This Week@WesternU, Aug. 20-24, 2012
Convocation
From the keynote speaker to new students to proud parents, the message of inspiration, commitment and camaraderie rang loud and clear at Western University of Health Sciences’ Convocation and white coat ceremonies.
The ceremonies, held Aug. 11, 2012 at Fairplex in Pomona, Calif., ushered nearly 1,200 new students into the start of their health professions careers.
Click here to read the full story and to view a slideshow.
Center for Oral Health to call WesternU home
The Center for Oral Health (COH) is moving its headquarters to Western University of Health Sciences’ Pomona, Calif. campus, allowing for greater collaboration and innovation in helping vulnerable populations.
Click here to read the full story.
Pumerantz Lectureship
The fourth annual Dr. Philip Pumerantz Distinguished Lectureship at WesternU will feature a guest speaker with more than 30 years of health care experience.
Keynote speaker Cliff Holland is Corporate Vice President, Worldwide Government Affairs & Policy for Johnson & Johnson, with responsibility for all federal, state, and international government affairs and policy. He is also a member of the Corporate Group Operating Committee. Holland’s topic will be “Fast Forward: Health Care in the 21st Century.”
The Pumerantz Lecture will take place at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 13, 2012 in HEC Lecture Hall I.
Click here to read the full story.
WesternU View
Click here to read the Summer 2012 edition of the WesternU View magazine, featuring a cover story on WesternU students who served in the military.
From the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific:
Kudos on accomplishments
The American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians – California (ACOFP-CA) named COMP alumnus and faculty member David Connett, DO, FACOFP, as “Educator of the Year.”
Click here to read the full story.
The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association (JAOA) selected COMP Professor Raymond J. Hruby, DO, to serve on the JAOA Editorial Board. Editorial Board members are expected to undertake the following assignments:
Peer review manuscripts submitted to the JAOA; mentor new peer reviewers and prospective authors; promote the JAOA as the premier vehicle for publication of osteopathic-based research; encourage and support research that contributes to the evidence base of osteopathic medicine; serve as the JAOA’s representative on campus; participate in regular communication with the Editor in Chief, Associate Editors, and Editorial Board members throughout the year.
From the College of Allied Health Professions:
Department of Physical Therapy Education News
Associate Professor Casey Chaney, PT, PhD, CSCS, OCS, presented a poster at the 7th Annual Evidence Based Practice Symposium held recently at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions in Provo, Utah. “The Effects of Wrist Straps on the sEMG of Selected Muscles During Pull-ups” was the title of the research poster Dr. Chaney and Guillermo Escalante, DSc, had accepted for the symposium. Dr. Escalante was awarded his doctoral degree in Athletic Training from Rocky Mountain University after defending his research this past spring at WesternU with Dr. Chaney heading his dissertation committee.
From the College of Pharmacy:
Kudos on accomplishments
Dr. Peter Oelschlaeger was awarded the following intramural grants:
“Applying virtual screening techniques to the search for metallo-beta-lactamase inhibitors” ($5,000). A collaborative project with Dr. William Welsh’s group at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Piscataway.
“Crafting metallo-beta-lactamase activity in another protein scaffold using the Rosetta3 computational protein design program” ($3,500). A collaborative project with Dr. David Baker’s group at the University of Washington, Seattle.
RxBound
Click here to read the Summer 2012 edition of RxBound, the College of Pharmacy’s official magazine.
From the College of Veterinary Medicine:
Kudos on accomplishments
Veterinary surgery Associate Professor Dr. Ohad Levi has published an article titled, “Use of Pelvic Flexure Biopsy Scores to Predict Short-Term Survival after Large Colon Volvulus.” This study was a collaboration with a veterinary surgical team from UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. The results of the study were presented in part at the 10th Equine Colic Research Symposium in Indianapolis, Ind., July 2011. Intestinal volvulus is a common surgical emergency in horses and prognostic testing would be of great value in managing cost of care.
The complete citation is Levi, O. et al. “Use of Pelvic Flexure Biopsy Scores to Predict Short-Term Survival after Large Colon Volvulus”. Veterinary Surgery 41 (July, 2012) 582–588.
Click here to view the manuscript.
Veterinary Behaviorist and Professor Dr. Victoria Voith presented the paper, “Breed Identification of Dogs: An Illusion,” at the International Society of Anthrozoology 2012 meeting, “The Arts & Sciences of Human-Animal Interactions” in Cambridge, UK. She also participated in a conference, “Embracing the Beast: Teaching Anthrozoology Post-Conference Forum,” July 14, 2012, in Cambridge, England. Dr. Voith has participated in studies comparing DNA of dogs to the visual identification of breeds of dogs by people. The topic has reached high significance because of legislation prohibiting certain dog breeds in human interactive settings.
Veterinary physiology Assistant Professor Dr. David Kersey was funded for three projects by the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. Dr. Kersey will serve as principal investigator for “Reproductive and immunological changes during pregnancy and pseudopregnancy in giant panda.” He is co-investigator for “Effects of photoperiod changes on melatonin production in the female giant panda” and “Behavioral and hormonal response to routine managerial events in the giant panda.”
These studies continue Dr. Kersey’s many years of work at the U.S. National Zoo and in China managing the endangered panda species.
From the Graduate College of Biomedical Sciences:
Kudos on accomplishments
Assistant Professor Manal A. Swairjo, PhD, received an intramural grant for the project, “New Anti Folate Antibiotics for Drug Resistant Infections.” The major goal of the project is to develop GTP cyclohydrolase IB, a bacteria-specific enzyme, as a molecular target for new antibiotics to combat drug resistant infections such as multi-drug resistant Staph (MRSA) and the sexually transmitted disease gonorrhea.
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