News for BCM Faculty, Jan. 28, 2021
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College News

The Show Must Go On: Baylor College of Medicine is one of only a few schools to offer in-person anatomy labs during the pandemic. Following rigorous social distancing, masking and hygiene procedures means students can continue to get hands-on experience in this foundational course. Pictured is Dr. Sara Blutt, associate professor of molecular virology & microbiology and associate course director, leading a small MS1 group in head and neck anatomy.

COVID-19 Update: President Joe Biden has issued an executive order with new guidelines for international travel and Baylor has updated its app and guidance accordingly. New measures in place for international travel include:

• You are required to have negative results from a COVID-19 test within 3 days before air departure to the United States.
• Testing is required again 3-5 days after arrival and travelers should stay home for 7 days post-travel.
• If you are not able to take a test, stay home for 10 days post-travel.
• Regardless of destination, you are required to wear a mask on planes, trains and other modes of transportation, as well as at airports and ports of entry.

Faculty Kudos

Dr. Nicola Hanania, associate professor of medicine – pulmonary, critical care & sleep medicine, director of the Airways Clinical Research Center and faculty senator, has been named editor-in-chief of the journal Respiratory Medicine. He also serves on the editorial boards of Pulmonary Pharmacology and Therapeutics and Therapeutic Advances in Chronic Disease and is section editor of Current Opinion in Pulmonary Medicine.

Dr. Brendan Lee, Robert and Janice McNair Endowed Chair in Molecular and Human Genetics and professor and chairman of the department, was elected vice president of the Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas (TAMEST) board of directors for a two-year term at the January 2021 meeting. He previously served as TAMEST treasurer.

Dr. Keila Lopez, assistant professor of pediatrics – cardiology, has been named the 2021 Paul V. Miles Fellow by the American Board of Pediatrics in recognition of her work to overcome health inequities in pediatric patients with congenital heart disease. She will give grand rounds at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and at Duke University medical schools as part of the fellowship.

Dr. Alastair Thompson, professor and Olga Keith Wiess Chair in Surgery, has been elected co-chair of the Breast Oncology Local Disease (BOLD) Task Force of the National Cancer Institute Breast Cancer Steering Committee. Co-director of the Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center and co-associate director for clinical research at the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, he will serve a three-year term.

Dr. Kanta Velamuri, associate professor of medicine – pulmonary, critical care & sleep medicine, describes her experience as a physician caring for patients with COVID at the DeBakey VA Medical Center in the latest Resilience Through COVID-19 post on the Momentum blog.

Dr. Jason Yustein, associate professor of pediatrics – hematology & oncology, has been appointed to the St. Baldrick's Foundation board of directors. The foundation is the largest non-government funder of childhood cancer research grants. He also serves on the foundation's Scientific Advisory Committee and Advocacy Committee.

College (Virtual) Events

Gast Lecture: Dr. John Stanley Mattick, professor of RNA biology at University of New South Wales, delivers the Joseph Gast, Ph.D. Endowed Lecture in Biochemistry on “RNA at the epicenter of human development and cognition” at 4 p.m. today, Jan. 28, via Zoom, meeting ID: 955 1035 0014, passcode: 863753.

Mayor Sylvester Turner speaks on “Leading Houston through a Time of Racial Tension while Managing a Pandemic,” with an introduction by President Paul Klotman, at 1:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 29, via Zoom, meeting ID: 961 6329 5138, passcode: 981418.

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

Thoracic Oncology: The DeBakey Department of Surgery hosts the Thoracic Oncology Working Group webcast on clinical trials, concept and grant reviews and scientific presentations at 4 p.m. Monday, Feb. 1, via Zoom, meeting ID: 958 3168 3233, passcode: 036444.

Blood Drive: Get a free COVID-19 antibody test when you donate blood at Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center’s drive, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 2, in the BCM Gym on the 8th floor of Garage 6. Appointments are required and can be made online.

Brody Lecture: Dr. Camisha Russell, assistant professor of philosophy at the University of Oregon and co-editor of Hypatia: A Journal of Feminist Philosophy, delivers the Baruch A. Brody Lecture in Bioethics on "Meeting the Moment: Bioethics in the Time of Black Lives Matter" at noon Tuesday, Feb. 2, via Zoom. Register online to attend.

Faculty Opportunities

Diversity Awards: You still have time to nominate an outstanding colleague for Baylor's Women of Excellence, Allies of Women of Excellence and Equity Trailblazer awards. The Award Selection Committee reviews all complete nominations and identifies each year’s recipients. Complete nominations should be submitted to the Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity and Inclusion by 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 5.

Patient Safety Volunteers: Physicians and advanced practice providers are invited to participate in the interprofessional Patient Safety IPE event Feb. 25 via Zoom. Volunteers will serve as facilitators for small groups of medical, nursing and pharmacy students to work through a near-miss patient safety case. For more information, please see Faculty Opportunities online.

Call for Abstracts: The Hematologic Malignancy Symposium seeks abstracts on the clinical and basic science of acute myelogenous leukemia, myelodysplastic syndrome, myeloma and lymphoma for its 2021 meeting March 13. Abstracts are due March 5. Contact Christina Velasquez for more information.

Faculty Resources

Heart Month: Baylor is participating in National Wear Red Day Friday, Feb. 5, in support of the American Heart Association's Go Red for Women campaign, a nationwide movement to fight heart disease in women. Be sure to take a photo of you and your colleagues wearing red and send it to Anna Kiappes by 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 5, to be featured on social media channels. Follow Baylor on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to see the photos.

DocTalk: Join Dr. Ellen Friedman, professor of otolaryngology and director of the Center for Professionalism, for a discussion about “Emotional Intelligence” at noon Feb. 16 via Zoom, meeting ID: 919 5161 1897, passcode: 966433.

Back-Up Care: Bright Horizons is waiving all copays for back-up care for March and April 2021. You can start booking care for these months as soon as February. Use "BCM" as the employer username and "Benefits4You" as the password.

• The downtown center also is introducing a Bright Horizons study club, a dedicated space for your child to attend classes online.
• Bright Horizons College Coach has partnered with Revolution Prep to offer 6 months of free tutoring. You can access full-time tutors, live online sessions, weekly updates and more.

From the Labs: Read how Dr. Kjersti Aagaard, Henry and Emma Meyer Chair in Obstetrics & Gynecology and professor of genetics, connected the dots between a lactating mother’s diet, milk composition and the microbiome of her infant in this week’s 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.

Questions or Comments?

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