News for BCM Faculty, Jan. 17, 2019
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Ask Me About My Research: Dr. Dorit Donoviel, director of the Translational Research Institute for Space Health and a faculty senator, and her friend Ben Phifer show just how easy it is to start a conversation about your research in this video. Talking about the great work going on at Baylor not only informs the public but also might inspire the next generation of scientists. You can pick up an “Ask Me About My Research” button in the Office of Communications and Community Outreach, Room 176B, main Baylor.

Academic Council: President Paul Klotman gave an update on the restructuring of the Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center leadership team. Dr. T. Douglas Lawson, CEO of Catholic Health Initiatives’ Texas Division, has stepped into the role of Baylor St. Luke’s president and is developing a 90-day plan to include new initiatives in the areas of clinical excellence, patient experience and workplace culture. Lawson, who formerly led Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, has more than 30 years of experience and a comprehensive understanding of hospital management and academic medicine. He is fully committed to transforming BSLMC into a world-class academic medical center in partnership with Baylor. He met with the Faculty Group Practice executive leadership after the council meeting.

• Klotman noted positive developments at BSLMC including being named last month as a Top Teaching Hospital by The Leapfrog Group, an independent hospital watchdog organization. BSLMC was the only hospital in Houston and one of four in Texas to earn the highly competitive Top Teaching Hospital Award. This recognition follows the hospital’s “A” Hospital Safety Grade in both spring and fall 2018, also from The Leapfrog Group.
• Clinical Dean Jim McDeavitt discussed the merger of CHI with Dignity Health, set for early February, which will create the largest not-for-profit healthcare system in the United States. The College will be the academic medical center for the new entity, CommonSpirit Health.
• General Counsel Bob Corrigan stated that the College continues contract negotiations with Harris Health. The delivery of high quality care to underserved communities and support for the training of medical and health professions students, residents and fellows at Ben Taub Hospital and its clinics are unaffected by the discussions.
• Corrigan also commented on the federal government shutdown. While the Department of Defense, Veterans Administration and National Institutes of Health are funded, other grantmakers, such as U.S. Agency for International Development, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Science Foundation, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Food and Drug Administration and Environmental Protection Agency, currently are not funded. He recommends investigators contact the awarding agencies to learn how they are handling grants.
• Dr. Carolyn Smith, senior associate dean of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, presented the case for increasing graduate student stipends to remain competitive with peer institutions. The council voted to endorse the increase.

DLDCCC Move: Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center outpatient clinics will move to the seventh floor of the Baylor medical center on the McNair Campus, 7200 Cambridge St., over the holiday weekend and will open on Tuesday, Jan. 22. The seventh floor will house 54 new clinic rooms dedicated to cancer appointments, including four mammography units. Cancer clinics located on the seventh floor will include bone and soft tissue sarcomas, gastrointestinal, gynecological, leukemia and lymphoma, and the Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center. The new facility also will include an expanded infusion center serving Duncan Cancer Center patients and a state-of-the-art pharmacy to meet the needs of clinical trials. All clinic and administrative phone numbers for the Duncan Cancer Center will remain the same. Patients needing information on location and services can call (713) 798-2262. Employees visiting the new DLDCCC outpatient clinics can view the shuttle schedule to the McNair Campus.

College Events

MLK Day: The College will be closed on Monday, Jan. 21, in observance of the birthday of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.

World Religion Day: The Institute for Spirituality and Health hosts “Interfaith Panel: Celebrating World Religion Day” at noon Tuesday, Jan. 22, in Room 201A. The panel discussion will bring together three traditions to highlight perspectives on the relationship between health and religious identity, belief and practice.

History of Medicine: Dr. Garabed Eknoyan, professor of medicine – nephrology, speaks on “The Quest for Certitude in Medicine” at noon Tuesday, Jan. 22, in Cullen Auditorium, main Baylor, as part of the elective course sponsored by the College, McGovern Medical School and TMC Library.

Beaudet Alumni Symposium: The Department of Molecular and Human Genetics celebrates a lifetime of science, medicine and mentoring with the Arthur L. Beaudet, M.D. Alumni Scientific Symposium, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 23, in Cullen Auditorium, main Baylor. Beaudet, the former longtime department chair, has served on the faculty since 1970. For more information, contact Charlotte Cherry.

Faculty Resources

Learning Environment Series: The International Association of Medical Science Educators Winter 2019 Webinar Series topic is “The Learning Environment in Health Sciences Education,” with a session at 11 a.m. today, Jan. 17. Contact the Office of Faculty Development to register for free participation on your computer or join the viewing party from 11 a.m. to noon on Thursdays through Feb. 7 in Room N112.

Portfolio Workshop: Learn tips and strategies for preparing a clinical or educational portfolio for promotion or faculty awards at the Educational Portfolio Workshop, 2 - 4 p.m. Friday, Jan. 25, in Room N317, main Baylor. To RSVP, contact Faculty Developement at (713) 798-7285.

For a Good Cause

Spin for Gyn: Help raise funds for the BCM Woman to Woman gynecologic cancer support program and earn 100 BeWell Vitality points by cycling for a cure from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 26, in the spin class at LA Fitness, 2130 W Holcombe Blvd. Sign up online.

Harley's Angels: Support breast cancer awareness, education and research by joining the Baylor team for Harley's Angels Battle against Breast Cancer 5k Fun Run, March 16 at the San Jacinto Battleground in La Porte. Register online; 250 Vitality points are available.

Attention Clinicians: See Clinical Events

Clinical Seminars

Surgery Grand Rounds: The Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery hosts a case presentation conference at 7 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 23, in Room N315, main Baylor.

Just Medicine: The Baker Institute for Public Policy hosts Dr. Dayna Bowen Matthew of the University of Virginia School of Law, discussing her book on health disparities, “Just Medicine: A Cure for Racial Inequality in America,” at 5:15 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 23, in James A. Baker III Hall, Rice University. Register online to attend.

Mental Health: Attend a state legislative briefing on mental health services in Houston by Dr. Andy Keller, president and CEO of Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute (MMHPI) at 5 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 24, at the Texas Medical Center Innovation Institute, 2450 Holcombe Blvd, Suite X. The event is co-hosted by the Hackett Center for Mental Health, MMHPI and institute board members Maureen Hackett and Dr. Elizabeth McIngvale, assistant professor of psychiatry & behavioral sciences.

Women's Heart Symposium: Dr. Stephanie Coulter, clinical associate professor of medicine and associate director of non-invasive cardiology at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center, is course director for the 9th annual Women’s Heart and Vascular Symposium on Saturday, Jan. 26, in Texas Heart Institute’s Cooley Auditorium. Dr. Jeff Williamson, a gerontologist at Wake Forest School of Medicine, presents the keynote address, “Sprint Mind: Beyond the Heart: Impact of Blood Pressure on Cognitive Decline and Dementia.” Register online.

Attention Researchers: See Research Calendar

Research Seminars

Epidemiology: Dr. Yong Li of the Cleveland Clinic speaks on “TP53 and Roundup as Cancer Risk Factors” as part of the Epidemiology & Population Sciences speaker series at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 22, in Room 187A, main Baylor.

Alford Lecture: Dr. Joy Y. Wu, assistant professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, presents “Interactions Between Bone and Blood in Health and Disease” at the 5th Annual Bobby R. Alford, M.D. Grand Rounds Distinguished Lecture, 4 p.m. Feb. 20 in Room M112.

Call for Abstracts

Cancer: The DLDCCC 16th Annual Symposium, set for March 1, is accepting abstracts through Tuesday, Jan. 22. Submit your abstract to Amy Craft. Register for the symposium online.

Digestive Diseases: Submit an abstract and poster for the Texas Medical Center Digestive Diseases Center’s 10th Annual Frontiers in Digestive Diseases Symposium, March 2. All abstracts should be submitted electronically to Sara Tristan by Feb. 8. Abstracts and posters can be related to any digestive diseases research. Cash prizes are available.

Research Resources

IRB News: Changes to the Common Rule, the federal policy governing human subjects research, go into effect Monday, Jan. 21. Studies approved by the College’s Institutional Review Board on or after Jan. 21 will be governed by the new rule. Studies approved prior to Jan. 21 will NOT have to be amended. More information regarding the IRB’s implementation of the revised Common Rule can be found on the Office of Research webpage.

Physician-Scientist Award: The Burroughs Wellcome Fund Physician-Scientist Institutional Awards program is accepting applications for up to five $2.5 million grants to increase the number of single degree M.D.s who enter research and launch careers as independent investigators. The one-step full application is due Feb. 15. Please visit the website for more details.

From the Labs: Read how Dr. Massimo Pietropaolo, professor of medicine – endocrinology and McNair Scholar, is coaching the immune system to delay type 1 diabetes in mice models in this blog post. You can receive twice-weekly articles on Baylor's research and innovation highlights as they are posted by going to From the Labs and entering your email address in the "Subscribe" box on the right. Or get a digest at the end of the month with links to the articles posted that month by emailing science writer Ana Rodríguez with "Subscribe me to From the Labs" in the subject line.

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