“How much (bio) security is too much? The H5N1 debate” was the topic of a colloquium presented by Rebecca Hester, assistant professor in social medicine at the institute. Also speaking was Scott C. Weaver, director of the Institute for Human Infections and Immunity and scientific director at the Galveston National Laboratory.

Lung Research Day

Members of the Gulf Coast Consortia gathered to discuss research in their collaborative alliance seeking cures for lung disease. Researchers from UTMB included Istvan Boldogh, UTMB professor of microbiology and immunology, looking at genome damage repair in lung inflammation, and Dr. Allan Brasier, director of the Sealy Center for Molecular Medicine, who spoke on effectors of the innate immune response.

Dr. William Calhoun presented “Symptom-based controller therapy in asthma: It is time for a new paradigm,” and Catherine Schein, associate professor of biochemistry and molecular biology concluded the event with “What makes you sneeze? Motifs of allergenic proteins.”

The Gulf Coast Consortia brings together the strengths of its members — UTMB, Baylor College of Medicine, Rice University, the University of Houston, The University of Texas Health Science Center Houston and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center — to build interdisciplinary collaborative research teams and training programs in the biological sciences at their intersection with the computational, chemical, mathematical and physical sciences.

Visiting Campus

• The Institute for Translational Sciences hosted Dr. Jonathan S. Stamler, director of the Institute for Transformative Molecular Medicine at Case Western Reserve University and University Hospitals in Cleveland, who presented “Protein S-nitrosytylation in health and disease.”

• The Center for Global Health Education welcomed Dr. Amit Chandra, acting head of emergency medicine at the University of Botswana School of Medicine, who spoke on “Global health, development, and emergency medicine; Emergency medicine beyond disaster relief. “

Presentations

• Bonnie Benkula, associate vice president at the UTMB Specialty Care Center at Victory Lakes, spoke on “Branding yourself — how leadership plays a role” at the Ladies Who Lunch series hosted by the Texas City Chamber of Commerce.

• “Simple obesity” was the topic of Dr. Phillip Lee, director of pediatric endocrinology.