Awards and Honors: Spring 2019

Celebrating the accomplishments of Department of Medicine faculty and staff


Loto Reed Recognized for Leadership

The Inspiring Change Leadership Award goes to staff members in the School of Medicine who have “implemented processes that improve the school,” and this year one of the recipients was Loto Reed, associate coordinator in the division of primary care and population health.

Reed was recognized for her work with SCOPE, or Stanford Community Outreach Partnership Efforts, a staff-led community service organization that partners with several nonprofits around the Bay Area to help with various tasks including organizing a supplies drive for the Ravenswood after-school program in East Palo Alto and helping prepare food and care packages for homeless and disadvantaged people in the area.

Reed’s division chief, Sang-ick Chang, MD, MPH, clinical professor of primary care and population health is deeply proud of her accomplishments.  “SCOPE has organized and donated hundreds of hours to homeless shelters and other worthy community partners,” he said.  He added, “Loto was quick to note it was a team effort by the division's entire central admin team, and she accepted on the team’s behalf!”

Reed hopes that her award will inspire others to “plant a seed” and create organizations in their own divisions.  


Doug Owens Receives NIH Merit Award

Doug Owens, MD, Henry J. Kaiser, Jr. Professor, and Director of the Center for Health Policy in the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies and of the Center for Primary Care and Outcomes Research (PCOR) in the Department of Medicine, has recently received an NIH Merit Award, along with his team, for his work to prevent HIV and hepatitis C (HCV) in light of the growing opioid epidemic.

Owens and his team, including Margaret Brandeau, PhD, professor of management science and engineering, have been working for two decades on the larger project: implementing scientific models for screening and prevention of HIV.  This latest award comes at the heels of a time when declining HIV rates are threatened by the opioid epidemic, which Owens calls “a defining challenge for the public health and medical systems in the United States.”

The award itself provides up to 10 years of funding.  His team hopes to discover how effective various strategies are in their attempts to mitigate and prevent HIV and HCV transmission during the epidemic.  Owens adds, “We are extremely grateful to NIDA for this support and to our colleague at NIDA, Dr. Peter Hartsock, who has worked with us for over 20 years to mitigate the harms from HIV and HCV.”

Doug Owens to chair USPSTF

Douglas K. Owens, MD, Henry J. Kaiser, Jr. Professor of Medicine, was named chair of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, an independent panel of national experts that makes evidence-based recommendations to Congress and the American public about clinical preventative services.

“The goal of the Task Force is to help people live longer and healthier lives,” said Owens in a Stanford Health Policy article.  “We aim to bring the best science about prevention to our guideline recommendations on more than 70 preventive services, including screening, behavioral counseling and preventive medications."

 


Chitra Dinakar wins American Academy of Pediatrics Award

Chitra Dinakar, MD, clinical professor of pulmonary and critical care medicine, received the 2019 American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Jerome Glaser Award, which is presented annually in recognition of outstanding service in the field of pediatric allergy. Pulmonary and Critical Care Division Chief Mark Nicolls, MD, congratulated Dinakar for her achievements: “This award recognizes one outstanding pediatric allergist-immunologist in the nation for contributions in service and education - a huge honor!”

The award is named for Jerome Glaser, a pediatric allergist and founding member of the AAP’s Section on Allergy.

Dinakar’s research interest include: ASIAd (Allergy/Asthma Studies in Individuals of Asian Descent), patient outcomes in food allergic disorders, and the health impact of e-cigarettes.


Xingxing Shelley Cheng receives AHA Career Development Award

Xingxing Shelley Cheng, MD, clinical assistant professor of nephrology, received an American Heart Association(AHA) Career Development Award for her research, “Peformance-based risk stratification for coronary artery disease on the kidney transplant waitlist. The goal, Cheng says, “is to devise a better way to detect cardiovascular disease in patients with kidney disease who are waiting for kidney transplants.” She continues: “This project is a prime example of collaboration between divisions within the Department of Medicine – the principal investigator is in nephrology, and my primary mentor was a cardiologist.”

Nephrology Division Chief Glenn Chertow, MD, professor of nephrology and health research and policy, congratulated, Cheng, praising her for “An outstanding and productive fellowship and initial year on faculty.” He also commented on the “multi-disciplinary team of mentors,” that made the project successful.

The AHA award provides financial support for promising academics in the early stages of their career, allowing young investigators to explore questions and pilot studies that will solidify their success as a research scientist.


Shivaanni Kummar Assumes Role of Medical Director at Clinical Trial Research Unit

Shivaani Kummar, MD, professor of oncology, was recently named medical director of the Clinical Trial Research Unit (CTRU). She replaces Cornelia Dekker, MD, professor of pediatrics, who was instrumental in implementing key process improvements that enhanced the quality and safety of CTRU operations. Kummar specializes in conducting first-in-human trials, integrating genomics and laboratory data to make early decisions on whether further clinical studies are worthwhile. She is currently working to develop an early phase drug development unit within the CTRU.


Cathy Garzio joins AIM Council

Cathy Garzio, MBA, Vice Chair and Director of Finance, was elected Councilor for the 2020 Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine Council.

Garzio has spent over 25 years in academic medicine in a myriad of roles. At Stanford, colleagues such as Gretchen Picache, MBA, Director of Academic Affairs, see her as a source of “inspiration and direction.” Picache continues: “Cathy is a wonderful leader, advocate, and mentor.


Megan Mahoney Selected at the 2019 Augustus White Professionalism Award Recipient

Megan Mahoney, MD, clinical assistant professor of primary care and population health, is the recipient of the 2019 Dr. Augustus A. White III and Family Faculty Professionalism Award in honor of her distinguished leadership of and dedication to Stanford Medicine initiatives that aim to reduce health disparities through education, mentoring and service. Mahoney was presented with a grant at the Office of Faculty Development and Diversity’s annual Minority Faculty Networking Year-end Reception in May to fund her continued research efforts.

Mahoney serves as the medical director and clinic chief of family medicine and is a senior fellow with the Stanford Center for Innovation in Global Health. She attended medical school and completed her residency at UCSF’s School of Medicine.


Eran Bendavid inducted into ASCI

Eran Bendavid, MD, MS, associate professor primary care and population health,  was elected to the American Society for Clinical Investigation, an honor society of physician-scientists founded in 1908. ASCI members are elected before their 50th birthday, and must demonstrate outstanding records of scholarly achievement in biomedical research. Bendavid’s research interests involve understanding the relationship between policies and health outcomes in developing countries. He was officially inducted into the Society at the ASCI Dinner & New Member Induction Ceremony on April 5, 2019.


Tara Chang Receives ASCI 2019 Young Physician-Scientist Award

Tara Chang, MD, MS, associate professor of nephrology, has been recognized as an American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI) 2019 Young Physician-Scientist Awardee. Chang is among 25 recipients who presented their work at ASCI’s Food and Science Evening in April. Her abstract, “Systolic and diastolic blood pressure and the risks of myocardial infarction, stroke and death: a reanalysis of ALLHAT,” is a detailed exploration of the association between elevated blood pressure and coronary heart disease.

Upon learning about the award, Nephrology Division Chief Glenn Chertow, MD, noted that Chang is “a great researcher, teacher, clinician and role model.” Chang also acts as the director of clinical research for nephrology and is a member of the Stanford Cardiovascular Institute. She attended medical school at the University of Michigan Health System and completed her residency with the University of California San Francisco Internal Medicine program.


Jessica Favreau Named Campbell Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year 

Jessica Favreau, MD, clinical assistant professor of primary care and population health, has been named the Campbell Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year in recognition of her work creating a curriculum that teaches acute trauma management to police officers who act as first responders. Colleague Heather Henri, MD, clinical associate professor of primary care and population health, explains that Favreau’s initiative is vital because police officers often arrive to a trauma site before EMTs, but they typically have no formal medical training.

A former air force physician stationed in Afghanistan, Favreau’s experience makes her well-qualified to share in-depth knowledge about trauma response. Henri says her team is extremely proud and notes that Favreau is a very deserving recipient of the award.

Favreau graduated from Wake Forest University-School of Medicine in 2008 and completed her residency at San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education.


Ron Witteles serves as Associate Editor of new JACC Journal

Ron Witteles, MD, assistant professor of cardiology, has joined the editorial board of the newly established JACC: CardioOncology journal.  Witteles will serve as associate editor of the publication, which will launch in September and will focus on the cardiovascular care of the growing cancer patient population.


Latha Palaniappan Named Faculty Partner for Stanford Biobank

Latha Palaniappan, MD, MS professor of primary care and population health, will serve as the faculty partner for the Stanford Biobank. Previously, Palaniappan was the acting medical director of clinical and translation research at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation. Her goals for the Biobank include promoting patient engagement and lowering the bar for the procurement and processing of biological specimens.


Joseph Wu Designated Highly Cited Researcher

Clarivate Analytics included Joseph Wu, MD, PhD, the Simon H. Stertzer Professor of Medicine, on their 2018 list of highly cited researchers.  The list recognizes scientist who have shown “significant influence, demonstrated by the production of multiple highly cited papers that rank in the top 1% by citations for fiend and year.”


Thu Hoang promoted to Department of Medicine Accounting Manager

Thu Hoang, MBA, has been promoted to Accounting Manager in the Department of Medicine. Hoang has accounting and finance experience in both the public and private sectors, and holds an MBA and CPA. In her new role she will manage clinical finances and accounting functions for the Department.

 


De Bruyne and Singh recognized by Society of General Internal Medicine

Baldeep Singh, MD, clinical professor of primary care and population health, and Korina De Bruyne, MD, professor of primary care and population health, were recognized by the Society of General Internal Medicine (SGIM) at the annual California-Hawaii regional meeting for their outstanding contributions to the field.

Baldeep Singh received SGIM’s Leadership Award. Maja Artandi, MD, clinical associate professor primary care and population health and regional president of SGIM, praised Singh’s “exemplary leadership in every conceivable aspect of the field.” She continued: “He has been a true pioneer in the field of community partnership, and single-handedly has led a movement at Stanford to engage more deeply in caring for our underserved community. He oversees the academic development of more than 100 clinician educator faculty, and in that role has developed a robust and creative mentoring program. In addition, for over 9 years he has been the medical director of the weekend, student-run free clinic, donating countless weekend hours to help oversee and inspire a large cadres of undergraduate and medical students.


Korina De Bruyne was the recipient of the SGIM’s Award for Community Service. Maja Artandi detailed De Bruyne’s contributions and accomplishments: “De Bruyne has demonstrated extraordinary personal dedication to community service. She is passionate about opioid overdose prevention and education. She has worked with multiple stakeholders to develop a hospital- and clinic- wide controlled substance agreement for patients. She is a founding member of a countywide opiate overdose program. She has developed a patient class on the risks of opioid use and possible alternatives. She is also developing an education program to prevent alcohol and drug use at the undergraduate level.”


Tracy Rydel Selected to Participate STFM Building Better Clinical Training Experiences Pilot Project

Tracy Rydel, MD, clinical associate professor of primary care and population health, has been selected to participate in the Society of Teachers and Family Medicine Building Better Clinical Training Experiences Pilot Project 3. As a contributor, Rydel will collaborate with other family medicine physicians to develop student onboarding resources and processes that benefit community ambulatory sites by easing the administrative burden on faculty, enhancing the quality of training, integrating students into the practice with ease and improving teaching programs through clinical clerkship experiences.

The project will be presented at a Learning Collaborative meeting in Kansas City on October 24 and 25.

Rydel graduated from Temple University School of Medicine in 2004 and completed her residency at UCSF-Graduate Medical Education. She also serves as director of the Family Medicine Core Clerkship program.


David Ouyang Win Research Grant from the American College of Cardiology

David Ouyang, MD,  postdoctoral fellow in cardiovascular medicine, is one of six recipients to receive an award from American College of Cardiology (ACC) to support the development of projects conceived by young cardiovascular investigators. The $70,000 grant will fund a one-year fellowship during which Ouyang will study cardiovascular disease and cardiometabolic disorders adults. His work, titled “Big Data Analysis and Machine Learning in Cardiovascular Imaging,” was recognized at the ACC’s 68th Annual Scientific Session in New Orleans in March.