JULY

 

William F. Owen, Jr., MD, takes office as the president of the University.

 

 

 

SHRP launches a master’s program in health sciences with a new Web-based track in integrative health and wellness.

 

SN and The Children’s Health Fund launch The New Jersey Children’s Health Project to bring medical care to inner-city children. The project will use a mobile medical unit to deliver healthcare services.

 

SPH receives reaccreditation from the Council on Education for Public Health, the governing board that accredits schools of public health.

 

The Department of Family Medicine at SOM receives a grant of $587,000 from the Health Resources Services Administration to develop a program providing additional training for young physicians treating patients with diabetes and other chronic diseases.

 

An NJMS research team led by Stephen F. Vatner, MD, professor and chair of the Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Medicine, receives an NIH grant of $10,165,654 to study longevity and stress resistance. An article published in the journal Cell was the cornerstone of this research.

 

Gilla Kaplan, PhD, researcher, Public Health Research Institute (PHRI), and professor, medicine, NJMS, receives a $3,044,445 grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for “Host-pathogen Determinants of M. tb Latency.”

AUGUST

 

Alan C. Monheit, PhD, professor of health economics at SPH, is named editor of the health policy journal INQUIRY (www.inquiryjournal.org).

 

 

UH’s new Board of Directors holds its inaugural meeting. New legislation created a separate board for the hospital.

 

Broadway House for Continuing Care in Newark receives a Circle of Life Award for its innovative palliative care programs. The awards are supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and other organizations.

 

Wlodeck Mandecki, PhD, adjunct professor, microbiology and molecular genetics at NJMS, receives a $1.6 million grant from the NIH’s National Human Genome Research Institute. He is one of 12 investigators to share in a $15 million endowment to develop technologies to reduce the cost of DNA sequencing.

 

The NJMS student organization PINACLE hosts the “Ministers of Health Breakfast” for Newark ministers to encourage their participation in disease prevention and treatment initiatives.

 

UMDNJ researchers share a $3 million grant from the Foundation of UMDNJ Annual Grants Program. The funds support research and educational enrichment and technology.

 

Karen Lin, MD, associate professor of family medicine at RWJMS, is named the 2007 New Jersey Family Physician of the Year by the New Jersey Academy of Family Physicians.

SEPTEMBER

 

The 23rd Annual University Day is held in New Brunswick. Robert E. Campbell, former vice chairman of Johnson & Johnson, receives the University Medal for Distinguished Leadership. New members of the Stuart D. Cook, MD, Master Educators’ Guild are inducted.

 

RWJMS establishes the Robert Wood Johnson Autism Center to conduct research and provide services for children with autism
and their families.

 

The annual High Speed Chase for the Cure 5K Run/3K Walk attracts approximately 400 volunteers and raises nearly $20,000 for CINJ.

 

Smita Patel, PhD, professor of biochemistry at RWJMS, receives a $2.5 million MERIT Award from the NIH in support of her research into gene transcription.

 

UH is designated a Comprehensive Stroke Center by the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services. Hospitals receive this designation for providing specialized care to patients experiencing the most complex strokes.

OCTOBER

 

Joseph R. Bertino, MD, interim director and chief scientific officer of CINJ and University Professor of Medicine and Pharmacology, RWJMS, receives the Bob Pinedo Cancer Care Prize for his outstanding work in the areas of leukemia and lymphoma research. The award is given by the Amsterdam-based Medical Knowledge Institute.

 

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation awards $1.5 million to Gilla Kaplan, PhD, researcher, PHRI, and professor, medicine, NJMS, for a study aimed at improving treatment methods for TB.

 

Audrey R. Gotsch, DrPH, dean, SPH, is elected president of the Council on Education for Public Health, an independent agency that accredits schools and programs of public health throughout the U.S.

 

The New Jersey Center for Public Health Preparedness at SPH receives a $1 million grant from the CDC for the fourth year in a row. The award allows the Center to continue its work preparing for public health emergencies.

 

David Alland, MD, associate professor of medicine, NJMS, receives a $1.8 million grant to develop a test to identify serious bloodstream infections.

 

Two SOM researchers receive national awards from the American Osteopathic Foundation.
Robert Nagele, PhD, professor of medicine at SOM’s New Jersey Institute for Successful Aging, receives the Beehler Research Mentor of the Year Award. Theresa Scholl, PhD, MPH, professor, obstetrics and gynecology, receives the Irvin M. Korr Research Award. These awards
are presented for excellence in research and mentorship.

 

SOM’s New Jersey Institute for Successful Aging receives more than $3.4 million in grants from the U.S. Health Resource and Services Administration to support geriatric education programs.

 

Karen Raphael, PhD, associate professor and director of research, psychiatry, NJMS, and associate professor, diagnostic sciences, NJDS, receives a $3.1 million award from the NIH to study the causes of temporomandibular disorders. The study will be conducted with a team of researchers from New York University’s College of Dentistry and School of Medicine.

NOVEMBER

 

Kiran Chada, PhD, professor of biochemistry, RWJMS, (above) and Peter Tolias, PhD, executive director, Institute of Genomic Medicine and professor of pediatrics, NJMS, are among the winners of the 2007 Thomas Alva Edison Patent of the Year Awards. Tolias shares his award with Timothy Chang, PhD, of NJIT.

 

More than 180 faculty members are named “Top Doctors” by New Jersey Monthly magazine.

 

To commemorate World AIDS Day, RWJMS presents “Take the Lead, Stop AIDS.” The event includes an art show, pastoral care discussions and a memorial service.

 

Mark Merlin, DO, assistant professor of emergency medicine at RWJMS, is named New Jersey’s EMS Physician of the Year by the New Jersey Emergency Medical Services Council and the Department of Health and Senior Services.

DECEMBER

 

The Board of Trustees approves the establishment of a major clinical affiliation between UMDNJ and Saint Barnabas Health Care System. NJMS will partner with Saint
Barnabas Medical Center and Newark Beth Israel Hospital to collaborate on research projects and develop clinical instruction opportunities for medical students.

 

Attorney Mary Sue Henifin, JD, MPH, an expert in environmental
and public health law, joins the Board of Trustees.

 

NJDS receives a $15,000 grant from the Giants Foundation to support the school’s Mouthguard Protection Program for Inner City High School Athletes. Some 200 athletes receive a free examination and customized mouthguard to protect against mouth and jaw injuries.

 

Joel DeLisa, MD, professor and chair, physical medicine and rehabilitation, NJMS, is elected chair of the Association of American Medical College’s Council of Academic Societies. He is the first chair from UMDNJ and the first representative of his specialty to attain this leadership position. DeLisa also receives the Outstanding Medical Educator Award from the Edward J. Ill Excellence in Medicine Association, presented for his dedication to education, research and public service.

 

The journal Nature publishes a CINJ study showing the key role p53 plays in the reproduction of mice, a finding which may lead to advances in infertility treatments. Arnold J. Levine, PhD, member of CINJ, and professor of pediatrics and biochemistry at RWJMS, is the lead investigator.

 

The New England Journal of Medicine publishes a study showing a significantly increased health risk for people with asthma who are exposed to air found in urban environments. Lead investigators are Junfeng Zhang, PhD, professor and acting chair, environmental and occupational health, SPH, and Pamela Ohman Strickland, PhD, associate professor, biostatistics, SPH.

 

UMDNJ hosts the 2007 Annual Research Symposium, “Diabetes: Current Research in the Basic, Clinical and Epidemiological Sciences.” The day-long event features several speakers, including UMDNJ president William F. Owen, Jr., MD, and faculty members.

 

Carolyn Bekes, MD, professor of medicine, RWJMS, is one of three recipients of the 2008 Courage to Lead Award, presented by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. The award is given for excellence in educational programs for medical residents.

 

The American Medical Student Association selects RWJMS medical student Wan-Ju Wu as one of eight Global Health Scholars. The program provides the opportunity for students to develop advocacy and communication skills to effect change in global health.

 

Nicola C. Partridge, PhD, professor and chair, physiology and biophysics, RWJMS, becomes the first woman president of the Association of Chairs of Departments of Physiology.

 

CINJ holds a celebration to mark its 10th anniversary as a National Cancer Institute Cancer Center. At the event, CINJ researchers present their work in cancer treatment and prevention.

 

The Deferred Prosecution Agreement and federal monitorship of UMDNJ conclude on December 31.

JANUARY

 

SPH and EOHSI are selected to help oversee the National Children’s Study, the largest long-term study of environmental and genetic effects on children’s health ever attempted in the U.S. The study will monitor the health of 100,000 children from birth through age 21.

 

CINJ receives a $12 million grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to fund research aimed at cancer prevention and early diagnosis.

 

David Goteiner, DMD, clinical professor, periodontics, NJDS, is the lead investigator in a study linking heart attacks with chronic periodontitis in people over age 60. The study was published in the Journal of Periodontology.

 

Researchers at CINJ, RWJMS and Rutgers collaborate with IBM Corporation to advance cancer research. The project, an extension of the “Help Defeat Cancer” project initiated last year, is supported by a $2.5 million grant from the NIH.

FEBRUARY

 

Broadway House for Continuing Care’s AIDS Community Education (A.C.E.) program receives the Health Research and Educational Trust of New Jersey Community Outreach Award. The A.C.E. program provides comprehensive HIV/AIDS education for Newark schoolchildren.

 

NJMS offers a mini-medical school program designed for those with an interest in learning more about healthcare. The nine-week session includes such topics as brain injury and rehabilitation, advances in contraception, new guidelines for Pap smear screening, and surviving a heart attack.

 

Heather Howard, New Jersey’s Commissioner of Health and Senior Services, joins the UMDNJ Board of Trustees as an ex officio member. Howard, an attorney, has many years of policy experience at the state and federal levels.

 

Jason Richardson, PhD, assistant professor of environmental and occupational medicine at RWJMS, is a recipient of the NIH’s Outstanding New Environmental Sciences Award. The $2.3 million grant will support his research on the health risks of pesticide exposure in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

 

The UMDNJ Office of Patents and Licensing awards $350,000 in grants to support a variety of research
projects underway at the University.

 

Students discuss various issues with UMDNJ President William F. Owen, Jr., MD, at a Town Hall Meeting held in Newark and broadcast live to other campuses. The meeting underscored the president’s goal of engaging the entire University community in shaping its future.

 

SPH and CINJ’s LIFE (LPGA Pros in the Fight to Eradicate Breast Cancer) Center co-develop a program for high school biology teachers aimed at improving students’ science skills and raising their awareness about breast cancer.

 

TV news personality Gil Noble (above) and Robert L. Johnson, MD, interim dean, NJMS, are among the featured speakers for the Black History Month events at NJMS. Activities include lectures and panel discussions on parenting and caregiving.

MARCH

 

UMDNJ receives reaccreditation from the Middle States Commission, following a period of probation since June 2006. The commission notes the restoration is appropriate “because of progress to date and evidence of the institution’s capacity to make appropriate improvements within a reasonable period of time.”

 

Bruce G. Haffty, MD, associate director, CINJ,
is named president-elect of the American Board of Radiology.

 

Some 297 new physicians head to hospitals nationwide for their residencies. This year’s annual Match Day program paired more than 97 percent of RWJMS and NJMS graduates with residency programs.

 

The Chronicle of Higher Education ranks NJDS’s oral biology faculty seventh in the nation for scholarly productivity among universities that offer PhD programs in oral biology and craniofacial science. The index examined 164,843 faculty members listed on PhD programs’ Web sites.

 

The Eric B. Chandler Health Center in New Brunswick celebrates its 20th anniversary with a gala reception. The Center provides quality care for a diverse community.

 

Russell L. McIntyre, ThD, professor emeritus, environmental and occupational medicine, RWJMS, was the keynote speaker at the annual Mates David and Hinna Stahl Memorial Lecture on Bioethics at RWJMS. McIntyre, a retired RWJMS faculty member, taught medical ethics, medicine and the law, death and dying, and human sexuality.

APRIL

 

U.S. News and World Report magazine selects SOM as among the nation’s best graduate schools for geriatrics. RWJMS is selected for research and primary care, and SHRP is chosen for its physical therapy, rehabilitation counseling and physician assistant programs.

 

The Journal of Neuroscience publishes a UMDNJ study showing how neuronal connections are made. The principal investigator is William Wadsworth, PhD, professor of pathology at RWJMS; co-authors are Gauri V. Kulkarni, PhD, and Haichang Li, PhD.

 

NJMS holds the 4th Annual Teen Forum in Newark to teach young people about HIV/AIDS. The event featured skits, presentations and a panel discussion about making
safe choices.

 

Joseph T. Nezgoda, a student in the combined MD/MBA program at RWJMS, receives the Leadership Award, part of the American Medical Association Foundation Excellence in Medicine Awards. The award is given to 56 outstanding medical students, residents and physicians who demonstrate strong leadership skills.

 

Peter W. Carmel, MD, professor and chair, Department of Neurological Surgery, NJMS, receives the 2008 Distinguished Service Award during the annual meeting of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons. The award recognizes his outstanding commitment and dedication.

 

UMDNJ hosts the Community Healthcare Leadership Roundtable at NJDS to mark the 40th anniversary of the Newark Rebellion. Keynote speaker was Clement Price, PhD, of Rutgers University. Health disparities and the state of healthcare in Newark are among the topics discussed.

MAY

 

The University holds its 38th Annual Commencement Ceremony at the Izod Center in the Meadowlands. This year’s class is the largest in UMDNJ history, with 1,770 health professionals receiving diplomas.

 

Kathleen Scotto, PhD, vice president of research at UMDNJ and interim GSBS dean, is named one of 12 Outstanding Women of Science by the New Jersey Association for Biomedical Research. Scotto is recognized for her work on the regulation of drug resistance genes impacting sensitivity of cancer cells to therapeutic agents.

 

CINJ nurse practitioner Katherine Katen Moore, MSN, APRN, AOCN, BC, receives the 2008 State Award for Excellence from the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. Moore is the co-author of the book “Living Well with Cancer,” now in its second printing.

 

SHRP and New Community Corp. co-host CONDUCTORCISE, a nationally acclaimed musical aerobics program, for 100 senior citizens in Newark.

 

The Journal of Clinical Hypertension publishes an analysis of the Treating to New Targets (TNT) study showing that good control of cholesterol and blood pressure reduces heart attack and stroke risk by 42 percent. Lead investigator is John B. Kostis, MD, the John G. Detwiler Professor of Cardiology, and professor and chair of medicine at RWJMS.

 

 

A team of SHRP students participates in the 9th Annual Helping Hands 5K Run to raise funds for the Homeless and Indigent Population Health Outreach Project (HIPHOP) at RWJMS. The money raised benefits HIPHOP’s outreach programs in the New Brunswick area.

 

SN graduates its first class from the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree program launched in fall 2006. It is the first New Jersey school to offer this practice-focused degree.

JUNE

 

More than 140 faculty members make New York magazine’s “Top Docs” list for the metropolitan area.

 

Joseph R. Bertino, MD, interim director and chief scientific officer of CINJ and University Professor of Medicine and Pharmacology, RWJMS, receives the Distinguished Service Award for Scientific Achievement at the 44th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).

 

SHRP and NJDS host Special Olympics New Jersey, a day of fun, games and competition, at The College of New Jersey in Ewing. More than 2,000 athletes participate.

 

UH’s Quality Improvement Department receives a $106,250 incentive award from Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey’s Hospital Recognition Program for improving patient safety and satisfaction and clinical outcomes.

 

To research different approaches to designing an HIV vaccine, Abraham Pinter, PhD, professor, microbiology and medical genetics, NJMS, and head of the Laboratory of Retroviral Biology at PHRI, is one of 10 investigators sharing a five-year, $15.6 million grant from the NIH-National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).

 

SN receives three competitive federal grants totaling nearly $2.7 million to support development of academic programs in health professions education, community health nursing, and nurse practitioner care for adult and geriatric patients.

 

NJDS teams up with the New Jersey Dental Association, the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services and the New Jersey Oral Cancer Work Group for the first Oral Health Screening Day at the State House in Trenton. Approximately 90 people receive free screenings.