UCSF Psychiatry Update from Lowell Tong

Friday, June 29, 2012

Tong

Dear colleagues and friends,

Graduations, commencements, transitions, new interns, residents and fellows – it’s the time of year with so many meaningful rituals and traditions. We’ve had our own share of them in our department, and featured here are an assortment of photos from several recent events. Thank you for participating in these important traditions as well as events large and small to celebrate specific transitions. A very special event was the department-wide commencement ceremony on June 22, at which commencement speaker Molly Cooke suggested to us all to do what we enjoy, enjoy what we do, and not to worry about having a defined Five Year Plan. Amongst those who were able to attend, we may expect an increase (or come back) in turtlenecks this Fall.


UCSF Alliance Health Project (AHP) Reception, June 15 2012.	SFVAMC event hosted by Russell Lemle (left) honoring Sophia Vinogradov (right) and Erick Hung.
SFVAMC event honoring Sophia Vinogradov and Erick Hung (second from right).	Incoming interns (Class of 2016).

New Faculty & Transitions

Amongst our biggest welcomes are to our new, arriving trainees: psychiatry interns and fellows; psychology practicum students, pre-docs, and post-docs; and research and clinical fellows.

In a separate, recent update to the department, I acknowledged upcoming faculty arrivals and departures, and to recap here, we welcome throughout the summer: James Bourgeois (Langley Porter/ Parnassus Psychiatry Consultation Service Attending), Anna Glezer (Langley Porter/ Parnassus Psychiatry Consult Service Attending), Erick Hung (Psychiatry Residency Program Director), Renee Marquardt (Langley Porter Child Psychiatry Clinics Director), Dale McNiel (Clinical Psychology Training Program Director), Melissa Nau (SFGH Psychiatry Emergency Services Director) Manisha Punwani (Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Program Director), Demian Rose (Psychiatry Clerkship Director), Sophia Vinogradov (Department Vice Chair and SFVAMC Associate Chief of Staff for Mental Health), and Tony Yang (child psychiatry research faculty). We also say farewell and give thanks this and next month to: Kristen Brooks (Langley Porter/Parnassus Psychiatry Consultation Service and Residency Site Director), Alan Louie (Brain Mind Behavior med student course co-director), Ricardo Munoz (SFGH Chief Psychologist and Clinical Psychology Training Program director), and John Young (Associate Director, Residency and Langley Porter Adult Psychiatry Clinic). And big thanks but NOT farewell to Rob Daroff (clerkship director) and Ellen Haller (Residency Program Director).

In addition, I announce several additional transitions:

Faculty:

Nau	Melissa Nau, MD has been selected to be the new Director of SFGH Psychiatric Emergency Services (PES). After her UCSF psychiatry residency which included a senior medical education focus, she completed her forensic psychiatry training here in our UCSF Psychiatry and the Law Program. In addition to her primary SFGH attending roles, Melissa has actively served the department on search and governance committees, and is a member of the department’s (workplace) Climate Committee. She assumes the directorship from Eric Woodard, MD, who will be focusing on his forensic psychiatry practice. Welcome to Melissa in her new role and many thanks to Eric for his years of serving the department at SFGH on the forensic unit and in PES.
Prochaska	Jodi Prochaska, PhD, MPH has accepted a tenure-line faculty position in the Department of Medicine at Stanford University with the Stanford Prevention Research Center (SPRC) starting July 2012. Dr. Prochaska came to UCSF in 2001 to complete her fellowship training, and joined the faculty in 2004. She has been an active collaborator and contributing member of the SF Treatment Research Center and the UCSF Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Tobacco Control Program and mentor to 35 pre- and 11 post-doctoral fellows. Dr. Prochaska’s research has documented the epidemic of tobacco use among individuals with psychiatric and addictive disorders and demonstrated success with treating tobacco dependence in high-risk smokers and without threat to their mental health recovery. Dr. Prochaska has 90 publications and in May 2012, her research was featured on the front page of the SF Chronicle. As Principal Investigator, she has received more than $4.5 million in grant funding. The move to the SPRC will support expansion of Dr. Prochaska’s program of research to address additional leading risk behaviors in broader high-risk populations. With numerous active collaborations at UCSF, Dr. Prochaska also will hold an adjunct position as Professor in the UCSF Department of Medicine.

Program:

The UCSF Deaf Community Counseling Service (DCCS), also known as the UCSF Center on Deafness (UCCD), closes its doors at Laurel Heights at the end of June. DCCS has provided culturally competent and linguistically accessible mental health and substance abuse services to clients of San Francisco and Alameda County, as well as school based services for children and their families since 1967. Family Service Agency of San Francisco (FSASF) and the Center for Independent Living (CIL) in Berkeley will provide these services starting July 1. Longtime employees and leaders of DCCS include Daniel Langholtz, LCSW and Nancy Moser, LCSW. We thank current staff for the dedication and caring that has shown through all of their work: John Chamberlain, MD, Eva Ihle, MD, PhD, Otilia Morales, MFTI, Anoush Rodriguez, MS, Nancy Silverman, MEd, MA, MFTI, and Barbara Street, MS, MFT.

Staff:

Emelia-McLinn	Rita Emelia-Mclinn retires from UCSF as administrative assistant based at the VA, supporting our department vice chairs at the VA and many other UCSF academic endeavors at the VA. Rita was very helpful to me as my own UCSF faculty career started on the VA Psychiatry Consultation Unit what seems like just a few years ago…. Best wishes to Rita!
Hopkins	After 42 terrific years of service, Ron Hopkins retires from LPPI Facilities Management on June 28. I thank him for all of his contributions, including numerous repairs of my own first floor office door which used to be a constant threat to the survival of my fingers. I wish him many happy new adventures!

Awards, Grants and Honors

Byers	Amy Byers, PhD, MPH, was awarded an R01 grant from NIH: National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) entitled “Epidemiology of Suicidal Behavior in Racially/Ethnically Diverse Older Americans.” The primary goal of this study is to determine the prevalence and key predictors of suicide-related behaviors in ethnically-diverse older Americans using data from three nationally representative studies. A secondary goal is to determine racial disparities in receipt of mental health services in older adults at increased risk of suicide.
Cheyette	Ben Cheyette, MD, PhD, has been accepted into the Fall 2012 UCSF-Coro Faculty Leadership Collaborative program. The program, sponsored by the Chancellor’s Council on Faculty Life and led by the Coro Center for Civic Leadership, is designed for UCSF faculty who want to build community as well as their personal and professional development skills, awareness and knowledge.
Hoefer	Michael Hoefer, MD has been selected as the 2012-2013 UCSF Resident Research Scholar. The Resident Research Scholars (RRSc) Program provides full tuition, a research stipend and co-mentoring for the Advanced Training in Clinical Research (ATCR) program. The Resident Research Training Program selects the most qualified applicants for this award based on a review of the ATCR application and their assessment of the applicant’s research potential, the availability of mentoring within their home department, and commitment to a year of full-time clinical research training.
Hung	Erick Hung, MD, was selected as a recipient of the 2012 Association for Academic Psychiatry (AAP) Junior Faculty Development Award. This award recognizes promising junior faculty and provides an opportunity for new educators to learn and share teaching techniques, skills and innovations to establish linkages with other experienced educators at the AAP, and to network with other junior faculty. The award ceremony takes place at this year’s AAP annual meeting in October.
Karasic	Dan Karasic, MD, received the 2012 Chancellor’s Award for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Leadership for his long and sustained commitment to improving understanding of LGBT health concerns for the past 21 years. His many contributions to the advancement and equal rights of LGBT people include his role as chair of the original domestic partners subcommittee, where he worked toward securing domestic partner benefits for UCSF employees.
Rachel Loewy, PhD, Kate Hardy, PsyD, Barbara Stuart, PhD, and Demian Rose, MD, PhDwill be working as consultants to the Family Service Agency of San Francisco on a multi-million dollar federal “health care innovations grant” from The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) at the Department of Health and Human Services. This award will support the implementation of best practices care for elderly psychosis in several under-served California counties.
Loewy	Hardy	Stuart	Rose
Marton	Tobias Marton, MD, PhD, was selected as a recipient of the 2012 NIMH Outstanding Resident Award. This award is intended to honor PGY-II psychiatric residents with outstanding accomplishments and academic potential. The formal two-day award program will take place on the NIH campus in September. During Dr. Marton’s visit he will have the opportunity to meet with NIMH branch chiefs, faculty members and clinical fellows, as well as tour the NIMH facilities in the Clinical Center.
Rubenstein	John Rubenstein, MD, PhD, has been awarded the UCSF Academic Senate Faculty Research Lecture: Basic Science honor for 2012-2013. Stay tuned for more details for his lecture slated for Winter 2013. The Academic Senate Faculty Research Lecture: Clinical Science honor goes to neurologist Bruce Miller, MD who holds a joint appointment in our department.
Sorensen	James Sorensen, PhD, was awarded this year’s highest departmental teaching honor: the 2012 George Sarlo Prize for Excellence in Teaching. During his 35 years at UCSF, he has been described as an “amazing” and “phenomenal” mentor who has played a tremendous role in the careers of multiple pre- and postdoctoral trainees who have gone on to successful careers in academia across the country. In addition, he has been a dedicated program builder and administrator, areas requiring a considerable workload and vital to the institution. Dr. Sorensen was unable to accept this award in person at the Education Retreat, so it was unofficially presented to him beforehand and digitally recorded for his Department colleagues to share the moment.
Spielvogel	Anna Spielvogel, MD, PhD, was named the SFGH Ob/Gyn Consultant of the Year by graduating OB/Gyn/RS chief residents. This award was initiated by the chief residents to honor the consultant who has been most instrumental in their own education and who models excellent, compassionate patient care.
The following were awarded pilot project funding supported by Kristine Yaffe from the Roy and Marie Scola Endowed Chair in Psychiatry. This was announced last year, and here are their updates:
Martin	Pierre-Marie Martin, PhD, has identified single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in genes encoding components of the Wnt signaling pathway by high-throughput multiplex sequencing of pooled samples from 380 autism spectrum disorder (ASD) cases and 380 ethnically matched controls. Dr. Martin’s analysis revealed genetic evidence for contributions to ASD from at least three different genes in the Wnt pathway, suggesting that altered Wnt signaling may contribute to the pathogenesis of ASD.
Newville	Howard Newville, PhD, is researching the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills Model of medication adherence for HIV in the Positive Health Program (PHP) at SFGH. Recruitment lasted from March through June 2012. Findings from this project will inform an intervention he will perform for his National Research Service Award (F32) from NIDA in the Fall.
Ordóñez	Anna E. Ordóñez, MD’s current research examines the role that psychological resilience plays in moderating the effects of internal (genetic susceptibility) and external risk factors on the development of psychopathology. The study compares two Latin American adolescent populations living under very contrasting levels of environmental stress. The goal of the study is to identify protective factors that may be targets for future community-based interventions that promote mental health in at-risk youth.
Voglmaier	Susan Voglmaier, MD, PhD’s lab is studying how variation in expression of the neural adhesion molecule, neuroligin, affects presynaptic functional development. Genetic mutations resulting in decreased neuroligin expression are associated with schizophrenia and autism. By taking advantage of recent advances in avidin-biotin and glass surface chemistry, the lab is developing new methods to ‘print’ neuroligin in patterned arrays on glass coverslips. Neurons growing on the coverslips form presynapses at points of contact, allowing the lab to directly visualize the dynamic molecular events associated with neurotransmitter release at high spatiotemporal resolution. The lab can replicate the decreased neuroligin concentration associated with schizophrenia and autism, and study the development of synaptic function. These patterned synaptic arrays could serve as a platform for high-throughput screening to identify drug candidates that normalize aberrant transmission.
Zeki Al Hazzouri	Adina Zeki Al Hazzouri, PhD, is the PI of the pilot grant entitled “Arterial Stiffness and Depressive Symptoms among White and Black Older Adults.” This project analyzes longitudinal data from the Health, Aging and Body Composition Study. Her proposed analyses of looking at the association between arterial stiffness and longitudinal changes in depressive symptoms are currently underway.
The 2011-2012 Psychiatry Resident Teaching Awards were presented at the annual residency gala earlier this month. Each year the incoming Resident Association President and Vice-President hold an election to identify our most outstanding faculty. A select few are nominated, and only two are elected to receive this award from each class. Congratulations to the following winners:
	PGY-I Adam Goldyne, MD Gilbert Villela, MD PGY-II David Elkin, MD David Kan, MD PGY-III Esme Shaller, PhD John Q. Young, MD, MPP PGY-IV Ken Epstein, MSW George Silbershatz, PhD

UCSF Psychiatry Leading and in the News

Dunn	Laura Dunn, MD, was elected Secretary/Treasurer-Elect of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry (AAGP). She began her term in March at the conclusion of the AAGP 2012 Annual Meeting. After serving for a year she will automatically move into the position of Secretary/Treasurer.
Reus	Victor Reus, MD, has been appointed to the Community and Public Health Review Committee for DSM 5—in addition to serving on the Oversight Committee for the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM 5). This committee is charged with vetting all proposed changes in the manual in regards to their likely impact on clinical practice and general acceptance in the community at large. Dr. Reus also has been appointed as the representative of the American Board of Medical Specialties to serve on the Board of Directors of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education, the organization that is responsible for regulating and monitoring all CME activity. In addition, Dr. Reus will chair the Guideline Writing Group for the development of new APA practice guidelines. This group will be responsible for writing all future guidelines, based on the Institute of Medicine standards and following a Delphic iteration model using input from expert content advisors and systematic best evidence reviews.
Rose	Demian Rose, MD, PhD, along with former UCSF Psychiatry resident Dr. Terrence Ketter of Stanford and author Victoria Costello, was a guest on a recent KALW (91.7 FM in San Francisco) episode of City Visions, focusing on prevention and early intervention for mental illness.
Yaffe	Kristine Yaffe, MD, was featured in the UCSF News article "Preventing or Better Managing Diabetes May Prevent Cognitive Decline, According to UCSF Study" on June 21, 2012.

UCSF Psychiatry Published Contributions

Elkin, D., Hung, E., & Villela, G. (2012). Resources for teaching neuroethics.American Medical Association Journal of Ethics, 14(6), 453–458.
Elkin	Hung	Villela
Horowitz	Horowitz, M. J. (2011). Defensive styles of thinking to prevent dreaded states of mind. In C. Piers (Ed.), Personality and psychopathology: The influence of David Shapiro (pp. 165–178). New York, NY: Springer. Horowitz, M. (2012). Mastery of traumatic experiences. In G. Craparo, V. Caretti, & A. Schimmenti (Eds.), Traumatic memories and mentalization. Rome: Astrolabio Edition.
	Horowitz, M. (2012). Uncovering the unconscious: A course in self transformation. New York, NY: CreateSpace. A book for early trainees and the general public, as a useful introduction to psychodynamic understanding of mind, identity and relationships.
Leykin, Y., Aguilera, A., Torres, L., Pérez-Stable, E. J., & Muñoz, R. F. (2012). Interpreting the outcomes of automated Internet-based randomized trials: Example of an international smoking cessation study. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 14(1), e5. Muñoz, R. F., Beardslee, W. F., & Leykin, Y. (2012). Major depression can be prevented [Abstract]. American Psychologist, 67(4), 285–295. This study was covered in the UCSF News article, “Preventing Depression Requires Proactive Interventions by Health Care System” on May 14, 2012.
Leykin	Torres	Muñoz
Mangurian	Mangurian, C., Chaudhry, S., Capitelli, L., Amiel, J, Rosario, F., Jackson, C., Newcomer, J., Cournos, F., Essock, S., Barrett, D., & Devlin, M. (2012). Implementation of a weight loss program for Latino outpatients with severe mental illness. Community Mental Health Journal, 2012 Mar 24 [Epub ahead of print] Mangurian, C., Essock, S., & Sederer, L. (2011). Incentives to reduce metabolic side effects of antipsychotics: Reply. Psychiatric Services, 62(10), 1235–1236.
Skinta	Dilley	Skinta, M. D., Murphy, J. L., Paul, J. P., Schwarcz, S. K., & Dilley, J. W. (2012). Thoughts, attitudes, and feelings of HIV-positive MSM associated with high transmission-risk sex.Health Education & Behavior, 39(3), 315–323.
Zemmelman	Zemmelman, S. (2012). A northern journey: Spirit of the bear, soul of a man. Jung Journal: Culture and Psyche, 6(2), 7–28.

In Memoriam

Putra	Sena Putra was involved in a tragic accident and passed away on May 17, 2012. Sena, who worked in our LPPH&C Finance Office, was walking back to the UCSF Mission Center Building during the lunch hour when he was struck by a commercial vehicle. Sena emigrated from Indonesia almost ten years ago and proudly became a U.S. citizen on April 17. He was very excited and looking forward to voting for the first time this Fall as an American citizen. His UCSF colleagues remember him as “honorable, gifted, and kind.” It was a great honor for me to learn so much about Sena and his impact on colleagues, family and friends. It seems only appropriate to dedicate this Fourth of July to the memory of Sena.
	Wishing you all a safe and happy Fourth of July, and have a great summer. Lowell Tong, MD Interim Chair