AED Meeting Minutes
Upcoming Events
-Thurs., November 12: Got Research? Sponsored by CBS Student Board, 4-7:30PM,
Moos 2-650
-Thurs., November 12: Healthcare Reform 101, 6-8PM, Mayo Memorial Auditorium
-Tues, November 17: Deadline for Medical Student Mentor Program Application
-Wed., November 18: Volunteer Event, Cook for Families at Hope Lodge, 5-8PM,
RSVP: tschi083@umn.edu
-Wed., December 2, Meeting with Dr. Prassad, Internal Medicine, 6:30-7:30PM, Moos 2530 (Deadline: Points Program, Natl. Membership)
-Sat., December 12: Fall Semester Initiation Banquet, 12-2PM, Annie’s Parlour, RSVP to
aed@umn.edu
Medicine in the News, Xiaoying: Do Newborns Cry with an accent?
- Recorded cries of 3-5 day old babies of French or German parents
- Measured frequency and amplitude of a cry for 1 second
- Cried with same intonation as mother’s native language
- This suggests that babies can absorb enough language while in the womb to mimic
melody patterns of a language
- Crying could be basis for later stages of language development
Lindsey, Kaplan
- Take a well deserved break for a FREE coffee break on Wednesday, December 2nd from
6-8PM. Meet with Kaplan’s MCAT instructors. Get time-saving tips and ask questions.
There will also be door prizes to win!
- go to www.kaptest.com/MCAT to register
Dr. Daniel Garry
Innovations in Cardiovascular Medicine
Background
- Grew up in Southern MN, went to St. John’s
- Important that he connected with a mentor early.
- MD/PhD here at the U of M
- Chose to do a cardiology residency. Went out to Long Island and then down to UTSouthwestern
- Wife was also in science. They have 4 kids together. It is possible to have a family and
a career in the sciences/medicine. You have to set priorities and focus on what you want
to do though
Cardiovascular Medicine
- The University has a very long history in cardiovascular medicine
- is the world’s first heart hospital (1951) and the site of the world’s first
successful open-heart surgery (1952)
-World’s first open heart surgery using cross-circulation (1954) where child is
hooked up to parent and blood flows through both of them.
- The U is also where the first functional heart-lung machine was developed. And
where portable pacemakers were developed and artificial heart valve implants
(both 1958)
- 1 in 3 people have Cardiovascular Disease in the US. One of biggest problems that
we as Americans face.
-Lillehei Heart Institute collaborates with many areas within the university. They now
have large areas for research labs and many grants and collaborate with other
programs.
- have a new Heart Center Building being built in research park (by TCF Bank
Stadium) where they want to devote space to education.
- want to provide stem cells for heart cells to provide organs for patients
- first need to understand how stem cells become cardiomyocytes
- want to use iPS cells to create personalized therapies
- Interesting things in the Lillehei Heart Institute
- Physician-Scientist Pathway- if come out of medical school and know want to
go into cardiology.
- Cardiovascular Division Grand Rounds: Aug26, 2009- June 30, 2010
- Lecture Series Wednesdays from 12-1PM.
- Sarnoff Fellowship Program, if want to take a year off while in Medical School
to do research.
- Summer Scholars Program for Undergrads and High School students. This
program links you up with a mentor and you get to work in a lab. Each week you
hear from a new speaker.
Advice
- Although he thinks Medical School is very competitive, but he couldn’t imagine a more
rewarding career. You have to enjoy the journey even though it is a long one.
- If you are very committed, you really have to dig deep in a particular area- whether that
is research, volunteering, etc. People on admissions committees are looking for depth
- The most important thing was finding a mentor. It is also important to have a strong
work ethic. You also have to get out of your comfort zone. The way you grow is the way
you stretch out of your comfort zone.
- it’s a marathon, not a sprint
- find your star and follow it
- big discoveries begin with simple experiments.
- mechanism. Mechanism. Mechanism
- let biology lead you and keep pushing you in new directions ( get out of your comfort
zone)
- share everything- you will get back more than you give
- it takes endless energy, ideas, and enthusiasm
- teamwork is the key- a coach is nothing without a team
- work hard, play hard, have fun
- people (and you) are the single most important ingredient
Questions
Q: What made you choose cardiology over surgery?
A: Thought that cardiology would lead the world that we live in today. Research in that
area was the most interesting and ground breaking. He also wanted to be focused on
research and patient care.
Q: What is the screening process for cardiac disease?
A: Prevention is big today. Have a 10 step assay to identify patients at high risk for
cardiac disease and are linking to a genetic component (which genes are responsible?).
Q: How do you deal with the criticism that comes with the research/innovations you are
involved in?
A: You have to embrace it. In the scientific community you want the dialogue between
people/centers. All big discoveries come with controversy. Many new discoveries are the
result of controversies- for example, iPS cells coming from the controversy of embryonic
stem cells.
Q: How much cardiovascular diseases are linked to genes?
A: Have to have the gene that makes you susceptible to the disease, but there are also
environmental factors. Research on this topic is still very early in it’s development.