They’re among the best and brightest in medicine. Collectively, these physicians have saved millions of lives through revolutionary treatments of diseases ranging from cancer and diabetes to heart attacks and HIV/AIDS. Many have been responsible for major medical breakthroughs and have participated in the creation of drugs that have improved the quality of life of patients at home and abroad.
This is the caliber of medical professional who can be found on BLACK ENTERPRISE’s list of America’s Leading Doctors. The roster boasts 140 African American physicians and surgeons located in various parts of the country and running practices in a range of specialties, including neurology, obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN), dermatology, urology, cardiology, pediatrics, and oncology. The following served as the criteria for inclusion on the list:
All physicians are leaders in their respective fields.
All have been confirmed as being certified (as of March 21, 2008) in accordance with the American Board of Medical Specialties, a nonprofit organization that represents the “gold standard” in physician certification and helps 24 approved medical specialty boards in the creation and use of standards in the evaluation of doctors. While medical licensure sets the minimum competency requirements to diagnose and treat patients, it is not as comprehensive as board certification.
We did not include physicians who are retired, engaged purely in medical research, no longer treat patients, or no longer have an affiliation with the medical profession.
In the development of this list, our editors spent more than six months engaged in research, consulting organizations such as the National Medical Association, American Medical Association, Association of Black Cardiologists, American Cancer Society, Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, American Diabetes Association, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We also contacted top-ranked physicians as well as the nation’s leading medical schools, including Johns Hopkins University, Harvard University, Meharry Medical College, Howard University College of Medicine, Morehouse School of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons Weill Medical College of Cornell University, and Mayo Medical School. These institutions provided our research team with a list of physicians who they viewed as a cut above in service and reputation. Moreover, experts supported their choices, supplying us with the details of their colleagues’ experience, reputation, background, and training. What sets this year’s list apart from previous rosters-BE developed similar listings in 1988 and 2001-is that we gave a stronger weighting to innovative doctors who have been involved in medical breakthroughs across specialties. (See “A Legacy of Medical Excellence,” About This Issue.)
With the current national focus on health, BE took this opportunity to once again compile our exclusive list. It not only reveals top-rated physicians advancing medicine but it also provides access to doctors you can trust with your life and the well-being of your family.
Keith Black, M.D., Specialty: Neurosurgery
Chairman, Department of Neurosurgery; Director, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Institute at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Early in his medical career, Black became fascinated with the inner workings of the human brain. This interest led him to pursue a career in neurosurgery with a special focus on brain tumors. For Black, the most difficult part of his job is treating malignant brain tumors. He maintains that half of all brain tumors are malignant and can’t always be cured. In those cases, “physicians can improve the quality of life and extend life with surgery and other treatments but they cannot cure the disease,” he says.
As chairman of the department of neurosurgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, this top-rated surgeon manages, among other duties, the hospital’s neurosurgical institute, which has a staff of 33 neurosurgeons and a faculty of 11 academic neurosurgeons who teach residents and perform research in addition to surgery. “We’re actively involved in the training of the next generation of neurosurgeons,” Black says.
He seeks to change cancer treatment by reducing and possibly eliminating the need for chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation treatments. “We are learning how important it is to also use the body’s immune system to fight tumors,” he says. In fact, Black and his team of researchers are working on a vaccine developed in his research lab. The team has treated about 100 patients with positive results. “And with the most aggressive cancer, called a gleoblastoma, we’ve shown that we can increase the chance of survival at two years from 8% to 42%, using this vaccination in combination with chemotherapy and surgery,” says Black. Through such leadership, Black has made Cedars-Sinai one of the top neurosurgical centers in the country. Sheiresa McRae
The following physcians are listed by their board certifications:
ALLERGY &IMMUNOLOGY
Michael A. LeNoir, M.D., Title: CEO and Medical Director, Bay Area Multicultural Clinical Research and Prevention Center; President, Ethnic Health Institute at Summit Medical Center; Associate Clinical Professor in Pediatrics at the University of California at San Francisco
Specialties: Pediatrics, Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology
LeNoir has been a practicing allergist and pediatrician for 25 years. He has been active in both clinical and academic medicine. He is a nationally recognized expert in treating asthma in the African American community and inner cities. LeNoir founded the Ethnic Health Institute in Oakland, California.
ANESTHESIOLOGY
Emery N. Brown, M.D., Ph.D.
Title: Professor of Computational Neuroscience, Health Sciences and Technology, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts General Hospital;
Professor of Anaesthesia at Harvard Medical School
Specialty: Anesthesiology
A practicing clinical anesthesiologist, Brown continues to conduct groundbreaking research on developing algorithms to interpret brain signals, which can be applied in research on the use of motor signals in prosthetic devices such as robotic arms for people with spinal cord injuries or neurodegenerative diseases.
David G. Nichols, M.D., M.B.A.
Title: Mary Wallace Stanton Professor, Vice Dean for Education,
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Specialty: Pediatric Critical Care Medicine
Nichols is the editor-in chief for a number of leading textbooks in pediatric critical care medicine and sits on the board of directors for the American Academy of Pediatrics. Nichols received the Distinguished Career Achievement Award from the American Academy of Pediatrics section of Critical Care Medicine.
CARDIOLOGY
Augustus O. Grant, M.D., Ph.D.
Title: Vice Dean for Faculty Enrichment, Duke University Medical Center
Specialty: Cardiology
Grant is professor of medicine at Duke University Medical Center, in Durham, North Carolina. He is the past president of the American Heart Association. A fellow of both the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology, his research and clinical efforts focus on treating cardiac arrhythmias.
Christopher J.W.B. Leggett, M.D., F.A.C.C.
Recognized for his substantial contributions internationally, Leggett is one of the leading interventional cardiologists in the country. He is an expert in the use of endovascular interventional technology, including treatments for vascular disease. Leggett practices at St. Joseph’s, Piedmont, and Northside hospitals in Metro Atlanta.
Title: Director of Cardiology, Medical Associates of North Georgia
Specialty: Interventional Cardiology
Elizabeth O. Ofili, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.C.C.
Title: Chief of Cardiology, Professo
r of Medicine, Director of the Clinical Research Center, and Associate Dean of Clinical Research, Morehouse School of Medicine
Specialty: Cardiology
A past president of the National Association of Black Cardiologists, Ofili has made more than 600 scientific presentations on hypertension, heart failure, coronary artery disease, and women’s health. The U.S. Congressional Physician Advisory Board named her physician of the year in 2003.
Specialty: Obstetrics & Gynecology
Linda Bradley, M.D.
Vice Chairman of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women’s Health Institute and Director, Center for Menstrual Disorders, Fibroids, and Hysteroscopic Services, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation
One of the nation’s top obstetricians, Bradley is considered an innovative leader in the field of hysterectomy alternatives and the evaluation of abnormal uterine bleeding. This internationally recognized surgeon’s work involves the study of novel procedures, technologies, and medications to treat women who have uterine fibroids and abnormal bleeding. “Fibroids are like a thumbprint. Everyone is very different,” Bradley says.
African American women face a higher risk than others, with as many as 50% to 80% having fibroids of a significant size. Of the 600,000 hysterectomies performed annually in the U.S., a third of these cases are related to fibroids, making it a major health issue for women. “A hysterectomy has been the standard [treatment],” says Bradley. “But women are having children later in life. Many now want to keep their uterus and maintain fertility.”
The 52-year-old practitioner pioneered hysteroscopy-the use of a thin telescope to view the uterus. “It is an office-based evaluation instead of taking patients to the operating room for medical discovery,” she explains. Bradley is principal investigator for new procedures such as endometrial ablation (removal of the uterine wall) and myomectomy (removal of fibroids leaving the uterus intact). She has also been involved with several clinical trials for embolization, a procedure to shrink fibroids, and has established a very successful collaborative practice with interventional radiologists to refer women for the uterine sparing procedure. -Carolyn M. Brown
Lynne Perry-Böttinger, M.D., F.A.C.C.
Title: Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine, Columbia University;
Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine, Weill Medical College of Cornell University
Specialty: Clinical and Interventional Cardiology
Perry-Böttinger focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of coronary artery disease. She is knowledgeable in cardiac catheterization and interventional cardiology. She is a regular guest on major network television shows, serving as an expert on heart conditions and other medical topics.
DERMATOLOGY
Eliot F. Battle Jr., M.D.
Title: Co-Founder and Director of Cosmetic Dermatology and Laser Surgery, Cultura Cosmetic Medical Spa
Specialty: Cosmetic Dermatology and Laser Surgery
Battle’s Washington, D.C., medical practice merges dermatology, laser surgery, plastic surgery, spa therapy, and pharmacy. He is an authority on cosmetic laser therapy on darker skin types. His laser research at Harvard helped pioneer the new generation of noninvasive “color blind” cosmetic lasers.
Fran E. Cook-Bolden, M.D.
Cook-Bolden is noted for her cutting-edge dermatologic care for all skin types. She has been a leading researcher in both cosmetic and medical dermatology in the treatment of ethnic skin. In addition to running her private practices, she is founder and director of the Acne and Pigmentation Treatment Centers in New York.
Title: Director, Skin Specialty Group and Ethnic Skin Specialty Group; Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University
Specialty: Dermatology
Charles E. Crutchfield III, M.D.
Title: Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor, University of Minnesota; Founder,
Crutchfield Dermatology
Specialty: Medical & Cosmetic Dermatology
One of the nation’s leading dermatologists, this Eagan, Minnesota, doctor has handled hundreds of cases involving ailments such as psoriasis, vitiligo, laser surgery, atopic dermatitis, cosmetic procedures (including Botox treatments and alphahydroxy skin peels), and ethnic skin conditions.
Peggy A. Fuller, M.D.
Title: Dermatologist /Medical Director, Esthetics Center for Dermatology
Specialty: Dermatology
Fuller is founder and medical director of Charlotte, North Carolina-based Esthetics Center for Dermatology. The top-rated physician is a fellow of the American College of Physicians, a diplomate of the American Board of Dermatology, and a member of the American Society of Dermatologic Surgeons.
Pearl E. Grimes, M.D.
Title: Director, The Vitiligo and Pigmentation Institute of Southern California
Specialty: Dermatology
Grimes provides cutting-edge and alternative therapies to patients affected by vitiligo and other skin diseases. She is director of the Vitiligo and Pigmentation Institute of Southern California and professor of dermatology at University of California, Los Angeles. She is internationally recognized for her research on pigmentary disorders.
Arthur L. Burnett:
Some of his past work has literally enhanced the quality of life for millions. His team’s groundbreaking research paved the way for the clinical development of Viagra.
DERMATOLOGY
Monte O. Harris, M.D.
Title: Co-Founder and Director of Plastic Surgery, Cultura Cosmetic Medical Spa
Specialty: Facial Plastic Surgery
Harris is a facial plastic surgeon with a culturally sensitive approach to rhinoplasty and a pioneer in cosmetic facial rejuvenation for individuals of darker skin tones. He currently spearheads research to define the process of facial aging across ethnic groups.
Yvonne Knight, M.D.
Title: Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Dermatology, VCU Medical Center; Founder, The Aesthetic Clinique and the MediSpa Clinique, VCU
Medical Center
Specialty: Dermatology
Knight’s Richmond, Virginia, practice fuses dermatology, laser surgery, plastic surgery, and spa therapy. Also a broadcast medical journalist, she specializes in cosmetic facial enhancement, high frequency wavelength treatments, and advanced dermatologic surgeries.
Amy J. McMichael, M.D.
Title: Associate Professor of Dermatology, Wake Forest University
School of Medicine
Specialty: Dermatology
This Winston-Salem, North Carolina, physician is a leading expert in the latest treatments for facial blemishes, pigmentation issues and discoloration, and hair loss. She has conducted numerous studies on dermatological issues such as facial pigmentary disorders, alopecia, melasma and their effects on patients of color.
Susan Taylor, M.D.
Title: Director, Skin of Color Center, St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center;
Dermatologist, Society Hill Dermatology
Specialty: Dermatology
With more than 20 years experience, this New York-based physician is an internationally recognized expert in dermatology. She is board certified in both internal medicine and dermatology. She is also CEO of the skin care line Rx for Brown Skin.
ENDOCRINOLOGY
Robert L. Collins, M.D.
A nationally recognized expert in infertility and in vitro fertilization, the Youngstown, Ohio, doctor has written and lectured extensively on the subject of infertility. He serves as professor in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Northeast Ohio University College of Medicine.
Title: Medical Director, The Reproductive Center
Specialty: Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility
FAMILY MEDICINE
Natalie E. Joseph, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Title: Attending Surgeon, Fox Chase Cancer Center
Specialty: Surgical Oncology
Based in Philadelphia, Joseph’s primary clinical i
nterests include breast and gastrointestinal cancers, particularly colorectal cancer. She is co-author of several papers focusing on colorectal cancer and immunology of the gastrointestinal tract.
Valiere Alcena, M.D., F.A.C.P., F.A.A.C.
Title: Internist, White Plains Hospital Center; Clinical Professor of Medicine,
Albert Einstein College of Medicine; Adjunct Professor of Medicine, New York
Medical College
Specialty: Internal Medicine, Hematology, and Medical Oncology
A distinguished physician, clinical professor, author, and broadcast medical journalist, Alcena was the first physician to hypothesize that the lack of male circumcision in Africa and other countries was partly responsible for spreading the AIDS virus.
INTERNAL MEDICINE
Alfred R. Ashford, M.D.
Title: Interim Senior Associate Dean, Columbia University Medical Center at Harlem Hospital Center
Specialty: Medical Oncology
Co-founder of the Upper Manhattan Physicians Against Cancer Project, Ashford is committed to physician education, community outreach, and cancer control in inner cities. He was chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society’s Eastern Division from 2004 to 2006. In 2005, he received the American Cancer Society’s Saint George National Award.
Carolyn Barley Britton, M.D., M.S.
Title: Associate Professor of Clinical Neurology, Columbia University Medical
Specialty: Neurology
World-renowned, Britton is called upon for her extensive expertise in neurological complications of viral/bacterial infections such as HIV and herpes. Her research focus centers on various areas of infectious diseases including Neuro-AIDS and Lyme Disease, and she is the current president-elect of the National Medical Association.
Arleen Brown, M.D., Ph.D.
Title: Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine,
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Specialty: Internal Medicine
This internist researches racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities in health status. Her EXPORT pilot project gauged the impact of neighborhood negatives such as toxic environments and limited access to healthcare.
Specialty: Urology
Arthur L. Burnett II M.D.
Title: Director, Male Consultation Clinic;
Professor, Department of Urology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Burnett repairs lives. His prowess in treating patients with severe
urological conditions has earned him ranking among the top urologists in the nation. He has built this reputation over the past 25 years, sharing his expertise in areas such as prostate cancer, pelvic reconstruction, sexual medicine, and female urology. He also directs the Male Consultation Clinic for the treatment of male sexual disorders.
Burnett, a graduate of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, is director of the Basic Science Laboratory in Neuro-Urology, a major operation within the James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute. With his eight-person team, he is currently involved with as many as 20 different research projects, seeking to uncover new procedures to correct urological disorders. In fact, some of his past work has literally enhanced the quality of life for millions. In 1990, Burnett was one of the leading scientists who discovered the role of nitric oxide biochemical mechanisms for erectile dysfunction. His team’s groundbreaking research paved the way for the clinical development of Viagra.
For years, Burnett has played a role in increasing the pipeline of minority physicians and medical researchers. In fact, he annually selects about eight minority college students for summer internships at the research laboratory.
With Burnett’s myriad projects, he has not lost sight of quality healthcare here and abroad. He performs surgeries weekly while providing top-flight patient care, working closely with them before and after treatment. And he also continues his work to help Caribbean nations develop programs to treat prostate cancer. -Tracey Brown
INTERNAL MEDICINE
Giselle Corbie-Smith, M.D., M.Sc.
Title: Associate Professor of Social Medicine and Medicine,
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Specialty: Epidemiology
Corbie-Smith’s work focuses on the impact of trust and distrust among physicians and patients. She also evaluates methodological and ethical issues when research projects include minority subjects. She maintains a clinical practice at a local community health center.
Samuel J. Daniel, M.D., F.A.C.P., F.A.C.G.
Title: President and CEO, North General Hospital
Specialty: Gastroenterology
Daniel has been principal investigator in several clinical trials studying chronic hepatitis C. A fellow in the American College of Physicians, he has co-authored Hepatitis C: The Black Person’s Guide. He still maintains an active gastroenterology practice in Harlem.
James A. Diggs, M.D., F.A.C.C.
Title: Assistant Chief, Division of Cardiology and Associate Professor of Medicine and Program Director of Cardiology, Howard University Hospital
Specialty: Cardiology
Diggs practices cardiology and internal medicine in Washington, D.C., at Howard University Hospital. He is an expert in interventional cardiology for the diagnosis and treatment of heart diseases. With more than 30 years experience, Diggs strives to provide the best medical care with compassion and without compromise.
Winston H. Gandy Jr., M.D.
Title: Director, The Atlanta Cardiology Group (ACG) at Saint Joseph’s
Hospital; Director, Cardiac Lab at both Saint Joseph’s Hospital and ACG
Specialty: Cardiology
Gandy is widely recognized for his expertise in echocardiography, a procedure that takes “moving pictures” of the heart with sound waves. He was instrumental in getting the city of Atlanta to place defibrillators in Hartsfield International Airport. Additionally, he was one of the founding board members of the American Cardiovascular Research Institute.
Levi Garraway, M.D., Ph.D.
Title: Physician-Scientist, Center for Cancer Genome Discovery, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Specialty: Medical Oncology (Melanoma and Prostate Cancer)
Garraway’s research involves using genomics technologies to identify mutations in cancer cell DNA, and to understand how those mutations might make cancer cells vulnerable to new targeted therapies.
James R. Gavin III M.D., Ph.D.
Title: Clinical Professor of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine and Indiana University School of Medicine
Specialty: Endocrinology
A leading U.S. diabetes researcher, Gavin has made outstanding contributions to the elimination of diabetes in minority communities. His investigations into insulin helped to reveal that this hormone interacts with blood cells. He is a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation trustee emeritus and a past president of the American Diabetes Association.
Edward E. Cornwell, M.D., F.A.C.S., F.C.C.M.
Surgeon-in-Chief, Howard University
Hospital; LaSalle D. Leffall Professor and Chairman of Surgery, Howard
University College of Medicine
Specialty: Surgery
Cornwell, 51, has achieved national recognition for increasing size, scope, and improvements in trauma practices and patient care at some of the nation’s leading medical institutions. In fact, he has spent his career working in communities where young African American males are victims of fatal gunshot wounds. “A phenomenal percentage of gunshot wounds were coming in dead on arrival. So, further improvements were needed in outreach and violence prevention beyond hospital walls,” says Cornwell, who made violence prevention a focal point of mainstream academic surgery.
That is part of his charge as he leads Howard University’s Department of Surgery to national prominence in patient care, teaching, and research. “During the days of segregation, there were few places [for African American medical students] to go other than Meharr
y and Howard,” he says, citing Howard’s role in the development of first-class physicians and surgeons. “A lot of my early heroes were doctors right here.”
Cornwell joined Howard in January, leaving his post as professor of surgery and chief of trauma at Baltimore-based The Johns Hopkins Hospital. A native son of Washington, D.C., his vision for Howard’s department of surgery is to advance surgical procedures such as transplants, cardiovascular surgery, and bariatric surgery used to help obese patients lose weight. He has also focused on the treatment of cancer and improvement of trauma/critical care services. -Carolyn M. Brown
F. Kennedy Gordon, M.D.
Title: Owner, Gordon Elite Sports Medicine P.C.
Specialty: Primary Care Sports Medicine
With a vast career in sports medicine, including work with the New York Giants football team, Gordon’s Union, New Jersey-based practice caters to both pro athletes and individuals who suffer with pain and want to improve their life with exercise. He served as a staff physician at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid, New York, in 2000.
L. Julian Haywood, M.D.
Title: Professor of Medicine, Director, Electrocardiography Department
L.A. County, USC Medical Center
Specialty: Cardiology
A veteran in cardiovascular medicine, Haywood is a senior attending physician at the Los Angeles County, University of Southern California Medical Center. One of the first black full professors in cardiology at a major medical school, he co-developed (with Hewlett-Packard) digital monitoring systems for arrhythmia detection.
Kenneth A. Jamerson, M.D.
Title: Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School; Medical Director, Program for Multicultural Health, University of Michigan Health System
Specialty: Hypertension
Jamerson has been principal investigator of some of the most noteworthy analyses of hypertension. With the help of clinical research to explore racial disparities in the treatment of elevated blood pressure levels, he and his colleagues are gaining insight into why African Americans make up such a disproportionate share of patients.
Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, M.D., M.B.A.
Title: President and CEO, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Specialty: Geriatrics
Lavizzo-Mourey leads the Princeton, New Jersey, nonprofit that deploys nearly $500 million in annual grants to fund the improvement of the U.S. healthcare system and nurture the development of the nation’s top doctors. She also finds time to treat patients in a community health clinic.
Rayburn S. Lewis, M.D.
Title: Executive Director and Medical Director; Swedish Medical Center,
Ballard Campus
Specialty: Internal Medicine
Lewis serves as executive director and medical director of the Ballard campus of Seattle’s Swedish Medical Center, the largest nonprofit health provider in the Pacific Northwest. He is responsible for strategic and operational management of both the Medicine and Behavioral Health Service groups.
Rita J. Louard, M.D., F.A.C.E.
Title: Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism and Director, Clinical Diabetes Program, Montefiore Medical Center
Specialty: Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism
Louard is one of two directors of the clinical diabetes program at Montefiore Medical Center. While she’s not actively involved in clinical trial research at the moment, the most innovative part of her diabetes practice is its focus on integrating a multidisciplinary team (doctor, nurse practitioner, dietitian) to better treat patients.
Celia J. Maxwell, M.D.
Title: Assistant Vice President for Health Sciences and Director of the Women’s Health Institute, Howard University Hospital
Specialty: Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases
Maxwell oversees various programs, including one in which Howard University provides free HIV screenings in a city that has the highest rate of new HIV and AIDS cases in the nation. Maxwell, a fellow of the American College of Physicians, educates young women on the dangers of unprotected sex, among other topics.
Carl J. McDougall, M.D.
Title: Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine, Weill Medical College of Cornell
University; Associate Attending Physician, New York-Presbyterian Hospital
Specialty: Gastroenterology
McDougall dedicates his time to the study and prevention of colon cancer. In addition, he focuses on liver and ulcer diseases, Crohn’s disease, and colitis. He presently has a private medical practice in New York City.
Edgar L. Milford, M.D.
Title: Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Director, Tissue Typing Laboratory, Renal Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Specialty: Internal Medicine
Milford is a Harvard-trained physician who completed his fellowship in nephrology at Harlem Hospital Center. His clinical interests include renal transplantation, histocompatibility testing, immunological monitoring, chronic renal disease and dialysis, bone marrow transplantation, hypertension, and diabetes.
Khan J. Nedd, M.D.
Title: Board Chair and Acting Medical Director, Grand Rapids Area African American Health Institute
Specialty: Internal Medicine
Nedd co-founded the Grand Rapids Area African American Health Institute, a nonprofit organization that promotes healthcare parity through advocacy, education, and research. He is also president of the Hospitalists of West Michigan, and is active in both the West Michigan community and his native Grenada.
Keith Norris, M.D.
Title: Professor of Medicine and Executive Vice President of Health Affairs and Research, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science
Specialty: Nephrology
Based in Los Angeles, Norris is principal investigator of a $9.5 million multi-institutional medical research program, funded by the National Institutes of Health that targets diseases affecting minorities. Eighteen top majority and HBCU med schools will collaborate on cancer, diabetes, infant mortality, and other diseases.
Velvie A. Pogue, M.D.
Title: Chief of the Division of Nephrology and Director of Hypertension Services, Harlem Hospital; Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University
Specialty: Nephrology and Hypertension
Pogue’s interest in hypertension led her to be an active investigator in numerous studies including the African American Study of Kidney Disease and Hypertension Trial and Cohort Study and the Antihypertensive and Lipid-Lowering Treatment to Prevent Heart Attack Trial.
Neil R. Powe, M.D., M.P.H., M.B.A.
Title: Professor of Medicine and Director of the Welch Center for Prevention,
Epidemiology and Clinical Research, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Specialty: Internal Medicine
Powe is a leader in clinical and population-based research that has impacted national policy on patient care. A recognized expert in the treatment of chronic kidney disease, Powe is the principal investigator of a study funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Mark Roach III M.D.
Title: Professor, Department of Radiation Oncology and Urology; Vice Chair, Department of Radiation and Oncology, University of California San Francisco
Specialty: Radiation Oncology and Urology
Roach chaired highly regarded, large prospective randomized trials comparing different strategies for prostate cancer. His primary research focuses on the application of 3-D conformal and intensity modulated radiotherapy treatment.
Walter Royal III M.D.
Title: Associate Professor of Neurology, Anatomy and Neurobiology,
University of Maryland School of Medicine
Specialties: Neurology, Neurovirology, Neuroimmunology
Royal is an active investigator in multiple sclerosis clinical trials. He operates a laboratory that researches immune responses in multiple sclerosis and HIV infection. He
is also associate director of research at the Veterans Administration Multiple Sclerosis Center of Excellence, East.
Lloyd Shabazz, M.D., F.A.C.P.
Title: President and Medical Director, Delta Hematology / Oncology Associates
Specialty: Medical Oncology
Based in Portsmouth, Virginia, Shabazz’s clinical cancer research centers on the development of new and innovative therapies available for prevention and treatment of cancers and blood-related diseases. Though he has a special interest in hematologic malignancies, Shabazz offers patient care across a broad range of cancers.
Cheryl A. Smith, M.D.
Title: Medical Director, Mount Morris Medical
Specialty: Primary Care
Subspecialty: HIV/AIDS
A leading expert in HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C, Smith is committed to the practice of high-quality primary healthcare and medical education. She is executive director for The Burkina Foundation, a nonprofit based in Harlem with a specific focus on HIV/AIDS.
Duane T. Smoot, M.D.
Title: Professor of Medicine & Chief of Gastroenterology, Department of
Medicine, Howard University College of Medicine
Specialty: Gastroenterology
As the interim program director of Howard University’s General Clinical Research Center, Smoot is currently investigating the role of a bacterium, Helicobacter pylori, in the development of stomach cancer, and the prevention of sporadic colorectal adenomas.
Ilene Fennoy, M.D., M.P.H.
Specialty: Pediatric Endocrinology
Medical Director, Comprehensive Adolescent Bariatric Surgery Program,
Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital;
Associate Clinical Professor of Pediatrics, Columbia University
For 25 years, Fennoy has treated children with diabetes. Most of her cases involve the Type 2 variety, previously thought to occur in those 45 years of age or older, but which has reached epidemic proportions among youth ages 11-14. The disease is linked to obesity and disproportionately affects children of color. Today, roughly 10% to 15% of children and teens are overweight, twice the figure two decades ago. Diabetes and insulin resistance are big medical problems for endocrinologists, says 61-year-old Fennoy.
Fennoy’s most recent clinical research involves a five-year study of a school-based intervention of exercise and nutrition education funded by the Academic Medicine Development Co. “The kids that we are dealing with are truly morbidly obese with a body mass index above 35,” she says. “We are talking about extremes with average weights in the 300s.” Six months into the study, roughly 40 children, who had gastric banding operations, are losing weight. This is a safe and minimally invasive surgical procedure, says Fennoy.
“The band is a mechanical restrictive device (placed around the stomach) that can be adjusted. So the patient is in control of how they use this tool.” In comparison, “gastric bypass can cause malabsorption,” Fennoy explains. “If malabsorption is not appropriately monitored, it can lead to major medical problems down the line. It’s hard for some adolescents to follow through as they transition into adulthood.” Fennoy’s work will be responsible for a number of youths staying healthy and fit during their formative years. -Carolyn M. Brown
Ramona F. Swaby, M.D.
Title: Associate Member, Department of Medical Oncology and Attending
Physician, Fox Chase Cancer Center
Specialty: Medical Oncology (Breast Cancer)
Research has always been a passion for Swaby. At Fox Chase Cancer Center, her research focuses on hormone receptors and resistance to hormone therapies. She also investigates molecularly targeted therapies for breast cancer.
Anne L. Taylor, M.D.
Title: Vice Dean for Academic Affairs, College of Physicians and Surgeons,
Columbia University Medical College
Specialty: Cardiology
Taylor leads academic affairs and faculty development for more than 4,000 faculty members in clinical practice and 299 basic sciences faculty. She was chair of the steering committee for the groundbreaking African American Heart Failure trial, which tested the efficacy of heart failure medication on African Americans.
Herman A. Taylor Jr., M.D., M.P.H.
Title: Professor of Medicine at the University of Mississippi Medical Center; Clinical Professor, Jackson State University; Visiting Professor of Natural Science, Tougaloo College
Specialty: Cardiology
Taylor, recognized as Physician of the Year by the American Heart Association, is an authority on heart disease and risk factors, especially those associated with African American populations. He serves as director of the Jackson Heart Study, the largest population-based study of heart and related diseases ever undertaken for African Americans.
Anthony E. Watkins, M.D.
Title: Vice President, Medical Staff Development, Washington Hospital Center
Specialty: Cardiovascular Disease
Watkins is an expert in cardiovascular diseases. With 42 years experience under his belt, the Washington, D.C., physician uses safe, painless, and cost-effective techniques to image the body and administer treatment, eliminating the need for open-heart surgery.
Karol E. Watson, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.C.
Title: Co-Director, UCLA Program in Preventive Cardiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Specialty: Cardiology
With a special interest in lipid disorders, Watson is co-director of the University of California, Los Angeles Program in Preventive Cardiology and director of the UCLA Center for Cholesterol and Hypertension Management. Additionally, she is associate professor of medicine in the division of cardiology at the David Geffen School of Medicine.
Clyde W. Yancy, M.D., F.A.C.C., F.A.H.A., F.A.C.P.
Title: Medical Director and Chief, Cardiothoracic Transplantation, Baylor Heart
and Vascular Institute, Baylor University Medical Center Specialty: Internal Medicine, Cardiology
A prominent cardiologist and heart transplant specialist, Yancy’s clinical research extends over ample areas of clinical congestive heart failure and transplantation. The Dallas phyisician is dedicated to the diagnosis, treatment, education, and cure of cardiovascular diseases.
NEUROLOGY
Michael E. Batipps, M.D.
Title: Neurologist, Washington Hospital Center
Specialty: Neurology
This pain management specialist treats more than 300 multiple sclerosis patients at Washington Hospital Center. He has helped young people who faced stroke-like disabilities by prescribing interferon drugs and natalizumab to slow the progression of multiple sclerosis, avoid relapses, and decrease the chances of wheelchair confinement.
OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY
Jeremiah A. Bartley, M.D.
Title: Staff Physician, Platte Valley Medical Center
Specialty: Obstetrics & Gynecology
Bartley has 26 years of experience in matters concerning women’s health issues. He works to educate his patients to aid in the journey to achieving optimal health. Actively involved in correcting disparate healthcare practices, the Brighton, Colorado, specialist offers a 25% discount to women without insurance.
Stanley M. Berry, M.D.
Title: Chairman, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, William Beaumont Hospitals
Specialty: Obstetrics & Gynecology
Subspecialty: Maternal-Fetal Medicine
Berry is a general OB/GYN who is a highly recognized expert in fetal diagnosis and therapy. The Royal Oak, Michigan, physician handles an area of medicine that seeks to identify structural or functional abnormalities in a developing fetus and provide treatments to ensure optimal delivery.
Carol L. Brown, M.D., F.A.C.O.G., F.A.C.S.
Title: Associate Attending Surgeon and Director of the Office of Diversity Programs in Clinical Care, Research, and Training, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Specialty: Gynecologic Oncology
A dedicated surgeon, Brown has focused her career on the reduction and elimination of cancer h
ealth disparities in medically underserved populations. In addition to surgery for gynecologic cancers, Brown’s clinical research involves clinical trials in gynecologic cancer and cancer health disparities.
Kevin Holcomb, M.D.
Title: Associate Professor of Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill-Cornell Medical College; Member, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, New-York Presbyterian Hospital
Specialty: Gynecological Oncology
As president of the board of advisers for the American Cancer Society of Upper Manhattan, Holcomb has been instrumental in leading the way for robotic-assisted laparoscopy in gynecologic oncology. He is also a fellow of the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Kerry M. Lewis, M.D.
Title: Interim Chair, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Howard
University Hospital
Specialty: Obstetrics & Gynecology
Lewis is an OB/GYN with special expertise in managing complicated high-risk pregnancies, intrauterine intravascular fetal transfusions, and emergency surgical procedures to prevent the delivery of severely preterm babies.
Michael K. Lindsay, M.D., M.P.H.
Title: Chief of the Gynecology and Obstetrics Service, Grady Memorial Hospital; The Luella Klein Associate Professor and Director of the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Division, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine
Specialty: Obstetrics & Gynecology
A former co-investigator for the CDC with a subspecialty in maternal-fetal medicine, Lindsay has committed his career to the analysis, investigation, and care of high-risk pregnancies including HIV and diabetes.
Veronica T. Mallett, M.D.
Title: Chair & Acting Director, Female Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center
Specialty: Obstetrics & Gynecology; Urogynecology
The Memphis, Tennessee-based specialist has done major research on the mechanics of pelvic support and urinary incontinence. She is a pioneer in the area of pelvic reconstructive surgery, using minimally invasive surgical procedures to correct incontinence and intrinsic sphincter defect disorder.
Hugh E. Mighty, M.D., M.B.A.
Title: Chairman, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Services & Chief of OB/GYN, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore
Specialty: Obstetrics & Gynecology, Critical Care Obstetrics
Delivering babies for nearly 26 years, Mighty’s expertise is handling high-risk-in some cases, potentially fatal-pregnancies. In order to save patients the burden of traveling to the medical center, Mighty implemented “telemedicine”-video consultations for women with high-risk pregnancies.
Valerie Montgomery Rice, M.D.
Title: Dean of the School of Medicine & Senior Vice President for Health Affairs, Meharry Medical College
Specialty: Women’s Health
The research of this reproductive endocrinologist focuses on the elimination of disparities in women’s health, with a particular emphasis on reproductive disorders and HIV. She is executive director of Meharry’s pioneering Center for Women’s Health Research.
Gary H. Gibbons, M.D.
Director, Cardiovascular Research Institute; Professor of Medicine, Morehouse School of Medicine
After a lecture during his first year at harvard medical school, Gibbons asked a professor why African Americans tend to have more hypertension than other populations. The professor challenged Gibbons to find the answer to his own question. Thirty years later, Gibbons is still searching for answers.
Gibbons’ research group at the Morehouse School of Medicine tries to figure out the role genes play, along with lifestyle choices, in the cardiovascular health of minority populations. One project investigates how genes react in the blood vessels of African American patients with hypertension as compared to those who don’t have hypertension.
Over the years, Gibbons’ research has yielded several U.S. patents for medical innovations and he has authored more than 70 scientific papers. In 2007 he was elected into the elite Institute of Medicine of the National Academies.
The future, says Gibbons, could bring personalized medical care based on patients’ distinct genetic makeup. Tests will reveal the sequence of all genes in a patient’s body, and this genetic profile may enable doctors to personalize the prescriptions or treatments to give that person. “The challenge would be to really advance minority health by understanding what genomic variation may be characteristic or common among people of African descent and really defining how we can use this information to individualize care,” says Gibbons. -Cliff Hocker
OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY
Caryl G. Mussenden, M.D.
Title: Physician/Owner, Liposculpture by Design
Specialty: Obstetrics & Gynecology
Mussenden is an OB/GYN and surgeon who also practices liposuction and mesotheraphy (a treatment for cellulite) at her self-owned medical spa. A graduate of Howard University Medical School and a member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, Mussenden has been in practice for more than 20 years.
Wanda K. Nicholson, M.D., M.P.H., M.B.A.
Title: Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Population and Family Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Specialty: Obstetrics & Gynecology
Nicholson has developed a postpartum-specific, healthy lifestyle project called FIRST WIND (weight loss interventions after delivery), for women who are at risk for Type 2 diabetes. She also serves as a principal investigator for a task force that focuses on gestational diabetes.
E. Albert Reece, M.D., Ph.D. M.B.A.
Title: Dean, School of Medicine, University of Maryland;
Vice President for Medical Affairs, University of Maryland
Specialty: Obstetrics & Gynecology
Reece played an instrumental role in the development of the embryofetoscopy technique for early prenatal diagnosis. Through his research, which focuses on diabetes in pregnancy, birth defects, and prenatal diagnosis, it has been determined that there are specific changes at the epithelial level associated with these anomalies.
Gloria A. Richard-Davis, M.D.
Title: Chair & Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Meharry Medical College
Specialty: Obstetrics & Gynecology, Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility
Richard-Davis has treated infertility by in vitro fertilization and third-party reproduction. Clinical care and research includes management of menopausal symptoms, cultural differences, female sexual health, and breast cancer risks. She has served on national advisory boards for the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Yvonne S. Thornton, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.C.O.G., F.A.C.S.
Title: Perinatal Consultant, Westchester Medical Center
Specialty: Obstetrics & Gynecology, High Risk Obstetrics
Thornton is a world-renowned advocate for women’s health issues. She is a specialist in obstetrics, gynecology, and maternal-fetal medicine. Thornton is the first African American woman in the U.S. to become board certified in high-risk obstetrics and accepted into the New York Obstetrical Society.
Janice E. Whitty, M.D.
Title: Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Meharry Medical College
Specialty: Obstetrics & Gynecology, Maternal-Fetal Medicine
Whitty is a professor and director of maternal fetal medicine in the department of obstetrics and gynecology. Her focus is on critical-care medicine, maternal and fetal medicine, and obstetrics/gynecology. She has published numerous papers during her 23-year career.
ONCOLOGY
A. William Blackstock Jr., M.D.
Title: Vice Chairman and Professor of Radiation Oncology, Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center
Specialty: Radiation Oncology
A radiation oncologist, Blackstock is also a clinical trial investigator in lung and gastrointestinal cancers. He serves as principal
investigator of multiple national and international clinical trials in these cancers. He has served on the executive committee for Cancer and Leukemia Group B, a national clinical research group sponsored by National Cancer Institute.
Dwight Heron, M.D.
Title: Vice Chairman of Radiation Oncology, Shadyside; Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Specialty: Radiation Oncology
An expert in new radiation techniques to treat cancer, Heron is focused on improved quality of life for patients. He has received a $5 million grant from the National Cancer Institute to improve access and clinical outcomes for racially and socioeconomically disadvantaged groups with cancer in and around Pittsburgh.
Valarae O. Lewis, M.D.
Title: Associate Professor of Surgery, (Ad-Interim Chief), Department of Orthopaedic Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Specialty: Orthopaedic Oncology
Lewis is an orthopaedic oncologist who treats children and adults with sarcomas of the soft tissue and bone. Her laboratory interests include developing targeted therapy for the treatment of sarcomas. She has also contributed to articles that appeared in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, and Cancer.
Oscar E. Streeter Jr., M.D.
Title: Chief Physician, Department of Radiation Oncology, Associate Professor of Clinical Radiation Oncology, USC/Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center and Hospital, Keck School of Medicine at USC
Specialty: Diagnostic Radiology, Radiation Oncology
Streeter’s interest focuses on breast, head and neck, gastrointestinal malignancies, lymphomas, and 3-D treatment of prostate cancer using a radioactive source placed inside or next to the area requiring treatment. He is the principal investigator for all Radiation Therapy Oncology Group studies at USC.
Selwyn M. Vickers, M.D.
Title: Jay Phillips Professor and Chairman of the Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota Medical School
Specialty: Surgical Oncology
Vickers is a nationally renowned surgeon and leader in pancreatic cancer research, including surgical treatments and gene therapy for treating pancreatobiliary tumors. Over the past four years he has been the co-principal investigator on a $4.5 million pancreatic cancer program funded by the National Cancer Institute.
OPHTHALMOLOGY
Malvin Anders, M.D.
Title: Clinical Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California
Specialty: Ophthalmicology Surgery
In addition to operating his own private practice in the Los Angeles area, Anders trains resident physicians in surgical ophthalmology. He participates in educational and public awareness programs on glaucoma. Anders also directed the Glaucoma Service at the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in Los Angeles.
Eve J.Higginbotham, M.D.
Title: Dean and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Morehouse School of Medicine
Higginbotham is a world-renowned expert in the treatment of glaucoma. Before her current position, she was the first African American woman to head a university-based ophthalmology department in the U.S. with her appointment at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.
Specialty: Ophthalmology
Mildred M.G. Olivier, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Title: President & CEO of the Midwest Glaucoma Center; Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology at Midwestern University Olympia Fields Osteopathic Medical Center
Specialty: Ophthalmology, Glaucoma
Olivier has extensive specialized training in treating all forms of glaucoma and related eye diseases. She serves on the National Advisory Council at the National Eye Institute at the National Institutes of Health and the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, the world’s largest vision research organization.
OPTOMETRY
Ansel T. Johnson, O.D.
Title: Owner and Clinical Director, Vision Salon Eye Care Associates
Specialty: Optometry
Based in the Chicago metropolitan area, Johnson is considered a leading clinician in the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma. He has conducted studies for the Glaucoma Research Foundation and provides eye care for homebound disabled patients.
ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERY
Erroll J. Bailey, M.D.
Title: President & CEO, Atlanta Orthopaedic Foot
Specialty: Orthopaedic Surgery
Bailey is regarded as an expert in advanced wound healing products, diabetic wounds, and venous stasis ulcers. Bailey currently operates a private practice that specializes in the complete care of disorders related to the foot and ankle, including treatment for degenerative orthopaedic conditions, fracture care, and joint reconstruction.
Richard E. Grant, M.D.
Title: Professor of Orthopaedics and Edgar B. Jackson Jr., MD, Chair for Diversity,
University Hospitals Case Medical Center
Specialty: Total Joint Arthroplasty, General Orthopaedics, and Sickle Cell Induced Osteonecrosis
Grant is former chairman of the department of surgery at Howard University College of Medicine. He is the first African American orthopaedic surgeon to become part of the full-time faculty at University Hospitals of Cleveland.
Specialty: Cosmetic Surgery
Anthony Griffin, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Director, Beverly Hills Cosmetic Surgery Institute
Griffin is known in hollywood circles for pioneering the Brazilian Butt Lift and signature procedures such as the Six Pack Tummy Tuck and the non-incision or No-Tell Nose Job. For the highly recognized doctor of television’s Extreme Makeover, the biggest challenge is that people don’t see plastic surgeons as doctors or take cosmetic procedures seriously when it comes to safety and aftercare. “They see us as a high-priced beauty consultant. But this is medicine,” says Griffin, who also specializes in surgical techniques for African American and other ethnic skin types.
People of color accounted for 23% of the 11.5 million cosmetic procedures performed in the United States in 2006. Only 3% of board-certified plastic surgeons are African American. Griffin is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgery and a diplomate of the American Board of Plastic Surgery. While about 90% of his practice is cosmetic, the other 10% is reconstructive surgery.
The Beverly Hills doctor is involved with Operation Smile, a group that organizes annual missions around the world to reconstruct childhood facial deformities at no cost. Griffin gained expertise in repairing cleft lip and palate deformities during his residency at the University of Southern California. He went on his first Operation Smile mission to Kenya in 1995, where he met and later married his wife, a registered nurse. “After 45 minutes of changing a kid’s life forever, I realized this is what I am supposed to be doing,” says Griffin, who has since gone on more than 10 missions. “At times, 300 to 400 kids will show up and we can only do 150. I usually do five to seven a day or about 70 cases in all.” -Carolyn M. Brown
ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERY
Lytton A. Kunle-Williams, M.D., M.B.A.
Title: Spine Surgeon, Los Angeles Spine Surgery Institute, St. Vincent
Medical Center
Specialty: Spinal Deformities
Williams performs spinal surgeries worldwide while demonstrating new orthopaedic instrumentation, techniques, and approaches. Williams and his wife, Antonia, created The Sierra Leone Children’s Charity Fund, a project of the National Heritage Foundation.
Shearwood J. McClelland, M.D., M.P.H.
Title: Director, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Harlem Hospital Center
Specialty: Orthopaedic Surgery, Total Joint Surgery
McClelland attempts individualized care for patients who mostly arrive via the emergency room suffering trauma injuries. To achieve positive outcomes, his approach recognizes public hospital patients’ wider backgrounds of
pre-existing health problems and socioeconomic challenges.
Michael L. Parks, M.D.
Title: Assistant Attending Orthopaedic Surgeon, Hospital for Special Surgery
Specialty: Joint Replacement, Knee and Hip Revision Surgery
This New York orthopaedic surgeon specializes in hip and knee reconstructions. He weighs individual patients’ function and pain when determining surgical or non-surgical alternatives for treating arthritis. His clinical interests include minimally invasive hip and knee replacement surgery.
Edward A. Rankin, M.D.
Title: Founder, Rankin Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Center
Specialty: Adult Reconstruction and Hand Surgery
Rankin made history in March when he was elected the new president of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons-the first African American to be named to the position. He is currently the chief of orthopaedic surgery service at Providence Hospital in Washington, D.C., performing adult reconstruction and hand surgery.
Claudia L. Thomas, M.D.
Title: Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at Johns Hopkins School of
Medicine; Orthopaedic Surgeon, Tri-County Orthopaedic Center
Specialty: Orthopaedic Surgery
Thomas is the first African American woman to become an orthopaedic surgeon in the U.S. She is in private practice, specializing in nonoperative medicine. A champion of African Americans and women in the field, she is a recent recipient of the prestigious Diversity Award from The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
Michael E. Trice, M.D.
Title: Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, Johns Hopkins School of
Medicine; Director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Cartilage Restoration
Specialty: Orthopaedic Surgery
Trice trains resident surgeons and runs an active orthopaedic surgical practice, with a special interest in cartilage repair and transplantation. His research interests include diversity in orthopaedics and the study of cartilage restoration, for which he was recently awarded a grant from the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation.
OTOLARYNGOLOGY
Christian Head, M.D.
Title: Associate Professor in Residence,
Department of Surgery, Head and Neck Surgery, UCLA
Specialty: Otolaryngology
Head is working to establish the UCLA Head and Neck Tissue Bank while facilitating research on head and neck cancers, which includes cancers of the mouth, tongue, larynx, and pharynx. His work is significant because minority populations have mortality rates for head and neck cancers that are twice that of whites.
Wesley L. Hicks Jr., M.D., F.A.C.S.
Title: Professor of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery and Professor of Neurosurgery, University at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
Specialty: Head and Neck Surgical Oncology
Hicks has been issued numerous patents related to his interest in tissue engineering and wound repair, which involves reconstituting tissue similar to the original. His laboratory is currently studying novel work in developing bioengineered devices for healing wounds.
Anita Jackson, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.C.S., F.A.A.O.A.
Title: President & CEO, Greater Carolina Ear, Nose & Throat PA/ Carolina Center for Health & Wellness; Commissioner, North Carolina Health and Wellness Trust Fund
Specialty: Otolaryngology
In addition to being a top-flight medical professional, Jackson is also an active researcher, whose studies include harmful environmental effects on allergic, sinus, and asthmatic disease. She is currently launching a Multicultural Clinical Trials Center with a Biotech Partners Mentoring Program in Southeastern North Carolina.
Michael E. Jones, M.D.
Title: Otolaryngologist & Plastic Surgeon, Lexington Plastic Surgeons
Specialty: Plastic Surgery, Reconstructive Surgery, Otolaryngology, and Head & Neck surgery
With special interests in ethnic rhinoplasty and scarless surgery for people of color, Jones’ specialties are reconstructive surgery and head and neck surgery. He has performed more than 1,000 rhinoplasty procedures and has developed techniques that don’t require foreign implants.
Rodney J. Taylor, M.D., M.S.P.H.
Title: Associate Professor, Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine
Specialty: Otorhinolaryngology
Taylor, a Harvard-trained physician, focuses on a wide range of clinical interests, including head and neck oncology, endoscopic sinus surgery, and anterior skull base surgery. In terms of research, he has studied the treatment and quality-of-life issues involving head and neck cancer patients.
PEDIATRICS
James W. Collins Jr., M.D., M.P.H.
Title: Attending Physician, Neonatology, Children’s Memorial Hospital; Professor of Pediatrics, Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine
Specialty: Neonatology
Collins has a special interest in issues pertaining to perinatal epidemiology and low birth weight babies. He is the recipient of numerous awards including the March of Dimes Basil O’Conner Research Grant for his work with perinatal outcomes in African Americans.
Phylis A. Dennery, M.D., F.A.A.P.
Title: Chief, Division of Neonatology and Newborn Service, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania Health System
Specialty: Neonatal/Perinatal Medicine
An attending physician in the Newborn/Infant Center, Dennery also trains and supervises medical students and neonatal post-doctoral fellows. Her clinical interest is neonatal jaundice, and her research probes the regulation of lung gene expression in oxidative stress.
Timothy M. George, M.D.
Title: Chief of Pediatric Neurosurgery and Neurosciences, Dell Children’s Medical Center; Professor of Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Texas, Austin
Specialty: Pediatric Neurosurgery
George oversees the pediatric neurosurgery center at Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas. Among his research interests are cranial nerve stimulation for pediatric epilepsy and abnormal development of the spinal cord. Before this appointment, George was associate professor of neurosurgery, pediatrics, and neurobiology at Duke University.
Kelvin J. Holloway, M.D., M.B.A.
Title: Healthcare Administrator, Asthma & Allergy Specialist; Pediatrician,
Morehouse Medical Associates
Specialty: Pediatrics
Holloway is best known as an asthma/allergy specialist and pediatrician, serving at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Hughes Spalding, and downtown Atlanta’s Morehouse Medical Associates, the clinical service arm of Morehouse School of Medicine.
Yolanda Wimberly, M.D., M.Sc.
Title: Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics; Program Director, Pediatric
Residency Program, Morehouse School of Medicine
Specialty: Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine
Wimberly is a recognized expert in adolescent health and focuses on sexually transmitted diseases, reproductive health, and human sexuality. An emerging leader in pediatrics, she won the Georgia Chapter’s American Academy of Pediatrics’ 2007 Young Physician Award.
Kevin Johnson, M.D., M.S.
Associate Professor and Vice Chair of Biomedical Informatics and Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Specialty: General Pediatrics, Biomedical Informatics
To make healthcare better, johnson puts information technology to work. This developer of clinical information systems works with a Vanderbilt team that’s a global leader in its field. Used for more than 60,000 prescriptions each month, their software automatically checks for medical mistakes and drug contraindications .
In Memphis, Tennessee, his team’s “health information exchange” work connects many of the area’s emergency departments and clinics. “Imagine that a patient seen in one part of town just hours before for chest pain can have previous radiology and procedure reports available to an emergency department
in another part of town virtually instantaneously,” Johnson says. “Our research has already impacted the healthcare delivered to patients in emergency departments in Memphis. It is a nationally exciting project, and one that we get to use to show the amazing potential of electronic health records.”
Johnson’s interest in healthcare was kindled during his childhood in Baltimore, when Johns Hopkins doctors and nurses took care of him during asthma attacks. By the time he entered college, he upgraded his ambitions to pediatrics upon realizing he was a “people person” who enjoyed interacting with families. As a student at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Johnson’s passion for computer science led him to conduct research in biomedical informatics, and he received a master’s degree from Stanford in the discipline once he completed his residency in pediatrics.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Project HealthDesign funds Johnson’s initiative to work with children to help them take their medication on time. -Cliff Hocker
PLASTIC SURGERY
Emily Pollard, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Title: Chief of Plastic Surgery, Lankenau Hospital; Assistant Professor of Surgery & Associate Dean of Minority Affairs, Drexel University School of Medicine
Specialty: Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Cosmetic Surgery
Pollard is one of only about 35 African American women who are board-certified plastic surgeons. She is highly sought after to share her opinions on issues and complications of cosmetic surgery that primarily affect women of color. She has appeared on NBC’s Today Show and The Oprah Winfrey Show.
SURGERY
Spencer Amory, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Title: Jose M. Ferrer Clinical Professor of Surgery, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons; Chief, Division of General Surgery, New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center
Specialty: General Surgery, Laparoscopic Surgery, and Surgical Endoscopy
The current awardee of the Columbia Leonard Tow award for humanism in medicine, Amory specializes in disparate areas of surgery including laparoscopic, colonoscopy, and gall bladder. His techniques yielded one of the lowest open cholecystectomy (gall bladder) rates nationwide.
Edward M. Barksdale Jr., M.D.
Title: Chief of Pediatric Surgery, Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, Case Medical Center, Case University Medical School; Vice Chairman of Surgery, University Hospital/Case Medical Center
Specialty: Pediatric Surgery
Barksdale was once a clinical instructor in surgery on the faculty of Harvard Medical School. He went on to complete a fellowship in pediatric surgery at Children’s Hospital Medical Center in Cincinnati. Barksdale’s research in neuroblastoma was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Oheneba Boachie-Adjei, M.D.
Title: Chief, Scoliosis Service, Hospital for Special Surgery
Specialty: Orthopaedic Surgery
Boachie-Adjei specializes in performing surgeries to correct spine deformities in patients from infants to adults. He also helped establish the Foundation of Orthopaedics and Complex Spine, which treats bone and joint disorders throughout West Africa.
Charles Bridges, M.D., Sc.D.
Title: Associate Professor of Surgery, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine; Faculty of Bioengineering Department, University of Pennsylvania; Chief, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Pennsylvania Hospital
Specialty: Cardiac Surgery
Because of his revolutionary work in molecular cardiac surgery, a unique approach to gene therapy for heart failure, Bridges has received $3 million from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. The four-year grant will enable him to expand on a methodology that could provide alternatives to heart transplants and artificial heart devices.
Clive Callender, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Title: LaSalle D. Leffall Jr. Professor of Surgery and Chairman, Department of Surgery, Howard University College of Medicine; Director, Transplant Center, Howard University Hospital
Specialties: Transplantation Surgery, General Surgery
Callender is a leading physician in organ transplant medicine. He has the distinction of becoming the first doctor to be asked to become a LaSalle D. Leffall Jr. professor of surgery at Howard University College of Medicine.
Specialty: Shoulder and Knee Orthopaedic Surgery
Cato T. Laurencin, M.D., Ph.D.
Pratt Distinguished Professor and Chairman of Orthopaedic Surgery, Professor of Biomedical Engineering, and Professor of Chemical Engineering, University of Virginia
These days, things are pretty busy for Laurencin. An internationally known shoulder and knee clinical specialist with cutting edge research as a professor of chemical engineering and biomedical engineering, he is fellowship trained in shoulder surgery and sports medicine and one of only three practicing orthopaedic surgeons in America elected to the prestigious Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences. Recently named to the 2007 Scientific American 50 list for his groundbreaking technology for regeneration of the anterior cruciate ligament using a bioengineered matrix, the chair of the University of Virginia Orthopaedic Surgery Department launched Laurencin Laboratories, a Center for Musculoskeletal Regeneration and Repair in 2005.
The ACL is the most commonly injured knee ligament, with roughly half a million cases a year reported worldwide. Laurencin has developed a fiber technology that essentially replaces the ACL with a bioengineered ligament. This allows the ligament to generate new growth to repair the knee. So far, he has achieved success in small animal tests and will begin large-animal testing this year, and eventually, treatment of humans.
“The new company catalyzes the work of what we’ve been doing.
We hope to bring this to market at an exponential pace,” Laurencin says. He also finds time to speak about health disparities in the African American community, while mentoring African American and other ethnic minority students. Under his leadership, the University of Virginia’s orthopaedic program boasts a 35% African American enrollment (the national percentage is 2%). -Sonya A. DonaldsonSURGERY
Benjamin Carson Sr., M.D.
Title: Director, Pediatric Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins Children Center; Professor, Neurosurgery, Oncology, Plastic Surgery, and Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Specialty: Neurosurgery
Carson is a world-renowned neurosurgeon best known for his work in surgically separating five sets of twins joined at the head. He is an expert in pediatric congenital spinal deformities, achondroplasia (human dwarfism), and cerebral hemispherectomy, a surgery where half of the brain is removed to help control intractable seizures.
Haile T. Debas, M.D.
Title: Professor of Surgery and Executive Director, University of California San
Francisco Global Health Sciences
Specialty: Surgery
Debas is a distinguished gastrointestinal surgeon, physiologist, and leader in the field of academic medicine. The former dean helped the UCSF School of Medicine become a national model for medical education. He is one of a few surgeons to be elected a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Dale Distant, M.D.
Title: Director of Transplantation Surgery and Professor of Surgery, State
University of New York Health Science Center, Brooklyn-Downstate Medical Center; Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgery, New York University School of Medicine
Specialty: Transplant Surgery
Distant is an innovative leader in the field of transplantation. He initiated the technique of laparoscopic donor nephrectomy for living donor transplantation at SUNY Downstate and the use of the dual kidney transplant technique.
Titus Duncan, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Title: Director of Minimally Invasive & Bariatric Surgery, Atlanta Medical Center
Specialty: Surgery
A pioneer in the technique, and armed with
more than 20 years experience, Duncan is called upon to teach laparoscopic surgery techniques to surgeons worldwide. The founder of Peachtree Surgical & Bariatrics Associates P.C., he is a former president of the Atlanta Medical Association.
Debra Ford, M.D.
Title: Associate Professor & Vice Chairman of Surgery, and Head of Colon and Rectal Surgery, Director of General Surgery Residency Program, Howard University Hospital/Howard University College of Medicine
Specialty: Surgery
A dedicated physician with more than 18 years of experience, Ford specializes in colon, rectal, and general surgery. Her clinical research concentrates on the diagnosis and treatment of colon and rectal cancer screening for surgery, diagnosis management, and treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases.
Henri Ford, M.D.
Title: Vice President & Chief of Surgery, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles; Professor & Vice Chair for Clinical Affairs, Department of Surgery, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine
Specialty: Pediatric Surgery
Ford oversees the entire perioperative services at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Ford is also credited with the high-tech minimally invasive surgery program developed at CHLA. He is a world-renowned researcher in the field of necrotizing enterocolitis, a devastating illness that affects the intestine of premature infants.
Specialty: Nuclear Cardiology
Jennifer Mieres, M.D.
Associate Professor of Medicine and Director of Nuclear Cardiology, New York
University School of Medicine
A native of Trinidad, West Indies, mieres is a nationally recognized expert on cardiovascular disease and its life-threatening effects on women. As such, she has become one of the nation’s leading advocates for women adopting a more heart-healthy lifestyle. “Since 1984 more women than men have died from heart disease in the U.S. so I made this my focus,”she asserts.”I want to send a message to women that heart disease can be prevented. Simple lifestyle changes can have an impact.”
Mieres oversees four physicians and the training of at least two or three rotating fellows at NYU School of Medicine. Mieres, a fellow of the American College of Cardiology, was one of the pioneers in the area of nuclear cardiology which applies noninvasive techniques to evaluate the blood flow to the heart muscle as well as target the size and location of heart attacks. Heavily involved in clinical cardiovascular research in women, the Boston University School of Medicine graduate chaired the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology’s Task Force on Women and Coronary Artery Disease and currently serves as one of the lead investigators of a national study to determine the optimal noninvasive test for women with suspected heart ailments.
Mieres’ has been routinely tapped by the media to discuss such health issues. In fact, she earned an Emmy nomination for her 2002 PBS documentary, A Woman’s Heart and she authored a highly acclaimed book on the topic, Heart Smart for Black Women and Latinas, that was released earlier this year. Both projects, she says, were vehicles to increase awarness and empower women-especially minorities-to become more proactive about maintaining their health. -Tracey Brown
SURGERY
Wayne Frederick, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Title: Chief of General Surgery, Deputy Director, and Howard University Cancer Center Associate Professor, Department of Surgery, Howard University
Specialty: Surgery
Frederick’s interest is the molecular biology of liver metastasis in colorectal cancer. He’s also investigating the disparities seen in the outcome of premenopausal breast cancer in African American women. Frederick serves on the board of directors for the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America.
Terrence M. Fullum, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Title: Associate Professor of Surgery, Howard University; Chief of Minimally
Invasive Surgery and Medical Director, Center for Wellness and Weight Loss Surgery,
Howard University Hospital
Specialty: Surgery
Fullum often performs surgery that is video-conferenced remotely so that surgeons may learn from his techniques. He is the creator of programs aimed at bringing awareness to the benefits of minimally invasive and bariatric surgery, including The Diverse Surgeon’s Initiative.
Eddie Hoover, M.D.
Title: Professor of Surgery, State University of New York, Buffalo; Editor, Journal of the National Medical Association
Specialty: Thoracic Surgery
Hoover is a founding member of the Society of Black Academic Surgeons and Association of Black Cardiothoracic Surgeons. For the last seven years, he has made trips to sub-Saharan Africa to distribute medical supplies and equipment.
Leonel Hunt, M.D.
Title: Director of Spine Trauma, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Institute for Spinal Disorders and Orthopaedic Center
Specialty: Orthopaedic Spine Surgery
Hunt is an adult and pediatric spinal surgeon who specializes in scoliosis and complex spinal disorders utilizing minimally invasive surgical techniques. He is a co-founder of HuntSpine.com, a practice dedicated to providing across-the-board spine care. This expert lectures on innovative treatments of spine-related pain.
Lynt Johnson, M.D., M.B.A.
Title: Professor & Vice Chairman of Department of Surgery, Chief of Division
of Transplant Surgery, and Director of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Georgetown
University Hospital
Specialties: Transplant Surgery, Hepatobiliary Surgery
Johnson is a leading doctor in transplant surgery and hepatobiliary surgery. One of his greatest achievements was founding the Liver Transplantation Program at the University of Maryland. He serves on the board of directors of United Network for Organ Sharing.
Kathie-Anne Joseph, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.C.S.
Title: Director of Research in General Surgery of Physicians & Surgeons,
Assistant Professor of Surgery, and Acting Medical Director of Women of Risk,
Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons
Specialty: Oncology
Joseph is the first African American woman to be appointed to the faculty of Columbia’s department of surgery. She has focused her research and practice on the area of breast cancer.
Donna Mendes, M.D.
Title: Associate Clinical Professor of Surgery, Columbia University; Senior Vascular Surgeon, St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital
Specialty: Vascular Surgery
Mendes is the first African American female vascular surgeon to be certified by the American Board of Surgery. Mendes has focused her latest clinical research on the impact of race on vascular disease. She also conducts procedures to remove plaque from the neck’s vessels to prevent strokes and aneurysms.
Lisa A. Newman, M.D., M.P.H, F.A.C.S.
Title: Director, Breast Care Center; Associate Professor of Surgery, University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center
Specialty: Surgical Oncology
Newman engages in special surgical techniques such as the skin-sparing mastectomy and lymphatic mapping/sentinel lymph node biopsy. Newman currently serves as chief national medical adviser for the Sister Network Inc., a national African American breast cancer survivors support organization.
Oluyinka Olutoye, M.B., Ch.B., Ph.D.
Title: Associate Professor of Surgery and Obstetrics & Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine
Specialty: Fetal Surgery
Believing all things are possible, Olutoye has done the ultimate in pediatric surgery-operating on an unborn baby still inside its mother’s womb. During the fifth month of the pregnancy, Olutoye and fetal surgery colleague Darell Cass removed the tumor covering the baby’s tiny heart. Months later, a healthy baby boy was born.
Rogsbert F. Philips, M.D.
Title: General Surgeon and Breast Cancer Specialist, Metro Surgical Associates Inc.
Specialty: Surgery
Phillips is a general surgeon with a special interest in breast cancer. Since 2001, she has been involved in research a
nd clinical trials on a groundbreaking treatment for breast cancer called ductal lavage-the “Pap smear for the breast.”
Velma P. Scantlebury, M.D.
Title: Professor of Surgery, Assistant Dean for Community Education, and
Chief of Transplantation, University of South Alabama Regional Transplant Center
Specialty: Surgery
With more than 23 years of experience, Scantlebury is a transplant surgeon credited with more than 1,000 kidney transplants in adults and children. She is the first African American woman transplant surgeon in the U.S. Her research interests include outcomes of organ donations and transplantations in African Americans.
Steven C. Stain, M.D.
Title: Chair, Department of Surgery, Albany Medical Center; Vice Chair-elect, American Board of Surgery
Specialty: Surgery
Stain is a general surgeon with a special interest in liver and pancreatic surgery. He was an active participant and co-principal investigator in the alliance between Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center and Meharry Medical College, which recently landed a $10 million grant renewal from the National Institutes of Health.
Patricia L. Turner, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Title: General Surgeon, University of Maryland Medical Center; Medical Director, Surgical Acute Care Unit, and Assistant Professor, Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine
Specialty: Laparoscopic Surgery
Turner’s clinical research interests focus on improvements in laparoscopic surgery, specifically the laparascopic approach to abdominal surgery. Turner is committed to the development of new training methods for residents and senior-level surgeons.
UROLOGY
Chiledum A. Ahaghotu, M.D.
Title: Associate Professor and Chief of Urology, Howard University College
of Medicine, President of Medical Staff, Howard University Hospital Specialty: Urology
Ahaghotu’s research focuses on the effective treatment of prostate cancer. His interests target minimally invasive techniques. He has led several medical missions to Nigeria, assisting with the establishment of four urologic endoscopy centers in the country in five years.
James Bennett, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Title: President & CEO, Midtown Urology & Midtown Urology Surgical Center
Specialty: Urology
Bennett is an activist for prostate cancer education. The first Georgia-based urologist to freeze the prostrate gland to kill abnormal cancer cells, he performs clinical trials, authors urological articles, and conducts medical symposiums. He teaches urology at Emory School of Medicine and Morehouse School of Medicine.
Darrell J. Carmen, M.D.
Title: Partner, Georgia Urology
Specialty: Urology
Carmen’s practice addresses erectile dysfunction, which affects some 30 million American men, and incontinence. He is trained in penile implant procedures and provides free information sessions to educate men as well as couples on the safety of the procedure and its outcome.
James “Butch” Rosser Jr., M.D.
Name: Professor of Surgery,
Department of Surgery
Morehouse School of Medicine; Director, Advanced Medical Technology Institute
Specialty: Surgery
Across the globe, Rosser is known for his techniques in minimally invasive surgery. “When you don’t have to cut people open with big incisions, they are able to have less pain, get back to work, and be more productive,” he says.
He has successfully performed more than 3,000 procedures, including laparoscopic surgery, on some of the youngest patients-at 15, 17, and 19 months old. He also holds two patents and has invented several medical products.
Rosser is a pioneer in using video games as a tool to help surgeons perform faster, error-free operations. More than 5,000 surgeons worldwide have completed his “Top Gun Laparoscopic Skills and Suturing Program,” in which video games are used as part of a physician’s curriculum. He has also made major advances in telemedicine, coaching doctors in Central America to handle complex procedures. -Cliff Hocker
UROLOGY
Jenelle E. Foote, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Title: Vice President, Midtown Urology & Midtown Urology Surgical Center
Specialty: Urology
In private practice since 1991, Foote’s research investigates sexual dysfunction in men and women. She frequently speaks to both professional and lay groups about urologic issues. She was named the “Continence Care Champion” in 2002 by the National Association for Continence and the Society of Women in Urology.
Lionel B. Fraser Jr., M.D.
Titles: Urologic Surgeon, Metropolitan Urology; Clinical Instructor of Surgery (Urology), University of Mississippi Medical School; Chief of Surgery, Madison County Medical Center
Specialty: Urology
Fraser is a urologic surgeon whose research interests include benign prostatic disease, prostate cancer, impotence, and incontinence. In 2003, Fraser was named physician of the year by the Mississippi Medical and Surgical Association.
Gerald Hoke, M.D., M.P.H.
Title: Assistant Professor of Clinical Urology, Columbia University; Chief of Urology, Harlem Hospital Center; Urology Attending Physician, New York
Presbyterian Hospital
Specialty: Urology
Hoke has been appointed to several prestigious committees such as the New York State Prostate Cancer Task Force under former Gov. George Pataki, and the American Urological Association’s Practice Parameters and Guidelines Subcommittee. He is also an honorary police surgeon for the New York City Police Department.
Terry Mason, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Title: Commissioner, Chicago Department of Public Health
Specialty: Urology
Mason emphasizes the body-mind-spirit health connection, advocates better nutrition with regular exercise, and promotes the strengthening of families to achieve healthier communities. A urologist, this nationally known health motivator is on the College of Medicine and School of Public Health faculties at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Curtis Pettaway, M.D.
Title: Professor, Department of Urology, University of Texas M.D. Anderson
Cancer Center
Specialty: Urology
Pettaway specializes in the research and treatment of prostate cancer. He incorporates innovative treatment methods such as robotic surgical procedures.
Brian A. Stone, M.D.
Title: Assistant Professor, Columbia University Medical Center, Department of Urology
Specialties: Urologic Oncology, Neuro-Urology, Female Urology, Erectile Dysfunction
Stone is skilled in radical retropubic prostatectomy, a type of surgery that spares the bladder neck and nerves. Stone is nationally known for his skills in prosthetic surgery. He has inserted hundred of penile prostheses with infection and malfunction rates below the national averages.
Reporting by Carolyn M. Brown, Tracey Brown, Cliff Hocker, Sonya A. Donaldson & Shari Logan