Horwitz Announced as Chair of Stanford Department of Medicine
Dr. Ralph I. Horwitz, dean of Case Western Reserve University Medical School, has been named the new chair of the Department of Medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine. In his new position, Dr. Horwitz will direct 14 divisions and programs made up of nearly 150 faculty members. Dr. Horwitz will also collaborate closely with leaders at the School of Medicine and Stanford Hospital and Clinics. Dr. Horwitz earned his medical degree from Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine and completed training in internal medicine at McGill University and Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Horwitz served as a member of the Yale faculty since 1978. During his lengthy tenure, he held a variety of positions, including Harold H. Hines Jr. Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology, chair of the Department of Internal Medicine, and co-director of the Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program. Dr. Horwitz joined the faculty of Case Western Reserve University in 2003, and during his stay as dean, Case Western saw its research portfolio expand dramatically. Dr. Horwitz's research endeavors include investigations into the link between estrogen and the risk of breast and uterine cancer, the association between phenylpropanolamine and brain hemorrhage in young adults, and the relationship between coffee consumption and bladder cancer. He is a member of numerous professional organizations, including the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, the American College of Physicians, the Association of American Physicians, and the American College of Epidemiology. He was recently appointed to the advisory committee of the director of the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Horwitz, a leader in fostering ties between public health and medical education, advocates the need to restore the public's trust in health care, a viewpoint shared by Stanford University School of Medicine Dean Philip Pizzo, MD. Dr. Horwitz will assume his position as chair on December 1, 2006.
Leading Stem Cell Biologist Appointed Director of Yale Stem Cell Program
Dean of the Yale School of Medicine Robert Alpern recently named Haifan Lin, professor of cell biology and cofounder and codirector of the Duke University Stem Cell Research Program, the new director of the Yale Stem Cell Program. At Yale, Dr. Lin will direct a group of six scientists, in collaboration with numerous others across the medical school and university. Dr. Lin and his colleagues will investigate areas of stem cell biology such as the properties and mechanisms of human embryonic stem cells, human adult stem cells, and stem cells from model organisms. Dr. Lin received his undergraduate degree from Fudan University in Shanghai, China, and earned his PhD from Cornell University. Prior to joining the Duke University faculty in 1994, Dr. Lin completed his postdoctoral training at Carnegie Institution of Washington. Dr. Lin is a founding officer of the International Society for Stem Cell Research and occupies a position on the editorial board of Stem Cells. In addition to the recruitment of Dr. Lin, the Yale Stem Cell Program plans dramatic growth in the coming years, with three core facilities slated for development. These core facilities include a human embryonic stem cell culture core laboratory, a cell-sorting core, and a confocal microscopy core. Dr. Lin's appointment became effective September 1, 2006.
University of Louisville School of Medicine Names New Dean
The University of Louisville School of Medicine has named Edward Halperin, professor and associate vice chancellor for academic affairs at Duke University Medical Center, as its new dean. Since Dr. Halperin joined the Duke faculty in 1983 as an assistant professor, he has overseen graduate programs in medicine, physical therapy, and health sciences. Dr. Halperin's tenure at Duke University also saw the creation of a new educational curriculum for the doctor of medicine program, the development of four new dual-degree programs, and the launching of a tactical plan to strengthen the university's research arm. Dr. Halperin earned a bachelor of science degree from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, and also holds a master of arts degree from Duke and a doctor of medicine from Yale University. Dr. Halperin, who is a practicing pediatric radiation oncologist, will carry on his clinical practice at the James Graham Brown Cancer Center of the University of Louisville. Dr. Halperin will assume his duties on November 1, 2006, pending approval by the University of Louisville trustees.
Michael E. Cain, MD, Named Dean of University of Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
Dr. Michael E. Cain was recently announced as the new dean of the University of Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Dr. Cain currently serves as Tobias and Hortense Lewin Professor of Medicine and director of the Cardiovascular Division at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, where he has been a faculty member since 1981. University of Buffalo President John B. Simpson described Dr. Cain as a “distinguished scholar, accomplished clinician, dedicated educator and experienced medical administrator.” Dr. Cain earned his medical degree from George Washington University School of Medicine in Washington, DC. He completed training in internal medicine at Barnes Hospital/Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and in cardiovascular diseases at the Cardiovascular Division at Washington University School of Medicine. Dr. Cain is certified as a diplomate by the American Board of Internal Medicine in internal medicine, cardiovascular diseases, and clinical cardiac electrophysiology and pacing. He is a fellow of the American College of Cardiology, Council on Clinical Cardiology of the American Heart Association, and the Heart Rhythm Society. Author and coauthor of more than 100 publications, Dr. Cain serves on the editorial boards of several scientific journals, including the American Journal of Cardiology and the Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology. Among the many awards that Dr. Cain has received for his work, he received the American Heart Association's Arthur E. Strauss Award and the Hans-Peter Kragenbuehl Memorial Award for Research in Cardiac Function from the International Academy of Cardiology. Dr. Cain's appointment is effective November 1, 2006.
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Announces New Dean
Dr. Debra H. Fiser has been named the next dean of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) College of Medicine, succeeding E. Albert Reece, who has held the position since 2002. Dr. Fiser, a member of the UAMS faculty since 1981, presently serves as chairwoman and professor in the UAMS College of Medicine Department of Pediatrics. Additionally, Dr. Fiser serves on the Board of Directors for Arkansas Children's Hospital and the Arkansas Children's Hospital Research Institute. UAMS Chancellor I. Dodd Wilson, MD, commended Dr. Fiser for her excellent guidance of the UAMS Department of Pediatrics and expressed confidence in Dr. Fiser's “commitment to quality health care in Arkansas.” As dean, Dr. Fiser will function as the chief administrative and academic officer of the College of Medicine and will oversee 26 medical school departments encompassing over 1,000 faculty members, a central professional practice plan, and over 1,000 undergraduate medical students, residents, and fellows. Dr. Fiser, a board-certified specialist in pediatric critical care, earned her medical degree from UAMS. She completed a residency at the University of Kentucky School of Medicine, followed by a critical care fellowship at the University of Florida College of Medicine. Dr. Fiser previously served as president of the Association of Medical School Pediatric Department Chairs and as a fellow in the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Chest Physicians, and the American College of Critical Care Physicians. Dr. Fiser assumed the deanship on September 1, 2006.
John E. Niederhuber, MD, Next Director of the National Cancer Institute
John E. Niederhuber was recently sworn in as the thirteenth director of the National Cancer Institute. Dr. Niederhuber most recently served as the NCI's chief operating officer, deputy director for translational and clinical sciences and NCI acting director since June 2006. He is the director of the NCI's Laboratory of Tumor and Stem Cell Biology and holds a clinical appointment on the NIH Clinical Center medical staff. Dr. Niederhuber's clinical emphasis is on gastrointestinal cancer, hepatobiliary (liver, bile duct, and gallbladder) cancer, and breast cancer, and he is renowned for his revolutionary work in hepatic artery infusion chemotherapy. Dr. Niederhuber is a graduate of Bethany College in West Virginia and the Ohio State University School of Medicine. Prior to joining the NCI, Dr. Niederhuber held a variety of positions at multiple institutions, including professor of surgery and oncology at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine in Madison, director of the University of Wisconsin Comprehensive Cancer Center, chair of the Department of Surgery at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California, professor of surgery, oncology, and molecular biology and genetics at Johns Hopkins, and professor of microbiology/immunology and surgery at the University of Michigan. Dr. Niederhuber, who currently serves on the editorial boards of 10 scientific journals, has authored and coauthored over 180 publications, as well as edited 4 books, including Clinical Oncology. Dr. Niederhuber has served as a member of the Society of Surgical Oncology since 1978 and as president of the Society from 2001 to 2002. He has received many awards honoring his work, including a US Public Health Service Career Development Award from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the Distinguished Faculty Service Award from the University of Michigan, the Alumni Achievement Award from The Ohio State University College of Medicine, and the Distinguished Alumni Award in Medicine from Bethany College.
Dr. Jonathan Simons to Step Down as Director of Emory University's Winship Cancer Institute
Dr. Johnathan Simons recently resigned his post as director of Emory University's Winship Cancer Institute to pursue research involving the use of nanotechnology to fight cancer. In his new position, Dr. Simons will hold positions at both Winship Cancer Institute and Georgia Tech's Nanotechnology Research Center. Dr. Simons cited a $20 million federal grant awarded last year to Emory and Georgia Tech to apply nanotechnology to cancer research as a significant factor in his decision. Dr. Simons plans to focus his research on advanced prostate cancer. Dr. Paul Doetsch, a Winship deputy director, will serve as interim director for the Center. Dr. Simons, who became Winship director in 2000, has seen NCI funding for Winship grow by 240% during his tenure as director. Dr. Thomas J. Lawley, dean of the Emory University School of Medicine, said that he hopes to appoint a new director within a month.
Food and Drug Administration Announces New Medical Director for Emerging and Pandemic Threat Preparedness
Mark Goldberger, MD, MPH, has been appointed to the newly created position of Medical Director for Emerging and Pandemic Threat Preparedness in the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER). Dr. Goldberger, who has served the FDA since 1989, currently serves as the director of the Office of Antimicrobial Products in FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER). Dr. Goldberger earned his medical degree from Columbia University and completed his medical residency and infectious diseases fellowship at the same institution. Director of the CBER Jesse L. Goodman, MD, MPH, said that Dr. Goldberger's extensive experience with many infectious diseases and emerging threats will be a significant asset. As medical director for emerging and pandemic threat preparedness, Dr. Goldberger will plan and coordinate activities related to the development and assessment of products to address emerging and pandemic threats. In addition, he will serve as a member of the CBER's Senior Leadership Team and as chair of CBER's Pandemic Influenza Steering Committee. Dr. Goldberger will join the Center in August.
Bharat B. Mittal, MD, to Head New Department of Radiation Oncology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Dr. Bharat B. Mittal, Northwestern faculty member since 1985, has been chosen to head the new Department of Radiation Oncology at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Dr. Mittal outlined the goals for the department as providing quality care for patients, training future radiation oncologists, and performing research to permit advances in the understanding and treatment of various malignancies. Dr. Mittal earned his medical degree from Christian Medical College in India. He completed a residency in radiation oncology at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and a fellowship at Washington University Medical School's Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology in St. Louis. Dr. Mittal has published over 100 journal articles and abstracts and has authored multiple book chapters.
Dr. Mathias Stoenescu New Director of the Heart Rhythm Program at the University of Connecticut Health Center
Dr. Mathias Stoenescu has been named director of the new Heart Rhythm Program at the University of Connecticut Health Center, the newest addition to the Pat and Jim Calhoun Cardiology Center. New facilities, including a 825-square-foot electrophysiology laboratory, are key elements to the Heart Rhythm Program. Dr. Stoenescu earned his medical degree from the University of Hamburg and completed a residency in internal medicine at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Pennsylvania. A cardiologist with special training in the study of the heart's rhythm and electrical systems, he joined the Pat and Jim Calhoun Cardiology Center in 2005 from Lankenau Hospital of the Maineline Health System in Philadelphia.
Dr. Kenton J. Zehr Joins the University of Pittsburgh
Dr. Kenton J. Zehr, internationally recognized cardiac surgeon, has been named the new chief of the Division of Cardiac Surgery and professor of surgery at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He will also serve as associate director of the Heart, Lung and Esophageal Surgery Institute at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Dr. Zehr, a western Pennsylvanian, will leave his current positions as a cardiovascular surgeon at the Mayo Clinic and an associate professor at the Mayo Medical School in Rochester, Minnesota. Dr. Zehr performed his undergraduate work at Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Following completion of his medical degree at the Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Dr. Zehr completed his surgical residency at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. He has produced over 230 peer-reviewed articles, publications, scientific presentations, and lectures. Dr. Zehr currently serves as a peer reviewer for several international journals, such as Circulation, the Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Annals of Thoracic Surgery, American Journal of Cardiology, the European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, and the Asian Cardiovascular and Thoracic Annals.
Mark Warner, MD, New Dean of Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education
Dr. Mark Warner was recently announced as the new dean of the Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education (MSGME), replacing Roger L. Nelson, who has held the position since 1998. Dr. Warner, an alumnus of the Mayo School, served as chair of the Department of Anesthesiology from 1999 to 2005. Currently, he serves as a professor of anesthesiology, a member of Mayo Clinic Rochester's Management Oversight Group and Operations Coordinating Group, and a consultant in the Department of Anesthesiology at the MSGME. Additionally, Dr. Warner serves as chair to the Residency Review Committee for Anesthesiology for the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. Dr. Warner's appointment became effective August 1, 2006.
Dr. Joanna Groden Named Chair of Cancer Genetics Study Section of the National Institutes of Health
Dr. Joanna Groden was recently chosen to chair the Cancer Genetics Study Section of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). As chair of the study through 2008, Dr. Groden will supervise the subcommittee that evaluates grant applications and counsels the NIH regarding the level of grant support the applications warrant. Dr. Groden currently serves as a researcher in the molecular biology and cancer genetics program in The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center. She also holds appointments as professor and vice chair for academic affairs in the Department of Molecular Virology, Immunology, and Medical Genetics at the Ohio State College of Medicine. Dr. Groden is a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Association for Cancer Research, American Gastroenterological Association, and American Society of Human Genetics.
University of Florida Appoints Inaugural Chair of Department of Urology
Dr. Johannes W. Vieweg has been named the founding chair of the Department of Urology within the University of Florida College of Medicine. Dr. Robert C. Newman, the Rudolph Acosta-Rua Jr. Professor of Urology, had led the division since 2001. Dr. Vieweg, who currently serves as a professor of urology, joined the University of Florida faculty in July 2006. He previously served as associate professor of urology and immunology and vice chief of research in the Division of Urology at Duke University. Dr. Vieweg's research interests have centered on the development and clinical testing of innovative treatments for cancers of the genitourinary tract, including prostate cancer. Dr. Vieweg earned his medical degree from the University of Munich in Germany, and he commenced his residency training in the Department of Urology at the University of Ulm in Germany. He completed his urology training at Duke University, after having also completed three years of postdoctoral training at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. Dr. Vieweg's goals as chair include promoting drug development and technological advances by building new ties with biotechnology companies and others. Additionally, he hopes to develop new therapeutics to help cancer patients who cannot be cured by surgery or radiation therapy alone.