Recent News

Amy Paller Named Dermatology Chair Amy S. Paller, MD, a Northwestern faculty member since 1988, has been named chair of the Department of Dermatology at the Feinberg School of Medicine and Northwestern Memorial Hospital (NMH), effective February 10. In a joint announcement, Lewis Landsberg, MD, Feinberg School dean and vice president for medical affairs, and[…]

February 3, 2004 Soybean Chemical May Treat Prostate Cancer CHICAGO— Genistein is a chemical found in soybeans that blocks development of prostate cancer in laboratory models of the disease. Now, a Feinberg School of Medicine study will determine whether genistein is effective in the treatment of prostate cancer in humans. The principal investigator for the[…]

More Study Needed on Protein-Cancer Link A preliminary study suggests that persistent inflammation, as indicated by increased levels of C-reactive protein in the blood, is a risk factor for the development of colon cancer. However, according to an editorial by Feinberg School of Medicine researcher Boris C. Pasche, MD, the link between chronic inflammation and[…]

All-Campus Research Day Slated for March 4 Approximately 150 poster presentations, plus break-out sessions and seminars, will be featured during the Feinberg School’s All-Campus Research Day on March 4. The event is sponsored by the Northwestern Medical Women Faculty Organization (WFO). Male and female faculty members and students from all disciplines are invited to attend.[…]

Gene Technique Targets Alzheimer’s Memory Loss Feinberg School of Medicine researchers have prevented learning and memory deficits in a model of Alzheimer’s disease using a gene-targeting approach to block production of beta-amyloid, or “senile” plaques, one of the hallmarks of the disease. Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative condition affecting more than 15 million people worldwide[…]

Northwestern Remembers Lou Boshes Dollie’s Corner, the leisure reading room of the medical library at the Feinberg School of Medicine, seemed an especially appropriate setting on January 20 for the Northwestern community to remember loyal alumnus and renowned neurologist Louis D. Boshes, MD. Holder of two degrees from Northwestern (BS 1931, MD 1936), Dr. Boshes[…]

January 6, 2004 Tips to Reduce Risk of ‘Cruise Ship Virus’ CHICAGO— Before you leave for that winter cruise, experts from the Travel Medicine and Immunization Center at the Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation would like to have a few words with you: Viral gastroenteritis. Norwalk virus. “Cruise ship virus.” Viral gastroenteritis is an infection that[…]

In Memoriam (Oscar Davis) Oscar F. Davis, MD, associate professor of clinical psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Feinberg School of Medicine, died January 20 of cardiac arrest in his car in the parking lot of Northwestern Memorial Hospital after making rounds; he was 75. Dr. Davis held a bachelor’s degree in biology and chemistry[…]

Ultrasound, Liposomes Are New Diagnostic Tool One of the newest tools in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease and stroke combines a 40-year-old imaging technique and liposomes, little globules of soluble fats and water that circulate naturally throughout the bloodstream. The technique, developed by Feinberg School researcher David D. McPherson, MD, and colleagues with[…]

“Charlie and the Doctor Factory” Plays January 30 and 31 This year’s In Vivo production, “Charlie and the Doctor Factory,” will be presented Friday, January 30, and Saturday, January 31, on the Thorne Auditorium stage, located at 375 East Chicago Avenue, on Northwestern University’s Chicago campus. Showtime is 7 p.m. both nights. Tickets are $8[…]

Scientists Grow Neurons Using Nanostructures Scientists at Northwestern University have designed synthetic molecules that promote neuron growth, a promising development that could lead to the reversal of paralysis due to spinal cord injury. “We have created new materials that because of their chemical structure interact with cells of the central nervous system in ways that[…]

New PhD/MPH Program Offered A new program leading to both PhD and MPH degrees has been created by the Integrated Graduate Program in the Life Sciences (IGP) and the MPH Program of the Department of Preventive Medicine. This distinctive field of study will train students in both laboratory research and interdisciplinary public health fields. Graduates[…]

In Memoriam (George Pollock) George H. Pollock, MD, PhD, professor emeritus of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Feinberg School of Medicine, died of heart disease December 12 in a Houston hospital. He was 80. A native Chicagoan, Dr. Pollack graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago medical school in 1945. His experience treating[…]

Medical Student Appears on “Wheel of Fortune” Second-year Feinberg School of Medicine student Ron Chacko says his mother is a big fan of the game show, “Wheel of Fortune.” “Growing up I used to watch ‘Wheel of Fortune’ almost every weeknight with my mom” at their home in Memphis, Tennessee, he says. “When I heard[…]

December 10, 2003 Broadcast Media: Tamara Kerrill Field at (847) 491-4888 or attlk@northwestern.edu Northwestern Receives $10 Million for Cancer Prevention Clinical Trials CHICAGO— Northwestern University has been named one of six leading research institutions to conduct early-phase cancer prevention clinical trials. Of the total $42 million award from the National Cancer Institute, Northwestern will receive[…]

Children’s Memorial Research Programs Continue Robust Growth Research programs at Children’s Memorial Hospital (CMH), affiliated with the Feinberg School of Medicine, are experiencing significant growth with the arrival of several new recruits. Mary J.C. Hendrix, PhD, is the new president and scientific director, and Xiaobin Wang, MD, MPH, ScD, director of the Mary Ann and[…]

December 16, 2003 Early Fitness Protects Middle Age Hearts CHICAGO— Fitness in early adulthood greatly reduces the likelihood of developing high blood pressure and diabetes—both major risk factors for heart disease and stroke—in middle age, a new study has found. Reporting in the December 17 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association ,[…]

Ceremony Honors New Lurie Research Center Weathering the brisk morning air on December 18, Feinberg School students and faculty and staff members joined Northwestern dignitaries and donors to participate in the “topping out” of the new Robert H. Lurie Medical Research Center of Northwestern University. In one of the construction industry’s oldest traditions, a ceremonial[…]

December 10, 2003 Edible Urban Plants Found to Contain Lead EVANSTON, Ill. — Chicago has one of the highest rates of lead poisoning in the United States, an extremely persistent health problem that particularly plagues urban areas. Now a new study by Northwestern University researchers shows that edible plants grown in urban gardens could contain[…]

December 16, 2003 Contact: Megan Fellman at (847) 491-3115 or atfellman@northwestern.edu A Little Stress May Be Good EVANSTON, ILL.— We’ve often heard that red wine and dark chocolate in moderation can be good for you. Now it appears that a little stress may be beneficial too. Northwestern University scientists have shown that elevated levels of[…]