Spotlight on Faculty: Dr. Symes & Dr. Dasgupta

September 1st, 2011 in Faculty Spotlight

Science is constantly evolving, and with that comes the need for graduate education to adapt.  Dr. Shoumita Dasgupta of the Genetics and Genomics program and Dr. Karen Symes of the Biochemistry Department agree.  With a group of other dedicated GMS faculty, they have transformed doctoral education at BUSM through the development of a new and engaging curriculum.

Can you tell me a little about the Foundations in Biomedical Sciences (FIBS) curriculum?

Dr. Dasgupta: The evolution of the new FIBS curriculum is based on redefining what scientific literacy means for doctoral students in the biomedical sciences. It is a series of courses designed for first-year doctoral candidates that will serve as a foundation for the rest of their doctoral education.  The curriculum integrates many fields of science to teach Ph.D. students interdisciplinary thinking.

Dr. Symes:  The courses incorporate topics from a wide range of disciplines including biochemistry, biophysics, cell and molecular biology, genetics and physiology.  Touching on all of these fields, the courses are designed to reflect the way interdisciplinary science is conducted, as well as to coordinate content across courses and programs.

Dr. Dasgupta: The FIBS curriculum has been designed so that the students take four core modules.  The fifth module consists of electives whose purpose is to allow the student to take an integrated course in an additional discipline.

Why is an integrated curriculum so important?

Dr. Symes: Science has evolved so much over the past decade.  It is not only important to have the knowledge of other scientific fields, but also to have the ability to use that knowledge critically. Science is increasingly an interdisciplinary endeavor and it is important to be able to incorporate elements from other fields into your own research.

Dr. Dasgupta: This new curriculum will really focus on the process of intellectual development.  The courses will encourage students to take what they already know and expand on it as they ask and answer questions across scientific disciplines.  A curriculum like FIBS allows the students to put together a scientific story from multiple perspectives at once.

Is BU the first university to use this kind of curriculum?

Dr. Symes: No, integrated science curriculums can be found at a lot of other colleges and universities.  When the movement to form such a curriculum for Boston University was initiated, the committee looked at other graduate school models, however, FIBS is truly a BUSM derived curriculum.  No other school has done it quite the way that we have.

How did you get involved in graduate education?

Dr. Symes: I took a very typical route into graduate education.  I established myself as a researcher first. However, as I began to teach, I found that I loved it.  I soon became interested in the development of higher education, which led to my involvement in designing the FIBS curriculum.

Dr. Dasgupta: I began in higher education as an educator when I was hired to develop graduate and medical curricula in genetics and genomics. I have always been interested in working with students both in the classroom and as a mentor, so I greatly enjoy my roles as course director and program director.

Do you find you still have time to research and participate in the sciences?

Dr. Symes: My lab worked on understanding the molecular basis of cell movements in early embryonic development.

Dr. Dasgupta: My current research is in education, focusing on different teaching strategies and methods in the context of graduate and medical education.

What advice would you give to GMS students regarding courses, or in general?

Dr. Symes: Invest in your own education, because the more you put into it, the more you will get out of it.  I know it sounds clichéd, but it is true.

Dr. Dasgupta: Work collaboratively with your peers, faculty, and mentors.  Try to find people with expertise relevant to your area of study to enrich your own education.

Spotlight on Faculty: Dr. Joseph Zaia

June 16th, 2011 in Faculty Spotlight

Among the many great researchers at BUSM, Dr. Joseph Zaia, Associate Professor in the Department of Biochemistry, is here to offer some insight on the trials and rewards of being an advisor, educator, and scientist in the modern world.

Q. What is the best part of being a professor and scientist at BUSM?

As for being a scientist, I enjoy having a unique and universal language, the language of science. It transcends individuals and native languages. I can talk to anyone in this language with this background. It doesn’t matter where in the world someone is from, we can talk about science.

The best part of being a professor at BUSM is the opportunity to teach. Being a mentor to developing scientists is extremely satisfying. Students are so important to the life of the Biochemistry Department. I encounter so many excellent students here. They are focused, hardworking, up to date on the literature, and have a necessary spark for working in the lab.

BUSM provides a sense of community within the field and in the laboratory. This school has a special feel to it, especially within the basic sciences. People here are open to collaboration and are so easy to approach with an idea, or are willing to offer assistance. I don’t have the same academic background as the rest of my colleagues, but I fit in here. There is a synergy within this academic and research community.

Q. What is being an advisor to these students like?

Students first do four rotations in different labs before they decide where they prefer to work. Deciding to do thesis research in a professor’s lab is a mutual agreement entered into by the student and the professor, and specifically mediated by the Student Affairs Committee in my department, Biochemistry. As students become more experienced and comfortable in the lab, they gain more autonomy. It takes years to develop the intuition and understanding needed to plan and execute projects that are successful. I like to have at least one face-to-face sit down with each student in my lab every week as well as weekly group meetings. It can take some time building up momentum as an advisor. The first five years I advised were completely different from now. I make better decisions now as how to advise people. I’ve learned it’s important to encourage people, and I’ve learned how to encourage them in the right way. An advisor must figure out each individual’s needs.

Q. What advice would you give to those deciding on their lab placements?

• The personality of the lab mentor is very important. You need to enjoy working together. The chemistry has to be there. You need to feel it can work, and if not, consider other options.

Q. It seems you’ve grown professionally while here at BUSM, what advice would you give to young faculty members?

• Get advice from your colleagues.
• Get others to help you avoid the mistakes that everybody makes.

Q. Can you tell us a little bit about your role as the Associate Director for the Center for Biomedical Mass Spectrometry?

The purpose at the Center is to combine basic technology development to meet the emerging needs of biomedicine. It is essential to glue these two aspects together. I am looking at the biochemistry of connective tissue, which relates to many different disease processes. As part of the lab, I get the opportunity to talk with a lot of people here at BUMC, as well as elsewhere. The work is important to help develop disease therapies, and therefore, feels extremely meaningful. Our work involves development of technology, or more specifically, mass spectrometry, which can be applied to compound classes, such as proteoglycans that are a part of every tissue. This technology is universal and has many applications, from studying cell growth in cancer to Alzheimer’s disease.

Q. How did you become interested in Mass Spectrometry?

I was originally trained as a chemist and I joined a biotech company to study cartilage joint repair. I focused the biochemistry of cartilage, which led to my interest in the chemistry of connective tissue, and I have been working on the clinical application of these methods. My career path has been growing towards the exploitation of proteoglycan biochemistry toward the development of therapeutic targets.

Q. You’ve been a part of the BU community for over ten years. What is it that has kept you here?

BU provides an excellent environment for students, especially in the biochemistry department. The people in charge of the program really care about the students and are experienced enough to deal with any problems in a very reasonable way. It’s not the type of environment where a student can get lost in the shuffle because there is someone who will check on their progress. The right students are admitted into the program, and they are all very capable.

Q. Any other advice for young scientists?

• Think about the scientific problem you what to solve. Force yourself to think about what society needs done. There should be something more specific than just ‘I want to do science’.
• It’s not easy to do be a scientist, and the scientific questions may not be clear to you in your 20’s. So try to figure out what problems are the most important to solve in your career as a scientist. Pay attention!

By:

Margaret Wentworth

Spotlight on Faculty: Judith Saide

May 26th, 2011 in Faculty Spotlight

Winner of the 2011 GMS Educator of the Year Award, Dr. Judith Saide continually inspires students with her passion for graduate education. The award is based on student recommendations from all of the GMS programs. Dr. Saide has been nominated for several years during her career at BUMC, consistently meeting and surpassing the GMS standards for excellent teaching. Learn about the involvement of an exceptional educator from the caring, modest, and warm GMS Educator of the Year.

Q. Can you tell us a little bit about your career here at BUMC?

I’ve been at BUMC for over 30 years. I had been involved in both research and teaching for many years, but more recently I’ve been primarily focused on teaching. I teach medical physiology for graduate, medical and dental students. I became the course director in 2005 for medical physiology. I love the environment here; my colleagues are great, as are the students.

Q. What is your favorite aspect of teaching?

I particularly like discussion sessions. These allow interactions with the students that help you get to know them better on a more personal and academic level. Discussion sessions are more relaxed and a less formal environment than the lecture hall. One of the most satisfying aspects of teaching for me is the one-on-one work with students who are struggling with course material. Having them reach that eureka moment when they finally “get it” is very rewarding for me.

Q. What do you think is most important in being a great educator?

You must have the ability to have clarity in your explanations and you must be able to answers students’ questions in a clear manner that helps them understand the material in a new way. Also, you must have the capacity to engage students in the classroom. It is important to create a non-threatening environment. Teaching means encouraging students to ask questions, and that will only happen in an environment where they feel safe.  They should not be afraid to raise their hands. Finally, enthusiasm about the subject you’re teaching is critical. I am awed by the human body and how it works, so I find it easy and rewarding to teach Physiology with enthusiasm.  Because of ongoing research, the field stays interesting because it is constantly evolving.

Q. You said it is important to engage students, how do you do that?

You engage students by asking them questions. Start with less complex questions so students feel encouraged to participate. These questions help an educator gauge how well the students understand the material. All educators need to be invested in the students’ understanding of the material. Student participation depends on the dynamic of the class, which changes with each new group in a classroom. Participation of one or two active students can be contagious. But it also depends on the professor. The professor should be open to students who are confused and should not to be intimidating to the students, and that is not always easy.  I don’t consider myself at all intimidating, but I’ve discovered that I can be perceived that way!

Q. What have you learned about teaching?

The more you teach, the more you can recognize where and when students are struggling with the material. Although, new teachers have an advantage to succeed at this as well, since they have recently been in the students’ shoes as learners and know the areas that need special attention.

Q. What do you think you do that has contributed to your nominations and receiving this award?

I’m not sure exactly. I have heard from students that they appreciate that I am clear in my explanations of topics. I also use vignettes to emphasize the importance of understanding the basics, and I care about doing a good job. I also love what I teach, and I’m invested in my students’ success.

Q. What advice would you give to other educators?

Be aware of your audience and make eye contact. I like to use the chalkboard rather than power point presentations in my lectures. It helps you pace the lecture and interact with the students. For new teachers and even more experienced faculty, confidence can be an issue before a lecture. I try to remind myself that I have something to offer the students. Finally, science information is exploding, and that puts a huge burden on students who are expected to learn more every year.  The challenge for teachers is to cull the information, emphasize what is fundamental, and not overburden students with facts. Information overload saps a student’s joy of learning.  I think if we teach less, students will learn more, and they’ll have the tools to search out what they need to know.

Q. And what about advice to your students?

I would encourage students to try to learn a subject to empower themselves, not just to pass the next exam.  That can be difficult because students are overwhelmed with material and are usually in survival mode.  But if they take control of their own education, by being active rather than passive learners, passing exams shouldn’t be a problem.  I advise students to study material as if they had to enter a classroom and teach it.  Thinking about explaining concepts to someone else is an excellent way for a student to find the holes in their own understanding. It encourages them to actively search out answers.  One way to do that is for students to spend some time working together in groups asking and answering each other’s questions.

Another way, of course, is for them to ask questions in class or search out faculty.  Students are often hesitant to do that, because of concerns about what a faculty member, or worse, their classmates might think of them.  I have the greatest respect, though, for students who are trying to learn and are willing to make themselves vulnerable by admitting they are not following an explanation in class.  That forces an instructor to rework that explanation, and everyone benefits.

Congratulations again to Dr. Saide on a well deserved award. It is educators like her that make a difference on students’ academic success.

Spotlight on Faculty: Dr. Joseph Zaia

May 19th, 2011 in Faculty Spotlight

Among the many great researchers at BUSM, Dr. Joseph Zaia, Associate Professor in the Department of Biochemistry, is here to offer some insight on the trials and rewards of being an advisor, educator, and scientist in the modern world.

Q. What is the best part of being a professor and scientist at BUSM?

As for being a scientist, I enjoy having a unique and universal language, the language of science. It transcends individuals and native languages. I can talk to anyone in this language with this background. It doesn’t matter where in the world someone is from, we can talk about science.

The best part of being a professor at BUSM is the opportunity to teach. Being a mentor to developing scientists is extremely satisfying. Students are so important to the life of the Biochemistry Department.  I encounter so many excellent students here.  They are focused, hardworking, up to date on the literature, and have a necessary spark for working in the lab.

BUSM provides a sense of community within the field and in the laboratory. This school has a special feel to it, especially within the basic sciences. People here are open to collaboration and are so easy to approach with an idea, or are willing to offer assistance.  I don’t have the same academic background as the rest of my colleagues, but I fit in here. There is a synergy within this academic and research community.

Q. What is being an advisor to these students like?

Students first do four rotations in different labs before they decide where they prefer to work. Deciding to do thesis research in a professor’s lab is a mutual agreement entered into by the student and the professor, and specifically mediated by the Student Affairs Committee in my department, Biochemistry. As students become more experienced and comfortable in the lab, they gain more autonomy. It takes years to develop the intuition and understanding needed to plan and execute projects that are successful.  I like to have at least one face-to-face sit down with each student in my lab every week as well as weekly group meetings. It can take some time building up momentum as an advisor. The first five years I advised were completely different from now. I make better decisions now as how to advise people. I’ve learned it’s important to encourage people, and I’ve learned how to encourage them in the right way.  An advisor must figure out each individual’s needs.

Q. What advice would you give to those deciding on their lab placements?

• The personality of the lab mentor is very important. You need to enjoy working together. The chemistry has to be there. You need to feel it can work, and if not, consider other options.

Q. It seems you’ve grown professionally while here at BUSM, what advice would you give to young faculty members?

• Get advice from your colleagues.
• Get others to help you avoid the mistakes that everybody makes.

Q. Can you tell us a little bit about your role as the Associate Director for the Center for Biomedical Mass Spectrometry?

The purpose at the Center is to combine basic technology development to meet the emerging needs of biomedicine. It is essential to glue these two aspects together. I am looking at the biochemistry of connective tissue, which relates to many different disease processes. As part of the lab, I get the opportunity to talk with a lot of people here at BUMC, as well as elsewhere. The work is important to help develop disease therapies, and therefore, feels extremely meaningful. Our work involves development of technology, or more specifically, mass spectrometry, which can be applied to compound classes, such as proteoglycans that are a part of every tissue. This technology is universal and has many applications, from studying cell growth in cancer to Alzheimer’s disease.

Q. How did you become interested in Mass Spectrometry?

I was originally trained as a chemist and I joined a biotech company to study cartilage joint repair. I focused the biochemistry of cartilage, which led to my interest in the chemistry of connective tissue, and I have been working on the clinical application of these methods. My career path has been growing towards the exploitation of proteoglycan biochemistry toward the development of therapeutic targets.

Q. You’ve been a part of the BU community for over ten years. What is it that has kept you here?

BU provides an excellent environment for students, especially in the biochemistry department.  The people in charge of the program really care about the students and are experienced enough to deal with any problems in a very reasonable way. It’s not the type of environment where a student can get lost in the shuffle because there is someone who will check on their progress. The right students are admitted into the program, and they are all very capable.

Q. Any other advice for young scientists?

• Think about the scientific problem you what to solve. Force yourself to think about what society needs done. There should be something more specific than just ‘I want to do science’.
• It’s not easy to do be a scientist, and the scientific questions may not be clear to you in your 20’s. So try to figure out what problems are the most important to solve in your career as a scientist. Pay attention!

By:

Margaret Wentworth



Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Andrew Henderson

April 25th, 2011 in Faculty Spotlight

Many of us imagine our professors growing up playing with chemistry sets in the garage or assuming that they have no social skills unless you want to talk about their research. Dr. Andrew Henderson thinks these stereotypes are not fair and not only did he not have a chemistry set, he would argue the social part of science such as interactions with students and colleagues has helped him become a creative and innovative scientist.

Q: Can you tell us a little about your educational background?

I am originally from California and attended University of California, Riverside where I earned my BS and MA in Biology and my PhD in Biomedical Sciences. I did my post-doc at Columbia University. It was a big decision for me to venture to the East coast but I wanted to challenge myself both professionally and culturally. I was at the right age and at the right time in my life to take on and appreciate what New York City had to offer.

My first research experience was the summer before my senior year in college. I would joke that my major was soccer and I had no experience or idea what research involved. I was fortunate to find a summer position with a biotech company in San Diego, which turned into a real job following graduation. After working for this biotech company for about a year, I realize that I wanted to have a stronger voice in the direction of science and that could only be possible if I returned to graduate school. However, it was this first experience that got me excited about research and immunology and, probably more importantly, showed me that there were potential careers in science which I had an aptitude for.

Q. How did you ended up here at BUSM then?

There were a number of reasons for my move to BUSM. Professionally, I was at Penn State for about ten years, I had great colleagues and students, and there was a real strength in basic science. However, I thought moving to a medical school would be beneficial to my research program and I would be challenged to think about more translational or clinically relevant questions. It was also important to be at a quality institution that valued good research, had strong graduate programs and had quality people. I wanted an environment that allowed me to be creative and to explore and go in new directions with my research. Your environment and the colleagues you work with are crucial to the creative process in research. Some places I visited (but will refrain from mentioning by name) were intellectual deserts. It is a great misconception to believe that this doesn’t matter. You can’t be creative in a vacuum. One of the great advantages here are the graduate students. They ask questions and bring a fresh perspective to their work. Both students and colleagues can push you in new, exciting ways.

Q. Will you tell us more about the research you are currently involved in?

I am currently interested in HIV latency. I am curious about why drugs do not lower or eradicate HIV infection at a molecular level. We are investigating how cellular signals and biochemical processes positively and negatively regulate HIV expression and whether targeting these events influence the ability of the virus to replicate..

Q. What else are you involved in on the BU Medical Campus?

I am involved in various journal clubs and committees on the campus. I am Chair of the Instutional Biosafety Committee (IBC), which reviews BU laboratory recombinant DNA and Biohazard protocols. Recently, I have become more involved in committees reviewing graduate studies at the medical school.

I am most passionate about my involvement in graduate studies. I truly enjoy the teaching aspect of my job, especially in the lab. Watching a student grow and learn is an amazing experience and makes teaching so worthwhile. My students also push me and move me forward as well.

Q. Advice for students?

• Whatever you decide to do, be passionate and have conviction. Keep in mind most of us spend a lot of time at work, so, enjoy what you do.

• We tend to think there is a fixed path for a career, but in reality there is no such thing as a perfect linear career path. It might take more than four years to finish college or grad school, you might decide to work for a few years or travel, its okay, enjoy and learn from all your experiences. With each experience, you will change and grow. More importantly, these are the experiences that will provide you with the confidence and the maturity to create new opportunities for yourself.

Bringing together passion, optimism, and creativity to the BU community, Dr. Henderson certainly inspires graduate students.

By:
Margaret Wentworth

Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Tara Moore

February 10th, 2011 in Faculty Spotlight

Establishing a graduate program is not a simple or easy task. It requires a leader who can organize, plan, and, even more, motivate others. Dr. Tara Moore is such a leader who established not one but two graduate programs: M.S. in Biomedical Forensic Science and M.S. in Forensic Anthropology. It is credit to Dr. Moore’s commitment to graduate education that led to two excellent masters programs at the Boston University School of Medicine campus.

Q: What have some of your roles been here at BUSM?

I am currently the director of the Master of Science in Forensic Anthropology program. Before that program even existed, I was part of the team that established the Biomedical Forensic Science and Forensic Anthropology programs here at the BU School of Medicine. I teach anatomical sciences in the anthropology program and am involved in various studies investigating the effects of cold climate conditions on decomposition. In addition, I am a co-investigator in the Laboratory of Cognitive Neurobiology where I have been involved in the development of a non-human primate model of cortical ischemia.

Q: Can you tell us more about your role in establishing two new programs of study here?

In 2005, there was only one graduate program in Forensic Science in New England. We thought that students wanted to be trained in the field of forensic science and professionals wanted to teach what they knew. This is when we realized that there was a need to establish a graduate program in forensic science here. By the fall of 2006, our program was launched. We recruited faculty from the city of Boston and State crime labs and students from around the country. Currently, Dr. Robin Cotton, a leading expert in the field of DNA identification and analysis of biomedical evidence, is the director of the program. This program now has more than 70 students enrolled, 5 permanent faculty members and several adjunct faculty members from various agencies in New England. Once this program was established, we turned our attention to developing the Masters of Science program in Forensic Anthropology.

Q: Wow, you have been busy the last few years. Can you tell us more about the forensic anthropology program?

Yes, it has been busy, but it has been a lot of fun. I enjoy being the director of the forensic anthropology program. I am also lucky to be working with some amazing faculty members, such as Dr. Siwek as the associate director and Dr. Prince-Zinni, a board certified forensic anthropologist. Dr. Prince-Zinni is also the state forensic anthropologist at the MA office of the chief medical examiner. We also recruited an adjunct instructor from the Massachusetts State Police and two additional full-time faculty members William Powers (retired from the Massachusetts State Police) and Gary Reinecke (retired from the FBI) to teach classes in Crime Scene Investigation, Criminal Law, Homicide Investigation and Major Crime Scene Management and to provide continuing education courses in forensic science and forensic anthropology.  There are currently 25 students in the program, which is just the right size in my opinion. It really provides the faculty the opportunity to get to know the students through one on one interactions.

Q: What else is unique about BU’s Forensic Anthropology program?

The other great aspect of this program is that a number of the courses are focused in techniques and applied studies in forensic anthropology. The program is unique because it is the only forensic anthropology program in a medical school and provides the students with the opportunity to study anatomy and osteology in the Anatomical Sciences Laboratory. Many of the students are exposed to cadavers for the first time in this program. It’s a unique opportunity for them, to connect the perception of dried bones with an actual body. Students also have the opportunity to participate in an internship with Forensic Anthropologist Dr. Murray Marks at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville where they assist Dr. Marks with the analysis of human skeletal remains.

Q: What can students look forward to after they graduate?

They will be well equipped to continue on to a PhD program. For those joining the workforce, there are opportunities in state medical examiners offices, in FBI laboratories, or internationally through the United Nations as one can assist in mass grave recovery. There are also military employment opportunities based in Hawaii, which involve recovering American’s missing from past wars including the Korea and Vietnam wars.

Q: Can you tell us more about your research involving a non-human primate model of cortical ischemia?

I have been involved in a study with Drs. Doug Rosene and Monica Pessina to develop a non-human primate model of cortical ischemia in young and middle-aged monkeys. This project was most recently funded by the National Institute of Aging. The model is designed to test the efficacy of various therapeutic interventions to enhance the recovery of function following stroke.  Potential therapeutics include occupational therapies (e.g. Constrained Induced therapy) and pharmaceutical interventions.

Q: How did you choose BUSM?

I am originally from western Canada, but I became interested in neuroscience and aging after reading an article by Dr. Mark Moss.  I knew I wanted to work with him and it has been wonderful to work with him. I received my PhD from the Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology here at BUSM with Drs. Moss, Rosene and Killiany. I then stayed here to complete my post-doctoral training.

Q: Any words of advice for students?

• Follow your passion
• Complete an internship or volunteer position in your field before pursuing graduate or medical school. Get a good understanding before jumping in.

Dr. Moore is an exemplary BUSM faculty who is not only passionate about her work, but also committed to improving graduate education.

Spotlight on Faculty: Dr. Stephen Brady

November 19th, 2010 in Faculty Spotlight

Dr. Stephen Brady, Director of the Mental Health Counseling and Behavioral Medicine Program in the Division of GMS, and an Associate Professor of Psychiatry is not only passionate about his work and career but intensely interested in engaging students in conversation whether in or outside of class. Dr. Brady would often give lectures without a single PowerPoint slide, yet all students become captivated by his knowledge and enthusiasm. Dr. Brady cherishes new challenges and experiences that his professional life bring and hopes to continue to infuse new ways to get students interested and motivated about learning.

Q: Tell us a little bit about your personal and educational background?

I received my B. A. Degree in Sociology at the University of Florida and then attended the University of California Santa Barbara for my M.A. and PhD degrees in Counseling Psychology. I also completed a Predoctoral Internship and PostDoctoral Fellowship at the University of California- San Diego.

Q: What are your current research interests?

There are two areas of scholarly interest I have maintained over the past 20+ years. I am interested in gay and lesbian identity development as well as HIV prevention in people with mental illness. Most recently, in 2010 I was awarded a five-year, National Institute of Mental Health Grant to study the effectiveness of an HIV prevention intervention our research group has developed and piloted with people with severe mentally illness. Over the course of the study we will recruit patients with current mental illness who are also engaging in high risk behavior for HIV. We intend to randomly assign 300+ participants to either our experimental intervention or to care as usual. We will then examine changes in risk behavior at 3, 6 and 12 months post-intervention. In order to complete this study I am working closely with a number of faculty associated with the Mental Health Counseling and Behavioral Medicine Program including core faculty Drs. Berger-Greenstein and Levy-Bell.

Q: What led you to pursue research on mentally ill at risk for contracting HIV?

My early clinical work with the LGBT community in the beginning of the AIDS epidemic was really the catalyst for my interest in both gay identity and later HIV prevention for people with mental illness. Most of my early gay male patients and many of my friends and colleagues died from HIV/AIDS in the 1980’s. My dissertation examined gay identity development and its relationship to psychological well being and one of my hypotheses was that untreated mental disorders may lead people to engage in sexual and drug risk behavior. At the same time I also completed a number of clinical rotations with people with mental illnesses and along with some key collaborators began to describe and examine how people with serious mental disorders regardless of sexual orientation might be at high risk for HIV.  Indeed since our early work in this area a good deal of research has examined the increased risk among this cohort. I am chiefly interested in clinical interventions that can reduce risk taking in vulnerable groups including people with mental illnesses.

Q: You have many roles throughout the BU and the Medical Campus. Can you tell us about some of these?

Well, my number one role is as the director of the Mental Health Counseling and Behavioral Medicine program in the Division of GMS. I was actually one of the faculty in charge of creating the program almost a decade ago.   My second priority here is my role as the PI of the HIV study as discussed. I also am involved in the University as a whole as an Officer of the Faculty Council at BU and serve on several committees at both campuses.

Q: If you had to choose only one of these roles, which one would you choose?

I really love them all. In addition to the roles I outlined I also have a small psychotherapy practice, which I wouldn’t give up even though I am so involved here at BUSM. I like all of it and I enjoy the opportunity to do so many different things.  However, being engaged in so many different areas makes it difficult to be a leader in any one field.

Q:  Do you have any words of wisdom for graduate students here at BUSM?

Being good at anything demands lifelong learning. It doesn’t end with an academic education.

It is extremely hard work being successful. Success mainly comes from working hard and requires a sustained effort.

Q: What about tips for students trying to build a successful career in academic research?

It is important for those interested in research to have good training as well as effective mentoring.  I didn’t have a mentor early in my career and this meant that developing a research portfolio was a great challenge. However, I never gave up and eventually was able to develop the necessary skill set.

Q: Any other words of guidance or inspiration?

I work harder and I am happier in my career the older I get.

It is a great gift to have a career that has meaning as part of one’s legacy.

Dr. Brady is an example of how hard work and persistence helps countless individuals with mental illness to reduce the spread of HIV. Certainly, Dr. Brady’s career is the gold standard for GMS students to aspire to be.

GMS Student,

Maggie Wentworth

Spotlight on Faculty: Dr. Jamie Mcknight

October 14th, 2010 in Faculty Spotlight

-Dr. Jamie Mcknight-

For some people, a job is just a job, a place to sit and pass the day while they wait to go home. This is not the case for Dr. Jamie McKnight, Associate Professor of Physiology and Biophysics, who has been at Boston University since 1995. In fact, you could say BU has long been a part of Dr. McKnight’s family. His association with Boston University goes back twenty years, to when his wife first joined BU at the Charles River campus and is still there, currently as Chair of Humanities. Dr. McKnight’s daughter spent the first three years of her life in a BU dormitory as a toddler and now currently attends BU. It is obvious how Dr. McKnight feels at home and comfortable at BUSM.

Dr. McKnight warmly welcomed me into his office for an interview without much notice, even offering refreshments and happily answering the following questions:

Q: Can you tell us a little about your personal and educational background?

A:  Well I’ve been at BU for 15 years, although my wife has been on the Charles River campus for twenty. Before that I worked on my Postdoctoral Fellow at the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research,  at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. I received my PHD at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas in Biochemistry. I earned my Bachelors in chemistry at Washington College, Chestertown, Maryland.

Q: What lead you to pursue a career in academic biomedical research?

A:  I’ve always been interested in science. I began studying organic chemistry, but became interested in physiology and cell biology courses. I did consider an industry career, but academic research just provided more benefits.  One, I’ve always liked students. Two, I figured it would be easier to switch from an academic to research track than the other way around.  Probably most significant was the prospect of studying whatever I want. Academic research allows me to choose what I want to study.

Q: What are your current research interests?

A: Currently, I am focusing on the structure and function of proteins. The main focus is the structure, assembly and secretion of very low density lipoprotein, the precursor of low density lipoprotein (“bad cholesterol”) and its interactions with microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP) a required cofactor for lipoprotein secretion.

Q: You have been actively involved in graduate education here in GMS. Please, tell us about these activities:

A: I have been an Associate Professor of Physiology and Biophysics for the last five year, was the Assistant Professor of Physiology and Biophysics before that. I direct the Boston University School of Medicine Core Facility for Structural NMR, I am part of the integrated curriculum committee for PHD students and part of the Responsible Conduct of Research committee. I’ve been on the Physiology & Biophysics Student Affairs and Admission Committee for over a decade and was its chair for five years.

Q: What were your reasons for establishing your career at a strong research oriented medical school?

A:  Well, there is access to a lot more resources at a research oriented medical school. Really though, I love doing stuff that is new, I love designing new experiments. I love pushing the limits of scientific knowledge. One of the great advantages of this particular medical school is the research environment is outstanding here, due in no small part to my colleagues. There is a significant amount of collaboration here. You can just go to another colleague for advice outside of your specialty, you don’t need to make appointments months in advances.

Q: Do you have any words of wisdom for graduate students here at BUSM?

A: If you don’t know then just ask

• Learn as much as you can.
• Immerse yourself in what you are doing.
• Attend some seminars in which you know nothing about topic but are vaguely interested in.

Q: What tips do you have for students on how to build a successful career in academic research and graduate education?

A: Pay attention to people’s names and network. Network! Network!  Network! Go to meetings and meet people there. Just introduce yourself. Try not to say “No” if you can. Don’t be afraid to let your path drift. It is great to have an idea of what you want and are interested in, but stay open to exploring new subjects. Find a postdoctoral advisor that is well connected.

Q: Any other words of guidance or inspiration?

A: Always be a good citizen. And be extremely honest.

Hopefully these words will not go unheard by the students of GMS. Dr. McKnight certainly has an abundance of insightful and worthwhile wisdom still to impart to the developing minds of BUSM. Motivated, dedicated, respectful, warm and friendly, Dr. McKnight is an example of why BUSM is an excellent place to study for developing scientists.

By GMS student,

Margaret Bailey Wentworth.

Spotlight on Faculty: John H. Schwartz

June 25th, 2010 in Faculty Spotlight

John Schwartz

Passionate scientist, breakthrough researcher and GMS faculty member John H. Schwartz, M.D. is now the Director of the renowned M.D./Ph.D. program. Dr. Schwartz’ enthusiasm for science has propelled him through a prolific career in the medical sciences field – with Boston University (BU) at its center. From his undergraduate degree in biology to his current position at GMS as a professor of medicine and member of the renal section at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM), Dr. Schwartz has long been actively involved in the promotion of programs for his fellow scientists and students at BU. Now, as newly appointed Director of the M.D./Ph.D. program, Dr. Schwartz applies this same energy, continually striving to make the program more robust and enriching.

The M.D./Ph.D. program was already significantly strengthened in 2008 when GMS committed itself to providing M.D./Ph.D. students with full funding. This new standard for financial support, which continues to this day, ensures students complete tuition remission as well as stipends for living expenses during their graduate study years. As Director, Dr. Schwartz also works to make it possible for M.D./Ph.D. students to participate in special meetings, seminars and a retreat as well as in national conferences that focus on physician scientist training. To allow for these types of activities and to increase selectivity, the number of students supported in the M.D./Ph.D. program has been reduced to eight per year.

By training scientists in the M.D./Ph.D. program and acting as program Director, Dr. Schwartz aims to nurture and mold leaders in biomedical research and clinical practice. He maintains the philosophy that the clinical encounter is central in the generation of relevant questions that can be best explored by scientific methodology – and therefore central in producing effective physician-scientists. For this reason, the M.D./Ph.D. program emphasizes a balance between clinical and scientific training.

Dr. Schwartz grew up in Fall River, Ma. As an undergraduate at Boston University, he became interested in basic research and was involved in a National Science Foundation sponsorship program for undergraduates. He went on to earn his M.D. at the New York University School of Medicine and train in the laboratory of Dr. Philip Steinmetz at Harvard Medical School. He also completed a residency in Integral Medicine at the Beth Israel Hospital in Boston and post doctoral fellowship in Nephrology. In 1971, he became a staff member of the renal unit at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, eventually acting as chief of the unit from 1973 to 1977. Dr. Schwartz also acts as a mentor to physician scientists at GMS.

Dr. Schwartz has made research contributions (link out) in a number of areas including the cellular regulation of H+ transport in renal epithelia, coupling in excitable cells and pathogenesis of acute renal failure. His research is supported by grants from NIH.

Dr. Schwartz’s Research Activities:

Control Mechanisms of Acid Secretion

Renal inner medullary collecting duct cells transport protons, mediated by an H+-ATPase, and H2O, mediated by aquaporin-2 (AQP2) across their apical membrane. In our cultured line of IMCD cells, as in the kidney both of these processes are controlled by regulated exocytic insertion and endocytic retrieval of vesicles that carry either an H+-ATPase or AQP2 as cargo in their membranes, but not both. The targeting and fusion of these vesicles to the apical membrane may be mediated by SNARE proteins, the same proteins that mediate exocytosis at the synaptic membrane. However, despite the similarity of the postulated targeting-fusion system, exocytosis of H+-ATPase and AQP2 are independently regulated. Our group is evaluating how a polar renal epithelial cell target two distinct cargo-laden vesicles to the apical membrane utilizing similar docking-fusion proteins. We propose the following hypotheses which will be the focus of our current studies: 1) the minimal machinery, the SNAREpin, required for targeting and fusion of H+-ATPase or AQP2 vesicle subtypes to the apical membrane consists of a distinct set of v & t-SNAREs; 2) the cargo proteins (H+-ATPase and AQP2), per se, participate in the regulation, targeting and exocytic insertion of their carrier vesicles and 3) regulated exocytosis of these vesicles is not only initiated but proceeds by different signal cascades that modify (phosphorylate) dissimilar proteins in either the vesicles or target (apical) membrane.

Gene Expression Associated with Acute Renal Injury – Cellular Mechanisms of Injury in Acute Renal Failure

Although ischemia is a common cause of acute renal failure (ARF), the cellular pathogenesis of injury is unknown and no therapeutic interventions presently exist. Recent investigations in Dr. Borkan’s and other laboratories have suggest that the kidney in vivo and cultured cells in vitro respond to ischemia by producing a host of “stress proteins”. These proteins include the heat stress proteins (HSPs), well-known “cell protectants” that may be capable of preventing or ameliorating acute renal failure if increased prior to the insult. Current studies are intended to quantify the protection afforded by HSP 70 by selectively manipulating the content of the wild type hsp70 and several of its well-characterized mutants. This model system is being used to dissect the potential mechanisms by which HSPs protect the cell from ischemic injury. We are presently investigating the interaction between hsp70 and members of the BCL2 family, as well as identifying the events that result in mitochondrial membrane injury, a key step in triggering the apoptotic cascade that results in cell death.