NewsLink, Nov. 20, 2020
Please submit items for the weekly NewsLink to Dana Benson.

Archive / BCM Family / BCM News on Twitter

Coronavirus & Flu Information

Flu attestation deadline!

All BCM employees, trainees and learners must complete their flu attestation by Nov. 30. Use the app to reserve a time for an on-campus shot and to complete attestation. You can also get a flu shot at a pharmacy, clinic or your doctor's office but must still attest through the app. If you claim a medical, religious or conscientious exemption, you must still complete attestation. Learn more on the OHP website.

Awards and Recognitions

Khan honored by local women’s group

Dr. Sobia Khan, assistant professor of general internal medicine, and other local leaders will be honored by the Greater Houston Women's Chamber of Commerce at its Hall of Fame Gala, Dec. 3. Hall of Fame awardees are honored for their work to improve quality of life for the next generation and for their support and advancement of women.

Papageorgiou edits book

Dr. Dorina Papageorgiou, assistant professor at Baylor, is the editor of a recent book, "Advanced Brain Neuroimaging Topics in Health and Disease," along with co-editors Dr. George Christopoulous of Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and Dr. Stelios Smirnakis of Baylor. Order a hard copy or view open-access chapters online.

Samaco earns 'lab of year'

Dr. Rodney Samaco, assistant professor of molecular and human genetics, received the Loulou Foundation's Lab of the Year Award. The foundation is committed to tackling CDKL5 deficiency, a condition that affects normal brain development, mainly in girls, starting in the first few months of life.

Xia named STAT Wunderkind

Dr. Jun Xia, a postdoctoral associate in molecular and human genetics, was named one of the 2020 STAT Wunderkinds. Xia was recognized for his work to unravel the seemingly random nature of certain cancers. STAT, a health and science focused news site, annually celebrates promising early career doctors and scientists through the Wunderkinds initiative.

Events

BCM Charity Art Show

Today is the final day of the 2020 graduate student-organized Charity Art Show. View and bid on art by 7 p.m. At least 40% of proceeds benefit the Arts in Medicine Program at Texas Children's Hospital.

Talk on COVID-19 vaccine

The BCM community is invited to join a virtual talk on "COVID-19 Vaccine & Where We're At," today, 12:15 – 1 p.m. Hosted by Texas Doctors for Social Responsibility, the presentation is by Dr. Junda Woo, medical director at the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District. See event info.

Autism webinar

A free webinar to learn about the SPARK autism study at Baylor and Texas Children's Hospital and about the genetics of the condition is being offered tomorrow, Nov. 21, 10 a.m. – noon. Dr. Robin Kochel, associate professor of pediatrics - psychology, and Dr. Chaya Murali, assistant professor of molecular and human genetics and a pediatric geneticist, will lead the webinar. Register for the free event to receive Zoom info.

Join virtual Alex's 5k

Through Dec. 20, complete the 2020 virtual Alex's 5K Run/Walk & Kids' K, supporting autism organizations in memory of Alex Jamrich, the son of BCM faculty member Milan Jamrich. This marks the 10th anniversary of the event.

College News

Thanksgiving information

Baylor College of Medicine will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26, and will reopen Friday, Nov. 27. Morrison Café and Mary O's at main Baylor and Jamail Specialty Care Center will be closed on Friday, and other food options in the TMC will be limited. The TMC shuttle will not operate on Thanksgiving Day and Friday, Nov. 27, so employees and learners may need to park in an on-site location. BCM shuttle service will continue operating on the holiday schedule that it's been on during the pandemic. In addition, NewsLink will not be published next week. Happy Thanksgiving!

'Your daily briefing' new feature for BCM users

Office 365 email users may have begun seeing "Your daily briefing" emails from Cortana@Microsoft in their inboxes. The emails are designed to help users prepare for meetings and tasks and find suggested focus times for the day. Information in the briefing emails is summarized from email and calendar data. No information is shared with, or can be accessed by, anyone other than the recipient. BCM Office 365 email users are opted-in by default but can unsubscribe at any time. Learn more on the BCM IT Service Portal.

BCM BeWell survey

Complete the BCM BeWell survey to share your feedback on and help guide the future of the wellness program and environment at Baylor. By completing the survey by midnight on Nov. 29, benefits-eligible employees and their covered spouse/domestic partner will receive 350 BCM BeWell points and be entered into an Amazon gift card drawing. Questions? Email wellness@bcm.edu.

Volunteers needed: Study on iron supplementation

Volunteers are needed for a study to evaluate changes to the intestinal microbiome and hemoglobin and iron blood levels in response to iron therapy. Eligible participants should be healthy females 18 – 49 years old, not pregnant or trying to become pregnant, with no history of anemia. Must provide iron and blood samples, cheek swabs and take an iron supplement every day for 14 days. Volunteers will receive monetary compensation along with lab results and a description of their gut microbiome. Learn more or sign up by emailing Dr. Sarah Detlefs.

Walk to End Alzheimer's success!

Baylor's Walk to End Alzheimer's team, spearheaded by Dr. Mark Kunik, was again the largest team in Houston and the second-largest fundraiser. Almost 300 walkers from across the College participated in the virtual walk on Nov. 14, raising nearly $50,000. Congrats to the Baylor team! You can still donate to support Alzheimer's care and research. Some of the Baylor walkers are pictured below!

Faculty in the News

Baylor experts Dr. Peter Hotez, Dr. Maria Elena Bottazzi, Dr. Robert Atmar, Dr. James McDeavitt and others were interviewed this week about COVID-19 vaccines. Check out Baylor's news media mentions, including extensive COVID-19 coverage, in this week's Faculty in the News, and follow BCMHouston_News on Twitter to keep up with our experts in the media. Interested in science news? Read the latest in From the Labs.

Follow BCM