Dear colleague: 

I am pleased to announce that Maryam M. Asgari, MD, MPH, has agreed to join the School of Medicine as our chair of dermatology, effective May 1. Maryam is an accomplished surgeon with an extensive research portfolio and exceptional academic credentials. She joins us from Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, where she is a professor of dermatology and population medicine. Maryam is a skin cancer epidemiologist with a focus on treatment and prevention. She has been an independently funded investigator since 2002. Over the past two decades, she has developed a strong track record of program building, including most recently as director of the Patient-Oriented Research in the Epidemiology of Skin Diseases (PORES) clinical research unit, where she oversees a multifaceted team of scientists and trainees. She was elected to the American Society for Clinical Investigation in 2019. She also has developed strong ties to the communities she serves, and in 2010 she received the President’s Volunteer Service Award from President Obama. We look forward to her contributions to our School of Medicine. Please join me in welcoming her to our campus. 

I would like to thank David Norris, MD, chair of dermatology, for his dedicated service to our school and his impressive achievements in medical science. David joined our faculty in 1977 and has served as department chair since 2001. He is an internationally renowned investigator in cutaneous immunology and cell biology, and melanoma research. He has been continuously funded for 40 years by the NIH. Many thanks also to Richard Zane, MD, chair of emergency medicine, who served as chair for this search committee, and to everyone who served on this committee. We were fortunate to have outstanding candidates, and I appreciate the committee’s work in identifying exceptional finalists.  

John Eddy has been named associate dean of community practice for the School of Medicine and vice president of community practice for CU Medicine, our faculty practice plan, effective April 1. John served as vice president of ambulatory services at Eisenhower Health, a nonprofit hospital based in Rancho Mirage, Calif., and prior to that he was associate administrator of operations and ambulatory services for University Medical Center in Las Vegas. John has more than 20 years of experience leading strategies that that drove new growth, improved patient satisfaction, and improved quality of care. 

Jennifer Rodriguez, PT, DPT, MHS, associate professor and director of clinical education in the Physical Therapy Program, has received the Award for Leadership in Education from the American Physical Therapy Association at its Combined Sections meeting in San Diego in late February. The award recognizes a nationally prominent educator who has exhibited outstanding leadership and contributions to the field. In a post on LinkedIn by Michael Harris-Love, PT, MPT, DSc, associate dean for physical therapy education and director of the Physical Therapy Program, says the award “reflects the tremendous impact that she has had on scores of faculty members and hundreds of program graduates over the years. We are thankful that she is part of the PT program at University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.” 

Glenn Furuta, MD, professor of pediatrics, and Paul Menard-Katcher, MD, associate professor of medicine, are part of a team of researchers on a study that may change the treatment paradigm for patients with eosinophilic esophagitis, an allergic condition that causes chronic inflammation in the esophagus that can lead to esophageal narrowing and dysfunction. In an article published last week by The Lancet Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Glenn, Paul, and 28 co-authors describe the multisite study, which shows that a single-food elimination diet — one in which dairy products are eliminated — is as effective as the standard six-food elimination diet for achieving remission in eosinophilic esophagitis. 

National Jewish Health hosted its Beaux Arts Ball fundraising gala Saturday evening, with a program celebrating Las Vegas. Attendees were treated to musical performances inspired by Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley. This annual fundraiser is an excellent opportunity to support our colleagues at National Jewish and their exceptional care and outstanding research. Congratulations to all on another successful celebration. 

The School of Medicine and the Office of Advancement hosted a reception Thursday to thank scholarship benefactors who have provided millions of dollars in funding to support our students. The attendance was impressive, with more than 180 attendees filling the Elliman Conference Center in the Anschutz Health Sciences Building. Even more impressive were the students who turned out to thank the donors who have helped make their dreams come true. Speaking eloquently on behalf of all the students were Daniel Owens, a fourth-year medical student, Aryssara Bryndzia, who is pursuing her doctor of physical therapy degree, and Alex Khoury, a student in the Child Health Associate/Physician Assistant program. A sample from Alex: “We will carry these skills on throughout our lives, many of us becoming leaders in medicine and shaping our health care system. Whatever glories and achievements we attain, you will have a share in that. Again, the benefits of your kindness and support have unlocked incredible potential that otherwise may lay dormant. Thank you for planting us and watering us. We won’t stop growing any time soon.”

Have a good week,

John J. Reilly, Jr., MD
Richard D. Krugman Endowed Chair
Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs and
Dean, School of Medicine

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