Researchers honored with grant for geriatric studies
Two Health Science Center researchers, Drs. Jeanne Anderson and Richard Lin, were recently honored for their efforts in geriatric care with the Paul Beeson Scholars Award. The researchers, from the departments of Medicine and Pharmacology respectively, represent two out of 10 national recipients to win this annual award. Each will receive a $450,000 grant spread over three years to further their studies in aging and caring for the elderly.
The scholars program is designed to promote interest in geriatric research and to pave the way for more physicians who specialize in care for a segment of society that is expected to double by the year 2030.
According to the non-profit Alliance for Aging Research, fewer than 1 percent of the nation's physicians are certified in geriatrics, while the number of Americans 65 or older continues to climb.
"The Beeson Scholars program positively confronts this issue by providing the means to advance scientific aging research and medical training, which contributes to the knowledge base our physician scientists need in caring for our elderly," said Dr. Arlan Richardson, director of the Health Science Center Aging Research and Education Center. Dr. Richardson will serve as a mentor to both physicians as they conduct their research.
Dr. Anderson, assistant professor in the Division of Hematology, will use the Beeson grant funding to study the unique problems suffered by elderly patients being treated for cancers of the blood, and to develop new therapy approaches.
Dr. Anderson will also look at the relationship between these cancers and the aging process. Drs. Michael Lichtenstein and David Boldt, of the Department of Medicine, will serve alongside Dr. Richardson as mentors for Dr. Anderson's research project.
Dr. Anderson is a graduate of Yale and the Stanford University School of Medicine. She previously served as a medical oncology fellow at the University of Washington and a research associate at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. Dr. Anderson, a Health Science Center researcher since 1997, has participated in a number of studies and has been an invited lecturer at various meetings and events. Past awards include the American Cancer Society Clinical Oncology Development Award. Dr. Anderson is a member of the San Antonio Cancer Institute and American Society of Clinical Oncology, among other affiliations.
Tackling an area of study with little current information, Dr. Lin, assistant professor in the Division of Clinical Pharmacology, will investigate how aging alters the vascular system. With the help of the latest technology in molecular genetics, he will be one of the first to study how aging affects the biochemical level of the vascular system.
Dr. Lin is a graduate of Columbia University, Stanford University and the University of California School of Medicine. His past honors include the Careers in Clinical Pharmacology Fellowship Award from the Pharma-ceutical Research and Manufacturers of America Foundation and the National Library of Medicine Medical Information Science Fellowship Award. Dr. Lin has worked as an attending physician in a geriatric clinic and an acute geriatric inpatient ward.
"The Beeson Scholars program is selecting the next generation of leaders in geriatric medicine," said Daniel Perry, executive director of the Alliance for Aging Research, a Beeson Award co-sponsor. "Dr. Anderson and Dr. Lin join a very elite group of Beeson Scholars in trailblazing a new understanding of the aging process."
The Beeson award was launched in 1994 and has provided more than $25 million to approximately 51 physicians such as Anderson and Lin.
Scholar award winners are selected on the basis of the quality of research proposed, the qualifications of both the researcher and the mentor, and the level of commitment to studies dealing with aging.
This year's winners included junior physicians from such institutions as Harvard University, Stanford University and Duke University Medical Center.
"We expect the Beeson Scholars to provide important leadership in aging-related research, teaching and practice, well into the 21st century," said Stephanie Lederman, executive director of the American Federation for Aging Research. "This is an outstanding group of junior physician faculty, whose research has already demonstrated great promise."
That's the reason dozens of dental and dental hygiene students volunteered to provide free oral health screenings to Special Olympics athletes April 24 at the Alamo Heights High School Stadium.
The program is called, fittingly, Special Smiles.
Dental care is readily available to many populations in this country, but not so to a large group of people with special needs, said Dr. Tom Marshall, Department of Restorative Dentistry, and Dr. Carolyn Marshall, Department of Dental Diagnostic Science. Offering oral health screenings at the Special Olympics highlights the needs of special care populations for students and faculty, and sensitizes them to the issues involved in their care.
The Marshalls are Special Olympics/Special Smiles coordinators for San Antonio. Their School of Allied Health Sciences colleague, Kathy Geurink, serves as Special Smiles coordinator for the Department of Dental Hygiene and has organized its participation every year since 1994.
Dental student Adam Wolff, a senior, became interested in providing care to this population several years ago while at Colgate University. He enrolled at the Health Science Center's Dental School because of its strong reputation for community service.
"Individuals with special needs may be afraid of the dentist, or may lack the resources or knowledge to come for appointments," Wolff said. "Maybe no one offers to take the time to bring them. Some dental offices are not equipped to treat handicapped patients. My goal is to see these patients and give them the best quality of care."
Dr. Steven Perlman, a pediatric dentist in Boston, conceived Special Smiles several years ago. Dr. Perlman, who provides the dental care for Rosemary Kennedy, daughter of Eunice Shriver, saw a gap in care for adults with developmental problems. "It used to be that many people with developmental disabilities did not live out of their teens," Dr. Tom Marshall said. "Now we see many older patients." Many beyond the age of 25 may be lacking care because they no longer are claimed as dependents by parents or guardians, he added.
The Marshalls, who are husband and wife, answered Dr. Perlman's call in 1994 when Special Smiles was founded. Along with Geurink, they have organized participation each spring and found students such as Wolff who are willing to organize student involvement.
About 225 athletes came for screening at Special Olympics this April. The dental hygiene students, using learning tools such as giant toothbrushes, instructed the athletes on proper oral hygiene. "Hygienists work with the individual athlete and with the parent, volunteer or other friend who accompanies the athlete," Dr. Marshall said.
The Marshalls, Geurink and other faculty provided student supervision. The oral health exams performed by the dental students included a soft tissue exam and visual scan of the teeth.
"These are not definitive exams. We fill out exit sheets to be given to parents and guardians detailing the attention an athlete needs," Dr. Marshall said.
More than 2,000 Special Olympians from South Texas have benefited from oral screenings and referrals under the auspices of Special Smiles.
Wolff decided to pursue dentistry and began looking at schools as an under-graduate. He visited 10 and was accepted at all of them, but chose the Health Science Center's program largely on the recommendation of Dr. Perlman, who said it was one of the best he had seen.
Now Wolff is a Special Smiles veteran. So are the Marshalls, Geurink and many others in the Dental School. "It is an important cause, and those who volunteered this year want to do it again," Dr. Marshall said.
"A Phase II Trial of CPT-11 in Patients with Refractory or Relapsed Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia," Dr. Jeanne Anderson, Pharmacia & Upjohn Co., $135,302, 1 year.
"Acute Bacterial Exacerbations of Chronic Bronchitis," Dr. Antonio Anzueto, Pharmaceutical Research Association Inc., $35,000, 9 months.
"The Role of AKT in Mesangial Cell Proliferation & Migration," Dr. Ana Theresa Eakes, NIH/National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases (NIDDKD), $106,788, 2 years.
"Intergovernmental Personnel Agreement (IPA) for Virginia Seguin Mika," Dr. Meghan Gerety, South Texas Veterans Health Care System, $18,203, 1 year.
"A Multiclinic, Double-Blind, Randomized, Comparative Study to Evaluate the Safety, Tolerability & Efficacy of MK-0991 vs. Fluconazole in the Treatment of Esophageal Candidiasis in Adults," Dr. John Graybill, Merck, $47,754, 1 year.
"Assessment of the Activity of SB-265805 Against Fluoroquinolone-Susceptible & -Resistant Clinical Isolates of Streptococcus Pneumoniae," Dr. James Jorgensen, SmithKline Beecham, $12,000, 4 months.
"Linezolid for the Treatment of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcal Infections: A Double-Blind Trial Comparing 600 mg Linezolid Every 12 Hours with 200 mg Linezolid Every 12 Hours," Dr. Jan Patterson, Pharmacia & Upjohn, $31,690, 2 years.
"Molecular Basis of Resistance to Protegrin," Dr. John Gunn, Intrabiotics Pharmaceuticals Inc., $36,000, 1 year.
"Determinants of Disease in EAMG," Dr. Keith Krolick, NIH/National Institute of Neurological Disorders & Stroke (NINDS), $44,837, 1 year.
"Development of a Simple Diagnostic Assay for Cysticercosis," Dr. Judy Teale, NIH/Fogarty International Center, $71,120, 3 years.
"IPA for Kurt Elliot," Dr. Alan Frazer, Biomedical Research Foundation of South Texas, $25,847, 16 months.
"Determining the Mechanism of Regulation & Potential Roles of Mouse Phosphatidylinos," Dr. Feng Liu, American Diabetes Association, $100,000, 1 year.
"Single-Dose Pharmacokinetics of Vasomax in Subjects with Various Degrees of Chronic Liver Disease," Dr. Steven Schenker, Schering Plough Pharmaceuticals, $70,947, 7 months.
"Angiotensin Modulates Sympathoadrenal Responsiveness," Dr. John Vanness, NIH/National Heart, Lung & Blood Institute (NHLBI), $75,068, 2 years.
"Services of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Residents (San Antonio State Hospital)," Dr. Charles Bowden, San Antonio State Hospital, $24,405, 6 months.
"A 12-Week, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Parallel Group Study to Assess the Efficacy & Tolerability of Paroxetine in Patients Suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)," Dr. John Casada, SmithKline Beecham, $72,600, 1 year.
"Integrated Family Treatment Program Consultation Agreement," Dr. Martha Medrano, City of San Antonio/Metropolitan Health District, $53,355, 1 year.
"An Open-Label Comparison of the Neurocognitive Effects of Aripiprazole Compared to Olanzapine Administered Orally in Patients with Stable Psychosis," Dr. Alexander Miller, Otsuka America Pharmaceutical Inc., $194,125, 1 year.
"An Open-Label, Follow-up Study of the Long-Term Safety of Aripiprazole Administered Orally in Patients with Psychosis," Dr. Alexander Miller, Otsuka America, $10,000, 44 months.
"An Open-Label, Follow-up Study of the Long-Term Safety of Aripiprazole Administered Orally in Patients with Psychotic Disorders or Psychotic Behaviors of Dementia," Dr. Alexander Miller, Otsuka America, $10,000, 44 months.
"A Phase III, Open-Label, Treatment-Switching Study from Orally Administered Anti-Psychotic Monotherapy to Orally Administered Aripiprazole Monotherapy in the Treatment of Chronic Schizophrenic/Schizoaffective Patients," Dr. Alexander Miller, Otsuka America, $206,125, 9 months.
"Membrane-Related Bioeffects & Protein Nitration After High-Peak-Power Pulsed & Ultra-Wide-Band Microwave Radiation Exposures," Dr. Martin Meltz, U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research, $198,567, 18 months.
"M.D. Anderson Residency Interagency Cooperation Contract," Dr. Kenneth Sirinek, U. T. M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, $50,528, 1 year.
Reagan will integrate existing courses with new offerings, utilizing trainers from the Office of Human Resources, the Briscoe Library, the Computing Resources Department, the Center for Distance Learning and Telehealth, and commercial providers.
Training will take place in the Administration Building and the library, and in a new 15-workstation classroom in the Allied Health/Research Building, room 2.106.
"As an institution, we owe it to our faculty and staff to offer quality training that enables members to fully utilize all available information technologies including desktop products; our growing voice, data and video network; and new initiatives which are being planned, such as a management information system," York said.
Reagan pointed to a widely used desktop application, Microsoft Office, as an example of the need for proper training. "When the Microsoft staff members give training sessions, they say most people are using only about 15 percent of the software's capabilities," she said. "That's a poor use of a powerful tool, and decreases an employee's productivity and satisfaction level."
Busy employees may like the fact that the training courses will last three to four hours rather than a full day. Offerings will include both classroom training and computer-based training with support. "We have commitments to hire several full-time trainers over time," York said.
"Given the expected tremendous demand for this service, we see a 12- to 18-month period where courses will be completely full and we will be catching up with demand. We ask the Health Science Center community to be patient as we begin this training initiative."
Reagan comes to the Health Science Center from Texas Careers, a San Antonio company where she was director of business education. She wrote the school catalog, taught computer training classes, maintained computers and printers, and coordinated six programs offering 100 to 120 classes a year.
She previously was an educational therapist at Laurel Ridge Hospital, where she wrote and developed individualized curricula for students in grades K-12 and coordinated training courses for employees. Reagan is a graduate of Southwest Texas State University.
"I'm pleased to be here," she said. "We will work on people's learning curves, helping them get over the 'fear factor' with quality computer training. The more training we provide, the more qualified computer users we will have in the workplace. We want to build our intellectual infrastructure."
All training will be offered at no cost to departments, but a charge will be assessed in the event a registrant is absent on training day. The employee's name and department account number will be required information for course registration. Supervisor approval is required for all training.
Reagan will develop a course catalog to be placed on Computing Resources' World Wide Web site, and new course offerings should begin this fall and will be enhanced over time. "In addition, our intent is to look into offering continuing education units (CEUs) for courses," York said.
Reagan's husband, Tom, runs a day care center. The Reagans have two children, 7-year-old J.T. and 2-year-old Kendra.
Many laboratory employees have already viewed this tape and will not be required to repeat the process.
Each department has an appointed department training coordinator who will arrange for individuals in the department to view the 18-minute tape.
The film, number 88-385, can be obtained through demand access at ext. 2212. The department training coordinator also may check out a copy of the film from the Office of Institutional Safety on a reservation basis.
A participant's manual will be distributed to each person viewing the tape and a safety quiz will follow. The quiz will be completed following the video and will be considered documentation that the employee saw the tape.
Each person will need to provide a signature, date of viewing, Social Security number, and the name of the department where he or she is employed.
In an effort to facilitate the viewing of this tape with minimal interruption of schedules, arrangements have been made to show the video in the university auditorium on the following dates:
The event was held May 13 at The Dominion clubhouse.
The News, the Health Science Center's weekly in-house newsletter, won an IABC Award of Merit in two categories, including feature writing and internal communications. News Editor Will Sansom received one of the honors for the piece "Sketching the Envelope," a feature on Health Science Center researcher Dr. Carlton Eddy and the naval artwork he sketches on the envelopes of letters he sends to his son, a Petty Officer in the U.S. Navy stationed aboard the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln.
Since 1992, The News has received seven awards from peers in the San Antonio communications field.
The Health Science Center also took home an IABC Award of Excellence for its 25th anniversary campaign, including special events, publications and a special 25th anniversary issue of The Mission magazine titled "25 Years of Miracles."
Items for auction will include medical equipment, shelving, desks, typewriters and calculators. For more information, call ext. 6021.
The 36-hour degree plan offers a thesis and non-thesis track and allows for 12 hours of approved electives so that teachers can weave the technology into their specific area of expertise.
The master's program was designed to prepare educators to make effective use of available technologies. For more information, visit the TeleCampus web site at
The annual award is given to a graduating student who best exemplifies the characteristics of occupational therapy educator and a longtime clinician, Wilma L. West.
West, who passed away in 1997 at the age of 81, served as president of the American Occupational Therapy Foundation twice, from 1961 to 1964 and from 1976 to 1982. She was named President Emerita of the foundation in 1982. She was the recipient of several awards, including the Award of Merit in 1951 and the Eleanor Clark Slagle Lectureship in 1967.
Dr. Marilyn Harrington, dean of the School of Allied Health Sciences, and Dr. Gale Haradon, chairman of the Occupational Therapy Department, presented Laredo with the award during a recent ceremony. Laredo is completing his clinical training and is expected to graduate this year.
Research shows that when a driver is unbuckled, 70 percent of the time the children in the vehicle also are not using seat belts.
The Health Science Center Police Department asks all of its community members to use their seat belts and save lives.
Students, faculty volunteers
Every person deserves a special smile.
screen Special Olympians
Newly Granted
The following new and competitive renewal grants and awards were recorded in the Office of Grants Management.
"Improved Gels for DNA Sequencing: Supplement," Dr. Philip Serwer, National Institutes of Health (NIH)/National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), $72,097, 10 months.
"A New Marker for Assessing Colon Cancer Risk," Dr. Wanda Hardman, San Antonio Cancer Institute, $15,000, 1 year.
"Telemedicine Internet Connectivity," Dr. Helen Cronenberger, Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund Board, $2,907,330, 2 years.
"Identification of Familial Clustering of Adult Periodontal Disease in the Population of San Juan la Laguna, Guatemala," Dr. Vincent Segreto, Indiana University School of Dentistry, $30,472, 4 months.
"Continued Development of a Multiyear Plan for Fluoridation of the Americas," Dr. Ramon Baez, Pan American Health Organization, $28,666, 4 months.
"Efficacy of Diet & Chemo-preventatives on Cancer Progression in a Novel Mouse," Dr. Z. Dave Sharp, American Institute for Cancer Research, $82,500, 1 year.
"National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NNLM)," Dr. Virginia Bowden, NNLM, $24,700, 1 year.
"Training of Resident Physicians," Dr. James Young, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, $366,904, 1 year.
"A Phase III, Open-Label, Multi-center, Randomized, Comparative Study of Topotecan, ARA-C & G-CSF (TAG) vs. Idarubicin, ARA-C & G-CSF in MDS patients," Dr. Jeanne Anderson, SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals, $56,150, 30 months.
"Virus Penetration of Protective Clothing After New Treatment," Dr. Charles Gauntt, Biomedical Development Corp., $1,200, 1 year.
"The Role of Photo-Activated Melanosomes & Cellular Anti-Oxidant Defenses in the Response of RPE Cells to Laser Radiation," Dr. Randolph Glickman, U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research, $198,567, 18 months.
"Functional Development in a Model Vestibular System," Dr. Michael Wiederhold, NASA, $37,926, 21 months.
"Development of Dominant Negative Mutants of BAX Protein to Inhibit Ischemic Cell Death," Dr. Pothana Saikumar, Morrison Trust, $30,000, 1 year.
"Part-Time Services of a Geneticist to the Center for Genetic Services," Dr. Celia Kaye, Center for Genetic Services, $48,000, 1 year.
"A Pivotal, Randomized, Parallel Evaluation of Recombinant Human Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2/Absorbable Collagen Sponge & Bone Graft for Maxillary Sinus Floor Augmentation," Dr. David Cochran, Genetics Institute, $104,000, 2 years.
"A Randomized, Crossover Study to Evaluate CYP1A2
Inhibition of Venlafaxine, Fluvoxamine, Paroxetine &
Fluoxetine," Dr. Larry Ereshefsky, Wyeth-Ayerst Pharmaceuticals, $138,024, 1 year.
"The Role of Oxidative Stress on the Growth of Ethylnitrosourea (ENU)-Induced Glioma & Modulation by Dietary Restriction," Dr. Yuji Ikeno, Meadows Foundation, $10,000, 1 year.
"Consultant Services to the Mental Retardation Clinical Services Unit," Dr. Charles Bowden, Bexar County Mental Health/Mental Retardation (MHMR), $156,120, 1 year.
"Clinical Physics Program: Graduate Students," Dr. Gary Fullerton, Cancer Therapy & Research Center, $35,200, 1 year.
"Clinical Perfusionist Services," Dr. John Calhoon, South Texas Veterans Health Care System, $116,979, 1 year.
Computer training coordinator hired;
Christy K. Reagan started work April 26 as technology training coordinator in the Information Management and Services Department. She is the central coordinator for all computer-related training initiatives at the Health Science Center, said A. Jerome York, vice president/chief information officer.
new classroom planned
HSC employees required to view
The Texas Communications Act requires safety training for all employees who work with hazardous chemicals. Everyone works with chemicals in the workplace, although many are not con-sidered dangerous, but may be hazardous depending on their use and quantity.
hazardous safety videotape in June
Therefore, to ensure compliance with this act and to assure the safety of all employees, all Health Science Center personnel will be required to view a hazardous safety videotape.This requirement extends to new employees, reassigned personnel and those who have transferred from other work sites.
Applause
The News gathers IABC accolades
The Health Science Center Office of Public Affairs recently won accolades for two of its publications at the annual International Association of Business Communicators of San Antonio Bronze Quill awards ceremony.
Of Note
Surplus auction to be held May 22
The Health Science Center will hold holding a public auction of surplus/obsolete property Saturday, May 22, at 9 a.m. in the General Services warehouse. A viewing of the auction goods will held May 21 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and May 22 from 8 to 9 a.m. Refreshments will be sold during the sale.
Master's Degree Offered online
The University of Texas is offering a Master of Education degree in Educational Technology online. The degree is offered via the U. T. TeleCampus, a support and service center for distance education. Students will earn this collaborative master's degree from U. T. Brownsville, but will also receive courses from U. T. campuses in Austin and El Paso. Students are not required to make any on-campus visits to these schools.
Laredo wins occupational therapy award
The Occupational Therapy Department at the School of Allied Health Sciences recently awarded its Wilma L. West Award to fourth-year student Rafferty Laredo.
Buckle Up America Week begins May 24
Buckle Up America Week will begin May 24 and will focus on the importance of buckling up children. During the week law enforcement personnel will conduct high visibility enforcement of child passenger safety laws.