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Schaal named president, CEO of Houston Methodist Physician Organization
Shlomit Schaal, MD, PhD, has been named the new president and CEO of the Houston Methodist Physician Organization and the new executive vice president and chief physician executive at Houston Methodist, effective April 2.
Schaal, an ophthalmologist and clinician-scientist specializing in the medical and surgical treatment of complex vitreoretinal diseases, succeeds Rob Phillips, MD, who served in those roles for more than nine years before recently retiring. Schaal comes to us from UMass Memorial Health, where she serves as president of UMass Memorial Medical Group, one of the largest medical groups on the East Coast.
She is also the senior associate dean for Health Strategies at UMass Chan Medical School, where she is a tenured professor and chair of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences. Additionally, she serves as a faculty member at Harvard School of Public Health in their Executive Leadership and Continuing Professional Education programs.
Schaal earned her undergraduate, medical and doctoral degrees from Technion Institute of Technology in Israel and completed an ophthalmology residency at Israel’s Rambam Medical Center, and fellowships in vitreoretinal research and vitreoretinal surgery at the University of Louisville. She received her Master’s in Health Care Management from Harvard.
Schaal is a sought-after national speaker, both in leadership and in ophthalmology, and has been published extensively. She serves on the advisory council of the Harvard Business Review and on the editorial board of the journal, Retina. Schaal holds several U.S. patents, some of which have been licensed and commercialized.
Shlomit Schaal, MD, PhD
Digital Methodology
Can the Gut Influence the Mind?
Houston Methodist Researchers Are Unraveling How Interactions Between the Microbiome, the Immune System and the Brain Influence Mental Health
Click here to read the full story.
“Linked by Love” to premiere at Houston Methodist
Amy Waterman, PhD, and LaShara Davis, PhD, have served as research advisors for the Mendez National Institute of Transplantation Foundation’s “Linked by Love,” a web series created to educate underserved communities about transplantation.
“Linked by Love” is a six-episode web series about one family’s experience with kidney failure. The series is an effort to use a fictionalized platform to educate those at higher risk using a strategy that combines information with entertainment.
The series will premiere at Houston Methodist in the John F. Bookout Auditorium at 11 a.m. April 14 and at The Health Museum on May 14 at 5 p.m. It also is available to watch at www.linkedbylovetv.org.
First EnMed class is graduating in May
The graduation of the first class of physicianeers in the EnMed program will be May 19-20 at the Westin Houston Medical Center. The graduation will featurie a group of distinguished Nobel laureates who will share their insights and perspectives on the intersections of science, engineering and medicine and the ways in which their work has paved the way for new discoveries and advancements. Click here for more information or to register.
National TB Conference
In 2023, the National TB Conference is being held in conjunction with the Association of Public Health Laboratories' (APHL) 13th National Conference on Laboratory Aspects of TB. The co-location of these two TB-focused conferences and audiences provides a wonderful opportunity to explore recent advances in diagnostics and reconfirm the important collaborations between public health laboratories and TB public health programs. The theme of the 2023 National TB Conference is Partnership, Innovation and Equity.
AIM-AHEAD Communities of Change Forum
The AIM-AHEAD Communities of Change Forum is a two-day virtual conference followed by a 4-week workshop series intended to unite students, professionals, and practitioners to discuss cutting-edge technologies and the impact of utilizing Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) in biomedicine and beyond. The conference is June 28-29, and the workshops are the first week of July.
Praying for each other
Every week, the Prayer Connect Team at Houston Methodist Hospital sends an email with prayer requests. About 160 Methodist employees have committed to pray for requests from our colleagues and community.
We believe that staying connected is vital to our well-being, so please consider joining the chaplains in this initiative. If you would like to join us in praying for the requests of our employees and community, please reply to this email or contact Michela deTranaltes, Project Specialist for Grace Ministries, so we can add you to our confidential online community.
If you would like to submit a prayer, either text PRAYER to 45991 or email HMHPrayerRequest@houstonmethodist.org.
Hang Ten: Employee Support Group
Hang Ten provides a safe and confidential environment for mutual support. A chaplain will facilitate the group and introduce life tools such as mindfulness, intentionality and reframing.
Each session will stand alone, so feel free to log on any week for as long as your time permits. The group meets every Tuesday from noon to 1 p.m. Click here to join the recurring meeting.
Physicians at Houston Methodist recently held the first resident-focused, city-wide endoscopic sinus surgery course, which was conducted at MITIE and attended by otolaryngology residents from the University of Texas Medical Branch, Baylor College of Medicine, University of Texas-Houston and Houston Methodist. Omar G. Ahmed, MD, and Mas Takashima, MD, co-directed the course.
The HM DeBakey CV Education YouTube Channel has achieved 90K subscribers and is projected to reach 100K subscribers by April 2023. Only 0.28% of all YouTube channels have 100K subscribers.
Houston Methodist’s latest CPRIT recruit, Keith Syson Chan, PhD, now serves as Director of Translational Research in the Department of Urology and Program Lead of Innovative Therapeutics in the Neal Cancer Center; he also has an appointment as a professor in the Houston Methodist Research Institute.
Houston Methodist recently awarded more than $6.8 million in community grants to 32 Houston-area nonprofit organizations through the Houston Methodist Community Benefits Grant Program. Now in its 30th year, the Community Benefits Grant Program plays a fundamental role in providing access to primary, specialty and mental health care to the most underserved in our community. To ensure we are meeting the needs of those in the community, and to help us in our commitment to our I CARE values beyond our hospital walls, Houston Methodist conducts a community health needs assessment annually to uncover the health care and social needs in the community and develop priorities that will help us focus our investments. The findings of the most recent 2022 assessment can be found here.
U.S. News & World Report recently released its Best Hospitals for Neurology & Neurosurgery for 2022-2023 and Houston Methodist moved up six spots to be tied for the 15th position out of 1,255 hospitals. The Neurological Institute moved up more positions than any other Center of Excellence at Houston Methodist. The Institute is also ranked #1 in Texas as well as #1 in the Gulf Coast region.
Our transplant teams performed 607 transplants in 2022 – the highest number of transplants ever done in a year in the history of Houston Methodist. Fewer than 10 transplant centers in the U.S. have achieved this volume. Click here to see Houston Methodist’s performance compared to other national transplant centers.
Houston Methodist was ranked No. 2 on Forbes' America's Best Large Employers List (see article). In an email to all employees, Dr. Marc Boom wrote, "You work hard alongside your fellow coworkers to make Houston Methodist a special place to work, and I’m grateful that you choose to use your talents here as we provide unparalleled care for our patients."
Congratulations to Mouaz Al-Mallah, MD, on being installed president of the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology. Al-Mallah is an international leader in nuclear cardiology. With Stephen Little, MD, recently elected as president of the American Society of Echocardiography, it is the first time in the history of these two organizations that the presidents are from the same institution.
Tue Dinh, MD, a member of the Houston Methodist Institute for Reconstructive Surgery, was elected as President of the Texas Society of Plastic Surgeons at its December 2022 meeting.
Left to right: Jing Yang, PhD and Jenny Chang, MD
ChiTwo new CPRIT High Impact/High Risk projects were awarded to Houston Methodist in late 2022:
- Jing Yang, PhD – Targeting NHE6 to improve clinical efficacy of daratumumab in myeloma
- Jenny Chang, MD – Targeting Nitric Oxide Synthase (NOS) pathway to remodel obesity induced tumor inflammation in patients with TNBC
An NIH / National Cancer Institute R01 award has been granted to PIs Chih-Chi Andrew Hu, PhD, and Sai Ravi Kiran Pingali, MD. The award is for $492,142/year for 5 years for their project titled “Mechanisms of STING in malignant progression and therapy of CLL.”
Left to right: Chih-Chi Andrew Hu, PhD and Sai Ravi Kiran Pingali, MD
Alan Lumsden, MD, chair of the DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center at Houston Methodist, was recently named the new president-elect of the Southern Association of Vascular Surgery.
Watch
Videos on Watch
7th Annual Houston Heart Failure Summit
4th Annual Houston Methodist Critical Care Symposium
First Annual Colorectal Cancer Updates for Primary Care
Treating and Preventing Chronic Metabolic Disease
11th Annual Nantz National Alzheimer Center Symposium
Wesley Long, MD, PHD, was interviewed for a KUHF/Houston Public Media article about COVID: “Houston experts agree annual COVID-19 shot best way to keep people protected.”
An FDA advisory committee voted unanimously to use the same COVID-19 vaccine for all future inoculations. Ashley Drews, MD, was one of several medical experts who weighed in on this announcement, and the resulting Houston Chronicle article is online.
The FDA may soon decide on a plan to recommend COVID vaccines like annual flu shots. Cesar Arias, MD, PhD, interviewed, on short notice, on this topic with BuzzFeed News, which was also picked up by Yahoo!News.
Early research is showing that monoclonal antibodies may be an effective and non-addictive treatment for various forms of chronic pain. Ezekiel Fink, MD, was one of several medical experts quoted in a National Geographic article, and he’s identified with Houston Methodist. Here is the online story.
A Lifehacker.com article about flatulence includes hyperlinks to the bio of Eamonn Quigley, MD.
Ryan Ridley, MD, contributed to a WELL+GOOD article on the prevalence of adult ear infections, as the only physician quoted.
John Cooke, MD, PhD, was interviewed for a story on longevity and the potential to reverse the aging process in the publication Medium. Cooke was the first longevity research scientist mentioned in the piece, was quoted extensively throughout and also provided the concluding expert remarks. You can read the story at this link.
Eamonn Quigley, MD, interviewed with CNN on the vibrating capsule used for chronic idiopathic constipation, which just went on the market. Quigley was involved in the clinical research and presented some of this information at last year’s ACG meeting. The resulting article is online.
Anthony Brissett, MD, was one of several medical experts who contributed to an article on ethnic rhinoplasties. The resulting article is on BuzzFeed News and Yahoo!News.
KHOU interviewed Raghunandan Muppidi, MD, and patient Melissa Sanchez yesterday, focusing on some of the lesser-known symptoms of heart problems.
William Ondo, MD, is quoted in an article and quiz on tardive dyskinesia published in the most recent online edition of Everyday Health. Ondo is the first medical expert quoted in the story on this involuntary movement disorder. You can read the article here.
Archana Sadhu, MD, and one of her patients contributed to a story about the Ozempic shortage that was on the front page of the Houston Chronicle. They shared some important messages about how this medication shortage is impacting diabetes patients. Here is the online story.
Sonia Villapol, PhD’s study on the gut-concussion connection was covered in this Everyday Health article that talks about the mounting evidence that traumatic brain injuries have biomarkers in the gut microbiome. Other supporting studies also were mentioned. Everyday Health has an audience reach of 14.2 million.
William Musick, Pharm.D., pharmacist and clinical specialist in infectious diseases, was interviewed by BuzzFeed Magazine for a story about complications associated with taking fluoroquinolone antibiotics, something referred to as FQAD syndrome, which is also known by the colloquial term “floxing.” Here is a link to the story in BuzzFeed, which has an audience reach of 37.8 million.
Lifehacker.com is running a series on home remedies for various conditions. The focus is on what works and what should be avoided. Eamonn Quigley, MD, contributed to How to Treat Constipation at Home (lifehacker.com).
Lifehacker.com is running a series on home remedies for various conditions. The focus is on what works and what should be avoided. Mas Takashima, MD, contributed to A Beginner's Guide to Using a Neti Pot to Clear Your Sinuses (lifehacker.com).
Archana Sadhu, MD, contributed to a national story on the Ozempic drug shortage. This one looks at dietary recommendations for those who quit taking the drug and want to maintain/lose weight. You can read the article on TheHealthy.com
Young Professionals employee resource group
The first meeting of the Young Professionals employee resource group (ERG), Houston Methodist’s 10th ERG, was Thursday, Feb. 2. The virtual meetings are open to all employees. This ERG seeks to provide opportunities for members to apply leadership skills and a platform to access available professional development resources, such as mentors. The ERG is working to finalize dates for three events:
- Do’s, Don’ts and Donuts, an in-person and virtual discussion on professional communication techniques
- How to Stay Motivated and Manage Stress, an in-person and virtual workshop focused on maintaining a healthy work-life balance
- Community Outreach Day, in which members will devote time to helping an area non-profit organization
Fathers in Health Care ERG
The Fathers in Health Care ERG, another new group, aims to provide a space where members can share ideas and offer support in dealing with the challenges that many men with demanding health care jobs face. The group also seeks to give fathers a voice in the discussion of any new workplace policies being considered that might impact a father’s ability to be available for their children. The ERG is planning several special events, including inviting a representative from Fidelity to discuss investment and retirement strategies with members, possibly hosting a barbecue cook off contest and an event tentatively called “Fathers Helping Fathers,” as a swap meet of sorts where fathers can bring items like soccer cleats, toys, clothing that are no longer being used by their kids that can be donated to fathers with younger children.
Membership in FIH is not limited to fathers. Any employee may join an ERG they identify with or would like to learn more about or support. The ERG’s meetings are held virtually. For more information, contact Fathersinhealthcare@houstonmethodist.org.
Black History Month
February’s designation as Black History Month provided an opportunity to honor and reflect upon the many contributions made by African Americans and Afro-Latinos to our culture and society. It also served as a catalyst to examine ongoing challenges and encourage collaboration among all Americans to work toward building a society in which all voices and experiences are heard and appreciated. Campus-specific and systemwide events and activities were scheduled to celebrate the month. Click here to view a list of events that took place.
Spanish language sessions
The DEI Training Team now provides Spanish language sessions for all its current trainings—Managing Unconscious Bias, Navigating Multi-Generational Teams and Recognizing the Impact of Microaggressions. Sign up today in LMS. To request a group session, or email DEItraining@houstonmethodist.org.
Job Postings
We have several job openings in the Academic Institute. Click here to find one that interests you, or if you know of someone who might be interested.
We welcome these new employees who joined the Academic Institute in December 2022.
- Solaf Al Awadhi, Medicine – Nephrology, Research Coordinator I
- Mohanad Alhalboos, Transplant, Research Coordinator I
- Jocelyn Anchondo, Infectious Diseases, Administrative Assistant
- Akila Bersali, Imaging, Postdoctoral Fellow 0
- KaDeesia Brown, Neurology, Clincal Rsch Spclst
- Jenying Deng, Cancer, Research Associate 1
- Adib Edilbi, Transplant, Postdoc Fellow 0
- Aniebiet Ekpri, Education – CNREP, RN PRN 1
- Mo Elhadi, Cancer Clinical Trials, Clinical Rsch Spclst
- Hongbo Gao, Urology, Postdoctoral Fellow 4
- Cecilia Herrera Rivera, Education – CNREP, RN PRN 1
- Alharith Humadi, Vascular, Research Coordinator 1
- Katelynn Hunter, Vascular, Research Coordinator 1
- Katelyn Ingram, Heart Failure_Transplant, Clinical Rsch Spclst
- Ahish Chandra Kallare Harish, HRPO-IRB, Human Rsch Protection Coord
- Ibrahem Kandel, CV Regeneration, Postdoctoral Fellow 0
- Megan Kirchhoff, Neurology, Supv Research Laboratory
- Harun Kundi, C3H, Data Scientist
- Olivia Lachapelle, Neurosurgery, Academic Coordinator
- Sailee Lavekar, Neurosurgery, Postdoctoral Fellow 0
- Hoi Yan Lee, HRPO – IRB, Project Specialist
- Justyna Lewandowska Harris, HCR Clinical Admin, Clinical Rsch Spclst
- Georgeanne Llanes, Infectious Diseases, Research Assistant 1
- Gina Lungu, IACUC and Safety, Mgr Research Protection
- Yimin Ma, Pathology, Research Assistant 1
- Suat Morkuzu, Reconstructive Surgery, Postdoctoral Fellow 1
- Afsaneh Morteza, Cancer Clinical Trials, Research Coordinator 1
- Amanda Mureva, Event Services, Sr Marketing Specialist
- Allen Nguyen, MITIE Multimedia, Operations Project Analyst
- Suki Oji, Neurosurgery, Research Assistant 1
- Luisa Orlando, RNA Therapeutics, Postdoctoral Fellow 0
- Jerry Ouch, HCR Clinical Admin, Financial Analyst
- Rene Plascencia, Structural Heart Dis_Interv, Manager Clinical Trials
- Ami Patel, Education – CNREP, Program Manager
- Shefali Patel, Surgery, Student Intern
- James Connor Price, MITIE Administration, Sr Finc Analyst
- Minnisha Price-Shepherd, HCR Clinical Admin, Mgr Research Operations
- Roderick Price, HRPO – IRB, Human Rsch Protection Anlyst
- Kenneth Roman, Infectious Diseases, Research Assistant 1
- Nijah Russell, Neurology, Clinical Rsch Spclst
- Liana Salehian, Transplant, Research Technician I
- Shrena Shah, Infectious Diseases, Financial Analyst
- Jiangyong Shao, TP&Q – HMDDP Core, Lead cGMP Specialist
- Sarika Shetty, Neurology, Research Assistant I
- Vipul Singh, Infectious Diseases, Research Associate I
- Songkhanh Sisourath, Education – CNREP, RN PRN 1
- Yvonne Subhan, Neurology, Research Coordinator II
- Lina Sun, Neurosurgery, Research Technician I
- Shaima Syed, Cancer Clinical Trials, Sr Finc Analyst
- Bennett Van Meter, RNAcore, Research Technician 1
- Tam Vo, Neurology, Research Assistant I
- Stephen Wong, Urology, Postdoctoral Fellow 1
Policy Reminders
BP in Practice is an educational reminder designed to raise awareness regarding Business Practices hot topics, relevant laws and policies & procedures. Find archives of BP in Practice here. If you have questions, contact the BP EthicsLine at 800.500.0333 or visit tmhs.myethicsline.com.
Anatomical study of the thoracolumbar radiculomedullary arteries, including the Adamkiewicz artery and supporting radiculomedullary arteries
Alvernia, J. E., Simon, E., Khandelwal, K., Ramos, C. D., Perkins, E., Kim, P., Mertens, P., Messina, R., Luzardo, G. & Diaz, O., Feb 2023, In: Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine. 38, 2, p. 233-241 9 p. https://doi.org/10.3171/2022.5.SPINE2214
Prevalence and Clinical Implications of Tricuspid Valve Prolapse Based on Magnetic Resonance Diagnostic Criteria
Guta, A. C., El-Tallawi, K. C., Nguyen, D. T., Qamar, F., Nguyen, T., Zoghbi, W. A., Lawrie, G., Graviss, E. A. & Shah, D. J., Mar 7 2023, In: Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 81, 9, p. 882-893 12 p. https://www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/j.jacc.2022.11.052
Comparative real-world survival outcomes of metastatic papillary and clear cell renal cell carcinoma treated with immunotherapy, targeted therapy, and combination therapy
Riveros, C., Ranganathan, S., Xu, J., Chang, C., Kaushik, D., Morgan, M., Miles, B. J., Muhammad, T., Anis, M., Aghazadeh, M., Zhang, J., Efstathiou, E., Klaassen, Z., Brooks, M. A., Rini, B., Wallis, C. J. D. & Satkunasivam, R., Mar 2023, In: Urologic Oncology: Seminars and Original Investigations. 41, 3, p. 150.e1-150.e9. https://10.1016/j.urolonc.2022.11.022.
Should Injection Laryngoplasty Be Performed for Acute Unilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis to Improve Swallowing safety?
Yiu, Y., Gorelik, D. & Rameau, A., Mar 2023, In: Laryngoscope. 133, 3, p. 454-456 3 p. https://10.1002/lary.30537.
Advances in Digital PET Technology and Its Potential Impact on Myocardial Perfusion and Blood Flow Quantification
Alahdab, F., Al Rifai, M., Ahmed, A. I. & Al-Mallah, M. H., Feb 24, 2023, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Current Cardiology Reports. https://10.1007/s11886-023-01850-5
If you have a featured publication, for example on a journal cover, please let us know so we can include it in our next issue.
C-Path’s TRxA Announces its First Global Request for Proposals from Academic Investigators Working to Advance Drug Development Projects
Launched in 2022, the Translational Therapeutics Accelerator (TRxA) is a global drug discovery and development program focused on supporting academic scientists in defining optimal strategies for advancing new, cutting-edge therapeutics from the lab to patients. TRxA is now accepting applications for its 2023 funding cycle (Call for Proposals attached). TRxA offers funding and support for three types of translational projects, each with specific entry and success criteria and direct and indirect total funding.
The TRxA Request for Proposals closes April 17. Click here to learn more and submit now.
Translational Research Initiative (TRI) program
The Houston Methodist Academic Institute (HMAI) is pleased to announce a new cycle of the Translational Research Initiative (TRI) program, which supports the development of projects that are ready to advance significantly beyond basic laboratory research and utilize Houston Methodist intellectual property. The TRI mechanism considers innovations that are ready to enter a product development stage including but not limited to analytical and clinical evaluation, GMP production, GLP studies, and/or Phase I or IIa clinical trials.
In the accompanying Request for Applications (RFA), the HMAI solicits applications for the development of projects in any area of medicine. Projects of interest include but are not limited to: diagnostics; therapeutics; devices; tools; software; design or development of clinical, surgical, quality, and outcomes processes; and other innovations. Projects that are still in the basic research phase are not appropriate for the TRI.
Key Dates
Applications Due: March 31 at noon
Applications Reviewed: April - July
Awards Announced: August
Estimated Funding Start Date: Sept. 1
Applications must be received by noon March 31 via the Houston Methodist Intramural Awards Portal (. Direct link to funding opportunity is here.
Cockrell Center for Advanced Therapeutics (CCAT) Clinical Research Unit (CRU)
The Cockrell Center for Advanced Therapeutics (CCAT) Clinical Research Unit (CRU) is expanding its support of early phase translational clinical trials. This funding program aims to support innovation in biomedical research to advance improvements in patient care and to assist faculty in development of their inventions.
Key Dates
Submission Deadline:
May 4 at noon
Committee Review:
June 2023
Award Announcement:
July 2023
Estimated Funding Start Date:
August 2023
The CCAT CRU was established as a Phase 1 clinical trial center that 1) supports investigators and programs with expertise in early drug development and translational research and 2) assists with conducting pilot studies. This Request for Proposals aims to provide supplemental funding for partial-funded, investigator-initiated, early-phase clinical trials evaluating novel Investigational New Drugs alone or in combination with an approved therapeutic agent. Funding aims to support partially funded phase I studies with the potential for continued development in larger multicenter trials.
Applications must be submitted via the Houston Methodist Intramural Awards portal only by May 4 at noon. For support with using the portal, Academic Affairs has created a webinar, which can be viewed on Watch HM here.
Questions related to this RFP may be directed to:
Academic Affairs
Houston Methodist Academic Institute
6670 Bertner Avenue, R12 Houston, TX 77030
AcademicAffairs@houstonmethodist.org
346-238-8244
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