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).

Return to top of Page
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. UPCOMING EVENTS

RETIREMENT/BENEFITS SERIES

The first session of the Retirement/Benefits Series is scheduled for Wednesday, May 8, 2002, 5:00-7:00 PM, Levin Hall Dining Room. The Office of the Dean of Medicine will sponsor several of these events for School of Medicine faculty which are designed to provide information regarding retirement, tax laws, gift planning, etc. Educational presentations will be made by representatives from authorized ORP companies, along with Mr. Douglas McGaughey, Senior Director of Gift Planning Services-UTMB. The agenda for May 8^th is as follows:

--Ms. Gwen Pierce, Met Life: "Overview of the 403B"

--Ms. Joann Resh, CitiStreet: "The New Tax Laws"

--Mr. J.D. Herb, TIAA-CREF: "Building an Intelligent Portfolio; Cost of Investing; Effective Diversification; and Impact of Inflation"

--Mr. Douglas McGaughey, Senior Director, Gift Planning Services: "Orientation to Gift and Planning Services"

Spouses are welcome to attend. Refreshments will be provided. Please RSVP to Eartha Dotson, via email at edotson@utmb.edu or call extension 22671.

� THE MAY 10^TH ALL FACULTY ORIENTATION LUNCHEON HAS BEEN CANCELLED AND WILL BE RESCHEDULED AT A LATER DATE

� APT WORKSHOP

An APT workshop will be held for Departmental Chairs, Administrators, and Chairs of Departmental APT Committees who were unable to attend the previous workshops:

--Friday, May 17, 2002, 12:00N-1:00 PM, Caduceus Room

Lunch will be provided. Please RSVP to Eartha Dotson, x22671 or email at edotson@utmb.edu.

� SPECIAL FACULTY OF MEDICINE MEETING TO CERTIFY GRADUATES

--Thursday, May 23, 2002, 4:00 PM, Clinical Sciences Auditorium

� SCHOOL OF MEDICINE COMMENCEMENT

Saturday, May 25, 2002, Moody Gardens Convention Center

--Student Rehearsal, 7:00 AM,

--Faculty Assemble, 9:00 AM, North Lobby

--Commencement (Speaker: Dr. J. James Rohack, UTMB '80, currently Medical Director, Scott & White Health Plan, Temple, TX), 10:00 AM

--Military Commissioning Ceremony (immediately following the Commencement Ceremony), Ivy Room

--Dean's Reception, 12:00 Noon, Floral Ballroom

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

2. DRS. HELEN K. LI AND DONNA L. MORRIS AWARDED FACULTY DEVELOPMENT LEAVES

Helen K. Li, M.D., Associate Professor, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, and Donna L. Morris, Dr.P.H., CNM, Associate Professor, School of Nursing, are the recipients of the Presidential Faculty Development Leaves for 2002. 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 creativity and diversity of our missions. Dr. Li will undertake a fellowship in biomedical imaging at the University of Houston Institute for Digital Informatics and Analysis, Division of Bioimaging and Biocomputation, to expand her work in teleophthalmology research. Dr. Morris will collaborate with experts on and off-campus in developing a curriculum to advance women's health, particularly in the management of perimenopause and in the promotion of healthy aging.

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

3. DR. DON W. POWELL APPOINTED INTERIM PROGRAM DIRECTOR OF THE GCRC

Dr. Don W. Powell has been appointed as Interim Program Director of UTMB�s NIH-funded General Clinical Research Center (GCRC) effective 15 April, 2002. Dr. Powell, who is Professor in the Departments of Internal Medicine and Physiology & Biophysics and Associate Dean for Research within the School of Medicine, will succeed Dr. Karl Anderson, who is Professor in the Departments of Preventive Medicine & Community Health, Internal Medicine and Pharmacology & Toxicology, and has been acting in the capacity of Program Director since the resignation of Dr. Walter J. Meyer, III, earlier this spring. Dr. Anderson will remain Associate Program Director, a position he has held for many years within the Center.

The GCRC has been continuously funded by NIH for 40 years and represents the central repository of expertise and resources supporting clinical investigation at UTMB. As Interim Program Director, Dr. Powell will be charged with leading the effort to organize the institution�s competitive renewal application for the Center which is due later this year. An active, national search has been initiated for a permanent GCRC Program Director.

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

4. DR. WILLIAM D. WILLIS, JR. RECEIVES PURDUE PHARMA PRIZE FOR PAIN RESEARCH

William D. Willis, Jr., M.D., Ph.D., Cecil H. and Ida M. Green Distinguished Chair, Director of the Marine Biomedical Institute and Chairman of the Department of Anatomy & Neurosciences, became the first-ever recipient of the Purdue Pharma Prize for Pain Research at the Spring Pain Research Conference, April 26, 2002. This new $50,000 award is designed to recognize outstanding contributions to pain research. It will be awarded every other year by the Purdue Pharma Fund to an individual nominated by his or her peers and chosen by a selection committee comprised of leading pain researchers from the academic community. The selection committee for the first 2002 Purdue Pharma Prize for Pain Research included Professor Norman Bowery of the University of Birmingham, UK; Professor Frank Porreca of the University of Arizona; Professor Anthony Dickenson, University College, London, UK; Professor Gary Bennett, McGill University, Montreal; Professor Kenneth Hargreaves, UT Health Science Center, San Antonio; and Dr. Raymond Hill, Merck Sharp Dohme.

As the recipient of this award, Dr. Willis presented a lecture entitled �Regulation of nociceptive signals in ascending spinal cord pathways."

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

5. DR. JOHN P. HEGGERS ELECTED TO ABA BOARD OF TRUSTEES

John P. Heggers, Ph.D., Director of Clinical Microbiology at Shriners Burns Hospital and Professor in the Departments of Surgery (Plastic) and Microbiology & Immunology, was elected to the Board of Trustees of the American Burn Association (ABA) as 2^nd Vice President for a two year term (2002-2004) at the 34^th Annual Meeting in Chicago, Illinois. A member of the ABA since 1978, he has been awarded a number of honors and has served in many leadership roles . He received the President's Continuing Education Grant in 1981 and was appointed to the Organization and Delivery of Burn Care Committee for a three year term in 1983. From 1985 through 1988, he served as Chairman of the Ad Hoc Advisory Committee. He received the At-Large Award, given to a basic scientist for the best scientific paper presented at the ABA�s Annual Meeting. The Board of Trustees made the Research Committee a Standing Committee in 1988 and appointed Dr. Heggers as Chair for a two year term. In 1991, he won the Robert B. Lindberg Award (formerly known as the At-Large Award). He was the recipient of the same award in 1992. From 1991 to 1994, he served as a member of the Program Committee.

In 1996, he was recognized by the ABA for his contributions to the burn field as the recipient of the Curtis P. Artz Distinguished Service Award. He was re-appointed to the Organization and Delivery of Burn Care Committee in 1999 for a two year term as well as the Membership Advisory Committee for a three year term, which culminated in his election this year as 2^nd Vice President of the ABA, a total of 26 years of service ending in the year of 2004.

Three of Dr. Heggers' abstracts were accepted for presentation at the annual meeting: �Antimicrobial Activity of Meropenem on Multi-Resistant Gram-Negative Organisms;" Acticoat vs Silverlon: The Truth," and �Is Linezolid an Alternative to Vancomycin in the Treatment of Burns." In addition to the presentations, Dr. Heggers was a co-moderator of a Sunrise Symposium titled �Dealing with Resistant Organisms� and a moderator for the poster session dealing with �Infection; Poster Rounds with the Professor."

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

6. DR. LINDA PHILLIPS ELECTED AS CHAIR, RRC FOR PLASTIC SURGERY

Linda G. Phillips, M.D., Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Chief of the Division of Plastic Surgery, recently was elected as Chair of the Plastic Surgery Residency Review Committee (RRC). A member of the RRC since 1998, she also served as Vice Chair from 2000-2002.

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

7. ELECTION OF SOM FACULTY SENATORS

An unexpected second vacancy on the Faculty Senate occurred at the conclusion of the recent Faculty Senate election. The results of the election confirmed that Dr. Karen H. Calhoun and Dr. Roderic H. Fabian were strong contenders and each received a high level of endorsement of the School of Medicine eligible voters. To expeditiously fill this second vacancy to maintain appropriate SOM representation on the Senate, both Dr. Calhoun and Dr. Fabian will serve effective immediately through August 31, 2003.

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

8. INTERNAL MEDICINE RESIDENTS TAKE TOP HONORS AT NATIONAL COMPETITION

UTMB's Internal Medicine Residents, Ann Buchanan, M.D., Rajiv Gupta, M.D., Jenny James, M.D., and Sreedhar Mandayam, M.D. were National Champions in the American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine (ACP-ASIM) Doctor's Dilemma Competition (a.k.a. Medical Jeopardy). The competition was held last month at the annual session of the ACP-ASIM. Twelve teams of residents and fellows from around the nation compete each year for this top honor.

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

9. MEDICAL STUDENT ROSE KHAVARI RECEIVES AFAR SCHOLARSHIP

Rose Khavari, medical student, received the American Federation of Aging Research (AFAR) Summer Scholarship. Ms. Khavari has been selected to participate at Harvard University and will be working with researchers there on a geriatric cardiovascular project. Upon her return, Dr. James Goodwin and other faculty will continue to mentor her to complete the project. In addition, medical student Toby Natividad was selected as an alternate for this program.

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

10. MEDICAL STUDENTS FANG-YING LIN AND TISHA WANG WIN ANTIBIOTIC BOWL FINALS

Medical students Fang-Ying "Terry" Lin and Tisha Wang are winners of the 2002 First Annual Antibiotic Bowl. They competed against teams from six other Texas medical schools in the preliminary rounds in Houston on March 9^th. They took first place and then advanced to the finals held in Dallas on April 20^th, competing against the second-place team (UTHSC-Houston). For further details, please visit: http://www.utmb.edu/utmbnews/02pr/apr02/ab_bowl.htm.

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

11. CALL FOR NOMINATIONS FOR THE JOHN P. MCGOVERN, M.D., AWARD

The School is now seeking nominations for the John P. McGovern, M.D., Award in Oslerian Medicine to be presented at the Osler Oratorio on July 12, 2002 at Open Gates. The award was established in honor of Dr. McGovern, a Houston physician and philanthropist and lifelong scholar of Sir William Osler who was a proponent of the integration of scientific and humanistic principles in the practice and teaching of medicine. Dr. McGovern has been a proponent of Oslerian ideals and a longtime supporter of UTMB, particularly the Institute for the Medical Humanities. This award will recognize a present or alumnus physician who exemplifies the Oslerian tradition in American Medicine.

To be eligible, applicants must be physicians with a past or present association with UTMB who exemplify a commitment to humane medical practice and teaching, including such qualities as a clear sense of personal and professional values and priorities, intellectual honesty, modesty and generosity, a commitment to care of the sick and relief of suffering, community involvement, and a recognition of life's spiritual dimension.

Faculty are encouraged to identify potential candidates for this award. Please submit your nominations to Linda G. Phillips, M.D., Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Office of the Dean of Medicine, Route 0133, by June 10, 2002. Nominations should be by letter, not to exceed three pages, describing the attributes of the nominee which exemplify Oslerian ideals, with accompanying CV. Further details can be found at web site, http://www.som.utmb.edu/.

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

12. 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 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.

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

13. CALL FOR NOMINATIONS--PARKER J. PALMER "COURAGE TO TEACH" AWARD

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) has a call for nominations for the Parker J. Palmer "Courage to Teach Award." The ACGME established this award in February 2001 to recognize ten outstanding program directors in graduate medical education. The deadline for nominations is August 15, 2002. Nominations will be reviewed and candidates selected in September 2002, and the award will be presented in February 2003. For detailed information and to obtain nomination forms, please visit the ACGME web site at www.acgme.org.

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

14. 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:

-- MAHENDRA AGRAHARKAR, M.D., Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, be promoted to Associate Professor.

--ISTVAN BOLDOGH, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Microbiology & Immunology, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, be promoted to the rank of Associate Professor.

--MICHAEL W. BUNGO, M.D., FACC, FACP, Professor of Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, be awarded tenure in his current rank.

--ARNY A. FERRANDO, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Surgery, be promoted to Professor.

--TERRY A. McNEARNEY, M.D., Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine, Microbiology & Immunology and Anatomy & Neurosciences, Departments of Internal Medicine, Microbiology & Immunology and Anatomy & Neurosciences, be promoted to Associate Professor of Internal Medicine, Microbiology & Immunology and Anatomy & Neurosciences.

--MASSOUD MOTAMEDI, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Departments of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Physiology & Biophysics, Internal Medicine and Surgery, be promoted to Professor in the Departments of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Anesthesiology and Surgery only.

--SANJIV SUR, M.D., Associate Professor, Departments of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, be awarded tenure in his current rank.

--STEVEN E. WOLF, M.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery, be promoted to Associate Professor, with tenure.

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

15. GRANT OPPORTUNITIES

For funding opportunities, please visit the following web site:

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

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 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.

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

Return to SOM e-NEWS