July 2009

Did You Know?

Number of Radiology Departments in Top U.S. Medical Schools in 1913
As ranked by the Council on Medical Education of the American Medical Association, only 4 of the top 18 U.S. medical colleges in 1913 recognized Roentgenology as a distinct "Department of Instruction": Northwestern University, Harvard University, Cornell University, and the University and Bellevue Hospital Medical College (from "Medical Colleges of the United States: Annual Presentation of Educational Data by the Council on Medical Education in J Am Med Assoc1913;61(8):569-598 and quoted in "Instruction in Roentgenology" by Adolph Henriques and Lodilla Ambrose, JAMA 1914;V.LXIII;N.8:651-653).

The Council chose the top or "A+" 18 U.S. medical colleges by . . .

rating all medical schools on a scale of 1,000 points based on 10 criteria each worth 100 points (please see criteria listed below). Class A+ colleges were those that earned an "acceptable" rating based on these 10 criteria (to read more, please access "Medical Colleges of the United States: Annual Presentation of Educational Data by the Council on Medical Education" in J Am Med Assoc 1913;61(8):598).

10 Criteria:
1. Showing of graduates before state boards and other evidences
of the training received.
2. Enforcement of a satisfactory preliminary educational requirement,
granting of advanced standing, and the character of records.
3. Character of curriculum, grading of course, length of session, and
time allowed for matriculation and supervision.
4. Medical school buildings: light, heat, ventilation, cleanliness.
5. Laboratory facilities and Instruction.
6. Dispensary facilities and Instruction.
7. Hospital facilities and Instruction, maternity work, autopsies, and specialties.
8. Faculty, number, and qualifications of trained teachers, full-time
instructors, and assistants, especially of the laboratory branches, organization, and extent of research work.
9. Extent to which the school is conducted for properly teaching
the science of medicine rather than for the profit of the faculty
directly or indirectly.
10. Possession and use made of libraries, museums, charts, and stereopticons.

Awards and Honors: July 28, 2009

Avnesh S. Thakor, MA, MB Bchir, PhD, a visiting scholar in the Multimodality Molecular Imaging Lab, has been awarded an American Cancer Society International Fellowship for Beginning Investigators (ACSBI) from the International Union Against Cancer (UICC) for his research on Raman spectroscopy using SERS nanoparticles. One goal of ACSBI fellowships is to foster a bi-directional flow of research knowledge, experience, expertise, and innovation between countries. Dr. Thakor was awarded ACSBI fellowship for his research on Raman spectroscopy using SERS nanoparticles.

Dr. Thakor completed his PhD, in oxidative stress and vascular physiology, and his medical degree at the University of Cambridge. Currently, he is pursuing an MSc in cancer therapeutics at the University of London during his radiology residency. At Stanford, Dr. Thakor is applying his knowledge in oxidative stress and vascular biology to the molecular imaging of tumor biology. He has 20 published articles and over 30 peer-reviewed abstracts. In addition to the American Cancer Society International Fellowship, Dr. Thakor has received numerous other honors, including a 2009 European Association for Cancer Research Fellowship, 2008 British Institute of Radiology Philips Fellowship, and 2008 PEEL Medical Research Award.

Awards and Honors: July 24, 2009

John Ronald, PhD, a post doctoral scholar in the Multimodality Molecular Imaging Lab (MMIL), has received a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Fellowship, which is a three-year award that provides support for highly qualified candidates to complete health research either in Canada or abroad. Dr. Ronald received the Fellowship for his proposal, "Multimodality Cell Trafficking Imaging Using Optical Bioluminescent Imaging, Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)."

Dr. Ronald received his BSc in physiology from the University of Western Ontario (UWO), graduating with honors. He remained at UWO to complete his MSc in anatomy and cell biology and his PhD thesis, "Magnetic Resonance Imaging Characterization of a Cholesterol-Fed Rabbit Model of Atherosclerosis and Alzheimer's Disease," in medical biophysics. Prior to coming to Stanford in June of 2009, Dr. Ronald was a postdoctoral scholar at the University of Western Ontario in anatomy and cell biology. As a member of the MMIL, Dr. Ronald researches new techniques for improving the ability to non-invasively track cells or cell products in various diseases, particularly atherosclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, and cancer.

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Fellowship is just one of his many awards, which include the 2009 Canadian Governor General's Academic Gold Medal. He has also published over 10 peer-reviewed papers and more than 25 peer-reviewed abstracts.

In addition to his research, Dr. Ronald enjoys traveling, reading, poker, movies, golf, soccer, and rollerblading.

Awards and Honors: July 23, 2009

Qizhen Cao, PhD, postdoctoral scholar in the Molecular Imaging Probe Laboratory, received a Travel Award to attend the 56th Society of Nuclear Medicine's Annual Meeting in Toronto, Canada from June 13th to June 17th, where she presented her study, "Phage Display Peptide Probes for Imaging Early Response to Antiangiogenic Treatment." Because her project demonstrates novel advances in molecular imaging, Dr. Cao's abstract was also chosen for presentation at the Basic Science Summary Session of the SNM. She received her PhD in molecular and immunological pharmacology from the Peking University Health Science Center in China, where she specialized in tumor angiogenesis and anti-angiogenesis therapy. In 2005, she joined Dr. Shawn Chen's laboratory, where she develops molecular imaging probes for the treatment monitoring and target therapy of tumor angiogenesis.

Announcements: July 23, 2009

Stanford Summer Theater (SST) Electra Festival: July 23rd-August 15th at Memorial Auditorium. Stanford Summer Theater (SST) presents the Electra Festival, which explores one of the great mythic heroines through theater and film. The Festival begins on July 23rd and ends on August 15th and runs Thursdays through Saturdays at 8:00 PM with a Sunday matinee on August 9th at 2:00 PM. All events are at the Memorial Auditorium, Stanford University. For tickets and other information, please click here, call 650-725-5838, or stanfordsummertheater@gmail.com.

Awards and Honors: July 21, 2009

Anne Marie Sawyer, BS, RT(R)(MR), manager of the MR Whole Body Research Systems at the Richard M. Lucas Center for Imaging, has been appointed as member of the Food and Drug Administration's Circulatory System Devices Panel of the Medical Devices Advisory Committee. The Circulatory System Devices Panel "reviews and evaluates data concerning the safety and effectiveness of marketed and investigational devices for use in the circulatory and vascular systems and makes appropriate recommendations to the Commissioner of Food and Drugs." Ms. Sawyer was appointed to this panel in recognition of her enduring contributions to the safe and efficient operation of MR systems.

She began her career in magnetic resonance imaging in September of 1985 as . . .

an MR applications specialist for GE Medical Systems providing education on-site for customers with new installations and system upgrades. In 1987 and 1990, respectively, she served as supervisor (MR) and then manager (MR, CT, X-ray, nuclear medicine, and mammography) for applications specialists in the western region of the United States. In 1991, Ms. Sawyer became a member of MR Advanced Applications and Customer Support at GE Medical Systems headquarters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where her primary responsibilities included assistance in the design and implementation of software, hardware, and imaging accessories; support for pre-product clinical evaluations; customer education; organization and direction of educational symposia; and development of educational material and tools.

In 1993, Ms. Sawyer began in the Stanford Department of Radiology as the manager of MR Whole Body Research Systems in the Radiological Sciences Laboratory at the Richard M. Lucas Center for Imaging. For over 16 years, she has provided technical, scientific, and educational consultation to researchers, as well as assistance in the design and direction of research studies conducted at the Lucas Center on the 1.5T, 3.0T#1, 3.0T#2 and 7.0T whole body MR systems. To support Lucas users and distribute MR-specific documentation, she maintains a website of her own design and conducts Stanford MR technologist symposia.

Ms. Sawyer has been a member of the Section for MR Technologists (SMRT) of the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM) since 1991 and has served as past president as well as chair and member of numerous committees. Because of her dedication to SMRT, she has been honored with elevation to Fellow of the Section and with the prestigious Honorary Membership of the SMRT in recognition of her major achievements in the field of magnetic resonance imaging. She is currently the editor of the SMRT accredited Home Study Program, Educational Seminars. Her published articles include over 50 peer-reviewed publications. In addition, she has delivered more than 50 invited lectures and co-authored three book chapters. Among Ms. Sawyer's numerous awards are the Crues-Kressel Award from the SMRT for her outstanding contributions to MR technologist education and a 3rd Place Poster Award at the 2006 Annual ISMRM Meeting. As manager of our Lucas magnet systems, she is nationally consulted regarding all aspects of MR safety and systems operation.

Awards and Honors: July 20, 2009

Christoph Lee, MD, has been named 1 of only 29 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholars for 2010-2012, a highly prestigious and extremely competitive two-year fellowship in health policy. Through the Fellowship, outstanding young physicians "conduct innovative research and work with communities, organizations, practitioners and policymakers on issues important to the health and well-being of all Americans." Dr. Lee is the only radiologist to have been selected this year and is one of very few radiologists selected to participate since the beginning of the program in 1969. To read the press release announcing his award, please access http://rwjcsp.unc.edu/resources/pressreleases/2010-12_CSP_New_Scholars.pdf or Download file.

Dr. Lee earned his BA, graduating cum laude, from Princeton University, and received his MD from Yale University where he also graduated cum laude. He is currently completing his residency in diagnostic radiology at Stanford University. Prior to coming to Stanford, Dr. Lee managed a global tuberculosis initiative for Ralph Nader in Washington, D.C., and was an analyst for the Lewin Group, a national healthcare policy research and consulting firm. He has helped lead more than 10 different service organizations at the community, state, national, and international levels over the last decade. In addition, Dr. Lee is the author of multiple medical board review texts distributed internationally by McGraw-Hill & Co., and he is the first author of several original research articles regarding medical imaging health policy, which are published in leading peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Lee has also served on several national editorial and executive boards and is a recipient of numerous research and leadership awards, including the 2009 American Medical Association Foundation Leadership Award. As a Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar, Dr. Lee plans to examine diagnostic imaging from the perspectives of cost effectiveness, clinical effectiveness, and resource utilization. For his prior blog award, please access http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2009/03/awards_and_hono_82.html.

Awards and Honors: July 17, 2009

Andrei Iagaru, MD; Erik Mittra, MD, PhD; and Michael Goris, MD, PhD, have received the 2009 Society of Nuclear Medicine Image of the Year Award for their image comprised of two sets of before-and-after PET scans of two patients, one of whom was treated with Iodine-131 tositumomab, and the other, with Yttrium-90 ibritumomab tiuxetan. The scans examine the effectiveness of two radioimmunotherapy agents in treating non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). To view the image, please access http://interactive.snm.org/img/SNM-2009-Image-of-the-Year.jpg. Please see biographies for Drs. Iagaru and Mittra below.

Andrei Iagaru, MD, instructor of nuclear medicine, completed medical school at the Carol Davila University of Medicine, Bucharest, Romania, and an internship at Drexel University College of Medicine, Graduate Hospital, in the Department of Medicine. He began his residency at the University of Southern California (USC) Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, in the Division of Nuclear Medicine, where he was the chief resident. He finished his residency and completed a PET/CT fellowship at Stanford University's School of Medicine in the Division of Nuclear Medicine. He is currently an Instructor in the Department of Radiology and his current research interests include whole-Body MRI and PET/CT for early cancer detection; Zevalin/Bexxar radioimmunotherapy; optical imaging of breast cancer; clinical translation of novel PET radiopharmaceuticals; and PET-CT imaging for thyroid/breast cancers, melanoma, lymphoma, and sarcoma. For his prior blog posting, please access http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2009/05/awards_and_hono_91.html and http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2008/07/awards_and_hono_47.html.

Erik Mittra, MD, PhD, instructor of nuclear medicine, attended Stony Brook University Medical Scientist Training Program where he received his MD and PhD degrees in biomedical engineering as well as a master's degree in the anatomical sciences. After completing his internship in the Department of Internal Medicine at Stony Brook University Hospital, he finished his residency and fellowship in the Division of Nuclear Medicine at Stanford University Hospital and Clinics. In addition to the 2009 Society of Nuclear Medicine Image of the Year Award, Dr. Mittra has received the 2007 Radiological Society of North America Trainee Research Prize (co-author); was awarded 2007 Norman D. Poe Memorial Scholarship Award for Outstanding In-Training Oral Abstract at the 32nd Annual Western Regional Society of Nuclear Medicine Meeting (co-winner); and served as the Chief Nuclear Medicine Resident for 2007-2008. He has also published over 10 published manuscripts and 25 abstracts.

Awards and Honors: July 14, 2009

Laura Sasportas, PhD candidate in the Multimodality Molecular Imaging Laboratory, has been awarded a Student Fellowship Award by the Society of Nuclear Medicine . She received this award for her proposal, "In Vivo Molecular Imaging of Circulating Tumor Cells and Early Invasion in a Human Cancer-Stem Cell Based Model of Breast Tumor." SNM Student Fellowship Awards support full-time participation in clinical and basic research activities for students who demonstrate outstanding competence in nuclear medicine and/or molecular imaging research.

A native of Strasbourg, France, Laura Sasportas completed two years of math and physics studies at the bachelor's degree level before entering Ecole Centrale Paris, which is a multidisciplinary engineering school. She was then selected for the Top Industrial Managers for Europe (T.I.M.E.) master's double degree program, Europe's leading network for the training of bi-cultural and bilingual engineers. In 2007, Ms. Sasportas received a Master of Science Engineering Diploma from the Ecole Centrale Paris, and a Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich). At ETH Zurich, she specialized in bioimaging, magnetic resonance imaging, and molecular imaging. Dr. Sasportas completed her master's thesis at the Harvard Medical School Center for Molecular Imaging Research (MGH) in Boston, Massachusetts. Her thesis aimed at developing and imaging in vivo an anti-angiogenic therapy for malignant brain tumors using human neural stem cells as a delivery vehicle.

In 2008, Ms. Sasportas worked as a scientific associate at the Novartis Institute for Biomedical Research/Center for Proteomics Chemistry on the lead discovery platform in Basel, Switzerland. She was in charge of cell-line engineering and support of the imaging-based cellular assay development for high-throughput drug screening. Later that year, Ms. Sasportas was also awarded an International Fulbright Science and Technology Award grant to pursue a PhD in bioengineering at Stanford University, where she is currently enrolled.

Her hobbies include literature, theater, drawing, painting, swimming, hiking, and traveling.

In the News: Stanford 3D Medical Imaging Laboratory

The Stanford 3D Medical Imaging Laboratory was recently featured in the July 13th "SUMC in the News" for producing innovative three-dimensional images of the human body from CT and MRI data. To view some of their images, please access http://www.boingboing.net/2009/07/10/3d-radiology-images.html and http://www.flickr.com/photos/stanfordmedicine/sets/72157620423998329/.

Stanford Radiology Welcomes Visiting Scholar Dr. Emilio Sacristan

Emilio Sacristan, PhD, has joined the Lucas Center as a visiting professor for the 2009 calendar year. He is on sabbatical leave from the Metropolitan University in Iztapalapa, Mexico City, where he is a professor of biomedical engineering and the director of the Mexican National Center for Medical Instrumentation and Imaging Research. Dr. Sacristan was formerly a faculty member at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, Yale University, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute, where he also received his PhD in biomedical engineering. In addition, he is an entrepreneur, having founded Abdeo Medical and Critical Perfusion Inc., two Bay Area companies for which he also serves as a science advisor. While at Stanford, Dr. Sacristan is working with Dr. Dan Spielman's group, using hyperpolarized 13C to study ischemia-reperfusion of the gut in rats.

Dr. Sacristan has two daughters who are visiting the United States along with him and his wife, who is also a visiting scholar at Stanford. She is researching the epidemiology of mental health in adolescents with colleagues in the Psychology Department.

Meet Our SHC Radiologic Nurses

(L to R): Rachel Reyes RN, BSN, CEN; Selma Samayoa, RN, BSN, CCRN; Harmandeep (Harm) Madra, RN; Diane Herscher, RN; and Jo Miser, RN, BSN (not all nurses are pictured)

By Julie Ruiz, PhD

A relatively new field, radiologic nursing began at Stanford Hospital and Clinics (SHC) around late 1994 or early 1995 with one nurse, Stephanie Taylan, RN, who assisted mainly with computed tomography (CT) examinations. Today, our radiologic nursing team has grown to 15 nurses whose efforts are greatly improving patient care. Our nurses increase patient comfort through a focus on the whole patient, sedating patients for procedures (rather than merely administering a local anesthetic); assisting with contrast injections for patients undergoing CT and MRI exams; tracking patient labs; administering medications, such anti-anxiety drugs; and providing critical care for patients who may have allergic reactions or other complications. They also help keep everyone updated on the latest contrast injection techniques and the most modern types of central lines.

The increase in our radiologic nursing staff is partly due to the rapid growth in interventional radiologic (IR) procedures, particularly CT-guided IR examinations that require moderate sedation. Our nurses lend their skills to these IR procedures by starting IVs in patients and assessing their progress as well as by administering moderate sedation.

In the future, radiologic nurses will most likely be involved in areas such as gastrointestinal imaging and ultrasound. Already, our nurses assist with image-guided platelet rich plasma injections by drawing patients' blood and spinning it to separate the platelets so that a physician can inject them into the site of injury to promote healing. The radiologic nursing team will also be hosting an educational conference this August 2009 to educate hospital nurses about radiology. The objective of the conference is to provide information not being taught in nursing schools, which provide very few classes in radiology and very little information on how to assist in radiologic examinations.

Of our 15 radiologic nurses, 9 serve patients at SHC while the other 6 are distributed evenly between Blake Wilbur; Stanford Medicine Imaging Center (SMIC), Palo Alto; and Stanford Outpatient Imaging Center (SMOC), Redwood City. To learn more about some of our team members, . . .

please read their biographies below.

Harmandeep (Harm) Madra, RN, patient care manager, went to nursing school in British Columbia and chose nursing because he was inspired by his sister, who is also a nurse. He began his career in nursing working in the medical surgical units of a small community hospital and later, transferred to the emergency room (ER) and intensive care unit (ICU). In 2000, he decided to move to Palo Alto and applied for a nursing position in the Stanford Hospital and Clinics (SHC) ER and was hired. After six months, Mr. Madra was promoted to night assistant nurse manager, and eventually earned a specialty certificate in ER nursing. In early 2006, he decided he needed a change and joined the Radiology Department because he felt it was time to learn something new in a nursing field that was just emerging. It was challenging learning the new work flows and different examinations, but very rewarding. At Stanford, Mr. Madra is helping to develop the field of radiologic nursing. Along with the American Radiological Nurses Association (ARNA), he co-sponsored Stanford's first symposium in radiologic nursing in October of 2008, which attracted about 80 attendees from all over the Bay Area. His future plans include furthering his management career by completing his MBA at the College of Notre Dame in Belmont.

Dave Allan, RN, earned his nursing diploma in Glasgow, Scotland. He chose nursing because he wanted to work in a field where he could contribute by giving something back: "I took a job as an orderly in a cancer hospital after high school and from that experience, I migrated into a nursing program." After many years of serving as a nurse in the ER, ICU, and cardiac cath lab, Mr. Allan was looking for a change, and radiologic nursing seemed like a natural progression based on his background. So, after arriving at Stanford Hospital and Clinics in 2004 and working in the cath labs, he switched to Radiology in early 2006, and is now working at our newly opened Stanford Medicine Outpatient Center (SMOC) in Redwood City. His work is not without its challenges, which include successfully acquiring venous access in patients who are more anxious about getting intravenous contrast than the scan itself: "Because three-quarters of the exams we perform involve intravenous contrast, it's a skill that radiologic nurses have to master." Mr. Allan's work also involves trying to make the process less threatening and more comfortable for all patients, especially those who are receiving difficult diagnoses. Because of the patient-centered environment at SMOC, he is able to have quality interactions with the patients and their families and to provide information and educational resources to his patients. The greatest changes Mr. Allan has seen after more than 35 years in nursing include the rapid expansion of technology, greatly improved quality of imaging, and stunning image-guided noninvasive interventions. When he isn't working, Mr. Allan enjoys reading.

Patty, BSN, received her bachelor's of science in nursing from California State University at Fresno. She became interested in nursing because she loves to travel and meet people, and she began her career as a telemetry nurse in Roseville, CA. After a couple of years, Patty decided to cross-train as an emergency/trauma nurse and then moved to San Diego. Heightening her career as an emergency nurse, Patty started to travel through the opportunity provided by a local nursing company. In July of 2007, she was hired as a CT/body scanner nurse at Stanford Hospital and Clinics, where she was initially referred to as the "trailer nurse" because she worked with the mobile CT scanner located in a trailer. The transition from emergency to radiologic nursing was a welcomed change: "Having worked in California, Hawaii, and Boston, I had the opportunity to care for a variety of patients from different cultural backgrounds. SHC fits the international profile. I am so impressed with the high standards of patient care and diagnostic research being done in radiology." Patty is proud to be part of a superior medical facility and demonstrates professional nursing practice to all inpatients and outpatients requiring CT intervention. "I try to make the process as comfortable as possible when each patient comes in for a CT scan. I know when they leave the scan smiling or saying 'thank you,' I've accomplished a huge task, which means so much to them. I want to live up to Stanford's reputation by providing superior patient care, and I'm glad to be part of the team." Being part of a world-class Hospital has its challenges. Because the improvements in patient care occur so rapidly, there are always new protocols to learn and new patient-care techniques to implement. According to Patty, the future of radiologic nursing is moving towards more minimally invasive interventional radiologic procedures because they reduce the recovery time for patients and are cost effective. When she's not working, she loves to travel, hike, run, and spend time with her friends. Her future goal is to travel to third-world countries to set up healthcare clinics.

Cristina Cosim, BSN, RN, graduated from nursing school in the Philippines and began her nursing career in New York. Wanting to be closer to her family, she found work in 1987 at Stanford Hospital and Clinics (SHC). Cristina first worked in the E2ICU for four years and then in the Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) Perioperative Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) (recovery room). Desiring a change after 21 years at Stanford, Cristina transferred to SHC Radiology in July of 2008. She has enjoyed learning a whole new set of policies and procedures that were different from those she had acquired in the recovery room and ICU, and she relishes the variety radiologic nursing provides: "There's a multitude of patient interactions on the job, and I also get to work with a great group of technologists. I've learned a lot from them, and we couldn't get the job done without them." When she's not working, Cristina enjoys movies, reading, and watching sports, including tennis, football, baseball, and, especially, golf--mainly because she is a Tiger Woods' fan.

Marietta Escalona, RN, BSN, CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse), CRN (Certified Radiologic Nurse), graduated from St. Luke's College of Nursing in Quezon City in the Philippines. Her background is in telemetry/emergency nursing. Prior to coming to Stanford in September of 2006, she worked as a staff nurse at St. Mary's Medical Center, San Francisco, in emergency nursing and at the University of California, San Francisco, (UCSF) in interventional radiology. She continues to work at UCSF, while serving at Stanford. As a radiologic nurse, Ms. Escalona finds a new challenge every day by navigating difficult issues with patients' procedures and studies as well as doing all sorts of tasks not directly related to nursing: "It makes me feel good that my patients are getting better from their illnesses, and it makes me feel great when patients, family members, and colleagues express their appreciation for my hard work on their behalf." Because of her exceptional work in nursing, she was awarded the 2008 Betty Cretekos Scholarship Award by Friends of Nursing, a nonprofit organization that promotes professional excellence in nursing practice at Stanford by providing nurses with tuition or travel scholarships to attend national professional meetings. Ms. Escalona received her award at the SHC Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony. This past March, she used the funds provided by her Betty Cretekos Scholarship to travel to the Society of Interventional Radiology Annual Conference and the Association for Radiological and Imaging Nursing Annual Conference in San Diego, California.

Diane Herscher, RN, was inspired to go into nursing by her daughter, who had cancer at the age of nine but recovered from it within two years: "It was a remarkable recovery and after experiencing all the struggles and triumphs, I chose to go into ER nursing. My daughter is now a nurse in the ER unit that I left." Ms. Herscher is from Chicago, where she has nine grandchildren, all under the age of five, and four adult children. During her career, she has also worked as a clinical director at a hospital in Alabama; served as a paramedic; and organized her own occupational healthcare agency. However, nursing remains her career of choice: "Nursing is different for me. It's important to me to make patients feel warm by doing small things that make them feel special like placing a warm blanket around their shoulders." While working as an ER nurse in Sacramento, Ms. Herscher was recruited to Stanford by Mr. Madra and has been working at Stanford since February 9, 2009: "I like Harm's leadership, so I decided to take the challenge and enter radiologic nursing, which is a whole new field for me. I enjoy the challenge of learning many new skills. The radiologic nursing staff at SHC feels like a family to me, and it's a great place to work because everyone cares about each other." When she's not working, Ms. Herscher enjoys being outdoors: hiking, water skiing, snow skiing, and boating.

Colleen Kawakami, RN, BSN, earned her bachelor's degree at the University of
California, San Francisco. Before coming to SHC, she worked in the Hematology/Oncology/ Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) clinic at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital for over 21 years. Since 2003, Ms. Kawakami has been a nurse in Radiology at SHC. What she enjoys most about radiologic nursing is getting to meet many different patients, outpatients as well as inpatients: "Because many of these patients have chronic illnesses while others are acutely ill, I try to help make their experience better. I feel that if I ever needed a procedure, I would want staff that cared about what they were doing and really wanted to help." When she's not helping patients, Ms. Kawakami likes to read and sew, as well as enjoy desserts.

Spencer Miller, RN, graduated from Florida Community College and has worked in ER nursing for 13 years, both as an avid travel nurse as well as on staff in hospitals in California, Florida, and Georgia. He has been a radiologic nurse at Stanford since February, and he enjoys radiologic nursing because he likes the technicality of procedures and the structured environment of the Radiology Department. Spencer's favorite part of being an RN is the feeling of accomplishment when someone's life is changed for the better, which he describes as "healing the sick, the second oldest profession!" The two biggest challenges he has faced in working as an RN have been the disappointing lack of a strong voice from nurses advocating for healthcare reform and the missing nurse-patient ratios in states other than California. Spencer feels that profit-driven healthcare leads to the inequitable treatment of patients. In addition to working at Stanford Radiology, he has published articles in Men in Nursing and Minority Nurse. Spencer lives in San Jose with his partner Tao, and two dogs: Teddy and BB.

Jo Miser, RN, BSN, (pictured on the left) is a native Californian who went to nursing school in New York to complete her degree. Although she had wanted to be a teacher, her aunt convinced her to become a nurse: "I think nursing has been a good thing for me. If you are very people oriented or a people person, you'll love it. I've met a lot of great people." After many years as a nurse in an operating room, ICU, and Emergency Department at Valley Medical Center, Ms. Miser needed a change. Recruited to SHC, she has worked at Stanford for over 20 years, mainly in outpatient surgery. Desiring a change, she transferred to Radiology in October of 2008, and she now works at Stanford Medicine Imaging Center (SMIC) in Palo Alto: "I've met a lot of great people here who have helped me make the transition to radiologic nursing. Some of the most challenging areas are starting IVs on patients who may not have the best venous access, but I enjoy trying to make patients feel comfortable and at ease. We have a lot of oncology patients coming back for scans, who are very apprehensive and worried. We hope for the best and try to convey that to the patient." The greatest changes Ms. Miser has seen over the course of her career are the shorter procedure and recovery times for patients: "Patients used to be admitted into the hospital for bowel surgery and prep, but now patients are doing this at home. In Radiology, we are doing a lot of procedures in CT scans such as kidney or liver biopsies, which are minimally invasive and require a shorter recovery time."

Lisa Parker, RN, has wanted to be a nurse since she was eight- or nine-years old. After working for over fourteen years as a nurse, Ms. Parker decided it was time to transfer from her job as a nurse in the oral and maxillofacial surgery unit at the University of California, San Francisco: "That's the wonderful thing about nursing. You can change jobs and go from one spectrum to the other by switching your specialty." After one and a half years at SHC as a radiologic nurse, Ms. Parker finds helping her patients through difficult situations very satisfying: "They are scared and nervous, and they often don't know what to expect. One of the joys is helping them through the process and making them feel calmer about the experience."

Rachel S. Reyes, RN, BSN, CEN, will be celebrating 11 years at Stanford in June 2009. Her career in nursing began through a friend's suggestion that Ms. Reyes volunteer at Seton Medical Center in the ER. She did, and her volunteer work helped her decide to become a nurse. After graduating from City College of San Francisco with an Associate Degree in Nursing, she was recruited to work at Kaiser. A year later, she moved to Stanford Hospital and worked on D/E Ground. Arriving at Stanford's ER eight years ago, Ms. Reyes was trained by Mr. Madra. With Stanford's Transformational Scholarship and with the flexibility of ED Management, Ms. Reyes was able to earn her Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing from San Francisco State University. Transferring to Radiology in January 2009, she is working with Mr. Madra once again: "I really enjoy participating in the collaborative care of our patients. I find it challenging and exciting to learn about caring for our patients in radiology, even though there is a learning curve because all the equipment and supplies are different than those in ER."

Selma Samayoa, RN, BSN, CCRN (critical care registered nurse) , completed her nursing degree at Cal State Hayward (which is now Cal State East Bay) after working as a music teacher for a number of years: "I enjoy science, biology, and physiology, so I chose nursing, thinking that I'd go back to music, but I don't teach anymore although I play the piano. I worked in the Stanford E2/ICU for over 21 years, but I hurt my back so I floated in SHC Radiology for one year to allow it to heal, and I never left." While she finds the rapid changes in radiologic technology challenging, Ms. Samayoa really enjoys working with her colleagues as a team and caring for her patients: "We do so many different types of scans that really improve patient care through noninvasive procedures. I love learning the latest techniques, and I find the new directions in radiologic nursing exciting." She still finds time for teaching, although not in the music field. Ms. Samayoa has been CCRN certified for over 28 years and holds a California Junior College Teaching Credential in Nursing. For five years, she has taught certification courses in critical care unit (CCU) nursing at Chabot College and Las Positas College. When she's not teaching or taking care of patients, Ms. Samayoa relishes playing tennis.

Dottie Sharff, RN, earned her nursing degree from City College of San Francisco and began working at Seton Medical Center. She subsequently moved to the Hawaiian Islands, where she opened up the Islands' first coronary care unit. She later worked in coronary care in Washington and Michigan and eventually came to California in 1972. After 27 years in the ER at Stanford, Ms. Sharff decided it was time for a change and transferred to Radiology in 2000: "Radiologic nursing is very different from anything else that I have done. Although there's a learning curve, once you understand the technology, it's really exciting. Noninvasive medicine is the wave of the future, and we are at the cutting-edge of these procedures." When she's not at work, she enjoys reading, gardening, traveling, and spending time at her summer home in Clearlake, California, where she boats and relaxes in the sun.

Laura Tracy, RN, was drawn to a medical career at an early age when she used to accompany her mother to Emory University, where her mother worked as a medical secretary. In high school, she joined a "Future Nurses Club" and decided to enlist in the army to complete her education. While serving as a medic at Ford Ord in Monterey, Ms. Tracy fell in love with the ocean and the California coastline. Although she had to return to Georgia to finish her education, she came back to California after completing her nursing degree and began working in the Stanford ER and trauma units in 1987. She has been working as a sexual assault nurse examiner for the County of Santa Clara for the past 13 years, and she started her own forensic business four years ago, after becoming a nationally certified forensic nurse examiner. She loves the mystery and detail of forensic medicine. For a little over one year, Ms. Tracy has worked in Radiology, which has always fascinated her. She particularly loves working at Stanford Medicine Imaging Center in Palo Alto: "I really love this particular Center because it caters to the patient by providing more opportunities to spend more time one-on-one with our patients. After working over 20 years in ER and trauma where we don't have as much time to spend with our patients, it's wonderful to be able to take the time to ask them how they are doing and feeling. It feels really good to be able to give them the extra special care they deserve, and the patients really appreciate it." Outside of work, Ms. Tracy doesn't have time for a lot of hobbies because she has two teenagers, but she does enjoy traveling. In the fall, she will be visiting the Galapagos Islands.

Lyndy Yee, RN, completed her degree and training in the United Kingdom. She began her seven-year career at Stanford working in the Pediatric ICU at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital and then moved to the ER at Stanford Hospital and Clinics. Last week, she joined our Radiologic Nursing Team. Prior to coming to our Radiology Department, Ms. Yee had mainly worked with inpatients, so she is enjoying applying her skills, as well as learning new ones, in the outpatient setting. When she is not working, she enjoys hiking and camping with husband and her two sons (ages 7 and 13) as well as practicing yoga for her own rest and relaxation.

Awards and Honors: July 7, 2009

Francis Blankenberg, MD, associate professor of radiology and associate professor (by courtesy) of pediatrics, has been awarded stimulus funds by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for his project, "scVEGF Targeted Radiotherapy of Primary and Metastatic Mammary and Colonic Carcinoma."

Dr. Blankenberg received his medical degree from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). After finishing a general surgical intership and his residency at Stanford University Hospital, . . .

he completed a pediatric fellowship at Lucile Salter Packard Children's Hospital. Dr. Blankenberg left Stanford to become a clinical instructor of computer tomography and magnetic resonance imaging in the Department of Radiology at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). In July of 2001, he returned to Lucile Salter Packard Children's Hospital as an assistant professor of radiology. Dr. Blankenberg has over 95 publications and 3 U.S. and foreign patents.

Dr. Blankenberg's research grant, "scVEGF Targeted Radiotherapy of Primary and Metastatic Mammary and Colonic Carcinoma," focuses on tumor vasculature, which has a unique set of markers including vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF) receptors. Prior efforts to starve tumors by attacking these blood vessels with new, highly selective anti-VEGF drugs as single agents have been largely unsuccessful. Dr. Blankenberg and his colleagues propose to attach radiotherapeutic isotopes to a new form of VEGF known as scVEGF and to use this radiolabeled material to attack not only the tumor blood vessels/supply but also tumor cells. Successful completion of this proposal will be critical in laying the preclinical groundwork for a new class of tumor vessel radiotherapeutic agents that, by attacking a tumor on two fronts, will be more effective than current anti-VEGF drugs.

The grant will support the hiring of Helen D'Arceuil, PhD, visiting assistant professor from Harvard and former researcher at the Lucas Center, who has expertise in small animal imaging with MRI of ischemic injury and brain development. Dr. D'Arceuil will now be assisting with the current award by employing her over twenty years experience in small animal modeling and imaging. The grant will also support the continued work of Zoia Levashova, PhD, who has over twenty years of experience in biochemical and animal model work at NIH. Dr. Levashova has spent the last four years with Dr. Blankenberg in the Nuclear Medicine Imaging Laboratory, and she has performed most of the pilot work for the current grant application and will play a major role in the successful execution of our proposal.

To read more about the award, please access "First Round of NIH Stimulus Funds Includes 18 Projects at Stanford School of Medicine."