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The Department of Medicine eNewsletter The PULSE
April 2018

We approach the close of another academic year shortly with the convocation for UA medical school graduates on May 10.
 
As I mentioned at our recent DOM Annual Awards Assembly, I’m excited so many of these future physicians chose internal medicine for their residencies and even moreso at the number of medical students and residents staying here at the UA Department of Medicine for their residency and fellowship training. That number has risen progressively in the three years I’ve served as department chair due to the hard work of our educational team, faculty and program staff.
 
By convocation, though, we will already have begun the shift to new office space for support staff for department and division administration, finance, human resources, medical education, some faculty with the Division of Nephrology, the UA Center on Aging and Division of Geriatrics, General Internal Medicine and Palliative Medicine. Renovations under way on 7OPCThanks to Heather Hendrych, who has coordinated relocation plans to the renovated clinic space formerly known as 6OPC and 7OPC. For those affected, look for an email explaining the schedule for moving days in your inbox soon. The space includes several DOM Commons areas for physicians to work as well as shared conference room space on both floors. Make sure you’ve gotten your CatCard and PIN for after-hours use, if necessary.
 
Some staff will be moving to Banner – University Medical Group Alvernon Physician Offices and the Abrams Public Health Center adjacent to Banner – University Medical Center South. And you can read below about the move of much of the Division of Dermatology clinical and administrative operations—except Mohs surgery and skin cancer research which will remain at the UA Cancer Center—to a new clinic at the crossroads for North Pima Canyon and Skyline Drives. A grand opening is planned for early June. Look for an announcement soon for that.
 
Please look for information soon also from your fellow and resident program coordinators on graduation events (by invitation only) coming in June. Ceremonies will be June 2 at Skyline Country Club for Tucson Campus internal medicine residents and, for South Campus internal medicine residents, June 15 at Westward Look. Again, I’m glad so many graduating residents will be staying with us as fellows or junior faculty. It reinforces the value of the physician training experience here at the University of Arizona.

Monica Kraft, MD
Robert & Irene Flinn Professor of Medicine
Chair, Department of Medicine
University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson

SPOTLIGHTS

Banner – University Medical Group Tucson, the physician practice plan for Banner – University Medicine doctors affiliated with the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Drs. Vemulapalli and KoppulaTucson, has named the UA Department of Medicine’s Dr. Tammy Clark Ojo as its executive medical director for ambulatory care in Tucson. In other news, Drs. Tejo Vemulapalli and Sireesha Koppula were named to the shared post as department associate chair for quality and safety—Dr. Vemulapalli for inpatient and Dr. Koppula for outpatient operations…

The UA Department of Medicine’s Dr. Rebecca Vanderpool, research investigator, Division of Translational and Regenerative Medicine, and Dr. Ken Knox, former pulmonary chief, were awarded three-year grants from the Arizona Biomedical Research Commission—among 14 given to the UA. Her study looks at a molecular link in development of right ventricular heart failure in pulmonary hypertension patients. His involves “tissue bioengineering” of a spinach leaf as a model to study lung inflammation. See their co-investigators and funded research list…   

Forty-one awards were presented at the UA Department of Medicine 2018 Annual Awards Assembly hosted at the Arizona Inn on April 11. Included among winners were several graduating medical students who will be joining internal medicine residency programs at Tucson and South Campus, and graduating residents who’ll stay on as recently announced chief residents or incoming fellows. Double award winners included Dave Reyes and Dr. Shilpa Juna. Teaching honors went to Drs. Joe Alpert, John Bloom, Meena Dagar, Indu Partha, Merri Pendergrass, Anna Stepczynski, Amy Sussman and Eugene Trowers. See who else won and a photo gallery…

UPCOMING EVENTS
RESEARCH
Dr. Sai Parthasarathy’s research on sleep disorders, a peer-buddy approach to mentoring and care coordination for better CPAP device adherence is the subject of two videos posted to the Washington, DC-based Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) website. They also were viewable at the PCORI booth at April’s Health Journalism 2018 expo in Phoenix. And PCORI included the research in its annual magazine as a “Featured Project” article. See them all here…
EDUCATION
The UA Internal Medicine Student Association hosted a regional American College of Physicians Journal Club on April 24 in a telecast of participating programs in the Southwest viewable at the UA College of Medicine – Tucson and Phoenix. Dr. Tirdad Zangeneh attended and said UA med students did an excellent job with their presentation on Hepatitis C-related cryoglobulinemia and a valuable discussion followed…
Dr. Chithra Poongkunran, a fellow in the UA Sleep Medicine Fellowship at the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, won a Bressler-Alpert Society Travel Award to attend the American Thoracic Society International Meeting in May. She's the third internal medicine trainee in 2018 and the sixth this academic year (2017-18) to receive awards. In all, 42 trainees have received them over six years…
FACULTY
In his new University of Arizona position, Dr. Michael D. Dake will lead the integration of undergraduate and graduate education, research and clinical activities among the UA Health Sciences colleges and their clinical partners. He comes to the UA from Stanford University and will start on June 4. An internationally recognized interventional radiologist, Dr. Dake is Stanford's Thelma and Henry Doelger Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery and helped complete the first aortic stent-graft done in the United States…
More than 1,000 University of Arizona employees were honored for reaching service milestones of up to 45 years at the annual Service Awards ceremony on April 19 at the UA Student Union Memorial Center Grand Ballroom. Among them were about 30 faculty and staff from the Department of Medicine—including Drs. David Johnson and Andrew Weil with 40 years each. See who else was recognized…
CLINICAL AFFAIRS
Ten internal medicine resident physicians in training at the UA College Medicine – Tucson will serve as chief residents over the next two years—four each year at Banner – University Medical Center Tucson and one each at Banner – UMC South. Kudos to Drs. Kelly Barnett, Nathan Coffman, Joshua Cox, Kris Kumar, Danny Orta, Roberto Swazo, Jessica Vondrak, Anthony Witten, Ryan Wong and Ben Young. See who'll serve in 2018-19 or in 2019-20...
IN OTHER NEWS
Cardiology
Kathleen Rothwell, 73, of Silver City, N.M., became the 300th transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) patient at Banner – University Medical Center Tucson when she was referred to the UA Structural Heart Program team at the UA Sarver Heart Center in early April after being diagnosed with stage 4 heart failure. Congratulations to Drs. Kapil Lotun, Ranjith Shetty, Toshinobu Kazui, Samata Paidy and the rest of the program staff…
Dermatology
The UA Division of Dermatology outpatient offices at Casas Adobes Plaza are moving in six weeks to coincide with consolidated clinical and administrative operations for the division within Banner – University Medical Group at a new location at 7165 N. Pima Canyon Drive. The new site will open to patients in June. Look for details on whose clinics are moving and the grand opening soon…
Gastroenterology
UA researchers Drs. Bhaskar Banerjee, former chief, UA Division of Gastroenterology, and Rongguang “Ron” Liang licensed a dual-view probe for medical endoscopy they invented that’s demonstrated to increase polyp detection rates up to 98 percent. Their startup, Omniscient, is working to bring the technology to the public marketplace to aid patients who may suffer from colon cancer. Other uses are being explored…
Geriatrics
Clinicians and others wanting to learn more about elder care as it relates to Banner Health psychiatric and behavioral health services and the Crisis Response Center were able to earn 2 hours of continuing education units (CEUs) at a free workshop April 6. The event at the Abrams Building on the Banner – UMC South campus was sponsored by the group SAFEE—Stop Abuse and Financial Exploitation of Elders…
Hematology and Oncology
The UA Division of Hematology & Oncology and UA Cancer Center opened and closed April, which is National Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Month, appropriately with a focus on improved head and neck cancer. This included a Healthy Dose Blog post with Dr. Julie Bauman, a free public throat cancer screening event and, in between, a special seminar on HPV-related cancers hosted by the UA College of Public Health. See posts, photos and video…
Cancer patients' immune systems are receiving a boost from checkpoint inhibitors and other lab-made antibodies that train T cells to attack cancer. This expanded understanding of cancer, genetics and immunobiology could revolutionize treatment. Researchers at the UA Cancer Center and Division of Hematology and Oncology are at the forefront of this new frontier. See what Drs. Julie Bauman, Daruka Mahadevan, Clara Curiel and Hani Babiker have to say about it…
After earning a doctorate in physics at Harvard, Dr. Megha Padi plans to draw from her expertise in bioinformatics, math and biology to expand collaboration at the UA Cancer Center and the entire UA campus. She has been appointed director of the Bioinformatics Shared Resource at the UA Cancer Center and is an assistant professor in the UA Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology…
Infectious Diseases
Doctors can misdiagnose Valley fever, a fungal disease lurking behind such common symptoms as coughs, headaches and fatigue, because many aren’t familiar with the respiratory disease. That could prolong patient suffering and even result in death, Cronkite News reports. Its story served as a precursor to a panel discussion at the Association of Health Care Journalists national conference April 12-15 in Phoenix. Among the panelists, Dr. John Galgiani, director, UA Valley Fever Center for Excellence, and professor of infectious diseases. See the video, read the article...
Integrative Medicine
UA Center for Integrative Medicine integrative health coaching graduate Rosanna Mauro carried the flag of Costa Rica—her home country—during opening ceremonies for the IAEDP 2018 Symposium. The event, which serves as the annual conference for the International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals, was held March 22-25 near Orlando, Fla. Learn more about the IH Coaching program here…
Nephrology
The University of Cincinnati transplant director Dr. E. Steve Woodle spoke on “Innovative Approaches for Prevention and Treatment of Rejection: The Cincinnati Experience” in a special guest lecture for the UA Division of Nephrology on April 20. In addition, Dr. Rita R. Alloway, transplant clinical research director, University of Cincinnati, gave an industry-sponsored talk on April 19 at Tavalino's Restaurant on "A Unique Tacrolimus Treatment Option"…
PACCS
Sleep medicine at the University of Arizona got its fourth splash in the spotlight this month with the release of “Tired in Tucson,” an article posted in the May issue of The Desert Leaf, a free monthly publication founded in 1987 and distributed by mail to the Catalina Foothills and Tanque Verde valley communities of Tucson, Ariz. Dr. Sairam Parthasarathy, director of the UA Health Sciences Center for Sleep and Circadian Sciences, is quoted extensively throughout…
In an article posted to its website Monday, April 23, U.S. News & World Report quotes UA Sleep Medicine program director and interim pulmonary chief, Dr. Sairam Parthasarathy, on the practicalities of proper sleep for your health and how today’s hyper-connected globe works against that, affecting your wellbeing in more ways than just sleep. See seven reasons to sleep in when the world tells you to wake up…
Dr. Louise Hecker, a respiratory scientist with the UA Department of Medicine and Southern Arizona VA Health Care System, was among 16 individuals or business startups assisted by Tech Launch Arizona recognized March 19 at the 5th Annual I-Squared Expo & Awards hosted by Tech Launch Arizona, the UA’s research and innovation commercialization arm…
Rheumatology
The Living Healthy With Arthritis free public lecture— “Battling the Opioid Epidemic: UA Experts See the Light through Groundbreaking Research”—by Drs. Mohab M. Ibrahim and Todd W. Vanderah, members of one of the largest groups in the world studying chronic pain and treatment alternatives, will explore their exciting research on medications and therapies designed to inhibit chronic pain without unwanted side effects, including addiction—May 2, 6 p.m., DuVal Auditorium…
Dave Heeke, UA vice president for athletics, will be the guest speaker at the 2018 Bear Down Luncheon, May 9 at Fleming’s Steakhouse & Wine Bar. The UA Arthritis Center event, sponsored by Desert Diamond Casinos & Entertainment, benefits research to identify the causes and improve the diagnosis and treatment of the more than 100 forms of arthritis. To that end, the center’s partnership with Wildcat athletics has raised nearly $2 million since the early ’80s… 
This Just In...
"Iluminos Therapeutics Licenses UA-Invented Alzheimer’s Treatment"
The Arizona startup hopes unique compounds lead to way to halt or slow progression of neurodegenerative disease that affects 6 million Americans…
"Some Can Combat Dementia by Using Still-Healthy Parts of Brain"
People with the rare disease called primary progressive aphasia may recruit intact brain areas for help with language, according to a new UA-led study...
"Pulmonary Fibrosis Webinar on 'Non-Genetic Causes of PF,' April 11"
Free Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation webinar with Columbia's Dr. David Lederer—like multiple other PFF events—archived for future viewing...
"Fred DuVal to Keynote College of Medicine – Tucson Convocation"
The son of founding dean and former governor candidate to speak at ceremony May 10 live on Facebook and in UA Centennial Hall...
"Banner Health, University of Arizona welcomed AHCJ to Phoenix"
Nearly 600 members of the national Association of Health Care Journalists heard speakers, toured facilities at annual conference, April 12-15...
"Genes on Screen Presents 'Cracking your Genetic Code'"
Come learn about precision medicine's future in a return May 8 of free screening and discussion event with popcorn, snacks in Kiewit Auditorium...
"UA Division of Nephrology Presents: Dr. Bharat Sachdeva"
LSU nephrology program director to speak on "Peritoneal Dialysis Meets Interventional Nephrology," May 4 in UAHS Room 6302
"TLA Lunch Seminar: 'How Inventions Go from the Lab to a License'"
Dr. Doug Loy will talk about broad-spectrum sunscreen using novel nontoxic, bio-based materials at May 23 event. Space limited so RSVP today...
"Translational Research Seminar: 'Air Pollution & Children's Health'"
Dr. Radim Sram, of Prague's Institute of Experimental Medicine, to speak May 9 at event hosted by Southwest Environmental Health Sciences Center
College of Medicine - Tucson Department of Medicne
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