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December

12/8 - VCU and Children’s Hospital of Richmond announce plans to create a full-service children’s hospital - The new hospital is anticipated to be a 75- to 100-bed facility that will be located at the VCU Medical Center on the block bordered by 10th and 11th and Marshall and Broad streets. Read more.

12/8 - VCU medical research, Massey Cancer Center get major funding boost - The Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center and the VCU Massey Cancer Center both stand to gain funding from a research and development proposal Gov. Mark R. Warner plans to leave with the General Assembly. Read more.

12/6 - Ensuring access to medical treatments saves more lives - More lives could be saved in the United States by spending less money on making medical treatments better and more on getting existing treatments to the patients who need them, according to a study published the Dec. 6 issue of the Annals of Family Medicine. “For every dollar Congress gives the National Institutes of Health to develop blockbuster treatments, it spends only one penny to ensure that Americans actually receive them,” said Steven H. Woolf, M.D., professor and director of research in VCU’s Department of Family Medicine. Read more.

12/1 - Enzyme may be target for new anti-inflammatory compounds - Researchers studying the enzyme that triggers inflammation have found that it may be a target for a new class of anti-inflammatory drugs to treat arthritis, asthma, multiple sclerosis, lung and colon cancers and Alzheimer’s disease. “Our findings lay the groundwork for a rationale design of inhibitors for CERK,” said lead author Charles E. Chalfant, Ph.D., assistant professor of biochemistry.  Read more.

12/1 - New link between gum and cardiovascular diseases - Researchers have found that changes in the plasma lipoprotein profile of patients with severe periodontitis – a condition characterized by chronic infection and inflammation of the gums - may contribute to these patients’ elevated risk for heart disease and stroke. Biochemistry assistant professor Rik van Antwerpen, Ph.D., was lead author on the study that was published in the December issue of the Journal of Lipid Research. Read more.

12/1 - Harry Douglas Bear, M.D., Ph.D., Chair, Division of Surgical Oncology at the VCU Medical Center, has been invited to serve on the editorial board of the Journal of Clinical Oncology. His responsibilities will include reviewing at least six manuscripts each year and providing additional assistance to the editors. He will serve a three-year term. Dr. Bear has served as the medical director of the Breast Health Center of the VCU Massey Cancer Center since 1993, leading a multi-disciplinary team in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. In addition, Dr. Bear is the program leader for Massey’s immune mechanisms research program, one of the center’s core cancer research programs.

November

11/27 - Internal Medicine Chief reviews Avian Flu risks - Richard Wenzel, M.D., chairman of the Department of Internal Medicine and president-elect of the International Society for Infectious Diseases, authored an opinion piece that was published in the NOv. 27 edition of the Richmond TImes-Dispatch. Read more.

11/21 - Automated CPR device improves survival rates - Survival rates of patients suffering a cardiac arrest dramatically improved when they were treated with an automated cardiopulmonary resuscitation device versus manual CPR prior to reaching the hospital. The findings were presented at the American Heart Association’s Resuscitation Science Symposium by Emergency Medicine Chair Joseph P. Ornato, M.D. Read more.

11/15 - New critical care hospital launches new era for treatment - Former patients and VCU officials turned earth together today for a new critical care hospital, launching a new era in how seriously ill and injured patients will receive treatment in Central Virginia.  The 15-level, $192 million, 367,000 square-foot building, due to open in fall 2008, will greatly enhance the VCU Medical Center’s intensive-care capability. Read more.

11/14 - Massey Cancer Center makes advance in breast cancer research - Two new drugs, when combined, killed up to 75 percent of breast cancer tumor cells in mice and suppressed the regrowth of tumors, according to researchers at the Massey Cancer Center. Paul Dent, Ph.D., associate professor of biochemistry and radiation oncology, led the team that published the findings online on Nov. 14 in the journal Cancer Biology and Therapy. Read more.

11/11 - Medical school announces faculty excellence awards - VCU’s School of Medicine presented its seventh annual Faculty Excellence Awards at an Oct 12 ceremony and reception. Read more.

11/10 - Surgeon among five who recount experiences with Hurricane Katrina - At a forum in early November, Ronald Merrell, M.D., professor of surgery, his work at the NASA Stennis Space Center in Mississippi to support medical relief and to coordinate telemedicine networking with other NASA facilities. Read more.

11/7 - Obesity Surgery Center deemed excellent - The VCU Medical Center’s Obesity Surgery Center has been designated a Bariatric Center of Excellence by the Surgical Review Corp., an independent company made up of surgeons and other industry professionals. Read more.

11/4 - Enzymes linked to tumor promoting molecules - Researchers have found that two enzymes that catalyze the same reaction and produce the same product have opposite effects on cell growth and death. In the November issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry, Sarah Spiegel, Ph.D., professor and chair in the Department of Biochemistry, reports findings that may help researchers develop cancer therapies that target only one of the enzymes. Read more.

October

10/31 - Researcher honored for work on anti-cancer drug discovery - Steven Grant, M.D., professor of medicine, biochemistry, pharmacology and oncology, has been named a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science for his research in developing promising new drugs to combat leukemia. Read more.

10/31 - VCU Health System names distinguished clinician - James Levenson, M.D., a professor of psychiatry, surgery and medicine who also serves as chairman of the division of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry, has been named as VCUHS' 2005 Distinguished Clinician. Read more.

10/24 - New nation-wide trauma system for Amazon jungle - The VCU Medical Center, working with health care providers in Ecuador, is developing a system for preventing and managing trauma injuries in the Amazonian provinces of the western South American country. Read more.

10/21 - New agent inhibits leukemia cell survival - A team of researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center has discovered an entirely new mechanism of action for a novel pharmacological agent currently in clinical trials in patients – the kinase inhibitor BAY 43-9006 – which was designed to disrupt the survival pathways of tumor cells. Read more.

10/21 - Researchers make advances in attacking leukemia cells - Researchers at the Massey Cancer Center reported new findings involving factors that can affect a novel class of antileukemic agents, termed histone deacetylase inhibitors, that could lead to an innovative form of combined treatment for leukemia. Steven Grant, M.D., Massey’s associate director for translational research and co-leader of the cancer center’s cell-signaling program, and his team published the findings in the July issue of the journal Molecular and Cellular Biology. Read more.

10/18 -Nanoparticles to target and treat brain tumors - Researchers working with a man-made, metal-filled nanoparticle are developing the material for use as a diagnostic and therapeutic agent that may boost the sensitivity of MRI techniques and improve the diagnosis and treatment of brain tumors. Panos Fatouros, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Radiology at Virginia Commonwealth University, has been awarded a five-year, $3.7 million grant from the National Institutes of Health’s National Cancer Institute to lead a team of scientists from VCU and Virginia Tech. Read more.

10/8 - Genetic sequencing of deadly 1918 influenza virus shows a link to bird flu - School of Medicine alumnus Jeffery Taubenberger, M.D.' 86, Ph.D.'87, led the study that used the power of genetic sequencing to reconstruct the 1918 influenza virus that killed an estimated 50 million people worldwide. Dr. Taubenberger is with the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology in Washington and also holds an affiliate appointment in VCU's Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology . Read more.

10/6 - MCV Foundation hosts first scholarship recognition event - With the Campaign for VCU — the university's fundraising campaign — in full swing and the ongoing effort to raise scholarship funds, the Medical College of Virginia Foundation recently hosted the first-ever MCV Campus-wide scholarship recognition event — a brunch that honored the benefactors of endowed scholarships from all the MCV Campus schools as well as the students who benefit from those funds. Read more.

10/5 - Health System vice president elected to board of Association of Academic Health Centers- Sheldon M. Retchin, M.D., H'79, chief academic and administrative officer for VCU's health sciences campus, has been elected to the board of directors of the Association of Academic Health Centers, whose member institutions are among the nation's leading centers for patient care, research and health and medical education. Read more.

10/4 - Physician named to Style Weekly's Top 40 Under 40 - Cecelia H. Boardman, M.D., associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology in the division of gynecologic oncology, been named to Style Weekly magazine’s Top 40 Under 40 list of successful professionals — under age 40 — in Metro Richmond. Read more.

10/4 - Professor honored by professional society - Aristides Sismanis, M.D., professor and chair of otolaryngology , has been honored with the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery’s Distinguished Service Award. Read more.

10/3 - Key protein vital to normal red blood cell development - Researchers studying hemoglobin genes, mutations of which play a role in genetic blood disorders like sickle cell anemia and beta-thalassemia, have shown in studies with mice that the KLF2 protein is crucial for making young red blood cells. "Our findings are significant for future treatment of these blood disorders, potentially using gene therapies and other novel strategies,” said Joyce A. Lloyd, Ph.D., associate professor of Human Genetics, and corresponding author for the study published in the October issue of Blood. Read more.

September

9/23 - Infectious disease expert to hold book reading and signing - Richard P. Wenzel, M.D. chair of internal medicine, will hold a book reading and signing of his book, "Stalking Microbes: A Relentless Pursuit of Infection Control” on  Sept. 29 at 5 p.m. at Book People, located at 536 Granite Ave. The book features a collection of eight essays describing his personal experiences of listening to patients and organisms in order to understand the causes of epidemics. Read more.

9/21 - New program pushes students seeking medical careers - VCU now offers an innovative Acceleration Program, a residential learning program for minority and disadvantaged students aspiring to careers in health-related fields. The program was launched this summer with an inaugural class of 24 students. Read more.

9//20 - Researcher develops guidelines for treating hydrocephalus - An international team of medical experts led by a neurosurgical researcher has established the first clinical guidelines to help improve the diagnosis and treatment of people with normal pressure hydrocephalus, a debilitating condition in the brain that often goes undiagnosed or is misdiagnosed as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease. Anthony Marmarou, Ph.D., professor of neurosurgery and director of research in the Department of Neurosurgery, led the international advisory panel that developed the guidelines. Read more.

9/16 - John Neslter, M.D., professor and chair of the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism in the Department of Internal Medicine, recently served on a panel during a media teach-in to present updated research on polycystic ovary syndrome - a condition that can affect a woman's menstrual cycle, fertility, hormones, insulin production, heart, blood vessels and appearance. The event took place in Washington, D.C., and was hosted by the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists. Nestler and other panelists discussed how new research has shown a stronger link between PCOS and many of its life-threatening complications.

9/12 - VCU honors excellence at faculty convocation - VCU will welcome faculty and recognize four distinguished professors for outstanding accomplishments in the areas of teaching, scholarship, service and overall excellence at the Faculty Address and Convocation. Two School of Medicine faculty are among this year's honorees: Phillip B. Hylemon, Ph.D., will receive the University Award of Excellence and Suzanne E. Barbour, Ph.D., will receive the Distinguished Teaching Award. Read more.

9/7 - Reeve Foundation awards grant to Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation - The Christopher Reeve Foundation has presented a Quality of Life grant to the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation for an outreach program that promotes increased physical and recreational activities for minority spinal cord injury patients. Read more.

August

8/29 - Researchers investigate laceration repair after childbirth - Women who have third- or fourth-degree perineal laceration repairs following the birth of their first baby have considerably different outcomes that can adversely impact quality of life and have implications on subsequent deliveries. Catherine Nichols, M.D., assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology, led the study that was reported in the August issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Read more.

8/19 - Enzyme linked to spread of breast cancer cells - Researchers have found a new signaling component that influences movement of human breast cancer cells toward epidermal growth factor. "If we understood how tumor cells spread or metastasize, we would be able to design better tools to help treat cancers," said lead author Sarah Spiegel, Ph.D., chair and professor in the VCU Department of Biochemistry. Read more.

8/18 - 10th Annual White Coat Ceremony - Members of the School of Medicine's Class of 2009 marked the beginning of their medical education with the 10th annual White Coat Ceremony. Read more.

8/12 - Family Medicine receives grant from Robert Wood Johnson Foundation - The Department of Family Medicine has received a $300,000, two-year grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality for a study on identifying patients with unhealthy behaviors. " We hope to demonstrate that this innovative intervention not only promotes healthy behaviors but is feasible and sustainable in primary care," said Alex Krist, M.D., assistant professor in family medicine. Read more.

8/9 - Medicine alum elected president of the MCVAA - George W. Burke III, M.D., will serve a two-year term as president of the Medical College of Virginia Alumni Association of Virginia Commonwealth University. Read more.

8/5 - Project HEART reminds incoming students about their call to healing - As the newest class of incoming medical students in the School of Medicine prepares for its first year, a ceremony is planned to remind the students why they were called into service as physicians. Isaac Wood, M.D., associate dean for student activities in the VCU School of Medicine, will present about 184 incoming medical students with pocket-sized quilted hearts that were stitched closed by School of Medicine faculty. Read more.

8/4 - Jeffrey J. Ericksen, M.D., professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation, has received a two-year grant of $150,000 from the American Geriatrics Society. Ericksen will use the grant to conduct a study on how gynecologic surgery affects a woman's risk of developing lower back pain later in life. He also will evaluate the efficacy of "movement therapies" for lower back pain. Ericksen was among 10 recipients chosen.

8/4 - Ron B. Mitchell, M.D., director and associate professor of pediatric otolaryngology, recently presented the opening address at the 18th Annual World Congress of International Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies meeting in Rome. He presented, "Quality of Life - Tonsillar Disease in Children and Adults," to more than 1,000 otolaryngologists. Dr. Mitchell has conducted extensive research in obstructive sleep apnea related to adenotonsillar hypertrophy and the quality-of-life in children. His publications are referred to extensively in pediatric literature.

8/4 - Arun Sanyal, M.D., chair of the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, has been elected the next councilor of the governing board of the American Association for Study of Liver Diseases. This is a five-year term that will culminate as president of the organization in 2010. The AASLD is the largest organization focused on liver disease and liver-related biology in the world.

8/4 - Aradhana Bela Sood, M.D., chair of child and adolescent psychiatry and medical director of the Virginia Treatment Center for Children, has been appointed by Virginia Gov. Mark Warner as chair of child and adolescent psychiatry to the State Board of Social Services. The commissioner cited Dr. Sood's unique set of talents and skills that will enable her to help shape the regulations that impact the lives of children and families in the Commonwealth. She will serve a four-year term in which she and the board will examine regulations for assisted-living facilities, foster care and adoption.

8/4 - NCI grant supports investigation into colorectal screening - Steven Woolf, M.D., professor and director of research in VCU's Department of Family Medicine, has been awarded a grant from the National Cancer Institute to study why some people don't seek colorectal cancer screening. With less than 50 percent of the age-eligible population receiving recommended screenings, Dr. Woolf hopes to use the data to improve the screening rate, which could lead to earlier detection. Read more.

8/4Faculty contribute to NASA tests - Researchers from the School of Medicine are working with NASA to train and test astronauts on surgical techniques that can be used during space flights. " The space community anticipates deeper and more complicated space exploration and the ability to provide trauma and critical care during a mission is essential," said Ronald C. Merrell, M.D., professor of surgery and chief investigator of the project. "As manned missions move farther out into the solar system, the lag in communications between mission control and the space crew will require a new level of medical autonomy." Read more about the training that will take place in Houston Aug. 8 through Aug. 19.

July

7/20 - Thomas Palliative Care Program earns national honors - The Thomas Palliative Care Program at VCU's Massey Cancer Center earned a prestigious "Circle of Life" award from the American Hospital Association for the model program that provides patient-centered palliative care to people with serious or terminal illnesses. Read more.

7/13 - Professor receives NIH MERIT Award to extend research of substance abuse behaviors - A medical school researcher studying the underlying causes of substance abuse behavior has been awarded a five-year grant extension totaling nearly $2.5 million from The National Institutes of Health's National Institute on Drug Abuse. Michael C. Neale, Ph.D, a professor of psychiatry and human genetics at VCU, studies the nature and causes of substance abuse disorders and how genetics and environmental factors may lead some people to drug use. Read more.

7/12 - Susan F. Kornstein, M.D., a professor of psychiatry and obstetrics and gynecology, has been accepted into the 2005-2006 Hedwig van Amerigen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine Program for Women. The ELAM program is the first and only program in the nation designed to prepare senior women faculty at schools of medicine and psychiatry to move into institutional leadership positions where they can influence change. Kornstein is executive director of the VCU Institute for Women's Health and editor-in-chief of the Journal of Women's Health.

7/7 -Low-dose oral contraceptives may increase heart attack risk - A study published in the July issue of the Journal of Clinical ENdocrinology and Metabolism reported that the overall estimated risk of cardiovascular events among low-dose oral contraceptive users was doubled compared to non-users. John Nestler, M.D., professor and chair of the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, says that the findings could have further significance for those women who already are at increased risk for such events because of polycysitc ovary syndrome or metabolic disorder. Read more.

June

6/27 - Professor raises profile of women's mental health - A VCU expert in women's mental health is raising the profile of psychiatry and highlighting its integral role in women's issues through her new position as editor-in-chief of the Journal of Women's Health. Susan G. Kornstein, M.D., a professor of psychiatry and obstetrics and gynecology, is the first psychiatrist to hold the position, as noted in a recent feature article in Psychiatric News, the national newsletter of the American Psychiatric Association. Read more.

6/20 - VTCC celebrates mental wellness - Virginia Treatment Center for Children celebrated mental wellness with "Helping Children Take Flight: A Call to Action," an event that highlighted the center's services, successes in treating patients and its plans for the future. Staff, board members, friends of the center and children who were treated there gathered at the Children's Museum of Richmond earlier this month. Read more.

6/15 - Gov. Warner appoints faculty to Task Force - Virginia Gov. Mark R. Warner has appointed four School of Medicine faculty members to serve on the Task Force on Cervical Cancer. Read more.

6/14 - Strauss appointed Dean of School of Medicine - The VCU Board of Visitors has appointed Jerome F. Strauss III, M.D., Ph.D., to be dean of the VCU School of Medicine. His term will begin Sept. 15. "Dr. Strauss' strengths in medical education research and research training rose to the top in a highly competitive field of candidates from across the country," said VCU President Eugene P. Trani, Ph.D. Read more.

6/10 - 24/7 cath-lab access to improve recovery of heart attack patients - Patients who come to the VCU Medical Center for treatment of a heart attack now have the benefit of around-the-clock access to the cardiac catheterization laboratory, where doctors can quickly open blocked coronary arteries. Read more.

6/10 - Annual graduation for pediatric cancer patients - The VCU Medical Center's Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Clinic and the Hospital Education Program recently hosted the annual graduation in honor of 14 patients who are finishing high school. "This experience has made my family and me look at the world totally different and taught us to live life each day to its fullest," said Aubrey Cox, a graduating senior and a cancer survivor who will be majoring in radiation therapy this fall at VCU. Read more.

6/9 - Dean of School of Medicine to retire - Heber H. "Dickie" Newsome Jr., M.D., dean and professor of surgery in the School of Medicine, will end a 40-year career at Virginia Commonwealth University when he retires June 30. Read more.

6/7 - Sirica receives NIH grant renewal - Alphonse E. Sirica, Ph.D., has been awarded a five-year grant renewal totaling nearly $1.6 million from the National Institute of Health's National Cancer Institute for his work in liver disease. His research has been funded continuously by the NIH since 1981. Read more.

6/7 - Second annual Health Disparities Conference - VCU will bring together educators, health care professionals and researchers to discuss the nature of racial and ethnic health disparities and efforts to combat them on Friday, June 10, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Omni Richmond Hotel. Read more.

6/6 - Call for better infection-control standards - Clinics and other outpatient facilities should employ the same strict infection-control standards as hospitals to prevent patient-to-patient transmission of Hepatitis C outbreaks like one described in the JUne 6 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine, according to infectious disease expert Richard P. Wenzel, M.D., chair of Internal Medicine. Read more.

6/1 - LIfe Evac upgrades technology with new aircraft - The VCU Medical Center's Life Evac Program this month will begin flying its new, state-of-the-art helicopter, enhancing its 24-hour transport service for critically ill or injured patients. It is the first medical helicopter in the Richmond region with night vision capabilities. Read more.

6/1 - Nominations sought for School of Medicine Teaching Awards -Four awards are given annually for the Faculty Teaching Excellence Award, the Irby-James Award for Excellence in Clinical Teaching, the Educational Innovation/Educational Research Award and the Distinguished Mentor Award. Members of the VCU community may nominate faculty from the School of Medicine for any of these awards. The awards were begun in 1998 by H. H. "Dickie" Newsome, Jr., M.D., dean of the School of Medicine, to recognize and reward teaching excellence. Awards will be presented at a ceremony on Wednesday, Oct. 12, at the Medical Sciences Building Auditorium. The deadline for nominations is July 11. For details and nomination forms, go online at http://www.medschool.vcu.edu/ofid/fd.html.

May

5/26 - Three Health System representatives selected for Governor's task force - Three VCU Health System representatives, including one alumni of the School of Medicine, have been appointed to Gov. Mark Warner's new Task Force on Information Technology in Health Care, which will study how to make health care more efficient and affordable through the use of electronic health record systems. Read more.

5/25 - Elizabeth Fries, psychology professor and researcher, dies - Elizabeth Ann Fries, Ph.D., co-director of cancer control research for the VCU Massey Cancer Center, died on May 20. Read more about Dr. Fries' accomplishments.

5/17 - Successful collaborative educational initiative to mark 10th anniversary - For a decade, the Foundations of Clinical Medicine program has placed first- and second-year medical students on the front lines of healthcare - working in concert with community physicians and their patients. The program celebrated its 10th anniversary on May 24. Read more.

5/2 - Surgery modification to correct flatfoot deformity may reduce pain and improve patient outcomes - Physicians and engineers studying foot and ankle biomechanics have developed a modification to a procedure used to correct adult-acquired flatfoot deformity that may reduce the pressure and pain that often persists after surgery. Robert Adelaar, M.D., chair in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, was the lead author of the study that appeared in the May 1 issue of the journal Foot & Ankle International. Read more.

5/2 - Medical Center is first in state to implant medical device to treat hypertension - A patient at the VCU Medical Center received a device that is the first of its kind to treat resistant hypertension - making VCU the first medical center in the state to perform the surgical procedure, and only the second in the country. The device is being implanted in patients with high blood pressure that is inadequately controlled with multiple medications as part of a Phase II clinical research program being conducted at a limited number of medical centers in the United States. Read more.

April

4/28 - Breakthrough results seen in early stage breast cancer - According to the NCI, Herceptin, when combined with chemotherapy, improves the survival in early stage HER-2 positive breast cancers. The Massey Cancer Center is a participant in one of two large clinical drug trials that were cut short because of early promising results in treating breast cancer. Harry Bear, M.D., Ph.D., principal investigator for the trial's participation at the Massey Cancer Center, said, "This is truly a breakthrough for breast cancer patients. We need to congratulate the women who chose to participate in this groundbreaking study." Read more.

4/29 - Presidential awards for multicultural enrichment include two medical school recipients - VCU President Eugene P. Trani recognized four university members who have made significant contributions toward enhancing VCU's commitment to diversity. This year's recipients included Wally R. Smith, M.D., associate professor and chair of the Division of Quality Health Care in the Department of Internal Medicine, and Agnes L. Mack, director of the Office of Admissions for the School of Medicine. Read more.

4/18 - VCU faculty member garners medical award - The Association of Military Surgeons of the United States has honored Robert Jesse, M.D., Ph.D., with its the Richard A. Kern award for his contributions to the advancement of medicine within the federal sector. Dr. Jesse, who serves as the national program director for cardiology for the Veterans Health Administration, was recognized for his work in sparking a national transformation in how systems are established for the management of cardiac emergencies. Read more.

4/14 - Physician awarded mastership by American College of Physicians - A professor emeritus has been awarded the designation of Master in the American College of Physicians, the largest national society for internal medicine practitioners. Shaun Ruddy, M.D., professor emeritus in the school's Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology, was awarded the designation, which is bestowed upon select fellows in recognition of their notable contributions to medicine and their service to the ACP. Read more.

4/6 - Medical students learned their fate on Match Day - In a room filled with excitement and anxiety, students learned their residency destinations on National Match Day. Read more.

4/5 - Viagra can prevent anti-cancer drug induced heart damage - Researchers have found that the popular impotence drug Viagra prevents damage to the heart from a potent chemotherapeutic agent frequently used in the treatment of breast cancer, leukemia and sarcomas. Administration of clinically relevant doses of Viagra one-hour prior to the administration of the anti-cancer drug doxorubicin prevented heart damage at the cellular level, reported Rakesh C. Kukreja, Ph.D., professor of medicine, physiology and biochemistry, in the April 5 issue of Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association. Read more.

4/4 - Christopher L. Kepley, Ph.D., Department of Internal Medicine- Rheumatology was awarded a research grant from the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network to develop a novel system to test different compounds that will recognize peanut-specific allergens and "turn-off" the cells that play a major role in an allergic reaction. The results may lead to new pharmaceutical treatments for peanut allergy. FAAN Research Grants Program awarded the grants for five scientific research studies based on scientific excellence and on the scientists' qualifications and research experience. More than $700,000 was awarded for the inaugural round of research grants. In 2001, Dr. Kepley was named the first recipient of the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology's Award for Outstanding Research Published by a Developing Researcher in the academy's publication, Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Dr. Kepley, who earned his Ph.D. from VCU's School of Medicine in 1995, was named to a faculty position in the medical school after completing post-doctoral work at the University of New Mexico.

March

3/31 - Respected cardiothoracic surgeon returns - A cardiothoracic surgeon who specializes in minimally invasive procedures has returned to the VCU Medical Center as a professor in the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery. Szabolcs Szentpetery, M.D., H'75, will treat patients at both the VCU Medical Center and at the McGuire Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Szentpetery started the cardiac transplant and cardiothoracic surgery programs at the VA facility. Read more.

3/24 - Massey Cancer Center launches 'The Daughter's Project' - Researchers have launched "The Daughter's Project," a research study of women over age 18 whose mothers had breast cancer within the last 25 years. "We want to give women with a family history of breast cancer a voice in how they receive health information, and their insight will help shape the direction of future interventions designed for daughters of women with breast cancer," said Diane Baer Wilson, EdD, MS, principal investigator of the study. Read more.

3/23 - Cardiologists among first to use new technology for treating irregular heartbeats - School of Medicine cardiologists are among a small group using a new digital magnetic navigation technology called stereotaxis that helps doctors "steer" small treatment catheters throughout the complex anatomy of the heart and surrounding vessels to sites that once were inaccessible. "The technology gives us the ability to place a catheter anywhere in the heart," said Kenneth Ellenbogen, M.D., professor of cardiology and director of the cardiac electrophysiology lab. "The technology appears to be extremely promising in mapping and ablating arrhythmias in difficult areas." Read more.

3/21 - $1 million gift for emphysema research - The Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care has received a $1 million gift from Williamsburg's Kenny Johnson. To be used to attract a recognized researcher who will head a research effort for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, the gift will "have long-term consequences for comprehensive emphysema research efforts at VCU," said Alpha (Berry) Fowler, M.D., chair of the Division of Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care. Read more.

3/21 - Shock research group awarded $3.2 million in federal grants - VCURES has been awarded federal grants for two shock-related studies, one with battlefield implications and the other for emergency medicine. THe research group has landed a $1.3 million cooperative agreement from the U.S. Department of Defense and a $1.9 million grant from the National Institutes of Health. Read more.

3/16 - Ann Simpson Fulcher, M.D., chairman of the Department of Radiology, is one of two VCU faculty members who received the VCU Women in Science, Dentistry, Osteopathy and Medicine Professional Achievement Award at the 13th Annual Wisdom Leadership Conference. Nominees must serve as strong role models for the professional development of women faculty by consistently demonstrating qualities that show excellence. Read more.

3/7 - Aging has never looked like this - An Annual Forum for first- and second- year students continues to draw rave reviews as medical students get an entirely new perspective on aging issues. Each year, Peter Boling, M.D., chief of geriatrics, assembles a panel of older adults who frankly discuss the issues that face today's aging population. The forum grew out of a four-year, $1.8 million grant from the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation that has enable Dr. Boling and his colleagues to transform the medical school's approach to teaching geriatrics at all levels. Read a cover story on the forum that appeared in the Richmond Times-Dispatch Prime Living section or visit http://www.virginiageriatrics.org/ to learn about the program.

3/2 - Researchers find genes responding to alcohol in the brain - Researchers have identified several genetic changes in the brains of mice caused by ethanol, which may help researchers better understand how and why people become addicted to alcohol. In the March issue of the Journal of Neuroscience, Michael Miles, M.D., Ph.D.,  and colleagues reported significant differences in the gene expression patterns regulated by alcohol in two mouse strains. Read more.

February

2/21 - Alumnus nominated to serve in Bush administration - President George W. Bush has announced his intention to nominate Jonathan Brian Perlin, M.D., an alumnus of the School of Medicine and a former VCU Health System executive, to be undersecretary for health at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Read more.

2/18 - VCU ranks among top American research universities - VCU is ranked among the top American research universities, according to the Lombardi Program on Measuring University Performance. The study, now in its fifth year, compares American private and public universities that spend more than $20 million annually in federal research funds. Read more.

2/18 - VCU is ranked among the top 10 U.S. academic institutions for post doctorate degrees in the Life Sciences, according to the 3rd annual Best Places to Work for Postdocs survey in The Scientist - a science news journal. Read more.

2/18 - Dr. Buckley appointed to national board of Arthritis Foundation - School of Medicine Professor Lenore M. Buckley, M.D., has been appointed to a three-year term on the national board of trustees for the Arthritis Foundation. Buckley, a professor in internal medicine and pediatrics in the rheumatology, allergy and immunology division, will play a vital role in the national nonprofit health agency as it helps 70 million Americans with arthritis take greater control of the country's leading cause of disability. Read more.

2/1 - Women with support systems have less risk of depression - Researchers have found that women who feel more loved and supported are less at risk for major depression than men, suggesting important gender differences in the pathways leading to depression. "In women, social support was a robust predictor of risk for depression," said Kenneth S. Kendler, M.D., a professor of psychiatry and human genetics and lead author on the study that was published in the February issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry. "However, among the men we found virtually no effect," he said. "These findings suggest that men may be more 'immune' or less sensitive to aspects of their social environment with respect to their risk for depression. " Read more.

January

1/31 - Physicians named to top posts at Journal for Women's Health -Two physicians have been named editor-in-chief and deputy editor of the Journal of Women's Health, a multidisciplinary, peer-reviewed journal that publishes clinical papers on health issues that affect women across the lifespan. Susan G. Kornstein, M.D., professor of psychiatry and obstetrics and gynecology, will serve as editor-in-chief; and Wendy S. Klein, M.D., professor of internal medicine and obstetrics and gynecology, will serve as deputy editor. Read more.

1/31 - Erectile dysfunction drug reduces heart cell death - Researchers have shown that Viagra reduces the death of heart cells under heart attack-like conditions in a laboratory model. The results, published online Jan. 24 in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, are a key finding that may help researchers develop a new treatment for patients with heart failure where the loss of cells is primarily due to cell suicide. "In addition, these findings suggest that this drug may slow or possibly reverse the progressive loss of heart cells during chronic heart failure in patients with coronary artery disease," said Rakesh C. Kukreja, Ph.D., professor of medicine, physiology and biochemistry, and lead author of the study. Read more.

1/27 - Premenstrual exacerbation of depression common - Women with depression commonly report fluctuations in their symptoms across the menstrual cycle - a key factor that may help physicians better evaluate and treat depressed women. " Most women who have depression and most doctors who treat depression are unaware that symptoms of depression can fluctuate with the menstrual cycle," said Susan G. Kornstein, M.D., lead author on the study that appears in the January issue of the journal Psychological Medicine. Read more.

1/24 - Gastroenterology ranked 4th in most cited research papers - The Division of Gastroenterology in the Department of Internal Medicine has been ranked fourth among federally funded U.S. universities based on the average number of citations per research paper published in indexed journals of gastroenterology and hepatology between 1999 and 2003. The Division published 90 gastroenterology and hepatology-related papers during the period reviewed by Thomson ISI Essential Science Indicators - a resource that enables researchers to conduct ongoing, quantitative analyses of research performance and to track trends in science. Read more.

1/6 - Critical Care Bed Tower Project underway - Construction of a state-of-the-art, 16-level, critical care bed tower was launched in early January. The $100-million facility, which is expected to be in operation in 2007, will allow a major expansion of the Emergency Department and will expand the medical center's critical-care capacity. Read more about the critical care bed tower and see the architectural concept.

School of Medicine News 2004

School of Medicine News 2003

School of Medicine News 2002

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