Messages and News
April 1, 2013
A full roll out of utmbConnect will take place on April 6, 2013, replacing the legacy revenue cycle (Siemens Invision) with an integrated revenue cycle/clinical documentation system (Epic). This means that information about a patient’s care will be combined into one record, allowing physicians and other caregivers to efficiently retrieve complete, current information and easily document care. A single source to store and share patient information will benefit our patients, who are the center of everything we do at UTMB.
We are also working to formulate our fiscal year 2014 budgets. Given the convergence of our utmbConnect go-live as well as our annual budget preparation and other organizational priorities, the Health System Executive Leadership team is declaring a “Meeting Holiday” between April 8 and April 26. During this timeframe meetings unrelated to budget or utmbConnect will be canceled/rescheduled to allow the Health System to focus on these two very important endeavors. A few exceptions to the holiday have been made regarding outside national speakers or mission critical meetings.
We appreciate your support as we work together for a successful implementation of utmbConnect and to complete our budget planning.
Sincerely yours,
Danny O. Jacobs, MD, MPH, FACS
Executive Vice President, Provost and
Dean of the School of Medicine
Thomas N. & Gleaves T. James Distinguished Chair
April 1, 2013
The Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health will host its 3rd Annual Public Health Symposium on Wednesday, April 3, 2013 in the Levin Hall dining room from 3 - 5 p.m.
The symposium celebrates National Public Health Week (NPHW) scheduled April 1-7, 2013. Each year, NPHW focuses its effort on a different theme and this year's theme, "Public Health is ROI: Save Lives, Save Money," highlights the value of prevention and the importance of well-supported public health systems in preventing disease, saving lives and curbing health care spending. The event will include poster sessions on various public health topics presented by students in the School of Health Professions, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and School of Medicine. The symposium is targeted at those interested in public health, however, everyone is welcome to attend.
- 3:00 p.m. Public Health Research Poster Session
- 4:00 p.m. Keynote Presentation
- 4:45 p.m. Student Poster Awards and Scholarship Presentation
Keynote Speaker
Dr. Glen P. Mays, F. Douglas Scutchfield Endowed Professor of Health Services and Systems Research at the University of Kentucky College of Public Health, will give a keynote address entitled "Public Health ROI: Evidence, Experience, & Remaining Questions to Answer" at 4:00 p.m. in the Levin Hall dining room. To find out more about Dr. Mays, click here to see his bio.
If you have questions, please contact Shannon M. Carroll, Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, (409) 772-6635, smcarrol@utmb.edu.
Sincerely yours,
Danny O. Jacobs, MD, MPH, FACS
Executive Vice President, Provost and
Dean of the School of Medicine
Thomas N. & Gleaves T. James Distinguished Chair
March 29, 2013
By now you may have seen an announcement regarding the appointment of Dr. Anish Bhardwaj as John Sealy Professor and Chair of the Department of Neurology and Assistant Dean for Faculty Affairs in the School of Medicine. I would like to thank the members of the search committee, led by Dr. Vicente Resto, for their efforts during our recruitment process and their identification of an outstanding candidate. I would also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge with deep gratitude and special thanks for the leadership provided by Dr. Glenn Smith as Interim Chair of the Department of Neurology for the past four years. Dr. Smith has served exceptionally in this role, taking on additional responsibilities to ensure the ongoing success and progress of the Department.
Sincerely yours,
Danny O. Jacobs, MD, MPH, FACS
Executive Vice President, Provost and
Dean of the School of Medicine
Thomas N. & Gleaves T. James Distinguished Chair
March 29, 2013
After a national search, I am extremely pleased to announce that Anish Bhardwaj, MD, MBA, will be joining us as John Sealy Professor and Chair of the Department of Neurology and Assistant Dean for Faculty Affairs in the School of Medicine. Dr. Bhardwaj will transition into his new role mid-July and begin full-time on August 19, 2013. He joins us from the Tufts University School of Medicine where he has been Chair and Professor of Neurology, Neuroscience, and Neurosurgery as well as Neurologist-in-Chief at Tufts Medical Center in Dr. Bhardwaj completed his medical training at College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria and neurology residency training at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York. He then completed fellowship training in neurosciences critical care at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and, subsequently, served on the faculty of Hopkins for a decade until 2006 - - where he rose through the academic ranks to become Associate Professor and Vice Chairman of the Department of Neurology. He then served as Professor and Vice Chairman of the Department of Neurology at Oregon Health and Science University until 2009. He is board certified in Neurology, Vascular Neurology, and Neurocritical Care by the United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties. He has an MBA in Healthcare Management from D’Amore-McKim School of Business, Northeastern University.
Dr. Bhardwaj comes to UTMB with a distinguished background in academic and clinical neurosciences. An acknowledged national and international expert in neurocritical care and stroke, he has authored more than 135 publications including original peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, editorials, reviews and five books. His laboratory-based and translational research has focused on understanding the pathophysiological mechanisms of, and developing methods and strategies for protecting the brain after stroke and other forms of brain injury. He has received substantial extramural funding for these endeavors. Over the years he has served on study sections of the National Institutes of Health and the American Heart Association (AHA) and continues to serve as a member of numerous editorial boards of peer-reviewed journals including Stroke, Critical Care Medicine, and Neurocritical Care. He has been the recipient of several awards and honors including the Clinician-Scientist Award from AHA and is an elected fellow of the Stroke Council of the American Heart Association (FAHA), the American Academy of Neurology (FAAN), the American Neurological Association (FANA), and the American College of Critical Care Medicine (FCCM). He has developed major neurocritical care programs and will prove to be a great leader as we seek to enhance our neurology services and implement and expand our neurosciences clinical and research programs in strong collaboration with our Division of Neurosurgery and Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, as well as our Institute for Translational Sciences and other entities on our campus and elsewhere.
In addition to being a program developer, Dr. Bhardwaj has an excellent track record of mentoring faculty, fellows and house staff. He has trained and mentored over 45 clinical and research fellows who have gone on to highly successful career trajectories to become leaders in their fields. As Assistant Dean for Faculty Affairs, Dr. Bhardwaj will play a major role in faculty development and their reviews and evaluations.
Please join me in welcoming Dr. Bhardwaj to UTMB.
Sincerely yours,
Danny O. Jacobs, MD, MPH, FACS
Executive Vice President, Provost and
Dean of the School of Medicine
Thomas N. & Gleaves T. James Distinguished Chair
March 28, 2013
I am writing to update you on the School of Medicine’s administrative organizational structure. It is important that we have a robust and sustainable infrastructure to support all of our missions. We are working to fill administrative positions, both permanently and on an interim basis with talented people in the “right places doing the right things at the right time.”
- Associate Vice President of Academic Resources and Director of Libraries - The search committee, chaired by Dr. Steven Lieberman, has invited four candidates for first-round interviews (scheduled to be completed early April);
- Director, Primary Care Services - We are working with CBO Partners to identify a candidate on or before April 1st;
- Executive Director, Basic Sciences I - We have retained the executive search firm, B.E. Smith, to identify an interim management solution. One interim candidate has been interviewed and another candidate is scheduled to interview next week;
- Executive Director, Hospital Based Services - Ms. Barbara Petit has been appointed chair of the search committee and a job opening for this position has been posted; and
- Four Associate Director Positions: Effective immediately, Ms. Ashlyn Baker has transferred from her role as Assistant Director and Business Manager of the Community Based Clinic Network for the Faculty Group Practice to Associate Director, Primary Care Services. Please join me in welcoming Ms. Baker to her new role. We have engaged Opus Search Partners to conduct a national search for the three remaining Associate Director positions, one to support Women’s and Children’s Services, and two individuals to support Surgical Services. Please remember that our evaluation of our support services continues.
We will keep you updated on our recruitment efforts as we fill these important roles. Thank you for your patience during this transition.
Sincerely yours,
Danny O. Jacobs, MD, MPH, FACS
Executive Vice President, Provost and
Dean of the School of Medicine
Thomas N. & Gleaves T. James Distinguished Chair
March 21, 2013
I would like to remind you that a full video webcast and presentation of the March 11th “Mondays in March” session is available at http://www.utmb.edu/mondays-in-march/. In addition, I encourage you to make every effort to attend the final session of the series this coming Monday (March 25th) to hear President David Callender’s Institutional Vision talk.
Sincerely yours,
Danny O. Jacobs, MD, MPH, FACS
Executive Vice President, Provost and
Dean of the School of Medicine
Thomas N. & Gleaves T. James Distinguished Chair
March 20, 2013
The following is a list of recent updates to the Institutional Handbook of Operating Procedures (IHOP). Detailed information is attached. These policies have been approved by the IHOP Committee and the Executive Committee and are considered to be in effect. In the event that the Office of General Counsel edits or amends any of these policies, a subsequent notice with the changes will be distributed.
New Policies
3.7.8 Worksite Breast Feeding
Triennial Review and Maintenance
2.19.9 Using Microcomputing Software
5.1.1 Rights and Responsibilities of Faculty Members
5.5.1 Faculty Evaluations
5.5.5 Administrative Component of Compensation for Academic Administrators
5.5.6 Faculty Credentials and Faculty Files
6.2.24 Removal of PHI from UTMB Facilities
9.2.8 Medical Record Forms Management
9.13.8 Interdisciplinary Plan of Care
Retired
8.1.21 Guidelines for Safe Patient Handling and Movement
OGC update re: IHOP 4.4.20 Use of State Sales Tax Exemption Form. In addition to adding Sales to the policy title, the policy now reads, “…UTMB is exempt from payment of the Limited Sales, Excise and Use of Tax on any purchases of tangible personal property and services on…..” and clarifies that the sales tax exemption form is not used for hotel accommodations within Texas associated with UTMB related business…and adds Texas Tax Code Section 151.309 to the reference section.
Sincerely yours,
Danny O. Jacobs, MD, MPH, FACS
Executive Vice President, Provost and
Dean of the School of Medicine
Thomas N. & Gleaves T. James Distinguished Chair
March 15, 2013
I want to thank all of you who were able to attend this week’s “Mondays in March” session. If you missed the March 11th presentation, a full video webcast and presentation of the discussion is now available at http://www.utmb.edu/mondays-in-march/. Recall, there are two more presentations scheduled: Mr. William Elger, Executive Vice President and Chief Business and Finance Officer, presents the Business and Finance Vision on the 18th and President David Callender is scheduled to provide an overview of the Institutional Vision and concluding comments on the 25th.
I would urge you to attend these sessions if at all possible.
Danny O. Jacobs, MD, MPH, FACS
Executive Vice President, Provost and
Dean of the School of Medicine
Thomas N. & Gleaves T. James Distinguished Chair
March 6, 2013
I hope you will join us for the Mondays in March sessions which will take place at noon in the Levin Hall Main Auditorium. On March 11, I will talk about the Academic Enterprise Vision and invite you to hear about our goals for the next five years as it relates to our education, research and clinical service missions. To submit questions before the event, click on the following EAC blog: http://blog.utmb.edu/EAC/?page_id=65.
I encourage you to make every effort to attend these informative sessions. Come early and stop by the informational expo in the Levin Hall foyer beginning at 11:30 a.m. After the Mondays in March session, we invite you to stay around for snacks (available on a first-come, first-served basis).
- Monday, March 11
Academic Enterprise Vision
Dr. Danny O. Jacobs
Executive Vice President, Provost and Dean of the School of Medicine
I look forward to seeing you there!
Sincerely yours,
Danny O. Jacobs, MD, MPH, FACS
Executive Vice President, Provost and
Dean of the School of Medicine
Thomas N. & Gleaves T. James Distinguished Chair
February 26, 2013
It is my pleasure to announce that Laura Rudkin, PhD, Professor and Interim Chair of the Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health (PMCH), and Daneshvari Solanki, MBBS, Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology, are among twelve educators from the University of Texas System institutions inducted into the University of Texas Academy of Health Science Education (UTAHSE) last week. Members of the academy represent a diverse group of educators from the many disciplines in health science education who fulfill the strict criteria set by the academy including direct teaching, curriculum development, counseling and mentorship, leadership, and educational scholarship and research.
Drs. Rudkin and Solanki have received numerous awards for their teaching excellence (see their bios below). Please join me in congratulating them on this extraordinary recognition as newest members of the UTAHSE.
Dr. Laura Rudkin
A faculty member since 1993, Dr. Rudkin has been active in expanding the population health sciences program across the campus. She is Principal Investigator for UTMB’s Primary Care Plus Project which seeks to integrate primary care and public health training that reaches all of our medical and physician assistant students. Her primary interest includes social factors influencing health outcomes. Among her accolades, Dr. Rudkin was instrumental in the Department of PMCH receiving the 2012 Outstanding Educational Program Award by the Association for Prevention Teaching and Research for advancing undergraduate or graduate medical education in prevention and public health. She was elected to the UTMB Academy of Master Teachers (2008), followed by an appointment as a Distinguished Teaching Professor by the University of Texas System (2009). Admired by her students, Dr. Rudkin received the PMCH Program’s Teaching Excellence Award for three consecutive years (2005-2007). In addition, the Graduate Student Organization (GSO) honored her with the GSO Distinguished Faculty Teaching Award for advocacy on behalf of students (2009).
Dr. Daneshvari Solanki
Dr. Solanki joined UTMB in 1978 and has been engaged in the practice of pain management for three decades. She serves as Director of the Interventional Pain Service which she founded in 1992, Director of Regional Anesthesia, and is the initial holder of the Laura B. McDaniel Distinguished Professorship. Dr. Solanki is highly regarded for her outstanding contributions as a physician-educator. She received the Department’s Teacher of the Year Award a number of times (1984-86, 1992-94, and 2001) and is the inaugural recipient of the UTMB William Osler Excellence in Clinical Teaching Award (2005). Committed to serving the global community, Dr. Solanki volunteers her clinical expertise on mission trips to underdeveloped countries.
Sincerely yours,
Danny O. Jacobs, MD, MPH, FACS
Executive Vice President, Provost and
Dean of the School of Medicine
Thomas N. & Gleaves T. James Distinguished Chair
February 22, 2013
Tickets are on sale for the March 6th St. Vincent's Clinic Annual Benefit Concert scheduled for Wednesday, March 6, 2013, 7 p.m., at the 1894 Grand Opera House in Galveston (click here for more details). The concert is the primary fundraiser for the St. Vincent's Clinic, a UTMB student-run free healthcare facility that provides health care focusing on the underserved population of Galveston and surrounding communities. St. Vincent’s Clinic is staffed entirely by UTMB student volunteers and faculty members and treats nearly 180 patients each month.
Tickets can be purchased during lunchtime in the cafeteria for $7 (cash) and $7.50 (credit card), or online at: https://www.wepay.com/events/stvbenefitconcert2013. The price is $10 at the door. For any questions or comments, please email: Htin Aung at htaung@utmb.edu.
Thank you in advance for helping St. Vincent’s Clinic continue its important role in our community.
February 11, 2013
The Academy of Master Teachers (AMT) has announced the recipients of the Educator of the Month Award for October 2012-January 2013. These four faculty members were singled out by students and colleagues for exemplifying educational excellence in UTMB’s academic programs. The AMT launched the Educator of the Month program in October 2012 to acknowledge, thank, and reward outstanding teachers at UTMB. Nominations are accepted throughout the year and may be submitted by students or faculty. To nominate the next Educator of the Month, visit http://www.utmb.edu/amt.
Please join me in congratulating the following faculty members for their commitment to teaching:
October 2012: Alice Hill, PhD, RN, FAAN
Dr. Hill serves as Professor and Associate Dean for Graduate Programs in the School of Nursing. She is also the School’s Doctoral Program Director and holds the John P. McGovern Professorship in the Healing Practices of Nursing. The nomination recognized Dr. Hill’s dedication to students: “You see, Dr. Hill is able to find the good in everyone in every situation. In my opinion, after being a nurse for 33 years, that is what it takes to be healthy, whole, and happy: Someone to believe in you even when you can't. The legacy of Dr. Hill will go on forever.”
November 2012: Victor Reyes, PhD
Dr. Reyes serves as Professor in the Departments of Pediatrics and Microbiology and Immunology. Three nominations were submitted, each recognizing a different facet of his teaching. A second year medical student lauded Dr. Reyes for his role as a problem-based learning (PBL) facilitator: "Dr. Reyes has many qualities that make an excellent educator, but the most important quality is his ability to make students want to learn more about the topics we are studying. Dr. Reyes is certainly the best PBL facilitator I have had the pleasure of having because of his excellent questioning style that guides students to understand a topic. "Dr. Reyes was also nominated by a graduate student who commented that Dr. Reyes "contributed significantly to both my teaching in graduate school and mentoring during my research….he presented lectures in such a way that made complex issues easily understandable." A fellow faculty member said that she has “benefited immensely from his mentorship” and also noted his ability to present, "clear, well prepared, and highly informative lectures."
December 2012: Mark Clark, PhD
Dr. Clark, Assistant Professor in the Institute for the Medical Humanities (IMH), was selected for this award based on a nomination from an IMH doctoral student. The student remarked that Dr. Clark is, "undoubtedly the best teacher that I’ve ever encountered in my educational career. I am consistently struck by Dr. Clark’s ability to create an encouraging and supportive space where students feel safe to freely share their thoughts and insights."
January 2013: Bonnie Webster, MS, RN, BC
Ms. Webster, Assistant Professor in the School of Nursing, received eleven nominations for this award (one student and ten faculty members)! The student said Ms. Webster is, "a phenomenal professor! ... Every class is fun, entertaining, and most importantly, provides a creative atmosphere conducive to learning!" Faculty comments include, "remarkable ability to challenge her students to excel; to hold them to high standards of practice while also gaining their trust and affection….She models the behavior she expects of her students."
February 8, 2013
It is my pleasure to announce that Eric M. Walser, MD, has been named Chair of the Department of Radiology, effective immediately. Dr. Walser was appointed Interim Chair in September, 2012 and has done an exemplary job in leading the Department. He also serves as Professor and Director of the Vascular and Interventional Radiology Section, and holder of the George R. Herrmann, MD Professorship.
Dr. Walser is an energetic leader with an outstanding track record as a clinical and translational investigator. He will play a vital role in ensuring that our imaging services continue to flourish. As an internationally renowned interventional radiologist, his clinical interests are wide-ranging and include the use of ablation therapy to treat small tumors of the liver and kidney as an alternative to traditional open surgery. For example, he developed a new program of laser ablation of tumors using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) guidance. His investigational efforts focus on developing interventional procedures using MRI to treat and diagnose patients without the use of harmful ionizing radiation. Using MRI, ultrasound, and CT technology, Dr. Walser has developed advanced protocols and techniques to image cardiovascular disease non-invasively.
Dr. Walser has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals including the Annals of Thoracic Surgery, Annals of Surgery, and Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology, as well as book chapters, abstracts and letters. He is a reviewer for many prestigious journals and has lectured throughout the world regarding cancer treatment and minimally invasive surgical management. He is a member of several important professional organizations including the American Board of Radiology (examiner), American College of Radiology, American Roentgen Ray Society, and Radiological Society of North America. As an educator, Dr. Walser has been very active in teaching and has mentored numerous residents and fellows.
Dr. Walser earned his medical degree from UTMB in 1988. He completed both his diagnostic radiology residency training (1992) and interventional radiology and body imaging fellowship training (1993) at the Indiana University Medical Center. He began his professional career as an Assistant Professor and Chief of Diagnosis in the Department of Radiology at UTMB. After leadership service at other institutions including the St. Paul Medical Center in Dallas and Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Dr. Walser returned to UTMB in 2011.
I appreciate Dr. Walser’s willingness to lead our Department of Radiology, and look forward to working with him in this capacity. Please join me in congratulating him on his appointment.
February 7, 2013
I am pleased to announce that James E. Martin, PhD, has been appointed Associate Vice President for Student Services at UTMB, effective March 1, 2013. Dr. Martin has admirably served in this important position on an interim basis since May, 2011.
Dr. Martin is an accomplished leader in the area of student services and affairs, having previously served as the Chief Student Services/Affairs Administrator at colleges and universities in Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Connecticut and Alabama. He has been instrumental in the restructuring efforts within Student Services at UTMB to enhance critical services to meet the needs of our diverse student body. He will continue to lead our Offices of Enrollment Services (Student Financial Aid, Admissions, Records and Registration), Student Life, Student Wellness (Student Health Services and Student Counseling Center), Student Ombudsman, ensure student Title IX coordination, work with our Student Government Association, the Student Honor Pledge Council and oversee services for students with disabilities and coordinate our Welcome Week activities.
While reporting to me, Dr. Martin will assist Mr. Cameron Slocum, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for the Academic Enterprise, in the operations and strategic planning of Student Services.
Dr. Martin earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Western Carolina University, a Master of Education Degree from the University of Virginia, and a Doctor of Philosophy Degree from Bowling Green University. Prior to coming to UTMB, he served as the campus President for Edison State College in Ft. Myers, Florida.
February 7, 2013
It is my pleasure to announce that UTMB has been awarded a one-year education grant in the amount of $25,000 from the Applied Medical Resources Corporation. Dr. Gayle Olson is Principal Investigator of the grant which is a continuation of a $15,000 award received in 2011. The purpose of the project is to help support research training of our Maternal Fetal Medicine fellows including in study design, responsible conduct of research, surgical and laboratory techniques, NIH funding and grant mechanisms, as well as successful grant writing.
Dr. Olson serves as Associate Professor and Director of the Maternal Fetal Medicine Fellowship Program in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. A dedicated physician-scientist-educator, she has worked diligently to develop a high level of educational scholarship in the fellowship program through mentored research and clinical training. Dr. Olson’s outstanding contributions have been recognized with multiple honors from her peers. She received the Award of Research Excellence from the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine, was inducted into the University of Texas Academy of Health Science Education and holds the title of Distinguished Teaching Professor in the UTMB Academy of Master Teachers.
Please join me in congratulating Dr. Olson on receiving the continuation award.
February 5, 2013
I am pleased to announce that UTMB has been awarded a one-year grant in the amount of $150,000 from the American Asthma Foundation to pursue research in asthma therapy. Dr. Satish K. Srivastava, Principal Investigator, will use the award to examine the efficacy of the aldose reductase inhibitor, fidarestat, in the prevention of asthma. Prior to clinical trial, Dr. Srivastava in collaboration with Dr. William Calhoun, Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine, will investigate the efficacy of this inhibitor in clinical samples.
A UTMB faculty member since 1974, Dr. Srivastava currently serves as Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. He is nationally and internationally recognized for his studies in chronic inflammation and associated health issues. His research has led to a novel finding in the link between the enzyme aldose reductase and asthma-related lung pathologies. In addition, Dr. Srivastava has conducted research in understanding the role of aldose reductase in other inflammation-related diseases such as diabetic complications and colon cancer supported by a merit award from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases and National Cancer Institute.
Please join me in congratulating Dr. Srivastava on obtaining this grant award from the American Asthma Foundation.
February 4, 2013
I am pleased to announce that Jin Mo Chung, PhD, Professor in the Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, has accepted my offer to become Interim Chair of the Department, effective immediately. I am grateful to Dr. Chung for his willingness to take on this vital responsibility and look forward to working with him to ensure the Department’s continued growth and pursuit of excellence.
Please join me in supporting Dr. Chung in his new role.
February 4, 2013
I am deeply saddened to share the news that Dr. Henry F. Epstein, Professor in the Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, recently passed away. Dr. Epstein recently stepped down as Chair of the Department after serving in this role for nearly ten years. He was an influential leader and distinguished physician-scientist, and his passing is a great loss to Galveston, UTMB, and to the scientific community at large. Per Dr. Epstein’s request, a symposium will be held in his memory in the near future and additional information will be forthcoming as the details are finalized.
Dr. Epstein began his tenure at UTMB in 2004. Upon his arrival, he led the creation of our Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, which was formed by consolidating the Departments of Anatomy, Neurosciences, Physiology and Biophysics. His leadership was instrumental in the Department’s growth and success.
Dr. Epstein was privileged to contribute to the work leading to two Nobel Prizes: Dr. Christian B. Anfinsen's 1972 Nobel Prize in Chemistry and Dr. Sydney Brenner's 2002 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. His distinguished career was marked by pioneering work on the mechanisms of protein folding and in establishing the molecular genetics of muscle development and cell motility. His latest work focused on characterizing novel proteins regulating the cytoskeleton. Dr. Epstein served in a number of professional and scientific organizations, including as President of the Rice-Texas Center Chapter of Sigma Xi, member of the Molecular and Cell Biology Review Committee of the European Space Agency in Brussels, Belgium, and as a long-term member of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Muscular Dystrophy Association. He co-edited three internationally recognized books in three distinct fields: Muscle Development: Molecular and Cellular Control, 1982, co-editor M.L. Pearson; Genetics of the X-Chromosome: Studies of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and Related Disorders, 1982, co-editor S.G. Wolf; and Caenorhabditis elegans: Modern Biological Analysis of an Organism, 1995, co-editor D.C. Shakes.
Dr. Epstein will be sorely missed by many. I know you join me in extending our deepest sympathy to his family, colleagues, and friends.
January 25, 2013
It is my pleasure to announce that Brian E. Gordon, DVM, DACLAM, has accepted the position of Executive Director of the Animal Resources Center (ARC), effective March 4, 2013. Dr. Gordon’s appointment concludes an extensive national search. He will succeed Dr. Chris Suckow who assumed interim leadership of the ARC in May 2012. We are grateful to Dr. Suckow for his outstanding contributions during the search for a permanent hire. I would like to thank the members of the search committee (see below) for their service, as well as other faculty and staff members who met with the candidates.
| Members of the Search Committee for the Executive Director of the Animal Resources Center | |
Toni D’Agostino (Co-chair) |
Monica Polanco |
Dr. Gordon brings excellent credentials to UTMB. He will oversee the comprehensive husbandry, veterinary and consultative services to the institution’s research community, ensuring full compliance and the highest standards in the care and use of laboratory animals. Dr. Gordon most recently served as Director of Animal Resources and Attending Veterinarian at the Max Planck Florida Institute, the first institute of the Max Planck Society, which is based in Germany, to be located in the United States. He has contributed to various aspects of laboratory animal medicine, including as an ad hoc site visitor for the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (1998-2007). He was also an ad hoc member of the NIH National Center for Research Resources Scientific and Technical Review Board for Biomedical and Behavioral Research Facilities (1994-2003). Dr. Gordon is a Diplomate of the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine, USDA accredited veterinarian, and has been licensed by the states of Florida, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Texas.
Dr. Gordon earned his DVM degree in 1977 from Oklahoma State University in Stillwater. After working in private practice for 12 years, he completed an NIH postdoctoral fellowship in comparative medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. He has held a number of directorship positions and served as a consultant to several institutions, which include the Scripps Florida Research Institute, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Genzyme, Carolinas Medical Center and University of North Carolina in Charlotte.
I believe that Dr. Gordon will provide outstanding leadership to the Animal Resources Center, and look forward to his future contributions in this important role. Please join me in welcoming him to the UTMB family.
January 23, 2013
It is my pleasure to announce that Dr. B. Montgomery Pettitt, Director of the Sealy Center for Structural Biology and Molecular Biophysics (SCSB), has successfully recompeted for a four-year, one million dollar grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) to continue important research at UTMB. Dr. Pettitt, Project Director, will investigate the effects of phage DNA confinement in the prevention of and therapeutic strategies against disease. "Better understanding the biophysical basis of the biological process to transfer a viral genome has implications not only relevant to infectious disease mechanism but in phage therapy or phage antibiotics and therapeutic delivery,” said Dr. Pettitt.
Dr. Pettitt serves as Professor in the Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Pharmacology and Toxicology. He is also holder of the Robert A. Welch Distinguished University Chair in Chemistry. Dr. Pettitt came to UTMB in 2011 from the University of Houston, where he served as the Hugh Roy and Lillie Cranz Cullen Distinguished University Chair of Chemistry and Professor of Physics, Computer Science, and Biology and Biochemistry. In addition, he held the post of Associate Dean of Research. He is currently an Adjunct Professor of Chemistry at Rice University and Chair of the Keck Center for Interdisciplinary Bioscience which is part of the Gulf Coast Consortia.
Dr. Pettitt is highly respected by the scientific community worldwide. His research spans the fields of method development for calculating internal conformational structure and interpreting conformation equilibria of biomolecules in an aqueous environment; stability and thermodynamics of multiple DNA/RNA structures; and peptide/protein folding via stability criteria. He has received continuous funding for his work, including grants from the NIH, Robert A. Welch Foundation, W.M. Keck Foundation, and National Science Foundation. Dr. Pettitt has published over 250 papers, and has received numerous awards and fellowships for his cutting edge research. In 2008, he was elected to the prestigious rank of Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), an honor bestowed upon members by their peers for meritorious efforts to advance science or its applications. He has presented over 200 invited lectures at professional and scientific meetings, and has served in a number of editorial capacities and as a manuscript reviewer for high-impact journals, including Nature, Science and Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. Dr. Pettitt has jointly developed several patents including one patent on the “Algorithms for Microbial Detection.”
A dedicated educator, Dr. Pettitt has mentored numerous graduate students and post-doctoral fellows. Moreover, he has been instrumental in course design and curriculum development at both graduate and undergraduate levels. He has overseen a number of training grants from the NIH, NSF, and the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) that have provided students with an interdisciplinary, hands-on research experience. Dr. Pettitt has also been a long time participant in the Welch and Research and Academic Enrichment Program (REAP) summer high-school research programs.
Dr. Pettitt earned his PhD degree in Physical Chemistry from the University of Houston. He subsequently completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Physical Chemistry at the University of Texas at Austin and an NIH NRSA fellowship in Theoretical Biophysical Chemistry at Harvard University.
Please join me in congratulating Dr. Pettitt on obtaining this grant award from the NIGMS.
January 22, 2013
I write to share that Dr. Henry F. Epstein, Professor and Chair of the Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology and holder of the Cecil H. and Ida Green Distinguished University Chair, has formally announced his intention to step down as Chair of the Department for health reasons, effective January 31, 2013. Dr. Epstein will remain on the faculty as Professor in the Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology. In the coming weeks, I will be working with him and departmental leadership on transition planning.
Dr. Epstein is an exceptional leader, physician-scientist and educator, who has been a member of our faculty since 2004. Upon his arrival, he led the creation of the Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, which was formed by consolidating the Departments of Anatomy and Neurosciences and Physiology and Biophysics. Dr. Epstein has significantly enhanced the research and educational programs in the Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology during his tenure.
Dr. Epstein was privileged to contribute to the work leading to two Nobel Prizes: Dr. Christian B. Anfinsen's 1972 Nobel Prize in Chemistry and Dr. Sydney Brenner's 2002 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Dr. Epstein’s distinguished career has been marked by pioneering work on the mechanisms of protein folding and in establishing the molecular genetics of muscle development and cell motility. The current focus of his laboratory is on characterizing novel proteins regulating the cytoskeleton. Well respected for his research contributions, Dr. Epstein has served in a number of professional and scientific organizations, including as President of the Rice-Texas Center Chapter of Sigma Xi, member of the Molecular and Cell Biology Review Committee of the European Space Agency in Brussels, Belgium, and as a long-term member of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Muscular Dystrophy Association. He has co-edited three internationally recognized books in three distinct fields: Muscle Development: Molecular and Cellular Control, 1982, co-editor M.L. Pearson; Genetics of the X-Chromosome: Studies of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and Related Disorders, 1982, co-editor S.G. Wolf; and Caenorhabditis elegans: Modern Biological Analysis of an Organism, 1995, co-editor D.C. Shakes.
Please join me in thanking Dr. Epstein for his selfless service as Chair of the Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology and in wishing him all the best in his future endeavors.
January 17, 2013
We are pleased to announce that 10 faculty members have been selected to each receive $50,000 awards from the John Sealy Memorial Endowment for Biomedical Research Pilot Innovation and Bridging Grant Program. These awards are for calendar year 2013.
We wish to thank members of the Research Advisory Committee and Research Services staff for their diligent work on this initiative.
The Pilot Innovation and Bridging Grant Program was created to stimulate new research initiatives by supporting pilot projects that have a very high probability of attracting external grant funding to the university. These awards will enable UTMB investigators to perform the work needed to submit or resubmit fundable grant applications.
Please join us in congratulating the following faculty members for their successful applications.
Bridging Grants
| Principal Investigator |
Project Title |
Yinzi Cong, PhD |
"TH17 IgA axis in regulation of inflammatory bowel diseases" |
Mark Hellmich, PhD |
"Role of hydrogen sulfide in tumor angiogenesis" |
Gregg Milligan, PhD |
“Therapeutic immunization for modulation of recurrent HSV-2 shedding" |
Sankar Mitra, PhD |
"Repair of oxidative genome damage associated with gene activation" |
Pilot Grants
| Principal Investigator |
Project Title |
Xiaoyong Bao, PhD |
"Characterization of tRNA-derived RNA fragments (tRFs) in respiratory syncytial virus infection" |
Alexander Bukreyev, PhD |
"Mechanisms of ‘immune paralysis’ in Ebola infection" |
Deepthi Kolli, PhD |
"Development of a new vaccine platform based on a segmented RNA virus" |
Shinji Makino, PhD |
"Development of a new vaccine platform based on a segmented RNA virus" |
Erik Rytting, PhD |
"Nanomedicine for anticancer therapy during pregnancy" |
Labros Sidossis, PhD |
"Role of brown adipose tissue on metabolic control in humans" |
The next round of funding for Pilot Innovation/Bridging Grants will be made available in early May. We appreciate having the opportunity, through the John Sealy Memorial Endowment for Biomedical Research, to support research projects that hold tremendous promise for improving health in Texas and around the world.
Sincerely yours,
| David L. Callender, MD, MBA, FACS President |
Danny O. Jacobs, MD, MPH, FACS |
January 16, 2013
I write to share with you the news that Dr. David Walker, Professor and Chair of the Department of Pathology and holder of the Carmage and Martha Walls Distinguished University Chair in Tropical Diseases, has announced his intention to step down after 25 years of dedicated service to the university. I will begin a national search for a successor to Dr. Walker, who will remain in his post until a new chair has been appointed.
Dr. Walker is an excellent leader whose keen insight has been a critical part of the success of a number of programs at UTMB. Under his leadership, the Department of Pathology ranked ninth nationally in NIH awards for the federal fiscal year 2012. Dr. Walker has attained international stature for his research on rickettsial and ehrlichial molecular microbiology, immunity, pathology, pathogenesis, clinical pathophysiology, epidemiology, and diagnosis. His breakthrough research has helped to better protect our society against bioterrorism and improve health for people worldwide. Dr. Walker is among an extraordinary group of scientists at UTMB who conduct specialized research in the campus’ Galveston National Laboratory, one of two National Biocontainment Laboratories in the US constructed with funding awarded in October 2003 by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases/National Institutes of Health.
Dr. Walker also serves as Executive Director of the UTMB Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases (CBEID). In this role, he oversees the activities of the CBEID in achieving its two main objectives: 1) to reduce the vulnerability of the US and other nations to the use of biological weapons for warfare and terrorism, and 2) to alleviate suffering from emerging and tropical infectious diseases through application of basic, translational, and field research, and through education. Dr. Walker is the recipient of a Science and Technology Acquisition and Retention (STAR) award from The University of Texas System for development of a new program in endothelial cell pathobiology. He was honored with the annual John J. Andujar Citation of Merit Award from the Texas Society of Pathologists, which recognizes deserving individuals who contribute significantly to the field of pathology and medicine. He received the 2012 Vanderbilt Medical Alumni Association (VMAA) Distinguished Alumnus Award. Recipients are selected based on contributions to the field of medicine as a distinguished clinician, progressive leader, and or/research scientist. Among the country’s top specialists in his field, Dr. Walker has been repeatedly named as one of America’s Top Doctors. In addition, he has been selected by his peers as one of the Texas Super Doctors and the Best Doctors in America.
Dr. Walker has served his field, the Department and the University with great distinction. Please join me in thanking him for his dedicated service to UTMB, and for his assistance during this transition period.
January 11, 2013
I am very pleased to announce that Kenneth J. Ottenbacher, PhD, OTR, Professor and Russell Shearn Moody Distinguished Chair in the School of Health Professions, was named the recipient of the 2013 American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) and American Occupational Therapy Foundation (AOTF) joint President’s Commendation Award in honor of Wilma L. West. The award will be presented at the annual AOTA conference in April. The governing boards of both the AOTA and AOTF established this prestigious award, given only rarely. Its purpose is to honor a respected leader of the profession who has sustained contributions to occupational therapy over a lifetime of service. Dr. Ottenbacher received this award in recognition of his successful academic career and impressive array of publications, and for his success and leadership as a senior scientist with a commitment to mentoring new and early stage investigators. He has garnered the admiration and respect of colleagues within and outside of occupational therapy.
Dr. Ottenbacher serves as Director of the Division of Rehabilitation Sciences and Senior Associate Dean of the School of Health Professions. He also serves as Director of the Center for Rehabilitation Sciences and Associate Director of the Sealy Center on Aging. Dr. Ottenbacher is the Director of the Rehabilitation Sciences PhD Program and holds a joint faculty appointment in the Department of Internal Medicine. He has published more than 280 peer-reviewed articles and four books, and has given a substantial number of invited presentations, lectures and workshops. His contributions to developing an infrastructure for graduate education and research in rehabilitation, disability and recovery at UTMB have been extraordinary. His research has been continuously supported by external federal funding since 1986 including recently an NIH grant titled, "Center for Rehabilitation Research Using Large Datasets," which includes a consortium of four institutions and provides $4.2 million to build research capacity by increasing the quantity and quality of rehabilitation research using large administrative and research datasets. Under the leadership of Dr. Ottenbacher, the rehabilitation sciences PhD curriculum is ranked eighth among 375 kinesiology, exercise science, and rehabilitation programs in the US, according to the Top Research Universities Faculty Scholarly Productivity Index published by the Chronicle of Higher Education in 2008. His research program is the primary factor for the School of Health Professions’ top ten status in terms of NIH funding among such US schools prepared by the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research.
Dr. Ottenbacher, a native of Missoula, Montana, earned his PhD degree from the University of Missouri, Columbia, in 1982 and is a licensed occupational therapist. Please join me in congratulating him on this well-deserved award from the American Occupational Therapy Association and American Occupational Therapy Foundation.
January 8, 2013
It is my pleasure to announce that UTMB was recently resurveyed by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) and was awarded Accreditation with Commendation for six years as a provider of continuing medical education for physicians on November 30, 2012. Six-year accreditation is the highest accreditation awarded by the ACCME. In 2012, only one-third of CME providers across the US received this distinction rather than the standard four years.
ACCME accreditation seeks to assure the medical community and the public that UTMB provides physicians with relevant, effective, practice-based continuing medical education that supports US health care quality improvement. The ACCME employs a rigorous, multilevel process for evaluating institutions' continuing medical education programs according to the high accreditation standards adopted by all seven ACCME member organizations. These organizations in the US are the American Board of Medical Specialties, the American Hospital Association, the American Medical Association, the Association for Hospital Medical Education, the Association of American Medical Colleges, the Council of Medical Specialty Societies, and the Federation of State Medical Boards of the US, Inc.
Our successful accreditation was achieved under the leadership of Lois A. Killewich, MD, PhD, Assistant Dean for Continuing Education, and through the efforts of Brenda Johnson, MEd, CCMEP, Director for the Office of Continuing Education (OCE), and the entire OCE staff who ensured that our CME Program demonstrated compliance with all 22 ACCME accreditation criteria and policies. In particular, the ACCME found that UTMB is engaged with our environment, develops collaborations and partnerships that result in improvements in practice and health outcomes, and is actively involved in promoting quality care and patient safety.
This is a proud accomplishment for the institution, and a true testament to the quality of our educational programs and CME activities. Please join me in congratulating Dr. Killewich and the Office of Continuing Education for their excellent work.
January 8, 2013
Effective January 1, 2013, the Facilities and Administrative (F&A) rate charged on industry sponsored clinical trials has increased from 25% to 30%. This rate is based upon Total Direct Costs (TDC) which includes patient care costs but excludes initial IRB fees.
The decision to increase the rate was made in consultation with leadership and more closely approximates the University’s actual costs. The UTMB clinical trial rate of 25% was set in 1995 and has not been re-assessed since then. Recently, the Office of Clinical Research conducted an informal review of the rates for peer institutions and found that our rate was lower than many of our peers. Based upon the current industry average, UTMB has determined that the 30% rate is equitable and should not affect our competitiveness as compared to similar institutions.
This rate increase does not affect existing clinical trial agreements or agreements submitted to the Contracts Office prior to January 1, 2013.
Thank you for your cooperation in communicating this information to faculty and staff for whom it is relevant.
December 14, 2012
I am pleased to inform you that the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs (AAHRPP) has officially notified UTMB that we continue to merit full accreditation, with a limited site visit to occur next September, thus extending our accreditation to September 2017.
AAHRPP accreditation requires high ethical and professional standards to ensure the most comprehensive protections for research participants. Earning accreditation is a rigorous process. It involves a detailed institutional self-assessment and an on-site visit by a team of experts who evaluate the program’s performance in meeting AAHRPP standards of quality and protection. Organizations must provide tangible evidence-through policies, procedures, and practices-of their commitment to scientifically and ethically sound research and to continuous improvement.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the following individuals whose efforts made this reaccreditation possible: the coordinating team comprised of Dr. Jim Mahon, Anne Clark, Craig Conway, Toni D’Agostino, Erin Pennington, Tobin Boenig and Brenda Boyko. I would also like to thank our Institutional Review Board (IRB) Chairs and Vice Chairs: Drs. Aristides Koutrouvelis, Dwight Wolf, Michael Loeffelholz, and Janak Patel, as well as members of the IRB Board, IRB staff, and the more than 55 PIs and UTMB leaders who met with the site team last June.
Please join me in congratulating the UTMB research community on receiving this important milestone. We can all take pride in your efforts and commitment to provide the highest levels of protection for research subjects.
December 12, 2012
To comply with federal and state regulations and to ensure employee safety and that of our patients, all health care workers must participate in annual tuberculosis (TB) screening. A health care worker is anyone who provides direct patient care, enters patient rooms, or comes within six feet of patients in the course of their duties.
Free flu shots are still available for all UTMB employees. If you have not already received the 2012-2013 flu vaccine, please visit the Employee Health Clinic as soon as possible. Health care workers who do not get vaccinated will be required to wear a surgical mask while providing patient care for the duration of the flu season. A valid UTMB Health employee badge must be presented at the time of testing or vaccination. No appointments are necessary.
The deadline for credentialed medical staff to complete their TB screening for this year is December 31, 2012. TB screening is offered Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Employee Health Clinic located in the Primary Care Pavilion, Suite 125, or at any UTMB Health clinic.
Annual TB screening helps to prevent the spread of this potentially infectious disease, and it is a condition of continued employment. Please see IHOP policies 1.09 Communicable Disease Control and 8.1.2 Tuberculosis Surveillance Program for Health Care Workers for more information.
Thank you for complying with these important health and safety initiatives. Should you have any questions about the TB screening or masking requirement, please contact your manager or the Employee Health Clinic at (409) 747-9172.
December 6, 2012
It is my sincere pleasure to announce that 32 UTMB Health physicians, representing a full complement of medical practice areas, have been named Texas Super Doctors by Texas Monthly magazine. Selecting physicians for Super Doctors is a rigorous, multi-step process aimed at identifying physicians who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The findings are published in the December issue of Texas Monthly. See the full ad in Texas Monthly and UTMB news release.
November 26, 2012
UTMB receives funding from the NIAID to study inflammatory airway conditions
UTMB is conducting a number of studies regarding complex disorders related to airway inflammation. To further our research in this area, I am pleased to announce that UTMB was recently awarded a five-year,7.6 million dollar program project grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). The program entitled, "Signaling in Airway Inflammation," brings together a team of nationally and internationally recognized investigators in the field of airway inflammation and is jointly directed by Drs. Allan Brasier, Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine, and Roberto Garofalo, Professor in the Department of Pediatrics. Other researchers are Dr. Antonella Casola, Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, Dr. Istvan Boldogh, Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and Dr. Sanjiv Sur, Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine. This multidisciplinary translational research program involves three departments and was developed by leveraging resources in the Sealy Center for Molecular Medicine, Institute for Translational Sciences, NHLBI Proteomics Center and Sealy Center for Vaccine Development.
The objective of the grant is to understand the molecular mechanism(s) by which reactive oxygen species (ROS) initiate and modulate signaling in the airway lining cells to induce inflammation. It is comprised of four synergistic, inter-related projects investigating the overall hypothesis that molecules generated by mucosal epithelial cells in response to ROS are master regulators of innate immune response pathway(s) producing airway inflammation:
- Project (P)1 entitled, "Transcriptional elongation in NF-kappaB-mediated inflammation," led by Dr. Brasier;
- P2 entitled, "Role of antioxidant responses in viral bronchiolitis," co-led by
Drs. Casola and Garofalo;
- P3 entitled, "Role of the DNA repair enzyme OGG1 in oxidative stress-induced innate inflammation," led by Dr. Boldogh; and
- P4 entitled, "Innate regulation of pollen-oxidase induced inflammation,"
led by Dr. Sur.
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The projects function within an established collaborative, multidisciplinary environment, as evidenced by 52 multi-authored publications over the last five years, significant trainee involvement in asthma research (eight predoctoral and 14 postdoctoral fellows), and through support by UTMB’s NCATS-funded Clinical and Translational Sciences Award (CTSA) and NHLBI-funded Center for Airway Inflammation. Collectively, these studies will help break new ground in the treatment of asthma and other inflammatory airway conditions.
Please join me in congratulating our team of scientists on receiving this funding from the NIAID and on their interdisciplinary research achievements.
November 2, 2012
UTMB Texas Transplant Center awarded national silver medal for lung transplantation
Liberty Examiner
The UTMB Texas Transplant Center was recently recognized by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for stellar achievements in lung transplantation and success in increasing the number of organs available for transplantation. The Texas Transplant Center was awarded a Silver Medal for Lung Transplantation based on its performance from criteria including wait-list mortality rates after patients are listed for transplantation, transplantation rates and survival after transplantation. According to the HHS standards, this result places UTMB's lung program in the top 10 percent in the nation. The Adult Lung Transplantation Program at UTMB is the only one in Texas to reach this level. "To be recognized by the Department of Health and Human Services is wonderful and exciting news for all of us involved with the Texas Transplant Center," said Dr. Luca Cicalese.
November 1, 2012
Texas Medical Center News: Accolades
The Human Pathophysiology and Translational Medicine program at UTMB has received the Association of American Medical Colleges' inaugural Innovations in Research Training and Education award. UTMB's program was celebrated for its educational model which allows students who are training to be researchers to study side-by-side with medical students studying to be doctors, so that each group will work better together to conduct bench-to-bedside research.
October 31, 2012
Salute to Nursing tournament a success for students
Guidry News
The annual Salute to Nursing Golf Tournament raised more than $71,000 for scholarships for students attending the UTMB School of Nursing. "We are delighted with the tournament's success and grateful to the many whose contributions make such a difference in the lives of our nursing students," said Dean Pamela G. Watson.
October 28, 2012
A visit with Dr. Casey Duncan
Guidry News
Dr. Casey Duncan, a UTMB surgery resident and lead author of a paper analyzing the options for terminally ill pancreatic cancer patients, visited with Guidry News Service about her research. "My interest is in cancer, and since pancreatic cancer has a lot of room for improvement, that's why we wanted to focus on pancreatic cancer," she said. "Unfortunately the chemotherapy and the radiation therapy and the treatments that have developed have not really been that effective." Thus, she said, providing options for quality of life for pancreatic cancer patients has been the object of her study.
October 25, 2012
UTMB psychiatrist wins international prize for research
by Molly J. Dannenmaier
Up until about the last decade, there were little data on the efficacy and safety of the medications commonly used to treat children and adolescents with mood disorders. Because of this, physicians had to rely on what they knew about how such drugs worked in adults when advising their use in pediatric situations.
Dr. Karen Wagner, a professor of child and adolescent psychiatry at UTMB, has sought to correct the dearth of evidence-based prescribing for children by focusing her research over the last decade on randomized, placebo-controlled trials of the major drugs used to treat pediatric depression and bipolar disorder.
October 23, 2012
It is my pleasure to announce that UTMB is one of five institutions to win the Award for Innovations in Research Training and Education from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). The title of the winning abstract is "Human Pathophysiology and Translational Medicine (HPTM) Graduate Program: Building the Foundation for Translational Research." The major goal of this inaugural award is to identify bright spots in research training and education.
The HPTM Graduate Program emphasizes collaboration between scientists and clinicians with the goal of benefiting patients' health. Specifically, students training to be researchers study side-by-side with medical students so that each group will better work together to conduct effective translational research. The program is a joint effort of the Institute for Translational Sciences, the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS) and the School of Medicine (SOM). The program fosters an active learning community lead by an interdisciplinary faculty team, who ensure alignment between the program's educational philosophy, inquiry-based instructional methods, assessment and mentorship.
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The innovators receiving this award are Mark Hellmich, PhD, Professor in the Department of Surgery and Graduate Program Director of the HPTM in the GSBS, Judith Aronson, MD, Professor in the Department of Pathology and Director of the Translational Medicine Track in the SOM, Gustavo Valbuena, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor in the Department of Pathology and Director of Curriculum Development for the HPTM Graduate Program, and Christina Cestone, MA, Education and Program Coordinator for the HPTM Graduate Program.
Drs. Hellmich, Aronson, Valbuena, and Ms. Cestone have created a truly innovative approach that helps graduate students and medical students learn to work as a team from the very start of their professional education. The award was presented at the AAMC Graduate Research, Education and Training (GREAT) Group and Group on Research Advancement and Development (GRAND) Joint Annual Meeting in Nashville on Sept. 21, 2012. Read announcement from the AAMC.
In addition to directing the HPTM Graduate Program, Dr. Hellmich facilitates problem based learning (PBL) sessions for the SOM Molecules, Cells and Tissues course, lectures and facilitates small group discussion on topics in cancer cell and molecular biology in the Basic Biomedical Science Curriculum (BBSC) within the GSBS, and mentors graduate student dissertation research projects. As the PI of an NIH T32 training grant in the Department of Surgery, Dr. Hellmich trains and mentors Surgery residents in the areas of basic and translation biomedical sciences during their two-year research fellowship.
Dr. Aronson, Vice-Chair for Education in the Department of Pathology, has continuously strived to improve medical student learning through the years as course director of Pathobiology and Host Defenses; Molecules, Cells, and Tissues; and Great Syndromes courses in the Integrated Medical Curriculum. She has introduced contemporary tools, such as virtual microscopy, into the problem solving learning experience. Among her contributions to our educational mission, Dr. Aronson teaches Pathology in small-group laboratory sessions and participates in elective courses for third-and fourth-year medical students, as well as an autopsy exercise course for fourth-year students. She serves as Director of the Autopsy Division and has greatly improved the quality of the autopsy service, and re-introduced the autopsy examination into medical education. Dr. Aronson is a full member of the Experimental Pathology Program in the GSBS.
From the beginning, Dr. Valbuena has been an active participant in the planning and implementation of the HPTM Graduate Program, as well as the associated Translational Research Track in the SOM. He and his colleagues devoted many hours during a period of almost two years to planning a curriculum for the HPTM Graduate Program that is guided by the development of defined competencies and not exclusively by the content. This group is now dedicated to implementing the curriculum, a highly complex process that involves planning active learning sessions, directly facilitating the discussions, and evaluating both the students and curricular outcomes in order to rapidly apply necessary changes.
Ms. Cestone joined the HPTM team at the beginning of the curriculum implementation. She brings a wealth of knowledge in organizational learning and in education. Much of the success of the HPTM Graduate Program is due to her vision and expertise. Ms. Cestone is preparing to defend her dissertation for a Doctorate in Educational Psychology with a subject involving the activities of the HPTM Graduate Program.
We are excited about the HPTM Graduate Program and the opportunities it will offer to further strengthen translational research at UTMB. Please join me in congratulating Drs. Hellmich, Aronson, Valbuena, and Ms. Cestone on receiving this prestigious award.
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