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News for BCM Faculty, March 5, 2020
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Ben Taub Agreement: Baylor College of Medicine and Harris Health system approved a 15-year affiliation agreement on Feb. 28. The agreement ensures that Baylor will continue to provide excellent healthcare services to patients at Ben Taub Hospital and the system’s community clinics. Baylor has been a partner to what is now Ben Taub Hospital (pictured above) since 1949. Harris Health signed a separate agreement with the University of Texas Health Science Center - Houston for coverage at Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital and other community clinics. The new agreements take effect July 1, 2020.

Coronavirus Updates: The Coronavirus Preparedness website is Baylor College of Medicine’s central source of information about COVID-19. All clinical faculty, residents and fellows must complete the CME course that is included on the website. It is not time-intensive, and contains good, current information. Medical students and other trainees are encouraged to participate in this training as well. Anyone involved in direct patient care should view the PPE training video on the site, along with the hand-washing video.

  • Baylor has enacted a temporary policy change to cease all College-funded travel to Italy and Iran, as well as China and South Korea. The Coronavirus website includes guidelines for Baylor travelers.

Faculty Kudos

Dr. Rachel Davis, assistant professor in the Doctor of Nursing Practice Program – Nurse Anesthesia, is the first in the School of Health Professions to earn the credential of Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator from the Society for Simulation in Healthcare. The society fosters improvements in simulation technology, educational methods, practitioner assessment and patient safety that promote better patient care.

Dr. Hani Jneid, associate professor of medicine and director of interventional cardiology research, is leading a three-part layperson’s course on prevention, treatments and innovations in heart disease that began March 3 at the Glasscock School of Continuing Studies, Rice University.

Dr. Bhagavatula Moorthy, professor of pediatrics – neonatology and a member of the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, has been appointed as the inaugural Kurt Randerath, M.D. Endowed Chair at Texas Children’s Hospital. A Baylor faculty member since 1995, he is recognized for his research in hyperoxic lung injury and his mentoring of trainees and junior faculty. Randerath was a professor of pharmacology and head of the toxicology division at Baylor for 30 years and made important contributions to cancer research.

Dr. Fanny Morón, associate professor of radiology, is this week’s featured senator. Read about her work with trainees and her service on the Faculty Senate on the faculty intranet portal.

Dr. David Poplack, professor of pediatrics - hematology & oncology and director of Global Hematology-Oncology Pediatric Excellence at Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Centers, was honored with the first-ever Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer Lifetime Achievement Award at the Foundation's Lemonade Ball

Dr. Cliona Rooney, professor of pediatrics in the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, was one of 68 new fellows elected to the American Academy of Microbiology for 2020. Fellows are elected annually through a selective, peer-review process based on their records of scientific achievement and original contributions that have advanced microbiology. Rooney also was honored recently as one of four 2020 Women Leaders in Science by BioHouston, a local organization seeking to position the city as a leader in life science and biotechnology commercialization.

Dr. Lakshmi Srivaths, associate professor of pediatrics – hematology, was selected as an Honorary Member of the Foundation for Women and Girls with Blood Disorders. In this role, she will help advance the foundation's efforts in improving clinical care, education and research in the field of adolescent females with bleeding and thrombophilia/thrombosis.

Alpha Omega Alpha Inductees: The Baylor Chapter of Alpha Omega Alpha will induct the following outstanding faculty members into the medical honor society at its Tuesday, March 24, ceremony and banquet: Dr. Mahboob Alam, associate professor of medicine, Dr. Benjamin Frankfort, associate professor of ophthalmology and neuroscience, Dr. Catherine Mary Gannon, assistant professor of pediatrics, Dr. Ruben Hernaez, assistant professor of medicine, Dr. Waleed Kayani, assistant professor of medicine, Dr. Michelle Lopez, assistant professor of pediatrics, Dr. Michelle Ludwig, associate professor of radiation oncology, Dr. David Netscher, professor of surgery, Dr. Timothy Porea, associate professor of pediatrics, and Dr. Alireza Shamshirsaz, associate professor of surgery and obstetrics & gynecology. Contact Yvette Pinales to RSVP for the event at the Houston Medical Center Westin.

College Events

Colon Cancer: The Colon Cancer Coalition asks you to wear blue on Friday, March 6, to raise awareness about the second leading cause of cancer death and gather for a group photo at noon in the courtyard at main Baylor.

  • On Monday, March 9, Mayor Sylvester Turner will join Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center physicians and representatives from the American Cancer Society outside the John P. McGovern Texas Medical Center Commons to declare March Colon Cancer Awareness Month in Houston. The event begins at 11 a.m.
  • The National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable has honored the DLDCCC with the "80% In Every Community National Achievement Award," which recognizes efforts to increase colorectal screening rates.

Marfan Walk: Join Coselli's Crusaders or Texas Children's Champions for Health for the Marfan Foundation's 2020 Walk for Victory, noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 7, at Discovery Green. Dr. Joseph Coselli, professor of surgery, and Dr. Shaine Morris, assistant professor of pediatrics - cardiology, are medical directors for this one-mile walk that raises money and awareness for Marfan syndrome, a genetic connective tissue disorder that affects the heart, eyes, bones and spine.

Precision Medicine Grand Rounds: “ACCE Framework for Clinical Molecular Genetics Laboratory Testing” is the topic of a CME-eligible presentation by Dr. Robert Nussbaum, chief medical officer of Invitae Corporation and clinical volunteer faculty at the University of California, San Francisco, at noon Monday, March 9, in the Cooley Auditorium, Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center.

Wellness Fair: Travel through life-size, inflatable organs to learn more about how the body operates at the Wellness Fair, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, March 10, in the Courtyard and Rayzor Lounge, main Baylor. Experts will be on hand to discuss otolaryngology, Ob/Gyn, surgery, physical activity, nutrition and pet adoption. Eligible participants will receive 150 BCM BeWell Vitality points for attending.

DocTalk: “Back Pain” is the topic of a DocTalk with Dr. David Xu, assistant professor of neurosurgery, and Dr. Krishna Shah, assistant professor of anesthesiology, at noon Wednesday, March 11, in Kleberg Auditorium, main Baylor.

Faculty Opportunities

CTAPS Facilitators: The School of Medicine is soliciting nominations for team-based learning (TBL) facilitators and session designer positions to support the active learning course Critical Thinking and Problem Solving (CTAPS), which is required for all first-year medical students and directed by Dr. Sarah Bezek. Innovative faculty members with an interest in learning to integrate metacognition and critical thinking concepts within problem-based learning or team-based learning instructional modalities are encouraged to apply. The TBL facilitator and session designer administrative efforts and FTE will be supported by the Office of Curriculum. See the Faculty Opportunities page for more details and apply by Wednesday, March 18.

Student Committees: The Student Services Committee and Student Appeals and Grievances Committee seek faculty members to serve on the committees, which represent students in all degree-granting programs at the College. Full-time physicians and scientists with teaching or mentoring experience are encouraged to apply. See Faculty Opportunities for additional requirements and more information.

Off Script: Calling all creative writers! The Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy invites physicians, researchers, faculty, students and staff to submit a story to the Narrative Medicine program. This round's theme is "hope."" Submit a 600-900-word story sketch by Monday, March 9. Finalists will workshop and share their stories at an event on April 16. Find more information online.

Call for Abstracts: The Texas Educator’s Academies Collaborative for Health Professions Southeast will hold its Annual Educational Symposium on May 7, with the theme of “Curriculum Innovation and its Impact on Educator Identities.” You are invited to participate by submitting an abstract by Tuesday, March 10. The daylong event provides a forum for showcasing scholarly innovations of the regional community of educators with a plenary speaker, workshops, small group discussions, demonstrations, and oral and poster presentations. More information is available online.

Faculty Resources

DOI Update: The Disclosure of Outside Interest (DOI) process for 2019 is underway. All calendar year 2019 financial disclosures must be reported by BCM covered personnel through the DOI Portal by March 31. Compliance will email a reminder on Monday, March 9, to those who have not yet completed the disclosure process. Training materials are available on the BCM DOI intranet page, including a list of department representatives who can offer assistance. Additional questions can be directed to compliance@bcm.edu or research.coi@bcm.edu.

IAMSE Webinars: The International Association of Medical Science Educators Spring 2020 Webinar Series topic is “Evolution and Revolution in Medical Education: Health Systems Science” with the first of five Thursday sessions starting at 11 a.m. today, March 5, and archived. Contact Faculty Development to register for free participation on your computer.

Rodeo Raffle: Enter online for a chance to win a pair of tickets to the 2020 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Winners will be selected by random drawing and notified by email. The College is proud to be a part of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo by sponsoring the Chuck Wagon Races and hand sanitizer stations throughout the livestock show and rodeo grounds.


Attention Clinicians: See Clinical Events

Clinical Seminars

From Stress to Strength, a three-part program for parents of teens and young adults with intellectual and development disabilities and/or autism, starts Saturday, March 7. Sponsored by, Baylor and Texas Children's Hospital, the program offers techniques to lower stress, depression and anxiety and information on transitioning from pediatric to adult care. Offered in English and Spanish; learn more and register online.

Pathology: The All-City Anatomic Pathology Symposium starts Thursday, March 26, at Baylor College of Medicine, with presentations and workshops on training programs, forensics, transplant medicine, precision medicine and more. Sponsored by the Department of Pathology and Immunology; CME credit available. Register online.

Endoscopy: The second annual Texas Interventional Endoscopy Workshop, "Submucosal & Transluminal Endoscopy," is Friday, March 27, at the Baylor Simulation Center, main Baylor. Gastroenterologists will provide hands-on training and roundtable discussion on advanced endoscopic procedures in this CME-eligible course. Register online to attend.

GI & Liver: The 20th annual GI & Liver Course, "Managing and Avoiding Complications," starts Saturday, March 28, at Onstead Auditorium, MD Anderson Mitchell Basic Science Research Building. It is open to gastroenterologists, hepatologists, internists, primary care physicians, nurses, physician assistants, medical trainees and students. CME credit is available. Register online.


Attention Researchers: See Research Calendar

Research Seminars

Neuroscience: Dr. Gregory Corrado, senior director of research & innovations at Google AI, discusses “Modern AI, a former neuroscientist’s perspective” at 11 a.m. Friday, March 6, in Room N315, main Baylor.

Biostatistics: Dr. Susan Hilsenbeck, professor, academic director of Biostatistics & Informatics Shared Resources and faculty senator, discusses "Designing and Analyzing Experiments with Animals or Humans" at noon Tuesday, March 10, in Room N315, main Baylor, as part of the Advanced Technology Cores seminar series.

Immunology: “Persistence Strategies of Uropathogenic Escherichia Coli” is the topic of a seminar by Dr. Maria Hadjifrangiskou, associate professor of pathology, microbiology & immunology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, at 4 p.m. Tuesday, March 10, in Room M112, main Baylor.

Research Resources

HGSC Hackathon: The deadline to register for the Pan-Structural Variation Hackathon is Sunday, March 15. Researchers and trainees are invited to develop pipelines for large-scale genomic analyses and advance the priorities of personalized medicine during the Research Symposium and Hackathon April 18-21 in the Texas Medical Center, hosted by the Human Genome Sequencing Center.

From the Labs: Read what Dr. Neil Hanchard, assistant professor of molecular & human genetics at the USDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center, learned from studying severe acute childhood malnutrition at the molecular level in this post. Receive From the Labs via email by entering your email address in the box at the end of any article and clicking the "subscribe" button.


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