November News Roundup

Establishing a Chest Wall Injury Center Provides Long-awaited Answers

The MUSC Health Chest Wall Injury Center is one of only 10 centers recognized internationally as a Collaborative Center of the Chest Wall Injury Society. 

Trauma surgeon Evert Eriksson, M.D. worked with colleagues Joseph Forrester, M.D., at Stanford University, Zachary Bauman D.O., at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, and Andrew Doben, M.D., at Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center to develop comprehensive chest wall injury centers(CWIC) at each of their respective institutions. They detailed their experience, findings and advice in a recent article published in the Journal of Thoracic Disease in the hope of serving as a resource for other institutions looking to establish a center.

 

In Historic Visit to Hollings, US First Lady Jill Biden Promotes Health Equity, Breast Cancer Awareness

Dr. Nancy Klauber-DeMore, a breast surgical oncologist at MUSC Hollings Cancer Center, left, greets first lady Jill Biden during a presentation on tumor research on Monday, Oct. 25, 2021. (AP Photo/Meg Kinnard)

First lady Jill Biden’s tour of Hollings Cancer Center marked a historic moment in Hollings’ history, as it was the first White House visit to the center. Also in attendance were MUSC President David J. Cole, M.D., FACS; Hollings director Raymond N. DuBois, M.D., Ph.D.; Marvella E. Ford, Ph.D., Hollings Associate Director of Population Sciences and Cancer Disparities; and Ned Sharpless, M.D., director of the National Cancer Institute. As part of the tour, Biden met with Nancy Klauber-DeMore, M.D., a breast cancer oncologist and Hollings researcher, and Ingrid Bonilla, a fourth-year MUSC medical student and breast cancer researcher. Klauber-DeMore’s research identified a protein, SFRP2, that aids in cancer cells hijacking the development of new blood vessels, known as angiogenesis, to fuel their own growth.

Klauber-DeMore explained to Biden how this research could lead to a means of cutting off fuel to cancer cells, which in turn would stunt the tumor’s growth. “I was so honored to have the opportunity to explain the research that we are doing at Hollings Cancer Center to develop a new therapy for breast cancer with our drug IVT-8086. I found Dr. Biden to be caring, compassionate and very knowledgeable,” Klauber-DeMore said. “Her passion for promoting cancer awareness and research was evident as a result of the personal losses that she has experienced, and I applaud her for her efforts.” Afterward, DuBois said the visit was an honor.

“This visit has meant so much to us here at MUSC Hollings Cancer Center,” he said. “We were very proud to showcase the innovative community outreach and engagement programs that we offer and our translational research efforts that are advancing cancer care.” Cole, who also is a surgical oncologist, told Biden that Hollings Cancer Center is the crown jewel for MUSC and the state. “Hollings is able to address cancer disparities as one of 71 NCI-designated cancer centers in the nation, provide excellent quality of care and conduct cancer research that can be translated into better treatment for our patients. As a cancer provider, you can see what a difference that makes in your patients’ eyes.”

Cynthia Talley, M.D. Invited into the ACS Academy of Master Surgeon Educators

Cynthia Talley, M.D. was among eighty-five esteemed surgeon educators who were recently admitted into the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Academy of Master Surgeon Educators™ as Members (35 Inductees), Associate Members(44 Inductees), and Affiliate Members (6 Inductees) during the Academy’s fourth induction ceremony which occurred the evening of October 15, 2021, in a virtual ceremony.

Awards and Distinctions 

• Nancy Klauber-DeMore, M.D. was named to the Annals of Surgical Oncology Editorial Board and received notification of a $400,000 award from Myrovlytis Trust for her research: Combination Therapy with a humanized monoclonal antibody to secreted frizzled related protein 2 for metastatic osteosarcoma.
• Andrea Abbott, M.D. MSCR was invited to join the Patient Safety and Quality Committee for the American Society of Breast Surgeons.
• Cynthia Talley, M.D. was elected Vice-Chair of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Young Fellows Association (YFA) by a national YFA member vote. This is a 1-year Chair-Elect appointment confirmed by the ACS Board of Regents.
• Virgilio George, M.D. was appointed to the National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer (NAPRC). The NAPRC was developed through a collaboration between The OSTRiCh Consortium (Optimizing the Surgical Treatment of Rectal Cancer) and the Commission on Cancer (CoC), a quality program of the American College of Surgeons.
• T. Konrad Rajab, M.D. received notification of the Brett Boyer Foundation Discovery Award for the amount of $100,000 towards research in congenital heart disease. Dr. Rajab works with Drs. Brielle Gerry and Jennie Kwon on research entitled: Partial Heart Transplantation with Reduced Levels of Immunosuppression - A New Treatment Paradigm for Newborn Babies with Unrepairable Heart Valve Disfunction.
• Ashley Hink, M.D. MPH and Ronald Dickerson, Ph.D., MSW received notification of funding from Dominion Energy for $50,000 in support of the Turning the Tide Violence Prevention Program, with the potential to receive an additional $300,000 in the next funding cycle.
• Evert Eriksson, M.D. received notification the manuscript Are Rib Fractures Stable? An Analysis of Progressive Rib Fracture Offset in the Acute Trauma Setting, was selected as one of the CME articles for the December 2021 issue of the Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery.
• Adam Tanious. M.D. MMSc, has been named the new Vascular Surgery Associate Program Director in the Division of Education.
• Michelle Hill, Transplant Surgery Administrative Coordinator, will teach the Influential Writing Series in MyQuest. "Writing to Impress": November 10from noon - 1 p.m. and "Proofreading with Precision" on November 17 from noon - 1 p.m. Anyone can register in MyQuest by searching "Influential Writer" in the search box.