This Week@WesternU, May 21-25, 2012

Announcements

WesternU invites the public to an exciting day of golf to benefit student scholarships.

The Towne & Gown Golf Classic, benefiting the University Scholarship Fund, will be held on June 18, 2012 at the Glendora Country Club, 310 Amelia Ave., Glendora, Calif.

Registration and lunch starts at 11 a.m. followed by a noon shotgun start. Golf Ball Drop from the driving range will happen at 11:45. The owner of the golf ball that lands in the hole or closest to the pin will be the winner of the 50/50 prize. The Hole-in-One prize is a 2012 Cadillac, sponsored by Symes Cadillac of Pasadena. Reception dinner and awards ceremony will follow the event.

Cost is $175 per golfer or $700 per foursome. Proceeds will benefit the University Scholarship Fund thanks to the generosity of T.F. Chen, DDS. Deadline to enter is June 11, 2012.

For more information or to sign up, please contact Susan Terrazas at 909-706-3476, email sterrazas@westernu.edu, or Austin Braunwalder at 909-469-8495, email abraunwalder@westernu.edu.

Click here to view the website.

From the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific:

Kudos on accomplishments

Brion Benninger, MD MSc, Professor/Vice Chair, Medical Anatomical Sciences, Lebanon, was invited to present a guest lecture on the benefits of comparative anatomy research in the clinical arena to the faculty and student body at Oregon State University on May 15. The lecture addressed how to integrate human and comparative anatomy to better understand or explain the architecture of the human body regarding development of new or improved surgical procedures and future research. He made several references to collaborate with the excellent faculty from the College of Veterinary Medicine and Oregon State University. Dr. Benninger has multiple clinically-related research projects that he is mentoring medical students on and would like to widen the scope of expertise on some of his projects by collaborating with faculty from Oregon State. He believes this inter-professional approach will not only improve research, but nurture future projects.

Dr. Benninger and Taylor Delamarter, Clinical Anatomy researcher, had another knee research project accepted for publication, titled “Distal semimembranosus muscle-tendon-unit review: morphology, accurate terminology and clinical relevance.” The contribution of this research will impact knee rehabilitation, surgery and how we teach the posterormedial aspect of the knee. Dr. Benninger commented on his co-author’s ability to focus on the project. Taylor reads the literature and asks questions that help promote or defend our research. Lastly, Dr. Benninger would like to thank the donor-cadaver-patients whose gift enabled this research to be conducted.

William Merbs, Faculty in Medical Anatomical Sciences, Lebanon, has been invited to present a guest lecture at Oregon State University to faculty and students on May 22. His lecture title is, “Keeping Anatomy in Context with Surgical Procedures.” William Merbs brings clinical anatomy experience with a surgical emphasis. He also has experience as a comparative anatomist. William Merbs plans on collaborating with the faculty from the College of Veterinary Medicine and Oregon State University. His research projects and expertise will improve and challenge current knowledge.

From the College of Allied Health Professions:

Department of Physician Assistant Education News

The Physician Assistant Department would like to congratulate the PA 2012 Class who celebrated their commencement last week. The ceremony was outstanding and the tone was set by Cody Nielson, a member of the graduating PA Class, who opened the commencement with an excellent a cappella version of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Congratulations to the PA 2012 Class and all the rest of WesternU’s graduates.

Department of Physical Therapy Education News

Congratulations to Associate Professor Dayle Armstrong, PT, MS, DPT and Professor Donna Redman-Bentley, PT, PhD, CAHP Associate Dean of Research, for their invited commentary on “Concurrent Validity and Reliability of the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory-Computer Adaptive Test Mobility Domain,” published in the Clinical Bottom Line of Pediatric Physical Therapy, summer 2012, volume 24, number 2.

From the College of Pharmacy:

Kudos on accomplishments

Congratulations to MSPS student Mandy Liu and Drs. Ying Huang and Jeffrey Wang on their publication: Liu MM, Huang Y, Wang J. Developing Phytoestrogens for Breast Cancer Prevention. Anticancer Agents Med Chem. 2012 May 2.

Abstract: Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in women, and is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Chemoprevention using phytoestrogens (PEs) for breast cancer may be a valid strategy. PEs are phytochemicals with estrogen-like structures and can be classified into four types: isoflavones, lignans, stilbenes and coumestans. They are widely distributed in diet and herbs and have shown anti-cancer activity via mechanisms including estrogen receptor modulation, aromatase inhibition, and anti-angiogenesis. Genistein, daidzein and resveratrol are some of the most studied PE examples. Quality control in product manufacturing and clinical study design is a critical issue in developing them as clinically effective chemopreventive agents for breast cancer.

From the College of Veterinary Medicine:

Kudos on accomplishments

Veterinary professor and immunologist Dr. Tom Phillips recently presented a talk to CBI’s 2nd Annual West Coast Forum on Interactions with Thought Leaders and Key Opinion Leaders this month in San Diego. CBI is billed as “the leader in conferences for the pharmaceutical industry.” Dr. Phillips represented WesternU at this forum with his talk titled, “Optimizing University Faculty Business. Engagement Practices.”

This gathering of industry leaders sought to hear several perspectives on achieving collaboration between academia and industry. Dr. Phillips emphasized the best practices in industry for working with University Professors in grant and contract settings. Dr. Phillips has considerable experience in conducting contracted studies with these industries. This year he continues funded studies of Optimization of Adipose-Derived Stem Cells from Dogs. This work has attracted funding for multiple years.

Veterinary Professor and parasitologist Dr. Malika Kachani attended two meetings/workshops at the WHO headquarters in Geneva late April 2012. Dr. Kachani is a member of the WHO Strategic and Technical Group on Neglected Tropical Diseases (WHO STAG NTD) and also the Chair of the STAG working group on Neglected Zoonotic Diseases (WHO STAG NZDs).

After chairing the workshop of the working group on NZDs and preparing a summary of the contribution of the working group on NZDs for the STAG she presented their working group results titled, “Neglected Zoonotic Diseases, Burden, Status of Tools and Strategies for Control/Elimination, with a special focus on cost of disease, surveillance and the One Health approach.”

Dr. Kachani was additionally invited to give a presentation on the activities with WHO on NZDs, to the graduate (MSc) students working on zoonotic diseases, at the Institute of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine Hassan II in Rabat Morocco. The title of her presentation was: Zoonoses Negligees, initiative de l’OMS et application du concept “Une Seule Sante.”

From the College of Podiatric Medicine:

Kudos on accomplishments

The College of Podiatric Medicine at Western University of Health Sciences has announced the appointment of Lester J. Jones, DPM, MS Ed, to the Special Medical Advisory Group (SMAG) that advises the U.S. secretary and undersecretary for health. Click here to read the full story.

BioMedix Partners with WesternU to Promote Amputation Prevention

BioMedix, a leading provider of collaborative healthcare IT solutions, has joined with WesternU to promote amputation prevention through awareness and early detection of Peripheral Artery Disease (P.A.D.). Click here to read the full story.

From the College of Dental Medicine:

Click here to view the second issue of The Bridge, the College of Dental Medicine’s newsletter.

From the College of Optometry:

Jennifer Buell, OD 2013, founding president of the WesternU Lion’s Club, is featured in the official publication of Lions Clubs International. Other Optometry students who were club officers and helped get the club started include Kathryn Dugan, Hamsa Azar and Jimmy Miyasaka. Click here to view the story. Click here to view the entire publication.

From University Advancement:

Alumni Memorial Award

On May 16, Russel Heskin, director of alumni relations, presented the annual Alumni Memorial Award to Natalie Forsberg, DPT ’12, during the Department of Physical Therapy Education’s Graduate Awards Ceremony in Pasadena. The Alumni Memorial Award is presented in memory of deceased alumni to a graduate who exhibits the dedication and enthusiasm of a future alumnus or alumna. Since 2000, this award has been presented each year to just one WesternU graduate; and for the third time in the past four years, a Physical Therapy graduate has been the recipient.

Alumni Commencement Speakers

During each Commencement ceremony this year an alumnus or alumna welcomed the new graduates into the WesternU Alumni Association and presented each one with an alumni pin. The alumni representatives this year were Sherry Gregory, MSN ’08, for the CAHP/CGN Ceremony; Donald I. Hsu, PharmD ’03, for the COP Ceremony; Barbara Walker, DO ’84, for the COMP/GCBS Ceremony; and Heidi Agnic-Wangerin, DVM ’07, for the CVM Ceremony.

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