Names and Faces- Clinical & Research News - For and about the Physicians and Researchers of Brigham and Women's HospitalNames and Faces- Clinical & Research News - For and about the Physicians and Researchers of Brigham and Women's Hospital

Skip to contents

Kucherlapati Named to Presidential Commission

Raju Kucherlapati, PhD, of the Department of Medicine, and nine others have been appointed to the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues. The commission, established by President Barack Obama through Executive Order on Nov. 24, 2009, will advise the president on bioethical issues that may emerge from advances in biomedicine and related areas of science and technology. The commission also will identify policies that ensure scientific research, health care delivery and technological innovation are conducted in an ethically responsible manner.

AAD Honors Kupper

Thomas S. Kupper, MD, FAAD, chairman of Dermatology at BWH and DFCI, was among three recipients of the American Academy of Dermatology’s Astellas Award for improving public health in the field of dermatology. Kupper, who is also professor of dermatology at HMS and the director of the Harvard Skin Disease Research Center, was recognized for his research on skin and the immune system, as well as the biology and treatment of skin cancers. His early contributions include the discovery and description of keratinocyte cytokines and their role in innate immune responses. More recently, he has studied skin homing T-cells, the mechanisms of how and why they traffic to skin and the discovery that the majority of these cells reside in skin. He also is the principal investigator for one of only five Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE) grants in skin cancer from the National Cancer Institute, studying translational research in melanoma and cutaneous lymphomas.

Spain Honors Edelman

Elazer R. Edelman, MD, PhD, of the BWH Cardiovascular Division, was recognized by the Spanish Government for his efforts to improve scientific relations and academic interchange between Spain and the U.S. The award was established in 1926 by King Alfonso XIII of Spain to recognize major contributions to the Spanish nation and to honor those who strive to improve the quality of life for all Spanish citizens. Edelman’s contributions to Spanish society focus on enhancing Spanish translational research and in bringing Spanish and U.S. academia together. The Ambassador of Spain to the United States, Jorge Dezcaller, presented Edelman with the Spanish Order of Civil Merit in June.

Williams Receives Educator Award

Gordon Williams, MD, director of the Center of Clinical Investigation, received the prestigious Distinguished Educator Award from the Association for Clinical Research Training (ACRT). ACRT presents the award annually to an individual who is an innovator in clinical research training, an outstanding mentor and a national leader in clinical research with a distinguished career as a clinical investigator. The award was presented to Williams at the ACRT’s Annual Meeting in Washington D.C. in April.

Gawande Named Among TIME 100

BWH’s Atul Gawande, MD, MPH, was named to this year’s TIME 100 as “one of the most influential healers in the world.” The magazine’s top 100 list includes people who most affect the world today and cites Gawande’s contributions to society and to his profession as a key factor for being on the list. He is a researcher, surgeon, HMS professor, lecturer, author and a senior adviser to former President Bill Clinton. His studies on surgical procedures and health costs as well as his advocacy for reform had a profound impact on medicine and policy.

Nadelson Joins Academy of Arts and Sciences

Carol Nadelson, MD, director of the BWH Office for Women’s Careers and professor of Psychiatry at HMS, was elected as a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. With 4,000 fellows and 600 foreign honorary members, the academy is an international society dating back 225 years. Recent academy projects have focused on the changing nature and needs of higher education and research, the well-being of the humanities in the U.S. and their central role in assuring the vitality of cultural life, the emerging challenges of scientific and technological advances, geo-global politics, population and the environment and the welfare of children. Newly elected members are formally inducted at the House of the Academy in Cambridge in October.

Ropper Receives Special BWH Honor

Allan H. Ropper, MD, executive vice chair of the Department of Neurology, was honored with the endowment of the Raymond D. Adams Master Clinician in Neurology. The Master Clinician Program aims to improve health care and education by conferring endowments to superior physicians who have distinguished themselves as exceptional care providers and teachers to the next generation of physicians.

NBME Names McMahon as Board Member

Graham T. McMahon, MD, MMSc, of the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, was appointed to the board of the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME). McMahon has worked with the NBME since 2004. He has served on the committee to evaluate the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) program and has been involved in test development. McMahon currently chairs the USMLE Step 2 clinical skills examination committee. The NBME sets the proficiency standards for medical practitioners in the United States; its board is composed of approximately 80 members representing the academic community, national professional organizations, state licensing boards, students, residents, the federal government and the public.

Moore Named HMS Sr. Professor

Francis Daniels Moore Jr., MD, was named the Francis D. Moore Sr. Professor of Surgery at HMS. Moore, the chief of the Division of General and Gastrointestinal Surgery in the Department of Surgery, has been on staff at BWH for 35 years and has made remarkable and long lasting contributions to his division, the department and the field of surgery. This position is named after Moore’s father, who was the Moseley Professor of Surgery and Surgeon-in-Chief at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital from 1948 to 1976.

Czeisler Honored with Public Policy Award

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine presented the 2010 Mark O. Hatfield Public Policy Award to Charles A. Czeisler, MD, PhD, during the 24th annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies LLC (APSS). Czeisler, the chief of BWH’s Division of Sleep Medicine, professor of sleep medicine and director of the Division of Sleep Medicine at HMS, was honored for his advocacy for the development of sleep-related public policy that promotes safety and occupational health. His work has heightened awareness of the dangers involved with drowsy driving, and his research on the association between sleep deprivation and performance errors in resident physicians and attending physicians has been influential in shaping medical policy. For the past 20 years, he has also worked with NASA to develop sleep-wake schedule guidelines and photic countermeasures for mission control personnel and astronauts on the Space Shuttle and International Space Station.