BCM Family NewsLink, Aug. 23, 2013

Please submit items for the weekly BCM Family Newslink to Dana Benson.

Awards and Recognitions

Graduate student earns HHMI fellowship

Ayse "Sena" Ozseker of BCM is one of 42 international pre-doctoral students to receive a fellowship from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute that provides support for graduate studies in U.S. universities. Ozseker, a native of Turkey, is a graduate student in the Program in Developmental Biology. The HHMI established the fellowships in 2011 and is now supporting 140 students from 35 countries during the most critical years of their Ph.D. work. Ozseker’s adviser is Dr. Meng Wang, assistant professor in the department of molecular and human genetics and the Huffington Center on Aging.

Scheurer receives cancer research grants

Dr. Michael Scheurer, associate professor in the department of pediatrics and the Dan L Duncan Cancer Center, received two grants for his research to develop screenings to identify patients at high risk of cancer treatment toxicity. Scheurer is a multiple principal investigator with Dr. Terri Armstrong at UTHealth School of Nursing of an R01 grant awarded through the National Institute of Nursing Research. The study team includes other investigators at BCM, MD Anderson Cancer Center, and the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group. A second grant from the nonprofit organization Voices Against Brain Cancer was awarded to Scheurer to expand the scope of the research included in the R01. Read more about the grant online. Scheurer is also part of the Texas Children’s Cancer Center where he directs the Epidemiology Center.

Student leadership on medical associations

A number of BCM students have assumed leadership roles in the Texas Medical Association and the American Medical Association. They include:

Arindam Sarkar, chair of the TMA Medical Student Section (MSS)
Raghuveer Puttagunta, TMA Co-Delegate Leader
Shawdon Molavi, TMA-MSS Alternate Representative, Committee on Professional Liability
Bryan Whitlow, TMA-MSS Alternate Representative, Committee on Patient-Physician Advocacy
Julie Whitlow, TMA-MSS Alternate Representative, Council on Health Care Quality
Abhinav Khanna, AMA Medical Student Section Regional Delegate
Rachel Solnick, AMA Delegate Co-leader for TMA
Ryan Martin, Committee Member of National Economics and Quality

Congratulations to BCM students for their leadership in these organizations.

Events

Healthcare for the Homeless program focus of next Compassion lecture

Dr. Yasmeen Quadri, associate professor of family and community medicine, will give the next Compassion and the Art of Medicine lecture on the Healthcare for the Homeless program on Friday, Aug. 30, starting at 12:10 p.m. in Cullen Auditorium. Quadri serves as medical director for Harris Health System’s Healthcare for the Homeless. The program has vastly increased medical services for the homeless population under her leadership. The lecture program is presented annually by the department of family and community medicine.

College News

24 Hour Fitness discount for eligible employees

24 Hour Fitness is offering extra savings for eligible BCM employees who join the gym from Aug. 20 – 30. Rates for BCM employees for all-club sport memberships are normally $29.99 but during this time they will be $26.99. Visit 24 Hour Fitness to join online using corporate ID 83734 or call 1-800-224-0240. In addition, 24 Hour Fitness representatives will be on Campus at BCM Wednesday, Aug. 28 and Thursday, Aug. 29 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Cullen Building in front of Rayzor Lounge.

Faculty in the News

Another big week for BCM mentions in the Houston Chronicle Read this coverage and other BCM news media mentions in this week’s Faculty in the News.