Carmen Puliafito
{{Short description|American ophthalmologist and academic}}
{{Infobox academic
| name = Carmen Puliafito
| image = dean_headshot.ashx.jpg
| birth_name = Carmen Anthony Puliafito
| discipline = Ophthalmology
| birth_date = January 5, {{birth year and age|1951}}
| children = 3
| education = Harvard University (AB, MD)
University of Pennsylvania (MBA)
| workplaces = University of Miami
University of Southern California
| sub_discipline = Optical coherence tomography
| module = {{infobox officeholder
| embed = yes
| office = Dean of the Keck School of Medicine of USC
| term_start = 2007
| term_end = March 2016
| predecessor = Brian E. Henderson
| successor = Rohit Varma (interim)
}}
| birth_place = Buffalo, New York, U.S.
}}
Carmen Anthony Puliafito (born January 5, 1951){{Cite book |last=Blain |first=Charles |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BDIfDB48vDkC&dq=Carmen+Puliafito+1951&pg=PA87 |title=Lasers: A Guide to the Book Literature |date=2002 |publisher=Nova Publishers |isbn=978-1-59033-225-2 |language=en}} is an American ophthalmologist and former academic administrator. From 2007 until March 2016, he was dean of the Keck School of Medicine of USC.
In 2017, the Los Angeles Times revealed that Puliafito had engaged in parties with young recreational drug users and prostitutes, including at the Keck School's offices, and that Puliafito had smoked methamphetamine at these events.{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-usc-doctor-20170717-htmlstory.html|title=An overdose, a young companion, drug-fueled parties: The secret life of USC med school dean|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=2019-05-11|language=en-US|issn=0458-3035}}
Early life and education
Born and raised Buffalo, New York, Puliafito received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Harvard College in 1973 and a Doctor of Medicine from Harvard Medical School in 1978.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hqJ8DwAAQBAJ&dq=Carmen+Puliafito+born+in&pg=RA1-PA229 |title=IBBO-International Biography and Bibliography of Ophthalmologists and Visual Scientist (A-Z) |date=2018-11-30 |publisher=Wayenborgh Publishing |isbn=978-90-6299-896-8 |language=en}} He completed a residency in ophthalmology and a fellowship in vitreoretinal surgery at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. Puliafito also earned an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Career
Puliafito was appointed dean of the Keck School of Medicine of USC in December 2007.USC Press Release. Dec 5 2007. [http://www.newswise.com/articles/usc-installs-dr-carmen-puliafito-as-new-dean-of-the-keck-school-of-medicine USC Installs Dr. Carmen Puliafito as New Dean of the Keck School of Medicine] Before that, he had been director of the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute of the Miller School of Medicine at the University of Miami, and chair of the department of ophthalmology.[http://news.usc.edu/18096/Carmen-Puliafito-named-new-dean-of-the-Keck-School-of-Medicine/ Carmen Puliafito named new dean of the Keck School of Medicine]. University of Southern California. Accessed February 2015.{{self-published source|date=February 2015}} The institute has regularly been ranked as the best eye hospital and vision research center in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. In 2012, he was 21st of the highest-paid research university executives in the United States.{{cite news | url=http://www.genengnews.com/keywordsandtools/print/3/33096/ | publisher=Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News | title=25 Top-Paid Research University Leaders | date=Nov 18, 2013 | author=Alex Philippidis|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160423085620/http://www.genengnews.com/keywordsandtools/print/3/33096/|archivedate=April 23, 2016}} Accessed February 2015. While dean, he served on the board of the Children's Hospital Los Angeles.{{cite web |title=Board of Trustees |date=9 April 2015 |url=https://www.chla.org/board-trustees |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151002100729/http://www.chla.org/board-trustees |archivedate=October 2, 2015 |publisher=Children's Hospital Los Angeles}}
In March 2016, Puliafito resigned as dean of the Keck School of Medicine, and USC professor Rohit Varma was appointed interim dean.{{Cite web|url=http://dailytrojan.com/2016/03/24/dean-keck-school-medicine-usc-resigns/|title=Dean of Keck School of Medicine of USC resigns |last=Maamoon|first=Noorhan|website=Daily Trojan|date=25 March 2016 |access-date=2016-04-03}} After leaving USC, he took a role as chief of strategic development with a pharmaceutical company called Ophthotech that was developing new drugs for eye diseases; he was laid off along with 80% of the staff in December 2016 when two phase III clinical trials produced negative results.{{cite news|last1=Adams|first1=Ben|title=Ophthotech cuts to hit around 80% of staffers after phase 3 failures|url=http://www.fiercebiotech.com/biotech/ophthotech-cuts-to-hit-around-80-staffers-after-phase-3-failures|work=FierceBiotech|date=January 17, 2017|language=en}}
Puliafito's California medical license was revoked based on disciplinary orders on August 17, 2018.{{cite web |title=California Board Of Medicine |url=https://search.dca.ca.gov/details/8002/G/88200/d8dd63f54e672c11946effa314ff086f}}
= Research =
Puliafito was one of the inventors of optical coherence tomography; for this work, James Fujimoto, Eric Swanson and Puliafito received a Rank Prize for Opto-Electronics in 2002.[s.n.] (May 2002). [http://journals.lww.com/optvissci/Fulltext/2002/05000/New_Products.3.aspx New Products]. Optometry & Vision Science 79 (5): 279–280. Accessed February 2015. In 2012, Fujimoto, Swanson, and David Huang, with Puliafito and Joel Schuman, received an António Champalimaud Vision Award from the Champalimaud Foundation.[http://www.fchampalimaud.org/en/vision-award/award-recipients/2012/ 2012: Williams & Fujimoto, Huang, Puliafito, Schuman, Swanson]. Champalimaud Foundation. Accessed February 2015.
Puliafito participated in research into the use of bevacizumab for the treatment of retinal disorders.
= 2017 ''Los Angeles Times'' report =
The Los Angeles Times reported in July 2017 that while Puliafito served as dean and USC professor, he "kept company with a circle of criminals and drug users who said he used methamphetamine and other drugs with them."{{cite news|last1=Pringle|first1=Paul|last2=Ryan|first2=Harriet|last3=Elmahrek|first3=Adam|last4=Hamilton|first4=Matt|last5=Parvini|first5=Sarah|title=An overdose, a young companion, drug-fueled parties: The secret life of USC med school dean|url=http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-usc-doctor-20170717-htmlstory.html|work=Los Angeles Times|date=July 17, 2017}} The reporters reviewed video and photographs of Puliafito engaging in these activities in hotel rooms, apartments, and the dean's office. According to the newspaper, a 21-year-old prostitute had overdosed while taking drugs with Puliafito in a Pasadena hotel room on March 4, 2016; the article included a recording of a conversation between a 911 operator and Puliafito. The report said that police had found methamphetamine in the room. Three weeks later, on March 24, 2016, Puliafito resigned as dean of the Keck School of Medicine. Nothing was said about the incident; he said he was resigning because he wished to "return to academic ophthalmology and pursue some identified opportunities in healthcare."
Immediately following the publication of the 2017 Los Angeles Times report, USC announced that Puliafito had been placed "on leave from his roles at USC, including seeing patients."Adam Elmahrek, Sarah Parvini, Paul Pringle & Matt Hamilton, [http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-usc-dean-patients-20170717-story.html Former USC medical school dean no longer seeing patients; Pasadena police discipline officer], Los Angeles Times (July 17, 2017).
In July 2022, Paul Pringle, the reporter who first uncovered and reported the story of Puliafito's activities, published a book entitled Bad City: Peril and Power in the City of Angels. It describes his year-long struggle to get the story published over the objections of his superiors at the Times, who did not want to offend USC. Pringle's investigation of the case began with the March 2016 incident, but the paper refused to publish it. He and colleagues persisted, continuing to research the case until the report was finally published in July 2017, long after Puliafito had resigned as dean.{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-usc-doctor-20170717-htmlstory.html|title=An overdose, a young companion, drug-fueled parties: The secret life of a USC med school dean|date=July 17, 2017|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=14 July 2022}}{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/13/books/review/bad-city-paul-pringle.html|title=Book review: U.S.C. Sex Scandals and the Paper That Tried to Cover Them Up|last=Benner|first=Katie|date=July 13, 2022|work=The New York Times|access-date=14 July 2022}}
Personal life
Puliafito and his wife, Janet Pine, had three children. A psychiatrist, Pine met Puliafito while they were students at Harvard Medical School.{{Cite web |date=2007-08-23 |title=Carmen Puliafito named new dean of the Keck School of Medicine |url=https://news.usc.edu/18096/Carmen-Puliafito-named-new-dean-of-the-Keck-School-of-Medicine/ |access-date=2022-10-13 |website=USC News |language=en-US}} He was fired by USC for engaging in a pattern of illegal drug use and sometimes partied with a group of drug users in his USC offices. https://laist.com/shows/take-two/usc-fires-dr-puliafito-launches-external-investigation
References
{{reflist|refs=
}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Puliafito, Carmen A.}}
Category:University of Southern California people
Category:Physicians from Buffalo, New York
Category:University of Southern California faculty
Category:Harvard Medical School alumni
Category:American ophthalmologists