Thomas Jefferson University Hospital

April 2006

Jefferson Researchers Uncover Genetic Signature that Predicts Colon Cancer
(Published 4-4-2006) Researchers at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia have uncovered a genetic “signature” that accurately identifies colon cancer--a key, they hope, to better understand how the cancer develops.

Jefferson Researchers Discover that Nanoparticle Shows Promise in Reducing Radiation Side Effects
(Published 4-5-2006) Using transparent zebrafish embryos, researchers at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia have shown that a microscopic nanoparticle can help fend off damage to normal tissue from radiation. The nanoparticle, a soccer ball-shaped, hollow, carbon-based structure known as a fullerene, acts like an “oxygen sink,” binding to dangerous oxygen radicals produced by radiation.

Philadelphia’s “Joan of Arc” Sister Mary Scullion to Receive Public Health Service Award from Thomas Jefferson University
(Published 4-5-2006) Public Health Service Award from Thomas Jefferson University Thursday, April 6, at 11 a.m. Sister Mary Scullion, director and co-founder of Project H.O.M.E., (Housing, Opportunities, Medical Care, Education), will be presented with the Third Annual Excellence in Community Service Award by Jefferson’s Safety Awareness and Public Health Education (SAPHE), a Thomas Jefferson University student organization.

Live on the Web--Jefferson Surgeons Perform Leading Edge Minimally Invasive Surgery to Remove Pituitary Tumor
(Published 4-5-2006) Breakthrough procedure allows doctors to remove brain tumors through nose and nasal sinuses Jefferson will host a webcast featuring the newest approach for the removal of pituitary tumors – minimally invasive endoscopic pituitary surgery – on Tuesday, May 23, 2006, at 4:30 pm. Viewers will also be able to ask questions online of the surgical team during the surgery.

Jefferson’s Mindfulness Meditation Course Works to Reduce Anxiety and Increase Energy Levels
(Published 4-6-2006) Mindfulness Meditation, the popular course that helps participants learn to relieve pain, reduce stress and enhance wellness, is once again being offered by the Jefferson-Myrna Brind Center for Integrative Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.

Timing of Radiation Treatments for Colon Cancer May Need Adjusting, Jefferson Researchers Say
(Published 4-7-2006) Scientists have unexpectedly discovered that mice with the gene defect that causes colon cancer in humans can differ from normal mice in how they respond to radiation treatments. The large intestine carrying the gene defect in mice that received staggered doses of radiation was three to four times more resistant to the radiation than in control mice.

Attend Free Health Awareness Seminars at Methodist Hospital
(Published 4-7-2006) Get on the path to good health with a windfall of free seminars and screenings offered by Methodist Hospital.

Mother of Date Rape Victim to Speak Out for Victims at Jefferson During Rape Awareness Month, Tuesday April 11, at 5:30 p.m.
(Published 4-7-2006) Andrea Cooper of Texas will tell “Kristen’s Story,” a mother’s tale of her daughter’s date rape, at a reception in recognition of Rape Awareness Month. The free event is sponsored by the Jefferson Student Organization Against Rape (SOAR).

Inside the Criminal Mind --- Forensic Psychiatrist Addresses Diagnosis of Defendants at Jefferson’s 2006 Biele Lecture April 24th
(Published 4-7-2006) Robert L. Sadoff, M.D., will discuss “Competency: Criminal, Civil, and Professional” at the 2006 Albert M. Biele, M.D., Memorial Lecture in Psychiatry at Thomas Jefferson University. Dr. Sadoff is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Director at the Center for Studies in Social-Legal Psychiatry, and Director of the Forensic Psychiatry Clinic at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

Locally Injected Steroids May Not Do Much Good for Chronic Headache Pain, Jefferson Researchers Find
(Published 4-11-2006) Locally injected steroids apparently don’t enhance treatments for acute headache or migraine pain. A study by neurologists at the Jefferson Headache Center at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia did not show any benefit to adding steroids to local anesthetics to treat daily headaches.

Nationally Recognized Jefferson Diabetes Researcher, Physician Named to Association of American Physicians
(Published 4-17-2006) Barry J. Goldstein, M.D., Ph.D., director, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University and Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, has been elected to the Association of American Physicians (AAP).

Jefferson Scientists Uncover Lethal Gene Mutation Key to Blocking Cholesterol Processing
(Published 4-18-2006) When Jefferson Medical College researcher Shiu-Ying Ho, Ph.D., and her colleagues first created a mutation that limited the absorption of lipids and cholesterol into the bloodstream in zebrafish, the possibilities seemed endless. The discovery boded well for new insights into mechanisms behind lipid and cholesterol processing, and in turn, the potential development of new cholesterol-controlling drugs.

National Cancer Institute Funds Jefferson Study to Compare Support Group Programs for Women with Cancer
(Published 4-19-2006) The National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Cancer Institute Office of Cancer Survivorship has awarded Thomas Jefferson University a $2 million grant to study how two different types of support group programs improve health-related quality of life and decrease stress in women with cancer.

Jefferson’s Medical Transport Service Only Program in Region to Receive Full Accreditation for Providing Quality Care and Safety
(Published 4-19-2006) JeffSTAT, a medical transportation service owned and operated by Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, announced that it has received full accreditation from the Commission on the Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems (CAMTS). This makes JeffSTAT the only air and ground critical care transport program operating in Southeastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey to achieve such accreditation.

Jefferson’s Acute Stroke Center Will Try to Block “Brain Attacks” With Free Stroke Risk Assessments
(Published 4-21-2006) The Acute Stroke Center at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital will provide free screenings and counseling to identify men and women at risk for stroke on Tuesday, May 9, in the Women’s Resource Center at Jefferson Hospital’s Gibbon Building S. 10th Street between Chestnut and Sansom streets, Philadelphia. The screenings will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

National Quality Assurance Expert to Discuss Managing Quality and Cost of Chronic Illness Care at Jefferson’s Annual Grandon Lecture
(Published 4-26-2006) Ambulatory care - the treatment of chronic medical problems - results in 80 percent of health care dollars going towards 20 percent of the population in the United States. It is an epidemic that can be stemmed by improving patient care and the quality of that care, as well as stressing more preventative options to patients, says national expert, Margaret O’Kane, Ph.D, president and founder of the National Committee for Quality Assurance

PA House Representative Todd A. Eachus to Speak at Master of Science in Public Health Program Retreat
(Published 4-27-2006) Philadelphia-area healthcare leaders and faculty will gather to hear PA House Representative (Rep.) Todd A. Eachus discuss “Politics and Partnerships: The Advancement of Informatics in the Coming Decade.” Rep. Eachus is the Guest Lecturer at the Masters of Science in Public Health Program Retreat at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University