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News for BCM Faculty, April 11, 2019
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From the Labs: These multiple images show that the fruit fly’s larva brain and ventral nerve cord express high levels of ubiquilin, a protein that is required for neuronal development and maintenance and that has been linked to Lou Gehrig’s disease. April’s image of the month is courtesy of Mümine Şentürk and the Bellen lab. 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.

Academic Council:

  • Megan Fischer, vice president for quality at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center, reported that Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) concluded clinical surveys of the hospital’s facilities and operations and were impressed with the efforts of faculty and staff. Life safety surveyors will evaluate the environment of care and the physical plant in the next week and CMS and CLIA will re-visit the site in 60-90 days.
  • President Paul Klotman summarized the results of the AAMC Standpoint Surveys conducted in November: 77 percent of faculty and 78 percent of staff are satisfied or very satisfied with the College as a place to work. The Faculty Town Hall set for 5:30 p.m. April 30 in Cullen Auditorium will present the survey results in detail and chairs will receive department-level responses.
  • Dr. Klotman also announced that the Emergency Department at Baylor St. Luke’s McNair Campus opened for business Monday, meaning the facility is officially functioning as a hospital.
  • Senate Chair Oluyinka Olutoye reminded chairs and center directors that nominations are open for Faculty Senate seats representing Family & Community Medicine, Medicine (2 seats), Molecular & Human Genetics, Neurosurgery, Orthopedic Surgery, Pediatrics, Pharmacology, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Radiation Oncology, Radiology, Center for Space Medicine, Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Institute for Clinical & Translational Research. Additionally, the School of Health Professions, School of Medicine, Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center, Ben Taub Hospital and DeBakey VA Medical Center have open seats on the Senate. Information about the elections and a link to the application form are online.

Faculty Kudos

Dr. Wayne K. Goodman, D. C. and Irene Ellwood Professor and Chair in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, wrote the top cited article in the field of obsessive compulsive disorder, according to a citation analysis published in the Asian Journal of Psychiatry. His citation classic, “Yale-brown obsessive compulsive scale (Y-BOCS),” was published in the Archives of General Psychiatry in 1989 and had been cited 7,809 times as of July 2018.

Dr. Brendan Lee, Robert and Janice McNair Endowed Chair of Molecular and Human Genetics, is the recipient of the Barbara Bowman Distinguished Texas Geneticist Award from the Texas Genetics Society. The award recognizes outstanding geneticists who have made major contributions to the field of genetics and have been affiliated with a Texas institution. Dr. Lee accepted the award and gave a presentation on his research at the society's 46th annual meeting in College Station last week.

Health Care Heroes: The Houston Business Journal 2019 Health Care Heroes include 12 Baylor faculty members out of 25 winners. The annual awards recognize outstanding healthcare practitioners, physicians and rising stars who make a difference in healthcare and in the community. HBJ will celebrate the honorees and present their awards at a May 23 breakfast at the Marriott Marquis Houston.

  • The event also will salute Houston’s Healthiest Employers for going “above and beyond” in promoting healthy work environments and lifestyles for their employees. Baylor College of Medicine is a finalist in the extra-large company group.
  • Dr. Ricardo Flores, assistant professor of pediatrics and clinical director of Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Centers - The Woodlands, will accept an Outstanding Health Care Practitioner award at the event, along with Dr. Joohi Jimenez-Shahed, associate professor of neurology and a faculty senator, Dr. Julie Kaplow, associate professor of pediatrics and director of the Trauma and Grief Center, and Dr. Michele York, associate professor of neurology.
  • Outstanding Physician award recipients include Dr. Daniel DeSalvo, assistant professor of pediatric endocrinology and medical director of strategic collaboration at Texas Children’s Hospital, Dr. Lisa Hollier, professor and chief medical officer for obstetrics and gynecology, Dr. Peter Hotez, professor of pediatrics and dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine, Dr. Daniel Musher, Distinguished Service Professor of Medicine, Dr. Rayne Rouce, assistant professor of pediatrics - hematology/oncology and a faculty senator, and Dr. Christina Weng, associate professor of ophthalmology.
  • HBJ named Dr. Hsiao-Tuan Chao, assistant professor of neurology and a McNair Scholar, and Dr. Arindam Sarkar, resident in family & community medicine, as 2019 Health Care Hero Rising Stars.

College Events

Storytelling: Off Script: Stories from the Heart of Medicine reflects on “Resilience or Resistance” with stories by Dr. Nancy Glass, professor of pediatrics, Dr. Mgbechi Erondu, anesthesiology resident, and other faculty and trainees at 5:30 p.m. today, April 11, in Room M112, main Baylor. The event is organized by the Narrative Medicine Program and UTHealth’s McGovern Center for Humanities and Ethics.

Gene Regulation: The Therapeutic Innovation Center continues its second annual symposium, Therapeutics of Gene Regulation, on Friday, April 12, with a session on drugging transcription featuring keynote speaker Dr. Nathanael Gray of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Registration is free, but required to attend the symposium in Kleberg Auditorium, main Baylor.

Diversity Admissions Symposium: Accomplished undergraduate and post-baccalaureate students who traditionally have been underrepresented in medicine and science and are interested in applying to Baylor’s medical, health professions or graduate biomedical sciences schools gain advice and assistance with the admissions process at this symposium, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 13, on the main Baylor campus. It is hosted by the Office of Institutional Diversity, Inclusion and Equity and leaders from the Student National Medical Association, Latino Medical Student Association, American Medical Women's Association, BCM Pride, BCM Spectrum, Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science at BCM and Association of Graduate Student Diversity.

History of Medicine: Dr. Jessica Rohr, assistant professor of psychiatry & behavioral sciences, speaks on “From Deuteronomy to DSM-5: A historical context and conceptualization of PTSD” at noon Tuesday, April 16, in Kleberg Auditorium, main Baylor, as part of the elective course sponsored by the College, McGovern Medical School and TMC Library.

Faculty Resources

Educator Workshop: Learn best practices to orient and assess learners during clinical interactions in the Teaching at the Bedside Workshop offered by the Office of Faculty Development from 3 to 5 p.m. Friday, April 12, Room M321, main Baylor. To RSVP, contact Faculty Development at (713) 798-7285.

Career Advancement Workshops: The Office of Faculty Development offers classes to get you on the right track for promotion. To RSVP, contact Faculty Development at (713) 798-7285.

  • Current associate professors are the focus of the Pathways to Promotion Workshop, 3:30 – 5 p.m. Wednesday, April 17, in Room N317, main Baylor.
  • Get an overview of promotion guidelines at noon Thursday, April 19, in Room N112, main Baylor, or by Zoom.

Lunch & Learn: The Faculty Senate presents “What’s New in Education?” with Provost Alicia Monroe discussing the education mission of the College at noon Tuesday, April 23, in Room M323, main Baylor. All faculty are welcome to attend this brown bag event.

The Partnership: “Micro-What? The Microbiome and Your Health,” is the topic of The Partnership for BCM’s lunchtime lecture. Dr. Joseph Petrosino, interim chair of virology & microbiology, speaks at the event, which begins at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 23, at the Briar Club, 2603 Timmons Lane. Register online.

Health Equity Grand Rounds: Dr. Jamie Freeny, population health manager at Harris Health System, discusses “Adverse Childhood Experiences and Depression in African American Adolescents” at noon Wednesday, April 24, in Cullen Auditorium, main Baylor. CME credit is available.

Alumni Award Winners: Join the Alumni Association in celebrating the College’s alumni and faculty for excellence in achievement and service. The Alumni Association Awards Dinner starts at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 2, at the St. Regis Hotel Houston. Online registration is now open.


Attention Clinicians: See Clinical Events

Clinical Conferences

Quality & Safety: The College’s Sixth Annual Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Conference is set for 4 - 8 p.m. Thursday, April 25, at Onstead Auditorium, 6767 Bertner Ave. Led by Dr. Nana Coleman, assistant dean for GME, the event focuses on the value of teamwork in improving healthcare quality and safety as well as preparation, accreditation and educational compliance. Register online.

Refugees: The Alliance for Multicultural Community Services and Physicians for Human Rights at BCM are sponsoring the Second Annual Refugee Mental Health and Wellness Conference on Saturday, April 27, at United Way of Greater Houston. This year’s keynote speaker is Qusay Hussein, a noted motivational speaker and advocate for refugees and people with disabilities. Special topics of the conference this year will include border health and human trafficking. Register for the conference online.

Venom: Learn how to recognize and treat snake bites, spider bites, scorpion and jellyfish stings and other envenomations in this conference led by Dr. Spencer Greene, director of medical toxicology consultation services. The event is April 30 in Cullen Auditorium, followed by a tour and reception at the Houston Zoo. Register online by Tuesday, April 23.

Pri-Med Southwest Conference, developed in partnership with the College and course directors Drs. Stephen Greenberg, Michael Fordis and Richard Hamill, May 1 – 3 at the George R. Brown Convention Center, offers more than 40 educational sessions designed to equip healthcare professionals and trainees with the latest knowledge and tools in patient care; up to 21 CME credits available. Register online at a special rate (code BaylorVIP); students and residents may attend free of charge.


Attention Researchers: See Research Calendar

Research Seminar

McLean Lectures: The 47th Annual Verna and Marrs McLean Lectures in Biochemistry are set for the afternoon of Thursday, April 25, in Cullen Auditorium, main Baylor. At 2 p.m., Dr. Nahum Sonenberg, professor and Gilman Cheney Chair in Biochemistry and the Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Research Centre, McGill University, speaks on “TOR’s translational branch: a key regulator of cancer progression and neuronal function.” He is followed at 3:35 p.m. by Dr. Michael N. Hall, professor of biochemistry at the University of Basel and 2019 recipient of the Brupbacher Prize for Cancer Research, whose topic is “mTOR signaling in growth and metabolism.”

Research Resources

Interim Funding: The Interim Funding Program provides short-term relief funding up to $100,000 for established laboratories that have experienced a lapse in federal funding. The College provides awards for up to twelve months' duration. Full eligibility, award and application information for fiscal year 2020 is available online. The deadline for applications is 5 p.m. Wednesday, April 17.

Bridge Funding: Through the Bridge to Independence Program, the College provides bridge funding of up to $100,000 for junior faculty members who have spent down their seed but not yet obtained independent funding. Full eligibility, award and application information for FY 2020 is available online. The application deadline is 5 p.m. Wednesday, April 17.


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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