Wake Forest Baptist September awards and recognitions

October 19, 2011

Read a roundup of awards and recognitions in September from Wake Forest Baptist:

Wake Forest Baptist Maya Angelou Center

The Maya Angelou Center for Health Equity (MACHE) at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center which serves as the fiscal agent for the North Carolina American Indian Health Board (NCAIHB) is the recent recipient of a $165,000 grant from the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust.

This grant will be used to bring the health concerns of American Indian people of North Carolina to a higher level of attention through a vehicle utilized by many other regions to address Indian health needs.

“We are grateful to the Trust for being our partner in addressing the health needs of the approximately 120,000 American Indians living across the state,” said Ronny Bell, Ph.D., co-director of MACHE and vice chair of NCAIHB. “Without a designated board to focus on addressing the health disparities of American Indians, this community will continue to experience poor health.”

Wake Forest Baptist Faculty Receives St. Baldrick’s Foundation Grant

Sharon Castellino, M.D., associate professor of Pediatrics at Wake Forest School of Medicine, part of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, has been awarded a $70,142 St. Baldrick’s Supportive Care Research Grant.

Castellino is one of four recipients to receive a Supportive Care Research Grant from the Foundation. Her research focuses on brain and spinal tumors. This project studies stiffness in the aorta and its relation to flow in the vessels in the brain among children who received radiation therapy, a novel attempt to link the heart and the brain following childhood cancer.

“I am honored to have received the funding from St. Baldrick Foundation,” said Castellino. “There is an increasing recognition that life after cancer holds special challenges for brain tumor survivors. We hope that our work will begin to address the biology of these late effects, so we can then design interventions and therapies toward a goal of healthy survivorship.”

Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center Faculty is Promoted to Associate Director

Stephen Susalka, Ph.D., Office of Technology Asset Management (OTAM) at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, has been promoted to the position of associate director.

Susalka joined OTAM in 2005 as assistant director in charge of commercialization and licensing of Wake Forest intellectual property. In addition to managing inventions disclosed from both Wake Forest University and Wake Forest Health Sciences (School of Medicine?), he is responsible for numerous initiatives including OTAM’s graduate student internship program and the office’s annual report.

“Steve is a leader in our field,” said Michael Batalia, Ph.D., director of OTAM. “With this promotion Steve will still be responsible for some invention management, but will take on more responsibilities related to company outreach and OTAM’s educational missions.”

OTAM’s mission is to work closely with university faculty, students and staff to identify and develop novel inventions and to create intellectual property that can be licensed to existing companies or form the basis of new businesses. In addition, OTAM fosters strategic collaborations with industry, community leaders, scientists, investors, entrepreneurs and many others to accomplish commercialization objectives.

Doctor Receives Distinguished Service Award

Dale Browne, M.D., Otolaryngology, is the recipient of the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) Distinguished Service Award.

The Academy presents this award to medical professionals in recognition of extensive meritorious service through the presentation of; instructional courses, scientific papers, participation on a continuing education committee or Academy leadership position.

Browne received the award at the opening ceremony of the 2011 AAO-HNSF Annual Meeting and OTO EXPO, in San Francisco.

Doctor Joins Pediatrics – Winston East

Pediatrics – Winston East, a Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center satellite practice, welcomes Pediatrician Julie Linton.

Linton, M.D., a bilingual (English-Spanish speaking) pediatrician, earned her medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. She is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics, Pediatric Advanced Life Support, Neonatal Resuscitation Program and is a Certified Medical Interpreter. She is also a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

“Dr. Linton is very energetic and has a radiant personality,” said Robert Jones, Ph.D., director, Pediatrics-Winston East. “She is a strong advocate for the underserved population and has an interest in the nutritional aspects of children. She is fluent in Spanish and will greatly assist us in serving our Hispanic patients.”