NYUTHE MAGAZINE OF NEW YORK UNIVERSIPHTY SCHOOL OF MEDICINEYSICIAFALL 2011N volume 63 • No. THE 1 BURDEN OF DIABETES THE OBESITY PANDEMIC AVOIDING AMPUTATION PREVENTION PROSPECTS THERAPIES ON THE HORIZON PLUS Q&A WITH THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD TEN YEARS AFTER 9-11 THE HIGH COST OF ADDICTION Help Us Make Dreams Come True EVERY ASPIRING PHYSICIAN DREAMS OF THE DAY SOMEONE WILL MAKE A GIFT ONLINE CALL HIM OR HEr “DOCTor” FOR THE FIRST TIME. But getting there Please visit www.nyu.edu/alumni. takes a lot more than hard work and dedication—it takes resources. By contributing to the NYU School of Medicine Alumni Campaign, you help To discuss special ensure that our next generation of physicians will have access to the best giving opportunities, teaching and research, along with a competitive financial assistance package. call Anthony J. Grieco, MD, Associate Dean for Alumni Relations, When you make a gift, you help us guarantee that all of our students will at 212.263.5390. have the means to complete our rigorous education. One day, you may even have the privilege of addressing them yourself as “Doctor.” Thank you for your generosity. THE MAGAZINE OF NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE FALL 2011 VOLUME 63 NO. NYU PHYSICIAN 1 New York University D EPARTMENTS Martin Lipton, Esq. Chairman, Board of Trustees 02 Letter from the Dean John Sexton President 03 S upport Q & A with Ken Langone Robert Berne What it takes to raise $1 billion Executive Vice President for Health in record time 04 News from Medicine NYU Langone• Medical Center Can Obesity Be Linked to Diabetes? What Does the Nose Know? Kenneth G. Langone Chairman, Procedure Still Widely Used Days Board of Trustees After Heart Attack Another Danger of Secondhand Smoke: Robert I. Grossman, MD Dean and Chief Hearing Loss Executive Officer 30 Around Campus Deborah Loeb Bohren Ten Years On: The Aftermath of 9/11 Vice President, Communications and 32 Faculty News Public Affairs Dr. Bar-Sagi Named Head of Research • Dr. Hochman Receives Record NIH Grant NYU PHYSICIAN Dr. Lehmann Receives Conklin Medal Steven B. Abramson, MD Dr. Llinás Named University Professor Anthony J. Grieco, MD Editors, Science 34 Faculty Conversation and Medicine Q&A with John Rotrosen, MD, on the Frank W. Lopez High Cost of Addiction Managing Editor 36 Obituary Marjorie Shaffer Baruj Benacerraff, MD Senior Editor Rob Hewitt Art Director Sherry Zucker LOSING WEIGHT CHANGED COVER STORIES Print Production Coordinator SHABazz’s oUTLOOK ON 08 WHAT ARE THE ODDS OF LOSING WEIGHT? Nancy Sherman LIFE. DOING EVERYTHING Two overweight teenagers beat the odds Copy Editor IS EASIER, AND DIABETES IS and transform their lives. Plus: New • research on obesity prevention and ON THE COVER: NO LONGER A THREAT. childhood obesity’s hidden risks. ILLUSTRatION BY Jason Holley 18 SAVING LIVES AND LIMBS Diabetes robs 65,000 Americans of limbs each year. But some can be saved. 24 why CAN’t THEY JUST STOP EATING? Learning to treat obesity. 26 BLOCKING RAGE! For the past NOW FOR two decades, Ann Marie Schmidt, MD, YOUR iPAD... has been leading the fight against this NYU Physician is available as an angry-sounding protein that triggers App that you can download free diabetes. from iTunes. NYU PHYSICIAN FALL 2011 1 Message from the Dean & CEO Diabetes Dealing By the with Diabetes Numbers Diabetes has assumed gargantuan proportions in the nation and abroad as the result of an extraordinary global pandemic 1 in 3 of obesity, a major risk factor for the chronic Ratio of adults over age 20, or 79 million Americans, who are disease. The sheer number of Americans prediabetic, based on fasting facing the threat of diabetes and obesity is glucose levels* daunting. NYU School of Medicine has a long, proud tradition of pioneering medicine 1 in 4 in the face of public health calamities Ratio of American adults ranging from tuberculosis to hepatitis B over age 65 who have diabetes* and AIDS. In this issue of NYU Physician, you will meet some of our physicians and scientists who are addressing some of the new challenges of diabetes today from the clinical, educational, and research perspectives. 1.9 million Number of Americans over the For example, infants and children are now astonishingly at age of 20 newly diagnosed with high risk for type 2 diabetes, for which obesity is the major risk diabetes per year* factor. For them, prevention through weight loss and increased physical activity is the goal and treatment approach used by our multidisciplinary specialists in pediatric diabetes. We also report 1s t about research into other innovative ways to prevent obesity Leading cause of blindness in in children. And, not least, we offer an update on research that America and the leading holds the promise of a breakthrough in developing a new diabetes nontraumatic cause of amputation* therapy. Altogether, these reports are filled with hope, both for those who have struggled with diabetes in its earlier incarnations, as well as 7th those affected by the added problem of obesity. Combined with a Leading cause of death in America* strong public health campaign that has been mounted recently and globally, the pendulum for healthy behavior—eating healthier foods and increasing physical activity—should gain momentum. • 50% Percentage of Americans who will be obese by 2030, if current trends continue** DEAN & CEO ROBERT I. GROSSMAN, MD 200% Increased risk of death in persons with diabetes compared to nondiabetic persons the same age* *Diabetes Fact Sheet American Diabetes Association **The Lancet NYU PHYSICIAN 2 FALL 2011 Support Q&A with Ken Langone What it takes to raise $1 billion in record time NYU PHYSICIAN: As Chairman of the Board, as a result of the failed merger with you’ve presided over the raising of $1 billion for Mount Sinai Medical Center. There the Medical Center these past four years. was enormous suspicion, an attitude that What’s the significance of that achievement? “nobody cares about us. We’re part of the KEN LANGONE: Raising that kind of University, but the University doesn’t money is a team effort. The dean, the want us.” That’s why the merger was Development Office, doctors, nurses— done. There was total skepticism about everybody who comes in touch with whether the University would embrace people who see fit to share their treasure with us—has an impact on why that us. That was one of the first things I had to person wants to support us. The biggest deal with. I told Marty Lipton, chairman mistake is to think that it only happens of the University, who asked me to take because of one person. Every time I hear this job, that there had to be a major effort of a wonderful patient experience, I to counter these concerns. P.S.: Marty has feel there’s a greater likelihood that it’ll never missed a Medical Center trustee lead to a contribution. meeting—not once—since I’ve taken the job. John Sexton, the University president, NYU PHYSICIAN: What makes us so popular comes, too. Certainly our marketing with donors? campaign has made certain that people KEN LANGONE: The quality of our patient know we’re part of NYU—a very care. More and more, I hear about how important part. More importantly, that wonderfully we’re doing with patients. they’re important to us. How fabulous our medical staff is, how compassionate their care is. It’s a moment in time when all of these skills and talents NYU PHYSICIAN: A billion dollars is a lot of have come together. money and will make a lot of things possible: A renovated Tisch Hospital, a new Kimmel NYU PHYSICIAN: What’s brought about this Pavilion, a new research institute, medical moment in time? school scholarships. Who came up with that KEN LANGONE: I saw early on, before I took shopping list? this job, the incredible reputations of our KEN LANGONE: It was always there. When doctors and scientists, their records of I took the job, then Dean Bob Glickman achievement. We continue to have people showed me a document with a list of goals who are world class. The facilities are he received from NYU when he was being aging and outmoded, but everything else recruited. A lot of the things you cited is major league. If I had to fix something, were on that list. I’d rather fix something inanimate than an organization where you had to say “There’s no culture here.” The culture is NYU PHYSICIAN: So after 12 years, have great! you been surprised about how to succeed in healthcare? NYU PHYSICIAN: What was the greatest KEN LANGONE: I never cease to be amazed challenge you faced? by the depth of talent and dedication at KEN LANGONE: Lifting everyone’s spirits. this place. • There was a poisonous atmosphere NYU PHYSICIAN FALL 2011 3 News from Medicine Can Obesity Be Linked to Bacteria? What’s causing the epidemic of obesity raging throughout the United States and the rest of the world? Eating too much junk food and getting Martin Blaser too little exercise are the most frequently given answers. But scientists at NYU Langone Medical Center believe another factor is at work. Obesity is being promoted, they theorize, by changes in the bacteria that normally dwell in the stomach and intestines. “Humans have carried lots of bacteria high-risk original research—that supports is supported in part by NYU Langone in the gut since ancient times,” explains the work.) One route of inquiry relates Trustee Diane Belfer, recently published Martin J. Blaser, MD, the Frederick H.