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 It’s hard to imagine that barely more than a week ago, there was record  snowfall across Arizona with 38 inches falling on Mount Lemmon. Down on the desert floor here in Tucson, big snowflakes rolled down for much of the day but by evening most had melted unless they clung to the shadows. Students, residents, fellows and some faculty headed outside to  throw snowballs, make snow angels or snowmen, and take selfies for the brief time the snow stuck (see photo album). After all was said and done, just 2 inches had fallen, but even lifetime residents said they couldn’t recall the last such winter event. And, now, it’s spring with temperatures up to the mid-70s just in time for the Tucson Festival of Books.
I am happy to report the Statistical Support Initial Request Form is now live on the UA Department of Medicine website under the “Research” tab at the top of every page. Rollover the Research tab on any department webpage to find it in the dropdown menu. If you click on the tab, it's on the page just under the “Research Toolbox” (see: UAHS/BIO5 STATLAB STATISTICAL SUPPORT REQUEST FORM ►►►).
This service, for the moment, is exclusive to residents, fellows and faculty in our department. You’ll recall it was first mentioned last fall at the Third Annual Fellows Retreat in a presentation by lab director Dr. Dean Billheimer. Dr. Jil Tardiff, associate chair for research, and I appreciate his and his staff’s effort, especially Dr. Bonnie LaFleur. It comes just in time for submission by fellows of their research projects.
A couple of save-the-date items for you:
- On March 14, 5:30-7:30 p.m., the Medicine Education Office will host a Faculty Meet-and-Greet in the MRB lobby for medical students, residents and fellows — all our faculty are encouraged to attend.
- Don’t forget Match Day festivities are March 15 at the Westin La Paloma, so make time to get up there to see where our graduating med students head next.
- March 19 is our next DOM General Faculty Meeting. Please send any accolades for the last quarter to David Mogollon for inclusion in the slideshow by March 12.
- On April 18, 1-4 p.m., stop by Kiewit Auditorium for the annual Research Academic Half Day poster competition for trainees in the UA Internal Medicine Residency Program – Tucson Campus (some fellows also will participate).
- The college’s Medical Education Research Day is April 19, 12-3 p.m.—deadline to submit abstracts: March 25. Call 626-8074 for details.
I’m also very excited about the grand opening of Banner – University Medical Center’s new hospital tower in April. As you may have heard, the Cyclovia spring event, April 7, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., will finish/start at the new entrance to the hospital, which has a new address: 1625 N. Campbell Ave. Look for details on opportunities to tour the building and other related events coming in your morning UAHS Announcements email. For a recent tour, see “Photo Galleries Underscore Busy New Year” below.
Lastly, we say goodbye this spring to two division chiefs, with Dr. Jason X.-J. Yuan headed for UC San Diego and Dr. Prabir Roy-Chaudhury to the University of North Carolina. I appreciate all they've done while here and wish them well. Dr. Chip Brosius will serve as interim chief for the Division of Nephrology.
Monica Kraft, MD
Robert & Irene Flinn Professor of Medicine
Chair, Department of Medicine
University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson
UA physicians won another kudo for care they provide at Banner – University Medical Center Tucson and South with the recent naming of hospital clinical and university research facilities as a “center of excellence” by the Scleroderma Foundation. This chronic connective tissue disease—an autoimmune rheumatic disorder that affects up to 100,000 people in the United States—results in hardening and tightening of skin and connective tissues. It also can affect body organs, including pulmonary fibrosis or scarring in the lungs. Kudos to Drs. Sachin Chaudhary and Alicia Rodriguez-Pla…
The competition was fierce. The pitches of the six research teams hoping to curry favor with the judges were polished. But, in the end, it was the UA Department of Medicine Chair Dr. Monica Kraft and her research partner Dr. Julie Ledford who came out on top in the Shark Tank competition that served as the grand finale to Research Day 2019 at the UA College of Medicine – Tucson. The day’s activities served as the inaugural event for the new Health Sciences Innovation Building. Other Shark Tank competitors included Drs. Louise Hecker (Pulmonary) and Marvin Slepian (Cardiology). Earlier in the day, Dr. Esther Sternberg (Integrative Medicine) was one of three keynote speakers. See a photo gallery and the video here…
Thirty-five residents and fellows matched into the 17 ACGME-accredited fellowships available at the University of Arizona Department of Medicine, among them six from the UA Internal Medicine Program – Tucson Campus, three from the UA Internal Medicine Program – South Campus and a chief resident from the UA Emergency Medicine Residency Program. In addition, two Tucson Campus IM chief residents and the South Campus IM chief resident and nine IM residents from the UA matched into fellowships elsewhere. See who’s coming and who’s going…
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For many, time does not heal all wounds. That may be about to change. In the UA BIO5 Institute lab of Dr. Louise Hecker, researchers have developed the first highly selective Nox4 small molecule inhibitors for the treatment of fibrotic diseases. Her work has been funded by BIO5, the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs. The UA has licensed the technology to startup Fibronox to bring the invention to the public…
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Action at the UA Department of Medicine began at a brisk pace for 2019. Photo album highlights here include the Third Annual P.I. Poster Session on Jan. 9, distinguished guest speakers, Dr. Ron Poropatich and L.W. Britt on Jan. 22 and Dr. Jim Hogg on Jan. 25, and a 242-photo tour of the soon to be complete new, hospital tower for Banner – University Medicine Tucson that opens in April. See video links, too!…
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With eight more instructors on the final agenda, an extra 0.5 continuing medical education units—for a total of 8.5 CMEs—and free registration for UA residents and fellows, turnout for “THE TUCSON CONFERENCE – A CME Event for the Tucson Community” was robust as nearly 75 people attended. Nine of the 17 instructors came from the UA Department of Medicine, with Drs. Monica Kraft and Robert Segal on the organizing committee. Hosted Feb. 2 at the Tucson Marriott University Park, it was open to all Southern Arizona area clinicians…
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Looking to explore the world of health through medical missions abroad—or interested in the opportunity? The Office of Global Health at the UA College of Medicine – Tucson would like residents and fellows at Banner – University Medical Center clinical facilities to know they’re able to enroll in the “Global Health: Clinical and Community Care” (MED896A), a course to prepare them to join colleagues overseas to broaden their training and clinical experience...
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An updated contact guide for administrative staff and program coordinators within the Department of Medicine at the University of Arizona and Banner – University Medical Center Tucson and South is now available. Among new support staff are Taylor Valenzuela and Renae Juska in the Division of Cardiology, Brandi Stuckrath in GGP, Daniel Veres in Nephrology, and Rachel Lyman in Infectious Diseases...
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UA Department of Medicine chair Dr. Monica Kraft is a finalist for “Healthcare Champion” in the Women of Influence Awards sponsored by Inside Tucson Business a publication of TucsonLocalMedia. Desert Diamond Casino’s Diamond Center in Sahuarita hosts the dinner and ceremony, Wednesday, March 6, with awards in 20 categories. The last winner of the award was Dr. Leigh Neumayer. Register today!…
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Of 247 physicians to be included in the “Top Doctors” issue of Tucson Lifestyle magazine in June, over 100 have some affiliation with Banner – University Medicine, the primary clinical partner of the University of Arizona Health Sciences colleges, 89 have a Banner facility listed as their primary hospital. Twenty of them are from the UA Department of Medicine. Congratulations to our top doctors…
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Seventeen UA Department of Medicine faculty and staff will be among those recognized this spring with years of service and retirement awards at events on April 4 and May 23. Years of service honorees include Drs. Clara Curiel, Emad Elquza, Steve Knoper, Linda Snyder, Amy Sussman, and Eugene Trowers and Terri Buchanan, Martha Barron, Corina Mauss, Hermie Molina-Acuña, Maria Santa Cruz and Erica Sontz. Retirees include Drs. Rick Ahmann, Faiz Anwer, Steve Goldschmid, David Johnson and Victoria Sanguinetti…
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Over 135 participants turned out for the fourth public version of a high school health career fair, inspired by two University of Arizona internal medicine residents at Banner – University Medical Center South campus and designed to offer access to more information for underrepresented groups on the many and varied jobs available in the medical professions. The lively event is dominated by current and former South Campus internal medicine residents. See a video and photo gallery…
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Dr. Wina P. Yousman, a resident with the University of Arizona Internal Medicine Residency Program – South Campus, was presented this week with an MVP Award from Banner – University Medicine. The “Mission • Values • Purpose” honor involves a patient recognition letter she received calling her “an amazing physician”…
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UA cardiologist Dr. Khadijah Breathett gave the third and final lecture Feb. 28 in the African American Heritage Month (AAHM) Speaker Series on the topic: “Racial and Gender Dispariteis in Advanced Heart Failure: Change Starts with You!” She followed two other speakers in this year’s series, Dr. Michael D.L. Johnson, who spoke Feb. 7, and Dr. Victoria Murrain, COM-T deputy dean for Diversity and Inclusion, who spoke Feb. 21. See links to archived video from their talks…
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Learn about the latest UA Health Sciences events for training, several funding opportunities and collaborative opportunities for research or education in this roundup of recent UAHS Announcements. The list starts with the March 5 UA/Banner Doc Talk with Drs. Mathew Hutchinson and David Bull on ‘Heart Health.’ It includes March 15’s Match Day festivities, March 27’s Precision Medicine Conference and April 19’s Medical Education Research Day. It finishes with Convocation on May 9 – order your regalia today!...
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UA Department of Medicine associate chair for research, Dr. Jil Tardiff  gave the keynote address at “BIO5 Inspiring Women in STEM” on Feb. 9. This event included an interactive panel of women from the UA Health Sciences Tucson campus from cross-disciplinary fields and varied stages in their careers. It was part of a month-long celebration of innovation in science fostered by the UA BIO5 Institute, capped off by an open house on Feb. 27. See link to photos. Learn more at discoverbio5.arizona.edu…
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Dr. Michael Grandner kicked off 2019’s free Green Valley Lecture Series on Jan. 17 with a focus on sleep and how it affects heart health entitled “Sleep to Your Heart’s Content.” A UA Sarver Heart Center member and assistant professor, he directs the Sleep and Health Research Program at the UA and Behavioral Sleep Medicine Clinic at Banner – UMC Tucson. He also penned an article on the topic for the Sarver website...
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Genetics, Genomics & Precision Medicine
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DOM faculty Drs. Xingnan Li, Deb Meyers and Gene Bleecker again led off the Spring Weekly Colloquium on Problems in the Biology of Complex Diseases, which runs Jan. 11-April 26. Theirs and many of the talks focus on the genetics, pharmacogenomics and precision medicine approaches to treating diseases such as asthma, cancer, cardiovascular and metabolic disorders, and neuro-degenerative diseases. Outside speakers come from the University of Chicago, UCLA, UCSF and NAU. The next talk is March 15 by the UA’s Dr. Casey Romanoski on “The Genetics of Gene Expression”…
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The UA Functional Genomics Core (FGC) now is integrated with the Arizona Center for Drug Discovery, providing resources for investigators conducting research in molecular biology to run live cell, biochemical and other assays. The FGC is housed at the UA BIO5 Institute while the center is at the UA College of Pharmacy, with new $26-million digs under construction now adjacent to the UA College of Medicine – Tucson…
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UA Center on Aging Research and Education Director Dr. Linda Phillips has authored an op-ed picked up by The Hill, a U.S. political newspaper and website published in Washington, D.C., where she paints a scary picture of the financial effect high drug prices have on older Americans. It’s the second op-ed in recent months. She wrote another in the Arizona Daily Star before Christmas on Santa as an analogy to underscore the fact “older people make extraordinary contributions” to society as familial bulwarks, caregivers and more…
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The guide for the Lovin’ Life After 50 Expo, held Jan. 15 at the Doubletree Tucson Reid Park hotel, put the spotlight on Lorraine Glazar, clinical division senior manager in the UA Department of Medicine for business operations of the Division of Cardiology and Division of Infectious Diseases. She was one of three ex-senior services directors recognized by Tucson Medical Center on the program’s 30th anniversary with “thank you” stones painted by seniors. Glazar was TMC director of senior services 1996-98…
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Dr. Indu Partha, an assistant professor in the Division of Geriatrics, General Internal and Palliative Medicine at the University of Arizona College of medicine – Tucson and Banner – University Medicine, was the featured author in a blog, “Why (Inpatient) Internal Medicine? – PCP on the Wards” that posted Jan. 6 at sheMD.org — a virtual community and digital journal club for “Women in Medicine”…
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UA Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology Chief Dr. Rachna Shroff is among faculty presenting at the Spring Series of the Cancer Biology (CBIO) Seminars, which features just over a dozen speakers in talks that began Jan. 14 and finish April 29. Her topic is “Cholangiocarcinoma: Does One Size Fit All?” (March 11, 9-10 a.m., Kiewit). See the full lineup…
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The UA Cancer Center collaborated with researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina to uncover better ways to harness the immune system to fight cancer. Targeting a triple-combination therapy, their experiments suggested a drug that “blocks” the protein PIM kinase, when combined with two types of immunotherapy treatments, could help extend immune memory and enable a longer-lasting immune response, noted center Director Dr. Andrew Kraft...
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Physicians with the Gastrointenstinal (GI) Medical Oncology section at the UA Cancer Center made a splash at the Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium, also known as GI 2019, in San Francisco, Jan. 17-19, 2019. Among attendees were GI Oncology Chief Drs. Rachna Shroff, Emad Elquza, Hani Babiker and Aaron Scott. Activities included general session presenter, panel moderator, chairing networking events and a poster presentation…
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With the latest anti-retroviral drug regimens offering a “Lazarus Effect” for HIV patients  , frailty related to such infection “is rapidly becoming a specter of the past” and today it “is possible to control HIV infection in all patients,” according to a perspective article authored by a clinical team at the UA College of Medicine – Tucson led by Dr. Steve Klotz...
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Public awareness of respiratory risks for Valley fever infection gets a big boost this spring with a billboard campaign in the Phoenix area and a Tucson Lifestyle article. Look for the billboards starting March 4 on I-10 between Elliot and Guadalupe Roads and the AZ-101/202 Loop interchange. The article, by TL executive editor Anne Kellogg, serves as the March “In Health” feature and puts the spotlight on Drs. John Galgiani and Fariba Donovan's efforts to train physicians on new clinical guidance protocols…
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Does an asteroid hold clues to the solar system’s origins? Can music strengthen familial bonds? UA researchers explored these questions and more in 2018. The UA News team assessed the 10 most impactful stories of the year. Of them, Dr. Esther Sternberg’s work on office space and health ranked No. 3. Napping in children with downs syndrome made the honorable mentions list, and a “lung on a leaf” project involving Drs. Ken Knox and Louise Hecker made Inside Tucson Business’s top science stories…
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Outgoing UA Nephrology Chief Dr. Prabir Roy-Chaudhury is interviewed in a Kidney News podcast from the American Society of Nephrology that aired Jan. 10. As past co-chair of the Kidney Health Initiative — serving from 2012-18, he comments on recent changes in care for chronic kidney disease and hemodialysis along with current KHI co-chair from the ASN Dr. Raymond Harris, of Vanderbilt University…
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An “In Health” article in Tucson Lifestyle’s January 2019 issue, “There’s More to the Snore” focuses on sleep apnea, assessing local physicians’ perspectives including UA interim pulmonary chief and sleep medicine expert Dr. Sai Parthasarathy on treatment options. Also see how other recent magazine articles have featured UA Department of Medicine faculty physicians, including Drs. Peter Ott, Vivian Shi and Esther Sternberg…
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The American Thoracic Society has picked Dr. Monica Kraft, chair, UA Department of Medicine and a past ATS president, for its Elizabeth A. Rich Award. The award will be presented at the Women’s Forum during the ATS 2019 International Conference in Dallas, May 17-22. It recognizes her for being a female role model and mentor and for contributions to lung disease research…
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Dr. Kenneth S. Ramos, UA Health Sciences associate vice president for precision health sciences and whose clinical appointment is in the pulmonary division, has accepted a position as executive director of the Institute of Biosciences and Technology in Houston and assistant vice chancellor for Health Services at the Texas A&M University System. He’ll begin his new duties at the end of March...
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The UA Department of Medicine’s Dr. Louise Hecker, who investigates therapies to combat fibrotic diseases, will be among the panelists for a Tech Launch Arizona-hosted event, “Eureka! Recognizing when Research Gives Rise to Invention,” to be held March 7, noon-1 p.m., at the UA BIO5 Institute, Room 103. She’ll be joined by Drs. Roberta Diaz Brinton and Mohab Ibrahim. RSVP today!...
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Dr. Laura Meinke, director of the University of Arizona Internal Medicine Residency Program – Tucson Campus and a pulmonary and critical care physician, was featured in a photo accompanying a story about two UA graduate students and ASTEC research specialists winning a best in show award at the 2019 International Meeting for Simulation in Healthcare (IMSH), held Jan. 26-30 in San Antonio, Texas…
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Dr. Kenneth Ramos, an expert on genetics and genomic medicine and faculty member in the UA Pulmonary division, delivered the keynote address Feb. 16 at the UA Arthritis Center’s 17th annual Living Healthy With Arthritis Conference. His topic roused an enthusiastic response on “The Power of Precision Medicine,” in which he lauded the goals of the UA/Banner Health alliance for the national All of Us Research Program. Its aim is to enroll at least a million people in a genetic database to develop personalized therapies to health problems. See the video here…
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Congratulations to Dr. Ruslav Rafikov and Varvara Zemskova, daughter of Dr. Evgeny Zemskov, for their recognition as participants in the UA “On Our Own Time” (OOOT) art exhibit sponsored by the National Arts Program. Dr. Rafikov took the Best of Show award for his desert photo “Small Talk,” while Zemskova won an honorable mention for one of two handmade dolls. Hosted in the Biosciences Research Lab lobby, the exhibit ran through Feb. 9, when a reception was held to announce People’s Choice Awards. Infectious Diseases’ lead admin Carolyn Bothwell also had two paintings in the exhibit. See a mini-photo gallery here…
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throw snowballs, make snow angels or snowmen, and take selfies for the brief time the snow stuck (see photo album). After all was said and done, just 2 inches had fallen, but even lifetime residents said they couldn’t recall the last such winter event. And, now, it’s spring with temperatures up to the mid-70s just in time for the Tucson Festival of Books.
