Britigan Named Dean at University of Nebraska

Bradley Britigan, MD, Taylor Professor and Chair of the department of internal medicine, has accepted the dean’s position at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) College of Medicine, pending approval of the University of Nebraska Board of Regents. Britigan leaves UC in mid-June and assumes his new role in Omaha on July 1. He became chair in July 2004.

In a statement to College of Medicine faculty, staff and students, Interim Dean Andrew Filak, MD, said he was disappointed to announce Britigan’s departure but was delighted that he has the opportunity to lead the UNMC College of Medicine. Filak noted that during Britigan’s tenure, internal medicine’s faculty grew from 185 to 220, added five new division heads, increased departmental research funding to more than $22 million, and doubled patient care-related revenues to approximately $40 million.

An interim chair for the department is expected to be named within the next few weeks.

Graham Named AF4Q Program Director

Robert Graham, MD, has been named national program director of Aligning Forces for Quality (AF4Q), the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s effort to increase the overall quality of health care in 17 targeted communities nationwide.

Graham, who was appointed project director for Cincinnati’s AF4Q effort last year, will be based in Cincinnati, keeping a part-time faculty appointment in the department of family and community medicine and adding an appointment as a research professor of Health Policy at George Washington University (GWU) School of Public Health and Health Services in Washington, D.C. GWU serves as the national program office of the AF4Q.

Eckman Serves as Visiting Professor in Paris

Mark Eckman, MD, Posey Professor of Clinical Medicine, will travel to Paris’ school of public health, École des Hautes Études en Santé Publique, the last week of March to teach a week-long course on Decision Analysis: Theory and Applications. Eckman serves as director of the division of general internal medicine and director of the center for clinical effectiveness in the department of public health sciences.

New Center for Reproductive Health Website

The UC Center for Reproductive Health has launched a new and improved website to provide viewers a patient-friendly guide to all of the advanced reproductive, endocrine and infertility services available at UC Health.

The center, established in 1988, is under the leadership of Michael Thomas, MD, chair of the division of reproductive endocrinology in the department of OB-GYN. UC Health has the only comprehensive patient care and research center focused on infertility in the Cincinnati area. It has assisted thousands of women with successful conception and has success rates that meet or exceed national averages.

›› View the new site

Le Elected to Arthritis Foundation Board of Directors

Toan Le, MD, has been elected to the board of directors for the Arthritis Foundation Ohio River Valley Chapter. An assistant professor and division director of adult reconstruction in the department of orthopedics, Le specializes in total joint replacement and trauma and is a regional specialist for complicated fractures and adult reconstruction.

Hoh Chairs TAGME Task Force on Certification

Katherine Hoh, training administrator for the division of plastic, reconstructive & hand surgery, was recently certified by TAGME, the National Board for Certification, Training Administrators of Graduate Medical Education.

Hoh is among the first administrators certified for plastic surgery graduate education by TAGME. For eight months, she served on a committee of training administrators tasked with writing the certification exam based on common program requirements and program specific requirements. The committee took the exam after creating it. Hoh served as chair of the task force and is now the voting member for plastics on the National Board.

Sigma Xi Future Symposium March 10

Make plans to attend the 2011 Future Symposium, hosted by the UC chapter of Sigma Xi, at 5 p.m. Thursday, March 10, in Tangeman University Center. The symposium will focus on "the next big thing in science” and will feature UC’s fellows of the American Academy for the Advancement of Sciences (AAAS).

Sandra Degen, PhD, vice president for research, will emcee the symposium and Jerome Baker, executive director of the national Sigma Xi scientific research society, will offer the keynote address, followed by perspectives from four UC AAAS fellows. The program will conclude with presentations of awards, including the Sigma Xi Young Investigator Award, the Science/Mathematics Teacher of the Year Award and several student research grants. An invitation-only banquet and annual meeting will follow.

›› For more information

Future of Drug Discovery & Development Workshop March 15

A safety pharmacology workshop titled "The New Future of Drug Discovery & Development” will be held from 1 to 5:15 p.m. Tuesday, March 15, in Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center Location S, Room S.203.

The workshop will feature expert lecturers from around the country who will discuss their experience with basic and translational medicine and is designed for basic biomedical science and clinical faculty, research staff and students at UC and Children’s, as well as members of regional organizations involved in drug discovery, development, testing and translation of drug discoveries to new treatments for human diseases and disorders.

Advance registration required. For more information, e-mail Mohammed Matlib. To register or see a lineup of events, visit med.uc.edu/pharmacology/news.html.

This Week in Lectures and Seminars

• Molecular Genetics, Biochemistry and Microbiology Seminar March 1: Christopher Karp, MD, will present, "Immunology of TLR Signaling: The Skinny on RP105,” at noon Tuesday, March 1, in Medical Sciences Building Room 4051.

• UC Wellness Brown Bag Lunch March 1: UC Health colorectal surgeon Martha Ferguson, MD, will discuss colon and rectal health, including cancer warning signs, from noon to 1 pm. Tuesday, March 1, in University Hall Room 450.

• Metabolic Diseases Institute Faculty Colloquium March 4: David D'Alessio, MD, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, will speak from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Friday, March 4, in the Lecture Room, Building A, on UC’s Reading Campus.