Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology

2013 Mini-Sabbatical Fellowship Recipients
Program of Microbial Pathogenesis

Melissa Farrow, Ph.D., D. Borden Lacy Lab, PMI Dept, VUSM. 
Project Title:  “Assessing necrosis induced by Clostridium difficile toxin B mediated oxidative stress in colonic explants”

Katherine J. Nicholas, B.S, Ph.D. Candidate,   Spyros Kalams Lab, PMI Dept, VUSM
Project Title:  “Phospho-flow analysis of TCR Signaling in peripheral CXCR5+CD4+ T Cells in chronic HIV-1 infection” 

Jennifer A. Pickens, Ph.D.,  James E. Crowe, Jr.  Lab, Pediatrics, Vaccine Center, VUSM  
Project Title:  “RSV infection in polarized epithelial cells” 

Carrie L. Shaffer, Ph.D., Maria Hadjifrangiskou Lab, PMI Dept, VUSM 

Project Title:  “Imaging mass spectrometry as an innovative approach to investigate host pathogen interactions on mucosal surfaces”

Jessica Sutton,  Xinhong Dong Lab, Microbiology & Immunology,  Meharry Medical College 
Project Title:  “Role of Vesicular Transport during Late Stage HIV-1 Gag Trafficking”

2012 Teaching Awards

• Anatomic Pathology:  John Wright, M.D. (St. Thomas)

• Clinical Pathology:  Garrett Booth, M.D.

• CMP Graduate Program:  Pampee Young, M.D., Ph.D.

• M&I Graduate Program:  Eric Skaar, Ph.D., MPH

Congratulations to these outstanding professors! 

Courtney Netherland, a graduate student in Dr. Jay Jerome's Lab, was awarded an American Heart Association Fellowship grant entitled:  Role of autophagy in foam cell lysosomal sterol metabolism. Congratulations to Courtney and Dr. Jerome!  (12-3-12)

Erin Martinez, a graduate student in Dr. Sarki Abdulkadir’s lab, recently had a manuscript published: Antioxidant Treatment Promotes Prostate Epithelial Proliferation in Nkx3.1 Mutant Mice, Erin E. Martinez¹, Philip D. Anderson¹, Monica Logan², Sarki A. Abdulkadir^1,3,*   Citation: Martinez EE, Anderson PD, Logan M, Abdulkadir SA (2012) Antioxidant Treatment Promotes Prostate Epithelial Proliferation in Nkx3.1 Mutant Mice. PLoS ONE 7(10): e46792. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0046792

Link:  http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0046792

Congratulations to both Erin and Dr. Abdulkadir on this outstanding accomplishment!

Sherry Cai Wen, graduate student in John V. Williams Lab, was one of 26 top graduate students from all over the world who participated in the week-long Merck Serono Innovation Cup 2012, held in August in Germany. The winning project was selected based on the innovativeness of the original concept and the potential to be applied in Merck Serono’s strategic focus areas. Sherry’s team won the Cup with a business plan for a new therapy of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. CONGRATULATIONS, SHERRY! Link to entire article

Congratulations to our Graduating Residents and Fellows!
On June 6, 2012, Vanderbilt’s GME programs congratulated an outstanding group of graduating residents and fellows at a ceremony held at the University Club. The Vanderbilt Pathology Residency Program graduated its largest group ever. The ten residents completing training this year all have lined up outstanding positions for the next phases of their careers. Half of the graduating residents will continue at Vanderbilt in some capacity. Among other accomplishments, the resident group during their training appeared as contributing authors 38 times on abstracts and 44 times on peer reviewed publications, (and the number is still rising).   RESIDENTS
	Jennifer Giltnane, MD, PhD Instructor in Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology Vanderbilt University
	Doha Itani, MD Hematopathology Fellow, 2012 The Johns Hopkins Hospital
	Samuel James, MD Surgical Pathology Fellow, 2012 Vanderbilt University Medical Center
	Scott Kantola, MD Surgical Pathology Fellow, 2012 Mayo Clinic Cytopathology Fellow, 2013 University of Michigan
	Christian Lanciault, MD, PhD Transplantation Pathology, 2012 University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Surgical Pathology Fellow, 2013 University of Oregon Health Science Center
	Kelley Mast, MD Hematopathology Fellow, 2012 Indiana University Surgical Pathology Fellow, 2013 Vanderbilt University Medical Center
	Flavia Rosado, MD Hematopathology Fellow, 2012 Mayo Clinic
	Shahrazad Saab, MD Surgical Pathology Fellow, 2012 Pediatric Pathology Fellow, 2013 Vanderbilt University Medical Center
	Christopher Simons, MD Surgical Pathology Fellow, 2012 Vanderbilt University Medical Center Dermatopathology Fellow, 2013 University of Washington
	Sabrina Wentz, MD Surgical Pathology Fellow, 2012 Gastrointestinal Pathology Fellow, 2013 The Johns Hopkins Hospital
	Ashton Byington, MD Hematopathology Fellow Community Practice, Denver, CO
	Kevin Dowden, MD Renal Pathology Fellow Community Practice, Indianapolis, IN
	Henry “Bo” Edwards, MD Surgical Pathology Fellow Cytopathology Fellow, 2012 Vanderbilt Medical Center Assistant Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, 2013 Vanderbilt University
	Kaidi Mikhitarian, MD Gastrointestinal Pathology Fellow Community Practice, Kansas City, KS
	Maressa Pollen, MD Molecular Genetic Pathology Fellow Officer Training School, United States Air Force Mobile, AL
	Aaron Shaver, MD, PhD Hematopathology Fellow Assistant Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology Vanderbilt University
	Christopher Sjostrom, MD Surgical Pathology Fellow Community Practice, Missoula, MT
	Corrine Stephenson, MD Surgical Pathology Fellow Cytopathology Fellow, 2012 University of South Florida Moffitt Cancer Center
	Jason Tedesco, MD Surgical Pathology Fellow Hematopathology Fellow, 2012 Vanderbilt University Medical Center
	Carolin Teman, MD Surgical Pathology Fellow Community Practice, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
	Gerald Van Horn, PhD Microbiology Fellow Assistant Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine North Shore Health System Hofstra University School of Medicine
BEST WISHES TO ALL OF YOU!

Appointment:  Elizabeth and John Shapiro Chair

Luc Van Kaer, Ph.D. has been appointed to the newly established Elizabeth and John Shapiro Chair in our department.  Endowed chairs are among the most valuable and timeless assets of a university. Please join us in congratulating Dr. Van Kaer on this tremendous honor. 

The Elizabeth and John Shapiro Chair honors the memory and legacy of John L. Shapiro, a long time distinguished faculty member and former chair of our department, and his wife Elizabeth.  The chair is awarded to a faculty member who has distinguished him or herself as both a highly accomplished scientist and an outstanding educator.  May, 2012

Shanna Arnold, postdoc in Andries Zijlstra Lab, was awarded a position in the Vanderbilt Clinical Oncology Research Career Development Program. Only one single award is made to a postdoctoral candidate each year. Congratulations to Shanna on her accomplishment!

Rory Pruitt, a former graduate student in Dr. Borden Lacy’s lab, has recently had two papers accepted for publication: 

1.       Structural determinants of the Clostridium difficile toxin A glucosyltransferase activity. Pruitt RN, Chumbler NM, Rutherford SA, Farrow MA, Friedman DB, Spiller B, Lacy DB. J Biol Chem. 2012 Jan 20. [Epub ahead of print];  

2.       Towards a structural understanding of Clostridium difficile toxins A and B. (Review)  Pruitt, RN, Lacy, DB.   Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology

Rory defended his PhD in Microbiology and Immunology on September 6, 2011. He will be leaving the Lacy lab on March 23rd to accept a post-doc position with Dr. Pamela Ronald at UC-Davis.  Congratulations to Drs. Borden and Pruitt on these outstanding accomplishments!

Christine Eischen, Ph.D., receives “Mentoring Award” 

As part of the “Cuninggim Lecture on Women in Culture and Society”, the Women’s Center will present Christine Eischen, Ph.D. the Mentoring Award on March 13, 2012.  It is awarded annually to recognize achievements by and in support of women on campus and honors a member of the VU community who fosters the professional and intellectual development of Vanderbilt women.

Sabah Ghazi, a research fellow in Ty Abel’s lab, won the 3rd place award for her poster presentation at the recent 11th Annual Host-Tumor Interactions Program & Department of Cancer Biology Retreat. Congratulations to Drs. Ghazi and Abel!

Laura Hover, a graduate student in Ty Abel’s lab, has been accepted into the HHMI/VUMC Certificate Program in Molecular Medicine. Her clinical mentor will be pediatric neurosurgeon, Dr. Matthew Pearson. Laura was also awarded best basic sciences abstract at the “Neuro-oncology Update, 2011” meeting held recently in Nashville.Congratulations to both Laura and Dr. Abel!