Robert Gilbert, M.D., a radiation oncologist at the USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute and assistant professor of interdisciplinary clinical oncology at the USA College of Medicine, presented “Emerging Trends in Radiation for Breast Cancer,” at the Med School Café lecture on Oct. 28.
Watch a video of video of the presentation on YouTube or below.
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Jacob Williams, third from left, presented at the American Public Health Association's national meeting in Denver. He is shown with the session's moderator and fellow presenters. |
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Sun Belt Conference Commissioner Keith Gill, left, recognizes Benjamin Estrada, M.D., pediatric infectious diseases specialist at USA Health and professor and vice chair of pediatrics at the USA College of Medicine. |
The collaboration between Estrada and other healthcare faculty from across the conference is credited with allowing athletic programs to continue and giving college athletes the opportunity to more safely compete during much of the global health pandemic.
“We’re proud of the hard work and accomplishments of all of our 2020-21 honorees and we were delighted to be able to celebrate their achievements in person,” said Sun Belt Conference Commissioner Keith Gill. “We were pleased, too, to recognize the members of our COVID-19 advisory panel for their work, enabling us to safely compete throughout the 2020-21 season.” The Sun Belt Conference COVID-19 panel included Estrada; Brandy Clouse of Georgia Southern; Jeff Dugas, M.D., of Troy; and Emilio Carranco, M.D., of Texas State.
Estrada is assistant dean for educational strategies and faculty development, and professor and vice chair of pediatrics at the USA College of Medicine.
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| Kevin Lee, Ph.D., assistant professor of research, works in a lab at the Mitchell Cancer Institute. |
The compound, ADT 061, is a derivative of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug sulindac and was developed in-house at the MCI, said Kevin Lee, Ph.D., assistant professor of research and lead author of the paper, featured on the cover of the journal’s November issue.
“We found that ADT 061 inhibits colon cancer cell lines without inhibiting normal cell lines,” Lee said. “In the mouse model with a high incidence of colon cancer, we saw a 30 to 40 percent decrease in cancer.”
Lee said that while some anti-inflammatory drugs produce toxic side effects in the liver, ADT 061 was modified to have fewer side effects. He said that further studies in animal models will be needed to test the compound for safety and efficacy.
ADT 061 was among two classes of anti-cancer compounds discovered in recent years by former MCI researcher Gary A. Piazza, Ph.D., now at Auburn University, and MCI’s Drug Discovery Research Center. Their development as potential drug candidates for colon, pancreatic and gynecologic cancers have been the subject of research presentations and awards over the past three years.
Academic title: General surgeon and assistant professor of surgery
Joined the USA College of Medicine faculty: August 2020
What does your position in the USA COM/USA Health entail?
Comprehensive care of the surgical patient to include operating room cases, seeing patients in the office, seeing patients in the hospital, and teaching/instructing medical students and surgical residents.
What is your favorite or most rewarding part of your position?
Taking care of sick patients and seeing them recover as well as teaching the medical students and residents.
What is your advice for medical students?
Work hard, take it one day at a time, and pursue a medical specialty you truly find fascinating and rewarding.
What are your hobbies/interests outside of work? Hunting, fishing and traveling
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Christopher Davies, Ph.D., professor of biochemistry and microbiology and associate dean for research at the USA College of Medicine, presents Chelsie Carpenter with the Edwin R. Hughes Memorial Award. |
Williams moved to Mobile in 2015 to complete a residency at USA Health’s University Hospital. During that time, she helped develop Project Inspire, a mentorship program for youth in the Mobile area who had early encounters with the juvenile justice system. Williams co-founded Project Inspire with Jon Simmons, M.D., chief of trauma and acute care surgery at USA Health. The program’s goal is to provide its young participants with positive influences and learning experiences to set them on a path to brighter futures.
Williams was compelled to develop Project Inspire after noticing that many patients who received trauma care were alarmingly young victims of violence. She began to imagine ways to promote safety and ambition among teenagers.
“I wanted to not only deter kids from making poor decisions, but also inspire them to be the best version of themselves,” said Williams. “A lot of kids might not be able to see the world, but as members of the community, it’s our job to bring the world to them and show them their full potential.”
After Williams completed her surgical residency, Simmons reached out to her about an open position at USA Health. Since returning, Williams has begun working on a new aspect of the youth program that allows all interested teenagers to participate in the curriculum.
“Project Inspire originally started with kids who were at Strickland Youth Center for gun-related offenses,” said Williams. “It wasn’t long before we had parents and grandparents reaching out for their children to join the program. So, we’ve been working on more comprehensive curriculum that allows all teenagers to join.”
While Project Inspire’s potential expansion played a large role in Williams’ decision to return, the family she cultivated at USA Health also was a determining factor. Her husband, Antwan Hogue, M.D., is a Mobile native, a hospitalist and assistant professor of internal medicine at University Hospital.
“I really enjoyed the entire surgery department here during my residency,” Williams said. “I definitely had no reservations about coming back.”
Williams grew up in Augusta, Ga. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in microbiology from the University of Georgia in 2011. That year, she began a doctorate program at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Columbia with intentions to pursue cardiology.
A mission trip to Liberia during her first summer of medical school inspired Williams to shift her focus to surgery. She became fascinated with the dynamic, fast-paced environment of the operating room and the immediate gratification that came from remedying patient issues.
“That mission trip was my first exposure to the operating room,” she said. “I was able to see patients come in with a problem, go to the operating room, and come out with their problem fixed. It felt like a field where you could help someone through their most vulnerable state and impact their life for the better.”
After completing medical school in 2015, Williams relocated to Mobile for a general surgery residency at University Hospital. She completed the residency in 2020, then moved to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center to complete a surgical critical care fellowship. She returned to University Hospital this fall.
Thakur, an assistant professor of neurosurgery at the USA College of Medicine, is a fellowship-trained neurosurgeon who specializes in the field of endoscopic and minimally invasive keyhole cranial surgery. His focus is caring for patients with brain tumors (including pituitary tumors, skull base tumors, primary/metastatic tumors) and cerebrovascular diseases like aneurysm, vascular malformations, sickle cell disease and Moyamoya disease, which potentially can cause strokes. Additionally, he specializes in managing medically refractory facial pain/trigeminal neuralgia, hemi-facial spasms and spontaneous skull base CSF leaks.
After graduating from medical school at Government Medical College in Amritsar, India, he completed a two-year research fellowship in skull base neurosurgery at Louisiana State University (LSU) and University of Arkansas Medical Sciences, followed by residency training in neurosurgery at LSU. He then completed fellowship training in minimally invasive cranial and skull base neurosurgery at the Pacific Neuroscience Institute-John Wayne Cancer Institute in Santa Monica, California.
Register here to attend the lecture virtually.
Med School Café is a free community lecture series sponsored by USA Health. Each month, faculty and physicians share their expertise on a specific medical condition, providing insight on the latest treatments available.
For more information, contact Kim Partridge at kepartridge@health.southalabama.edu.
Age: 26
Class of: 2023
Hometown: Chicago
Undergrad/grad institution: The University of Chicago
Degrees earned: Bachelor of Science in biochemistry, Bachelor of Arts in chemistry
Interests, hobbies: Traveling, attending concerts, attempting to play piano by learning only parts of random songs and binging shows that I clearly don't have time for.
Something unique about me: My first word as a baby was the Arabic word "tai," meaning "come." I tore my ACL in the final two soccer games of the season during my senior year of high school and left with a (subjectively cool?) scar from reconstructive surgery.
Three of my favorite things: Trying new restaurants/cuisine, my cat Leo, family/friends
What I enjoy most about being a student at the USA College of Medicine: No doubt the people. From classmates, to faculty, to residents and attendings at University Hospital, people have been nothing but welcoming and supportive!
The doctoral program, which awards the Ph.D. degree in Basic Medical Sciences, will host its first virtual information session at 4 p.m. Monday, Nov. 15.
If you have any questions, contact Angie O'Neal at aoneal@southalabama.edu.