Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH) and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) celebrated the investiture of Gregory Albert, M.D., M.P.H., FAANS, FACS, FAAP, as recipient and steward of the Lee and Bob Cress Endowed Chair in Pediatric Neurosurgery on November 12 on the campus of ACH.

Dr. Albert is an Associate Professor in the UAMS College of Medicine who practices at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. He is the Section Chief of the Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery at ACH and is an Associate Professor of Neurosurgery at UAMS.

This brand-new chair was established through gifts from Lee and Bob Cress and the Riggs Benevolent Fund, and honors Lee and Bob Cress’ legacy of more than 50 years’ service to Arkansas Children’s. Lee is a lifetime member of the ACH Auxiliary, and Bob served on the governance boards for Arkansas Children’s Hospital and Arkansas Children’s Foundation.

“This chair honors Lee and Bob Cress’ legacy of leadership, volunteerism and their unyielding commitment to champion children. We are proud to recognize Dr. Albert’s commitment to advance children’s health and pediatric neurosurgery at Arkansas Children’s,” said Marcy Doderer, president and CEO of Arkansas Children’s. “Dr. Albert continuously demonstrates his commitment to providing excellent and compassionate care for our patients and their families.”

Endowed chairs provide Arkansas Children’s and UAMS the ability to recruit and retain top leaders in the medical field who can provide the best care for patients. An endowed chair or professorship remains one of the highest honors that UAMS and Arkansas Children’s can bestow on its most distinguished physicians. Those named to a chair are among the most highly regarded scientists, practitioners and professors in their fields.

“We are pleased to honor Dr. Albert and invest in his abilities to transform health care for children,” said UAMS Chancellor Dr. Cam Patterson.

Dr. Albert received his medical degree and Master of Public Health from Tufts University in 2003. He was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society while at Tufts. He then completed neurosurgery residency and a one-year fellowship at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. During his time at Iowa, he was awarded a Ruth L. Kirchstein National Research Service Award from the National Institutes of Health. He received additional fellowship training in pediatric neurosurgery at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Ontario. He is certified by both the American Board of Neurological Surgery and the American Board of Pediatric Neurological Surgery.

Following completion of his training in the summer of 2011, Dr. Albert joined the Division of Neurosurgery at Arkansas Children’s Hospital and the Department of Neurosurgery in the UAMS College of Medicine. He practices the full range of pediatric neurosurgery with a particular interest in the surgical management of epilepsy. He has published a number of peer-reviewed journal articles.

Dr. Albert is a member of the American Society of Pediatric Neurosurgeons, the AANS/ CNS Section on Pediatric Neurological Surgery, and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons. He is a Fellow of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (FAANS), a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS), and a Specialty Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics (FAAP).

About Arkansas Children’s

Arkansas Children’s, Inc. is the only healthcare system in the state solely dedicated to caring for Arkansas’ 710,000 children, giving the organization a unique ability to shape the landscape of pediatric care in Arkansas and transform the health of children throughout the region. The private, non-profit organization includes two pediatric hospitals, a pediatric research institute and USDA nutrition center, a philanthropic foundation, a nursery alliance, statewide clinics, and many education and outreach programs. Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH) is a 336-bed, Magnet-recognized facility in Little Rock operating the state’s only Level I pediatric trauma center; the state’s only burn center; the state’s only Level IV neonatal intensive care unit; the state’s only pediatric intensive care unit; the state’s only pediatric surgery program with Level 1 verification from the American College of Surgeons; and the state’s only nationally recognized pediatric transport program. Additionally, ACH is nationally ranked by U.S. News & World Report in five pediatric subspecialties (2019-2020): Cardiology & Heart Surgery, Nephrology, Neurology & Neurosurgery, Orthopedics and Pulmonology. Arkansas Children’s Northwest (ACNW), the first and only pediatric hospital in the Northwest Arkansas region, opened in Springdale in early 2018. ACNW operates a 24-bed inpatient unit; a surgical unit with five operating rooms; outpatient clinics offering over 20 subspecialties; diagnostic services; imaging capabilities; occupational therapy services; and Northwest Arkansas’ only pediatric emergency department, equipped with 30 exam rooms. Generous philanthropic and volunteer engagement has sustained Arkansas Children’s since it began as an orphanage in 1912, and today ensures the system can fundamentally transform the health of children in Arkansas and beyond. To learn more, visit archildrens.org.

About UAMS

UAMS is the state’s only health sciences university, with colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions and Public Health; a graduate school; hospital; a main campus in Little Rock; a Northwest Arkansas regional campus in Fayetteville; a statewide network of regional campuses; and seven institutes: the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, Psychiatric Research Institute, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Translational Research Institute and Institute for Digital Health & Innovation. UAMS includes UAMS Health, a statewide health system that encompasses all of UAMS’ clinical enterprise including its hospital, regional clinics and clinics it operates or staffs in cooperation with other providers. UAMS is the only adult Level 1 trauma center in the state. U.S. News & World Report named UAMS Medical Center the state’s Best Hospital; ranked its ear, nose and throat program among the top 50 nationwide; and named six areas as high performing — cancer, colon cancer surgery, heart failure, hip replacement, knee replacement and lung cancer surgery. UAMS has 2,727 students, 870 medical residents and five dental residents. It is the state’s largest public employer with more than 10,000 employees, including 1,200 physicians who provide care to patients at UAMS, its regional campuses, Arkansas Children’s Hospital, the VA Medical Center and Baptist Health. Visit www.uams.edu or www.uamshealth.com. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or Instagram.

By Amy Widner

The Women’s Faculty Development Caucus celebrated 30 years by turning a spotlight on women in research at UAMS, while also setting new goals to ensure that progress continues.

The Women in Research Poster Showcase was held Nov. 7 in the Fred W. Smith Conference Center on the 12th floor of the Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute. All women researchers on campus were invited to present posters. The presenters went in groups, allowing participants to visit other posters and network.

The format enabled visitors to see that women are advancing research in all aspects of health care and in all colleges and departments on campus.

“I am really impressed by the wide range of projects that I see around the room,” said Mari K. Davidson, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in the College of Medicine. “I just talked to one person about safe sleep for babies, another about Stop the Bleed. We can get caught in a place where we just stick to our own area, so it’s really fun to see what’s going on.”

The Women’s Caucus was founded in 1989 at UAMS as a professional development and mentoring program to help women advance their careers and assume leadership positions. Its professional development efforts have resulted in an expanding organization that addresses the needs of all UAMS faculty members and trainees. The caucus provides leadership training, mentoring/advising, faculty handbook publications, faculty development, and networking opportunities.

The caucus is structured around faculty-led committees with rotating leadership, which simultaneously gives women leadership opportunities and provides new ideas and energy behind caucus activities.

Research Committee Chair Taren Swindle, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine Research and Evaluation Division, welcomed the crowd with information on caucus history and inspiration for its future.

“For women in science, we have made some progress,” Swindle said. “The National Institutes of Health, for example, just announced last week they are extending early career status for career development applications after childbirth. Another example is here at UAMS, promotion and tenure guidelines have been changed to accommodate familial needs for men and for women. These are wonderful areas of progress, but we still have work to do.”

Swindle shared statistics that paint a picture of the remaining gender gaps:

• Only 32% of scientists in North America are women, according to a UNESCO report.
• While there is no difference in productivity between young male and female scientists, the first grant given to female scientists is $40,000 less on average, and that gap increases to almost double at Big 10 universities, according to a report published in JAMA.
• Women scientists are 20% less likely than men to come back to work after starting a family, according to an article in Nature.
• Only 21% of full professors are women, according to the American Medical Association.

Swindle pointed to a poster near the entrance which provided attendees an opportunity to list strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and challenges facing women faculty at UAMS. The committee supplied a few bullet points in each category, and the participants were encouraged to use sticky notes to provide their own insights.

“We’re really seeking your perspective on this,” Swindle said. “The Women’s Faculty Development Caucus has decided to broaden the research committee. In the past, the committee has focused on promoting students. These statistics and others show us that not only do students and young researchers need help, mid-career faculty face challenges too. There is a gap to bridge between young, promising researchers and full tenured professors, so we’re looking at how we can address that issue. This will also result in serving the faculty more broadly and better promoting all women in science.”

Eva Woodward, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry in the College of Medicine, was swarmed by interest in her recent publication about ways to address health inequity using the tools of implementation science. Between interested visitors, she paused to say that the points made by Swindle were exactly why she welcomed the opportunity to take part in the research showcase.

“While men and women start out even at the assistant professor level, by the time you’re talking about full professor, the women fall out and the men dominate those positions, and we still have huge disparities to address,” Woodward said. “I’m taking time out of my schedule for this because it’s one way in which I can provide witness to the work of other women scientists who aren’t necessarily underrepresented in their field, but are underrepresented in positions of leadership, and also to be seen as well. It seems simple, but it’s important.”

By Amy Widner

Steven Barger, Ph.D., a researcher at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), has entered the national spotlight for showing how the mechanism that brings sugar to the brain malfunctions in people with Alzheimer’s disease, highlighting a potential target for treatment.

The study also explains why Alzheimer’s can mimic the symptoms of diabetes, and ultimately concludes there is not as strong a connection between the two diseases as previously believed. The work also deepens the understanding of how the brain uses sugar, or glucose, to fuel important mental functions and memory.

Barger is a professor with appointments in the Geriatrics, Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, and Internal Medicine departments in the UAMS College of Medicine. His work was featured during a news conference hosted by the Society for Neuroscience at its annual meeting in Chicago. The findings were featured in Forbes, the American Association for the Advancement of Science EurekAlert!, and other outlets such as dLife.

Researchers have long tried to explain the apparent connection between Type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease. A diabetes diagnosis doubles a person’s risk of developing dementia. Memory loss and other symptoms of dementia are common among older adults with diabetes. However, Alzheimer’s is just one form of dementia, and it includes other unique symptoms that diabetes does not. Notably, brain samples of diabetics do not show excessive beta-amyloid peptide, which is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s.

These observations have led scientists to question whether diabetes leads to Alzheimer’s or if the converse might be true. Barger’s research began as an exploration of whether Alzheimer’s might cause some cases of diabetes.

Barger looked at Alzheimer’s brains and discovered a very specific process at work. He focused on a protein called glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1), which takes glucose from the blood vessels to the neurons in the brain, and found that beta-amyloid peptide can cause GLUT1 to be defective. The result is that the brain does not get enough glucose, and excess glucose backs up in the blood, mimicking diabetes.

“Our model indicated that, rather than diabetes, people with Alzheimer’s may have higher glucose in their blood simply because they are not transporting as much into the brain, and this may be responsible for the problems with the high blood sugar levels common to Alzheimer’s,” Barger said.

Glucose, here represented by hexagons, is delivered to the brain via blood vessels. It is shuttled from the blood into astrocytes (brown), a type of brain cell that relays the glucose to neurons (green). This is especially important at synapses, the site at the ends of long extensions where neurons communicate with one another (lightning bolts). When the rate of their firing increases — during the creation of a memory, for instance — neurons receive glucose at higher rates from the astrocyte conduit. Zooming in to the junction between the blood vessel and the astrocyte’s extension, we see that the glucose is shuttled between two versions of GLUT1:  GLUT1-B in the blood vessel wall and GLUT1-A in the astrocyte membrane. In Alzheimer’s disease, the astrocytes installation of GLUT1-A in their membranes falters. Less glucose is available to the synapses for making memories, and more is left in the blood, moderately elevating blood sugar levels.

Barger suggests further research could focus on finding ways to ensure the brain continues to get glucose by targeting GLUT1.

“Multiple therapies that reduce brain levels of beta-amyloid have failed in Alzheimer’s treatment trials in recent years, perhaps because it is nearly impossible to remove the beta-amyloid fast enough, before it has kicked off its deadly chain reaction that causes the debilitating symptoms of Alzheimer’s,” Barger said. “Interfering with later events, further down the chain, may be the best hope for preventing dementia. If impaired glucose delivery is a key element of this chain reaction, it may be fruitful to reinforce the sugar bucket brigade.”

Barger’s work coincided with emerging studies by other scientists who have looked at diabetes brain samples and found that the cognitive symptoms of diabetes are related to what is called “vascular dementia,” which results from damage to blood vessels. High blood pressure and arterial plaque are common complications of Type 2 diabetes.

“The two diseases appear to be quite distinct,” Barger said.

Barger’s abstract was one of about 50 to be highlighted at the Society for Neuroscience news conference out of more than 14,000 submitted.

The project included UAMS colleagues Antiño Allen, Ph.D., in the College of Pharmacy; Gwen Childs, Ph.D., and Angela Odle, Ph.D., in Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences; Yang Ou, Ph.D., a research associate in Geriatrics; graduate student Jakeira Davis; and former graduate student Rachel Hendrix, Ph.D.

By Benjamin Waldrum

Mark Smeltzer, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Microbiology & Immunology and the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery in the College of Medicine at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), was invested Oct. 28 in the Chair in Sciences Basic to Medicine.

Smeltzer, who studies Staphylococcus aureus, is one of the most well-funded faculty in the UAMS College of Medicine and has received numerous teaching and research awards.

“This award is really special to me because I am a basic scientist, but I want my science to be relevant and important to people, and to medicine,” said Smeltzer. “But what makes this award even more special is that it’s being given to me by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. I’m now in my 27^th year here, and I’m doing everything in my power to make UAMS proud.”

An endowed chair is among the highest academic honors a university can bestow on a faculty member. A chair is established with gifts of at least $1 million, which are invested and the interest proceeds used to support the educational, research and clinical activities of the chair holder. Those named to a chair are among the most highly regarded scientists, physicians and professors in their fields.

“This well-deserved honor for Dr. Smeltzer is about both the past and the future,” said UAMS Chancellor Cam Patterson, M.D., MBA. “Mark Smeltzer is a distinguished scientist who is deeply invested in educating additional scholars to follow in his footsteps. We are all proud of your contributions to UAMS and to biomedical science.”

Smeltzer has been continuously funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID) since 1996 and by the Department of Defense since 2009. He also serves as director of the Center for Microbial Pathogenesis and Host Inflammatory responses, which has been funded to date by a 10-year, $21.2 million award from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences.

According to the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research, Smeltzer’s funding ranks 42nd among 1,040 microbiology researchers at U.S. medical schools.

“Dr. Smeltzer is one of our most successful researchers on campus and in microbiology nationally, and his work has impacted multiple fields, including orthopaedics and cancer,” said Christopher T. Westfall, M.D., UAMS executive vice chancellor and dean of the College of Medicine. “He is also an accomplished and respected teacher and mentor, and has helped train the next generation of scientists at UAMS.”

Smeltzer was presented with a commemorative medallion by Patterson and Westfall. He thanked his students and colleagues and recognized several members of his family who were in attendance.

Smeltzer, who joined UAMS in 1993, has pursued many avenues in his research including improved diagnostic methods, enhanced antibiotic delivery, alternative treatment methods including nanotechnology, and understanding the molecular basis for the prominence of S. aureus as an orthopaedic pathogen.

“Dr. Smeltzer was happy to help me succeed in his lab or in someone else’s,” said Daniel G. Meeker, Ph.D., a College of Medicine M.D. candidate in the Class of 2020. “He is a great mentor to students even before they become his students. Today I want him to take pride in his accomplishments, as I express my pride in him.”

“For me, Mark defined everything I know about what it means to be a mentor,” said James E. Cassat, M.D., Ph.D., an assistant professor of pediatric infectious disease at Vanderbilt University Medical Center who studied under Smeltzer at UAMS. “There are three things I think are important for people to know about Mark: he’s a mentor to everyone, not just people that he chooses to mentor; he gets to know his trainees so well that he knows when he needs to tell them that they’re making a mistake, or to make a change; and he communicates to us in a way that we know we can be successful.”

Before coming to UAMS, Smeltzer trained with John J. Iandolo, Ph.D., a university distinguished professor at Kansas State who ultimately served as chair of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology and as vice president for research at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. Iandolo’s research focus was on microbial pathogenesis with an emphasis on infections caused by S. aureus, and it was in his laboratory that Smeltzer was first introduced to this important bacterial pathogen. After joining the UAMS faculty, he focused his efforts on S. aureus as the leading cause of orthopaedic infections under the guidance of Carl L. Nelson, M.D., the long-time chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery.

“I first met Mark when he was a graduate student, and it was clear to me from the beginning that he had what it took,” said Iandolo. “All I had to do was point him in the right direction. He was, in my mind, the clearest thinker who went through my whole lab, which was about 30 people, over my career.”

“We very much feel that Mark is a part of our department,” said C. Lowry Barnes, M.D., chair and professor of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery in the College of Medicine. “Mark, congratulations – we are so proud of you. We are glad that you put us on the map nationally and internationally for your work. This is a very well-deserved honor.”

Smeltzer was born in El Dorado and spent his early years living in the small town of Norphlet. His family later moved to Halstead, Kansas, where he attended high school before pursuing his undergraduate degree at Washburn University in Topeka. He ultimately earned his Ph.D. from Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas.

Smeltzer has been the recipient of numerous teaching and research awards over his career, including the Red Sash, Gold Sash, Golden Apple, Dean’s Distinguished Faculty Scholar, College of Medicine Faculty Research Excellence Award, and Graduate Faculty of the Year. He was also named an American Society for Microbiology Distinguished Lecturer, a Fellow of the Arkansas Research Alliance, and elected chair of the Gordon Research Conference on Staphylococcal Diseases.

By Spencer Watson

Simon Mears, M.D., Ph.D., an orthopaedic surgeon and professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery in the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) College of Medicine, has been inducted into The Hip Society, a national organization dedicated to the advancement of knowledge relating to the hip joint.

“I am grateful for this tremendous honor and am proud to represent both Arkansas and UAMS,” said Mears. “The Hip Society represents the nation’s thought leaders when it comes to disorders that affect the hip and hip surgery, and to be among their company will be a great benefit to me in providing the best care possible for my patients.”

Mears will be inducted into the Hip Society in March in Orlando, Florida, at the 2020 annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

Mears joins C. Lowry Barnes, M.D., chair of the UAMS Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, as a member of The Hip Society. They are the only current members from Arkansas, marking the first time the state has had two members in the society at the same time. Barnes’ predecessor as department chair, the late Carl. L. Nelson, M.D., was also a member.

“I’m very happy to welcome Dr. Mears to The Hip Society,” said Barnes. “To have two physicians from our department working with this organization is a rare gift for our patients and for all Arkansans.”

Mears earned his medical degree and a doctoral degree in neurobiology from the University of Pittsburgh. He completed his orthopaedic residency at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He completed a fellowship in orthopaedic traumatology at the R. Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center at the University of Maryland, as well as a second fellowship in hip and knee replacement at the Mayo Clinic.

Mears has won the prestigious Jahnigen Award in geriatric medicine. He practiced at the Johns Hopkins University for 10 years and served as chairman of orthopaedic surgery at the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center.

Mears specializes in hip and knee replacement including both primary and revision surgery. His research interests include the clinical outcomes of geriatric patients and the biomechanics of fixation in osteoporotic bone. He is vice president of the International Geriatric Fracture Society and deputy editor for the Journal Geriatric Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation.

By Spencer Watson

By partnering with local physicians, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) is expanding UAMS Orthopaedics to Northwest Arkansas. In January 2020, the Shoulder Center of Arkansas in Fayetteville and its therapy partner, 201–train-recover-move, in Fayetteville and Rogers will become part of the statewide UAMS Health system.

Wesley Cox, M.D., who founded the practice, and Chad Songy, M.D., who joined it earlier this year, will both join UAMS and bring their team with them, including the 201 team members, who serve world-class athletes and Olympians. Former University of Arkansas head primary care sports medicine team physician Ramon Ylanan, M.D., who joined UAMS in early October, will continue to practice as a sports medicine specialist with UAMS at the Shoulder Center.

“Dr. Cox is a premier surgeon and he and his team will make invaluable additions to our department, which is continuing to grow and reach patients where they live, particularly when travel to Little Rock is not possible or convenient,” said C. Lowry Barnes, M.D., chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery in the UAMS College of Medicine.

“As the fastest growing part of the state, Northwest Arkansas is a critical area of service for UAMS and its mission of improving the health of all Arkansans,” UAMS Chancellor Cam Patterson, M.D., MBA.

“UAMS is committed to growing specialty and subspecialty care in Northwest Arkansas,” said Pearl McElfish, Ph.D., vice chancellor for the UAMS Northwest Regional Campus. “As local physicians with established relationships, Drs. Cox, Songy and Ylanan will be ideal ambassadors for UAMS Orthopaedics in this region.”

Cox is an orthopaedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist and a former head team physician to a number of sports programs at the University of Arkansas. He is a 2003 graduate of UAMS. After completing an internship and residency in orthopaedics at UAMS, Cox moved to San Francisco for fellowship specialty training in shoulder, elbow and sports medicine surgery. He returned to his native Fayetteville in 2009 to found his practice. He received a bachelor’s degree in microbiology from Auburn University.

A Baton Rouge native, Songy received a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from Louisiana State University. He received his medical degree from Louisiana State University School of Medicine, Shreveport and completed his residency in orthopaedics at UAMS in 2018. After completing specialized training in complex shoulder and elbow reconstruction at the Mayo Clinic in 2019, he returned to Arkansas to join Cox in practice at the Shoulder Center of Arkansas.

“This partnership opens up a number of unique opportunities in Northwest Arkansas by combining our clinical subspecialty care with the statewide scaling and resources of an institution like UAMS,” said Cox. “We look forward to combining our expertise on shoulder and elbow surgery and all our subspecialties to the existing talent and capabilities at UAMS Orthopaedics to become a health care destination and provider of choice not just for those locally but for all of Arkansas.”

“We believe this will be a tremendous asset to our current and future patients and look forward to working with our new colleagues in UAMS Orthopaedics,” added Songy.

The UAMS Northwest Regional Campus includes 250 medical, pharmacy, nursing and health professions students, 50 medical and pharmacy residents, and 1,000 community-based faculty. The campus has nine clinics including a student-led clinic and physical, occupational and speech therapy. Faculty conduct research to reduce health disparities. Visit www.uams.edu or www.uamshealth.com. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or Instagram.

UAMS is the state’s only health sciences university, with colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions and Public Health; a graduate school; hospital; a main campus in Little Rock; a Northwest Arkansas regional campus in Fayetteville; a statewide network of regional campuses; and seven institutes: the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, Psychiatric Research Institute, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Translational Research Institute and Institute for Digital Health & Innovation. It is the only adult Level 1 trauma center in the state. U.S. News & World Report named UAMS Medical Center the state’s Best Hospital; ranked its ear, nose and throat program among the top 50 nationwide; and named six areas as high performing — cancer, colon cancer surgery, heart failure, hip replacement, knee replacement and lung cancer surgery. UAMS has 2,727 students, 870 medical residents and five dental residents. It is the state’s largest public employer with more than 10,000 employees, including 1,200 physicians who provide care to patients at UAMS, its regional campuses, Arkansas Childrens Hospital, the VA Medical Center and Baptist Health. Visit www.uams.edu or www.uamshealth.com. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or Instagram.

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By Ben Boulden

Despite all the centuries physicians have studied the human body, its anatomy still has secrets to reveal that can improve the treatment of patients and their health outcomes, said R. Shane Tubbs, Ph.D., professor of neurosurgery and cell biology, and director of surgical anatomy at Tulane University in New Orleans.

Tubbs spoke Oct. 11 on “Spinal Anatomy Research: Quo Vadis and Relevance to Spine Surgeons in 2019?” to dozens of residents, students and faculty as part of the Flanigan-Boop Endowed Lectureship in Spinal Neurosurgery.

Tubbs is editor of the 41^st and newly released 42^nd editions of “Gray’s Anatomy,” long considered the ‘bible’ of anatomy, as well as author of more than 30 books and over 1,500 peer-reviewed publications.

“We still know very little about spinal anatomy, no matter what someone tells you,” Tubbs said. “We’re discovering things that we never knew existed in the spine after hundreds of years of study. It’s an exciting time to be in this field.”

Tubbs said he and his research team use “reverse translational research in anatomy” to speed up the process by which research makes it from its earliest stage to a practical application for patients. The average time that takes is 17 years, he said, but his team’s approach accomplishes that in 3.2 years.

“What we do with reverse translational research is go to surgeons and ask them what problems they have encountered in the operating room and what complications they have seen with patients,” Tubbs said. “We also ask if there’s an anatomical study we can devise to address that problem and help patients in the here and now.”

Often after he and his team publish their findings, Tubbs said, their work is picked up by others around the world and other researchers expand on it.

“We’ve been doing this for 25 years, and from it we’ve developed new foams, nerve grafts and surgical procedures,” Tubbs said. “We’ve improved patient care and offered surgeons a larger tool box to use for their patients.”

For much of the lecture, Tubbs reviewed his research findings regarding the spine. Some parts of the spine have been identified and known for a long time but in many cases how they interrelate with other tissues or anatomical structures isn’t. His research even has revealed small, previously overlooked features.

Tubbs spoke earlier in the day to the neurosurgery residents about how to approach writing for academic journals and improve the chances of being accepted for publications.

People are not taught how to write in medical school, Tubbs said. He advised that as writers they should always have an idea of what publication they want to submit an article to before they even start.

“My biggest suggestion is ask yourself what mentality you want to have in writing,” he said. “You want to think like your reviewers. Are they surgeons or statisticians or something else? You want to think like them with every word you type in.”

Tubbs then took the  neurosurgical residents through an anatomical dissection examining the back of the neck and top of the spine from the shoulders to the base of the skull.

“The opportunity to have Dr. Tubbs lead a dissection for our residents is an incredible one,” said Noojan Kazemi, M.D., associate professor in the UAMS Department of Neurosurgery. “Someone of his renown is a tremendous boost to the residents for their learning and it is a real honor to host him here for the Flanigan-Boop lecture and for UAMS in general.”

Kazemi introduced Tubbs to the residents and at the annual distinguished Flanigan-Boop lecture. The lecture was part of three days of events celebrating the 50^th anniversary of the clinical training program in neurosurgery at UAMS.

J.D. Day, M.D., chair of the UAMS Department of Neurosurgery, on Oct. 10 was invested as the Robert Watson, M.D., Chair in Neurosurgery and on Oct. 12, the UAMS Neurosciences Update was held to present the latest research from faculty in neurosurgery and neurology as well as showcase the most up-to-date and minimally invasive surgical techniques performed at UAMS.

By Amy Widner

Groundbreaking research on inclined sleep products for infants by Erin Mannen, Ph.D., a baby biomechanics expert and mechanical engineer at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), was made public Wednesday as part of a U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission investigation into their safety and related rulemaking.

“Over the course of a year-long study, we found evidence that babies age 2-6 months on average who were placed in inclined sleep products were at higher risk of suffocation in these products compared to a flat crib mattress,” Mannen said. “We found evidence that some of the deaths linked to these products occurred when babies who were placed on their backs to sleep rolled over — many for the first time — and were found dead on their stomachs.”

Mannen and a team of researchers from UAMS concluded that none of the inclined sleep products they examined as part of the study were safe for infant sleep. They further recommended that this category of products be removed from the market or that the industry rules outlining the standards for these product be significantly revised.

In detail, Mannen and her team suggested the angle of the incline on such products be no more than 10 degrees and that the lying surface be flat and rigid (rather than soft and plush-like).

Inclined sleepers are relatively new. The Consumer Product Safety Commission only began recognizing them as a product class in 2011, when they were separated from the regulations governing bassinets and cradles. They are currently defined as “a free standing product with an inclined sleep surface primarily intended and marketed to provide sleeping accommodations for an infant up to 5 months old or when the infant begins to roll over or pull up on sides, whichever comes first.” The appearance of the products varies, but they can look like hammocks or slings suspended on a frame, often with an incline of 10 to 30 degrees.

Mannen’s research became public as the Consumer Product Safety Commission considers changes to the regulations for this line of product.

Mannen and her team evaluated the products in several ways.

The researchers performed a biomechanical analysis with actual infants ranging from ages 2-6 months, comparing their muscle use and biomechanics in the products, both on their backs and on their stomachs, and at various inclines. This was compared to data on the same infants on a flat crib mattress under the same range of conditions.

They found that the babies who were placed on their stomachs in the sleepers or who rolled over had to exert many times more than the normal muscle strength to keep themselves upright and had to use muscles in a way that might be unfamiliar to them — as much as 200% more core strength than in a crib under the same conditions.

The team also conducted a review of several examples from the product class and found a wide variety of products are being marketed in this category. Many different designs and materials are in use.

They reviewed 91 incidents on a case-by-case basis, looking at police reports, caregiver interviews, autopsies and other data. They found that in many cases where an infant had been placed to sleep on their back in the sleeper and then rolled over and suffocated, the caregivers reported that they had not rolled over before and it was likely one of their first times to do so, if not the first time.

Additionally, the team monitored oxygen saturation levels of the babies over about one to two minutes in the inclined sleepers vs. a flat crib-like surface and found that even in such short time periods, there were twice as many incidents of a drop in oxygen levels in the inclined sleepers.

“We found evidence to suggest that this inclined position on a non-rigid surface may make it easier for babies to roll over, but harder for them to roll back,” Mannen said.

Co-investigators from UAMS on the study included John Carroll, M.D., pediatric pulmonologist; David B. Bumpass, M.D., pediatric spine surgeon; Brien Rabenhorst, M.D., pediatric orthopaedic surgeon; Brandi Whitaker, Ph.D., pediatric psychologist; Junsig Wang, Ph.D., biomechanics researcher; and Safeer F. Siddicky, Ph.D., biomechanics researcher.

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UAMS is the state’s only health sciences university, with colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions and Public Health; a graduate school; hospital; a main campus in Little Rock; a Northwest Arkansas regional campus in Fayetteville; a statewide network of regional campuses; and seven institutes: the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, Psychiatric Research Institute, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Translational Research Institute and Institute for Digital Health & Innovation. It is the only adult Level 1 trauma center in the state. U.S. News & World Report named UAMS Medical Center the state’s Best Hospital; ranked its ear, nose and throat program among the top 50 nationwide; and named six areas as high performing — cancer, colon cancer surgery, heart failure, hip replacement, knee replacement and lung cancer surgery. UAMS has 2,727 students, 870 medical residents and five dental residents. It is the state’s largest public employer with more than 10,000 employees, including 1,200 physicians who provide care to patients at UAMS, its regional campuses, Arkansas Childrens Hospital, the VA Medical Center and Baptist Health. Visit www.uams.edu or www.uamshealth.com. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or Instagram.

By Amy Widner

Researcher Terry Harville, M.D., Ph.D., of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), has published a major study that for the first time links autism spectrum disorder to a specific genetic variation affecting the immune system.
The study, published in the Frontiers of Psychiatry, found that a genetically inherited immune type HLA-Cw7 was present in much higher numbers in people with autism as compared to the general population.

Harville and co-authors believe this HLA-Cw7 expression may cause chronic immune system activation for a subgroup of people with autism. In fact, this chronic inflammation may be affecting the brain and actually be causing the autism in these patients.

“Findings like this bring us one step closer to the future of treatment for autism: individualized medicine,” Harville said. “The more we truly understand the driving forces behind autism spectrum disorder, the better we will be able to identify and treat subgroups and individuals — to the maximum benefit for the individual patient.”

Harville, who is a professor of pathology and internal medicine at UAMS with a long career in pediatric immunology, collaborated on the study with the UAMS Department of Pediatrics, Arkansas Children’s Research Institute (ACRI), UAMS College of Public Health, National Center for Toxicological Research, and other institutions across the country.

Autism spectrum disorder includes a broad range of symptoms like challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication. It affects about 1 in 69 children in the United States.

While there is no known single cause of autism, the current consensus among the scientific community is that it is not one condition but several unique subtypes driven by both genetics and environmental factors. Scientists have long suspected the immune system may play a role for some subtypes, and a body of evidence is accumulating to support this connection.

Harville said it has been difficult to prove an immunological cause for autism, in part because the autism diagnosis is so broad. He agrees with the theory that autism is likely several different conditions, each with a unique cause. During his career as a pediatrician, Harville observed that the same treatment would have a dramatic effect for one patient with autism and little or no effect on another.

With this in mind, Harville’s study also attempted to identify other characteristics that define this subgroup of patients with the HLA-Cw7type. Harville found that — in addition to the behavioral symptoms that led to their autism diagnosis — these patients also reported higher rates of infections, allergies, food intolerances, chronic sinusitis and gastrointestinal issues compared to other patients with an autism diagnosis but without expression of the HLA-Cw7 gene.

“What emerges is a profile of symptoms that might help clinicians identify these patients as part of this subgroup,” Harville said. “Our next step will be looking at ways to perhaps manage these patients with treatments that alter immune system function or activation.”

Other variations of the HLA gene have been connected to autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis, celiac disease and ankylosing spondylitis. This led Harville to choose HLA for the focus of his autism study.

Individualized medicine, also called precision or personalized medicine, is the idea that advances in genetic testing, advanced computational abilities and other scientific tools are improving medical treatment by enabling it to be tailored to the individual.

UAMS co-authors on the study include Bobbie Rhodes-Clark, Ph.D., Department of Pathology; Sirish C. Bennuri, Marie Tippett, Shannon Rose, Ph.D., Stephen Kahler, M.D., Department of Pediatrics and ACRI; and Leanna Delhey, College of Public Health.

The study was funded by the Arkansas Biosciences Institute, the Jonty Foundation (St. Paul, Minnesota), the Autism Research Institute (San Diego), the Gupta Family Foundation (Atherton, California), the Jane Bostford Johnson Foundation (New York City), the Jager Family Foundation (Chicago) and the Phoenix Children’s Hospital Foundation (Phoenix). HLA typing was in part funded by research funds from the Department of Pathology in the UAMS College of Medicine.

By Benjamin Waldrum

Arabinda K. Choudhary, M.D., MBA, chair of the Department of Radiology in the College of Medicine at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), was invested Oct. 14 in the Ernest J. Ferris, M.D. Chair in Diagnostic Radiology.

Choudhary is an internationally recognized expert in pediatric neuroimaging and imaging related to pediatric abusive head trauma. He joined UAMS in August.

“This is a huge day for me, for our department, and possibly the single biggest achievement of my professional career,” said Choudhary. “I’m really excited for what this means for us as a department and the opportunity that we have; what it means for me, as the responsibility embedded within the Ferris Chair; what it means for UAMS with the expectations being set for our department; and for the state of Arkansas for the commitment this reflects on us to provide the best value-based care to the patients of the state.”

An endowed chair is among the highest academic honors a university can bestow on a faculty member. A chair is established with gifts of at least $1 million, which are invested and the interest proceeds used to support the educational, research and clinical activities of the chair holder. Those named to a chair are among the most highly regarded scientists, physicians and professors in their fields.

“Today is a great day for UAMS and for the Department of Radiology,” said UAMS Chancellor Cam Patterson, M.D., MBA. “We are honored to have Dr. Choudhary continue the legacy of Dr. Ferris.”

The chair is named in honor of Ferris, who chaired the Department of Radiology for 31 years, helping bring comprehensive subspecialty training and highly specialized radiological care to Arkansas. He trained more than 350 fellows and residents at UAMS, six of whom have gone on to become department chairs at various medical schools. Ferris expanded the department to include 50 radiologists with diverse subspecialties before he stepped down as chair in 2008.

Ferris, who attended Boston University School of Medicine, held faculty positions at Harvard University and Tufts University, and served as chief of radiology at Boston University Medical Center for eight years before being recruited to UAMS in 1977.

Well-known nationally and internationally for his contributions to the field of radiology, Ferris received the American Board of Radiology’s Distinguished Service Award in 2000 and was presented with the Radiological Society of North America’s highest honor, the Gold Medal, in 2001. At UAMS, he received the Caduceus Club’s Distinguished Faculty Award in 1996 and the Dean’s Distinguished Faculty Scholar Award in 2007. College of Medicine students recognized him four times with the Red Sash Award.

“A force for good, for radiology at the local, national and international stage, Dr. Ferris’ collaborative research and clinical body of work, which is vast and extensive, has inspired many generations of radiologists, including myself,” Choudhary said. “It is a proud moment for me to be the steward of Dr. Ferris’ legacy.”

Ferris was in attendance for the ceremony, held in the Diner Learning Center at UAMS’ Little Rock campus, which served as a celebration of the department, with radiology staff, technologists, residents, alumni and faculty members participating.

James E. McDonald, M.D., who served as department chair from November 2016 until June, when he announced his retirement, was scheduled to speak but could not attend due to the imminent birth of his granddaughter. Jeannette Shorey, M.D., associate provost for faculty affairs, read from his prepared remarks.

“Arv Choudhary is very likely one of the best prepared individuals to ever lead any department at UAMS,” McDonald wrote. “He is a man who has the ability to recognize what counts, what is eternal. And, along with that, he has the intellect, skill and determination to do what needs to be done to preserve and build. He is the right leader, in the right place – this place – at exactly the right time.”

Choudhary was presented with a commemorative medallion by Patterson and Christopher T. Westfall, M.D., FACS, UAMS executive vice chancellor and dean of the College of Medicine. Choudhary thanked his wife Bhawna Jha, M.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Neurology in the College of Medicine, and their three daughters: twins Rhea and Anya, 13, and Keya, 10.

Choudhary was previously chair of pediatric radiology at Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Delaware, since 2013. He received his medical degree from the Medical College of Calcutta in 1994 and completed residencies in pediatrics at Princess of Wales Hospital and the University of Wales and Llandough Hospital in the U.K., followed by a residency in radiology at Cambridge University. He continued his training with fellowships in pediatric radiology and pediatric neuroradiology at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.

Choudhary received his MBA with a major in finance from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in 2017 and received Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE) certification in 2018. He is board certified in clinical informatics, radiology, neuroradiology and pediatric radiology.

He began his career in academic medicine as director of pediatric neuroradiology at Penn State Milton S. Hershey University Medical Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania, from 2006 to 2013. He also served as associate program director of radiology in 2011-2012. He developed the pediatric neuroradiology section with increased specialization and a comprehensive teaching curriculum for fellows and residents. He worked with partnering hospitals to build relationships and provide subspecialist services. He taught medical students at Penn State and mentored numerous students, residents, fellows and junior faculty members.

Choudhary’s research has centered on diagnosis of brain and spinal trauma, as well as chronic disease and surgery involving the brain. He was the lead author on a 2018 consensus statement on abusive head trauma, the leading cause of fatal head injuries in children younger than 2. The statement, supported by 15 international pediatric and radiology organizations and published in the journal Pediatric Radiology, outlines the consensus of evidence-based medical findings on abusive head trauma to serve as a tool within the legal system. Within weeks of publication it was in the top 5% of all research ever tracked by Altmetric, and it was the third most downloaded article from Springer’s pediatric and radiology journals in 2018.

Choudhary has published extensively and lectured internationally on neuroimaging. He received the Society of Pediatric Radiology’s prestigious Walter E. Berdon award in 2016 for authoring the best clinical research paper in Pediatric Radiology in 2015. He received the David S. Hartman, M.D., Faculty Golden Apple Award for outstanding medical student teaching at Hershey Medical Center in 2010.