Dr. Ebony Boulware Inducted into Johns Hopkins Hall of Fame and Elected to National Academy of Medicine Council
Dr. L. Ebony Boulware, dean of Wake Forest University School of Medicine and chief science officer for Advocate Health, was recently inducted into the Johns Hopkins Women’s Medical Alumnae Association Hall of Fame.
The hall of fame was established in 1993 to recognize the contributions of the extraordinary women alumni and faculty of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
Boulware is a renowned health equity researcher and thought leader. Throughout her career, she has established groundbreaking programs to improve health equity for individuals with chronic illnesses, and she has championed efforts to diversify the workforce in science and medicine.
She is a general internist and a clinical epidemiologist who began her career as a clinician researcher at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Boulware has been continuously funded in her research, leading to interventions to improve clinical care.
Boulware received her undergraduate degree from Vassar College and her medical degree from Duke University School of Medicine. She completed her residency in internal medicine at the University of Maryland and came to Johns Hopkins in 1999 to earn her M.P.H. in epidemiology with a subsequent research fellowship. She joined the faculty as a core member of the Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology and Clinical Research in 2002 and rose to full professor.
In 2013, Boulware was recruited from Johns Hopkins to Duke to serve as chief of the Division of General Internal Medicine and became the inaugural director of the Duke Clinical and Translational Science Institute, playing a key role in accelerating science translation. In 2023, she joined Wake Forest University School of Medicine as the second woman and first Black dean and leads the academic core for Advocate Health, the nation’s third largest nonprofit health system.
Boulware has also been elected as a new member of the National Academy of Medicine Council – the academy’s governing and oversight body.
Boulware will serve a three-year term from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2027.
Founded in 1970 as the Institute of Medicine, the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) is one of three academies that make up the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (the National Academies) in the United States. The NAM has more than 2,400 members elected by their peers in recognition of outstanding achievement.
Read the full message from the National Academy of Medicine.
Associate Professor Receives Award for Early Career Achievement
Dr. Amber Keller Brooks, associate professor of anesthesiology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, recently received a Distinguished Alumni Award for Early Career Achievement Honors from the University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine. The award is given to graduates of the past 20 years who have achieved early distinction in their field. The Distinguished Alumni Award is the highest honor the Carver College of Medicine bestows upon its outstanding graduates.
Brooks received the award because her career has been guided by two passions: serving patients living with chronic and complex pain and advocating for compassionate, quality care for all. Through her clinical research, she has cast light on bias and stigma in pain medicine and the healing power of movement. She has led efforts at Wake Forest University School of Medicine to build health equity into the curriculum for medical learners, and her next goal is to create a training program to boost innovation in the field of addiction medicine through modern data science methods.
Established in 1998, this awards program recognizes former students, colleagues and friends who have transcended their fundamental roles as health care providers, scientists and educators to become influential participants in the advancement of the art and science of medicine. Excellence in these areas brings pride and distinction to the University of Iowa and the Carver College of Medicine.
Professor Recognized at Annual Meeting of Pan-American Otolaryngology Society
Dr. J. Dale Browne, chair and professor of otolaryngology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, spoke at the 38th annual Pan-American Otolaryngology Society meeting in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. While there, he was surprised with a special recognition award for elevating the level of care in otolaryngology head and neck surgeries, along with the educational work with the otolaryngology residency in Santo Domingo.
Browne and his team have completed more than 1,800 surgeries and have seen more than 7,500 patients in clinics in the Dominican Republic during the past 12 years. Additionally, they have sponsored the Santo Domingo fourth-year residents to rotate in their department for several months each year, where they learn new skills and techniques they can apply to their patients. They have donated equipment to their program, and Browne has personally trained the most successful oncologic head and neck reconstructive surgeon in the Dominican Republic with microvascular techniques.
The Pan-American Association of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery is an academic organization that includes 22 countries in North, Central, South America, and the Caribbean.
Professor Honored by Alzheimer’s Association with Lifetime Achievement Award
Goldie Byrd, professor of social sciences and health policy at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, has been awarded the 2024 Bengt Winblad Lifetime Achievement Award at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) in Philadelphia. This award recognizes Byrd’s significant contributions to Alzheimer’s disease research and her lasting impact on the field. She was chosen from thousands of candidates for this honor.
Byrd is being honored for her focus on inclusion of special populations, particularly African Americans, in Alzheimer’s disease research and clinical trials. She has won numerous awards for her community-engaged research that addresses equity and inclusion in Alzheimer’s research. The AAIC Lifetime Achievement Awards celebrate senior investigators who have dedicated their careers to making progress against Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
Byrd’s recognition at AAIC, which was attended by nearly 10,000 scientists and clinicians, highlights her enduring influence in the field.
Faculty Selected as Research All-Stars by Avant-Garde Health
Avant-garde Health recently announced the Healthcare Research All-Stars 2024 list, which recognizes top physicians and hospitals across 10 specialties, including orthopaedic surgery and spine. Seven Wake Forest University School of Medicine faculty members were recognized.
Dr. Domagoj Coric, professor of neurosurgery; Dr. Cynthia Emory, chair and professor of orthopaedic surgery and rehabilitation; Dr. Tadhg O’Gara, associate professor of orthopaedic surgery and rehabilitation, chief clinical research; Dr. Joseph Hsu, clinical professor of orthopaedic surgery and associate dean for research; Dr. Wesley Hsu, associate professor of neurosurgery; Dr. John Wilson, interim chair and professor of neurosurgery; and Dr. Brian Waterman, professor of orthopaedic surgery and rehabilitation and chief of sports medicine, were each ranked in the top 1 to 5% of their respective specialties.
The Healthcare Research All-Star Awards honor the outstanding surgeons and hospitals whose contributions to health care research significantly enhance the quality of patient care. The study examined the research of more than 4,000 hospitals and 90,000 surgeons and includes only the top five percent based on the quantity and quality of their published research.
Professor Emeritus Awarded Research Award from Southern Medical Association
The Southern Medical Association’s (SMA) leadership selected Dr. Carlos M. Ferrario, professor emeritus, as the recipient of the 2024 Dr. Robert D. & Mrs. Alma W. Moreton Original Research Award.
The Dr. Robert D. and Alma W. Moreton Research Award honors significant contributions to original research in clinical medicine or the basic sciences as applied to medicine. The award is presented annually at the SMA’s Annual Scientific Assembly, which will be held in Atlanta on Oct. 25, as the highlight of the assembly’s opening general session.
Ferrario is world renowned for his groundbreaking contributions to the identification of angiotensin-(1-7) and the role of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) in regulating cardiac function and blood pressure control. The importance of his research has surpassed the field of cardiovascular disease, and Ferrario has authored or co-authored 518 peer-reviewed manuscripts, 78 chapters in books and has published five books.
The SMA has been committed to fostering the science and art of medicine through multidisciplinary interprofessional education.
Professor Honored by American Board of Professional Psychology
Laura A. Flashman, professor of neuropsychology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, was recently awarded the 2024 American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) Clinical Neuropsychology Specialty Board and Academy award. The American Board of Clinical Neuropsychology (ABCN) and the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology (AACN), both specialty boards of the ABPP, jointly nominated Flashman.
Flashman has served the specialty of neuropsychology in several roles, including as the ABCN representative to the ABPP board of trustees and in multiple roles on the ABCN board of directors. She has been active in all aspects of the board certification process (oral examiner, practice sample reviewer, written examination subject member expert).
ABPP is the senior parent board for the profession of psychology and was established in 1947. The ABCN is responsible for administration of the examination for competence in the specialty of clinical neuropsychology, and the AACN advances the profession of clinical neuropsychology through its advocacy of outstanding educational and public policy initiatives.
Professor Awarded Honorary Doctorate in Hungary
Kristie Foley, chair and professor of the department of implementation science at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, was recently awarded an honorary doctorate by the Faculty of Education and Psychology at Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest, Hungary. She is the first woman to receive this distinction for her influential work in tobacco control and implementation science.
Foley’s journey in Hungary began in 2007 as a Fulbright Scholar at Semmelweis University. She later secured a $1.5 million NIH grant to support Hungarian scientists in tobacco research aligned with World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and MPOWER measures. Her efforts significantly contributed to Hungary's progressive tobacco control policies.
In 2012, Foley expanded her research to Romania with a $1.3 million grant, using a “train the trainer” approach. Her work continued as a Fulbright Specialist in 2016 at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Târgu Mureş, Romania, focusing on research ethics and tobacco control. Currently, Foley leads ongoing research projects in Eastern Europe, including smoking cessation among pregnant women in Romania. Appointed chair of the department of implementation science in 2017, she bridges research and health system needs. In 2021, she completed the prestigious Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM) program.
Assistant Professors Awarded Innovative Project Awards by American Heart Association
Pooja Jadiya, assistant professor of gerontology and geriatric medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, and Dhanendra Tomar, assistant professor of cardiology, were recently awarded Innovative Project Awards by the American Heart Association (AHA).
This program supports highly innovative and high-impact research that could lead to critical discoveries or significant cardiovascular and cerebrovascular research advancements.
Jadiya has received funding support for her pioneering research into mitochondrial calcium signaling in the cerebrovascular system in Alzheimer’s disease. The study introduces novel insights into the disease at the molecular and cellular levels, uncovering new disease mechanisms and potential targets for intervention.
Tomar has received funding support for his innovative project that aims to explore the role of TRIM-NHL proteins and mitochondria-associated biomolecular condensates in cardiac aging. The research holds the potential to uncover new insights into the mechanisms of cardiac aging and pave the way for breakthroughs in treatment and prevention strategies for age-related cardiovascular diseases.
AHA has grown into the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. A shared focus on cardiovascular health unites its more than 35 million volunteers and supporters as well as its more than 2,900 employees. The AHA has invested more than $5 billion in research, making it the largest not-for-profit funding source for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease research next to the federal government.
Associate Professor Elected President of National Board
Dr. Lyndsay Madden, associate professor of otolaryngology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, was recently named president of the Board of Governors for the American Osteopathic Colleges of Ophthalmology/Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. Madden is the first female otolaryngologist to be named president of this board.
This national organization of ophthalmologists and otolaryngologists in the osteopathic profession began in 1908 with the establishment of the Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Section of the American Osteopathic Association (AOA). This group has continued through the years to conduct an educational program in ophthalmology and otorhinolaryngology in connection with the programs of the AOA which promote/support osteopathic trained ophthalmologists and otolaryngologists.
Professor Receives Lifetime Achievement Award
Michael A. Nader, professor of translational neuroscience and radiology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, recently received the Peter B. Dews Lifetime Achievement Award in Behavioral Pharmacology from the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET), which recognizes lifetime achievements in research, teaching and professional service in the field of Behavioral Pharmacology.
The award was presented to Nader by the Division for Behavioral Pharmacology during the ASPET 2024 Annual Meeting in Arlington, Va. As a behavioral neuropharmacologist and director of the Center for Addiction Research, Nader’s research interests are in the areas of substance abuse, sex differences, nonhuman primate models of social behavior and brain imaging, to name a few and examines individual differences in drug effects using a multitude of variables that influence outcome.
With over 35 years in the field, Nader received this award in recognition of his productive and innovative research, his teaching and mentoring of students and his long-standing service to the field of behavioral pharmacology.
Professor Receives Lifetime Achievement Award from American Headache Society
Don Penzien, professor of psychiatry and behavioral medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, has been honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Headache Society (AHS) for his outstanding contributions in behavioral medicine, particularly headache and chronic/persistent pain research and research methodologies. His work is highly regarded by his peers and colleagues, which helped lead to this tremendous accomplishment.
Penzien has been a pioneer in rigorously testing the separate and combined effects of behavioral and pharmacological treatments for pain and was one of the earliest advocates for developing clinical guidelines for headache treatments based on empirical findings. His dedication to pain management and relief has had an enormous impact on the field.
The AHS is the nation’s largest professional health care organization and viewed as a worldwide leader in developing and delivering headache medicine and advocacy to the professional community. This award is the society’s highest honor in recognition of sustained and substantial service to the society and the field of headache medicine.
Associate Professor Awarded AUA Honorary Membership
Dr. Alejandro Remigio Rodriguez, associate professor of urology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, was recently honored at the 2024 American Urological Association (AUA) meeting in San Antonio with an Honorary Membership. Rodriguez received the honor for strengthening the relationship between the American Confederation of Urology (CAU) and the AUA, bringing urologists together throughout the Americas.
AUA Honorary Membership is reserved for scientists who have achieved outstanding prominence in a field of medicine related to urology, officers of the association, and/or distinguished urologists. Each October, the AUA immediate past president nominates individuals for Honorary Membership.
Associate Professor Receives Award from American Society for Nutrition
Katherine Sauder, associate professor of implementation science and pediatrics at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, was recently named a distinguished recipient of the 2024 National Scientific Achievement Awards by the American Society for Nutrition (ASN) and the ASN Foundation.
This award recognizes a young investigator who has provided outstanding contributions and pioneering advancements in the field of nutrition.
The ASN was founded in 1928 and brings together the top nutrition researchers, medical practitioners, policy makers and industry leaders to advance the science, education and practice of nutrition, reaching more than 55 million people annually.
ASN publishes four peer-reviewed journals and provides education and professional development opportunities year-round.
The ASN Foundation complements and enhances ASN priorities and activities through the dissemination and application of nutrition science and education to improve public health and clinical practice worldwide and advances the Society’s role as a global leader in nutrition, health and wellness.
Professor Installed as President of American Society for Preventative Cardiology
Dr. Michael D. Shapiro, professor of cardiovascular medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, was recently installed as president of the American Society for Preventative Cardiology (ASPC) during the ASPC 2024 Congress on Cardiovascular Diseases Prevention held in Salt Lake City. Shapiro’s tenure will be for two years.
As president, Shapiro will champion innovative strategies that will further empower ASPC members and improve patient outcomes across the spectrum of cardiovascular care. Shapiro plans to welcome new members into the vibrant ASPC community, expand educational initiatives, foster collaborative research and advocate for policy changes that support preventive cardiovascular care.
Shapiro directs the Center for Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, where he mentors future cardiologists and collaborates with colleagues to advance the field. His research and clinical practice have been dedicated to identifying risk factors and developing preventive strategies. Additionally, Shapiro has been involved in numerous clinical trials and research projects that have contributed to the understanding of heart disease prevention.
This year’s meeting was the largest meeting to date, with close to 400 attendees and more than 180 abstracts submitted.
The ASPC is a non-profit membership-based association dedicated to educating health care professionals and patients about the prevention of cardiovascular diseases.
Faculty Affairs Leader Appointed to AAMC Group on Faculty Affairs Planning Committee
Nick Smith-Stanley, AVP of Faculty Affairs at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, was recently appointed to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Group on Faculty Affairs Program Planning Committee. This leadership role is critically important to the accomplishment of the Group on Faculty Affair’s (GFA) mission to build and sustain faculty vitality in medical schools and teaching hospitals by supporting faculty affairs deans and administrators in their development and implementation of institutional policies and professional development activities that advance the academic missions of teaching, research and clinical care.
The planning committee plays a pivotal role in developing, implementing and evaluating the annual GFA Professional Development Conference. The committee develops the call for proposals, reviews and accepts proposals, organizes the program content and implements all conference sessions and activities.
Laboratory Manager Receives Award from NC Office of Emergency Medical Services
Christina Warren, laboratory manger in the blood bank at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, received the 2024 Graham Pervier Award by the N.C. Office of Emergency Medical Services.
The award, named for longtime N.C. EMS advocate, Graham Pervier, recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to improve emergency medical care in N.C.
Warren played an integral role in the implementation of the pre-hospital blood program in North Carolina, beginning with the Wake Forest Baptist AirCare program, and later supporting one of the nation’s first EMS-based blood programs at Surry County EMS.
Over the past two years, she has helped develop numerous ground-based prehospital blood programs in Northwest N.C.
Media contact:
Jenna Kurzyna, jkurzyna@wakehealth.edu; Joe McCloskey, jmcclosk@wakehealth.edu