From the Labs
Houston, Texas
Volume 9, Issue 1
February 2010

Briefs

March genetics seminar features hearing loss

Baylor College of Medicine's March 23, 2010, Evening with Genetics seminar features "Turning up the volume on adult hearing loss." The free seminar by BCM and Texas Children's Hospital experts starts at 7 p.m. at the Health Museum, 1515 Hermann Dr. It is open to the public.

Speakers include Dr. Frank Probst, assistant professor in the BCM department of molecular and human genetics; Dr. John Oghalai, associate professor of surgery at BCM and otology, neurotology, and skull base surgery chief, The Hearing Center at Texas Children's Hospital, and Dr. Richard Lewis, professor in the BCM department of ophthalmology.

Light refreshments are served from 6:30 - 7 p.m., before the seminar begins.

Evenings with Genetics is sponsored by the Department of Molecular and Human Genetics at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital. While the seminars are free and public, space is limited. Those wishing to attend can register online or by calling Susan Fernbach at 832-822-4182 or e-mailing her at sdfernba@texaschildrens.org.

Guntupalli inducted as president of American College of Chest Physicians

Dr. Kalpalatha Guntupalli, professor and chief of pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, was inducted as president of the American College of Chest Physicians at the 75th annual international scientific assembly of the college.

Guntupalli, who has been practicing medicine for more than 35 years, will lead more than 17,400 members who provide patient care in the areas of pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine around the world.

"I am very honored to represent the interests of a large number of my peers and their patients. It gives me a chance to advocate and strive for better patient care in the U.S. and abroad," said Guntupalli.

BCM researchers awarded NFL Charities grant

Dr. Salim Virani, assistant professor of medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, has been awarded a sports medicine research grant by the NFL Charities, the charitable foundation of the National Football League. The $125,000 grant, one of 11 awarded by the NFL Charities, will be dispersed over an 18-month period beginning in 2010.

"The grant will help us evaluate whether specialized cholesterol testing can identify cardiovascular disease at an earlier stage in retired NFL players as compared with traditional cholesterol measurements," said Virani. "The overall aim of this project is to identify what cholesterol parameters can identify subclinical cardiovascular disease in retired NFL players at an early stage."

Formed in 1973, NFL Charities is a nonprofit organization that enables NFL teams and their players to contribute collectively to charitable causes on a national level.

This year, the group awarded a total of $1.5 million in grants to support sports-related medical research. The goal is to understand the risk factors that exist not only in football players, but in all athletes and those with active lifestyles.

BCM medical student elected to AMA board

Meredith Williams, a third-year medical student, will become an active member of the Board of Trustees of the American Medical Association beginning in April 2010.

She is the only medical student in the nation elected to the 21-member board and will act not only as an advisor to the 50,000 AMA-Medical Student Section membership but will also be engaged in all decisions and recommendations made by the AMA Board.

She is in the Baylor/Rice M.D./MBA program and is currently completing her MBA coursework at Rice.

Gibbons, Lamb named to leadership roles in national group

Dr. William Gibbons, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at BCM, has been elected president of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, and Dr. Dolores J. Lamb, professor of urology and of molecular and cellular biology, has been elected vice president of the ASRM. The society is a voluntary, non-profit organization devoted to advancing knowledge and expertise in reproductive medicine, including infertility, menopause, contraception and sexuality.

Young named president-elect of the Association of Professors of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Dr. Amy Young, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at BCM, has been named president-elect of the Association of Professors of Obstetrics and Gynecology. The association promotes excellence in women's health care by providing optimal resources and support to educators who inspire, instruct, develop and empower women's health care providers of tomorrow.