On December 31, 2008, Matt Nielsen, MD, joined the Urology faculty. He comes to UNC from Johns Hopkins and specializes in urologic oncology and robotic surgery..

On December 31, 2008, Matt Nielsen, MD, joined the Urology faculty. He comes to UNC from Johns Hopkins and specializes in urologic oncology and robotic surgery.

December 19, 2008 — The Fourth Annual UNC Conference on Melanoma: A Multidisciplinary Perspective will be conducted on Thursday, February 26, 2009, at the William and Ida Friday Center for Continuing Education. Course directors are Dr. David Ollila, of Surgical Oncology, and Dr. Nancy Thomas, of Dermatology. Department of Surgery faculty participants include Dr. Matthew Ewend, Dr. Michael Meyers, and Patricia Long.

December 19, 2008 — The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases has awarded a 4 year Career Development Grant to Christopher Dekaney, PhD, in the Division of Pediatric Surgery, for his project investigating “The Role of FGFR1 and FGFR2 in Repair of Damaged Intestinal Epithelium.” The project will begin January 1, 2009.

November 18, 2008 — Timothy, M. Weiner, MD, Associate Professor of Surgery, Division of Pediatric Surgery, was awarded the prestigious H. Fleming Fuller Award at the 11/13/08 meeting of the UNC Health Care Board. The H. Fleming Fuller Award is intended as a permanent memorial to Kinston, N.C., physician H. Fleming Fuller, a founding member of the Board of Directors of the N.C. Memorial Hospital. In establishing the Fuller Award, the Board sought to recognize members of the medical staff who demonstrate the qualities embodied in Dr. Fuller’s lifelong dedication to the highest standards of patient care, teaching and community service.

November 18, 2008 — On 10/15/08, Dr. Aaron Garrison was presented with the Surgical Forum Excellence in Research Award by the American College of Surgeons for his abstract, “Developmental insight into intestinal adaptation: characterization of intestinal stem cell (ISC) expansion and lucagon-Like Peptide-2 (GLP-2) actions during murine intestinal development.” Dr. Garrison is a PGY-5 General Surgery resident currently conducting research with Dr. Michael Helmrath.

December 8, 2008 — The UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center has named Judith Swasey winner of the 2008 Oncology Nursing Excellence Award, which includes a $1,500 stipend for professional education activities.

December 8, 2008 — On Nov. 29, UNC senior Elisabeth “Lisette” Yorke, of Nova Scotia, Canada, was selected as a Rhodes Scholar. The biology major will have the opportunity to study at Oxford University for the next several years.

Yorke has volunteered with the NC Jaycee Burn Center since early in 2007. She works with injured patients and participates in burn research under the mentorship of Dr. Bruce Cairns, Associate Professor of Surgery and Director of the Burn Center. Dr. Cairns was honored to recommend Yorke to the Rhodes Scholarship Selection Committee.