Focus on Urban Health - Keck School of Medicine of USC ...

MEDICINEWinter 2011Carmen A. Puliafito, M.D., M.B.A., DeanBOARD OF OVERSEERSJohn E. Bryson, ChairmanEdward P. Roski Jr., Vice ChairmanWallis Annenberg, Chairman,CEO and PresidentAnnenberg FoundationPeter K. Barker, Chairman of CaliforniaJP Morgan ChaseGordon Binder, Managing DirectorCoastview Capital, LLCEli Broad, Chairman and CEOEli and Edythe L. Broad FoundationJohn E. Bryson, Chairman EmeritusEdison InternationalMalcolm R. Currie, Chairman EmeritusHughes Aircraft CompanyKelly Day, MemberThe Rockefeller University CouncilRobert A. Day, ChairmanW.M. Keck FoundationHelene V. Galen, MemberUSC Board of TrusteesElizabeth Garrett, Provost andSenior Vice President forAcademic AffairsUniversity of Southern CaliforniaStanley P. Gold, President and CEOShamrock Holdings Inc.Ghada IraniOccidental Petroleum CorporationHoward B. Keck Jr., DirectorW.M. Keck FoundationStephen M. Keck, Senior Vice PresidentTrust Company of the WestKent Kresa, Chairman EmeritusNorthrop Grumman Corp.John Kusmiersky, PresidentThe Brickstone CompaniesJ. Terrence Lanni, Chairman EmeritusMGM MirageDavid Lee, Managing General PartnerClarity PartnersJames P. Lower, PartnerHanna & Morton, LLPAlfred E. Mann, Chairman and CEOAdvanced Bionics Corp.Richard Merkin, President and CEOHeritage Provider NetworkCecil L. Murray, Pastor (Retired)First AME ChurchC. L. Max Nikias, PresidentUniversity of Southern CaliforniaHolly Robinson Peete, Co-FounderHollyRod FoundationSimon Ramo, Former ChairmanKSOM Board of OverseersEdward P. Roski Jr., President and CEOMajestic Realty Co.Cheryl Saban, Executive DirectorSaban Family FoundationKathryn SampleUniversity of Southern CaliforniaSteven B. Sample, President EmeritusUniversity of Southern CaliforniaSteven Spielberg, MemberUSC Board of TrusteesWendy Stark, EditorVanity FairGary L. Wilson, Chairman EmeritusNorthwest AirlinesSelim K. ZilkhaZilkha Biomass EnergyJane BrustAssociate Senior Vice President forHealth Sciences Public Relations & Marketingand Associate DeanE D I T O RIna FriedExecutive Director, Communicationsand MarketingA s s i s ta n t E d i t o rSara ReeveA R T D I R E C T I O NIE Design + CommunicationsHermosa Beach, CAC O N T R I B U T I N G W R I T E R SRyan Ball, Martin Booe, Tania Chatila,James Grant, Robin Heffler, Meghan Lewit,Sam Lopez, Jon Nalick, Katie Neith,Alana Klein Prisco, Leslie Ridgeway,Bryan Schneider, Carrie St. Michel,Imelda Valenzuela, Mary Ellen ZenkaC O N T R I B U T I N GP H O T O G R A P H E R SRyan Ball, Brook Photography,Philip Channing, Steve Cohn Photography,Patrick Davison, Steven Heller,Greg Mancuso, Don Milici, Brian Morri,Jon Nalick, Sara Reeve,Van Urfalian, Tony Yang, Bill YoungbloodP H O T O S E R V I C E S C O O R D I N AT O RMonica PadillaB U S I N E S S M A N A G E RElaine SawitskasD I S T R I B U T I O NEva Blaauw and Carol MatthieuKeck Medicine is published twice a year by theKeck School of Medicine of the University ofSouthern California. Articles, artwork and photographymay be reprinted only with permission.Please send all correspondence to:USC Health SciencesPublic Relations & Marketing1975 Zonal Ave., KAM 400Los Angeles, CA 90033-9029323-442-2830ina.fried@usc.eduPhoto by Pat Davison

Message from the DeanPhoto by Don MiliciCarmen A. Puliafito, M.D., M.B.A.DeanKeck School of Medicine of USCFriends and patients tell some of the best storiesof the Keck School of Medicine of USC.Friends like Eli and Edythe Broad, whose faith in our groundbreaking stem cellresearch has made possible a wonderful new building that encourages scientificfriends and colleagues to collaborate.Our story about the beautiful new $80 million Eli and Edythe Broad CIRMCenter for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at USC gives you insightinto what makes the building special and how the research conducted there willhelp save lives. The first new building to open on the USC Health Sciences Campussince the Harlyne J. Norris Cancer Research Tower in 2007, the stem cell center isthe result of a partnership between private philanthropists and the public CaliforniaInstitute for Regenerative Medicine.Patients like those in our cover story, who are suffering the ills of the urbanenvironment. And patients like the businesswoman with liver cancer who said, “Ihave three little boys, and they need their mommy.” Our patients challenge us tofind the origins of diseases and better ways to treat diseases or prevent them in thefirst place.Expediting new therapies from research concept through the lab, to the patientis the goal of the prestigious $56.8 million award described in our cover story. It exploresa huge coup for the Keck School and USC – the first Clinical and TranslationalScience Award from the National Institutes of Health to an institution in Los Angeles.Friends made the Concert to Cure Cancer one of the largest and most successful fundraisingevents in the history of the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center. Morethan $1 million raised by the event will go to Norris and the new USC Center forMolecular Pathways and Drug Discovery.USC Trustee Ming Hsieh expressed friendship and faith in USC when heannounced a gift of $50 million at the inauguration of USC’s new president, C. L. MaxNikias. The gift will establish a new Institute for Research on Engineering-Medicinefor Cancer, in which the Keck School and the USC Viterbi School of Engineeringwill collaborate.Molecular medicine and physical science will contribute to new cancer therapeuticsunder the direction of Dr. David Agus, with the support of a $24 million gift frommedia executive Sumner Redstone. A patient of Dr. Agus, Mr. Redstone said, “It isa privilege to be able to contribute to his groundbreaking work.”We are honored to care for our patients, and we treasure the support of our friends– including our good friend Dr. David Lee, who has generously given his time for thepast nine years to chair our Board of Overseers.We also celebrate another friend – John E. Bryson, whom we welcome as thenew chair of the Keck School of Medicine Board of Overseers. Mr. Bryson is aformer chairman and CEO of Edison International, the parent company of SouthernCalifornia Edison.We treasure your friendship, as well, and as always, I welcome your input and support.keck.usc.edu KECK MEDICINE 3

K In BriefA Quick Look at news from the KeckSchool of Medicine and honors forKeck faculty, students and alumni.N E W L E A D E R S H I PC. L. Max Nikias installedas 11 th president of USCBy Sara ReeveFrom left, Academic Senate President PeterConti, M.D., USC President C. L. Max Nikias,Ph.D., and Keck School of Medicine DeanCarmen A. Puliafito, M.D., M.B.A.“One of the fewcertainties of ourworld is that asthe pace of changeaccelerates, thelevel of uncertaintywill increase.”4 KECK MEDICINE | Winter 2011 IssueThe USC Health Sciences Campus was well represented during the installation of C. L. Max Nikias, Ph.D.,as the 11th president of USC in a ceremony Oct. 15 on the University Park Campus.A crowd of approximately 10,000 faculty, staff, students, alumni, community members and leaders assembledto witness the historic occasion at which President Nikias gave his broad vision to continue the university’supward trajectory into the heights of elite research universities.“One of the few certainties of our world is that as the pace of change accelerates, the level of uncertaintywill increase,” said Nikias. “But allow me to ask, what is uncertainty? In the proper light, my fellow Trojans,uncertainty is the beginning of adventure. And the ability to turn uncertainty to adventure, into a magnificentjourney forward, is what defines a Trojan.”Faculty from the Keck School of Medicine of USC were among 1,300 USC faculty wearing academic regaliafrom the schools where they received their degrees. As part of a colorful procession of hundreds of universitydelegates, a USC Hospitals delegation included 40 invited hospital administrators, nurses and physiciansfrom the four USC-affiliated hospitals − USC University Hospital, USC Norris Cancer Hospital, Los AngelesCounty+USC Medical Center and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. The Keck School physicians in thehospital delegation wore white coats, making them especially visible to the Trojan Family.The presidential party proceeded last, led by USC Academic Senate President Peter Conti, M.D., director ofthe USC PET Imaging Science Center and professor of radiology at the Keck School of Medicine. Conti is thefirst physician to serve as president of the USC Academic Senate and had the honor of carrying the University’smace, a ceremonial scepter symbolizing the authority of the Office of the President.Keck School of Medicine Dean Carmen A. Puliafito, M.D., M.B.A., marched with the party that led PresidentNikias and his family to the stage in Alumni Memorial Park. “This was a momentous occasion for everyone atUSC, including faculty, staff and students from both the University Park Campus and the Health SciencesCampus,” said Puliafito. “President Nikias has an inspiring vision for the future of medicine and health at USC,and I know that his presidency will inspire new forms of collaboration between the two campuses.”In a speech drawing on the classic story of Aeneas and his quest to build a new City of Troy, PresidentNikias outlined ambitious plans for the university, which include strengthening academic quality andimproving financial health. Among priorities for his administration are:• Give faculty the resources to fulfill their full potential while recruiting new interdisciplinary faculty superstars.• Strengthen the USC academic community to ensure that it is ready to explore the “new frontiers of humanprogress,” particularly the areas of medicine, biology and biotechnology.• By building interdisciplinary bridges, bring together the Health Sciences Campus and University ParkCampus to represent a unified USC, with “one character and one shared identity.”Photo by Steve Cohn

Photo by Sara ReeveU S C h o s p i ta l s r a n k e d a m o n g b e s tOphthalmology, pediatricsrank high; urology leapsahead of competitionT h e D o h e n y E y e I n s t i t u t e a n d C h i l d r e n s H o s p i ta l L o s A n g e l e s,both staffed exclusively by USC physicians, once again appeared in the nationaltop 10 in U.S. News & World Report magazine’s 21 st annual rankings of “America’sBest Hospitals.” New to the list was the urology service at USC UniversityHospital, which debuted in the rankings in 16 th place.The Doheny Eye Institute ranked eighth in ophthalmology based on recommendationsfrom specialists in ophthalmology for challenging cases and procedures.Children’s Hospital Los Angeles was one of only seven children’s hospitalsin the nation and the only pediatric medical center on the West Coast named tothe national “Honor Roll” of children’s hospitals in the United States. Pediatrichospital listings were published in June.The other hospital rankings, released July 15, are categorized by medicalspecialty, with the top 50 medical centers listed for most specialties.In addition to urology, USC University Hospital was ranked in four other specialties.The hospital ranked 20 th in neurology and neurosurgery − climbing 25 spotsfrom last year, 28 th in pulmonology, 29 th in gynecology and 31 st in orthopaedics.USC-affiliated Rancho Los Amigos ranked 17 th in rehabilitation, up one spotfrom last year.“I’m proud of our Keck School of Medicine faculty and the hospital staff whodid the hard work that made all of these rankings possible,” said Keck SchoolDean Carmen A. Puliafito, M.D., M.B.A. “This national recognition of theirdedication and professionalism is well deserved. I am especially proud of thefirst-time inclusion of the Department of Urology, under the leadership of Dr.Inderbir Gill, in these rankings.”The Best Hospitals guide ranked 152 medical centers nationwide out of 4,852hospitals in 16 specialties. The full list of hospital rankings and methodologyis also available online at http://www.usnews.com/besthospitals. The rankingswere published in the August issue of the magazine.Student named AMA Foundation Minority ScholarCianna Leatherwood, a second-year medical student at the Keck Schoolof Medicine of USC, was one of 13 medical students in the country namedby the American Medical Association Foundation as a2010 Minority Scholars Award recipient. She receiveda $10,000 scholarship in recognition of scholasticachievement and commitment to improvingminority health.Leatherwood began her experience withunderserved minority populations when shevolunteered for the Berkeley Free Clinic, whereshe was stunned to see the large percentage ofminorities among the homeless and uninsuredclientele. She pursued this interest in minorityhealth by working as a research assistant atthe Los Angeles County+USC MedicalCenter, investigating the effectiveness ofa tool designed to increase medicationawareness and compliance amongnon-English speaking and low healthliteracy patients.Keck School donation keepsMed COR program aliveBy Leslie RidgewayA nearly 40-year-old USC programdesigned to help high school studentsin underserved areas of Los AngelesCounty will remain open with ajoint donation of $150,000 fromthe Keck School of Medicine ofUSC and the Los Angeles UnifiedSchool District (LAUSD).The program, Med COR (MedicalCounseling, Organizing and Recruiting),was established in 1970 byJohn Davis, M.D., Med COR directorand professor of pediatrics at theKeck School. The goal then – to helpstudents of color get the education,exposure and experience they needto take on careers in the healthprofessions – has not changed, eventhough the reduction of funding willaffect how many students can participatein the program. LAUSD experiencedbudget difficulties dueto state reductions.The Keck School, under the directionof Dean Carmen A. Puliafito, M.D.,M.B.A., donated $75,000 to the program,which LAUSD agreed to match.“We’ve helped more than 4,000kids since Med COR was founded.Thanks to this donation, we’ll still beable to work with 400,” said Davis.The Keck School has providedin-kind support to the program inthe past, arranging for seminars andtutoring sessions to take place in USCbuildings for no cost.“This program has helped thousandsof young people not only makea decision to enter the medical profession,but also to get the educationand motivation they need to apply totop universities,” said Puliafito. “MedCOR must be sustained to continue togive that opportunity to these kids.”Four medical magnet high schools– Bravo Magnet, King Drew Magnet,Van Nuys Magnet and OrthopaedicMagnet – are participating in MedCOR this year.keck.usc.edu KECK MEDICINE 5

Dean establishes Community Leadership CouncilKeck School of Medicine Dean Carmen A.Puliafito, M.D., M.B.A., speaks with members ofthe new Dean’s Community Leadership Council,from left, Carlos Vaquerano, Roland Fargo andRichard Zaldivar.A new Dean’s Community Leadership Council is partnering with theKeck School of Medicine of USC to explore ways to improve healthservices that meet the needs of the surrounding community.“It’s important that we communicate with the community about whatwe’re doing and hear what the concerns of the community are on anongoing basis. So we would like to think of this as a forum to talk abouthealth care issues,” Keck School Dean Carmen A. Puliafito, M.D., M.B.A.,said May 27 at the first meeting of the Community Leadership Councilon the USC Health Sciences Campus.Glenn Ault, M.D., associate dean for clinical administration (LAC+USCMedical Center), briefed the council members about the medical schooland its historic relationship with the county hospital, which is the largestprovider of health care in Los Angeles County.“We want to hear from you, what your concerns are and how USCand the Keck School can help you,” Ault said.Photo by Brook Photography (top); Photo by Tania Chatila (center); Photo by Jon Nalick (right)From left, Tarek Salaway, Vaughn Starnes, M.D., Ray Matthews, M.D., Leslie Saxon,M.D., May Kim, M.D., Emma Wright and Fred Weaver, M.D., display a speciallyoutfitted ambulance used in the USC University Hospital rapid transport program.F O R S P E C I A LT Y C A R ENew service provides rapid transportBy Tania ChatilaA r a p i d t r a n s p o r tat i o n p r o g r a m at U S C U n i v e r s i t y H o s p i ta l i sg a i n i n g m o m e n t u m .The program is designed to transfer critically ill patients to USCUniversity Hospital for procedures or treatments that cannot be provided at theirhospital of origin.Ray Matthews, M.D., professor of clinical medicine at the Keck School ofMedicine, was integral in launching the program based on experience he had withsimilar initiatives at other hospitals. And now the program is seeing increased use,says Matthews.“We are very satisfied with the utilization of this program, and we are confidentit will only continue to grow over time,” says Matthews, adding that USC’s cardiovascularmedicine, vascular surgery, cardiothoracic surgery and neurosurgeryprograms use the transportation service now.As part of the program, USC University Hospital has contracted witha local ambulance company to provide transportation from Los Angelesareahospitals, using a specially outfitted ambulance emblazoned withthe hospital logo. A rapid admission process has also been created toensure there are no delays in patient care.USMLE scores continue to climbat Keck School By Ryan BallKeck students’ mean scores on theU.S. Medical Licensing Examination(USMLE) Part 1 continue on an upwardtrajectory, rising well above the nationalaverage. When the final scores from2009 came in, the average score forKeck’s class of 2011 reached 235, whilethe national mean hovered at 221.Keck students first began to breakaway from the pack in 2001 afterthe school implemented a new, fullyintegrated curriculum. Since then, theirUSMLE scores have improved from yearto year, finally hitting a plateau in 2007and 2008. Just when they seemed tobe leveling off, they shot up again.According to Allan Abbott, M.D.,associate dean for curriculum andcontinuing education at the KeckSchool, the students are simply betterprepared for the test now.The Year I-II medical school curriculumwas completely revised to enhancethe understanding and clinicalrelevance of the basic medical sciencesthat are taught, Abbott says. This andother factors, including more time fordirected self-study, small group learningand integration of clinical casescenarios that feature applications ofbasic sciences have helped studentsbetter prepare for the USMLE.keck.usc.edu KECK MEDICINE 7

F E AT U R E• $ 5 6 . 8 M i l l i o n F O R A D V A N C I N G U R B A N H E A LT HThomas A. Buchanan, M.D.,is principal investigator forthe Clinical and TranslationalScience Award.$56.8 Million forAdvancing Urban Health8KECK MEDICINE | Winter 2011 IssueNINIH award helps the Clinical and Translational ScienceInstitute translate research into improved patient careBy Alana Klein PriscoPhoto by Philip Channing

F E AT U R E• $ 5 6 . 8 M i l l i o n F O R A D V A N C I N G U R B A N H E A LT HPutting Urban Health FirstLike other members of the Clinical andTranslational Science Award consortium,the Los Angeles Basin Clinical andTranslational Science Institute (CTSI) iscommitted to strengthening connectionsbetween scientists in the lab andclinicians who interact with patients.But what makes this CTSI distinct is theunique patient demographic it serves.“While we are trying to support abreadth of health concerns, we havealso framed our CTSI to focus on diversepopulations, specifically highly urbaninner-city communities. That is whatsets us apart from other centers,” saysMichele Kipke, Ph.D., professor in thedepartments of Pediatrics and PreventiveMedicine at the Keck School of Medicineof USC and associate CTSI director forcommunity engagement.Some of the issues that affect urbancommunities include:• Communicable diseases• Mental health• Obesity• Health care access and quality• Risky behaviors• Environmental hazards“The goal is to eliminate the disparitiesthat exist between these populations andthe general population,” Kipke adds.For example, the following translationalprojects have already been supportedby the CTSI:1Health Problem: Relationship betweenchildhood obesity and leukemia.Opportunity: To understand whyoverweight children respond lessfavorably to leukemia treatmentthan non-overweight children.Translational Goal: To identify a drug targetthat could enhance the effectiveness ofleukemia therapy for overweight children.2Health Problem: The disparities in healthoutcomes between sickle cell anemiapatients in Los Angeles and patientselsewhere.Opportunity: To identify the barriers tohigh-quality care for patients with sicklecell disease in Los Angeles.Translational Goal: To improve access to careby providing policy makers with informationon how to reduce the barriers to care.3Health Problem: The relationship betweenair pollution and the prevalence of chronicdiseases in urban communities.Opportunity: To develop technology thatassesses individual ozone exposure for use instudies of air pollution and chronic disease.Translational Goal: A new research tool thatmeasures individualized ozone exposure.Keck School of Medicine diabetesresearcher Enrique Trigointerviews patient Susana Rodriguezas part of a study onthe genetics of beta cell failurein Mexican-Americans.medical research inmany disease areas andconditions, includingcancer, mental illness,neurological disorders,cardiovascular disease,diabetes and obesity.Funded by Clinicaland Translational ScienceAwards, members ofthe consortium share acommon vision to reducethe time it takes for laboratory discoveries to becometreatments for patients, to engage communitiesin clinical research efforts and to train clinical andtranslational researchers.“It’s a very competitive process to get funding atthis level. We’re excited to have this opportunityto bring different people, departments, schools andinstitutions together to improve health,” says ThomasA. Buchanan, M.D., principal investigator and directorof the CTSI. He is also associate dean for clinicalresearch at the Keck School of Medicine of USC.USC competed for the award against 38 otherinstitutions. Only nine institutions received grantawards this year, and the NIH has stated that itplans to implement a maximum of 60 Clinical andTranslational Science Awards overall.The broad interdisciplinary scope of the programand the community-wide participation producedwhat Puliafito calls “an extraordinarily strong grantapplication.” The application received a score of 12 ona scale of 10 to 90, where 10 is a perfect score.USC set itself apart from the competition byarticulating the institute’s commitment to serving adiverse and urban population and forming unique localPhoto by Philip Channing“The outcome of the Clinical and Translational Science Institute isexpected to be better health and wellbeing for the people ofCalifornia – a direct link to the goals of The California Endowment.We are pleased to partner with USC and other health andcommunity organizations in this innovative approach totranslating research findings directly into better health formembers of our urban community.”– Robert K. Ross, M.D., President and CEO, The California Endowment“We’re thrilled to partner with the CTSI in expanding theboundaries and possibilities of biomedical research. The movingimage, whether in the form of film, television, animation orinteractive media, is an incredibly powerful tool for reachingpatients and doctors in the community, and influencingattitudes, beliefs and behaviors toward healthier lives.”− Elizabeth Daley, Ph.D., Dean, USC School of Cinematic Arts10KECK MEDICINE | Winter 2011 Issue

F E AT U R E•partnerships. “We positioned our CTSI as not only an institute focused on healthresearch, but also as a partnership among some of the largest providers of healthcare in Los Angeles. We are working collaboratively with others on campus and offcampus, using L.A. as a real world laboratory to address issues that are important tothe community here,” Buchanan says.FA S T E R PA C E The CTSI’s ultimate mission is to connect basic scientists to clinicaland community researchers and practitioners to accelerate the pace at whichlaboratory discoveries are translated into practice.“It can take 20 years for the knowledge of a new discovery to get into generalpractice,” says Michele Kipke, Ph.D., associate CTSI director for communityengagement and professor in the departments of Pediatrics and PreventiveMedicine at the Keck School of Medicine. “That’s just too long if you think of howquickly science evolves. What was effective 20 years ago is antiquated now.”While the CTSI has already been successful at launching community researchand interdisciplinary projects on a small scale, large-scale funding from the new NIHaward will open the doors to development of a premier clinical and translationalinstitute with the potential for a very large impact on health research and care.“The Clinical and Translational Science Award provides the funding we need toexpand to full capacity,” says Buchanan.The CTSI has four main goals for this award. The first is to create an integratedacademic environment that promotes and supports clinical and translationalresearch. Eight schools – Medicine, Pharmacy, Engineering, Social Work, Law,Education, Cinematic Arts and Dentistry – are actively involved in the institute,as well as USC University Hospital and USC Norris Cancer Hospital. The CTSIprovides a variety of resources and services that support interdisciplinary researchand translation to clinical care.The second goal of the CTSI is to develop new translational teams and projects.Using priorities aligned with the Keck School of Medicine strategic plan and the healthneeds of the surrounding community, the institute is developing and providing pilotfunding to interdisciplinary teams to conduct basic, clinical and community research.Some interdisciplinary projects are currently under way. For example, leveragingtalent from the health sciences, engineering, cinema and informatics, facultymembers have developed an interactive computer game that helps autistic childrenbetter interact on an emotional level, one of the deficits of those with the disorder.“We’re not only developing innovative treatments, but also creating interactiveways (beyond what a health sciences enterprise would typically do) to achieve ourgoals,” says Carlos Pato, M.D., associate CTSI director for research development andchair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Keck School.The third goal of the CTSI is to expand USC’s network of professionals conductingclinical and translational research. Resources are being applied to training new basicCTSI PartnersAcademic PartnersUniversity of Southern California• Keck School of Medicine of USC• USC University Hospital• USC Norris Cancer Hospital• USC School of Cinematic Arts• Herman Ostrow School ofDentistry of USC• USC Rossier School of Education• USC Viterbi School of Engineering• USC Gould School of Law• USC School of Pharmacy• USC School of Social WorkChildren’s Hospital Los AngelesDoheny Eye InstituteClinical PartnersLos Angeles County Health SystemKaiser Permanente of SouthernCaliforniaCommunity Clinic Associationof Los Angeles CountyCommunity PartnersHealth FoundationsFaith CommunitySocial ServicesPolicy MakersElected OfficialsLay CommunityFor a complete list ofcommunity partners, seekeck.usc.edu/ctsi/community“The Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles Countyis excited to work with USC on its Clinical and TranslationalScience Institute. We look forward to working with USC onbridging the gap between community services and academia.The CTSI provides a structure through which we can learnfrom each other.”− Brian Nolan, CEO, Community Clinic Association of L.A. County“This is a significant award that is going to further our goal ofbecoming Los Angeles’ premier academic medical center. Theresearch this money is funding will help train the next generationof physicians and scientists, advance medical research, andtranslate our discoveries into better treatments for our patients.We will be seeing the positive effects of this clinical award fordecades to come.”− Mitch Creem, M.H.A., Chief Executive Officer, USC University Hospital andUSC Norris Cancer Hospitalkeck.usc.edu KECK MEDICINE 11

F E AT U R E• $ 5 6 . 8 M i l l i o n F O R A D V A N C I N G U R B A N H E A LT HCTSI Internal Oversight BoardRandolph W. Hall, Ph.D., Vice Provost,Research Advancement, USC (Chair)Marilyn Flynn, Ph.D., Dean, USC Schoolof Social WorkJeffrey Guterman, M.D., Director, ClinicalResource Management, Los AngelesCounty – Department of Health ServicesMiya Iwataki, Director, Office ofDiversity Programs, LAC Departmentof Public HealthMichael Kanter, M.D., Director, Quality andClinical Analysis, Kaiser Permanente ofSouthern CaliforniaSusan Mandel, Ph.D., CEO, Pacific Clinics(Mental Health)Brian Nolan, President and CEO, CommunityClinic Association of Los Angeles CountyD. Brent Polk, M.D., Vice President forAcademic Affairs and Chair of Pediatrics,Children’s Hospital Los Angeles; Chairof Pediatrics and Vice Dean for ClinicalAffairs, Keck School of MedicineCarmen A. Puliafito, M.D., M.B.A., Dean,Keck School of Medicine of USCAvishai Sadan, D.M.D., Dean, HermanOstrow School of Dentistry of USCMarvin Southard, D.S.W., Director, LACDepartment of Mental HealthR. Pete Vanderveen, Ph.D., R.Ph., Dean,USC School of PharmacyYannis Yortsos, Ph.D., Dean, USC ViterbiSchool of Engineeringand clinical researchers in team science. Two new training programs will supportpredoctoral students, postdoctoral associates and junior faculty as they pursue trainingin translational research. The CTSI also is developing Web-based educationalmaterials that will be accessible to faculty, trainees, staff and community partners.“We want to train people to work in an environment where scientists and cliniciansform teams to address important health problems, informed by the needs of ourcommunities,” Buchanan says. “It is a paradigm shift that will require new skills tocomplement traditional scientific knowledge and training.”U LT I M AT E R E Q U I R E M E N T The fourth goal is to share research findings withcare providers, health organizations and policy makers. “This step is the ultimaterequirement for translation,” Buchanan says. “This is why we have such a broadpartnership of institutions and health organizations in the CTSI. Our partnershipprovides us with a real opportunity to improve people’s health.”Currently, the CTSI has 30 community partners from a diversity of organizations,ranging from health practitioners from major health networks to nonprofits thathelp shape government policy. Many of these groups focus on a particular disease,demographic or cause.“They are the eyes and ears of our community. They let us know what the healthissues are, which can sometimes be different from what the academic communityperceives them to be,” says Buchanan.With three advisory groups in place that comprise community-based organizations,health care providers and USC faculty, respectively, the CTSI stays on top of thehealth priorities facing the community.For example, in one quarterly meeting, a community partner brought up the issueof health literacy and the challenges that arise when a patient cannot understandhow to manage his or her care because of a language barrier.“This is complicated when you live in Los Angeles, where many differentlanguages are spoken and where there are enormous disparities in peoples’ levelsof education,” Kipke says. “How we receive information is often filtered througha cultural lens. You can’t hand people who can barely read the same literature youwould give to someone with a high school diploma.”As more and more local organizations are learning about the CTSI’s mission,they want to get involved. The center is also proactively reaching out to “peoplewho are working in our communities that are in a position to take a leadership rolein helping us improve the health of this population,” Kipke says. She expects tosign on more partners in the near future. •“As a partner of CTSI, we collaborate and have a voiceto strategically plan together. As a member of severalother collaborations, I was mostly impressed withthe diversity of this partnership, university, hospitals,other nonprofits and grassroots groups who have theirpulse on their particular communities. We are honoredto participate.”− Sandra Figueroa Villa, Executive Director, El Centro del Barrio“The creation of the CTSI is a matter of ethical, as wellas practical importance. Beyond looking at the ethicsof clinical trials, the research ethics program within theCTSI aims to promote our ethical commitment to healthresearch that truly makes a difference in people’s lives.”− Alexander Capron, L.L.B., Scott H. Bice Chair in Healthcare, Lawand Ethics, USC Gould School of Law; Professor of Law andMedicine, Keck School of Medicine of USC12KECK MEDICINE | Winter 2011 Issue

F E AT U R E •Translational Leaders of TomorrowKathleen Page, M.D., assistant professor of clinicalmedicine at the Keck School of Medicine ofUSC, hopes to shed light on the causes of type2 diabetes in order to develop ways to preventit. As one of USC’s up-and-coming translationalscience leaders, Page focuses her researchspecifically on the risks associated with intrauterine gestationaldiabetes on developing obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovasculardisease in Hispanic youth.“There is a huge Hispanic population in Los Angeles withdiabetes, and in many of them, it is poorly controlled. If wecan find out why this disease happens, we can help mothershave better glucose control during pregnancy,” says Page.With the help of her mentor, Thomas A. Buchanan, M.D., andtwo grants, which provided the funding for this importantresearch, Page is on her way to making great contributionsto the field of diabetes.“Dr. Buchanan has shown me the way to be a leader and aclinical investigator,” says Page. “He has taken me under his wing,and together we are trying to build a translational program thatsupports a bench-to-bedside approach to diabetes research.”Page is just one of many individuals with a passion for studyingcomplex diseases in order to improve health. While theClinical and Translational Science Award grant has funds forrecruiting new translational scientists, there is an additionalneed for support, says Buchanan, principal investigator anddirector of the Los Angeles Basin Clinical and TranslationalScience Institute, headquartered at the Keck School.“Right now funding is limited for those who are interestedin taking time off of their clinical work or doctoral training tolearn translational science,” says Buchanan, who is also associatedean for clinical research. “We need funding for scholarships andstipends in order to create a new generation of scientists with thebrainpower and skill sets to go beyond studying basic science.”For information on how to sponsor young scientists and fellows,please contact Kurt.Hinrichsen@med.usc.edu or 323-442-1700.CTSI LeadershipPrincipal Investigator and CTSI DirectorThomas A. Buchanan,M.D., associate deanfor clinical research,professor of Medicineand chief of theDivision of Endocrinology& Diabetes, professor ofObstetrics & Gynecology and Physiology& Biophysics, Keck School of Medicineof USCAssociate CTSI DirectorsMichele Kipke, Ph.D., professor ofPediatrics and Preventive Medicine,Keck School, and Children’s HospitalLos AngelesCarlos Pato, M.D., Franz AlexanderProfessor and chair of Psychiatry,Keck SchoolOffice of Community EngagementDirector - Michele Kipke,Ph.D., professorof Pediatrics andPreventive Medicine,Keck School, andChildren’s HospitalLos AngelesOffice of Research DevelopmentDirector - Carlos Pato,M.D., Franz AlexanderProfessor and chair ofPsychiatry, Keck SchoolCenter for Scientific TranslationDirector - Roberta DiazBrinton, Ph.D., R. PeteVanderveen Chair inTherapeutic Discoveryand Development,Professor ofPharmacology and PharmaceuticalSciences, Biomedical Engineering andNeurology, School of PharmacyCenter for Human StudiesDirector - Fred Sattler,M.D., professorof Medicine andBiokinesiology and chiefof Infectious Diseases,Keck SchoolCenter for BiomedicalInformation SciencesDirector - Carl Kesselman,Ph.D., professor ofIndustrial and SystemsEngineering, USC ViterbiSchool of EngineeringCenter for Education, Trainingand Career DevelopmentDirector - Jonathan M. Samet,M.D., M.S., professorand Flora L. ThorntonChair, Department ofPreventive Medicine,Keck SchoolRegulatory Knowledgeand Support ProgramDirector - Frances Richmond,Ph.D., professor ofClinical Pharmacyand PharmaceuticalEconomics, School ofPharmacy, and director,Clinical and Regulatory Science, AlfredE. Mann Institute for BiomedicalEngineering at USCResearch Ethics ProgramDirector - AlexanderCapron, L.L.B., UniversityProfessor, Scott H. BiceChair in Healthcare, Lawand Ethics, USC GouldSchool of Law, andProfessor of Law and Medicine,Keck Schoolkeck.usc.edu KECK MEDICINE 13

F E AT U R E• N e w M e d i c i n e M o v e s I nNew Medicine Moves InNew home for stem cell research fosters collaboration,discoveries and expansion By Carrie St. MichelOutwardly, the Eli and Edythe Broad CIRM Center for RegenerativeMedicine and Stem Cell Research at USC is a striking, architecturaleye-catcher. From an interior perspective, facilitating collaborationdrove the design, with an eye toward catching the immensely promisingpotential of stem cell research.“I just like the whole building,” says a sincerelypleased Martin Pera, Ph.D., professor and foundingdirector of the Eli and Edythe Broad Center for RegenerativeMedicine and Stem Cell Research at USC.Pera, who observed firsthand the building’s transformationfrom rendering to reality, is a fan of both itsform and function. “With its black granite and glass,the building is very distinctive and modern looking,”he says. “In terms of layout, it’s extremely well-suitedto the functions of our scientists. I think it will bea fantastic work environment.”CONSTRUCTED FOR COLLABORATION And that work− clustered under the complex catchall of stem cellresearch − is the pressing priority shared by Pera andthe other preeminent investigators who now call thebuilding home. Given the inherent challenges thataccompany this ever-evolving field, the five-floored,87,500-square-foot facility was designed to give researchersa scientific leg up. That boost comes in theform of workspaces that feature flexibility and facilitatecollaboration.Pera, who joined the Keck School of Medicineof USC in 2006 and brought with him internationalrecognition for his pioneering work in the arena ofembryonic stem cell research, says the space wasstructured with expansion in mind.“As research groups grow, the layout can accommodatethat. There’s also flexibility in bench areas,” henotes. “If we want to convert what are basically desks14 KECK MEDICINE | Winter 2011 Issue

F E AT U R E•into lab benches, that can be done fairly easily.”The $80 million building − which was fundedthrough a $30 million gift from the Eli and EdytheBroad Foundation coupled with a $27 million grantawarded by the California Institute of RegenerativeMedicine (CIRM) and other monies donated throughprivate philanthropy − also dedicates interior real estatespecifically for stem cell research must-haves,including four core laboratories, as well as rooms setaside for cell culture and microscopy.While the world of scientific research is frequentlyfiercely competitive, the recently opened stem cellcenter was consciously constructed to foster collaboration.And, as Pera points out, collaboration iscrucial. “The potential of stem cell research is tremendous,but so are the challenges. We’ve broughttogether the best scientists, and the more they worktogether, the more everyone will benefit.”With synergistic benefits in mind, the building’sfloor plan is open and airy. “There’s a lot of interactionspace on every floor, and even out on balconies. Thewhole second floor is set aside for core labs and collaborativework to support researchers throughout Keck.”He adds, “It’s also available to researchers universitywidewho want to learn stem cell technologies.”WEALTH OF DISCOVERIES Leveraging those technologiesare top-notch researchers who currently number10 − a total that won’t stay static. “Over the nextcouple of years,” says Pera, “we’ll be adding anotherhalf-dozen investigators. We’re particularly lookingfor translational researchers who can work in the areasof clinical strength here at Keck.”Those strengths − which have earned USC facultymembers more than $85 million in CIRM funding− are many and already have resulted in a wealth ofweighty discoveries published in prestigious journals,including Cancer Research, Cell, Cell Stem Cell, DevelopmentalCell, Nature, Nature Biotechnology, and Proceedingsof the National Academy of Sciences. Among thearray of findings:• Gregor B. Adams, Ph.D., assistant professor of cell andneurobiology, identified a new signaling pathwaythat helps regulate the movement of bloodformingstem cells − a finding that providesimportant new insight regarding how stem cellscirculate throughout the body, insight that mayresult in more efficient bone marrow transplants.methods of developing stem cells directly frompatients. Additionally, under the auspices of theUSC Center for Molecular Pathways and DrugDiscovery, a joint venture with the USC NorrisComprehensive Cancer Center, Kahn and Heinz-Josef Lenz, M.D., professor of medicine andpreventive medicine, are looking to uncover drugsthat act on signaling pathways common to stemcells in cancer. One drug has entered clinical trials.• Wange Lu, Ph.D., assistant professor of biochemistry andmolecular biology, identified a novel mechanismin the regulation and differentiation of neuralstem cells. These findings could have importantimplications for regenerative medicine anddisease therapies, because neural stem cellspotentially can be used for cell-replacementtherapy in patients with Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s,spinal cord injuries and brain cancer.• Francesca Mariani, Ph.D., assistant professor of cell andneurobiology, conducted a study that forms thefoundation for future studies focusing on limbregeneration.• Martin Pera, Ph.D., professor and founding director, Eli andEdythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and StemCell Research at USC, as a member of the steeringcommittee that directs a global consortium calledthe International Stem Cell Initiative, helpedestablish the standards that define a pluripotentstem cell. Another major work focused on thegenetic stability of stem cell lines − a factor thatis paramount to their safe use. Additionally, Peraserved as co-investigator on a successful USCCIRM Disease Team application to develop anembryonic-stem-cell-based treatment for maculardegeneration.• Qi-Long Ying, Ph.D., assistant professor of cell andneurobiology, was the first person to derive authenticembryonic stem cells from rats. This breakthroughfinding will enable scientists to create far moreeffective animal models for studying a wide range ofdiagnoses, including cancer, diabetes, hypertension,addiction and autoimmune diseases. This is a majordevelopment in stem cell research because − inmany aspects of biology − rats are much more closelyrelated to humans than are mice, which until nowhave been the animal model. Using this technique,Ying additionally was successful in achievingtargeted, genetic modifications.“It has only been adozen years sincehuman embryonicstem cells werediscovered, andyet we are alreadymoving intoclinical trials.”–Martin Pera, Ph.D.Photo by Steve Cohn• Michael Kahn, Ph.D., Provost’s professor of medicineand pharmacy, isolated the mechanism of action inregulation of pluripotent stem cells (which canbecome any kind of tissue in the body) by Wntproteins. The discovery will lead to improvedThe most recent recruits to Pera’s core group ofinvestigators are Mohamed Pashmforoush, M.D.,Ph.D., assistant professor of medicine, and Henry M.Sucov, Ph.D., associate professor of biochemistry andkeck.usc.edu KECK MEDICINE 15

F E AT U R E•Rosa Dilani, histologycore manager at the Eliand Edythe Broad CIRMCenter, describes the lab’sfunction to the Broads.Also listening in are U.S.Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard(in purple) and CIRMChairman Robert Klein(in gray suit).Martin Pera, Ph.D.molecular biology, cell and neurobiology. Both bringwith them heart-development expertise that theywill apply to the emerging field of cardiovascular regenerativemedicine.“Going forward, our stem cell research programwill focus on areas of clinical research strength at theKeck School, including ophthalmology, gastroenterology,cardiovascular medicine, hematology and oncology,”Pera says.IMPRESSIVE PROGRESS Commenting on the globalstate of stem cell research, Pera is unquestionablyupbeat. “It’s actually quite amazing when you thinkabout it. It has only been a dozen years since humanembryonic stem cells were discovered, and yet we arealready moving into clinical trials. That’s a remarkablyfast time frame for what is essentially a brandnew technology.”On a more local level, Pera is equally enthusiastic.“I’m excited about how our program has grownand the successes that the individual investigators arehaving in their research. I think that USC is in a greatposition to make some leading contributions as wego forward.” •‘ G r e e n ’ B u i l d i n g C o m b i n e sA e s t h e t i c s a n d F u n c t i o nBy Meghan LewitCutting edge research needs a homethat’s on the cutting edge of innovation.Standing five stories high, the sleekblack granite and glass Eli and EdytheBroad CIRM Center for RegenerativeMedicine and Stem Cell Research atUSC combines aesthetics and functionin a way that pushes the boundaries ofdesign, as well as science.A certified “green” building, the87,500-square foot center has glassfacades running the full length of thebuilding. It is designed to house researchteams in flexible, open lab spaces thatare bathed in natural light.The center is the first building on theUSC Health Sciences Campus to receive asilver Leadership in Energy and EnvironmentalDesign (LEED) designation basedon the structure’s unique eco-friendlyKECK MEDICINE | Winter 2011 Issuefeatures. A double-glazed “curtain wall”on the east side of the building allowsventilation in the cavity, reducing heatgain in warmer temperatures and creatingan insulating barrier when it is cool. Thewest-facing wall uses a special low-ironglass and is fitted with translucent glassfins that block sun glare while still maintainingviews to an adjacent courtyard.The unique glazing system maximizesnatural light in both the office andlaboratory environments, while controllingglare and heat gain and dramaticallyreducing electrical demand. The buildingalso utilizes an innovative chilledbeam HVAC system, which will use waterinstead of air to cool the space, reducingenergy consumption by more than30 percent and improving the air qualityand occupant comfort within laboratoryand office areas.“The project team consisting of ZGFArchitects and Morley Construction wasgiven a challenge to design and build astate-of-the-art research facility,” saidWilliam Marsh, building project managerfor USC Capital Construction Development.“The result is a building that isstunning and incorporates innovativeenergy-efficient design.”The building design is also intended tohelp stimulate synergy between researchdisciplines and shared work and socialspaces, said Ted Hyman, FAIA, partnerat Los Angeles-based ZGF Architects LLP.The lab space design includes a flexiblemodular furniture system and moveablewall partitions. This “neighborhood” labconcept allows easy interaction betweenlabs, while creating more intimate groupingswithin the open lab plan, Hyman said.“The scientific community at the stemcell center will be performing highly collaborativeresearch; therefore it is imperativethat the design approach maximizeboth the functional flexibility and thecollaborative environment,” he said.Photo Photo by Mark by Steve Harmel Cohn (top); Photo by Jon Nalick (left)

Photos by Steve CohnOpeningBrings HopeStem cell research at Eli and EdytheBroad CIRM Center holds promisefor life-saving cures By Imelda ValenzuelaCalifornia Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger joined USCadministrators, trustees, elected public officials andover 150 invited guests in the much-anticipated dedicationand ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Eli andEdythe Broad CIRM Center for Regenerative Medicineand Stem Cell Research at USC.“Behind me we see this beautiful building withgreat architecture, but this is much more than justbricks and mortar,” said Schwarzenegger. “This is aninstitute of hope – hope for millions of people whosuffer from Alzheimer’s, from cancer, from AIDS,from Parkinson’s disease and many other diseases.Here, 18 of the finest scientists in the world alongwith their research teams will expand the frontiers ofscience and medicine in pursuit of life-saving cures.”USC President C. L. Max Nikias, Ph.D., and KeckSchool of Medicine of USC Dean Carmen A. Puliafito,M.D., M.B.A., hosted the Oct. 29 dedication ceremony.Puliafito introduced the governor by recognizinghis courage in supporting stem cell research. “In thefall of 2004, the future of stem cell research in thiscountry was in great peril. It took great courage forthe newly elected governor of California to opposethe policy of his party and his President by supportingthe Stem Cell Research and Cures Initiative(Proposition 71). Our governor supported the preservationof human life and the reversal of disability bysupporting the promise of stem cell research.”Nikias said, “This new center carries out our promiseto society. In the future historians will search forthe turning point in the age of medicine and biology.And when they do, they will look to this place, theywill look to this time, they will look to this CIRM(California Institute for Regenerative Medicine) center,and they will look to Eli and Edythe Broad. Andthey will see that what we have done together haschanged not only this university, but also the world.”Eli and Edythe Broad, the building’s namesakesand primary donors, gave $30 million toward its development,which stands as one of the largest giftsgiven to the Keck School in recent years.“There’s no question that stem cell research hasFrom left, Keck School of Medicine Dean Carmen A. Puliafito, M.D., M.B.A.,California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Broad Foundation founders Edythe andEli Broad, CIRM Chair Robert Klein and USC President C. L. Max Nikias, Ph.D.,formally open the new center.the potential to revolutionize medicine,” said EliBroad. “I truly believe that biotechnology is one ofthe areas that are the economic future of this city andthis state. We want to be a magnet for biotech talentand business so we all have high expectations for thisnew center for stem cell research and regenerativemedicine here at USC.”Originally conceived in 2005, the project is theproduct of a public-private partnership between theKeck School, The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation,and California’s voter-created CIRM.“The definition of ‘possible’ has changed,” saidRobert Klein, CIRM chairman, Independent Citizens’Oversight Committee, and author of the Californiaballot initiative that launched CIRM. “The stemcell revolution has begun. Let us recognize, celebrateand thank the great scientistsand post-docs and grad studentswho are the real heroes in thisfundamental struggle againsthistory’s plight of mankind withchronic disease,” he said.Other notables in attendanceincluded: U.S. CongresswomanLucille Roybal-Allard; CaliforniaState Sen. Art Torres (ret.);Edward Roski, chair, USCBoard of Trustees; and USC Trustees MalcolmCurrie, Ph.D., David Lee, Ph.D., Al Mann, HarlyneNorris and Lorna Reed.“You will see today that our new building is notonly a first-class research facility, but also a stunningarchitectural statement,” said Martin Pera, Ph.D.,founding director of the Eli and Edythe Broad Centerfor Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Researchat USC. “As we work together, Los Angeles can betruly a world-class center for regenerative medicine.”Donors Jeffrey andJohanna Gunter arehonored with the namingof a conference room.Donor Joyce Cammilleriis toasted on the bridgenamed for her. From left,Cammilleri, Niki Nikias,Dean Puliafito and PresidentNikias.keck.usc.edu KECK MEDICINE 17

F E AT U R E•Event chairs for A Concert to Cure Cancer, from left, producer Michael Wimer, architect Marc Appleton,actress Joanna Kerns, writer-director-producer Peter Tolan and producer Leslie Tolan applaud RachaelWorby, conducted the Pasadena POPS orchestra at the gala.$1 Million forNorris Cancer ResearchSuccessful Concert to Cure Cancer brings friends, fun and funds By Imelda ValenzuelaMore than $1 million is fueling innovative cancer research at the USC NorrisComprehensive Cancer Center following one of the largest and most successfulfundraising events in the cancer center’s history.A Concert to Cure Cancer drew 420 guests in support of USCNorris and the new USC Center for Molecular Pathways andDrug Discovery Center. Held Sept. 26 at the Hyatt RegencyCentury Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles, the event honored thework of Heinz-Josef Lenz, M.D., and Michael Kahn, Ph.D., codirectorsof the new USC research center. The Pasadena POPSorchestra, conducted by Rachael Worby, headlined the event.“I hope we’re going to have a lot of laughter this evening,because even though this is an event about cancer, moreimportantly it’s about beating cancer and it’s about life,” saidemcee Peter Tolan in his opening remarks.Tolan, an award-winning writer, director and producer, holdstelevision credits that include Murphy Brown, The Larry SandersShow and most recently Rescue Me, and also wrote the screenplays tomotion pictures including Analyze This and America’s Sweethearts.Tolan and his wife, Leslie, were event chairs, initiating the1. From left, actor James Caan, USC NorrisAdvisory Board member Marshall Ezralow,Keck School Dean Carmen A. Puliafito, M.D.,M.B.A. 2. USC Norris Comprehensive CancerCenter Director Peter Jones with his wife,Veronica Jones, left, and USC Trustee andNorris Advisory Board Chair Harlyne J.Norris. 3. From left, front row, Lisa Holmes,patient Annette Cook and Becca Hartmeier; backrow, Stan Cook and Brian Holmes in a Smartcar that Hartmeier’s bid won in the auction. 1218 KECK MEDICINE | Winter 2011 Issue3Photos by Steve Cohn

F E AT U R E•Faster Treatmentand Recoveryfor CancerIntraoperative radiotherapy following breast lumpectomyspeeds recovery, reduces cost By Mary Ellen ZenkaIntraoperative radiotherapy allowed CathyFriedman to keep running.Dennis R. Holmes, M.D.,with the Intra Beamdevice, which can delivera targeted dose ofradiation during surgery.22KECK MEDICINE | Winter 2011 IssueHelping people face personal difficulties is the goal ofthe trauma and crisis intervention organization whereCathy Friedman is associate director. Last January,Friedman faced her own crisis – she was diagnosedwith breast cancer.“It came as a total surprise,” says Friedman. “I hadabsolutely no risk factors. No one in my family everhad breast cancer. I am a vegetarian who exercisesregularly, and I breast-fed my children.”She knew she needed surgery and was informedabout the standard six weeks of post-surgical radiation,but she did not want to endure the long treatmentand recovery process, and miss running in the LosAngeles Marathon. A runner for 30 years, she hasraced in the marathon for the past five years.Friedman was referred to Dennis R. Holmes,M.D., director of intraoperative radiotherapy andbreast surgeon at USC Norris Comprehensive CancerCenter and Hospital. Holmes explained to Friedmanthat because her type of cancer allowed for breastconservation, she would have the option of enteringthe TARGIT Trial – an international clinical trial ofintraoperative radiotherapy.“Rather than the typical multi-week course of radiation,the cancer site receives radiotherapy immediatelyafter tumor removal using a device called theIntra Beam, manufactured by Carl Zeiss Meditec,”explains Holmes, who is assistant professor of clinicalsurgery at the Keck School of Medicine of USC.“The Intra Beam is directed into the breast and canprecisely dispense radiation to the targeted area. Theprocedure takes as little as 17 minutes as compared tothe usual 30-35 days over six weeks.”Standard radiation covers the full breast and cancause injury to surrounding organs and the skin of thebreast. The advantage of intraoperative radiation isthat a lower dose can be used because the radiationis administered to the interior of the breast and doesnot pass through the skin. Intraoperative radiationalso permits the temporary insertion of internal radiationbarriers to protect the underlying heart and lungfrom the effects of radiation.An added benefit is the reduced cost of treatment –one-third to one-half the cost of standard radiotherapy.“More than 2,200 patients around the world havereceived this new form of radiotherapy with excellentresults. Cancer recurrence rates using intraoperativeradiotherapy are statistically equivalent to standard radiationtechniques,” Holmes says. He is upbeat aboutwhat this means for improving treatment for women.“USC Norris is now a leading institution, and theonly one in Southern California, for both defining thefuture of this technology and expanding the trial forpatients who might not have qualified for the TAR-GIT trial,” Holmes says.For Friedman, the choice was simple. The intraoperativetherapy option was quick with none of the sideeffects commonly experienced with standard radiation.“I took one week off to recover from my procedure,and I returned to my marathon training activitiesthe next week. I am so pleased to have found Dr.Holmes,” Friedman says. “His caring demeanor andrecommendation for my inclusion in the TARGITTrial calmed my breast cancer crisis – something Itruly value.” •For further information or an appointment, contactHolmes’ referral coordinator at 323-865-3628.Photo by Philip Channing (left); Photo by Greg Mancuso (top)

F A C U LT Y P R O F I L E •Helping Patients Walk,Run and Play By Martin BooePhoto by Philip ChanningD a n i e l A . O a k e s remembers the exact momentwhen he set his sights on becoming an orthopaedicsurgeon. As a resident doing a rotation in orthopaedics,he assisted in knee replacements for an elderlywoman whose mobility was severely compromisedby rheumatoid arthritis. A day later, he saw her makingher way down the hallway − on a walker, yes, butmoving more nimbly than she had in years.“There was the biggest smile on her face,” Oakesrecalls. “Her quality of life had been restored, andI’ll never forget how thrilled she and her family were,how grateful. I was hooked.”Oakes became director of the USC Joint ReplacementProgram and associate professor of clinical orthopaedicsat the Keck School of Medicine of USC inMarch 2010, and he feels like a kid in a candy shop.“The beauty of practicing in a surgery care centerlike this is having the institutional support in anesthesiologyand physical therapy. USC has a long history ofexcellence in joint replacement surgery, and my goal isto continue that tradition and establish us as a center ofexcellence for joint replacement,” he says. “We wantto become a destination for our surrounding community,a place people know they can go for more seriousproblems. We’re doing a high volume of revision surgeries– in other words, we didn’t create the problemsbut we fix them – and that backup [from other departments]enables us to take on more difficult cases.”Oakes is no stranger to Southern California, norto USC. He was a member of the Keck School facultyfrom 2004 to 2006 before serving as chief of theUCLA Joint Replacement Service and assistant professorof orthopaedic surgery. At UCLA, he developeda thriving joint replacement division and wasa leader in resident education. He returned to theTrojan family in 2010.Oakes was born in Boston but grew up in the BayArea. A Harvard Medical School graduate, he completedhis residency training and a research fellowshipin orthopaedic surgery at UCLA Medical Center.Oakes completed an adult reconstruction fellowshipat the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.His wife, Vanessa Walker-Oakes, is an art historianwho teaches Advanced Placement Art History and is thedirector of college counseling at the Flintridge PreparatorySchool in La Cañada. The couple has four young sons.Oakes saw dramatic advances in hip and knee replacementprocedures during his residency, and thepace of change has only accelerated since then. The useof less invasive surgical approaches in conjunction withregional anesthetic protocols, rather than general anesthesia,has helped to better control post-operative pain,improve early mobility and shorten hospital stays.The patient demographic requiring total joint replacementsurgery is changing, as patients are younger,more active and have high functional expectationsafter surgery. Treatment of the younger patient is anongoing area of research.Infections after a hip or knee replacement are oneof the most feared complications (national infectionrate is 0.5 percent). The USC Joint Replacement Programhas tremendous experience in caring for thesepatients with good success.“The lesson learned from these cases is that more attentionneeds to be given to prevention. While we knowhow to treat infection cases, we are becoming even betterat preventing them from occurring,” Oakes says.“There’s a lot of satisfaction knowing your patientsare going to get better with the right operation, andthat’s what I love about joint replacement surgery,”he says. “Part of the challenge is that people’s expectationsare so much higher. Performing activitiesof daily living and walking without pain used to beconsidered a success. Our patients today are muchmore active than their predecessors. Now they wantto ride 100-mile bike rides and play in competitivetennis tournaments. We’re always striving to improveto keep up with increasing inpatient expectations.”As for Oakes’ extracurricular activities: well, hehas those four young boys, ages 1 to 11. Spare time?“What’s that?” he jokes. •For a joint replacement consultation, contact 323-442-5860or uscjointreplacement@health.usc.edu.Daniel Oakes, M.D.,brings a wealth ofexperience in replacingdeteriorated joints, suchas hips, with state-ofthe-artprostheses.keck.usc.edu KECK MEDICINE 23

S T U D E N T P R O F I L E•Learning Patient Care – While Being One By Jon NalickKeck medical studentJosh Lilienstein bringshis own experience as acancer survivor to hiswork with patients.24 KECK MEDICINE | Winter 2011 IssueI f d o c t o r s m a k e t h e w o r s t p at i e n t s ,Keck School of Medicine student Joshua Liliensteinbelieves the converse may also be true − that patientsmake the best doctors.The 31-year-old Los Angeles resident says that beingable to experience medical care from a patient’sperspective viscerally underscores the importance ofcompassion and empathy.“Being a patient for a long time certainly helpedme understand that”in a way that no classor textbook ever could,he says.And he shouldknow: Lilienstein wasdiagnosed in 2006 withan aggressive form oftesticular cancer thatprompted gruelingrounds of chemotherapy,multiple surgeriesand hospitalizations,derailed his studiesand nearly took his life.During the years hefought the disease, herepeatedly faced frustrationsas a patient that informed his understandingof how to become a better doctor. Among these wasthe difficulty in managing the complexity of his owncare, which he received from multiple physicians andcancer centers over an extended period of time.“As a result of my care being so fragmented, at anumber of junctures, critical pieces of informationslipped through the cracks, leading to dangerous andsometimes life-threatening situations. Since none ofmy medical records could be transmitted electronically,I had to constantly be aware of keeping it all− huge stacks of paper and dozens of compact diskscontaining imaging files − together and up to date, allwhile being so sick that I could often hardly get outof bed,” he says.He notes that while his doctors did their best tostay on top of his complex illness, “it often fell to myfamily and me to make sure that nothing fell throughthe cracks. I really learned about the importance ofgood communication between physicians. In a worldwhere patients are mobile and the practice of medicineincreasingly depends on specialists, we as physicianshave to get exponentially better at communicatingwith each other and with our patients.”Lilienstein adds that his experience has made hima strong proponent of creating a national electronicmedical record, “which has the potential to drasticallydecrease the amount of redundant tests performedand help ensure that critical information doesn’t getlost in the shuffle.”Lilienstein says that being a patient for so long conferssignificant advantages, as well as disadvantages.For example, he says, “I’ve been able to use myexperience to encourage patients to advocate forthemselves in ways that they didn’t know were possible,and I have been able to alert doctors to issuesthat they didn’t know were important.”On the downside though, Lilienstein sometimesstruggles to maintain the emotional distance physiciansneed to treat their patients.“One of our jobs as doctors is to take our personallives out of the equation and focus on what [the patients]need. But there are times when I have difficultmoments and kind of flash back to my ownsituation,” which can make delivering objectiveinformation about patients’ medical options moredifficult, he says.Lilienstein, now performing his internal medicinerotation in his third year of medical school, has beencancer-free for more than a year.Looking back on his time as a patient, he describeshis experience as “an absolute curse, but strangelyand perversely enough, kind of a blessing.” Beyondthat, he adds, “It has certainly made my life moreinteresting and has left me even more dedicated tobecoming a great doctor.” •Photo by Philip Channing

D E V E L O P M E N T•C R E AT I V E C O L L A B O R AT I O NMing Hsieh donates $50 millionto establish research institute onengineering-medicine for cancerUSC Trustee Ming Hsieh announces a$50 million gift establishing the USCMing Hsieh Institute for Research onEngineering-Medicine for Cancer.Mini Medical Schoolset for March 24The Keck School ofMedicine ParentsAssociation will hostthe second MiniMedical School onThursday, March 24,from 1-5 p.m. inMayer Auditorium.The half-day eventwill include a receptionwith light refreshments,faculty presentationsand a tour ofthe Health SciencesCampus plus LAC+USCMedical Center.Watch for details orcontact the Keck Officeof Alumni Relations,626-457-4076,crwagner@usc.edu.26 KECK MEDICINE | Winter 2011 IssueUSC Trustee and alumnus Ming Hsieh announceda substantial gift at the Oct. 15 inaugural ceremonyfor USC President C. L. Max Nikias, Ph.D., on theUniversity Park Campus.“On this day of celebration,” Hsieh said, “I announcemy support of USC and the leadership ofPresident Nikias with a gift of $50 million for theinception of an interdisciplinary research institutethat will bring together the best engineers, scientistsand physicians in the battle against cancer.”The new gift will establish the USC Ming HsiehInstitute for Research on Engineering-Medicinefor Cancer. “This institute will accelerate the paceof getting the new medicines from the lab to thecancer patients,” Hsieh continued. “It will bridgethe disciplines and bridge this campus and the USCHealth Sciences Campus.”Expressing thanks for the gift, President Nikiassaid, “This kind of creative collaboration is our besthope for dealing with this devastating disease. On apersonal level, I am deeply moved that Ming Hsiehchose to make this visionary gift commitment on theday of my inauguration.”Keck School of Medicine of USC Dean CarmenA. Puliafito, M.D., M.B.A., noted that the donationwill help Keck and other USC researchers in theirquest to translate cancer discoveries into effectivetherapies for patients.“The fight against cancer has gained a powerfulally in Ming Hsieh,” Puliafito said. “This giftillustrates the critical synergy of health care andtechnology that has the potential to dramaticallychange the lives of cancer patients. We are gratefulfor his visionary gift.”The gift was Hsieh’s second multimillion dollardonation to USC. The China-born founder ofPasadena-based Cogent Inc. had previously donated$35 million to name the electrical engineering departmentin the Viterbi School of Engineering.Viterbi Dean Yannis Yortsos, Ph.D., said, “Workingwith our colleagues at the Keck School andelsewhere at USC, gifted engineering faculty andstudents working on nanotechnology will utilizetheir remarkable talent and expertise to attackcancer and hopefully lead to effective cures. Withthis transformative gift we are positioned to becomeworld leaders in the field.”The endowment will be used to support researchand development, both at the bench and clinicalscales, in the burgeoning field of nanomedicine forcancer. A fundamental component of research willbe on nanoscale delivery platforms. Encapsulatingnanoparticles and other promising applications ofnanotechnology will be pursued. New advances willalso be sought in biomedical imaging that will helpdetermine the delivery and targeting efficiencies ofthese treatments. In parallel, clinical research will beconducted to assess the efficacy of the resulting drugdelivery with in vivo studies.The institute will bridge research from engineeringand medicine. The recently launched programHTE@USC (Health, Technology and Engineeringat USC) between the two schools has already laida strong foundation for such collaborations and willbe leveraged to augment educational and trainingopportunities for medical and doctoral students whoparticipate in the institute’s research.“Ming Hsieh is an exemplary trustee and alumnus,”said Edward P. Roski Jr., chairman of the USCBoard of Trustees. “His generous gifts continueto advance the university and improve the lives ofpeople in our community, nation and world.”Ming Hsieh was born and raised in northernChina and worked his way to USC, where he earneda Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineeringin 1983 and a Master of Science degree inelectrical engineering in 1984. In 1987, he foundedAMAX Technology and in 1990 founded thePasadena-based Cogent Inc., which revolutionizedautomated fingerprint identification.Photo by Jon Nalick

H O N O R I N G D O N O R SPhoto by Steve Cohn (left); Photo by Brian Morri (right)Gifts inspire and improve By Imelda ValenzuelaThe USC Health Sciences Campus celebrated over $20 million in recent gifts andpledges and honored 24 prominent donors at an Oct. 6 invitation-only reception.USC President C. L. Max Nikias, Ph.D., recognized the donors for their generoussupport of the Keck School of Medicine of USC, the USC Norris ComprehensiveCancer Center and Hospital, and the USC University Hospital.“The Keck School of Medicine of USC would not be the great school it is todaywithout your exemplary support,” said Nikias as he thanked the donors. “Our hospitalswould not be able to provide the highest standards of excellent care without yoursupport. Your gifts inspire our entire community to work harder, to reach for highergoals to improve and save lives here in Los Angeles and around the globe.”Keck School Dean Carmen A. Puliafito, M.D., M.B.A., hosted the reception. “Theresearch money, the money that you supply, helps us with conquering cancer, withFrom left, USC President C. L. Max Nikias, Ph.D., and his wife, Niki Nikias, withdonors Nancy and Carlton Spencer.new drugs, with new treatments, with new research facilities, with progress againstthe most debilitating diseases of our world including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s andcardiac disease,” Puliafito said. “It will help train new physicians and create for ushere an academic medical center environment second to none. It’s been an excitingtime to be at USC, and the excitement has just begun.”Several donors have generously supported USC for decades, and some aregrateful patients who were recently treated at one of the USC-owned hospitals.Carlton Spencer was one of those patients. Spencer’s wife, Nancy, told her husband’sstory at the event. Three years ago, during a routine examination, his primarycare physician, Skip Barber, M.D., a Keck School graduate, discovered that Spencer’sheart was showing signs of extreme distress. Barber immediately referred Spencerto Vaughn A. Starnes, M.D., Hastings Distinguished Professor and chairman of theDepartment of Surgery, H. Russell Smith Foundation Chair for Cardiovascular ThoracicResearch, and surgeon-in-chief of the USC University Hospital and USC NorrisCancer Hospital. Spencer was admitted into heart surgery two days after his physical.Now fully recovered, Spencer, with his wife, donated $125,000 to the Keck Schoolfor primary care scholarships in honor of Barber.William H. Ahmanson, president of the Ahmanson Foundation and a leader inthe Los Angeles philanthropic community, also spoke at the event. “Los Angeles isfast becoming a destination city for health care,” said Ahmanson. “The Keck Schoolof Medicine is on the forefront of that industry. That’s why the Ahmanson Foundationhas such a strong tie to this school, because they are healing Los Angelenos andthey’re healing Americans.”Phil Manning M.D., left, emcee of theKeck School of Medicine 50-Year FellowsLuncheon, congratulates Norman Levan,M.D., on the Crystal K Award.Former department chair donates$2 million for medical ethics studyA gift of $2 million by former departmentchair Norman Levan, M.D., willsupport studies in medical ethics at theKeck School of Medicine of USC.An announcement of the Dr. NormanLevan Chair for Medical Ethics wasone of the highlights of the school’s50-Year Fellows Luncheon. Keck SchoolDean Carmen A. Puliafito, M.D.,M.B.A., presented the Crystal K Awardto Levan, in recognition of his gift toendow the chair.“Your commitment to ethicalbehavior by physicians is really a truecommitment to community service, todoing the right thing,” Puliafito saidin thanking Levan, the first chairmanof the Department of Dermatology.“We have a special program in medicalhumanities, and your chair will makeit possible for us to recruit a great newleader in this very important area.”Levan recounted his good fortune inknowing all the deans of the medicalschool since 1955. “It was a wonderfulexperience,” he said. “The deans gaveme a great deal of freedom to experimentwith all kinds of innovations; forexample, we had the first coursesin medical humanities and the firstcourses in medical ethics.”A Trojan alumnus, Levan contributeda major gift creating the USC NormanLevan Institute for Humanities andEthics in 2007.Levan originally enrolled as anEnglish major at USC. After earning hisM.D., he served in the Army MedicalCorps before opening a private practiceand returning to the university as avoluntary member of the medicalfaculty. From 1961-81 he chaired USC’sDepartment of Dermatology.The 50-Year Fellows Luncheon inthe Harry and Celesta Pappas Quadwelcomed medical school alumni whograduated 50 or more years ago, alongwith faculty members who taught them.keck.usc.edu KECK MEDICINE 27

Eli Dubrow, trustee representing the Georgeand Zelda Walker Trust, talks with NedaRoosta, one of 30 Keck School of Medicinestudents to receive scholarships from the trust.Students thank Walker Trustfor scholarships By Imelda ValenzuelaSome $300,000 in scholarships awarded to 30 KeckSchool of Medicine of USC students from the George andZelda Walker Trust were celebrated at a reception at theEdmondson Faculty Center on Sept. 29.The students received the scholarships in $10,000increments from the trust.George and Zelda Walker attended USC in the early1930s, married and lived in Pasadena. George Walker,who passed away in 1975, had a successful career in theinsurance business and, as an insurance provider for theCalifornia Hospital Association, became closely involvedwith the health care industry. Through this involvement,he and Zelda (who died in 2004) decided to dedicate aportion of their trust to the Keck School.“I stand here mostly to express my sincere gratitude onbehalf of the entire Keck School family for the generosityand the visionary gift that the Walker Trust has been ableto provide,” said Henri Ford, M.D., vice dean for medicaleducation at the Keck School and chief of surgery,Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, at the event.“There’s no need to tell you how expensive it is to puta student through medical school, so whatever we cando to help and lower the debt burden for our studentsis extremely important to us,” Ford said.Ford said that scholarships allow the Keck School tobe competitive among other medical schools and providethe school with the ability to better recruit and attract“the very best and most talented students.”“This $300,000 allows us to grant scholarships tothese talented students, who will become great physiciansand carry on the Keck legacy,” he said.Keck student Crystal Ives has received $30,000 inthree years from the Walker Trust.“This has been the biggest scholarship that I’vereceived my whole time at USC − it’s almost a full yearof tuition,” said Ives, who is in the Dean’s ResearchFifth-Year Scholars Program, created by Keck School DeanCarmen A. Puliafito, M.D., M.B.A. “It’s been phenomenalfor me and my husband because he’s also at USC studyingpharmacy, and we’re sort of a double debt family.[Because of this scholarship,] I feel like I don’t have to.We’ll be able to pay back our debt and we’ll be ok.”To make a donation to support scholarships,visit www.usc.edu/supportkeck, or contactkeckdev@usc.edu or 323-442-1084.A W A R E N E S SUSC footballfans ‘Fight On’for breast cancerBy Leslie RidgewayD o e s p i n k c l a s h w i t h c a r d i -n a l a n d g o l d ?Not during October, Breast CancerAwareness Month. The Trojan Familywore all three colors proudly to promotebreast cancer awareness at theOct. 2 USC-Washington football game.Layla Kiffin, far left, on the Coliseum fieldwith USC Norris Cancer Hospital survivors,in pink, and physicians, in cardinaland gold, watching the promotional videoshown during halftime to applause from theTrojan faithful. With Kiffin are, from left,Mary Yamashita, M.D., Georgia McCreery,Heather MacDonald, M.D., Jennifer Feikin,Agustin Garcia, M.D., Ami Evidente, DennisHolmes, M.D., Kaprisha Vallecillo, PulinSheth, M.D., and Jennifer Mok.Hundreds of football fans stopped by The Doctors of USC booth at the frontof the Coliseum to talk to breast cancer experts Agustin Garcia, M.D., LindaHovanessian Larsen, M.D., Dennis Holmes, M.D., and Pulin Sheth, M.D., aboutbreast cancer screening. Visitors picked up 650 pink and white tote bags, as well ashand sanitizers, educational materials and embroidered pink ribbon stickers fromthe physicians and several breast cancer survivors who volunteered at the booth.The ribbon stickers were seen everywhere around the Coliseum, including on thebridle of USC mascot Traveler.At the USC Bookstore and bookstore tents outside the Coliseum, specially designedpink T-shirts featuring the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center andHospital logo and the words, “For a breast cancer cure. Fight on.” were flying offthe shelves. The T-shirts were sold as part of a collaborative effort among USCNorris, the USC Trojan Bookstores and USC Athletics. The slogan is part of the USChospitals marketing campaign launched in Los Angeles in January 2009. A portion ofthe proceeds from the T-shirt sales benefitted cancer research at USC Norris.The USC Song Girls and Spirit Leaders wore the pink T-shirts during pre-gamefestivities, and the USC football coaches’ wives also wore them for the game.The highlight of the day came at halftime, when an inspirational video wasbroadcast on the Jumbotron urging the Trojan Family to promote breast cancerawareness. Bringing the video’s message to life, five breast cancer survivors and five USCNorris breast cancer experts, joined by Layla Kiffin, wife of USC Trojans head footballCoach Lane Kiffin, marched onto the field to loud applause from the stands.“We are thrilled with the response − thousands of Trojans wearing pink ribbonsand buying our breast cancer awareness T-shirts,” said Jane Brust, associate seniorvice president for Health Sciences Public Relations and Marketing, whose officespearheaded the campaign. “We appreciate the great collaboration with the USCBookstores, USC Athletics and our USC Alumni Association. This is an exciting wayto promote breast cancer awareness, raise money for research, and extend the USCNorris brand throughout the Trojan Family. One of our survivors who appeared onthe field told us it was fun to be at the football game, wonderful to feel the supportfrom the stands, and great to be alive. She is the reason we are doing this campaign.”Also during October, everyone who had a mammogram at USC Norris CancerHospital received a free pink T-shirt. To schedule a mammogram at USC Norris,call (323) 865-3105.Donations can be made online at www.uscnorris.com/breastcancer. For more informationabout breast cancer care at USC, visit www.uschospitals.com/breastcancer; for patientappointments, call 323-865-3105.Photo by Sara Reeve (left); Photo by Brook Photography (right)28 KECK MEDICINE | Winter 2011 Issue

Keck in the NewsEvery week the news media cover stories fromthe Keck School of Medicine of USC. Here is asampling of coverage. For complete listings seewww.usc.edu/uscnews/usc_in_the_news/.In a HealthDay News story, MSNquoted Stephen Sener about analyzingthe genetic makeup of breastcancer tumors. The Los AngelesTimes and La Opinion quoted himabout the value of mammographyscreening in detecting breast cancer.The Wall Street Journal quotedAnne Peters about prescribingless-expensive insulin for someof her patients who are unableto afford higher-priced versions.with veterans’ benefits as they relateto health problems. Newsweek,Science News, AOL News and CBCNews (Canada) quoted Samet aboutInterphone, a study organized bythe World Health Organization’sInternational Agency for Research onCancer to research the health effectsof cell phones.exposure was associated with anincreased risk of the disease.La Opinion featured Lilyana Amezcuaand research on multiple sclerosis inminority communities.WebMD featured research by SimonGayther and colleagues which foundthat the same genetic region plays arole in both breast cancer and ovariancancer. MSNBC.com and Asian News Internationalalso featured the research.Photos by Don MiliciPhotos this page: Don MiliciOprah.com interviewed LaShondaSpencer about how women can empowerthemselves against contractingHIV. Spencer also spoke about whatpeople need to know about HIV.Popular Mechanics featured researchby Mark Humayun and JamesWeiland, which won the magazine’s2010 Breakthrough Award. The facultymembers helped to develop theArgus II retinal implant to help theblind see again. Ivanhoe Newswireand Science Channel also featuredthe invention.CNBC published a story on researchby Fatih Uckun that has discovered anew way to overcome radiation resistancein a type of leukemiathat affects children andadolescents. The story wasalso covered by Reuters,eScience News and ScienceDaily.New Vision (Uganda)reported that Jonathan Sametwas part of a group of USCexperts who traveled toUganda to promotesports fitness asa way of fightingdisease. Inan AssociatedPress (AP) story,the WashingtonPost quotedSamet on howthe federalgovernmentSamet should dealSaxenaUnited Press International (UPI)featured research by Keck Schoolstudent Tanmai Saxena, who foundthat women who reported usingestrogen hormone replacementtherapy for 15 years or more hada 19 percent greater risk of breastcancer compared with womenwho never used hormone therapy.Medscape, Medical News Today,Bloomberg Businessweek, HealthDayNews, CBS News, Scripps HowardNews Service, Asian News International,The Money Times (India),WebMD and CNN covered the story.ABC News quoted Jeffrey Victoroffabout the psychological factors behindviolent acts committed by soldiers.BBC World Service interviewedLeslie Saxon about the new Centerfor Body Computing at the KeckSchool of Medicine. Fast Company,AOL Tech, MobiHealth News, APand BBC World Service also quotedSaxon about body computing, andThe Huffington Post ran an op-ed bySaxon on the importance of technologicalinnovation in medicine.Psychology Today reported on astudy by Thomas Mack of twin pairsdiscordant for multiple sclerosis. Thestudy showed that childhood sunLos Angeles Times reported thatDean Carmen A. Puliafito has beennamed to the board of trusteesof Charles R. Drew University ofMedicine and Science, and that USCPresident C. L. Max Nikias has beennamed to the board of councilors.Nature featured Qi-Long Ying andcolleagues, who successfully createdthe first “knockout” rats – animalsthat are genetically modified to lackone or more genes – through embryonicstem cell-based gene targeting.ScienceNews and The Scientist alsocovered the discovery.CannonU.S. News & World Report featuredresearch by Paula Cannon whichcreated HIV-resistant cells that couldone day allow patients to control andeven suppress the infection withoutthe use of harsh anti-retroviraldrugs. Thaindian News (Thailand),Indo-Asian News Service (India), UPI,MedPage Today, Agence France-Presse,Technology Review, Los AngelesTimes, National Public RadioKPCC-FM and San Diego affiliateKPBS-FM also featured the research.keck.usc.edu KECK MEDICINE 29

Where can you findThe Doctors of USC?1-800-USC-CARENew location now open in La Cañada, coming soon to Beverly HillsT H E D O C T O R S O FU S C B E V E R LY H I L L S9033 Wilshire Blvd.Beverly Hills, CA 90211T H E D O C T O R S O FU S C L A C A Ñ A D A1751 Foothill Blvd., Suite 3La Canada, CA 91011T H E D O C T O R S O FU S C D O W N T O W N333 South Hope Street, Suite C-145Los Angeles, CA 90071D O H E N Y E Y EI N S T I T U T E1450 San Pablo StreetLos Angeles, CA 90033H E A LT H C A R EC O N S U LT A T I O NC E N T E R S I & I I1510 San Pablo Street (HCC I) &1520 San Pablo Street (HCC II)Los Angeles, CA 900331 2 3 4 5The Doctors of USC BeverlyHills location soon will behome to the USC Doheny EyeCenter, offering comprehensiveophthalmology care, and theUSC Norris Westside CancerCenter, offering expert carein diagnosis and treatment.Advanced care is offeredthrough cutting-edge therapiesand clinical trials, as well ascontinuing medical educationfor community physicians.The Doctors of USC now offertheir world-class care to thelocal community of La CañadaFlintridge through the Doctorsof USC La Cañada satellitelocation. Primary care servicesinclude internal medicine. Theoffice is conveniently locatedon Foothill Boulevard near theend of the 2 freeway.The Doctors of USC Downtownoffers general and specialtymedical care for people wholive or work in the downtownLos Angeles area. Servicesinclude internal medicine,women’s health, gerontology,dermatology and imaging.The center features anExecutive Health Programwith comprehensive, highlypersonalized disease detectionand prevention exams. It alsohouses the USC Faculty/StaffHealth Center.The Doheny Eye Institute isrecognized as a world leaderin basic and clinical visionresearch and advanced patientcare. Faculty physicians fromthe Keck School of Medicineof USC provide outpatientservices for a variety ofvision-related conditions.Additional locations include:Arcadia, (626) 446-2122Beverly Hills, (310) 601-3366Fountain Valley, (714) 628-2966Pasadena, (626) 395- 0778Rancho Mirage, (760) 325-2069Riverside, (951) 788-1231Private practice offices formany USC faculty physiciansare located at HealthcareConsultation Centers (HCC) I& II adjacent to USC UniversityHospital. These facilities givepatients easy access to familymedicine, gynecology, urology,orthopaedics, psychiatry,cardiothoracic surgery, headand neck surgery, otolaryngology,and neurology andneurosurgery. HCC I featuresan outpatient pharmacy. HCCII features the CardioVascularThoracic Institute and diagnosticimaging, including MRI, PETand CT.

Photos 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7 by Jon Nalick; 6 and 8 by Pat Davison; 9 courtesy of Children’s Hospital Los AngelesU S C U N I V E R S I T YH O S P I T A L1500 San Pablo StreetLos Angeles, CA 90033The Doctors of USC are among the nation’s leaders in innovativeclinical care, research and education of future physicians. They aremore than 500 physicians who are faculty members of the KeckSchool of Medicine of USC.The Doctors of USC provide care in a wide range of medicalspecialties from the most complex diagnoses and treatments toprimary care for the entire family. The Doctors of USC practicein numerous locations throughout Los Angeles and SouthernCalifornia, including the locations featured below.L A C + U S CM E D I C A L C E N T E R1200 North State StreetLos Angeles, CA 90033U S C N O R R I SC O M P R E H E N S I V EC A N C E R C E N T E RA N D H O S P I T A L1441 Eastlake AvenueLos Angeles, CA 900336 7 8 9C H I L D R E N ’ SH O S P I TA LL O S A N G E L E S4650 Sunset BoulevardLos Angeles, CA 90027Photo of Senagore by Philip ChanningTo learn more, or to make anappointment, call The Doctorsof USC at 1-800-USC-CARE.USC University Hospital isa private, 411-bed referral,teaching and research hospitalstaffed by faculty of the KeckSchool of Medicine of USC.The hospital offers some of themost sophisticated servicesavailable, including neurointerventionalradiology, interventionalcardiology and the daVinci robot. Surgical specialtiesinclude organ transplantationand neurosurgery, as well ascardiothoracic, esophageal,orthopaedic, and plastic andreconstructive surgeries.A partner of the Keck School ofMedicine of USC since 1885,LAC+USC Medical Center isamong the largest teachinghospitals in the country. Staffedby faculty of the Keck Schoolof Medicine of USC and morethan 1,000 medical residentsand students, LAC+USC serves39,000 inpatients and 1 millionoutpatients annually. Amongits specialized facilities are astate-of-the-art burn center,neonatal intensive care unit,trauma service and HIV/AIDSoutpatient center.USC Norris ComprehensiveCancer Center is one of only40 centers in the United Statesdesignated as “comprehensive”by the National CancerInstitute. USC Norris clinicalresearchers are leaders in thedevelopment of novel therapiesfor the disease. The USCNorris Cancer Hospital offersadvanced treatments in anintimate setting.Children’s Hospital Los Angelesis a 317-bed nonprofit hospitalserving patients from newbornto age 18. Staffed by faculty ofthe Keck School of Medicine ofUSC, Children’s Hospitalhas become a pioneer infamily-centered care andis ranked among thetop 10 pediatric facilitiesin the nation. Theresearch programhas made significantcontributionsto children’shealth careworldwide.Anthony Senagore, M.D., chief of the Division ofColorectal Surgery, Keck School of Medicine

SpotlightJoyous events mark the lifeof the expanding USC academicmedical center.1. Keck School graduate MicheleKovacs lets out a cheer afterthe school’s commencementceremony.2. Keck School Dean Carmen A.Puliafito, M.D., M.B.A., danceswith characters from the movie“Despicable Me,” who were atNevin Elementary School for thelaunch of The Teaching Garden.The Keck School pledged itssupport to The Teaching Garden,a Los Angeles-based projectorganized by Kelly Meyer to teachschoolchildren about nutritionand physical fitness. Meyer is afounder of the Women’s CancerResearch Fund.3. Tavis Dickerson-Young receiveshis white coat from Henri Ford,M.D., vice dean for medical education,during the Keck School’sannual White Coat Ceremony onHarry and Celesta Pappas Quad.4. Returning Keck School studentsLon Manson, left, and Sara Safadienjoy the games at the Dean’sreception for returning students.1324Photo 1 & 4 by ©Brook Photography; Photo 2 by Jon Nalick; Photo 3 by Ryan BallContinuing Medical EducationHeart Failure 2011DATE: January 29, 2011LOCATION: Millennium Biltmore Hotel, Los Angeles, CAFEES: To be determinedCREDITS: To be determinedPulmonary Updates 2011DATE: February 12, 2011LOCATION: Marriott Downtown Los Angeles,Los Angeles, CAFEES: To be determinedCREDITS: AMA PRA Category 1 - 6Perinatal MedicineDATES: February 18-24, 2011LOCATION: Hyatt Regency Mau, Kaanapali Beach, Maui, HIFEES: $745 – M.D., D.O.; $645 – R.N.CREDITS: AMA PRA Category 1 - 2039th Annual Diagnostic and Therapeutic Skillsin Internal MedicineDATES: March 7-11, 201132 KECK MEDICINE | Winter 2008 Issue 2011 IssueLOCATION: Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel, Kohala Coast, HIFEES: $745CREDITS: AMA PRA Category 1 – 28Innovations in Medical EducationDATES: March 12-13, 2011LOCATION: Hilton Pasadena Hotel, Pasadena, CAFEES: $295CREDITS: To be determined21st Annual National Interdisciplinary BreastCenter ConferenceDATES: March 12-16, 2011LOCATION: Planet Hollywood, Las Vegas, NVFEES: To be determinedCREDITS: AMA PRA Category 1 – 40Van Der Meulen Neuroscience SeminarDATE: March 26, 2011LOCATION: Mayer Auditorium, USC Health SciencesCampus, Los Angeles, CAFEES: $50CREDITS: AMA PRA Category 1 – 5.7518th Annual USC Trauma, Emergency Surgeryand Surgical Critical Care SymposiumDATES: May 12-13, 2011LOCATION: Langham Huntington Hotel, Pasadena, CAFEES: To be determinedCREDITS: To be determined54th Annual USC Refresher Course in MedicineDATES: August 1-5, 2011LOCATION: Hyatt Regency Maui, Kaanapali Beach,Maui, HIFEES: $795 – M.D., D.O.; $625 – R.N.CREDITS: AMA PRA Category 1 – 28Contact the USC Continuing Medical EducationOffice at:TELEPHONE: 323-442-2555 or 800-USC-1119E-MAIL: usccme@usc.eduREGISTER: www.peopleware.net/0128

My legacy is...medical scholarshipsmedical researchinnovative medical technologyHelp shape the future of medicine. With your gift to The USC MedicalLegacy Circle, you join a society of visionary philanthropists committedto ensuring the ongoing strength of the Keck School of Medicine of USCwhile enjoying a broad range of benefits. By including us in your charitablegift planning, you support world-class medical scholarships, groundbreakingscientific research and innovative medical technology — and you builda lasting legacy with the power to save lives.To learn more about The USC Medical Legacy Circle, please contactthe Keck School of Medicine Development Office at 323-442-2358What will your legacy be?

USC Health Sciences Public Relations & Marketing1975 Zonal AvenueKeith Administration Building, Suite 400Los Angeles, CA 90033-9029www.usc.edu/keckNONPROFIT ORGU.S. PostagePAIDUniversity ofSouthern California10%See the doctors they see.The Doctors of USC.1-800-USC-CAREdoctorsofusc.comLocations in Los Angeles and La Cañada, coming soon to Beverly Hills. Affiliated with the USC University Hospital and USC Norris Cancer Hospital,among other hospitals in the Los Angeles area.