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A 'Theory of Everything' for Disease?

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A 'Theory of Everything' for Disease? may/june 2013 volume 9, issue 2 Advancing Biomedical Science, Education, and Health Care Medical school scientist named a Howard Hughes investigator Immunobiologist studies in creative new directions. hhmi “hhmi has a very simple mis- defenses against pathogens provides each investigator with his sion,” said hhmi President Robert or her full salary, benefits, and a re- Tjian, ph.d., when this year’s group at mucosal points of entry search budget over an initial five-year of new investigators was announced. appointment. “We find the best original-thinking It was announced on May 9 that The institute also covers other scientists and give them the resources Akiko Iwasaki, ph.d., professor of expenses, including research space to follow their instincts in discover- immunobiology and of molecular, and the purchase of critical equip- ing basic biological processes that cellular, and developmental biol- ment. Investigator appointments may may one day lead to better medical ogy, has been selected as a Howard be renewed for additional five-year outcomes . And while we cannot Hughes Medical Institute (hhmi) terms, each contingent on a success- predict where their research will take investigator. ful scientific review. them, we’re eager to help them move In addition to receiving one of Iwasaki is one of 27 top research- science forward.” the most prestigious designations in ers, selected for their individual Responding to the news of her kike calvo biomedical science, hhmi investiga- scientific excellence from a group of new appointment, Iwasaki said, Akiko Iwasaki is one of 27 top researchers tors are given the support neces- 1,155 applicants, to be named hhmi “Funding from hhmi will enable nationwide named investigators by the sary to move their research forward investigators this year. my lab to pursue // HHMI (page 6) Howard Hughes Medical Institute. A ‘theory of everything’ for disease? Life cut short by war inspires new gift for $10 million grant is awarded by the clinical education Blavatnik Family Foundation to explore In memory of a spirited young inflammation’s role in diverse illnesses School of Medicine alumnus who died in the Vietnam War just as his Theoretical physicists have long sought a grand academic career was about to begin, “theory of everything,” which would account for all clinical-skills teaching at the School the physical phenomena in the universe by unify- of Medicine has received an unprec- ing Einstein’s general relativity with the so-called edented boost. standard model based on quantum mechanics. To mark what would have been In recent years, some biomedical scientists, her late husband’s 50th medical including School of Medicine immunobiologists school reunion, Cynthia Livingston, Richard A. Flavell, ph.d., and Ruslan M. Medzhi- m.a.t., has made a gift of $580,000 tov, ph.d., have proposed that deeply understand- to the medical school to establish the ing inflammatory processes might provide similar Peter B. Livingston, m.d. ’63 Fund unifying insights into a great range of seemingly shapiro harold for Excellence in Teaching, the first dissimilar chronic diseases: heart disease, cancer, The theory advanced by Richard Flavell (left) and Ruslan Medzhitov School of Medicine fund dedicated to type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and more. is a potential “paradigm shift in the science of chronic diseases,” says teaching and mentorship in clini- Thanks to a $10 million grant from the Blavatnik Fam- philanthropist Leonard Blavatnik. cal skills. Income from the fund ily Foundation, a charitable organization started by Amer- will support faculty efforts to create ican industrialist and philanthropist Leonard Blavatnik, a beneficial balance, a steady state that scientists call clinical-skills curricula and to mentor Flavell and Medzhitov will now have the opportunity to homeostasis. The body even gets some outside help from students as they develop those skills. put their ideas to the test. “The Blavatnik Family Founda- microbes, or commensal microorganisms, that reside “Peter had a good experience at tion is proud to support breakthrough scientific discov- on the skin and in the digestive tract and play a part in Yale, and I’ve always wanted to honor eries that accelerate the impact of biomedical research,” maintaining core body temperature, blood pressure, blood his memory,” says Cynthia Livings- Blavatnik says. “The theory proposed by Drs. Flavell and sugar, sleep patterns, and a host of metabolic processes ton, who earned her Master of Arts Medzhitov represents a paradigm shift in the science of needed for fitness and survival. in Teaching at Yale in 1963. “I know chronic diseases and may lead to new prevention strate- When infection or tissue damage occurs, the body’s in- that Yale places great emphasis on the gies, treatments, and even cures for many disorders.” nate immune system activates inflammatory mechanisms basic sciences in medical education, The healthy human body regulates its own tissues that help to combat these dangers and restore a proper bal- which is a wonderful thing, but I just and organs to maintain key physiological variables in ance, at least in the short term. Flavell, // Blavatnik (page 6) want to make sure // Livingston (page 7) Non-Profit Org. inside this issue U. S. Postage 1 Church St., Suite 300, New Haven, CT 06510-3330 2 Lifelines www.medicineatyale.org paid Daniel Barchi is leading the charge on New Haven, CT Yale’s new electronic medical record system. Permit No. 526 3 Respecting our elders Research by the Yale Program on Aging leads to health care strategies that work. 5 Salt in the wound Study shows that high levels of dietary salt may trigger autoimmune diseases. also Advances, pp. 3, 5 Out & About, p. 4 @YaleMed f /YaleMed lifelines Emergency Medicine chair lauded for research Gail D’Onofrio, m.d., m.s., pro- School of Medicine cio fessor and chair Daniel Barchi says his of the Depart- experience as a naval offi cer ment of Emer- gave him the confi dence to gency Medi- “jump into almost any role,” fl exibility that has come in cine, has been handy as he manages the honored with complexities of Yale’s imple- Gail D’Onofrio the 2013 Society mentation of the $250 mil- for Academic lion Epic electronic medical Emergency Medicine (saem) record system. Barchi says the new system will provide Excellence in Research Award. good service for the next The award, given for the fi rst time two or three decades. to a woman, honors D’Onofrio’s accumulated body of research as well as her infl uence as a leader in academic Emergency Medicine. Daniel Barchi terry dagradi D’Onofrio’s research, funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol- Sailing into a new platform ism, has focused on perfecting School’s CIO launches was president of the Carilion Biomedi- tion technology was ill-equipped to interventions for Emergency electronic medical records cal Institute in Roanoke, Va., before provide useful answers. Early emrs Department (ED) patients who joining Carilion Health System as cio. were merely digital versions of paper misuse drugs and alcohol, and has with military effi ciency “I had never done IT before,” says records, he says, and systems were led to effective, empirically tested Barchi, who relied on central principles designed primarily for billing, limit- techniques that have infl uenced in- As a surface warfare officer with the of leadership in solving a basic problem: ing the availability of data needed to tervention models across the U.S. U.S. Navy in the 1990s, Daniel Barchi Carilion was using multiple electronic answer clinical or research questions. D’Onofrio is a mentor to medi- sailed the world in American efforts tools that didn’t work together. By providing a single platform cal students, trainees, and junior to intervene in international conflicts. Barchi’s strategy was to introduce for all Yale users, Epic opens doors faculty in Emergency Medicine During the Bosnian War in 1994, his a single software system that would to numerous new possibilities. at Yale, and is also the principal ship stationed in the Adriatic Sea, unite these disparate tools. Today For instance, the system can offer investigator on a training grant Barchi led armed boarding parties that Barchi is managing the rollout of that prompts to physicians when a given funded by the Substance Abuse searched ships for weapons and con- same system, Epic, at Yale, an ongoing patient might qualify for a clinical and Mental Health Services traband in support of nato sanctions. project since his arrival in 2010. trial—a feature that has enabled the Administration to train residents “My ship carried Tomahawk mis- At Yale, installing Epic means Cleveland Clinic to recruit more than in drug and alcohol intervention siles,” Barchi says. “During one of our introducing electronic medical records 10,000 new research volunteers. techniques in all medical settings. deployments we were ordered to (emrs) for all patients. The system, Bridgeport Hospital and the Saint D’Onofrio earned her bach- make a high-speed transit through the which cost more than $250 million, Raphael campus of ynhh will come elor’s degree at Duke University, Suez Canal into the Red Sea.” Although went live at Yale-New Haven Hospital online later this year, and Epic will be her m.s. at Boston University, his crew never had to take action, the (ynhh) at midnight on February 1, and fully implemented at Yale and the Yale and her m.d. at Boston University ship spent several weeks stationed was in operation the following day— New Haven Health System by early School of Medicine. She completed in the middle of the Red Sea, calmly with operating and imaging suites 2014. “Now we’re focused on using a residency in emergency medi- patrolling in case conflict arose.
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