HJNO Nov/Dec 2020

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS I  NOV / DEC 2020 29 For weekly eNews updates and to read the journal online, visit HealthcareJournalNO.com quickly,” Fusco said. “The more support we can get from the community to study how they’re being impacted, the better.” WilliamDabdoub, DPM, Receives APMA Award of Excellence Slidell Memorial Hospital announced William Dabdoub, DPM, as one of the 2020 recipients of the American Podiatric Medical Association’s (APMA) Award of Excellence. This award is pre- sented to members in good standing in recogni- tion of outstanding national accomplishments in scientific, professional, or civic endeavors. Nom- inees must have demonstrated outstanding ser- vice to APMA. Dabdoub was nominated by fel- low Podiatry Surgeon, Tyson Green, DPM, and approved by both the Awards and Recognition Committee and the board of trustees. Dabdoub, who is a specialist in the SMH Phy- sicians Network, is a graduate of Louisiana State University and Illinois College of Podiatric Med- icine. He completed a two-year foot and ankle surgical residency at the University of Chicago Hospitals and Clinics. He has been involved in the Louisiana Podiatric Medical Association since 1981, serving in all executive leadership positions and two terms as president. At the national level, Dabdoub has served as the medicare carrier advi- sor for Louisiana as liaison to and is an ex-offi- cio member of the board of medical examiners. He has been active with the American Podiatric Medical Association Political Action Committee (APMAPAC) since 1985. Tulane University Researchers Develop Synthetic Antibody Against COVID-19 Scientists working to develop drugs against COVID-19 are focused on interrupting its inter- action with ACE2, an enzyme the spike protein on the surface of the coronavirus latches onto, like a key, to enter and infect healthy cells. Researchers at Tulane University School of Med- icine have designed a synthetic protein that acts as a decoy to intercept and neutralize the virus before it can attach to ACE2 to cause infection. The protein, MDR504, effectively blocked the SARS-COV-2 virus in cell cultures, according to early research published on bioRxiv, a preprint server for scholarly articles in the health sciences that are not yet peer-reviewed. “Unlike other agents in development against the virus, this protein is engineered to go to the lungs to neutralize the virus before it can infect lung cells,” said lead study author Jay Kolls, MD, John W. Deming Endowed Chair in Internal Med- icine at Tulane. Researchers fused a modified version of the ACE2 protein to the end of an antibody to cre- ate MDR504. In the study using a mouse model, they showed that the drug circulated in blood and lung tissue at levels likely to be effective against the virus. In addition to a treatment, the drug could be used as a pre- or post-exposure therapy for healthcare workers, first responders, and vulner- able populations at highest risk. It also could be used to prevent infection in patients with underly- ing illness who couldn’t receive a vaccine. Preliminary research shows that the drug could work at relatively low doses, Kolls said. Tulane and Kolls are working with MDR Logix, LLC, a New Orleans based biotech company, to commercialize the discovery to begin a phase I clinical trial. MarkAlain Déry, DO, MPH, FACOI Selected as Internist of the Year MarkAlain Déry, DO, MPH, FACOI, of Access Health Louisiana was honored this fall as Inter- nist of the Year by the American College of Osteopathic Internists (ACOI), a national pro- fessional organization dedicated to promoting the principles of osteopathic medicine. ACOI bestowed the honor during its annual convention (#ACOI2020), which was held virtually this year. Each year, outstanding physicians are chosen from a pool of ACOI members who have been nominated for their accomplishments and activi- ties that are deserving of recognition. Winners are selected by the ACOI Honors and Awards com- mittee based on specific criteria for each award. CIS Celebrates 37 Years of Cardiovascular Care Cardiovascular Institute of the South (CIS) cele- brates its 37th anniversary of providing advanced cardiovascular care to communities in south Lou- isiana and beyond. CIS began with the vision of Dr. Craig Walker, who started the practice in Houma, La. in 1983. Since then, CIS has grown to more than 65 phy- sicians, 900 team members, 20 locations, and nine telecardiology sites across Louisiana and Mississippi. CIS continues to grow and expand with the upcoming Ambulatory Surgery Center in Gray, William Dabdoub, DPM Jay Kolls, MD MarkAlain Déry, DO, MPH, FACOI