Hospital News

UTMB Center for Violence Prevention named Texas Partner for Change

The Texas Council on Family Violence named the Center for Violence Prevention at the University of Texas Medical Branch the winner of its 2022 Texas Partner for Change award. The award recognizes an organization whose partnerships and efforts have given voice to violence prevention and have inspired systemic or community wide change across the state of Texas. “We are especially grateful that prevention science and our prevention work are being recognized,” said Dr. Jeff Temple, director of the center. “Prevention is not ‘sexy’ and not politically expedient, but it is the most efficient and cost-effective method to improving the lives and wellbeing of all citizens.” The center continues to impact communities and policies throughout the state and nation.

“The Center for Violence Prevention is a longtime partner of the Texas Council on Family Violence,” said Roy Rios, prevention director for the council. “Notably, the center worked with TCFV to help spearhead the development of the Texas State Plan in 2019, contributing greatly to the massive survivor-centered research project, including a specific report on the needs of young adult female survivors.”

The center’s research helped the council create a comprehensive map of the needs and resources available to survivors in Texas, Rios said. Some of that research contributed to an evidence-based healthy relationships and violence prevention curriculum—The Fourth R—that the center has implemented and evaluated throughout Texas. “We are moving from understanding what predicts violence to actually knowing how to prevent it,” Temple said. “We will continue fighting for minoritized communities and for structural change, while also making sure that communities throughout our state and country are provided with the resources and knowledge to implement effective violence prevention programming.”

Memorial Hermann Appoints Amalia Maislos Stanton as System’s SVP, Chief Strategic Communications & Marketing Officer

Amalia M. Stanton

Following an extensive national search, Memorial Hermann Health System has selected Amalia M. Stanton as its Senior Vice President, Chief Strategic Communications & Marketing Officer. A prominent leader in healthcare marketing and communications, Stanton will oversee internal, external and strategic communications, as well as marketing and branding efforts for Houston’s largest non-for-profit health system. Stanton brings more than 20 years of leadership experience in marketing, research, advertising and communications. Since joining Memorial Hermann 15 years ago, Stanton has played a significant role in driving growth and brand awareness, as well as helping to build Memorial Hermann’s reputation as a leading, trusted, high-quality healthcare provider in Greater Houston and across the nation. “Amalia is a wonderful addition to our executive leadership team,” said Dr. David L. Callender, President and CEO of Memorial Hermann. “Throughout her tenure, she has proven herself to be an instrumental, innovative leader with a strategic mindset and distinguished record of service. Her breadth of experience in both marketing and communications, as well as her deep understanding of the Houston market will continue to serve our system well as we continue to expand our efforts in transforming health care throughout the region.” Stanton began her career at Memorial Hermann in 2006, initially serving as Director of Internal and

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AMA awards Dr. Peter Hotez with Scientific Achievement Award

The American Medical Association has awarded Dr. Peter Hotez, professor of pediatrics and molecular virology and microbiology and dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, with the 2022 Scientific Achievement Award. He is one of four Texas physicians the AMA has honored for their work before and during the pandemic. This award recognizes individuals for their notable work in the medical and science fields. Hotez was awarded for his efforts in vaccine development and combating vaccine hesitancy and misinformation. The Scientific Achievement Award is one of AMA’s highest-ranking awards. “It has been an honor for me to work with the AMA throughout this pandemic,” said Hotez, who also is the Texas Children’s Hospital Chair in Tropical Pediatrics and co-director of the Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development. “Together with Todd Unger, the chief experience officer at the AMA, we’ve worked to educate physicians and physician-scientists on how to combat vaccine disinformation, and overall, the AMA has been terrific in giving me a voice to explain the scientific basis of COVID-19 vaccine development.” Hotez is a renowned physician-scientist who is recognized for his research in neglected tropical diseases and vaccine development. His work helped to shape policies in global health, leading to the annual treatment of hundreds of millions of people with parasitic and related neglected tropical diseases. He has pioneered the molecular science behind neglected tropical disease vaccines, while co-leading a team developing vaccines for diseases such as human

Peter Hotez, MD, PhD.

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Renowned Cardiac Surgeon Selected to Lead Cardiothoracic Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine, Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center and Texas Heart Institute

Dr. Marc Moon, an expert and pioneer in the most advanced forms of cardiac surgery, has been named chief of the division of cardiothoracic surgery at Baylor College of Medicine, chief of the adult cardiac surgery section at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center and chief of adult cardiac surgery at Texas Heart Institute. “Dr. Marc Moon is a renowned cardiac surgeon and we are thrilled to have him taking on these leadership roles,” said Dr. Paul Klotman, president, CEO and executive dean of Baylor College of Medicine. “His wealth of experience and expertise will be a great addition to the Texas Medical Center and Houston communities.” “Marc Moon’s assumption of one of the most storied legacies in American surgery - DeBakey, Cooley, Crawford and Coselli - is truly an historic watershed moment,” said Dr. Todd Rosengart, chair of the Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine. “We here at Baylor College of Medicine and the Texas Heart Institute are joined by colleagues around the world in cheering his leadership of cardiac surgery now brought here to the Texas Medical Center.” Moon comes to Houston from Washington University School of Medicine, where he served as chief of cardiac surgery, director of the Center for Diseases of the Thoracic Aorta, co-director of the heart and vascular center and surgical lead of the Center for Women’s Heart Disease. He has

Dr. Marc Moon

been in practice in St. Louis for more than 20 years. Moon specializes in aortic and valve surgery and sees some of the most complex cardiac surgery cases, including performing cardiac procedures in pregnant women. He also has been a leading advocate for diversity in the field of cardiac surgery. “Dr. Moon is a world class surgeon, and we are excited to welcome him to our department and division,said Dr. Joseph Coselli, professor and vice chair of surgery at Baylor College of Medicine. “We know he will contribute to and support our leadership in a way commensurate with the reputation and history of the department.” “I’m excited to be joining these three institutions,” said Moon. “I have spent my career to date at some of the most historic cardiac centers in the world, but none compared to the heritage of it all here at Baylor College of Medicine, Baylor St. Luke’s and the Texas Heart Institute. We have come to the point where cardiac surgery is considered routine in many circumstances, but it’s never routine for the patient who’s undergoing that operation. It’s our duty as cardiothoracic surgeons in an academic medical center to continue to advance the field and develop new research to make it even

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Heavy Cannabis Use by Female Adults Associated with Lower Incidence Of Diabetes

The Study Found No Association Between Diabetes and Cannabis Use For Female Adults Who Lightly Use Cannabis Nor For Male Adults With Any Level Or No Use

By Rae Lynn Mitchell

Anew study recently published in Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research found that women who heavily used cannabis had lower incidence of diabetes, a chronic condition that prevents the body from either making enough insulin (type 1) or being able to use insulin efficiently (type 2).

Approximately one in 10 Americans has diabetes, and the condition accounted for 87,647 deaths in the United States in 2019, making it the seventh leading cause of death for

that year.

For the study, Texas A&M University School of Public Health graduate students Ayobami Ogunsola, Samuel Smith, Udeh Mercy and Olatunji Eniola, along with a colleague from Hofstra University, analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2013-2018). From approximately 15,000 participants. The majority of participants were female, white (non-Hispanic), over 40, and had at least a college-level education. Cannabis use was estimated on the basis of exposure and frequency of use with smoking cannabis fewer than four times per month deemed “light use,” and “heavy use” defined as four or more times per month. Diabetes status was determined by physician diagnosis or meeting criteria for plasma glucose, fasting blood glucose or hemoglobin A1C levels.

Female participants who used cannabis heavily were less likely to be diagnosed with diabetes than female participants who did not use cannabis. Light cannabis use by female participants had no association with diabetes diagnosis. Researchers found no association in male participants between diabetes and any level of cannabis use.

Previous research has shown that the endocannabinoid system, a series of neurotransmitters and receptors in the nervous system involved in numerous biological processes, has different effects depending on sex. Cannabidol and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabidol, two key compounds in cannabis, stimulate receptors in the endocannabinoid system that result in improved glucose disposal. The authors note that this is one possible explanation for the sex-based difference found during their study.

Further research is needed to better understand the association observed in this study, especially to analyze the individual and contextual variables and mechanisms that may be responsible.