Gopal Thinakaran, PhD, in his research lab at USF Health Byrd Alzheimer’s Center.

More than 6 million Americans live with Alzheimer’s disease, and by 2050, this number is projected to rise to nearly 13 million and cost the nation more than $1 trillion.

Can anything be done to slow, or even stop, this dreaded condition? A group of USF Health researchers is taking a step closer with new research on a critical Alzheimer’s risk factor. Their work has been published by a major peer-reviewed science journal, Molecular Neurodegeneration.

The paper’s authors are part of the Thinakaran Lab, at USF Health’s Byrd Alzheimer and Research Institute. They are investigating mechanisms that may exacerbate the onset of Alzheimer’s, specifically a protein called Bridging Integrator 1, or BIN1, a critical component of inflammation. Understanding BIN1 has been a challenge because it appears in different forms.

“Brain inflammation is a big problem,’’ said Gopal Thinakaran, PhD, CEO of the Byrd Center and professor of molecular medicine at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. “While studying its role in different brain cells, we suspected that BIN1 might have an essential function in the brain’s immune cells, called microglia. How it influences Alzheimer’s is a fine point … it’s an important piece of the puzzle.’’

The USF Health team said BIN1 is a significant genetic risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer’s disease. BIN1 is known to regulate membrane dynamics in a range of crucial cellular processes. Although the expression of BIN1 in the brain has been characterized in detail, information regarding microglial BIN1 expression is limited. Until now, BIN1 protein expression and its role in microglia, a cell type most relevant to Alzheimer’s disease, have not been examined in depth.

The research article is titled “BIN1 is a key regulator of proinflammatory and neurodegeneration‑related activation in microglia.’’ The work is the product of a fruitful collaboration between the Thinakaran Lab at USF and the Rangaraju Lab at University of Emory. Its USF authors include Ari Sudwarts, Moorthi Ponnusamy, Shuai Wang, Mitchell Hansen, David Beaulieu‑Abdelahad, Xiaolin Zhang, Lisa Collier, Charles Szekeres, and Dr. Thinakaran.

Microglia monitor for unusual molecules in the brain generated during infection or neuronal damage. Upon detection of any hazard, microglial shape and activity get transformed from a “surveillance” to an “activated” mode, as they become competent to dispose of dead or damaged cells and unwanted proteins that clutter the brain. This brain immune response is the primary task of microglia.

Until recently, brain inflammation and the immune response of microglia were believed to be secondary to the death of neurons, which kick-start Alzheimer’s. However, studies have established that some genes specific to microglia pose the highest risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease by interfering with microglia’s activities. The USF study shows that BIN1’s involvement in disease risk may also center around its role in supporting microglial health and the brain’s immune responses.

The main message from this study is that by regulating the brain’s immune responses, BIN1 may play a crucial role in promoting microglial cell progression from the surveillance to activated microglia. In its study, the team used laboratory stains in mice. Without BIN1, microglia could not mount an appropriate response to the inflammatory challenge and remained closer to a “resting’’ state. “This means that the BIN1 function is vital for microglia to conduct surveillance in the brain for problems and be poised to mount an effective inflammatory response to tissue damage or noxious stimuli generated during brain diseases,’’ the report states.

The team is continuing its research to ask whether BIN1 may act as a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease by changing “normal’’ brain inflammation to uncontrolled activation often found under pathological conditions.

Alzheimer’s is a specific brain disease that progressively and irreversibly destroys memory and thinking skills. Age is the biggest risk factor for the disease. Eventually, Alzheimer’s disease takes away the ability to carry out even the simplest tasks, according to the Alzheimer’s Association, a global voluntary health organization dedicated to Alzheimer’s care, support and research.

The vast majority of people who develop Alzheimer’s dementia are age 65 or older. Experts believe this late-onset Alzheimer’s, like other common chronic diseases, develops as a result of multiple factors rather than a single cause. Exceptions are cases of Alzheimer’s related to uncommon genetic changes that greatly increase risk.

However, the relatively recent discovery that Alzheimer’s begins 20 years or more before the onset of symptoms helps explain why it has been difficult to prevent and treat Alzheimer’s effectively, the association said.

Story by Kurt Loft.

Cardiologists could and should take more action in guiding their patients to interventions aimed at delaying, and even preventing, diabetes, USF Health faculty proposed last month in a review published  in the American Journal of Cardiology.

“We propose cardiologists can play a key role in preventing diabetes and aligning practice patterns with guideline recommendations among endocrinology, cardiology, and primary care stakeholders,” wrote Nicholas W. Carris, PharmD, assistant professor in the USF Health College of Pharmacy.

The review article, which summarizes previously published studies on the topic, presents cohesively for the first time the specific factors contributing to an apparent lack of action by clinicians, and suggests an approach that might better encourage cardiologists to proactively engage their patients who have prediabetes.

“The prediabetes timeframe is an opportunity to act and significantly reduce the likelihood of someone progressing to diabetes,” Dr. Carris said. “It’s an opportune time to help patients at considerable cardiometabolic risk and to have a significant impact on the current diabetes epidemic.”

“Eighty-four million patients in the United States have prediabetes and at least 70 percent will develop diabetes unless they receive an intervention,” he said. “Most of these patients have or are at risk for cardiovascular disease, with recent reports describing significantly increased microvascular and macrovascular risks among patients with prediabetes.”

Central to what Dr. Carris and authors suggest is for cardiologists to actively engage their patients with prediabetes and implement evidence-based methods of diabetes prevention.

“For several key reasons, we believe cardiologists have a responsibility and opportunity to improve the health of their patients with prediabetes by making it a very high priority to prevent progression to diabetes,” Dr. Carris said. “First, we must recognize that multiple cardiovascular medications may increase risk for new-onset diabetes. Second, avoiding or delaying diabetes’ onset can improve quality of life and decrease health-system cost. And third, because heart disease and stroke are the most common causes of death in people with diabetes, we expect that preventing diabetes will improve long term health.”

The authors go on to note how strong an influence cardiologists could have on shifting the diabetes epidemic.

“Cardiologists are increasingly being asked to weigh in on diabetes management as select agents demonstrate cardiovascular benefit… as the mortality risk of patients with a history of myocardial infarction and diabetes is almost double that of patients with a history of myocardial infarction who are free of diabetes, there is even more potential benefit in delaying/avoiding diabetes in patients with cardiovascular disease.”

Current methods of intervention show an impact in reversing prediabetes or slowing progression to diabetes, Dr. Carris said.

“Cardiologists are centrally positioned to help patients adopt a healthier lifestyle and prescribe therapeutic and preventive medications when appropriate,” he said. “Studies have shown that intensive lifestyle intervention, metformin, and other medications reduce the progression to diabetes.

“The bottom line is, it cannot be ignored that avoiding diabetes is an important outcome – at the very least from a humanistic perspective – and cardiologists are pivotal to helping patients avoid diabetes.”

Justin Doherty, senior chemistry major, University of South Florida.

One USF student will soon experience something an undergraduate student rarely gets to experience and on one of the biggest stages for biomedical research. The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET) awarded Justin Doherty, a senior chemistry major, a travel award and invited him to give an oral presentation on research he conducted at the USF Health Heart Institute.

He will be the only undergraduate speaker in the Division for Translational and Clinical Pharmacology’s Young Investigator Awards session, along with graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, to share his research at the Experimental Biology 2018 conference, April 21 to 25, in San Diego, Calif.

“I really couldn’t believe it,” he said about his invitation from the society. “I’m not taking this for granted. I’m very excited and very honored by the invitation.”

Doherty’s research inquiry stemmed from unmet medical needs, whereby effective chemotherapies for cancer patients are disrupted due to treatment-induced toxicity. The goal of his research is mitigating the toxicity to keep patients on effective anticancer treatments.  The new therapy he and his research colleagues chose was a Rapamycin nanoparticle, which simultaneously enhances self-detoxification capability and inhibits inflammation. Using well-accepted research models, they introduced the nanoparticle as a pre-treatment to a broadly-used chemotherapy, Cisplatin, which, according to his early results, helped alleviate the acute kidney injury associated with Cisplatin treatment.

Justiin Doherty and his mentor Hua Pan, MBA, PhD.

Doherty credits his success to his mentor, biomedical engineer Hua Pan, MBA, PhD, an assistant professor in the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine Cardiovascular Sciences Department and a member of the USF Health Heart Institute.

“Her mentorship has been invaluable.  She holds me to an extremely high standard, which has allowed me to progress,” he said. “Dr. Pan has given me a lot of freedom and trust to conduct research in the lab.”

Dr. Pan compliments Doherty for his willingness to dedicate time to his research in the midst of a rigorous class and exam schedule.

“He’s exceptional. Not only very smart, but also dedicated and devoted to creating value for our patients,” she said. “The scientific training and research experience will certainly help him stand out among his peers when he goes to medical school.” She added, “We appreciate the generous donations made to the USF Health Heart Institute, which will have unparalleled impacts on global health care and talent development for many generations to come.”

Doherty will attend Oxford University to pursue his master’s in immunology this Fall.  He hopes to enter medical school when he returns stateside.

USF, the official magazine of the USF Alumni Association, initiates a largely digital distribution format beginning with its spring 2017 edition.

“This is the age of 24-hour news, when the latest headlines are just a few clicks away, any time of day or night. The digital USF gives readers enhanced access and convenience, allowing them to reconnect with the University of South Florida System whenever and wherever they choose,” said Chief Communications Officer John Robinson.

Beginning March 24, USF readers will be able to read the spring 2017 edition, as well as past editions, at usf.edu/magazine.

Members of the USF Alumni Association, as well as certain donors, leaders of business and academia, and colleges and other departments throughout the USF System will continue to receive printed editions of the magazine.

In addition, printed copies of USF will be available in an expanded list of locations throughout the Tampa Bay community.

“This will allow USF to increase its external reach, and allow the University of South Florida System to share USF news with a broader audience,” Robinson said.

USF is a quarterly publication with a readership of nearly 60,000.

USF Health is once again hosting the Tampa DogFest Walk ‘n Roll to benefit the Canine Companions for Independence program.

The year’s event is Feb. 12 and continues the annual effort to help raise funds and awareness for service dogs and canine companions. The USF Health event will include a walk, silent auction, vendors, police and sheriff K-9 units, dog agility demonstration, a kids’ activity zone, a DJ with music and, of course, visiting service dogs and future service dogs (puppies!).

DogFest 2015 at USF Health.

Canine companions and service dogs are necessities for many people who are disabled and they help with daily living – from navigating to retrieving items to sensing that blood sugar levels are dropping. These unique animals are trained to help children, adults and veterans live more independently, said Karen Burdash, associate dean of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine and a longtime proponent for rescuing and training therapy dogs.

“There are challenges people with disabilities face every day and canine companion assistance dogs can be the difference for those with limitations, helping them re-engage with society and achieve the range of needs found in daily living,” Burdash said.

“These dogs are highly trained to assist children and adults with disabilities, including veterans with physical disabilities. I’ve been told by someone who was matched to a service dog ‘I wouldn’t have a life if it wasn’t for this dog!’ ”

Canine Companions for Independence provides highly trained assistance dogs to children and adults with disabilities, including veterans with physical disabilities. There is no charge to the recipient for the dog but training and on-going follow-up services end up costing about $50,000 per dog. Following months-long intensive training, a dog is matched with a recipient, who has also undergone evaluation. Then, when a match is made, both dog and recipient have ongoing training together.

The USF Health DogFest 2017 Walk ‘n Roll is aiming to raise at least that $50,000 to help with a local match, Burdash said.

There are several ways to help, most of which start at the Canine Companions website. Donations can be made directly, or you can start your own team and begin collecting sponsorships and donations. You can also provide items and services that can be included in the gift baskets that will be auctioned off for funds.

You can also donate at the event, which is where you can meet some of the many folks benefiting from these service dogs, as well as those who help raise and train canine companions.

The key thing, Burdash said, is to come out to the event and support the effort.

“Bring your own pet on a leash if you want, bring the kids, and join the fun,” she said. “Come on out and help us raise funds to bring a dog to someone in need. It will be a great day for a worthy organization.”

Details:

Tampa DogFest 2017 Walk ‘n Roll

Sunday, Feb. 12, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

At USF Health, east side of CMS building on the corner of Bruce B. Downs and USF Holly.

The free event is open to the community. Donate or register a team at cci.org/dogfesttampa

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFt3m8Cihzk

Friends and supporters gathered  Nov. 14 to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the opening of a new facility for the USF Diabetes Center on the fifth floor of the USF Health Morsani Center for Advanced Healthcare, and to recognize the impact the Center has had since then on patients and families coping with diabetes.

The USF Diabetes Center Fifth Anniversary Celebration, held on World Diabetes Day, was attended by the center’s friends and supporters.

Surrounding the demonstration kitchen in the USF Diabetes Center, founding benefactors, current patients and their families, and supportive USF Health faculty and staff mingled and shared memories that spanned the five years. Guests then moved to the on-site classroom to hear updates on the Center’s progress. Remembering when the original space was only a shelled out, incomplete floor, Henry Rodriguez, MD, medical director and pediatric endocrinologist, recalled the excitement for designing a space with patients in mind.

“Back when this floor and the floor above us was all shelled space, when you could see from one end of the building to the other, we walked through a taped off area of the Diabetes Center,” Dr. Rodriguez said. “Since that time, we have done some pretty remarkable things. We have grown over the years and continue to expand our providers, our research team and our patient population.”

 Dr. Henry Rodriguez talks about what’s on the horizon in the next 5 years.

Dr. Rodriguez also presented statistics that mark the reality of diabetes for more than 30 million Americans, offering greater insight into the disease’s prevalence, impact, and projected increase in the number of diagnoses.

 Dr. Rodriguez comments on the USF Diabetes Center’s TrialNet Clinical Center.

Henry Rodriguez, MD, medical director of USF Diabetes Center

“I don’t need to convince anyone here of the urgency of looking at prevention to improve the lives of those affected by diabetes,” Dr. Rodriguez said. “Diabetes is expensive, because medical expenses for people with diabetes are double that of people who do not have diabetes. It’s also demanding, because it requires constant vigilance. And it’s a pain, because individuals with diabetes report a lower quality of life compared to the general population.”

 Dr. Rodriguez shares some advances in diabetes research.

The conversation turned to Jeffrey Krischer, PhD,  Distinguished University Health Professor and director of the USF Health Informatics Institute, which has an internationally renowned team of experts in Type 1 diabetes and related autoimmune disorders.  He offered details about new research that may impact current knowledge on how diabetes works and how it can be treated.

“Research is my passion and, as evidenced by the growth of our program over the last five years, my passion extends to helping children and adults who are affected by Type 1 diabetes,” Dr. Krischer said. “In the last five years, the amount of research here has grown and continues to grow. We have more to offer and more ways we can benefit our patients who come to us for care. We are a blend of both clinical care in a warm and supportive, multidisciplinary setting, and access to the latest, state-of-the-art therapies and research advancements that you can only find in this kind of setting.”

Jeffrey Krischer, PhD, Distinguished University Health Professor and director of the USF Health Informatics Institute

 Dr. Jeffrey Krischer explains the role of the USF Health Informatics Institute.

In answering a guest’s question about coordinating information among the multiple clinical centers, Dr. Krischer said, “Some 200 (clinical centers) participate with my office directly and we coordinate all of that research worldwide. So it’s done right here, on this campus, less than a tenth of a mile away from where we’re sitting right now. All of those programs look to us for these results. Research is complex these days and requires coordination, and I’m really proud of the fact that this is where it’s happening.”

 Dr. Krischer on the questions scientists seek to answer about diabetes and related autoimmune disorders.

The USF Diabetes Center opened in 2011, coinciding with World Diabetes Day, a day that marks the birthday of Frederick Banting, who co-discovered insulin in 1922. Today, the Center sees primarily patients with Type 1 diabetes, with about half adults and half children and adolescents.  Most patients live in the region served by USF Health, but many are from across the state.

Key milestones for the USF Diabetes Center include:

• 2011: Ribbon Cutting that opened the USF Diabetes Center’s new facility on the fifth floor of the USF Health Morsani Center for Advanced Healthcare.
• 2012: The inaugural meeting of the Tampa Bay Diabetes Society, offering patients and families a resource for support and services.
• 2013: The USF Diabetes Center begins an Insulin Pump Program that provides new technology to patients and enhances patient care.
• 2014: USF named one of 19 TrialNet Clinical Centers in North America.
• 2015: USF Health consolidates the diabetes and endocrinology services to offer more streamlined care and expanded service locations.
• 2016: Sam Fuld’s Sports Camp, partnered with the USF Diabetes Center, is recognized by the Florida Sports Hall of Fame.

Photos by Eric Younghans, USF Health Office of Communications. 

A dog can be much more than simply the family pet.  For many people, their dog is a necessity for daily living – from navigating to retrieving items to sensing that blood sugar levels are dropping.

Michele Laine, nurse practitioner director for the USF Health Diabetes Home, with Hershey, a Labrador/Husky mix specially trained to detect fluctuations in blood sugar levels in patients with diabetes. Photo by Eric Younghans.

Called service dogs and canine companions, these unique animals take roles as people’s eyes, hands, legs and more.

To help raise funds and awareness for these dogs, USF Health is hosting the Tampa DogFest 2015 Walk ‘n Roll Nov. 8 to benefit the Canine Companions for Independence program (more details below).

Photo courtesy of CCI.org

The USF Health event will include a walk, silent auction, bake sale, dog photography, a kids’ activity table and, of course, visiting service dogs.

There are several ways to help. Donations can be made directly to the Tampa effort by visiting the Canine Companions website. You can also narrow your donation on that page to a USF Health team that will be walking Nov. 8 at the USF Health event, or start your own team and begin collecting sponsorships and donations. You can also provide items and services that can be included in the gift baskets that will be auctioned off for funds.

Gracie provides some de-stressing pet therapy for USF Health students at the Shimberg Health Sciences Library. Photo courtesy of the Shimberg Library.

You can also donate at the event, which is where you can meet some of the many folks benefiting from these service dogs, as well as those who help raise and train canine companions.

There are challenges people with disabilities face every day and canine companion assistance dogs are highly trained to help children, adults and veterans live more independently, said Karen Burdash, associate executive director of the USF Physicians Group and associate dean of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine.

“Vets have served us, so it’s the least we can do for them,” Burdash said. “Wounded vets who might not have the ability to lead a full life can turn to a canine companion for help.”

Photo courtesy of CCI.org

Canine Companions for Independence provides highly trained assistance dogs to children and adults with disabilities, including veterans with physical disabilities. There is no charge to the recipient for the dog but training and on-going follow-up services ends up costing at least $50,000 per dog. Training a dog to be a service dog takes months. Following the intensive training, dogs are matched with a recipient, who has also undergone evaluation. Then, when a match is made, both dog and recipient undergo six weeks of training together.

The USF Health DogFest Walk ‘n Roll is aiming to raise at least that $50,000 to help a local veteran get matched to a dog, Burdash said.

“One of our main goals for this DogFest walk is to be able to say that USF Health was able to help raise enough to sponsor a dog to help someone,” she said.

As a longtime proponent for rescuing and training therapy dogs, Burdash said she can tell pretty quickly whether a dog has the temperament to be a therapy or service dog.

Karen Burdash with pet therapy dog Eric. Photo courtesy of Karen Burdash.

“Some dogs just show an affinity for helping,” she said. “It’s truly rewarding to me. The look on people’s faces when there is a good match is wonderful. And when a dog is really enhancing the quality of life for someone, that’s magical. That’s making someone’s life better.”

Details:

Tampa DogFest 2015 Walk ‘n Roll

Sunday, Nov. 8, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

At USF Health, east side of CMS building on the corner of Bruce B. Downs and USF Holly

The free event is open to the community. Donate or register a team at cci.org/dogfesttampa

Photo courtesy of CCI.org

Staff dog Snitch (note his ID card) also offers pet therapy to USF Health students at the Shimberg Library. Photo by Eric Younghans.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kor1dvrE3kE

The best of USF Health’s rising research stars presented their work in record numbers at this year’s USF Health Research Day, with 351 scientists displaying their work and filling the Marshall Center Ballroom.

This year marked the 24^th time USF Health’s emerging scientists came together to present their projects, with judges scrutinizing the data and deciding the winners.

“USF is one of the most rapidly growing research universities in the country, ranking currently in the top 50,” said Phillip Marty, PhD, vice president for USF Health Research.

“At USF Health, we’ve seen tremendous growth in our research programs and Research Day reflects that growth, in both the number of and the caliber of projects. I’m proud of our graduate students, residents and fellows, and faculty, who are so eager to share their research highlights and truly shine at this event. The effort is so central to our mission as a research university.”

Vice President for USF Health Research Dr. Phillip Marty takes a minute for an interview by CTTV.

The day long event brings together researchers from across all USF Health colleges, programs and disciplines, as well as guest researchers from USF programs studying the science of health. In addition to those from USF, four of the poster presenters were middle school students from Berkeley Preparatory School in Tampa, showcasing their own award-winning posters.

The day began when 10 select students presented their work at the 5th Annual Joseph Krzanowski, PhD, USF Health Invited Oral Presentations Session. The few, whose work earned them an invitation to present their work orally, this year were: Sandra Acosta, Ruan Cox, Elisabeth Franzen, Stephanie Hudey, Adnan Muhammad, Misty Ochotny, Shams Rahman, Erika Thomspon, Jillian Whelan, Jonathan Wischhusen, and Zhiwei Zhou.

Pharmacy student Misty Ochotny provided the first Oral presentation of the day.

Following the oral presentations, the full poster presentation session began in the ballroom. Abstracts are tacked onto bulletin boards and fill the Marshall Center Ballroom, evidence of the breadth of groundbreaking and collaborative work taking place. For two hours, classmates, colleagues, mentors, faculty and the curious make their way from abstract to abstract. Judges are also there, evaluating each presentation and conferring with lead researchers to further explain their methods, results and conclusions. Many of the budding researchers use the event as an opportunity for collaboration and as a “practice run” for future national research meetings.

Public Health student Susan Tyler was one of several researchers providing abstracts on studies of The Villages.

Medical student Samson Lu sets up his poster on the culture change in trauma surgery.

In addition to showcasing new research, the annual USF Health Research Day features the Roy H. Behnke Distinguished Lectureship, which takes place in the Marshall Center’s Oval Theatre. This year’s guest lecturer was James W. Simpkins, PhD, director of the Center for Basic and Translational Stroke Research at West Virginia University. His talk was titled “Wandering in Neurodegeneration Research:  A Career of Running Against the Wind.”

Keynote speaker Dr. James W. Simpkins, of West Virginia University, presented work on age-related brain disorders.

At the conclusion of the talk, the much-anticipated awards are presented. This year’s winners are:

Best MCOM Graduate Student Poster Presentations:

Allergy and Immunology: Orville Pemberton

Cancer Biology: Nadine Nelson

Cardiovascular and Clinical Science Research: Wei Deng

Molecular and Cell Biology: Antoine Flowers

Molecular and Cell Biology: Shannon Kesi

Best MCOM Medical Student Presentations:

Med I Student Poster Presentation, Chart Reviews, Other Case Studies, Education Research: Anastasia Groshev

Med II Student Poster Presenation, Chart Reviews, Other Case Studies, Education Research: Matthew Thau

Med II Student Poster Presenation, Chart Reviews, Other Case Studies, Education Research: Shreya Narayanan

Med II Student Poster Presentation, Evidence Based Study Design and Outcomes Research: Thomas Sutton

Med II Student Poster Presentation: Interdisciplinary Research: Eric Shamas

Med II and III Student Poster Presentation, Interdisciplinary Research: James Lee

Med III Student Poster Presentation: Interdisciplinary Research: Erin Greenberg

Med III Student Poster Presentation: Interdisciplinary Research: Kevin Huang

Best Undergraduate Student Poster Presentations:

Interdisciplinary Research: Radim Jacob

Molecular and Cell Biology: Joseph Leung

Molecular and Cell Biology: Nicholas Johnson

Neuroscience I: Jerry Hunt

Neuroscience II: Awa Sanneh

Pharmaceutical Science – Neuroscience: Diego Peralta

Best College of Pharmacy Poster Presentation:

Graduate Student: Matthew MacPherson

Postdoctoral: Malathi Marayan

Best College of Public Health Poster Presentations:

Graduate Student: Jayme Coyle

Graduate Student: Steven Maher

Graduate Student: Karlette Peck

Graduate Student: Shitaldas Pamnani

Graduate Student: Zachary Pruitt

Graduate Student: Tommi Rivers

Graduate Student: Yuri Sebastiao

Top Awards

USF Health Vice President’s Award for Outstanding Graduate Student Oral Presentation: Ruan Cox

MCOM Outstanding Postdoctoral Poster Presentation: Chen Hu

MCOM Outstanding Postdoctoral Poster Presentation: Yuefeng Sun

MCOM Best Resident Poster Presentation: Samir Dalia

MCOM Best Resident Poster Presentation: Andrea Abbott

MCOM Best Resident Poster Presentation: Jiangchuan Tao

Watson Clinic Award to a Fourth-Year Medical Student: Lela Posey

Dr. Christopher P. Phelps Memorial Fund Annual Morsani COM Graduate Student Travel Award: Jung A. Woo

Pediatric Administrators Awards for Best Presentation on Children’s Health: Tahseen Ismail

***

Judges looked at each abstract to determine the winners.

The event drew science fair winners from Berkeley Preparatory School in Tampa, who showcased their own award-winning posters

Ruan Cox, a doctoral candidate in the School of Biomedical Sciences, is the winner of the USF Health Vice President’s Award for Outstanding Oral Presentation.

RELATED STORY:

Research Day speaker:  “Tell the story of biomedical research”

Social Media by Elizabeth Peacock, USF Health Communications

Story by Sarah A. Worth, USF Health Communications

Photos by Eric Younghans, USF Health Communications

Not sure what to expect, Alison Winters walked into the new USF Health Diabetes Home for Healthy Living in the Westshore area of Tampa.

What she found was a relaxing, home-like environment that offered every aspect of care she would need to successfully manage her Type 2 diabetes.

“The atmosphere is really nice, like a home, and they even have a dog, which is an added touch that really makes a difference,” Winters said.

USF Health celebrated the grand opening of its Diabetes Home for Healthy Living Aug. 26, ushering in a new approach to diabetes care: A caring environment offering all-encompassing, 24/7 diabetes management care.

“We knew we had to create a place that offered a sense of support more than a sense of a clinic,” said Michele Laine, ARNP, the nurse practitioner director of the USF Health Diabetes Home.

“Happy patients are more likely to be compliant so our main goal is to have a whole bunch of happy patients.”

***

Set with several other businesses at the busy intersection of Westshore Boulevard and Kennedy Boulevard, the 2,000-square-foot facility presents itself first as a storefront. Inside, home-like environment conveys a feeling of calm and comfort and look nothing like typical healthcare clinics. A closer look finds the services necessary for patient with diabetes — on-site laboratory for speedy glucose, A1C, lipid panel and other lab results, retinal scanning to monitor issues faced by many diabetics, customized diet planning based on patient preferences, and diabetes education classes, to name just a few.

And they are all under one roof.

“The USF Health Diabetes Home for Healthy Living is a one-stop experience for care that makes managing diabetes much simpler for patients and their families,” Laine said.

“We have created a medical home, bringing state-of-the-art medical technology, advanced diabetes management techniques, continuous monitoring and an intensive focus under one roof to offer convenient, effective, innovative and all-embracing diabetes care.”

Primarily for adults with Type 2 diabetes or adults with Type 1 who have been diagnosed for at least one year, the USF Health Diabetes Home helps patients proactively manage diabetes and control its many associated illnesses.

The USF Health Diabetes Home is also where anyone diagnosed with pre-diabetes can get guidance for turning their diagnosis around and potentially preventing its progression to Type 2 diabetes. Pre-diabetes is when blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. In the United States, about 79 million people have pre-diabetes.

***

The USF Health Diabetes Home expands its basic tenet to help patients by also reaching into the business community.  More employers are becoming more involved in managing the behaviors of employees with chronic health conditions to improve their health, curb absenteeism and reduce healthcare costs and hospital readmissions.

USF Health will be collaborating with health plans and employers to develop employee incentives for individuals with diabetes to follow recommended care guidelines, which may prevent a self-insured employer paying two to four times more in healthcare expenses for these individuals,” said Seena Salyani, MBA, MHA, administrator for the USF Health Diabetes Home.

“Offering a facility that provides employers with a resource for their employees with diabetes is just one way to help them continue to be productive employees,” Salyani said.  “We believe having our first clinic in Florida’s largest office community (the Westshore Business District) complements our business model of providing convenient access to a medical home providing one-stop diabetes care with innovative technology platforms.”

***

Such innovation was echoed at the USF Health Diabetes Home ribbon-cutting ceremony, held Aug. 26.

USF President Judy Genshaft provided the cut that opened the USF Diabetes Home for Healthy Living.

“This is a great service to our community and is a great addition to USF Health’s leading research, clinical practice and education initiatives,” said USF President Judy Genshaft.

“This facility shows that we can still live a healthy life if we’re given the right tools,” said Interim CEO for USF Health, Donna Petersen, ScD, MHS, dean of the USF College of Public Health. “The USF Health Diabetes Home is a model for care and what we learn here can be applied to other chronic illnesses.”

“Thanks go to so many people who helped put this together,” said Robert Nelson, MD, associate vice president for Children’s Health for USF Health and the Morsani College of Medicine and medical director for the USF Health Diabetes Home. “We’ve spent a year and a half working on this and I’m really excited and very pleased to have been a part of this effort.”

Dr. Bob Nelson gave a heart-felt thank you at the USF Health Diabetes Home ribbon-cutting.

***

At its core, the USF Health Diabetes Home for Healthy Living helps patients take better control of their own diabetes and successfully manage the sometimes daily fluctuations in blood sugar, as well has delay or even prevent its many associated illnesses.

Part of that means letting patients tap into only select services.

“Many patients just need support, others need a more in-depth approach to treatment,” Laine said.

For example, she said, some patients just need help with understanding how to use their insulin pumps, “so we provide focused education on just that,” she said.

Other patients, like Winters, are seeking more hands-on care.

“My physician was hesitant to change the approach for treating my diabetes,” Winters said. “I knew I wanted to take a more aggressive approach to managing my diabetes but he seemed adamant that I stay the course with my current treatment. The USF Health Diabetes Home listened to my concerns, formulated a plan and, within two visits, I saw improvement in my lab levels.”

Anthony Markum, who has Type 1 diabetes, appreciates the all-in-one approach at the USF Health Diabetes Home.

“I’ve been to a million and a half endocrinologists since being diagnosed as a child and the visits involved drawing blood from my arm and then waiting about two weeks for my A1C results,” Markum said. “At the USF Diabetes Home, they were able to get my A1C from a finger prick in only 35 seconds. And in that same visit, I also had a retina scan and results of my average blood sugars, all in one visit. And the atmosphere is very welcoming and the staff is very knowledgeable. The nurse practitioner and physician don’t just talk to you about your numbers. They ask how I’m doing, what’s going on in my personal live, what stresses I’m feeling. They took the time to get to know me personally as a patient. I love it.”

***

USF Health Diabetes Home for Healthy Living

128C S. Westshore Blvd. in Tampa

(in the Town Square Center at the intersection of Kennedy and Westshore Boulevards

(813) 974-2201

Office hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday

Webite: health.usf.edu/doctors/diabeteshome

Among the program’s features:

– A medical home model that moves diabetes management from the academic setting closer to the places where people live and work, but still gives patients coordinated access to the comprehensive range of specialists in the USF Physicians Group.

– Targets adults with Type 2 diabetes, or adults with Type 1 diabetes who have been diagnosed for at least one year.  Diabetes is increasing in epidemic proportions across the U.S.

– Services and routine tests under one roof to improve patient compliance and quality outcomes, including an in-house laboratory offering same-day results for tests such as A1C and lipid profiles, customized nutrition and exercise plans, and ancillary services like retinal scans and metabolic testing.

– Leverages technology in a way that makes personalized self-management of diabetes easier for patients.  Continuous monitoring of glucose readings with mobile platforms will be available.

– Staffed by a nurse practitioner and certified diabetes educator, and physicians focused on a comprehensive, more holistic approach to diabetes treatment.  From the décor and the conversational arrangement of furniture to computer tablets available for online education, the community-based center was designed with more of a welcoming, home-like feel than that of a clinical setting.

– Hershey, a Labrador/Husky mix specially trained to detect fluctuations in blood sugar levels in patients with diabetes, who greets patients with a wag of her tail, which adds to the comfortable, home-like environment.

Michele Laine, nurse practitioner director for the USF Health Diabetes Home, with Hershey.

Story by Sarah A. Worth, photos by Eric Younghans, USF Health Office of Communications

Even the routine tasks for people with diabetes can be a challenge – as medical students in the SELECT program at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine are now learning.

SELECT students agreed Thursday to take the “Bringing Science Home Diabetes Challenge.” They’ll carry a blood sugar monitor with them for the next 24 hours, check their blood sugar every few hours, respond to text messages about their diabetes and keep a journal on their experience.

SELECT student Emma Qureshey gets some help testing her blood sugar.

Students soon realized that even the basic step of sticking a finger and collecting enough blood to test their glucose level is harder than it looks. Several students needed help to set up the monitors and advice on how to squeeze out more blood.

“We all thought it would be kind of easy,” said Jennifer Chevinsky. “And now we’ve already spent 10 minutes trying to figure out how to check our blood. So I think we’ll gain a good amount of perspective by the end.”

The challenge is sponsored by Bringing Science Home, the USF Health program established to help people with chronic diseases live more optimistic lives. SELECT (Scholarly Excellence, Leadership Experiences, Collaborative Training) is a two-year old partnership with the Lehigh Valley Health Network that emphasizes developing emotional intelligence skills and leadership abilities for tomorrow’s physician leaders.

Nicole Johnson, executive director of Bringing Science Home, and high school student Emma Donahue talk with SELECT students.

SELECT program students sat down Thursday to hear from Nicole Johnson, executive director of Bringing Science Home, and several students and family members associated with the program.

“My mom said right from the get-go I have to check my blood sugar before I get in the car,” high school student Emma Donahue, who has diabetes, told the group. She knows that if her blood sugar drops, it may impair her driving ability.

Donahue always keeps her car stocked with snacks and extra testing supplies, just in case.  She also told the group about the challenges of controlling her blood sugar and participating on her high school swim team – an issue that struck close to home for some of the SELECT students.

“I was a swimmer in high school, and swimmers get light-headed,” said SELECT student Emma Qureshey. “We used to eat Jell-O packs between races – and that’s with normal blood sugar.”

That kind of understanding is exactly what Johnson is aiming for. USF graduate psychology students are also participating, and Johnson plans to sign up other student groups for the “Diabetes Challenge” as well.

Emma Donahue talks about living with diabetes.

Johnson told the SELECT students Thursday that she knows three separate instances of high school teachers mistaking an insulin pump for a cell phone and trying to confiscate it – pulling the pump right out of the student’s body.

There are scarier possibilities as well. People with diabetes – and their family members – worry especially night time lows, which can be deadly if they don’t wake up. They are especially dangerous for young adults, who may not live with someone who can check on them.

“You’ll be getting one day in our shoes,” she told the group.

Learn more about Bringing Science Home at www.bringingsciencehome.com

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