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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. If you have information you would like published in this newsletter, please contact Denise Gonzalez, in the Dean of Medicine 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 Jackie Genovese, Director of Communications, School of Medicine, jmgenove@utmb.edu.
September 2007
Click on topic to read announcement or scroll 2. hispanic business magazine lists utmb among best schools for hispanics 3. dr. monique r. ferguson selected to participate in AAMC Minority Faculty Career Development Seminar 4. Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Department Honors Faculty and Staff Contributions 6. APPOINTMENTS TO ENDOWED POSITIONS 7. DRS. LAWRENCE R. STANBERRY AND MARTIN G. MYERS TO PARTICIPATE IN SUMMIT 8. ELECTION TO Faculty Senate and Academic Progress Committee 9. APPOINTMENT OF Director of Food and Nutrition Services
11. SCHOOL
OF MEDICINE IN THE NEWS
Nationally-recognized addiction expert to speak at UTMB on Sept. 11
Save the date for next UTMB Town Meeting
FACULTY OF MEDICINE MEETING & NEW FACULTY RECEPTION
The next Faculty of Medicine Meeting will be held Thursday, October 4, 2007, 5:15 PM, Levin Hall North Auditorium. A reception honoring new School of Medicine faculty, appointed between 04/01/07-09/30/07, will be held in the Levin Hall Foyer immediately after the meeting. If you missed the August 7th meeting, the web rebroadcast is on-line (RealPlayer required for the webcast).
Please see the schedule below for future Faculty of Medicine Meetings through August 2008. A reception for new faculty will immediately follow Faculty of Medicine meetings as indicated below (●). These dates may be subject to change should future circumstances dictate.
FOUNDERS DAY WEEKEND October 26-27, 2007
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2. hispanic business magazine lists utmb among best schools for hispanics
The September
issue of Hispanic Business magazine features their 2007 Best Schools for
Hispanics report with top 10 lists in law, business, engineering, and
medicine. Universities are selected for promoting and encouraging a diverse
community where Hispanic students can thrive. This year’s list: (This story has appeared in multiple publications)
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3. dr. monique r. ferguson selected to participate in AAMC Minority Faculty Career Development Seminar
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4. Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Department Honors Faculty and Staff Contributions Michael Boulton, Ph.D., Professor and Director of the Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) Center, was awarded the first Scholar/Teacher Award during the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (OVS) annual resident and fellow graduation ceremony at Galveston’s San Luis Hotel on June 29, 2007. The award recognized Dr. Boulton’s scholarly achievements during his first year in the department which include an NEI RO1 and a prestigious Foundation Fighting Blindness Investigator Award. Other faculty honorees include Eric van Kuijk, M.D., Ph.D., Professor and Vice Chair and Medical Director of the OVS Department, for his innovative leadership in clinic operations; Misha Syed, M.D., Assistant Professor, for Chairing the Annual CME Meeting on Glaucoma, and to Emma Loucks, M.D., Assistant Professor, for her involvement as President of the Galveston Eye Association, the new OVS alumni group, who all received a Citizenship Award. Helen K. Li, M.D., Associate Professor, was selected by residents as “Teaching Faculty of the Year" for 2006-2007. This is also known as the Troupe Teaching Award in honor of John T. Troupe, who previously served as Chair ad interim, prior to Dr. Bernard Godley. Staff members Kathy Angel, Shelly Plant, and Chris Hopper were recognized with “High Performer” Awards for outstanding customer service.
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5. DRS. diaz-arrastia and rudkin-miniot TO PARTICIPATE IN aamc PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SEMINAR
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6. APPOINTMENTS TO ENDOWED POSITIONS
Garland D. Anderson, M.D., Dean of the School of Medicine, and Professor, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, was appointed as holder of the Thomas N. and Gleaves T. James Distinguished Chair, effective July 1, 2007.
Michele A. Carter, Ph.D., Associate Professor,
Institute for the Medical Humanities and Department of Preventive
Medicine and Community Health, was appointed as inaugural holder of the
Frances C. and Courtney M. Townsend, Sr., M.D. Professorship in Medical
Ethics, effective August 1, 2007.
Dai Chung, M.D., Associate Professor,
Departments of Surgery and Pediatrics, was appointed as holder of the
Chela and Jimmy Storm Distinguished Professorship In Surgical Research,
effective August 1, 2007.
Gary D.V. Hankins, M.D., Professor and Chair, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, was appointed as holder of the Jennie Sealy Smith Distinguished Chair in Obstetrics and Gynecology, effective March 1, 2007.
Claire E. Hulsebosch, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, was appointed as inaugural holder of the Claire E. Hulsebosch, Ph.D. Chair in Neurological Recovery, effective June 1, 2007.
Eduardo Orihuela, M.D., Professor, Department of Surgery, was appointed as holder of the Robert Earl Cone Professorship in Urology, effective April 1, 2007.
David H. Walker, M.D., Professor and Chairman,
Department of Pathology, was appointed as holder of The Carmage and Martha
Walls Distinguished University Chair in Tropical Diseases (formerly The
Carmage and Martha Walls Distinguished Chair in Tropical Diseases),
effective June 1, 2007.
Scott C. Weaver, Ph.D., Professor, Departments
of Pathology and Microbiology & Immunology, was appointed as inaugural
holder of the Edgar and Mary Frances Monteith Distinguished Professorship in
Viral Genetics, effective August 1, 2007.
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7. DRS. LAWRENCE R. STANBERRY AND MARTIN G. MYERS TO PARTICIPATE IN SUMMIT
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8.
ELECTION TO Faculty Senate
and Academic Progress Committee Below are the names of faculty members who recently have been elected to the Faculty Senate and the Academic Progress Committee.
ACADEMIC PROGRESS COMMITTEE
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9. APPOINTMENT OF Director of Food and Nutrition Services
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The UTMB Faculty Lounge opened August 2005 on
the ground floor of Old Red. The lounge features wireless Internet
access, satellite radio and comfortable lounge seating in a welcoming
and bright environment. Membership in the Faculty Lounge is open to
faculty of any rank from any of UTMB’s four schools. The hours of
operation are Monday through Friday,
7:30am – 10:00am and
11:30am – 7:00pm, beginning September 10, 2007. Breakfast is from
7:30am - 10:00am and lunch is from 11:30am - 2:00pm. For membership and other information,
visit the following website:
http://www.utmb.edu/facultylounge/ _____________________________________________________________
11.
SCHOOL OF MEDICINE IN THE NEWS
Below is a listing of SOM faculty or programs in the news:
News RX Online, May 2007, Researchers from Sweden, the U.S. and Spain publish new findings on colon cancer. New findings from Sweden, the United States and Spain describe advances in colon cancer. Colon cancer is diminished by the effect of dietary fiber on tumor suppressor signals. Investigators in the United States conducted a study "to determine whether sodium butyrate (NaB), a major short-chain fatty acid produced in the human gut by bacterial fermentation of dietary fiber, enhances transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta signaling and potentiates its tumor suppressor activity in the gut.” The molecular mechanisms by which dietary fiber decreases the risk of colon cancers are poorly characterized. TGF-beta is an important tumor suppressor in the gut and has many similar biologic activities as NaB. "Therefore," wrote K.A. Nguyen and colleagues, University of Texas Medical Branch, "we hypothesized that the chemopreventive effects of NaB are mediated in part by enhancing TGF-beta signaling and its tumor suppressor function in the gut. The effects of NaB on Smad3 expression in rat intestinal epithelial (RIE-1) cells and six human colon cancer cell lines were examined. For additional information, contact T.C. Ko, University of Texas Medical Branch, Dept. Surgery, 301 University of Blvd., Galveston, TX 77555, USA. http://www.newsrx.com/library/topics/Colon-Cancer/64187.html
Galveston County Daily News, Aug. 1, 2007, Ways to make life easier for you, newborn, Column by Dr. Sunil Jain, UTMB pediatric neonatology. For many mothers, the first weeks with a new baby are often the hardest. Inadequate sleep will leave you fatigued. Caring for a baby can be a lonely and stressful responsibility. You may wonder if you will ever catch up on your rest or work. But, there are ways to make sure this transitional time for your new family is a time to create great memories. After all, no one should be expected to care for a young baby alone. The solution is asking for help. One way to make life easier for you and your baby is to get on your baby’s sleep cycle. Every baby awakens one or more times a night. Go to bed earlier in the evening after your baby’s final feeding and nap when your baby naps. When you are sleeping, put a sign on the door that reads “Mother and Baby Sleeping.” If you don’t take care of yourself, you won’t be able to take care of your baby. More than 50 percent of women start to experience postpartum blues on the third or fourth day after delivery. The symptoms include tearfulness, tiredness, sadness and difficulty in thinking clearly because of the sudden decrease of maternal hormones. These symptoms usually clear in one to three weeks as the hormone levels return to normal, and the mother develops a routine and sense of control over her life. There are several ways to cope with the postpartum blues: Acknowledge your feelings and discuss them with your partner or close friend; Don’t feel you need to suppress crying or put on a “super mom show” for everyone; Get adequate rest; Get help with your household chores; Don’t become isolated; talk to people; and get out of the house once a week even if it’s to watch a movie, visit a friend or go to the hairdresser. Galveston County Daily News, Aug. 2, 2007, New Course in Travel and Tropical Medicine. The University of Texas Medical Branch is to offer courses that will provide training to identify, treat and prevent an increasing number of diseases showing up in America among travelers and immigrants. The course has been approved through the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, the main U.S. group focused on the prevention and control of tropical diseases. The course will be one of 10 taught in U.S. medical schools. It will provide physicians with a certificate of knowledge in tropical and travel medicine and will be a part of a new global health track being offered at the medical branch. Dr. A. Clinton White Jr., chief of the infectious disease division at the medical branch, said physicians who complete the course would be better equipped to address global health issues that are increasingly showing up in American medical centers. http://news.galvestondailynews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=51b65cf3935ff5e38c141f31bbdc9b5c&session=TheDailyNews:AAE0087E1394f13948GRo22D94AA Galveston County Daily News, Aug. 2, 2007, Couple donates $500,000 for cancer. A Galveston couple has contributed $500,000 to establish an endowed faculty position in the University of Texas Medical Branch’s department of radiation oncology. The Irma Labardini Mendoza and Jesse Jesus Mendoza Chair in Radiation Oncology is the second endowed chair and fifth endowed faculty position created for the department and will support the work of the appointed faculty member to advance radiation therapy to treat breast and gynecologic cancer patients. The Mendozas plan to make additional contributions to the chair to increase its endowment to the $1 million distinguished chair level. They come from humble beginnings, having saved much of the family’s income that Jesse made as a barber. The couple invested some of that savings in real estate and eventually profited from their venture. Dr. Sandra “Sunny” Hatch, who has been Irma Mendoza’s physician for nearly 10 years, is being nominated as the first holder of the Mendoza chair, pending approval by the UT System board of regents. She is vice chair of the department of radiation oncology and director of clinical operations, and also directs the medical branch’s residency training program in radiation oncology and its multidisciplinary breast cancer program. Hatch, who holds the Ruth Levy Kempner professorship in radiation oncology at the university, is a past recipient of the Association of Residents in Radiation Oncology’s Teacher of the Year Award. http://news.galvestondailynews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=5cb0b200a1b56ffe&-session=TheDailyNews:AAE0087E1394f11EC1XJo22954FA (This story has appeared in multiple publications) Psychology Today, August 2007, Wrestling with Bipolar Disorder. It's one of the most missed diagnoses in psychiatry. Bipolar disorder, involving moods that swing between the highs of mania and the lows of depression, is typically confused with everything from unipolar depression to schizophrenia to substance abuse, to borderline personality disorder, with just about all stops in between. Patients themselves often resist diagnosis, because they may not see as pathologic the surge in energy that accompanies the mania or hypomania that distinguishes the condition. But on a few points consensus is emerging. Bipolar disorder is a chronically recurring illness. And the age of onset is dropping—in less than one generation it has gone from age 32 to 19. Whether there is a genuine increase in prevalence of the disorder is a matter of some debate, but there does seem to be a genuine increase among the young. What's more, the depression of manic-depression is emerging as a particularly thorny problem for both patients and their doctors. "Depression is the bane of treatment of bipolar disorder," says Robert M.A. Hirschfeld, M.D., head of psychiatry at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. It's what is most likely to motivate patients to accept care. People spend more time in the depression phase of the disorder. And unlike unipolar depression, the depression of bipolar illness tends to be treatment-resistant. "Antidepressants don't work very well in bipolar depression," says Dr. Hirschfeld. "They are underwhelming in their ability to treat the depression." In fact, a shift away from antidepressants is formally recognized in new treatment guidelines for bipolar disorder just released by the American Psychiatric Association. http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/pto-20030601-000001.html Houston Chronicle, Aug. 2, 2007, UTMB professor chosen as health ambassador. Dr. James LeDuc, a professor and administrator at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, is among 24 of the nation's global health experts chosen as a "global health ambassador" by Research! America's Paul G. Rogers Society for Global Health Research. LeDuc directs the global health program within the Institute for Human Infections and Immunity at UTMB. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nb/bay/news/5016424.html Houston Chronicle, Aug. 2, 2007, UTMB president honored with lifetime award. Dr. John D. Stobo, president of the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, recently accepted the annual John P. McGovern Lifetime Achievement Award in Oslerian Medicine. Established in 2001, the award recognizes a long-standing UTMB School of Medicine faculty member who exemplifies the teaching and practice of humane patient care in contemporary academic medicine. After a decade as UTMB's president, Stobo will step down Aug. 31 but will continue as a faculty member. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nb/bay/news/5016424.html New England Journal of Medicine, Aug. 2, 2007, A Trial of 17 Alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone Caproate to Prevent Prematurity in Twins. Background In singleton gestations, 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone caproate (17P) has been shown to reduce the rate of recurrent preterm birth. This study was undertaken to evaluate whether 17P would reduce the rate of preterm birth in twin gestations. We performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 14 centers http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/short/357/5/454. Healthy women with twin gestations were assigned to weekly intramuscular injections of 250 mg of 17P or matching placebo, starting at 16 to 20 weeks of gestation and ending at 35 weeks. The primary study outcome was delivery or fetal death before 35 weeks of gestation. Conclusions Treatment with 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone caproate did not reduce the rate of preterm birth in women with twin gestations. (Garland Anderson, M.D., UTMB Dean of Medicine, is cited; National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Maternal–Fetal Medicine Units Network). http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/short/357/5/454 NewsRx.Com, August 2007, Data on human papillomavirus vaccines described by researchers. A new study, "Attitudes of mothers in Da Nang, Vietnam toward a human papillomavirus vaccine," is now available. In this recent article published in the Journal of Adolescent Health, scientists in the United States conducted a study "To describe attitudes and acceptability toward a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine among mothers in Da Nang, Vietnam and examine factors that may influence HPV vaccine uptake. Women who were the primary caregiver of a girl 10-18 years old ("mothers") were eligible to participate." "Mothers were recruited face-to-face from Da Nang General Hospital. Participants completed a survey addressing general vaccine attitudes, attitudes toward an HPV vaccine, beliefs about sexuality, recommendations from others, and likelihood of having their daughter vaccinated against HPV. Ninety-four percent believed that the HPV vaccine will be effective and 90% disagreed that their daughter would have sex early if she was vaccinated. Beliefs regarding negative social consequences for girls who engage in premarital sex are prevalent but unassociated with HPV vaccine acceptability," wrote Dr. T.A. Dinh and colleagues at the University of Texas Medical Branch. Dinh and colleagues published their study in the Journal of Adolescent Health (Attitudes of mothers in Da Nang, Vietnam toward a human papillomavirus vaccine. Journal of Adolescent Health, 2007;40(6):559-63). Additional information can be obtained by contacting T.A. Dinh, University of Texas Medical Branch, Dept. of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Galveston, Texas. 77555-0587 USA. http://www.newsrx.com/article.php?articleID=593090 Houston Chronicle, Aug. 3, 2007, Dr. Anil Thaker joins Memorial City Medical. Internal Medicine Specialist Anil Thaker, M.D., R. Ph., has joined Memorial City Medical, an affiliate of Memorial Hermann Medical Group, which is a physician-led subsidiary of Memorial Hermann Healthcare System. Board-certified in internal medicine and geriatric medicine, Thaker previously practiced geriatric medicine at Fort Bend Geriatrics in Sugar Land and at West Oaks Psychiatric Hospital in Houston. He also practiced as a clinical pharmacist at Putnam Hospital Center in Carmel, N.Y. Thaker completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at St. Vincent Catholic Medical Centers in Jamaica, NY. He then completed his fellowship in geriatric medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nb/memorial/news/5023410.html Guidry News Service, Aug. 3, 2007, UTMB partnership to commercialize, expand telemedicine technology. A partnership between the University of Texas Medical Branch and Houston-based private equity group Sanders Morris Harris today launched NuPhysicia LLC, a Galveston-based startup company to commercialize and expand telemedicine services for corporate and government customers across the U.S. and abroad. UTMB has been an international leader in telemedicine for two decades. Dr. Glenn Hammack will direct operations for NuPhysicia, which will offer telemedicine products and services throughout the U.S. and worldwide. UTMB physicians Drs. Oscar Boltinghouse and Michael J. Davis will also serve as senior leadership of NuPhysicia. http://www.guidrynews.com/story.aspx?id=1000003704 (This story has appeared in multiple publications) Galveston County Daily News, Aug. 5, 2007, Right shades prevent damage to sailors’ eyes. Sunglasses are wonderful things. They can reduce eye irritation and eyestrain. That, in some people, reduces associated headaches. Sunglasses can help you see better under some conditions. One way is by reducing the glare from the water. They even offer some physical protection for the eyes, protection against windblown dust (which generally isn’t much of a problem for sailors) and other hazards. Getting slapped in the eye with a sheet is painful. Sunglasses even offer some protection against wind and the irritation it can cause. That becomes especially important toward the end of a breezy noon-to-6 p.m. watch. But, perhaps most important of all, they can keep you seeing better longer, helping preserve vision through years of the kinds of exposure sailors’ eyes encounter, says Michael Boulton, Ph.D. He is a University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston professor and director of that institution’s age-related macular degeneration center. http://news.galvestondailynews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=0d4e188bf8d071e4647b56e8e79db721&session=TheDailyNews:AAE0087E13adf0F57FwwW149FF3C Los Angeles Times, Aug. 6, 2007, And now, a push for change. For Dr. Howard Brody, nearly three decades of family medical practice has afforded a clear view of the rising tide and spreading effects of drug industry marketing. As Brody entered the profession in 1977, that tide was coming in gradually. In the last decade, it has surged to account for at least $30 billion a year in spending. Now 58, Brody sees a shift in the marketing tide. In recent years, politicians, consumers and physicians have begun to question sharply the effect of drug makers' commercial appeals. Medical societies and patients groups are quietly debating the wisdom of their dependence on drug companies' largesse. Doctors are rethinking, or at least disclosing, their ties to drug companies. Legislators are drafting and passing bills aimed at blunting the effects of prescription-drug marketing. Along the way, Brody has evolved from family physician to medical ethicist. Now a professor of family medicine and director of the University of Texas' Institute for the Medical Humanities, Brody has been among those who have fomented a backlash. For several years in his earliest days as a family physician in Michigan, Brody received a long line of drug representatives bearing gifts, jokes, an occasional journal article and, most important, drug samples. The exchanges troubled him in ways that, as a young doctor in the late 1970s, he found difficult to put his finger on. But when he joined the medical faculty at Michigan State University and had the choice of opting out of such meetings, he did so with relief. http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-he-reforms6aug06,1,2797596.story?ctrack=1&cset=true Guidry News Service, August 6, 2007, Philips to head Preventive Medicine and Community Health. Dr. Billy U. Philips Jr. is the new chair of UTMB Preventive Medicine and Community Health. Read the announcement in Guidry News Online. http://www.guidrynews.com/story.aspx?id=1000003750 (This story has appeared in multiple publications) Blocker Burn Unit expanding and updating facilities. Dr. David Herndon, director of UTMB’s Blocker Burn Unit, is quoted in today’s Galveston County Daily News, on the expansion and renovation of the Truman Blocker Burn Unit facilities. http://news.galvestondailynews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=f7f9c452f428ff59 The story ran in response to the Associated Press story disclosing a national trend for hospitals to close burn units. Read the story at: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/08/07/ap/national/main3142672.shtml Ways to diffuse the dreaded temper tantrum. UTMB pediatricians Drs. Sally Robinson and Keith Bly share their thoughts on temper tantrums: including how a parent can constructively diffuse in today’s Galveston County Daily News. Read the Healthy Kids column at http://news.galvestondailynews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=9595cbafd77be0470c06d6090194138d Protein Study. Dr. Douglas Paddon-Jones, an associate professor in UTMB’s departments of physical therapy and internal medicine, is the senior author of a paper on the study published in the August issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that is receiving a good share of media attention. The study suggests older bodies are just as good as young ones at turning protein-rich food into muscle. Here are some of the sites that posted the article: · HULIQ.COM, http://www.huliq.com/29873/how-to-stay-strong-in-old-age · Earthtimes Website, http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/91625.html · Science Daily, http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/08/070808132005.htm · East Bay Business Times in Oakland, California, http://eastbay.bizjournals.com/eastbay/othercities/houston/stories/2007/08/06/daily37.html?b=1186372800^1503182 · The Houston Business Journal, http://houston.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2007/08/06/daily37.html · UPI Website, http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Health/2007/08/08/protein_for_elderly_can_cut_muscle_loss/1231/ · EurekAlert!, http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-08/uotm-wtb080807.php
Astronauts to Conduct Study of Bacterial Growth in Space. Dr. David W. Niesel, a UTMB professor is quoted in a story on the Space Travel Website about a scientific experiment that astronaunts on the Endeavor are conducting. The experiment is to monitor the effects of space on a common microorganism. Niesel is the project's principal investigator and the article is at: http://www.space-travel.com/reports/Astronauts_To_Conduct_Study_Of_Bacterial_Growth_In_Space_999.html The study also is on the Calibre Website and can be found at: http://calibre.mworld.com/m/m.w?lp=GetStory&id=265587621 (This story has appeared in multiple publications) Studies from University of Texas describe new findings in nanotechnology. The results of a nanotechnology study spearheaded by Dr. D. R. Davydov of UTMB is on the Website Macro World Investor that also is operated by Wachovia. It is at http://www.macroworldinvestor.com/m/m.w?lp=GetStory&id=265419001 UTMB program gets accreditation extension. The recent reaccreditation of the UTMB School of Medicine is in the Bay Area news briefs of the Houston Chronicle at: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nb/bay/news/5036917.html TYC plan to use pepper spray draws advocates' ire. A Texas Youth Commission proposal to have guards rely on pepper spray to subdue unruly juvenile prisoners has angered justice advocates. UTMB’s Dr. Owen Murray is quoted in the Houston Chronicle/AP story published Sunday, Aug. 12. He said: Whereas physical restraints often lead to broken arms, pepper spray causes teary eyes for five to 20 minutes and poses "no real restrictions for any medical condition." Dr. Murray oversees health care inside the TYC. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/5047624.html The story originally appeared in the Dallas Morning News, and has been reprinted widely in state newspapers. State of body, state of mind. A San Antonio Express-News story discusses the link between suicide and cosmetic breast augmentation. UTMB’s Dr. Linda Phillips, a plastic surgeon and an expert on breast augmentation, is quoted in the article which appeared on Sunday, Aug. 12, 2007. http://www.mysanantonio.com/salife/stories/MYSA081307.01P.Implants_and_Suicide.2399e43.html Landing lab could make tiny Flora 'grow and grow.' Flora, Mississippi is one of five possible sites for the National Bio- and Agro-Defense Facility, according to a Sunday, Aug. 12 story in the Mississippi Clarion-Ledger. The site would possibly study Foot and Mouth disease, classical swine fever, African swine fever, Rift Valley fever, contagious bovine pleuroneumonia, and othrs. Universities involved with the research include: University of Mississippi, Mississippi State University, Jackson State University, University of Southern Mississippi, Tougaloo College, Tulane University, Iowa State University and University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070812/NEWS/708120373/1002/NEWS01 New York Times, August 14, 2007, These Drugs Are for Colds, Not Fidgets. UTMB’s Dr. Wayne Snodgrass is quoted in a New York Times article today regarding the use of over-the-counter cold and allergy drugs to sedate children. He says: “Diphenhydramine, the main compound in Benadryl, also predates current drug agency standards and was never tested in children, but it is lower on the review’s list of priorities.” Snodgrass is a professor of pediatrics in pharmacology and toxicology at UTMB Galveston and chairman of the committee on drugs for the American Academy of Pediatrics. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/14/health/14seda.html?ex=1344744000&en=67f4d082da97b277&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss (This story has appeared in multiple publications)
Galveston County Daily News, Aug. 14, 2007, Insurance industry’s ‘don’t think this’ list. Dr. Howard Brody’s “Medicine and Health” column discusses the reaction of insurance providers to the new film “Sicko.” http://news.galvestondailynews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=b22cfa634cddd10f The University of Queensland Online News, Aug. 14, 2007, How Sea Slugs Fall in Love. Researchers at the University of Queensland, Australia, have decoded a pheromone message used by sea slugs to attract mates. The research is being conducted with American collaborators at the University of Texas Medical Branch. http://www.uq.edu.au/news/index.html?article=12714 Beaumont Enterprise, August 14, 2007, Women to receive free mammograms tomorrow. The Julie Rogers "Gift of Life" Program and BASF TOTAL Miracle Match For Life will provide free mammograms and breast exams for medically underserved women on UTMB-Galveston's mobile mammography van, the Oleander. http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18699550&BRD=2287&PAG=461&dept_id=512588&rfi=6
Galveston County Daily News, August 15, 2007, Doctors warn it may be too hot to trot. UTMB’s Dr. Brian Zachariah offers advice on preventing heat illness caused by outdoor exercise in hot, humid weather. Galveston County Daily News, August 15, 2007, Tips for new parents on taking care of baby’s skin. Dr. Sunil Jain, an assistant professor in UTMB’s Pediatric Neonatology, shares information on newborn skin care. http://news.galvestondailynews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=292d9aec7afce987 Science Daily, August 16, 2007, Reactivating a Critical Gene Lost in Kidney Cancer Reduces Tumor Growth. UTMB’s Dr. Bruce A. Luxon and Mala Sinha are co-authors in research findings conducted by the Mayo Clinic which found a key gene is often “silenced” in the most common type of kidney cancer, and when they restored that gene in human kidney cancer cells in culture and animal experiments, tumors stopped growing and many disappeared. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/08/070815120439.htm Technology News Daily, August 16, 2007, Immunity with Nanoparticles, not needles. A vaccine against anthrax that is more effective and easier to administer than the present vaccine has proved highly effective in tests in mice and guinea pigs. Experiments were done at UTMB which has labs federally approved for handling the pathogen. http://www.technologynewsdaily.com/node/7766 HULIQ: http://www.huliq.com/30807/easy-to-use-nasal-emulsion-could-protect-after-bioterror-attack Medilexicon: http://www.medilexicon.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=79911 Nanotechnology: http://www.azonano.com/news.asp?newsID=4740 Spirit India: http://www.spiritindia.com/health-care-news-articles-12325.html
Galveston County Daily
News, August 17, 2007, Resto Gets $375,000 to Research Cancer Tumor
Migration. UTMB’s
Dr. Vicente Resto has been selected by the Howard Hughes Medical
Institute to receive an Early Career Award for his research into how cancer
tumors might seek out certain parts of a body. The Fish Site, August 17, 2007, Molluscs no longer sluggish in sex stakes. Scientists have uncovered a potent mix of chemicals which acts like a cross between Chanel No 5 and Viagra—but only if you are a sea slug. Collaborators at UTMB are working to find similar pheromone messages. http://www.thefishsite.com/fishnews/4977/molluscs-no-longer-sluggish-in-sex-stakes Also appears in Fish update.com http://www.fishupdate.com/news/fullstory.php/aid/8350/Australia:_Molluscs_no_longer_sluggish_in_sex_stakes.html Daily Record, August 17, 2007, Ellensburg gets 'twofer' with Doctors Longo. Drs. Ginger and Anthony Longo have resettled in Ellensburg, Washington, and the local newspaper has written a feature about these former UTMB physicians. http://www.kvnews.com/index.html Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Aug. 22, 2007, As biodefense research booms, reward is weighed against risk. UTMB’s Dr. Stan Lemon is quoted in a story about biodefense research in Texas. http://www.star-telegram.com/state_news/story/211098.html
Galveston County Daily News, Aug. 22, 2007, Protect child’s skin against the elements. Drs. Sally Robinson and Keith Bly remind parents that we share the outdoors with nature and lots of critters: ticks, fleas, poison oak, poison ivy and the sun – all which pose risks to your child. http://news.galvestondailynews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=4c900f690e6bd986
CNN Money, Aug. 23,
2007, IBM and University Scientists Launch Global Computing Effort.
(This story has appeared in multiple publications) NewsRX.com, Aug. 23, 2007, Advancing bunyaviridae genetics. Dr. Fangling Xu with UTMB’s Department of Pathology and the Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Disease has published new data on the sandfly fever group viruses in the Journal of General Virology. http://calibre.mworld.com/m/m.w?lp=GetStory&id=267535691 Galveston County Daily News, Aug. 24, New vaccinations recommended. UTMB’s Dr. Christine Turley recommends additional vaccines for children. http://news.galvestondailynews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=899bd9bafc6a74a7 Los Angeles Times, Aug. 25, 2007, Study links fruit bat to Marburg virus. A species of African fruit bat may be the long-sought natural host of the deadly Marburg virus, according to a study published this week. The animal sustaining Marburg transmission has been difficult to find because outbreaks of the virus often take place in tropical settings teeming with different animals and insects. UTMB’s Dr. C.J. Peters, a virology researcher, is quoted: "We still haven't found a definitive reservoir for Marburg virus, but this is the best lead we have.” http://www.latimes.com/news/science/la-sci-marburg25aug25,1,696910.story?ctrack=1&cset=true
Austin American Statesman, Aug. 25, 2007, Local doctor receives physician emeritus award. Dr. Mathis Blackstock received the 2007 Physician Emeritus award from the Texas Academy of Family Physicians. Blackstock, who was awarded his medical degree from UTMB Galveston in 1948, has 38 years of active medical practice experience and more than 25 years as an educator for family medicine residents in the Austin area. He served as attending physician and faculty member for the family practice residency program in Austin and the preceptorship program with UTMB Galveston. http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/08/27/0827honchos.html Galveston County Daily News, Aug. 26, 2007, Should women sweat hormone therapy? A lifestyle feature on hormone therapy includes interviews with UTMB’s Drs. Russell Snyder, Manubai Nagamani and Victor Sierpina http://news.galvestondailynews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=36c245b4f70ff065 Galveston County Daily News, Aug. 26, 2007, Groups call for higher EPA standards. Deadlines to clean the region’s dirty air have been extended for economic reasons. UTMB’s Dr. Ed Brooks, an asthma specialist, discusses the health concerns of the delay. Ozone and other pollutants aggravate asthma. http://news.galvestondailynews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=04416a1e0767cc8c Daily Toreador, Aug. 27, 2007, Law School hosts first professionalism pledge. The first Professionalism Pledge was administered to over 200 entrance-level Texas Tech School of Law students Aug. 17. Jennifer Bard, a professor of law and director of health law, who coordinated the Professionalism Pledge, said she got the idea for the pledge after teaching at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. IT Wire.com, Aug. 27, 2007, Humanitarian project seeks spare CPU cycle. The University of Texas Medical Branch, the University of Chicago and IBM are collaborating in a project named “Discovering Dengue Drugs Together, an attempt to identify drugs to treat and cure dengue fever, hepatitis C, yellow fever and related diseases that cause millions of illnesses and thousands of deaths each year. http://www.itwire.com/content/view/14174/1066/ Associated Press, Aug. 27, 2007, Blood banks seek more Latino donations. Dr. Alexander Indrikovs, UTMB blood bank director, talks about the potential of Latinos to improve blood supplies. Latinos are more likely than the average American to have Type O blood, the type blood banks value most because it can be used by so many patients. (This AP story appears today throughout the U.S. and international media including FOX national news, the International Herald Tribune, Yahoo and AOL news pages.) http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2007Aug27/0,4670,HealthBeatDonatingBlood,00.html Houston Chronicle, Aug. 27, 2007, Former assistant health secretary Brandt dies. Dr. Edward N. Brandt Jr., a former UTMB dean of medicine and assistant secretary of health under President Reagan has died. Brandt also served as vice chancellor for health affairs for the University of Texas system. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/5087399.html Galveston County Daily News, Aug. 28, 2007, Who’s right in the ‘free’ health care argument? A column by UTMB’s Dr. Howard Brody examines how we pay for health in the U.S. and how other systems compare. http://news.galvestondailynews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=f706fb12fc121775 Calibre Macro World, Aug. 30, 2007, Researchers from University of Texas, U.S., zero in on DNA. UTMB’s Dr. D.E. Volk is quoted in an article on DNA research. For additional information, contact D.E. Volk, The University of Texas Medical Branch, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Galveston, TX 77555-1157 USA. http://calibre.mworld.com/m/m.w?lp=GetStory&id=268634751 San Antonio Express-News, Aug. 31, 2007, Dengue fever research heats up. UTMB’s Dr. James LeDuc talks about dengue fever and the search for a vaccine. He says Dengue has been an especially difficult problem for scientists because there are four viruses that can cause the disease. Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne illness that causes severe body aches. The most severe form of the disease can cause internal bleeding and death. http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/medical/stories/MYSA083107.05B.dengue_mouse.31bb5de.html
American Medical News, Sept. 2, 2007, The last goodbye: Comforting your dying patient. UTMB’s Dr. Lee Grumbles is featured in a story on how physicians face the farewell process with dying patients. http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2007/09/10/prsa0910.htm Galveston County Daily News, Sept. 2, 2007, Weighty change of life. If the battle against the country’s ever-expanding waistline was as simple as cutting calories, experts agree that obesity wouldn’t be the epidemic it has become. UTMB’s Dr. Gary Kessling, a clinical psychologist, talks about lasting weight loss in this Lifestyle feature. http://news.galvestondailynews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=fad0d58372ba0b22b0e58df19f4ddab3 _____________________________________________________________
Faculty and administrators are encouraged to submit their
department's news for inclusion in SOM e-NEWS. This information may be
submitted via email to
djgonzal@utmb.edu.
_____________________________________________________________
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 Jackie Genovese. 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. Copyright 2001, The University of Texas Medical Branch
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William
C. Moyers is vice president of external affairs for the
Monique
R. Ferguson, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Internal Medicine,
was chosen to participate in the AAMC Minority Faculty Career
Development Seminar which will be held on September 8-10, 2007 in Miami,
Florida. The program is designed for junior faculty (senior fellows,
instructors, and assistant professors) who are members of
underrepresented minority groups and who aspire to positions of
leadership in academic medicine. Details about the program are available
at: 
Concepcion
R. Diaz-Arrastia, M.D., Associate Professor, Department of Obstetrics &
Gynecology, and Laura L. Rudkin-Miniot, Ph.D., Associate Professor,
Department of Preventive Medicine & Community Health, were chosen to participate in the AAMC Mid-Career
Women Faculty Professional Development Seminar. This seminar will be held
December 15-18, 2007 in Scottsdale, AZ and is designed for women associate
or full professors with clear potential for departmental and institutional
leadership.
Lawrence
R. Stanberry, M.D., Ph.D., Professor and Chair, Department of
Pediatrics, and Martin G. Myers, M.D., Adjunct Professor, Department of
Pediatrics, will participate in panel discussions at the BioTexas Summit
on the topic of Vaccines and Global Health Issues: All You Never
Wanted to Know About Vaccines and How One Could Change Your Life, to
be held on September 25 in Austin.
