METHODOLOGYThe Research and Education Newsletter of Houston Methodist

The Texas A&M and Houston Methodist joint degree programs combine the strengths of our institutions to train the next generation of physician leaders.

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SUMMER/FALL 2014

Houston Methodist and Texas A&M join forces to enhance physician education and research innovation

Houston Methodist and Texas A&M Health Science Center

are partnering to bring more innovative research and medical

education to the state through new health professions degree

programs in the Texas Medical Center. Beginning in 2015,

24 Texas A&M medical students will begin clinical training

and graduate research in Houston, with plans for that number

to double by 2016.

“Our programs will mentor young physicians to nurture their ideas

for new cures and treatments, and provide them with the skills

they need to turn these ideas into realities that improve health for

patients everywhere,” said Timothy Boone, M.D., Ph.D., co-director

of the Houston Methodist Institute for Academic Medicine and the

new regional vice-dean for the Texas A&M College of Medicine.

>> CONT. PAGE FOUR

Front row, from left: Marc L. Boom, M.D. and Brett Giroir, M.D.; Back row, from left: Paul Ogden, M.D.; Regent John D. White, JD; Rep. John Zerwas, M.D.; Robert Robbins, M.D.; Regent Charles W. Schwartz, JD; Mauro Ferrari, Ph.D.

Photo: Gabriel Chmielewski

- Timothy Boone, M.D., Ph.D. Co-director, Houston Methodist Institute for Academic Medicine

Welcome to the fall issue of Methodology, an issue that highlights our newest affiliation with Texas A&M and our commitment to innovative education. You will also find exciting updates on our national clinical trials for early phase blood and lung cancers lead by Drs. Swaminathan Iyer and Eric Bernicker of the Cancer Center, and for the CoreValve SURTAVI interventional trial lead by Drs. Michael Reardon and Neal Kleiman of the Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center.

The education pillar of Houston Methodist is dedicated to training the next generation of

academic medical leaders, and the principle that leadership requires innovation and a dedication

to research. Just as we have focused our research around the concept of translating innovations

into real clinical applications, we are growing our educational programs in the translational

medicine space.

Our educational programs will teach the art and science of translational medicine as a core

principle of clinical practice and medical research. Texas A&M shares this vision, and has joined

with us to create joint programs for their medical and graduate schools. Future leaders in these

programs will practice translational and clinical research and medicine at Houston Methodist

during their rotations and thesis work in the Texas Medical Center.

We have also partnered with the University of St. Thomas to create a Master in Clinical

Translational Management degree program for students interested in the biomedical sector

and the bridge between research and business. This program offers students a capstone

project experience in translation of technologies at Houston Methodist. Together we join the

University of California at San Francisco and Johns Hopkins University to offer the third

program of its kind in the nation to teach this critical skill set.

As you begin your journey through Methodology, I’d like to invite you to join us in honoring

Mr. John F. Bookout. The Houston Methodist Research Institute auditorium now bears the

name of this visionary leader who inspired our I CARE values and galvanized the academic

affiliation between Houston Methodist and Weill Cornell Medical College more than a decade

ago. I extend my deepest gratitude to Mr. Bookout and his family for their dedication to

Houston Methodist and our mission of leading medicine.

Mauro Ferrari, Ph.D.Ernest Cockrell Jr. Presidential Distinguished ChairPresident and CEO, Houston Methodist Research InstituteDirector, Institute for Academic Medicine Executive Vice President, Houston Methodist, Houston, TX Senior Associate Dean and Professor of MedicineWeill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY

Read more online: HoustonMethodist.org/hmrinews

Contents

MEssAGE FROM THE PREsiDENT

by xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Featured News

Houston Methodist and Texas A&M join forces .................................... 1

John F. Bookout auditorium ..........3

RoboDoc on call ........................... 6

New drug may save $1 billion annually for hemodialysis patients ..............8

Two new drug targets for triple negative breast cancer ..................9

Research Highlights ..........10

Factors regulating repair of DNA damage identified ......................10

Alzheimer’s and cancer link found ....................................11

Clinical Research Highlights ..............................12

Identifying brain structures initiating urination via functional magnetic resonance imaging ......................12

Clinical Trials: Now open & enrolling..................14

Inside the Institute ............16

Translational Research Initiative intramural RFA ............................16

Grants & contracts updates .......16

Education News ...................20

MERLIN roll out ...........................20

Master in Clinical Translational Management degree, University of St. Thomas .............................21

I CARE Moments ..................22

Awards & Accolades .........24

New Employees ...................26

Contents

John F. Bookout Auditorium

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“ Mr. Bookout has had some role in everything that Houston Methodist has accomplished in the last 36 years – and he has helped build a strong foundation for everything we will accomplish in the future.

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- Marc L. Boom, M.D. President, Chief Executive Officer

Houston Methodist

Mr. John F. Bookout is a true Houston stalwart – not only helping make this city the energy capital of the world, but

also generously giving his time and talent to further the mission of Houston Methodist. He joined the board in 1979

and served as its chair from 1991 to 2007. Today, he continues as senior chairman. During his long tenure as chair,

he led this institution through prosperity and adversity, and eventually reshaped our culture and helped establish our

I CARE values as the cornerstone for the work we do on a daily basis.

With his steady hand at the wheel, Mr. Bookout guided us through negotiations that led to an affiliation between

Houston Methodist and Weill Cornell Medical College and New York-Presbyterian Hospital 10 years ago. In April, the

Research Institute auditorium was dedicated in his name as Mr. Bookout was vital in founding the Houston Methodist

Research Institute, which is now a center for innovation, discovery, and translation.

John F. Bookout and Marc L. Boom, M.D.

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>> CONT. FROM PAGE ONE

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&Houston MethodistTexas A&M join forces

“These are exciting times for the Aggie family as

we continue to build our Houston campus, and

in turn, lead world-class research and medical

education in the most important health-related

district in the world,” Giroir said.

The partnership is part of a larger Houston

expansion plan for the Texas A&M Health

Science Center. This follows the recent

announcement of a two-year ground lease

in the Texas Medical Center for future

construction of a multidisciplinary research

and education building adjacent to the

Albert B. Alkek Building that currently houses

the Texas A&M Institute for Biosciences

and Technology.

The medical degree program will begin with two

years of basic medical science and preclinical

training at Texas A&M Health Science Center

College of Medicine in Bryan and continues with

the third year rotation and options for fourth

year electives at Houston Methodist Hospital.

As part of a joint M.D./Ph.D. degree program,

Texas A&M University will work with Houston

Methodist to provide translational research

opportunities at the Houston campus. Those

individuals pursuing an M.D./Ph.D. degree

will take their medical and graduate sciences

classes at Texas A&M campuses and complete

three to four years of doctoral thesis work at

the Houston Methodist Research Institute or

the Institute for Biosciences and Technology.

Through combined efforts, Texas A&M and Houston Methodist are offering aspiring physicians and clinician scientists a unique, unparalleled educational opportunity in an academically rich environment renowned for scientific discoveries and translational clinical research.

>> CONT. FROM PAGE ONE

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- Brett P. Giroir, M.D. CEO, Texas A&M Health Science Center

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“We are pleased with the announcement of this partnership

between two prestigious members of the Texas Medical

Center, Houston Methodist and Texas A&M Health Science

Center,” said Robert Robbins, President and CEO of the Texas

Medical Center. “This is a great example of the new spirit of

collaboration that is emerging across the Texas Medical Center.”

Participating Houston Methodist doctors and scientists

will receive Texas A&M faculty appointments and titles.

“This partnership will afford Texas A&M medical students

the opportunity for specialized training alongside world-

class doctors and scientists at Houston Methodist as

they complete their journeys toward becoming the next

generation of health care leaders,” said Paul Ogden, M.D.,

interim dean of medicine and vice president for clinical affairs,

Texas A&M Health Science Center. “Together we are opening

new doors for the future of medical education, all the while

ensuring Aggie doctors are amply prepared to address the

ever-changing health care needs of Texans.”

Mauro Ferrari, Ph.D., president and CEO of the Houston

Methodist Research Institute and director of the Houston

Methodist Institute for Academic Medicine, said initiatives

like this one join the strengths of two Texas institutions in

a way that benefits Texans. “They empower physicians at

our nationally recognized hospitals, to partner with our

excellent universities and our growing biotechnology industry

to use research dollars more efficiently and achieve real

progress in treating the worst diseases,” said Ferrari.

First row, from left: Mauro Ferrari, Ph.D.; Brett Giroir, M.D.; Marc L. Boom, M.D.; Rep. John Zerwas, M.D.; Second row, from left: Regent Charles W. Schwartz, JD;

Robert Robbins, M.D.; Paul Ogden, M.D.; Third row, from left: Regent John D. White, JD; Timothy Boone, M.D., Ph.D.; Tong Sun; Forth row, from left: Gregory V. Nelson, JD;

Edward A. Jones; Mary A. Daffin, JD.

These are the kinds of programs Texas needs to cut through the barriers to medical innovation.

– Mauro Ferrari, Ph.D. President and CEO Houston Methodist Research Institute

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Photo: NASA.gov

Houston Methodist and NASA partner to train a Robot in performing medical procedures

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Blurring the line between medicine and

science fiction, Houston Methodist and

NASA are partnering to train a humanoid

robot to perform medical procedures.

Zsolt Garami, M.D., from the Transcranial

Doppler Center, Houston Methodist

DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center, has

been working closely with NASA researchers

to make this happen. The robot is called

Robonaut 2, or `R2.’

Astronauts are currently trained in basic

medical and surgical skills, in addition

to all the other demanding training and

conditioning they undergo before space

missions. Dr. Garami was initially brought

on-board to train astronauts in ultrasound

procedures. With the objective of easing

the burden on astronauts, the idea to use

a robot was born. This seemed possible as

NASA already had access to a robot with

previously demonstrated learning skills.

“We wanted the robot to provide the

astronauts with that much needed extra

hand,” said Garami. Another advantage

would be that unlike humans, robots are

not prone to factors like fatigue and stress,

making them an ideal ally in challenging

environments like space.

robot is simply not possible given the time lag

that results from the great distances involved.

From the standpoint of future applications of

this project on earth, the prospects transcend

multiple fields and are seemingly limitless.

For example, Robonaut 2 could be used to

perform intricate medical operations like

endovascular surgery, as well as function as

a telemedicine doctor in remote and hostile

areas. Potential applications in the manufacturing

sector are also being considered.

The Houston Methodist-NASA collaboration

on the Robonaut 2 project grew from the

networks that were established through the

Pumps and Pipes program. This is a great

example of how talented scientists from very

different industries can work together to

build a technology platform that transcends

traditional boundaries.

So far, Robonaut 2 has been trained in

ultrasound-guided venous access. This

involves finding a vein in a mannequin’s

‘neck’ using an ultrasound transducer held

by Robonaut 2 in one hand, and sticking

the vein with a needle and syringe held in

Robonaut 2’s other hand. Robonaut 2 is

being trained to perform these procedures

while being guided remotely by physicians.

Physicians are provided with gloves that

help control the robot’s actions through

their hand movements. Using cameras

placed on its body, physicians can watch

what Robonaut 2 is doing. This is an apt

example of telemedicine at work.

The plan eventually is for Robonaut 2 to

function independently. The desire to

automate the robot completely is driven

by NASA’s plans to explore deep space.

In such missions, real-time control of the

Zsolt Garami, M.D. (far right)

and the Robonaut 2 team

Training the Robonaut was not very different from training a resident. Just a lot faster.

- Zsolt Garami, M.D. Director, Transcranial Doppler Center Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center

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New drug may save U.s. $1 billion annually for hemodialysis patientsby Leif Peterson, Ph.D.

The peer-reviewed study was published by the International Journal of Nephrology

and Renovascular Disease. Prior to this study, the potential health care cost savings

on a national scale due to the use of ferric citrate in end-stage renal disease, also

known as ESRD, were undetermined.

Approximately 500,000 ESRD patients require hemodialysis three times/week.

The number of patients with ESRD is also increasing annually due to the growing

obesity epidemic. For such patients, costs for anemia-management drugs like

erythropoietin stimulating agents and intravenous iron are at least $10,000

annually and the total annual CMS cost for ESRD is $30 billion. The study results

indicate that if ferric citrate usage nominally reduced utilization of erythropoietin

stimulating agents by 20% and IV iron usage by 40%, a cost reduction of $1 billion

could potentially be realized for hemodialysis patients with ESRD.

Ferric citrate or Zerenex from Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, is approved for use in Japan,

and new drug applications have been submitted by Keryx in the US and Europe.

The report was authored by Anila Thomas, Pharm.D., BCPS of the Houston Methodist

Hospital Clinical Pharmacy Services and Leif Peterson, Ph.D., from the Center for

Biostatistics at the Houston Methodist Research Institute.

Thomas A, Peterson LE. Reduction of costs for anemia-management drugs associated with the

use of ferric citrate. Int J Nephrol Renovasc Dis. 2014 May 20;7:191-201.

Houston Methodist Research Institute and Houston Methodist Hospital researchers recently reported that the drug ferric citrate, a novel phosphate binder, has the potential to reduce the usage of expensive anemia management drugs used during hemodialysis in end-stage renal disease patients.

The cost saving from the use of ferric citrate is expected to grow annually because of the increasing prevalence of ESRD. This could significantly impact medical costs not only for dialysis patients but also for others with related conditions like anemia-non dialysis.

Quick FactsHOUSTON METHODIST INSTITUTE FOR ACADEMIC MEDICINE

Million in Research Expenditure

1460 Credentialed Researchers

Faculty

Trainees

Million in Extramural Funding

540120

55890

580562

Thousand Sq Ft Research Space

Clinical Protocols

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The suppression of two genes reduce breast cancer tumor formation and metastasis by interfering with blood vessel formation and recruitment, report a team of Houston Methodist and five other institutions in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences . The findings may help medical researchers identify effective drug targets for triple negative breast cancer also referred to as TNBC.

We have found two unique genes that may affect the

most lethal type of breast cancer. Most importantly,

we have drugs that can block nitric oxide signaling

and wil l begin a clinical trial in the Cancer Center

in the near future.

Two new possible drug targets for triple negative breast cancerby David Bricker

About 42,000 new cases of triple negative

breast cancer (TNBC) are diagnosed in the

United States each year, about 20 percent of

all breast cancer diagnoses. Patients typically

relapse within one to three years of being

treated. TNBC is distinguished from other

breast cancers in that it does not express the

genes for estrogen receptor, progesterone

receptor, and Her2/neu and is frequently

harder to treat.

By suppressing close to five hundred

TNBC-related genes, Jenny Chang, M.D. and

her research group found interference was

strongest with MLF2 and RPL39 in triple

negative breast cancer model tissue. The

genes, MLF2 (myeloid leukemia factor 2)

and RPL39 (a ribosomal protein), were found

to most profoundly impact the production of

nitric oxide synthase, which helps regulate

blood vessel behavior and could be crucial

for the recruitment of new blood vessels to

growing tumors. These genes impact the

spread of TNBC throughout the body, and have

not been linked with breast cancer so far.

The scientists also learned that mutations in

these genes in patients were associated with

worse survival in triple negative breast cancer.

The researchers went a step further,

determining which configurations of small

inhibitory RNA (siRNA) were most efficient

at shutting down MLF2 and RPL39 in breast

cancer stem cell lines. siRNA molecules

interfere with the cell’s ability to express

genes and have proven to be effective drug

tools for a wide variety of diseases, including

some cancers.

In preliminary studies, the combination of siRNA

and chemotherapy agent docetaxel significantly

reduced tumor volume relative to chemotherapy

alone and also appeared to prolong survival.

Separate analyses showed suppression with

siRNA appeared to yield fewer metastases to

lung tissue.

Dave B, Granados-Principal S, Zhu R, et al. Targeting RPL39 and MLF2 reduces tumor initiation and metastasis in breast cancer by inhibiting nitric oxide synthase signaling. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2014 Jun 17;111(24):8838-43.

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- Jenny Chang, M.D. Director, Houston Methodist Cancer Center

Research Highlights

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Factors regulating repair of DNA damage identifiedby David Bricker

The gene “MOF” (males absent on the first)

plays a role in histone modification that is critical

for cell survival as it is involved in transcription.

MOF has also been implicated in the recruitment

of key DNA binding proteins that aid in the

repair of DNA double-strand breaks.

Houston Methodist Research Institute cancer

geneticist and radiation biologist Tej K. Pandita,

Ph.D., and colleagues from Houston Methodist

and three other institutions, reported to Cell

Reports the intricate sequence of interactions

that allow MOF to regulate DNA double-strand

break repair in a cell cycle specific manner.

Regulation of genetic repair is critical for the

suppression of cancer development.

If you think that 3D glasses are only for

watching movies, think again. Surgeons at

the Houston Methodist Hospital are using

3D technology in the operating room while

performing laparoscopic surgery. During surgery, surgeons wear 3D glasses to

view TV monitors that project 3D images from an HD scope inside the body.

With this innovative minimally invasive technology, patients undergoing surgery for

colon cancer, diverticulitis, and Crohn’s disease can leave the hospital much faster

after surgery, return to their daily routines sooner, experience less pain, and have

smaller scars. Dr. Haas is the only surgeon in Houston using this technology for

colorectal laparoscopic procedures.

Go to khou.com to learn more.

3D glasses define the tissues very precisely, and allow us to do parts of the procedure that would be extremely challenging.

3D glasses–From movie theaters to operating rooms

Houston Methodist Research institute scientists will receive about $250,000 from the Muscular Dystrophy

association to determine whether an absence of the protein tDP-43 in the cell nucleus causes nerve cells to die.

the three-year project is an investigation of how tDP-43’s expression and location within nerve cells

contributes to errors in DNa repair. Researchers will also see whether the resulting accumulation of DNa

damage is responsible for the loss of brain cells during the progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (aLs),

a neurodegenerative disorder sometimes called Lou Gehrig’s disease.

aLs affects about 2 of every 100,000 people worldwide. Disease progression is fairly rapid; 50 percent

are alive two years following diagnosis, with only 10 percent surviving more than 10 years. Effective drug

therapies have so far proven elusive.

Houston Methodist scientists receive $250,000 to learn why ALS nerve cells die

“What we learn may lead to new drugs and therapies that slow or stop the

disease’s progression,” said neuroscientist and radiation oncologist

Muralidhar L. Hegde, Ph.D., the project’s principal investigator.

by David Bricker

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- Eric Haas, M.D. Colorectal surgeon, Houston Methodist

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Scientists witness ‘a new era of digital biology’ using biomedical data and supercomputing.

Alzheimer’s and cancer l ink found

A team led by Houston Methodist Research Institute scientists has found that Alzheimer’s disease and cancer share a common pathway

in gene transcription, a process essential for cell reproduction and growth. The findings were published in the open access journal

Scientific Reports by the Nature Publishing Group.

According to the lead investigator, Stephen Wong, Ph.D., P.E., of the Houston Methodist Research Institute, this study showed a new

link between Alzheimer’s disease, the most prevalent form of neurodegenerative disease, and glioblastoma multiform (GBM), the most

aggressive form of brain cancer.

The scientists used the

Lonestar and Stampede

supercomputers at the Texas

Advanced Computing Center (TACC),

The University of Texas at Austin, to

analyze and compare data from thousands

of genes and to narrow the search for

common cell signaling pathways of the two

diseases. By finding which genes were active in

the two diseases, the active genes could be mapped to

known pathways through a process called pathway analysis.

The research is supported by a gift from the Ting Tsung and

Wei Fong Chao Foundation, and by grants from the National

Institutes of Health (NIH). The NIH program officer for the grant,

Dan Gallahan, deputy director of the Division of Cancer Biology with

the National Cancer Institute remarked: “This work of Dr. Wong’s is quite

exciting in that it shows connections between two of the most intractable

diseases in modern society. And while our focus is on cancer, the great hope

is that as we make these connections we can leverage that knowledge to find

new targets and opportunities that can provide meaningful intervention for

either disease.”

Visit tacc.utexas.edu to read more about this work.

by Jorge Salazar

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Clinical Research Highlights

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Clinicians and researchers from the Departments of Urology and Translational

Imaging used functional magnetic resonance imaging, or fMRI, to identify

brain activation centers associated with initiation of urination in normal healthy

females. Their findings were recently published in The Journal of Urology.

In a discussion with Nature Reviews Urology which

covered this study as a news story, Rose Khavari,

M.D., the lead author of the story said, “When we

researched the literature, we realized that a majority

of the published studies had used positron emission

tomography and computerized tomography

(PET CT) or fMRI to evaluate the bladder in the

filling phase. This was mainly due to challenges

that exist with voiding in the fMRI machine.”

There is only one other study in the literature

that had actually examined functional brain activity

during bladder emptying. The current study was

therefore designed to expand on this data and

evaluate the etiology of voiding dysfunction.

This was a pilot observational study where brain

activity was observed via fMRI during simultaneous

urodynamics testing. The study evaluated the

blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) signals

recorded during fMRI of the brain when normal

subjects underwent urodynamics testing. This also

included the pressure-flow voiding phase. You can

learn more about this research in the Nature

Reviews Urology news story.

Shy M, Fung S, Boone TB, et al. Functional magnetic resonance

imaging during urodynamic testing identifies brain structures

initiating micturition. J Urol. 2014 Apr 21.

Identifying brain structures initiating urination via functional magnetic resonance imaging

This is one of the first reports on the activation of a brain network consisting of regions for motor control, executive function, and emotion processing.

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The drug, alisertib or MLN8237, inhibits the enzyme

aurora A kinase, which is known to be very active

during cell division. The present study, published

in the journal Investigational New Drugs, looks at

the safety, tolerability, and preliminary success of

alisertib in treating non-Hodgkin lymphoma and

chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

“An advantage with this drug is it is oral and very

effective in a significant number of patients with

aggressive lymphoma when used at that dose

for 7 days out of a 21 day cycle,” said hematologist

Swaminathan Iyer, M.D., who led the multi-site study.

Although about half of patients participating in

the phase I study experienced side effects,

most were fairly tolerable and manageable.

Alisertib is not yet approved for general medical

use by the FDA. Its impact on T cell lymphoma is

being investigated in a separate, phase III trial

for a specific type of lymphoma called the T cell

lymphoma. Houston Methodist is a participating

study site for that project.

The work was funded by Millennium:

The Takeda Oncology Company.

New drug for non-Hodgkin lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia passes early test by David Bricker

Lung cancer study focuses on a more targeted treatment option

A new study offered at Houston Methodist Hospital will compare an emerging

immunotherapy drug to an existing chemotherapy drug and look at the effects both

drugs have on the development of non-small cell lung cancer, a type of cancer which

makes up about 85 percent of lung cancer cases. Lung cancer is the second most

common malignancy in the United States.

For many years, researchers had hoped to find a way to manipulate the immune

system to attack tumors. Immunotherapy stimulates the body’s own immune system

to attack cancer cells through manmade proteins.

With so many different studies looking at immunotherapy, this particular study offered

at Houston Methodist Hospital is important because it hopes to see how the new

therapy stacks up against standard chemotherapy. “From a research standpoint, we

need to be able to offer new options to our patients using less toxic therapies, with

fewer side effects,” said Eric Bernicker, M.D., thoracic medical oncologist with Houston

Methodist Cancer Center and the study’s principal investigator. This study is sponsored

by Genentech. Houston Methodist is the only study site in the city of Houston.

by Katie Wooldridge

Researchers are beginning to recognize that the

immune system can be better harnessed to help

fight disease. For the first time, we are using

targeted therapy and relying on the patient’s

immune system to help fight the cancer.

A new chemotherapy drug being investigated

for its potency against two types of cancer

was found by scientists at Houston Methodist

and seven other institutions to be effective

in about one-third of the 58 patients who

participated in a phase I study.

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- Eric Bernicker, M.D. Director, Medical Thoracic Oncology Houston Methodist

Clinical Research Highlights

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Diet and Physical Activity in Ovarian, Fallopian Tube, and Primary Peritoneal Cancer Progression-Free survivalInvestigator: Aparna Kamat, M.D. Study Coordinator: Jaya S. Kamath, MS, MT (ASCP), CCRC/ 713-441-6616

The purpose of this study is to find out if a change in diet and exercise in women with stage II, III or IV ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer, has an effect on the length of time she is cancer free following initial treatment.

Ciprofloxacin for Prevention of BK infectionInvestigator: Samir J. Patel, Pharm.D. / 713-441-2168

BK virus infection is an important cause of graft dysfunction and graft loss after renal transplantation. This study hopes to

determine whether routine, short-term ciprofloxacin administration post-transplant can lower the incidence of BK infection.

Abbott COAPT Trial for Functional Mitral RegurgitationInvestigator: Neal Kleiman, M.D. Study Coordinator: Candice Blaylock, BSN, RN/ 713-441-3629

MitraClip is a percutaneous device developed for the treatment of clinically significant mitral regurgitation. The COAPT trial will provide new data on the safety and effectiveness of the MitraClip System specifically in heart failure patients who have functional mitral regurgitation and are extremely high risk for mitral valve surgery.

HeartWare® Ventricular Assist system (supplemental Trial) for Heart FailureInvestigator: Brian Bruckner, M.D. Study Coordinator: Emily Taylor, MS, BSN, RN, CVRN, CCRP / 713-441-3963

This study will evaluate the incidence of stroke in patients implanted with a HeartWare® HVAD who receive optimal blood pressure management. HeartWare® HVAD is implanted as a destination left ventricular assist device or LVAD therapy.

NOBLE study for Alzheimer’s DiseaseInvestigator: Joseph C. Masdeu, M.D. Study Coordinator: Jennifer Garrett, RN / 281-222-9983

NOBLE study will evaluate an investigational drug specifically for people with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease. The drug called T-817MA, uses neuroprotectant qualities that could help suppress disease progression in this population. Houston Methodist is the only study location in Texas to offer this randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled study.

Clinical Trials: NOW OPEN & ENROLLiNG

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Cockrell Clinical Trial Centers The Cockrell Clinical Trial Centers promote and support clinical research operations throughout Houston Methodist.

They offer approximately 5000 sq. ft. of office space throughout the greater Houston area including the Texas Medical Center,

Sugarland, West Houston, and a new facility in Pearland, to support clinical trials closer to study participant homes or workplaces.

The Cockrell Clinical Trial Centers provide a full range of outpatient clinical care and study management services, including regulatory

submissions and budget management support for all phases of clinical trials. The Cockrell Clinical Trial Centers are staffed by highly

skilled and experienced medical and research professionals. The Phase 1 Clinical Research Unit located in the Houston Methodist

Hospital’s Main 6 Southeast wing, is involved with conducting phase 1 clinical trials and advanced pharmacokinetic or pharmacodynamic

evaluations.

Contact Julie Sicam, Director Clinical Research Services at jsicam@houstonmethodist.org for more information.

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HOUSTON METHODIST RESEARCH INSTITUTE

COCKREll ClINICAl TRIAl CENTERS PHASE 1 ClINICAl RESEARCH UNIT - TMC HOUSTON METHODIST HOSPITAl

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PEARlAND METHODIST PRIMARy CARE GROUP

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lEADING MEDICINE IN GREATER HOUSTON

CoreValve TAVR study reports lower death rate in high risk patients

Michael Reardon, M.D. and Neal Kleiman, M.D. from the Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center, along with the

U.S. CoreValve Clinical Investigators reported the results of the CoreValve high risk study in the New England Journal of Medicine

publication titled “Transcatheter Aortic-Valve Replacement with a Self-Expanding Prosthesis.” This is the first and only trial to show

superior survival for a transcatheter aortic valve versus a surgical aortic valve in a randomized study.

SURTAVI - now open and enrolling - is the follow-up trial to the CoreValve high risk study, which will investigate the outcomes in intermediate

and moderate risk patients. Dr. Reardon is the national surgical Principal Investigator for this study. According to Dr. Reardon, this study will

likely be pivotal in helping define the patient risk pools most appropriate for Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

by Maitreyi Muralidhar

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Adams DH, Popma JJ, Reardon MJ, et al. Transcatheter aortic-valve replacement with a self-expanding prosthesis. N Engl J Med. 2014 May 8;370(19):1790-8.

Inside the Institute

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Translational Research Initiative Intramural RFAHouston Methodist announces the Translational Research Initiative for product development or clinical trials

based on Houston Methodist inventions. The Translational Research Initiative will support development of projects

that are ready to advance beyond the laboratory. Proposed projects should be poised for product development

[Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) production, Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) studies] or clinical trials from

phase I through IIa. This RFA or Request for Applications solicits projects in any area of medicine.

Please contact strategicresearchOSRI@houstonmethodist.org for further details on eligibility or submission guidelines.

New funding mechanisms for sustained supportTo provide sustained support for investigators in all stages of careers, NIH is piloting the concept of awarding longer-term grants. This will hopefully reduce the amount of time investigators spend in writing grant applications. The NIH Pioneer Award, supported by the Common Fund, is one example of the new approach. The Pioneer Award will support individual scientists with transformative or pioneering ideas and will grant $500,000 annually in direct costs for five years. Various NIH Institutes and Centers will soon be announcing similar funding opportunities.

NiH and AHRQ policy for application submission The NIH and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) have announced that for application due dates after April 16, 2014, following an unsuccessful resubmission (A1) application, applicants may submit the same idea as a new (A0) application for the next appropriate due date (NOT-OD-14-074).

Progress reportsThe Research Performance Progress Report or RPPR module is required to submit progress reports for Streamlined Non-competing Award Process (SNAP), fellowship, and multi-year funded awards (NOT-OD-14-079).

inclusion data reporting NIH is in the process of transitioning to a new module in the eRA Commons for reporting gender, race, and ethnicity information as required by the NIH Policy on the Inclusion of Women and Minorities in Clinical Research.

National biosafety stewardship month To raise awareness about critical biosafety issues and to focus special attention on safe laboratory practices, the NIH and other federal agencies are initiating the National Biosafety Stewardship Month. All recipients of NIH funds are invited to join federal agencies in taking the month of September to focus special attention on biosafety practices (NOT-OD-14-127). Houston Methodist Research Institute is participating in this recommitment to biosafety.

Go to nih.gov for more information on these updates.

iMPORTANT NiH ANNOUNCEMENTs

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FuNDINg AT-A-glANCe

•Dailyupdatedfundingopportunitiesfromover3,500publicandprivatefundingbodies

•Over2.8millionawardedgrantrecords

•Abilitytofilterbyeligibilityandadvancedoptions

•Tailoredalertsfornewfundingopportunities

SCopuS AT-A-glANCe

•Thelargestdatabaseofpeer-reviewedresearchliteratureandconferenceproceedingsfrom around the world

•More than 21,900 titles from more than 5,000 international publishers and 105 different countries

•Over53millionrecords,23millionpatentsfrom5patentofficesworldwide

For questions regarding Scopus & SciVal® Funding, contact Houston Methodist librarians:

Linné Girouard: lgirouard@houstonmethodist.org or

Bob Bartlett: rjbartlett@@houstonmethodist.org

As part of the Research and Education Profiles (REP) project,

Houston Methodist now has access to SciVal® Funding and

Scopus databases. Access is available from any Houston

Methodist computer through the Houston Methodist library:

houstonmethodist.org/library

HOUSTON METHODIST REP ACADEMIC TOOLBOX

Houston Methodist Research &

Education Profiles

Publication Resources

Largest abstract and citation database of

peer-reviewed literature

Largest funding opportunity database

6,000 sponsors 19,000 active RFAs

Sign up for alerts

Conferences & Seminars

Scopus & Library SciVal Funding

Online profile Find collaborators

Format biosketches

Conference planning Online registration & tools

Advertise seminars Use it when you need it

Writing & editorial service Metrics & reports

Boilerplate Graphic design

Printing & production

Collaboration Concierge

SMEs & collaborators Cores & services

Information sources Resources & support

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Updates to Research Credentialing In response to feedback received from

the research community as well as peer

research institutions, Houston Methodist

Research Institute re-credentialing will now

be due for renewal on a three-year cycle.

What does this mean? Instead of having to complete your online

CITI training every two years, your renewal

will now be due every three years. Individuals

working with comparative medicine models

will still have to undergo an occupational

health assessment on a yearly basis.

Please contact hmricredentialing@

houstonmethodist.org with any questions.

Houston Methodist REP

Inside the Institute

18

Mission Nano game available on NisE websiteFunded by a Nanoscale Informal Science

Education Network mini-grant, the Houston

Methodist Research Institute and Rice University’s

Center for Technology in Teaching and Learning

partnered to develop a nanotechnology-based

multimedia game app. The product, Mission: Nano,

is now available online. It educates players about

the uses of nanotechnology in medicine and

inspires them to consider careers in science,

technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Go to houstonmethodist.org/nanoday

for more information.

Houston Chronicle - Research PhilanthropyIn an article titled “Philanthropy keeps

wheels of research turning,” the

Houston Chronicle featured Houston

Methodist Hospital’s David S. Baskin,

M.D. and Mrs. Donna Peak, a biochemist

and the wife of the late Kenneth Peak.

The article leads with Dr. Baskin’s

research work, and features the

Kenneth R. Peak Center for Brain and

Pituitary Tumor Treatment and Research

further into the story.

Go to chron.com to learn more.

senate Appropriations Committee HearingThe Senate Appropriations Committee held

a hearing on “Driving Innovation through

Federal Investments” in April, to evaluate

how federal investments in R&D affect our

nation and citizens. The Houston Methodist

Research Institute provided a written

testimony that focused on the need to

commit funding for translational research.

Visit appropriations.senate.gov to read the

full testimony.

Houston Methodist is pleased to announce that 10 faculty members were

recently appointed or reappointed to prestigious endowed chair positions.

We now have a total of 37 endowed chairs, made possible by some of

the most generous philanthropic supporters.

•MohammedAttar,M.D.-LynnandOscarWyatt,Jr.ChairinCardiologyinhonorof Dr. Mohammed Attar

•DavidS.Baskin,M.D.-KennethR.PeakPresidentialDistinguishedChair

•JohnP.Cooke,M.D.,Ph.D.-JosephC.“Rusty”WalterandCaroleWalterLookePresidential Distinguished Chair in Cardiovascular Disease Research

•StuartM.Dobbs,M.D.-LennyC.KatzChairinHealthOutcomesandQuality in honor of Dr. Stuart M. Dobbs

•JosephC.Masdeu,M.D.,Ph.D.-TheGrahamFamilyDistinguishedChair for Neurological Sciences in the Institute for Academic Medicine

•EamonnM.Quigley,M.D.-DavidM.UnderwoodChairofMedicinein Digestive Disorders

•LawrenceRice,M.D.-DottieandJimmyC.AdairDistinguishedChairinHematology

•WilliamL.Winters,Jr.,M.D.-JohnS.Dunn,Sr.ChairinClinical Cardiovascular Research and Education

•StephenWong,Ph.D.-JohnS.Dunn,Sr.PresidentialDistinguishedChairin Biomedical Engineering

•WilliamA.Zoghbi,M.D.-ElkinsFamilyDistinguishedChairinCardiacHealth in honor of Dr. William A. Zoghbi

NEw ENDowED CHAIRS

Houston Methodist researchers and

clinicians now have access to professional

scientific editing, writing, and consulting

services. BioScience Writers LLC

specializes in meeting the scientific writing

and editing needs of the global research

community, and they will soon be available

at our location to assist faculty and staff

with manuscript publishing and grant

funding projects. To learn more about

how BioScience Writers can assist you,

contact Kimberly Busiek, Ph.D., the Project

Manager dedicated to serving Houston

Methodist at HM-onsite@biosciencewriters.

com to schedule a time to meet with her.

scientific Writing and Editing services

Now Available!

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JoVE – Updates and New Features

JoVE, the Journal of Visualized Experiments,

the world’s first peer reviewed scientific

video journal, has recently come out with a

new look and some enhanced features.

•AskJoVE:Userscannowdownloadan

“Ask JoVE” button to their Bookmarks

Bar. This allows users to pull up relevant

JoVE articles while researching a topic

in another journal or on PubMed, thus

visualizing applicable experiments or

procedures, and saving time and energy.

•Casestudies:JoVEhasrecently

published two case studies - one on

catheter implantation, the other on a

bioprinter. These case studies illustrate

the value of using scientific-video

articles and the savings institutions

see in time, energy, resources, and

money spent.

New book details the history of cardiovascular surgery and medicine in the “heart capital of the world” by George Kovacik

William Winters, M.D., a cardiologist for nearly 50 years with Houston Methodist

Hospital, has published “Houston Hearts, A History of Cardiovascular Surgery

and Medicine and the Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center at Houston

Methodist Hospital.” Written with Betsy Parish, a former columnist with the Houston

Post, the book details the story of how Houston became synonymous with heart

care and became known as the heart capital of the world.

“The book looks at the vast history of Houston Methodist’s leadership in the field

of cardiovascular surgery, research, and clinical care,” Winters said. “We cover

everything from the rise of great surgeons like Dr. Michael E. DeBakey to the

pioneering studies, experiments, and groundbreaking surgeries that have made

Houston Methodist a world leader in cardiovascular care.”

“Houston Hearts” tells the story

of the many men and women

who helped create, develop,

and nourish the pioneering

advances made in cardiovascular

surgical and medical care that

people around the world have

access to today.

Healthy Knowledge blog now live

Healthy Knowledge, the new official blog

for Houston Methodist, is now live.

Go to blog.houstonmethodist.org to

access it. Contact Jason Lauritzen at

jplauritzen@houstonmethodist.org

with any suggestions for blog topics.

Cyclotron facility begins 18F-FDOPA production Houston Methodist Research Institute Cyclotron and Radiopharmaceutical core is now

one of only three sites in the US producing clinical grade 18F-FDOPA for adult glioblastoma

PET-CT imaging. Contact hmrep@houstonmethodist.org to work with the Cyclotron and

Radiopharmaceutical facility.

2014

Education News

20

MERLIN, the Methodist Education and Research Learner Information Network, is a new online rotator application system that the Institute for Academic Medicine will roll out later this fall. The system will allow rotating residents, medical students, and other learners coming to Houston Methodist to submit application materials in a secure environment.

MERLIN allows learners, approvers, and staff to review the status of the application during the course of review and will ultimately provide a more robust metrics report.

Please contact Trevor Burt, Director of Education Administration at tmburt@houstonmethodist.org for additional information.

MERLIN will eliminate the paper application process by allowing the learner to upload required forms and documents which will get routed to the appropriate programs for review. once applications are routed through the approval process, an electronic notification of the status will be sent to the applicant’s email address.

MERLIN Roll Out

Houston Methodist is happy to announce the initial accreditation by the Accreditation Council for the Gastroenterology

Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) fellowship program. Bincy Abraham, M.D. serves as the program director of the

three-year, six trainee fellowship program that opened in July 2014.

Three Houston Methodist physicians, Drs. Robert Schutt (Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center),

Tejal Patel (Oncology), and Deepa Gotur (Critical Care) were among the eight selected to participate in the Mentored

Clinical Research Training Program for 2014. In this accelerated clinical research program offered jointly by Weill

Cornell Medical College and Houston Methodist, the selected trainees had the opportunity to attend a four-day

workshop with didactic coursework, group sessions, and invited speaker sessions on the clinical research process.

Gastroenterology is Newest ACGME-Accredited Fellowship Program

Mentored Clinical Research Training Program 2014

by Trevor Burt

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MERLIN Roll Out Graduate Fellowships in Translational Research

offered by The University of Houston Cullen

College of Engineering and the Houston Methodist

Research Institute, provide a unique opportunity

for Ph.D. students to pursue a degree in engineering

and translational research. The second class of

fellows entered the program on August 25.

The Houston Methodist Academy hosts diversity

fairs to promote awareness about different

cultures and diversity in the workplace. The

summer diversity fair held on July 2, showcased

the country of Brazil. Employees celebrated

Brazilian culture, customs, and food, followed

by games, activities, and prizes. The Consulate-

General of Brazil, Roberto Ardenghy, was the

guest of honor for the event.

The Houston Methodist Academy conducted a

ten-week summer internship program attended

by over 50 summer interns. The interns pursued

research projects under the guidance of faculty

members at the Houston Methodist Research

Institute. The program included didactic lectures,

interactive MITIE tour, journal clubs, and a retreat

where all students presented their research projects.

Graduate Fellowships in Translational Research 2014

summer Diversity Fair

Houston Methodist Academy summer internships

by Maitreyi Muralidhar

By breaking the silos within which professionals in fields such as basic research,

clinical practice, and business traditionally operate, this program can help expedite

the translation of research discoveries from bench to bedside, reducing the time

needed to bring effective therapies to patients. the program is designed to fit the

needs of both researchers and healthcare professionals interested in the business

side of medical technology, or entrepreneurs looking to gain insights into the

biomedical sector. the application for the program went live on august 1, 2014

for the first class starting spring 2015.

the Houston Methodist Research institute is pleased to announce the abramson-

Finger scholars Fund to help support students enrolled in the program. the scholarship

fund was made possible thanks to the generosity of Rolaine and Morrie abramson, and

Elaine and Marvy Finger.

The University of st. Thomas Cameron school of Business and the Houston Methodist Research institute are offering a unique new Master in Clinical Translational Management degree to bridge the gap between science and business. Currently, there are only two such programs in the U.s., offered by University of California, san Francisco (UCsF) and Johns Hopkins University.

Master in Clinical Translational Management Degree

NEW PROGRAM

Contact Amy Wright, Program Manager

Houston Methodist Academy at

aswright@houstonmethodist.org

for more information.

First row, from left: Marvy Finger; Morrie Abramson; Robert Ivany, Ph.D; Mauro Ferrari, Ph.D.; Back row, from left: Judge Ewing Werlein, Jr.; Timothy Boone, M.D., Ph.D.; Beena George, Ph.D.; Dominic Aquila, Ph.D.; Tong Sun; Amy Wright; Bert Edmundson, Jr., M.D., Ph.D.

I CARE Moments

22

More than 250 children, their parents, and Houston Methodist staff gathered at the Houston Methodist Research Institute Saturday, April 5, to celebrate NanoDay 2014. Future medical scientists aged 3-12, played educational games and did mini-experiments designed

to introduce them to the world of nanoscience. Children who attended, performed scientific

experiments, and learned about nanotechnology and its applications. This is the fourth year that

the Houston Methodist Research Institute has hosted the annual event, part of the Nano Days

festival sponsored by the Nanoscale Informal Science Education initiative (NISE) and funded by

the National Science Foundation.

Houston Methodist celebrates NanoDay 2014 with games, educationby David Bricker

Houston Methodist Research Institute employees have been actively promoting STEM

education in the greater Houston community. Jason Sakamoto, Ph.D. and Hannah Kim visited

the Dodson Montessori Magnet School on their College and Career Day, and answered a gamut

of questions from young minds on how Nanomedicine research can impact everyday life.

Rebecca Hall, Ph.D. and Amy Wrightz visited Elrod Elementary - A Health and Nutrition Magnet

with a focus on pre-med and medical technology. In their presentation at Elrod, Dr. Hall and

Amy provided an overview of Houston Methodist research & education activities and highlighted

career pathways in the world of health and science for interested students.

by Maitreyi Muralidhar

Advocacy in Our CommunityS T EsC

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Photo: nisenet.org

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“Healing Hearts” - Looking for a deeper purpose and meaning

Fitbit challenge

In the hustle and bustle of busy schedules, to-do lists, and deadlines, we can often lose sight of the deeper meaning of our work. To promote

contemplation around what we do and why we do it, the Center for Cardiovascular Regeneration embarked on a unique exercise of designing

a graphic that visually depicts the purpose and goal of the Center for Cardiovascular Regeneration. Here we feature one of the few thought

provoking submissions.

To encourage the culture of health and fitness, Houston Methodist provided all employees with an opportunity to purchase a Fitbit at an extreme discount of over 50% off retail. As an added incentive, the Beat your CEO Fitbit contest was also launched. Anyone who averaged more steps per month than their CEO, was entered into a drawing to win prizes by earning a Pick Up Your Pace credit.

From the Houston Methodist Research Institute, three people averaged an impressive greater number of steps per day than CEO Mauro Ferrari. The winners are: •EmilyTaylor(23,711steps) •JonathanOttoMartinez(20,541steps) •MarthaE.Silva(19,973steps)

Atotalof153HoustonMethodistResearchInstituteemployeesbecame members of the Houston Methodist HealthyDirections Fitbit Community. Each one of them was entered into a drawing to win an iPad. The lucky winner is Leif Peterson!

Congratulations!

“The mission of the Center for Cardiovascular Regeneration is to restore

cardiovascular health through translational research, by focusing on

the determinants of cardiovascular plasticity, reprogramming, and

aging. Simply stated, we are ultimately in the business of “Healing

Hearts.” Healing cannot be achieved without the human touch,

represented in this graphic by the hands enveloping the heart.

As researchers, we are deeply committed to the mission of Healing

Hearts either by preventing cardiovascular ageing or by regenerating

cardiovascular tissue though breakthroughs in our research.

“

– Palas Chanda, Ph.D. Postdoctoral Fellow Houston Methodist Research Institute

24

Awards & Accolades

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Excellence in Peer Reviewed Publications: Xian Li, M.D., Ph.D., for the

Lancet publication titled “A new era for organ transplantation in China.”

Research Excellence: Alessandro Grattoni, Ph.D. for Nanomedicine research

Other Academic Achievements: Members of the Cyclotron and

Radiopharmaceutical Core for cGMP production of 18F-FDOPA for

non-invasive imaging of recurrent glioblastoma.

Radiation Oncology $ 1,212,200, Sankar Mitra, 4 yrs, National Institute of General Medical Sciences

$ 1,184,139, Sankar Mitra, 4 yrs, National Cancer Institute *

$ 1,212,200, Tej Pandita, 4 yrs, National Institute of General Medical Sciences

$ 1,594,532, Tej Pandita, 5 yrs, National Cancer Institute *

$ 311,403, Tej Pandita, 1 yr, National Cancer Institute * $ 40,000, Muralidhar Hegde, 1 yr, ALS Association$ 17,007, Sanjay Adhikari, 1 yr, National Institute on Drug Abuse *

Cardiovascular sciences$ 1,587,025, Prasanna Krishamurthy, 4 yrs, National Heart, Lung, & Blood Institute *

$ 658,125, Yohannes Ghebremariam, 5 yrs, National Heart, Lung, & Blood Institute *

$ 139,338, Stephen Little, 2 yrs, American Heart Association

Transplant immunology $ 1,886,719, Xian Li, 5 yrs, National Institutes of Allergy & Infectious Disease$ 1,602,130, Roger Sciammas, 4 yrs, National Institutes of Allergy & Infectious Disease

Pathology and Genomic Medicine $ 300,000, Adriana Rosato, 1 yr, National Institutes of Allergy & Infectious Disease

Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases$ 308,000, Tuo Deng, 4 yrs, American Heart Association

Nanomedicine$ 598,125, Alessandro Grattoni, 3 yrs, National Institute of General Medical Sciences

systems Medicine and Bioengineering $ 249,972, Stephen Wong, 2 yrs, US Army$ 175,000, Stephen Wong, 1 yr (Supplement), National Cancer Institute

Biostatistics$ 239,894, Leif Peterson, 2 yrs, NASA

NEW FUNDiNG AWARDs

PREsiDENT’s AWARDs

* New Faculty Transfers

25

Philip Cagle, M.D., leader of the multi-organization CAP/IASLC/AMP Lung Cancer Biomarkers Guideline task

force and the co-directors, received the prestigious Power of a Gold Award from the American Society of Association

Executives in recognition of their innovative guidelines which impact the care of many lung cancer patients.

Alan Garber, M.D., received the 2014 National Lipid Association’s Honorary Lifetime Member Award, in

recognition of his accomplishments in the field of Lipidology.

Malgorzata Kloc, Ph.D., was named the “Distinguished Fellow of the Koscuiuszko Foundation Collegium of

Eminent Scientists” for outstanding achievements and contributions to the Polish scientific community.

David Haviland, Ph.D., C.Cy., has been elected to a four-year term as Councilor of the International Society

for the Advancement of Cytometry (ISAC).

Zheng Yin, Ph.D., earned first prize in the poster competition at the Multiscale Cancer Systems Biology Symposium.

Academic Press of Elsevier published the book ‘Cancer Theranostics’, authored by Stephen Wong, Ph.D, P.E.

Lenis Sosa, MSN, BSN, RN, OCN, published an article in the “Houston Methodist Nurse” magazine in

March 2014 on positive work culture and employee development.

Travel Awards:

Timo Nazari-Shafti, M.D., German Academic International Network Meeting

Gianfranco Matrone, Ph.D., International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR)

Haibo Wang, Ph.D., Environmental Mutagenesis and Genomics Society (EMGS)

Xiaomin Shi, Ph.D., World Transplant Congress (WTC)

AWARDs & ACCOLADEs

New Members, Employees, and Promotions

PromotionsRandall Olsen, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Member, Pathology and Genomic MedicineLenis Sosa, MSN, BSN, RN, OCN, Regional Clinical Trial Manager

New MembersQi Cao, Ph.D., Assistant Member, Center for Inflammation and EpigeneticsYihui Fan, M.D., Ph.D., Instructor, Transplant Immunology Research ProgramEugene Golanov, M.D., Ph.D., Full Member, NeurosurgeryJoshua Harris, M.D., Assistant Member, Orthopedic SurgerySoma Jyothula, MBBS, Assistant Member, MedicineJoseph Masdeu, M.D., Ph.D., Full Member, NeurologyReginald Munden, M.D., DMD, MBA, Full Member, RadiologyTej Pandita, Ph.D., Full Member, Radiation OncologyAlexandria Phan, M.D., Associate Member, Cancer CenterBryce Portier, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Member, Pathology and Genomic MedicineCorina Rosales, Ph.D., Instructor, Cardiovascular SciencesAmy Schefler, M.D., FACS, Assistant Member, OphthalmologyMartyn Sharpe, Ph.D, Associate Member, Neurosurgery

Department of Nanomedicine Hailong Li, Postdoctoral Fellow, Nanomedicine Research Jonathan Otto Martinez, Postdoctoral Fellow, Nanomedicine Lab Lyle R Hood, Postdoctoral Fellow, Nanomedicine Lab Marco Farina, Graduate Research Fellow, Nanomedicine Lab Megumi Kai, Postdoctoral Fellow Nanomedicine Lab Sarah Diane Hmaidan, Research Assistant, Nanomedicine Lab Suhong Wu, Postdoctoral Fellow, Nanomedicine Lab Usha Thekkedath, Scientific Writer, Nanomedicine Lab Yiyang Wu, Research Assistant I, Nanomedicine Lab

Department of Financial Reporting and Budgets Christina Clements, Senior Financial Analyst

RNAcore Colleen Fisher, Research Assistant II

Department of NeurosciencesValeria Miss Guglielmi, Postdoctoral Fellow I

Cancer ResearchBaohua Sun, Research Associate II, Cancer Lab Saikat Saha, Postdoctoral Associate, Cancer Lab Zhebin Liu, Postdoctoral Fellow IV, Cancer Lab

Clinical Trials supportAndrea De Hester, Medical Assistant, AOCT Bela Jain, Clinical Trials Manager, AOCTErica J Garcia, Medical Assistant, AOCT Jason Gardner, Financial Analyst, AOCTSemahat Eiswirth, Clinical Research Nurse, AOCT

Grants and ContractsVivian Yvette Robinson, Grant & Contract SpecialistDiane Smith, Grant & Contract Specialist

Comparative MedicineBari Gibson, Animal Care Technician IDebra Bruce, Veterinary Technician I Roger Ramirez, Project Specialist Ryan Barrett Vance, Research Assistant Bench

Center for inflammation & EpigeneticsChuang Sun, Postdoctoral Fellow Meng Lin, Graduate Research FellowQin Tang, Graduate Research Fellow

Radiation OncologyAnjana Tiwari, Research Associate I Avijit Majumdar, Project Specialist Clayton R Hunt, Research Scientist Dharmendra Sharma, Research Associate IDurga Udayakumar, Research Scientist Erika Nicolle Guerrero, Graduate Research Fellow Joy Mitra, Graduate Research Fellow Kazi Mokim Ahmed, Research Associate IINobuko Horikoshi, Research Assistant Bench INobuo Horikoshi, Research ScientistRaj K Pandita, Manager Research Laboratory Sharmistha Chakraborty, Research Associate IIShashank Hambarde, Postdoctoral FellowTej K Pandita, ScientistVijaya Kumar Charaka, Postdoctoral Fellow

Exp/Phase i TherapeuticsAnna Rogojina, Senior Research Associate

Executive AdministrationSabitha Prabhakaran, Scientific Writer

Tissue/serum Core Hannah Brister, Research Assistant Bench INathan Garcia, Research Assistant Bench I

surgery Alice Esther Li, Undergraduate Research Fellow, Surgery - Outcomes Research Mark David Hatfield, Graduate Research Fellow, Surgery - Outcomes Research Rabera Onyango, Project Analyst, Surgery - Admin

Research Technology DevelopmentParas Bhatt, Business Analyst II

immunobiology ResearchLi Jia, Postdoctoral FellowRui Jin, Postdoctoral FellowVeena Krishnamoorthy, Postdoctoral Fellow I

infectious DiseasesJesus Eraso, Research Scientist

Department of Cardiovascular sciences Bahij Kreidieh, Postdoctoral Fellow, Electrophysiology Research Darukeshwara Joladarashi, Postdoctoral FellowDedipya Yelamanchili, Research Assistant II, AtherosclerosisEvgeniy Bovshik, Research Assistant, Cardiovascular SciencesLi Lai, Postdoctoral Fellow, Cardiovascular SciencesLiu Chun, Postdoctoral Fellow, Cardiovascular Sciences Longhou Fang, Scientist, Cardiovascular Sciences Lynnanna Shawn Bender, Clinical Research Nurse Manuel Angel Rojas, Financial Analyst, Cardiology Odeaa Al Jabbari, Postdoctoral Fellow, Cardiovascular SurgeryPrasanna Krishnamurthy, Scientist, Cardiovascular SciencesRachel Barosh, Research Assistant I Rajarajan Amirthalingam, Postdoctoral Fellow III, Cardiovascular Sciences Rock DeLane Rickel, Undergraduate Research Fellow, Cardiology Imaging Research Sahana Suresh Babu, Postdoctoral FellowSergio Hugo Ibarra Cortez, Postdoctoral Fellow, Electrophysiology Research Zia Ali, Financial Analyst, Heart Center Research

systems Medicine and BioengineeringRichard Ogunti, Project Specialist Xiaohui Yu, Research Programmer

26

Houston Methodist Research institute

6670 Bertner Ave.Houston | TX 77030

Editor-in-Chief Rebecca Hall, Ph.D.

Managing Editor and Writer Maitreyi Muralidhar, MS

Design & Creative lead Doris Huang

Content Coordinator Michelle Shemon

METHODOLOGYThe Research and Education Newsletter of Houston Methodist

Contributing Writers David Bricker Trevor Burt Colleen Kelly George Kovacik Leif Peterson Jorge Salazar Katie wooldridge

Read more online: houstonmethodist.org/hmrinews

office of Communications and External RelationsInstitute for Academic MedicineHouston MethodistEmail: news@houstonmethodist.org

IAMNEwS-003 | 10.2014 | 1590

october 9-10 George and Angelina Kostas Research Center

for Cardiovascular Nanomedicine Annual International Meeting

CME credit available

october 10 MITIE - Minimally Invasive Esophagectomy &

Endoluminal Therapy

october 15 Study Startup/Deconstructing a Clinical

Research Trial for Excellence

october 25 Image-Guided Therapy Seminar

CME credit available

october 27 Swansea University Research Showcase

october 28 Research Institute Employee Town Hall -

October 2014 Update

November 22 Inaugural Neurosurgery Symposium

December 4-6 Houston Methodist J.C. Walter Jr. Transplant Center

Frontiers in Organ Failure and Transplant Management

CME credit available

December 8 Pumps & Pipes 8: Ideas to Insight

December 11 2014 Annual Clinical Research Professionals Training

UPCOMING EVENTS

UPco

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Go to houstonmethodist.org/hmrievents for more information.