundation Massachusetts Chapter. Named after Dr. Marian Ropes—a pioneer and national leader in the field of rheumatology and the first medical resident of MGH—the award is given annually to a highly regarded rheumatologist and orthopedic surgeon. Weinblatt has made a remarkable difference in the lives of thousands of children and adults impacted by arthritis over the course of his career. Weinblatt and fellow award recipients will be honored at the Physician Achievement Award Dinner in September at The Fairmont Copley Plaza.

Roy Named Director of BW/F Hospitalist Service

Christopher Roy, MD, in July began as director of the Brigham and Women’s/Faulkner Hospitalist Service. Roy, an assistant professor in the Division of General Medicine, had served as the interim medical director of the hospitalist service since October 2008, succeeding Sylvia McKean, MD, director of the service since its inception in 1998.

As director, Roy is responsible for ensuring that the hospitalist service continues to provide the highest quality clinical care. Working closely with the residency program, he will help ensure that the next generation of medical house staff receives excellent teaching on the general medicine units.

A graduate of Harvard Medical School, Roy completed his residency at BWH in 1997. He has conducted research in patient safety and physician communication, and co-chairs a Partners High Performance Medicine Taskforce on the communication of clinically significant test results. He recently completed the Brigham Leadership Program, a joint venture between BWH and the Harvard Business School.

In the last decade, the BW/F Hospitalist Service has expanded from three physicians to more than 30 physicians and six physician assistants who staff four general medicine resident teams at BWH and two at FH, the BWH Medicine Consult service, and the Physician Assistant Clinician Educator (PACE) Service. It is a section of the Division of General Internal Medicine, and some of its physicians hold academic posts in the Division of Global Health Equity and the Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics.

Austen Receives Lifetime Achievement Award

The Department of Medicine’s K. Frank Austen, MD, will receive the 2009 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Eicosanoid Research Foundation later this year. Recognized for his groundbreaking work in the field of eicosanoid research, Austen is best known for discoveries related to inflammatory mediators and his research concerning the roles of leukotrienes in asthma and pulmonary disease. Austen will receive his award during the inaugural session of the 11th International Conference on Bioactive Lipids in Cancer, Inflammation and Related Diseases in Mexico in October.

Vaidya Recieves NIH Pathway to Independence Award

Vishal S. Vaidya, PhD, of the Renal Division, was awarded the NIH Pathway to Independence Award from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Vaidya joins two other awardees honored this year by NIEHS for successful transition to tenure track or equivalent status. Vaidya is the first BWH recipient to successfully transition to the independent phase of this award. He directs the laboratory of kidney toxicology and re-generation and is interested in identifying and evaluating biomarkers and biosensors for early detection of kidney injury. His group recently reported development of a point of care device for rapid detection of kidney injury. The Pathway to Independence program aims to increase and maintain a strong cohort of new and talented NIH-supported independent investigators by providing an opportunity for postdoctoral scientists to receive both mentored and independent research support from the same grant award.

Jamison Receives American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Grant

Robert N. Jamison, PhD, of the Pain Management Center, received a grant from the National Institutes of Health first round of stimulus funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The $480,000 grant funds the study of patients with chronic back or neck pain who are at risk for potential substance abuse to determine if close monitoring and counseling can increase their overall compliance with opioids. Researchers believe the results of this study will help improve office and prescribing practices to better treat patients with histories of opioid abuse and chronic pain.

Chylack named ARVO 2009 Gold Fellow

Leo T. Chylack Jr., MD, professor of Ophthalmology and director of the Center for Ophthalmic Research at BWH, was named a Gold Fellow by the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology. During a May event, Chylack was among the group of members recognized for their accomplishments, leadership and contributions to the association. Chylack joined BWH in 1971, and he retired from clinical practice in 2001 to devote full time to basic and clinical research. He has served as the director of the Center for Clinical Cataract Research at BWH and continues to serve as the director of the Center for Ophthalmic Research at BWH. His research involves the mechanisms of age-related cataract formation, cataract classification, and epidemiology of the risk factors for age-related cataract.

Churchill Awarded John W. Webb Lecture Award

William W. Churchill, MS, RPh, executive director of Pharmacy Services, received the 2009 John W. Webb Lecture Award from the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Each year, the award is presented to a health-system pharmacy practitioner or educator who stands apart from others because of his or her extraordinary dedication to fostering excellence in pharmacy management and leadership. Churchill is honored for his groundbreaking work using technology to improve patient safety. In October, Churchill will present his award lecture at the ASHP Conference for Leaders in Health-System Pharmacy and as a visiting professor in hospital pharmacy at Northeastern University.