John R. Worth, Jr., C.P.A., M.B.A., has been named the senior associate dean and chief administrative officer for the School of Medicine. John currently serves as executive director of the Magee Women’s Research Institute, affiliated with UPMC and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Earlier in his career, he served the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University as its associate dean for administration and chief financial officer. He has also held senior administrative posts at the departmental level both at the University of Pennsylvania/Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and at SUNY Buffalo/Children’s Hospital of Buffalo.

The Health Sciences and Technology Academy (HSTA) at WVU has received a $125,000 grant from the Benedum Foundation to evaluate the student influence on healthy living in their families and community. The goal is to improve health literacy related to obesity and its complications in the highly motivated, college bound HSTA students. Ann Chester, Ph.D., HSTA program director and assistant vice president for social justice said, “The kids will be doing projects all over the state, focusing on obesity and prevention of all the repercussions of obesity. They are going to be doing all kinds of intervention, and they have developed a lifestyle characteristics survey.” For more information on the grant or HSTA click on the links.

The interdisciplinary and cooperative nature of WVU’s research community was a key factor in a prestigious magazine for scientists selecting the University as one of the best places to work in academia. WVU’s research enterprise clocked in at number 20 on the list of U.S. research sites complied by The Scientist – a respected news magazine that focuses primarily on biology and life science. The magazine’s Best Places to Work in Academia survey was released this week. For more information click on this link.

School of Medicine Gold Humanism Honor Society is one of a number of University organizations that provides a lecture series for students and faculty. The university has had an increase in the number of lecture series as part of the 2020 Strategic plan. For more information on the lecture series click on this link.

Last month, WVU provided several health reports to the West Virginia community. To learn more on Pre-Diabetes, Children and Stroke,and Summer Series Fatigue (Part 1 | 2 | 3 | 4) click on the links.

Medical Students are collecting the recycling bins in the HSC on Fridays. Contact Janice Ahn at jahn@mix.wvu.edu for more information.

Melanie Fisher, M.D., professor, Department of Medicine, director of WVU Global Health Program, leads medical brigades each spring and fall to Ocote Paulino, a rural village in Honduras. “Our brigades are made of volunteer medical personnel, medical students/residents, and other volunteers. We provide medical and dental services to this village and surrounding area. Our brigades are through the WVU Global Health Program and also affiliated with Shoulder to Shoulder. Shoulder to Shoulder enables US medical and dental schools to provide learning and international rotation sites for health care for students and residents.” The event is on August 28 at 1pm at Ali Baba Restaurant. For more information click on this flyer or contact Mary Ellen Koenn at 304-598-7234.

Bahar Altaha, M.D., and George Costin, M.D., have joined the Morgantown Campus of the School of Medicine, as Assistant Professors in the Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry.

Anantha Brahmamdam, M.D., and Mark Poling, M.D., have joined the Morgantown Campus of the School of Medicine, as Assistant Professors in the Department of Medicine. Dr. Brahmamdam specializes in gastrointestinal medicine and Dr. Poling specializes in nephrology and critical care.

Dean Bonsall, M.D., has joined the Morgantown Campus of the School of Medicine, as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology. Dr. Bonsall specializes in pediatrics ophthalmology.

Christopher Cummings, M.D., has joined the Morgantown Campus of the School of Medicine, as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurology. Dr. Cummings specializes in stroke.

Collin John, M.D./MPH, Mitra Nazarinia, M.D., and Aaron Tan, M.D., have joined the Morgantown Campus of the School of Medicine, as Assistant Professors in the Department of Pediatrics. Dr. Tan specializes in critical care.

Ginger Layne, M.D., Daniel Martin, M.D., and Brent Steadman, M.D.,/Ph.D., have joined the Morgantown Campus of the School of Medicine, as Assistant Professors and Daniel Smothers, MD as an Instructor, in the Department of Radiology. Dr. Layne specializes in mammography and Dr. Steadman specializes in interventional radiology.

Cassie Leonard, M.D., and Petronela Meszaros, M.D., have joined the Morgantown Campus of the School of Medicine, as Assistant Professors in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Brock Lindsay, M.D., Donald Eli Lynch, M.D., and Robert Santrock, M.D., have joined the Morgantown Campus of the School of Medicine, as Assistant Professors in the Department of Orthopaedics. Dr. .Lindsay specializes in musculoskeletal, Dr. Lynch specializes in interventional spine, and Dr. Santrock specializes in the foot and ankle.

Thomas Marshall, M.D., and Erica Shaver, M.D., have joined the Morgantown Campus of the School of Medicine, as Assistant Professors in the Department of Emergency Medicine.

Aaron McLaughlin, M.D., and David Roelkey, M.D., have joined the Eastern Campus of the School of Medicine, as Assistant Professors in the Department of Family Medicine.

Erik Olness, M.D., Lance Parks, D.O., Christopher Payne, M.D., Daniel (Chad) Sizemore, M.D., and Colin Wilson, M.D., have joined the Morgantown Campus of the School of Medicine, as Assistant Professors in the Department of Anesthesiology.

Sabine Pargman, M.D., and Jimmie Smith, M.D., have joined the Morgantown Campus of the School of Medicine, as Assistant Professors in the Department of Pathology.

Melissa Albert, M.D., has left the Morgantown Campus of the School of Medicine’s Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry.

Ramin Altaha, M.D., and Eric Lirio, M.D., have left the Morgantown Campus of the School of Medicine’s Department of Medicine.

Johanna Biola, M.D., has left the Eastern Campus of the School of Medicine’s Department of Family Medicine.

Jay Bringman, M.D., has left the Morgantown Campus of the School of Medicine’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Eyassu Hailemichael, M.D., and Kevin Sawyer, M.D., have left the Morgantown Campus of the School of Medicine’s Department of Radiology.

Neelam Konnur, M.D., and Sharmila Nanda, M.D., have left the Morgantown Campus of the School of Medicine’s Department of Pediatrics.

Philip Ludmer, M.D., has left the Morgantown Campus of the School of Medicine’s Department of Anesthesiology.

Bradford Mitchell, M.D., has left the Morgantown Campus of the School of Medicine’s Department of Surgery.

Rupal Trivedi, M.D., has left the Morgantown Campus of the School of Medicine’s Department of Family Medicine.

Kathryn Skitarelic, M.D., and Anika Svensson, M.D., have left the Morgantown Campus of the School of Medicine’s Department of Pathology.

Brad Bellotte, M.D., Class of 1999, has joined UPMC Hamot as the hospital's chief of neurosurgery. He has also joined the Great Lakes Neurosurgery and Neurointervention practice. Dr. Bellotte is a leading expert in complex spine surgery, including minimally invasive surgeries. For more information click on this link.

Johanna Fisher Biola, M.D., Class of 2005, will be going back home to Elkins, WV and join the medical staff at Davis Memorial Hospital (DMH). Dr. Fisher Biola also completed her residency at the WVU School of Medicine in Family Medicine where she was chief resident and received the AHEC Community Service Award. For more information click on this link.

Ranya Habash, M.D., Class of 2001, is now the vice president of the Florida Society of Ophthalmology (FSO). As FSO vice president Dr. Habash will help lead the nonprofit association that is focused on protecting the medical and surgical specialty of ophthalmology. For more information click on this link.

Regis W. Haid, Jr., M.D., Class of 1982, is one of ten inventors who has a patent for a spine device. Dr. Haid has several patents for implants used during cervical lateral mass plating, anterior cervical plating, posterior and transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion and cervical arthroplasty. He is a founding partner of Atlanta Brain and Spine Care and medical director of the Piedmont Spine Center and neuroscience service line at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta. For more information click on this link.

Robert Nerhood, M.D., Class of 1969, has been named the interim dean at the Marshall Medical school. Dr. Nerhood retired from Marshall’s medical school in 2010 and remains an emeritus faculty in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology where he also served as the department chair. He also served as the school’s senior associate dean for clinical affairs. For more information on this appointment click on this link.

Majid Shafiei, M.D., Class of 2006, is one of the newest members of the WVUH-East Ear Nose & Throat team. Dr. Shafiei specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions involving the ear, nose and throat. He has training and special interest in middle ear surgery as well as facial plastic surgery.

Elizabeth Dunham, M.D., PGY 4, Department of Otolaryngology, attended the Combined Otolaryngology Spring Meetings (COSM) in Chicago, IL on April 27-30, 2011. She was awarded 1st prize on her poster presentation, “Evidence of Biofilm on Adenoid and Sinus Mucosa in Pediatric Chronic Rhinosinusitis”.

The “reach” and depth of the programs at the WVU School of Medicine continue to grow. In the realm of education, just as in the business world, that growth is crucial.

Future innovations for the medical education process can be effected through personal support. One useful way is to make the WVU Foundation the after-death beneficiary of a retirement asset account to benefit the School or a department.

Signing a “change of beneficiary” form (from the plan administrator) is all that’s needed. The donor may also specify that the funds will be used for a scholarship, program enhancement, faculty support, library resources, or other special purpose.

This and other support ideas are good options, and the Development Office (304-293-3980) can assist you to make it work.

Julian Bailes, M.D., chair, Department of Neurosurgery, has been appointed the Chairman of the Department of Neurosurgery at NorthShore University Health System in Evanston, Ill. Dr. Bailes’ departure is something that we in the School of Medicine will surely feel as a loss. But he has a great opportunity and we wish him nothing but the best in his new position. NorthShore is affiliated with the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine and includes four hospitals and more than 2,000 physicians, primarily in the suburbs north of Chicago. Charles L. Rosen, M.D., associate professor Department of Neurosurgery, has accepted Dean Ross’s invitation to assume the responsibilities of interim chair of the department as we search for Dr. Bailes’s successor. Sanford E. Emery, M.D., professor and chair, Department of Orthopaedics, will lead the national search for the next Chair for the Department of Neurosurgery

Lesley Cottrell, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of Pediatrics, is one of the faculty representatives for the WVU Board of Governors. Dr. Cottrell is the new chair of the WVU Faculty Senate. For more information on the new members of the Board of Governors click on this link.

Candi Frazier, associate director, HSC financial aid, has just been named the Chair of the NASFAA (National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators) Graduate and Professional Issues Committee.

Alan Ducatman, M.D., chair, Department of Community Medicine has been named interim dean of the planned WVU School of Public Health by Christopher Colenda, M.D., M.P.H., chancellor, Health Sciences. Dr. Colenda says “This formalizes and recognizes the work that Alan has been performing for most of the past year. His outstanding leadership in developing the case for creating the school, securing support from faculty members and others across the University, and organizing the many resources required to apply for and achieve national accreditation have moved us quickly toward the formation of a school. He and I have agreed that in early January, we will initiate a formal national search for the founding dean.” For more information on this appointment click on this link.

H. Wayne Lambert, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, was elected by the membership to serve as Association Secretary in the American Association of Clinical Anatomists (AACA). He began his 3-year term at the 2011 AACA Annual Meeting in Columbus, Ohio. The Association Secretary maintains all the official non-financial records, oversees the recording of proceedings of meetings of the Association and the Council, and is responsible for the Associations correspondence. In this role, Dr. Lambert is also one of six officers comprising the AACA Executive Committee that lead the daily activities of the AACA. He will also continue to serve on the AACA Council, the principal governing body of the AACA, where he previously held the position of Councilor-at-Large since 2010.

Chris Martin, M.D., associate professor, Department of Community Medicine, has an extended term as a member of the USMLE Step 1 Introduction to Clinical Diagnosis (ICD) Test Material Development Committee (TMDC). 2012 will be Dr. Martin’s fourth year as a member of this Committee.

E. Phillips Polack, M.D., professor, and Theodore A. Avtgis, Ph.D., adjunct associate professor, Department of Surgery have co-written a book titled “Medical Communication: Defining the Discipline”. The book was recently used at the Department of Surgery conference titled Basic Humanities Education this past June.

Carl Werntz, D.O., associate professor, Department of Community Medicine, is warning people of the dangers of pesticides and fertilizers. Dr. Werntz says “One of the concerns is you can come in contact with a pesticide after it’s been applied, but before it has dried. It is important to keep both children and pets away from those areas until everything is dried and is safe.” To be on the safe side always read the lables and know the number for poison control. For more information click on this link.

Researchers at the WVU School of Medicine have conducted research on women’s exposure to high levels of perfluorocarbons (PFCs) and its link to menopause. The study looked at 26,000 women who were exposed to high levels of PFCs in their drinking water. The results showed that those women who were at least 42 were more likely to have gone through menopause and had lower estrogen levels than other women. For more information on this study click on this link.

Kim Innes, associate professor, Department of Community Medicine, participated in a WVU study that looked at data on nearly 50,000 adults living in areas of Ohio and West Virginia where a chemical plant had contaminated water supplies with PFOA and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), both chemicals widely used in non-stick and stain-resistant coatings. Both of those chemicals remain in the human body for years and can affect the body’s immune system and metabolism. For more information on this study click on this link.

Rajesh Naz, Ph.D., professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, edited a special issue of American Journal of Reproductive Immunology (AJRI). The special issue was on contraceptive vaccines. To read this issue online click on this link.

Stephanie J. Frisbee, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Community Medicine, presented at the 2011 Conference on Environmental Toxicity and Neurodevelopmental Disorders located in Morgantown, WV. The conference will feature presentations on research findings and the science surrounding the effects of environmental toxins on the neurodevelopmental system and strategies people can implement for a healthier future. For more information on this presentation click on this link.

Anne Swisher, PT, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of Human Performance, Division of Physical Therapy, has a new study that begins this fall. The study is aimed at helping prevent the chance of cancer recurrence in triple-negative breast cancer survivors dealing with weight issues. “Effect of a 12-week multidisciplinary weight loss program ( ‘Fit for the Fight’ ) on BMI, functional capacity, quality of life and markers of inflammation in overweight and obese women with triple-negative breast cancer,” says Dr. Swisher. For more information on this study click on this link.

In 2008, The WVU Physicians of Charleston Cystic Fibrosis Care Center received accreditation from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and joined a network of more than 115 CF Care Centers in the United States.

Can you guess who this faculty member is?

(Click Image to enlarge)

The answer will appear in next
month’s issue.

Last month’s faculty member was Laura Davisson, MD.