News for BCM Faculty, June 23, 2022
Please submit items for Faculty Commons to the Communications Office.

Archive / Faculty Affairs / Today at BCM / Employee Discounts

College News

After more than two years without field trips, Baylor welcomed 7th and 8th grade students from the BCM Biotech Academy at Rusk Middle School. The academy engages students in rigorous and integrative health science curriculum that is partially designed by Baylor faculty and students. Twenty Rusk students were welcomed by Dr. Tyson Pillow, associate professor of emergency medicine, before learning about DNA and sequencing in the Human Genome Sequencing Center with Dr. Harsha Doddapaneni, associate professor of molecular and human genetics. Dr. Nilson Salas showed the students how remote and robotic surgeries work in the College’s simulation lab. In the Dan L Duncan Cancer Center, Dr. Paul Ling, professor of virology and microbiology, taught the students about a Baylor partnership with the Houston Zoo to treat a deadly strain of herpes virus in Asian elephants. The morning concluded with a trip to the microscopy core with the Center’s Dr. Fabio Stossi, associate professor of molecular and cellular biology.

Faculty Kudos

Dr. Gloria Li, assistant professor of medicine - pulmonary, has been selected to serve as member-at-large for the Lung Transplant section for the American College of CHEST Physicians. Dr. Dharani Narenda, assistant professor of medicine – pulmonary, has been selected to serve as vice chair for the Bronchiectasis section for CHEST.

Dr. Jason Mills, Herman Brown endowed professor of gastroenterology, received the Outstanding Mentor Award from the American Gastroenterology Association at the Digestive Disease Week annual meeting last month.

Dr. Huda Y. Zoghbi, professor of molecular and human genetics, pediatrics – neurology and developmental neuroscience, was awarded the International Prize for Translational Neuroscience by the Gertrud Reemtsma Foundation for her findings on the causes of Rett Syndrome.

Dr. Joud Hajjar, assistant professor of immunology, allergy and rheumatology, received the c.h.i.l.d.r.e.n!® Research Program grant award from the Jeffrey Modell Foundation for the research proposal, “The multiplexed opsonophagocytic killing assay (MOPA) in evaluating specific antibody responses in patients with recurrent infections.” Hajjar received $50,000 for her work.

Coming Up

Baylor at Houston Pride: BCM Pride, along with volunteers from multiple departments, will have a booth at the 44th annual Houston LGBT+ Pride Celebration on June 25. The festival will be 1 to 6 p.m. at Houston City Hall, 901 Bagby Street. The Pride parade begins at 7 p.m.

Kids’ Meals Inc: At noon July 13, Baylor will host a volunteer opportunity with Kids' Meals Inc., an organization that delivers free healthy meals to the homes of hungry children in the Houston area. Volunteers will gather in Rayzor Lounge in main Baylor to decorate brown lunch bags. If you cannot attend, you can decorate your own brown lunch bags at your convenience. All decorated lunch bags must be dropped off by July 14 to the Office of Communications and Community Outreach, suite 176B, at main Baylor. If you’re coming from another location, please email Alex Alanis at jose.alanis@bcm.edu to schedule a drop-off. Fill out this form if you’re interested in in-person volunteer opportunities at Kids’ Meals Inc.

Research Investigator Spring Learning Series: Baylor’s Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center (IDDRC) will host the final lecture in the Research Investigator Spring Learning Series on Engagement, Communication and Education at noon July 20. Dr. Mina Silberberg from Duke Global Health Institute will deliver a lecture, “Value and impact of community-engaged approaches – from local to global perspectives.” Register to attend the virtual meeting.

Faculty Opportunities

Faculty Advisor for the Graduate Medical Education Resident Council: The GMERC is a group of elected representatives who champion issues important to residents with the goal of addressing their concerns while improving the learning environment and trainee quality of life. Residents serve a two-year term and attend all GME Committee meetings and have full voting rights as well as sit on selected GMEC sub-committees. The ideal candidate should have experience working with trainees across multiple affiliate hospitals, experience in educational administration and should be two years post their last training program. Interested candidates should email Wesley Mayer at wesley.mayer@bcm.edu and include a copy of their CV and a brief statement about their interest in the position, experience in resident education and areas necessary for enhancement or innovation. Find responsibilities here.

Faculty Loan Repayment Program (FLRP): The Human Resources and Service Administration Health Workforce’s application cycle is now open and will close at 7:30 p.m. ET June 30.

The FLRP is open to individuals who meet the following eligibility criteria

• Disadvantaged background based on environmental and economic factors
• Eligible health professions degree or certificate
• Allopathic medicine
• Osteopathic medicine
• Podiatric medicine
• Faculty member at an approved health professions school, and who have signed a contract for two years or longer
• Faculty at a health professions school located in the U.S. or U.S. territory at an eligible public or private non-profit school

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.

Items for Faculty Commons: To submit items for this weekly email update for Baylor College of Medicine faculty, please contact us.

Connect With Baylor