Outlook Magazine, Spring 1993
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Washington University School of Medicine Digital Commons@Becker Outlook Magazine Washington University Publications 1993 Outlook Magazine, Spring 1993 Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.wustl.edu/outlook Part of the Medicine and Health Sciences Commons Recommended Citation Outlook Magazine, Spring 1993. Central Administration, Medical Public Affairs. Bernard Becker Medical Library Archives. Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri. http://digitalcommons.wustl.edu/outlook/108 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Washington University Publications at Digital Commons@Becker. It has been accepted for inclusion in Outlook Magazine by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons@Becker. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 'r ~Ij\SHINGTO NIVERSITY SCHOOL OF l\IIEDJ I E SPRING 1993 o In support ofthe diabetes research of Paul E. Lacy, M.D., Ph.D., and David W. Scharp, M.D., the Barnes Hospital Islet Processing Lab was prepared for a March opening. The process, developed at the medical school, produces purified, vital islet cells from pancreata acquired from organ donors. The lab's technical supervisor, Dan Fraga, is shown at one of five isolators in which the organs are washed, dissected, broken down into cell aggregates, purified and cryofrozen for banking. The preparations are then pooled for transplantation to diabetic patients who have had kidney transplants or are taking immunosuppressive drugs. Volume XXX, Number I, Spring 1993 Bad To The Bone 8 Associate Vice Chancellor, Medical Public Affairs Is a virus the culprit in some cases Don Clayton of drastica ll y increased bone density? Editor Steve Kohler Design John Williams Photography Switching Good For Bad 12 Tom Heine Circulation Scientists explore gene therapies for Kathi Law delivering all they are leaming about genetics. Spring 1993 Volume XXX, Number I Outlook (ISSN 1042-2897) is published quarterly by the Washington University School of Medicine at 660 S. Euclid, Future Vision 17 Campus Box 8065, St. Louis, MO 63 I 10. Second-class postage paid at St. Spiral CT's capabilities put Louis, MO. a new spin on imaging. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Circulation, Outlook, 660 S. Euclid, Campus Box 8065, St. Louis, MO 63110. The Cori Continuum 20 © J993 Washington University Research inspired in one laboratory School of Medicine has flourished for nearly 50 years. On The Cover: Newsbriefs 2 In pursuit of effective gene therapy, medical school research Personal Outlook 24 ers install genes in many types of Silhouette: Leopold Hofstatter, M.D. 26 cells. In the experiments recorded on the cover, David Leib, Ph.D., Alumni Report 28 and Jay Pepose, M.D., Ph.D., tested a particular gene promoter (the DNA sequence that instlllcts a gene to express the protein for which it encodes) to demonstrate its effectiveness in neurons. They were especially interested in res ults shown in the third ex amples from the left in the bottom two rows. The cells in those samples are retinal cells that clearly contain the active gene promoter, as shown by the blue il stain. Story on page 12. I, Ii II Newsbriefs according to Crane, in SlaltJ>~ Di.·( (~L~ creased clinician activity will benefit research by BiolllP.li(·al bringing in more patients to he votes have been way for physicians is being (~nlllpniing cast and certi fi ed by established that wi II better participate in studies. And T the university's serve the needs of th e School clinical revenues, he adds, Board of Trustees, and the of Medicine." will help support teaching avid 1. States, M.D., School of Medicine will of In awarding tenure, th e and research activities in Ph.D., has been fer a clinician track for doc university always has both the clinical and pre D named director of tors who spend more time stressed the importance of clinical departments. the Institute for Biomedical teaching and caring for pa research, explains James P. Professorial titles will be Computing at the School of tients than doing research. Crane, M.D., associate vice the same for faculty on ei Medicine. In a vote open to th e en chancellor and associate ther the investigator or clini tire faculty on November 6, dean for clinical affairs at ci an track. amendments to the tenure the School of Medicine. " In the past, we have lost policy to make a cJinician While excellence in research some excellent clinicians and track possible were approved will remain a critical part of teachers because we could by a four-to-one margin, ac the academic mission, he not promote them," Crane cording to John N . Drobak, points out that the demands says. "I believe the comple 1.0., professor of law and and complexity of medicine mentary nature of the clini chairman of the Senate make it essential that some cian and investigator Council, an elected body that individuals devote a major pathways should enhance the represents faculty interests in portion of their time to pa ability of our faculty to excel university policy decisions. tient care and teaching. in all aspects of our aca "This is a major change in The clinician track, Crane demic mission." tenure policy resulting from says, rewards physicians for The School of Medicine a year-and-a-half of dialogue excellence in patient care will join good company by between the medical school and teaching. It also should offering the clinician track. David J. States, M.D., Ph.D. administration and faculty," assure a stable patient load Of the nation's 126 medical Drobak says. "There was full to provide adequate learning schools, 1 12 offer tenure Formerly a senior staff and open discussion, and the opportunities for medical and, of those, 80 also have a fellow at the National Li end result is that a new students and clinician track. brary of Medicine's Nationa l career path house staff. In Crane and Drobak both Center for Biotechnology applaud Samuel A. Wells, Information (NCBl), States Jr., M.D., professor and head was responsible for the con of surgery, who chaired the struction and analysis of mo clinical pathway steering lecular sequence databases. committee, and William A. In conjunction with hi s Peck, M.D., executive vice position at the medical chancellor for medical school, States also directs a ffairs and dean of the program in biomedical the School of engineering in the School of Medicine, for their Engineering and Applied initiative to secure Science on the Hilltop cam the future for pus. States will oversee ex clinical pansion of the network facuity . • communication systems that will enable more researchers to have access to electronic data information. "My goal 2 is that network communica sol id foundation on which • Jewish Hospital to share its full- or part-time faculty tions use will become more Jewish Hospital, Barnes net revenues with the appointments at Washing widespread and routine at Hospital and the School of School of Medicine in or ton University School of Washington University, an Medicine will build the der to partially compensate Medicine. institution which already ha s health care system of the fu the school for the costs of The new agreement ex pertise in the area of elec ture. And Barnes Jewish, the medical direction and serves as a master document tronic communications," Inc. (BH) provides the ve teach ing services provided governing the broad terms of says States. "Electronic com hicle for Jewish and Barnes by the faculty, division the parties' affiliation. Addi munications are an impol1ant hospitals to deve lop this sys chiefs and department tional, subsequent negotia aspect of the research envi tem in ways that maintain heads; tions related to specific ronment, and we need to see th e highest quality patient • strong support of a medical facets of th e new a ffi Iiation that all of the university has care while reducing costs staff composed exclusively wi II be conducted in the access." and duplicative services," of clinicians who will have coming months. In addition, States will be says Wayne M. Lerner, principal investigator on the D.P.H., Jewish Hospital's Sohel HOllored rr)\~ if'e analysis component of the C president. e/egans Genome Sequencing William A Peck, M.D. , Center. His primary research executive vice chancellor for urton Sobel, M.D. , sc ientific ac hieve ments have interest is large-scal e mo medical affairs and dean of professor of medi contributed to the advance lecular sequencing and the the School of Medicine, B cine an d director of ment and practice of clinical analysis of genome sequence says, "This agreement final the cardiology division, re cardiology. Sobel accepted data . • izes the es tabl ishment of cently received two career partnerships between the honors: He was named presi medical school and its affili dent-elect of the American Afftliaiioll ated adult teaching hospitals Professors of Cardiology Renp"lvcfl - th e Jewish Hosp ital ofSt. (APC), a national organiza Louis and Barnes Hospital. tion devoted to exce llence in The platform now exists fulfillment of th e clinical, ewish Hospital and from which the Medical educational and investigative Washington Universi ty School and B1I can meet the responsibilities of academic have renewed their af hea lth care challenges of the cardiology programs, and he J future." was presented with the 1992 filiation with th e ap proval of a new IS-yea r agreement by The agreement between Herrick Award from th e the Jewi sh Hospital Board of the School of Medicine and American Heart Associa Directors. The Washington Jewish Hosp ital provides for: tion 's Council on Clinical University Board of Trustees • the parties to establ ish a Cardiology .