musc catalyst

February 4, 2011 MEDICAL UNIVERSITY of SOUTH CAROLINA Vol. 29, No. 23

READ THE CATALYST ONLINE - http://www.musc.edu/catalyst

3 6Nurse CoordiNator remembered Global HealtH

Laura Lail was a ‘shining star’ amongthe Digestive Disease Center staff.

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5Nigeria still struggles with malaria,yellow fever and tuberculosis.

Excellence in Action

Meet Star

Classifieds

Islet cell transplant offers promising lifeline

Thrilled that MUSC’s pioneering effortsled to the milestone of the 50th islet cell

transplant Jan. 31, David Adams’ mission isto end the suffering of patients with chronicpancreatitis.

MUSC holds the distinction of being thesecond busiest autologous islet cell transplantcenter in the country, behind the University ofMinnesota, which started doing the procedurein the 1970s. MUSC, the only place in the state

to offer the procedure, treated its first patientin March 2009, and performs about 25 cases ayear to treat chronic pancreatitis. The conditionafflicts thousands of patients and is characterizedby debilitating pain and suffering that frequentlyis unresponsive to traditional medical andsurgical treatments, said Adams, M.D.

“Chronic pancreatitis causes severe, knife-like pain that is unimaginable to most of usand results in these patients being stigmatizedand marginalized by doctors and healthcare providers, who are frustrated by an

s

Patient goes in for surgeryto remove the pancreas. Anislet cell transplant can helppatients who are sufferingfrom the pain of chronicpancreatitis.

The pancreas is put on ice andplaced in a special fluid.

The organ undergoes a four-to-five hour process in theCenter for Cellular Therapy’sclean lab where speciallytrained technicians extractinsulin-producing islet cells.

The islet cells go into an IVbag and are infused into thepatient during a proceduredone by an interventionalradiologist who usesultrasound to guide a catheterinto the main blood vessel inthe liver.

The islet cells are infusedinto the liver where they areexpected to begin functioningas a miniaturized pancreas,producing and releasinginsulin. About 25 to 40 percentof patients who have islet celltransplants will not requireinsulin treatment. For theremaining patients who areinsulin dependent, theirdiabetes typically is muchmore easily managed.

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Interventional radiologist Renan Uflacker (right), registered nurses Monica Mallory,center, and Hedy Fagan oversee islet cells being infused into a patient’s liver.

Autologous Islet Cell Transplant

Whatdrew me tothis field isthe need totake careof thesepatientswho are inso muchpain.

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Dr. David Adams

visit http://tinyurl.com/6xb2z4v

WatCha Video

by daWN brazell

Public Relations

See Islet on page 8

2 the Catalyst, February 4, 2011

The Catalyst is published once a week.Paid adver tisements, which do notrepresent an endorsement by MUSCor the State of South Carolina, arehandled by Island Publications Inc. ,Moultrie News, 134 Columbus St. ,Charleston, S.C., 843-849-1778 or843-958-7490. E-mail: [email protected].

Editorial of ficeMUSC Office of Public Relations135 Cannon Street, Suite 403C,Charleston, SC 29425.843-792-4107Fax: 843-792-6723

Editor: Kim [email protected]

Catalyst staff:Cindy Abole, [email protected] Brazell, [email protected]

excellence in action

My wife and I had to re-admit our 5-year-old daughter, Kennedy,due to complications from previous brain tumor surgeries.

As you could imagine, this was a very trying time, especially in lightof the Christmas and New Year's seasons. Caroline DeLongchampsintroduced herself to us and has been rendering assistance ever since.The entire PICU staff has been exceptional, but Caroline has goneabove and beyond what should be required by any staff member.

My family and I decided to provide a Christmas meal for theother families visiting with their critical care loved ones. Carolinevolunteered to provide paper products and utensils for the meal. Thatin itself was a kind gesture, but that wasn't enough as Caroline arrangedto have the conference room opened to provide a place for all of us tofellowship on Christmas day. My wife and I waited for some "surrogate"to arrive with the utensils, but instead we were greeted by Caroline andtwo MUSC security guards bearing a wagon full of food that had beendonated and huge bags of toys. What my family and I had planned fora meal to feed about 10-12 people, enabled us to feed all the visitingfamilies. With Caroline's assistance, we were able to not only feed thepeople previously mentioned, but we were able to take a large amountof food to the Crisis Ministries shelter.

In closing, I'd like to state that I'm a business owner, and I know thevalue of great employees. You should be awfully proud of an employeewho not only does what is required per his or her job description, butdoes the extra things that gives this institution the great name andreputation it's garnered for years.

The Douglas FamilyOscar, Stacy, Jordan, and "Princess Kennedy"

MUSC’s Caroline DeLongchamps, Children Volunteer Guest Services,center, with Kennedy and her parents, Oscar and Stacy Douglas.

In the fall of 2010, the South CarolinaArea Health Education Consortium(AHEC) received funding fromthe Health Resources and ServicesAdministration after completing arequest for proposals for an initiativeknown as Equipment to Enhance theTraining for Health Professionals. ThisAmerican Recovery and ReinvestmentAct funded initiative has enabledS.C. AHEC to place Polycomvideoconferencing equipment in the fiveprogram office, the offices of the fourregional centers and in 20 rural hospitalsacross the state.

The grant application, known as theS.C. Health Occupations OutreachLearning System (Schools), enablesaccess to continuing educationprograms, student rotation support andresearch initiatives through the use ofvideoconferencing equipment. Programsand trainings are delivered from any ofthe S.C. AHEC locations over a high-speed, dedicated broadband highwayknown as the Palmetto State Providers

Network (PSPN).“We are excited to launch Schools in

partnership with the PSPN initiative,”said Ragan DuBose-Morris, programservices manager for S.C. AHEC and theproject’s principal investigator. “Schoolswill allow health care professionals inall areas of the state to participate intraining programs that will directlyimpact patient care.”

The first statewide program will bebroadcast from 7:30 to 8:45 a.m. Feb.15 from the S.C. AHEC ProgramOffice housed at MUSC in Room 802Harborview Office Tower (HOT 802).Joel Handler, M.D., Kaiser Permanente’slead hypertension physician in SouthernCalifornia, will present a live program on“Optimizing Hypertension Control.”

Continuing Medical Education(CME) credits are offered by the MUSCOffice of CME to participants at anylocation. To attend the session, [email protected]. Space is limited. Forinformation about Schools, visit http://www.scahec.net.

Grant program connects healthcare professionals across SC

Nominations are being acceptedfor the MUSC Foundation TeachingExcellence Awards. The purpose ofthese awards is to recognize membersof the MUSC faculty who have madecontributions to the university throughteaching.

Awards may be given from the

following categories: Clinical/Professional (Educator-Mentor),Scholarship/Academic (Educator-Mentor), Educator-Lecturer, andDeveloping Teacher.

Nominations deadline is 5 p.m.,Feb. 11. Visit http://www.carc.musc.edu/nomination/ or call 792-2228.

Nominations being accepted for teaching awards

the Catalyst, February 4, 2011 3

Laura Mode Lail, 56, of Mount Pleasant died Sunday,Jan. 23 after a battle against breast cancer.

Lail was a registered nurse whocame to MUSC in 1995 as a nursecoordinator. She was responsiblefor facilitating referrals from outsidephysicians and triaging the patientsto determine the appropriate courseof care. She worked closely with thefaculty to identify patients for newand special procedures.

Lail was born Aug. 6, 1954, inMorganton, N.C., a daughter of the late John and PearlLouise Mode. She graduated from Western PiedmontCollege with a degree in nursing. Lail is survived byMichael Dickson of Mount Pleasant; her sister, CindyMode of Drexel, N.C.; her brother, John Mode and hiswife, Mary of Newton, N.C.; her brother, Phillip Modeof Lincolnton, N.C.; and nephews.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice ofCharleston Foundation, 676 Wando Park Blvd., Mt.Pleasant, SC 29464.

“I first met Laura after I moved from England to DukeUniversity in 1986 to develop a endoscopy center. With strongsupport from the Department of Medicine and the recentlyappointed chief of the Division of Gastroenterology (Dr. Ian

Nurse coordinator remembered for ‘zest for life’

Lail

Taylor), we set about building a unit and a team. Lauraapplied from one of the in-patient floors, and was clearly anideal recruit, enthusiastic, professional, compassionate andalways cheerful. When Ian Taylor moved to MUSC he askedme to join him to initiate a new multi-disciplinary DigestiveDisease Center. Laura did not hesitate when I invited her tobecome the friendly and helpful interface with our patientsand their doctors. Laura continued to be a strong patientadvocate, always going the extra mile to organize and toreassure. One of my favorite phrases for someone who hasgone the extra mile is ‘You are a Star.’ Laura was one of thebrightest stars, and her memory will keep us warm. I celebrateand will never forget our 25 years of working together.”—Peter B. Cotton, M.D.

“Laura and I began our friendship 24 years ago after weboth started working for Dr. Peter Cotton at Duke University,then moving with Dr. Cotton to MUSC in 1994. Being apart of this unique GI family gave us a bond that cannot bebroken. Laura had a zest for life and could always find humorin any situation. Our special friendship and her immeasurablecourage will not be forgotten.”—Rita Oden, Digestive Disease Center

“Laura was full of fun. She had a gorgeous smile andan infectious laugh that could make anyone’s day. She wasbright and well-rounded in her knowledge and interests. Many

wonderful memories will keep her spirit alive in my heart.”—Marilyn J. Schaffner, Ph.D., R.N., Administrator forClinical Services and Chief Nursing Executive

“Laura started out as my boss and ended up as my friend.She had a zany sense of humor that would always have youlaughing. I will miss our crazy conversations and all of thelaughs we shared. If there is one thing I will remember aboutLaura it is that she lived life her way! Rest in peace Laura. Iwill miss you.”—Donna Noisette Johnson, Digestive Disease ServiceLine

Dialogue on Health Care DisparitiesFeaturing the research of MUSC’s Black Student Scholars

Noon, Wednesday, Feb. 9Room 302, Basic Science Building

“My Journey: Learning and Becoming Equipped toTackle Health Disparities.” DeAnna Baker, Collegeof Medicine and College of Graduate Studies.

The focus will be on Baker’s experiences learningabout health disparities and how those experienceshave given her tools to participate in healthdisparities research in the future.

For information, visit http://www.musc.edu/diversity or call 792-2146.

IP02-459986


currents Feb. 1 To Medical Center Employees:

A series of medical center town hall meetings has been scheduled to take place fromFeb. 16 through March 1, at the times and locations indicated below. There will alsobe several town hall meetings for large departments in place of their routine department-based meetings.

Evaluations from previous town hall meetings indicate relatively brief sessions havebeen well received. Our plan is to limit the upcoming town hall sessions to 30 minutes.

The town hall agenda will include an update on our fiscal year 2010/2011 goals;employee recognition; cost savings initiatives; hand hygiene campaign; and questionsand answers. Our goal is to increase town hall participation. Attendance is stronglyencouraged.

At the Feb. 1 management communications meeting Steve Hargett, medical centercontroller, gave a financial update. Among other things, Hargett reported that timelinessof Medicare claims processing has been problematic for hospitals throughout the nationrecently and that our South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services hasbeen slow in processing Medicaid claims. As a result of delays in Medicare and Medicaidreimbursement, the medical center’s cash position has deteriorated. Additional details areincluded in this newsletter.

On a related matter, Medicaid funding for the final quarter of this fiscal year remainsunresolved. A substantial amount (approximately $200 million annually or 20 percent)of our revenue is from Medicaid reimbursement. Also, the state is facing a large Medicaidbudget shortfall for next fiscal year and this will have a significant impact on MUSC.MUSC leadership is working with key state government staff, legislative leaders and theState Hospital Association to explore alternatives and recommend solutions. Additionaldetails will be disseminated in the weeks ahead.

The Medicaid funding outlook gives us a sense of urgency to make progress with ourcost reduction initiatives referred to as the “5/5 plan.” Our goal is to reduce the cost ofcare by 5 percent this fiscal year and 5 percent next fiscal year while improving quality ofcare.

Everyone can contribute to our 5/5 cost reduction initiatives by taking part in costreduction teams or being familiar with the cost reduction plan for your area.

Examples of cost savings opportunities that many of us can help with include: focuson reducing overtime; consistently use eShift; look for ways to reduce supply costs; identifyand eliminate underutilized phone lines; and other such cost savings opportunities.

Thank you very much.W. Stuart SmithVice President for Clinical Operationsand Executive Director, MUSC Medical Center

People–Fostering employeepride and loyalty

Town Hall meetingsFeb. 16: 2 p.m., Storm Eye Auditorium and 5 p.m., 2W Amphitheater; Feb. 17:

4 p.m., 2W Amphitheater. Feb. 18: 10 a.m., 2W Amphitheater; Feb. 18: 11 a.m.,ART Auditorium; Feb. 21, 10 a.m., 2W Amphitheater; Feb. 21, 2 p.m., IOPAuditorium; Feb. 22: 11 a.m., 2W Amphitheater; Feb. 23: 7 a.m., 2 WestAmphitheater; Feb. 23: 11 a.m., Storm Eye Auditorium; Feb. 24: 7:30 a.m.,2West Amphitheater; Feb. 24, Noon, ART Auditorium; March 1, 7 a.m., ARTAuditorium

HR updateq Selecting Talent—Training for peerteam and leaders willbe combined; train-ing will be monthlyfrom 8:30 a.m. to12 p.m. Sessions arescheduled for March3, April 7, May 4 and June 1; registrationvia CATTS; contact Karen Rankine at792-7690.q S.C. Stingrays Pack the House Night—Game starts at 7:05 p.m., Feb. 26. Tick-ets are $5; free parking; Call 744-2248,ext. 1214.q University Internal Medicine RapidAccess Center—(Rutledge Tower) RAC isdesigned to support all MUSC/MUHA,UMA employees and their adult familymembers. Call 876-0888.

HIPAA, social mediaReece Smith, medical center com-

pliance and privacy officer, reviewedHIPAA privacy rules and patient Pro-tected Health Information (PHI) guide-lines as they relate to social networkingsites and other media (i.e. Facebook,etc.), and appropriate vs. inappropriateuse of patient information. Employeesshould refrain from discussing, access-ing or viewing a patient’s PHI unless itis necessary for treatment, payment oroperations. Employees also should becautious when faxing or e-mailing PHI toensure it is going to the correct destina-tion. Breaches will be reported to theDHHS Office of Civil Rights. Employeesare urged to review updates to MUHAHIPAA Policy C-03. The Medical CenterCompliance Office team is available tomeet with any hospital unit or depart-ment staff to provide further informa-tion. Contact Smith at 792-7795 [email protected].

PICIS Reports-OACISPat Aysse, R.N., Surgical Services

Program manager, and David Moore,OCIO, shared news that MUHA hasachieved the capability to send the PICIS

summary reports—OR, Anesthesia andPACU case records—directly to OACISinterface helping the hospital achieve itsgoal to use a paperless system. PICIS hasbeen used in the ORs since 2007 andit has been continually running since2009. Records will be cataloged underone column headings or as proceduralrecords and viewable via eCareNet oncecases are completed. OR record will bethe same version. Both anesthesia andPACU records are continuous records(summary report) and will not exist sepa-rately. Updates are made after the patientleaves the OR and includes post opanesthesia follow up visit. Hospitalwideimplementation is scheduled for the Feb.19 weekend.

Finance—Providing the high-est value to patients whileensuring financial stability

Steve Hargett,medical centercontroller, presentedthe medical center’sresults and incomestatement for the sixmonth period end-ing Dec. 31 Fiscalyear (FY) 2011 andFY 2010.

FY 2011 showed a change in net assetsor net profit as $11.5 million ($12.7million budgeted). Hargett explainedwhy the medical center was behind intheir overall budget due to December’sbooking to cover Medicare AdvantageGuardian HMO bankruptcy. The medi-cal center budgeted for the loss with a $1million reserve. Added with this loss, thehospital remains on budget. Leadershipis confident that the medical center willachieve budget due to recent high censusgenerating new revenue for the medicalcenter.

Cash position remains challenging.Cash balance as of end of Decemberis $17.9 million with 6.9 days cash onhand. Driving the cash issue, accord-ing to Hargett, is a national problem inMedicare processing of claims. Medicaidalso has reduced their claims processing.Hargett and his team are working with

MUSC leadership on a cash projectionplan. This, combined with frugal spend-ing and adopting more campuswidecost-saving practices, will put MUSC inan improved cash position by the end ofJune.

Currently, the S.C. Budget and Con-trol board will meet to review and renew

MUSC’s $25 million line of credit.MUHA is already slowing down on allpayables and will soon return to a nor-mal AP processing timeframe once theinstitution’s major payors can catch up.

AnnouncementsThe next meeting is Feb. 15.

Meet star


Department8E and 8W University HospitalHow long at MUSC1 1/2 yearsFavorite TV show“Gossip Girl”Idea of a dream jobHair stylistDream vacationItalyWhat do you do on a rainy dayI would love to curl up with a good book,but I am usually entertaining my daughterso she doesn’t watch “SpongeBob SquarePants” or “Dora the Explorer” all day.Greatest moments in your lifeMarrying my husband and the birth of ourdaughterFavorite concertJimmy Buffett

Favorite Karaoke song to singHit me with your best shot—Pat BenatarTraits in others that attract youFriendly people who are open, honest andfunFavorite restaurantFleet Landing

Star Frost

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Traditionally, Nigeria, like most African nations,depended on herbalists, medicine men or “juju

doctors” who were trained to identify, prepare,administer and cure ailments using herbs and roots.The advancements of modern medicine and westerninfluence have mitigated such practices in exchange forcontemporary avenues of treatment.

Those who can afford it rely on medical professionalsrather than the herbalist. Some patients choose tocombine herbs with medications. A Nigerian doctor

may even discover ritualisticmarkings on their patient, animportant clue to the past medicalhistory of prior visits to the jujudoctor.

Despite efforts to modernizemedicine, Nigeria still haspressing health issues that includemalaria, yellow fever, tuberculosisand AIDS. Amidst all of theseproblems, the most pressing andfundamental issues of health andpoverty have been neglected. These

forgotten issues, primarily cardiovascular disease andmental health, have received little mention. However, ifunchecked they pose a major issue to Nigeria’s overallsuccess. A few Nigerians have chosen to take “the roadless traveled.” Dr. Ernest Madu, a former Vanderbiltcardiologist, is one of those individuals advocating afresh perspective to address matters of the heart. Hebelieves that people in developing countries like Nigeriahave the right to a high quality care.

“The quickest way to kill the progress of a countryand spiral into a cycle of poverty is to kill the parents,”he remarks as his thick Ibo accent booms over the loudspeaker during a conference for progressive thinkerscalled TED (Technology Education Development).

Cardiovascular disease is the second leading causeof death behind AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa and theleading cause of death for individuals more than 30 inthe region. It would appear that Madu’s assertion is trueas the past Nigerian President Alhaji Umaru Yar’ Aduabecame the latest high profile Nigerian to fall victim tochronic heart and kidney disease at 56 on May 5, 2010.

Nigerian physicians trained in the U.S. and U.K.,such as Madu, have opted to make specialty care indeveloping nations a reality. Utilizing innovations suchas the telemedicine platform in his facilities, Maduconsults physicians from around the world to addressthe most complex cases, giving optimal care to thesepatients.

In addition to cardiovascular disease, mental health

issues have reached a boiling point in the country.Initially, like many other Nigerians, we ignored theseissues and looked at the indigent population who areambulating the streets as a public nuisance. I (Ginika)remember visiting Lagos last December for Christmaswhen one of these so called “mad men” accosted ourvehicle and an episode that is commonplace in Nigeriaand many African countries ensued. Among theherd of cars and okada (men on motorcycles) snaking

by aNyaNime asuquo edem, Ginika Biko Ikwuezunm

College of Pharmacy, College of Medicine

Clinician’s cornerA 32-year-old female student from Nigeria

presented to MUSC with a two day history of fever,sweats, headaches, chills and eye sensitivity to light.Her temperature was 101 F, pulse 110 per minutebut otherwise hemodynamically stable. Examinationrevealed a soft ejection systolic murmur and signsof meningism, but her neurological status wasotherwise normal. She noted that she suffered froma new onset anemia and did not use a bed net whilein Nigeria. Of note, a review of her body systemswas positive for intermittent fever (every 48 hours),fatigue, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominalcramps and joint pain. What is the likely diagnosis?A. Dengue feverB. MalariaC. GiardiasisD. TrichinosisFor the correct answer, see page 10

q Population: 154.7 million (UN, 2009) (Themost populous nation in Africa)

q Capital:Abuja.

q Government type: Federal RepublicNigeria is one of the OPEC nations.

q Area: 923,768 sq km (356,669 sq miles).2.5x California

q Year of Independence: October 1, 1960from Great Britain

q Seasons: Dry (November to March) andWet (April to October)

q Endangered Species: Drills Monkeys aredenizens of the Cross River State, Nigeria

q Health Care: Nigeria has a three-tierhealth care system. The Primary receives lo-cal and state government support. Secondarycare is more specialized using referrals viaoutpatient and inpatient services. Tertiarycare is centralized around highly-specializedservices with a teaching hospital such asMUSC operating as a hub. In principal, thissystem works, but the critical issue is thatgovernment funds are misappropriated.

through the congested streets, one of these “mad men”approached. He was visibly disheveled, so we assumedthe position. This meant looking forward and ignoringthe gentleman in hopes that he would eventually leave.This effort proved futile, as he became agitated,pounded on the window and extended his handdemanding, “yem ego!” or give me money. Weeventually gave into his request.

However later, while recounting the event, we becamecognizant of this personal stigma that we experiencedwith our respective families. In Anyanime’s case, herpersonal experience involved a neighbor, while myexperience was with my uncle, Kristopher, whom wecalled “Teacher.”

The inhumane treatment of these people we lovedwas utterly devastating, but reconvicted us with theresponsibility to raise awareness about these issues andengage in local outreach.

Nigeria, like the U.S., has its own unique challengeswith a complex economic and political climate.

However, it is our duty to ensure that our lovedones are not among the forgotten. In spite of all itsidiosyncrasies and frustrations, ask any Nigerian andthey will proudly tell you, this is home.

Nigerian Facts

Nigerians find path to modernization

Oil pipelines run through a village in the NigerDelta.

The Catalyst, February 4, 2011 7

IP07-470279


inability to help these long-sufferingpatients. Total pancreatectomy withtransplantation of the patients’ owninsulin-producing cells offers patients thechance to remove the source of the painand at the same time prevent the side-effects of brittle diabetes.”

Adams, chief of the Division ofGeneral and Gastrointestinal Surgery,said he’s seen the condition reduce war-toughened veterans to tears. He recalls apatient who had suffered having his jeepblown up in Vietnam, but said that hispancreatic pain topped that experienceto the point he couldn’t move to eventurn around. He related how he hadgone to emergency rooms in intense painand the staff would think he had justcome in for drugs.

Adams often sees patients after they’vebeen referred through the system byhealth professionals who don’t knowwhat to do to help them. The five-yearsurvival rate for patients with chronicpancreatitis is 25 percent.

“What drew me to this field is theneed to take care of these patients whoare in so much pain. They’ve alwaysbeen shunned in the past. You can’t cureeverybody, but you can care for them—always.”

Katherine Morgan, M.D., a surgeonwho also treats these patients, agrees.It’s gratifying to be able to have had theopportunity to have such an impact onso many people’s lives, she said. “Wehave evolved into a strong, experiencedteam which enables us to take care ofpeople most effectively.”

The islet cell transplant procedureis reserved for those patients whohave failed all medical and endoscopicinterventions. The goal is to achieveoptimal pain control and improvequality of life, she said.

“We have seen a significant decreasein the need for narcotic analgesics inmost patients, an overall 57 percentreduction in median daily oral morphinerequirements, with about 30 percentof patients being able to be narcoticfree. Most impressively, patients note adramatic improvement in quality of life.”

One of the key duties of the pancreasis to produce the hormones insulin andglugagon to metabolize sugars in theblood, a job done by islet cells in the

pancreas. When the pancreas is removed,the body loses its ability to produceinsulin, so diabetes will occur often inthe form of “brittle diabetes” that is verysevere and difficult to control. In theislet cell transplant, the patient’s owncells are extracted and infused into theirlivers with the hope that patients will beable to remain insulin independent orat least have a less severe form of insulin-dependent diabetes.

Adams said MUSC has a longhistory of being a center of excellencefor pancreatic care. He trained underMarion Anderson, M.D., a formerdepartment chairman who was ahighly-respected national leader inthe operative treatment of chronicpancreatitis. Another positive influence

is Peter Cotton, M.D., who initiatedthe Digestive Disease Center at MUSCin 1994, with a focus on facilitatingmultidisciplinary collaboration.

Collaboration is a key factor to successfor the islet transplant program, whichreceives support from MUSC’s Centerfor Cellular Therapy’s (CCT) cleanlab, where islet cells are harvested to beinfused back into the patient’s liver by aninterventional radiologist.

Michael Nishimura, Ph.D., CCTscientific director, said the lab, the onlyone of its kind in the state, is the futureof regenerative medicine because of thesterile environment created by a specialair-handling system that leaves the labalmost particle free. It prevents spores,dust mites, mold, bacteria, pollen, viruses

and other particles from contaminatingwhat’s being processed.

For example, the lab gets particlecounts of 0 to 1 as compared to a normalroom that would have billions, he said.

“That’s the environment required todo these islet isolations. It enables theinstitution to do the cutting-edge ofmedicine, which is regenerative medicine—giving back people their own cells totreat diseases. Regenerative medicine isthe future of medicine,” he said, citing afew examples.

“In the future, if you have heartdisease, we hope to be able to injectyour own cells back into your heart tohelp it to remodel the heart. Similarly,if you have joint problems, we hope toinject your cells into whatever joint. Thegoal will be to have your own cells helpparticipate in your own tissue or organrepair. You need a facility like the cleancell lab to do that.”

Islet cell transplants are just thebeginning of very exciting research —fromtreating juvenile diabetes to Alzheimer’sdisease—that eventually will be done inthe lab, he said. “It’s waiting for someonein the scientific community at MUSC toinvest the time and effort.”

Meanwhile, research continues on isletcell transplants.

Adams said MUSC is in the process ofevaluating the effectiveness of islet celltransplantation for the quality of life andpain relief for patients, but it’s too earlyto identify long-term outcomes, he said.Inflammation of the pancreas causeschanges resulting in the productionof extra nerve pain stimulators in thenerves around the pancreas.

Another area of interest is how thedisease causes a remodeling of the paincenters in the brain, something that canbe hard to reverse, he said. The goal isto remove the pancreas before it setsup irreversible brain pathways and todevelop better medications that interferewith those pathways.

Patients with chronic pancreatitisnever know when they’re going to endup in the emergency room with painand sometimes vomiting because ofthese debilitating attacks, he said. He’sexcited MUSC will be continuing itspioneering efforts. “By interveningearly in pancreatic disease, we canreturn these people to a somewhatnormal life.”

“We have evolved into astrong, experienced teamwhich enables us to take careof people most effectively.”

Dr. Katherine Morgan

Research specialist Kelly Moxley performs sterility testing on the finalislet preparation.

islet Continued from Page One


eMployee WellnessMUSC Level 1 Trauma Center and

Safe Kids are looking for MUSC SafetyFamilies. Injury impacts everyoneand MUSC is working to make thecommunity safer by demonstratingexamples provided by employees.

Examples of safety topics are:q Child passenger safety-car seats andbooster seatsq Pregnant women wearing a seatbeltq Teen and adult drivers with seatbeltsin all areas of the carq Passengers on bikes, motorcycles,ATV’s, scooters, and skateboards wearinghelmetsq Pedestrians walking on crosswalks orwearing reflective clothingq Boaters and swimmers wearing a life-jacket

The Trauma Center is looking forMUSC families to serve as a modelfor safety, illustrating the best safetypractices. Pictures selected may beused for brochures, health fairs, andeducational forums. Employees are askedto submit photos to Stephanie Powerat [email protected]. The last day ofsubmission will be Feb. 18. Participantswill be asked to sign a waiver ofpermission to use photos for educationalprograms.

Weight Management Center

The MUSC Weight ManagementCenter has been providing weightmanagement programs for more than 35years. The staff at weight managementconsists of registered dietitians,exercise physiologists, psychologists,physicians, and nursing staff; the mostcomprehensive weight management staffin the area.

“We offer a full range of lifestylechange programs—either individual- orgroup-based—for patients of all weightloss needs; whether they have a little ora lot to lose,” said Josh Brown, Ph.D.,clinical psychologist. “Regardless of theprogram, we place strong emphasis onhelping people make the lifestyle changesthat are important for long-term success.”

Staff from the Weight ManagementCenter will be at the Wellness

Wednesday booth at Ashley River Towerfrom 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 9. Comehave your body mass index calculated,your body composition measured,and talk with the staff about therange of programs offered. Discountsand payroll deduction are offered toMUSC/MUHA/UMA employees andtheir spouses, and if you have MedicalSpending, Health Savings, or FlexibleSpending Accounts, you can use those topay for the programs. For information,call 792-2273, e-mail [email protected] visit http://www.MUSChealth.com/weight.

Employee Wellness events

q Chair massages: Free massagesare offered to employees on Tuesdaynights and midday Wednesdays. Lookfor broadcast messages for locations.q MUSC employee fitness series: Afree Pilates class will be held from 12:15to 12:45 p.m., Feb. 8 at the MUSCWellness Center. Participants willalso receive a free one-day pass to theWellness Center. E-mail [email protected] to register.q Discounted state park annual passes:Ranger John Phelps from Charles TowneLanding State Historic Site will belocated in the Children’s Hospital lobbyfor Wellness Wednesday from 11 a.m.to 1 p.m. Feb. 9 selling park passes toemployees at a 20 percent discount. Visithttp://www.charlestowne.org/.q Mobile mammograms: The HollingsCancer Center Mobile Van will beconducting mammograms from 9 a.m. to3 p.m. Feb. 16 next to the Basic SciencesBuilding loading dock, behind theCollege of Dental Medicine. Call 792-0878 to schedule an appointment.q Worksite screening: The nextscreening will be held Feb.17 in room322, College of Nursing. The screeningis $15 with the State Health Plan andadvanced payment is required. Registerat http://www.musc.edu/medcenter/health1st.

Contact Susan Johnson at [email protected] to become involved inemployee wellness at MUSC.

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Correct Answer: B. Malaria. This infection is caused by the protozoan (parasite)Plasmodium falciparum parasite. It accounts for 98% of malarial infections in Africa.The parasite lives in the gut of the female anopheles mosquito and is transmitted whenit bites a human. Treatment with artesunate and sulfdoxine-pryimethamine is indicatedin uncomplicated cases. For this severe case IV or IM artesunate/quinine is effective.Prevention with bed nets is indicated.

CliNiCiaN Continued from Page Six

Hollings Cancer Center’s “Researchand Recipes for Results” will focus onthe connection between eating healthyand preventing cancer.

The free event begins at 6 p.m. onFriday, Feb. 11 at the InternationalLongshoreman’s Association on 1142Morrison Drive. There will be severalguest speakers, including local cancerresearch experts and cancer survivorswho will share their stories as a primeexample of the importance of a healthylifestyle.

Debbie Bryant, assistant directorof cancer prevention and control andoutreach, said they chose February’sBlack History Month and Valentine’sweekend as the perfect time to focus onan event that supports the community inmaking healthy lifestyles choices.

“The mission is to support and

promote cancer education, awarenessand research initiatives in thecommunity,” she said.

They will be exploring the linkbetween obesity and the health issuesof cancer, heart disease and diabetes,conditions that are among the leadingcause of death in the state. The eventalso will be the community kick-off forthe Compass Project.

Bryant said they are excited to see thecommunity interest in the project’s goalof creating an environment that includesbeing smoke free, becoming more activeand having a healthy diet.

“The unique aspect of this project andour first event is the partnership that’sbeen created with over 25 local social,civic, and fraternal organizations pledgedto creating opportunities of social changein our community.”

For information, call Hollings CancerCenter’s Jim Etheredge, 792-8192 ore-mail [email protected].

Event to focus on connectionbetween healthy eating, cancerby Katie staCy

Public Relations

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CLASSIFIED PCLASSIFIED PAGEAGE• Household Personal Items for MUSC employees are free.

All other classifieds are charged at rate below. Ads considered venture-making ads (puppy breeder, coffee business, home for sale,

etc.) will be charged as PAID ADS •• PROOF OF ELIGIBILITY REQUIRED * NO MORE THAN 3 LINES * FREE ADS RUN 2 WEEKS ONLY!

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OR MAILED (134 Columbus St., Charleston SC 29403)Please call 849-1778 with questions. *Must provide Badge No. and Department of Employment for employees and

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