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2015 Perelman School of Medicine Awards of Excellence |
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November 17, 2015, Volume 62, No. 14 |
The following faculty members will receive this year’s Perelman School of Medicine Awards of Excellence at the 20th annual dinner this Thursday, November 19. The awards recognize outstanding performance by the faculty in the research, clinical and mentoring areas.
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Erika L.F. Holzbaur, professor of physiology, is the winner of this year’s Stanley N. Cohen Biomedical Research Award, which recognizes a member of the Perelman School of Medicine faculty for a body of work with an emphasis on biomedical research. Dr. Holzbaur is an outstanding cell biologist who has been able to translate her basic research studies on the cell biology of neurons to enhance our understanding of the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disease. She has contributed groundbreaking ideas and scientific discoveries in several different areas of research. Her research program is distinguished by the translation of molecular-mechanistic discoveries to neuronal physiology and neuropathologies, and her work is not only fascinating from a fundamental biology perspective, but has significant implications for understanding the etiologies of many diseases. She has made notable discoveries linking the cytoskeleton with neuronal autophagy, which is essential for understanding some of the underlying mechanisms leading to ALS, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s diseases, and thus the continuing impact of her work is very high.
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Susan M. Domchek, Basser Professor in Oncology, is the winner of this year’s William Osler Patient Oriented Research Award. This award is granted to a member of the Perelman School of Medicine faculty for a body of work with an emphasis on clinical research. Dr. Domchek is a leader in the field of breast cancer genetics and has built an exceptional record of achievement in clinical and translational research, teaching and clinical care. Dr. Domchek’s research program is particularly focused on the clinical management of patients with BRCA1/2 mutations, and she is the executive director of Penn’s Basser Center for BRCA. Often an expert spokesperson in the national media, Dr. Domchek’s research program focuses on the use of genetic testing to assess cancer risk precisely in order to optimize prevention and risk-reduction strategies. Her work has included studies on gene discovery, screening and prevention, as well as the long-term psychological outcome of individuals undergoing genetic testing. Dr. Domchek also leads therapeutic clinical trials for patients with BRCA1/2-related cancers, recently demonstrating a significant clinical effect of novel PARP inhibitors in such patients—work that led to the FDA approval of olaparib for the treatment of BRCA1/2 mutation-associated ovarian cancer. She has explored the crucial link between how individuals undergoing genetic testing use this information to make decisions about their medical care, and is developing systematic ways to identify those in the population at large who are good candidates for genetic testing. Dr. Domchek’s work is highly collaborative and truly multidisciplinary, incorporating health services, psychology, gynecology, epidemiology, radiology and medical genetics. She is a highly sought-after researcher, teacher, mentor and doctor.
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Andrea B. Troxel, professor of biostatistics, is the winner of this year’s Samuel Martin Health Evaluation Sciences Award. This award is granted to a member of the Perelman School of Medicine faculty for a body of work with an emphasis on health services research. Dr. Troxel is an internationally recognized leader and expert in statistical methods for the analysis of longitudinal and incomplete data. As director of the biostatistics core at the Abramson Cancer Center, she is a prominent statistician in the field of oncology, where she has made important contributions to research on cancer survivorship. Dr. Troxel is also director of biostatistics in the Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics (CHIBE) and is a key figure in the burgeoning field of behavioral economics. Her broad body of work is brought together through her unwavering focus on improving health and healthcare by improving evaluative methods and via direct research in human populations. Her colleagues have said that “Dr. Troxel is a superlative biostatistical researcher, collaborator, teacher and leader. While many biostatisticians excel in one or two of these areas, it is rare to find someone who excels at them all. Her research program has had an extraordinary impact; she has created new knowledge, advanced its application and strived to help everyone around her to reach their fullest potential.” Her work is multidisciplinary, innovative and groundbreaking in its impact on healthcare.
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Andy J. Minn, assistant professor of radiation oncology and assistant investigator in the Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, is the winner of this year’s Michael S. Brown New Investigator Research Award, which recognizes emerging faculty investigators engaged in innovative discoveries. Dr. Minn’s work is focused on the biological basis of therapeutic cancer resistance, a strategy that has provided an essential tool to discover new biological mechanisms and simultaneously deliver new concepts for testing in the clinic. His groundbreaking work has been published in Nature and Cell, reflecting his research accomplishments. His work incorporates informatics-driven approaches, integrating animal work, molecular biology, genome-wide profiling, immune profiling, clinical data mining and computational modeling. He has also explored the potential for radiation therapy and immune therapy, again focusing on the early signs of resistance seen in clinical trials. The study addressed a new concept in radiation oncology that converts a classic local therapy (radiation) to one with systemic effects by combining radiation with new immunotherapies based on an understanding of the mechanisms of resistance. Dr. Minn plays a major role in many aspects of research and training, including active participation in the Biomedical Graduate Groups and mentoring. He is an outstanding community member and is sure to continue making significant contributions to the field of cancer therapy resistance. |
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Mark D. Neuman, assistant professor of anesthesiology & critical care, is the winner of this year’s Marjorie A. Bowman New Investigator Research Award, which recognizes a junior faculty member whose research has illuminated a fundamental clinical problem or improved the organization and delivery of health care. Dr. Neuman is an internationally recognized thought leader in anesthesiology and health services research whose work has resulted in important contributions to medical knowledge. His scholarship addresses questions of real importance to broad audiences in health policy and clinical medicine. His research has focused on understanding the patient-, physician- and health system-level determinants of survival and functional outcomes after hip fracture, a serious condition that affects more than 300,000 older adults in the US each year. His work has drawn attention to anesthesia care for hip fracture surgery as an issue of major importance for policy and practice, and has resulted in multiple high-impact publications, including work that has applied innovative statistical techniques to comparative effectiveness research in this domain. Dr. Neuman is principal investigator of the REGAIN Trial (Regional versus General Anesthesia for Promoting Independence after Hip Fracture), a multicenter, randomized trial funded through an $11.9 million contract from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute. This major project will provide, for the first time, definitive evidence regarding the link between anesthesia care for hip fracture surgery and long-term outcomes.
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Edward M. Behrens, Joseph Hollander Associate Professor and chair in pediatric rheumatology, is the winner of this year’s Lady Barbara Colyton Prize for Autoimmune Research. This award recognizes a Perelman School of Medicine faculty member who has been engaged in innovative discoveries and outstanding research in the area of autoimmune diseases. Dr. Behrens’s work focuses on the Macrophage Activation Syndrome (MAS), which is a deadly and poorly understood complication of many autoimmune diseases. Dr. Behrens developed the first murine model of the disease, a significant advance in the field. He has further developed methodology that is now widely used. His work on MAS has dramatically changed understanding of the disease and his murine model has provided a unique resource to explore therapy. Indeed, his recent work has suggested novel pathways that can be blocked to improve survival and he has worked to translate these results to a clinical trial. Dr. Behrens is the consummate physician scientist and a highly regarded teacher. His devotion to trainees and to science is lauded by his colleagues, and his passion for and commitment to autoimmune research serves as a magnet for trainees. He is considered a cornerstone for education at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and is regarded as an outstanding clinician and a gifted scientist.
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Maxim Itkin, associate professor of radiology, is the recipient of the Luigi Mastroianni, Jr., Clinical Innovator Award. This award recognizes a clinician who has pioneered the invention and development of new techniques, procedures and approaches that change medical practice. Dr. Itkin was recognized for his work in developing the field of endolymphatic intervention. He developed an intranodal lymphangiogram technique that has brought lymphatic interventions and imaging to within the skill set of most physicians practicing ultrasound-guided interventions. Dr. Itkin has developed a well-established algorithm for the treatment of nontraumatic chylothorax, which has enabled previously untreatable patients to be successfully treated. He was the first person in the world to perform thoracic duct embolization in pediatric patients with chylous leaks, achieving an 80% success rate in patients who would fail surgical and conservative treatment. Additionally, in conjunction with Yoav Dori from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Dr. Itkin developed a new technique that allowed selective percutaneous embolization of the pulmonary lymphatics in patients with plastic bronchitis. Dr. Itkin’s creativity and conviction to implement his ideas have changed the paradigm for managing diseases with lymphatic-based manifestations.
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Alain H. Rook, professor of dermatology, is the winner of this year’s Louis Duhring Outstanding Clinical Specialist Award. This award goes to a teaching and practicing physician in a clinical or ancillary department who combines biomedical research with clinical insight and knowledge to provide leading-edge service and creative care to patients and colleagues. For more than 25 years, Dr. Rook has made an enormous contribution to the specialized field of cutaneous lymphomas. He is considered a leader in studies of mycosis fungoides and Sézary Syndrome, the most common subtypes of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). This reputation is based on his high-impact translational studies on the immunobiology of these diseases, as well as his clinical expertise in managing especially advanced stage and refractory CTCL patients. Dr. Rook is also a dedicated mentor who tirelessly advocates for his mentees and cultivates valuable opportunities for them with his network of national and international colleagues. |
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Craig A. Umscheid, assistant professor of medicine & epidemiology and director of the Penn Medicine Center for Evidence-based Practice, is the winner of this year’s Alfred Stengel Health System Champion Award. This award is granted to a physician who has contributed significantly to the clinical integration of the Health System. Dr. Umscheid is an expert in the development of evidence-based practices that support healthcare quality and safety. He has been instrumental in summarizing scientific evidence and in developing and deploying interventions that have assisted with decision making in such areas as anticoagulation practices, medication management, early identification of sepsis, and prevention of healthcare-acquired infections and hospital readmissions, among numerous other important clinical issues. Under his leadership, the Penn Medicine Center for Evidence-based Practice has become an indispensable institutional resource and one that is recognized nationally and internationally.
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Jeffrey Tokazewski, clinical associate professor of family medicine & community health and lead attending physician at Penn Medicine at Gibbsboro, is the winner of this year’s Sylvan Eisman Outstanding Primary Care Physician Award. This award recognizes a Health System primary care physician who goes beyond the norm and exemplifies the Health System’s excellent care. Dr. Tokazewski joined Penn Medicine 14 years ago and immediately developed a home care program for homebound patients who otherwise would not be receiving regular, ongoing healthcare. He visits his patients on his own time, often seeing homebound patients even before he begins a long day at the office. The words “trust,” “kind” and “compassionate” are echoed by not only his patients, but also his colleagues. His commitment to his patients is also reflected in his outstanding Press Ganey patient satisfaction scores. His colleagues describe him as a physician who always goes above and beyond to uniquely and continuously improve the patient experience while also developing new ways to offer his patients the opportunity to become engaged, effective and involved partners in their own care. His current interests involve leveraging PennChart to deliver an elevated level of quality care to his patients. He has won multiple Penn Medicine Clinical Effectiveness and Quality Improvement (CEQI) project awards for his work in improving quality in his practice. Dr. Tokazewski represents the type of physician for which this award was designed. |
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Stephanie B. Abbuhl, professor and vice chair of faculty affairs in the department of emergency medicine, is the recipient of this year’s Arthur Asbury Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award. This award recognizes a faculty member who has fostered the professional development of others by providing inspiring and effective counsel and opportunities for achievement. Since 2001, Dr. Abbuhl has served as the executive director of FOCUS on Health & Leadership for Women, a national model for faculty development that addresses recruitment, retention and advancement of female faculty. In addition to creating novel approaches to support faculty through unique skill building programs and individual and group mentoring sessions, she has also conducted research on mentoring in a large NIH-funded randomized controlled trial. Together with her FOCUS colleagues, Dr. Abbuhl has enhanced the careers of hundreds of female faculty members, created a climate at the Perelman School of Medicine that is supportive and respectful of the challenges women face, and helped create opportunities and leadership advancements for both men and women. A former mentee summarized Dr. Abbuhl’s impact as a mentor by stating, “We are better as physicians, more energized as faculty and happier with our decisions because of her influence; hopefully we will have success in carrying her example forward.”
Related: Honors & Other Things |
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Almanac -
November 17, 2015, Volume 62, No. 14
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