Woodard named head of Division of Radiology – Washington College College of Drugs in St. Louis

Pamela K. Woodard, MDa nationwide chief in cardiothoracic imaging, has been named head of the Department of Radiologydirector of Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology (MIR) and the Elizabeth E. Mallinckrodt Professor of Radiology at Washington College College of Drugs in St. Louis. She’s going to start her new function July 1.

On this new function, she is going to leverage her intensive analysis, medical and management expertise within the subject of radiology. She is at the moment the Hugh Monroe Wilson Professor of Radiology, senior vice chair and division director of MIR’s Radiology Analysis Services, director of the Heart for Scientific Imaging Analysis, head of Superior Cardiac Imaging CT/MRI, director of the Radiology Analysis Residency Program, and director of TOP-TIER, a clinician-scientist coaching program for residents and fellows.

“Dr. Woodard was unanimously chosen by our management staff from a deep and spectacular group of candidates,” stated David H. Perlmutter, MD, government vice chancellor for medical affairs, the George and Carol Bauer Dean of the College of Drugs, and the Spencer T. and Ann W. Olin Distinguished Professor. “We imagine she will lead us in additional defining the profession of radiologists and imaging scientists, the function of imaging in customized medication, and new methods for prognosis and therapy by interventional, minimally invasive and even noninterventional approaches that can advance human well being. Her expertise in collaborative work with different medical and preclinical departments is a necessary ingredient of the virtuous cycle of educational medication that exemplifies the partnership of WashU Drugs and BJC HealthCare.”

Additionally a professor of drugs, of pediatrics and of biomedical engineering, Woodard performed seminal analysis that led to the interpretation of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) into medical follow, together with strategies to enhance imaging high quality by suppressing respiratory movement. Such strategies are in use in pediatric cardiac and congenital coronary heart imaging.

She additionally led a staff that developed a nanoparticle-based imaging agent for atherosclerotic plaques in blood vessels. The imaging agent detects a protein related to unstable plaques which can be liable to inflicting sudden main issues akin to a coronary heart assault or stroke.

Woodard is concerned within the translation of novel positron emission tomography (PET) brokers to evaluate blood move by coronary heart muscle. Poor blood move is an indication of heart problems that would trigger critical issues akin to coronary heart assaults. Her work led to the event of an imaging strategy now extensively used to evaluate blood move by coronary heart muscle, essential data that docs use to find out optimum therapy for every affected person.

Woodard’s early work concerned novel approaches to imaging blood clots within the lungs. In 1995, as a resident at Duke College, she printed one of many early papers displaying that such clots may very well be detected by multidetector spiral CT scan, then a growing know-how. This kind of CT scan makes use of an array of detectors to amass a number of pictures concurrently. Later, as an assistant professor at Washington College, she was a principal investigator on a medical trial funded by the Nationwide Institutes of Well being (NIH) that resulted in a landmark paper in The New England Journal of Drugs and established multidetector CT as the usual of take care of diagnosing blood clots within the lungs.

The Division of Radiology is a world chief in radiological improvements that advance the science of imaging to enhance affected person care and additional biomedical analysis. It has a protracted historical past of nationwide management within the follow and science of radiology, and in educating the subsequent technology of radiologists and radiology researchers.

“I’m honored to serve and lead Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology at Washington College College of Drugs on this essential function,” Woodard stated. “The Division of Radiology has a protracted custom of excellence and innovation in medical radiology, radiology training, and imaging analysis. I’m delighted to steer our world-class school and trainees in radiology into the subsequent decade in collaboration with our companions at BJC HealthCare and throughout the Medical Campus.”

Woodard earned her bachelor’s and medical levels at Duke. She accomplished her internship in inside medication on the College of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her residency in radiology at Duke earlier than coming to Washington College for a medical fellowship in cardiothoracic radiology. She joined the College of Drugs school in 1997.

She is a fellow of the American Affiliation for the Development of Science, the American Institute for Medical and Organic Engineering, the American Faculty of Radiology and the American Coronary heart Affiliation. She serves on the Board of Chancellors for the American Faculty of Radiology, the Govt Committee of the Board of the Academy for Radiology and Biomedical Imaging Analysis, and the Board of the Society for Cardiovascular Computed Tomography.

Woodard will succeed Richard L. Wahl, MDwho has led the division for 9 years. Wahl will proceed to steer a analysis laboratory as a professor within the division.

“Dr. Richard Wahl’s management has continued the sturdy custom and legacy of Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology and positioned the division for even higher potential sooner or later,” Perlmutter stated. “Dr. Pamela Woodard is the perfect individual to tackle the mantle to take the division into the subsequent period of foundational accomplishments.”