top researcher Astronaut Robert L. Satcher, MD, PhD, assistant professor of orthopaedic surgery, was named one of the “50 Most Important Blacks in Research Science.” Dr. Satcher and other honorees were featured in the September 2004 issue of Spectrum Science, which is distributed to science programs and scientists nationwide.

fulbright scholar Dante R. Chialvo, MD, research associate professor of physiology, received a Fulbright Scholar grant, allowing him to teach and conduct research at the University of Cordoba in Argentina.

teaching excellence Faculty members recognized this year for teaching excellence include Alexander L. Lin, MD, GME ’94, obstetrics and gynecology; Paula H. Stern, MD, molecular pharmacology and biological chemistry; and Sharon M. Unti, MD ’82, pediatrics, who received the Dean’s Award for Teaching Excellence. Winners of the George H. Joost Outstanding Teacher Awards were Randolph E. Perkins, PhD, physical therapy and human movement sciences; Andrea Coath Baumgartner, MD, medicine; Thomas C. Corbridge, MD, medicine; and Gregory E. Brisson, MD, GME ’94, medicine. Dr. Brisson also received the 2005 AMWA/Upjohn Gender Equity Award. The Outstanding Clinical Teacher of the Year was James J. Paparello, MD, medicine.

music and medicine A joint program of Northwestern’s Feinberg School of Medicine and School of Music began in the fall to improve the medical treatment of elite musicians and educate music students and faculty members about the causes and prevention of ailments due to practicing and performing.

predoctoral fellowships This year several MD/PhD students in the Medical Scientist Training Program garnered prestigious predoctoral fellowships: five from the National Institutes of Health (Ali Jalali, Gregory J. Woodhead, Blayne Amir Sayed, Laurie C. Eldredge, and John A. Cieslak), two from the Schweitzer Foundation (Blayne Amir Sayed and Tracy S. Gertler), and one each from the Department of Defense (Donad R. “Robbie” Cantrell) and American Heart Association (Brian T. Emmer). Altogether 10 Northwestern MSTP students hold NIH predoctoral (F30) fellowships. They represent nearly 7 percent of the 140 fellowships awarded nationwide, yet Northwestern has only 2 percent of the total MD/PhD students enrolled.

another schweitzer fellow Medical student Alexander V. Uihlein also was named a Chicago area Schweitzer fellow.

collegiate inventor C. Shad Thaxton, MD ’04, is one of two students who worked with Northwestern University chemistry professor Chad A. Mirkin, PhD, on a new technology they’ve dubbed “bio-barcode amplified detection systems” that could detect chemical signs of Alzheimer’s disease or cancer earlier than conventional methods. The process earned the students a $25,000 prize in the 2004 Collegiate Inventors Competition.