Julio Palmaz, M.D., discussed the investment and determination it took to make his invention, the world's first cardiac stent, available to patients.
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Contact: Will Sansom, (210) 567-2579

SAN ANTONIO (Jan. 23, 2009) — The UT Health Science Center’s Greehey Children’s Cancer Research Institute played host Jan. 23 to The University of Texas System Chancellor’s Council Executive Committee Winter Meeting. A dozen Health Science Center faculty members discussed aspects of “From Bench to Bedside: Converting Concepts to Cures” in plenary lectures, tours and small-group discussions with 150 executive members of the Chancellor’s Council and another 90 local leaders.

Outgoing Health Science Center President Francisco G. Cigarroa, M.D., who on Feb. 2 became chancellor of the UT System, welcomed the distinguished group along with Kenneth I. Shine, M.D., outgoing interim chancellor who remains executive vice chancellor for health affairs of the UT System. Ricardo Romo, Ph.D., president of the University of Texas at San Antonio, also welcomed the group to San Antonio. Dr. Cigarroa is succeeded by Health Science Center Interim President William L. Henrich, M.D., MACP.

Major presentations
Featured speakers for the Bench to Bedside meeting included:

• Julio C. Palmaz, M.D., inventor of the world’s first cardiac stent, who discussed the investment and determination it took to make the stent available to millions of patients
  
• Sunil K. Ahuja, M.D., M.Sc., professor of medicine, immunology and biochemistry, who discussed research that is shedding light on genetic risk groups in HIV-AIDS
  
• Ian M. Thompson Jr., M.D., who spoke about clinical research studies that have changed the way prostate cancer is managed

Reflecting on the often winding road of translating an idea in the laboratory to common practice, Dr. Palmaz said, “I never felt in my wildest dreams that the stent would have this kind of success.” He later added: “My collaboration with the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio was the most successful and rewarding experience of my career. The university’s and its leaders’ open-mindedness and flexibility are to be commended and imitated by other universities.”

Small-group discussions feature prominent faculty members
The following faculty members led table talks with the visitors about translational research occurring at the Health Science Center:

• David F. Jimenez, M.D., FACS, professor and chairman, Department of Neurosurgery, described a minimally invasive surgery to cure an infant cranium abnormality.
  
• Bettie Sue Masters, Ph.D., D.Sc., M.D. (Hon.), The Robert A. Welch Distinguished Professor in Chemistry, Department of Biochemistry, discussed research utilizing stem cells.
  
• Peter Fox, M.D., director, Research Imaging Center; vice chair for research and research education, Department of Radiology; professor of Neurology, Physiology, Psychiatry and Radiology, spoke about breakthroughs in brain imaging.
  
• Arlan Richardson, Ph.D., professor, Department of Cellular & Structural Biology; director, Sam and Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies; Methodist Hospital Chair in Aging Studies, spoke on efforts to understand the biology of aging.
  
• Tyler Curiel, M.D., M.P.H., executive director, Cancer Therapy & Research Center at the UT Health Science Center, discussed groundbreaking cancer research.
  
• Boulos Toursarkissian, M.D., professor and chief of the Division of Vascular Surgery, discussed limb-salvage operations.
  
• John Calhoon, M.D., professor, Department of Surgery; chief of the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery; the Calhoon President’s Council Chair for Excellence in Surgery and the J. Kent Trinkle Distinguished Professor, described transplant triumphs.
  
• Steven Wolf, M.D., professor of surgery and the Betty and Bob Kelso Distinguished Chair in Burn and Trauma Surgery, spoke about rebuilding the body through tissue regeneration.
  
• Nicolas Musi, M.D., associate professor in the Department of Medicine/Division of Diabetes, discussed diabetes research and the effects of diet and exercise.
  
• Eileen Breslin, Ph.D., RN, dean of the School of Nursing and the Dr. Patty L. Hawken Nursing Endowed Professor, spoke about solutions for the nursing shortage.
  
• Brian Herman, Ph.D., vice president for research and professor, Department of Cellular & Structural Biology, discussed the university’s Clinical and Translational Science Award from the National Institutes of Health.

Barbie and Toby O’Connor visit with Brian Herman, Ph.D., (center) vice president for research, at the Chancellor’s Council Executive Committee Winter Meeting.

The Chancellor’s Council, established in 1965 by the Board of Regents and Development Board members, is an association of dedicated supporters and friends of the UT System. Individuals become members of the council based on their past record of private support of one of the 15 institutions in the system. Membership is open to individuals who have made cumulative cash contributions of $10,000 or planned gifts of $15,000 to a UT institution or the UT System. More than 9,000 people are members.

The Chancellor’s Council Executive Committee is the core leadership group that provides direct support and counsel to the chancellor. The group convenes several times annually and engages in dialogue with the chancellor regarding special initiatives and issues of importance to higher education in Texas.

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The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio is the leading research institution in South Texas and one of the major health sciences universities in the world. With an operating budget of $668 million, the Health Science Center is the chief catalyst for the $16.3 billion biosciences and health care sector in San Antonio’s economy. The Health Science Center has had an estimated $36 billion impact on the region since inception and has expanded to six campuses in San Antonio, Laredo, Harlingen and Edinburg. More than 25,600 graduates (physicians, dentists, nurses, scientists and other health professionals) serve in their fields, including many in Texas. Health Science Center faculty are international leaders in cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, aging, stroke prevention, kidney disease, orthopaedics, research imaging, transplant surgery, psychiatry and clinical neurosciences, pain management, genetics, nursing, dentistry and many other fields. For more information, visit www.uthscsa.edu.