John Sinnott, MD, will step down July 1 from his role as chair of the Department of Internal Medicine in the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine.

Dr. Sinnott will continue service as the James Cullison Professor of Medicine.  Harry Van Loveren, MD, chair of the Department of Neurosurgery and Brain Repair, will serve as the interim chair as a national search for a new chair of Internal Medicine takes place.

Dr. Sinnott leaves behind a legacy as a renowned physician and dynamic teacher and mentor.  During his 10-year run as chair of USF Health’s largest department, he has ushered in a culture that has helped the department achieve unprecedented growth and achievement. Three internal medicine specialties are nationally ranked among the top 50 for Tampa General Hospital by U.S. News and World Report. The department has accumulated $46.4 million in NIH funding, placing them 35th nationally by the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research.

“It is difficult to tally Dr. Sinnott’s many contributions to the Morsani College of Medicine in his 40 years on our faculty and as an outstanding leader, physician, teacher and advocate,” said Charles J. Lockwood, MD, MHCM, executive vice president of USF Health and dean of the Morsani College of Medicine. “He is a tireless advocate of the Morsani College of Medicine and its mission. …We are deeply grateful for all that Dr. Sinnott has done for USF Health, the Morsani College of Medicine, his colleagues, his students, and his patients.”

Dr. Sinnott was only the third person in the college’s history to be the chair of Internal Medicine. As the largest department within the Morsani College of Medicine, his success came from his trust and confidence in all of his division directors and vice chairs.  When he first stepped into the role of department chair, one of his priorities was to continue to build on the successes of Allan Goldman, MD. Dr. Sinnott’s priority as department chair was to continue investing in faculty development and being patient-centered, he said. Having a patient-centered approach to their key missions of research, clinical and academic excellence was the catalyst to the department’s rise in national prominence and increase in the number of community-based programs established by internal medicine physicians.

“One thing I’m particularly proud of is a legacy of supporting parts of humanity that are often left behind,” Dr. Sinnott said, referencing the USF BRIDGE Healthcare Clinic, the department needle exchange program and other clinics for underserved populations started by physicians within the department. “We’re at a stratospheric level when it comes to teaching.  I have some of the best teachers in the world.  I love our commitment to absolute quality.  That quality is why I never stay awake at night worried about physicians making mistakes.  That quality is what has resulted in the rise in patients for the Morsani College of Medicine.”

Lynette Menezes, PhD, assistant vice president of USF Health International, with John Sinnott, MD, former USF Health Department of Internal Medicine chair.

Dr. Sinnott will continue to work with Lynette Menezes, PhD, assistant vice president of USF Health International. Starting July 1, Dr. Sinnott will take additional roles in that program. The program is committed to enhancing the health of populations worldwide through an interdisciplinary collaboration between the USF Health colleges and its international partners.  Drs. Sinnott and Menezes started the program in 2006.  According to the program’s 2020-2021 annual report, program participants took part in 92 collaborations across 38 countries.

Dr. Sinnott said his first step in his new role is listening, so that he gains an understanding about where the program is and where he wants to take the program, which has experienced great success under the leadership of Dr. Menezes.  In the future, he hopes to treat international patients who come to USF Health from their home countries, and continue to expand collaborative relationships to allow physicians to travel abroad and treat patients.

Dr. Sinnott’s interest in international medicine was sparked in the mid 1990s, as he began working with doctors who had immigrated from Latin America.  Additionally, Korea began pioneering advanced imaging technology, and France started to become a world leader in molecular biology. His interest in health care developments across the world helped him track medical innovations in other countries’ health care systems during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A specialist in infectious diseases, Dr. Sinnott became one of the resident COVID-19 experts who regularly spoke to media outlets during the pandemic.  In addition to the interviews with local, regional and national media outlets, he regularly kept in contact with his international colleagues to get a firm understanding of what was working for them and what wasn’t. The relationships between USF and its international colleagues were essential to the sharing of information.

“Health care is a global initiative and the University of South Florida is a global university,” he said. “I feel that our international programs have had reciprocal benefits for our student and international partners. Our students and physicians have the opportunity to gain a multitude of perspectives of how different countries practice medicine. Our international students and physicians who spend time with us are able to take some of our best practices back to their countries.”

Dr. Sinnott said he is a person who truly bleeds green and gold.  He earned his master’s degree at USF and attended residency and fellowship at USF Health after he graduated from the University of South Alabama’s medical school. Between his graduate education, residency and fellowship, as well as his faculty service, he has been a presence at USF Health for approximately 45 years, he said.  He’s held several high-level leadership roles within the college, including director of the Division of Infectious Disease, and co-director of the Interdisciplinary Program in Allergy, Immunology and Infectious Disease.

His interest in spending his career at USF stemmed from the dedication of College of Medicine leaders to developing future leader. Dr. Sinnott always felt that he was able to advance within the organization.  He is known for a humble and warm presence that extends into all aspects of his life, accompanied by a firm belief that no one gets where they are without tremendous support.

“I want to thank my students, my trainees, my faculty, my directors and people in senior administration,” Dr. Sinnott said. “What I am today is a product of all these people’s efforts.  This is not my success; this is very much their success.  USF has provided me with a career beyond my wildest dreams.  If you’re going to pick an institution to stay with, USF is the place to stay.”

What others have to say about Dr. Sinnott:

“As a teacher and mentor, Dr. Sinnott is unmatched.  For him, every interaction is a teaching moment for the mentor and the mentee, each learning from each other. Always an innovator, Dr. Sinnott continues to be extremely creative, brimming with new ideas and always being one step ahead of a new innovation.  He taught me about ChatGPT before I could get around to it. As the founding associate dean of international, Dr. Sinnott expanded the global footprint of USF tremendously and inspired me and many other faculty to choose global health as a career path. He has continued to support countless students, residents, fellows and faculty engaged in global activities.  It’s been an honor to work with him and I look forward to his continued support and engagement in our global efforts at USF Health.” – Lynette Menezes, PhD, assistant vice president of USF Health International

“John, I speak for many in thanking you for your friendship and support professionally and personally.  You’ve had such a profound impact on the lives of so many. My experience began one summer on a tennis court in 1967.  Besides tennis, you taught us the joy of reading, respect for others and an open mind.  You challenged us to set high expectations and, with hard work, to exceed them. Over the years, this story has been repeated…changing the lives of countless others.  You have received many awards…even having the award for the best clinical teaching faculty named after you.  The best news is that your contributions are continuing.” – Douglas Holt, MD, FACP, FIDSA, professor of medicine, USF Health Department of Internal Medicine

Graduate programs at USF Health had promising gains in this year’s rankings from U.S. News & World Report (U.S. News), with some programs breaking into the top 50 of their rankings.

In the U.S. News 2024 Best Graduate Schools list released on April 25, USF Health’s physician assistant, nursing and public health programs ranked among the best in the country.

The rankings released April 25 did not include medical schools or law schools; those rankings were released by U.S. News May 11.

Among the notable advancements this year are the two graduate programs from the USF Health College of Nursing, each of which had major gains, and the Physician Assistant Program in the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, which made the ranking list for the first time in its young history after receiving its inaugural full accreditation needed to qualify.

“Our nursing school is clearly garnering attention on the national stage as both its master’s and doctoral programs are making incredible gains in the rankings, and proving to be the best in Florida,” said Charles J. Lockwood, MD, MHCM, executive vice president of USF Health and dean of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. “And the first-time ranking for our physician assistant program marks a significant milestone. While this USF Health program is still young, its inaugural ranking is among the top third of PA programs across the country. We anticipate further rankings gains as our program continues to develop.”

According to U.S. News, its methodology uses data from expert opinions and statistical indicators when measuring a program’s ranking, examining qualities students and faculty bring to the educational experience and graduates’ achievements linked to their degrees, such as job placement and research impact.

The posted results for USF Health this year include:

• #46 in Medical Schools for Primary Care: The USF Health Morsani College of Medicine improved significantly for U.S. medical schools for primary care, going from #56 last year to #46 this year, and breaking into the top 50 for the first time.
• #50 in Medical Schools for Research: The Morsani College of Medicine continues to rank well among U.S. medical schools for research, ranking at #50 this year.
• #65 in Health Doctoral Programs – Physician Assistant: The Morsani College of Medicine’s Physician Assistant program ranked for the first time, ranked at #65 this year, placing it in the top third of the more than 200 PA programs in the rankings.
• #31 in Nursing for Master’s: The USF Health College of Nursing jumped 11 spots, going from #42 last year to #31 this year, making it the top-ranked public nursing master’s program in Florida.
• #33 in Nursing for DNP: The College of Nursing also continues to improve in its DNP program ranking and skyrocketed into the top 50 for doctoral programs in the country with its 34-spot jump from #67 last year to #33 this year, making it the top-ranked public or private DNP program in Florida.
• #22 in Public Health: The USF Health College of Public Health remains the top-ranked public health program in Florida, with its rank at #22 this year.

U.S. News does not provide new rankings for all graduate programs each year, so the USF Health Taneja College of Pharmacy maintains its rank of #68, and the School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences maintains its rank of #49.

More on rankings for other USF graduate programs…

This year’s USF Health Research Day set new records as more participants than ever filled the USF Tampa campus Marshall Student Center on March 3 to showcase the best of their scientific work.

The 33^rd USF Health Research Day included 457 research poster presentations by students, postdocs, residents, faculty, and staff across all health disciplines. Research Day is the largest research-oriented event of its kind at USF and remains the largest celebration of health sciences research collaboration across all four USF Health colleges (medicine, nursing, public health and pharmacy) as well as with colleagues in other USF colleges, including social work and engineering.

From left, Dr. Charles Lockwood, Dr. Kim Orth, Rhea Law, and Dr. Steve Liggett.

Research Day kicked off with the Annual Roy H. Behnke, MD, Distinguished Lectureship featuring speaker Kim Orth, PhD, professor of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and an investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

Dr. Orth’s presentation was titled “Black Spot, Black Death, Black Pearl: Tales of Bacterial Effectors” – click here for more about Dr. Orth and her work.

Dr. Kim Orth.

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Tampa General Hospital, the primary teaching hospital for USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, was the presenting sponsor for USF Health Research Day 2023.

Following Dr. Orth’s presentation was the judging of work. Judges reviewed the posters that lined the Marshall Center Ballroom, asking the students for more detail and clarifications about their research projects. Presentations ranged from pilot, preliminary, empirical and case studies to system reviews and reviews of literature or charts.

Following the 13^th Annual Joseph Krzanowski Invited Oral Presenters by select students representing medicine, nursing, public health, and pharmacy, Research Day culminated with an Awards Ceremony in the Oval Theatre announcing the winners in 29 competitive categories – including 18 monetary awards totaling $8,600.

* * *

For the list of Research Day 2023 award winners, click here.

For the list of Research Day judges and sponsors, click here.

More photos

Photos by Freddie Coleman, video by Allison Long, USF Health Communications

Leaders from USF Health and the Global Virus Network (GVN) recently gathered on the University of South Florida campus in north Tampa to sign the final documents making it official that USF Health serves as GVN’s Southeast United States Regional Headquarters.

USF Health and GVN announced nearly two years ago that USF Health earned the designation, but COVID-19 delayed the official signing until this year. The signing took place at the USF Lifsey House Feb 27, 2023, and marks the advancement of the collaborative relationship among the two organizations.

From left, Dr. Charles Lockwood, Pres. Rhea Law, Mathew Evins, and Dr. Christian Brechot.

“What we are signing together today marks a first, that USF is the first regional headquarters to be created with GVN,” said Christian Bréchot, MD, PhD, president of GVN; associate vice president for International Partnerships and Innovation at USF; director of the USF Microbiomes Institute, and professor in the Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Internal Medicine at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. “This headquarters at USF will allow GVN to expand its outreach into Florida with USF’s academic, research and medical activities and expertise, including USF’s international activities. In turn, GVN will provide to USF increased visibility and critical mass across the globe in the field of virology.”

“We are so excited to be the headquarters for the Global Virus Network,” said USF President Rhea Law. “This is an initiative in which we can have enhanced collaborations that focus on huge issues affecting our world today. We can make a difference. Thank you so much for all you’ve done. We are looking forward to our collaboration and to our next steps in opportunities to change the world.”

“We are very grateful to be the Southeast Regional Headquarters and this is a significant stepping stone to where we are headed in virology,” said Charles J. Lockwood, MD, executive vice president of USF Health and dean of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. “One of the key elements of putting this all together is Christian Bréchot. He has been such an incredible resource, for recruitment of virologists, addressing microbiome, and strengthening many of our programs. It has been a joy to see this collaboration develop and grow. So now, the sky is the limit with this great team in place.”

“On behalf of Bob Gallo, the Board of Directors, and the leadership of the Global Virus Network, I would like to express our most profound appreciation to the University of South Florida for its invaluable and instrumental partnership,” Mathew Evins, executive chair and treasurer of the GVN Board of Directors and chair of Evins Communications, Ltd. “I’ve been involved with GVN from the beginning and I cannot think of a situation where I have been more proud. This is a very significant step for us because the key to the successes of GVN in the future are the kind of partnerships we have with the University of South Florida. This for us is not an incremental step; it is an exponential step. I could not be more grateful for your support, your encouragement, and your partnership.”

GVN encompasses the world’s foremost virologists from 71 centers of excellence and 9 affiliates in 40 nations – all working to prevent illness and death from viral diseases posing threats to humanity. Bridging academia, government and industry, the coalition is internationally recognized as an authority and resource for identifying, investigating, interpreting, explaining, controlling, and suppressing viral diseases.

USF Health was the first regional headquarters named by GVN to provide organizational and leadership support to GVN’s Global Headquarters in Baltimore, Md. In that capacity, USF Health will help strengthen GVN’s initial research response to emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, such as COVID-19, and its collaborative efforts to plan for, and defend against, future epidemics and pandemics.

Since announcing USF Health’s designation as the GVN Southeast United States Regional Headquarters, the two organization have launched several programs, including the Global Health Conversation Series with USF Health International that hosted a recent webinar featuring Rachel Roper, MS, PhD, who spoke on Monkeypox virus, vaccines and virulence; Dr. Bréchot’s Health and Care Blog that provides updates on novel insights into the COVID-19 pandemic; One Health Codeathon, an effort between GVN and the USF Genomics Program that provides students the opportunity to learn how to harness data sciences against pandemics; and submission of several joint grant applications, including to the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health.

The GVN Southeast U.S. Regional Headquarters based at USF Health will encompass the four health sciences colleges of the university: the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, the College of Nursing, the College of Public Health, and the USF Health Taneja College of Pharmacy. USF Health is an integral part of USF, a high-impact global research university dedicated to student success. Over the past 10 years, no other public university in the country has risen faster in U.S. News and World Report’s national university rankings than USF.

The appearance of COVID-19 has transformed society almost beyond recognition, with lasting implications for health care, the economy and our social and psychological well-being. Together we can, and we must, be better prepared to meet the challenges of the next emerging virus.”

In addition to their leadership roles at GVN Global Headquarters in Baltimore, Md., Dr. Bréchot and GVN Vice President Linman Li of the USF Health Division of Infectious Disease and International Medicine will lead the new GVN Southeast U.S. Regional Headquarters and focus on regional efforts to expand government and other research funding, as well as research and training initiatives. The regional headquarters designation will enable USF Health scientists to partner with GVN experts worldwide to share ideas and research, to translate research into practical applications, to improve diagnostics and therapies, and to develop vaccines.

GVN members collaborate on science-driven, independent research in many areas, including immunology and vaccines, antiviral drug therapy, virus-host interaction, diagnostic virology and epidemiology, morphogenesis and structural biology, emerging and re-emerging viruses, viruses as biotechnological tools, and trending topics in virology. They also train the next generation of virologists to combat the epidemics of the future.

Video by Allison Long, photos by Freddie Coleman, USF Health Communications

The invention that was shared with the world: Experts came together quickly in early 2020 to create a 3D-printed nasopharyngeal swab. Today, more than 100 million swabs have been produced across the globe using this USF-patented design, and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is honoring the USF Health team Feb. 16, 2023.

The University of South Florida (USF) has been awarded the Patents for Humanity award by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for its patent of the 3D-printed nasopharyngeal (NP) swab, created in the early part of the pandemic as a solution to the disrupted commercial production of standard flocked NP swabs critical in diagnostic testing for COVID-19.

USF is among an exclusive group of winners receiving this year’s Patents for Humanity awards, being named alongside the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the NIH, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Gilead Sciences Inc., and Caron Products. All will be honored by the USPTO at an awards ceremony on February 16, 2023.

USF is earning this recognition for its innovative solution to the commercial NP swab shortage. Due to the urgent need worldwide, the 3D-printed NP swab team decided to forgo monetization of their invention and provided the design files and clinical data at no cost to hospitals, clinics and licensed medical device companies around the world as long as the swabs were produced for their own use.

Over the span of one week in March 2020, teams from USF Health, Northwell Health, Tampa General Hospital, and Formlabs worked together to develop a 3D printed swab prototype using Formlabs’ 3D printers and biocompatible (not harmful), autoclavable materials (able to withstand elevated temperature and pressure of an autoclave). The prototypes were then benchmarked against standard flocked swabs for viral sample retention in the laboratory and tested for patient safety and comfort by USF Health Morsani College of Medicine Department of Internal Medicine researchers. After passing these tests, the teams initiated a multisite clinical trial at dozens of hospital sites across the United States, including Tampa General Hospital, Northwell Health in New Hyde Park, New York, and Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, comparing performance of the 3D-printed nasopharyngeal swabs with flocked swabs.

From that point on, the USF/Northwell design was shared with hospitals, health systems, the military, and clinics around the globe. To date, the USF-patented design for the 3D-printed nasopharyngeal swab has been shared with institutions in more than 60 countries that have produced more than 100 million swabs.

“I am so proud of how our USF Health team stepped forward to combine their expertise and innovation with the teams from Tampa General Hospital, Formlabs and Northwell Health to help save lives around the world,” said Charles J. Lockwood, MD, MHCM, executive vice president for USF Health and dean of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, and executive vice president and chief academic officer at Tampa General Hospital. “This recognition by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office validates both the tremendous power of academic medicine, especially during a crisis, and the values and commitment these teams have for contributing to the greater good.”

“Our goal from the start was to help as many people as possible, as fast and safely as possible,” said Summer Decker, PhD, professor in the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, and director for 3D Clinical Applications in USF Health’s Department of Radiology, who led the 3D printed NP swab team. “In order to do that, we assembled a team of experts in our fields and worked together toward a real-world solution. We then made our files public so that any hospital, clinic or health system could print them for their own facilities and get them to the frontline of COVID-19 testing in patients. Only when you know what you are truly facing, in this case COVID-19, can you actually fight it. This swab was a critical, missing component of the global medical community’s ability to do just that. We are very humbled by this recognition by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for our efforts and very grateful for this incredible opportunity to help not just USF Health and Tampa General Hospital, but also other hospitals and medical centers throughout the world.”

“COVID-19 demanded innovation and collaboration, not only from those on the front lines but across industries,” said Todd Goldstein, PhD, director of 3D Design and Innovation at Northwell Health. “It’s an honor to receive this recognition from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and we hope that our 3D printed nasal swab design helped alleviate burden during the height of the pandemic and showed what cooperation, even in times of crisis, can achieve.”

“We were proud to unite with USF Health, Formlabs and Northwell Health to work quickly and collaboratively to save lives during the height of COVID-19 when swabs were in short supply and in such high demand,” said John Couris, president and CEO of Tampa General Hospital. “This recognition is a true testament to not only the power of academic medicine, but the hard work, sacrifice, innovative spirit and perseverance of our clinical teams and their ability to act quickly and think strategically. We are thankful for the partnerships we developed with other health leaders to find innovative and cost-effective solutions to protect the health of our region and beyond.”

“With quick thinking and action from USF Health, the global shortage of traditional nasopharyngeal swabs was minimized with an entirely 3D printable design that could be easily printed in health care facilities around the world,” said Gaurav Manchanda, director of Medical Market Development at Formlabs. “We were honored to help in this effort and pleased to see the reliability, scalability, and accessibility of our 3D printing solutions put into action. By combining the centralized quality, regulatory, and medical manufacturing expertise at Formlabs with a decentralized production network of global medical customers, local health institutions were able to print and use millions of swabs needed during the shortage. Formlabs is proud to be recognized alongside USF Health, Northwell Health, and Tampa General Hospital in the USPTO Patents for Humanity COVID-19 category.”

The team that created the USF-patented 3D printed nasal swab, from left, Jonathan Ford, Kami Kim, John Sinnott, Summer Decker, Todd Goldstein, and Michael Teng. Not pictured is Todd Hazelton.

— Video and photos by Allison Long, USF Health Communications

The USF Health College of Nursing is expanding its educational reach through new collaborations with two universities in Sicily.

The USF nursing school recently signed general agreements of understanding (GAUs) with nursing programs at the Kore University of Enna and the University of Catania, providing greater opportunity for global exchanges for faculty and students for training, internships, research endeavors and professional development.

Rector Francesco Priolo, Head of the University of Catania, and Dr. Usha Menon, dean of the USF Health College of Nursing, signed the first memo of understanding between University Catania and USF.

Plans to expand USF Health’s reach with both Kore and Catania were developed earlier this year and were more formalized in September when Usha Menon, PhD, RN, FAAN, senior associate vice president for USF Health and dean of the USF Health College of Nursing, among other faculty, traveled to tour the schools, hospitals and clinical facilities, and research laboratories, and GAUs between USF and each of the universities were signed.

In addition, College of Nursing Professor, Barbara Smith, RN, PhD, FACSM, FAAN and Associate Professor, Jennifer Kue, PhD conducted classes for the Kore students during this trip, an expansion of the online courses taught last January.

This trip was supported by a generous contribution from Rosemary and Douglas Ferdinand.

The new collaborative affiliations form the foundation for more formal contracts that aim to nurture the education and research missions for the institutions, including establishing visits and exchanges of faculty, scholars, and administrators in specific areas of education, practice, and research; exchange of undergraduate and/or graduate students; fostering the development of research collaborations, lectures, symposia and potential training projects for specific areas of interest between faculty; exploring topics for joint proposals for international funding; and initiating discussion for cooperative development of courses and academic programs.

Enhancing academic programs globally is an on-going effort across USF, including USF Health Nursing, Medicine, Public Health.

]]> /blog/2022/04/11/the-best-of-performing-arts-and-medicine-come-together-at-interdisciplinary-conference/ Mon, 11 Apr 2022 19:17:02 +0000 /?p=36361 Faculty, professional, educators and health care experts came together recently to learn more about how to improve and promote the well-being of performing artists, as part of the […]

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Faculty, professional, educators and health care experts came together recently to learn more about how to improve and promote the well-being of performing artists, as part of the annual USF-Performing Arts Medicine Conference, held March 25 to 27 at the Barness Recital Hall in the USF School of Music.

“The USF-PAMC is an interprofessional group, all self-guided, probably the only such organization at the University with the area professionals in the community,” said Dr. Sang-Hie Lee, director of USF-Performing Arts Medicine Collaborative and professor of music, piano, and pedagogy in the USF School of Music.

This year’s event included three interprofessional panels, 10 presentations, five workshops, two masterclasses, a yoga session, and Noraxon demonstration.

One keynote speaker at the conference was Alan Lockwood, MD, FAAN, FANA, Emeritus Professor of Neurology and Nuclear Medicine at the University at Buffalo. In his keynote titled “Health and Performing Arts: Legacy,” Dr. Lockwood gave an overview of the origins of the integration of performing arts into the medical field.

Dr. Alan Lockwood.

“The session about mindfulness is all about getting you away from the biomechanics of how you use your fingers to play the note that you want to be played, to looking deeper inside of your body and your experience, and how what you are doing is affecting the creative aspects of making music,” Dr. Lockwood said.

City-based pianist Madeline Bruser hosted the interprofessional panel “Unleashing Musical Potential Through Mindfulness” providing insight into how mindfulness helps musicians release physical and mental tension to transform their performing and expressive capacities. Bruser has taught musicians from six continents, both in-person and online.

Madeline Bruser.

On Sunday, March 27, a luncheon for attendees, campus and community thought leaders, decision-makers, and stakeholders was held, along with a panel that included USF President Rhea H. Law, as well as multiple deans supportive of the Performing Arts Medicine Collective initiative. Top researchers and contributors from across the country discussed the importance of the well-being of performing artists and shared their experiences with the audience and each other.

“This conference is an opportunity to learn from each other, get the advantage of the experience of other people who are working in this field,” Dr. Lockwood said.

“What we really would like to do here is look at how to build a more sustainable performing arts medicine center here at USF, that has this overlap between the arts and between health, and serves the student population, serves beyond those walls, serves the community,” said Merry Lynn Morris MFA, PhD, assistant director for USF’s Dance Program. “My vision is to see more people mentally and physically healthy as artists. The healthier we can make our training, the healthier we can make our mental and physical approaches to those trainings, to create healthy behaviors in young artists.”

Merry Lynn Morris, Rhea Law, and Sang-Hie Lee.

Story, photos and video by Ryan Rossy, USF Health Communications and Marketing

April 19, 2023

Do we need to be concerned about avian flu?

Everyone has noticed that the prices of eggs and poultry have gone up. One reason is the continued spread of avian flu. So, what is avian flu? Should we be worried?

What is avian flu?

Avian influenza, also known as bird flu, is a highly contagious viral infection that affects both domestic and wild birds. There are several strains of bird flu, among which H5N1 and H7N9 are more worrisome due to the possibility of transmission from birds to humans. While this rarely happens, H5N1 is a highly pathogenic virus. Since 1997, outbreaks of this strain and a few infections in humans have occurred in Asia, Africa, and Europe. H5N1 can infect mammals that eat the dead bird cadavers. Such infections could increase the risk of mutations in the virus that could make it more transmissible to humans. Recently, there has been a spillover of the H5N1 virus into harbor and gray seals in New England.  You can read more about the risk of future mutations in the H5N1 strain of virus in this post by the Global Virus Network.

While very rare, it is possible for people who come into close contact with infected birds, bird saliva or feces to get infected. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s latest update on H5N1, 58 million poultry birds in more than 46 states been infected. So far, one human case has been reported in the United States. Between December 2022 and March 2023, 24 countries in Europe reported H5N1 cases in domestic and wild birds.

The symptoms of avian flu

The symptoms of avian flu vary. Infected birds can experience diarrhea, respiratory problems, and a sudden drop in egg production. In severe cases, they may die.

Most people infected with bird flu will experience very mild symptoms, such as  fever, cough, vomiting,  sore throat, and diarrhea, according to the World Health Organization. A few patients may develop more severe symptoms, such as pneumonia, difficulty breathing, respiratory failure, and even death. The fatality rate for humans from infection with H5N1 or H7N9 is much higher than that of seasonal flu infection.

Prevention and treatment

Preventing bird flu is crucial. While most people are at low risk of contracting bird flu, people who handle birds should take precautions.  Proper measurements include isolating infected birds, sterilizing equipment, monitoring bird populations for signs of disease, wearing protective gear, and washing hands frequently. If you suspect you are sick, please seek medical attention immediately.

There are also vaccines for birds, although they are not always effective.

In humans, antiviral drugs such as neuraminidase inhibitors (oseltamivir, zanamivir) can be used to treat bird flu. They are most effective when taken within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms.  Seasonal influenza vaccines do not fully protect against bird flu infection, but they do reduce the risk.

Although we have developed a deep understanding of how bird flu interacts with its host, we still have a long way to go to better understand the evolving bird flu and develop new antiviral drugs and vaccines to fight different strains of bird flu. Closely monitoring virus outbreaks is critical to prevent them from becoming the next pandemic.

Christian Brèchot, MD, PhD
Senior Associate Dean for Research in Global Affairs, USF Health Morsani College of Medicine
Associate Vice President for International Partnerships and Innovation, USF
Professor, Department of Internal Medicine
President, Global Virus Network

Linman Li, MBA, MPH, PMP, CPH
Director, USF- GVN Center
USF Health Morsani College of Medicine
Vice President, Global Virus Network

February 2, 2023

Will 2023 be a New Year for COVID-19?

China lifted its zero-epidemic policy in December 2023. Since then, a huge number of people in the country have been infected with SARS-CoV-2  —  around one billion. From December 1, 2022 to January 23, 2023, a total of 10,165 valid COVID-19 genome sequences, all of which are omicron variants, have been reported in China, according to data released by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. with a total of 24 novel Omicron strains. The main strains were BA.5.2, causing 70.2% of infections, and BF.7, causing 28.3%.  (Other omicron subvariants include XBB.1, BQ.1.1.17, BQ.1.1, BQ.1.2, and BQ.1.8. Both BA.5.2 and BF.7 are derivatives of BA.5.)

Meanwhile, as of January 29, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported that XBB 1.5 is the leading source of U.S. infections, accounting for about 61.3% of infections, followed by BQ.1.1 at 21.8% .

The XBB. 1.5 originated from BA.2, XBB and XBB.1 recombined by two BA.2 sublineages. Both BA.5 and XBB originate from BA.2. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a chart that clearly illustrates how each lineage is related to the others.

None of the abovementioned variants are new variants, since they were previously identified in other countries. In particular, BF.7 and XBB (the predecessor of XBB 1.5) shows surprising infectivity, with a reproductive rate as high as 10 to 18 (In comparison, the Delta variant has a reproductive rate of about 4 or 5). Also, they very efficiently escape the host humoral antibody-based immune response. Fortunately, thus far, they do not show increased severity in disease, and the vaccination still offers protection against severe infections.

Will there be a new COVID-19 variant?

The current surge of variants and significant wave of infections in China and the U.S has clearly established that the COVID-19 pandemic is not over. However, we are still determining what will happen in the future and the emergence of new, more serious variants cannot be ruled out. This is especially important in China, because the number of infections is so high that it could lead to a new generation of mutations. Since vaccination began more than a year ago, China’s domestic vaccine has been less effective than the mRNA-based vaccine; The booster rate is also very low, resulting in decreased immunity. Thus, in the hundreds of millions of cases that have occurred in China, viral mutations, or genetic drift, are possible and has the potential to spill over globally. Given the current situation, we need to focus on preparedness and surveillance.

The Importance of Surveillance, Preparedness, and International Collaborations

According to an article published in Nature, sequencing around 0.5% of the cases, with a turnaround time of less than 21 days, could provide a benchmark for SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance. The study noted that of the 189 countries that shared sequences through GISAID in the first two years of the pandemic, 78% of high-income countries sequenced 0.5% of their COVID-19 cases, while 42% of low- and middle-income countries achieved this level. About 25 percent of the genomes from high-income countries were submitted within 21 days, as were 5 percent of the genomes from low – and middle-income countries. However, surveillance has changed dramatically since the beginning of 2022, with an increasing number of people using at-home rapid COVID-19 test kits or not testing at all.

In this context, genomics-based surveillance and effective detection of the virus at borders, as well as in clinical and wastewater samples, will be key in the coming months. COVID-19 is a global challenge, and independent, science-based international collaborations is essential. USF Health and Global Virus Network scientists will continue to strengthen their collaboration and work with international partners to contribute to the surveillance and monitoring of novel variants and the understanding of their transmissibility.

Christian Brèchot, MD, PhD
Senior Associate Dean for Research in Global Affairs, USF Health Morsani College of Medicine
Associate Vice President for International Partnerships and Innovation, USF
Professor, Department of Internal Medicine
President, Global Virus Network

Linman Li, MBA, MPH, PMP, CPH
Director, USF- GVN Center
USF Health Morsani College of Medicine
Vice President, Global Virus Network

December 7, 2022

New Insights on long COVID

It has been nearly three years since the first COVID-19 case was reported. Unfortunately, now it is clear that this infection can cause the long-term complications that we refer to as “long COVID” or “post-COVID conditions (PCC)”. So, what is long COVID? People infected with SARS-COV-2 may experience, in addition to the frequent loss of taste and/or smell, symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog, shortness of breath and cardiovascular problems for as long as a few weeks, months, or even a year or more. Please visit U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for a complete list of long COVID symptoms. Also, it is important to understand that we are just getting now the results of the first prospective studies, based on many COVID19-infected individuals over the past two years. We are just starting to see the full picture of this novel disease emerge.

Long COVID prevalence and potential impact of vaccines

According to a long COVID cohort study in south Africa, one-third of infected patients are likely to have persistent symptoms following COVID-19. Indeed, this study has shown that 46.7% of hospitalized and 18.5% of non-hospitalized participants had more than one symptom 6 months after infection with SARS-COV-2. Many risk factors play an important role in the severity of the symptoms. For example, the patient’s age, race, gender (women are more susceptible to long COVID) and preexisting diseases (cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity and so on) are involved. The frequency of long-COVID also depends on the variant which has induced the disease. In fact, it is now clear that Omicron and Omicron-related variants (such as the BQ1.1, which is leading the race in the USA) induce long COVID much less frequently (around 60 % for Beta and Delta variants, but only around 19% for Omicron-related variants) While this is good news, given the huge number of infected patients, 19 % still means that many people may suffer from persistent symptoms.

The impact of COVID-19 vaccination on the frequency of long COVID is debated. The study in South Africa reported no correlation between self-reported vaccination status before and after SARS-CoV-2 infection and persistent symptoms. However, in another cross-sectional U.S. study published in JAMA Network, of 16,000 US adults who had previously tested positive for COVID-19, 15% reported current prolonged COVID symptoms, but those who were vaccinated experienced less frequently prolonged symptoms. Another study,  published in The Lancet Discovery Science, also suggested that vaccination before the SARS-COV-2 infection might reduce the prevalence of long COVID.  All these studies have their limitations. Vaccination may reduce the risk of developing long COVID, but further studies are needed to draw any solid conclusion.

The Importance of international collaborations

Scientists around the world should work together to address the mechanism of long COVID-19 by sharing clinical samples and data. There are many mechanisms which need to be explored to really understand the disease and to offer treatments in the future. Even though many people suffer from persistent symptoms after recovering from COVID-19, the diversity of symptoms can make it difficult to define a syndrome. To promote a global and coordinated response to the threat of long COVID, the Global Virus Network (GVN) hosted a first of its kind, two-day on-line conference in July 2022 called GVN Science of Long Covid Conference to bring together a global network of experts to exchange scientific ideas, distill the most important scientific advances in our understanding of long COVID, and help chart a comprehensive and collaborative scientific program of research on long COVID. You can watch the Day 1 and Day 2 recordings here. The chairs of the conference and GVN Long-COVID Task Force members Dr. Rubeshan Perumal from Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA) and Dr. Janko Nikolich-Žugich from University of Arizona have identified a framework of mechanisms underlying the persistence of symptoms that affect a significant portion of the individuals that were infected with SARS-CoV-2, resulting in high human and health care costs.

What to do if you have long COVID?

If you are experiencing any long-COVID symptoms, please make sure seek professional help. Make an appointment with your health care providers. USF Tampa General Physicians Group is here to help you. Always remember that vaccination is the best option. We wish everyone to have a safe and healthy holiday season.

Christian Brèchot, MD, PhD
Senior Associate Dean for Research in Global Affairs, USF Health Morsani College of Medicine
Associate Vice President for International Partnerships and Innovation, USF
Professor, Department of Internal Medicine
President, Global Virus Network

Linman Li, MBA, MPH, PMP, CPH
Director, USF- GVN Center
USF Health Morsani College of Medicine
Vice President, Global Virus Network

Dear Faculty, Staff, Residents and Students:

In the past few weeks much has been made of the SARS-CoV-2 South African (B.1.1.529) variant. Cable news and social media have exaggerated potential risks causing global stock markets to swoon and prompting much anxiety.  However, in my opinion, the greatest threat of this variant is not illness but its potential to take our focus away from the real public health challenge – the current Delta variant which continues its relentless onslaught fueled by unfounded, irrational vaccine hesitancy and lethal misinformation. The B.1.1.529 variant was first detected in South Africa where it has quickly become the dominant strain of the virus. It has now been identified in about 45 countries and 20 states.  It contains over 50 mutations compared with the original SARS-CoV-2 virus. These mutations include sequences found in endemic coronaviruses causing many common colds. And although B.1.1.529 appears more transmissible than the now dominant Delta variant, it seems to have lower virulence. In fact, to date all cases have been mild to moderate and there have been no fatalities. While that may change, particularly as older, obese, and medically complicated and unvaccinated patients become infected, it is welcome news.

I have been predicting for some time that the COVID-19 pandemic would end with a “whimper and not a bang” as the virus gradually mutates into a form consistent with the coronaviruses that cause a quarter of common colds (see my March 2021 Tampa Bay Times Editorial). From an evolutionary perspective, the most “successful” virus is one that was easily transmissible, generates mild symptoms and does not kill its host.  This is why there are many, many more common colds than deadly Ebola, MERS or SARS-CoV-1 infections.  In fact, one only has to look at the incredible efficiency of the common cold to appreciate that this phenotype is the logical endpoint of mutation-driven viral natural selection.

So while much data needs to be collected to confirm this hypothesis, in the interim, the single most effective tool we have to ensure the public’s health, a vibrant economy and our collective sanity is multi-dose COVID-19 vaccination. So if you haven’t been vaccinated – do it now, and, if you qualify, get your booster shot.  In other words, do what USF Health has done so well over the past two years – follow the science, use common sense and keep calm and carry on.

Sincerely,

Charly

Charles J. Lockwood, MD, MHCM
Senior Vice President, USF Health
Dean, Morsani College of Medicine

Dear Faculty, Staff, Residents and Students:

Twenty years ago, I was finishing a meeting in my office at Bellevue Hospital in lower Manhattan when a nurse told me that “a small plane had hit one of the World Trade Towers.”  I went to a nearby patient family lounge where the staff were intently watching a TV showing smoke coming from the first Tower. It was clear to me from the extensive damage visible that this was not caused by a small plane, this as I watched a second jet hit the adjacent Tower. So began a horrific day that would take the lives of two of my patients’ husbands, a friend and America’s sense of invulnerability.

The horrifying images of September 11 have now been deeply seared into our collective memory. And although Americans under 20 cannot remember a time when our nation was not at war, most of us will never forget how we felt that day in 2001.  We each seem to have our own stories of when we learned our nation was attacked and how the proceeding events left a lasting impact on ourselves, our families, our friends, and our nation. I am still haunted by the pictures of hundreds of missing people taped to the gate outside of Bellevue. We will also not forget how for a brief time, our country came together in an incredible display of unity, grief, patriotism, and strength to honor those who lost their lives and to demonstrate our resolve to the entire world.

September 11, 2001, was followed by long and costly wars, and perhaps all of us had moments when we pondered if and when America’s incredible investment of treasure, blood and tears would end.  Twenty years is a long time to wonder if your nation is doing the right thing, and it may be many decades more before we can fully comprehend how America has changed, and whether for the better or worse or both.  But until then, there are a few things in which we can take comfort: we can remember a clear blue-sky day in September when our nation rediscovered heroes, sacrifice, and the price of freedom. We can take comfort in the notion that we have since helped thousands of people escape oppressive regimes and gain access to freedom, education, and opportunity. We can note with pride that by rebuilding the World Trade Center, repairing the Pentagon, and fortifying our points of vulnerability, we have shown the world that terrorism never really achieves anything beyond the misery it creates in the moment.

But we have also learned a great many difficult lessons that must never be forgotten. We have learned that even great powers like America can be humbled, and that our nation’s military must never be what defines us but must always be at the ready to protect the ideals that distinguish us.  And perhaps most importantly, we’ve learned that democracy and liberty are very fragile gifts that must be vigilantly guarded and permanently nurtured.  It takes more than slogans and weapons to build an enduring democracy, but it takes no more than these to destroy one if people lack civility toward each other, mistrust their institutions, and fail to develop a common higher moral purpose.

While the chaotic retreat from Afghanistan and discord at home over implementation of basic public health measures have caused a few of us to despair, I remain optimistic about our future. America has always had to struggle to attain the heights of its promise.  But in the decisive hours, when the world has need for great feats and great heroes, we can be justifiably proud that our nation has always come together and risen to the ready. Twenty years after 9/11, I believe this still rings true and that the best of America is yet to come.

Sincerely,

Charly

Charles J. Lockwood, MD, MHCM
Senior Vice President, USF Health
Dean, Morsani College of Medicine