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The UAB Department of Medicine released its research metrics report based on the completed forms in August 2013. The top 3 faculty members in each rank (total of 12 faculty) that scored the highest number of points included four faculty members in our Division:

• Dr. Kenneth Saag – 1st in rank Professor
• Dr. Jeffrey Curtis – 1st in rank Associate Professor
• Dr. Jasvinder Singh – 3rd in rank Associate Professor
• Dr. Jun Li – 3rd in rank Instructor

The Division will receive $56,550 this year, which represents ~16% of the $347,000 distributed by the DOM. Other recipients include Drs. Troy Randall, Harry Schroeder, Lou Bridges, Maio Danila, Hui-Chen Hsu, Bob Kimberly, John Mountz, Richard Reynolds, Andre Ballesteros, Larry Bradley, Chander Raman, Winn Chatham, Jeff Edberg, Sarah Morgan, Mike Fuller, Angelo Gaffo, Iris Navarro, Alex Szalai, and Tong Zhou.

Of our 16 clinical faculty members, 13 (81%) were included on the 2013 Best Doctors in America List released earlier this month. The list recognizes 323 UAB physicians in 65 specialties who are among the top 5% of clinicians in the United States, as voted by their peers. Best Doctors is an independent, knowledge-based medical referral service whose surveys ask peer physicians, “If you or a loved one needed a doctor in your specialty or a related specialty, to whom would you refer them?” The list was also featured in the December issue of Birmingham Magazine. Rheumatology faculty included in the list were: Drs. Lou Bridges, Winn Chatham, Jeffrey Curtis, Maria Danila, Barri Fessler, Angelo Gaffo, Laura Hughes, Robert Kimberly, Sarah Morgan, Kenneth Saag, Harry Schroeder, Jasvinder Singh, and David Spalding.

Ken Saag has been named the recipient of the 2013 Rheumatology Research Foundation Excellence in Investigative Mentoring Award. This award recognizes the importance of the mentor/mentee relationship. Through the Excellence in Investigative Mentoring Award, the Foundation honors an active ACR or ARHP member for their contributions to the rheumatology profession through outstanding and ongoing mentoring. Past recipients of the Rheumatology Research Foundation Excellence in Investigative Mentoring Award are as follows: 2012: Virginia Steen, MD; 2011: Betty Diamond, MD; 2010: Michael H. Weisman, MD; 2009: Joanne M. Jordan, MD, MPH; 2008: Robert J. Winchester, MD; 2007: Bevra H. Hahn, MD; 2006: John B. Harley, MD, PhD.

Jeff Curtis, MD, MS, MPH received notice that he will be awarded a Rheumatology Research Foundation (formerly ACR REF) Disease Targeted Innovative Clinical Research Grant entitled, “A Pilot Study of the Safety and Effectiveness of the Live Zoster Vaccine in Anti-TNF Users”

S. Louis Bridges, Jr. MD, PhD

W. Winn Chatham, MD

Jeffrey R. Curtis, MD, MS, MPH

Maria Danila, MD, MSc

Barri Fessler, MD, MSPH

Angelo Gaffo, MD, MSPH

Laura Hughes, MD, MSPH

Robert P. Kimberly, MD

Sarah L. Morgan, MD, MS, RD, FADA, FACP, CCD

Kenneth G. Saag, MD, MSc

Harry W. Schroeder, Jr, MD, PhD

Jasvinder Singh, MD, MPH

David M. Spalding, MD

William J. Koopman, M.D. was honored at a dinner at UAB Alumni Hall on Friday, October 5th 2012

S. Louis Bridges, Jr. MD, PhD

W. Winn Chatham, MD

Jeffrey R. Curtis, MD, MS, MPH

Maria Danila, MD, MSc

Barri Fessler, MD, MSPH

Angelo Gaffo, MD, MSPH

Laura Hughes, MD, MSPH

Robert P. Kimberly, MD

Sarah L. Morgan, MD, MS, RD, FADA, FACP, CCD

Kenneth G. Saag, MD, MSc

Harry W. Schroeder, Jr, MD, PhD

Jasvinder Singh, MD, MPH

David M. Spalding, MD

Transcriptional Trouble

HIV-1 preferentially replicates in activated CD4⁺ T cells that produce Th2 cytokines, but the mechanism driving this preference is not understood. Zhang et al. (p. 2746) hypothesized that Th2-specific transcription factors such as c-maf might drive HIV-1 replication. Single-cell level analysis of human CD4⁺ T cells in vitro confirmed that IL-4–producing cells preferentially promoted HIV-1 replication and long terminal repeat (LTR)-directed transcription. This preferential replication was not related to chemokine receptor expression, viral tropism, or differences in apoptosis between Th1 and Th2 cells. Instead, the transcription factor c-maf was found to specifically bind to the HIV-1 proximal LTR near the NF-κB and NFAT binding sites. These sites of the HIV-1 LTR were preferentially bound by NFAT2 and NF-κB p65, but not NFAT1 or NF-κB p50. Together with c-maf, NFAT2 and NF-κB p65 cooperatively enhanced transcription at both the IL-4 promoter and the HIV-1 LTR. Small interfering RNA-mediated depletion of c-maf impaired the transcription of both IL-4 and HIV-1 LTR. These results were upheld in primary CD4⁺ T cells by the observation that the three transcription factors cooperatively augmented HIV-1 expression. These data enhance our understanding of the mechanisms responsible for HIV-1 disease progression and present c-maf as a potential target for therapies aimed at slowing viral replication.

Friday, October 5, 2012
UAB Alumni House, 1301 10^th Avenue South
Birmingham, Alabama  35205
6 to 7 pm:  Reception
7 to 9 pm:  Dinner Program

Business attire
Spouse or guest welcome
Please RSVP by September 28, 2012 (see below)

RSVP

Please print, complete, and FAX to 205 934-1564 or mail to:

UAB William J. Koopman Appreciation Dinner
FOT 1231, 1720 2^nd Avenue South
Birmingham, AL  35294-3412

Online registration becomes active on September 1, 2012 at: www.uab.edu/koopmandinner

Name: _______________________________________________________
Company or Institution: _________________________________________
Address: _____________________________________________________
Phone: __________________ Email: ______________________________
_____Individual Tickets: #_____ X $75 = $___________________
_____Table for Eight Guests $600
___Regular Meal
___Gluten Free Meal
___Vegetarian Meal
Complementary wine served at dinner;  Cash bar available during reception
The non-deductible portion of each ticket is $35.00
No tickets will be mailed; admission is by door list.

Method of Payment

__ Check Payable to UAB  __Visa  __MasterCard  __Discover  __American Express

Name on card: __________________________________________________
Card number: ________________________________ Exp. Date: _________
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Name of guests

1.______________________________                     5.________________________
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Questions?  Call (205) 975-5659

Thank you for your support of UAB!

Contribute to the Koopman Professorship Fund

I wish to make a gift to the Dr. William J. Koopman Endowed Professorship Fund.

In the amount of: ___ $5,000   ___$1,000   ___$500   ___$250   ___Other

Total enclosed (check payable to UAB):  __________________

Send to:

UAB William J. Koopman Professorship Fund
FOT 1231, 1720 2^nd Avenue South
Birmingham, AL  35294-3412

Contributions may be given online at:  medicine.uab.edu/rheum/71569

Click on:  Make gift in honor of Dr Koopman to the William J. Koopman Professorship Fund

Contribute to the Book of Remembrances for Dr. Koopman

Please send your notes or photos for the book of remembrances by September 21 to:

Karen Caton
UAB Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology
1825 University Blvd., SHEL 178F
Birmingham, AL  35294-2182
Phone: (205) 934-9031 / Email: kcaton@uab.edu

 

Click here to RSVP and register for this event

In June, Randall Q. Cron, MD, PhD was elected President of the Alabama Society for the Rheumatic Diseases. 

Richard Reynolds, PhD will receive a two-year investigator-initiated research grant from Pfizer. The study is entitled “Evaluating genetic heterogeneity of HLA B and HLA DRB1 risk alleles with rheumatoid arthritis in African Americans: Is classical allelic and amino acid sequence level genetic risk conditional on European or African ancestry?”

John Mountz, MD, PhD received notice that the competitive renewal of NIAMS P30 Rheumatic Disease Core Center (RDCC) will be funded for 5 years.  This supports the following core facilities:

Jeffrey Curtis, MD, MS, MPH received the Henry Kunkel Young Investigator Award from the American College of Rheumatology during the ACR Annual 2012 Scientific Meeting, in November in Washington, DC.  The Henry Kunkel Young Investigator Award is given to a young physician scientist, age 45 or under, who has made outstanding independent contributions to basic or clinical research in the field of rheumatology. Dr. Curtis is the first UAB faculty member and first former fellow at UAB to be awarded this very high honor, which is given to two investigators (one lab-based and one clinical) each year.

The 17 hospitals ranked in Rheumatology were named as among the best for challenging cases and procedures by at least 5 percent of the rheumatology specialists who responded to U.S. News & World Report surveys in 2010, 2011, and 2012.

UAB Rheumatology ranked 11th in the Nation.