Research News - Department of Surgery in the Medical School at the University of Minnesota

Daniel A. Saltzman, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor and Chief of the Division of Pediatric Surgery, was awarded a 2-year R21 grant from the National Institutes of Health to study attenuated Salmonella against pancreatic cancer (April 29, 2008).

Jonathan D’Cunha, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Surgery in the Division of Thoracic Surgery, received the Cancer and Leukemia Group B Investigator Award for his proposal entitled “Translational control of non-small cell lung cancer: mechanistic investigations into the transformed phenotype” (April 8, 2008).

Gregory J. Beilman, M.D., Professor of Surgery and Vice Chair of Perioperative Services and Quality Improvement, received a two-year grant from the Minnesota Medical Foundation for his research project entitled "A Broadband Probe for the Study of Metabolites and Biomolecules by NMR Spectroscopy" (December 27, 2007).

Ranjit John, M.D., Assistant Professor of Surgery in the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, was awarded the first W. Gerald Austen Young Investigator Award by the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) for his research project entitled "Reversal of endothelial dysfunction: The key to cardiac recovery in left ventricular assist device (LVAD) recipients." Established in 2007 by STS, this award is designed to encourage individuals to embark on a career in cardiothoracic research and education, with a focus on the recovery of heart function after an acute injury or illness.

Ashok K. Saluja, Ph.D., Vice Chair of Research and Professor of Surgery, was awarded $1,420,250 over the next five years by the National Institutes of Health for his research project entitled "The inhibition of HSP70 induces apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells."

Steiner R, Matas AJ. First things first: laying the ethical and factual groundwork for living kidney donor selection standards. Am J Transplant. 2008 May;8(5):930-2.

Drachenberg CB, Odorico J, Demetris AJ, Arend L, Bajema IM, Bruijn JA, Cantarovich D, Cathro HP, Chapman J, Dimosthenous K, Fyfe-Kirschner B, Gaber L, Gaber O, Goldberg J, Honsová E, Iskandar SS, Klassen DK, Nankivell B, Papadimitriou JC, Racusen LC, Randhawa P, Reinholt FP, Renaudin K, Revelo PP, Ruiz P, Torrealba JR, Vazquez-Martul E, Voska L, Stratta R, Bartlett ST, Sutherland DE. Banff Schema for Grading Pancreas Allograft Rejection: Working Proposal by a Multi-Disciplinary International Consensus Panel. Am J Transplant. 2008 Apr 29; [Epub ahead of print]

Sorenson BS, Banton KL, Frykman NL, Leonard AS, Saltzman DA. Attenuated Salmonella typhimurium with IL-2 Gene Reduces Pulmonary Metastases in Murine Osteosarcoma. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2008 Apr 18; [Epub ahead of print]

Lee PK, Windsperger AP, Wilson CM, McCarthy JB, Wasiluk KR, Rothenberger DA, Bullard Dunn KM. The Effect of a Hyaluronan-Carboxymethylcellulose Membrane vs. Polyglactin 910 Mesh on Intra-Abdominal Tumor Formation in Mice. Dis Colon Rectum. 2008 Apr 17; [Epub ahead of print]

Gaertner WB, Hagerman GF, Finne CO, Alavi K, Jessurun J, Rothenberger DA, Madoff RD. Fistula-associated anal adenocarcinoma: good results with aggressive therapy. Dis Colon Rectum. 2008 Apr 17 [Epub ahead of print].

Moore FA, Nelson T, McKinley BA, Moore EE, Nathens AB, Rhee P, Puyana JC, Beilman GJ, Cohn SM; StO2 Study Group. Massive transfusion in trauma patients: tissue hemoglobin oxygen saturation predicts poor outcome. J Trauma. 2008 Apr;64(4):1010-23.

Molina JE and Hall D. Book Chapter: “Implantation of Pacemaker and Defibrillator Systems by the Surgeon in the Operating Room” in Cardiac Pacing and Defibrillation - Principles and Practice, eds. Lu F, Benditt D. People’s Medical Publishing House; 2008:476-490.

Duffey BG, Pedro RN, Kriedberg C, Weiland D, Melquist J, Ikramuddin S, Kellogg T, Makhlouf AA, Monga M. Lithogenic Risk Factors in the Morbidly Obese Population. J Urol. 2008 Apr;179(4):1401-6. Epub 2008 Mar 4.

Ramírez PJ, Vickers SM, Ono HA, Davydova J, Takayama K, Thompson TC, Curiel DT, Bland KI, Yamamoto M. Optimization of conditionally replicative adenovirus for pancreatic cancer and its evaluation in an orthotopic murine xenograft model. Am J Surg. 2008 Apr;195(4):481-90.

Bhagat L, Singh VP, Dawra RK, Saluja AK. Sodium arsenite induces heat shock protein 70 expression and protects against secretagogue-induced trypsinogen and NF-kappaB activation. J Cell Physiol. 2008 Apr;215(1):37-46.

Maddaus MA, Chipman JG, Whitson BA, Groth SS, Schmitz CC. Rotation as a course: lessons learned from developing a hybrid online/on-ground approach to general surgical resident education. J Surg Educ. 2008 Mar-Apr;65(2):112-6.

Haugen V, Rothenberger DA, Powell J. Antegrade Irrigations of a Surgically Reconstructed Hartmann's Pouch to Treat Intractable Diversion Colitis. J Wound Ostomy Continence Nurs. 2008 March/April;35(2):231-232.

Whitson BA, Asolati M, Kandaswamy R, Sutherland DE. Diabetic gastroparesis-associated bezoar resolution via "cola-lysis". Clin Transplant. 2008 Mar-Apr;22(2):242-4.

Whitson BA, Groth SS, Li Z, Kratzke RA, Maddaus MA. Assessment of survival from distal esophageal and gastric cardia tumors: A population-based analysis of gastroesophageal carcinomas. 2008 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting, Chicago, Illinois. May 30 - June 3, 2008.

Groth SS, Whitson BA, Li Z, DeFor TE, Kratzke RA, Maddaus MA. Determination of the ideal number of lymph nodes to examine to optimize survival in patients with esophageal carcinoma: Data from the surveillance epidemiology and end results database. 2008 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting, Chicago, Illinois. May 30 - June 3, 2008.

Bianco R. Keynote Address - Researchers & Ethical Review: Problems, Solutions, Moving Forward. 2008 Focus Conference, Charlotte, NC. May 29-30, 2008.

Dudeja V. Inhibition of Heat Shock Factor Leads to Cell Death in Pancreatic Cancer Cells. Minnesota Surgical Society and Minnesota Chapter of the American College of Surgeons, Minneapolis, MN (Allina Commons). May 2, 2008.

Whitson B. Not Every Bulb Is a Rose: Which Bulb Suction Is the Best. Minnesota Surgical Society and Minnesota Chapter of the American College of Surgeons, Minneapolis, MN (Allina Commons). May 2, 2008.

Borja-Cacho D. Combined Therapy with TRAIL and Triptolide Increases Apoptosis in Pancreatic Cancer Cells. Minnesota Surgical Society and Minnesota Chapter of the American College of Surgeons, Minneapolis, MN (Allina Commons). May 2, 2008.

Gutierrez J. Results from Detailed Pathologic Evaluation of Non-SLNs Following Identification of SLN Mets by Cytokerat. Minnesota Surgical Society and Minnesota Chapter of the American College of Surgeons, Minneapolis, MN (Allina Commons). May 2, 2008.

Groth S. Laparoscopic Diaphragm Plication: An Objective Evaluation of Short-Term Results. Minnesota Surgical Society and Minnesota Chapter of the American College of Surgeons, Minneapolis, MN (Allina Commons). May 2, 2008.

Whitson B. Survival of Distal Esophageal and Gastric Cardia Tumors: A Population-Based Analysis of GE Carcinomas. Minnesota Surgical Society and Minnesota Chapter of the American College of Surgeons, Minneapolis, MN (Allina Commons). May 2, 2008.

ActonR. Teaching Pediatric Surgery as a Course in the 80-Hour Work Week. Minnesota Surgical Society and Minnesota Chapter of the American College of Surgeons, Minneapolis, MN (Allina Commons). May 2, 2008.

Antonoff M. Modified Approach to Laparoscopic Gastrostomy Tube Placement Minimizes Complications. Minnesota Surgical Society and Minnesota Chapter of the American College of Surgeons, Minneapolis, MN (Allina Commons). May 2, 2008.

IyeghaU. Proton-Pump Inhibitor-Induced Gastric Polyposis. Minnesota Surgical Society and Minnesota Chapter of the American College of Surgeons, Minneapolis, MN (Allina Commons). May 2, 2008.

Banton K. Adapting Massive Transfusion Protocols for Pediatric Patients. Minnesota Surgical Society and Minnesota Chapter of the American College of Surgeons, Minneapolis, MN (Allina Commons). May 2, 2008.

Dries D. Wrong Site Surgery: The Minnesota Report Card. Minnesota Surgical Society and Minnesota Chapter of the American College of Surgeons, Minneapolis, MN (Allina Commons). May 2, 2008.

Kalliainen L, McCue J. Application of Purse String Closure to Reduce Requirement for Skin Grafting. 2008 Annual meeting of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, San Diego, CA. May 1-6, 2008.

Buchwald H. Duodenal switch operative mortality and morbidity are not impacted by BMI. American Surgical Association, New York, NY. April 24, 2008.

Cunningham B. 10th Pan Arab Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Meeting, in Kuwait City, Kuwait. April 19-24, 2008.

Sutherland DER. Keynote Address: Beta Cell Replacement Therapy – New Developments. Michigan State University’s 26th Annual Research Day, Kalamazoo, MI. April 16, 2008.

Buchwald H. Metabolic surgery: a new surgical discipline? 3rd Congress of the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders–European Chapter, Capri, Italy. April 16, 2008.

Buchwald H. Keynote Address: Three meta-analyses and an analysis of meta-analyses. 3rd Congress of the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders–European Chapter, Capri, Italy. April 16, 2008.

Lim P. Acute Wound Management: Facial and Hand Lacerations and Review of General Principles. The First International Continuing Medical Education Conference, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. April 11-12, 2008.

Cunningham B. Postmastectomy Reconstruction Experience at the University of Minnesota. Japanese Society for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, in Nagoya, Japan. April 9-12, 2008.

Strungs E, Befera N, Foker J. Effects of ribose on post-myocardial infarction ventricular function in a rat model.Undergraduate Symposium, Minneapolis, MN. April 18, 2008.

Dudeja V, Phillips P, Dawra R, Vickers S, Saluja A. HSP70 inhibits apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells by two mechanisms: stabilizing lysosomes and attenuating cytosolic Ca^2+. American Association for Cancer Research, San Diego, CA. April 15, 2008.

Yokoyama Y, Dudeja V, Dawra R, Borja-Cacho D, Zwolak P, Talukdar R, Chugh R, Klug C, Vickers S, Saluja A. Mouse pancreatic cancer cells from KrasG12D/p53-/- transgenic mice overexpress heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), and its inhibition by triptolide decreases cell viability. American Association for Cancer Research, San Diego, CA. April 14, 2008.

Bryan A. Whitson, M.D., received the Cecil J. Watson Award from the Minnesota Medical Foundation for outstanding researchby a physician in graduate clinical training in any clinical department at the University of Minnesota Medical School (April 18, 2008).

Bryan A. Whitson, M.D., received the Steer-Pruitt Award from the Minnesota Medical Foundation for outstanding cardiovascular research by a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Minnesota Medical School, Twin Cities (April 18, 2008).

Bryan A. Whitson, M.D., received the J. Jacob Kaplan Award from the Minnesota Medical Foundation for outstanding research in immunology for the treatment and diagnosis of cancer (April 18, 2008).

Neal Holtan (History of Medicine graduate student), gave a lecture on "Dark Medicine" at the Minnesota History Center, in connection with the traveling exhibit, The Enemy Within: Terror in America, 1776-Today (March 18, 2008). The lecture discussed Charles Fremont Dight and eugenics in Minnesota and what light Dights story might have to shed on contemporary discussions of science, government and politics.

Jana Ninkovic (Sabita Roy's laboratory) won the Arthur Falek Young Investigator Award for the best pre-doctoral poster at the 14th Conference of the Society of Neuroimmune Pharmacology (SNIP), in Charleston, South Carolina (March 12-15, 2008). Her poster was titled "Chronic Morphine Modulates Fc-gamma Receptor-Mediated Phagocytosis through a Mechanism that Involves Superactivation of cAMP Leading to Inhibition of Actin Polymerization.”

Ashok Saluja, Ph.D., Professor and Vice Chair for Research, led the team that found a natural compound, triptolide, that can break down the resistance of pancreatic cancer cells to therapy and cause the cells to die. The compound may be a potential breakthrough agent for stopping the growth and spread of pancreatic cancer in patients. The findings are published in the October issue of Cancer Research. For more information, go to http://www.ahc.umn.edu/ (October 16, 2007).

Selwyn M. Vickers, M.D., Jay Phillips Professor and Chair, was appointed Associate Director of Translational Research for the University of Minnesota Cancer Center. By integrating laboratory-based investigation with clinical practice, Dr. Vickers will lead in establishing collaborations between laboratory investigators and clinicians (September 4, 2007).

Sylvester M. Black, M.D., received the award for best Basic Science Research for his presentation entitled "IL-4 Induced Lipogenesis in Porcine Vascular Endothelial Cells Is Critical for Induction of Protection against Complement-Mediated Injury" during the University of Minnesota Department of Surgery 2007 Annual Resident Research Day (June 13, 2007).

Bryan A. Whitson, M.D., received the award for best Clinical Research for his presentation entitled "Wedge Gastroplasty and Reinforced Crural Repair: Important Components of Laparoscopic Giant or Recurrent Hiatal Hernia Repair" during the University of Minnesota Department of Surgery 2007 Annual Resident Research Day (June 13, 2007).