Celebrating 50 Years! Spring 2016 D E P A R T M E N T S 1 40 41 43 50 Contents F E A T U R E S Stroke Center Team Saves Amelia Bedelia Author Herman Parish When Herman Parish suffered a catastrophic ruptured brain aneurysm, the expertise of the New Jersey Brain Aneurysm and AVM Program team saved his life. Still, just as he seemed to be healing, he suffered a near-fatal vasospasm, and only a highly innovative intervention saved his life. By Kate O’Neill Letter from the Dean News Research News Letter from the Alumni Association President Class Notes Class Notes: Class of MMS ‘69 A Collection of Class Notes by Class Historian, Arnold Bodner, MMS ’69 MD 4 Robert Wood Johnson Medical School: Celebrating 50 Years 51 Major mileposts in the history of Robert Wood Johnson Medical School guide readers through the half century since the first class arrived, in the summer of 1966. By Kate O’Neill 9 A L U M N I P R O F I L E S Richard Szumel, MD ’89, and Sophia (Sonia) Kotliar, MD ’89: A Shared Interest in Pathology Leads to Divergent Careers By Kate O’Neill Roger Duvoisin, MD: A Village in Italy and a Relentless Scientific Curiosity Revolutionize Research into Parkinson’s Disease A former Department of Neurology chair’s search for answers about the genetic causes of Parkinson’s disease leads to his team’s involvement in the discovery of alpha-syneuclein. By Lynda Rudolph 18 44 Katherine Teets Grimm, MMS ’69, MD: Preventive Medicine Inspires a Career in General Pediatrics and Child Advocacy 48 By Kate O’Neill Michael Lewis, PhD: A Career Dedicated to Human Development A nationally respected university distinguished professor of pediatrics and psychiatry discusses his 52-year career and his research on human development. By Lynda Rudolph 22 MEDICINE A Publication for Alumni and Friends of Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School S p r i n g 2 0 1 6 • V o l u m e 16 , N u m b e r 1 Dean Sherine E.Gabriel, MD, MSc Executive Editor Patricia M. Hansen, MA Director, Communications and Public Affairs Writers Beth-Ann Kerber Kate O’Neill Lynda Rudolph Copy Editor Richard Slovak Art Direction and Design Barbara Walsh Graphic Design Cover Illustration Lynne Avril Alumni Association Officers: President Sonia Garcia Laumbach, MD ’99 Vice President/ President-Elect Thomas McPartland, MD ’01 Treasurer Hank Lubin, MD ’83 Secretary Paul Weber, MD ’87 Chair, Membership Committee Geza Kiss, MD ’95 RobertWoodJohnson Avedis Khachadurian, MD: A Physician-Scientist Whose Investigations Led to the Understanding of Familial Hypercholesterolemias— and Statins An emeritus professor of medicine discovers the metabolic defect that causes familial hypercholesterolemias—a study that contributed to the development of statins. By Lynda Rudolph 26 William J. Kostis, PhD, MD ‘07: Lifesaving Procedure Puts Somerset Man Back in the Driver’s Seat A young father and longtime racing enthusiast is restored to health, thanks to a procedure that helped correct an undiagnosed heart condition that nearly cost him his life. By Beth-Ann Kerber 29 Huaye Zhang, PhD: A Scientist with a Passion for Neuroscience— and Motherhood Assistant Professor Huaye Zhang, PhD, balances family life and a career, becoming a role model for women who want both both kinds of success. By Lynda Rudolph 32 Basic Training for Medical Students: Specialty BootCamps Prepare Graduating Physicians for Next Phase of Career Combining basic science and clinical practice, specialty-specific BootCamps are helping prepare our fourth-year students for the next phase of their career: internships and residencies. By Beth-Ann Kerber 35 Editorial and Advertising Office Robert Wood Johnson Medicine Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School 335 George Street • Suite 2300 • New Brunswick, NJ 08903 Tel: 732-235-6307 • Fax: 732-235-9570 Robert Wood Johnson I MEDICINE 3