SOM e-NEWS June '01

News and information (appointments, searches, events, awards, etc.) pertaining to the School of Medicine are featured in SOM e-NEWS in abstract form and are linked to the web for more detailed information. SOM e-NEWS is currently published on a monthly basis. If you have information you would like published in this newsletter, please contact Denise Gonzalez, in our office via email (djgonzal@utmb.edu) or by fax (29598). Please let us know your ideas and suggestions for this communication format. You may send your comments via email to Linda Phillips (lphillip@utmb.edu).

Return to top of page

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. UPCOMING EVENTS

� RETIREMENT RECEPTION FOR THE BERNIERS

The faculty, staff, students and friends of UTMB are cordially invited to attend a reception honoring Drs. George M. and Mary Jane M. Bernier on the occasion of their retirement, Tuesday, June 12^th from 4-6 PM in the Levin Hall Foyer. Dr. Stobo, Dr. Lemon and Dr. Fenton will host this reception for the Berniers in honor of their many contributions to the university.

� Hurricane Lab Preparedness Presentation

June 1 marks the beginning of hurricane season. The Hurricane Lab Preparedness presentation for all personnel will be held on Thursday, June 28^th, 9 AM to 12:00 Noon, Levin Hall Main Auditorium. Details regarding the School of Medicine Weather Plan can be found at http://www.som.utmb.edu/Weather_Plan/SOM_Weather_TOC.htm.

� 2001-2002 DEPARTMENTAL REVIEWS

The following departments will be scheduled for a review during the next calendar year:

--Anesthesiology

--Family Medicine

--Otolaryngology

� HONORS AND AWARDS PROGRAM AND WHITE COAT CEREMONY

The Honors and Awards Program recognizes outstanding students and faculty; the White Coat Ceremony is the School of Medicine's formal welcoming and introduction of our incoming medical students to the profession of medicine. This event will take place on Monday, August 20, 2001 at 4:00 PM in the Levin Hall Main Auditorium.

� NEW FACULTY RECEPTION

A reception honoring new School of Medicine faculty will be held on Monday, September 17, 2001, Levin Hall Dining Room.

� VISIT OF PAGE S. MORAHAN, PH.D.

Dr. Page S. Morahan, Director of the National Center of Leadership in Academic Medicine and Co-Director of the Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine Program for Women, MCP Hahnemann University, will visit our campus on September 21, 2001, as a consultant for faculty development. She will be conducting two workshops, each limited to fifty participants. The first workshop is scheduled from 1-3 PM for junior faculty and the second is from 3-5 PM aimed at senior faculty. Faculty who are interested in attending these workshops, should call the Office of the Dean of Medicine, ext. 23967, to reserve their name on the list.

Back to list of Announcements
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

2. OPHTHALMOLOGY LEADERSHIP

Dr. Wayne F. March has resigned his positions as Professor and Chairman, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences and as the Robertson-Poth Distinguished Chair in Ophthalmology effective May 11, 2001.

Dr. Michael M. Warren, Professor and Chief, Division of Urology and the Robert Earl Cone Professor in Urology has agreed to serve as Chair ad interim, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences effective immediately. Please join Dean Lemon and President Stobo in welcoming Dr. Warren in his new role and working with Dr. Warren toward the success of our ophthalmology programs at UTMB.

Back to list of Announcements
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

3. DR. E. BRAD THOMPSON RECEIVES THE RICE
Distinguished Alumnus Award

Dr. Thompson, Chairman and I.H. Kempner Professor in the Department of Human Biological Chemistry and Genetics, has received the Rice University Distinguished Alumni Award. The award is given to Rice University alumni for outstanding service in advancing the interests and standards of excellence of Rice University. Dr. Thompson received his Bachelors Degree in Biology from Rice University in 1955 and his medical degree from Harvard University in 1960. Through his commitment to research, he has led his Department in ranking 23^rd among 105 American medical school biochemistry departments for receiving NIH support. A leader in the community, he has played a major role in strengthening programs for students to excel in science.

Back to list of Announcements
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

4. DR. AUGUST RAY REMMERS, JR. RECEIVES MCGOVERN AWARD

Dr. Remmers, Clinical Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, was honored at the AOA Banquet on May 25^th as the first recipient of The John P. McGovern, M.D. Award in Oslerian Medicine. This award recognizes the admiration that the students, residents and faculty have for Dr. Remmers as an outstanding physician and teacher. Established this year in appreciation of Dr. Jack McGovern's generous contributions to UTMB, this will be a recurring award to honor a physician who has a past or present association with UTMB and who exemplifies a commitment to humane medical practice and teaching.

Back to list of Announcements
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

5. RECIPIENTS OF THE 1^st PRESIDENTIAL FACULTY
DEVELOPMENT LEAVES

Dr. Premkumar Christadoss, Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and Dr. William J. Winslade, James Wade Rockwell Professor of Philosophy in Medicine, Institute for the Medical Humanities, and Professor, Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, have been selected as the first recipients of the Presidential Faculty Development Leave. The purpose of the leave is to further the academic career of the faculty member and enhance the abilities of the faculty member to contribute to the diverse missions of the University. Dr. Christadoss is the recipient of the William Fulbright Scholar Award and will collaborate with investigators to perform myasthenia gravis (MG) research at the Hellenic Pasteur Institute in Athens, Greece. Dr. Winslade has received a grant award from the Tenet Healthcare Foundation and will conduct an on-campus study regarding access to health care. The deadline for the next cycle of applications for this leave is February 1, 2002. Details can be found at the web site, http://www2.utmb.edu/president/faculty_leaves/contact.htm.

Back to list of Announcements
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

6. Dr. JOHN PAPCONSTANTINOU RECEIVES HONORARY DOCTORATE

Dr. Papaconstantinou, Professor, Human Biological Chemistry & Genetics, was recognized as Honorary Doctor of the School of Biology at a ceremony of proclamation on May 10^th at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Macedonia, Greece. He presented a lecture on "The genetic and the molecular basis of aging and longevity."

Back to list of Announcements
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

7. DR. LINDA PHILLIPS ELECTED TO NATIONAL
PROFESSIONAL OFFICES

Linda G. Phillips, M.D., Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Chief of the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, has recently been elected to the Wound Healing Society Board and as Director of the American Board of Plastic Surgery. The Wound Healing Society, through its membership of over 500, serves as a resource in the area of wound healing and tissue repair and is dedicated to meeting the challenges of new and exciting opportunities in this field. In her role as one of the Directors on the American Board of Plastic Surgery, Dr. Phillips will assist in managing the affairs of the Board in their mission to promote safe, ethical, efficacious plastic surgery to the public by maintaining high standards for the examination and certification of plastic surgeons as specialists and subspecialists.

Back to list of Announcements
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

8. UTMB FACULTY CONTRIBUTE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE USMLE

We recognize and honor the following faculty for their ongoing contributions to the National Board of Medical Examiners: Dr. Michael A. Ainsworth (USMLE Step 1 Committee and Step 1 Interdisciplinary Review Committee); Dr. Patricia S. Beach (Step 3 TMDC for Ambulatory Care and Step 3 Standard Setting Panel; Dr. C. Lawrence Kien (Step 1 TMDC for Biochemistry); Dr. Andrew F. Payer (Step 1 TMDC for Gross Anatomy); Dr. Karen A. Szauter (Step 1 TMDC for Introduction to Clinical Diagnosis); Dr. Christopher R. Thomas (Step 3 TMDC for Family in Community); Dr. Karen D. Wagner (Step 2 TMDC for Psychiatry); and Dr. William D. Willis, Jr. (Step 1 TMDC for Neuroscience).

Back to list of Announcements
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

9. 2001 AAMC SOUTHERN GROUP ON STUDENT AFFAIRS MEETINGS

The Spring Meeting of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Southern Group on Student Affairs was held March 22-24, 2001 in Little Rock, Arkansas. UTMB staff who contributed to the success of the conference were: Dr. Mike Ainsworth, Dr. Chris Stroup-Benham, Ann Frye, Pam Hentschel, Dr. Bernard Karnath, Dr. Alice J. Speer, Dr. Karen Szauter, and Dr. William Thornton.

Back to list of Announcements
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

10. IM RESIDENTS PLACE 1^ST IN MEDICAL JEOPARDY
COMPETITION

The Southeast Region of the American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine (ACP-ASIM) Spring Meeting was held on Friday, May 11^th at Open Gates. Internal Medicine Residents from Baylor, UT Houston and UTMB took part in a clinical vignette competition and medical jeopardy competition. UTMB's Dr. Tu Dao (PGY-1) placed 2^nd in the clinical vignette competition, and UTMB's medical jeopardy team composed of Drs. Danny Polanco (PGY-3), Jenny James (PGY-2), Rajiv Gupta (PGY-2) and Sreedhar Mandayam (PGY-1) placed 1^st. With this win over UT Houston and Baylor, it is anticipated that UTMB will be the first medical jeopardy team to represent Texas at the national ACP-ASIM meeting. In addition, the Southeast Region, consisting of representatives from Baylor, UT Houston and UTMB, has been nominated for the National Evergreen Award for the most active chapter.

Back to list of Announcements
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

11. DR. NISHAY CHITKARA RECEIVES GOLD-HEADED CANE AWARD

Dr. Chitkara was awarded the Gold-Headed Cane at the School of Medicine Commencement on Saturday, May 26^th. The cane is presented each year to a graduating senior by members of his/her class as the one who best demonstrates the ultimate in patient care. Dr. Chitkara has chosen Internal Medicine as his professional future and has undertaken a residency at the New York University School of Medicine.

Back to list of Announcements
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

12. VISIT OF EMMA J. STOKES, PH.D.

Dr. Stokes, Senior Organization Development Consultant, Johns Hopkins University, will be here for a visit from June 7-12, 2001. With leadership roles being more complicated and demanding than in the past, Dr. Stokes will provide assistance to pinpoint how these job/roles can be made more manageable and satisfying.

Back to list of Announcements
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

13. AAMC EARLY CAREER WOMEN FACULTY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SEMINAR

The Office of the Dean of Medicine will sponsor three women faculty from the School of Medicine to attend the AAMC Early Career Women Faculty Professional Development Seminar scheduled for December 1-4, 2001. The seminar is designed for women early in their first faculty appointment who are aiming for a leadership position in academic medicine (associate professors are not eligible). Those interested in applying for this program should submit their CV and a one-page summary of their goals for the seminar and how it will impact their career to Dr. Linda Phillips, Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Office of the Dean of Medicine, Route 0133, by July 1, 2001.

Back to list of Announcements
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

14. 2001 SPECIAL 25TH ANNIVERSARY WOMEN IN MEDICINE AWARDS

In celebration of their 25^th anniversary, the AAMC Women in Medicine (WIM) program is offering two different categories of WIM awards to be presented at the Women Liaison Officers/Academic Chairs' Caucus during the AAMC annual meeting. The Women Liaison Officer Service Award will recognize Women Liaison Officers who have fostered enduring institutional improvements on behalf of women at their medical center and the Women in Medicine Silver Achievement Award will honor women and men who have contributed substantially to the development of women in academic medicine. Those interested in nominating a colleague, should contact Denise Gonzalez in the Office of the Dean of Medicine, ext. 23967, to obtain a nomination form. Deadline for nominations is September 1^st.

Back to list of Announcements
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

15. AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH GRANT PROGRAM

The Sealy Center for Cancer Cell Biology has a call for proposals to The American Cancer Society Institutional Research Grant Program. The purpose of the grant is to provide "seed" money to support young investigators who are conducting research on cancer-related issues. The proposal deadline is July 31^st. For details please visit the following web site, http://www2.utmb.edu/scccb/funding_opps.htm or contact Brenda Rubio at ext. 71943.

Back to list of Announcements
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

16. NEW ENDOWED PROFESSORSHIP/CHAIR POLICY

A new policy has been approved for named professorships and endowed chairs at UTMB, effective March 1, 2001. Please refer to the following web site, IHOP Policy 5.3.3:

http://www.utmb.edu/policy/ihop/.

Back to list of Announcements
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

17. FACULTY INTEREST ASSESSMENT

The Center for Telehealth and Distance Education (CTDE) is offering an opportunity for all faculty to participate in an interest assessment. Please refer to the following web site for details: <http://www2.utmb.edu/outreach/telehealth/default.htm>.

Back to list of Announcements
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

18. NEW FACULTY APPOINTMENTS

The Dean of Medicine welcomes the following new School of Medicine faculty who have been appointed during the month of May: Eugenie M. Clement, MSN, Obstetrics & Gynecology; Ruth Lagerberg, MSN, Obstetrics & Gynecology; Olivera Nesic, Ph.D., Human Biological Chemistry & Genetics; Stephen Pustilnik, M.D., Pathology; Sean K. Roden, M.D., Preventive Medicine & Community Health; James W. Simmons, Jr., M.D., Orthopaedics; Brent J. Vasut, M.D., Family Medicine; and Paige Weiman, MSN, Obstetrics & Gynecology.

Back to list of Announcements
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

19. SEARCHES

Chair, Department of Internal Medicine: The Search Committee has invited four candidates to visit the campus. Nominations are still being accepted.

Chair, Department of Neurology: The Search Committee is reviewing applications.

Associate Dean for Admissions and Student Affairs: The Search Committee has invited four candidates for a first visit, three in May and one in June. Two of the candidates who visited in May will return for a second visit in June.

Back to list of Announcements
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

20. MAJOR GRANTS AND AWARDS

� Al-Chaer, Elie. Internal Medicine. Mechanisms of Chronic Visceral Hyperalgesia. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, $1,481,570/4 yrs.

� Du, Xianglin. Internal Medicine. Evaluation of Chemotherapy Claims for Breast Cancer. National Cancer Institute, $704,025/3 yrs.

� Houston, Clifford. Community Outreach. An Educational Experience in Space Biomedical Sciences. National Space Biomedical Research Institute, $81,048/1 yr.

� Hughes, Jr., Thomas. Microbiology. Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Regulation by II-10. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, $1,672,330/5 yrs.

� Stanberry, Lawrence. Pediatrics. Topical Microbicides and Biology of Venereal Pathogens. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, $792,334/11 mos.

� Vrabec, Jeffrey. Otolaryngology. Herpesvirus in Vestibular Neuritis. National Institute on Deafness & Other Communication Disorders, $223,500/3 yrs.

Back to list of Announcements

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We want your news!

Submit your information for SOM e-NEWS:

� Via email to djgonzal@utmb.edu

� On the phone to ext. 23967

� Via fax at 29598

SOM e-NEWS is an initiative of the Office of the Dean of Medicine, to improve communication with faculty and staff in the school. The editor of the newsletter is Denise Gonzalez. An archive of the newsletter is available on the SOM web site: http://www.som.utmb.edu/e-NEWS/Enews-TOC.htm. Thank you for your interest and time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Return to SOM e-NEWS