The Johns Hopkins Department of Radiology and Radiological Science experienced an unprecedented year as we, along with the rest of the world, responded to the COVID-19 pandemic. Within radiology, our clinical teams, trainees, researchers and administrators came together as one team to care for our patients, the community and each other. It was truly inspiring to witness their dedication to clinical care while continuing to advance our goals of education and research.

I am particularly delighted to announce that two endowed professorships have been established this past year. Pamela Johnson is the inaugural recipient of the Sheldon B. Bearman, M.D. Professorship in Radiology, and Hanzhang Lu is the inaugural recipient of the Elias A. Zerhouni, M.D. Professorship. These professorships allow innovative research and unparalleled mentorship to continue in the Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science while honoring the legacies of Drs. Bearman and Zerhouni. Additionally, I’m proud to note that a record number of Johns Hopkins radiologists were recognized by Baltimore Magazine and the Washingtonian as “Top Docs” of 2020. Congratulations to Drs. Andrew Akman, Nafi Aygun, Nik Bhagat, Laura Fayad, Elliot Fishman, Kelvin Hong, Brian Johnson, Pamela Johnson, Steven Rowe, Harjit Singh, Lilja Solnes, and Abhishek Srinivas.

Clinical

During the initial onset of COVID-19, many of our ambulatory sites shifted to a limited capacity as we reassessed safety protocols and workflows to follow guidelines of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Johns Hopkins Hospital Department of Hospital Epidemiology and Infection Control. Our clinical staff members embraced the changes, and, through careful monitoring, we have safely transitioned to full services again.

We also continued to expand and upgrade our locations, finishing the Bethesda renovations and equipment upgrades. This upcoming year, we anticipate further expansion at Columbia.

Research

Despite the ramp down of on-campus research activities, our faculty members continued to actively apply for funding and

pivot to new avenues of remote work. They not only donated their own lab supplies for the frontline clinical teams but also coordinated a support network to create and donate cloth masks to faculty members and employees.

Grant funding progressed. Sixteen grants were awarded between April and June, and we acquired cutting-edge research imaging equipment, including the first magnetic particle imaging scanner on the East Coast and an optoacoustic scanner. Under Zaver Bhujwalla’s leadership, we have been able to restart phase 1 of on-site research.

Education

For the second year in a row, our department was named #1 in U.S. News & World Report’s best medical school rankings for radiology, and we have maintained our #6 ranking in Doximity’s Residency Navigator, where nuclear medicine continues to be ranked #1.

Our residents and trainees have rallied together and embraced remote learning opportunities, including the use of virtual patient cases. Elliot Fishman’s CTisus iPearls app won its second Minnie award as the Best Educational Mobile App. We also launched a new master’s degree program in medical physics, spearheaded by George Sgouros, director of the radiological physics division, which is set to commence in Fall 2021.

After a challenging year, our department remains stronger than ever. We look forward, confident that our team will continue to overcome any additional challenges that may be heading our way. Enjoy the newsletter, and I welcome any of our alumni and donors to reach out to me with any questions.

Sincerely,

Karen M. Horton

Martin W. Donner Professor of Radiology Director, Department of Radiology and Radiological Science