Winter 2008
STAT
News and announcements from the Medical College of Wisconsin
Dr. Jonathan Ravdin appointed Dean of Medical College
Jonathan I. Ravdin, MD, the Nesbitt Professor and Chairman of the Department of Medicine at the University of Minnesota Medical School and an international leader in infectious diseases, has been appointed Dean and Executive Vice President of the Medical College of Wisconsin commencing May 5, 2008.
Dr. Ravdin is widely recognized for contributing seminal research on the molecular mechanisms by which Entamoeba histolytica, an enteric protozoan parasite that is highly endemic worldwide, causes invasive amebiasis (colitis and liver abscess), and how humans develop an effective mucosal immune response. His work has led to the development and study of an experimental vaccine designed to prevent infection and, potentially, eradicate this disease.
Dr. Ravdin is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and a member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation and the Association of American Physicians, honors bestowed on researchers in academic medicine whose accomplishments are deemed of high importance and scientifically distinguished. At the University of Minnesota Medical School, Dr. Ravdin also serves as Special Advisor to the Dean for Strategic Development.
A Medical College search committee composed of Trustees, Department Chairs and faculty leaders recommended Dr. Ravdin along with others to T. Michael Bolger, JD, President and CEO, who made the final selection.
The search committee conducted an extensive national search to find a successor for Michael J. Dunn, MD ’62. Dr. Dunn, who has served as Dean since Jan. 1, 1995, announced his plans to step down in January 2007. He will continue to serve as Dean until Dr. Ravdin assumes the position on May 5. Dr. Dunn will then continue at the Medical College as a Distinguished Professor of Medicine.
“Jonathan Ravdin is an accomplished leader in academic medicine,” Bolger said. “We are pleased that he will join us in advancing our national prominence in education, discovery, patient care and community engagement.”
Dr. Ravdin received his MD degree from Tufts University School of Medicine. He completed a residency in internal medicine at The New York Hospital – Cornell Medical Center, followed by a fellowship in infectious diseases at the University of Virginia School of Medicine.
He is married to Marcie Christensen Ravdin. They have four children.
Look for a feature article on Dr. Ravdin in the summer 2008 issue of Alumni News.
Medical College’s 2007 Annual Report is now available
Copies of the Medical College of Wisconsin’s 2007 Annual Report and Honor Roll are available to alumni upon request. The publication, titled A Bright Future, highlights the College’s many educational programs.
Check out the Medical College's 2007 Annual Report online or obtain copies, please contact the Office of Public Affairs at (414) 456-4700 or ckalmans@mcw.edu.
CAIR researchers expand HIV prevention studies with grants
Investigators in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine’s Center for AIDS Intervention Research (CAIR) have been awarded four National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants totaling more than $10.5 million to expand the Center’s HIV prevention research in world regions hard-hit by the disease.
Jeffrey A. Kelly, PhD, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine and CAIR Director is principal investigator for two of the new grants. The first is a five-year, $2.8 million grant from the National Institute of Drug Abuse that will take place at project sites in Russia, Bulgaria and Hungary. The project will determine whether a social network intervention reduces risk behavior practices, HIV incidence and the incidence of other sexually transmitted diseases among high-risk social networks of young men who have sex with men; young, high-risk heterosexual women and men; and ethnic minority Roma. The second is a five-year, $3.4 million grant from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) that will examine whether Internet-based, distance staff training methods can be made as effective as traditional, on-site training in assisting providers to adopt effective HIV prevention modules. This will take place in all countries of the former Soviet Union.
Yuri A. Amirkhanian, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, has been awarded a five-year, $2 million grant from the NIMH to strengthen social and behavioral science research capacity in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Lance S. Weinhardt, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, has received a four-year, $2.3 million grant from the NIMH to determine the effectiveness of a promising HIV prevention intervention as well as the effects of in-depth interviewing alone on the risk behavior practices of STD clinic patients. The study will be centered in Cape Town, South Africa.
Injury Research Center receives CDC grant renewal
The Injury Research Center at the Medical College of Wisconsin has received a five-year, $4.5 million competitive renewal grant from the National Center for Injury prevention and Control of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Established in 2001, the Center enhances the research, education and policy infrastructure for injury prevention and control to ultimately reduce injury deaths and disabilities statewide, regionally and nationally.
Stephen W. Hargarten, MD ’75, MPH, Professor and Chairman of Emergency Medicine, is Director of the Injury Research Center and principal investigator for the grant. Peter M. Layde, MD, MSc, Professor of Population Health, is Co-Director.
Eye Institute scientists to study function of cone pigment genes
Medical College vision researchers will study the biological processes of photopigment genes in the cone photoreceptor cells of the eye through a five-year $2.7 million grant from the National Eye Institute. Jay Neitz, PhD, the R.D. & Linda Peters Professor in Ophthalmology and Professor of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, is principal investigator for the grant and will team with his wife, Maureen Neitz, PhD, the Richard O. Schultz/Ruth Works Professor in Ophthalmology Research, on the project.
Harmful mutations occur at a higher frequency in the photopigment genes than at any other location in the human genome. The Drs. Neitz will investigate the contribution of these mutations to common vision disorders, such as macular degeneration and nearsightedness.
New NHLBI grant enables study of atherosclerosis prevention
The Medical College of Wisconsin has received a five-year, $1.6 million grant from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute to develop new strategies for the prevention of atherosclerosis. Hiroto Miura, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine (Cardiovascular), is principal investigator for the grant.
Atherosclerosis is characterized by arterial plaque formation due to overproduction of the smooth muscle cells of arteries and infiltration of blood cells that normally respond to inflammation or infection. Dr. Miura hopes to find therapeutic targets that are activated commonly among these cell types in atherosclerosis and to determine the effects of long-term treatment on the development of atherosclerosis.
Researcher studies injury from chronic sleep restriction
The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute has awarded the Medical College of Wisconsin a four-year, $1.6 million grant to investigate injury to cells and tissues in different organ systems that may result from chronic sleep restriction, causing susceptibility to disease. Carol A. Everson, PhD, Professor of Neurology, is principal investigator.
Dr. Everson’s team has shown that sleep restriction in the rat model leads to severe metabolic and endocrine disturbances, uncompensated oxidative stress and generalized cell injury. Further studies will determine the extent to which recovery of sleep reverses functional impairments. Outcomes are expected to facilitate interventions that limit adverse health effects of sleep deprivation.