This past weekend, Shaun McLaughlin, an M.D./Ph.D. student at the Institute for Regenerative Engineering working under my supervision attended the national M.D./Ph.D. student conference in Keystone, Colorado. Each year, the University of Colorado Medical Scientist Training Program sponsors and coordinates this event. The conference provides an opportunity for M.D./Ph.D. students around the country to present their work and interact with other students and prominent scientific investigators. This meeting has taken place since 1986 and currently over 225 students, faculty, and alumni from over 60 academic institutions in the United States and Canada attends annually.

Francis Collins, M.D.,Ph.D., director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), was one of the keynote speakers at this year’s event, presenting a talk entitled: “Exceptional Opportunities in Biomedical Research.” Shaun gave his presentation entitled “Novel Aligned Electrospun Biphasic Scaffolds for Skeletal Muscle Regenerative Engineering,” being one of three bioengineering presentations at this year’s conference. It should be noted that Shaun’s research work is remarkable and I am so proud to have Shaun as my student in the Institute for Regenerative Engineering. I look forward to seeing what the future holds for his cutting edge research.

The Urban Education Institute invited me to join them in late March at North Carolina State A&T State University in Greensboro, NC. For those who may not know, the Institute is a meeting space for individuals and groups to examine critical issues that impact learners in urban contexts, share methods and approaches they utilize to address these issues, and brainstorm concrete steps to move forward as a critical mass of colleagues and collaborators. This year’s theme was “African American Males in the STEM Professions: Strategies, Practices, Exemplars.”

I led a session entitled “Preparing for Surgery.” It focused on challenges and barriers encountered by minority males, particularly African Americans, when they pursue careers in medicine. During the discussion, I shared my own experience as an African American physician in America, emphasizing the importance of mentoring, the prerequisite knowledge and skills, and academic programming that are important in the medical profession. In addition, I offered recommendations for concrete strategies and practices that I have used at public schools, universities, and in the community to encourage more minority males to pursue careers in medicine.

I saw an awesome group of African American scientists including one of my mentors, Dr. Louis Sullivan, and the legendary Dr. John Slaughter. I also had the opportunity to interact with Dr. James Stith, a physicist who has played an important role in increasing the role of African Americans in the physical sciences. He gave an incredible talk to the group, and I connected with everything he said. I look forward to collaborating with him in the future.

During my time in Greensboro, I visited the Woolworth’s where, in 1960, four male students sat down at the “whites only” lunch counter and ordered coffee. When they were refused service, they stayed until closing in nonviolent protest. The next day, another 20 students joined them, and by the fourth day, the number rose to 300, and organizers agreed to spread their nonviolent sit-in to the lunch counter at Greensboro’s Kress store. Within a week, students in other North Carolina towns launched their own sit-ins, and the movement spread throughout the South. On July 25, local store owners abandoned their segregation policies and a day later, the entire Woolworth’s chain was desegregated, serving blacks and whites alike.

I came away from my visit thankful for all those in the past whose actions have allowed me to be here, as well as those present-day mentors who sustain me now. Moreover, I reaffirm my pledge to give back by influencing the generations to come.

Shaun is a third-year M.D./Ph.D. student doing his Ph.D. thesis in my laboratory at the Institute for Regenerative Engineering. Prior to coming to UConn, Shaun worked with me at the University of Virginia where his main research focus was using hydrogels to delivery bioactive molecules that aid in bone regeneration. He also has worked in the private sector conducting novel bio-implant and tissue engineering research. Specifically his research focused on the development of an artificial ACL ligament using three-dimensional braided microfibers as well as osteo-differentiation using a laser-guided surface-etching technique on titanium implants.

Since entering his Ph.D. phase at UConn, he has been shifting his research focus to skeletal muscle regenerative engineering. “I’m very interested in using a progenitor cell located in skeletal muscle known as the satellite stem cell to aid in regeneration of skeletal muscle. I hope that, by providing a scaffold that can aid in cellular alignment and differentiation of skeletal muscle stem cells, I’ll accomplish this goal.” The scaffold he uses in his research will be fabricated using a technique known as electrospinning. I was one of the pioneers of implementing electrospinning for tissue engineering. By modifying this technique, he will generate highly aligned (parallel) nanofibers which provide cues for satellite cells to undergo alignment and subsequent fusion into more mature myotubes which is necessary for adult skeletal muscle formation.

I am very proud to have Shaun as a student. He is an ambitious young man who wants to enter the fields of Orthopaedic Surgery and Bioengineering, much as I have. His ultimate goal is to become a physician-scientist, setting up his own research laboratory. He hopes to develop state-of-the-art biomaterials and implant them into patients. Outside of the laboratory and classroom, Shaun enjoys triathlons, playing ice hockey, mountain climbing, and anything outdoors.

In late January, I had the opportunity to participate in the Biomedical Engineering Distinguished Seminar Series at UC Davis. It was an honor to give a lecture at an institution with such outstanding faculty and staff, as well as interesting students. My lecture was entitled “Regenerative Engineering of Hard and Soft Musculoskeletal Tissues.” I thank UC Davis and Professor Kyriacos Athanasiou, Chairman of the Department of Biomedical Engineering, in particular, for inviting me to visit this great institution. I look forward to working with my colleagues at UC Davis in the future.

I was honored and touched recently to receive the first “Leaders in Medicine” award from the UConn School of Medicine student body. The award was made during a recent a “2011 Leaders in Medicine Meet and Greet” event, organized by an innovative group of UConn medical students. They organized the event to encourage enthusiasm, inspiration, and leadership within current and future medical professionals.

I applaud their efforts and was thrilled to be invited to their recent meeting. Walking into the meeting, I had no idea they would be honoring me as well.

“With this award, we wanted to identify an individual who has exemplified leadership and who has been a strong advocate for students,” said Luis Daniel Munoz Jr., one of the organizers of the event, noting that my vision and leadership firmly placed the Health Center on course for a strong future.

To me, this was just as meaningful as the 2010 Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring that I received in ceremonies at the White House.

The award bears the following inscription: “In recognition of your extraordinary leadership, vision and commitment to medical education, research and health advocacy.”

To the UConn medical students: I offer my sincere thanks and best wishes for your professional and personal endeavors!

It was my pleasure today to spend time with high school students who are interested in health careers during the annual Clinical Career Day at the UConn Health Center. This year, we proudly hosted more than 450 students from 29 high schools who spent their school day interacting with doctors and dentists, nurses and pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals. The students also had access to information booths and breakout sessions examining a wide range of topics.

Healthcare is one of the fastest growing sectors in the regional and national economy. I’m optimistic that today’s event and other outreach efforts will inspire more Connecticut students to explore healthcare careers, including medicine and dentistry. I know I can’t imagine a more fulfilling career path.

While most Americans recently reflected on the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, Dr. Bruce Gould rolled up his sleeves and reached out to the people of New Orleans.

Dr. Gould was asked to participate in a free health clinic held in New Orleans during Katrina’s anniversary. The clinic was sponsored by the National Association of Free Clinics which has organized free screenings across the country for people with little or no insurance. I had the privilege of joining Dr. Gould in February when a similar event was held in Hartford — and hundreds of people in our region sought help.

Accompanying him on the recent trip were third-year medical student James Wallace, and Dr. Juliet Appiah, a resident. For all three, it was an awe-inspiring experience. According to Dr. Gould, they saw patients with a wide range of medical issues from hypertension and heart disease to gall stones — all of whom were very appreciative of the care UConn provided.

Earlier this summer, Dr. Gould precepted the activities of second-year resident Marilyn Katz and fourth-year medical student Jessica Johnson who participated in a free clinic in Washington, D.C., which was also sponsored by the National Association of Free Clinics.

Please join me in commending Dr. Gould for his leadership, advocacy and compassion and for sharing his knowledge with our students, residents and fellows.

It was a great honor for me this week to be surrounded by a group of recognized educators and to have the privilege of meeting President Obama during an inspiring awards ceremony at the White House.

Mentoring aspiring physicians and researchers continues to be one of the most gratifying aspects of my career. I accepted the Presidential Award of Excellence on behalf of all the students I have had the privilege of mentoring through the years.

• President Obama Honors Outstanding Teachers and Mentors at White House
• Honoring Educators in Math and Science
• UConn Dean Gets Presidential Award
• UConn’s Laurencin Honored at White House

I am very grateful to all who contributed to the completion of the School of Medicine’s Academic Plan, particularly those who served on the ad-hoc committee over the past few months: Marja Hurley, M.D., Charles Huntington, P.A., M.P.H., Bruce Koeppen, M.D., Ph.D., Marc Lalande, Ph.D., Carolyn Lyle, Adam Silverman, M.D., and Gerald Maxwell, Ph.D.

As you may recall, creation of the Academic Plan followed Provost Nicholls’ call for all Schools within the University to develop plans that were modeled on the structure and format of the University’s Academic Plan.

• View the Academic Plan (PDF)

Provost Nicholls has asked each of the Schools of the University to develop an academic plan modeled on the structure and format of the University Academic Plan. This document is expected to set a vision for the School of Medicine that will inform subsequent more fine grained strategic planning efforts.

In late June, I charged a small committee composed of Dr. Adam Silverman, Dr. Marja Hurley, Dr. Bruce Koeppen, Dr. Marc Lalande, Charles Huntington, Carolyn Lyle and Dr. Gerry Maxwell to compose a draft framework of a plan for the School of Medicine that would subsequently go through the following review process:

1) Initial review and changes by elected governance of the School of Medicine (Councils and the Oversight Committee)

2) Review by the faculty of the School of Medicine with changes submitted to the respective SOM Councils

3) Final review by the School of Medicine Councils

The first step of the process has recently been completed. I encourage you to review the second draft of the School of Medicine Academic Plan that incorporates initial comments from Council members. I would also encourage you to review the UConn Academic Plan to appreciate the context and the very specific format required. Please take a look at the University Plan before you read the School of Medicine draft.

Please provide suggestions and comments on this draft to the respective Councils and send a copy to Dr. Maxwell at gmaxwell@uchc.edu. Comments and suggestions are appreciated and should be forwarded by September 9.

Your participation and input in this process is very important! This document focuses on our vision and is the starting point for our strategic planning processes as we move forward. Please be aware that this is an academic plan that covers education and research only. Clinical matters will be dealt with in a separate document.

Thank you.

• School of Medicine Academic Plan (PDF)
• UConn Academic Plan (PDF)