IR Staff Descriptions

Scientific Director
Ray Dionne, DDS, PhD

Dr. Dionne received his dental degree from the Georgetown University School of Dentistry, his masters degree in pharmacology from Georgetown University, and his PhD in pharmacology from the Medical College of Virginia. His professional career includes more than 20 years of private practice and nearly 30 years of clinical research at the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health. Dr. Dionne serves as the NINR Scientific Director, supervising and conducting clinical pain and symptom research within the NIH intramural research program. Dr. Dionne's research focuses on novel therapeutic agents and neurohumoral responses to acute pain and surgical stress, resulting in the publication of over 100 scientific articles and several textbooks. Significant contributions of his work include the use of pre-emptive analgesia and the pharmacologic basis of pain and anxiety control. Dr. Dionne is a member of numerous professional organizations and has served as President of the Pharmacology, Therapeutics, and Toxicology Group.

Intramural Training Director, Assistant Clinical Investigator
Natalie A. Rasmussen, PhD, RN

Dr. Rasmussen received a RN Diploma from St. Luke’s School of Nursing in Sioux City, IA, a BSN from Briar Cliff College in Sioux City, IA, a MA from the University of Iowa in Iowa City, IA, and a PhD from the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, NE. She worked as a nurse on various clinical units including medical-surgical and critical care. She also worked in academia as an Instructor at South Florida Community College and as an Assistant Professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. In addition, she conducted research at the University of Nebraska Medical Center as a doctoral student and as an Assistant Professor. Her research focus is on the genetic and circadian variability in pain responses. Dr. Rasmussen is a member of the American Nurses’ Association, International Association for the Study of Pain, International Society of Nurses in Genetics, Midwest Nursing Research Society, and Sigma Theta Tau International.

Intramural Training Coordinator (contractor)
Francine Nichols, PhD, RNC, FAAN

Francine H. Nichols graduated from The University of Texas at Austin in 1984 with a Ph.D. degree in nursing with an emphasis in parent-child research. From 1984-1991, she was an Associate Professor at Wichita State University in Wichita, Kansas, where she developed the Maternal-Child Graduate Program for the Department of Nursing.

After moving to Washington, D.C., she did full-time consulting national and internationally in the area of maternal and child health for private and government health care organizations, and major corporations from 1991-1998. During this time, she conducted feasibility studies, product development and evaluation studies, program development and evaluation for maternal child health care programs and graduate academic programs in the perinatal and women’s health care area. Her research is in the area of perinatal health promotion.

In 1998, Dr. Nichols joined the faculty at the Georgetown University School of Nursing as Professor and Coordinator of Women’s Health. In the fall of 1998, she began working with NINR researchers to develop and implement the Summer Genetics Institute (SGI), a research training program in molecular genetics for nurses. She has participated in the development, implementation and evaluation of the SGI since its inception. Currently, she is an Intramural Training Coordinator for NINR and a Professor at the Georgetown University School of Nursing and Health Studies.

Investigator
Jane Fall-Dickson, PhD, RN

Jane M. Fall-Dickson graduated from the University of Maryland School of Nursing with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1977. She received her Master of Science degree in Nursing in 1981 from the Yale University School of Nursing, and her Doctorate of Philosophy in Nursing from the Johns Hopkins University (JHU) School of Nursing in 2000. Dr. Fall-Dickson's doctoral studies were funded in part through a competitive American Cancer Society Doctoral Scholarship in Cancer Nursing. Her dissertation research, which examined the stomatitis-related acute oral pain experience of breast cancer autotransplant patients, received the Sigma Theta Tau, Nu Beta Chapter, JHU School of Nursing Research Award for Outstanding Research Proposal, and the Sue K. Donaldson Dissertation Award.

Dr. Fall-Dickson completed a clinical research fellowship in the Clinical Research Core (2001-2003) and the Pain and Neurosensory Mechanisms Branch (2003-2004), National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), NIH. As a fellow, Dr. Fall-Dickson developed, in collaboration with multidisciplinary colleagues, the oral complications of cancer treatment interdisciplinary, trans-Institute program of clinical research.

She was appointed to her current position as tenure track Investigator, Intramural Research Program, NINR, NIH in August 2004. She directs the Oral Mucosal Injury Unit which addresses the pathogenesis of cancer treatment-related oral mucosal injury and associated pain. She is the principal investigator for two clinical protocols, Evaluation of Efficacy and Mechanisms of an Antinflammatory Intervention for Chemotherapy Related Mucosal Injury (02-NR-0133), and Evaluation of Efficacy and Mechanisms of Topical Thalidomide for Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease-Related Stomatitis (04-NR-0069). Correlative laboratory work is elucidating the multifactorial contributions of local and systemic cytokines, growth factors, and inflammatory mediators and their signaling pathways to the pathogenesis of cancer treatment related stomatitis. She also serves as a protocol chair for Perspective Assessment of Clinical and Biological Factors Determining Outcomes in Patients with cGVHD (04-C-0281), and serves on the NIDCR Institutional Review Board.

Her publications have focused on pathogenesis of and treatment for oral complications of cancer treatment and related symptoms, and the symptom experience of breast cancer patients undergoing peripheral blood stem cell transplantation and their primary caregivers. Dr. Fall-Dickson serves as a member of the review board for the Oncology Nursing Forum. She has served as a clinical preceptor for undergraduate and graduate oncology nurses.

Prior to her clinical research career, Dr. Fall-Dickson practiced as an oncology clinical nurse specialist focusing on oncology clinical nursing program development. She also served as the research nurse coordinator for treatment clinical trials sponsored by the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project, and the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group. In 1992, she received the Excellence in Oncology Nursing Award from the Washington, D.C., Chapter of the Oncology Nursing Society.

Dr. Fall-Dickson is a member of Sigma Theta Tau, National Honor Society of Nursing, American Nurses' Association, American Pain Society, American Society of Clinical Oncology, International Society of Nurses in Cancer Care, and the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer/International Society for Oral Oncology. She served two terms as the President of the Washington, D.C., Chapter of the Oncology Nursing Society.

Selected Publications:

Articles:

1. Fall-Dickson, JM, Mock, V, Berk, R, Grimm, P, Davidson, N, Gaston-Johansson, F. Stomatitis-Related Pain Experience of Women with Breast Cancer Undergoing Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant. Cancer Nursing, 2008. 2009 RADM Faye G. Abdellah Publication Award for Nursing Research.

2. Henderson WA, Fall-Dickson JM, Kim, KH, Schlenk, E, Matthews, JA, Sereika, S, Erlen, JA. Effects of Liver Disease on the Well-being of Persons Living with HIV. Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care, 2008.

3. Fall-Dickson, JM, Ramsay, ES, Castro, K, Woltz, P., Sportes, C. Stomatitis-Related Oral Pain and Correlative Salivary, Plasma, and Buccal Epithelial TNFa Levels in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Oncology Patients. Clinical Therapeutics, 2007.

4. Pavletic, ZP, Martin, P, Lee, SJ, Mitchell, S, Jacobsohn, D, Cowan, EW, Turner, ML, Akpek, G, Gilman,., McDonald, G, Schubert, M, Berger, A, Bross, P, Chien, JW, Couriel, D, Dunn, JP, Fall-Dickson, JM. et al. Measuring Therapeutic Response in cGVHD, NIH Consensus Development Project on Criteria for Clinical Trials in Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease: IV: Response Criteria Working Group Report. Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, 2006.

5. Gaston-Johansson, F, Lachica, EM, Fall-Dickson, JM, Kennedy, MJ. Psychological Distress, Fatigue, Burden of Care, and Quality of Life in Primary Caregivers of Patients Undergoing Autologous Bone Marrow Transplantation. Oncology Nursing Forum, 2004.

6. Fall-Dickson, JM. Peer Viewpoint for a Biological Approach to Mucositis. (Sonis, ST). The Journal of Supportive Oncology, 2004.

7. Fall-Dickson, JM. (2002). Treatment of Stomatitis and Associated Oropharyngeal Pain in the Oncology Patient. In R. Dionne, J. Phero, & D. Becker (Eds.). Management of pain and anxiety in the dental office (pg. 385-400). Harcourt: Philadelphia, PA.

8. Fall-Dickson, JM, & Gaston-Johansson, F. (2001). Pain in the breast cancer patient: Assessment and role of the oncology nurse. Breast Cancer Online (http://www.bco.org/), Issue 1, January 2001.

9. Gaston-Johansson, F, Fall-Dickson, JM, Nanda, J, Ohly, K, Stillman, S, & Kennedy, MJ. The effectiveness of the comprehensive coping strategy program on clinical outcomes in breast cancer autotransplantation patients. Cancer Nursing, 2000.

Chapters

10. Berger, A, Fall-Dickson, JM (2005). Oral Complications. In VT DeVita, S Hellman, SA Rosenberg (Eds.) Cancer: Principles and Practice of Oncology (7th ed.) (pg. 2523-2535). Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2523.

11. Fall-Dickson, JM, Berger, A. (2006). Oral Manifestations and Complications of Cancer Treatment. In AM Berger, JL Shuster, JH Von Roenn (Eds). Principles and Practice of Palliative Care and Supportive Oncology (3rd ed.) (pg. 205-219). Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

12. Fall-Dickson, JM, Berger, A. (2008). Management of Adverse Effects of Treatment: Oral Complications. In VT DeVita, S Lawrence, SA Rosenberg (Eds.). Cancer: Principles and Practice of Oncology (8th ed) (pg. 2655-2667). Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

13. Treister, N, Schubert, MS, Fall-Dickson, JM. (2009). Oral chronic graft versus host disease. In G Vogelsang, SZ Pavletic (Eds). Chronic Graft Versus Host Disease: Interdisciplinary Management. (pg. 182-198). New York: Cambridge University Press.

Staff Scientist
Wendy Henderson, PhD, RN, CRNP

Wendy Henderson is a recent PhD graduate (2007) and a Clinical and Translational Science Institute fellow. Additionally, Henderson has received five separate research awards for studies in quality of life and gastrointestinal/liver diseases. She has been involved in research since 1995 when she worked as a recruitment coordinator for a multi-center clinical trial (Diabetes Prevention Program). Henderson's interest in quality of life and symptomatology in patients with gastrointestinal and liver disorders stems from her clinical and research experience at the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pediatric Gastroenterolgy Department, where she served as a pediatric nurse practitioner and research coordinator. Additionally, she has experience as a primary and co-investigator on multiple other projects. Henderson has collaborated on novel protocols, including the use of barostat technology to assess hypervisceral gastric sensitivity in children with non-ulcerative dyspepsia and ulcerative dyspepsia.

The focus of Henderson's research is to better understand the mechanisms involved in symptom distress, related to digestive and liver diseases, specifically the biobehavioral relationships between inflammation and patient symptoms. The goal of her current studies is to identify genetic or other biologic/physiologic factors that predict patient-related clinical outcomes.

Selected Publications

1. Henderson WA, Gill JM, Kim KH, Skanderson M, and Butt AA. Relationship of Hepatitis C Virus to Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Dialysis Patients. Journal of Viral Hepatitis. In press, 2008.

2. Sabri M, Di Lorenzo C, Henderson WA, and Khan S. Colon cleansing with oral sodium phosphate in adolescents: Dose, efficacy, acceptability, and safety. American Journal of Gastroenterology. In press, 2008.

3. Henderson WA. Testing a Model of Health-related Quality of Life in Persons with HIV and Liver Disease. Dissertation publication, University of Pittsburgh, 2007.

4. Henderson WA, Erlen JA, Caruthers D, and Sereika SM. Psychometric Analysis of Quality of Life in Individuals with HIV and Liver Disease, Virginia Henderson International Nursing Library, 2006.

5. Henderson WA, Caruthers D, and Erlen JA. Quality of Life in Individuals with HIV and Liver Disease. Virginia Henderson International Nursing Library, 2005.

6. Khan S, Henderson WA, Sabri M, Cheung O, Wald A, and Di Lorenzo C. Gastric sensorimotor parameters in children with organic dyspepsia. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition. 2004; 39:S439 (#1129).

7. Khan S, Henderson WA, Sabri M, Cheung O, Wald A, and Di Lorenzo C. Gastric sensorimotor parameters in children with organic dyspepsia. Gastroenterology. 2004; 126:A-43 (#369).

8. Sabri MT, Di Lorenzo C, Henderson WA, and Khan S. Dose, efficacy, and acceptability of oral sodium phosphate solution for bowel preparation: a randomized single blinded study. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition. 2004; 39:S357 (# 914).

9. Khan S, Sabri M, Henderson WA, Cheung O, Wald A, and Di Lorenzo C. Gastric Sensorimotor parameters in children with non-ulcer dyspepsia (NUD). Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition. 2003; 37:351.

10. Khan S and Henderson WA. Treatment of Eosinophilic Esophagitis in Children. Current Treatment Options in Gastroenterology. 2002; 1 Oct 5(5):367-76.

11. Youssef NN, Peters JM, Henderson WA, Shultz-Peters S, Lockhart DK, and Di Lorenzo C. Dose response of Peg3350 for the treatment of childhood fecal impaction. Journal of Pediatrics. 2002; 141(3):410-4.

12. Henderson WA, Khan S, and O'Brien C. Failure to thrive: A rare case of isolated lipase deficiency. American Journal of Gastroenterology. 2002:97:S212.

13. Khan S, Henderson WA, Goyal A, Kocoshis SA, and Di Lorenzo C. Infliximab use in pediatric Crohn's disease: A longitudinal review. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition. 2001; 33:53.

14. Khan S, Henderson WA, Kocoshis, Goyal A, and Di Lorenzo C. The use of infliximab in pediatric Crohn's disease. Gastroenterology. 2001; 120:A210.

Staff Scientist
Xiao Min (Amy) Wang, MD, PhD

Xiao Min (Amy) Wang received her MD and PhD from Xi'an Jiaotong University School of Medicine in China. After postdoctoral training at Dr. Mokha's laboratory and research associate training at Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, she was appointed as an Assistant Professor in the faculty of the Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Since joining NINR, her research interest has focused on the study of gene expression profiles and biomarkers related to acute and chronic inflammation, along with inflammation-induced pain using a variety of molecular biological approaches, including microarray and qRT-PCT techniques. One of her work is to detect the different effects of therapeutic intervention of anti-inflammatory drugs on gene/protein expression to predict the biomarkers associated with the therapeutic and adverse effects of tNSAID and selective COX-2 inhibitors in clinical models of inflammation.

Selected Publications

1. Wang XM, Hamza M, Gordon SM, Wahl SM, Dionne RA. COX Inhibitors Downregulate PDE4D Expression in a Clinical Model of Inflammatory Pain. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2008; In press.

2. Gordon SM, Chuang BP, Wang XM, Hamza M, Rowan JS, Brahim JS, Dionne RA. Paradoixcal effects of bupivacaine on PGE2 release, cyclooxygenase gene expression and pain in a clinical pain model. Anesth Analg. 2008; 106:321-7.

3. Wang XM, Wu TX, Hamza M, Ramsay ES, Wahl SM, Dionne RA. Rofecoxib modulates multiple gene expression pathways in a clinical model of acute inflammatory pain. Pain. 2007; 128:136-147.

4. Wang XM, Wu TX, Lee YS, Dionne RA. Rofecoxib regulates the expression of genes related to matrix metalloproteinase pathway in humans: implication for the adverse effects of COX-2 inhibitors. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2006; 79(4):303-15.

5. Lee YS, Kim H, Wu TX, Wang XM, Dionne RA. Genetically Mediated Interindividual Variation in Analgesic Responses to COX Inhibitory Drugs. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2006; 79:407-18.

6. Bausch SB, He SJ, Petrova Y, Wang XM, McNamara JO. Plasticity of both excitatory and inhibitory synapses contributes to increased seizure expression induced by chronic activity blockage in cultured hippocampus. J Neurophysiol. 2006; 96:2151-67.

7. Wang XM, Bausch SB. Effects of distinct classes of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonists on seizures, axonal sprouting and neuronal loss in vitro: suppression by NR2B-selective antagonists. Neuropharmacology. 2004; 47:1008-20.

8. Wang XM, Zhang JZ, Baine R, Zhang KM, Flores C, Mokha SS. Effect of antisense knockdown of alpha (2a)- and alpha (2c)-adrenoceptors on the antinociceptive action of clonidine on trigeminal nociception in the rat. Pain. 2002; 98:27-35.

9. Flores FA, Wang XM, Zhang KM, Mokha SS. Orphanin FQ produces gender-specific modulation of trigeminal nociception: Behavioral and electrophysiological observations. Neuroscience. 2001; 105:489-98.

10. Wang XM, Zhang KM, Long LO, Flores C, Mokha SS. Endomorphin-1 and endomorphin-2, endogenous ligands for the mu opioid receptor, modulate exitatory amino acid revoked responses of trigeminal neurons. J. Neurophysiol. 200; 83:3570-74.

Researcher
Koki Fukuhara, PhD

Dr. Fukuhara received a Bachelor’s degree in Veterinary Science from the Azabu College of Veterinary Medicine, a Master’s degree in Animal Science from Hiroshima University, and a PhD in pharmacology from the University of Tokyo in Japan. His research interests are to elucidate the pathogenic mechanisms of intractable chronic pain (such as complex regional pain syndrome, fibromyalgia, post-herpetic neuralgia, and diabetic neuropathy), and to develop novel analgesics that are effective and safe for these painful conditions. Currently, Dr. Fukuhara is supporting two clinical protocols; Neurotropin Treatment of Fibromyalgia, and Neurotropin for Chronic Neuropathic Pain.

Research Fellow
Hyungsuk Kim, DDS, PhD

Dr. Hyungsuk Kim graduated from the dental college of Seoul National University. Furthering his academics, he was accepted to the graduate program in the Department of Oral Medicine. During the seven years of his graduate career, he studied the mechanisms of orofacial pain including temporomandibular disorders, trigeminal neuralgia, sleep apnea and tension type headache.

After obtaining his doctoral degree, his research focus was directed to the role of genetic factors and gene therapy in pain. Since joining Dr. Dionne's group in NINR, he has addressed questions in the role of genetic factors in experimental as well as clinical pain in humans. Investigating the role of genetics among the various factors in the pain mechanism is critical in developing better ways to avoid and treat pain differently for each individual based on their variations including genetic information and socio-psychological background. This focus will allow clinicians to prescribe different types of analgesics to patients with genetic tests in the future, reducing adverse effect of drugs as well as enhancing analgesic efficacy.

Recent Publications

1. Kim H, Dionne RA. Lack of influence of GTP cyclohydrolase gene (GCH1) variations on pain sensitivity in humans. Molecular Pain 3: 6; 2007.

2. Kim H, Dionne RA. Correspondence to Diatchenko et al. Pain 129: 365-366; 2007.

3. Kim H. Individual responses of patients to pain and analgesic drugs in dentistry. Oakstone medical publishing 2007.

4. Lee Y, Kim H, Brahim J, Rowan J, Lee G, Dionne RA. Acetaminophen selectively suppresses peripheral prostaglandin E2 release and increases COX-2 gene expression in a clinical model of acute inflammation. Pain 129: 279-286; 2007.

5. Kim H, Mittal PD, Iadarola MJ, Dionne RA. Genetic predictors for acute experimental cold and heat pain sensitivity in humans. Journal of Medical Geriatrics 43(8): e40; 2006.

6. Kim H, Lee H, Rowan J, Brahim J, Dionne RA. Genetic polymorphisms in monoamine neurotransmitter systems show only weak association with acute post-surgical pain in humans. Molecular Pain 2(1):24; 2006.

7. Lee Y, Kim H, Wu T, Wang X, Dionne RA. Genetically mediated interindividual variation in analgesic responses to cyclooxygenase inhibitory drugs. Clin Pharmacol Ther 79:407-418;2006.

8. Kim H, Dionne RA. Genetics, pain and analgesia. Pain: Clinical Updates. September 2005.

9. Dionne RA, Kim H, Gordon SM. Dental pain, TMJ. In McMahon and Koltzenburg, Wall & Melzack's Textbook of pain. 5th ed.

Postdoctoral Fellow
Leorey N. Saligan, PhD, RN, CRNP

Leorey N. Saligan received his Doctorate of Philosophy in Nursing from Hampton Unviersity in 2007. He also obtained his Masters of Science degree in Nursing and Family Nurse Practitioner certificate from Hampton University in 2003. He graduated from Liceo de Cagayan University, Philippines, with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree in 1992. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology degree from Silliman University, Philippines, in 1988.

Dr. Saligan served as a nurse practitioner for the National Eye Institute (NEI), co-establishing three subspecialty clinics - namely, the sarcoidosis, cornea, and glaucoma clinics. He has worked with a multidisciplinary team providing primary care to research participants enrolled in NEI protocols.

Dr. Saligan also serves as an officer with the United State Public Health Service. He actively serves as a nurse practitioner with the Washington, D.C., Rapid Deployment Team 1.

Currently, Dr. Saligan serves as a postdoctoral fellow with the Intramural Research Program at NINR. His research focuses on understanding biobehavioral mechanisms of pain and fatigue hoping to develop novel interventions that can alleviate these symptoms. He currently serves as an associate investigator for two clinical protocols: Neurotropin Treatment of Fibromyalgia (06-NR-0229) and Neurotropin for Acute Dental Pain and for Chronic Neuropathic Pain (00-NR-0200). Dr. Saligan is a member of numerous professional organizations and he has presented nationally and internationally on various nursing topics.

Recent Publications

Levy-Clark G and Saligan LN. Ocular Manifestations of Sarcoidosis. In, R Nussenblatt (ed), Albert and Jakobiec's Principles and Practice of Ophthalmology, 3rd edition, 2007, p. 93.

Saligan LN and Levy-Clarke G. Management of intraocular inflammation. Nurse Practitioner. 2007; 32(12); 8-11.

Post-Baccalaureate IRTA
Tara J. Taylor

Tara Taylor received her Bachelor of Science in Biology from Spelman College in Atlanta. Upon receiving her degree, she worked as a research student in the laboratory of Dr. Aladin Boriek at the Baylor College of Medicine, where she investigated the biomechanics of the mouse diaphragm. Later in the laboratory of Dr. Martin Schneider at the University of Maryland's School of Medicine, Taylor assisted in the investigation of muscle calcium channels. After completing two years in Paraguay as a Health and Sanitation Volunteer for the United States Peace Corps, Taylor returned to the world of science under the Intramural Research Award at NINR. As a Post-baccalaureate IRTA at NINR, Taylor will investigate the topics of PTSD and gastrointestinal disorders with Dr. Jessica Gill and Dr. Wendy Henderson, respectively.