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                        JeffNEWS, January 10, 1995
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Jefferson Strengthens Ties with Two Mexican Research Institutions
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Jefferson has established cooperation with two Mexican counterparts -
the Supercomputer Center of the National Autonomous University of Mexico
and the Manuel Velasco Suarez National Institute of Neurology and
Neurosurgery, a world leader in endovascular therapy for cerebrovascular
disease.

Hector V. Ortega, MD, researcher in the department of radiology's
magnetic resonance imaging physics laboratory, and Sadan Seshagiri, MS,
the lab's chief programmer, recently visited the Supercomputer Center in
Mexico City where they established a physical link between the two
laboratories.

"This means that we can now use their supercomputer from our lab at
Jefferson to perform various kinds of research," said David C. Levin,
MD, professor and chairman of the department.

"In addition, the Supercomputer Center's director of research suggested
sending a postgraduate computer engineering student to our lab for two
years," Dr. Ortega said.

The second link, with the Velasco Suarez Institute, was strengthened
with the visit of Joseph R. Sherwin, PhD, professor of physiology,
associate dean of scientific affairs and director of the office of
research administration; Carlos F. Gonzalez, MD, professor of radiology
and codirector of the division of neuroradiology/head and neck
radiology, Guillermo Alexander, PhD, associate professor of neurology,
and Dr. Ortega.

This visit was a follow-up to a visit to Philadelphia by Manuel Velasco
Suarez, MD, to meet with Joseph S. Gonnella, MD, senior vice president
for academic affairs and dean of Jefferson Medical College.

They anticipate areas of research collaboration between our institutions
in the fields of neurology, neurosurgery and neuroradiology, in
particular endovascular therapy.

Endovascular therapy is the treatment of vascular disease from within
the vessels themselves, using guide wires and various types of
catheters.

"We will establish exchange programs to train neuroradiologists in this
technique," Dr. Ortega said.


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