The Association of Specialty Professors (ASP) has announced the ninth class of T. Franklin Williams Scholars. Seven new investigators will join 75 previous T. Franklin Williams Scholars in working to achieve the program's goal of increasing the capacity of internal medicine subspecialists to care for the aging population.
T. Franklin Williams Scholars receive two- to four-year career development awards funded by generous grants from the Atlantic Philanthropies (USA) Inc., the John A. Hartford Foundation, and 11 internal medicine specialty society partners. The research funded by these awards will advance what is known about the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis, clinical outcomes of patients with chronic kidney disease, rhinosinusitis, and palliative concerns of frail older adults.
T. Franklin Williams, MD, for whom the program is named, said, "It is indeed an honor and much satisfaction for me to be associated with this program, which addresses the important mission of identifying and addressing the challenges of our aging population. I congratulate the promising scholars being supported, and I look forward to their and our futures."
The ninth class of T. Franklin Williams Scholars and their focus areas are:
Kellie H. Campbell, MD
University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine
Referral Patterns and Associated Clinical Outcomes for Older Adults with Chronic Kidney Disease
ASP-American Geriatrics Society Foundation for Health in Aging Award
Jessica Chia, MD
Duke University School of Medicine
Role of Aging and Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in the Pathogenesis of Pulmonary Fibrosis
ASP-CHEST Foundation of the American College of Chest Physicians Geriatric Development Research Award
Seong Cho, MD
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Age-Related Differences in Inflammatory Mechanisms of Chronic Rhinosinusitis
ASP-American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Geriatrics Development Initiative Junior Faculty Development Award
Vera Luther, MD
Wake Forest University School of Medicine
Critical Physician Decision Factors Influencing Appropriate Antimicrobial Prescribing in the Hospitalized Elderly
ASP-Infectious Diseases Society of America Young Investigator Award in Geriatrics
Una Makris, MD
Yale University School of Medicine
Epidemiology of Restricting Back Pain in Older Adults
American College of Rheumatology Research and Education Foundation-ASP Junior Career Development Award in Geriatric Medicine
Alexander K. Smith, MD
University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine
Palliative Concerns of Frail Elders from Diverse Communities
Society of General Internal Medicine-Association of Chiefs of General Internal Medicine-ASP T. Franklin Williams Scholars Award in Geriatrics
Michael E. Widlansky, MD
Medical College of Wisconsin
Effect of a Combined Pedometer/Computerized Feedback Intervention on Vascular and Left Ventricle Function in Older Adults
ASP-American Heart Association Career Development Award in Geriatric Cardiology
For more information about the T. Franklin Williams Scholars Program, contact ASP Project Administrator Erika D. Tarver at (202) 861-9351 or etarver@im.org.
About the Association of Specialty Professors (ASP)
ASP is the organization of specialty internal medicine divisions at medical schools and community teaching hospitals in the United States and Canada. ASP is the only organization that focuses specifically on providing training and educational opportunities for internal medicine division chiefs and fellowship training program directors. The T. Franklin Williams Scholars Program is part of ASP's Geriatrics Development Initiative.
About the Atlantic Philanthropies
The Atlantic Philanthropies are a group of Bermuda-based charitable foundations whose grant investments are focused internationally in four program fields: aging, disadvantaged children and youth, population health, and reconciliation and human rights. Atlantic's legacy outcome in aging is for older adults to be an integral part of society, living healthier, independent lives with dignity and meaning. For more information, view www.atlanticphilanthropies.org.
About the John A. Hartford Foundation
Founded in 1929, the John A. Hartford Foundation is a committed champion of training, research and service system innovations that promote the health and independence of American's older adults. Through its grant making, the foundation seeks to strengthen the nation's capacity to provide effective, affordable care to this rapidly increasing older population by educating "aging-prepared" health professionals (physicians, nurses, and social workers), and developing innovations that improve and better integrate health and supportive services. The foundation was established by John A. Hartford. Mr. Hartford and his brother, George L. Hartford, both former chief executives of the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company, left the bulk of their estates to the foundation upon their deaths in the 1950s. Additional information about the foundation and its programs is available at www.jhartfound.org.