September 2004 Table of Contents
On the chart Student's visit to Africa brings lectures to life Telemedicine benefits young patients Round of Applause Basic Sciences Faculty honored Picnic welcomes students New employees

Student’s visit to Africa brings lectures to life

The lectures of David T. John, Ph.D., dean of basic sciences, came alive for Tim Teel, MS-II, on a summer trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Tim Teel, MS II, in Africa.

He compares the country to a giant Petri dish, and says the three weeks he spent learning about tropical diseases at Karawa hospital showed him things he would never see otherwise. “We had just finished Dr. John’s (spring semester) parasitology class. Then, I got to see real cases of malaria, and other mosquito-borne diseases.”

He saw much more than that, including untreated cancer, elephantiasis, snakebite, advanced Burkett’s lymphoma, meningitis, tuberculosis, and AIDS, which he says is widespread in the region.

The harshness of life in the Congo gave Teel a deeper appreciation for his own country and his ability to make life choices. Ongoing civil unrest has left its indelible mark on the land and its people. In Bangui, where the airport is located, he said soldiers with guns greet passengers and the airport is a concrete shed with bullet holes in the walls. He found that disease and poverty are facts of life. Mud huts with grass roofs provide typical housing. Just a basic like running water can be an iffy thing, he added, saying while he was there the hospital didn’t have it.

Teel, a broadcast journalism graduate of Iowa State University, likes to pick up and travel to new places. After college graduation, he spent several months in New Zealand (becoming a certified sheep shearer). Teel made the trip to Congo privately, for the experience and the chance to learn. While there, he visited a rain forest, and the self described Iowa farm boy took a look at local agricultural projects.

He plans to visit South America in the future, but for now he’s glad to be home. Teel says he gained a deeper understanding of what it means to be an American. Arriving back in Tulsa, he says, “I kissed the ground and meant it. I’m not kidding.”

 

Telemedicine benefits young patient

Thanks to OSU Telemedicine technology, young patients now can get expert care at the new Akdar Shrine Temple Will Rogers Telemedicine Suite in Tulsa. OSU donated and installed all the new telemedicine equipment for the facility. Akdar Shrine serves patients under age 18 who have severe orthopedic problems, burn injuries and other serious medical needs. The telemedicine suite links to Shriners Hospitals, eliminating the need for long drives for patients and their families.

 

Round of Applause!

Damon Baker, D.O.,Scott Hendrickson, D.O., Johnny Stephens, Pharm. D., OU College of Pharmacy, abstract “Combination Anti-Retroviral Therapy with Tenofivir ddI and Efaverenz in HIV Infected Adults,” accepted for publication in JAOA August 2004. Fred Crapse, D.O., “Middle Colic Artery Rupture in a Patient with Anca Associated Vasculitis,” published in Oklahoma State Medical Association Journal, August 2004. Warren Finn, Ph.D., published paper “Computational Modeling of Retinal Image Processing Utilizing Optic Nerve Recordings,” in Proceedings of the International Conference on Computing. Communications and Control Technologies, International Institute of Informatics and Systemics, Orlando, Fl. David John, Ph.D., published Portuguese translation of Markell and Voge’s Medical Parasitology, 8 th edition, Editora Guanabara Koogan S.A., Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Shelly Johnson reports that a total of 34 runners and walkers from OSU-Tulsa and OSU-CHS will participate in the Race for the Cure, to be held Saturday, Sept. 18 at OSU-Tulsa. Joseph Price, Ph.D. , published “Partial Alanine Scan of Mast Cell Degranulating Peptide (MCD): Importance of the Histidine- and Arginine Residues,” Journal of Peptide Science. Al Rouch, Ph.D., reviewed manuscript for American Journal of Veterinary Medicine.

A literature review and case report by Tommy Reeder D.O., ‘04, for the surgical journal Contemporary Surgery is published in its August issue. Dr. Reeder wrote the review and report as a senior medical student at OSU. An image from the article captured the cover of the issue. Both are available at http://contemporarysurgery.com. A password is required for viewing. Craig Stevens, Ph.D ., two-year, $144,000 research grant from the National Institutes of Health: "Functional Evolution of Opioid Receptors." Presented “An Amphibian ORL1 Receptor Suggests Pattern of Vertebrate Opioid Receptor Evolution,” and “Molecular Evolution of Vertebrate Opioid Receptors: the Amphibian Contribution,” International Narcotics Research Conference, Kyoto, Japan. He also reviewed manuscript for Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. David Wallace, Ph.D. , “Why Do We Need More Research in Alternative Medicine,” Alternative Medicine in the Next Decade meeting, Las Vegas. Wallace is the recipient of the 2004 Irvin Korr Award for Excellence in Basic Science Research at an Osteopathic Institution, selected by the AOA Research Council. The award will be presented at the AOA conference in November. Frances Wen, Ph.D. , Title VII grant awarded to Family Medicine to establish a Division of Research. OSU-CHS in the News: The Center received media mentions and coverage a total of 68 times during July and August.

 

Basic Sciences faculty honored

A reception in the president’s office recently honored basic sciences faculty for outstanding efforts in preparing students for national board review. Shown here are Karlis Sloka, D.O., Ed Goljan, M.D., Robert Conrad, Ph.D., Greg Sawyer, Ph.D., Kent Smith, Ph.D., Rashmi Kaul, Ph.D., Earl Blewett, Ph.D., Alex Rouch, Ph.D., Kirby Jarolim, Ph.D., David John, Ph.D., Bruce Benjamin, Ph.D., David Wallace, Ph.D., Craig Stevens, Ph.D., and Gary Watson, Ph.D.

 

Picnic welcomes students Faculty, staff, students and families gathered in August on the College Green for the annual All-School Picnic to welcome first-year medical students into the osteopathic medicine family. The OSU COM Alumni Association and the Osteopathic Founders Foundation sponsored the picnic.	Dr. and Belinda Fernandes welcome the Dr. Robert Holsey family, including the Holsey’s daughter Laura Jean (center), a first-year medical student.
Diana Price, Dr. Fernandes and Marty Coleman take care of last minute details. Dr. Cherry, wife Marilyn and granddaughter Abigail.

Beth Ann Freeman joins picnic festivities.

Terry Boucher lends a hand with balloons.

Belinda Fernandes shows her OSU colors.