Andrew Colin, M.D., professor of pediatrics and director of the Division of Pediatric Pulmonology, has been named chair of the scientific program committee for the IX International Congress on Pediatric Pulmonology being held in Vienna in June 2010. The congress is the only gathering fully dedicated to pediatric pulmonology. Dr. Colin was also an invited speaker at the 12th annual convention of the Puerto Rican Society of Pulmonology last month. He gave one presentation on necrotizing pneumonia and its interface with pleural effusions and another on the infection-asthma connection.

Judith Schaechter, M.D., associate professor of clinical pediatrics, has been reappointed by Florida Governor Charlie Crist to a new term on the Children and Youth Cabinet. Her second consecutive term will run through August 2013.

Adrien A. Eshraghi, M.D., M.Sc., associate professor of otolaryngology, received the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) Honor Award at the opening ceremony of the 2009 AAO-HNS annual meeting in San Diego in October. The Academy presents Honor Awards to medical professionals in recognition of outstanding service through the presentation of instructional courses, scientific papers, or participation on a continuing education committee or faculty. Dr. Eshraghi is currently the Director of the University of Miami Hearing Research Laboratory.

Andrew Maudsley, Ph.D., professor of radiology, has received a travel award from the Indo-US Science and Technology Forum to develop methods for brain cancer imaging at the Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medicine Sciences, in Lucknow, India. The two-year award is designed to establish research collaborations between the two countries and will provide for an exchange of faculty and students from the United States and India.

Roberto C. Heros, M.D., professor and co-chairman of neurological surgery, completed his four-year term as president at the XIV World Congress of the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies, which took place in Boston August 30 to September 4. This premier international neurosurgical meeting is held in a different area of the world every four years. Jacques M. Morcos, M.D., professor of neurological surgery, chaired the Scientific Program Committee, which attracted a remarkable 1,900 invited speakers from 86 countries. More than 3,400 neurosurgeons and 1,000 paraprofessionals, guests and exhibitors from all over the world attended the meeting, making it by far the largest international neurosurgical meeting ever held. Faculty and residents from the Miller School's Department of Neurological Surgery, including Chairman Barth A. Green, M.D., participated in the program with platform presentations and posters. At the conclusion of the meeting, Dr. Heros was named Honorary President of the World Federation.

Ernesto A. Pretto, Jr., M.D., M.P.H., professor of clinical anesthesiology, organized a partnership between the Miami Transplant Institute at the University of Miami/Jackson and the Ministry of Health and Social Security Health Systems in Panama to strengthen Panama's organ transplant infrastructure, upgrade existing organ transplant programs, and provide education and training to enable the creation of new programs. Teams from the Institute and UM's Life Alliance Organ Recovery Agency traveled to Panama to make presentations and work with surgeons there to provide training on organ procurement procedures. Dr. Pretto's efforts led Panamanian health authorities to introduce a new bill that will address gaps in organ transplant services in Panama, and will allow the exportation of organs that cannot be used in Panama for use by patients elsewhere - a first for any country in the region and a direct result of a successful collaboration with the Miller School.

Eugene Schiff, M.D., Leonard Miller Professor of Medicine and director of the Center for Liver Diseases, presented the 3rd annual Dr. Robert Resnick Lecture in Clinical Liver Disease at Harvard Medical School teaching hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. In the Oct. 1 address, Dr. Schiff spoke about the "Prevention of Mortality from Hepatitis B and C." The lecture is held annually and is named after Dr. Resnick, a renowned liver disease specialist and associate clinical professor of medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess.

Shelly Baer, LCSW, social worker at the Jay Weiss Center for Social Medicine and Health Equity, was the editor and project coordinator for the third edition of ACCESS Miami. The handbook is a local resource guide for people who use canes, crutches, walkers, wheelchairs and other accommodations. The guide features information ranging from access to parks and pools to educational facilities and employment.