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!
Expanding Mental Health Resources for Arkansas
Arkansas youth and young adults will benefit from expanded mental health resources thanks to recent grants from the Blue & You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas and the leadership of College of Medicine faculty. A $1.6 million grant will be used to create a multifaceted Pathways to Wellness Program that will be led by Dr. Nikki Edge, Professor of Family and Preventive Medicine, and Dr. Laura Dunn, Professor and Chair of Psychiatry. The program will build on two previous programs, the Trauma Resource Initiative for Schools (TRIS) and UAMS Health AR ConnectNow. TRIS is led by Dr. Sufna John, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, and Dr. Edge. A second grant will provide $714,809 to launch an adolescent and young adult addiction treatment program in the Psychiatric Research Institute. Dr. Srinivasa Gokarakonda, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, and Dr. Jason Williams, Professor and Chief of the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, will oversee the program. Read more in the UAMS Newsroom.
International Leadership in Pediatric Infectious Diseases
Dr. William Steinbach, Professor and Chair of the Department of Pediatrics and Associate Dean for Child Health, began serving a two-year term as President of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (PIDS) during the society’s IDWeek 2023 conference in Boston last week. Dr. Steinbach will provide outstanding leadership for PIDS, the world’s largest organization of professionals dedicated to the treatment, control and eradication of infectious diseases affecting children. Dr. Steinbach is internationally known for his expertise and research into the pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of invasive fungal infections and other infections, which are leading killers in patients with lowered immune systems. At Arkansas Children’s, Dr. Steinbach also serves as Pediatrician-in-Chief and holds the Robert H. Fiser Jr., M.D., Endowed Chair in Pediatrics.
Reality Check on Obesity in Arkansas
Dr. Dinesh Edem, Assistant Professor in the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism and Director of the Medical Weight Management Program, provided an insightful reality check for recent national numbers that seemed to indicate a drop in obesity in Arkansas as well as an improvement in the state’s national obesity ranking. Dr. Edem’s expertise was central to an article in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette last week. Dr. Joe Thompson, Professor of Pediatrics and President and CEO of the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement (ACHI) also was among the experts who provided important context for the latest report from the Trust for America’s Health. Dr. Edem also was interviewed recently for an article in About You magazine about the pros and cons of the latest weight loss drugs.
International Presentation on Long COVID
Dr. Terry Harville, Professor of Pathology and Internal Medicine, was a Visiting Professor and invited speaker for the recent Association des Patients Immunodeficents dus Quebec (APIQ) annual meeting in Montreal, Canada. Dr. Harville presented an update on Long COVID, including the groundbreaking research that has been conducted at UAMS by Dr. Harville, Professor and Division of Nephrology Chief Dr. John Arthur and other colleagues into the involvement of an antibody that attacks the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). After the well-received presentation, APIQ leaders invited Dr. Harville to return for next year’s conference.
Women of Impact
The Women’s Foundation of Arkansas and Soiree magazine recently honored the “Top 100 Women of Impact in Arkansas 2023,” including several College of Medicine and UAMS team members. The list profiles women who are making a difference through their work and service, including the COM’s Julie Joyce, J.D., Senior Manager of Community Partnerships in the Department of Internal Medicine Division of Community Health & Research at the UAMS Northwest Campus; Dr. Jerrilyn Jones, Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine and Director of the Medical Scholars in Public Health Postbaccalaureate Program; Dr. Nirvana Manning, Professor and Chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology; and Dr. Jeanne Wei, Professor and Chair of Geriatrics and Director of the Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging. The list also includes women serving in other areas of UAMS and several who are making a difference at partnering organizations, such as Arkansas Children’s President and CEO Marcy Doderer, FACHE. Congratulations to all – and, more importantly, thank you for your commitment to improving the lives of Arkansans.