Radiology introduces its new Division of Anatomy

The month of March brought a new division to the Department of Radiology, the Division of Anatomy. The new division’s working name is, “the Division of Translational Anatomy.”  However, over time, the name might change, as the synergies between “Anatomy” and “Radiology” evolve.  Its members consist of Anatomy faculty from the former Department of Cell and Developmental Biology. “Radiology and Anatomy are closely aligned subject matters, so the collaboration is a natural one that just makes sense” says Anne Gilroy, Director of Anatomy and Imaging Resources for the interprofessional Center for Experiential Learning and Simulation (iCels).

This new collaboration has some old roots. For over 20 years, radiology has been a significant adjunct to the first-year Anatomy course. In 2010, under the new integrated curriculum, radiology was formally combined with anatomy, physiology, histology and embryology disciplines of the course, now known as the Development, Structure and Function course. Two of the four Co-directors of the course, Joe Makris, M.D., and Anne Gilroy are working together to integrate simulation into the course and develop innovative programs that will integrate anatomy and radiology.

Beyond the first year anatomy course, the anatomy division offers summer enrichment programs for 1st year students, electives for 4th year students and specialty-focused anatomy programs for residents. They also host a variety of surgical skills labs for internal and external continuing education programs. In addition, they are closely aligned with iCels, UMass’s new simulation center, which recently acquired a virtual anatomy simulator, the Anatomage Table that promises unique learning opportunities to anatomy students at all levels through 3D imaging.

Faculty and Staff:

 Back (left to right): Tom Delaney, Wendie Allain, Mike Doyle, Dianne Person, Charlene Baron, Sue Gagliardi
Front (left to right): Lela Giannaris, Deborah Harmon Hines, Anne Gilroy

Anne Gilroy is an Associate Professor of Clinical Anatomy and co-director of the Development, Structure and Function course for 1st year medical students. Over her 25 years as a UMass employee, she has also created and directed a variety of 4th year electives and residency anatomy programs. In 2008 Anne co-authored the Thieme’s Atlas of Anatomy (now in its 2nd edition) and in 2012 authored Thieme’s Anatomy-An Essential Textbook, both of which were designed for use in medical gross anatomy programs. Her interests focus on curriculum development, especially as it pertains to the integration of clinical medicine with basic anatomy. As the Director of Anatomy and Imaging Resources for iCels, Anne is responsible for creating innovative teaching strategies through the use of simulation technology. Since 2012 Anne has been part of the collaborative revitalization of the anatomy program at the A.M. Dogliotti College of Medicine of the University of Liberia, West Africa.

Lela Giannaris, PhD, is an Assistant Professor and core anatomy faculty member in the FOM1 Development, Structure and Function (DSF) course and the FOM 2 Brain course. Dr. Giannaris is also directing the new Summer Anatomy Enrichment Program this year for first-year medical students who are interested in receiving further training in anatomy while exploring ways to improve anatomy education. Trained as an anatomist with a focus on neuroanatomy at Boston University School of Medicine, Dr. Giannaris is particularly interested in developing neuroscience collaborations within the department. She is excited to explore ways to enhance teaching in both courses through the use of imaging and 3D printing. 

Deborah Harmon Hines, PhD, has been at UMass Chan for twenty-five years. Her administrative work encompasses two broad areas: Pre-Matriculation Programs; and Matriculation Services. Pre-Matriculation Services involves outreach programs to increase the diversity of students entering the Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing, Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and T.H. Chan School of Medicine. Programs in this area involve the Worcester Pipeline Collaborative, High School Health Careers Program, Summer Enrichment Program and Combined Summer Undergraduate Research Program. Matriculation Services meet the needs of the three UMass Chan schools in the areas of: Student Financial Aid, Registrar’s Office, Student ADA Office, and Room Reservations. Dr. Hines also teaches in the Human Anatomy Course.

Sue Gagliardi, PhD, is currently a Professor in the Departments of Neurology and Cell and Developmental Biology, Chair of the Foundations of Medicine 1 (first year) Curriculum Committee, and a Director of the BRAIN course. She has taught clinical neuroanatomy at UMass Chan Medical School for many years, collaborating with her students to develop interactive atlases and a website for stroke education. Sue has received the Distinguished Teacher Award from the American Association of Medical Colleges and the Master Teacher Award from the International Association of Medical Science Educators. At UMass Chan she has been awarded the Chancellor’s Medal for teaching, and named an outstanding basic science educator by 27 medical student classes. She now focuses primarily on medical education, but her previous research included studies of myelination using myelin-deficient mutant mice. Sue was the first full-time woman faculty member at the medical school.

Wendie Allain is the Senior Courses Administrator for the FM105, Development, Structure and Function (DSF) course, the FM201 Brain course, and the (HSP) Medical Physiology and Histology Post baccalaureate program course. She independently coordinates and manages all administrative activities relative to these courses and is a resource for Course Directors and contributing faculty for the approximately 250 medical students enrolled in FOM1 and FOM2 courses each year. Wendie interfaces all course-related materials and student grading data via the UMass Blackboard Learning Management System. She collaborates with Office Undergraduate Medical Education, Registrar, Department of Research Evaluation (IREA) and Academic Computing Services to successfully support these courses. Wendie is also commissioned by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as Justice of the Peace and has officiated the marriages of UMass faculty, medical and graduate students.

Thomas Delaney is the Education Support Coordinator for the division. He came from the music industry doing “live sound” engineering for more than 30 years. This led him into other avenues working with video, live video shoots and eventually to post production editing, which he continues today. Tom worked for the former UMass Audiovisual Dept for 10 years and now assists Mike Doyle in the anatomy labs as well as supports the technical needs of faculty in the 1st year DSF course and 2nd year Brain course.

Mike Doyle, the new division’s Anatomy Laboratory Director, has a mortuary science degree and has been a licensed Funeral Director/Embalmer in Massachusetts for 20 years. Before coming to UMass he worked for a large family-run funeral home in the Boston area but for the last 11 years he’s been responsible for the preparation, use and care of all donors that are received by the medical school’s Anatomical Gift Program. He also oversees all cadaver-based faculty, student and clinical labs related to education, training and research.

Dianne Person, as the Director of the Anatomical Gift Program (AGP) is the public relations expert on anatomical donation that advances the institutional interests and acts in the best interest of the donor(s) and their family.  Ms. Person has over fifteen years’ experience with the UMass Chan Medical School’s AGP and has successfully completed graduate courses in Death, Dying and Palliative Care.  Ms. Person has been a member of the American Association of Clinical Anatomists’ Anatomical Services Special Interest Group since 2005 and is recognized nationally among Willed Body Program Directors for her years of dedication with the UMass program. Her commitment makes the UMass Anatomical Gift Program one that is beyond reproach for its sensitivity and caring, humanity and respect.  Ms. Person is greatly responsible for the reputation the program enjoys.  The AGP is the official entity for procurement and final disposition of donated bodies for research and education on campus.

Charlene Baron, MEd, FBCA is a BioMedical Photographer and Instructional Designer.  Charlene’s talents include medical photography, instructional design, instructional technology and graphics design. She is proficient in the Adobe Creative Suite which includes Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator and Acrobat. Her job has included creating posters, figures for papers, teaching tools, websites, presentations, flyers, publications, forms etc. She has led seminars in poster design, Photoshop, and Illustrator. Charlene is also competent in BbLearn - the online course delivery tool and Episerver, the program used to build UMass Chan websites. Charlene is a Past President and Fellow of the BioCommunications Association. Her Masters of Education is in Instructional Design. She has been employed at UMass Chan Medical School for over 33 years, first in Orthopedics as a Medical Photographer and then in Cell Biology, she helped bring both departments into the digital age. She looks forward to working with faculty in Radiology, to assist with incorporating imaging in medical school and training courses and assisting with instructional technology.