Dear colleague: 

Jane Schumaker, senior associate dean for finance and administration for the University of Colorado School of Medicine and executive director of University of Colorado Medicine, has announced that she plans to retire when a successor is named. Jane joined us in March 2011 and has been an outstanding leader and member of the executive team serving the School of Medicine and our successful faculty practice, CU Medicine. The financial success of CU Medicine has allowed for investment in student scholarships, endowed faculty chairs, and community medical practices. Our faculty practice and medical school are stronger today and that’s a major accomplishment because both were already national leaders when Jane joined us. Jane guided CU Medicine with expertise, wisdom, and skill, and CU has been the peak of a remarkable career. We intend to engage an executive search firm to conduct a national search. We are grateful for Jane’s outstanding service and for her commitment to remain with us while we seek her successor. She will leave a remarkable legacy. 

Last week, the University announced the creation of the Lula O. Lubchenco, MD, Endowed Chair in the Department of Pediatrics, Section of Neonatology. The Lubchenco Chair is the first endowed chair at CU Anschutz named in honor of a female faculty member, according to the Office of Advancement, and was made possible with financial support from the Section of Neonatology and benefactors including Dr. Lubchenco’s family. Dr. Lubchenco was born in Russian Turkestan in 1915 and her family immigrated to the United States when she was a child. She attended University of Denver on a scholarship, earned a medical degree at the CU School of Medicine in 1939, and completed a pediatric residency and research fellowship at Denver Children’s Hospital. After a year in private practice, she joined the School’s Department of Pediatrics and established Colorado General Hospital’s Premature Infant Center where she became the first medical director. Her research on the care of premature infants led to new standards in clinical care for mothers and babies. During her career, she published more than 100 articles, abstracts and chapters. Dr. Lubchenco was promoted to professor in 1969. Her full-time academic career spanned from 1943 to 1977 and she continued to serve on admissions and ethics committees until her death in 2001. An interview with Dr. Lubchenco, completed in 1997, is posted on the American Academy of Pediatrics website. 

We express gratitude to the Cancer League of Colorado (CLC) for supporting the University of Colorado Cancer Center with $900,000 in funding for research projects and investigator-initiated trials. The research projects include adult and pediatric cancer research. The gift from CLC also paid for approximately 24 college students to take part in the CU Cancer Center’s competitive Cancer Research Summer Fellowship program. Each year, the program receives hundreds of applications from all over the United States. CLC is a volunteer-driven organization that has provided nearly $3 million in funding in the past three years for research at the CU Cancer center. 

Congratulations to Bonnie Kaplan, MD, assistant professor of emergency medicine, and Robert Janson, MD, associate professor of medicine, on being named recipients of the Faculty Professionalism Award. Nominators praised Bonnie as a compassionate clinician and inspirational leader and Robert as a respected and dedicated clinician and educator. The award will be presented to Bonnie and Robert at the School of Medicine Matriculation Ceremony, Friday, August 10. Congratulations also to the other nominees who have demonstrated model leadership at our School. 

Children’s Hospital Colorado hosted the 3rd Biennial Dravet Syndrome Foundation Family and Professional Conference on July 19-22, bringing to the Anschutz Medical Campus about 265 participants from across United States and around the world. Dravet syndrome is a rare, lifelong form of epilepsy that begins in the first year of life. It affects about one in 15,700 individuals.  Common issues associated with Dravet syndrome include seizures, behavioral and developmental delays, movement and balance issues, delayed language and speech issues, growth and nutrition issues, sleeping difficulties and other conditions. Current treatment options are limited, and the constant care required for someone with Dravet syndrome severely affects quality of life for the patient and the family. Participants, including parents, providers, researchers and industry representatives, discussed current research and management of Dravet syndrome. Special thanks to Kelly Knupp, MD, who assisted in organizing and planning of the meeting. Several University faculty and staff were presenters including Charuta Joshi, MBBS, Scott Demarest, MD, Craig Press, MD, PhD, Tim Benke, MD, PhD, Greta Wilkening, PsyD, PhD, Katie Angione MS, Ginenne Sullivan, RN, Anne Stratton, MD, Kourtney Santucci, MD, Manisha Patel, PhD, and Amy Sass, MD. 

Have a good week,

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