Findings
Houston, Texas
Volume 7, Issue 7
August 2009

News Briefs

Breast Center program at Ben Taub recognized for community impact

The Baylor Breast Center-supported program at the Harris County Hospital District's Ben Taub General Hospital has been recognized by the Houston affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure for its outstanding ability to serve the community.

The Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, located within the Dan L. Duncan Cancer at BCM, provides staff and services for the Ben Taub Breast Clinic. Komen Houston recognized the program "because waiting times for Ben Taub patients between presentation of a lump or abnormal mammogram until the first treatment have been reduced from six months to one to three weeks.” The program at Ben Taub sees almost 2,000 women a year and is treating 150 to 200 women with breast cancer.

Mitch earns nephrology award

William E. Mitch, M.D., the Gordon A. Cain Professor of Medicine and chief of the nephrology division in the Department of Medicine, received the John P. Peters Award from the American Society of Nephrology. The award recognizes individuals who have made substantial research contributions to the discipline of nephrology and have sustained achievements in one or more domains of academic medicine, including clinical care, education and leadership. Established in 1983, this annual award is named for one of the fathers of the discipline of nephrology.

Ballantyne honored for research

Christie M. Ballantyne, M.D., interim chief of cardiology, has been honored with the "Outstanding Achievement Award for Contributions to Atherosclerosis Research for Research on Lipid Management and CHD Risk Assessment." He was presented the award at the International Symposium on Atherosclerosis. This symposium, held triennially with the support of the International Atherosclerosis Society, offers the world's largest and most prestigious forum for the presentation of new research and clinical findings on arterial disease.

Coselli receives alumnus award

Joseph S. Coselli, M.D., professor and chief of the division of cardiothoracic surgery at BCM, has been honored with the University of Texas Medical Branch's Ashbel Smith Distinguished Alumnus Award.

Coselli received his medical degree from UTMB in 1977. The Ashbel Smith Distinguished Alumnus Award is the highest alumni honor bestowed by the UTMB's School of Medicine Alumni Association and recognizes outstanding service to the medical profession and to humanity. It honors the memory of Dr. Ashbel Smith, a prominent figure in Texas medicine, politics and education who was instrumental in establishing the University of Texas at Austin in 1881 and, in 1891, a medical department in Galveston that would later be known as UTMB.