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In a post-COVID workplace, do employees hold the cards when it comes to work-life balance?

For the most part, COVID-19 is in the rearview mirror for the businesses, restaurants and workplaces it played havoc with for the better part of two years. As Americans pivot back to normal, there are a few things the pandemic may have changed for good. How we work and the dynamics of the traditional American workplace are likely among those permanent changes. For some Americans, the novelty of working from home may shift back to the traditional workplace, but experts say that is dependent on industry, job roles and location. Meanwhile, some employers are now realizing the benefits and efficiencies of working from home with less rigid 9-5, Monday-to-Friday schedules. Employees are working more, costing less and still delivering. The new workplace is a topic that is top of mind. Work-life integration is quickly becoming part of policy and procedure for employers as it remains a priority for employees. "Some employers simply don’t have a choice," said Melissa Furman, a leading management consultant and lecturer in the James M. Hull College of Business at Augusta University.  "If they are not recognizing the needs of their employees, they are going to have a hard time recruiting and retaining employees. 'Work-life balance' is a dated term that is recognized by the older generations.  "The younger generations are seeking 'work-life integration' and in some cases view their jobs as 'side hustles' to support their career of 'life.'" There are many different mindsets present in the workplace and employers need to better understand the needs and preferences of their employees and “one size does not fit all,” adds Furman. "This environment has created some new/unique challenges for organizational leaders." There are a lot of questions to consider when it comes to how America adapts to the new working environment, and if you are a journalist covering this topic, that’s where Augusta University can help. Furman is a respected leader in management with over 20 years of business coaching, mentoring and higher education administration. She's available to speak with media; simply click on her icon to schedule an interview today.

Expert Perspective: New Proposal to Use Southern Plantations to Teach Kids About Racism

America's history is steeped in racism - and how the country accepts and reconciles its past has been a topic of much debate and consideration. Last year, Georgia Southern University Associate Professor of Geography Amy Potter, Ph.D., was awarded a $75,000 National Science Foundation grant for the project, “The Role of Museums in the Landscape of Minority Representation.” And recently, she co-authored a fantastic piece titled, New Proposal to Use Southern Plantations to Teach Kids About Racism, that has been getting a lot of pick-up from news organizations across the country. New Proposal to Use Southern Plantations to Teach Kids About Racism State legislatures across the United States are cracking down on discussions of race and racism in the classroom. School boards are attempting to ban books that deal with difficult histories. Lawmakers are targeting initiatives that promote diversity, equity and inclusion in higher education. Such efforts raise questions about whether students in the U.S. will ever be able to engage in free and meaningful discussions about the history of slavery in America and the effect it had on the nation. As cultural geographers, we see a potential venue for these kinds of discussions that we believe to be an overlooked and poorly used resource: plantation museums... April 02 - Yahoo!News  If you're a reporter looking to know more about this important topic - then let us help with your coverage and stories. Amy Potter, Ph.D., is available to answer your questions - simply reach out to Georgia Southern Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu to arrange an interview today.

Ask an #Expert - Is there any way to temper America's boiling housing market?

U.S. HOUSING PRICES STILL RISING ALONG WITH MORTGAGE RATES When mortgage rates rise, home prices tend to level off or decline because fewer people can afford to buy. Experts are counting on that adage to help cool the nation’s torrid housing market. But the latest analysis of the most overvalued markets shows prices still are climbing despite the increasing mortgage rates, which last week reached their highest level in more than three years. In all 100 markets surveyed by researchers at Florida Atlantic University and Florida International University, buyers continue to pay higher premiums – that’s the difference between where home prices should be based on historical trends and where they are now. Two months ago, Los Angeles, Provo, Utah and other metro areas in the Western part of the country developed “pricing crowns,” an indication that those housing markets could be slowing. But home values have since reaccelerated, prompting concern that a looming downturn in some areas could be worse than expected. “Eventually mortgage rates will slow down home prices, but it hasn’t happened so far,” said Ken H. Johnson, Ph.D., an economist in FAU’s College of Business. “We should not see rapid upticks in prices as mortgage rates rise. It’s that kind of exuberance that led to past housing downturns.” Boise, Idaho is the nation’s most overvalued housing market, as it has been since the researchers first released their rankings last summer. At the end of February, Boise buyers were paying an average price of $513,849, even though historical trends indicate the average price should be $291,389. That 76.34 percent premium is well ahead of No. 2 Austin, Texas (64.80 percent). The full rankings with interactive graphics can be found here. Charlotte, North Carolina entered the top 10 overvalued markets for the first time with a premium of 50.14 percent. February’s average home price in Charlotte was $353,106, although a history of past sales suggests that price should be $235,188. “Charlotte’s significant and rapidly growing premium is similar to other Southern metros that are all experiencing fast price appreciation,” said Eli Beracha, Ph.D., of FIU’s Hollo School of Real Estate. “The drivers of this appear to be large population increases in these areas combined with a significant shortage in housing inventory.” Each month, Johnson and Beracha rank the most overvalued housing markets of America’s 100 largest metros, similar to the popular S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller home price index. Johnson and Beracha incorporate average or expected price changes and provide an estimate of how much a market’s housing stock is over- or undervalued, relative to its historic pricing. The data covers single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops. Six Florida metros, led by Lakeland, all rank among the nation’s 25 most overvalued markets with premiums of more than 40 percent. The Miami metro, with a premium of nearly 25 percent, remains the least overvalued market in the Sunshine State. As the U.S. housing market cools, metros with strong population gains and shortages of homes for sale will fare best, although those markets will continue to struggle with affordability, the researchers predict. Metros with flat or falling populations and more available homes for sale could face price declines, making those areas more attainable for young families and first-time buyers. Johnson said consumers could be taking big risks if they jump into the U.S. housing market now. “We are near the peak of the current housing cycle, and you never want to buy near the top of the market,” he said. “Consumers need to pause if their main motivation is to buy because they fear prices will rise even higher. Prices are high now, but they always moderate back toward a long-term pricing trend. Perhaps staying where you are now and letting this irrational market settle would be one of the best decisions you could make.” Ken Johnson is the associate dean and professor in the College of Business at Florida Atlantic University. Ken is available to speak to media about this topic – simply click on his icon to arrange an interview and time.

Questions about colon cancer? Our experts are here to help with your coverage

Every year, National Colorectal (colon) Cancer Awareness Month is observed during the month of March in an effort to raise awareness of the importance for colon cancer screenings. The recognition offers health care providers the opportunity to educate the general public about a disease that can be preventable, but can sometimes be seen as difficult for patients to discuss with their doctors. In the spirit of education, one of Augusta University’s experts has provided some insight into the subject of colon cancer. Dr. Asha Nayak-Kapoor is an associate professor of medicine in the Division of Hematology/Oncology in the Department of Medicine at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University. Nayak is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in Hematology and Oncology Specialties. Q: What are the primary risk factors for colon cancer? “Risk factors for colon cancer include: being overweight or obese, not being physically active, certain types of diets, smoking, alcohol use, being older, a personal history of colorectal polyps or colorectal cancer, a personal history of inflammatory bowel disease, a family history of colorectal cancer or adenomatous polyps, having an inherited syndrome. Common symptoms of colorectal cancer include: bloody stool or rectal bleeding, an ongoing change in bowel habits (diarrhea, constipation, chance in stool consistency), abdominal pain or cramping, gas or persistent abdominal discomfort, you feel like your bowels are not voiding completely, weakness, fatigue, or unexplained weight loss.” Q: How can a person protect themselves from the risks of colon cancer? “Colon cancer is largely preventable if patients undergo screening tests, like a surveillance colonoscopy starting at 45 years or earlier depending on family history. Many lifestyle-related factors have been linked to colorectal cancer. In fact, the links between diet, weight, and exercise and colorectal cancer risk are some of the strongest for any type of cancer.  Getting to and staying at a healthy weight may help lower your risk. A diet that's high in red meats (such as beef, pork, lamb, or liver) and processed meats (like hot dogs and some luncheon meats) raises your colorectal cancer risk. Cooking meats at very high temperatures (frying, broiling, or grilling) creates chemicals that might raise your cancer risk. It’s not clear how much this might increase your colorectal cancer risk. Stop smoking. It is best not to drink alcohol. People with a history of colorectal cancer in a first-degree relative (parent, sibling, or child) are at increased risk. The risk is even higher if that relative was diagnosed with cancer when they were younger than 50, or if more than one first-degree relative is affected.” Q: It sometimes seems that colon cancer prevention is aimed more towards men compared to women, but cancer.org lists the risks at 1 in 23 (4.3%) for men and 1 in 25 (4.0%) for women. Is there a reason why perhaps a stigma about colon cancer affecting men more has been created? “According to focus group studies, it can be seen as a taboo topic that is uncomfortable to discuss, and it is not discussed as openly in public as prostate and breast cancer screenings. It can seem embarrassing or humiliating, and can be seen as distasteful dealing with prolonged bowel preparation.” Nayak is a member of several committees, including Onyx and Bayer Speaker Bureau for Nexavar, MCG Cancer Center Molecular Oncology Programme, and MCG Cancer Center Gastrointestinal Tumor Board Committee. If you are a journalist looking to know more about colorectal cancer and would like to speak with an expert for your stories, then let us help. Nayak is available to speak with media about this important subject. Simply click on her icon now to arrange an interview today.

ChristianaCare Medical Intensive Care Unit Earns First-in-the-Nation Honor for Nursing Excellence From the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses

ChristianaCare MICU becomes first in United States to renew Beacon Award for Excellence for fifth-consecutive three-year cycle ChristianaCare’s Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) has earned an unprecedented honor from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. Among the thousands of intensive care units in the United States, ChristianaCare’s MICU is the first unit in history to earn a Beacon Award for Excellence from the association, also known as AACN, five times in a row. The Beacon Award is one of the highest achievements in nursing. The recognition lauds hospital units that employ evidence-based practices to improve patient and family outcomes. The award provides gold, silver and bronze levels of recognition to hospital units that exemplify excellence in professional practice, patient care and outcomes. Of the six Beacon Award-winning patient care units currently in the state of Delaware, five are at ChristianaCare: MICU (gold – five-time winner). Cardiovascular Critical Care Complex (gold – three-time winner). Transitional Medical Unit (silver). Surgical Critical Care Complex (silver). Transitional Surgical Unit (silver). ChristianaCare was one of 34 hospitals in the nation in 2021 with multiple units receiving Beacon Awards. Beacon Award designations are active for three years. “Through their relentless and uncompromising pursuit to deliver care that is nonpareil, the nurses of ChristianaCare’s MICU have become the paragon of what our profession can accomplish,” said Ric Cuming, EdD, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, ChristianaCare’s chief nurse executive and president of ChristianaCare HomeHealth. “The success of our ChristianaCare MICU, even in the face of this pandemic, also has inspired our health system’s other intensive care units to achieve unprecedented gains in safety and quality that have been recognized with the AACN’s Beacon Award, the touchstone by which all critical care nursing excellence and quality are measured.” Success in caring for patients amidst COVID-19 ChristianaCare’s values of love and excellence are at the heart of the 24-bed MICU at Christiana Hospital, which holds the most Beacon Awards in Delaware. This year’s award is especially meaningful on the heels of yet another difficult surge of COVID-19. “It is a testament to our nurses and the entire care team that we continued to reach milestones in patient safety and satisfaction even during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Carol Ritter, MSN, RN, CCRN-K, CNML, who has been nurse manager on the MICU for 10 years and a leader on the unit during all of its Beacon Award wins. “Everyone brings a level of expertise to the unit. We truly serve together.” Beacon awards celebrate the professional dedication that a nursing team demonstrates in going above and beyond to provide respectful, expert care. “Meaningful recognition takes on even greater relevance and importance as we continue to meet the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said AACN President Beth Wathen, MSN, RN, CCRN-K. “Being recognized as a Beacon unit underscores these teams’ ongoing commitment to providing safe, patient-centered and evidence-based care to patients and families. This achievement is a tremendous honor to those who have worked so hard to achieve excellence in patient care and positive patient outcomes.” ChristianaCare is one of only 152 health care institutions in the nation and the only in Delaware to have gold-level units. In 2008, the MICU was the first unit in the state to receive the Beacon Award. MICU’s culture of continuous improvement The MICU’s commitment to data-driven, evidence-based care proved especially valuable during the pandemic’s early days. Prone positioning, a technique to help patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) to breathe better, had been a longtime practice in ChristianaCare’s ICU. ChristianaCare critical care nurses Maureen Seckel, MSN, APRN, ACNS-BC, CCNS, FCCM, FCNS, and Dannette Mitchell, MSN, APRN, ACNS-BC, CCRN, published an article in AACN Advanced Critical Care that described ChristianaCare’s pioneering adoption of this technique, which ultimately became standard practice nationally in the treatment of patients with COVID-19 and ARDS. “On our unit, we empower the team to provide evidence-based care and have the tools to guide the practice,” Seckel said. “Because of this we were able to incorporate a highly effective, life-saving measure into COVID-19 care early in the pandemic.” Continuous improvement is a hallmark of the unit. The MICU has seven Comprehensive Unit-based Safety Program teams that follow data-collection processes to view trends and compare them to national standards to improve care and outcomes. “The whole unit is involved in collecting data to assess and make changes,” said MICU nurse Olivia Ross, BSN, RN, CCRN. Among the MICU’s accomplishments are excellent outcomes in preventing common hospital-acquired infections, even during the pandemic: Zero instances of catheter-associated urinary tract infections in three years. Zero instances of central line bloodstream infections in one year. The unit’s dedication to being exceptional today and even better tomorrow also focused inward during the pandemic. During a time of constant change, the team recognized the need for support to handle the unprecedented stress and strain of the pandemic. “To give the most vulnerable patients the highest levels of care on a consistent basis, we needed to take care of ourselves and one another too,” Ritter said. Ritter and team leaders committed to open-door policies throughout the pandemic, and they partnered with ChristianaCare’s Center for WorkLife Wellbeing to enable licensed psychologists to round on the unit, offering real-time check-ins with caregivers to provide support. The Beacon Award has been a resounding lift and reward for the MICU team members. “Having this recognition, especially during times of distress in the community and the world, signifies excellent nursing care,” said MICU nurse Paige Merring, MSN, RN, CCRN. “And to me it signifies an amazing team and great outcomes, which is the primary purpose of why we are all here.”

Major study reveals the lasting impact of Covid lockdowns

New research from the University of East Anglia reveals first-hand the lasting impact that lockdowns may have had on people’s mental and physical health. The UK’s first Covid lockdown was announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson exactly two years ago today. Just a few days later, researchers at UEA launched a major project to track the mental and physical health of the nation through lockdowns and beyond. More than 1,000 participants carried out daily surveys – with questions on a range of lifestyle behaviours including physical activity, diet, sleep, smoking, drinking, and drug use. Some of the participants were then interviewed by the research team, to try to understand what was happening for people from their own viewpoints. Listen to what they had to say in our oral history project Lockdown Voices. New findings published today show how people responded very differently to social restrictions depending on their existing circumstances. For those who were less well-off to start with, adapting to lockdown was more difficult, and health behaviours typically worsened to a greater extent. In contrast, those who were better off at the start of the pandemic demonstrated faster adaptation and were more able to respond positively to restrictions, for example by taking to online exercise classes. It is likely that any lasting impact to mental and physical health will therefore be much greater for those who were worse off to start with. Those with good social links and healthy behaviours already in place described in their interviews how they were able to adapt to lockdown and thrive, whereas some of the more vulnerable in our communities had fallen into unhealthy spirals. Prof Caitlin Notley, from UEA's Norwich Medical School, said: “When the first lockdown was announced back in 2020, we started surveying participants from around the UK daily. Our initial results showed that people were eating less fruit and veg, getting less exercise and drinking more alcohol. “It quickly became apparent that lockdown may have lasting consequences for the physical and mental health of the nation. “We wanted to see whether people’s lifestyles changed in the long-term so we continued the study by carrying out regular surveys with the participants, and interviewing some people to find out more.” Now, two years on, the team’s results show how health inequalities are likely to have widened. Prof Notley said: “Social restrictions imposed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic have had a significant impact on health behaviours at the individual and population level. “It’s fair to say that all of our participants’ lives were disrupted by lockdown and they were forced to adapt. “But people responded to the lockdowns very differently and their experiences of social restrictions varied considerably. “Fundamentally, people were hindered or helped by their existing support structures and resources, such as access to technology to engage with the outside world, or private outdoor space. “Those people who had good friends, community links and who were already health conscious, were able to respond positively and better able to cope. “They were able to adapt to the ‘new normal’, use technology to keep in touch with friends and relatives, order veg boxes, carry on with a healthy diet and take part in healthy pursuits in new and innovative ways such as online fitness classes or ‘doing Joe Wicks’. “But lockdowns are very likely to have caused a sustained widening of social and health inequalities. “Those who remained in work outside the home, or who were retired, were the least impacted overall. But those who were unemployed, younger, on a lower income, clinically unwell or told to fully shield were particularly impacted by strict restrictions. “For these more vulnerable people, supportive social factors were taken away or severely restricted. Anxiety and depression worsened, and unhealthy behaviours like exercising less, drinking more alcohol, and eating a poor diet increased. “As we work through the ‘roadmap to recovery’, emphasis needs to be placed on a collaborative, community-based approach, with a focus on what makes us well. “Encouraging membership of community exercise groups, for example, may help those most impacted to engage again with healthy behaviours to keep them well. We also need to pay attention to how those who are less well-off responded more negatively to the policy of lockdown, so that lessons can be learnt for the future,” she added. ‘Disruption and adaptation in response to the coronavirus pandemic – assets as contextual moderators of enactment of health behaviours’ is published in the British Journal of Health Psychology.

Georgia Southern now one of nation’s Top Ten Military Friendly® Schools

Georgia Southern University has earned a 2022-2023 Top Ten Military Friendly® distinction by Viqtory. Georgia Southern ranked at number nine on the Top Ten list. Being named a Military Friendly School is nothing new for Georgia Southern University, having earned a gold-level distinction for the past 10 years. “We are extremely proud to be recognized as being among the 10 most military friendly universities in the country, especially after learning that more than 1,800 schools participated in the survey,” said Georgia Southern University President Kyle Marrero. “With our connections to Fort Stewart, and the fact that about 10% of our student body is military-connected, we have a responsibility to ensure our people and our processes are attuned to the needs of those who are serving selflessly, who are retired or who are related to a veteran or active-duty service member. My thanks to all our faculty and staff who have worked hard to earn this recognition.” Institutions earning the Military Friendly® School designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. More than 1,800 schools participated in the 2022-2023 survey with 665 earning special awards for going above the standard. Georgia Southern University has a strong and proud history of supporting veterans, current-serving military personnel and their families, and has accumulated many awards for its dedication to the military community. Information and resources are available on the Military and Veteran Services webpage. “We are honored to receive such a significant recognition as a Top Ten Military Friendly® institution,” said retired Col. George Fredrick, Ed.D., director of Military and Veteran Services. “Georgia Southern University maintains strong ties to the military forces in our region, specifically Fort Stewart, Hunter Army Airfield, the Marines, the Georgia National Guard, the Air Force, and the Coast Guard. We proudly serve our veterans and their families while on their academic journeys. We are indebted to our faculty, staff, students and communities for their continued support of our military-connected student population.” Methodology, criteria and weightings were determined by Viqtory with input from the Military Friendly® Advisory Council of independent leaders in the higher education and military recruitment community. Final ratings were determined by combining the institution’s survey scores with the assessment of the institution’s ability to meet thresholds for student retention, graduation, job placement, loan repayment, persistence (degree advancement or transfer) and loan default rates for all students and, specifically, for student veterans. “Military Friendly® is committed to transparency and providing consistent data-driven standards in the designation process,” said Kayla Lopez, national director of Military Partnerships, Military Friendly®. “Our standards provide a benchmark that promotes positive outcomes and support services that better the educational landscape and provide opportunity for the Military Community. This creates a competitive atmosphere that encourages colleges to evolve and invest in their programs consistently. Schools who achieve awards designation show true commitment in their efforts, going over and above that standard.” The 2022-2023 Military Friendly® Schools list will be published in the May and October issue of G.I. Jobs magazine and can be found at www.militaryfriendly.com. Retired Col. George Fredrick is available to answer your questions - simply reach out to Georgia Southern Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu to arrange an interview today.

ChristianaCare and The Wistar Institute advance partnership with new cancer research strategies

ChristianaCare’s Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute is advancing its historic partnership with the Ellen and Ronald Caplan Cancer Center of The Wistar Institute in Philadelphia with three new research projects under way. The new research projects consist of a population health study targeting triple negative breast cancer. Other projects focus on a new therapeutic target for epithelial ovarian cancer, the most lethal gynecologic cancer in the developed world, and the development of “mini organs” derived from stem cells. Targeting triple negative breast cancer Delaware has one of the highest incidence rates of triple-negative breast cancer in the United States. This highly aggressive cancer has few treatment options, because the cells test negative for three known treatment targets – estrogen, progesterone and HER2 protein receptors. Working with patient data from the Graham Cancer Center, researchers are investigating potential contributing factors such as diet, alcohol use and genetic variants among women, and the effects of these on cancer metabolism. The team will also examine spatial relationships between cancer “hot spots”—geographic areas with a higher-than-expected prevalence—and modifiable risk factors. Key resources for the study are blood and tissue samples from the Graham Cancer Center’s Tissue Procurement Center and its statewide High-Risk Family Cancer Registry. The research team will be led by Director of Population Health Research at ChristianaCare Scott Siegel, Ph.D., and Lead Research Scientist Jennifer Sims Mourtada, Ph.D., at the Graham Cancer Center’s Cawley Center for Translational Cancer Research (CTCR). They will join Zachary Schug, Ph.D., at Wistar’s Molecular and Cellular Oncogenesis Program. Researching novel therapy for ovarian cancer The latest study supported by the Graham Cancer Center’s Tissue Procurement Program targets KAT6A expression as a novel therapy for ovarian cancer caused by a specific genetic mutation, called PP2R1A. Epithelial ovarian cancer is the most common form of ovarian cancer and the leading cause of gynecologic cancer deaths in the United States. Chemoresistance to currently available platinum-based drugs like cisplatin represents a major treatment challenge, as more than 50 percent of affected women ultimately relapse and die from this disease. Wistar’s Rugang Zhang, Ph.D., leader of the Immunology, Microenvironment and Metastases Program, is focused on developing novel therapeutics for subtypes of ovarian cancer that currently have no effective therapies and on improving the current standard of care. Dr. Zhang’s previous work suggests that KAT6A signaling plays a critical role in ovarian cancer progression. Targeting this signaling pathway could be an effective strategy for treating ovarian cancer. Working with Dr. Zhang on this project are Graham Cancer Center gynecologic oncologists Mark Cadungog, M.D., director of Robotic Surgery, and Sudeshna Chatterjee-Paer, M.D., and Cawley CTCR’s Stephanie Jean, M.D., director of Gynecologic Oncology Research. Also collaborating with the team is Wistar’s Alessandro Gardini, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Gene Expression & Regulation Program. ‘Mini organs’ offer hope for therapeutics Dr. Sims-Mourtada at the Cawley CTCR will lead a new program to culture organ-specific tissue from stem cells that could change the way diseases are studied and treated. These so called “mini organs” or “organoids” are three-dimensional tissue cultures grown in the lab that replicate the complexity and functions of a specific tissue or organ found in the body. Organoids offer scientists a better model for how drugs and other therapeutics might interact with a patient’s particular type of tumor, opening new avenues for precision medicine. “The ability to grow each patient’s tumor in a three-dimensional organoid along with our capability to create patient-derived xenograft or animal models as part of our PDX core, will allow us to fully capture the effects of genetic as well as gene altering behavioral and environmental influences that are lacking in current research models,” said Dr. Sims-Mourtada. “Our collaboration with Wistar to build these programs raises our clinical platform to the next level for studying new cancer biomarkers and treatments.” Advancing a Pioneering Partnership The Graham Cancer Center made history when it signed a first-of-its-kind agreement in 2011 with The Wistar Institute, pairing a National Cancer Institute, NCI-designated basic research institution with a community cancer center that is also an NCI Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP). “Our partnership with Wistar has attracted national recognition as a model of collaboration that leverages cutting-edge research to benefit cancer prevention and therapy statewide,” says Nicholas J. Petrelli, M.D., Bank of America endowed medical director of ChristianaCare’s Helen F. Graham Cancer Center and Research Institute. “With Wistar, our productive collaborations over the last decade continue to drive discovery research toward clinical trials to benefit patients here at the Graham Cancer Center and in communities everywhere.” “The Graham Center has been an ideal partner in our mission,” said Dario C. Altieri, M.D., Wistar president and CEO and director of the Ellen and Ronald Caplan Cancer Center. “Our scientists at Wistar have access to clinically-annotated primary patient specimens of the highest quality. As the majority of patients at the Graham Cancer Center are treatment naïve, this collaboration affords an opportunity to conduct unique, high impact mechanistic and correlative studies that will ultimately advance important scientific discoveries that hopefully will lead to better cancer therapies.”

Podcast: Russia expert discusses fears of Putin's 'madness' over Ukraine

Speculation that isolation caused by Covid-19 pandemic could have affected his state of mind Closest advisers said to fear for their lives if they speak out against him Potential scenarios considered include a ‘heart attack-style’ assassination of dictator by senior military and secret services. Two years spent isolating during the coronavirus pandemic have led to a debate that Russian President Vladimir Putin has gone ‘bonkers’, resulting in the invasion of Ukraine. There is now even speculation that only a “heart attack-style” assassination of the dictator by his senior military and secret services could prevent Putin from seeking to expand his borders even further. These themes were discussed by Dr Elisabeth Schimpfössl, a senior lecturer in sociology and policy at Aston University, and author of the award-winning book Rich Russians: From Oligarchs to Bourgeoisie. Dr Schimpfössl, speaking about the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine as part of the 'Society matters' podcast series, presented by journalist Steve Dyson, explained there were two reasons why Putin had decided to invade its neighbour. She considered two potential reasons behind the invasion: “The first is he has always had ambitions to incorporate eastern Ukraine and, particularly, keep NATO at bay and not have it anywhere so close to Russia’s own borders. The second thought is whether Putin might have simply lost it, in a clinical sense.” Dr Schimpfössl said Putin had been “extremely isolated” during the pandemic, with very few people allowed to see him in his “bunker”. She added: “It might well be, as bizarre as it sounds and unimaginable as it might be, that he is losing it and courting advice from people who have such fear of him that they would say what he wanted to hear.” While such madness is currently pure speculation, Dr Schimpfössl explained how people close to him would potentially “fear for their lives” if they contradicted him or alerted him to what a “crazy idea” war was. She said Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, whose daughter lives in New York, had wanted to retire “years ago” but Putin would not let him. And she mentioned claims that the former head of Russia’s foreign secret service died from an apparent heart attack after he “pretty much messed up” the poisoning of double agent Sergei Skripal in Salisbury in 2018. She said: “It’s pretty obvious that similar fears were deep in the bones of all the closest entourage of Putin. They all know pretty well how the system works.” Dr Schimpfössl described reports on how opposition activists and investigative journalists “suddenly, suspiciously, jump off their balcony to their death. And they threaten people that if they don’t jump then their family will suffer”. She suggested that Russia’s billionaire oligarchs could have taken measures if they had seen what was coming. However, the European Union had now added oligarchs onto the sanctions list for the first time after being deeming them “Putin’s cronies” instead of business leaders. Dr Schimpfössl said: “Until Friday, Putin’s plan was to succeed within maybe a week and sanctions would have become effective in weeks, or months from now. Now things have changed and the EU sanctions have gone a big step further on.” She said it will be a “catastrophe” for Russia’s oligarchs now they are subject to sanctions. The only thing that could “save their skin”, she added, is if they create an image of being “anti-war, anti-Putin”. But would this help stop Putin? “Not if he’s completely gone bonkers, then nothing will stop him,” Dr Schimpfössl again speculated. “It makes him extremely dangerous in terms of his announcement of using nuclear weapons. It would be the maddest possible thing to do, but there is no guarantee anymore.” The only thing that could stop him, she hypothesised, was if Putin suffered the similar fate of a “sudden heart attack” following a “silent coup” by Russia’s top military and secret services, although it is pure conjecture that any such actions are being planned. Opinion polls in Russia suggest that only 40 per cent of the population support the action against Ukraine, compared to 80 per cent over the annexation of Crimea in 2014. Dr Schimpfössl said she hoped negotiations between Russia and Ukraine would lead to an agreement, but added: “We know from history when an aggressor sees itself being on the losing end, or things not go according to plan, they often lash out at the very last moment. Any escalation of the conflict could easily and very quickly get very cruel and barbaric.” Episode 1 in series 3 of the ‘Society matters’ podcast and all previous episodes can be found HERE.

Understanding Ukraine and Russia's long history - let UMW's expert help

As the war in Ukraine now extends past a week, many people are trying to understand the reasoning behind Russia’s invasion of its neighbor. Like most of Eastern Europe, the ink that draws the modern borders we see now on maps is still not dry. If you are a journalist looking to know more about this topic and how the past is now affecting the future of Russia, Ukraine and likely Europe – then let our experts help with your stories. Steven Harris is a professor in the University of Mary Washington's Department of History and American Studies. He is a sought-after expert on modern Russian and European history. Dr. Harris is available to speak with media about this important aspect of the crisis in Ukraine – simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.