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Grants will bring two CPRIT Scholars to Texas to expand their cancer research
The governing board of the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) approved $12 million in recruitment grants in its quarterly meeting at the Texas Capitol in November. The grants will bring two CPRIT Scholars from out-of-state institutions to Texas to expand their cancer research and add to the state’s growing cancer research prowess.
The Houston Methodist Research Institute is recruiting Keith Chan, PhD, a widely respected genitourinary cancer translational scientist currently at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, to Texas with a $6 million CPRIT Established Investigator award. Chan will serve as the Director of Translational Research at Houston Methodist’s Department of Urology. Chan’s work will focus on expediting the development of early-stage clinical trials and enhance chemoimmunotherapy responses in bladder cancer patients.
The CPRIT Scholars program has awarded $819 million since 2009 to bring 285 stellar cancer investigators from all over the country - and the globe - here to Texas to expand their research. The program is a key part of the agency's mission to make Texas a worldwide leader in the fight against cancer.
Keith Chan, PhD
Digital Methodology
Houston Methodist Team Carves a NICHE in State-of-the-Art Diabetes Therapy
A newly awarded NIH R01 will allow Houston Methodist Researchers to study several aspects of the NICHE subcutaneous nanodevice designed to better facilitate islet cell transplantation for the treatment of type 1 diabetes. Read more in digital Methodology
Announcements
Texas Alzheimer’s Research and Care Consortium (TARCC) Scientific Symposium
The Texas Alzheimer’s Research and Care Consortium (TARCC) Scientific Symposium will be on Jan. 26. For details, please visit https://www.txalzresearch.org/research/symposia/.
Thank you to all 28 pumpkin decorating contest entries and the more than 300 employees who voted!
1st Place Winner – Entry #18 “The Nightmare Before Christmas” from the Biorepository Core team wins lunch for their participants.
2nd Place Winner – Entry #19 “Zombie Pumpkin” from the Cancer Clinical Trials team wins an ice cream social for their participants
3rd Place Winner – Entry #23 “A Brewing Disaster” from the CV Regeneration team wins donuts and kolaches for their participants
SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS
The Houston Methodist Institute Academic Institute offers a 10-week summer student program that matches faculty members with college undergraduates and high school students as they focus on a single research project. Students also attend weekly didactic lectures given by mentors, invited speakers and other leaders. The 2023 Summer Programs will begin on May 30 and end on Aug. 4. If you are interested in mentoring these students, please apply here.
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.
Accolades
Jun Li, MD, PhD, has been named the Associate Editor for ACTN, an official journal owned by American Neurological Association. Li will handle all submissions of neuromuscular diseases for this journal.
Rose Khavari, MD, was appointed to the NIH study section for the Kidney and Urological Systems Function and Dysfunction.
The multi-university Nature and Human Health Alliance initiative at the Center for Health and Nature was awarded a grant from Recreational Equipment Inc (REI). The funding award program supports organizations that are enhancing natural settings and promoting outdoor activities.
Shannan Hamlin, PhD, has been selected to be on the Critical Care Nurse editorial board. The journal provides evidence-based information concerning the bedside care and informs nurses on issues that affect the quality and safety of their practice.
Farhaan S. Vahidy, PhD, has joined the editorial board of Neurology. Neurology is the flagship medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Houston Methodist The Woodlands received $10 million, its largest commitment ever. The hospital said it would use to expand educational programs.
Gavin Britz, MD, was elected to the American Academy of Neurological Surgery. In this role, Britz will contribute to the leading neurosurgical organization in North America focused on promoting, sponsoring and mentoring laboratory, translational, and clinical research in the neurological sciences.
Adrianne Dowdell, JD, was recognized as a Top Diversity Officer in Healthcare by The National Diversity Council. Dowdell received the award at the 2022 Health Equity & Inclusion Conference. The Top Diversity Officers award recognizes the efforts of officers who have the leadership and counsel to maintain and further diversity and inclusion initiatives and provide innovative solutions to strategically prioritize the preservation and advocation for diverse talent at an organization.
NIH News
Human Subjects Research: Policies, Clinical Trials, & Inclusion
Are you working with human subjects in your research and wondering about how HHS regulations and NIH policies apply, how to prepare a research proposal, or how to develop inclusion plans? Join experts from the NIH Division of Human Subjects Research and HHS Office of Human Research Protections for answers to these questions and more at the Human Subjects Research: Policies, Clinical Trials, & Inclusion event on Dec. 6 and 7.
Interested? Register today for this free event. During this 2-day virtual event, these NIH and HHS experts will share policies, resources, guidance, and case studies in this informative and engaging live event. Check out the full agenda on this page for a detailed list of topics covered.
The AAMC, along with the Association of American Libraries and Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries has released a new report, Institutional Strategies for the NIH Data Management and Sharing Policy, sharing infrastructure, services, and policies that institutions have developed to meet the requirements of the forthcoming NIH policy. In addition to the report, the site aamc.org/nihdatasharing will be a continually updated resource that contains links to ongoing institutional efforts and other relevant initiatives.
Where Should My Data Management and Sharing Plan Be Included in My Application for Funding?
For applications being developed for due dates on/after January 25, 2023, Data Management and Sharing Plans will be collected in a NEW field called “Other Plans” on the PHS 398 Research Plan and Career Development Award forms.
Feedback Sought on Strengthening Capacity for Emergency Clinical Trials
The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and National Security council recently released a Request for Information seeking ideas on strengthening the national capacity of clinical trial infrastructure and emergency clinical trials.
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
In the Media
Jessica Rohr, MD, is quoted on treating PTSD after car accidents in an article in Lifehacker.com. Traditionally associated with veterans and the battlefield, PTSD also can affect the general population, especially following a traumatic event like a car crash. Rohr talks about the importance of recognizing this disorder and some of the most important steps to take in treating it.
The Houston Chronicle covered the new “heart in a box” technology used for heart transplants at Houston Methodist. Erik Eddie Suarez, MD, and Dewei Ren, MD, are featured in the article. Houston Methodist is the first hospital in Houston to perform this new type of heart transplant. The technology allows surgeons to recover donor hearts that have stopped beating and restart them using a machine. The donor pool for hearts has long been stagnant but this new approach could increase the donor pool in the U.S. by 30%.
Erin Manning, MD, was recently quoted in an article on the lesser-known symptoms of menopause on Lifehacker.com.
Cesar Arias, MD, PhD, was interviewed by Washington Post reporter Lena Sun for an article about flu season peak numbers being seen far earlier this season.
Arias also was interviewed for a story in the Huffington Post about RSV symptoms physicians are seeing across the age spectrum.
Eleazar Flores, MD, spoke with Univision about this year’s flu season.
John Cooke, MD, PhD, was quoted in a story for MedPage Today as a third-party expert source to comment on a study of vaccinated health workers having shorter COVID illness, less viral shedding and milder infections with vaccination during Delta and Omicron.
Francesca Taraballi, PhD, was interviewed by ReachMD for an episode on the future for mRNA therapeutics and infectious diseases.
With the launch of SpaceX CRS-26 to the International Space Station one of the three projects onboard is a relaunch of an implantable drug delivery device that can be operated remotely. Alessandro Grattoni, PhD, and his team have been collaborating with the ISS for about eight years.
Eamonn Quigley, MD, recently presented research at the American College of Gastroenterology Annual Scientific Meeting that focused on patient compliance with a vibrating capsule used for chronic idiopathic constipation and was interviewed by Healio Gastroenterology.
Archana Sadhu, MD, and one of her patients appeared on Fox 26 News to discuss diabetes awareness and taped an interview with Melissa Wilson for her weekly “Lunch for the Soul” segment.
DEI Spotlight
Fathers in Health Care ERG Launches
The Office of DEI is excited to announce the creation of the Fathers in Health Care employee resource group (ERG)! The 9th Houston Methodist ERG, Fathers in Health Care’s mission is to, “bring together fathers and father figures across Houston Methodist for the purpose of supporting working fathers and to share ideas and experiences.” In addition, the ERG members will assist fathers in developing a work life balance that allows them to be successful in their career and also ensure they are active participants in their children’s development.
ERGs are open and welcoming to all. Employees across the system can join any ERG if they are a member of the group or would like to learn more and support the group. For more information and to join, email Fathersinhealthcare@houstonmethodist.org.
ERGs are open and welcoming to all. Employees across the system can join any of these ERGs if they are a member of the group or would like to learn more and support the group.
Spiritual Diversity Series Explores Advent
The 2022 Spiritual Diversity Speaker Series continues on Wednesday, November 30 from noon to 1 p.m. with a discussion on the Christian holiday of Advent. Presented by the Office of DEI and the Department of Spiritual Care and Values Integration, the discussion will be led by Randall W. Trego, M.Div, BCC. Advent, which begins on November 27, is the period of preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ observed on Christmas Day and of the expected second coming of Christ. CLICK HERE to join via Zoom. For more information, contact Theofficeofdei@houstonmethodist.org.
World AIDS Day Awareness
The LGBTQ+Allies employee resource group (ERG) is excited to present a system-wide World AIDS Day awareness initiative on December 1 from noon to 1 p.m.
ERG members will host tables at Houston Methodist campuses featuring information on World AIDS Day, HIV/AIDS education, community resources and more. Ribbons will be available that are ideal for being pinned on clothing in a show of support and to raise awareness to the impact that HIV and AIDS have had on people around the world and in our community. For information, email Lgtbq+allies@houstonmethodist.org.
Let’s Talk Series Continues
The current schedule of the Office of DEI’s “Let’s Talk” sessions continues at several Houston Methodist campuses through January 12. The 60-minute roundtable discussions on anti-racism and anti-bias are open to all Houston Methodist employees and leaders.
Registration is via Sign Up Genius: Click here to register for in-person campus sessions. Corporate employees should Click here to register for virtual sessions. Sessions are being scheduled , systemwide, so if your campus has not yet hosted a session, be on the lookout for information on upcoming opportunities to participate at your entity.
For more information, contact Brad Thien at ebthien@houstonmethodist.org or Kamali Archer at Karcher@houstonmethodist.org.
Help Enhance the DEI Toolkit
In our ongoing effort to ensure the DEI Toolkit provides the most valuable and up-to-date information and resources, we encourage you to utilize the DEI Resources Submission Form to recommend new books, videos, activities, assessments and other resources be added to the Toolkit. Submissions will be reviewed by the Toolkit administrator, with approved resources added to the Toolkit’s “Collaboration” tile. For more information, contact Jessica Frazier at Jfrazier@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.
New Employees
We welcome these new employees who joined the Academic Institute in December 2021.
- Aramide Balogun, Neurology – Shroff, Clinical Rsch Spclst
- Jiexiao Chen, Radiology Rsrch-Zhonglin Lui, Research Asst III
- Judit Csore, Vascular, Postdoctoral Fellow 0
- Joshua Davis, AOCT Ops - Quality Assurance, RI Quality Assurance Analyst
- Ana Paula Streling de Oliveira, Infectious Disease – Arias, Postdoctoral Fellow 0
- Hannah Do, Infectious Disease – Gollihar, Research Assistant I
- Blake Fallon, Nanomedicine – Filgueira, Research Assistant I
- Abha Grover, RNA Therapeutics – Brannan, Research Associate I
- Ming-Wei Jan, Cancer - Anthony Tang, Postdoctoral Fellow 0
- Waye Leeuwon, Office of Technology Transfer, Sr Licensing Assc
- Yabo Li, Cancer – Yi, Postdoctoral Fellow 0
- Ricky Minor, MITIE Sim Center, Project Specialist
- Sajedeh Nasr Esfahani, Neurosurg – Krencik, Postdoctoral Fellow 0
- Regina Novak, Office of Governance, Faculty Affairs Specialist
- Oluwakemi Oladipupo, AOCT Ops - Quality Assurance, Sr Clinical Research Nurse
- Ariana Perez, Regulatory Affairs, Project Specialist
- Melissa Pineda, Comparative Med General, Veterinary Technician
- Benjamin Batista Ramos, Neurology – Masdeu, Research Coordinator I
- Hira Saleem, Medicine - Primary Care, Research Coordinator I
- Dalisa Santiago, Cancer Clinical Trials, Manager Clinical Trials
- Bryan Santos, Neurosurg – Horner, Financial Analyst
- Rajina Shakya, Cancer - Andrew Hu, Postdoctoral Fellow 0
- Sylvia Song, SMAB – Lab, Research Assistant I
- Crystal Villegas, Cancer Outreach & Engagement, Care Coordinator
- Gangqiang Wang, RSRCH & ED App Development, Sr IT Data Specialist
- Sicong Wang, Cancer - Jing Yang, Postdoctoral Fellow 0
- Kimberly Weiderhold, Contracts Administration, RI Sr Research Contract Anlst
- Joy Yoo, COR – Ortho, Data Analyst
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.
Publications
Newest Therapies for Cholangiocarcinoma: An Updated Overview of Approved Treatments with Transplant Oncology Vision
Zhang, Y., Esmail, A., Mazzaferro, V., & Abdelrahim, M. (2022). Cancers, 14(20), [5074]. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers14205074
Enhanced Succinate Oxidation with Mitochondrial Complex II Reactive Oxygen Species Generation in Human Prostate Cancer
Zhang, A., Gupte, A. A., Chatterjee, S., Li, S., Ayala, A., Miles, B. J., & Hamilton, D. J. (2022). International journal of molecular sciences, 23(20), [12168]. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms232012168
Communication Strategies and Patient Care Transitions in the Early ICU Aftercare Period
Danesh, V., Hecht, J. D., & Sasangohar, F. (2022). Critical Care Medicine, 50(11), 1668-1670. https://doi.org/10.1097/CCM.0000000000005666
The genetic and molecular features of the intronic pentanucleotide repeat expansion in spinocerebellar ataxia type 10
Kurosaki, T., & Ashizawa, T. (2022). Frontiers in Genetics, 13, [936869]. https://doi.org/10.3389/fgene.2022.936869
Serotonin 5-HT7 receptor is a biomarker poor prognostic factor and induces proliferation of triple-negative breast cancer cells through FOXM1
Cınar, V., Hamurcu, Z., Guler, A., Nurdinov, N., & Ozpolat, B. (2022). Breast Cancer, 29(6), 1106-1120. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12282-022-01391-9
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