MUSC Catalyst

September 14, 2012 MEDICAL UNIVERSITY of SOUTH CAROLINA Vol. 31, No. 5

READ THE CATALYST ONLINE - http://www.musc.edu/catalyst

3 Day of Caring TherapeuTiC WeekenD

Employees demonstrated their generosity for the community Sept. 7.

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5Shannon’s Hope, a camp for children who have lost a loved one, is accepting applications.

University F & A Awards

Meet Marta

Applause

By Dawn Brazell

Public Relations

Talk about a protein shake.Researcher Philip H. Howe, Ph.D., points

to a blender full of a protein-rich shrimp mix that he feeds his zebrafish. These rock stars of research are upstaging more traditional

animal models that have been used. He keeps them healthy and well, given how they can advance cancer treatment, particularly in discovering how metastatic cancer progresses in humans.

Howe, who holds the Hans and Helen Koebig Chair for Clinical Oncology, said they are

ideal for researchers studying the process of metastasis, especially since zebrafish embryos are completely transparent, making them ideally suited for studying developmental processes as they occur.

The highly fertile fish, which even have their own website called the Zebrafish Information Network or ZFIN for short (http://zfin.org/), live about two years, with a pair of fish producing about 300 embryos in one week. The fish become full-grown in two days. A mouse, in comparison, would take 21 days.

Certain cancer cells are more aggressive in proliferating, similar to what happens in the embryonic development process when cells differentiate to form the tissue and organs of the body, he said. “Ninety percent of all cancer deaths are caused by the metastatic phase of the disease, where cells escape from the primary tumor and establish secondary Dr. Philip H. Howe conducts zebrafish research in his

laboratory in the Hollings Cancer Center.

roCk STarS of reSearCh

See zeBrafish on page 9

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2 The CaTalysT, September 14, 2012

The Catalyst is published once a week.Paid adver tisements, which do notrepresent an endorsement by MUSCor the State of South Carolina, arehandled by Island Publications Inc. ,Moultrie News, 134 Columbus St. ,Charleston, S.C., 843-849-1778 or843-958-7490. E-mail: [email protected].

Editorial of ficeMUSC Office of Public Relations135 Cannon Street, Suite 403C,Charleston, SC 29425.843-792-4107Fax: 843-792-6723

Editor: Kim [email protected]

Catalyst staff:Cindy Abole, [email protected] Brazell, [email protected]

The Duke Endowment recentlyawarded the South Carolina Area

Health Education Consortium a three-year grant to establish the Institute forPrimary Care Education and Practice.This institute brings together MUSC andthe University of South Carolina (USC)to increase the number of primary careproviders in the state.

Upon receiving word about thegrant from The Duke Endowment,David Garr, M.D., executive directorof the consortium, said: “We needmore primary care providers in SouthCarolina. This new institute offers anopportunity to increase the support we’llbe able to provide to USC and MUSCstudents who begin their studies with aninterest in primary care careers.”

By bringing together the twoacademic medical centers, the institutealso will coordinate its work acrossinterprofessional boundaries. Medical,advanced practice nursing and physicianassistant students who have an interest incareers in primary care will be invited tojoin the institute when they begin theirprofessional education. A team of facultywill coordinate the work of the institute.

In the past, students who beganprofessional school with an interestin primary care often changed focusto a non-primary care specialty. Theinstitute will provide special learningopportunities and support for thesestudents during their time at MUSCand USC with the goal of sustainingtheir interest in primary care. The goalis to prepare these students so that more

of them graduate with plans to work inprimary care settings.

Stephanie Burgess, USC clinicalprofessor of nursing, said the USCCollege of Nursing Advanced PracticeNursing Program is thrilled tocollaborate with programs at MUSC.“Our vision is to increase the number ofprimary care providers to help meet theneeds of the anticipated large numberof South Carolinians who will enter thehealth care system by 2014.”

Activities for the institute will includea longitudinal seminar series that willprovide opportunities for students toengage in discussions about a number ofprimary care-related topics. Community-based faculty who volunteer their timeto teach students from the medicine,nursing, and physician assistantstudies programs will be invited tojoin the institute to serve as teachersand mentors. An annual conferencefor students, campus faculty fromMUSC and USC, and community-based preceptors will generate a senseof community and sustain a vision forimproved primary health care.

Paul Jacques, D.H.Sc., facultymember with the MUSC PhysicianAssistant Program said patient-centeredmedical homes are the future modelsfor improving access to health care.“These primary care practices will needcompassionate, competent clinicianswho are comfortable working withininterprofessional teams. This project isfocusing on the future of health care andpreparing students for that future.”

Award to create Institute forPrimary Care Education Practice

Employees recognized forExcellence in performance

During the university’s Finance& Administration award ceremony,Lisa Montgomery, executive vicepresident, recognized employees fortheir dedication.

Employee of the Year was awardedto Monique Felder, who has workedwith the institution for more than20 years. Felder was the division’sthird quarter winner.

The Cindy Garmon PEER(Promoting Employee Excellencewith Recognition) of the Yearaward went to Kathleen Williams.Williams received nine PEER postcards from coworkers thankingher for demonstrating qualities ofexcellence and assisting others.

Lisa Montgomery, left, executive vice president of finance andoperations, Division of Finance & Administration, honored MoniqueFelder with the Employee of the Year award, Aug. 15.

Kathleen Williams, left, receives thePEER of the Year award from LisaMontgomery.

The CaTalysT, September 14, 2012 3

R egistration is open for Shannon’s Hope, atherapeutic weekend camp for children ages 6 to

15 who have experienced the death of a loved one inthe past 24 months. This camp, held Oct. 6 and 7, isan initiative of Hospice of Charleston Foundation incollaboration with Hospice Care of America, MUSCand Roper Hospice.

Through participation in fun activities, campers areencouraged to speak about issues of death and grief.The experience is structured to teach children thatfeelings such as sadness, fear, anger and desperation areall normal aspects of the grieving process. Together theycreate friendships and support systems that allow themto identify and express their emotions in a safe, secureenvironment. It is a weekend of laughter, tears, sharingand remembering.

The camp is facilitated by professional counselors,and trained volunteer buddies who providecompassionate individual support to the children.Together these adults help the children “create steppingstones from their stumbling blocks.”

Shannon’s Hope is held twice a year at Camp St.Christopher on Seabrook Island. A $35 fee is requested;however, scholarships are available based on financialneed. Referrals of campers are welcomed from parents,counselors, teachers, ministers, or other concernedpersons. Transportation to and from camp is available.

Shannon Heisler was the inspiration for Shannon’s

Hope, initiated in August 1989. The courage and hopedemonstrated by this 16-year-old Hospice of Charlestonpatient, who died in November 1988, were the drivingforces behind the development of the camp.

To refer a camper or for questions, contact KathyBerry at Hospice of Charleston Foundation ([email protected] or 216-7323).

Corporate sponsorships are available for Shannon’sHope and all Hospice of Charleston Foundation events.Financial contributions are welcomed to support thisprogram, as well as Hospice of Charleston Foundation’sother charitable efforts to assist individuals and familiesin the Tri-county area who turn to hospice for help intheir most vulnerable moments.

For additional information on the camp, visit www.hospiceofcharlestonfoundation.org or call 216-7323.

Shannon’s Hope offers campers a therapeutic weekendhospiCe of CharlesTon founDaTion

Hospice of Charleston Foundation is dedicatedto supporting people facing end-of-life realities andexpanding access to hospice services in Berkeley,Charleston, and Dorchester counties. Founded asHospice of Charleston, the organization has servedpatients and their families for more than 30 years.

The mission focuses on two program areas:Bereavement Initiatives: Supporting children andadults grieving the loss of a loved one. Communityevents like Shannon’s Hope camp for children andCandlelight Memorial Ceremony provide comfortfor hundreds of people each year.Educational Outreach: Supporting end-of-life caretraining for health care professionals and raisingcommunity awareness about hospice care and itsbenefits, including outreach initiatives of othergroups.

The Office of the Vice President for AcademicAffairs and Provost is accepting nominations forpersons to receive honorary degrees from MUSC, tobe awarded at Commencement.

In general, honorary degrees go to individuals inthe following broad categories: contribution(s) to thenation; contribution(s) to science; contribution(s) tothe state or MUSC. Nominations of MUSC alumniare generally discouraged.

The nominations should be forwarded to MarciaHigaki, Office of the Provost, Colcock Hall, 179Ashley Ave., MSC 002, [email protected], nolater than Friday, Oct. 12.

Honorary degree nominations acceptedfor contributions to MUSC, nation


HR updateHelena Bastian, MUHA HR

director, presented the followinginformation:q Pay increase: Effective Aug.26, eligible employees (those whooccupy a permanent position) willreceive a .5 percent increase; this is a one-time increaseand is not related to an employee's performancerating(s); increase(s) will be reflected in the Sept. 19paycheck.

q SuccessFactors: 2013 planning forms are due no laterthan Sept. 30.

q 2012 Service Awards Ceremony: MUHA’s ceremonywill be held at 2 p.m. Sept. 12 in the Drug DiscoveryBuilding; official invitations were delivered toadministrators on Aug. 31 and should be distributedto managers for distribution to employees who will berecognized.

q New Hire Reception: This quarter’s reception willbe held from 1 — 2 p.m., Sept. 13 at Ashley River TowerMezzanine and recognizes those employees hired Aprilthrough June who are celebrating their first 90 days ofemployment with MUHA

Benefit of the MonthDependent care flexible spending account (FSA):

Benefit authorizes employees to use pre-tax dollars fortheir dependents (children or elderly family member),age 13 and younger to cover expenses and services fromJanuary through December. Qualified dependent careexpenses include day care, after school care, adult daycare, summer camp, etc. Employees are encouraged toestimate their expenses carefully because they will losemoney that is remaining in the account at the end ofthe plan year.

Wellness updateSuzan Whelan, Office of Health Promotion and

Employee Wellness coordinator, reviewed details ofthis season's 2012 influenza vaccine. Vaccines will beavailable for MUHA, MUSC, UMA, Crothall, Sodexoemployees and volunteers.

Campuswide satellite offices and events will be hostedby Employee Health Services and Infection Control.Employees must bring their ID badge (agency andother non-MUSC paid employees are not eligible).Participants may complete the Flu Vaccine Consentform (http://mcintranet.musc.edu/ehs/) before arrival

and bring for entry in the Express Line.Flu tent schedule: Library portico: 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.,

Sept. 19 and Sept. 20; and 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sept. 19,Ashley River Tower portico: 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sept. 19.Employees may get a flu vaccine at Employee HealthServices from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., weekdays withfaster service from 1 to 3 p.m.

Clinical managers can administer the flu vaccine totheir employees by completing the flu vaccine requestform and fax to 792-1200. Influenza vaccinationdeclaration form, Medical Center Policy C-166 will beavailable online

Quality – Providing quality patient care ina safe environment

Annette Drachman, J.D., MUSCgeneral counsel, reviewed detailsof MUHA’s contracts policy. Sheconfirmed that her office hadconducted a modified improvementproject to improve services andassist with contracts. A result fromthis is the new Medical CenterPolicy A-013 that addresses negotiation and drafting ofcontracts.

Drachman emphasized the need for managers toexercise due diligence to ensure that agreements meetMUHA’s needs, have been budgeted for and properlyapproved, and implemented, managed, monitoredand executed according to the terms of the contractfor department level contracts. The new policy reviewsnegotiation and drafting, routing and signatureauthority, details with clinical services contracts andrecord retention. She also clarified the role of a businessassociate relationship and protected health information.

Drachman also reviewed a new form that assista department to determine if a business associaterelationship exists.

The general counsel’s office is available to reviewcontracts by request. The office reviews more than1,000 contracts annually. Each contract takes an averageof eight days to complete. To submit MUHA contractsfor legal review, contact [email protected].

Service – Serving the public withcompassion, respect andexcellence

Melissa Forinash, formerlywith OCIO and the new Epicprogram administrator, providedan update on the Epic Enterpriseimplementation plans. The EpicAmbulatory Care module wasimplemented on May 17.

In April, MUSC gained permission to purchase thelicense fees for the Epic Enterprise Solution whichis a comprehensive suite of fully integrated productsincluding full revenue cycle and clinical informationsystems. Epic Enterprise will help integrate differentsystems and align the organization as the hospital movesforward with the MUSC Health Strategic Plan.

Epic started in 1979 as an ambulatory informationsystem vendor. They have evolved into the vendor ofchoice for many academic medical centers and havemore than 250 customers nationwide. It’s estimatedthat more than 40 percent of U.S. health careconsumers have an EMR utilizing Epic software.

Currently Epic Ambulatory EMR is available in 80clinics with 5,000 users and more than 6,500 registeredpatients using the MUSC MyChart patient portal.

There are ambulatory projects including ongoingoptimization and training for ambulatory clinics andpreparing for Stage 1 meaningful use. Implementationof a referring physician module called EpicCare Linkand a software version upgrade are also plannedto begin this fall. Other future projects include theKaleidoscope Ophthalmology module scheduled fornext summer and the Phoenix transplant module whichwill coincide with rollout of Epic Enterprise in 2014.

By 2014, nine existing systems will be replacedby modules within Epic Enterprise, such as clinicaldocumentation orders, Pharmacy, Perioperative,Radiology, and Revenue Cycle (registration, scheduling,and billing). Other modules include ASAP (ED),Beacon (Oncology), Care Everywhere (connectionwith all Epic institutions) and Clarity (reporting andanalytics).

Several other modules have been licensed but will notbe included with initial rollout in July 2014. Forinashalso confirmed that some systems will not be replaced,such as our current imaging systems and some otherniche information systems serving unique departmentalneeds.

The formal project kickoff period is set for Sept. 18-21with site visits by Epic personnel. An official kick-offmeeting will take place from 1:30 to 3 p.m., Sept. 19 inBaruch Auditorium.

User validation sessions to review the model systemwill take place from mid-October through the end ofNovember. Planners will rely on a broad group of keyusers to assess functionality and project scope usinga traffic light system (green-good; yellow-may needsome customization; red-will not work). The validationsessions are essential to ensure that departmental usershave input in assessing and designing the system tomeet our requirements.

AnnouncementThe next Communications meeting is Sept. 18.

Currents sept. 4People – Fostering employee pride andloyalty


Meet Marta

Marta RivellDepartmentCollege of Medicine, Student Activities andStudent AffairsHow long at MUSCAmonth

What are you doing to change what’spossibleMedical school can be very challenging, soI want to provide activities that will makethis journey pleasant and memorable.What is the best part of your jobWorking with students on a dailybasis, helping them with their residencyapplications and finally seeing them reachtheir goal of becoming physicians.Where were you bornI was born and raised in Warsaw, Poland,and moved to Charleston three years ago.Best place to visit in PolandKrakow. It is a beautiful city that was notdestroyed during WWII.A Lowcountry food you likeOysters. Not only is the food delicious, butthe roasts bring people together.PetsMy dog, Pintxo (Peen-cho). I bought himwith my very first paycheck. Pintxo inSpanish means a small appetizer. The namesuits him very well.


Professorship offers international gains

T he bad news is that Jeffrey G. Wong, M.D., willbe thousands of miles away from his family for six

months.The good news is that they will get to visit him in

Japan, where he will be going this fall having beenselected for the Kimitaka Kaga Visiting Professorship inMedical Education at The University of Tokyo Schoolof Medicine.

Wong, a professor of medicine and internist atMUSC, will be working with the University of Tokyo’sInternational Research Center for Medical Education(IRCME). “It’s an incredible opportunity for personalgrowth by learning about Japanese culture and theconduct of Japanese medical education.”

Wong, who was selected to fill this appointment afteran international search process, said he decided to applyfor the professorship because it offers opportunities tocollaborate with medical educators at the University ofTokyo, IRCME and colleagues throughout Japan whomay share similar interests.

Wong will work together with medical education andclinical colleagues in the areas of:q Curriculum development at the clinical clerkship/

senior student level to support Tokyo UniversityMedical School’s response to new national andinternational accreditation standards,q Medical education research – collaborating

with the IRCME faculty on educational research anddevelopment projects, andq Clinical teaching at a generalist level, primarily

with medical students but also with residents in theuniversity hospital.

Wong, who also cares for patients in general internalmedicine, has a long-standing passion for medicaleducation. He received his medical degree from theUniversity of Utah School of Medicine and completedhis internship and residency in Internal Medicine atDuke University Medical Center. He then served onthe Duke faculty in the Division of General InternalMedicine for eight years, attaining the rank ofassistant professor and serving in several educationaladministrative roles for Duke medical residents.

He was recruited to Washington University in St.Louis in 1996 and was the chief of medical education inthe Division of General Medical Sciences.

In 1998, he was recruited to Yale University wherehe served in a number of educational leadershiproles in the Yale Primary Care Residency Program.It was with the Yale program that Wong had his firstinternational medical education experience conductinga series of faculty development workshop programsfor basic science and clinical teachers at Kazan State

Medical University in Tatarstan, Russia. In 2004, hewas awarded an honorary professorship at Kazan just ashe was being recruited to MUSC by Jerry Reves, M.D.,former dean of the College of Medicine.

At MUSC, Wong was the senior associate dean formedical education in the College of Medicine. Heworked to improve the local educational environmentfor medical students and residents as well as enhancingMUSC’s educational reputation nationally andinternationally. He has worked with medical educatorsfrom France, Spain, China, Canada and Singaporeand shared many of MUSC’s educational innovationsthrough published papers and presentations nationallyand internationally.

Wong said this new experience with the IRCMEprofessorship will further enrich him as a physician andeducator when he returns to MUSC.

“I hope that my personal experiences in clinicalteaching, faculty development and in administeringand organizing medical education will prove beneficialfor those at the University of Tokyo’s IRCME as theywork to improve and adapt clinical training and medicaleducation to meet societal needs in Japan.”

This collaboration seems to fit into MUSC’s strategicplan for global initiative, which is exciting, he said.

“I believe that having an MUSC professor servingas the Kimitaka Kaga Visiting Professor for 2012-2013

reflects positively on MUSC as a medical educationalinstitution. In addition to the teaching and educationalresearch projects I will be conducting, I hope tolearn a bit about the administrative operations of theIRCME. MUSC is moving forward with its Center forGlobal Initiatives, and I believe that my experienceswith IRCME could potentially benefit MUSC in thefuture. It also can help foster collaborative educationalopportunities between our institution and institutionsin Japan.”

Wong, who will be leaving in September, said hehas been personally enriched by his previous overseasprojects and strongly believes in the intrinsic value thatthe diversity of these international experiences canprovide. International interconnectedness is necessaryfor the future survival of all institutions of highereducation, he said.

“Having a diverse campus comprised of learners andteachers who come from a multitude of backgroundscreates an exciting place to study and work. Throughthe exchange of these varying points of view, ideascan emerge providing impetus for advancement andinnovation, thus augmenting the value of everyone’sexperience. The friendships I have established withinternational colleagues and learners in different partsof the world are wonderful, and I look forward toestablishing new relationships with this visit.”

By Dawn Brazell

Public Relations

Dr. Jeffrey G. Wong leaves in September to serve a six-month professorship working with theUniversity of Tokyo’s International Research Center for Medical Education.

The Catalyst, September 14, 2012 7

MUSC employees care

University Human Resources’ TarshaWilliams-Smalls reads with a student atFrierson Elementary. Right photo: David Roof,Department of Pediatrics, paints the way at theadult education center at Spann Elementary.

As part of Sept. 7 Day of Caring, Pharmacy Services performed landscaping work for theCharleston Miracle League, a baseball league for children and adults with mental and physicalchallenges.

Trident United Way’sDay of Caring gave

MUSC employees achance to volunteer in theTri-county area Sept. 7.More than 300

employees, organized in 14groups, cleaned gardens,painted buildings, served

at homeless shelters andpacked back–to–schoolsupplies in honor of Dayof Caring.

To donate to MUSC’sannual Trident UnitedWay Campaign, visithttp://www.musc.edu/tuw or call 792-1973.


F lu season is just around the corner and MUSCEmployee Health is preparing to fight this illness

among employees.Five to 20 percent of Americans

contract influenza yearly, and onaverage around 200,000 of themare hospitalized with the illness orcomplications related to the disease.With an estimated 36,000 deathsannually from influenza, and itscomplications, it is the nation’seighth leading cause of death.The Centers for Disease Controland Prevention and the AdvisoryCommittee on ImmunizationPractices recommend that all healthcare workers get an annual fluvaccine.

Influenza viruses are always changing, so annualvaccination is recommended. Each year scientists try tomatch the viruses in the vaccine to those most likely tocause flu that year. Flu vaccine will not prevent diseasefrom other viruses, including flu viruses not containedin the vaccine. About two weeks after vaccination,antibodies that provide protection against influenzavirus infection develop in the body.

Flu vaccine is available for MUHA, MUSC, UMA,Crothall and Sodexo employees and volunteers. Forfast and convenient service, employees are encouragedto receive the flu vaccine at one of the campuswidesatellites hosted by Employee Health Services andInfection Control. Bring your MUSC ID badge andyour MUSC ID number – social security numbers willno longer be used to verify compliance. Students mayobtain the vaccine from Student Health Services andwill be available at the library portico flu tent event;however agency and other non-MUSC paid employeesare not eligible. Wear loose fitting clothing that caneasily be lifted to the shoulder. For fastest servicecomplete the Flu Vaccine Consent Form before youarrive (available at http://tinyurl.com/d768t6k) andbring with you for entry into the express line. Forms

will also be available at the administration site.

Flu tent scheduleq Sept. 19: 7 a.m. – 4 p.m., Colbert Education Center& Library portico and Ashley River Tower porticoq Sept. 20: 7 a.m. – 4 p.m., Colbert Education Center& Library portico

Satellite scheduleAshley River Tower Chest Pain Center and the

university Emergency Department will administerflu vaccinations to employees daily from 4 to 7 a.m.beginning Sept. 24. Employees also may receive the fluvaccine from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with faster servicebetween 1 and 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, atEmployee Health Services’ office, 57 Bee St.q Oct. 3: 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., Children’s Hospital lobbyq Oct. 4: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Room 803, HarborviewOffice Towerq Oct. 17: 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., ART first floorq Oct. 31: 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., Children’s Hospital lobbyq Nov. 14: 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., Children’s Hospital lobbyq Nov. 28: 11a.m. – 1 p.m. Children’s Hospital lobbyq Dec. 5: 11a.m. – 1 p.m. Children’s Hospital lobby

Employee Wellness eventsq ZUMBA at Harborview Office Tower: Join licensedZumba instructor Felecia Curry for a weekly Wednesdaynight Zumba class held from 5 to 6 p.m., Room 910in Harborview Office Tower. Zumba is a dance-basedaerobic exercise class and Curry tailors the workout toaccommodate any fitness level. Space is limited. [email protected] or call 822-6136 for more informationor to register.

q MUSC Urban Farm: Family Workday will be heldfrom 9 to 11 a.m., Sept. 15. Topic of the day: Engagingchildren in the garden. Participants will learn howto make a toad habitat, from a humble home to anamphibian hotel, plus organic strategies for cutwormcontrol. Take home some fresh produce in return forwork efforts on the farm.

Bring water, sunscreen and wear closed toe shoes. [email protected] to register.

q Special Urban Farm Lunch & Learn Series –Presented by MUSC Dietetic Interns, this seriesbegins Sept. 17 from 12:15 to 12:45 p.m. in the UrbanFarm. Intern Amelia Votapka will host the first topic:“The Game Plan” — ways to control your weight atthe tailgate this football season. Learn about whichvegetables are in season and simple ways to enjoy yourfavorite foods without guilt. Bring your lunch, noregistration required.

q Worksite Screening: Sept. 27 in Room 109, ColbertEducation Center & Library Building. This screening,valued at about $350, is available to employees with theState Health Plan for only $15 (covered spouses can alsoparticipate for $15). Employees and spouses withoutthis insurance can participate for $42. The screeningincludes: height, weight, blood pressure and a blooddraw for a blood chemistry profile, hemogram, and ablood lipid profile. To register, go to www.musc.edu/employeewellness and click Worksite Screening.

q MUSC Employee Fitness Series: A free exercisebands class will be held from 12:15 to 12:45 p.m., Sept.19 at the Wellness Center. Exercise bands can be usedfor a great total body workout. This class will be led byfitness expert Katie Blaylock from the MUSC HumanPerformance Lab. Participants will receive a free one-daypass to the Wellness Center. E-mail [email protected] to register.

q Farmers market: Fresh fruits and vegetables areavailable from local farmers from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.every Friday in the Horseshoe and in the area next toAshley River Tower.

Contact Johnson, Ph.D., at [email protected] formore information on the Office of Health Promotionand Suzan Benenson Whelan at [email protected] forspecific information about Employee Wellness. Events,speakers, classes or any other ideas are welcome.

MUSC annual seasonal flu vaccine offered at clinics

Healthat workSusan Johnson

The annual Perry V Halushka 2012MUSC Research Day will be held Friday,Nov. 2. The abstract deadline is Sept. 21.

Research Day is open to all students,postdocs residents and fellows at MUSCand students, postdocs residents andfellows at other institutes who haveparticipated this past year in programs ofresearch at MUSC.

This year’s keynote address will bepresented by Mary Kennedy, Ph.D., from

the California Institute of Technology.Kennedy has been on the faculty atCaltech since 1981 and received herdoctorate in biochemistry in 1975 fromThe Johns Hopkins University, School ofMedicine. She was a postdoctoral fellowin Ed Kravitz’s lab at Harvard MedicalSchool from 1975 to 1978, and in PaulGreengard’s lab at Yale University from1978 to 1980. She was recently electedto the American Academy of Arts and

Sciences, and was a councilor of theSociety for Neuroscience from 1998to 2002. She serves on the scientificadvisory board of the John DouglasFrench Foundation for AlzheimerResearch. In 2006, Kennedy was awardedthe Ipsen Fondation Prize in NeuronalPlasticity, together with Drs. EckhartGundelfinger and Morgan Sheng,recognizing their work on the roles ofprotein complexes in synaptic plasticity.

More information about Kennedy andher lab can be found at http://www.its.caltech.edu/~mbklab/research.html.

The online abstract instruction pagecan be found at http://www.musc.edu/grad/srd/abstract_instructions.html.One abstract per presenter is allowed andteam presentations are not allowed. Oraland poster formats are available. Forinformation, visit http://www.musc.edu/grad/srd/ or email [email protected].

Abstracts being accepted for Perry Halushka 2012 Research Day


Researchers inject embryos at the single cell stage, right after theyare fertilized. Howe said timing is critical. They have to collectthe eggs and microinject them within 15 minutes given the rate ofembryonic growth of zebrafish.

tumors at multiple sites and organs. Ourresearch is focused on the process ofmetastasis.”

Most anti-cancer drugs takeadvantage of how cancer cells growfaster than normal cells, targeting themechanism behind these proliferatingcells. The modern view of cancer inthe past 10 to 15 years is that it’s aninappropriate reactivation of the normal,developmental processes, he said.

“Sometimes the cell forgets it’s oldand is supposed to be specialized, andit reverts back to this embryonic stage.Tumors can be viewed as corrupt formsof normal developmental processes. Mostof the time the culprit genes and proteinsthat are implicated in these cancersalso are found to be important duringdevelopment.”

Beyond the rapid embryonic growthand transparent eggs that make thempopular research subjects, there also areeconomic benefits.

“It’s much cheaper. This is a tenth ofthe cost of a mouse model. If you findsomething here, the next phase would beto go to a mouse model where you wouldvalidate your target.”

As with the mouse model, thezebrafish genome has been sequenced.The vertebrate species has been foundto develop almost any tumor type foundin humans. It’s another reason he gotinvolved with zebrafish research aboutfive years ago.

“It allows you to look at the pathwaysmore specifically than the mouse modelbecause of the transparency and becauseyou can directly manipulate the fertilizedegg. If you manipulate a fertilized

egg with a mouse, then you have tore-implant it into the female. Withzebrafish, it’s all done externally.”

Researchers can take eggs at theone-cell stage right after fertilization,and inject genes, knockout genes orover-expressed genes, and look at theeffect of that on the development of thefish. “It’s a really good model to studydevelopmental processes and take whatwe learn and go back to cancer lines toanalyze if those have become reactivatedin certain cancers or not.”

Another advantage to zebrafishresearch is that the eggs are permeable,allowing for large-scale drug screens.“You can breed animals so that theydevelop melanomas, for example.Then you can screen small moleculecompounds or plant extracts or drugextracts to try to find out which onesmight be beneficial. It allows for rapid,large-scale screening for a permeable drugor small-molecule compounds.”

Given that researchers with theNational Institutes of Health andchemical companies are going worldwideto isolate compounds from everythingfrom exotic tree bark to sea bacteria,zebrafish offer a way to rapidly screen thelibraries of chemical compounds beingcollected, which is exciting, he said.

An area of success in Howe’s lab is inthe study of a signaling pathway calledthe Wnt pathway, which is found to beabnormal in breast cancer, colon and avariety of hematological tumors. Theyhave found the Wnt pathway regulatesthe growth of the last portion of thetail in the zebrafish, with researchersisolating a protein that blocks thepathway. “If we knock out the receptorthat is responsible for this development,

zeBrafish Continued from Page One

we can get a phenotype where we get notail. We can rescue that phenotype with ahuman version of the protein that’s nottargeted by our protein.”

Other exciting research, although itdidn’t involve zebrafish, is that his labwas the first to show results in 2010-2011 about TGF beta and how it caninduce metastasis through a translationalmechanism, RNA to protein, and nottranscriptional from DNA to RNA.“This is a paradigm-shifting model,” hesaid about one of his accomplishments.Other laboratories worldwide now alsoare working on this research area.

Howe, who is associate director ofbasic science for the Hollings Cancer

Center, holds a number of prestigiousgrants from the National CancerInstitute and has been continuallyfunded for 20 years. His hope is thatresearch in his lab will help lead topromising cancer treatments.

Thinking back to when his interestin basic science began, Howe said hisfather isn’t surprised about the work he’sdoing.

“They would give me toys, and I’dbreak them apart to see how theywould work. We’re breaking down cellsusing zebrafish to see how they work.There’s a beauty in seeing how thisstuff works. This can lead to all kinds ofdiscoveries.”


At MUSC we have earned a reputation for caring about the communities wherewe live and work. As the fall season begins, we have another opportunity todemonstrate our community spirit and leadership through the 2012 TridentUnited Way Campaign.

Trident United Way is the area’s largest non-governmental supporter of healthand human services. It is unique among non-profits in that all its grant decisionsare made by a panel of local volunteers, representing a broad and diversecrosssection of community needs and interests. Locally, the agency funds70 programs that nurture children and youth, increase self-sufficiency andpromote health and healing, including those programs supported by the MUSCFoundation.

When you make a gift to the 2012 Trident United Way Campaign, you canearmark it for the MUSC program or any other 501 C3 program of your choiceon the pledge form. You also can make your gift online by visitingwww.musc.edu/tuw. An online gift can be made through payroll deduction,credit card, or check to be paid at a later date.

I strongly encourage you to consider making a gift to this year’s campaign.Every donation makes a big impact. Your support will enable us to reach ourgoal of $190,000. The 2012 campaign ends on Nov. 30, so please send inyour gift today.

Sincerely,

Stuart Smith, MHAVice President for Clinical Operationsand Executive Director, Medical CenterChair, 2012 Trident United Way Campaign

Applause Programheisel, 6W; Julie Ross, 6W; Beth Griffin,Neurosurgery; Krystal Clark, 10W; Jen-nifer Haughney, 10W; Leslie Scott, 8W;Sha’Neisha McQueen, 8W; Lisa Shealy,8W; Tylise Clark, 8W; Charlene Capers,8W; Tracy Floyd, Ambulatory Care; andEmily White, Emergency Department.

The following employees received recog-nition through the Applause Program forgoing the extra mile:

Medical CenterRachel Burriss, Meduflex Team; LisaKlasek, 8E; Amy Mullins, Women’sServices; Bette Tezza; Women’s Servic-es; Tara Kist, 6W; Cassie Gureley, 6W;Jennifer Wood, HCC; Alaina Heyward,10W; Joshua Dakin, 10W; Jackie Smith,Women’s Services; Deborah Cepeda,Revenue Cycle Operations; BrendaBrown, Women’s Services; KimberlyBennett, ART PACU; Christian Taylor,Volunteer & Guest Services; Patty John-son, ART 2 CCV; Patricia Donoho,Respiratory Therapy; Hannah Steele,Residents OB/GYN; Cathy Quashie,Revenue Cycle Operations; Breezy Bern-

Valerie Assay, Infectious Diseases; TaraCampbell, Hollings Cancer Center; So-nia Castellano, Library; Barbara Don-nelly, Human Resources Management;Michelle Drake, Pediatric Dentistry;Tim Fletcher, Anesthesia & Periopera-tive Medicine; Beth Griffin, Neurosur-gery; Patricia Mason, Orthopaedic Sur-gery; Augusta McConnell, Public Safety;George Magrath, Ophthalmology; andBrenda Tooley, Hollings Cancer Center.

University

Dear Colleagues:

W. Stuart Smith

MUSC’s Waring Historical Libraryand Humanities Committee will host theNational Library of Medicine/NationalInstitutes of Health exhibit, “Literatureof Prescription: Charlotte PerkinsGilman and ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’”through Oct. 6 in the Colbert EducationCenter & Library Building.

In the late 19th century, women werechallenging traditional ideas aboutgender that excluded them from politicaland intellectual life while medical andscientific experts drew on notions offemale weakness to justify inequality.Artist and writer Charlotte PerkinsGilman, who was discouraged frompursuing a career, rejected these ideas ina story titled, “The Yellow Wallpaper.”

In conjunction with the exhibit, apanel discussion about postpartumdepression from clinical, literary, andpersonal perspectives will begin at noon,Sept. 27, Room 109, Colbert EducationCenter & Library Building.

The closing lecture will be held from5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Oct. 4 in the BasicScience Building auditorium. The lecturewill be delivered by Jane Thrailkill,Ph.D., University of North Carolinaat Chapel Hill, associate professor inEnglish and Comparative Literature.

A reception will follow in the ColbertEducation Center & Library lobby.

Traveling exhibit features medicalgender inequalities of 19th century

FOR INFO: Call 792-2288 or visithttp://waring.library.musc.edu.


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MUSC Catalyst

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