NEJM “Morning Report”
Third-year Pediatric Cardiology fellow Dr. Murad Almasri already has many well-respected publications, presentations and other honors under his belt – and now a first-author article in the New England Journal of Medicine’s NEJM Evidence. Like the time-honored tradition in which physicians-in-training present noteworthy cases to their colleagues and clinical faculty, the journal’s “Morning Report” section invites readers to develop a differential diagnosis and discover the diagnosis along with the authors of a case. Dr. Almasri was first author on a featured case about a 12-year-old boy who suddenly lost consciousness and suffered cardiac arrest while playing catch in his backyard. Associate Professor Dr. Dala Zakaria was senior author on the article, and several other Pediatric Cardiology trainees and faculty contributed. Well done!
National Research Leadership
Dr. Alan Tackett, Distinguished Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Deputy Director of the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, has been elected Vice President of the National Committee for the National Association of IDeA Principal Investigators (NAIPI). The committee serves as the collective voice for the IDeA community and multiple programs designed to boost research in states such as Arkansas that historically have received lower levels of NIH research funding. Dr. Tackett has long served in roles relating to impactful IDeA programs, including Principal Investigator of a Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) based at the Arkansas Children’s Research Institute, Principal Investigator of the IDeA National Resource for Proteomics at UAMS, and Biotechnology Resource Director for the UAMS-based Arkansas INBRE.
Hypothyroidism Treatment Insights
Dr. Spyridoula Maraka, Associate Professor of Internal Medicine and Program Director of the Endocrinology Fellowship, was the senior author on a recent article in Thyroid, the journal of the American Thyroid Association. “Determinants for Thyroid Hormone Replacement Therapy in Subclinical Hypothyroidism: A Multicenter Electronic Health Records-Based Study” stemmed from a collaboration among UAMS and three other academic health centers. In addition, Dr. Maraka recently chaired both a symposium and an oral abstract session and presented a poster at the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society.
Focus on Schizophrenia
Dr. Brian Kirkpatrick, a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry, recently served as an Associate Editor for a special issue of the British Journal of Psychiatry. Published on July 10, the issue focuses on the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Dr. Kirkpatrick was invited to help edit the issue by Dr. Emilio Fernandez-Egea, a research scientist with the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge in England. In addition to helping edit the special issue, Dr. Kirkpatrick was the lead author on an article, “Negative symptoms in the clinic: we treat what we can describe,” and a co-author on two other articles.
Excellence in Sleep Apnea Treatment
Dr. Patrick Fraley, Associate Professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, was recently recognized as an Inspire Physician of Excellence for his expertise, positive patient experiences and outstanding clinical outcomes using the Inspire obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) treatment device. Only 50 surgeons of the current 1,000 eligible Inspire-trained surgeons have been designated as Physicians of Excellence. Dr. Fraley was the first to offer the Inspire hypoglossal nerve stimulation treatment option in Arkansas and is the only physician in the state with this designation.
International Education Collaboration
The Department of Anesthesiology’s Division of Neuroanesthesiology recently organized a unique virtual educational program in collaboration with the Hospital das Clinicas of the University of Sao Paulo School of Medicine in Brazil. The virtual meeting was the brainchild of Associate Professor Dr. Priya Gupta and was well attended by students, residents and faculty from both institutions. Topics included anesthesia for cerebral aneurysm surgery and ophthalmological complications from neurosurgery. The UAMS Division of Neuroanesthesiology, directed by Professor Dr. Indranil Chakraborty, has been on the forefront of clinical training and education of medical students, Anesthesiology residents, student registered nurse anesthetists and others.
Head and Neck Cancer Expertise
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery faculty members Dr. Emre Vural, Professor; Dr. Jumin Sunde, Assistant Professor; and Dr. Mauricio Moreno, Professor; represented UAMS well as podium presenters at the 2023 International Conference on Head and Neck Cancer in Montreal this month. Click here for more information about their presentations.
Editorial Appointment
Dr. Yuet-Kin “Ricky” Leung, Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology, has been appointed as an Editorial Board member for the Molecular Toxicology section of the International Journal of Molecular Sciences. The journal encompasses studies relating to molecular studies in biology and chemistry, with a strong emphasis on molecular biology and molecular medicine. Dr. Leung has served as a guest editor for the same journal for the past two years and is currently working on a second special issue for the journal on “Endocrine Disruption and Human Diseases 2.0.”
In the Spotlight
Dr. Terry Harville, Professor of Pathology and Internal Medicine, is the “Spotlight” member of the month for the American Society for Histocompatability & Immunogenetics (ASHI). In a Q&A interview in the July issue of ASHI News, Dr. Harville discusses how he began working in the area of human leukocyte antigens (HLA) decades ago. A trained pediatric allergist, immunologist and rheumatologist, Dr. Harville’s leadership roles at UAMS include Medical Director of the Histocompatibility Laboratory and the Immunogenetics and Transplantation Laboratory.
Thank You, ECMO Team
Since April 2021, the UAMS Extra-Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) team has cared for 31 acutely ill patients using the advanced life support device to temporarily augment failing hearts or lungs, and the team has seen many more patients in consultation. This transformative care was introduced just a few months before the COVID “delta surge” that peaked in the summer of 2021. Now, many of these patients are alive to enjoy another summer and many more to come with their loved ones. Other families around the state have the comfort of knowing their loved ones received the best, most comprehensive care possible at UAMS.
As the ECMO program continues into its third year, I want to take a moment to thank the outstanding physicians, nurses, perfusionists, therapists and others who remain dedicated to excellence. These team members represent many areas including Trauma Surgery/Surgery Critical Care, Cardiac Surgery, Anesthesiology, Pulmonology/Medical Critical Care and Emergency Medicine.