HJAR Jul/Aug 2019

28 JUL / AUG 2019  I  Healthcare Journal of ARKANSAS   Healthcare Briefs conduct research and increase understanding of federal healthcare and higher education policy topics that impact osteopathic medical educa- tion, and present on an advocacy topic as deter- mined and finalized with AACOM Government Relations. Brian E. Gittens, EdD, MPA, Named Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Brian E. Gittens, EdD, MPA, has been named vice chancellor for diversity, equity, and inclusion for the University of Arkansas for Medical Sci- ences (UAMS). Gittens succeeds Billy Thomas, MD, MPH, a neonatologist in the UAMS College of Medicine Department of Pediatrics, who was named UAMS’ first vice chancellor for diversity in 2011. “As we continue to serve the healthcare needs of the state, we must be intentional and inclu- sive not only in the ways we provide care for our patients, but in the opportunities we create for faculty, staff, and students across all of UAMS,” said UAMS Chancellor Cam Patterson, MD, MBA. “Brian has led systemic change in universi- ties across the country, and he brings nearly three decades of experience to UAMS. I also want to thank Billy Thomas for his service as vice chan- cellor and his leadership and passion in ensur- ing that UAMS grows as a diverse and inclusive workplace.” Gittens is a diversity and human resources pro- fessional, researcher, educator, and consultant who has led and collaborated on the design and implementation of diversity and inclusion strate- gies, community engagement programs, and cul- tural competency initiatives. “I am humbled and excited to be a part of the great leadership team at UAMS,” Gittens said. “I look forward to collaborating and partnering with the faculty, staff, and students of UAMS as well as the community as we strategically advance diver- sity, equity, and inclusion.” He joins UAMS from the School of Medicine and Public Health at the University of Wisconsin- Madison, where he led efforts to advance equity and inclusion as the associate dean for human resources, equity, and inclusion. Prior to that, Git- tens served as director of human resources for internal medicine and director of diversity initia- tives at the University of Virginia School of Medi- cine. He has held positions at Wake Forest Univer- sity, Virginia Tech, Elizabeth City State University, the U.S. Marine Corps, and founded a consulting firm specializing in organizational development. ShengyuMu, PhD, Receives $1.89Million NIHGrant to ContinueWork on High Blood Pressure as Immune Disorder A University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) researcher who is seeking an explana- tion for why millions of people worldwide do not respond to the current available treatments for high blood pressure has received $1.89 million from the National Institutes of Health to continue this groundbreaking work. Shengyu Mu, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology in the UAMS College of Medicine, has devoted his career to understanding the causes behind this common condition. His lab has found evidence to support an emerging theory that the salt-sen- sitive variety of high blood pressure may actually be an immune disorder. “Twelve years ago, no one believed there was an immune connection behind salt-sensitive hypertension,” Mu said. “Now it’s a hot topic. My lab has found evidence to suggest this, as have labs at Vanderbilt, Wisconsin, and Duke uni- versities. A picture is coming together, and the next step is understanding exactly how it works so we can pave the way for designing immuno- logical strategies of treatment.” More than 1 billion people worldwide have high blood pressure. In the United States, one in every three adults is living with high blood pres- sure. It is the leading cause of heart disease and stroke, which are major causes of death in the United States. Although there are many drugs available to treat high blood pressure, fewer than 50 percent of patients are able to control their blood pres- sure with the current options. The work of Mu and others indicates that new drugs targeting the immune system could be key. “Hypertension is a silent killer. By the time most patients find out they have it, it’s already caused damage,” Mu said. “It is important to identify unknown mechanisms involved in the pathogen- esis of high blood pressure so we have better options for treating this life-altering and deadly condition.” Mu’s lab previously found that immune cells, white blood cells called T lymphocytes (T cells), can infiltrate the kidney and stimulate exces- sive salt retention, resulting in blood pressure elevation. Mu was able to pinpoint the overall process: When too many of a major subtype of these T cells interact directly with — and actually touch Tyler King Brian E. Gittens, EdD, MPA Shengyu Mu, PhD