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News Archive from May 2007

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May 30, 2007

Jefferson Radiation Oncologist to Accept ASCO Scientific Leadership Award for RTOG on June 1,2007

Walter J. Curran Jr., M.D., professor and chair of radiation oncology at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia and Deputy Director for Clinical Science of the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson, will accept the Distinguished Service Award for Scientific Leadership on behalf of the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) June 1, 2007 at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Chicago.

May 30, 2007

Pancreatic Surgery Riskier for Obese Patients, Jefferson Surgeon Finds

Obesity may contribute to a greater likelihood of post-operative complications for patients having pancreatic surgery, a surgeon at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital has found.

May 29, 2007

Ground Zero Hair Salons’ Anniversary Ball Will Benefit New Jefferson Breast Care Center

Ground Zero Hair Salons is supporting Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in the development of the new Jefferson Breast Care Center.

May 23, 2007

Jefferson Scientists Use Gene Therapy to Reverse Heart Failure in Animals

Heart researchers at the Center for Translational Medicine at Jefferson Medical College have used gene therapy to reverse heart failure in animals. In addition, they found that this gene therapy strategy had “unique and additive effects” to currently used, standard heart failure drugs called beta-blockers.

May 23, 2007

Jefferson’s Mindfulness Meditation Course Works to Reduce Anxiety and Increase Energy Levels

Mindfulness Meditation, the popular course that helps participants learn to relieve pain, reduce stress and enhance wellness, is once again being offered at Lankenau Hospital by the Jefferson-Myrna Brind Center for Integrative Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.

May 22, 2007

Tiny Genes May Increase Cancer Susceptibility, Jefferson Scientists Find

New evidence indicates that small pieces of noncoding genetic material known as microRNAs (miRNAs) might influence cancer susceptibility. Differences in certain miRNAs may predispose some individuals to develop cancer, say researchers collaborating in a joint study at the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson in Philadelphia, Ohio State University Medical Center in Columbus and Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo.

May 21, 2007

Robotic Surgery May Improve Survival Rate For Prostate Cancer Patients

Performing less invasive laparoscopic surgery using robotic technology may improve survival rates for prostate cancer patients, according to a study by urologic oncologists at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital’s multidisciplinary Genitourinary (GU) cancer center.

May 18, 2007

Jefferson Researchers Show that Capsule Endoscopy is Effective in Diagnosing Childhood GI Problems

Researchers at Jefferson Medical College have shown that capsule endoscopy is effective in diagnosing gastrointestinal bleeding and small bowel Crohn’s disease in children. The technology has been used successfully at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital for more than five years to diagnose unexplained abdominal bleeding in adults.

May 18, 2007

Jefferson Researchers Present at DDW

The following summaries are based on presentations by Thomas Jefferson University Researchers at Digestive Disease Week 2007 in Washington, D.C.

May 18, 2007

Anthony DiMarino, M.D. to be Honored at National Gastroenterology Conference

Anthony DiMarino, M.D., director of the division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Thomas Jefferson University and Hospital, will be honored as an AGA (American Gastroenterological Association) Foundation Mentor at the 2007 Digestive Disease Week (May 19 to 24) in Washington, D.C.

May 16, 2007

Bare-Metal Stents are Better for Some Heart Patients, Jefferson Scientists Find

While drug-eluting stents are effective in keeping open diseased heart arteries, they should not be used for patients who need to have non-cardiac surgery a short time after an interventional heart procedure. A presentation at the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions in Orlando by cardiologists at Jefferson Medical College indicates that for these patients, bare metal stents provide a safer choice.

May 15, 2007

Former U.S. Secretary of Treasury Paul O’Neill Keynote Speaker at 2007 Jefferson Commencement Exercises

Former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Paul O'Neill will address the graduating classes at the annual commencement exercises for Jefferson Medical College and Jefferson College of Graduate Studies.

May 15, 2007

Former U.S. Secretary of Treasury Paul O’Neill Keynote Speaker at 2007 Jefferson Commencement Exercises

Former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Paul O'Neill will address the graduating classes at the annual commencement exercises for Jefferson Medical College and Jefferson College of Graduate Studies. Mr. O'Neill will also receive an honorary doctor of science degree from Thomas Jefferson University during the ceremonies.

May 11, 2007

Jefferson Researchers Report Heart Care at High-Volume Hospitals May Matter More to African American Patients

African American patients who undergo heart bypass surgery (CABG) in high-volume hospitals have more benefit than white patients, according to a new study by researchers at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia.

May 10, 2007

Jefferson Scientists Confirm that Drug-Eluting Stents May Not Be For All Clogged Heart Vessels

Physicians know that drug-eluting stents are an effective way to ensure that a patient’s arteries will remain open after balloon angioplasty. They also know that these devices have their limits—especially in keeping open bypassed vein grafts with longer blockages. It is for these vessels, researchers at Jefferson Medical College say, that physicians should consider alternative treatment strategies.

May 07, 2007

Director of Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson to Celebrate with Cancer Survivors at Annual Event

Richard G. Pestell, M.D., Ph.D., Director of the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson, will be the keynote speaker at Kimmel’s eighth annual “Celebration of Life” on June 7. The event will be held from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Bluemle Life Sciences Building on the campus of Thomas Jefferson University, 233 S. 10th St.

May 04, 2007

Jefferson Researchers Warn that Combining Common Blood-Thinning Therapies After Coronary Angioplasty May Cause a Deadly Problem

Physicians should examine the risk factors—for example, whether the patient is likely to experience a stroke—before giving patients undergoing interventional heart procedures a combination of anti-blood clotting therapies, according to a study from Jefferson Medical College.

May 04, 2007

Jefferson’s Psychiatry Chair First Psychiatrist to Receive Bell of Hope Award from Mental Health Association of Southeast Pennsylvania

Michael J. Vergare, M.D., Daniel Lieberman Professor and Chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University and Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry at Albert Einstein Healthcare Network/Belmont Behavioral Health is being honored with the 2007 Bell of Hope Award by the Mental Health Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania.

May 04, 2007

Identify the Cancer to be Treated, Jefferson Researchers Recommend

With the increase in specifically tailored therapies for individual cancers, Jefferson doctors suggest that making a proper diagnosis takes on even greater significance.

May 01, 2007

Jefferson Vaccine Pioneer Hilary Koprowski, M.D., Wins 2007 Sabin Gold Medal

Hilary Koprowski, M.D., one of the world’s outstanding biomedical researchers over the last half-century, is the 2007 winner of the Sabin Gold Medal.

May 01, 2007

JAMA Editorial: Jefferson Pharmacologist Says Biomarker Discovery Bodes Well for Better Cancer Diagnostics, Personalized Medicine

While new findings from Ohio State University scientists suggest a genetic marker that could help distinguish between chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer and gauge who will do well with cancer treatment, a pharmacologist at the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson in Philadelphia sees the discovery as much more.