Statistics show that more than half of amputations in the United States each year are caused by diabetes and its complications. With diabetes on the rise, the number of amputations is expected to increase.
Additionally, amputees are returning home from conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. As of Aug. 1, 2008, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan had resulted in amputations for more than 1,200 service members, according to the U.S. Department of Defense.
Almost 75 percent had major limb amputations. In the Iraq War alone, the rate of limb loss for U.S. troops reportedly is higher than in any conflict of the previous century except Vietnam.
A soldier’s story
As a squad leader and truck commander for the U.S. Army’s 10th Mountain Division for Operation Iraqi Freedom, Staff Sgt. Shilo Harris led reconnaissance missions every day to gain information about the enemy and to ensure the roads were safe for travel by his fellow soldiers. On one particular day in 2007, as Staff Sgt. Harris and his squad navigated the desolate desert roads, their convoy was suddenly rocked by a deafening explosion. Of the four Humvees in the convoy, Staff Sgt. Harris’, the third in line, was tossed in the air like a toy truck by a bomb hidden beneath the road they were traveling on. They’d been ambushed.
Staff Sgt. Harris’ memory of the ordeal is hazy as he drifted in and out of consciousness.
"I could hear what I thought was gunfire. As I looked down, I saw my body smoking," he said. "It hurt." His uniform and body armor had melted to his skin.
Staff Sgt. Harris was burned over more than 30 percent of his body. He lost three fingers and both of his ears. He also lost three members of his platoon on that fateful day. But what remained intact were the courage, determination and faith the 34-year-old husband and father of four is famous for.
Dr. Wolf examines a vial of Regenerative Medicine Extracellular Matrix. The substance has been nicknamed "Pixie Dust" by Dr. Wolf’s colleagues at Brooke Army Medical Center.
After waking from a 48-day-long coma in a hospital in Germany, Staff Sgt. Harris was flown to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, where he received treatment at the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research Burn Center. It was there that he met Dr. Wolf.
Historic trial
Steven Wolf, M.D., is professor of surgery and the Betty and Bob Kelso Distinguished Chair in Burn and Trauma Surgery at the UT Health Science Center San Antonio, chief of clinical research for the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research and director of the Pediatric Burn Program at University Hospital. Dr. Wolf is working with several high-profile U.S. researchers in the field of tissue regeneration, including Stephen Badylak, D.V.M., Ph.D., M.D., of the University of Pittsburgh; Anthony Atala, M.D., of Wake Forest University; and C. Mauli Agrawal, Ph.D., of The University of Texas at San Antonio. The researchers are studying a substance derived from pig bladders that has the potential to regrow human tissue.
The substance Dr. Wolf calls "Regenerative Medicine Extracellular Matrix" has been nicknamed "Pixie Dust" by Dr. Wolf’s colleagues at Brooke Army Medical Center because of its seemingly magical abilities. When tested in animal models, the powdery substance grew an entire organ. "Researchers took a uterus out of a dog, made one in the lab, put it back in and had puppies," Dr. Wolf said. "The powder seems to work by attracting stem cells to a particular region of the body. It then has the potential to stimulate the growth of all types of tissue including bone, muscle and skin. It’s very exciting," he said.
While a patient at Brooke Army Medical Center, Staff Sgt. Harris learned about Dr. Wolf’s work with this technology. He was quickly intrigued and although he had already undergone seven surgeries for his injuries, Staff Sgt. Harris valiantly volunteered to have the Pixie Dust piloted on him.
"I figured that if this is something that might help me as well as others, then it’s definitely worth trying," Staff Sgt. Harris said.
In May 2008, Staff Sgt. Harris became the first human in the world to have the Extracellular Matrix surgically implanted in his body. Dr. Wolf placed it on Staff Sgt. Harris’ left hand where he was missing two fingers. Dr. Wolf concentrated the powder on the area where Staff Sgt. Harris’ index finger used to be. After a second procedure in October 2008, Staff Sgt. Harris’ index finger has grown about half an inch.
Dr. Wolf said he has plans to enhance the process. "We may need to do some pre-seeding of the powder by taking the cells out of the human subjects, isolating them with the Extracellular Matrix and then putting them back in the body. This will provide a much higher concentration and potential for growth." He also hopes to grow tissue that is structurally supported by bone for better functionality. "We’ll need to monitor patients with X-rays to ensure that bone growth is occurring," he said.
Potential of Extracellular Matrix
More than 30 additional wounded soldiers from Brooke Army Medical Center have been identified as possible candidates for trials with the Extracellular Matrix. Dr. Wolf said the substance could have potential with patients who have lost limbs to diabetes as well as those with birth defects and organs affected by cancer. He also hopes to make the surgery available in the near future to children in the Pediatric Burn Program at University Hospital.
"I have one word for Dr. Wolf and his team, and that’s, ‘wow,’ " Staff Sgt. Harris said. "I actually have more sensation in my finger now. It’s pretty amazing." Staff Sgt. Harris said he hopes his finger will continue to grow long enough to someday support a prosthesis. "I plan on seeing my kids go to college and get married," he said. "I want to be able to hold my grandkids someday."
Thanks to the courage of patients like Staff Sgt. Harris and the outstanding research of Dr. Wolf, those who suffer limb loss, whether from injury or illness, may someday have the chance to regain some or possibly all of what’s missing.
"What is most satisfying is to see these soldiers partake in and benefit from our research that could someday benefit all mankind," Dr. Wolf said.
Staff Sgt. Harris agrees. "I feel I have a new calling," he said. "I want to help others. I love being able to serve my country."
Together, they’re on a mission to assess, test and hope for the best that this "magic" dust might bring to so many in need.
Imagine choking and gasping for air every time you fall asleep. Between 18 million and 20 million people in the United States suffer from these frightening symptoms because of a common disorder called sleep apnea. Because of a lack of awareness among both health professionals and the public, up to 90 percent of sufferers aren’t diagnosed or treated, and that could prove deadly.
People with sleep apnea literally stop breathing hundreds of times a night. Sufferers experience snoring, drowsiness during the day, lost productivity at work and much more: changes in lipid metabolism, high blood pressure, insulin resistance and increased risk of stroke.
Four out of five sleep apnea cases involve a physical obstruction of the upper airway during sleep, while in the remaining cases the drive to breathe is reduced during sleep.
Indeed sleep apnea, estimated to affect as many as one in every four adults, is a major national health issue.
Researchers in the Dental School and the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences are conducting studies to better understand the mechanics of the disorder with the goal of enhancing therapies. Their work is directly benefiting patients.
Paul McLornan, B.D.S., assistant professor in the Department of Prosthodontics, is the lead investigator of an 18-month study involving sleep apnea patients at the South Texas Veterans Health Care System, Audie Murphy Division. Researchers used an oral appliance called the Thornton Adjustable Positioner (TAP) to treat those suffering from moderate to severe sleep apnea.
"What we found was that many of our patients with moderate to severe sleep apnea were not adhering to standard treatment with a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine," Dr. McLornan said. Although the CPAP is considered to be the gold standard in treating sleep apnea and is very effective, Dr. McLornan said compliance by patients is well below 50 percent.
"Some patients say the machine (which consists of a face mask connected to tubes) that blows air down a patient’s throat during sleep to keep the airway open is cumbersome or noisy," Dr. McLornan said. "Some said it was uncomfortable or that it bothered their spouses, or that they were just too embarrassed to use the machine."
Dr. McLornan’s study proved that the TAP device, which is much smaller and fits in a patient’s mouth, is now an option for patients with severe sleep apnea.
"It was previously thought that treatment for patients suffering from severe sleep apnea was limited to use of the CPAP or surgery," Dr. McLornan said. "Our study added to the body of medical and dental research literature by showing that oral appliances can be effective in treating people with severe sleep apnea. As an added advantage, the device is less cumbersome, is better tolerated by patients, and is much less invasive and costly than the CPAP or surgery."
Sandra Langelier, a patient of Dr. McLornan, prepares to wear The Thornton Adjustable Positioner (TAP), an alternative therapy to the CPAP machine for patients with sleep apnea.
Patients in the study were fitted with the TAP appliance and given a tiny key that fits in the front of the device. The patient was instructed to wear the appliance every night and to insert and turn the key several millimeters before bedtime. By turning the key, the patient pulls his lower jaw forward, thus creating an open airway in the throat.
"We asked the patients to tell us when they reached a point in the adjustments that felt comfortable and when they felt they were able to sleep without snoring or gasping," he said. "We then evaluated patients using standard sleep studies to determine whether or not their sleep had indeed improved."
Dr. McLornan explained that patients in his study improved significantly using the TAP. "We saw patients who began the study with severe sleep apnea end the study with very mild or no sleep apnea. They reported sleeping better, feeling more rested in the morning and altogether healthier."
Sandra Langelier said she could barely keep her eyes open during the day. "I was exhausted all the time," she said. "I had absolutely no energy." One morning, as Langelier drove her usual 70-mile route to work, her car swerved off the road. She’d fallen asleep at the wheel. "Luckily, I wasn’t hurt and neither was anyone else," she said. Langelier said she suffered from fatigue and drowsiness nearly every day since she was in high school. "I knew something was wrong, but never knew what it was."
After undergoing a standard sleep study in 2004, Langelier was diagnosed with moderate sleep apnea. She tried the CPAP machine, and although it worked, she said she found the TAP appliance a better alternative because of its smaller size, transportability and ease to operate and wear at night.
"I’m thrilled the TAP is an option. I’m sleeping better, I have more energy and I just feel better than I ever have," she said. "Sleep apnea is a real problem and now there are more solutions for everyone. It’s better to catch it early before it gets out of hand."
Dr. McLornan said this research is vital to both the medical and dental communities.
"Sleep apnea is a growing and serious problem for people of all ages and all ethnic groups," Dr. McLornan said. "If left untreated, it becomes progressively worse. People suffering from sleep apnea are at increased risk for high blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes, obesity and diabetes. It takes both dentists and medical professionals working together to control this potentially deadly disorder. The TAP gives patients another viable treatment alternative."
Dr. McLornan said patients who think they may suffer from sleep apnea should consult their family physician and undergo a standard sleep study in a lab. Costs are normally covered by medical insurance.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine, the professional society that sets the standards for and promotes excellence in sleep medicine, now recommends that oral appliances can be the first line of treatment for people with mild to moderate sleep apnea. Dr. McLornan’s study demonstrates it can be used for patients with severe problems as well.
You’ll find many husbands and wives who both work at the UT Health Science Center. But you won’t find any like Drs. Monica and Alain Mita.
They share the same specialty - medical oncology - with offices at the Cancer Therapy & Research Center (CTRC) at the UT Health Science Center San Antonio. They traveled the same career path, attending the same schools in Romania and France, earning the same degrees and completing the same fellowships. They hold the same academic appointments and as a result, they tackle the same variety of assignments. They see patients while at the same time teaching residents and fellows at four locations - the CTRC, University Hospital, Audie L. Murphy Division of the South Texas Veterans Health Care System, and CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Medical Center. They manage 30 clinical trials between them, write scientific papers and give lectures at national and international meetings.
Married for 18 years, the Mitas’ personal life revolves around their three children. Stephane, age 7, was born during their fellowship in Toulouse, France. Marianne, 5, arrived the year after they accepted a fellowship at the CTRC Institute for Drug Development (IDD). Adrienne, 2, was born the year they joined the Health Science Center faculty.
Secrets to success
When commenting on the Mitas, a colleague, Christopher Takamoto, M.D., Ph.D., who worked with the Mitas before he moved to private industry, said, "What strikes me as unique is their balanced commitment to their professional careers and to their lovely family. Most working couples end up compromising one spouse’s job in favor of the other’s. For Alain and Monica, this is not the case. Of course this is not an easy thing to do, but they seem to have solved this complex equation exceedingly well."
One factor that seems to balance the equation is a shared profession. "On days when I’m drained and down, watching kids in their 20s dying, Alain understands exactly what I’m going through," Monica said. Familiarity not only helps the couple empathize, but advise. "We can be each other’s toughest critic," Alain said. "It helps to see another person’s perspective. One nurse told us that our marriage lasts because we agree to disagree."
Monica adds with a smile, "But it’s a sweet victory if we can change the other person’s mind."
Another factor is friendship. "Monica has told me that the only reason she made it through the rigors of medical school, residency, fellowships and her career is that she and Alain are best friends," said Jerry Medina, a research nurse supervisor. "They are successful because they are together."
Friendship produces a willingness to share responsibilities. "If we get a call from the day care that one of the kids is sick, we have to decide who will pick up the child and who will cover the work," says Monica. They alternate routine pickup from day care, cooking, going to teachers’ meetings and shopping. On weekends, they have fun with their kids. "We ride bikes, visit the zoo, walk around the botanical center and the parks, and go to museums," Alain says. Once a year, Monica and Alain take a one-week vacation without the children.
Dr. Monica Mita examines 24-year-old cancer patient, Martha Arredondo.
A passion for the cure
At the core, Alain and Monica share a passion for the work of curing cancer.
"They live every patient’s life in their heart," said CTRC patient referral coordinator, Epp Goodwin. Goodwin schedules patients who are taking Phase I drugs, those shown in the laboratory to be well-tolerated, but still need to be evaluated for safety, effectiveness and side effects. Because the CTRC has one of the largest oncology Phase I clinical drug studies programs in the world, it can offer drugs that are unavailable even in many large cancer centers. Patients come from many states and often arrive with little or no hope, because they have failed conventional treatments.
"I have the utmost respect for these two doctors," Goodwin said. "They always do what’s right for the patient." She recalls a patient, a middle-aged woman with lymphoma, who came to the CTRC three years ago. "To qualify for a trial you have to meet certain criteria," she explained. "When I screened the patient’s records, I knew she didn’t qualify. But Alain didn’t turn her away. He prescribed some things he hoped would make her stronger. Three weeks later, she looked much better and she qualified for a trial. In fact, she ended up taking part in two different studies. We knew we couldn’t cure her cancer, but we could give her time and the best quality of life possible."
Giving patients hope is what drives the Mitas. "There’s nothing worse than telling a patient there’s nothing we can do," Alain said. "People with cancer are fighters. They need us to help them."
The opportunity to work with promising new cancer agents was what lured the Mitas from Paris to San Antonio in 2002. "We knew about San Antonio from reading about clinical trials," Alain said. "The IDD and CTRC were on the same level as M.D. Anderson and other top cancer centers."
Seven years later, the Mitas have tested about 50 anti-cancer drugs. At least 17 were deemed worthy of further testing. Because of the Mitas’ rigorous training and experience, they epitomize the latest generation of leaders in developmental therapeutics, according to IDD director Francis Giles, M.D.
"We now look to our IDD investigators to understand the molecular lesions in cancer and to use these lesions as targets for novel approaches," Dr. Giles said. "We expect them to follow a promising agent from the laboratory to potential regulatory approval - a very complex journey." He adds that for physician-scientists to be effective across such a broad scientific spectrum, they need to be both experts in early phase drug development and in a specific tumor type. Monica specializes in sarcoma and breast tumors; Alain in tumors of the lung.
Dr. Monica Mita keeps this drawing, given to her by a former patient, in her office as a source of inspiration and encouragement.
A partnership with patients
Monica and Alain insist their partnership in medicine, science and life remains incomplete without patients.
"Without patients willing to participate in clinical trials to test new drugs, we risk being in the same place in 10 years that we are now," Monica warns. "Ninety percent of cancer patients are never told of the option to enter a clinical trial. Their doctors prescribe conventional treatment, and if it fails, they tell patients there’s nothing else they can do."
It is precisely these patients who enter CTRC’s Phase I trials. "It’s a great feeling to have the power to help a patient," Monica says. "It’s great to be able to give them a drug and see a good response. Of course, not all patients will respond. But when it works, it’s worth every effort."
Carolyn Boone travels from Dallas to the CTRC every three weeks for intravenous treatment. "I continue to live life one day at a time."
In 2003, after Dallas resident Carolyn Boone had her hysterectomy, doctors discovered a huge and fast-growing tumor, diagnosed as mullerian sarcoma. It spread to her liver and lungs. Her oncologist’s prognosis: The cancer would not respond to chemotherapy or radiation and Boone had maybe a year to live. He referred her to the CTRC at the UT Health Science Center San Antonio for an experimental study.
Five years later, Boone is still alive, and a patient of Dr. Monica Mita. The drug that stabilized her cancer is known as Agent AP23573, which regulates normal cell growth and slows or stops the growth of cancer cells. The drug has progressed to the third of four phases of testing.
"Carolyn Boone’s story is an inspiration for other patients and care providers," Dr. Mita said. "Her experience is what we would like to see for all patients with advanced cancer - significant and durable response with a normal quality of life."
South Texas prepares professionals to serve its own
He likes to say that he was the first medical resident to graduate from the Regional Academic Health Center in Harlingen.
Three other residents graduated alongside Nolan Perez, M.D., in that first class back in 2004, but he jokingly claims the distinction as the first to cross the stage.
Dr. Perez, who returned to Harlingen to open a gastroenterology practice after completing a fellowship at Wayne State University, might have been the first, but he’s hardly alone. A growing community of doctors in the Rio Grande Valley received training at the Long School of Medicine’s Regional Academic Health Center (RAHC).
One treats patients at Su Clinica Familiar, the largest community health care center in the Valley. Another helped fill a tremendous need for mental health professionals in Brownsville by becoming the city’s second full-time psychiatrist last fall. Of 10 hospitalists at Valley Baptist Medical Center in Harlingen, six came out of the RAHC’s residency program.
Nolan Perez, M.D.
"You know what you’re dealing with when you’re dealing with one of the graduates here," Dr. Perez said. "You know that they’re at the cutting edge of evidence-based medicine. They’ve been well-trained, and there’s that camaraderie that you share."
The RAHC is just one sign of The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio’s commitment to training doctors and other health professionals who will serve communities along the U.S.-Mexico border. The Laredo Campus Extension is adding to the ranks of health professionals there, while the Med Ed Program encourages middle school, high school and college students in South Texas to pursue careers in the health sciences.
The professionals who come out of Health Science Center programs will be important to addressing disparities in border communities. In Texas, two-thirds of the population within 62 miles of the border lives in a primary care Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA), according to a 2003 report by the federal Health Resources and Services Administration. That’s compared with a third of the statewide population.
"I have a firm belief that the way we help solve the health care problems in South Texas is by recruiting heavily there - and training there," said J. Dennis Blessing, Ph.D., PA-C, chair of the Department of Physician Assistant Studies and associate dean for South Texas programs in the School of Health Professions. "And we do."
The Regional Academic Health Center
"That’s a medical school campus right there."
- Leonel Vela, M.D., M.P.H., RAHC regional dean
A native of Port Isabel, Dr. Perez always knew he wanted to return to the Rio Grande Valley, and he also knew that many doctors end up practicing where they train.
But he never thought it would be possible to complete any part of his training in the Valley until Mario Ramirez, M.D., the Health Science Center’s longtime vice president for South Texas and border initiatives, told him about the RAHC opening.
Dr. Perez initially had reservations about taking part in a brand-new residency program. But the more he learned about the RAHC, the better it sounded: "Everyone I talked to said what great support it was receiving from the state and the local community in Harlingen."
Since it opened in the summer of 2002, the RAHC has housed a residency in internal medicine and educated third- and fourth-year medical students.
Leonel Vela, M.D., M.P.H., regional dean of the RAHC since its inception, said the Harlingen campus uses a community-based model and emphasizes the uniqueness of its academic setting. Students learn about environmental and public health, and about diseases that disproportionately affect the border region, including certain birth defects, diabetes and re-emerging infectious diseases rarely seen elsewhere in the United States.
Dr. Vela hopes seeing the campus will inspire younger students, who may someday practice medicine in the Valley: "You can point to the RAHC and say, ‘That’s a medical school campus right there.’ It motivates students in this medically underserved region to want to study medicine."
Returning to the Valley appealed to James Castillo, M.D., who had lived there as a child. When it came time to apply for the match, he spotted the RAHC program on the Electronic Residency Application Service and went for it. His wife agreed to the move without ever having seen the Valley, aside from photos Dr. Castillo took during his interview.
By the time he finished his residency, neither wanted to leave. Dr. Castillo now directs the hospitalist program at Valley Baptist Medical Center and is on the RAHC faculty.
While he is part of a thriving medical community in Harlingen, Dr. Castillo sees a need for more doctors in the Valley.
"The thing about the Valley, it’s a lot of people, but it’s very spread out," Dr. Castillo said. "So to say that there’s plenty of doctors in this one ZIP code is fine, but there’s not so much around. Everything’s close enough that you still have access to some big medical centers, but for primary care you don’t have that so much."
There’s also a need for specialists, and RAHC alumni can be part of the solution. Dr. Perez, the gastroenterologist, is one example; another is Cesar H. García, M.D., a third-year resident at the RAHC. In July, Dr. García will begin a geriatric fellowship in San Antonio. Afterward, he is seriously considering working in the Valley.
"With the community here, I really feel like I’d be a good fit," said Dr. García, who grew up in San Antonio. He attended the Health Science Center’s School of Medicine in San Antonio, and he first learned about the RAHC when he rotated there during his third- and fourth-year clerkships.
Dr. García does not see himself in private practice and instead plans to work in indigent care: "I feel like it’s my privilege. I’m looking forward to it."
Laredo Campus Extension
"I’m from here, so I wanted to come back and contribute."
- Irene Moreno, PA-C, physician assistant program alumna
The first building of the Laredo Campus Extension was dedicated in 2002. Since then, the campus has trained students in dentistry and other health professions including respiratory care, clinical laboratory science and physician assistant studies.
Dr. Blessing said the campus is a perfect complement to his P.A. program, whose mission is "to prepare primary health care providers who will contribute to the improvement of the mental, social, and physical well-being of the underserved and vulnerable people of South Texas."
Those words resonated with Irene Moreno, PA-C, who completed the Health Science Center’s three-year Physician Assistant Studies Program and now works at Gateway Community Health Center in her hometown of Laredo: "When I saw the mission statement, right away I was like, ‘Oh my gosh - I have to get in!’"
She always intended to return to Laredo, so the P.A. program’s emphasis on South Texas made it a good fit for her. "I’m from here," she says, "so I wanted to come back and contribute."
But Moreno went through the program before it was offered at the Laredo campus. She did as many rotations as possible in Laredo, but her classes were in San Antonio.
Now six students from each class of 30 can complete the first and third years of the program in Laredo, coming to San Antonio for only two semesters. Moreno believes that will bring more Laredo natives into health professions.
Said Moreno: "I’ve heard more and more people wanting to go into the P.A. program now."
Med Ed Program
"It opens possibilities, and it opens your mind."
- Andrea García, School of Medicine second-year student
When the Med Ed Program was just starting out, Andrea García became one of its earliest members.
She had known that she wanted to be a doctor long before she moved from Puebla, Mexico, to Laredo for her last two years of high school. But the Med Ed Program showed her how to reach her goal. "I think that really helped me," García said, "because right when I went into undergrad in Corpus Christi, I already had an idea of what I needed to do."
Through the program, she volunteered at Doctors Hospital of Laredo and visited the Health Science Center in San Antonio. "It opens possibilities," she said, "and it opens your mind."
García finished her undergraduate studies in three years and is now a second-year medical student at the Health Science Center at San Antonio. She’s thinking about becoming a pediatric endocrinologist, and she sees opportunities for herself in Laredo.
The Med Ed Program serves about 1,400 students in Laredo and the Valley. It recruits South Texas students with an interest in the health sciences and provides advice and encouragement as they make their way toward graduate or professional programs.
"Itmaynot be that all of those kids end up at the Health Science Center," said David Jones, Ph.D., associate dean for admissions in the Long School of Medicine, which sponsors the Med Ed Program. "But what is important is that they’re mentored and they’re encouraged in their interests."
Med Ed works closely with teachers and parents to create a supportive environment for the students. The primary goal is student success, but Dr. Jones also hopes that these students will someday be the ones providing health care in their hometowns.
"I think it demonstrates the commitment of the Health Science Center to the success of students from South Texas," Dr. Jones said. "This is a substantial financial commitment to student success in the Valley and Laredo. It’s a great credit to the institution to continue to support it in this fashion."
For the first time in its history, the Health Science Center has eclipsed the $200 million mark in grants, contracts and other awards. Despite increasing competition for research dollars awarded by federal agencies, the Health Science Center experienced a jump of 28 percent in funding from the National Institutes of Health during the 2008 state fiscal year ($107.2 million). "The horizon for upcoming years continues to look bright," said then President Francisco G. Cigarroa, M.D. "I am extremely grateful to our faculty for their leadership in our research mission, as these are the individuals who are the principal investigators of these important grants."
The Cancer Therapy & Research Center (CTRC) at the UT Health Science Center San Antonio has been awarded a $150,000 grant from LeukemiaTexas to develop novel therapies for patients with leukemia who do not benefit from existing treatments. Francis Giles, M.D., deputy director of the CTRC and director of the CTRC’s Institute for Drug Development, and Jennifer Carew, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, are the principal investigators of the project. LeukemiaTexas awards grants for research to enhance the understanding of leukemia and its causes, to develop new and improved methods of treatment, and, ultimately, to find a cure.
A national movement away from the term "allied health" led to the renaming of one of the five schools of the Health Science Center. The School of Allied Health Sciences is now the School of Health Professions in recognition of its mission. The renaming does not affect existing accreditations within the school. "Respiratory therapists, clinical laboratory scientists and other professionals educated in our school perform indispensable functions in the care of patients. This name is a new way to express that," said Marilyn S. Harrington, Ph.D., dean of the School of Health Professions.
The founding faculty members of the Department of Physical Therapy’s first doctoral in physical therapy degree program are pictured with their support staff. Front Row (L-R): Michelle Barnes, Jacqueline Lopez, Dr. Giovanni De Domenico, Dr. Yolanda Rangel, Professor Ann Newstead, Professor Patricia Rodriguez, Dr. Martha Acosta. Back Row (L-R): Dr. Patricia Brewer, Dr. Julie Barnett, Dr. Michael Geelhoed, Dr. Gregory Ernst, Dr. Catherine Ortega, Annette Zavala.
This past fall, 40 students were recruited to begin the School of Health Professions’ first doctoral degree: a doctorate in physical therapy. Converting the current master’s degree program to a three-year doctoral program brings the university in line with a national trend to offer a doctoral degree in this growing field. The move is based on the American Physical Therapy Association’s (APTA) recommendation that a doctoral degree be the entry-level professional degree for physical therapists. APTA is the national professional organization for physical therapists and provides accreditation to those wishing to enter the field.
Imagine choking and gasping for air every time you fall asleep. Between 18 million and 20 million people in the United States suffer from these frightening symptoms because of a common disorder called sleep apnea. Because of a lack of awareness among both health professionals and the public, up to 90 percent of sufferers aren’t diagnosed or treated, and that could prove deadly.
You’ll find many husbands and wives who both work at the UT Health Science Center. But you won’t find any like Drs. Monica and Alain Mita.
