Anatomy Now 05.24.23

Anatomy Now - May 24, 2023

Be Part of Anatomy Connected 2024: Submit a Session Proposal

Feeling inspired by the sessions at this year’s Anatomy Connected?

Submit a proposal to present a symposium at the 2024 annual meeting. The Program Committee is already hard at work and committed to making Anatomy Connected 2024 an exceptional program tailored to meet the needs of our community.

The deadline to submit is June 2. Read the criteria and submit your proposal.

Apply to ASP TODAY

The Anatomy Scholars Program (ASP) is a remarkable initiative that provides extensive peer-to-peer support to early-career underrepresented minorities (URM) in STEM and academia across the United States and Canada.

If you are an early-career URM in STEM or academia, we encourage you to apply and take advantage of this exceptional opportunity.

The deadline to apply is June 30th, 2023. For further details and to submit your application, please click here.

'Altmetrics: Potential and Pitfalls for Anatomists' Webinar

Mark your calendar for the next exciting session of the Inspiring Scientific and Curiosity webinar series on June 7 at 12 p.m. EST. Dr. Jessica Byram, Indiana University and Dr. Kirsten Brown, George Washington University, will join Anatomical Science Education journal Editor-in-Chief Dr. Jason Organ to discuss altmetrics, a new way to track engagement and activity in academia.

Register free for this event.

This series is a partnership between The Anatomical Record, Developmental Dynamics, Anatomical Sciences Education, and American Association for Anatomy.

SAVE THE DATE: 'A Weight-Neutral Approach to Anatomy Education' Webinar

Tuesday, June 20 at 2:00 PM ET

Speaker: Krista Rompolski, Associate Professor, Moravian University

The purpose of this webinar is to define weight bias and weight stigma, discuss its prevalence in healthcare and explain the consequences of weight bias, and discuss how and where weight bias presents itself in anatomy education. The commonly held assumptions about weight and heath that drive weight bias in healthcare education will also be examined. Anyone that teaches anatomy or physiology is invited to attend.

This webinar is for AAA members only.

From Lawyer to Anatomist—Kate Lesciotto is a Meme Maven with Multiple Degrees

Kate Lesciotto’s path to anatomy was a circuitous one, complete with an undergraduate degree in zoology and biology, a law degree, a master’s in forensic and biological anthropology, and a doctorate in anthropology.

Plus, a five-year stint practicing pharmaceutical patent law in Chicago.

“Both of my parents saw the value in education and pursuing what made me happy,” Lesciotto said. “Every time I wanted to go back to school, they were my biggest champions.”

What made Lesciotto happy was combining her love for life sciences—particularly biology—with her legal training, which led her to study forensic anthropology at Mercyhurst University. “I fell in love with it from the beginning and anatomy was really emphasized as part of that program,” Lesciotto said. After studying human gross anatomy and dissection work, she knew “anatomy was going to be part of my future work.”

She was also inspired by reading about Dr. William M. Bass and the Forensic Anthropology Center, aka The Body Farm, at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. “I found the field fascinating. Having both a legal and biology background is a really good foundation for forensic anthropology since it exists in that intersection of medicolegal death investigation and biological and anatomical science,” she noted.

A self-professed “lifelong student,” Lesciotto went on to get her Ph.D. in anthropology from the Pennsylvania State University in 2020 and took a position as an assistant professor of anatomy at the College of Osteopathic Medicine at Sam Houston State University.

Lesciotto is currently an assistant professor at the University of North Texas Health Science Center where she serves as the course director for Structural Anatomy for graduate students and also teaches gross anatomy courses for medical, physical therapy, and physician assistant students. She’s also studying for her board exam in forensic anthropology.

Getting Involved in AAA

Lesciotto joined AAA in early in her Ph.D. program at Pennsylvania State thanks to her mentor Joan Richtsmeier. “I went to my first Annual Meeting in 2016 or 2017 and I loved it,” Lesciotto said. “I thought AAA was the most supportive environment, especially for new graduate students, in terms of networking and collegiality. From the first meeting, I felt like I could approach those big names in the field, and everyone was excited to talk to and meet new people.”

She soon joined the Ambassador Committee, where she worked on outreach, and the Social Media Subcommittee to organize and run several social media events and initiatives. The committee’s popular #AnatChat sessions on Twitter and the Anatomy Connected meme contest helped bring new and international members into the conversation.

“We came up with #AnatChat during a committee meeting. Our twist on it was to make it a 24-hour event, so we could make sure international colleagues could join in the conversation,” Lesciotto said. “We wanted members to feel engaged and have the opportunity to network and interact with as many people as possible, so we recruited a number of facilitators around the world to keep the conversation rolling.”

Lesciotto rotated off the Ambassador Committee about a year ago but still talks about the amount of outreach and engagement the committee and association support, particularly for getting students interested in anatomy through the Summer Opportunities in Anatomy Research (SOAR) program and continuing training in anatomy and anatomy education for early and mid-career anatomists.

She also has high praise for some of the difficult conversations AAA has taken on the last few years involving body donations, issues around equitable access for all students, and handling legacy collections respectfully. “A lot of the conversations we are having today were initiated by members of AAA’s committees, and it is really encouraging that so many members are willing to engage in those conversations,” she noted.

When she’s not studying for her board exam or teaching and mentoring students, Lesciotto likes to get out into nature and explore her new hometown of Fort Worth. She’s also a proud plant parent. “I’m plant obsessed. I got my first plant during the early days of COVID and now I probably have like, close to 25 houseplants,” she said.

Two AAA Members Appointed to SCGDB Board of Directors

The Society for Craniofacial Genetics and Developmental Biology (SCGDB) is an affiliate of the American Association for Anatomy (AAA). This mutually-beneficial partnership was created in 2019 to advance craniofacial and anatomical science and education. All members of AAA are invited to join SCGDB.

The SCGDB Board of Directors comprised of four people that serve two-year terms. Two board members are appointed by the SCGDB and two are appointed by AAA. This year, Walid Fakhouri of the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and Irfan Saadi of the University of Kansas Medical Center were selected by AAA to serve on the SCGDB board.

Dr. Walid Fakhouri earned his Ph.D. in phytomedicine and molecular biology from the University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany. He received a full-term fellowship from the German Academic Exchange Institute (DAAD) to cover his education expenses and thesis research.

Thereafter, he moved to Michigan State University for his postdoctoral training in biochemistry and molecular biology in Dr. David Arnosti’s lab studying the regulation of gene transcription by enhancer elements using Drosophila animal model, and a second postdoctoral fellowship in molecular genetics in Dr. Brian Schutte’s lab to investigate the mechanism of pathological non-coding DNA variants in affected families with the syndromic cleft lip and palate.

Fakhouri’s research focuses on cell fate regulation during early craniofacial development and how genetic mutations in developmental genes can lead to craniofacial birth defects, particularly cleft palate, craniosynostosis and facial malformation.

Fakhouri joined the Society of Craniofacial Genetics and Developmental Biology (SCGDB) in 2010 and the American Association for Anatomy (AAA) in 2018. As a passionate researcher in the field of craniofacial genetics and embryology, Fakhouri said he believes that “joining the AAA and SCGDB will provide tremendous opportunities to expand our knowledge, stay updated on the latest research findings and establish invaluable connections with our peers, trainees, friends and outstanding professionals in the field.”

Fakhouri continued, “Being a part of these remarkable societies will allow the advancement of the field of craniofacial genetics, embryology and anatomy by sharing knowledge, newly implemented technology, and advanced methodologies that are important for members of both societies. AAA and SCGDB societies provide tremendous opportunities to support trainees and new investigators and recognize their scientific achievements and breakthroughs, which will ultimately enhance the lives of affected individuals by craniofacial birth defects and associated late-onset diseases.”

Dr. Irfan Saadi says he has always been interested in understanding the etiology of congenital malformations. He received his bachelor of science and master of science degrees in biology from McGill University in Montreal, Canada, where he began his research career in Dr. Rima Rozen’s laboratory working on genotype-phenotype correlation in patients with congenital renal disease.

He earned his Ph.D. in genetics from the University of Iowa in Dr. Andrew Russo’s laboratory studying the molecular consequences of disease-causing mutations in Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome. His postdoctoral training at Harvard was in genetic analyses of palate and tooth development with Dr. Richard Maas, a preeminent scholar of craniofacial morphogenesis.

Saadi joined the University of Kansas Medical Center in 2011 as an assistant professor in the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology and is currently an associate professor with tenure. His research is focused on understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying embryonic morphogenesis and congenital anomalies.

Saadi joined the SCGDB in 2013, soon after starting his independent lab. He joined AAA in 2017. “I am very grateful to Dr. Paul Trainor (long-time member and past president) and Dr. Martine Dunnwald (long-time member and current president) for introducing me to AAA,” Saadi said. “I had not realized how much developmental biology, and in particular craniofacial biology, was highlighted at AAA meetings. Also, my interests in developmental biology had broadened by then and AAA provided that breadth of topics.”

“I joined both societies independently and appreciate both immensely. I think they both provide an essential platform and opportunities to their members. So, I want this relationship between the two societies to help them both flourish,” he concluded.

AANHPI Scientists Who Changed the World

May is Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month and there are a number of AANHPI scientists and engineers who have made important contributions to science. Here are just a few:

Min Chueh Chang was a Chinese American biologist whose research focused on mammalian reproduction. His research on in vitro fertilization contributed to the first "test tube baby." Chang was also involved in development of the oral contraceptive (birth control) pill.

Dr. Barry Paw came to the United States from Burma when he was just seven years old. As a biologist, Paw pioneered the use of zebrafish to study red cell development focusing on iron and heme metabolism. His work resulted in the identification of a number of genes involved in these processes.

Flossie Wong-Staal was a Chinese-American virologist and molecular biologist and one of the pioneers in research on HIV and AIDS. She and her team of scientists at the US National Cancer Institute were the first to molecularly clone HIV and to elucidate the complex structure of its genome.

Chair of AAA’s DE&I Committee Receives University’s Educator of the Year Award

(Photo courtesy of Stefanie Attardi @sattardi)

Congratulations to AAA member and chairman of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee Malli Barremkala. Barremkala, an associate professor in Department of Foundational Medical Studies at the Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine was recently honored with the 2023 Foundational Medical Studies Excellence in Teaching Award. “I started with the school in 2014 and I’m coming up on my 10-year anniversary so this feels great to be recognized and given this award,” he told the OUWB Communications & Marketing team.

Last Week!
Seeking Member Approval for Proposed Committee Rosters

In accordance with organizational bylaws, members eligible to vote are invited to approve the proposed 2023 Nominating Committee and 2023-2024 Journal Trust Fund & Investment Committee.

Members serving on AAA committees help shape the organization’s future and as a member, you have a say in that leadership.

The all-new 2023 Nominating Committee and the 2023-2024 Journal Trust Fund & Investment Committee rosters need membership approval. Remember – this is your organization and your input matters!

This message is intended for the addressee only. Please do not forward this message.

Submit your approval by June 1.

Anatomy Career Center

The Anatomy Career Center provides an easy way for job seekers to review and apply for available jobs and for employers or hiring agencies to post jobs in the anatomical sciences and related fields.