UMMC faculty earn fellowship, publication appointment; staff gain leadership credentials

Two national organizations tap Medical Center faculty for significant contributions in their respective scientific fields, while two UMMC staff members graduate from a year-long leadership program.    

Pharmacologist lands science advancement fellowship

Zhuo

Dr. Jia L. Zhuo, professor of pharmacology and toxicology, was elected in October as a 2016 fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in the Section on Medical Sciences.

Election as a fellow recognizes members whose efforts to advance science or its applications have distinguished them among their peers.

Zhuo received his M.D. from Guangxi Medical University, China, in 1983 and his Ph.D. in renal physiology from the University of Melbourne, Australia, in 1990.

A member of the UMMC faculty since 2010, Zhuo is principal investigator on two current National Institutes of Health grants, “The Na+/H+ Exchanger 3, Pressure Natriuresis and Hypertension,” and “The Role of Proximal Tubule NHE3 in Angiotension II-Induced Hypertension.”

He is a permanent member of the National Institute of Health/Center for Scientific Review Hypertension and Microcirculation Study Section.

The AAAS is the world's largest general scientific society and publisher of the journals Science, Science Translational Medicine and Science Signaling, among others. Founded in 1848, the nonprofit's mission is to “advance science and serve society” through initiatives in science policy, international programs, science education and public engagement.

Microbiologist to serve on IDSA publication committee

McDaniel

Dr. Larry S. McDaniel, professor and interim chair of microbiology and immunology, has been appointed to serve on the publications committee for the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

The IDSA is the premier scientific society for infectious diseases researchers and physicians.

Along with his fellow committee members, McDaniel will oversee the publication of the society's scientific journals, including the Journal of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Infectious Diseases. The committee also will report to the IDSA Board of Directors on the editorial and financial status of the journals and will make recommendations on substantive editorial policy issues and financial matters.

A fellow of the IDSA, McDaniel studies host-pathogen interactions, the molecular basis of infectious diseases and Streptococcus pneumoniae surface proteins.

UMMC staff earn Leadership Mississippi credentials

Clark and Andrews

Stacy Andrews, Grateful Patient Program manager in the Office of Development, and Reatha Clark, chief operating officer in the Office of the Vice Chancellor, have completed the Leadership Mississippi program. Graduation for the Class of 2016 took place Dec. 2 at the Jackson Convention Center.

The year-long leadership program is sponsored by the Mississippi Economic Council. Fifty-two emerging leaders were selected for the program from across the state and attended sessions in Jackson, the Gulf Coast, Camp Shelby, Desoto County and the Mississippi Delta. Topics covered by the program included health care, education, law, politics and economic development.

Andrews was selected as one of two valedictorians and spoke at the graduation exercise.