Latino Diversity Seminar

Diversity of the Latino population in the United States and its impact on health will be the topic of this month’s Diversi-ty Seminar Series organized by TTUHSC Paul L. Foster School of Medicine. Presenting is director of the Center for the Study of Latino Health & Culture, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine.wheN noon to 1 pm Sept. 18where TTUHSC Clinic Science Build-ing, 3500 A, 4801 Alberta Ave.,more Seira Santizo Greenwood, (310) 794-0663

Customer Care Seminar

Participants will learn how to: connect quickly and meaningfully with others, create customers for life, build trust with others, make an unhappy customer happy, extract meaningful feedback from customers, and more. wheN 8 am to 4 pm Sept. 20 where Wyndham El Paso Airport Hotel, 2027 Airway Blvd.cost $129coNtact Kris Yagel (915) 249-5502

Conference: Multicultural Healthcare

State Sen. Jose Rodriguez and the Na-tional Association of Hispanic Nurses-El Paso Chapter announces its 2nd annual Mano y Corazon Binational Conference of Multicultural Health Care Solutions. The conference targets physi-cians, RNs, therapists, social workers, students, and policymakers. wheN Sept. 27-28where Region 19 Head Start Center, 11670 Chito Samaniego Dr.more mcaSynapse.org

Luncheon: Breast Cancer Care

University Medical Center Foundation

September/October 2013 Issue 1, Vol. 4

®

Synapse® is a registered trademark and publication of the Medical Center of the Americas Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit. The MCA Foundation works to advance the development of the MCA campus and the Paso del Norte community research agenda. The vision is to position the region as the global leader of health care delivery, education and research concentrating on medical issues unique to the Hispanic, border and military populations.

The MCA campus is an integrated complex of medical facilities currently anchored by University Medical Center of El Paso, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at El Paso and El Paso Children’s Hospital. It is also site to a developing biomedical research park.

Subscribe at mcaSynapse.org

MCA receives major donation, research building dubbed “Cardwell Collaborative”

Announcements

Child medical record designGates Foundation invites submissions for child medical record design competition. Awards will be up to $50,000 to individu-als and teams. Deadline is Oct 31.

Medical ScientistsBurroughs Wellcome Fund invites applica-tions for career awards for medical scien-tists. The awards provide $700,000 over five years to support physician-scientists seeking to bridge advanced postdoctoral/fellowship training and the early years of faculty service. Deadline is Oct. 1. Healthcare System Reporting FellowshipsAssociation of Health Care Journalists invites proposals for healthcare system reporting fellowships. Grants totaling $6,500 will be awarded to journalists to support the production of stories spot-lighting a healthcare system-related topic or problem. Deadline is Nov. 4.

Suicide PreventionAmerican Foundation for Suicide Prevention invites applications for research grants ranging from $30,000 to $225,000. Funds are to support investi-gators working on projects that contribute to the understanding of suicide and sui-cide prevention. Deadline is Nov. 15.

Public Engagement with ScienceAmerican Association for the Advance-ment of Science Early Career Award for Public Engagement with Science will be giving their annual $5,000 award that recognizes early-career scientists and engineers who demonstrate excellence in fostering greater public engagement with science. Deadline is Oct. 15.

Nominations sought for medicine prizeUniversity of Pittsburgh School of Medicine is accepting nominations for the 2014 Dickson Prize in Medicine.

The Medical Center of the Americas (MCA) Foundation recently received a generous commitment from local businessman Jack Cardwell for a major donation that will result in the naming of the Foundation’s four-story research building as the “Cardwell Collaborative.” The biomedical research and technol-ogy building will be located off I-10 near Raynolds Street, and will house pro-spective tenants such as the Biomedi-cal Institute of the Americas, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, El Paso Public Health Labs, and other private biomedical companies. The building is intended to be an iconic structure that will symbolize the region’s growing biomedical and healthcare community. Groundbreaking is set for 2014 with completion expected in 2015. Other naming opportunities at various donation levels are available within the facility. To donate, contact Emma Schwartz, (915) 613-2478 or emma@MCAmericas.

The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded a $5 million grant to improve algae-based fuel that is compatible with existing refineries to a multi-institutional team led by New Mexico State University (NMSU). The project is titled REAP: Realization of Algae Potential. Principal investigator is Peter Lammers, director of the NMSU Algal Bioenergy team. Lammers will coordinate efforts at partner institutions that include Los Alamos, Argonne and Pacific Northwest national laboratories; Washington State and Michigan State universities and four companies, Phycal, Algenol Biofuels, Pan Pacific Technologies and UOP-Honeywell.

$5M goes to NMSU to continue algal biofuel research

Learn more about these and other opportunities at

mcaSynapse.org/announcements

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El Paso Children’s Hospital’s announces its lead neonatologist

Lewis Rubin, MD, is the Division Chief of Neonatology at El Paso Children’s Hospital. He is also a professor and vice chair of pediatrics at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Paul L. Foster School of Medicine. Previously, Rubin served as an endowed chair in neonatology at University of South Florida and he was director of the neonatology intensive care unit (NICU) at Tampa General Hospital. He has nearly 30 years’ NICU manage-ment experience, particularly with surgical and cardiac neonates. He specializes in intensive care of premature babies and infants who have complex congenital, metabolic, and cardiorespiratory or neurodevelopmental disorders. Read more at mcaSynapse.org.

Former water utilities chief to boost UTEP’s water-based education and researchFormer president and CEO of El Paso Water Utilities Ed Archuleta started work Sept. 1st with the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) as Director of Water Initiatives. Archuleta will work chiefly with the Center for Environmental Resource Management, the Center for Inland Desalination Systems, and the College of Engineering. Archuleta, who is considered one of the country’s top experts and strategic manag-ers of water policy, is expected to help position UTEP as a nationally recognized resource for water-based education and research programs.

• Associate Dean for Graduate Programs – TTUHSC Gayle Greve Hunt School of Nursing• Director of Managed Care & Physician Contracting – University Medical Center of El Paso• Veterinarian – City of El Paso• Biomedical Technician – Vanguard Resources (El Paso)• Analyst, Manufacturing Planning – Cardinal Health (El Paso)• Medical Officer – U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (Fort Bliss)

Recent life sciences job openings

Find more openings at jobs.mcaSynapse.org@mcaSynapse

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MCA Biomed Research Symposium

Biomed is the first-ever regional effort to bring researchers together with MDs, nurses and other medical professionals for the purpose of kickstarting medical innovation in the region. Call for posters is open until Sept. 30. Maximum 2 CME/CNE credit hours available.wheN Oct. 26where Camino Real Hotel, 101 S. El Paso St., downtown El Pasomore www.mcaBiomed.com register $25 online

Nominees should be engaged in para-digm-shifting biomedical research. The $50,000 prize is awarded annually to a biomedical researcher who has made contributions to medicine and whose re-search is - or will be - so influential that it deserves major recognition now. Deadline is Oct. 14.

Grants to spur advanced manufacturingThe National Institute of Standards and Technology is awarding $4 million in grants to support new or existing plans that address issues hindering the growth of advanced manufacturing. Deadline for applications is Oct. 21.

Nursing Informatics Boot Camp

Registration is open for the TTUHSC School of Nursing program, “Nursing Informatics Boot Camp.” wheN Nov 4-5 where 8th floor Board Room, University Medical Center, 4815 Alameda Ave.more mcaSynapse.org

Septebmer/October 2013 w w w. m c a s y n a p s e . o r g

National investment firm buys genetics labs developed at NMSU

EDUCATION TECH / TECH TRANSFERMCA NEWSREAL ESTATERECRUITINGHEALTHCARERESEARCH

BelHealth investment partners, a New York-based health care private equity firm, has agreed to purchase the Genetic Testing Laboratories and its sister com-panies, the Forensic Testing Laboratories and the Clinical Testing Laboratories, all housed at NMSU’s Arrowhead Technol-ogy Incubator in the Genesis Center, for a combined $5.3 million. The deal brings funds back to the inventors and into Arrowhead Center’s ongoing efforts to commercialize innovation.

El Paso Specialty Hospital gets five stars

El Paso Specialty Hospital has received a Five-Star rating for Total Knee Replace-ment and a Five-Star rating for Total Joint Replacement from HealthGrades. According to El Paso Specialty Hospi-tal, it is the only hospital in El Paso to have a five-star rating for joint replace-ment and total knee replacement for six consecutive years. The findings are part of “American Hospital Quality Outcomes 2013” report, which evaluates approxi-mately 4,500 hospitals nationwide across nearly 30 of the most common conditions and procedures.

Sierra plans hybrid operating room

Sierra Medical Center has started the process to build the region’s first hybrid operating room. In the hybrid OR, patients will be diagnosed and operated on in the same place with a collaborative team of heart and vascular specialists providing diagnostic and surgical care, together. Traditionally, patients undergo procedures and diagnostic tests in a cardiac catheterization lab and then, by a separate surgical team in the operating room, undergo surgery. Sierra Medical Center hopes to open the Hybrid OR by the end of the year.

NMSU engineering alum and Spaceport America contributor Wayne Savage is the new executive director of Arrow-head Business and Research Park. Savage began his duties in June. His background is in property management and large project delivery - most recently focused on Spaceport America and the commercial space industry development in southern New Mexico. The park is a being developed as a public-private land partnership that links scientists, technolo-gists and entrepreneurs contributing to economic development in New Mexico. Read more at mcaSynapse.org.

Providence Memorial Hospital unveils new wound care center

On July 10, Providence Memorial Hospi-tal unveiled their newly remodeled Center for Wound Care & Hyperbaric Medicine at 2101 N. Oregon. The remodel includes the addition of the Hyperbaric Oxygen Healing chambers. The Wound Care Center at Providence is a partner of Healogics, a wound care management company that works with hospitals across the nation to bring them innovative tech-nologies, therapies, and biosynthetics.

Former Spaceport America contributor to lead Arrowhead

$1.46M awarded to NMSU’s mosquito-borne disease research

Immo A. Hansen, assistant professor in the Department of Biology & Institute of Applied Biosciences at New Mexico State University (NMSU), has received a four-year grant of $1.46 million from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The money will fund Hansen’s mosquito molecular research titled “Char-acterization of Amino Acid Transport and Signaling in the Mosquito Fat Body.”

TTUHSC search committee assembled

A search committee has been formed to help select the first president of Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at El Paso. The 13-member committee is chaired by J. Robert Brown, former chairman of the TTU System Board of Regents. Candidate recommendations will be forwarded to the TTU chancellor who will provide a recommendation to the Board of Regents for a final decision. Go to mcaSynapse.org to see a list committee members.

Commissioners Court approves $152M

After receiving unanimous support from Commissioners Court in July, University Medical Center (UMC) is moving forward with $152 million worth of projects. Bulk of the construction will commence in 2015. Projects include $28.5M to build a UMC Clinic in West El Paso, $28.5M to build a UMC Clinic in Far East El Paso, and $21M for the renovation of three floors at UMC. See a complete list of projects at mcaSynapse.org/real-estate.

UTEP to become Commercial Space Exploration hub

In other high tech news, the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) in July signed a cooperative agreement with Japan’s Kyushu Institute of Technology, known as Kyutech. The new partnership allows for faculty and student exchanges, as well as collaborative research on advancing aerospace technologies. UTEP plans to work with Spaceport America in Sierra, NM, a launch site for commercial space flight, and Blue Origin, a launch and test facility in Van Horn, Texas. Additionally, on Aug. 13, UTEP announced that former NASA astronaut Danny Olivas, PhD, will lead UTEP’s Center for the Advancement of Space Safety and Mission Assurance Research. He’ll also oversee space initia-tives on campus.

Luna achieves EHR meaningful use

Jose Luna, MD, chief clinical officer at Centro San Vicente, has been recognized for achieving meaningful use of its electronic health record (EHR) system. The recognition came from the West Texas Health Information Technol-ogy Regional Extension Center as part of an initiative of the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Tech-nology. Centro San Vicente went live with its EHR system in 2007. For more information on EHR transition, achieving meaningful use, and eligibility for EHR incentive payments and services: (806) 743-7960 or info@wtxhitrec.org.

presents a fund raiser luncheon “Taking Breast Cancer to Heart.” Proceeds will help cover physician costs associated with breast cancer treatment for patients who are living below the federal poverty level. wheN 11:30 am to 1 pm Oct. 2where El Paso Convention Center, down-town El Pasotickets $100/personmore (915) 521-7229 Global Health Delivery Seminar

This month’s Diversity Seminar Series will cover global health, diversity, and dispari-ties. Presenting is the director of Office for Global Health, TTUHSC El Paso.wheN Noon to 1 pm Oct. 23where TTUHSC Clinic Science Building, 3500 A, 4801 Alberta Ave.more haydee.lara@ttuhsc.edu

Diabetes Symposium

The El Paso Diabetes Association is having its “10th Annual Faces of Diabetes.” The meeting focuses on those affected by or at risk of diabetes.wheN Oct. 25where Convention Center, 1 Civic Center Plaza, downtown El Paso

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Paso del Norte Health Foundation establishes Healthy Living Institute

The Paso del Norte Institute for Healthy Living will bring together three universi-ties - the University of Texas at El Paso, the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston and TTUHSC Paul L. Foster School of Medicine - to promote healthy lifestyles and prevent obesity among young people along the border. The institute has been given $2.2 million to start health and nutrition and physical activity programs.

UTEP offers Biomedical Engineering

UTEP has enrolled 16 students into its new master’s and doctoral degree programs in biomedical engineering. The degree programs were approved in the summer. The curriculum has a focus on biomedical engineering for low-resource settings and the developing world. Grad students interested in applying for the Spring Semester have a Sept. 3 dead-line. Read more at mcaSynapse.org.

and Boone Street. The following MCA campus crossings will undergo upgrades such as median installations and new crossing arms: Chelsea Street and Con-cepcion Street. Construction could begin in December. The city’s Engineering and Construction Management Department will oversee the project.

Modifications on MCA railroad crossings scheduled

As part of a joint project with Union Pacific Railroad, the City of El Paso will modify eleven citywide railroad crossings. Modifications to some of those cross-ings will mean trains will be able to move more quietly though the Medical Center of the Americas (MCA) campus. The project requires the permanent closures of the following MCA campus railroad crossings: Estrella Street, Cebada Street,

NMSU switching degree programs

NMSU-Alamogordo wants to replace its Associate Degree in Nursing with an Associate Degree in Allied Health. The new degree could produce workforce-ready students interested in a variety of health careers. It also would provide a foundation for students seeking a bach-elor’s in nursing. The program change is meant to ease the difficulty encountered by rural community colleges to recruit and retain nurse faculty. NMSU hopes to have the new allied health program in place for students by fall 2014.

Construction for Texas Tech’s School of Nursing begins

Work has begun at the site of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) Gayle Greve Hunt School of Nursing. The 34,000-square-foot facility will be at the corner of Concepcion and Alberta streets, next to the Paul L. Foster School of Medicine and near University Medical Center and El Paso Children’s Hospital. The groundbreaking took place Aug. 19. Construction is set for comple-tion November 2014 and move-in is expected by January 2015. Construction is made possible through an $11 million grant administered by the Medical Center of the Americas (MCA) Foundation.

El Pasoans will be part of national cancer study

Sierra Providence Health Network and the American Cancer Society are recruit-ing El Pasoans for a data-based cancer study called the Cancer Prevention Study III, or CPS-3. The study, which will enroll a diverse population of half a million peo-ple across the U.S., will help researchers better understand the lifestyle, environ-mental and genetic factors that cause or prevent cancer. CPS-3 enrollment will be from Sept. 7 to Oct. 3. Read more at mcaSynapse.org.

TTUHSC visiting professor finds micro-biomes in Crohn’s intestinal mucosa

A study that evaluated bacterial popula-tions present in the intestinal tissue of pa-tients with Crohn’s and controls provides evidence suggesting there may be “at least two distinct populations of biotypes within the Crohn’s disease spectrum and the existence of a submucosal micro-biome in both health and disease.” The diagnosis, management, and treatment of Crohn’s disease could be revolution-ized if the study is corroborated by larger population studies and development of methodologies for a clinical setting, ac-cording to lead author Rodrick J. Chio-dini, PhD, formerly of the Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) El Paso. The study was published in the

August 2013 Journal of Clinical Gastro-enterology. Chiodini’s research was done in collaboration with TTUHSC’s gastroin-testinal and surgery research.

Children’s Hospital unveils WebCam

El Paso Children’s Hospital unveiled the Nicview WebCam System on Aug. 21. The webcam system is now available in the hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, giving parents the ability to watch their baby from the convenience of their computer or mobile device. Read more and see a video at mcaSynapse.org.

TTU opens tech transfer office in El Paso

Texas Tech University System has established an Office of Technology Commercialization (OTC) in El Paso, bringing a new tech transfer presence to the region. OTC will work with researchers and business partners to help translate research discoveries into commercial applications for the market. Texas Tech’s OTC office is located down-town, 500 W. Overland Ave. Learn more at facebook.com/epotc.

da Vinci Surgical System arrives at University Medical Center

The very first piece of medical equipment that was included in the University Medi-cal Center’s recent bond issue has been purchased. The da Vinci surgical system, a robotic platform designed to expand a surgeon’s capabilities and offer mini-mally invasive surgery, arrived June 29. Procedures with the equipment will begin in September.

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Synapse Founding Editor Noemi Rojas201 E. Main, Ste. 1514, El Paso, TX 79901

(915) 613-2478 ext. 2synapse@MCAmericas.org