Magazines
About Us
News
Links
Editorial Calendar
Contact Us
Advg
Name
Email

October 2008 
 

 

 September 3, 2008

 

Jeff Neely resigns as UHA President and CEO

Gary Marano is interim leader

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Jeffrey L. Neely, M.D., president and CEO of University Health Associates (UHA), announced his resignation today, effective Oct. 31.  Dr. Neely said he would remain on the West Virginia University faculty and return to full-time teaching and patient care as an internal medicine physician and professor.

The UHA Board of Directors by unanimous consent Wednesday night appointed Gary Marano, M.D., to serve as interim president and CEO. Dr. Marano is a WVU radiologist.

UHA is the physician and dental practice plan at WVU Health Sciences.  It’s the largest multi-specialty physician group in the state, with more than 400 physicians and dentists, and more than 1,000 support staff in Morgantown and at clinics throughout West Virginia.

Dr. Neely was elected to the UHA Board in 1999, and then served as chairman before becoming interim president and CEO in July 2004.  He was named president and CEO in January 2005.

“I have had a wonderful opportunity to serve, and had a seat at the table. However I knew when I took this position that it wouldn’t be a job for life,” Neely said.  “I have made a personal decision to return to something I really love – that’s teaching and taking care of patients.  We’ve had phenomenal achievements, but now it’s time for me to focus on my patients, students and family.”

Neely also has been serving as the UHA representative on the Joint Planning Group, which consists of leadership from WVU Health Sciences, WVU School of Medicine, WVU Hospitals and the West Virginia United Health System.  The group has been working to align the clinical, educational, research and service missions of all the entities of WVU Health Sciences. 

“It’s a time of change for the institution.  As we’ve been evaluating the direction and structure of Health Sciences, I’ve been evaluating my own personal role and goals for the future,” Neely said. “I feel confident that there are other experienced voices at the table, and I believe in the collective wisdom of our leaders and faculty.”

“Jeff Neely has been devoted to WVU all his professional life.  He has been a part of a lot of great things here and we’re looking for that to continue in the future,” Jim Brick, M.D., interim dean of the WVU School of Medicine, said. “Now he wants to go back to what he loves most – and that’s good for everybody, because he’s the kind of doctor you want your mom to go to.”

Fred Butcher, Ph.D., interim vice president for WVU Health Sciences, said that he was sorry to see Neely leave the leadership team but respected Neely’s decision to return to patient care and teaching.

“Jeff can take a lot of credit for all the positive things that UHA has accomplished in recent years – the Urgent Care Center, Sports Medicine Center, recruitment of quality physicians and so much more,” Butcher said.  “He’s leaving the corporation in good standing.”

Neely, 55, is a Morgantown native and a graduate of West Virginia University.  He earned his medical degree at WVU and did specialty training at the Medical University of South Carolina.  He joined the faculty of WVU in 1983. 

Dr. Marano is a graduate of the University of Virginia.  He earned his medical degree and did his residency at WVU.  He joined the faculty in 2001 and is professor and vice chair of radiology and director of nuclear medicine.  He has served on the UHA Board since 2004.

“I’m leaving UHA in good hands, “ Dr. Neely said. “Gary Marano offers special skills in education, clinical service, and as an excellent businessman. He provides us solid organizational continuity.”

For More Information:
Amy Johns, HSC News Service, 304-293-7087
johnsa@wvuh.com

 

 

August 24, 2008

 

7 WVU doctors named ‘Best in Class’

Physicians see patients covered by coal companies’ health insurance

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The Coal/Energy Coalition has identified seven faculty physicians at West Virginia University School of Medicine's Morgantown campus as "Best in Class." Only about 4 percent of providers serving patients covered under the insurance plans of coal companies earned the honor.

The coalition is leading a national effort to improve healthcare and slow down runaway pharmaceutical costs.

Paul Ridgely, of Wheeling, representing ProPharma Pharmaceutical Consultants, Inc.,  and the Coal/Energy Coalition, announced that "Best in Class" certificates were recently awarded to Claudette Brooks, M.D., Laurie Guttmann, M.D., Kevin Halbritter, M.D., Mary Ann Long, M.D, Karen MacKay, M.D., Jack Riggs, M.D., and Rebecca Schmidt, D.O.

"Five coal companies have joined together to seek nontraditional solutions to the unsustainable increases in health costs," Ridgely said. "For several years, the pharmacy costs for the mine workers and their families have increased by 16 percent a year or higher. We believe that working with practitioners is the best way to improve quality and manage costs."

Increasing prescription drug costs put a burden on both the companies, whose total healthcare costs are rising, and the employees, who bear more out-of-pocket costs, he added. By working with the physicians and others who provide care to these patients, the coalition has slowed the rate of increase in costs.

Pro Pharma, which manages the Coal/Energy Coalition, reviewed the medical records of thousands of patients treated by almost 10,000 doctors and other health professionals across the country.

Only about 4 percent of the providers, including the seven at WVU, were certified as "Best in Class" in categories including appropriate use of generic medicine and following proven treatment guidelines.

Pro Pharma works with practitioners on improving quality of prescribing, reducing out-of-pocket costs for patients and managing healthcare costs.

Companies participating in the coalition are Peabody Energy, Patriot Coal, Foundation Coal Holdings, Riverton Coal Company and Pittston Coal Company.


For More Information:
Amy Johns, HSC News Service, 304-293-7087
johnsa@wvuh.com

 

 

August 20, 2008

 

WVU researchers correlate levels of circulating tumor cells in breast cancer patients

New test shows aggressiveness of tumors

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Researchers have long suspected that circulating tumor cells (CTC) may play a role in determining survival rates for patients with breast cancer. Now a team at West Virginia University has discovered that a test for CTC levels signals whether a tumor is aggressive.

Understanding the tumor’s aggressiveness, as opposed to its size or bulk, could impact the treatments physicians recommend to patients.

“We know that malignant cells break off from the original tumor site. They shed, and the majority of them die. But a few cells survive in the blood vessels,” said Jame Abraham, M.D., medical director for the Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center, who led the research team.  “The more cells in the blood, the worse the outcome for the patient.”

New WVU research published this month in the journal Clinical Breast Cancer shows that a CTC blood test won’t tell much about the tumor’s size or bulk but will provide a valuable predictor of its aggressiveness.

 “The CTC blood test is a new test,” Abraham explained. “We have found that the test may reflect the behavior of the tumor rather than its size.”

The research team studied records of 35 patients whose disease had spread, analyzing the patients’ test results at 166 time points. “Looking at the PET scans and CTC blood tests, we found that they are statistically correlated. But the correlation is not absolute,” Abraham said. “In many instances the PET scan is positive, but there are few circulating tumor cells. And in the opposite case there are high CTC levels, but the PET scan shows minimal or no disease.”

WVU researchers paired this finding with another recent discovery – patients with a high CTC count fare worse than other patients, regardless of whether their imaging scans provide encouraging results.

“We knew that patients with high CTC levels fared worse. But we didn’t know it was because of the tumor’s aggressiveness,” Abraham said. “Now we know that CTC is a key player.”

Clinical trials are needed to determine whether the test will be useful to physicians in constructing treatment regimens.

The article, titled “Correlation among [18F] FDG-PET/CT, tumor marker CA 27.29, and circulating tumor cell test in metastatic breast cancer,” is based on research that received a merit award from the American Society of Clinical Oncology in June 2007.

For more information about WVU’s Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center, visit www.hsc.wvu.edu/mbrcc/.

For More Information:
Andrea Brunais, HSC News Service, 304-293-7087
brunaisa@wvuh.com

 

 

July 26, 2008 

 

Cancer physicians form West Virginia Oncology Society

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Cancer physicians from around the state have agreed to become a formally recognized organization called the West Virginia Oncology Society.

The new professional group will provide a forum for cancer specialists to exchange ideas and to represent their interests and those of their patients before governmental entities, insurance carriers, pharmaceutical companies and the public.

Jame Abraham, M.D., chief of Hematology/Oncology at West Virginia University, coordinated the first statewide meetings of oncologists to begin discussions on how cancer specialists can collaborate in research, education and patient care.

“More than 80 percent of oncology practices in West Virginia were represented at those historic meetings,” Dr. Abraham said.  “One-hundred percent said yes to becoming a formal body with a singular voice to improve cancer care.”

“We used to be part of Ohio’s oncology society, but decided we need our own organization to address the unique problems we have in West Virginia,” said John Azar, M.D., of Fairmont General Hospital, who was named president of the West Virginia Oncology Society.
“Access to clinical trials is one of them.  If we work together we can build a network to make them available in more communities.  We are also interested in extending the genetic counseling offered at WVU to oncology practices throughout the state.”

“This is a major accomplishment that will help ensure that patients throughout the state receive the highest quality cancer care,” said Scot C. Remick, M.D., director of the Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center at WVU.  “I am convinced that the greatest measure of our success is simply how well we partner.”

Officers of the West Virginia Oncology Society are:

  •  President – John Azar, Fairmont General Hospital
  •  Vice President – James Frame, David Lee Outpatient Cancer Center in Charleston
  •  Treasurer – Tim Bowers, Medical Director of the WVUH-East Cancer Program in Martinsburg
  •  Secretary – Jon David Pollock, Schiffler Cancer Center in Wheeling

Members at large include:

  •  Jame Abraham, Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center, West Virginia University, Morgantown
  •  Gerrit Kimmey, St. Mary’s Medical Center, Huntington
  •  Sushil Mehrotra, Ohio Valley Medical Center, Wheeling
  •  Arvind Shah, Charleston Area Medical Center, South Charleston
  •  Mukund Shah, St. Joseph’s Hospital, Parkersburg
  •  Maria Tirona, Cabell Huntington Hospital, Edwards Comprehensive Cancer Center, Huntington

The West Virginia Oncology Society is open to all oncologists in West Virginia, along with other professionals engaged in cancer care.

Healthcare professionals interested in joining the society should contact Julie Shroyer, executive director, at julie@wvos.info or 304-368-4575.

-WVU-

ss: 7/26/08
For More Information:
Sherry Stoneking, Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center
sstoneking@hsc.wvu.edu
08-134

 

 

June 27, 2008

 

 

Dr. John E. Prescott To Join AAMC As Chief Academic Officer

 

Washington, D.C.,—The AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges) announced today that John E. Prescott, M.D., will be the association’s new chief academic officer. Selected after a nationwide search, Dr. Prescott plans to join the AAMC in September to lead the association’s efforts to improve the education and training of new physicians, and enable them to meet the changing health care needs of the public.

 

“Dr. Prescott will bring outstanding skills and experience as an educator, clinician, and executive to his new role at the AAMC,” said AAMC President and CEO Darrell G. Kirch, M.D. “His vast experience and commitment to excellence in all aspects of medical education, patient care, and public service will be invaluable to the association and its members as we work to expand the physician workforce, and provide the high quality health care everyone deserves.”

 

 “I am humbled by my selection to this position and look forward to working with all the AAMC’s constituencies to enhance medical education throughout its continuum,” said Dr. Prescott. “Medical education faces many challenges, including the need for more physicians with greater diversity, rising medical school tuition, and a knowledge explosion that places increased demands on medical school faculty and curriculum. I truly believe that our medical schools, teaching hospitals, and research centers are up to meeting these challenges, and I look forward to working with the deans, teaching hospital leaders, students, residents, faculty, and staff in my new role.”

 

Dr. Prescott will come to the AAMC after 15 years of leadership at West Virginia University (WVU).  As the first chair of the WVU Department of Emergency Medicine from 1993 to 1999, Dr. Prescott founded and was the first director of the WVU Center for Rural Emergency Medicine.  He served as president and CEO of University Health Associates, WVU’s integrated multi-specialty faculty practice plan, from 1999-2004, and became the dean of the WVU School of Medicine in 2004.  

 

During his tenure at WVU, the school of medicine received the AAMC’s Outstanding Community Service Award in 2006 for its integrated, interdisciplinary network of educational, community outreach, and clinical care programs. The award recognizes a major commitment by a medical school or teaching hospital to address the needs of surrounding communities through exceptional programs that go beyond an institution’s traditional service roles.  Dr. Prescott also has been an active member of the association’s Council of Deans (COD), through which he chaired the association’s Holistic Admissions and Enhancing Diversity Committee, and served as COD representative to the Advisory Committee for Medical School Programs of the National Board of Medical Examiners.  He was also a member of the AAMC Group on Faculty Practice from 1999-2004.  

 

Dr. Prescott earned his medical degree from Georgetown University, where he served in the AAMC's Organization of Student Representatives, and completed his residency at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas.  After serving four years at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, Dr. Prescott joined the faculty of the WVU School of Medicine in 1990.

 

# # #

 

The Association of American Medical Colleges is a not-for-profit association representing all 129 accredited U.S. and 17 accredited Canadian medical schools; nearly 400 major teaching hospitals and health systems, including 68 Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers; and 94 academic and scientific societies. Through these institutions and organizations, the AAMC represents 109,000 faculty members, 67,000 medical students, and 104,000 resident physicians. Additional information about the AAMC and U.S. medical schools and teaching hospitals is available at www.aamc.org/newsroom.

 

 

Contact:  Retha Sherrod  (202) 828-0975  rsherrod@aamc.org

 

 

 

 

June 17, 2008

 

 

Cabell Huntington Hospital renovates unit for new mothers, offers more private rooms

 

HUNTINGTON, WV – A recently completed renovation at Cabell Huntington Hospital has made it possible for more new mothers to have private hospital rooms after their babies are born.

 

Using the space vacated by the former Labor and Delivery Unit, 11 private rooms were renovated to accommodate new mothers and their families. The additional space means nearly every mother will be able to stay in a private room following her delivery.

 

“These renovations allow us to offer new mothers and their families more privacy while experiencing the care and compassion that our Mother-Baby Unit has provided for many years,” said Emily Stacy, nurse manager of the Mother-Baby Unit.

 

More than 2,600 babies were born at Cabell Huntington Hospital in 2007, sometimes creating circumstances when mothers had to share rooms with another new mother.

 

“These additional rooms address a need that we had to accommodate the thousands of mothers who come to Cabell Huntington Hospital to have their babies,” said Amy Smith, director of Women and Children’s Services. “We are pleased to be able to offer more private rooms to new mothers.

 

Cabell Huntington Hospital has a full range of services for expecting mothers and their families. For more information about childbirth, breastfeeding, baby care, infant CPR, grandparenting or sibling classes, please call (304) 526-BABY (2229) or check our calendar of events at www.cabellhuntington.org.

 

For more information

Charles Shumaker

Media Relations Manager

(304) 399.6742

April 9, 2008

WVU School of Medicine leadership changes
John Prescott resigns; James Brick is interim dean

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - James E. Brick, M.D., has been appointed interim dean of the West Virginia University School of Medicine.  He takes the position vacated this week by John E. Prescott, M.D., who has stepped down to pursue academic activities in the WVU Department of Emergency Medicine, including health policy research, teaching, and clinical duties.

“Dr. Prescott leaves the dean’s office on a high note,” said Fred Butcher, Ph.D., interim vice president for health sciences. “During his tenure as dean, the WVU School of Medicine received national attention for its work to improve the health and lives of West Virginians, including a community service award from the Association of American Medical Colleges, and, just last week, a top-ten rural health rating from U.S. News & World Report.”

Prescott also has served as president of University Health Associates, and before that was chair of emergency medicine at WVU, and founding director of the Center for Rural Emergency Medicine.

Dr. Brick earned his undergraduate and medical degrees from WVU.  He did specialty training at WVU and the University of Missouri.  He has been a faculty member at WVU since 1984. Dr. Brick chairs the Department of Medicine and is a widely-known expert in the care of patients with arthritis.

Brick has been a leader among the medical faculty for much of his tenure. During the 1990s, along with his brother John, also a WVU physician, he pioneered the use of telemedicine to bring WVU health experts to rural West Virginia. In his post as chair of the school’s largest department, he has recruited a large number of new faculty to the school, and has been instrumental in establishing a WVU medical clinic in Gilbert, W.Va.

The dean of the School of Medicine leads more than 600 faculty and more than 1,500 students in various educational programs on three campuses - in Morgantown, Charleston, and Martinsburg. Those programs include medicine, physical and occupational therapy, medical technology, exercise physiology, and basic biomedical sciences. The dean also serves on the boards of WVU Hospitals, University Health Associates, and the West Virginia United Health System.

For More Information:
Amy Johns, HSC News Service, (304) 293-1412 or 293-7087
johnsa@wvuh.com

 

September 28, 2007

 

Monongalia Health System

1000 J.D. Anderson Drive

Morgantown, WV 26505

Contact: Greg Kealey  304-285-2792

 

Mon General Lands AARP National Top 50 Designation for Workers Over 50

 

            Morgantown, WV - Monongalia General Hospital (Mon General) has been named a Top 50 national recipient of the “AARP Best Employer of Workers Over Age 50.”

            Mon General was recognized because of using best practices in recruiting and retaining mature workers, notably those who provide flexible work options, operate creative recruitment programs and rehire retirees.

            “This is a very prestigious recognition, and I am very proud of the very proud employees who have helped us achieve this outstanding designation,” said Mon Health System President & CEO David Robertson.

            The winning employers stand as exemplary models for others who have yet to plan for the graying of their workforce. AARP invited employers to apply for the Best Employer designation by describing their innovative practices toward 50 and over workers in an extensive questionnaire. A consulting firm provided a preliminary rating of the applicants. Then a panel of six outside judges evaluated the applications and their opinions, combined with the consultant’s evaluations, led to final ratings.

            The award is significant, says Shawn Keenan, a Director in the Emergency Department for 13 years, who once retired and then decided to come back recently to work in both admissions and maintenance, as well as a volunteer in the Gift Shop.

            “It’s the general attitude of the institution,” (Mon General) Keenan said. “What I have noticed is that the hospital goes out of its way to accommodate those with physical problems or an employee with a child who has a health issue – and employees are forever thankful. Happy people do good work.”

            Linda Rex, 58,  worked at other health care facilities and went back to school to pursue her R.N. degree at age 50.  She said Mon General was where she started her career as a registered nurse.

            “Mon General is more personable, the upper echelon will come around and talk to you and take an interest in you,” she said. “Everyone’s really friendly, from the CEO on down. It doesn’t seem like there’s any class barrier because of your job description.

            Rex makes a 35 minute commute from Pennsylvania to work each day and likes the flexibility of her hours.

            “We have self-scheduling and that is so important when you do have a family,” she said. “So when you know you have something that’s coming up  - you can plan your work around that.”

            One third of Mon General’s workforce is over 50. Mon General and the rest of the recipients will be honored at a dinner in New York City on Sept. 26. MGH will also be featured in the next AARP publication.

            AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole.

 

 

July 30, 2007

 

Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center

West Virginia University

Morgantown, W.Va.

www.health.wvu.edu

 

 

WVU Offers Treatment to Improve Varicose Veins

Minimally invasive procedure provides lasting results

 

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - Since becoming pregnant with her daughter nearly 25 years ago, Stephanie Wilson suffered from pain and fatigue in her right leg.  Now, after undergoing VNUS Closure vein treatment at West Virginia University Hospitals, her leg is essentially pain-free.

 

"My right leg would feel heavy and tired at the end of the day," Wilson, a vascular surgery nurse, said.  The pain previously associated with her leg is a common problem for women who are pregnant, people with a family history of varicose veins, and professionals who spend the majority of their days standing.

 

"I didn't notice how bad my leg actually felt until I had the procedure," she said.  "After that, there was such a noticeable improvement.  I had no idea how much it bothered me before.  I guess after 25 years you become used to the pain."

 

Wilson's testimony is like so many others Pamela Zimmerman, M.D., has heard since she began treating patients for venous reflux and insufficiency using the VNUS Closure Device.

 

"Patients may have years of leg pain diminished by simply undergoing this quick, outpatient procedure," Dr. Zimmerman, director of the WVU Vein Center, explained.

 

The VNUS Closure procedure begins by tracing leg veins with an ultrasound machine.  After receiving anesthetic, a catheter is inserted into the vein.  Another ultrasound is performed to ensure the catheter is properly placed.  The vein wall is warmed, effectively shrinking the

wall and eventually varicosities.   A final ultrasound is administered

before the patient is sent home.

 

The procedure typically takes less than an hour, from start to finish. Patients are advised to elevate their leg for the first 24 hours.  After 24 hours, it is recommended they resume walking and participate in most of their daily activities.

 

"Prior to this treatment, doctors would pull the vein from your leg," Zimmerman said.  "The new VNUS procedure is minimally invasive. Patients have minimal bruising, scarring or swelling.  The veins disappear on their own."

 

A minimally invasive procedure was what John Mancuso had hoped for when his varicose veins stopped responding to injection therapy treatments.

 

"When I stopped responding to the injections, Dr. Zimmerman said the VNUS Closure was my best option," Mancuso, an administrative law judge, said.  "I was nervous about the procedure but she thoroughly explained what would happen and there was no pain associated with having the procedure."

 

"I've had patients who have waited several years before having this procedure done," Zimmerman said.  "Most people tell me they wish they had done it years ago.  Their legs look and feel so much better."

 

Cosmetic improvement is an added benefit of the pain-reducing procedure. "Patients have told me, prior to this procedure they hadn't worn shorts in years," Zimmerman said.  "This summer, they're wearing shorts."

 

Zimmerman said she sees patients from ages 20 to 80.  There is no age limit for having the VNUS Closure performed. "I think we all deserve to look and feel our best," Wilson said.  "Leg pain isn't something you have to live with.  It's treatable."

 

For an appointment with the WVU Vein Center call (304) 598-4890.  For

questions or more information, call (304) 293-2367.       

 

 

For More Information:

Amy Johns, HSC News Service, (304) 293-7087

johnsa@wvuh.com

 

 

July 3, 2007

 

Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center

West Virginia University

Morgantown, W.Va.

www.health.wvu.edu

 

 

INBRE Internships at WVU Initiate Research Interest

 

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - Most college students would gladly trade in their books for the beach once summer rolls around.  But for many undergraduates from smaller West Virginia institutions, the so-called lazy days of summer are spent in the fast-paced laboratories of West Virginia University's Health Sciences Center.

 

WVU is one of two schools housing interns through the West Virginia IDEA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE), a grant project of the National Institutes of Health and the West Virginia Experimental Project to Stimulate Competitive Research.

 

"INBRE makes research opportunities more accessible to students who don't belong to a major research institution," said Robert Griffith, Ph.D., associate professor of medicinal chemistry at the School of Pharmacy.  

 

The INBRE grant allows students from the state's smaller colleges to complete hands-on internships at either WVU or Marshall University, the state's largest institutions.

 

"When you perform a lab experiment as an undergrad, you don't really see the science behind it," said Jonathan Proto, a Wheeling Jesuit University senior.  "In a research laboratory here, the theory behind each procedure becomes evident.  It's nice to see that the procedures I perform in my undergraduate labs are actually important."

 

This hands-on approach is one of the main draws for student participation. "Seeing the work we do in the labs provides a lot of validation for the techniques we use in undergraduate research," said Sarah Reinhardt, a senior at Shepherd University.

 

WVU graduate students work with faculty to assist and train the interns with lab work and procedures.

 

"The students gain the confidence in their ability to conduct meaningful biomedical research," said James Sheil, Ph.D., vice chairman of the department of microbiology, immunology and cell biology.  "They learn that conducting biomedical research can be a realistic career choice."

 

A few of the students were so impressed with the experience; they decided to return for a second year.  Returning students, like Proto, claim they have put their INBRE obtained knowledge to use when returning to school last fall.

 

"I was able to bring my research back to Wheeling Jesuit and personalize it towards my senior biology thesis," he said.  "This program has definitely enhanced my performance as a researcher."

 

Proto noted WVU's partnership with INBRE "provides an opportunity for biomedical and cancer research which a smaller university is unable to provide.  Even if a particular procedure isn't being performed in the lab I work in, I can still learn about it from the other interns' presentations."

 

"Only the best students are accepted into the internship program," Griffith said.  "What we're finding is that the best and the brightest students aren't just at the top universities."

 

However, INBRE's opportunities are not limited to students.  Professors at smaller schools can apply for research grants and join in on collaborative research projects with WVU and Marshall faculty members.

 

Participants hail from Alderson-Broaddus, Bethany, Davis and Elkins, Glenville State, West Liberty State, and West Virginia Wesleyan colleges.  Shepherd, Fairmont State and Wheeling Jesuit universities also send students to the program.

 

Other summer internships taking place in the WVU Health Sciences laboratories include the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences Forensic Internship Program, Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center internships, Research Experience for Undergraduates, Summer Undergraduate Research Experience and WVNano SURE.

 

For more information on the WVU Health Sciences Center, visit www.hsc.wvu.edu.  

 

 

For More Information:

Cassie Waugh, HSC News Service, (304) 293-7087

waughc@wvuh.com

 

 

 

May 29, 2007

Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center

West Virginia University

Morgantown, W.Va.

www.health.wvu.edu

  


WVU Names Cancer Center Director
Scot C. Remick, M.D., will lead growing research and cancer care effort

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Scot C. Remick, M.D., a renowned cancer physician and researcher, has been named director of the Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center at West Virginia University.

Dr. Remick, currently the associate director for clinical research at the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cleveland, will join the WVU leadership team this summer. He currently holds the Dr. Lester E. Coleman Chair in Cancer Research and Therapeutics at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.

“Dr. Remick brings with him a history of compassionate cancer care, dedication to advancement of medicine through clinical research, and strong organizational and institutional leadership,” said John Prescott, M.D., dean of the WVU School of Medicine.

Dr. Prescott has been serving as interim director of the cancer center during the nationwide search for the institution’s next leader.

“We see Dr. Remick as the ideal person to lead the Cancer Center into a new era of growth that will benefit our patients, our state and our hospital,” said Bruce McClymonds, president and CEO of WVU Hospitals.

“It was an easy decision for me and my family to choose to come to Morgantown,” Remick said. “Among the most attractive aspects of this position is the extraordinary energy and commitment of all our partners in the Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center – including the clinical and research faculty, staff, institutional leadership, and most importantly the residents of Morgantown and countless friends and benefactors throughout the State of West Virginia.  I am convinced the center is poised for great things.”

At Case, Remick has been among the physician leaders of a world-class comprehensive cancer center. He has won a number of large, competitive, peer-reviewed research grants from the National Cancer Institute and other funding agencies. He has established relationships with pharmaceutical industry research-funding groups, and has participated in numerous clinical trials. He has been an active participant in national and international cancer research efforts.

Remick has been principal investigator or co-investigator on tens of millions of dollars in externally funded cancer and AIDS research at Case. He is a graduate of New York Medical College, with residency training at Johns Hopkins and fellowship training at the University of Wisconsin Clinical Cancer Center.

“We are excited about Dr. Remick, who is a scientist of international stature, joining MBRCC,” said Jame Abraham, M.D., cancer clinic medical director. “Under his leadership we will be able to build a state of the art cancer center and cancer program in West Virginia."

“We are particularly lucky to have attracted a person who has given such thoughtful study to the role of the patient in the advancement of medical science,” Prescott said.

“Earlier this year, Dr. Remick delivered a grand rounds lecture to a packed house of WVU students and faculty members,” Prescott added.  “His talk, ‘Phase I Trials in Cancer: The Ethics - Efficacy Conundrum,’ helped crystallize for us the moral and medical decision-making process that takes place every time we advise a patient with a life-threatening disease.”

"I am convinced that in Scot Remick the Cancer Center is getting the perfect leader for where we are now poised to advance in research and committed to reducing the unequal burden of cancer in our state," said Pamela Brown, the Cancer Center’s director of cancer prevention and control.

The selection of such an accomplished researcher is encouraging to scientists at WVU, said Dan Flynn, Ph.D., the Cancer Center’s deputy director. "Scot Remick brings to the cancer center a wealth of experience in clinical trials.  His expertise and knowledge will help the cancer center integrate research with clinical care, expand our services and offer cutting edge treatment options for our patient populations."

The Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center is West Virginia’s premier cancer facility, with a national reputation of excellence in cancer treatment, prevention and research. The Cancer Center is in the midst of an unprecedented expansion, with current construction that will double the size of the patient care and research facilities.

The Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center serves thousands of people from around the state and region, and offer patients access to both well-established treatments and the latest clinical trials of new medications and other cancer treatments. Patients have access to WVU’s advanced imaging center for precise diagnosis. 

Cancer research at WVU is concentrated in three main areas: basic research, which is conducted mostly in the laboratory and explores the cellular and other biological functions of cancer growth; translational research, which involves applying basic research findings in the care of patients; and population-based research, which studies the effects of cancer on large numbers of people and the disparities among social, geographic or ethnic groups in prevalence or mortality from cancer.

Dr. Remick’s first public appearance on the WVU campus is scheduled for June 21, when he will deliver the annual DeLynn Lecture to faculty, students, staff and supporters of the Cancer Center. He will begin his duties as director later in the summer.

For More Information:  
Steve Bovino, HSC News Service, (304) 293-7087 bovinost@wvuh.com

May 17, 2007

Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center

West Virginia University

Morgantown, W.Va.

www.health.wvu.edu

 

 

Multi-million Dollar Funding for WVU Digestive Diseases Section Brings Awards, Prestige

 

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - Researchers at West Virginia University have won nearly $5 million in National Institutes of Health funding to help research inflammatory bowel disease, which is highly prevalent in West Virginia.

 

"The NIH has labeled IBD research as a high priority area," said Uma Sundaram, M.D., chief of WVU's Digestive Diseases section of the Department of Medicine.  "We don't know what causes the disease but we know it needs treated."  Inflammatory bowel disease affects more than 600,000 Americans every year.

 

The WVU digestive diseases research team includes nine researchers; seven will present their research at the 2007 Digestive Disease Week Conference, May 19 to 24 in Washington, D.C.

 

"Prior to 2004, we had never presented a paper at this conference," said John E.  Prescott, M.D., dean of the School of Medicine.  "Now, just a few years later, WVU is a leader at the conference.  It shows that our research is valuable and our researchers are recognized by their colleagues as some of the best in the field."

 

V.M. Rajendran, Ph.D., and Sundaram were both selected as committee chairs for the conference of more than 16,000 scientists and researchers from across the globe.  This is the first time two WVU faculty members have been chosen as chairs.  

 

"The chairs are often seen as experts in their field," Sundaram said. "Dr. Rajendran and I are so honored that our peers and colleagues have selected us to participate in the presentations."

 

Their invitations are likely a result of the recent success and new recruits for the department.  Researchers like Rajendran, who joined WVU after a 20-year tenure at Yale University, bring their lab and funding operations when arriving at the university.  

 

WVU is also the one of only 20 centers in the nation to offer a new clinical treatment drug for Hepatitis C.  According to Sundaram, this pill is the first effective new treatment for Hepatitis C made available in the past ten years.  

 

"Hepatitis C affects 4 to 5 million people in the United States," he said.  "Our state has a very large population of Hepatitis C sufferers."

 

Sundaram stresses that these clinical trials and awards are just the beginning for the digestive diseases section.

 

"Cutting edge research will result in state-of-the-art patient care for our citizens," Sundaram said.  "This will continue to be our focus."  

 

The department's research efforts continue to gain national praise. Two lead articles published in the February issue of the American Journal of Physiology were products of the Digestive Diseases research team.  

 

For more information on the WVU Digestive Diseases department go to www.hsc.wvu.edu/som/medicine/digestiveDiseases/ or call (304) 293-4123.

                 

For More Information:

Steve Bovino, HSC News Service, (304) 293-7087 bovinost@wvuh.com

  

 

 

 May 1, 2007

Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center

West Virginia University

Morgantown, WV

www.health.wvu.edu

 

Air Pollution Linked to Cardiovascular Disease, WVU Researcher Says

 

A new study from researchers at West Virginia University finds that diesel exhaust can compromise the arteries’ abilities to regulate blood flow.  The elderly, males and post-menopausal females are at greatest risk, based on animal model studies.

 

Air pollution particles are traditionally associated with lung disease but Timothy R. Nurkiewicz, Ph.D., assistant professor at the WVU School of Medicine, says that pollution problems are not limited to the lungs.  His research focuses, in part, on the effects of particle matter exposure on the cardiovascular system.  

 

Nurkiewicz is presenting the research findings at the American Physiological Society Annual Meeting, April 28 – May 2, 2007 in Washington, D.C. He will present on behalf of the WVU Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Cardiovascular Sciences (CIRCS).

 

“We can breathe in larger particles without damaging the cardiovascular system,” Nurkiewicz, a CIRCS researcher, explained. “This is possible because the larger particles are filtered out or captured in our noses and upper respiratory tract, but smaller particles, like ultra-fine particle matter and nanoparticles penetrate deep into our lungs, where oxygen exchange occurs.”

 

The particles may then enter the body and affect a blood vessel’s ability to dilate.

 

Particulate matter occurs naturally from things such as sand and rock erosion or fires and volcanic ash.  However, it is most commonly man-made and results primarily from the combustion of fossil fuels such as wood, coal and oil.  Frequent sources of particulate matter include engine exhaust (particularly diesel engines), industrial or manufacturing processes and power plants.

 

Nurkiewicz is a microvascular specialist – he studies tiny blood vessels, called arterioles and venules that are not visible to the naked eye.  They govern the parameters of blood flow, nutrient delivery and waste removal in the body.

 

“When muscles work, they require more blood,” he said.  “The arterioles must dilate in order to deliver more blood.”  

 

Nurkiewicz’s research with rat models demonstrates that after exposure to particulate matter, not only do the arterioles no longer dilate, but in some instances they also constrict or get smaller.

 

“When fresh blood and oxygen do not reach tissues and organs, like the heart and brain, these tissues malfunction and parts of them can die,” said Nurkiewicz.  “This may result in a heart attack or stroke.  What’s worse is that certain populations may be at greater risk after exposure to air pollution.”  

 

Nurkiewicz’s experimental models suggest youth and the elderly are more likely to experience health complications after exposure to air pollution.  

 

“This may not be a huge surprise to those who live in big cities, but it is a very serious threat,” said Nurkiewicz.  “Developing areas such as West Virginia must take it seriously, especially when we are already burdened with diabetes and obesity epidemics.”

 

According to Nurkiewicz, collaboration with other CIRCS researchers is absolutely essential for developing effective new strategies to prevent and treat cardiovascular complications associated with air pollution.

 

“If we can identify which components of air pollution are making people sick, then we hold the first pieces of the puzzle necessary to make our air cleaner and healthier,” he said.

 

“We are dealing with very difficult questions that can have a dramatic impact on the health of many West Virginians,” Matthew A. Boegehold, Ph.D., CIRCS director, said.  “It takes a team approach to find these answers.”

 

“We use different tools and have vastly different backgrounds and approaches,” said Boegehold.  “But we’re all fundamentally interested in the same thing – reaching a better understanding of cardiovascular biology and medicine, for the sake of our current, as well as future generations.”

 

Co-investigators for the research study include Rhonda D. Prisby, PhD, and Judy Muller-Delp, PhD, both of CIRCS.  For more information on the CIRCS visit www.hsc.wvu.edu/circs/.

 

 

For More Information:

Steve Bovino, HSC News Service, (304) 293-7087 bovinost@wvuh.com

 

The American Physiological Society press release follows

 

 

POST-MENOPAUSAL FEMALES, THE ELDERLY AND MALES MOST HEAVILY IMPACTED BY A CHEMICAL COMPONENT OF DIESEL EXHAUST PARTICLES

 

Estrogen appears to provide protective effects in animal model

 

WASHINGTON – A new study finds that exposure to a chemical component of diesel exhaust particles can compromise the ability of resistance arteries to regulate blood flow to bone marrow. Post-menopausal females, the elderly and males are most likely to be impacted, according to a new vascular biology study– using an animal model – being presented at the 120th Annual Meeting of The American Physiological Society (APS; www.The-APS.org) from April 28-May 2, 2007 in Washington, DC.

 

The study, Effects of Age, Gender, and Estrogen on Endothelium-Dependent Vasodilation Subsequent to Phenanthraquinone Exposure, was conducted by Rhonda D. Prisby, Judy Muller-Delp and Timothy R. Nurkiewicz, all of the Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Cardiovascular Sciences at the West Virginia University School of Medicine in Morgantown, WV, USA.  Dr. Nurkiewicz is presenting the findings on behalf of the University’s interdisciplinary cardiovascular research team. The research was funded by the Health Effects Institute and the National Institutes of Health.

 

Background

Diesel exhaust