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Amitabh Chak, MD, of University Hospitals Case Medical Center's Seidman Cancer Center and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, presented findings on May 5th at Digestive Disease Week in Chicago in a research forum titled "Aberrant Vimentin Methylation in Esophageal Brushings: A Biomarker for Detecting Barrett's Esophagus and Esophageal Adenocarcinoma." After studying 117 patients, Dr. Chak and a research team found that a change in the DNA, methylation of the vimentin gene, is a highly sensitive biomarker for Barrett's esophagus (BE) — a precursor to esophageal cancer. They also found that a new, non-endoscopic "brush - ing" of the esophagus is as effective as the more invasive, traditional biopsy and shows promise in improving screening for BE and esophageal cancer. Conor Delaney, MD, PhD, and James Rowbottom, MD, at University Hospitals Case Medical Center are leading a national study to evaluate a new technology for stan - dardizing intraoperative fluid administration to improve recovery out - comes after colorectal and major abdominal surgery. A noninvasive finger cuff precisely measures and reports blood-flow parameters so physicians can adjust fluid dosing in response to the data. The study could lead to opportunities for improving outcomes for other areas, such as orthopaedic surgery. Dr. Delaney is Interim Chair, Department of Surgery, and Chief, Division of Colorectal Surgery, at UHCMC. Dr. Rowbottom is Chair, Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine. William H. Seitz Jr., MD, hand and up - per extremity surgeon in the Orthopaedic and Rheumatologic Institute at the Cleveland Clinic and Chairman of Orthopaedics at Lutheran Hospital, has been awarded The Academy of Medicine of Cleveland and Northern Ohio's John H. Budd Distinguished Membership Award for 2014. This award is bestowed upon a member of the AMCNO who has brought special distinc - tion and honor to the medical profession and to his community as a result of his outstand- ing accomplishments in biomedical research, clinical practice or professional leadership. Dr. Seitz is the President-Elect of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand. He will take office this fall. ■ Local Docs in National News 2 0 1 4 J U LY/AU G U S T ■ M D N E W S . CO M ■ MD NEWS Cleveland/Akron/Canton | 1 3