Category: Uncategorized

August 1, 2006 Identifying Medical Proxy Should Be Part of Routine Care CHICAGO—One-third of married individuals choose someone other than their spouse as a surrogate for medical decision-making. And more often than not, when adult patients chose a parent, sibling, or child, they prefer their mothers, sisters, and daughters to serve as medical proxies over[…]

In Memoriam (George Sisson Sr.)George A. Sisson Sr., MD, emeritus professor of otolaryngology—head and neck surgery, died August 6 after a long illness. Dr. Sisson grew up in Jamestown, New York, and earned his MD degree from Syracuse University, where he served as a residency program director before joining Northwestern as professor and chair of[…]

Thinking Twice is Good Advice Before Tattooing or Piercing Having a butterfly tattooed above the buttocks or “I love Serena” on the upper arm may be just perfect now, but is it something you want 20 or 30 years from now? This was among many questions raised on August 2 by Anne E. Laumann, MBChB,[…]

August 22, 2006 Study Explores Congenital Limb, Heart Malformations CHICAGO—New research published in the August issue of the Journal of Cell Biology explains for the first time why congenital heart defects so often occur with limb deformities. In their research into the molecular mechanisms that control embryonic limb and heart development, Northwestern University researcher Hans-Georg[…]

July 5, 2006 Variations in Detoxifying Genes Linked to ALS CHICAGO—Genetic variations in three enzymes that detoxify insecticides and nerve gas agents as well as metabolize cholesterol-lowering statin drugs may be a risk factor for developing sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease), and possibly responsible for a reported twofold increased risk of[…]

July 25, 2006 Contact: Elizabeth Sabrio at (847) 491-5001 ore-sabrio@northwestern.edu Art Brings Seniors, Medical Students Together CHICAGO—The Buehler Center on Aging at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine is hoping life can imitate art. Or at least that art can change a few minds. In hopes to disprove negative stereotypes about aging and spur more[…]

Annual Report Available OnlineDiscover, the Feinberg School of Medicine’s 2004–05 annual report, is available online. Formatted to resemble a travel guide, Discover not only highlights the school’s progress in education, research, and clinical services but also describes “sights to see” on campus ranging from portraits and busts of individuals with a prominent role in the[…]

Contact: Megan Fellman at (847) 491-3115 or atfellman@northwestern.edu New Technology Addresses Female Fertility Preservation EVANSTON, Ill.—Women at risk for infertility, such as those needing cancer treatment, can freeze mature, fertilized eggs, but the process can take up to six weeks and for some this delay of treatment is not an option. Immature follicles (the female[…]

July 18, 2006 Drug Study Under Way for Lung Cancer CHICAGO—The Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University will assess the use of Avastin® (bevacizumab) in squamous non–small cell lung cancer. Bevacizumab is an antibody that binds with vascular endothelial growth factor, which regulates angiogenesis, or blood vessel growth, and inhibits the growth[…]

Malaria Parasite, Potato Famine Pathogen Share Trait CHICAGO—The malaria parasite that infects humans and the Irish potato famine pathogen use the same strategy to inject disease-causing proteins into the cells of their respective hosts. That’s what researchers from Northwestern University and Ohio State University reported in the May 31 issue of the journal PLoS Pathogens.[…]