News for BCM Faculty, Feb. 7, 2019
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Open House: Sixth graders from Baylor College of Medicine Academy at Ryan spent a morning on campus learning about what it takes to be a physician, scientist or health professional. The Jan. 31 event, sponsored by the Center for Educational Outreach, included student panels, Anatomage demonstrations and hands-on experiments from the BCM Simulation Core. Pictured here is medical student Alyssa Thomason helping a student find his heartbeat. Photo courtesy of Travis Kelleher.

Faculty Kudos

Dr. Chris Amos, professor of medicine – epidemiology & population science, was appointed director of the Institute for Clinical and Translational Research by the College’s Board of Trustees at its Jan. 30 meeting. The Board also designated ICTR as an academic unit, the tenth “big C” center at Baylor, following its endorsement by Academic Council.

Dr. Mark Bonnen was confirmed as chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology by the Board at the same meeting. A professor in the department, he had served as interim chair since 2014. Bonnen shared his vision for the department and accomplishments to date with Academic Council, which voted to approve his appointment in December.

Dr. Kyle Brown, third-year fellow in pediatric critical care medicine, and his mentor, Dr. Alan Riley, assistant professor of pediatrics - cardiology, wrote the winning abstract for the American Thoracic Society Innovation in Fellowship Education award, the third time the fellowship program has received the honor since 2014. Brown will present the abstract, “Innovating a Mastery Learning Program for Point-of-Care Ultrasound Using the Design-Based Research Model,” at the 2019 ATS International Conference in Dallas.

Dr. Aruna Gottumukkala, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, led a team of Baylor and DeBakey VA Medical Center researchers in creating the Pocket Guide for Clinicians for Management of Chronic Pain. It won the Excellence in Educational Scholarship Award from the South Central Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center.

Dr. Prathap Jayaram, assistant professor of physical medicine & rehabilitation, was honored with the Richard S. Materson Education Research Fund New Investigator Award from the Foundation for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. His research involves “In Vivo Gene Therapy Treatment Compared to Autologous Conditioned Plasma for Post-traumatic Osteoarthritis.”

Dr. Peter Kan, associate professor of neurosurgery, received a grant from the Joe Niekro Foundation for his project, “Examining the cognitive outcomes of patients with unruptured intracranial aneurysms undergoing treatment with flow diversion.” The late Astros pitcher’s foundation supports research and treatment of brain aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations and hemorrhagic strokes.

Dr. Jeffrey Ross, associate professor of surgery in the Division of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy, was elected president of the Texas Podiatric Medical Association at the group’s 101st annual meeting in Galveston. In addition to his work at Ben Taub Hospital and the Quentin Mease Diabetic Foot Clinic, he also is involved in the foot service and the Save the Extremity Program at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center.

College Events

OncLive Summit: Dr. Benjamin Musher, associate professor of medicine – hematology-oncology, co-chairs the OncLive State of the Science Summit starting at 5 p.m. today, Feb. 7, at DoubleTree by Hilton - Greenway Plaza. The event provides updates on the evaluation and treatment of GI cancers and includes presentations by Musher and Dr. Brando Smaglo, assistant professor of medicine – hematology-oncology.

Black History in Science: The Association for Graduate Student Diversity presents the award-winning film “Hidden Figures” at 3 p.m. Friday, Feb. 8, in Room M112, main Baylor. The series continues each Friday afternoon in February with films that depict the contributions of African Americans to scientific research.

Precision Medicine Grand Rounds: Dr. Brendan Lee, professor and Robert and Janice McNair Endowed Chair in Molecular and Human Genetics, discusses the “Multi-omic Approach to Undiagnosed Diseases” at noon Monday, Feb. 11, at Denton A. Cooley Auditorium, 6770 Bertner Ave. The talk, which is eligible for CME credits, will demonstrate the value of integrating precision medicine principles in routine clinical care.

The Partnership: “Things that Fly and Bite: Bug-Borne Diseases and Staying Healthy,” is the topic of The Partnership for BCM’s lunchtime lecture. Dr. Laila Woc-Colburn, associate professor of medicine and faculty senator, speaks at the event, which begins at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 12, at the Briar Club, 2603 Timmons Lane. Register online to attend.

Faculty Opportunities

Women of Excellence: Nominations are being accepted for the Women of Excellence Awards, which will be presented during Women’s History Month in March. Nominees can be women and men, faculty, staff and trainees, who have demonstrated extraordinary dedication to issues that affect women at the College or in the larger community while also exemplifying Baylor values. Learn more and nominate online by Monday, Feb. 25.

ESME Scholarships: The Office of Faculty Development and Academy of Distinguished Educators are pleased to announce the availability of two faculty scholarships to attend the Essential Skills in Medical Education (ESME) Course conducted at the annual meeting of the International Association of Medical Science Educators June 7 – 11 in Roanoke, Va. The scholarship will cover all travel expenses and course registration. More information and the application form are available on the Faculty Opportunities webpage. Applications are due to Deborah Fernandez by 5 p.m. March 1.

Faculty Resources

Feedback Workshop: Feedback is a pivotal component for growth and progress throughout one’s career. In "The Gentle Art of Giving and Receiving Feedback," participants will reflect on barriers and discuss best practices surrounding feedback from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 19, in Room M319, main Baylor. RSVP to the Office of Faculty Development.

Physician Wellness: The Texas Medical Association Physician Health and Wellness Exchange brings together medical students, residents and faculty members to collaborate on ideas and best practices for wellness and resilience in academic medical centers. The CME-eligible seminar begins at 8:15 a.m. March 2 in Cullen Auditorium, main Baylor. It includes a poster session; submit your abstract by Friday, Feb. 8. Register online for the seminar.

Education Abstracts Call: Abstracts describing educational projects are being accepted for the Texas Educator’s Academies Collaborative for Health Professions Symposium, set for May 3 at Galveston Convention Center. The symposium provides a forum for showcasing the scholarly innovations of the regional community of educators. Submission of work previously presented at national or regional meetings is encouraged. More information is available online. The deadline for abstract proposals is March 1.

Master Teachers: Applications are now open for the Master Teacher Fellowship Program, which aims to enhance the educational mission of the College by improving the knowledge, skills, scholarship and attitudes of faculty. The fellowship extends for 24 months, starting in October 2019, with once-a-month afternoon meetings. There is a $500 one-time fee that can be paid in three installments. Past fellows have called their time in the fellowship “a transformational experience.” All faculty at the Baylor College of Medicine are eligible for the fellowship. Applications are due April 1. For more information contact Faculty Development at (713) 798-7285.

For a Good Cause

Girls Elevated: Teen and preteen girls and their parents are invited to an event focused on living a healthy adolescence. Hosted by the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the interactive sessions cover the critical topics girls want and need to know about, such as healthy relationships, mood management and personal safety. The event begins at 8 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 23, at the United Way – Greater Houston, 50 Waugh Dr. Purchase tickets online.

Attention Clinicians: See Clinical Events

Clinical Seminars

ThoraCon: The general thoracic surgery conference series presents complex cases from the Texas Medical Center including giant intrathoracic liposarcoma, end-stage esophagus, recurrent venous thoracic outlet syndrome and post-esophagectomy recurrent leiomyoma. ThoraCon begins at 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 11, at Third Coast Restaurant, 6550 Bertner Ave. RSVP to attend.

Surgery Grand Rounds: Dr. R. Taylor Ripley, associate professor of surgery, presents “Minority MOMP: An Oncogenic Mechanism or Opportunity to Kill the Cancer Cell?” at 7 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 13, in Room N315, main Baylor. Or watch the webcast, ID: 517 471 817.

Surgical Engineering Workshop: Faculty and trainees from the Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery and Rice University’s George R. Brown School of Engineering meet for a workshop hosted by Instinct and the Rice Health-Related Research and Educational Initiatives, 4:30 – 7 p.m. Feb. 28 at the First Floor Events Hall, Bioscience Research Collaborative, 6100 Main.

Global Health Conference: The seventh annual conference, Unlimited 2019, offers two days of global health topics highlighting global surgery, health policy, health ethics, migrant health, global innovation and health environmental behaviors March 8 – 9 at Houston Methodist Hospital. Abstracts will be accepted through March 7. For more information or to register, go online.

Clinical Notes

Quality & Safety: The Institute for Continuing Professional Development for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety is now accepting applications for its spring 2019 Leading Healthcare Improvement Advanced Training Course. Open to faculty and staff, it focuses on developing leaders to guide healthcare improvements and innovations in the clinical setting. Register online for this free course by Sunday, Feb. 10.

Alpha Omega Alpha: The Baylor College of Medicine Chapter of Alpha Omega Alpha is pleased to announce a call for nominations for faculty and alumni inductees into AΩA. A lifelong honor, membership in the society confers recognition for a physician's dedication to the profession and art of healing. The nomination period is open through 11:59 p.m. Monday, Feb. 11, with nomination information available online. Please direct any questions to Dr. Daniel Chelius, BCM AΩA chapter councilor and assistant professor of otolaryngology.

Attention Researchers: See Research Calendar

Research Seminars

Finegold Symposium: National research collaborators of Dr. Milton J. Finegold, professor emeritus of pathology, gather for a scientific symposium and reception in his honor from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 9, in Room N315, main Baylor. To reserve a box lunch, call (713) 798-4795.

Human iPS Cells: Dr. Jean Kim, director of the Human Stem Cell Core, discusses “Disease Modeling and Genome Editing Using Human iPS Cells” at noon Tuesday, Feb. 12, in Room N315, main Baylor, as part of the Advanced Technology Core Labs monthly seminar series.

Tissue Clearing: The Optical Imaging & Vital Microscopy Core hosts the 2019 Tissue Clearing Workshop Feb. 25 - 26. This two-day program illustrates the latest advancements in tissue clearing technology and demonstrates the X-Clarity protocol followed by the imaging of cleared specimens on a variety of advanced fluorescence microscopes. The workshop is free, but space is limited. For details and to register, see the webpage.

Research Resources

Kleberg Foundation Grants: The Robert J. Kleberg, Jr. and Helen C. Kleberg Foundation seeks highly innovative and groundbreaking medical research proposals in basic and applied research that will have the greatest impact on scientific knowledge and human health. Proposals should be distinctive and novel in their approaches, question the prevailing paradigm, and lead to advancement of knowledge in the field. Grants average $200,000 a year for three years. Baylor may submit one proposal. The internal submission deadline is 5 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 13.

DeBakey Research Awards: Nominate a colleague for a Michael E. DeBakey, M.D., Excellence in Research Award, given annually to Baylor faculty who have made the most significant published scientific contribution to clinical or basic biomedical research during the past three years. Awardees receive a commemorative medallion and $5,000 to support their research at a ceremony in May. The awards are funded by the DeBakey Medical Foundation. The deadline for nominations is 5 p.m. Feb. 28.

From the Labs: Read how Dr. Susan Rosenberg, professor of molecular & human genetics, molecular virology & microbiology and biochemistry & molecular biology, is using E. coli to discover cell-made protein carcinogens in this blog post. Get a monthly digest of articles on Baylor's research and innovation highlights by emailing science writer Ana Rodríguez with "Subscribe me to From the Labs" in the subject line.

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