Dartmouth Medical School Digest
March 2008

News for our community

In this issue

• Odd chromosome shuffles
• Surgery better for spinal stenosis
• Acting microbiology and immunology chair
• Clinical and translational research
• National psychiatry fellowship
• Cancer center distinction

Odd chromosome shuffles
Many cancer cells have the wrong number of chromosomes - too many or too few - but a quirk allows them to keep growing in spite of the deviations, Dartmouth Medical School biochemists report. The findings, published in the February 25 Journal of Cell Biology offer clues for solid tumors, where chromosome mismatches are common. Watching human cancer cells divide, Dr. Duane Compton and a graduate student determined how the chromosomes shuffle and discovered that unlike their normal counterparts, tumor cells tolerate the chromosome discrepancies and continue to propagate.

Surgery better for spinal stenosis
Individuals suffering from a common back condition known as spinal stenosis improve more with surgery than with non-surgical treatment, according to a multi-center, multi-state trial led by Dartmouth clinician-researchers. Still, the study also reveals that patients who choose not to have surgery are likely to improve over time. The research, in the February 21 New England Journal of Medicine, is the third result from the seven-year, $21 million Spine Patient Outcomes Research Trial (SPORT) led by Dr. James N. Weinstein.

Acting microbiology and immunology chair
Immunologist Dr. Randolph Noelle will serve as acting chair of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, stepping in for chair Dr. William Green who became medical school dean in January. Noelle, director of the Immunotherapy Center, has a distinguished record of scholarship and service. He is recognized for his work in the immune system to help unlock treatment approaches for a spectrum of immune and inflammatory disorders and organ transplant rejection in humans.

Clinical and translational research
An associate dean for clinical and translational research at Dartmouth Medical School has been named and will serve as principal investigator for Dartmouth's application for a National Institutes of Health award that will lead establishment of a Center for Clinical and Translational Science at Dartmouth. Dartmouth medical leaders announced the appointment of Dr. Murray Korc to coordinate efforts for a Clinical and Translational Science Award program that will help strengthen Dartmouth 's contributions at the cutting edge of patient care, education and research.

National psychiatry fellowship
A Dartmouth physician was awarded a 2008 Laughlin Fellowship from the American College of Psychiatrists. Dr. Giuseppe Raviola, a resident in child and adolescent psychiatry at DHMC is one of the country's 10 residents to receive the prestigious honor this year, based on accomplishments and potential contributions to psychiatry.

Cancer center distinction
Dartmouth's Norris Cotton Cancer Center is an inaugural recipient of the Blue Distinction for Complex and Rare Cancers for delivering quality health care. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield program recognizes facilities that offer comprehensive inpatient cancer care by multidisciplinary teams with subspecialty training and distinguished clinical expertise. The goal is to help consumers find consistent quality specialty care and encourage improvement in national health care quality and delivery.

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