the Full Issue - Saint Louis University

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the Full Issue - Saint Louis University
GrandRounds
Spring 2012
Saint Louis University School of Medicine
Biochemistry Beyond the Microscope
Clarity of Purpose
Bone Marrow Transplant Rebuilds
From the Dean | This issue of Grand Rounds highlights some of the School of Medicine’s newest directions in
research and reminds us that the school has a rich tradition
in investigation and discovery. Dr. Edward A. Doisy’s Nobel
prize-winning work with vitamin K in the 1940s is Saint Louis
University’s most visibly rewarded work and had far-reaching
clinical impact. During the past 20 years, Dr. Bill Sly’s work on
inherited lysosomal storage disorders and Dr. Duane Grandgenett’s work on integrase enzymology in AIDS are among many
examples of outstanding research at SLU.
Recently joining this renowned group of researchers is Dr.
Enrico Di Cera, a successor to Dr. Sly. As you will read, Dr. Di
Cera’s career has included a focus on the biochemistry of
vitamin K-dependent coagulation factors — a link to Dr. Doisy’s
legacy. Specifically, Dr. Di Cera has investigated the impact of
protein structure and engineering on biological activity and is
a leading proponent of using structural biology to unravel the
complexities of protein-protein interactions. Using sophisticated new X-ray diffraction technology that SLU purchased
for him, Dr. Di Cera and other faculty are determining how the
three-dimensional architecture of proteins affects their biology
and clinical impact.
You’ll also read about Dr. Pete Ruminski and his team of
12 former Pfizer scientists who are providing the school with
new opportunities to have an impact on the health of disadvantaged populations worldwide. The SLU Center for World
Health and Medicine (CWHM) is pursuing the repurposing of
commercial drugs to treat diseases such as childhood diarrhea, malaria, TB and sickle cell anemia. These are diseases
that attack vulnerable, disadvantaged people in many parts of
the world but have no commercial potential for drug development. New CWHM contracts with One World Health (and
funded by the Gates Foundation) and universities in China,
South Africa, India and Canada attest to the potential impact
of this work.
The CWHM, Dr. Di Cera’s team and the many SLU basic
scientists in other groups and departments are focused on
research that we believe will have clinical impact and will
change lives for the better. I hope that soon you will have the
opportunity to visit SLU and appreciate this work and our
research facilities firsthand.
Grand Rounds is
published biannually by
Saint Louis University
Medical Center
Development and
Alumni Relations.
Grand Rounds is mailed
to alumni and friends of the
School of Medicine.
Philip O. Alderson, M.D.
Dean|Saint Louis University
School of Medicine
Vice President|Medical Affairs
Schwitalla Hall M268
1402 S. Grand Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63104-1028
On the cover
A surface representation of
prethrombin-1, an inactive
precursor of thrombin, revealed by molecular graphics
of diffraction data obtained
by X-ray crystallography. The
technique enables researchers to visualize the 3-D architecture of important proteins
and unlock their mechanism
of action.|page 7
Grand Rounds Editorial Board
Philip O. Alderson, M.D.
Edward J. O’Brien Jr., M.D. ’67
Cheryl Byrd
magazine Contributors
Coordinator and Writer|Marie Dilg|SW ’94
Designer|Dana Hinterleitner
Laura Geiser|A&S ’90|Grad ’92
Nancy Solomon
Carrie Bebermeyer|Grad ’06
Sara Savat|Grad ’04
Photo and illustration Credits
Tracey Baird|Cover, 1, 6-8
Steve Dolan|4-5, 7, 10-14, 18-19 and back cover
Kabance Photo|18
Ashley Pitlyk|Bus ’10|A&S ’10|16-17
Alumni Executive Board
President| Edward J. O’Brien Jr., M.D. (’67)| St. Louis
Mary Agne, M.D. ‘88| Belleville, Ill.
Anne T. Christopher, M.D. ‘94| St. Louis
James T. Merenda, M.D. ‘82| St. Louis
Duane H. Moore, M.D. ‘02| St. Louis
Joan M. Pernoud, M.D. ‘74| St. Louis
Thomas A. Schneider, M.D. ‘58| St. Charles, Mo.
Keith M. Starke, M.D. ‘81| St. Louis
Jane Willman Turner, M.D. ‘92, Ph.D. ‘91| St. Louis
Spring 2012
Vol. 10
No. 1
Saint Louis University School of Medicine
Terrence A. Tyrrell, M.D. ‘73| Belleville, Ill.
Peter Kong-Woo Yoon, M.D. ‘81| St. Louis
© 2012, Saint Louis University
All rights reserved
Living up to the
Doisy Legacy
Through strong recruiting
efforts and advanced technology, the department of
biochemistry and molecular
biology nurtures the next
generation of research
stars | page 6
Philip O. Alderson, M.D.
Dean | Saint Louis University School of Medicine
Vice President | Medical Affairs
GrandRounds
For more information about
the magazine or to submit story
suggestions, please contact
314 | 977-8335 or
[email protected].
Flu Fighters
Med students teach
children when it’s OK not to
share | page 10
Infusion of Ideas
Hemotology and oncology
director emphasizes a
customer-service approach in
rebuilding the bone-marrow
transplant program | page 12
Poised for Discovery
Center for World Health and
Medicine puts SLU on the
global map with preventive
health care initiatives. Targets
include malaria, TB and sleeping sickness | page 14
Match Day
See where members of the
Class of 2012 will continue
their training | page 16
Living the Mission
Alumni give back by giving
sight | page 19
Vital Signs | page 2
Alumni Pulse | page 18
Profile of
Philanthrophy | back
VitalSigns
John Morley to Direct
Endocrinology
Endocrinologist and
geriatrician John Morley,
M.D., has been named
director of the division of
endocrinology. Morley has
directed the division of
geriatrics since he joined
SLU in 1989 and has
served as acting director of
endocrinology since 2006.
In announcing the appointment, Adrian Di Bisceglie,
M.D., chair of the department
of internal medicine, said the
divisions of endocrinology
and geriatrics will remain
separate but may jointly
develop educational and
research initiatives. U.S.
News & World Report recently
ranked the SOM’s geriatric
medicine program among
the 15 best programs in the
country.
Under Morley’s leadership,
the division of endocrinology
will focus on becoming a
center for diabetes care with
an emphasis on the use of
insulin pumps, Di Bisceglie
added. The division also will
develop centers for obesity
and managing thyroid cancer.
An expert in treating and
studying endocrine disorders
as well as in geriatrics,
Morley is internationally
recognized for his work on
male hypogonadism or low
testosterone. He is a leading
researcher in the field of
appetite regulation, hormones
and muscle strength and
diabetes in older people.
Morley has served on
the editorial boards of the
Journal of Clinical Endocrinology
and Metabolism and the
American Journal of Physiology:
Endocrinology. His scientific
papers have been cited more
than 40,000 times, and he
has 99 papers cited at least
100 times. He serves on
the executive board of the
Aging Male Society and is
vice president of the Society
for Cachexia, Sarcopenia and
Wasting Disorders.
Construction to
Begin This Fall on
New Outpatient
Clinic
Saint Louis University is
moving forward with plans
to construct a new state-ofthe-art facility for SLUCare,
the University’s physician
practice, in Midtown St.
Louis.
SLU’s new outpatient
Ambulatory Care Center will
be located on the site of the
former Pevely Dairy industrial
complex at Grand Boulevard
and Chouteau Avenue,
across the street from the
University’s Edward A.
Doisy Research Center. SLU
purchased the site last year.
The modern facility
will provide a wide variety
of medical services and
outpatient procedures to
hundreds of thousands of
patients – both adults and
children – each year.
“This important project
will strengthen our ability
to deliver top-notch health
care in the heart of the city,
including to those in need,”
said University President
Lawrence Biondi, S.J.
The estimated cost of the
project is $73-$80 million.
After some demolition work
on the site is completed,
the University expects to
begin construction of the
new facility this fall, with an
anticipated opening date in
2014.
Researcher Aims to
Ease Chemotherapy
Pain
Noted pain researcher
Daniela Salvemini, Ph.D.,
is examining the way
two particular molecules
are involved in the
development of pain caused
by chemotherapy drugs.
Salvemini, an associate
professor of pharmacological
and physiological science,
is using a $126,500 grant
from the Mayday Fund to
determine how
Salvemini
these molecules
might be used
to manage
or prevent
chemotherapyinduced
peripheral
neuropahty (CIPN) and to
develop new therapies to
eliminate or limit symptoms.
CIPN is one of most
common causes of dose
reduction and discontinuation
of what is otherwise a lifesaving therapy. Researchers
believe that a solution
to CIPN not only would
dramatically improve quality
of life for sufferers, but also
would save lives by allowing
cancer treatment to continue
at optimal levels.
Accompanied by chronic
neuropathic pain, CIPN
is an effect of widely used
antitumoral agents in several
classes of drugs, including
the taxane (e.g., paclitaxel),
platinum-complex (e.g.,
oxaliplatin), vinca alkaloids
(e.g., vincristine) and
proteasome-inhibitor (e.g.,
bortezomib) classes. Because
oncologists may be forced to
limit doses to manage side
effects, CIPN reduces the
success of chemotherapy
drugs.
“Until recently, we haven’t
had a strong understanding
of how anti-tumor drugs are
causing this pain, and so we
haven’t been able to develop
effective therapies to stop
it,” Salvemini said. “Now,
however, we have discovered
that two critical pathways are
involved in the development
of chemotherapy-induced
pain, the peroxynitrite
pathway and the ceramide
to sphingosine-1-metabolic
pathway.”
“Because anti-sphingosine1-phosphate therapies are
already clinically available, this
research has the potential to
make a significant impact in
alleviating human suffering
soon,” Salvemini said.
Should initial stages of
the current study prove
successful, Salvemini will
conduct a proof-of-concept
study in partnership with the
Saint Louis University Cancer
Center.
Progress Toward
Genital Herpes
Vaccine
According to a SLU-directed
study published in the New
England Journal of Medicine,
an investigational vaccine
protected some women
against infection from one
of the two types of herpes
simplex viruses that cause
genital herpes.
The vaccine was partially
effective at preventing
herpes simplex virus
type 1 (HSV-1), but did
not protect women from
herpes
Belshe
simplex
virus type
2 (HSV-2).
There were
less than
half of
the cases
of genital
herpes caused by HSV1 – 58 percent fewer – in
women who received the
investigational vaccine
compared to women
who received the control
vaccine.
“There is some very
good news in our findings,”
said Robert Belshe, M.D.,
director of the SLU Center
for Vaccine Development
and lead author of the
study. “We were partially
successful against half of
the equation. The findings
point us in the direction
toward making a vaccine
that works on both herpes
simplex viruses.”
There is no cure or
approved vaccine to
prevent genital herpes
infection, which affects
about 25 percent of women
in the United States and is
one of the most common
communicable diseases.
The clinical trial of
an investigational genital
3
herpes vaccine was funded
by the National Institute
of Allergy and Infectious
Diseases (NIAID), along with
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). The
trial was conducted with more
than 8,000 women between
the ages of 18 and 30 at 50
sites in the United States and
Canada.
Researchers found that
two or three doses of the
investigational vaccine
offered significant protection
against genital herpes disease
caused by HSV-1. However,
the vaccine did not protect
women from genital disease
caused by HSV-2.
Researchers are
conducting laboratory tests
on serum obtained from
study participants as they
continue to study why the
A Few Words About Ethics
The Anticipatory Corpse: Medicine, Power, and
the Care of the Dying, is the title of a new
book by Jeffrey P. Bishop, M.D., Ph.D.,
director of SLU’s Albert Gnaegi Center for
Health Care Ethics.
According to the book’s publisher, the
University of Notre Dame Press, Bishop argues that something has gone amiss in the
care of the dying by contemporary medicine
and in the country’s social and political
views of death. In The Anticipatory Corpse,
Bishop, holder of the Tenet Endowed Chair
in Health Care Ethics, argues that viewing
people as machines in motion has become
epistemologically normative for medicine.
The dead body is subtly anticipated in medical practices of exercising control over the
suffering person, whether through technological mastery in the intensive care unit or through the
impersonal, quasi-scientific
assessments of psychological and spiritual medicine.
Citing examples from
organ donation rules
in the United States, to
presidential bioethics
commissions attempting
to define death, Bishop’s
book explores the historical, political and
philosophical underpinnings of medicine’s
care of the dying and, finally, the possibilities of change.
A review in the Journal of the American
Medical Association called The Anticipatory
Corpse a compelling read and a groundbreaking work in philosophy and bioethics.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s
religion and ethics page editor named
Bishop’s book the most influential religion
and ethics books of 2011.
vaccine protected women
from genital disease caused by
HSV-1 but not HSV-2.
One hypothesis, Belshe
said, is HSV-1 is more easily
killed by antibodies than is
HSV-2. This means that the
vaccine antibodies might
work better against HSV-1
and result in protection from
HSV-1 but not HSV-2.
James M. DuBois, Ph.D., D.Sc., director of the Bander Center for Medical Business Ethics, has been named co-editor of a
new medical journal that explores current
issues in bioethics through personal stories
and narratives.
Narrative Inquiry in Bioethics seeks to put a
face on ethical debates about health care,
human research and health policy.
DuBois said the personal narratives
are what set the journal apart from other
bioethics journals. These personal stories
address the experiences of
patients, research participants,
health care workers and
researchers.
“We invite people to tell
us their stories in their own
words. In contrast to most
qualitative research, they are
the authors, and they get to
choose which 2,000 words
they want to tell,” DuBois said.
“This is a socially important project; we’re
giving a voice to people who have typically
not had a voice in these important ethical
debates.”
The first issue, which was published last
fall, featured 13 different patient experiences with psychiatric hospitalization, as
well as two commentaries from ethicists
with personal experiences with psychiatric
hospitalization.
The editorial board for Narrative Inquiry
in Bioethics is comprised of leaders in the
fields of clinical ethics, narrative bioethics
and qualitative research.
The journal is published by the Johns
Hopkins University Press and is available
electronically through Project MUSE. Inquiries or submissions to the journal should be
emailed to [email protected].
Grand Rounds Saint Louis University School of Medicine
Pediatricians Aim to
Dispel Vaccine Myths
Expanding
the Mission
Casa de Salud, a clinic for the health and wellness of
immigrants in the St. Louis community that is supported by
SLU, has expanded to more than double its original size.
The 4,000 square-foot
addition to Casa’s facility at
Chouteau and Compton avenues
features five new exam rooms,
three mental health consult
rooms and a multipurpose room
for community events. The
expansion comes less than two
years after the clinic opened its
doors to serve uninsured and
underinsured Latino immigrants.
Casa Executive Director Jorge
Riopedre said the expansion was
needed due to overwhelming
demand for care. He said Casa’s
patient volume has increased
more than 70 percent from a
year ago. He expects that number to increase further as community outreach expands and
trust continues to build within
the immigrant population. Casa
serves immigrants in six Missouri and two Illinois counties.
The Casa expansion included a larger reception area to accommodate more
patients and larger exam rooms to allow for extended family members to be
present for office visits, such as this one in which fourth-year medical student
Neeta Shenai (left), and medical assistant Angelishia Gathright, check
Luisa Asencio’s vital signs.
VitalSigns
The expansion was made possible
by Saint Louis University and the
Billiken Construction Crew. Atelier
3 Design drafted the expansion
pro bono.
Two SLU pediatricians
are leading a Missouri
State Medical Association
statewide effort to change
the way doctors respond to
parents’ fears of vaccines
and to raise awareness about
the importance of getting
children vaccinated.
Ken Haller, M.D.,
associate professor of
pediatrics, and Anthony
Scalzo, M.D., professor of
toxicology and pediatrics,
co-authored the article,
“I’ve Heard Some Things
That Scare Me: Responding
With Empathy to Parents’
Fears of Vaccinations,”
which was published in the
January/February 2012
issue of Missouri Medicine,
the journal of the Missouri
State Medical Association
and is the centerpiece of
the campaign. In the article,
Haller and Scalzo examine
the science of vaccinations as
well as the messages parents
receive from the media,
from well-intentioned but
poorly informed anti-vaccine
advocates, and even from
doctors that can lead parents
to be wary of immunizations
for their children.
Haller said that physicians
have not always been the
best advocates for vaccine
safety. Too often they have
dismissed parents’ fears
and accused them of not
caring enough to do the right
thing for their child. Until
physicians do a better job of
recognizing that it is normal
and even healthy for parents
to have fears about their
child, he says, physicians will
not be seen as trustworthy,
and parents will continue to
put their faith in those who
oppose vaccines.
“We want to encourage
pediatricians to go beyond
the science
Haller
around
vaccines
– which is
unequivocally
on our side –
and express
our own
fears about
Scalzo
the clear
and present
danger that
these diseases
present
to babies
and young
children. Parents and
physicians want the same
thing – to keep children safe
and healthy. But we can only
do that if our fears are based
in reality,” Haller said.
Virologist Receives
Outstanding
Scientist Award
The Academy of Science
of St. Louis has granted
its Fellows Award to
Govindaswamy Chinnadurai,
Ph.D., professor at SLU’s
Institute for Molecular
Virology, for outstanding
achievement in science.
The award is one of eight
presented in April at the 18th
annual Outstanding Scientist
Awards dinner, which honors
top scientists and engineers in
the St. Louis region.
Chinnadurai has made
groundbreaking contributions
to the study of cancer, leading
to a greater understanding
of how normal cells are
converted into cancer cells.
With research consistently
funded by the NIH,
Chinnadurai
Chinnadurai
has invested
38 years in
understanding
the molecular
mechanisms
that human
adenoviruses
use to replicate in infected
cells and to transform normal
cells into cancerous ones.
“An important rule in
research is to stick with one
or two intellectual problems
and see where they take you,”
Chinnadurai said. “That’s
what I’ve done, and it’s taken
us closer than ever to finding
a cure for cancer.”
William Sly Captures
National Award for
Research
The Association of
American Medical Colleges
honored William S. Sly,
M.D. (’58), professor of
biochemistry and molecular
biology, with its 2011 Award
for Distinguished Research
in the Biomedical Sciences.
Given to one recipient a
year, the award
Sly
recognizes
outstanding
clinical or
laboratory
research by a
medical school
faculty member
related to health and disease
that has contributed to the
substance of medicine.
During the course of
nearly five decades, Sly has
worked to solve some of
genetics’ most daunting
mysteries. For thousands, this
has meant new treatments
for once crippling or fatal
diseases.
5
Currently the inaugural
holder of the James B. &
Joan C. Peter Endowed Chair,
with a joint appointment as
professor of pediatrics, Sly
continues the research that
has earned him international
recognition for his work on
lysosomal storage diseases.
Before arriving at SLU, Sly
served for two decades as
director of the division
of medical genetics and
professor at Washington
University School of
Medicine.
He is a member of
the National Academy of
Sciences and recipient of
many awards and honors
including the 1991 Passano
Award (co-recipient); 1999
Coriell Medal and the
Peter H. Raven Lifetime
Achievement Award from
the Academy of Science of
St. Louis. He is the author of
more than 360 peer-reviewed
journal articles and coauthor
of “The Molecular and
Metabolic Bases of Inherited
Disease.”
Endowed Chair
Honors James
Kimmey
The School of Public
Health’s first endowed chair
has been named after James
R. Kimmey, M.D., MPH,
the former president and
chief executive officer at
Missouri Foundation for
Health (MFH). A generous
gift to SLU from MFH
helped establish the James R.
Kimmey Endowed Chair in
Public Health.
Kimmey is the first
president and chief executive
officer of MFH and had
been executive vice president
and vice president for health
sciences at SLU. The surprise
announcement was made
in November as business
associates, friends and family
gathered to honor Kimmey
and celebrate his retirement
from MFH, an organization
he led since its inception.
“I am very touched
by the establishment of a
chair at SLU in my honor,”
Kimmey said. “Public health
is a critical component in
any community’s quality of
life and has been important
to me throughout my career.
It is important that this
school’s outstanding faculty
and students
Kimmey
continue to
be part of the
community
discourse to
improve public
health, which
impacts us
all, regardless of our socioeconomic status and where
we live in the community.”
Kimmey served in various
leadership roles during his 14year tenure at SLU. Among
them, he was the founding
dean of SLU’s School of
Public Health, which remains
the only school of public
health in Missouri and the
only school of public health
at a Jesuit university. Kimmey
left SLU in 2001 to lead the
newly formed MFH. He has
rejoined the University as an
executive-in-residence in the
School of Public Health.
Grand Rounds Saint Louis University School of Medicine
Dr. Enrico Di Cera
pictured with an image
of the collapsed
conformation of the
active site region of
prethrombin-1, an
inactive thrombin
precursor.
Department of Biochemistry
and Molecular Biology
When he joined SLU in January 2010,
Enrico Di Cera, M.D., knew he was signing on
to lead a department with a storied history.
Lives Up to
the Doisy Legacy
Biochemistry at SLU was first led by Nobel Prize
winner Edward Doisy, and his legacy remains apparent
in the many buildings on campus named after him. In
addition to the department itself – officially the Edward A.
Doisy Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
– Doisy’s name can be seen at the new Doisy Research
Center, where the department is located, as well as the
Doisy College of Health Sciences and Doisy Hall.
When Di Cera arrived, he joined career scientists such as
William Sly, M.D., former chairman of the department, who discovered the inherited disorder now known as Sly Syndrome and
whose work led to the release of a woman unjustly convicted
of murder (see sidebar on page 9), and numerous investigators
whose work continues to advance the understanding of the
molecular basis of cardiovascular disease and cancer.
“I came to SLU for the opportunity to lead the department
and impact the direction of its research,” Di Cera said. “It’s a
privilege to continue the legacy of chairs Doisy, Olson and Sly.”
Building on this foundation, Di Cera turned his attention to
the future, and with strong recruiting efforts, brought on several
well-credentialed new faculty members. Along with new talent,
the acquisition of cutting edge equipment, and existing partnerships with the Cancer Center and the recently formed Center
for World Health and Medicine, the department is primed to
continue in the tradition of Doisy.
“I have great hopes for the young people in our department,” Di Cera said. “We have this group of investigators with
complementary expertise here at SLU equipped with new, stateof-the-art technology positioned to address important problems
in biology. We’re investing in the context of what is medically
relevant, and so, down the road, I hope to see this knowledge
translate to clinical benefits.”
by Carrie Bebermeyer
Grand Rounds 7
New
Coming on board from Yale
University, Washington University in St. Louis, the National
Institutes of Health and Trieste,
Italy, are new primary faculty Di Cera recruited to
continue to push the boundaries of achievement
for the department.
Last year, Alessandro Vindigni, Ph.D.,
brought his DNA repair and genome stability
work to SLU from Italy. Vindigni uses a
combination of cellular, biochemical and
structural approaches to study the enzymatic
activity and function of the RecQ helicases,
a family of enzymes that play a key role in
chromosome stability. RecQ helicases have
attracted considerable interest in recent years for
their connection to cancer and premature aging.
Frances Yap, Ph.D., a new recruit who
joined SLU in September from the NIH, studies
ribosomes and the development of antibiotics,
looking specifically at the consequences of
arrested translation, or “ribosome stalling,” for
controlling gene expression. Her work aims
to help in the development of more effective
antimicrobial drugs.
Joining SLU later this spring will be Susana
Gonzalo, Ph.D., from Washington University,
who studies DNA repair and telomere biology.
Yoonsang Cho, Ph.D., a structural biologist
from Yale, will come on board to study proteins
involved in inflammation. As testimony to the
quality of these new recruits, all of them bring
significant funding to SLU and new lines of
investigation.
Adding to the cadre of new investigators
is Vindigni’s wife, Yuna Ayala, Ph.D., who
is studying TDP-43, a key protein linked to
neurodegeneration. Di Cera’s new vision for the
department also brought key expertise in protein
biochemistry and computational biology to
strengthen the new emphasis on X-ray structural
biology. David Wood, Ph.D., from Pfizer was
recruited as manager of the protein facility to
specifically assist researchers with the production
and scale-up of reagents for X-ray crystallization
and other biophysical studies. A world-class
computational biologist, Dave Gohara, Ph.D.,
formerly at Harvard and Washington University,
brings to the department unique expertise in
high performance computing and software
development.
X-ray Crystallography
faces
As they seek information at a scale beyond the reach of a
microscope, biochemists and molecular biologists turn to X-ray
crystallography to provide a partial picture of the molecules they
are studying. The resulting data help scientists visualize the proteins and nucleic acids that represent the building blocks of cells.
Thanks to new X-ray crystallography equipment at SLU, the
department has state-of-the art tools to “solve the structures”
of a number of important proteins.
“Structural biology, and X-ray
crystallography in particular, offer a
necessary complement to the investigation of macromolecules in solution,” Di Cera said. “‘What does it
look like?’ is the first reaction to a
new protein structure, as years of
speculation come to an end when
the spatial architecture of the protein
is finally revealed. With the new
knowledge comes the opportunity
to design new drugs that interfere
with protein function.
“This is how structural biology
benefits research in a medical school by
bridging efforts in the basic sciences, clinical
research and drug design.”
From Doisy to Di Cera
Blood Clotting
Beyond buildings, Doisy also left a research legacy with his work
on vitamin K and its essential role in the synthesis of blood clotting proteins. Di Cera’s own research focuses on the structure
and function of thrombin, a key vitamin K-dependent bloodclotting protein.
Blood clotting performs the important function of stopping
blood loss after an injury. However, when triggered in the wrong
conditions, clotting can lead to debilitating or fatal conditions
such as heart attack, stroke and deep vein thrombosis.
Before thrombin becomes active, it circulates throughout the
blood in the inactive zymogen form prothrombin. When the
active enzyme is needed, for example after a vascular injury, the
coagulation cascade is initiated, and prothrombin is converted
into an active enzyme that causes blood to clot.
Di Cera’s work is showing promise on two fronts. In previous
laboratory research, Di Cera re-engineered thrombin to act as
an anticoagulant, stopping blood from clotting and opening the
door to the development of new therapeutic strategies for the
treatment of thrombosis, the presence of blood clots in blood
vessels, which is responsible for nearly a third of all deaths in
the United States. Now, preparations are under way for a Phase I
clinical trial.
In a second success, Di Cera has “solved” the structures of
key thrombin precursors. While researchers have an understanding of the structure of active thrombin, very little was known
about its zymogen forms. Using the new X-ray crystallographic
equipment, Di Cera’s team revealed for the first time the
molecular structure of the zymogen forms of thrombin
prethrombin-1, prethrombin-2 and more recently
prothrombin, thereby unraveling how the mature enzyme is generated.
Surface
“This information is very basic and very
representation
important,”
Di Cera said. “We now know what
of prethrombin-1
showing how
prothrombin, prethrombin-1 and prethromfragment-2 docks
bin-2 look like and what is the mechanism
on the catalytic
that converts these inactive zymogens to the
domain
mature enzyme thrombin. Our efforts have
benefitted from access to the state-of-the art
robotic and X-ray crystallography equipment now
available to the department.”
Looking to the Future
Di Cera emphasizes that success requires a combination of
talent and resources and therefore depends on perfect alignment
between the research community and administration. The stage
now is set for the department to nurture another generation of
rising stars. In thinking about the future, Di Cera has high hopes
for his faculty.
“I would like to see our new faculty unravel the molecular
mechanisms governing the systems they study,” Di Cera said.
“I would like to see them benefit from the human and technical
resources that SLU has to offer and bring the knowledge they
garner from their studies to practical fruition in the clinics.”
Yet, challenges remain. “Success must be sustained over
time,” he said. “And that requires continued expansion of the
pool of competitive faculty, more graduate students and synergism between basic scientists and clinicians.”
Coordination of efforts and a clever use of existing resources
is the key. Di Cera’s eye on the future does not stop with new
faculty recruits. In one more nod to the illustrious first chairman
of the department, the Edward A. Doisy Graduate Research
Scholarship has been created to invest in future scientists.
“We started this scholarship to attract graduate students who
are top notch,” Di Cera said. “We’ve committed funds to this.
Right now, it’s a small contribution, but it’s an important start.”
For more information about the Edward A. Doisy Graduate
Research Scholarship, please contact the School of
Medicine Office of Development at 314-977-3287.
8 Grand Rounds 9
Past Chairmen
Following Edward A. Doisy’s retirement as chairman
of biochemistry and molecular biology in 1965,
Robert Olson, M.D. a distinguished physician and
nutritionist, became chairman of the department. During
his nearly two decades in that role, Olson nurtured
expansion of research within the department, and
successfully campaigned for the integration of nutritional
science into clinical medicine. Olson died in August 2011.
Upon Olson’s retirement in 1984, William Sly, M.D.,
a physician and molecular geneticist, was recruited
as chairman. Sly’s many contributions to the study of
inborn errors of metabolism have received international
recognition and resulted in numerous awards, including
election to the National Academy of Science, and, this
year, the Association of American Medical Colleges’ 2011
Award for Distinguished Research in the Biomedical
Sciences.
In 1973, Sly described the first case of mucopolysaccharidosis VII, a rare genetic condition that now bears
his name. Sly syndrome can cause bone defects,
mental retardation and premature death. This year, a
pharmaceutical company is beginning a Phase I clinical
trial testing an enzyme replacement therapy for the
disorder.
Over the course of nearly five decades, Sly has worked
to solve some of genetics’ most daunting mysteries. For
thousands, this has meant new treatments for once
crippling or fatal diseases. And for one wrongly convicted
woman, it meant her freedom.
While watching an episode of television’s Unsolved
Mysteries involving a woman charged with poisoning her
son, Sly noted that the type of urine test used to convict
her could not rule out an inherited metabolic disorder
with similar symptoms to poisoning. On a hunch, Sly
and department colleague, James Shoemaker, M.D.,
independently conducted more tests, and the results
pointed conclusively to a genetic disease. Sly presented
this new evidence to the prosecution and, largely thanks to
the analysis, the charges were dismissed.
Sly continues the research that has earned him
international recognition for his work on lysosomal storage
diseases.
Kung Flu Fighters
The second-year
medical students
were playing to a
tough crowd.
Mr. Aman’s first graders just came in from recess on an
unseasonably warm February afternoon and were not ready to
settle down. Getting the 6 and 7 year olds to sit crossed-legged on
the colorful alphabet rug took a little wrangling. Before one more
student could get up and ask for another drink of water, medical
student Jessica Bjorklund jumped in.
“Does anyone know what the flu is?” she asked.
A few hands go up.
“Does anyone know what happens when you get the flu?”
More hands go up and the war stories start flying. The most “ewws”
go to the girl who threw up on her brother.
Once Bjorklund establishes that the first graders at Bel-Nor
Elementary know what the flu is, she and the other SLU students
get to the real reason for their visit today: helping the first graders
protect themselves from the virus.
Xiaoxi “Jessica” Ouyang teaches Mr. Aman’s students how to properly wash their hands.
Medical Students Take Flu
Prevention to a Whole New Level
by getting vaccinated, covering their sneezes,
Bjorklund is co-founder of a student-led
washing their hands and staying home to rest
community education project called the
if they do get sick.
SLU Flu Fighters. The fighters are mem“Sometimes during the first couple of
bers of the Infectious Disease Interest
years of medical school you find yourself
Group (IDIG) created by medical students
wondering why you spend so much time
who share an interest in communicable
studying. Why are you doing all of this
diseases. As part of their service mission,
work?” said second-year student and fellow
the Flu Fighters travel to area schools with
Flu Fighter, Xiaoxi “Jessica” Ouyang. “I rean interactive flu prevention program they
member why when we’re in the community.
developed.
I’m reminded of the reasons I decided to
They teach elementary students how to
become a doctor.”
prevent the spread of flu by sneezing and
coughing into their elbows and then practice
A Passion for Mission
the “chicken wing sneeze” with the class.
Here are just some of the School
They demonstrate how quickly the flu can
of Medicine interest groups:
and Medicine
spread by covering the hands of two students
The Infectious Diseases Interest Group is
Allergy
with lotion and glitter. Those two students
one of more than 50 groups developed by
Anesthesia
“high five” other students who, in turn, share
SLU students around their common interAsian Pacific American Medical
their pencils with still more students. Within
ests. Some groups are specialty based, such
Student Association
a couple of minutes, the entire class has glitas surgery, pediatrics or geriatrics. Others,
Cardiac Care
tered palms. The program ends with a trip to
like IDIG, are theme based. The School of
Continuity of Care
the bathroom for a lesson on hand washing.
Medicine has interest groups focused on
Doctors for Diversity
“The challenge for us was breaking our
child abuse prevention, HIV prevention and
Ethics
message into bite-size pieces,” Bjorklund
diversity in medicine.
Interfaith
said. “You spend so much time during your
Most groups are led by second-year stuLatter Day Saints
first years of medical school memorizing
dents
with support from first-year students
Military Medical Students
medical terms that you sometimes forget
who
assume
leadership during their second
Music and Medicine
how to speak in a way that’s understandable
year.
Each
group
has a faculty adviser.
Oncology
to others, especially kids. A 6 year old isn’t
Participation
is
voluntary, but nearly all
Ophthalmology
going to understand contagious.”
firstand
second-year
students are engaged
Partners in Pregnancy
Hieu Do, another Flu Fighters co-founder,
with
one
interest
group
or another. Some
Running Club
was drawn to the project by the opportunity
groups
honor
their
mission
by hosting inforSports Medicine
to teach at any level.
mative
lectures
and
luncheons
on campus.
Strides for Kids
“Working with little kids is good experiOthers
go
into
the
community
to educate in
Student Wellness
ence,” he said. “They’re our future patients,
schools
and
agencies.
Tar Wars
and if you can’t communicate with your
“We encourage students to become active
patients, you can’t really help them. I also
outside the classroom,” said Stuart J. Slavin,
have some interest in academic medicine. I value any chance to
M.D. (’83), M.Ed., associate dean for curriculum and professor
learn how to stand in front of a room and teach.”
of pediatrics. “It’s a way for students to enrich their lives and the
Mr. Aman’s students were especially receptive to an animated,
lives of others. It’s also a great way for them to pursue their pashigh-energy music video of kids who were “kung flu fighting”
sion or find a passion they never knew they had.”
Public Health Recognized for Flu Campaign
A partnership between the SLU School of Public Health and the St. Louis County Department of Health to help the health care
workforce fight the flu won an award from two regional public health groups.
The Missouri-Illinois Public Health Officials and the local chapter of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control
and Immunology (APIC) recognized the “No Flu for You” campaign and research project with its 2011 “Partnership Award for
Outstanding and Dedicated Service in Preventing Disease.”
The School of Public Health and St. Louis County collaborated on research that examined whether health care workers received
the H1N1 influenza vaccine and the seasonal flu vaccine. They then designed a web-based campaign and associated products
to inform an array of constituents — national and local policy leaders; employees of professional organizations; health
care workers; and government officials — on why employees should get vaccinated against influenza. They also included a
framework to develop policy-based vaccination campaigns.
Grand Rounds 11
aninfusion
IDEAS
Friedrich Schuening
earned his medical degree
from the University of Hamburg, Germany, in 1976. During
his residency, he saw a news
story about the first bone marrow transplant (BMT) in his
country performed on a patient
with acute leukemia. Fascinated by the procedure, Schuening decided to join Germany’s
first BMT program at the West
German Cancer center in Essen, Germany.
of
The director of hematology and oncology
is working to put SLU’s bone marrow
transplant program back on the map
When Friedrich Schuening, M.D., began performing bone marrow transplants in Germany
30 years ago, patients had to be kept in protective isolation. They spent three months in laminar air flow units with minimal human contact.
Everything — their food, newspapers, pajamas
— had to be sterilized. Lab draws were conducted through thick plastic curtains, and if Schuening wanted to see his patient he would have to
prep as though he were going into surgery.
“If someone had told me that one day these
precautions would not be necessary and a patient
could receive their bone marrow transplant in a
normal clinic, I would say that sounded rather
crazy,” he said. “Yet, here we are.”
Not only are the extreme precautions no
longer necessary for many patients, Schuening is
leading the way in making bone marrow transplants and follow-up care as safe and comfortable for patients as possible. He is establishing
a bone marrow transplant clinic on the second
floor of Saint Louis University’s Cancer Center
where patients can receive their treatments and
go home or stay in nearby patient housing until
their treatment course is finished. It is the only
clinic of its kind in the midwest area.
“Because we have better treatment modalities and better knowledge of the side effects of
transplant, we can make treatment easier on the
patient,” Schuening said. “And most patients
would rather sleep in their own bed than a hospital bed, that’s for certain. They prefer to come
12 to the clinic on a daily or every-other-day basis,
get their treatment and go home. You may need
to be admitted if you develop complications, but
most patients will do just fine.”
The outpatient transplant clinic is one of
many patient- and family-centered changes
Schuening has undertaken since joining Saint
Louis University School of Medicine in May
2011 as director of the division of hematology
and oncology.
FS A customer-service approach is important
because you’re dealing with a patient’s health,
their life. If you make them wait or if you make
a referring physician wait, they will find help
elsewhere. Another change we made concerns
lab work. When I came to SLU, the turnaround
time from when a patient’s blood was drawn to
the time we got the white cell and platelet counts
from the lab was somewhere between one to
two hours. That, obviously, was unacceptable
because a physician needs those numbers before
he or she can determine whether the patient can
undergo transfusion or chemotherapy that day.
We’ve worked hard on the problem, and now
our turnaround time is no more than 20 to 30
minutes. There are a lot of supposed little things
that make a big difference. I’m also proposing we establish a central cancer center access
number where a nurse, educated in the areas of
cancer treatment, takes phone calls and connects
patients to the most relevant person, whether it’s
a physician or the clinic for an appointment.
GR What attracted you to the position at
SLU?
FS I like a challenge. In the mid ’90s, SLU
had one of the largest bone marrow transplant
programs in the country for patients with a
number of diseases, including many forms of
leukemia, lymphoma, anemias and some solid
tumors. When the director left, the program
regressed, and I like the idea of rebuilding and
improving it.
GR Where do you begin?
FS It begins on the ground floor. So we’re
developing standard operating procedures and
treatment protocols based on what has been successful for me at other institutions over the years.
We’re recruiting transplant faculty, and I expect
by the end of this year we will have doubled the
size of our current faculty. We’re also establishing with SLU Hospital what we call a mid-level
provider team comprised of transplant-trained
nurses and physician assistants who will be the
backbone of the transplant program and will
multiply the effectiveness of the physicians.
GR What else will it take to put SLU back
on the map?
FS We are accredited already for autologous
transplants and are awaiting accreditation for allogeneic transplants. We’ve exceeded the number
of allogeneic transplants required for accreditation, so we’re optimistic. It gives referring physicians and patients another reason to call us. We
also want to increase our referral base for phase
one clinical trials, studies in which investigational
drugs that have not yet achieved FDA approval
may improve the outcome for patients who have
exhausted other options.
GR Why is it important for SLU to rebuild its
transplant program?
FS St. Louis is a large enough city to support
two programs, ours and the one at Barnes. There
is no other program like ours in Missouri, and
we’ll draw from western Illinois because we are
closer than Chicago. Many people, especially
those in rural areas, aren’t eager to drive to Chicago and be stuck in tremendous traffic when
they can come here. Also, the incidence of
cancer is growing as the population ages. Most
cancer diseases are diseases of the older patient.
The median age of leukemia is the mid 60s.
Solid tumors, breast cancer, lung cancer, blood
diseases all are becoming most prevalent in the
older population.
GR You wasted no time in making some immediate changes to the program. What do you
envision in the long run?
FS When you look on the outside of this
building it says Saint Louis University Cancer
Center, but the facility has a long way to go to
before it becomes a true cancer center. For it to
be a cancer center, patient care must be concentrated in this building. It should be one-stop
shopping for our patients, where they can see
their surgical oncologist, their radiation oncologist and their medical oncologist not only in the
same building but on the same day if necessary.
We will get there. And we need to market our
efforts. On one of my first visits to St. Louis I
was taking a cab from the airport and I saw all
these billboards along the freeway promoting
the cancer center at Barnes but none for SLU.
That’s changing. I’ve been traveling with representatives from the different hospital marketing
teams to visit oncologists in private practice so
they can put a face to the name. I give them my
private cell number because I want them to have
access. Easy access is critical.
GR What do you enjoy most about your job?
FS Let me give you an example. One of my
patients underwent a bone marrow transplant late
last year, and he was very sick. He spent part of
his time in the intensive care unit. His main wish
was to be home by Christmas and we were able
to discharge him on Christmas Eve. That’s worth
more than any salary I could ever earn.
Because the procedure was so
new and no textbooks existed
yet, the only way Schuening
could learn was to study with
the physicians who pioneered
the method. That led him in
1984 to the Fred Hutchinson
Cancer Research Center in
Seattle, where the first bone
marrow transplants in the
United States were performed
in the late 1960s. After spending more than a decade there
conducting research on BMT
and gene therapy, the University of Wisconsin-Madison hired
Schuening to lead its transplant
program. The annual number
of procedures doubled under
his four-year leadership.
In 1999, Schuening went to
Vanderbilt University, where
he was director of hematology and the BMT program. At
Vanderbilt, Schuening worked
with neurologists who were
interested in treating spinal
cord injuries with regenerative medicine. He also worked
with cardiologists to study
how bone marrow cells could
be used to repair damaged
heart muscle. Schuening is
continuing his multi-disciplinary
research at SLU.
Grand Rounds 13
CWHM Team:
»Peter Ruminski 3
(Executive Director)
»Dave Griggs 8
»
»
(Director of Cell
and Molecular Biology)
Jon Jacobsen 16
(Director of Chemistry)
Brian Bond 15
(Director of Pharmacology)
Bryan Anthony 12
Jessica Bjorklund 9
Mary Campbell 2
Marv Meyers 14
Jon Oliva 11
Mike Prinsen 13
Megh Singh 5
Fran Sverdrup 7
Deena Tajfirouz 6
Matt Yates 10
Ying Yu 4
Lena Zhang 1
14
12
16
15
13
11
7
9
8
6
10
3
2
1
5
4
Poised for Discovery
In this section of Grand
Rounds we usually feature
profiles of individual School
of Medicine researchers who
are leaders in their particular
concentration. In this issue,
however, we focus on a team
of specially trained scientists
dedicated to the discovery and
development of safe, effective
and affordable therapies for
neglected diseases in the developing world, as well as rare
and orphan diseases.
Transformational
Drug Hunters
When pharmaceutical giant
Pfizer Inc. announced in 2009
that it was closing its research
center in Chesterfield, Mo.,
Peter Ruminski felt he had to
act quickly or see a team of
talented scientists scatter to
the four winds.
“We had a team of
researchers with more than
The Targets
Malaria
Sickle cell disease
Diarrhea
Pulmonary fibrosis
Worm parasites
Retinal diseases
Chagas disease
Sleeping sickness
Tuberculosis
200 years of
combined experience in translating basic science discoveries into clinically
useful drug candidates,” said
Ruminski, a former Pfizer scientist who worked on a range
of biological targets including oncology, inflammation,
anemia, metabolic disease and
immunology. “Our team possesses the entire range of skill
14 sets necessary for drug
discovery — from medicinal
chemistry and structure-based
drug design through in vitro
and in vivo pharmacology.”
Ruminski proposed that
these team members redirect
their specialized skills, training
and extensive pharmaceutical
experience toward developing compounds for diseases
that the
big pharmaceutical
companies
typically don’t explore
because they lack
significant commercial
opportunity. These
would include neglected
diseases, such as malaria
and childhood diarrhea in
developing countries; as well
as orphan diseases such as
sickle cell disease and pulmonary fibrosis.
“We would use our skills
to look for new drugs with
new mechanisms of action
for diseases that have few,
if any therapeutic options,”
Ruminski said. “For example,
some parasitic diseases are
treated with older drugs that
often have side effects worse
than the disease itself. And
pulmonary fibrosis is a fatal
disease that lacks any effective
therapy.”
Ruminski thought SLU
would be a good fit for this
novel drug discovery team
not only because he earned
his undergraduate degree in
chemistry from SLU in 1975,
but because the University
strives to improve the health
of those most in need.
“Our team’s mission is
aligned with the overall mission of SLU,” he said.
Joel Eissenberg, Ph.D, associate dean for research, was
at the table when Ruminski
made his pitch to School of
Medicine faculty.
“The idea of creating a
core of around 15 industryexperienced drug hunters who
represent all key areas of drug
development is transformative,” Eissenberg said. “They
even have considerable expertise in patent protection. No
other university has a center
like this.”
With a $5 million, two-year
investment from SLU and $5
million in donated equipment
from Pfizer, the Center for
World Health and Medicine
(CWHM) was founded on
the third floor of the Edward
A. Doisy Research Center in
2010.
Embedded
Part of Eissenberg’s job since
then has been to network
the center into the School of
Medicine so that basic scientists and clinicians who have
been sitting on ideas for drug
development can avail themselves of the CWHM’s expertise. The center’s team leaders
have academic appointments
in basic science departments
and attend faculty meetings.
It did not take long for the
School of Medicine’s basic
scientists to tap their skills.
The center’s scientists regu-
larly provide expert consultations with faculty interested
in drug screening and the
development of lead compounds for improved efficacy
and drug-like qualities. They
have established numerous
collaborative projects with
faculty in the departments of
biochemistry and molecular
biology; molecular microbiology and immunology; internal
medicine and pediatrics.
A Bigger Piece of the Pie
Another benefit of embedding
the CWHM within the School
of Medicine, Eissenberg said,
is that it can enhance the
school’s ability to attract grant
money.
“The expertise and equipment the center brought
to the medical school have
enabled researchers to write
several grant proposals that
a year ago were not possible
due to lack of intellectual or
material resources,” he said.
“Pediatrics, for example, was
able to submit a grant proposal to study neonatal testing
for (the inherited metabolic
disorder) mucopolysaccharidosis because of the sophisticated mass spectrometers
Pfizer donated. In these days
of tight grant dollars, anything
that gives you an edge is a
good thing.”
He also expects the
center’s presence will help
the school retain and attract
highly qualified faculty and
become a magnet for medical
students, who are offered
research electives with the
CWHM.
Creating Leverage
In addition to collaborating
with the School of Medicine
community, the center is
making connections across
campus. Because many children in impoverished regions
of the world succumb to
disease in large part due to
severe malnutrition and lack
of clean water, the CWHM is
aligning with the SLU School
of Public Health in attempt to
improve health outcomes in
impoverished areas not only
with potential drug therapies
but also with mechanisms for
clean water, better sanitation,
proper nutrition and education.
“We can have a sense
of fulfillment by developing a new drug therapy for a
neglected disease, but if our
ultimate goal is to improve
health outcomes and save the
lives of children, then we have
to look at the whole picture,”
Ruminski said.
Also within the past year,
the CWHM has established
several significant global collaborations with individual
disease experts throughout
the world and is:
Partnering with and has
received funding from the
Institute for One World
Health to develop anti-secretory therapies for acute
childhood diarrhea.
Partnering with the Drug
Discovery and Development Centre at the
University of Cape Town,
South Africa, to synthesize and repurpose known
clinical compounds for
diseases that affect the poor
in developing countries,
including new therapies for
malaria and TB.
Partnering with China’s
Guangzhou Institutes of
Biomedicine and Health
(the equivalent to the National Academy of Sciences
in the United States) on a
new target for the treatment of malaria.
Collaborating with
Dalhousie University in
Nova Scotia on advancing
Grand Rounds 15
promising therapies for
two orphan retinal diseases:
familial exudative vitreoretinopathy and retinopathy of
prematurity, both of which
can lead to severe vision
malfunction and blindness.
“Leveraging these partnerships is the reason we can
tackle several diseases,” Ruminski said. “The center itself
may have a limited number
of scientists, but combining
our pharmaceutical expertise
with this global network of
disease experts and institutions that we have established
creates a powerful engine for
new therapeutic opportunities.
We have created a network of
mutually beneficial relationships.”
Hedging Your Bets
The CWHM is rapidly attracting international attention for
its mission and capabilities.
The next step is attracting
philanthropic support.
Ruminski spends a good
deal of his time presenting the
center’s mission to philanthropic organizations. He
points out to potential donors
that investing in the center is
investing in a global network,
and because of the scope of
diseases it is tackling, such
philanthropy can make a difference in the timely discovery
of a new therapy for those in
need.
“If we combine good
science with good hypotheses
and aim at several targets,
something is going to hit,”
Ruminski said. “Donating to
our center increases your odds
of being part of something
that will improve the health
and well-being of the world’s
most vulnerable patients.”
»For more information about
SLU’s Center for World Health
and Medicine, go to cwhm.org.
Anesthesiology
Emergency Medicine
Nathaniel Brown
Peter Anaradian
University of Colorado School of
Medicine-Denver
Christopher Der
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center-Calif.
Ashton Dykert
University of Southern California
Jonathan Feldstein
New York University School of
Medicine
Alison Goldberger
Mt. Sinai Hospital-N.Y.
Stephen Gregory
Duke University Medical Center-N.C.
Seth Hanley
Mayo School of Graduate Medical
Education-Ariz.
Bradley Kelsheimer
University of Oklahoma College of
Medicine
Kathleen Knapp
Mayo School of Graduate Medical
Education-Ariz.
Edward Kuntz
Saint Louis University School of
Medicine
Vincent Lin
University of California-Irvine
Medical Center
Neil Malhotra
Rush University Medical Center-Ill.
Nicholas Meier
Medical College of Wisconsin
Affiliated Hospitals
Jack Ruff
Jackson Memorial Hospital-Fla.
Gregory Smith
University of Utah Affiliated
Hospitals
Dermatology
Grant Ghahramani
University of Iowa Hospitals and
Clinics
Chi Tran
University of Kansas School of
Medicine-Kansas City
Nicholas Uffelmann
Southern Illinois University School
of Medicine and Affiliated Hospitals
University of Nebraska Affiliated
Hospitals
Emily King
UIC/Illinois Masonic FMR
Ryan McDowell
Timothy Oh
Huntington Memorial Hospital-Calif.
Mitesh Patel
Sean Cavanaugh
Nicholas Moore
Saint Louis University School of
Medicine
Kevin Cullison
Tina Toosky
Kaiser Permanente-Los Angeles
Barnes-Jewish Hospital
Barnes-Jewish Hospital
Grant Gerdelman
Saint Louis University School of
Medicine
Natalie Hoover
Loma Linda University-Calif.
Semeon Krits
Saint Louis University School of
Medicine
Sean Nguyen
University of Washington Affiliated
Hospitals
Christopher Schultz
University of Connecticut Health
Center
David Sprowls
Saint Louis University School of
Medicine
Michelle Storkan
Saint Louis University School of
Medicine
Family Medicine
Jessica Anewalt
Mountain Area Health Education
Center-N.C.
Michael Barker
Idaho State University
Brooke Benson
Trident Medical Center-S.C.
Nicholas D’Angelo
Jackson Memorial Hospital-Fla.
Cox Medical Centers-Mo.
Mercy Hospital St. Louis
Contra Costa Regional Medical
Center-Calif.
Internal Medicine
Max Bastow
Exempla Saint Joseph Hospital-Colo.
Kirsten Brandt
Stanford University Programs-Calif.
Matthew Champion
New York-Presbyterian Hospital
Columbia University Medical Center
Lucy Cho
Rush University Medical Center
William Croskey
Kaiser Permanente-San Franciso
Alon Dor
University of Massachusetts Medical
School
Jeffrey Dueker
Oregon Health and Science University
Tim Dunn
Stanford University Programs-Calif.
Christopher Force
University of Texas Health Science
Center-San Antonio
Tana Gegen
Maine Medical Center
Matthew Hoegh
University of Colorado School of
Medicine
Wei-Hsien Hou
Kavya Reddy
Evan Sacolick
Boston University Medical CenterMass.
Jennifer Schmidt
Medical College of Wisconsin
Affiliated Hospitals
Solmaz Shayan
Abbott Northwestern-Minn.
Trevor Smith
University of Utah Affiliated
Hospitals
Tukisa Smith
SUNY Health Science CenterBrooklyn
Meera Sridharan
Mayo School of Graduate Medical
Education-Minn.
Stuart Thomas
Kaiser Permanente-San Francisco
Humza Waheed
University Hospitals-Columbia, Mo.
Kathryn Ward
David Grant-Travis AFB-Calif.
Saint Louis University School of
Medicine
Internal Medicine/Psychiatry
Lindsey Enoch
University of California Davis
Medical Center
Yulian Khagi
Temple University Hospital-Pa.
Elizabeth Harleston
Mercy Hospital St. Louis
Carolinas Medical Center
McLeod Regional Medical Center-S.C.
Daniel Jones
University of Colorado School of
Medicine
Aleksandr Lanis
Loma Linda University-Calif.
University of Texas Medical SchoolHouston
Michael Talerico
Amir Orandi
Michael Moritz
Saint Louis University School of
Medicine
Hospital of the University of
Pennsylvania
Pamela Frazzini
Otolaryngology
Christina Gonzalez
Saint Louis University School of
Medicine
University of Texas Medical SchoolHouston
Rush University Medical Center-Ill.
University of Colorado School of
Medicine-Denver
Kara Konys
Case Western/MetroHealth Medical
Center-Ohio
Alison Masud
Madigan Army Medical Center-Wash.
Lopa Pandya
University of Chicago Medical
Center
Tiffany Perry
Maricopa Medical Center-Ariz.
Stephanie Pickett
Barnes-Jewish Hospital
Claire Schultz
University of Colorado School of
Medicine-Denver
Jordan Stevens
Louisianna State University School
of Medicine-New Orleans
Sinai Hospital-Baltimore
Brianna Whittemore
University of Arkansas-Little Rock
Aubrey Zimmermann
University of Missouri Kansas City
Programs
Edward Yap
Jaya Badhwar
University of North Carolina
Hospitals
Daniel Mitzel
Dina Galperin
University of Colorado School of
Medicine
MATCH
2012
Winnie Lau
Stanford University Programs-Calif.
Patrick Nicholson
University of Utah Affiliated
Hospitals
Komal Rastogi
Baylor College of Medicine-Houston
The Redbird Club at Busch
Stadium was packed with
friends, family and fourth-year
SLU medical students at the
2012 Match Day event. The
annual event pairs medical students with residency locations in
an emotion-filled celebration.
Ohio State University Medical Center
Peter El Masry
Ophthalmology
Neurology
Medical College of Wisconsin
Affiliated Hospitals
Larry Ngo
Shahin Manoochehri
Kevin Mak
University of Southern California
Nicole Meschbach
Vandana Vangimalla
Sarah Gebauer
Jessica Grass
Scott Ballmann
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Amanda Thomas
Neurological Surgery
New York-Presbyterian HospitalWeill Cornell Medical Center
Kanika Mathur
Eileen DuFaux
University of Texas Medical SchoolHouston
Saint Louis University School of
Medicine
Indiana University School of
Medicine
Internal Medicine/Pediatrics
Gabriel Dunn
Mark Hwang
Stella Lee
Elizabeth Alabi
University of Washington Affiliated
Hospitals
Saint Louis University School of
Medicine
Grand Rapids Medical Education
Partners-Mich.
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Duke University Medical Center
Michelle Boyce
University of Kansas School of
Medicine-Kansas City
Reena Gupta
Tulane University-La.
Zachary Seagrave
Stroger/Cook County HospitalChicago
Catherine Thuruthumaly
Barnes-Jewish Hospital
Jill Zaveri
Rush University Medical Center-Ill.
Orthopaedic Surgery
Jessica Degnan
Georgia Health Sciences University
Einstein/Montefiore Medical CenterN.Y.
St. Louis Children’s Hospital
David Johnson
Duke University Medical Center-N.C.
Annie Ko
Robert Peterson
Saint Louis University School of
Medicine
Ashley Schaffer
Kaiser Permanente-Los Angeles
Jackson Memorial Hospital-Fla.
Arsalan Siddiqui
Kaveh Karimnejad
University of Medicine and Dentistry
of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School-Piscataway
Richard Tsai
Priya Kesarwani
Rebekah Soto
University of Connecticut Health
Center
Alexander Limjuco
Laura Stabin
Jeffrey Steitz
Michael Um
University of Rochester/Strong
Memorial Hospital-N.Y.
West Virginia University School of
Medicine
University of Louisville School of
Medicine
Pathology-Anatomic and Clinical
University of Florida College of
Medicine-Shands Hospital
New York University School of
Medicine
Childrens Hospital-Oakland, Calif.
Tatyana Vayngortin
Childrens Hospital-Los Angeles
Anne Marie Amacher
Physical Medicine
and Rehabilitation
Nam Ku
Kevin Jiang
Barnes-Jewish Hospital
UCLA Medical Center-Calif.
Rebecca Linn
Loyola University Medical Center-Ill.
Psychiatry
Michael Nguyen
University Hospital-Cincinnati
Lacey Winchester
Vanderbilt University Medical
Center-Tenn.
Matthew Colburn
Monica Mitcheff
Northwestern McGaw/NMH/
VA-Ill.
Neeta Shenai
UPMC Medical Education-Pa.
Pediatrics
Nima Sheth
Kyleen Carpenter
University of Utah Affiliated
Hospitals
University of Illinois College of
Medicine-Chicago
Brandon Smith
Kimberly Eisenstein
Einstein/Beth Israel Medical CenterN.Y.
Dana Fuchs
Matthew Taylor
Phoenix Childrens Hospital
University of Minnesota Medical
School
Erica Glenn
Childrens Hospital-Oakland, Calif.
Neal Hartman
Phoenix Childrens Hospital
Megan Jacobs
Childrens Hospital-Oakland, Calif.
Sarah King
Childrens Hospital Philadelphia
Anna Marie Labaro
Advocate Christ Medical
Center-Ill.
Gloria Lehmann
St. Louis Children’s Hospital
Cristina Lilagan
Baylor College of Medicine-Houston
Johns Hopkins Hospital-Md.
Surgery-General
Elizabeth Bassett
Harbor UCLA Medical Center
Dustin Carpenter
New York-Presbyterian HospitalColumbia University Medical Center
Scott Hardouin
University of Missouri Kansas City
Programs
Bret Johnson
University of Texas Southwestern
Medical School
Rush University Medical Center
Antonio Lozada
University of Kansas School of
Medicine-Kansas City
Melissa Ruhlman
University of Nebraska Affiliated
Hospitals
Tracy Sambo
St. Joseph Hospital-Ill.
Jeffrey Scott
Washington Hospital Center-D.C.
Marcos Teran
St. Joseph’s Hospital-Ariz.
Transitional Year
Christopher Allen
Naval Medical Center-San Diego
Radiation Oncology
Sahaja Acharya
Urology
Radiology-Diagnostic
University of Kansas School of
Medicine-Kansas City
Barnes-Jewish Hospital
Serena Chacko
Case Western/University HospitalsCase Medical Center-Ohio
Benjamin Frederick
Travis Dum
Daniel Sackman
Oregon Health and Science
University
University Hospitals-Columbia, Mo.
Vascular Surgery
Rahul Garg
Thomas Loh
University of Medicine and Dentistry
of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School-Piscataway
Far Left | Lopa Pandya (left) poses with friends Pooja Merai
and Sreeya Yalamanchali. Lopa matched with the University of Chicago. She
will specialize in obstetrics and gynecology.
Right | Jeff Steitz (left) celebrates with brothers Kevin,
Tim (Law ’10) and David all showing their SLU pride in matching Billiken ties.
Jeff will be an ear, nose and throat specialist at the University of Louisville.
Justin Winn
Alex Li
Northwestern McGaw/NMH/
VA-Ill.
Stanford University Programs-Calif.
Barnes-Jewish Hospital
Grand Rounds 17
Methodist Hospital-Houston
AlumniPulse
for sick children abroad,
including those injured in the
2004 earthquake and tsunami
in Indonesia.
Members of the Class of 1951 at the Saint Louis Woman’s Club.
Scenes from
Reunion 2011
A record number of alumni
returned to the Medical
Center in October for
Reunion 2011. They were
drawn, perhaps, by the
opportunity to tour the newly
opened Health Sciences
Education Union and nearby
Medical Center Stadium.
More than 225 alumni
attended the annual Alumni
Reunion Dinner in the Wool
Alumni Merit Award
William Sears, M.D. (’66)
Sears received the award for
exemplifying the Jesuit ideals
of leadership and service
through his more than 35
years of caring for sick
children. Sears has a private
practice in San Clemente,
Calif., and is an associate clinical professor of pediatrics at
the University of CaliforniaIrvine School
of Medicine.
He has written
more than
40 books on
children, been a
guest on more
Sears
than 100 television shows and is a consultant for national parenting
magazines. He also has cared
Kabance Photo
School of Medicine
Pioneer Award
Dean Emerita Patricia L.
Monteleone, M.D. (’61)
Monteleone was recognized
for outstanding contributions
to her profession and for
blazing a new path for others
to follow. A compassionate
pediatrician, Monteleone held
several leadership positions
within the School of Medicine before being appointed
dean in 1994. She managed
tremendous growth during
her tenure, including the
establishment of the Saint
Louis University Liver Center,
the Clinical Simulation Center, the Center
for Outcomes
Research, the
Clinical Trials
Center and
formation of
the SLUCare
Monteleone
physician
practice. Research funding
increased substantially during
her leadership years, and she
oversaw construction of the
Edward A. Doisy Research
Center. Following her retirement in 2008, the University
dedicated Monteleone Hall
on Grand Boulevard in honor
of her years of service.
Kabance Photo
Ballroom at the Busch
Student Center and, for
the first time, the Alumni
Association presented three
Although retired after more
than 30 years of practicing internal medicine,
Fogarty continues to serve his
community as a
volunteer physician at Casa de
Salud, a health
Fogarty
center for uninsured immigrants in St. Louis
(see Casa de Salud expansion
story on page 4). Before that,
Fogarty volunteered at La
Clinica, a health center serving the Latino community.
The American College of
Physicians Missouri Chapter
has honored Fogarty three
times for his volunteerism. In
2009, the Institute for Family
Medicine recognized Fogarty
for making significant and
unselfish contributions to
the health care of the disadvantaged. Fogarty’s commitment to service goes beyond
St. Louis. He also volunteers
annually on medical missions
to Guatemala.
Fr. Lawrence Biondi greets medical
alumni at the Reunion Dinner.
Don’t forget Reunion 2012
Oct. 18-20
celebrating the classes of
2007, 2002, 1997, 1992, 1987,
1982, 1977, 1972, 1967, 1962,
1957, 1952 and earlier.
alumni awards.
To view more photos from the
2011 Med Reunion, visit the Image
Galleries section of the School of Medicine
website at medschool.slu.edu/alumni.
Alumni Association
Community Service Award
William Fogarty, M.D. (’60)
Members of the Class of 1991 gathered at Scape American Bistro.
From Your Alumni
Association President
Top | Chen, Doisy and Jones take a
break between back-to-back surgeries
Bottom | Edward Doisy III, M.D.,
performing one of several Mission
Cataract surgeries.
Edward J. O’Brien Jr., M.D. (’67)
Greetings, fellow alumni. We
had another successful year
at the medical school. Our
seniors recently experienced
the famous match process and
are about to embark on training in their chosen specialties.
Students in the first- through
third-year classes move on
with great expectations and
enthusiasm.
Our Alumni Association
has scheduled another busy
year of hosting local and
national receptions. Refer to
the schedule in this section of
Grand Rounds or go online.
For classes of years ending in
2s and 7s, watch for mailings
regarding your reunion: Oct.
18-20. There will be an excellent program of receptions,
visitations, tours and CME.
In addition, your specific
class will host events. We urge
all members of the 2 and 7
reunion classes to become
involved. Volunteer as a class
agent or organizer, engage a
classmate with a phone call
or email, but above all return
to the Medical Center in
October. This
past reunion
was a resounding success, with
those who had
not been back
to the campus
O’Brien
in several years
amazed at the improved appearance and new construction of research, teaching and
recreational facilities.
Recognized in this section of Grand Rounds are
the medical school’s award
winners for 2011.The School
of Medicine is proud of our
awardees, who are outstanding
examples of graduates living
the mission.
Living the Mission Clarity of Purpose
For 40 years Kenneth Barker
hauled across the country just
about every dry commodity
he could fit in his semi –
electronics, cereal, canned
goods, paper products. For
half of those years his wife,
Luanne, was his co-pilot.
Their business took a hit
when the economy slumped,
but they managed to make
a living until the summer of
2011, when Kenneth developed cataracts in both eyes.
“I figured my driving days
were done,” said Barker, of
Litchfield, Ill. “I’m self employed with no insurance. We
had enough money saved to
fix one eye, but not both.”
Luanne was calling agencies and looking for help
online when she came across
Mission Cataract, an annual
event offered by Illinois Eye
Surgeons (IES) in Maryville,
Ill. One Saturday each fall,
IES ophthalmologists, technicians and staff donate their
time to restoring vision to
patients who otherwise could
not afford cataract surgery.
Edward Doisy III, M.D.
(Res ’76), started Mission
Cataract in his private practice
20 years ago and brought
the program with him when
he joined IES last year. On
his own, Doisy performed
seven-to-eight free cataract
surgeries as part of the annual
mission, but with the larger
practice group, he and the
other IES surgeons were able
to perform 28 in 2011.
The surgeons choose patients based on financial need
and the severity of vision loss.
Patients have traveled from as
far away as Wisconsin for the
free surgery.
“It’s an exhilarating day,”
Doisy said. “We’re getting
people back to work, back to
a more normal lifestyle and
they’re very thankful.”
Making the most of the
practice’s one operating room,
Wen Chen, M.D. (Res ‘75),
began performing surgeries at 6:30 a.m. followed by
Doisy and then IES managing partner, Michael P. Jones,
M.D. (’03), who participated
in Mission Cataract for the
first time.
Grand Rounds Saint Louis University School of Medicine
“We’re the largest eye-care
provider in southern Illinois,”
he said. “While there are
benefits that come with that,
there also are responsibilities.
We have an obligation to give
back to the community. We
see it as our mission to take
care of patients who can’t
afford surgery. In this case, it’s
life-changing surgery. They’re
literally blind today and can
see tomorrow.”
Jones, who also works as a
consultant for the ophthalmic
pharmaceutical firm Alcon,
waived his consulting fees in
exchange for donated supplies.
“Mission Cataract is an
expensive day, and it wouldn’t
be possible if Alcon didn’t
donate all the lenses and
equipment,” he said.
Jones also believes in
giving back to the School of
Medicine. Throughout the
year he lectures at SLU and
accepts SLU residents into
his practice. He invited two
residents, Chris Pole and Jennifer Thompson, to take part
in Mission Cataract surgeries
in 2011. They spent the morning observing surgical styles
and the afternoon performing
surgery.
“It’s a win-win situation,”
Jones said. “The residents get
exposure to high-volume cataract surgery they otherwise
wouldn’t get in an academic
practice, and our patients
benefit from their skill. The
residents also get to experience the high of giving back,
which is something you hope
will stick with them throughout their careers.”
As for Kenneth Barker, his
surgery went well and he was
back on the road with a full
load three days after Mission
Cataract.
19
John H. Gladney, M.D.
1922-2011
John H. Gladney, M.D., professor emeritus of otolaryngology, died in November at
the age of 89.
Dr. Gladney practiced
medicine in St. Louis for 37
years as a private
physician and
faculty member
in the School of
Medicine. He
was a trailblazer,
both in the field
Gladney
of otolaryngology and at SLU. Dr. Gladney
was one of the first African
American otolaryngologists
in the United States post-WW
II, the first African American to lead a department of
otolaryngology in the country
and the first African American chair of a basic science
or clinical department in the
medical school.
Mark Varvares, M.D.,
holder of the Donald and
Marlene Jerome Endowed
Chair in Otolaryngology
- Head and Neck Surgery,
said that Dr. Gladney fought
prejudice to obtain proper
education and medical training
in the segregated South, and
to practice in the Midwest. He
found support at SLU, where
he became an advocate for
under-represented minorities.
His legacy lives on through
the Gladney Diversity Award,
an annual award given to
fourth-year medical students
who have contributed to the
promotion and advancement
of diversity within the School
of Medicine.
“Dr. Gladney has been a
mentor and role model for
so many community physicians of many cultures, black
and white. He will be greatly
missed for his wonderful
personality, academic achieve-
ments and influences on SLU
and the medical community
as a whole,” said Michael
Railey, M.D., associate dean
multicultural affairs.
Robert K. Dorton, M.D. (’65)
1933-2011
Robert K. Dorton, M.D., a
former clinical professor of
internal medicine, died in
December at the age of 78.
Dr. Dorton’s medical
career started and ended
at the School of Medicine.
He completed his residency
and a postdoctoral research
fellowship at SLU in 1965.
He taught at SLU for nearly
40 years. He was honored by
the Missouri Medical Society
and the American College of
Physicians for his service to
the University.
“One of the most notable
things about Dr. Dorton
was his involvement and
commitment to Saint Louis
University,” said Raymond
Slavin, M.D., clinical director
of allergy and professor of
internal medicine at SLU. “He
was a very busy community
physician, yet he remained
involved at SLU throughout
his career, and even after he
retired from private practice. He was a dedicated and
effective teacher. In addition
to serving as a preceptor for
third-year medical students,
he taught physical diagnosis.
He was just terrific, loyal as
can be.”
Dr. Dorton was well
known in the community. He
had a successful private practice and served as president
of the medical staffs at St.
Mary’s Health Center and the
former Deaconess Hospital. He also served terms
as president of both the St.
Louis Internist Club and the
St. Louis Society of Internal
Medicine.
Dermott Smith, M.D. (’49)
1924-2012
Dermott Smith, M.D., professor emeritus of psychiatry
and director of undergraduate psychiatric education, died
in January at the age of 87.
Dr. Smith had been a
longtime employee, who
joined the University in
1958 as assistant dean of the
School of Medicine and assistant professor of psychiatry.
A teacher who was known for
his compassion, Dr. Smith
became professor emeritus of
psychiatry and human behavior in 1993.
“He was a prince of a
guy. I don’t know of a single
colleague who
didn’t love
Dermott Smith,”
said Raymond
Tait, Ph.D., vice
president for
research and
Smith
professor of
psychiatry. “He was respected
by all, and no one ever questioned whether he had the
interests of others at heart.
Dermott was a master at
finding win-win solutions for
what appeared to be meddlesome problems. The world is
a better place for having had
him in it.”
George Grossberg, M.D.,
director of the division of
geriatric psychiatry and one
of Dr. Smith’s students who
became a colleague, said Dr.
Smith recognized the power
of helping patients in emotional distress.
“He was inspirational
and loved doing what he was
doing,” Grossberg said. “He
influenced many medical students to become psychiatrists
because they saw how much
he cared for patients and how
much he did to help patients
in emotional distress. He focused his energy on teaching
and clinical care.”
Dr. Smith was modest and
humble, led by example and
was dedicated to the profession of psychiatry, Grossberg
said. Dr. Smith won every
teaching reward in the department, multiple times.
“He really was extremely
loyal to SLU and the medical
school. He was the kind of
person that the chair could always count on to take on any
delicate task in the department,” Grossberg said. “He
was a wonderful human being
and never had a bad thing to
say about anyone.”
Dr. Smith discovered his
love of psychiatry while in the
military during World War II,
when he was sent to counsel
soldiers who had suffered severe emotional trauma on the
battle front, Grossberg said.
Manuel R. Comas, M.D.
1935-2012
Manuel R. Comas, M.D., an
obstetrician/gynecologist and
medical school administrator
from 1975 to 1998, died in
March at the age of 76.
Dr. Comas was a key
member of the School of
Medicine administrative team,
serving as associate dean for
admissions and
students from
1980 to 1998.
He held previous administrative positions
at the medical
Comas
school: associate
and assistant dean for students
and post-graduate trainees and
financial officer for student
loans and scholarships.
William Mootz, M.D.,
assistant dean for curriculum
and professor of internal
medicine, said Dr. Comas was
warm and positive, helping
medical students with any of
their struggles — from finding a residency to dealing with
a difficult family problem.
20 Grand Rounds Saint Louis University School of Medicine
“He was a great student
advocate, always working to
help students succeed in their
careers,” Mootz said.
Dr. Comas went out of
his way to assist students who
were not accepted to SLU’s
medical school in strengthening their applications so they
might get into medical school
in the future, Mootz said.
He also was one of
the principal architects of
the SLU Medical Scholars
Program, a highly selective
program that places incoming freshmen who know they
want to become doctors, on
an early-admissions track for
SLU School of Medicine.
markyourcalendar
In Memoriam
James ‘Wendell’ Davis, Ph.D.
1927-2011
James “Wendell” Davis,
Ph.D., died in December at
the age of 84.
Dr. Davis taught and conducted research for 40 years
as a professor of biochemistry and molecular biology.
After 30 years of teaching, he
launched a second career at
SLU. He led the creation of
the Office of Environmental
Safety, which he directed for
nine years until retiring in
1997. Dr. Davis was recognized around campus for his
trademark red lab coat, which
he wore when responding to
environmental safety issues.
“Dr. Davis was an excellent mentor, warm and caring
to all of his staff, and very
fair,” said Mark Haenchen,
who was hired by Dr. Davis
as a radiation safety officer in
1992 and currently is director
of the Office of Environmental Health and Safety.
“He led by example. He
trusted his staff to function
independently but was always
helpful if you needed him.
He stayed in touch after his
retirement, including after he
and his wife Dottie relocated
to Maine.”
School of Medicine Alumni Events
April 21
Health Resource Center Auction
April 26
John H. Gladney, M.D., Diversity Award Reception
April 29
Pediatrics/Alumni Reception – Boston
May 18
School of Medicine Precommencement
June 18-20
Aug. 5
Oct. 18-20
New Resident Orientations and Welcome Barbecue
White Coat Ceremony
Medical Alumni Reunion Weekend
Continuing Medical Education Programs
July 20-22
Aug. 9-1119th Annual Advanced Techniques in Cervical Spine Decompression and
Stabilization
Sept. 7-8
Sept. 28-30
Oct. 5-6
Oct. 11-13
Impact of Fiber Dissection for Intrinsic Brain Tumor Surgery
Oct. 19-20
Reconstructive Surgery of the Larynx and Cervical Trachea
Oct. 25-28
Endoscopic Ear Surgery and Advanced Otology Workshop
Nov. 8 -10
Innovative and Advanced Techniques in Lumbar Spine Surgery
Nov. 15-18
Hair Restoration Surgery
Nov. 30-Dec. 2
Cosmetic Blepharoplasty and Fundamentals of Face Lift
New Techniques in Minimally Invasive and Robotic Colorectal Surgery
Advanced Techniques in Facial Rejuvenation
Upper Abdominal and Bowel Surgery Cadaver Course
Craniofacial Surgery and Transfacial Approaches to the Skull Base
information on alumni events, please contact the Alumni Relations
For
Office at 314-977-8335 or visit medschool.slu.edu/alumni/.
For information on the CME programs, please call the SLU School of
Medicine continuing medical education office at 314-977-7401.
Show your school colors See updates and details about Practical Anatomy and Surgical Education www.clubcolors.com/slu Workshop programs at medschool.slu.edu/cme/.
Haenchen described
Dr. Davis as a man of integrity who had a strong work
ethic and embraced golf in
retirement. Dedicated to the
future success of the Office
of Environmental Safety,
Dr. Davis
orchestrated a
phased retirement so he was
available to mentor Haenchen
in guiding the
Davis
office, which
provided a smooth transition.
Recruited to Saint Louis
University in 1957 by Edward
A. Doisy, Ph.D., Dr. Davis was
part of the academic team
that taught nearly every course
offered by the biochemistry department to graduate students.
Sam J. Merenda, M.D. (’39)
Robert Donley, M.D. (’42)
Thomas Simon, M.D. (’45)
Eugene Hall, M.D. (’46)
William McPhee, M.D. (’47)
Lawrence Patterson, M.D. (’47)
David Utz, M.D. (’50)
Daniel Loehrer, M.D. (’51)
Jefferson Edwards, M.D. (’52)
Paul Revare, M.D. (’54)
Adolph Wood, M.D. (’55)
James Marsh, M.D. (’56)
Donita Sullivan, M.D. (’56)
William Wagner, M.D. (’57)
William Gedney, M.D. (’58)
Martin Fundenberger, M.D. (’60)
Donald G. Spalding Jr., M.D. (’60)
Hideo Kageyama, M.D. (’61)
Charles Wieland, M.D. (’61)
David Kramp, M.D. (’62)
Robert Skinner, M.D. (’62)
Daniel Stechschulte, M.D. (’62)
Charles Brown, M.D. (’63)
Susan Chung, M.D. (‘64)
Neal Jewell, M.D. (’68)
John Alexander, M.D. (’70)
Donald Nakonechny, M.D. (’71)
Michael Yanik, M.D. (’74)
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
St. Louis, MO
Permit No. 134
One N. Grand Blvd., Salus 609
St. Louis, MO 63103
Address Service Requested
Giving really does
change lives.
“I want to ensure that
someone who has the
ability to be a physician
has the opportunity
to be graduated from
the Saint Louis University
School of Medicine.”
Though the amounts and
the reasons may vary,
there’s one thing all gifts
have in common: Together
they make a world of
difference to Saint Louis
University.
Make your gift by using
the envelope enclosed in
this issue of Grand Rounds
or online by visiting
giving.slu.edu.
If you’ve already made a
gift to SLU, thank you.
Please visit
giving.slu.edu/igive
and tell us your
reason for giving.
Dr. Robert R. MacDonald (’61)