Stanford Report, June 7, 2006

Medical center people

Vincent R. Hentz

James Chang

Stanley Cohen

Christy I. Sandborg, MD, has been promoted to professor of pediatrics (rheumatology) at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital as of May 1. Her research focuses on lupus in children. She also serves as chief of pediatric rheumatology at Packard Children's. (An item in the May 31 Medical Center Report listed her new title incorrectly.)

Vincent R. Hentz, MD, professor of surgery, has stepped down as chief of the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and will be succeeded by James Chang, MD, associate professor of surgery (plastic surgery) and, by courtesy, of orthopedic surgery, effective July 1.

Hentz, director of the American Board of Plastic Surgery and past president of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand, plans to pursue his research and clinical interests in tetraplegia and brachial plexus surgery, as well as direct the division's efforts in overseas humanitarian missions. Chang has served as program director of plastic surgery since 1999 and as editor of the Yearbook of Hand Surgery since 2003. His research interests include tissue engineering in the hand; modulation of TGF-Beta in scarless flexor tendon wound healing, and microarray analysis of Dupuytren's contracture.

Lubert Stryer, MD, the Mrs. George A. Winzer Professor of Cell Biology, Emeritus, and professor of neurobiology, emeritus, and Stanley Cohen, MD, the Kwoh-Ting Li Professor, have been elected members of the American Philosophical Society. Past members of the APS, which was founded by Benjamin Franklin, include George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton.

Stryer is also the recipient of the 2006 European Inventor of the Year award, presented by the European Patent Office, for his work as co-inventor of the DNA chip.