UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA MEDICAL SCHOOL A PUBLICATION OF THE MINNESOTA MEDICAL FOUNDATION MEDICAL THE MINNESOTA OF A PUBLICATION

Great expectations U researchers take stem cell science from Petri dish to patient

FALL 2009 Faculty combats disparities that lead to diabetes Federal funds foster stimulating lessons in cancer biology The father of chronobiology explains why timing is everything About the Medical School

THE UNIVERSITY of Minnesota Medical School encourages collaborations that spur innovations—discoveries that advance biomedical knowledge, patient care, and educational programs. The Medical School now trains 920 medical students and more than 800 residents and fellows and is home to 1,600 faculty physicians and scientists.

About the Minnesota 8 Medical Foundation

THE MINNESOTA Medical Foundation is a nonprofit organization that raises millions of dollars annually to help improve the quality of life for the people of Minnesota, the nation, and the world ON THE WEB by supporting health-related research, education, and service at the University Find web-exclusive content in the online version of the of Minnesota, including many Medical Medical Bulletin at www.mmf.umn.edu/bulletin. School initiatives. Stem cell discoveries Biological rhythms Find videos and a news story Watch a video of Dr. Franz Frank B. Cerra, M.D. about the use of stem cell Halberg explaining how his Medical School Dean and therapies to treat various cancers, chronobiology research can Senior Vice President for Health Sciences Parkinson’s disease, and other improve medicine today. Mark S. Paller, M.D., M.S. major illnesses. Executive Vice Dean, Medical School Alumni Reunion Weekend Becky Malkerson Disparities and diabetes Find your classmates in a President and CEO, View a slideshow from slideshow from this fall’s Minnesota Medical Foundation the Bright Start obesity Medical School alumni reunion. prevention study on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. FALL 2009 Contents

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Features ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

8 GREAT EXPECTATIONS 2 Medical School News The potential to transform medicine looms large as 6 Global Outreach the Stem Cell Institute embarks on its second decade Medical student Amanda Noska of discovery combines medicine and human rights to help Haitian women 14 CLOSING THE GAP quit prostitution University researchers combat health disparities that put some groups at higher risk for diabetes 22 Alumni Spotlight Joy Ngobi, M.D., M.P.H., crafts 18 STIMULATING LESSONS hope for her native Uganda Masonic Cancer Center scientists make the most 24 Alumni Connections of federal funds to engage teachers and students in hands-on research 26 Scholarship Winner A career-defining detour leads Rebecca Johnson to a pathology career

E-mail us at [email protected] to receive the 30 A Look Back Medical Bulletin by e-mail instead of as a paper copy. Franz Halberg, M.D., reflects on chronobiology, the science he pioneered Medical School News PHOTO: SCOTT STREBLE

Medical School makes leadership changes

ark S. Paller, M.D., M.S., a physician and Dean Frank Cerra, M.D., and executive vice dean Mark S. Paller, leader in the University of Minnesota’s M.D., M.S., now lead the Medical School’s strategic direction and M daily operations, respectively. research efforts for the last 27 years, in July

became executive vice dean of the As dean, Cerra will handle long-term Medical School Dean Emeritus University of Minnesota Medical School. strategic direction, foster strong external Deborah Powell, M.D., is now serving As the Academic Health Center’s relationships with clinical partners, and as AHC associate vice president for (AHC’s) assistant vice president for promote financial stability. As executive new models of medical education. The research since 1999, Paller has devel- vice dean, Paller will focus on the criti- position will allow her to continue her oped programs to encourage faculty cal day-to-day operations of the Medical work on the transformation of medical and associate deans to expand School, working with Cerra to implement education begun during her seven-year research productivity throughout the the school’s strategic plan. tenure as dean. health sciences. “I greatly value Mark’s ability to develop “Debbie Powell is a strong advocate The creation of the new executive simple, focused solutions to complex for, and national leader in, the need to vice dean position is part of an overall problems,” says Cerra. “Throughout our transform medical education for the restructuring plan within the AHC and tenure together at the University, I have next generation of physicians,” says Medical School. Also under that plan, always respected his keen insight and Cerra. “Her new role will be important Frank Cerra, M.D., senior vice president dedication to supporting the core missions to ensuring our Medical School’s for health sciences for the AHC, has of the Medical School and University.” success in that realm.” taken on the additional role of Medical Paller served as the University lead on A recognized national leader in School dean. the Minnesota Partnership for Biotech- medical education, Powell is chair-elect nology and Medical Genomics, a collab- of the Association of American Medical I have always respected oration between the state of Minnesota, Colleges Board of Directors. She is also the University, and Mayo Clinic. a member of the newly appointed Scien- Mark Paller’s keen insight and He retains his clinical role as a prac- tific Management Review Board for the dedication to supporting the ticing nephrologist, and as a professor National Institutes of Health and a of medicine in the Division of Renal member of the National Academy of core missions of the Medical Diseases and Hypertension, he regularly Science’s Institute of Medicine. M|B teaches medical students, residents, School and University. and fellows. – Frank Cerra, M.D., Medical School dean

2 MEDICAL BULLETIN FALL 2009 University hospitals rank among nation’s best Risk of childhood cancer increases slightly with U.S. News & World Report has once again named University mother’s age, study finds of Minnesota Amplatz Chil- dren’s Hospital and University A baby born to an older mother may face of Minnesota Medical Center, an increased risk for some cancers that Fairview among the country’s occur during childhood, according to best hospitals. research from the Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota University of Minnesota. Amplatz Children’s Hospital “We saw that the risk of 7 of the 10 ranked 20th in treatment most common childhood cancers increased for cancer, 26th for kidney slightly, about 7 to 10 percent, with every The University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview 5-year increase in maternal age,” says Logan disorders, and 29th for diabetes and University of Minnesota Amplatz Children’s Spector, Ph.D., an assistant professor of and endocrine disorders. Hospital are home to some of the country’s leading University of Minnesota medical treatment programs. pediatrics and a cancer epidemiologist, who Medical Center, Fairview was led the research along with postdoctoral fel- ranked in the top 50 in eight areas this year. It was 22nd in treatment for kidney low Kimberly Johnson, Ph.D. disorders; 29th for digestive disorders; 29th for ear, nose, and throat; 34th for Currently about 1 in 435 children under cancer; 34th for diabetes and endocrine disorders; 42nd for urology; 48th for age 15 in the United States gets cancer, gynecology; and 48th for respiratory disorders. according to the study. The cancers that The report names the top 50 hospitals for adults in 16 medical specialties most commonly affect children include based on reputation, outcomes, and other care-related factors such as advanced leukemia, lymphoma, central nervous system technologies and affiliation with a medical school. It names the top 30 children’s tumor, neuroblastoma, Wilms’ tumor, bone hospitals in 10 specialties. M|B cancer, and soft tissue sarcoma. Spector and Johnson note that although the absolute risk that children of older moth- U researchers get $8.4 million grant to study ers will get cancer is still low, more research deadly lung disease needs to be done on why the risk of childhood cancer increases with advancing maternal Researchers at the Medical School’s Center for Lung Science and Health received age. Some of the possible explanations could an $8.4 million grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of be age-related changes in hormone levels the National Institutes of Health to study a deadly chronic lung disease called during pregnancy and alterations in DNA idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, or IPF. markings in eggs that can be transmitted IPF affects one out of every 10,000 people in the United States. Without a to the offspring. lung transplant, patients have a typical life expectancy of only three to five years The researchers also noted that the after diagnosis. father’s age did not seem to matter once The new grant will allow University researchers to analyze the mechanisms the mother’s age was taken into account. behind this fatal disease. The results were published in the July The project’s principal investigator, Craig Henke, M.D., a professor of medicine 2009 issue of the journal Epidemiology. M|B in the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, recently published related findings in the Journal of Experimental Medicine. He found that a specific defect in cells known as fibroblasts, which can cause scarring of the lung tissue, is involved in the development of IPF. Searching for new IPF treatments or a possible cure, Henke and a team of researchers from several University of Minnesota departments, as well as pathology researchers at the University of Michigan, are now investigating how fibroblasts develop. M|B

MEDICAL BULLETIN FALL 2009 3 MEDICAL SCHOOL NEWS 4 the United States each year. in failure kidney chronic of all cases of half nearly for accounts also which diabetes, of complications common study. inthe involved 1diabetics in type of damage eye by than more 65 percent progression the slowed and enalapril that the antihypertensives losartan found They 1diabetes. type with people in damage eye of progression the slow also pressure blood high treat to used commonly medications sive Mauer, M.D., found that antihyperten- Michael by led researchers University diabetes 1 type with people in damage eye slow U researchers discover new treatment to BOTTOM TOP UMPhysicians appoints new CEO Eye damage and blindness are are andblindness damage Eye Bobbi Daniels, M.D. MEDICAL BULLETIN FALL 2009 Roby Thompson, M.D. Roby Thompson, issue of the the of issue a placebo. received group third andthe enalapril, the groups received either losartan or Two of years. five throughout groups disease. kidney of signs shown and hadn’t pressure blood hadnormal who diabetics in injuries kidney delay could drugs the whether out tofind study current the on embarked team failure. Mauer’s kidney prevent not but kidneys the in tion func- of loss the toslow found also were drugs antihypertensive 1diabetes, type Services, Health andFairview Scho0l Medical the at leaders with closely works She Committee. Practice Clinical the andchairs since1996 Directors of Board employees. 1,100 mately andapproxi- year per visits 500,000 than more with clinics, ambulatory UMPhysicians-owned and -managed of operation the for responsible also Shewas faculty. School’s full-time Medical Minnesota of University the for within the integrated group practice physicians 700 than more by delivered care clinical the overseen has Daniels 1. October on role new her She assumed search. anational following practice group the of officer executive chief named been has since2003, Physicians of Minnesota for University officer chief medical M.D., DANIELS, BOBBI The results, published in the July July inthe published results, The participant three teamevaluated The In previous studies of people with UMPhysicians’ on served has Daniels officer, medical chief UMPhysicians’ As New England Journal of Journal England New metrics.” metrics.” national invarious levels highest to the UMPhysicians propelled have cine that medi- andinterdisciplinary leadership physician of principles the advocated consistently has “He dean. School Medical and sciences health for president vice senior M.D., Cerra, Frank says practice,” the of development tothe integral andchange. growth oftremendous period a through UMPhysicians led Thompson since2000. position the held has who M.D., Thompson, Roby of retirement the strategy. patient-focused delivery care a of development andthe initiatives, andservice quality of alignment the planning, long-range onstrategic, tal, of Minnesota Amplatz Children’sof Minnesota Amplatz Hospi- andUniversity Center, Fairview Medical Minnesota of University includes which mb/diabetes-eye. at www.mmf.umn.edu/ treatment protective diabetes. diabetes. 2 type with patients for potential hold also may treatment the believes who Mauer, says injury,” eye ing diabetic inslow- effect positive a substantially experienced medications hypertensive showed that people taking these anti- benefit. unexpected the didimpart they but injury, kidney orprevent delay didnot drugs sive Medicine “His vision and leadership have been been have andleadership vision “His marks CEO as Daniels of selection The “The secondary results of this study study this of results secondary “The Listen to a podcast about the new eye- new the about apodcast to Listen , showed that the antihyperten- M M | B | B Medical School News Feelings of hopelessness linked to women’s stroke risk

Women who experience feelings of hopelessness may have a greater risk for future heart disease and stroke, Research finds new suggests a recent Medical School way to curb compulsive study. The researchers found that hair-pulling healthy middle-aged women who expe- rience negative thinking and feelings Medical School researchers have discov- of uselessness appear to experience ered that a common antioxidant may thickening of the neck arteries, which help stop the urges of those with tricho- can be a precursor to stroke. tillomania, a disorder characterized by Feelings of hopelessness affect arter- compulsive or habitual hair-pulling to ies independent of clinical depression the point of noticeable hair loss. and before women develop clinically relevant cardiovascular disease, according to Jon Grant, M.D., J.D., an associate the study, which was published in the August 27 online edition of Stroke: Journal of professor of psychiatry and the study’s the American Heart Association. principal investigator, estimates that The study, which included 559 women (average age 50) who were generally healthy 2 percent to 4 percent of the general and did not show signs of clinical cardiovascular disease, found a consistent, pro- population is affected by trichotillomania gressive, and linear association between increasing neck artery thickness and rising to some degree. levels of hopelessness. Half of the 50 people enrolled in his It was the first study to link hopelessness with subclinical cardiovascular disease double-blind study were given N-Acetyl- in women who are generally healthy, says the study’s principal investigator, Susan cysteine, an amino acid commonly found | Everson-Rose, Ph.D., M.P.H., associate professor of medicine. M B in health food supplements, every day for six weeks. They received a larger dose for the next six weeks. University researcher to jointly lead $9.5 million By the end of the study, 56 percent reported feeling much or very much NIH study on chronic graft-versus-host disease improved, while only 16 percent taking the placebo reported less hair-pulling. The National Institutes of Health has lead to serious toxicity in patients who The study, published in the July issue awarded a five-year, $9.5 million grant might otherwise be cured of their cancer. of the Archives of General Psychiatry, to Bruce Blazar, M.D., of the Masonic The scientists hope to gain a better is one of the first to look at lowering Cancer Center, University of Minnesota understanding of the biology of chronic levels of glutamate — a chemical that and two researchers with Dana-Farber GVHD (which starts later than three triggers excitement in the brain — Cancer Institute in Boston to further months after transplant and can last to curb harmful compulsive behavior their research on chronic graft-versus- for years), identify the potential for rather than serotonin, a naturally occur- host disease (GVHD). GVHD in patients undergoing stem cell ring chemical most commonly linked GVHD can occur after a patient under- transplant, and begin clinical trials to to compulsive behavior. goes a stem cell transplant for treatment test new prevention and treatment Grant believes glutamate modulators of blood cancers and the transplanted approaches, says Blazar, a Regents may be applicable to other disorders, donor cells perceive the recipient’s body Professor and leader in the Masonic addictions, and compulsive behaviors. M|B as “foreign,” attacking the recipient’s Cancer Center’s Transplant Biology organs and tissue. The response can and Therapy Research Program. M|B To view a video of Grant explaining this study, go to http://mediamill.cla.umn.edu/ mediamill/display/37420.

MEDICAL BULLETIN FALL 2009 5 Global Outreach | Amanda Noska LOCATION: Port-au-Prince, Haiti MISSION: Helping women quit prostitution

‘For generations to come’ A University medical student wants to make a difference where medicine and human rights intersect

hen fourth-year medical student Amanda Noska W arrived in Haiti in January to study human rights, she found no shortage of issues to address. Noska was in Port-au-Prince for a public health fellowship to learn about the face of HIV and AIDS at a free clinic there.

But first, she couldn’t help but notice Campus and is also completing a the widespread poverty. About master’s degree in public health through 54 percent of Haiti’s people live on less the University’s combined M.D./M.P.H. than $1 a day, according to the United program. “It’s very concerning because Nations Development Programme, and women have children, and children can 78 percent live on less than $2 a day. be born with HIV/AIDS, and that can be And she observed that most patients detrimental for generations to come.” at the free clinic — in English, it’s called With limited resources, it’s difficult the Haitian Group for the Study of Kaposi’s for health-care workers in Haiti to rein Sarcoma and Opportunistic Infections in this devastating disease, Noska says.

Amanda Noska (GHESKIO) — either had no income or But she hopes that through a project lived on less than $20 per year. she’s now completing for the clinic, The number of people living with HIV she can bring them a step closer. has steadily increased in Haiti since Finding a way out the mid-1990s, according to the World Health Organization, and an estimated Noska found a great resource at 2.2 percent of Haitians ages 15–49 now GHESKIO, a clinic funded by Haiti’s have the virus. national government and the U.S. Presi- Currently, Noska says, prostitution is dent’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. on the rise, and sex workers are getting The clinic also is designated a research HIV faster than any other group in Haiti. institution by the National Institutes “Women are often resorting to prosti- of Health and is affiliated with Cornell tution to feed themselves and their University in New York. View photos from children when they have no other “I was delighted to find out that Amanda Noska’s time this top-notch HIV/AIDS clinic exists in at a Haitian HIV/AIDS clinic options,” says Noska, who started her at www.mmf.umn.edu/ medical training at the University of Haiti,” she says. mb/noska. Minnesota Medical School–Duluth

6 MEDICAL BULLETIN FALL 2009 PHOTOS OF COURTESY AMANDA NOSKA

LEFT Medical student Amanda Noska (left) and the doctors at GHESKIO, a free HIV/AIDS clinic in Haiti

RIGHT The hillside of Port-au-Prince

The clinic offers free services such as alternative ways to support themselves and prevalence of HIV. The idea, she HIV counseling, AIDS care, and manage- and their families. says, is that GHESKIO could use the ment of other transmitted infections “Women get [the loans] and then information to establish a baseline loan and distributes free antiretroviral therapy they start a business and pay them back amount that accounts for the cost of (ART). It also supports a nutrition program as they go, essentially so that they can living in Haiti while simultaneously because it’s hard for ART to work if the get out on their own, be independent, assisting women with funding to estab- patient is undernourished or starving. and have their own source of income — lish alternative means of income. In addition, the clinic has a counseling and stop the sex-working exchange,” For Noska, becoming a doctor isn’t center for rape victims, a staff psycholo- Noska explains. only about treating disease; it’s also gist, an obstetrics clinic, a pediatrics about helping people by acknowledging Changing reality clinic, an adolescent health program, their reality. and a dentist. Through her fellowship at GHESKIO, “It’s hard to see people carried into “The waiting rooms of GHESKIO are Noska did whatever she felt she could a clinic and dying of AIDS and just always at capacity with patients in do as a medical student. That involved unbelievably sick,” she says. “Even need,” Noska says. filling out appointment cards, conduct- more than that, I think it is so painful Because of the increasing rates of ing physical exams at the clinics, and to watch people emotionally beaten or prostitution and sex workers with HIV, doing some laboratory work. emotionally void or just crushed by the clinic is launching a special service But she took another part of her work their circumstances.” entirely devoted to reducing disease in back to Minnesota. For her M.P.H. mas- But Noska hopes that providing an this population, she says. ter’s project, Noska is analyzing data to opportunity to change those circum- And to help solve the bigger-picture help get the microfinance program up stances will improve Haitian women’s problem, it’s starting a microfinance and running — and make it work. health, both physical and mental. M|B program that provides small-business- Noska is looking for a correlation By NICOLE ENDRES, associate editor of the type loans to help sex workers find between the women’s annual income Medical Bulletin

MEDICAL BULLETIN FALL 2009 7 Great expectations The potential to transform medicine looms large as the Stem Cell Institute embarks on its second decade of discovery

8 MEDICAL BULLETIN FALL 2009 Amid the fanfare over the University of Minnesota’s new TCF Bank Stadium, scientists working in labs across the street from it are engaged in quieter but higher-stakes activities. These leading researchers at the University’s Stem Cell Institute along with others performing stem cell research across the campus may hold in their Petri dishes the keys to federal guidelines (see sidebar on page unlocking the mysteries of diabetes, 13), as well as stem cells from skin, cancer, heart failure, brain injury — bone marrow, and umbilical cord blood. even aging. Housed just a stone’s throw from the Established in 1999, the Stem Cell new football stadium in the McGuire Institute was the fi rst in the nation Translational Research Facility, the to take an interdisciplinary approach Stem Cell Institute is drawing on to the burgeoning fi eld of stem cell expertise from across the University science. “Minnesota was on our radar to launch its next decade of discovery. as one of the places that had made The state-of-the-art facility — anchor to a strong commitment to stem cell the University’s emerging Biomedical research,” recalls U of M cardiac Discovery District — was made possible researcher Doris Taylor, Ph.D., a Duke in large part by a $10 million gift from University faculty member at the time. the William W. and Nadine M. McGuire Family Foundation that also triggered Progress was stymied nationally, state bonding. however, when the government severely restricted federal funding The facility is at the core of our discover- for human embryonic stem cell (hESC) ies, says Stem Cell Institute director studies, and the science itself proved Jonathan Slack, Ph.D., F.Med.Sci. “But the extremely diffi cult to master. wider group of 32 labs across campus is also essential for our continued success.” But today, as the Stem Cell Institute marks its fi rst decade, another “medi- Unprecedented opportunity cal revolution” is taking place, says It’s well known that all stem cells John E. Wagner, M.D., clinical director share an ability to reproduce them- of research at the institute and director selves and to differentiate into specifi c of the blood and marrow transplant cell types. What’s shaken up the fi eld program in the Department of Pediat- lately is a monumental discovery that rics. Fueling that revolution are promis- occurred in 2006. Researchers in Japan ing new discoveries using stem cells — announced that they had taken a embryonic stem cells, which have handful of genes and turned an ordinary become more available under revised

MEDICALMEDICAL BBULLETINU FALL 2009 9 skin cell backward in its development Schulze Family Foundation to a group until it became an undifferentiated of University scientists aiming to stem cell. develop a cure for type 1 diabetes.

Known as induced pluripotent stem A powerful weapon cells, or iPS cells, they present an For Dan S. Kaufman, M.D., Ph.D., unprecedented opportunity. They associate director of the Stem Cell come from a plentiful, easy-to-obtain Institute, iPS cells offer a new take on source — skin — and they’re not contro- another diffi cult challenge. Trained versial in the way that embryonic stem in hematology and immunology, cells have been. Kaufman completed his postdoctoral One of Slack’s fi rst actions was to set work at the University of Wisconsin– up a facility to introduce iPS technology Madison in the very lab where human to Minnesota. Led by research associ- embryonic stem cells were fi rst ate James Dutton, Ph.D., the Stem Cell isolated. Indeed, while at Wisconsin, Institute has made a number of new he was the fi rst to produce blood cells human and mouse iPS cell lines and from hESCs. hhas helpedhelpe several other groups at the Now Kaufman is investigating the UniversitUniversity make their own iPS cells. use of iPS cells to create hematopoietic MeriiF Firpo, Ph.D., an assistant profes- stem cells, the blood-reconstituting sor of endocrinology, is at the forefront cells found in bone marrow and cord of this new technology. Recruited by blood, to be used in such therapies as the University four years ago to inves- bone marrow transplants to treat tigate stem cell treatments for type 1 patients with leukemia, lymphoma, diabetes, she is working to develop myeloma, and other cancers. He’ll transplantable, insulin-secreting cells. compare the effectiveness and effi ciency of using iPS cells with using The University has a world-renowned embryonic stem cells to derive blood program in pancreas cell transplanta- cells suitable for these therapies. tion, but cells from donor cadaver organs are in short supply, and trans- That does not mean that Kaufman plant patients are at risk of suffering has closed the door on embryonic stem an adverse immune response. Now, cells. In fact, he recently turned hESCs with iPS technology, Firpo hopes to into disease-fi ghting natural killer (NK) develop productive islet cells that work cells that are able to completely elimi- in humans and sidestep the rejection nate human leukemia cells when problems inherent in transplantation. transplanted into a mouse model. His dramatic results showed that the “Stem cells provide another potential hESC-derived NK cells were signifi cantly source of islets for transplantation more potent killers of cancerous tumor anand offer us tremendous potential to cells than other NK cell populations conquero this complicated disease,” tested, including those derived from saysa Firpo, whose research got a major umbilical cord blood. He also has bboost from a $40 million pledge made shown that the hESC-generated NK last December by the Richard M. cells are highly effective in killing breast cancer, prostate cancer, testicu- lar cancer, and brain tumor cells.

10 MEDICAL BULLETIN FALL 2009 Meri Firpo, Ph.D. Dan S. Kaufman, M.D., Ph.D. John E. Wagner, M.D.

Kaufman believes that iPS cell technol- for the treatment of many diseases are We want to use all ogy holds potential for generating NK substantial,” says Wagner, who holds cells from a patient’s own cells. But the Children’s Cancer Research Fund available avenues work along those lines only intensifi es Hageboeck Chair in Pediatric Cancer to determine the research on hESCs, he says, because in Research and the McKnight Presiden- optimal source of order to coax iPS cells to differentiate tial Chair in Hematology and Oncology. into mature NK cells, researchers will Repairing diseased hearts and revers- cells to treat cancer. need to know much more about how ing aging are what occupy Doris Taylor, – Dan S. Kaufman, M.D., Ph.D. “the real McCoy” does it. now director of the University’s Center “Human embryonic stem cells provide for Cardiovascular Repair. She and the gold standard against which to her team started their search with compare iPS cells,” Kaufman says. heart repair and more recently investi- “We want to use all available avenues gated the use of bone marrow stem to determine the optimal source of cells in treating plaque buildup in cells to treat cancer.” animal models of atherosclerosis and found that the cells can reverse blood Damage repair vessel damage. John Wagner and colleagues Jakub Taylor also is interested in exploring Tolar, M.D., Ph.D., and Bruce Blazar, the “nature vs. nurture of stem cells,” M.D., were the fi rst to demonstrate that and she has just the tool to investigate stem cells found in bone marrow can that question. She and her lab made repair skin. In a rare but devastating news around the world last year when skin disease called epidermolysis they used a detergent to rinse away bullosa, in which the skin continuously the heart cells from a cadaver rat blisters and scars, these stem cells have heart, leaving behind the extracellular been shown to “home” to the skin and matrix. On the remaining scaffold, the replace the missing protein collagen 7 team then rebuilt beating muscle and that anchors the skin to the body. blood vessels. “This is the fi rst time ever that stem Since stem cells respond to cues from cells have repaired an extracellular the environment they’re introduced to, matrix disease, and the implications researchers can use that extracellular

MEDICALEDICA BULLETINBUB ETIN FALL 2009 11 Doris Taylor, Ph.D. Walter Low, Ph.D. Jonathan Slack, Ph.D.

matrix to understand how a stem cell They are also taking a close look at perceives its mission. “Does it know stem cells that cause damage rather where it came from,” Taylor poses, “or than repair it. Two years ago, Low and does it know what it should be?” The John Ohlfest, Ph.D., assistant professor tool may also reveal whether stem in the Department of Neurosurgery, cells act differently when introduced identifi ed and characterized mutated to an area where injury, like a heart neural stem cells that are capable attack, has occurred. By altering genes of causing brain tumors. These so- and cell markers, “we can learn what called cancer stem cells or brain tumor it takes to rebuild functioning tissue,” stem cells are the source of the self- she says. renewing cells within tumors, explains Low, who holds the Fesler-Lampert Taylor, who holds the Medtronic- Chair in Aging. Bakken Chair in Cardiovascular Repair, believes chronic disease and aging are The researchers developed a brain basically failures of the body’s stem tumor vaccine that could destroy brain cells and also is working with her team tumor stem cells, and recently, they to develop stem cell approaches to obtained FDA approval to launch a repair early aging-related injury. phase 1 clinical trial to determine the safety of their brain tumor vaccine Walter Low, Ph.D., professor and for patients with glioblastoma multi- associate head of research in the forme — a dire prognosis. The vaccine Department of Neurosurgery, is work- may eradicate the malignancy and, ing on tissue repair, too — in the brain. Low hopes, “other types of cancers He and his team discovered a type of where cancer stem cells are the source stem cell within human umbilical cord of the tumor.” blood that has properties of multipotent stem cells (which can form cells of An eye to the future many kinds of tissue), and they are The diversity of such top-level exper- investigating whether these cells can tise throughout the University will restore brain tissue following an ensure that the Stem Cell Institute ischemic stroke, ultimately improving remains internationally competitive limb mobility. over the next decade, notes Slack,

12 MEDICAL BULLETIN FALL 2009 holder of the Edmundd and Anna Marie therapies using the progenitoro cell Tullock Chair in Stem CCell Biology. populations. Watch videos about the use of stem cell research to Slack, who came too MiMinnesotanne two Slack has also worked withith University fight devastating diseases at yearsars agoa fromm Britain’sBr Universityniversity of o neurology professor John Day,ay MM.D., D www.mmf.umn.edu/mb/stemcell. Bath, iss ininternationallytern known for his P.h.D., director of the Paul and Sheila discoveryy of the molecular cues that Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Center, control embryonicm development. His and scientists at the Katholieke Uni- more recenten work has focused on the versiteit Leuven in Belgium to create a basic scienceie of regeneration — and pig model of muscular dystrophyph that specificifi callyc on how tadpoles can will enable more accurate studiesies of regregrow the muscle and spinal cord cell therapy to treat the disease. of injured tails and the mechanisms Other key partners include the Blood whereby one cell type can change and Marrow Transplant Program and into another. the University’s Molecular and Cellular As the institute’s director, Slack is Therapeutics Facility, which has the forging partnerships with scientists capability to grow large numbers of not only across the University but also cells and the expertise to translate beyond its walls. The Stem Cell Insti- stem cells and their derivatives intonto tute is working with researchers at therapies for patients. the University’s Lillehei Heart Institute “This is a very exciting moment,”t, Slack and the University of Wisconsin– concludes. “The future of cell therapyhe Madison, for example, to study heart is really limitless.” M|B and blood progenitor cells to learn more about normal heart and blood By KATE LEDGER, a St. Paul–based freelance development and investigate possible writer and author

REVISED STEM CELL POLICIES OPEN NEW DOORS

IN A WHITE HOUSE ceremony last March, tions that were not conducive to clinical “Embryonic stem cells will always have a President Barack Obama signed an execu- studies.” Any scientist who created fundamental role in stem cell research and tive order to lift restrictions put in place new lines of embryonic stem cells or collab- development of novel therapies for a wide by former President George W. Bush that orated on embryonic stem cell research had range of diseases,” says Dan Kaufman, M.D., cut off federal support for any research to do so with private funding. Ph.D., associate director of the University’s involving human embryonic stem cells The University of Minnesota designed Stem Cell Institute. These cells remain the except for lines that had been derived strict procedures that allowed research to gold standard by which to compare other before August 9, 2001. continue without any federal or state funds. stem cell populations. Even with the advent [Scientists] are no longer restricted to the Now, under the new federal policy, as many of new technologies, like iPS cells that can 62 lines of which only a portion was viable, as 700 stem cell lines may be available, be created from skin, blood, or other cells says University neurosurgery professor with the requirement that they must have in the body, he emphasizes that for the best Walter Low, Ph.D., who studies the use of been obtained with informed, voluntary possible science to evolve, “we need to be stem cells in nervous system repair. Many consent by the donor. able to use all available tools.” of those, Low says, were “grown in condi-

MEDICAL BULLETIN FALL 2009 13 er motivation is no secret. Tiffany Beckman, H M.D., M.P.H., became an endocrinologist because of the ever-rising rate of diabetes in Closing American Indians.

“People are having heart attacks, strokes, getting their legs cut off, going blind, going on dialysis,” says Beckman, who is an enrolled member of the the gap Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe. “It’s a terrible problem, and American Indians are disproportionately affected by the disease.” University researchers

As a medical student, Tracie Collins, M.D., M.P.H., combat health disparities couldn’t help but wonder what had happened to that put some groups at the amputees she saw being wheeled into the hospital every day. higher risk for diabetes

“It appeared to be more minorities who had lost their limbs, like African Americans, Native Ameri- cans, and Latinos,” she says. “So in the back of my mind, I’m wondering, ‘What’s going on here?’”

And while childhood obesity is increasing across the country, Mary Story, Ph.D., R.D., points out that it’s not rising at the same rate across all ethnic groups.

“In the United States, obesity is much higher among African American, Hispanic, and Native American youth compared with white youth,” Story says.

So what is going on? Health disparities are preva- lent, even if they’re not obvious to many of us. Even Minnesota — which consistently tops the charts nationally in many health measures, including high rates of health insurance and low rates of prema- ture death — has serious inequities.

Health disparities between the “haves” and “have-nots” in Minnesota are some of the deepest in the nation, says Kola Okuyemi, M.D., M.P.H., who directs the Medical School’s three-year-old Program in Health Disparities Research.

RIGHT Students on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation take a

“ribbon walk” as part of an obesity prevention program. PHOTO SMYTH MARY OF COURTESY

14 MEDICAL BULLETIN FALL 2009 “You have a population that is lagging professor of endocrinology and diabe- behind—in health status, health tes at the University and a Medical access, and health-care outcomes,” School alumna. “I like to try to find the he says. most holistic approaches to disease.

Because I know that they’re out there.” PHOTO: SCOTT STREBLE For instance, the infant mortality rate for African American babies here is Her latest research project is an twice that of European American MRI-based study that tracks how babies, Okuyemi says. And for Ameri- Native American women respond to can Indian babies, the infant mortality pictures of different foods. Reward rate is three times higher. pathways in the brain tend to light up when people see sweets and fattening “Those rates are actually closer to foods, but Beckman is hoping that what you’d find in developing coun- eventually that can be changed — tries,” he adds. ideally, through cognitive restructur- University of Minnesota faculty ing, replacing dysfunctional thinking members affiliated with the Medical with a better approach. School’s Program in Health Disparities “It’s very time- and labor-intensive, but Research—and the Health Disparities I think the outcomes pay for that time Working Group, its sister program in a million-fold,” she says. the School of Public Health (SPH) — are addressing a wide range of issues, In another study Beckman is American Indian endocrinologist Tiffany from social determinants of heart completing that was funded through Beckman, M.D., M.P.H., is finding natural disease to targeted ways to help the National Institutes of Health’s ways to treat her patients who have diabetes. minority populations quit smoking. Native Investigator Development Program, she led a team that found that And a critical mass of researchers American Indians from two tribes in We use pharmacology as here, including Beckman, Collins, and the Northern Plains who spoke Story, is tackling health disparities somewhat of a Band-Aid their native language were 1.5 times related to diabetes, with a chance to more likely to have type 2 diabetes approach for many, many significantly reduce the toll of this than those who did not speak the disease and its complications. diseases, unnecessarily native language. But that wasn’t at times. I like to try to The hard — but better — solution true for members of another tribe As an American Indian endocrinologist, in the Southwest. find the most holistic Beckman says she looks for natural “It highlights that there are immense approaches to disease. approaches to treating diabetes. And cultural differences between tribes,” Because I know that that means teaching her patients about she says. “Type 2 diabetes is obviously nutrition and physical activity rather a lifestyle issue related to nutrition they’re out there. than scratching out prescriptions. and exercise, but it’s also related to – Tiffany Beckman, M.D., M.P.H. “We use pharmacology as somewhat cultural factors, and more work needs of a Band-Aid approach for many, to be done in that area.” many diseases, unnecessarily at And as one of 14 American Indian times,” says Beckman, an assistant principal investigators in the country—

MEDICAL BULLETIN FALL 2009 15 out of about 35,000 total PIs — Beckman is stepping A CENTER OF EXCELLENCE up to that responsibility. It’s a big job, but her IN MINORITY HEALTH patients’ successes — one man lost 120 pounds AND DISPARITIES naturally — keep her motivated. THE PROGRAM in Health Disparities Research got “I love being able to take patients off of their a boost in August when the Medical School was diabetes drugs after they’ve lost the weight,” awarded a $6.24 million grant from the National she says. Institutes of Health to establish a Center of Excel- A way to prevent amputation lence in Health Disparities Research, Engagement, and Training (CeHDRET) focusing on minority health Collins, who noticed as a student that amputees and health disparities. were often members of ethnic minority groups, has CeHDRET will complement Program in Health spent the better part of her career investigating the Disparities Research projects, says CeHDRET director science behind that observation. Jas Ahluwalia, M.D., M.P.H. “The vision is to become One risk factor for amputation is peripheral artery a national leader in health disparities and minority disease (PAD), which occurs when fatty plaques health research, serving as a resource for training, build up in a person’s blood vessels and cause poor community engagement, and research.” circulation in the legs. And sure enough, Collins’s More than 30 percent of Minneapolis is composed of ethnic minorities. This new grant will help provide statistical research verified that African Americans the University’s Medical School with the resources were twice as likely to have PAD as Latinos and to enhance opportunities for diverse populations European Americans. and improve minority health overall—starting with And she felt that doctors should do a better job the local community. of managing the disease in general. “We were The grant’s long-term goal is to create an informed, so focused on neuropathy [nerve damage] and empowered, and active community that collaborates other causes of limb loss that we really were ignor- with researchers and practitioners to improve the ing the vascular component unless it was time to health of their populations. amputate,” says Collins, an associate professor of general internal medicine.

People with diabetes are particularly affected by PAD; an estimated one in three diabetics over age Plus, those studies had excluded people with 50 has it, according to the American Diabetes diabetes, which seemed counterintuitive to Collins. Association (ADA). Diabetes also is the No. 1 risk “Of all the patients to include in these studies, it factor for PAD. should be the diabetics,” she says. With extreme highs and lows in blood sugar levels Now she’s wrapping up a three-year study funded that people with diabetes experience, Collins by the ADA evaluating the effectiveness of home- explains, blood vessels tend to lose resiliency based walking therapy for people with PAD and and often don’t dilate they way they should, and diabetes. Results aren’t in yet, but it’s the largest that can lead to occlusion, or blockage. study on home-based walking to date and the first Previous studies had found that medically super- to focus on diabetics who have PAD. vised walking therapy could improve symptoms Early intervention and function for people with PAD, but Collins thought that seemed inconvenient for patients For decades, Story has been studying how food and burdensome for medical personnel. choices relate to obesity risks in American Indians, and she always has counted on tribal partners for advice.

16 MEDICAL BULLETIN FALL 2009 PHOTOS: SCOTT STREBLE

Tracie Collins, M.D., M.P.H., is wrapping up a Twin Cities–based study An intervention designed by Mary Story, Ph.D., R.D., is teaching Native on the effectiveness of walking therapy for people with diabetes and American families about ways to prevent childhood obesity through nutri- peripheral artery disease. tion and exercise.

“Our philosophy has always been that Some parents told Smyth about their People with diabetes are we’re guests on the reservation, and we teenage children who already had can provide the research expertise, but been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes — particularly affected by we work really closely with the tribe,” almost unheard of a few years ago, peripheral artery disease; says Story, a professor of epidemiology Story adds. And at the beginning of and community health in the SPH. the study, the researchers found that a an estimated one in three “We might know the scientific methods third of the children entering kinder- diabetics over age 50 has it, to use, but we don’t know how to really garten were overweight or obese. tailor it to adapt to the culture and the according to the American Although there are many factors that conditions on the reservation.” make it tough to reduce obesity on a Diabetes Association. That philosophy holds true today for reservation, like limited access to Diabetes also is the No. 1 Story’s NIH-funded Bright Start obesity healthy foods, food insecurity, and lack risk factor for PAD. prevention study with kindergarten and of opportunities for physical activity, first-grade students on the Pine Ridge Story remains optimistic about the Indian Reservation in South Dakota. possibilities for change through Bright Start and other initiatives. The intervention her team designed involves an overhaul of the school “There are many challenges, but we lunch program and an infusion of have found that there are also many more time for students to be physically opportunities because of the level of active during the school day. It also concern that parents have for their includes “family nights,” meant children,” she says. “They really want View a slideshow of photos M|B to teach parents healthier practices, them to grow up healthy.” from the Bright Start obesity pre- including serving reasonable portions, vention study at www.mmf.umn. counting calories, and making physical By NICOLE ENDRES, associate editor of the Medical Bulletin edu/mb/brightstart. activity a fun part of their kids’ day.

The families who attend those events have been extremely motivated to make changes, says Bright Start project director Mary Smyth, M.S.

MEDICAL BULLETIN FALL 2009 17 Stimulating lessons Masonic Cancer Center scientists make the most of federal funds to engage teachers and students in hands-on research

Last summer, efforts by University across the country. Pennell and Okuyemi, of Minnesota researchers Christopher both members of the Masonic Cancer Pennell, Ph.D., and Kola Okuyemi, M.D., Center, University of Minnesota, jointly M.P.H., to engage the public in cancer applied for — and received — a $240,000 biology merged seamlessly with the Supplement for Students and Science goals of St. Louis Park High School Educators grant. teacher Julie Schilz, who hoped to find The funding, to be distributed over two a new way to captivate the minds of summers, provides students and local her biology students. teachers the chance to work directly “All students have been affected by with faculty experts in the Masonic cancer in some way — they always Cancer Center. When Schilz heard want to know more,” says Schilz. about this opportunity, she immedi- “I’ve often thought if I had a somewhat ately signed on. real-life model or lab activity to supple- Educating educators ment teachings, I could bring it into the classroom as a hands-on look During their four weeks on campus, at how and why cancer cells arise Schilz and two other teachers, Hud and develop.” Hobday and Laura Bursch, worked with Pennell, associate professor in the Back at the University, word spread Department of Laboratory Medicine quickly among the faculty last spring and Pathology, to develop three- when the National Institutes of Health dimensional, interactive computer announced the availability of $8.2 billion models that supplement lesson plans in funding to stimulate medical research on cancer biology.

18 MEDICAL BULLETIN FALL 2009 The teachers spent their first week Last summer Pennell worked with attending crash courses in cancer three teachers; next year that number biology. Next, each chose a particular will double. He hopes their work will area of interest and began researching launch an online community where ways to design their models. Schilz teachers can interact with one another focused hers on cell signaling, specifi- to further develop and modify the cally on how miscommunication among models and lesson plans. cells can spur cancer cell growth. “Going out to high schools over the Once they had envisioned their mod- years, I’m always asked by teachers if els, the teachers and Pennell shared there is anything they can do to enable their ideas with scientists and engi- students to experience an ‘aha’ neers at Endogenics. The Idaho-based moment,” he says. “This will do that company developed a novel computer and in an affordable, realistic manner.” platform that models cell biology and Investing in youth permits experiments on a computer, rather than in a test tube. The collabo- Okuyemi, director of the Medical ration yielded three different computer School’s Program in Health Disparities If students have this Research, took a different approach: He models that convey key concepts in experience when they cancer biology. focused his outreach on undergraduate students. After receiving the stimulus are younger, they’ll “Each of us brought something unique funding, Okuyemi had only a couple of to the table,” says Pennell. “I had weeks to fill spots in the summer have more confidence an appreciation of the basic biology program. Fortunately, he knew exactly when they move on to and had worked with high school the type of students he wanted to higher education. teachers, the team at Endogenics recruit: those with an interest in the developed a truly innovative computer sciences and who show promise as – Julie Schilz, high school teacher technology based on known biological future health professionals. Addition- principles, and the teachers knew what ally, he wanted would work in their classrooms and each student to crafted the lesson plans.” The crash come from a minor- courses his colleagues taught in ity or underserved leading-edge cancer biology really Minnesota com- paid off, too, he says. munity — and for PHOTO: SCOTT STREBLE This fall, the teachers returned to their good reason. classrooms armed and ready with a “There’s a shortage new tool — a hands-on learning experi- of cancer research- ence in cancer biology. They plan to ers and health post their lesson plans and computer- professionals simulation models online, making from minority and them readily accessible to other high underserved popu- school and community college teachers. lations,” explains “If students have this experience when Okuyemi, who also they are younger, they’ll have more is an associate professor of Family confidence when they move on to Christopher Pennell, Ph.D., worked with local teachers to higher education,” Schilz says. Medicine and develop an interactive computer program to pique students’ Community Health. interest in cancer biology through hands-on learning.

MEDICAL BULLETIN FALL 2009 19 PHOTO: ERIKAPHOTO: GRATZ

Working alongside faculty mentor Kalpna Gupta, Ph.D., Martinez searched for the underlying reason why mor- phine, which decreases pain when administered to patients receiving chemotherapy, causes tumors to grow faster. Learning the science behind drugs, Martinez says, will allow him to better understand the medicine he will one day administer to his patients.

He and his fellow students also kept busy reviewing medical literature, attending seminars, and exploring graduate school options. They even served as test subjects for Pennell’s teachers, who presented their new Community teachers (from left) “To address existing health disparities, models and lesson plans. The students Hud Hobday, Julie Schilz, and we need to increase the number of offered feedback on the lessons’ Laura Bursch spent four weeks next-generation scientists and profes- relevance, usability, and complexity. with the University’s Chris sionals from these communities.” Pennell, Ph.D., last summer Medical School faculty members are learning cancer biology and More than 50 students applied— investing their time and resources in designing computer models despite a one-week application dead- to teach it. students like Martinez because they line—and 10 were accepted. “These are see it as an opportunity to engage and the cream of the crop,” Okuyemi says. excite the next generation of physi- cians and researchers. All are sophomores or juniors at a Minnesota college or university or are And they appear to have succeeded. originally from Minnesota. They all Although the paid summer internships boast a 3.5 grade point average or were only eight weeks long, many higher and are majoring in biology, students have expressed interest in neuroscience, biomedical engineering, voluntarily continuing their research or another health-science field. during the school year. The faculty, in turn, has found the students’ Each student was immediately paired passion and dedication to their with a faculty mentor, and together research inspiring. the two-person teams dove into either clinical or community-based cancer “Their motivation to learn and their research. Christopher Martinez, a stories — stories about how this is student at Gustavus Adolphus College something they’ve dreamt of doing and in St. Peter, Minnesota, gained hands- never thought an opportunity like this on lab experience by investigating would exist — is what’s most exciting,” the mechanism of tumor growth. Okuyemi says.

20 MEDICAL BULLETIN FALL 2009 Ripple effect The stimulus package funding has allowed Okuyemi and Pennell to

interest more students in cancer ERIKAPHOTO: GRATZ biology, and they view last summer as just the beginning. “Provided we receive funding through grants and philanthropy, we look forward to continuing and expanding the program in the future,” says Okuyemi.

With plans to involve another group of teachers next summer, Pennell anticipates a ripple effect across the educational community. Further, he is thrilled that this program is re- STIMULUS GRANTS BOOST MEDICAL inforcing the Masonic Cancer Center’s RESEARCH ACROSS THE UNIVERSITY reputation as a National Cancer Institute–designated comprehensive Masonic Cancer Center researchers weren’t the only University cancer center. To earn this elite status, of Minnesota investigators to receive funding from the National a cancer center must provide exemplary Institutes of Health’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act treatment for patients, participate in of 2009. As of August 31, 56 scientists from across the Univer- leading-edge research, and also pio- sity — 51 are faculty members or students in the Academic neer educational outreach initiatives. Health Center — had received more than $17 million through “The Masonic Cancer Center really the stimulus grant program. stepped up to the plate on this,” says Department of Neuroscience head Timothy Ebner, M.D., Pennell. “It was a collaborative effort Ph.D., for example, received two summer student supplement that I hope will highlight to the grants, one of which provided University neuroscience major community how we function as a Jenny Zick (above left) the opportunity to examine neural comprehensive cancer center.” circuitry. She and lab mentor Justin Barnes (above right) labeled neurons in the brain and used optical imaging tech- Meanwhile, Schilz is eager to introduce niques to better understand the differences between healthy new concepts to her biology students. animals and those with neurodegenerative diseases. “I’m really excited to have something Other stimulus-funded research projects have focused on now,” she says. “These models will the effects of drugs on cognition, biomarkers for lung trans- keep students engaged and make them plant rejection, cellular approaches to preventing congestive ask more questions. Anytime you can heart failure, and the use of magnetic resonance imaging to do that, it’s a good thing.” M|B detect aggressive prostate cancers.

By EMILY JENSEN, communications associate at the University of Minnesota Academic Health Center

MEDICAL BULLETIN FALL 2009 21 ALUMNI CONNECTIONS 22 MEDICAL BULLETIN FALL 2009 opportunities. and economic bringing them hope through education at a by one time, person generations, entire aimstochange andit Uganda, independent. financially become day andone decisions to make good areas— andsurrounding village home inJoy’s children other nephews—and and nieces their empower tohelp tion They needed to think bigger. lings, who left behind 10 more orphans. sib- three had lost also Gideon Ngobi, husband, her Plus, anyway. herself, enough money to support all of the kids have Shedidn’t thought. Ngobi option, home. back family her help best shecould how about thought sheconstantly but University, the at ogy inanesthesiol- residency her completed died—Ngobi sister her year 2003—the In of Minnesota. health at the University inpublic degree amaster’s to pursue in1994 States United tothe Uganda sclerosis. lateral amyotrophic of kids—died three own her to inaddition behind hadleft brothers three her children seven the of ing care tak- hadbeen sister—who Ngobi’s when mother. her especially family, Ngobi’s HIV—devastating of died lings 11 her sib- of more andtwo college, from hegraduated week the fight in abar killed was ofherbrothers One lessness. M.P.H., M.D., knows NGOBI, JOY hope- Crafting hope for her hometown Alumni Spotlight |Joy Ngobi, M.D., M.P.H. It’s called the Hope Institute of So the Ngobis founded an organiza- an wasn’t just toUganda back Going native her from hadmoved Ngobi blow another experienced family The I’ve discoveredI’ve that.” tohelp, willing are who here of people lots are “There says. Ngobi potential,” night. inone jewelry of worth $2,200 shesold practices, now Ngobi where Wisconsin, inJanesville, Hospital Mercy at colleagues her of one by hosted party jewelry aprivate at Later, atime. at Jinja from jewelry of worth $250 to$500 between sold sheusually where church, community. the into back put be could sales jewelry the in by brought money extra any families—and better living for themselves and their States. United in the back jewelry their sell women the help ifshecould wondered Ngobi so ists, tour- many that attract doesn’t typically Kampala, of northeast residents 100,000 about of a town Jinja, jewelry? their of more tosell women Ugandan these for aplatform provide ifshe could What dozen. the by and earrings bracelets, necklaces, colored brightly the bought Americans The made. had they jewelry the them tosell tried women local while visitors American snatched extra bits of food from the desperately children starving in 2006, hadanidea. Joy to Uganda, source of revenue. On one of their visits a needed Ngobis the up andrunning, programs Institute’s Hope To the get Seeing potential “That really opened our eyes to the tothe eyes our opened really “That at idea—first her totest She decided make could a jewelry-makers the Then came Ngobi’sThen “aha” moment: toJinja trip mission particular this On Joy Ngobi, M.D., M.P.H. M.D., Ngobi, Joy ships for children inUganda. children ships for 25 scholar- provided already have sales says. Ngobi Uganda, in children needy andother orphans for life improve that initiatives community tobackinto go profits Project Jewelry in a environment. safe andwork products their for in advance price afair paid are artists the ing that mean- certified, andisfair-trade people 40 than more inJinjaincludes group jewelry-making as a source of income. of art the andteachthem women local of agroup toorganize church’s pastor the encouraged Ngobi Project, Jewelry Jinja her ideafor the sheconceived After ghetto. inaUgandan house pastor’s and tobuildachurch helped nity—had commu- Wisconsin andtheir church their from volunteers Ngobis—alongthe with toUganda, trip mission aprevious On inpeople Investing Proceeds Jinja from Project Jewelry allJinja Institute, Hope the Through jewelry-making Today hedid. the And

PHOTO COURTESY OF MERCY HEALTH SYSTEM Alumni Connections PHOTO COURTESY OF JOY NGOBI, M.D., M.P.H. M.D., NGOBI, JOY OF COURTESY PHOTO

A Ugandan group strings beads for the Jinja Jewelry Project. Profits go back into community initiatives to improve children’s lives through education and economic opportunities.

“The government now provides free teaches trades such as carpentry and— Jinja artists make the colorful education for primary school till seventh of course, jewelry-crafting — to help grade, but they don’t buy school sup- more Ugandans provide for themselves beads for their jewelry by plies or food,” she says. “You find that a and their families. tightly rolling old magazine lot of these families can’t send their kids Most of all, Ngobi says her work is to school because they don’t have $50 about “giving hope to the hopeless.” print. They also use organic or $100 per year.” And learning from her own family’s materials such as banana Ngobi and her Hope Institute partners struggles, she knows that hope can also have arranged youth conferences in make a world of difference. M|B fibers, local stones, cow horn, Jinja, bringing together doctors, lawyers, To learn more or to purchase jewelry seeds, and wood in their pieces. and pastors from the area to “share life” made through the Jinja Jewelry Project, with the young people, she says. Com- go to www.hopeinstituteuganda.org. munity leaders encourage kids to stay out of trouble and offer advice on how to By NICOLE ENDRES, associate editor of the get ahead—with their own success sto- Medical Bulletin ries serving as proof that the kids can overcome the circumstances that sur- round them. View a slideshow on Dr. Joy Ngobi’s They’ve also helped to equip the local Jinja Jewelry Project at www.mmf.umn.edu/ hospital and someday would like to mb/jinja. establish a vocational school that

MEDICAL BULLETIN FALL 2009 23 ALUMNI CONNECTIONS 24 James Klaas, M.D. Paul Schanfield, M.D. Schanfield, Paul M.D. James Klaas, EIA ULTNFALL 2009 MEDICAL BULLETIN shape helped Schanfield e-mails, andexchanged regularly duo met the as years, two next the Over 2005. in student amedical as Program toring Men- Physician-Student Connections the right path. he’s the found iscertain Klaas M.D., Schanfield, Paul his mentor, neurologist to thanks And journey. cine isalifelong medi- of practice the M.D., Klaas, James graduate School Medical recent For connections valuable to leads program Mentor inSeptember Minnesota of University the airat the FILLED EXCITEMENT Catching classmates up with Reunion Weekend: alumni online, visit www.mmf.umn.edu/alumni. visit alumni online, School Medical with canreconnect you how about more information For football game at the University’s new TCF Bank TCF Stadium. new at University’s the game football first the at pride Gopher their showed also Many Institute. Diabetes Schulze andthe Children’s Hospital Amplatz Minnesota of University new the of tours today, andtook University the at conducted being research leading-edge about learned classmates, former their up with at this year’s Reunionnected Weekend. alumnirecon- School Medical tocampus, returned football Gopher On theas thesame campus weekend literally buzzed with activity. signed up to receive Medical School updates. School Medical uptoreceive signed have 250 alumniandfriends nearly where page, Facebook Society’s Klaas met Schanfield when hejoined when Schanfield met Klaas oeaun once eoeteeeto h eia Alumni Medical the on event the before alumniconnected Some caught 11 and12, September held reunion, the attending Alumni much as they give. as gain they say mentors and returning — toparticipate eligible are physicians Twin Cities All societies. medical Metro andWest East andthe Foundation, ical Med- Minnesota Society, Alumni Medical School, Medical the by jointly offered program, Connections the through each year physicians with paired He’s been absolutely great.” tobecome. Ihope doctor of kind is the “[Schanfield] Clinic. Mayo the at dency resi- hisneurology May, hestarted last part After of graduating it,” Klaas says. a to be andwanted that by excited I was neurology. himtoexplore led field the for siasm enthu- Schanfield’s But neurosciences. tothe he’d exposure hadlimited says, choice. hiscareer ultimately, and, medicine on perspective Klaas’s M More than 100 medical students are students medical 100 than More frontier. next ofthe iskind brain “The Klaas Schanfield, meeting Before | B Class of 1947, looks on. 1947, of looks Class (right), Antoni Class Diehl, of 1943, M.D., greet Carol Moller as Joan Adams (center) and award recipient Forrest Adams, M.D. Adams, Forrest Adams recipient (center) and award Joan reunion atreunion www.mmf.umn.edu/mb/reunionweekend. View highlights from this year’s Medical School alumni By ROBYN WHITE, associate director of editorial of director associate WHITE, ROBYN By Alumni Center. McNamara University’s 29 the at October fast break- kickoff program Connections have the chance to meet at the 2009 medicine.”into go doctors mewhy remind always andof students Minnesota residents “University lives,” hesays. patients’ istic, and they help people care about ideal- optimistic, are students “The him. teach students the what appreciates program, Connections the of veteran andaneight-year 1971 of Class the from services, Minnesota Medical Foundation Medical Minnesota services, or [email protected]. 612-625-0336 at Roth Katrina contact www.mmf.umn.edu/goto/mentor or This year’s student-mentor pairs will pairs year’s student-mentor This alumnus School aMedical Schanfield, To participate or learn more, visit more, orlearn To participate M | B

PHOTO: TIM RUMMELHOFF Alumni Connections

Medical School–Duluth Campus celebrates its charter anniversary

In the late 1960s, Minnesota state legislators agonized over physician shortages throughout the state. After months of debate, in May 1969 they decided to fund a new medical school at the University of Minnesota–Duluth — one that would encourage students to practice in PHOTO: JEFF FIFIELD JEFF PHOTO: rural communities. With that investment, Dean Robert Carter, M.D., was hired to build a staff and a curriculum. Forty years and many achievements later, on June 5, 2009, about 150 people packed the atrium of what’s now known as the University of Minnesota Medical School–Duluth Campus to dedicate a Legends and Leaders Wall of Honor and celebrate the people who gave their time, talents, and gifts to build this medical school and its pioneering programs. Here are just a few of the school’s achievements:

Charter faculty members recruited Native Americans to join the first class of medical students in Duluth. A focus on supporting Native American students through medical school remains today through the Center of American Indian and Minority Health. Duluth was among the first medical schools in the country to move first- and second-year students out of the classroom and into hospitals and clinics for real-world rural experiences. More than 700 physicians have served as their preceptors over the years. Today more than 1,500 Duluth alumni are in residency or practic- ing — half of them in rural areas. Artist Jane Frees-Kluth’s sculpture, depicting a woman pointing toward a small-town street, honors the people At the June 5 celebration, senior associate dean Gary Davis, Ph.D., who have supported the Duluth campus medical school over its 40-year history. announced that Duluth faculty and staff plan to integrate more inter- professional educational programs into student training to unite clinical and academic health disciplines, including medicine, pharmacy, mental health, and nursing. “If students can learn health sciences together, they can practice together more effectively as a team — and, ultimately, health care can be delivered more efficiently,” he told the crowd. But much work lies ahead to shape this new model of education, including adding new teaching space that facilitates integrated learning, Davis added. “We need your input, and for the next 40 years and beyond, we need your support.” M|B View highlights from the Duluth Legends By MICHELLE JUNTUNEN, director of medical advancement, University of Minnesota and Leaders celebration at www.mmf.umn. Medical School–Duluth Campus edu/mb/duluthlegends.

MEDICAL BULLETIN FALL 2009 25 ALUMNI CONNECTIONS 26 learn a lot very young.” very alot learn andIhadto sister “My remembers. andfamily,” Johnson friends with interacted we way the affected autism] “[Karen’s autism. has who Karen, sister, younger their after looked had always Jennifer sister Sheandher Johnson. for new nothing — helpingothers for training. EMT andcompleted instructor aCPR became andlater competitions first-responder andnational local shesays. classes,” first-responder taking Ibegan I reached school, high andwhen me, with medicine emergency for hispassion shared “He Minnesota. teaminBlaine, rescue scuba of the andamember firefighter volunteer a was Stephen, father, her school, led. allroads where that’s seems it career in pathology, but, in retrospect, a aimingfor wasn’t Johnson Rebecca student medical fourth-year medicine, MEDICAL BULLETIN FALL 2009 patient care,” she says. from disconnected Ifelt but scientist, to develop my skills as a laboratory able andIwas experience, agreat was “It technology. purification and RNA inDNA specialized that small company a for worked andthen interned Johnson Benedict, St. of College the at in biology degree undergraduate her finishing After patient care to pathology Connecting by emergency YEARS FOR INTRIGUED detours Career-defining Scholarship Winner |Rebecca Johnson Those experiences fueled her passion passion her fueled experiences Those in participating soon was Johnson in Johnson elementary When was for their patients.” care better toprovide physicians allow will processes disease nisms behind mecha- molecular ofthe understanding athorough that believe “I she says. humandisease,” underlying pathology andcellular molecular the was most year. next residency apathology start will who Johnson, says practice,” clinical tomy eventually and projects research tofuture edge knowl- that toapply hope “I disease. andheart cancer suchas diseases, inmany play disruptions genetic role the about alot Johnson treatment,” she says. and diagnosis improved that it would lead to disorder with the hope this of biology the about knowledge collective the developmental disorders. andother in autism role of genetic variability onthe focused project Minnesota research of to lead a University off ayear and shetook disease, Karen’s about tunities to learn more oppor- her offered also School Medical ment. ele- important add that to Johnson for way best years—seemed like for shehadplanned as the “I realized that what energized me realized that what energized “I The experience taught “I wanted to add to — adoctor Becoming variability in autism and related disorders. Johnson to work in a laboratory exploring the role of genetic Rebecca student medical fourth-year inspired connections Family about me and my education.” meandmy about thinking there out issomeone there community. It feels good to know that my by like supported I’m mefeel makes “It choice. career her of avalidation as it sheviews addingthat scholarship, students with an interest in pathology. supports which Scholarship, Endowed Family Segal A. Martin the of ent recipi- isatwo-time Johnson that fitting it’s so view, that shares 1944, of Class School’s Medical the of and agraduate pathologist aretired M.D., Segal, Martin benefactor A like-minded “It means a lot,” Johnson says of the the of says Johnson meansalot,” “It

PHOTO: RICHARD ANDERSON Alumni Connections

I wanted to add to the collective knowledge about the biology of this disorder with the hope that it would lead to improved Speed networking diagnosis and treatment. About 75 first-year medical students

– Rebecca Johnson tried a new way of connecting with alumni this year at Medical School orientation — they participated in a Segal, who worked his with the tuition and the fast-paced “speed networking” session. way through medical school tremendous debt that the This first-time session, based on the by playing the saxophone medical students are build- popular “speed dating” concept, and clarinet, has fond mem- ing up,” he says. allowed students to interact with several ories of his time at the “I owe everything I have alumni in a short period of time. Stu- University. “There was a and everything I made as a dents sat down with each of the 13 par- group of us that would walk hospital pathologist to my ticipating alumni for five minutes, to school over the old, training at the University asking questions and learning about the shaky Washington Avenue of Minnesota,” he says, experiences of both practicing and Bridge,” he recalls, adding Martin Segal, M.D. proudly mentioning that retired alumni physicians in hopes of that the bridge also carried all three of his children finding commonalities and advice. large yellow rail cars, always packed attended the University as well. “My If you’re interested in participating with students. tuition paid only a part of my training. in a future speed networking session, “Arts college tuition when I started The taxpayers of Minnesota contributed please contact Katrina Roth with the was approximately $14.50 per quarter, most of the cost. I am indebted to the Medical Alumni Society at 612-625-0336 and Medical School tuition was approxi- University and the citizens of Minnesota.” or [email protected]. M|B mately $90, which was still a lot of money Segal believes that scholarship in those days but was doable for me by support is important to individual stu- working part time playing in a dance dents, but also for medical education band, commuting from my parents’ home generally. “I’m afraid [medical school in south Minneapolis, and with a little costs] will leave a gap and that a lot of help from family,” Segal says. wonderful physicians will not be able Like many current medical students, to realize their dream,” he says. Johnson will graduate with six-figure Johnson, for one, feels fortunate to debt. “It’s very stressful,” she says. have that chance. “I am very grateful to “The number gets bigger and bigger the Segal family for continuing to sup- every year.” Fortunately, she is quick port me and others in pathology,” she to point out, scholarships have helped says. “I hope to repay them some day by to reduce the burden. treating their friends and family.” M|B View a slideshow about Medical Segal says that establishing a scholar- By ROBYN WHITE, associate director of editorial School scholarship winner Rebecca Johnson ship fund at the University was important services, Minnesota Medical Foundation at www.mmf.umn.edu/mb/rjohnson. to him and his late wife, Gloria Segal, a Minnesota state legislator for many years. “I saw the need for it, especially

MEDICAL BULLETIN FALL 2009 27 ALUMNI CONNECTIONS 28 MEDICAL BULLETIN FALL 2009 M.D., ANDERSON, WALLACE E. In Memoriam 1952, Green Valley, Arizona, died April 23, 23, April died Arizona, Valley, Green 1952, M.D., D.ROBERT ERICKSON, 2grandchildren. and 2children; Betty; wife, department for 3 years. He is survived by his nearly 40 years, serving as head of the for faculty of Biochemistry Department He apatents. also was member of the in several resulted which project, rubber artificial an on worked he University, the of Minnesota. the While University atfrom degrees Ph.D. and M.S., hisB.S., received Dr. 92. Carr age at 21 July died Minnesota, Ph.D., W. CARR, CHARLES 16 grandchildren. and 8children by issurvived He Claire. wife, the world. He was preceded in death by his around missionand trips made many medical department emergency Center) Medical rial MemorialNorth Hospital (now Memo- North Minnesota. He also worked for 11 years in the Lakeville, Robbinsdale, and Golden Valley, in medicine practiced Dr. Anderson 88. age of Minnesota, 1951, died June Wayzata, 19 at and first director of the Office of Minority Minority of Office the of director first and of Microbiology, chair of the Department first HutchinsonFred Cancer Research Center, the of director associate Senate, University During his tenure he as served chair of the years. 36 for Washington of University the at worked Dr. Evans 96. age at 2008, 4, ber of 1936, Seattle, Washington, died Decem- CHARLES A. EVANS, M.D., Ph.D., and 2 great-grandchildren. 3 grandchildren; He is survived by his wife, Phyllis; 4 children; Valley. in physicians Green resident full-time first the of one was and Arizona in practitioner afamily was Dr. Erickson 83. age at 2008, Dr. Evans is survived by his wife, Allie; Allie; hiswife, by issurvived Dr. Evans and virology. tumor poliomyelitis, infections, viral on articles research scientific 200 than He published also more Affairs. Student and 4 foster grandchildren. grandchildren. and 4 foster child; 1foster 6grandchildren; 4 children; Edina, Class of of Class Class Class National Academy of Sciences, University ofNational of Academy Sciences, University of Minnesota, YaleUniversity University, June 9 at age 89. Dr. Lawrason worked at the for the National Institutes of Health. He was was He Health. of Institutes National the for pharmacologist a research as Dr. worked Gram 1964, Minneapolis, died August 11 at age 74. North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of Carolina at Chapel Hill, University North died Jersey, New Township, Morris 1944, of fellow of the American Academy of General of General Academy of American the fellow afounding was He Dakota. South Watertown, and in Minnesota, Glencoe and Arlington, in medicine practiced Dr. Gridley 99. age Golden Valley, died Minnesota, June at 14 W. GRIDLEY, M.D., JOHN 1 grandchild. and 3children; Marie; Rose hiswife, by vived and is sur- 1 by in grandchild death preceded E. GRAM,Ph.D., THEODORE F. DOUGLAS LAWRASON, M.D., LAWRASON, DOUGLAS F. 6grandchildren. and 3 children; Dr. Jensen by is his survived wife, Joy; staff. Hospital Wuesthoff the of member a and was Society, Medical County Brevard than 55 years, as served president of the more for practitioner afamily was Dr. Jensen 87. age at 23 March died Florida, Williston, LOUIS C. JENSEN, M.D., JENSEN, C. LOUIS 8 great-grandchildren. and 9grandchildren; 3children; Johnson; Hering is survived by his companion, Sandra Dr. Society. Medical State Wisconsin the of amember was and Wisconsin in hospitals Vincent St. and Bellin at staff of chief as Wisconsin, for more than 50 years. He served Denmark, in medicine practiced Dr. Hering Denmark, Wisconsin, died July 6 at age 89. M.D., HERING, V. GEORGE great-grandchildren. and grandchildren; stepchildren; 2 children; He is survived by his second wife, Phyllis; 2grandchildren. and Dorothy, wife, his first Mason. Dr. Gridley was preceded in death by and Horseman Shrine a Zuhrah was also He Practice and a medical volunteer in Honduras. Class of 1945, Class of 1943, Class of 1944, Class of Class PETERL.LOES, and 2 great-grandchildren. 9 grandchildren; M.D., 10 grandchildren; and 8 great-grandchildren. and 8 great-grandchildren. 10 grandchildren; 2stepchildren; 4children; Harriet; wife, ond wife,first He Kathryn. is survived by his sec- University. He was preceded in death by his the at medicine physical of professor ate associ- an and Therapy Physical in Program of Minnesotathe Medical University School’s of alumnus an 87. was 25 age at Mr. Mundale Center,1952, Brooklyn Minnesota, died June O. MUNDALE, M.S., MARTIN 9step-grandchildren. and 5 great-grandchildren, 8 grandchildren, dren, 5stepchil- 3children, by issurvived He child. 1grand- and 1child; Beryl; wife, his second Winnifred; wife, hisfirst by death in preceded at numerous athletic events. Dr. Mahle was to hundreds of athletes as the doctor on call physicals free andprovided Clinic Community Wabasha the of amember was He area. the in program immunization first the implemented and Minnesota, inPlainview, medicine family 97. practiced age 11at Dr. Mahle March died DONALD G. MAHLE, M.D., 3 by and children 1 grandchild. isHe survived Hospital. Buffalo at staff of chief as served and Group Medical Cloud St. the for worked also He Minnesota. inBuffalo, Clinic Medical and Allina at the in Rhinelander, Wisconsin, practiced with the Rhinelander Medical Group He Gynecology. and Obstetrics of College can Ameri- the of adiplomat was and gynecology and obstetrics in certified board was Loes Dr. 60. age at 27 May died Minnesota, falo, 3children; Elaine; hiswife, by is survived Dr. Lawrason Hospital. Memorial Morristown at trustees of board the chaired also He tron. president company of the Invi- biotechnology research division of Schering-Plough, and president of theResearch Laboratories, Dohme and Sharp Merck at research medical as executive director and vice president for Arkansas, and University of Texas. He served Class of 1975, Buf- 1975, of Class Class of 1935, 1935, of Class Class of Alumni Connections

JAMES W. NEUBERT, M.D., Class of 1967, JOHN W. LABREE, M.D., Class of 1940, After retiring, Dr. LaBree Cameron Park, California, died June 1 at age Edina, Minnesota, died August 1 at age 92. joined Carl Platou, president 68. Dr. Neubert practiced anesthesiology and A physician and educator in internal medicine emeritus of Fairview Hospital psychiatry. He is survived by 1 child. and cardiology for nearly 70 years, Dr. LaBree and Healthcare Services, was one of 10 original founders of the Saint and others to create a gradu- JOHN H. REITMANN, M.D., Class of Louis Park Medical Center — a precursor to ate program in health man- 1944, Dallas, Texas, died September 2, 2008, the Park Nicollet Medical Center—in St. Louis agement at the University of at age 88. Dr. Reitmann practiced psychiatry Park, Minnesota, in 1951. He performed St. Thomas. The program — and was a member of the University of Texas Minnesota’s first heart catheterization, a designed specifically for physicians —was Southwestern Medical School’s psychiatry technique he integrated into his Park Nicollet among the pioneers in combining classroom faculty until his retirement at age 86. He was practice. From 1971 to 1975, he was director and online education. preceded in death by his wife, Frances, and of medical education at St. Mary’s Hospital Dr. LaBree also was president of the is survived by 4 children and 5 grandchildren. in Minneapolis. Minnesota Heart Association, president of HENRY SOSIN, M.D., Ph.D., Minneapo- For the next five years, Dr. LaBree served the Hennepin County Medical Society, and a lis, died May 22 at age 79. After completing as second dean of the University of Minnesota fellow of the American College of International an internship, residency, and doctoral degree Medical School — Duluth Campus. Under his Medicine and Cardiology. in surgery at the University of Minnesota, tenure, the student body grew from 36 to 48 He is survived by his wife, Anne; 6 children; Dr. Sosin went on to practice surgery, students, the faculty expanded, and the 3 stepchildren; 16 grandchildren; and 3 great- conduct research, and teach hundreds of school was relocated to a new building. Dr. grandchildren. He was preceded in death by medical students for more than a decade at LaBree left Duluth to become professor of one stepdaughter and his former wife, Mary the University. He also had a private practice internal medicine and cardiology, assistant Jane Riley LaBree. in Minneapolis and, in 1985, helped establish vice president for health sciences, and direc- Dr. LaBree’s family has requested that memo- General and Vascular Surgery Consultants. tor of outreach for the University of Minnesota rials be made to the Anorexia Nervosa Clinical Dr. Sosin is survived by his wife, Georgette; Medical School in Minneapolis. There he cre- Research and Education Fund or the Duluth 4 children; and 4 grandchildren. ated and maintained the clinical relationships Medical Legends and Leaders Scholarship Fund between the University and physicians across through the Minnesota Medical Foundation. EMIL M. STIMAC, M.D., Class of 1945, Minnesota. In recognition of Dr. LaBree’s many Davenport, Iowa, died April 28 at age 91. contributions, the University presented him Dr. Stimac was head of the medical depart- with its prestigious Outstanding Achievement ment at Rock Island Arsenal in Princeton, Award in 1990. Iowa, practiced in Davenport, and was medi- cal director at ALCOA. He also was a member of the Scott County Medical Society in Iowa. Dr. Stimac is survived by 4 children, 3 grand- JOHN YLVISAKER, M.D., Class of 1947, in scholarship programs at a number of insti- children, and 2 great-grandchildren. Clarkston, Michigan, died August 1 at age 90. tutions, including the University of Minnesota Dr. Ylvisaker practiced family medicine in Medical School. He was preceded in death by JOE YAMAMOTO, M.D., Ph.D., Class of Swanville, Minnesota, and later practiced his wife, Tekla. He is survived by 4 children 1948, Los Angeles, California, died May 24 surgery in Michigan at St. Joseph Mercy and 9 grandchildren. at age 85. Dr. Yamamoto taught psychiatry Hospital, William Beaumont Hospital, and at the University of Oklahoma, University SAMUEL ZINBERG, M.D., Class of 1946, Pontiac General Hospital. He served as medi- of Southern California, and University of Cedarhurst, New York, died April 7 at age 85. cal director at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital, California, Los Angeles — giving hundreds Dr. Zinberg was a founding surgeon and treasurer and president of the Michigan State of academic presentations and papers on assistant director of the Department of Sur- Medical Society, and adjunct professor at cross-cultural psychiatric issues. He is gery at Maimonides Medical Center in Oakland University’s School of Health Sci- survived by his wife, Maria; 2 children; Brooklyn, New York, where he worked for ences. He also was a real estate developer and 2 grandchildren. more than 50 years. He is survived by his in the Detroit area and Upper Peninsula. Dr. wife, May, and 6 children. Ylvisaker funded and was actively engaged

MEDICAL BULLETIN FALL 2009 29 ALOOK BACK 30 MEDICAL BULLETIN FALL 2009 cuff—which he has worn for a 22years—feeds atoffice Halberg the Chronobiology Center. The dons day University every inhis of Minnesota tions into account by doing such things suchthings doing by account into tions disease. heart coronary of risk inthe increase a550percent show has research rate, heart our of variation cyclic daily inthe smallavariation istoo if there Similarly, andobesity. smoking, history, familyassociated hypertension, with risks the than greater even — stroke emic isch- of risk anincreased indicate can hyper-amplitude-tension circadian called acondition with associated pressure inblood swings daily excessive that cance. Research shows, for example, signifi- medical great carry can cycles These actions. biological crucial other andmany rate, heart andDNA, RNA of workings the cells, blood body’s the of functioning inthe invariations present rhythms todiscover efforts encouraged and led has Halberg 90-year-old The variations Cyclic human body. the of workings complex andthe health our into insights important most the of some offers andcycles rhythms body’s believes that monitoring strict of the in1949, University the at hisarrival after soon rhythms biological of study the andpioneered ago decades “circadian” term the coined who Halberg, pocket. inhis toamonitor information of stream F For decades, Franz Halberg, M.D., has researched the cycles intertwined of the bodyand the cosmos Tuned-in torhythms Yet few physicians take cyclic varia- cyclic take physicians Yet few cuff beneathcuff asleeve of lab the coat that he ranz Halberg, M.D., wears ablood pressure either do things or propagate ideas.” or propagate doeither things who those listen, who tothose I talk it. toovercome towant bigenough isn’t ego “My skepticism,” hesays. deal with skepticism over a long career. don’t “I met often has who ascientist of look the carries gaze direct whose Halberg, says arole,” play doesn’t timing inwhich tion range. normal the within trends dangerous detect can principles on chronobiological based monitoringrhythm-based thresholds, “normal” below or above results to find isdesigned testing medical treatments. While much and medications withhold or toadminister when cate andindi- outcomes, better produce problems, medical of warning early give can rhythms biological innate in school.” taught isnot logic “Medical hands,” hesays. their towash tolearn physicians took it long how “Look will. they believes, ally, Halberg Eventu- span. time extended over an of patients pressure blood the measuring as “I have not found any biological func- biological any found not have “I to our attention Paying investigates how the environment affects the body’s cycles. body’s the affects environment the how investigates reduce heart disease, and optimize cancer treatment, also to help stroke, prevent of rhythms monitoring biological strict the on studies pioneered who M.D., Halberg, Franz says. “Not many people can do that.” do can people many “Not says. she think,” people other what by enced muchinflu- andheisnot facts, the of tant quality is that he sits down in front deep care for his work. “His most impor- andhis languages, inmany fluency persistence, of Center, isacombination Chronobiology of the Halberg codirector Germaine Cornelissen-Guillaume, Ph.D., colleague, hislongtime explains What makes Halberg distinctive, distinctive, Halberg makes What

PHOTO: SCOTT STREBLE ALook Back

Crossing boundaries plinary recognition is a sign of the Paying attention to unified aims of all scientists and the Born in Romania, Halberg did not ini- our innate biological tially envision a life in medical science. possibility that boundaries between “I wanted to be a poet, but my father disciplines will someday disappear. rhythms can give early read me the riot act,” he recalls. “I even- Environmental influences warning of medical tually found out that I can express what In recent years, his focus has widened I wish as well by a statistical test as by problems, produce better to include the field of chronomics — a poem. Both show things we didn’t see yet another term he invented, along with outcomes, and indicate before.” He graduated from medical the science it describes. Chronomics school at the University of Cluj and when to administer or investigates the influences of environ- spent time as a fellow at the Harvard ment on our internal cycles, and facili- Medical School before joining the Uni- withhold medications tating research in chronomics is much of versity of Minnesota Medical School what the Halberg Center does today. and treatments. faculty. At the University, his research Halberg is intensely curious about the departed from that of others interested effects of sunspots, solar wind, and in biological clocks and rhythms. magnetic fields on the biological “He’s been mostly interested in medi- rhythms of our bodies and even on our cal applications for biological rhythms behavior — “the congruence of indepen- research, an early pioneer in pushing dent cycles,” as he calls it. for that,” explains Jole Shackelford, Is it important to tease out the con- Ph.D., adjunct assistant professor of nection between variations in solar the history of medicine at the Medical wind and the international incidence School. “He has a history of moving the of terrorism? Yes, replies Halberg, “it’s field into new areas.” not good enough to prevent stroke if a Halberg’s research in chronobiology — suicide bomber blows you up.” These another term he coined—and his author- are investigations that only an unrepen- ship of more than 3,000 research tant chaser of rhythms, immersed in papers brought him international the facts, can love—and the rest of us renown starting in the 1960s. He has might be better off embracing, too. M|B received honors from the International Academy of Science, the Leibniz Society, By JACK EL-HAI, author of The Lobotomist: A the French National Academy Maverick Medical Genius and His Tragic Quest to of Medicine, and most recently, the Rid the World of Mental Illness World Organization for Scientific Cooperation, among many others. He most prizes an award from the Schmidt Learn more about how Dr. Franz Halberg’s Institute of Physics of the Earth of the chronobiology research can improve medicine Russian Academy of Sciences, a medal today at www.mmf.umn.edu/mb/halberg. with a diploma for contributions to geo- physics. To Halberg, such cross-disci-

MEDICAL BULLETIN FALL 2009 31 School of Nursing celebrates 100 years

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE University of Minnesota’s School of Nursing, which is celebrating its centennial anniversary this year. The school, which was estab- lished two years before the university’s hospital opened, was the first nursing school in the country to be based at a university and has operated continu- ously since March 1909. Today the School of Nursing operates on two University of Minnesota campuses—the Twin Cities PHOTO COURTESY OF OF SCHOOL THE NURSING and Rochester. It has the University’s largest graduate program and offers five academic programs: a bache- lor of science in nursing, master of nursing, master of science in nursing, doctor of nursing practice, and Ph.D. programs.

School of Nursing founder Richard Olding Beard, M.D., instructing the school’s first To learn more about the school and its history, visit | class of nursing students in 1909. www.nursing.umn.edu/centennial/. M B

Building a better future

Charitable gift annuities are a wonderful way to help others while helping yourself and a loved one.

Your charitable gift annuity to the Minnesota Medical Foundation helps advance world-class health-related research, education, and service at the University of Minnesota while providing substantial tax benefits and a lifetime income for you and your spouse.

To learn more, contact Gift Planning at 800-922-1663, 612-625-1440, or [email protected].

Visit our website at: www.mmf.umn.edu/giftplanning

Gift annuities from the Minnesota Medical Foundation are currently not available in some states. Minnesota Medical Foundation

The Minnesota Medical Foundation is a 2008 – 2009 BOARD OF TRUSTEES AFFILIATES nonprofit organization that provides support Mary K. Stern, CFA CHAIR Bob Allison Ataxia Research Center for health-related research, education, Thomas G. Olson VICE CHAIR International Hearing Foundation and service at the University of Minnesota Susan Gunderson SECRETARY Medical School and School of Public Health. Eric J. Neetenbeek TREASURER STAFF LEADERSHIP For more information or to update your Catherine L. Agee Becky Malkerson PRESIDENT AND CEO address, please contact us at: Honorable Clyde E. Allen Jr.* Mark R. Allison* Cindy J. Kaiser Minnesota Medical Foundation CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER AND DeWalt H. “Pete” Ankeny Jr. McNamara Alumni Center VICE PRESIDENT, OPERATIONS Robert H. Bruininks, Ph.D.* University of Minnesota David S. Cannom, M.D. Patricia K. Porter 200 Oak Street SE, Suite 300 VICE PRESIDENT, DEVELOPMENT Richard A. Carlson, M.D., F.A.C.R. Minneapolis, MN 55455-2030 Frank B. Cerra, M.D.* Sarah E. Youngerman VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING 612-625-1440 James L. Craig, M.D., M.P.H. AND COMMUNICATIONS 800-922-1663 Gary L. Davis, Ph.D.* [email protected] Wendy W. Dayton MEDICAL BULLETIN Timothy J. Ebner, M.D., Ph.D.* www.mmf.umn.edu Meredith McNab Mark A. Eustis EDITOR The University of Minnesota is committed to John R. Finnegan Jr., Ph.D.* the policy that all persons shall have equal Nicole Endres Barbara L. Forster ASSOCIATE EDITOR access to its programs, facilities, and employ- Stanley M. Goldberg, M.D., F.A.C.S. Jack El-Hai ment without regard to race, color, creed, Alison B. Good Nicole Endres religion, national origin, sex, age, marital Peter M. Grant II Emily Jensen status, disability, public assistance status, Beverly N. Grossman Michelle Juntunen veteran status, or sexual orientation. Sidney Kaplan Kate Ledger Richard E. Kuntz, M.D. Lesley Schack Richard L. Lindstrom, M.D. Robyn White George E. Maas WRITERS Wesley Miller, M.D.* Richard Anderson John M. Murphy Jr.* Erika Gratz Philip W. Ordway Scott Streble Richard T. Ostlund* FEATURE PHOTOGRAPHERS Mark S. Paller, M.D., M.S.* Woychick Design Treva R. Paparella* DESIGN AND PRODUCTION Susan B. Plimpton Sexton Printing Robert N. Schulenberg, M.D. PRINTING AND DISTRIBUTION James P. Steiner James P. Stephenson Martin J. Stillman, M.D., J.D.* Selwyn M. Vickers, M.D. Winston R. Wallin Charles F. Wiser Jr.

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“I’m on a mission to reduce childhood obesity.”

Dr. Sarah Jane Schwarzenberg is clearing the way for children to avoid the lifelong problems of excessive weight. She founded the U of M Pediatric Weight Management Clinic to help kids slim down and stay healthy. And she’s pursuing solutions“I face to childhood childhood obesity cancer head on.” complications, from high blood pressure to kidney disease. We’re proud to have her on our team at University of Minnesota Amplatz Children’sDr. Hospital. Jakub Tolar is on the front lines—putting everything he knows into making bone marrow transplants safer and better for children battling cancer and other Find out how you can help support children’s health researchdiseases. and We’re care proud at the to have Dr. Tolar—one of the premier children’s health University of Minnesota. Go to childrenshealth.umn.edu orresearchers call 612-273-8643 in the world—at. University of Minnesota Children’s Hospital.

Find out how you can help support children’s health research and care at the University of Minnesota. Go to childrenshealth.umn.edu, or call 612-273-8643.

With new thinking, more is possible.