A PUBLICATION FOR ALUMNI & FRIENDS OF RUTGERS ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON MEDICAL SCHOOL FALL • 2018 LETTER FROM THE DEAN Dear Friends, erving as the dean of Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School has been one of the profound honors of my professional career. So it is with mixed emotions that I share the news that I have accept- Sed a new role as the president of Rush University in Chicago. My tenure here has been a remarkable and wonderful journey. Welcoming new classes, celebrating the Match, and graduating new physicians who will carry the proud Robert Wood Johnson Medical School experience across the country and globe have been exhilarating. There have been many successes, including the launch of the RWJBarnabas Health and Rutgers University partnership to jointly operate a world-class academic health system, improving the financial health of our school, and navigating the changing health care environment, with a dedicated sense of purpose and resilience. I was reminded of that strong sense of purpose when I received the final letter from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education certifying our eight-year reaccreditation. That pattern of success is reflected in each of our missions. The clinical enterprise has expanded services, and significantly improved the quality and safety of the patient experience, with the ambulatory accreditation from the Joint Commission. That journey was part of a transformational change across the practice and the entire medical school community. The recognition of quality extended to the community health mission. The Eric B. Chandler Health Center was repeatedly recognized for the quality of care that our faculty and staff provide as a Federally Qualified Health Center. The related teaching programs and vast community group out- reach and integration, along with the global health program, are the future. The future also holds promise for research. Our scientists increased funding year over year and continue to seek increased National Institutes of Health and extramural funding that will help to fulfill the promise science holds to treat and cure the dis- eases of the 21st century. In addition, I am pleased to announce that Robert L. Johnson, MD, FAAP, the Sharon and Joseph L. Muscarelle Endowed Dean of Rutgers New Jersey Medical JOHN O’BOYLE School (NJMS), has agreed to assume the additional position of interim dean of Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Dr. Johnson joined the faculty of the NJMS Department of Pediatrics in 1976. He created the division of adolescent and young adult medicine and led it since its inception, and he served as chair, Department of Pediatrics, from 2001 to 2005, when he was asked to serve as the school’s interim dean. In 2011, Dr. Johnson was named dean of NJMS. Dean Johnson plans to get to know Robert Wood Johnson Medical School alumni, faculty, staff, and students, understand our aspirations, and work together to promote our goals. I thank you for your support, your work and dedication, and your friendship during my time as dean. I will always carry with me the knowledge and experiences, as well as many warm memories, from my time here. Sincerely, Sherine E. Gabriel, MD, MSc Dean Robert Wood Johnson I MEDICINE 1 Contents FALL 2018 Curiosity about Basement FEATURES 29 Membranes Results in 33 Years of Funding Cystic Fibrosis Center Earns The work Peter High State and National Rankings: 5 Yurchenco, MD, PhD, Expertise, Teamwork, and Goal-Setting has done on basement Define Approach to Patient Care membranes, using it to understand diabetes and other disease states, Students Speak Out: Gun has garnered more than 16 Violence Is a Public Health Issue three decades of During the National School Walkout, Rutgers National Institutes of Robert Wood Johnson Medical School students Health funding. honored the victims of gun violence and called for By Lynda Rudolph An ambitious research program and comprehensive increased education, legislation, and research funding. Pursuing an Even More specialized care earn high rankings for the center. In By Kate O’Neill 32 Distinctive Degree their lives and outlooks, two young patients reflect on New Jersey Public Health Nearly 20 percent of Robert Wood the dedication of their caregivers. Laboratory Collaboration with Johnson Medical School students By Kate O’Neill 21 the Medical School Is a Win-Win opt to tackle an even more Fellowship Program Aims to rigorous workload by signing 11 Improve Access to Surgical Care on for a distinction program in Colombia—and Closer to Home that broadens their education in topics as diverse as bio- Global surgery is ethics and service to the often an overlooked aspect of global community. health. The Rutgers By Jacqueline Cutler Acute Care Surgery Fellowship is focus- When a public health laboratory looks to a renowned ed on changing medical school for leadership, the laboratory benefits that by providing from clinical acumen and medical students benefit from ALUMNIPROFIL ES hands-on experience. global training to Carl P. Giordano, MD ’86: By Lynda Rudolph address emergency Giving Up Was Never an Option 42 surgery, trauma, There’s an App for That: By Jacqueline Cutler surgical, and critical care needs here and abroad. By Jodi McCaffrey 24 Ensuring Babies Sleep Safe Jacob Nettleton, MD ’14, MPH ’14: Sowing the Seeds of Global Health in the ‘Warm Heart of Africa’ 44 By Jodi McCaffrey DEPARTMENTS In Memory of Letter from the Dean 1 Lloyd A. McPherson, MD ’76: New Venture 3 A Fearless Advocate for News 36 Minority Students 46 By Kate O’Neill Research News 38 Putting a baby to sleep properly can help decrease sudden infant deaths, and the medical school has been at the Marilyn Heine, MD ’82: Letter from the forefront of teaching the best methods. The latest way to A Passion to Practice Medicine Alumni Association President 41 reach the most people is with a new phone app. and Influence Policy 48 Class Notes 51 By Jacqueline Cutler By Lynda Rudolph Dean Writers Alumni Association Officers: Robert Wood Johnson Sherine E.Gabriel, MD, MSc Jacqueline Cutler • Jodi McCaffrey President Treasurer Kate O’Neill • Lynda Rudolph Executive Editor Paul F.Weber,MD’87, RPh,MBA Hank Lubin, MD ’83 Patricia M. Hansen, MA Copy Editor Vice President Secretary MEDICINE Director, Communications Richard Slovak Elena Frid, MD ’06 Deborah Saez-Lacy, MD ’86 and Public Affairs Art Direction/Design A Publication for Alumni and Friends of Editor Barbara Walsh Graphic Design Editorial and Advertising Office: Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson MedicalSchool Jillian Prior, MPA Cover Art Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Manager, Alumni Affairs Photo by Allkindza • Composite 317 George Street • Suite 215 • New Brunswick, NJ 08901 F a l l 2 0 1 8 • V o l u m e 18, N u m b e r 2 Illustration by Barbara Walsh Tel: 732-235-6307 • Fax: 732-235-9570 • rwjms.rutgers.edu 2 Robert WoodJohnson I MEDICINE VentureNEW RWJBarnabas Health and Rutgers University Launch the State’s Largest and Most Comprehensive Academic Health System RWJBarnabas Health to invest more than $1 billion over 20 years WJBarnabas Health and R Rutgers University an- nounced the official launch of their public-private part- nership to jointly operate a world-class academic health system dedicated to life- changing research, clinical training of tomorrow’s health care workforce, and high- quality patient care, consis- tent with the missions of NICK ROMANENKO Rutgers and RWJBarnabas Health. By working togeth- er, these two higher educa- tion and health care indus- beyond,” says Barry Seated (left to right): RWJBarnabas Health Board of Trustees Chair Jack Morris; try leaders will enhance Ostrowsky, president and Barry Ostrowsky; Chancellor Brian Strom, MD, MPH; and Robert Barchi, MD, research and medical and CEO, RWJBarnabas Health. PhD. Standing (left to right): Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences (RBHS) health professional educa- “Together, we are poised to Senior Vice Chancellor for Clinical Affairs Vicente Gracias, MD; RBHS Senior tion, improve access to care, develop a widely renowned Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration Kathleen Bramwell; and and reduce health dispari- academic health system, driv- RWJBarnabas Health Board of Trustees Vice Chair Marc Berson. ties in New Jersey. ing medical innovations and The new venture will fur- clinical research to influence class academic health system, research, clinical and trans- ther the goals of Rutgers outcomes across the nation.” clinical innovation, ground- lational research, neuro- with respect to medical and “As one of the nation’s breaking research, and newly science, environmental and health professional education leading public universities, developed centers of excel- occupational health, and and research by boosting the Rutgers has a long-standing lence, as well as to more pro- health care policy and aging recruitment of prominent history of excellence in edu- viders families need to man- research. “Becoming an inte- academic, research and clin- cation, service, and research,” age their health and wellness. grated academic health sys- ical practitioners, and says Rutgers President “This unparalleled enter- tem will enable us to expand strengthening the advance- Robert Barchi, MD, PhD. prise will further our shared our academic and research ment of health science inno- “Through this partnership, goal to grow research activi- mission so we can better train vation and education, while we have formed the largest ties and expand clinical trials tomorrow’s clinical work- also enhancing the delivery and most comprehensive