OHSU News Releases

OHSU Research Reveals Activity Levels Not Food Intake More Strongly Correlate With Weight Gain In Adulthood

Thu, 13 Apr 2006 18:40:53 +0000

Research conducted at the Oregon National Primate Research Center reveals that an individual's activity level is the most constant factor in predicting weight gain over adulthood. In addition, the research startlingly found no strong correlation between caloric intake and weight gain. The research was released online this week prior to future publication in the American Journal of Physiology: Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology.

"Many Americans believe that diet and weight gain are closely linked," explained Judy Cameron, Ph.D., a senior scientist in the divisions of reproductive sciences and neuroscience at the OHSU Oregon National Primate Research Center. "Although in general terms, increasing food intake has the potential of increasing body weight, this does not appear to be the primary cause of weight gain during the adult years. An individual's activity level appears to far outweigh diet in regards to the factors impacting body weight. This is especially important to middle-aged Americans who typically witness a jump in weight. "

Previous studies in other animal models have also suggested a connection between weight gain and activity levels. However, those studies failed to demonstrate whether reduced activity level is a cause of obesity or a consequence of it.

To conduct the current research project, Cameron and her colleagues studied 18 adult female monkeys during a nine- month period. Approximately one year prior to the research, the animals had their ovaries removed, which effectively simulates menopause in women. Also, for a year prior to the study, all of the animals were placed on a high-fat diet, closely mimicking that of a middle-aged woman in the Western world.

Throughout the study, each animals' food intake, body weight and body fat were tracked on a regular basis. In addition, researchers tracked the activity levels of the individual animals by way of a small device called an accelerometer, which was worn on a collar around each monkey's neck.

"After nine months of observation we noticed some significant trends," explained Elinor Sullivan, a graduate student in the Cameron lab. "For instance, there was a wide variety of activity levels among the animals in the study (an eight-fold difference between the most active and most sedentary monkeys.) Secondly, animals that were initially the most active remained the most active at the end of the study. This suggests that activity level is in inherent trait for each individual. Thirdly, the activity level - not the amount of calories ingested - was the strongest predictor of whether an animal would gain weight."

"When compared to humans, these findings in monkeys offer tremendous insights into the obesity crisis many middle-aged Americans are facing," added Cameron. "More than 60 percent of Americans do not participate in the recommended amount of physical activity and 25 percent are considered inactive. Considering the fact that 60 percent of adult Americans are overweight or obese, this is a finding that affects a large percentage of the adult population in this country. Of course the complicating factor in all of this is the fact that the body often compensates for increases in exercise by potentially altering non-exercise energy expenditure. So while we can say that exercise is effective, the body is actually working against you in many ways to prevent weight loss"

"This study demonstrates the inherent benefit of becoming and staying active on body weight," said Jonathan Purnell, M.D. an associate professor of medicine (endocrinology, diabetes and clinical nutrition) in the OHSU School of Medicine and a researcher in OHSU's Center for the Study of Weight Regulation and Associated Disorders. "Scientists and physicians need to better understand the reasons for differences in baseline activity levels between individuals and how this physiology might make one more or less susceptible to unwanted weight gain."

The ONPRC is a registered research institution, inspected regularly by the United States Department of Agriculture. It operates in compliance with the Animal Welfare Act and has an assurance of regulatory compliance on file with the National Institutes of Health. The ONPRC also participates in the voluntary accreditation program overseen by the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC).

Retiring OHSU President Dr. Peter Kohler Receives Honorary Degree

Tue, 06 Jun 2006 20:46:29 +0000

Oregon Health & Science University President Peter Kohler, M.D., received an honorary degree from OHSU during his final commencement ceremony on Friday, June 2. The honorary Doctor of Science degree recognized Kohler’s dedication to the improvement of health care delivery systems and patient access. Kohler will retire from his post as president, a position he has held for the past 18 years, at the end of 2006.

In his speech to graduating OHSU students, Kohler spoke of his vision to transform health care access and counteract the forces impeding patients from obtaining the care they want and need. Kohler also spoke of the important intersection of health science, engineering and information technologies and how these expanding fields will continue to merge to serve an important role in improving health care. Kohler’s speech can be read in its entirety at www.ohsu.edu/ohsuedu/landingpages/kohlerspeech06.

Kohler is one of the longest standing presidents at an academic medical center in the United States. The many accomplishments that occurred during his tenure include:

The expansion of rural health care in Oregon through OHSU’s Area Health Education Centers.
The creation of the Center for Women’s Health, offering women throughout the region a level of specialized health care found in few other places in the country.
The conversion of OHSU into a public corporation, helping ensure its future healing Oregonians.
An expansion in OHSU’s research funding from $40 million to $274 million per year.
An increase of annual patient visits from 245,000 to 751,000.
Growth in the number of employees from 5,800 to 11,500.
The Oregon Opportunity public-private partnership to expand OHSU research. The project benefits
Oregonians through access to the latest, promising health care technologies and through economic benefits.
An increase in the university’s operating budget from $254 million to $1.2 billion.
The physical plant of the university has increased from 3 to 6 million square feet.

In addition, the university is currently completing a series of facilities expansion projects including the university’s new Biomedical Research Building and the Peter O. Kohler Pavilion, which greatly expand research and hospital and clinic capacity on Marquam Hill. The OHSU Center for Health & Healing will open this fall in Portland’s new South Waterfront neighborhood to provide research, clinical and education space. It will be linked to Marquam Hill via the Portland Aerial Tram.

“It was a great honor to receive this degree and to be invited to address the next generation of OHSU’s medical, nursing, dental and engineering graduates, many of whom will work or practice within the state of Oregon,” said Kohler. “I look forward to watching these students and OHSU as a whole continue to transform the face of health care in the state, region and nation.”

OHSU Lab Finds Meth Receptor That Could Lead To Therapy

Wed, 18 Apr 2007 18:46:13 +0000

A recently discovered signaling system in the brain has just been shown to be turned on by methamphetamine, an Oregon Health & Science University study found.

The signaling system could soon become a target for therapies aiming to reverse meth’s adverse health effects as well as reduce the craving that drives its abuse.

Working in the recently opened Program in Chemical Biology in the OHSU School of Medicine's Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, scientists demonstrated the new target of meth, and its close relative amphetamine, is a G protein-coupled receptor known as trace amine-associated receptor 1, or TAAR1 for short.

"The Program in Chemical Biology at OHSU is one of the few in the U.S. that allows biologists and chemists to work side-by-side, using their combined skills to identify drug targets and to design new drugs to treat diseases like drug addiction," said David Dawson, Ph.D., OHSU professor and chairman of physiology and pharmacology. "Chemical space – that is, the number of possible drug molecules that could exist – is incredibly large. Our aim is to mine that space in order to uncover novel therapies."

TAAR1 was originally discovered in the laboratory of David K. Grandy, Ph.D., OHSU professor of physiology and pharmacology. Grandy’s lab found TAAR1 is activated by chemical relatives of meth known as phenylethylamines. The messenger RNA that codes for TAAR1 is expressed throughout the brain, including areas involved in motivation and drug craving, olfaction – the sense of smell – and temperature regulation, to name a few.

"With this kind of pharmacological profile and brain distribution, we hypothesized TAAR1 could mediate some of meth’s metabolic and behavioral effects," explained Grandy, who also directed the groundbreaking research.

"In our most recent article, we provide clear evidence that methamphetamine is a full and potent agonist of TAAR1. In other words, TAAR1 has the necessary features to be considered a real target of methamphetamine and amphetamine in rodents and probably humans, too."

Grandy added that it's his hope that "these findings will eventually lead to the development of new pharmaceuticals that reduce dependence on and craving for methamphetamine."

The study is published in the April edition of the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.

Earlier research in the Grandy laboratory demonstrated that meth and amphetamine stimulate the production of an important second messenger known as cyclic adenosine monophosphate, or cAMP, inside cells expressing the rat TAAR1. Encouraged by this observation, Grandy's team explored the effects of these drugs on mouse TAAR1 and a human-rat TAAR1 hybrid and found all three receptors respond in similar ways.

"The results of this study unequivocally demonstrate that meth and amphetamine are able to directly activate this receptor in the laboratory, making it likely that TAAR1 is activated in chronic users of meth," the researchers state in their article, whose lead author is Edmund Reese, a graduate student working in Grandy’s laboratory. Other members of the research team include James Bunzow, M.S.; Seksiri Arttamangkul, Ph.D.; and Mark Sonders, Ph.D.

Grandy and his colleagues argue that TAAR1 represents a completely new target for pharmaceutical therapy to treat meth addiction and also reduce the negative manifestations of its abuse.

"Meth addiction is such a problem and we have nothing to treat it with except group support therapy," Grandy said. "Now we have a new target, something completely different to focus on, and we think that offers a lot of hope."

Grandy is actively collaborating with Thomas Scanlan, Ph.D., director of the Program in Chemical Biology who recently relocated to Portland from the University of California, San Francisco. Scanlan’s laboratory has synthesized more than 150 new compounds that are being analyzed for their ability to selectively interfere with TAAR1 and block its activity.

"So we're already on a roll," Grandy said. The goal is to "take them to the point where they can be tested in humans."

Still, there's more to be learned about how meth and amphetamine affect the entire TAAR1 signaling system that is composed of six receptor genes in humans. "When you put it all together, what you realize is that meth acts on several signaling systems and that a successful therapeutic treatment will likely require modulation of several targets simultaneously. We still have a lot to learn about how meth affects the body through this system," Grandy said. "We have our work cut out for us."

Leadership Gift of $5.5 Million From Harold & Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation Establishes New Diabetes Health Center at OHSU

Thu, 12 Jul 2007 05:54:00 +0000

Officials from Oregon Health & Science University today announced a unique partnership between multiple units within OHSU, Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, the institution’s two fundraising foundations, and the Harold & Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation to make OHSU the region’s premier clinical and educational center for diabetes. Scheduled to open in the fall of 2007, the Harold Schnitzer Diabetes Health Center will treat children and adults with diabetes, train current and future diabetes specialists and provide resources that improve the standard of care for diabetes patients across the region, including those in underserved areas.

A leadership gift of $5.5 million from the Harold & Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation – also announced today – serves as the catalyst for a significant financial commitment from OHSU, the OHSU Foundation and the Doernbecher Children’s Hospital Foundation to establish the center, endow its key faculty positions, and support its operations until it becomes financially self-sustaining in the years ahead.

Officials from OHSU and the Harold & Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation said the center will likely become one of the West Coast’s leading diabetes centers and one of the few anywhere to treat both children and adult patients in one facility. More broadly, officials heralded today’s announcement as a visionary model for new clinical and academic initiatives. By forming partnerships with entities increasingly affected by diabetes – including insurers, other healthcare systems, government agencies, employers, businesses and health-related non-profits – OHSU and other educators of health professionals can contribute new solutions to this expanding public health threat beyond what any one entity is capable of doing on its own.

“OHSU is proud to have earned this remarkable level of support from the Harold & Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation. We’re tremendously grateful, not only for this generous gift but also for the opportunity to partner with them in this exciting venture,” said OHSU President Joe Robertson, M.D., M.B.A.“This exciting new partnership will result in a regional center of world-class diabetes care, while also forging a powerful multi-disciplinary collaboration involving numerous units of OHSU, including Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, together with the philanthropic community. This center reflects new and better strategies for delivering healthcare, conducting research, training health professionals and addressing important public health challenges.”

The gift will provide initial operational support for the center, endow key faculty positions and fund staff positions and programs for diabetes patient education. Among the other principal participants, OHSU is investing substantially in facilities renovation and administrative start-up support, and the Doernbecher Children’s Hospital Foundation has committed $3 million toward an OHSU Foundation initiative to raise the additional $10 million specified in the center’s business plan.

Backed by this partnership, the center is emblematic of OHSU’s strategic plan for all new ventures to become financially self-sustaining. “This represents a major milestone in the life of the university,” Robertson said.

“Beyond the shared financial and organizational commitment,” he said, “this center represents a paradigm shift in how we structure and support important clinical and educational ventures.” He explained that the center requires a close level of cooperation among OHSU’s schools of medicine and nursing; academic departments such as endocrinology, cardiology, ophthalmology, pediatrics, nephrology and transplant surgery; and clinical units such as OHSU and Doernbecher hospitals. Patients will benefit directly from this more integrated, patient-focused approach to treatment, he said.

Today’s announcement fulfills a longtime goal for newly appointed Center Director Andrew J. Ahmann, M.D., an associate professor of medicine (endocrinology, diabetes and clinical nutrition) in the OHSU School of Medicine. “I and many others have dreamed of creating a comprehensive diabetes center at OHSU for many years. We’ve come a long way, and we plan to continue working aggressively to raise the additional funds we will need to position the center for fiscal sustainability. However, this generous gift and the future support it will help to generate have put us well on the way toward realizing our complete vision for diabetes healthcare in Oregon, even throughout the Pacific Northwest. When the center opens this fall, we will have the space and resources to keep pace with the growing demand for family-oriented diabetes care.”

In Oregon alone, the incidence of diabetes has risen by more than 80 percent during the past decade, Ahmann said, adding the rate among young people is even higher. In addition to genetic factors, the spike in cases is driven by issues of diet, physical inactivity, obesity and related issues. As in all healthcare institutions, individuals with diabetes represent a steadily increasing proportion of OHSU’s outpatient and inpatient volume. Greater physical capacity and the funds to expand clinical staffing will offset these mounting challenges, he said, while enhancing OHSU’s capabilities for patient education tailored to the needs of children, young adults and adults. Adding capacity for patient education and preventive medicine is key to helping patients avoid the complications of diabetes while working with families to help prevent diabetes from striking other members.

Ahmann said the center will also assist in training future health professionals and providing continuing medical education for the region’s practitioners – a benefit with enormous potential to improve healthcare in rural and other underserved areas of the region. Once fully established, the center will also play an important role in translating OHSU research breakthroughs into new treatments and care strategies. “We hope the success of this clinical center, with its capabilities for improved care and clinical research, will lead to later investment in basic and expanded clinical diabetes research, beyond the scope of this important first step,” Ahmann said.

“The center will contribute significantly to the improved health of people in our region in the here and now,” he said, “but elevating the stature and capability of diabetes care at OHSU will foster collaboration with other outstanding diabetes centers in the nation, extending our influence on diabetes care throughout the United States while facilitating the flow of new ideas and programs to providers in our region.”

The vision for a new era in diabetes care originated with Harold Schnitzer, a diabetes patient himself, when he realized the challenges millions of patients across the nation face in receiving basic diabetes care and support. “Our healthcare system is not prepared to cope with the increasing number of people confronted with diabetes and struggling to keep it under control,” Schnitzer said. “It’s time for a new approach to diabetes, and I believe the partnership we’re announcing today will lead the way to new solutions – both for patients in OHSU’s immediate service area and for people everywhere with diabetes.”

OHSU Foundation President Steve Sanders praised the donors for this latest example of their strong support for OHSU over the decades. “As leading advocates for health and healing in our community, Harold and Arlene Schnitzer have supported a wide range of programs at OHSU. We are deeply grateful for this remarkable support of OHSU’s diabetes program. It will make such a positive difference in the lives of a large and growing number of people in our region and beyond.”

Renovation work is under way on the center’s new space in the Physicians Pavilion on OHSU’s Marquam Hill campus. Officials are planning a grand opening event this fall. The facility will provide patient-focused amenities such as designated waiting areas, examination rooms and educational spaces tailored to the needs of children, young adults and adults with diabetes.

The center’s OHSU affiliation gives patients access to some of the nation’s finest practitioners in key specialty areas often associated with diabetes: ophthalmology, cardiology, orthopedics, exercise physiology, and more. In addition, as part of a nationally ranked research institution, the center can offer its patients unrivaled access to numerous clinical trials at the forefront of diabetes research.

Harold Schnitzer said the significant investment from OHSU, Doernbecher and their fundraising affiliates highlights the magnitude of the partnership’s commitment to addressing the problems of diabetes. He also said he is eager to expand the enterprise. “We and our partners are committed to the center’s success, and it will happen,” he said, “But additional support and additional partnerships are needed to ensure the center thrives over the long term and that the people of this region, and beyond, benefit.”

The OHSU Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that exists to secure private philanthropic support for Oregon Health & Science University. The foundation raises funds from individuals, companies, foundations and organizations, and invests and manages gifts in accordance with donors’ wishes.

New OHSU Diversity Program Succeeds In Enrolling More Disadvantaged Students In Medical School

Fri, 17 Aug 2007 05:37:11 +0000

First-year students in the Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine will be officially welcomed into the medical profession tomorrow, Friday, Aug. 17. During the ceremony, they will don for the first time the universally recognized and respected mantle of physicians – a white coat. The students will be "cloaked" by medical school faculty in the presence of family and friends.

Although the OHSU White Coat Ceremony takes place every year, this one is different. Among the 120 entering students expected to graduate in 2011 are the first four students to earn admittance through OHSU's new Diversity Achievement Post-Baccalaureate Conditional Acceptance Program. The program, administered by School of Medicine faculty and students, is designed to identify historically underrepresented students. Students like J. (Dodie) Salvador de la Cruz, 25, of Portland.

De la Cruz is among a subset of promising students who traditionally have faced socioeconomic, educational and cultural barriers to medical, physician assistant and other health care schools. Through the new post-bac program and other diversity projects, OHSU is committed to breaking down the barriers that keep disadvantaged students from becoming health care professionals.

"Our goal is to move closer to the day when our community of health care professionals mirrors the demographics of our patients. We will pursue diversity of all types, including socioeconomic, cultural and geographic," said Mark Richardson, M.D., M.B.A., dean, OHSU School of Medicine. "The post-bac program is just one means by which we are achieving that goal."

De la Cruz came to Oregon from the Philippines at age 12. He graduated from La Salle High School in Milwaukie, Ore., receiving an academic scholarship to Willamette University where he earned his bachelor's in biology. He then applied for and was accepted to OHSU's post-bac program, an intense, three-term program that helps prepare aspiring medical students through a rigorous math and science curriculum, academic advising and support, a clinical preceptorship, and medical student mentoring.

"The post-bac program was excellent preparation for the medical school admissions test. It put me on track to finally realize my childhood dream of becoming a doctor. I am grateful for the opportunity," said de la Cruz, who intends to specialize in pediatric oncology, pediatric cardiology or pediatric surgery. "I've always gravitated toward children. It doesn't feel like work when I'm around kids and doing something I love – medicine."

De la Cruz and his wife, Amariek Jensen, a second-year OHSU medical student from Silverton, Ore., do not want to leave Oregon after medical school; rather, they hope to complete their residencies at OHSU, then practice in a rural area like John Day.

A total of eight students were accepted into last year's post-bac program. Four are first-year medical students at OHSU, one will enter the OHSU physician assistant program, and the other three plan to pursue health care education in other venues.

"We are extremely proud of our post-bac students," said Ella Booth, Ph.D., associate dean for diversity and director of the post-bac program. "We continue to seek a diverse student body for an increasingly diverse Oregon population and increased efforts for further diversity enhancement are well under way."

The post-bac program was initially funded through a grant from the Health Careers Opportunity Program of the federal Health Resources and Services Administration, but federal support was abruptly cut. In response, dean Richardson committed funds to offer the school's post-bac program to a smaller group of students this academic year. Four new students have been accepted to the program.

"Through the post-bac and other diversity pipeline programs at OHSU, we anticipate that motivated students like Dodie who face economic and educational obstacles will continue to gain admission to health care professional programs," said Edward Keenan, Ph.D., associate dean for medical education, OHSU School of Medicine.

The Spirit Mountain Community Fund recently awarded a grant to the School of Medicine to achieve even greater student diversity by supporting expanded outreach and preparatory programs at undergraduate institutions in Oregon.

"As a tribal foundation, we are proud to support programs that improve opportunity for ethnically diverse students. Seeing culturally diverse medical care providers in Oregon is a dream for our tribe and foundation," said director Shelley Hanson.

To be eligible for the post-bac program, students must articulate the educational, economic or social disadvantages that have impacted their academic progress. They must further demonstrate a commitment to medicine and compassionate care. Students enrolled in the post-bac program will be conditionally accepted into the School of Medicine. To gain admission, they must complete the post-bac program as well as meet OHSU's academic standards and admissions criteria.

For more information about the Diversity Achievement Post-Baccalaureate Conditional Acceptance Program, contact OHSU Academic and Student Affairs, acad@ohsu.edu.

OHSU SCHOOL OF MEDICINE CLASS OF 2011 FACTS

-- 120 students (65 Female ; 55 male ‑ more women than men mirrors a national trend)

-- Their race (as described by the student):

· 3 African American or Black

· 1 Amer. Indian or Alaskan Native

· 18 Asian or Asian Indian

· 3 Mexican Amer./Chicano/Chicana

· 1 Other Spanish/Hispanic/Latino

· 87 White

· 7 no response

-- Their residence

· 84 Oregonians (the trend toward admitting more Oregonians continues to increase)

· 36 Nonresidents

WHITE COAT CEREMONY

The White Coat Ceremony creates an important focus for students entering medical school. In the presence of family, friends and faculty members, student-physicians are welcomed into the profession of medicine and are cloaked with their first white coats. The class members and physicians also stand to recite the Oath of Geneva, pledging their commitment to their teachers, patients, colleagues and profession.

Through involvement in this meaningful ritual at the beginning of medical school, student-physicians become more aware of their professional responsibilities. The ceremony impresses upon them the primacy of the doctor-patient relationship. It also encourages them to accept t obligations inherent in the practice of medicine: to be excellent in science, to be compassionate, and to lead lives of uprightness and honor It emphasize for students the physician's responsibility to take care of patients and also to care for patients. The message is conveyed is that physicians must care as well as cure.

OHSU Research Suggests America May Over-Vaccinate

Wed, 07 Nov 2007 19:10:34 +0000

A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine this week by Oregon Health & Science University researchers suggests that timelines for vaccinating and revaccinating Americans against disease should possibly be reevaluated and adjusted. The study shows that in many cases, the established duration of protective immunity for many vaccines is greatly underestimated. This means that people are getting booster shots when their immunity levels most likely do not require it. The results are published in the November 8 edition of the journal.

"The goal of this study was to determine how long immunity could be maintained after infection or vaccination. We expected to see long-lived immunity following a viral infection and relatively short-lived immunity after vaccination, especially since this is the reasoning for requiring booster vaccinations. Surprisingly, we found that immunity following vaccination with tetanus and diphtheria was much more long-lived than anyone realized and that antibody responses following viral infections were essentially maintained for life," explained Mark Slifka, Ph.D. Slifka serves as an associate scientist at the Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute with joint appointments at the Oregon National Primate Research Center and the department of molecular microbiology and immunology in the OHSU School of Medicine. "We want to emphasize that proper vaccination is vital for protecting people against infectious disease. We also need to mention that over-vaccinating the population poses no health or safety concerns – it may just be unnecessary under certain circumstances. What our study found was that the lifespan of protective immunity for certain vaccines is much longer than previously thought. So what does this mean? Based on this data and other studies, we may want to consider adjusting some of our recommended vaccination schedules. Doing so may reduce the number of required shots that are administered each year in this country while at the same time help extend limited health care resources," Dr. Slifka explained.

To conduct the research, Slifka and his colleagues evaluated 630 blood samples from a total of 45 study participants. In the case of some participants, archived serum samples provided data going back as far as 26 years. Once gathered, the data was then analyzed to determine the level of immunity in each individual for measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox (Varicella-zoster virus), mononucleosis (Epstein-Barr virus), tetanus and diphtheria over an extended period of time. Upon further examination, researchers found that antibody responses caused by viruses such as measles mumps, and rubella remained at protective levels for several decades and in most cases, for life. This is interesting because these three viruses were classically described as "childhood infections" because it was rare to be infected twice in a lifetime.

The research also reconfirmed a previous finding by Slifka and his colleagues: that the duration of immunity after smallpox vaccination is much longer than previously thought. In that earlier study published in the journal Nature Medicine in 2003, these OHSU researchers observed surprisingly long-lived antiviral antibody responses but they were unable to measure the slow rate of decline. In this current study, they demonstrate that this type of immunity is maintained with a calculated half-life of 92 years – a number that is substantially longer than the estimate of only 3 to 5 years of immunity following vaccination that was previously proposed by experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "

Another example is the tetanus vaccine," said Slifka. "Doctors are told that vaccination is effective for a period of 10 years – but after that, people should be revaccinated. Based on our studies and the work of others, once a person has received their primary series of vaccinations they are likely to be protected for at least three decades. Indeed, other countries such as Sweden have changed their vaccination policies and doctors are advised to offer tetanus revaccination only once every 30 years." Importantly, this has not resulted in any increase in the number of tetanus cases in Sweden and demonstrates first-hand that switching from the 10-year to 30-year policy is safe and effective. Taking this small step in vaccination scheduling could save hundreds of millions of dollars on health care here in the US."

This research was supported by the United States Public Health Service. The authors would like to thank the study volunteers from ONPRC for their participation in this study and for their commitment to biomedical research.

About VGTI

Located on the West Campus of OHSU, the Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute was established in March 2001. The overall mission of the VGTI is to respond to the increasingly serious infectious disease threats facing the people of Oregon, the United States and the world as a whole, including AIDS, chronic viral infection-associated diseases, newly emerging viral diseases, and infectious diseases of the elderly. Vaccine development and the development of novel immune and gene therapeutic approaches to these diseases are the major priorities of the faculty.

About ONPRC

About OHSU

Oregon Health & Science University is the state's only health and research university, and only academic health center. As Portland's largest employer and the fourth largest in Oregon (excluding government), OHSU's size contributes to its ability to provide many services and community support activities not found anywhere else in the state. It serves more than 184,000 patients, and is a conduit for learning for more than 3,900 students and trainees. OHSU is the source of more than 200 community outreach programs that bring health and education services to each county in the state.

OHSU Knight Cancer Institute Discovers Why Gleevec-Type Drugs Control, But Do Not Eradicate Leukemia

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 20:41:41 +0000

Oregon Health & Science University Knight Cancer Institute researchers are closer to understanding why certain chronic myeloid leukemia mutations are not stopped by the revolutionary targeted cancer pill, Gleevec, or similar therapies in that drug family.

Gleevec, also called imatinib, works by shutting down a critical protein, BCR-ABL, which causes leukemia cells to grow uncontrollably. However, Gleevec also affects other proteins, specifically the KIT protein, which exists on the surface of certain cells and binds to a substance that causes them to grow. Researchers wanted to find out if Gleevec's ability to inhibit KIT in addition to BCR-ABL is an important component in its success in stopping this cancer.

"What we found is that only simultaneous inhibition of both proteins effectively suppresses leukemia cell growth, suggesting that the reason imatinib is so clinically successful may be due to its capacity to inhibit both the cancer-causing BCR-ABL and the complementary protein KIT," said Amie Corbin, OHSU Knight Cancer Institute senior research scientist.

"Most of the time we consider 'off-target effects' such as those seen with imatinib against KIT as detrimental because they may cause side effects. Our study indicates that things are a little more complicated: some off-target effects may actually be critical for the efficacy of the drug," said Michael Deininger, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of medicine (hematology/medical oncology), OHSU School of Medicine; head of the Hematologic Malignancies Section, OHSU Knight Cancer Institute; and Scholar of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Corbin stresses that this finding should not impact patients currently taking the drugs imatinib or the related drugs dasatini or nilotinib. However, patients should check with their physicians if they have any concerns. All three of the drugs target both BCR-ABL and KIT. However, novel drugs against multidrug resistant mutants of BCR-ABL may not be as effective if they don't also target KIT and this should be considered in pre-clinical drug development.

Researchers also found that while dual BCR-ABL/KIT inhibition was important to suppress the majority of CML cell types that rely on both BCR-ABL and KIT activity, the most primitive CML stem cells that are resistant to imatinib treatment and cause long-term residual disease in imatinib-treated patients were not sensitive to the effects of KIT inhibition.

"This suggests that CML stem cell survival depends on different proteins that are not targets of imatinib and presents a possible explanation for why these cells survive therapy," Corbin said.

Brian Druker, director of the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, was instrumental in the development of Gleevec (imatinib), and spearheaded the highly successful clinical trials of imatinib for CML.

The research was sponsored by The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Other OHSU Knight Cancer Institute researchers include; Thomas O'Hare, Ph.D.,research specialist, Brian Druker, M.D., JELD-WEN Chair of Leukemia Research, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator and a member of the National Academy of Sciences.

About the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute
The OHSU Knight Cancer Institute is the only National Cancer Institute-designated center between Sacramento and Seattle. It comprises some 200 clinical researchers, basic scientists and population scientists who work together to translate scientific discoveries into longer and better lives for Oregon's cancer patients. In the lab, basic scientists examine cancer cells and normal cells to uncover molecular abnormalities that cause the disease. This basic science informs more than 300 clinical trials conducted at the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute.

About OHSU
Oregon Health & Science University is the state's only health and research university, and Oregon's only academic health center. OHSU is Portland's largest employer and the fourth largest in Oregon (excluding government), with 12,400 employees. OHSU's size contributes to its ability to provide many services and community support activities not found anywhere else in the state. It serves patients from every corner of the state, and is a conduit for learning for more than 3,400 students and trainees. OHSU is the source of more than 200 community outreach programs that bring health and education services to every county in the state.

Tram Proved Its Mettle During Storm

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 00:21:29 +0000

The Portland Aerial Tram had its biggest day of 2008 during the recent snow emergency, recording a total ridership of 5,428 on Tuesday, Dec. 23 – and for the first time since operations began 23 months ago, the two Tram cabins reached full-capacity loads of 78 people on some trips.

OHSU President Joe Robertson, M.D., M.B.A., in an e-mail to employees today, said, “I … want to send up a holiday toast to the Portland Aerial Tram, which once again proved invaluable. Tram operators extended hours, waived fares, and ran the Tram through holidays and Sundays. Their efforts meant we always had a safe, reliable way to get people to and from Marquam Hill, even in the midst of ice, snow, freezing rain and slush.”

Tram ridership totaled 37,644 during the 13 days of the snow emergency beginning on Dec. 15. The $4 fare typically charged to non-OHSU riders was waived throughout the five-day stretch when road travel was most difficult – from Sunday, Dec. 21, through Thursday, Dec. 25 – to accommodate Marquam Hill residents who otherwise would have been stranded.

The Tram operated 18.5 hours straight, from 5:30 a.m. until midnight, on six of the 13 days, and 18 hours on Christmas Day. “Our people worked 43 hours of overtime during the storm period,” said Portland Aerial Tram General Manager Mike Commissaris of Doppelmayr CTEC, which contracts with OHSU to operate the facility.

OHSU Launches 24-Hour POLST Hotline in Clackamas County

Mon, 11 May 2009 19:32:07 +0000

At a Glance

The POLST program seeks to ensure that a patient's end-of-life wishes are followed. It does this in the form of a double-sided medical order form filled out jointly by a patient and their physician, nurse practitioner or physician assistant. The form explains the types of treatments patients want should they become incapacitated. The form helps to ensure that in an emergency situation, medical personnel can obtain quick and accurate information about a patient's wishes for end-of-life care.

Oregon health professionals are hoping to establish a statewide electronic registry for the POLST program.

In preparation for a possible statewide program, an OHSU-coordinated task force is providing Clackamas County residents access to the registry on May 26.

Clackamas County residents and their health care professionals can take part in phase one of the registry by faxing their completed POLST forms to 503-418-2161.

PORTLAND, Ore – Oregon Health & Science University and the Oregon POLST Task Force are launching the first phase of a 24-hour electronic registry/hotline for Oregon's Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) program in Clackamas County later this month. The purpose of the POLST program and hotline are to ensure that in all cases - especially an emergency situation - medical personnel can obtain quick and accurate information about a patient's health care wishes.

POLST is a medical order form completed by a patient and their physician, nurse practitioner or physician assistant. The form is bright pink and provides specific medical instructions to health care professionals, at a time when the patient is incapacitated. It is specifically created for patients with advanced illness or frailty. The form is the first document any provider sees when accessing a patient's medical record. Program participants who remain at home are directed to place the form on their refrigerator.

"Oregon's pioneering POLST program has had an outstanding level of success in ensuring patients' end-of-life wishes are being met. However, to make the program even more successful and far reaching, we have proposed a statewide registry and 24-hour hotline for emergency medical personnel," explained Susan Tolle, M.D., director of the OHSU Center for Ethics in Health Care. "This 24-hour service will make it possible for a person's POLST form to be located and followed even when a patient is away from home or if a copy of the form cannot be located in their home."

Here is how the system will work: When emergency medical personnel are called to take care of an incapacitated person in the advanced stages of illness, they will call the POLST hotline based at OHSU. These first responders will inquire about the existence of a POLST form and ask questions to ensure that the person and the form are an exact match. This information will then be used to help guide the care of the patient.

"The registry will provide the needed back up to the paper form and securely protect POLST orders similar to other health information," according to Terri Schmidt M.D., a professor of emergency medicine, OHSU School of Medicine, and the director of the project.

The POLST program was conceived in 1991 by a group of Oregon health care professionals. They identified the need for a system to ensure that patients with advanced illness and frailty are able to have medical orders that direct their health care. The goal is to be sure that no matter where patients receive care, their treatment wishes will be respected. The result of these discussions was the development of the POLST program.

At this point, 30 other states - including California, Idaho and Washington - have followed Oregon's lead and adopted POLST programs.

To learn more about the POLST program and the new registry visit www.polst.org.

About OHSU
Oregon Health & Science University is the state's only health and research university, and Oregon's only academic health center. OHSU is Portland's largest employer and the fourth largest in Oregon (excluding government). OHSU's size contributes to its ability to provide many services and community support activities not found anywhere else in the state. It serves patients from every corner of the state, and is a conduit for learning for more than 3,400 students and trainees. OHSU is the source of more than 200 community outreach programs that bring health and education services to every county in the state.

Chemo-Radiation Before Prostate Removal May Prevent Cancer Recurrence

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:27:00 +0000

Researchers in the Oregon Health & Science University Knight Cancer Institute and the Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center have found a combination of radiation therapy and chemotherapy given before prostate removal is safe and may have the potential to reduce cancer recurrence and improve patient survival.

Their findings were presented this week at the 51st annual meeting of the American Society of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology in Chicago.

"In men with aggressive prostate cancer, standard therapies such as radiation or surgery often fail to eliminate the cancer completely at the site of treatment. When these cancers recur, they are often fatal," said Mark Garzotto, M.D., principal investigator and Associate Professor of Urology and Radiation Medicine in the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute; and Chief of Urologic Oncology in the Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

Previous clinical trials examining the effect of either hormonal therapy or chemotherapy prior to surgery have shown little if any benefit over prostate removal alone. "Novel approaches are needed if we are to make advances in this disease," added Dr. Garzotto.

The use of multimodality therapy — combined radiation, chemotherapy and surgery — has resulted in improved outcomes in a number of cancers, but has not yet been studied in prostate cancer.

This study looked at whether radiation therapy and chemotherapy (docetaxel) administered before surgery is possible, safe, and, ultimately, capable of preventing cancer recurrences. To answer these questions, Garzotto and colleagues developed a treatment regimen in which radiation and docetaxel were administered together before prostatectomy.

Twelve eligible participants were enrolled in the study between April 2006 and March 2008. The men were given intensity-modulated radiation therapy and increasing doses of docetaxel for five consecutive weeks, which was followed by surgical removal of the prostate gland.

The participants tolerated the treatment well and were able to undergo surgery without any major complications, which was a potential concern in this trial. Specifically there were no rectal or ureteral injuries or blood clots in the legs. Examination of the tumor tissue after surgery showed the cancer margins, evidence of complete removal of all of the cancer, to be clean in 75 percent of patients, which is higher than was expected. Also, the PSA, or prostate-specific antigen levels, a predictor of prostate cancer recurrence, were undetectable after treatment in all patients.

"Our study is the first-ever clinical trial in prostate cancer to combine radiation, chemotherapy and surgery given as a combination treatment before prostate surgery to potentially provide higher cure rates than traditional approaches with fewer side effects," said Arthur Hung, M.D., co-investigator and Assistant Professor of Radiation Medicine in the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute.

The researchers concluded this chemo-radiation combination is feasible and safe and potentially may reduce cancer recurrence rates in this high-risk population. Further, they say the development of this approach now opens the door to the study other drugs in combination with radiation.

The study was funded by sanofi-aventis U.S.

About the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute
With the latest treatments, technologies and 300 research studies and clinical trials, the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute is the only cancer center between Sacramento and Seattle designated by the National Cancer Institute — an honor earned only by the nation's top cancer centers. The honor is shared among the more than 500 doctors, nurses, scientists and staff who work together at the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute to reduce the impact of cancer.

About ASTRO
ASTRO is the largest radiation oncology society in the world, with more than 10,000 members who specialize in treating patients with radiation therapies. As the leading organization in radiation oncology, biology and physics, the Society is dedicated to improving patient care through education, clinical practice, advancement of science and advocacy. For more information on ASTRO's 51st Annual Meeting, please visit www.astro.org/Meetings/AnnualMeetings

Reminder: Portland Aerial Tram Closed for Maintenance May 25 - 31

Mon, 24 May 2010 22:53:07 +0000

The Portland Aerial Tram will shut down Tuesday, May 25, through Monday, May 31, for scheduled replacement of the tram’s haul rope. Tram service will resume Tuesday, June 1, after the Memorial Day holiday. Memorial Day week was chosen for this project to limit the number of closure days.

During the downtime, shuttle buses will run between the Oregon Health & Science University Center for Health & Healing and the OHSU Kohler Pavilion roundabout. Buses are expected to depart each location approximately every 15 minutes. During the maintenance period, trips between OHSU’s Marquam Hill Campus and the South Waterfront may take up to 30 minutes.

The “haul rope” is the cable that pulls the tram up and down Marquam Hill.
Since the Tram opened more than three years, the cabins have made 180,000 trips, carrying more than 4 million passengers, making the Portland Aerial Tram one of the most frequently used tram lines in the world. Replacement of the haul rope is standard scheduled maintenance for the tram.

For more information about the tram including schedule and fees, visit http://www.portlandtram.org/

# # #

OHSU Offers Parkinson's Disease Treatment Update for Patients, General Public

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 23:25:29 +0000

WHAT: The OHSU Parkinson Center of Oregon, in partnership with The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, is hosting a research roundtable for patients and the general public. A panel of leading scientific experts will discuss cutting-edge research and the latest findings about Parkinson’s disease. Former NBA and Portland Trail Blazers player Brian Grant, who has Parkinson’s, is expected to make at appearance at the roundtable.

WHEN: Sunday, Aug. 1, 12:30 to 2:30 p.m.

WHERE: Vey Conference Center, 11th Floor, OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, 3181 S.W. Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland.

DETAILS: The event is free, but advance registration is required. To register or to obtain more information, call 503 494-7231.

# # #

What Makes Fructose Fattening? OHSU Researchers Find Some Potential Clues in the Brain

Thu, 10 Feb 2011 00:56:51 +0000

The dietary concerns of too much fructose are well documented. Sweeteners containing fructose are commonly added to processed foods. Many dietary experts believe this increase directly correlates to the nation’s growing obesity epidemic. Now, new research at Oregon Health & Science University demonstrates that the brain – which serves as a master control for body weight – reacts differently to fructose compared with another common sweetener, glucose. The research is published in the online edition of the journal Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism and will appear in the March print edition.

"We know from animal models that the brain responds uniquely to different nutrients and that these responses can determine how much they eat,” said Jonathan Purnell, M.D., an associate professor of medicine (endocrinology, diabetes and clinical nutrition) in the OHSU School of Medicine.

“With newer technologies such as functional MRI, we can examine how brain activity in humans reacts when exposed to, say, carbohydrates or fats. What we’ve found in this case is that the brain’s response to fructose is very different to the response to glucose, which is less likely to promote weight gain.”

Functional MRI allows researchers to watch brain activity in real time. To conduct the research, nine normal-weight human study subjects were imaged as they received an infusion of fructose, glucose or a saline solution. When the resulting brain scans from these three groups were compared, the scientists observed distinct differences.

Brain activity in the hypothalamus, one brain area involved in regulating food intake, was not affected by either fructose or glucose. However, activity in the cortical brain control areas showed the opposite response during infusions of the sugars. Activity in these areas was inhibited when fructose was given but activated during glucose infusion.

This is an important finding because these control brain areas included sites that are thought to be important in determining how we respond to food taste, smells, and pictures, which the American public is bombarded with daily.

“This study provides evidence in humans that fructose and glucose elicits opposite responses in the brain. It supports the animal research that shows similar findings and links fructose with obesity,” added Purnell.“For consumers, our findings support current recommendations that people be conscious of sweeteners added to their drinks and meals and not overindulge on high-fructose, processed foods.”

The OHSU Advanced Imaging Research Center, the Oregon Clinical and Translational Research Institute at OHSU, the NIH Roadmap for Medical Research, the USDA-ARS Project, the Diabetes Action Research and Education Foundation, and the National Center for Research Resources, a component of the National Institutes of Health, funded this research.

About OHSU

Oregon Health & Science University is the state’s only health and research university, and only academic health center. As Portland's largest employer and the fourth largest in Oregon (excluding government), OHSU's size contributes to its ability to provide many services and community support activities not found anywhere else in the state. It serves more than 184,000 patients, and is a conduit for learning for more than 3,900 students and trainees. OHSU is the source of more than 200 community outreach programs that bring health and education services to each county in the state.

OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital Among Top 50 in the Nation

Wed, 18 May 2011 04:06:00 +0000

Pediatric experts across the nation have named OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital one of the best in the country in eight of 10 ranked specialties, according to U.S. News Best Children’s Hospitals 2011-12.

The rankings recognize the top 50 children’s hospitals in the United States in 10 specialties: cancer, cardiology and heart surgery, diabetes and endocrinology, gastroenterology, neonatology, nephrology, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopedics, pulmonology and urology.

“At OHSU Doernbecher we believe that every child deserves the best. That’s why we’ve worked so hard to recruit researchers, educators, physicians, nurses and staff to provide exceptional care to children in Oregon and Southwest Washington. I am delighted that we’ve received this recognition,” said Stacy Nicholson, M.D., M.P.H., Physician-in-Chief at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital and Credit Unions for Kids Professor and Chair of Pediatrics in the OHSU School of Medicine.

Last year, the first year it applied to be listed, OHSU Doernbecher was included in one category — cancer. This year OHSU Doernbecher ranks in:

More information

Full rankings and methodology

OHSU Rankings

Cancer
Cardiology and heart surgery
Diabetes and endocrinology
Neonatology
Nephrology
Neurology and neurosurgery
Pulmonology
Urology

U.S. News Best Children’s Hospitals collects clinical and operational data from a lengthy survey completed by approximately 177 hospitals. The survey asks thousands of pediatric specialists questions about survival rates, nurse staffing, subspecialist availability, and many more pieces of crucial information difficult or impossible for those in charge of a child’s care to find on their own. The data from the survey is combined with recommendations from pediatric specialists on the hospitals they consider best at treating the sickest children.

About OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital

OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital is a world-class facility that each year cares for tens of thousands of children from Oregon, southwest Washington and around the nation, including national and international referrals for specialty care. Children have access to a full range of pediatric care, not just treatments for serious illness or injury, resulting in more than 195,000 outpatient visits, discharges, surgeries and pediatric transports annually. Nationally recognized physicians ensure that children receive exceptional care, including outstanding cancer treatment, specialized neurology care and highly sophisticated heartsurgery in the most patient- and family-centered environment. Pediatric experts from OHSU Doernbecher travel throughout Oregon and southwest Washington to provide specialty care to some 3,000 children at more than 154 outreach clinics in 13 locations.

Gov. Kitzhaber Signs Bill Requiring Coverage of Telemedicine for Diabetes

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 16:27:56 +0000

Gov. Kitzhaber today took part in a signing ceremony for legislation that authorizes the Harold Schnitzer Diabetes Health Center at Oregon Health & Science University to develop and conduct a pilot study that uses telemedicine as a means to treat patients with diabetes. The bill passed both houses with unanimous votes and is effective January 1, 2012.

The intent of the legislation is to promote greater and more efficient contact between physicians and their patients with diabetes via two-way audio and video conferencing, phone and email. The telemedicine project would specifically apply to those individuals with diabetes who are being treated with complex insulin regimens. Telemedicine has been shown to reduce travel expenses and time away from work for patients in remote areas, and help staff more effectively manage their time.

After the two-year pilot study, OHSU will analyze and report results to the 2013 Legislature. If the data indicate both increased quality of patient care and improved cost and time efficiencies, the potential to expand telemedicine service and have it covered by insurance carriers in the state of Oregon may be expanded to include the health management of other diseases.

“We are extremely pleased that the OHSU Harold Schnitzer Diabetes Health Center was selected to lead this effort. Our preliminary findings will be shared intermittently over the next two years with Oregon leaders and other partners in diabetes prevention and treatment,” said Andrew Ahmann, M.D., director of the Harold Schnitzer Diabetes Health Center at OHSU.

# # #

SB 787 -- Requires health benefit plan to provide coverage of telemedical health service provided in connection with treatment of diabetes that meets certain criteria if health service is otherwise covered by plan.

About Oregon Health & Science University

OHSU Nursing Students Graduate Across the State of Oregon, Ensure Another Generation of Health Care Providers

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 18:48:15 +0000

Oregon Health & Science University nursing students from every corner of the state and beyond are entering the workforce this summer. Earlier this month, the students graduated during a series of ceremonies held at OHSU School of Nursing campuses across Oregon, including in Portland, Ashland, Monmouth, Klamath Falls and La Grande. The school also offers online courses via a virtual campus.

"Having several campuses means that Oregon's future nurses can learn near their homes. More importantly, because nurses often find work near the location where they train, this system helps ensure that our school helps fulfill the entire region's nursing needs," said OHSU School of Nursing Dean Michael Bleich, Ph.D., R.N., F.A.A.N. and the Dr. Carol A. Lindeman Distinguished Professor.

Below is a list of the School of Nursing 2011 graduates and their hometowns:

Albany, OR

Andrea Chladek –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Clare J. Thompson –Doctor of Nursing Practice
Doryce L. Wall –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Rebekah Schaffner –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Albuquerque, NM

Meredith Marie Wallis –Master of Science –Certified Nurse Midwifery

Aloha, OR

Antonene L. Drew –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Alsea, OR

Elizabeth Camille Cathcart –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Amity, OR

Stephanie Marie Coelho –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Anchorage, AK

Elizabeth Marie Balistreri –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Ann Arbor, MI

Katharine R. Gunderson –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Applegate, OR

John V. Rodriguez –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Appleton, WI

Dana C. Gerrits –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Ashland, OR

Aubree Johnson McCoy (name change) –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Audrey M. Holmes (name change) –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Brandon Thomas Aleshire –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Clarissa E. Showers –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Daniella Dieterich –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Janice Aileen Jones –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Joy M. Denton –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Justin McCoy –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Leisa Stewart –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Rebecca Anne Van Hout –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Stella Burkett –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Tiffany Tomiye Johnson –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Astoria, OR

Frances Alicia Dugan –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Baker City, OR

Allyson L. Howarth –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Angela Kirby –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Bangkok, Thailand

Pimpaporn Pam Hiransomboon –Master of Nursing –Family Nurse Practitioner

Banks, OR

Connie M. Bartsch –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Teresa C. Stenlund –Master of Nursing –Family Nurse Practitioner

Beaverton, OR

Gary James Saxton, Jr. –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Nancy J. Drogin –Master of Science –Nursing Education

Bellevue, WA

Laura Jane Smith Gadzik –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Bellingham, WA

Shane M. Gillett –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Bend, OR

John Njenga –Master of Public Health
Kathryn Tiffany Fredericks –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Muriel M. DeLaVergne-Brown –Certificate Program –Public Health
Sarah Elizabeth Skotte –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Berkeley, CA

Annie E. Johnson –Master of Nursing –Certified Nurse Midwifery

Bethesda, MD

Miriam Nehama Rosenberg –Master of Nursing –Certified Nurse Midwifery

Bluefield, WV

Sara Rish Urquhart –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Boise, ID

Katie Hatfield –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Bonanza, OR

Amber D. Converse –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Brookings, OR

Melissa Marie Witt –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Stacey L. Randolph –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Camas, WA

Christine Ann Brown –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Shannon Marie Hogan –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Canyonville, OR

Danitra Rainelle Brown –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Carlisle, PA

Nathan Denison Lee –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Centerville, MA

Charity Grace Pape –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Central Point, OR

Allan J. Stanley Barnes –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Christina Jean-marie Muswieck –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Sherrell L. Burton –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Chino, CA

Marisol Fierro –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Christmas Valley, OR

Lareina N. Albertson –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Colorado Springs, CO

Lindsay Kathleen Kaping –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Coos Bay, OR

Dustin Lee Hawk –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Katherine Garnett –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Coquille, OR

Bobbie Marie Woods –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Corbett, OR

Cynthia Jean Mershon –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Cornelius, OR

Jolene Pyle –Post Masters Certificate –Advanced Gerontological Nursing

Corvallis, OR

Caroline M. Mackey –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Claire Schuft –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Jessalyn Gray –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Joel L. Weinman –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Kristina LeeAnn Loprinzi –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Laurel Ann Staton-Smith –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Lisa Jean Boeder –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Mindy Kay Hoffman –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Susan Joy Wegelt Heinz –Doctor of Nursing Practice

Cottage Grove, OR

Kimberlee Rose Knight –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Kristine Rachel Meyer –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Cove, OR

Erin R. Olsen –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Dallas, OR

Heather Shireen Yancey –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Michelle Dawn Pulliam –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Valeicia Herman –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Dayton, OR

Megan E. Umbenhower –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Dufur, OR

Stefany Jill McMullen –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Eagle Point, OR

Emma L. Gonzalez –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
John Daughfus Jessop –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Larissa Y. Medina –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Etna, CA

Tracie Lynn Szczepanek –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Eugene, OR

Alisa Marie Lux –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Angelica Calderon –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Bhavaya Sachdeva –Master of Public Health
Brandi Michelle Libby –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Cari Cathleen Stone –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Cassondra Marie Allen –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Cathleen Ann Healey –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Clinton E. Oliver –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Colleen Kristin O'Connell –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Emily J. Elliott –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Frances Ida Voss –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Hanorah Brighid Cary –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Jennifer L. Hardwick –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Jennifer Lynn Jarman –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Jill Amanda Tauchert –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Jill Gloria Brock –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Katherine Young Cadigan –Certificate Program –Public Health
Kendra Sung Kyung Northam – Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Kimberly Irene Paiement –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Lorissa Olson Miller –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Lynn Medill –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Marissa Hansen –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Megan Ellen Barckert –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Richard Edwin Andrews –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Sarieah Macdonald –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Sharee Deanna Bantz –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Sharon Albertine McGinness Voss –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Sierra L. Hovdey –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Sonya Rene Scott –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Stephanie Marie Atkinson –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
William Earl Betts –Master of Nursing –Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

Florence, OR

Andrea L. Scott –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Cassandra Stephanie Antosz –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Inna Hyett –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Jacquelyn N. Hutchings –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Forest Grove, OR

Tasha Marie McIntosh –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Glen Ellyn, IL

Eva Christine Cicilian –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Glenwood Springs, CO

Dustin A. Lanci –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Gold Hill, OR

Erin Brooke Sullivan –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Grants Pass, OR

Jennifer Lynn Pond –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Joseph A. Biscarret –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Lacey Janelle Richner –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Lisa M. Martin –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Margarita Cristina Weld –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Michael Robert Weld –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Shannon Renee Gilman –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Great Falls, MT

Frederick Michael McNeil –Doctor of Nursing Practice

Greensboro, NC

Kimary Ondine Vigliano –Master of Nursing –Certified Nurse Midwifery

Gresham, OR

Anna Perepechkin –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Casey Erin Levy –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Jessica Core –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Joanne Lee Miracle –Post Masters Certificate –Advanced Gerontological Nursing
Katherine Kammann –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Uzoma Robert Izunagbara –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Hawaii

Summer Blue –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Hermiston, OR

Kristen Michelle Larkin –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Hillsboro, OR

Barbari Cheri Bailey –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Mary Kathryn Gow –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Hines, OR

Ashley Jo Vanderdasson –Master of Nursing –Family Nurse Practitioner

Homer, AK

Erin V. Markis –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Huntington, NY

Jean A. Daniels –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Independence, OR

Joel Eben Dupuis –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Irrigon, OR

Jennifer E. Quick –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Jacksonville, OR

Jay A. Strazdas –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Rebecca Kathleen Fleming –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

John Day, OR

Timothy Steven Neilson –Doctor of Nursing Practice

Keizer, OR

Tina Louise Schindler –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Kelso, WA

Judith Ann Clawson Rose –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Kiana, AK

Verné F. Boerner –Master of Public Health

Klamath Falls, OR

Amanda J. McLin –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Amy E. Wilkenloh –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Amy Marie Blankenship –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Ana Griselda Leon Alvarado –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Ashley Lynn Legget –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
BobiJo Wheelock –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Dawn Noble –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Elizabeth Marie Hankins –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Karla Cossette –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Kendra M. Cundiff –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Lauren Kay Roberts –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Melodie A. Rivera –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Michael K. Gilder –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Michelle G. Blaire (name change) –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Sabrina DeVall –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Sierra M. Hartnell –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Tamera C. Bancroft –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Teresa M. Brunick –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Tiffini R. Cole –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

La Grande, OR

Andrea Lee Weimer –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Heather Elizabeth Moyer –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Lake Charles, LA

Christopher Leger –Master of Nursing –Nurse Anesthesia

Lake Oswego, OR

Natalya Balanetskaya –Master of Nursing –Family Nurse Practitioner

Lakeview, OR

Erika Louise Coon –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Jacqueline Terrece Cahill –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Jill Fae Gage –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Las Vegas, NV

Christopher Andre –Master of Nursing –Nurse Anesthesia

Lebanon, OR

Danell Lee Bjornson –Master of Nursing –Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Jeremiah Ned Johnson –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Lewiston, ID

Chaney Leanne Reel Davis –Post Masters Certificate –Family Nurse Practitioner

Lincoln City, OR

Myra Ladd Thompson –Doctor of Nursing Practice

Manila, Philippines

Windelaine Claire Alegrado Chio –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Manlius, NY

Jenney Anne Stringer –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Marinette, WI

Amanda Rae Olive –Master of Public Health

McMinnville, OR

Carrie Jean Roth –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Elisabeth Kathleen Johnstone –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Kathleen Madison –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Kimberlly L. Sheehan –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Medford, OR

Alexandra Tecmire –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Angela Chaplin –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Brandon M. Sperle –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Brandy Karla Martin-Medina –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Grace So Ruth Aspinwall (name change) –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Jennifer Angelina Coronado (name change) –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Leshaya Honora Spears –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Nicole Suzanne Elliott –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Rebecca Anne Warren –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Rigo S. Maya –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Shanin M. Tompkins –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Traci Hamblin –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Mercer Island, WA

Cheryl Lorraine Berenson –Master of Public Health

Middleton, ID

Christina Carmela Baldisseri –Master of Public Health

Milwaukie, OR

Karen A. Greenleaf –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Nicole K. Thorburn –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Modesto, CA

Amy Elizabeth Holden –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Monmouth, OR

Julia Esther Thomas –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Monroe, OR

Daysha Rea Mitchell –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Tracy Ann Mejia –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Mt. Vernon, OR

Sarah L. Hancock –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Myrtle Creek, OR

Decembre Lee Karels –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Navrongo, Ghana

Maxwell Danlogo –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Neskowin, OR

Danae J. Lyda Martin –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Nevada City, CA

Elise Anne Morgan –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

New Cumberland, PA

Taira Coryn Butler –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Nine Mile Falls, WA

Chelsea F. Rasmussen –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

North Bend, OR

Tracy Yvonne Fawns –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

O'Brien, OR

Salena Gip Su –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Oakland, CA

Kimberly Marie Byrne –Master of Public Health
Violet Lawther Lakeland (name change) –Master of Nursing –Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

Oregon City, OR

Alyssa Martin –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Darcie A. Brown –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Denise Coughlin –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Emily Kelley –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Lindsey T. Lehl –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Lisa S. Felix –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Pendleton, OR

Sarah Kathleen Peal –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Tina K. Holtz –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
William Sanford Schappert –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Philomath, OR

Tia Marie Swaney –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Phoenix, AZ

Emily Dawn VanVleet –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Pleasanton, CA

Megan M. Burgers –Master of Nursing –Certified Nurse Midwifery

Portland, OR

Adria Yvonne Goodness –Post Masters Certificate –Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Ailon Dekel Solomon –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Alexis Renee Aschenbrenner –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Amanda Rae Formoso –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Amy K. Paul –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Angela C. Chiodo –Master of Science –Certified Nurse Midwifery
Angela Joan Dodak –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Ann Shim Lipscomb –Certificate Program –Public Health
Anna Claire Arzt – Master of Nursing –Family Nurse Practitioner
Anne Stark –Master of Science –Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
April Louise Schultz –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Benjamin Raj Anderson –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Biba Mustafic –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Brooks R. Gaston –Master of Science –Family Nurse Practitioner
Cassandra Eichenberger –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Catherine Faye Couey –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Christine Marie Titus –Master of Nursing –Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Christine R. Ernst –Master of Nursing –Family Nurse Practitioner
Connie Kim Yen Nguyen-Truong –Doctor of Philosophy –Nursing
Daniela Letz – Master of Nursing –Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Danielle L. Maier –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
David James Bruckner –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Debra A. Cohen –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Dixie Shurling Mills –Master of Science –Nurse Anesthesia
Elaine M. Sanders Botner –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Elisabeth Anne Harvey –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Elizabeth A. Labby –Master of Nursing –Certified Nurse Midwifery
Emily Brown –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Erin Claire O'Leary –Master of Nursing –Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Erin E. Freyer –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Erin E. Wheelis –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Erin Elizabeth Taylor –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Gillian Gail Beck –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Heather Anne Wilson –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Heather S. Gruver –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Heidi A. Masanga –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Heidi Marie Brill –Master of Public Health
Helen Breanna Lee –Master of Public Health
Helen Christine Cernava –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Holly R. May –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Ilona Hyett –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Jannell Darlene Werner –Master of Nursing –Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Jennifer Goodman –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Jennifer JoAnne King –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Jennifer Nicole Burth –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Jenny L. Kanter –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Jessica D. Sexton –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Jessica Reiss Kerstetter –Master of Nursing –Certified Nurse Midwifery
Jill Ellen Murray –Post Masters Certificate –Advanced Gerontological Nursing
Jorja Janelle Duren –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Joseph R. Zelk –Doctor of Nursing Practice
Joshua Shepherd –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Kaela Marie Hopkins –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Karen Jinoak Borgoy –Post Masters Certificate –Family Nurse Practitioner
Kathryn Rose Van Beeck –Post Masters Certificate –Advanced Gerontological Nursing
Kathy Ghorbani –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Kelly A. Nickerson –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Kelly Diane Henry –Master of Nursing –Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Kerry Mahoney Mitchell –Master of Nursing –Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Kimberly Bosley –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Kindra Theresa Scanlon –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Kira Marie Park –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Kira Michelle Cooper –Master of Public Health
Kristin Lois Cummings –Master of Nursing –Psychicatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Lani Doser –Master of Nursing –Family Nurse Practitioner
Lauren E. Lopez –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Lawrence Maldonado –Master of Nursing –Family Nurse Practitioner
Lisa J. Incognito –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Loreen G. Leu –Master of Nursing –Family Nurse Practitioner
Maria Loebach –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Maria R. Opie –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Maria Rocha-Avila –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Mary Cathleen Farnsworth –Master of Nursing –Certified Nurse Midwifery
Michele Turner Sharp –Master of Science –Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Miranda Leigh Foust –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Mireille Gabrielle Sadiye LaFont –Certificate Program –Public Health
Molly Jane Strattan –Post Masters Certificate –Family Nurse Practitioner
Natasha Ryan Zittin –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Rachel Anna Hufford –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Rebecca Marie Serna –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Rebecca Michelle Berman –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Robin E. Shea –Post Masters Certificate –Advanced Gerontological Nursing
Ryan J. Farley –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Samantha Greed –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Sarah Nason –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Shannon Lee Smith – Master of Nursing –Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Sheila Bachand –Master of Science –Nurse Anesthesia
Tamara Jill Brown –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Valerie Lynn Titan –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Valerie Marie Davis –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Wanda Kay Edwards –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Wanrachnee Pienpakdee –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Ying Zhang –Master of Nursing –Nurse Anesthesia

Ramsey, MN

Michelle Taylor Turney Lane –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Redmond, OR

Jessica Hope Slaughter –Master of Nursing –Nurse Anesthesia
Sarah Kate Hartley –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Reedsport, OR

David Ray Wilmarth –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Ridgefield, WA

Julia Rose Gertsen –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Rogue River, OR

Jennifer Michelle Mendick –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Mary Lee Cardoza –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Roseburg, OR

Abigail Lynn Peterson –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Angela I. Osburn –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Brittney Lynn Tice –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Cynthia Sue Germain –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Saint Helens, OR

Evamarie Mace –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Salem, OR

Anastasiya V. Makarenko ––Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Dannel Marrie Jaynes –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
David S. Wear –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Desiree C. Campbell –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Karen Jean Fredrickson –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Kelsey Marie Waybrant –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Michael Shawn Clark –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Naomi Dominique Desir –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Natalie Polzen –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Nicole Irene Arana –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Todd L. Hixson –Master of Nursing –Nurse Anesthesia
Vanessa Anne Underwood –Master of Nursing –Psychiatric Mental Health Practitioner

Salt Lake City, UT

Sarah Elizabeth Bodian –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

San Francisco, CA

Dannell Shawn Weese –Certificate Program –Public Health
Sarah Beth Futernick –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

San Rafael, CA

Sabrina Littée –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Sandpoint, ID

Meghan Katherine Ryberg –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Santa Fe, NM

Shabd Simran Kaur Adeniji –Master of Public Health

Seaside, OR

Emma K. Fenton –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Seattle, WA

Angela Rose Crutis –Master of Nursing –Nurse Anesthesia
Brian Clement Cook –Master of Nursing –Nurse Anesthesia
Christina A. Padden –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Kellen Taverniti Martyn –Master of Nursing –Nurse Anesthesia

Silverton, OR

Cynthia M. Harper –Post Masters Certificate –Advanced Gerontological Nursing
Gretchen Colleen Vachter –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Spokane, WA

Karina Marie Squire –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Richelle Erin Reid –Bachelor of Science –Nursing

Springfield, OR

Jamie M. Headings –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Laura L. Miles –Bachelor of Science –Nursing
Lorretta L. Nolan –B

OHSU’s Leadership in LGBT Health Care Equality Receives National Attention

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 21:28:52 +0000

Oregon Health & Science University has been named a national leader in lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Health Care Equality. As a result, OHSU will be highlighted in the Healthcare Equality Index 2011 report.

The report contains the results of this year's Healthcare Equality Index, an annual survey administered and published by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC). In this year's report, OHSU earned top marks for its policies and practices related to LGBT patients and their families. More specifically, OHSU's efforts to ensure health care equality for these patients and their families earned it the distinction of being among the 27 survey respondents to meet all applicable criteria.

Along with a handful of other survey participants that met all applicable criteria, OHSU was invited to write a testimonial for inclusion in the report. The comments, by OHSU's Dr. Norwood Knight-Richardson appear on page 72 of the report. Here are two excerpts.

"As Portland's largest employer, and the fourth largest in Oregon (excluding government), OHSU takes pride that our equal opportunity policy is now inclusive of both sexual orientation and gender identity/ expression."

"We are proud of our commitment to the LGBT community and will continue creating an inclusive environment for our patients, employees and the larger community."

Norwood Knight-Richardson, M.D., M.A., M.B.A.,vice president and chief administrative officer at OHSU

The Health Equality Index focuses on key policies and practices that lay the foundation for a welcoming environment for LGBT patients and families. These include:

Specific references to sexual orientation and gender identity in the patients' bill of rights and non-discrimination policies
Patient and employment non-discrimination
Inclusive visitation policies for same-sex parents and couples
Cultural competency training for staff that addresses healthcare issues related to the LGBT community

Overall, a total of 87 survey respondents took part, representing 375 facilities rated in the report.

For more information on the Healthcare Equality Index 2011, or to download a free copy of the report, visit: www.hrc.org/hei.

About OHSU

OHSU School of Dentistry Team Compares Bacteria on Two Types Braces After One Year of Orthodontic Treatment

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 19:00:30 +0000

Researchers at the Oregon Health & Science University School of Dentistry have determined that patients with elastomeric (traditional “rubber band” style) orthodontic brackets have similar levels of bacteria as patients wearing self-ligating (gated) orthodontic brackets when examined after one year. This is in contrast to an OHSU pilot study one year ago that determined elastomeric orthodontic bracket patients had significantly higher plaque retention than self-ligating orthodontic bracket wearers after examination at one week and five weeks. The researchers also found in the new study that patients wearing self-ligating orthodontic brackets and elastomeric orthodontic brackets had similar numbers of white-spot lesions.

Their findings are published online in the Summer 2011 issue of Orthodontics: The Art and Practice of Dentofacial Enhancement.

Numerous studies have shown an increase in caries-causing bacteria in young people with fixed orthodontic appliances. Because of the increased difficulty in cleaning teeth once orthodontic appliances are placed, there is an increase in plaque accumulation and the development of undesirable white-spot lesions.

The goal of the OHSU study was to further examine the use of ATP-driven (adenosine triphosphate-driven) bioluminescence to accurately quantify bacteria that cause plaque; compare plaque amounts between wearers of self-ligating orthodontic brackets and elastomeric orthodontic brackets one year post-bonding; and analyze the formation of white-spot lesions by digital photography and a portable laser light fluorescence.

Thirteen OHSU orthodontics patients ages 12 or older who were in the original braces study one year ago were re-examined for this study. None had white-spot lesions when the brackets were fitted and oral hygiene instructions were presented to all patients.

The OHSU team found the simple rapid tool, ATP-driven bioluminescence, continues to be highly predictive of numbers of total plaque and total oral bacteria in orthodontic patients. While the numbers of bacteria in patients were higher at one year post-bonding than at five weeks, there was no significant difference in the numbers of total plaque bacteria surrounding the two different bracket types after one year of orthodontic treatment. Based on photographic and laser determinations, white-spot lesions were found at nearly equal frequency on teeth bonded with either bracket type.

“The disappearance of differences in total plaque bacteria surrounding the two bracket types after one year of orthodontic treatment may be due to decreases in patient compliance with oral hygiene practices,” noted Curt Machida, Ph.D., principal investigator and OHSU professor of integrative biosciences and pediatric dentistry. “It is generally recognized that through the course of treatment, orthodontic patients often become less compliant with the use of oral hygiene practices. It is not known if the lack of differences can be generalized to all types of self-ligating brackets, or if design differences among self-ligating brackets could result in variations in plaque formation.”

The OHSU team included Machida; Tyson Buck, D.M.D. `07, Ortho `09; Peter Pellegrini, D.D.S., Ortho `07; Rebecca Sauerwein, B.S., former research assistant in integrative biosciences and now medical student at OHSU; Michael Leo, Ph.D., assistant professor in the School of Nursing; David Covell Jr., D.D.S., Ph.D., chair of orthodontics; and Tom Maier, Ph.D., assistant professor of integrative biosciences and oral pathology and radiology.

The research was funded by the OHSU Orthodontic Fund.

About OHSU

Oregon Health & Science University is the state’s only health and research university, and Oregon’s only academic health center. OHSU is Portland's largest employer and the fourth largest in Oregon (excluding government). OHSU's size contributes to its ability to provide many services and community support activities not found anywhere else in the state. It serves patients from every corner of the state, and is a conduit for learning for more than 3,400 students and trainees. OHSU is the source of more than 200 community outreach programs that bring health and education services to every county in the state.

Breastfeeding Moms Can Help Critically Ill Children by Donating Excess Milk

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 20:01:24 +0000

Breastfeeding moms who produce more breast milk than their child requires for optimal health now can donate the precious resource to infants, babies and toddlers with life-threatening diseases or conditions at a new breast milk drop-off site at the OHSU Doernbecher Specialty Pediatrics - Westside practice in Beaverton’s Bethany neighborhood.

“We are thrilled to be able to provide this service and already have a number of moms who are ready to donate today,” said Ruby Jason, M.S.N., R.N., N.E.A.-B.C., division director, Women and Children’s, OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital.

Learn More

View the Flyer

Breastfeeding and Lactation

The site is named in honor of Ashleigh Mackay Aldersea, a premature infant who died in February 2001 at the age of 13 months. Despite a thriving start, Ashleigh died from complications associated with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), an intestinal disease common in premature infants. Research has shown that feeding medically fragile infants breast milk helps prevent NEC. The nutrient-rich milk also eases digestion, promotes growth and development, and helps to prevent infection.

Healthy breastfeeding moms who would like to donate their excess milk will be screened through the San Jose Mother’s Milk Bank. Applicants will be asked to provide a brief medical history and get consent from their and their baby’s physicians, ensuring both mom and baby are getting enough nutrients. They also will need to get a blood test, paid for by San Jose mother’s Milk Bank. Approved donors will receive an ID number, which they will use when making arrangements to drop off their milk.

“When my own daughter was born six weeks early, I was grateful that I was able to provide breast milk for her. I feel it is one of the reasons she has done so well. It is a privilege for me to be in a position to help other babies in our community,” said Neysa Larson, 35, the first breastfeeding mom registered to donate at the new Beaverton site.

Donations from approved donors will be accepted at the Ashleigh MacKay Aldersea Memorial Donor Drop-Off Site on Thursdays from 9:30 a.m. to noon, beginning Thursday, July 14.

Collected milk will be packaged and shipped to the San Jose Mother’s Milk Bank, where it will be processed and pasteurized for distribution to critically ill infants in Oregon and across the country.

Portland currently does not have a milk bank. The group Northwest Mothers Milk Bank is raising funds to establish one.

Breastfeeding moms interested in becoming a breast milk donor can call OHSU Lactation Services, 503-494-2768, or visit the San Jose Mother’s Milk Bank website for more information. The OHSU Doernbecher Pediatrics – Westside practice is located in Beaverton’s Bethany neighborhood, 15220 N.W. Laidlaw, Suite 102, Portland, OR 97229.

# # #

About OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital (www.ohsudoernbecher.com)

OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital is one of the top 50 children’s hospitals in the nation in eight specialties.* Each year OHSU Doernbecher cares for tens of thousands of children from Oregon, southwest Washington and around the nation. Children have access to a full range of pediatric care, resulting in more than 195,000 outpatient visits, discharges, surgeries and pediatric transports annually. Nationally recognized physicians ensure that children receive exceptional care in the most patient- and family-centered environment. Pediatric experts from OHSU Doernbecher also travel throughout Oregon and southwest Washington to provide specialty care to some 3,000 children at more than 154 outreach clinics in 13 locations. OHSU Doernbecher also has a broad telemedicine program, delivering neonatal and pediatric acute care consultation to hospitals across the state.

* US News Best Children’s Hospitals 2011-12.

Scientists Identify What Makes Us Feel ‘Bad’ When We’re Sick, How to Treat It

Tue, 02 Aug 2011 17:35:01 +0000

A signaling system in the brain previously shown to regulate sleep is also responsible for inducing lethargy during illness, according to research conducted at Oregon Health & Science University Doernbecher Children’s Hospital.

This research is particularly meaningful because it implies that a new class of drugs developed to treat sleep disorders can reverse the inactivity and exhaustion brought on by acute illness. Although the sleep drugs were initially designed to treat narcolepsy, they have the potential to restore energy and motivation in patients with acute and chronic disease, the researchers report. Their findings are published in the The Journal of Neuroscience.

“We all know what it means to feel ‘bad’ when we’re acutely ill. In particular, patients with chronic diseases experience a compromise in motivated behaviors. They don't feel like getting up and doing anything. Yet the brain mechanisms behind this common experience have remained obscure,” said Daniel L. Marks, M.D., Ph.D., principal investigator and associate professor of pediatrics in the Papé Family Pediatric Research Institute at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital.

“Our lab has found that the neurotransmitter system thought to be primarily involved in the induction of sleep is actually extremely important in maintaining motivation and movement during acute and chronic illness,” Marks explained.

Research has shown that in response to illness, animals divert all their energy to fight infection. Lethargy, fever and loss of appetite are symptoms of the body’s highly organized strategy to sacrifice biological and physiological priorities to provide the greatest chance of survival.

See the Research in Action

Normal Rat treated with saline, a placebo (Healthy rat)

Rat with an acute illness (LPS rat)

Previously ill rat who has had his orexin restored, resulting in normal movement and exploration (Orexin A & LPS rat)

Download the videos

Although previous studies have identified the neurotransmitter system in the brain responsible for inducing fever and loss of appetite in response to disease, the mechanism for suppressing physical activity and motivation, and the means to treat it, has been unclear — until now.

To determine the cause of illness-induced lethargy, Marks and colleagues studied the brains of rats, the neuroactivity of which closely mimics human brains. They determined that acute and chronic inflammation-induced lethargy is brought about by a specific population of inflammation-sensitive neurons located near the neurotransmitter system that controls physical activity and arousal, known as the orexin system. When the researchers injected the rats with orexin, they were able to restore orexin signaling and, thus, restore motivated behaviors and movement.

This research demonstrates that orexin replacement is a viable therapeutic avenue for sickness-induced lethargy, the researchers explain. Because chronic disruption of this crucial neurotransmitter system leads to profound sleep disturbance and loss of motivated behaviors, they propose that drugs that mimic orexin would be useful in chronically ill patients to improve quality of life and independent living.

“There is a very exciting opportunity to quickly translate these findings into clinical practice,” Marks said. “Because the role of orexin in sleep disorders like narcolepsy has been known for several years, the drug development efforts aimed at restoring orexin signaling are at an advanced state and nearly ready for clinical application."

# # #

The study, “Inflammation-induced lethargy is mediated by suppression of orexin neuron activity,” was funded by the National Institutes of Health.

Other members of the research team include: Aaron Grossberg, XinXia Zhu, Pete Levasseur, and Theodore Braun, all of Oregon Health & Science University; and Gina Marie Leinninger and Martin Myers, of the University of Michigan

About OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital

OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital is ranked among the nation’s top 50 children's hospitals in eight specialties.* Each year OHSU Doernbecher cares for tens of thousands of children from Oregon, southwest Washington and beyond in the most patient- and family-centered environment. OHSU Doernbecher’s nationally recognized experts provide a full range of pediatric care resulting in more than 195,000 outpatient visits, discharges, surgeries and transports annually. Its experts travel throughout Oregon and southwest Washington to provide specialty care to some 3,000 children at more than 154 outreach clinics in 13 locations. Visit www.ohsudoernbecher.com or www.facebook.com/doernbecher.
* US News Best Children’s Hospitals 2011-12.

OHSU's 'Ask the Health Experts' Lecture Series Resumes This Fall With New Topics

Fri, 05 Aug 2011 16:25:15 +0000

Calendar Alert

WHAT

The fall session of Oregon Health & Science University's much-anticipated “Ask the Health Experts” seminar series is fast approaching. Each lecture is followed by a question-and-answer session with leading experts in their field. All lectures are free and open to the public. The schedule is as follows:

Wednesday, Sept. 7 - 7 p.m.
Pelvic Organ Prolapse: When Something Falls

Renee Edwards, M.D.; Tom Gregory, M.D.; Mary Anna Denman, M.D.
Learn about the common, yet bothersome, problem of uterine and
vaginal prolapse. Understand what can be done to treat it, and
what can be done to prevent it from happening in the first place.

Wednesday, Sept. 21 - 7 p.m.
Hip and Knee Replacements

Kathryn Schabel, M.D.
Learn about important advances in joint replacement — for arthritis,
sports injuries and aging joints — and whether they can help you.

Tuesday, Oct. 11 - 7 p.m.
Gotta Go!: Overactive and Leaky Bladders in Women

Renee Edwards, M.D.; Tom Gregory, M.D.; Mary Anna Denman, M.D.
Learn about the problem of going to the bathroom too frequently and losing
urine when you cough or sneeze, as well as what can be
done to give it a tune-up.

Wednesday, Oct. 19 - 7 p.m.
Physical Therapy Management of Back and Neck Pain

Rachel Gross, D.P.T.
Learn how to take control of your back or neck pain and achieve
positive long-term results through physical therapy.

WHERE

All lectures will be held at the OHSU Center for Health & Healing, third floor, 3303 S.W. Bond Ave., Portland. Maps and driving directions are available at www.ohsuhealth.com/maps.

DETAILS

To attend the OHSU Ask the Health Experts lectures, register online at www.ohsuhealth.com/seminar or by phone at 503 494-1122. Free parking is available near the Center for Health & Healing. Light refreshments will be served.

About OHSU

OHSU Announces Marquam Hill Lecture Series for 2011-12

Fri, 02 Sep 2011 18:21:25 +0000

WHAT

Oregon Health & Science University's Marquam Hill Lecture Series features nationally recognized OHSU faculty experts who present in lay terms the latest research findings and treatment options in their specialties. All lectures are free, but seating is limited and reservations are requested. To make a reservation, visit www.ohsu.edu/mhlectures. For more information, call 503 494-0768 or email somdeansoffice@ohsu.edu.

WHEN

Thursdays at 7:30 p.m.

WHERE

OHSU Auditorium (Old Library building)
3181 S.W. Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239

LECTURES

Thursday, Oct. 20, 2011 — "The Hunt for Biological Mechanisms in Asthma"

Allison Fryer, Ph.D., professor of medicine (pulmonary and critical care medicine) in the OHSU School of Medicine

The number of people diagnosed with asthma grows every year. Yet the biological pathways that cause the airway narrowing and closure characteristic of asthma are poorly understood. Dr. Fryer is a world-renowned scientist whose research is focused on understanding how the interaction between nerves and inflammatory cells in lungs results in asthma. She will present research about peripheral nerves – nerves that connect the brain to the lungs – and how they change as a result of interactions with cells from the immune system to cause the excessive airway narrowing seen in asthma exacerbations. She also will discuss the potential for new treatment options emerging from this cutting-edge science. Learn what’s on the horizon for asthma sufferers.

Thursday, Nov. 17, 2011 — "New Windows to Your Heart: Breakthroughs in Cardiovascular Imaging"

Jonathan Lindner, M.D., professor of medicine (cardiovascular medicine) and biomedical engineering in the OHSU School of Medicine

Dr. Lindner will explain and show images of the heart that identify disease before it becomes deadly. Cardiovascular imaging technologies historically have provided pictures of the heart muscle, valves and arteries, as well as real-time moving images of blood flow to and from the heart. These images were groundbreaking in their day, but now new technologies using “smart” contrast agents allow scientists and physicians to see things previously invisible that may lead to revolutionary ways of detecting heart attacks or coronary artery disease. Learn how science is leading to new ways to treat and prevent heart disease.

Thursday, Feb. 16, 2012 — "What Do Women (and Men) Want? Next-Generation Birth Control and Family Planning"

Jeff Jensen, M.D., M.P.H., professor and vice chair for research in obstetrics and gynecology, and director of the Women’s Health Research Unit in the OHSU School of Medicine

Despite the widespread availability of contraceptives, birth control methods often are used inconsistently or incorrectly, exposing women to the risk of unintended pregnancy. Reasons for imperfect use include misperceptions about risks and fear of side effects, particularly with hormonal methods. Dr. Jensen has witnessed firsthand the difficulty women experience when faced with unintended pregnancy. These women and their partners inspire him to develop new contraceptive methods. Learn about next-generation birth control and the race to bring better choices to family planning.

Thursday, April 19, 2012 — " Exercise and Nutrition: The Best Medicine"

Kerry Kuehl, M.D., Dr.P.H., associate professor of medicine (health promotion and sports medicine) and co-director of the Human Performance Laboratory in the OHSU School of Medicine

Dr. Kuehl is a primary care physician with a master’s degree in exercise physiology and a doctorate in nutrition who specializes in the prevention and treatment of disease. He will discuss the irrefutable body of scientific evidence that links good health and longevity with being physically active and eating a healthy diet. He will discuss his approach: taking the principles of exercise testing and the training of elite athletes to achieve peak performance and applying them to unhealthy individuals to attain the highest quality of life. Learn more about living life with athletic training principles.

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The Marquam Hill Lecture Series is a public service honoring the memory of Elizabeth N. Gray, founder of the Marquam Hill Steering Committee. It is presented by the Marquam Hill Steering Committee, the OHSU Foundation, the OHSU School of Medicine and the Oregon Clinical and Translational Research Institute. Support is provided by the Thompson Rubinstein Investment Management Inc.

OHSU School of Medicine Dean Named to Prestigious Blue Ridge Academic Health Group

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 16:22:59 +0000

The dean of Oregon Health & Science University's School of Medicine has been accepted into the prestigious Blue Ridge Academic Health Group.

Mark Richardson, M.D., M.Sc.B., M.B.A., joins 14 other leaders of academic health centers and national health policy experts as members of the group. Membership in the group is by invitation only.
The Blue Ridge Academic Health Group, founded in 1993, studies and reports on important issues relating to improving the U.S. health care system, with a special focus on the role of academic health centers — like OHSU.

The group has issued 14 reports, with a 15th due soon. A book based on the first seven reports, titled “The Academic Health Center: Leadership and Performance,” was published in 2005 by Cambridge University Press.

The group is co-chaired by Claire Pomeroy, M.D., M.B.A., dean of the School of Medicine at the University of California-Davis; and Wright Caughman, M.D., executive vice president for health affairs at Emory University in Atlanta, Ga.

“The Blue Ridge Group provides great insight and guidance for academic health centers as we navigate the challenging landscape of the 21st century,” said OHSU President Joe Robertson, M.D., M.B.A. “Their work also contributes to the broader national dialogue about the future of health and health care. Dean Richardson is a great choice, who will add significantly to the effort.”

Richardson was named dean of the OHSU School of Medicine in February 2007, after serving as the interim dean since September 2006. Before that, he was professor and chairman of the OHSU Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery. He came to that job in 2001, after serving as the Bordley Professor of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md.

Richardson is also president of the OHSU Faculty Practice Plan, the clinical practice organization for OHSU faculty members.

About Oregon Health & Science University

Oregon Health & Science University is the state's only health and research university and Oregon's only academic health center. OHSU is Portland's largest employer and the fourth largest in Oregon (excluding government). OHSU's size contributes to its ability to provide many services and community support activities not found anywhere else in the state. It serves patients from every corner of the state, and is a conduit for learning for more than 3,400 students and trainees. OHSU is the source of more than 200 community outreach programs that bring health and education services to every county in the state.

OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital Wins $100,000 Grant from Hyundai Hope On Wheels

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 21:56:16 +0000

Hyundai Hope on Wheels and local dealers will today award OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital with a $100,000 Hope Grant to support research related to early relapse detection for acute myelogenous leukemia. OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital is one of 71 recipients of Hyundai Hope on Wheels’ 2011 Hope Grant program, where $7.1 million will be awarded to support research and programs in honor of National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

The month-long program marks Hyundai Hope on Wheels’ largest donation period to-date, and will bring the total amount that the nonprofit has committed to childhood cancer, since it first began in 1998, to $43 million.

“We, at Hyundai, are thrilled to honor National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month by donating Hope Grants to institutions that are creating new possibilities to support and help cure childhood cancer,” said John Krafcik, president and CEO of Hyundai Motor America. “Hyundai and our dealers will continue to support these doctors and institutions and bring attention to the disease that affects so many young people.”

The $100,000 Hope Grant was officially presented during a ceremony at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital on Friday, Sept. 9, where children battling cancer placed their handprints in colorful paint on a canvas to represent their personal triumph.

“This generous grant validates our unwavering commitment to excellence in the care for children suffering from cancer and provides strong support to our efforts in developing the next generation of treatments to cure childhood cancer,” said Peter Kurre, M.D., associate professor of pediatrics in the Papé Family Pediatric Research Institute, OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital.

For the second year in a row, Hyundai’s competitive September program allowed institutions to apply for either research or programmatic grants. The submitted proposals were then reviewed by Hyundai’s elite board of medical directors. Each of the 71 Hope Grants will help fund new pediatric cancer research projects, and will be presented during a Hope Grant ceremony that will take place at the participating institution’s campus.

“We are proud to support the promising research projects and programs coming out of hospitals based right here in the Portland area,” said David Withnell, Withnell Hyundai. “Each and every colorful handprint tells a different story of courage and hope, reminding us that we can never give up on these kids and the fight to end childhood cancer.”

For more information on Hyundai Hope on Wheels’ September Hope Grant program and the 71 winning institutions, please visit HyundaiHopeonWheels.org.

HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA

Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co. of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through more than 800 dealerships nationwide. All Hyundai vehicles sold in the U.S. are covered by the Hyundai Assurance program, which includes the 5-year/60,000-mile fully transferable new vehicle warranty, Hyundai’s 10-year/100,000-mile power train warranty, 5-years of complimentary Roadside Assistance and the Hyundai Trade-in Value Guarantee.

HYUNDAI HOPE ON WHEELS

Hyundai Hope on Wheels® is the united effort of Hyundai Motor America and its more than 800 dealers across the U.S. to raise awareness about childhood cancer and to celebrate the lives of children battling the disease. In 2011, Hope on Wheels will have committed more than $43 million in donations to pediatric cancer research since the program began in 1998. Hyundai Hope on Wheels is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

OHSU DOERNBECHER CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL

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Oregon's Mental Health Parity Law Improves Coverage at Minimal Cost, Study Shows

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 16:14:47 +0000

Oregon’s mental health parity law, which prohibits commercial health plans from imposing limits on mental health and substance abuse services that are not also imposed on medical-surgical services, has improved insurance coverage without substantial cost increases, according to a study led by K. John McConnell, Ph.D., a health economist at Oregon Health & Science University.

The Oregon law, one of the most comprehensive state parity laws, is of particular relevance to assessing potential impacts of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA), federal legislation that took effect in July 2010.

“Oregon's law is a very close analog to the new federal parity law, specifically in the way that it restricted plans from aggressively managing the behavioral health benefit,” said McConnell. “This had never been done before – parity laws have routinely been coupled with very strong managed care – and the concern was that spending would go up significantly. Instead, we found that the expected spending growth didn’t materialize.”

The study compared expenditures for commercially insured individuals in four Oregon health plans from 2005 to 2008 and a matched group of commercially insured individuals in Oregon who were exempt from parity. The pooled analysis included 100,328 individuals subject to parity and 19,364 individuals in self-insured plans for comparison. Results showed increases in spending on mental health and substance abuse services after implementation of Oregon’s parity law were almost entirely the result of generally observed trends in mental health utilization. Expenditures attributable to the parity law were positive, but close to zero.

The study appears in The American Journal of Psychiatry online.

ABOUT OHSU

Oregon Health & Science University is the state’s only health and research university, and only academic health center. As Portland's largest employer and the fourth largest in Oregon (excluding government), OHSU's size contributes to its ability to provide many services and community support activities not found anywhere else in the state. It serves more than 185,000 patients, and is a conduit for learning for more than 3,900 students and trainees. OHSU is the source of more than 200 community outreach programs that bring health and education services to each county in the state.

FEI, OHSU partner to create a ‘Living Lab for Cell Biology’ with high-performance electron microscopes for disease research

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 18:31:03 +0000

FEI and Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) today announced a partnership to create the OHSU/FEI Living Lab for Cell Biology that will provide researchers with several state-of-the-art electron microscopes to advance the understanding and treatment of complex diseases such as cancer and AIDS.

The OHSU/FEI Living Lab will be equipped with a variety of high-performance equipment including a Titan Krios™ transmission electron microscope (TEM) and a Helios NanoLab™ DualBeam™. With these instruments from FEI, the Living Lab will have some of the most powerful imaging equipment available in any life sciences research lab in the Northwest.

The lab will be run by Joe Gray, Ph.D., a renowned cancer and genomic researcher recently recruited to OHSU from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Gray was one of the primary contributors to the development of the Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH) test that transformed how treatments are selected for breast cancer patients. He co-leads Stand Up To Cancer’s Breast Cancer Dream Team, plays a key role in the Cancer Genome Atlas Project and is spearheading the use of computer models to predict how cancer cells grow so that targeted therapies can be developed to shut these cells down.

With the creation of the Living Lab, Gray and other OHSU scientists will be able to visualize cell structure at a level of detail that wasn’t possible before, enabling them to explore, among other things, how cancer cells function differently as they spread from the site of origin to other parts of the body.

The collaboration will also help Hillsboro-based FEI gain an even deeper understanding of the total workflow of electron microscopy in cellular biology and, ultimately, develop next-generation tools. To that end, FEI scientists appointed to the project will partner with OHSU scientists who will share their expertise. The partnership will provide scientists in the Living Lab with access to early versions of next-generation microscopy systems so that they can contribute to the product development process. The focus of this work will be on the combination of electron microscopy with other imaging techniques, such as light and fluorescent (correlative) microscopy. This next-generation technology is being designed with the goal of making it possible for scientists to better understand the genetic mutations that drive cancer and other diseases and understand how these mutations work together.

The partnership was attractive to FEI because of the scientific foundation that was fostered at OHSU when it was awarded an electron microscope from the National Institutes of Health in 1997. Because of that history, and subsequent programs to build research programs around sophisticated imaging tools, a user base of highly experienced scientists already exists at OHSU. That user base of scientists has also grown over time as a result of initiatives between regional institutions, including Portland State University, to collaborate in the interest of advancing science.

These efforts to collaborate are being accelerated by philanthropic support, including the $100 million gift from Nike Chairman Phil Knight and his wife, Penny, to further the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute’s mission to make personalized cancer therapy a reality for all patients, and an anonymous $40 million donation to help build the OUS-OHSU Collaborative Life Sciences Building on the South Waterfront. The microscopes in the OHSU/FEI Living Lab, which will have several locations, will be accessible to scientists throughout the Oregon University System (OUS). One of the locations will be a highly specialized, vibration-free research space that will be built in the basement of the future OUS-OHSU Collaborative Life Sciences Building.

“The Living Lab and the Life Sciences Building are evidence of what is possible when there is a close working relationship between business, OHSU and the other OUS institutions,” said OHSU President Joe Robertson, M.D., M.B.A. “Working together, with the support of philanthropy, will ultimately improve Oregonians’ health and the economic vitality of our community.”

The OHSU/FEI Living Lab will be part of the OHSU Center for Spatial Systems Biomedicine that combines physics, biomedical engineering, chemistry and biology to study how cancer cells and other diseases grow. The multidisciplinary Center for Spatial Systems Biomedicine is, in turn, part of the OHSU School of Medicine and the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute.

The OHSU Knight Cancer Institute’s expansion, with the creation of the Living Lab, comes as cancer research and treatment is entering a new phase that was ushered in when Brian Druker, M.D., director of the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, discovered that cancer cells could be shut down by disabling the molecules that drive their growth. The drug that resulted from that research, Gleevec® – the world’s first targeted cancer therapy – revolutionized the way cancer is treated. It also inspired a new wave of exploration into targeted therapies that zero in on cancer-causing molecules without damaging healthy ones.

“Much of biomedical research to date has focused on the form and function of the molecular components in the human body and how these components change during the development of diseases like cancer,” said Gray, who is the director of the Center for Spatial Systems Biomedicine and associate director for translational research for the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute. “An important next phase of research will determine how normal and disease-linked molecular components are organized into cells, tissues and organs and how this information can be used to improve aspects of cancer management ranging from detection to treatment. This will require integration of results obtained using sophisticated measurement tools that enable quantitative analysis of the organizations of the molecular complexes, cells and tissues that comprise normal and diseased organs.”

For FEI, the partnership will help further its goal of developing a broad range of tools to advance health care.

“FEI’s goal for the Living Lab is to increase research productivity by providing directly interpretable information from its electron microscopy solutions so that scientists can more rapidly gain the knowledge necessary to advance medicine and save lives,” stated Dominique Hubert, vice president and general manager of FEI’s Life Science Division. “FEI’s vision is that by making electron microscopy simple and efficient enough to use in a clinical environment, it will be able to provide insight to health-care teams that simply isn’t available with techniques used today.”

About FEI

FEI (Nasdaq:FEIC) is a leading diversified scientific instruments company. It is a premier provider of electron- and ion-beam microscopes and across many industries: industrial and academic materials research, life sciences, semiconductors, data storage, natural resources and more. With more than 60 years of technological innovation and leadership, FEI has set the performance standard in transmission electron microscopes (TEM), scanning electron microscopes (SEM) and DualBeams™, which combine a SEM with a focused ion beam (FIB). FEI's imaging systems provide 3D characterization, analysis and modification/prototyping with resolutions down to the sub-Ångström (one-tenth of a nanometer) level. FEI's NanoPorts in North America, Europe and Asia provide centers of technical excellence where its world-class community of customers and specialists collaborate. FEI has over 1900 employees and sales and service operations in more than 50 countries around the world. More information can be found at: www.fei.com.

About OHSU

Moms Who Eat a High-Fat Diet Before and During Pregnancy ‘Program’ Their Babies to Be Fatter, at Risk for Chronic Disease Later in Life

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 01:13:09 +0000

New research in mice indicates that babies born to moms who eat a high-fat diet before and during pregnancy have a higher fat mass and smaller livers than babies whose moms consume low-fat fare, according to scientists at Oregon Health & Science University Doernbecher Children’s Hospital.

The good news, the researchers report, is that moms who switch to a low-fat diet during pregnancy considerably reduce the risk of these negative effects. Their findings are published online in the American Journal of Physiology and Endocrinology Metabolism, a publication of the American Physiological Society.

Previous research has shown babies who receive too much or too little nutrition in the womb experience profound and permanent changes in their development — including alterations in the structure of the liver, brain and pancreas — that increase their susceptibility to developing various diseases later in life, including obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

And given that nearly half of women of childbearing age are overweight or obese in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is a pressing need to inform women and their health care providers of the inherent dangers maternal overeating poses to their child’s future health and risk of chronic disease.

“One of the key findings here is that the offspring are born with a marked shift in body composition, away from lean mass and toward fat mass, prior to any dietary exposure in the offspring themselves,” said principal investigator Stephanie M. Krasnow, Ph.D., a scientist in the Papé Family Pediatric Research Institute at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital.

Krasnow and colleagues in the Daniel Marks Lab used a mouse model to examine how consumption of a high-fat diet during pregnancy effects body composition in the newborn. Female mice were fed either a low-fat or high-fat diet for six months and were mated with male mice after 4, 12 and 23 weeks. The females who ate a high-fat diet gained more body weight and had a higher fat mass than the females who ate a low-fat diet. And on the day of birth, babies born to females who had consumed a high-fat food had more body fat, less lean mass, and smaller livers than the newborns of females that consumed low-fat food.

These changes in body composition and organ size occurred before the female mice eating a high-fat diet became obese, the researchers report. And even when the females were not obese, eating a high-fat diet prior to and during pregnancy “programmed” their unborn babies to have increased body fat and smaller livers at birth. Fortunately, the researchers found, switching to a low-fat diet just during pregnancy prevented the infants from accumulating excess fat mass in utero and also prevented their having smaller livers.

“These findings demonstrate that changing to a low-fat diet during pregnancy minimizes the harmful effects of maternal obesity on the newborn’s body composition, potentially reducing the child’s risk of developing obesity and related diseases later in life,” said Krasnow.

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The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Burroughs Wellcome Fund.

OHSU scientists My Linh T. Nguyen; and Daniel Marks, M.D., Ph.D., contributed to this research.

About the Field of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease at OHSU

OHSU is home to one of the largest and best-known research groups in the world studying the developmental origins of health and disease. The university is co-hosting the World Congress on Developmental Origins of Health and Disease at the Portland Marriott Downtown Waterfront Hotel Sept. 18 – 21. For more information, visit: www.dohad2011.org.

Read the press release

About Oregon Health & Science University

Bob and Charlee Moore of Bob's Red Mill commit to donate $25 million to launch OHSU nutrition institute

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 21:55:38 +0000

Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) today announced a $25 million philanthropic partnership with Bob and Charlee Moore — founders of Milwaukie-based Bob's Red Mill Natural Foods — to confront what is widely considered to be the world's greatest contributor to the rise of chronic disease: poor nutrition.

The Moores' $25 million commitment will establish the Bob and Charlee Moore Institute for Nutrition and Wellness at OHSU. Its ambitious aim: to halt the rampant health problems caused by unhealthy eating and inadequate nutrition through cutting-edge research and community outreach.

Nutritionally linked conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, autism, heart disease and hypertension have risen sharply along with the post-World War II advent of processed convenience foods that are high in sugar and fat but low in nutritional value. Experts call this phenomenon "high-calorie malnutrition," and research is proving that its consequences can last for generations. To break this unhealthy chain, the Moore Institute will translate OHSU's internationally renowned research in nutrition and human health into a powerful call to action for the public, policymakers and health care providers.

"The Moores' passion and common-sense philosophy about better health through wholesome foods aligns perfectly with OHSU's mission to create a healthier world for future generations," said OHSU President Joe Robertson, M.D., M.B.A. "The partnership made possible by their philanthropy will be a vehicle for those positive changes, and we are profoundly grateful."

OHSU Foundation President Allan Price agreed. "Throughout the history of OHSU, transformational investments such as the Moores' have helped us to raise the standard of health care and biomedical science. The Knight Cancer Institute, the Vollum Institute, Casey Eye Institute and the Dotter Interventional Institute all continue to drive progress and give patients hope. The Moore Institute is another extraordinary opportunity to make lasting, positive changes in human health," he said.

"Food is such a basic part of life that it's the ideal place to start making big changes in public health," said Mark A. Richardson, M.D., M.B.A., dean of the OHSU School of Medicine. "From an institutional perspective, we need to lay out what we already know — for example, that junk food is bad for you — review what we are learning about the role of nutrition in health, and then establish what we must do to get that information to the community in ways that change the status quo. This pledge will put us in a position to call out the root causes of today's dietary challenges so that we as a society can confront them, fix them and begin to help guide future generations toward a path of wellness through healthy eating."

Housed within the OHSU School of Medicine, the Moore Institute will provide a unifying structure and intellectual leadership for five broad areas of research, clinical care and education:

Childhood obesity
Women's health and maternal/fetal medicine
Research into epigenetics and the developmental origins of health and disease
Community outreach and translation of research into effective public programs
Graduate education and post-graduate training of physicians, nurses, dentists and allied health professionals

"Just as the healthy benefits of whole grain come from the way its individual components work together in the body, the strength of the Moore Institute will come from bringing everyone in the nutritional arena together under a set of common goals," Richardson said. "Through this potent blend of basic science, clinical care, professional education and community advocacy, the institute will become the epicenter of irrefutable evidence that will change how health care providers, policymakers and the general public approach the subject of healthy eating."

As the first step toward change, the commitment to donate will endow the Bob and Charlee Moore Chair for Nutrition and Wellness. This yet-to-be-appointed faculty leader will spearhead initiatives in science and policy as OHSU's top nutrition leader. The institute's reach will extend across the university and to other area institutions, such as the National College of Natural Medicine and Oregon State University, where the Moores have made other significant investments in nutritional health and science programs.

OHSU brings to the partnership numerous interrelated research programs of international stature, many of which focus on the complex relationship between a woman's nutritional health history and the development and lifelong health of her offspring. OHSU faculty members developed the once-controversial theory that a baby's future health is heavily influenced by what happens during the first 1,000 days after conception. Now widely embraced, these concepts are showing how a child's genes can be programmed in the womb and during the first few years after birth to increase his or her likelihood of obesity, heart disease, autism and other chronic conditions. OHSU hopes the Moore Institute will accelerate the translation of this knowledge into new preventions and treatments.

For the Moores, the commitment is a key part of the mission they — and everyone at Bob's Red Mill — set out to accomplish every day: to create permanent, positive change through nutrition. The Moores' investment is a key part of the legacy of sustained good health through diets rich in whole grains, fiber and complex carbohydrates.

"Charlee and I have always been inspired by challenge," said Bob Moore, 82. "I can't think of a tougher challenge than changing people's behavior when it comes to their diets, so I feel very inspired to be part of this institute. Working together we can rise to that challenge and motivate people — especially mothers-to-be — to make the kinds of changes that promote their own and their babies' health. I'm very excited about what we can achieve."

"The pledge is an example of the unique role that philanthropy can play in addressing major societal problems," said Price. "Transformational philanthropy is what drives forward big ideas that make a lasting difference in people's lives. There is no clearer example of that than the Moore Institute. We are honored by Bob and Charlee Moore's confidence in OHSU's ability to carry their legacy forward."

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About Oregon Health & Science University

Oregon Health & Science University (@OHSUNews) is the state's only health and research university and Oregon's only academic health center. OHSU is Portland's largest employer and the fourth largest in Oregon (excluding government). OHSU's size contributes to its ability to provide many services and community support activities not found anywhere else in the state. It serves patients from every corner of the state, and is a conduit for learning for more than 3,400 students and trainees. OHSU is the source of more than 200 community outreach programs that bring health and education services to every county in the state.

About the OHSU Foundation

The OHSU Foundation (@OHSUFoundation) is a 501(c)(3) organization that exists to secure private philanthropic support to advance Oregon Health & Science University's vital missions, and to invest and manage gifts responsibly to honor donors' wishes. The foundation raises funds from individuals, companies, foundations and organizations, and invests and manages gifts in accordance with donors' wishes.

About Bob's Red Mill

Bob's Red Mill Natural Foods (@Bobs_Red_Mill), a distinctive stone grinding miller of whole grains, was founded in 1978 with the mission of moving people back to the basics with healthy whole grains, high-fiber and complex carbohydrates. Bob's Red Mill offers a diverse line of all natural, organic and gluten-free flours, cereals, meals and mixes for pancakes, breads and soups, with more than 400 products available throughout the world. With its dedicated gluten-free manufacturing facility and strict organic protocols, the company has emerged as a leader in providing safe and delicious natural, organic and gluten-free products.

Rural Health ‘Hero of the Year’ Announced

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 19:07:32 +0000

Pat Neal of Depoe Bay, Ore., has been awarded the 2011 Hero of the Year Award by the Oregon Office of Rural Health at Oregon Health & Science University. The award is given annually to an individual who has had a major impact on rural health in Oregon.

“Pat Neal is a wonderful hero,” says Scott Ekblad, director of the Oregon Office of Rural Health at OHSU. “She is currently involved in 10 different health care committees in her community. She is working as hard today as she did before she retired.”

In addition to her committee work, Pat, 80, also volunteers as an instructor for the AARP Driver Safety program for seniors, as a class leader for the local Living Well with Chronic Conditions program, and as a member of the Community Emergency Response Team. She has been a leader in the Community Health Improvement Program (CHIP), a strong advocate for expanded School Based Health Centers around reproductive health, as well as a planner for the Let’s Go Lincoln County, a summertime campaign to encourage physical activity and good nutrition.

“Because of Pat’s involvement in community health over the years, lives have improved in Lincoln County,” says Julia Young-Lorion, Lincoln County CHIP coordinator. “Her public service and dedication to her community has continued strong for over 20 years and there is no indication that she intends to stop. She is compassionate, dedicated, professional and a motivating person to be around. She is truly a Rural Health Hero.”

Pat will receive the 2011 Hero Award at the 27th Annual Rural Health Conference Sept. 21 – 23, 2011, at the Riverhouse Convention Center in Bend, Ore.

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About the Oregon Office of Rural Health at OHSU

The mission of the Oregon Office of Rural Health (ORH) at OHSU is to improve the quality, availability and accessibility of health care for rural Oregonians.

OHSU Center for Health & Healing Achieves LEED EBOM Platinum Certification

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 19:37:05 +0000

The Oregon Health & Science University Center for Health & Healing (CHH) has achieved double-platinum certification with its recent Platinum certification for LEED Existing Building Operations and Maintenance (LEED EBOM). The building is one of the largest LEED Platinum facilities in the nation. It was also the first medical facility in the world to receive the new construction Platinum certification (LEED NC) from the U.S. Green Building Council back in 2007.

In obtaining the new LEED operational certification, the facility received 82 out of the 83 credits submitted to the U.S. Green Building Council; 80 credits are required to be recognized for Platinum certification. With the help of consultants from Brightworks, a Portland, Ore.-based sustainability consulting firm, the building management team CBRE was able to use and enhance the established sustainability program and operational practices to ensure compliance with the LEED EBOM’s certification requirements.

"OHSU is proud of this significant environmental accomplishment,” said OHSU President Joe Robertson, M.D., M.B.A. “As an organization that seeks to improve the health of all Oregonians, we also believe we have a responsibility to protect the health of our environment. My thanks go out to the CBRE team and the many OHSU employees who worked hard to achieve this certification.”

Prior to receiving this LEED certification, the building was tracked during a “performance period” where the following issues were measured:

Verified energy savings
Water efficiency
CO2 emissions reduction
Indoor environmental quality
Tenant modes of transportation
Stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts

Demonstrating significant improvements in these areas is a critical part of the litmus test of LEED’s third-party review process. One of the Center for Health & Healing’s major documented impacts included saving more than 5 million gallons of drinkable water annually by capturing rainwater and reusing building process water for irrigation, toilet flushing and other downstream uses. The established communications program was also key to ensuring data collection and ongoing buy-in from the client and occupants, resulting in optimal performance results.

About the OHSU Center for Health and Healing

OHSU’s Center for Health and Healing is a 16-story, 409,551-square-foot building consisting of 10 floors of physician practices, surgery and imaging. One floor is dedicated to the March Wellness Center, which features a gymnasium, four-lane lap pool, therapy pools, weight training area and day spa. Four floors are dedicated to education and research activities. The ground floor houses retail space, including a pharmacy, optical shop and café.

About CB Richard Ellis

CB Richard Ellis Group, Inc. (NYSE:CBG), a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company headquartered in Los Angeles, is the world’s largest commercial real estate services firm (in terms of 2010 revenue). The Company has approximately 31,000 employees (excluding affiliates), and serves real estate owners, investors and occupiers through more than 300 offices (excluding affiliates) worldwide. CB Richard Ellis offers strategic advice and execution for property sales and leasing; corporate services; property, facilities and project management; mortgage banking; appraisal and valuation; development services; investment management; and research and consulting. Please visit our website at www.cbre.com.

About LEED

LEED is an internationally recognized green building certification system, providing third-party verification that a building or community was designed and built using strategies aimed at improving performance across all the metrics that matter most: energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts. Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), LEED provides building owners and operators a concise framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions.

OHSU Scores Gold for Its Dedication to Bike Commuting

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 17:10:14 +0000

The League of American Bicyclists has named Oregon Health & Science University a Gold Level Bike-Friendly Business. OHSU is the largest organization to have ever won a gold or higher designation and is the only university in Oregon to achieve a gold ranking. A total of 111 bicycle-friendly businesses were recognized for the commitment to bicycling at the Interbike International Trade Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada last month.

OHSU has a large and active biking community. Efforts to promote and support biking at OHSU involve:

A financial incentive program to encourage bicycling
The availability of secure bike parking facilities
Extensive bike parking at the Portland Aerial Tram
An interactive Web site where bicyclists can track their mileage and progress
Free valet bike parking for bike commuters
A seasonal bike repair shop at the foot of the Portland Aerial Tram
Bicyclist resources, including a program liaison, maps, shower access, free bike tubes and tools
Events, workshops and prizes

"We're pleased and excited to be recognized for our bike program," said John Landolfe, who manages transportation options for OHSU. "The summer closure of our main entry road was a perfect example of our strong bike culture at OHSU. Thanks in part to our bike commuters, traffic congestion was minimal so that patients and visitors could travel to and from OHSU with limited delays."

Currently, the American League of Bicyclists recognizes 344 awardees in 40 states that span a wide range of industries from hospitals to the financial service industry. Other notable winners this round include: Microsoft, Random House, Mayo Clinic Health System‐Franciscan Healthcare, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage‐Minneapolis, Children’s Hospital Boston, URS Corporation and the National Geographic Society. In addition, Alta, a Portland firm set to launch New York’s bike share network and previously a gold winner, secured platinum ranking this year.

“We are happy to recognize these businesses for their investment in bicycling as a vehicle for improved employee health, social responsibility and economic growth,” said League president, Andy Clarke. “Some of the most successful companies in the world are showing that investing in bicycling is not only good for health and sustainability but also the bottom line.”

About the Bicycle Friendly America Program (www.bikeleague.org)

The Bicycle Friendly Community, Bicycle Friendly State, Bicycle Friendly Business and Bicycle Friendly University programs are generously supported by program partners Bikes Belong and Trek Bicycle’s One World, Two Wheels Campaign. Special thanks to New Belgium Brewing Co. for a grant to develop the BFU program application. To learn more about building a Bicycle Friendly America, visit this link. The League of American Bicyclists promotes bicycling for fun, fitness and transportation, and works through advocacy and education for a bicycle‐friendly America. The League represents the interests of America's 57 million bicyclists, including its 300,000 members and affiliates.

About OHSU (www.ohsu.edu)

Oregon Health & Science University is the state’s only health and research university, and only academic health center. As Portland's largest employer and the fourth largest in Oregon (excluding government), OHSU's size contributes to its ability to provide many services and community support activities not found anywhere else in the state. OHSU serves patients from every corner of the state, and is a conduit for learning for more than 4,310 students and trainees.. OHSU is the source of more than 200 community outreach programs that bring health and education services to each county in the state.

OHSU Casey Eye Institute’s Popular Macular Degeneration and Low Vision Expo Takes place October 29

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 16:30:27 +0000

WHAT

The Casey Eye Institute at Oregon Health & Science University is holding its annual macular degeneration and low vision expo.

WHERE

Doubletree Hotel – Lloyd Center

WHEN

9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, October 29

DETAILS

The expo is geared towards people suffering vision loss from macular degeneration and other eye conditions. The event is sponsored by Casey’s Macular Degeneration and Vision Rehabilitation centers and includes:

Featured talk by a vision rehabilitation doctor who unexpectedly lost his own sight
Exhibits of the latest advancements in vision aids and technology
A presentation on reading and driving with vision loss
Presentations about the leading cause of vision loss in aging adults: age-related macular degeneration
Presentations about how devices such as iPads are providing new solutions to those who suffer from vision loss

The program is free. However, advance registration is requested.

Members of the public can register at www.caseyamd.com or call 503-494-2244.

More information about the program can be found here.

# # #

OHSU Researchers Uncover Cause of Hypertension From Antirejection Drugs

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 17:37:09 +0000

Modern medicine’s ability to save lives through organ transplantation has been revolutionized by the development of drugs that prevent the human body from rejecting the transplanted organ.

But those antirejection drugs have their own side effects — sometimes serious.

A group of researchers led by scientists at Oregon Health & Science University have discovered the process that may be causing many of those side effects. And the discovery means those side effects likely can be dealt with cheaply and easily — with a class of widely used drugs that are often avoided in patients with organ transplants.

The researchers' findings were published this week in the online edition of the journal Nature Medicine.

The researchers examined the effects of a class of antirejection — or immunosuppressive — drugs called calcineurin inhibitors, which includes cyclosporine and tacrolimus.

Calcineurin inhibitors, which can be instrumental in preventing organ rejection in transplant patients, also can cause hypertension and kidney problems. The researchers’ findings reveal what ultimately causes those problems — a calcineurin inhibitor spurs the production of an abnormally high level of a natural protein in the kidney.

Researchers found that a thiazide diuretic drug, which blocks the responsible protein, reduced hypertension in mice that had been given the calcineurin inhibitor. And mice lacking this protein did not develop hypertension at all.

The collaborative team of researchers, which included scientists from University College London, extended their observations to humans — kidney transplant patients in the United Kingdom.

University College London scientists found that kidney transplant patients who received the calcineurin inhibitor were more sensitive to a thiazide diuretic than were patients treated with other antirejection drugs.

The research results could mean very good news for transplant patients who have hypertension and potassium problems due to the antirejection drugs they’re taking. That’s because the drugs that can combat the elevation of the natural protein are generally the cheapest hypertensive drugs available — but many physicians have not been prescribing them for the side effects because they believed the problems were caused by changes outside the kidney.

“These findings should allow physicians to prescribe these simple drugs much more often and provide help to many, many more transplant patients who are suffering from these side effects,” said David Ellison, M.D., head of OHSU’s Division of Nephrology and Hypertension and the senior author of the study.

Ellison said the research points the way toward the next question he is planning to look at — taking a deeper look at the mechanism of how the antirejection drugs work. More research in that area might help scientists develop a drug that suppresses the body’s attempt to reject a transplanted organ, but produces none of the hypertension and other side effects, he said.

“That’s my new grant proposal — to take it to the next step,” Ellison said.

The lead investigators on the study were a nephrology trainee from Erasmus University in The Netherlands who worked for six months in Ellison’s laboratory, and an honorary senior lecturer from UCL. Scientists from Charité University in Berlin, Germany, also contributed substantially.

“This was a great example of team science,” Ellison said. “It was fun to have people from around the world collaborate to produce something that none of them was capable of producing alone.”

The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the Dutch Kidney Foundation and Erasmus University.

About OHSU

Oregon Health & Science University is the state’s only health and research university, and only academic health center. As Portland's largest employer and the fourth largest in Oregon (excluding government), OHSU's size contributes to its ability to provide many services and community support activities not found anywhere else in the state. OHSU serves patients from every corner of the state and is a conduit for learning for more than 4,310 students and trainees. OHSU is the source of more than 200 community outreach programs that bring health and education services to each county in the state.

Free Breast Health Events in Eugene, Salem for Women With Disabilities

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 20:19:42 +0000

The Oregon Office on Disability and Health at Oregon Health & Science University is co-sponsoring two free events as part of a health communication campaign called Right to Know. The campaign’s goal is to raise awareness of the importance of regular mammograms among women living with disabilities aged 40 and older.

“Research shows that women with disabilities tend to have breast cancer diagnosed at a later stage,” said Clara Suarez, M.S.W., health educator in the Oregon Office on Disability and Health at OHSU. “That’s why this outreach is so important.”

The first event, a Breast Health Basics Bingo and Dinner, will be held from 4 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22, at the Celeste Campbell Senior Center in Eugene, Ore. It will feature:

A presentation on the importance of breast health screening
The latest information on breast cancer prevention
Instruction on how to conduct an effective self-breast exam
Gifts and entertainment

* Space is limited and registration is recommended. To reserve a spot, contact Roxie Mayfield at rdmay_eld@yahoo.com or 541 688-8388 by Friday, Oct. 14.

The second event, a Community Lecture on Breast Health Basics for Latino Women, will take place from 1 to 3 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27, at the YWCA in Salem, Ore. It includes:

Information on breast health basics
Food and prizes

* Registration is required. To register, call Marcela Miles at 503 581-9922, Ext. 302.

Co-sponsors for these events include Lane Independent Living Alliance, Women with Disabilities Health Equity Coalition and the YWCA-Women’s Health Program and Resource Center.

# # #

OHSU Knight Cancer Institute Researchers Share Results of 18 Studies at International Radiation Oncology Conference

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 21:10:03 +0000

Oregon Health & Science University Knight Cancer Institute physicians shared the results of 18 studies at the 53nd annual conference for the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO).

The research presented included two significant patient care issues: improving management of symptoms for patients receiving radiation treatments and the need for bereavement training for physicians.

ASTRO’s annual meeting, which was held in Miami the first week of October, is the premier, international conference for radiation oncologists. ASTRO is the largest radiation oncology society in the world, with more than 10,000 members who specialize in treating patients with radiation therapies.

“The number of studies presented reflects the significant commitment to research in radiation oncology at the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute,” said Charles Thomas Jr., M.D., chairman of the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute’s Department of Radiation Medicine.

“Along with putting a high priority on studies that advance medical treatment for cancer patients, we believe that it’s imperative that we do what we can to also improve their quality of life as they receive care,” Thomas said. “That emphasis on care extends to the patient’s family, especially in the event of a loss.”

One of the studies presented explored the actions that physicians take when a patient dies. That study found that a vast majority, 70 percent, of surveyed cancer-care physicians initiate contact with the bereaved family and caregivers of their patients who have died. However, two-thirds of those physicians said they do not feel they have received adequate training in how to handle this outreach.
This study — which involved a survey of 162 attending radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, surgical oncologists and palliative care physicians who were directly involved in patient care in fall 2010 — found that sending a condolence letter was by far the most common form of follow-up. Other physicians said they made telephone calls to families or attended a funeral service following a patient’s death. Among the most commonly cited barriers to bereavement follow-up was a lack of time and uncertainty about which family member to contact.

“Empathy doesn’t necessarily translate into an inherent ability to lead difficult conversations or comfortably express grief,” said Aaron S. Kusano, M.D., a radiation oncology resident at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle, who collaborated on the study with researchers at the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute.

Funded in part by the Deanne and Dick Rubinstein, the study indicates the need for formal instruction in bereavement practices as part of physicians’ post-graduate training, Kusano said.

A separate study explored the potential effectiveness of a computer application designed to improve communication between cancer patients and their radiation oncologist.

There have been several studies of how to best assess the symptoms that chemotherapy patients are experiencing. But, there has not been the same level of attention to improving quality of life issues for patients receiving radiation.

To address that gap, an OHSU Knight Cancer Institute team of researchers created the first research-validated, touch-screen computer application that makes it possible for patients to quickly share subjective information about what they are experiencing with treatment. The application then takes that input and creates a printed summary of a patient’s symptoms and quality of life issues. That information is then provided to the radiation oncology physician at the point of care.

The need for this kind of patient feedback was highlighted in an earlier study which found that physicians were unaware of about half of the symptoms patients reported. More surprising, this study also found that about half of the symptoms that physicians reported in their logs weren’t noted by the patient.

“In clinical medicine, physicians and patients are under tremendous pressure to communicate expediently,” said Erik K. Fromme, M.D., who specializes in palliative medicine for cancer patients at the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute. “It would be helpful for the physician to have access to patients’ subjective data at the time of the office visit, so that the physician could incorporate these findings into the plan of care and have the chance to improve symptom management.”

Fromme’s research was funded by the National Cancer Institute, a branch of the National Institutes of Health.

About the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute

With the latest treatments, technologies, hundreds of research studies and approximately 400 clinical trials, the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center between Sacramento and Seattle— an honor earned only by the nation's top cancer centers. The honor is shared among the more than 650 doctors, nurses, scientists and staff who work together at the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute to reduce the impact of cancer. Visit www.ohsuhealth.com/cancer or www.facebook.com/OHSUKnight.

OHSU Knight Cancer Institute and University of Washington Host 11th Annual Pacific Northwest Prostate Cancer Conference

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 18:51:44 +0000

WHAT

Prostate cancer experts from Oregon Health & Science University’s Knight Cancer Institute and the University of Washington will provide the latest information on prevention, treatments and nutrition. Sessions will also provide an overview of current scientific research and clinical trials that could eventually change the standard of care for patients with the disease. The program will include ample opportunities for audience participation.

WHEN

8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 22. (Check-in begins at 8 a.m.)

WHERE

Oregon Health & Science University’s Center for Health & Healing, 3rd floor Conference Center, 3303 S.W. Bond Ave., Portland, Ore., 97239.
For directions visit: http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/about/visiting/directions/chh.cfm.

COST

$35, which includes conference materials, lunch and parking. Advanced registration is encouraged. For information on how to register call 503-494-4393, obtain a form online at www.ohsuhealth.com/prostateconference or send an e-mail to prostate@ohsu.edu.

INFORMATION

For a full program agenda and to watch videos of sessions from previous conferences visit www.ohsuhealth.com/prostateconference.

# # #

Oregon universities to create jobs, educational opportunities in new OUS/OHSU Collaborative Life Sciences Building

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 20:43:45 +0000

Gov. John Kitzhaber and the presidents of Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), Portland State University (PSU) and Oregon State University (OSU) broke ground today on the OUS/OHSU Collaborative Life Sciences Building, an innovative project that will bring cutting-edge science education and research along with additional jobs to Portland’s South Waterfront.

Learn More

Building Renderings

Fact Sheet

Schnitzer Campus Flyover Video

The $295 million project is the first on this scale to combine the resources of multiple universities to offer the best possible educational opportunities to Oregon students. The building will expand much-needed life sciences, pharmacy, medical and dental education in Oregon with 500,000 square feet of instructional and research space for OHSU, PSU and OSU. The building will be the first development at the OHSU Schnitzer Campus, 20 acres of land on Portland’s South Waterfront donated by the Schnitzer family in 2004 and the future home of OHSU’s educational faculties.

“This construction project alone will create the equivalent of 250 full time jobs,” said Governor Kitzhaber. “This is just the beginning of the economic benefits - down the road, we will realize the advantages of the highly educated workforce it will help us to produce and it will firm up Oregon’s place as a leader in innovation, research, and science.”

The building will have an immediate positive impact on the Portland construction job market. About 2,500 people will work on the project site, with as many as 500 on site at one time. When completed, the building will allow the universities to:

Increase OHSU's medical school class from 120 to 160 students, dental school class from 75 to 90 students and physician assistant class sizes from 40 to 50 students. Doing so will help combat the ongoing shortage of medical professionals in the state.
Increase OSU and OHSU's pharmacy program capacity from 90 to 115 students.
Increase PSU's most popular undergraduate biology and physics lectures from 280 students each to as many as 500 students.
Replace aging dental training facilities on Marquam Hill with the new Skourtes Tower.
Expand OHSU’s simulation education for health professionals in training so that future doctors, nurses and providers are trained in medical teams, similar to the teams they will later take part in when treating real patients.

In addition, the building will have lab space for research, instruction, clinic simulations and shared instrumentation, such as electron microscopy, as well as retail space and a transit plaza for the new MAX line to Milwaukie.

The project is funded with state bonds through the Oregon University System ($110 million), OHSU philanthropy ($83 million), OHSU institutional funding ($92 million) and TriMet funding ($10 million).

The building is expected to open in two phases in fall 2013 and winter 2014.

# # #

Small Group of Oregon Women Quietly Raises $1.4 Million for Promising Scientists-in-the-Making

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 18:02:42 +0000

*** Editors: Media are invited to the invitation-only ARCS Foundation awards luncheon Tuesday, Oct. 18, at the Portland Art Museum, 1219 S.W. Park Ave., Portland, Ore. Please confirm attendance by calling 503-494-8231.

A small group of forward-thinking Oregon women is quietly investing in academically outstanding young people working to complete doctoral degrees in science, engineering or medical research at Oregon Health & Science University and Oregon State University. In just seven years, the group — ARCS Foundation Portland — has provided financial support for 90 Oregon men and women to the tune of $1.4 million.

ARCS (Achievement Rewards for College Scientists) Foundation Portland is one of 17 ARCS Foundation Inc. chapters nationwide. Together, they have awarded more than $79 million to 52 schools nationwide since 1958.

Recipients of these highly sought-after awards have gone on to conduct significant breakthrough research in fields of science and technology; found companies; receive patents; publish extensively in major science journals; and receive national or international science-based awards.

"My involvement with ARCS Foundation has been rewarded many times over. Getting to know these extraordinary young scientists who have elected to enroll at OHSU and Oregon State University is reward enough, but working alongside the forward-thinking women of the Portland Chapter has been an honor and privilege,” said Caron Ogg, ARCS Foundation Portland president.

“Becoming a scientist is a long, hard slog, and as funding for research and education continues to decline, these awards have become increasingly critical for encouraging students to pursue scientific careers. ARCS scholar awards also help OHSU and OSU attract, and retain, brilliant scientists to Oregon,” said Christopher Cunningham, Ph.D., a professor of behavioral neuroscience in the OHSU School of Medicine who has sat on the OHSU ARCS selection committee since day one.

OHSU and OSU scholars receive $18,000 over three years from ARCS Portland. Each chapter member contributes $500 a year toward the scholar award fund, and additional funds are collected through donations from individuals, foundations and corporations. All money donated goes directly to the scholars.

Only American universities whose departments are ranked in the top 100 nationwide are eligible to receive ARCS Foundation scholar awards.

“The ARCS award was a determining factor in my decision to come to OHSU. OHSU was definitely the best fit for me for graduate school, and besides being a great honor, the award made it easier to make the big move,” said Danielle Robinson, doctoral candidate in the OHSU Neuroscience Graduate Program and recipient of the Richardson Scholar Award donated by Ellen Richardson, a founding member of ARCS Portland, and her husband, OHSU School of Medicine Dean Mark Richardson, M.D., M.B.A.

Robinson is studying synapse formation in cells involved in hearing and balance in the lab of Teresa Nicolson, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery in the OHSU School of Medicine, Oregon Hearing Research Center and the Vollum Institute; and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator.

The ARCS Foundation Portland presented its first 11 scholar awards in October 2005. This year 13 new scholars will be recognized along with 27 second- and third-year scholars at the ARCS Foundation awards luncheon Tuesday, Oct. 18, at the Portland Art Museum.

The keynote speaker for the luncheon is retired Intel CEO and chairman Craig Barrett, Ph.D., a leading advocate for improving education in the United States and around the world. Barrett was appointed by President Obama as a private sector leader of “Change the Equation,” a national science, technology, engineering and math education (STEM) initiative. Among his civic, foreign affairs and technology contributions are serving on the Business Coalition for Student Achievement, the National Innovation Leadership Council and the Clinton Global Initiative Education advisory board.

For a complete list of current ARCS Foundation scholars for 2012 and their areas of research, click here.

# # #

About ARCS Foundation Portland

The ARCS Foundation was established in 1958 in Los Angeles by a group of women who had a unique vision of what America needs to remain technologically strong and internationally competitive. The ARCS Foundation Portland supports and nurtures young American women and men in doctoral programs at Oregon Health & Science University and Oregon State University to take on the science challenges of today and tomorrow. The Portland Chapter incorporated in 2004 and presented the first 11 scholar awards in October 2005. To date, ARCS Foundation Chapters nationwide have awarded more than $79 million to 52 schools nationwide.

About OHSU

Oregon Health & Science University is the state’s only health and research university and its only academic health center. As Portland's largest employer and the fourth largest in Oregon (excluding government), OHSU's size contributes to its ability to provide many services and community support activities not found anywhere else in the state. OHSU serves patients from every corner of the state and is a conduit for learning for more than 4,310 students and trainees. OHSU is the source of more than 200 community outreach programs that bring health and education services to each county in the state.

Hospital Readmission Risk Requires Further Study

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 17:39:46 +0000

Factors contributing to hospital readmission risk remain poorly understood and methodologies to measure risk need further study and refinement, according to research published in the Oct. 19 issue of JAMA, the journal of the American Medical Association.

The study, a systematic review and analysis of 26 validated readmission risk prediction models, was led by Devan Kansagara, M.D., M.C.R., of Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), and Honora Englander, M.D., of OHSU, and was conducted for the Portland VA’s Evidence-based Synthesis Program.

“The study corroborates some of what we’ve learned in our transitional care improvement work. The thing that jumped out at us was that readmission risk prediction is really complex,” said Kansagara. “Different factors may contribute more in different populations. The social determinants of health are one set of variables that haven’t been well examined. There’s also a dearth of information about how to identify patients at greater risk of avoidable readmission.”

View the study online

About OHSU

Oregon Health & Science University is the state’s only health and research university, and only academic health center. As Portland's largest employer and the fourth largest in Oregon (excluding government), OHSU's size contributes to its ability to provide many services and community support activities not found anywhere else in the state. OHSU serves patients from every corner of the state and is a conduit for learning for more than 4,310 students and trainees. OHSU is the source of more than 200 community outreach programs that bring health and education services to each county in the state.

###

OHSU Offers Free Health Screenings on World Diabetes Day, Nov. 14

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 23:15:45 +0000

WHAT

Oregon Health & Science University Harold Schnitzer Diabetes Health Center is sponsoring a free health fair to promote diabetes education and prevention on World Diabetes Day, Nov. 14. The following Saturday, Nov. 19, the center is hosting the Pacific Northwest Diabetes Summit, where local and national experts will share the latest information on prevention and treatment in the management of type 1 and type 2 diabetes. The summit is open to everyone.

WHEN

Free Health Screenings — Monday, Nov. 14, from noon to 4:30 p.m.

Pacific NW Diabetes Health Summit — Saturday, Nov. 19, from noon to 5 p.m.

WHERE

OHSU Center for Health & Healing, 3303 S.W. Bond Ave., Portland, Ore. 97239

Monday, Nov. 14

OHSU Free Health Screenings/World Diabetes Day

OHSU cardiovascular medicine experts will measure:

Blood glucose
BMI (body mass index)
Cholesterol
Blood pressure

* Nurses and physicians will be on hand for consults on test results.

Kendall Simmons, a Superbowl XL champion and former Pittsburgh Steeler, will explain how he tackled Type 1 diabetes.

Certified diabetes educators from NovoNordisk will discuss carbohydrate counting and food exchanges.

March wellness representatives will demonstrate their Medical Exercise Program.

Saturday, Nov. 19

2011 Pacific Northwest Diabetes Summit

The summit is open to health care professionals, public health leaders, health plan and health system administrators, employer groups, school administrators, teachers, students, patients and their family members.

Topics include:

Movin’ Out, Movin’ On: Diabetes After Childhood
Exercise and Type 1 diabetes
Sex, Pregnancy and Parenting With Diabetes
"Healthy Kids" -- Pediatric Obesity
Treatments for Type 2 Diabetes
Technology — The Latest in Pumps, Sensors for Type 1
Cooking Tips for Type 2
Packing Your Lunch for School, Work or Eating out — Carb Counting

The cost is $30 for one person; $50 for 2; $70 for 3; and $80 for 4. For a full program and to register, click here.

Survey of Medical Records Demonstrates Effectiveness of Program to Honor Wishes of those with Advanced Illness or Frailty

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 18:55:50 +0000

According to newly published research, a program created to communicate the treatment preferences of those with advanced illness or frailty ensures those preferences are honored 94 percent of the time. The Program, called Physicians Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment (POLST), was launched in Oregon almost 20 years ago.

POLST enables patients to document preferences to have or decline treatments in the form of medical orders. Since that time, the program has expanded to several other states across the nation. The latest research on the POLST program is printed online in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

The study was designed to assess whether the treatments provided were consistent with what was documented on the POLST form. A review of medical records and POLST forms for 870 living and deceased patients found that POLST orders about resuscitation were honored 98 percent of the time, and orders to limit medical interventions were honored 91.1 percent of the time.

“The research builds upon our previous findings that suggest the POLST program offers significant advantages over traditional methods like advance directives and Do Not Resuscitate orders to communicate patients’ preferences about life-sustaining treatments,” said lead author, Susan Hickman, Ph.D., an associate professor at the Indiana University and Oregon Health & Science University schools of nursing.

When patients identify treatments they do not want, the POLST form directs clinicians to use more extensive interventions to enhance comfort if needed. A majority, 74 percent, of the medical interventions provided to patients with POLST orders for “comfort care only” were focused on enhancing comfort, such as sending a patient to the hospital after a fall. Near the end of life, 24 percent of POLST orders were re-written to reflect a change of preferences, primarily for more comfort-focused care.

“This study renews AARP’s conviction that POLST is a useful strategy for ensuring that people’s treatment preferences are honored in their setting of care. Its striking results bolster the growing body of evidence that POLST does two important things for people with advanced illness or frailty: it helps elicit and document their treatment goals and choices, and it enhances the odds that they will get the care they want. AARP’s own research on state POLST efforts provides a road map for the many states looking to start POLST programs, and this new clinical research provides evidence that those states are on the right track towards improving care for frail older citizens.” said Naomi Karp, Senior Strategic Policy Advisor at the AARP Public Policy Institute.

POLST helps people avoid unwanted hospitalizations. “This study shows that the patient’s comfort remains a high priority. Sometimes that means moving a patient who preferred to stay at the nursing home to the hospital for a short time to treat an accidental injury or uncontrolled symptoms,” said Margaret Murphy Carley, Chair of the Oregon POLST Task Force and Executive Director of the National POLST Paradigm Task Force.

The next steps for the researchers are to study the process of completing a POLST form to learn how to best support patients and families in making difficult decisions about treatment in the face of serious illness.

About OHSU

Oregon Health & Science University is the state’s only health and research university, and only academic health center. As Portland's largest employer and the fourth largest in Oregon (excluding government), OHSU's size contributes to its ability to provide many services and community support activities not found anywhere else in the state. OHSU serves patients from every corner of the state and is a conduit for learning for more than 4,310 students and trainees. OHSU is the source of more than 200 community outreach programs that bring health and education services to each county in the state.

With Senior Population About to Skyrocket, OHSU Physicians, Researchers Team Up to Ensure Healthy Aging

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 19:43:46 +0000

Editors note: OHSU is hosting a Healthy Aging Conference to kick off its increased focus on healthy aging. Reporters are invited to attend and speak to experts and seniors.

WHEN

Thursday, Oct. 27, noon to 5 p.m.

WHERE

Mirabella Portland at South Waterfront, 3550 Southwest Bond Ave.

NOTE

Due to space/capacity restrictions, the event is not open to the public.

Thanks to new therapies and disease prevention measures, Americans are living longer then ever and our population is rapidly aging. According to the Census Bureau, there will be 71 million Americans older than 65 by 2030, accounting for roughly 20 percent of our population. This is, of course, good news, but it also signals the need to prepare for a new set of health challenges.

Oregon Health & Science University physicians and researchers are joining forces to prepare for this aging population “bubble.” They are forming the OHSU Healthy Aging Alliance to help ensure that our aging population receives the best care possible.

The alliance is being formed to prevent and deal with common health issues that will plague seniors in the coming years:

Cognitive decline – the number of Alzheimer’s and dementia cases is predicted to greatly expand in the years ahead.
Falls in older adults lead to hospitalizations and are often the beginning of a person’s health decline.
Heart disease remains a leading cause of death among Americans, especially aging Americans.
Cancer and stroke are the second and third causes of death.
Arthritis, sleep disorders, impaired immune function and other health issues related to aging can impede quality of life.

“OHSU is highly regarded for its expertise in aging,” explained Elizabeth Eckstrom, M.D., M.P.H., an associate professor of medicine (general internal medicine and geriatrics) in the OHSU School of Medicine. “We must now align these strengths to plan for the future increase in aging patients and the jump in diseases related to aging. Specifically, we want to strategically plan research to meet the needs of our seniors, find new ways to make sure the results of our research influence the care of our aging patients, and offer new training opportunities to help Oregon doctors prepare for this significant change in their patient population.”

OHSU’s current research and clinical efforts to assist those with aging related diseases include:

The Layton Aging & Alzheimer's Disease Center provides patient care and conducts research to determine the cause of Alzheimer’s and other dementias and to find new treatments.
The Oregon Center for Aging and Technology partners research with senior living facilities to spot the early warning signs of mental decline to ensure rapid treatment and help determine a cause.
The Oregon Stroke Center leads the state in finding ways to treat stroke victims as soon as possible and seek out new treatment methods through research.
Several neurological research institutes, including the Parkinson’s Center of Oregon, and the Multiple Sclerosis Center of Oregon, focus on diseases that often occur later in life.
Research at the Oregon National Primate Research Center focuses on development of therapies for age-associated cognitive decline, impaired immunity and other disorders of the elderly.
The Vollum Institute generates new knowledge about the workings of the brain on a cellular level and how those functions change over time.
The Oregon Geriatric Education Center offers evidence-based prevention strategies to health care workers throughout the state.

These institutes and many others will meet on Thursday, Oct. 27, with additional partners throughout the state, including older Oregonians. The meeting will launch the expanded efforts to combat the negative impacts of aging and improve the quality of life for seniors.

“In the current age of health reform, we must make changes to the delivery system,” said OHSU’s chief medical officer Charles Kilo, M.D., M.P.H. “However we must also make sure that our services and research are aligned to impact the needs of our patients in the future. These efforts will do just that.”

About OHSU

Oregon Health & Science University is the state’s only health and research university, and only academic health center. As Portland's largest employer and the fourth largest in Oregon (excluding government), OHSU's size contributes to its ability to provide many services and community support activities not found anywhere else in the state. OHSU serves patients from every corner of the state and is a conduit for learning for more than 4,310 students and trainees. OHSU is the source of more than 200 community outreach programs that bring health and education services to each county in the state.

OHSU Holds Prescription Medication Drop-off Event

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 18:33:46 +0000

The Oregon Poison Center at Oregon Health & Science University would like the public to know that unwanted or expired medications in the house can result disaster from accidental ingestion to addictions. But how does one safely and responsibly get rid of old pharmaceuticals? OHSU wants to help.

OHSU will hold a free prescription drop-off on Saturday, Oct. 29, for Northwest residents to safely discard of unwanted or expired medications. The event, managed by the OHSU Department of Public Safety, will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and is intended to promote safety and reduce the chance of accidental poisonings/addictions in the Northwest.

To take part, residents simply drop off their unwanted medications at the OHSU Emergency Department with no questions asked. Volunteers from the OHSU Pharmacy and the Oregon Poison Center at OHSU will be there to answer questions. In addition, the Portland Aerial Tram will provide free transportation for those wishing to discard medications during the drop-off period; just inform one of the tram operators to ensure a free round-trip.

All the collected prescription drugs will be safely disposed by the federal Drug Enforcement Agency.

The medication drop-off event is co-sponsored by OHSU Public Safety, OHSU Pharmacy and the Oregon Poison Center at OHSU.

About OHSU

Oregon Health & Science University is the state’s only health and research university, and only academic health center. As Portland's largest employer and the fourth largest in Oregon (excluding government), OHSU's size contributes to its ability to provide many services and community support activities not found anywhere else in the state. OHSU serves patients from every corner of the state and is a conduit for learning for more than 4,310 students and trainees. OHSU is the source of more than 200 community outreach programs that bring health and education services to each county in the state.

OHSU Appoints Assistant Chief Diversity Officer

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 19:15:13 +0000

Oregon Health & Science University's Leslie Garcia, M.P.A., has been appointed assistant chief diversity officer for the university – this is a new position at OHSU. Garcia adds this role to her current responsibilities as assistant provost for diversity and director of the OHSU Center for Diversity and Multicultural Affairs.

As assistant chief diversity officer, Garcia will help implement OHSU's diversity efforts, with particular focus on recruitment and retention of faculty and students from diverse communities. She will also expand her role as a community liaison, helping cultivate relationships with other organizations that can help OHSU fulfill its institutional commitment to diversity.

Garcia has more than 16 years of experience leading institutional diversity efforts in both the private and nonprofit sectors, and currently co-chairs the Diversity Advisory Council at OHSU. Her initial employment at OHSU was from 1991 to 1998. She returned to the university in 2001 following work in diversity at other institutions in the region. Garcia earned her undergraduate degree at Eastern Washington University. She earned her master's in public administration at Portland State University and is currently pursuing her doctorate.

“Leslie’s community connections run deep,” said OHSU’s chief administrative officer and chief diversity officer Norwood Knight-Richardson, M.D., M.A., M.B.A. “That wealth of relationships is the foundation for making OHSU a place that is truly diverse in people and ideas.”

About OHSU

Oregon Health & Science University is the state’s only health and research university, and only academic health center. As Portland's largest employer, OHSU's size contributes to its ability to provide many services and community support activities not found anywhere else in the state. OHSU serves patients from every corner of the state and is a conduit for learning for more than 4,310 students and trainees. OHSU is the source of more than 200 community outreach programs that bring health and education services to each county in the state.

OHSU Dream Team Researcher Joe Gray Elected to Institute of Medicine

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 17:50:55 +0000

Joe Gray, Ph.D., Oregon Health & Science University Knight Cancer Institute’s ‘Dream Team’ cancer researcher and chair of OHSU’s Biomedical Engineering Department, has been elected to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, one of the highest honors a medical scientist can achieve.

Members of the Institute of Medicine are called upon to provide advice to the government as it strives to improve the nation’s health. They are elected by current active members through a highly selective process that recognizes individuals who have made major contributions to the medical sciences, health care and public health. A branch of the National Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Medicine has become recognized as a national resource for independent, scientifically informed analysis and recommendations on health issues.

“Joe Gray’s research has already improved the lives of many cancer patients and it is leading us to the next cancer breakthrough,” said OHSU President Joe Robertson, M.D., M.B.A. “His insights are certain to make an important contribution to the Institute of Medicine.”

Gray, who also serves as director of the OHSU Center for Spatial Systems Biomedicine, is one of 65 new members and five foreign associates elected to the institute in conjunction with its recent 41st annual meeting.

“I am honored to be a part of the Institute of Medicine’s mission,” Gray said. “It is my goal to work in collaboration with other scientists to transform cancer into a disease that can be controlled so that patients and their families can go on with living full lives.”

A physicist and engineer by training, Gray gravitated to the biological sciences because of the diversity of questions yet to be answered in medicine.

He also had a personal motivation. When Gray’s father was stricken with lung cancer, he learned how few treatments there were for the disease. He hoped that by focusing on cancer research, he could “do work that would ultimately benefit mankind.”

Gray is known for his significant contributions in developing tests such as fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) that are transforming how treatments are selected for breast cancer patients.

Because of his work on the FISH test and many other accomplishments, the Stand Up To Cancer initiative selected him to co-lead the organization’s “Breast Cancer Dream Team,” which has been challenged to tackle some of the most ambitious cancer research conducted to date. As part of the ‘Dream Team,’ Gray and co-leader Dennis Slamon, M.D., Ph.D., of UCLA’s Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, are exploring how to uncover the driving mechanisms that enable cancer cells to become resistant to treatments designed to kill them. With that knowledge, scientists expect to be able to develop more effective cancer drugs.

Gray also has played a central role in the Cancer Genome Atlas Project and is spearheading the use of computer models to predict how promising targeted therapies will work in attacking cancer cells as part of the National Cancer Institute Integrative Cancer Biology Program.

Gray joined OHSU in January from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The focus of his research for the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute is using the latest advances in measurement science to determine how individual cancers function over time and in different anatomic locations. This knowledge will help build upon the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute’s pioneering role in developing personalized cancer therapies that target the cells that enable cancer to grow without harming healthy tissues.

“An important next phase of research will determine how normal and disease-linked molecular components are organized into cells, tissues and organs and how this information can be used to improve aspects of cancer management ranging from detection to treatment,” Gray said.

###

Particulars

Joe Gray is associate director for translational research for the Oregon Health & Science University Knight Cancer Institute. He also holds the Gordon Moore Endowed Chair, is chair of the Department of Biomedical Engineering and director of the Center for Spatial Systems Biomedicine. In addition to his roles at OHSU, he is a visiting senior scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and emeritus professor at University of California, San Francisco.

About the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute

About OHSU

Oregon Health & Science University is the state’s only health and research university, and only academic health center. As Portland's largest employer and the fourth largest in Oregon (excluding government), OHSU's size contributes to its ability to provide many services and community support activities not found anywhere else in the state. OHSU serves patients from every corner of the state and is a conduit for learning for more than 4,310 students and trainees. OHSU is the source of more than 200 community outreach programs that bring health and education services to each county in the state.

OHSU Doernbecher Ensures Patients, Families Don’t Miss Halloween Fun

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 16:27:36 +0000

WHAT

Many children receiving care at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital are unable to trick or treat in their home neighborhoods this year. But never fear: OHSU Doernbecher’s Child Life Program is throwing an all-Doernbecher Halloween bash featuring a costume parade, trick-or-treating and a cupcake party for all of its patients and families to enjoy.

“Halloween is an important holiday for many children, and we want to be sure our Doernbecher patients can still enjoy the day, despite being hospitalized,” said child life specialist Cindy Barshay, M.A., C.C.L.S. “In order to bring normalcy and fun into the hospital environment, we organize festivities to help kids enjoy Halloween, including dressing up in costumes, going trick or treating and enjoying a party with other patients, afterward. Joy can still be a part of their day.”

Barshay is one of seven master’s-level child life specialists at OHSU Doernbecher with expertise in healthy development and coping through play, education and expressive activities for children and their families in health care settings.

She and the Child Life team will help the children put on their costumes and paint their faces, and will accompany them as they walk from station to station collecting treats from nurses, medical students and volunteers — some of whom will be decked out in Halloween attire.

The trick-or-treating and costume parade will culminate in a special cupcake party hosted by Lightning Cupcakes, a company established in honor of a former Doernbecher patient.

WHEN

Oct. 31, 2011, 1 p.m.

WHERE

OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital
700 S.W. Campus Drive, Portland, OR 97239

Editors: Please call 503-494-8231 if you plan to attend; crews should assemble in the first-floor lobby of OHSU Doernbecher.

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Patent Issued for OHSU Stem Cell Cloning

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 16:40:18 +0000

Oregon Health & Science University’s unique method of transforming a person's own skin cells into stem cells has officially been patented. The United States Patent and Trademark Office, an agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, issued the patent earlier this year. Securing a patent is a key step in commercializing discoveries, an important objective for OHSU. Revenue from commercialized discoveries has the potential to bring financial benefit to the university and the state of Oregon.

RELATED INFO

An illustration of the procedure.

The procedure, developed by Shoukhrat Mitalipov, Ph.D. at OHSU's Oregon National Primate Research Center, accelerated efforts to generate stem cell therapies for humans. The method involves transplanting the nucleus of the cell, which contains an individual’s DNA, to an egg cell that has had its genetic material removed. This cell then develops into stem cells, which are undifferentiated cells that can transform into various other cell types – the building blocks of an organism. For various reasons and despite numerous attempts, previous efforts by others to clone stem cells in primates had failed repeatedly.

When the breakthrough was announced in November 2007, it received worldwide media attention and was named one of TIME Magazine’s top two research achievements of the year. Many also hailed the procedure because it avoided the need for embryonic stem cells. The use of embryonic stem calls has been the subject of debate for many years.

Since that time, Mitalipov and colleagues have greatly improved their success rates — so much so that a much smaller group of cells (a dozen vs. hundreds) now is required to generate new stem cells.

“We believe our procedure has several advantages over other methods in developing new treatments for diseases such as Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, cardiac disease and spinal cord injuries,” said Mitalipov, an associate scientist in the Division of Reproductive Sciences at OHSU”s primate center. “For instance, because we transform a person’s own cells, there are no issues of rejection when the stem cells are transplanted back into a patient.”

“In addition to improving the health of all Oregonians, part of OHSU's mission is to impact the economic health of the state,” said Dan Dorsa, Ph.D., vice president for research at OHSU. “In patenting procedures such as this, we ensure that when intellectual contributions of OHSU might be commercialized, some of those funds return to the state to help Oregon's economy and further OHSU's public missions.”

About OHSU

Oregon Health & Science University is the state’s only health and research university, and only academic health center. As Portland's largest employer (excluding government), OHSU's size contributes to its ability to provide many services and community support activities not found anywhere else in the state. OHSU serves patients from every corner of the state and is a conduit for learning for more than 4,310 students and trainees. OHSU is the source of more than 200 community outreach programs that bring health and education services to each county in the state.

OHSU Names Vice President for Strategic Outreach

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 17:34:16 +0000

Mark O’Hollaren, M.D., has been named OHSU’s vice president for strategic outreach. In this new role at OHSU, Dr. O’Hollaren will focus on expanding and creating new research, education and health care partnerships in communities throughout the state.

“OHSU’s mission is to serve all 96,000 square miles of Oregon,” said OHSU President Joe Robertson, M.D., M.B.A. “As part of that mission, our physicians regularly travel to other parts of the region to provide specialized services that are otherwise unavailable in those areas. We have established satellite training sites for continuing medical education, our students do rural rotations and our School of Nursing has several campuses throughout Oregon. In this role, Dr. O’Hollaren will work to expand even further the reach of our health care, education and research programs to new areas where we are uniquely able to impact the health and well-being of Oregonians.”

For the past three years, Dr. O’Hollaren has served as OHSU’s director of clinical outreach for OHSU Healthcare while also maintaining his medical practice. During this time he has forged new health care relationships and partnerships in other Oregon communities. In doing so, OHSU was able to expand the availability of specialized services in those communities, allowing patients to receive care closer to where they live.

One such partnership example is in the community of Astoria, where OHSU worked with local government and organizations to help build the town’s cancer program. This effort included Columbia Memorial Hospital, Dr. Sonny Park, Dr. Bill Armington, Mayor Willis Van Dusen and the Astoria City Council, Clatsop Community College, The Columbia Memorial Hospital Foundation, and many others. As part of this ongoing effort, Columbia Memorial and OHSU currently are recruiting for a full-time oncologist to further expand the program in that community.

“OHSU has many devoted and gifted individuals who have developed tremendous outreach programs across the region. While traveling around the state in my previous role in clinical outreach, it was common for both professionals and patients to suggest unique new areas where OHSU could assist in improving the health of residents, both inside and outside of our health care mission,” said Dr. O’Hollaren. “I’m excited that OHSU is willing to investigate and pursue new and creative partnerships that include our multiple missions of clinical care, education, and research. I’m also very pleased to serve as a contact point and front door for new partners.”

About OHSU

Nike Doernbecher Freestyle Collection Available to Public For First Time Saturday

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 16:56:25 +0000

MEDIA ALERT

WHAT

Nike Doernbecher Freestyle VIII collection, six one-of-a-kind shoes, will be available for purchase for the first time. Six OHSU Doernbecher patients-Nike designers will be on hand to launch their shoes, sign autographs and share their inspiring stories of triumph over serious illness.

WHEN

Saturday, Nov. 5, 10 a.m. (OHSU Doernbecher patient-designers and Nike representatives will be available for interviews beginning at 9 a.m.)

WHERE

Nike Portland, 638 S.W. 5th Ave. at Morrison St. (Media can gain access to store before 10 a.m. by calling Shaun Hancock at 503-704-3697.)

WHY

Retail sale proceeds benefit health care and research programs at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital.

DETAILS

Nike Doernbecher Freestyle is a unique partnership between Nike and Doernbecher that each year raises significant funds for OHSU Doernbecher while giving courageous former patients a unique and empowering form of self-expression. Nike generously donates net proceeds from nationwide Freestyle sales to OHSU Doernbecher.

This year’s designers hail from Eugene, Forest Grove, Hillsboro, Milwaukie and Roseburg, Ore., and Underwood, Wash., and received care from Doernbecher specialists in cancer, nephrology, neurosurgery and cardiology.

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Northeast Oregon AHEC Contributes $90K to Oregon Office of Rural Health’s ‘Apple A Day’

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 17:04:44 +0000

The Northeast Oregon Area Health Education Center (NEOAHEC) has made a $90,000 contribution to the Oregon Office of Rural Health (ORH) Apple A Day Campaign. The campaign is an ongoing effort by the ORH to help support continuing education for volunteer rural emergency medical services (EMS) providers.

“This is a great opportunity to match our commitment to EMS education with that of the Apple A Day Campaign,” says Amy Dunkak, executive director of NEOAHEC. “We know firsthand the importance of trained EMS providers in our rural health care system. They are the front door into the health care system for many of our residents. Available and trained EMS helps ensure that is a positive experience.”

“We are excited about the support we are receiving from NEOAHEC,” says Scott Ekblad, director, Oregon Office of Rural Health. “They are truly dedicated to improving the health care of rural communities and have had a long interest in EMS training. This contribution will allow us to expand training opportunities from individuals to qualifying rural agencies as well. There is a great need for this training, and we are so pleased to be able to offer this.”

The ORH Apple A Day campaign currently offers grant opportunities to individual rural volunteer EMS and First Responders. The NEOAHEC donation allows the Apple A Day Campaign to expand grant opportunities to qualifying rural EMS agencies.

Many rural communities and agencies do not have full-time or paid EMS services. Instead they rely on volunteers. Initial training costs and continuing education requirements, paid for out of the volunteer’s own pocket, puts additional burdens on already stretched personnel.

About Apple A Day and the Oregon Office of Rural Health at OHSU

Apple A Day is an ongoing campaign associated with an annual event hosted by the Oregon Rural Health Conference. Individuals and organizations who wish to learn more about the campaign or contribute should visit www.ohsu.edu/orh.

First Use of High-Field MRI in Developing Brain Reveals Previously Undetectable Injuries

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 17:43:03 +0000

Pediatric neuroscientists at Oregon Health & Science University Doernbecher Children’s Hospital are the first to use high magnetic field strength MRI to reveal tiny white matter injuries in the developing brain previously undetectable using standard MRI.

Early, accurate identification of these lesions in the preterm human infant could prevent delays in therapy and enable physicians to inform families sooner of the potential for complications. The team’s findings are published in the Annals of Neurology.

White matter injury is the most common cause of chronic neurologic disability in children with cerebral palsy, explains principal investigator Stephen Back, M.D., Ph.D., but babies with cerebral palsy often have MRIs that miss injury, which creates significant challenges, including delayed treatment intervention and rehabilitation.

“Until now there hasn’t been a compelling reason to put preterm babies into a high-field MRI scanner. Our work indicates the magnetic field strength of current clinical MRI may be a limiting factor to detecting some white matter lesions in the preterm infant. Now that we can detect this injury, we also hope our findings may encourage MRI researchers to find more sensitive means to detect this injury with lower field MRIs that are widely available,” said Back, an associate professor of pediatrics and neurology in the Papé Family Pediatric Research Institute at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital.

High-field MRI scanners are still mostly used as a research tool and not widely available outside of specialized MRI research centers like OHSU, Back added.

White matter injury occurs during brain development when nerve fibers are actively being wrapped in myelin, the insulation that allows nerve fibers to rapidly transmit signals in the brain. The cells required to make myelin can be easily destroyed when blood flow to the developing brain falls below normal or when maternal infection occurs during pregnancy. The loss of these cells disrupts brain maturation and results in failure to make the myelin required for normal brain function.

Preterm infants are particularly susceptible to these injuries, which can result in lifelong impairments, including inability to walk as well as intellectual challenges.

In this study, using high-field MRI (12-Tesla), Back and colleagues were able to identify tiny brain lesions in preterm fetal sheep with characteristics previously unseen and unreported using a standard 3-T MRI. Prior to this study, progress to developing treatments for white matter injury in the preterm infant had been hampered by clinicians’ inability to see these microscopic injuries, and just one tiny lesion can have a tremendous impact on the patient’s ability to walk and learn.

“Our findings support the potential of using high-field MRI for early identification, improved diagnosis and prognosis of white matter injury in the preterm infant, and our large preclinical animal model provides unique experimental access to questions directed at the cause of these lesions, as well as the optimal field strength and modality to resolve evolving lesions using MRI.”

Future studies are needed to determine the clinical-translational utility of high-field MRI, Back added.

The study was funded by a Javits Award from the National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke (NINDS), a branch of the National Institutes of Health; the American Heart Association; and the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation.

OHSU investigators who contributed to this study include: Art Riddle, Ph.D.; Justin Dean, Ph.D.; Joshua Buser; Xi Gong, M.D.; Jennifer Maire; Kevin Chen; Tahir Ahmad; Victor Cai; Thuan Nguyen, Ph.D.; Christopher D. Kroenke, Ph.D.; and A. Roger Hohimer, Ph.D.

# # #

About Stephen Back, M.D., Ph.D.

Stephen Back is an internationally recognized expert in pediatric neurology whose research looks at the mechanisms responsible for causing white matter brain injury in developing infants. His team developed the first animal model that reproduces the major forms of brain damage that occur in premature infants. This model has substantially altered the way leaders in this field believe damage occurs to the developing white matter of the brain. For more information on his work, visit the Stephen Back Lab.

About OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital

OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital is ranked among the top 50 children’s hospitals in the United States in eight specialties.* Each year OHSU Doernbecher cares for tens of thousands of children from Oregon, southwest Washington and around the nation. Children have access to a full range of pediatric care, resulting in more than 195,000 outpatient visits, discharges, surgeries and pediatric transports annually. Nationally recognized physicians ensure that children receive exceptional care in the most patient- and family-centered environment. Pediatric experts from OHSU Doernbecher also travel throughout Oregon and southwest Washington to provide specialty care to some 3,000 children at more than 154 outreach clinics in 13 locations. OHSU Doernbecher also has a broad telemedicine program, delivering neonatal and pediatric acute care consultation to hospitals across the state.

* US News Best Children’s Hospitals 2011-12.

Early evidence in OHSU study shows meditation helping vets with PTSD

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 21:54:17 +0000

The flashbacks and nightmares came often for Robert Singh.

U.S. Army veteran Singh served three tours in Iraq, from 2004 through 2010. He was an Army medic for most of that time. It was a violent, dangerous and intense job. Singh was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder in 2007.

After he left the military in 2010, it became obvious that the drugs Singh was prescribed for PTSD weren't helping.

So when Singh learned of VetMind, a novel study being conducted at Oregon Health & Science University to understand how mindfulness meditation helps veterans' PTSD symptoms, he enrolled.

And he's happy he did.

The meditation exercises Singh learned in the study and continues to practice considerably abated his PTSD symptoms, he says. He has fewer flashbacks, fewer nightmares, and when he does have them, he is better able to deal with them, Singh says. And even though Singh still has plenty of stress — he and his wife and two young children live in a homeless shelter in Beaverton — "It's made it so I'm calmer. This has made it easier, and I can function better than I was functioning."

VetMind is still ongoing at OHSU, so the final results aren't in yet. But of the 45 completed participants, many noticed an improvement in their PTSD symptoms and their ability to cope with them, says Helané Wahbeh, N.D., an OHSU naturopathic physician-researcher who is conducting the study.

"Meditation appears to be an incredibly powerful tool for some people," Wahbeh says.

A recent General Accounting Office report found that from 2006 through 2010, 96,916 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans were diagnosed with PTSD. But the number of Iraqi and Afghanistan veterans suffering from the stress disorder is almost certainly much higher. As many as 50 percent of Iraqi and Afghanistan veterans screen positive for PTSD, with a smaller percentage actually receiving a PTSD diagnosis, according to a 2010 Rand Corporation study.

People can get PTSD when they experience a seriously threatening traumatic event and their response involves intense fear, helplessness or horror. People with PTSD re-experience their trauma over and over again through thoughts, memories and nightmares. They also can experience hyper-vigilance symptoms, like not being able to concentrate, difficulty falling or staying asleep, irritability or outbursts of anger, or exaggerated startle response, and avoidance or numbing symptoms, such as avoiding people or places that remind them of the event and not being able to feel a full range of emotion that they could feel before.

Studies also have shown that PTSD is significantly associated with increased suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts.

Wahbeh says that the emotional processing part of the brain in people who suffer from PTSD is overactive. And the frontal lobe — the part that regulates their emotional response — is underactive.

Mindfulness meditation actually reorients the brain, Wahbeh says, "so the frontal areas of the brain are better able to process over-reactive emotional responses that hinder people from leading normal lives."

VetMind is being funded by the National Institutes of Health National Center for Complementary & Alternative Medicine. VetMind's primary goal is not to prove that meditation can improve PTSD symptoms; past research has already provided some evidence of that in similar conditions. Instead, it aims to find out how meditation influences certain systems in the body, especially the nervous, hormonal and respiratory systems, Wahbeh says.

VetMind requires participants to visit the clinic 10 times: one screening visit, one baseline visit, six training sessions, one endpoint visit and a final check-out. Participants are assigned to one of four groups that practice either meditation, slow breathing, meditation and slow breathing together, or sitting quietly. During the training sessions, participants learn the techniques and then practice at home for 20 minutes per day. Regardless of what group they are in, every participant gets a CD with the meditations at the end of the study.

For Singh, the meditation has helped considerably and also changed how he believes he's combating his PTSD.

Antidepressant and other drugs he was prescribed "were making the symptoms go away, but they weren't fixing the problem," he says. "Whereas this feels more like I'm doing something about it. I'm fixing the problem."

The study will eventually include 100 participants. OHSU is seeking combat veterans between the ages of 25 and 65 to participate. Interested people can call 503-494-7399.

About OHSU

Oregon Health & Science University is the state's only health and research university, and only academic health center. As Portland's largest employer, OHSU's size contributes to its ability to provide many services and community support activities not found anywhere else in the state. OHSU serves patients from every corner of the state and is a conduit for learning for more than 4,300 students and trainees. OHSU is the source of more than 200 community outreach programs that bring health and education services to each county in the state.

Note to editors: Participants in the PTSD/meditation study are available for media interviews. Contact Todd Murphy.

Medical Research Foundation Announces 2011 Award Winners

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 22:01:10 +0000

The Medical Research Foundation of Oregon has announced the recipients of its 2011 awards for scientific leadership and innovation in Oregon. The awards were presented Nov. 9 at a reception at Portland's Governor Hotel.

Honorees

The MRF presented a Mentor Award to J. Gary Tallman, Ph.D., the Taul Watanabe Endowed Chair of Science and director of the Office for Faculty Research and Resources at Willamette University. As a researcher and educator, Tallman has inspired countless students to pursue careers in science. His research skills and ability to attract research funding in the competitive field of cell biology have helped sustain high-caliber, internationally respected research programs, bringing great opportunities to his students. Tallman engages students with respect, gives them latitude in pursuing their interests, gives them a sense of ownership of their work, and challenges them to achieve more.
The Discovery Award was presented to Gail Mandel, Ph.D., senior scientist at the Vollum Institute at Oregon Health & Science University, for distinguished achievements in neuroscience. Mandel is a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator and the first Oregon woman to be elected to the National Academy of Sciences. She isolated and sequenced the cDNA from the mammalian sodium channel gene, helping to form the first molecular understanding of the sodium channel. Her work in gene expression provided an explanation for how neurons in the developing brain acquire their specific characteristics.
A second Discovery Award was presented to Chris Q. Doe, Ph.D., professor of biology at the Institutes of Molecular Biology and Neuroscience at the University of Oregon. Doe, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator and world-leading developmental neurobiologist, made landmark contributions to the study of stem cell biology and cell fate patterning within the nervous system. Using a drosophila model to study central nervous system development, Doe identified a mutant fruit fly gene, dubbed Prospero, which features a defect that regulates other genes and triggers nervous system cells to change their identities.
The Richard T. Jones New Investigator Award was presented to Hui Zong, Ph.D., assistant professor of biology and member of the Institute of Molecular Biology at the University of Oregon. As a leader in mouse genetic modeling, Zong has made an impact on neuroscience and cancer research. Zong developed a novel method called MADM for making sparse GFP-labeled mutant clones in mice, enabling investigation of tumor-initiating stages that were inaccessible to researchers using conventional tools. He used the MADM system to study the origin of glioblastoma in the brain, and is now using it to investigate medulloblastoma, one of the most common brain tumors in children.

ABOUT THE MEDICAL RESEARCH FOUNDATION OF OREGON

Established in 1942, the MRF promotes medical research achievement in Oregon. In addition to its annual honors, it administers more than $1 million per year in research funding and early investigator grants that support the work of outstanding investigators at research institutions across the state. Such funding is increasingly necessary in today's climate. MRF grants help to sustain quality research programs, enabling Oregon researchers to compete more effectively for grants from agencies such as the National Institutes of Health. In 1994, the MRF became an affiliate committee of the OHSU Foundation, retaining its own unique mission and purpose to support Oregon biomedical research.

ABOUT THE OHSU FOUNDATION

The OHSU Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that exists to secure private philanthropic support to advance OHSU's vital missions. The OHSU Foundation raises funds from individuals, corporations and organizations, and manages and invests those gifts to honor donors' wishes.

Note to editors: photos of the award winners are available upon request.

OHSU Mirror Therapy Expert to Provide Free Training in Vietnam

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 21:41:25 +0000

Oregon Health & Science University's Beth Darnall, Ph.D., is an international expert on a novel therapy for "phantom limb pain" — real pain suffered by people who have had an arm or leg amputated. Darnall has studied and treats people with "mirror therapy," which lessens or eliminates the pain by tricking the amputee's brain into believing there was no amputation.

Now, Darnall has won a grant to take her expertise on a humanitarian mission to Vietnam — to help some of the tens of thousands of children and others in Vietnam who have lost a limb because of land mines and unexploded bombs from the Vietnam War.

"Vietnam has the highest rate of amputation in the world — mostly because of land mines and unexploded bombs," Darnall said. "And the amputations are still happening — often to children — more than 30 years after the war ended.

"Being from the United States, it's particularly gratifying to go and provide free pain education to help mitigate some of the suffering from this."

Darnall's team will include two physicians from Can Tho Medical University in Vietnam and a leader of the nonprofit End the Pain Project, which is dedicated to helping people reduce phantom limb pain. They will present three free workshops about mirror therapy to health care providers and aid workers in three cities in Vietnam, from Nov. 26 through Dec. 3.

HealthSaaS, a Portland-based company, is providing technology services, including an Internet portal powered by its Connected Outcomes Framework technology that will allow Darnall to coach patients and physicians and track Vietnam project outcomes from the United States.

"This outreach project is an efficient way to start helping the 580,000 amputees in Vietnam at a very low cost, using cloud-based technology to bring expert pain care to remote areas of the country," said Frank Ille, chief executive officer of HealthSaaS. "This project perfectly exemplifies the core mission and philosophy of HealthSaaS and we are excited to be a part of this humanitarian effort."

Darnall and her team hope workshop participants can provide the mirror therapy training to adults and children with amputated limbs — who can then perform the mirror therapy on their own in their own homes.

"The beauty of mirror therapy is it's easy to learn and do, and it has almost no cost — only the cost of a simple mirror that is as long as the amputated limb," Darnall said. "And it often works much better than expensive drugs that can have side effects and cause other problems."

About 80 percent of people with amputated limbs report phantom limb pain; the amputation has in essence confused their brain into perceiving pain that can be severe and often becomes lifelong.

With mirror therapy, the participant positions a long mirror across the midline of his or her body so the amputation site is hidden behind the mirror and the mirror reflects the image of the intact arm or leg. The participant then makes gentle movements with his intact limb, while looking at what appears to be another intact limb in the mirror.

The process is a form of "virtual reality" which appears to "trick" the brain. The effectiveness of mirror therapy for phantom pain was first discovered in the mid-1990s and has been confirmed in several large clinical studies, including one published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2007. Studies have shown the process causes actual restructuring of parts of the brain, restructuring that then lessens or eliminates the pain. Findings from the New England Journal of Medicine study showed that mirror therapy was effective in reducing phantom pain after four weeks of regular practice.

Darnall published a case study in 2009 after she treated a man whose leg was amputated after he was struck by a car in 2006. Drugs had not helped his phantom limb pain, but after he practiced mirror therapy for 20 minutes daily for a month, he reported the pain had ended.

A more recent Darnall study involving 40 amputees has been accepted for publication in a rehabilitative medicine journal. Study results show that half of the participants who performed mirror therapy at home reported phantom pain reduction, with an average pain reduction of about 40 percent. Two participants reported 100 percent phantom pain resolution.

Darnall's team won the $10,000 grant for the Vietnam workshops from the International Association for the Study of Pain.

About OHSU

Loss of Weight Associated With Chronic Illness May Soon Have First Treatment

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 21:50:43 +0000

Patients with cancer, heart disease and other chronic illness struggle not only with complications inherent to their disease, they also experience an involuntary loss of weight and muscle mass triggered by the body’s natural response to infection and inflammation. Increasing nutrition intake does not mitigate the process and there is no treatment.

Today scientists at Oregon Health & Science University Doernbecher Children’s Hospital report they have discovered a definitive role for the brain in regulating loss of muscle mass that previously has not been described. The process is driven by a signaling system in the brain that controls stress responses and the release of the stress hormone cortisol. This finding is of particular significance because many drugs that regulate the release of cortisol are now in development for the treatment of other conditions.

“The wasting associated with chronic illness has been recognized since the time of the ancient Greeks. Despite this long history, no effective treatments currently are available that can reverse muscle wasting,” said Daniel L. Marks, M.D., Ph.D., principal investigator and associate professor of pediatrics in the Papé Family Pediatric Research Institute at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital.

“Not only does wasting negatively affect quality of life, but it also significantly impacts mortality in patients with chronic illness. Our lab has found that the system by which our brains mediate the response to stressful stimuli is critical in regulating the loss of muscle mass that accompanies disease,” Marks said.

In response to infection, the body mobilizes protein stored in the muscle to fuel the immune system. This process is critical in the response to acute infection, but when it occurs excessively, as in the case of chronic disease, profound loss of muscle mass and weakness result.

Theodore Braun, a Ph.D. candidate in the Marks lab, and colleagues found that the muscle of rodents with isolated inflammation in the brain undergoes rapid atrophy. This process, they discovered, leads to the rapid release of cortisol into the blood, which acts on muscle to elicit wasting. When this system is blocked, the muscle mass loss in response to inflammation is prevented. Furthermore, when cortisol was infused at a level mimicking the production that occurs in many chronic diseases, dramatic muscle wasting results.

Because the prevention of muscle mass loss in response to cancer growth recently has been shown to improve survival in mice, the researchers suggest that targeting this system could improve quality of life and reduce mortality associated with chronic disease.

The study, “Central nervous system inflammation induces muscle atrophy via activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis,” was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the National Institutes of Health and is published in today’s The Journal of Experimental Medicine.

Other members of the research team include: XinXia Zhu, Marek Szumowski, Gregory Scott, Aaron Grossberg, Peter Levasseur, Oregon Health & Science University; and Kathryn Graham, Sheehan Khan, Sambasivarao Damaraju, William Colmers and Vickie Baracos, University of Alberta.

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About OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital

OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital ranks among the top children’s hospitals in the United States in eight clinical specialties*. It ranks 36th nationally for NIH-awarded pediatric research funding among children’s hospitals affiliated with an academic medical center**, and is one of only 22 NIH-designated Child Health Research Centers in the country. OHSU Doernbecher cares for tens of thousands of children each year from Oregon, southwest Washington and around the nation, resulting in more than 195,000 discharges, surgeries, transports and outpatient visits annually. Nationally recognized OHSU Doernbecher physicians and nurses provide a full range of pediatric care in the most patient- and family-centered environment. These highly trained clinicians also travel throughout Oregon and southwest Washington, providing specialty care to more than 3,000 children at 154 outreach clinics in 13 locations. In addition, OHSU Doernbecher delivers neonatal and pediatric critical care consultation to community hospitals statewide through its state-of-the-art telemedicine network.

* US News Best Children’s Hospitals 2011-12.
** National Association of Children’s Hospitals and Related Institutions

OHSU Health Information Becomes Even More Mobile

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 21:35:52 +0000

Editors: Multimedia available; see below

A new cadre of smart phone users now has access to their OHSU patient records thanks to a new Android application. Last year, the MyChart application was released for Apple iPhones, iPods and iPads. Now Android users have access to their health information while on the go.

Both the Apple and Android applications allow patient access to:

Test Results – Once they have been released by your health care provider.
Messages from the doctor’s office – Patients can both view and reply to messages remotely.
Appointments – Patients can view future and past appointments, including information about the time and location of a visit.
Health advice – The application also allows patients to ask their health care team for medical advice anytime, anywhere.
Health advisories – The application tells you when you are due for vaccinations and other treatments.
A current health summary - See your health history, current diagnosis list and information on medications allergies and immunizations.
Proxy access – You can also access family members’ health information (with their approval).

The MyChart mobile application requires a login to ensure your personal health information remains protected. The application uses the same bank-level security that is used for other sensitive data transferred via the Internet.

The MyChart mobile application is an extension of OHSU’s MyChart website, which provides users with 24-7 private and secure access to their health records via computer. The MyChart website has been available to OHSU patients since 2006.

"Since the launch of the Apple application last year, patients have told us that they appreciate having mobile access to health information. That's why we're so pleased with the release of the Android application," said Thomas Yackel, M.D., M.P.H., M.S., an associate professor of medical informatics and internal medicine in the OHSU School of Medicine. "The application can help you locate a physician’s office or ask questions of your provider while on the road. It demonstrates the evolving role of health care in providing easier, more immediate access."

Both the MyChart mobile applications and access to the MyChart website are free of charge. To sign up for MyChart, patients need to get an activation letter when checking in for an appointment or during the appointment itself. The MyChart mobile application is available once patients have signed up for MyChart online.

Multimedia

Photos

About OHSU

Oregon Health & Science University is the state’s only health and research university, and only academic health center. As Portland's largest employer, OHSU's size contributes to its ability to provide many services and community support activities not found anywhere else in the state. OHSU serves patients from every corner of the state and is a conduit for learning for more than 4,300 students and trainees. OHSU is the source of more than 200 community outreach programs that bring health and education services to each county in the state.

OHSU Researchers Partner With Women Firefighters to Protect Children

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 00:19:58 +0000

Children younger than 5 are particularly vulnerable to fire- and heat-related injury and trauma in the home. Burns, scalds and electrical injuries can be catastrophic among this age group and often result in disfigurement and disability. To ensure moms have the information and skills they need to prevent these accidents and injuries, Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) has partnered with the International Association of Women in Fire & Emergency Services (iWomen) to create two free instructional videos.

The 20-minute videos, funded through a Fire and Safety grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, are available online in English and Spanish at safemoms.org.

“Ten years ago our division designed an NIH-supported occupational safety and health program for first responders called PHLAME. In ride-alongs, we noted that firefighters took the time to educate people, and women firefighters were especially effective in counseling moms about home safety and fitness. We’ve now translated those unique skills into videos for wide distribution to help moms keep their families safe,” said Diane Elliot, M.D., project lead and a professor of medicine, Division of Health Promotion and Sports Medicine, OHSU School of Medicine.

The first video, “Home Safety,” instructs moms on how to reduce the risk of injuries and accidents in at home, including bathroom, kitchen and bedroom safety. The second, “Fitness for New Moms,” shows moms how to get in shape and avoid injury using simple techniques employed by women firefighters.

“We piloted the videos with moms with young children and the response was beyond our expectations — they enjoyed watching, learned new information, acted on the safety advice and wanted copies to show to their families and friends,” said Elliot.

iWomen members are distributing the videos through fire departments and fire marshals nationwide. OHSU’s Division of Health Promotion and Sports Medicine is working with Women, Infants, and Children, or WIC, to ensure the 2 million women participating in WIC’s Special Supplemental Nutrition Program have access.

“We especially appreciate partnering with the Oregon Women Infants and Children program. In Oregon, 1 in 3 children younger than 5 receive WIC services. WIC assisted in tailoring the messages for the targeted audience and will be helping distribute the videos to millions of U.S. moms,” said Esther Moe, Ph.D., a research assistant professor of medicine (health promotion and sports medicine) in the School of Medicine who worked on the project.

The videos were produced by Your Favorite Entertainment (YFE), a creative house and production company in New York City headed by Michael Goldberg, a former Lake Oswego resident. Sophie Medina, a bilingual firefighter with the Fire Department City of New York (FDNY), narrated the videos.

“iWomen appreciates the opportunity to work with such talented individuals at OHSU and YFE to provide a resource to women and children. We believe that education is critical to inform our citizens about the importance of fire and home safety as well as fitness and health to help keep our communities and citizens safe and healthy,” said Laura Baker, M.S., deputy chief of fire prevention for the Tucson Fire Department and iWomen vice president.

Linn Goldberg, M.D., head of the Division of Health Promotion and Sports Medicine, also contributed to this project.

# # #

About the OHSU Division of Health Promotion and Sports Medicine

The Division of Health Promotion & Sports Medicine at OHSU has been a leader in behavior change and health promotion research for two decades, winning awards from Sports Illustrated, the U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the International Mentor Foundation. For more information about the Division’s health promotion activities for firefighters visit: PHLAME.

About Oregon Health & Science University

Oregon Health & Science University is the state’s only health and research university, and only academic health center. As Portland's largest employer, OHSU's size contributes to its ability to provide many services and community support activities not found anywhere else in the state. OHSU serves patients from every corner of the state and is a conduit for learning for more than 4,300 students and trainees. OHSU is the source of more than 200 community outreach programs that bring health and education services to each county in the state.

About iWomen

The International Association of Women in Fire & Emergency Services (iWomen) is “the voice of women in fire and emergency services.” Its mission is to provide leadership, training and representation to enhance the professionalism of all women in fire and emergency services careers.

OHSU Technology Transfer Achieves Record Year for Industry-Sponsored Research

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 19:40:34 +0000

Oregon Health & Science University’s Technology Transfer and Business Development team completed a record number of industry-sponsored research agreements, 118, during fiscal 2011. Those agreements provided more than $12 million in awards for scientists, the highest amount recorded by the university’s research community. In the past five years, industry-sponsored research has resulted in more than $44 million in awards from more than 475 completed agreements.

“The increase in industry collaborations paralleled the expansion of our business development efforts,” said Tim Stout, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A., OHSU vice president for Technology Transfer and Business Development.

Stout added that these efforts, which were led by Abhijit Banerjee, Ph.D., M.B.A., “have engaged our research community in active partnerships with industry and, through the research consortium program, our business development team has identified and matched internal expertise, optimizing cooperative resources for potential business partners.”

Stout also noted that in addition to the industry collaboration agreements, the office processed a record number of material transfer agreements (466) and nondisclosure agreements (117). Breaking down the numbers that means the office, which has recently expanded its staff to handle the growth of innovation at the university, processed nearly 750 agreements during the year, averaging about three agreements each business day.

OHSU recognizes the value of commercialization for its technologies and intellectual property with the ultimate goal of bridging the gap between promising research and public benefit. The TTBD office licenses OHSU's intellectual property, links business with OHSU-developed technologies and expertise, negotiates industry research collaborations and launches companies based on the work done at OHSU. Discoveries from OHSU laboratories expand the economy and improve overall health and quality of life.

Among the achievements during the 2011 fiscal year was the creation of three start-up companies based on OHSU research. These companies pushed the total number of OHSU startups to nearly 75 since the early 1970s. In the past five years, an average of nearly four start-up companies per year has developed out of OHSU research. Of the 18 companies that emerged during that time, 15 currently operate in Oregon, bringing new discoveries to market and contributing to the region’s economic development.

The three OHSU startups created in fiscal 2011 are:

UbiVac CMV – a biotech company that develops therapeutic vaccines to treat cancer. A major hurdle in the development of effective cancer vaccines is to induce a robust immune response against a broad spectrum of tumor antigens. UbiVac CMV's primary technology is a recombinant, replication-deficient cytomegalovirus vaccine vector that it believes will allow for the delivery of numerous tumor antigens simultaneously in a vector with capacity to amplify T cell responses, resulting in a broad spectrum tumor-destructive immune response.
TomegaVax – a biotech company that will develop novel prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines for unmet medical needs in infectious disease and cancer. TomegaVax’s core technology is the spread-deficient cytomegalovirus (CMV) vaccine vector. This vaccine was initially developed to address human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), one of the greatest global public health crises of the last century. Currently, more than 33 million people are living with HIV/AIDS worldwide. In 2009 alone, the disease was responsible for 1.8 million deaths, including 260,000 children. The core technology can be leveraged to develop vaccines for other forms of infectious disease, such as malaria and tuberculosis, as well as to develop novel anticancer vaccines.
Viti – a biotech company developing tuberculosis (TB) diagnostics for adults and also young children. TB remains the most prevalent infectious disease in the world. More than 40 percent of the world’s population, or about 2 billion people, are infected with Mycobacterium Tuberculosis (MTb) alone. Young children bear the burden of developing TB disproportionately. Children are not only more susceptible to TB than adults, but also are more likely to develop a severe form of the disease. The worldwide resurgence of multiple drug resistant MTb has underscored the importance of TB diagnostics, especially in the pediatric population where the current TB diagnostics used for adults do not work. Viti's core technologies include a series of novel TB antigens and T cell clones as well as unique expertise in T cell expansion that will contribute to the development of successful TB diagnostics.

Included among the university’s other commercialization successes in the past fiscal year were:

Twelve U.S. patents issued to OHSU innovators, contributing to a total of more than 70 patents in the past five years.
One hundred twenty-eight invention disclosures, resulting in more than 600 disclosures for the past five years.
Forty-nine commercialization agreements for products developed from intellectual property created at and owned by OHSU.
Four hundred sixty-six material transfer agreements (MTAs) were reached with corporate researchers or researchers at other nonprofit institutions. MTAs are short-term contracts governing the exchange of research materials ranging from cell lines, cultures and proteins to pharmaceuticals, reagents, software and data. Nearly 2,000 MTAs were completed at OHSU in the past five years.

One hundred seventeen nondisclosure, or confidentiality agreements, were signed. Nondisclosure agreements govern how recipients, generally businesses, can use proprietary information provided by an OHSU researcher to protect patent rights. The increase in nondisclosure agreements reflects the open and collaborative nature of OHSU faculty in working with colleagues in industry as well as other academic institutions.

The OHSU Office of Technology Transfer and Business Development compiled the university’s fiscal 2011 results. TTBD supports the university’s research community by collaborating with industry to facilitate research, license promising discoveries and create new companies. For more information about TTBD and Innovation at OHSU, go to www.ohsu.edu/techtransfer.

###

About OHSU

Oregon Health & Science University is the state’s only health and research university, and its only academic health center. It is Portland’s largest employer and the fourth largest in Oregon (excluding government), with more than 13,000 employees. A leader in research, OHSU earned $392 million in research funding in fiscal year 2010. OHSU serves as a catalyst for the region’s bioscience industry and is an incubator of discovery, averaging one new breakthrough or innovation every 3 days, with more than 3,500 research projects currently under way. OHSU disclosed 115 inventions in 2010 alone, and OHSU research has resulted in more than 40 start-up companies since 2000, most of which are based in Oregon. For more information about OHSU, go to www.ohsu.edu.

Wasco County High Schools Receive Paul R. Vogt Scholarships for Teen Athletes

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 22:53:36 +0000

*** Editors: OHSU ATLAS and ATHENA trainers will introduce the programs to athletes and coaches and begin implementation on Monday, Nov. 28. Media are invited; please confirm attendance by calling 503-575-6556.

WHAT

The Dalles-Wahtonka High School and South Wasco County Junior/Senior High School have been selected to participate in the Paul R. Vogt Raising Champions Scholarship Program. Each school will receive a $5,000 award to implement Oregon Health & Science University’s nationally recognized health promotion and drug prevention programs for teen athletes, called ATLAS and ATHENA.

The Raising Champions Scholarship Program enables two Oregon high schools to implement ATLAS and ATHENA each year. It was created through a generous estate gift from The Dalles native Paul “Bob” Vogt. Vogt, who passed away in April 2009, helped establish the Paul R. Vogt Health Promotion and Sports Medicine Endowed Professorship at OHSU, which benefits the Division of Health Promotion and Sports Medicine and the work of Kerry Kuehl, M.D., Dr.P.H. -- including ATLAS and ATHENA.

“Paul often discussed his disappointment with national sports figures who were not the role models he felt they should be. He felt athletics were losing the beneficial impact they should have on young people. As he came to understand ATLAS and ATHENA, he decided it was necessary for every student-athlete to go through these programs. He believed this program was essential to recapturing the healthy mission of sport,” said Kuehl, an associate professor of medicine in the OHSU Division of Health Promotion and Sports Medicine.

WHEN

10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday, Nov. 28, 2011

WHERE

The Dalles-Wahtonka High School, 220 E. Tenth St., The Dalles, OR 97058

DETAILS

ATLAS (Athletes Training & Learning to Avoid Steroids) and ATHENA (Athletes Targeting Healthy Exercise & Nutrition Alternatives) teach teen athletes about healthy sports nutrition and strength-training alternatives to the use of alcohol, illicit and performance-enhancing drugs, and address the connection between young women in sports, disordered eating behaviors and body-shaping drug use. OHSU physicians and scientists pioneered ATLAS and ATHENA with research that involved 50 schools and more than 4,000 adolescents. Today, the programs are in 35 states in the United States and have reached more than 60,000 high school student athletes.

NIH honors OHSU Knight Cancer Institute’s David Dilts for system to improve clinical trial recruitment

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 23:38:26 +0000

David Dilts, Ph.D., M.B.A., a professor in the Division of Management at Oregon Health & Science University and a member of the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute management team, received a 2011 group merit award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for his role in developing AccrualNet, a Web-based system designed to help researchers navigate the process for recruiting participants to NIH clinical trials. The NIH Director’s Award is a symbol of achievement in aiding the research community.

Dilts and the other co-developers of AccrualNet were recently honored with the award during a ceremony in Bethesda, Md.

“It is gratifying to see David Dilts’ work on this project receive such a prestigious award,” said Brian Druker, M.D., director of the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute. “Improving the speed of completing clinical trials is crucial to accelerating progress against cancer, especially as cancer treatments become more specialized.”

One of Dilts’ responsibilities within the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute is to help foster national efforts to streamline clinical trials to help advance personalized cancer medicine. The institute is committed to finding new ways to improve the productivity of clinical trials so that more drugs can be developed to target the specific mutations in each patient’s tumor without impacting healthy cells — a field of cancer treatment that Druker pioneered.

Dilts helped design AccrualNet to serve as a clearinghouse for knowledge on how to successfully conduct NIH clinical trials as well as provide a community of practice. AccrualNet includes recruitment resources, information on trial strategies, training opportunities and decision-making tools. The system should ultimately improve participation in clinical trials by making it easier for investigators to gather information as they plan to recruit eligible patients. It also provides a platform through which researchers can share ideas, lessons learned and solutions with other colleagues conducting clinical trials.

“I am honored to be recognized by the NIH along with my colleagues on this project,” Dilts said. “It was a team effort that required many important contributions. My role was to provide expertise in looking at the total problem and not just pieces of it.”

AccrualNet addresses a critical need in development of new cancer treatments by focusing on how to design and execute studies that patients both need and will enroll in.

Before joining the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute in 2009, Dilts was the founding director of the Engineering Management Program and co-director of the Center for Management Research in Health Care at the Owen Graduate School of Management at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn. This research center is now located with the Knight Cancer Institute.

Prior his time at Vanderbilt, Dilts served for 14 years as a professor of management sciences, faculty of engineering, and a professor in optometry, faculty of science, at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada. Previous to that he served as an assistant professor of operations management at Michigan State University.

# # #

Particulars

Brian Druker, M.D., is director of the Oregon Health & Science University Knight Cancer Institute, associate dean for oncology in the OHSU School of Medicine, JELD-WEN Chair of Leukemia Research at OHSU, and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator.

About the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute

OHSU study breaks new ground in understanding drug-induced deafness

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 22:10:00 +0000

Peter Steyger's research on hearing is very personal.

That's because Steyger — a research scientist with the Oregon Hearing Research Center at Oregon Health & Science University — is deaf.

Now Steyger has published groundbreaking research that is as personal as it gets. The study gives scientists new insight into why a specific class of antibiotics causes deafness — the same class of antibiotics that caused Steyger's deafness as a child in England 48 years ago. The study was published this month in Scientific Reports, part of the Nature Publishing Group.

"Compared to a lot of other papers I've published, this paper is intensely personal," Steyger says. "And that's why I'm extraordinarily proud of it."

Aminoglycoside antibiotics are widely used to prevent, among other things, tuberculosis in people in developing countries, and to prevent life-threatening bacterial infections, particularly in premature infants across the world. But Steyger and co-author Hongzhe Li, also at OHSU, examined a long-known and significant problem with the use of aminoglycoside antibiotics — how they find their way into the inner ear and kill the sensory "hair" cells that enable us to hear. The killing of these sensory hair cells is a major cause of deafness.

For 60 years, scientists have questioned how these antibiotics get into the inner ear. The Steyger and Li paper provides the strongest evidence yet for a definitive answer — they cross a specific "blood-labyrinth" barrier in the inner ear that protects its sensory hair cells from potentially damaging components in the blood.

The blood-labyrinth barrier actively transports important minerals and nutrients into the inner ear for sensitive auditory function — ions, amino acids and glucose, for example. Steyger says the aminoglycoside antibiotics likely use particular nutrient pathways for "drug trafficking" into the inner ear.

Now that Steyger has learned the predominant trafficking route, he and other scientists can test individual nutrient transport pathways to identify the mechanism that moves aminoglycoside antibiotics across the blood-labyrinth barrier. So the Steyger paper represents a significant milestone toward the ultimate goal — blocking the trafficking of these drugs into the inner ear and preventing the killing of hair cells and subsequent hearing loss and deafness.

"We could give an inhibitor at the same time as the antibiotics that will protect the ear but still allow the drug to kill bacteria — thereby saving the patient's hearing," Steyger says.

In the United States alone, about 80 percent of premature infants are given aminoglycoside antibiotics to prevent infections that would otherwise kill them. The smaller percentage of premature infants with infections must remain on the antibiotics for several days, and are in significant danger of hearing loss, Steyger says.

With those infants and other patients, "if we could find a blocker, then we could save the hearing of up to 50,000 individuals from drug-induced deafness in the United States every year," Steyger says.

Steyger's own hearing loss occurred when he was 14 months old, after he developed meningitis. Living with his family in Stockport, England, Steyger was treated with streptomycin, one of the first aminoglycoside antibiotics in wide use. The drug "literally saved my life," Steyger says, but it also caused his severe-to-profound hearing loss.

Steyger's mother was coached to provide him with daily speech and listening therapy from ages 2 to 7 — unusual for that time in the United Kingdom. The success of that program meant that Steyger then went to a traditional elementary school in the U.K., also unusual for deaf children at the time.

After high school, he studied zoology at the University of Manchester before enrolling into a hearing research Ph.D. program at Keele University in the U.K. After obtaining his doctorate, he was recruited to a NASA vestibular research program in San Antonio, Texas, in 1992. He's been at the Oregon Hearing Research Center at OHSU for the past 14 years, where he currently is an associate professor of otolaryngology/head and neck surgery.

Steyger's study was funded by the National Institute of Deafness and Other Communications Disorders, a branch of the National Institutes of Health. After this key finding, Steyger and his lab are already researching the precise molecular mechanisms of how aminoglycoside antibiotics (and other ototoxic drugs) cross the blood-labyrinth barrier. As they learn more, they hope to develop new and more effective strategies to prevent drug-induced hearing loss.

Because, he says "hearing loss from these drugs is entirely preventable. And my team and I will continue working hard to find ways to prevent it."

Beyond his work at OHSU, Steyger is also scientific director at the national Hearing Health Foundation and for 10 years has been a board member at the Tucker-Maxon Oral School in Portland, Ore., where children with hearing loss can learn to listen and speak.

About OHSU

Oregon Evidence-based Practice Center to review bone growth product

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 21:44:57 +0000

Yale School of Medicine has chosen the Oregon Evidence-based Practice Center at Oregon Health & Science University as one of two research centers that will independently review all clinical studies of a controversial product used in spinal surgeries to promote bone growth.

The selection of the Oregon Evidence-based Practice Center comes after Yale had entered into an unusual agreement with Medtronic, the manufacturer of the bone growth product — called bone morphogenetic protein-2 — to independently review the product.

That agreement came after questions had been raised, in major newspapers, a major medical journal and elsewhere, about the product’s safety and efficacy.

In announcing Yale’s choice of the Oregon EPC to help with its review, Harlan M. Krumholz, M.D., leader of the Yale project, said: “We feel privileged to be working with one of the pre-eminent research groups in evidence synthesis on a project that will set an entirely new standard.”

Yale chose the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination at the University of York in the United Kingdom as the other research center that will independently review the same data.

The Medtronic product, under the brand name Infuse, was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2002 and is now used in many spinal fusion surgeries.

Medtronic itself is funding the Yale-coordinated examination of the data. As part of the agreement, Medtronic will release all of its human subject data on the Infuse product to Yale for distribution to the Oregon Evidence-based Practice Center and the U.K. center. Generally, that level of detailed data is not available for such reviews.

“We are extremely honored to be chosen for this work,” said Roger Chou, M.D., scientific director of the Oregon Evidence-based Practice Center and an associate professor in the departments of Medicine and Medical Informatics & Clinical Epidemiology at OHSU. “I think Yale chose us because we’ve built our reputation doing rigorous systematic reviews in many different areas of medicine and health care.”

Rochelle Fu, Ph.D., biostatistician at the Oregon EPC and an associate professor in OHSU’s Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, will be the lead investigator on the Oregon EPC analysis.

The Oregon Evidence-based Practice Center is a national leader in its work on comparative effectiveness reviews of health care interventions and in developing the standards for conducting systematic reviews. This type of scientific information is used by national societies and independent panels to develop guidelines for best practices relied on by practicing clinicians.

When reviews of the bone growth patient data by the two centers are complete, each will issue a separate report, which will be made public in the summer of 2012. Medtronic will have no direct role in these reviews aside from providing data and supporting materials.

“This project is setting a new standard of transparency and will ensure that all data about this product is made publicly available and scrutinized by those with an interest in the drug,” Krumholz said.

About the Oregon Evidence-based Practice Center

The Oregon Evidence-based Practice Center conducts systematic reviews of health care topics for federal and state agencies and private foundations. These reviews report the evidence from clinical research studies and the quality of that evidence for use by policymakers in decisions on guidelines and coverage issues.

The Oregon EPC is a collaboration among Oregon Health & Science University, the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research and the Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

About OHSU

Oregon Health & Science University is the state’s only health and research university, and only academic health center. As Portland's largest employer, OHSU's size contributes to its ability to provide many services and community support activities not found anywhere else in the state. OHSU serves patients from every corner of the state and is a conduit for learning for more than 4,300 students and trainees. OHSU is the source of more than 200 community outreach programs that bring health and education services to each county in the state.

Health Care, Home, School Differ for Children With Special Health Care Needs

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 21:56:54 +0000

The first federally funded report to compare children with special health care needs to children without reveals 14 percent to 19 percent of children in the United States have a special health care need and their insurance is inadequate to cover the greater scope of care they require for optimal health.

The report, Children with Special Health Care Needs in Context: A Portrait of States and the Nation 2007, provides an enhanced view of children by illustrating their health, health care, home and family environments, and school and neighborhood environments compared with their peers without special health care needs. It is based on findings from the 2007 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) sponsored by the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Maternal and Child Health Bureau.

In the survey, children with special health care needs are defined as those who have one or more chronic physical, developmental, behavioral, or emotional conditions for which they require a type or amount of health and related services that is above routine-level care.

The key findings in the report demonstrate critical differences between these groups. While more than 88 percent of children ages 0 to 17 with special health care needs have consistent health insurance coverage, it is less likely to meet their greater health care needs compared to children without special health care needs. The percentage of children with special health care needs who have inadequate health insurance ranges from 20 percent to 38 percent across states.

“The NSCH is a valuable information source that can be used to inform efforts to advance the health of our nation’s children. It allows us to measure children’s health, well-being and health care system performance in the context of their family, home, community and school environments — and to compare across many subgroups of children within and across states,” said Christina Bethell, Ph.D., M.B.A., M.P.H., director of the Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative (CAHMI) and a professor of pediatrics in the Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine, OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital.

“This information is important to identify priorities and opportunities for improving children’s health and health care in the United States. The CAHMI Data Resource Center for Child and Adolescent Health is committed to making this information readily available to the public on our user friendly Web site,” said Bethell.

Additional key survey findings include:

Children with special health care needs are more likely to be overweight or obese compared to children without special health care needs.
Children with special health care needs are less likely to be engaged in school and are more likely to have repeated one or more grades compared to their peers without special health care needs.
Just over one-third (36 percent) of children with special health care needs meet criteria minimum threshold for receiving quality care, which is characterized by having a medical home, adequate health insurance and having at least one preventive visit in the past year.
Only 23 percent of children with special health care needs live in protective home environments compared to 30 percent of children without special health care needs. A protective home environment includes factors such as eating meals together, limited television watching and whether or not a child is exposed to secondhand tobacco smoke in the home.
Children with and without special health care needs are similarly likely to live in safe and supportive neighborhoods.

Interactive data from this report can be easily accessed through the Data Resource Center for Child and Adolescent Health website. The Data Resource Center is a project of the Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative (CAHMI) housed at OHSU.

More information about the report is available online.

The 2007 National Survey of Children’s Health involved a total of 91,642 interviews, about 1800 interviews in each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia, with parents of children less than 18 years old.

About the Data Resource Center for Child and Adolescent Health

The Data Resource Center for Child and Adolescent Health is a project of the Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative (CAHMI) housed at Oregon Health & Science University (www.cahmi.org). It is supported through a cooperative agreement with the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Dept of Health & Human Services (1-U59-MC06980-01) and periodically enjoys support from other entities for project-specific work.

About Oregon Health & Science University

Oregon Health & Science University is the state’s only health and research university and its only academic health center. As Portland's largest employer, OHSU's size contributes to its ability to provide many services and community support activities not found anywhere else in the state. OHSU serves patients from every corner of the state and is a conduit for learning for more than 4,300 students and trainees. OHSU is the source of more than 200 community outreach programs that bring health and education services to each county in the state.

99.5 The Wolf Hosts Radiothon to Benefit OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 22:04:55 +0000

WHAT

99.5 The Wolf will broadcast its annual “Hunt for a Cure” Radiothon live from the lobby of OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. Every hour will feature interviews with current and former OHSU Doernbecher patients sharing their stories of courage, strength and hope.

All funds raised benefit health care and research programs at OHSU Doernbecher.

WHEN

Thursday and Friday, Dec. 8 and 9, from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Note: The grand total will be announced Friday, Dec. 9, at 7 p.m.

WHERE

MEDIA

Please call Tamara Hargens-Bradley, 503-494-8231, if you plan to attend.

OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, 700 SW Campus Dr., Portland, OR 97239

DETAILS

99.5 The Wolf is a longtime partner of OHSU Doernbecher. Its listeners have pledged nearly $4 million to support Doernbecher since the Radiothon’s inception in 2001. To make a donation or pledge, listeners can call: 888-221-KIDS (5437) or 503-418-KIDS (5437). Listeners can also donate $10 via text message by texting the word “Dolly” to 50555.

The 2011 99.5 The Wolf Radiothon is presented by Burger King and CenturyLink.

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Community Groups Bring Holiday Cheer to OHSU Doernbecher Families

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 21:29:31 +0000

Community groups, musicians, sports teams and other talent will pay a special visit to patients and families at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital this holiday season. Media are invited to attend, but to protect our fragile patients with weakened immune systems, please be sure news crews don’t have cold or flu-like symptoms. Thank you and Happy Holidays!

Thursday, Dec. 8

2p.m. Oz Characters

Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion will delight families in full costume.

Saturday, Dec. 10

10 a.m. Guide-Dog Puppies

Sightmasters guide-dog puppies and their trainers will go room to room.

Tuesday, Dec. 13

9:30 a.m. Make-A-Wish Shopping Spree

The Make-A-Wish Foundation will display merchandise for our patients to shop and select gifts. Make-A-Wish volunteers will then wrap and label the presents for delivery to family members.

Wednesday, Dec. 14

7 p.m. Portland Strings Performance

Young performers learning to play the violin will entertain visitors and patients with holiday music.

Thursday, Dec. 15

11 a.m. Portland Winterhawks

The team will sign autographs, pose for photos and pass out Winterhawks gear to patients and family members.

Tuesday, Dec. 20

11 a.m. Spirit Mountain Casino Toy Delivery

Spirit Mountain Casino will deliver a semi-truck full of new, unwrapped toys. Last year, the casino brought 28 pallets loaded with 254 boxes of toys.

Sunday, Dec. 25

8 a.m. Santa Claus Comes to Doernbecher

Santa never forgets the children at Doernbecher and will make a special visit to deliver gifts for each patient.

OHSU course gives doctors ‘basic training’ to provide care in developing world

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 19:12:08 +0000

After a career spent as an ophthalmologist in Salem, Andy Harris, M.D., was ready to give back by being a doctor in an entirely different way. He hoped to travel to developing countries to offer basic medical services to people in dire need.

But there was a problem: he realized to be truly helpful, he needed a refresher on primary care, and some training on practicing medicine in the often difficult circumstances doctors find in low-income countries. And, looking around, he could find no way for U.S. medical professionals to get such training.

So Harris created a course — at Oregon Health & Science University’s Global Health Center. He became its coordinator at the same time he was one of its first students.

The sought-after course — Professionals Training in Global Health — is now in its fourth year. And it has won Harris some recent national accolades. The national Purpose Prize, which recognizes people late in their careers who are creating new ways to solve social problems, recently recognized Harris as one of its Purpose Prize Fellows, specifically citing his work with the Global Health Center course.

Harris says the Purpose Prize recognition is less important than how successful the course has become. The course not only gives U.S. medical professionals a chance to provide care overseas, he says; it also enables them to provide care locally — in free medical clinics for the uninsured where course participants volunteer one evening per week.

“We in the medical profession are privileged in many ways,” Harris says. “The beauty of this course is that it broadens our skills, while enabling us to give back to the medically underserved, both locally and globally.”

The course is offered in the fall for 11 successive weeks. The OHSU Global Health Center plans to expand it from 12 to 16 trainees in the fall of 2012.

The average age of course participants has been about 55, Harris says. But participants have ranged in age from 37 to 75.

The course employs about 35 guest speakers with overseas experience. It offers information and training on, among other topics, tropical diseases, childhood illness, trauma care, malnutrition, casting and splinting, breach deliveries and laboratory identification of parasites. It covers essential medications in the field and how to set up a medical delivery system following a disaster. And with help from Medical Teams International, it spends a full day on medical team safety and security, including a field exercise that features a simulated insurgent attack and hostage taking.

Robert Amon, M.D., a retired dermatologist who practiced in Lake Oswego as well as in several Alaska and Oregon communities until 2000, took the course this fall. Having spent six years in the Peace Corps, Amon says he especially appreciated that each of the course’s speakers had deep experience practicing medicine in challenging environments overseas.

“They weren’t lecturing from a textbook; they were teaching based upon personal field experience,” Amon says.

Graduates of the course are using what they’re learning; so far, graduates have gone on 49 medical missions to 24 countries, Harris says.

But Harris says there’s also been an unanticipated benefit of the course: participants are becoming much more involved in providing medical care at free medical clinics in the Portland area and around the state. About a third of the graduates continue to volunteer in the local medical clinics, where they are able to maintain their primary care skills while serving the poor and uninsured. Some of these patients, notes Dr. Harris, are refugees and immigrants from overseas.

“That was not part of my vision when I first set this up,” Harris says. “But what has happened is specialists like getting back into primary care, and find a real satisfaction in being able to treat people locally.”

Amon says many U.S. physicians believe more needs to be done to provide medical care to underserved people — both locally and globally. “I think what this course does, and does so well, is provide medical professionals at the end of their careers an opportunity to relearn forgotten skills and acquire updated knowledge. This focused training readies them to care for those underserved, both at home and abroad.”

About OHSU

Oregon Health & Science University is the state’s only health and research university, and only academic health center. As Portland's largest employer, OHSU's size contributes to its ability to provide many services and community support activities not found anywhere else in the state. OHSU serves patients from every corner of the state and is a conduit for learning for more than 4,300 students and trainees. OHSU is the source of more than 200 community outreach programs that bring health and education services to each county in the state.

Some say ‘scars are cool’; but OHSU, Stanford highlight causes of scarring, new ways to prevent it

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 19:00:58 +0000

Surgery saves and improves lives. However, one of the downsides is scarring. Those who have undergone open-heart surgery, for instance, often have very large, prominent scars. Past research has demonstrated that a person’s level of scarring often has to do with the location of the injury or incision. More specifically, cuts or incisions on skin where there is more tension, such as across joints or on the chest where breathing causes constant strain, are more prone to unsightly scarring.

Thanks to new research conducted by Oregon Health & Science University in collaboration with Stanford, scientists now have a better understand of why this is the case. The research also suggests promising new methods for reducing scarring following surgery or injuries. The results are published online in the journal Nature Medicine and will appear in a future printed edition of the journal.

Through both human and animal studies, the researchers studied the molecular pathways underlying hypertrophic scar formation. Their focus: to find the genes activated when a wound is under tension. This analysis led researchers to focal adhesion kinase (FAK), a protein involved in converting mechanical signals into biologic responses. The researchers then studied the impact on healing when FAK signaling was specifically blocked. This was done in two methods: 1.) Through the use of genetic technology to specifically delete FAK in skin fibroblasts and, 2.) through the use of a small molecule inhibitor of FAK. In both cases, tension-induced scarring was significantly reduced.

Victor W. Wong, M.D., the lead author of this paper and a general surgery resident in the OHSU School of Medicine, conducted the research at Stanford University under surgeons Geoffrey Gurtner and Michael Longaker, and in collaboration with Anna Kuang, M.D., head of pediatric plastic and craniofacial surgery at OHSU. His hope is that the conclusions will provide a more comprehensive understanding of wound repair and lead to new treatments for hypertrophic scarring.

“We believe that this information can result in novel devices and medications that help reduce scarring,” said Wong. “This would be particularly beneficial for burn and injury patients. Previous research on scarring has focused largely on cytokines, but the wound environment is much more complex. Mechanical forces play a major role in all biologic processes including wound healing and scarring. By understanding our biologic mechanisms to sense and respond to physical force, we can hopefully develop more targeted therapies that prevent excess scarring without impairing normal wound healing. More broadly, this study highlights the potential to manipulate mechanical cues – through device or pharmaceutical approaches - to mitigate disease processes such as inflammation and scarring.

The Oak Foundation, the Hagey Family Endowed Fund in Stem Cell Research and Regenerative Medicine and a United States Armed Forces Institute of Regenerative Medicine grant supported this work.

About OHSU

Oregon Health & Science University is the state’s only health and research university, and only academic health center. As Portland's largest employer and the fourth largest in Oregon (excluding government), OHSU's size contributes to its ability to provide many services and community support activities not found anywhere else in the state. OHSU serves patients from every corner of the state and is a conduit for learning for more than 4,300 students and trainees. OHSU is the source of more than 200 community outreach programs that bring health and education services to each county in the state.

Holiday safety tips from OHSU Doernbecher and the Oregon Poison Center

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 22:55:43 +0000

The holidays hold not only special meaning; they hold special risks. To ensure a happy and safe holiday season for you and your family, the Tom Sargent Children’s Safety Center at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital and the Oregon Poison Center at OHSU offer the following helpful tips:

Handle decorations and lights with care

Delicate glass ornaments can break and lead to injuries. Place them high on the tree, away from small children.
Holiday lights can pose an electrical risk. Check all wires for fraying, and be sure all lights work.
Turn off all lights at bedtime and when no one is home.

Avoid fire hazards

Keep matches out of sight and reach of children.
Don’t leave burning candles unattended.
Don’t burn wrapping paper or evergreens in the fireplace.
Use care with "fire salts," which produce colored flames when thrown on wood fires. They contain heavy metals that can cause intense gastrointestinal irritation and vomiting if eaten.
Be sure smoke detectors are working; check the batteries!

Keep poisonous plants, décor and gifts away from children and pets

Mistletoe leaves and berries are poisonous if swallowed. Amaryllis also can be poisonous. Poinsettias aren’t poisonous, but can irritate the skin and stomach if handled or swallowed.
Bubble lights contain a liquid called methylene chloride, which is toxic if swallowed.
Some artificial snow sprays are toxic. Avoid inhaling fumes, and exposing eyes or skin.
Lamp oil can look like juice to children, and can be very dangerous!
Balsam, juniper, cedar, pine and fir branches can irritate the skin or mouth when touched or swallowed.

Practice Toy Safety

Select toys that match a child's age, abilities, skills and interest level. Children younger than 3 can choke on small parts contained in toys or games.
Remove strings and ribbons from toys and watch for pull toys with strings more than 12 inches in length; they pose a strangulation hazard for babies.
Button batteries are small, and can be extremely dangerous if swallowed. Avoid toys that do not have a screw to keep the batteries in place.
Small magnets can cause severe abdominal problems if swallowed. Avoid having them around if you have young children.
Store toys in a designated location, such as on a shelf or in a toy chest, and keep older kids’ toys out of reach.

Properly store food and medications

Holidays means visits from family and friends, young and old. Be sure medication has child safety caps and is kept out of reach of children
Wash hands after handling raw food; promptly refrigerate dips, eggs, cheeses and meats.

About the OHSU Doernbecher Tom Sargent Children’s Safety Center

The OHSU Doernbecher Tom Sargent Children’s Safety Center is dedicated to reducing unintentional injuries in children through education and distribution of safety products. For more information, please call 503 418-5666. If you suspect your child has been poisoned, call the Oregon Poison Center immediately. The toll-free number is 1 800-222-1222. For more information about the poison center, visit www.ohsu.edu/poison/index.htm.

Oregon's program to improve care for those with advanced illness highlighted in JAMA

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 00:44:52 +0000

Oregon's groundbreaking Physician Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment program (POLST) is featured in the latest edition of the Journal of The American Medical Association. The program, which was created by health care professionals two decades ago in an effort to ensure the wishes of those with advanced illness are followed, has now spread to 34 states around the country.

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The program's key component is an order form that provides clear instruction about the patient's health care preferences to health professionals, such as paramedics and emergency room physicians, when a patient cannot communicate these wishes themselves. The form allows patients to request that they receive or refrain from certain measures such as CPR or intensive care. In addition, Oregon's program includes a registry that offers 24-hour access to emergency workers when the printed form cannot be located.

The JAMA article highlights the latest research to gauge the impacts of the program. That data revealed:

25,142 people were enrolled in Oregon's registry during the first year of operation.
86 percent of patients in the POLST program are 65 or older.
28 percent wished to receive CPR if needed.
72 percent had a "Do Not Resuscitate” order.
50 percent of patients who had a DNR order wanted to be hospitalized.

“Our study shows that resuscitation is not the most important question for people with advanced illness and frailty,” said Susan Tolle, M.D., director of the Center for Ethics in Health Care at Oregon Health & Science University and senior author on the study. OHSU administers both the program and the registry. “Not only is CPR unlikely to be successful in patients with advanced illness, but knowing that the patient has a DNR order does not predict what other treatments they want or do not want. Half of patients with a DNR order wanted to return to the hospital and half did not. POLST orders for scope of treatment clarify which patients want to be hospitalized and whether they would want intensive care in a time of crisis.”

“The POLST program creates a system that has been shown to have advantages over traditional advance directives and do-not-resuscitate orders by providing a more comprehensive set of medical orders based on patient preferences and ensuring that patients receive the medical treatment they want with a high degree of accuracy,” added Alvin H. Moss, M.D., director of the West Virginia Center for End-of-Life Care, which oversees the Physician Orders for Scope of Treatment (POLST) program, a program comparable to Oregon’s POLST program, and the WV e-Directive Registry. “The Oregon POLST registry is the final step in completing the system and makes those orders available to treating health care providers in an emergency.”

One of the important aspects of the POLST program is its ability to launch important discussions among patients, their loved ones and health care professionals. When these discussions occur in the early stages of advanced illness for frailty, patients can share their wishes in case they are unable to communicate in a time of crisis. In addition, the program offers families some peace of mind because when a patient fills out a POLST form, the burden of family members who previously could only speculate on their loved one’s wishes, need not do so anymore.

“One of my colleagues, a rural doctor, taught me not to start my conversations about goals of care with code status,” explained study author Erik Fromme M.D., a palliative care specialist at OHSU. “Instead, he said, it should be the last question you talk about. Too often in health care the conversation begins and ends with resuscitation, when it would be much more helpful to know what kind of care a patient wants before they arrest. Our data, and programs like Oregon’s support the wisdom of this approach."

About OHSU

Oregon Health & Science University is the state’s only health and research university, and only academic health center. As Portland's largest employer and the fourth largest in Oregon (excluding government), OHSU's size contributes to its ability to provide many services and community support activities not found anywhere else in the state. OHSU serves patients from every corner of the state and is a conduit for learning for more than 4,300 students and trainees. OHSU is the source of more than 200 community outreach programs that bring health and education services to each county in the state.

OHSU research demonstrates not all embryonic stem cells are equal; produces the world’s first primate chimeric offspring

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 23:14:49 +0000

Multimedia

Photos of Roku, Hex and Chimero

HD footage of Roku, and Hex

Sound bites with OHSU’s Dr. Shoukhrat Mitalipov

Video of cellular manipulation

Video for unrestricted use on Web sites

Newly published research by scientists at Oregon Health & Science University provides significant new information about how early embryonic stem cells develop and take part in formation of the primate species. The research, which took place at OHSU’s Oregon National Primate Research Center, has also resulted in the first successful birth of chimeric monkeys -- monkeys developed from stem cells taken from two separate embryos. The research will be published this week in the online edition of the journal Cell and will be published in a future printed copy of the journal.

The research was conducted to gain a better understanding of the differences between natural stem cells residing in early embryos and their cultured counterparts called embryonic stem cells. This study also determined that stem cell functions and abilities are different between primates and rodents.

Here’s more information about the early primate stem cells that were studied: The first cell type was totipotent cells – cells from the early embryo that have the ability to divide and produce all of the differentiated cells in the placenta and the body of organism. These were compared with pluripotent cells – cells derived from the later stage embryo that have only the ability to become the body but not placenta.

In mice, either totipotent or pluripotent cells from two different animals can be combined to transform into an embryo that later becomes a chimeric animal. However, the current research demonstrated that for reasons yet unknown, chimeric animals can only develop from totipotent cells in a higher animal model: the rhesus macaque. OHSU showed this to be the case by successfully producing the world's first primate chimeric offspring, three baby rhesus macaques named Roku, Hex and Chimero.

“This is an important development - not because anyone would develop human chimeras - but because it points out a key distinction between species and between different kind of stem cells that will impact our understanding of stem cells and their future potential in regenerative medicine," explained Shoukhrat Mitalipov, Ph.D., an associate scientist in the Division of Reproductive and Developmental Sciences at ONPRC.

“Stem cell therapies hold great promise for replacing damaged nerve cells in those who have been paralyzed due to a spinal cord injury or for example, in replacing dopamine-producing cells in Parkinson’s patients who lose these brain cells resulting in disease. As we move stem cell therapies from the lab to clinics and from the mouse to humans, we need to understand what these cells do and what they can’t do and also how cell function can differ in species.”

The OHSU Oregon National Primate Research Center and the National Institutes of Health funded the research.

About ONPRC

About OHSU

Oregon Health & Science University is the state’s only health and research university, and only academic health center. As Portland's largest employer and the fourth largest in Oregon (excluding government), OHSU's size contributes to its ability to provide many services and community support activities not found anywhere else in the state. OHSU serves patients from every corner of the state and is a conduit for learning for more than 4,000 students and trainees. OHSU is the source of more than 200 community outreach programs that bring health and education services to each county in the state.

OHSU Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute receives Grant for AIDS Vaccine Development

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 22:29:53 +0000

OHSU Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute receives Grant for AIDS Vaccine Development Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University’s Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute have been awarded an $8 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to further develop a promising HIV vaccine candidate to combat the worldwide AIDS epidemic.

According to the World Health Organization, more than 34 million people have contracted HIV worldwide, and more than one-third of babies born in low- and middle-income countries already are infected.

The research will build on previous research conducted by Louis Picker, M.D., and colleagues at the OHSU Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute's. In May of 2011, the Picker lab published findings that demonstrated how immune responses elicited by their vaccine candidate were able to completely control SIV (the monkey equivalent of HIV) among a significant number of exposed animals.

The unique aspect of the new vaccine candidate is the use of a cytomegalovirus (CMV) engineered to express SIV or HIV proteins as the transport system (vector) used to raise protective immune responses against these AIDS-causing viruses. CMV is a persistent virus that most people are already infected with, causing few or no symptoms, and elicits very strong cellular responses that are maintained for life. These immune responses are characterized by a type of T cell, called an effector memory T cell, that is has potent anti-viral function and localize in the same tissues targeted by the AIDS-causing viruses. Picker and his team hypothesize that CMV vector-generated anti-HIV responses would be constantly on the alert for HIV, and would be able to intercept and stop HIV infection immediately after exposure.

The new funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will support work to improve the vaccine delivery method. It will also support work to further increase the effectiveness of the vaccine candidate. In previous studies, the candidate vaccine’s effectiveness was more than 50 percent.

“One promising aspect of studying SIV is that it is a more potent virus than its human counterpart," “Therefore, we expect that a human form of this vaccine candidate - while still some years away - would have a higher effectiveness rate than other current candidates. However, before a human vaccine is tested, there is much more work to be done in regards to safety and other areas,” explained Picker.

About OHSU

Oregon Health & Science University is the state’s only health and research university. As Portland's largest employer, OHSU's size contributes to its ability to provide many services and community support activities not found anywhere else in the state. OHSU serves patients from every corner of the state and is a conduit for learning for more than 4,300 students and trainees. OHSU is the source of more than 200 community outreach programs that bring health and education services to each county in the state.

Faulty proteins may prove significant in identifying new treatments for ovarian cancer

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 19:09:27 +0000

A constellation of defective proteins suspected in causing a malfunction in the body’s ability to repair its own DNA could be the link scientists need to prove a new class of drugs will be effective in treating a broad range of ovarian cancer patients, an Oregon Health & Science University Knight Cancer Institute study found.

These research results, published this week in PLoS ONE, have prompted additional exploration into whether the patient population included in clinical trials for drugs that target the enzyme poly ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) should be expanded. Several forms of cancer are more dependent on PARP for their growth than regular cells, which means that targeting these enzymes when they go haywire is a potentially effective way to treat ovarian cancer. Currently PARP inhibitors are being tested with patients who have two types of malfunctioning proteins, BRCA1 or BRCA2. But, the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute study of additional proteins, beyond BRCA proteins, suggests that they too are playing a role in driving ovarian cancer.

Tapping into the potential of PARP inhibitors could change the dynamics of ovarian cancer treatment. There has not been a substantial increase in treatment options for ovarian cancer in the past two decades, said Tanja Pejovic, M.D., Ph.D., gynecologic oncologist at the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute. Pejovic, who led the study of these additional defective proteins, added that the results provide evidence that further research into the role of multiple proteins is warranted.

Only about 10 to 15 percent of women with ovarian cancer have BRCA 1 or BRCA 2 mutations. Pejovic’s study of 186 patients with nonhereditary cancer found that 41 percent who had an early recurrence of the disease also had abnormal levels of the other proteins tracked. In contrast, only 19.5 percent of patients who hadn’t yet had a recurrence of the disease in three years had abnormal levels of these proteins.

“If we are able to identify the proteins that differentiate these patients at risk for early recurrence, this would open up a new direction in ovarian cancer treatment,” Pejovic said.

The study — which was supported by the Sherie Hildreth Ovarian Cancer (SHOC) Foundation — focused on proteins that are supposed to assist cells in repairing harmful breaks in DNA strands, a process called homologous recombination (HR). The malfunctioning of HR is not well understood in ovarian cancers where there is no family history of the disease. However, there is evidence that these proteins influence a patient’s ability to respond to drugs and their survival rates after treatment.

Ovarian cancer is the second most common gynecologic cancer and the most common cause of death among women with a gynecologic cancer. About 21,000 ovarian cancer cases are diagnosed annually and about 14,000 deaths occur each year from the disease.

The OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, which helped pioneer the field of personalized cancer medicine, is committed to research that identifies the specific mutations driving each individual patient’s cancer. Other researchers at the Knight Cancer Institute who contributed to the study are: Weiya Z. Wysham, M.D.; Hong Li, M.S., M.D.; Laura Hays, Ph.D.; Jay Wright; Nupur Pande, Ph.D.; and Maureen Hoatlin, Ph.D.

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About the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute

With the latest treatments, technologies, hundreds of research studies and approximately 400 clinical trials, the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center between Sacramento and Seattle — an honor earned only by the nation's top cancer centers. The honor is shared among the more than 650 doctors, nurses, scientists and staff who work together at the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute to reduce the impact of cancer. For more information visit www.ohsuhealth.com/cancer or www.facebook.com/OHSUKnight.

About OHSU

About SHOC

The Sherie Hildreth Ovarian Cancer (SHOC) Foundation is a multifaceted fundraising organization. In addition to raising funds for ovarian cancer research at Oregon Health & Science University, the SHOC Foundation works to raise awareness of ovarian cancer, educate women about the disease, and help empower women experiencing the disease. The SHOC foundation was established in 2005 by Sherie Hildreth and Cathy Ekerson in Gladstone, Ore.

Entrepreneurial physician-scientist to lead new Center for Regenerative Medicine at Oregon Health & Science University

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 18:00:00 +0000

Kenton Gregory, M.D., an internationally accomplished physician-bioengineer whose landmark research breakthroughs include the development of lifesaving medical products for troops in the battlefield, is directing a new Center for Regenerative Medicine at Oregon Health & Science University.

Gregory’s 15-member team, which includes four M.D. and Ph.D. scientists, is moving from Providence St. Vincent Medical Center to OHSU’s Marquam Hill Campus, effective January 2012.

“Dr. Gregory is an exceptional scientist and innovator whose ability to quickly translate science into products of practical use will continue to positively impact Oregon’s economy. His move to OHSU is a great example of health systems working together in an era of reform to consolidate valuable resources,” said Joe Robertson, M.D., M.B.A., president of OHSU.

Gregory has launched nine spin-off companies since 1991 — three headquartered in Oregon — including HemCon Medical Technologies, a global company that produces a suite of medical products used by military personnel, civilian first responders and medical professionals to rapidly control severe bleeding.

Gregory holds 19 domestic and three international patents, has served as Principal Investigator on five FDA-sponsored clinical trials, and has received more than $50 million in grants.

"Dr. Gregory's success in obtaining Department of Defense funding will diversify OHSU's research funding portfolio. In addition to expanding OHSU's research in the area of regenerative medicine, his track record of rapid movement from scientific discovery to application will further enhance OHSU's capacity to conduct impactful translational research," said Daniel Dorsa, Ph.D., vice president for research at OHSU.

As center director, Gregory will direct efforts to advance autologous stem cell treatments to safely regenerate hearts damaged by heart attacks and cardiomyopathies that cause heart failure. He will advance pioneering work to regenerate arms and legs severely damaged from battlefield blast injuries — work that could easily be translated to civilian extremity injuries to accelerate and improve healing.

Gregory also will develop regenerative medicine therapies to treat damaged nerves, spinal cords, lungs and skin, along with new tissue replacements that use normal human structural proteins, such as elastin, as novel biomaterials for arteries and skin as well as advanced, non-clotting stents.

Gregory holds a faculty appointment in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine in the OHSU School of Medicine. He is the founder and former director of the Oregon Center for Regenerative Medicine at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center, where he also served as director at the Oregon Medical Laser Center, held an endowed chair in laser medicine and surgery and was a practicing interventional cardiologist.

“Our 20-year relationship with Dr. Gregory led to meaningful innovations in health care,” said Greg Van Pelt, senior vice president and chief executive for Providence in Oregon. “At Providence, we will continue to bring innovative research directly to patients in all the communities we serve. We believe that will complement the work being done at OHSU.”

Gregory received his undergraduate degree in engineering and Doctorate in Medicine from the University of Southern California. He completed his internship/residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in cardiology at the Wadsworth Veterans Administration Hospital in Los Angeles; he also completed an additional research fellowship in cardiology at the Irvine Medical Center in Orange, Calif. He has held teaching positions at the University of California, Irvine Medical School, and Harvard University School of Medicine, and served as staff cardiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Gregory is a member of numerous medical societies, including the American Medical Society, American Heart Association, Society for Biomaterials and the American College of Cardiology; he also chairs a Cardiovascular Section at The International Society for Optical Engineering.

# # #

About OHSU

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Oregon Health & Science University Joins BioPontis Alliance to Advance Research Discoveries

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 20:38:51 +0000

Oregon Health & Science University has joined the University Partnership of BioPontis Alliance, becoming the ninth premier institution engaged in the partnership to improve how discoveries made in laboratories at academic research centers translate into public benefit.

With the agreement, BioPontis Alliance will work to identify innovative and translational science with the potential to become treatments for cancer, neurological disorders, inflammation and infectious diseases. BioPontis Alliance will provide both a direct investment in support of academic inventors as well as a network of partners to challenge the viability of new drug targets or drug compounds; those that successfully stand the challenge will be advanced to generate the proof of principle data that pharmaceutical licensors require as a foundation for real-world treatments and cures.

“OHSU is pleased to be the first West Coast partner to join this group of leading institutions,” said OHSU President Joe Robertson, M.D., M.B.A. “We’re excited to begin work with BioPontis Alliance to identify promising inventions and leverage our research expertise in an effort to accelerate the lab to market process.”

BioPontis is a unique hybrid firm that combines early-stage capital investment with early-stage drug development. It has formed agreements with three leaders in the pharmaceutical industry: Merck, Pfizer and the Janssen Biotech unit of Johnson & Johnson. BioPontis Alliance uses its knowledge of these companies’ product priorities to seek out and evaluate relevant drug research at its Alliance universities. At the same time, the pharmaceutical partners contribute to the design of crucial drug development objectives, ensuring that new drug candidates meet their technical and regulatory standards.

“We have sought out research institutions like OHSU where there are world-class scientists working in an environment that shares our commitment to the translation of the types of innovation that can truly improve human health care outcomes,” said Bio Pontis Alliance’s Chief Scientific Officer, Henri Lichenstein, Ph.D. “OHSU is well aligned with our mission to unleash the value chain of discovery through greater development productivity. It is a natural fit for BioPontis Alliance to partner with OHSU in our economic and scientific sharing model. We expect that our relationship will not only bring OHSU inventions into the product development limelight, but also that we will benefit from access to some special capabilities and resources here.”

In addition to OHSU, the BioPontis University Alliance partners include:

Columbia University
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
The University of Virginia
New York University (including School of Medicine)
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of Florida
The University of Pennsylvania
The University of Kansas

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About BioPontis Alliance

BioPontis Alliance LLC is an asset-based investment capital fund combined with a research and development company, a novel business model built to address the crisis of the eroding basis for new therapeutic products on which the pharmaceutical industry and our healthcare system relies. The model capitalizes on the biopharmaceutical industry and fund management experience of the principals to manage investment funds and directly manage the development of a portfolio of technology assets. BioPontis Alliance has unique agreements for economic and scientific sharing with leading biomedical academic research institutions from which novel discoveries are selected and has aligned its scientific development engine with leading pharmaceutical players on the “buy side.” BioPontis Alliance is based in Raleigh, N.C., with additional locations on the East coast.

About OHSU

OHSU/OUS Collaborative Life Sciences Building passes design review

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 19:34:53 +0000

Multimedia

Final renderings of building

Building Web Page

Fact Sheet

The City of Portland Design Commission on Thursday approved plans for the OHSU/OUS Collaborative Life Sciences Building in Portland’s growing South Waterfront neighborhood. The commission has jurisdiction over the exterior look and massing of the building, including height, colors, finishes and landscaping.

With approval of the design, construction of the building can now continue. Over the past several months, work has focused on site preparations and foundation work. This includes the driving of 650 steel piles to a depth of up to 105 feet. Design Commission approval now permits the contractor, JE Dunn, to begin the above-grade portions of the building.

“Design review was the biggest approval hurdle left in the project, and we’re happy to be moving forward,” said Mark Williams, associate vice president for campus development and administration at OHSU.

“We’ve been working with the Design Commission formally and informally over the past six months, and it’s been a very productive process. We’ve made several changes in response to the commissioners’ suggestions, and we think the building design is better for the feedback.”

The design of the new building is intended to capture the spirit of collaboration between the partners and the shared goal of discovery associated with life science research and education. As such, the building design is contemporary with two tower masses connected by a large atrium in the center of the building where students, researchers and faculty will mix. The light-filled atrium is up to 75-feet high with two large lecture halls and bridges connecting both sides of the building. The building is clad in perforated metal panels and glass.

“The client asked for a forward-looking design appropriate for a new century, a new riverfront campus, and a new partnership between OHSU and the Oregon University System,” said Paul Zajfen, the lead designer of the architectural team, which includes Sera Architects of Portland and CO Architects of Los Angeles. “To their credit, they wanted to embrace the future of architectural design rather than the proverbial university building clad in brick and ivy. I believe we exceeded their expectations with a striking building design that will be a positive addition to the city’s skyline.”

Once completed, the OHSU/OUS Collaborative Life Sciences Building will include:

Skourtes Tower: new cutting-edge learning space and clinic for the OHSU School of Dentistry to replace aging facilities on Marquam Hill
PSU’s biology and chemistry lectures and laboratories
Education space for OHSU’s medical students (MS1-2) and dental students (DS1-4), nursing students, physician assistants and radiation technologists
OSU’s College of Pharmacy (3rd year of joint OSU/OHSU program)
A state-of-the-art simulation center where clinical teams (physicians, dentists, nurses, pharmacists, PAs, healthcare professions students, staff) train side-by-side
OHSU Center for Spatial Systems Biomedicine
Labs for research in basic and applied science and engineering for OHSU, OSU and PSU
Shared instrumentation labs with electron microscopy, NMR and other specialized, sophisticated instrumentation
Ground floor retail space for lease

The building, which hopes to achieve LEED Platinum certification, is scheduled to open in two stages: in August 2013 for the Portland State University fall term; and in Spring 2014 for OHSU and OSU research and academic programs.

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OHSU discovery may lead to new treatment for Rett Syndrome

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:12:39 +0000

Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University have discovered that a molecule critical to the development and plasticity of nerve cells – brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) – is severely lacking in brainstem neurons in mutations leading to Rett syndrome, a neurological developmental disorder. The finding has implications for the treatment of neurological disorders, including Rett syndrome that affects one in 10,000 baby girls.

The new discovery is published online in Neuroscience and is expected in the print issue of Neuroscience in March.

Using a mouse model of Rett syndrome, the OHSU team found that mutant neurons in the brainstem fail miserably at making BDNF. When normal neurons are faced with a respiratory challenge, such as low oxygen, they dramatically increase the production of BDNF, whereas mutant neurons do not.

According to the National Institutes of Health, Rett syndrome is estimated to affect one in every 10,000 to 15,000 live births and almost exclusively girls because it is caused by an X-linked gene mutation. In addition to severe problems with motor function, other symptoms of Rett syndrome may include breathing difficulties while awake.

“The new finding, coupled with our previously published data that show BDNF is involved in normal maturation of neuronal pathways controlling cardiorespiratory function, could play a significant role in the development of a treatment for Rett syndrome,” said Agnieszka Balkowiec, M.D., Ph.D., principal investigator and associate professor of integrative biosciences in the OHSU School of Dentistry; and adjunct assistant professor of physiology and pharmacology in the OHSU School of Medicine. To conduct this research, Balkowiec partnered with John M. Bissonnette, M.D., professor of obstetrics and gynecology, and cell and developmental biology in the OHSU School of Medicine.

Additional study authors include: Anke Vermehren-Schmaedick, Ph.D., OHSU Department of Biomedical Engineering; Victoria K. Jenkins, B.A., who is currently pursuing her doctorate at Boston University; and Sharon J. Knopp, a research assistant in Bissonnette’s lab.

The study was supported by grants from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health; March of Dimes; and International Rett Syndrome Foundation.

ABOUT OHSU

Dr. Brian Druker honored with Japan Prize

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 05:11:47 +0000

Oregon Health & Science University congratulates Brian J. Druker, M.D., who has been awarded the 2012 Japan Prize in Healthcare and Medical Technology for his pioneering role in targeted cancer drugs. The Japan Prize is considered one of the world’s most prestigious awards in science and technology. Druker’s research proved it was possible to shut down cells that enable cancer to grow without harming healthy ones – a discovery that helped make once-fatal forms of the disease manageable.

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Photos of Brian Druker, M.D.

Video of the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute

Video of Brian Druker, M.D.

“On behalf of all OHSU employees, I extend our congratulations to Brian,” said OHSU President Joe Robertson, M.D., M.B.A. “Brian’s brilliance, hard work and dedication have impacted millions of lives. Though he has already achieved great things, Brian has maintained his fierce determination to make cancer a disease we no longer have to fear. It is impossible to not be inspired by him and want to be a part of his important mission to end cancer as we know it.”

Druker shares the Japan Prize in Healthcare and Medical Technology with Nicholas B. Lydon, Ph.D., who became a founder and director of Blueprint Medicines after a career at Novartis, and Janet D. Rowley, M.D., Blum-Riese Distinguished Service Professor of Medicine, Molecular Genetics & Cell Biology and Human Genetics at The University of Chicago. All three were involved in the scientific discoveries that led to the development of one of the first drugs to target cancer-specific molecules. In addition to the prize for Healthcare and Medical Technology, the Japan Prize Foundation also recognized Masato Sagawa, president of Intermetallics Co., with the award for Environment, Energy and Infrastructure for developing the world’s highest performing permanent magnet and contributing to energy conservation.

“We’re honored to give this year’s awards to the four distinguished people,” said Hiroyuki Yoshikawa, chairman of the Japan Prize Foundation. “They truly deserve the Japan Prize, which is given to scientists and researchers who made substantial contributions not only scientifically but also to promoting the advancement of science and technology for the peace and prosperity of mankind.”

The Japan Prize Laureates will be formally honored at a Presentation Ceremony in Tokyo on April 25.

“I am honored to receive this distinguished award. It is most meaningful to me because the research it recognizes brings hope to cancer patients and their families,” said Druker, director of the Oregon Health & Science University Knight Cancer Institute, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator and JELD-WEN Chair of Leukemia Research at OHSU. “My goal going forward is to advance science so that someday there will be a targeted therapy to shut down every form of cancer.”

Druker began his cancer research career in the 1980s, studying why some formerly normal cells shift into overdrive producing tumors. In 1993, the year he joined OHSU, Druker began testing compounds that could target the molecules that drive chronic myloid leukemia (CML). He identified the compound that ultimately became Gleevec® and then led the drug’s clinical trials. During the trials, nearly all CML patients saw their white blood counts return to normal in a matter of weeks with little or no side effects. Patients in hospice facilities, who were expecting to die within days, recovered and began leading normal lives and are still alive today.

The trials were so successful that they resulted in the fastest approval by the FDA in its history.

Since Gleevec® was approved by the FDA in 2001 to treat CML, it has since been proven effective against multiple forms of cancer including pediatric CML and gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST). Gleevec’s success has since led to the development of dozens of other FDA-approved targeted therapies and even more that are in clinical trials or about to be approved.

With his scientific and medical achievements, Druker has steadily built the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute into an international leader in delivering personalized cancer medicine. Public support through the National Institutes of Health and the Oregon Opportunity research investment has been joined with generous private donations – including the transformative $100 million gift from Phil and Penny Knight, the $5 million gift from John Gray and the $2.5 million gift from the Boyle family. These investments have enabled Druker to recruit some of the world’s top scientists to write the assembly manual for cancer. By figuring out how cancer cells function and why they grow out of control, researchers will have the knowledge they require to develop the drugs to stop it.

About Japan Prize Foundation

Since its inception in 1985, the Japan Prize Foundation has awarded the Japan Prize to 74 people from 13 countries. In addition to awarding the Japan Prize, which is endorsed by the Japanese government, the Foundation has been hosting "Easy-to-Understand Science and Technology" seminars and awarding research grants to help nurture young scientists and further promote the advancement of science and technology.

About the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute

About OHSU

OHSU Doernbecher and PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center Partner to Bring Nationally Ranked Neonatal Care to Southwest Washington’s Sickest Infants

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 23:04:17 +0000

PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center (PHSW) and OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital have joined forces to ensure critically ill newborns and infants in the region receive the highest quality, most advanced medical treatment close to home.

Beginning March 1, 2012, board-certified neonatologists from OHSU Doernbecher’s nationally ranked Neonatal Care Center will staff PHSW’s Holtzman Twins Neonatal Intensive Care Unit 24/7 under the leadership of Robert Schelonka, M.D., head of the Division of Neonatology at OHSU Doernbecher and an associate professor of pediatrics (neonatology) in the OHSU School of Medicine.

“The OHSU Doernbecher neonatal group is excited to expand our collaborations with PeaceHealth — a longtime partner in the provision of leading-edge care for mothers and babies — to address a need for acute neonatology care at PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center,” said Schelonka. “Building on the existing efforts of their neonatal team, we will enhance and broaden clinical services and capabilities to provide comprehensive, quality, safe, timely and family-centered neonatal care for families in their home community whenever possible.”

“By expanding our longtime relationship with OHSU and Doernbecher to include neonatology services, we solidify our commitment to the highest possible quality of care for newborns at PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center. Through our coordinated efforts, more fragile babies can stay in their own community for care, reducing disruptions and minimizing stress on local families. Our expert clinical team at PeaceHealth Southwest’s Holtzman Twins Neonatal Intensive Care Unit are eager to align our practices and strong quality focus with this nationally recognized care team,” said Rainy Atkins, chief operating officer/administrator, PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center.

In addition to enhancing access to highly specialized neonatal services for families close to home, OHSU Doernbecher and PHSW also will:

Share resources to enhance quality and reduce costs, a priority in an era of health reform.
Cross-train medical professionals, capitalizing on each other’s strengths and unique expertise.
Broaden access to unique clinical trials, which provide medical treatments and therapies often not available anywhere else in the region.

“This collaboration will allow OHSU and PeaceHealth Southwest to work more closely to enhance and coordinate care for our most vulnerable newborns. Our goal is to allow as many babies as possible to receive care close to home and family, and when that is not possible, to have seamless care coordination between our two organizations to most effectively and compassionately care for these patients,” said Mark O'Hollaren, M.D., vice president for strategic outreach at OHSU and professor of medicine in the OHSU School of Medicine. “We will work together to care for these newborns, and will also share expertise, education, and measurement of outcomes. Our goal is to provide care that ranks among the best in the nation.”

ABOUT PEACEHEALTH SOUTHWEST MEDICAL CENTER

PeaceHealth Southwest is a community-owned, not-for-profit provider, 450-bed, medical institution located in Vancouver, Washington. Repeatedly recognized nationally as a 100 Top Hospital, PHSW provides a full range of outpatient and inpatient diagnostic, medical, and surgical services to Clark County residents. The region’s health care leader and steward for more than 153 years, PeaceHealth Southwest is also Clark County’s largest employer. PeaceHealth Southwest’s 3,700 employees and 600 active medical staff members help support dozens of medical specialty services and programs, focused on cancer, heart, emergency, trauma, neuro-musculoskeletal, family birth, and primary care.

ABOUT OHSU DOERNBECHER CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL

OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital ranks among the top children’s hospitals in the United States in eight clinical specialties, including neonatology*. It ranks 36th nationally for NIH-awarded pediatric research funding among children’s hospitals affiliated with an academic medical center**, and is one of only 22 NIH-designated Child Health Research Centers in the country.

OHSU Doernbecher cares for tens of thousands of children each year from Oregon, southwest Washington and around the nation, resulting in more than 180,000 discharges, surgeries, transports and outpatient visits annually. Nationally recognized OHSU Doernbecher physicians and nurses provide a full range of pediatric care in the most patient- and family-centered environment. These highly trained clinicians also travel throughout Oregon and southwest Washington, providing specialty care to more than 3,000 children at more than 150 outreach clinics in 15 locations. In addition, OHSU Doernbecher delivers neonatal and pediatric critical care consultation to community hospitals statewide through its state-of-the-art telemedicine network.

* US News Best Children’s Hospitals 2011-12.
** National Association of Children’s Hospitals and Related Institutions

OHSU School of Dentistry students combine service with education

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 20:18:45 +0000

Providing information and oral care while giving back to the community is an essential part of dental education at Oregon Health & Science University School of Dentistry. That’s why for the next two months dental students are coordinating several large-scale events to highlight the importance of oral health care, particularly for children.

Give Kids a Smile day

8 a.m., Friday, Feb. 3

OHSU School of Dentistry, Pre-doctoral Clinic, 611 S.W. Campus Drive, Portland

About 80 to 160 uninsured children from local Boys and Girls Clubs who’ve been pre-screened for treatment will receive free oral care from third- and fourth-year dental students and pediatric dentistry residents under the supervision of faculty and alumni. This is the 10th year OHSU School of Dentistry is sponsoring Give Kids a Smile day, which is coordinated by senior dental students in conjunction with Multnomah Dental Society under the umbrella of the American Dental Association. Many of the Boys and Girls Clubs’ children rise before dawn for long-distance travel to the dental school because it is the one time each year they get to see a dentist. The OHSU School of Dentistry previously hosted Portland Public Schools (PPS) children for the event, but PPS is no longer able to provide school nurses who can coordinate travel and supervision of PPS children on Give Kids a Smile day.

Sealant Day

9:30 a.m., Friday, Feb. 17

OHSU School of Dentistry, Dr. and Mrs. Carl Rietman Pediatric Dentistry Clinic, 611 S.W. Campus Drive, Portland

Fourth-year dental students and pediatric dentistry residents will provide free dental sealants to about 35 pre-screened Buckman Arts Elementary School second-graders. This is the 14th year the dental school has hosted children from Buckman, the majority of whom are uninsured.

Celebration of Smiles

4 to 8 p.m., Friday, March 2 (free and open to the public)

10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, March 3 ($9 per person)

Portland Children’s Museum, 4015 S.W. Canyon Road, Portland

Celebration of Smiles is open to all children and families to highlight the importance of early and regular oral health care. In 2011, more than 2,000 individuals attended Celebration of Smiles. Children can fish for tooth prizes, make tooth pillows, play tooth beanbag toss, and brush Wally Gator’s teeth, among other activities. The Tooth Fairy and Mr. Molarnator also will be on hand for photos and high-fives. Celebration of Smiles is a student-organized event, with sponsorship by OHSU School of Dentistry, Portland Children’s Museum, and local dental societies. Colgate is donating toothpaste.

ABOUT OHSU

Oregon Health & Science University is the state’s only health and research university and Oregon’s only academic health center. OHSU is Portland's largest employer and the fourth largest in Oregon (excluding government). OHSU's size contributes to its ability to provide services and community support activities not found anywhere else in the state. It serves patients from every corner of the state, and is a conduit for learning for more than 4,300 students and trainees. OHSU is the source of more than 200 community outreach programs.

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OHSU Foundation Board Announces New Trustees

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:14:07 +0000

The Oregon Health & Science University Foundation today announced the appointment of 10 new or returning members to the foundation’s board of trustees.

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Photos of board members

At the board’s Dec. 14, 2011, meeting, the following individuals were selected to serve board terms beginning Jan. 1, 2012:

William A. Berg, founder and president, Sigma Investment Management Company, a Portland-based independent investment advisory firm.
Alice B. Davies, a real estate broker with the Hasson Company.
Walter H. Grebe, chairman emeritus and past president of Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt, P.C. Grebe previously served as a trustee from 2002 to 2010 and is now rejoining the board.
Lillian G. Harewood, D.M.D., OHSU School of Dentistry alumni representative, former president of the OHSU School of Dentistry Alumni Association.
Stephen T. Janik, founding partner and chairman of Ball Janik LLP, a real estate law firm.
The Honorable Elizabeth K. Johnson, Oregon state senator; founder, Transwestern Aviation, Inc. Senator Johnson previously served as a trustee from 2002 to 2010 and is now rejoining the board.
Kelly J. Johnson, executive vice president of wealth management at Umpqua Bank. Johnson is president of the Doernbecher Children’s Hospital Foundation board.
John W. Kendall Jr., M.D., OHSU School of Medicine alumni representative, president of the OHSU School of Medicine Alumni Association and former dean of the medical school.
Ann A. Usher, chair of the Marquam Hill Steering Committee and community volunteer.
James H. Winkler, owner of Winkler Development Corporation.

The OHSU Foundation is a nonprofit organization that raises private philanthropic support and manages donated funds on behalf of OHSU. The foundation’s board of trustees is composed of distinguished civic leaders and members of Oregon’s business communities. Trustees are responsible for formulating long-range goals, policies and operating procedures for the foundation. Trustees may serve a maximum of two consecutive four-year terms before a mandatory one-year hiatus.

The OHSU Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that exists to secure private philanthropic support to advance Oregon Health & Science University’s vital missions, and to invest and manage gifts responsibly to honor donors’ wishes. The foundation raises funds from individuals, companies, foundations and organizations, and invests and manages gifts in accordance with donors’ wishes.

Study: Stroke victims recover much better after temporary stent procedure

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:01:20 +0000

A new way of opening blocked arteries in the brain using a removable stent system in people suffering strokes brought remarkably positive results in how those patients recovered from the strokes, according to a study presented this morning at the American Stroke Association’s annual conference in New Orleans.

The interventional procedure was performed on more than 140 stroke patients at 18 medical centers throughout the United States. Stroke specialists at Oregon Health & Science University treated the most patients of any medical center in the country, performing the procedure on 35 patients who were part of the trial.

“I really think this is going to be a game changer,” said Wayne Clark, M.D., a co-author of the study and director of the Oregon Stroke Center at OHSU. “These results showed that not only could we open up the blood vessel but we can help many more people recover fully from their strokes when this ‘stent retriever’ procedure is used.”

Clark was part of the OHSU stroke team that performed the procedures, which also included specialized neuro-interventionalists led by Stanley Barnwell, M.D., Ph.D., an associate professor of neurological surgery and diagnostic radiology at OHSU.

The procedure was performed on patients who were within eight hours of suffering an "acute ischemic stroke" — a medium to large stroke caused by a lack of blood flow to the brain, often caused by a blood clot. During the procedure, stroke doctors use a catheter to guide the small stent from the groin area to the brain. The stent —made of platinum-titanium mesh and called the Solitaire™ Flow Restoration Device – is guided into the part of a patient’s brain arteries where a blood clot has formed.

The stent expands the interior walls of the artery and allows blood to get to the patient's brain immediately to prevent as much brain damage as possible. The clot seeps into the mesh of the stent. Then, after five minutes, the stent and clot are removed together.

The study was called the SWIFT trial – for Solitaire with the Intention for Thrombectomy. It compared the new stent retriever procedure to a traditional clot removal intervention for strokes. In the traditional procedure, a corkscrew-like device is twisted into the clot and the clot is gently pulled out. Sometimes, more than one attempt is needed to remove the clot.

The study results showed that, compared to the traditional retriever device, the new stent retriever resulted in more people who had an “excellent neurological outcome” — 33 percent with the corkscrew procedure compared to 56 percent with the stent. It also resulted in fewer people dying from their strokes – 17 percent with the new stent versus 38 percent with the corkscrew device.

“This device represents an exponential improvement in stroke therapy,” Barnwell said. “The results in regards to opening plugged-up brain arteries and allowing full recovery in a large number of these patients is outstanding. Interestingly, this device is one of the easiest to use and safest of all the devices now used to treat stroke.”

Both Jean Bentley, from Portland, and Patty Ladd, from Salem, had very good outcomes from the stent procedures at OHSU after they suffered their strokes, in 2010.

“I think it’s awesome,” said Bentley, who was 55 when she suffered her stroke in June of that year. “If it can get a clot out a lot faster and get the person up and going again, I think it’s an awesome, awesome procedure. I know it saved my life.”

Bentley, an insurance claims analyst, suffered her stroke at work in a downtown Portland office building, at about 5:45 a.m. on June 29. By the time she got to OHSU, she had no vision and no use of her left leg and left arm.

The stroke team performed the procedure within about two-and-one-half hours. “The next thing I knew I was awake in the room and I remember moving my left arm,” Bentley said.

Bentley was back at work within about a week of the stroke. The only minor effect she still has from the stroke is some coordination issues at times – “and it’s not something you’d even notice if you saw me,” she said.

On August 15, 2010, Ladd, a counselor who was then 68, was a passenger in a car waiting in a drive-through lane at a Salem coffee shop when she lost the ability to speak and her right side became paralyzed.

Her friend driving the car got her to a Salem hospital — one of the hospitals in OHSU’s telestroke network — after which Ladd was airlifted to OHSU.

She remembers being taken out of the car at the Salem hospital, “then I don’t remember anything else until I woke up (at OHSU) the next morning.” The procedure was performed on her within about five hours of her first symptoms.

Two mornings later, “I got up and dressed and was walking around the halls of the ICU,” she said. She was released from OHSU that day.

“I was totally cognizant of the fact that with a stroke, the chances of me getting back to normal can be very low,” Ladd said. “So the fact that it turned out like it did was amazing to me, from the get-go.

“It is just absolutely astonishing.”

The study was funded by Covidien, which manufactures the removable stent.

Clark said that the company is applying for approval of the device from the Food and Drug Administration.

About OHSU

Oregon Health & Science University is the state’s only health and research university, and only academic health center. As Portland's largest employer, OHSU's size contributes to its ability to provide many services and community support activities not found anywhere else in the state. OHSU serves patients from every corner of the state and is a conduit for learning for more than 4,300 students and trainees. OHSU is the source of more than 200 community outreach programs that bring health and education services to each county in the state.

Author and expert to speak at OHSU: You can prevent Alzheimer’s

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:56:38 +0000

More than 5.4 million people in the United States have Alzheimer's disease — and another American is diagnosed with the disease every 70 seconds.

Right now, there is no cure. But you can prevent Alzheimer's disease, says Gary Small, M.D., a UCLA professor and director of the UCLA Longevity Center. In fact, he's written the book on it. Small is co-author of "The Alzheimer's Prevention Program -- Keep your brain healthy for the rest of your life."

And Small is coming to Oregon to talk about his work.

He will be the first lecturer in the OHSU Brain Institute's popular Brain Awareness Season, celebrating its 13th year in 2012. Small will speak at 7 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 20, at the Newmark Theater, 1111 S.W. Broadway. (More information on the series’ six lectures and tickets is here.)

Small has co-authored more than 500 scientific works, has co-authored the New York Times’ best seller, "The Memory Bible," and has appeared frequently on the Today Show, Good Morning America, PBS and CNN. Scientific American magazine has named him one of the world's top innovators in science and technology.

“We’re excited that Dr. Small is kicking off the Brain Awareness Season lecture series. His message of prevention is timely, and it’s a message that we closely ascribe to here at the Layton Center,” said Jeff Kaye, M.D., director of the Layton Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease Center at OHSU. The Layton Center is one of 30 U.S. Alzheimer’s disease centers supported by the National Institute on Aging.

Small’s lecture will be followed Feb. 27 by a lecture by Henry Greely, director of the Stanford Law School Center for Law & Bioscience. Greely will speak about the intersection of the law, ethics and increased scientific understanding of the brain. Recent neuroscience advances allow us to explain, predict and even control aspects of human behavior. Should we? And when should we?

Other speakers in the Brain Awareness Season include:

March 12: Story Landis, Ph.D., director of the National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke. She will speak about chronic inflammation in the body and neuroinflammation in the brain, and how medical researchers are rethinking their assumptions about what makes us sick and looking for ways to treat inflammation.
March 19: Alan Leshner, Ph.D., executive director, American Association for the Advancement of Science. He will speak about the social and ethical issues that come with advances in neuroscience.
April 10: Jonah Lehrer, journalist and author of "Imagine - How Creativity Works." He will speak about creativity and the brain: what it is, who has it and how we achieve it.
April 26: Nora Volkow, M.D., director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse. She will speak about addiction, how it starts, what it is and what neuroscience is learning that might help us prevent it.

Each of the lectures except for those by Lehrer and Volkow will be at 7 p.m. at the Newmark Theater. The Lehrer and Volkow lectures will be at 7 p.m. in the Oregon Ballroom of the Oregon Convention Center, at 777 N.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

About OHSU

Oregon Health & Science University is the state’s only health and research university, and only academic health center. As Portland's largest employer, OHSU's size contributes to its ability to provide many services and community support activities not found anywhere else in the state. OHSU serves patients from every corner of the state and is a conduit for learning for more than 4,300 students and trainees. OHSU is the source of more than 200 community outreach programs that bring health and education services to each county in the state.

OHSU Primate Center Undergoes Federal Inspection, Receives Another Clean Bill of Health

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:38:44 +0000

The Oregon National Primate Research Center at Oregon Health & Science University has received another clean bill of health from the United States Department of Agriculture. Approximately twice a year, a USDA animal care expert conducts an unannounced, thorough inspection of OHSU’s primate center to ensure the facility is in compliance with the Animal Welfare Act.

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The latest report follows an inspection of ONPRC facilities and records on February 1st and 2nd. The one-page report indicates: “No noncompliant items identified during this inspection.” This language is common on USDA reports when a facility is found to have no items requiring correction. The primate center has a history of receiving reports that it is in full compliance with the Animal Welfare Act.

Previous inspection reports are posted online by the primate center.

“These inspections show that our staff care deeply about the animals and work tirelessly to ensure their well being,” said Nancy Haigwood, Ph.D., director of the ONPRC. “The majority of staff at the primate center are involved in caring for the animals and this report demonstrates their hard work and dedication.”

About ONPRC

The ONPRC is a registered research institution, inspected regularly by the USDA. It operates in compliance with the Animal Welfare Act and has an assurance of regulatory compliance on file with the National Institutes of Health. The ONPRC also participates in the voluntary accreditation program overseen by the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC).

Contact Jim Newman for a copy of the USDA report: 503-494-8231; newmanj@ohsu.edu.

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Doernbecher Children’s Hospital Foundation Board Elects New Members

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:31:22 +0000

The Doernbecher Children’s Hospital Foundation today announced the incoming officers and new and returning members of its Board of Directors for 2012.

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Photos of Board Members

Board officers:

Kelly J. Johnson, president. Johnson is executive vice president of wealth management at Umpqua Bank.
Dirk T. Davis, executive vice president. Davis is vice president, sales, Pacific Northwest at Unified Grocers.
Roger W. Mills, vice president of finance. Mills is a partner with PricewaterhouseCoopers and is the president of Friends of Doernbecher, a volunteer fundraising organization.
DJ Wilson, secretary. Wilson is the president and general manager of the KGW Media Group.
Ronald G. Brake, immediate past president. Brake is the owner of Marketing Concepts Northwest.

At the board’s Dec. 6, 2011, meeting, the following individuals were elected to serve new or additional board terms beginning Jan. 1, 2012:

Michael F. Doherty, creative director of global brand presentations, Nike
Allyn C. Ford, president, Roseburg Forest Products
Terry J. Grover, president, Global Hardware Store, Inc.
M. Wakefield Mack, senior vice president, Allen Trust Company
Patricia E. Smith, president/CEO, Unitus Community Credit Union
Bryan L. Timm, executive vice president and chief executive officer, Columbia Sportswear Company
Sohrab Vossoughi, president and founder, Ziba Design
J. Craig Wessel, publisher of the Portland Business Journal
Candace D. Young, Ph.D.,clinical psychologist

The Doernbecher Children’s Hospital Foundation is the non-profit fundraising affiliate of OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, Oregon and southwest Washington’s premier pediatric medical center. The foundation raises funds from individuals, companies, foundations and organizations to support Doernbecher’s clinical, research and educational programs in pediatric medicine. The foundation’s board of directors is composed of distinguished civic leaders and members of the business communities of Oregon and southwest Washington. Board members are responsible for formulating long-range goals, policies and operating procedures for the foundation.

OHSU discovery may someday lead to prevention and treatment of sudden infant death syndrome

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 17:51:41 +0000

Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University have discovered that brain cells commonly thought to play a supporting role actually are critically important for the growth of brainstem neurons responsible for cardiorespiratory control. The discovery has profound implications for the prevention and treatment of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome), the leading cause of death in children aged one month to one year.
The new discovery is published online in Neuroscience.

In their study, the OHSU team looked at glial cells, non-neuronal cells of the brain, and found that they very potently regulate growth of nerve cells in the brainstem. In fact, the glial cells actually inhibit the growth of brainstem neurons and may be as important for establishing neuronal networks as neurotrophic factors, a family of proteins essential for brain growth and survival. The OHSU study is the first to find that glial cells inhibit nerve cell growth.

"Previous research has shown that a common feature of the brains of SIDS babies is a dramatically increased number of glial cells," said Agnieszka Balkowiec, M.D., Ph.D., principal investigator and associate professor of integrative biosciences in the OHSU School of Dentistry. "Based on the results of our new study, the increase in glial cells in SIDS babies could be the cause of a compromised growth of brainstem neurons that control the cardiorespiratory function and, ultimately, cause death."

The new study also shows that glial cells direct the growth of brainstem neurons caused by BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor), another molecule found by the Balkowiec lab to play an important role in cardiorespiratory control.

"Our study shows that the picture is more complex than we had previously thought," said Balkowiec. "A better understanding of interactions between BDNF and glial cells could play a significant role in the development of treatment for SIDS, high blood pressure, and other disorders with a deficient cardiorespiratory control."

Other study authors include: Jessica Martin, Ph.D., a recent graduate of the OHSU Neuroscience Graduate Program and the first author of the study, and Alexandra Brown, who is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Science degree at Brown University.

The study was supported by grants from the American Heart Association and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health, and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

ABOUT OHSU

Oregon Health & Science University is the state's only health and research university and its only academic health center. As Portland's largest employer, OHSU's size contributes to its ability to provide many services and community support activities not found anywhere else in the state. OHSU serves patients from every corner of the state and is a conduit for learning for more than 4,300 students and trainees. OHSU is the source of more than 200 community outreach programs that bring health and education services to each county in the state.

Auto-injectors may be better than IVs to treat prolonged seizures

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 19:53:26 +0000

An auto-injector delivering an anti-convulsant drug into the muscle of a patient's thigh is faster and may be a more effective way to stop epileptic seizures than delivering a drug intravenously, according to a study published in the Feb. 16 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

The study was conducted over three years at Oregon Health & Science University and 16 other major research hospitals across the nation, and involved more than 4,000 paramedics and 893 patients.

Epileptic seizures cause 55,000 deaths each year. The study's findings are important because it can be very difficult to administer a drug intravenously to a patient experiencing seizures; giving an intramuscular shot is easier, faster and more reliable — and thus could save lives.

“Getting treatment quickly to people suffering these seizures is vital to prevent potential brain injury,” said Craig Warden, M.D., M.P.H., an emergency physician at OHSU and the site principal investigator for the study. “And this study establishes that the auto-injector is a very quick way to deliver the medicine and it is safe and effective.”

The study — called the Rapid Anticonvulsant Medication Prior to Arrival Trial, or RAMPART — tested a device similar to an EpiPen, commonly used by people with severe allergies. Researchers wanted to determine whether administering a drug called midazolam through the EpiPen-like device was as safe and effective as giving another type of medicine — lorazepam — through an IV into the vein. Administering lorazepam through an IV is currently the standard of care for such seizures. The study, which was carried out by paramedics, compared how well each method and drug stopped patients’ seizures by the time the ambulance arrived at a hospital's emergency department.

The study found that 73 percent of patients in the group receiving midazolam were seizure-free upon arrival at the hospital, compared to 63 percent of patients who received IV treatment with lorazepam. Patients treated with midazolam were also less likely to require hospitalization than those receiving IV lorazepam. Among those admitted, both groups had similarly low rates of recurrent seizures.

“Few other areas of medicine are as time-dependent as injury to the brain. In epilepsy, even a few minutes can be important. With every minute the seizure continues, it becomes harder to stop. RAMPART offers first responders an important treatment tool that will have a meaningful impact on the lives of many people with epilepsy,” said Robert Silbergleit, M.D., of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, first author of the NEJM paper.

The investigators said that while auto-injectors might someday be available for use by epilepsy patients and their family members, more research is required. Because of the strong sedative effect of midazolam, on-site medical supervision is now required for the safety of the patient.

OHSU conducted the study in conjunction with Clackamas Fire District #1, and with several hospitals in the Portland region.

Because individuals having prolonged seizures may be unconscious or unable to consent to being part of a study, RAMPART was conducted under specific Food and Drug Administration guidelines that allow investigational treatment in certain life-threatening emergency situations without getting prior consent. The federal regulations that allow this exception from informed consent require representatives from the community be consulted and informed of the risks and benefits of the study.

The study was funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, part of the National Institutes of Health. Additional funding was provided by the NIH’s Countermeasures Against Chemical Threats program and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority. The Department of Defense’s Chemical Biological Medical Systems Joint Project Management Office provided the auto-injectors for the trial under a Memorandum of Agreement with NINDS.

For more information about epilepsy, please visit www.ninds.nih.gov/epilepsy.

Media outlets interested in downloading high-definition sound bites and a b-roll package, a pre-edited web video or additional images should e-mail idemsky@umich.edu.

About NINDS

NINDS is the nation’s leading funder of research on the brain and nervous system. The NINDS mission is to reduce the burden of neurological disease – a burden borne by every age group, by every segment of society, by people all over the world.

About OHSU

Oregon Health & Science University is the state’s only health and research university, and only academic health center. As Portland's largest employer, OHSU's size contributes to its ability to provide many services and community support activities not found anywhere else in the state. OHSU serves patients from every corner of the state and is a conduit for learning for more than 4,300 students and trainees. OHSU is the source of more than 200 community outreach programs that bring health and education services to each county in the state.

OHSU mourns loss of a university leader and OHSU Foundation president

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 22:12:44 +0000

Allan Price

Oregon Health & Science University staff are mourning the loss of OHSU Foundation President and OHSU Senior Vice President for Advancement Allan Price, who died suddenly on Friday, Feb. 17, while vacationing in Mexico.

Price, 56, assumed the presidency of the OHSU Foundation, OHSU’s nonprofit fundraising affiliate in 2008. He also served as OHSU’s senior vice president for advancement.

“Along with the entire OHSU community, I am devastated by this tragic news. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family,” said OHSU President Joe Robertson, M.D. " Allan was a great friend, a much-admired leader and an exceptional advocate for the university. We will miss him more than we can say.”

“This is just devastating and unexpected news and all of us at the foundation are deeply saddened,” said Keith Thomson, chairman of the OHSU Foundation Board of Trustees. “Allan’s life was tragically brief in years but incredibly rich in achievement and in friendships. While we mourn his death, we can also celebrate all he did to make the world – and Oregon in particular – a better place.”

His wife, Susan, and two sons survive Price.

Prior to his arrival at OHSU, Price served as vice president for university advancement and a member of the senior executive staff at the University of Oregon from 2001 to 2008. Before coming to Oregon, Price served Arizona State University, his alma mater, as vice president for institutional advancement, where he was responsible for development operations and public affairs. He served the Arizona Board of Regents as associate director for public affairs.

Mice bred to more closely resemble a genetic variation in humans help target an annual outbreak: the flu

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 18:24:37 +0000

As part of a national collaboration, Oregon Health & Science University researchers are studying specially bred mice that are more like humans than ever before when it comes to genetic variation. Through these mice, the researchers hope to better understand and treat an infectious disease that plagues us year in and year out: the flu.

The scientists aim to determine why some people suffer serious illness and even death when infected with influenza while others suffer only mild to moderate symptoms. The research is published in a special joint issue of the journals Genetics and G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics, both publications of the Genetics Society of America.

The research was conducted within the Pacific Northwest Regional Center for Excellence (PNWRCE) for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, a consortium of investigators with extensive expertise, and basic and translational research capacity directed at a broad range of pathogens. The cooperative effort has the goal of combating emerging or re-emerging infectious diseases that pose a serious threat to human health. The director of the PNWRCE is Jay Nelson, Ph.D., the founder and director of the Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute at OHSU.

For decades, mice have played a key role in developing new treatments from the discovery of penicillin to the creation of polio vaccine. Because mice studied in labs are bred in a controlled manner, they are often genetically identical. Most of the time this is beneficial. The lack of genetic variation increases reproducibility and can help researchers more quickly determine a contributing factor to disease, but research on more complex diseases calls for mice to be more like humans who are genetically diverse. That's where this research project differs from many others.

The researchers are studying mice from the Collaborative Cross Program. Because these mice more closely reflect the genetic variation of humans, they may be the key to understanding some of today’s most common, and most complex, diseases. In this case, the specially bred mice were used to study the varying immune response to the annual influenza outbreak.

In this research project, the scientists studied 44 groups of flu-infected mice that varied genetically. Due to this variation, the mouse reaction to influenza varied greatly, just as it does in the human population. The researchers then noted genetic differences that may have caused the variety of disease responses. Their ongoing work is to more clearly identify which genes cause these differences.

“Each year, annual influenza epidemics result in about 3 million to 5 million cases of severe illness,” explained Shannon McWeeney, Ph.D., an associate professor of biostatistics and bioinformatics and head of the Division of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology at OHSU. “We see a broad spectrum of response to influenza infection ranging from patients with minor symptoms to the estimated 250,000 to 500,000 deaths worldwide.”

"We want to understand what genetic factors influence this wide-ranging response. More importantly, with a better understanding of the genetic influence of disease response, we believe we can help in the development of better, safer vaccines that can target the most vulnerable population: the sick, elderly and young. We also want to determine if the genetic factors that impact flu response also play a role in the varying responses to other diseases. If so, this new research method could have a much broader impact," McWeeney said.

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases funded this research (5U54AI081680).

About OHSU

Oregon Health & Science University is the state’s only health and research university, and only academic health center. As Portland's largest employer and the fourth largest in Oregon (excluding government), OHSU's size contributes to its ability to provide many services and community support activities not found anywhere else in the state. OHSU serves patients from every corner of the state and is a conduit for learning for more than 4,300 students and trainees. OHSU is the source of more than 200 community outreach programs that bring health and education services to each county in the state.

OHSU scientists, at leading edge of rare disease research, host Feb. 29 conference

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 20:06:37 +0000

The family of former University of Oregon President David Frohnmayer knows the tragedy of a “rare disease.”

OHSU Rare Disease Day Conference

When

Feb. 29, 4 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Where

Joseph Vey Conference Center
OHSU's Doernbecher Children's Hospital

The Frohnmayer family has lost two daughters to complications from Fanconi anemia, a genetic disorder that occurs in 1 out of 135,000 births and leads to bone marrow failure and often to leukemia and other cancers. The Frohnmayers have another daughter, 25-year-old Amy, who has the disease. The average life span for people born with Fanconi anemia is 20 to 30 years.

But the Frohnmayer family, which founded the Fanconi Anemia Research Fund 23 years ago, sees hope in advances medical researchers are making in tackling Fanconi anemia and hundreds of other rare diseases. “The important research being done on Fanconi anemia is vital not only because it can help people like Amy, and thousands of others who have this disease,” Frohnmayer said. “It is also important because what scientists learn about FA gives them new insights into tackling other diseases, especially cancer and leukemia.”

Frohnmayer will talk about that hope, and those other benefits, at a special Rare Disease Day conference on February 29 at Oregon Health & Science University, considered a national leader in rare disease research.

Amy Frohnmayer, an OHSU employee, will also attend the OHSU conference.

In the United States, a disease is considered rare if it is believed to affect fewer than 200,000 U.S. residents. Though each disease affects a relatively small number of people, there are almost 7,000 rare diseases affecting 25-30 million people in the United States.

OHSU's rare disease conference is one of many events across the world that will mark international Rare Disease Day. But OHSU has a special distinction in rare disease research. It is one of the leading academic institutions in the United States doing research on rare diseases. It has established a Rare Disorders Research Consortium in which more than 60 OHSU scientists study more than 90 rare disorders with more than $35 million in research funding.

OHSU scientists are especially known nationally for their work studying eight rare diseases, including Fanconi anemia.

OHSU’s large Fanconi anemia research community has established international partnerships focused on understanding and correcting FA’s defects in DNA repair, signaling, and hematopoiesis. One team of researchers led by Maureen Hoatlin, Ph.D., associate professor in OHSU’s Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, established a novel method to study Fanconi anemia. “Our long-term goal is to better understand the function of the proteins in the Fanconi anemia pathway,” said Hoatlin, who is co-chair of OHSU’s rare disease consortium. “We hope our work will lead to new approaches for targeted drug design in Fanconi anemia, as well as new cancer treatments for the general population."

More Information

Rare Disease Day

Fanconi Anemia Research Fund

The keynote speaker for OHSU's Rare Disease Day will be William Gahl, M.D., Ph.D., clinical director of the National Human Genome Research Institute and the National Institutes of Health’s Undiagnosed Diseases Program.

A range of OHSU experts studying various rare diseases will also speak at the conference.

“This conference, and Rare Disease Day in general, highlights the importance of our work to tens of millions of people around the world who suffer from these diseases,” said Susan Hayflick, M.D., chair and professor of the Department of Molecular & Medical Genetics at OHSU and co-chair of the rare disorders research consortium. “Research on rare diseases is, in many ways, their only hope. And we scientists come to work every day remembering that."

The OHSU Rare Disease Day conference will run from 4 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Joseph Vey Conference Center at OHSU's Doernbecher Children's Hospital.

About OHSU

Oregon Health & Science University is the state’s only health and research university, and only academic health center. As Portland's largest employer, OHSU's size contributes to its ability to provide many services and community support activities not found anywhere else in the state. OHSU serves patients from every corner of the state and is a conduit for learning for more than 4,300 students and trainees. OHSU is the source of more than 200 community outreach programs that bring health and education services to each county in the state.

Legacy Health, OHSU Knight Cancer Institute plan to forge closer ties to better serve patients

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 20:25:31 +0000

Oregon Health & Science University’s Knight Cancer Institute and Legacy Health’s Cancer Institute have signed a letter of intent to expand upon their existing collaboration to deliver the most advanced community adult cancer care at all of their mutual locations.

Together the two organizations plan to create a more integrated community cancer program for radiation oncology, medical oncology and infusion services that will operate in Multnomah, Washington, Clackamas, Columbia and Clark counties. Medical oncologists specialize in chemotherapy and other treatments used to manage cancer care. Infusion services administer chemotherapy and other cancer drugs. Radiation oncologists use radiation therapy as the main modality of treatment.

By collaborating more extensively, the Legacy Cancer Institute and OHSU Knight Cancer Institute will be better equipped to leverage their resources, such as equipment purchases, to enhance delivery of cancer care.

“OHSU is committed to working with others to improve access to high-quality health care at the lowest possible cost,” said Peter Rapp, executive vice president and executive director of OHSU Healthcare. “The collaboration we are working to create would achieve the goals set out by health care reform. It would avoid a duplication of resources and would enable both organizations to complement each other.”

“This is about improving the depth and breadth of cancer care in the region,” said Everett Newcomb III, D.O., senior vice president and chief operating officer for Legacy Health. “We will be able to streamline and coordinate care for cancer patients across multiple locations, ensuring continued growth of the excellent research programs at both OHSU and Legacy.”

Care for patients will not be interrupted under any planned scenario. Patients will continue to see the same physician in the same place. There are no anticipated changes in insurance plans or services. The goal of the collaboration is to give health care providers more flexibility in caring for patients, as Legacy Cancer Institute and OHSU Knight Cancer Institute physicians work as a team and consult with each other on patient treatment.

The two organizations will benefit in different ways.

The OHSU Knight Cancer Institute will gain closer integration with Legacy’s network of medical centers. Legacy is the only Network Cancer Program in Oregon recognized by the American College of Surgeons. Knight community medical oncologists and its radiation oncology department will consult with Legacy physicians on their patients’ treatment plans and will enhance the role they serve within the Legacy cancer treatment team. OHSU Knight Cancer Institute surgical oncologists will not be part of the joint venture, nor will medical oncologists who practice on OHSU’s Marquam Hill campus.

For Legacy Cancer Institute, the extended collaboration will mean closer ties to the Knight’s community medical oncology team on all five of its campuses. The OHSU Knight Cancer Institute is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center in Oregon. In addition, Legacy patients will benefit from the latest developments in personalized cancer medicine and genomic testing. Legacy Medical Group – Surgical Oncology will not be part of the joint venture.

“This is a wonderful example of two organizations coming together for the benefit of cancer care,” said Nathalie Johnson, M.D., medical director of Legacy Cancer Institute. “Legacy and OHSU patients will have access to the highest level of community cancer care in conjunction with the latest in technology and research.”

“Delivering care to multiple communities and the most diverse range of patients possible supports the Knight’s mission to end cancer as we know it,” said Brian Druker, M.D, director of the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute. “With Legacy, we can better ensure that patients are receiving the most sophisticated personalized treatments in the most appropriate place.”

Legacy and OHSU already collaborate in many areas. In 1995, the two health care organizations entered an agreement that ultimately created the Northwest Marrow Transplant Program. That agreement, among other things, made it possible for the two organizations to conduct joint research related to bone marrow transplants and strengthen regional teaching programs related to these treatments. The OHSU Knight Cancer Institute gained a medical oncology office on most Legacy campuses when it acquired Pacific Oncology in 2008.

Though the collaboration will be designed to enable the two organizations to work more closely together to deliver the right level of care at the most appropriate place for the patient’s treatment needs, they will still maintain separate identities and brands.

About Legacy Health

Legacy Health, Oregon's only locally owned private nonprofit healthcare organization, includes Legacy Emanuel Medical Center, Randall Children's Hospital, Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center, Legacy Meridian Park Medical Center, Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center, Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center, Legacy Medical Group, Legacy Laboratory Services, Legacy Research and CareMark/Managed HealthCare Northwest PPO.

About the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute

With the latest treatments, technologies, hundreds of research studies and approximately 400 clinical trials, the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center between Sacramento and Seattle— an honor earned only by the nation's top cancer centers. The honor is shared among the more than 650 doctors, nurses, scientists and staff who work together at the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute to reduce the impact of cancer. Visit the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute on www.facebook.com/OHSUKnight.

About OHSU

OHSU Students Offer Free Health Screenings for Uninsured, Underinsured Oregonians

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 19:02:21 +0000

MEDIA ALERT

WHAT

More than 100 Oregon Health & Science University student volunteers will provide free health screenings to uninsured and underinsured Oregonians during the university’s annual “Health Screening Fair.” The fair is part of OHSU’s student-led “Healthcare Equality Week,” formerly Cover the Uninsured Week, and includes free:

Blood pressure and body mass index checks
General medical exams, provided by medical students and faculty physicians
Medication counseling (bring prescriptions)
Vision and hearing exams
Diabetes screening, foot exams, education and counseling
Hygiene and first aid kits
Hair cuts
Dental exams, extractions and fillings
Pet care, including general exams, flea and de-worming and vouchers to veterinary clinics to obtain vaccines, coordinated by Oregon State University College of Veterinary Medicine
Women’s health advice

Portland State University pre-health students and representatives from a number of community clinics and professional organizations will be on hand to schedule follow-up medication appointments, and referrals to addiction, mental health and domestic violence services, as needed. Resources for homeless youth also will be available.

Last year, medical, nursing, dental, pharmacy and physician assistant students, along with community health professionals, provided free health care services to more than 200 Oregonians. The fair is held in conjunction with the weekly free meal service “Potluck in the Park” in O’Bryant Square.

WHEN

Sunday, March 11, 9 a.m.

WHERE

O’Bryant Square, S.W. 9th and S.W. Washington Aves., downtown Portland

DETAILS

Learn more about the lectures planned for Healthcare Equality Week.

Dr. Albert Starr to Present the 2012 Mark O. Hatfield Lecture

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 19:23:43 +0000

Details

WHEN

Thursday, March 15, 2012, 7:30 p.m.

WHERE

OHSU Auditorium, Marquam Hill Campus, 3181 S.W. Sam Jackson park Road, Portland, OR 97239

PORTLAND, Ore. - Internationally accomplished cardiovascular surgeon who pioneered and implanted the first successful heart valve, Albert Starr, M.D., will deliver the 2012 Mark O. Hatfield Lecture, an annual free lecture named for one of Oregon's greatest medical research advocates. The title of the lecture is “The Value of Health —The Argument for Strong Investment in Medical and Scientific Research.”

The Mark O. Hatfield Lecture is a special presentation of the Marquam Hill Lecture series, which features a variety of OHSU health experts providing free lectures on topics that greatly impact the health of Oregonians. During his lecture, Dr. Starr will discuss the importance of public support in the advancement of his own research, as well as that of other scientists at OHSU. He also will examine the social and economic benefits of health and longevity.

About Dr. Albert Starr

Dr. Starr came to OHSU in 1957 to launch and lead OHSU’s open-heart surgery program. He is best known for co-inventing and implanting the world’s first successful artificial heart valve, named the Starr-Edwards Heart Valve, in 1960. Since then, the artificial heart valve technology has saved literally hundreds of thousands of lives. Dr. Starr led a joint cardiac surgery program for OHSU and Providence from 1964 until 1989, when he began to practice solely at Providence. Dr. Starr recently rejoined OHSU where he is leveraging his extraordinary experience to enhance and build OHSU’s public and private partnerships in research, education, clinical care and outreach.

About the Mark O. Hatfield Lecture

The late Sen. Hatfield was a tireless advocate for scientific and medical research and for Oregon’s system of higher education. That advocacy made possible the Oregon Health & Science University we know today. To honor his legacy, OHSU hosts an annual Mark O. Hatfield Lecture.

Oregon memorial service for former OHSU/UO leader Allan Price set for March 23 in Portland

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 19:44:52 +0000

Family, friends and colleagues will celebrate the life of the late Allan Price, former OHSU Foundation president and OHSU senior vice president for advancement, at a public memorial at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, March 23, at the Portland Art Museum, 1219 S.W. Park Ave.

Price, who was 56, drowned Feb. 17 while vacationing with his wife in Mexico.

Price assumed his jobs at OHSU and the OHSU Foundation, OHSU's nonprofit fundraising affiliate, in 2008.

At OHSU, Price led a significant expansion of the institution’s fundraising efforts, helping secure some $400 million in private philanthropic support, a record achievement. Highlights of Price’s leadership include his key role in securing unprecedented philanthropic support for medical student scholarships; unique research programs in cancer, nutrition, neuro-oncology and genomics; and major capital projects, including the new OHSU School of Dentistry facility now under construction on OHSU’s Schnitzer Campus.

Prior to joining the foundation and OHSU, Price served as vice president for university advancement at the University of Oregon, where he led Campaign Oregon, the largest philanthropic drive in state history. Price helped raise $853 million for the university from 2001 to 2008.

Before coming to Oregon, Price served Arizona State University, his alma mater, as vice president for institutional advancement, where he was responsible for development operations and public affairs.

Price is survived by his wife and two sons.

About OHSU

Oregon Health & Science University is the state’s only health and research university, and only academic health center. As Portland's largest employer, OHSU's size contributes to its ability to provide many services and community support activities not found anywhere else in the state. OHSU serves patients from every corner of the state and is a conduit for learning for more than 4,300 students and trainees. OHSU is the source of more than 200 community outreach programs that bring health and education services to each county in the state.

OHSU-led consortium wins $21 million grant to study alcoholism, stress

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 17:56:00 +0000

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism has funded a five-year, $21 million Integrative Neuroscience Initiative on Alcoholism grant to support a multi-site consortium led by an Oregon Health & Science University researcher.

OHSU will receive approximately $6.3 million over five years, funding projects in the laboratories of Kathleen A. Grant, Ph.D., head of neuroscience at the Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC) and professor of behavioral neuroscience in the OHSU School of Medicine; and Betsy Ferguson, Ph.D., associate scientist in neuroscience at the ONPRC.

The consortium, Integrative Neuroscience Initiative on Alcoholism: Stress, Anxiety and Alcoholism, or INIAstress, extends a cross species approach in exploring neural mechanisms that link stress, anxiety and excessive alcohol intake.

Alcoholism affects millions of Americans, devastates families, compromises national preparedness, depresses economic vitality, and burdens the country’s health care systems. Untreated addiction costs America $400 billion annually and recent research indicates that alcoholism and alcohol abuse alone cost the nation’s economy approximately $185 billion each year, according to NIAAA-funded research.

Alcohol abuse and alcoholism result from a complex interplay of genetic and environmental factors, according to Grant and her colleagues in the consortium. Many aspects of an individual’s response to the environment activate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and are therefore labeled as "stress." Much of the stress in modern society is a subjective state of anxiety, where competing goals generate conflict and activate brain mechanisms involved in arousal and attention. These stressful states are often seemingly relived by drinking alcohol and may be a primary factor in establishing excessive alcohol consumption.

“While there is a great deal of evidence supporting stress-alcohol interactions, less is known about how these interactions alter the brain at the molecular, cellular and systems levels to maintain excessive drinking and alcoholism — and why this addiction is so difficult to treat,” Grant said. “This consortium is tackling the larger picture of brain mechanisms that control alcohol consumption, the response to stress in these brain areas, and the reciprocal relationship between excessive drinking, the physiological state of stress and the subjective state of anxiety.”

The consortium’s main approach will be to characterize the genetic basis of key neural mechanisms in stress and anxiety in order to clearly assess individual risk for the development of alcoholism or to develop tailored therapeutic approaches to treating the anxious alcoholic.”

The grant represents the second competitive renewal for the INIA consortium, which is made up of 15 lead investigators from 10 institutions in the United States and Europe. The group received its initial round of funding in 2001. The other institutions involved are: Johns Hopkins University; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center; Medical University of South Carolina; Wake Forest University; Virginia Commonwealth University; Vanderbilt University; University of Sussex, England; and Institute of Neuroscience, Italy.

To date, the consortium has made significant scientific progress. Accomplishments include the publication of more than 300 articles on the topic of genetic and environmental components of alcohol-stress interactions; the production of unique, genetically altered, mice for addressing the role of key genes in stress, anxiety and alcoholism; a growing database of translational research linking findings from mice, non human primates and human beings; and supporting the inclusion of new investigators into the realm of alcohol research.

The NIAAA is one of the 18 institutes that comprise the National Institutes of Health. It supports and conducts biomedical and behavioral research on the causes, consequences, treatment and prevention of alcoholism and alcohol-related problems.

About OHSU

Oregon Health & Science University is the state’s only health and research university, and only academic health center. As Portland's largest employer, OHSU's size contributes to its ability to provide many services and community support activities not found anywhere else in the state. OHSU serves patients from every corner of the state and is a conduit for learning for more than 4,300 students and trainees. OHSU is the source of more than 200 community outreach programs that bring health and education services to each county in the state.

OHSU lecture by director of federal NINDS rescheduled for June 25, 2012

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 18:31:46 +0000

Media Alert

The OHSU Brain Awareness Season lecture originally scheduled for March 12, 2012, by Story Landis, the director of the National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke, has been rescheduled for June 25, 2012.

More Information

Lectures and tickets

Landis will be speaking on chronic inflammation within the human brain and how that influences various neurological diseases and conditions. Her lecture will be at 7 p.m. at Portland’s Newmark Theater, 1111 S.W. Broadway.

Tickets already purchased will be honored at the June 25 lecture, or may be returned at the original place of purchase.

The remaining lectures in the OHSU Brain Institute’s Brain Awareness Season remain as scheduled:

March 19: Alan Leshner, Ph.D., executive director, American Association for the Advancement of Science, will speak about the social and ethical issues that come with advances in neuroscience.
April 10: Jonah Lehrer, journalist and author of “Imagine - How Creativity Works,” will speak about creativity and the brain — what it is, who has it and how we achieve it.
April 26: Nora Volkow, M.D., director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, will speak about addiction, how it starts, what it is and what neuroscience is learning that might help us prevent it.

The Leshner lecture will be at 7 p.m. at the Newmark Theater. The Lehrer and Volkow lectures will be at 7 p.m. in the Oregon Ballroom of the Oregon Convention Center, 777 N.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

Symposium will offer advice, hope for younger people with Parkinson’s disease

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 17:28:45 +0000

Media Alert

WHAT

More Information

$20 Symposium Fee
Event Information

OHSU’s Parkinson Center of Oregon and the Brian Grant Foundation will host a patient and family educational symposium, especially for younger people with Parkinson’s disease (those who are 59 and younger).

WHEN

9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., March 17, 2012

WHERE

OHSU School of Nursing, 3455 S.W. Veterans Hospital Road, Portland

DETAILS

Former major league baseball player Ben Petrick, who has Parkinson’s, will speak. Grant, who also has Parkinson’s, will be part of a patient panel offering his views on dealing with the disease. OHSU Parkinson’s disease expert Matthew Brodsky, M.D., will talk about his research on Parkinson’s, including neuroprotective strategies in fighting the disease. Other experts will speak about maintaining intimacy with Parkinson’s, parenting with the disease and Social Security disability issues.

Note to editors/assignment desks: Brian Grant is available for media interviews this week, before the March 17 event. Contact Todd Murphy to arrange.

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Medical students at OHSU, around the nation learn where they will train for the next 3-plus years

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 16:03:42 +0000

After four long years of intense study, fourth-year medical students at Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine, along with every other graduating medical student in the United States will learn where they will spend the next three to four years of their lives on "Match Day,” Friday, March 16, at 9 a.m.

OHSU Match Day 2012

Friday, March 16
9 a.m.

Editors: Please call 503-494-8231 if you plan to attend.

Their destination is determined by a sophisticated computer algorithm that matches students to graduate medical education, or residency, programs based on their application, interview and program preferences, and the student preferences of the residency program to which they've applied.

Through this tried-and-true system, 85 percent of medical students are accepted to one of their top three choices, and 60 percent are matched to their No. 1 choice, according to the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP).

"Match Day is an exciting and emotional time for our students and their families, as well as for our dedicated faculty members who have taught them these past four years,” said Molly Osborne, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Interim Associate Dean for Undergraduate Medical Education. "Our students are eager to learn where they matched and to launch their career in medicine. We are proud of our graduates and know their future leadership and contribution to health care over the course of their careers will be significant.”

The OHSU School of Medicine's nationally ranked primary care residency program — general internal medicine, family medicine and pediatrics — remains among the most sought-after programs among residency applicants across the nation, according to data from NRMP, with 4,571 applications for 66 slots. This level of interest is true across all specialties in OHSU's residency training programs.

"Medical students from around the country are eager to join OHSU's graduate medical education programs, and with nearly half of all medical students choosing to practice in the state where they completed their residency, this intense interest is important for expanding Oregon's physician work force,” said Mark Richardson, M.D., M.B.A., dean, OHSU School of Medicine. "Health care reform depends on increasing access to primary care physicians. Supporting the training of residents, graduate medical education in Oregon is critical to its success.”

Following are four profiles of graduating medical students and a brief description of how they determined in which area of medicine they hope to practice.

Stephanie Cheng, 27

Before medical school, Stephanie Cheng taught English at an orphanage in Thailand, which solidified her desire to live a life in service. While at OHSU, she created two electives on physician wellness and integrative medicine, as well as an elective open to medical students from around the country called HEART (Humanistic Elective in Activism, Alternative Medicine, and Reflective Transformation). Stephanie will pursue a career in family medicine.

"What resonates most deeply with me about family medicine is the emphasis on the patient-physician relationship and caring for patients as whole people. Health and disease take place in the context in which one lives life, and I believe that family physicians are uniquely positioned to empower their patients on individual, family, community, state and national levels.”

Daniel Knoepflmacher, 40

Daniel Knoepflmacher has wanted to be a psychiatrist since high school, but he fell in love with humanities during college and moved to Los Angeles to attend graduate school in film. He worked as a motion picture trailer editor for many years until he became disenchanted with the movie business and decided to pursue his teenage dream of becoming a doctor. At OHSU, Daniel served as a dean's adviser, a liaison between students and administration, and volunteered for "Being There,” a palliative care program that provides companionship and nonmedical support to patients with terminal diseases and their families. Daniel plans to pursue a career in psychiatry.

"Psychiatry, as a field, allows me to apply my lifelong interest in human stories to help those struggling with mental illness and the painful stigma that often comes with it. This meaningful work is made all the more exciting by our rapidly evolving understanding of the interplay between the brain and the mind, an area of neuroscience that will continue to change the way we treat psychiatric illnesses.”

Rachel Pilliod, 30

Rachel Pilliod graduated from the University of Oregon, where she served as student body president, with a degree in political science. She has worked on education policy for the Nevada State Assembly and for a nonprofit in Washington, DC. While at OHSU, Rachel served on the OHSU Board of Directors, the Oregon Medical Association Legislative Committee and testified in Salem on issues related to health and education policy. Her research projects focused on health economics and medical decision-making, including a recent cost-benefit analysis on doula coverage for laboring women. Rachel will pursue a career in obstetrics and gynecology and hopes to practice in Oregon after her residency. Rachel is a 2010 Swindells Family Scholar Award recipient.

"I would like to serve as faculty at a large academic center, specifically OHSU,” she said. "In that capacity, I would very much like to help further outreach efforts in rural communities through telemedicine and collaborative partnerships.”

Lori Cardwell, 40

Lori Cardwell is a native Oregonian and graduate of Portland's Franklin High. She attended the United States Naval Academy and served as a naval officer in the Supply Corps for a number of years. Following her military service, she worked as a Systems Engineer at Intel Corporation in Hillsboro. She is interested in general surgery and hopes to someday work in rural Oregon.

Quick Facts

This year there were 4,571 applications for 66 slots in OHSU's primary care residency program, specifically:
- 1067 for 12 spots in Family Medicine
- 902 for 8 spots in Family Medicine Cascade East
- 914 for 13 spots in Pediatrics
- 1,688 for 33 spots in Internal Medicine
121 medical students will graduate from the OHSU School of Medicine in 2012.
OHSU ranks 10th in the nation for in-state retention of physicians who complete their residencies at OHSU.
One-third of all physicians in Oregon completed all or part of their training at OHSU.
OHSU ranks third in the nation for primary care (U.S. News & World Report).
Nearly half of all OHSU medical school graduates end up practicing in Oregon.

ABOUT OHSU

Internationally-respected medical ethicist and palliative care expert to join OHSU as Oregon receives high marks for its focus on end-of-life issues for medical trainees

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 16:39:05 +0000

Oregon Health & Science University is pleased to announce an important addition to its nationally respected Center for Ethics in Health Care. Dr. David Barnard, Ph.D., J.D.,will join the university and ethics center as the Miles J. Edwards Chair in Professionalism and Comfort Care. The position is named after the late Dr. Miles J. Edwards, M.D.,a distinguished doctor and ethicist at OHSU. Edwards died in 2006 following an extended battle with cancer. His final weeks were chronicled in a series of articles in The Oregonian.

Learn More

View the report

Photo of Dr. David Barnard

Barnard is an expert in the ethical, spiritual and psychological impacts of illness and healing. Prior to his appointment at OHSU, he served as both a professor of medicine and law and a professor of clinical and translational science within the Center for Bioethics and Health Law at the University of Pittsburgh.

For the past 30 years, Barnard has taught and published books and articles on various ethical issues. From 1988 to 1999, he chaired the Department of Humanities at the Penn State University College of Medicine, the first such department ever established at any medical school. While in Pennsylvania, he served on the Governor's Task Force on Quality at the End of Life. He also co-chaired a committee that helped lead to the establishment of a Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) program in Pennsylvania. The POLST program was created and first launched in Oregon and has since spread to several other states. He will join OHSU in September 2012.

“For almost twenty years, many of us have pointed to Oregon as a model in our teaching about excellence in end-of-life care,” Barnard said. “OHSU and the Center for Ethics have been driving forces in what Oregon has accomplished. The opportunity to become part of this group at this stage of my career was irresistible.”

Barnard's appointment will bolster Oregon's expertise in end-of-life care, an area where the state is already considered a national leader as reported in the Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care. For over two decades, the atlas has used Medicare data to provide information and analysis about national, regional, and local markets, as well as hospitals and their affiliated physicians.

One of the most recent Dartmouth reports on end of life care was published in February. The report, which highlights end-of-life care in residency training, includes statistics that point to Oregon's focus and success in this important area. The report focused on 22 academic medical centers including OHSU Hospital.

More specifically the report showed:

The high percentage of OHSU Hospital patients enrolled in hospice in the last six months of life (49 percent, the highest percentage in the study group).
The low number of unwanted hospitalizations (11.7 days in the last six months of life, ranked 2nd).
Percent of deaths in the hospital (many patients prefer to die outside of a hospital setting). At OHSU Hospital, in-hospital deaths occurred in only 25 percent of cases.
OHSU Hospital also had a low percentage (34.3 percent) of patients who saw more than 10 physicians in their final six months of life. Minimizing this number can help ensure better communication.

About OHSU

Oregon Health & Science University is the state’s only academic health and research university. As Portland's largest employer with nearly 14,000 employees, OHSU's size contributes to its ability to provide many services and community support not found anywhere else in the state. OHSU serves patients from every corner of Oregon and is a conduit for learning for more than 4,300 students and trainees. OHSU is the source of more than 200 community outreach programs that bring health and education services to each county in the state.

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Research Highlights Pitfall of Psychiatric Drug Development: Publication Bias May Provide Physicians with an Incomplete Picture

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 18:40:28 +0000

Physicians who prescribe antipsychotic medications may be basing their decisions on incomplete information, according to new research published by scientists at Oregon Health & Science University. The study is published in PLoS Medicine, a peer-reviewed open-access journal published by the Public Library of Science.

Learn More

View the report

Soundbites for download

This latest research follows a highly publicized 2008 report in the New England Journal of Medicine demonstrating that antidepressant drug trials were selectively published, exaggerating their apparent effectiveness. This follow-up study suggests that similar concerns exist, though to a somewhat lesser extent, with antipsychotic drugs.

The authors reached these conclusions by reviewing 24 FDA-registered premarketing trials for eight second-generation antipsychotics—aripiprazole (Abilify), iloperidone (Fanapt), olanzapine (Zyprexa), paliperidone (Invega), quetiapine (Seroquel), risperidone (Risperdal), risperidone long-acting injection (Consta), and ziprasidone (Geodon). They then compared the results in the FDA's review documents to the results presented to clinicians and researchers in medical journals.

The authors found that four premarketing trials submitted to the FDA remained unpublished and that all of them yielded unflattering results. Three showed the new antipsychotic had no significant advantage over placebo. In the fourth, the drug was superior to placebo, but it was significantly inferior to a much less expensive competing drug.

In the published trials, there was some evidence that the journal articles over-emphasized efficacy of the new drug. For example, an FDA review revealed that one of the newer drugs, iloperidone (Fanapt), was statistically inferior to three different competing drugs, but this information was not mentioned in the corresponding journal articles.

On the other hand, when the authors used meta-analysis to combine trial data and compare all eight drugs to placebo, they found that publication bias had little impact on the drugs’ overall apparent efficacy. This stood in contrast to the researchers' previous study on antidepressants, for which publication bias had a much more substantial impact.

“When you compare between drug classes and use FDA data, it's clear that, overall, antipsychotics are more effective than antidepressants. But when you rely on the data in medical journals, the difference between these two drug classes is obscured,” said Erick Turner, M.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and the Department of Pharmacology in the OHSU School of Medicine. Turner also serves as a staff psychiatrist at the Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center’s Mood Disorders Program.

The authors wrote in the paper, “Publication bias can blur distinctions between effective and ineffective drugs.”

The authors concluded: “With further studies investigating publication bias in other drug classes, a more accurate evidence base can emerge.”

The Stanley Medical Research Institute funded the research.

About OHSU

# # #

OHSU Doernbecher Launches Free Car Seat Fitting Station, Safety Check Program

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 20:03:14 +0000

WHEN

Thursday, March 29, at 3 p.m. The participating family welcomes interviews.

WHERE

Parking turnaround, OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, 700 S.W. Campus Drive, Portland

WHAT

Media are invited to OHSU Doernbecher’s first drive-up car seat safety check.

The Tom Sargent Children's Safety Center at OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital is launching a free car seat fitting station and safety check program to ensure children ride as safely as possible when traveling by car.

Tragically, the leading cause of death among children in the United States is motor vehicle injuries, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And with that in mind, Ben Hoffman, M.D., medical director of OHSU Doernbecher's Tom Sargent Children's Safety Center, and a team of nationally certified child passenger safety technicians have developed a program to educate families and help put their minds at ease.

"We know that using age- and size-appropriate car and booster seats reduces serious and fatal injuries by more than 50 percent. Unfortunately, car seats can be confusing and difficult for families to use, resulting in four out of five being used incorrectly," explained Hoffman. "That's why car seat safety education and outreach programs like this one are so important. We want to help families learn to use car seats correctly for each and every ride. We are excited to be able to offer this service," said Hoffman, one of two pediatricians in the country nationally certified as car seat technician instructors.

Car seat safety checks are available by appointment. To schedule an appointment, call the OHSU Doernbecher Tom Sargent Safety Center: 503-418-5666.

Families who've scheduled a car seat safety check need to bring their child and their car safety seat in the car they typically use to transport their child to the turnaround in front of OHSU Doernbecher. Two certified child passenger safety technicians will first inspect the car seat to be sure it hasn't been recalled or expired. They will then teach the family how to correctly install their safety seat and ensure their child is properly secured. The OHSU Doernbecher car seat fitting station can also help expectant families use their seats correctly.

Thanks to a generous grant from Kohl's Cares, low-cost safety seats are available for qualified families (e.g., Oregon Health Plan and WIC recipients) should a family's car seat need to be replaced due to expiration, recall or improper fit.

About OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital

OHSU Doernbecher cares for tens of thousands of children each year from Oregon, southwest Washington and around the nation, resulting in more than 175,000 discharges, surgeries, transports and outpatient visits annually.

Nationally recognized OHSU Doernbecher physicians and nurses provide a full range of pediatric care in the most patient- and family-centered environment. These highly trained clinicians also travel throughout Oregon and southwest Washington, providing specialty care to more than 3,000 children at more than 150 outreach clinics in 15 locations. In addition, OHSU Doernbecher delivers neonatal and pediatric critical care consultation to community hospitals statewide through its state-of-the-art telemedicine network.

* U.S. News Best Children's Hospitals 2011-12

** National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions

OHSU’s Oregon National Primate Research Center opens dedicated lab space for hands-on science experience among students of all ages

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 22:01:17 +0000

The Oregon National Primate Research Center at Oregon Health & Science University now has a new home for its popular science education programs. The center's new educational lab – designed to expand students' experiences with real-world science applications –recently opened its doors to students ages 10 and up.

Multimedia

Photos of the lab/classroom

Video tour of the lab/classroom

Outreach opportunities at OHSU's West Campus

The ONPRC Learning Lab will serve as a home to established as well as new outreach programs at OHSU's West Campus. OHSU's science education outreach programs, on both its Marquam Hill and West campuses, support and encourage students to choose health and science careers.

"We are incredibly excited to have a dedicated home for our science programs," said Diana Gordon, the Education Outreach Specialist at OHSU's primate center and a former science teacher herself. "We serve thousands of people each year through our many programs, including tours, apprenticeships, a day camp, and a variety of classes for students of all ages. In fact, the demand for our programs far outpaces our resources. Having a dedicated lab for education helps us to better meet that demand and gives students and adults the opportunity to expand their hands-on experiences in research. We have found that early experiences such as these can influence a student to make science their occupation later in life."

The new classroom lab contains many of the same instruments found in modern health research labs, including:

Advanced microscopes
Materials for genetic analysis
A containment hood for maintaining sterile conditions or working with potentially irritating substances (Note: The learning lab works only with safe materials.)

ABOUT ONPRC

ABOUT OHSU

Portlander searches for years to find why her body was deteriorating

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 18:36:43 +0000

OHSU conference speaker saw a range of experts before diagnosis of rare Parkinson’s-like disorder

For years, Portlander Lee Ann Labby wondered what was wrong with her.

And for years, the long line of doctors she saw had no idea.

LEARN MORE

Labby will speak at the Parkinson’s conference at 10:15 a.m., Saturday, April 7, at the OHSU Auditorium on OHSU’s Marquam Hill campus.

Labby’s health problems started in the late 1990s, when she began having bizarre sleep patterns. While she was dreaming, when the human body is usually paralyzed, her body moved to act out her dreams.

The more significant issues began in the summer of 2005, when she started having problems with her balance and equilibrium. She began having trouble emptying her bladder. Then her balance issues grew worse.

During the next five years, as her health problems worsened, she saw doctor after doctor, who ordered test after test. Neither the doctors, nor the tests, offered any answers.

“I began to think I was crazy — that it was a psychosomatic disorder,” said Labby. “But it was getting worse. I had something seriously wrong with me but nobody was seeing it.”

Then, in August 2010 — after a recommendation from a University of Pennsylvania Parkinson’s specialist she happened to meet at her son’s college graduation party — she went to see Dr. John Nutt in the Parkinson Center of Oregon at Oregon Health & Science University.

After an hour examination, Nutt had an answer for Labby — a painful answer. Labby had a rare Parkinson’s-like disease called multiple system atrophy, or MSA.

In MSA, nerve cells in specific areas of the brain degenerate, causing problems with movement, balance and other basic functions of the body. It’s very much like Parkinson’s — except the deterioration is much worse and much quicker. And the disorder is much more rare — overall prevalence of MSA is estimated at five cases per 100,000 people, compared with about 200 per 100,000 people who have Parkinson’s. People who have MSA usually die within seven to nine years of diagnosis.

Even so, Labby had some level of satisfaction at finally getting an answer.

“MSA can show a variety of symptoms that can take a patient to a multitude of different medical specialties without any real answer,” said Nutt, director of the Parkinson Center of Oregon at OHSU who has studied and treated Parkinson’s and related diseases for more than 30 years. “She was to some extent relieved that there was finally a diagnosis and that she was not ‘crazy.’ It brings some peace to know that you do have something that has a name and that explains all of these features that seem to be unrelated.”

There was a practical effect as well, said Labby.

“It was not a good diagnosis but at least it allowed me to access some health services,” she said. “And it finally gave me a community of people who understood what I was going through.”

Labby wants more people to understand MSA – including, and especially, the medical community. Since her diagnosis, Labby’s focus has been to expand awareness of the disease.

She will be a featured speaker at a two-day conference, April 6 and 7, at the Parkinson Center of Oregon that will train therapists on how to help people deal with Parkinson’s disease and the more severe “PD Plus” diseases like MSA.

And Labby, her friends and family have contributed money to an education outreach effort of the Parkinson Center to help more people understand MSA.

The common denominator among members of the MSA support group with which she has become involved is not symptoms or treatments, “but that we visited so many doctors before we got a diagnosis,” Labby says. “You can go five years or more before you get a diagnosis. And during those five years, people’s physical abilities are declining. What I would hope is that the medical community, especially doctors, would be more aware of it.”

Even while she gets physical, speech and exercise therapy that help some of her symptoms, Labby’s overall health continues to deteriorate.

“I was maintaining OK until probably two or three years ago,” she says. “It's now starting to take more of a toll. Just moving and walking has become more difficult.”

Still, says Julie Carter — who is associate director of the Parkinson Center of Oregon and who, along with Nutt, has treated Labby — “she never once has felt sorry for herself. To me, she epitomizes resilience. She doesn’t want people feeling sorry for her. She just wants to work to be the best she can.” As further evidence that she is a fighter, Labby has also volunteered for an MSA research study examining a treatment to slow the progression of the disease.

Note to editors: Lee Ann Labby is available for interviews prior to and after the Parkinson’s disease conference.

About OHSU

What do ADHD and cancer have in common? Variety

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 17:30:57 +0000

According to new research conducted at Oregon Health & Science University, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is more than one disorder. It's an entire family of disorders, much like the multiple subtypes of cancer.

Multimedia

Damien Fair Interview

The research, which highlights various versions of the disease, each with differing impacts, demonstrates that there is likely not going to be a “one-size-fits-all” approach to treating patients. It also suggests new methods for characterizing any given individual are going to be required for improved diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of the disease. The research also indicates that scientists need to shift their thinking when it comes to conducting research aimed at understanding the cause and impacts of ADHD, and consider the vast variety of human behavior in non-affected children as well.

OHSU scientists Damien Fair, Ph.D., assistant professor of behavioral neuroscience, psychiatry, and the Advanced Imaging Research Center; and Joel Nigg, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry, behavioral neuroscience and pediatrics, led the research. The study will be published online this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

“Traditionally, physicians and psychologists have diagnosed patients through the use of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, commonly known as the DSM,” explained Fair.

“The problem with this approach is that it often relies on secondary observations of parents or teachers, where even if the descriptions are accurate, any given child may be behaving similarly, but for different reasons. Just as if there might be many reasons why someone might have chest pain, there might be many reasons why a child presents with ADHD. However, unlike diagnosing countless other well-understood diseases, there is no one test that can differentiate individuals when it comes to psychiatric and developmental conditions like ADHD. The data here highlights ways to recognize such individual variability and shows promise that we might be able to identify why any given child presents with ADHD, thus allowing for future examinations of more personalized treatments.”

To better understand ADHD’s variations, Fair, Nigg and colleagues compared test results for several cognitive skills among a large sampling of ADHD patients and a control group. The testing focused on memory, inhibition, attention, comprehension, and several other categories.

"We have known for some time that there is wide performance variation in both the ADHD group and the control group," explained Nigg, “but this has never been formally described.”

Although, overall, the ADHD group did more poorly than the control group on all the measures, they noted that in some areas, certain control group patients outperformed the ADHD patients. However, in those same areas, other ADHD patients outperformed the control group. Simply put, not all study participants – ADHD and control - consistently showed the same strengths and weakness. Furthermore, they found that ADHD patients can be subcategorized depending on their deficits and relative strengths, showing unique subgroups among all children with ADHD.

Using some of these testing methods, the researchers believe they may have found a more precise way to subcategorize and perhaps in the future diagnose children with ADHD. Psychologists and physicians could provide patients with a series of cognitive tests, determine their strengths and weaknesses, and subcategorize them based on these traits.

Future research is required to better categorize the sub-types of ADHD, match patients to therapy and continue the quest to find the cause of ADHD, a question that has eluded researchers for many years.

The National Institutes of Health, the Oregon Clinical and Translational Research Institute at OHSU and the Medical Research Foundation funded this research.

The OHSU ADHD Program continues to accept volunteers for its ongoing studies of children. Interested parents can call 503-418-5508 or toll free 877-678-ADHD(2343) or email ohsuADHD@ohsu.edu.

About OHSU

OHSU center dedicated to workplace health and safety appoints new director

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 18:30:54 +0000

Dr. Steven Shea, Ph.D., has been appointed director of Oregon Health & Science University's Center for Research on Occupational and Environmental Toxicology (CROET). CROET is a state and federally supported center with a mission of promoting health and preventing disease and disability among working Oregonians and their families. The center serves as an information resource for employers and proactively conducts research focused on workplace safety issues.

Dr. Shea received his Ph.D. from the University of London in 1989, joined the faculty of the Harvard University School of Public Health in Boston in 1992, and transferred to Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital (a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School) in 1996. At Brigham and Women's, he served as acting chief of the Division of Sleep Medicine, most recently as director of the Sleep Disorders Research Program, and as an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Shea is active nationally in his field and currently serves as the president of the American Sleep Medicine Foundation, on the boards of directors for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the American Board of Sleep Medicine, and as editor-in-chief of the journal Nature and Science of Sleep.

Shea has performed research on the effects of sleep and circadian rhythms on physiology and pathophysiology. In particular, he has pioneered investigation into the mechanisms underlying the day/night variations in the incidence of a number of episodic disorders, including the morning peaks in heart attacks and the nocturnal worsening of asthma. He also studies the adverse health effects of shift work in humans. His research has been fully supported by the National Institutes of Heath and NASA grants since 1992.

"The faculty and staff at CROET are very accomplished and are performing excellent basic research aimed at understanding mechanisms of disease and important field research with relevance to the work force, as well as educational and interventional outreach into the community," said Dr. Shea. "I am eager to join their efforts. I have been at Harvard for 21 enjoyable and successful years, but I'm up for a new challenge, and this is a great opportunity at CROET and OHSU. My own research will include studies of sleep and circadian rhythms as these relate to accidents and overall health of shift workers and people suffering from sleep disorders. Beyond that, I will support CROET's current activities whilst helping to expand the research and outreach to more fully encompass overall health and safety in the workplace, and to engage in collaborations across the whole campus and beyond in order to make this happen."

Since its establishment by the Oregon State Legislature in 1985, CROET has played a crucial role in both ensuring and promoting workplace safety in Oregon.

"Under Dr. Shea's leadership, the center will expand its impacts even further in promoting a healthy workforce and improving the safety of workers all across our state," said Dr. Daniel Dorsa, Ph.D., OHSU vice president for research.

About the Center for Research on Occupational and Environmental Toxicology

CROET's mission is to promote health, and prevent disease and disability among working Oregonians and their families during their employment years and through retirement. The center conducts basic and applied research, outreach and education. CROET staff also train health and safety professionals, provide consultation, and offer public information on occupational health and safety through the CROETweb resource directory and the center's Toxicology Information Center. CROET's base-funding is provided through Oregon's Workers' Compensation system. CROET researchers also receive support from the National Institutes of Health in order to conduct research aimed at improving workplace health and safety.

About OHSU

Oregon Health & Science University is the state's only academic health and research university. As Portland's largest employer with nearly 14,000 employees, OHSU's size contributes to its ability to provide many services and community support not found anywhere else in the state. OHSU serves patients from every corner of Oregon and is a conduit for learning for more than 4,300 students and trainees. OHSU is the source of more than 200 community outreach programs that bring health and education services to each county in the state.

New Mammography Resources Available for Women with Disabilities

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 19:42:00 +0000

Online directory helps patients with disabilities find accessible mammography facilities around the state; free book illustrates what to expect during mammography appointment

The Oregon Office on Disability and Health (OODH) at Oregon Health & Science University has developed an online resource for women with disabilities to help them find accessible mammography facilities close to home. The new website, Oregon Mammography Accessibility Directory, features facilities that have voluntarily submitted to a thorough OODH accessibility evaluation.

Learn More

Request a book

“The directory is a great tool for women with various disabilities, seniors who use mobility devices or others who require special accommodations. It provides detailed accessibility information for each clinic based on ADA Guidelines and covers the patient’s complete path of travel, from the parking lot to the waiting room to the dressing room to mammography room,” said Carla Waring, M.R.A., an OODH research associate who oversees the project.

Today 60 of 109 mammography facilities statewide are participating in the directory. OODH hopes to increase that number to 75 by July 1.

In addition to developing the mammography directory, OODH has partnered with OHSU’s Department of Diagnostic Radiology to distribute a free book that includes step-by-step illustrations of what to expect during a mammography appointment. Offered in English and Spanish, the book is available for disability service providers around the Portland metro area.

“I was looking for a way to let women with disabilities know what to expect when they arrive for their mammogram,” said Linda Johnson, R.T., a mammography technologist in the OHSU Department of Diagnostic Radiology who first envisioned the book.

“At a conference on Breast Health Access for Women with Disabilities, I learned that a lot of women with disabilities are abused. I want all women to have a safe, pleasant experience when they receive their mammograms, and I thought this book might help alleviate some of their fears by showing them exactly what to expect before they arrive,” said Johnson.

The Oregon Mammography Directory is made possible through the Mammography Accessibility Project, a collaborative effort among the Oregon Office on Disability and Health (OODH) at OHSU and the Oregon Health Authority's Public Health Division, along with community partners including the Oregon Partnership for Cancer Controls, Breast Health Task Force and participating mammography facilities. The directory is supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

About the OODH

The Oregon Office on Disability and Health (OODH) is a collaboration between Oregon Health & Science University and the Oregon Health Authority's, Public Health Division. Since 1994 OODH has been an integral part of Oregon's disability and health efforts. OODH's mission is to prevent secondary conditions and improve the health and quality of life of Oregonians with disabilities through improved access to health care facilities and public health programs and effective health promotion and wellness programs.

About OHSU

OHSU Celebrates TEDMED, the medically based version of the popular TED talks with live screening, public speakers

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 16:47:50 +0000

WHAT: Oregon Health & Science University is connecting with the nation's capitol for the live broadcast of TEDMED, a health-focused version of the popular TED speaker series.

Learn More

About OHSU TEDMED event

TEDMED is an annual event where leaders from all sectors of society come together for several days to explore the promise of technology and the potential of human achievement. This year's event will be held at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. OHSU will connect to the event via a live simulcast sponsored by the Association of American Medical Colleges. During the event, attendees can listen to speakers and interact with them through various mobile apps.

In addition, on Thursday, April 12, at 9:45 a.m., OHSU will host its own series of TEDMED style talks presented by Dr. Kent Thornburg, Ph.D., Dr. Brian Druker, M.D., and Dr. Lisa Coussens, Ph.D.

WHEN: The OHSU Library will host a free live simulcast of TEDMED 2012 from Tuesday, April 10, through Friday, April 13th. OHSU speakers begin at 9:45 a.m. on Thursday, April 12. The public is also invited to the opening reception on April 10 from 3 to 5 p.m.

WHERE: OHSU Biomedical Information Communication Center (OHSU Library) and the OHSU Auditorium.

More info about OHSU Speakers

Dr. Brian Druker, M.D.
Dr. Brian Druker, M.D., is an internationally known researcher and recipient of the 2009 Lasker-DeBakey Award for Clinical Medical Research. He serves as director of the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute and is the JELD-WEN Chair of Leukemia Research. Dr. Druker’s research led to development of Gleevec, a powerful weapon against chronic myeloid leukemia that helped usher in the era of personalized cancer medicine. Gleevec, which attacks the protein causing overproduction of white blood cells in CML, has since proven effective in treating a variety of other cancers including gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST). The drug revolutionized the way cancer is treated, proving it is possible to zero in on specific cancer-causing molecules while sparing healthy cells. Dr. Druker’s other career milestones include being named a Howard Hughes Medical Investigator in 2002, a member of the National Academy of Sciences in 2007 and the Japan Prize in Healthcare and Medical Technology this year.

Dr. Lisa Coussens, Ph.D.
Dr. Lisa M. Coussens, Ph.D., is the chair of the Department of Cell & Developmental Biology in the OHSU School of Medicine. Dr. Coussens also serves as the director of Basic Research in the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, holding the Hildegard Lamfrom Chair in Basic Science. This chair was created as a result of a generous contribution from Gert Boyle and Tim and Mary Boyle to honor Gert Boyle’s sister, a renowned researcher who furthered cancer research. Dr. Coussens came to OHSU from the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) where she served as a professor in the Department of Pathology. She is widely published, a sought-after public speaker, has received numerous awards, and is a deputy editor for the journal Cancer Research. Dr. Coussens has an international reputation for exceptionally high-impact research; her pioneering studies have fueled a paradigm shift in understanding the role of the tumor microenvironment in regulating breast cancer development and its response to therapy.

Dr. Kent Thornburg, Ph.D.
Dr. Kent Thornburg, Ph.D., is the interim director of the OHSU Bob and Charlee Moore Institute for Nutrition & Wellness. The Moore Institute was created with a generous legacy gift in 2011 from Bob and Charlee Moore to OHSU. Dr. Thornburg is a professor of medicine within the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine. He holds joint academic appointments in three additional School of Medicine departments, reflecting the breadth of his research interests and expertise. He is associate chief for research in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, director of the OHSU Heart Research Center, and co-chair of a national task force assigned to determine the 10-year vision for the field of research known as developmental origins of health and disease for the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development of the National Institutes of Health. In addition to being an internationally known and widely published researcher, Dr. Thornburg is consistently recognized by students and faculty as an outstanding educator, having received dozens of the School of Medicine’s annual Excellence in Teaching Awards.

About OHSU

OHSU expands seating for April 10 lecture by author Jonah Lehrer

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 23:33:53 +0000

Best-selling neuroscience author to speak about creativity and the brain

Due to high demand for tickets, the OHSU Brain Institute has expanded seating for best-selling neuroscience author Jonah Lehrer's lecture on Tuesday, April 10, in Portland. More tickets are now available.

Lehrer's new book, "Imagine: How Creativity Works," this week hit number one on the New York Times' best seller list for non-fiction. Lehrer is speaking as part of OHSU's Brain Awareness Season lecture series.

Lehrer's newest book explores the neuroscience of how we can actually learn to be more creative. He shows that creativity is not a mystical trait that some people just possess, but that anyone take practical steps to become more creative.

Lehrer is a contributing editor at Wired and a frequent contributor to The New Yorker. He writes the Head Case column for the Wall Street Journal and regularly appears on WNYC's Radiolab. He is the author of two previous books — "Proust Was a Neuroscientist" and "How We Decide." He graduated from Columbia University and attended Oxford as a Rhodes scholar.

Lehrer's lecture will be at 7 p.m. at the Oregon Convention Center, 777 N.E. Martin Luther King Blvd. Ticket information.

More information on OHSU's Brain Awareness Season lecture series.

About OHSU

Albina Head Start Kids to Don Free, New Glasses Courtesy of the Elks Children’s Eye Clinic Vision Screening Program at OHSU

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 22:25:16 +0000

Photo/Video Opportunity

WHAT

Albina Head Start Children will receive free eyeglasses after participating in the Elks Preschool Vision Screening Program offered by the Casey Eye Institute at Oregon Health & Science University.

WHERE

Highland Head Start, 7600 NE Glisan St. Portland, OR 97213

WHEN

Thursday April 12th at 9:00 a.m.

VISUALS

Media members are invited to witness the scene as kids receive their new glasses for the first time. Media members will see the kids have the glasses fitted and have a chance to talk to kids whose vision is about to become clearer.

DETAILS

Recently, doctors and staff from the Elks Children's Eye Clinic at the Casey Eye Institute performed free eye exams for children in the Albina Head Start program. As a result, a total of 25 kids were found to need eyeglasses. On April 12th, the Oregon State Elks are donating special "kid-proof" glasses to the students. The eyeglasses are made with MiraFlex frames that are built to be flexible, safe and indestructible. The frames also come with a headband to prevent accidents while they run and play. In addition to the Elks, two community partners stepped in to help make the glasses available to the kids: MiraFlex donated the flexible frames and Myoptic Optical shop filled the prescriptions at cost.

BACKGROUND

Fifteen percent of all children are at risk of developing amblyopia (or lazy eye) between the ages of three and five. This condition requires treatment before the age of seven to avoid long-term damage. If left untreated, it may lead to a lifetime of unnecessary vision impairment and possibly blindness. While some school districts offer vision-screening programs for school age children, formal screening should begin at age three. Good vision is essential for proper physical development and educational progress. Early detection provides the best opportunity for effective, inexpensive treatment.

MEDIA MEMBERS

Park in the back parking lot of the Highland church. Take the steps down to the bottom door and ring the "Classroom A" doorbell.

About OHSU

OHSU Doernbecher cancer survivor meets lifesaving bone marrow donor

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 22:32:26 +0000

Donor and recipient hope to raise awareness, increase the number of ethnic minorities in the national bone marrow donor registry

WHAT

OHSU Doernbecher patient and cancer survivor Stella Monteverde-Cakebread, 10, will meet the man who saved her life at a celebration designed to thank friends and community members, and to encourage more ethnic minorities to participate in the Be the Match National Marrow Donor Program.

The celebration, which comes nearly two years after Stella’s transplant, is free and will feature DJ Jimbo, a slide show and, most importantly, the opportunity to become a bone marrow donor with a simple cheek swab.

WHEN

Sunday, April 15, from 1 to 4 p.m.

WHERE

McMenamins Kennedy School, 5736 N.E. 33rd Ave. Portland, OR 97211

DETAILS

Stella Monteverde, a fifth-grader at Sabin School, was diagnosed with a rare form of blood cancer called acute myeloid leukemia when she was 8 years old. Due to the aggressive nature of this type of leukemia, Stella's only chance for cure was a bone marrow transplant from a volunteer, unrelated donor.

Because of her mixed ethnicity — Spanish, Peruvian and Europe Caucasian – her chances of finding a compatible match were slim.

"It can be extremely difficult and take months to identify a compatible bone marrow donor for a patient, especially in cases of mixed ethnicity or for non-Caucasian ethnicities that are currently underrepresented in the donor registry," said Allison Franco, R.N., B.S.N., pediatric bone marrow transplant coordinator at OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital.

But Stella and the OHSU Doernbecher Bone Marrow/Stem Cell Transplant team beat the odds, and her "miracle," Travis Black, 29, of Washington, D.C., whose parents are of Mexican and European Caucasian descent, and his wife, Jillian, are flying to Portland to meet her and help inspire others to join the national bone marrow donor registry.

"After a transplant, patients and donors are required to wait a minimum of one year before there is the opportunity to possibly become un-anonymous to each other. It's a very special event when a patient and donor actually have the chance to meet in person — a true celebration of life," explained Franco.

"We are hoping to inspire our community to register, to help give others a second chance by seeing what this gift looks like. We are also saying thank you to all of our support through these past two years," said Stella's mother, Dayna Cakebread.

Stella has joined Team Be the Match to encourage more people to become bone marrow donors. Click here, to participate, learn more.

ABOUT OHSU DOERNBECHER CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL

* U.S. News Best Children's Hospitals 2011-12
** National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions

Upcoming OHSU Ask the Health Experts Lectures

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 21:35:57 +0000

The spring/summer session of Oregon Health & Science University's much-anticipated "Ask the Health Experts" seminar series is approaching. Each lecture is followed by a question-and-answer session with leading experts in their field. All lectures are free and open to the public. The schedule is as follows:

April 25

Sports Injuries & the Weekend Warrior
Ryan Petering, M.D.
A lecture for those of us who refuse to slow down. Learn about preventing and treating sports injuries for recreational and aging athletes.

May 16

Causes & Treatments for Neck & Arm Pain
Brian Ragel, M.D.
Acute arm or neck pain, tingling, or loss of sensation is often caused by spine inflammation or injury. Hear more on the latest treatments and therapies that can dramatically decrease pain and increase function.

June 13

Female Athlete Injury Prevention
Andrea Herzka, M.D.
Proper nutrition and smart exercise strategies are essential to avoid injury and perform your best. Learn about the right ways to stay running strong.

July 18

Hip & Knee Replacement
Kathryn Schabel, M.D.
Learn about important advances in joint replacement — for arthritis, sports injuries and aging joints — and whether they can help you.

WHERE

All lectures will be held at the OHSU Center for Health & Healing, third floor, 3303 S.W. Bond Ave., Portland, OR 97239. Maps and driving directions are available.

DETAILS

To attend the OHSU Ask the Health Experts lectures, register online or by phone at (503) 494-1122. Free parking is available near the Center for Health & Healing. Light refreshments will be served.

About OHSU

OHSU Appoints Michael Tom as Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Director

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 19:16:42 +0000

Oregon Health & Science University has named Michael Tom its Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Director (AAEO). The AAEO department at OHSU plays an important role as a resource for patients, staff, faculty, students and employment applicants to support diversity and prohibit discrimination across the university's missions of patient care, education, research and outreach.

Tom, who has been employed at OHSU since 2004, served as interim director of the department until his appointment as permanent director. He has also served as associate director and as a compliance officer within the AAEO department. He serves as the Co-Chair of the Diversity Advisory Council and Co-Chair of the Physical Access Committee that lead the university's diversity and accessibility initiatives.

Tom currently serves on the Community Transitional School Board and the Oregon Native American Chamber Advisory Board. He co-founded A Night For Networking, an annual event that connects individuals with disabilities with businesses and employment opportunities. Prior to his arrival at OHSU, Tom worked as an associate attorney at the law firms of Hoffman, Hart & Wagner and Corbett Gordon & Associates in Portland.

"In my new role, I look forward to furthering collaborations within OHSU and in the greater community," said Tom. "I am honored to receive this opportunity to develop and lead initiatives to continuously improve OHSU's diverse work environment. I believe that training, education and sound advice from our department will benefit all who work at, study or treat at OHSU."

Michael Tom's years of experience in working with OHSU staff, students and patients along with his extensive legal knowledge is a tremendous resource for OHSU," said Norwood Knight-Richardson, M.D., M.A., M.B.A., vice president, chief administrative officer and chief diversity officer. "Diversity is a major initiative for OHSU and we look forward to Michael and his department's continued leadership in the university's mission to create and maintain a community of inclusion."

About OHSU

OHSU Knight Cancer Institute to provide free head, neck cancer screenings

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 20:01:46 +0000

***CALENDAR ALERT***

What

Oregon Health & Science University Knight Cancer Institute is offering free screenings for cancers that develop on the skin (face and scalp) as well as in the mouth, throat and neck. Health care professionals will also provide participants with information about symptoms and risk factors associated with these forms of the disease. Physicians at the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute and elsewhere are seeing larger numbers of younger patients who are suffering from cancers that develop on the head (face and scalp) and neck.

When

7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Friday, April 27. No appointments are necessary. Screenings are first come, first served.

Where

OHSU Center for Health & Healing lobby, 3303 S.W. Bond Ave., Portland, OR 97239. (The Center for Health & Healing is near the base of the Portland Aerial Tram.)

Cost

Free.

Details

Screening for cancers that develop on the head and neck, including the face, scalp, mouth, throat and thyroid, is quick and painless. It simply involves a physical exam. Along with the screening, OHSU Knight Cancer Institute physicians, OHSU dentists and other physicians will be available to answer questions and help participants learn how to differentiate between harmless symptoms and potentially dangerous signs of cancer. As part of the screening with a physician or dentist, participants will receive a personalized risk assessment for skin cancer on the face and scalp, thyroid cancer and cancers of the mouth, throat and neck.

Information

For additional questions about the screening, call 503-418-9235 or visit here.

ABOUT OHSU

OHSU Hosts Macular Degeneration Seminar on May 12

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 22:54:23 +0000

WHAT

The Casey Eye Institute at Oregon Health & Science University is hosting a free macular degeneration seminar for patients and their families. One form of the disease, age-related macular degeneration, is a leading cause of blindness in the United States, affecting 1.8 million Americans over the age of 40. The event is sponsored by the Macular Degeneration Center at Casey Eye Institute.

WHEN

9:30 a.m. to noon, Saturday, May 12.

WHERE

OHSU Casey Eye Institute, 3375 S.W. Terwilliger Blvd., Portland, OR 97239.

DETAILS

The event titled, Macular Degeneration: The Clear Picture on Research, Treatment and Options for Reading, will include presentations on:

The latest research and treatment advancements
Technologies to allow patients to continue reading even as the disease progresses

The event will also include exhibits demonstrating a variety of visual aids.

The event is free. However, space is limited. Call (503) 494-3537 to register in advance.

About Casey Eye Institute

As part of Oregon Health & Science University, the Casey Eye Institute is an academic regional eye center. It is named after James and George Casey, founders of United Parcel Service. The Casey Eye Institute is also one of only seven regional eye research centers in the nation sponsored by Research to Prevent Blindness, the world's leading voluntary organization in support of eye research. The Casey Eye Institute has operated the Elks Children's Eye Clinic since 1949, thanks to the generous support of the Oregon State Elks Association.

About OHSU

Telehealth via secure iPad will bring care to seriously ill children in Oregon and Southwest Washington

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 19:05:38 +0000

Regence Foundation awards $195,000 grant to Doernbecher Children's Hospital Foundation

Children with life-threatening illnesses often travel from communities across Oregon to receive specialty care at OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital. When no cure is available, however, many families prefer to take their child home and care for them with support from loved ones and community hospices. But for those who don't feel well enough to make the trip to OHSU Doernbecher, or for those who live outside the Portland metro area, this means leaving behind the specialized pediatric palliative care they receive at Doernbecher.

Soon, families with a seriously ill child won't have to choose: They can have both the comfort of home and pediatric palliative care. Through a $195,000 Regence Foundation grant to OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital Foundation, a telehealth project will expand access to palliative care for seriously ill children throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington, in both metro and rural areas. The project will be run by the Bridges Palliative Care Program at OHSU Doernbecher in partnership with community hospices throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington.

Palliative care is a multidisciplinary specialty focused on reducing the pain and suffering associated with serious and life-limiting diseases. Goals of palliative care include addressing both the physical and emotional symptoms of illness, providing support to patients and their families, and respecting patients' wishes for care at the end of life. Palliative care can also be provided in conjunction with curative treatment.

"Our goal at The Regence Foundation is to ensure people who are seriously ill have access to the care they need to live well at the end of life," said Peggy Maguire, Regence Foundation board chair. "While it's never easy to think about children being so sick, palliative care can truly make a difference in the quality of life for children and their families. That's why it is critical they have access to it in their own communities."

The Bridges Palliative Care Program plans to use The Regence Foundation grant funds to hire staff to launch and sustain its telehealth program, purchase iPads for secure video conferencing for Doernbecher staff and hospice partners, cover travel costs associated with set-up and training, and offer ongoing pediatric palliative care education for participants. The iPads will be equipped with special encryption software to ensure confidential, HIPAA-compliant communication between clinicians and patients.

"We're caring for children and families at a very difficult time in their lives, and we develop strong relationships with them," said Bridges program director Kathy Perko, P.N.P. "Although we often provide telephone support after they leave the hospital, we're really limited by what we can't see. The telehealth program will enable us to give medical and emotional support to these families, as well as resources to their local hospice provider. Oregon and Southwest Washington hospices are excited about this program and will come online as they have patients in their community."

Current participants include:

Dr. Davis Wilkins, Medford
Hospice Southwest, Vancouver
Little Stars, Sacred Heart Hospice, Eugene
Partners in Care, Bend
Serenity Hospice, Portland
Willamette Valley Hospice, Salem

Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon and The Regence Foundation have been longtime supporters of the Bridges Palliative Care Program. In 2005, Regence BlueCross BlueShield helped launch the Bridges Program with a three-year $150,000 grant. In 2009, The Regence Foundation provided the program with a $52,000 grant to survey pediatric palliative care training needs among community hospice nurses throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington and develop a pediatric hospice training curriculum and DVD.

About The Regence Foundation

The Regence Foundation is the corporate foundation of Regence, the largest health insurer in the Northwest/Intermountain region and a nonprofit independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. A 501(c)3 grantmaking organization, the Foundation partners with organizations driving significant change in health care delivery and accessibility in Idaho, Oregon, Utah and Washington. Through its Sojourns program, the Foundation also supports organizations advancing quality palliative and end-of-life care. For more information, visit twitter.com/RegenceGives.

About OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital

OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital ranks among the top children's hospitals in the United States in eight clinical specialties.* It ranks 36th nationally for NIH-awarded pediatric research funding among children's hospitals affiliated with an academic medical center**, and is one of only 22 NIH-designated Child Health Research Centers in the country. OHSU Doernbecher cares for tens of thousands of children each year from Oregon, southwest Washington and around the nation, resulting in more than 175,000 discharges, surgeries, transports and outpatient visits annually.

* U.S. News Best Children's Hospitals 2011-12.
** National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions.

National leader in drug addiction research to speak as part of OHSU’s lecture series

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 21:10:47 +0000

WHAT

The next OHSU Brain Awareness Season lecture will feature Nora Volkow, M.D., the director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

WHEN

7 p.m., Thursday, April 26, 2012.

WHERE

Oregon Convention Center, Oregon Ballroom, 777 N.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Portland, Ore.

DETAILS

One of the nation's leading experts on drug addiction research, Volkow will explore what addiction is, how it starts and what can be done about it. She also will talk about advances in the neuroscience of addiction and explore how those advances can help in the battle to prevent addiction.

Ticket information is available here.

Other upcoming events

The final lecture in OHSU's Brain Awareness Season will be June 25, 2012, when Story Landis, Ph.D., the director of the National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke, will speak about "the brain on fire" – the role of inflammation in various brain diseases and disorders

ABOUT OHSU

To Use or Not to Use a Pacifier: What should parents do?

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 20:00:36 +0000

Many hospitals are removing pacifiers from their newborn units to achieve '"Baby-Friendly" status, but researchers at Oregon Health & Science University Doernbecher Children's Hospital believe more research supporting this recommendation is needed.

After analyzing feeding data on 2,249 infants born between June 2010 and August 2011 in the Mother-Baby Unit, the pediatrician-scientists found routine removal of pacifiers during the birth hospitalization was associated with decreased exclusive breastfeeding and increased supplemental formula feeds.

Their data were presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies annual meeting in Boston April 30.

"There is a great deal of energy, nationally and internationally, in support of increasing the number of 'Baby Friendly' hospitals. Baby-Friendly hospitals and the 10 steps, when taken together, have been shown to increase exclusive breastfeeding, but the effect of pacifier use on the initiation and duration of exclusive breastfeeding has not been well-established," said Laura Kair, M.D., a resident in pediatrics at OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital.

OHSU Doernbecher and many other hospitals nationwide have been working to implement The World Health Organization's Baby-Friendly hospital initiative to improve exclusive breastfeeding rates during the birth hospitalization. The Baby Friendly initiative outlines "10 Steps to Successful Breastfeeding," including no routine use of pacifiers.

"We know that breast milk is the best food for newborns, and part of our job as pediatricians is to educate parents about the benefits by promoting exclusive breastfeeding. Pacifiers pose a dilemma for parents and pediatric providers. There is concern pacifiers interfere with breastfeeding, but there is evidence pacifier use reduces the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends delaying the introduction of pacifiers until three to four weeks when breastfeeding is established," Kair explained.

The Joint Commission, the national accrediting body for hospitals and health systems, has adopted exclusive breastfeeding as one of its core standards for optimal perinatal care and encourages hospitals to measure and report it. The American Academy of Pediatrics also recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life and continued breastfeeding for the first year of life and beyond.

In compliance with the Joint Commission and with the intent of improving breastfeeding rates, the OHSU Mother-Baby Unit began measuring types of feedings offered during the birth hospitalization. Kair and her colleague, Carrie Phillipi, M.D., Ph.D., director of the OHSU Mother-Baby Unit, who are working to help OHSU attain Baby Friendly designation, then implemented a policy in December 2010 in the Mother-Baby Unit to stop the routine distribution of pacifiers to breastfeeding newborns.

Pacifiers were placed in a locked supply management system that required clinicians to enter a code, the patient's name and a written reason for checking out a pacifier. Pacifiers were allowed in special circumstances, for example, to dip in sugar solution and offer during a painful procedure. Parents could bring in a pacifier from home if they wished.

Kair and Phillipi retrospectively analyzed data about the feedings offered to 2,249 infants admitted to the OHSU Mother-Baby Unit from June 2010 to August 2011. They found that when pacifiers were still distributed, from July 2010 to November 2010, about 79 percent of the infants in the unit were exclusively breastfed. This percentage decreased significantly to 68 percent after the no-pacifier policy was implemented, from January 2011 to August 2011.

The researchers also found a 10 percent increase in the number of breastfed infants being fed supplemental formula after the no-pacifier policy. The percentage of exclusively formula fed infants did not change.

"Despite the common belief among medical providers and the general public that pacifier use negatively impacts breastfeeding, we found limiting pacifier use in the Mother-Baby Unit was associated with decreased exclusive breastfeeding and increased supplemental formula feeds," explained Kair. "We view this as an interesting observation, but we do not claim a cause and effect relationship. Our goal in publicizing this data is to stimulate dialogue and scientific inquiry into the relationship between pacifiers and breastfeeding. Our overall goal is to increase breastfeeding rates, even in Oregon which already boasts the highest rate in the nation."

About OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital

* U.S. News Best Children's Hospitals 2011-12
** National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions

Follow OHSU Doernbecher on Twitter and Facebook.

About Pediatric Academic Societies

The Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) are four individual pediatric organizations that co-sponsor the PAS Annual Meeting – the American Pediatric Society, the Society for Pediatric Research, the Academic Pediatric Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics. Members of these organizations are pediatricians and other health care providers who are practicing in the research, academic and clinical arenas. The four sponsoring organizations are leaders in the advancement of pediatric research and child advocacy within pediatrics, and all share a common mission of fostering the health and well being of children worldwide. Follow news of the PAS meeting on Twitter.

Two risk factors may be most relevant in determining when to start regular breast cancer screening

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 21:41:21 +0000

A family history of breast cancer and dense breast tissue each indicate a twofold increase in breast cancer risk for women in their 40s, according to a study led by an Oregon Health & Science University investigator

A family history of breast cancer and dense breast tissue each increase the risk of breast cancer by at least twofold for women in their 40s, according to a study led by an Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) researcher. The importance of these two risk factors could help determine when women should start having regular screening mammograms.

The study's analysis of cancer risk for women in their 40s is at the heart of two articles in the May 1 edition of Annals of Internal Medicine. One article presents the evaluation of risk factors that are most relevant for women between the ages of 40 and 50 who would be considering routine screening under current guidelines. The second article reports how population models were used to weigh the benefits of screening with potential downsides, such as false-positive test readings that lead to unnecessary medical procedures. The study found that women in their 40s, who have at least double the risk for breast cancer compared with average-risk women, share the same level of benefit, weighed against the potential downsides, from biennial screening as women who are 50 to 74 years old.

"This study focuses on risk data specific to women in their 40s," said Heidi D. Nelson, M.D., M.P.H., who is a research professor of medical informatics and clinical epidemiology and medicine and an investigator with the Oregon Evidence-based Practice Center at OHSU and medical director of cancer prevention and screening for the Providence Cancer Center in Portland. Nelson, who is first author on "Risk Factors for Breast Cancer for Women Aged 40 to 49 Years" and who co-authored the second paper, added that it was surprising to see that many potential risk factors weren't statistically relevant to this age group.

"Our results indicate that we can focus on just a few significant risk factors to simplify approaches to risk-based screening for women in their 40s," Nelson said.

These studies address questions raised in 2009 when updated breast cancer screening guidelines were released by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Those guidelines call for screening mammography every two years for women who are 50 to 74 years old. The guidelines recommend that women in their 40s consider their personal values regarding the benefits and potential negative outcomes of a false-positive reading. However, there was a lack of research available to assess the risks and benefits for this particular age group, which had previously been advised to receive regular mammograms.

"Mainly, we wanted to find out the tipping point: what level of increased risk women in their 40s needed to have to reach the same benefit-to-harm ratio for screening mammography as women aged 50 to 74," said Diana Miglioretti, Ph.D., a Group Health Research Institute senior investigator who contributed to both articles, the second of which is titled, "Tipping the Balance of Benefits and Harms to Favor Screening Mammography Starting at Age 40 Years."

The international research team used data from the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium (BCSC), a U.S. research network of mammography registries. The BCSC is the nation's largest longitudinal collection of breast imaging data, covering 9.5 million mammograms, 2.3 million women, and 114,000 breast cancer cases so far. By continuously collecting information on breast cancer screening, risk factors, and cancer outcomes, the BCSC provides long-term data on screening as it occurs in everyday clinical practice to help answer preventive health care questions.

In one of the articles, Nicolien van Ravesteyn, M.Sc., Jeanne Mandelblatt, M.D., M.P.H., and colleagues, including Miglioretti and Diana Buist, used four independent well-established simulation models that are part of the National Cancer Institute's Cancer Intervention and Surveillance Modeling Network (CISNET) collaborative to identify the threshold of risk needed for women aged 40 to 49 to have comparable benefits and harms as seen when average-risk women aged 50 to 74 are screened every other year using mammography. Van Ravesteyn is a researcher at Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, The Netherlands; and Mandelblatt is the associate director for population sciences at Georgetown University Medical Center's Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center in Washington, DC.

"Our population models show what can be expected across populations with different risk levels," Mandelblatt said. "The models cannot determine outcomes for individual women. Policymakers can use them to inform guidelines for populations."

Nelson, who is also a member of the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, conducted a rigorous review of previous studies from 66 publications selected for their relevance and quality along with Buist and Miglioretti and colleagues, including Group Health Research Institute Research Associate Ellen O'Meara, Ph.D. They also conducted new analyses using BCSC data on more than 380,000 women who were 40 to 49 when they had a screening mammogram from 1994 to 2010, to see how family history and other risk factors affected breast cancer risk for women in their 40s.

Results indicated that:

Having a first-degree relative with breast cancer, especially one younger than 50, increased a woman's cancer risk by more than twofold.
Women with extremely dense breasts on a mammogram increased risk by more than twofold.
A previous benign breast biopsy, a second-degree relative with breast cancer, or breast tissue that was heterogeneously dense on a mammogram increased risk between 1.5-fold and twofold.

Other potential risk factors that they evaluated — such as race/ethnicity, body mass index, physical activity, and using alcohol, tobacco, or hormone therapy — had effects that were either small, undetectable or equivocal.

The research in the two articles was possible because three national research groups — BCSC, CISNET, and the Evidence-based Practice Center — joined forces. Each contributed unique strengths: extensive data, comprehensive breast cancer models and data interpretation. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force previously used information from the three groups to develop its current breast cancer screening recommendations.

The authors called for additional research based on the findings, to see how well these risk estimates, which are based on large numbers of women, predict risks for individual women.

Funding for the research was provided by the National Cancer Institute. The collaboration between BCSC, CISNET and the Evidence-based Practice Center was supported in part by the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and by the National Cancer Institute, which recently awarded a $20 million National Cancer Institute Program Project grant, co-led by Miglioretti, to the BCSC.

Nelson, van Ravesteyn, Mandelblatt, Buist, Miglioretti and O'Meara's collaborators were Bernadette Zakher, M.B.B.S., Amy Cantor, M.D., M.P.H., Rongwei Fu, Ph.D., and Jessica Griffin, M.S., of the Oregon Evidence-based Practice Center at OHSU; Eveline A.M. Heijnsdijk, Ph.D., and Harry J. de Koning, M.D., Ph.D., of Erasmus MC, in Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Karla Kerlikowske, M.D., M.S., of the University of California San Francisco; Amy Trentham-Dietz, Ph.D., and Oguzhan Alagoz, Ph.D., of the University of Wisconsin, Madison; Natasha K. Stout, Ph.D., of Harvard Medical School in Boston; Sandra J. Lee, DSc, and Hui Huang, M.S., of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston; Clyde B. Schechter, M.D., M.A., of Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York; and Aimee M. Near, M.P.H., of Georgetown University Medical Center and Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center in Washington, DC.

About the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium

The Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium (BCSC) is the nation's largest and most comprehensive collection of breast cancer screening information. It's a research resource for studies designed to assess the delivery and quality of breast cancer screening and related patient outcomes in the United States. The BCSC is a National Cancer Institute-funded collaborative network of seven mammography registries with linkages to tumor and/or pathology registries. The network is supported by a central Statistical Coordinating Center. Currently, the Consortium's database contains information on over 9.5 million mammographic examinations, 2.3 million women, and 114,000 breast cancer cases (95,000 invasive cancers and 19,000 ductal carcinoma in situ).

About the Cancer Intervention and Surveillance Modeling Network

The Cancer Intervention and Surveillance Modeling Network (CISNET) is a consortium of NCI-sponsored investigators that use statistical modeling to improve our understanding of cancer control interventions in prevention, screening, and treatment and their effects on population trends in incidence and mortality. These models can be used to guide public health research and priorities.

About the Oregon Evidence-based Practice Center

The Oregon Evidence-based Practice Center (Oregon EPC) conducts systematic reviews of health care topics for federal and state agencies and private foundations. These reviews report the evidence from clinical research studies and the quality of that evidence for use by policymakers in decisions on guidelines and coverage. The Center is one of 14 EPCs sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), and is directed by Mark Helfand, M.D., M.S.

About the Group Health Research Institute

Founded in 1947, Group Health Cooperative is a Seattle-based, consumer-governed, nonprofit health care system. Group Health Research Institute changed its name from Group Health Center for Health Studies in 2009. Since 1983, the Institute has conducted nonproprietary public-interest research on preventing, diagnosing, and treating major health problems. Government and private research grants provide its main funding.

About OHSU

Internationally recognized trailblazer in health promotion, sports medicine at OHSU receives Lifetime Achievement Award

Tue, 01 May 2012 17:47:52 +0000

The President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition (PCFSN) will honor Linn Goldberg, M.D., with its Lifetime Achievement Award at its annual meeting in Washington, D.C., May 1, 2012.

Lifetime Achievement Awards are given to individuals whose careers have greatly contributed to the advancement or promotion of physical activity, fitness, sports and nutrition-related programs nationwide, according to the President's Council. Recipients are selected by PCFSN members based on the span and scope of their career, the estimated number of lives they have touched and the impact of their legacy.

Goldberg, an internationally recognized expert on researching, diagnosing and treating medical illnesses that impair physical activity, is the co-founder and longtime head of Oregon Health & Science University's Division of Health Promotion and Sports Medicine.

Goldberg may be best known for co-creating the groundbreaking health promotion and drug abuse prevention programs for teen athletes called ATLAS and ATHENA. The NIH-studied, award-winning programs promote physical activity, healthy nutrition and athletic achievement as alternatives to performance-enhancing and illicit drug use, and other health harming behaviors, using student-athlete peer leaders to educate their teammates in small groups.

Today, more than 80,000 high school athletes and their coaches in 45 states and the District of Columbia participate in ATLAS and ATHENA thanks to funding provided by the National Football League, Sports Illustrated, community groups and private foundations.

ATLAS and ATHENA have been honored by the National Institutes on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the U.S. Congress, the Federal Interagency Working Groups on Youth Programs, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (Model Program Award), the U.S. Department of Education (Exemplary Program Award), Office of Juvenile Justice (Model Program Award), and the World Anti-doping Agency. In 2010, Sweden's Queen Silvia honored Dr. Goldberg with the Mentor International Achievement Award for development and dissemination of ATLAS and ATHENA.

Goldberg's scientific advancements regarding physical activity and nutrition span nearly 30 years, from publishing the first study demonstrating cholesterol level improvement after strength training in the 1984 Olympic Edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), to the 2010 New England Journal of Medicine report on the HEALTHY trial, as one of its seven principal investigators.

The multi-site National Institutes of Health-funded HEALTHY trial involved 6,000 middle school students and illustrated how peer educators, team-based health classes, and revamped food service and physical education instruction can reduce childhood obesity, providing a new model for health promotion in our nation's schools.

Goldberg co-developed the National Cancer Institute-funded PHLAME firefighter wellness program. This team-centered exercise and nutrition intervention reduced medical costs and work-related injuries and is now disseminated to firefighters throughout the United States.

His myriad achievements also include publishing more than 235 scientific publications; and co-authoring a preeminent medical textbook, "Exercise for Prevention & Treatment of Illness," and the highly regarded lay book, "The Healing Power of Exercise, explaining how to prevent and treat common medical problems through physical activity."

Most recently, Goldberg developed the Healthy Team Healthy U wellness program for Oregon Health & Science University's nearly 14,000 employees.

The 2012 PCFSN Lifetime Achievement Award recipients are: Goldberg; Thomas McKenzie, Ph.D., emeritus professor in the San Diego State University School of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences; Jacki Sorensen, originator of Aerobic Dancing; Charles Sterling, Ed.D., chairman of Youth Initiatives at The Cooper Institute and Chairman of the FITNESSGRAM Board of Trustees; and Pat Summitt, Hall of Fame University of Tennessee Head Women's Basketball Coach Emeritus.

About OHSU

OHSU Study Shows How Mitochondrial Genes Are Passed from Mother to Child

Thu, 03 May 2012 19:54:32 +0000

Research conducted at the Oregon National Primate Research Center at Oregon Health & Science University helps answer some long-standing questions about how certain disease-causing gene mutations are inherited.

The research specifically focused on gene mutations in cell mitochondria that can cause several diseases, including forms of cancer, diabetes, infertility and neurodegenerative diseases. With this new information, we now better understand how and when these mutations are passed to children to improve diagnosis and prevention. The research will be published online in the journal Cell Reports on Thursday May 3.

Shoukhrat Mitalipov, Ph.D.,who previously developed a method for preventing the passing of mitochondrial genetic mutations from mother to infant in 2009, directed the research.

This latest breakthrough, which was conducted in rhesus macaque monkeys because of their similarity to humans, demonstrates the specific stage of early embryonic development when genetic mutations are passed from mother to fetus. This stage, referred to by scientists as “the bottleneck,” occurs when an early embryo called blastocyst, transitions into a fetus.

To conduct the research, Mitalipov and colleagues needed to design a way to mark and track specific mitochondrial genes as they transitioned from egg, through fertilization, to embryo and then to fetus. This was accomplished by combining two separate mitochondrial genomes into one egg cell. More specifically, one-half of an egg cell from a species of Indian-continent rhesus macaque monkey was merged with one-half of an egg cell from a Chinese-continent monkey. Because these animal species have distinct mitochondrial gene sequences (like breeding two distinct species of dogs), their genetics could be tracked closely.

FIND MORE MULTIMEDIA AT RIGHT

The microscopic manipulation of splitting and uniting two halved egg cells takes specialized skills and expertise, which the Mitalipov lab has developed over a period of several years.

By studying the development of these joined and then fertilized eggs, scientists were surprised to see that eggs transitioned from containing a 50/50 split of genetics to a fetus that contained a nearly 100 percent either Indian or Chinese-based genome.

“We discovered that during early development, each individual cell in the eight-cell embryo would contain varying percentages of the Indian and Chinese rhesus genes. Some would be a 50/50 split. But others would be 90/10 and so on,” explained Mitalipov. “When these percentages were combined as a whole embryo, the average genetic split between the two species was about equal as initially created. However, later during the transition from a blastocyst to fetus, the genetics would swing one way or another. The resulting offspring would have always a genome that is predominantly Chinese or Indian. Our study tells us precisely when this mitochondrial gene switch occurs and how this can lead to disease.”

This finding raises significant questions about validity of currently methods for genetic diagnosis in early embryos, when a woman is known to carry a mitochondrial gene mutation may pass a disease to her children.

“The current pre-implantation genetic diagnosis method is to examine genetic disease risk is by taking one cell from an early eight-cell embryo, and then looking for mutations in that one particular cell. This is done to predict if the remaining embryo is mutation-free,” explained Mitalipov.

“The problem with this approach is that you may choose a cell that may not have mutations. But that does not mean the remaining cells in an embryo are mutation-free. Our research suggests that such approach could be flawed because diagnosis takes place prior to the stage when an offspring’s mitochondrial genetics is truly established.”

With this new information and with additional data gathered through further research, Mitalipov and colleagues believe that new methods for genetic diagnosis for mitochondrial disease should be located. The research also demonstrates that the Mitalipov lab’s previously developed method for preventing the passing of mitochondrial mutations from mother to child is highly successful.

About ONPRC

The Oregon National Primate Research Center is a registered research institution, inspected regularly by the United States Department of Agriculture. It operates in compliance with the Animal Welfare Act and has an assurance of regulatory compliance on file with the National Institutes of Health. The ONPRC also participates in the voluntary accreditation program overseen by the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC).

About OHSU

OHSU responds to Medicaid agreement that will benefit countless Oregonians

Thu, 03 May 2012 19:55:21 +0000

When finalized, the state-federal agreement will help ensure health care for Oregon's most vulnerable citizens

Oregon Health & Science University applauds the announcement today by Gov. John Kitzhaber of an agreement with the Obama administration to help ensure Medicaid support for Oregonians.

The agreement comes in the face of an approaching Medicaid shortfall that amounts to an approximate 30 percent reduction in funding. When fully secured, this newly announced funding will address serious concerns by all Medicaid health providers in the state facing tough decisions about caring for Oregon's most vulnerable population in the face of shrinking Medicaid support.

"This tremendous news is a testament to the leadership of the Oregon Legislature and the vision of Governor Kitzhaber," said Dr. Joe Robertson, M.D., M.B.A., OHSU President.

"In Oregon, particularly in health care, I believe we will remember this day for a long time to come. It is a monumental step in Oregon's health care reform and helps ensure that all providers can do their part in caring for at-risk Oregonians.

"This is a transformational achievement in the state of Oregon to help create a much more efficient and effective heath care system in the state. However, there is a lot of hard work ahead of us to achieve $11 billion in savings. Today's news is encouraging, but we must always focus on long-term solutions.

"We and our partners in the Tri-County Medicaid Collaborative – and other potential Coordinated Care Organizations around the state – are now in a better position to work together to move forward the reforms that will increase quality, improve population health and reduce costs. This is a smart investment by the federal government and a big boost to Oregon and Oregonians."

As an academic health center, OHSU has always played a significant role in caring for the underserved. In 2011 alone, OHSU provided $29.8 million in charity (uncompensated) care and $25 million in Medicaid care. In total, OHSU provided $106 million for health services to the underinsured and uninsured. These efforts combined with dozens of other OHSU programs provided $307 million in community service last year.

About OHSU

OHSU purchases blocks 23 and 27 in Portland’s South Waterfront district for future development

Thu, 03 May 2012 20:31:23 +0000

Oregon Health & Science University is planning to expand its presence in Portland's new South Waterfront District at a future date following the purchase of two parcels of land in the neighborhood.

Today, the purchase of blocks 23 and 27 from North Macadam Investors was finalized. The blocks — which are 4.5 acres combined — are located directly east of the OHSU Center for Health & Healing and south of the Ross Island Bridge. The total purchase price for the two parcels is $13.6 million.

OHSU has no immediate plans for development on the parcels at this time, but it expects to construct new outpatient facilities on the land to both replace aging patient care areas on OHSU's Marquam Hill Campus and in response to expanded need.

"Despite the current slow economy, OHSU is pleased to continue to fuel job growth and economic development in the state," said OHSU President Joe Robertson, M.D., M.B.A. "Since the depth of the recession in May 2009, OHSU has added more than 1,400 employees. This new investment in Portland's South Waterfront District will also create future jobs for Oregonians."

"The Center for Health and Healing, which is connected to the OHSU Marquam Hill Campus via the Portland Aerial Tram, has allowed us to move several outpatient clinics closer to downtown Portland," said Mark Williams, associate vice president for campus development at OHSU. "Doing so has improved access for patients and reduced traffic congestion on Marquam Hill. We look forward to a future with additional OHSU patient facilities in South Waterfront."

About OHSU

Study shows two medications that combat age-related blindness are similarly effective despite significant cost differences

Fri, 04 May 2012 16:40:48 +0000

A study that compared the effectiveness of two drugs used to treat age-related macular degeneration (AMD) has shown that the drugs, Lucentis and Avastin, are nearly equally effective. However, when it comes to cost, the drugs vary greatly, with Avastin being the significantly less costly treatment.

Oregon Health & Science University's Casey Eye Institute was one of several research centers involved in the study, called the Comparison of Age-Related Macular degeneration Treatments (CATT) Trial. The results of the trial are published this week in the medical journal Ophthalmology.

Both drugs are FDA-approved and currently used to treat AMD. Lucentis (ranibizumab) is approved for treatment of the wet form of age-related macular degeneration. Avastin (bevacizumab) is used to treat certain forms of cancer. Because Avastin blocks abnormal blood vessel growth, an aspect of AMD that causes vision loss, it is used "off-label" for the disease. A single dose of Lucentis costs approximately $2,000 and a single dose of Avastin is approximately $50.

The study involved the treatment of more than 1,000 participants who received one or the other drug. Both drugs are administered via injection into the eye. Depending on each patient's progress, injections occurred as frequently as monthly and less often in other cases. Vision acuity was tracked throughout the study and at the end of two years, results were nearly identical for both groups of patients.

"Both drugs act by blocking a key protein that causes the abnormal growth of blood vessels in the eye," explained Christina Flaxel, M.D., a physician-researcher at the OHSU Casey Eye Institute and a professor of ophthalmology in the OHSU School of Medicine.

"Both drugs have a unique method for blocking this protein, but the results appear to be approximately the same when it comes to vision impacts."

Rates of serious side effects one would expect from this class of drugs, such as stroke and heart attack, were similar for patients who received either drug. There was a somewhat higher rate of non-specific side effects, however, in patients receiving Avastin (40 percent), versus those receiving Lucentis (32 percent). Because more events occurred in the patient group that received less rather than more Avastin, the significance of this finding is unclear.

"While effectiveness and cost are always important factors, patients and physicians must consider all the information on hand when determining the best medication for the effective treatment of AMD," added Flaxel. "While this study provides important data regarding effectiveness, it should not be considered the only data to guide prescription decisions."

A grant from the National Eye Institute, a component of the National Institutes of Health, funded this research.

About Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is an eye disorder associated with aging and results in damaging sharp and central vision. Central vision is needed for seeing objects clearly and for common daily tasks such as reading and driving. AMD affects the macula, the central part the retina that allows the eye to see fine details. There are two forms of AMD, wet and dry. (Source: Center for Disease Control and Prevention)

About Casey Eye Institute

About OHSU

Current dental treatment for plaque and tooth decay may be ineffective in eliminating some cavities-inducing bacterial strains in children

Tue, 08 May 2012 19:19:57 +0000

Researchers at the Oregon Health & Science University School of Dentistry have identified dominant genetic strains of bacteria in children following treatment for microbial-caused plaque and tooth decay. And while therapies such as antimicrobial rinse and fluoride treatment are important and effective at reducing bacteria immediately following oral care, the reduction is not permanent and several dominant strains of bacteria are present within six months of care, the researchers report.

“The implications of this study are that well-accepted practices for severe early childhood dental caries (microbial disease) therapy should be more closely examined for efficacy,” said Curt Machida, Ph.D., principal investigator and OHSU professor of integrative biosciences and pediatric dentistry.

The study is published online in the March-April 2012 issue of Pediatric Dentistry.

It is estimated that severe dental caries affect 1 percent to 5 percent of children younger than five in the United States. One of the most predominant bacteria associated with dental caries is mutans streptococci, which has seven species that are classified into several serotypes and genetic strains. With increasing focus on the importance of mutans streptococci strain variation among patients and their oral health problems, this study used molecular analyses to more closely examine the genetic stain differences of mutans streptococi within patients before and following caries restorative therapy.

The OHSU study focused on the mutans streptococci strains still prevalent after oral health treatment and caries restorative therapy in children. Plaque from seven children, ages 3 to 12, who visited the dentist with severe early childhood caries, was collected at three appointments: prior to oral care, at the two- to four-week post-treatment visit, and at the six-month recall visit.

Within the mutans streptococci group, 39 genetic strains were identified in the study, as well as seven strains of non-mutans streptococci. Before oral health treatment, study patients had from three to seven mutans streptococci genetic strains, which dropped to one or two dominant strains in most patients six months after care.

Care for severe early childhood caries included restorations with various materials (amalgam, composite, stainless steel crowns), as well as extractions, sealants, prophylaxis and application of fluoride varnish, all conducted at a single patient visit while under anesthesia. Six months after oral health and caries restorative therapies dominant strains of mutans streptococci with high acid-generating potential were found in several children.

“Our pilot study was undertaken to begin a framework for understanding the diversity of S. mutans in individuals with severe early childhood caries, and to define changes in bacteria following oral health care and caries restorative therapy,” said Machida. “We purposely chose to examine larger numbers of isolates per patient over a longitudinal period of time in order to more accurately examine the changes in mutans streptococci after oral treatment. It is likely that one or more components of caries restorative therapy is responsible for the dominant strains, but at this time we cannot determine which one.”

The OHSU team included Machida; Elizabeth A. Palmer, D.M.D. `08, Pediatric Dentistry `10, assistant professor of pediatric dentistry; Patricia Peirano, D.D.S., second-year pediatric dentistry resident; Aivan Nguyen, D.D.S., Pediatric Dentistry `10; Truman Nielsen, laboratory assistant; fourth-year dental students Alex Vo, Stephen Jackson, and TJ Finlayson; second-year dental student Anna Nguyen; third-year medical student Becca Sauerwein; Katie Marsh, D.M.D. ’11, first-year pediatric dentistry resident; Issac Edwards, D.M.D. `11; Beth Wilmot, Ph.D., OHSU biostatistician and statistical geneticist; John Engle, D.D.S., assistant professor of pediatric dentistry; John Peterson, D.D.S., professor of pediatric dentistry; and Tom Maier, Ph.D., assistant professor of integrative biosciences and oral pathology and radiology.

The research was funded by the Pediatric Dentistry Resident Fund of the OHSU Foundation and the Oregon Clinical and Translational Research Institute, which is funded by a grant from the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR), a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and NIH Roadmap for Medical Research.

Established in September 2006 through the NIH’s Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) program, OCTRI is a unique partnership between OHSU and Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research – bringing together an academic medical center and an innovative managed care organization. OCTRI’s mission is to improve human health by enhancing clinical and translational research. OCTRI works with institutional partners, community organizations, and industry to engage communities in clinical research efforts and to reduce the time it takes for laboratory discoveries to become treatments for patients.

About OHSU

OHSU receives additional Grand Challenges Explorations funding of novel approach to develop AIDS vaccine that blocks infection

Wed, 09 May 2012 16:52:51 +0000

Oregon Health & Science University researchers have received additional funding through Grand Challenges Explorations, an initiative created by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, to conduct AIDS vaccine research. The funding enables individuals worldwide to test unorthodox ideas that address persistent health and development challenges. OHSU’s research funded through a $999,998 grant will take place at the Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute on OHSU’s West Campus in Beaverton, Ore., and will be led by assistant scientist Jonah Sacha, Ph.D.

Sacha and colleagues are taking a unique approach to a problem that has eluded scientists for many years: the development of a protective, antibody-based AIDS vaccine that stops the virus from infecting the host. Previous research, also funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, has suggested this might be possible. These studies are based on lessons learned from the immune response to both HIV and cancer. Instead of targeting the highly mutable virus itself, the new approach will target a surrogate marker of HIV infection to block the transmission of HIV.

“Grand Challenges Explorations encourages individuals worldwide to expand the pipeline of ideas where creative, unorthodox thinking is most urgently needed,” said Chris Wilson, director of Global Health Discovery and Translational Sciences at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. “We’re excited to provide additional funding for select grantees so that they can continue to advance their idea towards global impact.”

Grand Challenges Explorations funds scientists, researchers and entrepreneurs worldwide to explore ideas that can break the mold in how we solve persistent global health and development challenges. Sacha’s project is one of six Grand Challenges Explorations Phase II grants announced today.

About Grand Challenges Explorations

Grand Challenges Explorations is a U.S. $100 million initiative funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Launched in 2008, over 600 people in 45 countries have received Grand Challenges Explorations grants. The grant program is open to anyone from any discipline and from any organization. The initiative uses an agile, accelerated grant-making process with short two-page online applications and no preliminary data required. Initial grants of US $100,000 are awarded two times a year. Successful projects have the opportunity to receive a follow-on grant of up to US$1 million.

About OHSU

OHSU researchers develop new animal model for one of the least understood medical issues: ADHD

Wed, 09 May 2012 17:54:25 +0000

The number of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) cases in the United States are exploding. According to a 2011 statement by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly one in 10 American children is diagnosed with the disorder. To better understand the cause of ADHD and to identify methods to prevent and treat it, researchers at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) and OHSU's Oregon National Primate Research Center have developed a new form of specially bred mouse that mimics the condition. The research is published in the current edition of the PLoS ONE, a journal of the Public Library of Science.

The research, led by OHSU and ONPRC scientists Jacob Raber, Ph.D., and Sergio Ojeda, D.V.M., found that mice carrying a certain mutated form of gene displayed the human-like symptoms of ADHD. The scientists believe that mice bred with this unique genome can greatly assist in research to combat ADHD.

The specific gene that was studied in this research is called SynCAM1, which is found in glial cells — a type of cell in the central nervous system involved in cellular communication. The researchers found that mice carrying a dominant/negative form of the gene were hyperactive. The mice displayed enhanced and more frequent activity during rest periods. In addition, the mice exhibited reduced anxiety, similar to children diagnosed with ADHD. The mutated gene caused these conditions because it blocks the actions of the normal gene.

“While some animal models for ADHD exist, they are far from perfect,” explained Raber, a professor of behavioral neuroscience and neurology in the OHSU School of Medicine and an affiliate scientist at ONPRC “For instance, a rat model of this condition displays high blood pressure also known as spontaneous hypertensive rats or SHR, which is not observed in humans with ADHD. When hypertension is eliminated by crossing SHR rats to another commonly studied rat breed, the resulting rat has normal blood pressure but no longer responds to the methylphenidate in a way that humans with ADHD do.”

“We believe that this animal model may more closely mimic ADHD and shed new light on this condition,” added Ojeda, a senior scientist at ONPRC.

The ONPRC, National Institutes of Health and the National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression funded this research.

About OHSU

OHSU study: Misdiagnosis of MS is costing health system millions per year

Wed, 09 May 2012 19:58:56 +0000

It is relatively common for doctors to diagnose someone with multiple sclerosis when the patient doesn't have the disease — a misdiagnosis that not only causes patients potential harm but costs the U.S. health care system untold millions of dollars a year, according to a study published online today in the journal Neurology.

The study is based on a survey of 122 multiple sclerosis specialists nationwide and was conducted by researchers at Oregon Health & Science University and the Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Neurology is the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

The survey found that all but six of the multiple sclerosis specialists — more than 95 percent — had seen at least one patient within the past year who had been diagnosed with MS by another medical provider, but the MS specialist "strongly felt [the patient] did not in fact have MS."

Almost three-quarters of the MS specialists said they had seen at least three patients within the past year who they believe had been misdiagnosed. More than one-third of respondents said they had seen six or more patients within the past year who had been misdiagnosed. In total, the study estimated that the 122 MS specialists had seen almost 600 patients within the past year who had been misdiagnosed with MS.

Many of the MS specialists said a significant percentage of these misdiagnosed patients had already begun disease-modifying therapy for MS, which carries potentially serious side effects and can be very expensive, often at least $40,000 per patient per year. Based on the responses from the MS specialists, the study estimated that the 122 MS specialists had seen approximately 280 patients who had been misdiagnosed and were receiving MS treatment — costing the health system at least $11 million per year in unnecessary and inappropriate treatment for that group of patients alone.

"What we found was that the misdiagnosis of MS was common -- perhaps more so than previously thought. This has significant consequences for patients and for our health care system as a whole," said Andrew Solomon, M.D., the lead author of the study.

Solomon worked on the study while he was a post-doctoral fellow in multiple sclerosis at OHSU and at the Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Solomon is now an assistant professor at the University of Vermont College of Medicine and is a member of the University of Vermont Medical Group Neurology Service at Fletcher Allen Health Care.

Dennis Bourdette, M.D., the senior author of the study and director of the OHSU Multiple Sclerosis Center, said the misdiagnoses not only meant patients were getting expensive and potentially harmful treatments they didn't need, but they were also not getting the appropriate treatment for the diseases they may have had.

"These patients were getting the wrong treatment — and missing out on the correct treatment," Bourdette said.

The survey also detailed the emotional and ethical challenges of informing a patient of a misdiagnosis. More than two-thirds of the MS specialists said that informing a patient with a diagnosis of MS that they likely did not have the disease was more challenging than informing a patient of a new diagnosis of MS. And, in an especially surprising finding, about one in seven of the MS specialists said they had sometimes chosen not to inform a patient of their suspected misdiagnosis, citing among their reasons the fact that the patients were not receiving MS treatment, or the potential psychological harm in changing a diagnosis.

The study underlines a significant but underappreciated problem within the U.S. health care system: the dangers, costs and physician challenges associated with misdiagnosed diseases.

In recent years, medicine has begun paying more attention to medical errors and adverse medical events -- giving a patient the wrong drug or too much of it, for example, or not preventing avoidable infections. But less attention has been paid to the rate of diagnostic errors — which experts estimate average about 10 percent across a wide variety of medical conditions.

Often, these diagnostic errors happen with diseases, like MS, "that don't have a definitive test," said Eran Klein, M.D., Ph.D., the third co-author of the study and an assistant professor in OHSU's Department of Neurology. "These diseases instead require well-honed skills of a professionally trained clinician who is knowledgeable about the disease, can study a patient's medical history, perform a detailed physical examination and evaluate additional medical information to make the proper diagnosis. This study sheds light on the importance of clinical expertise in recognizing and correcting diagnostic error."

The study was funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs, the National Institutes of Health and the Partners MS Fellowship Award.

About OHSU

International scientists gather in Portland to present latest findings in integrative medicine, health

Thu, 10 May 2012 18:59:32 +0000

WHAT

WHEN

Tuesday, May 15, through Friday, May 18

WHERE

Portland Marriott Downtown Waterfront, 1401 SW Naito Parkway, Portland, OR 97201

DETAILS

Among the noteworthy abstracts being presented are:

“Acupuncture for Chronic Pain,” G. Lewith, University of Southampton, Southhampton, U.K.
“Yoga for Women With Breast Cancer Undergoing Radiation Therapy,” L. Cohen, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
“Meditation or Exercise for Preventing Acute Respiratory Infection,” B. Barrett, University of Wisconsin
“Cost Savings Associated With Mindfulness Meditation and Moderate Exercise Intervention in the Common Cold,” D. Rakel, University of Wisconsin
“Hypnosis for Hot Flashes,” G. Elkins, Baylor University
“Naturopathic Medicine for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease,” D. Seely, Ottawa Integrative Cancer Centre
“A Naturopathic Approach to the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease,” P. Herman, University of Arizona
“Altering Nutrition-Related Behaviors of Healthcare Professionals Through CME Involving Nutrition Experts and Chefs,” D. Eisenberg, Harvard Medical School
"Neonatology and Osteopathy (NEO) Study,” F. Cerritelli, European Institute for Evidence Based Osteopathic Medicine, Pescara, Italy

Unlocking the Mysteries to Better Health

Mon, 14 May 2012 23:14:44 +0000

CALENDAR ALERT

What does my doctor's visit have to do with science?

An expert panel of physicians and scientists from the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute share how even a tiny donation of cells can help lead to advances in medical treatments

WHAT

Unlocking the Mysteries to Better Health, a free educational seminar.

DETAILS

Oregon Health & Science University's Knight Cancer Institute will host an informational seminar about how even the smallest donation of cells can help lead to advances in medical treatments. Experts will explain how the cells are integral to the work they do and answer questions about how cell samples are collected and used.

WHEN

6 p.m., Thursday, June 7.

WHERE

OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, 15700 S.W. Greystone Court, Beaverton, Ore. 97006.

COST

Free. (Pre-registration is required at 503-494-1122.) Refreshments will be served.

INFORMATION

Participants who have questions in advance may call Lisa Domenico with the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute at 503-418-5332 or send an e-mail.

About OHSU

MEGA Heart exhibit to visit OHSU in advance of Heart & Stroke Walk

Tue, 15 May 2012 17:51:06 +0000

OHSU's clinical chief of cardiovascular medicine will lead tours of the large, inflatable heart to help raise awareness of America's No. 1 killer: heart disease

MEDIA ALERT

WHAT

The largest inflatable, walk-through heart exhibit on the planet is headed to Oregon Health & Science University in advance of the American Heart Association's 2012 Heart & Stroke Walk, May 19.

OHSU patients, visitors and staff will get a sneak peek of the MEGA Heart on Friday, May 18, in the lobby of the OHSU Center for Health & Healing on South Waterfront.

WHEN

Friday, May 18, 1 p.m.

WHERE

OHSU Center for Health & Healing first-floor atrium.
3303 S.W. Bond Ave., Portland, OR 97239

DETAILS

The MEGA Heart has been featured on "The Dr. Oz Show" and the "The Doctors" TV Show, among other venues.

For information on participating in the 2012 Heart & Stroke Walk, click here or call 503-233-0100.

ABOUT OHSU

Lenalidomide significantly prolongs disease control for multiple myeloma patients following stem cell transplantation

Tue, 15 May 2012 20:43:29 +0000

In Phase III clinical trials, the treatment decreased the risk that the cancer would progress; this positive early result prompted investigators to consider a new standard of care

Multiple myeloma patients are better equipped to halt progression of this blood cancer if treated with lenalidomide, or Revlimid®, following a stem cell transplant, according to a study co-authored by a physician with the Oregon Health & Science University Knight Cancer Institute.

The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found a 63 percent reduction in the risk of progressive myeloma or death for the stem cell transplant patients that were treated with lenalidomide maintenance therapy.

"These results add to the evidence that the combination of standard therapies such as stem cell transplantation with the emerging biologic therapies, like lenalidomide, have extended the lives of multiple myeloma patients," said Richard Maziarz, M.D., of the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute who was one of the study's co-authors. Maziarz serves as medical director of the Adult Stem Cell Transplantation Program & Center for Hematologic Malignancies at the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute. "We know that for at least three years following a transplant that maintenance therapy with this drug vastly improves the chances that the cancer won't come back and worsen."

These data were supported by similar Phase III studies reported from France and Italy in the same issue of the New England Jounal of Medicine demonstrating that maintenance therapy after stem cell transplantation was associated with improved disease control.

Multiple myeloma is a cancer that affects plasma cells, a type of white blood cell normally responsible for producing antibodies. In patients impacted by multiple myeloma, collections of abnormal plasma cells accumulate in the bone marrow, interfering with the production of normal blood cells. The study focused on patients who received an autologous hematopoietic cell transplant (AHCT). AHCT procedures use patients' own blood stem cells.

While lenalidomide increased a patient's ability to stave off progression of the disease, questions remain regarding future approaches recognizing that quality of life measurements were not incorporated within these studies, that long-term safety issues remain unclear as there was a small but discernable risk of second cancers observed in the treated patients. In addition to the need for that cost-benefit analysis, a comparison remains to be performed with other emerging myeloma maintenance therapies.

This Phase III study of lenalidomide was conducted at 47 medical centers and involved 568 patients. It was sponsored by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Revlimid's manufacturer, Celgene Corp., provided the NCI with lenalidomide for this research.

About the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute

Vitamin C improves lung function in newborns of pregnant smoking women

Tue, 22 May 2012 18:40:50 +0000

New research has potential to alter the fetal origins of respiratory disease by blocking some of the effects of smoking on lung development

Women who are unable to quit smoking during pregnancy can significantly improve the lung function of their newborns by taking Vitamin C daily, according to a new study at Oregon Health & Science University Doernbecher Children's Hospital.

"Smoking during pregnancy is known to adversely affect the lung development of the developing baby, causing lifelong decreased lung function and an increased risk of asthma," said Cindy McEvoy, M.D., M.C.R., neonatologist and associate professor of pediatrics at OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital. "We found that babies born to pregnant smoking women who took 500 milligrams of Vitamin C daily during their pregnancy had significantly improved pulmonary function tests measured at about 48 hours after delivery."

The results will be presented at the American Thoracic Society 2012 International Conference in San Francisco.

In this pilot study, McEvoy and colleagues randomly assigned 159 pregnant women who were unable to quit smoking to either daily Vitamin C or a placebo starting before 22 weeks gestation through delivery. A group of nonsmoking pregnant women also was studied as a reference group.

The researchers measured the pulmonary function in all newborns at approximately 48 hours of age and found the newborns of smoking women who received Vitamin C supplementation had significantly improved lung function compared with the newborns of smoking women who received a placebo, as measured by standard newborn pulmonary function testing (TPTeF:TE and Crs).

In addition, the scientists found that one particular genetic variant that has been shown to increase the risk of smokers developing cancer and is associated with both a reduced ability to quit smoking and a high likelihood of relapse also seemed to intensify the harmful effects of maternal smoking on babies' lungs.

"Getting women to quit smoking during pregnancy has to be priority one, but this study provides a way to potentially help the infants born to the 50 percent of women who cannot quit smoking when pregnant," said McEvoy. "Vitamin C supplementation may block some of the in-utero effects of smoking on fetal lung development."

"Our findings are important because improved lung function tests at birth are associated with less wheezing and asthma in childhood," McEvoy said. "Vitamin C is a simple, safe, and inexpensive treatment that may decrease the impact of smoking during pregnancy on the respiratory health of children."

The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health and supported by the Oregon Clinical Translational Research Institute.

# # #

ATS Abstract 25842: "Daily Vitamin C Improves Pulmonary Function In Newborns Of Pregnant Smoking Women: A Randomized Trial"

Type: Scientific Abstract

Category: 14.01 - Neonatal Lung Disease and BPD (PEDS)

Authors:
C. McEvoy¹, D. Schilling¹, N. Clay¹, M. Go¹, P. Spitale¹, C. Bunten², M. Leiva³, J. Hollister-Smith¹, M. Durand⁴, B. Frei⁵, A.S. Buist¹, D. Peters¹, C. Morris¹, E. Spindel¹; ¹Oregon Health & Science University - Portland, OR/US, ²Vancouver Clinic - Vancouver, WA/US, ³Providence Portland Medical Center - Portland, OR/US, ⁴University of Southern California - Los Angeles, CA/US, ⁵Oregon State University - Corvallis, OR/US

Abstract Body
RATIONALE: Maternal smoking during pregnancy adversely affects lung development with lifelong decreases in pulmonary function and increased risk of asthma. In a non-human primate model, supplemental vitamin C blocked the in-utero effects of nicotine on fetal lung development and offspring pulmonary function (Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2005; 171:1032-39). We hypothesized that newborns of smoking pregnant women randomized to daily vitamin C would have improved pulmonary function tests (PFTs) compared to those randomized to placebo.

METHODS: Pregnant women unable to quit smoking were randomized to daily vitamin C (500 mg) versus placebo prior to 22 weeks gestation through delivery. Urine cotinine and fasting plasma ascorbic acid were measured. A group of non smoking pregnant women was also studied (reference group). The primary outcome was the measurement of PFTs in the newborns at about 48 hours of age. Flow volume characteristics including the time to peak tidal expiratory flow to expiratory time (TPTEF:TE) and passive respiratory mechanics (respiratory compliance [Crs]) were measured (Viassys Jaeger BabyBody). Analysis of the primary outcomes was done on intention-to-treat using linear regression and adjusting for stratification for randomization (<16 versus ≥ 16 weeks' gestation).

RESULTS: 159 newborns of randomized smoking women and 76 of non smoking women were studied. There were no significant differences between randomized groups with regards to maternal age, insurance coverage, cotinine levels, women smoking ≥ 10 cigarettes daily, medication adherence, or history of asthma. The smoking women randomized to placebo had significantly lower levels of ascorbic acid than non-smokers, but vitamin C returned levels to that of non-smokers (Table). There was no significant difference between randomized groups in gestational age at randomization, delivery mode, and gestational age at birth, birth weight, race or gender. Newborns of smoking women randomized to placebo had decreased TPTEF:TE and Crs compared to non-smokers, but vitamin C supplementation significantly increased TPTEF:TE and Crs, returning them nearly to levels of non-smokers.

Table. Clinical Characteristics and PFTs of Newborns
	Newborns of placebo-treated smokers (n=83)	Newborns of vitamin C treated smokers (n=76)	Newborns of non smokers (n=76)
Birth weight (g)	3311 ± 475	3163 ± 694	3303 ± 596
Gestational age (wks)	38.9 ± 1.6	38.5 ± 2.1	38.7 ± 2.1
Mid gestation Ascorbic Acid level (μmol/L)	39.8 ± 20.5	58.9 ± 26.8*	57.8 ± 22.8
Respiratory rate (bpm)	57 ± 12	57 ± 12	53 ± 12
TPTEF:TE	0.345±0.078	0.383±0.084*	0.399±0.077
Crs/kg (mL/cmH2O/kg)	1.20 ± 0.24	1.32 ± 0.30*	1.36 ± 0.30

Values are Mean±SD; *p<0.01 for vitamin C versus placebo treated.

CONCLUSION: Newborns delivered to smoking women randomized to vitamin C had significantly improved PFTs (increased TPTEF:TE and Crs) compared to those randomized to placebo. Assessment of clinical outcomes through one year of age is ongoing. We speculate that vitamin C supplementation in pregnant women who cannot quit smoking has great public health significance to potentially alter the fetal origins of respiratory disease by blocking some of the effects of in-utero smoke on lung development.

About OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital

* U.S. News Best Children's Hospitals 2011-12
** National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions

About OHSU

Can we prevent Alzheimer’s? OHSU Brain Institute expert says ‘maybe’

Fri, 25 May 2012 21:26:37 +0000

Top Alzheimer's researcher to speak about preventing disease at free public seminar

CALENDAR ALERT

WHAT

Free 'Can we prevent Alzheimer's disease' seminar

WHEN

7-8 p.m., June 27, 2012

WHERE

Third floor conference room, OHSU Center for Health & Healing, 3303 S.W. Bond Ave., Portland, Ore. 97239

DETAILS

While there is no cure for Alzheimer's disease, there are things you can do to keep your brain healthy as you age. This seminar will review current prevention strategies for Alzheimer's and dementia, from simple lifestyle changes promoting brain health to experimental therapies offered at the OHSU Brain Institute. Presenting will be Joseph Quinn, M.D., a neurologist and national leader in dementia research with OHSU's Layton Aging & Alzheimer's Disease Center.

Interested people can register for the seminar at ohsuhealth.com/seminar or by calling 503 494-1122.

About OHSU

OHSU Oregon National Primate Research Center develops new, safer method for making vaccines

Tue, 29 May 2012 17:38:58 +0000

While vaccines are perhaps medicine's most important success story, there is always room for improvement. Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University's Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC) appear to have done just that. As explained in a newly published research paper, Mark Slifka, Ph.D., and colleagues have discovered a new method for creating vaccines that is thought to be safer and more effective than current approaches. The research results are published online in the journal Nature Medicine.

MULTIMEDIA

Video interview with Dr. Slifka for Download or Embedding

"Most vaccines have an outstanding safety record," explained Slifka. "It is important to keep in mind that no medical achievement has saved more lives than the simple act of vaccination. However, for many diseases, we have struggled to develop an effective vaccine. In other cases, vaccines may be protective, but come with rare but serious side effects. For instance, the live oral polio vaccine was very effective at stopping polio outbreaks and transmission, but was also responsible for eight to 10 cases of vaccine-associated polio in the United States each year. This problem was solved in 2000 when the U.S. switched to a formaldehyde-fixed 'dead' form of the vaccine. Our goal is to make vaccines like these safer and potentially even more effective by pioneering an entirely new approach to vaccine development."

Slifka's approach is remarkable because it is the first to demonstrate that hydrogen peroxide can inactivate viruses for use as vaccines. Although hydrogen peroxide has long been known as an effective antiseptic and is often used to sterilize medical equipment, it was believed that it would be too damaging to be useful in vaccine development. It turns out that this previous notion was incorrect. In fact, peroxide may turn out to be one of the best new approaches to future vaccine design.

In the study published this week, Slifka's lab generated not one, but three vaccines.

"We wanted to demonstrate that this is truly a platform technology and not just a one-hit-wonder," explained Slifka. "For this reason, we chose three unrelated model systems and demonstrated protective vaccine-induced immunity in all three cases."

The three diseases targeted by these viruses are West Nile virus, Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (a relative of lassa fever virus, known to cause hemorrhagic fever in Africa) and vaccinia virus (widely known for its previous use in the smallpox vaccine).

An Oregon-based biotech company, Najít Technologies, Inc., is hoping that these advances in vaccine technology will result not only in new vaccines but also new jobs in the Portland area.

"This new approach really gives a boost to an area of vaccine development that's been stagnant for some time," said Ian Amanna, Ph.D., associate vice president for research at Najít Technologies.

"Because of these advances, we've been increasing our workforce and putting together a group of very talented researchers. In partnership with OHSU, we're excited to have the opportunity to further develop this technology into commercial vaccines that can offer protection for at-risk individuals. These vaccines will not only be important to international travelers, but also to the people living in endemic regions. These places are often in developing countries with limited resources for preparing and testing life-saving vaccines and we are looking forward to the day that we can bring these new vaccines to the countries that need them the most."

Najít Technologies, founded by Slifka and colleagues using methods first discovered at OHSU, hopes to continue working together with academic institutions such as OHSU, ONPRC, and Washington University-St. Louis to create new and better vaccines for some of the world's biggest problems including West Nile virus, yellow fever and dengue hemorrhagic fever.

Grants from the National Institutes of Health and ONPRC supported the research.

Conflict of Interest Statement

OHSU and Dr. Slifka have a financial interest in Najit Technologies, Inc., a company that may have a commercial interest in the results of this research and technology. This potential individual and institutional conflict of interest has been reviewed and managed by OHSU.

About OHSU

About NTI

Najít Technologies, Inc. is a privately-held vaccine development company founded in 2004. The company is headquartered in Beaverton, OR. The Mission of the company is to develop safe and effective vaccines against infectious diseases of global importance. Some of the information presented here may contain projections or other forward-looking statements regarding the future. These statements are only predictions and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause results to differ from those expressed or implied statements.

OHSU Bob and Charlee Moore Nutrition and Wellness Institute Announces First Round of Research Grant Recipients

Wed, 30 May 2012 18:25:33 +0000

Bob and Charlee Moore, the founders of Bob's Red Mill, established the new institute in fall 2011 with a transformational $25 million pledge to OHSU

In its inaugural round of research funding, the OHSU Bob and Charlee Moore Institute for Nutrition & Wellness has selected three projects that target women and children and are emblematic of the institute's mission to increase awareness of the importance of nutrition during pregnancy and beyond.

"The institute steering committee has chosen three innovative projects that offer a glimpse of the depth and scope of the institute's mission. The projects will impact pregnant employees at OHSU, K-12 children in Oregon schools, and pregnant women in the community suffering from ADHD," said Kent Thornburg, Ph.D., interim director of the OHSU Bob and Charlee Moore Institute for Nutrition & Wellness. "The Moore Institute intends to make a powerful impact on the health of Oregonians. These projects are just the beginning."

The awardees were selected from among 56 applications from across the state:

1) "OHSU Pregnancy Exercise & Nutrition (PEN) Program," led by Linn Goldberg, M.D., professor of medicine and head of the Division of Health Promotion & Sports Medicine in the OHSU School of Medicine. Goldberg will develop, implement and study a team-based, behavior intervention to prevent gestational diabetes. The study aims to address a problem that affects one in 10 pregnancies in the United States, and an even higher percentage worldwide, with lifelong consequences for both mother and child.

2) "Improving Adolescent Awareness of the Epigenetics on Generational Nutrition," led by Jackilen Shannon, Ph.D., R.D., M.P.H., scientist in the OHSU Center for Research on Occupational and Environmental Toxicology and an associate professor of public health and preventive medicine in the OHSU School of Medicine. Shannon will launch an education outreach program that will introduce Oregon middle-school students to the concept of epigenetics and facilitate their understanding of how current behaviors, specifically dietary intake, can impact their health and the health of future generations.

3) "Nutrient-Rich, Whole-Food Dietary Intervention in Pregnant Women with ADHD," led by Joel Nigg, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry in the OHSU School of Medicine. Nigg will target pregnant women who are at increased risk of poor nutrition and having babies with serious mental and behavioral health problems, brought on by delayed brain development. Intervention during pregnancy could result in widespread application of nutritional prevention for mental and behavioral conditions and brain development.

About the OHSU Bob and Charlee Moore Institute for Nutrition & Wellness

The OHSU Bob and Charlee Moore Institute for Nutrition and Wellness was created after an extraordinary philanthropic gift from Bob and Charlee Moore who pledged $25 million to form a partnership with OHSU to confront one of the biggest contributors to the rise of chronic disease: poor nutrition. The Moore Institute's central commitment is to reduce the prevalence of chronic diseases across the lifespan in current and future generations by promoting healthy, nutrient-rich diets based on whole-foods in early life – before conception, during pregnancy and lactation, and in infancy and early childhood.

OHSU graduation ceremonies to honor more than 1,000 new health care professionals

Fri, 01 Jun 2012 22:39:24 +0000

OHSU's School of Medicine will graduate 517 – a new school record

She was a homeless 17-year-old, a single mother of a newborn son, who landed in Portland without a penny and with nowhere to go.

Sixteen years later — after years of work and loads of perseverance — Kelly Griffith-Bauer is graduating from OHSU's School of Medicine, set for her first year of medical residency.

After serving as an officer in the U.S. Navy Supply Corps, then moving to Intel as a systems engineer, native Oregonian Lori Cardwell decided she wanted to be a surgeon. She's now an OHSU medical school graduate, on her way to a residency in the OHSU General Surgery program.

And after growing up in Kathmandu, Nepal, watching his father do dental work for people who had never seen a dentist before, Jesse Hollander decided he wanted to follow in his father's footsteps. Now, he's a graduate of the OHSU School of Dentistry, on his way to a one-year residency in Hawaii before he hopes to return to Oregon to work as a dentist in a community health organization.

These are only a few of the hundreds of stories behind another group of health care professionals and biomedical scientists graduating from Oregon Health & Science University this month and moving forward with their medical careers.

In total, 1,102 degrees will be awarded this month to students in various health care programs at OHSU.

Graduation ceremonies for the OHSU School of Medicine and School of Nursing will be June 4. Ceremonies for the OHSU School of Dentistry, the Oregon State University/OHSU College of Pharmacy and for School of Nursing campuses outside of Portland will be June 15.

"One of the reasons that I, and so many of our faculty members, choose to work at an academic health center like OHSU is the chance to interact with students, to see their enthusiasm and their idealism," said OHSU President Joe Robertson, M.D., M.B.A. "This is a special day when we send new graduates out into the world to be health care providers, educators and research scientists – to improve the health and well-being of Oregonians."

OHSU School of Medicine Dean Mark Richardson, M.D., M.B.A., M.Sc.B., said: "The OHSU School of Medicine takes pride in preparing our graduates to be leaders in the fields of health care and bioscience. One-third of all practicing physicians in the state received all or part of their training at OHSU – a demonstration of our impact on work force needs and our graduates' commitment to serving Oregonians."

OHSU's School of Medicine will have 517 graduates this year – a record. Of those, 121 students will be awarded a Doctor of Medicine degree, making it one of the largest M.D. classes in the past 10 years.

Seventy-two students are graduating from OHSU's graduate program in biomedical informatics, a burgeoning area brought about, in part, by rapid advances in information technology and the landscape of health care reform.

And this year, OHSU's new Master of Business Administration in Healthcare Management program will graduate its first group of students — 47 in all. The program is jointly offered by the OHSU School of Medicine's Division of Management and Portland State University's School of Business Administration. The degree will be jointly awarded by OHSU and PSU.

"This new program provides working professionals in healthcare with the necessary knowledge, skills and tools to effectively manage their organizations and — importantly — to lead their organizations through this period of change and transformation that is confronting the American healthcare system as a whole," said James Huntzicker, Ph.D., head of the Division of Management.

The OHSU School of Nursing has more than 1,000 students enrolled in its undergraduate and graduate programs at the main OHSU campus and across the state. Its programs are consistently ranked among the best in the country. It will award degrees to 396 graduates this month.

"This is a time of great change for nursing and health care, and nursing is positioned to lead the way," said Christine A. Tanner Ph.D., R.N., F.A.A.N., interim dean of the School of Nursing. "Our voices have never before been so important. I am extremely proud of our students' accomplishments, the vision they hold for a reformed health care system and their commitment to make a real difference in people's lives."

The OHSU School of Dentistry will award degrees to 90 graduates.

"It is very difficult to get into dental school and it is even harder to get out," said Interim Dean Gary Chiodo, D.M.D., F.A.C.D., a 1978 graduate of OHSU School of Dentistry. "Nonetheless, our new graduates have worked hard and these are highly accomplished health professionals who join our ranks. I am extremely honored to present them as my new colleagues."

The OHSU School of Medicine's graduation ceremonies will begin at 9 a.m., June 4, at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1000 S.W. Broadway Ave. in downtown Portland. The School of Nursing's graduation ceremonies for the Portland and Monmouth programs will be at 2 p.m., June 4, at the Schnitzer concert hall.

Graduation ceremonies for other OHSU School of Nursing campuses around the state will be June 15, in Ashland, Klamath Falls and La Grande.

The OHSU School of Dentistry's graduation ceremonies will be at 10 a.m., June 15, at the Schnitzer concert hall. Graduation ceremonies for the OSU/OHSU College of Pharmacy will be 1 p.m., June 15, at the LaSells Stewart Center Austin Auditorium, in Corvallis, Ore.

More info about the 2012 OHSU graduates:

Kelly Griffith-Bauer, 33, OHSU School of Medicine

Kelly Griffith-Bauer arrived in Portland as a 17-year-old high school graduate from St. Joseph, Mo., with her six-month-old son. She had no money, and after a short stay with relatives, nowhere to go.

She found a job at a local jewelry store, and for a while lived in a teen parent foster home. She later began working for USWEST but was eventually laid off from that job — a layoff that changed her life.

Her severance package included two years of free tuition. Kelly enrolled in pre-med classes at Portland State University and began the long journey toward her dream of becoming a dermatologist. In addition to schoolwork, she worked at Starbucks and volunteered at OHSU. This Monday, 10 years after entering PSU, she will be graduating from OHSU as an M.D.

"It's incredibly emotional," Griffith-Bauer said. "As I'm going up to get my diploma, I'll be thinking that, 16 years ago, I didn't even know I was going to get a high school diploma. This is the furthest dream that I can possibly imagine."

"I am grateful to the city that offered a warm embrace to a struggling teen mom. And the people who have supported me at OHSU have been absolutely incredible. I couldn't have made it without them."

Lori Cardwell, 40, OHSU School of Medicine

Lori Cardwell is a native Oregonian and graduate of Portland's Franklin High School. She attended the U.S. Naval Academy and served as a naval officer in the Supply Corps. Following her military service, she worked as a systems engineer at Intel Corp.in Hillsboro. She is interested in general surgery and hopes to possibly someday practice in rural Oregon.

Jesse Hollander, 27, OHSU School of Dentistry

Hollander was born in Kathmandu, Nepal, to American parents. His father worked as dentist at the American embassy, first committing to two years and eventually staying 30.But it wasn't until Jesse was in college, and he spent a summer traveling with his father in Mongolia, treating people who had never seen a dentist before, that he decided he wanted to be in medicine, and eventually dentistry.

"For me, the unique skill set of getting people out of their pain, and bringing a smile to their face again, is the most exhilarating feeling," Hollander said.

Hollander is on his way to a one-year general dentistry practice residency at the Queens Medical Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. After that, he hopes to return to Oregon.

School of Medicine degrees

Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) – 121

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) - 40

Behavioral Neuroscience - 5
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology - 2
Biomedical Engineering - 2
Cell & Developmental Biology - 8
Computer Science & Engineering - 1
Electrical Engineering - 1
Environmental Science & Engineering - 1
Molecular & Medical Genetics - 4
Molecular Microbiology & Immunology - 7
Neuroscience Graduate Program - 7
Physiology & Pharmacology – 2

Master's degrees - 172

Master of Science in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology - 5
Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering - 1
Master of Science in Biomedical Informatics - 1
Master of Science in Cancer Biology - 1
Master of Science in Clinical Nutrition - 6
Master of Science in Computer Science - 2
Master of Science in Environmental Science & Engineering - 5
Master of Science in Healthcare Management - 8
Master of Science in Management in Science & Technology - 3
Master of Science in Molecular & Medical Genetics - 1
Master of Biomedical Informatics - 23
Master of Business Administration in Healthcare Management - 47
Master of Clinical Research - 18
Master of Physician Assistant Studies (M.P.A.S) - 38
Master of Public Health (M.P.H) – 13

Combined Degrees - 11

Doctor of Medicine & Master of Public Health (M.D./M.P.H) - 9
Doctor of Medicine & Doctor of Philosophy (M.D./Ph.D.) - 2
Cell & Developmental Biology - 1
Molecular Microbiology & Immunology – 1

Associate's degrees - 28

Associate of Applied Science – Emergency Technical – Paramedic – 28

Bachelor's degrees - 35

Clinical Laboratory Science – 26
Radiation Therapy – 9

Graduate certificates - 126

Biomedical Informatics – 72
Biostatistics - 1
Dietetic Internship – 24
Healthcare Management – 14
Human Investigation – 15

School of Medicine — total degrees awarded in 2012 — 533

School of Nursing degrees

Bachelor's degrees

Bachelor of Science – 302
Doctor of Nursing Practice – 11
Ph.D. – 5

Master's degrees

Master of Nursing - 44
Graduate Certificate in Public Health – 7
Master of Public Health -- 17
Master of Science – 9
Post-Master's Certificate in Nursing – 1

School of Nursing Total — 396

School of Dentistry degrees

Doctor of Dental Medicine – 74

Advanced specialty degrees

Endodontology – 3
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery – 2
Pediatric Dentistry – 4
Periodontology – 3
Orthodontics – 4

School of Dentistry Total —90

Oregon State University/OHSU College of Pharmacy degrees – 84

About OHSU

OHSU leads NIH-funded study in Oregon to improve survival among cardiac arrest victims

Mon, 04 Jun 2012 23:32:05 +0000

Oregon Health & Science University is participating in a multi-center clinical trial to determine whether two drugs commonly used to stabilize the heart during cardiac arrest actually improve survival rates and neurological function among cardiac arrest victims.

The study called ALPS (Amiodarone, Lidocaine or Placebo) is part of the National Institutes of Health-funded Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium, or ROC, a group of 10 regional health centers across the United States and Canada conducting clinical trials outside the hospital to improve outcomes in severe trauma and cardiac arrest patients.

ROC-ALPS will determine whether standard heart rhythm drugs, amiodarone or lidocaine, or neither drug (normal saline placebo), improves survival for participants with shock-resistant ventricular fibrillation, a condition in which the heart beats chaotically, resulting in the complete loss of its ability to pump blood.

Ventricular fibrillation is present in about 25 percent of cardiac arrests. When shock treatment with a defibrillator fails to restore normal heart rhythm, medications such as amiodarone or lidocaine are often given to enhance the success of the defibrillation attempts, but their effectiveness in improving survival is unknown.

"During cardiac arrest, the heart stops functioning, and unless restarted within minutes, the patient typically dies. Treatments applied by paramedics and first responders at the scene are based on what's been successful in non-human models of resuscitation, hospital-based therapies and expert opinion. The only way to turn our 'best guess' treatments into a scientific approach is to study resuscitation treatments directly on individuals at the scene of the incident," explained Mohamud Daya, M.D., principal investigator and associate professor of emergency medicine at Oregon Health & Science University.

"There is little scientific data to help guide best practices outside the hospital. Our hope is that these ROC trials will help us identify which resuscitation techniques are most effective for cardiac arrest," said Daya.

Because patients eligible for this study will be unconscious and therefore unable to provide consent in advance of treatment, the study will be conducted under FDA regulations that allow research in certain life-threatening situations without giving consent. The federal regulations that allow this exception from informed consent require community consultation and notification to ensure the public is aware of the studies. If an individual does not want to be enrolled in the study, he/she can decline participation by "opting out" or wearing a "NO STUDY" bracelet. To request a bracelet, call 503-494-8083 or email roc@ohsu.edu.

To conduct this research, OHSU will partner with local emergency medical services agencies and receiving hospitals in three specific counties.

Clark County:

EMS: Camas Fire, Clark County AMR, Clark County Fire District #6, North Country EMS, Vancouver Fire

Hospitals: Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center, and Peace Health Southwest Medical Center (PHSMC)

Clackamas County:

EMS: Clackamas County AMR, Clackamas County Fire District #1, Lake Oswego Fire

Hospitals: Kaiser Permanente Sunnyside Medical Center, Legacy Meridian ParkHospital, Providence Milwaukie Hospital, and Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center.

Washington County:

EMS: Hillsboro Fire, Metro West Ambulance, Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue (covers both Washington and Clackamas counties)

Hospitals: Providence St. Vincent's Medical Center, and Tuality Community Hospital.

The ALPS trial will enroll up to 3,000 participants at nine locations across the U.S. and Canada. Participating centers include:

Alabama Resuscitation Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham
University of California, San Diego Center for Resuscitation Science
Portland Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium, Oregon Health and Science University
Dallas-Fort Worth Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Seattle-King County Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Washington
Milwaukee Resuscitation Network, Medical College of Wisconsin
University of Ottawa Collaborative Regional Coordinating Centre, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Canada
University of British Columbia Collaborative Regional Coordinating Centre, St. Paul's Hospital, Canada
Rescu, Keenan Research Centre, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, Canada

The trial is coordinated by the University of Washington in Seattle. The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute and the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command are co-sponsoring these studies. The Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, the Defense Research and Development Canada, and the American Heart Association provided additional funding.

Click here to find out more about ROC-ALPS. If you would like to speak with someone about the study, please call our local ROC office at 503-494-8083 or email us at roc@ohsu.edu.

OHSU Doernbecher ranks among the nation’s best children’s hospitals

Tue, 05 Jun 2012 16:51:47 +0000

Oregon Health & Science University Doernbecher Children’s Hospital ranks among the best children’s hospitals in the country, according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2012-13 Best Children’s Hospitals. The rankings are based on quality-related data, including survival rates, adequacy of nurse staffing and procedure volume and, to a lesser degree, peer-to-peer rankings.

The annual rankings feature 50 hospitals in each of 10 pediatric specialties: cancer, cardiology and heart surgery, diabetes and endocrinology, gastroenterology, neonatology, nephrology, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopedics, pulmonology and urology.

OHSU Doernbecher Children’s ranks among the nation’s top 50 in:

“I am enormously proud of the Doernbecher doctors, nurses and other staff who work so hard on behalf of our patients and families, and I’m delighted that they’ve received this recognition,” said Stacy Nicholson, M.D., M.P.H., Physician-in-Chief at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital and Credit Unions for Kids Professor and Chair of Pediatrics in the OHSU School of Medicine.

For the 2012-13 rankings, U.S. News surveyed 178 pediatric centers to obtain hard data, including availability of key resources and ability to prevent complications and infections. The data survey comprised 75 percent of the rankings. In a separate reputational survey, 1,500 pediatric specialists nationwide — 150 in each specialty — were asked where they would send the sickest children in their specialty, and their response made up the remaining 25 percent.

According to U.S. News, for families of sick children, Best Children’s Hospitals provides “unparalleled quality-related information in addition to rankings.” Since its 2007 debut, the children’s hospital rankings have “put an increasing emphasis on data that directly reflect hospitals’ performance over the opinions of physicians.”

Full rankings and methodology are available at www.usnews.com/childrenshospitals.

# # #

About OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital

OHSU Doernbecher cares for tens of thousands of children each year from Oregon, Southwest Washington and around the nation, resulting in more than 175,000 discharges, surgeries, transports and outpatient visits annually.

Nationally recognized OHSU Doernbecher physicians and nurses provide a full range of pediatric care in the most patient- and family-centered environment, and travel throughout Oregon and southwest Washington, providing specialty care to more than 3,000 children at more than 150 outreach clinics in 15 locations. In addition, OHSU Doernbecher delivers neonatal and pediatric critical care consultation to community hospitals statewide through its state-of-the-art telemedicine network.

* U.S. News & World Report 2012-13 Best Children's Hospitals

** Children’s Hospital Association (formerly the National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions)

OHSU Doernbecher holds graduation ceremony for patients in its Hospital School Program

Wed, 06 Jun 2012 16:51:06 +0000

WHAT

Oregon Health & Science University Doernbecher Children's Hospital will hold a graduation ceremony for pediatric cancer and hematology patients currently receiving treatment and participating in its K-12 Hospital School Program.

Multimedia

Photos

Videos

Teachers, volunteers and school staff will dress in full graduation regalia designed and constructed by students and staff.

The children, wearing black construction-paper mortar boards with yarn tassels and decorated hospital gowns, will be called up one by one to receive their OHSU Doernbecher diplomas as their teachers extol their many achievements.

At the end of the ceremony, the children will march through the cancer unit to the tune of “Pomp and Circumstance,” visiting six stations where nurses and staff will hand out prizes and treats, and congratulate them on their success.

“We know these kids and their families are missing out on their end-of-school parties and activities, and this ceremony is just one way in which we try to create as much fun and normalcy as possible,” said Debra Mettler, a teacher in the Hospital School Program at OHSU Doernbecher.

WHEN

Thursday, June 7, 10:45 a.m.

WHERE

OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, 700 S.W. Campus Drive, Portland, OR 97239

DETAILS

The Hospital School Program at OHSU Doernbecher is operated by Multnomah Education Service District (MESD) with funding from the Oregon Department of Education. School staff provides small-group, individualized and bedside instruction, depending on the medical and academic needs of the student, from kindergarten through high school. MESD is a regional cooperative that provides instruction, special education, school health and social services, technology and administrative support to eight public school districts in Multnomah County and other agencies throughout Oregon.

Stable, liquid glucagon formulation discovered for potential use in artificial pancreas systems

Mon, 11 Jun 2012 19:18:28 +0000

JDRF-funded researchers at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) and Legacy Health have discovered a liquid glucagon formulation that may be useable in standard diabetes pumps. Such a formulation could broaden the use of glucagon to help prevent hypoglycemia in people with Type 1 diabetes who are treated with insulin. It could also open a path to future-generation artificial pancreas systems that dispense more than just insulin for optimizing glucose control.

“Our previous studies have shown that the injections of small amounts of glucagon prevent hypoglycemia, which is a frequent and serious complication of Type 1 diabetes that can lead to seizures, loss of consciousness, and even death,” said W. Kenneth Ward, M.D., associate professor of medicine (endocrinology, diabetes and clinical nutrition) at OHSU School of Medicine and senior scientist at Legacy Health, the two Portland, Ore.-based organizations that collaborated on the study. The research was presented at the American Diabetes Association’s (ADA) 72nd Scientific Sessions on Friday, June 8, and on Sunday, June 10, in Philadelphia.

Dr. Ward continues: “Current forms of glucagon cannot be kept for long periods of time in a portable pump, and therefore could not be used as part of an artificial pancreas system. While it is important to note that additional studies will be undertaken in animals and humans before FDA approval can be sought, we have found that the alkaline glucagon compound we discovered can be kept in liquid form for long periods of time, potentially opening pathways for use in bi-hormonal diabetes pumps and toward better therapies for people with diabetes.”

The research is a key step forward toward the routine delivery of glucagon for people with Type 1 diabetes, and toward the development of a multi-hormonal, fully automated closed loop artificial pancreas system. Such future-generation artificial pancreas systems would automatically deliver both insulin and glucagon, or other drugs.

Glucagon is a naturally occurring hormone that responds to hypoglycemia (extreme low blood sugar) by raising blood sugars, but its regulation is impaired in people with Type 1 diabetes. It works to complement the function of insulin to provide the natural fine-tuning of blood glucose control. Previous studies have shown that the addition of glucagon to insulin treatment reduces the frequency of hypoglycemia in Type 1 diabetes, more closely mimicking the physiology of someone without diabetes.

Commercially available glucagon does not maintain its liquid form after the powder and solution are combined, making it suitable only for immediate use. Dr. Ward and his team found that raising the pH of the glucagon allowed the hormone to maintain liquid form, and concluded that this formulation could be suitable for use in a closed-loop bi-hormonal pump.

“We have seen very promising results in our studies of artificial pancreas systems that utilize both insulin and glucagon. But for people with diabetes to realize this potential benefit, we need glucagon that is stable and can be used in a pump,” said Sanjoy Dutta, Ph.D., JDRF’s senior director of treat therapies. “Dr. Ward's research is promising and steers us toward more tangible solutions along the path toward a multi-hormonal, fully-automated closed loop artificial pancreas.”

The artificial pancreas combines a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) and an insulin pump via sophisticated computer software, to provide the right amount of insulin at the right times for people with diabetes. In March, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first artificial pancreas outpatient trial in the United States. Researchers envision future generations of the device to automatically deliver more than one hormone, in addition to insulin, to more closely perform the functions of a non-diabetic human pancreas.

ABOUT TYPE 1 DIABETES

In Type 1 diabetes, a person's pancreas stops producing insulin, a hormone that enables people to get energy from food. People with Type 1 diabetes need to test their blood sugar and give themselves insulin (with injections or an insulin pump) multiple times every day, and carefully balance insulin doses with eating and daily activities throughout the day and night. However, insulin is not a cure for diabetes, and even with that intensive care, a significant portion of the day is still spent with either high or low blood sugar, placing people with Type 1 diabetes at risk for devastating complications such as heart attack, stroke, blindness, and amputation.

ABOUT JDRF

JDRF is the leading global organization focused on Type 1 diabetes research. Driven by passionate, grassroots volunteers connected to children, adolescents, and adults with this disease, JDRF is the largest charitable supporter of Type 1 diabetes research. The goal of JDRF is to improve the lives of all people affected by Type 1 diabetes by accelerating progress on the most promising opportunities for curing, better treating, and preventing Type 1 diabetes. JDRF collaborates with a wide spectrum of partners who share this goal.

Since its founding in 1970, JDRF has awarded more than $1.6 billion to Type 1 diabetes research. More than 80 percent of JDRF's expenditures directly support research and research-related education. Past JDRF research efforts have helped to significantly improve the care of people with this disease, and have expanded the critical scientific understanding of Type 1 diabetes. JDRF will not rest until Type 1 diabetes is fully conquered.

ABOUT LEGACY HEALTH

Legacy Health is an Oregon-based nonprofit, tax-exempt organization and, with more than 9,800 employees, is one of the largest private sector employers in the Portland metropolitan area. Legacy Health provides an integrated network of healthcare services, including acute and critical care, inpatient and outpatient treatment, community health education and a variety of specialty services. Legacy's hospitals include: Legacy Emanuel Medical Center and Randall Children's Hospital, Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center, Legacy Meridian Park Medical Center, Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center, and Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center in Vancouver, Wash. Also included in the Legacy system are a hospice agency, a full-service research facility, and specialty and primary care clinics.

ABOUT OHSU

OHSU Named ‘Leader in LGBT Healthcare Equality’

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 18:12:18 +0000

Oregon Health & Science University has been recognized as a “Leader in LGBT Healthcare Equality” for the second year in a row. For its efforts, OHSU is listed in the Healthcare Equality Index 2012 report, an annual survey conducted by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation, the educational arm of the country’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) organization.

OHSU is one of 71 respondents that earned top marks for its commitment to equitable, inclusive care for LGBT patients and their families, who can face challenges in accessing adequate health care.

“OHSU is proud to be named a leader in healthcare equality,” said Norwood Knight-Richardson, M.D., M.B.A., vice president and chief administrative officer at OHSU. “This university values diversity in all of our missions and we are constantly seeking to be an inclusive organization.”

Facilities awarded this title meet several key indicators for equitable care, including nondiscrimination policies for LGBT patients and employees, a guarantee of equal visitation for same-sex partners and parents, and LGBT health education for key staff.

OHSU was congratulated by HRC Family Project director Ellen Kahn: “LGBT patients deeply appreciate the welcoming environment provided by a Leader in LGBT Healthcare Equality. It makes a big difference to know that your local health care facility is fully committed to giving you the same care it gives your neighbors and co-workers.”

For more information about the Healthcare Equality Index 2012, or to download a free copy of the report, visit http://www.hrc.org/hei/.

Head of federal neurological disorder institute to speak June 25 at OHSU

Thu, 21 Jun 2012 19:41:15 +0000

Lecture series

Ticket information

WHAT

The final 2012 OHSU Brain Awareness Season lecture will feature Story Landis, Ph.D., the director of the National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), a branch of the National Institutes of Health.

WHEN

7 p.m., Monday, June 25, 2012

WHERE

Newmark Theater, 1111 S.W. Broadway, Portland, Ore.

DETAILS

Inflammation is part of the body's natural immune response to tissue damage. However, chronic inflammation in the brain — the brain "on fire" — is thought to play a role in neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis and stroke.

By linking so many illnesses to inflammation, researchers are now rethinking their assumptions about what makes us sick and how to successfully treat neuroinflammation. Much of the science involved in discovering causes and potential treatments is being led by Landis and the NINDS.

ABOUT THE OHSU BRAIN INSTITUTE'S AWARENESS LECTURE SERIES

The OHSU Brain Institute's Brain Awareness Lecture Series has finished its 13th year, and will resume in February of 2013. The series annually attracts world-renowned neuroscientists who share their insights on issues surrounding the brain and neurological diseases, with in-depth discussion about their impact on society.

Oregon Office of Rural Health announces Primary Health Care Loan Forgiveness recipients

Mon, 25 Jun 2012 19:46:46 +0000

The Oregon Office of Rural Health at Oregon Health & Science University has announced the recipients of the 2012 Primary Health Care Loan Forgiveness (PHCLF) awards. Five individuals will receive forgivable loans to be used for educational expenses during the 2012-13 school year.

Dean Defrees, of Baker City, Ore., and Anisa Richardson, from Wrangell, Alaska, received two-year PHCLF awards. Jay Williams, of Spokane, Wash., and Sarah Williams, from Boulder, Colo., were given one-year PHCLF awards; all four recipients currently are enrolled in the OHSU School of Medicine.

Rebecca Gray, of Spray, Ore., received a two-year PHCLF award to enroll in the OHSU School of Nursing Family Nurse Practitioner/Doctor of Nursing Practice program.

The Primary Health Care Loan Forgiveness Program, created by the 2011 Oregon Legislature and administered by the Oregon Office of Rural Health at OHSU, can award a maximum of $35,000 a year to a medical, physician assistant or nurse practitioner student enrolled in an approved rural-specific Oregon training program.

Students commit to one year of clinical service in an approved rural Oregon practice site for each year of the award. Eligible practice sites must be located in rural, federally designated Health Profession Shortage Areas, Medically Underserved Areas or an Area of Unmet Healthcare Need, as designated by the Oregon Office of Rural Health.

# # #

About the Oregon Office of Rural Health

The mission of the Oregon Office of Rural Health at OHSU is to improve the quality, availability and accessibility of health care for rural Oregonians.

About OHSU

OHSU Board Adopts $2 Billion Operating Budget

Wed, 27 Jun 2012 19:12:40 +0000

New budget year begins July 1

The Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) Board of Directors today adopted a budget of $2.085 billion for the university's operations over the next fiscal year, FY 2013, beginning July 1. The budget projects a 3% rate of revenue growth versus 6% the past two years.

"This budget reflects the reality of a slowing health care economy nationally, with declining growth rates for hospitals, and a greater demand for value," said OHSU President Joe Robertson. "It also reflects that OHSU is in a strong financial position as we enter this new era."

Despite a prolonged economic downturn, over the past 5 years OHSU secured its best financial performance ever, including $250 million in cumulative operating income. OHSU has also created 1,400 jobs since the nadir of the recession, going from 12,529 employees in May 2009 to 13,921 in May 2012. Today, OHSU is Portland's largest employer. Its $2 billion annual budget includes $1.2 billion in hospital revenues and $800 million from the rest of the university, including research, education, outreach programs and the faculty practice plan.

The response to the slowing health care economy is built on OHSU's unique position as the state's only comprehensive academic health center. OHSU will accelerate the application of knowledge to health in order to generate greater value, while partnering to fulfill its missions of education, research, patient care, and community outreach in a more effective and cost efficient way. The Collaborative Life Science Building (CLSB), a shared project with Portland State, Oregon State, and the Oregon University System, is an example of a multi-mission partnership designed to expand programs in an era of scarce resources.

To maintain and build on its track record of financial strength, OHSU is targeting a 5% hospital margin in the upcoming fiscal year, combined with a balanced budget for the rest of the university. The budget projects $60 million in operating income and sufficient cash flow from operations to support $136 million in annual capital expenditures plus continued construction of the CLSB. Key assumptions include a 2.2% increase in overall patient activity, further reductions in Medicaid reimbursement, minimal growth in research revenues and flat enrollment.

The Board also approved the university's Fee Book for the upcoming academic year. This includes tuition increases of 4% in Medicine, 1-3% in Nursing, and 13.5% in Dentistry – the latter of which is consistent with shifting the School of Dentistry to a more sustainable business model as it prepares to move to the Collaborative Life Sciences Building. In 2010-2011, the OHSU School of Dentistry ranked 24th among U.S. dental schools for tuition and fees.

OHSU is projected to close the current fiscal year, FY 2012, with operating income of $72 million against a budgeted figure of $57 million, with a significant portion of the improvement due to a lower than expected Medicaid cut in FY 2012. Other factors for the strong performance include improved hospital throughput, lower length of stay, and success in reducing the expense of services and supplies, achieved through a supply chain initiative that was part of a larger productivity and process redesign effort.

About OHSU

OHSU Responds to Today’s U.S. Supreme Court Ruling on the Affordable Care Act

Thu, 28 Jun 2012 18:56:10 +0000

This week, Oregon Health & Science University, along with other health care providers across the state, have been closely monitoring the nation's capital for the Supreme Court's ruling on the Affordable Care Act. We are now thoroughly analyzing the decision. Throughout the reform process, OHSU has played an active role in health reform and advocated for improvements. For example, as part of this effort, OHSU adopted eight essential principles of health reform in 2009.

In response to today's ruling, OHSU President Dr. Joe Robertson, M.D., M.B.A., has issued the following statement:

"While today's ruling keeps health reform on course for the country, there is much more work to be done on the federal and state level. OHSU has been at the table for these discussions in the past and we will continue to play a role moving forward.

In regards to the specifics of today's ruling, we believe that coverage for all Americans is an essential component required for real health reform. It not only improves outcomes for individuals and communities, it's absolutely vital to address the cost of health care.

Today's ruling directly impacts OHSU in that we will need to increase the number of health care professionals we train in order to respond to the growing number of patients as a result of universal access. We look forward to working with the Governor, the Legislature and other parties in addressing this need.

In regards to the hard work taking place in Oregon to reform health care, we are proud to be part of Oregon's efforts to reform health care and pleased those efforts continue to move full speed. Governor Kitzhaber's innovative plan for reform is being implemented at this moment, built around the establishment of new Coordinated Care Organizations (CCOs). The $1.9 billion agreement with the Obama Administration, an investment in the Governor's plan (known as Transformation), is still on track.

We expect the eyes of the nation will be on Oregon to see if transformation can improve everyone's health while reducing costs. There is hard work ahead, but we believe Oregon is up to the job."

- OHSU President Dr. Joe Robertson, M.D., M.B.A.

About OHSU

Road construction on OHSU’s Campus Drive begins Monday, July 9

Fri, 06 Jul 2012 19:42:53 +0000

Work to install new expansion joints on Oregon Health & Science University's Campus Drive will begin Monday, July 9. During construction, Campus Drive will be open for downhill traffic only. The project is expected to be complete in six to eight weeks.

Patients, vendors, visitors and staff can drive uphill from Terwilliger Boulevard far enough to reach Doernbecher Children's Hospital, the Casey Eye Institute, the School of Dentistry, most parking areas and the hospital's loading docks.

Detour signs will be in place to keep people from going too far uphill and having to turn around, and flaggers will be present around the clock to help direct traffic.

Tri-Met bus stops and routes will remain unchanged. Buses will go downhill on Campus Drive, and all downhill stops will remain open.

Measures have been taken to minimize any inconvenience, but people should plan ahead and adjust their commute accordingly.

To see what's happening on Campus Drive in real time, check out the Marquam Hill road cams.

View a map of the affected area.

ABOUT OHSU

Oregon Health & Science University is the state's only health and research university and its only academic health center. As Portland's largest employer, OHSU's size contributes to its ability to provide many services and community support activities not found anywhere else in the state. OHSU serves patients from every corner of the state and is a conduit for learning for more than 4,000 students and trainees. OHSU is the source of more than 200 community outreach programs that bring health and education services to each county in the state.

OHSU discovery may lead to new treatment for ALS

Tue, 17 Jul 2012 16:03:33 +0000

Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University School of Dentistry have discovered that TDP-43, a protein strongly linked to ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) and other neurodegenerative diseases, appears to activate a variety of different molecular pathways when genetically manipulated. The findings have implications for understanding and possibly treating ALS and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

ALS affects two in 100,000 adults in the United States annually and the prognosis for patients is grim.The new discovery is published online in G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics (and the July 2012 print issue of G3).

Using a fruit fly model, the OHSU team genetically increased or eliminated TDP-43 to study its effect on the central nervous system. By using massively parallel sequencing methods to profile the expression of genes in the central nervous system, the team found that the loss of TDP-43 results in widespread gene activation and altered splicing, much of which is reversed by rescue of TDP-43 expression. Although previous studies have implicated both absence and over expression of TDP-43 in ALS, the OHSU study showed little overlap in the gene expression between these two manipulations, suggesting that the bulk of the genes affected are different.

“Our data suggest that TDP-43 plays a role in synaptic transmission, synaptic release and endocytosis,” said Dennis Hazelett, Ph.D., lead author of the study. “We also uncovered a potential novel regulation of several pathways, many targets of which appear to be conserved.”

Additional study authors include: Jer-Cherng Chang, Ph.D., OHSU School of Dentistry Department of Integrative Biosciences; Daniel Lakeland, a graduate student at the University of Southern California; and David Morton, Ph.D., professor and associate dean for research, OHSU School of Dentistry Department of Integrative Biosciences.

The study was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health (NS071186); the ALS Association; and the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

ABOUT OHSU

U.S. News & World Report Ranks OHSU Hospital No. 1 in Portland, statewide

Tue, 17 Jul 2012 20:31:44 +0000

Oregon Health & Science University Hospital ranks No. 1 in the Portland metro area as well as statewide, according to U.S. News Best Hospitals 2012-13. The metro area includes Portland, Hillsboro and Beaverton, Ore., and Vancouver, Wash., the news magazine reports.

OHSU’s Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery — or its Ear Nose & Throat specialty — ranks 32nd nationally. Fewer than 150 hospitals out of the 5,000 evaluated performed well enough to rank nationally in at least one specialty.

Eleven of OHSU Hospital’s adult specialties were ranked “high-performing”:
• Cancer
• Cardiology & Heart Surgery
• Diabetes & Endocrinology
• Gastroenterology
• Geriatrics
• Gynecology
• Nephrology
• Neurology & Neurosurgery
• Orthopedics
• Pulmonology
• Urology

While reputation continues to play an important role in the rankings, clinical data such as patient outcomes and processes of care have become central, the editors report. The hospital rankings “help steer patients to hospitals with strong skills in the procedures and medical conditions that present the biggest challenges.”

In addition to adult specialty rankings, U.S. News ranks children’s hospitals, and last month they announced OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital ranks among the nation’s top 50 children’s hospitals in six specialties for 2012-13.

To learn more about OHSU’s nationally ranked specialties visit:
• Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery (Ear, Nose & Throat)
• OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital

The complete rankings and methodology are available here.

About OHSU

OHSU leads three NIH-funded ‘exception from informed consent’ studies in Oregon, Southwest Washington

Mon, 23 Jul 2012 17:11:19 +0000

Oregon Health & Science University is leading three multi-center studies in Oregon and Southwest Washington as part of the National Institutes of Health-funded Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium (ROC). ROC is a group of regional health centers across the United States and Canada conducting clinical trials inside and outside the hospital to improve outcomes in patients with severe traumatic injury and cardiac arrest.

Participating fire rescue and emergency medical services agencies include Life Flight Network, Clark County American Medical Response, Camas Fire, and three trauma centers, Legacy Emanuel Medical Center, Peace Health Southwest Medical Center and OHSU.

The ROC clinical trial HypoResus, scheduled to begin on July 27, will determine whether people with hemorrhagic shock do better when given either small or large amounts of saline during resuscitation. Giving large amounts of saline is currently the standard treatment.

“There are two schools of thought on how to treat these patients. The current standard is to give lots of fluid through an intravenous line to keep blood flowing to vital organs. Now we suspect that too much fluid may actually increase bleeding by popping established clots off holes in blood vessels,” said Mohamud Daya, M.D., associate professor of emergency medicine at OHSU, and Oregon’s site principal investigator for ROC.

HypoResus, short for “Field Trial of Hypotensive Resuscitation Versus Standard Resuscitation for Hemorrhagic Shock After Trauma,” will be conducted at seven locations in the United States and Canada. A total of 200 patients will be enrolled — approximately 20 in the Portland-Vancouver metro area.

A second ROC trial, called PROPPR, short for “Pragmatic, Randomized Optimal Platelet and Plasma Ratios,” will determine the best combination or ratio of blood products for significantly bleeding trauma patients. Red blood cells, plasma, and platelets are routinely given to patients with significant loss of blood, but the best way to combine blood products is unknown. This study, slated to launch in fall 2012, will only take place at OHSU and compares how patients respond to two different ratios of blood products in common use.

“Severe hemorrhage due to traumatic injury is the leading cause of preventable death for people younger than 45, and many victims require specialized care such as massive blood transfusions and extensive surgery due to their injuries,” said Martin Schreiber, M.D., professor of surgery, director of the OHSU Trauma Program and Oregon’s principal investigator for ROC-PROPPR. "Patients who emergently require more than 10 units of red blood cells have a high mortality rate — historically about 45 percent. This study is an effort to improve outcomes for that group of patients.”

PROPPR will be conducted at 12 trauma centers in the United States and Canada. A total of 580 patients will be enrolled, including approximately 30 in the Portland-Vancouver metro area.

A third ROC trial called ALPS, which began June 6, will determine whether standard heart rhythm drugs, amiodarone or lidocaine, improve survival for participants with shock-resistant ventricular fibrillation, a condition in which the heart beats chaotically, resulting in the complete loss of its ability to pump blood.

Dr. Daya is also the principal investigator for ALPS, or “Amiodarone, Lidocaine or Neither (saline) for Out-Of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Due to Ventricular Fibrillation or Tachycardia.” ALPS is being conducted at 10 locations in the United States and Canada, and will enroll 3,000 participants – 300 in the Portland/Vancouver metro area.

Because patients eligible for these studies will be unconscious and therefore unable to provide consent in advance of treatment, the study will be conducted under FDA regulations that allow research in certain life-threatening situations without giving consent. The federal regulations that allow this exception from informed consent require community consultation and notification to ensure the public is aware of the studies.

If an individual does not want to be enrolled in the study, he/she can decline participation by “opting out” or wearing a “NO STUDY” bracelet. To request a bracelet, call 503-494-8083 or email roc@ohsu.edu.

If you would like to speak with someone about the study, please call the local ROC office at 503-494-8083 or email roc@ohsu.edu.

HypoResus (NCT01411852), PROPPR (NCT01545232) and ALPS (NCT01401647) are sponsored by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health.

OHSU Foundation Board of Trustees Announces New Members

Mon, 23 Jul 2012 23:19:43 +0000

The Oregon Health & Science University Foundation today announced the appointment of two new members of the foundation’s board of trustees.

At the board’s March and June 2012 meetings, the following individuals were authorized to serve on the board:

• William “Bill” R. Swindells, an independent investor and prominent community leader
• Gregory “Greg” A. Chaillé, strategic advisor to the board of the Oregon Community Foundation and past president of the OCF

Photos for download are located here.

New study associates excess maternal iodine supplementation with congenital hypothyroidism in newborns

Thu, 26 Jul 2012 21:27:44 +0000

Congenital hypothyroidism is thyroid hormone deficiency at birth that, if left untreated, can lead to neurocognitive impairments in infants and children. Although the World Health Organization recommends 200 to 300 µg of iodine daily during pregnancy for normal fetal thyroid hormone production and neurocognitive development, the U.S. Institute of Medicine considers 1,100 µg to be the safe upper limit for daily ingestion. A case series in The Journal of Pediatrics describes three infants who developed congenital hypothyroidism as a result of excess maternal iodine supplementation.

Kara Connelly, M.D., and colleagues from Oregon Health & Science University Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, Boston University School of Medicine, State of Oregon Public Health Laboratory, and Randall Children’s Hospital at Legacy Emanuel describe three infants with congenital hypothyroidism whose mothers had taken 12.5 mg of iodine daily, 11 times more than the safe upper limit, while pregnant and/or breastfeeding. Iodine is transferred from the mother to the infant through the placenta or breast milk. The three infants had blood iodine levels 10 times higher than healthy control infants (measured from newborn screening filter paper).

Excess iodine causes the thyroid to temporarily decrease function to protect against hyperthyroidism (Wolff-Chaikoff effect). Adults and older children are able to “escape” from this effect after several days of excess iodine to avoid hypothyroidism. However, the immature thyroid glands of fetuses and newborns have not developed this protective effect and are more susceptible to iodine-induced hypothyroidism. Although infants recover normal thyroid function after acute iodine exposure (e.g., a few days of topical iodine application), continuous excessive iodine exposure to the fetal and neonatal thyroid gland may cause long-term harmful effects on thyroid function.

Sources of iodine include nutritional supplements, prenatal vitamins, and seaweed (kelp). According to Dr. Connelly, “The use of iodine-containing supplements in pregnancy and while breastfeeding is recommended in the United States. However, these cases demonstrate the potential hazard of exceeding the safe upper limit for daily ingestion.” Excess iodine ingestion from supplementation is often unrecognized because it is not routine practice to ask mothers of infants with congenital hypothyroidism about nutritional supplements taken during pregnancy. Pregnant or breastfeeding women should discuss the safe dosages of nutritional supplements with their doctors prior to including them in their daily regimen.

NOTES FOR EDITORS
“Congenital Hypothyroidism Caused by Excess Prenatal Maternal Iodine Ingestion,” by Kara Connelly, M.D., Bruce Boston, M.D., Elizabeth Pearce, M.D., David Sesser, David Snyder, M.D., Lewis Braverman, M.D., Sam Pino, Stephen LaFranchi, M.D., appears in The Journal of Pediatrics, DOI 10.1016/j.jpeds.2012.05.057, published by Elsevier.

ABOUT THE JOURNAL OF PEDIATRICS
The Journal of Pediatrics is a primary reference for the science and practice of pediatrics and its subspecialties. This authoritative resource of original, peer-reviewed articles oriented toward clinical practice helps physicians stay abreast of the latest and ever-changing developments in pediatric medicine. The Journal of Pediatrics is ranked 4th out of 113 pediatric medical journals (2011 Journal Citation Reports, published by Thomson Reuters).

OHSU Knight Cancer Institute recruits leader-elect of international clinical trial cooperative group

Tue, 31 Jul 2012 16:56:46 +0000

Charles D. Blanke, M.D., chair-elect to one of the U.S. National Cancer Institute’s five large-scale cooperative groups that test new cancer treatments and prevention programs, will join the Knight Cancer Institute at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU).

With Blanke’s recruitment, the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute will serve as headquarters for SWOG (formerly the Southwest Oncology Group), which oversees more than $40 million in research annually. As a result, patients throughout the Pacific Northwest who are served by OHSU will have greater access to SWOG clinical trials. In addition, multi-year NCI grants worth about $20 million to $25 million annually are expected to move to the Knight.

SWOG studies most adult cancers. It is one of the NCI’s larger cooperative groups with more than 4,000 affiliated physician researchers participating at more than 500 institutions throughout the world. About 100 SWOG clinical trials are under way at any given time.

“I was drawn to the Knight Cancer Institute because of its leadership in molecularly-driven, personalized cancer medicine, as well as its willingness to make significant investments in research to advance that field. The work Knight investigators are doing to pave the way for development of more targeted therapies aimed at curing a variety of cancers based on the specific biology of a patient’s tumor, is a major focus of SWOG research as well,” said Blanke, who will join the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute in February. Blanke currently is vice-president of systemic therapy for the British Columbia Cancer Agency, chief of medical oncology at the University of British Columbia and chair of the Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST) Task Force for the NCI’s Gastrointestinal Steering Committee. He will take over as chair of SWOG in May from Laurence H. Baker, D.O., of the University of Michigan, who has served in that role since 2005.

“Realizing the full promise of personalized cancer medicine will require that the best and brightest researchers and clinicians collaborate to move science forward,” said Brian J. Druker, M.D., director of the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, JELD-WEN Chair of Leukemia Research and Howard Hughes Medical Investigator. “Dr. Blanke’s role with SWOG directly links Oregon to SWOG’s network of world-class scientists, which will strengthen the Knight Cancer Institute’s ongoing efforts to forge partnerships to speed progress on behalf of cancer patients and leverage research in new ways.”

In his new role, Blanke will establish a team at OHSU to support SWOG’s work and he expects to find ways to leverage the research strengths of the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute by engaging more Knight investigators in SWOG’s broad network of clinical trials.

Blanke also will serve with the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute’s team of gastrointestinal cancer specialists who care for patients as part of a multidisciplinary team that coordinates the efforts of medical oncologists, radiation medicine experts and surgeons.

Blanke earned an M.D. with distinction from Northwestern University, completed residency training at the Gundersen Medical Foundation, where he served as chief resident, and was a hematology/medical oncology fellow at Indiana University, where he also served as chief fellow. He is a fellow of the American College of Physicians, the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. Previously, Blanke held positions with OHSU and Vanderbilt University.

Blanke is the most recent of the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute’s significant recruits as it assembles a world-class cancer research and clinical team. Among other recent additions are Lisa Coussens, Ph.D., from the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) whose breast cancer research has changed the understanding of the immune system’s role in cancer development; and, internationally renowned cancer and genomic researcher Joe Gray, Ph.D., from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, who, among other things, helped develop the fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) tests that are transforming how treatments are selected for breast cancer patients.

The OHSU Knight Cancer Institute is also forming powerful research collaborations with technology leaders such as microscope maker FEI Co., who want to be part of the Knight's mission to end cancer as we know it.

The OHSU Knight Cancer Institute’s goal is to continue to lead progress in personalized cancer medicine research and treatment. Druker played a pioneering role in proving personalized cancer medicine was possible with his discovery that cancer cells could be shut down by disabling the molecules that drive their growth. The drug that resulted from that research, Gleevec®, revolutionized the way cancer is treated and inspired a new wave of exploration into targeted therapies that zero in on cancer-causing molecules without damaging healthy cells.

The OHSU Knight Cancer Institute is building upon Druker’s breakthrough with a four-pronged strategy that is made possible by public support from the National Institutes of Health, the Oregon Opportunity research investment as well as generous private donations – including a transformative $100 million gift from Nike Chairman Phil Knight and his wife Penny. That strategy includes:

• Expanding its discovery engine within the university’s research branch to continue to explore the cellular pathways through which cancer grows;
• Establishing a comprehensive biolibrary for diagnostics and research;
• Launching its a clinical molecular lab service, the Knight Diagnostic Laboratories, to serve oncologists and patients nationwide;
• And, refining patient care to tailor treatment plans for each individual’s tumor biology.

OHSU contacts patients about data stolen during burglary

Tue, 31 Jul 2012 17:06:10 +0000

Oregon Health & Science University Hospital officials are sending letters to the families of 702 pediatric patients after a USB drive containing some of their patient information was stolen. In total, data for more than 14,000 patients was stored on the drive, along with information for about 200 OHSU employees.

OHSU School of Dentistry partners with Oregon Academy of General Dentistry to reinvent continuing dental education offerings in Oregon

Wed, 01 Aug 2012 16:14:46 +0000

Oregon Health & Science University School of Dentistry and the Oregon Academy of General Dentistry (OAGD) have announced a unique partnership to transform continuing dental education in Oregon. The partnership is the first of its kind in the nation.

"We are so excited about this new collaboration," said OHSU School of Dentistry interim dean Gary Chiodo, D.M.D. '78, F.A.C.D. "This kind of arrangement has never been tried anywhere before and we think it's an optimal and cost-effective model that will be a win-win for everyone in the Oregon dental community. Oregon AGD values continuing education and life-long learning as a foundational element of its mission. This partnership will join the forces of two great organizations in an effort to move the continuing dental education enterprise forward on an impressive trajectory."

The partnership is expected to breathe new life into continuing dental education offerings in the state with more and varied speakers and courses, and a new method of delivering continuing dental education to remote parts of the state.

"This is an amazing opportunity," agreed Aaron Tinkle, D.M.D. '06, Oregon AGD president for 2012. "The partnership combines OAGD's well-recognized expertise in speaker and study club management and administration with OHSU's name recognition and continuing education classroom and clinic space for a very mutually beneficial arrangement that will advance both organization's missions."

Under the agreement, OHSU's continuing education clinic, located on the ground floor of the School of Dentistry, will become the OHSU/OAGD continuing education department at the Kenneth Cantwell Continuing Education Clinic, explained Phyllis Beemsterboer, M.S., Ed.D., associate dean for academic affairs. Kris Wessel, Ph.D., a longtime health care education consultant, has been named director of the new department.

"Our first goal is to move to an online course registration mechanism, which is incredibly exciting," said Beemsterboer. "Once we get the administration down, we will begin to add innovative new courses and speakers. By combining our resources, OHSU and OAGD will be able to bring more nationally recognized speakers to Oregon, which will provide more opportunities for Oregon oral health professionals, saving them time and money by not having to travel for their dental education."

The partnership discussions began about one year ago, said 2011 OAGD president Scott Hansen, D.M.D. '87, M.A.G.D. "With the impending retirement of OHSU's continuing dental education director, who was managing the dental school's courses and speakers, and our continual need to obtain quality clinic space for our one dozen study clubs, Jack Clinton [D.M.D. '64, dean emeritus] and I realized that each of us already had what the other needed and the partnership idea was born," said Hansen. "But the ball really got rolling when OAGD made a $250,000 gift to the OHSU School of Dentistry for its new building on South Waterfront, so we could ensure there would be a space in the facility for continuing dental education."

At that point, said Hansen, the OAGD board agreed to proceed with a partnership and secretary/treasurer Kimberly Wright, D.M.D. '89, M.A.G.D., took the lead in drafting an agreement. "It is very unusual that two such groups as OHSU and OAGD have a symbiotic relationship; this is not the case in many other dental communities," said Wright. "Oregon AGD has been blessed to have a good working relationship with OHSU for all these years, and dental professionals benefit greatly from this relationship.

"Oregon AGD is looking to innovate how we educate not only our dentists, but the whole dental team to provide the best care to patients," said Wright. "We also have visions of more online continuing education opportunities as we move forward.

"We expect this to be a very fruitful and productive union to benefit dentistry in Oregon."

Medical school’s 125th class will be educated in an era of health care transformation

Tue, 14 Aug 2012 20:43:19 +0000

This Friday, 132 Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine students will begin their journey into the medical profession by receiving their time-honored white coat — a traditional symbol of medicine.

This class also marks a unique milestone for the medical school — in October the school will celebrate its 125th anniversary.

“This class is entering medicine at a truly remarkable time in our nation’s history, when the nation’s health care system is undergoing rapid and significant transformation,” said Mark Richardson, M.D., M.B.A., dean of the OHSU School of Medicine. “The OHSU School of Medicine is preparing the next generation of physicians to not only flourish in this climate of change, but to lead the evolution. With Oregon in the vanguard of national health care reform, these students will become agents of change.”

The ceremony also marks the arrival of George Mejicano, M.D., M.S., the school’s new senior associate dean for education. Mejicano, a national leader, educator and award-winning clinician, will give the Oath of Geneva to the incoming students. The J.S. Reinschmidt, M.D. Lecture, a special message to the students presented by a guest speaker each year, will be delivered by David A. Nardone, M.D., professor emeritus of medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine & Geriatrics.

“We are thrilled to welcome this highly accomplished class to OHSU. They bring a wide variety of life experience that lends itself to becoming a well-rounded physician,” said Molly Osborne, M.D., Ph.D., associate dean for student affairs and interim associate dean for undergraduate medical education.

The OHSU School of Medicine’s 125th class is characterized by a wide diversity of students, all of whom have already distinguished themselves in the health care field and have accomplished many things in other areas. The 2012-13 entering class includes military veterans, a journalist, an animator, teachers, nurses and EMTs, a scientist, policymakers, a former sheriff, a drummer, ranchers, world class athletes, and many others.

Following are select snapshots of how some of these soon-to-be first-year medical students found their way into medical school.

STUDENT PROFILES

Taryn Cansler Hansen, 35, grew up in Longview, Wash. Cansler Hansen holds a biology degree from Portland State University and a biochemistry degree from the University of Kansas. Prior to medical school, she worked in public policy and research, and as a legislative staff member for Sen. Ron Wyden. She has traveled to developing countries, including Kyrgyzstan, which she said showed her “how a dysfunctional economy and political system” can inhibit health care.

Most recently, she spent a year as an Americorps volunteer assisting low-income and minority patients at a clinic in Salem, Ore. The experience, she said, reinforced that similar cultural disparities and barriers to care exist in the United States. Her decision to pursue medicine initially stemmed from her public policy background.

“Working in the U.S. Senate and listening to Oregon's constituents, I saw on a daily basis the challenges that exist within our current health care system and the need for improved health access.”

After medical school, she hopes to practice in Portland working with the underserved community.

“Oregon has not been afraid to lead the nation in innovative solutions to health care,” she said. “I am excited to train to practice medicine in a state engaged in the policy debates that will critically shape my future as a physician. In addition, I hope to devote a portion of my time volunteering for global health organizations.”

Geoffry Gillespie, 36, was born in Longview, Wash., and grew up in the Portland/Vancouver metro area. The son of a firefighter and nurse, Gillespie says he “always had a respect for public service,” which led him to become a police officer — and a SWAT team member. While serving on the force in Georgia, his roommate was in the first year of his emergency medicine residency.

“Watching him work at the hospital and at home was intriguing. That was when I began to think I might be interested in medicine.” It was when he joined the police force in Vancouver that the call to become a physician hit hard. However, first he needed a college education.

Gillespie went to community college, then to Washington State University-Vancouver. He worked on the police force at night and went to school during the day, finishing his undergraduate work in three calendar years. He graduated summa cum laude from WSU with a bachelor’s in biology and a minor in chemistry. After medical school, he hopes to work in emergency medicine and someday to carry on his joy of teaching by training new residents, possibly in Portland/Vancouver.

Ann Oluloro, 23, was born in Portland, Ore., and attended the Robert D. Clark Honors College at the University of Oregon. During college, Oluloro completed medical internships in Bolivia and the Dominican Republic, with a focus on public health. She has a strong desire to help the underserved population and will enter the OHSU M.D./M.P.H. program.

“After medical school, I am looking forward to putting my M.P.H. degree to good use by helping to design and implement public health programs in Portland geared toward reducing health disparities,” she said.

She would also like to do some form of international medicine, like helping the people in her home country of Nigeria, where her parents were born. Attracted to the humanism behind medicine, she said, “When done with respect and compassion, medicine allows those who feel like they have been neglected by society to feel loved, and most importantly like people and not inanimate objects.”

Elizabeth Suh, 28, is from the Washington, D.C. area. She received a bachelor’s in journalism with a minor in biology from the University of Maryland and completed her post-baccalaureate pre-med coursework at Portland State University. Prior to entering medical school, Elizabeth worked as a print journalist writing about health and medicine, as well as serving as the night “cops” reporter at The Oregonian. She has had an interest in medicine since during high school, but says out of college, “journalism was the right path” for her at the time.

As a reporter, she met and wrote about many physicians, which impacted her decision to make a career change to medicine. Suh loves getting to know different cultures and is passionate about helping diverse people. After medical school, she hopes to work with the underserved and minority populations.

PROFILE OF OHSU SCHOOL OF MEDICINE 2012 ENTERING CLASS
Total number of first-year students = 132
Female = 74
Male = 58

Highest degree at entry
Baccalaureate = 113
Master’s = 16
Doctorate = 3

Oregon residents = 85

Degree programs:
M.D. = 81
M.D./M.P.H. = 2
M.D./Ph.D. = 2

Non-resident = 47

Degree programs:
M.D. = 33
M.D./M.P.H. = 4
M.D./Ph.D. = 3
Applicants through the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education = 7

Age (mean) = 26

Previous applicants: 44

OHSU renewed as one of nation’s 11 Evidence-based Practice Centers

Tue, 21 Aug 2012 20:51:35 +0000

The federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has awarded OHSU and two collaborators another five-year contract to serve as one of the nation's 11 Evidence-based Practice Centers. The Evidence-based Practice Centers review and synthesize scientific literature to support evidence-based decision making by clinicians and consumers and improve health care in the United States.

This is the fourth time OHSU has been awarded an EPC contract. The Oregon Evidence-based Practice Center has operated at OHSU since 1997, bringing in more than $58 million to study effectiveness of medications, devices and health care services. It has produced more than 200 reports.

The contract will come with a new name for the center, as OHSU has added two new partners. The new Pacific Northwest Evidence-based Practice Center at OHSU will include the University of Washington Center for Comparative and Health System Effectiveness Alliance (CHASE Alliance) and Spectrum Research, Inc., of Tacoma, Wash., as partners.

"The EPC award attests to the quality of the work conducted at our EPC over the last 15 years,” said Roger Chou, M.D., who has been the scientific director of the Oregon EPC at OHSU since 2007 and will be the new center's director. Chou is an associate professor in the departments of medical informatics and clinical epidemiology and medicine in the OHSU School of Medicine. “We are excited to be working with our new partners, the University of Washington and Spectrum. This partnership brings together the two pre-eminent academic institutions in the Pacific Northwest with a highly respected technology assessment group and represents our evolution into a truly regional center, the Pacific Northwest EPC."

The nation's EPCs are designated and overseen by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The EPCs review all relevant scientific literature on clinical, behavioral and organizational topics to produce evidence reports and technology assessments. These reports and assessments are then used by federal and state agencies, private sector professional societies, health care providers and others to make health care decisions based on the evidence.

Researchers from OHSU, UW CHASE Alliance and Spectrum Research have investigated a wide range of topics, and the new award means they will continue to evaluate what works and what doesn't in today's complex health care landscape.

"The work that the EPCs do is vital to our health care system," said Marian McDonagh, Pharm.D., associate professor in the OHSU department of medical Informatics and clinical epidemiology and the Pacific Northwest EPC’s associate director. "Because health care is developing and advancing at a rapid pace, we need to continually study the best and most effective treatments and preventive services."

The 10 other EPCs named this month, with contracts through the summer of 2017, are:

BlueCross BlueShield Association, Chicago, Ill.
Brown University, Providence, R.I.
ECRI Institute, Plymouth Meeting, Pa.
The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md.
Kaiser Foundation Research Institute, Oakland, Calif.
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minn.
RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, Calif.
RTI International, Research Triangle Park, N.C.
Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tenn.
University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

OHSU Nurses Celebrate Major Achievement

Thu, 23 Aug 2012 20:22:45 +0000

Cheers erupted in a packed conference room at Oregon Health & Science University this morning as nurses learned that many years of hard work have paid off. Today the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANNC) informed OHSU that it had been awarded Magnet status. The designation is no small achievement. It is only awarded to hospitals that meet the highest standards of patient care. In fact, only about 6 percent of hospitals across the country achieve Magnet status for nursing, including only five hospitals in the entire state of Oregon.

In order to achieve Magnet designation, some 2,200 nurses throughout OHSU, which includes Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, completed several important steps to demonstrate excellent clinical care in OHSU hospitals and clinics, including:

Extensive training over several years to ensure OHSU nurses are utilizing and developing evidence-based practices to care for patients.
The creation and submission of more than 4,000 pages of documentation to illustrate OHSU nurses’ dedication to providing the best possible care.
A rigorous four-day onsite AANC inspection of OHSU hospitals and clinics to witness patient care and professional nursing practices firsthand.

“Achieving Magnet status is a significant and very proud achievement for our nurses and OHSU as a whole,” said Jennifer Jacoby, R.N., M.S.N, N.E.A.-B.C., chief nursing officer for OHSU Healthcare. “Magnet status helps us continue to recruit and retain the best nurses. Magnet status is also tracked by organizations that measure quality of care in hospitals and health systems as it is considered a significant commitment to positive outcomes for patients. This designation can even positively impact the bond rating for institutions as it demonstrates a commitment to excellence.”

“This is an outstanding achievement for OHSU Healthcare,” said OHSU chief medical officer Charles Kilo, M.D. “Most importantly, because it directly impacts the care our patients receive. We’ve known for a long time that our nurses provide some of the best care available. Today’s announcement serves as proof positive.”

Multimedia
Nurses met today’s announcement of OHSU’s new Magnet designation with loud cheers. The moment was captured by OHSU video cameras and is available for download below.

LINK TO DOWNLOADABLE HD VIDEO OF TODAY’S NURSING MAGNET ANNOUNCEMENT

LINK TO A DOWNLOADABLE HD INTERVIEW WITH OHSU’S DEBORAH ELDREDGE, R.N., PH.D., ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF MAGNET STATUS FOR A NURSING PROGRAM

Doernbecher Children’s Hospital Foundation Board Elects New Members

Mon, 27 Aug 2012 16:53:12 +0000

The Doernbecher Children’s Hospital Foundation today announced three new members of its board of directors for 2012. At the board’s June 6 meeting, the following individuals were elected to serve on the board:

Jeff Borlaug, principal and executive vice president, brokerage division, Norris, Beggs & Simpson; and founder of the Brody Borlaug Foundation
Kevin Director, senior vice president, institutional equity sales, D.A. Davidson
Siouxsie Jennett, president/CEO, Mambo Media, Inc.

Annual Oregon Rural Health Conference to focus on physical activity for healthier communities

Thu, 06 Sep 2012 23:21:23 +0000

WHAT: Toni Yancey, M.D., M.P.H., a national leader in promoting physical activity as a means to combat obesity and chronic disease, will be the keynote speaker at this year’s 29th Annual Oregon Rural Health Conference, sponsored by the Oregon Office of Rural Health at Oregon Health & Science University.

Dr. Yancey has worked for years on developing programs to motivate people to get up and move.

"We just aren't really structured to be sitting for such long periods of time, and when we do that, our body just kind of goes into shutdown," Yancey says.

The threat of childhood obesity to the health of our children and the health of our nation has never been greater. For the first time in our history, the United States is raising a generation of children who may live sicker, shorter lives than their parents.

Yancey is co-director of the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Equity at the University of California, Los Angeles. She is a a basketball enthusiast, poet, and author of more than 100 scientific publications and the book “Instant Recess, Building a Fit Nation.”

WHEN: Wednesday, Oct. 24, through Friday, Oct. 26, 2012

WHERE: Salishan Resort, 7760 Highway 101 North, Gleneden Beach, OR

DETAILS: Registration and agenda information can be found on the Oregon Office of Rural Health website.

OHSU research helps explain why an AIDS vaccine has been so difficult to develop

Sun, 09 Sep 2012 20:26:09 +0000

For decades, a successful HIV vaccine has been the Holy Grail for researchers around the globe. Yet despite years of research and millions of dollars of investment, that goal has still yet to be achieved. Recent research by Oregon Health & Science University scientists explains a decades-old mystery as to why slightly weakened versions of the monkey AIDS virus were able to prevent subsequent infection with the fully virulent strain, but were too risky for human use, and why severely compromised or completely inactivated versions of the virus were not effective at all.

The research was conducted at OHSU’s Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute and is published online in the journal Nature Medicine.

Traditionally, there have been two methods for creating vaccines to combat infectious disease. The first approach utilizes a live, yet weakened strain of the disease in question. This weakened strain is not strong enough to cause illness yet potent enough to activate the immune system so that it can detect and fight a disease if it enters the body in the future. The second approach makes use of a dead form of the disease. As with the other approach, the introduction of the disease in a safe form educates and prepares the body for a possible future invasion.

In the early 1990s, a slightly weakened version of SIV, the monkey counterpart to HIV, was shown to protect monkeys for infection with the fully virulent version, but this weakened version was still able to cause AIDS in some monkeys and the protection was lost if the vaccine virus was further weakened.

“Efforts to develop a live attenuated virus are analogous to the tale of ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears,’” explained Louis Picker, M.D., associate director of the OHSU Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute. “The field was looking for a vaccine that was ‘not too hot,’ or ‘not too cold,’ but ‘just right.’ The problem was that it appears that weakening a virus to the level that is ‘just right’ is impossible. However, we thought that understanding the mechanism responsible for the protection afforded by the too-dangerous-for clinical-use attenuated vaccine would allow us to design a vaccine that would be both effective and safe”.

The newly published research shows that the protection is due to anti-viral T cells maintained in lymphoid tissue by persistent live attenuated virus; weakening the virus prevents this persistence and curtails protection. Thus, unlike most vaccines, an effective HIV vaccine might have to persist in the body to be effective.

Picker’s group has developed another persistent virus named cytomegalovirus (CMV) engineered to express SIV or HIV proteins and serve as the transport system (vector) used to raise protective immune responses against these AIDS-causing viruses. In May 2011, the Picker lab published findings that demonstrated how immune responses elicited by their vaccine candidate were able to completely control SIV in a significant number of exposed animals.

CMV is a persistent virus that most people carry, causes few or no symptoms, and elicits very strong cellular responses that are maintained for life. These immune responses are characterized by a type of T cell called an effector memory T cell that has potent anti-viral function and localizes in the same tissues targeted by the AIDS-causing viruses. Picker and his team hypothesize that CMV vector-generated anti-HIV responses would be constantly on the alert for HIV and would be able to intercept and stop HIV infection immediately after exposure.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative and the National Institutes of Health funded this research.

OHSU has licensed technology to the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative of which Dr. Picker is an inventor. The technology is used in this research. This potential conflict of interest has been reviewed and managed by OHSU.

‘Humanized’ mice developed at Oregon Health & Science University enable malaria research breakthrough at Seattle Biomedical Research Institute

Mon, 10 Sep 2012 17:23:23 +0000

A novel human liver-chimeric mouse model developed at Oregon Health & Science University and Yecuris Corporation has made possible a research breakthrough at Seattle Biomedical Research Institute that will greatly accelerate studies of the most lethal forms of human malaria.

The study findings are published online in the Journal of Clinical Investigation. Study photos were selected to appear in “Scientific Show Stoppers” on the JCI blog.

Plasmodium falciparum, one of two human-specific malaria parasites, is a global health crisis, causing more than 216 million new infections annually and resulting in an estimated 655,000 deaths, according to the World Health Organization.

Sporozoites, the infectious form of the parasite, are spread to people through the bites of infected mosquitos and multiply in the human liver during the initial stages of infection. There, they undergo liver stage development, culminating in the formation and release of tens of thousands of merozoites, the parasitic phase of development that infects red blood cells.

Until now, there have been few data on human malaria liver stage biology due to the lack of a viable small animal model and because liver stage P. falciparum does not grow well in a dish. Consequently, most research and therapeutics to date have targeted the human blood stage of P. falciparum’s development because it replicates well in culture.

The liver-to-blood stage of P. falciparum is the focus of this research because the parasite is virtually harmless, causing no disease symptoms, prior to its transition to the blood stage.

In this study, researchers at Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, Yecuris Corporation, Oregon Health & Science University and The Rockefeller University have demonstrated that a complete liver-to-blood stage infection of P. falciparum is possible using a unique immunocompromised mouse model engrafted with human liver-chimeric cells.

The mouse model, termed the FRG^TM KO mouse, was developed by paper co-author and internationally accomplished stem cell researcher Markus Grompe, M.D., in the Papé Family Pediatric Research Institute, a research arm of Oregon Health & Science University Doernbecher Children’s Hospital.

In 2007 the technology was licensed to Yecuris Corporation, a biotechnology company that now produces the model and human hepatocytes on a commercial scale. As a result of this work, the FRG^TM KO mouse now will be used to study new drug interventions, parasite attenuation and innate immune responses to P. falciparum liver stage infection.

The scientists also report that through the infection of the FRG^TM KO mouse model, they were able to observe a previously unknown expression of proteins in liver stage development in humans that may be exploited for intervention. Equally important, they say, the FRG^TM KO mouse could well provide unique opportunities for the study of another severe form of human malaria, Plasmodium vivax.

“These breakthroughs are remarkable and highlight OHSU and Yecuris’ contributions to local biotechnology and research breakthroughs globally. The next generation mouse model we’re developing will have a human immune system that will allow us to test not just drugs, but vaccines, which has never been done for parasitic diseases,” said Grompe, Ray Hickey Chair and Director of the Papé Family Pediatric Research Institute, OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital; and professor of pediatrics, and molecular and medical genetics, OHSU School of Medicine.

Grompe founded Yecuris Corporation in 2007 and is a shareholder. John Bial, who joined Yecuris in 2009, is president and chief executive officer.

“The extensive collaborative relationships and risk-taking involved in planning and executing this research is a testament to the tireless dedication of these teams to solving one of the globe's oldest killers. It also highlights how private and public funding can come together effectively to address critical challenges in global health,” said Bial.

“This first demonstration of the newly developed dual humanized FRG^TM KO system is a good introduction to the kinds of translational medicine benefits that we can expect to see from these technologies. We anticipate that the next frontier for these systems will be as platforms for human vaccine development and validation, which may very likely first be tested in the area of malaria,” Bial explained.

Investigators who contributed to this work include: Stefan Kappe, Ashley Vaughan, Sebastian Mikolajczak, Alexis Kaushansky, Nelly Camargo, Seattle Biomedical Research Institute; Elizabeth Wilson, John Bial, Yecuris Corporation; Markus Grompe, Papé Family Pediatric Research Institute, Oregon Stem Cell Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Doernbecher Children’s Hospital; and Alexander Ploss, Center for the Study of Hepatitis C, The Rockefeller University.

Today’s JCI study, “Complete Plasmodium falciparum liver stage development in liver-chimeric mice,” was funded by grants to the Seattle Biomedical Research Institute from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (OPP1016829) and the Department of Defense (W81XWH?11?2?0184).

The Oregon Health & Science University research leading to the development of the FRG^TM KO mouse was funded by the National Institutes of Health and the The Oregon Opportunity fund.

ABOUT OHSU

Oregon Health & Science University is the state’s only health and research university. With more than 1,100 principal investigators working on 4,500 basic science and applied research projects, our breakthroughs lead to new cures, new standards of care and a better understanding of the basic science that drives biomedical discovery. OHSU serves patients from every corner of the state, is a conduit for learning for more than 4,000 students and trainees, and is the source of more than 200 community outreach programs that bring health and education services to each county in the state.

ABOUT YECURIS

Portland, Ore.-based Yecuris Corporation was formed in April 2007 to commercialize transgenic mouse technology that was developed in the lab of Dr. Markus Grompe at the Oregon Health & Science University. The FAH(null) / RAG2(null) / IL2RG(null) (FRG^TM) mice were originally developed to explore pathways for Hereditary Tyrosinemia Type 1 (HT1), an often fatal pediatric disease. Based in part on support from the Grompe lab and the Yecuris^TM mouse, medications have been developed to aid in the treatment of this disease.

ABOUT SEATTLE BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE

Seattle BioMed is the largest independent, non-profit organization in the U.S. focused solely on infectious disease research. Our research is the foundation for new drugs, vaccines and diagnostics that benefit those who need our help most: the 14 million who will otherwise die each year from infectious diseases, including malaria, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis. Founded in 1976, Seattle BioMed has nearly 400 staff members. By partnering with key collaborators around the globe, we ensure that our discoveries will save lives sooner.

Grateful family leaves more than $10 million to support OHSU

Mon, 10 Sep 2012 18:01:09 +0000

The estate of Garthe and Grace Brown designated more than $10 million to benefit OHSU’s groundbreaking heart research. The Garthe Brown and Grace L. Brown Fund II was established through the Oregon Community Foundation and will support OHSU’s cardiac research in perpetuity. The Brown’s long-standing philanthropic support of OHSU was first inspired by the exceptional care their son received at OHSU.

“The Browns’ generous investment will ensure that OHSU’s innovative cardiac research will benefit patients for many generations to come,” said Constance French, interim president of the OHSU Foundation. “Grateful patients and their families account for a significant percentage of estate gifts made to OHSU — even when the experience took place years or decades prior to the gift.”

OHSU’s heart research is led by pioneers in the field, physician-scientists dedicated to translating what’s learned in the laboratory into treatments that can immediately benefit patients. More than 5 million cardiac patients around the world have undergone an extraordinary, non-invasive diagnostic procedure pioneered by Sanjiv Kaul, M.D., head of OHSU’s Division of Cardiovascular Medicine. Microbubble-based myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) detects heart attacks that other methods miss, and sends patients home who don’t need hospital care. This revolutionary technology saves lives every day.

Albert Starr, M.D., a distinguished professor in OHSU’s Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, invented the first artificial heart valve, which transformed survival rates for people with heart disease. OHSU researchers are also making important strides in understanding the genetic underpinnings of cardiac disease, developing new drugs that protect against stroke, and repairing heart defects in babies still in the womb.

“We still have so much more to learn about preventing and treating heart disease — it kills more Americans every year than all forms of cancer combined. With dedicated philanthropic partners like the Brown family, OHSU can continue to innovate — and bring heart disease under control,” said Kaul.

While the new fund will support cardiac research at OHSU, an earlier gift from the Brown’s estate established the Garthe and Grace L. Brown Lecture in Heart Disorders. The lecture series will debut this spring, bringing in experts from all over the world to share the latest advances in preventing heart failure.

Both gifts will be realized through perpetual endowments made by the Browns through the Oregon Community Foundation (OCF). OCF serves Oregon donors as a trusted charitable partner, and has connected hundreds of donors over the years with OHSU causes that match their personal giving interests.

Study finds Gingko biloba does not improve cognition in MS patients

Thu, 13 Sep 2012 20:34:47 +0000

Many people with multiple sclerosis for years have taken the natural supplement Gingko biloba, believing it helps them with cognitive problems associated with the disease.

But the science now says otherwise. A new study published in the journal Neurology says Gingko biloba does not improve cognitive performance in people with multiple sclerosis. The research was published in the Sept. 5, 2012, issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
The current study was a more extensive look at the question after a smaller 2005 pilot study suggested there might have been some cognitive benefits in MS patients using the supplement. That study found that Gingko seemed to improve attention in MS patients with cognitive impairment.

But the larger follow-up study, conducted with patients at the Portland and Seattle Veterans Affairs medical centers, found no cognitive benefits to using Gingko.

“It’s important for scientists to continue to analyze what might help people with cognitive issues relating to their MS," said Jesus Lovera, M.D., the study's lead author, a former fellow at the Portland VA Medical Center and former instructor in Oregon Health & Science University's Department of Neurology, where he did much of the work on the study. Lovera is now with the Department of Neurology at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center.

"We wanted to follow up on the earlier findings that suggested there may be some benefit. But we believe this larger study settles the question: Gingko simply doesn't improve cognitive performance with MS patients," said Lovera.

About one-half of people with MS will develop cognitive problems, and those cognitive problems can be debilitating in some people, said Dennis Bourdette, M.D., a co-author of the study, co-director of the VA MS Center of Excellence-West at the Portland VA Medical Center and chairman of the OHSU Department of Neurology. The most common problems relate to memory, attention and concentration, and information processing.

There is no known treatment that can improve cognition with MS patients — which is partly why MS patients and researchers had hoped that Gingko biloba could help.

Lovera was also the lead author in the 2005 study, conducted at OHSU. That study included 39 participants who were given Gingko biloba or a placebo. The new study included 120 participants given Gingko or a placebo.

The study was supported by a grant from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Rehabilitation Research and Development Service.

OHSU Doernbecher nurse honored for work caring for children at the end of life

Thu, 13 Sep 2012 22:28:45 +0000

Caring for seriously ill children and their families is difficult work – something most people hope they never have to face. But for OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital nurse practitioner Kathy Perko, it’s a calling.

Perko, the director of the Bridges Palliative Care Program at OHSU Doernbecher, was selected to receive a Sojourns Award from the Cambia Health Foundation. The award recognizes leadership and innovation in the field of palliative and end-of-life care. It also comes with a $50,000 grant, which Perko plans to donate to the Bridges program at OHSU Doernbecher.

“Pediatric palliative care is a very specialized field, and there are few people who do it as well as Kathy does,” said Peggy Maguire, Cambia Health Foundation board chair. “What the Sojourns Award really recognizes, however, is Kathy’s commitment to sharing her expertise with others so that more children have access to the care they need at the end of life.”

In 2001, Perko and her team at OHSU Doernbecher started the first organized palliative care program in Oregon for children with cancer. As time passed, she worked to expand the program to support all children with life-limiting illnesses, and in 2005 the Bridges Palliative Care Program was born. Now Perko has started partnering with hospices around Oregon to help them better care for seriously ill children in their communities. She’s also in the process of starting a pediatric palliative care telehealth program to continue caring for children after they leave the hospital.

As one of her award nominators said, “Work in the pediatric ICU is unfortunately fraught with all too many tragic stories. Families are faced with issues and decisions that no one should ever have to consider for their child. In these times, Kathy has time and again provided families with the care, support and services that are so critical.”

ABOUT OHSU DOERNBECHER CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL

* U.S. News & World Report 2012-13 Best Children's Hospitals

** Children's Hospital Association (formerly the National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions)

ABOUT CAMBIA HEALTH FOUNDATION

Cambia Health Foundation is the corporate foundation of Cambia Health Solutions, a total health solutions company dedicated to transforming the way people experience the health care system. A 501(c)3 grantmaking organization, the foundation partners with organizations to create a more person-focused and economically sustainable health care system. Through its Sojourns program, the foundation also works to enhance quality, improve access, advance innovation and facilitate conversations about palliative care and end-of-life issues. For more information, visit http://cambiahealthfoundation.org/ or www.twitter.com/cambiahealthfdn.

The Cambia Health Foundation was previously The Regence Foundation. It recently changed its name to more accurately reflect the name of its parent company, Cambia Health Solutions, Inc.

OHSU Biomedical Engineers develop technique to determine the weight of particles so small, you need a microscope to see them

Fri, 14 Sep 2012 17:01:19 +0000

Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) have developed a technique that, similar to a carnival barker at the circus, can determine weight based on appearance. Today, an article outlining the technique was published in the Physical Review Letters, a premier journal in the physics field. The results of the article will pave the way for microscope users to perform mass measurements on a cellular level.

The optical imaging technique, called tomographic bright field imaging (TBFI) could be applied in various scientific research settings and has the potential to directly impact blood cell research in cancer patients, explained Owen McCarty, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering in the OHSU School of Medicine and research member at the Knight Cancer Institute.

The study was led by Kevin Phillips, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow in the OHSU Department of Biomedical Engineering; and included Steven Jacques, Ph.D., professor, OHSU Department of Biomedical Engineering.

“TBFI could play a significant role in personalized cancer treatment,” said McCarty, who is the senior author of the article. “It utilizes certain metrics to measure cell mass. So for instance, it could be used to monitor growth dynamics and gauge the progression of a patient’s battle with cancer over time.”

TBFI applies a complex algorithm to analyze how light passes through a cell and combines those data – called the refractive index – with the cell’s dimensions and volume, resulting in a three-dimensional view of the cell’s mass. These data can be gathered through the use of a common microscope, the variety that can be found in any standard biology lab. Until now, these measurements have relied on custom-built instruments, complex mathematical analysis and the use of ‘biomarkers’ such as a stain or protein injected into the cell that makes it easier to see through a microscope.

The image above shows a TBFI reconstruction of refractive index and dry mass density of red blood cells. (a) Red blood cells as seen through the commonly used light microscope, (b) refractive index map of red blood cells computed using TBFI, (c) mass density map of red blood cells.

The TBFI technique could also benefit other scientific research from environmental toxicology to microbiology to botany, as it will help scientists measure cellular specimens related to environmental changes over time.

The study was supported, in part, by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), through grant numbers U54CA143906 and P30CA069533.

OHSU holds prescription drop-off event to assist Northwest residents in safely disposing of their old/expired medications

Mon, 17 Sep 2012 21:27:54 +0000

Any member of the Oregon Poison Center will tell you, when you have unwanted or expired medications in the house, disasters can occur from accidents to addictions. But how does one safely and responsibly get rid of old pharmaceuticals? Oregon Health & Science University hopes to help.

OHSU will hold a free prescription drop-off event this Saturday, September 29 for the Portland-Metro community to safely dispose of unwanted or expired medications. The event, in collaboration with OHSU’s Pharmacy, Poison Control and Public Safety departments, is being held to promote safety and reduce the chance of accidental poisonings/addictions in the Northwest. To take part, residents simply need to drop off their unwanted medications to the Emergency Department. Medications can be dropped off with no questions asked.

Event details:
When: Saturday, September 29
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Where: OHSU’s Emergency Department
3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road

During the event, volunteers from the Pharmacy department and OHSU’s Poison Center will be on hand to answer any questions you may have. Plus, the Portland Aerial Tram will be free of charge for those with medications to discard during the drop off period; just tell one of the tram operators to ensure a free round-trip!

The federal Drug Enforcement Agency will safely dispose of all the collected prescription drugs.

Historic gift from Phil and Penny Knight establishes institute for cardiovascular research and care at OHSU

Mon, 17 Sep 2012 23:16:34 +0000

Oregon Health & Science University today announced a transformational gift of $125 million from Nike co-founder and Chairman Phil Knight and his wife Penny to advance OHSU’s world-class programs in cardiovascular medicine and research.

Click here to watch the announcement event

LINKS TO MULTIMEDIA

Photos from announcement event, September 17, 2012

Video of 2012 Hatfield Lecture of Dr. Albert Starr

Interview with Drs. Albert Starr and Sanjiv Kaul on The OHSU Effect radio show

The gift is the largest in OHSU history and may likely be the largest private contribution ever made by living donors to benefit a single Oregon organization. It is the Knights’ second landmark gift to OHSU, following a 2008 pledge of $100 million that advanced the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute.

OHSU leaders said the gift will establish the OHSU Cardiovascular Institute, an integrated center for translational research, clinical care, professional training and outreach in all aspects of heart and vascular disease. The institute’s mission: to accelerate new prevention, diagnostic and treatment strategies being developed in the laboratory and transition them into patient care clinics as rapidly as possible. Under the umbrella of a multidisciplinary institute, OHSU will pair researchers and clinicians together on projects while also building strategic partnerships with pharmaceutical and medical device developers who can extend OHSU’s unique expertise to more patients through the global commercial marketplace.

“Phil and Penny Knight have made a gift to all Oregonians,” said OHSU President Joe Robertson, M.D., M.B.A. “OHSU is proud to have once again earned their trust as a partner in creating a healthier Oregon and a healthier world. Phil and Penny share our confidence that we can finally reduce the many, many preventable deaths each year due to cardiovascular disease by innovating, collaborating and educating.”

CARDIOVASCULAR INSTITUTE LEADERS
Legendary Oregon heart surgeon and Lasker Award winner Albert Starr, M.D., will co-direct the OHSU Cardiovascular Institute with cardiovascular imaging pioneer Sanjiv Kaul, M.D., head of OHSU’s Division of Cardiovascular Medicine. The gift will give Starr and Kaul immediate leverage in recruiting and retaining additional national/international-caliber faculty in high-impact areas. It will also assist them in acquiring new scientific capabilities that will drive discovery in cardiovascular health as well as stroke, cancer, neurological disorders, immunodeficiency, diabetes and other diseases.

Originally arriving at OHSU in 1958, Starr performed Oregon’s first open-heart surgeries and performed the state’s first heart transplant. He is best known internationally for co-inventing and implanting the world’s first artificial human heart valve in 1960. His innovation with engineer Lowell Edwards transformed the treatment of valvular heart disease. It also changed the landscape of the medical device industry, giving rise to an entirely new product niche for valve replacement products.

Kaul, who joined OHSU from the University of Virginia in 2005, led the development of microbubble-based myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE), an emerging imaging technique. MCE can diagnose heart attacks with new levels of precision and reduce unnecessary hospitalizations by distinguishing life-threatening cardiac events from false alarms. He received the 2012 Distinguished Scientist Award from the American College of Cardiology for his innovations.

“Penny and I are pleased to help upgrade cardiovascular health in Oregon and around the world. Drs. Starr and Kaul have built a great program in research, care and outreach, and we are excited about what it can contribute to the fight against these deadly diseases,” said Phil Knight.

As a high-level collaboration between a heart surgeon and a cardiologist, the leadership duo of Starr and Kaul is emblematic of the Institute’s mandate to break down barriers to success. “We don’t aspire to be the largest Cardiovascular Institute in the nation,” said Kaul. “We are in a perfect position to become what we do want to be: the world’s premier translational cardiovascular research institute.”

Starr said such an institute would help to close what he calls the “translational gap” in cardiovascular innovation. “We know from personal experience that the most meaningful innovations happen when clinicians and researchers work together across disciplines to solve big problems. That idea will be hard-wired into the culture of this institute.”

With the Knights’ support, Starr and Kaul will be able to move forward on a vision they have been crafting together for more than a year. The goal is to build a comprehensive assault on cardiovascular disease that spans the entire health care spectrum – from prevention to transplantation to tissue regeneration – and encompasses the full continuum of biomedical science – from basic discovery to clinical research to drug and device development. The directors are working closely with Robertson and other university leaders to prioritize programs and develop an initial institute strategic plan.

“With this gift, together with their historic support of the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, the Knights are changing the game against the two deadliest and most intractable public health problems of our time. We are grateful for this opportunity to team up with these incredible champions of human health,” said Constance French, interim president of the OHSU Foundation.

ABOUT OHSU

Oregon Health & Science University is a nationally prominent research university and Oregon’s only public academic health center. It serves patients throughout the region with a Level 1 trauma center and nationally recognized Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. OHSU operates dental, medical, nursing and pharmacy schools that rank high both in research funding and in fulfilling the university’s social mission. OHSU’s Knight Cancer Institute helped pioneer personalized medicine through a discovery that identified how to shut down cells that enable cancer to grow without harming healthy ones. Research through the OHSU Brain Institute ranks fourth in the country for National Institutes of Health funding in the neurosciences. OHSU’s Casey Eye Institute is ranked second in NIH funding for eye research and is a global leader in ophthalmic imaging and in clinical trials related to eye disease.

ABOUT THE OHSU FOUNDATION

ABOUT CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE AND STROKE

(Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

In 2008, more than 616,000 people died of heart disease. Heart disease caused almost 25 percent of deaths—almost one in every four—in the United States.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. More than half of the deaths due to heart disease in 2008 were in men.
Coronary heart disease is the most common type of heart disease. In 2008, 405,309 people died from coronary heart disease.
Every year about 785,000 Americans have a first coronary attack. Another 470,000 who have already had one or more coronary attacks have another attack.
In 2010, coronary heart disease alone was projected to cost the United States $108.9 billion. This total includes the cost of health care services, medications, and lost productivity.
Someone in the United States has a stroke every 40 seconds. Every four minutes someone dies of stroke.
Every year, about 795,000 people in the United States have a stroke. About 610,000 of these are first or new strokes. About 185,000 people who survive a stroke go on to have another.
Ischemic strokes, which occur when blood clots block the blood vessels to the brain, are the most common type of stroke, representing about 87 percent of all strokes.
In 2010, stroke cost the United States an estimated $53.9 billion. This total includes the cost of health care services, medications, and missed days of work.
Stroke is a leading cause of serious long-term disability.

OHSU Casey Eye Institute inventor earns international award for advances in eye imaging

Tue, 18 Sep 2012 16:36:09 +0000

A physician-scientist and noted inventor at Oregon Health & Science University Casey Eye Institute (CEI) is one of six scientists in the world to receive the largest scientific and humanitarian prize in the field of vision research, the António Champalimaud Vision Award.

David Huang, M.D., Ph.D., a professor of ophthalmology at OHSU Casey Eye Institute, was honored for co-inventing an imaging tool called optical coherence tomography (OCT) that has revolutionized the field of ophthalmology. Huang received the award at a ceremony in Lisbon, Portugal.

“OCT is the most commonly used eye imaging test in the management of the leading causes of blindness today: macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma. I am proud to be a key contributor to the technology that is preserving vision for people around the world,” Huang said.

OCT was first developed in 1990 at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard Medical School when James Fujimoto, Ph.D., professor of electrical engineering and computer science, asked Huang to build an interferometer to measure the thickness of the cornea and retina. Low-coherence interference methodology is the basis of high-depth resolution of OCT.

During the experiment, it became clear to Huang that OCT had potential far greater than just measuring thickness. He surmised, and later demonstrated, that OCT could create 3-D cross-sectional images of the eye, enabling clinicians and scientists to view the many layers of its microstructure. Today OCT is recognized as the most important diagnostic advance in the history of ophthalmology since the invention of the ophthalmoscope in the 1850s.

The original Science article on OCT, first published in 1991, compared its superior high resolution, noninvasive aspects with “performing histology without taking tissue any out of the body.” The paper since has been cited in more than more than 5,000 journal articles.

Huang and his colleagues at OHSU CEI continue to revolutionize the diagnosis and monitoring of retinal diseases. A recent innovation in OCT angiography and blood flow measurement makes possible the measuring of retinal and optic nerve function in glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and other important diseases.

“Seeing the blood flow in many layers of the retina is incredibly important because the most important causes of blindness in the world are due to abnormal blood circulation,” Huang said.

Huang’s current research at OHSU CEI also expands the clinical use of OCT in glaucoma and anterior eye surgery.

The 2012 Champalimaud Vision Award is shared by: Fujimoto; Huang; Carmen Puliafito, M.D., M.B.A., dean and professor of ophthalmology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California; Joel Schuman, M.D., Eye and Ear Foundation Professor and Chairman of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine; Eric Swanson, M.S., Massachusetts Institute of Technology; and David Williams, University of Rochester Institute of Optics, Center for Visual Science.

OHSU announces Marquam Hill Lecture Series for 2012-13

Tue, 18 Sep 2012 16:37:06 +0000

WHAT

Related Info

Make a reservation

Email or call
503 494-0768
for more information.

WHEN

Thursdays at 7:30 p.m.

WHERE

OHSU Auditorium (Old Library building)
3181 S.W. Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239

LECTURES

Thursday, October 18, 2012 – Unraveling Addiction Using Behavioral Genetics

Tamara Phillips, Ph.D., professor of behavioral neuroscience in the OHSU School of Medicine and a senior research career scientist at the Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center

The effects of substance abuse can cause some people to engage in harmful behavior to feed their addiction, resulting in a vicious cycle of dependency and destruction. This effect of drug and alcohol use occurs more intensely in some people than in others and OHSU scientists are working to unravel the mystery of how – and why – this compulsion develops. Dr. Phillips, an award-winning researcher, analyzes addiction on a genetic level to determine the behavioral traits that influence alcoholism and drug abuse. In her presentation, Dr. Phillips will explain this fascinating body of research and share the potential therapies that may arise from it.

Thursday, November 15, 2012 –Thinking Outside the Box to Treat Late-Stage Cancer

Melissa Wong, Ph.D., associate professor of dermatology and cell and developmental biology, a researcher in the Oregon Stem Cell Center and a member of the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute

Recent advances in cancer treatment are saving lives. Unfortunately, treating the metastatic spread of cancer – the last and least understood phase of the disease – has seen little progress. Dr. Wong’s goal is to track down and stop cancer cells before they turn deadly. Her research has pointed her toward an intriguing mechanism for explaining how cancer cells gain the ability to spread to other sites in the body. Dr. Wong’s presentation will focus on the search for the elusive triggers that spark cancer cells’ aggressive behavior and explain how this information may help shape new life-saving treatments for late-stage cancer.

Thursday, February 21, 2013 – Vaccination Nation? Separating Fact from Fiction

Mark Slifka, Ph.D., professor of molecular microbiology and immunology and senior scientist at the OHSU Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute and Oregon National Primate Research Center

Vaccines have been tremendously successful in protecting us from deadly diseases like smallpox, measles and polio. Ironically, the longer the track record of success, the greater the mistrust from society; people begin to fear the vaccine more than the disease. What’s behind this trend? Dr. Slifka, who has been studying vaccines for more than 15 years, suggests people have a physiological ceiling for vaccine immunity. His research may argue for a shift in the current revaccination schedule for millions of Americans. It also discredits the recent media hype about the danger of vaccinations. Dr. Slifka’s presentation will focus on the science behind vaccines and provide the tools for making informed decisions for your family.

Thursday, March 21, 2013 – Creating a Google Map of Cancer?

Joe Gray, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Biomedical Engineering, associate director for translational research in the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute and director of the OHSU Center for Spatial Systems Biomedicine

Imagine being able to visualize every twist and turn of cancer as it progresses throughout the human body – and knowing just when and how to stop it. Using powerful, advanced imaging technologies that illustrate cells, tissues and structural details across time, OHSU scientists are assembling the “Google map” of cancer and other diseases. Dr. Gray, an internationally known physicist and member of the Institute of Medicine, will speak about how he and colleagues are working to catapult healthcare far into the 21st century with four-dimensional medicine (three spatial dimensions and time). His presentation will focus on how assembling the right experts, technology, funding and strategy will revolutionize cancer care right here in Oregon.

About the Marquam Hill Lecture Series

The Marquam Hill Lecture Series is a public service honoring the memory of Elizabeth N. Gray, founder of the Marquam Hill Steering Committee. It is presented by the Marquam Hill Steering Committee, the OHSU Foundation and the OHSU School of Medicine. Support is provided by Thompson Rubinstein Investment Management Inc.

About OHSU

New report highlights success of Oregon’s groundbreaking POLST program

Wed, 19 Sep 2012 18:52:40 +0000

A new national report out this fall highlights the success of the Physicians Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment (POLST) program and, more specifically, the program’s most recent collaboration. The report, titled Pathways to POLST Registry Development: Lessons Learned, will be released Monday, Oct. 1, and highlights the use of POLST registries to ensure that medical orders are available in a time of crisis. The report is being published by the POLST Paradigm Task Force, which guides states as they develop their own programs.

Oregon health care professionals created POLST two decades ago in an effort to ensure the wishes of those with advanced illness or frailty are followed. The program's key component is a bright pink medical order form that provides clear instruction about the patient's treatment preferences to health professionals, such as paramedics and emergency room physicians, when a patient cannot communicate these wishes themselves.

The form allows patients to request or refuse certain measures such as CPR or intensive care. In the past 20 years, POLST programs have been adopted or are in development in 43 states across the country to improve communication between patients and families and all of the health care professionals caring for them.

The latest innovation of POLST programs nationwide has been the development of POLST registries. These are secure electronic databases that provide 24/7 access to these medical orders for emergency medical providers in a time of crisis when patient is unable to communicate for him/herself.

Here are a few highlights from the report and additional sources:

More than 100,000 forms have been entered into the Oregon POLST Registry since launch in December 2009.
On average, the registry receives 3,500 to 4,000 new POLST forms per month.
Since its launch, the registry has received more than 1,500 calls from hospitals and emergency medical providers.
About half of those calls (47 percent) are coming from Oregon emergency physicians throughout the state.
The remaining calls come from emergency medical responders (34 percent) and acute care units (17 percent).
Every county in the state of Oregon participates in the POLST program.
Every hospital, hospice program, and nursing facility in the state participates in the POLST program.

The report also contains information about other states that have created or are considering registries or other electronic POLST solutions, including West Virginia, Idaho, Utah, New York, Washington and California.

“The creation of the POLST program itself was revolutionary,” said Dana Zive, senior scholar with the OHSU Center for Ethics in Health Care and author of the report. “Once we learned that up to 25 percent of the time POLST forms were not immediately available, the next logical step was to build a registry. We remain surprised by how quickly the registry has expanded to better serve patients who enroll in the program.”

“The Oregon registry has helped West Virginia develop its registry every step of the way,” said Alvin (Woody) Moss, director of West Virginia's POLST program, and contributing editor for the report. “Oregon has generously shared policies, procedures and lessons learned. Oregon has done the hard conceptual work. Other states like West Virginia will benefit from their pioneering efforts.”

More info about the Oregon POLST registry

The Oregon POLST registry was created and funded by the Oregon Legislature through the passage of House Bill 2009 on July 1, 2009. The legislation created the registry within the Oregon Health Authority (OHA). The registry is contractually operated for the OHA by the Department of Emergency Medicine at OHSU.

Battling Parkinson’s disease: ‘keep moving’ and fight it with attitude

Wed, 19 Sep 2012 18:57:26 +0000

Carol Clupny, diagnosed with Parkinson's disease four years ago, has a slogan she repeats often.

“I have Parkinson's — but Parkinson's doesn't have me," she says.

Clupny, a retired speech pathologist from Hermiston, Ore., proves that every day. And she especially proved that this past summer, when she walked almost 400 miles over five weeks on the famous Camino de Santiago pilgrimage trail in Spain. Clupny walked the trail to raise money for Oregon Health & Science University's Parkinson Center of Oregon, where she is a patient. But she also walked the trail to define her battle against Parkinson's.

"Part of it was to show myself that I can keep moving and be part of something big," she says. "I want to be encouraging to other people with Parkinson's -- that you can set a goal and attain it."

That sort of attitude is important in battling the disease, say Parkinson's experts. And fostering that sort of attitude will be among the topics that Parkinson's experts will speak about at the Parkinson Center of Oregon's 29th annual Parkinson's disease symposium Saturday, Sept. 22, in Portland.

“Carol’s passion and energy for improving her own situation and helping others with Parkinson's at the same time is inspirational," says Jay Nutt, M.D., co-founder and director of the Parkinson Center of Oregon. "She also represents the positive attitude that will be presented by our speakers at the symposium. How one approaches the disease mentally and emotionally can make a great difference in how the disease affects your daily life."

Clupny will attend the symposium along with what is expected to be another 400 or more people -- most of them people with Parkinson's or people who care for them.

Among the symposium speakers will be Sierra Farris, a physician assistant and the director of medical fitness and the neuroperformance program at the Movement & Neuroperformance Center of Colorado in Englewood. Farris just led a group of people with Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis on a climb of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa. She will speak about "redefining Parkinson's one step at a time."

The symposium's keynote speaker will be Vivek Unni, M.D., Ph.D., an assistant professor of neurology at OHSU and the newest member of the Parkinson Center of Oregon. Unni will talk about his research into Parkinson's and how learning more about how the disease impacts the brain might lead to better treatments. The symposium will also include an "ask the experts" panel and a breakout discussion of people who are caregivers for people with Parkinson's.

“The symposium is a place where people, families, and health care professionals can learn from the experts about the latest treatments and therapies that can help them manage the impact of Parkinson’s disease," says Julie Carter, R.N., M.S., A.N.P., co-founder and associate director of the Parkinson Center. "But it is also a place where people with Parkinson's can be accepted, understood and inspired by others -- and can be an inspiration to others. All of this helps people keep facing down this disease."

The Parkinson's disease symposium will be held from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Red Lion Jantzen Beach at 909 N. Hayden Island Dr.

About OHSU

World's only 'Great Salt Lick' contest set for Sept. 22 in Baker City

Wed, 19 Sep 2012 19:03:38 +0000

Media Alert

WHAT

The 6th annual Great Salt Lick contest/benefit for the Oregon Health & Science University Parkinson Center of Oregon

WHEN

Sept 22, 2012. Food, viewing and judging: 5:30 to 7 p.m.; auction begins at 7 p.m.

WHERE

VAOI Event Center, 1901 Main Street, Baker City, Ore.

DETAILS

The world’s only salt lick contest, The Great Salt Lick, raises money for the Parkinson Center of Oregon. Participants submit “artful” salt blocks licked by cattle or other livestock. More than $1,000 in prize money will be awarded in various categories. Among others, there will be awards for “best poem” and “best song” to go with a submitted salt lick and for the salt lick that looks most like Michael J. Fox (the actor who has Parkinson’s disease).

The salt licks will be auctioned after the contest. In its five years of existence, the Great Salt Lick has raised more than $30,000 for Parkinson’s research and the OHSU Parkinson Center of Oregon. The event’s founder, Whit Deschner of Baker County, has Parkinson’s disease and is a patient of the Parkinson Center of Oregon.

OHSU National Primate Research Center receives another clean bill of health following federal inspection

Thu, 20 Sep 2012 18:24:40 +0000

The latest report follows an inspection of ONPRC facilities and records on September 5 and 6. The one-page report indicates: “No noncompliant items identified during this inspection.” This language is common on USDA reports when a facility is found to have no items requiring correction. The primate center has a history of receiving reports that are in full compliance with the Animal Welfare Act. A copy of the September 2012 report can be downloaded here. Previous inspection reports are posted online by the primate center and can be found here.

“Our animal care staff members work day in and day out to provide the best possible care for our animals,” said Nancy L. Haigwood, Ph.D., director of the ONPRC. “These reports are third-party confirmation of their excellent work, dedication and compassionate care.”

For more information about ONPRC’s research breakthroughs and animal care practices, click here.

ABOUT ONPRC

Distinguished scientific expert on aging and longevity to speak at OHSU’s Second Annual Healthy Aging Conference

Wed, 26 Sep 2012 17:44:40 +0000

Oregon Health & Science University’s Healthy Aging Alliance will hold its Second Annual Healthy Aging conference, The Science and Art of Healthy Aging, at the Portland Art Museum on October 10, 2012. The conference will feature a keynote address by one of America’s most recognized experts on aging and longevity, Dr. Walter Bortz II, M.D.

Highly sought after for speaking engagements and guest appearances, Dr. Bortz is a Clinical Professor of Medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine. He has received numerous awards, authored or co-authored seven books on longevity and holds leadership positions with several medical foundations and boards.

Event details

When:  October 10, 2012
            Registration begins at 12:30 p.m.
              Program from 1:00 to 6:00 p.m.

Where: Portland Art Museum
1219 Southwest Park Avenue
Portland, OR 97205

Registration: Cost for the half-day conference is $15.
Additional details and registration

The conference is being held in conjunction with OHSU’s 125th Anniversary, Body Beautiful Everlasting, and the Portland Art Museum’s The Body Beautiful Exhibit, which features ancient Greek and Roman sculptures in collaboration with the renowned British Museum. The conference will include scientific panels on sleep, exercise, technology, and other topics, presentations on incorporating art into healthy aging, performances and much more. Those attending the full conference will receive complimentary entrance into The Body Beautiful Exhibit.

For questions regarding registration, please contact Brittany Sale at saleb@ohsu.edu. For questions regarding the conference or the Healthy Aging Alliance, please contact healthyaging@ohsu.edu or 503 494-8913.

For more information, please email Dr. Elizabeth Eckstrom or Dr. Henryk Urbanski.

The 2012 Healthy Aging Conference is proudly sponsored by the Oregon Clinical & Translational Research Institute with support from the Office of Technology Transfer and Business Development, the OHSU Brain Institute and the OHSU Foundation

OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital wins $250,000 research grant from Hyundai Hope on Wheels in honor of National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

Wed, 26 Sep 2012 20:36:52 +0000

Hyundai Hope On Wheels and Portland-area Hyundai Dealers will today award OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital with a $250,000 Hope Grant to support research focused on laying the foundation for the concept of using dasatinib for patients with acute lymphoblastic lymphoma.

OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital is one of 41 recipients of Hope On Wheels’ 2012 Hyundai Hope Grants. In all, $10.25 million will be awarded in grants during the month of September in honor of National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

To improve the odds in the fight for a cure, Hope On Wheels raised its Hyundai Hope Grant award amount this year from $100,000 to $250,000. The month-long program marks Hope On Wheels’ largest research grant donation period to date. It will bring the total amount that the nonprofit has committed to childhood cancer to $57 million since it first began in 1998.

In its third annual September campaign, Hope On Wheels again opened its competitive grant program to all Children’s Oncology Group institutions. Every proposal received was reviewed by Hope On Wheels’ Medical Advisory Committee, comprising leading pediatric oncologists from around the country.

“As a physician-scientist, I have the rare pleasure to take the knowledge we gain in the research lab to advance the care of my patients. Dasatinib, a new drug used in the fight against cancer, has been shown to work very well in a small group of patients with a type of ALL known as Ph+ALL,” said Bill Chang, M.D., Ph.D., principal investigator for the Hope Grant and assistant professor of pediatric hematology/oncology, OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. Dr. Chang also is a member of the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute.

“In collaboration with the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute and the Children’s Oncology Group, we have been able to identify a new group of ALL that may also respond to the medication dasatinib. The essential research that will be funded by Hope on Wheels will establish the foundation to develop this drug in the treatment of a new group of patients with ALL. This has the potential to increase the types of patients with ALL to respond to treatment with dasatinib,” said Chang.

Each of the Hyundai Hope Grants will be presented to winning institutions at a signature Handprint Ceremony. This ceremony captures the colorful handprints of young cancer patients and places them on a white canvas and official 2012 Hope On Wheels lab coat. Every Handprint Ceremony celebrates the lives of the children faced with cancer and commemorates their brave battles with cancer.

“At Hyundai, our goal is for a child to never again have to hear the words ‘you have cancer’,” said John Krafcik, President and CEO of Hyundai Motor America. “Through the support of our dealers, hospital partners, and online community, this goal is attainable as we join together for a cure. We congratulate and commend each institution for their important and life-changing work, and thank our supporters for their continued efforts.”

For more information on Hyundai Hope On Wheels and its efforts during National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, please visit HyundaiHopeonWheels.org.

HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA

Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Costa Mesa, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co. of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through more than 800 dealerships nationwide.

HYUNDAI HOPE ON WHEELS

Hyundai Hope On Wheels® is the united effort of Hyundai Motor America and its more than 800 dealers across the U.S. to raise awareness for childhood cancer and to celebrate the lives of children battling the disease. For 2012, Hyundai Hope On Wheels plans to surpass $57 million in total donations to childhood cancer research since the program began in 1998. Hyundai Hope On Wheels is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

OHSU DOERNBECHER CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL

OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital ranks among the top 50 children's hospitals in the United States.* It ranks 36th nationally for NIH-awarded pediatric research funding among children's hospitals affiliated with an academic medical center**, and is one of only 22 NIH-designated Child Health Research Centers in the country. OHSU Doernbecher cares for tens of thousands of children each year from Oregon, Southwest Washington and around the nation, resulting in more than 175,000 discharges, surgeries, transports and outpatient visits annually.

* U.S. News & World Report 2012-13 Best Children's Hospitals

** Children’s Hospital Association (formerly the National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions)

OHSU Study: One-fifth of spine surgery patients develop PTSD symptoms

Thu, 27 Sep 2012 22:02:24 +0000

Nearly 20 percent of people who underwent low back fusion surgery developed post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms associated with that surgery, according to a recent Oregon Health & Science University study published in the journal Spine.

Past studies have noted PTSD symptoms in some trauma, cancer and organ transplant patients. But this is the first study, its authors believe, to monitor for PTSD symptoms in patients undergoing an elective medical procedure.

"It is maybe not surprising that significant surgical interventions have psychological as well as physical impacts," said Robert Hart, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon, professor of orthopedics and rehabilitation at OHSU and senior author of the study. "I think it means that we in the medical community need to monitor for these effects in our patients and to manage them when they occur.”

The study found that the strongest factor in determining whether a spine surgery patient suffered PTSD symptoms after the surgery was whether the patient had a psychiatric disturbance — depression or anxiety disorders, for example — before the surgery. But some patients who had no such pre-surgery diagnoses also suffered PTSD symptoms after the spine surgery, the study found.

The OHSU study involved 73 of Hart’s surgical patients who underwent lumbar spinal fusion surgery, a procedure in which two or more lumbar vertebrae in the back are fused together, usually including implantation of metal screws and rods as part of the procedure.

Surgeons at the OHSU Spine Center always look for other ways to deal with back pain before surgery. But sometimes, surgery is the only option. And spinal fusion is often major surgery that may involve complications and often involves a long recuperation period. The majority of patients in the study reported a good experience and had substantial relief of their pre-operative pain.

Hart said the study results might offer guidance to doctors and surgeons in advising potential spine surgery patients about the surgery. For patients at higher risk, the results suggest doctors and surgeons might offer treatment for them prior to surgery, Hart said.

"At the end of the day, I hope this will make changes in the way we prepare people for surgery, to reduce these psychological impacts. This is analogous to how we currently optimize patients’ physical condition before major surgery," Hart said.

Hart said he wants to study that issue next — and measure which pre-surgery interventions might work best to reduce or eliminate any PTSD effects.

Knight Cancer Institute deputy director selected for prostate cancer Dream Team

Tue, 09 Oct 2012 17:25:47 +0000

Tomasz Beer, M.D., deputy director of the Knight Cancer Institute at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), was selected as one of six top scientists to take part in a research Dream Team that joins together world-class institutions to study treatments for advanced prostate cancer. Funding for the project will be provided by a three-year grant for up to $10 million.

The research collaborative is one of only two prostate cancer Dream Teams that have been recruited and organized by Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) and the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) along with the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), which is SU2C’s scientific partner.

“It is an honor to be part of a team of this caliber that is devoted to men who currently have no reliable treatment options,” Beer said. “There have been many important advances in prostate cancer treatment in the past few years, but we can do better. We need to know more about why some men don’t respond to these therapies and why others respond and then see their cancer become resistant. This knowledge will serve as the road map for the next generation of treatments.”

Two other physician-researchers, Joshi Alumkal, M.D., and George Thomas, M.D., will join Beer in leading the Knight Cancer Institute’s work with the Dream Team partners.

The Knight Cancer Institute is committed to making personalized cancer treatments a reality for all patients. The institute’s director, Brian Druker, M.D., proved it was possible to shut down the growth of cancer cells without harming healthy ones – a discovery that helped make once-fatal forms of the disease manageable and that ushered in a new generation of targeted cancer therapies.

“By collaborating and sharing what we’ve learned through projects such as this new Dream Team, we expect to accelerate the rate of progress,” added Beer, who recently co-authored the book, “Cancer Clinical Trials.”

Beer, Alumkal and Thomas are part of the OHSU Prostate Cancer Research Program that currently leads international Phase III clinical trials of the next generation hormonal therapy enzalutamide, the immunotherapy agent ipilimumab, and the targeted agent custirsen. Their group also studies prostate cancer in the laboratory to understand what drives these tumors and the indicators, or biomarkers, that provide clues about the disease, so that the next generation of drugs can be developed.

Prostate cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death for men in the United States. One man dies every 18 minutes from this disease and a new case occurs every 2.1 minutes, according to the Prostate Cancer Foundation. More than 2 million American men are living with prostate cancer and more than 16 million men are affected worldwide.

“The need for research on more effective ways to treat prostate cancer is truly urgent,” said Sherry Lansing, SU2C co-founder, chairperson of the Entertainment Industry Foundation’s (EIF) Board of Directors and founder of the Sherry Lansing Foundation. “We are excited to continue collaborating with the Prostate Cancer Foundation to address that need.”

The Dream Team’s research project, “Targeting Adaptive Pathways in Metastatic Treatment-Resistant Prostate Cancer,” will include scientists from six institutions. Along with the Knight Cancer Institute, the team will include researchers from four campuses of the University of California (San Francisco, Los Angeles, Santa Cruz and Davis) and the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. The team is organized around five working groups integrating expertise from each of the six centers. A sixth “knowledge-exchange” working group will coordinate and harmonize activities of the Dream Team, which will address therapeutic interventions for advanced prostate cancer with emphasis on metastatic disease and delivering near-term patient benefit.

The team will be led by Eric J. Small, M.D., professor of medicine and urology and chief of the division of hematology and oncology at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), and Owen N. Witte, M.D., investigator from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and distinguished professor of microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

Launching this prostate cancer Dream Team, represents an unprecedented partnership on behalf of men with metastatic prostate cancer, said Jonathan Simons, M.D., president and chief executive officer of the Prostate Cancer Foundation. “One potential transformational benefit of this project for prostate cancer patients will be a new application called MedBook, a social network for medical science that is being created by former Apple Vice President Ted Goldstein, who helped Apple create tools and operating systems for Macintosh and iPhones. The precision prostate oncology MedBook application will be similar to an iPad app, linking patients, doctors and researchers in a participatory information platform that will speed the matching of new medicines targeted at nine new druggable pathways to the patients who will benefit most.”

Understanding resistant tumors

Treatment of patients diagnosed with hormone-dependent prostate cancer includes chemical or surgical castration, using drugs or surgery to reduce androgen hormones such as testosterone and dihydrotestosterone. However, as with most hormone-dependent tumors, prostate cancer becomes resistant to this therapy. These resistant tumors are referred to as treatment-resistant prostate cancer or TRPC.

This new Stand Up To Cancer Dream Team will explore the idea that resistance is a result of the prostate cancer cells using common cellular responses, called adaptive pathways, to escape current therapies. The team believes that by identifying these pathways and inhibiting them, they will be able to overcome treatment resistance and profoundly improve survival and quality of life for these patients.

To test their idea, Small, Witte, Beer and their colleagues will systematically subject patient biopsies (fixed, frozen and fresh tissue) and blood samples to a comprehensive molecular assessment and pathway-based analysis to determine the activity level of known and novel pathways. Once the pathways activated in TRPC tumors are identified, the Dream Team will devise co-targeting approaches in the laboratory. After validation they will test novel therapeutic combinations that co-target adaptive pathways associated with resistance. By combining established therapies with new treatments that co-target adaptive pathways, the Dream Team hopes to dramatically improve outcomes for men with advanced prostate cancer.

The Dream Team also proposes to centralize and integrate the considerable amount of data generated by their work into MedBook, which will use a simple social media concept to support information exchange and discussion. The centralized information will be updated continuously based on new data, and contribute to the development of molecular disease models that codify the most current clinically actionable adaptive pathways in metastatic TRPC. This information will be instrumental to the Dream Team’s Clinical Working Group for recruiting patients to specific trials. The project is estimated to start later this fall, with the first clinical trials scheduled to open in 2013.

Dream Team selected through rigorous process

A SU2C-PCF Joint Scientific Advisory Committee (JSAC) conducted a unique, rapid and rigorous evaluation of the applications using a multistep scientific review process.

The committee is chaired by Nobel Laureate Phillip A. Sharp, Ph.D., institute professor at the David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Mass. It is co-chaired by SU2C representative William G. Nelson, M.D., Ph.D., the Marion I. Knott director and professor of oncology and director of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md., and PCF representative Howard R. Soule, Ph.D., executive vice president and chief science officer of the PCF in Santa Monica, Calif. The JSAC is also comprised of nine highly accomplished senior laboratory researchers and physician-scientists, as well as two advocates.

The review process began with a call for letters of intent by the American Association for Cancer Research in October 2011. The committee then chose four finalist teams, each of which met in person with the JSAC to present plans for their research and respond to questions about their projects — a level of interaction between applicants and reviewers that is unique among scientific review processes.

Combining young investigators and senior scientists

The “Targeting Adaptive Pathways in Metastatic Treatment-Resistant Prostate Cancer” Dream Team consists of a multidisciplinary group of experts that includes laboratory and clinical researchers, young investigators and senior scientists who have not worked together in the past, as well as patient advocates. The other principals on the team besides, Small, Witte and Beer are: Martin Gleave, M.D., University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada; Hsing-Jien Kung, Ph.D., University of California, Davis, Calif.; and Joshua Stuart, Ph.D., University of California, Santa Cruz, Calif.

Prior to today’s announcement, Stand Up To Cancer has awarded grants to just seven Dream Teams. Joe W. Gray, Ph.D., one of the lead scientists with the Knight Cancer Institute, co-leads a breast cancer Dream Team focused on research that will lead to less toxic treatments for breast cancer.

The first Prostate Cancer Dream Team was assembled in April. This group of researchers will harness the power of so-called next-generation sequencing technology to decode 500 patients’ cancer genomes, the 3.1 billion bases of DNA sequence that constitute the entire set of genetic instructions found in a cell. Armed with the information about the genetic makeup of these treatment-resistant prostate cancer patients, this Dream Team expects to be able to direct patients toward the treatment most likely to have an effect on their tumors. It is anticipated that the two Prostate Cancer Dream Teams will work together to maximize synergy between their research projects.

# # #

Particulars

Tomasz Beer, M.D., F.A.C.P., serves as the Grover C. Bagby Endowed Chair for Prostate Cancer Research; a professor of medicine in the Department of Hematology & Medical Oncology; and director of the Prostate Cancer Research Program at the Knight Cancer Institute at Oregon Health & Science University. Beer recently co-authored the book, “Cancer Clinical Trials,” and continues to share his insights on a blog by the same name.

About the Knight Cancer Institute

The Knight Cancer Institute at Oregon Health & Science University is a pioneer in personalized cancer medicine. The institute’s director, Brian Druker, M.D., proved it was possible to shut down cells that enable cancer to grow without harming healthy ones – a discovery that helped make once-fatal forms of the disease manageable and that ushered in a new generation of targeted cancer therapies. The OHSU Knight Cancer Institute is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center between Sacramento and Seattle— an honor earned only by the nation's top cancer centers. It offers the latest treatments and technologies as well as hundreds of research studies and clinical trials. For more information visit www.ohsuknightcancer.com or www.facebook.com/OHSUKnight

About Stand Up To Cancer

Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) – a program of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), a 501(c) (3) charitable organization – raises funds to accelerate the pace of groundbreaking translational research that can get new therapies to patients quickly and save lives. SU2C facilitates collaboration among the best and the brightest in the cancer research community. The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) and a Scientific Advisory Committee conduct rigorous, competitive review processes through which SU2C’s grantees are selected. By galvanizing the entertainment industry, SU2C generates awareness and builds grassroots support for this new approach to ending cancer. Members of the SU2C Executive Leadership Council (ELC) include Talk Show Host, journalist and well-known cancer advocate Katie Couric; Sherry Lansing, Chairperson of the Entertainment Industry Foundation’s Board of Directors and founder of the Sherry Lansing Foundation; EIF President and CEO Lisa Paulsen; EIF Senior Vice President Kathleen Lobb; Rusty Robertson and Sue Schwartz of the Robertson Schwartz Agency; Pamela Oas Williams, President of Laura Ziskin Productions and Executive Producer of Stand Up To Cancer’s In-House Production Team; and Nonprofit Executive Ellen Ziffren. The late Laura Ziskin, executive producer of both the Sept. 5, 2008 and Sept. 10, 2010 broadcasts, was also a member of the ELC. SU2C was formally launched on May 27, 2008. Sung Poblete, Ph.D., R.N., has served as SU2C’s president and CEO since 2011.

About the Prostate Cancer Foundation

The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) is the world’s leading philanthropic organization funding and accelerating research. Founded in 1993 by Michael Milken, PCF has raised more than $500 million and provided funding to over 1,600 research projects at nearly 200 institutions in 15 countries around the world. Since 2008, it has supported 100 Young Investigators in seven countries and launched 17 PCF team science Challenge Awards. PCF advocates for greater awareness of prostate cancer and more efficient investment of governmental research funds supporting transformational cancer research. Prostate Cancer Foundation efforts over 19 years have helped produce a 20-fold increase in government funding for prostate cancer and fast-forward research on research on four new Food and Drug Administration (FDA) drugs for advanced prostate cancer in the past two years. More information about PCF can be found at pcf.org.

About the American Association for Cancer Research

Founded in 1907, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) is the world’s first and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research and its mission to prevent and cure cancer. AACR membership includes more than 34,000 laboratory, translational and clinical researchers; population scientists; other health care professionals; and cancer advocates residing in more than 90 countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise of the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, biology, diagnosis and treatment of cancer by annually convening more than 20 conferences and educational workshops, the largest of which is the AACR Annual Meeting with more than 17,000 attendees. In addition, the AACR publishes seven peer-reviewed scientific journals and a magazine for cancer survivors, patients and their caregivers. The AACR funds meritorious research directly as well as in cooperation with numerous cancer organizations. As the scientific partner of Stand Up To Cancer, the AACR provides expert peer review, grants administration and scientific oversight of team science and individual grants in cancer research that have the potential for near-term patient benefit. The AACR actively communicates with legislators and policymakers about the value of cancer research and related biomedical science in saving lives from cancer. For more information about the AACR, visit www.AACR.org.

Annual ‘Night for Networking’ links workers with disabilities, Portland employers

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 16:56:42 +0000

Note to Editors: Wes Studer and Vail Horton are available for interviews about their experiences with Night for Networking. Media are also welcome at the Oct. 16 event.

After his college graduation in 2009, Wes Studer, who has Asperger's syndrome, spent weeks and months sending out resumes. He did informational interviews with people who would meet with him. He looked for work in any and every way he could.

Night for Networking

Oct. 16 from 6 to 9 p.m. at OHSU's Center for Health and Healing, 3303 S.W. Bond Ave., Portland

He never found a permanent job.

Then, last year, he went to an unusual event — a job "networking" event hosted by Oregon Health & Science University and sponsored and attended by dozens of companies and government agencies with offices in the Portland area. The annual event, called Night for Networking, is specifically for individuals with disabilities who are looking for work, and for Portland-area employers looking for good employees who also increase the diversity of their workforce.

By the end of the night last year, Studer had a lead on a real job. Several weeks later, he was working for Kaiser Permanente as a "patient access specialist" — a job he still has and loves.

"It's all about putting a face with a name, and about offering employers a chance to get to know you and getting an idea of what kind of employee you could be for their organization," Studer says of his Night for Networking experience last year. "It was a great opportunity -- a great opportunity."

This year, the third Night for Networking is set for 6 to 9 p.m. on Oct. 16 at OHSU's Center for Health and Healing at 3303 S.W. Bond Ave. in Portland's South Waterfront neighborhood.

More than 20 Portland and Oregon employers are sponsoring and participating in the event this year, including OHSU, the U.S. Forest Service, Metro regional government, Mentor Graphics and Portland General Electric.

"The first time I came to the event I was knocked cold by its professionalism, by its classiness," said Vail Horton, chief executive officer of Keen, a Portland company that sells durable medical equipment and other safety and mobility products for people with disabilities and the elderly. Keen has participated in the event for each of the event's three years.

"Any business is looking for great people. And this event has great people," said Horton, who himself was born without legs and has underdeveloped arms. "They just happen to be disabled. But businesses are craving exceptional people — and there are gems of people there who will make great employees.”

The goal of Night for Networking is to give employers a chance to meet people with disabilities who are searching for work and are qualified for a wide range of jobs, said Dean Westwood, OHSU’s disability awareness training coordinator and co-founder and co-chairman of the event. But another goal is to create an opportunity for individuals with disabilities to have a professional networking event that is more like traditional professional networking events — with adult beverages, a more professional feel and top-flight employers, said Westwood.

“Every year, the people who participate in this event benefit from the networks they initiate or build upon," said Michael Tom, OHSU's director of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity and the event’s other co-founder and co-chairman. "We really want to create a community event that connects jobs and opportunities with these talented individuals who just happen to have disabilities. For the attending employers, there is also the benefits of increasing workforce diversity and understanding of those with disabilities.”

About OHSU

Human neural stem cells study offers new hope for children with fatal brain diseases

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 19:42:28 +0000

Physician-scientists at Oregon Health & Science University Doernbecher Children’s Hospital have demonstrated for the first time that banked human neural stem cells — HuCNS-SCs, a proprietary product of StemCells Inc. — can survive and make functional myelin in mice with severe symptoms of myelin loss. Myelin is the critical fatty insulation, or sheath, surrounding new nerve fibers and is essential for normal brain function.

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This is a very important finding in terms of advancing stem cell therapy to patients, the investigators report, because in most cases, patients are not diagnosed with a myelin disease until they begin to show symptoms. The research is published online in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

Myelin disorders are a common, extremely disabling, often fatal type of brain disease found in children and adults. They include cerebral palsy in children born prematurely as well as multiple sclerosis, among others.

Using advanced MRI technology, researchers at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital also recently recognized the importance of healthy brain white matter at all stages of life and showed that a major part of memory decline in aging occurs due to widespread changes in the white matter, which results in damaged myelin and progressive senility (Annals of Neurology, September 2011).

In this breakthrough study, Stephen A. Back, M.D., Ph.D., senior author and clinician-scientist in the Papé Family Pediatric Research Institute at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, used a transgenic mouse model (Shiverer-immunodeficient) that develops progressive neurological deterioration because it is unable to make a key protein required to make normal myelin. Although this mouse has been widely investigated, prior to this study, true human brain-derived stem cells had not been tested for their potential to make new myelin in animals that were already deteriorating neurologically.

“Typically, newborn mice have been studied by other investigators because stem cells survive very well in the newborn brain. We, in fact, found that the stem cells preferentially matured into myelin-forming cells as opposed to other types of brain cells in both newborn mice and older mice. The brain-derived stem cells appeared to be picking up on cues in the white matter that instructed the cells to become myelin-forming cells,” explained Back.

Although Back, in collaboration with investigators at StemCells Inc., had achieved success implanting stem cells in presymptomatic newborn animals, it was unclear whether the cells would survive after transplant into older animals that were already declining in health. Back and his colleagues put these cells to the test by transplanting them in animals that were declining neurologically and found that the stem cells were able to effectively survive and make functional myelin.

The study also is important because the research team was able to confirm by MRI that new myelin had been made by the stem cells within weeks after the transplant. Until now, it was unclear whether stem cell-derived myelin could be detected without major modifications to the stem cells, such as filling them with special dyes or iron particles that can be detected by the MRI.

These studies were particularly challenging, Back explained, because the mice were too sick to survive in the MRI scanner. Fortunately, OHSU is home to a leading national center for ultra-high field MRI scanners that were used to detect the myelin made by normal, unmodified stem cells.

“This is an important advance because it provides proof of principle that MRI can be used to track the transplants as myelin is being made. We actually confirmed that the MRI signal in the white matter was coming from human myelin made by the stem cells,” Back said.

In a study conducted by clinical researchers at the University of California San Francisco and published in the same online issue of Science Translational Medicine (Gupta et. al), the human neural stem cells were also tested in a small number of patients with a rare childhood myelin disorder where the MRI was detecting signals from the brain consistent with myelin formation. Before MRI, there wasn’t a way to confirm new myelin without a brain biopsy or an autopsy. The USCF researchers report the study results strongly support that the MRI findings in the patients were due to new myelin.

“These findings provide us with much greater confidence that going forward, a wide variety of myelin disorders might be candidates for therapy. Of course, each condition varies in terms of severity, how fast it progresses and the degree of brain injury it causes. This must all be taken into consideration as neurologists and stem cell biologist work to make further advances for these challenging brain disorders,” Back said.

This study was supported by National Institutes of Health grants P51RR000163 and NCRR P51 RR000113; National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke grants 1RO1NS054044 and R37NS045737-06S1/06S2 and 1F30NS066704; a Bugher Award from the American Heart Association; March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation; and Friends of Doernbecher Children’s Hospital Foundation.

Disclosure: Dr. Back was previously a paid consultant to StemCells Inc.

Particulars

Oregon Health & Science University and its children’s hospital, OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, are nationally recognized for their research and clinical emphasis on white matter disorders of the brain. Several OHSU and OHSU Doernbecher groups contributed to this study as a collaborative team led by Stephen A. Back, M.D., Ph.D., pediatric neurologist and director of the Pediatric Neuroscience Research Program in the Papé Family Pediatric Research Institute at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital.

Dr. Back has a long-standing research program focused on white matter disorders in children and adults that is supported by a Javits Neuroscience Investigator Award from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Chris Kroenke, Ph.D., an associate scientist in OHSU’s Advanced Imaging Research Center led the team that performed the high-field MRI studies. Dr. Kroenke has the specialized expertise required to analyze MRI signals coming from the developing brain.

Larry Sherman, Ph.D., a senior scientist in the Oregon National Primate Research Center, and Steve Matsumoto, Ph.D., an associate professor in OHSU School of Dentistry, performed studies that confirmed functional myelin was generated by the stem cells by means of nerve conduction studies in slices of brain tissue from the animals that received the transplants. Drs. Sherman and Matsumoto are long-time collaborators with Dr. Back and have made major advances to the understanding of human white matter disorders in children and adults.

About OHSU

Oregon Health & Science University is the state's only academic health and research university. As Portland's largest employer with approximately 14,000 employees, OHSU's size contributes to its ability to provide many services and community support not found anywhere else in the state. OHSU serves patients from every corner of Oregon and is a conduit for learning for more than 4,300 students and trainees. OHSU is the source of more than 200 community outreach programs that bring health and education services to each county in the state.

OHSU receives $1 million grant to develop innovative Electronic Health Record simulations

Thu, 11 Oct 2012 16:57:15 +0000

Health care providers increasingly rely on information technology, such as Electronic Health Records (EHRs), to deliver care. But while these advancements have been beneficial in many ways, the sheer amount of data in EHRs presents its own challenges. A $1 million grant recently awarded to Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) will fund research that aims to address these challenges and create smarter EHR systems.

“Most tools used in medicine require knowledge and skills of both those who develop them and use them,” said William Hersh, M.D., professor and chair of the Department of Medical Informatics and Clinical Epidemiology at OHSU. “Even tools that are themselves innocuous could be detrimental to patient care if used improperly.”

For example, Hersh explained that while it is difficult to cause direct harm with a stethoscope, improper use of a stethoscope could lead to inaccurate results, tests or treatments. Similarly, improper use of EHRs could lead a clinician astray, especially in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) where an average of 1,300 data points per patient are logged every 24 hours.

The grant, championed by Jeffrey Gold, M.D., will put OHSU at the forefront of this important work. Through his past role as ICU director and current role as professor of medicine and program director for Pulmonary Critical Care and Critical Care Fellowships, Gold became interested in this work when he noticed that EHRs weren’t consistently providing clinicians with a clear picture of a patient’s health over time.

“In the past, all patient data was hand written, making it easier to remember and learn,” said Gold. “Electronic records are no doubt a useful tool in many ways, but now there are so much data in front of you that often you can’t see the forest for the trees.”

Gold, who is the principal investigator on the grant, will work with Hersh and his informatics team to develop a simulation environment based on real ICU cases that will utilize cutting-edge technology such as eye-tracking sensors. But, Gold and his team will purposely build in errors or changes in the hypothetical patient’s condition to test if users can catch them. The simulations will help determine how clinicians interact with the considerable amount of data contained in EHRs. Gold will then harness these findings to improve EHRs by developing ways to clearly organize patient information in a practical and meaningful way.

“What makes this novel is, as far as we’re aware of, we’re the only ones using simulation to try to test EHRs usage,” Gold said. “We’re building a better mouse and a mouse trap at the same time.”

Through the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, a component of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the federal government is making substantial investments to support the widespread adoption of EHRs by 2014. While EHRs can improve communication, create truly portable medical records and improve overall patient safety, a 2011 report issued by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) indicates greater oversight is needed to realize potential benefits.

The risk with EHRs, Gold explained, is that there are blind spots in the technology, due to unnecessary or excessive information that clutters the ‘big picture’ of a patient’s care. The grant will allow Gold to research ways to address these risks.

“Using these simulated cases does not only train people how to use the system but also helps us determine how EHRs are being used in a structured and intelligent environment,” said Gold.

Gold will soon co-direct the simulation center at OHSU’s new Collaborative Life Sciences Building, which is set to open winter 2014.

The grant, number R18 HS 021637, was awarded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).

About OHSU

Oregon Health & Science University is the state’s only academic health and research university. As Portland's largest employer with nearly 14,000 employees, OHSU's size contributes to its ability to provide many services and community support activities not found anywhere else in the state. OHSU serves patients from every corner of Oregon and is a conduit for learning for more than 4,300 students and trainees. OHSU is the source of more than 200 community outreach programs that bring health and education services to each county in the state.

Knight Cancer Institute patient care programs earn renewed accreditation with full commendation

Mon, 15 Oct 2012 19:12:27 +0000

The Knight Cancer Institute at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) received a three-year accreditation with full commendation from the American College of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer following its recent 2012 evaluation.

That level of accreditation signifies that the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute’s programs meet all 36 standards set by the Commission on Cancer to improve cancer care outcomes and survival rates. Achieving accreditation involves an extensive reporting process to evaluate the care delivered. That reporting is followed by an on-site inspection by a physician surveyor.

“It is gratifying to receive recognition from an organization that is dedicated to improving access to quality cancer care for all patients,” said Peter F. Rapp, Executive Vice President and Executive Director of Healthcare at OHSU. “Congratulations to the Knight Cancer Institute faculty and staff whose teamwork, innovation and devotion to patients and their families made such a high rating possible.”

Among the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute’s recent accomplishments cited in the evaluation were:

The addition of a dedicated family and supportive care manager.
Expansion of the Knight’s multidisciplinary cancer care clinics in which a patient can meet with all the specialists who provide their care in a single day. That same day, the specialists who are providing care also consult with each other on the patient’s treatment program. These clinics are available to patients with lung, breast prostate and pancreatic cancers as well as sarcoma.
The institute’s increased dedication to comprehensive outreach activities to extend the Knight’s services and expertise to communities throughout the region including Coos Bay, Astoria, Salem and Longview, Wash.

“The staff at the Knight Cancer Institute works every day to innovate ways to make cancer a disease that families no longer have to dread,” said Kevin Billingsley, M.D., chief of surgical oncology at the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, who oversaw the accreditation application process. “Seeking accreditation is an excellent way to measure progress and ensure that the programs and services we are implementing represent the best available nationwide.”

The American College of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer measures a cancer care facility’s level of dedication to standard setting, cancer prevention, research, education and ongoing monitoring. There are more than 1,500 accredited cancer programs, which represent about 30 percent of all hospitals in the United States and Puerto Rico. These hospitals treat about 80 percent of all newly diagnosed cancer patients each year. To maintain accreditation, facilities must undergo an on-site review every three years.

The program assures patients that by selecting an accredited cancer care facility they will have access to, among other things:

A multi-specialty, team approach to their treatment.
Information about ongoing clinical trials and new treatment options.
State-of-the-art services and equipment.

OHSU Puhaty Lecture proposes new role for nurses in health care

Tue, 16 Oct 2012 20:14:38 +0000

Renowned nursing educator and author Patricia Benner, R.N., Ph.D., F.A.A.N., F.R.C.N., will discuss New Nurses for a New Health Care System at the OHSU School of Nursing Henrietta Doltz Puhaty Annual Lecture.

Holder of two honorary doctorates, Benner is a prolific author and researcher whose work has influence beyond nursing in the areas of clinical practice and clinical ethics. Her book, Expertise in Nursing Practice: Caring, Clinical Judgment and Ethics, co-authored with OHSU School of Nursing Interim Dean Christine Tanner R.N., Ph.D., F.A.A.N., and Catherine Chesla R.N., D.N.Sc, F.A.A.N., has been translated into ten languages.

“It is clear that nurses have an integral role to play in a future defined by significant expansion in access to health care,” said Tanner. “Doctor Benner is a national leader in the conversations defining that role and I am delighted that she has agreed to share her experience and insights with us.”

Event details
When: Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Program begins at 6 p.m.
Where: OHSU Auditorium
3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239
Registration: Admission is free and the lecture is open to all.
Reservations are requested: alumni@ohsu.edu or 503 552-0745

Benner has authored and co-authored 12 other notable books, including From Novice to Expert: Promoting Excellence and Power in Clinical Nursing. She is currently a Distinguished Visiting Professor at Seattle University and a former senior scholar with the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. She is also a professor emerita at the University of California School of Nursing and an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Nursing.

A reception will precede the November 27 lecture, beginning at 5 p.m.

About the Puhaty Annual Lectureship

Director of the School of Nursing from 1944 to 1956, Henrietta Doltz Puhaty and her family established the endowed lectureship as an opportunity for professional growth and development while fundraising for the school. Puhaty is fondly remembered for her passion for nursing and her many civic contributions to the Portland community.

Poorav Patel joins OHSU Board

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 17:04:04 +0000

The Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) Board of Directors today welcomed its newest member, Poorav Patel, who will serve as the student representative. “I am thrilled and honored to be part of the OHSU Board of Directors. With the changing landscape of healthcare, I am eager to be part of the leadership team that guides OHSU into the future,” said Mr. Patel. “I have a firm belief that OHSU will continue to innovate and remain national leaders in healthcare delivery.”

Patel has deep ties to Oregon and a first-hand understanding of health care in small communities. The son of Indian-immigrant parents, he was raised in Brookings, where his father has been a physician for the past 25 years. “Having my perspectives shaped with my rural upbringing, and my public health and research backgrounds, I hope to best represent the interests of students, researchers, clinicians, and program developers at OHSU,” he added.

He has impressive academic credentials as well, with undergraduate degrees in Bioengineering and The Study of Religion from the University of California San Diego and a master’s degree in Genetic Epidemiology from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. A second-year M.D. student in the class of 2015, Patel currently serves as a Dean’s Advisor in the OHSU School of Medicine, and President of the OHSU chapter of the American Medical Association-Medical Student Section.

About OHSU

OHSU Board approves audited financial reports

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 22:21:08 +0000

The Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) Board of Directors today formally accepted the report of KPMG, LLC, an independent auditor charged with reviewing OHSU’s fiscal year 2012 financial statements. Commissioning an independent audit is a standard, recurring part of OHSU’s annual budget year.

The KPMG report noted “no material errors” and issued “an unqualified opinion stating that the financial statements of OHSU are fairly presented, in all material respects,” in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The report also noted no disagreements with management about matters that could be significant to the financial statements or the final report, and no deficiencies in internal controls.

OHSU’s final FY 12 results showed only one notable change from the preliminary figures presented to the Board in September – a $3 million improvement of operating income to $83 million. This reflects a reclassification of $3 million in gifts from non-operating to operating revenues to better reflect the character of the gifts.

OHSU researchers test new gene therapy method in human cells...and it works

Wed, 24 Oct 2012 16:26:34 +0000

Oregon Health & Science University's development of a new gene therapy method to prevent certain inherited diseases has reached a significant milestone. Researchers at the university's Oregon National Primate Research Center and the OHSU Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology have successfully demonstrated their procedure in human cells. It's believed that this research, along with other efforts, will pave the way for future clinical trials in human subjects.

Graphic that illustrates the procedure
(JPG, 3.4 MB)

The research results are online Wednesday, Oct. 24, in the highly respected journal Nature. Dr. Mitalipov also will present the results of his research at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine Conference in San Diego Oct. 24

The OHSU gene therapy method was initially devised through research in nonhuman primates led by Shoukhrat Mitalipov, Ph.D., associate scientist in the Division of Reproductive & Developmental Sciences at ONPRC, Oregon Stem Cell Center and OHSU School of Medicine departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Molecular and Medical Genetics.

The procedure was specifically developed to prevent diseases related to gene defects in the cell mitochondria. Mitalipov’s previous work was published in the August 2009 edition of Nature. In the current study, Mitalipov, in collaboration with Paula Amato, M.D., associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology in the OHSU Center for Women’s Health, demonstrated efficacy of this therapy in human gametes and embryos.

“Cell mitochondria contain genetic material just like the cell nucleus and these genes are passed from mother to infant,” explained Mitalipov. “When certain mutations in mitochondrial DNA are present, a child can be born with severe conditions, including diabetes, deafness, eye disorders, gastrointestinal disorders, heart disease, dementia and several other neurological diseases. Because mitochondrial-based genetic diseases are passed from one generation to the next, the risk of disease is often quite clear. The goal of this research is to develop a therapy to prevent transmission of these disease-causing gene mutations.”

To conduct this research, Mitalipov and his colleagues obtained 106 human egg cells from study volunteers recruited through OHSU’s Division of Fertility and Reproductive Endocrinology. The researchers then used a method developed in previous nonhuman primate studies, to transfer the nucleus from one cell to another. In effect, the researchers "swapped out" the cell cytoplasm, which contains the mitochondria. The egg cells were then fertilized to determine whether the transfer was a success and whether the cells developed normally. Upon inspection, it was demonstrated that it was possible to successfully replace mitochondrial DNA using this method.

“Using this process, we have shown that mutated DNA from the mitochondria can be replaced with healthy copies in human cells,” explained Mitalipov. “While the human cells in our study were allowed to develop to the embryonic stem cell stage, this research shows that this gene therapy method may well be a viable alternative for preventing devastating diseases passed from mother to infant.”

The current Nature paper also expanded upon the previously reported nonhuman primate work by demonstrating that the method was possible using frozen egg cells. Mitochondria were replaced in a frozen/thawed monkey egg cell, resulting in the birth of a healthy baby monkey named Chrysta.

The second portion of the study, which was completed at ONPRC, is also considered an important achievement because egg cells only remain viable for a short period of time after they are harvested from a donor. Therefore, for this therapy to be a viable option in the clinic, preservation through freezing likely is necessary so that both the donor cell and a mother’s cell are viable at the time of the procedure.

While this form of therapy has yet to be approved in the United States, the United Kingdom is seriously considering its use for treating human patients at risk for mitochondria-based disease. It's believed that this most recent breakthrough, combined with earlier animal studies, will help inform that decision-making process.

Because the research involved the use of human egg cells and there are restrictions to the use of federal funding for some work in human egg cells, private funding was obtained to accomplish the work.

In addition, researchers consulted with ethicists and other experts within OHSU's Institutional Review Board and the OHSU Stem Cell Research Oversight Committee (OSCRO) prior to embarking on this research. The OSCRO reviews research involving human embryonic stem cells at OHSU to ensure that all federal and state regulations governing the conduct of stem cell research are met and that all human embryonic stem cell research is conducted in accordance with the general principles expressed in the National Academies’ Guidelines for Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research. The OHSU IRB reviews biomedical and behavioral research that involves humans in order to protect the rights and welfare of the research subjects.

The human oocyte/embryo research was supported by grants from the OHSU Center for Women’s Health Circle of Giving and additional private funds from OHSU as well as the Leducq Foundation and the OHSU Vice President for Research office. The nonhuman primate study was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health.

About OHSU

Oregon Health & Science University is a nationally prominent research university and Oregon’s only public academic health center. It serves patients throughout the region with a Level 1 trauma center and nationally recognized Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. OHSU operates dental, medical, nursing and pharmacy schools that rank high both in research funding and in meeting the university’s social mission. OHSU’s Knight Cancer Institute helped pioneer personalized medicine through a discovery that identified how to shut down cells that enable cancer to grow without harming healthy ones. OHSU Brain Institute scientists are nationally recognized for discoveries that have led to a better understanding of Alzheimer’s disease and new treatments for Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis and stroke. OHSU’s Casey Eye Institute is a global leader in ophthalmic imaging, and in clinical trials related to eye disease.

About ONPRC

OHSU Ask the Health Experts Lecture series features specialists on top health concerns

Thu, 25 Oct 2012 22:10:53 +0000

The fall session of Oregon Health & Science University's much-anticipated “Ask the Health Experts” seminar series is here. Lectures feature specialists in each field who share their expertise about developments in treatment, prevention and detection of some of today’s top health concerns. Lectures are followed by a question-and-answer session with the experts. All lectures are free and open to the public. The schedule is as follows:

November 7
Unsightly or Symptomatic Varicose and Spider Veins?
Gregory Landry, M.D. and Timothy Liem, M.D.
Learn about the latest advancements in treating varicose and spider veins.

November 13
Gotta Go! - Break Free from Bladder Disorders
Renee Edwards, M.D., Tom Gregory, M.D. and Mary Anna Denman, M.D.
Urinary incontinence in women includes everything from frequent urges to urinate to losing a few drops when you cough or sneeze. The good news is that much can be done about it. Learn about the many treatments that can help this common condition.

November 14
Living Successfully with Failed Back Syndrome
David Sibell, M.D.
People who’ve had spine surgery may still experience chronic back or leg discomfort. Learn about treatments to help with Failed Back Syndrome and Sacroiliac joint pain.

November 28
New Treatments for Advanced Prostate Cancer
Joshi Alumkal, M.D.
Learn the recent progress in the treatment of advanced, metastatic prostate cancer and about OHSU’s current prostate cancer clinical trials available today.

WHERE/WHEN: All lectures will begin at 7 p.m. and will take place at the OHSU Center for Health & Healing, third floor, 3303 S.W. Bond Avenue, Portland. Maps and driving directions are available at www.ohsuhealth.com/maps

DETAILS: To attend the OHSU Ask the Health Experts lectures, register online at www.ohsuhealth.com/seminar or by phone at 503 494-1122. Free parking is available near the Center for Health & Healing. Light refreshments will be served.

OHSU Doernbecher, Massachusetts General team up to help troubled youth in the Pacific Northwest

Mon, 29 Oct 2012 17:20:21 +0000

Oregon Health & Science University Doernbecher Children’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital are partnering to disseminate and research the effectiveness of an innovative, evidenced-based program to help children struggling with significant social, emotional and behavioral challenges in Oregon and beyond.

The program, called The Collaborative Problem Solving Model (CPS), has proved successful in many settings, including outpatient mental health and education facilities; hospitals; foster care; and residential, family advocacy and juvenile justice programs.

The approach helps adult caregivers pursue expectations, reduce challenging behavior, teach skills and gather information with an empathetic rather than punitive stance.

CPS was first developed and refined at Massachusetts General by Ross Greene, Ph.D., and Stuart Ablon Ph.D. In 2008, Ablon further developed the model and provided a framework for its continued growth and dissemination, nationally and internationally, creating the Think:Kids program in the Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital.

“The basic tenants of the model support the view that children do well if they can. If they can’t, we as caregivers need to better understand what is getting in their way so we can help,” said Stuart Ablon, Ph.D., director of Think:Kids at Massachusetts General Hospital. “Although this doesn’t seem earth-shattering, it is a significant departure from the conventional idea that ‘children do well if they want to.’

“Our primary goal is to reach a place where children with behavioral challenges are understood with the same compassion and treated with the same effective approaches as children with other learning disabilities. Thanks to the work of many great people throughout the state, Oregon is leading this change effort.”

“By seeing kids and families through a different lens, we can more accurately explain what is getting in a child’s way and shift our interactions in overt and subtle ways,” said Ajit Jetmalani, M.D., head of the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. “Ultimately, restoring and building healthy relationships with loved ones and other caregivers sets the stage for resilience and success in the face of challenges.”

Children with challenging and maladaptive behavior often lack, or have difficulty in applying, crucial skills in the areas of frustration tolerance, adaptability, flexibility and problem solving. They may have a host of mental health, cognitive or language based challenges underlying their struggles. The CPS model effectively identifies what skills a child is lacking and trains/teaches these skills through a collaborative process in increments the child can developmentally handle.

Organizations that have implemented CPS have significantly decreased the need for child seclusions or restraints, reduced or eliminated the need for psychiatric medications, decreased recidivism rates, improved caregiver and client satisfaction, and improved employee retention and job satisfaction.

CPS studies have shown measurable reductions in the cost of health care, including shorter lengths of institutional stay, a reduction in the prolonged use psychotropic medication use, fewer staff injuries, and, ultimately, children who have the potential to participate as a successful, productive citizens over their lifespan.

Since 2005, Ablon and a dedicated group of Oregon clinicians and administrators have engaged more than 35 organizations around the state, while training hundreds of professionals and care providers in the model. The Collaborative Problem Solving model now is a recognized, evidenced-based practice in Oregon.

The Think:Kids/OHSU Doernbecher Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry agreement will support and guide systems, organizations looking to embrace the CPS philosophy and its outlined model of care.

“Fidelity to the model is highly important for its effective implementation, and we are dedicated to providing quality training, supervision and ongoing consultation to ensure its continued success,” Jetmalani said. “We believe in the potent healing and protective power of successful relationships in the lives of children, and the desire of families and other care givers to engage successfully in their lives.”

ABOUT MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL

Since its founding in 1811, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) has been committed to delivering standard-setting medical care. Throughout the decades, the hospital has had a consistent commitment to advancing that care through pioneering research and educating future health care professionals. On July 17, 2012, MGH was named America's best hospital by US News & World Report based on quality of care, patient safety and reputation in 16 different specialties. In 2008, Mass General was re-designated a Magnet hospital, the highest honor for nursing excellence awarded by the AmericanNurses Credentialing Center.

Founded in 1934 with support from the Rockefeller Foundation, the MGH Department of Psychiatry was one of only three general hospital psychiatry services in the country. The MGH Department of Psychiatry – named the #1 Psychiatry program in the country for 16 out of the past 17 years – now has more than 700 affiliated psychiatrists and psychologists uniquely trained as clinicians, researchers and teachers. Through 50 specialty clinical and research programs, MGH Psychiatry programs address virtually every aspect of mental illness across the lifespan including depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, dementia, and a host of other conditions such as attention deficit, bipolar, obsessive compulsive, panic, post-traumatic stress and executive function disorders. For almost 80 years, the combination of compassionate care, state of the art research, training of the next generation and serving the community have defined the MGH Department of Psychiatry.

OHSU first on West Coast to implant heart valve using newly approved technique

Mon, 29 Oct 2012 22:37:09 +0000

The OHSU Heart Valve Team has successfully performed the West Coast’s first non-investigational transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in a patient with severe aortic stenosis using a transapical approach in which a catheter (hollow tube) is inserted into the patient’s heart through a small incision between the ribs.

The FDA approved this approach for patients with severe aortic stenosis just last week, and on Oct. 26, an Oregon resident was among the nation’s first beneficiaries of this revolutionary technology outside of a clinical trial.

The OHSU interventional cardiologist who helped plan and perform the procedure, Saurabh Gupta, M.D., said: “The procedure went flawlessly, a testament to our strong team and our experience placing valves through arteries in the groin.”

Aortic stenosis is a narrowing of the aortic valve of the heart that causes the valve to fail to open and close properly and replacement is the only definitive treatment option. Until recently, patients with aortic valve narrowing had only one option: open-heart surgery.

TAVR itself is a relatively new treatment option for aortic stenosis. It was FDA-approved in November 2011, and OHSU’s multidisciplinary cardiac team began using it shortly thereafter.

Candidates for this procedure include patients with aortic valve disease who are not able to undergo traditional open-heart surgery because they are too fragile or have other complications or diseases that make open-heart surgery too risky.

“In this case, we couldn’t use the patient’s groin because the arteries were severely occluded,” said Matthew Slater, M.D., the cardiothoracic surgeon who helped perform the implant. “This patient is one of several who have been anxiously awaiting approval of this procedure.”

The complex procedure requires the unique expertise of a multidisciplinary team of specialists, including an interventional cardiologist, cardiothoracic surgeon, anesthesiologist, interventional radiologist, cardiac imaging and critical care nurses.

HEART VALVES AT OHSU

The first artificial heart valve was co-invented and successfully implanted by pioneering OHSU cardiovascular surgeon Albert Starr, M.D. The Starr-Edwards valve ushered in a new era in cardiovascular medicine around the world and saved and prolonged the lives of hundreds of thousands of people with heart disease for which heart valve replacement was the only treatment.

OHSU continues to lead the way in valve treatment with innovative approaches such as percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation – a revolutionary option for treating pulmonary valve conduit failure without open heart surgery. OHSU is the only hospital in Oregon and one of only a small number of programs in the country to offer this FDA-approved procedure.

The OHSU Heart Valve Team is co-directed by Drs. Saurabh Gupta and Matt Slater. The team comprises of physicians from Cardiology, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Radiology, Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Critical Care, nurses and physicians assistants. This multidisciplinary approach and the creation of the heart valve clinic places the patient at the center of the team.

In September 2012 OHSU established a new cardiovascular institute through a visionary $125 million philanthropic investment from Nike co-founder and chairman Phil Knight and his wife, Penny. It is the largest gift ever recorded to advance cardiovascular health in the United States. This integrated center of translational research, clinical care, education and disease prevention is dedicated to becoming the world’s best at translating research into clinical innovations to benefit patients by attacking heart disease from every angle, before conception and throughout a person’s lifetime.

OHSU researchers discover how enzyme may prevent nervous system repair in multiple sclerosis

Wed, 31 Oct 2012 17:31:29 +0000

Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University have discovered that blocking a certain enzyme in the brain can help repair the brain damage associated with multiple sclerosis and a range of other neurological disorders.

The discovery could have major implications for multiple sclerosis, complications from premature birth and other disorders and diseases caused by demyelination – a process where the insulation-like sheath surrounding nerve cells in the brain becomes damaged or destroyed. Demyelination disrupts the ability of nerve cells to communicate with each other, and produces a range of motor, sensory and cognitive problems in MS and other disorders.

The study was published this week in the online edition of the Annals of Neurology. The study was conducted by a team of researchers led by Larry Sherman, Ph.D., who is a professor of cell and development biology at OHSU and a senior scientist in the Division of Neuroscience at the Oregon National Primate Research Center.

"What this means is that we have identified a whole new target for drugs that might promote repair of the damaged brain in any disorder in which demyelination occurs," Sherman said. "Any kind of therapy that can promote remyelination could be an absolute life-changer for the millions of people suffering from MS and other related disorders."

Sherman's lab has been studying MS and other conditions where myelin is damaged for more than 14 years. In 2005, he and his research team discovered that a sugar molecule, called hyaluronic acid, accumulates in areas of damage in the brains of humans and animals with demyelinating brain and spinal cord lesions. Their findings at the time, published in Nature Medicine, suggested that hyaluronic acid itself prevented remyelination by preventing cells that form myelin from differentiating in areas of brain damage.

The new study shows that the hyaluronic acid itself does not prevent the differentiation of myelin-forming cells. Rather, breakdown products generated by a specific enzyme that chews up hyaluronic acid – called a hyaluronidase – contribute to the remyelination failure.

This enzyme is highly elevated in MS patient brain lesions and in the nervous systems of animals with an MS-like disease. The research team, which included OHSU pediatric neurologist Stephen Back, M.D., and OHSU neuroscientist Steve Matsumoto, Ph.D., found that by blocking hyaluronidase activity, they could promote myelin-forming cell differentiation and remyelination in the mice with the MS-like disease. Most significantly, the drug that blocked hyaluronidase activity led to improved nerve cell function.

The next step is to develop drugs that specifically target this enzyme. “The drugs we used in this study could not be used to treat patients because of the serious side effects they might cause,” said Sherman. “If we can block the specific enzyme that is contributing to remyelination failure in the nervous system, it would likely cause few, if any, side effects.”

Sherman and other researchers at the ONPRC are uniquely positioned to test newly developed drugs for their safety and effectiveness in nonhuman primates at ONPRC that spontaneously develop an MS-like disease. If they find a drug that is effective in these monkeys, they will be in a good position to test such drugs in patients.

Sherman cautioned that the discovery does not necessarily signal a cure for MS. Many other factors can contribute to the problems associated MS and other demyelinating diseases, he said. But discovering the actions of this enzyme — and finding a way to block it — "could at the very least lead to new ways to promote the repair of brain and spinal cord damage either by targeting this enzyme alone or by inhibiting the enzyme in conjunction with other therapies.”

The research was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health, Fast Forward, LLC (a subsidiary of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society), the Laura Fund for Multiple Sclerosis Research, the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation and the American Heart Association.

OHSU Women’s Health Research Unit Receives Phase II Grand Challenges Explorations Funding

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 17:39:39 +0000

Oregon Health & Science University will receive Phase II funding through Grand Challenges Explorations, an initiative created by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation that enables individuals worldwide to test bold ideas to address persistent health and development challenges.

Jeffrey Jensen, M.D., M.P.H., a nationally prominent reproductive scientist and director of the Women’s Health Research Unit at OHSU, will continue to pursue an innovative global health research project on Polidocanol foam to be used as a low-cost, nonsurgical long-term contraceptive method which could be administered by health care workers in developing countries.

“About one-third of women worldwide who have chosen to not have any more children undergo a voluntary surgical procedure to prevent additional pregnancies. A safe, effective nonsurgical method of voluntary permanent contraception would make this procedure safer and reduce costs,” said Jensen.

Today, more than 200 million women in developing countries who don’t want to get pregnant lack access to contraceptives, information and services. Some women want short-term contraceptive methods to plan and grow their young families while other women have completed their families and desire a long-term method.

In 2010, Jensen was awarded a Phase I grant for this work. Grand Challenges Explorations (GCE) Phase I recognizes individuals worldwide who are taking innovative approaches to some of the world’s toughest and persistent global health and development challenges. GCE invests in the early stages of bold ideas that have real potential to solve the problems people in the developing world face every day. Phase II recognizes those ideas that have made significant progress toward implementation.

Jensen’s project is one of the Phase II Grand Challenges Explorations grants recently announced.

“We’re excited that we consistently receive so many surprising ideas from around the world and that we’re able to provide a second round of funding for some of the most unconventional among them,” said Chris Wilson, director of Global Health Discovery and Translational Sciences at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Applications for the current open round, Grand Challenges Explorations Round 10, will be accepted through Nov. 7, 2012.

Polidocanol is an FDA-approved agent currently used to treat varicose and spider veins. It works by causing excess connective tissue to form within the cell lining of blood vessels, collapsing and closing the vessels.

About Grand Challenges Explorations

Grand Challenges Explorations is a US$100 million initiative funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Launched in 2008, over 700 people in 45 countries have received Grand Challenges Explorations grants. The grant program is open to anyone from any discipline and from any organization. The initiative uses an agile, accelerated grant-making process with short two-page online applications and no preliminary data required. Initial grants of US$100,000 are awarded two times a year. Successful projects have the opportunity to receive a follow-on grant of up to US$1 million.

About Jeffrey Jensen, M.D, M.P.H.

Dr. Jensen’s research focuses on reducing unintended pregnancy by expanding contraceptive options and improving existing birth control methods. Jensen is the Leon Speroff Professor and Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, OHSU School of Medicine; and a senior scientist in reproductive science at the OHSU Oregon National Primate Research Center. He is Principal Investigator (PI) at OHSU for the National Institute of Child Health and Development-funded (NICHD-funded) Contraceptive Clinical Trial Network, and is Co-PI of the NICHD-funded Contraception Research Development Center at ONPRC. He also is a member of the International Committee for Contraceptive Research.

Noted author and entrepreneur to speak at Portland Art Museum

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 18:55:13 +0000

Explore the economic impact of life sciences on business and society with internationally known business leader and entrepreneur, Juan Enriquez. At an upcoming appearance at the Portland Art Museum, Enriquez will share his thoughts about the changes genomics will bring to business, technology, healthcare and society. The lecture, entitled The Future Body, is part of Oregon Health & Science University’s 125th Anniversary Celebration.

Event details

When

Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Program begins at 7:30 p.m.

Where

Portland Art Museum
1219 S.W. Park Avenue, Portland

Registration

Tickets are $10 and available through the Portland Art Museum box office. Proceeds benefit the OHSU Foundation’s Indigent Patient Care Fund.

Enriquez is the managing director of Excel Venture Management. He was the founding director of the Harvard Business School's Life Sciences Project and his bestselling book, As The Future Catches You, provides a blueprint of how a bio-based economy changes industries and corporations.

Casey Eye Institute to provide free vision screenings as part of Pacific Northwest Diabetes Health and Wellness Week

Wed, 07 Nov 2012 18:39:54 +0000

Linda Stronzinsky has been diabetic for 20 years. She’s a part-time cashier and is barely making ends meet – and she has no health insurance. And, until she visited the Casey Eye Institute’s Outreach Van this year, her eyes hadn’t been examined for 12 years.

For people in Stronzinsky’s situation, it can be difficult to find health care resources, especially specialty services for a complex and multifaceted disease such as diabetes. The 2012 Pacific Northwest Diabetes Health and Wellness Week, co-hosted by Novo Nordisk and the Chris Dudley Foundation, brings together those much-needed resources.

Occurring each November in recognition of World Diabetes Day, Pacific Northwest Diabetes Health and Wellness Week includes many educational events throughout the region. The Casey Eye Institute and the Harold Schnitzer Diabetes Health Center at Oregon Health & Science University will be involved in three of those events.

This Saturday, November 10, Pacific Northwest Diabetes Health and Wellness Week will kick off with the Circle on the Court event at the Rose Garden. A variety of organizations will be on hand, offering access to health care providers, educational sessions, healthy cooking demonstrations, kids sports clinics and much more. The Harold Schnitzer Diabetes Health Center will provide individualized education based on on-site health screening results and the Casey Outreach Van will provide free vision screening services for eye diseases such as diabetic retinopathy.

“The Casey Eye Outreach Van has been a lifesaver for me; without it, I wouldn’t have found out how bad my eyes really are,” Stronzinsky said. “Since I don’t have insurance, I didn’t know who to go to and even what to ask; I’m one of those people who is slipping through the cracks. I would highly recommend that people take advantage of resources like the Circle on the Court event and the Casey Eye van.”

Stronzinsky got her eyes screened this year at a Casey Outreach Van event at Rosewood Clinic, one of the many community partners that the van visits to provide free vision screening services. Her screening showed swelling in her retina, cataracts and diabetic retinopathy. Casey Eye Institute and Rosewood Clinic staff are working with community partners to help Stronzinsky access the continued vision care she needs.

Circle on the Court event details

When

Saturday, November 10, 2012
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Where

Rose Garden Arena
One Center Court, Portland, OR 97227

Registration

The Circle on the Court event is free and anyone is welcome to attend.
For a full list of Pacific Northwest Diabetes Health and Wellness Week events, click here.

The Harold Schnitzer Diabetes Health Center will also be hosting free health screenings at OHSU’s Center for Health and Healing on November 14 in recognition of World Diabetes Day and the Fifth Annual Pacific Northwest Diabetes Summit on November 17.

The Casey Eye Institute at OHSU provides free vision screening services for people in need across Oregon through the Casey Outreach Van. Since it began services in November 2010, the van has provided vision screenings for more than 1,600 Oregonians. Through partnerships with programs serving low income, uninsured or underinsured Oregonians, participants are examined at no cost, and community partners assist individuals who need further vision care. The 33-foot, fully outfitted mobile ophthalmology unit and its medical supplies are purchased through the generosity of private donors and staffed by dedicated volunteers.

About the Casey Eye Institute

As a part of Oregon Health & Science University, the Casey Eye Institute is an academic regional eye center. It is named after James and George Casey, founders of United Parcel Service. The Casey Eye Institute is also one of only seven regional eye research centers in the nation sponsored by Research to Prevent Blindness, the world's leading voluntary organization in support of eye research. The Casey Eye Institute has operated the Elks Children's Eye Clinic since 1949, thanks to the generous support of the Oregon State Elks Association.

About Pacific Northwest Diabetes Health and Wellness Week

Founded by Novo Nordisk in partnership with the Chris Dudley Foundation, Pacific Northwest Diabetes Health and Wellness Week is an annual event designed to unite our diabetes communities in a collaborative effort to bring attention to diabetes for an entire week! Together, we can change how diabetes is viewed and treated, and more importantly, how it evolves in the future.

Harold Schnitzer Diabetes Health Center hosts free events to benefit those affected by diabetes

Tue, 13 Nov 2012 00:29:00 +0000

Diabetes is a rapidly growing disease; by the year 2050, one third of our nation’s population will likely be affected. Moreover, nearly 80 million people in the U.S. have prediabetes, meaning they have a high risk of developing diabetes, and many people who have the disease are undiagnosed. As one of the premier academic medical centers on the west coast offering comprehensive diabetes care for children and adults, the Harold Schnitzer Diabetes Health Center at Oregon Health & Science University is sponsoring two free events to help educate, connect and support those affected by diabetes.

The events are a part of Pacific Northwest Diabetes Health and Wellness Week, which is co-hosted by Novo Nordisk and the Chris Dudley Foundation in celebration of World Diabetes Day. On November 14, a free health fair to promote diabetes education and prevention will provide access to helpful resources as well as screenings for blood glucose, blood pressure other health indicators. The following Saturday, November 17, the center is hosting its Fifth Annual Pacific Northwest Diabetes Summit, where local and national experts will share the latest information on prevention and treatment in the management of type 1 and type 2 diabetes. An added benefit associated with this year's summit is that there is no cost to attend!

Event details:

WHEN:

Free Health Screenings — Wednesday, Nov. 14, 7:30 to 11 a.m.
Pacific Northwest Diabetes Summit — Saturday, Nov. 17, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

WHERE:

OHSU Center for Health & Healing, 3303 S.W. Bond Avenue, Portland

Wednesday, Nov. 14—OHSU Free Health Screenings/World Diabetes Day

OHSU cardiovascular medicine experts will measure blood glucose, BMI (body mass index), cholesterol and blood pressure.
Nurses and physicians will be on hand for test results consults.
Kendall Simmons, a Superbowl XL champion and former Pittsburgh Steeler, will explain how he tackled Type 1 diabetes.
Certified diabetes educators from NovoNordisk will discuss carbohydrate counting and food exchanges.
March wellness representatives will demonstrate their Medical Exercise Program.

Saturday, Nov. 17—2011 Pacific Northwest Diabetes Summit
The summit includes lunch with an interactive session with Chris Smith, The Diabetic Chef. Programs will be offered for both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Topics include:

Managing your life with type 1 diabetes
Exercise and type 1 diabetes
Artificial Pancreas and other therapies of the future
Social Networking and connecting type 1
Eating healthy for type 2 diabetes without breaking the bank
Exercise and type 2 diabetes
Acknowledging (and feeding) the elephant in the room: success with managing type 2 diabetes

For a full program and to register, click here.

About the Harold Schnitzer Diabetes Health Center at OHSU

The Harold Schnitzer Diabetes Health Center was established in 2008 to enhance the lives of those affected by diabetes in the Pacific Northwest through unequalled personal care and education, improved medical provider education, innovative collaborations and advocacy for health and wellness. It is the only academic medical center west of the Rocky Mountains offering comprehensive diabetes care for children and adults at a single location. The Harold Schnitzer Diabetes Health Center is made possible by a partnership between Oregon Health & Science University, Doernbecher Children's Hospital and the Harold and Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation.

Medical Research Foundation Honors Three Top Oregon Scientists

Fri, 16 Nov 2012 19:11:02 +0000

The Medical Research Foundation of Oregon has announced the recipients of its 2012 awards for scientific leadership and innovation in Oregon. The awards were presented Nov. 15 at a reception in Portland.

Honorees

The MRF presented a Mentor Award to Christopher Minson, Ph.D., professor and head of the Department of Human Physiology and co-director of Exercise and Environmental Physiology Labs at the University of Oregon. Minson is a researcher, educator and leader whose efforts in growing biomedical research and pre-medical education at the University of Oregon have transformed his department, making it one of the preeminent pathways at the university for entry to graduate medical, dental, physical therapy and nursing programs.
The Discovery Award was presented to Oregon State University’s Joseph Beckman, Ph.D., for distinguished achievements in neuroscience. As OSU’s Ava Helen Pauling Chair at the Linus Pauling Institute, director of the Environmental Health Sciences Center and professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Beckman has shed light on the role of oxidative stress in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig’s disease. His lab’s long-range goal is to understand the causes of ALS and to identify drugs and dietary compounds with the potential to treat the disease.
The Richard T. Jones New Investigator Award was presented to Bonnie Nagel, Ph.D., associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral neuroscience and director of Pediatric Neuropsychology in the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Oregon Health & Science University. Nagel’s work on brain development during adolescence in healthy and at-risk populations has received significant attention and could have a major impact on public health.

ABOUT THE MEDICAL RESEARCH FOUNDATION OF OREGON

Established in 1942, the MRF promotes medical research achievement in Oregon. In addition to its annual honors, it administers more than $1 million per year in research funding and early investigator grants that support the work of outstanding investigators at research institutions across the state. Such funding is increasingly necessary in today’s climate. MRF grants help to sustain quality research programs, enabling Oregon researchers to compete more effectively for grants from agencies such as the National Institutes of Health. In 1994, the MRF became an affiliate committee of the OHSU Foundation, retaining its own unique mission and purpose to support Oregon biomedical research.

Holiday safety tips from OHSU Doernbecher and the Oregon Poison Center

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 18:15:49 +0000

Holiday celebrations are coming up, with children home from school and visiting family and friends. During the excitement, remember to keep your family safe from holiday-specific risks. The Tom Sargent Children’s Safety Center at Oregon Health & Science University Doernbecher Children’s Hospital and the Oregon Poison Center suggest following these helpful tips:

Handle decorations and lights with care

Delicate glass ornaments can break and lead to injuries. Place them high on the tree, away from small children.
Holiday lights can pose an electrical risk. Check all wires for fraying, and be sure all lights work.
Turn off all lights at bedtime and when no one is home.

Avoid fire hazards

Keep matches out of sight and reach of children.
Don’t leave burning candles unattended.
Don’t burn wrapping paper or evergreens in the fireplace.
Use care with "fire salts," which produce colored flames when thrown on wood fires. They contain heavy metals that can cause intense gastrointestinal irritation and vomiting if eaten.
Be sure smoke detectors are working; check the batteries!

Keep poisonous plants, décor, gifts and medications away from children and pets

Mistletoe leaves and berries are poisonous if swallowed. Amaryllis also can be poisonous. Poinsettias aren’t poisonous, but can irritate the skin and stomach if handled or swallowed.
Bubble lights contain a liquid called methylene chloride, which is toxic if swallowed.
Some artificial snow sprays are toxic. Avoid inhaling fumes and exposing eyes or skin.
Lamp oil can look like juice to children, and can be very dangerous!
Balsam, juniper, cedar, pine and fir branches can irritate the skin or mouth when touched or swallowed.
Be sure all medications have child safety caps and are kept out of reach of children; remind holiday visitors to take this precaution as well.

Practice toy safety

Select toys that match a child's age, abilities, skills and interest level. Children younger than 3 can choke on small parts contained in toys or games.
Take the ‘tube test’ with toys. If a toy or any of its parts can fit through a paper towel cylinder, it is too small for a child under the age of three.
Remove strings and ribbons from toys and watch for pull toys with strings more than 12 inches in length; they pose a strangulation hazard for babies.
Button batteries are small, and can be extremely dangerous if swallowed. Avoid toys that do not have a screw to keep the batteries in place.
Small magnets can cause severe abdominal problems if swallowed. Avoid having them around if you have young children.
Store toys in a designated location, such as on a shelf or in a toy chest, and keep older kids’ toys out of reach.

Keep your child safe at home and on the go

Remember to post the Oregon Poison Center’s number (1 800-222-1222) by home phones and save to cell phones.
Block stairs off with a screw-mounted gate to prevent falls in the home and make sure that toilets have a lock when young children are present.
If you are traveling this season, have your child’s car seat checked. Call the Tom Sargent Safety Center at OHSU for more information: 503 494-3735.

Properly handle and store food

Wash hands before and after handling raw food and meats to minimize your chance of contamination from bacteria.
Promptly refrigerate dips, eggs, cheeses and meats.
Be sure that all holiday drinks containing alcohol are not within reach of children.
Thaw your holiday turkey in the refrigerator, allowing one to three days for complete thawing. If time does not allow, immerse the turkey in watertight wrapper in cold water; continue adding ice to avoid turkey reaching room temperature.
Remember to remove the liver and gizzards and if you plan to stuff your turkey, do it just prior to roasting.
The safest method to determine when the turkey is cooked is to place a meat thermometer inside the thigh muscle or the thickest part of the breast. It should read 180-185 degrees for a normal turkey. For stuffed turkey, place thermometer in the stuffing; the thermometer here should read 165 degrees.
After cooking, remove the stuffing; do not allow the stuffing to cool inside the turkey.

About the OHSU Doernbecher Tom Sargent Children’s Safety Center

The OHSU Doernbecher Tom Sargent Children’s Safety Center is dedicated to reducing unintentional injuries in children through education and distribution of safety products. For more information, please call 503 418-5666 or click here for low cost safety products, educational materials or to find a car seat check-up event in your area.

About the Oregon Poison Center

The Oregon Poison Center (OPC) is a 24-hour poison emergency management resource for the public and health care professionals serving Oregon, Alaska and Guam. Located on the campus of Oregon Health & Science University, OPC was established by an act of the Oregon State Legislature in 1978 to provide emergency treatment information for patients experiencing a poisoning or toxic exposure. OPC’s doctors and nurses, who are trained in toxicology, handle nearly 60,000 calls a year utilizing professional expertise as well as an extensive variety of computer databases, textbooks and journal articles to determine the appropriate treatment guidelines for patients. Call the poison center hot line number (1 800-222-1222) for all poison emergencies and questions.

Astoria High School senior to deliver hundreds of toys for children at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 22:31:53 +0000

Jennifer Mandujano knows firsthand how cancer affects families. She understands the inherent stress and daily challenges they endure because her mom was diagnosed when she was 4 years old and is now living with stage IV brain cancer. Mandujano’s experience inspired her to make collecting toys for children battling cancer at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital her senior project.

Since mid-October, Mandujano has challenged herself, her classmates and her community to donate as many toys as possible to the children receiving care at OHSU Doernbecher. Dozens of local businesses and community members supported her cause — if not with toys then with generous cash donations. One business owner took her on a shopping spree, allowing Mandujano to personally select the toys she wanted to give to OHSU Doernbecher patients.

“Toys are a way for children to learn, cope and find a sense of calm while in the hospital. Play is a universal language for children and even a small toy can change a bad day into a better day for a child who perceives the hospital to be a scary place. We are grateful to Jennifer and her community for this generous gift,” said Sandra Westfall, manager of the Child Life Program at OHSU Doernbecher.

TOY DROP-OFF DETAILS

WHAT

Jennifer Mandujano, her twin and 5-year-old sisters, and Darla Rush, her Astoria High School mentor, will deliver the toys to the OHSU Doernbecher Child Life Program team.

WHEN

Tuesday, Nov. 20, 9 a.m.

WHERE

OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, 700 S.W. Campus Drive, Portland, Ore. 97239

DETAILS

For background on Jennifer Mandujano and her senior project, read The Daily Astorian article.

OHSU takes big step into health reform implementation

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 19:15:35 +0000

Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) today announced the receipt of a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and a gift from Phil and Barbara Silver that will combine to strengthen OHSU’s capacity to analyze health reform efforts and contribute to bending the cost curve down.

The $2.26 million grant from NIH will focus on studying Oregon’s Health Care Transformation – specifically the implementation of the Coordinated Care Organizations, or CCOs. The lead researcher is John McConnell, Ph.D., Director of OHSU’s Center for Health Systems Effectiveness (CHSE). “There has been a great deal of interest nationally on how Oregon’s CCO experiment is going to work. This grant will allow us to take a deep dive into the hows, whys, and wheres of CCOs – which CCOs are high performers, how savings are accrued, and what the effects are on quality.”

The gift from Phil and Barbara Silver, also $2.26 million, will support Dr. McConnell’s work and strengthen the CHSE. “We are particularly excited about expanding the health economics capacity at OHSU – we think our work here will provide critical information for the State and the rest of the country,” McConnell said. “What appeals to me about John McConnell’s work is that he is applying rigorous, data-driven analysis to a subject that tends to get mired in politics,” said Phil Silver.

Together, the gift and grant are expected to strengthen OHSU’s capacity for what OHSU President Robertson calls “delivery system science.” “One of the best hopes for improving outcomes at lower cost is to study the health care system analytically and apply what we learn. In short, process engineering for the health care industry,” Robertson said. “That may not sound glamorous but the impact will be profound. Between the excellent work of John McConnell as well as the application of evidence to both practice and policy, OHSU has the resources to make a difference in this debate.”

About OHSU

About CHSE

The Center for Health Systems Effectiveness was officially designated as an OHSU research organization in June 2011. The Center undertakes research to achieve the Triple Aim of improving the population health, improving patient experience, and reducing the per capita costs of care. The Center focuses on quantitative analyses, with a particular emphasis on state health policy and health economics.

Nike Doernbecher Freestyle collection available to public for first time Friday

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 21:54:03 +0000

WHAT

The Nike Doernbecher Freestyle IX collection, six one-of-a-kind shoes, will be available for purchase for the first time. Six OHSU Doernbecher patient-designers will be on hand to launch their shoes, sign autographs and share their inspiring stories of triumph over serious illness.

WHEN

Friday, Nov. 30, 8 a.m.

Doernbecher patient-designers will be available for interviews beginning at 7:30 a.m.

WHERE

Nike Portland, 638 S.W. 5th Ave. at Morrison St. (Media can gain access to the store before 8 a.m. by calling Ashley Schmidt at 503-267-0146.)

WHY

All proceeds from sales of the shoes benefit health care and research programs at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. To date, the program has raised more than $5 million.

DETAILS

Nike Doernbecher Freestyle is a unique partnership between Nike and Doernbecher that each year raises significant funds for OHSU Doernbecher while giving courageous former patients a unique and empowering form of self-expression. Nike generously donates all proceeds from nationwide Freestyle sales to OHSU Doernbecher.

This year’s designers hail from Portland, Tualatin, Albany, Salem, Gresham and Camas, Wash. They were cared for by Doernbecher specialists in cancer, nephrology, neurosurgery and cardiology.