Nikolaos Soldatos inducted into Academy of Osseointegration

Nikolaos Soldatos, D.D.S., Ph.D., M.S.D., clinical director and associate professor in the OHSU School of Dentistry, has been inducted as a fellow into the Academy of Osseointegration during its 2025 meeting. “This marks a significant achievement in my career and reflects my dedication to advancing the field of dental implantology, from ridge augmentation to successful osseointegration of dental implants,” he said. “This recognition inspires me to strive for excellence in research, patient care and education of our graduate residents in the Advanced Education Program in Periodontics and Implant Dentistry. I am deeply grateful for the support of my mentors and colleagues throughout this journey.”

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David Lieberman earns 2025 AGA Julius Friendenwald Medal

David A Lieberman, M.D., AGAF, emeritus professor of medicine and former head of the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology in the OHSU School of Medicine and the Portland VA Health Care System, has earned the American Gastroenterlogical Association’s Julius Friendenwald Medal. Since 1941, the Julius Friedenwald Medal has honored physicians for their lifelong contributions to gastroenterology.

An expert in colon cancer screening, Lieberman led groundbreaking research, including the Veterans Affairs Cooperative Study No. 380, with findings published in top medical journals. He chaired the U.S. Multi-Society Task Force on Colorectal Cancer from 2006 to 2012, shaping critical guidelines for screening and surveillance.

Lieberman has held various leadership roles in the AGA, including president from 2018 to 2019, and he chairs the AGA Colorectal Cancer Task Force. He also led the Clinical Outcomes Research Initiative (CORI) from 1999 to 2015. He established a national endoscopic data repository, resulting in more than 90 peer-reviewed publications.

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Dawn Nolt helps OHSU earn Antimicrobial Stewardship Center of Excellence designation   

Through the work of Dawn Nolt, M.D., M.P.H., professor of pediatrics (infectious diseases) in the OHSU School of Medicine, OHSU has been designated by the Infectious Diseases Society of America as an Antimicrobial Stewardship Center of Excellence (CoE). The CoE program promotes excellence in antimicrobial use and combating antimicrobial resistance by recognizing hospitals that effectively demonstrate excellence in this work. A CoE designation signifies a hospital has the policies and processes to deliver high-quality stewardship services consistently, execute novel stewardship principles, and demonstrate a high-level commitment to improving antimicrobial use and reducing resistance.

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Michelle Hribar and team earn National Eye Institute award

Michelle Hribar, Ph.D., M.S., associate professor of ophthalmology in the OHSU School of Medicine and OHSU Casey Eye Institute, and team have received a National Eye Institute award for a project titled, "Data Coordinating Center in the OHDSI Ophthalmic Network." Their project was selected to receive a cash prize of $250,000 as part of the Expand Observational Health Data Sciences and Informatics Initiative for the Eye Care and Ocular Imaging Challenge. This competition recognizes innovative contributions, rather than serving as a traditional research grant for ongoing research. The award aims to enhance the OHDSI network for vision research. The challenge invites researchers to submit innovative ideas for utilizing the network to improve eye care and advance vision science.

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Oregon Poison Center is reaccredited by America's Poison Center Association

The Oregon Poison Center at OHSU is a 24/7 emergency service that provides poison information and treatment for exposure incidents in Oregon and Guam. To ensure high-quality expertise and service, the center strictly follows accreditation regulations. The  American Association of Poison Control Centers has reaccredited the center, which is valid for another seven years.

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Ella Bowman earns William A. Whitsell Endowed Professorship in Geriatric Medicine

The OHSU Foundation has awarded Ella Bowman, M.D., Ph.D., AGSF, FAAHPM, FACP, medical director of inpatient geriatric medicine in the OHSU School of Medicine, the William A. Whitsell Endowed Professorship in Geriatric Medicine.

Bowman is dual board-certified in geriatrics, hospice and palliative medicine. Her extensive experience in practice and teaching focuses on complex care transitions, addressing unmet palliative needs, evaluating cognitive issues, and training interprofessional teams in the complex care of vulnerable older adults.

The William A. Whitsell Endowed Professorship in Geriatric Medicine was established in 2020 by Bill and Helen Jo Whitsell, renowned philanthropists and advocates for OHSU. Having both patient and volunteer experience, the Whitsells are well-acquainted with OHSU's geriatrics program and aim to highlight the field of healthy aging. This gift is intended to encourage investment in leadership and the recruitment of new talent to the program, advancing OHSU's geriatrics initiative into one of the nation’s most prominent, thereby improving the health of older adults.

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Erin Maynard earns Boris and Dorothy Rabkin Professorship in Transplantation and Hepatobiliary Surgery

Erin C. Maynard, M.D., FACS, head of the Division of Abdominal Organ Transplantation in the Department of Surgery, OHSU School of Medicine, has earned the Boris and Dorothy Rabkin Professorship in Transplantation and Hepatobiliary surgery. Maynard specializes in abdominal organ transplants, the treatment of liver and pancreas cancers, and the management of complex bile duct diseases. Maynard has delivered lectures at international, national and local conferences on liver transplantation, surgical complications and work-life integration in surgery. Her leadership has transformed OHSU’s transplant program, helping increase annual liver transplants at OHSU from 60 to more than 100 while maintaining the highest standards of care. The Boris and Dorothy Rabkin Professorship in Transplantation and Hepatobiliary Surgery was established in 1998, in honor of Boris and Dorothy Rabkin. In 2022, the Department of Surgery used discretionary funds to complete the professorship.

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Jeffrey Tyner earns George Ettelson Endowed Professor in Acute Myeloid Leukemia Research

Jeffrey W. Tyner, Ph.D., professor of medicine and co-leader of the Translational Oncology Program in the OHSU School of Medicine’s Knight Cancer Institute, has earned the George Ettelson Endowed Professor in Acute Myeloid Leukemia Research. Tyner’s research focuses on identifying cancer-causing genes and creating patient-tailored therapies. For 20 years, Tyner has developed a laboratory setting method for testing primary cells from patients with blood cancer for sensitivity to some drugs that block cancer growth. This screening test has been applied to more than 2,500 patient specimens, resulting in new diagnostic and therapeutic options. The George Ettelson Endowed Professor in Acute Myeloid Leukemia Research was established in 2023 through the estate of Helene Ettelson in memory of her husband, George, both longtime donors and supporters of the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute and OHSU Department of Dermatology.

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Sima Desai earns Harry W. Masenhimer Jr., M.D. Term Professorship in Internal Medicine

Sima Desai, M.D., MACP, FRCP, professor of medicine (hospital medicine) and program director for the internal medicine residency program in the OHSU School of Medicine, has earned the Harry W. Masenhimer Jr., M.D. Term Professorship in Internal Medicine. Desai is an inaugural member of the hospitalist division and finds great joy in caring for patients, teaching and mentoring residents and students and finding ways to innovate in education. The Harry W. Masenhimer Jr., M.D., Term Professorship in Internal Medicine was established in 2024 with the generous commitment from donors Brent, Blair and Mark Masenhimer, to honor their father’s medical legacy. With this gift, the Masenhimer brothers have committed to providing program support for the term professorship for Sima Desai from December 2024 to December 2029.

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Vijayshree Yadav earns Anne Middleton Foster Endowed Professorship in Neurology

Vijayshree Yadav, M.D., M.C.R, FANA, FAAN, professor of neurology in the OHSU School of Medicine, has earned the Anne Middleton Foster Endowed Professorship in Neurology.  Yadav is an independent clinician-investigator with OHSU and the VA Portland Health Care System. She has received funding from the Department of Veteran Affairs, the National Institutes of Health, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, and foundations and pharmaceutical companies. Yadav conducted the first clinical study of oral lipoic acid in people with multiple sclerosis and, in 2005, received an NIH K23 career development award funded by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine to examine lipoic acid as an immune regulator in MS. The Anne Middleton Foster Endowed Professorship in Neurology was established in 2022 by Anne Middleton Foster, an OHSU patient with MS who has participated in clinical trials and was the first person in the Northwest to be treated with an MS drug developed entirely at OHSU. Her philanthropic investments here have launched the careers of several MS clinician-scientists and funded numerous MS research projects. Her latest gift established this professorship to support research related to MS.

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Shelley Tworoger earns Brian J. Druker, M.D., Professor of Cancer Research award

Shelley Tworoger, Ph.D., division head of Oncological Sciences in the OHSU School of Medicine’s Knight Cancer Institute, has earned the Brian J. Druker, M.D., Professor of Cancer Research award.

The goal of Tworoger’s research program is to improve prevention recommendations and identify women at high risk of breast and ovarian cancers by clarifying the cause of these cancers and how they develop over time. She leads the ovarian cancer research efforts in the Nurses’ Health Studies. She also is the principal investigator for the Ovarian Cancer Cohort Consortium. The Brian J. Druker, M.D., Professor of Cancer Research was established in 2019 by OHSU and the OHSU Foundation in honor of Druker’s extraordinary work, his contributions to OHSU and the medical community through his leadership of the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, and his revolutionary breakthroughs in cancer research in care.

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Colleen Cowdery earns American College of Medical Toxicology presentation award

Colleen Cowdery, M.D., a medical toxicology fellow in the OHSU School of Medicine’s Department of Emergency Medicine, earned the 2024 best original research lightning oral presentation award by the at the National American College of Medical Toxicology annual scientific meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia.

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Shana Kusin becomes fellow of the American College of Medical Toxicology

Shana Kusin, M.D., associate professor of emergency medicine in the OHSU School of Medicine, was inducted as a fellow into the American College of Medical Toxicology. Fellowship status is awarded to physicians with distinguished careers in research, teaching, service and clinical expertise within medical toxicology.

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Recognize team or individual achievements with OHSU Accolades

Every day, OHSU members do amazing things. We want to celebrate the significant achievements of OHSU members, units and programs, such as awards, grants, appointments, publications and public recognitions. We publish these announcements regularly on OHSU Now and OHSU News: Awards and Accomplishments to celebrate with all 27,000 of our members and our community. Nominate yourself, a colleague or any OHSU member using this Accolades intake form. Submissions will be edited for length and clarity.