This Week@WesternU, Dec. 16-20, 2013
WesternU welcomes 120 local youths to 25th annual Santa’s Workshop
More than 100 children through the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services received Christmas cheer, food and gifts during Western University of Health Sciences’ Santa’s Workshop Dec. 7, 2013. WesternU has been the proud host of Santa’s Workshop for the past 25 years. The Student Government Association (SGA) organized the workshop with support from the Office of University Student Affairs and the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services. Click here to read the full story.
From the College of Veterinary Medicine:
Kudos on accomplishments
College of Veterinary Medicine Associate Professor Miguel D. Saggese was invited to give a three-day course on raptor medicine, rehabilitation, biology and conservation and a wet lab on raptor handling and clinical procedures in Bogota, Colombia Dec. 2-5, 2013. The event was held at the Zoo Parque Jaime Duque and was co-organized by the Colombian National Associate of Zoos and Aquariums (ACOPAZOA), the Environmental and Sustainable Development Ministry, Universidad LaSalle and the Zoo Parque Jaime Duque. These organizations have developed the Andean Condor National Recovery Program (and endangered species in Colombia), and Parque Jaime Duque is leading these efforts. Development of rescue and emergency protocols for Andean Condors is one of the components of this program and emphasis was put on this endangered species during the course. The event was attended by veterinarians, veterinary students, nutritionists, zookeepers and biologists, providing a Continuation Education activity in the field of raptor biomedicine to professional and students from all around Colombia.
Giant Panda Zoo Awards
Vote for Dr. David Kersey and his colleague in the Giant Panda Zoo Awards 2013. Kersey, a College of Veterinary Medicine assistant professor of physiology who played a major role in the giant panda birth at Zoo Atlanta in July 2013, and his colleague Dr. Cooper Aitken-Palmer, chief veterinarian at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, were nominated for award No. 6, “Panda Personality of 2013 ‘The Human.’” Online voting began here on Dec. 13.
Other nominations related to Kersey’s story: Lun Lun at Zoo Atlanta is nominated for award No. 5, “Panda Personality of 2013: ‘The Bear.’” And Lun Lun giving birth to the United States’ first surviving panda twins is nominated for award No. 10, “Panda Moment of the Year.”
Ancient Aliens
A production crew from Prometheus Entertainment for the TV show “Ancient Aliens” was on the WesternU campus in Pomona, Calif., on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2013 to interview College of Veterinary Medicine professors Drs. Ana Alcaraz and James Reynolds. “Ancient Aliens" airs regularly on Fridays on H2, a sister channel to History, a basic cable and satellite channel. Click here to read more and to view a photo on WesternU’s Facebook page.
From the College of Pharmacy:
Pharmacy professor receives grant from SCAQMD to study adverse effects of air pollution on brain
College of Pharmacy Associate Professor Arezoo Campbell, PhD, was recently awarded grant funding from the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) to study the adverse effects on the brain of particulate matter (PM) present in ambient air pollution. Campbell’s proposal, titled “Evaluation of Ambient Particulate Matter Neurotoxicity Using Primary Human Brain Cells,” was approved for $577,590 by the BP/South Coast Air Quality Management District (BP/SCAQMD) Public Benefits Programs Oversight Committee. Campbell, an associate professor of pharmaceutical sciences, is the principal investigator for the research project. Click here to read the full story.
Kudos on accomplishments
Kabir Lutfy, PhD and his collaborators published the following: Ren X, Lutfy K, Mangubat M, Ferrini MG, Lee ML, Liu Y, Friedman TC. (2013) Alterations in phosphorylated CREB expression in different brain regions following short- and long-term morphine exposure: relationship to food intake. J Obes. 2013:764742. doi: 10.1155/2013/764742. Epub 2013 Aug 29. PMID: 24073333 Link to Article
Dr. Cynthia Jackevicius has been invited to serve as a member of the VA National Clinical Pharmacy Anticoagulation Workgroup. The charges of this group are to review the National VA Anticoagulation Handbook, review and develop national outcomes measurement tools, and provide input on the development of clinical pharmacy staffing models in anticoagulation, all for the purposes of shaping the practice of clinical pharmacy in anticoagulation at the VA. This is a testament to her service to the VA and her established profile as a clinician and researcher in the area.
Dr. Emmanuelle Schwartzman and her team of Rho Chi students and alumni (Mintra Lam, Jacob Arslanian, Peter Phan, Drupad Parikh, Salpi Yaghoubian and Simon Huang) have been successfully funded for their project proposal, “Future Pharmacy Educators Boot Camp and Mentorship Program,” through Rho Chi National; a great recognition of the Chapter’s efforts, teamwork and leadership. Dr. Yaghoubian is currently a PGY1 Ambulatory Care resident with Dr. Schwartzman.
From the College of Dental Medicine:
Kudos on accomplishments
Dr. Brian Chui, College of Dental Medicine Assistant Professor, completed the 2013 American Dental Education Association/AAL Institute for Teaching and Learning (ADEA/AAL ITL), a two-phase, 50-hour program for early career faculty and dentists who are transitioning from private practice to a career in academia. The final phase of the ADEA/AAL ITL took place Oct. 17–19 in Atlanta, Ga. In addition to far-ranging class-wide discussions about dental education, participants engaged in intensive small-group projects and individual development work. The 2013 ADEA/AAL ITL class included 79 participants from schools in the United States, Canada and Saudi Arabia, as well as individuals from private practice. Click here to read the full story.
From the College of Podiatric Medicine:
Kudos on accomplishments
On Friday, Dec. 6, 2013, Dr. Lawrence Harkless was the keynote lunch speaker at the Third Annual Diabetic Foot Update, presented by Scott & White and Texas A&M in San Antonio, Texas. The program focused on a multidisciplinary approach with a comprehensive review of the science and modern modalities associated with diabetic foot treatment. He spoke to the more than 100 attendees about “The Future of Podiatry.” He also participated in case panel discussions and provided the closing lecture, “Tying it all Together.”
From the College of Allied Health Professions:
Department of Physical Therapy Education News
Instructor/Clinical Faculty Steve Snyder, PT, DPT, CSCS, recently participated in a diabetes screening event at the Pomona YMCA. In addition to other members of the Western Diabetes Institute, Dr. Snyder and a group of four DPT students from the classes of 2016 and 2015 performed blood pressure screenings, BMI and waist circumference measurements, and exercise education for about 30 persons.
From the Western Diabetes Institute:
Kudos on accomplishments
The Western Diabetes Institute presented at the Conference on Innovation held in Lima, Peru, Dec. 12-13, 2013. Click here for more information.
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