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ChristianaCare Launches Gender Wellness Program for Transgender and Gender Diverse Individuals

Pride Month announcement highlights need for quality health care for LGBTQ+ community ChristianaCare has opened a Gender Wellness Program to provide psychotherapy and support services for individuals age 13 and older who are exploring their gender identity or experiencing gender dysphoria—a sense of incongruence and distress that a person may have because of a mismatch between their gender identity and their sex affirmed at birth. Downloadable: PHOTOS VIDEO The program also provides treatment for any behavioral health condition the individual may be struggling with, such as anxiety and depression. People who identify as transgender have higher rates of suicide attempts than individuals who do not identify as transgender, according to the National Institutes of Health. “ChristianaCare aims to provide the safest, highest quality health care and the best experience possible for our entire community, guided by our values of love and excellence,” said Mustafa A. Mufti, M.D., interim chair of the ChristianaCare Department of Psychiatry. “Caring for our entire community means providing sensitive, compassionate, and state-of-the-art behavioral health and medical care to transgender and gender-diverse individuals. Our Gender Wellness Program will help improve health equity and outcomes for individuals and families who need these services. We know that transgender and gender-diverse individuals face health disparities, and our program will help address that.” The program follows the guidelines of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH). WPATH promotes the highest standards of health care for the health of transsexual, transgender and gender-nonconforming people based on the best available science and expert professional consensus. “Our Gender Wellness Program is ready to support anyone age 13 or older who is exploring their gender identity, experiencing gender dysphoria or who needs education and support around social and medical transition,” said Brett E. Herb, DSW, LCSW, program manager of the Gender Wellness Program. Dr. Herb has been in clinical practice for more than 25 years as a psychotherapist and a clinical and administrative manager for numerous behavioral health programs, and has been working with the transgender and gender-diverse populations for the past 17 years. “We provide referrals to compassionate, gender-affirming health care experts,” Dr. Herb said. “Often, families find themselves having to educate their primary care providers, schools, neighbors and family members about how to appropriately care for gender-diverse individuals. Our program provides individuals and families with access to specially trained gender therapists they can trust who can get them the answers they need to help navigate the complexities they may encounter.” The Gender Wellness Program provides referrals to trans-competent primary care providers who prescribe gender-affirming hormone treatment, along with specialists for gynecological and obstetrics care. The program offers individual, couples, family and group therapy sessions. It also provides existing patients with assistance with personal documentation changes and letters of surgical support. “This program has provided me with tremendous support throughout my transition,” said Julie Brown of Wilmington, Delaware. “My therapist empathizes with what I am experiencing in my life, and has guided me through my evolution. The group therapy sessions help me understand that I am not alone. “We form a community, share information and support each other in a safe environment. My child is also a patient of the Gender Wellness Program. Their support has helped him deal with my changes and understand his gender dysphoria.” “Brett Herb and the Gender Wellness Program have helped me grow the confidence I needed,” said Kristopher Snedeker of Newark, Delaware. “Working with the professionals at the program has provided resources to help further my gender transition to become who I truly am.” Gender therapists at the Gender Wellness Program are: Brett E. Herb, DSW, LCSW, Program Manager. Amanda Pope Evans, MSW, LCSW. Katherine Goemaat-Suarez, MSW, LCSW. ChristianaCare is a national leader in LGBTQ+ health care. For the past 11 consecutive years, Christiana and Wilmington hospitals have been recognized by the Healthcare Equality Index as an LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader. Individuals who would like to learn more can contact the Gender Wellness Program at genderwellnessprogram@christianacare.org or call 302-623-6773. For more on ChristianaCare’s LGBTQ+ health initiatives, visit LGBTQ Health Initiatives.

ChristianaCare’s Future of Health Scholarship Program Honors 10 HBCU-Bound Students

Unique opportunity pairs $500,000 in support with paid summer internships To strengthen and diversify the health care workforce for years to come, ChristianaCare has provided $500,000 in scholarships to 10 students in Delaware who plan to pursue degrees in health care. The financial support, through ChristianaCare’s Future of Health scholarship program, provides $12,500 in support annually per student, plus a paid internship each summer, for students to attend historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). “Partnering with the HBCU Week Foundation this year was an exciting new adventure for ChristianaCare, and one we knew we needed to be a part of, given our commitment to the community and to building our health care workforce of the future – in and of the community,” said Bettina Tweardy Riveros, J.D., chief health equity officer and senior vice president of Government Affairs and Community Engagement at ChristianaCare. “It is important for us to remove barriers that are impacting Delaware residents from being able to pursue higher education at historically Black colleges and universities. Being able to offer scholarships, internships and support to these students is another way that we know we are opening up the door to diversify the health care profession.” The scholarships represent an ongoing approach by ChristianaCare to improve health equity, community health and inclusivity and diversity. In 2020, ChristianaCare made a public commitment to being an anti-racism organization. For its efforts, ChristianaCare has been ranked one of the Best Employers for Diversity by Forbes magazine, as well as the No. 2 health care employer in the nation for diversity and inclusion and the No. 40 employer nationally overall. “If you want to know more about an organization, see where they invest their dollars,” said Pamela Ridgeway, chief diversity officer for ChristianaCare. “An investment of $500,000 for Delaware residents who choose to go to HBCUs says a lot. The fact that it comes with summer internships for every year and the expectation of employment at the end shows that we are an organization with a commitment.” “The HBCU Week Foundation is proud to partner with ChristianaCare to help support these future health care professionals by giving them the academic and networking experiences needed to excel in their intended career choices,” said Ashley Christopher, Esq., founder and chief executive officer of HBCU Week Foundation, and an alumna of both Howard University and the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law. “The medical field should reflect the communities it serves, and this partnership is one way to help make that happen.” Here are the students who earned scholarships through ChristianaCare’s Future of Health scholarship program, and the HBCUs they elected to attend: Aniyah Barnett, Hampton University. Brooke Brothers, Delaware State University. Solomon Devard, Lincoln University. Mychele Gibson, Howard University. Aa’khai Hollis, Bowie State University. Kianna Kelley, Delaware State University. Delaney Leonard, Howard University. Madison Perry, Jackson State University. Tania Paden, Delaware State University. Cierra Holmes, Delaware State University.

Worth Longest research on more targeted aerosol drug delivery systems

Michael Hindle, Ph.D., a professor in the VCU Department of Pharmaceutics, and P. Worth Longest, a professor in the VCU Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, have invested years of time and millions of dollars to address challenges found in the field of medical aerosols. In particular: While smaller particles are more effective in delivering drugs into the lungs and airways, these tiny particles are often exhaled out immediately when taking a dose. Current aerosol delivery systems — think asthma inhalers — effectively deliver just 10 percent of an aerosolized dose. That’s fine for most asthma and COPD sufferers who use standard inhalers with existing medications, as these patients only need a small amount of the potent drugs to reach the lungs and have an effect. “But the medical world wants to use the lungs for delivery of other drugs, whether it’s locally to the airways or systemically to the body, and for that, you need more efficient devices,” Hindle says. To effectively use inhaled drugs for complex medical conditions requires more of the aerosol to reach the airways and to potentially target different regions of the airways — plus the devices to get them there. “Our work is about doing something different — changing that ballgame from having 90% of the drug wasted and 10% make it to the lungs, and flip it so that we get just 10% lost and 90% in the lungs,” Hindle says. “That’s always been our goal.” Taking aerosols from lab to lung Over more than a decade, the duo and their teams have created the three keys to making aerosol drug-delivery work: “developing the strategy, developing the device, and developing the formulation,” says Longest, the College of Engineering’s Louis S. and Ruth S. Harris Exceptional Scholar Professor. “When you see inhalation of aerosols fail, or a new pharmaceutical aerosol product fail, one of these areas has often been neglected. Between my lab and the Hindle lab, we have expertise in each of these different areas.” The fourth component — commercializing their inventions — is underway through a partner in Quench Medical in a deal signed in 2020 thanks to VCU Innovation Gateway. The Minnesota-based company, led by founder and CEO Bryce Beverlin II, Ph.D., has identified lung cancer, severe asthma, and cystic fibrosis as potential initial applications using VCU’s intellectual property, the licensing of which covers both the aerosols and the delivery devices. “It’s very difficult for an academic institution to develop a drug product,” says Hindle, the Peter R. Byron Distinguished Professor in Pharmaceutics. “So Bryce has moved forward with a team of manufacturers, clinical testing plans, and is talking to the Food and Drug Administration.” The VCU researchers had not previously pursued lung cancer as a possible application until Quench came along, Hindle says. “The idea that you could deliver a chemotherapy locally to the lungs is obviously very advantageous, because you don’t get the systemic side effects through the body like with traditional chemotherapy,” he says. “You’re just delivering drugs direct to that site of action for targeting the metastases in the lung.” In May, Quench presented data using the VCU technology to the Respiratory Drug Delivery conference in Florida showing that using a chemotherapeutic dry powder aerosol in rats was highly effective. It significantly reduced tumor burden but used half of the standard IV-delivered chemo dose. “This approach also aims to decrease the total drug delivered with reduced systemic drug levels in the circulation to decrease systemic toxicity,” the report read. It noted the efforts “solve a critical unmet medical need to develop new strategies to improve treatment outcomes in patients with lung cancer.” Heavy interest nationally Hindle and Longest have millions of dollars in funded projects underway, backed by the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Food & Drug Administration, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Their work is building on the reputation of VCU’s Aerosol Research Group, founded in 1988 by emeritus professor Dr. Peter Byron (the name on Hindle’s professorship). The group’s work spans a wide variety of research areas in aerosol formulation and delivery. Hindle and Longest have worked together since 2006. While Hindle is focused on drug formulations, Longest is the engineering and computer modeling expert. His background is in biological fluid flow, and prior to joining VCU in 2004 had worked in the area of blood flow in vascular disease. But he wanted to differentiate his work, and found VCU’s reputation in medical aerosols was the place he could, in his words, “make an impact.” Through computer models, Longest and his team can understand how powders or liquids will turn into aerosol particles and the behaviors they will undertake when delivered into the body. “The lung is an area of the body where we have all these complex phenomena occurring with airflow and moving walls,’” he says. “It really takes high performance computers to understand it.” Drs. Longest and Hindle have developed a series of technology platforms that produce particles that are tiny when entering the lungs to minimize deposition losses in the mouth and throat — but grow in size as they travel down the warm, humid airways. One of the devices uses a mixer-heater to produce tiny particles, other technologies use a pharmaceutical powder or liquid containing a simple hygroscopic excipient such as sodium chloride; it is this excipient that attracts water from the lungs and makes the particles grow and deposit in the lungs with high efficiency. Eyes on infants Lately, the pair have been working on a method of aerosol drug delivery to newborns and prematurely born babies. “It’s a different set of challenges when you’re trying to deliver aerosols to infants who are born prematurely, and don’t have the ability to breathe on their own due to the lack of airway surfactant,” Hindle says. “And that’s something that, academically, we thought we were in a position to try and make a contribution to the field.” The group is working with funding from the NIH and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to develop a method of delivering an aerosol surfactant to infants that will hopefully remove the need to intubate these fragile babies. In addition to striking licensing deals with Quench and building relationships with additional partners, Innovation Gateway has backed the pair’s work with an initial $25,000 from VCU’s Commercialization Fund as well as a just-awarded additional $35,000. “We turned that into a series of intellectual property that has resulted in three licensed patents and a whole family of IP in relation to both formulations and devices,” Hindle says. “There’s been lots of interest in delivering drugs to the lungs, it’s just been very difficult to institute any sea change, because the pharmaceutical industry is relatively risk averse.” And so their research continues, as Quench moves forward to bring their inventions to the bedside. “What I’m doing, I don’t really consider it work — it’s an opportunity to interact with great colleagues and contribute to a mission that will be very helpful to a broad range of people,” Longest says. “I also see it as a big responsibility. We want to do this in the right way. Because people’s health and lives are at stake. We want to make sure we approach this with a large sense of responsibility, and do our best.”

Aston University wins share of £118m funding to accelerate its research impact

The Impact Acceleration Account (IAA) investment over three years focuses on maximising impact, knowledge exchange, translation and commercialisation potential within research organisations Funding allows researchers to unlock the value of their work, including early-stage commercialisation of new technologies The University will receive over £580,000 ‘to accelerate UK bright ideas into global opportunities'. Aston University has won a share of £118m in UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funding. The Impact Acceleration Account (IAA) investment over three years focuses on maximising impact, knowledge exchange, translation and commercialisation potential within research organisations. Funding allows researchers to unlock the value of their work, including early-stage commercialisation of new technologies and advancing changes to public policy and services such as NHS clinical practice. UKRI, a government body responsible for delivering £8bn research and innovation funding each year, is investing £118 million in the latest round of IAAs to translate research across 64 universities and research organisations. Aston University was successful in gaining both Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) IAA funding – the latter one of only 15 IAA full awards nationally. Luke Southan, technology transfer manager at Aston University, said: “This funding will be transformational for Aston University’s capacity to get the best good from the research it carries out. “We have a pipeline of world-changing inventions, medical treatments, net-zero initiatives and spinout companies that we can give the greatest chance of success through these highly prestigious pots of funding.” UKRI director of commercialisation, Tony Soteriou, said: “The UK is home to some of the brightest, most innovative and creative research teams in the world. They have the ideas and they have the entrepreneurial energy to create businesses and services that could turn sectors on their head. “What they need, what every great commercial idea needs, is support in the critical early stages. The Impact Acceleration Account is the catalyst that allows projects to grow to the next level, attracting investment, forging partnerships and creating jobs. “The breadth of UKRI allows us to work right across the UK’s world-class research and innovation system to ensure it builds a green future, secures better health, ageing and wellbeing, tackles infections, and builds a secure and resilient world.”

Looking for a 'real' expert to explain the latest advances in virtual reality? We're here to help!

Virtual reality is quickly becoming an actual necessity in all facets of technology, education, entertainment and the workplace. It's a popular topic, and Augusta University's Lynsey Steinberg sat down to answer a few questions about how far VR has come and where it's going. VR is changing everyday life for many. What are the biggest advances you've seen in VR use? Virtual reality is rapidly evolving and expanding. It wasn’t too long ago we were excited for the idea of a wireless head set. Now there are companies such as Virtuix creating 360-degree treadmills to interact with your experience in VR and Hypnos VR (a product which releases scents in the air based on the experience in VR). There have been advances of adaptive and stress response simulations based on pupillometry measurements or even integration of physiological sensors for behavioral research. The biggest advancements are solutions that have been unimaginable before that are now entirely possible. It seems the medical field has been a big benefactor of VR. Is this giving students a better way to "learn" about anatomy and other aspects of the field? I believe all experience is valuable to learning. VR is unique in allowing an individual to view as if from their own perspective for virtual experiential learning. We often hear the phrase, “If you could imagine walking a mile in someone else’s shoes,” and now we can provide perspective, allowing another person to view the world as someone with a particular disease or simulate training in a low-risk environment. One example, Fire in the OR, is a VR simulation allowing medical professionals to train safely on how to remove fire danger in the operating room. I believe simulations like these are remarkable examples of how valuable VR can be in education, to remove elements of danger in everyday life. Their research showed 250% improvement rate on fire safety in the OR. A huge industry leader in surgical simulations is Osso VR, creating surgical training procedures for surgeons and hiring some of our Augusta University medical illustration graduates. How is this being applied at Augusta University? The Center for Instructional Innovation created modules with the Medical College of Georgia on handwashing hygiene health and end-of-life care scenarios with the College of Nursing. We encourage faculty to develop multiple methods of interactive modules for the benefit of all learning styles. VR certainly provides engaging and enriching materials for a low-risk environment in instruction. The Center for Instructional Innovation is currently working with the Academic Student Success Center to implement Oculus Quest head sets for anatomy and physiology students to benefit from application use in VR. Augusta University student Henry Oh and his 3D printed pottery from VR sculpture. How else has VR and its use changed the way we go about our daily lives? VR head sets are known in robotics, manufacturing, therapeutic modalities, gaming capabilities, technology in research and education. Any scene you can film in 360 degrees you can now watch in a headset and be fully immersed in the scene (ie: a theater production, a museum tour, an art exhibit, a temple historically preserved, etc). We have gone from telling a story to being immersed in a story. We have been able to utilize VR technology integration and innovation on campus to create enriching learning experiences. We collaborated with our Ceramics department (with Brian McGrath and Raoul Pachecho) to support students in virtual clay sculpting with Adobe Medium. Students 3D printed their works of art after exporting the files from the VR simulation. Where do you see the future of VR? The future developments for integrating systems for haptic feedback will be remarkable integrations. The continued development of behavioral research and integration of gamification is an exciting opportunity in VR as well as the continued development for protocols and appropriate safety procedures. The cross-platform and cross-disciplinary possibilities will allow for creativity to blossom in new world solutions. It is clear, the ongoing need for technical workforce required to create and support more VR and other high-impact technology is rapidly growing. VR is a fascinating topic and if you're a journalist looking to know more by speaking with Steinberg, then let us help. Steinberg is one of the 300 board-certified medical illustrators with experience in hands-on surgery in the operating room, utilizing development in virtual reality, 3D printing, animation, gamification and graphic design while working directly with students, faculty and physicians. Steinberg is available to speak with media -- simply click on her icon now to arrange an interview today.

Waters College of Health Professions researchers studying racial disparities in cardiovascular disease

Lecturer Carol Jordan, left, and student Anna Bryan assist with a vitamin D assay as part of a study on racial disparities and cardiovascular health. Researchers in the Waters College of Health Professions (WCHP) at Georgia Southern University are studying why Black adults in America are 30% more likely to die from cardiovascular disease (CVD) than white adults through a study on racial disparities and cardiovascular health. Faculty and graduate students in the University’s Biodynamics and Human Performance Center and Medical Laboratory Sciences program have teamed up to examine the biological basis for these racial differences to aid in the development of effective prevention and treatment strategies. “More than half of this racial disparity may be attributed to substantially greater rates of high blood pressure and vascular dysfunction in Black adults,” said Greg Grosicki, Ph.D., principal investigator on the study and assistant professor in WCHP). The team is examining the difference in skin pigmentation, which can influence cardio preventive vitamin D levels. Through the use of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), a biochemical test to measure antibodies, antigens, proteins and glycoproteins in biological samples, the team is able to measure vitamin D levels in plasma samples. By pairing vitamin D values with measures of skin pigmentation and the team’s comprehensive assessments of cardiovascular health, they are able to determine whether low vitamin D levels may be contributing to higher blood pressure and vascular dysfunction in Black adults, which will help inform future interventions and therapeutic strategies seeking to alleviate racial disparities in CVD. The ELISAs were purchased using a Graduate Student Organization grant awarded to Josiah Frederic, a graduate student studying sports medicine. The research team consists of both faculty and students from the Department of Health Sciences and Kinesiology as well as the Department of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Sciences. Team members include the following: Brett Cross, graduate sports medicine student Joe Vondrasek, graduate sports medicine student Josiah Frederic, graduate sports medicine student Zoe Lincoln, undergraduate health science student Peter Gaither, graduate sports medicine student Wesley Blumenburg, graduate sports medicine student Andrew Flatt, Ph.D., assistant professor Greg Grosicki, Ph.D., principal investigator and assistant professor Amy Frazier, lecturer Carol Jordan, clinical coordinator and senior lecturer Anna Bryan, undergraduate medical laboratory sciences student If you're a reporter looking to know more about this important research - then let us help. Greg Grosicki, Ph.D., is available to speak with media - simply reach out to Georgia Southern Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu to arrange an interview today.

Using biosensors to detect disease, pain, pollution and weapons

Air pollution, chemical weapons, diseases, drugs and signs of life on other planets — all can be detected with biosensors. The development of high tech to do this job — when canines or conventional tests aren’t practical — is a field that spurred NJIT’s Omowunmi Sadik into action. Case in point: Sadik created a sensor that detects the novel coronavirus using the power of a smartphone — "So simple it can be 3D-printed by undergraduates," she explained — and there are even biosensors that can measure pain. The latter are especially useful for those who can't accurately communicate due to age or health. Sadik, a distinguished professor of chemistry and environmental science, leads NJIT's BioSMART Center and is a fellow of the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering, Royal Society of Chemistry and African Academy of Sciences. To interview her, simply click on the button below.

Join RealTime Medical at SIIM 2022!

Join RealTime Medical at Society for Imaging Informatics in Medicine (SIIM) Virtual Annual Meeting, where we will be announcing our latest advancements in how we empower radiologists to work more efficiently, improve quality and deliver better patient care. RTM operates one of Canada’s largest teleradiology networks covering over 30 hospital sites. This network is powered by the RealTime Medical AICloudSuite solution offering, delivering AI-enabled diagnostic workload balancing and first of a kind, multi-dimensional peer learning experience. The platform’s standards-based messaging enables ease of compatibility with existing HIS/RIS/PACS systems. RTM's co-founder, Dr. David Koff is a chair of SIIM’s session on advanced peer learning techniques and solutions. Visit our virtual booth via GRIP June 9-11. Access to the platform is already available! For more information about the event and to register, visit the official SIIM event website. Book your consultation today: https://realtimemedical.com/contact/

Aston University Pathway to Healthcare programmes shortlisted in Student Social Mobility Awards

Pathway to Healthcare programmes shortlisted for University Access Initiative in the 2022 Student Social Mobility Awards University Access Initiative of the Year Award judged by student vote and panel Aston University Pathway to Healthcare programmes were shortlisted from more than 250 nominations. The Aston University Pathway to Healthcare programmes have been shortlisted for the University Access Initiative of the Year Award in the 2022 Student Social Mobility Awards. The Pathway to Healthcare programmes which launched in 2016 are designed to raise students’ aspirations, support their attainment, improve progression and provide experiences to enhance UCAS applications when applying for medical and other healthcare courses. During the 18-month programme, students are given the opportunity to take part in healthcare subject taster days, work experience in various healthcare settings and A level revision boot camps. Following the success of the first pathway programme for Year 12/13, the Keith Bradshaw Introduction to Healthcare programme was launched in 2019 to work with key stage three to key stage four students across the West Midlands. The University Access Initiative of the Year Award will be decided by a combination of the Judging Panel’s scores (50%) and the Student Vote (50%). The Aston University Pathway to Healthcare programmes were shortlisted from more than 250 nominations. Sarah Fullwood, pathways manager at Aston University, said: “We are delighted we have been shortlisted for this prestigious award. “Our pathway programmes are going from strength to strength, despite a sector-wide dip in engagement for widening participation programmes during the pandemic, which is why we were so thrilled to experience an increase in attendance at our pathway events.” “By breaking down barriers for access for disadvantaged students, the programmes play a vital role in building a future workforce that is representative of the community it serves.” The Student Social Mobility Awards are organised by upReach to showcase the achievements of undergraduates from lower socio-economic backgrounds from across the UK. The awards seek to recognise students who have excelled in their studies and beyond and shown great potential to excel as they launch their careers. The focus of the awards is on students who have demonstrated great resilience, determination or initiative, or boosted their employability in innovative ways. They are also a chance to showcase up-and-coming talent and identify rising stars. Award winners and nominees overcome significant socioeconomic barriers and mitigating circumstances, serving as inspiring role models for those from similar backgrounds. The ceremony is due to take place on 21 July at the House of Lords, where the winners will be announced. For more information about the Pathway to Healthcare programmes at Aston University please visit our webpages.

IMPROVING PATIENT CARE, ONE COMMUNITY AT THE TIME

The Deep River and District Hospital shared updates in the November 2021 Newsletter The Zinger. RealTime Medical’s platform now supports their radiology department. “On Tuesday, November 9, 2021, the organization transitioned our Diagnostic Imaging Radiology services to a third-party service provider, RealTime Medical (RTM) to support our X-ray and Ultrasound reading. Thank you to everyone who helped make the transition go smoothly. The turnaround time for reports has significantly improved from previous services. At times, patients are still in the Emergency Department when reports are received, which is a significant improvement and benefit to patient care! RTM provides 24-hours a day/ 7 days a week remote Radiology coverage, and a Radiologist is available 24/7. Posters with contact information for RTM have been posted on the Medical and Emergency Department nursing stations, as well as in the Physician room on medical.” Link to the original source.