Roy Casiano, M.D., professor of otolaryngology and vice chair of clinical affairs, has been elected president of The Pan-American Association of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery. The organization was founded by a group of prominent academic otolaryngologists from North and South America to exchange current scientific information. Recognized as a "Corresponding Society" by the American Academy of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, the organization is considered extremely beneficial to its members and continues to collaborate with the Academy in many areas of educational and philanthropic endeavors. He has previously held the positions of treasurer and secretary general. 

Christine Morris, associate vice president for medical communications, has been named national public relations and public affairs chair for the AAMC's Group on Institutional Advancement (GIA). The GIA is composed of medical school and teaching hospital professionals working in alumni affairs, development, marketing, public affairs, and public relations.

Joshua D. Lenchus, D.O., associate director of the University of Miami-Jackson Memorial Hospital Center for Patient Safety, received a $600,000 grant from the Florida Medical Malpractice Joint Underwriting Association for a two-year study titled "A Safer Approach to Central Venous Catheter Insertion: The Four Pillars of Standardized Training." David J. Birnbach, M.D., M.P.H., professor of anesthesiology and director of the Center, is the principal investigator of the study, which will take place at the Center. 

Eva Ritvo, M.D., associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, was honored as a Woman Extraordinaire by Business Leader Media at its 8th annual awards ceremony in March. The award honors accomplished South Florida women who are leaders, innovators, problem-solvers, and mentors to others. She and other honorees also were featured in the March issue of Business Leader magazine.

Marilyn Glassberg, M.D., associate professor of medicine, gave an invited platform presentation at The LAM Foundation International Research Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio, on April 10. Her presentation was titled "Doxycycline reverses 17beta-estradiol mediated effects on estrogen receptor alpha and beta via P13K pathway in LAM." Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is a progressive lung disease that typically strikes women in the prime of their lives - most often during their childbearing years.

Onelia Lage, M.D., professor of pediatrics and chairwoman of the Florida Board of Medicine, served on a panel at the National Hispanic Medical Association 14th Annual Conference in Washington, D.C., in March. The panel, on "Cultural Competency: The Role of State Medical Boards," also included representatives of the Federation of State Medical Boards, the Association of American Medical Colleges, National Quality Forum and The Joint Commission. Lage also serves on the association's board of directors.

Sandra Lemmon, Ph.D., professor of cellular and molecular pharmacology, delivered The Lawrence Gilbert Distinguished Seminar in Biology on March 2. She presented "Regulation and Dynamics of Endocytic Vesicle Formation." The named seminar is an endowed lectureship in the Department of Biology at the University of North Carolina.

Phillip Ruiz, M.D., Ph.D., professor of surgery and pathology, was an invited guest speaker at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto this past February. Affiliated with the University of Toronto, SickKids is Canada's most research-intensive hospital for children and one of the world's largest and most respected pediatric academic health science centers. Dr. Ruiz presented "Pathological assessment of intestinal and multivisceral transplants - beyond cell-mediated acute rejection" and "MicroRNA in alloimmunity - acute rejection in small bowel and multivisceral transplantation is associated with distinct intragraft microRNA profiles."

Kathy Hebert, M.D., M.P.H., associate professor of medicine and director of disease management and outcomes research, was one of the national committee members who wrote the Institute of Medicine's report on reducing and controlling hypertension. The report, titled A Population-Based Policy and Systems Change Approach to Prevent and Control Hypertension, was released February 22 at a national news conference in Washington, D.C. It calls for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to promote policies that make it easier for people to engage in regular physical activity, cut calories, and eat foods with less salt and more potassium, which the committee estimated would reduce the prevalence of hypertension by as much as 22 percent and save nearly $18 billion in health care costs annually.