April 2012 FYI e-Message - News and Information for RFUMS Community

Campus News

President K. Michael Welch delivered the University's Convocation address on April 25 and presented the University's strategic direction for 2012-2015. Dr. Welch also screened the University's new centennial video which focuses on the history and the future of RFUMS. To see his presentation, please click here.
As part of our centennial celebrations throughout this year, we are recognizing the historic contribution Dr. Franklin made to the discovery of the double helix by commemorating the 60th anniversary of Photo 51. We have activities for faculty, students and staff planned for the week of April 30- May 4 and hope you will join us.
The Division of Institutional Advancement is pleased to update you on the successful progress of the Centennial Scholarship Campaign which kicked off in January. To date, we have raised $2.4 million in pledges and donations toward this effort.
The commitment of our faculty to education, research and clinical science was highlighted during the 2012 University Faculty Awards Presentation on April 20. Six awards were presented to outstanding members of our University community.
Approximately 170 alumni, faculty, students and friends attended the 29th Annual Scholl Scholarship Benefit and Centennial Reception on April 20 at the Fairmont Chicago. Amol Saxena, DPM '88, received both the Scholl College Honor Medallion and the Alumnus of the Year Award. The Alumni Association, Bako Podiatric Pathology Services, Dr. Comfort, PICA, the Midwest Podiatry Conference, the Illinois Podiatric Medical Association and Pedinol Pharmacal, Inc. were recognized as scholarship sponsors. Six second-year students were named Alumni Association Scholars: Rachel Baisch, Yashraj Chauhan, Amanda Harwood, Jessica Nowak, Amy Theppote, and Morgan Zellers. The Scholl College Alumni Association also announced that it would award an additional $50,000 in scholarships to third and fourth year podiatry students and sponsor a design competition for an alumni application for iPad and Android phones to be used on clinical rotations.
The University received a $600,000 award from the Office of the Director of the National Institutes of Health which will allow the purchase of the latest generation, cutting-edge mass spectrometer. Dr. Marc Glucksman, Director of the Midwest Proteome Center and Professor and Chair of the Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, spearheaded this effort.
The Chicago Medical School (CMS) and Advocate Lutheran General Hospital (ALGH) held a translational research retreat on April 18. Twelve potential translational research projects in six different areas of focus were developed. Moreover, a new inter-institutional translational research pilot grant program was announced in order to fund the top projects. The due date for project submission for competitive review is June 1.
The University participated in the American Diabetes Association's Diabetes Expo on April 14 at McCormick Place. Students and faculty from the Physician Assistant program at the College of Health Professions performed 260 blood pressure exams. Scholl College and CLEAR sent a team of faculty members, research post-doctoral students and podiatric medicine students who performed 172 foot screenings and 33 computerized gait analyses.
The Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine had a very strong showing at the 15th Annual International Post-Graduate Research Symposium held on April 21, taking the top three prizes. Of the 20 oral abstracts presented, eight were affiliated with Scholl College, either through CLEAR, the Scholl residency program, or through academic appointment. The top three winners at the symposium were:

1st Place: Gurtej Grewal, PhD, Senior Post-Doctoral Fellow, CLEAR at Scholl College

2nd Place: Jeanna Fascione, DPM (PGY2), Resident, Scholl/Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center Podiatric Surgical Residency Program

3rd Place: Erin Klein, DPM (PGY4), Instructor, Department of Surgery and Applied Biomechanics at Scholl College and Fellow in Reconstructive Foot and Ankle Surgery at the Weil Foot & Ankle Institute
From Feb. 23 to April 15, the University received more than $5.5 million in extramural funding to support seven research projects. The funding recipients include Angela Bruno, a postdoctoral student in the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies; Bala Chandran, PhD; Marc Glucksman, PhD; Anthony West, PhD; and Helen Wilson, PhD. Click here for additional details.
Dean Gloria Meredith received a $10,000 award from the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) Foundation on behalf of the College of Pharmacy for student scholarships.
President K. Michael Welch received the Meritorious Service Award from the American Podiatric Medical Association on behalf of the University.
Russell Robertson, MD, Dean of the Chicago Medical School, recently attended TEDMED in Washington, DC, where he served as a challenge advocate, addressing the doctor/nurse shortage the nation faces.
Approximately 100 participants joined the Discovery Dash, the University's annual 5k/10k (walk/run), on April 22 to support the Centennial Scholarship Campaign. Through the coordinated efforts of the Office of Student Life, Institutional Advancement, the RFUMS Running Club, Executive Student Council, AGK-Alpha Gamma Kappa, and many volunteers, the Discovery Dash was incredibly organized and well attended.
Executive Director of Alumni Relations Martha Kelly Bates was recognized by the AAMC's Group on Institutional Advancement (GIA) for two years of service on the GIA Steering Committee at the recent GIA National Conference.
Cilvia Henderson has been selected by the Staff Recognition Awards Program (SRAP) as the April 2012 Rosalind Franklin University Staff Member of the Month. We also recognize the other staff members who were nominees.

University in the News

Match Day at the Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine was highlighted in PMNews.
Shannon Blume, a student in the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, was awarded the Donald G. and Darel Stein Fellowship by the Society of Women's Health Research to present "Neuronal activity in the female basolateral amygdala and the impact of chronic stress" at the Society for Neuroscience meeting.
Recent research by Rohit Arora, MD, was featured in the Huffington Post.
The American College of Physicians (ACP) profiled the Internal Medicine Interest Group at the Chicago Medical School.
The Community Care Connection was highlighted in the Daily Herald for providing free health screenings at Lake County YMCAs.

Alumni News

Michael Drachler, MD '78, and Carey B. Strom, MD '80, were inducted as alumni members of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society.
Kwan Kew Lai, MD '79, was featured on Internal Medicine News for her work in Libya during last year's regional turmoil.
Matthew Garoufalis, DPM '82, was elected as President-Elect of the American Podiatric Medical Association.
Eli Ehrenpreis, MD '85, and CMS Professor Emeritus Seymour Ehrenpreis shared their medical safety tips with Today's Caregiver.
Amol Saxena, DPM '88, received the 2012 Honor Medallion and Alumnus of the Year Award at the 29th Annual Scholl College Scholarship Benefit.
Glaucoma Today published an article by Mildred Olivier, MD '88, about transscleral diode photocoagulation and endocyclophotocoagulation.
Cynthia Cernak, DPM '89, will have a study featured in an upcoming article in the American Journal of Pain Management.
Benjamin Marble, DPM '04, was appointed by the Colorado governor to the Colorado Podiatry Board and is subject to approval by the Colorado Senate.