Rheumatologists on the Move, January 2016

Dr. Calabrese and his colleague Michael Lederman, MD, of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, have collaborated for almost 40 years. They were among the earliest HIV/AIDS researchers and now investigate the possibility of relationships between HIV/AIDS and rheumatoid arthritis, as well as other autoimmune, inflammatory diseases.

“This grant recognizes 36 years of dedication and collaborative research of Drs. Calabrese and Lederman and, between Cleveland Clinic and Case Western Reserve University, the visionary institutions that support their work,” said John Baechle, board president, Richard J. Fasenmyer Foundation. “We are honored to have played a role in securing protected time and resources necessary to advance their important research.”

The award will fund The Richard J. Fasenmyer Research Collaborative—a unique clinical research intersect between autoimmune-inflammatory diseases and HIV. One area of that research is understanding how inflammation in autoimmunity and chronic viral infections contributes to accelerated end-organ diseases like cardiovascular disease and premature aging.

The $18.5 million will also establish an endowment for the Rheumatology-Infectious Disease Fellowship designed to enable dual board certification and establish a new journal called Pathogens and Immunity to promote rapid, easy-to-access publication of articles for researchers in the fields of infections, inflammation and autoimmunity.

“We want to expand the lessons from chronic infection to autoimmune diseases. This approach is totally novel and totally new,” says Dr. Calabrese.

American Occupational Therapist Association Roster of Fellows Award to go to Dr. Hazel Breland

Hazel Breland, PhD, OTR/L, will receive an American Occupational Therapist Association (AOTA) Roster of Fellows Award at the 2016 AOTA Annual Conference & Expo in April 2016 in Chicago.

AOTA describes the Roster of Fellows Award as recognizing “occupational therapists who through their knowledge, expertise, leadership, advocacy, and/or guidance have made a significant contribution over time to the profession with a measured impact on consumers of occupational therapy services and/or members of the Association.”

Dr. Breland says, “My award is in recognition of my innovation in interprofessional leadership, advocacy and diversity. I am humbled by the award. I try to follow the lead of people I admire, and that means showing respect and valuing my students, clients and their families.”

She is an assistant professor and academic fieldwork coordinator in the Division of Occupational Therapy, Department of Health Professions at the Medical University of South Carolina. Dr. Breland is also the director of the Dr. Raymond S. Greenberg Presidential Scholars Program. The program consists of about 50 health professional students from different colleges at the Medical University South Carolina and law students from the Charleston School of Law. Together, the scholars explore political and social issues as they work in interprofessional teams on a student-selected-and-designed project.