Paul Sax, MD, clinical director for the Division of Infectious Diseases at BWH, has received the HIV Medical Association's 2009 Clinical Education Award. This Award recognizes Dr. Sax’s prominent role in the dissemination of information and provider education relevant to the care of people with HIV infection. The Award specifically recognizes Paul's role as Editor in Chief of Journal Watch: AIDS Clinical Care, as lead author of HIV Essentials, as HIV Section Editor for Medscape, as contributing Editor for UpToDate HIV medicine, and as a leading teacher of HIV medicine at the BWH, Partners, and HMS.  Dr. Sax was honored with this award at the Annual Meeting of the Infectious Disease Society of America. 

Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) has received more than $97 million in funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), as of November 2009. Signed into law on February 17, 2009, ARRA provided the National Institutes of Health (NIH) with $10.4 billion in extramural funding to help stimulate the US economy through the support and advancement of scientific research.

BWH ranks among the top 20 institutions to receive the most ARRA funding from NIH, with 169 funded projects and counting. The two-year grants awarded to BWH cover a variety of fields in medical research, including projects in sleep medicine, neurology, cardiology, genetics, women’s health and pharmacoepidemiology, among others . 

To access the most current report of all BWH ARRA awardees, visit: http://projectreporter.nih.gov/reporter.cfm. Check the box for NIH Recovery Acts Projects, type Brigham and Women’s Hospital in the Organization box, and click Submit Query.

Charles Pozner, MD, medical director of the STRATUS Center for Medical Simulation at BWH, has been named president of the Founder's Affiliate, one of the eight national affiliates of the American Heart Association (AHA). Beginning in October, Dr. Pozner will spend the two-year term overseeing AHA initiatives in New York, New Jersey and across New England. In addition to serving on the board of directors for the Founder’s Affiliate, Dr. Pozner will promote the mission of the AHA, advance the development of guidelines for clinicians, distribute research grants, and focus on cultural health initiatives and anti-obesity initiatives.

Ron Kikinis, MD, founding director of the Surgical Planning Laboratory at BWH and professor of Radiology at HMS, received the inaugural Enduring Impact Award during the international conference of the Medical Imaging Computing and Computer Assisted Intervention Society in London in September. He was also appointed a fellow in the society

This award recognizes Kikinis’ dedication to scientific excellence, significant contribution to scientific advancement in the field of medical image computing and image guided therapy, as well as translational research and patient care, resulting in advances in the description, diagnosis, and treatment of a variety of normal and pathologic conditions.

The Medical Image Computing and Computer Assisted Intervention Society is dedicated to the promotion, preservation and facilitation of research, education and practice in the field of medical image computing and computer assisted medical interventions including biomedical imaging and robotics. 

Carol C. Nadelson, MD, director of the Partners Office for Women's Careers at BWH, has been named the 2009 recipient of the Alma Dea Morani, MD Renaissance Woman Award by The Foundation for the History of Women in Medicine. The Award honors outstanding women physicians and scientists in North America who further the practice and understanding of medicine and make significant contributions outside of medicine. Dedicated to the education and mentoring of students, physicians and the public, Dr. Nadelson pioneered work in women's health and mental health, and provided inspirational leadership in psychiatry and medicine. She has been devoted to innovative areas of investigation, clinical understanding and education. Her work continues to leave an indelible mark on patients and on generations of students and colleagues.

Tejal Gandhi, MD, MPH, executive director of quality and safety at BWH, is the 2009 recipient of the John M. Eisenberg Patient Safety and Quality Award for Research. The National Quality Forum (NQF) and The Joint Commission present the award annually to recipients in five categories, to recognize individuals and organizations that have made an important contribution to patient safety and health care quality in the areas of research or system innovation. Dr. Gandhi has been instrumental in increasing knowledge and awareness of safety issues in the outpatient setting and in designing improvement strategies for this setting, particularly through the use of information technology. Her groundbreaking work to better understand the epidemiology of a wide range of ambulatory safety concerns is responsible for drawing national attention to safety issues and potential prevention in this important patient care setting. Recipients will receive the award at the NQF National Policy Conference in Maryland on October 15.

Anna Krichevsky, PhD, in the Neurology Department at BWH, is the 2009 recipient of the Distinguished Scientist Award, from the Sontag Foundation. The four year $600,000 grant is awarded annually to up to three early career scientists working in the brain cancer field. The Sontag Foundation hopes to increase survival rates and improve recovery for brain cancer patients while looking for a cure or at the very least, treatments to make brain cancer a manageable chronic disease. Dr. Krichevsky’s grant will support her work titled, “Development of therapeutic microRNAs for malignant glioma: a personalized approach.”

Jeffrey Karp, PhD, in the Department of Medicine at BWH, has been awarded the 2010 CIMIT Miles and Eleanor Shore Fellowship. The award is given to an early career Harvard Medical School Faculty applicant who best represents the CIMIT values of academic excellence, near term impact on patient care, interest and aptitude for innovation, and   multidisciplinary collaboration. Karp, who is also the director of the Laboratory for Advanced Biomaterials and Stem-Cell-Based Therapeutics, will receive $70,000 to further his laboratory work with drug based hydrogels as a drug delivery method for inner ears, gliblastoma and rheumatoid arthritis.  In the spirit of CIMIT and focus of translational research, Karp will also be mentored by Fred Schoen, who will help to facilitate networking throughout BWH by connecting him with potential collaborators. 

Barbara Weissman MD, vice chair of the Department of Radiology at BWH, is the recipient of the 2009 Alice Ettinger Award, from the American Association of Women Radiologists (AAWR). This lifetime achievement award recognizes long-term contribution to radiology and to the AAWR. Dr Weissman is honored for her vast contribution to the field of radiology, as a clinician, scientist, educator and role model for women in the field. Fittingly, Dr. Weissman was also once a student of Dr. Alice Ettinger, who inspired Dr. Weissman to consider a career in radiology. Presentation of the award will take place at the AAWR Annual Business Meeting during the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) Annual Meeting in Chicago in November 2009.

Michael E. Weinblatt, MD, co-director of Clinical Rheumatology at BWH, has received the Dr. Marian Ropes Award for excellence in arthritis care and leadership in the fight against arthritis from the Arthritis Foundation Massachusetts Chapter. Named after Dr. Marian Ropes—a pioneer and national leader in the field of rheumatology and the first medical resident of Massachusetts General Hospital—the award is given annually to a very highly regarded rheumatologist and orthopedic surgeon. Dr. Weinblatt has made a remarkable difference in the lives of thousands of children and adults impacted by arthritis over the course of his career. Dr. Weinblatt and fellow award recipient will be honored at the Physician Achievement Award Dinner on Tuesday, September 15, 2009, at The Fairmont Copley Plaza.

Praveen Kumar Vemula, PhD, postdoctoral researcher in the Karp Lab at BWH, is one of 13 researchers to receive the 2009 Kauffman Foundation Entrepreneurial Postdoctoral Fellowship Award. Dr. Vemula was selected in part for his entrepreneurial vision to take lab research to market and for his recent breakthrough research with Dr. Jeffrey Karp, in which they devised on-demand drug delivery vehicles for therapeutic applications. The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation established the yearlong program to empower postdoctoral students to take their own discoveries from the lab to the market. Fellows will receive salary and benefits, entrepreneurship education and mentorship, to support their research and equip the Fellows to commercialize their scientific discoveries. Dr. Karp, director of the Laboratory for Advanced Biomaterials and Stem Cell-Based Therapeutics at BWH, will serve as Dr. Vemula’s academic advisor, mentoring him on matters of research and commercialization.

Radiology and IS secured BWH a spot on Health Imaging & IT's Top 25 Connected List, one of the latest recognitions in a series of tech honors for BWH IS and Partners IS. Partners recently ranked among the 100 most wired hospitals for the eleventh straight year and was named to the 100 Best Places to Work in IT list.

For the fifth year straight, Partners HealthCare was named to Computerworld magazine’s 100 Best Places to Work in IT. Partners ranked 65th nationally and third in New England on the list of workplaces that “combine choice benefits with hot technologies and on-target training.” Partners earned its place on the list by “promoting open communication between senior leadership and everyone within the IT department.” It also offers the tools necessary for employees to perform their job by providing the ability to work on-site, remotely or on the go, according to Computerworld’s review.

Kelly Grace Magalhães, PhD candidate, of the Rheumatology, Immunology and Allergy Department at BWH, has been selected by the Pew Foundation as a 2009 Pew Latin American Fellow in Biomedical Sciences. The program gives promising young scientists the opportunity to further their knowledge and encourages scientific collaboration between researchers in the U.S. and Latin America. Magalhães will study with David Branch Moody, MD, of BWH, a 2003 Pew Scholar. Focussing on Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the human parasite that causes tuberculosis, Magalhães’ work will contribute not only to a better understanding of immune system activation, but could lead to strategies for the eradication of tuberculosis.

Atul Malhotra, MD,  Pulmonary Intensivist and medical director of the Sleep Disorders Research Program at BWH, has been elected to chair the American Thoracic Society (ATS) Assembly on Sleep and Respiratory Neurobiology (SRN). The Assembly collects, interprets and disseminates data concerning clinical and research aspects of respiratory neurobiology and sleep. Dr. Malhotra has extensive expertise in the area of  critical care as well as sleep apnea research, having received multiple NIH grants and written over 90 original manuscripts. The SRN Assembly’s current research priorities are to determine the neurobiological basis of respiratory disease; developmental aspects of neural control of respiration during sleep in health and disease; the genetic basis for respiratory control during sleep and wakefulness; identification of biomarkers of sleep abnormalities and epidemiological and clinical studies of sleep disordered breathing and other sleep disorders.

K. Frank Austen, MD, of the Department of Medicine at BWH, has been selected to receive the 2009 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Eicosanoid Research Foundation. Recognized for his groundbreaking work in the field of eicosanoid research, Dr. Austen is perhaps best known for the discovery related to inflammatory mediators and his research concerning the roles of leukotrienes in asthma and pulmonary disease. Dr. Austen will receive his award during the inaugural session of the 11th International Conference on Bioactive Lipids in Cancer, Inflammation and Related Diseases in Cancun, Mexico on October 28, 2009.

William W. Churchill, MS, executive director of Pharmacy Services at BWH, has received the 2009 John W. Webb Lecture Award from the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Each year the award is presented to a health-system pharmacy practitioner or educator who stands apart from others because of his or her extraordinary dedication to fostering excellence in pharmacy management and leadership. Churchill is honored for his groundbreaking work using technology to improve patient safety. In October 2009, Churchill will present his award lecture at the ASHP Conference for Leaders in Health-System Pharmacy and as Visiting Professor in Hospital Pharmacy at Northeastern University.

Hiroko Yano, PhD, of the Neurosurgery Department at BWH, is one of 201 researchers to receive a 2009 Young Investigator grants for research on psychiatric disorders from the National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression (NARSAD). Young Investigator grants allow early-career researchers to gather the pilot data necessary to secure additional research funding from government agencies, such as the National Institutes of Health in the United States, and other, private funding sources. This grant supports Dr. Yano’s study of epigenetic regulation of gene expression — regulation that does not change genetic DNA — in neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders.

Robert  N.  Jamison, PhD, of the Pain Management Center at BWH, has received a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) first round of stimulus funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The $480,000 grant funds the study of patients with chronic back or neck pain who are at risk for potential substance abuse to determine if close monitoring and counseling can increase their overall compliance with opioids. Researchers believe the results of this study will help to improve office and prescribing practices to better treat patients with histories of opioid abuse and chronic pain.

Weian Zhao, PhD, of the Department of Medicine at BWH, has received an international postdoctoral fellowship from the Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP). Competing with researchers from around the world, Dr. Zhao was chosen to receive one of 11 Cross-Disciplinary Fellowships. The award supports young scientists with expertise in the fields of physics, chemistry, computer science or engineering who have an interest in incorporating biology and life sciences into their research. Working in the lab of Dr. Jeffrey Karp, Dr. Zhao is using a simple chemical process to address the major challenges in stem cell therapy, including stem cell trafficking and homing to targeted tissue locations. The knowledge gained from this study will allow better engineering of stem cells and enhance the in vivo targeting efficiency.

Vishal S. Vaidya, PhD, of the Renal Division of BWH, has been awarded the NIH Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00) from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Dr. Vaidya joins two other awardees also being honored this year by NIEHS for successful transition to tenure track or equivalent status. Dr. Vaidya received the postdoctoral fellowship award by National Kidney Foundation and a Scientist Development Grant Award by American Heart Association prior to receiving the K99/R00 award. The Pathway to Independence program aims to increase and maintain a strong cohort of new and talented NIH-supported independent investigators by providing an opportunity for postdoctoral scientists to receive both mentored and independent research support from the same grant award.
 

Paula Johnson, MD, MPH, chief of the Division of Women's Health and executive director of the Connors Center for Women's Health and Gender Biology at BWH, is the 2009 recipient of the Public Health Leadership in Medicine Award, presented by the Massachusetts Public Health Association (MPHA). The award is presented annually to someone who has shown extraordinary commitment to bringing public health principles and partnerships into the practice of medicine.  Dr. Johnson is being honored for her innovative and interdisciplinary approach to women’s health, her commitment to advocacy for changes in public policy to improve women’s health, and her work addressing the health of women globally and training the next generation of leadership in women’s health. The award was presented on May 15 at MPHA’s 7th Annual Celebration and Awards Breakfast in Boston.

Carol Nadelson, MD, director of the Office for Women's Careers at BWH, has been selected as the recipient of the Alma Dea Morani, M.D. Renaissance Woman Award for 2009, presented by the Foundation for the History of Women in Medicine. The award honors an outstanding woman physician who has furthered the practice and understanding of medicine and made significant contributions outside of medicine, in the humanities, arts or social sciences. As the recipient, Nadelson’s determination has carried her beyond traditional pathways in medicine and science, and has challenged the status quo with a passion for learning. Nadelson will receive a sculpture representing humanism in medicine at the award presentation in October.

L. Michael Fraai, MS, CCE, director of Biomedical Engineering at BWH has been presented the 2009 Challenge Award from the American College of Clinical Engineering. The ACCE chooses an individual for this honor each year, based on his or her achievements in the medical technology and clinical engineering field. Fraai is recognized for his work at BWH, which includes implementing a hospital-wide telemetry system of approximately 430 beds, a patient care network of over 1000 devices, and an inventory of over 22,000 medical devices. In addition Fraai led a team in the recently constructed state-of-the-art Shapiro Cardiovascular Center. The Award was presented to Fraai at the ACCE Annual Member Meeting and Awards Ceremony on April 6, in Chicago.

Julian M. Goldman, MD, medical director of Partners HealthCare System Biomedical Engineering has been awarded the 2009 Professional Achievement in Technology Award/Professional Development Award from the American College of Clinical Engineering. The award is presented each year to an individual who has made contributions of a professional or technical nature to the clinical engineering profession. Dr. Goldman has applied his diverse experiences in private practice, academic medical centers, and corporate environments to improve clinical technology for over eighteen years.  Based on his understanding of the complexity of healthcare technology and stakeholder ownership, his leadership style has consistently emphasized that collaboration improves innovation.  Dr. Goldman was presented the award on April 6, at the ACCE Annual Member Meeting and Awards Ceremony in Chicago.

The Harvard Medical School Office for Diversity and Community Partnership has named five honorees from BWH to receive the 2008-2009 Excellence in Mentoring Awards. Established in 1995, the awards aim to highlight the importance of mentoring by recognizing faculty at Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Dental Medicine who provide sponsorship, encouragement and support for the career and/or personal development of faculty, trainees and students. Recipients are first nominated by fellow faculty members, house officers, fellows or students, and a selection committee, with representatives from Harvard Medical School and the affiliated hospitals, selects the recipients after reviewing the mentoring qualities highlighted in the nomination forms.

Martha E. Shenton, PhD, director of the Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, receives the William Silen Lifetime Achievement in Mentoring Award.

Christian Arbelaez, MD, MPH, of Emergency Medicine, receives the Young Mentor Award.

Li-Li Hsiao, MD, PhD, of the Renal Division, receives the Young Mentor Award.

Koenraad J. Mortele, MD, of the Radiology Department, receives the Young Mentor Award.

Joia S. Mukherjee, MD, MPH, of the Department of Medicine and the Division of Global Health Equity, receives the Young Mentor Award.

Established in 2005, the Young Mentor Award recognizes those faculty mentors who are still in the early stages of their careers. The William Silen Lifetime Achievement in Mentoring Award, established in 2001, honors faculty members who have a minimum of 20 years of exceptional mentoring at HMS/HSDM. 

The American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Foundation and the Alzheimer’s Association awarded the 2009 Robert Katzman Clinical Research Training Fellowship to Joshua Shulman, MD, PhD, a senior neurology resident at BWH. The two-year, $130,000 fellowship was created to encourage Alzheimer’s disease clinical research with the goal of providing better treatment, and finding ways to prevent and cure the disease. With help from mentors, Mel Feany, MD, PhD, and Philip De Jager, MD, PhD, both of BWH, Dr. Shulman has designed research to identify genes that influence risk for Alzheimer’s disease, which could facilitate early diagnosis and highlight new targets for future therapies. Dr. Shulman will formally receive the award during the American Academy of Neurology’s 61st Annual Meeting in Seattle, held April 25 through May 2, 2009.
 

BWH has been ranked among the top hospitals in the country for its implementation of electronic medical records, according to the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) Analytics, a subsidiary of HIMSS which is a not-for-profit organization that promotes understanding of health care information and management systems. HIMSS Analytics announced its EMR Adoption Model Stage 6, ranking BWH among 42 other hospitals in the country that have made significant progress in implementing a paperless medical record. HIMSS Analytics examined nearly 5,000 health care institutions in the country and ranked them in stages from 0 to 7, with Stage 7 being the top category. By ranking in Stage 6, BWH serves as a role model in health care IT adoption for other health care systems just beginning this process.

Martha E. Shenton, PhD, director of the Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, received the 2009 Distinguished Investigator Award from the National Alliance for Research in Schizophrenia and Depression (NARSAD), the largest non-governmental, donor-supported organization that distributes funds for brain & behavior disorders research. The one-year, $100,000 award provides support for established scientists pursuing innovative projects in neurobiological research relevant to schizophrenia, mood disorders or other serious mental illnesses including research with anxiety, bipolar disorders, personality disorders or child and adolescent psychiatric disorders. The NARSAD Distinguished Investigator Award Program was designed to stimulate the development of key personnel and resources, to facilitate the rapid initiation of research in innovative areas, and to enable investigators to create unique scientific opportunities.

Michael Wolfe, PhD, of the Department of Neurology at BWH, is one of three researchers to receive the 2009 Potamkin Prize for Research in Pick's, Alzheimer's, and Related Diseases, from the American Academy of Neurology (AAN). The Potamkin Prize honors researchers for their work in helping to advance the understanding of Alzheimer's disease and related disorders. Dr. Wolfe is recognized for his discovery of gamma-secretase, one of two amyloid-producing enzyme that is involved in causing Alzheimer's disease. The $100,000 award is to be used toward continuing Alzheimer's research and will be shared evenly between the three researchers. Dr. Wolfe and fellow recipients will receive the award during the AAN's 61st Annual Meeting in Seattle, held April 25 through May 2,2009.

Dr. Yvette Roubideaux, a former resident in the Department of Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, was nominated on March 23 by President Barak Obama as director of Indian Health Service for the Department of Health and Human Services.  Roubideaux, 46, is a member of the Rosebud Sioux tribe and received her MD from Harvard Medical School and her MPH from the Harvard School of Public Health.  She has conducted extensive research on American Indian health issues, with a focus on diabetes in American Indians/Alaska Natives and American Indian health policy.

Robert Sackstein, MD, PhD, of the Department of Dermatology at BWH, has been elected as a member of the Association of American Physicians, a nonprofit, professional organization, composed of about 1000 active members and approximately 550 emeritus and honorary members from the United States, Canada and other countries. Dr. Sackstein is recognized for having achieved excellence in the pursuit of medical knowledge, advancement through experimentation and discovery of basic and clinical knowledge and their application to clinical medicine.

BWH was named to the DiversityInc 25 Noteworthy Companies in a list unveiled March 12 in New York City.  BWH was chosen by DiversityInc as a rising diversity-management leader.  “Diversity is hardwired into the fabric of who we are and can be seen in the interactions between our employees and patients,” said Lisa Ponton, JD, vice president of Human Resources at BWH.  Gary Gottlieb, MD, MBA, president of BWH said, “An investment in our employees allows us to better serve those who depend on us to deliver the best care possible, even in the most challenging of economic times. Our workforce must reflect the richness of the populations we serve and the breadth of talents and strengths necessary to support our precious mission.” Launched in 1997, DiversityInc is a leading business publication, with one million unique monthly visitors.

Xu Tan, PhD, postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Medicine at BWH, has been named one of 13 new Damon Runyon Fellows by the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation. This three-year award is given to outstanding postdoctoral scientists conducting basic and translational cancer research in the laboratories of leading senior investigators across the country. Dr. Tan, with his sponsor Stephen J. Elledge, PhD, also of BWH, is studying the role of the BRCA1 gene- which has been linked to familial breast cancer- in order to identify genes that act with BRCA1, which could explain the specific effect of BRCA1 mutations on breast tissue carcinogenesis. The Fellowship reflects the Foundation’s mission to encourage the nation's most promising young investigators to pursue careers in cancer research by providing them with independent funding to work on innovative projects.

Barbara Bierer, MD, director of the Center for Faculty Development and Diversity (CFDD) at BWH, is being recognized with the Harold Amos Faculty Diversity Award  from the Harvard Medical School (HMS) Office for Diversity and Community Partnership. The award acknowledges Dr. Bierer’s work within the CFDD, which provides comprehensive strategies and support for career advancement and professional development of all faculty and fellows at BWH, and oversees three specialized offices, including the Office for Multicultural Faculty Careers.  The award is presented on March 9, at the Inaugural Howard, Dorsey, Still Lecture, named for the first three African Americans who graduated from Harvard Medical School in the mid-1800’s, and recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to advancing the nation’s health.

Michael Wolfe, PhD, of the Department of Neurology at BWH, is being honored with the MetLife Foundation Award for Medical Research in Alzheimer’s disease for his research on the production of amyloid-b, a small protein found in the Alzheimer’s brain now believed to be the fundamental toxic entity initiating the disease. This work has led to the development of new therapies for Alzheimer’s. Dr. Wolfe and fellow winner will receive a $200,000 research grant and personal prize of $50,000 to further their work. The awards will be presented at a scientific briefing and awards luncheon in Washington, DC on February 18.

Arturo Saavedra, MD, PhD, of the Department of Dermatology at BWH, was awarded a Faculty Fellowship award from the Office for Diversity and Community Partnership. The Program provides two years of fellowship support in the amount of $50,000 per year, intended to provide time to conduct an individual, mentored research project, to participate in Fellowship-related activities, to meet regularly with their mentors, and to present research findings at the annual Minority Health Policy Meeting, Thursday, May 7, 2009 at Harvard Medical School.

Steven Lockley, PhD, of the Department of Medicine at BWH, has been named one of the six 2009 Australia-Harvard Fellowship recipients, from the Harvard Club of Australia Foundation. The fellowship supports an intellectual exchange between Harvard University and Australia through collaboration with senior Australian research organizations. Dr Steven Lockley has an appointment as honorary associate professor at Monash University’s School of Psychology in Australia. When he visits his chief collaborating researcher, Dr Shantha Rajaratnam for two months starting in October, he will have two main roles: teaching courses in Behavioural Neuroscience and giving a lecture series for honors and post-graduate students in the Sleep and Chronobiology Research Program; and contributing to projects such as characterizing sleep and circadian rhythm disruptions, and investigating the effects of extended work hours on sleep, alertness and performance of medical interns.

Martha Shenton, PhD, director of the Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory at BWH, has been recognized by ScienceWatch.com as one of the top cited researchers, in their ranking of the Top 20 Institutions in Psychiatry and Psychology. ScienceWatch.com noted Harvard University, where Dr. Shenton is appointed, as the top institution with the most referenced research. Dr. Shenton is acknowledged as one of the top ranking researchers in the specific study of schizophrenia. ScienceWatch.com looked at cited researchers and institutions from January 1, 1998 through August 31, 2008.

Monica M. Bertagnolli, MD, chief of Surgical Oncology at Dana-Farber Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center (DF/BWCC), has been elected to become Group Chair of the Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB) for a five-year term beginning April 1, 2010. CALGB is a national research group sponsored by the National Cancer Institute that includes 3,000 oncology specialists from university medical centers and community hospitals from across the US who collaborate on research and development aimed at reducing morbidity and mortality from cancer. Dr. Bertagnolli is the first female and the first surgeon to be appointed to this position.

Gordon Williams, MD, director of the Center for Clinical Investigation at BWH, has received the E.H. Ahrens Award from the Association for Patient-Oriented Research Investigators (APOR). Named after Edward H. Ahrens of The Rockefeller University, the award is given to a patient-oriented investigator who has made substantial and sustained contributions to clinical research. Dr. Williams’ career as a clinical investigator studying hypertension and diabetes mellitus epitomizes these qualities. The award will be presented to Dr. Williams at the spring clinical research meeting in Washington, DC, on April 14 and 15, 2009.

Thomas Kupper, MD, chairman of the Department of Dermatology, and Michael B. Brenner, MD, chief of the Division of Rheumatology, Immunology and Allergy at BWH, have been awarded the distinction of American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Fellow. AAAS is the world’s largest general scientific society, and publisher of the journal, Science.  Election as a Fellow is an honor bestowed upon AAAS members by their peers. This year 486 members have been awarded this honor by AAAS because of their scientifically or socially distinguished efforts to advance science or its applications. Dr. Kupper is recognized for establishing keratinocyte as a significant component of the innate immune response in the skin and characterizing trafficking patterns of skin homing T cells.  Dr. Brenner is honored for defining insights in innate and adaptive immunity, including discovery of T cells and the CD1 system of lipid antigen presentation in host defense. New Fellows will be presented with an official certificate on February 14, 2009 at the AAAS Fellows Forum during the 2009 AAAS Annual Meeting in Chicago.