James R. Baker, M.D., received a Damen Award from Loyola University Chicago in recognition of his leadership in industry and community, as well as his service to others. A 1978 graduate of Loyola’s Stritch School of Medicine, he is the Ruth Dow Doan Professor of Biologic Nanotechnology, professor of internal medicine, chief of the Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and director of the Michigan Nanotechnology Institute for Medicine and Biological Sciences. Damen Awards are presented annually to an alumnus or alumna from each of Loyola’s schools and colleges.

John Faulkner, Ph.D., recently was presented with a proclamation from the American Physiological Society, honoring his extensive and important contributions to research, teaching, and mentoring in the field of physiology. The proclamation was presented at a June 4 luncheon held to honor his 49 years of service to the University of Michigan. Faulkner, the longest-serving active Medical School faculty member, is a professor of physiology and of biomedical engineering, and a senior research scientist in the U-M Institute of Gerontology.

Gary Freed, M.D., received the Douglas K. Richardson Award for Lifetime Achievement in Health Services Research from the Society for Pediatric Research. At age 47, he is the youngest recipient of the award, given annually since 2003. Freed is the Percy and Mary Murphy Professor of Pediatrics and Child Health Delivery and director of the Child Health Evaluation and Research Unit and of the Division of General Pediatrics.

Carmen R. Green, M.D. (Residency 1992), professor of anesthesiology and associate professor of health management and policy, was selected by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to serve on the National Advisory Panel on Medicare Education. She also recently received two awards: the American Academy of Pain Management’s John C. Liebeskind Pain Management Research Award, in recognition of leadership in identifying and describing racial disparities in pain; and the the American Pain Society’s Elizabeth Narcessian Award for Outstanding Educational Achievements, for contributions highlighting dedication or innovation in education in the field of pain.

Reshma Jagsi, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of radiation oncology in the Medical School, has been selected for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Physician Faculty Scholars Program. Scholars receive three years of research and career development support through the program, which is designed to strengthen the leadership and academic productivity of junior medical school faculty who are dedicated to improving health and health care. Jagsi is one of 20 scholars selected from across the country for the 2009-12 cohort.

John K. Kim, Ph.D., assistant professor of human genetics, has been named a 2009 Pew Scholar in the Biomedical Sciences. The Pew Charitable Trusts this year gave awards to 17 early-career scientists who display outstanding promise in research relevant to the advancement of human health. Scholars receive research support and join a community of scientists that encourage collaboration and the exchange of ideas.

Matthias Kretzler, M.D., associate professor of internal medicine in the Department of Nephrology, received the 2009 Young Investigator Award from the American Society of Nephrology. His research in translational systems biology has changed the way the U-M Health System diagnoses kidney patients, and physicians also plan to change their treatment according to his research. The award is presented annually to an individual with an outstanding record of achievement and creativity in basic or patient-oriented research related to the functions and diseases of the kidney.

Howard Markel (M.D. 1986), Ph.D., received a certificate of appreciation from the acting director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the director of the Coordinating Office for Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response for having contributed to the success of the CDC’s response to H1N1 influenza during the spring of 2009. In April, he was asked to serve on the CDC’s panel of experts who advised the federal government in its public health response, and continues in this capacity as the nation gears up for a second wave of the pandemic. Markel is the George E. Wantz Distinguished Professor of the History of Medicine, professor of pediatrics and communicable diseases and director of the Center for the History of Medicine.

James E. Montie (M.D. 1971), professor of urology and the Valassis Professor of Urologic Oncology, received a St. George National Award from the American Cancer Society. The award honors those who serve their community in support of the society’s mission of saving lives from cancer. Montie volunteers as vice president of the board of directors for the ACS Great Lakes Division.

Perry G. Pernicano (M.D. 1984), assistant professor of radiology, was inducted as a fellow in the American College of Radiology at the organization’s annual meeting in May in Washington D.C. Fellowship is one of the highest honors the ACR can bestow — approximately 10 percent of ACR members achieve this distinction.

William W. Roberts, M.D., associate professor of urology, received the Astellas Rising Stars in Urology Award from the American Urological Association Foundation for his project “Histotripsy for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia.” His work was cited for providing an outstanding example of research with the potential to provide significant insight into major urologic diseases. The award supports the careers of young urologists who are making a long-term commitment to urologic research.

Kevin Tremper, M.D., Ph.D., the Robert B. Sweet Professor of Anesthesiology and chair of the Department of Anesthesiology, was elected as the next president of the Association of University Anesthesiologists; his two-year term will begin in April. The AUA aims to advance the art and science of anesthesiology.

John Rectenwald:
Dedication in the Horror of War

A vascular surgeon and assistant professor of surgery and of radiology, John Rectenwald, M.D. (Fellowship 2005), didn’t hesitate when he received an e-mail message from the Society for Vascular Surgery asking members to provide relief for overworked vascular surgeons in military hospitals around the world.

His motivation? “It sounds cheesy,” he says, “but I wanted to do my part, as best I could. I think about these young people overseas, puting their lives on the line while we sit here in our offices and it’s life as usual. It comes at a price and we don’t see the cost of what they’re doing. I thought if I could help in any way, I’d like to do that.”

But nothing could have prepared him for the realities he encountered late last spring as a volunteer in the surgery rotation at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, where many soldiers injured in Iraq and Afghanistan are treated. He certainly saw “the cost of what they’re doing.”

Injuries include blast wounds from improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and high-velocity injuries from projectiles and crashes. The consequences are horrific, and many of the patients Rectenwald treated had already had multiple operations before they arrived at Landstuhl.

“It can be stressful,” he admits. “Some of these wounded soldiers have suffered severe trauma. They’re transported in aircrafts on ventilators, on pressors, and in critical condition. Their injuries can be extensive and life threatening. Some were horribly injured.”

As ghastly as the situation was, Rectenwald was impressed by the efficiency, passion and dedication the military’s medical personnel brought to their jobs. “The military has a streamlined system of taking care of these critically injured soldiers,” he says. “The process starts on a battlefield in Afghanistan or Iraq and they can be in Germany or Walter Reed in five days, having had several surgeries along the way.”

When an injured soldier arrives at a new location, the personnel there are already familiar with his or her situation, thanks to weekly video conferences among surgical staff at the forward hospitals and their colleagues at Landstuhl, Walter Reed, Bethesda Naval Hospital, or Brooke Army Hospital in Texas.

“When those patients come in, everybody is up to speed and there’s really good continuity of care,” Rectenwald says. “They can say, ‘I remember this guy. He was wounded by an IED and has these injuries, and he’s had this done and this done and this is what we need to do when he arrives.’

“The military medical corps is very dynamic,” he adds. “They really stress quality control. If something doesn’t go well, they quickly study it to see what happened and determine how they might be able to prevent it in the future.”

His strongest praise is reserved for the level of commitment he saw, which was both exceptional and without exception. “The thing that struck me most is how dedicated everyone is — from the medics on the field to the people at Walter Reed and all stops in between — to taking care of these kids,” he says. “And what a good job they do.” —JEFF MORTIMER