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First class of ENMED physicianeers graduates with MD and master of engineering degrees
The ENMED program, which launched in 2019, saw its inaugural class graduate on May 19 - 20. All of the graduates successfully matched with medical residency programs that they will begin this summer.
ENMED is the only school in the U.S. where students can earn a medical doctorate and master’s degree in engineering innovation in just four years.
Integrating medical education with research focused on innovation and entrepreneurship, the EnMed program empowers a new generation of physician scientists with the clinical skills needed to diagnose and treat patients along with the engineering perspective to problem-solve, invent new technologies, and rapidly advance their innovations from the laboratory to the bedside.
Read more in Methodology and the Houston Chronicle.
Digital Methodology
Complementing Treatments for Myasthenia Gravis
Complement protein 5 inhibitors have emerged as a new line of treatment for the debilitating neuromuscular disorder. Now, a clinical study at Houston Methodist is testing the drugs’ long-term efficacy and safety.
Click here to read the full story.
The Houston Methodist Academic Institute Board of Directors has approved Tenure Appointments at the level of Professor. Four faculty members received tenure appointments, including:
John Cooke, MD, PhD, Joseph C. “Rusty” Walter and Carole Walter Looke Presidential Distinguished Chair in Cardiovascular Disease Research; Professor and Chair, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences; Director, Center for Cardiovascular Regeneration; Medical Director, Center for RNA Therapeutics
Alessandro Grattoni, PhD, the Frank J. and Jean Raymond Centennial Chair, Professor and Chair, Department of Nanomedicine
Philip Horner, PhD, Professor of Neuroregeneration; Scientific Director, Center for Neuroregeneration
Xian Chang Li, MD, PhD, The Max and Lillie Frosch Centennial Chair in Transplant Research, Immunobiology & Transplant Science Center; Professor of Transplant Immunology in Surgery; Director, Immunobiology & Transplant Center
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.
Mark Ghobrial, MD, PhD, and Maen Abdelrahim, MD, PhD, participated at the first Transplant Oncology Conference in the Middle East, in Abu Dhabi, who presented their research on patient experience with immunotherapy. and chaired the Transplant Oncology scientific session.
Mark Ghobrial, MD, PhD
Maen Abdelrahim, MD, PhD
Houston Methodist received the International Bold Award for the Medical Training VR experience, MITIEverseTM.
Launched in 2022 in partnership with FundamentalVR’s unique hardware-agnostic platform, MITIEverseTM empowers surgeons anywhere in the world to train in any setting without the need of dedicated equipment. The platform offers new experiences in how we educate, train and interact with the health community. The Bold Award attracts entries from more than 50 countries globally and is organized by H-FARM, one of the largest innovation hubs in Europe.
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.
Career Cornerstone Award
Ravi Pingali, MD, Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine, received a Career Cornerstone Award to complement his R01 recently funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute entitled, “Mechanisms of STING in Malignant Progression and Therapy of CLL”.
The Career Cornerstone Award is a competitive intramural award for researchers who have received their first NIH R01 grant as a Principal Investigator (PI). Awardees receive the equivalent of 50% of the budgeted indirect costs to use as a discretionary fund for use toward eligible academic activities. The total funding award amount for this R01 is $2,460,710 for 5 years.
NIH News
Resource Roundup: Human Subjects, Clinical Trials, and Inclusion
Do you work with human subjects in your research? Our Division of Human Subjects Research team put together a handy one-page resource to help you find the information you need as you develop your grant application and beyond. READ MORE
Learn More About UNITE’s Progress Towards Ensuring Equity and Opportunity in Biomedical Research
The UNITE E Committee recently updated the research community on their progress towards creating a “multipronged strategy to advance racial equity and create the most inclusive biomedical research environment possible.” We wanted to briefly share a few of their efforts here. READ MORE
Check Out These Public Federal Funding Databases to Learn More About Funding at NIH and Other Federal Agencies
The NIH RePORT (Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tools) site publicly provides reports, data, and analyses of NIH research activities. But there are also other federal databases available to learn more about funding at NIH and other federal agencies. READ MORE
Anthony Brissett, MD, and Joshua Kain, MD, participated in a virtual media availability to discuss their recent medical/education mission in Ukraine, where they treated 30 patients badly injured in the war. This was a huge collaboration involving U.S. and Canadian medical providers. Face the Future sponsored this mission, and Brissett led the medical team, which also included Burke Bradley, MD, and one of our surgical techs. Read more in the Houston Chronicle and KHOU-TV, CBS .
Houston Methodist faculty were the driving force behind the launch of the Society for RNA Therapeutics, of which John Cooke, MD, PhD, is the inaugural president. The new global network is designed to support translational research and development in RNA therapeutics, develop standards for RNA manufacturing, clinical trial guidelines, clinical best practices, and training, facilitate public-private-regulatory partnerships and advocate for patients with diseases amenable to RNA therapies. Here is a link to a release.
Alessandro Grattoni, PhD, Corrine Ying Xuan Chua, PhD, and their team published an Advanced Science online manuscript on the NDES implantable device that delivered immunotherapy directly into a pancreatic tumor. This implant is smaller than a grain of rice. The print version will publish later this year, with this research featured on Advanced Science’s cover. Learn more about this research in Methodology. U.S. News & World Report and other news outlets covered the story.
Corina Rosales, PhD, and Henry Pownall, PhD, were interviewed by KHOU-TV health reporter Stephanie Whitfield about their study in mice where they were able to reverse infertility by reducing HDL cholesterol. Here is a clip to the original local story on Houston’s CBS affiliate.
The Houston Chronicle ReNew section today featured an article and photos on Amir Faraji, MD, PhD, and his robotic deep brain stimulation procedure. The article calls Houston Methodist one of the country’s top centers for this robotic surgery, which can control movement disorders in patients with Parkinson’s Disease, essential tremor and epilepsy – with the potential to also treat depression, obsessive compulsive disorder and Tourette syndrome.
Joshua Septimus, MD, was interviewed by Huffington Post for a story about old health remedies passed down from the generations that legitimately work.
A press release about the work of Prashant Dogra, PhD, Zhihui “Bill” Wang, PhD, and Vittorio Cristini, PhD, from the Mathematics in Medicine Program on a computational tool their team created that helped them identify the optimal dosing schedules of COVID-19 vaccines and boosters for individuals with differing levels of immunosuppression, suggesting a longer time between vaccines may be more effective was recently posted on the Newswise wire service and the Houston Methodist newsroom.
Rahul Pandit, MD, recently contributed to an article about the best eye drops for allergies. The resulting Health.com article was picked up by Yahoo!News.
Dimitry Sayenko, MD, PhD, and his team were featured in the Renew section of the Houston Chronicle in an article detailing the team’s spinal cord stimulation study. The feature tells the story of 29-year-old patient Kirsten Segraves, whose lower body was paralyzed in a car accident at age 16. The online story can be read here.
Luz Venta, MD, participated in several media interviews on the U.S. Preventive Task Force’s new recommendation that women 40 to 74 should get screened for breast cancer every other year. The task force previously recommended that women in their 40s decide when to start screening in consultation with doctors. This new guidance could save about 20% more lives than its previous recommendation. You can view Dr. Venta’s interview with FOX26 here. Houston Public Media also aired an interview.
Jewish American Heritage Month Reflection
May’s designation as Jewish American Heritage Month is an invitation to recognize and honor the generations of Jewish Americans who have shaped our history through their leadership, talents and achievements. Houston Methodist Primary Care Physician Dr. Robert E. Jackson shares his thoughts on what the month means to him.
“As a man raised in the Jewish faith, Judaism for me is a way of life characterized by a love of God and love of your fellow human beings. It is simply wonderful to have the month of May designated as Jewish American Heritage Month. The celebration of the contributions and achievements of Jews should not necessarily focus on the past but galvanize everyone in all faiths to give back to our community, now! Judaism is a beacon guiding me on my journey to live a better life. I continue to strive — as in the Book of Micah — to “do justly, love mercy and to walk humbly with God.”
LatinX ERG Members Help Ukraine Refugees
Members of the Houston Methodist LatinX Alliance ERG pitched in to help the non-profit Medical Bridges achieve its mission of helping the people of war-torn Ukraine. ERG members (from left) Gabriela Echevarria, Monica Rodrigues and Hilda Hinojosa volunteered at the Houston-based organization’s headquarters on May 2 to pack and load boxes of supplies like bandages, gauze and other essentials to ship to Ukraine to help care for sick and injured refugees. Medical Bridges has worked with hospitals in the Texas Medical Center, including Houston Methodist, to secure excess medical supplies to send to countries in turmoil.
Employee Resource Groups
To join an existing employee resource group (ERG) or create a new one, text “ERG” to 45991, or contact Nazia Imrose at nimrose2@houstonmethodist.org. Employees across Houston Methodist can join any of the eight ERGs if they are a member of the group or would like to learn more and support the group.
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.
- Gloria Asanji, CCAT – Main, Clinical Research Nurse
- Misbah Baloch, Cancer Clinical Trials, Research Coordinator II
- Madison Bowden, Nanomedicine, Research Assistant I
- Maureen Brunetti, Education – CNREP, Training Specialist
- Tyra Buckley, TP&Q – HMDDP Core, cGMP Specialist
- Karina Cancino, MITIE Project Management, Project Specialist
- Katia Castillo, TP&Q – KJCCT Core Facility, cGMP Specialist
- Gioacchino De Sario Velasquez, Reconstructive Surgery-NCP, Postdoctoral Fellow I
- Ilaria Facchi, Nanomedicine, Graduate Research Fellow
- Safiya Joseph, Cancer Clinical Trials, Research Coordinator III
- Lisa Kennedy, Translational Production and Quality, Administrative Assistant
- Jasmine Lagrone, HRPO – IRB, Administrative Assistant
- Gianmarco Melone, Breast Oncology, Graduate Research Fellow Stipend
- Shaji Markose, RSRCH & ED Clinical/Informatic, Senior Applications Analyst
- Evagelia Mylona, Medicine, Data Analyst
- Konstantinos Ouranos, Medicine, Research Associate I
- Jacqueline Pena, TAMU HSC Partnership, Trainee Affairs Coord
- Rafael Quijano, Laboratory Operations, Research Technician I
- Varsha Rawat, Infectious Diseases, Postdoctoral Fellow 0
- Jude Savarraj, HDSA – Data Analytics, Data Scientist
- Krishnakumar Shraddha, Transplant – Maitituohet, Research Assistant I
- Alicia Stutz, Neurosurgery, Clinical Research Specialist
- Farida Tufail, Urology, Research Coordinator II
- Spencer Turner, Neurosurgery, Research Assistant I
- Stephanie Yan Xuan, Neurology, Research Coordinator I
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
Amyloid deposition in the glenohumeral joint: a case report
Birnbrich, A. M., Orozco, E. I., Holderread, B. M., Liberman, S. R. & McCulloch, P. C., May 2022, In: JSES Reviews, Reports, and Techniques. 2, 2, p. 201-204 4 p. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xrrt.2022.01.008
3D printing from micro-CT images of the trochlea of the superior oblique muscle and its future applications
Kang, H., Kim, G. B., Lim, M., Lee, W., Song, W. C., Shin, K. J., Shin, H. J., & Lee, A. G. (Accepted/In press). 3D printing from micro-CT images of the trochlea of the superior oblique muscle and its future applications. International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-023-11268-6
2023 ACC/AHA/SCAI Advanced Training Statement on Interventional Cardiology (Coronary, Peripheral Vascular, and Structural Heart Interventions): A Report of the ACC Competency Management Committee
Bass, T. A., Abbott, J. D., Mahmud, E., Parikh, S. A., Aboulhosn, J., Ashwath, M. L., Baranowski, B., Bergersen, L., Chaudry, H. I., Coylewright, M., Denktas, A. E., Gupta, K., Gutierrez, J. A., Haft, J., Hawkins, B. M., Herrmann, H. C., Kapur, N. K., Kilic, S., Lesser, J., ... Yong, C. M. (2023). 2023 ACC/AHA/SCAI Advanced Training Statement on Interventional Cardiology (Coronary, Peripheral Vascular, and Structural Heart Interventions): A Report of the ACC Competency Management Committee. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 81(14), 1386 1438. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2022.11.002
Adjuvant immunotherapy in renal cell carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Riveros, C., Huang, E., Ranganathan, S., Klaassen, Z., Rini, B., Wallis, C. J. D., & Satkunasivam, R. (2023). Adjuvant immunotherapy in renal cell carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BJU International, 131(5), 553-561. https://doi.org/10.1111/bju.15981
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.
Bridge to Translational Research Initiative (B2TRI) Request for Applications
The Houston Methodist Academic Institute (HMAI) is pleased to reissue the Bridge to Translational Research Initiative (B2TRI) Request for Applications, which provides funding for promising and clinically relevant research (molecular, cellular, or early pre-clinical research) to advance for TRI funding consideration. The TRI is a Houston Methodist (HM) program designed to identify and fund the further development of drugs, diagnostics, devices, tools or technology that will comprise HM intellectual property. However, some promising ideas are not yet eligible for TRI funding, and the B2TRI program aims to support investigators in preparing these ideas for future competitive TRI applications.
Key Dates
Applications Due: Rolling
Applications must be submitted via the Houston Methodist Intramural Awards portal and will be accepted on a rolling basis. Email submissions will not be accepted.
Link to B2TRI opportunity details page is here.
Robert J. Kleberg, Jr. and Helen C. Kleberg Foundation Call for Pre-Applications
Houston Methodist has been invited to nominate one candidate for the Fall 2023 Kleberg Foundation Grant. The Kleberg Foundation supports “highly innovative and groundbreaking medical research proposals from top tier institutions in both basic biological and applied research that will have the greatest impact on scientific knowledge and human health. Proposals should be distinctive and novel in their approaches, question the prevailing paradigm, and lead to advancement of knowledge in the field.”
A selection committee will evaluate and recommend the most suitable application to represent Houston Methodist and formally apply for the Fall 2023 Kleberg Foundation Grant.
Key Dates
Applications Due: June 30, 2023, noon
Applications Reviewed: July 2023
Candidate Selection: August 2023
Houston Methodist has been invited to nominate one candidate for the Fall 2023 Kleberg Foundation Grant. The Kleberg Foundation supports “highly innovative and groundbreaking medical research proposals from top tier institutions in both basic biological and applied research that will have the greatest impact on scientific knowledge and human health. Proposals should be distinctive and novel in their approaches, question the prevailing paradigm, and lead to advancement of knowledge in the field.”
A selection committee will evaluate and recommend the most suitable application to represent Houston Methodist and formally apply for the Fall 2023 Kleberg Foundation Grant.
Houston Methodist Neal Cancer Center Investigator-Initiated Interventional Treatment Clinical Trial Request for Applications
Key Dates
RFA Release Date: April 25, 2023
Submission Deadline: July 31, 2023
Funding Start Date: September 1, 2023
Funding Opportunity Overview
The goal of this Request for Applications (RFA) is to provide developmental funds for the initiation of innovative Investigator-Initiated Interventional Treatment Trials (IITs), leading to further peer- reviewed funding and high-impact publications.
Eligibility Information
Any Houston Methodist Neal Cancer Center Clinical Member is eligible to apply as PI; Investigators that have demonstrated previous application of scientific discoveries or novel therapeutic combinations and applications through the development of an interventional treatment clinical trial are encouraged to apply.
IIT Awards are funded by the Houston Methodist Neal Cancer Center; the following strategic initiatives will be considered:
- Investigator-initiated clinical research derived from in-house scientific discoveries (including support for correlative science)
- Only Interventional Treatment Trials, as defined by Cancer Center Support Grant criteria, will be considered
- Projects that aim to achieve Cancer Center strategic objectives and focus on one or both of the following criteria:
- Cancers that have high incidence and/or mortality rates within the Houston Methodist Neal Cancer Center Catchment Area (including, breast, prostate, lung, liver, gynecologic, and hematologic malignancies)
- Cancers with a disparate outcome due to social and racial demographics within the catchment area.
George and Angelina Kostas Research Center for Cardiovascular Nanomedicine Request for Applications
The Kostas family continues to generously support Houston Methodist investigators who are working toward high-impact solutions that apply nanomedicine approaches to diagnose and treat cardiovascular diseases.
This Request for Applications seeks research projects in the field of Cardiovascular Nanomedicine. Applications may address any challenge in cardiovascular care that employs nanomedicine technologies, such as the development and application of diagnostics, delivery systems, therapeutics, novel devices, and imaging. Research projects should include significant and immediate nanomedicine applications within the funding period. This funding is not intended to support exploration into biological pathways or mechanisms.
Key Dates
Submission Deadline: Thursday, July 20, 2023, at noon
Committee Review: August - September 2023
Award Announcement: October 2023
Estimated Funding Start Date: January 1, 2024
Funding Opportunity Overview
Applications are solicited for the following project categories:
- Strategic Impact Projects may contain little to no preliminary data. The proposed research should fit within a 1-year timeframe with a budget of up to $50,000 in direct costs.
- Early Translational Research Projects further develop promising ideas toward clinical applications. Typically, these projects are not yet positioned for development under Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) conditions, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), or for clinical trials. These projects should have sufficient preliminary data and be based on a submitted Houston Methodist Invention with the Office of Technology Transfer, as stated under Business Policy BP12. The proposed research should fit within a 2-year timeframe with a budget of up to $100,000 in direct costs.
Direct Link to funding opportunity: https://intramural-awards.houstonmethodist.org/#competitionDetail/1902844
2023 Men of Distinction Annual Award Request for Applications
Key Dates
Internal Application Submission Deadline: August 10, 2023; noon
HMH Foundation Review: August – September 2023
Application Due to Men of Distinction: October 12, 2023
The Men of Distinction funding opportunity provides support for clinician/research scientist partnerships leading pediatric research, education, and/or patient care programs in the Texas Medical Center or Houston area.
Eligibility
- Any Houston Methodist-employed faculty with a primary HMAI academic appointment is eligible to apply as a Principal Investigator (PI).
- Proposals must include a HM-employed Physician and a HM-employed Research Scientist.
- HM-employed, non-independent researchers (e.g., research scientists, research associates, and instructors) are eligible to apply as a co-Investigator (co-I).
- Proposed programs must focus on research, treatment, education, or patient care for children in the Texas Medical Center and the city of Houston.
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