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December

12/23 - Radiation Therapy Pioneer Dies at 61 - Dr. Rupert K. A. Schmidt-Ullrich, professor and chair of the Radiation Oncology Department and Clinical Associate Director of the VCU Massey Cancer Center, died Monday at the VCU Medical Center after a lengthy illness. a nationally and internationally recognized radiation oncologist and molecular radiobiologist, Dr. Schmidt-Ullrich was the founding chairman of the Department of Radiation Oncology and had been recently appointed as the first Florence and Hyman Meyers Chair of Radiation Oncology. Read more.

12/22 - DNA testing for colon cancer may not be magic bullet - A study in the Dec. 23 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine concludes that DNA stool testing is more effective in detecting colon cancer than a widely used stool test, but a VCU family medicine and public health physician argues in the same issue that its superiority is still in doubt. "Should we begin using the stool DNA panel as a screening test for colorectal cancer, perhaps replacing fecal occult-blood testing?" wrote Steven H. Woolf, M.D., professor and director of research in VCU's Department of Family Medicine. "The short answer is 'no.'"  Read more.

12/16 - Department of Psychiatry marks 20 years of mental health education, research and care - Dr. Joel Silverman, chairman of Psychiatry, reflects on 20 years of progress, during which his department earned the distinction of having more psychiatric research cited in medical journals than any other university in the United States. Read more.

12/16 - Department of Psychiatry recognized for fellowship in geriatric psychiatry - The Department of Psychiatry is the recipient of the 2004 "Living the Vision" recognition by the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services. The recognition honors individuals and programs across Virginia that are living the vision of a community-based system of mental health, mental retardation and substance abuse services. Read more.

12/15 - Molecular players identified in the pathogenesis of Lyme Disease - Scientists have made a key advance in understanding the proteins and mechanisms involved in the spread of Lyme Disease, a finding that could lead to a vaccine against the tick-borne illness that affects thousands of people each year. The finding was published in the December issue of the Journal of Immunology by Richard T. Marconi, Ph.D., , an associate professor of microbiology and immunology who leads one of the largest Lyme Disease research efforts in the country. Read more.

12/13 - Professor publishes first-of-its-kind book on psychosomatic medicine - James L. Levenson, M.D., vice chairman of the Department of Psychiatry, has edited the first textbook in the newly recognized subspecialty devoted to the treatment of psychiatric disorders in complex medically ill patients. VCU has one of the only Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education approved fellowships in the country in psychosomatic medicine, a term that refers to the effects of mind and body on each other, interacting in health and illness. Read more.

12/8 - Racial equity in health could save more lives than advances -The number of lives saved by medical advances over the last 10 years is far outdistanced by the number of lives lost to racial disparities in health status, according to Steven H. Woolf, M.D., professor and director of research in the Department of Family Medicine. "Policymakers should reconsider the prudence of investing billions of dollars in the development of new drugs and technologies, while investing only a fraction of that amount in the correction of racial disparities in health," wrote Dr. Woolf about his analysis of mortality data from 1991 through 2000 that was published in the December issue of the American Journal of Public Health. Read more.

12/7 - New clinic offers diagnosis and treatment of peripheral nerve injuries - The VCU Medical Center has established a clinic for diagnosing and treating injuries of the peripheral nervous system - the complex network of nerve fibers that traverses the body outside the brain and spinal cord. Because nerves grow slowly - a millimeter a day - recovery from nerve damage can take months or even years. The Nerve Clinic offers patients a variety of treatment options including nerve grafts, transfers, and muscle transplants to restore function to patients who previously had none. Read more.

12/7 - Institute awarded $3.2 million to evaluate pharmaceutical drugs to help cocaine abusers - The National Institute of Drug Abuse has awarded a $3.2 million contract to VCU's Institute for Drug and Alcohol Studies to test therapeutic drugs that could help cocaine abusers deal with their addiction. "Each year about 1 million Americans try cocaine for the first time, and many of them go on to become addicted," said Robert Balster, Ph.D., director of the VCU institute. "Unfortunately there are no approved medications for the treatment of cocaine abusers." Read more.

November

11/30 - Special Operations Combat Medics to demonstrate skills - A group of Special Operations Combat Medics that honed its skills in battlefield medical procedures at VCU Medical Center will stage a full-scale demonstration on Wednesday, Dec. 1. Read more.

11/22 - Blood-reduction program benefits cardiac surgery patients - Researchers at VCU's Medical Center have found that a blood-reduction program in cardiac surgery is resulting in a reduced need for transfusions without compromising patients' recoveries. The nine-point, blood-reduction program, in use by the cardiac surgical team since 1999, uses various strategies throughout the entire surgical period, including the use of drugs and blood-salvaging devices. Read more.

11/17 - New technique patented, to be used in regenerative medicine - VCU engineers and scientists have developed and patented a unique technique to grow three-dimensional tissues and organs in a mold made from material the human body naturally uses to repair wounds, potentially eliminating the chance for rejection. If successful, the new technique eventually would allow patients to grow new organs from their own cells and in effect, be their own transplant donors. Three researchers from the School of Medicine worked to develop the technique. Read more.

11/16 - William J. Frable, M.D., Department of Pathology, is the 2004 recipient of the Fred Waldorf Stewart Award, presented annually by the Memorial Sloan-Kettering cancer Center's Pathology Department to an individual who has made significant contributions to the study of human neoplastic diseases or the growth of benign or malignant abnormal tissue. Dr. Frable's many contributions to the field of pathology, and cytopathology -- the study of disease in cells -- center on diagnosis and education. His contributions during the past 40 years include hundreds of published papers, dozens of book chapters, four major textbooks and numerous workshops and lectures. Dr. Frable will receive the award at a ceremony this month at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York.

11/15 - Results of premature birth study to be announced - The March of Dimes will announce the results of an 18-month-long, national study on premature birth and issue its recommendations for reducing the number of children born before term in Virginia and the rest of the US at a Nov. 18 news conference the VCU Medical Center. Jane H. Woods, Virginia's secretary of health and human resources, will present the findings, along with Gary Gutcher, M.D., division chair of neonatal-perinatal medicine at the School of Medicine.

Read more.

11/15 - School of Medicine announces 2004 Teaching Awards - The School of Medicine has presented this year's highest faculty honors for teaching and mentoring excellence. Read more.

11/15 - Biochemistry hosts Undergraduate Research Symposium - Department of Biochemistry hosted dozens of biomedical scientists during the Second Undergraduate Research Symposium -- a forum for the presentation of research projects conducted by students enrolled in Virginia colleges and universities. Read more.

11/9 - Neurosurgeon develops new device for deep brain surgery - A VCU Medical Center neurosurgeon was the lead developer of a new piece of equipment that is now being used by physicians in 20 hospitals around the world to perform delicate surgical procedures deep inside the brain. The so-called "frameless" device is being used in deep brain stimulation procedures, highly precise surgical techniques that involve placing tiny electrodes into remote areas of the brain to treat Parkinson's Disease, tremors and dystonia. Read more.

11/8 - National business network recognizes RRTC - VCU's Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Workplace Support received the US Business Leadership Network 's Partner of the Year Award at the network's annual conference. The RRTC was recognized for its development of web-based training for human resource and hiring managers as well as its research that furthers the business case for the employment of individuals with disabilities.  Business Leadership Networks are employer organizations promoting the inclusion of people with disabilities in the workforce and marketplace. Read more.

11/8 - Professor receives outstanding national medical educator award - Accordions, rubber bands, Slinkies, and a mattress spring are the tools of the trade in Linda Costanzo's first-year respiratory physiology course as she demonstrates how respiratory diseases like emphysema and pulmonary fibrosis take their toll on lung function. Her trademark method for making complex concepts understandable is among the reasons Physiology Professor Costanzo was one of four medical school faculty members in the U.S. chosen to receive the 2004 Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society's Robert J. Glaser Distinguished Teaching Award. Read more.

11/8 - Anti-cancer drug resistance documented in leukemia cells - Researchers at the Massey Cancer Center have documented a novel form of resistance in leukemia cells to an anti-cancer drug, which could help scientists develop new strategies for treating the disease. The drug, imatinib mesylate, is associated with the activation of an enzyme that is less susceptible to the action of the drug, according to Steven Grant, M.D., oncology professor and lead author of the study. Read more.

October

10/27 - VCU scientists decode genome of potential bioterror agent - The genome sequence of a dangerous parasite with bioterrorism potential has been decoded, enabling scientists to better understand the organism and work to develop vaccines and therapeutic drugs, wrote Gregory A. Buck, Ph.D., a professor in microbiology and immunology, in the Nov. 28 issue of the journal Nature. Read more.

10//25 - Research study underway of a blood substitute for use in trauma cases - The VCU Medical Center launched a study Monday on an experimental blood substitute, PolyHeme, that will be given to critically injured and bleeding victims before they arrive at the hospital.  The medical center is one of 23 Level-1 trauma centers in the country that is studying the oxygen-carrying blood substitute and its ability to increase survival in critically injured and bleeding patients. Read more.

10/21 - New antibody may prevent RSV in premature babies - VCU researchers are studying the effectiveness of introducing a new antibody in premature infants to manage RSV, the most common form of lower respiratory tract infections in children worldwide. The Department of Pediatrics is one of about 100 sites across the country expected to enroll a total of 6,000 children under age 2. The phase III clinical trial will examine the safety and efficacy of a new anti-RSV molecule. Read more.

10/20 - Breakthrough research in how brain cells prematurely age - Brain cells become increasingly unable to regulate calcium loads as they age, becoming more vulnerable to injury and premature death according to research that will be presented this month at an international conference. The findings could help scientists better understand premature aging and how it is linked to aging-related disorders like Alzheimer's disease and dementia, says Robert DeLorenzo, M.D., Ph.D., MPH, professor in neurology. Read more.

10/19 - Former First Lady of Virginia to tour advanced imaging center - Former Virginia first lady Susan Allen will tour the VCU Medical Center's Breast Imaging Center at 11 a.m., Wednesday, Oct. 20, to help raise awareness about breast cancer prevention. The VCU Medical Center recently became the only health system in the United States to acquire recently developed, state-of-the art digital mammography equipment that is able to produce extremely high-resolution images.  Read more.

10/18 -Infectious disease expert appointed to VA's National Research Advisory Council - Richard P. Wenzel, M.D., chair of Virginia Commonwealth University's Department of Internal Medicine, has been appointed to the National Research Advisory Council of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Read more.

10/15 - Insulin-sensitizing drugs help thin women as well as overweight patients with PCOS - Insulin-sensitizing drugs can help thin women with polycystic ovary syndrome even if they do not appear to be insulin resistant, broadening the range of women who can benefit from the therapy, according to a report in this month's issue of the journal Fertility and Sterility. "This is significant because up to 30 percent of women with polycystic ovary syndrome are not overweight, and it has not been clear if such women would benefit from treatment with an insulin sensitizing drug for improving fertility," said John E. Nestler, M.D., chair of VCU's Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, and lead author of the study. Read more.

10/4 - Nationally recognized bioethics expert to speak at VCU on stem-cell research - Arthur L. Caplan will discuss the morality of stem-cell research at VCU at 1 p.m. on Oct. 11 at the Kontos Auditorium in the Medical Sciences Building. The Special VCU Bioethics Lecture, "What is Immoral (if anything!) about Stem-Cell Research?" is supported by the MCV Foundation's Sanger Fund and Grayson Fund. It is free and open to the public. Read more.

10/1 - High-tech biocontainment facility - VCU's medical campus will soon be home to the school's most advanced and safest laboratory environment for research into emerging infectious diseases, particularly those that could be used as terrorist weapons. A $150,000 project to upgrade existing lab space to a 700 square-foot, Biosafety Level-3 lab, or "BSL-3" facility, will enable researchers to work safely on severely infectious, but treatable, diseases, the first of which will be tularemia, or rabbit fever. "The facility will allow for a new type of research to be performed at VCU," said Dennis Ohman, Ph.D., chair of the department of microbiology and immunology and lead investigator on the first experiment that will be conducted in the lab, the F. tularensis project. Read more.

September

9/29 - Researchers to examine use of flu vaccines with young children - VCU researchers are studying an influenza vaccine administered by nasal spray versus injection to determine which method best protects against the illness in children aged 6 months up to 5 years. "Children are the most susceptible to the flu virus," said Linda D. Meloy, M.D., associate professor and interim chair of general pediatrics and emergency medicine. "They can pick up the virus in day care or at school and bring it home where the virus can easily be transmitted to other family members." Dr. Meloy is the primary investigator of the VCU-arm of the study, which is one of about 300 sites around the U.S. enrolling children in the phase III clinical trial. Read more.

9/29 - VCU Medical Center launches medical television show - Beginning Sunday, Oct. 3, television viewers in Central Virginia will have an opportunity to go behind the scenes at the VCU Medical Center when "2 Minutes in Medicine, " a bi-monthly medical information program debuts on the local CBS affiliate, WTVR-TV 6. Read more.

9/14 - Two School of Medicine faculty to be honored at 2004 Convocation - VCU will honor four distinguished professors in the areas of teaching, scholarship, service and overall excellence during Convocation 2004. This year's honorees include: Richard M. Costanzo with the Distinguished Teaching Award and Dr. Steven H. Woolf, with the Distinguished Scholar Award. Held annually since 1982, the ceremony will take place Thursday, Sept. 23 at the Medical Sciences Building. There will be a reception for the honorees at 4:30 p.m. and the ceremony will begin at 5:30 p.m. Read more.

9/13 - National cancer groups host free forum on palliative care - VCU's Massey Cancer Center, the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship and the Lance Armstrong Foundation will host a free public forum Sept. 28 at VCU for people interested in cancer care. The forum will bring together in a town hall setting top medical professionals, patients dealing with cancer treatment and other cancer specialists.  Dr. Tom Smith, professor of medicine and chair of hematology/oncology and palliative care at VCU is a lead speaker at the forum. The Massey Cancer Center is one of six nationally designated training centers on palliative care. Read more.

9/1 - Virginia Gov. Warner declared September  "Gynecological Cancer Awareness Month" in a certificate of recognition to VCU's Massey Cancer Center. "The governor's proclamation draws attention to the importance of regular screenings to help women prevent and identify dangerous cancers," said Weldon Chafe, M.D., a gynecological oncologist and professor of gynecology and obstetrics at VCU.  "Gynecological cancers are the fourth-largest cause of cancer deaths among women in the United States, and early detection is the key factor in saving lives." Read more.

August

8/30 - Massey Cancer Center to host 20 US experts on emerging breast cancer treatment - VCU's Massey Cancer Center will host 20 medical experts from around the U.S. on Sept. 9 to prepare for a 3,000-patient phase III clinical trial that will evaluate a breakthrough breast cancer treatment. The radiation oncologists, surgeons, a physicist and other experts will explore their early findings of patient outcomes with MammoSite RTS, a relatively new radiation delivery technology that dramatically reduces the entire radiation treatment process for patients who have had lumpectomies to remove breast tumors. Read more.

8/24 - Gene-expression patterns associated with progression of primary liver cancer - VCU researchers have identified multiple changes in the gene-expression patterns of cells involved with tumor progression in liver cancer patients and in those with cirrhosis, which may help scientists predict a person's risk of developing primary liver cancer. "If we can detect particular gene and protein expressions that are leading to a potentially lethal disease, then we may be able to intervene before that potentially lethal disease becomes incurable, or eliminate those components before a patient becomes infected," said surgery professor Robert A. Fisher, M.D., director of the liver transplant program at the VCU Medical Center and lead investigator on a study published in the May 2004 issue of the journal Liver Transplantation.  Read more.

8/17 - Breast cancer prevention trial reaches full enrollment - The Massey Cancer Center reached full enrollment for participation in North America's largest clinical trial for breast cancer prevention. Under Massey's guidance, 166 women throughout Virginia are participating at five sites over several years as researchers track the effects of two drugs - tamoxifen and Raloxifene. When Massey opened the STAR trial in 1999, it sought 100 participants. "To exceed our goal in such great numbers shows that women have a vested interest in helping to prevent cancer," said Mary Helen Hackney, M.D., an oncologist at the Massey Cancer Center and co-principal investigator for the Richmond arm of the trial. Read more.

8/12 - VCU Board of Visitors approves new master site plan - The VCU Board of Visitors has approved a master site plan that lays out the vision for VCU's campuses for the next 15 years. The plan includes a 500,000 square-foot building for the School of Medicine that would provide modern classroom and laboratory facilities and a $110 million, state-of-the-art Critical Care Bed Tower that will provide 300 critical care and isolation beds. Read More.

8/11 - School of Medicine to welcome Class of 2008 into medical community - The 184 students beginning their first year at the School of Medicine will participate in the annual White Coat Ceremony. The White Coat Ceremony is a School of Medicine tradition in which senior faculty members cloak the first-year students in their first white coats, and students recite the Hippocratic Oath, which articulates doctors' responsibilities to their patients. Read more.

8/11 - NIH Study suggests cardiac arrest survival could increase - The number of people who survive heart attacks in public places could double if lay volunteers are trained to use public access defibrillators, according to a study published today in the New England Journal of Medicine. VCU researcher Joseph P. Ornato, M.D., was chair of the steering committee that conducted the multi-center study among 24 regions in North America. "The chances of survival for victims of cardiac arrest diminish by 10 percent as each minute passes," said Ornato. "Getting help quickly can make the difference between life and death."  Read more.

8/9 - Massey studying new treatment strategy for brain cancer - Researchers have found that combining ionizing radiation with a secreted protein that selectively inhibits tumor cell growth and survival can target cancer cells and leave healthy cells alone, perhaps presenting a new approach for treating the deadliest type of brain tumor. In a study published in the August 2004 issue of the journal Cancer Biology and Therapy, Massey Cancer Center researchers report that exposing primary human glioma cells to radiation combined with the secreted protein, MDA-7 (IL24), activates the pathways in the cell that are associated with cell death. Read more.

8/4 -Infectious disease expert calls for urgent response to antibiotic shortage - Scientists, the federal government and the pharmaceutical industry must work together quickly to solve the growing crisis of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, Richard P. Wenzel, M.D., wrote in the Aug. 4 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine. "With increasing levels of antibiotic resistance, an insecure pipeline and a dwindling number of companies investing in anti-infectives, we have reached an unsettling impasse in medicine," said Dr. Wenzel, chairman of the Department of Internal Medicine. Read more.

July

7/29 - Blood transfusions during surgery could be risky - Patients who received blood platelet transfusions during coronary bypass surgery were more likely to have prolonged hospital stays, longer surgeries, more bleeding and higher risk of infection, stroke and death, according to an international study led by the VCU Medical Center published in the August issue of Transfusion. "Although this analysis cannot prove that platelet infusions caused the increases in adverse events examined, the data are sobering and should be taken into account when determining the risk-benefit ratio of platelet transfusion therapy," says Dr. Bruce D. Spiess, professor of anesthesiology and lead author on the article. Read more.

7/28 - M2008 medical student named Cooke Foundation scholar - An incoming School of Medicine student is among 39 students nationwide chosen to receive a Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Graduate Scholarship, an award that can total up to $50,000. Mireille D. Truong graduated from VCU in 2003. She is the third VCU medical student to be honored as a Cooke Scholar. Read more.

7/16 - Cardiologists mark anniversary, look to future - Twenty-five years ago this month, cardiologists at the VCU Medical Center were among the first in the nation to use balloon angioplasty to treat patients with blocked coronary arteries, a trend-setting breakthrough toward less-invasive heart treatments that continues today. Read more.

7/8 - VCU to have state's only School of Public Health - The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) has approved a new School of Public Health at VCU.  The new school, the only School of Public Health in Virginia, will help fill a large and growing need for public health professionals. The School initially will be established within the VCU School of Medicine. Read more.

7/7 - Massey Cancer Centers one-stop clinic improve cancer treatment process - Cancer patients in Central Virginia have access to a model treatment program designed and championed by medical professionals at VCU's Massey Cancer Center. Under the multi-disciplinary clinic concept, patients are treated under one roof in one afternoon with an entire team of specialists coordinating their care. Read more.

7/7 - Brien Riley, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychiatry, is is the recipient of a two-year $60,000 Young Investigator Award from The National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression -- the largest donor-supported organization in the world devoted exclusively to funding scientific research on psychiatric disorders. Riley will use the award to study gene variants in schizophrenia in African populations. Besides providing valuable information about schizophrenia risk factors in this group, Riley says the study could lead to shortcuts in understanding schizophrenia pathogenesis. NARSAD's Young Investigator Award Program provides support for the most promising young scientists conducting neurobiological research.

7/7 - Julie Linker, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry, has been appointed to Governor Warner's Statewide Terrorism and Disaster Behavioral Health Advisory Council. As part of the council, Linker and other members will coordinate behavioral health preparedness and response to any future disaster or terrorist acts within the Commonwealth by providing guidance to the Virginia Departments of Health and Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services and other key disaster response entities. The Council represents the development of an important partnership and planning process among federal, state, and local agencies and organizations coordinating behavioral health and public health preparedness and emergency response within the Commonwealth

June

6/29 - Women's health resource center established with grant from the Theresa Thomas Foundation - The Institute for Women's Health, a National Center of Excellence in Women's Health, has received a $100,000 grant from the Theresa A. Thomas Memorial Foundation to establish a comprehensive resource center for information on women's health. To be located at the VCU Women's Health Center at Stony Point, the center will resource materials as well as a medical librarian who will be available to meet with patients before or after physician appointments to help them locate relevant information and resources that address their individual health needs. Read more.

6/25 -New accreditation for pediatric physical medicine and rehabilitation - The Pediatric Rehabilitation Fellowship training program in the School of Medicine has become one of the first programs of its kind to earn full accreditation from the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education. "VCU now has more accredited fellowship training programs in physical medicine and rehabilitation than any PM&R program in the country," said Dr. David X. Cifu, chairman, physical medicine and rehabilitation. " VCU's pediatric rehab fellowship is one of two accredited fellowships of this kind."  Read more.

6/22 - "Virtual clipboard" to boost autism treatment and research - Mental health professionals and educators may soon replace the traditional clipboard and paper with a portable computer that can tap the information superhighway for faster, more accurate diagnoses and treatments. Believed to be the first of its kind, the system was developed as a class project by three undergraduate Information Systems students in VCU's School of Business. Their efforts were rewarded with second prize in a regional technology competition sponsored by Microsoft Corp. Read more.

6/14 - Special Forces Medics hone skills at medical center - A highly trained group of military experts are rotating through various departments at the VCU Medical Center, soaking up as much medical experience as possible before they deploy around the world. The VCU Medical Center is one of only four institutions in the country selected by the Joint Special Operations Medical Training Center as a training site for the medics. Read more and see a photo from the training.

6/10 - Daylong conference about health disparities in Virginia - The daylong conference, "Overcoming Health Disparities: A Disease-Focused Approach" will feature presenters contrasting Virginia health disparities with federal data and ultimately searching for solutions to health disparities in the state. "We want this discussion to result in some changes in state health policy and have assembled a fine cadre of health care professionals, researchers and government leaders to begin that," said Wally Smith, M.D., conference chair and chair of VCU's Division of Quality Health Care." Read more.

May

5/26 - Clinical trial for earliest stage breast cancer begins - Researchers at VCU's Massey Cancer Center have begun a clinical trial testing the effectiveness of an established balloon catheter radiation delivery device on the earliest form of breast cancer, ductal carcinoma in situ. VCU is one of nine sites in the country participating in the clinical trial. Read more.

5/24 - Medical School faculty offer Pearls of Wisdom to fourth-year medical students - The School of Medicine Class of 2004 sponsored the inaugural Pearl's Day. The one-hour presentation featured an impressive lineup of faculty who shared anecdotes and advice spiced with humor for an entertaining "lecture" and send-off for graduating medical students. Read more.

5/24 - Professor earns honorary doctorate from Linköping University - Jeffrey Williamson, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Division of Medical Physics in the Department of Radiation Oncology, has received the degree of Doctor Honoris Causa in Medicine from the Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University, in appreciation of his work and collaboration with the Swedish university's faculty. Read more.

5/24 - AHA chair recognizes VCU Medical Center as breakthrough provider - During the American Hospital Association's (AHA) recent annual meeting in Washington, D.C., David L. Bernd, chairman of the AHA and president of Sentara Healthcare in Norfolk, recently praised the VCU Medical Center for its efforts in palliative care. Read more.

5/24 - Professors present implantable biochip research at military forum - A prototype device that could save lives of injured soldiers on the battlefield has been presented to scientists and United States military officials by chemical engineering professor Anthony Guiseppi-Elie, Sc.D. and, Kevin Ward, M.D., associate professor of Emergency Medicine and Physiology at VCU. The biochip would monitor and transmit body levels of lactate - which change when there is a critical lack of oxygen to support their normal cell function - to a portable receiver. Read more.

5/19 - Two School of Medicine professors to address future scientists - A VCU professor who won the 2002 Nobel prize for chemistry, an emergency medicine professor who headed a triage unit after the 2001 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, and the Virginia Chief Medical Examiner - who is considered the inspiration for Dr. Kay Scarpetta in books by crime novelist Patricia Cornwell - will share their experiences at a meeting of nearly 800 middle and high school students at VCU May 25-27. Read more.

5/19 - Landmark study to investigate blood substitute's usefulness in trauma cases - The VCU Medical Center is one of 20 Level I trauma centers in the country that may study PolyHeme, an oxygen-carrying blood substitute, and its ability to increase survival in critically injured and bleeding patients. Read more.

5/14 - Physician receives Distinguished Service Award from Richmond Academy of Medicine - The Richmond Academy of Medicine recently presented Dr. Donald M. Switz, professor of internal medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University, with the 2004 Distinguished Service Award for Exemplary Medical Society Leadership. Read more.

5/13 - John N. Clore, M.D., professor of internal medicine, will receive the "Cure. Care. Commitment Award" from the American Diabetes Association during the organization's First Annual Gala on May 22. Read more.

5/13 - Cynthia Heldberg, Ph.D., associate dean of admissions in the School of Medicine, has been named chair of the Committee on Admissions within the Association of American Medical Colleges' Group on Student Affairs. Read more.

5/13 - Agnes Mack, director of admissions for the School of Medicine, has been presented the Governor's Award for Career Achievement. Read more.

5/11 - Landmark study to investigate blood substitute's usefulness in trauma cases - The VCU Medical Center is one of 20 Level I trauma centers in the country that may study PolyHeme, an oxygen-carrying blood substitute, and its ability to increase survival in critically injured and bleeding patients. Read more.

5/10 - Girls with alcoholic stepfather have more behavior problems - Living with an alcoholic stepfather is associated with a significantly higher risk of behavior problems in girls than boys, according to a new study published in the May issue of the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. The assessment also showed that the risk for behavior problems was higher among girls who lived with an alcoholic stepfather than girls who lived with their alcoholic biological father. "The high prevalence of divorce in American society has focused considerable attention on how divorce impacts on children," says Debra L. Foley, Ph.D., assistant professor of human genetics and lead author on the study. "Our study indicates that alcoholism in a stepparent explains part of the increase in behavioral problems in girls whose parents are divorced." Read more.

5/6 - University Council Approves Proposal for a School of Public Health - The University Council voted to approve the proposal for a creation of a School of Public Health within the School of Medicine and to rename the Department of Preventive Medicine and COmmunity Health the Department of Epidemiology and COmmunity Health once the School is established, effective SPring 2005. The proposal must now go to the State COuncil for Higher Education in Virginia for final approval.

5/6 - Neuroticism and stress can predict major depression - Researchers have documented the interrelationship of the personality trait of neuroticism and stressful life events in predicting episodes of major depression. "We wanted to get a fine-grained look at how vulnerability and stress inter-relate in the development of depression," said psychiatric geneticist Kenneth S. Kendler, M.D., professor of psychiatry and director of the Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics at VCU. Dr. Kendler was lead author of the study, which was published in the April issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry. Read more.

5/5 - Immunologist wins international research award - Christopher L. Kepley, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology in the Department of Internal Medicine, has been honored as the winner of this year's Henning Løwenstein Research Award. The annual award is given to a young scientist who has shown excellence within the field of allergy. Read more.

5/3 - Landmark study to investigate blood substitute's usefulness in trauma cases - The VCU Medical Center is one of 20 Level I trauma centers in the country that may study PolyHeme, an oxygen-carrying blood substitute, and its ability to increase survival in critically injured and bleeding patients. Read more.

April

4/28 - Dr. Forbes wins 2004 ASM Founders Award - Betty Ann Forbes, Ph.D., professor of pathology, VCU School of Medicine, will receive the 2004 American Society for Microbiology (ASM) Founders Distinguished Service Award. The award, which will be presented at the 104th General Meeting of the ASM, May 23-27 in New Orleans, recognizes outstanding professional contributions in a volunteer capacity at the national level. Read more.

4/27 - Marriages among deaf may have doubled genetic deafness - A high rate of marriage among deaf individuals can explain the increased frequency of connexin deafness in the United States and may have led to a doubling of its occurrence during the past 200 years. "In the United States, at least 85 percent of individuals with profound deafness marry another deaf person," says Dr. Walter Nance, professor of human genetics and lead author on the study, which will be published in the June issue of the American Journal of Human Genetics. The study was published early online. Read more.

4/22 - Whitehurst-Cook chosen for national leadership program - A Virginia Commonwealth University physician in the School of Medicine has been selected as a Fellow in the national Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership In Academic Medicine Program for Women. Michelle Y. Whitehurst-Cook, M.D., associate professor, family practice, is the seventh faculty member sponsored by the VCU School of Medicine in eight years for the national leadership program generally referred to as ELAM. Read more.

4/13 - Genetic factors affect risk of becoming regular tobacco user - In the first study to analyze the impact of genetic factors on multiple stages of tobacco use in both men and women, a team of researchers has found some of the strongest evidence yet for the role of genetic factors in smoking.  "Although many people try smoking, it's been unclear why some people progress to regular tobacco use and then on to nicotine dependence," says Dr. Hermine H. Maes, a researcher at the VCU Institute of Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics and lead author on the article. The study will be published in a print issue of Psychological Medicine later this year. Read more.

4/9 - Medical Center goes high def - The startlingly clear images displayed by high definition televisions have attracted the attention of sports enthusiasts, movie fanatics, and video gamers. Now some surgeons at the VCU Medical Center are among the first in the country to use the technology to gain extraordinary views of the human anatomy. Read more.

4/2 - School of Medicine physicians figure prominently in regional survey - Physicians from the VCU Medical Center received high marks from their peers in the latest "Top Docs" survey conducted by Richmond Magazine. Of the 242 physicians listed among 49 medical specialties, 98 were from VCU in 46 specialties, with 20 doctors voted best in their field. In addition to the regional survey, the magazine also includes an excerpted list from the 2004 Best Doctors in America database that is made up of about 30,000 doctors in 40 medical specialties nationwide. Of the 100 physicians listed in 28 medical specialties, 48 are from VCU in 20 specialties. Read more.

4/2 - Former Surgeon General visits medical center - David Satcher, M.D., Ph.D., former U.S. Surgeon General and director of the National Center for Primary Care at Morehouse School of Medicine, attended a series of meetings with VCU Medical Center physicians and administrators to discuss efforts to recognize and overcome minority health disparities and VCU's work with sickle cell disease. Read more.

March

3/31 - Lights...Camera...VCU Pediatrics - A new television commercial featuring some familiar faces from VCU's Department of Pediatrics will run for 12 weeks at various times on WTVR-TV6. The ad is part of a new music-driven campaign designed to introduce the VCU Children's name - shortened from Children's Medical Center - to the Central Virginia area. Read more.

3/31 - Annual Louis and Ruth Harris Exhibit to feature student art - The reception for the annual Louis and Ruth Harris Exhibition and Awards in Fine arts will take place on the ground floor of the Medical Sciences Building on May 4 from 3-5 p.m. The exhibit will feature the works of students from the Department of Painting and Printmaking in VCU's nationally ranked School of the Arts. The exhibition is conceived and funded by Dr. Louis S. Harris, holder of the Harvey Haag Professorship in Pharmacology and Toxicology at VCU. "What drives us in science is to create something," explains Harris. "That's what artists do better than anyone. And that's why it's important to put art in front of people in the sciences. The exhibition can be viewed May 4 -10. The opening reception is free and open to the public.

3/30 - New drug combination could help patients with deadly blood cancer - Researchers have discovered that combining the novel drug, UCN-01, with an experimental drug that blocks activation of a collection of key proteins whose many functions include regulating cell death could present a new strategy for treating the incurable blood cancer, multiple myeloma. "Until recently, the mainstays of treatment for patients with multiple myeloma have been steroids and cytotoxic drugs and, for those patients who are eligible, bone marrow transplantation," said Dr. Steven Grant, Shirley Carter and Sture Gordon Olsson Professor of Oncology and lead author of the study published in the April 1 issue of the journal Blood. Read more.

3/30 - Early poverty impacts eating habits later in life - An innovative focus group study, designed to explore mother-daughter communication about food in a group of low-income African-American women, indicates that early poverty and a lack of emphasis on healthy foods may affect eating habits later in life. Diane Baer Wilson, EdD, MS, RD, associate professor of internal medicine and a researcher at VCU's Massey Cancer Center, conducted the study that was published in the April quarterly issue of the Journal of Cultural Diversity. Read more.

3/30 - Professor points to shortcomings in US drug treatment policy - In testimony before the House Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Drug Policy and Human Resources, VCU professor and former pharmaceutical executive Charles O'Keeffe criticized federal policies that discourage development and limit access to new treatments for drug abuse and addiction. The professor of preventive medicine and community health said longstanding, strong federal regulation governing how physicians treat drug addiction and which narcotic medicines they can use in that treatment has led to a system that separates the treatment of drug dependence from the normal practice of medicine. Read more.

3/29 - Walking may help African-American breast cancer survivors - Researchers at VCU's Massey Cancer Center have used an innovative pilot test of a walking intervention to reduce risk of cancer recurrence in African-American breast cancer survivors."More than 60 percent of women report weight gain after breast cancer diagnosis, increasing their risk of cancer recurrence and other diseases," said Diane Baer Wilson, EdD, MS, RD, associate professor of internal medicine and the lead investigator of the study. "We wanted to test whether increased walking for exercise, without any nutritional intervention, could help breast cancer survivors control their weight."  The study appears in abstract form in the April issue of the Centers for Disease Control's electronic journal, Preventing Chronic Disease. Read more.

3/29 - National women's health expert to speak - The VCU Institute for Women's Health, a National Center of Excellence, and Duramed Pharmaceuticals, Inc. are sponsoring a forum called For Women Only! featuring nationally recognized women's health expert and best-selling author Laura Berman, L.C.S.W., Ph.D., to discuss the impact of contraception options that are reshaping women's lives. The forum is part of the third annual Women & Girls Wellness Expo on Saturday, April 3 at the Science Museum of Virginia that will include over 50 exhibitors, free health screenings, health and fitness demonstrations, wellness information and other entertainment.  Read more.

3/26 - Medical Center re-approved as Level I Trauma Center - The Office of Emergency Medical Services in the State Department of Health has re-verified the VCU Medical Center as a Level I Trauma Center. The verification is for three years - the maximum period allowed. The only Level I Trauma Center in Central Virginia and one of just five in the state, the medical center serves as a referral site for the state and is the coordinating facility for the area during disasters. Admitting about 300 patients each month, the VCU Medical Center was the first facility in Virginia to receive trauma designation, which the state began issuing in 1981. Read more.

3/25 - Researchers link gene to nicotine dependence - People who carry a mutation of the gene known as Epac are more likely to start smoking and become addicted to nicotine than people without the mutation, according to preliminary findings by researchers at VCU. "Although these findings are preliminary, it's important that we have been able to point to variations in one gene that apparently make some people more susceptible to nicotine dependence than other people," said Kenneth S. Kendler, M.D., the Rachel Brown Banks Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry and Professor of Human Genetics and director of the Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics at VCU. Read more.

3/25 - Youths who smoke eat poorly, exercise too little - Youths who smoke -- particularly girls in high school -- are less likely to eat vegetables and dairy products and exercise than non-smokers, according to research by VCU. "The combination of smoking and poor diet/less exercise together may place teens at higher risk for developing chronic diseases later in life than either behavior alone," said Diane Baer Wilson, EdD, MS, RD, associate professor of internal medicine and the lead author of the study. The findings were presented today (March 25) at the annual meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine in Baltimore, Md. Read more.

3/22 - Award-winning journalist to present 2nd Distinguished VCU Life Sciences Lecture - Barry Meier, author of the exposé "Pain Killer: A Wonder Drug's Trail of Addiction and Death," will present the 2nd Distinguished VCU Life Sciences Lecture at 4 p.m., Tuesday, April 6, at the Medical Sciences Building Auditorium. Meier is an investigative reporter for The New York Times. A series of investigative reports led to "Pain Killer," which explores the troubling issues raised by OxyContin, a narcotic originally manufactured for cancer patients and chronic pain sufferers. Read more.

3/18 - VCU holds first bioterrorism training for for Commonwealth of Virginia - VCU's new Virginia Disaster Readiness Center is offering a trio of newly designed bioterrorism courses for people in recognized first responder roles in public safety, public health and medical organizations from across the Commonwealth of Virginia. Supported by a two-year $3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, program organizers hope to train about 3,000 people during the initial two-year roll out of the program. Read more.

3/17 - Infectious disease expert named president-elect of international society - Dr. Richard P. Wenzel, professor and chair of the Department of Internal Medicine and president of MCV Physicians, has been named president-elect of the International Society for Infectious Diseases. Read more.

3/16 - Medical Center's MCV Hospitals named to Solucient Top 100 - MCV Hospitals of the VCU Medical Center has been recognized as one of the Solucient 100 Top Hospitals in the United States with the highest improved patient outcomes and financial performance over a five-year period. Facilities recognized on the Performance Improvement Leader list are represented across five hospital classes. MCV Hospitals is one of 15 major teaching hospitals, and the only one in the south, to be recognized for the award. Read more.

3/16 - Pediatrician has earned dual certification in hospice and palliative medicine - A VCU pediatrician has joined a select group of doctors who care for children and have earned dual certification in hospice and palliative medicine. Bob A. Archuleta, M.D., Walter E. Bundy, Jr. professor and chair of the Division of Community Pediatrics in the Department of Pediatrics, is one of only 18 pediatricians in the U.S. with dual certification in hospice and palliative care medicine and pediatrics. Read more.

3/16 - Medical Students to learn their fates on National Match Day - When the clock strikes noon on Thursday, March 18, fourth-year students from the School of Medicine will gather for the tradition of National Match Day to learn where they will spend the next several years of their lives.  Read more.

3/16 - 'Gold Standard' test for heart attack misses mark in diagnosing lower-risk patients - In one of the largest and most-diverse studies of chest pain patients, researchers have shown that low levels of the cardiac marker troponin I are a poor predictor of a patient's eventual outcome and result in frequent misdiagnoses that could delay treatment for coronary heart disease. Michael C. Kontos, M.D., assistant professor of internal medicine and lead author on the article, said it would be prudent to consider further evaluation and tests in chest pain patients with low troponin I values to avoid missing a diagnosis of heart disease. The study was reported in the March 17 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Read more.

3/15 - AAMC president to address medical faculty - Jordan Cohen, M.D., president of the Association of American Medical Colleges will present 21 st Century Challenges for Medical Education as part of a daylong strategic planning process that the School of Medicine has undertaken. He will speak at noon on March 17 in the Medical Sciences Building Auditorium. Read more.

3/15 - Loss of smell, taste increases injury risk - Patients who have total or partial loss of their olfactory sense - the ability to smell - are more likely to experience hazardous events than people with normal olfactory function, according to a study published in the March issue of Archives of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery. "These findings indicate serious and potentially life threatening circumstances that collectively pose a significant public health risk," said Evan Reiter, M.D., an otolaryngologist and head and neck surgeon in the Smell and Taste Clinic at the VCU Medical Center, which conducted the study. Read more.

3/10 - Guidance on safely prescribing antidepressants to youths - Before treating depressed youths with antidepressants such as Prozac, Paxil and Zoloft, doctors should ask about suicide attempts, suicidal thinking and plans for suicide, according to Dr. A. Bela Sood, chair of the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and medical director of VCU's Virginia Treatment Center for Children. In a feature article in the March issue of the journal Current Psychiatry, she writes that recent studies on the controversial drugs - part of a class of pharmaceuticals known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) - indicate that SSRIs benefit many youths with major depressive disorder. But potential side effects, including impulsive behavior, suggest that doctors should individualize treatment plans and carefully monitor SSRI usage in aggressive and impulsive children who might be prone to risky or suicidal behavior. Read more.

3/1 - New director of pediatric otolaryngology - Dr. Ron B. Mitchell has been appointed associate professor and director of Pediatric Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. Until Dr. Mitchell's appointment, there were no pediatric otolaryngologists in the central Virginia region. Read more.

February

2/27 - Second annual benefit for Emergency Department and Trauma Center - Morton's, The Steakhouse will host the second annual "Evening of Celebration" to benefit the Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center's Emergency Department and Trauma Center. Organizers hope to raise more than $25,000 for the VCU Medical Center's Emergency Department and Trauma Center. Read more.

2/24 - Dr. DeMaria appointed chair of general surgery division - The VCU Board of Visitors has approved the appointment of professor Eric J. DeMaria, M.D., as chair of the Division of General Surgery in the Department of Surgery. DeMaria had served as interim chair of general surgery since July 1, 2003, following the retirement of the former chair, Harvey J. Sugerman, M.D. Read more.

2/24 - Reunion for bone marrow transplant patients - VCUs Massey Cancer Center Bone Marrow Transplant Program is hosting a reunion for bone marrow transplant patients who have been treated in the last three years. The reunion is intended to celebrate the patients' successful course of treatment and to update them and their families on the Bone Marrow Transplant Program, including new treatments and future research projects. Read more.

2/19 - Health System names new executive director of physician practice plan - The VCU Health System Authority Board of Directors and the VCU Board of Visitors have approved the appointment of James J. Potyraj as executive director of MCV Physicians, the faculty practice plan of the VCU Health System, and associate dean in the VCU School of Medicine. Mr. Potyraj brings more than 20 years health care experience in physician group practice administration to the position. He will manage the daily operations of the VCU Medical Center Ambulatory Care and MCV Physicians. Read more.

2/16 - Cardiology presents latest treatments and practices in cardiac surgery - The Division of Cardiology presented a wide-ranging overview of the current and developing treatments in cardiac surgery, with Vigneshwar Kasirajan, M.D., assistant professor and chair of the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery as the featured speaker for the Division of Cardiology's Grand Rounds. Read more.

2/16 - Faculty and alumni among YWCA award winners - The YWCA of Greater Richmond has announced the winners of its annual Outstanding Women Awards for 2004 and two out of the nine honorees have ties to the medical school. Read more.

2/10 - Women & Wellness events raise more than $275,000 for breast cancer research - Olympic gold medallist and breast cancer survivor Peggy Fleming spoke to a combined audience of more than 800 at two Women & Wellness events, which raised a record $275,000 to benefit breast cancer research at the Massey Cancer Center. Over the past nine years, the Women & Wellness events have raised more than $1.25 million for breast cancer research at Massey. Read more.

2/5 - Alumni give medical students a first taste of medicine - Thanks in large part to our alumni, medical students have the chance to interact with patients as early as their first month on campus - putting newly gained knowledge to use in a hands-on environment. Nearly