C3 CHAIRHOLDERS

Paula and Joseph C. “Rusty” Walter

The generosity of Paula and Rusty Walter established the Walter Centennial Chair Challenge (C³), which ignited a powerful philanthropic response from many Houston visionaries that exceeded our expectations.

While department leaders are actively working to fill the open positions with the most accomplished physicians and scientists, the 28 Centennial positions filled at the end of 2020 and described below represent an unprecedented collection of medical and scientific brilliance tackling the most pressing challenges of modern medicine.

Through the generosity of the benefactors who established these endowed Centennial positions, these physicians, physician-scientists and researchers have a stable, long-term financial resource to support the holder’s research and education programs. Endowed positions — which may be awarded as a chair, leadership chair, directorship, or clinical academic scholar or clinician, or another title — not only bring greatly valued financial resources but also bring great honor and prestige to the endowed position holder.

We look forward to highlighting this collective group of individuals known as the Walter College of Centennial Chairs in the coming years.

Marc L. Boom, MD

Ella Fondren and Josie Roberts Presidential Distinguished Centennial Chair Supporter: Anonymous

Dr. Boom is president and CEO of Houston Methodist. In 2020, he directed endowment resources to support the Houston Methodist COVID-19 Front Line Heroes Appreciation Program, which raised more than $2.7 million to provide roughly 5,000 Houston Methodist staff on the front lines in the battle against COVID-19 with a paid day off and a $100 bonus to treat their families to a “Meal on Us.” Dr. Boom believed donating the endowment’s proceeds to support the hardworking staff caring for COVID-19 patients was in keeping with the spirit of the two strong leaders for whom the position was named. Ella Fondren spent more than four decades devoted to The Methodist Hospital’s growth, serving on the board. Josie Roberts dedicated 30 years of leadership to The Methodist Hospital, guiding the hospital through bad times and good. Since 2012, Dr. Boom has carried on a similar spirit. Timothy B. Boone, MD, PhD

Craig C. Brown and Suzanne H. Smith Centennial Chair in Medical Education at Houston Methodist Supporters: Craig Brown and Sue Smith

Dr. Boone is a professor in the Department of Urology and director of Education for the Houston Methodist Academic Institute. He oversees Houston Methodist’s Graduate Medical Education — residents, fellows, postdoctoral students, medical students and other trainees — and Continuing Education Programs. He is associate dean for both Texas A&M University College of Medicine and Weill Cornell Medical College. Resources from the endowment support the Engineering Medicine Program (EnMed) program, a collaboration among the Texas A&M University Colleges of Medicine and Engineering and Houston Methodist for students earning degrees in both engineering and medicine. By establishing the Brown-Smith Centennial EnMed Lectureship, the endowment will bring leading biomedical engineers, physician-scientists and researchers to inform and inspire EnMed students.

Candy and Tom Knudson Distinguished Centennial Chair in Neurosurgery in honor of Gavin W. Britz, MD Supporters: Candy and Tom Knudson

Dr. Britz is chair of the Department of Neurosurgery, director of the Houston Methodist Neurological Institute and co-director of the Center for Neuroregeneration. Building on Houston Methodist’s legacy of excellence and trailblazing innovation in neurology and neurosurgery, Dr. Britz leads cutting-edge investigations in neuroregeneration and neuroprosthetics while also launching a one-of-a-kind continuing education resource for neurosurgeons at every stage of their careers. Endowment resources support Dr. Britz’s pioneering work in treating hemorrhagic stroke and ruptured aneurysms.

Jeffrey Friedman, MD

Cathy and Ed Frank Centennial Chair in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Supporters: Cathy and Ed Frank

Dr. Friedman is division chief of reconstructive surgery in the Department of Surgery at Houston Methodist. He and the division’s surgeons are committed to training the next generation of reconstructive surgeons, and resources from the endowment help support the Plastic Surgery Residency Program. Resident physicians are active in research — working under department faculty, publishing papers and presenting at conferences — and clinical care, where they learn the most advanced surgical techniques and procedures. Charles E. Geyer, MD

Lois E. and Carl A. Davis Centennial Chair in Cancer Research Supporters: Lois and Carl Davis

Dr. Geyer is deputy director of the Houston Methodist Cancer Center and director of the Cockrell Center for Advanced Therapeutics at Houston Methodist. He has extensive experience in developing and leading multicenter clinical trials that evaluate the safety and effectiveness of novel breast cancer therapies. To help Houston Methodist achieve National Cancer Institute designation, he is leading efforts to expand the portfolio of translational clinical trials of promising new therapies based on discoveries in the Houston Methodist Research Institute.

Alessandro Grattoni, PhD

Frank J. and Jean Raymond Centennial Chair in Medical Education Supporters: Frank and Jean Raymond

Dr. Grattoni is chair of the Houston Methodist Department of Nanomedicine. He leads research teams focused on developing new, personalized drug delivery platforms designed to deliver precise dosages directly to targeted cells and tissues. Dr. Grattoni invented the nanochannel delivery system, an implantable device to regulate drug release with applicability to the treatment of a wide range of chronic diseases, from diabetes to HIV/AIDS. Another project involves an implant that can be controlled remotely, allowing clinicians to adjust medication levels based on patients’ ability to receive precision health care in the comfort of their own homes. Hassan Ibrahim, MD, MS

Charles and Anne Duncan Centennial Chair in Nephrology Supporters: Charles and Anne Duncan

Dr. Ibrahim is the chief of nephrology in the Department of Medicine and director of the Living Donor Kidney Transplant Program at Houston Methodist. In addition to clinical care, he is active in education by mentoring nephrology and nephrology transplant fellows and research by studying kidney donation outcomes. By better understanding the long-term consequences of donations from living kidney donors, Dr. Ibrahim aims to establish the safety of kidney donation and expand the pool of potential donors. He is also involved in the design and trial of a novel agent to prevent fibrosis in kidney transplant recipients.

Occidental Centennial Chair in Quality and Outcomes Research Supporter: Occidental

Dr. Kash is director of the Center for Outcomes Research (COR) at Houston Methodist and co-director of the Center for Health & Nature, a partnership among Houston Methodist, Texas A&M University and Texan By Nature. COR’s mission is to improve health outcomes — especially for diverse and vulnerable patient populations — by designing, testing, validating and implementing innovations in health care delivery. Dr. Kash’s endowed position has supported a study evaluating the effectiveness of Houston Methodist’s Community Scholars Program, which provides specialty care to underserved populations.

Richard Knight, MD

Nicole Mary Follansbee Centennial Chair in the J.C. Walter Jr. Transplant Center Supporters: Janet M. and Kenneth G. Follansbee

Dr. Knight is the director of Renal and Pancreas Transplantation at the Houston Methodist J.C. Walter Jr. Transplant Center and the surgical director of Kidney and Pancreas Transplantation in the Department of Surgery. His research focuses on improving the long-term outcomes of pancreas transplant recipients and achieving the goal of organ restoration and rejuvenation. His projects include investigating the metabolic consequences of pancreas transplantation and learning how novel immunosuppression protocols can improve long-term transplant survival without the negative side effects and increased risk of infection associated with immunosuppressant medications. Lois and Carl Davis Centennial Chair II in the Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center Supporters: Lois and Carl Davis

Dr. Kleiman is medical director of the cardiac catheterization laboratories at Houston Methodist, now located in state-of-theart facilities in Walter Tower. He is also director of the Interventional Cardiology Residency Program in the Department of Cardiology. The endowment has supported Dr. Kleiman’s outcomes research and database development and analysis for transcatheter aortic valve replacement, a new procedure designed to replace open heart surgery in patients who develop narrowing of the aortic valve.

Xian C. Li, MD, PhD

Max and Lillie Frosch Centennial Chair in Transplant Research Supporters: Anonymous

Dr. Li is director of the Immunobiology & Transplant Science Center and vice chair of research in the Department of Surgery at Houston Methodist. Dr. Li and his team are focused on uncovering the fundamental mechanisms of transplant rejection and transplant tolerance. His goal is to develop new and innovative therapies to reprogram the immune system for long-term transplant survival, so transplant patients can live longer and fuller lives with their new organs without having to take lifelong immunosuppression drugs.

Shari Liberman, MD

Henrietta and Terence Hall Distinguished Centennial Clinical Academic Scholar in Orthopedic Surgery Supporters: Henri and Terry Hall

Dr. Liberman is associate professor of clinical orthopedic surgery and associate director of the Orthopedic Surgery Residency Program at Houston Methodist. Resources from the endowment help support the Orthopedic Surgery Residency Program, keeping Houston Methodist a magnet for promising new orthopedic talent. Young resident physicians learn Houston Methodist’s I CARE values and ethos of compassionate care as well as the latest surgical techniques from orthopedic faculty. Residents also pursue research, contribute to peer-reviewed publications and present at conferences.

Faisal Masud, MD

Mary A. and M. Samuel Daffin, Sr. Centennial Chair in Anesthesia and Critical Care Supporters: Mary and Sam Daffin

Dr. Masud is medical director for the Houston Methodist Center for Critical Care and oversees the system’s intensive care units (ICUs). Dr. Masud’s vision is to explore and introduce advances in critical care medicine by focusing on research, education and innovation that will standardize advances in treatments to benefit patients and the community. His leadership has resulted in great improvements in critical care medicine and led to national industry recognition in patient care. During the pandemic, Dr. Masud has been interviewed on local and national news, showcasing Houston Methodist’s thought leadership on COVID-19 brain and lung health treatments. Alok Madan, PhD, MPH

John S. Dunn Foundation Distinguished Centennial Clinical Academic Scholar in Behavioral Health Supporter: John S. Dunn Foundation

Dr. Madan, vice chair of the Department of Psychiatry, focuses on outcomes measurement and the connection between mental health and the gut microbiome. With support from the endowment, his team has designed a digital, patientreported outcomes platform to better monitor patient symptoms while also collecting data that will help identify gut-based biomarkers of mental health. Data collection in support of this effort is ongoing in the outpatient setting, with plans to expand to the inpatient setting in January 2022. He has created the first-ofits-kind postdoctoral fellowship in Psychiatric Microbiology; the first fellow begins her two-year tenure November 2021.

Brian Miles, MD

Centennial Chair in Urologic Oncology Supporters: Elsie Landram Layton Revocable Trust

Dr. Miles’ clinical and research efforts are focused on the treatment of prostate cancer. He is collaborating with Dr. Dale Hamilton to study novel mitochondrial abnormalities that trigger aggressive prostate tumors, research that could lead to new treatment avenues. Dr. Miles is also at the forefront of another promising treatment, focal therapy, that may allow for targeted treatment without damaging healthy prostate tissue. Endowment resources help provide research coordination, data management and laboratory support for these projects.

Charles R. Millikan, DMin

Dr. Ronny W. and Ruth Ann Barner Centennial Chair in Spiritual Care Supporters: Anonymous

Dr. Millikan is vice president for Spiritual Care and Values Integration at Houston Methodist. He leads a spiritual care team who ensures Houston Methodist’s ethos of faith and compassionate care is innovative, inclusive and relevant to evolving needs while staying rooted in the timeless truths of the human soul. The endowment has supported a new chaplain position devoted exclusively to the spiritual care needs of Houston Methodist’s employees. This was a first for Houston Methodist and has proven vital during the COVID-19 pandemic in helping hospital staff cope with stress. Eric Peden, MD

J.C. “Rusty” Walter III Centennial Chair in the Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center Supporter: Elizabeth C. Walter

Dr. Peden is chief of vascular surgery and director of the Integrated Vascular Surgery Residency and Fellowship Programs in the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery. His research focuses on dialysis access surgery, advanced venous disease and arterial occlusive disease (blockage and narrowing of the arteries). The endowment supports the research and academic pursuits of the vascular surgery residents. His plans include using the chair funds to help support a new postdoctoral translational research fellowship for vascular surgery.

Steven M. Petak, MD, JD, MACE, FACP

Charles and Anne Duncan Centennial Clinical Academic Scholar in Endocrinology Supporters: Charles and Anne Duncan

Dr. Petak serves as the division head of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism at Houston Methodist Hospital. He is an endocrinology and metabolic bone specialist in the Department of Medicine and associate professor of clinical medicine at the Houston Methodist Academic Institute. He is also a metabolic bone consultant to NASA- JSC. The endowment resources will help Houston Methodist, ranked among the top hospitals in endocrinology and diabetes by U.S. News & World Report, continue to lead in diabetes care and innovation by supporting endocrinology fellows and residents and their research activities. Kenneth Podell, PhD

John M. O’Quinn Centennial Clinical Academic Scholar in Concussion Research and Care Supporter: The John M. O’Quinn Foundation

Dr. Podell is associate professor of clinical neurology and director of the Houston Methodist Concussion Center. He also serves as the neuropsychologist consultant for the Houston Texans, Houston Astros and Rice University. Under Dr. Podell’s leadership, the Houston Methodist Concussion Center has become the region’s leading multispecialty concussion care hub by emphasizing innovative research, telehealth and community outreach to improve concussion safety and mental health among youth and high school athletes in the Houston area.

Winters Family Distinguished Centennial Chair in Cardiovascular Education in honor of Christopher, William and Scott Winters Supporters: Barbara and William L. Winters Jr., MD

Dr. Quinones is a pioneer in the field of echocardiography, previously serving as chair of the Department of Cardiology in the Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center. He now serves as editor-in-chief of the Houston Methodist DeBakey Cardiovascular Journal, succeeding the late Dr. William L. Winters Jr. By publishing high-quality scholarly articles, the journal enhances Houston Methodist’s reputation in cardiovascular innovation and education. Houston Methodist DeBakey Cardiovascular Journal is published both in print and online. The endowment is used to support staffing needs, educational research and costs associated with its new website.

Randolph H. Steadman, MD, MS

Carole Walter Looke Centennial Chair in Anesthesia and Critical Care Supporter: Elizabeth C. Walter

Dr. Steadman joined Houston Methodist in 2020 as chair of the Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care. He joins Houston Methodist from UCLA Health, where he worked for 25 years with roles as vice chair of the Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine and as chief of service for liver transplantation. His research activities focus on perioperative care for patients undergoing liver transplantation and on simulation-based training and assessment. The endowment will support the department’s educational mission, including establishing a core residency program in anesthesiology. Beverly B. and Daniel C. Arnold Distinguished Centennial Chair in the Department of Cardiology in Honor of William L. Winters Jr., MD Supporters: Shadywood Foundation and 61 other generous contributors

Dr. Shah is chief of the Division of Cardiovascular (CV) Imaging and director of the Cardiovascular MRI Laboratory at Houston Methodist. Houston Methodist is one of only a few hospitals in the country that brings together all aspects of CV imaging, including echocardiography, nuclear cardiology, vascular ultrasound, cardiovascular CT and cardiovascular MRI. This endowment supports Dr. Shah’s research in using imaging findings as predictors of long-term patient outcomes and connecting imaging results with blood samples to identify potential biomarkers for a precision medicine approach for cardiovascular patients.

Bin S. Teh, MD

Jim and Joan Harrell Centennial Chair in Radiation Oncology Supporter: Joan Harrell

Dr. Teh is vice chair and professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology and has pioneered various radiotherapy advances to improve cancer care. He leads a new program to harness the combined therapeutic power of immunotherapy and radiation against cancer. Radioimmunotherapy is one of the most promising new approaches in cancer treatment. As part of this initiative, Dr. Teh works to find novel approaches and biomarkers of radioimmunotherapy and to develop shorter, more focused radiation treatments to improve efficacy in both local and distant (abscopal) control, as well as to reduce toxicity.

The Coneway Family Centennial Endowed Directorship in Quality and Outcomes Supporter: The Coneway Family Foundation

Dr. Vahidy is associate director of the Center for Outcomes Research (COR) at Houston Methodist and the COR division chief of Population Health Science and Health Services Research. He is also an associate professor at the Weill Cornell Medicine Department of Population Health. He leads the development of data-driven learning health care systems to improve patient experiences and outcomes — especially for vulnerable populations — by implementing evidence-based health care delivery practices. Dr. Vahidy’s work also focuses on studying and minimizing the impact of demographic, social, economic and health system disparities on health outcomes. Lois and Carl Davis Centennial Chair I in the Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center Supporters: Lois and Carl Davis

Dr. Valderrabano is division chief of cardiac electrophysiology in the Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center and director of the optical mapping electrophysiology laboratory. His research and clinical interests focus on developing more effective treatments for atrial fibrillation, including improved cardiac ablation treatments to correct heart arrhythmias. His projects span basic and translational research to clinical trials. He recently presented findings on an experimental alcohol infusion treatment for cases of atrial fibrillation that could not be treated by conventional methods.

John Volpi, MD

The Elkins Family Distinguished Centennial Clinical Academic Scholar in Neurology in the Stanley H. Appel Department of Neurology Supporters: The Elkins Foundation

Dr. Volpi is director of the Eddy Scurlock Stroke Center and associate professor of clinical neurology whose research focuses on the management and prevention of ischemic stroke, and the critical care of patients with neurological diseases and improving patient outcomes. The endowment help supports Dr. Volpi’s projects featuring the development of a facial and speech recognition app to assist clinicians in more quickly and accurately diagnosing a stroke. An early study demonstrated its effectiveness, and the next step is to integrate imaging data into the app to make it more accurate than existing methods. Ben Weinstein, MD

C. James and Carole Walter Looke Presidential Distinguished Centennial Clinical Academic Scholar in Behavioral Health Supporters: Carole Walter Looke and C. James Looke III

Dr. Weinstein is chair of the Department of Psychiatry and chief of service at Houston Methodist Behavioral Health. He leads Houston Methodist’s initiative to transform mental health care through education, translational research, clinical innovation and personalized care that focuses on the most complex, treatment-resistant disorders. His research concentrates on finding better treatments for schizophrenia. His projects include studying the role of inflammation and the gut microbiome in schizophrenia as well as novel immunotherapy treatment protocols for schizophrenia patients.

Qing Yi, MD, PhD

Ralph S. O’Connor Centennial Chair in the Houston Methodist Cancer Center Supporter: Ralph S. O’Connor

Dr. Yi is the associate director of Basic Science Research Programs in the Houston Methodist Cancer Center, where he is strengthening research projects in tumor immunotherapy, innovative therapeutics, and cancer prevention and detection. Dr. Yi is also the director for the Center for Translational Research in Hematological Malignancies where he works to improve patient outcomes in cancers affecting the blood, bone marrow and lymph nodes such as leukemia, myeloma and lymphomas. He has recently added four new investigators specializing in hematological malignancies in the Cancer Center.