Tom Miller, MD, chairman and residency program director of SIU Quincy Family Medicine, has received the 2015 Distinguished Service Award from the Illinois Academy of Family Physicians (IAFP). The award is given to a family medicine physician who combines family medicine education and service to the community. Miller will receive the award at the IAFP Annual Awards Banquet on Friday, October 9. Miller, an associate professor family and community medicine, joined the School of Medicine in 1994. He completed a family medicine residency at Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, Ill. (1992)

Arts and Culture If you enjoy history, there are many historic sites and museums to visit in Springfield and the surrounding area. One of the most engaging is the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum. Lincoln’s New Salem State Historic Site, about 20 minutes north of Springfield, is another popular destination. Along with the recreated village from the 1800s, the Theatre in the Park at New Salem hosts a variety of theatrical performances from April to August. The Dana-Thomas House, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright for Springfield socialite Susan Dana, is an architectural gem worth experiencing

Harald Lausen, DO, MA, the chief medical officer of SIU HealthCare and assistant dean for clinical education at the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, has been appointed chair of the Bureau of Osteopathic Education for the American Osteopathic Association (AOA). The AOA Bureau of Osteopathic Education studies the full continuum of osteopathic medical education and makes recommendations to the AOA board on ways to improve osteopathic medical education and policies that support educational accreditation and certification programs. Lausen, a professor of clinical family & community

The SIU Board of Trustees has voted to appoint Jerry Kruse, MD, MSPH, as Dean and Provost for Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. The appointment is effective January 1 and is pending a final contract. Kruse, a professor of family medicine, has been Executive Associate Dean of SIU School of Medicine and Chief Executive Officer of SIU HealthCare since 2013. He first joined the school in 1984. “Dr. Kruse’s knowledge of the medical school, his leadership experience and his commitment to serving the region position him to continue the School of Medicine’s positive trajectory,” said

Aug. 26, 2015 - Southern Illinois University School of Medicine researcher Kathleen Campbell, PhD, professor in the Department of Surgery, has secured a five-year grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to advance her decades of research in hearing loss prevention and treatment. The total budget for the project is $2.8 million. This grant will determine the optimal dosing level of D-methionine (D-met), a compound that has been shown to prevent hearing loss. D-met is an amino acid that has been found to protect against noise-induced hearing loss and ototoxicity, or damage to the ear

Simmons Cancer Institute at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine is hosting its 15th annual “Denim & Diamonds” fundraiser Saturday, October 3. The funds raised will support innovative research projects and enhance patient comforts. More than 90 percent of the funds raised at the event stay local. Guests at Denim & Diamonds are encouraged to dress in their finest denim or formal attire for the event, which will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 3000 S. Dirksen Parkway, Springfield. This year’s theme is “It’s a Wonderful Night for a Moondance.” Tickets are $125 per person

The Sangamon County Medical Society has released the seventh video in a series that highlights the innovation and research achievements within the local medical community. Each video profiles a 2013 Medical Innovators Award recipient. The video features Andrew Wilber, Ph.D., assistant professor in medical microbiology, immunology and cell biology at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. Dr. Wilber was named a Medical Innovator for his gene therapy research for severe hemoglobin disorders, including sickle cell disease. Additionally, he was recognized as a “Young Innovator.” The 5

Dr. Kevin Dorsey steps down as SIU School of Medicine dean and provost after 14 years of service.

Citation-Free for Second Consecutive Term The Southern Illinois University School of Medicine has received full accreditation for another eight years from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME). The committee had no areas of concern to report. This year’s accreditation marks the second consecutive citation-free accreditation SIU School of Medicine has received. “In my experience this is an outstanding outcome. This is not typically achieved by medical schools,” said Dan Hunt, MD, Co-Secretary for the LCME. The U.S. Department of Education recognizes LCME as the accrediting body for