Chela received the distinction of Dr. Honoris Causa (honorary doctoral degree) from the Universidad de Asunción in Paraguay in September, 2013. She was also invited to participate in the 2-part evaluation of Grants for the Innovative Medicines Initiative in the area of Systemic Autoimmune Diseases. Support for this effort is from the European Union. These activities took place in Brussels in April and August 2013, and Chela was the only non-European member of the panel.
Dr. Fessler, Dunn Scleroderma Scholar, organized the UAB Scleroderma Symposium held on Thursday, December 5, 2013. Maria Trojanowska, PhD, Professor of Medicine and Director of the Arthritis Center at Boston University in Boston was the keynote speaker. In addition to Drs. Trojanowska and Fessler, speakers included Marcin Trojanowski, MD; Joao de Andrade, MD, Director, Interstitial Lung Disease Clinic; Yong Zhou, PhD, Assistant Professor, UAB Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine; Joanne Murphy-Ullrich, PhD, Professor of Pathology; and Timothy Wick, PhD, Professor and Chair, Biomedical Engineering. The symposium was co-sponsored by the Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, the Comprehensive Arthritis, Musculoskeletal, and Autoimmunity Center, and the UAB BioMatrix Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Center.
Lou Bridges has been selected as Chair of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Division Directors Taskforce. The charge of ACR Division Directors Taskforce is to create a mission, measurable goals and a strategic plan to address current issues faced by Rheumatology Division Directors. There will be a draft proposal brought to the ACR Executive Committee outlining the goals of the group and the strategy/timeline for achieving those goals. Other taskforce members include Drs. Abby Abelson, The Cleveland Clinic; Mike Holers, University of Colorado, Denver; Dan Battafarano, Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, TX; Joanne Jordan, University of North Carolina; Naomi Schlesinger, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, NJ; Leslie Crofford, Vanderbilt; Terry Moore, St. Louis University; Lindsey Criswell, University of California, San Francisco, and William J. Koopman, former Director, UAB Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology and Distinguished Professor and Chairman Emeritus of the UAB Department of Medicine. Dr. Koopman was a member of the American College of Rheumatology’s Blue Ribbon Panel on Academic Rheumatology, which issued a report on the challenges and the opportunities that confront academic rheumatology today.
The UAB Department of Medicine released its research metrics report based on the completed forms in August 2013. The top 3 faculty members in each rank (total of 12 faculty) that scored the highest number of points included four faculty members in our Division:
- Dr. Kenneth Saag – 1st in rank Professor
- Dr. Jeffrey Curtis – 1st in rank Associate Professor
- Dr. Jasvinder Singh – 3rd in rank Associate Professor
- Dr. Jun Li – 3rd in rank Instructor
The Division will receive $56,550 this year, which represents ~16% of the $347,000 distributed by the DOM. Other recipients include Drs. Troy Randall, Harry Schroeder, Lou Bridges, Maio Danila, Hui-Chen Hsu, Bob Kimberly, John Mountz, Richard Reynolds, Andre Ballesteros, Larry Bradley, Chander Raman, Winn Chatham, Jeff Edberg, Sarah Morgan, Mike Fuller, Angelo Gaffo, Iris Navarro, Alex Szalai, and Tong Zhou.
Of our 16 clinical faculty members, 13 (81%) were included on the 2013 Best Doctors in America List released earlier this month. The list recognizes 323 UAB physicians in 65 specialties who are among the top 5% of clinicians in the United States, as voted by their peers. Best Doctors is an independent, knowledge-based medical referral service whose surveys ask peer physicians, “If you or a loved one needed a doctor in your specialty or a related specialty, to whom would you refer them?” The list was also featured in the December issue of Birmingham Magazine. Rheumatology faculty included in the list were: Drs. Lou Bridges, Winn Chatham, Jeffrey Curtis, Maria Danila, Barri Fessler, Angelo Gaffo, Laura Hughes, Robert Kimberly, Sarah Morgan, Kenneth Saag, Harry Schroeder, Jasvinder Singh, and David Spalding.
Ken Saag has been named the recipient of the 2013 Rheumatology Research Foundation Excellence in Investigative Mentoring Award. This award recognizes the importance of the mentor/mentee relationship. Through the Excellence in Investigative Mentoring Award, the Foundation honors an active ACR or ARHP member for their contributions to the rheumatology profession through outstanding and ongoing mentoring. Past recipients of the Rheumatology Research Foundation Excellence in Investigative Mentoring Award are as follows: 2012: Virginia Steen, MD; 2011: Betty Diamond, MD; 2010: Michael H. Weisman, MD; 2009: Joanne M. Jordan, MD, MPH; 2008: Robert J. Winchester, MD; 2007: Bevra H. Hahn, MD; 2006: John B. Harley, MD, PhD.
Congratulations to Dr. John Mountz, who was successful in the competitive renewed of his VA Merit Review grant entitled, “Btk breaks the tolerance of marginal zone macrophages to apoptotic antigens.” Successful renewal of a grant application such as this (which is equivalent to an NIH R01 grant) speaks highly of Dr. Mountz’ productivity as well as his cutting-edge work, says Dr. Bridges, the DEirector of the Division of Clinical Immunology & Rheumatology.
Jeff Curtis, MD, MS, MPH received notice that he will be awarded a Rheumatology Research Foundation (formerly ACR REF) Disease Targeted Innovative Clinical Research Grant entitled, “A Pilot Study of the Safety and Effectiveness of the Live Zoster Vaccine in Anti-TNF Users”
The following were listed as Best Doctors in America for 2012-13.
S. Louis Bridges, Jr. MD, PhD
W. Winn Chatham, MD
Jeffrey R. Curtis, MD, MS, MPH
Maria Danila, MD, MSc
Barri Fessler, MD, MSPH
Angelo Gaffo, MD, MSPH
Laura Hughes, MD, MSPH
Robert P. Kimberly, MD
Sarah L. Morgan, MD, MS, RD, FADA, FACP, CCD
Kenneth G. Saag, MD, MSc
Harry W. Schroeder, Jr, MD, PhD
Jasvinder Singh, MD, MPH
David M. Spalding, MD
William J. Koopman, M.D. was honored at a dinner at UAB Alumni Hall on Friday, October 5th 2012
The following were listed as Best Doctors in America for 2012-13.
S. Louis Bridges, Jr. MD, PhD
W. Winn Chatham, MD
Jeffrey R. Curtis, MD, MS, MPH
Maria Danila, MD, MSc
Barri Fessler, MD, MSPH
Angelo Gaffo, MD, MSPH
Laura Hughes, MD, MSPH
Robert P. Kimberly, MD
Sarah L. Morgan, MD, MS, RD, FADA, FACP, CCD
Kenneth G. Saag, MD, MSc
Harry W. Schroeder, Jr, MD, PhD
Jasvinder Singh, MD, MPH
David M. Spalding, MD
“In This Issue” highlights articles that are among the top 10% of articles published in the Journal of Immunology. A corresponding ImmunoCast of “In This Issue” is also produced for each issue and can be found on The Journal of Immunology web site at: http://www.jimmunol.org/rss/jipodcast.xhtml. Below is the abstract of the paper published from Dr. Cron's laboratory in the September 15 issue of the Journal in Immunology, which was highlighted "In This Issue".
Transcriptional Trouble
HIV-1 preferentially replicates in activated CD4+ T cells that produce Th2 cytokines, but the mechanism driving this preference is not understood. Zhang et al. (p. 2746) hypothesized that Th2-specific transcription factors such as c-maf might drive HIV-1 replication. Single-cell level analysis of human CD4+ T cells in vitro confirmed that IL-4–producing cells preferentially promoted HIV-1 replication and long terminal repeat (LTR)-directed transcription. This preferential replication was not related to chemokine receptor expression, viral tropism, or differences in apoptosis between Th1 and Th2 cells. Instead, the transcription factor c-maf was found to specifically bind to the HIV-1 proximal LTR near the NF-κB and NFAT binding sites. These sites of the HIV-1 LTR were preferentially bound by NFAT2 and NF-κB p65, but not NFAT1 or NF-κB p50. Together with c-maf, NFAT2 and NF-κB p65 cooperatively enhanced transcription at both the IL-4 promoter and the HIV-1 LTR. Small interfering RNA-mediated depletion of c-maf impaired the transcription of both IL-4 and HIV-1 LTR. These results were upheld in primary CD4+ T cells by the observation that the three transcription factors cooperatively augmented HIV-1 expression. These data enhance our understanding of the mechanisms responsible for HIV-1 disease progression and present c-maf as a potential target for therapies aimed at slowing viral replication.
Friday, October 5, 2012
UAB Alumni House, 1301 10th Avenue South
Birmingham, Alabama 35205
6 to 7 pm: Reception
7 to 9 pm: Dinner ProgramBusiness attire
Spouse or guest welcome
Please RSVP by September 28, 2012 (see below)RSVP
Please print, complete, and FAX to 205 934-1564 or mail to:
UAB William J. Koopman Appreciation Dinner
FOT 1231, 1720 2nd Avenue South
Birmingham, AL 35294-3412Online registration becomes active on September 1, 2012 at: www.uab.edu/koopmandinner
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_____Individual Tickets: #_____ X $75 = $___________________
_____Table for Eight Guests $600
___Regular Meal
___Gluten Free Meal
___Vegetarian Meal
Complementary wine served at dinner; Cash bar available during reception
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Thank you for your support of UAB!
Contribute to the Koopman Professorship Fund
I wish to make a gift to the Dr. William J. Koopman Endowed Professorship Fund.
In the amount of: ___ $5,000 ___$1,000 ___$500 ___$250 ___Other
Total enclosed (check payable to UAB): __________________
Send to:
UAB William J. Koopman Professorship Fund
FOT 1231, 1720 2nd Avenue South
Birmingham, AL 35294-3412Contributions may be given online at: medicine.uab.edu/rheum/71569
Click on: Make gift in honor of Dr Koopman to the William J. Koopman Professorship Fund
Contribute to the Book of Remembrances for Dr. Koopman
Please send your notes or photos for the book of remembrances by September 21 to:
Karen Caton
UAB Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology
1825 University Blvd., SHEL 178F
Birmingham, AL 35294-2182
Phone: (205) 934-9031 / Email: kcaton@uab.edu
In June, Randall Q. Cron, MD, PhD was elected President of the Alabama Society for the Rheumatic Diseases.
Richard Reynolds, PhD will receive a two-year investigator-initiated research grant from Pfizer. The study is entitled “Evaluating genetic heterogeneity of HLA B and HLA DRB1 risk alleles with rheumatoid arthritis in African Americans: Is classical allelic and amino acid sequence level genetic risk conditional on European or African ancestry?”
John Mountz, MD, PhD received notice that the competitive renewal of NIAMS P30 Rheumatic Disease Core Center (RDCC) will be funded for 5 years. This supports the following core facilities:
| Comprehensive Flow Cytometry John Mountz, MD, PhD, Director Olaf Kutsch, PhD, Co-Director Troy Randall, PhD, Co-Director |
Analytical Imaging and Immunoreagent Kent Keyser, PhD, Director Mary Ann Accavitti-Loper, PhD, Co-Director Casey Weaver, MD, Co-Director |
| Analytical Genomics and Transgenics Robert Kesterson, PhD, Director Jeffrey Edberg, PhD, Co-Director Devin Absher, PhD, Co-Director |
Administrative John Mountz, MD, PhD, Director S. Louis Bridges, Jr., MD, PhD, Associate Director |
Jeffrey Curtis, MD, MS, MPH received the Henry Kunkel Young Investigator Award from the American College of Rheumatology during the ACR Annual 2012 Scientific Meeting, in November in Washington, DC. The Henry Kunkel Young Investigator Award is given to a young physician scientist, age 45 or under, who has made outstanding independent contributions to basic or clinical research in the field of rheumatology. Dr. Curtis is the first UAB faculty member and first former fellow at UAB to be awarded this very high honor, which is given to two investigators (one lab-based and one clinical) each year.
The 17 hospitals ranked in Rheumatology were named as among the best for challenging cases and procedures by at least 5 percent of the rheumatology specialists who responded to U.S. News & World Report surveys in 2010, 2011, and 2012.
UAB Rheumatology ranked 11th in the Nation.