HSC inventors to receive European patents

Drs. A.P. Shepherd (left) and John Steinke, Department of Physiology, hope to develop new applications for their portable blood-analyzing technology. Here the oximeter sits atop a conventional unit.

The technology, invented by Drs. A.P. Shepherd and John Steinke of the Department of Physiology, is licensed by Avox Systems Inc. of San Antonio. More than 700 hospitals in 18 countries have purchased various models of the oximeter since the first model reached the market six years ago.

"These patents are important to the company and the university," said Dr. Shepherd, who founded Avox Systems in 1976. "They give the university and the licensee the exclusive right, in those countries, to continue the commercial development of this technology."

The oximeters shine light through blood samples at different wavelengths and compute the percentage of absorption of each wavelength. "By measuring how much light is absorbed at each wavelength, we can deduce the percentage of hemoglobin saturated with oxygen and the oxygen content of each blood sample," Dr. Shepherd said.

Three products now on the market are based on this technology. The first is a whole-blood oximeter that is used in cardiac catheterization laboratories to measure oxygen saturation. The second is a portable co-oximeter that makes additional measurements including carboxyhemoglobin, a substance found in the blood of carbon monoxide poisoning victims. The third product is a co-oximetry module that is incorporated into a multi-purpose analyzer manufactured under a sublicense to Instrumentation Laboratory, based in Lexington, Mass., and Milan, Italy.

Conventional co-oximeters stand 2 feet tall, weigh 50 pounds and analyze blood samples in 90 seconds. The Health Science Center inventions perform the same functions in 10 seconds. They also weigh only 4 pounds and cost roughly half as much as conventional instruments.

"Because this technology lends itself to miniaturization, we can design small, portable instruments for near-patient testing," Dr. Shepherd said. "Clinicians can use these instruments at the bedside. This gives them information as quickly as possible, which may result in better management decisions and earlier discharge dates for the patients."

Drs. Shepherd and Steinke plan to develop additional instruments from this technology. They are applying for Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) grants for that purpose, which may result in additional research and development innovations at the Health Science Center.

Health Science Center wraps up
another successful charitable campaign

The SECC Coordinating Council's campaign rode the tide of success of the 1999 NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs, whose chairman Peter Holt is this year's chair of the general campaign for the United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County. Holt delivered the keynote address at the Health Science Center's SECC Leadership Breakfast.

In addition to a Spurs Coyote photo opportunity and a campus basketball challenge won by information management services, the SECC Advisory Council held its first Silly Hat Contest, won by Dr. Gary White, student services, and first runner-up Barbara Ballentine, bursar's office. The Second Annual Hawaiian Shirt Contest was won by Gregory DuValle, educational resources, and first runner-up Kathleen "Cookie" Boehme, physiology. This year's Taco Wars were won by custodial services. The grand prize dinner at Sea World for overall best campaign performance went to pediatrics. Eliza Reyna, purchasing, won the drawing for two free airline tickets.

Departments in four size categories also won prizes. In recognition of total contributions received, the Office of the Bursar and the Departments of Anesthesiology, Psychiatry and Purchasing won taco breakfasts. Prizes for the largest amount in per capita giving went to the Office of the Allied Health Sciences Dean, and the Departments of Otolaryngology, Pathology and Pediatric Dentistry. At 140 percent, the Office of the Nursing Dean took the award for the greatest participation. The Telecommunications and Networking Department had the greatest percentage increase in participation over the 1998 campaign--69.9 percent--and MSRDP had the greatest increase in the number of donors over the 1998 campaign--46 additional donors.

Prizes for the most money contributed to SECC went to the Department of Medicine (first prize), the Office of the Medical Dean (second prize), and the Department of Molecular Medicine (third prize).

Dr. Deborah Greene, vice president for institutional effectiveness and planning and this year's Health Science Center campaign coordinator, remarked that despite the growth in SECC-related events, this year's campaign was challenging. Setting a new record is a very welcome outcome.

"If it were not for the continued support of the more than 1,900 individual donors who were able to contribute this year, including first-time participants from the School of Public Health and retirees who were invited to participate, and the new leadership donors who contributed $25,000 new dollars to our campaign, we would not have been able to meet the challenge," said Dr. Greene. "I am very proud of what this Health Science Center has been able to achieve for the community."

The kickoff for the general campaign was held Oct. 5, and a community goal of $32 million was announced. The pacesetter campaign total of $13.2 million was applauded. A major activity of the general campaign is the Days of Caring, held Oct. 19-23. This year's project will be the creation of a 23-acre park in an under-served Northeast neighborhood. For more information, contact Joe Ocampo at ext. 2980, or email him at <ocampo@uthscsa.edu>.

Year 2000 countdown begins
for Health Science Center

Work began in 1995 to convert the university's mainframe administrative systems for Y2K compliance. The Health Science Center then formed a 14-member task force devoted to Y2K issues in 1997, targeting and items on campus that may be vulnerable to Y2K problems, including research equipment, building automation, security systems and outside vendors the institution uses to conduct business.

In conjunction with the task force, a coordinator was picked from each of the university departments to serve as a primary contact on Y2K topics and to identify potential problems with his or her department's equipment. Departments also have been urged to contact outside vendors and manufacturers who supply researchers with samples or equipment and to find out if these organizations are Y2K compliant.

Jim Barrett, academic liaison in the Computing Resources Department, said more than 380 companies were identified as providing critical supplies and services to the university, and each was sent a letter requesting information on its own compliance status. The vast majority of companies have responded to the university and outlined strategies and actions.

Spirit of Giving meeting set for Oct. 19

Through the Gifts for Children program, Health Science Center employees raise money for and donate hundreds of presents throughout the year to children who are hospitalized or receiving clinical care.

The Oct. 19 Gifts for Children meeting is open to anyone interested in helping the gifts drive.

The Special Events Council held a book fair Sept. 29, Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 in the third-floor snack area of the Medical School to benefit Gifts for Children. Faculty, staff and students were able to browse the stacks for discount books, stationery and children's educational activities. Proceeds from the book fair will support the charitable program.

Newly Granted

"Biochemistry/Molecular Biology of OP-1," Dr. John Lee, Stryker Biotech, $662,400, 2 years.

"Virologic & Immunologic Studies of Murine CMV Retinitis," Dr. Sally Atherton, National Institutes of Health (NIH)/National Eye Institute (NEI), $60,000, 1 year.

"Selecting New Coding Sequences by PCR with CDNA Primers," Dr. Pudur Jagadeeswaran, NIH/Kalgen Inc., $125,078, 1 year.

"Professional Nurse Traineeship Program," Dr. Janet Allan, Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS)/Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), $43,498, 1 year.

"Mexican-American Infant Feeding Beliefs," Dr. Sara Gill, Texas Department of Health, $4,075, 3 months.

"Nurse Practitioner & Nurse Midwifery Program," Dr. Judith Longworth, DHHS/HRSA, $302,450, 1 year.

"Environmental House Calls," Dr. Claudia Miller, The National Environmental Education & Training Foundation Inc., $15,000, 1 year.

"Multicorn as an Example of Regulation of Proteolytic Activities of Large Complexes on a Molecular Level," Dr. Maria Gaczynska, National Science Foundation, $389,260, 2 years.

"Cancer Suppression by the Retinoblastoma Gene," Dr. Wen-Hwa Lee, NIH/National Cancer Institute (NCI), $1,038,784, 9 months.

"Host Genetic Determinants of HIV Pathogenesis," Dr. Sunil Ahuja, NIH/National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases (NIAID), $643,363, 1 year.

"Intergovernmental Personnel Act Agreement for Jerry Alan Bates," Dr. Robert Clark, South Texas Veterans Health Care System, $54,247, 2 years.

"Development of Pressure, Volume Relationships in Small Animal Hearts," Dr. Marc Feldman, Millar Instruments Inc., $26,300, 1 year.

"Randomized, Controlled Trial of SCH 56592 Oral Suspension vs. Fluconazole Suspension in the Treatment of Oropharyngeal Candidiasis (OPC) in HIV-Positive Patients," Dr. John Graybill, Schering-Plough Research Institute, $29,571, 2 years.

"Primary Care Residency Program," Dr. Mark Henderson, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, $45,000, 1 year.

"Study of Intravenous Immunoglobulin in Generalized Myasthenia Gravis," Dr. Carlayne Jackson, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, $9,259, 1 year, 8 months.

"Targeted Antibody Inhibition of Bone Metastases by Prostate Cancer," Dr. Xiaochun Li, Department of the Army, $83,642, 2 years.

"Effects of Tumors on the Skeleton," Dr. Gregory Mundy, NIH/NCI, $5,355,647, 5 years.

"A Double-Blind, Randomized, Multicenter Trial Comparing the Efficacy & Tolerability of 250 MG of Faslodex with 20 MG of Nolvadex in Postmenopausal Women with Advanced Breast Cancer," Dr. Peter Ravdin, Zeneca Pharmaceuticals, $67,997, 1 year.

"Evaluation of Photo-oxidative Stress in H-Tert Transfected Cells," Dr. Randolph Glickman, Geron Corporation, $33,993, 5 months.

"Characterization of Wear Debris Produced at Sulzer Orthopaedics," Dr. Mauli Agrawal, Sulzer Orthopaedics Inc., $30,000, 1 year.

"Clinical Utility of EBV Viral-Load Assays in HIV Patients," Dr. Margaret Gulley, Cancer Therapy & Research Center, $42,709, 1 year.

"Biomarkers of Clinical Outcome in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma," Dr. Margaret Gulley, Cancer Therapy & Research Center, $40,296, 1 year.

"GPS-014/QDA FDA Clinical Susceptibility Study," Dr. James Jorgensen, Biomerieux Vitek, $14,000, 6 months.

"Analytic Laboratory Agreement," Dr. Michael Rinaldi, Novartis Consumer Health Inc., $89,900, 1 year.

"HIV Pediatric Surveillance," Dr. Victor German, Texas Department of Health, $1,276, 1 year.

"A Randomized, Comparative Study of Alatrofloxacin vs. Centriaxone with Optional Vancomycin in Children with Bacterial Meningitis," Dr. Hal Jenson, Pfizer Inc., $24,000, 1 year.

"Texas Genetics Network," Dr. Celia Kaye, Texas Department of Health, $39,489, 1 year.

"Analytical & Pharmacokinetic Analysis of MGI 114," Dr. John Kuhn, MGI Pharma, $38,024, 1 year.

"A Randomized, Double-Blind, Amlodipine & Losartan-Controlled Study of Omapatrilat in Subjects with Mild to Moderate Hypertension," Dr. Alexander Shepherd, Bristol Myers Squibb, $29,855, 6 months.

"Program for Minority Research Training in Psychiatry," Dr. Charles Bowden, American Psychiatric Association, $33,012, 1 year.

"Technical Services for Psychotherapeutic Drug Levels," Dr. Martin Javors, University Health System, $3,600, 1 year.

"The Texas Approach to Psychosocial Rehabilitation Plan," Dr. Delia Saldana, Texas Department of Mental Health & Mental Retardation, $50,000, 2 years.

"The Texas Approach to Psychosocial Rehabilitation Plan," Dr. Delia Saldana, Texas Department of Mental Health & Mental Retardation, $2,000, 2 years.

"DNA-Damaging Agents & Apoptosis in Prostate Cancer," Dr. Barbara Woynarowska, NIH/NCI, $546,575, 4 years.

"A Randomized, Controlled Study to Evaluate the Role of an In-Home Asthma Disease Management Program Provided by Respiratory Therapists in Improving Outcomes & Reducing the Cost of Care," Dr. Terry Legrand, American Association for Respiratory Care, $115,378, 2 years.

"Pell Grant Program," Dr. Robert Lawson, Department of Education, $446,126, 1 year.

"Educational Support for the Portland Bone Symposium" Dr. John Schmitz, NIH/National Institute of Dental & Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), $9,375, 1 year.

MERIT honoree heads team studying gene therapy for kidney inflammation Dr. Hanna Abboud, professor of medicine and chief of the Nephrology Division, is seeking genetic keys to slow or even reverse kidney damage. His research findings soon may help those who are susceptible to renal disease, freeing them from the threat of kidney failure and the confinement of blood-filtering dialysis treatments.

Dr. Abboud is one of about 10 Health Science Center researchers who hold the prestigious MERIT designation from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). MERIT, which stands for "Method to Extend Research in Time," provides long-term, stable support for an investigator's research program. Dr. Abboud's lab team is studying potential gene therapy for glomerulonephritis, which is inflammation of the capillaries or small blood vessels in the kidney.

In addition to receiving the MERIT Award in 1998, Dr. Abboud's team captured a highly competitive Research Enhancement Award from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Only two renal research programs received this funding nationwide; the other program is in South Carolina. Dr. Abboud is the principal investigator on this grant, which brought support of more than $1.3 million to the Health Science Center and matching funds in the same amount to the South Texas Veterans Health Care System.

Co-investigators on the "Gene Therapy for Glomerulonephritis" grant are Drs. Dan Riley, Jeffrey Barnes, Sherry Abboud, Balakuntalam Kasinath and Goutam Ghosh-Choudhury, all from the Department of Medicine.

The researchers have identified several signaling molecules involved in the progression of kidney inflammation. This inflammation, called glomerulonephritis, results in about one-third of all cases of end-stage renal disease. Patients with this severity of disease must undergo dialysis treatment regularly to remove waste products from their bodies. Currently the damage is irreversible. The scientists hope to find gene therapies to halt the inflammation process and prevent end-stage renal disease.

Dr. Abboud and his colleagues plan to study experimental models of renal disease (mice and rats) investigating ways to neutralize the effect of the culprit molecules. "We want to knock out action at specific points in inflammation pathways," he said. The result may be a significant breakthrough in the prevention and treatment of kidney disease.

MERIT honoree heads team studying
gene therapy for kidney inflammation

Dr. Abboud is one of about 10 Health Science Center researchers who hold the prestigious MERIT designation from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). MERIT, which stands for "Method to Extend Research in Time," provides long-term, stable support for an investigator's research program. Dr. Abboud's lab team is studying potential gene therapy for glomerulonephritis, which is inflammation of the capillaries or small blood vessels in the kidney.

In addition to receiving the MERIT Award in 1998, Dr. Abboud's team captured a highly competitive Research Enhancement Award from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Only two renal research programs received this funding nationwide; the other program is in South Carolina. Dr. Abboud is the principal investigator on this grant, which brought support of more than $1.3 million to the Health Science Center and matching funds in the same amount to the South Texas Veterans Health Care system.

Co-investigators on the "Gene Therapy for Glomerulonephritis" grant are Drs. Dan Riley, Jeffrey Barnes, Sherry Abboud, Balakuntalam Kasinath and Goutam Ghosh-Choudhury, all from the Department of Medicine.

The researchers have identified several signaling molecules involved in the progression of kidney inflammation. This inflammation, called glomerulonephritis, results in about one-third of all cases of end-stage renal disease. Patients with this severity of disease must undergo dialysis treatment regularly to remove waste products from their bodies. Currently the damage is irreversible. The scientists hope to find gene therapies to halt the inflammation process and prevent end-stage renal disease.

Dr. Abboud and his colleagues plan to study experimental models of renal disease (mice and rats) investigating ways to neutralize the effect of the culprit molecules.

"We want to knock out action at specific points in inflammation pathways," he said. The result may be a significant breakthrough in the prevention and treatment of kidney disease.

Health Science Center committee
to develop policy for campus facilities

The committee is charged with providing a report and recommendations to Dr. John P. Howe, III, president, by next Sept. 1. Campus locations at 7703 Floyd Curl, 8403 Floyd Curl, the Texas Research Park, and at leased sites in San Antonio will be affected by the allocation policy when it is approved.

The committee will consider and report on administrative (both academic departments and educational support departments), clinical (excluding inpatient care), educational, infrastructure and research space; appropriate factors for each function on which space allocation decisions will be based; priority of space allocations for new multidisciplinary research programs; allocations for replacement faculty and for new faculty lines; allocations for health, safety and utilities; and allocations of administrative support space as a function of clinical, educational or research expansion.

Progress on the committee's work will be provided in future News articles and through broadcast e-mail messages. The committee will solicit input from members of the Health Science Center community as well as feedback when a draft report is available. In October members of the committee will visit faculty councils and assemblies and directors' meetings to provide information about the committee's activities.

In addition to Dr. Greene, committee members include William Allen, medicine; Dr. Olav Alvares, periodontics; Tom Baggs, Center for Distance Learning and Telehealth; Dr. Ann Burgardt, emergency medical technology; Delbert Gonzalez, accounting; Dr. Brenda Jackson, acute nursing care; Dr. Bankole Johnson, psychiatry; Dr. Merle Olson, biochemistry; Carol Van Natta, university relations; Dr. Gary Sertich, intellectual property administration; Daniel Sibley, facilities management; and Linda Styles, planning. Other Health Science Center faculty and staff will be asked to join several subcommittees that will be addressing the five space categories in detail.

To ask questions about or provide input into the committee's activities, please contact Dr. Greene at <Greened@uthscsa.edu>.

Of Note

New electronic services available at Briscoe Library

Run 4 Life run and walk scheduled for Oct. 9

The 5K run/walk begins at 8 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 9, at the Valero Energy Building. The course will run through Brackenridge Park and conclude at the Valero Building. Children 12 and under can take part in the Children's Fun Run quarter-mile course. All participating children will receive a prize at the finish line. Cash prizes will be awarded to the first place men's and women's finishers and to the first place men's
and women's masters finishers in the competitive divisions.

Registration fees range from $10 for children age 12 and under to $20 for competitive runners. Proceeds help provide free screening mammograms for uninsured women who are at risk for breast cancer.

The event also will include a health fair with information booths on cancer screening programs, nutrition, diabetes and many other programs.

Warm reception

Telecommunications and Networking
operators move to new location

Customers may now come to room 425L to pick up long-distance calling cards and authorization codes.

Profiles in Medicine: Dr. Francisco Cigarroa

Dr. Cigarroa, assistant professor at the Health Science Center, performs pediatric surgery at the Medical School in 1995. In 1997 he was part of the surgical team led by Dr. Glenn Halff, director of organ transplantation programs, that split one adult donor liver and transplanted it successfully into two recipients–an adult woman and a 5-month-old boy–for the first time in Texas. Because of the pronounced lack of organ donors among children, this technique of using a sliver of an adult liver in a child represents a huge advance in pediatric transplantation surgery.

Another highlight in his career has been the success of kidney transplants at the Health Science Center. "Transplants are exceedingly complex and labor intensive. They require strong teamwork. Our success has been achieved because of that teamwork," he said. Dr. Cigarroa is currently working with Drs. Robert Esterl and Scott Bishoff on laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (surgical removal of a kidney with minimal incisions).

In addition to transplants, Dr. Cigarroa also performs general pediatric surgery. His tiny patients sometimes weigh less than a pound. "There are huge physiological differences between children and adults," said Dr. Cigarroa. "For one thing, you have to be exquisitely knowledgeable about fluid balance when working on an infant."

Dr. Cigarroa received his undergraduate degree at Yale University in 1979, followed by medical school at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas and a residency at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. During his residency he performed research on fetal growth factors and their potential for inhibiting growth of tumors.

Dr. Cigarroa was introduced to the field of transplantation during a general surgical fellowship at Johns Hopkins University Medical School, and immediately signed on for a second fellowship in transplants.

His move to San Antonio in 1995 felt like coming home, he says. The son of an eminent Laredo physician, Dr. Cigarroa was born and raised in South Texas. "It's delightful to be able to help the region I grew up in," he said. In keeping with the family commitment to medicine, two of his brothers are also physicians, with practices in Laredo.

When he isn't working, Dr. Cigarroa relaxes by playing classical guitar. He spends virtually all his free time with his wife, Graciela, and their two daughters, Christina and Barbara.

Calendar for Oct. 11-17