yDean signsale on for Rock ‘n mroll, genes edicineWhen scientists spring 2009 another five years and mice become artists 4 24 30 200 Years of Medicine at Yale Cast your votes for the most significant events and personalities of the school’s first two centuries 18 on the cover In 1895 medical students posed for a photo at an unknown location. Some wrote the year on the soles of their shoes with chalk, while others showed maca- bre humor by posing with skulls. Photograph courtesy of Cushing/Whitney Medical Library inside cover When the Class of 1954 posed for a photo on Match Day in the Historical Library, the student body largely comprised white men, although women had been in the school since 1916. In that year Louise Farnam, Helen Scoville and Lillian Nye became the first women to gain admission to the medical school. One thing, however, stood in their way—the lack of proper bathroom facilities. Farnam’s father, Henry Farnam, a professor of economics at Yale College, paid to provide “suitable lavatory arrangements.” With a few exceptions, until the 1960s no class counted more than 10 percent women among its members. The Class of 1998 was the first at the School of Medicine with more women than men. In almost every year since then, women have outnumbered men and become a ubiquitous presence on the wards and in laboratories. Photograph courtesy of Cushing/Whitney Medical Library inset At Commencement in 2008, not only were there more women than men in the graduat- ing class, but the makeup of the student body reflected broader so- cietal changes, with more students from racial and ethnic minorities and, in an increasingly common- place sight, parents who brought their children to the ceremony. terrydagradi yale medicine spring 2009 CONTENTS 2 Letters 4 Chronicle 8 Rounds 10 Findings 12 Books & Ideas 16 Capsule 18 200 Years of Medicine at Yale Cast your votes for the most significant events and personalities of the school’s first two centuries. 24 How a rock ’n’ roll scientist built a better mouse By inserting human genes into mice, Richard Flavell and his team are creating a mouse with a working human immune system. By Michael Fitzsousa 30 When scientists become artists An ongoing exhibit of interesting scientific images raises the question of what constitutes art. By Jenny Blair 36 Faculty 38 Students 40 Alumni 46 In Memoriam 48 Follow-Up 48 Archives 49 End Note On the Web yalemedicine.yale.edu On our website, readers can submit class notes or a change of address, check the alumni events calendar, arrange for a lifelong Yale e-mail alias through the virtual Yale Station and search our electronic archive. 2 letters Make premed courses schools at home, many attended I’ve read The Professor and the more relevant foreign medical schools, as I did. Madman. … and so I enjoyed One of the benefits that are sure The point is that the move to the article on William Minor. to result from making the pre- make premed courses more Additionally, as a practitio- med curriculum more relevant relevant is a good one. Perhaps ner of ER medicine, I am acutely to medical practice [“Reform of students with the abilities to be aware of how technology has Premed Education Under Way,” good general practitioners will served to erode our physical Yale Medicine, Winter 2009] is not be weeded out and eventu- exam skills. The article by Jill that it will attract more students ally the primary care physician Max was very apropos and I into primary care. shortage will be corrected. admit I had forgotten about the Most medical schools are Edward J. Volpintesta, m.d. Adson maneuver. One of the research-based and naturally Bethel, Conn. professors of my era, Gerald favor students with outstanding Klatskin, m.d., could percuss out aptitudes in basic science. This Thanks for the photos a liver edge or a heart border has produced many advances from a fan of the big dig such that a student across the how to reach us and well-trained specialists, and My 2-year-old son would like room could hear it. Yale Medicine welcomes news society has benefited immensely. to thank you for the wonderful Monty Downs, m.d. ’70 and commentary. Please send The focus on specialization, how- photos in your Winter 2009 issue Kapaa, Hawaii letters (350 words or less) and ever, has also led to a serious [“As the Medical Center Grows, news items to Yale Medicine, shortage of primary care doctors. So Grows the City,” Yale Medicine, Writing award for 300 George Street, Suite 773, The lack of access to primary Winter 2009]. He is a BIG fan Yale Medicine editor New Haven, CT 06511, or via care has prompted policymakers of “dig, dig” and the ongoing In February we learned that e-mail to [email protected], and to consider giving authority to projects at the medical center John Curtis, managing editor of include a telephone number. nurse-practitioners to practice have given him much enjoyment Yale Medicine, had received the Submissions may be edited for some aspects of primary care over the past year. Award for Excellence in General length, style and content. independently. Sandra J. Bishop-Josef, ph.d. Staff Writing from the Group In my 34 years of practice as a Assistant Director, Edward Zigler for Institutional Advancement visit us on the web of the Association of American yalemedicine.yale.edu primary care doctor, I have found Center in Child Development and almost no use for the intense Social Policy; Associate Research Medical Colleges. Curtis received exposure I had in premed to cal- Scientist, Child Study Center, Yale the award for his feature article culus, organic chemistry, physics, School of Medicine in the Winter 2008 issue, “On invertebrate biology and physical the Wards in Uganda.” To report chemistry. This is not to say that Article on physical exam on an ongoing collaboration these courses were worthless, but recalls Klatskin’s skill between Yale and Makerere they could have been abbreviated I just received the Winter 2009 University in Kampala, Curtis and simplified. edition of Yale Medicine and spent two weeks shadow- I can remember several students enjoyed a number of articles, ing Yale attendings, residents in my premed class who struggled including the roast of Yale’s and medical students as they through the basic sciences. Their “pathological triple threat.” Both worked alongside Ugandan grades in the sciences were aver- I and my father, Wilbur G. Downs, colleagues at the government- age and they did not do well on the m.d., m.p.h., much enjoyed run Mulago Hospital. He also mcats. Turned down by medical our acquaintance with Michael accompanied them on field Kashgarian, m.d. ’59, hs ’63. trips to camps for internally There was considerable displaced persons in northern Uganda and to the fishing 2009 mention of the Wilbur Downs International Health Travel village of Kasensero on Lake Online: Yale Netcasts Victoria, where Uganda’s aids spring Fellowship Program, as well as Additional content for articles a nice piece about Curtis Patton, epidemic began. in this issue of Yale Medicine ph.d., professor emeritus of edicine is available online at iTunesU, m epidemiology. or by pointing your browser ale I myself am a fan of the y to yalemedicine.yale.edu. Oxford English Dictionary and starting point 3 yale medicine Alumni Bulletin of the Yale University School of Medicine Spring 2009, Volume 43, No. 3 Editor in Chief Michael Kashgarian, m.d. ’58, hs ’63 Professor Emeritus of Pathology and Senior Research Scientist Editor Michael Fitzsousa World events bring change to Yale and to Yale Medicine Director of Communications Changes—some long-planned, others arising of necessity—are in the air for Yale Medicine. For Managing Editor John Curtis more than a year we’ve been contemplating a redesign of the magazine. In the nine years since Contributing Editors the last redesign, as some sections and pages have begun to show their age, we have seen a need Janet Emanuel, ph.d. to bring variety and flexibility to them. Our first step will be to survey our readers to ask what you Peter Farley Jennifer Kaylin like—or don’t like—about the magazine. Many of you should expect to receive a survey, by mail Karen Peart or e-mail, in the coming weeks. Cathy Shufro Then came word last December that the global economic crisis had reached the university, Marc Wortman, ph.d. reducing its endowment by a quarter and requiring cuts in spending. In February came another Contributors Jenny Blair, m.d. ’04 announcement—the crisis was more severe than anticipated and belts would have to be pulled Alix Boyle even tighter. Terry Dagradi John Dillon The School of Medicine is not immune to these events. To meet requests to reduce spend- Charles Gershman ing, we are scaling back on Yale Medicine. We are still looking at ways to cut back, but options Kathy Katella include shrinking the magazine from our current size of 48 pages for the winter and spring Jill Max Pat McCaffrey issues and 64 for the autumn issue to a standard 32 pages for all three issues. Or we may cut Carol Milano back from three issues a year to two. These changes will drive our redesign; and sadly, we’ll see Kara A. Nyberg, ph.d. the reduction or elimination of certain pages and sections. Colleen Shaddox Design Despite these changes we will continue to produce what we consider a first-rate publica- Jennifer Stockwell tion, with compelling stories about the medical school and the issues and events that affect it.