Mission Fall/Winter 2014

Beyond the White CoatFaculty tap their alter egos for a creative approach to life and healthp. 16

FALL/ WINTE R 2 014 Eye blast studies p. 10 | Living loud with cancer p. 12 | Nursing stress points p. 24

Good health begins with a smile.From braces and crowns, to dental implants and root canals, the faculty, residents and supervised students of the UT School of Dentistry combine their expertise and training to offer comprehensive dental care and specialty services—with compassion and understanding.

For example, pediatric dentist Maria-José Cervantes Mendez, D.D.S., sees what happens to kids whose parents do not understand the importance of brushing teeth, a healthy diet and regular dental checkups. “If you can prevent disease and keep everything good and healthy, it’s better for the patient, better for the parents, less expensive and the end result is better health,” she says.

To schedule an appointment, call 210.450.3700 or visit UTDentistry.com.

We’re UT Dentistry San Antonio, where smiles are made brighter—and lives are made better.

UTDentistry.com

http://www.uthscsa.edu/patient-care/dental

MISSION | Fall/Winter 2014 | Vol. 40, No. 3

12

26

10 24

28

FEATURES

10 When the shock wave hitsCollaborative study explores how eyes respond to blasts

12 Living boldLatina breast cancer survivors savor a decade of living in technicolor

24 Stress test Researchers study soaring stress levels among nurses

26 Serving our militaryTriple graduate combines physical therapy skills with research to help wounded warriors

COVER STORY

Beyond the white coat By day, they’re researchers, teachers, surgeons and therapists. But our multifaceted faculty shed their white coats after hours and embrace the artistic world of clay, photography, music—even clowning—to enhance their lives and their jobs.Cover photo by Lester Rosebrock, Creative Media Services

16

Kimatha Grice, O.T.D.a.k.a. Tutti Frutti

IN EVERY ISSUE

5 University in Motion 33 Philanthropy News

34 Appointments and Awards

PHILANTHROPY

28 An evening of promise Annual gala honors Frost family legacy

30 Exceeding expectationsCTRC raises an unprecedented $13.2 million

31 Seeds of hopePilot grants create bridge to take researchers to the next level

32 Creating a communityFirst McFee Scholars begin their journey to become physicians

Thosewordsaremorethanjustourinstitutionaltagline.Theyarethejobdescriptionofeveryoneatourinstitutionwho,throughtransformationalresearch,education,clinicalcareandcommunityservice,seekstomakeadifferenceintheworld.

ThecoverstoryofthisMissionillustratesthatandhonorsourfacultyandwhattheybringtotheirjobs,fromtheoccupationaltherapistwhomoonlightsasaclownandoccasionallytapsintoherbagofwhimsicalpropstohelpmakepatients’handsstronger,tothesurgeonwhoburrowsinfieldsofwildflowerstotakephotographsandembracesthebeauty,silenceandpeacethatmayeludehimintheoperatingroom.Hedoesthissothathecanbringthatsameconcentrationtohisjob.

ThereisalsothestoryofabravegroupofLatinabreastcancersurvivorswho,workingthroughourInstituteforHealthPromotionResearch,sharetheirstoriesofcourageandvitalitysothatcancersurvivorseverywherecanrememberwhytheyfightand,mostimportantly,thattheydon’tfightalone.

WehighlightourSchoolofNursingresearcherswhoareworkingsteadfastlytoaddressthecriticalissueofnursingshortagesbyferretingouttherootcausesofnursingstress.Someday,thankstotheirwork,thosestressorscanbereduced,oreveneliminated,andretentionrateswillrise.

You’llalsoreadabouttheremarkableworkofourCancerTherapy&ResearchCenter(CTRC)faculty,aswellasthosedonorswhohelpmakeitpossible,aswecelebrateanimportantmilestone—40yearsofworkingtoannihilatecancer.

Webelieveindoingwhateverittakestomakelivesbettereveryday.Andwerecognizeacriticalfact:Wedon’tdoitalone.Itisthroughyourhelpandyourbeliefinour

commitmenttothehealthoftheworldthatwecontinueonwardtowardourultimategoal.

ThankyouforsupportingtheHealthScienceCenterandthankyouforworkingwithustomakethosefoursimple,yetvital,wordsringtrue.

Sincerely,

WilliamL.Henrich,M.D.,MACPPresidentProfessorofMedicineUTHealthScienceCenteratSanAntonio

CHIEF OF STAFF AND VICE PRESIDENT, COMMUNICATIONS |MaryG.DeLaySENIOR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS|NancyArispeShaw

EDITOR/DIRECTOR OF PUBLICATIONS|LetyLaurelCREATIVE DIRECTOR|JenniferBernu-Bittle

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS |ElizabethAllen,CatherineDuncan,JoeMichaelFeist,RosanneFohn,TinaLuther,WillSansom,SarenSpicer

WEB|MichelleVasquez

PhotoandillustrationcontributionsprovidedbyCreativeMediaServicesandprintingbyUTPrint,UTHealthScienceCenterSanAntonio.Notprintedatstateexpense.

MissionispublishedbytheOfficeofCommunications,UTHealthScienceCenterSanAntonio.PleasesendLetterstotheEditortotheOfficeofCommunications,

7703FloydCurlDrive,SanAntonio,TX78229-3900;e-mailtomission@uthscsa.eduorsendfaxesto210-567-6811.Toberemovedfromourmagazinemailingandcontactlists,send

yournameandaddresstotheOfficeofCommunicationswithyourrequest.©TheUniversityofTexasHealthScienceCenteratSanAntonio,2014.Allrightsreserved.

Goonline!Read and e-subscribe to Missiononline uthscsa.edu/Mission

Like us on Facebookfacebook.com/UTHealthScienceCenterSA

We make lives better.

The 2014 President’s Gala, called An Evening of Promise, honored Patricia and Tom Frost (middle), longtime supporters of the Health Science Center. Standing with the Frosts are William L. Henrich, M.D., MACP, president of the Health Science Center (left), and honorary gala chair Bartell Zachry and his wife, Mollie (right).

A Message from the President

mailto:mission%40uthscsa.edu?subject=

http://uthscsa.edu/Mission/

https://www.facebook.com/UTHealthScienceCenterSA

https://www.facebook.com/UTHealthScienceCenterSA

Stem cells revealedPublic Education Day to explore regenerative medicine

What are stem cells and how might they be used to treat diseases? How safe are current stem cell treatments? How can the public enroll in a clinical trial? What are the ethical issues? How is the U.S. military using regenerative medicine?

The Health Science Center will host a Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Public Education Day from 1 to 4 p.m. Dec. 2 to address the many questions about stem cells and regenerative medicine through speaker panels and interactive booths. Keynote speaker Elaine Fuchs, Ph.D., an investigator at Rockefeller University, will give a public lecture at 9 a.m. about her research that explores where adult stem cells come from, how they make tissues, how they repair wounds and how stem cells malfunction in cancers.

The event, held on the Long Campus of the Health Science Center, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, is free and open to the public. It immediately precedes the 2014 World Stem Cell Summit, which runs Dec. 3 to 5 in San Antonio.

The Health Science Center is an organizing sponsor of the summit, which is the largest interdisciplinary stem cell meeting in the world.

“The Health Science Center is committed to stem cell research, including applications to oral health, aging, neuroscience, diabetes and cancer,” said Health Science Center President William L. Henrich, M.D., MACP, who is also a summit co-chair. “The World Stem Cell Summit is an opportunity to showcase our work on the global stage and establish new connections with national and international partners. The stem cell and regenerative medicine field has the potential to transform medicine, but also to transform the Texas economy.”

The World Stem Cell Summit will feature 200 prominent leaders in translational medicine, science and other fields. The event is expected to attract 1,500 attendees from 40 nations.

Neurons, in green, and astrocytes, shown in red, are derived from adult neural stem cells.Photo courtesy of Erzsebet Kokovay, Ph.D., Laboratory

universityinmotion

6|MISSION FALL/WINTER2014

Cardiovasculardiseaseisthegreatestkillerofhumanstheworldover,presentinghugefinancialandquality-of-lifeissues.Itiswellknownthattheheartbecomeslessefficientwithageinallmammalsstudiedtodate,evenintheabsenceofovertcardiacdisease.

Butscientistsstilldon’thaveagoodunderstandingofhowtopreventthesefunctionaldeclines.

Thelongest-livedrodent,thenakedmolerat,beatstheseoddsandescapescardiovascularaging,atleastinagesequivalentto92-year-oldhumans,researchersfromtheSchoolofMedicinereported.

KellyGrimes,agraduatestudentintheHealthScienceCenter’sBarshopInstituteforLongevityandAgingStudies,hasconductedthefirststudiesofnakedmoleratcardiovascularfunction.Herfindingsofmaintainedcardiovascularfunctionduringagingsupportearlierstudiesthatthisspeciesresiststhecommonsignsofaging.

Shefoundthat,atrest,theheartofthenakedmoleratbeatsveryslowlyat250beatsperminute.Therodentshouldhaveaheartratetwiceasfastforitsbodysize.Thebloodpressureinnakedmoleratsisalsoverylow,asistheamountofbloodtheheartpumpsandhowharditcontractstopumptheblood.

“However,iftheyneedto,forexampleduringexercise,nakedmoleratscanrampuptheircardiacfunctionwithease,”Grimessaid.“Theirentirecardiovascularsystemseemstobeoptimized.”

ThesedataarefromtwopapersrecentlypublishedbyGrimesandRochelleBuffenstein,Ph.D.,aspartofastudysupportedbytheAmericanHeartAssociation.Dr.Buffensteinemphasizedthatthenakedmoleratisunlikeanyothercardiovascularagingmodelstudied.

“Itlookslikethenakedmoleratmaintainsheartfunctionatyouthfullevelsatleasttillage90,”Dr.Buffensteinsaid.“Clearlytheseanimalsholdthesecrettohealthyheartsinaginghumans.”

Whydohumans,rats,mice,monkeys,dogsandotheranimalsshowdeclines,butnotthenakedmolerat?Grimesisstudyingmolecularmechanismsthatmightbeprotectingthenakedmolerats’cardiovascularstructureandfunction.Theseprotectivemechanismsarelikelycloselylinkedtotheirnaturalsubterraneanenvironmentandexceptionalstressresistance.

ThetwopapersareintheAmerican Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory PhysiologypublishedbytheAmericanPhysiologicalSociety.

Young at heart

It’s officialCTRC retains national elite Cancer Center designation

InSeptember,theNationalCancerInstituterenewedtheCancerTherapy&ResearchCenter’sofficialCancerCenterdesignation.AnNCICancerCenterdesignationisgiventoelitecancercenters,ofwhichthereareonlyfourinTexas.

Toqualifyforthenationaldesignation,CTRCfacultyandstaffhadtomeetandexceedstrictguidelines,suchascontinuingtomakegroundbreakingscientificdiscoveries,conductinginnovativeclinicaltrials,trainingthenextgenerationofcancerdoctorsandreducingtheburdenofcancerforthepeopleofSanAntonioandSouthTexas.

“Weareelatedwiththeseachievements—mainlybecausetheyhelpourpatients,”saidCTRCDirectorIanM.ThompsonJr.,M.D.“EveryconversationIhavewithapatientwhoisfightingcancer,orwithafamilymemberwhoissoakingupeverywordandaskingquestionssothatpersoncanfightalongsidethelovedone,isprofoundlyhumbling.Theyaretherealfighters,andwearesoproudtoservethem.”

TheCTRCservesafast-growingareawithapopulationofmorethan4.4millionpeopleintheregionofCentralandSouthTexasthatincludesAustin,SanAntonio,LaredoandtheRioGrandeValley.WithmanySpanishspeakersinitsserviceareaandhigherratesofliverandcervicalcanceralongitsborders,theCTRChasfocuseditsmissiononbilingualpreventioneducationandoutreach,collaborationwithborderphysiciansandcutting-edgeclinicaltrialsforcancer.

universityinmotion

FALL/WINTER2014MISSION | 7

VeteransoftheAfghanistanandIraqwarswhosustainedmildtraumaticbraininjuries(TBIs)were28percentmorelikelytohaveepilepsythanthosewithwithoutTBIs,HealthScienceCenter

researchersfound.Theystudiedthemedicalrecordsof

veteransfrombothwarswhosustainedtraumaticbraininjuries.Similarto

priorstudies,thisresearchalsoshowedthatveteranswhosuffered

penetratingorsevereTBIshadthehighestriskofdevelopingepilepsy.

“Wesawthat24percentoftheveteranswho

hadepilepsyalsohadexperiencedaTBI.Thatiscomparedto11percent

ofpeoplewithoutepilepsy,”saidMaryJoPugh,Ph.D.,RN,associateprofessorinthe

DepartmentofEpidemiologyandBiostatisticswhoisalsoaresearchhealthscientistwiththeSouthTexasVeteransHealthCareSystemandaveteranoftheU.S.AirForce.

FundedbytheVAHealthServicesResearchandDevelopmentAdministration,theresearchwasbasedontherecordsof256,284AfghanistanandIraqveteranswhoreceivedinpatientandoutpatient

careintheVeteransHealthAdministration(VHA)infiscalyears2009and2010.

Ofthemorethan2millionreturningveterans,15to19percentofthemhavesufferedaTBIwitheitherlossofconsciousnessoralteredmentalstate.

“ThehighprevalenceofTBIshasraisedconcernsforthelong-termconsequencesofneurotraumainthispopulation.Basedondatafrompreviouswars,thereisaparticularconcernfortheriskofpost-traumaticepilepsy,”Dr.Pughsaid,addingthatstudiesofveteransfromWorldWarIIandtheKoreanWarshowedalinkbetweencombat-relatedheadinjuryandepilepsy.

“Thisstudyshowsusthatweneedtobepreparedasahealthcaresystem,”shesaid.“Giventhelargenumberofindividualswhohavesustaineddeployment-relatedTBIs,asubstantialincreasedburdenofepilepsyinthispopulationispossible.Thelong-termconsequencesonthepatientandthehealthcaresystemincludesincreasedriskofmedicalandsocialcomplications,includingaccidents,socialstigmatization,lossofemployment,inabilitytodriveandevendeath.Theseveteransshouldbefollowedclosely,andsystemsofcare,suchastheVHAEpilepsyCentersofExcellence,shouldbepreparedtoprovideepilepsyspecialtycarefortheseindividuals.”

Barshop Institute gets $7.5 million for aging intervention researchExploringagentstohelpuslivelongerandhealthierhas

becomeamultimillion-dollarprojectfortheBarshopInstituteforLongevityandAgingStudies.

Overthenextfiveyears,scientistswillreceive$7.5millionfromtheNationalInstituteonAgingtotestforcompoundsthatenhancehealthyaginginmice.

TheBarshopInstituteispartoftheNIAInterventionsTestingProgram,whichbeganin2004,andworkswiththeUniversityofMichiganandtheJacksonLaboratorytotestaginginterventions.TheBarshopInstituteteststheeffectsofdrugsonlongevityandhousestheITPPharmacologyUnit.

“ThisgrantrepresentsadoublinginfundingoverourpreviousITPaward,”saidRandyStrong,Ph.D.,directorandprincipalinvestigatoroftheSanAntonioITP.“Thisisnowa$22millionconsortium,withathirdofthefundingcomingtotheBarshopInstituteinSanAntonio.”

Theprogramhasstudiedtheeffectsof25compoundsin35survivalstudies.Sofar,fiveinterventionshaveshownpromise,includingrapamycin,amedicationthatextendedthelifespanofmice,eventhoseonlytreatedlateinlife.Theanti-diabeticdrugacarboseisalsoshowingpotential,saidDr.Strong,professorofpharmacologyintheSchoolofMedicineandresearchcareerscientistattheSouthTexasVeteransHealthCareSystem.

Earlyresultshavealreadyimpactedthefieldsofgeriatricsandgerontology,providingthefirststrongevidencethatasingledrugcanextendlongevitybydelayingorpreventingtheonsetofmultipleage-relateddiseases.Clinicaltrialsareplannedorarealreadyunderwaytoextendthesefindingstohumans.

TheNIAstartedasimilarprogramusingshort-livedmicroscopicroundwormscalledCaenorhabditis elegansasaninitialscreentospeeduptheidentificationofevenmorepotentialanti-aginginterventions,Dr.Strongsaid.

“Weareaboutthebusinessofmakinglivesbetter,”saidHealthScienceCenterPresidentWilliamL.Henrich,M.D.,MACP.“Basicscienceiscriticallyimportant,asistranslatingdiscoveriestopatientcare.Basicscienceisthefirststeponthecontinuum.Translatingbasicsciencediscoveriestobettertechniquesandpracticesiswhatbringsitfullcircle.Intheend,it’sallaboutthepatient’slife.”

RapamycintestingintheITPishavingadirecteconomicimpactonSanAntonio.Theabilityofrapamycin-relateddrugstopotentiallyslowtheagingprocessledtotheestablishmentofaSanAntoniobiotechcompany,RapamycinHoldingsInc.,whichislicensingexclusiverightstointellectualpropertycentraltoseveralaspectsoftherapamycindiscovery.

Connecting the dots

of veterans with epilepsy had experienced a

traumatic brain injury.

24%

+


Two for oneDrug kills cancer cells and blocks pain

Ananti-painagenthasbeenfoundtoalsodramaticallyshrinkhumanoralcancertumorsinmousemodels.Theagent,capsazepine,causednodamagetosurroundingtissues,researchersfromtheSchoolofDentistryandSchoolofMedicinefound.

“That’sthebeauty,”saidCaraB.Gonzales,D.D.S.,Ph.D.,assistantprofessorofcomprehensivedentistryandaninvestigatorwiththeCancerTherapy&ResearchCenter.“Capsazepinekillscancersselectively,leavingnormaltissuesunharmed,andalsoactsonneuronstoblockpain,adesirablecombinationinapotentialmedication.”

OralsquamouscellcarcinomaistheeighthmostcommoncancerintheU.S.with40,000newcasesandnearly8,000deathsreportedannually.Typically,tumorsdeveloponthesideofthetongue,and60percentofpatientshavelargetumorsbeforeseekinghelp.Thefive-yearsurvivalrateis30percent.

Butifcaughtearly,thediseaseiscurable,saidRandalA.Otto,M.D.,FACS,professorandchairmanoftheDepartmentofOtolaryngology-Head&NeckSurgeryintheSchoolofMedicine.

“Anythingthatselectivelyattacksthetumorwhilenotinjuringthenormaltissuescanonlyhelpthepatient,”hesaid.

CapsazepinewasdevelopedtoblockTRPV1,acalciumchannelfoundinpain-sensingneurons.WhenTRPV1isactivated,apainsignalissenttothebrain.Capsazepinemayreduceoralcancerpainbecauseitblockstumor-secretedfactorsfromstimulatingTRPV1ontheseneurons.Dr.Gonzalesfoundthatcapsazepinealsohasanti-canceractivitythatmaybelinkedwithitsabilitytoincreaseoxidativedamageintumors.Enhancedoxidativestressleadstoauto-destructionofthetumorcells,theresearcherstheorize.

Sofar,onlylocaladministrationofcapsazepine,directlyintotheprimarytumors,hasbeentested.

“Wewouldliketobeabletodeliverthistherapysystemicallytotargetmetastaticdisease,”Dr.Gonzalessaid.“OurlaboratoryisworkingwiththeCenterforInnovationinDrugDiscovery,apartnershipbetweentheHealthScienceCenterandTheUniversityofTexasatSanAntonio,todevelopnoveldrugsthataresimilartocapsazepine,withimprovedefficacyforthepurposeofsystemicadministrationtotreattumorsthatareinaccessibletolocalinjectionorthathavemetastasized.”

TheHealthScienceCenterhasclaimedintellectualpropertyonresultsofthestudy,whichisdescribedinthejournalOral Oncology.

A good combinationDual-drug combo can cure hepatitis C

Morethan90percentofhepatitisCpatientswerecuredinthreemonthsusingacombinationofpillsalreadyapprovedbytheFDA.

Whentakentogether,thedrugssofosbuvirandsimeprevirresultedinnineoutof10patientsbeingcured.Theywerealsowelltoleratedbypatients,accordingtoastudypublishedinThe Lancet.

EricLawitz,M.D.,clinicalprofessorintheSchoolofMedicineandvicepresidentofresearchandscientificdevelopmentattheTexasLiverInstitute,ledtheclinicaltrialconductedintheUnitedStatesandfundedbyJanssenPharmaceuticalCompanies.

EncouragingpeopletotakeabloodtesttodiagnosehepatitisCcouldresultintheirbeingtreatedwithanoralregimenthatcouldpreventseriousliverdiseasessuchascancer,cirrhosisorliverfailure.HepatitisCistheleadingcauseoflivertransplantsintheU.S.

Anestimated3.2millionpeoplenationwidehavehepatitisC,andmostdonotknowtheyareinfected.CureratesforhepatitisCpatientswithcirrhosisarehistoricallylowerthan50percent,andthetreatmenthashadnumerousadverseeffects.Thepreviousstandardofcarewiththedruginterferoninvolvedacomplicatedregimenofshotsandupto18tabletsadayforupto48weeks,andsixmonthsoffollow-upcaretodetermineifthetherapywassuccessful.Sideeffectsincludedrash,anemiaanddepression.

“Wearenowinthemidstofaparadigmshiftofmovingawayfromcomplicatedinjectionregimens,”Dr.Lawitzsaid.“ThistrialprovidesaglimpseintotheoutcomesofsofosbuvirandsimeprevirfortreatmentofhepatitisC.BothdrugsareapprovedbytheFDAbutarenotyetapprovedtogetherforthistreatment.”

All-oralregimensholdpromiseforahepatitisCcurerateofmorethan90percentofpatients,includingthosewithliverscarring,orcirrhosis.StudyparticipantshadthemostcommonformofhepatitisC,calledgenotype1,andweredifficulttotreatduetoeitherfailingapreviouscourseofinterferonandribavirin,orhavingcirrhosis.

Morethan150millionpeopleworldwidehavechronichepatitisC,amajorcauseoflivercirrhosisandlivercancer.Annually350,000to500,000deathsarereported.

AccordingtotheU.S.CentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention,75percentofU.S.residentswithchronichepatitisCwerebornfrom1945through1965.Forthisreason,theCDCrecommendsthatpeoplebornduringtheseyearshaveaone-timetestforhepatitisCtopreventtheriskofmoreserioushealthproblems.

Cara B. Gonzales, D.D.S., Ph.D., is investigating the anti-pain drug capsazepine and its impact on oral cancer tumors.

universityinmotion


Stressed out? Blame your genesScientistshavelongbelievedthatthetendencyofexperiencingstress-

relateddisorderssuchasdepression,post-traumaticstressdisorderandobesityisinheritedoristheresultoftraumaticevents.ButscientistsfromtheHealthScienceCenterwhostudydepressioninteensarelookingintoanotherfactor—therolethatchanginggenesplay.

Subtlechangesinagenecanpredicthowthebrainreactstostress,theyfound.Andthosegenesmaychangeovertime,makingsomewiththesamegeneticmakeupmorelikelytoexperiencestressthanothers.

Thestudies,ledbytheHealthScienceCenter’sDouglasE.Williamson,Ph.D.,andAhmadHariri,Ph.D.,fromDukeUniversity,lookedattheserotonintransporter,agenethatregulatestheamountofserotoninsignalingthatoccursbetweenbraincellsandisfrequentlythetargetforantidepressantdrugs.Theyprovedtheexistenceofamechanismimpactingthebrainthatalsomayplayaroleinanindividual’sreactiontostress,whichmaybeastrongerpredictorofstressthanDNAsequencing.

Attachedtotheserotonintransporter’sDNAarechemicalmarkscalledmethylgroups.Theyhelpregulatewhen,whereandhowmuchofthegeneisexpressed.Thisisoneformofgenemodification,whichscientistsarestudyingtounderstandhowthesamegeneticcodecanproducedifferentreactionstostress,andawiderangeofcellularresponsesinthebody.

“Ourworkishelpingtoidentifythespecificmechanismsthatareinvolvedintheonsetofdepression,whichisinvolvedin70percentofpeoplewithPTSD,”saidDr.Williamson,anassociateprofessorofpsychiatry,epidemiologyandbiostatisticsintheSchoolofMedicine,andtheDielmannChairofGeneticandEnvironmentalRisk.

“Thefindingsofthecurrentstudyandourongoingresearcharecontributingtoaparadigmshiftinhowourfieldexaminesgeneticcontributionstopsychiatricconditionslikedepressionandpost-traumaticstressdisorder.Wearemovingbeyondsimpleinheritedgeneticsequencevariationtoexaminewhatisbeingmodifiedduringone’slifetimeandhowthismayinturnbepassedontoourchildren.”

It’s in your gutAhigh-fatdietmaycausechangesinpeople’s

gutbacteria,leadingtoanincreaseinbacterialbyproductscalledendotoxinsinthebloodstream.Inolderpeopleandthosewithtype2diabetes,thelevelofendotoxinishigher.

NicolasMusi,M.D.,directoroftheBarshopInstituteforLongevityandAgingStudiesat

theHealthScienceCenter,recentlyreceived$600,000fromtheAmericanDiabetesAssociationtoleadaclinicalresearchstudyintotheissue.

“Weallhavealittlebitofendotoxininourbodycomingfromthebacteriathatliveinourgut,”Dr.Musisaid.“Butusuallyendotoxindoesnotcomethroughtheintestinalbarrierintotheblood,orverylittledoes.Wequestionwhetherthehigherlevelofendotoxininthebloodofdiabeticsiscausedbyahigh-fatdietthatmakestheintestinalbarrierleaky,allowingendotoxintospillintotheblood.”

Thestudywillalsoexplorehowthelevelofendotoxinmightaffectinsulinsensitivityandthebody’sabilitytometabolizesugar.

Whatifyoucouldflipaswitchandstartburningyourexcessfat?Thatcouldleadtomoreenergy,andalowerriskofobesityanddiseasessuchastype2diabetes.Itsoundslikeamiracleswitch,butresearchersfromtheSchoolofMedicinebelievetheyhavefounditintheproteinGrb10.

Thebodyismadeupofwhiteandbrownadiposetissue,alsocalledfattissue.Whitetissuestoresfat,whilebrowntissuereleasesitthroughenergy.Bothareimportantforregulatingmetabolism,buthavingtoomuchwhiteadiposetissuecouldleadtoweightandhealthproblems.

“Weknowthatifwewanttokeepourbodylean,wehavetogetridofextranutrientsinthebody,whichmeansburningmoreenergy,”saidFengLiu,Ph.D.,professorofpharmacologyattheHealthScienceCenteranddirectoroftheMetabolicSyndromeResearchCenteratSecondXiangyaHospital,CentralSouthUniversityinChangsha,China.

Convertingthewhitetissuetobrown,or“beigeing”thefat,couldleadtothisincreaseinenergy.TheresearchersdiscoveredthemolecularpathwaycalledmTORC1thatcontrolsthisbeigeing,andGrb10actsastheon-offswitch.Thisproteinisstimulatedbycoldstress,whichcausesthebodytoburnenergy.

“Understandinghowbeigeingiscontrolledissoveryimportantbecause,ifwecanimproveenergyexpenditure,wecanreduceobesity,”Dr.Liusaid.

Thediscoveryhasotherimplications,too.ThemTORC1pathwayisalsoinvolvedinaging,cardiovasculardiseaseandcancer.

Fat be gone


ImagIne you are a soldIer, patrolling the streets of a war-ravaged city. Without warning, a suicide bomber sets off an improvised explosive device 50 yards from where you stand. The powerful blast flips you backward into a wall. In seconds you open your eyes. How are you seeing? Will this affect your vision permanently?

ResearchersfromthejointbiomedicalengineeringprogramoftheHealthScienceCenterandTheUniversityofTexasatSanAntoniohaveevidencethateyessubjectedtothatkindofpressure,evenifnotpunctured,areseriouslyinjuredandcouldsufferpartialorcompleteblindness.

In2014,theteampublishedastudyofblasteffectsinapostmortempigeyemodel.Fortwoyears,researcherstestedblastscontainedinsideatubesystemattheU.S.ArmyInstituteforSurgicalResearch,locatedonFortSamHoustonintheSanAntonioMilitaryMedicalCentercomplex.TheU.S.DepartmentofDefensefundedthestudy.

Postmortempigeyeswereexposedtovariouslevelsofblastenergyandwereevaluatedwithphotography,ultrasoundandmicroscopicexaminations.Researchersfoundthataninitialshockwaveofover-pressurizedairfromablastisenoughtodamagetheeyes,evenintheabsenceofshrapnelorotherparticles.Theopticnerve,whichservesastheconduitofmessagesbetweentheeyesandthebrain,canalsobedamaged,leadingtonumerousvisualdeficits.

Thestudyiscrucialgiventhedangerssoldiersfacetoday.DuringtheCivilWar,1percentofbattlefieldinjuries

involvedtheeye;thisincreasedto3percentthroughWorldWarII.DuringthelastseveralcombatsintheMiddleEast,13percentofinjurieshaveinvolvedtheeye.Ocularinjuriesarenowthefourthmostcommonmilitary-deploymentinjury.

“Wethinkit’slargelyduetotheuseofexplosivedevices,”saidstudyco-authorRandolphGlickman,Ph.D.,professorofophthalmologyandradiologicalsciencesintheSchoolofMedicineattheHealthScienceCenter.“Theyareeverywhere,theyaremessydevices,andtheyproducelotsofeyeinjuries.”

Theproblemisnotrestrictedtothebattlefield.Eachyear,2.4millioneyeinjuriesoccurintheU.S.AfifthofAmericanswillexperienceoneintheirlifetime,rangingfromascratchedcorneatolossofvision.OculartraumaistheleadingcauseofblindnessintheU.S.

“Obviouslyit’saseriousissueinboththemilitaryandciviliancommunities,”saidDr.Glickman,whoiscross-appointedatUTSAinphysicsandbiomedicalengineering.

Blastinjuriescanbecategorizedinfourlevels:primary,resultingfromthepressurewaveproducedbytheblast

By Will Sansom

Study evaluates how eyes respond


itself;secondary,duetoshrapnelordebristhrownupbytheexplosion;tertiary,concussiveinjuriesresultingfromthewholebodybeingthrownforcefullyagainstasolidobject;orquaternary,long-termeffectssuchaspost-traumaticstressdisorder.

Theblastwavehitspeoplesofastthattheydon’thavetimetoblinkforprotection,andevenlowblastlevelscancauseeyedamage.

TheworkcameoutofapilotstudyofpaintballinjuriesbygeologistWalterGray,Ph.D.,andophthalmologistRickSponsel,M.D.,bothfacultyatUTSA.Theresearchersfoundthatcomputermodelsusedbyengineerstoevaluatehowmaterialsbreakundermechanicalstresscouldalsobeusedtopredicteyeinjuriessustainedfromdifferentlevelsoftrauma.Themachineissocorrect,theyfound,thatthetypeandseverityofinjurypredictedbythecomputermodelmatchedtheactualinjuriessustainedinlabtrialsusinganimaleyes.

Dr.Glickmanusestheinformationtoinvestigatethebiologicalresponsestoblasttrauma.

Beforetheresearch,thisdamagetotheeyeswasfrequentlyattributedtotraumaticbraininjuries.

“Internaleffectsintheeyearesomethingnoonehasreallystudied,”saidco-authorMatthewReilly,Ph.D.,assistantprofessorofbiomedicalengineeringatUTSA.“Previousstudieslookedatwhethertheeyerupturedduringthesecondarystage,butthoseresearchteamsdidn’thavethesophisticatedequipmenttolookatthe

inside.Inthisstudy,we’vebeenabletodistinguishbetweenprimaryandsecondaryblasteffects.”

Withtheprimaryblast,thepressureismorewidelydistributed,Dr.Reillysaid.

“Thepressure’snothittingatonepointontheeyebutacrossthewholesurface,”hesaid.“Theeyeisn’tpuncturedatthisstep,butthesoftpartsinsidetheeyegetscrambled.Badthingshappen.”

Theresearchteamobservedretinaldetachments,separationoftissuelayers,opticnervedamageandinjuriestoagroupofstructuresthathelpmaintainfluidandpressurebalanceintheeye.

Thosethingsdon’thavetohappen,theresearcherssaid.Existingeyewearshieldsagainstobjectssuchasshrapnelbutdoesn’taddressblastwaves.Inthefuture,theywouldliketocollaboratewithDepartmentofDefensespecialiststodesignnewtypesofprotectiveeyewear.Blastmodelingwouldleadtodevelopmentofprototypesthatcouldbetestedtodeterminewhichdesignsbestpreventprimaryblastinjuries.

Overtime,theprojectcouldalsohelpphysiciansbetterscreenpatientsforoculardamageandcreateappropriatetreatmentplansfortheincreasingnumberofsoldierswhosuffereyeblastinjurieswhileinharm’sway.

Julie La Fuente Louviere


S he calls herself a cactus, with thorns to protect her and the resilience to withstand anything. A Texas prickly pear cactus can survive snow, drought and injury. When a cactus gets cut, it

scars and keeps growing. And it produces life in the deli-cate yellow flowers that sprout along its hard ridges.

After three bouts of cancer, Julie La Fuente Louviere is cut and scarred, but she’s still going.

“It rains, it thunders, it’s cold and it’s hot. The nopal is still standing,” she said. “And it’s standing with pride, with its needles out. Nothing is going to make it weak.”

Louviere was 29 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. After a mastectomy, she began chemotherapy. Five years later, she heard the word every cancer survi-vor dreams of hearing: remission. Then came more good news. Despite the damage to her ovaries caused by the chemotherapy, she was pregnant with her second child.

But the excitement was short lived. Just into her second trimester, the cancer came back,

this time in her liver and bones.“It didn’t look good,” she said. She was given two

months to live. Doctors advised her to terminate her preg-nancy and begin intensive chemotherapy. She refused.

“I said, ‘God won’t give me anything I can’t handle.’” She became the first woman documented in medical books to undergo chemotherapy while in advanced preg-nancy. She was told her baby would have a slew of health problems. But on Valentine’s Day 1998, her daughter, Alis, was born—healthy despite the odds.

By Lety LaurelPhotos by Rick Carrillo

Living Bold

Latina breast cancer survivors savor a decade of living in


Andeventually,Louviere’scancerdisappeared.“She’smymiraclebaby,”shesaid.“Inaway,Ibelieveit

wasmydaughterwhosavedmylife.”Louviere’sstoryofsurvivalisoneof26featured

inNuestras Historias: Mujeres Hispanas Sobreviviendo el Cáncer del Seno (Our Stories: Hispanic Women Surviving Breast Cancer),acollectionofessaysbyLatinabreastcancerpatientsandsurvivors.The114-pagebook,writteninbothEnglishandSpanish,wasproducedin2004byRedesEnAcción,anationalLatinocan-cerresearchnetworkfundedbytheNationalCancerInstituteandbasedattheInstituteforHealthPromotionResearchattheHealthScienceCenter.Louvieresaidsheneverhesitatedwhenaskedtoshareherstory.

“Notonlywasmystorygoingtogivehopetosomelostsoulthatwasoutthere,butitwasgoingtobegivenintwodifferentlanguages,”shesaid.“Andtome,ifGodhadmehereforareason,maybethatwasthereason.IfIcouldhelpmyownraceandmyownwomentounderstandthisdiseaseandunderstandthereishopeafterbreastcancerandknowthatyoucanbeamommyandawife,andyoucanbeasister,andyoucanbealovingauntfightingthisdiseaseandstillmakingcookiesfortheneighborhoodchildren,itwouldallbeworthit.”

Likeapicturetakenadecadeago,thestoriesarefrozenintime.Butinthe10yearssincethebookwaspublished,muchhaschanged.Ofthe26originalauthors,10havedied.Andoncemore,Louviereisbattlingyetanotherboutwiththedisease—forthethirdtime.

Thenumbersspeakloudlyastowhythebookwaswritten.BreastcanceristheleadingcauseofcancerdeathamongLatinawomen,andthenumberofcasesissteadilyincreasing.Thepurposeofthebookwastoputfacestothestartlingstatistic,andofferhope,comfortandadviceforothersbattlingbreastcancer,saidSandraLorenaSanMiguel,researchinstructorfortheDepartmentofEpidemiologyandBiostatisticsandtheinstitute.

“Latinawomenputthemselveslast,”shesaid.“Theirneedsaresoprimary—howtoputfoodonthetablethatday.Theydon’tseethelongterm.

“Wewantedtoproducesomethingforwomenthattheycouldrelatetosotheycouldgooutandfacetheirfearsandsay,‘Wecandothis.’”

Sinceitwasprintedin2004,thebookhaswonseveralawardsandhasbeendistributedforfreetobreastcancerpatients,survivorsandtheirfamilies.Italsolivesonline,andhasbeenusedbyothersupportprogramstohelppatientsasfarawayasWisconsin.

Mostimportantly,ithasbeensharedbytheauthorswhoparticipated,andpasseddowntotheirnieces,daughtersandgrandchildren.NowanewgenerationofLatinascanbearmedwiththeknowledgethattheparticipantsthemselvesfelttheylacked,Louvieresaid.

“ThebookmademefeellikeIcouldhelppeople,”Louvieresaid.“Itmademefeellikewewereagroupofnotonlycancerwarriors,butLatinawarriors.Andweneededtogetheard.Andwedid.”

Battle scarsThecoverofNuestras Historiasisamosaicofwomen’s

faces.Thereisstrength,resolveandbeauty.There’snovis-iblesignofcancer.

“Forthewomenwhoreadthisbook,Ithinkitshowsthemthatnotallcancerpatientslookacertainway.Youcanseeuslookingfabulous,”saidTanyaDelValle,whowasalsofeaturedinthebook.Atthetimeofherdiagnosisin1997,shewas27yearsold,theyoungestbreastcancerpatientinSanAntonio.“Italsoshowsyoutheveryrealsideofthis.Itdoestakesomelives.Butitshowsthatyouareasurvivorfromtheminuteyou’rediagnosed,notfromwhenyou’redonewithchemo.Itcanhappenatanyage,yetyoucanstillsurvive.”

DelValle’ssurvivorstorybeganwhenshewasintheprimeofherlife.Shewasengaged,andworkingasacoachandabiologyteacheratalocalhighschool.Aroutinevisittothedoctorrevealedherlump,butneitherherdoctornorDelVallewereconcerned.Atthattime,thereweren’tmanywomenintheir20swhohadcancer.

Thelumpcontinuedtogrow,andwhendoctorstriedtodrainthecyst,nothingbutcellscameout.Immediately,moretestsandabiopsywerescheduled.Then,justbeforeThanksgiving,shegotthedevastatingnews:It’smalignant.

Inaflash,herlifechanged.Shejoinedsurvivorgroups,andotherwomenfightingbreastcancerbecameherbest

Living Bold

Bea Vasquez


friends.Hersenseofsecuritywasshatteredasshewatchedthosefriendsdie.

“Ichangedalot,”shesaid.“Isawlifethroughadifferentlens.Iappreciatedthingsalotmore.Ihavealwaysbeenaprettyhappyperson,butIfoundaninnerstrengththatIdidn’tknowexisted.”

Shefocusedonthewomenshesawhittingandpassingtheall-importantfive-yearmilestonethatsignalsremission.

“Irememberlookingatthemandgoing,‘Iamgoingtobeyouoneday,’”shesaid.

WhenSanMiguelaskedhertowriteherstoryforNuestras Historias,shehadfinallypassedthemilestone.Alongwiththescarfromherlumpectomy,sheworeanotherbattlemark,atattoooftheEnergizerBunnyplayingadrumwithapinkribbononittosymbolizeherpromisetokeepbattlingagainstcancer.

“Ibecamethatwomanthatotherwomenlooktoandsay,

‘I’mgoingtobeyouoneday,’”shesaid.“Ilovedthatchancetogivethemhope.”

Andshe’snowlivingherdream,sheadded,despitethechallengesthatcancerthrewherway.Sheismarriedtoherbestfriend,Rudy,andsurroundsherselfwithfamilyandfriends.

Theincidencesofbreastcancerarehighestfornon-Hispanicwhitewomen,yetitisLatinaswhoarelesslikelytosurviveforfiveyearsafterdiagnosis.Latinasare2.3timesmorelikelytobediagnosedatalaterstagebecausetheydelayorforegoroutinewellnesscheckups.

“Latinawomentypicallyholdback.Evenwhentheyfindalump,theydon’tseeadoctor,”SanMiguelsaid.“Thereareresourcesinthecommunity,butalotoftimestheydon’tfol-lowthroughbecauseoffear.”

WhenSylviaBeilsteinfeltthesmalllumpinherbreast,shekeptitasecretfromeveryone,evenherhusband.Atthe

time,hewasunemployedandhealthinsurancehadnotyetkickedinthroughheremployer.Shetookagambleandwaited.

Onceshesawthedoctor,theresthappenedquickly.“Ihadtohaveafullmastectomybecausetheydidn’t

knowhowmuchcancerhadgottenlooseandtraveledthroughoutmybody,”shesaid.Thatwas31yearsago.

Soonafterherdiagnosis,Beilstein’smotherwasdiag-nosedwithbreastcancer.Andfiveyearsago,herdaughter,Laura,foundoutshe,too,hadthedisease.

ForBeilstein,whoiscalledtheMexicanLucilleBallbyherfamilybecauseofherpropensityforfunandlaughter,themomentherdaughterwasdiagnosedwasaturningpoint.OutcameNuestras Historias.SheusedittogiveLaurahopeandtoremindherthatshewasn’talone.

“Insomewayoranother,wewomencanrelatetoeachother,”Beilsteinsaid.“Themorewomenaremadeaware,the

moretheywillexaminethemselves.”Womenneedtobeeducated,andtheyneedtofeel

empowered,saidBeaVasquez,whohelpedSanMiguelfindsurvivorstosharetheirstoriesforNuestras Historias,andwhoalsoisa15-yearbreastcancersurvivorfeaturedinthebook.Thecancerdiagnosisdidn’tstopherfrombeingactiveinthecommunityorfromraisingonedaughterandsixfosterchildren.

“Thefightisahardone,butwearegoingtofightandnotbeafraid,”Vasquezsaid.“Andifitcomesback,wearegoingtofightwithevenmorepower.”

A decade of milestones

Tenyearsafteritsoriginalrelease,Nuestras Historiasremainsanimportantprojectinthelivesoftheparticipants.Itgavethemachancetosharetheirknowledgeandexperi-ences.Itletthemdeliverhopetostrangerswhoweregoing

“The fight is a hard one, but we are going to fight and not be afraid. And if it comes back, we are going to fight with even more power.”–Bea Vasquez, 15-year survivor

Sylvia BeilsteinTanya DelValle


throughtheturmoilthatacancerdiagnosisbrings.Anditidentifiedthemassurvivors,eveninthegripofillness.

“Whenpeoplethinkofwomengoingthroughche-motherapy,theythinkshe’sgray,she’sbald,she’sfragile,”Louvieresaid.“Theyneverseeshe’svibrant.Theyneverseeshe’safighter.Theyneverseetheportthatmeansthatshe’sawarrior.Theyneverseethecharisma,theattitude,thewill-ingnesstofight.Theydon’tseethatthepersonhasherlipsdoneandhermakeupdonebecauseshe’senjoyingthatday,thatmoment,andshe’snottakingitforgranted.”

Butthat’swhatthebookdid,Vasquezsaid.Itcapturedthewomeninthebeautyoflife.

“Toseeallthesewomenfeatured,withbeautifulhaircutsandmakeup,onebreastmissing,twobreastsmissing,nobreastsmissing—andtoseethemfeelinggoodaboutthem-selves,that’swhatthebookportrays,”Vasquezsaid.“Itwasimportantthatweshowthatyoucanbeacancersurvivor

andstilllookbeautifulandstillgetupinthemorningandstillfeelgoodaboutyourself.”

Thereareotherlessonsinthebookaswell.LikeLouviere’snopal,theessaysurgeallwomentokeepgrowingbylearningmoreaboutcancer,tospreadhopeliketheflowersthatblossomalongthecactus’ridges,andtoboldlylivelife.

ThoughLouvierewasgivenanexpirationdateyearsago,shehasn’tstoppedliving.Thisyear,shereachedamilestonesheneverthoughtshe’dsee.

“Turning50yearsoldwasthebiggestthingever.Iwantedtoturn50sobad,”shesaid.

Andthenthesecond-biggestthinghappened.Shebecameagrandmother,or,asshecallsherself,“Glama.”

“Itwasthefrostingonthecake,”shesaid.“Beforecancer,Iwasverymaterialistic.Ineverhadtimetosmelltheflowers.

Thenewmeenjoyseverymomentthatthereis.Traffic,theheat.IjustenjoythatGodhasgivenmetheenergyfortoday.”

For22years,Louvierehasbeenacancerpatient.Likethenopal,she’sscarred,butshewearsthewoundsofcancerproudly.

“Ihavelearnedthepowerofprayer,”shesaid.“Ihavelearnedthatlifeiswaytooshort.IhavelearnedthatwhenGodthrowsyoulemons,youmakealittlelemonade,andI’velearnedthatit’sOKtofeelsadsomedays.

“Ihavelearnedthatit’sOKtowearabikiniandhaveallthesescarsonyourbody.Youcallthoseyourwarriorscars.AndI’velearnedthatitdoesn’tmatterwhereyoustart,aslongasyoufinish.Andyoufinishwithyourheadup,yourshouldersbackandwithasmile.”

But,shequicklyadds,she’snotfinishedyet.

About the instituteThe Institute for Health Promotion Research investigates the causes of the unequal impact of cancer, chronic disease and obesity among Latinos in South Texas and the nation. Led by Amelie G. Ramirez, Dr.P.H., it seeks to find solutions to health disparities and promotes behavioral health interventions, projects and programs. It was founded in 2006 and is based at the Health Science Center. To learn more about the institute, go to ihpr.uthscsa.edu.

To download a copy of Nuestras Historias, or to watch videos of these and other survivor stories,

go to redesenaccion.org/historias_bk.html.

https://ihpr.uthscsa.edu

https://redesenaccion.org/historias_bk.html


EvenAlbertEinstein,thefatherofthetheoryofrelativity,apillarofmodern-dayphysics,hadanother,lessobviousside.

Ifhewasn’taphysicist,heoncedeclared,hewouldhavebeenamusician.

“Ioftenthinkinmusic,”hesaid.“Ilivemydaydreamsinmusic.Iseemylifeintermsofmusic.Igetmostjoyinlifeoutofmusic.”

WasthisjustafrivolousdiversionforEinstein?Isitjustfunandgamesforthesurgeonwhophotographswildflowers,theautismresearcherwhoplaysthecello,theoccupationaltherapistwho’saclownorthedentistwhothrowsclay?Isitsimplyawaytoblowoffsteam?Orcoulditbesomethingmuchdeeper,muchmoreessential?

Turnsoutthattostayhealthy,thesecreativemindsrequiremultiplecreativeoutlets,theysay.Evenmoresignificantly,clowningaroundorjamminginajazzbandcomplementsandenhancesthecareersofhealthprofessionalsandresearchers.Itrefreshesandrenews,addsjoyandfulfillment.

These“sides,”oralteregos,canbecalledavenuesofself-expression,celebrationsofmultidimensionalcharacters.But,truthbetold,theysimplymakethembetter.

alteregosBy Lety Laurel

therapist clown

FOR A CREATIVE APPROACH TO LIFE AND HEALTH

FACULTY TAP THEIR

Beyond the White Coat


Kimatha Grice, O.T.D.

Adultsarewaytooserious.Insteadofplaying,adultsspendalltheirtimeworking,KimathaOxfordGricegrouses.They

worksohard,shesaid,thatthey’veforgottenhowtoplay.Andthat’sjustnotOKforher.Dr.Grice,O.T.D.,OTR,CHT,isanassociateprofessorofoccupationaltherapywhooccasionally

teachesclassattheHealthScienceCenterasProfessorFeatherBrains.Thatis,whenshe’snotclowningaroundinapinkwigandcolorfuldressasTuttiFrutti,hertruealterego.

“[Constantworkis]justnothealthy,”shesaid.“Thetheorythatisthebasisofoccupationaltherapyistoliveawell-roundedlife.Youhavetohaveleisureinterests,thingsyoudothatmakeyouhavefunandkeepyouhealthier.Beingaclownfitsme.”

Sinceshewasyoung,Dr.Gricehasbeenfascinatedwithclowns.Afterbecominganoccupationaltherapist,sherealizedsomething.Asatherapist,sheisalwaysmakingher

patientsdosomethingthat’suncomfortable,sometimesevenpainful.Whatifshecoulddosomethingthatwasfun?Evenbetter,whatifshecouldusethatfuntohelpherget

patientstodothoseuncomfortablethings?Hertransitionintotheworldofclowningdidn’thappenovernight.Clowning,after

all,isaseriousbusinessthattakesplanning,characterdevelopment,schooling,thebuildingupofsuppliesandskills.

Butonceshestartedfull-force,shecouldn’tstop.Dr.Gricehasbeenclowningsince1991,bringingTuttiFruttiintothelivesofherpatients,hospitalizedchildren

andadults,charityevents,birthdayparties,nursinghomesandcommunityevents.“Asahospitalclown,Ifeltitwasawaytogiveback,andinthatsettingI

gottobeinatotallydifferentrole.Icouldgoinandplayandbefunnyanddosomethingthatwasn’tuncomfortableforpatients,”shesaid.

Clowningisn’tjustarecreationaloutlettohelpkeephersane.It’salsolikeashotofadrenalinetoherspirit.Andonapracticalside,it’s

alsomadeherabettertherapist.Dr.GriceworksasacertifiedhandtherapistattheHandCenterofSanAntonio.Sheoftendigsintoherclowningpropbagtogetherpatientstodohandexercisesby

balloontwistingandmakingpuppetstalk.“Occupationaltherapistsdowhateverittakestogetapatienttodowhatyouneedthemtodo,”shesaid.“That’s

whyclowningandOTgosowelltogether.Iliketoplay.”Andhumorinmedicineisimportant,shesaid.

Soimportant,infact,thatfor14yearsshehastaughtanelectiveattheHealthScienceCenter

calledLaughteristheBestMedicine:AnInterdisciplinaryElectiveaboutHumor,HealingandHealthcare.That’swhere

ProfessorFeatherBrainsmakesheroccasionalcameosdressedinbrightpurple

hair,roundblackglassesandwhitedoctor’scoat.“Iseeclowningasaministry,”shesaid.

“It’saGod-giventalentthatI’musingtohelppeople.”

therapist clown

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Bluebonnetsformedanoceanofbluealongthesideofthehighwaylastspring.ItwasanirresistiblesightforRonaldM.Stewart,M.D.,chairoftheDepartmentofSurgeryandrecreationalphotographer.

Knowingaflowerisbestphotographedatgroundlevel,hepulledover,grabbedhiscameraandmadehiswayintothefield,finallynestlingamongtheflowerstofindthebestvantagepoint.

Likesurgery,photographingaflowertakesconcentrationandtime.Stillness.Quiet.

Theminutestickedbyashelayonhisside.Suddenly,hisconcentrationwasshattered,firstbyanEMSunitwithsirens,thenbyapoliceofficerapproaching.Turnsout,hisstillnesswasmistakenforsomethingquitedifferent—aninjuredpersoninneedofhelp.

“Itoldher,it’sallfine.I’mtakingpictures,”helaughed.Dr.Stewarthasbeentakingpicturessinceheandhiswife,

Sherri,weregivenacameraasaweddinggiftin1982,firstintheoperatingroomasaresidentandlaterathischildren’ssportsgames.Naturephotography,especiallythatofwildflowers,soonfollowed.

“MyphotographyfollowswhatIwouldcallanormalsortofsurgeryperformanceimprovementprocess,”hesaid.“Youthinkthey’reprettygooduntilyoustartcomparingthemtosomebodyelse’sandthenyourealizethey’renotverygood.Thenyoubegingraduallytweakingthemovertime,doingyourbest,thenlookingbacktoseehowyoucoulddoitalittlebitbetter.”

He’sperfectedhisstyletothepointthatdozensofhisphotographscanbeseenthroughouttheHealthScienceCenter’sMedicalArts&ResearchCenterandUniversityHealthSystem’sUniversityHospital.

Photographyisn’tverydifferentfromsurgery,hesaid.Bothrequireconcentration,aswellasprecisestepsandcarefultechnique,althoughtheremaybedifferentapproachestoaccomplishthesamegoal.Anddependingontheoperation,surgerycanbepeaceful,ascanlyinginafieldofflowers.

“There’sanarttoboth,andthereispeaceinthecompleteimmersionandflow,”hesaid.

Yetphotographyallowshimsomethingthatisunique:theabilitytostopandenjoysomethingthathemightotherwisebetoobusytosee.Beautyisalwaysaround,butsometimesittakesachangeinperspective,orlighting,toseeit,hesaid.

“It’sanoutletthatisrelaxingandgivesyoutimetothink,”hesaid.“Oneofthethingsthatwe’rereallyshortofinthemodernworldisanyquiettimeforreflectionorthinkinginanon-directedway.Ithinkforme,photographygivesmethat.”

Ronald Stewart, M.D.

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researchermusician


Everynowandthen,RaymondPalmer,Ph.D.,wouldditchadayofhighschool.He’dwaitforhismothertoleaveforwork,thenhe’dgostraighttothegarage.

Hejusthadtoplayalittlemusic.He’dspendtheentiredayinthatgarage,playingthe

piano,determinedtofigureoutonemoreBeatlesorJethroTullsong.

“MusicisjustsomethingIhavetodo,”hesaid.Andwhileheplayedthroughhisundergraduatedays,thateventuallyfadedawayasheadvancedhishighereducationcareer,firstgettinganassociate’sdegreeinphysicaleducation,thenbachelor’sandmaster’sdegreesinpsychology,anursingdegree,andtheneventuallyaPh.D.inpreventativemedicine.

Oncehebecameanassistantprofessor,hejustdidn’thavethetimeanymore.

“Ibecamerealdown,almostborderlinedepressed.Somethingbigwasmissingfrommylife.Iwascrankyandunsatisfied,”hesaid.Onatriptothemusicstoreoneday,wherehewassurroundedbygleamingguitarsandotherinstruments,hefeltaninnerjoyforwhatfeltlikethefirsttimeinyears.Afteraffirmationfromhiswife,Cindy,heknew:Itwastimetostartplayingmusicagain.

“Myexistentialcrisiswasover,”hesaid.“Sometimesyouhavetogivesomethingupbecauseyoudon’thavetimetodoitall.Andsometimesthethingsyougiveuparethethingsyouloveandthat’samistake.Youshouldnotdothat.Thatwasmusicforme.”

Dr.Palmer,whonowisanassociateprofessorintheDepartmentofFamily&CommunityMedicine,isprobablybestknownforhisworkonenvironmentalneurotoxinsandautism.Butoutsideofwork,he’ssurroundedbythearts.Helivessouthofdowntowninanareapopularwithartenthusiasts.Hishomeisan11,000-square-footindustrialspacethatispartartgalleryandstudio,brewery,concertvenueandresidence.Onceamonth,hehostsmusicalgroupswhoplayinwhathecallshis“intentionallisteningroom,”aperformancespacethatseatsabout35musiclovers.Healsoplaysamodifiedcelloinwhathejokinglyreferstoasa“rhythmandooze”groovebandandkeyboardinajazzbandthatplaysgigsaroundtown.

“Ihaveafriendwhoonceasked,‘Whatareyoudoinginthisleft-brainedacademicworld?Youaresoright-brained,’”hesaid.“Thereisthiswholeideathattheleftsideofyourbrainisanalyticalandverbalandthe

RaymondPalmer, Ph.D.

rightsideisartisticandkinetic,butrealistically,we’reallacombinationofboth.”

Eachsideworksinconcert,assistingtheother,hesaid.Andmusicandsciencearen’tsodifferent,anyway,headded.Asabiostatistician,hisjobistotakedata,synthesizeit,followtheinformationanddiscoverassociations,whichhethenpresentsinadigestibleway.Hehastoperformthestatisticalanalysis,understandwhatitrevealsand,workingwithateamofotherscientists,translatetheinformationtogrant-fundingagencies.Hisworkresearchingautismsproutedfromaquestionhehadaboutthecausesofthedisorderandthedesiretofindsomeanswers.

Similarly,asamusician,hefollowsaninnervoice,developssounds,notesorarhythmthatsoundsgood,thenletsthemevolveintoagroove.Itdevelopsandgrows.Heandhisbandmatescreatemusicthatwillstirtheaudienceandspeaktothemindifferentways,translatingemotionthroughmusic.

Inbothmusicandscience,thereispassiontodiscoverandenlighten,hesaid.Andheneedsbothtofeelcomplete.

“Yourworklifedoesn’tfulfillthemultidimensionalaspectsofyourself,”hesaid.“Thereismoretoallofusthanjustonedimension.Itdoesn’talwayshavetobethearts,itcouldbereading,gardening,physicalactivityorwhateveryourpassionis.Itmakesyouabetterperson.”

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dentistartist


Keith Hill, D.D.S.

He’stoomuchofadentisttobeconsideredbohemian.Butthatdoesn’tkeepKeithV.Hill,D.D.S.,FAGD,fromtrying,hesaid.

Byday,he’sinHealthScienceCenterclinicsleadingandsupervisingateamof25studentsthroughdentalprocedures.Butonmostevenings,afterhegetshome,hegrabshisbackpackandbikeandridestoalocalhavenforceramicartists—theAlamoCityPotteryWorkshop.

There,thefridgeisstockedwithbeerandshelvesarelinedwithpotteryprojectsintheworks.AndDr.Hillhashisownwheel,wherehethrowsclayandmoldsitintoart.

After38yearsindentistry,thelastsevenspentteaching,dentistryiswhathethinksaboutbeforesleeptakesover.It’shisfirstthoughtinthemorning.Ashe’sdrivinghomefromwork,he'sthinkingaboutdifferenttechniquestosharewithhisstudents.

“Ithinkit’strueaboutanymedicalprofession,itcanbecomeallyou’reabout,”saidDr.Hill,assistantprofessorintheDepartmentofGeneralDentistry.“Youneedmultiplediversionstobreakthetrainofthoughtandgiveyourbrainarest,giveyourbodysomerejuvenation,recreationanddosomethingcompletelyoppositeofwhatyouareengagedin.”

Atthepointwheredentistrybecameall-consuming,Dr.Hilldecideditwastimetofindanoutlet.Heneverthoughtofhimselfasartisticallyinclined,buthesawhisfatherfindjoyinoilpainting.Art,hemused,couldbeonewaytobreakawayfromtherigidityofhisprofessionandbringsomepeacetohisoverworkedbrain.

“Thereareveryexactingprotocolstoaccomplishadentalprocedureandwe’reveryrigidlytryingtoachieveperfectionineverythingthatwedo,”hesaid.“TheonlywayIknewtofindreleaseoramodeofexpressingmyindividualitywastostartdoingsomeartwork,andIhadalwaysbeenfascinatedwithceramics.”

Aftermorethanadozenceramicsclassesinthespanofaboutfiveyears,Dr.Hill’sdistractionhasbecomemorethanahobby.It’sbecomehistherapy.Todate,he’screatedupwardsof300bowls.Somearepaintedinvibrantcolorsinhomagetothemulticulturalcityhelivesin,othersaretexturedandglazedinsoothingearthtones.Heusesthepaintbrusheshisdadused,andfeelsanemotionalconnectiontothemanwhointroducedartintohislife.

Dr.HillusedtogiveawayhisbowlstostudentsatChristmastimeasgaggifts.Today,studentsandcolleaguesalikeaskhimforhispieces.TheydecoratetheSchoolof

Dentistry,oftensittingatopdesktopsandshelves.He’salsostartedsellinghisartwork,participatinginlocalartshowsandsalesthroughthepotteryworkshop.

Thoughdentistrymustbeexact,artisfluidandflexible.Hehaslearnedthatimperfectionscanleadtobeautifulandfunctionalart.Flexibilityisoneofthethingshelikesthemostaboutceramics.

“Dentiststendtobeterriblycriticalofthemselves,evenwhenaprocedurehasbeensuccessful.Whenyoucreatesomethingawayfromyourprofession,ithelpsyoubealittlebitmoreflexibleandnotbesohardonyourself.Ithelpsmebealittlemoretolerant,andrecognizethatinanythingwedo,therearegoingtobeflawsandimperfections.Evenwithgreatsuccess,evenwithsomethingthatlooksbeautiful.

“Andithasaddedsomethingelsethat’simportant.Ithasaddedtomymentalhealth.”


AshleyByrd,B.S.N.,RN,becameinterestedinmentalhealthnursingwhileearningherbachelor’sdegree.

“InoticedthattherewasashortageofnursesinthisfieldandIwantedtohelpmakeadifference,”shesaid.“Thereisstillsuchastigmaattachedtomentalhealthissues,buttheseareourmothers,fathers,brothersandsisters.Whoknowswhenwemightbestressedbecauseofwhathappensinlifeordepressedbecauseofatraumaticevent?Iwanttobethereformypatients,tohelpthemandguidethem.”

Workinginthementalhealthfieldforthreeyears,Byrdcouldn’thelpbutnoticethatnursesalsosufferfromstresswhilecaringforpatients,regardlessoftheareainthehospitalwheretheywork.

“Therearealotofthingsinthehospitalculturethatcancausestress.Inmyfield,acutelyillpsychiatricpatientscancausenursesstress,”shesaid.

Othercommonexamplesofstressinthenursingworkforceincludenothavingtherightsupplies,frequentinterruptionswhilepreparingpatientmedications,longorvaryingshifts,demandingworkloads,andhavingfewernursesthanareneededonashift.Physicalmanifestationsofthisstressincludeahigherriskofinfectionbecauseofcompromisedimmunesystemsandfrequentexposuretoillpatients.Stressinthenursingworkforceisalsoassociatedwithotheroccupationalhazardssuchasneck,shoulderandlower-backinjuriesfromliftingandpositioningpatients,andfootandlegproblemsfrombeingconstantlyontheirfeet.

“Stressactuallyisanepidemicinnursing.It’sapsychologicalproblemandaphysiologicalproblem.Andintheend,itcanaffectthequalityofpatientcare,”saidByrd,whoisseekingamaster’sdegreeandcertificationasapsychiatricmentalhealthnursepractitionerintheSchoolofNursing.

Stressoftenleadstoabsenteeism,burnout,andforsomenurses,leavingtheprofession,sheadded.

Throughhermaster’scoursework,Byrdwasintroducedtoevidence-basedqualityimprovement—howtouseandconductresearchtoimprovethequalityofcareforpatients.Becauseofherbackground,itwasanaturalfitforByrdtobecomearesearchassistantonastudyconductedbyFrankPuga,Ph.D.,thatexaminesthepsychologicalandphysicalfactorsofstress.

“Fromthenationalperspective,thereisanawarenessofstressinthenursingworkforce,buttherehavebeenfewsystematicinvestigationsthatquantitativelymeasurethecausesandeffectsofstress,andwhatwecandotoimprovethenursingworkenvironmentfromasystemsapproach,”saidDr.Puga,anassistantresearchprofessorintheCenterforAdvancingClinicalExcellence(ACE),acenterofexcellenceintheSchoolofNursing.

Thisisacriticalissue,hesaid.Thereisincreasingevidencethatunhealthyworkenvironmentscancontributetostressamonghealthprofessionalsaswellasmedicalerrorsandineffectivedeliveryofcare,accordingtotheAmericanAssociationofCriticalCareNurses,whichisleadinganationalinitiativetoencouragehealthiernursingworkenvironments.Improvementsareessentialforpatientsafety,theassociationfound,andcouldenhancestaffrecruitmentandretention.

Dr.PugaandByrdarestudyingstresswithnursesfromSanAntonio’sMethodistHospital.Theywillbecollectingsalivasamplestomeasurecortisol,aphysiologicalbiomarkerofstress.Nursesalsowillfilloutsurveysandroutinelydocumentthestressorsintheirworkenvironment,suchasdisruptionsinworkflowprocessesandproblemswithteamwork.Datawillbecollectedonorganizationalculture,jobsatisfactionandturnoverratestobetterunderstandtherelationshipbetweensystemvariables,stressandstaffingoutcomes.

WandaGibbons,RN,B.S.N.,M.H.A.,NEA-BC-FACHE,chiefnursingofficeratMethodistHospitalandinterimchiefnurseexecutiveforMethodistHealthcare,saidstressinfrontlinenursesisanimportantresearchtopicthathospitalofficialswereeagertohelpexplore.

“Mostofourresearchonstresshasbeenqualitative,”shesaid.“Thisstudywillgiveustheopportunitytocollect

By Rosanne Fohn

Researchers studying soaring stress levels among nurses

LOWER BACK PAIN from transferring patients from bed to the bathroom

7 times more likely

to have

MUSCULO-SKELETAL

DISORDERS than any other

profession

SENSORY OVERLOADmonitoring of machines, listening for alarms, pages and sirens

SORE SHOULDERS

from pushing wheelchairs and

gurneys

STRAINED BACK

most common nursing injury

FOOT PAINfrom working 12-hour shifts

Fear of

ACCIDENTAL STICKS

by contaminated needles

Exposure to

HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES

WORRY for patient wellbeing

Second most common nursing

injury comes from

FALLS

LEG PROBLEMSfrom standing the majority of shift

Nursing Stress Points

Stress in nursing can lead to absenteeism, burnout and high turnover rates,

but students and faculty at the Health Science Center are working to measure

the causes and effects of that stress and are exploring ways to improve the

nursing work environment. Improvements are essential for patient safety and

could enhance staff recruitment and retention, according to the American

Association of Critical Care Nurses.


direct,quantitativedatatoprovideabetterenvironmentforournurses.Itwillhelpournursesbecomemoreawareofhowtheydealwithstressandwillhelpadvancenursingresearch.”

Thispilotstudyisfundedbya$10,000researchgrantfromtheAmericanOrganizationofNurseExecutives,whichpromotesleadership,professionaldevelopment,advocacyandresearchtoadvancenursingpracticeandpatientcare.

Oncetheprocessfordatacollectionisrefinedinthepilotstudy,Dr.Pugaplanstoconductafull-scalenationalstudyonthistopicthroughtheImprovementScienceResearchNetwork(ISRN),anational,interprofessionalresearchnetworkbasedintheACE.

“TheISRNhelpsestablishbestpracticesbytakingstudiesthathavebeenproventoworkinoneorafewhospitalsandconductingthemacrossthecountryatmanydifferentsites,”explainedKathleenStevens,Ed.D.,RN,ANEF,FAAN,directoroftheACEandISRN.“Whenanewideaisproventoworkwellinmanyenvironments,itcanbecomeanewmodelofimprovedcare,reflectingbestpractices.”

Byrd,whowillcollectsalivasamplesfromnursesandcommunicatefrequentlywiththemaboutthestudy,saidshe’sexcitedtobeworkingwithDr.Pugatoinvestigateamajorissuethatplaysapartinclinicalexcellence.

“Andasafuturementalhealthnursepractitioner,”shesaid,“Iamlookingforwardtoconsultingtheliteratureandconductingevidence-basedpracticetohelpmypatientsandcontributetothebodyofknowledgeforhealthprofessionals.”


By Catherine Duncan

Serving our militaryTriple graduate combines physical therapy skills with research abilities to help wounded warriors

ChristopherA.Rábago,Ph.D.,PT,isnotyourtypicalphysicaltherapist.And,hesurelyisn’tyourusualbiomedicalresearcher.Hisrarecombinationofbio-

medicalengineeringknowledge,analyticalresearchskillsandclinicalabilitiesmakehimaperfectfitatauniquemilitarytreatmentandresearchfacility.

Dr.Rábagoworkswithadiverseteamofscientistsandphysicaltherapistsperformingamputee,prostheticandlimbinjuryclinicalresearchintheMilitaryPerformanceLaboratoryattheCenterfortheIntrepid(CFI).TheCFI,locatedatBrookeArmyMedicalCenterinSanAntonio,ispartoftheDepartmentofDefense/DepartmentofVeteransAffairsExtremityTraumaandAmputationCenterofExcellence.

Dr.RábagoisatriplegraduateoftheHealthScienceCenterandsaidhisworkwithwoundedwarriorsoftenmakeshimthinkofwherehewasonSept.11,2001.

“IwasinmyfirstyearofphysicaltherapyschoolattheHealthScienceCenter.IwasinDr.PatriciaBrewer’sneu-roanatomylabinthebasementofthemedicalschool.Theeventsofthatdayaffectedmeprofoundly,”hesaid.

Acoupleofyearslater,whenhewasabouttoearnhismaster’sdegreeinphysicaltherapy,whichthenrequireda

coordinatingbachelor’sdegreeinhealthcaresciences,Dr.Rábagoexploredtheideaofjoiningthemilitaryasaphysicaltherapist.

“Atthattime,themilitaryhadnoopeningsforphysicaltherapists,soIthoughtworkingwiththemilitarywasoffthetable,”hesaid.TheSanAntonionative—inspiredbyhisphysicaltherapyprofessors—decidedtostayattheHealthScienceCenteraftergradua-tiontopursueaPh.D.inbiomedicalengineering.

Thismayhaveseemedabigleapfromphysicaltherapytobiomedi-calengineering,butthejointprogrambetweentheHealthScienceCenterandTheUniversityofTexasatSanAntonio“offeredagreatintegrationofclinicalandengineeringcourses,”hesaid.ItalsohelpedthatDr.Rábagohadastrongback-groundinthecorecoursesthatmadeupthediversecurriculum.

“WhenIfirstwenttocollege,IstartedoffasanelectricalengineeringmajoratUTAustin.Aftermyfirstyear,Ichangedmymajortokinesiology.Afterearningmybachelor’sdegreeinkinesiology,IstayedatUTAustinandearnedmyfirstmaster’sdegreeinkinesiologywithabiomechanicsspecialty,”hesaid.

AttheHealthScienceCenter,Dr.RábagowassupervisedbyDr.JackLancasterattheResearchImagingInstitute(RII).

“TheRIIwasanincredibleplacetoconductresearchandexpandmyknowledgeandresearchskills,”Dr.Rábagosaid.“IwasaPTlearningneuroimagingtechniquesonallthesenew,incredibleimagingdevices.”

Hisdissertationinvolvedusingtranscranialmagneticstim-ulationtostudymotorcontrolinaprojectfundedbytheVA.

AfterearninghisPh.D.in2009,hereceivedanemailfromafellowalumnushemetwhileservingasthefoundingpresidentofthePhysicalTherapyAlumniAssociationattheHealthScienceCenter.

“Thisforwardedemailgavedetailsaboutapositionatthe[CenterfortheIntrepid]foraphysicaltherapistwithexperienceinneuroresearchandwhohadaPh.D.,”hesaid.“Icouldn’tbelieveit.IbeganhereinOctober2009asacontractorandin2011becamethefirstArmy

alumninews


civilianemployeefortheDoD/VAExtremityTraumaandAmputationCenterofExcellence.”

Dr.RábagoalsoservesasanadjunctprofessorattheU.S.Army-BaylorDPTProgramatFortSamHoustonandisafacultyassociateintheSchoolofMedicineattheHealthScienceCenter.

HeisateamleadonprojectsusingaComputerAssistedRehabilitationEnvironment,whichisreferredtoasCAREN,forvirtualrealityrehabilitationforinjuredservicemembers.UsingtheCAREN’s300-degreevirtualrealityenvironment,physicaltherapistscanassessandtreatser-vicemembersinasafe,simulatedreality.

IntheCAREN,thereare24motion-capturecamerastrackingthemovementsofawoundedwarriorwhileheorsheinteractswithelementsinrealisticandchallengingscenarioscreatedbyaCARENoperator.Dr.Rábagoandhiscolleaguescanassessaservicemember’sbiomechanicsforadaptationtoaprosthetic,toidentifydeficitsfollowingbraininjury,ortodeterminereadinessfordischargeandareturntoduty.

TheMilitaryPerformanceLaboratoryattheCenterfortheIntrepidalsocontainsastate-of-artGaitandMotionAnalysissystemtoaidindevelopingandevaluatingnovelprostheticdevices.

“Whennewprostheticdevicesaredeveloped,wegetthemfirsttoevaluate.Iftheydon’tincreasethefunctionofourservicemenandwomen,it’sdifficulttojustifytheirprescription,”Dr.Rábagoadded.

“Thetechnologywehavehereallowsustoassessandtreatourwoundedwarriorswhilealsoperformingclinicalresearch.Everythingwedoisevidence-basedpractice,whichIlearnedattheHealthScienceCenter,”hesaid.“WehavethebesttherapistsworkingattheCFIwhoaskgreatques-tionsthatturnintoresearchprojects,allinordertooptimizeandbetterthecareofourpatients.IamsoproudthatIwasabletocometotheCenterfortheIntrepidandworkwithourmilitarymembers.AttheCFI,wegetthepleasureofservingthosewhohavesacrificedsomuchinservicetoourcountry.”

Christopher A. Rábago, Ph.D., PT, works with a team of scientists and physical therapists performing amputee, prosthetic and limb injury clinical research in the Military Performance Laboratory at the Center for the Intrepid. Photos by Lester Rosebrock, Creative Media Services


An Evening of PromiseAnnual gala honors Frost family legacy

T helinkbetweenPatriciaandTomFrostandtheHealthScienceCenterwasforgedin1959,whentheTexasLegislaturesignedHouseBill9to

createtheSchoolofMedicinethatnowsitsintheheartoftheSanAntonioMedicalCenter.

ButtheFrostsneverimagineditwouldbecomewhatitistoday.

“It’sbeenanimportantthinginmylife[toexperience]howwellit’sbeendone,”saidTomFrost,emeritusmem-beroftheHealthScienceCenter’sDevelopmentBoard.“It’smarvelous.Weneverdreamtitwouldbeanythinglikewhatwehavenow.Thelevelofmedicalcareinthiscommunityismanytimesgreatertodaythanitwasbeforetheuniversitycame.”

TheFrosts,knownfortheirlongtimesupportfortheeconomicgrowthofSanAntonio,werehonoredatthe2014President’sGalaheldSept.13.Theevent,calledAnEveningofPromise,willestablishtheTomC.andPatriciaH.FrostEndowmenttoAdvanceCancerResearchandEducationwithproceedsof$500,000raisedthroughcommunitysup-port.Theendowmentwillgotowardstudentscholarshipsandfellowships,andcancerresearch.

ItwastheFrosts’faithinthefutureandtheirwilling-nesstoacceptriskthathelpedlaunchtheHealthScienceCenterintotheepicenterforeducation,researchandhealingitistoday,saidHealthScienceCenterPresidentWilliamL.Henrich,M.D.,MACP.

“Inonewayoranother,directlyorindirectly,wehaveallbeentouchedbythecountlesseffortsofTomandPatriciaFrost’sgenerosityandservicetoSanAntonio,toourregion,toourstateandtoourcountry,”Dr.Henrichsaid.

“WhenTomandleadersofSanAntonioinauguratedthesenewmedicalefforts,theymadeapledgetothecitytogivetheirbesteffortstoimprovehealthcare,fosterresearchandlightthelampofeducation.”

TomFrost,chairmanemeritusofFrostBank,isthefourthgenerationofhisfamilytooverseethebankfoundedbyhisgreatgrandfather,Col.T.C.Frost,in1898.TheFrostfamilycontinuestobuildonalegacyofphilanthropythatspansgen-erations,saidBartellZachry,honorarychairofthegala.

“NoteamhasdonemorethantheteamofPatandTomFrost,”hesaid.“Theirnurturingsupportsince[theHealthScienceCenter’s]beginninghastouchedsomanylives.Itisimportantthattheyberecognizedforwhattheyhave

philanthropynews


accomplished,butespeciallyfortheexampletheyhavesetforallofusinalltheyhavedoneforsomanyyearsthatmakespossiblethedynamic,grandandextraordinarylifesav-ingresourceandlife-changingresourcethatistheHealthScienceCenterofSanAntonio.”

Morethanfourdecadesago,Frostledeffortstoestab-lishtheCancerTherapy&ResearchCenterandwasnameditsfirsthonorarytrustee.TheCTRC,whichjustmarkedits40thanniversary,hasbecomeoneoftheeliteacademiccancercentersinthecountrytobenamedaNationalCancerInstitute-DesignatedCancerCenter.

“ThisgeneroussupportbytheFrostfamilyandcountlessothermembersofourcommunitywillallowustocontinuetoprovidecompassionatetreatmentforallofourpatientswhileourresearchteamseekstoimprovetreatmentandunder-standcancerwiththegoalofpreventingit,”Dr.Henrichsaid.

PICTURED ABOVE LEFT: The 2014 President’s Gala honored longtime Health Science Center supporters Patricia and Tom Frost, who stand with Health Science Center President William L. Henrich, M.D., MACP, and his wife, Mary.

BOTTOM LEFT: Members of the Edlund family shared their patient story in a video featured at the gala. The video highlighted the work of Health Science Center students, faculty and staff. Pictured are (L-R) Christopher Curzon, D.O., Stephanie Edlund, David Edlund, Terri Edlund and Steve Edlund.

TOP RIGHT: Bartell Zachry served as honorary chair of the gala.

BOTTOM RIGHT: UT System Chancellor Francisco G. Cigarroa, M.D., and his wife, Graciela, attended the event.


TheCancerTherapy&ResearchCenterreceived$1millionfromtheKlesseFoundationandanadditional$1millionfromtheValeroEnergyFoundationinsupportoftherecruitmentofanationallyrecognizedscientisttoleadtheCTRC’sCancerPreventionProgram.

ThetwogiftshelpedtheCTRCexceedits$10millionannualfundraisinggoal,bringingtheyear’sphilanthropictotaltoanunprecedented$13.2million.

“MargieandBillKlesseandtheValeroEnergyFoundationareenablingustocontinuetosurpassourgoalsinmakingnewdiscoveriesandprovidingexceptionalcare,andwecannotthankthemenough,”saidCTRCDirectorIanM.ThompsonJr.,M.D.“Thesevotesofconfidencefromourowncommunityarenotonlyincrediblyhelpfulforcancerprevention,researchandcare,buttheyarealsoclosetoourhearts.”

RecruitmentofanationalleaderincancerpreventionwilldistinguishtheCTRConanationallevelandwillhaveatransformativeeffect,amplifyingtheimportantandlastingimpactofreducingtheburdenofcancerontheSouthTexasregion,headded.

MargieandBillKlesseandValeroarelongstandingsupportersoftheCTRCandtheHealthScienceCenter.MargieKlesseisamemberoftheCTRCBoardofGovernorsandhasservedontheBoardofTrusteesoftheCTRCCouncil,formerlytheCancerCenterCouncil.Shealsohasco-chairedtheSan Antonio Express-NewsBook&AuthorLuncheon,whichbenefitstheCTRC’sPhaseIClinicalResearchProgram.

AttheSept.29announcementofthegifts,BillKlesserecognizedDr.Thompson’sleadershipandthecriticalworkoftheCTRCphysiciansandresearchers.

Manypeoplewhosufferfromcancercan'ttraveltoothercitiesfortreatment,hesaid,sohavingatop-ratedcancerfacilityinSanAntonio,onethatisconnectedtoanacademicinstitution,isessential.

Margie and Bill Klesse

Exceeding expectationsCTRC raises an unprecedented $13.2 million

Your Legacy, Our FutureYou can forever impact the future of health by making a gift to the UT Health Science Center through your will or trust.

Making a gift through your will is an easy way to advance the missions of education, research, clinical care and community support. Some of the benefits include:

• It costs nothing today.• It is free of federal estate tax.• You can modify your gift down the road.• The gift may produce estate tax savings.• You can benefit your loved ones and the charities that matter to you.• You will create your legacy.

Let us help you create the future gift that you want. To learn more, contact Kent Hamilton at 210-567-5001 or [email protected].

To request your FREE Provide & Protect wills kit, visit us at giftplanning.uthscsa.edu.

*The best way to give depends on your own personal situation and should be discussed with your professional adviser.

philanthropynews

mailto:HamiltonW%40uthscsa.edu?subject=

http://giftplanning.uthscsa.edu


By Elizabeth Allen

Likeaseedthatbecomesatree,pilotgrantscanhelpascientistthroughthemundanebutpriceystepsneededtoproveanideahasrealpotential—thussecuringthebiggergrantstofinancetheyearsofworkittakestocreatethenexteffectivedrug.

WhenRogerandDotHemminghausheardaboutthepilotresearchgrantprogramattheCancerTherapy&ResearchCenter,theychosetosupporttheworkofManjeetRao,Ph.D.,assistantprofessorofcellularandstructuralbiology.

Theirinstinctsweresound.Their$25,000pilotgiftallowedDr.Raotobuildtowarda$900,000grantfromtheCancerPreventionandResearchInstituteofTexas(CPRIT).

Dr.Rao’sworkiswithmicroRNA,smallgene-likemoleculesthatcanaffectcellsthroughsubtleregulationofanumberoffactorsandplayacriticalroleincancerdrugresistance.Dr.Raowantstoputthemtoworkagainsttriple-negativebreastcancersandfindlesstoxictreatmentsthataren’tsovulnerabletodrugresistance.

“Itwasaprojectthatwebelievedwouldleadtoveryspecificresults—andthatwecouldunderstand,foronething,”RogerHemminghaussaidwithachuckle.“[Dr.Rao]wasworkingwithabreastcancerthatwouldn’trespondtotheexistingtreatment,andhewastakinganewapproachtounderstandingthechemistryandphysiologyofthatcancer.

“Anditappears,accordingtothesizeofthegranthejustgot,wepickedawinner,”hesaid.

TheHemminghausgrantisanexampleofthebridgethatpilotgrantscanformtohelpresearcherstaketheirworktothenextlevel,saidCTRCDirectorIanM.ThompsonJr.,M.D.

“It’snotnecessarytofundabuildingorendowachairtomakearealdifference,”hesaid.“Peoplecanmakeapowerful,tangibledifferenceatthepilotgrantleveliftheydirectittosomethingthathasgreatpotential,whichissomethingwevetwhenwecompilethelistofpotentialresearchprojects.Andit’smoremeaningfultoeveryoneiftheyknowexactlywhatthey’refunding.”

BarbaraandGeorgeWilliamsrecentlychosetwoprojectstofund:GailTomlinson,M.D.,Ph.D.,interimdirectoroftheGreeheyChildren’sCancerResearchInstitute,isresearchingliverblastomasinchildren.AndKarenBlock,Ph.D.,assistantprofessorofnephrology,andDenisFeliers,Ph.D.,assistantprofessorofcellbiology,areworkingonkidneycancer.

Ablastomaisatypeoftumorthatcomesfromimmatureorembryonictissue.Dr.Tomlinsonissearchingforakeysimilaritybetweenliverblastomasandhepatocellularcancerinadults,whichisthemostcommontypeoflivercancer.Findingthesimilarities

iscriticaltodesigningaclinicaltrialthatcouldhelpboth,shesaid.Whilehepatocellularcancerisaloomingthreatforanincreasingnumberofadults,pediatricblastomasaremuchrarer.Fundingnationalclinicaltrialstodevelopdrugstotreatthemaloneisdifficult,Dr.Tomlinsonsaid.

Shehasidentifiedapossiblekeyelementthatappearsinbothcancers,andthenextstepinvolvesintensiveanalysistodevelopadrugtotargetit.

ThegifttoDr.BlockandDr.Felierswillbeusedtodevelopatherapyforkidneycancer,amongthemostmalignantcancersintheU.S.withahighincidenceinSouthTexas.Theresearchersareexaminingwhatdrivestheprocessatthecellularlevel.Whenthewrongproteinispresentinkidneys,itgivesrisetokidneycancer,andoxidativestressiswhatallowsthewrongproteintobepresent.

“Currenttherapiesaren’ttouchingthisprotein,”Dr.Blocksaid.“Ifwecansilencetheenzymesthatproduceoxidativestress,itreducesrenaltumorgrowthby70to80percent.”

Thenextstepiscraftingatherapythattargetsthekeyplayersproducingoxidativestressthatcanbeusedincombinationwithothertherapiesforthetreatmentofrenalcancer.

TheWilliamses,whohavelostfamilymemberstocancer,saidtheongoingresearchisalongwayfromthecancertreatmentsofthepast.Contributingtomovingnewtherapiesforwardisanopportunitythey’rehappytohave.They’vealreadypledgedtofundtwoadditionalpilotgrants.Theywillselectonelaterthisyearandonenextyear.

“Cancerissuchascourgeinoursociety,”BarbaraWilliamssaid.“Wefeltthatifwecouldattackitonthefrontlines—that,tous,wasjustreallyimportant.”

Seeds of hopePilot grants create bridge to take researchers to the next level

$900,000 grant takes

research to the next level

Can microRNA be used against triple-negative

breast cancers?

$25,000 pilot gift

builds bridge


Creating a community First McFee Scholars begin their journey to become physicians

Fiftyyearsago,ArthurMcFee,M.D.,likeallHarvardmedicalstudentsatthetime,wasaresidentofVanderbiltHall.Forfouryearstheyatetogether,studiedtogether,worriedtogether.Theymentoredeachotherand

supportedeachotherthroughtherigorsofmedicalschool.“Wehadbreakfast,lunchanddinnertogetherallfouryears,”

hesaid.“Byvirtueofthatfactalone,there’sacertainamountofcommonalityforged.”

Today’smedicalstudentsoftenliveseparately,offcampus,andthatpresentsadifferentchallenge,headded.Thecommunicationandmentoringopportunitiesthatcomenaturallywithroommateshavetobecreated.

AttheHealthScienceCenter,thoseopportunitiescomeintheformoftheVeritas,astudentadvisingsystem.Createdin2006,Veritastakesincomingstudentsandclusterstheminto20groupswithinfivecolor-codedsocieties:Green,Red,Blue,YellowandPurple.Eachgroupisledbyaclinicalfacultymemberandupper-levelmedicalstudentswhoactasmentorsandpeeradvisers.Studentsremainwiththeirgroupsthroughouttheirmedicalschoolcareers.

Throughgroupandone-on-oneactivities,thestudentslearnaboutcriticalissuessuchaschoosingthebestcareer,studystrategiesandprofessionalisminmedicine.

Therealsoareretreats,outdoorcompetitionssuchastug-of-war,andsocialhourstohelpbuildcamaraderie.

“It’stheopportunitytobewithoneanotherandtalktooneanotherandcommunicateandgobackandforth,”Dr.McFeesaid.“Irealizedthatwassomethingthat,whenIwasastudent,wetookforgrantedbecauseofthewaythingsweresetup.”

Withthatrealization,Dr.McFee,professoremeritusofsurgeryandoneofthefoundingfacultymembersoftheHealthScienceCenter,andhiswife,Iris,havedesignated$75,000tocreatetheDr.ArthurS.McFeeSocietyEndowmentforStudentAcademicEnhancement.ThemoneysupportstheBlueSociety,andthestudentswillnowbeknownasMcFeeScholars.

“Wehavebeenassociatedwiththemedicalschoolsince1968,”Dr.McFeesaid.“Itwasmyfirstandonlyacademicappointmentandwithitcametheprivilegeofstartinganewschoolfromscratchandwatchingitgrow.

“Wearegratefultotheschoolfortheopportunitiesithasgivenustoshareinitsdevelopment.Weregardthesupportofthisendowmentasapaybackforaninvestmentthattheschoolmadeinus40yearsago.”

ChristineAndre,M.D.,Veritasdirectorandassociateprofessorofmedicine,saidthegiftwillbeusedtosupportgeneralVeritasactivities.

“IamsogratefultoDr.andMrs.McFeefortheirgenerousendowmentandgenuineinterestandinvolvementinthestudentswhoarethefutureofmedicine,”shesaid.

Oneofthosestudents,KarliSilverberg,afirst-yearmedicalstudentandoneofthefirstMcFeeScholars,joinedabout220otherfirst-yearstudentsatapeprallythemorningafterreceivingtheirwhitecoats—theriteofpassageforstudentsbeginningthejourneytobecomephysicians.Withtortillatossesandothericebreakerexercises,Silverbergwasintroducedtoherfellowclassmates,andthegroupofpeerswhowouldsoonbecomeherfriendsandmentors.

Shesaidenteringmedicalschoolisdaunting,butbeingapartofagroupofstudentswhoaresharingthesameexperiencesmakesiteasier.“It’sreallyimportanttohaveagrouplikethis,”shesaid.“Ithinkitcontributessomethingspecial.IfeellikeI’mpartofacommunity.”

By Lety Laurel

Arthur McFee, M.D., professor emeritus of surgery and one of the founding faculty members of the Health Science Center, and his wife, Iris, have created the Dr. Arthur S. McFee Society Endowment for Student Academic Enhancement. The money supports the Blue Society of Veritas, a student advising system for School of Medicine students.

philanthropynews


A pledge to helpTheHouston-basedJLHFoundationhasmade

apledgeof$356,415totheUniversityTransplantCenter,apartnershipoftheHealthScienceCenterandtheUniversityHealthSystem.

Foundationfundswillbeusedtosupportthepersonalneedsoftransplantrecipientsandtheirfamilies,foundationofficialssaid.ThefoundationwascreatedtohonorthememoryofJohnL.Hern,aHoustonbusinessmanwhointhelate1990swashospitalizedfor252daysawaitingahearttransplant.

Duringhishospitalstay,Hernmetandbefriendedpatientswhowerewaitingfortransplantsorwhohadjustreceivedtransplants.Herealizedthatmanycouldnotaffordtheassociatedcosts,suchastransportation,temporarylodging,restaurantmeals,parking,co-paysandcostlyprescriptiondrugs.Hedecidedtohelp.

WhilehedidundergosuccessfultransplantsurgeryinDecember1996,HerndiedthefollowingOctoberafteranti-rejectiondrugsfailed.Buthisdesiretofinanciallyassisttransplantpatientswasrealizedshortly

thereafterwiththeestablishmentoftheJLHFoundation,fundedbyprofitsfromcompaniesheowned.

Overtheyears,thefoundationhasestablishedrelationshipswithseveralnonprofittransplantentitiesandinitiateddonorawarenessprograms,primarilyintheHoustonarea.

Forging a connectionFather, daughter unite to support students

JulieBarnett,D.P.T.,M.T.C.,PT,respectedtheworkofherfather,ageneralsurgeon,somuchthatshedecidedtofollowhispathtomedicine.Itseemednaturalforthetwoofthemtocreateanotherconnectionyearslater.

Dr.Barnettandherfather,DuaneBarnett,M.D.,nowretired,haveestablishedtheBarnettEndowedScholarshipintheSchoolofHealthProfessions.The$10,000giftwillcreateanannualscholarshipof$500,awardedinperpetuitytofirst-orsecond-yearphysicaltherapystudents.

“Hecameupwiththeidea,andIhadalwayswantedtodosomethinglikethat,”saidDr.Barnett,aclinicalassistantprofessorofphysicaltherapyattheHealthScienceCenter.“Helovesbuildingupstudents,alwayshas.Andhealwaysisthinkingthebestofpeopleandbeingateacherandaneducator.That’sbeenmywholeoutlook,too.Theappledoesn’tfallfarfromthetree.”

Creatingtheendowmentwastherightthingtodo,Dr.Barnettsaid,tocelebratetheirsharedpassionformedicineandeducation.

“Itfeelslikesuchahealthyemotionalyetfinanciallytangiblewaytohavetheheritagegoon,”shesaid.“That’swhatit’sabout.Thiscombinationforthetwoofus,itfeelslikeoneofthosefather-daughterthingsthatI’mreallyproudof.”

New chair establishedJohnH.Doran,M.D.’73,aninternistinOdessa,

Texas,hasgiven$500,000totheHealthScienceCentertoestablishtheJohnH.Doran,M.D.,FACP,EndowedChairinPeripheralNeuropathy.

Dr.DoranhasbeenpracticinginhisnativeOdessasincegraduatingfromtheSchoolofMedicine.Hesaidhehaslonghadaninterestingivingbacktothemedicalschoolandinadvancingknowledgethroughresearch.

“There’salotweneedtoknowaboutperipheralneuropathy,”hesaid.“I’veseenanincreaseinthenumberofcasesinrecentyears.Therearemoreidiopathic[unknown]causes.”

Theendowmentwillsupport,amongotherareas,theinvestigationofpathophysiology,cellbiologyandbiochemistryofneuropathy,thedevelopmentofbiologicalorbiochemicaldrugsandparticipationinclinicaltrialsdesignedtoreduceoreliminatethediseaseprocess.

AlejandroTobon,M.D.,istheinauguralholderoftheDoranChair.HecompletedhismedicaleducationinColombiafollowedbyaninternshipatDrexelUniversity.HisneurologyresidencytrainingwasattheUniversityofNewMexicoandhisneuromuscularmedicinefellowshiptrainingfollowedattheUniversityofMiami.

Alejandro Tobon, M.D.

(L-R) Ellis Tudzin, foundation trustee; Paula Hern, foundation chair and daughter of John Hern; Glenn Halff, M.D., director of the University Transplant Center; Tom Barbour, foundation trustee and husband of Paula Hern; and Jennifer Milton, M.B.A., B.S.N., CCTC, administrative director and clinical assistant professor of the University Transplant Center.

Gift to the deaf education program will benefit more children


HSC researchers receive support from cancer institute

Nearly$8millionincancer-relatedresearchgrantsandfacultyrecruitmentfundswereawardedtotheHealthScienceCenterbytheCancerPrevention&ResearchInstituteofTexas(CPRIT),surpassingpreviousamountsawardedbythesamegroup.

HSCfacultycompetedwithnearly600grantapplicantstoreceivethehighlycompetitivefunds.Theyare:

y AmelieRamirez,Dr.P.H.,professoranddirectoroftheInstituteforHealthPromotionResearchandassociatedirectorofCancerPreventionandHealthDisparitiesattheCTRC,withco-investigatorsKiplingGallion,M.A.,andPatriciaChalela,Dr.P.H.,received$1.4million.

y RicardoAguiar,M.D.,Ph.D.,associateprofessorofmedicineandbiochemistry,received$854,740.

y DevalingamMahalingam,M.D.,Ph.D.,oncologistandassistantprofessorofmedicine,received$825,285.

y PatriciaDahia,M.D.,Ph.D.,associateprofessorofmedicine,received$881,146.

y ManjeetRao,Ph.D.,assistantprofessorofcellularandstructuralbiologyattheGreeheyChildren’sCancerResearchInstitute,received$900,000.

y ThomasBoyer,Ph.D.,professorofmolecularmedicine,received$200,000.

y DaisyMorales-Campos,Ph.D.,instructor/researchofepidemiologyandbiostatisticsattheInstituteforHealthPromotionResearch,withDeborahParra-Medina,Ph.D.,M.P.H.,professorofepidemiologyandbiostatistics,received$149,985.

y DeborahParra-Medina,M.P.H.,Ph.D.andprincipalinvestigatorMeiziHe,M.D.,M.Sc.,Ph.D.,atTheUniversityofTexasatSanAntonio,received$573,095.

y Arecruitmentgrantforapotentialfacultymemberwasalsoawarded.TimHuang,Ph.D.,professorandchairmanofmolecularmedicine,preparedthisrecruitmentproposalthatreceived$2million.

Thedeafeducationandhearingscienceprogramreceiveda$246,000giftfromtheOberkotterFoundation.Itwastheonlyuniversityprograminthecountryselectedforagrantfromthefoundationthisyear,saidBlaneTrautwein,Ed.D.,CED,assistantprofessorandprogramdirector.

Themoneywillbeusedtocreateanonlinecourseaboutlisteningandspokenlanguageoutcomesforchildrenwithhearingloss.Itwillalsogotowardtheprogram’smainpracticumschool,SunshineCottage,whichwillcreateateletherapyprogramforfamiliesofchildrenages0to3whohavehearingloss,butwholivetoofarawaytogetappropriatehelp,hesaid.

“Tosaythatwe’retheonlyonechoseninthenationspeaksfairlywellforourprogram,”Dr.Trautweinsaid.“We’reprettydarnthrilled.”

ThefirstgiftfromtheOberkotterFoundationwasin2008,andovertheyearssupporthastopped$663,000.Thefoundationsupportsschoolswherechildrenwhoaredeaforhardofhearingcanlearnlisteningandspokenlanguageskillsanddeveloptheirsocial,emotional,languageandeducationalskills.

TheHealthScienceCenter’sdeafeducationandhearingscienceprogramstartedin2008withthreestudents.Today,withDr.TrautweinandSarahAmmerman,Ph.D.,CED,atthehelm,theprogramhasgrownto21studentsandisoneofthelargestinthecountry.

“Ourprogramisallaboutmakingsurethereareprofessionalsouttherewhoareknowledgeableenoughandhavetheskillstobeabletohelpthestudentsuseallthistechnologyandallthesegreatadvancesinmedicalsciencestotheirbenefit,”Dr.Trautweinsaid.“It’snotjustamatterofidentifyingchildrenwithhearingloss.Youhavetohavetrainedprofessionalstomakeadifference.”

Blane Trautwein, Ed.D., CED, (top photo) and Sarah Ammerman, Ph.D., CED, (bottom photo) have grown the deaf education and hearing science program into a nationally recognized program since its inception in 2008.

Manjeet Rao, Ph.D. (right), assistant professor of cellular and structural biology, was one of several HSC faculty awarded research grants and faculty recruitment funds.

appointmentsandawardsphilanthropynews


New Military Health Institute, director announced

RetiredMaj.Gen.ByronC.Hepburn,M.D.,wasnameddirectoroftheHealthScienceCenter’snewMilitaryHealthInstitute.

AnnouncedinSeptember,theinstitutewillimprovethehealthofmilitaryservicemembers,veteransandtheirfamiliesthroughcollaborativeeducation,researchandclinicalcare.

Dr.Hepburn,whosemilitarycareerspans38years,isaformercommanderofthe59thMedicalWing,WilfordHallAmbulatorySurgicalCenter,JointBaseSanAntonio-LacklandanddirectoroftheSanAntonioMilitaryHealthSystem.

Priortohisselectionascommanderofthe59thMedicalWing,whereheledtheAirForce’slargestmedicalwing,heservedas

deputysurgeongeneraloftheU.S.AirForce.Inthatrole,hedirectedalloperationsoftheAirForceMedicalService,a$5.1billion,43,000-personintegratedhealthcaredeliverysystemserving2.4millionbeneficiariesat75militarytreatmentfacilitiesworldwide.

HeisadistinguishedgraduateoftheU.S.AirForceAcademyandoneofonlyafewU.S.AirForcepilot-physicians.HecompletedaresidencyinfamilypracticeandholdsanappointmentasprofessorintheSchoolofMedicine’sDepartmentofFamily&CommunityMedicine.HealsoholdsthetitlesofassistantdeanformilitaryhealthintheSchoolofMedicineandassociatevicepresidentfortheHealthScienceCenter.

Expanding reach$3.7 million grant focuses on pediatric cancer patients throughout South Texas

Hispanicchildrenhavethehighestincidenceofcancerandthepoorestoutcomes.ThisisanespeciallycriticalissueforSanAntonio,acitywithapopulationthatismorethan63percentHispanic.

TheNationalCancerInstitutehasawardeda$3.7milliongranttopediatriconcologistsattheHealthScienceCentertoleadaconsortiumofregionalprovidersinpediatriccancerresearchtrials.

ThegrantisthroughtheNCI’sCommunityOncologyResearchProgram(NCORP),anditdesignatestheareaasoneof12minority/underservedcommunitysitesintheUnitedStates,andtheonlyNCORPsiteinTexas.

“Becauseweareamajority-HispaniccityandhavesuchalargeHispanicpopulationintheareaweserve,itisessentialthatourchildrenbeincludedonnationaltrials,”saidGailTomlinson,M.D.,Ph.D.,interimdirectoroftheGreeheyChildren’sCancerResearchInstituteattheHealthScienceCenter.

Thegrantwillfocusonissuessuchassurvivorship,thenextbigstepinimprovingpediatriccancercare.Itwillalsogotowardcancercaredeliveryresearch,geneticcounselingandsupportservices,includingconsistentandaccuratetranslationforfamilieswithlanguagebarriers.

Anne-MarieLangevin,M.D.,professorandpediatrichematologist-oncologistattheHealthScienceCenterandprincipalinvestigatoronthegrant,saidthelargescaleofthegrantandtheareaitcoversmeansthebestcareisavailabletoalargernumberoffamilies.ThegrantwilltargetchildreninanareathatextendsthroughoutSouthTexas,fromtheRioGrandeValleytoAustin.

“Weknowthatchildren,adolescentsandyoungadultstreatedonclinicaltrialstendtodobetter,”shesaid.“Withallthepartners,wecover90,000squaremilesofTexas,andweofferfamiliesofchildrenandyoungpeoplewithcanceraccesstoanetworkofclinicaltrails.”

TheothergrantpartnersincludeSanAntonioMilitaryMedicalCenter,MethodistChildren’sHospital,DellChildren’sMedicalCenterinAustinandDriscollChildren’sHospitalinCorpusChristi.

Thefive-yeargrantreplacesafederalpediatriccancergrantledbytheHealthScienceCenterformorethan23years.

Shafqat Shah, M.D., is a pediatric hematologist-oncologist at the Health Science Center. She’s been treating 13-year-old Samantha Alvarez since she was 5, when she was diagnosed with an aggressive malignant brain tumor.

Retired Maj. Gen. Byron C. Hepburn, M.D.


On top of the worldRusselJ.Reiter,Ph.D.,and

CharlesL.Bowden,M.D.,oftheSchoolofMedicine,areonThomsonReuters’listof“TheWorld’sMostInfluentialScientificMinds2014.”

Dr.Reiter,professorintheDepartmentofCellularandStructuralBiology,isoneoftheworld’sleadingexpertsonthesleep-regulatinghormonemelatonin,thepinealglandandcircadianrhythms.HeisrecognizedintheBiology&Biochemistrycategory.

Dr.Bowden,clinicalprofessorinthedepartmentsofpsychiatryandpharmacologywhoholdstheNancyU.KarrenEndowedChairinPsychiatry,isaninternationallyrespectedauthorityonbipolardisorderandmood-stabilizingmedications.HeisrecognizedinthePsychiatry/Psychologycategory.

“TheThomsonReutersrecognitionisonethatconveysthecompetitivenessofTheUniversityofTexasHealthScienceCenteratSanAntonioontheworldscientificstage,”saidWilliamL.Henrich,M.D.,MACP,presidentoftheHealthScienceCenter.

Akeyindicatorofascientist’sinfluenceinhisfieldisthenumberoftimeshispublicationsarecitedinotherpublications.Thehonorees,includingDrs.ReiterandBowden,publishedthegreatestnumberofhighlycitedpapersin21broadfieldsbetween2002and2012.Highlycitedpapersrankinthetop1percentbycitationsfortheirfieldandyearofpublication,accordingtoThomsonReuters.

Russel J. Reiter, Ph.D. Charles L. Bowden, M.D.

STEVEN BAILEY, M.D., was inducted into the inaugural 2014 Class of Master Fellows of the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions, the professional medical society for adult and pediatric invasive/interventional cardiologists. He is professor and chief of the Janey and Dolph Briscoe Division of Cardiology at the Health Science Center and is a cardiologist with UT Medicine San Antonio.

PETER J. HOUGHTON, PH.D., was named director of the Greehey Children’s Cancer Research Institute and holder of the Greehey Distinguished Chair for the Children’s Cancer Research Institute. He will begin Dec. 1.

CYNTHIA MOJICA, PH.D., is one of five new appointees to the Advisory Committee on Minority Health, overseen by the Office of Minority Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dr. Mojica is a researcher at the Institute for Health Promotion Research.

JACQUELINE LEE MOK, PH.D., was named vice president for academic, faculty and student affairs. Most recently, she worked as vice president/chief of staff and secretary of the Board of Trustees at Johns Hopkins University, where she also was a presidential research fellow in 2013.

High praiseEighteducatorsfromtheHealth

ScienceCenterwereselectedaswinnersofthe2014Regents’OutstandingTeachingAwardfromTheUniversityofTexasSystem.

Eachhonoreereceived$25,000.ThisyeartheUTSystemawardedatotalof$2.4milliontotopeducatorsfromitsnineacademicuniversitiesandsixhealthinstitutions.Theawardsareamongthelargestandmostcompetitiveinthenationforrewardingoutstandingfacultyperformance.

WilliamL.Henrich,M.D.,MACP,presidentoftheHealthScienceCenter,saidtheeighteducatorsaredeservingofthehonorthatrecognizesleadership,serviceandpassionforteaching.

“TheseinnovativeandinspirationaleducatorsareindicativeofthecultureofteachingexcellenceforwhichtheHealthScienceCenterisknown,”hesaid.

Thosehonoredwere:y WilliamP.Clarke,Ph.D.,professorofpharmacologyy ArchieA.Jones,D.D.S.,M.B.A.,professorofperiodonticsy LindaM.McManus,Ph.D.,professorofpathologyy JayI.Peters,M.D.,professorofmediciney LindaPorter-Wenzlaff,Ph.D.,M.S.N.,RN,clinicalassociateprofessorofnursingy RubenD.Restrepo,M.D.,RRT,FAARC,professorofrespiratorycarey IvyS.Schwartz,D.D.S.,M.S.Ed.,professorofgeneraldentistryy FrankJ.Weaker,Ph.D.,adjunctprofessorofcellularandstructuralbiology.

William Clarke, Ph.D. (left), was one of eight HSC educators selected for the 2014 Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award.

appointmentsandawards

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Asof10/8/14

Lifetime MemberTheEwingHalsellFoundation

$50,000 +Mr.&Mrs.WilliamE.Greehey

$25,000 +HollyBeachPublicLibraryAssociationMr.CharlesC.Butt

$10,000 +Malu&CarlosAlvarezMr.&Mrs.JohnL.Hendry,IIIMargie&BillKlesseLuciferLightingCompany/Mr.GilbertMathewsJohnD.Rugh,PhDMarthaL.Wood,PhDMr.GaryV.Woods

$5,000 +RobertA.&KatheyK.AndersonFoundationMr.&Mrs.WilliamD.BalthropeMr.&Mrs.JamesC.BrowningCatherine&FrancisBurzikMr.&Mrs.BartlettCocke,Jr.Dr.&Mrs.GilbertJ.GarciaJamesL.Holly,MD,PAHarrisK.&LoisG.OppenheimerFoundation/

Mrs.ClaireO.O’MalleyMinnieStevensPiperFoundationDrs.Sharon&EdwardRosenthalDee&JackWillomeMr.&Mrs.MarkH.Wright

$2,500 +Mr.&Mrs.CharlesE.Cheever,Jr.Dr.&Mrs.AndreDesireDr.&Mrs.EliasDickermanMrs.HelenK.GrovesMr.&Mrs.CurtisC.Gunn,Jr.Mrs.SallyHalffMr.&Mrs.MichaelD.Harper,Sr.Dr.&Mrs.WilliamL.HenrichO’Connor&HewittFoundationMr.TimHixonNancy&EdKelleyMr.&Mrs.GregoryCharlesKingRandolphT.Leone,MD,PADr.&Mrs.CharlesR.Leone,Jr.Jan&BobMarbutMrs.JaneyBriscoeMarmionJudgeJohnT.MontfordMr.&Mrs.J.DavidOppenheimerMr.DanF.ParmanMrs.MarieL.PauersteinRodneyK.Rayburn,DDSMr.&Mrs.CarlA.RegisterMajorGeneral(Ret.)&Mrs.JosueRobles,Jr.Courtney&MarkE.Watson,Jr.Ms.MarilynL.WeberMr.&Mrs.J.TullosWellsMr.&Mrs.GrahamM.WestonMr.&Mrs.BartellZachry

$1,000 +Mr.&Mrs.JamesR.AdamsBarbara&WayneAlexanderWanda&RichardAllinson

Mr.&Mrs.MichaelR.AminiLorraine&CurtAnastasioAlison&JeffAndrewsAaronL.Angel,MDDrs.Martha&RafaelArandaMrs.ConnieAustRuth&EdwardAustinKayC.Avant,RN,PhD,FAANMr.&Mrs.DavidBaerMrs.BarbaraJ.BankerDr.BenBarkerAnnBarshopColleen&BruceBarshopPerryE.Bassett,MD,PhDDr.&Mrs.RichardA.BeckerLouise&MichaelBeldonMr.CharlesO.Biedenharn,Sr.JewelBiedenharn-Crosswell&

HenryM.Crosswell,IIIMr.&Mrs.GlennBiggsIrene&MichaelBlackMs.MargeryL.BlockMs.DonnaBlockMr.&Mrs.GuyS.Bodine,IIIMr.FrankNelsonBoggusEleanor&VaughnBombergerMr.JohnV.BoothMrs.CelitaPappasBorchersVijay&RaviBotlaDrs.Virginia&CharlesBowdenMr.&Mrs.P.JosephBrakeDr.&Mrs.WarrenB.BranchDrs.LoisL.Bready&JosephR.HolahanEileenT.Breslin&BillL.IsraelDrs.RobinBrey&SteveHollidayMr.&Mrs.StevenR.BrookKatherine&WalterBrown,Jr.Mrs.GloriaM.BryantLouise&MichaelBurkeDr.JohnH.Calhoon&Ms.SarahLuceroPaula&JimCallawayMr.&Mrs.RichardW.CalvertMiriam&BernardCampionAmber&JorgeCansecoAlicia&VidalCantuDr.&Mrs.TimothyN.CarisMr.&Mrs.RaymondR.CarvajalAlicia&RaymondCasillasDr.JosephB.Castellano&Dr.VanessaCarpenterJudy&JimmyCavenderDr.&Mrs.AlfonsoChiscanoMr.&Mrs.MarkCirinnaMr.&Mrs.HenryCisnerosRobertA.Clark,MDMr.&Mrs.JamesFullyClingman,Jr.Ms.JaneL.CoelhoLisa&DonCohickDr.JamesR.Cole,IIMr.TaliaferroCooperWilliamT.Coppola,DDSFredG.Corley,Jr.,MDMr.PaulC.CrallJoAnnCrow,PhDDr.&Mrs.AnatolioB.CruzMr.&Mrs.C.E.DavisLaura&SamDawsonDrs.Andrew&ChristinedelaGarzaCaptainLuisA.DeLaGarza&

Ms.SherryLynnHatcherMr.&Mrs.CharlesDeaconRalphA.DeFronzo,MD

Mary&AlanDeLayMr.&Mrs.RobertDewarTheHonorablePrestonH.Dial,Jr.Elia&ArmandoDiazRobertL.Dickson,MDDr.ParvinDinyarian/RootCanalSpecialistDr.&Mrs.WilliamW.DodgeMr.&Ms.RobertDominiqueKevinJ.Donly,DDS,MSBarbara&AlanDreebenAdele&SteveDufilhoFlorenceEddins-Folensbee,MDMr.&Mrs.RobertLouisElizondoKris&JimEllisEdwardEllis,III,DDS,MSMr.&Mrs.W.FrankElstonMr.&Mrs.RichardW.Evans,Jr.MariaElenaFalcon,MDDr.&Mrs.MarcFeldmanMr.H.RugeleyFergusonMr.&Mrs.GeraldFielderDr.&Mrs.PeterT.FlawnMs.CarolineAlexanderForgasonDr.Marvin&Mrs.EllinorForlandJohnH.Frels,DDSDr.KelleyL.Frost&Mr.PatrickB.FrostMr.JerryFulenwiderMrs.CandyKatzGardnerDr.&Mrs.HaroldVincentGaskill,IIIDr.&Mrs.CarlJ.GassmannBarbara&MichaelGentryJamesE.Gill,MDDr.AndreaGiuffridaBirgitJunfinGlass,DDSGayleGlenn,DDS,MSDSandy&CameronGodfreyDr.&Mrs.WilliamGonzabaMr.&Mrs.JamesD.GoudgeMr.&Mrs.JohnD.GrahamDr.&Mrs.ChristopherW.GrahamMarci&CharlesGranstaffRobertP.Green,Jr.,MDMr.&Mrs.JackE.GuentherMr.CosmoF.GuidoMr.SeanF.GunnMr.&Mrs.RobertE.GurwitzMrs.BettyMurrayHalffDr.GlennA.Halff&Ms.MindiAltermanHolly&KenHargreavesPeterJohnHart,PhDMr.&Mrs.HoustonH.HarteDr.PattyL.HawkenRoxie&JimHayneMrs.KarenL.HeintzDot&RogerHemminghausMr.&Mrs.PeterJ.Hennessey,IIIJamesR.Herbst,II,DDSMrs.DeborahO.HeritageRidenourKaren&RonHerrmannNancy&DavidHillisKaren&TimHixonJosephThanhHoang,MDBartlettCocke,Inc./Mr.JerryHoogStephenDouglasHouston,MDDr.JohnP.Howe,III&Ms.TyrrellE.FlawnByron&Billie-KiteHowlettDr.&Mrs.MichaellA.HuberDr.CarolAnnHuebner&Mr.MichaelF.HuebnerMr.&Mrs.MichaelHumphreysDr.&Mrs.SyedAdilHusainMs.DanaIngram

a n n u a l g i v i n g b y the President’s Council

Mr.MorganC.JacksonDr.BrendaGailJackson&

Mr.CharlesH.Jackson,IIIDr.&Mrs.J.DanielJohnsonMrs.AnneW.JohnstonDr.&Mrs.DavidJ.JonesSharon&KenKalkwarfDr.WendyB.KangGlenda&DavidKeckJoan&HerbKelleherBetty&BobKelsoJoan&PatKennedyMr.&Mrs.RichardM.Kleberg,IIIColetteM.Kohler,MDBonnie&JohnKorbellMr.MikeKreagerGretchen&LanceLahourcadeDrs.Barbara&LeonardLawrenceSarah&MiltonLeeDr.&Mrs.EdwardJamesLefeber,Jr.Drs.JannaLesser&RichardUsatineMr.&Mrs.RodLewisDr.VivianLim&Mr.JosephO.WongJungran&B.B.LimMrs.GladysI.LynchMr.&Mrs.SteveLynchMr.&Mrs.JohnA.MalitzMr.MikeA.ManuppelliDr.BettieSueMastersDrs.Karis&DuncanMcCarrollMr.&Mrs.RaymondS.McClellanMr.&Mrs.RedMcCombsMr.&Mrs.JoeC.McKinneyDrs.Melinda&JamesMcMichaelYona&TomMcNishDr.&Mrs.FrankR.MillerMarmonMokArchitectureMr.&Mrs.WilliamG.MollBillyLorinMorgan,DDSMethodistHealthcareMinistriesofSouthTexas/

Mr.KevinC.MoriartyDebbie&FrankMorrillMs.JudithN.MortonSydney&GreggMuensterNicolasMusi,MDDr.&Mrs.ClaudeL.NabersMr.&Mrs.JohnE.Newman,Jr.BayVanNguyen,MD

(L-R) Marie Smith, School of Nursing Dean Eileen T. Breslin, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, and Jane Cheever Powell get together at the 2014 President’s Luncheon in San Antonio.

Melissa and Warren Branch, D.D.S. ’81, attend the 2014 President’s Gala.

Phyllis and Jamie Browning, supporters of the Health Science Center, attend the 2014 President’s Gala.

Bavi&DennisNixonDr.ByronJ.Nordhus&Ms.MarileeNordhusDrs.Simone&RobertNorrisDr.&Mrs.KeithJ.Odegard,MDMr.&Mrs.WilliamP.O’HaraDr.JohnD.&Mrs.LorraineL.OlsonDrs.Pam&RandyOttoDr.LeeOverstreetDr.&Mrs.PaulPaceMr.&Mrs.JohnPaparelliCamilla&BillParkerDr.&Mrs.RobertW.ParkerDrs.JohnD.Jones&NormaPartidaJonesDr.NeelaKumariPatelDr.&Mrs.MahendraC.PatelDrs.Jan&ThomasPattersonMrs.NancyPawelMr.&Mrs.RichardM.Peacock,Sr.Dr.&Mrs.DanC.PeavyJoseFernandoPena,MDJ.LeePettigrew,DDSMr.&Mrs.ScottPetty,Jr.Diane&PhilipPfeifferMs.EmiliePitman-KreagerDr.&Mrs.BradleyH.PollockStephenH.Ponas,MDRissaPotter,PhDMrs.JaneCheeverPowell&

Mr.TomPowell,Jr.Mrs.KarenPresleyMr.&Mrs.RobertB.PriceShelliAnnPruski,DDSDrs.Rajam&SomayajiRamamurthyDr.Amelie&Mr.DavidRamirezDr.&Mrs.AugustoRamos,Jr.AngelitaRamos-GabatinCol.(USAF,Ret.),MDDr.JoanM.RatnerMrs.BettieK.Stone-Reddick&

Dr.RobertL.ReddickRebecca&BillReedKatie&JimReedMr.&Mrs.ForrestC.RoanMrs.CorinneL.RobichauxDr.&Mrs.WaidRogersMr.&Mrs.StanleyD.RosenbergDr.&Mrs.AnthonyD.SabinoDrs.JenniferSorenson&EdwardSakoMr.&Mrs.WilliamScanlan,Jr.

Mr.&Mrs.LouisL.ScantlandMr.RichardT.Schlosberg,IIIRobertN.Schnitzler,MDKatherineA.Schwesinger,BSN,MSNMelvinL.Shanley,DDS,PADr.PaulaShireman&Mr.PatrickConroyDr.PhyllisB.SiegelMr.&Mrs.PaulH.SmithEileenA.Smith,MDDr.&Mrs.PaulH.Smith,Jr.Dr.&Mrs.KermitVincentSpeeg,Jr.Anna&DennisStahlMr.JackE.StalsbyMrs.ElsieG.StegMr.&Mrs.PatrickStehlingMr.&Mrs.ThomasA.StephensonMs.AnnStevensDrs.Peggy&JohnStollJoci&JoeStrausMrs.RuthEileneSullivanDr.JamesB.SummittMs.RajiaC.TobiaDr.&Mrs.RoyH.TrawickDr.&Mrs.CarlosVela,Jr.Dr.&Mrs.RaulVelaMr.&Mrs.J.JorgeVerduzcoBette&JackVexlerSimeonH.Wall,Jr.,MD,FACSMissionPharmacalCompany/

Mr.NeillB.WalsdorfDrs.Anne&KenWashburnArgoGroup/Mr.MarkE.Watson,IIIMr.&Mrs.EricJ.WeissgarberMr.&Mrs.LewisF.WestermanColonelEdwinJ.WhitneyMr.&Mrs.JohnMichaelWilkesMr.AbeS.WilsonBarryD.Winston,MDMrs.BarbaraR.WulfeDr.&Mrs.AllisonS.YeeMrs.JuneA.YoungDrs.Wendy&DavidYuDr.&Mrs.MiguelZabalgoitiaMr.&Mrs.JamesP.Zach

The President’s Council is composed of annual donors to the Health Science Center who make unrestricted contributions of $1,000 or more. For more information, visit www.PresidentsCouncil.info or call 210.567. 2063.

http://www.PresidentsCouncil.info/

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