June 17, 2016
MEDICAL UNIVERSITY of SOUTH CAROLINA
Vol. 34, No. 40
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of Emanuel 9 shootings
By Dawn Brazell brazell@musc.edu Light streamed through the stained glass windows in the sanctuary of the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church as Assistant U.S. Attorney Beth Drake said the names of the nine people who lost their lives in the June 17, 2015 mass shooting that happened during a Bible study at the historic black church. With the one–year anniversary of the deadly shooting approaching, officials gathered June 9 to announce a $3.6 million grant from the National Office of Victims of Crime that will promote the coordinated efforts of partnering governmental agencies to assist the congregation of Mother Emanuel AME Church. “We work best when we work together,” Drake said as she described the work of first responders from every level of government who converged to help in the aftermath of the tragedy. “Everyone wanted to solve this crime and to help this community heal. This $3.6 million grant for MUSC from the Department of Justice will allow us to continue the work that began that night, in partnership to provide the much needed assistance to the victims, the community and the survivors through the upcoming legal proceedings and the stages of grief and healing.” Recipients of the grant are the National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center (NCVC) in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the MUSC, the Berkeley County Mental Health Center, the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office, the Charleston Police Department,
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photos by J. Ryne Danielson
Almost a year after the deaths of nine people at Emanuel AME Church, a newlyannounced grant from the Justice Department will fund treatment for people impacted by the shootings.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Beth Drake calls the response to the Emanuel AME shootings “incredible.”
the Charleston Dorchester County Mental Health Center, the Charleston Coroner’s Office, the Charleston County Clerk of Courts and the Ninth Judicial Circuit Solicitor’s Office. The grant will fund past, current and future efforts to assist and partner with the Emanuel AME Church. Dean G. Kilpatrick, Ph.D., co–director of the OVC grant and NCVC director, said the grant, which will last for three years, involves “a lot of moving parts and a lot of services that will be provided” through NCVC and
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See Grant on page 10 @ Catalyst_MUSC
2 The CaTalysT, June 17, 2016
DAISY Awarded to MICU nurse for his dedication The April DAISY (Disease Attacking the Immune System) Award winner is Dylan Lanphere, RN, who works in the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) in the University Hospital. Lanphere was nominated by Tina Mundo, MICU and Laurie Weatherbee of the NNICU. Below is his nomination: “I would like to nominate Dylan Lanphere, RN, for the DAISY award. Dylan is the epitome of nursing excellence here at MUSC. There are many things that Lanphere this nurse does every day that qualify him for the award, but today was particularly impressive. We had a male patient who wass a paratrooper in the U.S. Army who had been in theMICU for over two months. This patient had been through it all. It was truly a miracle that he was alive. He was ventilator dependent, had lost a significant amount of weight and was extremely weak. As an Army paratrooper who jumped out of airplanes, needing help to even stand up was a terrifying change for him. The disease process had robbed him of his independence and he has a hard time emotionally coping with his
Editorial of fice MUSC Office of Public Relations 135 Cannon Street, Suite 403C, Charleston, SC 29425. 843-792-4107 Fax: 843-792-6723 Editor: Cindy Abole catalyst@musc.edu
circumstances. Dylan has shown to be an exceptionally positive influence to this patient on multiple occasions. He genuinely cares about this patient, treats him like he is family and comes in on his off days to visit and spend time with him. While at work, much of his day was spent keeping this patient motivated — to stay on task and complete daily therapies with speech, physical therapy, occupational therapy and nursing. Physical therapy sessions are the most challenging parts of this patient’s day and cause a lot of anxiety, which became a barrier to the patient’s progress. One day, Dylan changed into his workout clothes, turned on his own workout music and did physical therapy with the patient. Dylan challenged him; For every one exercise the patient did, Dylan did 10. It was awesome to watch Dylan encourage this patient in such a fun and supportive way. They both were sweating at the end of the physical therapy session, and the patient was smiling and laughing. It seemed Dylan gave the patient a bit of his ‘sparkle’ back. It was truly touching.” Each month, MUSC nurses are honored with the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses. It is part of the DAISY Foundation’s program, recognizing the efforts that nurses contribute daily in their jobs. The award is given to outstanding nurses in more than 1,800 health care provider hospitals in the U.S. and 14 The Catalyst is published once a week. Paid adver tisements, which do not represent an endorsement by MUSC or the State of South Carolina, are handled by Island Publications Inc., Moultrie News, 134 Columbus St., Charleston, S.C., 843-958-7480 or 843-937-4803. E-mail: sales@moultrienews.com.
photo provided
MICU nurse Dylan Lanphere, third from right, joins fellow nurses and MICU staff at his DAISY award presentation. other countries. Nominations can be submitted by anyone — patients, visitors, physicians, fellow nurses and all MUSC staff and volunteers.
For information or to nominate a nurse, visit http://www.musc.edu/ medcenter/formsToolbox/DaisyAward/ form.htm.
The CaTalysT, June 17, 2016 3
Charismatic Children’s Hospital administrator remembered By CinDy aBole aboleca@musc.edu
J
ohn Michael Sanders, retired Children’s Hospital administrator, died June 1 after a courageous nine–year battle with cancer. He was 55. Sanders, who never smoked, was diagnosed with stage IIIB nonsmall cell lung cancer in 2007. Yet he defied his odds for survival by staying active at work and through exercise. Sanders was an avid cyclist, a sport he picked up following his initial cancer surgery. He was known to pedal more than 15 miles a day around the Mount Pleasant area. Sanders was grateful for the care he received at MUSC. He credited a talented and compassionate medical care team, new medications and his involvement in clinical trials with helping him meet his personal goal of living longer and accomplishing many things through the years. He was a vocal advocate for the importance of clinical trials and increased federal funding for cancer research. In recent years, Sanders was involved in the development and groundwork for the MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital and women’s pavilion, which will be completed in 2019. Known for his charisma and good humor, he was someone who could be counted on, and many counted on him for his wisdom, caring and sincerity. MUSC President David J. Cole, M.D.,
Messages of Condolence I met John in 2003 when he came to MUSC as the Children’s Hospital administrator. Boss, mentor, visionary, practical joker and friend: He was a true professional. I miss him every day. David A. Guarino Sr., Women’s, Children’s, Ambulatory & Transplant Administration My path crossed with that of John Sanders some 25 years ago. While we both worked at MUSC, our families also lived nearby and attended church together. We shared a love of music. Even then, John had a rich and
FACS, praised the retired Children’s Hospital leader for his dedication and contributions. “John Sanders was a remarkable individual who had a positive impact on everyone around him. As Children’s Hospital administrator, John was formative in helping to shape what has become a nationally recognized Children’s Hospital facility. He has positively impacted countless lives as a result of his devotion and commitment to our community. He will be greatly missed,” said Cole. Sanders began his career at MUSC working as a photographer in the Office of Public Relations and later moved to work for the medical center. In 1989, he earned a Master of Health Science degree in Health Administration from the College of Health Professions and joined the MUSC Children’s Hospital as administrator in 2003, retiring in December. Sanders was also involved in numerous professional associations. He was a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and served as a member of the public policy and education committees with the Children’s Hospital Association. He also was a recipient of the 2012 Distinguished Alumnus Award from the College of Health Professions. Sanders was born July 27, 1960 in Brevard, North Carolina. He earned undergraduate degrees from Maryville College and Rochester Institute of unyielding faith that would support him in the dark days that no one could even imagine. I will cherish our conversations about family, faith and life forever. I am a better person for having known him. Lynn H. Shull, College of Nursing John hired me in October 2010 to be the business manager for the Children’s Hospital. John was my boss, mentor and most of all, my friend. He honestly cared for me as a person and always supported me. When I told John I was going to be taking my third maternity leave, he was truly happy for me and never asked about work coverage. God put John in a
photo by Anne Thompson, Digital Imaging
Children’s Hospital administrator John Sanders, center, received congratulations by MUSC President Dr. David Cole and first lady Kathy Cole, as Sanders received his 20–year pin at the Employee Service Awards ceremony in 2014. Technology. He was a dedicated member of Mount Pleasant Presbyterian Church. Sanders is survived by his wife, Cynthia Aspinwall Sanders of Mount Pleasant; two daughters, Dale S. Williams (Travis) and Hannah Sanders; two sons, Ryan Sanders and Adam Sanders; his parents, Dr. and Mrs. James H. Sanders Jr. of Brevard, North
Carolina; a sister, Allison S. Ramsey (Bart) of Danville, Kentucky; and other family. His funeral service was held June 6 at Mount Pleasant Presbyterian Church. Memorials may be made to Hollings Cancer Center, MUSC, (Lung Cancer Research), 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, MSC 955, Charleston, SC 29425.
position where he made a strong impact on many lives, and he carried out that duty in more ways than he ever knew. John always thought of others and always put the needs of the children and the families seeking care in the Children’s Hospital first. Kellie Suggs Children’s Services Administration
and the Lord knew exactly where to place John. He absolutely helped me navigate health care and my career. John was the absolute best mentor I could have ever asked for. Just prior to his passing, he was still giving me advice. I valued our relationship over the years and appreciate it more than words can express. Meredith Strehle Ambulatory Services
John epitomized a verse my late grandfather would always use and wanted to make sure we knew: “The Lord loves a cheerful giver.” John was a cheerful giver for sure. He gave back to many and had a career of serving others. Health care and mentoring is a calling,
I was fortunate to work with John twice during my career. During his first tenure at MUSC and again when he returned. He had a wonderful
See Sanders on page 4
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sense of humor and was devoted to improving care for our babies and children. He will be missed! Sherry Gillespie Miller Ambulatory Clinic John was always a positive spokesperson for children, patients and families affected by cancer. Not only was he an advocate for the Children’s Hospital, he was a great friend to the Hollings Cancer Center. John loved staying active and what he loved most was cycling for exercise or to raise money for a cause. He will be missed greatly. John Brook Hollings Cancer Center Administration I met John when he began his chemo treatments at Hollings Cancer Center more than nine years ago. I was privileged to be the infusion nurse who took care of him every time. From that first day, we became friends. I also knew him to be an amazing and loving husband and father. With John I genuinely felt comfortable, and I believe he felt that way with me. We saw each other at our best and at our worse. Something that I’ll always treasure was the time John showed me some beads he had received and collected through the Beads of Courage program. Not long ago, John presented me with some caregiver’s beads. One specific bead he gave me was a North Carolina Tarheel, blue color. Today, I wear those beads on my badge to honor my beloved friend. Jinni B. Authier, RN Hollings Cancer Center Infusion Suite John was known as an administrator with a heart. He never turned down a request that we truly needed and made some pivotal decisions to sustain the division. He was especially supportive and excited when we renovated 7B — peds oncology unit. John had a tremendous impact on the lives of thousands of children and families. Michelle P. Hudspeth, M.D. Division of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology I am so fortunate to have had the not
only work under John’s leadership in Children’s Hospital administration for eight years, but to become his friend during that time together. I will never forget his humorous wit and the way he made me laugh day after day. When he was first diagnosed with cancer, knowing that I had lost my mother to the disease, John came to me more concerned about how I was feeling than what was going on with his own illness. This was the type of person that John Sanders was. The afternoon before John passed away, he sent me a text from his hospital bed — “I don’t have much time left. Thank you for your friendship and support. I love you.” Godspeed, John. Sarah de Barros Office of the Chief Diversity Officer It’s all about the children — This was one of John’s regular comments when we were planning for the care of MUSC’s Children’s Hospital patients. John’s advice and opinion were highly respected and valued at local, state, and national levels but you never saw him looking for personal accolades. He wanted what was best for the children. And in his personal life, he and Cindi always put others first — their children and family, friends, and those they would meet. Taking care of others was what John was about. Dennis J Frazier Facilities and Capital Improvements John Sanders never allowed the disease to define his inner person. He kept on working and leading Children’s Hospital with his passion and care for MUSC, staff, patients, and their families. I remember his excitement and energy around completing and opening the Chapel on seventh floor Children’s Hospital. His leadership was instrumental in beginning, building, and completion. Chaplain Terry L. Wilson Pastoral Care Services Every time I pass by a Children's Hospital After–Hours Clinic, I think of John and his great contribution to the children and parents of our community. Marilyn Schaffner, Ph.D., R.N. MUSC Health Clinical Services
Letters of Gratitude MUSC President Dr. David J. Cole and managers receive heartfelt letters or emails from patients and patient families commenting on the excellent care and experiences they’ve shared while at MUSC. Periodically, The Catalyst will reprint these letters (or excerpts from these letters) recognizing employees and their continuing commitment to putting patients first.
Hi Dr. Cole, First, congrats on the presidency, as I don’t think I have seen you since it was official last year. I will make this quick and just wanted to take a moment and tell you about the amazing experience I have had at MUSC the past five weeks. On May 1, I was in my workshop and pretty badly cut my hand on my table saw. Thankfully I didn’t lose any fingers, but needless to say it wasn¹t doing too well. I was rushed to MUSC ED where they stabilized the excessive bleeding and helped make me as comfortable as possible until an OR was available. That evening (on a Sunday) around 9 p.m, Dr. Kyle Kokko operated on my hand and did an amazing job reconnecting multiple severed tendons and nerves. Because Jennifer operates at every other hospital but MUSC, she didn’t know Kyle, but I remembered him back when he was a surgery resident, and I was with the Foundation for Research Development. The work he did on my hand was simply awesome, and I feel so lucky that he was the hand surgeon on call that night. Hearing my wife, who looked at my surgical wounds, comment on how perfect the work was done, really was comforting. A week after surgery, I began OT/PT with Rod Tyler and his PT student on rotation with him, Olivia Crabtree. Rod and Olivia have been working with me two to three times a week for the past four weeks and somehow (I believe much of it is because of their expertise), I am already back to about 75 to 85 percent movement in the affected fingers. I cannot be more impressed with how Rod and Olivia have been. My understanding is that Olivia is on a three–month rotation with Rod, as she is going into PT/OT for hands, and I wanted to make sure you received this before she graduated in July. The past three sessions, Olivia has performed most of the treatments and exercises with me (with Rod’s oversight), and if I didn’t know she was a student, I would have thought she had years of experience under her belt. Seeing how Rod instructs and guides Olivia, while still giving her the ability to learn is really impressive.The professionalism, breadth of knowledge and feeling like the patient is put first is so comforting and definitely has stuck out in my mind. So again, thank you so much for everything your wonderful hospital has done for me. From 16 years ago when I started my Ph.D. with Ken Chavin, M.D., Ph.D., and the Department of Surgery, or Jennifer’s surgery residency, we have always been impressed with the treatment patients have received, but having to live it first hand gave me a completely different perspective and only confirmed my feeling of excellence. Have a wonderful summer. Respectfully, Ryan Fiorini, Ph.D., MBA, MHA College of Graduate Studies Class of 2005
The CaTalysT, June 17, 2016 5
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6 The CaTalysT, June 17, 2016
New medicine dean brings worldly perspective By Mikie hayes hayesmi@musc.edu
I
t was one of those back–to–back meetings types of days — the kind with not even five minutes to spare between appointments. As his first earlymorning meeting of the day concluded and his guest disappeared from sight, Ray DuBois, M.D., Ph.D., dean of the College of Medicine, stopped to ask a member of his staff, “How’s your husband doing?” The concern in his voice was heartfelt. With barely two minutes to himself, he didn’t run to grab a cup of coffee or fit in a phone call before the next person arrived. He listened intently to a description of how the man was doing one day after surgery — a man he’d never met. That, said his assistant Anita Harrell, is just who he is: a sincerely thoughtful, caring and considerate person. In three short months, he’s built that reputation at MUSC. Humble, unassuming and genuinely nice are words used to describe him. “The dean is even known to pull up a chair, lean back and chat with us in the break room,” said another member of his team. “That’s certainly isn’t something you see every day.” And while it may not be what one expects of a man of his professional stature and international renown, it is who he is. Accessible and open. DuBois took the reins of the College of Medicine March 1. With multiple impressive positions of influence under his belt, he brought with him to MUSC expertise he’d honed at major medical centers across the country — behemoths such as Johns Hopkins, Vanderbilt and M.D. Anderson. Most recently, he served as the executive director of the Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University and co–leader of the Cancer Prevention Program at the Mayo Clinic, helping to build a robust partnership between the two institutions. Cancer research has been his life, and he has no plans to retire from it. But now he’s got a dream job, he said, where he gets to continue his colorectal cancer research while working in a broader context. “Although most of my career has
Above photo: Dr. Ray DuBois at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo with a steer being shown by girls from his hometown. Left photo: Dr. DuBois and his brother– in–law Andy Abrams at a Major League Fantasy Baseball Camp on behalf of Stand Up to Cancer. photos provided
been spent hyper-focused on cancer, I’ve always wanted to be in a position to have an impact across the whole medical continuum,” he said. “The health care center requires that we have expertise in all areas. In this position, I can have an impact on orthopedics, family medicine, cardiology and all these other important subspecialties. What excites me most is having an impact on the next generation of physicians and scientists, because this crosses every specialty and subspecialty in the health care delivery system. This puts me in a position to take what I’ve learned in all these other situations and apply it across a very complex health
system and the College of Medicine.” It is quite the career for a young man from Runge, a ranching and farming community of 800 people in South Texas. The first in his family to attend college, DuBois grew up wanting to teach agriculture at a Texas high school. While raising cattle and other farm animals on his family’s land, he participated in the 4-H Club and the Future Farmers of America. He attended college on a full scholarship awarded by the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo after the steer he’d raised took first place in its region. That scholarship led him to Texas A&M University — the perfect place to study
Ag Ed. But life had other plans for DuBois. During his sophomore year, he detoured from agriculture to biochemistry, and it wasn’t long until he was working in a lab — the beginning of a research path that, one brick at a time, would lead him to where he is today. From cattle to cancer. He laughed when he thought about his journey. “Well, he said, “it wasn’t quite your normal progression.” During a year–long undergraduate honors program, he was involved in two research projects. For the first half of the year he worked with lysyl oxidase — a copper containing enzyme required to strengthen the aorta. During the second half of the year, he investigated growth factors. DuBois was hooked. “I got excited about a career in biomedical research, which inspired me to apply to grad school at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. We had to do rotations in different labs and I attended their science and clinical conferences. I got very interested in understanding the basic principles in cell signaling, realizing they might have a critical impact on a very important part of medicine.” While earning his doctoral degree, he became interested in the important role of the liver in health and disease and signed on as the first graduate student to work in the laboratory of Mike Waterman, Ph.D., where he studied the molecular mechanisms of P450 and P450–side–chain–cleavage. “I did some of my primary work on liver drug metabolism, which really started my interest in the G.I. system,” he said. In 1981, after earning his Ph.D., he attended medical school at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, barely 60 miles from his Runge home. Given his interest in liver metabolism, he spent summers during medical school working in the laboratory of hepatologist Ray Burk, M.D. From there, DuBois’ research interests deepened and expanded. Today, one of the world’s leading
See Dean on page 7
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Dean
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Dr. DuBois silhouetted against a giant glacier in the Ilulissat Icefjord in Greenland.
photos provided
Dr. DuBois and wife, Lisa, in Antartica. colorectal cancer researchers, DuBois recognizes important points along his path that shaped who he is, both as a researcher and a person. After medical school, he went to Johns Hopkins University to do a residency and fellowship in gastroenterology. One of his rotations was in the cancer center — the polyposis clinic where entire families with certain genetic mutations came in and were examined and treated. Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is a genetic condition that causes hundreds or even thousands of polyps to form in the colon or rectum. They begin to appear during the teen years and, if left untreated, often become cancerous by the time a person reaches age 40. People with this condition have a 50 percent chance of passing it on to their children. DuBois would take the patient history and perform endoscopies, and also collect information on other family members, both alive and deceased. Their circumstances left an indelible mark on him. “I was a young resident and my patients in this rotation were dying like crazy. Most of their family members hadn’t survived past the age of 50 because of advanced cancer. I got to know these families, and it was such a tragic situation. I became really interested
in trying to understand what was going on. Was there anything we could do to prevent this from happening? Could we develop a better, earlier diagnostic test to try and stave off the inevitable outcome of FAP and address the problem at an earlier age?” He knew if these patients had colectomies at the right age, they could live fairly normal lives and be cancer free. “I thought to myself at the time, ‘We need to try to be able to figure out how to develop better treatments and early prevention and detection.’ That’s really when I got interested in the topic of colorectal cancer. It stuck, and I’ve been working on it ever since.” Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths. It is expected to cause more than 49,000 deaths during 2016. While numbers have dropped over the last few decades, he and his team continue to work tirelessly on studying molecular pathways for treating and preventing colorectal cancer and an array of other types of cancers.
The DuBois family in Kauai, Hawaii in 2012 — Shelley, from left, Lisa, Ray and Ethan DuBois.
fAMily tRAditions Shouldering such heavy responsibilities, DuBois believes in hitting the reset button throughout the year in order to unwind and charge his batteries. For him, that balance comes from the ones he loves. “The driving force in my personal life is my family. We have a really close extended family, and we try to do as many family activities together as we can.” One tradition they hold dear is a family get-together at Thanksgiving in the Upstate. “We’ve been doing that for 35 years. My wife’s family all gets together on Paris Mountain, which is close to Greenville. For nearly a week, a group of up to 25 relatives are all together. We do all the cooking. We love it. In fact, everybody tries to out–do each other with their signature dishes.” The dean has one he loves to prepare that has special significance. “I make a Thanksgiving dressing that my mom taught me how to make, just as my
grandmother taught her. It’s a Texas dish — has lots of jalapenos in it, corn bread, chicken broth, celery, shallots. I make it, and then I let it sit for four or five hours — that’s the secret.” He’s always happy to share his recipe, he said with a smile. Among his favorite parts of Thanksgiving week are the three– or four–mile walks his family takes around the mountain every day. “We allegedly are taking the dogs for a walk, but it’s really a chance to spend time talking and laughing. Different groups go at different times, so it gives everybody a chance to catch up.” One year, a big group of family and friends, 21 in all, went to the Galapagos Islands together and had a grand time, hiking, snorkeling and watching the wildlife and turtles. They take their traditions seriously. That includes his side of the family as well. His mother still lives in Runge, and his sisters’ families continue to raise cattle in South Texas. The DuBoises often try to spend Christmas in his childhood hometown. This past Christmas, however, he, his wife Lisa and their daughter Shelley took a trip to Antarctica with friends. “It was an amazing experience. We literally saw hundreds of thousands of penguins and all types of sea birds. We hiked glaciers and kayaked in the Antarctic seas.” As magical as it was, Antarctica might actually fall into the “been there, done that” category. The 20–to 30–foot waves they had to endure in the Drake Passage, as they sailed back to South America, took their toll. “We were all extremely seasick,” he laughed. “On the other hand, it made us appreciate those brave explorers who made the same journey under the same conditions — only they were in rather flimsy wooden ships.” His family loves to travel, and it’s a good thing, as his career requires quite a bit of it. DuBois said he had never traveled much beyond Texas until he went to graduate school. Now he feels blessed to have been to all seven continents. He’s given talks all over the world and has tried to bring his wife, son and daughter with him whenever possible. Two professional meetings during the year are among his favorites. The German Cancer Research Center’s
See Dean on page 11
8 The CaTalysT, June 17, 2016
New CASE Evins Bioskills orthopaedic lab dedicated By J. ryne Danielson daniejer@musc.edu
T
he English philosopher Francis Bacon once said, “In Charity there is no excess.” That’s a sentiment William B. Evins, M.D., a 1960 MUSC graduate of the College of Medicine and former orthopaedic resident, obviously took to heart. Thanks to Evins’ generous gift, MUSC has been able to build a state–of–the art educational research facility, which will hone the skills of the next generation of physicians. MUSC dedicated that new facility, the William B. Evins, M.D. Center for Anatomical Studies and Education Orthopaedic Bioskills Laboratory, April 26. The Center for Anatomical Studies and Education (“CASE”) hosts MUSC’s anatomical gift program, which enables individuals to donate their bodies to advancing medical science and provides important training across all six colleges. For surgical residents, the new CASE Bioskills Lab will provide a crucial element in surgical training by allowing the transfer of skills learned in simulated training and didactic sessions to real tissue with no time limits, no patient risk, maximum frequency and consistency of training opportunities. Shane Woolf, M.D., associate professor in the Department of Orthopaedics, said he and CASE director Thierry Bacro, Ph.D., PT, had the idea for the lab half a decade ago and were thrilled to see it take shape. “Five years ago, Thierry and I were in the gross anatomy lab one evening after work, and he looked at me and said, ‘You’ve got to get out of my lab.’ It was out of that comment that this idea was born. Bringing it to fruition has been a lot of work and a labor of love.” The two work well together, Bacro said, calling Woolf his “partner in crime.” Ray DuBois, M.D., Ph.D., dean of the College of Medicine, expressed his gratitude to Evins and everyone involved. “We really appreciate the donation that made this possible,” he said. “This laboratory is important for the college and for MUSC. It will provide an environment where we can train the next generation of physicians with skills they can’t just learn as they go. You don’t want doctors working on patients until they have the chance to hone their skills, and they’re at the top of their game.” DuBois said Evins’ support means a lot to MUSC, not just in terms of money, but in terms of morale. “Bill, having gone through medical school and orthopaedic training here, wanted to give back to the institution. It is incredibly meaningful and really validates what we’re all about.” Terry Stanley, associate dean for development in the College of Medicine, said advancing education is one of MUSC’s most important goals, and this lab will play an important role in that ever–expanding mission. “This is an incredible facility. We’re very proud to see Bill Evins’ name on it and very grateful for his generosity, which is
Orthopaedics faculty member and Chief of Sports Medicine’s Dr. Shane Woolf, right, is joined by Dr. William Evins as he demonstrates a remote camera used for training at one of the work stations at the new CASE Orthopaedic Bioskills Lab.
Present at the April 26 lab dedication included (back row, from left) College of Medicine Dean Dr. Ray DuBois, Drs. Vincent Pellegrini, Shane Woolf, Thierry Bacro, Langdon Hartsock, (front row) Drs. William Evins and Roger Markwald. responsible for making it a reality.” The new lab will bring the study of anatomy into the 21st century by allowing orthopaedic specialists, residents and medical students to practice with cuttingedge techniques and devices before using them on patients, said Stephen Duncan, D.Phil., chairman of the Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology and SmartState Chair in Regenerative Medicine. “As we create new devices through the study of regenerative medicine, we increasingly require a practice environment like this. Having a place to translate basic findings from research laboratories
into the clinics allows us to have a flow of knowledge between research and practice.” That flow of knowledge, he explained, between basic science and innovative medicine is at the heart of each of MUSC’s core missions. Vincent Pellegrini, M.D., chairman of the Department of Orthopaedics and the John A. Siegling Endowed Chair in Orthopaedic Surgery, echoed Duncan’s sentiments, saying the lab will facilitate practical applications for important research. “This marriage of basic science and the clinical departments will enable us all to be more successful in what we do.” Evins was grateful for the opportunity to lend his alma mater a hand. “I’m very pleased to give back to those who have helped me,” he said. “I hope the young doctors just starting out gain some benefit from this lab. I think they will.” 1960 MUSC College of Medicine alumnus Dr. William Evins helped establish the lab through a generous gift to MUSC. photos provided
The CaTalysT, June 17, 2016 9
Center uses MUSC expertise after tragedy strikes The National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center at MUSC, almost 40 years old, is taking on one of its greatest challenges as it leads the way in using a Department of Justice grant to help members of the Charleston community affected by the Mother Emanuel church shootings of June 17, 2015. Dean Kilpatrick, Ph.D., directs the center. Here, he discusses what went into securing the grant, the work it will fund and how the center’s remarkable history will aid its efforts. What inspired the application for this grant, and how will it work? My colleagues and I at the National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center, the MUSC President's Office and the College of Nursing are thrilled that our grant application was funded because it will permit MUSC and our eight partner agencies to provide vitally needed services to victims and survivors of the Mother Emanuel AME church massacre. The activities supported by this grant will require an enormous amount of work on our part and a great deal of collaboration and coordination with our partner agencies, so we recognize that we have a big challenge ahead of us to make sure that the victims, survivors and Emanuel AME church members get the services they so richly deserve. This is an unusual grant mechanism in that you cannot just submit an application; the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) must invite you to submit an application. The NCVC got involved in negotiating with OVC about submitting a grant application for three reasons. First, we knew from previous experience with large-scale mass murders and terrorist attacks such as the Pan Am flight 103 terrorist bombing and the 9/11 terrorist attacks that victims and survivors would have a variety of mental health and other needs that would persist long after the initial incident. Second, several NCVC faculty members, staff members, postdoctoral fellows and psychology interns volunteered immediately to assist victims, survivors and church members. This provided us with first-hand knowledge of how extensive the needs were and how long the recovery process was likely to take. Third, we had good working relationships with many local, state and national criminal justice, mental health and victim assistance agencies before this tragedy, and we worked collaboratively with them in the aftermath of responding to this tragedy. When we were approached by several of these agencies about taking the lead in seeking OVC funding to address this problem, we knew the assistance was needed, and we were honored to negotiate with OVC on behalf of the victims, survivors and our partner agencies.
photo by Dawn Brazell
MUSC’s Dr. Dean Kilpatrick spoke at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church about a $3.6M grant that will fund treatment for people affected by the June 17, 2015 shootings.
Can you describe the role of the resiliency center funded by the grant? This grant will support several community resiliencybuilding events designed to promote healing by giving victims an opportunity to commemorate their loss with others. It will also show that the community at large has not forgotten about the tragedy and remains committed to addressing the continuing needs of victims. The grant will also support a resiliency center housed in a building near the Emanuel AME church. It will serve as a hub to connect those impacted by the Emanuel AME church massacre with a wide variety of services designed to assist them in their recovery and to provide a gathering place that facilitates their connection to each other. The center will include therapy and group support rooms as well as a small technology assistance program that will help victims, survivors and members of the congregation access online materials developed for this project. MUSC will enter into a contract with the Emanuel AME church to support the development and maintenance of the resiliency center. What experience has the NCVC drawn upon in helping people affected by the Mother Emanuel murders? For nearly four decades, the NCVC has been at the forefront of research, teaching and clinical service delivery with respect to understanding and addressing the mental health impact of violent crime and other traumatic events. Particularly relevant in our ability to respond to this situation is work that we have done concerning the mental health impact of homicide on the family and friends of victims.
We conducted the first national study of homicide in the late 1980s and found that it increased risk of mental health problems, including post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. We also found that many friends and family members had unmet mental health needs years after the homicide. Partly as result of that study, we established a homicide support group for family members and friends of homicide victims that has been provided in conjunction with the Charleston County Sheriff's Office for over a decade. This experience gave us considerable insight into the needs of the survivors of the Emanuel AME church massacre. We have also conducted research of the impact of several large–scale traumatic events, including the 1992 Los Angeles riots, the Pan Am flight 103 terrorist bombing and the 9/11 terrorist attacks. These experiences provided us with valuable information about the types of services that victims, survivors and members of the congregation were likely to need in the aftermath of this tragedy. We also have pioneered the development of web– based psycho–educational materials that are designed to provide individuals with accurate information about the mental health impact of traumatic events and ways to
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10 The CaTalysT, June 17, 2016
GranT
Continued from Page One
the eight partnering groups. NCVC at MUSC was approached by several agencies, including the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the South Carolina District, to serve as lead agency for the OVC grant application. NCVC will be accountable for the distribution of funds to partner organizations for needed services, coordination of services and reimbursement to agencies for services already rendered in the aftermath of the tragedy. Part of the grant will help establish a resiliency center that will serve as a hub to connect those affected by the Emanuel AME Church massacre to a wide range of services to help them recover. The center will provide a gathering place that includes therapy and support group rooms, space for a victim navigator and space for Emanuel AME Church ministry members who are involved with coordination and navigation of the crime–related needs of the congregation. Services designed to address crime–related mental health needs include intensive case management and navigation; support group services; evidence–based traumatic grief counseling and psychiatric care; screening and brief interventions; mental health educational resources provided via print, web–based, and web–app platforms; and community resiliency events. “One of the things we’re excited about is the Office for Victims of Crime recognized that this can be useful not only here in Charleston. After we develop this, they will be making it available to victims of other types of hate crimes and terrorist attacks that might be happening elsewhere in the world,” Kilpatrick said. There also will be two groups formed in conjunction with the grant. One is a Victims Services Coordinating Council, which will have representatives from all agencies and related groups, to identify and troubleshoot problems. There also will be a Community Advisory Board made up of church members to ensure the services being provided are effective and what the congregation members really need, he said. Alyssa Rheingold, Ph.D., grant co–director and director of clinical operations of the NCVC, said the goal
photo by J. Ryne Danielson
Emanuel AME Church pastor Rev. Dr. Betty Clark talks with MUSC’s Dr. Dean Kilpatrick at the June 9 event.
is provide more holistic care to all of those in need. She has directed the specialized services for the survivors of homicide for the past 15 years with the Charleston County Sheriff’s office. “We’re going to implement a community-based outreach model for survivors and victims’ families that we have developed over several years through an Office of Victims of Crime demonstration initiative. Through this outreach model, we’ll provide support groups, intensive case management services and grief and trauma treatment.” People don’t have to come to the resiliency center to receive services. “If folks would like us to provide services in the church, in schools, in the home, through this outreach model, we’ll go where folks need us, as opposed on waiting on them to come to us,” Rheingold said. Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg said the grant marks the next step in the recovery effort moving forward and thanked all the members of the Charleston County legislative delegation who helped push it forward.
shARing A MoMEnt of silEncE foR oRlAndo
Members of the MUSC family gathered at noon, Monday, June 13 at the Drug Discovery Building Auditorium and other campus locations to share private moments of reflection and prayer in response to the June 12 mass shooting that occurred in Orlando, Florida. The crowd was welcomed by Dr. Willette Burnham, chief of university diversity, and Chaplin Terry Wilson from Pastoral Care Services. Counseling and Psychological Services is available to students and the National Crime Victims Center is available to MUSC faculty and staff.
The CaTalysT, June 17, 2016 11
Dean
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(Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum or DKFZ) biannual meeting is held in Heidelberg. He serves on its scientific advisory board. “Heidelberg is so beautiful at Christmas — it looks like a movie. The whole town transforms into a Christmas card,” he said. Another DuBois tradition over the past 25 years has been attending the Aspen Cancer Conference, where he serves on its executive committee. This conference comprises scientists from major cancer centers around the world, as well as from industry and government. Every year, two or three Nobel Laureates attend. The conference participants have become almost like family. “These are friends I’ve known for almost my entire professional career. Our kids have all grown up together. We’ve traveled together, been to their children’s weddings and are now celebrating a new generation of grandkids. ” DuBois believes travel is more than just fun; it’s critical to developing the full person. “Travel allows you to see how other people around the world eat, live, think. You can really get an appreciation of diverse cultures, activities and ideas that we don’t normally see here. Also, I’ve discovered in these international conferences that physician-scientists around the globe are more alike than we are different. All of us want to leave this planet a better place than when we arrived on it. We are working toward the shared goals of expanded knowledge and improved health for mankind.” The dean’s daughter Shelley is a journalist, like her mother, and lives his Nashville. His son Ethan attends the Charleston School of Law, a situation that happened independently of DuBois’ decision to accept the position at MUSC, although the family already had a strong connection to Charleston. Lisa grew up in Greenville, but spent summers with the kids at Folly Beach. Her great aunt and uncle, Lillian and Harold Jacobs, were the original proprietors of the Charleston landmark, Harold’s Cabin, which has recently experienced a downtown reawakening. Moving his lAB to sc Last week, DuBois moved his research lab from Arizona to MUSC. Several members of his team have already made the move to the Lowcountry and are busy unpacking and setting up the laboratory. At MUSC they will continue studying the molecular relationship between inflammation and cancer. DuBois has also brought funding with him as well, including two RO1 grants and a program project grant. He has a few more hires to make — technicians, research fellows, graduate and medical students — and hopes to have the lab up and running with a full contingent by the end of summer. Over the course of his career, DuBois and his team have experienced great success. “We made a seminal discovery early in the 1990s, where we found an enzyme, cyclooxygenase 2 (COX–2), that was overexpressed in a number of colon cancers, and it turned out to be an enzyme that’s affected by aspirin
photo by J. Ryne Danielson
Dr. DuBois got to meet staff and colleagues at a College of Medicine dean’s welcome reception held last April. and other non–steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Aspirin inhibits COX–2, which is found in cells that are stimulated to grow and over-multiply.” That breakthrough, he said, solidified his research topic from an early stage. “We really wanted to understand what regulated that gene — what kinds of drugs had the most impact on it. And if we treated animals with cancer, what results would we get? COX–2 is an inflammatory pathway gene, so we were looking at how inflammation and cancer interact and how we can take advantage of that by modulating — either treating with drugs or manipulating the immune system — to have an effect on the cancer process. And we’re still working on that problem. It’s a long–term effort.” What’s truly excites him is when others take his work and build on it or take it in new directions. “One of the things you learn about science is that you can carry the torch for a certain period of time, but when you publish something, and the whole world sees it, then other people can pick up the torch and take it a little bit further.” He recounted an example where an idea for a clinical trial came from work he had done years ago. “A few years ago, a group in the United Kingdom did a study looking at patients with some of the high–risk diseases that I worked on when I was very early in my training at Hopkins. In their study, they treated those patients with aspirin or placebo and found a 52 percent reduction in the incidence of cancer in the population taking aspirin. That was very exciting to me.” Equally exciting is the fact that the U.S. Preventive
Health Services Task Force has approved the use of aspirin in people who are at high risk for colon cancer and also high risk for heart disease. “That’s the kind of thing that really makes you happy — when you’re in an area that has had that kind of an impact. It’s not just me — it’s our group. But when other researchers see the data we have published, they pick up the torch and look to see how they can contribute. The way that science works best is to share these ideas and do what you can together to connect the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle and understand the whole picture.” In addition to research, DuBois is also dedicated to mentoring. Over the years, he’s seen his mentees achieve extraordinary success and takes great pride in that. He started a mentoring program at M.D. Anderson that brought in experts to talk about leadership, time management and work–life balance. The program also paired accomplished investigators with young emerging scientists. He strongly supported a leadership academy that focused on grant writing and review workshops. He enjoys bringing those types of activities to the table and hopes to continue doing so at MUSC. “It’s an area I’m extremely passionate about,” he said. “It goes back to guiding the next generation of physicians and scientists so they will be prepared to carry the baton passed down from us old guys and gals.” As he transitioned to his role as dean, he has added another arrow to his quiver: fundraising. On his front burner is bringing in new scholarships for medical students through the Open Doors Campaign. He wants to help relieve the stress of students having to pay back hefty medical school loans. “I know what they’re going through. My wife worked to put me through medical school, and we still had loan debt that took us a long time to pay off,” he said. “If we can reduce students’ debt, then they won’t have to worry about choosing a specialty based on the pressure to make a lot of money quickly. Instead they can follow their passion and pursue research and practices that fill important needs in this state. Our MUSC students are just spectacular. They are going to make terrific contributions to health care. Those of us in the administration and in the community should take steps to relieve their financial burden, so they can put their training to use, which will benefit us all.”
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12 The CaTalysT, June 17, 2016 Continued from Page Nine
traumatic events with more constructive ones.
Can you provide a little more detail about those treatments? As I noted previously, many individuals are resilient following exposure to traumatic events, but we know that some will develop traumarelated mental health problems and can benefit from specialized mental health treatment. Mental health problems are not limited to post-traumatic stress disorder, but it is clear that post– traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one of the major problems that can occur following traumatic events. There have been a number of welldesigned, randomized clinical trials that have studied the safety and effectiveness of treatments for PTSD and related disorders. In general, they’ve shown that trauma–related psychotherapeutic treatments are more effective than generic psychotherapy or medications. The most effective treatments differ somewhat in the way they approach addressing the impact of the traumatic events, but they all include providing information about the types of problems that generally occur following exposure to traumatic events as well as why and how the problems develop. They also involve engaging patients in a variety of strategies to replace potentially maladaptive ways of responding to
How do you approach the aftermath of such a horrific event and prepare for the future? Unfortunately, this type of mass shooting has become much more common than it used to be. In recent years, mass shootings have occurred at Virginia Tech, Fort Hood in Texas, a theater in Aurora, Colorado, the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut and a community center in San Bernardino, California. A major terrorist bombing occurred during the Boston Marathon. Charleston had already experienced many traumatic events, some of which, such as the Civil War, occurred before we were born, but others, including Hurricane Hugo and the Sofa Super Store fire, happened within recent memory. We can no longer maintain the fiction that it can't happen here, because it already has happened here. The first step in preparing our community to deal with future events is to recognize that it can happen here and force ourselves to prepare for this eventuality. This is not a comfortable or easy thing to do because it forces us to confront the fact that life is fragile and terrible things can happen. The second step in building an effective community response and recovery plan is establishing good collaborative working relationships between relevant agencies before the next tragedy happens and developing a plan. Many of the agencies responding to this tragedy, including the NCVC, had been working together for years before this tragedy occurred. This history facilitated the collaboration and trust that enabled our community to respond so effectively.
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