Medical College doctors to share expertise

Three Medical College of Wisconsin doctors have been chosen to assist health care initiatives at the state and national level.
Dr. Glenn Flores, associate professor of pediatrics, epidemiology and health policy, and associate director of the Center for the Advancement of Urban Children at the Medical College, has been appointed to a two-year term on the American Academy of Pediatrics’ National Committee on Pediatric Research.
Dr. Cecilia Hillard, professor of pharmacology at the Medical College, has been appointed by Gov. Jim Doyle to serve a term on the Wisconsin Controlled Substances Board. The board oversees licensing of physicians, pharmacists and others to prescribe or dispense controlled drugs.
Dr. David Warltier has been chosen to present the fourth annual Foundation for Anesthesia Education and Research (FAER) honorary lecture at the group’s national meeting in Las Vegas on Oct. 25.
"It’s very significant," said Thomas Bruckman, executive director of FAER. "Dr. Warltier was chosen because of his more than 20 years of contribution to clinical and health research."
"This is just yet another in a series of public recognitions of the significance of what he has done," said Dr. Paul Pegel, who has been one of Warltier’s colleagues for the last 15 years.
Warltier discovered that anesthetics provide protection from ischemia, which is an inadequate supply of blood to a part of the body caused by blockage of an artery, a mild heart attack.
Pegel said Warltier’s research has changed the philosophy of how people view anesthetic drugs.
"People are no longer looking at anesthetics as poisonous substances, but are also looking at them as substances that can have beneficial effects," he said.
Pegel said Warltier is a fun and creative person to work with.
"He is interested in seeing other people succeed," Pegel said. "He doesn’t like to hog the credit and is very thoughtful about other’s careers."
Students, Pegel said, have had the opportunity to benefit from his mentorship.
"They have gone on to be successful specifically because of his influence," Pegel said.
Hillard, who will serve on the state’s Controlled Substances Board, is researching cannibinoids and endocannibinoids at the Medical College. Cannibinoids are the chemicals in marijuana responsible for its psychoactive effects, and endocannibinoid is the chemical made by the brain that activates CB1 and CB2 receptors, the same receptors activated by cannibinoids.
"We are trying to find when, why, and how is this chemical made under normal conditions," Hillard said.
While Hillard said she will generally not use her day-to-day research on the committee, her overall expertise on drug abuse will be quite useful.
"Drug abuse is the area I’ve specialized in throughout my career," Hillard said.
Hillard said she is excited to serve on the committee.
"I think it will be a nice challenge," she said. "I plan to utilize my expertise to make the state of Wisconsin work and run smoothly in licensing."
Flores, who will serve on the American Academy of Pediatrics National Committee on Pediatric Research, has published landmark studies on medical interpreter errors and their clinical consequences, and on the difficulties inner city parents face in understanding and utilizing managed care programs.
"Most urban parents in our study had insufficient knowledge," Flores said.
Also, research Flores has done found that in a clinic in which a Spanish interpreter was used, errors were common, and most errors had potential clinical consequences.
Flores said he hopes this national appointment will be helpful in reducing the disparity in health care for minorities.
"I will contribute to the committee my expertise in serving minority children and improving language access to health care," Flores said. "It’s an honor and I’m looking forward to it."
August 6, 2004, Small Business Times, Milwaukee, WI