HMS Faculty Council Proceedings

Clifford Tabin and David Altshuler, members of the Human Genetics Advisory Committee, began the June 13 Faculty Council meeting with a presentation on its progress and its proposal for the University-wide Committee on Human Genetics, which will be submitted to the Harvard University Science and Engineering Committee (HUSEC) this fall.

Tabin, head of the Department of Genetics, said the advisory committee members have addressed how to unite education, research, and faculty recruitment and retention across the University, which aligns with the goals of HUSEC. Harvard has taken a step toward collaboration by hiring a coordinator to gather and disseminate information via a website on human genetics research at Harvard and its affiliates.

Altshuler, HMS associate professor of genetics at Massachusetts General Hospital, reviewed highlights from the draft proposal for the Committee on Human Genetics. The formation of this committee to advance and facilitate the study of human genetics would allow faculty to remain in their respective departments, maintaining connections across disciplines through education, cooperative research, and faculty recruitment. The committee would create an organized structure for faculty searches that would ease recruitment difficulties, particularly in the hospitals, so competitive offers could be made.

The committee would create a human genetics curriculum using newly developed and existing courses. Teaching would be a requirement for membership. The committee hopes to share equipment and create ways to overcome administrative barriers to interinstitutional research. One of its measures of success would be to find a mechanism for a single IRB.

In his presentation, Jules Dienstag, HMS dean for medical education, outlined the changes in the first- and second-year curriculum, including the addition of Medical Ethics and Professionalism and of Social Medicine in the first year and of Health Care Policy in the second year. The Molecular and Cellular Basis of Medicine and Development will also serve as an introduction to histology. The Human Body course will include histology and embryology, and the Immunology and Microbiology course will now include pathology. Second-year students will also have Patient–Doctor II. First-year students will take Clinical Epidemiology and Population Health and The Role of Discovery in Medicine in January.

The Program in Medical Education office gathered feedback from students after the first year of the new curriculum. Courses that scored favorably among students were Introduction to the Profession, Molecular and Cellular Basis of Medicine and Development, Genetics, Clinical Epidemiology and Population Health, and Integrated Human Physiology.

Dienstag indicated that feedback from both students and faculty on the Principal Clinical Experience pilot programs was positive.

Lisa Iezzoni, HMS professor of medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, closed the meeting by thanking Joseph Martin for his ten years as dean and read a letter on behalf of the Faculty Council recalling his commitment to the council and his role in facilitating changes at the Medical School.

Scholars in Medicine Awards Keep Climbing

The Eleanor and Miles Shore 50th Anniversary Fellowship Program for Scholars in Medicine awarded 95 fellowships in a ceremony on Oct. 18, 26 more than last year and the most in the program’s history. Now in its 12th year, Scholars in Medicine was established in 1995 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the admission of women to HMS. The fellowship program helps junior faculty at a point in their careers when teaching, research, applying for grants, publishing, or seeing patients compete for time with increased family or other responsibilities.

Steve Gilbert

Above are fellowship recipient Britta Svoren (left), HMS instructor in pediatrics at Joslin Diabetes Center, with her family and Frederick Lovejoy (right), the William Berenberg professor of pediatrics at Children’s Hospital Boston.

Jeffrey Flier, at his first fellowship celebration as HMS dean, noted that being a junior faculty member is a challenge everyone in academic medicine must confront. “There are many issues: social issues, scientific issues, life management issues, and we’re all very grateful that so many departments, divisions, hospitals, friends, and faculty share the view that it’s an exceptionally important mission to help our junior faculty.”

Recipients also expressed their appreciation for the way the awards help them balance their professional and personal lives, and for the boost they give to careers and self-confidence. “It’s very nice having the funds and support, and knowing that your work is recognized,” said first-time fellow Inna Berin, an HMS instructor in obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive biology at Massachusetts General Hospital, who received the Dorothy Rackemann Fellowship established by Vincent Memorial Hospital/Massachusetts General Hospital. The funding, she said, will allow her to continue her research into ovarian biology.

Each fellowship provides at least $25,000, and more than $3 million was given to junior faculty this year. More than 500 fellowships have been awarded since the first year the fellowships were presented. A complete list of recipients and awards appears below.

Fuensanta Vera Diaz, instructor in ophthalmology, Schepens Eye Research Institute, The Alice J. Adler Fellowship of the Schepens Eye Research Institute

Lisa Goodrich, assistant professor of neurobiology, HMS, The Loreen Arbus Fellowship in Neuroscience (2nd year)

Feroze Mahmood, instructor in anesthesia, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Department of Anesthesia John Hedley-Whyte Research Fellowship

Michael Donnino, instructor in medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Department of Emergency Medicine Fellowship

Parul Bhargava, instructor in pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Department of Pathology Fellowship

Sanjay Shetty, instructor in radiology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Department of Radiology Fellowship

Jane Driver, Instructor in Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital Fellowship

Amanda Fox, instructor in anesthesia, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine Faculty Development Fellowship

Sarah Wiser, instructor in anesthesia, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine Faculty Development Fellowship

Linda Wang, instructor in dermatology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital Department of Dermatology Fellowship

Laura Winterfield, instructor in dermatology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital Department of Dermatology Fellowship

Amado Baez, instructor in medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital Department of Emergency Medicine Faculty Development Fellowship

Suzy Bianco, instructor in medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, The Brigham and Women’s Hospital Faculty Development Award

Zara Cooper, clinical fellow in surgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Minority Career Development Award (2nd year)

Christian Arbelaez, instructor in medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Minority Career Development Award

Cheryl Clark, instructor in medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Minority Career Development Award (2nd year)

J. Keith Joseph, instructor in medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Minority Career Development Awards

Jon Einarsson, assistant professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive biology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital Obstetrics and Gynecology Foundation Fellowship

Kathryn Terry, instructor in obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive biology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital Obstetrics and Gynecology Foundation Fellowship

Ray Anchan, instructor in obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive biology Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital Obstetrics and Gynecology Foundation Fellowship

Keith Downing, instructor in obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive biology Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital Obstetrics and Gynecology Foundation Fellowship

Stacy Melanson, instructor in pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital Department of Pathology Fellowship

Eva Gombos, instructor in radiology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital Department of Radiology Fellowship

Yoon Chun, instructor in surgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital Department of Surgery Junior Fellowship in honor of Robert T. Osteen, MD

Maren Batalden, instructor in medicine, Cambridge Health Alliance, Cambridge Health Alliance Faculty Scholars Award

Nicholas Kontos, instructor in psychiatry, Cambridge Health Alliance, Cambridge Health Alliance Department of Psychiatry Fellowship in honor of Judith L. Herman, MD

Omid Akbari, assistant professor of pediatrics, Children’s Hospital Boston, Children’s Hospital Faculty Career Development Fellowship

Oscar Benavidez Jr., instructor in pediatrics, Children’s Hospital Boston, Children’s Hospital Faculty Career Development Fellowship (2nd year)

Stephen Brown, assistant professor of radiology, Children’s Hospital Boston, Children’s Hospital Faculty Career Development Fellowship (2nd year)

Sarah De Ferranti, instructor in pediatrics, Children’s Hospital Boston, Children’s Hospital Faculty Career Development Fellowship (2nd year)

Amy DiVasta, instructor in pediatrics, Children’s Hospital Boston, Children’s Hospital Faculty Career Development Fellowship

Michela Fagiolini, assistant professor of neurology, Children’s Hospital Boston, Children’s Hospital Faculty Career Development Fellowship

Edda Fiebiger, instructor in pediatrics, Children’s Hospital Boston, Children’s Hospital Faculty Career Development Fellowship (2nd year)

Amy Fleischman, instructor in pediatrics, Children’s Hospital Boston, Children’s Hospital Faculty Career Development Fellowship

Ingeborg Friehs, instructor in surgery, Children’s Hospital Boston, Children’s Hospital Faculty Career Development Fellowship (2nd year)

Hanna Gazda, instructor in pediatrics, Children’s Hospital Boston, Children’s Hospital Faculty Career Development Fellowship (2nd year)

Christopher Hug, assistant professor of pediatrics, Children’s Hospital Boston, Children’s Hospital Faculty Career Development Fellowship

Juan Ibla, instructor in anesthesia, Children’s Hospital Boston, Children’s Hospital Faculty Career Development Fellowship

Andrew Koh, instructor in pediatrics, Children’s Hospital Boston, Children’s Hospital Faculty Career Development Fellowship (2nd year)

X. Sean Li, assistant professor of surgery, Children’s Hospital Boston, Children’s Hospital Faculty Career Development Fellowship (2nd year)

Christine Mrakotsky, instructor in psychology in the Department of Psychiatry, Children’s Hospital Boston, Children’s Hospital Faculty Career Development Fellowship (2nd year)

Lise Nigrovic, instructor in pediatrics, Children’s Hospital Boston, Children’s Hospital Faculty Career Development Fellowship (2nd year)

Annapurna Poduri, instructor in neurology, Children’s Hospital Boston, Children’s Hospital Faculty Career Development Fellowship (2nd year)

Roopali Roy, instructor in surgery, Children’s Hospital Boston, Children’s Hospital Faculty Career Development Fellowship

Asher Schachter, assistant professor of pediatrics, Children’s Hospital Boston, Children’s Hospital Faculty Career Development Fellowship

Judith Steen, assistant professor of neurology, Children’s Hospital Boston, Children’s Hospital Faculty Career Development Fellowship

Daniel Hedequist, assistant professor of orthopedic surgery, Children’s Hospital Boston, The Children’s Hospital Musculoskeletal Career Development Fellowship

Maitreyi Mazumdar, instructor in neurology, Children’s Hospital Boston, Children’s Hospital Boston, Department of Neurology, Faculty Development Fellowship

Jo-Anne Vergilio, instructor in pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Children’s Hospital Pathology Foundation Fellowship

Xiaojin Liu, research fellow in neurology, Children’s Hospital Boston, Children’s Hospital Postdoctoral Career Development Fellowship (2nd year)

Shannon McKinney-Freeman, research fellow in biological chemistry and molecular pharmacology, Children’s Hospital Boston, Children’s Hospital Postdoctoral Career Development Fellowship (2nd year)

Trista North, research fellow in pediatrics, Children’s Hospital Boston, Children’s Hospital Postdoctoral Career Development Fellowship

Sarah Ross, research fellow in neurology, Children’s Hospital Boston, Children’s Hospital Postdoctoral Career Development Fellowship

Virna Sales, instructor in surgery, Children’s Hospital Boston, CIMIT (Center for Integration of Medicine and Innovative Technology) Research Fellowship

Emmanuelle di Tomaso, assistant professor of radiation oncology
Massachusetts General Hospital, Claflin Distinguished Scholar Award (2nd year)

Maria A. Franceschini, assistant professor of radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Claflin Distinguished Scholar Award (2nd year)

Aude Henin, instructor in psychology in the Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Claflin Distinguished Scholar Award

Elizabeth Lamont, assistant professor of medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Claflin Distinguished Scholar Award (2nd year)

Regina LaRocque, instructor in medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Claflin Distinguished Scholar Award

Madhusmita Misra, assistant professor of pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital, Claflin Distinguished Scholar Award (2nd year)

Kathryn Moore, assistant professor of medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Claflin Distinguished Scholar Award (2nd year)

Marielle Scherrer-Crosbie, assistant professor of medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Claflin Distinguished Scholar Award (2nd year)

Antonia Stephen, instructor in surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Claflin Distinguished Scholar Award

Lynda Stuart, instructor in pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital, Claflin Distinguished Scholar Award

Xu Yu, assistant professor of medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Claflin Distinguished Scholar Award

Vanessa Wheeler, assistant professor of neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Claflin Distinguished Scholar Award

Sharon Bober, instructor in psychology in the Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Dana–Farber Cancer Institute, Dana–Farber Cancer Institute Fellowship

Elsie Taveras, assistant professor of ambulatory care and prevention, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Robert H. Ebert, MD Fellowship established by the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation

Ricardo Battaglino, instructor in developmental biology, Forsyth Institute, Forsyth Institute Fellowship

Alysa Doyle, assistant professor of psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School Fellowship in honor of Joseph B. Martin, MD, Ph.D.

Chin-Yu Lin, instructor in developmental biology, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Harvard School of Dental Medicine Fellowship in honor of Aina M. Auskaps, DMD

Christine Vogeli, instructor in medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Priscilla and Richard Hunt Fellowship

Mathew Ruble, clinical instructor in psychiatry, Cambridge Health Alliance, James H. and Susan M. Jackson Academy Fellowship

Britta Svoren, instructor in pediatrics, Joslin Diabetes Center, Joslin Diabetes Center Fellowship in memory of Priscilla White, MD

Heather Baer, instructor in medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Amalie and Edward Kass Fellowship

Aaron Fay, assistant clinical professor of ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary Fellowship

May Pian-Smith, assistant professor of anesthesia, Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Anesthesia Fellowship

N. Stuart Harris, instructor in surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Emergency Medicine Fellowship

Melissa Bender, instructor in medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Medicine Fellowship

Pari Pandharipande, instructor in radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Radiology Fellowship

Martin Hertl, assistant professor of surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Surgery Faculty Development Fellowship

Beth Murphy, clinical instructor in psychiatry, McLean Hospital, McLean Hospital Fellowship

David Brown, instructor in pediatrics, Children’s Hospital Boston, Morgan–Zinsser Academy Fellowship in Medical Educaiton

Todd Thomsen, instructor in medicine, Mt. Auburn Hospital, The Mount Auburn Hospital, Department of Emergency Medicine Faculty Development Fellowship (2nd year)

Meijuan Zhao, instructor in physical medicine and rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, The Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Fellowship

Elizabeth Gaufberg, assistant professor of psychiatry, Cambridge Health Alliance, Curtis Prout Academy Fellowship in Medical Education

Beth-Ann Lesnikoski, instructor in surgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Curtis Prout Academy Fellowship in Medical Education

Richard Haspel, instructor in pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Rabkin Fellowship in Medical Education

Sugantha Sundar, instructor in anesthesia, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Rabkin Fellowship in Medical Education

Carrie Tibbles, instructor in medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Rabkin Fellowship in Medical Education

Amy Weinstein, instructor in medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Rabkin Fellowship in Medical Education

Inna Berin, instructor in reproductive endocrinology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Dorothy Rackemann Fellowship established by the Vincent Memorial Hospital/Massachusetts General Hospital

Faculty Members Named AAAS Fellows

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) has named 417 fellows for 2007, four of them from HMS and one from HSPH. The new fellows, who were selected for their efforts toward advancing scientifically or socially distinguished science applications, will be presented with certificates at the AAAS annual meeting in Boston in February.

Appointed to the section on medical sciences were Joan Brugge, the Louise Foote Pfeiffer professor of cell biology at HMS, for basic research on the initiation and progression of breast cancer and for increasing our understanding of cellular proteins involved in cell proliferation, migration, and survival; Felton Earls, HMS professor of social medicine, for epidemiological studies of causes and consequences of community and family violence on children in Chicago and on the psychosocial impact of HIV/AIDS on children in Tanzania; Tomas Kirchhausen, HMS professor of cell biology at the Immune Disease Institute, for research integrating cellular and structural biology to further our understanding of molecular mechanisms responsible for receptor-mediated endocytosis and secretion in eukaryotic cells; Thomas Rapoport, HMS professor of cell biology, for distinguished contributions to the field of cell biology, particularly understanding the molecular mechanisms that control the architecture of the endoplasmic reticulum; and Walter Willett, the Fredrick John Stare professor of epidemiology and nutrition at HSPH, for distinguished contributions in the field of nutritional epidemiology, with a focus on large prospective studies that examine relationships between diet and breast, colon, and prostate cancer.

Richmond Award Recognizes Mayor Bloomberg

Tony Rinaldo

HSPH presented the 2007 Julius B. Richmond Award to Michael Bloomberg, mayor of New York City. The award, named for former U.S. Surgeon General and HMS professor emeritus of health policy Julius Richmond, is given to those who promote high public health standards among vulnerable populations. Bloomberg has implemented a series of public health initiatives in the city, some of which have drawn widespread attention. He led the call to ban smoking in bars and restaurants and the use of trans fats in restaurant food, which has resulted in similar measures being implemented or considered in other cities worldwide. He established Opportunity NYC, a privately funded pilot program that provides cash incentives to families living in poverty who meet certain conditions, like school attendance, and, along with Boston mayor Thomas Menino, created a coalition of mayors working to keep illegal guns off the streets. Recently, Bloomberg has turned his attention to environmental issues, announcing a 25-year plan to make New York a sustainable city, including a proposal to charge New Yorkers a fee to drive in the city at peak times.

The award was presented at the annual Richmond Lecture on Oct. 29, which included talks by both Richmond and Bloomberg. Above, HSPH dean Barry Bloom, Bloomberg, and HSPH professor Howard Koh display the award.

Flier Honored by Mass. Research Society

To mark Massachusetts Biomedical Research Day on Oct. 21, the Massachusetts Society for Medical Research (MSMR) honored HMS dean Jeffrey Flier and Lita Nelsen, director of MIT’s Technology Licensing Office, with a 2007 Biomedical Research Leader Award in a ceremony at the State House on Oct. 22. Biomedical Research Day was created by the legislature to celebrate the benefits biomedical research provides to the people and economy of Massachusetts, and the award, presented for the first time this year, honors Massachusetts-based scientists for outstanding contributions to biomedical research. Flier was recognized for his investigation into the molecular causes of obesity and diabetes, which includes demonstrating the association between diet-related obesity and the expression of leptin.

Honors and Advances

The North American Menopause Society presented the 2007 Postmenopausal Cardiovascular Research Award to JoAnn Manson, the Elizabeth F. Brigham professor of women’s health at HMS and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, at the society’s annual scientific sessions in Dallas last month. The award honors an individual whose research has advanced the understanding of cardiovascular health in women beyond menopause.

• Robert Novelline, HMS professor of radiology at Massachusetts General Hospital, received the Outstanding Educator award from the Radiological Society of North America, which honors significant and original contributions to radiology and education. Novelline established one of the first emergency radiology residency programs in the early 1980s and is the editor and co-author of Squires Fundamentals of Radiology, a widely used textbook.

• Jerrold Rosenbaum, the Stanley Cobb professor of psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital, has received the 2007 C. Charles Burlingame Award, given by the Institute of Living at Hartford Hospital in Hartford, Conn., in recognition of outstanding leadership and lifetime achievement in psychiatric research and education.

• Thomas Sequist, HMS assistant professor of medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, has been awarded the Association of American Medical College’s Herbert W. Nickens Faculty Fellowship. The award recognizes an outstanding junior faculty member who has demonstrated leadership in addressing inequities in medical education and health care and shown commitment to a career in academic medicine. The recipient receives a $15,000 grant. Sequist is the director of the Four Directions Summer Research Program at HMS, which invites Native American undergraduates to participate in eight-week basic science research projects with HMS faculty members.

• Sanjiv Chopra, HMS professor of medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and the faculty dean for continuing education, was honored with a plaque in recognition of his many years of service and leadership with Pri-Med, a CME provider that offers online courses, live meetings and conferences, and publications to physicians worldwide.

• Laurie Glimcher, the Irene Heinz Given professor of immunology at HSPH, was selected to present the Mellon Lecture at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine’s annual conference, Science2007, on Oct. 12. The Mellon Lecture has been given almost annually since 1915 by a leader in biomedical research; it comes with a $10,000 honorarium.

• RESPOND, Inc., a domestic violence agency, has honored Leslie Halpern, HSDM assistant clinical professor of oral and maxillofacial surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital, with the Timothy White Take a Stand Award. The award honors an individual or institution who has drawn attention to the issue of domestic violence. She has asked to share her award with Thomas Dodson, HSDM associate professor of oral and maxillofacial surgery at MGH.

• Fred Winston, HMS professor of genetics, was recently elected president of the Genetics Society of America for 2008. The GSA supports genetics education through publications and awards, promotes the communication of advances in genetics, and advises policymakers and advocates for research funding.

top