Here are this week’s Accolades, a roundup of some of the honors and accomplishments of College of Medicine and UAMS faculty, staff, residents, fellows and students I’ve heard about recently.
Newly Invested Endowed Chair
Congratulations to Dr. Mauricio Garcia, Associate Professor and Chief of the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, on his investiture in the Jerome S. Levy, M.D., Chair in Gastroenterology and Hepatology at UAMS last Wednesday. Dr. Garcia is internationally recognized for his expertise in the management of liver diseases, with a focus on alcohol-related liver disease, liver transplantation and hepatocellular carcinoma. Earlier leadership roles at UAMS included serving as Director of the Primary Liver Tumor Clinic and later as Director of Hepatology Services and Transplant Medical Director until 2020. After serving for two years in the transplant program at Washington University in St. Louis, Dr. Garcia was recruited back to UAMS in 2022. Read more in the UAMS Newsroom.
National Nutrition Research Award
Congratulations to Dr. Colin Kay, a Professor in the Developmental Nutrition Section of the Department of Pediatrics, on being selected for the 2024 Mary Swartz Rose Senior Investigator Award from the American Society for Nutrition (ASN). The award recognizes outstanding research into the safety and efficacy of bioactive compounds for human health and will be presented at ASN’s Nutrition 2024 meeting in Chicago this summer. Dr. Kay serves as Director of the Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center (ACNC) Metabolomics and Analytical Chemistry Research Core and as Director of Precision Health Research at the Arkansas Children’s Research Institute (ACRI). Dr. Kay and his research team are playing a leading role in defining the metabolism and pharmacokinetics of polyphenols. Read more in this ACRI Research Update.
National Neurosurgical Conference Leadership
Dr. Analiz Rodriguez, Associate Professor, Director of Neurosurgical Oncology and Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Neurosurgery, delivered talks showcasing her expertise in two distinct areas at the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) national meeting. One of the presentations was on recurrent low-grade glioma and adjuvant therapy, and the second was on social determinants of health. As a member of the AANS Scientific Program Committee, Dr. Rodriguez worked over the past year to develop the program and select speakers for the May 3-6 conference.
Outstanding Young Alumnus
Dr. Brian Koss, Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, is a rising star in cancer research at UAMS and nationally with a prestigious 2021 National Institutes of Health Director’s Early Independence Award and other scientific honors to his credit. His latest recognition comes from Hendrix College in Conway, which named him as the 2024 Outstanding Young Alumnus. Dr. Koss, a 2008 Hendrix graduate, was recognized during the college’s President Inauguration Ceremony on April 20, and he will return to campus to formally receive the award during Hendrix’s 2025 Alumni Weekend. Dr. Koss completed his Ph.D. at UAMS and joined the faculty in 2021. Read more about him here.
ASTRO Research Fellowship
Congratulations to second-year M.D./Ph.D. student Amie Brint on receiving a Medical Student Research Fellowship Award from the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO). She is the first UAMS student to receive the prestigious fellowship, which is awarded to only 10 students nationally each year. Under the mentorship of UAMS Radiation Oncology faculty members Dr. Robert Griffin and Dr. Ruud Dings, Amie’s predoctoral research will focus on determining dose response and spacing between peak dose regions that is optimal for killing of oxic or hypoxic tumor cells. Amie also serves as Vice President of the Oncology Interest Group. After completing her Practice of Medicine 2 preceptorship with Dr. Richard Crownover, she hosted a very successful and well-attended Feb. 29 tour of the Proton Center for medical students and others.
Kudos, Senior Olympics Volunteers
A shout-out to the many College of Medicine and UAMS team members who are contributing to the Arkansas Senior Olympics this year. UAMS Health Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine is the Presenting Sponsor. Most recently, Dr. Gary McHenry, Executive Director of the Schmieding Senior Center, delivered the welcome remarks at the start of the track and field competition held at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville on April 27. Joining him as volunteers for the day were fellow UAMS Centers on Aging team members Brandi Schneider, René Garcia-Oliver and Lauren Gale. Student volunteers included COM sophomore Liam Alderson.