HSC receives more than $33 million for children’s study
The Health Science Center has been selected as one of 22 new centers nationwide for the National Children’s Study, the largest analysis of child and human health ever conducted in the United States. The Health Science Center was awarded more than $33 million in federal funding to assess the effects of environmental and genetic factors on child and human health nationwide. The university is the only center in Texas participating in the study.
Daniel E. Hale, M.D., professor of pediatrics, is the principal investigator and Donald J. Dudley, M.D., professor of obstetrics and gynecology, is the co-principal investigator for the Bexar, Hidalgo and Travis county sites.
M.D./Ph.D. program grows, thrives
From small beginnings in 2004, the M.D./Ph.D. program has expanded to accommodate 11 students. The applicant pool has increased from 12 initially to 70 this year. Martin Adamo, Ph.D., professor of biochemistry and director of the program, reports that five more students will enter the program this summer.
Janell Carter, the program’s first student, is completing the graduate school portion of the dual-degree program.
Tissue bank earns accreditation
The Allograft Resources Tissue Bank, a component of The Transplant Center at the Health Science Center, was awarded accreditation by the prestigious American Association of Tissue Banks. In 2007, the tissue bank served more than 200 families.
New building dedicated at Laredo campus
The Academic Building at the Laredo Campus Extension was recently dedicated with a ceremony featuring a keynote address from State Senator Judith Zaffirini, Ph.D. She is pictured below with President Cigarroa. The 20,600-square-foot building offers classrooms, labs, faculty offices, a library and space for the Texas Cancer Registry South Texas/Laredo Partnership.
Dr. Wilkins donates prize to orthopaedic society
Kaye E. Wilkins, D.V.D., M.D., clinical professor of orthopaedics, has a heart for children. That’s why, when he won the American Airlines American Way Road Warrior essay contest, he donated the prize to help educate surgeons who treat young ones’ orthopaedic problems. Dr. Wilkins gave 1 million air miles and 2 million Hilton Hotels bonus points to the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America.
"I just knew that the use of these miles and points could help many doctors come to the U.S. for training and that, ultimately, people could get the medical help they need in underdeveloped countries," Dr. Wilkins told American Way magazine. "The society can get so much more out of this wonderful prize than I could ever get out of it."
RAHC celebrates fifth anniversary
Health Science Center leaders celebrated the fifth anniversary of the Regional Academic Health Center (RAHC). President Cigarroa recognized and honored the support of many that led to the RAHC’s establishment and its first five years of development.
The RAHC has a Medical Education Division in Harlingen and a Medical Research Division in Edinburg and serves Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr and Willacy counties in the Lower Rio Grande Valley.
CTRC celebration
More than 200 volunteers, community leaders and physicians on May 20 celebrated the joining of the Cancer Therapy & Research Center and the UT Health Science Center. Pictured at the ceremony are (L-R) John Korbell, former chair of the CTRC Board of Governors, and his wife, Bonnie, as well as Graciela Cigarroa, President Cigarroa, Louise Beldon, chair of the CTRC Board of Governors, and Mark Watson Jr., chair of the CTRC Board of Directors. President Cigarroa said the CTRC gift is the largest in the Health Science Center’s history.
Trauma research receives $11.3 million boost from U.S. Army
The Health Science Center has landed a five-year, $11.3 million contract from the U.S. Army to support trauma research. The contract will support studies of resuscitation, monitoring and metabolic control of injured soldiers and civilians. The U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command at Fort Detrick, Md., is the sponsor.
Nursing graduates, funding increase
Increasing the number of nursing graduates by 88 in 2007 has resulted in the awarding of more than $686,500 in additional state funding for the School of Nursing. The funding - the second-highest awarded among public and private nursing schools in the state - will be used to add eight new nursing faculty members and 80 additional nursing students.
HSC lands coveted NIH translational research award
The Health Science Center has received a $26 million Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) from the National Institutes of Health/National Center for Research Resources, making it one of only three recipients in Texas. The award establishes the Health Science Center’s Institute for Integration of Medicine and Science, the entity responsible for realizing the vision that optimal research will improve health. The award is viewed as one of the most significant federal selections in the history of the Health Science Center and San Antonio’s biosciences community. Only 60 institutions ultimately will be granted Clinical and Translational Science Award status among 125 academic health science centers nationwide.