NEWS CAPSULES is a biweekly newsletter for faculty, staff, and students of the Academic Health Center. Please send submissions to Nick Hanson at hans2853@umn.edu.
Wednesday at the Board of Regents meeting, Regent Patricia Simmons plans to introduce a resolution endorsing further analysis of a clinical enterprise that consists of an alliance of the Medical School, University of Minnesota Physicians, and Fairview Health Services. This process will occur over the next several months.
Since the University of Minnesota Medical Center was sold to Fairview in 1997, this relationship has served the Medical School and the AHC well in fulfilling its mission of educating the next generation of health care providers, conducting world-class health research, and providing the highest quality clinical care.
As you all know, the challenges of the health care marketplace, the move toward health care reform at the federal level, and declining state support to the Medical School and the University as a whole necessitates a more efficient and effective clinical enterprise that will support improved quality of care while reducing per capita costs, and will maintain sustainable growth of the clinical enterprise and its support of the education and research mission of the Medical School.
An integrated health system, both functionally and structurally, is a model that has the potential to achieve these goals. Within such a new model, the AHC will continue to meet its obligations to the health of Minnesotans by educating and training the next generation of health providers, creating and disseminating new health care knowledge, and supporting the state’s health industry.
I look forward to a dialogue with the Academic Health Center community to discuss both this integration model and other strategic priorities at a community forum at 8 a.m., Wednesday, July 29, in the Mayo Auditorium. All faculty, staff and students are invited, and I will take your questions.
– Frank B. Cerra, M.D. Sr. Vice President for Health Science Dean of the Medical School
Health food supplement may curb compulsive hair pulling Medical School researchers have discovered that a common anti-oxidant, widely available as a health food supplement, may help stop the urges of those with trichotillomania, a disorder characterized by compulsive hair-pulling.
Early treatment slows progression of eye damage in people with type 1 diabetes Medical School researcher Michael Mauer, M.D., has found a treatment that significantly slows the progression of eye injury in people with type 1 diabetes. By administering an antihypertensive medication commonly prescribed to treat high blood pressure, Mauer and colleagues were able to slow progression of diabetic eye damage in more than 65 percent of participants involved in the study.
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Teens who believe they'll die young are more likely to engage in risky behavior Medical School researcher Iris Borowsky, M.D., Ph.D., and colleagues found that one in seven adolescents believe that it is highly likely that they will die before age 35, and this belief predicted that the adolescents would engage in risky behaviors.
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Bruce Blazar, M.D. (Medical School), has been named a Regents Professor. The Regents Professorship serves as the highest recognition for faculty who have made unique contributions to the quality of the University through exceptional accomplishments in teaching, research, and scholarship or creative work, and contributions to the public good. Once designated a Regents Professor, faculty members hold that title for as long as they remain with the University.
Pat McGovern, Ph.D., M.P.H. (School of Public Health), was appointed to the National Children’s Study Executive Steering Committee. This committee addresses protocol and operational decision making for the study — the largest, long-term study of environmental and genetic influences on children’s health ever conducted in the United States.
Nancy Nachreiner, Ph.D. M.P.H. (School of Public Health), has been named co-director of the Occupational and Environmental Health Nursing (OEHN) Program of the Midwest Center for Occupational Health and Safety. In her role as OEHN co-director, Nachreiner will teach and recruit students, plan and evaluate curriculum, conduct research and outreach, and coordinate interdisciplinary collaboration.
Epidemiology students (School of Public Health) who make up Team D received recognition in a recent Consumer Reports blog highlighting their findings food-borne illness after a recent peanut butter contamination in Minnesota. Team D also received national recognition a year ago when the group linked a nationwide salmonella outbreak to jalapeños.
Pamela Hughes D.D.S. (School of Dentistry) is the recipient of a Faculty Educator Development Award (FEDA) from the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMS) Foundation of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. The FEDA is a career development award for junior OMS faculty who demonstrate an ability and intention to make a significant contribution to the profession in terms of education, research and leadership.
“Creating a 21st Century Intelligent Health System in Minnesota” Former U.S. Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, founder of the Center for Health Transformation, is host of this health care reform event. Other speakers and panelists include Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Cal Ludeman, Minnesota Commissioner of the Department of Human Services, and former Attorney General Skip Humphrey. The event, which is invitation only, begins at 11 a.m., Wednesday, July 15 in Memorial Hall at the McNamaraAlumniCenter.
Minnesota Taconite Worker Health Study Web site launches The Minnesota Taconite Worker Health Study is a comprehensive, U of M-led research initiative to determine the cause of mesothelioma in Minnesota’s Iron Range mining industry workers. The goals of the new Web site are to provide study news, resources, and information for participants, health care providers, researchers, and members of the media.
Farmers Market back for fifth year The popular market opens July 8 for its 5th season along Church Street on the east bank of the Twin Cities campus. From 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Wednesdays through Oct. 7, visitors can buy locally grown berries, produce, fresh flowers, and more. For more information, read: “Five years old and all grown up.”
Vet Med gearing up for swine conference; H1N1 to be main topic The College of Veterinary Medicine will hold its 35th annual Allen D. Leman Swine Conference Sept. 19-22 at the St. Paul RiverCentre One of the international swine community’s premier events, the Leman conference draws participants from around the globe. As the first major swine veterinary meeting since the emergence of the novel H1N1 influenza virus, the origin, impact and implications of this virus will be a top focus of the meeting.
U to host 10th International Colloquium of Paratuberculosis The ICP is the world’s only international conference dedicated to information about all aspects of paratuberculosis. The event is scheduled to take place at Willey Hall on the west bank campus Aug. 9-14. The scientific program will be information-packed, with well-known international speakers invited to give plenary lectures and dedicated scientists reporting new results in a number of focused scientific oral and poster sessions.
Reduction in appointment options for faculty The AHC Office of Human Resources is presenting information sessions for faculty that will provide an overview of various reductions in appointment options including: nine-month faculty appointment, reduced percent faculty appointment, phased retirement, terminal agreement, and RECESS. Faculty members may contact benefits consultants to discuss how these options may apply to their situation at (612) 624-9090. For more specific information on the sessions, contact Fred Owusu at (612) 626-5795. Session times and dates include:
SOD to host research seminar “Salivary Diagnostics” David Wond, D.M.D., D.M., Sc., from the UCLA School of Dentistry will host the presentation at noon, Monday, July 13, in room 2-530, Moos Tower. For more information call Jane Franklin at: (612) 626-5731.
Save the Date: “History of Nursing Conference” The History of Nursing Conference featuring Steven Berlin Johnson is scheduled for Sept. 24-27. Join the School of Nursing and the American Association for the History of Nursing as they examine current issues through the lens of historical research and learn about the nursing profession and its impact across time, populations, and geography.
Women’s Health Conference call for abstracts extended The 6th Annual Women’s Health Research Conference: “A Focus on Women’s Mental Health and Neurosciences,” call for research abstracts has been extended to Wednesday, July 15. To submit an abstract, visit: www.womenshealth.umn.edu. For more information, contact: wmhealth@umn.edu or call: (612) 626-1125.
SOD offering care for reduced prices to U community The School of Dentistry is offering high quality cosmetic dentistry at greatly reduced fees in the coming year. The clinic is open to faculty, staff, students, and their families. Weekend times for patient treatment will be: Nov. 13-15, 2009; Jan. 8-10, 2010; Feb. 12-14, 2010; and April 9-11, 2010. For more information, e-mail Kris Frischmon at frisc052@umn.edu. Be sure to include your name and daytime phone number in your e-mail.
Weight Watchers club seeking members “At Work Weight Watchers” meetings will be gathering at noon on Thursdays in Todd Amphitheater, C231 Mayo. Join any time and learn how to deal with hunger, temptation, and bad days. The “At Work” meetings are designed to provide the convenience of being able to attend during lunch hour, saving evening and weekend time for other activities. Contact Kris Sobczyk for more information at (612) 273-6930. Summer Institute in Adolescent Health The Summer Institute in Adolescent Health will explore strategies for enhancing supportive environments and fostering skills and the emotional health of young people. The event is July 27-29 at the Minnesota Department of Health. Invited speaker Jonathan Nicolas will discuss “extreme innovations” in technology that can be used to improve the social and emotional health of young people.
BMT Conference slated for next week This conference will explore, “Investigation into immune evasion mechanisms in a pre-clinical model of acute myeloid leukemia.” It’s scheduled from 1:15-2:15 p.m., Monday, July 13, in room 450 MCRB. Guest speaker will be Justin Kline, M.D., assistant professor, hematology/oncology from the University of Chicago.
"A wind advisory has been issued..." Anyone who works within an earshot of a functioning intercom in the health sciences facilities will recognize the implications of the above alert. Learn more about the initial response to the wind tunnel and read a technical analysis of the problem.
AHC News Capsules is a biweekly newsletter for faculty, staff, and students of the Academic Health Center. Please send submissions to Nick Hanson at hans2853@umn.edu.
