HJNO May/Jun 2023
42 MAY / JUN 2023 I HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS Healthcare Briefs oncology at the Medical University of South Car- olina in Charleston. Hymel is board-certified in radiation oncology with the American Board of Radiology. “As we continue to grow our physician group, we are able to provide even more options to our patients across the Mary Bird Perkins net- work,” said Jonas Fontenot, PhD, MBA, presi- dent and CEO Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center. “Dr. Hymel’s experience and 100 percent focus on the best radiation oncology practices will benefit Houma-area residents looking for leading-edge cancer resources in a convenient and comfort- able setting.” Hymel previously practiced at Ochsner Cancer Center in Baton Rouge. DCHCHolds Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for a Location in Harvey DePaul Community Health Centers (DCHC), which operates 11 health centers throughout metro New Orleans, held a ribbon cutting cer- emony for its new health center located in Har- vey, Louisiana. Comprising 9,400 square feet at a cost of $4.2 million, it is located at 1629 Westbank Express- way, Suite A (next to Texas Roadhouse). Several political officials and community leaders partici- pated in the ribbon cutting ceremony. This is the first of three new health centers DCHC plans to open through 2024. DCHC is scheduled to open a health center (8,700 square feet and $4.3 million) in the new H3C facility located on Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard in December 2023 and plans to break ground on a new facility on General DeGaulle Drive in Algiers (20,000 square feet and $14.4 million) in May. Tulane University Receives Up to $16M for Work on Pneumonia Nasal Vaccine The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases awarded an up to $16 million contract to Tulane University to bring to phase one clini- cal trial a nasal spray vaccine university research- ers invented to thwart antibiotic-resistant Klebsi- ella pneumoniae , a leading cause of pneumonia. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are on the rise and are a significant cause of infections requiring hos- pitalization among children and the elderly. As doctors try to find new types of antibiotics to fight these so-called superbugs, Tulane University School of Medicine researchers Elizabeth Nor- ton, PhD, and Jay Kolls, MD, inventors of the vac- cine, are working to protect people before they are exposed to the pathogens in the first place. “Multidrug-resistant bacteria are causing more severe infections and are a growing public health threat. Vaccines targeting these pathogens rep- resent the most cost-effective option, particularly if you can use this vaccine to prevent or treat the infection in high-risk individuals,” said Norton, principal investigator and associate professor of microbiology and immunology. “Right now, there is no vaccine on the market that targets this type of pneumonia.” The nasal spray vaccine uses an adjuvant — a compound that stimulates the immune sys- tem — named LTA1 that Norton developed at Tulane. That adjuvant, which is made using a pro- tein derived from the E. coli bacteria, will be com- bined with a series of proprietary antigens identi- fied by the Kolls lab that include outer membrane proteins from the target bacteria. Tulane researchers will first test vaccine formu- lations in animal models and nonhuman primates for dosing and safety before advancing to clini- cal trials. The project will include collaborators at Tulane National Primate Research Center, the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane Clinical Translational Unit, and the Univer- sity of North Carolina as well as contractors for GMP manufacturing. “If this succeeds, we will have another arsenal for the growing number of antibiotic resistant sources of pneumonia or bloodstream infec- tions,” Norton said. “And we can hopefully expand this nasal spray delivery platform to other infections, working on a single, combination vac- cine that is needle-less and targets several organ- isms at once.” Cardiovascular Logistics Names NewChief Development Officer Cardiovascular Logistics (CVL), national cardi- ology platform of Cardiovascular Institute of the South (CIS), has named Steven Collins as chief development officer to develop business and integrate and grow acquisitions effectively and organically. Collins has more than 20 years of experience in leading growth for healthcare organizations. Dur- ing his career, he has completed more than 275 closed transactions with an aggregate enterprise value of more than $6.5 billion. His background involves collaborating with executive leadership in the development of strategic growth plans and priorities, leading to consistent achievement of growth targets and goals. Prior to joining CVL, he served as chief devel- opment officer for Sevita, headquartered in Bos- ton, where he led all business development functions and was responsible for growing high- quality operations predominantly through acqui- sition. He also worked for Mednax, where he led its growth program and completed more than 200 acquisition transactions with an aggregate enter- prise value of $4.5 billion. Collins holds a Master of Business Administra- tion from Pepperdine University in Malibu, Cali- fornia, and a Bachelor of Science in physics and astronomy from University of Maryland in Col- lege Park. “My first principle is to continue the CVL mis- sion to provide the highest-quality cardiovascu- lar care available across the country,” said Collins. “As one of the premier platforms for cardiovascu- lar care, CVL is extremely well positioned to grow and create value for its providers, patients, refer- ring physicians, hospital partners and payors.” He added, “I look forward to building upon the culture and vision of the experienced manage- ment team and physicians that have built CVL into a quality platform.” n Rockne Hymel, III, MD
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