Sparking discussion and reflection continued from page 1 10 | DOCTOR GATOR UF HEALTH RESEARCHES NATURAL SMOKING CESSATION COMPOUNDS UF Health researchers in pharmacology and therapeutics have identified naturally derived compounds that could help smokers quit. Co-investigators Roger Papke, PhD, and Nicole A. Horenstein, PhD, presented their findings at the American Chemical Society’s national meeting in San Francisco in April. The pair identified compounds derived from the areca nut, native to India and southeast Asia, that affect brain receptor proteins in a similar way to nicotine. The goal of the research is to find treatments that only target those brain receptors involved in addiction, leading to the potential development of smoking cessation drugs without side effects. COMMON EAR DROPS MAY LEAD TO EARDRUM DAMAGE IN CHILDREN UF Health researchers in medicine and pharmacy have found that commonly prescribed antibiotic ear drops correspond to a likelihood of eardrum perforation in children after ear tube surgery. The study, co-authored by Patrick Antonelli, MD, a professor and chair of the department of otolaryngology, was published in Clinical Infectious Diseases. Antonelli’s team found that children receiving quinolone ear drops were 60 percent more likely to have eardrum perforations in comparison with those receiving neomycin ear drops, and the risk increases when children take steroids together with quinolone drops. Quinolone drops are more widely prescribed than neomycin after the latter was found to cause hearing loss with repeated use. “Until we have other, safer antibiotic ear drops available, clinicians and parents must be cautious when using quinolones or neomycin and understand the risks associated with both," Antonelli said. UMBILICAL CORD BLOOD CELLS RESEARCHED AS TREATMENT FOR TYPE 1 DIABETES Umbilical cord blood cells can be preserved and used as a potential treatment for Type 1 diabetes, UF Health researchers in pathology and immunology found. Thymic regulatory T cells, white blood cells that modulate the immune system and prevent autoimmune diseases like Type 1 diabetes, can be frozen at birth and later multiplied in the laboratory. Harvesting these cells is safer and potentially more effective than previous methods, researchers said. “This is a really important step in having the potential for safely treating patients with their own cells,” said Todd M. Brusko, PhD '06, an associate professor in the department of pathology, immunology and laboratory medicine. U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT AWARDS UF TO STUDY ELECTRICAL STIMULATION The U.S. Defense Department awarded UF neuroscientists $8.4 million to study the effect of electrical stimulation on strengthening neural connections in the brain. Kevin J. Otto, PhD, will lead a team of neuroscientists from the McKnight Brain Institute of UF and the Malcom Randall VA Medical Center in conducting behavioral studies in rodents to determine the impact of vagal nerve stimulation on decisionmaking, executive function, perception and spatial navigation. Vagal nerve stimulation therapy is currently used to prevent seizures, depression and chronic pain, but there is little research on what makes it effective. RESEARCH ROUNDUP “How does our institution truly value diversity? It was a week to start crucial conversations,” Tyndall said. “We know disparities in health care persist, regardless of our best efforts. When we look at the workforce in academic medicine, there has been progress, but it’s still lacking in terms of numbers of unrepresented faculty. It’s important to make people aware of how diversity, or the lack thereof, impacts equity and outcomes.” Lofton said the week’s events brought back memories of her own time at the UF College of Medicine in the mid- to late-1970s. As members of the Black Students Health Professions Coalition, Lofton and classmates connected across disciplines to create summer programs for incoming students of color as well as celebrate each other’s achievements. “There were 14 black students out of 120 in my class. We created our own network within the larger system,” she said. “And today, what we did independently is now included in the curriculum at the college.” Lofton believes the UF College of Medicine has made “tremendous progress” in establishing a path looking forward, but there is work yet to be done. “The fact that the university openly promotes diversity means it’s on the right track,” she said. “They’ve set up the structure for the work that needs to be done. Now there needs to be more community outreach — not just setting up clinics, but interacting and being a present part of the community.” Marcus Martin, MD, senior vice president and chief diversity officer for the University of Virginia, presented to students, faculty and staff during the UF emergency department’s grand rounds on diversity. Martin was named the first African-American chair of an academic emergency department in the nation. For decades, he’s worked to make the University of Virginia an inclusive environment. He’s accomplished this through improving practices in the admissions process, starting an alumni fund centered on equity and access, and co-authoring works like “Diversity and Inclusion in Quality Patient Care,” published by Springer last year. “Medical education must address the attitudes and knowledge gaps that perpetuate cultural barriers,” he said. “We found diversity equals excellence.” Lofton said her medical school experiences were shaped by time spent with Dr. Cullen Banks, the first black physician to have full privileges at Alachua County General Hospital, and Willie J. Sanders, the first black faculty member at the UF College of Medicine. Today, UF College of Medicine students receive scholarships from funds established in memory of the two men. “Diversity isn’t just about race. It relates to age, gender and socioeconomic status,” Lofton said. “That’s why the scholarships are so important and should be supported.” Celebration of Diversity events culminated with the UF College of Medicine’s annual Emerald Ball, established nearly 15 years ago by UF medical students to provide accepted minority students with an opportunity to learn more about the college in an effort to encourage their enrollment. UF College of Medicine Dean Michael Good, MD, welcomed special guest speaker Freeman Hrabowski III, PhD, president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Hrabowski’s work with the Meyerhoff Scholars Program, a pipeline to increase diversity in science and engineering undergraduate programs, has produced more than 1,000 graduates. The College Board’s National Task Force on Minority High Achievement called Hrabowski’s program a model for campuses across the nation. “As we prepare the health care leaders of tomorrow, we must create a climate that fosters belonging, connection and value for all,” Good said. 2017 Naturally derived compounds from the areca nut could help smokers quit. PHOTO BY JESSE S. JONES “It's important to make people aware of how diversity, or the lack thereof, impacts equity and outcomes.” — J. Adrian Tyndall, MD
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