INTEGRIS is joining other hospitals and health centers around the country in a national effort to produce a stable supply of generic drugs. The venture is designed to address the growing frustration caused by persistent shortages of simple yet vital medications.
Utah-based not-for-profit generic-drug company Civica Rx is spearheading the initiative. “Drug shortages have become a national crisis, with patient treatments and surgeries canceled, delayed or suboptimal,” says Martin VanTrieste, chief executive officer of Civica Rx. “We thank these organizations for joining us to make essential generic medicines accessible and affordable in hospitals across the country.”
The benefit of the Civica Rx initiative is expected to be two-fold. Hospitals will not only have access to generic drugs that are frequently in short supply, but they will also be able to purchase those medications at a reduced cost. A savings that can then be passed along to patients.
“We are excited to be a partnering member in this venture,” says Tommy, Ibrahim, M.D., chief physician executive at INTEGRIS. “We enjoy a proud tradition of being a leading-edge health care provider known for a pioneering spirit that has paved the way for many medical firsts and technological advancements. We believe this initiative is another example of that. It is an innovative approach to providing quality, accessible, more affordable medicine to the citizens of Oklahoma.”
Civica Rx plans to bring 14 hospital-administered generic drugs to market in 2019. The overall vision is to become a model generic drug company that provides high-quality Food and Drug Administration-approved products at affordable prices.

As new state leaders are sworn in today, John D. Doak reflects on his eight years as Oklahoma’s insurance commissioner. Doak was elected the state’s 12th insurance commissioner in 2010 and was re-elected for a second term in 2014.
“I’m honored that Oklahomans chose to elect me to represent them, both in terms of insurance company solvency and ensuring fair claims handling,” Doak said. “I’ve been privileged to witness the courage and resilience of Oklahomans in the face of difficult natural disasters. It’s also been a pleasure to work with our state Legislature and governor and to travel to every one of Oklahoma’s 77 counties, meeting and working with the people who live there.”
During his tenure, Doak has tirelessly worked to raise awareness of the Oklahoma Insurance Department (OID) and how it can help Oklahomans. He started a field representative program to reach every corner of the state. He also made it a mission to have boots on the ground as soon as possible after a disaster. Many times Doak himself would visit with storm victims to reassure them that his office was there to help, if needed.
Another issue Doak worked on during his time in office was lowering the rate of uninsured motorists. Oklahoma has one of the highest rates in the country. Just a few months ago, the OID announced it would host the Auto Insurance Verification System which allows law enforcement to verify a driver has insurance in real time.
“One of my proudest accomplishments is that, as I leave the OID, it is now being recognized as a global leader in insurance regulatory issues,” Doak said.
Doak’s recognition that government must be ready to accept new and innovative ideas and products has helped frame that thinking. His belief that the OID should not only to protect consumers but allow the free market process to bring new quality products to consumers is recognized by many leaders worldwide.
More of Doak’s accomplishments include:
*Recovering $27,675,828 for Oklahomans since 2011
*The passage of House Bill 2308 which allows the OID to construct and own an office building
*OID employees earning more than 160 professional designations
*Co-hosting the National Tornado Summit since 2011
*The passage of the Insurance Business Transfer law
*Developing an earthquake education requirement for insurance professionals
*Testifying before a U.S. Senate sub-committee about insurance fraud
*Helping launch the University of Tulsa Cyber District
“I wish the best to the new leaders of our state, Gov. Kevin Stitt, Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell and Insurance Commissioner Glen Mulready,” Doak said. “Commissioner Mulready has already proven that he is a dedicated public servant with expertise in the insurance industry, and he will continue that tradition in this new role.”

Harry and Betty Wales are quick to tell you that in 1954, when God called them to serve, He promised to provide for them in their faithfulness and He has always done so. Betty and Harry worked their farm in Iowa for 20 years. When they received their separate callings, both struggled against accepting God’s call and did not share the news with each other for several weeks. Harry was content in his role of farmer. Betty knew speaking to a congregation was not her gift. Betty laughed as she related her profound relief when Harry told her he had been called by God to the ministry; she then understood her role was to be by his side, standing shoulder-to-shoulder in the ministry. Harry preached to Nazarene congregations across the southwest for more than 40 years before retiring in Oklahoma City in 2000.
Throughout his ministry, Harry worked two jobs, enabling Betty to stay home with their two daughters. Together, they served the Lord living each day with the promise that God would provide for all their needs. Although retired, Harry has continued his ministry at the Warr Acres Senior Center (4301 Ann Arbor) for more than 18 years offering support through prayer, teaching Bible study classes, and sharing God’s word. Diane Maguire, coordinator at the Warr Acres center, describes Harry as the ‘chaplain’ of the center. He is always willing to share in joy or sorrow. Betty also continues serving others by making coffee at the senior center every morning, helping with lunch. Harry and Betty are truly extraordinary volunteers, goodwill ambassadors, and faithful to their calling.
In November 2018, Harry and Betty celebrated 69 years of marriage. At the glorious ages of 90 (90 is the new 70!) and 87, respectively, Harry and Betty remain firm in their faith that God will continue to provide. Falls have taken a toll on both Harry and Betty this past year. Harry can no longer remodel old houses to provide additional income or to make them habitable for his family. Hospitalizations and the need to be in a rehabilitation care unit with mounting medical bills add to financial concerns.
Unfortunately, working every day for more than 60 years does not guarantee you a comfortable retirement. Since retiring, Harry and Betty rely on the monthly financial support of their daughters, a pension from the church, and the graces of past congregations. When the air conditioning in their home went out this past summer, a former congregation stepped in to replace the irreparable system. Those who know Harry and Betty best, will tell you it is a joy and honor to help them. Their optimism and complete faith that God will provide shines in all they do. Because friends are doing yard work, helping them exercise, making minor home repairs and providing other needs, they are surviving retirement.
Surviving is defined as remaining alive. Merely surviving retirement is never the goal – it’s not how we envision ourselves living out our mature years. Surviving is not comfortable nor is it fun; surviving can be unnerving. Sadly, too many seniors merely survive retirement. The struggles are real, but you are not alone.
Advance 2-1-1 Oklahoma is an easy-access system designed to offer information about and referrals to community services for both those who need help, and those who provide help. Find out what is available by calling 211, or, try out the new text service “211OK” by texting your zip code to 898-211. In Oklahoma City, Sunbeam Family Services, Catholic Charities, Legal Aid, Neighborhood Services Organization and The Salvation Army are a few agencies that stand ready to assist seniors, as well as, more than 60 food pantries.
Senior News and Living OK has a dedicated phone line for you to ASK LISA questions or share information; please call 405-631-5100, Ext. 5 and leave your name, phone number, and a message regarding your concern.
AFTERTHOUGHTS with Lisa
About four years ago, I was in the emergency room with family members, discussing the dangers of falling with a gentleman and his wife. The gentleman and I had both fallen that evening and were waiting our x-ray results. My son walked in and asked, “Mom, how bad was your fall?” Without hesitation, the gentleman said, “Young man, it is inappropriate to use obscene language in present company.” Raucous laughter followed as he explained, “FALL” is our new four-letter word. All agreed that a “FALL” was to be avoided at all costs!
Winter weather is very unpredictable in Oklahoma; avoid wet or icy sidewalks and driveways. If you must be out in the weather take care of YOU; broken bones are no fun and recuperation is difficult!! Use your cane, walker, or a helpful arm when you must be out in the weather.

by Bobby Anderson, Staff Writer

Going and doing. That’s what brings Becky Grantham the most joy.
And at 70, the former professional cyclist has no plans of slowing down anytime soon.
Grantham has a passion and love for people. Quite simple she loves living, working, working out, riding her bike out on the road and being healthy and fit.
She qualified for the 2013 National Senior Olympics in cycling and she plans to start rowing lessons this summer, with hopes of being on a Masters team.
“I love teams in anything,” she said. “I love to learn, grow and spending time with family and friends. I love fresh flowers, organic whole foods, good wine, music and the great outdoors. I love challenges and lots of adventure. I adore and cherish my children and grandchildren.”
Her life story reads like one straight out of Hollywood.
She earned the nickname “Fire Starter” from colleagues with her solid record of launching new products and start-up ventures. Her enterprising spirit allowed her the opportunity to own and manage a successful talent agency and develop into a sought-after casting director in a state not well represented in the field.
She continues to find success in many different industries. As a founding partner in BAR M MUT LLC in Oklahoma, she developed an award-winning marketing program that targeted ranchers, farmers, hunters and commercial nurseries within an eight-state region becoming the top dealer in the nation.
She excelled in the medical industry for more than 15 years, having the distinction of being recruited and promoted by industry leaders.
A lover of the arts, fitness, health and outdoor living, she has cycled century rides (100 miles in length) for many fundraising events and even enjoyed a couple of years as a professional cyclist for a philanthropic team out of Texas.
She took the gold medal in Oklahoma’s 2012 time trial and road race in her age division.
Other passions include being an accomplished competitive rider of Show Hunters and Jumpers, as well as being a whipper-in for Fox Hunting.
The love of gardening led her to achieve a Master Gardener accreditation.
As an advocate for others, she’s held many leadership roles within her church and community serving and lobbying for the wellbeing of children and woman. In addition, she has volunteered on missions to Honduras and within inner-city Oklahoma City and is a strong and passionate advocate against domestic violence.
“Very rarely do I see someone my age out there cycling,” said Grantham, who now works as a relationship developer at Laura Lynn’s Home Care. “Even at my age to train for a century ride takes a lot out of me. I have to train long and consistently so that I’m really prepared.”
Training for a century ride requires lots of time on the bike as well as time in the gym.
“Whenever you cycle year after year after year your muscles almost get locked up so you have to do exercises in the opposite direction to keep from locking up,” she said. “All of a sudden your legs aren’t working like they did. I don’t remember that me being a big deal when I was younger but it is becoming a bigger deal to me I’m noticing.”
“Every chance I get I try to ride on the road but I’ve gotten to the point where I’m becoming more of a fair weather rider. When I was younger I would get out and ride in 40-degree temperature without thinking twice but now I like it in the 50s at least.”
It was her son who got her hooked on cycling. Her first bike was the one he had when he was 12.
“It was a horrible old bike but I figured if I could ride that and enjoy it …” she said. “I just kept increasing the quality of my bike over time.”
“Probably the thing I enjoy the most is my psyche and the endorphins, it’s not just for the moment. If you cycle a lot you have more energy than you can imagine. It’s very upbeat. It’s endorphins that bring about contentment and happiness.”
And she kept increasing her mileage.
Grantham uses all that energy to keep up with her eight grandchildren, one great granddaughter and three children.
She wants to inspire others to do what they love and remain active.
It’s worked for her for her entire life.

story and photo by Bobby Anderson, Staff Writer

A book club series offered by the Salvation Army is helping bring seniors together.
Diane Maguire, Senior Programs Coordinator, North District, began the book club last year that met once a month and brought in various scholars to discuss what participants would be reading.
“The group that was involved was very interactive,” Maguire said.
This is the second offering for the Salvation Army. The initial group wrapped up in November.
“Based upon feedback from a lot of seniors from the first one it just seemed they really enjoyed it,” Maguire said. “The whole thing is socialization here, even the book club the heart of it is socialization. I talked to a couple of the scholars and they mentioned this was an excellent series. Because they had already interacted with the group it just kind of fell in that this would be perfect.”
In December, the Salvation Army Central Oklahoma Command announced that it will host Let’s Talk About It, Oklahoma!. The series of reading and discussion programs are made possible through a grant from Oklahoma Humanities with generous funding from the Inasmuch Foundation and the Kirkpatrick Family Fund.
The Salvation Army’s Warr Acres Senior Center, 4301 N. Ann Arbor, will be the venue for the five-part series, Friendship. The series will explore the subject of friendship and its power to enrich and sustain our loves.
The titles in the series include: Jacob Have I Loved by Katherine Paterson; The Chosen by Chaim Potok; The Color Purple by Alice Walker; Turtle Diary by Russell Hoban; and Recovering: A Journal by May Sarton.
The first reading and discussion group is set for January 17th from 9-11 a.m. with Harbour Winn leading the discussion of Jacob Have I Loved. Participation is free, however seating is limited.
“We are very excited to be offering this reading and discussion program once again,” Maguire said. “The discussions and open dialogue our participants have been having, not only with the scholar, but also with each other are both interesting and thought provoking. I am extremely thankful to Oklahoma Humanities for investing in our senior population with this program.”
“This is how I view it: if it changes one life it’s impactful,” Maguire said. “You have seniors that love playing dominoes or love line dancing but then you have seniors who need to be intellectually stimulated because maybe of their background, love for reading or they can’t do the other things.”
“Some of them needed that intellectual challenge and that really answered to the stimulation they were looking for.”
The Salvation Army Central Oklahoma has been serving the elderly population for more than 50 years. There are currently four senior centers in the Oklahoma City metro area serving approximately 350-425 seniors each week.
The centers are open to anyone age 55 or older, free of charge. Wellness activities, lunch, Bible study, and reading and discussion groups are all a part of the current programming taking place.
The mission of Oklahoma Humanities (OH) is to strengthen communities by helping Oklahomans learn about the human experience, understand new perspectives, and participate knowledgeably in civic life. OH is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. As the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, we strive to stimulate discussion, encourage new perspectives, and to actively engage people in the humanities disciplines such as history, literature, philosophy and ethics.
The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God.
The mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.
Nearly 183,000 Oklahomans receive assistance from The Salvation Army Central Oklahoma each year through the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children.
About 83 cents of every dollar raised is used to support those services. For more information, go to www.salvationarmyokcac.org.
The Salvation Army Central Oklahoma Area Command is a proud partner agency of the United Way of Central Oklahoma.

story and photo by Bobby Anderson, Staff Writer

Hand-written cards.
The joy of simply being present with loved ones and making their day a little brighter.
The pride that comes with honoring a loved one who gave their life in the service of country.
These simple things have always been foundational for Missy Beckett.
As a registered nurse, Beckett has cared for people from all walks of life, all the while knowing that memories they create will last a lifetime.
It’s this approach that Beckett promised to keep as the director for the aptly named Promise Care Hospice service.
Promise Care is locally and privately owned and Beckett has worked with the owner more than a decade now.
The focus has and always will be personal.
“I want to be small,” Beckett said. “As an RN and the director I want to know everyone. I want to know who my team is talking about. I want to know every single person’s name. I want to know their families. I don’t want ever to be too big to not know why I’m doing this.”
Promise Care is comprised of an expert teams of caregivers consisting of registered nurses, physicians, home healthcare aides, social workers, chaplains, bereavement counselors and trained volunteers.
The palliative care offered eases pain and discomfort for all who experience it.
Social and spiritual support for both patients and their loved ones is bedrock.
Volunteers are often the lifeblood of a quality hospice experience.
That’s where Stacy Wingfield comes in. Promise Care’s volunteer coordinator hand picks those individuals with both the heart and compassion for the role.
Wingfield knows no paycheck could ever be equal both the service volunteers provide and the what they receive in return.
“They’ve gotten a lot of strength,” Wingfield said of her volunteers. “We have training all along the way. You don’t have to have any medical background at all. It’s very interesting the different areas. You could be a florist and want to volunteer to put arrangements together.”
“You could be a masseuse and maybe come do hand massages or an art student who wants to make cards and do crafts. There are so many different avenues.”
One of Wingfields volunteers is an author who comes in after book tours and takes her book into a home and reads while in costume.
“The older you get the more life has thrown at you and the more you do understand where people are coming from,” Wingfield said.
Beckett knew of a woman through healthcare that transportation circumstances had left her homebound. She decided to present her the opportunity to volunteer.
“It has changed her entire outlook on everything to be able to get out and visit and help and spend time with people,” Beckett said. “It’s super important for the patient to have a neutral person to be able to tell their fears. They’re not going to tell their family. Sometime they’ll tell us as a nurse but to have someone who can go in and spend four or five hours at the bedside and just watch TV or read or have a conversation it’s so important.”
“And it’s important for the family to get out of the house and get a break and we really encourage that.”
From the outset, Beckett has brought her staff out into the community when they’re not in patients’ homes.
Once a month you’ll find the Promise Care team working at a homeless shelter serving others.
Every year you’ll find Beckett and staff handing out turkeys with a local law firm.
“Our group is really unique. We like to get out and go do things probably a lot of other businesses don’t do together,” Beckett said.
Remembering the holidays are always packed with events, Beckett was scolded by her staff this year when she suggested they take December off from the shelter serving line.
“They got mad at me,” Beckett laughed. “We like to give back. I think for most of the staff we all have to have a paycheck but I think we’d all do this for free.”
Honoring loved ones is what Promise Care is all about.
And Beckett admits she has a soft spot for veterans.
“I’m a Lawton girl so veterans are near and dear to my heart,” she said. “My dad is buried at the national cemetery. People on our team are veterans so we want to honor them, too.”
It’s those little things along the way that most don’t realize that are actually the big things in life.
And it’s those moments that Beckett promises to make count.

by Bryan Painter

One ride plus one full day equaled two lessons learned for Esther Miller.
Although Miller grew up on a farm, she learned some valid points of ranch life from husband Dave Miller, rather quickly.
“Early in our marriage I learned that when you are told to get a good drink of water, do so,” she said. “Dave and I were going horseback to look for cattle. I had on a new pair of boots which I wasn’t accustomed to wearing. Dave told me to get a good drink of water. I took a sip or two, but did notice Dave drank a lot.”
It was an August morning in humid eastern Oklahoma.
“When we finally got back to the house I had learned to never leave the house with a cowboy without getting a good drink of water, and never wear new boots to go on a long ride,” Miller said. “On the farm, water was never that far away, but it was on the ranch.”
That’s not all. Miller, who lives near Okmulgee, has a tip from another experience that might help a new ranch bride out somewhere down the road.
“I have also learned that when you cut down a fence with a swather,” she said, “just burst into tears and you will have a very sympathetic husband instead of a livid husband.”
Growing up
Esther was born in the 1930s to Aldon and Rose Sullivan Magness, who raised wheat, cotton and cattle near Geary. In later years, the family took on a custom wheat harvesting business and operated combines from Grandfield in southern Oklahoma all the way to Montana.
“We had a trailer house and went along with him some years,” she said. “My mother cooked for the crew and my sisters and I helped in the kitchen. The summers we did not go with him, my mother and a neighbor took care of the farm.”
Through those years, Miller saw her parents work hard and steady for what they had and she realized nothing is for free.
“Agriculture is a way of life to me,” she said. “People in Agriculture have good values, are well-grounded and friendly and are always there with a helping hand. We feel lucky to have raised a family in an agricultural environment.”
The next chapter
Esther and Dave met in 1952 while students at then-Oklahoma A&M College. They married in 1953 and Dave was drafted soon after that.
“The Korean War was just winding down and he went to Japan and I followed,” she said. “When we returned, he continued in the cow/calf and wheat partnership he and his brother had started earlier. They also raised horses and alfalfa, and baled native grass hay for the cows in the winter.”
Dave came from a pioneer ranching family, a cow/calf operation in northeastern Okmulgee County. In 1878, Dave’s grandfather Bluford Miller and his new bride, Lizzie Anderson, made their home in a log cabin along Rock Creek. Two years later they moved into an L-shaped two story house. Today, Esther and Dave live in that house that was remodeled nearly a hundred years ago, in 1919.
Dave and Esther lived on the family ranch at Mannford in Creek County and then moved to the ranch in Okmulgee County after his father Bluford W. “Bunch” Miller died in 1963.
“We have lived here for 55 years,” she said. “We have added some land, but mostly have cleared land already owned. Early on there were some registered Hereford cows, but the cow herd was mostly commercial. In about 1982 the brothers dissolved their partnership and soon after that Dave sold his cows, went into the stocker business and started clearing land. We now have our hay baled.”
The business is still very much a family endeavor. Esther and Dave have three sons: David Jr., John and Mark. Between the three sons, Esther and Dave have six grandchildren and one great granddaughter.
“David Jr. and Mark are in partnership with the stockers and John runs a family owned oil and gas business,” she said. “A grandson, Tanner, a recent OSU graduate, is helping us out temporarily. We hope we have taught our family to be good citizens, to be reliable, honest and trustworthy and that it takes effort and perseverance to accomplish what you want. A ranch is a good place to learn that. Our boys grew up working cattle and baling hay.”
Other lessons learned
When the interest rates were so high in the 1970s and 1980s, Esther Miller said they were just starting in the stocker business and it was pretty tough getting the lenders to loan money for stockers. However, they kept their heads up and continued trying different things and finally got through it.
That lesson taught her that, “If you want to do something bad enough you can do it.”
“When things came together for us financially, I realized even though there had been a lot of trials, we had really had a wonderful life through it all and feel that we have been truly blessed,” she said.
Maybe that’s why one of her favorite quotes is from the Serenity Prayer: “God Grant Me the Serenity to Accept the Things I Cannot Change, The Courage to Change the Things I Can, and the Wisdom to Know the Difference.”
Miller feels that is a lesson learned that equals a lifetime worth of blessings.
“It seems to me if we all took that to heart it would be a better and happier world,” she said.

Nationally, Oklahoma has one of the highest rates of staff turnover in nursing homes – 68 percent — a statistic that affects the quality of care that residents receive.
To address that problem, the Fran and Earl Ziegler University of Oklahoma College of Nursing is creating the Long-Term Care Leadership Academy, a training program that aims to develop leadership skills through education and mentoring for staff members at nursing homes across Oklahoma. The goal is that a resulting culture change will improve staff retention and the care that residents receive.
The program is funded by a nearly $400,000 grant from the Civil Money Penalties program, administered by the Oklahoma State Department of Health. When nursing homes are fined, that money goes to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and part of it returns to the Oklahoma State Department of Health, where it can only be used for quality improvement projects that help residents of nursing homes.
“Improving the nursing home workplace culture by developing staff leadership skills is an important determinant of quality care for nursing home residents,” said Gary Loving, Ph.D., RN, interim dean of the OU College of Nursing.
Recent studies have shown staff turnover to be more important to nursing home outcomes than staffing or skill mix. Nationally, certified nursing assistants have the highest turnover rate at 51.5 percent, followed by registered nurses at 50 percent and licensed professional nurses at 36 percent. With an overall staff turnover of 68 percent, Oklahoma’s nursing homes lose significantly more employees than the national average of 43.9 percent. In addition, Oklahoma’s Medicaid reimbursement for nursing homes is one of the lowest in the nation, which adds to the difficulty of retaining good staff.
“It is extremely difficult to work on improving the quality of life and care of residents without adequate staff,” said Diana Sturdevant, Ph.D., RN, of the OU College of Nursing. “High turnover depletes limited resources and reduces productivity because of the added costs of hiring and training new employees.”
Sturdevant is leading the Long-Term Care Leadership Academy with OU College of Nursing colleague Teri Round, M.S., RN. The curriculum is being developed by incorporating evidence-based practices and the expertise of college faculty and nursing home experts.
The program will be geared toward three levels of nursing home employees. Level one consists of the director and assistant director of nursing and the administrator. Level two includes RNs and LPNs who have direct leadership responsibilities of co-workers. Level three consists of certified nursing assistants and their roles in affecting the quality of life and improved care for residents.
Four face-to-face regional meetings will be provided, with one day for each level’s education. The fourth day will be a half-day period for all three levels to practice the skills they’ve learned. Program topics include communication and teamwork, giving and receiving delegation, generational differences, person-centered care, culture change, co-worker engagement, retention and succession planning.
Leadership skills will be an important focus for nursing home supervisors, Sturdevant said. Nursing homes typically employ RNs as directors and assistant directors of nursing, and LPNs as charge nurses. They usually do not receive leadership training as part of their academic education.
“They often lack skills in conflict resolution, effective communication and inclusiveness,” Sturdevant said. “Many use an authoritative approach with top-down communication that does little to facilitate teamwork.”
Following the Long-Term Care Leadership Academy, staff members will continue to be mentored. They also will undertake projects designed to support culture change and to meet a need specific to each nursing home. Projects will potentially address antibiotic stewardship, infection prevention, antipsychotic medication reform and others.
“The OU College of Nursing faculty and staff have expertise in leadership training, development and implementation of quality improvement processes and systems change,” Round said. “We are excited to work with nursing home staff members across Oklahoma on meaningful ways they can retain staff and create a better culture for both employees and residents.”

The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center has announced Jacob E. “Jed” Friedman, Ph.D., as director, Harold Hamm Diabetes Center at OU Medicine, and associate vice provost for diabetes programs, commencing January 1, 2019.
The announcement comes on the heels of a new $34 million dollar gift made to the Harold Hamm Diabetes Center. The gift from The Harold Hamm Foundation will be allocated over the next 10 years to fund research, technology and talent such as Friedman.
“We are enthusiastic that Dr. Friedman will grow the national and international research stature of the Diabetes Center, competing for sponsored funding, and recruiting and mentoring talented researchers,” said Jason Sanders, M.D., MBA, senior vice president and provost, OUHSC, and vice chair, OU Medicine. “He brings a clear vision for changing the course of diabetes prevention and treatment.”
Friedman comes to the Harold Hamm Diabetes Center from the University of Colorado School of Medicine, where he served as the director of the Colorado Program in Nutrition and Healthy Development and director of the National Institutes of Health Nutrition and Obesity Research Center laboratories for cellular and molecular metabolism. He was also a professor in Pediatrics, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, and Medicine.
Friedman has earned numerous National Institutes of Health and industry funding awards, as well as a Gates Grand Challenge grant. He has more than 134 peer-reviewed articles to his credit, selected for publication in a number of prestigious journals, including the Journal of Clinical Investigation, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Nature Communications and Diabetes.
Friedman has led teams of researchers, working in both basic and translational research areas. He is the lead investigator on numerous multi-Principal Investigator team science grants, and is involved with several clinical trials based on his basic science work. He was awarded the 2014 American Diabetes Association Norbert Freinkel Award, the highest award given for lifetime achievement in advancing the science and clinical care for diabetes in pregnancy.
“My vision for the Harold Hamm Diabetes Center is a focus on the emerging science of the developmental origins of diabetes and obesity identified in the first 1,000 days of life,” Friedman explained. “Research has established that a variety of adverse events in early developmental phases lead to life-long metabolic problems.’
Friedman’s research will involve studies on metabolism, mitochondrial malfunction, microbiome and epigenetics, and he will advance clinical and translational research in women with gestational diabetes and their infants to halt the growing trend for obesity and diabetes in the next generation.