Current Faculty & Staff
- Current Faculty
- eTalus (Faculty profiles)
- Faculty & Staff Handbook
- Starfish
- Syllabus Tool
- SON SharePoint
- TAMS (Teaching Assignments)
Current Students
- Academic calendar
- Bursar
- Canvas
- Catalog
- Livemail
- My Student Center
- Schedules and syllabi
- Student handbooks
- Student Success Center
- Typhon
- Take a virtual tour for current students
Additional Resources
M. Danet Lapiz Bluhm, PhD, RN, MSCI
School of Nursing
Office for Faculty Excellence
210-567-5790
lapiz@uthscsa.edu
Associate Professor
Dr. Bluhm is a registered nurse of Asia-Pacific heritage with a graduate degree in neuroscience. Having been raised in the Philippines and educated in different parts of the world, she has seen how stress and trauma transcend social boundaries and affect health. This has influenced her program of science which involves biopsychosocial studies in vulnerable populations.
She has had a track record research on animal models for neuropsychiatric disorders, investigating their neurobiological, behavioral, and neurocognitive components in relation to stress. At the School of Nursing, she has been engaged in translational clinical research on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as well as education-based and community service-based diversity research. Her main goal is to inform the development of interventions to treat, or even prevent, the negative consequences of trauma exposure among vulnerable individuals.
Education
Scroll table right to view more
| Year | Degree | Discipline | Institution |
| 2015 | MS | Clinical Investigation | University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio San Antonio , TX |
| 2001 | PhD | Biomedical Sciences (Neuroscience) | University of Nottingham Nottingham , United Kingdom (UK) |
| 1994 | BS | Anatomical Sciences (with Honors II) | University of Queensland Queensland , Australia |
| 1993 | BSN | Nursing (Cum Laude) | Cebu State College Cebu City , Philippines |
| 1992 | BS | Science | University of Queensland Queensland , Australia |
| Internship | Neuroscience | Oxford University Oxford , England, UK | |
| Postdoctoral Fellowship | Neuroscience (Pharmacology) | Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio , TX | |
| Postdoctoral Fellowship | Psychopharmacology | H. Lundbeck A/S Copenhagen , Denmark | |
| Internship | Pharmacology | Karolinska Institutet, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology Stockholm , Sweden |
Appointments
Scroll table right to view more
| 9/2017 - Present | Director of International Programs | University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX |
| 9/2016 - Present | Associate Professor | UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing, San Antonio, TX |
| 8/2012 - Present | Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Assistant Professor | The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, San Antonio, TX |
Expertise
| Lab Skills - Clinical tests for cognition including Wisconsin Card Sorting Test and Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB), assessment tools for posttraumatic stress disorder and determination of analytes in saliva. Animal models for cognition, antidepressant/anxiety-like drug activity: attentional set-shifting task, Morris water maze, elevated plus maze, open field, fear potentiated startle, schedule-induced polydipsia, tonic immobility, forced swim test, light dark box test; Stereotaxic surgery; in vivo microdialysis; immunocytochemistry; in situ hybridization; in vitro binding and autoradiography; patch clamp electrophysiology; histology; microscopy; statistical data analyses and computer skills |
| Language - Speaks fluent English, Filipino, Tagalog and Visayan dialects. Good in Danish. Received tuition in Swedish, Spanish and French. Understands some spoken Thai. |
| Personal Interests - Traveling, foreign cultures and languages, reading, piano playing, tennis and racquet sports, dancing (salsa, ballroom and Filipino traditional dances), singing, yoga, swimming, and basketball. |
| Teaching - Teaches nursing research, evidence-based practice (EBP), pharmacology, pharmacotherapeutics,genetics, and genomics. Guest lectured for a graduate Neuroscience course on modeling of cognition and human psychopathology and pathophysiology. Trainer for TeamSTEPPS (Team Strategies and Tools for Enhancing Performance and Patient Safety). |
Publications
Abstract |
| Cleveland, L., Patel, D.L., Puga, F., Bluhm, M.D. Introduction to Mixed Methods Chiang Mai: Chiang Mai University; 2016 Jun. |
| Lapiz-Bluhm, M.D., Guillen, N., Custodio, A.J., Upano, A., Alayon, L., Dieta, M. J. Establishment of international collaborative research: Effects of prenatal maternal stress; 2016 Jan. (International Journal of Evidence-based Care). |
| Lapiz-Bluhm, M.D., Guillen, N., Custodio, A.J., Upano, A., Alayon, L., Dieta, M. J. Establishment of international collaborative research: Effects of prenatal maternal stress; 2015 Jun. |
| Lapiz-Bluhm MD, Perez GLS, Weems R, Rendon R. Ask Me 3?: A useful health literacy promotion tool for minority population; 2014 Jan. (Western Institute of Nursing 48th Annual Communicating Nursing Research Conference). |
| Lapiz-Bluhm, MD. Change in salivary alpha amylase and cortisol in posttraumatic stress disorder; 2014 Jan. (Southern Nursing Research Society; vol. C4). |
| Lapiz-Bluhm MD, Yarbough S, Patterson J, Parekh, A, Bresnhan L, Kusob K, Schott M. Interprofessional education on quality care and patient safety in nursing and medical Students; 2011 Jul. (Proceedings of the 32nd International Association for Human Caring Conference). |
Book Chapter |
| Lapiz-Bluhm MD, Linton AD. Pituitary and adrenal disorders. In: Linton, AD. Introduction to Medical-Surgical Nursing, 6th Edition. New York: Elsevier; 2016. p. 1005-1035. |
Book/Monograph |
| Pariente, Carmine; Lapiz-Bluhm, M. Danet. Behavioral Neurobiology of Stress-related Disorders 2014. |
Electronic/Web Publication |
| Lapiz-Bluhm, M.D. iPNASA: We are PNASA 2016 Aug. Available from: http://www.mypnasatx.org/#!messages-articles/c52l . |
Journal Article |
| Lapiz-Bluhm, MD, Weems, R, Rendon, R, Perez, GL. Promoting Health Literacy through ?Ask Me 3?? Journal of Nursing Practice Applications and Reviews of Research 2015 Aug;5(1):31-37. |
| Lapiz-Bluhm, M.Danet. Impact of stress on prefrontal glutamatergic, monoaminergic and cannabinoid systems Current Topics in Behavioral Neuroscience 2014 Jul;18:45-66. |
| Lapiz-Bluhm MD, Braden CJ, Canty-Mitchell J, Breslin ET, PetersonA. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation nurse faculty scholar program for junior Nurse Faculty: It takes a village for a successful application Journal of Nursing Practice Applications and Reviews of Research 2014 Jun;:112-122. |
| Lapiz-Bluhm, MD, Peterson, AJ. Neurobehavioral mechanisms of traumatic stress in posttraumatic stress disorder Current Topics in Behavioral Neuroscience 2014 Apr;18:161-190. |
| Schindler, L., Lapiz-Bluhm, M.D. Collaborative student-led initiative to improve handoff report between emergency and medical-surgical departments Journal of Nursing Practice Applications & Reviews of Research 2014 Jan;4(1):28-37. |
| Lapiz-Bluhm MD, Woosley T. Community service learning: Effects on student nurses` clinical and cultural proficiency skills Journal of Nursing Practice Applications & Reviews of Research 2013 Jan;3(1):4-14. |
| Lapiz-Bluhm MD. From rodents to patients: prefrontal cognitive and HPA axis function following trauma exposure Journal for Psychopharmacology 2012 Jan;. |
| Lapiz-Bluhm ML. Executive function and hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal axis activation in civilian trauma and postcombat PTSD Translational 2012 Meeting Abstract 2012 Jan;5. |
Other |
| Lapiz-Bluhm MD. Access and utilization of evidence-based practice (EBP) literature Newslink 2013 Jun;3(1):4-7. |
Teaching
Scroll table right to view more
| Date | Description | Institution | # Students |
| 4/2015 - Present | Membership on Supervising Committee | The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio | |
| 1/2013 - Present | Using Research for the Practice of Nursing | The University of Texas Health Science Center | 35 students |
| This is a graduate nursing research which was team taught by several nursing faculty. I coordinated this course in Spring 2013 (with Dr. Canty-Mitchell); Summer 2013; Fall 2013; Spring 2014). I co-taught this course in Summer 2014 and Spring 2015. In Spring 2013, Dr. Canty-Mitchell and I, in consultation with Dr. Decker, revised the course content and delivery. The increase in student enrollment also prompted further refinement of the delivery (Coordinator: Dr. Sara Gill). Face-to-face lectures were shared among assigned faculty. Each faculty was assigned a section to grade and provide close mentorship. Student enrollments: 24 (Spring 2013); 22 (Summer 2013); 14 (Fall 2013); 32 (Spring 2014); 38 (Summer 2014); 80 (Spring 2015). Teaching evaluation: With the revision in Spring 2015, the average evaluation rating was 4.4 out of 5. | |||
| 5/2011 - Present | TeamSTEPPS Master Training | The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio | |
| Invited speaker for the TeamSTEPPS (Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety) Master Training at the following dates, number of attendees, and topics with teaching evaluation scores in parenthesis. Date - Attendees - Topic (Evaluation out of 3) 26-May-11- 26 - Change Management (2.61/3) 26-May-11- 26 - Implementation Workshop (2.69/3) 07-Nov-12- 24 - Mutual Support (2.68/3) 26-Feb-13- 26 - Change Management (2.87/3) 26-Feb-13- 26 - Coaching Workshop (2.92/3) 09-May-13- 32 - Change Management (2.64/3) 09-May-13- 32 - Coaching Workshop (2.66/3) 08-May-14- 40 - Situation Monitoring (2.74/3) 06-Nov-14- 34 - Situation Monitoring (2.72/3) | |||
Grants
Scroll table right to view more
Federal |
|
| Funding Agency | Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute |
| Title | Operation PCOR: Training Veterans as Partners in PTSD Research |
| Status | Active |
| Period | 9/2017 - 8/2018 |
| Role | Contributor |
| Grant Detail | PCORI Engagement Grant 5548 |
| Funding Agency | Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Insitute |
| Title | Veterans? Action League: Building Capacity to Engage Veterans in PCOR and CER Activities |
| Status | Active |
| Period | 8/2016 - 7/2018 |
| Role | Contributor |
| Grant Detail | This project led by Dr. Cheryl Krause-Parello (University of Colorado) aims to give veterans an active voice in PCOR and CER activities by creating a platform for dialogue and engagement with other veterans and key stakeholders about what veterans need to make informed healthcare decisions |
Private |
|
| Funding Agency | Center for Medical Humanities and Ethics |
| Title | Breast and Colorectal Cancer Screening among South Texas Asian Americans |
| Status | Active |
| Period | 9/2017 - 3/2018 |
| Role | Co-Investigator |
| Grant Detail | Cancer screenings are associated with early detection of cancer and better prognosis. Unfortunately, among Asian Pacific Americans (APA) and other minority populations, screening rates for breast and colorectal cancer have declined, while the incidence rates have increased. The Aguman Capampangan of San Antonio (ACOSA) hosts an annual Filipino Fiesta that draws APA and other minority populations around South Texas. For this grant, a team of healthcare professional students will surveye and provide education on CRC and breast screening to the attendees of the fiesta and other events. The objectives of this project were to gain an understanding of the views and accessibility to breast and colorectal cancer screening among APA and minority populations, and to test the efficacy of an educational infographic aimed at improving cancer screening knowledge and encourage proactive, preventative health behaviors. |
| Funding Agency | Center for Medical Humanities and Ethics |
| Title | Don?t Sugarcoat Diabetes (DSD) II: An Interactive Program for South Texas High School Students |
| Status | Active |
| Period | 9/2017 - 3/2018 |
| Role | Co-Investigator |
| Grant Detail | Diabetes is a preventable condition associated with significant morbidity and mortality, which is prevalent in South Texas. The 2017 National Diabetes Statistics Report indicates that more people are developing diabetes during their youth, with associated increased rates among racial and ethnic minorities. The DSD project provides high school students in South Texas an education program on diabetes and its risk reduction through interactive simulations and informative presentations. |
| Funding Agency | Center for Medical Humanities and Ethics |
| Title | Don?t sugarcoat diabetes (DSD): An interactive program for South Texas high school students |
| Status | Active |
| Period | 10/2016 - 4/2017 |
| Role | Co-Principal Investigator |
| Grant Detail | The aim of this project is to provide diabetes teaching to South Texas high school students. An interprofessional group of students lead this group (School of Medicine: Kana Tai Lucero, Kyle Fisk, Shankar Nandakumar; School of Nursing: Bryan Ralloma, Kenneth Borgie Rivera) and members. |
| Funding Agency | Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Nurse Faculty Scholars Program |
| Title | Cognitive and neuronal markers for PTSD |
| Status | Active |
| Period | 9/2013 - 8/2016 |
| Role | Principal Investigator |
| Grant Detail | This study aims to determine the cognitive and neuronal biomarkers associated with the speed of response to variable length cognitive processing therapy. |
| Funding Agency | Center for Medical Humanities and Ethics |
| Title | Health promotion and fall prevention among minority populations |
| Status | Complete |
| Period | 10/2015 - 4/2016 |
| Role | Co-Principal Investigator |
| Grant Detail | The aim of this project is to provide health screening and education on diabetes, cardiovascular health and asthma as well as fall prevention among the elderly. This is headed by an interprofessional group of students leaders (School of Nursing: Yvette Rodriguez, Jennifer Clark, Shaylyun May Hoffman; School of Health Professions: Malika Najmi; School of Dentistry: Michele Schantz) and members. |