October 2009

Research on Invasive Hospital Procedures

Dr. Ross Davis, a vascular surgery fellow in the Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, was quoted in MSN.com and U.S. News & World Report on the research he co-authored about the increasing use of invasive procedures as a first-line of treatment for patients with renal artery stenosis.

Surgical Education Grant Awarded

Dr. Louis Argenta’s role in developing negative pressure wound therapy and his continued contribution to improve the care of surgical patients has been honored by Kinetic Concepts, Inc. and the American College of Surgeons with the announcement of a five-year, $250,000 educational grant in his name for a research fellowship and international scholarship to promote the surgical education and research vital to advancing wound care. This story was featured in many publications, including FOX Business.

Patient Satisfaction Blog

Dr. Steven Feldman, professor of dermatology, who started www.drscore.com as a way for patients to give feedback to their doctors, is quoted on YahooNews! discussing his new patient satisfaction blog. To read the blog, click here.

Cocaine Exposure in the Womb

Research conducted by Dr. Michael Nader, a professor of physiology and pharmacology, revealing that adult male monkeys exposed to cocaine while in the womb have poor impulse control and may be more vulnerable to drug abuse than female monkeys was featured in U.S. News & World Report, Science Daily and WFMY-TV, as well as many others.

Nurses Rank Top Hospitals

In the third annual Readers’ Choice survey conducted by ADVANCE for Nurses magazine, Wake Forest Baptist was ranked in the top six.

Research Study on Atherosclerotic Renovascular Disease

Research from a large retrospective study on renal artery stenosis at Wake Forest Baptist was featured in Medical News Today and many other online publications.

Affordable Anti-Rejection Drug Effective

Dr. Alan Farney, associate professor of surgery, was quoted in many publications for his study about a newer and less expensive drug that prevents organ rejection in pancreas and kidney transplant patients. The article can be read in the United Press International, Nephrology Times and Drug Topics Magazine.

The Gene Smart Diet

Dr. Floyd H. “Ski” Chilton’s innovative new wellness and nutrition program featured in his book “The GeneSmart Diet,” has been given national attention including WebMD, HealthNewsDigest.com and WXII-TV. Chilton is a professor in the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology.

Our Health vs. Our Hair

Dr. Amy McMichael, associate professor of dermatology, is quoted in an article for Essence Magazine Online regarding her study that looked at the connection between African American women, obesity and hairstyling.

Kidney Transplant Surgery

A study conducted by Dr. Robert J. Stratta, professor of surgery and director of transplantation, suggests the possibility of safely expanding the donor kidney pool by at least 10 to 15 percent with kidneys recovered from deceased donors with acute renal failure. His study was published in the October issue of Surgery and in many other publications, including United Press International, Medical News Today, Science Daily and PhysOrg.

Pericardial Fat Predicts Future Heart Disease

A study led by Dr. Jingzhong Ding, assistant professor of Internal Medicine in the Section on Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, on how pericardial fat independently predicts a higher risk for incident coronary heart disease was featured in Reuters Health.

General Anesthetics Lead To Learning Disabilities in Animal Models

Studies conducted by researchers at the School of Medicine that show blocking the NMDA receptor in immature rats leads to profound, rapid brain injury and disruption of auditory function as the animals mature was featured in Science Daily, WFMY-TV, R & D Magazine and many other publications.

New Center Named

The Triad Business Journal and About.com ran a story about the renaming of the Program for Complementary and Integrative Medicine. Its new name is the Center for Integrative Medicine. The change in name is a reflection of the program’s growth and rising significance.

Reorganization of the Translational Science Institute

The Winston-Salem Journal and the Triad Business Journal each published stories about the reorganization of the Translational Science Institute at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. Dr. Charles E. "Cash" McCall was appointed to director and a professor of translational science, and Stephen B. Kritchevsky was named deputy director of the Institute.

Rise in STD Cases in Forsyth County

Dr. Laura Bachmann, an associate professor in the Department of Internal Medicine-infectious diseases, was quoted in the Winston-Salem Journal for a story about increasing STD rates in Forsyth County.

H1N1 Vaccine Trial

Dr. Wendy Moore, assistant professor of medicine in the Section on Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, was quoted in The Business Journal about an H1N1 vaccine study for asthmatics being conducted by the School of Medicine’s Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine Research.

More Reasons Not To Smoke

Dr. David Goff, chair of the Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, was quoted in Stanley News and Press regarding a new report from the Institute of Medicine that confirms there are no safe levels of secondhand smoke.

Pretend Patients Help Train Real Medical Students

Wake Forest University School of Medicine was featured in an article in the Greensboro News & Record that illustrates how the school uses simulated patients to better train medical students on how to ask the right questions, conduct physical examinations, use counseling skills, offer emotional support and develop a trusting relationship with patients.

H1N1 in the Community

Dr. Jon Abramson, chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Brenner Children's Hospital, appeared on the Oct. 22 edition of WXII Ch. 12's Noon Show health segment to discuss H1N1 flu and its status in the community.

Get Smart About Antibiotics Week

Michelle Wallis, program manager for North Carolina Taking Antibiotic Resistance Seriously (NC TARS), based out of the School of Medicine's Infectious Disease Section, appeared on the Oct. 8 edition of WXII Ch. 12's Noon Show health segment to discuss the national awareness effort, "Get Smart About Antibiotics Week."

Breast Cancer Call Center

Dr. Marissa Howard-McNatt, assistant professor of surgical sciences, was interviewed on WFMY-TV about breast cancer. She was one of several Wake Forest Baptist doctors who participated in a breast cancer awareness call-center, where viewers could call in and have their breast cancer questions answered.

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