NewsLink, Jan. 22, 2021
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Coronavirus Information

COVID vaccine trial enrolling

Baylor has been selected to participate in the Phase 3 clinical trial to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of Novavax's COVID-19 vaccine candidate. Enrollment is open to adults over age 18, and researchers are hoping to enroll individuals who have been impacted by the pandemic in greater numbers, including people over age 65, individuals with underlying medical conditions, and members of the Black, Latinx, Asian American, Native American and Alaskan Native communities. To learn more, call 713-798-4912, or email COVID-VAX@bcm.edu.

Awards and Recognitions

Health disparity grants

The College has awarded its first round of grants for research projects on racial health disparities and social determinants of health in support of its position statement "Strengthening Our Commitment to Racial Justice to Improve Public Health." The Office of the President garnered 46 proposals, from which eight were selected for one-year grants totaling $250,000. See more on the funded projects and their investigators.

Gupta earns prostate cancer award

Dr. Sachin Kumar Gupta, instructor in the Department of Pathology & Immunology in the lab of Dr. Laising Yen, has received the highly competitive 2020 Prostate Cancer Foundation Young Investigator Award. The three-year, $225,000 award will support his project, "Investigating the Pathological Role of AZI1 RNA in TMPRSS2-ERG Gene Fusion Formations."

Rodriguez named HIV program ambassador

Natalia Rodriguez, M.P.H., program manager in infectious diseases of the Baylor – Houston AIDS Education Training Center, was selected as a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2021 Ambassador for the Let's Stop HIV Together campaign. Rodriguez is one of 12 ambassadors across the U.S. who will work with local leaders to promote the campaign by disseminating HIV messaging, materials and other CDC resources in the cities that are identified for campaign implementation efforts.

Events

Learn about at-home genetic tests

Tens of millions of people have taken at-home genetic tests that offer insight into ancestry, physical traits and disease risk. But how accurate are results and what are next steps? Learn more from Daniel Riconda, director of Baylor's Genetic Counseling Program, at Evenings with Genetics Tuesday, Jan. 26, 7 p.m. The virtual program is free but registration required.

Arrhythmia focus of CVRI seminar

The Cardiovascular Research Institute invites Baylor community members interested in cardiovascular sciences to join its next seminar, "Studying Incomplete Penetrance in Inherited Arrhythmias," presented by Dr. Isabelle Deschenes of Ohio State University, Wednesday, Jan. 27, at noon, by Zoom. Deschenes' research focuses on the molecular basis of cardiac arrhythmias.

Medicine Grand Rounds on pandemic resilience

Department of Medicine Grand Rounds will continue virtually Thursday, Jan. 28, 12:15 – 1:15 p.m. on "Cultivating Compassion with Wisdom: The Continuum of Moral Distress to Moral Resilience in a Pandemic," presented by Dr. Tessy Thomas of Geisinger Medical Center. Offered in collaboration with the Center for Professionalism; attend by Zoom (Passcode: 041933).

Hematology & Oncology Grand Rounds with Mayor Turner

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, with an introduction by Baylor President and CEO Dr. Paul Klotman, will present at Hematology and Medical Oncology Grand Rounds on "Leading Houston through a Time of Racial Tension while Managing a Pandemic," Friday, Jan. 29, 1 – 2 p.m. Attend by Zoom (Passcode: 981418).

Best of breast cancer symposium

The Best of the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium is open to the Baylor community free of charge, Jan. 30, 8 a.m. – noon. Register online.

Baruch Brody lecture

Baylor's Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy hosts a virtual lecture by the winner of the 2020-2021 Baruch A. Brody Award in Bioethics, Dr. Camisha Russell, assistant professor of philosophy at the University of Oregon and co-editor of "Hypatia: A Journal of Feminist Philosophy," Tuesday, Feb. 2, at noon. Her talk is titled "Meeting the Moment: Bioethics in the Time of Black Lives Matter." Sign up online to receive the Zoom link. The award is named in memory of Dr. Baruch Brody, founding director of Baylor's Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy.

Blood drive

Baylor College of Medicine will host a Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center blood drive on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. in the BCM Gym, 8th floor of garage 6. Appointments are required. Donors will receive a free T-shirt and antibody testing and will be entered in a raffle for Spirit Airlines roundtrip tickets.

College News

Introducing Baylor Spine Center

The Baylor Medicine Spine Center provides the full continuum of care for patients experiencing back and neck pain. From diagnosis to the latest in evidence-based treatment options, we are committed to improving the quality of life of our patients through high-quality, multidisciplinary care. Find the Spine Center online, and contact the center at 713-798-BACK (2225) or SpineCenter@bcm.edu.

IT news: Cellular coverage improvement at Jamail

The Jamail Specialty Care Center now has a distributed antenna system (DAS) that allows employees and patients to have better access to the cellular network for voice and data through Verizon and T-Mobile, with plans to add AT&T in the next fiscal year. IT also is working with T-Mobile to add a DAS at main Baylor through T-Mobile's $4 million project investment. Learn more about the DAS by visiting the IT Service Portal.

Faculty in the News

Baylor experts weigh in on the latest pandemic developments. Check out this and Baylor's other news media mentions in this week's Faculty in the News, and follow BCMHouston_News on Twitter to keep up with our experts in the media. Interested in science news? Read the latest in From the Labs.

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