Neuropathology Anatomic Pathology Expert Witness

Expert Witness No.1153

California

Education

Residency - Combined residency program in anatomic pathology and neuropathology at the USC+ LAC Medical Center

Medical School - University of Southern California, Los Angeles CA

College - Arizona State University Tempe, Arizona BS in Zoology

High School- Camelback High School Phoenix, Arizona

Honors and Awards

Fellowship  - Physician Scientist Award (NIA)

Post Graduate

Outstanding Teaching Awards, USC School of Medicine:1996-1998, 2002
Professor of the Year Teaching Awards, USC School of Pharmacy:

2001-2002, 2000-2001, 1999-2000, 1998-1999, 1997-1998, 1995-1996, 1994-1995
1992-1993

Departmental Award for Teaching, USC Department of Pathology –1997, 2002

Excellence in Small Group Teaching Award, USC School of Med, 1998

Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society (honorary member, 1997)

Overall Outstanding Professor Award, UCR/UCLA Biomedical Sciences 2001

Medical School

Dean’s Scholar (Year 1)

ARCS (Achievement Rewards for College Scientists) Scholarship Award (1987, 1988)

E.R. Squibb Award (for Student Research, 1987)

College

Graduated summa cum laude, Arizona State University, 1985

“The National Dean’s List”, 1981-82

Regents Achievements Scholarship

Holmes Endowment Scholarship

Earnest McFarland Scholarship

Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society

Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society

Beta Beta Beta Biological Honor Society

Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society

Golden Key National Honor Society

High School

Arizona Student Film Festival

2nd place in Animation (1975)

Firebird Film Festival

Phoenix Art Museum

3rd place in animation (1975)

Continuing Medical Education Programs

PIP (Performance Improvement Program) (College of American Pathologists, CAP)

Practical Reviews in Pathology (Oakstone Medical Publishing)

Practical Reviews in Forensic Medicine and Science (Oakstone Medical Publishing) of corresponding epitope(s)

Licensure

California Medical License, 1991

Board Certification

Board certification in Neuropathology and Anatomic Pathology (1995)

Academic Appointments

Assistant Professor of Clinical Pathology and Neurology, 1997-present

Department of Pathology

Department of Neurology

Keck School of Medicine

Associate Clinical Professor of Pathology
Southern California University - Biomedical Sciences (1998-present)

Clinical Appointments

Attending Staff - University Hospital in Southern California and another Hospital in Southern California

Specific Administrative Responsibilities

Pathology Administrator (interim), Los Angeles County Hospital (1/99-6/99)

Community Service

Volunteer Deputy Medical Examiner (DME), Los Angeles County

Interim Director of Autopsy Services, Los Angeles County Hospital (1/1/99 - 7/1/99).

Recognition for Kid’s Day participation, Skull and Mortar Service

Fraternity, USC School of Pharmacy, 2001 

Lecturer and tour guide, Neighborhood Academic Initiative (NAI), University of Southern
California (2000-present)

Lecturer, National Youth leadership Forum, (June 27th, July 11th, 2000)

Anti-substance abuse instructor for middle school students (7th grade) during "Kid’s Day",
USC School of Pharmacy, (1997-present).

Specific Teaching Responsibilities

Pathology Grand Rounds, LAC/USC Medical Center:

12-7-99  "Smart Microscopes"

4-27-00  "Academic Medicine in the 21st Century"

9-21-00  "Telepathology, the state of the art"

School of Medicine in Southern California

Lecturer, Pathology (1996-Present)

Lecturer, Neuroanatomy (1997-Present)

Laboratory (MDL) Instructor, Pathology (1989-present)

Laboratory (MDL) Instructor, Microanatomy (1997-1999)

Laboratory (MDL) Instructor, Neuroanatomy (1989-1999)

Instructor, Gross Anatomy  (1997-1999)

Lecturer, Department of Medical Education (1998-present)

Lecturer, "Neuroschool", Department of Neurology (1995-present)

Lecturer, Department of Neuroradiology (1995-present)

Proctor, Seminar in Pathology Class (2001)

School of Pharmacy in Southern California

Lecturer, Pathology (1991-Present)

Course Coordinator, Pathology (1995-present)

Laboratory Instructor, Physical Assessment (1997-1999)

Course Coordinator, Physical Assessment (1997-present)

Other Employment or Activity

Director of Assay Development (11-01 - 3-02)

Director of Pathology and Laboratory Services (3-02 - present)
 
General Grand Rounds, Biomedical Program at university in Southern California

Biomedical Program in Southern California

Lecturer, General pathology (1997-present)

Lecturer, Pathophysiology of Disease (1998-present)

Course Coordinator, Pathophysiology of Disease (2000-present)

Course Coordinator, Problem Based Learning (PBL), (2000)

Course Coordinator, General Pathology (1999-present)

School of Osteopathy in California

Lecturer, Neuropathology (1999-Present)

Laboratory Instructor, Pathology (1994-Present)

Lecturer, Digital Medicine Association (DMA), invitation for future lecture

Professional Service

Special Recognition Award, Chromavision Medical Systems, 4th quarter, 2000

Committee Membership

Curriculum Revision Committee, (2000-Present)

Admissions Committee, (1998-2000)

Pre-Clinical Advisor, Pre-Clinical Advisory Group (1999-Present)

Computer/Software Acquisition Committee (2001)

Co-Director, Neurological Disease Organization (1999-present)

Society Memberships

Local

Society of Graduate Pathologists (1991-present)

University Pathology Associates (1996-present)

National

Diplomat of the American Board of Pathology (1995).

Association for Pathology Informatics (pending)

Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences (pending)

International

SIGGRAPH (Special Interest Group on Computer Graphics) (2001-present)

SPIE (Society for Optical Engineering)(2001-present)

Consultantships:

Consultant, Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, 1992-1997

Consultant, Autopsy Post Services, 1995-Present

Consultant, National neurological Disease Research Specimen Bank, 1998-Present

Consultant, National Multiple Sclerosis Human Specimen Bank, 1998-Present

Consultant, US Labs, 2000

California Cytology, 2000-present.

Research Activiies

Major Areas of Interest:

Image analyses in the field of pathology.

Multimedia and virtual reality in medical education.

Research in Progress:

My main research focus is the development of applications for an automated image analysis system for pathologists (ACIS, or Advanced Cellular Imaging System.  This research includes basic and clinical research as well as actual software development. 

I have assisted in the development, testing, and validation of a number of applications.  I was the primary developer for an application that is used for assessing microvessel density in both tumors and non-tumor tissue.  I am presently engaged in the development of many other applications for use by the same system.

I am also engaged in a number of computer/video/multimedia-related projects for medical education including:

DVD production and authoring. My most recent lectures have been produced and delivered using DVD.  I am presently experimenting with the benefits and advantages to medical education offered by DVD technologies.

3-D and virtual reality   I have produced content using 3-D  technology.  This includes, but is not limited to:

QuickTime VR sequences

Polarized 3-D technology (polarized 3-D glasses)

Anaglyphic 3-D technology (red and blue 3-D glasses)

Virtual reality environments (Direct 3D and 3DFX)

Hypertext teaching material.  I have produced a number of interactive WEB page sequences for student USMLE review (pathology and neuropathology).

Computer Animation.  All of my presentation material has some sort of computer animation.  These animations often have soundeffects as well as contemporary humor and music.

Laser technology.  I have constructed a 5mW HeNe computerized laser projector for use in lectures. This has been partially successful but requires further refinement.  I use the X-29 laser projection software and hardware.

Lecture Delivery.  My goal is to comply with Lucas Film’s "THX" protocol for presentation/lecture delivery.  I am partially compliant.  I provide my own high quality THX  compliant sound system.

Computer Game Development. I am presently engaged in the development of "computer games" for medical students.  Some of these are serious interactive environments while others resemble contemporary video games while portraying varies medical and/or scientific themes.  I presently use the A4 game engine with the 3-D Game Studio http://conitec.net/a4info.htm.  AI (artificial intelligence) and other programming is done in WDL (world definition language).

Visible Human Project  I have just acquired a license for the use of the National of Library of Medicines "Visible Human Project

I am also engaged in a number of collaborative efforts including:

An ongoing study examining the interaction of T-cell subsets within the mouse brain and spinal cord during JHM virus infection and subsequent encephalitis. 

A project examining the role of the HHV-6 virus in the development of multiple sclerosis plaques.

A number of studies investigating the role of retinal angiogenesis

Evaluation of a telepathology system as an adjunct to cytology, surgical pathology, and autopsy diagnosis.

Detection and distinction of metastatic cancer cells from non-cancer cells in pleural effusion.

Research Grants in Past Five Years

Available upon Request

Languages

English, German - Fluent

Korean, American Sign Language, Basic, C++, World Definition Language (WDL) and Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) – working knowledge