News

Skin Cancer Institute at UA Cancer Center Presents 7th Annual Melanoma Walk, Nov. 5 Proceeds support melanoma research, community outreach, education and patient care in Arizona

Physician to Thai Royal Princess Completes Visiting Scholar Tour at UA Nephrology

Dr. Sukit “Kob” Rukasuk, a visiting scholar to the UA Division of Nephrology from Thailand, takes home happy and sad memories. He’s learned a lot about advanced kidney care, vascular access and research methodologies—traveled from the Grand Canyon to Colorado ski slopes to Times Square and Harvard Yard—but the king of Thailand’s Oct. 13 death makes going home bittersweet… 
ANews Health Topics in Past Month Range from Kissing Bugs to Cognition in Older Adults

A flurry of UANews Health articles in the past month have covered everything from Alzheimer’s in women to training health workers in Liberia and ovarian cancer screening devices to a new student-run medical journal and kissing bugs to how gender influences strokes. Take a look see to what you may have missed… 
A Pulmonary Docs Thrilled with CMS Certification for Lung Transplant Program

Drs. Monica Kraft, department chair, and Ken Knox, pulmonary chief, congratulated the collaborative, multidisciplinary effort of physicians from Tucson, Phoenix required to achieve this milestone. Our sixteenth lung patient was recently transplanted with three more on the waiting list. One patient from Yuma (pictured here) who received a double lung transplant just moved to Tucson after being accepted at the University of Arizona... 
DOM Research Seminar to Spotlight Sleep Medicine, Novel Therapeutics for Fibrotic Diseases, Nov. 10

Sleep medicine and fibrotic diseases are topics for the next DOM Research Seminar lecture on Thu., Nov. 10., noon to 1 p.m., in Room 8403, Chase Bank Auditorium, Banner – University Medical Center Tucson. Come hear Dr. Sai Parthasarathy, director, Center for Sleep Disorders, and Dr. Louise Hecker, a translational research investigator who’ll discuss more than just pulmonary fibrosis… 
Neuro ICU Opens with Neurointensivist Recruit from UT Southwestern as Medical Director

The new Neuro ICU at Banner – UMC Tucson reopened in Unit 5W on Oct. 1 with Sankalp Gokhale, MD, recently recruited from UT Southwestern in Dallas, heading the unit as medical director. He completed his internal medicine residency at Brown, a neurology residency at Beth Israel Deaconness, and a neurocritical care fellowship at Duke. Please welcome him to our team…
South Campus Resident Dr. Jessica August Picked as ACP Resident/Fellow of the Year

Jessica August, MD, a third-year at the South Campus Internal Medicine Residency Program, was among two chosen for this year’s top Arizona resident award and will be recognized at Governor’s Dinner preceding the Arizona Chapter Scientific Meeting of the American College of Physicians, Nov. 4-6, hosted by Arizona State University. UA residents swept the competition at last year's meeting here in Tucson… 
Call for Abstracts for 3rd Annual UACC Spring Scientific Retreat

Dr. Dean W. Felsher, of Stanford Medicine, will be the University of Arizona Cancer Center’s keynote speaker at the Third Annual UACC Spring Scientific Retreat. Proposed abstracts are now being accepted for consideration for presentation at the retreat, which will be held April 21, 2017. The deadline for submissions is Tuesday, Dec. 20...
UA Receives $10.3M to Help Unlock the Mystery of Alzheimer’s in Women Five-year National Institute on Aging program project grant led by Roberta Diaz Brinton, PhD, inaugural director of the Center for Innovation in Brain Science at the University of Arizona Health Sciences.

Banner – University Medicine, DOM physicians win accolades as ‘Health and Medical Leaders’

Drs. Karl Kern, Andrew Kraft and Peter Ott were recognized at a gala Sept. 28 at Casino del Sol honoring Southern Arizona Influential Health and Medical Leaders that also named Banner – University Medicine the Outstanding Large Healthcare Organization of the year. Honored too were Dermatology’s Gerald Goldberg and the Stephen M. Gootter Foundation…
Valley Fever Research, Vaccine Gain Congressional Attention in Phoenix

The House majority leader and a Phoenix U.S. representative convene a press conference at Banner – UMC Phoenix to spotlight the respiratory disease endemic to the U.S. Southwest. In other news: Valley Fever Center for Excellence gets a $300,000 grant, Dr. Galgiani to appear Oct. 27 on Animal Planet, Farness Lecture keynote speaker announced, and two published papers underscore UA research on vaccine, mortality studies…
Four from DOM Among New Banner Leadership Program Grads

UA Department of Medicine physician-faculty Drs. Emad Elquza, Pradeep Kadambi, Kwan Lee and Tejo Vemulapalli  were among 60 new graduates of Banner Health’s 2016 Advanced Leadership Program for Physicians. Two dozen providers from Banner – University Medical Group participated in effort to cultivate next generation of Banner leaders… 
[Joseph Boakai Sr. (sixth from left), vice president of Liberia, met on Monday with representatives of five colleges at the UA Health Sciences to establish a collaboration agreement.]
UA Positioned to Help Train Health Workers in Liberia

The west African nation is rebuilding after its health infrastructure was decimated by civil war and the Ebola virus.
UA’s Dr. Frank Porreca Honored by the International Association for the Study of Pain with the Ronald Melzack Lecture Award Known for his pioneering research on the molecular and circuit origins of chronic pain and discoveries that may lead to new treatments, Dr. Porreca received the award and delivered the Ronald Melzack Distinguished Lecture during the 16th World Congress on Pain®, attended by the world’s top pain researchers and clinicians.

UA Cancer Center Team Questions the Safety, Efficacy of Selenium to Combat, Reduce Colorectal Cancer Risk Selenium has been a popular nutritional supplement for decades, touted for its antioxidant properties and its role in stopping free radicals from damaging cells and DNA. Studies have shown a deficiency of this micronutrient to be associated with cancer risk. However, a UA-led study indicates selenium supplementation significantly increased the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Antiretroviral Side Effects Topic of Meet-Your-Pharmacist Event for UA Petersen Clinics, Nov. 16

The UA Petersen Clinics Pharmacy Group is providing a presentation on “Are Long Term Side Effects Going Extinct?” at its next meet-your-pharmacist community event Wed., Nov. 16, 4-5:30 p.m., at the Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation offices. The theme focuses on long term antiretroviral side effects and improvements in therapy. It’s directed at HIV patients and their friends and families…
Endocrinology Grand Rounds to Spotlight Evolution of Activity, Inactivity

An associate editor of the American Journal of Physical Anthropology, David Raichlen, PhD, a research scientist from the UA School of Anthropology, will speak on, “An Evolutionary Medicine Perspective on Physical Activity and Inactivity,” at the next Endocrinology Grand Rounds, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 3-4 p.m., UAHS Room 5403…
Susan G. Komen Now Accepting RFPs for Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research Funding

Susan G. Komen, the Milburn Foundation, and Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research Foundation have entered into a groundbreaking partnership to provide a unique funding opportunity addressing key needs in this understudied form of breast cancer. Up to $60,000 is available for research projects for one year. Applications are due Nov. 28…
Noted Type 2 Diabetes Expert Dr. David G. Marrero to Lead New UA Health Sciences Center for Border Health David G. Marrero, PhD, an expert in the field of clinical trials in type 2 diabetes and translational research, has been appointed director of the newly established UA Health Sciences Center for Border Health.

People on the Move at the UA Health Sciences and Banner – University Medical Center Tucson

Dr. Vasudha Goel joins the UA Department of Anesthesiology chronic pain management team; Drs. Drew Kurtzman and Vivian Shi join the UA Division of Dermatology; UA nephrologist publishes book on kidney disease and diabetes; 2016 Radiology Awards honor Drs. Taljanovic and Gimber; Dr. Victor J. Gonzalez awarded grant to investigate new radiotherapy breast cancer treatment.
CDC Advises: Get Your Flu Shot Early – Next Nearest UA Clinic Oct. 12 at UACC - North, 2:30-3:30 p.m.

Eligible UA and state employees were able to get free flu shots across campus, beginning Sept. 30 at the Farmers Market at the College of Medicine – Tucson until Oct. 12 at UA Cancer Center North. The next is Friday, Oct. 7, in the Optical Sciences Building and USB 158. The next flu shot clinic for Banner physicians & staff is Oct. 24 in DuVal Auditorium. More public clinics are available via Healthwaves across Pima County through Dec. 21. See photos of the COM & BIO5 clinics...
UA Health Sciences Researchers Outline When Play Becomes Harmful: Pokémon Go and the Potential for Increased Accidents Get out and play is a call often heard to increase physical activity and optimize health, but in one the first articles published in a peer-reviewed medical journal, UA Health Sciences researchers discuss how augmented reality games can lead to acute treatment in a trauma center.

Bashas' and K-LOVE 88.1 Kick off Breast Cancer Awareness Drive to Benefit UA Breast Cancer Research The grocery store chain and radio station have joined forces to conduct a breast cancer awareness drive in Bashas’ stores throughout Southern and Eastern Arizona to support breast cancer research at the University of Arizona Cancer Center.

3-D Printing and Patient Care: UA Surgeon Shares How the Technology can Saves Lives and Money in The Lancet Using 3-D models for surgery planning before complex procedures and as a potential means to replicate surgical tools in low-resource areas, Dr. David Armstrong and his lab share with The Lancet, a prestigious UK medical journal, their vision of 3-D printing technology in medicine.

UA Health Sciences Promotes Collaborative Research With Multidisciplinary Program Feasibility Awards

To ensure researchers are competitive in their submission for national research funds to develop cures or new treatments for the world’s most pressing diseases, the UA Health Sciences has awarded four faculty members multidisciplinary program feasibility awards. Awardees include Dr. Stephen Black, of the Division of Translational & Regenerative Medicine...

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