methodology fall 2013
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METHODOLOGYThe Research and Education Newsletter of Houston Methodist
V-Chip” or volumetric bar-chart chip, will be used to detect biomarkers for hepatocellular carcinoma, the most common cause of liver cancer. The device only requires a drop of blood from a finger prick.
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>> CONT. PAGE THREE
FALL 2013
Scientists from the Houston Methodist Research Institute will receive a total of $4.2 million from the National Institutes of Health to develop a small, low-cost device for rapid point-of-care blood tests. Two grants will fund applications for the technology in drug testing and liver cancer risk assessment.
Versatile chip tests for liver cancer and drugs
by David Bricker & Rebecca Hall, Ph.D.
The V-chip applications are based on
technology previously developed by
Houston Methodist nanomedicine faculty
member Lidong Qin, Ph.D. His “V-Chip,”
or volumetric bar-chart chip, can detect
biomarkers in a single drop of blood.
The V-Chip is composed of two thin, 3” x 2”
slides of glass. In between the slides are
separate wells for three things: hydrogen
peroxide, as many as 50 different antibodies,
and a dye. After adding the patient’s sample
of blood, serum, or urine, a shift in the glass
plates initiates the test by bringing the wells
into contact and mixing the four ingredients.
As the molecules mix, an enzymatic reaction
creates oxygen gas that pushes the dye up
columns on the slide. How far the dye travels
is roughly proportional to the amount of
biomarker present in the patient sample- in
this case, drugs or liver cancer risk biomarkers.
The end result is a visual bar chart that Qin
says is accurate and easy to read.
The five-year project has been funded by a
$1.3 million grant from the National Institute
of Neurological Disorders and Stroke to Todd
Eagar, Ph.D., an immunologist in the Department
of Pathology and Genomic Medicine at Houston
Methodist Hospital.
Eagar’s group will examine how two important
cellular systems spur the development of
multiple sclerosis (MS). Eagar will also look
The NIH-funded project will also help the
scientists determine whether Notch and
gamma secretase may be adequate drug
targets in future human clinical trials. Read more
online: HoustonMethodist.org/hmrinews
at how these two systems affect the behavior
of T and B cells, the autoimmune culprits of
brain cell degeneration in MS.
Past studies by Eagar and others suggest that
dismantling either the Notch signaling pathway
or an upstream regulatory protein complex
called gamma secretase, decreases the severity
of MS symptoms.
Immune cell silence may alleviate multiple sclerosis
Contents
Featured News
Versatile chip tests for liver cancer and drugs ................. 1
Immune cell silence may alleviate multiple sclerosis .......... 2
Balloon pumps placed in a new way through the arm ............ 3
Ashton & Wray publish comparative effectiveness policy treatise........ 4
Autism four times likelier when mother’s thyroid is weakened ...... 5
Pelvic cancer trial at two Houston Methodist hospitals ....... 6
Imaging Research Highlights ................................ 4
Inside the Institute .............. 8
Education News ...................12
Awards & Accolades .........14
New Funding Awards & Applications .....................15
New Employees ...................15
New Visitors ..........................15
Editor-in-Chief Rebecca Hall, Ph.D.
Design & Art Direction Doris Huang
Content Coordinator Michelle Shemon
Contributing Writers Carol Ashton, M.D. David Bricker Rebecca Hall, Ph.D. Mike Liebl, Pharm.D. Katherine Meese Gayle Smith Alyssa Sunkin Nelda Wray, M.D.
METHODOLOGYThe Research and Education Newsletter of Houston Methodist
Todd Eagar, Ph.D.
We think gamma secretase is important for T and B cells to talk to each other,” Eagar said. “This project will look at how the interactions between T and B cells promote inflammation. We are very interested in how we can use drugs like gamma secretase inhibitors to suppress the immune system during phases of inflammation.
“
”
by David Bricker
Phot
o: B
illy
Stew
art
Read more online: HoustonMethodist.org/hmrinews
Houston Methodist Research InstituteOffice of External RelationsIAMNEWS-001 | 10.2013 | 150
V-Chip
MD Anderson Department of Epidemiology
Chair Xifeng Wu is the co-principal investigator
with Qin for the $2.1 million NCI-funded project
that uses the V-Chip to detect risk biomarkers
for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most
common cause of liver cancer. Biomarkers
include antigens of hepatitis viruses B and C,
aflatoxin (a fungal toxin that at high doses is
associated with cancer risk), and metabolic
indicators of alcohol consumption, obesity,
diabetes, and iron overdose.
“Most of the burden of HCC is borne by people
who have low income, with the highest incidence
rates reported in regions of the world where
infection with hepatitis B virus is endemic,”
Qin said. “Developing an accurate and low-cost
technology that assesses the risk of cancer
could make a big difference to people who
ordinarily can’t afford expensive tests.”
Qin and Houston Methodist co-investigator
Ping Wang received another $2.1 million in July
from the National Institute on Drug Abuse to
develop the V-Chip for use in drug testing.
“The proposed test will provide clinicians
with a fast and reliable method to test for
the presence and quantity of drugs in patient
blood,” said Dr. Wang. “This is especially
useful in emergency room settings, where
every minute counts.”
Read more online:
HoustonMethodist.org/hmrinews
>> CONT. FROM PAGE ONE
3
Balloon pumps placed in a new way through the arm
A change in how a life-saving balloon pump is placed inside the aorta could help some heart failure patients survive long enough to get a heart transplant and improve outcomes, said a team of doctors from Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Heart Failure.
Balloon pumps improve blood flow and are usually used temporarily with patients who
are receiving treatment for advanced heart failure--they keep patients alive while they
wait for a new heart. Traditionally, the pumps are inserted into the aorta through the
femoral artery near the leg.
“There are problems with that approach,” said Jerry Estep, M.D., the Heart Failure paper’s
lead author. “Because of where the incision is, there is going to be a risk of infection,
especially for those waiting for a heart because it can be a prolonged ordeal. We think
this may be a problem because literature suggests heart failure patients who become
immobile can become debilitated easily. Their physical ability is extremely important
going into a big surgery like heart transplant.”
Instead, the team of cardiologists and cardiovascular surgeons looked at whether
inserting the intra-aorta balloon pump (IABP) through a small incision in the arm’s left
axillary-subclavian artery worked better. Estep and his colleagues reported that this
minimally invasive approach was successful in all 50 patients. For the 42 patients who
ultimately received new hearts, the doctors saw a decrease in pulmonary hypertension
and improvements in kidney and liver function while waiting for a heart. The 90-day
post-transplant survival rate was 90 percent, and the five month-survival rate was
better than for patients who receive an IABP via other means.
Complications to the insertion of the IABP through the arm were reduced. Compared
to a leg insertion, which resulted in about 30 percent post-operative infections, arm
insertion resulted in zero infections.
Also contributing to the heart failure paper were Andrea M. Cordero-Reyes, M.D., Arvind
Bhimaraj, M.D., Barry Trachtenberg, M.D., Nashwa Khalil, Matthias Loebe, M.D., Ph.D.,
Brian Bruckner, M.D., Carlos M. Orrego, Jean Bismuth M.D., Neal S. Kleiman, M.D., and
Guillermo Torre-Amione, M.D., Ph.D.
Read more online: HoustonMethodist.org/hmrinews
by David Bricker
4
Center for Outcomes Research co-directors
Carol M. Ashton, M.D. and Nelda P. Wray, M.D.,
released their new book, “Comparative
Effectiveness Research: Evidence, Medicine,
and Policy,” July 2013 with Oxford University
Press. The writing of the book was funded
by the 2008 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Investigator Award in Health Policy Research
to Ashton and Wray, for innovations in the
field of health policy.
The book is the first comprehensive analysis
of comparative effectiveness research
policy to be published in the era of the
Patient-Centered Outcomes Research
Institute (PCORI). The 2010 Affordable Care Act created PCORI, a new research
institute mandated to conduct and support comparative effectiveness research—
to understand best practices in medical care.
The authors tell the story of the odyssey of comparative effectiveness research
legislation, how proposals were made and molded, and the people and organizations
who influenced the process. A case study in health policy-making, it is based on
the interviews of over 100 policy-makers and thought leaders conducted by Ashton
and Wray as the legislative process leading to the PCORI unfolded between 2008
and 2010.
The federal government projects that, by 2018, over $700 million per year will be
deposited into the Institute’s trust fund and available to support PCORI’s mission.
Ashton and Wray point out that understanding the context of how evidence is
generated, used, and perceived by the various stakeholders in the medical care
system is necessary for predicting the extent to which PCORI will actually improve
patients’ outcomes and control health care costs.
The book presents a comprehensive and insightful treatment of the role evidence
plays—or does not play—in U.S. health care. The wide-ranging implications of
federal investments in comparative effectiveness research will be an integral
part of the future of today’s thinkers, researchers, health professionals, and
students of health and public policy.
ISBN-10: 019996856X | ISBN-13: 978-0199968565
Ashton & Wray publish comparative effectiveness policy treatiseby Carol Ashton, M.D. & Nelda Wray, M.D.INSTITUTE
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Clinical Protocols
5
Pregnant women who don’t make nearly enough thyroid hormone are about 4 times likelier to produce autistic children than healthy women, report scientists from Houston Methodist and Erasmus Medical Centre in an upcoming Annals of Neurology .
The association emerged from a study of more than 4,000 Dutch mothers and their children,
and it supports a growing view that autism spectrum disorders can be caused by a lack of maternal
thyroid hormone, which past studies have shown is crucial to the migration of fetal brain cells
during embryo development.
“It is increasingly apparent to us that autism is caused by environmental factors in most cases,
not by genetics,” said lead author Gustavo Román, M.D., a neurologist and neuroepidemiologist
with the Houston Methodist Nantz National Alzheimer Center. “That gives me hope that prevention
is possible.”
The most common cause of thyroid hormone deficiency is a lack of dietary iodine – common
throughout the world, including developed countries. The World Health Organization estimates
nearly 1 in 3 people are affected globally. A 2005 CDC-University of Kansas study estimated
that in the U.S., where iodine deficiency had been practically eradicated thanks to iodized salt,
1 in 7 Americans is believed deficient.
Autism four times likelier when mother’s thyroid is weakenedby David Bricker
The present work was based on the Generation
R Study, conducted by Erasmus Medical Centre
(Rotterdam, Netherlands) doctors and social
scientists, in which thousands of pregnant women
were voluntarily enrolled between 2002 and 2006.
Blood was withdrawn from the mothers at
or around 13 weeks into their pregnancies to
measure levels of thyroid hormone T4 and two
proteins that could indicate the cause of thyroid
deficiency. Six years later, mothers were asked
to describe the behavioral and emotional
characteristics of their children using a
standardized psychology checklist.
Researchers identified 80 “probable autistic
children” from a population of 4,039 -- a number
consistent with the Dutch rate of autism spectrum
disorders. 159 mothers were identified as being
severely T4 deficient (defined as having 5 percent
or less of normal T4, but producing a normal
amount of thyroid stimulating hormone),
and 136 were identified as mildly T4 deficient.
The researchers found a weak association
between mild T4 deficiency and the likelihood
of producing an autistic child, but a strong
association between severe T4 deficiency
and autism (3.89 more likely, as compared
to mothers with normal thyroid hormone).
A lack of dietary iodine interferes with
normal thyroid function, leading to pregnancy
complications, as well as deafness and
developmental delay in the baby and loss
of control of fat and sugar metabolism and
heat generation in the mother.
It is well established that expecting mothers’
poor thyroid function (whether caused by poor
diet, disease, or genetics) can lead to serious
problems with fetal brain development, but
only in the last 10 years or so has hypothyroidism
been implicated as a possible cause of autism
spectrum disorders.
Previous work by Román and others has shown
that a deficiency of T4 during a crucial period
of embryonic development causes mild to
severe brain development errors, such as the
lackluster migration of specialized brain cells
from the cortex to the outer areas of the
cerebrum -- a characteristic of autistic brains.
In a 2007 review Román published in the
Journal of the Neurological Sciences, he
presented a wide swath of evidence that the
near-epidemic rise in autism diagnoses – which
Román says cannot be accounted for by height-
ened awareness alone -- could be at least partly
the result of an iodine-starved diet and/or
exposure to toxins that interfere with normal
thyroid function.
Read more online: HoustonMethodist.org/
hmrinews
6
A trip to a Houston Methodist emergency room for a swollen leg uncovered a major surprise for Pauline Stevens - a 25- centimeter pelvic tumor about the size of a soccer ball .
Pelvic cancer trial at two Houston Methodist hospitals
The mass was determined to be cancerous,
and it had spread from Stevens’ uterus to
her ovaries. Following surgery to remove
the tumor, Stevens, 75, volunteered for a
endometrial cancer study offered at two
Houston Methodist locations: the Texas
Medical Center and Sugar Land hospitals.
Aparna Kamat, M.D., director of gynecologic
oncology at Houston Methodist Hospital,
is principle investigator of this randomized
phase III trial that compares two treatment
regimens in patients with advanced stage
endometrial cancer. The study is funded by
the NCI and sponsored by the Gynecologic
Oncology Group. It compares two treatment
regimens in patients with advanced stage
endometrial cancer: standard chemotherapy
(carboplatin and paclitaxel), with or without
cycles of cisplatin chemotherapy plus
radiation therapy.
“We use a combination of chemotherapy drugs
because each works in different ways to stop
the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the
cells or by preventing them from dividing.
This study will help us determine if radiation
therapy offers more benefit for these patients
in addition to chemotherapy,” says Kamat.
Stevens is part of the investigational arm of the
study. She had her radiation therapy treatment
at Houston Methodist Hospital in the Texas
Medical Center, and her chemotherapy treatments
are under way at Houston Methodist Sugar Land
Hospital. After chemotherapy ends in October,
Kamat will follow Stevens’ progress for at least
another five years.
Although the exact cause of endometrial cancer
is unknown, increased levels of estrogen appear
to play a role, and obesity is the single highest
risk factor. Most women with endometrial
cancer whose cancer has spread outside the
uterus generally receive chemotherapy alone
or in combination with radiation. Currently,
clinicians and researchers are trying to determine
the most effective treatment plan for these
patients, both in terms of outcomes as well as
the side effects associated with therapy.
Read more online: HoustonMethodist.org/
hmrinews
Endometrial cancer starts in the inner lining of the uterus and is the most common gynecologic malignancy in the United States. Approximately 42,000 new cases are diagnosed every year.
by Gale Smith
IMA
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ESEAR
CH H
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LIGH
TSImaging Research Highlights
7
Christof Karmonik, Ph.D., Bob Grossman, M.D., and Amit Verma, M.D. are
developing a new imaging technique for patients with epilepsy in the MRI core.
Epilepsy causes spikes in brain activity that can be seen with EEG- even when
patients are on medication. The researchers are using EEG combined with
fMRI to visualize the networks of the brain that support the generation of the
spike discharges. This may be of great use in patients that have otherwise
normal MRI scans and also to define the functional areas and networks that
cause the patients to have seizures.
Paola Decuzzi, Ph.D. is engineering
discoidal polymeric nanoconstructs (DPNs)
that can be visualized by MRI and PET as
they move through the body to target a
disease site (like a tumor, arthritic knee,
atherosclerotic plaque, damaged heart
tissue or blood vessel), and deliver a
therapeutic payload.
• Fully separated preclinical and clinical research areas
• Waiting and recovery areas for clinical research subjects
• Preparation room with easy access to the vivarium for preclinical experiments
• MRI in immediate proximity to the PET/SPECT imaging core thereby enabling
high-throughput multi-modality imaging studies
Support is available for experimental design, image acquisition, and image analysis.
Visit HoustonMethodist.org/mri-core or contact Jessica Hwang
([email protected], 713-441-7979) for more information.
Gerard E. Francisco, M.D. of UT Health is
leading a collaboration with Houston
Methodist, Rice, and University of Houston
on two studies in the MRI core. The first
maps brain activity of stroke patients who
are undergoing brain-machine interface
controlled robotic-assisted training of arm
and hand movements. The second follows
brain activity in spinal cord injury patients
who are training their arm and hand motor
function with a robotic device to see how
the brain changes as they learn to control
the devices. The goal is to use these patterns
as maps to help guide patients that have
lost motor control of hands/wrists
to recover control during rehab.
The Magnetic Resonance Imaging core of the Houston Methodist Research Institute houses a state-of-the-art 70 cm wide-bore 3.0 Tesla whole-body human magnetic resonance imaging scanner dedicated to research studies. Features of the facility include:
Combining fMRI and EEG for Epilepsy
Imaging maps brain response to robotic hands
Watch drug delivery in real time
By Christof Karmonik, Ph.D. & Rebecca Hall, Ph.D.
MRI CORE Phot
o: C
hris
tof K
arm
onik
Inside the Institute
8
MORTI Clinical Trials Management System goes liveThe go-live date for the updated Clinical Trials
Management System is Oct 25. Register
for training through myLearning or contact
for more information.
New American Veterinary Medical Association guidelines The NIH Office of Laboratory Animal
Welfare has issued new AVMA Guidelines.
The Vertebrate Animal Section (VAS) of
grants and contracts must be consistent with
the 2013 Guidelines. Refer to NOT-OD-13-098,
grants.nih.gov, for more information.
Give your ideas a voice at Houston MethodistThe Faculty Research Council would like
to hear your ideas on how to improve
administrative operations at the Research
Institute and the Education Institute. Contact
them by email at tmhrifacultyresearchcouncil@
houstonmethodist.org.
The Houston Methodist Research Institute has a new name and logo. The Houston Methodist Leading Medicine will replace the former Institute logo to reflect our support of research throughout the system. Employees can download new logos and templates from the brand website as they become
available: marketing.methodisthealth.com/brand/
Our legal name remains The Methodist Hospital Research Institute, with a DBA Houston
Methodist Research Institute. For guidance, please contact Rebecca Hall
Research Institute continues NIH Competitiveness Initiative Did your NIH grant application score
within the 15th percentile, but not get
funded? Resources are available to
increase the competitiveness of your
resubmission, including pilot funding,
bridge funding, grant writing assistance,
and facilitation of collaborations.
For more information, contact
Homer Quintana (hquintana@houston
methodist.org, 713-441-7250).
Information for the NIH extramural grantee community during the lapse of federal government fundingThe NIH has issued guidance on proposal
submissions and other activities during
the lapse in government funding. Please be
advised that the NIH continues to accept
proposals, which will be processed when the
NIH reopens and proposal submission dates
will be revised. The Research Institute will
fully support proposal submissions during
the funding lapse. For more information,
please refer to the NOT-OD-12-126 or
contact Gary Lingle in the Office of Grants
& Contracts.
Research Institute gets new name and logo
Mathew Ware and Biana Godin, Ph.D. won 2013 BioArt Award from the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology.
INSID
E THE IN
STITUTE
9
US Congress tours of the Research Institute
Harvard Business Review health care innovation forum launched
Institute for Academic Medicine strategic planning continuesThe academic strategic planning integration
committee, chaired by Dr. Antonio Gotto,
approved the plan on Aug 26. Budgetary
planning is in progress. For more information,
contact Ed Jones (eajones@houston
methodist.org).
The Houston Methodist Research Institute was honored by visits from U.S. Representative John Culberson, and staff from the offices of U.S. Senator John Cornyn, U.S. Representative Al Green, and U.S. Representative Pete Olsen this August.
The visits centered on the need for funding the preclinical/early phase clinical studies
that bridge the gap to commercialization of research innovations so they can reach the
market and impact clinical care. Tours included site visits to MITIE and research labs,
with demonstrations of research advances in Houston Methodist core technologies.
Honored guests included Sarah Whiting, legislative director for Rep. Pete Olson;
Gregg Orton, legislative director for Rep. Al Green; Catherine Knowles, legislative director,
and Brittany Seabury, deputy director Rep. John Culberson; and Laura Holland, health
legislative assistant and Jay Guerrero, deputy director for Sen. John Cornyn.
Harvard Business Review and the New
England Journal of Medicine have launched
an eight-week online forum for health
care leaders seeking to increase value by
improving patient outcomes and reducing
costs. Find more online: hbr.org
From left to right: Mauro Ferrari, Ph.D., Barbara L. Bass, M.D., FACS, Rep. John Culberson,
Shanda H. Blackmon, M.D., MPH, FACS, Brian J. Dunkin, M.D., FACS and Puja G. Khaitan, M.D.
Inside the Institute
10
Upcoming EvEnts
UPCom
INg
EVENts
october 28 Computational Modeling of Atherosclerosis in the
Coronary and Carotid Arteries Nenad Filipovic october 30 Research Institute Employee Town Hall Research Institute Employee Diversity Fair
A Portrait of Nanomedicine and it’s Ethical Implications Mauro Ferrari, Ph.D. november 4 Image Based Response to Treatment in Oncology Dimitris Visvikis, FIPEM november 9-13 Society of Neuroscience Annual Meeting november 19 Leadership Conversations Series Mauro Ferrari, Ph.D november 25 Computational Modeling, Essential to Innovation in Surgery William W. Lytton, M.D., Ph.D. December 9 Pumps & Pipes 7 December 11-12 Leading Clinical Research: Quality processes at
Houston Methodist Research Institute December 17 Leadership Conversations Series A.Osama Gaber, M.D., F.A.C.S. Feb. 17-21, 2014 Cardiac MRI Workshop march 6-8, 2014 Total Endovascular Series: Lower Extremity II and Limb Salvage march 13-15, 2014 Re-Evolution Summit V: MICS Hands-On Summit march 22, 2014 Cancer Biomarkers Conference April 11-13, 2014 Southwest Valve Summit II- On the River
INSID
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STITUTE
11
Housed within the vivarium, cGLP facilities perform risk/safety assessments in pre-
clinical models under FDA guidelines to ensure the quality and reliability of research
data. Adherence to cGLP standards is required for safety studies, at the final stage
of preclinical development, in order to move into clinical studies. The Comparative
Medicine core provides the physical space and guidance needed for cGLP studies at
Houston Methodist. For more information, contact Dr. Melanie Ihrig (mihrig@houston
methodist.org).
Houston Methodist manufactures products and complex biologics in two on-site
cGMP facilities. The 4000 sq ft cGMP Laboratory on the 12th floor of the Research
Institute building is designed to produce clinical grade pharmaceuticals, nanoparticles,
vaccines and other biologics for preclinical and clinical studies. In addition, clinical
grade products from the cyclotron and radiopharmaceutical cGMP lab on the bottom
floor are used for imaging in Houston Methodist Hospital and in the research Imaging
Suite. The location immediately next to the Imaging Suite allows researchers to
perform studies with short-lived radio-isotopes that cannot be done elsewhere in the
Texas Medical Center. For more information on the 12th floor cGMP facility, contact
Daniel Fraga ([email protected]). For more information on the cyclotron
and radiopharmaceutical lab, contact Max Yu ([email protected]).
The AOCT provides Clinical Trial Management System study set up including calendar,
budget and milestones for all clinical trials at Houston Methodist at no charge. In com-
bination with the Cockrell Center for Advanced Therapeutics, it also offers additional
fee-for-service resources and administrative support for clinical trials operations. Involve
the AOCT early to develop your clinical study budget so that you can design the most cost
effective study. The following services are currently available:
For more information, contact [email protected] or Julie Sicam.
F D A C U R R E N T G O O D L A B O R A T O R y P R A C T I C E F A C I L I T I E S
F D A C U R R E N T G O O D M A N U F A C T U R I N G P R A C T I C E F A C I L I T I E S
T H E A C A D E M I C O F F I C E O F C L I N I C A L T R I A L S & T H E C O C K R E L L C E N T E R F O R A D V A N C E D T H E R A P E U T I C S
Bridging the Valley of Death: Preclinical & Early Phase Clinical Trials by Rebecca Hall, Ph.D.
‘Translational research’ was coined twenty
years ago by the National Cancer Institute to
describe research innovations transitioning
to clinically useful products—research
oriented to making tangible differences in
the lives of patients. While many institutions
realigned their missions to include transla-
tional research, in so far as it can be thought
of as ‘applied research’, actually reducing
translation to practice by efficiently moving
innovations into the clinical realm is a
challenge taken on by few.
Translational research requires specialized
clinical, manufacturing, and regulatory
expertise. It also requires significant
financial resources, and a mechanism for a
hand-off to industry partners. Without these
resources to bridge innovations to Phase II
and III clinical trials, innovations will fail to
reach the market and impact patient care,
regardless of their potential to advance
the practice of medicine.
Houston Methodist understands the
challenges and has invested in building the
Research Institute to address this ‘valley
of death’ in the translational research
cycle. As industry has become increasingly
conservative with investment in early stage
translational research, we also believe that
nonprofit institutions with humanitarian
public health missions need to help
shepherd innovations through this critical
stage in medical product development.
Several critical areas of infrastructure at
the Research Institute are available for
research at the preclinical/Phase I-II stage:
• Protocol Development
• Budget and contract set-up
• Research nursing/coordinators
• Study design and statistical analysis
• Project/site management
• Data management (CRF Development)
• Regulatory support (IND/IDE)
• Nurse & MD workspace
• Inpatient beds
• Procedure & private infusion rooms
• Sample Processing Laboratory
Education News
12
Dr. Andrew Avarbock, a dermatologist at Weill
Cornell Medical College, was a resident when
he first witnessed the devastation that severe
cutaneous drug eruptions can cause – and he
never forgot it. One of his patients sprouted an
acute skin rash after taking a medication — a
reaction that doctors can do little to treat and is
often fatal.
Stymied by few ineffectual tools in the doctor’s
treatment chest, he wanted to understand the
underlying causes of the reaction and develop
better treatments. There was only one problem:
in the hustle and bustle of residency, he had
never learned how to conduct clinical research.
for Academic Medicine, chairman of the
Department of Urology at Houston Methodist
Hospital, and professor of urology at Weill
Cornell.
“If you don’t know anything about statistics
and how to power a study you might end up
with worthless data, or maybe you should
be doing a registration trial and not a clinical
trial,” said Dr. Boone. “The training allows
you to pose your clinical question and answer
that question with planning and foresight.”
Now Dr. Avarbock is getting his chance.
Houston Methodist and Weill Cornell Medical
College have joined forces to offer an
accelerated clinical research training
program to junior faculty who are interested
in conducting clinical trials. Avarbock is one
of five from Weill Cornell faculty and three
from Houston Methodist–Drs. Jorge Darcourt,
Eric Bernicker, Huie Lin that have joined the
program.
The one-year program is the collaborative
brain child of Dr. John Leonard, associate
dean of clinical research for Weill Cornell,
and Dr. Tim Boone, co-director of the Institute
The program began July 17 with a four-day
workshop at the Cornell Club in New York City.
The workshop featured didactic coursework,
small-group sessions, and invited speakers.
It also provided faculty with an introduction
or refresher to the foundations of clinical
research, including research design and
methodologies, data management and analysis,
and the regulatory process. Over the next year,
each of the faculty will develop and conduct
a clinical research trial, receiving mentorship
and guidance from more experienced clinical
researchers at Weill Cornell and Houston
Methodist.
Weill Cornell and Houston Methodist launch new collaborative clinical research training program
2
The Mentored Clinical Research Training Program is an exciting venture for Weill Cornell and Houston Methodist that builds upon our thriving partnership to provide critical insight and growth for our faculty,” said Dr. Stewart, vice dean at Weill Cornell. “It will not only enhance the bridge we built nearly 10 years ago between the North and South, but also advance treatments and therapies we can offer our patients.
“
” HoUstoN mEtHoDIst ACADEmy UPDAtE
by Alyssa Sunkin, Weill Cornell Medical College
From top left to right: Drs. Timothy Boone (HM), Jorge Darcourt (HM), Gloria Chiang (WCMC), Andrew Avarbock (WCMC), Jonathan Zippin (WCMC) and John Leonard (WCMC). From bottom left to right: Drs. Chun Lin (HM), Eric Bernicker (HM), Carl Crawford (WCMC), and Halina White WCMC).
EDU
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133
Houston Methodist Global Health
Care Services and the Methodist
Center for Professional Excellence
in Nursing graduated their first
cohort of nursing leadership trainees
from Saudi Arabia in August. With
executive mentorship, trainees
received leadership and professional
development training, and developed
strategies to improve patient care
in their home country. For more
information, contact Katherine Meese
Houston Methodist trains Saudi Arabian nurses
Houston Methodist trainees can now learn laboratory fundamentals and techniques with the
online educational video collection from JOVE SE. Employees can access JOVE via the library
resources on MyHR web (sslvpn.tmhs.org).
The fifth annual national CV Fellows Bootcamp provided hands-on training in and discussion of the
latest advances and techniques in cardiovascular medicine. The event was organized by the Houston
Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center, DICET, and MITIE, and sponsored by 13 industry partners.
Nearly 90 academic sessions covered topics including traumatic aortic injury, cardiac pacemakers,
implantable cardioverter-defibrillators, nuclear cardiac imaging, and current trends in managing venous
thoracic outlet syndrome. Find more information online: HoustonMethodist.org/CVFellowsBootcamp
JOVE Science Education
Cardiovascular bootcamp trains 150 fellows
Annual Biomedical Engineering Society Conference
The Academy exhibited at the BMES conference in Seattle, Washington, Sept. 25-28. More than 3,250 attendees had the opportunity to browse open postdoctoral positions and learn about the translational research education programs available at Houston Methodist.
Housotn Methodist/UH Graduate Fellowship
The University of Houston Cullen College of Engineering and the Houston Methodist research Institute have created a joint fellowship opportunity for Ph.D. students who wish to pursue a degree in engineering and translational biomedical research. For more information, contact Amy Wright ([email protected])
Postdoktoberfest
Houston Methodist postdoc trainees joined their TMC colleagues from the National Postdoc Association for a networking event on Oct. 3 at the TMC Commons. NPA membership is free through the Houston Methodist Academy. Join online: HoustonMethodist.com/Academy
HoUstoN mEtHoDIst ACADEmy UPDAtEFall Diversity Fair
The Academy will host the next Diversity Fair on the second floor, outside the Research Institute auditorium, Oct 30, 3-4 pm. The theme will be Thanksgiving and fall traditions in America.
by Katherine Meese
by Amy Wright
by David Bricker
International nurse leadership trainees Ahmed Al-Khaibary, BSN, RN; Aliyah Ali Al-Qarni, BSN, RN, andSultan Saleh JemahAlkhaibari, BSN, RN: pictured with Houston Methodist senior vice president and chief nurse executive Ann Scanlon McGinity, Ph.D., RN, FAAN.
14
Awards & Accolades AWAR
Ds &
ACCoLADEs
Congratulations to mary schwartz, m.D., for receiving the Excellence in Education award from the American Society of Cytopathology.
Congratulations to philip cagle, m.D., for receiving the Pathologist of the Year and Distinguished Patient Care awards from the College of American Pathologists.
Congratulations to David Haviland, ph.D., C.Cy., for passing the International Cytometry Certification Examination with the International Society for Advancement of Cytometry. (isac-net.org).
Congratulations to Katherine perez, pharm.D. for receiving the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) Foundation’s Literature Award for Innovation in Pharmacy Practice.
Congratulations to mathew Ware and Biana godin, ph.D. for their 2013 BioArt Award from the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology.
Congratulations to Rita serda, ph.D., James gu, ismail meraz, ph.D. and victor segura ibarra of the Scanning Electron Microscopy Core and the Department of Nanomedicine for being selected as finalists in the SEM contest judged by FEI and National Geographic.
Congratulations to Hung-Jen Wu, ph.D., postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Nanomedicine, for his appointment to a tenure track assistant professor position in the Chemical Engineering department at Texas A&M University.
Congratulations to muralidhar L. Hegde, ph.D. for receiving the Environmental Mutagenesis and Genomics Society Emerging Scientist Travel Award.
The Research Institute sponsors several award opportunities for faculty and staff. For more information, contact Mariana Pope, [email protected], in the Office of Governance & Faculty Affairs.
The Research institute president’s Awards for transformational Excellence for publications in high impact journals and peer- reviewed grant awards.
The virginia and Ernest cockrell, Jr. scholars Award for innovative translational and clinical research projects.
The career cornerstone Award for Research Institutes members receiving their first NIH grant as a primary or co-primary investigator.
15
New Funding Awards & Applications
New Employees
New Visitors
Department of Cardiovascular Sciences: $3,500,000, Miguel Valderrábano, RO1, 5 yrs, National Heart, Lung & Blood Institute
$2,500,000, John Cooke, UO1, 3 yrs, National Heart, Lung, & Blood Institute
$800,000, John Cooke, RO1, 2 yrs, National Eye Institute
$344,000, Stephen Little, 3 yrs, National Science Foundation
$300,000, Nazish Sayed, 4 yrs, American Heart Association
$300,000, Jack Wong, 4 yrs, American Heart Association
Applications: John Cooke (10), Andrea Cordero, Mark Davies, Jerry Estep (2), Yohannes Ghebremariam (3), Homam Ibrahim , Saverio La Francesca , Stephen Little , Jack Wong (2), Nazish Sayed, Dipan Shah
Department of Nanomedicine
$2,100,000, Lidong Qin & Ping Wang, RO1, 3 yrs, National Institute on Drug Abuse
Department of Cardiovascular SciencesKankana Bardhan, Postdoctoral FellowIsabel Bernges, Graduate Research FellowLance Blau, Postdoctoral Fellow 1, Cardiovascular SurgeryJinyu Chen, Sr. Research AssistantNga Diep, Senior Research AssisantKim Donlon , Clinical Research Nurse, CardiologyAnne Fombu, Clinical Research Nurse, MDHVCGianfranco Matrone, Postdoctoral FellowPhuong Nguyen, Clinical Research Nurse, MDHVCCathryn Stegmoyer, Clinical Research Nurse, MDHVCRoman Sukhovershin, Postdoctoral FellowXiaoyu Tian, Postdoctoral Fellow 2Nicholas Craig von Sternberg, Graduate Research Fellow, CardiologyDongxin Zhao, Postdoctoral Fellow 1
Department of NanomedicineXin Han, Graduate Research FellowJoon Hee Jang, Postdoctoral FellowMyeong Chan Jo, Postdoctoral FellowVaidotas Kiseliovas, Graduate Research FellowYing Li, Postdoctoral FellowChang Liu, Postdoctoral FellowYu Mi, Postdoctoral FellowAsad Moten, Undergraduate Research FellowSuhong Wu , Graduate Research FellowXiaoyan Wu, Postdoctoral Associate
Department of Systems Medicine & BioengineeringJared Gilliam, Postdoctoral Fellow 3
Department of Translational ImagingYinhan Zhang, Research Associate IAndrea Zuniga, Administrator
Cancer ResearchPavana Dixit, Research Associate I, Rad OncMurali Hegde, Scientist, Rad OncSankar Mitra, Scientist, Rad OncShilditya Sengupte, Research Scientist, Rad OncSandra Soliz, Special Projects Coordinator
$2,100,000 , Lidong Qin, RO1, 4 yrs, National Cancer Institute
$400,000, Ennio Tasciotti, R21, 2 yrs, National Cancer Institute
Applications: Rita Serda, Haifa Shen (2), Alessandro Grattoni, Guoting Qin, Jason Sakamoto, Yujun Song, Yong Yang
Department of Systems Medicine & BioengineeringApplications: Stephen Wong (2)
Department of Translational ImagingApplications: Zheng Li (2)
Cancer Research $75,000, Kapil Bhalla, 1 yr, National Cancer Institute
Applications: Barbara Bass, Kapil Bhalla (3), Jenny Chang (4), Yi Liu, Brian Miles, Alvaro Munoz, Sankar Mitra (3)
Inflammation & EpigeneticsApplications: Qi Cao, Wei Zhao
Diabetes &Metabolic Disease Applications: Tuo Deng (2), Anisha Gupte, Dale Hamilton, Willa Hsueh, Ke Ma
Clinical Trials SupportDevon Miller, Project Coordinator, AOCTEileen Dickman, Director, Clinical Research and Business Development, CCAT
Communications & External RelationsDoris Huang, Sr. Creative Services Specialist
Comparative MedicineChristopher Smith, Animal Care Technician II
Diabetes & Metabolic DiseaseVasumathi Theegala, Sr. Research Assistant
Governance & Faculty AffairsNelcy Ramirez, Project Specialist
Inflammation & EpigeneticsXiang Chen, Postdoctoral FellowXikun Zhou, Postdoctoral Fellow 1
MRI CoreJeff Anderson, Research Associate I
Research ProtectionsCatherine Simmons, Quality Assurance Analyst
Research TechnologyTamara Coleman, Business Systems Analyst IIAlbert Prado, BI Specialist III
NeurosciencesJonathan Wiese, Clinical Research Nurse, Neurology
Tissue Engineering & Regenerative MedicineSebastian Powell, Research Assistant I
Transplant ImmunologyWenhao Chen, ScientistAini Xie, Postdoctoral Fellow 1
Infectious Disease $1,400,000, Todd Eagar, 5 yrs, National Institute of Neurological Disorders & Stroke
$400,000, Muthiah Kumaraswami, 2 yrs, National Institutes of Allergy & Infectious Disease
Applications: Carly Filgueira (2), Edward Graviss (3), Adriana Rosato
Neurosciences
Applications: Stanley Appel, Muralidhar Hegde, Kenneth Podell
Transplant Immunology
$300,000, Xian Li, R56, 1 yr, National Institutes of Allergy & Infectious Disease
Applications: Wenhao Chen (2), Xian Li, Omaima Sabek (2)
Department of Cardiovascular SciencesSergio Ibarra, Visiting Postdoctoral Fellow, CardiologyNilay Patel, Visiting High School Student, Cardiovascular SurgerySu Yeon Choi, Visiting Scientist, MDHVCMaris Zamovskis, Visiting Graduate Research Fellow
Department of Systems Medicine & Bioengineering Liyuan Zhu, Visiting Graduate Research Fellow
Department of Translational ImagingSara Esposito, Visiting Graduate Research FellowCarmen Iodice, Visiting Graduate Research FellowNasim Taheri, Visiting Graduate Research Fellow
Cancer ResearchArijit Dutta, Visiting Graduate Research Fellow, Rad OncKaterina Kaczmarski, Visiting Undergraduate Research FellowMonika Vishnoi, Visiting Postdoctoral Fellow, Surgery
MITIEJiaxing Qi, Visiting Graduate Research FellowMahbubur Rahman, Visiting Graduate Research FellowRemi Salmon, Visiting Graduate Research FellowNanomedicineStefania Acciardo, Visiting Undergraduate Research FellowMarta Anna Balliano, Visiting Graduate Research FellowClaudia Corbo, Visiting Postdoctoral FellowMarco Farina, Visiting Graduate Research FellowAmanda Miller, Visiting Undergraduate Research FellowRoberto Palomba, Visiting Postdoctoral FellowQian Wei, Visiting Postdoctoral Fellow
NeurosciencesSimon Fisher Baum, Visiting Scientist, NeurologyAndrew Ferguson, Visiting Undergraduate Research Fellow, UrologyAndrew Cris Hamilton, Visiting Scientist, NeurologyVictor Lizarraga, Visiting Graduate Research Fellow, UrologyFangmei Lu, Visiting High School Student, NeurologyRandi Martin, Visiting Scientist, NeurologyTatiana Schnur, Visiting Scientist, Neurology
Outcomes & QualityDoris Jackson, Visiting Postdoctoral Fellow, Human Resources
Transplant ImmunologyYi Ting Serena Shen, Visiting Graduate Research Fellow, Medicine
Houston Methodist Research Institute
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