New health sciences system to fill international research void
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| Charles O'Neill, right, of CoActiv Medical Business Solutions, trains diagnostic imaging faculty Gerald Conlogue and Alicia Giaimo to use of a new picture archive communications system. |
The system operates in tandem with the CT scan, MRI, ultrasound, digital fluoroscopy and radiography imaging equipment recently installed in the School of Health Sciences facility by Toshiba American Medical Systems.
The library will be archived for life and available around the clock. The CoActiv system will fill a void in academic and research circles, said William Hennessy, clinical associate professor of diagnostic imaging and director of diagnostic imaging in the School of Health Sciences.
"At this time, there is no central place in the world where anthropologists and other people doing this kind of work can save all of their research to one central location," he said. "Now there will."
The technology will allow researchers to upload their images directly to the database, Hennessy said. The system will also be very beneficial to the Quinnipiac community--particularly to students in the diagnostic imaging program and the future medical school.
"All of the files captured with our equipment will be automatically digitalized and categorized," Hennessy said. "Up until this point, we have been storing our images locally to our own hard drives. Now everyone will be able to save their images to the centrally-located off-campus database -- and share the materials."
The system will also give the students the opportunity to learn a system that is becoming the industry standard in large hospitals and research centers across America. Quinnipiac is the only diagnostic imaging educational program in the state with its own complete imaging center, and now a picture archival system, Hennessy said.
Accelerated nursing program students to receive scholarships
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| Cory Ann Boyd |
Quinnipiac University has received an $80,000 grant to be used as scholarship money for students traditionally underrepresented in the field of nursing.
The grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) through the RWJF New Careers in Nursing Scholarship Program (NCIN) will be awarded to students in Quinnipiac's accelerated nursing track program.
Grants provided through this competitive program will be given to students traditionally underrepresented in the field of nursing in an effort to help prepare culturally competent nursing leaders.
Eight $10,000 scholarships will be awarded to eight students entering the accelerated nursing program in the School of Health Sciences during the 2010-2011 academic year.
"Embracing the riches that a diverse student body brings to the classroom creates the potential to deeply understand the nature of human experience. Our graduates will enter their nursing careers when the expectations to deliver culturally competent care have never been greater," said Cory Ann Boyd, assistant professor of nursing and coordinator of the accelerated nursing track at Quinnipiac.
Athletic training student to receive scholarship
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| Matthew Mills |
Matthew Mills '11, a student in the athletic training and sports medicine program in the School of Health Sciences, has been selected as one of the National Athletic Trainers' Association Research & Education Foundation's (NATA Foundation) 2010 scholarship recipients.
To qualify for an NATA Foundation scholarship, students must possess at least a 3.25 GPA based on a 4.0 system, be nominated by a certified athletic trainer, and be a member of the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA).
"NATA Foundation scholarship applicants are the top students at each academic institution," said NATA Foundation Scholarship Committee Chair Cindy Trowbridge. "To be nominated for, and then actually receive, one of these awards is not only a testament to the hard work and dedication of the student, but it also is a reflection on the university the student attends."
More than 130 students applied for a 2010 scholarship and 57 were selected. Recipients will be honored at the Student Leadership Breakfast on June 25 in Philadelphia, during the NATA Annual Meeting & Clinical Symposia.
"It is always rewarding to honor our scholarship recipients," added Mark Hoffman, president of the NATA Foundation. "These students are the future leaders of the athletic training profession. By providing these scholarships, the NATA Foundation is making an investment in our future."
Physician assistant students present $13,000 to Health Horizons International
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| From left: Craig Czarsty, president of Health Horizons International, Laura McNulty, executive director of Health Horizons International, Carolyn Allen, a Quinnipiac physician assistant student, and Cynthia Lord, clinical assistant professor of physician assistant studies and director of the physician assistant program. |
Health Horizons International coordinates continuous medical service trips with a local community health workers program in the Puerto Plata region of the Dominican Republic. Students in Quinnipiac's physician assistant program have already traveled to the Dominican Republic twice this year.
To support Health Horizons International's mission to provide quality primary health care to underserved patients in the Dominican Republic, the physician assistant students raised $3,000. The remaining $10,000 was part of a Global Outreach Program grant from the Physician Assistant Foundation.
School of Health Sciences names new associate dean
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| William Kohlhepp |
Kohlhepp, who joined the faculty of the physician assistant program at Quinnipiac in 1996 and holds the title of associate professor of physician assistant studies, has held several leadership positions across campus, including chair of the Faculty Senate. He continues to maintain his clinical expertise in occupational health and has been active in both the state and national physician assistant organizations. In 2000, Kohlhepp served as president of the American Academy of Physician Assistants. In 2006, he served as chairman of the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants. In 2010, he received the Student Academy of the American Academy of Physician Assistants President's Award at the organization's annual conference.
"As a faculty member in the Department of Biomedical Sciences and director of the entry-level master's of physician assistant program at Quinnipiac, Bill is the ideal candidate to serve as the point person for our health sciences students on the Mount Carmel Campus," said Edward O'Connor, dean of the School of Health Sciences.
Kohlhepp holds a doctor of health sciences from Nova Southeastern University, a master of health services administration from Quinnipiac, a bachelor's degree in physician assistant studies from the College of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, and a bachelor's degree in biology from the University of Connecticut.
PT professor hopes his research will help delay painful knee-replacement surgeries
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| David Wallace |
"Between the time the knee pain develops and surgery, the quality of life worsens," Wallace said. "It really destroys the person's quality of life. But as a physical therapist, we really don't know what to do for them to decrease the pain."
His strap, which realigns the hip muscle and makes it stronger, in turn will make the knee stronger by also repositioning the thigh and pelvis. "We are trying to buy them a little more time," Wallace said. "If the strap proves to be effective, the next thing I would do would be to include the strap with some hip exercises."
To determine if the brace meets his expectations, Wallace is recruiting volunteers with arthritis in the inside of the knee to wear the strap for 12 weeks. "My difficulty is finding people," he said. Currently about half of the 30 volunteers needed have been recruited.
Wallace's research takes advantage of Quinnipiac's state-of-the-art motion research laboratory to observe how the strap affects volunteers' lower body movement. "Part of what I want to see is if people tolerate the brace," he said. "I'm hoping they have a change in how they walk."
Christa Barr, a student in the doctor of physical therapy program, is helping Wallace by collecting and analyzing data. In the study, 22 reflective strips are attached to the body of each volunteer. Researchers use a software program in the motion lab to create a 3-D model of how the person walks.
The goal is to reduce the torque, or rotational force, in the knee, Barr said. "The brace pulls the pelvis back up, hopefully relieving the torque on the knee," she said. If the brace relieves the pressure on the knee, another study would ensue to determine if strengthening the hip would further help the knee, she said. "The brace could help prevent further degeneration," Barr said. "Some of the patients have commented that they liked it. We think there's a good likelihood of a positive outcome."
School of Health Sciences students recognized with scholarships
Nursing major Anna Kapusta '10 was awarded a $1,200 Nightingale Award for Excellence. The award, which was presented by the Visiting Nurse Association of South Central Connecticut, recognizes some of the region's outstanding nursing students.
Seven physician assistant students were each awarded a 2010 Physician Assistant Foundation scholarship based on their outstanding academic achievement and commitment to community service and quality health care.
The seven students, who each received a $2,000 scholarship, are: Carly Arena, Stacey Dwire, Lisa Girard, Diana Mlynarski, Rebecca Reeve, Molly Riemenschneider and Michelle Russell. The PA Foundation develops and allocates resources that empower the physician assistant profession to impact the health and wellness of communities. It provides grants and scholarships to PAs and PA students who bring much-needed health care to underserved and underprivileged communities in the U.S. and around the world.
Two other physician assistant students, Lisa McCarroll and Megan Schulz, were recognized with Connecticut Physician Assistant Foundation scholarships in March. McCarroll was awarded a $1,000 scholarship and the Jeff Heinrick Scholarship for her involvement in community service. Schulz received a $750 scholarship.
Rep. Rosa DeLauro visits campus to discuss health care legislation
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| Rep. Rosa DeLauro |
Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, who represents Connecticut's third district, visited the School of Health Sciences April 26 to explain how recent health care legislation will benefit college students.
DeLauro explained that with as many as one in three young adults currently uninsured, ensuring health security and stability, especially in a tough job market, is paramount. The new legislation allows young adults to remain on their parents' health insurance plans until age 26, benefiting as many as 58,000 young adults residing in the third district.
OT graduate student present capstone projects
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| Graduate student Mario Bencivenga presents his capstone project |
Fifty-five graduate students in the occupational therapy program presented their final capstone projects at a conference April 23 on the North Haven Campus.
The students presented posters, presentations and spoke on panels about the research projects they had conducted as part of the master's program requirements. Students are encouraged to submit their scholarship for presentation at professional level conferences.
All senior OT majors are also required to attend the conference as an introduction for their scholarship project next year.
Professor's research investigates breast cancer outcomes
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| Dwayne Boucard, associate professor of biomedical sciences, with student Nisha Parikh |
For the past seven years, Boucaud, an associate professor of biomedical sciences, has been investigating why more black women in the U.S. die of breast cancer than white women, even though more white women contract the disease.
He was a research fellow at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center-University of Texas anda professor at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore before coming to Quinnipiac in 2007.
Boucaudacknowledged that better access to health care on the part of white women probably contributes to the disparity in breast cancer deaths, but black women have been found to suffer from more aggressive tumors that show up earlier andare more difficult to treat, even if detected early. Interestingly, research shows that breast cancer tumors in black women tend to be missing estrogen receptors, a key finding that Boucaud and his team of undergraduate and graduate students are exploring. These receptors bind to estrogen and instruct the cell to grow.
"The drug Tamoxifen can be given to women with estrogen receptor-positive tumors because it tricks the tumor into thinking the estrogen supply has been cut off," he said. But, he added, Tamoxifen is not effective on estrogen receptive-negative tumors, the kind experienced by more black women.
The nuclear protein upstream stimulatory factor, which regulates receptors in normal cells, is missing in many tumor-derived cells studied. "Without USF activity, you'd expect to lose an aspect of estrogen receptor regulation," Boucaud said. The team is probing whether there is a key moment when USF is lost and whether that leads to loss of estrogen receptor expression.
The students are building cell lines in the lab to use as reporters of USF activity. They will screen for proteins that activate USF and see whether these proteins are missing or mutated in cancerous breast cells. Boucaud hopes their findings will lead to the development of interventions that may help to earlier diagnose or offer alternative treatments for women who suffer from estrogen receptor-deficient tumors.
Diagnostic imaging students show X-ray excellence
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| From left: Students Kelsey Johnson '11, Pamela Taylor '12, Keiley Indivero '11, Patricia Landino '11, Jessica Keeley '11 and Noe Chambara '11. |
Diagnostic imaging students won the state "X-Ray Bowl" competition sponsored by the Connecticut Society of Radiologic Technologists and held at Danbury Hospital March 31.
Juniors Nonhlanhla Chambara, Keiley Indivero, Kelsey Johnson, Jessica Keeley and Patricia Landino, and sophomore Pamela Taylor were on the winning Quinnipiac team.
They competed against students from Hartford Hospital, Danbury Hospital, Middlesex Community College and Stamford Hospital. This is the first time Quinnipiac has competed in the event since 1997.
The competition included questions related to all aspects of diagnostic imaging, including terminology, anatomy, radiographic identification, clinical skills, equipment, radiobiology and radiation protection and theory.
As the winning team, Quinnipiac has the honor of housing the trophy from the radiologic society for one year, in addition to receiving a cash prize.
Senior wins clinical case study competition at athletic trainers' conference
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| Wade Johnson |
Wade Johnson '10, an athletic training/sports medicine major in the School of Health Sciences, was awarded first place recently in the clinical case study competition at the Southeast Athletic Trainers' Association's conference in Atlanta.
Johnson received the award for his abstract, "Respiratory Distress in a Division I Collegiate Field Hockey Player," in which he examines a traumatic injury that was suspected to have been caused by exercise-induced asthma.
The Southeast Athletic Trainers' Association is committed to improving the quality of health care provided by certified athletic trainers through service, education, advancement, teamwork and advocacy.
Physician assistant students tell Congress PAs are integral to health care system
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| From left: Bill Kohlhepp, associate professor of physician assistant studies, U.S. Rep. Jim Himes, Kristen Haskins, a student from Stony Brook, Rebecca Reeve, a Quinnipiac PA student, and Cindy Lord, clinical assistant professor of physician assistant studies and director of the physician assistant program, and Patrick Killeen, president-elect of the American Academy of Physician Assistants. |
Cindy Lord, clinical assistant professor of physician assistant studies and director of the physician assistant program, and Bill Kohlhepp, associate professor of physician assistant studies, were joined by first-year physician assistant students Jennifer Buck, Ryan Narciso, Rebecca Reeve, Molly Riemenschneider and Crystal Rose.
The Capitol Connection summit drew PAs from across the country to call upon elected officials to recognize the vital role PAs play in health care reform and patient care. At the summit, which was held over two days in the nation's capitol, PAsorganized to discuss the current state of health care legislation and met with their senators and representatives.
Senior to represent Quinnipiac at National Athletic Trainers' Association's Quiz Bowl
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| Meg Brunelle |
Brunelle will be Quinnipiac'sambassador on the national stage as one of three students representing New England and one of the national association's 10 districts. Each district is allowed to have three students and an alternate compete in the national Quiz Bowl, where top prize is $1,000 for the schools' athletic training programs or clubs.
Brunelle said her experiences both in the classroom and through numerous clinical experiences gave her the knowledge to win the regional competition. Both the regional and national quiz bowls feature five questions in five categories-therapeutic modalities, professional development, assessment of injuries, nutrition and miscellaneous-in a "Jeopardy!" style format.
"I am pretty confident to say that almost any of the seniors in our major would be able to go in and do well in the same situation just because they have prepared us so well," Brunelle said. "I feel I'll be pretty confident to go in and do my thing and we'll see what happens."
Brunelle was also named the Joseph Abraham District I Eastern Athletic Trainers' Association Scholarship Award recipient at the Boston conference.
Six students present at Eastern Athletic Trainers' Association conference
Six students from the School of Health Sciences, all seniors majoring in athletic training/sports medicine, made presentations at the Eastern Athletic Trainers' Association's 62nd annual convention held Jan. 8-11, 2010, in Boston. The students wrote their abstract with members of the athletic training/sports medicine faculty at Quinnipiac and athletic training staff members from either Quinnipiac or Yale University.
- Brian Bremmer presented "Abdominal Injury in a Male Division I Ice Hockey Player," which he co-authored with Richard Kaplan, athletic trainer at Yale University and Susan Norkus, professor of physical therapy at Quinnipiac.
- Megan Brunelle presented "Medial Foot Pain in a Division I Collegiate Softball Player," which she co-authored with Stephen Straub, a professor of physical therapy, and Timothy White, athletic trainer at Quinnipiac.
- Greg DeMarco presented "Hip Pathology in a D1 Collegiate Rower," which he co-wrote with Professor Norkus and Dave DiNapoli, assistant athletic trainer at Yale University.
- Gregory House presented "Effect of Foot Type and Landing Height on Acceleration Values of the Lower Leg," which he co-authored with Straub.
- Wade Johnson presented "Respiratory Distress in a Collegiate Field Hockey Player," which he co-wrote with Jennifer Mead, associate athletic trainer at Quinnipiac, Straub and White.
- Janelle Lopez presented "Knee Pain in a Division I Female Volleyball Player," which she co-authored with Carl Nissen, M.D., Adam Pallone, athletic trainer at Quinnipiac, and Straub.
Adjunct professor co-authors new book on forensic science
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| Elaine Pagliaro |
Elaine Pagliaro, an adjunct professor in the School of Law, School of Health Sciences and the College of Arts and Sciences, has co-authored a new book, "The Real World of a Forensic Scientist: Renowned Experts Reveal What It Takes to Solve Crimes," with Henry C. Lee and Katherine Ramsland.
The book, written for the general public, provides insights for those interested in careers in forensic science.