MUSC Catalyst 10-2-2015

October 2, 2015

MEDICAL UNIVERSITY of SOUTH CAROLINA

Vol. 34, No. 6

Diversity ‘chimes’ at the Medical University of SC

BY J. RYNE DANIELSON Public Relations

I

magine a hospital with only administrators. As crucial as those specialists are, that organization would not be able to take very good care of its patients. Now, imagine an organization where everyone looked alike, sounded alike, thought alike. The outcome would be much the same.

MUSC has been imagining a lot lately. With Imagine 2020, the organization’s recently launched 5–year strategy, the Medical University has made an unprecedented commitment to creating and embracing a fully diverse community where every member feels included, respected and valued. As one of five strategic goals, Diversity and Inclusion is central to the type of organization MUSC would like to be.

On Sept. 28, the Medical University unveiled a symbol of that commitment: five sets of wind chimes arranged around the Horseshoe, which symbolize the harmony of the MUSC community.

“We’ve had a lot of history here at MUSC,” said David Cole, M.D., FACS, president of the Medical University. “The vast majority has been wonderful and forward thinking. As we look to shape a better future, we owe it to each other as a community, as a family and as a society to make sure that we’re engaged in doing it properly and making sure it’s inclusive.”

Cole continued: “Diversity is not merely the words we say, but the environment we live in. These chimes all have a different sound, but put together they create a harmony that is far greater than the individual chimes.”

Anton Gunn, chief diversity officer for the medical center, was present for the unveiling. “Diversity and inclusion are critical to the success of our other goals,” he said. “You can’t commit to patients without understanding and embracing the diversity of the patients we serve. You can’t foster innovative learning without embracing a diversity of ideas and perspectives. You can’t promote healthy communities

Above photo: MUHA Chief of Diversity Anton Gunn, far left, speaks at the MUSC diversity chimes event on the Horseshoe, Sept. 28.

Left: Members of MUSC’s international community, Anjan Motamarry, from left, Barbara Khalibinzwa, Sulaiman Alhudaithi, Xinh-Xinh Nguyen and Tanja Kellermann gathered at the diversity chimes event.

See DIVERSITY on page 6

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CYBERSECURITY OCIO hosting cyber–lectures throughout October.

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photos by Sarah Pack Public Relations

HEALTH DISPARITIES DoD funds grant to continue collaborative undergraduate research training.

Medical University of South Carolina — FOLLOW US

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DAISY Award

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Research Grants

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Meet Nick

@ Catalyst_MUSC

2 THE CATALYST, Oct. 2, 2015

DAISY award goes to 5East nurse The September DAISY (Disease Attacking the Immune System) award winner is Tracy Fields, R.N., who works in 5East Cardiovascular Acute Care.

Fields was nominated by Eileen Sandlin, R.N., a fellow nurse in her unit.

Below is Tracy’s nomination: “Our nurse was caring for a family facing end–of–life decisions after their loved one had an unexpected outcome post-operatively. This patient came to us after a prolonged stay in the ICU, and was accompanied by his wife. After caring for the patient for several days, Tracy discovered that not only did this 95–year–old man drive himself to the hospital for the surgery, but he was the primary caregiver for his spouse, who was legally blind. His only child lived out of state, and was devastated with the news of her dad’s condition.

He had many unexpected complications, and continued to decline while on our unit. One can imagine how frightening it must have been for this family as this was not the outcome they had anticipated. Luckily for them, they had Tracy as their nurse, who spent hours comforting them and tending to their needs. When the day arrived that a hospice/palliative care discussion occurred, it was Tracy who emotionally supported the family through the decision. She got the chaplain to the bedside, and after prayer, she escorted the daughter to the chapel herself. Our nurse coordinated closely with Palliative Care to ensure the proper medications were administered to keep the patient comfortable. Most of the family’s angst

was caused by their fear that he was in pain, and Tracy assured them that she would check in frequently to ensure that he was comfortable. Days before, Tracy had ensured the patient was placed on a specialty bed, and she coordinated the effort to frequently turn the patient to ensure he did not develop skin issues from his immobility.

But even all these heroic nursing measures were nothing compared to how Tracy cared for her patient on the day of discharge. The patient was being transferred to a hospice facility close to home (about two hours away). As the time of pickup arrived, she and the family bathed the patient, ensured that linens were clean and fresh and treated him for pain. She rounded up a large group to help move the patient over to the stretcher so that there would be minimal jostling. The daughter was very emotional and not coping well, and Tracy held her and assured her this was best for her family. She even spoke to the ambulance driver at the daughter’s request and asked him to ‘go slow over the bumps so her dad wasn’t in pain.’ The sweet and empathetic manner in which Tracy cared for this family in transition was an inspiring thing to witness. She treated them with as much nursing expertise as she used when caring for her patient. She took a holistic view of the patient’s needs and ensured that his comfort, spirituality and discharge needs were met, and done with a level of care that went above and beyond what she was called to do.

It is clear that nursing is a vocation

Editorial of fice MUSC Office of Public Relations 135 Cannon Street, Suite 403C, Charleston, SC 29425.

843-792-4107 Fax: 843-792-6723

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., 843-849-1778 or 843-958-7490. E-mail: sales@moultrienews.com.

Editor: Cindy Abole catalyst@musc.edu Catalyst staff: Mikie Hayes, hayesmi@musc.edu Dawn Brazell, brazell@musc.edu J. Ryne Danielson, daniejer@musc.edu Helen Adams, adamshel@musc.edu Sarah Pack, packsa@musc.edu Jeff Watkins, watkinsj@musc.edu

DAISY Nurse Tracy Fields, center, is joined by 5East Cardiovascular Acute Care Unit at ART at the recent DAISY award presentation. photo provided

and passion for Tracy. This family was so fortunate to have her as their nurse, advocate and friend during this emotionally difficult time. Because Tracy served her patient with excellence, she was able to provide comfort to a family who was truly in need. I am so proud to work with her.”

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 other countries. Nominations can be submitted by anyone — patients, visitors, physicians, fellow nurses and all MUSC staff and volunteers.

To nominate a nurse, visit http://www. musc.edu/medcenter/formsToolbox/ DaisyAward/form.htm.

Nominations currently being accepted for honorary degrees The Office of the President is accepting nominations for people to receive honorary degrees from MUSC, to be awarded at Commencement in May 2016.

MUSC’s honoarary degrees are aimed at recognizing and honoring distinguished individuals who have made an extraordinary and positive impact in education, science or health care on the state of South Carolina, MUSC or nationally.

In general, honorary degrees go to individuals in the following broad

categories: Contribution(s) to the nation; Contribution(s) to science; and Contribution(s) to the state or MUSC. Consider submitting nominations of candidates along with supporting materials such as letters, articles, curriculum vitae, etc., in the above mentioned categories. The nominations should be forwarded to Marcia Higaki, Office of the President, Colcock Hall, 179 Ashley Ave., MSC 001, higakimc@ musc.edu, no later than Oct. 30.

Nominations of MUSC alumni are generally discouraged.

Jeanne Clery Report Notice of Availability The Medical University of South Carolina is committed to providing the safest environment possible for work and study. Part of that commitment involves providing information about campus security to current as well as prospective students and employees.

This report, prepared in compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, outlines the

University’s security policies and discloses campus crime statistics.

This report may be accessed on the Department of Public Safety website at www.musc.edu/publicsafety. A hard copy of this document may be obtained upon request by contacting the Medical University of South Carolina Department of Public Safety, 101 Doughty Street, Charleston, SC 29425 or by calling (843) 792-2261.

THE CATALYST, Oct. 2, 2015 3

Cybersecurity at home, work begins with you

BY DAN FURLONG OCIO Project Management Information security is a shared responsibility. We each have an ethical, moral and legal duty to protect the privacy and security of our patient, student, employee and organizational data that is entrusted to our care.

What many of us don’t know is that “Cybersecurity Begins @ Home.”

That’s right — at home. How you use and protect your home computer has a direct impact on your cyber habits not only at work, but if you access MUSC’s network from your home, then how you protect your computer can directly impact our systems here at MUSC. October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and to help promote information security awareness, MUSC is hosting Information Security Awareness Pledge Centers. Tables will be located around campus where you can sign a pledge agreeing to follow good information security practices.

For those who sign a Cybersecurity

Awareness Pledge Card, a limited supply of promotional items will be available.

Pledged names will also be entered into a drawing for two iPad tablets. Take the brief Cyber awareness quiz and get a fun, limited edition mouse pad — new for 2015.

The pledge is not a contract — it is simply a promise that you will stop, think and then connect – both at work and at home.

Stop by a pledge table to sign your pledge, or email us at beginswithme@ musc.edu and someone from our team will attend one of your staff meetings, make a short presentation and collect pledges while there.

OCIO will be hosting a variety of cyber lectures throughout October, all of which are designed for staff and students regardless of their experience dealing with cyberthreats. These lectures include topics such as protecting your family from cyberthreats; ways to identify phishing attacks; and best practices for using your mobile devices at MUSC. Plus, two guest lecturers will discuss

cyberthreats and their impact on health care.

The lectures will be held at 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., Oct. 7, Oct. 14, Oct. 21 and Oct. 28. We also have one additional lecture at 11 a.m., on Oct. 16 by Mischel Kwon, an international expert on cybersecurity. All events will last for one hour.

These events offers ways to better protect your family from cyberthreats.

Visit http://www.BeginsWithMe. musc.edu for the full schedule, topics,

photo provided

Cybersecurity Pledge Center locations: q Main Hospital lobby q Library q Ashley River Tower q Harborview Office Tower q College of Health Professions q Parkshore

Rape Agression Defense Class at MUSC The Department of Public Safety will be holding a RAD (Rape Aggression Defense) class for students, faculty, staff and community members in September and October. RAD is a series of self-defense classes for women.

The class will be held at MUSC in room 125 of Thurmond-Gazes. RAD training dates and times are as follows: q Oct. 6, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Oct. 8, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.Email raddefense@musc.edu to register.

Rape Aggression Defense is a selfdefense class specifically designed for women to provide them with various tools to utilize if ever involved in a self-defense scenario. RAD focuses on a person’s natural instinct to defend him

or herrself by incorporating easy, yet effective, defensive techniques. RAD is not a martial arts class. Therefore, the techniques do not require repetitiveness or excessive hours of training.

The first meeting will consist of a PowerPoint presentation regarding the RAD class and is essential for the class as it paves a strong foundation for the rest of the class.Later, the class will focus on defensive stances and a techniques practice session where participants can practice their skills in a “realistic” scenario.

For information, visit raddefense@ musc.edu or contact Officers Bridget Hinkelbein or Leslie Moore, 792-4196.

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RESEARCH GRANT HIGHLIGHTS Stomatology Amy Martin Rural Oral Health Advancement and Delivery through Interprofessionalism Program, $316,774 from HRSA (D85HP28493), July 2015 to June 2020 Cell & Molecular Pharmacology Elizabeth Yeh Overcoming Resistance in HER2-Positive Breast Cancer, $228,750 from the NIH/NCI (R01CA187305), July 2015 to April 2020 Medicine Meredith Brisco Determining Mechanisms of Renal Dysfunction after Left Ventricular Assist Device, $130,800 from NIH/ NHLBI (K23HL128933), July 2015 to June 2020 Loretta Jophlin The Retinoid Burst in Hepatic Stellate Cell Mediated Liver Fibrosis, $56,042 from NIH/NIDDK, (F32DK105842), July 2015 to June 2018 Nichole Tanner Expanding the Findings of the NLST Trial to Underrepresented Groups, $667,592, from American Cancer Society, October 2015 to September 2020 Microbiology & Immunology Jacob Bowers Defining and Translating the Properties That Sustain the Antitumor Efficacy of Th17 Cells, $44,750, from NIH/NCI (F30CA200272), July 2015 to June 2019 Michael Schmidt Clinical Evaluation of the Continuously Antimicrobial Effectiveness of Compound X, $73,723, from Nano Defense Solutions, Inc., June 2015 to June 2018 Stephen Tomlinson Antibodies and Complement in Ischemia Reperfusion Injury and Regeneration, $341,906, from NIH/NIDDK (R01DK102912), July 2015 to June 2019 Paula Traktman Interplay Between Cellular Bioenergetics and Vaccinia Virus Infection, $150,000 from the NIH/NIAID (R21Al115056), July 2015 to June 2017 Neurosciences Sarah Margaret Barry Molecular and Synaptic Mechanisms of BDNF in

Reversing Cocaine Induced Deficits in the dmPFC During Early Abstinence, $77,200, from NIH/NIDA (F31DA039709), July 2015 to June 2017

Ophthalmology Ernesto Moreira Using Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Retinal Pigmented Epithelium to Study the Effects of Oxidative Stress and Complement Activation in Age-Related Macular Degerneration in vitro, $80,000, from Bright Focus Foundation, July 2015 to June 2017 Otolaryngology Judy Dubno Interdisciplinary Research Training in Otolaryngology and Communication Sciences, $159,670, from NIH/ NIDCD (1T32DC014435), from July 2015 to June 2020 Zachary Soler Cognitive Function and Chronic Rhino Sinusitis: Exploring the Impact of Second Hand Smoke Exposure as Treatment Outcomes, $100,000 from Flight Attendant Med. Res. Institute, July 2015 to June 2018 Pediatrics Laura Carpenter The Carolina Autism Transition Study (CATS), $111,308, from DOD, July 2015 to June 2018 Shahryar Chowdhury Validation of Echocardiographic Measures of Diastolic Function in Single Ventricle Physiology $70,000, from American Heart Assoc., July 2015 to June 2017 Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences Sudie Back Integrating Neurobiology and Neuroimaging into Research on Addiction and PTSD, $144,107, from NIH/NIDA (K02DA039229), July 2015 to June 2020 Carla Danielson Mentorship and Research on HIV and Addiction Prevention Among Traumatized Youth, $150,127, from NIH/NIDA (K24DA039783), July 2015 to June 2020 Public Health Sciences Marvella Ford South Carolina Cancer Health Equity Consortium: HBCU Student Summer Training Program, $61,556, from DOD, July 2015 to July 2018

Radiology Vitria Adisetiyo Differential and Predicitive Brain Biomarkers of ADHD with High Risk for Substance Use Disorders, $30,000, from Klingenstein Fund, Inc., July 2015 to June 2017 Regenerative Medicine & Cell Biology Stephen Duncan Molecular Basis of Human Hepatic Progenitor Cell Formation, $282,180, from NIH/NIDDK (R01DK102716), July 2015 to June 2019 Stephen Duncan Identification of Pathways Regulating Hepatocyte Differentiation from IPS Cells, $125,000, from NIH/ NICHD (R21HD082570), July 2015 to March 2017 Robin Muise-Helmericks Akt3 Controls Genomic Stability iin Primary Endothelial Cells, $70,000, from American Heart Assoc., July 2015 to June 2017 Russell Norris Etiology and Treatment for Mitral Valve Prolapse, $70,000, from American Heart Assoc., July 2015 to June 2017 Yukiko Sugi Cell Autonomous Regulation by BMP2 in Endocardial Lineage for Formation of Valve and Membranous Septal Progenitor Cells, $70,000, from American Heart Assoc., July 2015 to June 2017 Surgery Shikhar Mehrotra Mechanisms of SK2/S1P Signaling in Regulating Tumor Immunotherapy, $130,500, from NIH/NCI (R21CA198646), July 2015 to June 2017 Nursing Mathew Gregoski Personalized Prevention of CVD: Role of Genetics, Stress and Behavioral Factors, $70,000, from American Heart Assoc., July 2015 to June 2019 The Catalyst’s Research Grant Highlights column showcases the research community’s grant activities. For information about awards, visit the Office of Research & Sponsored Programs at http://academicdepartments.musc. edu/research/orsp/reporting/.

THE CATALYST, Oct. 2, 2015 5

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6 THE CATALYST, Oct. 2, 2015

DIVERSITY

Continued from Page One

without embracing the diversity of our communities and their diverse needs.”

Willette Burnham, chief diversity officer for the Medical University, agreed. “People are our greatest asset,” she said. “This focus is a sign of our commitment to them.”

Embracing diversity, which means many things to many people—diversity of race, age, sex, gender identity, culture, physical ability or language, just to name a few—can be a challenge, and yet, it remains a tremendous opportunity.

One way MUSC is embracing that opportunity is through a vibrant and growing international program. With 60 students and 300–plus faculty and staff members, postdocs, residents and visiting scholars, more than a hundred nationalities are represented on campus.

Rebeca Mueller is responsible for managing the international program.

She makes sure members of MUSC’s international community are settling into their new environment and serves as a problem solver and informational resource, deciphering confusing tax information, coordinating hurricane evacuation plans and arranging English language classes for anyone struggling with communicating.

Prior to taking a job with MUSC, Mueller taught English in Vietnam for 10 years. “I can understand what it’s like to be in another country,” she said. “I know what it’s like to not understand what people are saying around you. I know what it’s like to try to communicate and not be able to.”

For MUSC or any university, she believes, education is about more than just studying. “It’s learning about the world,” she explained. “And the best way to learn about the world is to meet people who are different from you. Often you’ll find they are not that different, after all.”

BARBARA KHALIBINZWA Barbara Khalibinzwa is from Kisumu, Kenya, a port city of roughly half a million people on the eastern edge of Lake Victoria. Kisumu harbor, often choked with hyacinth, is a hub for trade and commercial fishing.

In the wake of 2007’s post–election violence, which killed upward of 1,000 people in her country and displaced many hundreds of thousands more,

Khalibinzwa decided to continue her studies abroad.

During one student–led protest, a tear gas grenade landed in her classroom.

“People were fighting over nothing at all,” she said. “It was all fueled by hate speech.”

For her undergraduate degree in bioinformatics and neuroscience, Khalibinzwa studied at Jacobs University in Bremen, Germany. During this time, she also spent three months in Spain for an internship with the University of Barcelona’s Brain Lab. “I was learning Spanish for my internship,” she said. “But, when I got there, I discovered they actually spoke Catalan.”

She recalled the challenge of learning to use the statistical software, SPSS, for the first time in Catalan, as well as the difficulty in just ordering food or asking directions. “When I got lost, I’d just stop somebody and point to the name of something on my map, and they would try to explain the best they could. I’d just say, ‘Si,’ and start walking in the wrong direction. But, I’d eventually get what they meant.”

For her master’s degree in cognitive neuroscience, Khalibinzwa chose the University of Trento in Italy, selecting the University of South Carolina in Columbia for her internship.

“When I was at USC, I discovered MUSC,” she said. Khalibinzwa’s professor invited Leo Bonilha, M.D., a professor of neuroscience at MUSC, to give a lecture to her class. She was struck by the potential of his work and how well his interests matched her own. “After that, I read up about MUSC and liked a lot of the projects I looked at. So, I decided to apply.”

Khalibinzwa says she likes Charleston, especially the narrow streets and the outdoor cafes—the parts of the city that remind her of Europe.

But, what she appreciates most is the English language. “In Germany and Spain, at first it was difficult to speak with people outside the school,” she said.

“I was a double major, so I didn’t have a lot of time to take language classes.”

Khalibinzwa grew up speaking English, in addition to Swahili and two tribal dialects—Luo, her mother’s native tongue, and Luhya, her father’s. She has since learned German, Italian and French, as well as some Spanish.

With scores of indigenous languages,

Sherman Paggi, Library

Kenya’s linguistic diversity is typical for most of Africa.

“Most Kenyans are at least bilingual,” Khalibinzwa said. “You grow up speaking Swahili, and at school everything is taught in English.”

Khalibinzwa believes being exposed to other cultures and other languages changes the brain in a fundamental way.

“Studies have shown that speaking more than one language increases executive function and task switching,” she explained.

In a very real way, she believes, language shapes one’s perception of the world. Being multilingual, having the ability to switch at will between different languages, can help with processing difficult concepts and increases creativity and problem solving ability.

For Khalibinzwa, it was just a part of growing up in Kenya.

SULAIMAN ALHUDAITHI Sulaiman Alhudaithi, who often goes by the English variant of his name, Solomon—“It’s just easier,” he says—is pursuing a master’s in microbiology and immunology at MUSC.

From Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, he spent time working as a teaching assistant before obtaining a scholarship to continue his studies in the United States.

After being accepted to several of the schools he applied to, including Tulane and the University of Rhode Island, he eventually settled on MUSC. Alhudaithi felt MUSC’s program was a better fit, but he also felt a connection to Charleston’s rich history. “I love history,” he said. “The civil war started here.”

Alhudaithi is in the second year of his program and works closely with his mentors, Satish Nadig, M.D., Ph.D., and Carl Atkinson, Ph.D., in their lab, exploring the effects of their novel immunosuppressive therapies in transplant patients. When he graduates next spring, he plans to pursue a doctorate in the field.

One day Alhudaithi plans to return to his country, but for now he only gets to visit home once or twice a year. “I miss my friends and family. I miss the food.

I’m too lazy to cook every day, but when

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DIVERSITY

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my neighbors or friends visit, I cook Saudi food for them.”

Like many Saudis, Alhudaithi said he was drawn to the United States for the best education in the world. “My dad spent 13 years in the U.S. before I was born. He got his master’s and Ph.D. in Arizona and California. He really encouraged me to complete my studies here.”

Coming to a new country, Alhudaithi said, was overwhelming. “The United States is not really a country. It’s more than a country. Each state, by itself, is a country.”

On top of difficult coursework, Alhudaithi said he has had to learn about an unfamiliar culture and tackle the challenges of learning to drive in a new country.

Making American friends, he said, helped him overcome the cultural barrier in his first few months in the states. As for driving, he learned from experience.

“Every traffic sign is different here,” he said. “I got a ticket for turning left my third day here. There was a no left turn sign.”

When he’s not busy with his studies— which isn’t as often as he’d like— Alhudaithi follows soccer, basketball and American football. He’s a Broncos fan.

He also likes American movies, and his favorite TV shows are “Game of Thrones” and “Breaking Bad”. He recently watched “Lawrence of Arabia” for the first time. “It was good,” he said.

“The acting was great.”

XINH-XINH NGUYEN Vietnamese-American Xinh-Xinh Nguyen is a first year graduate student with an interest in clinical research and cardiovascular biology.

Originally from Saigon—officially Ho Chi Minh City, though still widely referred to by its former name, she said, especially among those critical of the government—Nguyen has lived in the United States since she was 14 years old.

Her family decided to come to the United States in search of better opportunities, she explained. “Growing up, my parents didn’t have the chance to go to school. They wanted me to be able to explore what I wanted to do and have a better education than I could have gotten in Vietnam.”

Nguyen’s family first moved to

Rebeca Mueller, left, speaks at the international ‘welcome back’ luncheon Sept. 4. Events like this one are open to anyone at MUSC who identifies as an international, regardless of whether they are visaholders or U.S. citizens. Mueller is program manager for health, safety and cultural affairs for MUSC’s Center for Global Health.

Michigan, then later to Morehead City, North Carolina. “Coming to a new country where I didn’t speak the language was difficult,” she said. “I didn’t understand the traditions or the culture. It was hard at the beginning to adapt myself and interact with others. I was really shy, and I couldn’t speak that well, but taking English classes helped me a lot.”

When she first moved to the United States, Nguyen said she could say “Hi, how are you?” but not much else. This made learning difficult since she could not understand her teachers in class.

“Everywhere I went,” she said, “I had to carry a dictionary with me to look up vocabulary.”

In addition to taking classes, Nguyen said reading picture books and watching cartoons helped her learn the language.

Despite initial difficulties, she went on to major in English at the University of Vermont—in addition to a major in biology.

After graduating from college, Nguyen moved to Boston to work as a research technician. While living there, she missed the sense of community she remembered from her native country.

“I love Boston, but people are always so busy, always in a hurry.”

Charleston and MUSC are very different, she said. “Charleston feels

big but also small at the same time.

Everyone is very friendly and I love the feeling of community at MUSC. During interviews, everyone tried their best to make me feel welcome.”

Nguyen explained that a large part of that feeling comes from MUSC’s diverse international community and the lengths to which everyone at MUSC goes to make everyone her included.

“Even though we’re from different counties, and we all bring different beliefs and experiences with us, we all share the common value of education,” She said. “We all want the best for each other and our community.”

ANJAN MOTAMARRY Anjan Motamarry is from Chennai, a populous city in South East India, located on the Bay of Bengal, and is pursuing his Ph.D. in drug discovery and biomedical sciences at MUSC. “I’ve always been interested in doing research,” he said. “I like to think, and I like to be challenged.”

His current work involves targeted drug delivery systems which may, one day soon, aid in the treatment of cancer. “We are trying to encapsulate highly toxic drugs inside lipid packaging systems, called liposomes, so they can be released directly inside tumors,” he said.

Liposomes—essentially microscopic

photos by Sarah Pack Public Relations

Two of the new wind chimes meant to represent diversity at MUSC, which now hang in the Horseshoe.

containers comprised of fats—are thermosensitive and melt at a particular temperature. Once injected into the tumor, the tumor can then be heated to release the drug where it will do good instead of harm.

Although that work is certainly difficult, it is a challenge with which Motamarry is well accustomed. The prospect of boarding a 24–hour flight and leaving his country behind, however, was another thing entirely.

“It was overwhelming,” he said.

“When I got here, I didn’t know anybody.”

He found relief in the fact that MUSC has a fantastic support structure, which made the transition easier. “Everyone was very welcoming in Charleston, so that helped a bit. And Rebeca Mueller is a seriously awesome lady. I had no clue when I came here what to expect. She helped me so much.”

Though he says he is an introvert, Motamarry made friends through programs such as iSpeak — an English conversation club — and the International Student Association — a student government organization of which he is now the vice president.

Charleston is very different from India, Motamarry said. But, it isn’t the

See Diversity on page 9

8 THE CATALYST, Oct. 2, 2015

Fighting health disparities with grants, students and the public Research training program students Malik Leach, left, and Kadiedre Gaymon worked with mentors, including Dr. David Turner, center.

BY HELEN ADAMS Public Relations As five sets of chimes rang in the Horseshoe at MUSC on Sept. 28, leaders reflected on how times are changing at the academic health center as it harnesses the power of diversity and inclusion.

That power appears in hundreds of stories as researchers and students embrace what the Imagine 2020 journey means to them.

The concept at the heart of those stories is simple: Your race and where you live shouldn’t dictate whether you have access to life-saving health information or keep you from pursuing a career in health care, whether it’s in a hospital or a research lab.

SUPPORTING YOUNG RESEARCHERS A case in point: Malik Leach. He knows the worlds of research and medicine desperately need more diversity, and he plans to be part of the solution. This summer he joined one of several programs at MUSC designed to improve health care for patients of all races and economic situations across the state.

Leach, a 19–year–old biology major at Voorhees College, took part in a research training program at MUSC for undergraduates from historically black colleges and universities, also known as HBCUs. “It was a challenge,” Leach said. The aspiring doctor had never been in a research lab before. Now, he was expected to conduct his own research at MUSC and present the results.

Dave Turner, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, was Leach’s mentor. Turner has worked with South Carolina Collaborative Undergraduate HBCU Student Summer Training for six years. “I think it gives them a real perspective of what research is. They come in not really grasping what research is and how much work goes into it. It’s a bit of a shock the first week.”

Leach got over that shock and went on to conduct his research. “My experiment looked at the effect of tamoxifen resistance on breast cancer patients.” His presentation was a success, and he ended up enjoying the work so much that he’s coming back to MUSC next summer.

A growing number of students will join Leach over the next few years, thanks to a pair of multi–year grants awarded to Marvella Ford, Ph.D., head of cancer disparities at MUSC’s Hollings Cancer Center.

First, a three-year grant announced in July, funded by the Department of Defense’s Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs, will ensure the collaborative undergraduate research training program Leach took part in continues.

Second, a five–year grant from the National Cancer Institute will fund a 14–week summer cancer health equity course. The course, led by MUSC, is a joint effort that includes the University of South Carolina

photo by Sarah Pack Public Relations

and three HBCUs: Claflin University, South Carolina State University and Voorhees College.

Ford said it’s important to reach out to HBCU students. They often come from communities dealing with health disparities, such as disproportionately high rates of heart disease and cancer, and have a personal interest in doing work that helps ease those problems.

“All we have to do is show them the opportunities,” Ford said. “They’re coming out of nurturing environments, typically smaller schools, where their professors know them and may have even taught their parents. They’re eager to conquer the world. We just have to show them the pathways that are open to them.”

She said what they learn can have an almost immediate impact. “Students who come here with diverse backgrounds are already taking what they learn and changing their communities,” Ford said. “We’ve had students who changed the way family reunions are done. They’ve insisted on healthy food at the family reunion.”

FIGHTING DISPARITIES STATEWIDE Ford’s programs are part of a larger effort by MUSC to fight health disparities across the state. The problems that inspired that effort are clear-cut and in many cases stunning. For example: “African–Americans with early stage lung cancer in South Carolina are 43 percent less likely than European–Americans in the state to have surgery, and we’re talking about patients with early stage lung cancer where surgery is done with curative intent.

That means we’re losing a lot of people unnecessarily,” Ford said.

And that’s far from an isolated example. African–

Americans have the shortest survival and highest death rate from cancer of any racial or ethnic group in the country, according to the American Cancer Society.

That has to change, Ford and others at MUSC say, so they’ve launched a series of projects designed to get important health information involving health disparities out to the public.

One project, announced last month, will use funding from the National Cancer Institute to fund the work of a National Outreach Network Community Health Educator based at MUSC. Kimberly Cannady, Ph.D., will travel the state, visiting medically underserved communities and training local leaders to spread the word about cancer screening, treatment and prevention.

Ford said the goal is to work with every county in the state. The NCI funding builds upon work already underway in this area at MUSC. Another project, also announced in August, aims to ensure research that can help reduce health disparities is widely shared. It’s funded by the Geographical Management of Cancer Disparities Program, also known as GMaP, through the National Cancer Institute.

Chanita Hughes–Halbert, Ph.D., leader of the Cancer Control Program at MUSC’s Hollings Cancer Center, runs the GMaP project. She’ll create a hub for information about cancer health disparities, work to get the public involved in learning about disparity research and encourage more people to become cancer health disparity researchers. Her focus is regional, working with researchers across South Carolina, North Carolina and Tennessee. Hughes–Halbert said one problem is

See Diversity on page 7

THE CATALYST, Oct. 2, 2015 9

DIVERSITY

Continued from Page Seven

differences that strike him most. It’s the similarities.

Near where he grew up, there is a small city called Pondicherry, he explained. “Pondicherry was a French colony. The battery wall that you have downtown is very similar to Pondicherry. It’s very nostalgic. Not many people would suspect you’d find such similarity between two places half way across the globe from each other.”

Likewise, the most confusing differences are seemingly the smallest.

“Raincheck,” he laughed. “I had no understanding of what raincheck meant. Or what ‘ya’ll’ meant. And chili was a very interesting dish. I was literally thinking of green chilies, and when something with beans came out, that was hilarious.”

While most of Motamarry’s school courses were taught in English, he didn’t consider himself fluent until he moved to the United States. In addition to English, he speaks Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and French.

“Every few hundred miles you travel in my country, you will find a totally different language and a totally different culture,” he said. “This is my first experience in such a big country with a single language.”

However, he added, “there is a lot of diversity even here that Americans do not acknowledge. California, for example, is very different from South Carolina.”

Another striking difference between the United States and India, Motamarry said, is the climate. “Where I come from, it is either hot or very hot. We don’t have four distinct seasons. When I came here, it was 70 degrees. Everyone was wearing shorts and T-shirts, but I was shivering.”

TANJA KELLERMANN Tanja Kellermann grew up in Germany and has a doctorate in clinical neurosciences.

“After completing my Ph.D.,” she said, “I decided I wanted to do something totally different. I wanted to go and discover the world. So, I searched for labs that were doing the same things I was doing. I found Jane Joseph’s lab and emailed her, and that’s how I ended up here.”

Kellermann originally planned to stay in the United States for just a year. She’s now going on her third. And though she misses her family and hates the humidity, she has no plans to leave.

“People are more relaxed here,” she said. “It’s a more easy–going lifestyle.”

In addition to that, she recently became engaged.

“I met my fiancé at a wedding here in Charleston,” Kellermann said. “I was friends with the bride. He was friends with the groom. The first time we saw each other, we just clicked. We knew, ‘wow, this was something special.’”

Kellermann and her fiancée are planning on building a life in Charleston, though she said she is concerned about the educational differences between the United States and Germany, especially when she considers the prospect of having children.

“Here, there is a huge difference between the quality

photo by Sarah Pack Public Relations

MUSC President David Cole shares his thoughts during the Sept. 28 chimes dedication. of private school and public school, especially in South Carolina,” she said. “In Germany, we don’t really have private schools in that sense.”

She said saving to pay for college is also a foreign concept. “In Germany, we don’t have to pay for college.

If you live in the United States and you don’t have parents that can afford it, you already graduate with debt. That’s something I don’t understand.”

Kellermann is copresident of the International Association, an organization that represents all international students, staff and faculty at MUSC. She said the international community is a tight–knit group, which provides a tremendous amount of support — both in practical terms — like helping members sort through complicated tax codes — and in terms of members’ other needs — such as helping support them emotionally and fostering friendship and understanding between members of many diverse cultures.

“Rebeca Mueller does a great job of keeping the community informed,” Kellermann said. “She’s the mom we don’t have. We’d be lost without her.”

THE STORM THAT RINGS THE CHIMES At this week’s dedication of the diversity chimes, Willette Burnham said, “When the weather is destructive, or inclement, as folks may say, you’ll hear the harmony of the chimes.”

What better metaphor for the storm that struck Charleston this past June, when a white supremacist gunned down nine members of the Emanuel AME Church while they prayed.

To MUSC’s international community, and to the

MUSC community as a whole, it was a shock.

For Barbara Khalibinzwa, it almost made her reconsider her decision to come to MUSC. “After my internship, I went back to Italy to defend my master’s thesis,” she said. “As I was about to come back, that’s when the Charleston shooting happened. Everyone told me, ‘Don’t go back to that country.’”

The shooting brought back bad memories of the tribal violence she thought she had left behind. She was afraid to return to Charleston and seriously considered transferring. “My mom called me crying, and I really thought twice about coming back. The one thing that made me decide to come after all, was the way Charleston came together in the aftermath, white and black people, everyone.”

Sulaiman Alhudaithi also received a call from his mother. “The news was everywhere,” he said.

He believes the impulse that leads to racism is the same one that causes many people to misunderstand his religion. “Islam is like Christianity,” he explained. “We have a book and people bring their own perspectives to it. I understand it way different than my own brother does. We agree on many things, and we disagree on other things.”

Xinh-Xinh Nguyen said she was very sad and very scared when she learned of the shootings. She believes that racism is just a lack of understanding. “If people take the time to get to know others, they’ll change their opinions,” she said.

When coming to the American South, Anjan Motamarry was prepared to encounter racism. “But I didn’t expect there to be a full–blown conflict,” he said.

“The shooting was very depressing. I like taking walks downtown, and I’ve passed by Emanuel Church many times.”

He, too, said it was heartening how the community came together in the wake of the shooting. “The president and the vice president even came. That was really nice. But I hope it doesn’t happen again.”

Tanja Kellermann was away at a conference in Hawaii when the church shooting occurred. “I saw it on TV,” she said. “I was shocked. It was horrible.”

Kellermann said what scared her most was that it scared her parents. “My mom is always worrying about me.”

Like many others, though, Kellermann was reassured by what happened afterward. “It really touched me, all the flowers. People were standing together, so strong.

They were tied together, no matter what color, no matter what race.”

That was a somber time for Charleston. With students and faculty from across the United States and around the world, it was apparent MUSC’s commitment to diversity and inclusion was more important than ever.

“We should never, never forget the unity and hope that came out of that terrible day,” Burnham said. “The work that lies ahead is the work of all of us. Please, join in the journey.”

For information about the Imagine 2020 Plan, visit www.imaginemusc.com.

10 THE CATALYST, Oct. 2, 2015

Annual flu tent event makes vaccines quick, easy Flu season is just around the corner and MUSC Employee Health is preparing to fight this illness among employees.

With an estimated 36,000 deaths annually from influenza and its complications, it is the nation’s eighth leading cause of death. The CDC and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommend that all health care workers get an annual flu vaccine. By getting vaccinated health care workers can protect their health, their family’s health and the health of their patients.

For fast and convenient service, employees are encouraged to receive the flu vaccine at the annual Flu Tent Event hosted by Employee Health Services and Infection Control. Bring your MUSC ID badge and your MUSC ID number (located in My Records). The annual Flu Vaccine Tent Event is scheduled for from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Oct. 7 and Oct. 8 in the Library Portico and from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Oct. 7 in the ART

portico. Food vendors will be on site so get your lunch and flu shots at one convenient location. Updates and other flu satellites will be announced soon and will be posted on www.musc.edu/ehs website.

part of Sodexo’s Celebrity Chef Series (University hospital cafeteria). q Employee Fitness Series: 4:15 to 4:45 p.m.,Wednesday, Oct. 21 — Strength and Conditioning: Weight lifting and cardiovascular combined.

Helps tone muscles and Employee Wellness strengthen lean muscles. Free q October Monthly Mindful day pass to MUSC Wellness Challenge — Use water wisely: Center for participants.

Hydrate without waste and Participants should check limit your water footprint.

Susan Johnson in at membership desk for Find your starting number directions to the class and here www.watercalculator.org/. receive their pass. Sign up at www.musc.

Take the initial survey at http://tinyurl. edu/ohp/musc-moves/employee-fitnesscom/nn3zsdt. q Restaurant Recipe Makeover —11 a.m. signup.html q Worksite Screening — Thursday, to 1 p.m., Oct. 14. Sodexo took two of Oct. 29, Colbert Education Center Amen Street's most popular dishes and & Library, Room 107. This screening, performed a "recipe makeover." valued at $350, is available to employees Sodexo made adjustments to recipes to be closer to its “mindful" criteria without on the State Health Plan (including MUSC Health Plan) at no charge for the compromising flavor. Kale salad with garlic vinaigrette and a mixed green salad basic test. Employees/spouses without insurance can participate for $46. with goddess dressing will be offered as

Health at work

Register online at www.musc.edu/ohp/ employee-wellness/worksite-screening. html. q Chair massages — Free massages are offered to employees midday Wednesdays. Check broadcast messages for new locations and times q Farmers Markets — Fresh fruits and vegetables are available from local farmers on Friday from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Horseshoe. Check out King of Pops and Angel Blends for their latest offerings.

MUSC Urban Farm

q Midday Work and Learn — 12:15 to 12:45 p.m., Tuesday q Early Bird Maintenance — 7:30 to 8:30 a.m., Wednesday q Sunset Work and Learn — 4 to 5 p.m., Thursday q Saturday Work and Learns — 9 to 11 a.m., Sept. 3 and Oct. 17

THE CATALYST, Oct. 2, 2015 11

NIH study finds racial, ethnic differences in fetal growth

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Current standards for ultrasound evaluation of fetal growth may lead to misclassifying up to 15 percent of minority mothers’ fetuses as being too small, according to a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), MUSC and other institutions.

The study, based on serial scans of more than 1,700 pregnancies, was published online in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Study authors suggest that many fetuses of minority mothers may be developing normally, but because of hereditary and environmental factors, they are smaller than their white counterparts. The findings could mean that current standards of care recommend that many otherwise healthy, minority pregnant women undergo tests and procedures they don’t need.

Fetal growth restriction is a medical term used to describe fetuses that do not keep up with growth milestones appropriate to their stage of development.

Growth restriction is a sign of an underlying health problem, often resulting from the fetus not receiving enough nutrients or oxygen in the uterus.

“We are committed to providing the best in patient care at MUSC, and this often includes looking for those things we could be doing better and with more accuracy,” said study author Roger Newman, M.D., MUSC professor of obstetrics and gynecology and Maas Endowed Chair for Reproductive Sciences. “It’s not in anyone’s best interest to Newman pursue unnecessary testing as I think we all understand that unnecessary testing leads to unnecessary interventions.

We are also concerned about the undue stress and worry this places on a mother who is actually progressing just fine but has been told that her baby might not be growing as it should. With the health disparities already present in South Carolina when it comes to pregnancy care, we must make sure that we are aware of the inherent differences in those we serve, and how those differences shape the care they deserve to receive.”

Currently, many practitioners rely on older reference charts for estimating whether a fetus is growing normally. During a sonogram, measurements are taken of the fetus’ head circumference, abdominal circumference and length of the femur (thigh bone).

These measurements are used in a formula to estimate the weight of the fetus, which is then compared to a series of estimated weights on a chart of fetal weight

photo by Sarah Pack Public Relations

stratified by gestational age. The growth chart weights were derived from a study that compiled ultrasound measurements of 139 pregnancies of predominantly middle-class white women during the 1980s.

Current study authors stated new mothers tend to be older, heavier, and more likely to be non-white than when the previous entries were compiled. The researchers sought to compile standards that more accurately reflect the best fetal growth during healthy pregnancies among the most common racial and ethnic groups in the United States. They began by enrolling 2,334 women, aged 18 to 40 years, at 12 hospitals in the United States. The women identified themselves as non-Hispanic white, non–Hispanic black, Hispanic and Asian. The researchers sought only healthy pregnancies so that they could image fetuses whose growth was unaffected by pregnancy–related illness and conditions.

Women with such pregnancy–related complications were not included in the standards. More information regarding study specifics is available upon request.

Moving Forward 5K Fundraiser Celebrate October as National Physical Therapy Month by participating in the Moving Forward 5K event starting at 9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 10 at James Island County Park.

The event is sponsored by the S.C. Chapter of the American Physical Therapy Association (SCPATA) with proceeds from the event to benefit SCAPTA and Charleston’s Achieving Wheelchair Equlity.

To register, visit http://go-greenevents.com/ event/id/4671. Cost is $2737 per person.

12 THE CATALYST, Oct. 2, 2015

DIVERSITY

Continued from Page Six

that sometimes important research that could really help people never makes it into an academic journal and just fizzles out.

“What we want to do is create more effective dissemination within our region so that people know what’s happening, what’s going on,” Hughes–Halbert said. “That way, we can leverage resources more effectively. That’s really important because we know resources with respect to grant funding are shrinking.

We have to play in the sandbox better together. This is one way to help us do that, by communicating.” photo by Sarah Pack Public Relations

Dr. Marvella Ford, left, keeps in touch with Bobbie Blake, who went through an MUSC research training program and plans to apply to medical school. those disparities are. “People are thirsty for knowledge,” she said.

Hughes–Halbert’s work will emphasize sharing on a grand scale. “This is a tremendous opportunity to expand the region’s scope and the vision of the Hollings Cancer Center. To really expand it out to other settings but also learn from other institutions about what’s worked well and what hasn’t. The most effective researchers and clinicians are those who can learn from the experiences of others.”

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WHAT’S NEXT Communication is the thread running through all of the MUSC health disparity programs, both on campus and in communities around the state. Sharing information is a key part of the solution to the health disparity challenges facing South Carolina, organizers say.

That sharing can start in simple ways. Now that Leach, the student who took part in the research training program, is back at Voorhees, he plans to spread the word among classmates interested in science.

“They should go ahead and apply. It’s worth it,” Leach said.

Ford will continue sharing her vision for fighting health disparities through programs, and more importantly, people who have been educated in how big