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CTSI News Archive
The CTSI news page showcases news items associated with CTSI personnel, awardees, trainees and scholars.
March/ April 2010
Harriet Kitzman, RN, PhD, FAAN, associate dean for research at the University of Rochester School of Nursing and CTSI Executive Committee Member, was awarded the Susan B. Anthony Lifetime Achievement Award for her 40-year career in academic nursing and her dedication to mentoring others in the field. Kitzman is best known for her extensive contributions to research on home visiting preventive intervention for young families, an intervention that has captured national and international interest.
Patricia Sime, MD, associate chairman of Medicine for Research and prior CTSI pilot award recepient, has been elected to a two-year term as Chair of the Planning Committee for the American Thoracic Society (ATS). With 15,000 members world-wide, the ATS is dedicated to advancing the clinical and scientific understanding of pulmonary diseases, critical illnesses, and sleep-related breathing disorders.
June 2009
John Treanor, Co-Director of the CTSI Novel Methodologies Key Function, was quoted by the Canadian Press (June 30) saying that the two countries may go different routes on pandemic vaccine production.
Called "a breakthrough finding," the LA Times (June 24) and others reported on Arthur Moss' heart device trial, stopped early thanks to its overwhelming success reducing heart failure deaths by one-third. Dr. Moss serves as a mentor for CTSI trainee Judy Liu.
Dr. Katia Noyes, a consultant for the CTSI, has been named permanent Chief of the Division of Health Policy and Outcomes Research in the Department of Community & Preventive Medicine. Katia has been a member of the department for nine years and has served as the Interim Division Chief for the past year.
Dr. Edwin Van Wijngaarden, a consultant for the CTSI, has accepted the position of Chief of Epidemiology in Department of Public Health Sciences. Edwin joined the Department of Community & Preventive Medicine faculty in 2004 and has served as the Interim Chief for the last year.
Kevin Makino, a CTSI MD/PhD trainee, received the first University of Rochester AcademyHealth Student Chapter Travel Award for the Annual Research Meeting in Chicago, IL.
Adam Simning, a CTSI MD/PhD trainee, was invited to attend the US Army Suicide Reduction and Prevention Research: Strategic Planning Workgroup in Washington, DC, June 2 – 4, 2009. He drafted a summary technical report for the three-day strategic planning workgroup and received $1000 honorarium in support of his dissertation research.
Mathews Jacob, a former CTSI Pilot & Collaborative Studies award recipient, was recently awarded the prestigious National Science Foundation CAREER award. Click here for more information on this story.
May 2009
As part of its 2009 University Commencement activities, the Johns Hopkins University inducted CTSI Principal Investigator Thomas A. Pearson, MD, PhD, Albert D. Kaiser Professor of Public Health Sciences into its society of scholars. Read more about Thomas Pearson being elected to Hopkins Society of Scholars.
Julie L. Ryan, a CTSI KL2 scholar, presented her research on the use of ginger supplements to reduce post-chemotherapy nausea at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting in the Patient and Survivor Care Session on Saturday, May 30, in Orlando, Florida.
April 2009
University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) neurologist, Robert C. Griggs, MD, has been elected president of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN), the world’s largest professional organization of neurologists. Dr. Griggs serves as mentor to CTSI Trainee Daniel Platt.
Berislav Zlokovic, MD, PhD, director of the Center for Neurodegenerative and Vascular Brain Disorders at the University of Rochester Medical Center, received the 2009 Potamkin Prize for Research in Pick’s, Alzheimer's, and Related Diseases during the American Academy of Neurology annual meeting in Seattle.
Stephen Dewhurst, PhD was chosen as the new chair of the Department of Microbiology & Immunology at the University of Rochester Medical Center. Dr. Dewhurst has served on the CTSI Executive Committee in his current role as senior associate dean for Basic Research, and has been with the University since 1990.
March 2009
Laura Calvi and Xinping Zhang, both CTSI Pilot & Collaborative Studies award recipieints, were two of ten scientists from the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) awarded more than $6.8 million in total by the Empire State Stem Cell Board. The grants are for a wide range of research programs in the fields of neurological disorders, cancer, musculoskeletal diseases, the blood system, and efforts to understand the fundamental mechanics of stem cell biology.
February 2009
Two national orthopaedic organizations honored Randy Rosier, MD, PhD for his significant clinical, research and educational contributions to the field. The American Orthopaedic Association and the Orthopaedic Research Society presented Rosier with the The Alfred R. Shands, Jr., M.D. Award, which annually honors a physician who has dedicated a significant portion of their professional career to furthering knowledge of musculoskeletal disease. Dr. Rosier is the Co-Director of the CTSI Pilot & Collaborative Studies Key Function.
Jill Halterman, MD, MPH, CTSI Pilot & Collaborative Studies awardee, received a $3.8 million grant from the NIH’s National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute to fund an asthma intervention study.
January 2009
Dianne C. Morrison-Beedy, CTSI Pilot & Collaborative Studies awardee, was recently inducted into the American Academy of Nursing. Morrison-Beedy is known for her research in HIV awareness and prevention.
December 2008
An article in Science Careers (Dec. 19) profiles Amanda Lucas' transition in to the new Ph.D. program in Translational Biomedical Science. Amanda transferred from the Epidemiology Ph.D program in Fall 2008 to become the first student enrolled in the Translational Biomedical Science Ph.D program.
A report in the Washington Post (Dec. 9) cites Julie Fudge’s comments that some people, thanks to their genes, are more susceptible to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder than others. Dr. Fudge serves as the primary mentor for CTSI year-out trainee Youngsun Cho.
The Canadian Press (Dec. 9) sought John Treanor’s insight into a new study suggesting that a half-dose of flu vaccine could be nearly as effective as a full dose in healthy adults – especially women. Dr. Treanor is Co-Director of the CTSI Novel Methodologies Key Function.
USA Today (Dec. 8) talked to Ray Dorsey about an ironic part of clinical trial communications: drug companies are required to share results with investors, but researchers aren’t obligated to let participants know the outcome. Dr. Dorsey is currentlly a CTSI KL2 scholar.
November 2008
ABC News (Nov. 25) carried Robert Gross' comments on research that gleans new insight into the causes behind epileptic seizures. Dr. Gross is a member of the CTSI Education Key Function and Director of the CTSI Year-Out Program.
In an interview with Reuters (Nov. 19), Carl D’Angio explained the concerns felt by outside experts who are urging U.S. health agencies to assess the risks and benefits of prescribing antipsychotic drugs to kids. Dr. D'Angio is also a recent CTSI Laboratory Support Center Funding Awardee.
Kevin Fiscella spoke to the Associated Press (Nov. 11) about new URMC research showing that the blood pressure gap between races could be costing more than 8,000 black Americans their lives. Dr. Fiscella is Co-Director of the CTSI Community Engagement Key Function.
Katherine Eisenberg’s research, showing that flu shots still conferred some protectiveness to kids even in years where the flu strains were poorly matched, was covered by UPI (Nov. 5). Katherine was a CTSI MD/ PhD trainee.
October 2008
Washington Post (Oct. 10) carried comments from John Treanor, explaining that flu, though traditionally thought of as threatening to older people, also kills young children. Dr. Treanor is Co-Director of the CTSI Novel Methodologies Key Function.
The Modesto Bee (Oct. 6) cited Peter Szilagyi’s idea that there are essentially two avenues for communities wanting to quickly improve their delivery of childhood vaccines: Either issue persistent reminders to parents, extend doctors’ office hours, and enact a collaborative effort to vaccinate every child during their visit, or develop a plan that uses schools or other community locations to deliver immunizations. Dr. Szilagyi is a member of the CTSI community engagement key function.
September 2008
In a story about reducing the number of shots needed to administer anthrax vaccine, Bloomberg News (Sept. 30) included comments from John Treanor saying that, compared to injections given under the skin, intramuscular vaccines are less painful and seem to confer an equal immune response. Dr. Treanor is Co-Director of the CTSI Novel Methodologies Key Function.
Peter Szilagyi told The Los Angeles Times (Sept. 29) that increasing the pool of flu vaccine recipients – coupled with pioneering more protective vaccines – could help curb outbreaks. Dr. Szilagyi is a member of the CTSI community engagement key function.
CTSI KL2 Scholar Supriya Mohile told Reuters Health (Sept 24) that more research is needed to determine if older men relying on long-term hormone therapy are really at higher risk for falls and injuries.
An AP wire story ran in news outlets nationwide – including MSNBC (Sept. 8) – sharing John Treanor’s endorsement of new government recommendations that advise flu vaccinations for children as young as 6 months. Since kids are key “spreaders,” inoculating more of them could help limit transmission.
August 2008
A front page article in the New York Times (Aug. 5) featured neurologist Irene Richard in a Q&A exploring the emotional toll of Parkinson’s disease. Dr. Richard is a member of the CTSI's Committee on Industry and Foundation Relations.
ABC News (Aug. 14) asked Alice Pentland to weigh in on new research suggesting that moisturizers might increase the risk of developing skin cancer. Dr. Pentland serves as primary mentor to CTSI KL2 Scholar Julie Ryan.
June 2008
Robert Block, CTSI KL2 Scholar, was featured in a video on ABCNews.com (June 17; choose “Two Cups a Day Keeps Heart Disease Away”), explaining how drinking coffee might improve heart health.
John Treanor, Co-Director of the CTSI Novel clinical and Translational Methodologies Key Function, spoke with the Canadian Press (June 23) about the intricacies of gauging the protectiveness of vaccines against bird flu.
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