Tamara Robinson

Pharmacology and Toxicology Chair to Serve as UAMS College of Medicine Interim Executive Associate Dean for Research

Nancy J. Rusch, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology in the UAMS College of Medicine, has been appointed to serve as interim executive associate dean for research following the retirement of Richard P. Morrison, Ph.D., at the end of this year.

Dr. Nancy Rusch — Nancy J. Rusch, Ph.D., has been named interim executive associate dean for research in the UAMS College of Medicine

“Dr. Rusch has been a stellar department leader, overseeing growth in research funding and the development of faculty who are nationally recognized in their fields of expertise, major contributors to research at UAMS, and leaders in medical student and graduate student education,” said Executive Vice Chancellor and Dean Christopher T. Westfall, M.D., FACS.

Rusch’s contributions to UAMS extend far beyond her department, which she has led since her recruitment to UAMS in 2005. She is a key leader in the UAMS Translational Research Institute (TRI), where she developed and co-leads TRI’s Health Sciences Innovation and Entrepreneurship (HSIE) Postdoctoral Scholars Training Program and serves as TRI director of translational workforce development. She has served in numerous other leadership roles, including chair of the College of Medicine’s Council of Department Chairs, chair of the Basic Science Chairs and founder of the Cardiovascular Interest Group. She has served on numerous search committees for department chairs, UAMS Chancellors, and other leadership positions.

A leading expert in vascular ion channel remodeling in hypertension, Rusch has served on numerous study sections and special review panels for the National Institutes of Health and the American Heart Association. She is a longstanding member and leader in the American Society of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics and a past president of the organization’s Cardiovascular Pharmacology Division.

Rusch received her doctorate at the Mayo Clinic and University of Minnesota. She completed postdoctoral fellowships in pharmacology at the University of Iowa and in physiology and biophysics at the University of Cincinnati. Rusch served on the faculty at the Medical College of Wisconsin from 1987 until her recruitment to UAMS. She has received numerous honors since joining UAMS, including the Chancellor’s Teaching Award in 2011, the Graduate School Best Faculty Award in 2014, and the College of Medicine Educational Innovation Award this year.

Jennifer Laudadio, M.D., Named Chair of Pathology in UAMS College of Medicine

Jennifer Laudadio, M.D., FCAP, Professor of Pathology in the UAMS College of Medicine, has been named Chair of the Department of Pathology.

Dr. Jennifer Laudadio — Jennifer Laudadio, M.D., FCAP, has been named chair of the Department of Pathology in the UAMS College of Medicine.

“Dr. Laudadio has excelled in a range of leadership roles since her recruitment to UAMS in 2013, and she has done an outstanding job as Interim Chair since August 1,” said UAMS Executive Vice Chancellor and College of Medicine Dean Christopher T. Westfall, M.D., FACS. “Dr. Laudadio has earned praise for her commitment to quality and safety and her work in graduate medical education, and she will provide strong leadership for one of our most complex departments.”

Laudadio joined the faculty as associate professor and medical director of molecular pathology in 2013. She became vice chair for clinical operations and medical director for the Laboratory/Pathology Service Line in 2015. Other leadership posts in Pathology have included Pathology Residency Program director from 2014 to 2019 and CLIA Laboratory director from 2015 to 2020. She was promoted to professor in July.

Laudadio has also served on numerous department and college committees including the Graduate Medical Education Committee (GMEC) and the Clinical Learning and Environment Review (CLER) Subcommittee, which she chaired for 3 years.

Laudadio received the College of Medicine Residency Educator Award in 2016 and the inaugural Clinical Excellence Award for Quality and Safety this year. Her national honors include the Pathology Advancement Award from the College of American Pathologists (CAP) in 2018. In addition to ongoing leadership roles with the CAP, she has been elected to serve on a variety of committees for the Association for Molecular Pathology and serves on two Test Development Advisory Committees for the American Board of Pathology. She is a Molecular Pathology Section editor on the Editorial Board for Archives of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine.

A graduate of the Medical College of Georgia, Laudadio completed her residency in anatomic and clinical pathology at the Medical University of South Carolina and her fellowship in molecular genetic pathology at Oregon Health & Science University.

Pediatric Cardiologist and Faculty Leader Renee Bornemeier, M.D., Named Interim Chair of UAMS Department of Pediatrics

Renee Bornemeier, M.D., professor of pediatric cardiology, vice chair for faculty affairs in the Department of Pediatrics, and assistant dean for faculty affairs in the UAMS College of Medicine, has been named Interim Chair of the department.

Dr. Renee Bornemeier — Renee Bornemeier, M.D., has been named interim chair of the UAMS College of Medicine Department of Pediatrics.

“Dr. Bornemeier has dedicated her career to UAMS and Arkansas Children’s, providing exceptional cardiology care for the children of Arkansas, outstanding teaching for medical students, residents and fellows, and excellent mentoring and faculty development for her colleagues,” said Christopher T. Westfall, M.D., FACS, executive vice chancellor of UAMS and dean of the College of Medicine.

Bornemeier graduated from UAMS in 1988 and stayed at UAMS and Arkansas Children’s for her pediatrics residency. She completed a fellowship in pediatric cardiology at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and returned to UAMS to serve as an instructor in the Department of Pediatrics in 1994. Bornemeier rose through the faculty ranks and has served as a professor in the Division of Pediatric Cardiology since 2009.

Bornemeier’s clinical leadership roles at ACH have included medical director of the ACH Heart Station from 1995 to 2008, director of the Bale Fetal Heart Center since 2009, vice chief of staff in 2017-2018 and chief of staff since 2019. She also directed the development of the Cardiac 3D Print Lab at Arkansas Children’s.

Bornemeier has become increasingly engaged in faculty development and leadership. She has served on the Pediatrics Promotion and Tenure Committee since 2013. She served on the College of Medicine Promotion and Tenure Committee in 2012-2016 and chaired the committee in 2015-2016. Bornemeier was appointed vice-chair for faculty affairs in the Department of Pediatrics in 2017. She recently was named assistant dean for faculty affairs for the College of Medicine, to provide enhanced services for the college’s Children’s-based faculty from multiple departments.

Bornemeier is board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics Sub Board of Pediatric Cardiology. She is active in national professional organizations including the American College of Cardiology, the American Heart Association, the American Society of Echocardiography and the Fetal Heart Society. Bornemeier will serve as interim chair during the college’s search for the next chair. Former Pediatrics Chair Frederick “Rick” Barr, M.D., assumed a new post as executive vice president and chief clinical and academic officer for Arkansas Children’s on Nov. 16.

Recent Faculty Appointments — November 2020

Please join us in welcoming these recent additions to the College of Medicine faculty.

Department of Anesthesiology

Dustin Rumpel, M.D.

Dustin Rumpel, M.D., has rejoined the Department of Anesthesiology as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Rumpel received his medical degree at Loyola University Chicago. He completed his residency in anesthesiology at UAMS and joined the faculty in July 2017. He left UAMS in July 2019 to complete a fellowship in anesthesiology critical care medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. Dr. Rumpel will be working in critical care medicine and general anesthesiology.

Department of Ophthalmology

Carina Torres Sanvicente, M.D.

Carina Torres Sanvicente, M.D., has joined the Department of Ophthalmology as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Sanvicente received her medical degree at the Universidade Federal Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil. She completed her ophthalmology residency training at Hospital Banco de Olhos-Eye Bank Hospital in Brazil. Dr. Sanvicente continued her training with a glaucoma research fellowship at Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia, followed by a glaucoma clinical fellowship at Emory Eye Center in Atlanta. She will specialize in glaucoma treatment in the UAMS Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute.

Department of Pediatrics

Akilah Jefferson, M.D., M.Sc.

Akilah Jefferson, M.D., M.Sc., has joined the Department of Pediatrics as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Allergy and Immunology. Dr. Jefferson received her medical degree from Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans and, earlier, her Master of Science in biomedical science policy and advocacy at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. She completed her residency in internal medicine at the George Washington University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C. Dr. Jefferson continued her training with a clinical fellowship in allergy and immunology at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a post-doctoral fellowship in bioethics at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Prior to joining UAMS, she was an Associate Physician in the Division of Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology in the Department of Pediatrics at The University of California, San Diego, and Rady Children’s Hospital.

Sally Helton, M.D.

Sally Helton, M.D., has joined the Department of Pediatrics as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Emergency Medicine. Dr. Helton received her medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia-Augusta University. She completed her pediatrics residency at UAMS and Arkansas Children’s Hospital.

Mark McManis, Ph.D.

Mark McManis, Ph.D., has joined the Department of Pediatrics as an Associate Professor in the Division of Neurology. Dr. McManis received his doctorate in developmental psychology at the University of Florida. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship in developmental psychology at Harvard University and continued his training with a fellowship in psychology neuroscience at the University of Texas Medical School. Prior to joining UAMS, Dr. McManis served since 2015 as a Research Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Texas, Austin, and as Director of the Clinical Magnetoencephalography Program at Dell Children’s Medical Center since 2013. He previously served in the Division of Pediatric Neurology at the University of Tennessee Medical Center and Le Bonheur Children’s Medical Center in Memphis.

Department of Radiology

Satya Patro, M.D.

Satya Patro, M.D., has joined the Department of Radiology as an Assistant Professor in the divisions of Neuroradiology and Interventional Neuroradiology. Dr. Patro completed his medical education and radiology residency at Maharaja Krishna Chandra Gajapati (MKCG) Medical College in Berhampur, Odisha, India. He completed a postdoctoral certificate course in cardiovascular and neuroradiology at Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute of Medical Sciences and Technology in Trivandum, India. Dr. Patro continued his training with a fellowship in neuroradiology at Western General Hospital in Edinburgh, Scotland, followed by fellowships in diagnostic neuroradiology and interventional neuroradiology at the University of Ottawa. Dr. Patro is board certified by the American Board of Radiology.

Prior to joining UAMS, Dr. Patro served as a consultant for the Department of Neuroscience (Neuroradiology Section) at Hamad Medical Corporation in Doha, Qatar, and as an Assistant Professor of Clinical Radiology at Weil Cornell Medicine in Doha. He has worked as a lead in research study groups focusing on areas such as vessel wall imaging and its application in neurovascular disease and rescue stenting in acute stroke related to intracranial atherosclerotic disease. He has authored book chapters and multiple publications in peer reviewed journals.

Department of Surgery

Michail Mavros, M.D.

Michail Mavros, M.D., has joined the Department of Surgery as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Surgical Oncology. Dr. Mavros received his medical degree from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens in Greece. After conducting research at the Alfa Institute of Biomedical Sciences in Athens, he moved to the United States and completed post-doctoral research fellowships at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School in Boston. Dr. Mavros completed his internship and residency in general surgery at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital-Washington Hospital Center, in Washington, DC. He continued his training with clinical fellowships in complex general surgical oncology and hepato-pancreatico-biliary surgery at the University of Toronto. He is board-certified by the American Board of Surgery in general surgery and board-eligible in complex general surgical oncology.

Accolades – November 18, 2020

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!

Quality First
The latest report from the American College of Surgeons Trauma Quality Improvement Project (TQIP) reflects the UAMS Trauma Team’s continuing excellence and commitment to quality improvement. The program ranked in the first decile in a number of metrics and categories, and the UAMS Level 1 Trauma Center continues to be one of the nation’s top performers for ventilator-associated pneumonia in all patients and traumatic brain injury patients. This is all the more impressive in light of the ongoing pandemic and with several new surgeons on the team. I want to thank Surgery Chair Dr. Ron Robertson for his leadership, and I join with him in thanking the entire Trauma Team for their outstanding work.

Surgery Scholars
I also recently learned of several scholarly accomplishments in the Department of Surgery. For example, Dr. Garrett Klutts, a third-year General Surgery resident, presented excellent and timely original research at the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma Regional Meeting last week. After noticing that the amount of trauma seemed to increase during the pandemic, Dr. Klutts led a retrospective review of the UAMS trauma database during the period of strict quarantine in Pulaski County last spring and found that penetrating and violent trauma rates had indeed gone up. This trend has been described to a limited extent at other institutions, but there has been a dearth of published data. Dr. Klutts is collaborating on a manuscript with Drs. Kyle Kalkwarf, Kevin Sexton, Hanna Jensen, Saleema Karim and Avi Bhavaraju.

COVID Task Force
UAMS colleagues will lend their expertise to the COVID-19 Winter Task Force established by Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson last week. The panel will advise the Governor as the state battles the increasing challenges of the pandemic in the months ahead. The initial 19 appointees include Chancellor and UAMS Health CEO Dr. Cam Patterson, Dr. Jerrilyn Jones of the Department of Emergency Medicine, Dr. Keyur Vyas of the Division of Infectious Diseases, and Dr. Jose Romero, Arkansas Secretary of Health and Professor of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. Arkansas Surgeon General Dr. Greg Bledsoe serves as Vice-Chair, and colleagues from the Department of Health, other agencies and health care systems, hospitals and organizations around the state round out the Task Force. Please join me in expressing gratitude to all of these members for their service at this critical time.

First in the Nation
A shout-out to Dr. Bobby Boyanton, Professor of Pathology, who is the first physician nationwide to receive the American Board of Pathology Focused Practiced Designation in Microbiology. Dr. Boyanton was also invited to serve on the ABPath Certlink Test Development and Advisory Committee for continuing certification in Clinical Pathology. As recognized experts in their field, committee members develop, edit and critique exam questions and provide guidance on content.

ELAM Nominee
Congratulations to Dr. Jessica Snowden, Associate Professor and Director of the Infectious Diseases Section in the Department of Pediatrics, on her selection and nomination by UAMS for the prestigious Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM) Program at Drexel University. Dr. Snowden’s work in many areas, including her co-leadership of the Data Coordinating and Operations Center for the IDeA States Pediatric Clinical Trials Network, make her an exceptionally strong candidate for the highly competitive ELAM program.

International Presentation
Dr. Vishank Shah, Assistant Professor of Neurology and Neurosurgery, presented research as a platform presentation at the combined European Stroke Organization and World Stroke congress this month. His presentation, “One year fate of survivors of large intracerebral and intraventricular hemorrhage with poor outcome at day 30,” was the result of a collaboration with mentors at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where Dr. Shah completed a clinical and research fellowship before his recruitment to UAMS in 2018. Great job!

Two in a Week
The Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism’s Dr. Spyridoula Maraka and colleagues had two articles published last week in Thyroid, the journal of the American Thyroid Association. One article, “Knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and treatment burden related to the use of levothyroxine in hypothyroid pregnant women in the United States” was a collaboration with the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. The second article is “Clinical Outcomes After Discontinuation of Thyroid Hormone Replacement – A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Well done!

Poster Presentation
Congratulations to the Department of Ophthalmology’s Dr. Sami Uwaydat for his contributions to an excellent poster presentation at the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s virtual annual meeting this past weekend. Dr. Uwaydat was a co-author on “One Year Outcomes of Anti-VEGF Therapy in Peripapillary CNV.”

Applied Informatics
Congratulations to Mitra Rocca, a Ph.D. student in the Department of Biomedical Informatics, on being inducted as a Fellow of the American Medical Informatics Association (FAMIA) during the AMIA annual symposium this week. The FAMIA program recognizes the contributions and professional accomplishments of AMIA members who apply informatics skills and knowledge in their professional setting. Her primary mentor is Professor and Biomedical Informatics Chair Dr. Fred Prior.

Getting Through This, Together
Finally this week, my thanks to Dr. Erick Messias and the many faculty members from throughout our college who participated in a working group and additional conversations to find solutions to some of the logistical challenges and stresses of the COVID-19 pandemic. The group held two productive open forums as part of their efforts over the past few months, and their suggestions were shared with clinical leaders and others.

A key accomplishment was the compilation of a comprehensive resources guide to help faculty, residents, staff and students, as well as their families during the pandemic. These resources address wellness and many other areas, and I encourage COM team members to explore them.

Special thanks to the working group. Joining Dr. Messias were Drs. Renee Bornemeier, Romona Davis, Molly Gathright, Katie Kimbrough, Michelle Krause, Abby Nolder, Melda Onal, Sowmya Patil, Tamara Perry, Angie Scott, Tony Seupaul, Sara Tariq and Puru Thapa, along with Emily Freeman, MHSA, UAMS Faculty Center Director. Associate Provost for Faculty Dr. Wendy Ward and her team were instrumental in preparing the resources guide.

This outstanding effort proves, once again, that we will get through this together.

Accolades will return December 2. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Accolades – November 12, 2020

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!

STEM Outreach
A shout-out to Dr. E. Robert Burns, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, for his newly published analysis of the Partners in Health Science (PIHS) Program, which he directed for 28 years until his retirement last year. “Professional Development for PreK-12 Teachers in Health Science Content Using a ‘Train and Equip’ Approach: 28 Years’ Experience” was published in the Journal of STEM Outreach. The program provided workshops on health sciences content, along with take-home resources, for 22,731 pre-K through 12^th grade teachers from 1991 through 2019. That translates to a phenomenal impact on health sciences teaching in Arkansas.

Prolific Pathologists
The Department of Pathology’s Dr. Terry Harville and Dr. Soumya Pandey are collaborators on eleven chapters in the recently published edition of “Pediatric Autoimmunity and Transplantation,” published by Springer. Dr. Harville and Dr. Pandey shared their expertise for chapters relating to autoimmunity, secondary immunodeficiency and transplantation. Great work!

Dedicated Resident
I heard two glowing reports recently about Ophthalmology resident Dr. Heather Broyles and her dedication to clinical care, scholarly work and teaching. The Department of Emergency Medicine’s Dr. Chris Fowler wrote the Ophthalmology team to applaud Dr. Broyles for going the extra mile on a complicated case as well as for her ongoing graciousness and excellent work on consults and teaching in the Emergency Department. I also join with Ophthalmology Chair Dr. Paul Phillips in congratulating Dr. Broyles for her work as the first author on a paper accepted for publication in the Journal of Neuro-Ophthalmology. The article by multiple colleagues in the Jones Eye Institute describes a retinal finding that will enable earlier detection and treatment of temporal arteritis to reduce blindness. Great job!

Epilepsy Symposium
Kudos to everyone who made the second annual UAMS Epilepsy Symposium a great success. In keeping with Epilepsy Awareness Month, the November 7 virtual event focused on the latest advances in the diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy and seizure disorders. This year’s speakers included the Department of Neurosurgery’s Dr. Gregory Albert and Dr. Viktoras Palys; Dr. Sisira Yadala of the Department of Neurology; the Division of Pediatric Neurology’s Dr. Freedom Perkins and Dr. Kapil Arya; and Neuropsychology fellow Dr. Chrystal Fullen.

Research Society
Dr. Abdallah Dalabih, Associate Professor in the Critical Care Medicine Section of the Department of Pediatrics, has been accepted into the national Society of Pediatric Research. Dr. Dalabih was nominated by Pediatrics colleagues Dr. Parthak Prodhan and Dr. Michael Stroud. Congratulations!

EM Education
The Department of Emergency Medicine’s Dr. Chris Fowler and Dr. Amanda Young, Assistant Professors in the Division of Education, are among the authors of a recently published, peer-reviewed eBook, “Education Theory Made Practical (Volume 3).” The publication is associated with the Academic Life in Emergency Medicine (ALiEM) Faculty Incubator Program. Dr. Young and Dr. Fowler contributed to a chapter on the Kirkpatrick Model for evaluating results of training programs. Well done!

Accolades – November 4, 2020

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!

Successful Conference
Kudos to the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine’s Community Health and Education Division for their excellent work on the 24^th Annual Family Medicine Update with Tobacco and Disease Symposium. More than 150 health care providers attended the department’s first virtual CME/CE conference, which featured faculty and clinician presenters from multiple departments and UAMS colleges. Special thanks to planners Alysia Dubriske, M.Ed., Marybeth Curtis, RN, BSN, and Andrea Hooten, M.B.A., along with Annemarie McGahagan, B.S.E., Leesa Freasier, M.Ed., Matt Mitchell, B.S., Colleen Lassiter and staff from UAMS Learn on Demand and UAMS audiovisual. Read more about the event and the outstanding presenters here.

Making a Difference
Congratulations to the Department of Emergency Medicine’s Dr. Casey Smolarz on becoming the first person to be re-elected as Chief of Staff for Baptist Health-Conway. Dr. Smolarz, Emergency Department Medical Director for the hospital, was also named Physician of the Year by the Conway Chamber of Commerce early this year. We’re proud of the difference Dr. Smolarz is making in patient care in the Conway community as well as here on the UAMS campus!

Cardiotoxicity Research
The Division of Hematology and Oncology’s Dr. Valentina Todorova continues to do superb research into cardiotoxicity from the chemotherapy agent doxorubicin (DOX). Most recently Dr. Todorova was the co-first author with the College of Public Health’s Dr. Ping-Ching Hsu on a paper in the American Journal of Cancer Research, “Biomarkers of inflammation, hypercoagulability and endothelial injury predict early asymptomatic doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity in breast cancer.” Dr. Todorova and Dr. Hsu collaborated with faculty from multiple departments on the study.

Motivational Interviewing
A shout-out to Dr. Nihit Kumar, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, for his work to train clinicians in Motivational Interviewing. The intervention can be used to strengthen the commitment to change behaviors and improve outcomes for patients with chronic health conditions. It can also assist with treatment compliance in physical therapy, smoking cessation and weight loss, as well as in substance-use behaviors. Dr. Kumar recently chaired an extended workshop on Motivational Interviewing during the American Academy of Adolescent Psychiatry’s Virtual Annual Meeting, and he is available to conduct similar training for UAMS clinicians. Medical professionals interested in learning more can contact Dr. Kumar at NKumar@uams.edu

Graduate Scholars
UAMS Graduate School Ph.D. students Lance Benson and Brian Parks have been named the inaugural Dr. Glenn and Lori Millner Distinguished Scholars in Pharmacology and Toxicology. Mr. Benson is working with the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology’s Dr. Shengyu Mu to study how salt-sensitive high blood pressure develops. Mr. Parks is working with Pharmacology’s Dr. Lisa Brents to study the effects of prenatal opioid exposure. I join with Graduate School Dean Dr. Bobby McGehee in congratulating these outstanding doctoral students, thanking their stellar mentors, and expressing gratitude to the Millner family for making the Distinguished Scholars scholarships possible. Read more here.

On the Case
Jace Bradshaw, a fourth-year College of Medicine student planning to train in emergency medicine, did a great job presenting at the “Case-Con” competition sponsored by the Emergency Medicine Residents’ Association (EMRA) at the American College of Emergency Physicians virtual annual conference. He took second in the October 25 student competition for his poster presentation on a case of myxoma – a non-cancerous tumor in the heart – that led to a stroke. Way to go!

Accolades – October 28, 2020

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!

Thank You, Dr. Marsh
This month marks the close of Dr. James Marsh’s 16-plus years of service as the Nolan Family Distinguished Chair of the Department of Internal Medicine. Dr. Marsh has provided superb leadership for one of our largest and most critical departments, overseeing the growth and strengthening of numerous divisions. He has made extensive contributions to our educational, research and clinical mission through his leadership and his own masterful teaching, collaborative scientific work and highly regarded, compassionate care as a cardiologist.

One mark of Dr. Marsh’s leadership has been that while always thoughtful and diplomatic, he has unfailingly stood firm on matters of principle. Jim is a collegial and gracious colleague, and he will be missed when he moves on to retirement in January. Fortunately, Dr. Marsh will remain with us as a senior cardiologist for a couple of more months as we welcome incoming Chair Dr. Edward Yeh.

Dr. Marsh has been appointed to the rank of Distinguished Professor, and I am struck by how truly distinguished he is. I know I speak for all of us at UAMS in expressing our gratitude for his extraordinary service and wishing Jim all the best in his retirement.

Life Support Leader
Dr. Steve Schexnayder, Chief of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine and Executive Vice Chair of the Department of Pediatrics, is the senior author of the American Heart Association (AHA) 2020 Pediatric and Advanced Life Support Guidelines. The guidelines, published in Circulation, serve as the gold standard for pediatric CPR and resuscitation for approximately 180 countries, as well as the scientific basis for AHA courses that train more than a million pediatric health care providers around the globe each year. Dr. Schexnayder also serves as one of four U.S. representatives on the Pediatric Task Force of the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation. Children here and around the world are the beneficiaries of the expertise and many hundreds of hours that he devotes to this work. Thank you for your leadership in this field, Dr. Schexnayder.

Landmark Paper
Dr. Terry Harville, Professor of Pathology and Internal Medicine, and Dr. Kent McKelvey, Associate Professor of Genetics and Family and Preventive Medicine, are among the eight co-authors of a landmark paper from the Global Down Syndrome Foundation. Published October 20 in the Special Communication Section of JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association, the paper presents the first evidence-based medical care guidelines for adults with Down syndrome. The UAMS colleagues and their peers at some of the largest adult Down syndrome clinical centers in the country worked for four years on the guidelines, which include 14 recommendations and four statements of good practice. The guidelines address behavioral health, dementia, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, atlantoaxial instability, osteoporosis, thyroid and celiac disease. Congratulations and kudos to Dr. McKelvey and Dr. Harville on this very important work.

COVID Cardiology
College of Medicine cardiologists and researchers continue to publish important papers that advance the understanding of the links between COVID-19 and the heart. Dr. Jawahar L. (Jay) Mehta, Distinguished Professor of Medicine and Physiology and Biophysics and the Stebbins Chair in Cardiology, most recently co-authored a paper with Internal Medicine resident Dr. Husam Salah. “Takotsubo cardiomyopathy and COVID-19 infection” was published in the European Heart Journal-Cardiovascular Imaging and discusses a newly defined phenomenon in some patients with COVID-19.

Meanwhile, colleagues in the Department of Pediatrics Division of Cardiology have just had an article accepted for publication in the Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal. Fellow Dr. Lee Crawford, Associate Professor Dr. Kenneth Knecht, Professor Dr. Parthak Prodhan, Associate Professor Dr. Elijah Bolin and Assistant Professor Dr. Markus Renno collaborated on “Variable Presentation of COVID-19 in Pediatric Patients,” a case series indicating at least two different pathways that can result in cardiac involvement with acute infection or delayed inflammatory response.

Resident Leadership Award
Child Neurology resident Dr. Praveen Ramani recently received the Outstanding Leadership Award from the Pediatric Hospital Medicine Section of the Department of Pediatrics. Dr. Ramani received the largest share of nominations in the history of the award, and for very good reason. Nominators praised his commitment to patient care, exceptional clinical skills and mentorship of interns. During his rotation, he made an exceptional “catch,” saving a patient’s life by identifying a pericardial effusion in tamponade before the patient’s symptoms escalated. Congratulations Dr. Ramani. We are proud of you.

Super Symposium
A shout-out to the Department of Dermatology for their excellent work hosting the second annual UAMS Dermatology Fall Clinical Symposium last Saturday. This year’s virtual format enabled approximately 40 providers from across the state and beyond to participate. The symposium was organized by Dr. Henry Wong and Ms. Amanda Blagg. Along with Dr. Wong, presenters included Dr. Vivian Shi, Dr. Rodrigo Valdes-Rodriguez, Dr. Megan Evans and resident Dr. Hugh Nymeyer, as well as case presentations by UAMS medical students heading into dermatology: Amanda Ederle, Alyson McKinnon, Dmitry Nedosekin, Sophia Ly and Blake Richardson.

Student Scholar
Congratulations to third-year M.D./M.P.H. student Anusha Majagi on being selected for the Arkansas Geriatric Education Collaborative (AGEC) 2021 Geriatric Student Scholars Program. Supported by a Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) grant, the program is designed to increase health professions students’ knowledge about older adults and the specialized care they need. Anusha’s nomination was supported by Dr. Sara Tariq, Associate Dean for Student Affairs. Read more about Anusha and the program here.

Service Awards
Let’s have a round of applause for all of the outstanding, dedicated colleagues being honored with UAMS Employee Service Awards this week. UAMS recognizes employees after each five years of service, and many of this year’s 1,220 honorees have served on Team UAMS for three, four or even five decades. Six College of Medicine faculty and staff are being honored for an incredible 40 years of service: Dr. Teresita Angtuaco (Radiology), Dr. Robert Bradsher Jr. (Internal Medicine), Dr. Lawrence Cornett (Physiology/Biophysics), Wyvonne Ora (Northwest Arkansas IM Residency), Dr. Robert Reis (Geriatrics) and Dwana McKay Yarberry (Housestaff Affairs). We are grateful for the service of these and other COM colleagues as well as our friends in ICE, other colleges and areas throughout UAMS.

Grateful Students
The College of Medicine freshman class hosted a beautiful and moving ceremony last week to express gratitude for the anatomical donors who helped them learn the intricacies of anatomy during their Human Structure course this fall. While the foundational course lasts only a matter of weeks, the memory and impact of the gift of an anatomical donor stays with a physician throughout their lifetime. Many thanks to M1 Class President Tamanna Basri and fellow 2024 Class Officers for planning and conducting the largely virtual event, along with ceremony speakers Dr. David Davies and Dr. Edgar Meyer and all of the Human Structure faculty.

Above & Beyond
A patient recently wrote to thank UAMS for the exceptional care provided by the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery’s Dr. Mauricio Moreno, Dr. Jumin Sunde and Samantha Rose, APRN. The multi-page letter made it clear that this patient faced an extremely serious and frightening condition. The patient was grateful for the expertise of the Otolaryngology team – but something else meant just as much. “The clarity and kindness that they provided was far beyond just being conventionally compassionate and dramatically exceeded any type of expectations,” the patient wrote. Kudos to these colleagues for their exceptional work. This is what we are all about!

Recent Faculty Appointments — October 2020

Please join us in welcoming these recent additions to the College of Medicine faculty.

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Katie Ryan, Ph.D.

Katie Ryan, Ph.D., has joined the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology faculty as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Ryan received her doctoral degree at the University of Birmingham in the U.K. She served as a Research Associate in the department prior to her faculty appointment. Dr. Ryan’s research focuses on the role of Rho GTPase Rnd3, a molecular switch, in normal keratinocyte regulation and melanoma. Rnd3 expression is correlated with progression toward an invasive phenotype in melanoma cells. Dr. Ryan’s lab is working to define Rnd3 mechanisms that promote aggressive, metastatic myeloma.
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Alicja Urbaniak, Ph.D.

Alicja Urbaniak, Ph.D., has been promoted to Instructor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Dr. Urbaniak received her master’s and her doctorate in chemistry from Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poland. She completed requirements for an additional Ph.D. in sports sciences from the University of Physical Education, also in Poznań. Dr. Urbaniak joined the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at UAMS as a Research Intern in 2016. She went on to serve as a Research Technician and subsequently as a Postdoctoral Fellow. Since September 2019, Dr. Urbaniak has been supported by a grant from the Arkansas Breast Cancer Research Program under the co-direction of Dr. Angus MacNicol and Dr. Tim Chambers. Her work has been honored nationally, and she currently serves on the Executive Committee and as a Communications Officer for the Division of Drug Discovery and Development of the American Society of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET).

Department of Microbiology and Immunology

Mark Manzano, Ph.D.

Mark Manzano, Ph.D., has joined the Department of Microbiology and Immunology as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Manzano received his doctoral degree from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. He completed his postdoctoral fellowship at Northwestern University in Chicago. Dr. Manzano’s research focuses on functional genomics to study host-pathogen interactions and biological processes. His lab uses functional genomics to study primary effusion lymphoma, an aggressive B cell cancer caused by the Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus or human herpes virus 8 (KSHV/HHV8).
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Department of Pediatrics

Steven Dahl, M.D.

Steven Dahl, M.D., has joined the Department of Pediatrics as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases. He received his medical degree and completed his pediatrics residency at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Lubbock. He completed his fellowship in pediatric infectious diseases at Children’s Mercy in Kansas City, Missouri. During residency, Dr. Dahl served as a delegate to the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Medical Student, Resident and Fellowship Trainees. He also served on the Infection Prevention Control Committee at Texas Tech UMC. While a fellow, he received two Trainee Travel Awards for the IDWeek national conference.

Matthew H. Merves, M.D.

Matthew H. Merves, M.D., has joined the Department of Pediatrics as an Associate Professor in the Division of Neonatology. Dr. Merves received his medical degree at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. He completed his residency in pediatrics at John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. He continued his training with clinical fellowships in neonatal-perinatal medicine at the University of Florida in Gainesville, where he won the Medical Student Teaching Award, and at the University of Colorado, Aurora. Dr. Merves served as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine at Emory University in Atlanta from 2014 until his recruitment to UAMS.

Department of Psychiatry

Ming Hwei Yek, Psy.D.

Ming Hwei Yek, Psy.D., has joined the Department of Psychiatry as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Yek received a master’s in clinical psychology from McGill University in Montreal and her doctorate in clinical psychology from Baylor University. She recently completed a fellowship in clinical health psychology at the University of Florida at Gainesville. Dr. Yek sees patients in the UAMS Psychiatric Institute’s Walker Family Clinic. She also provides evaluation and treatment for pre- and post-transplant patients at UAMS.

Accolades – October 21, 2020

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!

Vaccine Leadership
Dr. Jeannette Lee, Professor of Biostatistics, has been appointed to serve on the FDA Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee as it reviews COVID-19 vaccines. She will bring exceptional expertise to the crucial work of ensuring the approval of safe and effective vaccines to prevent the spread of the deadly virus that has changed the world as we know it. This is the latest of many national roles for Dr. Lee. Earlier this year, she and Co-PI Dr. Jessica Snowden were awarded a $39 million grant renewal from the National Institutes of Health for the UAMS-based Data Coordinating and Operations Center, which oversees the 18-site Idea States Pediatric Clinical Trials Network. Dr. Lee also serves on the FDA Cellular Tissue and Gene Therapies Advisory Committee. We are grateful for your service nationally and here at UAMS!

Bringing the Fight
Many UAMS researchers and staff are bringing the fight to COVID-19, with 75 studies either active or in the pipeline. I join with Translational Research Institute Director Dr. Laura James in recognizing two particularly prolific COVID-19 clinical researchers:

Dr. Tina Ipe, Associate Professor of Pathology and Director of the Blood Bank and Transfusion Division, is leading the Arkansas Expanded Access to COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma Treatment Program Trial. She also has two COVID-19 clinical trials pending as well as two retrospective chart review studies. Dr. Nikhil Meena, Associate Professor of Internal Medicine and Director of the Medical Intensive Care Unit, is leading two active clinical trials for COVID-19 therapeutics. He also has two clinical trials pending, plus two prospective registry studies and one retrospective chart review study.

We are proud of the many investigators who are focused on this virus and contributing to a knowledge base that will save lives. Thank you all.

AAMC Chair-Elect
Maurice Rigsby, Vice Chancellor for Institutional Relations, is a fantastic advocate for UAMS here in Arkansas and beyond. As the newly nominated 2021 Chair-Elect of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Government Relations Representatives Steering Committee, his impact will be even broader. Mr. Rigsby will serve as Chair of the AAMC-GRR Steering Committee in 2022. Congratulations and thank you for your excellent service to UAMS, Arkansas and the nation’s academic medical centers.

STEM Star
Dr. Keshari Thakali, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and researcher in the Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center, is being honored by the Museum of Discovery as one of Arkansas’ top innovators in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). She will be recognized, along with STEM leaders such as Arkansas First Lady Susan Hutchinson and former Arkansas Secretary of Health Dr. Nate Smith, at the Spark! 2020 Luncheon on November 2 and during the organization’s virtual Gala on November 10. Read more about Dr. Thakali here. We are proud to have you as a colleague, Dr. Thakali!

Quality & Safety
Congratulations to the Institute for Digital Health & Innovation’s Dawn Brown, B.S.N., RN, on becoming the very first person to achieve national certification in Obstetric and Neonatal Quality and Safety. Ms. Brown serves as Clinical Director for POWER (Perinatal Outcomes Workgroup through Education & Research), an initiative of the IDHI High-Risk Pregnancy Program and labor and delivery facilities throughout Arkansas. The prestigious new credential from the National Certification Corporation (NCC) is earned by meeting stringent educational and/or practice requirements and taking a rigorous national examination in the specialty area.

Best Paper
Congratulations to Dr. Ariel Berlinski, Professor of Pediatrics, on receiving the 2020 Draeger-Shreyas Roy, M.D. Memorial Award from the American Respiratory Care Foundation. The award recognizes Dr. Berlinski’s paper “Albuterol Delivery Efficiency in a Pediatric Model of Noninvasive Ventilation with a Single-Limb Circuit” as the best paper, published during the previous year in the journal Respiratory Care, to address mechanical ventilation and its current technology as it relates to respiratory care. Dr. Berlinski is Director of the Cystic Fibrosis Care Center, Medical Director of the Respiratory Care Services Department, and Director of the Pediatric Aerosol Research Laboratory at Arkansas Children’s Hospital.

International Appreciation
This week, the American Medical Association and many others are celebrating International Medical Graduates Recognition Week. Our IMG faculty, residents and fellows bring broad expertise, selfless dedication to our profession and those we serve, and a wealth of new and unique perspectives to Team UAMS. Please join me in thanking our IMG colleagues for their many contributions to our mission and the UAMS community!

PA of the Month
The Department of Surgery,Division of Burn Surgery’s Ryland Walt Steele, PA-C, is the featured Physician Assistant of the Month on the Arkansas Academy of Physician Assistants (ARAPA) website – and for good reason. Ms. Steele has been doing incredible work caring for critically ill adult and pediatric patients in the Burn Unit at Arkansas Children’s Hospital for the past two years. She is also a voting member of the Advanced Practice Provider Credentialing Committee at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Next month she will present at ImPAct 2020, the ARAPA CME Conference, discussing “Burn Care for the Primary Care and Emergency Medicine Provider.” Great job!

Above & Beyond
Finally this week, a shout-out to Child Neurology Resident Dr. Paul Drake for the compassionate care he provides patients and their families. A family recently reached out to express how well Dr. Drake explained a challenging condition and the path forward, and the difference he is making in the ongoing care of their loved one. Thank you for kindness and dedication to our young patients, Dr. Drake.