March 21 2018 Volume 37 / Number 26 today.uic.edu For the community of the University of Illinois at Chicago MATCH DAY Emotional milestone for medical students / pg. 5 Photo: Jenny Fontaine Internships Classroom East Meets offer dedicated West highlights 2 - student voice internatonal to family collaborations 4 - campus news experience of graduates 8 - calendar 3 4 6-7 12 - sports Facebook / uicnews Twitter / uicnews YouTube / uicmedia Instagram / thisisuic & uicamiridis 2 UIC News | Wednesday, March 21, 2018 200 years of ‘Frankenstein’ By Hoda Fakhari — [email protected] As a sophomore in high During an the reader a way of gaining time forts to genetically intervene school, I read Mary Shelley’s event hosted while consuming it. Everyone into the lives of descendants, infamous Frankenstein for the by the UIC has probably encountered framing the novel as a caution- first time. We were asked to Institute for some version of the story and ary tale about irresponsible re- mark passages that highlighted the Human- this transcendence across time search. some of the novel’s themes: the ities for the is what allows for a continuous These diverse readings of role of nature, the relationship 200th anni- supply of newer and more rele- Frankenstein are the reason it between the creator and creat- versary of vant interpretations. Nasser has lived to celebrate its 200th ed, and the relationship be- Franken- Mufti of the UIC anniversary. De- tween man and monster, stein’s publi- English depart- spite being situat- among others. At the time, the cation, I was ment said that ed in a historic message seemed clear: when once again the work express- time, the novel man opposes nature, he is pun- prompted to es the terror of a continues to prove ished. supplement split society and relevant and en- Then, as a freshman in col- what now the attempt to gaging for a mod- lege, I picked the same copy of seems to be reconcile it, simi- ern audience. Most Frankenstein for my course in than they ever were clear. Fran- an elementary understanding of lar to concerns of the literature English literature. I learned that kenstein’s heroic ambition rep- the text with more complex that are promi- taught in high Shelley actually published two resents the driving force of ideas. nent in today’s school likely has very different versions of the scientific discovery, and the Sara Guyer from the Univer- society. Bioethi- the same effect novel and the messages I had novel does not necessarily cri- sity of Wisconsin at Madison cist Tim Murphy from the UIC and if you return to those old previously extracted were, in tique that ambition, but rather discussed how the novel revels College of Medicine related the books, I’m sure you’ll find some- fact, much more ambiguous society’s reaction to it. in uncertainty but only to offer creation to contemporary ef- thing new to think about. Want to contribute a story? E-mail Christy Levy at [email protected] today.uic.edu UIC News | Wednesday, March 21, 2018 3 Study debunks fears of increased teen suicide risk from popular flu drug By Jackie Carey — [email protected] A new study published by UIC re- the most consequential of those report- tors, like race or eth- searchers suggests that the drug osel- ed side effects: suicide. nicity.” tamivir — commonly known as Tamiflu “The potential link between a drug The researchers re- — does not cause an increased risk of and suicide is a particularly difficult topic peated the analysis suicide in pediatric patients. to study,” Antoon said. “Many events, with flu diagnosis The U.S. Food and Drug Administra- which can happen simultaneously or alone, without the use tion originally approved the drug in over time, can influence a person to at- of Tamiflu, to see if the 1999, but subsequent case reports of tempt suicide, as can an illness itself — infection itself could abnormal behavior in adolescents who so it can be difficult to study scientifically. have been a confound- used the medication led the agency in “That’s why we used a novel method ing factor associated 2006 to require that all packaging of the called a case-crossover design,” Antoon with suicide risk. drug include a warning label about po- said. “This analysis is different because it “We did not find any tential neuropsychiatric side effects, such allowed us to use each individual sub- association between as hallucinations, delirium, self-harm and ject as his or her own comparison — we exposure to Tamiflu even suicide. retrospectively studied how patients be- and suicide in pediat- However, clinical studies examining haved when on Tamiflu and compared it ric patients,” Antoon the association between the use of Tami- to their behavior when they were not tak- said. flu and neuropsychiatric side effects in ing the drug.” While Antoon be- children, including suicide, have so far The researchers identified 21,047 lieves the findings, been inconclusive and limited by meth- children between the ages of 1 and 18 which are published in odology and potential confounding fac- who attempted suicide during five re- the Annals of Family tors. cent flu seasons (2009-2013) from a Medicine, will help to “When the FDA puts a warning out national administrative claims database. alleviate some fears about a drug, doctors and the public take Of this group, 251 of those children health care providers notice,” said corresponding author James were exposed to Tamiflu, which was de- may have about pre- Antoon, assistant professor of clinical termined based on outpatient pharmacy scribing the medica- pediatrics in the UIC College of Medi- dispensing data. The mean age of this tion in healthy children, cine. “While the warnings are necessary, group was 15 years, 61 percent were he says doctors will they are often not based on conclusive female, and 65 percent had an underly- likely continue to pre- “When the FDA puts a warning out about a drug, doctors and the public take notice,” says UIC researcher James Antoon. clinical data, which can make it difficult ing mental health diagnosis. scribe Tamiflu with for physicians to truly know the potential “For each of the 251 patients, we as- caution. side effects of a drug as they evaluate its signed the 10-day period immediately “I think physicians will welcome a ture. There are also other reasons to use possible benefits for individual patients.” before the suicide attempt as the case large, rigorous study on this topic and caution when prescribing the drug, in- To fill this gap, Antoon and his col- period and we identified up to four earli- factor this information into their deci- cluding resistance and efficacy in chil- leagues in the UIC College of Pharmacy er control periods of the same length, in sion-making process,” he said. “While this dren.” retrospectively studied the association the same flu season,” Antoon said. “This study addresses suicide, there are still Co-authors on the paper are Rachel between the use of Tamiflu — the only helped us to account for within-person many other questions about other possi- Harrington, Sruthi Adimadhyam, Todd commercially available medication ap- confounders, like depression, mental ble neuropsychiatric side effects of the Lee and Glen Schumock from the UIC proved by the FDA to treat the flu — and health, trauma and abuse, and other fac- drug, which we plan to study in the fu- College of Pharmacy. An international experience without leaving city By Farooq Chaudhry — [email protected] The UIC Office of Global Engage- Affairs. ed States policies affecting Mexi- achieved.” ment and Office of International Af- “Internships build résumés and can-Americans in the Midwest,” she The internships with the consul- fairs have made it possible for UIC open a world of opportunities to more said. “I’m very excited to spend the ates are just one step in a larger vi- students to gain international experi- career paths than what we usually spring semester interning at the Con- sion McCrillis has for the university. ences without leaving Chicago. think. The case is that international sulate. While I’m the only intern in my “We need to feel, and every stu- Both offices have opened chan- internships are not only for students department, my team has been very dent should feel like, ‘Oh, we’re actu- nels and made connections with planning to be diplomats, we also welcoming and always helpful.” ally connected to the whole world, I international consulates in Chicago need students in business, engineer- Neal McCrillis, UIC’s vice provost for can see it.’ How can we make UIC to provide students with internships ing, in food security or human right global engagement, hopes interna- everything it is and more, and opportunities there. issues,” she said. tional learning is a part of every UIC demonstrate to people that is the Partner consulates currently in- Katherine Taylor, a senior in politi- student’s experience. case,” he said. “They have to see it clude Pakistan, Mexico, Australia, and cal science, says she has benefitted “From my perspective, in terms of and feel it. That’s really what we’re the list keeps growing. tremendously by interning this semes- global engagement, I want every UIC trying to do in terms of internation- Internships are available for stu- ter in the Office of the Consul General student to have the opportunity to di- alization.” dents across a variety of majors — at the Consulate General of Mexico in rectly experience the world,” he said. For more information on intern- not just those studying international Chicago. “Whether it’s going abroad, connect- ships and international experiences, affairs, said Nora Bonnin, senior di- “My position as a political analyst ing with an international student on contact the Office of International rector of the Office of International allows me to prepare reports on Unit- campus, or working with a foreign Affairs at [email protected] or 312-996- consulate.