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Grants

Sylvia Christakos, PhD, professor, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, received a three-year, $150,000 grant from the American Diabetes Association to study "The Role of the Calcium Binding Protein, Calbindin-D28k in the Cell."

Jeffrey Gardner, PhD, Pediatrics, received a two-year, $80,000 grant-in-aid from the American Heart Association/New Jersey Affiliate to study "Linkage Analysis for Genetic Loci Regulating Store-Operated Calcium Entry."

The Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation received a three-year, $1,032,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Education for establishment of a Northern New Jersey Traumatic Brain Injury Center. This grant will be administered through Kessler Institute (Kessler Medical Rehabilitation Research and Education Corporation). Mark Johnston, PhD, associate professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, is the project director.

Fatah Kashanchi, PhD, assistant professor, Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, received a five-year, $556,500 grant from the NIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to study "Cell Cycle Regulated Transcription by HIV-1 Transactivator, Tat."

The Department of Ophthalmology received a one-year, $38,265 grant from The Foundation Fighting Blindness to study "Autologous Retinal Pigment Epithelium Transplantation in Humans with Age-related Macular Degeneration," and a four-year, $696,412 grant from the National Eye Institute to study "Pigment Epithelium Removal and Transplantation." Marco Zarbin, MD, PhD, professor and chair of the department, is the principal investigator.

Vanessa Routh, PhD, assistant professor, Pharmacology and Physiology, received a four-year, $299,859 grant from the American Diabetes Association to study"The ATP-Sensitive K+ Channel in the Ventromedial Hypothalamic Nucleus: Role in Glucose Homeostasis."

Honors:

Marco Zarbin, MD, PhD, professor and chair, and Peter Hersh, MD, associate professor, Ophthalmology, were named co-editors of the Diagnostic and Surgical Techniques section of the journal, Survey of Ophthalmology.

Marco Zarbin, MD, PhD, professor and chair, Ophthalmology, was appointed to the editorial board of Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, published by the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.

Robert Fechtner, MD, and Larry Frohman, MD, associate professors, and Marco Zarbin, MD, PhD, professor and chair, Ophthalmology, have been selected by their peers to be included in the 4th annual listing of Woodward/White's "The Best Doctors in America."

Publications:
"Analysis of Current Practices in Recruitment of Residents for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation: Survey of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department Chairs," by Joel DeLisa, MD, professor, chair and residency training co-director, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, et al., was in the American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Vol. 7, July/August 1998.

"Bilateral Patella Tendon Rupture After Minor Trauma," by Denise Campagnolo, MD, assistant professor, and Philip Melchiorre, MD, assistant professor, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, was in the European Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Vol. 8, 1998

."Doctor, Thou Shalt Not Kill," a treatise opposing physician-assisted suicide, by Richard Watson, MD, associate professor, Clinical Surgery, was in The Linacre Quarterly, Vol. 65, August 1998.

"Further Experience in Development of an Objective Structured Clinical Examination for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Residents," by Sudesh Sheela Jain, MD, associate professor of Clinical Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R); Joel DeLisa, MD, MS, professor, chair and residency training co-director, PM&R; Mary Eyles, MA, RN, director of Education, Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation; Scott Nadler, DO, assistant professor; Steven Kirshblum, MD, assistant professor, both in PM&R; and Ann Smith, BS, database analyst/coordinator of Standardized Patient Program, Educational Affairs, was in the American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Vol. 7, July/August, 1998.

"Kinematic Analysis of Patient with Spinal Muscular Atrophy During Spontaneous Breathing and Mechanical Ventilation," by John R. Bach, MD, professor, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Alice Tzeng, MD, research fellow, et al, was published in the American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Vol 7, May/June 1998.

"Low Back Pain in College Athletes: A Prospective Study Correlating Lower Extremity Overuse or Acquired Ligamentous Laxity With Low Back Pain," by Scott Nadler, DO, assistant professor, Karen Wu, BS, medical student, Thomas Galski, PhD, assistant professor, and Joseph Feinberg, MD, assistant professor, all in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, was in Spine, Vol. 23, 1998.

"Medical Ethics Teaching in Physiatry Residency Training Programs: A Commentary," and"Residency Training in Physiatry During a Time of Change: Funding of Graduate Medical Education and Other Issues," by Joel DeLisa, MD, professor, chair and residency training co-director, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R), Sudesh Sheela Jain, MD, associate professor of clinical PM&R, and Steven Kirshblum, MD, assistant professor, PM&R, was in the American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Vol.7, July/August 1998.

"Photorefractive Keratectomy Versus Laser in Situ Keratomileusis for Moderate to High Myopia," by Peter Hersh, MD, associate professor, Ophthalmology, was published in Ophthalmology, Vol. 105, August 1998.

"Vasovasostomy Using Albumisol Solder With an Argon Laser," by Gerald Mingin, MD, resident physician, and Joseph Ditrolio, MD, clinical assistant professor, both in Urology, was in British Journal of Urology, Vol. 81, 1998.

Professional Activities:

Robert Heary, MD, assistant professor, Neurosurgery, was one of six North American neurosurgeons invited to instruct at a symposium on cervical spine disease at the 28th Annual Meeting of the Congress of Latin American Neurosurgeons in Santiago, Chile.

Marco Zarbin, MD,PhD, professor and chair, Ophthalmology, presented"Pathogenesis of Age-Related Macular Degeneration" and"Retinal Pigment Epithelium" at the XVIII International Congress of Ophthalmology, held in Amsterdam. He was also an invited speaker to two conferences on age-related macular degeneration at Johns Hopkins University and at the University of California, Berkeley.

Grants:

Henry Brezenoff, PhD, acting dean, received a two-year, $296,344"Bridges to the Doctoral Degree" grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences in support of bridging students studying for a master's degree in science at the Montclair State University to doctoral programs at GSBS, Newark.

Michael Leibowitz, PhD, associate dean, received a two-year, $281,069"Bridges to the Doctoral Degree" grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences in support of bridging students studying for a master's degree in science at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez campus, to doctoral programs at GSBS, Piscataway.

Publications:

H. Jesse Guiles, EdD, and William Clark, MEd, co-authored "Blood Gas Determination - A Theoretical Review for Laboratory Managers," in Advance for Administrators of the Laboratory, July 1998.

Elaine Keohane, PhD, director, Medical Technology Program and acting director, Medical Laboratory Technician Program, was first author on "The Molecular Characterization of the Major Polar Tube Protein Gene from Encephalitozoon Hellem, A Microsporidian Parasite of Humans," published in Molecular Biochemistry Parasitol, Vol. 94, 1998. She was also the primary author of "Characterization and Function of the Microsporidian Polar Tube: A Review," which was in Folia Parasitologica, Vol. 45, July 1998.

Honors:

Mary Jane Myslinski, EdD, PT, assistant professor, Master of Science in Physical Therapy Program, was appointed to a national task force on clinical research by the American Physical Therapy Association.