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Claire Henchcliffe, MD, DPhil |
After a nationwide search, Claire Henchcliffe, MD, DPhil, has been appointed as the new chair for the UCI School of Medicine Department of Neurology, effective October 1, 2020.
The UCI School of Medicine Department of Neurology is among the top-ranked in the country, and is home to world class neurologists and neuroscientists.
“What makes UCI so attractive is the chance to work with teams at the forefront of neuroscience, integrative medicine, engineering, public health and many other areas, in a remarkably collaborative and collegial environment,” said Claire Henchcliffe, MD, DPhil. “To succeed in translating new advances in research into better neurological care is going to take a strong interdisciplinary team approach.”
Henchcliffe is an internationally recognized clinician and researcher in neurological disorders, and has served for the last 7 years as vice-chair for clinical research in neurology, and as chief of neurodegenerative disorders in the Department of Neurology at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York, NY, and as attending neurologist at New York Presbyterian Hospital.
A veteran with more than 20 years of experience, she led a clinical research program focused on developing new therapeutic approaches to Parkinson’s disease, including stem cell-based regenerative therapy and gene therapy. Henchcliffe led the NINDS-funded NeuroNEXT clinical trials network team at Weill Cornell Medical College and has been involved on a national level in neurology education with a strong emphasis on faculty development.
“We are entering a new era of neurology. Research advances, for example in stem cell technology, antibody therapies, and genetic therapies, allow us to reimagine future care for people living with complex neurological disorders,” said Henchcliffe. “UCI’s Department of Neurology has an outstanding clinical trial infrastructure. It will be exciting to grow those efforts and, at the same time, support our translational researchers as they develop a pipeline of technologies and treatments for the future.”
Henchcliffe will work alongside colleagues at the UCI Medical Center, located in Orange, California, to meet the growing community needs for neurological care. She will also lead the department in combining compassionate and patient-centered care with transformative research. Henchcliffe is a strong proponent of mentorship for trainees, faculty, and staff, and is committed to expanding the department’s efforts to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in all areas.
“In addition to serving those with neurological disorders, there’s also a need for us to expand our efforts on keeping brains healthy as people age,” said Henchcliffe. “This is an area in which UCI neurologists lead.”
Henchcliffe earned her medical degree from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York, and completed a residency in neurology, and a fellowship in movement disorders at the Neurological Institute of New York. Henchcliffe completed her DPhil in molecular and cell biology at the University of Oxford in Oxford, England, and post-doctoral fellowship in genetics at Cambridge University and UC Berkeley.
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Coleen Cunningham, MD |
Following a national search, the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine and CHOC Children’s have jointly announced that Coleen Cunningham, MD, a renowned professor of pediatrics and pathology from Duke University, has accepted a dual appointment position as both the chair for the UCI Department of Pediatrics and as senior vice president and pediatrician-in-chief for CHOC Children’s. Her appointment is effective March 1, 2021.
In this unique, dual role, Cunningham will be responsible for leading UCI’s Department of Pediatrics and its 16 divisions that span the spectrum of diseases and disorders. She is charged with bringing real-world academics, scientists and clinicians together to collaborate and uncover new knowledge through research, and effectively apply that knowledge to advance children’s health. As senior vice president and pediatrician-in-chief (PIC) at CHOC Children’s, Cunningham will serve as a senior clinical leader with oversight responsibility for the healthcare system’s vast pediatric medical and surgical services, academic advancement, research and teaching programs, as well as become the key physician executive liaison between CHOC and UCI.
“Dr. Cunningham’s broad medical experience, advanced research expertise and extraordinary leadership capabilities in the field of children’s health will be transformative to Orange County and the communities that CHOC and UCI serve,” said CHOC Children’s President and CEO Kimberley Chavalas Cripe. “Combining the clinical, research and academic expertise of UCI and CHOC will not only advance the pediatric care of children in the region, but also advance the education and training of the next generation of pediatric experts through a fully integrated program that leverages a top tier children’s health system with a top tier academic health system.”
Balancing the tripartite mission of UCI School of Medicine – Discover. Teach. Heal. – Cunningham will drive research, educational and clinical excellence, while helping further CHOC’s mission to nurture, advance and protect the health and well-being of children. In her role, she will ensure full integration of research and academic priorities across the continuum of care at both CHOC and UCI’s pediatric programs.
“Dr. Cunningham is a nationally-recognized scholar and forward-thinking leader, with a distinguished record of achievement in research, education and clinical care,” said Michael J. Stamos, MD, dean of the UCI School of Medicine. “We are confident in her ability to lead our organizations. Hers is a great story of achievement and we are honored to have her join us.”
Cunningham joins UCI and CHOC Children’s from Duke University where she serves as professor with tenure in the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, as chief of Global Health, and vice chair for research in the Department of Pediatrics. She holds a secondary appointment in the Department of Pathology at Duke.
Cunningham earned her medical degree from the State University of New York Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, NY, where she also did her residency in pediatrics and a fellowship in pediatric infectious diseases. At SUNY, Cunningham also served as an associate professor of pediatrics.
Her work on HIV and AIDS in children has been recognized numerous times, as has her work on H1N1 influenza. Most recently, Cunningham was awarded the Denny, Katz, Simon, Tingelstad Academic Service Award from the American Academy of Pediatrics. She also recently received the Translational Research Mentoring Award from Duke University Medical Center and was selected for participation in the Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine.
Cunningham has published more than 120 manuscripts and led many multicenter clinical trials aimed at the treatment and prevention of HIV infection in children. She has obtained several competitive research funding awards and served on National Institutes of Health and other grant reviews. She has also done extensive work as an educator, teaching students at all levels, from undergraduate to fellows, focusing on training Pediatric Infectious Diseases Physician Scientists.
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Kristen M. Kelly, MD |
Kristen M. Kelly, MD, has been appointed chair for the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine Department of Dermatology, effective September 6, 2020.
Kelly is a board-certified dermatologist with more than 25 years of experience using lasers to treat vascular birthmarks, scars and other dermatologic conditions. She is at the forefront of research in the treatment of vascular skin conditions, and contributes to the development and implementation of the latest energy based technologies, techniques and treatments in dermatology.
“I have always been impressed and drawn to the spirit of collaboration and innovation embodied by the UCI School of Medicine and the Beckman Laser Institute,” said Kelly. “At UCI, I can provide the best care for my patients and participate in cutting edge research that can positively impact both individual patients and the field of dermatology.”
Kelly has contributed to the work at the world-renowned UCI Health Beckman Laser Institute & Medical Clinic in Irvine, California for over 20 years. She is also past president and board member of the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery and has lectured locally, nationally and internationally on the treatment of vascular lesions and light based treatments and diagnostics in dermatology.
Kelly replaces UCI physician Christopher B. Zachary, MD, MBBS, FRCP, who stepped down from the position after serving 15 years as chair of the Department of Dermatology.
“Dr. Zachary grew the department in wonderful ways and I want to continue this positive trajectory, broadening our clinical outreach with additional patient care sites and expanding our research faculty, collaborations and grant funding,” said Kelly. “We also intend to work with the Children’s Hospital of Orange County to augment pediatric dermatology services. “
Kelly has worked as a dermatologist and professor at UCI School of Medicine for more than 20 years. During her tenure as program director, she augmented and expanded the dermatology residency program achieving full accreditation and built the program to a highly desired residency where the department receives over 400 applications for five slots each year.
“We have an outstanding residency program and we want to continue to attract the top applicants in the country and expand our residency and fellowship programs,” said Kelly. “We want to embody the UCI School of Medicine vision statement and be ‘powered by discovery, innovation and inclusive excellence’.”
Kelly has also been involved in the American Society for Laser Medicine & Surgery, serving as a past president and now secretary elect. She has also worked with the Sturge-Weber Foundation and The Vascular Birthmarks Foundation to augment education about birthmarks, support the most innovative research in this field and expand access to the best treatment options to all patients.
“I have been fortunate to collaborate with outstanding scientists at UCI and across the globe looking at methods to advance energy based treatments, augment removal of vascular birthmarks and develop non-invasive diagnostic imaging systems for cutaneous disease,” said Kelly.
Kelly received her medical degree from UCLA, and completed an internship in internal medicine from St. Mary Medical Center in Long Beach. She completed her residency in dermatology at UCI.
The UCI Department of Dermatology has experts in medical and surgical dermatology with specialty clinics in skin cancer, blistering diseases, pigmentary disorders, gynecologic dermatology, vascular birthmarks, hair disorders, complex medical dermatology, laser surgery, Mohs surgery and cosmetic dermatology.