Press Releases - University of Mississippi Medical Center

UMMC a big part of Mission of Mercy 2013

Mon, 13 May 2013 00:00:00 -0500

The Mississippi Dental Association, in partnership with University of Mississippi Medical Center, sponsored a Mission of Mercy event in Pearl, MS last April. Nearly 1,300 patients received free dental care during the two day event.

Mississippi's First-Ever Medical-Legal Partnership to empower people living with HIV/AIDS

Thu, 09 May 2013 00:00:00 -0500

(Jackson, Miss.) – Today, the Mississippi Center for Justice and the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) announce a medical-legal partnership to provide free civil legal services to people living with HIV/AIDS. The collaboration—which includes a joint agreement with the Center, UMMC, the Mississippi State Department of Health’s Crossroads Clinics Central and the Jackson Medical Mall Foundation—marks the first-ever medical-legal partnership in the state of Mississippi.

The Band Perry Concert raises funds, awareness for alzheimer's research at UMMC's Mind Center

Wed, 08 May 2013 00:00:00 -0500

The Band Perry shook Jackson's Thalia Mara Hall on Sunday evening with a roaring country concert to raise funds and awareness for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia research at UMMC’s Memory Impairment and Neurodegenerative Dementia (MIND) Center.

Children's Hospital Heart Surgery Program celebrates milestone 1,000 procedure

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0500

JACKSON, Miss. – Batson Children’s Hospital’s congenital heart surgery program recently completed its 1,000th operation on four-month-old McKinley Davis of Waynesboro, who was released late yesterday.

UMMC to host annual meeting of Society of Black Academic Surgeons

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0500

JACKSON, Miss. – More than 100 people are registered to attend the annual meeting of the Society of Black Academic Surgeons (SBAS), hosted this week, and for the first time, by the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson.

Free oral cancer screening det for Monday, Tuesday

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0500

JACKSON, Miss. – Mississippi has one of the highest smoking rates in the nation, with 26 percent of its residents lighting up regularly. But even non-smokers should be aware of the warning signs for oral cancer. For that reason, physicians and dentists at the University of Mississippi Medical Center’s Oral Oncology Clinic urge everyone to take advantage of the free oral screenings to be on Monday, April 22, and Tuesday, April 23, as part of Oral, Head & Neck Cancer Awareness Week.

UMMC Pediatrician Hannah Gay named to Time Magazine's Time 100

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0500

JACKSON, Miss. – TIME named HIV specialist Dr. Hannah Gay, UMMC associate professor of pediatrics, to the 2013 TIME 100, the magazine’s annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world.

Woodward appointed to national school accrediting body

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0500

JACKSON, Miss. – Dr. LouAnn Woodward, the University of Mississippi Medical Center’s associate vice chancellor for Health Affairs, has been appointed to the nationally recognized accrediting body for U.S. and Canadian medical schools.

66 graves unvcovered at UMMC linked to asylum

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0500

JACKSON, Miss. – With the recent discovery of 66 unidentified graves at the former site of a mental institution, Mississippi State University, the University of Mississippi Medical Center and others are working together to lay bare a chapter of the state’s buried past.

Mississippi native returns home to take over rural physicians scholarship program

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0500

JACKSON, Miss. – When Jennifer Wahnee Sherman entered Mississippi State University about 20 years ago, more people lived in her residence hall than in her hometown.

UMMC Administration notifies patients of breach of protected health and personal information

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0500

JACKSON, Miss. – A laptop computer missing from a University of Mississippi Medical Center clinical area has prompted UMMC officials to issue notice of a breach of patient health and personal information.

UMMC Transplant team completes first liver case in 22 years

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0500

JACKSON, Miss. – In an operation that gave a Jackson mother a new chance at life, a team at the University of Mississippi Medical Center earlier this month successfully completed the state’s first liver transplant in 22 years.

Insurance company presents $23,000 to Firends of Children's Hospital

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0500

JACKSON, Miss. – Employees from SouthGroup Insurance recently presented $23,000 to Friends of Children’s Hospital’s chairman of the board, Sara Ray, second from right and past president, Jackie Petrus, third from right.

The Band Perry to perform benefit concert for The MIND Center

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0500

JACKSON, Miss. — Mississippi music lovers will have a unique opportunity to hear one of country’s music’s hottest bands and support Alzheimer’s research at what’s expected to be a sold-out concert on May 5.

Researchers describe first 'functional HIV cure' in an infant

Sun, 03 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0500

JACKSON, Miss. – A team of HIV experts from Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, the University of Mississippi Medical Center and the University of Massachusetts Medical School describe the first case of a so-called “functional cure” in an HIV-infected infant. The finding, the investigators say, may help pave the way to eliminating HIV infection in children.

Taste of the U to draw hundreds of revelers, dozens of competitors and one, 7-foot celebrity chef

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500

JACKSON, Miss. – Food, drinks and costumes from far-flung volcanic islands to nearby Louisiana swamps will transform the Jackson Medical Mall into a massive multi-theme party and fundraiser on Saturday, Feb. 23 during the University of Mississippi Medical Center’s annual Taste of the U. (Download High Resolution Image)

Kidney transplants hit UMMC record in 2012, liver service to restart this year

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500

JACKSON, Miss. – Teams at the University of Mississippi Medical Center transplanted a record 103 kidneys last year, a figure they could surpass in 2013 even while preparing to restart liver transplantations following a 22-year hiatus.

AAEM selects Jones for Young Physicians Board

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500

JACKSON, Miss. – Dr. Jonathan S. Jones, assistant professor of emergency medicine, has been elected as an at-large member to the American Academy of Emergency Medicine’s Young Physicians Section Board of Directors. He will serve on the board for one year.

Members Exchange Credit Union donates to Children's Hospital

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500

Employees of the Members Exchange Federal Credit Unions in Ridgeland, Clinton and Pearl present Dr. Rick Barr, Suzan B. Thames Professor and Chair of Pediatrics at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, third from right, with a $2,014.44 check to help Batson Children’s Hospital. The money was raised through candy sales at each of the branches throughout 2012.

UMMC telecasts live heart-repair procedures to international conference

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500

JACKSON, Miss. – Dr. Makram Ebeid and a team at the University of Mississippi Medical Center performed two catheterized heart-repair procedures on Monday telecast live to an international conference.

BankPlus and Nickelodeon star present check to Friends of Children's Hospital

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500

With the help of Nickelodeon star SpongeBob SquarePants, BankPlus presented a check for $148,785.40 to Friends of Children’s Hospital, representing the first year’s proceeds from the bank’s Friends of Children’s Hospital CheckCard program.

Gov. Phil Bryant, UM Chancellor Dan Jones break ground for new school of medicine building

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500

JACKSON, Miss. – Governor Phil Bryant, University of Mississippi Chancellor Dan Jones and other state and local dignitaries unveiled plans and broke ground today on a $63 million building that will permit larger class sizes at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine.

Making Strides in 2012, MIND Center Adds Researchers, Technology in Quest Against Alzheimer's

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500

JACKSON, Miss. – The MIND Center continued moving ahead in 2012, adding faculty and technology, and strengthening strategic partnerships, according to MIND Center Director Dr. Thomas H. Mosley Jr.

Sleep Study in African-Americans seeks connections to heart disease, stroke

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500

JACKSON, Miss. – A sleep study by University of Mississippi Medical Center researchers beginning next week in up to 1,200 African-Americans promises to deepen knowledge about how sleep disorders may contribute to cardiovascular and other diseases.

UMMC lab offers new concussion test for young athletes

Tue, 04 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500

JACKSON, Miss. – Parents with young athletes at risk for head injuries can now take advantage of a new type of concussion test offered at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.

UMMC faculty member picked to lead two otolaryngology groups

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500

JACKSON, Miss. – Dr. Scott Stringer of Ridgeland, UMMC chairman of the Department of Otolaryngology and Communicative Sciences, assumed the presidency of the Association of Academic Departments of Otolaryngology (AADO) on Nov. 4.

Kohl’s Donates to Children’s Hospital Safety initiatives

Thu, 08 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500

JACKSON, Miss. – The Kohl’s department store in Flowood recently donated $23,766 to the Batson Children’s Hospital’s Safety and Community Outreach program.

Cystic Fibrosis Education Day to Update Patients, Families, Health-Care Professionals

Wed, 31 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0500

JACKSON, Miss. – Cystic Fibrosis Education Day is Saturday, Nov. 3 at the Jackson Medical Mall and is free to patients and families affected by the disease. The half-day continuing education program is also for physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, respiratory therapists, physical and occupational therapists and other health-care providers who are new to treating the disease or who need more information on caring for people suffering from cystic fibrosis. Numerous talks, discussions and panels will cover topics including the latest treatments and therapies, adult and pediatric CF care, reproduction, lung transplantation, resilience and more. The program starts at 9 a.m. and ends at 1:30 p.m.“We want to make every effort to educate everyone involved with CF patients to achieve the best possible care. This day will help boost center efforts in unveiling the mysteries of CF and replace fear with hope for our CF patients and families,” Dr. Nauman Chaudary, UMMC assistant professor of pulmonology.“We’re having a celebratory theme to mark the development of new drugs that act on the basic defect in CF and seem to improve the key manifestations of this disease. We want to share with our patients and families the success stories from the UMMC CF center and what to expect in future. This meeting also provides opportunities for families to network and share their experiences.”Cystic Fibrosis Education Day will be held at the UMMC Conference Center at the Jackson Medical Mall, 350 W. Woodrow Wilson Dr. in Jackson. The Conference Center is on the mall’s northwest side.All attendees, including patients and families, must preregister. To register for the event, call (601) 984-1300, email Brea Cole at cbcole@umc.edu or visit http://conted.umc.edu/documents/cysticfibrosisdayprogram.pdfThe University of Mississippi Medical Center schools of medicine and nursing, and the Division of Continuing Health Professional Education are sponsoring the event.

UMMC Student Enrichment Program Partners with City of Jackson

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0500

JACKSON, Miss. – The university of Mississippi Medical Center’s enrichment program for middle school students, offered through the Division of Multicultural Affairs, is partnering with the City of Jackson this academic school year to promote the importance of eating healthy in the face of a growing obesity epidemic.Mayor Harvey Johnson, Jackson Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Cedrick Gray, and other community figures will be on hand for orientation day of this school year’s Science Training and Enrichment Program (STEP) on Saturday morning, Sept. 22 at UMMC.Under the guidance of Dr. Gaarmel Funches, Director of Community Education and Outreach in Multicultural Affairs, this year’s STEP program includes about 60 students from JPS, Choctaw Tribal Schools and Humphries County School District in the Mississippi Delta from grades six through eight. The Saturday institute, which meets once a month throughout most of the school year, is designed to provide academic enrichment in the areas of math and science in the form of hands-on interactive activities to develop critical thinking skills and reading comprehension for disadvantaged, underserved students and also to increase their awareness in health careers.“We focus on different organ systems every year,” said Dr. Jasmine Taylor, Associate Vice Chancellor for Public Affairs. “This year we’re going to learn about the GI system, and we chose that because of the obesity epidemic we are fighting in this state. We know from the statistics how obesity is impacting our children and felt we needed to do something about that. Focusing on the gastrointestinal system will allow us to talk about nutrition and other obesity-related concerns.”Taylor said the focus complimented the mayor’s youth initiative on childhood obesity, making the partnership a natural fit. For that reason, this year’s STEP program is being sponsored in part by the Mayor’s office.STEP is one of many enrichment programs offered by Multicultural Affairs. Other initiatives provide outreach to elementary school students, high school, undergraduate and graduate students. “We’re trying to focus on those areas we feel students in Mississippi have trouble with. We’re still below the national average on math and science. STEP focuses on taking talented students in the 6-8th grades and making sure that they can connect the dots as to why it’s important to study math and science. They get a chance to meet real life people who use those skills day to day in their careers.”Mayor Johnson will formally kick off the 2012-13 school year at 9:00 a.m., Saturday morning in the Classroom Wing on the UMMC campus.

Clinical trial reveals pterostilbene lowers blood pressure in adults

Thu, 20 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0500

JACKSON, Miss. – A form of pterostilbene, a compound found naturally in blueberries, reduces blood pressure in adults, according to results of a clinical trial presented today at the American Heart Association’s 2012 Scientific Sessions on High Blood Pressure Research in Washington, D.C.

UMMC study in children considers how temperament can influence anxiety disorders

Thu, 20 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0500

JACKSON, Miss. – Medical Center researchers are exploring how children’s thinking styles, in particular the tendency to interpret situations as threatening, are influenced by their parents as well as their own temperaments.

UMMC Aims to Raise Awareness on Alzheimer's Action Day

Mon, 17 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0500

The University of Mississippi Medical Center put the spotlight on Alzheimer’s disease on Friday, Sept. 21, in an effort to raise awareness about the disease and the importance of research by inviting employees and students to a brown bag lunch presentation and ice cream social as part of national Alzheimer’s Action Day.

Contract with UMMC for local portion of National Children's Study to end, research to continue

Wed, 12 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0500

JACKSON, Miss. – Federal-level restructuring of the National Children’s Study will end the University of Mississippi Medical Center’s involvement, meaning the loss of 53 local jobs and non-renewal of a five-year $12.8 million research contract that ends this month.

Friends of Children's Hospital pledges $2 million to new Children's Heart Center

Mon, 20 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0500

JACKSON, Miss. – Friends of Children’s Hospital, a group of volunteers dedicated to Batson Children’s Hospital at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, pledged $2 million Saturday night toward the creation of a new Children’s Heart Center at UMMC.

Marshall receives first endowed chair in allergy, immunology at UMMC

Wed, 15 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0500

JACKSON, Miss. – The Department of Medicine of theUniversity of Mississippi School of Medicine and the Triplett family are proudto announce the endowment of the R. Faser Triplett, Sr., M.D. Chair in Allergyand Immunology.

Ole Miss Undergrads Gain Biomedical Research Experience in Summer Program at UMMC

Fri, 10 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Media contact: Jack Mazurak at (601) 984-1970 or jmazurak@umc.edu. JACKSON, Miss. – Three University of Mississippi students finished a summer biomedical research program at the Medical Center campus in Jackson, presenting their work at a symposium last week.Rhea Kay Rowe [Enlarge Photo], Charles Powell and Eshan Safaya were among more than 60 undergraduate students who worked in UMMC laboratories over the summer. All three were in the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience, or SURE, a program sponsored by the UM School of Graduate Studies in the Health Sciences, which is based at UMMC.SURE gives students 10 weeks of hands-on biomedical research, training on basic laboratory techniques and equipment, and Friday lunchtime discussions on career paths by Medical Center faculty and post-doctoral fellows. It also pays a $3,500 stipend.“This is our main recruiting effort for the Graduate School. We put a great deal of effort into making certain that students take away a positive scientific experience,” said Dr. Joey Granger, distinguished professor of physiology and graduate school dean.The program ended Aug. 3 with a half-day symposium where each student presented his or her research in front of the other students, laboratory technicians, mentors and faculty members.Mary Canterbury, SURE program director, said the caliber of students was very high this year and a number of young, scientific minds came away interested in the school’s masters and doctoral programs. Powell, a sophomore exercise science major and fitness buff, worked on a heart-failure project in the laboratory of Dr. George Booz, associate professor of pharmacology and toxicology.In the research, Powell used two models, one of a normal cardiovascular system, the other of a system with a certain signaling protein, STAT3, deleted. After creating high blood pressure in both systems, Powell and other researchers in the lab compared outcomes between the two models.During the summer he dove into research publications, reading and deciphering papers to better understand the mechanisms behind the research he was doing. “Really, I wanted to understand the science at a usable level,” Powell said.At the start of her sophomore year, Rowe, a chemistry major from Brandon, thought she might apply to medical school. A year later and with 10 weeks of hands-on research accomplished, she’s now leaning toward graduate school. “I’m interested in the details of science, which I don’t think I would get in medical school,” she said.Working on a kidney disease project with Dr. Stanley Smith, UMMC assistant professor of pharmacology and toxicology, Rowe prepared and tested urine samples from about 150 patients. She helped analyze the samples using mass spectrometry then used software to quantify levels of arachidonic acid metabolites. Those quantifications can help researchers identify biomarkers that predict risk factors for chronic kidney disease progression. “It’s been really great and I’ve learned a lot,” Rowe said of her time in the SURE program. “The Friday seminars exposed us to different departments and career possibilities.”Safaya, a first-year pharmacy post-graduate and Jackson native, worked under Dr. Parminder Vig, UMMC professor of neurology, in a laboratory he’s quite familiar with.It was Safaya’s second summer in SURE and his fifth year at UMMC. As a Murrah High School student, he participated in a research program that paired him with Vig.Safaya researched spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1), a neurodegenerative disease that degrades Purkinje neurons in the cerebellum and leads to difficulty coordinating motor functions and balance. Safaya and the lab’s scientists analyzed the effectiveness of different peptide-based treatments and how each treatment works different stages of the SCA1 disease. “SURE is a great experience, especially the second time around. Your mentor seems more confident in your ability and skills and you can jump right into your research. Basically, you get to do things a graduate student does, but in your undergraduate years,” Safaya said.About 64 students participated in undergraduate research activities at UMMC this summer. The SURE program accepted 33 students out of 130 applicants. The remaining 31 students were enrolled in various other summer programs on campus. For more information on SURE, go to graduate-school.umc.edu/SummerResearch.html

UMMC Assistant Professor Elected to National Register Board

Thu, 02 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Media contact: Bruce Coleman at (601) 984-4743 or bcoleman@umc.edu .Enlarge Photo JACKSON, Miss. – The Board of Directors of the National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology elected Dr. Molly S. Clark, assistant professor of family medicine and director of health psychology at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, to a four-year term on the board at its July meeting in Washington, D.C. Clark, a Brandon resident, will begin serving on the board on Jan. 1, 2013. The National Register is the largest credentialing organization for psychologists. Created in 1974, the independent, non-profit organization is the leading source of information on nationally credentialed psychologists in health care. Psychologists who are awarded national registrant status have achieved the highest educational and professional standards in health care. “My election to serve on the National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology is an honor and a privilege,” Clark said. “The National Register provides distinction to the profession of psychology and value to its community of health service psychologists. “It is my sincere hope that my work with the NR Board will result in the continued growth of the organization and the services provided to psychologists, especially those early in their careers. In addition, I hope to bring a fresh perspective to the mission-driven activities of the National Register, such as creating increased opportunities for licensure mobility, positioning health service psychologists in integrated health-care settings an in state and federal health-care agencies, and marketing psychological services to consumers.” A licensed psychologist who received her Ph.D. in counseling psychology from the University of Southern Mississippi, Clark completed the doctoral residency program at the University of Missouri, Columbia, and the health psychology postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Family Medicine at UMMC. After working for several years in primary care at the G. V. “Sonny” Montgomery VA Medical Center, she became director of the health psychology fellowship in the Department of Family Medicine at UMMC. She has a faculty appointment in the Department of Human Behavior and Psychiatry at UMMC and provides direct treatment for patients and consults with Medical Center faculty regarding issues related to behavioral health. She also is involved in training health-care providers to increase collaborative care roles among primary-care providers and psychologists. Recipient of the 2010 Judy E. Hall Early Career Psychologist Award, Clark has been credentialed by the National Register since 2010.

UMMC Names New Chair of the Department of Anesthesiology

Thu, 02 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Media contact: Patrice Guilfoyle at (601) 815-3940 or pguilfoyle@umc.edu.Photo attached.JACKSON, Miss. – The University of Mississippi Medical Center has named Dr. Moeen Panni professor and chair of the Department of Anesthesiology. Before joining the medical center, Panni was chair of anesthesiology at the University of Florida College of Medicine-Jacksonville (UF COM J), chief of anesthesiology at Shands Jacksonville Medical Center and director of the UF COM J anesthesiology residency and obstetric anesthesiology fellowship programs.Panni completed the joint medical school and Ph.D. program at the University of Cambridge, England with a doctorate in neuroscience in 1995. He completed his anesthesiology residency and obstetric anesthesia training at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School. From 2002-2005, he was an assistant professor and an attending anesthesiologist at Duke University Medical Center.In 2005, he moved to the University of Texas, Houston Medical School where he served as director of obstetric anesthesia and was an associate professor. In 2008, Panni joined the University of Florida at its Jacksonville campus. During his tenure there, he oversaw significant improvements in the department’s financial performance, clinical operating room efficiency and academic standing. Panni has authored a number of publications in the fields of neuroscience and obstetric anesthesia and has won numerous educational awards including the Society of Obstetric Anesthesiology and Perinatology’s (SOAP) Research in Education Award in 2005 and the SOAP 2011 national “Teacher of the Year” award.

UMMC Epilepsy Center Director Seeks to Educate Public About Largely Misunderstood Disorder

Tue, 31 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Patients with epilepsy, like those struggling with mental illness, often are stigmatized by a lack of public understanding of the seizure disorder’s symptoms and causes and the physical and emotional toll it takes.Dr. Abuhuziefa Abubakr, professor of neurology at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, wants to raise awareness of treatment options that will help patients with epilepsy improve their quality of life and educate the public about the disorder.Abubakr is the new director of UMMC’s Level 4 Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, the only one of its type in the state. A level 4 designation means the center offers a full-range of treatment options, from medications to surgery, as well as ongoing clinical research to find better treatment solutions. Abubakr and a team of neurologists, neurosurgeons and other specialists evaluate patients to find the appropriate care in the management of epilepsy in adults and children. Additionally, Abubakr said the center trains the next generation of health-0care providers in epilepsy and neurophysiology.“There is a great opportunity to provide good quality care for patients here,” Abubakr said. “The state is in need of a center of excellence to provide all treatment of epilepsy.”Epilepsy is a condition that produces seizures affecting a variety of mental and physical functions. When a person has two or more unprovoked seizures, they are considered to have epilepsy.A seizure happens when a brief, strong surge of electrical activity affects part or all of the brain, according to the national Epilepsy Foundation. Seizures can last from a few seconds to a few minutes, causing symptoms from convulsions and loss of consciousness to some that are not always recognized as seizures by the person experiencing them or by health-care professionals, such as blank staring, lip smacking or jerking movements of the arms and legs.Tres Townsend, executive director of the Epilepsy Foundation of Mississippi, said educating the public about the disorder is the cornerstone of the organization’s mission. He said some adults mistakenly still have the old belief that a person having a seizure is “possessed,” and children with epilepsy are targets for bullies at school.Townsend said people may be surprised to know that one out of 26 Americans will experience a seizure at some point in his or her life, according to an Institute of Medicine report. She said the dearth of neurologists who specialize in epilepsy is a problem in Mississippi as it is nationwide.“We look forward to working with a facility like UMMC where the level of care is so great,” she said. “We often have patients calling us to find a doctor and it’s nice to have the center.”Abubakr said the condition’s impact on a patient’s quality of life is profound. Epilepsy affects the ability to drive, work independently, conduct personal relationships and learn because of memory difficulties. Sometimes the disorder is inherited and other times it’s the result of brain injury or tumors.The team of epilepsy specialists performs a complete patient evaluation, which includes advanced tests for seizure diagnosis and classifications and whether medication or surgery is the best treatment option. Abubakr’s team also works with female patients who may want to become pregnant.

UMMC Physician and Researcher with Jackson Heart Study Receives U.S. Presidential Career Award

Wed, 25 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Media contact: Jack Mazurak at (601) 984-1970 or jmazurak@umc.edu.Photo attachedJACKSON, Miss. – A University of Mississippi Medical Center professor of cardiology and Jackson Heart Study researcher will receive a Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers next week, the highest honor bestowed by the United States Government on science and engineering professionals in the early stages of their independent research careers. Dr. Ervin Fox, a University of Mississippi School of Medicine graduate and an 11-year member of the UMMC faculty, was selected for his research into how cardiovascular and vascular structures and their functions relate to disease outcomes, particularly heart disease in African-Americans. He plans on attending the awards ceremony next week in Washington, D.C.“It’s always good to get appreciation for hard work and dedication and it’s good that this brings attention to the research that’s going on here in Jackson,” Fox said.“We have three large cohorts of African-Americans here in Jackson and the opportunities to improve what’s known about cardiovascular disease in African-Americans. That scientific knowledge can often be applied to all groups for better health. It’s imperative that we use our resources to conduct health-disparity research here at UMMC.”Awardees are selected for their pursuit of innovative research at the frontiers of science and technology and their commitment to community service as demonstrated through scientific leadership, public education or community outreach.President Barack Obama named Fox as one of 96 recipients on Monday. The awards ceremony is scheduled for July 31 in Washington.“Discoveries in science and technology not only strengthen our economy, they inspire us as a people,” President Obama said. “The impressive accomplishments of today’s awardees so early in their careers promise even greater advances in the years ahead.”The Presidential Early Career Awards embody a national priority of producing scientists and engineers to advance the nation’s goals, tackle grand challenges, and contribute to the American economy. Fox earned a bachelor’s in biomedical engineering in 1989 from Mississippi State University and graduated from the School of Medicine in 1993. He completed an internal medicine residency at Washington University Medical Center in St. Louis, a general cardiology fellowship at Tulane Medical Center, and a fellowship in clinical and research in echo-cardiology at Massachusetts General Hospital. He since earned a master’s in public health from Harvard University. In his research, Fox, a Clarksdale native, has used data collected from local African-American population-study groups in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study (ARIC), Genetic Epidemiology Network of Atherosclerosis (GENOA), and Jackson Heart Study (JHS). Last year he received a grant from the National Institutes of Health to investigate the clinical and genetic determinates of vascular structure and function and how vascular structure and function relate to disease outcomes. Dr. Herman Taylor, JHS director and principal investigator, said UMMC and the whole state of Mississippi can take great pride in Fox’s designation. “We are proud of Ervin. He is a brilliant example of fine work that the JHS has helped facilitate over the years,” said Taylor, a cardiologist and UMMC professor of medicine. Taylor said JHS has helped researchers’ careers through mentoring, nurturing and providing opportunities to young investigators. “We are working hard to assure the continuation of opportunities such as the ones Ervin has had,” he said.JHS is funded by two NIH institutes, the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute and the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities."This Presidential Award recognizes the achievements of scientists early in their career who show exceptional potential for leadership in science and technology. Many are currently funded by the National Institutes of Health,” said Dr. Francis S. Collins, NIH director. “These individuals have only recently started research in their fields, and they have the potential for long and productive careers working on discoveries to improve the health of our nation.” Since the Presidential Early Career Awards began in 1996, the NIH has granted funding to 213 recipients of the award. Of this year’s 20 honorees connected to the NIH, 17 are new investigators working at institutions around the nation. The others have positions in the NIH Intramural Programs. The awards, established by President Bill Clinton, are coordinated by the Office of Science and Technology Policy within the Executive Office of the President. Recipients of this year’s awards are employed or funded by the following departments and agencies: Department of Agriculture, Department of Commerce, Department of Defense, Department of Education, Department of Energy, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of the Interior, Department of Veteran Affairs, Environmental Protection Agency, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the National Science Foundation, which join together annually to nominate the most meritorious scientists and engineers whose early accomplishments show the greatest promise for assuring America’s preeminence in science and engineering and contributing to the awarding agencies' missions.For a list of recipients names and institutions, click here.

Study Enrolls Children, Grandchildren of Jackson Heart Study Participants for Obesity Research

Wed, 25 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Media contact: Jack Mazurak at (601) 984-1970 or jmazurak@umc.edu. Photo AttachedJACKSON, Miss. – The Jackson Heart Study moves into its next generation this week with a new feasibility study in children and grandchildren of original JHS participants.The Jackson Heart KIDS Study will officially begin with a ceremony and health fair Wednesday at the Jackson Medical Mall. Researchers plan to enroll about 200 Jackson-area African-American youths ages 12-19 in the year-long study. They will focus on the development of risks for obesity, diabetes and other metabolic conditions.If the feasibility study shows promise, researchers may apply for federal grants to fund a longer-term version.“JHS KIDS would be the first prospective, longitudinal cohort study of African-American youth in the Southern United States to examine sensitive developmental and transition periods and their associations in the development of obesity and metabolic-related risk factors,” said Dr. Warren A. Jones, the new study’s director and head of the University of Mississippi Medical Center Institute for Improvement of Geographic Minority Health.JHS KIDS is funded by a $200,000 grant from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development. UMMC and Wake Forest University are collaborating on the study. Dr. Bettina Beech, Wake Forest professor of pediatrics and social sciences & health policy, is the study’s principal investigator.The alarming national rate of childhood obesity prompted researchers planning JHS KIDS to focus on the growing problem.According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 31.9 percent of children and adolescents are overweight and 16.3 percent are obese. Additionally, one in five African-American children is obese, the examination survey found. In the past five years, the number of African-American children with diabetes has increased tenfold. Obesity is a known contributor to chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and type-2 diabetes. The American Heart Association recommended that obesity and heart-disease studies focus on weight changes over time, especially differences between childhood versus younger and older adult weight gains. As such, the JHS KIDS is designed to help researchers examine behaviors that may influence obesity and subsequent chronic disease risk among African-Americans. Participants in JHS KIDS will receive a baseline exam and a follow-up at six months. Researchers will sort the data to estimate risk for overweight, obesity and related health problems. The data would also serve as baseline measures for a future, full-scale study. The JHS KIDS kickoff will include a Family Health Fair at the Jackson Medical Mall on July 25 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. A program beginning at noon will feature speakers from the UMMC vice chancellor’s office, the Jackson mayor’s office and the Mississippi governor’s office. WLBT News Anchor Maggie Wade will serve as master of ceremonies.The event will also feature a fitness demonstration for adults and children, and the signing of a charter for the Celebrating African-American Families campaign by pastors from participating churches. Through the health fair, the campaign will recognize the strength, resilience, and importance of African-American families.

UMMC Recognized in Three Specialties in U.S. News’ Best Hospitals Report

Wed, 25 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0500

23rd annual report also names UMMC one of the top-ranked hospitals in Metro JacksonFor more information contact Patrice Guilfoyle at (601) 815-3940 or pguilfoyle@umc.edu.JACKSON, Miss. – The University of Mississippi Medical Center is recognized in the specialties of cancer, nephrology and urology in this year’s U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals rankings. UMMC was also recognized as one of the best hospitals in the metropolitan Jackson region.UMMC had 22 physicians included on the list of U.S. News Top Doctors, which means they ranked among the top 10 percent of doctors nationally. These doctors span 17 specialty areas and were selected based on a peer nomination process. Of the 22 physicians on the list, eleven of them rank among the top 1 percent in the nation.Janet Harris, interim CEO of University Hospitals and Health System, said she was excited by the recognition. “Our teams have worked together with a continuing focus on quality care and patient outcomes. Our overall goal is to improve the health of all Mississippians and these teams and physicians are rightfully recognized for their outstanding efforts toward this cause,” she said.The hospital rankings, said U.S. News Health Rankings Editor Avery Comarow, are like a GPS-type aid to help steer patients to hospitals with strong skills in the procedures and medical conditions that present the biggest challenges.“All of these hospitals are the kinds of medical centers that should be on your list when you need the best care,” Comarow said. “They are where other hospitals send the toughest cases.”The regional rankings are aimed primarily at consumers whose care may not demand the special expertise found only at nationally ranked hospitals or who may not be willing or able to travel long distances for medical care. The U.S. News metro rankings give many such patients and their families more options of hospitals within their community and in their health insurance network, according to U.S. News. This year’s Best Hospitals, the 23rd annual edition, showcases more than 720 of the nation’s roughly 5,000 hospitals. Fewer than 150 are nationally ranked in at least one of 16 medical specialties. The rest of the recognized hospitals met a standard of performance nearly as demanding in one or more specialties.Hard numbers stand behind the rankings in most specialties—death rates, patient safety, procedure volume and other objective data. Responses to a national survey, in which physicians were asked to name hospitals they consider best in their specialty for the toughest cases, also were factored in. The rankings cover 16 medical specialties and all 94 metro areas that have at least 500,000 residents and at least one hospital that performed well enough to be ranked. The complete rankings and methodology are available at http://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals and will also be featured in the U.S. News Best Hospitals guidebook. #### 07/25/12 Please forward this message to colleagues who might be interested. If you wish to be removed from this list or know of a colleague to add, send an e-mail message to: LAGriffin@umc.edu. The University of Mississippi Medical Center, located in Jackson, is the state’s only academic medical center. University of Mississippi Health Care represents the clinical programs of the Medical Center and includes University Hospitals and Health System and University Physicians, the faculty group practice. UMMC encompasses five health science schools, including medicine, nursing, health related professions, dentistry and graduate studies, as well as the site where University of Mississippi pharmacy students do their clinical training. The Medical Center’s threefold mission is to educate tomorrow’s health-care professionals, conduct innovative research to improve human health, and to provide the highest quality care available to the state’s citizens. A major goal of the Medical Center is the improvement of the health of Mississippians and the elimination of health disparities. For more information, contact the Division of Public Affairs at 601-984-1100 or visit us on the Web at http://publicaffairs.umc.edu/

School of Medicine earns accreditation for eight years

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Media contact: Patrice Guilfoyle at (601) 815-3940 or pguilfoyle@umc.edu.JACKSON, Miss. – The Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), the nationally recognized accrediting authority for medical education programs leading to the M.D. degree in United States and Canada, has continued accreditation of the University of Mississippi School of Medicine for an eight-year term. The medical school received no citations for noncompliance with accreditation standards, a first for the university and rare across the United States and Canada.

Brandon resident elected to National Board of Medical Honor Society

Fri, 13 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Media contact: Patrice Guilfoyle at (601) 815-3940 or pguilfoyle@umc.edu.(Photo attached). JACKSON, Miss. – Brandon resident Christopher M. Clark, a fourth-year medical student at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, was unanimously elected to a three-year term as a student member of the Board of Directors for Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society at the national level. Clark serves as president of UMMC’s AOA chapter.

UMMC Names new Chief for the Division of Dermatology

Mon, 09 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Media contact: Patrice Guilfoyle at (601) 815-3940 or pguilfoyle@umc.eduPhoto attached. JACKSON, Miss. – The University of Mississippi Medical Center has named Dr. Robert Brodell professor and chief of the Division of Dermatology. Prior to joining UMMC, he was in the private practice of dermatology and director of Skin Pathology Services, Inc., an independent certified dermatopathology lab in Warren, Ohio.Licensed in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York, Brodell recently left his positions as professor of internal medicine, dermatology section, clinical professor of dermatopathology in pathology, and permanent master teacher at Northeastern Ohio Medical University, as well as his position as associate clinical professor of dermatology at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. He will retain his staff position as instructor in dermatology at University of Rochester School of Medicine.Brodell earned his medical degree from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry in New York and completed residency training in dermatology in 1984 and a fellowship in dermatopathology in 1985 at Washington University in St. Louis, where he was also chief resident.He has authored more than 213 articles and one book, “Warts: Diagnosis and Management an Evidence-based Approach,” and has delivered 1,316 invited medical lectures in the past 26 years. He has been a Director of the American Board of Dermatology for the past decade and is the immediate past president of this organization. He was recently elected to the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Dermatology.

UMMC appoints new Obstetrics and Gynecology Chair

Mon, 02 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Media contact: Patrice Guilfoyle at (601) 815-3940 or pguilfoyle@umc.edu. A high-resolution photo can be found here.JACKSON, Miss. – Dr. James Shwayder is the new chair of the University of Mississippi Medical Center Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

UMMC names Lehman Neurobiology and Anatomical Sciences Chair

Mon, 02 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Media contact: Jack Mazurak at (601) 984-1970 or jmazurak@umc.edu. High-resolution photos are available here (Lehman, Michael), (Coolen, Lique).JACKSON, Miss. – Dr. Michael Lehman has joined the Medical Center faculty as a professor and chair of the Department of Neurobiology and Anatomical Sciences.

Scotus ruling statement from the UMMC Vice Chancellor Dr. James Keeton

Thu, 28 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Media contact: Patrice Guilfoyle at (601) 815-3940 or pguilfoyle@umc.edu.JACKSON, Miss. – Dr. James E. Keeton, vice chancellor for health affairs at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, issued the following statement today in light of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling:

Mississippi Marrow Donor Program Seeks Perfect Match for Patients

Wed, 27 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0500

The University of Mississippi Medical Center, which has the only bone marrow transplant program in the state, will participate in the national Be The Match campaign to improve the number of African American donors.

Stem-cell clinical trial at UMMC tests new therapy for stroke

Wed, 27 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0500

(Enlarge Photo)JACKSON, Miss. – An emergency helicopter trip in May that brought a stroke patient from Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg landed the Clarke County resident the first spot in a clinical trial at the University of Mississippi Medical Center for stem-cell therapy.

Free HIV screening event offers chance to 'Take the test, take control'

Mon, 25 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0500

JACKSON, Miss. – To mark the 17th National HIV Testing Day, two Mississippi organizations have come together to offer a free HIV screening in Jackson, themed, “Take the Test, Take Control.”

Chen joins UMMC Faculty in Stroke, Neurocritical Care

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0500

(Enlarge Photo)JACKSON, Miss. – Dr. Shirley Chen has joined the Medical Center faculty as an assistant professor of neurology as a neurocritical care/stroke specialist.

Rodriguez Joins UMMC Faculty in Pediatric Allergy, Immunology

Fri, 15 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0500

JACKSON, Miss. – Dr. Ray J. Rodriguez has joined the Medical Center faculty as an associate professor of pediatrics and a subspecialist in pediatric allergy and immunology.

UMMC Faculty, Students Selected to Participate in First GE National Medical Fellowships

Fri, 15 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0500

JACKSON, Miss. – Two faculty members and three medical students of the University of Mississippi Medical Center have been selected to participate in the first year of the GE-National Medical Fellowships’ Primary Care Leadership Program (PCLP). The program’s goal is to provide future health-care professionals the opportunity to experience primary care practice in community health centers across the country with the hope of drawing them into primary care. [Enlarge Photo]

UMMC Stroke Center receives recognition for stroke care

Mon, 04 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0500

JACKSON, Miss. – The University Comprehensive Stroke Center at the University of Mississippi Medical Center has received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award. The award recognizes UMMC’s commitment and success in implementing excellent care for stroke patients, according to evidence-based guidelines.

Jones elected to leadership position in emergency medicine society

Fri, 01 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0500

(Enlarge Photo)JACKSON, Miss. – Dr. Alan Jones, professor of emergency medicine at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, has been elected 2012-13 president-elect of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

Reeves appointed School of Dentistry Dean

Fri, 18 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500

(Enlarge Photo)JACKSON, Miss. – After his more than two years of service as interim dean, Dr. Gary Reeves has been appointed dean of the University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Dentistry. The appointment was announced by Dr. James E. Keeton, vice chancellor for health affairs at UMMC.

New Research tower to boost biomedical study at UMMC, private startups

Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500

(Enlarge Photo)JACKSON, Miss. – Construction of a new research building, which will include space for start-up biotechnology companies, could start in January 2013.

Self-harm study of Miss. youth finds highest rate in African-American males

Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500

(Enlarge Photo)JACKSON, Miss. – A study of Mississippi youth who deliberately hurt themselves, and one of the first to examine self-harm across several demographics, found behaviors such as hitting, burning, biting, banging and cutting extend to African-American teens, boys in particular.

Major donation by health management associates to aid Jackson Free Clinic

Thu, 10 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500

JACKSON, Miss. – A $150,000 donation today by Health Management Associates Inc. to a fundraising campaign for the Jackson Free Clinic will help double the size of the student-run indigent-care facility.Executives from HMA presented Free Clinic student leaders with the donation during a news conference at the clinic.“Having this opportunity to help the Jackson Free Clinic as they expand their facility is truly an honor for us at Health Management,” said Tim Mitchell, Jackson network CEO for Health Management. “As a company deeply rooted in Mississippi, we are always looking for ways to offer the best and most accessible health care to the communities we serve. We are grateful that the Jackson Free Clinic has allowed us to be a part of their vision to do the same.”HMA owns five hospitals in the metro area: Madison River Oaks Medical Center, Central Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, Women’s and River Oaks hospitals, both in Flowood, and Crossgates River Oaks Hospital in Brandon.“We’re elated and so grateful to receive such a large donation to support our campaign and ultimately our patients. With this gift we have met our fundraising goal and additionally established a lasting rapport with an amazing organization, which like us, serves to better the health of Mississippi,” said Bobby Tullos, Jackson Free Clinic director and fourth-year University of Mississippi School of Medicine student.The Jackson Free Clinic currently uses only half the space in the building it owns near the intersection of Fortification Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.The expansion and renovation, scheduled to start in June, will take two-to-three months. The changes will double the usable square footage to 5,152 and provide space for dental, occupational therapy and physical therapy services. As well, the project will:• Increase the number of examination rooms from five to 10• Provide a classroom for patient and student education• Upgrade laboratory facilities• Increase the waiting room size• Provide a community conference room• Upgrade restrooms• Meet all handicap standards• Expand diagnostic and volunteer subspecialty services• Double the number of patients the clinic can seeThe 12-year-old Jackson Free Clinic is a not-for-profit that serves adult patients who don’t have health insurance and can’t otherwise afford care. School of Medicine students staff the clinic under the supervision of licensed physician volunteers from the Jackson community. All the clinic’s services are free.On a yearly budget of about $30,000, the clinic provides examinations, medications, lab work, diagnostic services and health education for patients. While both the clinic’s volunteer base and patient load grew through the past decade, its facilities have not.Through the fundraising campaign, First Choice, Jackson Free Clinic board members had hoped to raise at least $300,000 to cover the cost of construction.“We’ve reached our goal of $300,000, thanks to generous donations from HMA, Medical Center donors and many people in the UMMC and Jackson community,” Tullos said. “We are continuing the campaign to raise funds for equipment, supplies and overhead costs.”Architects Richard McNeel and Melissa Edwards at JBMH Architects in downtown Jackson donated their services to design and plan the renovations.Contractor Ray Floyd of Jackson-based Fountain Construction organized subcontractors and developed an at-cost plan for the construction. The facility will be medical grade and meet all state and federal requirements.The School of Medicine donated $150,000 to the clinic’s campaign in February, funding the school had accrued through undirected donations.“The volunteers at the Jackson Free Clinic provide important services to the community so we’re glad to be a part of their expansion campaign and we are thrilled to see the clinic receive such generous support from our health-care colleagues at Health Management,” said Dr. James Keeton, UMMC vice chancellor for health affairs and dean of the School of Medicine.At a reception on May 1 to thank numerous community and UMMC donors, students from the physical and occupational therapy programs presented a $50,000 check to the JFC on behalf of the University of Mississippi School of Health Related Professions (SHRP).Both the occupational therapy and physical therapy programs are housed within SHRP. When the renovated clinic reopens, therapy students from those programs will be able to volunteer and get hands-on experience.The Jackson Free Clinic Board is also working toward integrating other UMMC programs including students in SHRP’s Health Informatics and Information Management program and the Schools of Pharmacy and Dentistry.While the construction project is under way, the clinic will continue operations on its normal 11:30 a.m. -4 p.m. Saturday schedule from a temporary location at 809 N. State St. in Jackson. For more information about the Jackson Free Clinic or how to donate, visit www.jacksonfreeclinic.com.

Update on Terry High School student Kaddarius Bullie

Thu, 10 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Terry High School student Kaddarius Bullie, who was airlifted to UMMC following a car accident on Tuesday afternoon, has died. Cameron Toney, who was injured in the same accident, remains in good condition.

Batson Hospital names 2012 Children's Miracle Network "Champion"

Mon, 07 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500

JACKSON, Miss. – Batson Children’s Hospital is proud to announce Christopher Peña Jr. has been named this year's Children's Miracle Network Hospitals® Mississippi Champion. Christopher will serve throughout 2012 as an ambassador for Batson hospital and all sick and injured children in the state of Mississippi.

Update On Pearl Police Officers Shooting

Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500

JACKSON, Miss. – One of the three Pearl Police officers brought to the University of Mississippi Medical Center today has died. The officer’s time of death was 11:56 a.m. The other two officers injured during the incident are in good condition.

Free oral cancer screening set for Friday

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Mississippi has one of the highest smoking rates in the nation, with 26 percent of its residents lighting up regularly. But even non-smokers should be aware of the warning signs for oral cancer. For that reason, physicians and dentists at the University of Mississippi Medical Center’s Oral Oncology Clinic urge everyone to take advantage of the free oral screening to be held April 27 as part of Oral, Head & Neck Cancer Awareness Week.

Multi-state research consortium convenes at UMMC to fight cancer

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0500

A two day conference at the University of Mississippi Medical Center Cancer Institute is bringing together scientists and physicians from nine Southeastern U.S. centers to improve cancer research by designing population studies and drug clinical trials that include minorities and by building tissue banks that better represent the region’s diversity.

UMMC's congenital heart surgery team bests national averages in two years

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0500

As it marks its two-year anniversary this month, the congenital heart surgery team at Batson Children’s Hospital has reason to celebrate.

UMMC infertility specialist hosts informational seminar

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Dr. J. Preston Parry, a specialist in reproductive endocrinology and infertility at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, will lead a fertility seminar at University Physicians – Women’s Specialty Care at Mirror Lake on Thursday, April 26 from 6-7:30 p.m. Parry will present, “Fertility Made Simple: Success, Safety and Financial Efficiency.” The seminar will address several issues, including normal fertility, how to test for infertility, how to increase chances for pregnancy and how to reduce the risk for multiples.

Dr. Myrna Alexander Nickens joins UMMC

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Myrna Ellen Alexander Nickens, the first female interventional cardiologist in Mississippi, has joined the University of Mississippi Medical Center faculty as an associate professor of medicine.

UMMC professor co-chairs national Medicaid/CHIP advisory group

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Dr. James Martin, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, has been named co-chair of the National Advisory Workgroup to Improve Maternal and Infant Health Outcomes in Medicaid/CHIP recipients.

Jackson Preparatory School donates books

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Members of the National Junior Honor Society at Jackson Preparatory School recently presented more than 3,000 books to the Eli Manning Children’s Clinics at Batson Children’s Hospital. The books were collected as part of a service project for the group. They will be used as part of the Reach Out and Read program at the clinics. The nationwide program promotes early literacy and school readiness by giving new, age-appropriate books to children at all well-child checkups.

UMMC offers breakthrough drug to better diagnose Parkinson's disease

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0500

University of Mississippi Medical Center now offers a procedure that helps physicians better diagnose Parkinson’s disease.

Eleventh annual radiothon raises $381,239 for Children's Hospital

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Radio stations from the Jackson and Meridian areas concluded their 11th annual Mississippi Miracles Radiothon last week raising $381,329 for Batson Children's Hospital at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. Jackson stations Y 101.7, US 96.3 and Mix 98.7 spent three days broadcasting live from the lobby of the Batson Hospital, while Meridian stations 97 OKK, 105.7 The Beat, Kiss 104 and Q101 broadcasted from Meridian. Hosts interviewed current and former patients and their families and hospital staff who care for them, asking listeners to call in pledges to benefit the hospital. The money will be used to fund equipment, research and programs that ensure the hospital is able to provide the most advanced level of medical care for Mississippi's children.More than 1,000 listeners called in during the broadcast to pledge their support and share stories of their own experiences at Batson Children's Hospital.A video about the event can be found at www.youtube.com/batsonhospital.

Eleventh annual radiothon benefits Children's Hospital

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Radio stations from the Jackson and Meridian areas will join forces this week to hold the 11th annual Mississippi Miracles Radiothon beginning Wednesday, February 29, and continuing through Friday, March 2, from 6 a.m. - 7 p.m. The Radiothon benefits the Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson.

School of Pharmacy debuts new education facility at UMMC

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500

The University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy celebrated the completion of a new education and research building on the campus of the University of Mississippi Medical Center with a dedication ceremony on Thursday, Feb. 23.

UMMC medical team provides multidisciplinary approach to sleep apnea

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Physicians and dentists at the University of Mississippi Medical Center have developed a multidisciplinary team approach to treating sleep apnea, which they hope will provide patients with an improved quality of life.

Quon named UMMC's School of Dentistry alumnus of the year

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Dr. Daniel Quon, a member of the School of Dentistry's first graduating class in 1979, was named 2011 Alumnus of the Year last spring at the annual Dental Alumni and Friends dinner.

Preparations to begin for improvements to UMMC campus

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500

The University of Mississippi Medical Center will begin work this week on major improvements to its campus. The first phase includes preparation for road construction on campus, the creation of a new campus entrance on Lakeland Drive, and improvements to the Woodrow Wilson entrance that will eventually make it the "front door" to UMMC.

Clay joins UMHC as chief of plastic surgery

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Dr. Ricky P. Clay, former major in the U.S. Army Reserve Medical Corps, has joined University of Mississippi Health Care as chief of the Division of Plastic Surgery at the Medical Center.

Remembrance provides support for pregnancy loss, early infant death

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Remembrance, a support group for women and men who have experienced the loss of a child through miscarriage, stillbirth or early infant death, now offers confidential meetings from 6:30-7:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of every month in the University Physicians Pavilion on the campus of the University of Mississippi Medical Center. The next meeting is set for March 6.

UMHC head, neck cancer surgeons use robotic surgery to treat tumors

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Patients in the early stages of select head and neck cancers have a less-invasive option for surgery through University of Mississippi Health Care.

Medical Center's annual fundraiser event promises to be largest ever

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Employees of the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) plan to wow the crowd as they prepare for the 22rd Annual Taste of the U on Feb. 25. UMMC departments and divisions create chef teams, menus and choose a theme, ranging from the Roaring '20s, to Hogwarts, to Mardi Gras and more.

Dr. A. Wallace Conerly, former Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs at UMMC, dies

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Dr. A. Wallace Conerly, vice chancellor emeritus for health affairs at the University of Mississippi Medical Center and dean emeritus of the School of Medicine, died today in the UMMC hospital that bears his name. He was 76.

Glen Campbell to perform benefit concert for the MIND Center

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Mississippians will have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hear a music icon in one of his final performances and support Alzheimer's research at what's expected to be a sold-out concert next month.

UMMC reducing staffing by 115 employees

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

The University of Mississippi Medical Center is reducing the size of its workforce by approximately 115 employees today.

UMMC, MSDH inform patients of personal health information breach

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0500

The University of Mississippi Medical Center and the Mississippi State Department of Health are informing nearly 1,500 participants in research studies of a breach of their personal health information.

UMMC, Health Management explore possible affiliation

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0500

The University of Mississippi Medical Center and Health Management Associates, Inc., which owns 10 hospitals in Mississippi, have announced that they are exploring a possible affiliation to expand health professions education in the state, enhance the delivery and quality of medical services, and prepare both organizations for a changing national health-care landscape in the years ahead.

UMMC, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Mississippi sponsors adult cystic fibrosis education day

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0500

The University of Mississippi Medical Center and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Mississippi will host the first adult cystic fibrosis education day for families and patients living with the genetic disease on Saturday, Dec. 3, from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. at the UMMC Conference Center at the Jackson Medical Mall Thad Cochran Center.

Batson Children's Hospital pediatric emergency department, trauma unit triples in size

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Batson Children's Hospital today dedicated its new Colonel Harland Sanders Children's Emergency Department and the Selby and Richard McRae Children's Trauma Unit, tripling the treatment area available for the state's only Level 1 pediatric emergency and trauma center.

UMHC stroke education team wins national award

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0500

The National Stroke Association selected the University of Mississippi Health Care Multidisciplinary Team as a recipient of the inaugural Raising Awareness In Stroke Excellence (RAISE) Award. The UMHC team, recognized as Outstanding Group, was one of six winners to be honored for their commitment to stroke education.

University Women's Care offers chidbirth classes in November

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0500

University Women's Care is offering childbirth classes in November, beginning at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 8 in Wiser Hospital for Women and Infants at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.

Mississippi, Alabama telecommunications group donates to Batson Children's Hospital

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Mississippi Public Service Commissioner Lynn Posey, left, presents a $4,815 donation to Children's Miracle Network Coordinator John Clark Packer, center, for Batson Children's Hospital on behalf of the Mississippi/Alabama Telecommunications Golf Tournament. Also joining the presentation is Jerry Renfroe, executive vice president of Telecommunications Association of the Southeast.

In developing rats, antidepressants exposure linked to brain, behavioral abnormalities

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0500

A study by researchers at the University of Mississippi Medical Center and the University of California, San Francisco shows that rats given a popularly prescribed antidepressant during development exhibit brain abnormalities and behaviors characteristic of autism spectrum disorders.

UMHC cancer surgeon earns certification in breast ultrasound

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Dr. Sharla Gayle Patterson, who specializes in breast surgery and is fellowship-trained in breast surgical oncology, has earned certification in breast ultrasound from the American Society of Breast Surgeons.

Research, sponsored projects funding at UMMC hits $85 million all-time high

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Chart of funds by source (PDF)The record $85 million in grants and contracts that UMMC received in fiscal year 2011 is helping researchers unravel the mysteries of cancer, diabetes and other deadly diseases, paying stipends for students and improving Mississippi’s health-care infrastructure through communication systems and outreach programs.

Mississippi Hospital Association honors UMMC employee

Wed, 28 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Mary Mixon of Terry, assistant administrator for University Hospital and Health System, is the recipient of the ONE Recognition Award presented by the Mississippi Hospital Association.

UMHC receives national recognition for leadership in supplier diversity

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0500

University of Mississippi Health Care received the Supplier Diversity Leadership Award at United Healthcare's annual conference Sept. 22 in Chicago. It marked the first time a UHC-member organization received the award for the development and implementation of an outstanding supplier diversity program.

UMMC performs first pediatric heart transplant in eight years

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0500

The state's only dedicated pediatric heart transplant team has performed the first heart transplant in eight years on 13-year-old Malcolm Jones of Winona.

UMHC administrator named a 2011 'Up and Comer' in national health-care magazine

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Tonya Moore of Jackson, chief learning officer for University of Mississippi Health Care, was one of 12 people chosen nationally for the 2011 Up and Comers in Modern Healthcare magazine.