During the morning session, Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, gave an overview of the School of Medicine, and its rich history and success in patient care and research. Sheri Slezak, MD, an associate professor in the Department of Surgery, shared her perspective as both a teacher and a parent of a med school student (daughter Katie is in the class of 2012). Stephen Liggett, MD, Professor of Medicine, spoke of the exciting research being done at the school in such pioneering fields as genomics and personalized medicine. David Mallott, MD, Associate Dean of Medical Education, and Donna Parker, MD, Associate Dean for Student Affairs, filled parents in on just how hard medical school really is, but let the families know that help is available to their students whenever they need it, be it academic, physical or psychological.

Michael Grant, president of the Class of 2010, presented his view of medical school from a student perspective. “As you’ve already realized, the first year of medical school is many things,” he said. “It’s consistently challenging, it’s at times overwhelming, but it’s often exciting. Most of all, the first year is about setting up the foundation on which to build the rest of your medical career.”

The White Coat Ceremony

Following lunch was the event every first-year had been waiting for – the White Coat Ceremony. This tradition, which started at the School of Medicine in 1997, formally presents first-year students with their white coats, long the symbol of physicians and scientists. The coats are put on by School of Medicine faculty, to welcome their new colleagues to the profession of medicine.

“The White Coat Ceremony today symbolizes the beginning of your privileged journey into medicine,” said Dean Reece. “It is a lifelong journey of learning and healing….I charge you today to do the following: Walk well on this time-honored path. The white coat is just a symbol. What is most important is who is wearing it.”

After being "coated," students recited an oath acknowledging their acceptance of the obligations of the medical profession. They also add their signatures to the school's honor book, a leather-bound volume signed by all med students in their first year and their final year, in which they pledge to maintain integrity throughout their years in medicine.

"An endowed professorship is indicative of superior performance in the classroom, the laboratory and in the clinical setting," said Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA of Dr. Sarkar’s honor. "In the world of academia, endowed professorships are a coveted and universally recognized accolade, signaling a colleague at the top of his or her field."

 “I am grateful to the University of Maryland School of Medicine for recognizing the value of the clinician scientist,” said Dr. Sarkar. I see this as a place where both clinical excellence and research success are valued and celebrated. This professorship was a key element in bringing me here, and I am very proud to receive this honor.”

The Barbara Baur Dunlap Professorship in Surgery was established in 2002 by Andrew Baur, chairman of Southwest Bank of St. Louis and a part-owner of the St. Louis Cardinals, who was a transplant patient of Dr. Bartlett’s. The professorship was named in honor of Mr. Baur’s sister, who donated the kidney that saved his life. “Gratitude is not a big enough word to describe my debt to Dr. Bartlett and this university,” said Baur. “This professorship given to the department in honor of my sister is small thanks for what you all have given to me. For the last 10 years, I’ve been able to enjoy time with friends, see my grandchildren grow up, and live a productive life. I am extremely appreciative of that.”

"An endowed professorship is indicative of superior performance in the classroom, the laboratory and in the clinical setting," said Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA when presenting Dr. Griffith with a medal to acknowledge his endowed professorship. "In the world of academia, endowed professorships are a coveted and universally recognized accolade, signaling a colleague at the top of his or her field."

This is certainly true of Dr. Griffith, whose clinical work focuses on treating patients with the most severe forms of heart and lung disease and whose research interests are concentrated on heart and lung transplantation and advancing the use of artificial organs. Dr. Griffith has published more than 500 papers and has been continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health as a principal research investigator since 1988. His research funding has paved the way for the development of an artificial lung and a pediatric heart pump, as well as a study to reduce muscle scarring after heart attacks.

"It's a pleasure for us as a family to be able to honor someone as distinguished as Dr. Griffith," said Mr. Hales, who came with his wife, son and daughter from their home in New York for the ceremony. "I've talked to a lot of thoracic surgeons, and every time I mention his name they say, 'He's the best in the world, you couldn't have a better doctor.' So on behalf of us and our children and our grandchildren, I want to thank you," he told Dr. Griffith. "You're a hell of a guy!"

Dr. Griffith thinks much the same of Mr. Hales. "You have been a wonderful example of a patient who takes very good care of himself," he said. "And what you are doing for this university truly can never be repaid. This will go a long way in establishing us as a center for continuous innovation and patient care."

+++++++++++

The Thomas E. and Alice Marie Hales Distinguished Professorship will be open-ended. The Hales Foundation has funded the first $2.5 million, and the Hales are allowing further contributions in order to enhance the value of this Distinguished Professorship.

All such donations should be sent directly to the University of Maryland Development Office:

Tierra Dorsey, Director of Development
University of Maryland School of Medicine
100 N. Greene Street, Suite 600
Baltimore, Maryland 21201
Telephone: (410) 706-2846
Facsimile: (410) 706-2995
Email:  tdorsey@som.umaryland.edu

Donations of any size will be acknowledged, and the Development Office will notify the Hales Foundation. 

"The academy is designed to recognize faculty members who demonstrate excellence in bedside, classroom and/or innovative medical education," said E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor and Dean of the School of Medicine. "Honorees are exemplary role models to students, embody the highest ideals of the medical profession and display uncommon commitment to students’ best interests," said Dean Reece.

This year's honorees are Bruce Jarrell, MD, Executive Vice Dean and professor of Surgergy, and Steven D. Munger, PhD, associate professor of Anatomy and Neurobiology. Dr. Jarrell is a gifted surgeon who specializes in kidney and liver transplantation and hepatobiliary surgery. In 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2003, he received the student council faculty teaching award.  In 2002, Dr. Jarrell received the "Golden Apple" award for best clinical faculty member.  Dr. Jarrell has set a continued emphasis on professionalism and mentorship among the education priorities.

Dr. Munger was the first assistant professor in the school to be Course Master for a major medical course and to ensure its quality he attends every lecture in the Neuroscience Course. Dr. Munger has served as course master, lecturer and laboratory director for Neuroscience since 2004 and routinely receives excellent student evaluations for both teaching and course management. He has instituted new electronic learning resources, including the use of the Medscope Forums for communications between students and faculty which has now been adopted by all basic science courses.

The names of Drs. Jarrell and Munger are displayed on the plaque at the Pass and Susel Medical Education Facility in Howard Hall which permanently recognizes of all inductees of the Pass and Susel Academy of Educational Excellence.

"It is important that we set aside time during this very busy period to honor our very generous donors as well as our most accomplished students," said E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, Vice President for Medical Affairs at the University of Maryland and the John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor and Dean, School of Medicine. "This special celebration gives us an opportunity to appropriately acknowledge our scholarship and award recipients and the gracious donors who have made it possible for the School of Medicine to graduate the great physicians and scientists of tomorrow."

Judy Kopinski, President of the Class on 2009, spoke on behalf of her classmates when she said "I want to express our heartfelt thanks to each and every one of the donors and let them know that all the things you do for us and for the university have not gone unnoticed," she assured them. "You have given generously and freely of your resources and time, and your dedication and commitment to the school and your faith and hope in its students is a wonderful example of altruism, exemplifying the best that human nature has to offer."

Also honored at the brunch were the students with the top three capstone projects. The capstone project is a new requirement for graduation. It is a part of the fourth-year Area Health and Education Center (AHEC) rotation, during which students work in rural and underserved areas. For the capstone, students wrote on topics inspired by patients they met during these rotations. Jason O'Grady won first place for his essay about prison medicine. Ari Elman took second place for his essay on HIV partner notification and the physician's duty to warn. Third place went to Kathleen Sterling for her essay on healthcare for women veterans in the VA system.

All in all, the Class of 2009 received more than $1 million in grants and scholarships from generous donors, announced Dr. Donna Parker, Associate Dean for Student Affairs. She, too, acknowledged the donors who made this funding possible. "We'd like to thank all of you for paving the way for the continued education of the world-renowned clinicians and scientists that this institution produces."

Co-hosted by the University of Maryland School of Medicine and the National Cancer Institute, the symposium looked back at the origins of research on human retroviruses, progress on combating the virus through a successful research enterprise, and obstacles that still need to be overcome in treatment and prevention for the global AIDS epidemic. The symposium was attended by the world’s leading HIV/AIDS researchers.

"Maryland – and Baltimore in particular – is at the epicenter of the HIV epidemic in the U.S.,” said E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, Vice President for Medical Affairs, University of Maryland, and the John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor and Dean, University of Maryland School of Medicine. “Fortunately, through the School of Medicine’s Institute of Human Virology, we are now having a direct and major impact on both the local and global AIDS epidemic."

Led by Dr. Gallo since 1996, IHV’s impact includes delivering life-saving medications to approximately a quarter-million HIV-infected patients in Africa. In addition, six separate clinics staffed by Institute professionals serve more than 4,000 patients in Baltimore.

The Gala - "Celebrating a Visionary's Quest for Discovery” – was held at the Baltimore Hilton. "We are honoring Dr. Gallo this weekend not only to celebrate one of our distinguished faculty members, but also to draw attention the continuing problem of HIV/AIDS around the world and, especially, here in Maryland," said Dean Reece.  There is no timeline yet for when a vaccine might be available. Finding one is still the "holy grail" of AIDS research, and Dr. Gallo will long be leading the way in the quest for a vaccine.

Gala guests included former Maryland Lt. Governor Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, as well as research colleagues from around the world. After Dean Reece presented Dr. Gallo with an autographed jersey from Brooks Robinson, Gallo's favorite player, the crowd of nearly 300 enjoyed a night of dinner and dancing.

(See a gallery of images from this year's gala.)

"Our medical school embraces and touches the entire world in profound and practical ways," says E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, Vice President for Medical Affairs, University of Maryland; the John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor and Dean, University of Maryland School of Medicine. "Our presence around the globe is physical and constant and yields both the care of human suffering and the knowledge for treating and preventing diseases," he continues. "Our faculty carry the benefits of their extraordinary research back to the state of Maryland, where we provide our fellow citizens with the most advanced patient care anywhere in the world."

In a special investiture ceremony, 20 previously endowed chairs and professors received medals to recognize both their accomplishments and those of their donors. The front of the medal features the image of Dr. John Beale Davidge, a founder and the first dean of the school and the namesake of historic Davidge Hall. The back of the medal lists the four tenets of the School of Medicine's mission: education, research, patient care and service, as well as the official name of the endowed professorship.

After the investiture ceremony, the 600 guests took to the dance floor to swing to the big band sounds of Mood Swings, featuring alumnus Jack Vaeth, MD, Class of 1992. The gala raised more than $242,000 for the School of Medicine. "It is the generous support of sponsors and donors that has enabled the School of Medicine to raise funds to support outstanding research, innovative education and superb clinical care," acknowledged Mary Cain, Director of Special Events and Board Relations.

Endowed Professors and Chairs Receiving Medals at the Ceremony

• Stephen T. Bartlett, MD, the Barbara Baur Dunlap Professor in Transplantation Surgery
• Cynthia F. Bearer, MD, PhD, the Mary Gray Cobey Professor in Neonatology
• Maureen M. Black, PhD, the John A. Scholl, MD and Mary Louise Scholl, MD Professor in Pediatrics
• Frank M. Calia, MD, MACP, the Theodore E. Woodward Chair in Medicine
• Richard L. Eckert, PhD, MS, John F.B. Weaver Professor
• Howard M. Eisenberg, MD, the R.K. Thompson, MD Chair in Neurosurgery
• Anthony A. Gaspari, MD, the Albert Shapiro, MD Professor in Dermatology
• Myron M. Levine, MD, DTPH, Simon and Bessie Grollman Distinguished Professor
• Mandeep R. Mehra, MBBS, FACC, FACP, the Dr. Herbert Berger Professor in Medicine
• Reuben S. Mezrich, MD, PhD, FACR, the Dr. John M. Dennis Chair in Radiology
• Adrian Park, MD, FRCS(C), FACS, the Campbell and Jeanette Plugge Professor in Surgery
• Vincent D. Pellegrini, Jr, MD, the James Lawrence Kernan Professor and Chair in the Department of Orthopaedics
• Jean-Pierre Raufman, MD, the Moses Paulson, MD and Helen Golden Paulson Chair in the Division of Gastroenterology
• E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, the John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor and Dean, University of Maryland School of Medicine
• Peter Rock, MD, MBA, the Dr. Martin A. Helrich Chair for Anesthesiology
• Mary M. Rodgers, PT, PhD, the George R. Hepburn Dynasplint Professor in Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science
• Thomas M. Scalea, MD, FACS, the Francis X. Kelly Professor of Trauma Surgery
• Michael T. Shipley, PhD, the Donald E. Wilson, MD, MACP Distinguished Professor
• Alan R. Shuldiner, MD, the John L. Whitehurst Professor of Medicine
• Susan D. Wolfsthal, MD, the Celeste Lauve Woodward, MD Professor in Humanism and Ethical Medical Practice

"Dr. Regine has taken the Department of Radiation Oncology to new heights and achieved tremendous success in research, clinical care and training and mentoring," praised Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA. "He brings a passion to his work that is matched by few and understands the importance of inspired and thoughtful leadership."

"The word that defines Dr. Regine is authentic," said Jeff Rivest, president and CEO of the University of Maryland Medical Center. "He is the epitome of an authentic leader and person. He's the real deal. What you see is what you get."

Dr. Regine, humbled by all the praise, declared himself the luckiest man on the planet that evening. He considered himself so because of his supportive family, friends and colleagues, most of whom were at the M&T Bank Pavilion in the Hippodrome Theater to celebrate this honor with him. Also on hand were many of the cancer survivors Dr. Regine has treated, whom he invited to take the stage with him. "I want to thank all of you for being our inspiration," he told them.

A big thank you also went out to the Foxmans from all of the evening's speakers. "Your generosity will have a generational impact on cancer patients," Mohan Suntha, MD, told Norty, Carol and the many other members of their family who attended. Dr. Suntha recently became the first Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Endowed Professor of Radiation Oncology, and is also Vice Chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology. "I say this without a doubt because of the man you have decided to honor with your gift."

Dr. Suntha assisted Dean Reece with the presentation of Dr. Regine's endowed chairmanship medal and admitted Dr. Regine has been an inspiration as well as a colleague. "As a young chair, he could have focused on establishing his own presence, but from the day he arrived in Baltimore he has been a tireless champion of us, his faculty," praised Dr. Suntha. "We have collectively benefited from his fundamental belief that his success will ultimately be defined by us."

During the morning session, Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, gave an overview of the School of Medicine, its rich history and its success in patient care and research. Sheri Slezak, MD, an associate professor in the Department of Surgery, shared her perspective as both a teacher and a parent of a med school student (daughter Katie is in the class of 2012). David Mallott, MD, Associate Dean of Medical Education, and Donna Parker, MD, Associate Dean for Student Affairs, let the families know that help is available to their students whenever they need it, be it academic, physical or psychological.

Judy Kopinski, president of the Class of 2009, presented her view of medical school from a student perspective. "I've worked harder than I ever thought I would or could," she admitted. "I have been through highs and lows, and through both I've had the opportunity to define myself and the type of doctor I am working to become."

After a luncheon for the families came the event first-year students have long been waiting for – the White Coat Ceremony. This tradition, which started at the School of Medicine in 1997, involves the presentation of traditional white coats, long the symbol of physicians and scientists, to students. The coats are put on the students by School of Medicine faculty, to welcome their new colleagues to the profession of medicine. After being "coated," students recited an oath acknowledging their acceptance of the obligations of the medical profession. They also added their signatures to the school's honor book, a leather-bound volume signed by all med students in their first year and their final year, in which they pledge to maintain integrity throughout their years in medicine.

For Lindsay Dancy, getting her white coat was the culmination of all the hard work she put in, first in getting into medical school and then in completing the nine-week Structure & Development (a.k.a. Anatomy) course that marks the students' first educational hurdle. She had special plans for where she would wear her new coat out in public for the first time. The students' next educational block is Introduction to Clinical Medicine, where they are given their first chance to work with real live people rather than cadavers, so "I'm going to put it on and go see patients," she said with a smile, already sounding like a doctor.

The School of Medicine currently ranks 19th out of all 129 medical schools in the country in direct grants and contract expenditures. The School of Medicine jumped up to 7th place when compared to all 76 public U.S. medical schools. The school's total revenue, which includes grants, tuition, state funding, faculty practice revenue and philanthropic gifts, was $734.5 million. Its economic impact on the state of Maryland was an impressive $1.5 billion, or a $24 return for every $1 of state investment.

Despite stiff competition for federal funding, grants and contracts to the School of Medicine increased an astounding 9.7 percent in fiscal year 2007 to 2008.  Much of the credit for this achievement goes to a 19 percent increase in the number of grant requests submitted. The dean remarked that the quality of these requests has also improved, thanks to new training initiatives for faculty and fellows.

Despite uncertainty in the U.S. economy, philanthropic gifts to the School of Medicine also increased dramatically. Private gifts to the school increased 6.7 percent, to $49.1 million, and endowments have increased 5.7 percent to $173.8 million. "This is something important," said Dean Reece. "I'm very excited for our faculty, who have been able to secure these funds during this difficult time."

Another high point was a 10.7 percent increase in revenue for the Clincal Practice Plan, which collected more than $194 million. Dean Reece said University Physicians, Inc., is operating more efficiently than ever, with a net collection rate of 99 percent.

The State of the School Address was also an opportunity to look back on an historic year of discovery, success and national recognition for the accomplishments of faculty, staff and students.  For example, the Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center earned the prestigious NCI Cancer Center designation, one of only 64 centers in the U.S. to do so.  Faculty members at the University of Maryland Center for Vaccine Development received important research awards.  Christopher Plowe, MD, PhD, professor and chief of the maleria section, was named a 2007 Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator. Kirsten Lyke, MD, assistant professor of medicine, and Miriam Laufer, PhD, assistant professor of pediatrics, each received the Doris Duke Clinical Scientist Development award. Jonas Nelson, Class of 2010, became the School of Medicine's first recipient of the Doris Duke Student Award -  one of only 60 students in the country selected for this honor. 

Among the Other Highlights:

• Thanks to the hard work of faculty and staff, the School of Medicine won a successful eight-year reaccreditation Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME).

• The University of Maryland School of Medicine now has a presence in 23 countries around the globe, thanks in large part to its Center for Vaccine Development and Institute of Human Virology.

• The School of Medicine established a new organized research center for Trauma and Anesthesiology Research.

• The Graduate Program in Life Sciences (GPILS) boasted 42 new NIH grant proposals from its trainees: 26 from students and 16 from postdoctoral fellows.

• National media coverage of the School of Medicine increased 85 percent. The total number of story placements increased 55 percent, while print and wire service placements increased 150 percent.

• The total workforce at the School of Medicine continues to grow, increasing 3 percent over the past year. That workforce is a loyal one, with the retention rate for our faculty holding steady at more than 90 percent.

"The Society recognizes individuals who have demonstrated a special, long-term commitment to the School of Medicine," said E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, Vice President for Medical Affairs, University of Maryland and John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor and Dean, University of Maryland School of Medicine. "It promotes the philanthropy that has helped the School of Medicine advance in medical discovery and educate thousands of physicians, allied health professionals and scientists."

The Society is named in honor of Frank C. Bressler, MD, who graduated from the School of Medicine in 1885. The Baltimore surgeon left a $1.2 million bequest to the school upon his death in 1935. This tremendous gift, which came during the dark days of the Great Depression, enabled the school to expand during a critical time. Today the Bressler Research Building houses numerous faculty laboratories, as well as the offices of the dean.

Lisa M. Shulman, MD, has been named the first recipient of the Eugenia Brin Professorship in Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. The professorship is the result of a generous $1.5 million gift from Eugenia Brin, Michael Brin, PhD, and their son, Google co-founder Sergey Brin. Dr. Shulman, a professor of neurology at the School of Medicine and a researcher in the University of Maryland Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center, will be invested in her new position in a ceremony Tuesday, September 16, at the School of Medicine campus in Baltimore.

The Brins know first-hand the challenges Parkinson’s patients face. Mrs. Brin is a Parkinson’s patient herself, and for years she has been treated at the University of Maryland Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center."Parkinson’s has touched me and my family very personally," says Mrs. Brin.

"By supporting research into new treatments and diagnostic tools, we hope to help other patients like me, and possibly even find a cure," Mrs. Brin continues. "I have seen the research and the clinical work that goes on in the Movement Disorders Center. I decided to endow this professorship to help the faculty there continue their extraordinary work."

The new endowed professorship will support Dr. Shulman’s studies at the University of Maryland Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center. Dr. Shulman, also a neurologist at the University of Maryland Medical Center, uses data collection and analysis to examine how to maximize the quality of life Parkinson’s patients experience. As an endowment, the Brins’ gift will support such research at the School of Medicine in perpetuity. The original amount of the gift will be invested, and the return on that investment will go to support Parkinson’s research conducted by Dr. Shulman and, subsequently, other faculty members in this area of research.

"The Brins’ gift will support the groundbreaking discoveries at the University of Maryland Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center long into the future, creating hope for patients like Mrs. Brin and their families. Academic medicine relies on the generosity of donors such as the Brins in order to make the scientific advances that can change and save lives," says E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, Vice President for Medical Affairs, University of Maryland, and John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor and Dean, University of Maryland School of Medicine.
 
Dr. Shulman will use the funds to support the infrastructure and personnel required to maintain and grow the comprehensive database the Center has compiled, including information collected over the past five years on more than 1,000 Parkinson’s patients. "We hope to begin the collection of genetic samples from our patients," Dr. Shulman said. "The combination of large comprehensive datasets and exciting new methods of genetic analysis is one of the most powerful new avenues of medical discovery. We’re trying to learn how health care can promote adaptation to a chronic condition, and help our patients feel confident and in control."

The gift was a natural step for the Brins. Mrs. Brin, an analyst at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, says she particularly respects Dr. Shulman as a fellow female scientist. The family feels loyalty toward the University of Maryland as well. Dr. Brin is a professor of mathematics at the University of Maryland, College Park, and both sons, Sergey and Sam, attended the University of Maryland, College Park. Sam Brin, 21, is a senior there now. "We have strong ties to the institution. That is one of the reasons we are making this gift," Mrs. Brin says.

“Dr. Griffith saved my life,” says Mr. Hales, who underwent a successful double lung transplant last November at the University of Maryland Medical Center. The Hales created the professorship out of gratitude to Dr. Griffith for his skill and compassion in treating Mr. Hales. Dr. Griffith specializes in treating patients with the most severe heart and lung diseases.

“I was really at the point where I was not going to make it,” says Mr. Hales, the former Chairman and CEO of U.S.B. Holding Co. Inc., and its wholly owned subsidiary, Union State Bank.

“My gift is intended to draw attention to the quality of care I received from Dr. Griffith and the entire medical and surgical team at the University of Maryland,” Mr. Hales continues. “This professorship at the School of Medicine will support research to advance the field of thoracic surgery to the benefit of future patients.”

Before his transplant, Mr. Hales’ lungs had suffered from pulmonary fibrosis, a disease with unknown causes that results in scarring of the lung. As the lung tissue scars, it loses its ability to transfer oxygen into the bloodstream. There is no current treatment for the condition, other than transplant.

“The Hales’ gift will help advance the field of heart and lung transplantation by supporting even more cutting-edge science at the University of Maryland School of Medicine,” says E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, vice president for medical affairs, University of Maryland, and The John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor and Dean, University of Maryland School of Medicine. “The School of Medicine is an established leader in cardiovascular research, and this gift will enhance that important scientific work.”

“The Hales’ gift places us a giant step closer to improving transplantation science to better assist patients with severe heart and lung conditions,” says Dr. Griffith. “I am grateful to them for their generosity and for this honor.”

Prior to Dr. Griffith’s arrival at the University of Maryland, he served as vice chairman of the Department of Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, where he was also chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery and the Henry T. Bahnson Professor of Surgery.

Dr. Griffith was also the creator and director of the new internationally recognized McGowan Center for Artificial Organ Development, now known as the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, in Pittsburgh.

Dr. Griffith’s clinical work focuses on treating patients with the most severe forms of heart and lung disease. His research interests are concentrated on heart and lung transplantation and advancing use of artificial organs. He is internationally respected for his contributions to the field and has been continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health as a principal research investigator since 1988. His research funding includes the development of an artificial lung, a pediatric size heart pump, and a study to reduce muscle scar after heart attacks.

Dr. Griffith received his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College and completed a surgery internship and also a general and cardiothoracic surgery residency at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Health Center Hospitals. He has published more than 500 articles and book chapters, has lectured at professional meetings nationally and internationally and is the recipient of numerous honors and awards, including induction into the Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh, Scotland.

The University of Maryland School of Medicine faculty surgeons have long been leaders in transplant surgery and related research. To describe the surgeons’ innovations in transplant surgery as “cutting edge” is becoming less of a play on words and more of an accurate characterization, as minimally invasive transplant techniques continue to evolve.

Dr. Stephen T. Bartlett, chairman of the Department of Surgery and The Barbara Baur Dunlap Professor of Transplant Surgery at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, was recruited to the University of Maryland in 1991 from the University of California to develop a major clinical and research transplant program. Under his leadership, the program’s achievements include Maryland’s first simultaneous kidney and pancreas transplant and the state’s first successful pancreas-alone transplant.

The increase in kidney transplants is due in large measure to major advancements made by the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s faculty surgeons in laparoscopic organ removal from living donors. “We were the second center in the U.S. to perform laparoscopic organ removal from living donors, and our work popularized the procedure,” said Dr. Bartlett. “Of the live organ transplants, 98 percent of the removals are done laparoscopically.” According to Dr. Bartlett, the greatest challenge in organ transplantation is the shortage of donors.

The Thomas E. and Alice Marie Hales Distinguished Professorship will be open-ended. The Hales Foundation will fund the first $2.5 million. The Hales are allowing further contributions in order to enhance the value of this Distinguished Professorship.

All such donations should be sent directly to the University of Maryland Development Office.

Tierra Dorsey, Director of Development
University of Maryland School of Medicine
100 N. Greene Street, Suite 600
Baltimore, Maryland 21201
Telephone: (410) 706-2846
Facsimile: (410) 706-2995
Email: tdorsey@som.umaryland.edu

All donations of any size will be acknowledged and the Development Office will notify the Hales Foundation.                                  

This year's five honorees were Larry Anderson, PhD, Professor of Anatomy and Neurobiology; Miriam Blitzer, PhD, Professor of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; Frank Calia, MD, Theodore E. Woodward Professor and Chair of the Department of Medicine, as well as Professor Emeritus of Medicine, Microbiology & Immunology; Michael Donnenberg, MD, Professor of Medicine and Microbiology & Immunology; and Jordan Warnick, PhD, Professor of Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics and Assistant Dean for Student Education & Research. The inductees, who were selected by their peers for this distinction, were presented with plaques of recognition and a monetary award by Drs. Pass and Susel. Two new members will be inducted into the Academy every year.

"The School of Medicine has had few ways to recognize the select few who truly excel at pedagogy and cherish the opportunity to teach, mentor and mold the next generation of physicians, scientists and allied health professionals," said E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor and Dean of the School of Medicine. "The academy is designed to recognize faculty members who demonstrate excellence in bedside, classroom and/or innovative medical and graduate education. Honorees are exemplary role models to students, embody the highest ideals of the medical profession and display uncommon commitment to students’ best interests."

Dr. Susel believes the Academy of  Educational Excellence will make a difference for decades to come. "As important as the teaching facility is, it would not be complete without the participation of the outstanding teachers in the medical school. The five inductees today have demonstrated their special teaching abilities in being selected for this award. We honor and salute them and thank the medical school for allowing us to endow this program."

Read the Press Release

"It is recognized as one of the highest tributes that an institution can bestow on its most distinguished faculty," said E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, vice president for medical affairs, and the the John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor and Dean. "It provides a faculty member with an enduring source to sustain his or her research and teaching efforts and is indicative of superior performance in the classroom, the laboratory and the clinical setting."

"I'm proud to describe myself as a faculty member of the School of Medicine," Dr. Suntha said in accepting his professorship. "And I’m equally proud to describe myself as a member of the medical center. Together they provide me with many opportunities to work with incredibly talented faculty who have pushed me to consider goals that I would have never dreamed possible."

The Greenebaums, who have long been crusaders in the fight against cancer, were only too happy to support Dr. Suntha. "I never say this, but he would be genuinely irreplaceable," said Mr. Greenebaum. "What makes him so extraordinary is the rarest kind of brilliance. A brilliance that resides as much in the heart as in the head, a brilliance that shines as brightly as his smile, and that's saying something. His enthusiasm for life is present in the research lab as well as the treatment room, bringing hope and comfort even to those who know their chances are slim. It's a brilliance that embraces and inspires everyone around him."

One of those he inspired is Frank Calia, MD, Theodore E. Woodward Professor and Chair of the Department of Medicine. Dr. Calia once served as the Interim Chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology and credits Suntha with helping him succeed in that position. "Mohan Suntha is the whole package," he proclaimed at the investiture ceremony. "He's a terrific physician, a skilled teacher and a productive investigator. Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum have done a wonderful thing, recognizing and honoring a respected member of this institution. Let's hope that all subsequent Greenebaum professors live up to the Suntha standard."

Joseph Yeh, president of the Class of 2008, spoke of the importance of this financial support to him and his classmates. "Knowing full well the expense of medical school and the current climate of medical reimbursements, I chose to pursue a career in medicine anyway," Yeh told the audience. "Why? Because I honestly believe that this profession is what I was put on earth to do. Now, it goes without saying that your generous gifts made my decision a lot easier. With all the demands and the constant stress of medical school, I have truly been blessed with one less burden to worry about."

Yeh is confident that he and his classmates will make the most of the support they have been given. "Benjamin Franklin once said, 'An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.' " Yeh said. "Now your investment will begin to pay off as we gingerly step across the stage to get our medical degrees. For all of us, I thank you, sincerely and repeatedly, for your help in making this possible. I applaud and encourage all donors to continue your commitment to the training of future physicians at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. We are a wonderful investment."

Awards named in honor of outstanding faculty, alumni and friends of the school were also presented to students who have shown the most promise in a wide variety of medical specialties. "I want to offer my congratulations to the students who have worked so hard to achieve these honors and awards," said E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, Vice President for Medical Affairs at the University of Maryland and the John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor and Dean, School of Medicine. "Thank you all for your relentless pursuit of excellence everyday."

A plaque in the hallway thanking Drs. Pass and Susel for their planned gift to the School of Medicine was unveiled during a brief ceremony hosted by Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA. "Their extraordinary generosity and passionate commitment to medical education make them an inspiration to their fellow alumni, as well as to current students and the students of tomorrow," said the dean.

Drs. Pass and Susel were high-school sweethearts who applied together to the University of Maryland School of Medicine. "We are very grateful that we found a dean who believed in us, because in those days it was very unusual to have a couple accepted in the same class in medical school," Dr. Pass recalled. "We've never forgotten that, and we are so grateful to all our educators and our friends and classmates. It's been a wonderful life. Sometimes it was hard, but we loved what we did and we knew that someday we wanted to give back, so we started saving early on for what has come to fruition today."

The couple hopes to give even more to the school in the future. "We feel like our lives have been enriched to the highest degree by being physicians and taking care of people," said Dr. Susel. "It's just been a wonderful ride, and we're glad to be here today to share it with all of you."

A family connection scored this big win for the School of Medicine -- “21” is the film adaptation of a best-selling book written by Ben Mezrich, son of radiology chairman Dr. Reuben Mezrich. The book, “Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six M.I.T. Students Who Took Vegas for Millions,” tells the true story of a group of college students who used math, ingenuity and a little guile to break the odds of blackjack.

“When I heard that Ben’s book was going to be made into a movie, I knew wanted to do a screening in Baltimore,” says Dr. Mezrich. “We’re so delighted that we could share this wonderful movie and raise money for important research initiatives in the Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine.”

More than 200 people, including Dean Albert E. Reece, saw the film at the Charles Theatre the night before the movie opened nationwide. And they got to hear the inside story on the movie from the author himself, who came to Baltimore for the event. Before the screening, Ben Mezrich held a reception with about 90 guests at the Metro Gallery. Many people received autographed copies of “Bringing Down the House,” while others tried their hands at the blackjack tables, playing with complimentary chips. Second-year medical student Kate Daley, who volunteered at the screening, was one of those who had luck on her side, winning a drawing for the movie's poster autographed by the film’s stars, including Kevin Spacey, Laurence Fishburne, Kate Bosworth and Jim Sturgess.

Proceeds from the advance screening, which are still being tallied, will support cutting-edge radiology research and the enhancement of state-of-the-art technologies such as CT (computed tomography) and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging).

Ben Mezrich is the author of ten books, including the wildly successful Bringing Down the House, which spent fifty-nine weeks on the New York Times Best Seller List and sold over 1.5 million copies in twelve languages. His latest book, Rigged, is also a best-seller and was recently optioned as a film. Mezrich has created his own highly addictive genre of nonfiction, chronicling the amazing stories of young geniuses making tons of money on the edge of impossibility, ethics and morality. He's been named "Sexiest Author" by People Magazine and had a brief stint on Court TV with a series entitled High Stakes with Ben Mezrich. Mezrich also hosted the World Series of Blackjack for the Game Show Network. A columnist for Boston Common and a contributor to Flush Magazine in the UK, Mezrich currently has several scripted and non-scripted TV projects in the works.

Actress, comedienne, author and singer Rain Pryor is a dynamic and award-winning performer, known for roles on both stage and screen. She is also passionate about another role, as an educator and advocate for advances in fighting multiple sclerosis (MS), an illness that her father, comedian Richard Pryor, battled for nearly two decades. Now a Baltimore resident, Ms. Pryor will show her commitment to finding a cure for multiple sclerosis by presenting her one-woman show, “Pryor Experience,” at the Hippodrome theatre on June 6, 2008.

The jazz cabaret performance will benefit the Maryland Center for Multiple Sclerosis, a decades-long leader in patient care and innovative research, which is part of the University of Maryland Medical Center and the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

“Watching my father struggle with this debilitating disease had a profound effect on me,” explains Ms. Pryor. “I learned all I could about multiple sclerosis and made a commitment to do all I could to help MS patients and their families.”

She adds, “I am very excited to work with the Maryland Center for MS, having seen first hand the expertise and dedication of their team of doctors, nurses and researchers. They are committed to state-of-the-art, compassionate care for their patients and to innovative research to find better therapies to cure and prevent MS.”

“Rain Pryor is a passionate advocate for people with multiple sclerosis, and we are thrilled that she is bringing her talent, enthusiasm and energy to help our center,” says Walter Royal, III, M.D., director of the Maryland Center for Multiple Sclerosis and an associate professor of neurology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

“Ms. Pryor exhibits a real commitment to make a difference for people living with MS. During her visits with our patients, clinical staff and researchers, she has impressed us with her detailed knowledge of multiple sclerosis and her insightful questions about the disease and the progress of current research.” 

Richard Pryor was diagnosed with MS in 1986 and died in December 2005. That same year, Ms. Pryor became a national ambassador for the National MS Society. In honor of her dad, she travels around the country speaking and performing to educate people about the disease, treatments and research. 
Multiple sclerosis is a neurological disease that affects 400,000 Americans. It usually strikes young adults. Twice as many women as men have the disease. In MS, the person’s own immune cells attack the outer membrane covering, or myelin sheath, of nerves of the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. This causes a wide range of symptoms including tingling, numbness, loss of strength, dizziness, fatigue and visual disturbances, such as double vision. The severity of MS varies greatly among individuals. While there is no cure, there are medications that can effectively suppress disease activity and can help patients manage symptoms.

The Maryland Center for Multiple Sclerosis offers patients the highest level of care through a multi-disciplinary team of specialists including physicians, nurses, therapists and social workers. Patients receive a comprehensive evaluation and have access to the latest treatment options, including opportunities to participate in clinical trials of new therapies. MS Center physicians include neurologists and neuro-ophthalmologists who specialize in treating MS patients. The MS center also offers physical, occupational and speech therapy, and assessment of swallowing problems through facilities at Kernan Hospital. Nurses also work with patients to educate them about multiple sclerosis and coordinate rehabilitative care and home health services.

The Maryland Center for MS also has a comprehensive, nationally recognized research program that tests new drugs and drug combinations and explores other areas of research, including Vitamin D and multiple sclerosis, the use of bone marrow-derived stem cells, novel rehabilitation approaches and the role of B cells and potassium channel function in MS.

In the 1990s, University of Maryland MS researchers were national leaders in testing two drugs, Betaseron and Copaxone, which are now widely prescribed in order to reduce the number of relapses and slow the progression of disability for people with MS. Currently, the center is involved in 16 clinical trials of medications for the treatment of multiple sclerosis.

Rain Pryor has been a performer her whole life and has had numerous parts in movies and television. In 2004, she created a one-woman show based on her life called “Fried Chicken and Latkes,” an award-winning production that explores issues of race and class from her perspective as a woman with an African American father and a Jewish mother.

Ms. Pryor also talks about her life in her book, “Jokes My Father Never Taught Me: Life, Love and Loss with Richard Pryor,” published in 2006. The book received nominations for an NAACP Image Award and the African American Literary Award.

Tickets to Rain Pryor’s Hippodrome performance on June 6, 2008 are available at www.ticketmaster.com or 1-800-551-SEAT.

Hard to stomach

A UM gastroenterologist is looking for a cure to celiac disease, a perplexing disorder triggered by a common protein: gluten

By Stephanie Desmon, Sun reporter

In one examining room is an adorable 2-year-old girl in pigtails who is finally gaining weight. In the past six weeks, she has put on 2 pounds - in the year before that, she gained just 1.

In another room is an athletic 11-year-old whose debilitating migraines caused her to miss long stretches of school, spend time in two hospital emergency rooms and go back and forth between doctors in an effort to find out why she was so sick.

Down the clinic hallway is a 20-year-old college student who's exhausted all the time with unexplained stomach pains.

All three patients of Dr. Alessio Fasano have different symptoms. Yet all could have the same malady: celiac disease.

This autoimmune disorder interferes with absorption of nutrients from food and is triggered by the consumption of gluten, a protein in wheat and other grains found in many staples of the American diet, including pizza, pasta and bread.

For all the misery they cause, most celiac symptoms disappear with a simple if inconvenient lifestyle alteration: eliminating gluten from the diet. Doctors are working on a pill that could eliminate that hassle, too.

Fasano is a gastroenterologist who directs the Center for Celiac Research at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. In 2003, he found that the disease - once believed to be rare - might instead be found in as many as 3 million people in the United States. That's nearly 1 percent of the population.

Fasano's pioneering study helped persuade the National Institutes of Health to recognize the problem and encourage doctors to look beyond the traditional celiac symptoms of malnutrition and diarrhea in their medical textbooks.

"The problem is celiac disease often is not on their radar screen," Fasano said. They often don't realize celiac can manifest itself as anemia, infertility or any number of medical problems - and can appear at any age.

Now Fasano and his colleagues are trying to build on their research. In a paper published last summer, they determined that targeted screening of patients with just one symptom associated with celiac led to a more than 40-fold increase in diagnosis.

The screening is a relatively inexpensive blood test - one that may provide an elusive diagnosis for patients who have been feeling lousy for months or even years.

"The average duration of symptoms before diagnosis is probably 10 years," said Dr. Charles O. Elson, a gastroenterologist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and chairman of the NIH panel that looked into celiac in 2004.

Fasano and colleagues are at work on an alternative to the gluten-free diet, despite increasing availability of gluten-free foods on supermarket shelves, from Internet vendors and in restaurants.

They hope to develop a pill that a celiac patient can take before eating gluten to enable its digestion - similar to the Lactaid pills taken by lactose-intolerant people who want to eat dairy products.

In Baltimore, at a clinic inside the University of Maryland Medical Center, Fasano sees patients who will learn from him whether they have celiac disease.

For some, a diagnosis will be a relief, an answer to why they have felt so ill for so long - and an answer that is not a death sentence. But others dread the possibility of being sentenced to life without many of their favorite foods.

"The most frustrating part was not knowing what it was," said Mike Benecky, whose 11-year-old daughter, Sarah, received a celiac diagnosis in late October. "But a kid without pizza and chicken nuggets - it takes a lot out of your life."

Benecky said he was surprised about how common celiac is. One of Sarah's soccer teammates has the condition. So does one of his wife's colleagues.

Doctors have long known about celiac disease, but for many years they believed it was a stomach ailment that mainly afflicted children. A Dutch researcher accidentally pinpointed the link between wheat and celiac disease after World War II, when he noted that celiac cases had disappeared when wheat was rationed and replaced in flour by potato starch.

Humans, it seems, may not have been designed to eat wheat, a product that was not around until the dawn of the agricultural age.

In recent years, researchers have learned that celiac disease is not a simple gluten allergy, but a sickness that attacks the intestine in the way diabetes attacks the pancreas or multiple sclerosis attacks the brain.

Left untreated - that is, when patients continue to consume gluten - it can cause long-term damage and lead to increased risks for osteoporosis and even lymphoma.

Celiac disease, Fasano said, is the only autoimmune disorder for which the trigger is known. Those with genes linked to the disease will get sick only when they eat gluten. In diabetes and multiple sclerosis, by way of contrast, the exact triggers remain unknown.

Morris Blanco of Pikesville, a college student at New York's Yeshiva University, has chronic constipation, is tired all the time and has lost weight as he has added and subtracted things from his diet to figure out what is making him sick. He has been poked and prodded for years to no avail.

He came to Fasano for help. But Fasano looked at his bloodwork and other test results, only to conclude this one would not be an easy diagnosis.

"I would consider celiac disease very unlikely," the doctor told Blanco.

Gwen Hedeman was a happy baby who started getting sick when she was about 9 months old. She often had diarrhea and was sleeping 18 to 20 hours a day. She didn't gain weight, and when she stood next to a child her age, she was dwarfed.

The pediatrician was stumped. A second doctor agreed to her mother's request for a celiac screening, since her aunts have the disease. The blood test came back positive a few weeks before Gwen's second birthday. Gluten was quickly eliminated from the toddler's diet, and she is now energetic and gaining weight on track.

"I've seen such a difference in her," said her mother, Jennifer.

The diagnosis still must be confirmed with an endoscopy, an invasive test that involves anesthesia and worries Gwen's parents.

Her mother is concerned because the test would require reverting to a regular diet for a while, which would make her daughter sick again.

But Fasano thinks a lifetime on a gluten-free diet is such a hardship that he advises even young patients like Gwen to have the endoscopy - just to be completely sure.

Cutting out the obvious - the cookies and cakes and breads -isn't as hard as catching the gluten in many other, less obvious foods, where it's used as a glue to hold things together.

Still, Fasano gets great pleasure in telling long-suffering patients that he has figured out what they have - and while the answer isn't easy to deal with, it is within reach.

"What frustrates me is to say, 'I don't know what the heck I can do for you,'" Fasano said. He prefers, "I know what's wrong with you, and I can fix it.

"In medicine, if you find the solution to the problem and have a remedy, you really fulfill your mission."

Hundreds gathered in historic Westminster Hall for the final campus-wide event celebrating the bicentennial of the University of Maryland School of Medicine. The reception was held on November 29th, 2007, exactly one year after the bicentennial kick-off, which launched the year-long celebration.

"The close of the bicentennial brings a measure of sadness but provides lasting memories and greater recognition from the multiple audiences we reached," said E. Albert Reece, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A., dean of the University of Maryland School of Medicine. "I am honored to have presided over this milestone year."

In addition to faculty, staff, student and alumni, special guests included University System of Maryland Chancellor William E."Brit" Kirwan, Ph.D.  "Thanks to the bicentennial year, people across the state and nation have a much better understanding of the incredible contributions this school of medicine has made both within Maryland and around the world," he said.

View a 20 minute video of the event and remarks (Real Video Required).

The reception also included special recognition for the University of Salerno School of Medicine (Scuola Medica Salernitana). The first medical school in the Western world, the University of Salerno School of Medicine closed its doors in the early 1800s, just as the University of Maryland began offering medical classes in historic Davidge Hall. Now, the University of Salerno is reopening its medical school and will collaborate with the University of Maryland. Learn More.

Guests were able to view a slideshow of bicentennial memories with pictures of those who participated in a year long series of bicentennial events. Among them:  Baseball hall of famer Cal Ripken Jr., singer Patti LaBelle, humorist Garrison Keillor, and former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno. Bicentennial events in 2007 included a special lecture series featuring noted physicians and researchers, who helped shed light on diseases such as diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke.

The final reception was reminiscent of a party that might have been thrown in 1807 by School of Medicine founder John Beale Davidge, with a menu that included plum pudding and wassail. First-year medical student and pianist Jessica Shiu entertained the crowd with traditional seasonal songs and classical music. The reception featured special displays of bicentennial activities sponsored by many of our 25 departments, such as event photos, departmental histories, posters and journal articles.

Chancellor Kirwan may have summed up the feelings of the participants best.  “The most exciting thing for me is that with this remarkable institution, the best is yet to come," he said.  "The School of Medicine may have its roots in the 1800s, but its future is pure 21st century."

In recognition of this partnership, E. Albert Reece, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A., dean of the University of Maryland School of Medicine, awarded the Dean’s Gold Medal to Professor Raimondo Pasquino, President of the University of Salerno, and Dr. Vincenzo DeLuca, President of the Scuola Medica Salernitana Foundation, in a ceremony held November 29^th in historic Davidge Hall. "The dean's medal goes to an individual who has provided outstanding service to the School of Medicine and whose contributions to research, patient care and community service has advanced the recognition and standing of the School of Medicine," explained Alessio Fasano, MD, professor of Pediatrics, Medicine and Physiology and director of the Center for Celiac Research and the Mucosal Biology Research Center. 

Salima Siler Marriott, DSW, Baltimore's deputy mayor for Community and Human Development, also joined in the festivities. She read a proclamation from Baltimore's Mayor Sheila Dixon recognizing the School of Medicine's bicentennial. Deputy Mayor Marriott compared the University of Maryland School of Medicine to the Hope diamond in terms of its value to the city of Baltimore and the state of Maryland.

Friedman encouraged families to support the Medical Family Annual Fund, which is used to enhance the academic experiences of medical students in a variety of ways, from helping them pay for research trips and conferences, to creating a student lounge on campus where they can gather in comfort. To inspire families to give, Friedman and her husband David Blanken presented School of Medicine Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA a check for $10,000 for the fund.

Following Medical Family Day was the event first-year students have long been waiting for – the White Coat Ceremony. This tradition, which started at the School of Medicine in 1997, involves the presentation of traditional white coats, long the symbol of physicians and scientists, to students. The coats are put on the students by School of Medicine faculty, to welcome their new colleagues to the profession of medicine. After being "coated," students recited an oath acknowledging their acceptance of the obligations of the medical profession. They also added their signatures to the school's honor book, a leather-bound volume signed by all med students in their first year and their final year, in which they pledge to maintain integrity throughout their years in medicine.

"I'm so excited," admitted Lorraine Beraho. "I had no idea I'd be this excited. S&D (the nine-week Structure & Development course) is over, we have our white coats, so now it's becoming real. We're really going to be doctors, it's really going to happen. And it feels great."

The late Dr. Young was a professor in the Department of Surgery and head of the division of Urology at the School of Medicine, and the fund for the endowment was established by two of his colleagues, Edward Campbell, MD and Earl Galleher, Jr., MD. This endowment is unique in that it wasn't funded by a single gift but is the result of numerous donations from Dr. Young's students, residents, patients and friends, received over the course of 23 years.

A replica of the medal presented to Dr. Chai was given to Dr. Young's widow, Dorothy, who told the audience that her husband would have been proud to have such an accomplished physician receive the professorship bearing his name. Dr. Chai was equally proud to be receiving the honor. "At the University of Maryland School of Medicine, I've been given the opportunity to achieve success," said Dr. Chai. "I'm humbled by the trust that this institution has shown me by nurturing my future endeavors with the John D. Young endowed professorship….This endowed professorship represents a vision for the future," he added. "All of us here today are part of that vision. So here's to the future."

For more information on establishing an endowed professorship in someone's honor please contact the Office of Development via their website or at (410) 706-8503.

After reviewing the highlights of his first year as dean of the School of Medicine, including special segments on bicentennial events and faculty accomplishments, Dean Reece got down to business. He was proud to reveal that in spite of NIH cutbacks and other funding challenges, grants to the School of Medicine increased 6.2 percent in FY07, to $344 million.

These numbers did not include funding for the two new institutes added to the School of Medicine in 2007, the Institute for Human Virology and the Institute for Genome Sciences, which together are expected to bring more than $25 million in funding to the school. These institutes will also add almost 400 staff and 60-70 faculty members to the school workforce, which also saw an increase this year, particularly in the areas of women and under-represented minorities.

The School of Medicine currently ranks 19^th out of all 126 medical schools in the country in direct grants and contract expenditures. It leaps up to 7^th place when compared to all 75 public medical schools. The school's total revenue, which includes grants, tuition, state funding, faculty practice and philanthropic gifts, was $676.3 million. Its economic impact on the state of Maryland was an astounding $1.5 billion.

Among the other highlights of 2007:

• Private gifts to the school increased from $43.6 million to $46 million.
• Endowments rose from $133 million to $166 million, enabling the establishment of five new endowed professorships. There are currently 45 endowed chairs and professorships at the School of Medicine.
• The Bicentennial Campaign's goal of $200 million has already been reached, two years before expected.
• Clinical revenue increased 9.4 percent, to $175.7 million.
• Applications to the medical school were up 7.7 percent, to 4,503. Of these applicants, only 160 were accepted. 56 percent are female;  44 percent are male, and 15 percent are under-represented minorities. The GPAs and MCAT scores for these accepted students are both well above the national average.
• Applications to the Graduate Program in Life Sciences increased 85 percent.

 Dean Reece is not one to rest on his laurels, however. He has an ambitious plan for the future of the school, including finding funding to build a third Health Sciences Facility. "Together we will use our past to fly toward a better future," he said at the end of his speech. The standing ovation from the crowd proved they're anxious to see just how high the school will soar under his leadership.

Mohan Suntha, M.D., professor and vice chairman of the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and associate director of clinical affairs for the Greenebaum Cancer Center, said, "This is a unique opportunity for our department to be at the forefront of developing new technologies to make radiation therapy more precise and targeted, resulting in more effective treatments, fewer side effects and higher cure rates for patients. The focus of our research is always on improving patient care."

One of the ways they hope to do that is with state-of-the-art equipment, including the new Trilogy linear accelerator made by Varian Medical Systems, Inc., which will be used solely for research. This powerful image-guided radiation therapy system delivers high-dose radiation to even the smallest tumors and can target an area as small as a pencil point. "Through ongoing collaborations between the researchers at Maryland and Varian, under our existing research relationship, we will continue to improve the future of patient care and endeavor to defeat our common foe – cancer," said Dow Wilson, president of Varian’s Oncology Systems business.

Roslyn and Len Stoler, whose generous donations helped fund the Program for Excellence, cut the ribbon to the new research center. Stoler is founder and president of the Len Stoler Automotive Group. The Stolers are major supporters of the University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center, having already donated $5 million for a state-of-the-art outpatient facility that opened in 2005. 

Yet as Mr. Stoler and his wife toured the new center and got a detailed explanation of the linear accelerator's capabilities from William Regine, MD, professor and chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology, the smile on his face made it very clear that he considers all he gives as money well spent.

See the Video

As part of the bicentennial event, medical students from all four years manned a booth on the Eutaw Street concourse, where they handed out School of Medicine pins and offered a unique glimpse into medical education with a display of plasticized  body parts from their anatomy classroom. Seeing the students carrying around body parts certainly piqued the curiosity of passing fans. "People would walk by, then stop, come back and look again," said second-year student Sara Edeiken-Weyer. "Some were like, 'Why are you holding a heart, this is a baseball game?' and then we'd tell them about the school and the bicentennial." Her favorite audience, though, was the children who stopped by. "They're either really into it, or they won't come anywhere near us," she explained with a laugh.

In keeping with the bicentennial's historical theme, the Orioles were dressed in the uniforms of the Negro League's Baltimore Black Sox, to whom they paid tribute before the game. The Birds were ahead or tied through most of the game, but even the cheers of the School of Medicine crowd couldn't save the hometown team from a ninth-inning Red Sox rally that put them ahead of the O's 7-6.

The next bicentennial event will be "Perspectives on the Central System: The Scientists & The Patients," a lecture presentation on Monday, September 24 at the Hippodrome Theatre. Speakers include former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno, CBS anchor and weatherman Mark McEwen, and Dr. Nancy Wexler of Columbia University. Health correspondent Dr. Bob Arnot moderates. The Hippodrome Theater is located at , 12 N. Eutaw Street in West Baltimore. For tickets, e-mail 2007@som.umaryland.edu or call 410-706-2007. Be sure to include the number of tickets you want, your name, full address and phone number.

Annapolis, MD (July 31, 2007) - Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley announced today that the University of Maryland has received a $15 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The funding will be used to support research at the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s Institute of Human Virology (IHV) to further develop a promising HIV/AIDS vaccine candidate created by IHV that, in early studies, has shown potential to provide broad protection against HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

The $15 million, five-year grant is part of the Gates Foundation’s Collaboration for AIDS Vaccine Discovery, an international network of research consortia focused on accelerating the pace of HIV vaccine development.  The announcement came during a news conference at State House in Annapolis.  
"This grant reinforces what Marylanders have long known: that our state is a world leader in biotechnology, and more importantly, a leader in finding a vaccine that can help the thousands of people affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic," Governor O’Malley said. "I want to thank the Gates Foundation for funding this research, and Dr. Gallo for his important work to help us make AIDS a thing of the past."

"Our ultimate goal is a vaccine that will prevent HIV transmission. In early studies, this vaccine has already demonstrated that it has promise to produce an immune system response to various HIV strains.  We are very happy that the Gates Foundation is supporting our efforts," said Robert C. Gallo, M.D., the founder and director of IHV, who co-discovered HIV and developed the first HIV blood test.

"This grant will allow us to further test and develop this promising vaccine candidate. I want to acknowledge the superb work by IHV’s Tony DeVico, Ph.D., and George Lewis, Ph.D., which has brought us this far on the vaccine," said Gallo, who is also a professor of medicine and microbiology and immunology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.
 
HIV’s ability to mutate rapidly into numerous strains has long frustrated efforts by the medical research community to develop an effective vaccine. Previous attempts by others to develop a vaccine have been unsuccessful because they were unable to stop a broad range of HIV strains.  IHV scientists are encouraged by their potential vaccine, and the Gates Foundation grant will allow IHV scientists to conduct further studies on their vaccine so that they can understand better how the vaccine works against HIV.
  
"I am extremely pleased that the extraordinary research under way at IHV continues to be recognized and supported," says William E. Kirwan, Ph.D., chancellor of the University System of Maryland. "We are deeply grateful to the Gates Foundation for this generous grant, and we laud Bob Gallo and IHV for their strong commitment to resolving some of society's most difficult medical issues."

"The School of Medicine congratulates the Institute of Human Virology on this strong vote of support from the Gates Foundation," says E. Albert Reece, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A., vice president for medical affairs, University of Maryland and dean of the School of Medicine. "This prestigious grant again underscores how the Institute continues to fulfill its mission of turning cutting-edge research into real benefits for people in need."

The grant is being awarded to the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute (UMBI), IHV’s former parent university. The grant will shortly be transferred to the University of Maryland School of Medicine as a function of IHV’s transition from UMBI to the School of Medicine on July 1, 2007.

"This grant will support a marvelous public-private partnership between the Institute of Human Virology, its spin-off biotech company Profectus BioSciences and Wyeth Pharmaceuticals," says Jennie Hunter-Cevera, Ph.D., president of UMBI. The vaccine technology has been licensed from UMBI by Wyeth through Profectus BioSciences. Gallo added that he is also encouraged by the collaboration formed by IHV with Profectus BioSciences and Wyeth Pharmaceuticals.

IHV, located in Baltimore, is an institute of the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Since its founding in 1996, IHV has become a world leader in HIV/AIDS research and treatment, with a proven track record of bringing medical benefits to people living with HIV/AIDS in the United States and around the world. For more information, visit www.ihv.org.

“He touched thousands of lives in his years practicing medicine. We wanted him to know that we admired him and appreciated everything he had done. We wanted to do something special, to recognize him in some small way,” says Tim.

“I was surprised and very honored,” says Dr. Gilmore.  His ten children had made a donation to the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s Fund for Medicine.  “My children are all hard working people with families of their own and this was a sacrifice for them.”

WORKING HIS WAY THROUGH MED SCHOOL

Dr. Gilmore had likewise known sacrifice in his life.  Born in Brooklyn, New York, his parents moved to
Baltimore when he was in the Navy. He followed them south and decided to study to become a doctor. He completed his undergraduate work at Johns Hopkins University and graduate work at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. “We had to borrow every penny, and I had to work day jobs and night jobs to help pay for my education,” says Dr. Gilmore. “Perhaps this gift to the Fund for Medicine will make it easier for a youngster coming up.”

SHORT-LIVED RETIREMENT

Dr. Gilmore first hung his shingle in Lutherville, Maryland, where he practiced for 46 years. During that
time he developed many lasting relationships with his patients. “When I was a young doctor practicing
medicine in the late fifties and throughout the sixties I would make up to twenty-five house calls a day
sometimes,” says Dr. Gilmore, “on Sundays as well.”

In 1998, he decided it was time to retire and sold his practice to the Sinai Group. However, retirement
did not suit him and after only three months he went back to the Sinai Group and asked if they would be
interested in hiring a physician — a physician with quite a bit of experience.

“His retirement was short-lived,” says Tim. “He was concerned as always about his patients — were they
receiving proper care? He couldn’t sit back. He couldn’t stay away.”

PASSION FOR PRACTICING MEDICINE

Today, Dr. Gilmore can be found practicing at LifeBridge in Timonium, Maryland, just a few miles
north of his original practice. And in a seemingly endless ritual, every morning just after 7 a.m., seventy-eight year old Dr. Gilmore turns the light on in his office, arranges his desk and begins a new day of work. Devoted as ever, Dr. Gilmore says “I am still seeing the people I was seeing 50 years ago. Only
now I am seeing their grandchildren too.  I love what I am doing.”

Perhaps it was the cards and letters he received from his patients telling him how much he will be missed in his retirement.  Perhaps it was the man who sat down on the edge of his bed and cried when he heard of Dr. Gilmore’s retirement. Perhaps it was simply Dr. Gilmore’s passion for practicing medicine, and his compassion for others.  “He is very much loved by his patients,” says Tim.

A FATHER’S PRIDE

On that festive summer night, Dr. Gilmore was touched and speechless. No one really knows what memories were awakened, whose faces flashed through Dr. Gilmore’s mind when the wine glasses were raised in salute to him that evening; the beloved faces of his family as young children, the faces of so many gratified patients; or even the face of Dr. Theodore Woodward, one of his early teachers at the School of Medicine. “I believe that man taught me more about medicine in three months, than I learned in a lifetime of practice,” remarked Dr. Gilmore.

 “I am very proud of them all. Very proud that they did this,” says Dr. Gilmore when speaking of his children.  “I’m confident the money will be put to good use by the school. I would like to see more young students go into primary care. It seems everybody wants to be a specialist these days and very few are going into primary care. That’s where the need is.”

This investiture ceremony kicked off a new tradition of honoring faculty members who receive endowed professorships with a special medal to uniquely recognize their accomplishment. The front of the medal features the image of a founder and first dean, Dr. John Beale Davidge and the historic Davidge Hall. The back of the medal lists the four tenets of the School of Medicine's mission: education, research, patient care and service, as well as the official name of the endowed professorship.

Dr. Mansfield received a replica of the medal that would be presented to Yu. "The endowed professorship and medal recognize the significant impact that you have had upon this institution and the field of radiation oncology," Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA told Dr. Mansfield at the ceremony.

Then it was Yu's turn to receive his medal. "To be named to an endowed professorship is extremely prestigious and acknowledges your career accomplishments and contributions to our academic community," said Dean Reece. "Your peers and colleagues in attendance today and throughout the School of Medicine widely agree that you are most deserving of this honor."

For more information on establishing an endowed professorship in someone's honor please contact the Office of Development via their website or at (410) 706-8503.

The stage featured the façade of Davidge's namesake building, Davidge Hall. From here, headliner Dennis Miller performed a comedy routine. After Miller's performance, it was time to hit the dance floor with Stevie V. and The Heart Attackers, led by Stephen A. Valenti, MD, class of '78. The band usually only plays once a year, but they couldn't turn down an invitation to perform for the School of Medicine, where half the band had earned their medical degrees or done their residencies and fellowships. Their mix of rock hits from the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s got the crowd into the groove, so much so that the dance floor was still full when the gala sadly came to an end.

Special Events coordinator Mary Cain said in a recent Baltimore Sun article that the band agreed to perform pro bono for the event. Many generous sponsors assisted in covering other costs. These included the Medical Alumni Association of the University of Maryland, Inc, the presenting sponsor of the event; Whiting-Turner, platinum bicentennial sponsor; and gold sponsors Mercantile Bank; Provident Bank; Somerset Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; The University of Maryland Medical System; University Physicians, Inc.; and Dr. James Frenkil, Class of '37 and Mrs. Carolyn McGuire Frenkil. Profits from the event will help fund the Fund for Medicine, to assist the School of Medicine's missions in medical education, biomedical research, patient care and community service.

One of only six women in a class of 140, Dr. Hosick is thrilled that 61% of the current student body is female. "I've often been asked how I was treated as a woman in medicine," Dr. Hosick admits. "And I have to say, I was treated pretty darn well."

She credits her education for her success in the field. "The University of Maryland took a chance on a young woman from the Midwest," said the Kalamazoo, MI native. "Because of this opportunity I spent 30 years teaching med students and residents; I spent 16 years as medical director of ambulatory surgery at a 200-bed hospital; and I was chair of anesthesiology for 12 years in a 200-man, multi-specialty service. For this, University of Maryland, I thank you."

"We wanted to give back to the community that has supported the school for 200 years," explained Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA of the unprecedented decision to devote an entire school day to volunteering during the school's bicentennial year.

"We're really delighted," raved Patti Rosso, a teacher for Sollers Point Technical High School's Allied Health program, who brought a group of juniors to Mini-Med School. "It's been a fun time for the kids. Some of them talk of becoming doctors, but I don't think they had a real idea of what it entailed, so being able to talk with the different students and learning about their med school experiences has been very worthwhile." 

View the story featured on WBAL TV 11 News  - Real Player Required.

"That was part of the purpose of today," added Alicia Loper, another Sollers Point teacher and the mother of  a second-year student. "So they could see realistically what they would be getting into. They went to the lab, and they saw how the med students dissect cadavers, and they saw organs, which they were all fascinated by."

Loper wasn't able to catch up with her son on campus, as he was busy volunteering at the Maryland Science Center. The biggest service site of the day, the Science Center had 75 students manning a variety of kid-friendly presentations.

In "Grossology," medical student Amy Andrus was helping third graders understand why swallowing air makes you "toot." "Students get to see their bodies in a whole different way, and that inspires curiosity," says Andrus, who believes their service is making science more accessible and less intimidating.

After months of intense study, Student Service Day was a big change of pace for the medical students, but one they greatly appreciated. "It's an opportunity to share our excitement for science," says fourth year medical student Michelle Cohen. Cohen, who organized the Science Center outreach, hopes the experience will encourage more young people to consider careers in science or medicine.

The Science Center staff was thrilled to have the medical students on-site answering questions. "The synergy is great," says Anne Myers, the Science Center's director of development. Myers agrees with Cohen that activities like Student Service Day can provide the kind of one-on-one contact vital to stimulating a child's interest in science.

That certainly seemed to be the case back at the School of Medicine's Anatomy lab. Although there was a bit of fidgeting during lectures by med students on such topics as AIDS and influenza, the Sollers Point students found their enthusiasm in the Anatomy Lab. Here they were able to get hands-on with plasticized models of diseased organs, while peppering their tour guides with questions about science and the ups and downs of medical school.

Student Service Day was presented as a special event for the School of Medicine's bicentennial year, but many of those involved hope to see it become an annual tradition. "The students are very enthusiastic about this," said Joseph Martinez, MD, Assistant Dean for Student Affairs. "I think it would be difficult to find a day every year when we could cancel classes so everyone could go volunteer, but I'd like to see this continue on some scale in the future."

After welcoming remarks from School of Medicine Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, Dr. Bob kicked things off by sharing his experiences out in the field, exciting tales of the enlightening but often dangerous stories he's presented from such war-torn locales as the Darfur region of Sudan and Iraq. The common theme of these stories was how it was often the most ordinary of people who stepped in to save the day when he needed it most. He encouraged the audience to strive to be everyday heroes like this in their own lives.

Dr. Stiehm also spoke of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Her presentation was on the 12 women who have won the Nobel Peace Prize – women who were happily pursuing careers or religious vocations or enjoying life as wives and mothers when the strife in the world around them forced them out of their comfort zones and into history.

Cal Ripken Jr. will become an even more enduring part of history when he is inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on July 29. In his remarks, he spoke of the eight traits he believes led to his success, both in baseball and as a husband and father. The importance of family came through often in Cal's speech, which was filled with stories of his father and the lessons Cal Sr. imparted, as well as frequent mentions of son Ryan and the ways – both good and bad – in which he reminds Cal of himself.

The evening ended with a question and answer session with Cal. He opened up about the nervousness he's feeling about his impending Hall of Fame induction, a day he knows will be a very emotional one without his late father, although Cal Sr. is certain to be there in spirit and in the stories he and his colleagues will tell about his career.

Part three of the Bicentennial Lecture Series will be held at the Hippodrome on September 24. Titled "Perspectives on the Central Nervous System" it will feature former United States Attorney General Janet Reno and CBS weatherman Mark McEwan. Call the bicentennial office at (410) 706-2007 for more information on this and all bicentennial events.

Dr. Fraser-Liggett comes to the School of Medicine from The Institute for Genomic Research (TIGR) in Rockville, MD, where she has served as president and director since 1998. During her tenure at TIGR, federal funding to the organization tripled to $60 million per year. At TIGR, Dr. Fraser-Liggett led research teams that sequenced the genomes of many microbial organisms and helped to initiate the era of comparative genomics. She has been the most highly cited scientist in the field of microbiology for the past 10 years.

"Dr. Fraser-Liggett is a true pioneer in the effort to sequence and analyze the genomes of a large number of organisms, and we are thrilled to have her world-class expertise at the University of Maryland," says E. Albert Reece, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A., Vice President for Medical Affairs, University of Maryland and Dean of the School of Medicine. "Dr. Fraser-Liggett is expected to bring a team of scientists and staff members with her. This major recruitment initiative will fuel the expansion of genomic research at the School of Medicine."

As an expert in the field of microbial genomics, one aspect of Dr. Fraser-Liggett’s current research is to understand the communities of bacteria in the human body, especially the microorganisms that reside in the digestive tract. These bacterial cells far outnumber the human cells that make up our bodies and are vital to good health. By comparing DNA sequences from these microbes, researchers have already determined the biological function of some beneficial bacteria. The research could lead to new ways to promote health and novel vaccines to prevent disease.

"I am extremely excited about the opportunity to build a new genomics institute within the School of Medicine," says Dr. Fraser-Liggett. "The School of Medicine has a rich history in medical and graduate education and an outstanding faculty in both basic and clinical research, many of whom are current or past collaborators with TIGR."

Dr. Fraser-Liggett has overseen the genome sequencing of important human pathogens, including bacterial infections that cause cholera and anthrax, and parasitic infections responsible for malaria and other devastating diseases in the developing world. Her work also includes the study of influenza and other viruses. These studies have provided a strong foundation for the development of new diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines. At the University of Maryland, Dr. Fraser-Liggett will build on her impressive body of work while collaborating with physician-scientists in an environment that fosters translational medicine.

"One of the most important challenges over the next two decades will be integrating new insights from the past 10 years of genomics studies into the clinical environment to impact human health," says Dr. Fraser-Liggett. "There is no better place to be working toward these goals than in a large academic medical center like the University of Maryland School of Medicine."

"The University of Maryland School of Medicine’s Institute for Genome Sciences will provide countless opportunities for multi-disciplinary collaboration," says Bruce E. Jarrell, M.D., Vice Dean for Research and Academic Affairs. "Institute faculty will have opportunities for clinical research and benefit from the School of Medicine’s strong international programs, such as the Center for Vaccine Development, headed by Dr. Myron Levine; the Institute of Human Virology, led by Dr. Robert Gallo; and the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, chaired by Dr. James Kaper."
 
Dr. Fraser-Liggett has been continuously supported by federal funding, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH). She currently serves on the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity and the National Research Council's Committee on Metagenomics. She is a member of the editorial boards of The Journal of Biological Chemistry and The Journal of Bacteriology. She has published more than 220 articles in scientific journals and is a reviewer for nine journals. In addition to three honorary doctoral degrees, she has received the E.O. Lawrence Award, the highest award presented by the Department of Energy; the New York Academy of Science's Diversity in Science Award for Leadership and Scientific Excellence (2005): the Society for Industrial Microbiology's Charles Thom Award (2005); and the Promega Biotechnology Award (2005). She has been elected as a Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology (2005) and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (2005). She also received Maryland's Top 100 Women Circle of Excellence Award (2004). In 2006, Dr. Fraser-Liggett was elected to the board of directors of Becton, Dickinson and Company.

As they waited for noon, the designated time to begin handing out Match letters, students, families and friends heard a presentation on the rich history of the school by Milford Foxwell, MD, Associate Dean for Admissions and an assistant professor in the Department of Medicine. Dr. Foxwell's tales of deadly student duels, historic patients and famous (or sometimes infamous) graduates entertained the crowd, but there was still much fidgeting, as shaky students waited for word on their futures. Finally it was envelope time, and student names were pulled from a special box and called at random, one by one.

Amanda Kramer couldn't help getting emotional when she learned she and husband Brad had received a successful "couples match" to Case Western Children's Hospital in Cleveland. "They're tears of joy," she was quick to clarify. "I'm very happy."

Claudia Viens was so excited she was still shaking a half hour after learning she'd gotten her first choice, Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York City, where she will study Anesthesiology. "It's unbelievable," she said. "The stress has been mounting for a couple months now, and it culminated at noon when the names were called.  It's surreal. It's about a million degrees in here, and my heart is beating out of my chest. I can't believe it."

Thirty-six members of the class will continue their training at the University of Maryland, including Joseph Scalea. Joseph is the nephew of Shock Trauma Physician-in-Chief  Thomas Scalea, MD, and like his well-respected uncle, Joseph also aspires to be a surgeon. "He wants to end up in transplant surgery," mom Ann-Marie explains. "It's wonderful to see these kids living their dreams. Hopefully the next part of his life is as fulfilling as it's been so far."

When their names were called, students added their signatures to the school's honor book, a leather-bound volume signed by all medical students in their first year and their final year, pledging to maintain integrity throughout their careers in medicine. As members of the bicentennial year class, each student also received a copy of the book, "University of Maryland School of Medicine: The First Two Centuries" from author Larry Pitroff, executive director of the Medical Alumni Association. As a reward for her patience, the final student to receive an envelope was given the bag into which each student had tossed a small monetary donation – money that is traditionally used for a post-Match celebration.

Claire Fraser-Liggett, Ph.D.,President, Director and Investigator of the The Institute for Genomic Research (TIGR) will present a seminar titled:  Metagenomics studies of human microbial communities in health and disease. 

About Dr. Fraser

Dr. Fraser led the TIGR teams that sequenced the genomes of Mycoplasma genitalium, the spirochetes Treponema pallidum and Borrelia burgdorfei, and two species of Chlamydia. She is now overseeing several major research projects, including the genomic sequencing of Bacillus anthracis, and is a member of National Research Council committees on countering bioterrorism and on domestic animal genomics. She also has served on review committees of the National Science Foundation, Department of Energy and the National Institutes of Health.

Dr. Fraser has published more than 160 articles in scientific journals and books. She has been a reviewer for nine scientific journals and is currently serving a second term on the editorial board of The Journal of Biological Chemistry. Before becoming TIGR's president in 1998, Dr. Fraser was the Institute's Vice President of Research and Director of its Microbial Genomics Department. She has received numerous academic and professional honors, including professorships in both microbiology and in pharmacology at The George Washington University.

Hundreds of people packed the auditorium of the Medical School Teaching Facility (MSTF) to hear the dean's keynote address, titled "Diversity: A Point of Pride and Leadership." The audience also listened to a concert of spirituals performed by Kevin A. Carr, director of the Coppin State University Gospel Choir, and honored the winners of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Diversity Recognition Awards.

Using the DNA molecule to illustrate his point, Dr. Reece said that the need for diversity is fundamental to our very being. Made up of diverse nucleotides, the DNA molecule produces proteins, cells and ultimately the organs that make up our bodies, explained Dr. Reece. "We are built on the premise of diversity and inherently crave an environment that reflects such a picture."

Dr. Reece noted that there are at least 150 ethnic and racial groups in the United States, and by 2010, minority populations will constitute 32% of the U.S. population. "We must equip our students to be sensitive to the needs of a diverse population," said Dr. Reece. "They will be required to reach out to diverse cultures; therefore, we must prepare them to face a changing world."

Dr. Reece said diversity is vitally important to the University's success and to achieving the School of Medicine's missions of education, research, patient care and community service. Through diversity, medical students become culturally competent physicians who can treat people from a range of cultural and ethnic backgrounds. "Diversity makes us better in our teaching, in our learning, and in our research," said the dean.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Diversity Recognition Awards

The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Diversity Recognition Awards are presented for individual and group achievements in the areas of diversity and inclusiveness. The awards represent equality, justice and opportunity for all people. The recipients serve as models of the ideals epitomized by the life and work of Dr. King.

Outstanding UMB Faculty/Staff Award

Doris E. Scott, PhD, RN
School of Nursing, Department of Family & Community Health

For nearly a decade, Doris Scott has provided mental health services to hundreds of high risk children in the William Pinderhughes Elementary School of Sandtown-Winchester in Baltimore.

Outstanding Student/Students Group Award

A Bridge to Academic Excellence (ABAE)
School of Pharmacy (coordination), campus-wide work

ABAE is a community service project of the School of Pharmacy, UMB students and Community partners.  The goal is to provide high school students with help in the core academic building blocks of future professional education programs such as math and the sciences.

House Speaker Michael E. Busch and Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr., were the honored guests during a morning breakfast with state lawmakers and University System of Maryland Chancellor William E. "Brit" Kirwan.

Both legislative leaders recognized the School of Medicine for its dedication to patient care, cutting-edge research and medical education, and congratulated the school for its 200 years of service, which officially began when the Maryland General Assembly chartered the College of Medicine of Maryland in 1807.  

Later, School of Medicine Dean E. Albert Reece, and University of Maryland, Baltimore President David J. Ramsay were invited to the floors of the house and senate as both legislative chambers passed proclamations honoring the School of Medicine.

As the day progressed, lawmakers learned more about the School of Medicine in a series of one-on-one meetings with faculty and students.  Matthew Dunn, an Eastern Shore native and former nurse who is now a fourth-year medical student, was excited to tell lawmakers why he wants to practice medicine. "There is a lack of physicians on the Eastern Shore, so I decided to go back to school and study medicine. I applied to the University of Maryland, because it is a great school and a great program. I'm here today to try to spread the word that we need increased funding, scholarship funding especially, to recruit talented students and those who wouldn't be able to come otherwise."

Senator Andy Harris knows first-hand the importance of funding medicine's future. "I'm the only physician in the Senate, I'm an anesthesiologist, and I still practice medicine when I'm not in the legislature," he explains. "So I realize the importance not only of medicine but of the University of Maryland in providing training to practitioners, many of whom stay in Maryland to practice medicine.” Unlike other public medical Schools around the country, the University of Maryland School of Medicine receives only 5% of its total budget from the state.

As Dean Reece said in his speech to state legislators, the University of Maryland School of Medicine is rich with accomplishments, but it now has to earn the reputation to go with those accomplishments. Days like these will go a long way toward achieving the goal of spreading the word about what the School of Medicine has to offer.

"Each of you is a very important part of the continuing history and legacy of one of America’s oldest and leading medical schools, and we welcome you to our expanding community," the dean told the families. "During these next four years, the members of the Class of 2010 will experience the excitement and challenges of medical school. Your support will be critical to their success."

All of the morning's speakers talked of the importance of offering varying means of support – financial, emotional, social – to medical school students. By far, the most popular presentation was a peek into what the first year is like, with Dr. David Mallott giving the faculty point of view; fourth-year student Sara Faber sharing her first-year experiences; and Barbara Friedman, mother of a third-year medical student, participating in a panel discussion with Faber and Dr. Joseph Martinez from the Office of Student Affairs about what help family and friends can offer during this challenging time.

Few lingered over lunch, as the afternoon brought the event for which the first-year students have long been waiting – the White Coat Ceremony. This tradition, which started at the School of Medicine in 1997, involves the presentation of traditional white coats, long the symbol of physicians and scientists, to students. The coats are put on the students by School of Medicine faculty, to welcome their new colleagues to the profession of medicine. After being "coated," students recited an oath acknowledging their acceptance of the obligations of the medical profession.

"It's exciting," said Dr. Mark Jaffe, class of '81, who was proudly snapping photos of son David in his new white coat. "We never had anything like this. It's a nice tradition."

From now on the freshman lecture hall will be known as the Taylor Lecture Hall. The Taylor Lecture Hall is named in gratitude for the generous contributions of Dr. Irving Taylor ('43), his son Bruce, Bruce's wife Ellen ('78), and Irving's nephews, Ron ('73) and Rick ('75).  Dr. Ron Taylor and Dr. Rick Taylor are both past presidents of the Medical Alumni Association.

"We knew we needed to look for supporters of the school to help with the cost," said the Dean at the dedication ceremony. "And we thought of the Taylor family." Thanks to the Taylors' help, the School of Medicine was able to make important technological and aesthetic improvements to the aging lecture hall. 

Located on the first floor of the Bressler Research Building, the Taylor Lecture Hall now shines brightly with state-of-the-art lighting and an upgraded sound system. Wireless internet service is available throughout to enable students to use their laptops during lectures. For Irving Taylor, who had his med school lectures in Davidge Hall, the best part may be the new seats. "They're softer than the hard old ones over there," he said with a laugh.

A plaque inside the lecture hall acknowledging the Taylor family's generosity includes the phrase 'Learning for Life.' Dr. Irving Taylor says this motto is "symbolic of what we, as doctors, should be doing. We should never stop studying. We should always keep trying to find ways of preventing or curing illness."

As part of the renovation, the lobby outside the lecture hall now features portraits of the School of Medicine deans dating back to 1807.

Great discoveries have long been a part of the School of Medicine’s history, and the evening highlighted many of these accomplishments. There was also a special tribute film honoring Donald E. Wilson, MD, MACP, Vice President for Medical Affairs and Dean of the School of Medicine. Dr. Wilson retired in September, 2006. 

In addition to honoring Dean Wilson and his legacy of leadership, the School of Medicine made its first public announcement regarding its ambitious $200 million Bicentennial Campaign. "When initially envisioning the Bicentennial campaign, we had two primary goals in mind," says Pat Madden, associate dean for Development. "First, to provide the resources necessary to continue the tremendous progress the school has made in recent years, under the leadership of Dean Wilson, and secondly to celebrate two centuries of leadership and discovery in academic medicine."

More than 500 guests were on hand for the event including such dignitaries as former Secretary of Defense Frank Carlucci, Maryland State Senator Paula Hollinger, and Willard Hackerman, President & Chief Executive Officer of the Whiting-Turner Contracting Company and a member of the School of Medicine's Board of Visitors. The gala was also attended by local business leaders; faculty, staff and students.

Three departments were featured this year for outstanding accomplishments in their respective fields: the Department of Neurology, the Department of Psychiatry and the Department of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Science. Lisa Shulman, MD, associate professor of neurology points out that, “At the end of the day, neurologists strive to preserve function, delay disability and promote quality of life. We are seeking not just a measurable difference for our patients but a meaningful difference.”

“All of the things the University of Maryland is delivering — better education, better medicine, better research makes it a big part of our city and our region,” says Gary Geisel, Chairman and CEO of Provident Bank, and one of the sponsors of the gala.

Gala sponsors also included M&T Bank, Comcast, the University of Maryland Medical System, Novartis, Mercy Medical Center and the Whiting-Turner Contracting Company. 

The gala auction raised $15,000 for the Medical Student Activities Fund.  Auction items included a week’s stay at a villa in St. Maarten; a week’s stay at a condo in Costa Rica; a champagne dessert reception for 50 guests; and a dine-around package at many of Baltimore’s finest restaurants. 

Next year’s Fund for Medicine event will be the Bicentennial Gala. It will be held May 18, 2007 at the Baltimore Convention Center.