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DONALD M. WHITING, M.D.
DIRECTOR, ALLEGHENY GENERAL HOSPITAL CENTER FOR SPASTICITY AND MOVEMENT DISORDERS; ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, NEUROSURGERY, DREXEL UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
“This is so cool!” Dr. Donald Whiting frequently says of his work. Bringing electronics into a brand-new realm—the brain—is a thrill for the neurosurgeon, who is currently investigating brain implants designed to treat mental illness.

“It’s a good time to be doing this,” he says. “A lot of technology is coming together from different areas. For example, deep-brain stimulation technology has been so successful with Parkinson’s and dystonia that we’re looking at a new area—controlling epilepsy.” Implants for conditions like obesity or anorexia may be on the horizon.

The 46-year-old Whiting is equally enthusiastic about results from a new procedure he recently tested with colleague Mark Fye that increases mobility for those with cervical-disc disease. The technique replaces herniated discs with a titanium-shelled prosthesis rather than fusing adjacent vertebrae.

Whiting’s gusto extends to the city and its medical community. “There are a lot of great resources here. If you want to get sick, this is the place to live,” he jokes. “And it’s a great place to raise a family.” The Richland Township resident is quick to credit his wife, Cindy Whiting, and three teenagers for their support in his work. “I couldn’t do any of this without their help,” he says.

–Christine H. O’Toole

STEVEN REIS, M.D.
DIRECTOR, LHAS (LADIES HOSPITAL AID SOCIETY) WOMEN’S HEART CENTER; ASSOCIATE VICE CHANCELLOR OF CLINICAL RESEARCH OF HEALTH SCIENCES, UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH; ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF MEDICINE, UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH SCHOOL OF MEDICINE; ASSOCIATE VICE CHANCELLOR OF CLINICAL RESEARCH OF HEALTH SCIENCES, UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH; ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF MEDICINE, UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
It’s the subtle distinctions in the hearts of men and women that intrigue Dr. Steven Reis. Specifically, the cardiologist is fascinated by the differences in male and female risk factors. “Heart disease is still the No. 1 killer of women,” he notes, “But we [at the LHAS Women’s Heart Center] have come a long way in creating awareness that it is not just a man’s disease. Pittsburgh was one of the first cities in the country to found a women’s heart center [in 1995]. We’ve gone beyond awareness to gender-specific areas of treatment.”

Reis, 42, is currently analyzing racial and socio-economic disparities and how they affect heart-disease risk in both sexes. He’s also working with his wife, Dr. Evelyn Reis, a pediatrician at Children’s Hospital, and the Urban League of Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh Theological Seminary to identify heart-disease risks for young children and their parents. “We want to identify high-risk families and initiate preventive strategies,” he explains.

When the pager goes off at the Reis home, it is as likely to be the local fire department as the hospital. Reis, who currently volunteers for the Guyasuta Fire Department in O’Hara Township, has been a firefighter since his youth in New York City. “We have a lot of heavy rescue efforts along Route 28 between the Highland Park Bridge and Harmar,” he notes. “It’s very rewarding and challenging.”

–Christine H. O’Toole

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