A message from the president
Donors’ generosity makes our missions possible
As the new year begins, we are reminded that it is our commitment to transformational research, education, clinical care and community service that animates each of our endeavors at the UT Health Science Center.
A critical factor facilitating our success is the enthusiastic, heartfelt support of our donors. Throughout this issue of Mission, we highlight the many and varied avenues of philanthropy that underlie our excellence.
This year’s gala was the perfect venue for extending our deep gratitude to Bill Greehey and the Greehey Family Foundation for their exceptional generosity that pushed the Health Science Center’s Campaign for the Future of Health over its goal of $500 million. Not only is Bill Greehey a champion for our university but, throughout his career, he has extended himself and his resources to instilling hope in those in need.
Also at the core of the campaign and the foundation for its fulfillment is the Health Science Center’s Development Board. Ed Kelley serves with distinction as our board chair. His leadership follows in the footsteps of our former chairs: John T. Montford, Joci Straus and Glenn Biggs. Each has played a significant role in the success of our campaign. Together, with our community, what we have accomplished is unprecedented, and buoys our Health Science Center as a beacon of hope for our community. I hope you will enjoy reading in this issue about some of the successful fundraising efforts over the past year, and about the dedicated volunteers and generous donors who make these successes possible.
Only with the steadfast support of our community can we can continue to strive for preeminence in our missions of biomedical research discovery; educating the next generation of physicians, dentists, bioscientists, nurses and health care professionals; invaluable service to our community, especially for those in greatest need; and excellence in compassionate patient care. Our sincerest thanks go to each and every benefactor. Every gift makes a difference.
As we wish you a healthy and fulfilling new year, we thank you for contributing to the success of our missions. With your commitment, we will continue to be the place where superb science, learning and patient care intersect to serve the people of our communities, here in our city, across South Texas and throughout the world.
Sincerely,
William L. Henrich, M.D., MACP
President
Professor of Medicine
UT Health Science Center at San Antonio
A message from the president
Women’s wellness: VIP access for all
Each of us can name a woman close to us who is the light of our life. She could be our mother, sister, aunt, teacher or friend.
The light of my life is my wife, Mary. Her example of selflessness, kindness and courage serve as a compass for me. During this last year, she literally saved my life on several occasions. I will forever be grateful to her.
But what if the tables had been turned? What if it had been Mary who had fallen ill a year ago instead of me? Disease does not discriminate. Just as we all want the best care for our loved ones, I want only the best care for my family when they need it.
Every day I am reminded of how proud I am to continue leading the UT Health Science Center. Our institution is among the best in the nation in providing excellent and compassionate health care for those near and dear to us and for everyone.
This issue of Mission focuses on what we offer specifically in the domain of care and wellness for women. The clinical care and education we provide is backed by a multidisciplinary approach linked to evidence-based outcomes. Our faculty researchers and clinicians in all schools and departments collaborate to bring the very best to our students, patients and to our local and global community who come from all walks of life.
Jovita De Leon (pictured on the cover) is just one example. She had no insurance and a language barrier when her cancer occurred. Because of superb care, she has the prospects for a rich and full life.
One way we ensure this quality continues is to prepare the next generation of men and women scientists through pipeline programs such as The Max and Minnie Tomerlin Voelcker Biomedical Research Academy. These bright young students may someday lead Nobel-laureate discovery and thereby save millions of lives. The generosity of the Voelcker Fund and others highlighted in this issue make our mission possible.
Thank you for taking the time to partner with us in these endeavors that make our exceptional health care, education, research and community service accessible to our loved ones and to everyone.
Sincerely,
William L. Henrich, M.D., MACP
President
Professor of Medicine
UT Health Science Center at San Antonio
A message from the president
HOPE: From research to saving lives
I have waited eight months to say six simple words – I am thrilled to be back. This past summer, my career as a nephrologist and president of the UT Health Science Center San Antonio was put on hold. I was diagnosed with myelodysplasia. I underwent a stem cell transplant in August.
Thanks to the love and support of my family and community, modern medicine and 378 million cells from my son, John, I am doing well and convalescing quickly.
My return to work is, in many ways, a product of leading-edge science, superb clinical care and support from family, friends and colleagues.
A major reason I take pride in and continue leading the Health Science Center is because of the same determination, collaboration and spirit I see in our own students, faculty and researchers. I am inspired by their dedication to improving the human condition, to fight back against dreaded diseases, and ultimately to defeat them. The by-product of this work is the most precious commodity in the world, one that I treasure more than any gold: hope, hope that there is a chance for a cure, for a reduction in suffering and for healing.
Terra Bibb, featured on the cover of this issue of Mission is a perfect example of this hope. Because of the research and treatment Andrew Brenner, M.D., Ph.D., provided her at our Cancer Therapy & Research Center, Terra has been given promise and precious time to spend with her husband, Jeremy and three young sons, Rylan, Conor and Parker. Please take a moment to read Terra’s story (page 12) and the many other extraordinary accounts of how our Health Science Center investigators are translating research into therapies that enhance and save lives.
Although we are advancing at record speed, we continue to do so in an uncertain and unfavorable financial climate. The National Institutes of Health budget has remained relatively flat for the past few years, and the ongoing budget crises could devastate our national research programs. It is not just the scarcity of federal funding that threatens vital projects, it is the cloud that is cast over making a career choice to pursue the health sciences that discourages our best and brightest and leads them to turn to other careers.
We thank our generous donors such as The USAA Foundation, Bill Greehey, Joe and Teresa Lozano Long, the Kolitz family, the Hamilton Oliver and Adler families and so many others highlighted in this issue. Their gifts are making it possible for the UT Health Science Center to produce lifesaving research and treatments, recruit stellar scientists and students, and educate and train the next generation of health care providers.
One cannot predict who will lead the next major scientific breakthrough. But what motivates us is the sure hope that, among our 1,900 faculty and 3,300 medical, dental, nursing and health professions students, there is someone who will make a major scientific or clinical breakthrough and solve a difficult, seemingly insoluble problem,and thereby save millions of lives.
Thank you for your partnership that ennobles our work every day.
Sincerely,
William L. Henrich, M.D., MACP
President
Professor of Medicine
UT Health Science Center at San Antonio
A Message from the President
What a profound responsibility it is to do this work. Historians will consider this a turning point."
-Francis Collins, M.D., Ph.D., director of the National Institutes of Health
American physician-geneticist Dr. Francis Collins once spoke of the great responsibility associated with his research and leadership of the Human Genome Project. Because of his landmark discoveries of disease genes, he was described as one of the most accomplished scientists of our time.
At The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, our faculty researchers truly understand Dr. Collins’ philosophy. They work to make groundbreaking discoveries every day in areas such as aging, diabetes, cancer and oral health. Not only do they commit their lives to finding cures for diseases that afflict humanity, they take their responsibility further by mentoring the next generation of bioscientists.
On the cover of this issue of Mission is 16-year-old Stephanie Gonzales and her mentor, Veronica Galvan, Ph.D., an assistant professor of physiology and researcher at the Sam and Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies. Under Dr. Galvan’s tutelage, Stephanie’s research could one day help lead to the development of drugs that may prevent age-related diseases and extend healthy lifespan. She is one of about 50 high school students who participated this summer in the Voelcker Biomedical Research Academy. Thanks to the generosity of the Max and Minnie Tomerlin Voelcker Fund, our faculty members are preparing students from San Antonio to perform research and advance cures in an array of serious illnesses.
Our students are privileged to receive one-on-one training from outstanding faculty. Over the years, we have recruited some of the world’s top scientists to our Health Science Center.In this issue, you’ll read about Kenneth Hargreaves, D.D.S., Ph.D., who, in labs in our Dental School, discovered how to block pain-causing compounds in the body, and is now developing a new class of nonaddictive painkillers.With a $2 million grant from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT), we recruited Dmitri Ivanov, Ph.D., from Harvard University, as the CPRIT Scholar in Cancer Research. Page 7 details how Dr. Ivanov is assembling the ultimate team of professionals to fight cancer. They are developing new anti-cancer agents for testing in Phase I clinical trials at our Health Science Center’s Cancer Therapy & Research Center (CTRC).
This past spring, the CTRC gained a leading physician-scientist to direct its Comprehensive Breast Health Clinic. A $500,000 gift from Ruth McLean Bowman Bowers allowed the CTRC’s Executive Director Ian M. Thompson Jr., M.D., to recruit Peter Ravdin, M.D., Ph.D. The article on page 10 describes how Dr. Ravdin is ensuring the clinic remains on the forefront of cancer research, treatment and compassionate care.
It is only with your help that we can continue to recruit this caliber of scientific talent. When historians recount this era in our journey, they will note, I am confident, that together we built a team who transformed our university into one of the country’s foremost academic health science centers. Thank you for sharing in our pledge to make lives better.
Sincerely,
William L. Henrich, M.D., MACP
President
Professor of Medicine
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
A message from the president
Advancing laboratory discoveries to the patient’s side has but one purpose: to make lives better
At the recent luncheon of the President’s Council - at which we annually honor and thank our donors - guests at every table were engaged in conversation by our brightest and most committed researchers about their ongoing work in science and health care.
We are most grateful for the support we receive from these - and all - donors, as it is essential in enabling these investigators - across our five schools, on eight campuses, in four cities - to conduct intensive research that is not only innovative and imaginative, but highly relevant and life changing.
Additionally, gifts made by members of the President’s Council this year are funding the recruitment of outstanding new scientists to our Health Science Center; scholarships for deserving students; professorships for remarkably accomplished members of our faculty; and, for the next three years, the Voelcker Biomedical Research Academy, attended by promising and motivated high school students.
By the end of the President’s Council luncheon, the large and enthusiastic audience was vividly reminded of the undeniable necessity for research in the basic sciences and that such research is the very foundation of clinical treatments that save lives and change the world forever.
Here, at the UT Health Science Center San Antonio, we pledge our fullest energies and endeavor to translating discoveries in science into the most competent and compassionate of clinical care. This issue of Mission describes several specific and successful examples of taking basic science discovery to the bedside.
Ours is a setting in which basic-science researchers push the new frontier of epigenetics by understanding how interactions between genes and the environment turn genetic products on and off.
The Health Science Center is also the place where something as unusual as the bark of the Amur cork tree, long used in Chinese herbal medicine, is studied for its powers to sensitize cancer cells to the point where they succumb more completely to radiation, offering hope and life to prostate cancer patients.
Benchmark technology is a hero in the story of how our UT Health San Antonio cardiothoracic surgeons, plastic surgeons and radiologists have pioneered an innovative reconstruction technique that resolves chronic pain and disconcerting movements for patients living with unstable breastbones.
And, finally, we look to our cover story to define translational science at its best. It describes how - for the first time ever in a clinical setting - researchers in our Department of Endodontics have found that stem cells, abundant in the soft tissue surrounding children’s teeth, can be used to regenerate the tooth’s own tissue and cells. Today, our 12-year-old cover subject can again chew gum, eat apples and do what he most enjoys - ride his bike. Now that’s certainly worth a smile.
I thank you for all you do that supports our Health Science Center. Your partnership ennobles our work every day. You arethe reason we can continue to make lives better.
Sincerely,
William L. Henrich, M.D., MACP
President
Professor of Medicine
UT Health Science Center at San Antonio
A message from the president
Why making lives better matters
As we head into another new year at our UT Health Science Center, we are reminded of the accomplishments for which we can all be proud. We also find ourselves in a new era of some uncertainty, with many questions looming. The economy remains sluggish, political rhetoric is active and the way forward ardently debated.
What comes to mind is a story about Gertrude Stein, the great American writer. As she was on her death bed, friends and relatives heard her utter what they thought were her last words, "What is the answer?" she asked. Heads nodded in approval for this fitting profundity as a suitable benediction to a life so richly lived. But, as it turns out, she was not quite finished. Moments later, she uttered what were to be her final words, "What is the question?"
The brilliance of this sequence is that it reminds us that from thoughtfully posed, precisely targeted questions, follow answers which truly matter.
This issue of Mission helps answer the question "Why?" Why support the UT Health Science Center? I am often asked this question by community leaders, legislators and people I meet every day.
On the cover of our winter issue of Mission is 24-year-old Larysa Sholom. Her story is one of courage and inspiration and reminds us why our work is so important. Our missions of education, healing, discovery and community service are proliferated by one goal - to make lives better.
We deeply appreciate the generosity and leadership of our donors and friends, including Bill Greehey, Charles Butt, Wayne Reaud, Charles E. Cheever Jr., the trustees of the Kleberg Foundation and Dr. and Mrs. James L. Holly.
Their efforts support lifesaving translational research, such as the work of Joel B. Baseman, Ph.D. Dr. Baseman’s groundbreaking studies will ultimately provide new treatments for acute and chronic respiratory problems, including asthma and chronic bronchitis that affect millions. Because of a generous $10.2 million gift from the CTRC (Cancer Therapy & Research Center) Foundation, we can continue to recruit top-notch scientists such as our new CTRC deputy director Tim Hui-Ming Huang, Ph.D. Dr. Huang is focusing on developing new technologies toward early detection of cancer and new approaches to treat this deadly disease.
These are just a few examples that answer the question "Why?" And for those who ask "How?" I must first emphasize that every gift, no matter the amount, makes a difference. There are so many ways to support the UT Health Science Center - by making an annual or planned gift, investing in a student scholarship, establishing an endowment, or by naming a laboratory or classroom.
I am always proud to answer the question "Why support the UT Health Science Center?" I am never at a loss for reasons. Thank you for sharing in our pledge to make lives better.
Sincerely,
William L. Henrich, M.D., MACP
President
Professor of Medicine
UT Health Science Center at San Antonio
A message from the president
Navigating toward success
Public education and institutions of higher education throughout the nation have taken a hit. In San Antonio, we have certainly felt the effects of the unrelenting recession. With the completion of the Texas Legislative Special Session this summer, the reduction in state funds for our UT Health Science Center will be $24.6 million per year for the next two years.
Yet, because of the patience and resolve of our faculty and staff - and the leadership and generosity of our donors and supporters - the Health Science Center’s progress remains steady and on an upward trajectory. This spirited dedication is carrying us forward to continue our critical missions of education, healing, discovery and community service.
On the cover of our Mission fall issue is Kristen Plastino, M.D., from our School of Medicine’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She not only represents our faculty, who shape the lives of students and residents every day, but also our patients, whose lives are touched by the technology our doctors develop. Kristen recounts the day she fought for her life and how technology, developed right here at the Health Science Center, saved her. We are so thankful Kristen is here today to continue her calling. Her story is one of courage and inspiration and reminds us of the critical importance of our work.
In this issue we also recognize our champions and celebrate one of the university’s biggest milestones - the South Texas Research Facility (STRF) set to open this fall. This impressive new building symbolizes the hard work of many during these most difficult economic times.
At the new STRF, the Health Science Center’s tradition of excellence in translational science will continue and thrive. Research will evolve into biomedical devices and therapies that our physicians can use to benefit patients. That’s translational science in action - and the key to making lives better.
In addition, the STRF will fuel the city’s economy by creating new jobs and attracting new funding that will enable us to recruit additional world-renowned faculty to continue our tradition of lifesaving research. Our Health Science Center remains the chief catalyst for San Antonio’s $24.5 billion biosciences and health care industry, and we intend to continue and expand that role.
With state and federal funding more scarce than ever before, we will undoubtedly face many new challenges on our climb toward becoming one of the country’s foremost academic health science centers. Thankfully, our efforts are bolstered by special friends and donors who have joined us on our journey. Many of them are highlighted in this issue including Bernard and Audre Rapoport, Ruth McLean Bowman Bowers and the Ewing Halsell Foundation.
There is no doubt that adversity is life’s greatest teacher. During these austere economic times, we have learned a great deal and, with your support, we have navigated through the storms. Thank you for joining us as we continue tosail toward success.
Sincerely,
William L. Henrich, M.D., MACP
President
Professor of Medicine
UT Health Science Center at San Antonio
A message from the president
‘We’ is key in battling disease
On average, the discovery and development of new, safe and effective treatments take about 12 to 15 years at a cost of around $800 million. But research is worth the time, risk and expense, accounting for millions of lives saved and nearly $500 billion a year in economic gains in the U.S.
The University of Texas Health Science Center is a core contributor to those achievements, being the chief catalyst for the $24.5 billion biosciences and health care industry in San Antonio alone.
This issue of Mission illustrates that fact eloquently with examples of how our researchers and clinicians are working together to translate lab findings into real remedies that immediately benefit patients.
Previously held notions of researchers toiling over microscopes in solitude no longer hold true. Today, the research arena is a very dynamic place, bustling with energy and cooperation.
In Homer’s "The Iliad," as Diomedes prepares for war, he rallies his fellow soldiers: "By mutual confidence and mutual aid, great deeds are done, and great discoveries made."
With the same wisdom and enthusiasm, our scientists battle deadly diseases every day. Similarly, they don’t attempt it alone. They reach out to their colleagues, partners and advocates across South Texas and the globe for support.
You’ll read how Timothy Duong, Ph.D., who is featured on the cover, is collaborating with researchers at The University of Texas at San Antonio. Their studies, funded by the San Antonio Life Sciences Institute, are advancing the development of new methods to detect the debilitating disease glaucoma.
The impressive South Texas Research Facility, specifically designed to encourage teamwork among scientists, will provide further opportunities for research collaboration. The building is set to open this fall.
At the Cancer Therapy & Research Center, Ian M. Thompson, M.D., director, is leading translational science by example, with research that is already benefiting prostate cancer patients worldwide.
Finally, the partnership and generosity of CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Children’s Hospital, featured on page 24, are fine examples of all of our missions – research, clinical care, education and community service – in action. Endowments from the Santa Rosa Children’s Hospital Foundation are allowing the recruitment of stellar clinicians, such as Naveen Mittal, M.D., who is saving the lives of South Texas children in desperate need of liver transplants.
I could not be prouder of these achievements or more grateful for your support. Together, we are meeting our mission to make lives better – one discovery, one treatment and one student at a time.
Sincerely,
William L. Henrich, M.D. MACP
President
Professor of Medicine
UT Health Science Center at San Antonio
A Message from the Interim President
Continuing the momentum of making lives better
It is an honor and privilege to serve as interim president of the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio. I am mindful of both the enormous responsibility that I have assumed as well as the trust that has been placed in me to continue the many advancements set in motion by President Cigarroa.
Dr. Francisco G. Cigarroa left a legacy of unparalleled achievement at this institution. And, together, with your continued support, we can ensure this momentum of making lives better continues.
While Dr. Cigarroa moves forward in his new role as chancellor of The University of Texas System, we can all be proud of the fact that he hails from our very own Health Science Center. He remains a distinguished member of our faculty and will continue to perform transplant surgeries when he is able. Our collective encouragement and best wishes will be with him as he continues to bring many more achievements to The University of Texas System and to the state of Texas in the years ahead.
I am particularly pleased to be able to bring you this issue of the Mission magazine, which pays tribute to Dr. Cigarroa’s productive time as president. We reflect upon the eight extraordinary years that Dr. Cigarroa and his wife, Graciela, served this institution.
As many of you know well, Dr. Cigarroa continued to practice pediatric and transplantation surgery during his presidency. His ongoing commitment to surgery and his patients inspired many, and served as an example of what the Health Science Center aspires to accomplish: education and research translated into compassionate clinical care and service.
This issue of Mission touches on each of our missions in all of our schools, and highlights some of our outstanding faculty members, students, alumni and donors who, like Dr. Cigarroa, are leading by example.
You will read about Dr. Steven Wolf’s groundbreaking work to regrow lost limbs; Dr. Steven Mifflin’s efforts to unmask the mysteries of sleep apnea, and husband-and-wife team Drs. Monica and Alain Mitas’ lifesaving cancer research and care. These are just a few of our many stories of success.
We also recognize the vision and generosity of our community partners and donors who help make these discoveries and treatments possible. We are proud to spotlight many of our contributors, such as Beverly and Will O’Hara, with whom I had the pleasure to meet last year.
I trust you will find these articles interesting and timely. I look forward to serving you as, together, we strive to lead our Health Science Center to unparalleled eminence.
Sincerely,
William L. Henrich, M.D., MACP
Interim President
Professor of Medicine
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio