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 bimonthly. 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).

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1. UPCOMING EVENTS

NEW FACULTY ORIENTATION LUNCHEONS

A series of orientation luncheons have been scheduled to introduce new faculty to UTMB. The luncheons are scheduled as follows and will be held from noon to 1:00 PM, Caduceus Room, 6^th Floor of Administration Building:

April 3^rd Susan H. Coulter, Vice President for University Advancement

April 12^th Charles H. Christiansen, Ed.D., Dean, School of Allied Health Sciences

Cary W. Cooper, Ph.D., Dean, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences

Pamela Watson, R.N., Sc.D., Dean, School of Nursing

April 19^th Presentations regarding Faculty Governance

April 30^th John D. Stobo, M.D., presentation regarding President's Council

May 10^th Stanley M. Lemon, M.D., Dean of Medicine

FACULTY OF MEDICINE MEETING

-- Tuesday, April 2, 2002, 4:30 PM, Clinical Sciences Auditorium

NATIONAL STUDENT RESEARCH FORUM

--Thursday-Saturday, April 25-27, 2002, Levin Hall. Oral presentations will be held on both April 25^th & 26^th and the poster presentations will be held on April 26^th. All faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to attend. For further details, please contact Shannon Carroll at extension 23762.

SCHOOL OF MEDICINE COMMENCEMENT

--Saturday, May 25, 2002, 10:00 AM, Moody Gardens Convention Center

Commencement Speaker: J. James Rohack, M.D., Medical Director, Scott & White Health Plan, Temple, TX

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2. APPOINTMENTS OF dR. jAMES e. bLANKENSHIP & dR. tHOMAS j. COLLINS

James E. Blankenship, Ph.D., Ashbel Smith Professor, recently was appointed as Vice Chairman of the Department of Anatomy & Neurosciences. Dr. Blankenship has been a member of the Marine Biomedical Institute since 1970. He has held many positions of vital importance to both the department and institution. Dr. Blankenship was the Associate Dean of the Graduate School from 1980-1994 and Director of the Combined M.D.-Ph.D. program from 1982-1994. He has been a Professor in the Department of Anatomy & Neurosciences since 1985 and Director of the Neuroscience Graduate Program since 1987. He was the Director of the Neuroscience Course in the School of Medicine until the introduction of the new curriculum and presently serves as Co-Director of the Neuroscience and Human Behavior Course in the Integrated Medical Curriculum (IMC). Dr. Blankenship was named Ashbel Smith Professor in the School of Medicine in June of 2000.

Thomas J. �Jackie� Collins, Ph.D. has been appointed as Chief of the Division of Anatomy in the Department of Anatomy & Neurosciences. Dr. Collins has been an Associate Professor in the Department of Anatomy & Neurosciences since 1983. He has been the School of Medicine Gross Anatomy Course Director since 1998. Most recently, he was appointed to act as Director of the Willed Body Program.

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3. SEALY CENTER ON AGING RECEIVES HARTFORD FOUNDATION AWARD

The Sealy Center on Aging has been awarded a grant from the John A. Hartford Foundation in the amount of $100,000 per year for the next two years in support of continuing efforts to integrate aging content into the medical school curriculum. The Hartford Foundation, a leading philanthropy with a sustained interest in aging and health, funds programs that improve the geriatric skills of current and future health professionals.

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4. BURROUGHS WELCOME FUND SELECTS DR. ANTONELLA CASOLA AS FINALIST

Antonella Casola, M.D., Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, has been selected as one of the finalists in the Burroughs Wellcome Fund "Investigators in Pathogenesis of Infectious Disease" award program. Dr. Casola is one of 20 candidates to be selected as a finalist out of more than one hundred applicants. Award recipients will be notified and announced by May 15, 2002. The award provides $400,000 over a period of five years ($80,000 per year). The goal of the program is to provide new opportunities for accomplished investigators still early in their careers to study pathogenesis, with a focus on the intersection of human and pathogen biology.

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5. ANNOUNCEMENT -- INTERIM APPOINTMENT

Mr. Michael Johnson has been appointed as Interim Director of Surgical Services. Mr. Johnson will join Bud Cherry, Interim Director of Perioperative Nursing, to ensure efficient management of Surgical Services (includes: Surgical Operating Suite, PACU, Day Surgery, Rebecca Sealy Off-site Day Surgery, and Sterile Processing). Mr. Johnson�s role will be primarily focused on financial and business management. He will lead efforts in the identification and implementation of revenue enhancement and expense saving efforts involving OR supply management.

Mr. Johnson moves into this role with over seven years of UTMB experience, with a strong financial and operational management background.

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6. AIRWAY SYMPOSIUM

Faculty are invited to attend the Department of Anesthesiology's Airway Symposium, to be held on Saturday, April 6^th. This hands on workshop is an opportunity to learn basic airway management and acquire advanced airway skills. Food and prizes are available. Registration materials may be obtained from the Department of Anesthesiology, Suite 2A, or email egottlie@utmb.edu for more information.

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7. ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR ACCEPTED RESEARCH PAPERS

When a NEWSWORTHY research paper is accepted in a first-tier journal OR OTHER INFLUENTIAL OUTLET, please inform Research Communications shortly after acceptance in order that this information may be publicized in a timely manner. In addition, their office would like to see galley or other proofs as soon as they are available. Because of the extensive process involved, it is difficult for the Research Communications staff to get the word out without sufficient notice. If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact Mr. Tom Curtis, Director of Research Communications, at extension 22455 or email at tcurtis@utmb.edu.

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8. DEPARTMENT OF OPHTHALMOLOGY HAS MOVED

Both the administrative offices and the Ophthalmology Clinic have moved from the Clinical Sciences Building and the University Hospital Clinics Building to 700 University Boulevard, the University Eye Center (UEC). The clinic is on the 3^rd Floor, the administrative offices are on the 2^nd Floor, and the Optical Shop is on the 1^st Floor. The UEC clinic numbers remain the same (route number is 1141, main number is 747-5800 and FAX is 75825) but the department numbers have all changed. The new department route number is 1106; main telephone number is 747-5400 and FAX is 75402. Please see UTMB directory for individual telephone numbers.

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9. RESEARCH SUPPLEMENTS FOR UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITIES

NIH-funded Investigators should know that they can have their existing grant supplemented in order to procure support for Underrepresented Minorities who would become new members of their research team. NIH�s aim is to attract and encourage minority individuals (high school to Ph.D. level) to enter and pursue biomedical research. The supplement pays salary in addition to other necessary expenses, such as travel and supplies for African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans and Alaskan Natives, and Pacific Islanders or other ethnic or racial group members who have been found to be underrepresented in biomedical or behavioral research nationally. The following URL has the full announcement that is still in effect:

http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not97-227.html

Principal Investigators at domestic institutions who hold an active R01, R24, P40, P51, or U42 grants are generally eligible to submit a request for an administrative supplement to the awarding component of the parent grant for any of the supplemental programs offered here. Principal

Investigators holding an active Exploratory/Developmental Grant (R21) may apply for a supplement under this program. Grantees with support from these mechanisms MUST check with the appropriate awarding component before an application for a supplement is submitted. Awardees of the R21 grants may apply only when the minority candidate is a high school or an undergraduate student. In all cases, the parent grant must have support remaining for a reasonable period at the time of a supplemental award (usually two years or more). Please see the NIH Guide announcement for additional requirements and how to apply.

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10. MATCH RESULTS

Match Day for Medical School Graduates was held on March 21^st. You may view their match results on the following web site,

http://www.utmb.edu/iutmbevents/Matchday2002.htm

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11. CALL FOR NOMINATIONS--HERBERT W. NICKENS, M.D. MINORITY FACULTY FELLOWSHIPS

The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) has invited our School to nominate one faculty member for the 2002 Herbert W. Nickens, M.D. Minority Faculty Fellowship Award. This award will recognize outstanding minority junior faculty who are committed to careers in academic medicine. Each fellowship recipient will receive a $15,000 grant to support academic and professional activities. Funds may be spent over a two-year period. The candidate must: 1) Be a United States citizen or permanent resident, 2) Be from one of the following groups: Black American, Native American (American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian), Mexican American and Puerto Rican, 3) Hold the rank of Assistant Professor or Instructor in any medical school department, 4) Have held a faculty position for more than three years, and 5) Hold either a M.D. or Ph.D.

A selection committee will be formed to review applications for this award. If you would like to nominate an individual, please submit a comprehensive letter of nomination and a copy of their CV by June 1^st to allow time for committee deliberations and review of application materials prior to the AAMC's June 28^th deadline. These may be submitted to Linda G. Phillips, M.D., Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, either through campus mail (Office of the Dean of Medicine, Route 0133) or electronically.

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12. OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH ON BIODEFENSE AT UTMB

The UTMB Center for Biodefense will sponsor a meeting open to all UTMB investigators at 5:00 pm, Thursday, March, 28^th, in the Levin Hall Dining Room, aimed at identifying specific opportunities for collaborative research related to bioterrorism defense at UTMB. The purpose of this meeting is to inform interested investigators of the program priorities of NIAID as understood by members of the UTMB faculty who helped construct the plan for biodefense research that has recently been announced by the institute, and to begin to formulate UTMB�s response to this plan (for details, see a press release on the Panel that NIAID brought together to be advised on its research plans for CDC-Category A Agents at http://www.niaid.nih.gov/newsroom/releases/biotagenda.htm. You may find the NIAID report at http://www.niaid.nih.gov/dmid/pdf/biotresearchagenda.pdf. Because NIAID has specifically taken a broad-based approach to this issue, and has announced plans to expend approximately one-third of newly appropriated monies on relevant basic biomedical research, and is considering proposals to create defined interdisciplinary initiatives linking infectious disease specialists and microbiologists to other scientific disciplines, any potentially interested member of the faculty is strongly urged to attend this meeting.

Refreshments will be provided in an effort to sustain this important discussion.

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13. PROMOTION AND TENURE ACTIONS

Below is a list of School of Medicine faculty who were recommended by the Appointment, Promotion and Tenure Committee and approved by the Executive Committee of the Faculty of Medicine for promotion and/or tenure. These actions are effective September 1, 2002 and are pending System approval:

-- DAVID L. CHINKES, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery, be promoted to Associate Professor of Surgery

--RONALD W. DESKIN, M.D., Associate Professor of Otolaryngology and Pediatrics, Departments of Otolaryngology and Pediatrics, be promoted to Professor of Otolaryngology and Pediatrics

--ALEXANDER G. DUARTE, M.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Internal

Medicine, be promoted to Associate Professor and awarded tenure

-- ZORAN GATALICA, M.D., D.Sc., Associate Professor, Department of Pathology, be awarded tenure in his current rank

--JAMES J. GRADY, DR.P.H., Associate Professor of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, be awarded tenure at his current rank

--HAL K. HAWKINS, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor, Departments of Pathology and Pediatrics, be promoted to Professor

--VINCENT HILSER, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of HBC&G, be promoted to Associate Professor and awarded tenure

--SUZANNE M. LOPEZ, M.D., Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, be promoted to Associate Professor of Pediatrics

--SHAWN D. NEWLANDS, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of

Otolaryngology, be promoted to Associate Professor and awarded tenure

--VIRGINIA N. NIEBUHR, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, be promoted to Professor of Pediatrics

--RICHARD E. RUPP, M.D., Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, be promoted to Associate Professor of Pediatrics

--VICKI J. SCHNADIG, M.D., Associate Professor of Pathology, Department of Pathology, be awarded tenure in her current rank of Associate Professor

--GIULIO TAGLIALATELA, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Departments of Anatomy & Neuroscience and HBC&G, be promoted to Associate Professor and awarded tenure.

--JOSEPH M. VINETZ, M.D., Assistant Professor, Departments of Pathology, Internal Medicine, and Microbiology & Immunology, be promoted to Associate Professor, Departments of Pathology, Internal Medicine, and Microbiology & Immunology.

--STEVEN A. WEINMAN, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor, Departments of Internal Medicine and Physiology & Biophysics, be promoted to Professor, Departments of Internal Medicine and Physiology & Biophysics.

--PAUL ZAHAROPOULOS, M.D., Associate Professor, Department of Pathology, be promoted to Professor.

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14. GRANT OPPORTUNITIES

For other funding opportunities, please visit the following web site:

http://www.som.utmb.edu/announcements/

The Research Funding Library has posted internal review deadlines for invited funding opportunities to a special web site calendar with links to contact information. The calendar may be viewed at: http://www.utmbhealthcare.org/scripts/we3.07/webevent.pl?cmd=opencal&cal=cal19&

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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 Dr. Linda Phillips. 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.

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