Schools of Medicine and Dental Medicine Student Research Day Award Winners 2015

March 23, 2015

Medical/Dental Student Research Day was held on Monday, March 9. It was a wonderful celebration of our student researchers, their faculty mentors and their many accomplishments. The day opened with a poster session and was followed by a series of short talks. Both medical and dental students presented their work to the faculty, their colleagues, and distinguished invited guests. The Student Research Day Award winners were announced at the banquet held that evening. We congratulate all the students for their successes on their research projects and look forward to the future as they continue to innovate and advance knowledge with excitement. Thank you to the faculty and postdoctoral fellows that served as judges in these events and to everyone that made the day such a success for UConn Health.

Lynn Puddington and Arthur Hand, Co-Chairs

Dr. Michael Goupil, assistant dean of dental student affairs, talks with students during the Student Research Day Awards Banquet.

Award winners School of Dental Medicine:

Dean’s Award: Kevin D’Andrea
An expense-paid trip as School of Dental Medicine representative to the Hinman Student Research Symposium and plaque

Associate Dean’s Award: Onyi Esonu
Round trip travel and accommodations to ADA annual Dental Students’ Conference on Research in Gaithersburg, MD

ADA/Dentsply Student Clinician Award: David Remiszewski
Round trip accommodations to the Annual Session of ADA as school representative and ADA/Dentsply plaque

UConn School of Dental Medicine Society of Alumni & Friends: Stephanie Chan
$150 monetary award and plaque

Dr. Michael Basso/Connecticut Holistic Health Association: James McGrath
$100 award and plaque

The Perl Family for the Gustave Perl Memorial Award: Christopher Haxhi
$100 award and plaque

Dental Student Research Society: Ledjo Palo
$100 award

Colgate-Palmolive Award: Tabrez Adil
$1,000 award

Omicron Kappa Upsilon Award: Tabrez Adil, Stephanie Chan, Kevin D’Andrea, Onyi Esonu, Joseph Everett, Christopher Haxhi, James McGrath, Anju Nellissery, Ledjo Palo, David Remiszewski and Eric Strouse
$25 UConn Co-Op gift card

A poster session was held during Student Research Awards Day. — A poster session was held during Student Research Day March 9.

Award winners School of Medicine:

Dean’s Award: Students & Mentors – Huazhen Chen & Bruce Mayer, Fludiona Naka & Kevin Dieckhaus
$250 award to each medical student researcher or mentor; awards to faculty mentors’ support travel to a scientific meeting

Dr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Gross Award: Oral Presentation – Pooja Uppalapati; Poster Presentation – Brian Epling
$250 award

Lawrence G. Raisz Award for Excellence in Musculoskeletal Research: Elizabeth Santone
$250 award

Connecticut Academy of Family Physicians: Himanayani Mamillapalli
$200 award for excellence in Primary Care Research

William M. Wadleigh Memorial Award for International Health Research: Alexander Werne
$150 award

Dr. Michael Basso/Connecticut Holistic Health Association: Ryan P. Duggan
$100 award and plaque

Coll Elected to American Geriatrics Society Board

March 20, 2015

Congratulations to Dr. Patrick Coll, professor in the UConn Center on Aging and Department of Family Medicine, who has just been elected as a member of the Board of Directors of the American Geriatrics Society (AGS).

The AGS is a not-for-profit organization of over 6,000 health professionals devoted to improving the health, independence and quality of life of all older people. The Society provides leadership to health care professionals, policy makers and the public by implementing and advocating for programs in patient care, research, professional and public education, and public policy.

“This is a great honor for Dr. Coll. Being a member of the Board of Directors is a highly competitive position with important leadership responsibilities,” says Dr. George Kuchel, director of the UConn Center on Aging. “Those responsibilities increasingly involve an ongoing dialogue with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Health Resources and Services Administration, and the National Institute on Aging, and other federal agencies involved in funding clinical, educational, and research efforts addressing the needs of our aging society.”

UConn Health April Programs, Events

Here is a list of UConn Health programs scheduled for April and early May 2015. This information will be updated with any additions or other schedule changes. (Updated 4/10)

Nutrition for a Healthy Heart
Wednesday, April 1, 2 to 4 p.m., UConn Health, Outpatient Pavilion
The UConn Health’s Healthy Nutrition program invites you on a journey to a lower blood pressure, reduced cholesterol and healthier weight. This workshop is offered on the first Wednesday of the month. Registration fee is $30. Call 800-535-6232 to register or for more information.

Free IVF Information Session
Thursday, April 2, 6 to 8:30 p.m., Cell and Genome Sciences Building, 400 Farmington Ave.
Specialists with the Center for Advanced Reproductive Services lead an informational session about current treatments for infertility, specifically in vitro fertilization (IVF). Each program includes an in-depth explanation of the IVF process, discussion of some of the emotional issues surrounding IVF, and discussion of options for financial planning. Registration is required: 860-679-4580 or www.uconnfertility.com.

Bladder Cancer Support Group
Saturday, April 4, 2 to 3 p.m., UConn Health, Onyiuke Dining Room
Patients, family members and caregivers (not limited to UConn Health patients) are invited to join others whose lives have been touched by bladder cancer. This support group, established in partnership with the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network, usually meets on the first Saturday of the month and is the only group of its kind in New England. Call 860-679-4410 or email hackett@uchc.edu for more information.

Free Hospital Maternity Tours
Saturday, April 11, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m., UConn Health, Main Lobby
A representative will guide you through labor and delivery, postpartum, and the nursery at John Dempsey Hospital. Children and grandparents are welcome. Call 800-535-6232 to register or for more information.

Free Program: “Managing Diabetes with Lifestyle Changes”
Wednesday, April 15, 7 p.m., UConn Health, Low Learning Center
Physician assistant Bradley Biskup from the Lifestyle Medicine Program describes a low-glycemic diet for diabetes, explains how exercise affects blood sugar, and discusses the connection between stress and diabetes. Call 800-535-6232 or 860-679-7692 to register or for more information.

Free IVF Information Session
Thursday, April 16, 6 to 8:30 p.m., Cell and Genome Sciences Building, 400 Farmington Ave.
Specialists with the Center for Advanced Reproductive Services lead an informational session about current treatments for infertility, specifically in vitro fertilization (IVF). Each program includes an in-depth explanation of the IVF process, discussion of some of the emotional issues surrounding IVF, and discussion of options for financial planning. Registration is required: 860-679-4580 or www.uconnfertility.com.

Infertility Peer Support Group
Thursday, April 16, 7 p.m., Center for Advanced Reproductive Services, 2 Batterson Park Road, Farmington
The Greater Hartford chapter of RESOLVE, a national nonprofit resource for those facing the challenges of infertility, offers support, information and confidential, informal, peer-led discussions on the third Thursday of the month. To learn more or to check for weather-related cancellation, call 860-523-8337.

Celiac Disease Nutrition Class
Monday, April 20, 8 to 9 a.m., UConn Health, Outpatient Pavilion
A registered dietitian leads a discussion for those with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity. This program now is scheduled to meet the third Monday of the month. Fee is $20. Call 800-535-6232 or 860-679-7692 to register or for more information.

Free Cosmetology Services for Cancer Survivors
Monday, April 20, 1 to 3 p.m., UConn Health, Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center
“Look Good…Feel Better” is a free program to help improve the self-image and self-esteem of women experiencing appearance-related side effects from cancer treatment. During this hands-on workshop, a trained volunteer certified cosmetologist will offer self-help instruction and education on hairstyling and coping with hair loss, skin care, makeup and nail care. Wigs, turbans and scarves will also be discussed. Classes are offered monthly, generally on the third Tuesday, and are not limited to UConn Health patients. Registration is required: call 800-227-2345 with your name, program date, phone number, and skin color. Kits are available in Light, Medium, Dark and Extra Dark.

Free Discovery Series: “Relief for Chronic Sinusitis and Allergies”
Thursday, April 23, 7 to 9 p.m., UConn Health, Keller Auditorium
Dr. Todd Falcone, ear, nose and throat specialist, discusses allergy triggers, sinusitis symptoms, causes and risk factors, and new medical treatments and procedures. Register online, for free, at http://discoveryseries.uchc.edu or call 800-535-6232.

Free Fertility Assessment Event
Saturday, April 25, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Center for Advanced Reproductive Services, 2 Batterson Park Road, Farmington
Women 30 to 42 years old are invited to learn more about infertility and what their options might be. The program in recognition of National Infertility Awareness Week includes a questionnaire and blood draw for testing at no charge. For more information or to register (required), visit http://www.uconnfertility.com/news-and-events/cpars-events/ or call 860-679-4580.

Free Workshop: “Things to Consider Before Joining a Research Study”
Monday, April 27, 5 p.m., UConn Health, Onyuike Dining Room
The UConn Health Human Subjects Protection Office offers an educational session about the rights and responsibilities of participants in research projects on the last Monday of the month. Registration is required: 860-679-8802 or cagganello@uchc.edu.

Free IVF Information Session
Thursday, April 30, 6 to 8:30 p.m Cell and Genome Sciences Building, 400 Farmington Ave.
Specialists with the Center for Advanced Reproductive Services lead an informational session about current treatments for infertility, specifically in vitro fertilization (IVF). Each program includes an in-depth explanation of the IVF process, discussion of some of the emotional issues surrounding IVF, and discussion of options for financial planning. Registration is required: 860-679-4580 or www.uconnfertility.com.

New 6-week “Ready to Lose” Weight Management Program Starts
Tuesday, May 1. 5 to 6 p.m., UConn Health, Outpatient Pavilion
The introductory session is followed by five weekly sessions through Tuesday, June 4, that include a weigh-in, discussion of progress, and a timely nutrition topic such as eating out strategies, cooking light and right, emotional eating, exercise and activity, smart shopping, and summer holiday eating. Registration fee is $70, $50 for past participants. Call 800-535-6232 for more information.

(added 4/9)
Walk for Bladder Cancer
Saturday, May 2, 1 p.m., Farmington River Trail, Route 4, Farmington
The UConn Health Bladder Cancer Support Group holds its annual walk to raise awareness and support for the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network’s research, education and patient support. Learn more at http://support.bcan.org/Farmington or call Laurie at 860-986-3170.

(removed 4/10)
Bladder Cancer Support Group
Saturday, May 2, 2 to 3 p.m., UConn Health, Onyiuke Dining Room
Patients, family members and caregivers (not limited to UConn Health patients) are invited to join others whose lives have been touched by bladder cancer. This support group, established in partnership with the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network, usually meets on the first Saturday of the month and is the only group of its kind in New England. Call 860-679-4410 or email hackett@uchc.edu for more information.

Free Hospital Maternity Tours
Saturday, May 2, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m., UConn Health, Main Lobby
A representative will guide you through labor and delivery, postpartum, and the nursery at John Dempsey Hospital. Children and grandparents are welcome. Call 800-535-6232 to register or for more information.

Nutrition for a Healthy Heart
Wednesday, May 6, 2 to 4 p.m., UConn Health, Outpatient Pavilion
The UConn Health’s Healthy Nutrition program invites you on a journey to a lower blood pressure, reduced cholesterol and healthier weight. This workshop is offered on the first Wednesday of the month. Registration fee is $30. Call 800-535-6232 to register or for more information.

UConn Health Auxiliary Hanging Plant Sale
Thursday, May 7, UConn Health, locations and times vary
The UConn Health Auxiliary is holding a hanging plant sale at three locations: 16 Munson Road starting at 8 a.m. and outside the Connucopia Gift Shop in the main building starting at 9 a.m.. For more information please call 860-679-2963. More information about the Auxiliary is available at http://auxiliary.uchc.edu.

Free IVF Information Session
Thursday, May 7, 6 to 8:30 p.m Cell and Genome Sciences Building, 400 Farmington Ave.
Specialists with the Center for Advanced Reproductive Services lead an informational session about current treatments for infertility, specifically in vitro fertilization (IVF). Each program includes an in-depth explanation of the IVF process, discussion of some of the emotional issues surrounding IVF, and discussion of options for financial planning. Registration is required: 860-679-4580 or www.uconnfertility.com.

Directions to UConn Health are available at www.uchc.edu/directions/index.html.

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Laurencin Receives NIH Director’s Pioneer Award

March 17, 2015

The Office of the Vice President for Research recognizes Cato T. Laurencin, MD, Ph.D., for his NIH Director’s Pioneer Award of almost $4 million; $1.6 million of which comes in the form of a sub-award to UConn Storrs. Dr. Laurencin is a University Professor (the eighth in UConn’s history) with appointments at Storrs and UConn Health. He is the Albert and Wilda Van Dusen Distinguished Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery; Professor of Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, and Biomedical Engineering; Director of both the Raymond and Beverly Sackler Center for Biomedical, Biological, Physical and Engineering Sciences and the Institute for Regenerative Engineering; and Chief Executive Officer of the Connecticut Institute for Clinical and Translational Science (CICATS). In addition, he is an elected member of the National Academy of Engineering and the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences.

Dr. Laurencin’s project, “Regenerative Engineering of Complex Musculoskeletal Tissues and Joints,” proposes the development of a clinically-viable technique to regenerate complex musculoskeletal tissue and joints to improve quality of life for patients with large areas of complex tissue loss; joint derangement due to arthritis, trauma, infection or other causes; or the loss of limbs. To achieve this, Dr. Laurencin and his team will endeavor to develop universal platforms that will be used to form complex musculoskeletal components of large tissue areas and joints with combinations of matrices (scaffold systems), biological factors, and cells. They will then integrate these tissues into three-dimensional structures for joint-regeneration in an in vitro environment, followed by the testing and optimization of these applications. This research will use a novel approach to regenerative engineering in order to address the problem of musculoskeletal tissue destruction, loss, and wear, which all have major societal implications. This project aims to develop a new therapeutic strategy for the regeneration of complex musculoskeletal tissues and joints, and will revolutionize the treatment of musculoskeletal tissue wear and injury, tremendously improving patient quality of life. Congratulations to Dr. Laurencin and his team for their continued dedication to extraordinary research and their commitment to meaningful improvements in patient care!

The Cuff That Could Arrest the Aging Process

March 13, 2015

Dr. Rene Cuadra, a resident who assists in the INFINITY trial, shows study participant Gerald Kehoe how to use a 24-hour blood pressure monitor. (Chris DeFrancesco/UConn Health Photo)

Learn more or join the study:
1-860-679-2705

Could the aging process be slowed – or even stopped – by aggressively managing an older person’s hypertension, or high blood pressure?
Researchers at UConn Health are finding blood pressure to be a reliable predictor of the progression of what’s known as “white matter disease,” or small-vessel disease of the brain, which impacts the decline in cognitive function, mobility, and balance associated with aging.

But it goes beyond putting on a blood pressure cuff during the occasional visit to the doctor’s office.

“We’ve learned from prior research that there is an important relationship between out-of-office blood pressure – but not doctor’s office pressure – and the progression of blood vessel disease of the brain and its associated decline in function,” says Dr. William B. White, professor of medicine and chief of the Calhoun Cardiology Center Division of Hypertension and Clinical Pharmacology. “The program we’re doing now is actually evaluating interventions using 24-hour monitoring to guide the therapy that we hope will prevent the functional loss.”

Dr. William White is running a clinical trial studying the connection between blood pressure management and aging.

Along the way, White, the immediate past president of the American Society of Hypertension, has made some incidental observations.

“We’ve found in a number of cases that the hypertensive patients joining this study were actually overmedicated,” White says. “We were able to bring their blood pressure under control by reducing their medications. The around-the-clock blood pressure monitoring provides us the crucial data that enables us to this. More isn’t always better.”

Such was the case for Gerald Kehoe, who joined the study two and a half years ago. He recalls he was having great difficulty controlling his hypertension.

“I came here because of Dr. White’s reputation, and I believed he could stabilize my blood pressure,” Kehoe says. “This allows me to take my blood pressure over 24 hours and give Dr. White an idea of how my blood pressure changes during different times and events. That’s the way we learned how erratic our blood pressure is. Without that I don’t think they could regulate it fully.”

Kehoe says White reduced his medications and was able to stabilize his blood pressure.

Kehoe also got his wife to join the study. Fran Kehoe’s improvement was less drastic than her husband’s – she had less room for improvement.
“The people here are really nice, and I joke with them, ‘Oh, you like him better,’” Fran Kehoe says. “But you’re doing this for other people who are coming along later. If they can find out what caused the problem, they can save somebody else.”

Radio Health Minute
Listen to Dr. White explain the goals of the INFINITY Trial

Fran Kehoe says she’s living proof of the difference clinical trials can make, noting that she, as a cancer survivor, is the beneficiary of someone’s past participation.

INFINITY Trial participant Fran Kehoe is timed and observed walking up and down stairs. (Chris DeFrancesco/UConn Health Photo)

Gerald Kehoe says the study also has short-term benefits for the participants.

“I feel wonderful,” he says. “I really appreciate what the study has done for me, and I hope it will do the same for other people.”
Study participants receive blood pressure care and treatment, including medications, over a three-year period, during which they undergo a series of tests to measure mobility, cognitive function, and white matter hyperintensities, the signs of small vessel brain damage. Participants periodically wear an ambulatory blood pressure monitor for 24-hour duration.

The researchers, led by White and Dr. Leslie Wolfson, professor of neurology, are in the home stretch of recruiting study participants for what’s known as “The INFINITY Trial,” a multi-year, $3.4 million study funded by the National Institute on Aging, a division of the National Institutes of Health.

Those interested in joining or learning more about INFINITY, which stands for “Intensive Versus Standard Ambulatory Blood Pressure Levels to Prevent Functional Decline in the Elderly,” should call 860-679-2705. Study participants must be at least 75 years old, have a history of hypertension, and cannot have a history of clinical stroke or major neurologic disability. The doctors and project man
agers can determine potential eligibility with a simple phone interview.

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Wellness Conference for Health Professionals

It’s an open secret that while health care professionals often work long hours to go the extra mile for their patients, they routinely neglect their own health and personal lives.

“We often treat our patients better than our own family members,” an instructor once told Heather Dimock, a second-year physician assistant student at Quinnipiac University. “And that’s true,” she said.

Dimock was one of the 130 health professions trainees and pre-health professions student registrants from throughout the state who spent a recent Saturday at the Second Annual Health Professions Student Wellness Conference. There, Connecticut’s health professionals in training – future doctors, nurses, dentists, social workers, pharmacists, occupational therapists and physician assistants – learned ways to take care of their own well-being as students and eventual practitioners through interactive sessions on stress relief, work-life balance, nutrition, general wellness, and alternative or integrative medicine.

The event was developed and staffed by health professions students in the Urban Service Track (UST), which is sponsored by the Connecticut Area Health Education Center (CT AHEC), along with its educational partners at the University of Connecticut and Quinnipiac University. It was held last month at Quinnipiac’s North Haven campus, and open to students from all academic institutions in the state.

The conference is one of the many innovative ways UST and AHEC fulfill their missions to support those working to become health professionals in the state.

“People will present with symptoms that are hard to fathom. Modalities like this can actually be very helpful in figuring out how to serve patients’ needs,” UConn’s Associate Dean of Medical School Affairs, David Henderson, told students at the first acupuncture session. Henderson, a family medicine physician, integrated acupuncture into his own practice more than a decade ago after he had a patient complain of pain which was spreading in a way that couldn’t be explained by Western medical textbooks.

“We (in Western medicine) tend to view the body as a bag of chemicals – traditional Chinese medicine is more energetic in its perspective…clearly we are both,” Henderson said. “So the whole idea of integrative medicine does make sense, particularly a lot of functional problems that don’t lend themselves to the therapies that we have that are mostly pharmacologic and based on biochemistry.”

Teaching future health professionals about integrative medicine provides not only an option for stress relief and wellness for their own use, but also helps them relate better to patients, according to Caitlin Bette-Waner, a third-year UConn medical student and UST member, who developed the first conference in 2014.

“There are a lot of patients that use these modalities and it’s important for us as providers to be knowledgeable about them – even if we don’t offer those disciplines or practice them, we need to be knowledgeable about them because our patients are going to be using them,” Bette-Waner said.

UConn School of Social Work student Christopher Pressley said he was interested to find out at the acupuncture session that, “There’s a specific ear acupuncture for detox – that could be important for a complimentary or integrative treatment,” in his own treatment of clients.

Another popular session explored healthy eating on a budget and busy schedule. Nutritionist Alison Birks gave students healthy eating tips, like how to maximize their vitamin intake from certain foods. Chef Carol Byer Alcorace showed students how to make three easy gluten free and vegan recipes – a three kale salad, quinoa with butternut squash or sweet potato – and spring rolls that she then had students prepare themselves in the classroom.

Matthew Cooper, director of Quinnipiac’s North Haven Learning Commons, urged students in his keynote speech to try and “unplug” more, saying that social media, smartphones, and instant entertainment services can provide unhealthy distractions from study, work and sleep.

Although technology available to college students has changed drastically over the last few decades, he said, “We’re still processing like we did in the middle ages. The learning will always come back to ‘how do we get this information inside our brains.'”

A work-life balance panel discussion with current students and recent health professions alumni also provided recommendations for conference-goers. The six panelists and moderator implored students to take time for themselves – particularly to take time for workouts. Those workouts can be unorthodox, too – graduating Yale medical student Roger Kim said he performs squats while stuck in his room day and night studying for exams, and UConn Masters of Social Work / Masters of Public Health student Karonesa Logan suggested students use a Fitbit or other personal tracking device to log their daily movements.

“It is like a game. (You think) ‘I did nine flights of stairs today, I need to do one more,’ Logan said.

Students planning to go into health professions programs also received advice on coping mechanisms for the application process from UConn nurse practitioner alum Kara O’Brien Anastasiou, doctoral nursing candidate Christopher Yi, and social work student Patricia Bowen.

Last year the conference included about 50 students from UConn and Quinnipiac. This year’s event had almost three times the number of student registrations from 69 different towns and seven different educational institutions. Registration fees were waived because of sponsorships provided by educational and community partners working with UST.

Reflecting on the success of the day, Lisa-Marie Griffiths, a UConn nursing faculty member and assistant clinical professor who works with UST shared, “It’s amazing when you delegate to a group of students what they can do”.

Stormy Chamberlain Selected as Woman of Innovation® Honoree

March 9, 2015

UConn Health is proud to announce Stormy Chamberlain, Ph.D., as this year’s newest Woman of Innovation® inductee honored by the Connecticut Technology Council. A total of 56 women were selected as Women of Innovation® for the 2015 Women of Innovation® awards dinner. The program recognizes women across Connecticut – those in the workforce and students – who are innovators, role models and leaders in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math.

Chamberlain was selected as an honoree in the Research Innovation and Leadership category. She and the other inductees will be celebrated at the Women of Innovation® awards ceremony held at the Aqua Turf Club in Southington on April 1.

Chamberlain is an assistant professor in the Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences and the associate director of the Graduate Program in Genetics and Developmental Biology. Her laboratory is pursuing the use of stem cells to model and study human imprinting disorders associated with inherited conditions such as Angelman syndrome.

She also mentors aspiring researchers and is on the steering committee of UConn Health’s chapter of the AAMC’s Group on Women in Medicine and Science.

“Each year the Women of Innovation awards ceremony honors outstanding women who have made contributions in their professions, studies, and in many cases, their communities,” said Beth Alquist, planning committee chair for the Women of Innovation awards program. “The 2015 Women of Innovation awards dinner is an inspirational time to celebrate these women and their accomplishments.”

This year’s list of 56 women includes researchers, educators, engineers, managers, and entrepreneurs who work in biotech, pharmaceuticals, software, computer hardware, advanced materials, medical devices, and Information technology.

A winner in each of eight award categories will be announced during the awards dinner. The complete list of 2015 Women of Innovation® is posted on the CTC website. You may register for the event by going to the CTC website.

UConn Health Awarded Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers

March 3, 2015

UConn Health has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval^®and the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Heart-Check mark for Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers. The Gold Seal of Approval^®and the Heart-Check mark represent symbols of quality from their respective organizations.

UConn Health underwent a rigorous onsite review in December. The Joint Commission experts evaluated compliance with stroke-related standards and requirements, including program management, delivery of clinical care, and performance improvement.

“UConn Health has thoroughly demonstrated the greatest level of commitment to the care of stroke patients through its Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers,” said Michele Sacco, interim executive director, Certification Programs. “We commend UConn Health for becoming a leader in stroke care, potentially providing a higher standard of service for stroke patients in its community.”

“We congratulate UConn Health for achieving this designation,” said Nancy Brown, chief executive officer, the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. “By adhering to this very specific set of treatment guidelines, UConn has clearly made it a priority to deliver high quality care to all patients affected by stroke.”

“We’re pleased to receive advanced certification from The Joint Commission and the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association,” said Dr. Sanjay Mittal, director of the Stroke Program at UConn Health. “The certification provides us with the opportunity to highlight the exceptional stroke care we provide as well as to continually strive to advance our care even further.”

Established in 2003, Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers is awarded for a two-year period to Joint Commission-accredited acute care hospitals. The certification was derived from the Brain Attack Coalition’s “Recommendations for the Establishment of Primary Stroke Centers” (JAMA, 2000) and the “Revised and Updated Recommendations for the Establishment of Primary Stroke Centers” (Stroke, 2011).

Stroke is the number four cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability in the United States, according to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. On average, someone suffers a stroke every 40 seconds; someone dies of a stroke every four minutes; and 795,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year.

Urban Service Track Receives Community Leadership Award

February 27, 2015

The ADA Foundation recently announced that the University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine has been awarded a 2014 E. “Bud” Tarrson Dental School Student Community Leadership Award for its Urban Service Track (UST) program. The award was submitted by the dental school’s Dr. Ruth Goldblatt, third-year dental student Joseph Larson, and UST’s Petra Clark-Dufner.

The Tarrson Award recognizes dental school student programs that demonstrate excellence in providing services to underserved populations within the U.S. The ADA Foundation received many outstanding applications this year and the selection of winners was difficult. For the second year, a generous gift from ADA Business Resources, Inc. (along with a gift from an anonymous donor) will allow the ADA Foundation to present a total of seven Tarrson Awards.

The Urban Service Track is designed to produce a cadre of well qualified health care professionals committed to serving Connecticut’s urban underserved populations. Urban Health Scholars gain valuable exposure to the complex and challenging issues of health care in the inner city. Clinical training occurs in federally qualified health centers and other primary care facilities in Connecticut’s urban underserved communities. Elective clinical experiences focus on underserved settings such as homeless shelters, community health fairs, and migrant farm worker clinics.

Immunology Grants Awarded

Diversity Supplement Awarded to Immunology Postdoctoral Fellow

Crystal Morales, Ph.D., received a diversity supplement through the NIH R01 grant of Anthony Vella, Ph.D., chair of the immunology department, entitled, “HowProinflammatory Cytokines Block T Cell Death In Vivo.” This supplement was awarded through the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases division of the National Institutes of Health and will provide Morales with the opportunity to enhance her postdoctoral training and gain expertise in the field of immunology.

Congratulations to Dr. Kamal Khanna on Recent Grants
Assistant professor Kamal Khanna, Ph.D., has received a two-year R21 exploratory/developmental grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases division of the National Institutes of Health, entitled, “Mechanisms controlling memory CD8 T cell recognition of autoantigen.” He also received a two-year grant from the Department of Defense entitled, “Development of Cytomegalovirus Based Vaccines Against Melanoma.”