November 2005
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Wakil receives award for achievement in metabolic research
Salih Wakil, PhD, chair of the Baylor College of Medicine department of biochemistry and molecular biology, has been awarded the sixth annual Bristol-Myers Squibb Freedom to Discover Award for Distinguished Achievement in Metabolic Research.
He was recognized for his groundbreaking work in the field of fatty acid metabolism, including discovering pathways for fatty acid synthesis in the body, which helped provide insight into how fat is metabolized in the body and to identify a potential drug target to help treat obesity and diabetes.
An independent peer-review committee selected Wakil for this award. He received a $50,000 cash prize and a silver commemorative medallion.
BCM pediatric AIDS nurse receives NurseWeek excellence award
Nancy Calles, a registered nurse and education and research coordinator at Baylor College of Medicine, has been named as one of the top nurses in America by NurseWeek and Nursing Spectrum magazines.
Calles, vice-president for international program development with the Baylor International Pediatric AIDS Initiative, received the magazines' Nursing Excellence Award in Teaching. She was one of hundreds of candidates nominated for the award.
Calles has been instrumental in the establishment of clinics and the care and treatment of HIV-infected children and their families around the world. She sets up HIV/AIDS training sessions for nurses, physicians, and other health professionals in the United States, Latin America, Eastern Europe, and 12 countries in Africa. A specialist in pediatric HIV/AIDS care, Calles spends about half the year abroad, often in third-world countries, and at Baylor College of Medicine's pediatric AIDS clinics or hospitals in Romania and Africa.
Stem cell expert speaks at Baylor College of Medicine
Stefanie Dimmeler, PhD, professor and head of the department of molecular cardiology at the University of Frankfurt, and a noted expert in the area of stem cell research will present a series of lectures on her research activities as part of a visiting professorship in cardiovascular medicine sponsored by The Pfizer/American College of Cardiology Foundation.
Hosted by Michael Schneider, MD, and the Center for Cardiovascular Development at Baylor College of Medicine, Dimmeler will speak Dec. 6 from 4 – 5 p.m. on "Molecular Mechanisms of Endothelial Cell Specification: Role of HoxA9." On Dec. 7, she will be part of a three-hour symposium on the Molecular and Cellular Biology of Cardiac Regeneration and Repair. Others speaking include Schneider; Margaret Goodell, PhD, associate professor of pediatrics in the section of hematology/oncology; Lawrence Chan, MD, DSc, chief of the division of diabetes, endocrinology metabolism and a professor of medicine and molecular and cellular biology; Robert Schwartz, PhD, associate director for the Institute of Biosciences and Technology of The Texas A&M University System Health Science Center; and James Willerson, MD, president of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.
On Dec. 8, Dimmeler will discuss "Stem Cells for Cardiac Repair – From Bench to Bedside and Back Again" from noon - 1 p.m. in M112. For more information, call 713-798-6683.
Exercise does elderly body good
Exercise cannot make you younger, but it might help ward off the ill effects of aging, say experts at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.
"It's never too late to start exercising," said Robert Roush, MD, associate professor of medicine-geriatrics at BCM.
Loss of muscle mass typically begins in the 30s or 40s. As muscles shrink, fat cells take their place and that leads to a slowdown in metabolism and weight gain even if caloric intake and expenditure remains the same.
"Any type of movement can be considered exercise, but resistance weight training has been shown to be the best way to reduce the loss of lean muscle," Roush said. "Surprisingly, resistance training also increases cardiovascular fitness and it makes your bones stronger."
Strength training is especially important for women. Since women are generally smaller in stature and weigh less than men, they're at a greater risk for developing osteoporosis that can lead to fractures and immobility, making a weak person even weaker.
Roush says it's a good idea to see your doctor or an exercise physiologist before beginning any exercise program, especially if you have joint or back problems or heart disease.
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