From the Dean

Colleagues, Faculty, Staff and Students,

The results of the elections this past November 2 were certainly interesting and dramatic, but I believe they underscored the fundamental strength of our democracy. The message sent loud and clear by the electorate was that politicians of any stripe would do well to heed the will of the people. Whether this will translate into greater bipartisan cooperation is unclear, but, despite all of the rhetoric to the contrary, it is highly likely that healthcare reform will continue on its implementation schedule.

More directly and immediately relevant to us is the status of the Texas state budget. The most recent news out of Austin is that the state budget deficit is approaching $25 billion. Given the magnitude of the deficit, we are certainly anticipating a significant budget cut, but at this point it is far too early to discern how much of reduction we will be asked to make. We should know more about the base budget bill shortly after the legislative session begins in January, but it may be well into the spring before we have the final word from the legislature about our budget.

Given the very fluid circumstances, prudence dictates that we plan for the worst and hope for the best. I will try to share as much information with you on the budget situation as I can. However, to avoid unnecessary anxiety, I want to wait until we have solid information on what will be asked of us before we put any reduction plans in motion.

The College will begin a significant strategic planning initiative soon after the start of the new year. I know that many people roll their eyes when the words “strategic planning” are uttered, and believe me, I have participated in many ineffectual strategic planning exercises that produce lengthy plans that no one ever reads and that sit on shelves gathering dust. With the help of Karan Chavis and the entire College of Medicine community I intend to develop a plan that fits on one page of paper and has goals and aspirations that everyone in our organization can not only read, understand and relate to, but use daily as a way of making the difficult prioritysetting decisions we will be called on to make in coming years.

I also want you to be aware of two very important task forces that I have established. The first is charged with creating a strategy for how to promote and develop diversity within the College of Medicine as a pathway to excellence. I strongly believe that creating an organization that embraces diversity is not only the right thing to do from a moral perspective but is also a way to get the best out of every single member of the College of Medicine community and can lead us to a higher level of accomplishment in everything we do.

The second task force, co-chaired by Drs. Van Wilson and Don Wesson, will deal with the somewhat controversial subject of faculty effort reporting. Let me spend a few sentences telling you why this is critical at this time.

I believe, in a very tight economy and with budget cuts coming in the near future, we must be able to demonstrate that we are using the state funds we receive in the most effective possible way. The only way we can do that is to develop a system to account, in a systematic way, for how we are doing this. At the recently concluded annual meeting, AAMC President Dr. Daryl Kirch suggested that all medical schools move to implement accountability systems of this type. Given what we have seen at Texas A&M University in recent weeks, it is only a matter of time until the Board of Regents asks us to account for how our faculty spend their time and how we use the dollars we get. Thus, we can take the initiative and shape how our reporting system is developed, or we can wait until a system, which does not fit our relatively unique circumstances, is imposed on us. I hope you will agree that the former, and not the later, is a far better strategy for the College of Medicine. The task force we are establishing will be broadly representative of the faculty and will draw on the work done at other medical schools across the U.S. to come up with a set of recommendations.

In other news, we are eagerly anticipating the opening of the second building on the Bryan campus: the MERB (Medical Education and Research Building). It is still on track to open in late spring, and its functional and productive space will be a boon to our research faculty.

The HSC Research Symposium will be held on November 11-12 in College Station at the Brayton Fire Field. Administrators and faculty are encouraged to attend as your schedules allow.

In all that we do, remember that we are more fortunate than many of our colleagues at other institutions across the nation, and a positive attitude will help to get us through these challenging times and on to a brighter future.

As always, I will share information with you as I receive it, and I thank you for your cost-saving suggestions. We have much to do to keep the college moving ever forward, and I encourage you to keep up the great work that you are doing for your departments and for the college.

Sincerely,

T. Sam Shomaker, M.D., J.D.
The Jean and Thomas McMullin Dean
Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine

Dates to Remember

• Basic Science Department Chairs Meeting: Thursday, November 11, 12-1:30 p.m., HPEB and MEC
• HSC Research Symposium: Thursday-Friday, November 11-12, H.D. Smith Operations Complex, Brayton Fire Field, College Station
• American Physician Scientist Association Annual Meeting: Saturday, November 13, 12:30-6 p.m., Wehner Building, Texas A&M west campus, College Station
• Harvest Luncheon—Bryan: Monday, November 15, 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m., HPEB café (first floor)
• CMA Fundraiser: Monday, November 15, 6-8:00 p.m., Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Shop, 830 University Dr. East, College Station
• Basic Science Department Chairs Meeting: Wednesday, November 24, 12-1:30 p.m., HPEB and MEC
• Thanksgiving Holiday: Thursday-Friday, November 25-26
• Dean’s Bi-Monthly Staff Meeting: November 30, 9-10:30 a.m., all locations
• Dean’s Bi-Monthly Staff Meeting: December 14, 9-10:30 a.m., all locations
• B-CS Awards and Holiday Reception: December 15, 3:30-5 p.m., HPEB Lower Level 44, 43 A & B
• Temple Awards and Holiday Reception: December 16, 1-2:30 p.m., room TBD
• Winter Holidays: Friday-Friday, December 24-31

College News

Faculty Affairs Opens Nominations for Distinguished Teaching Award

The Office of Faculty Affairs is now accepting nominations for the 2010-11 Distinguished Teaching Award. The Nomination Form (PDF) and three letters of endorsement must be emailed to Rebecca Baker at baker@medicine.tamhsc.edu on or before Friday, November 12.

Sierpina Speaks at RR Mini-Med School

ROUND ROCK, TX—For the past five weeks, the College of Medicine has hosted its signature community outreach program Mini-Medical School at the Texas A&M Health Science Center campus in Round Rock on Thursday evenings. The program continues until November 11

On November 4, Vic Sierpina, M.D., spoke about complementary and integrative medicine, gastrointestinal health and whole body health. His lecture, entitled “The Healthy Gut,” enumerated gastrointestinal health, the gut as a “second brain,” nutrigenomics, super foods and probiotics.

Dr. Sierpina is the W.D. and Laura Nell Nicholson Family Professor of Integrative Medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. His practice and personal life have long included the study of mind-body approaches to healing including acupuncture, meditation, spirituality and alternative therapies.

Mini-Medical School provides a series of lectures by health experts, faculty members and thought leaders to educate the public about health related research and technology, disease prevention and health care policy. For the past six years, Mini-Medical School has been hosted in College Station, and this marks the first time the program has been expanded to Round Rock.

More than 50 participants including retirees, high school students, Round Rock physicians and even the mayor of Round Rock, have gathered at each lecture.

Round Rock Mini-Medical School is sponsored by First Texas Bank, St. David’s Foundation, Scott & White Healthcare Round Rock, Seton Medical Center Williamson and Friends of Round Rock Higher Education.

Learn more about Mini-Medical School.

COM Welcomes APSA 2010 South Regional Meeting to College Station on Nov. 13

The College of Medicine will host the American Physician Scientists Association’s (APSA) 3rd Annual South Regional Meeting in College Station on Saturday, November 13 at the Wehner Building on Texas A&M University’s west campus. This marks the first time the College of Medicine will host the event, as it had previously been hosted in Houston.

David P. Huston, M.D., Professor of Medicine and of Microbial & Molecular Pathogenesis, Vice Dean, and Director for the Clinical Science and Translational Research Institute, and Darwin J. Prockop, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Stearman Chair in Genomic Medicine, and Director of the TAMHSC-COM Institute for Regenerative Medicine, will be the keynote speakers. They will discuss their years of research as physician scientists and how they built their careers.

APSA is a national, student-run organization for individuals interested in developing careers as physician scientists. As such, the meeting will offer a series of breakout sessions on:

• career development
• applying to medical school and MD/PhD programs
• choosing a laboratory
• applying to residencies
• the challenges and opportunities for women physician scientists
• balancing a career as a scientist and a physician
• undergraduate research opportunities for medical students, undergraduates and fellows

In addition to TAMHSC College of Medicine students, students from the UT Houston medical school, UTMB and other Texas medical schools are expected to attend. TAMHSC College of Medicine students can attend for free.

Learn more at American Physician Scientists Association

COM Docs Serve Special Olympics of Texas 2010 Fall Classic

Athletes, volunteers, families, and coaches gathered at Texas A&M University and surrounding Bryan-College Station venues for the Special Olympics Texas 2010 Fall Classic on October 21-23. More than 1,300 athletes from across the state competed in bocce, golf and softball. The College of Medicine’s Kory Gill, D.O., Assistant Professor of Family & Community Medicine, and several of the Family Medicine residents were on hand to provide medical care if needed.

COM Supports BV Memory Walk for Alzheimer’s Research

Sporting purple College of Medicine T-shirts, a team of College of Medicine faculty and students gathered at Wolf Pen Creek Amphitheatre in College Station on Saturday, November 6 as part of Memory Walk 2010 to benefit the Alzheimer’s Association. The group of 15 students and faculty from the College of Medicine and more than 60 pre-med and other undergraduate Texas A&M students participated in a 3K walk and fun run. The participants raised more than $2,300.

Faculty

In Print and On Air:

 Dr. Keith Young, vice chair for research in the department of psychiatry and behavioral science, was featured in an article about adolescent depression and relapses in HealthDay, U.S. News & World Report - Online and msn.com on November 2.

 

 

 

 Dr. Darwin Prockop, Stearman Chair and Director the Institute for Regenerative Medicine, was featured in a story about adult stem cell research on KXAN-TV in Austin on October 28.

 

 

 

 Dr. Jonathan Friedman, associate professor of neuroscience and experimental therapeutics, was featured in an article about the possible benefits of coffee and tea re: protection against brain cancer in HealthDay, U.S. News & World Report – Online and msn.com on October 20.

 

 

 

Students

CMA NEEDS YOU TO EAT ICE CREAM FOR PERU TRIP

The students of the Christian Medical Association (CMA) are gearing up for their annual medical mission trip, and they need you (and at least 49 of your closest friends) to eat some ice cream at the College Station Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Shop on Monday, November 15 from 6-8 p.m.

Ben & Jerry’s (830 University Dr. E) will donate 20 percent of the proceeds to CMA, and the funds will be used to buy medicines and supplies for the group’s trip to Peru in March 2011. Last March, a CMA delegation traveled to Uganda and treated more than 1,000 patients in nearly five days, and they hope to do the same in Peru. So grab a spoon for a good cause!

Students Get Hands-On at Bryan Sim Center

BRYAN, TX—On Friday, October, 15, 30 College of Medicine second-year students participated in a specially designed workshop in the Simulation Center at the TAMHSC Bryan Campus. The students, part of the TAMHSC-College of Medicine’s Family Medicine Interest Group, rotated through the workshop’s four stations—casting and splinting; intubation; ultrasound; and labor and delivery—under the supervision of residents and faculty members.

As Coordinator of the Family Medicine Interest Group, second-year student Ross Pinson said that the workshop provided a unique opportunity to gather and learn with the Simulation Center’s technology.

Read the full article at TAMHSC-News & Information

COM WELCOMES APSA 2010 SOUTH REGIONAL MEETING TO COLLEGE STATION ON NOV. 13

The College of Medicine will host the American Physician Scientists Association’s (APSA) 3rd Annual South Regional Meeting in College Station on Saturday, November 13 at the Wehner Building on Texas A&M University’s west campus. This marks the first time the College of Medicine will host the event, as it had previously been hosted in Houston.

David P. Huston, M.D., Professor of Medicine and of Microbial & Molecular Pathogenesis, Vice Dean, and Director for the Clinical Science and Translational Research Institute, and Darwin J. Prockop, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Stearman Chair in Genomic Medicine, and Director of the TAMHSC-COM Institute for Regenerative Medicine, will be the keynote speakers. They will discuss their years of research as physician scientists and how they built their careers.

APSA is a national, student-run organization for individuals interested in developing careers as physician scientists. As such, the meeting will offer a series of breakout sessions on:

• career development
• applying to medical school and MD/PhD programs
• choosing a laboratory
• applying to residencies
• the challenges and opportunities for women physician scientists
• balancing a career as a scientist and a physician
• undergraduate research opportunities for medical students, undergraduates and fellows

In addition to TAMHSC College of Medicine students, students from the UT Houston medical school, UTMB and other Texas medical schools are expected to attend. TAMHSC College of Medicine students can attend for free.

Learn more: American Physician Scientists Association

Administration

Delegation from Oman Tours Bryan Campus

On Wednesday, October 13, seven administrators from the Sultan Qaboos University College of Medicine and Health Sciences in Oman visited Dean Shomaker and the College of Medicine’s Bryan campus. The group, including the Dean of the medical school, discussed student exchange, faculty exchange and rotation opportunities and toured the Simulation Center.

RR Campus Welcomes Saunders as Administrative Coordinator

We welcome Ms. Sue Ann Saunders as the Administrative Coordinator for the Office of Associate Dean at the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine Round Rock campus. Sue Ann will provide the direct administrative support to Dr. Kathryn J. Kotrla, Associate Dean for the COM Round Rock Campus. Dr. Kotrla’s former assistant, Belinda Rubio, is now supporting the educational mission in Round Rock as the Internal Medicine Clerkship Coordinator.

Sue Ann brings twenty years of experience within the administrative field and a strong service approach to organizational excellence. In her most recent position, she was the Senior Administrative Assistant to the Administrative Director for the Operating Room at University Hospital in San Antonio where she worked closely with The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Sue Ann is a welcome addition to the Round Rock campus and we look forward to her service and leadership in the College.

Sue Ann can be reached at (512) 341-4915 or ssaunders@medicine.tamhsc.edu.

Basic Science

HUMANITIES IN MEDICINE

Medicine and Humanities Consultations 2010-2011

• December 6, 2010: Alan Xenakis, MD, ScD, MPH, MS, moderates “Leadership in Health Care”
• February 14, 2011: Marilyn Freimuth, Ph.D., presents “Behavioral Addictions: Choice or Disease”
• March 28, 2011: Alma Golden, M.D., presents “Ethical Issues of Public Health on Family Reproductive Patterns”
• May 2, 2011: Ed Eckenfelds, M.D., presents “Compassion and the Professions: The Skipjack Project”

For additional information, contact Tina M. Price at 979-845-0755 or price@medicine.tamhsc.edu. Consultations are held in The Longhorn Room, Stagecoach Inn, Salado, Texas from 1-6 p.m. We anticipate the approval of four hours physician Continuing Medical Education credit, Continuing Nurses Education credit and social worker Continuing Education Units for each consultation.

McGovern Lectureship Held October 19

The 2010 John P. McGovern Lectureship in the Art and Science of Medicine presented Ruth E. Berggren, M.D., Director of the Center for Medical Humanities and Ethics at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio on Tuesday, October 19, 2010. Dr. Berggren delivered her lecture, “Allocation of Limited Resources in Healthcare,” to a packed house in the Reynolds Medical Building Lecture Hall 1. The group even opted to forgo the scheduled question-and-answer time and chose instead to hear more about Dr. Berggren’s experiences at Charity Hospital in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina.

The John P. McGovern Humanities Seminar Series: Save the Dates

Rear Admiral Robert Kiser, M.D.
Commandant of the Medical Education & Training Campus (METC)
Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas
“Physician Insecurity”
November 16, 2010 – Temple, MEC I
November 30, 2010, College Station, Lecture Hall I, Reynolds Medical Building

Craig Blakely, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Dean, School of Rural Public Health
Texas A&M Health Science Center
“Disparities in Healthcare”
November 16, 2010
Lecture Hall II, Reynolds Medical Building

MICROBIAL & MOLECULAR PATHOGENESIS

Recent Publications

Sawant KV, Cho H, Lyons, M, Ly LH, McMurray DN. Guinea pig neutrophil-macrophage interactions during infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Microbes Infect 12: 828-837 (2010).

Conferences & Meetings

Dr. James Samuel and two members of his research team, Dr. Erin van Schaik and Dr. Christy Farris, attended the annual meeting of the WRCE for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases Research in Houston from October 28-29.

Dr. Julian Leibowitz attended the AAMC M.D.-Ph.D. Great Group Meeting in New Orleans from October 21-22.

MOLECULAR & CELLULAR MEDICINE

Recent Publications

Luo, Y., Yang, C., Lu, W., Xie, R., Jin, C., Huang, P., Wang, F., McKeehan, W.L. (2010) Metabolic regulator βklotho interacts with fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 (FGFR4) to induce apoptosis and inhibit tumor cell proliferation. J. Biol Chem. 285:30069-30078 [Epub 2010 July 23].

Safe. S. (2010) 3 methylcholanthrene induces differential recruitment of aryl hydrocarbon receptor to human promoters. Toxicol Sci. 117(1):1 3. [Epub 2010 Jul 22].

Ortholan, C., Durivault, J., Hannoun Levi, J.M., Guyot, M., Bourcier, C., Ambrosetti, D., Safe, S., and Pagès, G. (2010) Bevacizumab/docetaxel association is more efficient than docetaxel alone in reducing breast and prostate cancer cell growth: A new paradigm for understanding the therapeutic effect of combined treatment.Eur J Cancer. 46(16):3022 3036. [Epub 2010 Aug 20].

Oh, J.Y., Roddy, G.W., Choi, H., Lee, R.H., Ylöstalo, J.H., Rosa, R.H. Jr, and Prockop, D.J. (2010) Anti-inflammatory protein TSG-6 reduces inflammatory damage to the cornea following chemical and mechanical injury. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 107(39) 16875-16880 [Epub 2010 Sept. 13]

Al Ahmad, A., Lee, B., Stack, J., Parham, C., Campbell, J., Clarke, D., Fertala, A., and Bix, G.J. (2010). Endostatin binds nerve growth factor and thereby inhibits neurite outgrowth and neuronal migration in vitro. Brain Res. 1360:28 39. [Epub 2010 Sep 21]

Presentations

Dr. Nick Pace gave the Keynote Address entitled "Understanding Protein Stability" at the 24th Annual Gibbs Conference on September 28, 2010 at the Touch of Nature Center near Carbondale, Illinois.

Dr. Gregory Bix gave an invited seminar entitled: "Matrix Revolutions: Perlecan domain V generation and therapeutic potential in stroke and Alzheimer's disease" at Marshall University, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine on October.15, 2010.

Grants

Melissa Rodriguez, a graduate student in Dr Mingyao Liu's lab was awarded a DOD predoctoral fellowship grant for three years. "Role of PSGR Overexpression on a PTEN Conditional Knockout Model".

NEUROSCIENCE & EXPERIMENTAL THERAPEUTICS

Invited Presentations

George Chiou, Ph.D., presented “Enjoy your golden life with good vision” to the Golden Club of Houston on September 18.

Mendell Rimer, Ph.D., presented “Neuromuscular synapse formation and maintenance in normal and spinal muscular atrophy mice,” as part of the brown bag weekly seminars in the Department of Psychology at Texas A&M University on October 18.

Other Presentations

George Chiou, Ph.D.: 12/1-3, Pharmacological treatment of dry AMD, Asia-Pacific Joint Glaucoma Congress in Taipei, Taiwan

Manuscripts Accepted, In Press & Reviewed

Zhuang, P, Shen, Y, and Chiou, GCY: Effects of flavones on the oxidation-induced injury of retinal pigmen epithelium cells Internatl J. Ophthalmol. In press (2010)

Shen, Y, Shuang, P and Chiou, GCY: Effects of tetramethylpyrazine on RPE degeneration, choroidal blood flow, and oxidative stress of RPE cells. Internatl J. Ophthalmol. In press (2010)

Reddy DS, Gangisetty O and Briyal S. Disease-modifying activity of progesterone in the hippocampus kindling model of epileptogenesis. Neuropharmacology 2010, 59:573-58. PMID: 20804775

Conferences & Meetings

Samba Reddy, Ph.D., attended an NIH Study section on CNNT (clinical neuroplasticity and neurotransmitters) where he reviewed several grants and attended the panel meeting from 10/7/10 to 10/8/10 in Washington, DC.

Research

Rajesh Miranda, Ph.D., was invited to teach at the Joint Asia-Pacific Society for Neuroscience and International Society for Neurochemistry School in Addiction from October 11-15 in Bangkok, Thailand. During this week-long course, he provided two lectures, one titled, “Stem Cells” and a second titled, “Addiction, Maternal/Fetal Health & Teratology”. He also taught two groups of 9 graduate students and postdoctoral fellows from the Asia-Pacific region and Africa to set up neural stem cell cultures from fetal and adult mouse brain.

Service

Rajesh Miranda, Ph.D., served as vice-president for the Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Study Group, a national satellite organization of the Research Society on Alcoholism (national organization).

Ian Murray, Ph.D., was interviewed as an expert for an Alzheimer’s disease article in Science on Oct 21, 2010.

SYSTEMS BIOLOGY & TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE

Presentations

Drs. Anatoliy A. Gashev, Eric A. Bridenbaugh, and Takashi Nagai gave an invited oral presentation titled “Aging and lymphatic transport” at the 9th World Congress for Microcirculation, Paris, France, September 2010.

Drs. Olga Y. Gasheva, Anatoliy A. Gashev, and David C. Zawieja presented a poster titled “Mechanisms of flow-dependent regulation of lymphatic contractility in rat” at the 9th World Congress for Microcirculation, Paris, France, September 2010.

Dr. Warren Zimmer presented the following talks:

• “Who done it! The DNA forensic scientist knows” at the National Science Foundation Saturday Outreach Program, College Station Texas, October 9, 2010.
• “Graduate study opportunities at Texas A&M Health Science Center” at the University of Houston Downtown Graduate School and Internship Fair, Houston, Texas, October 15, 2010.
• “A role for the homeodomain Bapx1 in the patterning of the mouse distal stomach” at the Digestive Disease Research Conference, Temple, Texas, October 21, 2010.

Publications

Gashev AA. Basic mechanisms controlling lymph transport in the mesenteric lymphatic net. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. Issue: Lymphatics in the Digestive System, 1207 S1 (2010) E16–E20.

Wu X, Chakraborty S, Heaps CL, Davis MJ, Meininger GA, Muthuchamy M. Fibronectin increases the force production of mouse papillary muscles via <5®1 integrin. J Mol Cell Cardiol. Available online 10 October 2010, doi:10.1016/j.yjmcc.2010.10.003. PMID: 20937283

Professional Activities

Dr. Emily Wilson was named a regular member of the National Institute of Health Vascular Cell and Molecular Biology Study section July 2010-June 2013 and participated in the study section October 11 and 12. Dr. Wilson also served as a mail-in reviewer for the National Institutes of Health Fellowship review panel: Physiology and Pathophysiology of Cardiovascular and Respiratory Systems.

Clinical Science

DIVISION OF INVESTIGATIVE PATHOLOGY

Dr. Alexzander A.A. Asea

Presentations/Meetings/Workshops

“Possibilities for a Promising Anti-Breast Cancer Drug” Today’s Girl Pageant, Taylor Creek Elementary School, October 10, 2010, Copperas Cove, TX

“NampEva: Research Towards a Promising Anti-Breast Cancer Drug” Zumba For a Cure - Central Texas College, October 12, 2010, Killeen, TX

“NampEva: A possible Breast Cancer Drug Developed in Central Texas” Purina Pink Fifty - Fundraiser for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, October 16, 2010, Belton, TX

“NampEva: A possible Breast Cancer Drug Developed in Central Texas” Clem’s Pink Out Day - Fundraiser for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, October 22, 2010, Temple, TX

“Breast Cancer Research in the Division of Investigative Pathology” Root For the Cure – Metroplex Hospital, October 28, 2010, Killeen, TX

“Basic Science Breast Cancer Research for a Cure” Breast Cancer Awareness Month for the Greater Frisco Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, October 30, 2010, Plano, TX

Articles Reviewed

• Clinical and Vaccine Immunology
• International Journal of Cancer
• International Journal of Hyperthermia

Awards

Scott & White 5-Year Service Award

Dr. Punit Kaur

Articles Reviewed

• Foodborne Pathogens and Disease

Dr. Nagaraja Ganachari-Mallappa

Awards

Scott & White 5-Year Service Award

INTERNAL MEDICINE

Suma Pokala, MD, FACP, Associate Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine

• Attended the AAIM (Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine) National meeting in San Antonio from October 13-17 and served as moderator for Plenary Session II - Oral Abstracts Presentations on October 16.
• Conducted a workshop: “How to Publish Your Teaching Innovations” with Dr. Klara Papp and Beth Brier from Case Western Reserve University on October 16.

Total Numbers

4 Peer-reviewed publications
8 Manuscripts accepted/presented
5 Abstracts accepted/presented
3 Book chapters
4 Research projects
1 Presentations
0 Posters/exhibits
15 Lectures
6 Articles reviewed
3 Grants received
1 Notable accomplishments

Reported by Division

Cardiology

1 Book Chapter
1 Publication

Gastroenterology – Lab

4 Research projects
2 Articles reviewed
1 Notable accomplishment
5 Manuscripts
1 Presentation
2 Abstracts

General Internal Medicine

1 Publication
3 Articles Reviewed

Hematology/Oncology

2 Manuscripts
3 Grants

Hospital Medicine

5 Lectures

Infectious Disease

1 Publication

Nephrology

2 Abstracts
7 Lectures

Pulmonary Disease

3 Lectures

Reported by Program

Medical Education (UME/GME)

1 Abstract
1 Book Chapter
1 Publications
1 Article Reviewed

Publications – Peer-Reviewed

Cardiology

1. International Expert Consensus Document
Dehmer GJ, Douglas Jr JS, Abizaid A, Berg JW, Day J, Hall R, Leon MB, Hijazi ZM, Marchlinski F, Park S-J, Popma JJ. SCAI/ACCF/HRS/ESC/SOLACI/APSIC statement on the use of live case demonstrations at cardiology meetings: Assessments of the past and standards for the future. J Am Coll Cardiol 2010;56 1267-1282.
Co-published in: Catheter Cardiovasc Intervent 2010;76:E111-E125; and Heart Rhythm 2010; 7:1522

General Internal Medicine

1. Fernando Elijovich, Cheryl L. Laffer. Acute Stroke. Lower Blood Pressure Looks Better and Better. Hypertension published online Sep 7, 2010.

Infectious Disease

1. Freshwater Non-O1 Vibrio cholerae Infection.
Walker E, Carpenter J, Plemmons R, Fader R.
South Med J. 2010 Sep 2. [Epub ahead of print]PMID: 20818301 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] Related citations

Medical Education (UME/GME)

1. IM Residency Program
Blackwell J, Cable CT, Smith D, Boethel C, Puschett JB. A 41-year-old man with massive splenomegaly, fevers and night sweats. The Am J of Med Sci. 2010.; 340(3). Jeffrey Blackwell, MD was a senior resident at the time.

Manuscripts Accepted/In press/In Review

General Internal Medicine

1. Elijovich F, Laffer CL: Acute Stroke: Lower Blood Pressure Looks Better and Better. Hypertension, in press 2010.

Gastroenterology Lab

1. G Alpini, A Franchitto, P Onori, S DeMorrow, E Gaudio, C Wise, H Francis, J Venter, S Kopriva, M White, R Mancinelli, G Carpino, Y Ueno, and S Glaser. Activation of alpha1-adrenergic receptors stimulate the proliferation of small but not large mouse cholangiocytes via Ca2+-dependent activation of NFAT2 and Sp1. Hepatology, 2011.

2. Chiasson VL, Munshi N, Young KJ, Mitchell BM. Pin1 deficiency increases endothelial nitric oxide synthase serine 116 phosphorylation, endothelial dysfunction, and blood pressure. Circ Res 2010;(in review).

3. Chiasson VL, Talreja D, Young KJ, Chatterjee P, Banes-Berceli A, Mitchell BM. FK506 binding protein 12 deficiency in endothelial and hematopoietic cells decreases regulatory T cells and causes Th17 cell-mediated hypertension. Hypertension 2010; (in review).

4. Chatterjee P, Chiasson VL, Young KJ, Chatterjee V, Mitchell BM. Interleukin-10 deficiency exacerbates Toll-like receptor 3-induced gestational hypertension in mice. Hypertension 2010;(in 2nd review).

5. Chiasson VL, Quinn MA, Young KJ, Mitchell BM. PKCbetaII-mediated phosphorylation of eNOS threonine 495 mediates the endothelial dysfunction induced by tacrolimus. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2010;(in review).

Hematology /Oncology

1. Frankel, R. Kandadi, Yinan Hua, Heng Ma, Qun Li, Shu-ru Kuo, Arthur E. Frankel, Jun Ren. Anthrax Lethal Toxin Suppresses Murine Cardiomyocyte Contractile Function and Intracellular Ca2+ Handling via a NADPH Oxidase-Dependent Mechanism. PLoS ONE, in press.

2. Woo JH, Lee YJ, Neville DM, Frankel AE. Pharmacology of anti-CD3 immunotoxin in CD3 positive T-cell lymphoma trials. Methods Mol Biol. 2010; 651:157-75.

Abstracts – Accepted/Presented

Gastroenterology Lab

1. Weaver LE, Chatterjee P, Lopez M, Chiasson VL, Young KJ, Mitchell BM. Activation of double-stranded RNA receptors contributes to preeclampsia. Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine 31st Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA, February 12, 2011.

2. Chatterjee P, Chiasson VL, Young KJ, Mitchell BM. IL-4 KO mice exhibit gestational hypertension which is augmented following dsRNA-induced maternal immune system activation. Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine 31st Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA, February 12, 2011.

Medical Education (UME/GME)

1. Hannigan GG, Pokala S, White BA. Feedback for Revision of an EBM Educational Activity in a Medical School Internal Medicine Clerkship. SCC/MLA Annual Conference, Oct. 2010. Abstract accepted for poster presentation

Nephrology -Abstracts

1. Nimrit Goraya, et al: “Can We Predict Cardiovascular Disease Based on Echocardiographic and Emographic Variables in our Transplant Clinic?” Abstract accepted for poster presentation at American Society of Nephrology Annual Meeting, November 2010.

2. Nimrit Goraya, et al: “Adding Dietary Fruits and Vegetables Reduces Kidney Injury in Subjects with Moderately Reduced GFR”. Abstract accepted for poster presentation at American Society of Nephrology Annual Meeting, November 2010.

Book Chapters

Cardiology

1. Erwin JP, Dehmer GJ. Coronary Arterial Anatomy: normal, variants, and well-described collaterals in Cardiovascular Catheterization and Intervention: A Textbook of Coronary, Peripheral, and Structural Heart Disease. Mukherjee D, Bates ER, Roffi M and Moliterano, DA, Editors Informa, New York, NY, Chapter 16, pg 173-193

Medical Education (UME/GME)

1. Myers JD, Cable C, McNeal T, Skeen S, Mirkes C, Colbert CY. Mentoring Residents Pursuing Careers in General Internal Medicine. In: Williams F, Editor. The Toolkit Series: A Textbook for Today's Chief Medical Resident, 19th Edition. Association of Program Directors in Internal Medicine. Washington, DC. Accepted Sept. 2010.

Medical Oncology Fellowship Program

1. Cable C. (2010) What It's Really Like to Meet a Newly Diagnosed Cancer Patient IN: Schultz-Adams H, and Schultz C, “Planet Cancer: The Frequently Bizarre Yet Always Informative Experiences and Thoughts of Your Fellow Natives”, Guilford, CT: Lyons Press, 67-68.

Research Projects

Gastroenterology Lab

Mitchell,
1. Autocrine/Paracrine Regulation of Intrahepatic Bile Duct Growth. VA Merit Award
2. Regulation of bile duct growth in bile duct ligated rats. NIH
3. Growth Regulation of the Intrahepatic Biliary Tree. NIH
4. Role of Sensory Neuropeptides in the Regulation of Biliary Function

Presentations

Gastroenterology Lab

1. Mitchell,Local-Spoke to a Temple High School class on Scientific Research Design

Lectures

Nephrology

1. Chaffer S - Nephrology Core Lecture, “Sodium”. Sept 2, 2010, Scott & White Temple. (Nephrology Fellows)
2. Seerangan G - Nephrology Morbidity & Mortality Conference: “Aortic Dissection”. Sept 1, 2010, Scott & White Temple. (Nephrology Fellows & Senior Staff)
3. Narayanan M - “Glomerulonephritis Overview”, Nephrology Core Lecture, Sept 29, 2010. Scott & White Temple (Nephrology Fellows & Senior Staff)
4. Concepcion - Preceptor for Morning Report, Internal Medicine residents, September 22, 2010, Scott & White Temple. Topic discussed: “Diarrhea in a Transplant Patient”.
5. Seerangan G - Nephrology Journal Club: “Polycystic Kidney Disease”. Sept 8, 2010, Scott & White Temple. (Nephrology Fellows & Senior Staff ).
6. Nguyen H - Renal Physiology Conference: “Regulation of extracellular volume by control of sodium excretion”. Sept 9, 2010, Scott & White Temple. (Nephrology Fellows & Senior Staff).
7. Agunanne E, MD, Nephrology Journal Club: “Volume Control; Tubuloglomerular Feedback”. Sept 22, 2010, Scott & White Temple. (Nephrology Fellows & Senior Staff)

Pulmonary

1. Yau P - Mechanical ventilation- Residents medical students
2. Yau P - ABG interpretation- Residents and medical students
3. Yau P - Surviving sepsis guidelines- Resident, medical/pharmacy students

Hospital Medicine

1. Deppisch – Inpatient lecture series (EKG I), 9/13/10
2. Deppisch – Inpatient lecture series (EKG II), 9/14/10
3. Deppisch – Inpatient lecture series (EKG III), 9/20/10
4. Deppisch – Inpatient lecture series (EKG IV), 9/21/10
5. Ali – Inpatient Lecture Series (Fever) 9/27/2010

Articles Reviewed – Peer – Reviewed Journals

Gastroenterology Lab

1. Mitchell – Hypertension – 1 article
2. Mitchell – American Journal of Physiology – 1 article

General Internal Medicine

1. Elijovich F - AJP: Heart and Circulatory Physiology – 1 article
2. Elijovich F – Hypertension – 1 article
3. Laffer C - Hypertension – 1 article reviewed (9/2010)

Medical Education

1. Colbert CY – Medical Education Online – 1 article (9/2010)

Grants

Hematology / Oncology

1. National Cancer Institute, NIH RC3CA150822 (D. Lappi) $1.8 million - 4/1/10-3/31-13
2. Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, Subaward UTA10-00055 (A.Frankel) $1.6 million - 04/01/2010-03/31/2013
3. William Lawrence and Blanche Hughes Foundation grant (A. Frankel) $50,000 - 09/01/10-08/31/11

Notable Accomplishments: Faculty News, Appointments, Nominations

Gastroenterology Lab

1. G Alpini Participate on “Editor Selection Committee for Hepatology”, Alexandria, VA, October 1 to select new Editor of Hepatology

Invited talk entitled "Resveratrol enhances the sensitivity of cholangiocarcinoma to chemotherapeutic agents" to the GI division, Scott & White Hospital, Oct 26th 2010

INTERNAL MEDICINE RESEARCH

Scott & White Healthcare and Digestive Disease Research Center presented the 1st Annual Scott & White Digestive Disease Research Center Symposium at the Mayborn Auditorium, MEC on October 21, 2010. Keynote speaker: Mark Czaja, M.D. Professor of Medicine in the Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

Gianfranco Alpini Ph.D.

Hepatology Editor Selection Committee to choose new editor of Hepatology October 1, 2010

Talk entitled “Small and large cholangiocytes: where is the difference?” at the University of the Studies of Rome “La Sapienza,” Department of Medicina Clinica, Gastroenterology, October 5, 2010.

Opening lecture entitled “The Pathophysiology of the biliary tree” at A.I.S.F. Monothematic Conference, 2010, The Pathologies of the Intra- and Extra-hepatic biliary tree, University of the Studies of Roma “La Sapienza”October 7-8, 2010.

Sharon DeMorrow Ph.D.

Invited talk entitled "Endocannabinoid regulation of cholangiocarcinoma growth" to the Interdisciplinary faculty of toxicology, Texas A&M University, Oct 18, 2010.

Invited talk "Suppression of the HPA axis is an early event resulting in cholangiocyte proliferation after bile duct ligation" at the Digestive Disease Research Center 1st Annual Research Symposium, Scott & White Hospital, Oct 21st, 2010

Invited talk entitled "Resveratrol enhances the sensitivity of cholangiocarcinoma to chemotherapeutic agents" to the GI division, Scott & White Hospital, Oct 26th 2010

Academic Medicine

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