University of Miami Tests Drug That Slows Down Alzheimer’s Disease

As chief administrative officer of the University of Miami Health System, Rafic Warwar oversees executive functions ranging from community relations to executing business strategy. In this role, Rafic Warwar has responsibility for several of the university’s health organizations, including the Miller School of Medicine. 

Neurologists at Miller recently launched a new study to test a drug that may slow down the progression of Alzheimer’s Disease, which affects some 5.7 million throughout the United States. The medication, known as troriluzole, may delay the symptoms of Alzheimer’s and alleviate its degradation of cognitive functions.

The Food and Drug Administration approved troriluzole in 1995 to slow the progression of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gerhig’s disease. It is classified as a “prodrug”: It is inactive until swallowed and digested. 

Alzheimer’s patients would have to take it only once a day without having to fast. Troriluzole produces fewer side effects than the immediately active version. The medication regulates the production of glutamate, which can cause problems in the neurons that make mental activity possible.

Researchers are now looking for participants between 50 and 85 who have mild to moderate Alzheimer’s. They must also have been on other Alzheimer’s medications for at least three months. UM is one of more than 30 institutions taking part in a national program, sponsored by Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company and organized through the Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study at the University of California, San Diego.

Stem Cells From Injected Fat May Reduce Joint Pain

Rafic Warwar provides essential oversight as chief administrator of the University of Miami (Florida) Health System. In his position, Rafic Warwar’s responsibilities include the system’s Sports Medicine Institute, which now uses adipose (fatty) tissue to relieve joint pain.

Cartilage serves as a cushion for the bones in the joints. Doctors can inject stem cells from fat in other parts of the body into the joint, where it develops into new cartilage. The procedure takes about an hour.

The treatment is not for everyone. There must be adequate room in the joint for a safe injection. If the existing cartilage is gone and bone is touching bone, joint replacement surgery is required. 

The adipose method is best for persons with a body mass index below 35 who maintain physical therapy and have no conditions such as extensive arthritis, cancer, metabolic disease, and blood disorders. The new technique is used only after physical therapy and steroid injections have failed. For moderate cartilage deterioration, doctors also can use platelet-rich plasma injections, which may improve healing factors.

Looking toward the future, researchers hope to determine the correct protocols for individualized treatment.

Miller School Celebrates Women in Medicine Month

A healthcare administrator for close to three decades, Rafic Warwar has worked in both clinical and academic capacities at the University of Miami. Rafic Warwar now serves as chief administrative officer for UHealth, the University of Miami's Health System.

In September 2018, the University of Miami's Miller School of Medicine recognized Women in Medicine Month by celebrating several women who were making strong contributions in the field of medicine. According to the institution’s dean, Henri R. Ford, it is important to appreciate the growing roles of women physicians at Miller School. Women make up 37 percent of the institution’s faculty, and six department chairs are women. In addition, women hold positions as directors of programs and centers, and more than half the school’s first year class is female.

Although that kind of composition in itself is significant, Miller School is going even further to offer additional support to women in medicine. The institution set up a new faculty compensation plan to facilitate gender salary equity, funds leadership development programs for women, and organizes fundraising initiatives to acquire more funds to support women’s development programs.

UM Department of Neurosurgery Receives R25 Grant

Rafic Warwar is a successful healthcare administrator with over 25 years of experience in academic healthcare and managed care. As the senior associate dean and chief administrative officer of the University of Miami Health System, Rafic Warwar directs the development, communication, and strategic execution of three university medical entities.

The University of Miami Neurosurgery eDucation Strategy training program received a five-year $400,000 Research Education Program (R25) grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) at the National Institutes of Health. This funding will help neurosurgery residents and fellows engage in diverse research, as well as expand their careers as physician-scientists. Furthermore, an interdisciplinary group of over 30 mentors will provide guidance to fellows and residents as they undertake structured, promising research.

Only a handful of neurosurgery residency programs that conduct significant research have been selected to receive R25 grants. The complete list includes the Baylor College of Medicine, Duke University, Emory University, Stanford University, the University of Southern California, the University of Miami, the University of Washington, Washington University in St. Louis, and the University of California, Los Angeles.

A Look at Curriculum Goals of the Miller School of Medicine

Rafic Warwar currently serves as chief administrative officer at the University of Miami Health System in Miami, Florida. Prior to his current position, Rafic Warwar developed long term strategic management plans as the vice chair for administration at the University of Miami’s DeWitt Daughtry Family Department of Surgery. In that role, he made major contributions to both the clinical and academic sides of the university’s Miller School of Medicine. 

The Miller School of Medicine is a state of the art academic institution that operates under the University of Miami, a private research university with over 17,000 students. The school offers educational programs that include a PhD in biomedical sciences and epidemiology, an MD, and a master's in public health. 

Each of these programs are guided by the Miller School’s educational goal to graduate capable physicians who can provide leadership in their fields. The school also seeks to provide students with knowledge of the biomedical and behavioral sciences, administrative skills proficiency, and clinical decision making and assessment abilities. Moreover, it's hoped that students who graduate will maintain a commitment to lifelong learning, patient communication, and professionalism in the healthcare environment. 

For additional information on the educational goals of the Miller School of Medicine, visit www.med.miami.edu.