What is your hometown?
My hometown is Haddonfield, New Jersey.
When did you join the UI faculty?
I joined the faculty as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics in 1983.
How/when did you become interested in science?
Although I became especially interested in science when I was in high school and continued to develop that interest as a biology major at the University of Delaware, I remember being fascinated by nature even as a child.
Please describe your professional interests.
As a basic scientist, my primary interests are in the field of endocrinology. More specifically, I am very interested in how steroid hormones, especially the adrenal steroids cortisol and aldosterone, mediate their diverse physiological effects at the cellular and molecular levels. These steroids bind to intracellular receptor proteins that function as ligand-activated transcription factors. Thus, much of my research has focused on the steroid receptor pathway and the ability of these complexes to regulate gene expression. One of the model systems I have used for my research is a human leukemic cell line that is growth-inhibited and ultimately lysed by glucocorticoid agonists like cortisol and dexamethasone. Current collaborative projects include: the role glucocorticoid metabolizing enzymes, such as 11 beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 and 2,in regulating glucocorticoid sensitivity; and the interaction between estrogenic hormones and subunits of the calcium- and voltage-gated potassium channel (maxi K channel).
My other professional interests are in the area of medical education, particularly in the basic sciences. By attending annual medical education conferences I try to keep abreast of new ways to incorporate technology and active learning into my teaching (both lecture and small group case-based learning formats). These conferences have also helped me develop an appreciation for the diverse ways that students learn and process information.
What inspired you to pursue a career in science and education? What is it about physiology and biophysics that interests you most?
I was initially inspired to pursue a career in science and education by my parents, who always encouraged me to study in my science classes and appreciate my teachers. Excellent high school teachers and college professors also encouraged me to pursue my interests in science.
What interests me the most about physiology is that this discipline not only gives me the opportunity to study important events and reactions at the molecular and cellular level, but also to develop an understanding of how an entire system, such as the endocrine system, functions at the level of the whole body to maintain homeostasis.
Is there a teacher or mentor who helped shape your career?
Two postdoctoral mentors really helped shape my career: Dr. E. Brad Thompson (National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Md.) and Dr. Gerald Litwack (Fels Research Institute, Temple Medical School, Philadelphia, Penn).
How or why did you choose the UI?
I chose the UI because I wanted to pursue teaching and research in a medical school environment and I knew that the UI had an excellent reputation in both of these arenas. I was also attracted to the lifestyle, Big Ten sports and cultural activities available in Iowa City.
What kinds of professional opportunities or advantages does being a faculty member at Iowa provide? What about challenges?
As a faculty member at the UI I have had the opportunity to participate in several professional research organizations, such as the Endocrine Society and the American Association for Cancer Research. I have also served on a National Science Foundation grant review panel. More recently, I have had the opportunity to serve on the Education Committee of the American Physiological Society, as well as on the Board of Directors of the International Association of Medical Science Educators. Through these diverse experiences it has become very clear to me that the Carver College of Medicine has an excellent reputation both in research and education.
What are some of the challenges facing medical education today?
Certainly one of the major challenges facing medical education today is how to deal with information overload – in other words, how we as faculty identify what body of information is most essential for future physicians to know. Equally important is the challenge of training medical students to become efficient and enthusiastic self-directed learners.
Have students 'changed' since you began teaching at the UI? Have technological advances or other scientific developments over the past decade led to greater interest in basic science among students?
In some ways students – both medical students and graduate students – are more prepared than they were 20 years ago. Many students now take newly developed, advanced classes in molecular and cell biology as undergraduates. Obviously, students have much more computer expertise these days and hence are able to access scientific information much more quickly. I believe that this 'ease of access' has helped them expand their horizons and recognize the opportunities that biomedical research can offer.
Please share your thoughts/perspective on the importance of the basic sciences and how basic science discoveries impact the clinical practice of medicine.
Research in all of the basic sciences, including physiology and biophysics, has had tremendous impact, not only on our understanding of how living organisms develop and function at the molecular, cellular, organ, system and whole animal levels, but also either directly or indirectly on the practice of medicine. Many current medical practices, ranging from the diagnosis of specific diseases to the use of new vaccines and drug therapies, can be traced back to discoveries in the basic sciences. An excellent example of this close association between basic science discoveries and medical practices would be the discovery of the adrenal steroid hormone cortisone, which was originally referred to as substance X or Compound E. This steroid was isolated and purified by a group of basic scientists and physicians working at the Mayo Clinic and was shown to be very effective in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and Addison's disease (insufficient secretion of adrenal steroids). In 1950, the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Drs. Kendall, Reichstein and Hench for this major discovery. Today, cortisone and other glucocorticoid hormones are widely used clinically to treat a broad range of diseases and conditions including, but not limited to, rheumatic and autoimmune disorders, renal and ocular diseases, allergic disorders, skin and cardiovascular diseases, and various types of leukemia. Basic science research has unraveled how these potent anti-inflammatory steroids exert their effects at the molecular and cellular levels and has led to the development of more potent synthetic derivatives of these adrenal hormones.
How do you stay abreast of changes in scientific discovery and incorporate these changes into your teaching and/or research? Is there a particular source of information (such as a journal, professional meeting or association, etc.) that you find invaluable in your work?
I try to stay abreast of new discoveries in my field and frequently incorporate new information (frequently published in the New England Journal of Medicine) into my lectures in the Medical Cell Biology and Human Organ Systems courses I teach. I acquire this new information from a variety of sources including scientific journals, new textbooks, scientific meetings, seminars at UI and online literature searches. The Pub Med online literature search is very valuable and allows me to efficiently identify recently published scientific articles on very specific topics. Many of these full-length articles are now available online, which eliminates the need to track down articles in the library and saves valuable time.
Do you have an insight or philosophy that guides you in your professional work?
Scientific discovery is something we all strive for, but new knowledge is actually worthless unless we are able to communicate it effectively to others. So for me, sharing knowledge is the key.
There are two quotes that reflect my attitudes:
"He who is afraid of asking is afraid of learning."
"The best way to learn a subject is to teach it to others."
If you could change one thing about the world (or the world of science), what would it be?
If I could change just one thing about the world of science, it would be to find a cure and completely end the worldwide AIDS epidemic.
What one piece of advice you would give to today's medical students?
Be yourself, enjoy all aspects of your life, and don't lose sight of the fact that you want to become not only a knowledgeable and talented physician, but also one who is caring and compassionate.
What are some of your outside interests?
Some of my outside interests include travel, photography, gardening and Hawkeye sports.
President Skorton named 2005 as the "Year of Public Engagement." Please share your involvement in any efforts to reach the greater Iowa public (i.e. population based research, mentoring high school students, sharing your leadership/expertise with organizations or causes, speaking engagements off campus, etc.).
For several years I was invited to participate in the Mini Medical School program at the UI. This was a great opportunity for me to interact with Iowans from all walks of life and share with them some basic information concerning diseases related to the endocrine system. I've been very impressed with how well informed many of these individuals are concerning recent scientific discoveries, and I'm sure this reflects the ease of access to this information on the Internet. I have also had the opportunity to serve as a judge for several science fairs in Cedar Rapids.