April 7, 2006

New Vice Dean Appointed in the UNC School of Medicine

CHAPEL HILL - The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine is pleased to announce the appointment of one of its leading faculty members to the position of vice dean.

Dr. Etta Pisano, Kenan professor of radiology and biomedical engineering at the UNC School of Medicine, director of the UNC Biomedical Research Imaging Center, former chief of breast imaging at UNC Hospitals and co-leader of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center's breast program, has been appointed vice dean for academic affairs, effective June 1. Pisano is taking over the position formerly held by Dr. Robert Golden, who is leaving UNC to become dean of the School of Medicine and Public Health at the University of Wisconsin.

"I am thrilled that I will be working so closely with such a talented and accomplished individual as Etta Pisano," said Dr. William L. Roper, dean of the UNC School of Medicine and chief executive officer of UNC Health Care. "Etta is one of our finest academic physicians and is highly regarded among her colleagues here. She will do an outstanding job in her new role. We are excited she is joining our leadership team."

Pisano, who is known internationally for her breast cancer research, was the principal investigator in a multi-center study that involved 49,500 women in the United States and Canada. The investigation compared the value of traditional film mammography vs. the newer digital mammography in detecting breast cancer.

Pisano also is the popular mentor of UNC's American Medical Women's Association chapter. In 2005, the national American Medical Women's Association selected Pisano to receive its annual Women in Science Award for her contributions toward saving lives by detecting breast cancer earlier. She earned her medical degree from the Duke University School of Medicine and completed her residency training at Harvard's Beth Israel Hospital.

School of Medicine contact: Stephanie Crayton, (919) 966-2860 or scrayton@unch.unc.edu