June 2002

Accolades

Edgardo Angtuaco, M.D., professor of Radiology and chief of Neuroradiology and Magnetic Resonance, Eren Erdem, M.D., assistant professor of Radiology, Brian Owens, M.D., Radiology resident, and Leta Peterson, R.N., division nurse, recently attended the annual meeting of the American Society of Neuroradiology in Vancouver, Canada. In total, they submitted five research projects that were accepted for presentation among exhibits from around the world. Topics included: compression fractures in multiple myeloma patients, intracranial chordomas, gliomas in the limbic and paralimbic systems and the value of 3D volume-rendered studies. They presented two scientific exhibits that earned summa cum laude and cum laude awards, two poster presentations, and one computer-assisted exhibit that also earned a cum laude award. Randipsingh (Randy) R. Bindra, M.D., has joined the UAMS College of Medicine’s Department of Orthopaedic Surgery as an associate professor in the Hand Surgery Section. He treats all disorders of the hand, wrist and elbow — including carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, rheumatoid arthritis, fractures, ligament injuries, birth defects, tumors, upper extremity nerve compression/chronic pain and several other conditions. Among the many procedures he performs within his subspecialty are joint replacement, interventional arthroscopy, tendon transfers for paralysis and after stroke and cerebral palsy, complex reconstruction after trauma, and upper extremity microsurgery and nerve surgery.

A. Wesley Burks, M.D., received the highest honor that a faculty member at the University of Arkansas College of Medicine can receive — the Distinguished Faculty Scholar Award. The dean of the college, E. Albert Reece, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A., presented the award to Dr. Burks during a ceremony held at ACRC last month. By tradition, this recognition ceremony includes a scientific lecture offered by the recipient to an audience of his peers, friends and family. Burks’ talk was entitled, “Life Threatening Allergic Reactions: Can They Be Prevented?” Burks is professor and head of the Division of Allergy and Immunology in the Department of Pediatrics of the college and is currently president of Arkansas Children’s Hospital Research Institute. He is one of the top three investigators in the world in the fields of nutrition and immunology primarily focused on adverse reactions to foods.

Katrina R. Davis, M.D., recently joined the UAMS College of Medicine’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology as an assistant professor in the Division of Gynecology. She sees both gynecology and high-risk obstetrics patients.

Gerald A. Dienel, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Neurology and Physiology and Biophysics of the UAMS College of Medicine, was recently appointed to the editorial board of the Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism; he also serves on the editorial board of Neurochemistry International. Dr. Dienel is the organizer and co-chair of a colloquium, entitled “Neuron-Astrocyte Interactions” at the annual meeting of the American Society for Neurochemistry in June 2002.

Terry DuBose, M.S., R.D.M.S., F.A.I.U.M., F.S.D.M.S., assistant professor and director of the Diagnostic Medical Sonography program in the Department of Radiologic Technology, CHRP, has been selected to receive the Hardin-Simmons University Distinguished Alumni Award for 2002. DuBose graduated from Hardin-Simmons University in 1966 with a bachelor of science degree. This distinctive honor is given to alumni who have distinguished themselves in their professional fields.

William J. Evans, Ph.D., professor in the Donald W. Reynolds Department of Geriatrics in the UAMS College of Medicine, autographed copies of Astrofit (Simon and Schuster, 2002) in the Donald W. Reynolds Center on Aging last month. Following the signing, he gave a lecture in Jo Ellen Ford Auditorium at the center. This new book by Dr. Evans is about using diet and exercise to reverse aging. A well-renowned expert in his field, Evans has been quoted in Time magazine and conducted research with the National Space Consortium.

The Department of Pediatrics in the UAMS College of Medicine welcomes two new instructors: Sadia Ghaffar, M.D. (cardiology), and Shalini Khurana, M.D. (neonatology). Dr. Ghaffar sees patients at Arkansas Children’s Hospital, and Dr. Khurana cares for patients in the nursery at University Hospital.

The Department of Pathology in the UAMS College of Medicine welcomes four new assistant professors: Neriman Gokden, M.D. (genitourinary-renal pathology); Kim M. Hiatt, M.D. (dermatopathology); Jonathan W. Juco, M.D. (hematopathology and flow cytometry); and Yupo Ma, M.D., Ph.D. (hematopathology and molecular pathology).

Bill Gurley, Ph.D, presented at the Old State House Museum last month as part of its exhibit, From Flexnar to New Deal. His lecture was on dietary supplements.

Judy Jilka, R.N., is nurse of the month for May. Jilka — married to a UAMS osteoporosis researcher, Robert — has been a nurse at UAMS since moving to Little Rock in 1993 and now works in the LONC Clinic.

Manish Khanna, M.D., has joined the Department of Dermatology in the UAMS College of Medicine as an assistant professor. His primary clinical interests are skin cancer, general adult dermatology and cosmetic dermatology. His research interests focus on skin cancer.

Susan Nowell, M.D., was selected as an Inglenook Scholar-in-Training Award Recipient and attended the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) annual meeting in San Francisco. The AACR annual meeting is the largest breast cancer convention in the world. Inglenook Vineyard of Canandaigua Wine raised $20,000 for AACR by donating a portion of national sales during Breast Cancer Awareness month last October. Funds helped cover the travel expenses of the 20 Inglewood Award Recipients to the AACR annual meeting. Dr. Nowell was chosen as a recipient because of the work she is doing to help find a cure for breast cancer.  

Indra Reddy, Ph.D., served as regional advisor for PharmForum 2002, a student research conference for graduate and professional students held in May. It was the first meeting of its kind in that student researchers in pharmaceutical sciences from Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Mississippi and Texas shared research with regional colleagues. The conference was co-sponsored by the Southern Regional Discussion Group of the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists and the UAMS College of Pharmacy.

Purushottam Thapa, M.D., received the Eli Lily-American Psychiatric Association Best Resident Research Award. He was one of five in the nation to receive the prestigious award during a fellows convocation at the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association. Dr. Thapa also presented two research posters at the meeting. Both posters were based on a study he conducted at the State Hospital.

The Clinical Programs Recognition Council has named Franklin Vanderbilt the Most Valuable Player for the month of June. Vanderbilt is a Clinical Tech for Surgical Services and has worked at UAMS for six years.

The Reynolds Department of Geriatrics of the UAMS College of Medicine welcomes Jeanne Y. Wei, M.D., Ph.D., as professor and executive vice chairman. She is also involved in the clinical care of patients in the Reynolds Center on Aging’s Senior Health Center and in the John L. McClellan Memorial Veterans Hospital. Dr. Wei has more than 22 years of experience in conducting gerontologic research, mentoring gerontologic fellows and junior faculty members, and developing research and academic programs and initiatives. Her research interests revolve around age-related changes in the cardiovascular system with particular emphasis on myocardial adaptation to physiologic stress. Wei earned her medical degree and a doctorate in pharmacology at the University of Illinois. She completed an internal medicine residency and a cardiology fellowship at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore and a staff fellowship in gerontology in the Cardiovascular Section at the Gerontology Research Center of the National Institute on Aging. In Boston from 1991 to 1999, Wei served as the director of the Division on Aging at Harvard Medical School and the chief of the Gerontology Division at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, where she was also a senior physician from 1996 to 2002.

Cynthia A. Willingham, M.D., recently joined the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in the UAMS College of Medicine as an assistant professor. Her clinical and research interests are electrodiagnostic medicine (electromyograms) and stroke, amputee and osteoporosis rehabilitation.

Xiaomin Zhang, M.D., Ph.D., has joined the Reynolds Department of Geriatrics in the UAMS College of Medicine as an assistant professor who conducts research into cellular senescence, molecular biology and cardiac aging. Dr. Zhang’s wife — Ying Zhong, M.D. — works alongside him as a research assistant in the Reynolds Center on Aging.

AHEC-NW second-year students won third place and honorable mention (among a field of 23 teams) in the Larry Davis Memorial Quiz Bowl during the 54th State Convention of the Arkansas Society of Radiologic Technologists held recently in Hot Springs. The third place winners were Kathy Fetters, Leslie Spurlock and Amy Thomason. The honorable mention winners were Jason Abshier, Jason Barrett and Brenton Cherry. Joey Gansz, B.S.R.T.(R)(ARRT), instructor, CHRP Department of Radiologic Technology, was the faculty advisor for both teams.