News for BCM Faculty, Jan. 27, 2022
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College News

Caption: January is Thyroid Awareness Month. Learn more about thyroid cancer surgery and the difference between hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism.

Faculty Kudos

Dr. Mingshan Xue, assistant professor in the Departments of Neuroscience and Molecular and Human Genetics and an investigator at the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, received the 2021 Million Dollar Bike Ride (MDBR) pilot grant from the Orphan Disease Center. He received about $80,000 for his research project titled, "A novel mouse model for developing therapeutic approaches to STXBP1 encephalopathy" and is one of the 37 MDBR pilot grant awardees this year.

Dr. Christophe Herman, professor of molecular and human genetics and molecular virology and microbiology, and Dr. Yong Li, professor of medicine in epidemiology and population science, are among 564 new American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellows. Herman was awarded for distinguished contributions in the field of bacterial genetics, physiology and biochemistry. Li was awarded for developing novel strategies for understanding mechanistic processes influencing gene expression, including effects from microRNA, exposure to environmental toxicants and their interactive effects with genetic factors on cancer development.

Coming Up

TEDx: The Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy is hosting TEDxBaylorCollegeofMedicine, the college's first TEDx event, on Feb. 8. The virtual seminar will feature nine speakers from Baylor and the Houston community and will be livestreamed from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Find more information about the event, the speakers and how to register.

Human Genome Sequencing Center: The Human Genome Sequencing Center will host a virtual seminar titled "Learning About Long-Read Sequencing Utility and Applications" from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Jan. 28. The utility of long-read sequencing has proven to be a valuable source of scientific discovery and medical relevance. Seminar organizers are Dr. Fritz Sedlazeck, Dr. Harsha Doddapaneni and Shalini Jhangiani. Find more information and register for the seminar.

Faculty Opportunities

Hackathon: The Department of Education, Technology, & Innovation is searching for the next big idea in health professions and health sciences education. Deadline to apply is Jan. 31. Teams will compete for up to $25,000 to develop and grow an innovative project to pitch March 2 to a panel of judges at an event hackathon. Learn more and register your team. Watch a video of our informational session.

MHC Tetramer Core: The MHC Tetramer Production Core is an Institutional Advanced Technology Core (ATC) available to all BCM investigators on a fee-for-service basis. The mission of the core is to provide customized MHC/peptide tetramers for identification of antigen specific T lymphocytes by flow cytometry. A set of SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 MHC/peptide tetramers recently was produced.

The major products provided by the core are:

• Standard or customized MHC/peptide class I tetramers
• Biotinylated or Non-biotinylated MHC/peptide class I monomers
• MHC Monomers for generating TCR-like antibodies
• MHC Class I monomers and tetramers designed for ligand exchange

Collaborative Research Projects: The Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center is soliciting proposals to conduct collaborative cancer-related research with the Helis Medical Research Foundations. Proposals will only be accepted by full-time, regular rank faculty members. The primary goal of this collaborative research opportunity is to foster fundamental, discovery driven biomedical research that may lead to target validation, new target identification and drug development. For more information, email DLDCCCgrants@bcm.edu. Upload a completed proposal by March 21 using the DLDCCC Proposal Submission Form.

Math tutoring: The Center for Educational Outreach is recruiting math tutor volunteers for middle and high school math at BCM's associated middle and high schools. If you enjoy math and enjoy working with youth, please sign up for an orientation and any available time slots. A weekly or near-weekly volunteer is needed to help close the learning gap. Virtual tutoring is possible. However, if you will be able to tutor in person, please indicate on the form. Apply online.

Master Clinician Faculty Award for Excellence in Patient Care: Please submit nomination packets on or before Feb. 14 to Deborah Fernandez. For information regarding details of eligibility, criteria, and the nomination and selection process, visit Faculty Awards – Patient Care.

Announcements

Baylor Shuttle: Effective Jan. 24, the BCM shuttle stop at Baylor Clinic, 6620 Main St., will be temporarily changed due to construction in the valet lane. The temporary shuttle stop location for Baylor Clinic will be on Southgate Street, across from the Baylor Clinic parking garage entry/exit. See a map on the Shuttle Services InTouch page.

Questions or Comments?

Faculty Senate: Please contact your senator for faculty-related questions or suggestions.

Institutional Policy Committee: Contact the Policy Committee to learn more about College policies and procedures.

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