THE SHIELD F E AT U R E S
How the
STRENGTH
of UT System is Impacting East Texas
FALL 2019 Bolsters Largest Enrollment Yet
Researchers’ Drug Discoveries Offer
HOPE
to the World
IMPROVING the Lives of Children
COLLABORATION with BlueCross BlueShield of Texas to Lower the Cost of Healthcare
Increasing PHYSICIANS in East Texas
2019 COMMENCEMENT FA L L 2 0 1 9 • VO LU M E
01
PAGE 1 | VOLUME 01
CONTEN Message from the President Dear friends of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler, I am excited to release our first edition of The Shield, a biannual publication from the region’s only academic medical center, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler. Inside, you will find many great things that have happened throughout the year, as well as many events and newsworthy updates that are happening on campus right now! Through sheer force of will and effort, our dedicated team continues to propel our institution forward to improve the lives of East Texans. As we continue to grow, I am delighted to be able to keep you informed of the exceptional progress occurring right here at UT Health Science Center at Tyler. This year has played host to a multitude of outstanding accomplishments such as the opening of our new School of Community and Rural Health, two drugs headed to clinical trials, our largest graduating class yet, substantial enrollment growth, new programs and much more. I am elated about the successes experienced this past year, but I assure you we are only beginning.
03 2019 Commencement 04 Fall 2019 Bolsters Largest Enrollment Yet 05 Collaboration with BlueCross BlueShield of Texas to Lower the Cost of Healthcare 06 Texas' 86th Legislature Update 07 How the Strength of UT System is Impacting East Texas 11 Increasing Physicians in East Texas 12 Addressing Mental Health Needs in Rural Communities 13 Improving the Lives of Children 13 Nurse-Family Partnership Hosts First Graduation 14 Improving Treatment for Victims of Child Abuse and Trauma 15 ZIP Codes Yield Child Maltreatment Data 16 Public Health Past and Future 17 School of Community and Rural Health Grand Opening 21 Researchers’ Drug Discoveries Offer Hope to the World 23 Restoring Lung Functionality: Scarring Prevention
We have many exciting plans on the horizon - all for the benefit of our community. We stand committed to our mission to serve East Texas and beyond through excellent patient care and community health, comprehensive education and innovative research.
24 New Drug Shows Triple Success Rate to Treat Debilitating Lung Disease
Approaching the region’s health outcomes from all angles, we will continue to tirelessly work to ensure the fruits of our labor directly impact this community. At UT Health Science Center at Tyler, we are devoted to advancing education, advancing research and advancing healthcare. Together.
27 Summer Externship Offers a Look Inside Medical Science for Future Physicians and Researchers
25 Research Collaboration and Expansion to Improve Lives Globally 26 Awards & Accolades
28 Combatting Colorectal Cancer in East Texas 29 Inspiring the Next Generation of Healthcare Leaders 30 Residents Perform Physicals for 1,100 East Texas Students 31 Psychology Internship Graduation
Kirk A. Calhoun, MD, FACP President The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler Chairman of the Board UT Health East Texas Health System PAGE 1 | VOLUME 01
32 SUPERNet Celebrates 25th Anniversary 33 Ways to Give
NTS School of Community and Rural Health
03 04 2019
COMMENCEMENT
FALL 2019
BOLSTERS LARGEST ENROLLMENT YET
05
COLLABORATION WITH BLUECROSS BLUESHIELD OF TEXAS TO LOWER THE COST OF HEALTHCARE
07 11 13 21 HOW THE
STRENGTH
OF UT SYSTEM IS IMPACTING EAST TEXAS
INCREASING PHYSICIANS IN EAST TEXAS
IMPROVING THE LIVES OF CHILDREN
RESEARCHERS’ DRUG DISCOVERIES OFFER
HOPE
TO THE WORLD
Ribbon cutting for the grand opening of the School of Community and Rural Health PAGE 2 | VOLUME 01
2019 Commencement The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler held their annual commencement ceremony for the Class of 2019 on May 3, 2019. The ceremony was hosted at the UT Tyler Cowan Center. UT Health Science Center at Tyler experienced its largest class yet with 45 students collectively from the Graduate Medical Education program, the Master of Science in Biotechnology program and the Master of Public Health program. This year’s occasion was also a significant one, as the university’s first class for the Master of Public Health degree, a program that began in the Spring 2017 semester, participated in the commencement exercises.
Prior to this year’s commencement, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler has graduated 341 students comprehensively in the Master of Science in Biotechnology program, the Graduate Medical Education programs and the Psychology Internship program.
CLASS OF 2019 FAMILY MEDICINE Nathan Borgfeld, MD Jessica Bracks, MD Samantha Cooper, DO Gabriel Dianes, MD
David Larsen, DO Vincent Oyler, MD Courtney Pratt, MD Kelly Roden, MD
INTERNAL MEDICINE Yvette Achuo-Egbe, MD Hycienth Ahaneku, MD Sreerag Alumparambil Surendran, MD Nadeen Audisho, MD Reham Georgei, MD MaKenzie Hodge, MD
Tom Hu, DO Ayn Morato, MD Monica Mutyala, MD Huyen Nguyen, DO Andrei Scherer, MD Olufemi Soyemi, MD
OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE Marco Britton, MD
Paul Gardner Scanlan, MD
RURAL FAMILY MEDICINE Gaurav Mehta, MD
MASTER OF SCIENCE IN BIOTECHNOLOGY Biodun Adeniyi Brittnee Cagle Youngyeon Choo James Fowler
Bibiana Gonzalez-Ramirez Regina Moyana Tanmoy Mukherjee
MASTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH Marco Britton, MD Edward Caldwell Eric Campos Monica Collier Mezie Eche Jeanie Gallegly Carol Killingley Kelly Leevey PAGE 3 | VOLUME 01
Misty Lewis Sarah Malone Francisco Parra Priya Patel Miranda Pierce Paul Gardner Scanlan, MD Rija Soofi Tionnee Turner
2019 graduate Francisco Parra
Fall 2019 Bolsters Largest Enrollment Yet 59%
100%
INCREASE 50%
25%
2018
2019
degree offering, in collaboration with BlueCross BlueShield The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler of Texas to offer employees in Richardson, Texas, the announced that the university has experienced substantial opportunity to conveniently enroll and take courses growth in student enrollment for the Fall 2019 academic in Richardson. term. The institution bolstered its largest enrollment “This is certainly an exciting to date with an influx of time to be part of The students enrolled in their UT HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER University of Texas Health graduate degree programs. AT TYLER CURRENTLY Science Center at Tyler. The This enrollment growth is enrollment growth we have OFFERS THREE DEGREES 59% higher than Fall 2018's experienced this year is AT THE MASTER'S LEVEL: enrollment of graduate significant for the university," students. commented Dr. Kirk A. Calhoun, president. "As the This growth is in part due • M aster of Health institution continues to grow, to the university's newest Administration we are constantly evolving degree offering, the Master of to meet the needs of East Health Administration degree. • Master of Public Health Texans. Our faculty and staff The new degree program work tirelessly to ensure launched this semester, • Master of Science growth, innovation and the welcoming its first cohort of in Biotechnology highest caliber of education students on August 26, 2019. to best serve this community." Typically, new programs take time to build growth and Calhoun continued to enrollment interest; however, comment that more advancements are on the horizon the Master of Health Administration degree proved to be for the university as they continue advancing education, a popular field of study, enrolling the highest number of advancing research and advancing healthcare. Together. students across all degree programs. UT Health Science Center at Tyler also implemented a new approach with this
PAGE 4 | VOLUME 01
Collaboration with BlueCross BlueShield of Texas to Lower the Cost of Healthcare Working together, we can better identify and develop solutions that tackle high healthcare costs at its foundation. The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler and BlueCross BlueShield of Texas (BCBSTX) have announced a major collaboration aimed to benefit the region’s healthcare in multiple ways, specifically by conducting healthcare research and medical education projects. The two initiatives serve as part of BCBSTX’s effort to advance academic research to address the critical issues created by gaps and fragmentation leading to a high-cost healthcare system.
Together, we can make healthcare more effective and more affordable for all East Texans. The first collaborative project will examine the social and economic impact of undertreated mental health conditions in East Texas, an issue UT Health Science Center has been pushing to their forefront of priorities. The East Texas region has fewer mental healthcare providers per capita than any other region in the state, making it more difficult for patients to access needed services. The study’s documentation of the economic impact of this deficiency intends to help secure additional funding for behavioral health services in the future, affording greater access for the region. “UT Health Science Center at Tyler has been at the forefront of medical
PAGE 5 | VOLUME 01
education and research in Texas for decades,” noted Dr. Kirk A. Calhoun. “We are very grateful to BlueCross BlueShield of Texas for recognizing our unique qualifications to address these emerging issues. Together, we can make healthcare more effective and more affordable for all East Texans.” In the second initiative, BCBSTX and UT Health Science Center will collaborate to conduct a feasibility study for the launch of a doctoral program in Health Administration (DrHA) with a focus in population health at the university. Should the study prove the DrHA’s necessity and benefit as anticipated, the two institutions will develop and deliver a jointly sponsored DrHA. This concept is the first of its kind and would further expand the academic offerings at UT Health Science Center at Tyler, which has recently experienced substantial academia growth. In addition, a month-long residency training rotation in managed care would also be offered to UT Health Science Center resident physicians at BCBSTX locations. “Failure to address access and affordability of healthcare has real consequences. We need to challenge the status quo by bringing transformative research and ideas to the table,” said Dr. Dan McCoy, president of BCBSTX. “By collaborating with a diverse set of institutions and researchers who are embedded in and understand the communities we’re serving, we can better identify and develop solutions
that tackle high healthcare costs at its foundation.” In addition to this project, BCBSTX is also working with other research institutions across the state to study a range of healthcare challenges, from behavioral health to improving vaccine adherence to expanding access to education for medical professionals. The projects will support the company’s objectives of addressing the root causes of an expensive healthcare system. The forward-thinking collaboration upholds The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler’s mission of providing the region with excellent patient care and community health, comprehensive education and innovative research as they advance East Texas. Together.
Failure to address access and affordability of healthcare has real consequences. We need to challenge the status quo by bringing transformative research and ideas to the table,
Texas’ 86th Legislature Update By: Matt Cope, Director of Government Relations
As a public institution and a member of The University of Texas System, we are directly impacted by what goes on in the policymaking world, especially when it comes to the Texas Legislature. Thankfully, we enjoy strong support from our elected officials due to the great work of our faculty, staff and students. For that reason, there is a lot of exciting news to report from the government relations front.
86th Legislative Session The Texas Legislature wrapped up its biannual legislative session in May, capping off 140 days of intense policymaking and crafting of the state budget for fiscal years 2020 and 2021. I’m proud to report that The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler had one of our best sessions in recent history. Perhaps the most important piece of legislation to come out of each session is the state budget, and thanks to a positive fiscal outlook for the state, the fiscal year 2020-2021 budget was particularly beneficial to higher education. UT Health Science Center received a 14% increase in state general funding, which amounts to $11 million more than the previous biennium. This growth is thanks in large part to the growth of our institution, both through student enrollment and the number of patients treated. Included in that increase is $5.4 million to improve and expand the mental health workforce training at UT Health Science Center. Thanks to the tireless advocacy of our East Texas legislative delegation — especially Senator Bryan Hughes, Senator Robert Nichols, Representative Cole Hefner and Representative Matt Schaefer — the legislature took note of the great strides already happening on campus in mental health workforce training and saw fit to appropriate additional funds toward that end. These dollars will fund a multidisciplinary training effort for providers working with children who have experienced abuse
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler
and trauma, led by Dr. Jeffrey Wherry. Dr. Wherry, child and adolescent psychology professor at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler, will implement evidence-based approaches to better assess, diagnose and treat children affected by abuse and trauma. This group is comprised of numerous institutions of higher education, including UT Health Science Center and other state agencies, with the purpose of expanding the delivery of mental health services to children and youth across Texas. UT Health Science Center will take an active leadership role in helping children not only in the region, but across the state. The institution's own Dr. Jeffrey Matthews, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health chair, and Daniel Deslatte, senior vice president for business affairs and external relations, were appointed to the Texas Child Mental Health Care Consortium executive committee and have already taken an active role in shaping the work of the organization, which is chaired by Dr. David Lakey. Following the passage of the aptly numbered SB 21, Texas became the 16th state to raise the legal age to purchase tobacco products to 21. This effort was led by the Texas 21, a coalition of members including The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler. Thanks to the passage of HB 39 and HJR 12, Texans will have the opportunity to go to the ballot box this
November to vote on the authorization of an additional $3 billion in bonds to continue the work of the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT). To date, UT Health Science Center has received over $7.5 million from CPRIT for colorectal cancer screening and recruitment of faculty.
Elected Officials Visit Campus Following the successes of the legislative session, a group of elected officials from the East Texas legislative delegation attended the July meeting of UT Health Science Center at Tyler’s development board to discuss the session and the importance of the university to East Texas. Senator Robert Nichols, Senator Bryan Hughes and Representative Cole Hefner took part in a panel discussion moderated by Dr. Calhoun. All three were extremely complimentary of the work done on our campus and made special note of our strong support at the state capitol. Also in attendance were staff of Representative Matt Schaefer and Representative Dan Flynn. The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler’s success with the 86th Legislature helps fuel our mission to serve East Texans in a multitude of ways, bringing true impact to the region, as we advance education, advance research and advance healthcare. Together.
Senator Robert Nichols, Representative Cole Hefner and Senator Bryan Hughes
PAGE 6 | VOLUME 01
How the Strength of UT System is The 28 counties that comprise East Texas have been cited among the unhealthiest in the state. In a report jointly prepared and released in 2016 by The University of Texas System and The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler, this region, which covers more than 25,000 square miles with a population of more than 1.5 million people (50% of whom live in rural areas), ranks 45th in chronic lower-respiratory disease mortality, 49th in heart disease mortality and 51st in stroke mortality. Moreover, the region ranks 45th in mortality from all disease-related causes of death. The National Center for Health Statistics notes that East Texas has higher rates than the rest of Texas for deaths from cancer, kidney disease, suicide, infant mortality and injuries sustained in workplace and automobile accidents. The report also notes that tobacco use is the single largest contributing factor for bad health throughout the region. One in four people living in East Texas are smokers. Even more staggering is that smoking rates among pregnant women are twice as high as the rest of the state. While other factors affect the health of the region (factors such as socioeconomic conditions, education, occupation and culturally related factors handed down generation to generation such as food preparation utilizing fatty foods and frying in fatty oils), the report makes the conclusion that educating the populace on
Moody Chisholm and Dr. Kirk A. Calhoun
PAGE 7 | VOLUME 01
stopping the use of tobacco products and adopting healthy eating habits can be a major aid in reversing the current trend. According to experts, a healthy lifestyle is one of the best methods for preventing the onset of diseases that contribute to the excessively high mortality rate of the citizens of East Texas.
Several years ago, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler set its sights on closing regional health gaps through progressive education, cutting-edge research and premier, unrivaled healthcare. With the opening of a new building on campus to house the School of Community and Rural Health this fall, the vision to benefit human health and improve the quality of life for the East Texas community will be greatly enhanced. “The health of East Texas has always been of the utmost importance since my arrival. With the opening of the School of Community and Rural Health, combined with our research and hospital system, I firmly believe we are on track to truly impact the health of this community,� said Dr. Kirk A. Calhoun, UT Health Science Center president and UT Health East Texas chairman of the board. As the only academic medical center in the region, the university offers rapidly expanding physician residency programs, cutting-edge research
Impacting East Texas within the School of Medical Biological Sciences, and the School of Community and Rural Health offers graduate degrees, all aimed at tackling the health disparities in East Texas. This array of programs serves to educate students while attracting top experts, leading to new discoveries, better treatments and preparing the next generation of physicians, all equipped for the healthcare of tomorrow. UT Health Science Center has created a system where education, research and patient care all work in unison, culminating to improve the health of the region and beyond.
ducation is a key factor E for aiding community awareness about the health problems facing the East Texas region. The creation of the UT Health East Texas health system under the leadership of President and Chief Executive Officer Moody Chisholm, gives more people across the region access to the latest treatments associated with a
I firmly believe we are on track to truly impact the health of this community.
university medical center by offering the latest developments in community health and medical, biomedical, clinical and population health research, all in Tyler's backyard. Community outreach programs offered by UT Health Science Center at Tyler and UT Health East Texas allow health professionals to go into the community and interact directly with citizens who are most at risk for living unhealthy lifestyles. The institution offers six residency programs: family medicine, general surgery, internal medicine, occupational medicine, psychiatry and rural family medicine. Providing firstclass medical education is part of an ongoing commitment aimed at improving the quality of
PAGE 8 | VOLUME 01
How the Strength of UT System is Impacting East Texas life in East Texas and beyond. These residency programs allow for cuttingedge care close to home, and provide new doctors for the region with the latest and most advanced medical education and training. With general surgery and internal medicine as the newest additions to its residency programs, UT Health Science Center at Tyler plans to continue its expansion of residencies to further grow the physician population of East Texas, benefiting the region’s citizens. The institution also recently expanded its graduate studies to offer a total of
three graduate level degrees: Master of Science in Biotechnology, Master of Health Administration and Master of Public Health. Each degree offers exceptional education from seasoned professors, not only in the classroom but also throughout the communities of East Texas where the need for quality healthcare and health education is the greatest. Students take part in meaningful research and community outreach programs that not only garner peer-reviewed publications but also real-world preparation for
UT Health East Texas Locations
PAGE 9 | VOLUME 01
the constantly evolving world of healthcare and health sciences. Upon graduation, students are equipped with marketable skills that span numerous industries that all benefit the improvement of the East Texas community’s health. Improving the health of East Texans is a commitment of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler and UT Health East Texas. Working together, they are advancing education, advancing research and advancing healthcare together across East Texas.
SAVE DATE the
Galaxy Award 2020 HONORING
Margaret & Jim Perkins April 2, 2020 Willow Brook Country Club Funds raised benefit medical education with an emphasis on mental health issues. For additional information, please contact Institutional Advancement at (903) 877-5135.
PAGE 10 | VOLUME 01
Increasing Physicians in East Texas The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler’s joint acquisition of a 10-hospital health system in Northeast Texas will soon double the number of medical residents available to provide treatment to people in 11 high-needs counties. Of the 11 counties served by the UT Health East Texas health system, five rank in the bottom 30% of Texas counties on a variety of key health factors that influence how long and how well people live, according to a recent report by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. “East Texas unfortunately suffers from very poor outcomes, so any help we can provide here will go a long way,” said Dr. Emmanuel Elueze, vice president for medical education and professional development at UT Health Science Center at Tyler.
Dr. Emmanuel Elueze
UT Health Science Center at Tyler will expand medical education, community health initiatives and research within UT Health East Texas. Along with the 10 hospitals, the health system also includes regional clinics and emergency centers, rehabilitation facilities, a trauma care network including a Level 1 trauma center, home health services and a behavioral health center, along with helicopter and ambulance medical transport services. “From the UT perspective, this is certainly a great opportunity for us because we now have a health system PAGE 11 | VOLUME 01
Dr. Arunditi Xantus and resident physician Dr. S. Tooba Hasan
in East Texas with much larger clinical resources,” said Dr. Elueze. UT Health Science Center at Tyler is the only university medical center in East Texas that offers graduate medical education, the three-year to seven-year residency programs that medical students pursue after completing four years of medical school. Prior to the purchase of UT Health East Texas, UT Health Science Center at Tyler had been the sponsoring organization for 100 funded positions in five residency programs in the region: occupational medicine (Tyler, Texas), internal medicine (Longview, Texas), family medicine (Tyler, Texas), rural family medicine (now in Pittsburg, Texas) and psychiatry (Tyler, Texas). “With the new health system, we can do a lot more in graduate medical education,” said Dr. Elueze. “The most important reason we are starting residency programs is to provide excellent patient care. We want to produce high-quality physicians that will help us meet our goals for this health system and for East Texas. Moreover, it is UT Health Science Center at Tyler’s purpose to educate the physician workforce that will serve the citizens of this region in the years to come.” The newly purchased health system features a 500-bed hospital in Tyler, Texas, which will initially host two additional programs: a five-year surgery residency with three available positions per year and a three-year
internal medicine residency with 20 available positions per year. Both new residency programs recently received accreditation and the first residents in the programs will start in July 2020. A new family medicine residency program in Athens, Texas, is also being developed, and new residents could start as early as 2021. The university hopes to triple its residency training footprint by 2025, by offering up to 300 resident positions in various core medical disciplines in order to better serve the healthcare needs of the region. Dr. Elueze hopes that the additional residency slots will encourage more doctors to permanently settle in Texas after graduation. This would be a particular boom for Texas, since according to personal finance site Wallethub, the Lone Star State ranks last among all 50 states when it comes to providing people with accessible healthcare. “UT Health Science Center at Tyler has a very good track record of keeping our residents in East Texas and in Texas,” said Dr. Elueze. “For instance, in our family medicine residency, 40% of those who graduate from our program stay in East Texas, and 75% of our residency graduates stay in Texas.” The new surgery and internal medicine residency programs in Tyler began accepting applications in July 2019.
Addressing Mental Health Needs in Rural Communities Rural Residency Program Addresses Northeast Texas Shortage of Mental Health Practitioners in Rural Communities The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler recently announced a three-year award of $750,000 from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to establish a residency program in rural Northeast Texas. Northeast Texas comprises 35 counties, and it is home to 1.5 million people, 58% of them living in rural areas. “The health challenges in rural America are clear: rural communities face a greater risk of poor health outcomes than their urban counterparts,” said HRSA Administrator George Sigounas, MS, PhD. “Programs like the Rural Residency Planning and Development grants take aim at one of the most persistent disparities: access to high-quality healthcare providers. HRSA is committed to increasing the number of providers serving rural communities and improving health in rural America.”
recruit graduates of the rural program to enter psychiatry practice in Northeast Texas to serve communities in need. Within the region, over half of the counties have no practicing psychiatrist or report a psychiatrist-to-population ratio exceeding 1:2,500. Reflecting the regional shortage of psychiatrists, Northeast Texas reports an age-adjusted suicide rate of 17.5 per 100,000 population, compared to the state suicide rate of 12.2 per 100,000. By launching the rural psychiatry residency program, access to psychiatric services in the area will immediately increase as patients begin to receive care from psychiatry residents in year one of the program. “The mental health challenges in this region are very evident. Most of our counties do not have access to mental health services. We want to change that,” said Dr. Kirk A. Calhoun, president of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler. “We felt it was very important that we step up and help resolve these problems within
Dr. Emmanuel Elueze, Dr. Martha Culver, Dr. Kirk A. Calhoun, Dr. Ushimbra Buford
This grant is part of a larger $20 million, multiyear initiative by HRSA to expand the physician workforce in rural areas by developing new, sustainable residency programs in family medicine, internal medicine and psychiatry. The recipients of the awards include rural hospitals, community health centers, health centers operated by the Indian Health Service, Indian tribes or tribal organizations and schools of medicine. The goal of UT Health Science Center at Tyler’s project is to develop a sustainable, accredited rural training track in psychiatry and to ultimately expand the area’s rural mental health outcomes. With the majority of physicians graduating from residency programs and entering medical practice within 100 miles of their training program, UT Health Science Center at Tyler plans to leverage this trend and
our community and the state. Our emphasis on behavioral health has afforded us to become the principal provider for behavioral health services in this region. We are continuing to expand our reach into rural communities to address mental health concerns in a very significant way.” UT Health Science Center at Tyler was the only institution in Texas to receive the award. The new rural residency track will begin interviewing candidates in 2020. The new program will be hosted in Pittsburg, Texas, where the university has already experienced great success with their residency program for rural family medicine.
PAGE 12 | VOLUME 01
Improving the Lives of Children Nurse-Family Partnership Hosts First Graduation The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler’s Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) hosted their inaugural graduation on August 6, 2019, to recognize 17 mothers and their toddlers who took part in the program. The occasion served as a culmination of the 2.5-year program, which is designed to help first-time mothers take the best care of their babies. NFP is an evidenced-based maternal health home visiting program that pairs mothers with nurses who provide guidance from pregnancy to the child’s second birthday. NFP works by having highly trained nurses regularly visit with young, first-time mothers. New moms develop a close relationship with a nurse who becomes a trusted resource they can rely on for advice.
child health and development and economic self-sufficiency of the family. While NFP hosts multiple activities for mothers participating in the program to socially interact with each other, home visits are personalized and focus on a multitude of assessments to ensure a healthy mom and baby. To conclude the ceremony, Rodriguez commented, “They are to be applauded for their commitment to being the best mothers they can be!”
“Over two years ago, 17 first-time pregnant women said ‘YES’ to inviting a nurse home visitor to walk alongside them through their pregnancy, birth and early parenting,” said Susan Rodriguez, program manager. “Now, as mothers of 2-year-old toddlers, they are graduating and moving on with confidence as parents, an understanding of child development and a roadmap for the future of their families.” Federally funded through a grant, NFP provides these services for free to the expectant mothers. The program maintains three goals: improving pregnancy outcomes,
Improving Treatment for Victims of Child Abuse and Trauma Jeffrey N. Wherry, PhD, ABPP, professor of psychiatry and behavioral medicine at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler, is the co-principal investigator for a five-year grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), a branch of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The project is aimed at improving clinical practice for children who have been victims of abuse and trauma. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least one in seven children experienced abuse and/or trauma last year. Moreover, in the United States the total lifetime economic burden associated with child abuse and trauma is approximately $124 billion. PAGE 13 | VOLUME 01
Wherry partnered with Sara Dolan, PhD, associate professor of psychology and neuroscience at Baylor University, who served as the co-principal investigator on the grant. The grant, which totals nearly $3 million, allows Wherry and his collaborators: Baylor University, National Children’s Alliance (NCA) and National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN), to develop and implement new training methods in assessment and diagnosis for mental health professionals, ultimately leading to improved outcomes for children who have experienced abuse or trauma.
Currently, clinicians often resort to free, less empirically supported assessment methods which are in the public domain. These screening techniques, while faster and more cost effective than formal, evidence-based assessments, can cause clinicians working with abused and traumatized children to overlook certain disorders and focus on seemingly more obvious problems. These practices are typically not formal assessments but checklists that may miss key components for diagnosis. The NCTSN has been influential since 2001 in training mental health professionals in the use of evidence-based treatment methods for trauma. These methods are interventions that have been validated through scientific studies to be effective for treating a particular disorder. The problem, Wherry says, is that these professionals have not received formal training in graduate or professional school and may miss symptoms associated with abuse and trauma that are subtle and deserve attention and treatment. By using evidence-based assessments, diagnostic methods that are grounded in the most current scientific knowledge can inform good treatment. Wherry added the comparison, “An orthopedic surgeon would not consider surgical repair of a torn rotator cuff of the shoulder without first assessing via a magnetic resonance imaging procedure. The same should be true in serving the complicated mental health needs of abused and traumatized children.”
“After years of working alongside Dr. Wherry to help clinicians access these crucial assessment tools, this project is a welcome opportunity to scale training to clinicians around the country,” said NCA Executive Director Teresa Huizar. “Our CACs already know the value of evidence-based assessments in treatment planning and measuring progress. Now, thanks to this project, we’ll be able to reach many more of the nearly 370,000 children we serve each year with improved services to help them recover from abuse.”
In addition to the unique content, the training will involve either in-person training, interactive live videoconferencing or a webinar followed in all three instances with consultation around specific cases using live videoconferencing. Thus, while workshops can increase knowledge and change attitudes, the consultation phase is the most scientific approach to teaching new skills. There is also a component of the project that will train doctoral students in clinical psychology at five universities across the nation during the According to the Centers duration of the five-year grant. for Disease Control and
Prevention, at least one in seven children experienced abuse and/or trauma last year.
Dolan noted, “Oftentimes, clinicians are leaping to a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and they might miss other things like depression or other kinds of anxiety or suicidal behaviors. If they’re jumping right to PTSD, they’re going to give PTSD treatments, which is fantastic, but that might not be the correct treatment.” Dr. Wherry has already implemented this training model in nine states with the assistance of qualified trainers and the NCA. The NCA is the national membership organization and the accrediting body for the 881 children’s advocacy centers (CAC) across the United States who serve sexually abused children by using a multidisciplinary approach.
“The support for training afforded by this SAMHSA grant is exciting,” said Wherry. “We are now part of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN), a group of 100 agencies and universities training clinicians and serving traumatized children. We will make training available to 66 community-based agencies serving children in the NCTSN, and will also offer training to 881 children’s advocacy centers across the nation. Over the course of five years, we hope to train more than 800 clinicians and doctoral students in evidence-based assessment of abused and traumatized children. When you consider the number of children served by these clinicians, the impact is exponential. Additionally, we will be training more trainers so the impact continues beyond the funding of the grant.” While the immediate goal of the grant-funded project is to evaluate the effectiveness of different methods of training providers, Wherry says the work is related directly to UT Health Science Center at Tyler’s mission to serve Northeast Texas and beyond through excellent patient care and community health, comprehensive education and innovative research.
Dr. Jeffrey Wherry
PAGE 14 | VOLUME 01
ZIP Codes Yield Child Maltreatment Data There is no single factor that is predictive of child maltreatment risk in a community, according to new analyses and searchable maps from researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler and The University of Texas System.
The goal of the project, which is funded by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) and Casey Family Programs, is to assist state and local agencies in more effectively allocating resources and providing support to communities to prevent child maltreatment by helping families before they are in crisis. “Prevention of maltreatment in Texas will take coordinated efforts between many community-level groups,” said David Lakey, MD, vice chancellor for health affairs and chief medical officer for UT System. “Achieving that level of coordination first requires an agreed upon understanding of the problem. These analyses and maps represent the first step toward understanding the scope and geographic distribution of child maltreatment risk.” Across communities, the importance of risk and resilience factors differs widely. For example, ZIP code 75474 outside of Dallas and 78239 in San Antonio have the same level of overall child maltreatment risk but different risk profiles. In 75474, this risk is associated with low school enrollment for 18-year-olds and 19-year-olds and poor health behaviors in the community. The risk in 78239 is associated with affordability issues and crime.
For the 1-year-old to 4-year-old range, family poverty rates within a community become more of a factor. There are many factors that are associated with community-level maltreatment risk, including child and family poverty, crime, enrollment in school, health behaviors and child safety. The research draws on data from five different sources to build a stronger understanding of the factors that contribute to a community’s child maltreatment risk. This research, which focuses on community-level risk and not on the risk level or identification of individuals, shows that risk varies dramatically across the state and that the factors contributing to that risk vary as well.
“The agency’s goal is to prevent child abuse or neglect before it ever happens. With our prevention programs, our goal is to support communities so they have the knowledge and resources necessary to help families thrive,” said Sasha Rasco, associate commissioner of prevention and early intervention at DFPS. “To do that effectively, we need to understand the risk factors as well as the drivers of resilience in these communities. That is what this research is intended to support.” The risk profile also changes based on the child’s age. One of the most significant predictors of risk for infants, for instance, is what the researchers call the “health and disability” factor, which reflects health behaviors in the community. This risk factor is defined by a high percentage of women smoking during pregnancy and low rates of infants being breastfed in the hospital. It also includes a relatively high rate of adults between the ages of 35 and 64 receiving disability benefits. For the 1-year-old to 4-year-old range, family poverty rates within a community become more of a factor (along with “health and disability” and other factors). “What this research demonstrates is not just that some communities would particularly benefit from efforts at reducing the risk of child maltreatment, but that within communities, there are many potential targets for intervention,” said Dorothy Mandell, PhD, professor of community health at UT Health Science Center at Tyler. “It’s complex, but in that complexity, there is reason for a great deal of hope.”
Child maltreatment map of Texas PAGE 15 | VOLUME 01
Public Health Past and Future
Public health is credited with 25 of the 30 years of added life expectancy from birth over the last century. Several initiatives such as vaccinations, a safer workplace, safer and healthier food, tobacco use reduction and motor vehicle safety have been recognized among the top 10 achievements in U.S. public health in the 20th century. On the backdrop of prevention, health promotion and health protection, the Institute of Medicine has defined three core functions of a public health framework, namely: assessment, policy development and assurance.
P
HIEVEME C A IN PUBLIC N HEALTH
TS
According to the American Public Health Association, “Public health promotes and protects the health of people and the communities where they live, learn, work and play.” The word “prevent” derives from the Latin meaning “to come before.” As with prevention, the focus in public health is a search for those factors that "come before” and that contribute Dr. Jeffrey Levin to causing disease, illness and injury. Public health then attempts to intervene with these factors and evaluate the effectiveness of these interventions. Similarly, public health practitioners promote wellness by encouraging healthy behaviors. While medical doctors treat individual people who are sick, professionals who work in public health try to prevent people from getting sick or injured. Medicine focuses on one patient at a time, while public health focuses on populations and communities.
TO
by Dr. Jeffrey Levin
Tobacco Use Reduction
Vaccinations
Safer and Healthier Food
Motor Vehicle Safety Safer Workplace
Public Health Initiatives Have Added
25-30
Years of Life Expectancy
Divided among these core functions are 10 essential services that help monitor health, prevent injuries and the spread of disease, protect against environmental hazards, promote healthy behaviors and assure both the quality and accessibility of health services. The health challenges of today and the future are changing, with a combination of health disparities and a disproportionate contribution from chronic diseases compared with the last century. However, research combined with the aforementioned framework of public health delivery continues to offer the tools for advancing health and preserving the significant gains that have been achieved.
PAGE 16 | VOLUME 01
Ribbon cutting for the grand opening of the School of Community and Rural Health
School of Community and Rural Health Grand Opening The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler celebrated the grand opening of their newest addition to campus, the School of Community and Rural Health, on Thursday, September 19, 2019. The 89,000-square foot structure houses classrooms equipped with the latest educational technology for students pursuing a master's degree in public health or health administration. In addition to the classrooms, the building houses a teaching kitchen; faculty, staff and administrative offices; event space and a mural that spans nearly an entire wall. The mural, painted by Kilgore artist L.C. Kitchen in 1991, illustrates UT Health Science Center at Tyler's evolution throughout the years. Beginning with Camp Fannin and spanning to the creation of the institution it is today, President Kirk A. Calhoun, emphasizes that the university's growth is geared toward the benefit of East Texans. "I see the mural in terms of our mission then and now," said Dr. Calhoun. "As we move forward, our mission's delivery and reach continues to grow and evolve." Calhoun explained that the School of Community and Rural Health will play an important role in UT Health Science Center at Tyler's goal of improving the health outcomes of East Texans. The 28 counties that comprise East Texas have been cited as among the unhealthiest in the state. In a report jointly prepared and released in 2016 by The University of Texas System and The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler, the East Texas region, which covers more than 25,000 square miles with a population of more than 1.5m million people— 50% of
PAGE 17 | VOLUME 01
Dr. Kirk A. Calhoun
As we move forward, our mission's delivery and reach continues to grow and evolve.
whom live in rural areas— ranks 47th in chronic lower-respiratory disease mortality, 49th in heart disease mortality, 51st in stroke mortality and 45th in overall mortality. "The greatest gains in improving health have come from innovations and training in the public health sector," commented Dr. Calhoun. "Our new school is the platform to launch the next wave of health professionals into our community, equipped to solve the challenges we face here in East Texas. Our goal is to lift entire groups of people. This is what community health is all about." In addition to the university's graduate education, the School of Community and Rural Health provides boots on the ground via a multitude of community outreach programs. These programs span an array of fields such as convenient asthma care, colorectal cancer screenings, affordable dental care, parental education, smoking cessation and many more. "Improving the health of East Texas is is at the forefront of our priorities," commented Dr. Calhoun. "The School of Community and Rural Health, along with our research and hospital system, positions UT Health Science Center to dramatically impact the health of this region."
Audience at the School of Community and Rural Health grand opening
The School of Community and Rural Health interior
PAGE 18 | VOLUME 01
1
2
UT Health Science Center's mural in the President's Event Center in the School of Community and Rural Health
10
9
PAGE 19 | VOLUME 01
11
12
13
Grand Opening 3
4
1. U T System Board of Regents Chairman Kevin Eltife 2. C ouncilman Don Warren and George Roberts 3. Dr. Gerald Ledlow 4. U T System Chancellor James B. Milliken
5
6
5. U T System Senior Vice Chancellor David Lakey, UT System Vice Chancellor Amy Shaw-Thomas and Jim Perkins 6. B etty and Elam Swann, Bob Garrett and Dr. Kirk A. Calhoun 7. Dr. Kirk A. Calhoun 8. R epresentative Cole Hefner, Kathey Comer and Reece DeWoody 9. S chool of Community and Rural Health interior
7
8
10. D.M. Edwards 11. D r. Steven Idell, Dr. Kirk A. Calhoun, Dr. George Hurst and UT System Chancellor James B. Milliken 12. R ibbon cutting for the grand opening of the School of Community and Rural Health
14
13. Tom Seale 14. Dr. Steven Cox and John Soules 15
15. Cedrick and Angela Granberry 16. A udience at the School of Community and Rural Health grand opening 17. Tim Ochran, Mike and Carol Allen
16
17
PAGE 20 | VOLUME 01
Researchers’ Drug Discoveries Of
Dr. Sreerama Shetty and Dr. Steven Idell
A recent, major breakthrough for the research team at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler is the commercialization of not one but two new drug candidates whose blueprints were developed on campus: LTI-01 and LTI-03. LTI-01, currently headed into phase II (efficacy) clinical trial testing after a successful phase I, is an injectable drug that treats scar tissue and reduces fluid buildup around the lungs, which typically occurs with serious cases of pneumonia. Currently, surgery is the default option to clear lung scarring when drainage of the lung cavity is necessary. Moreover, current medical therapy is empirically dosed, erratically effective and can cause bleeding. Surgery presents potential life-threatening risks of anesthesia use and other serious complications. To minimize these risks, LTI-01 was conceived as an alternative to surgery, designed to maximize lung scar removal and mitigate frequently occurring damage to the lungs. In preclinical and clinical trial testing thus far, it safely clears scar tissue, allowing drainage around the lungs. The drug’s development has been headed by Senior Vice President for Research and Dean for the School of Medical
Biological Sciences, Dr. Steven Idell. Dr. Idell joined the faculty of UT Health Science Center at Tyler in 1984, where LTI-01’s work first began. Dr. Idell has committed 35 years of research and development to enable the new clinical trials. “The LTI-01 project has continuously evolved over time to create what we see today. It’s a derivative of discovery research that will hopefully improve patient outcomes,” said Idell.
The faster we obtain regulatory approval, the more people we can help. There is no FDA-approved drug for this problem. We’re trying to fill that void as quickly as we can.
To accelerate LTI-01’s development, the decades of work began to pick up speed in 2012 when he sought capital from the UT Horizon Fund, created by The University of Texas System to seed UT-related companies. With an initial investment of $500,000 from the fund, Lung Therapeutics launched in 2013 with Idell serving as the chief scientific officer. Tasked with building the pharmaceutical company, Idell recruited a team of experts and named Dr. Bryan Windsor as chief executive officer. Notably, the most recent round of funding closed in June, securing an additional $36 million to fund phase II of the clinical trials. PAGE 21 | VOLUME 01
fer Hope to the World While funding is indicative of LTI-01’s promise, the drug also received orphan drug designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Commission, which serves to expedite the evaluation and development of drugs that demonstrate strong potential for the diagnosis and/or treatment of rare diseases or conditions. It is estimated that more than 100,000 U.S. patients annually could benefit from treatment with LTI01. “This is important work,” said Idell. “The faster we obtain regulatory approval, the more people we can help. There is no FDA-approved drug for this problem. We’re trying to fill that void as quickly as we can.” Lung Therapeutics is also commercializing LTI-03, slated to partake in phase I clinical trials later this year in Belfast, Ireland. LTI-03 was designed for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a chronic lung disease characterized by progressive lung scarring caused by a loss of healthy lung cells coupled with the growth of fibrotic cells. IPF, with no known cure, usually presents in adults age 65 or older and it is generally fatal three to five years following the diagnosis. The LTI-03 project at UT Health Science Center at Tyler has been spearheaded by Dr. Idell’s colleague, Dr. Sreerama Shetty, cellular and molecular biology professor. Drs. Shetty and Idell envision that LTI-03 will safely and more effectively treat IPF, and they will test that inference in upcoming clinical trials. “We design the research to improve outcomes for lung diseases that are not well treated today. LTI-03 represents another effort to help patients with IPF and related lung diseases characterized by scarring,” explained Idell. In 2014, anti-fibrotic drugs given as pills were approved to treat the disease, but they were discovered to only decelerate IPF’s progression. In contrast, LTI-03 is administered through inhalation, and it has the potential to resolve IPF or block its progression, returning patients to a healthier lung function by uniquely targeting a different cellular signaling pathway than previous pharmaceutical approaches. Preclinical evidence suggests that LTI-03 sustains survival of damaged lung-lining cells in addition to slowing and resolving the downstream progress of fibrosis. If successful in clinical trial testing, LTI-03 will offer a paradigm shift for the treatment of lung fibrosis. IPF affects more than 80,000 people in the U.S. and it is the cause of approximately 40,000 deaths annually. However, Dr. Shetty resolutely seeks to improve IPF outcomes. “Preclinical trials have shown very positive results. Building on this work, we hope to help IPF patients with LTI-03,” commented Shetty. “If successful, it’s the real work of my life.”
Dr. Sreerama Shetty and Dr. Steven Idell working on pulmonary research in 2002
IPF affects more than 80,000 people in the U.S. and it is the cause of approximately 40,000 deaths annually.
PAGE 22 | VOLUME 01
Restoring Lung Functionality: Scarring Prevention The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler recently announced the awarding of a four-year grant totaling over $1.9 million from the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. The grant (proposed by Dr. Mitsuo Ikebe, chair for cellular and molecular biology; Dr. Steven Idell, senior vice president for research and dean of the School of Medical Biological Sciences; and Dr. Torry Tucker, associate professor of cellular and molecular biology) is slated to research how lung scarring occurs in the pleural space, or the space around the lung between the lung and chest wall, specifically in the context of lung infections. The trio of principal investigators (PI) will collaborate to explore how a specific molecule, myocardin, contributes to scar formation in the pleural space. Using imaging, molecular biology and biochemistry, the team will study how myocardin regulates cell differentiation, which is the production of variant types of cells. The molecule has been implicated in the alteration of structures within cells, which contributes to scar formation.
The nearly $2 million grant project is derivative of a much smaller grant from three years ago, which totaled approximately $10,000. “That $10,000 birthed a collaboration between my lab and Dr. Ikebe’s lab,” commented Dr. Torry Tucker. “We have two completely different flavors of science, but with that grant, we started working together and were able to identify a novel molecule that had not been investigated in any type of lung fibrosis. We made substantial progress within that first year, so we applied again and received another $10,000 for the second year. With the studies conducted for the past three years, we ended up writing a grant that was very well received by the NIH.” Dr. Tucker also commented on the economic impact that the grant holds for Tyler, “I think it is important to note that while the research is exciting, this grant also goes back directly into our community, funding multiple jobs within each of our labs.”
Dr. Steven Idell, Dr. Mitsuo Ikebe and Dr. Torry Tucker
The objective is to identify new ways to prevent scar formation to allow the lungs to properly expand and function,” said Dr. Steven Idell. “Essentially, we are working to restore the lung’s functionality after injury, just as well as it did before.
PAGE 23 | VOLUME 01
The cadre of PIs is unique in itself: each one specializing in different areas of research, which provided different approaches to the issue and afforded greater discoveries. “When I first listened to the seminar presented by Drs. Tucker and Idell, they stated that the alpha-smooth muscle actin gene is a marker of pleural fibrosis. Lung fibrosis was out of my research field, but I had been working on the function of smooth muscle. I knew that the alpha-smooth muscle actin gene is a marker of smooth muscle differentiation. Immediately, I thought there may be a correlation between my field and theirs,” commented Dr. Ikebe. “Now, our research has successfully yielded a paper of high impact and is funded by this NIH RO1 grant. This is a great success story of how collaboration by investigators from different research areas can create ideas and breakthroughs in research that might otherwise never happen.”
New Drug Shows Triple Success Rate to Treat Debilitating Lung Disease A new drug studied by researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler has been shown to triple the treatment success rate in patients with treatment refractory Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC), a debilitating lung disease. “We have been treating MAC patients for decades without having a drug specifically approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat it, so this is a groundbreaking study,” said Richard Wallace, MD, UT Health Science Center at Tyler physician and researcher. “Amikacin liposome inhalation suspension, or ALIS, is the first drug approved by the FDA specifically for hard to treat MAC. It is also the first drug that rigorous, randomized trials have shown is effective against MAC lung infection,” continued Dr. Wallace. Colleague Julie Philley, MD, treats patients with MAC and contributed to the development of ALIS.
“UT Health Science Center at Tyler has been recognized for decades for its MAC research and for its treatment of patients with this disease,” said Dr. Philley. “The work will change the treatment landscape for mycobacterial disease and offers hope to patients with limited options.” Investigators at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler: Dr. Wallace, Dr. Philley and Barbara Brown-Elliott, have been tirelessly researching an effective treatment for MAC, a chronic disease that causes fever, night sweats, cough, weight loss and severe fatigue. While MAC has been rare, it is becoming increasingly more common in the United States and other parts of the world, according to Dr. Wallace. “We still do not know the true impact of MAC on our healthcare system, but it’s unquestionably growing. It is becoming a bigger financial burden on the system, partly because standard treatment is ineffective for so many patients,” said Dr. Wallace. In addition to UT Health Science Center at Tyler, participating U.S. institutions were the Mayo Clinic, New York School of Medicine, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Stanford University and Oregon Health and Sciences University. Additionally, healthcare institutions in Australia, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, South Korea and United Kingdom contributed to the study.
Dr. Richard Wallace and Barbara Brown-Elliott
PAGE 24 | VOLUME 01
Researchers from each of the CTSA collaborative institutions
Research Collaboration and Expansion to Improve Lives Globally While The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler already carries a world-renowned name for itself in research, exploration for the region is slated to tremendously expand. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has created a colossal partnership that will advance research in East Texas to new heights. UT Health Science Center has been awarded $37 million as a recipient for the Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA). The grant award serves as the largest NIH offering for research and education. The project will foster major collaborative efforts between other Texas institutions and UT Health Science Center.
CTSA Collaborative Institutions: The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
“This grant is monumental,” commented Senior Vice President for Research Steven Idell. “The CTSA awarding by the NIH will allow for a wealth of expanded research opportunities between our institutions. Some of the world’s brightest minds collaborating right here is certainly exciting for East Texas and everywhere.” In partnership with the other institutions, the five-year grant aims to build on and enhance existing infrastructure to cultivate collaborative studies in various disciplines between the institutions. In addition, the grant will fund expansion for clinical research to recruit patients to partake in the universities’ collaborative studies and treatments. Moreover, the CTSA grant offers funding for the training of clinical research junior clinicians and even funding for a master’s degree in clinical research, which would present opportunity for many junior faculty to diversify their skills. The NIH award will provide funding for postgraduate, graduate and even undergraduate students that are interested in training in biomedical sciences and biotechnology. “Our institutions will be training the next wave of investigators,” said Dr. Idell. “This is the future of research, taking place at UT Health Science Center at Tyler.”
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Rice University
PAGE 25 | VOLUME 01
Dr. Dave McPherson (UT Health Science Center at Houston), Dr. Dan Karp (UT MD Anderson Cancer Center) and Dr. Steven Idell (UT Health Science Center at Tyler)
AWARDS & ACCOLADES KIRK A. CALHOUN, MD, FACP President Texas College 2019 LEGACY Honoree Rose City Civitan 2019 Honoree
VANESSA CASANOVA, PhD
Associate Professor of Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences The University of Texas System Board of Regents' 2019 Outstanding Teacher Award
DANIEL DESLATTE, MPA, FACHE
Senior Vice President, Business Affairs Modern Healthcare’s 2019 Top 25 Emerging Leaders
MICHAEL KENNEDY, PhD, MHA, FACHE
Chair, Associate Professor of Healthcare Policy, Economics and Management Northeast Texas Network Outstanding Distance Learning Faculty Award
JEFFREY LEVIN, MD, MSPH, DrPH, FACOEM, FACP
Provost, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs International Society for Agricultural Safety and Health Research Achievement Award
VALERIE SMITH, MD
Master of Public Health Student The Northeast Texas Public Health District W.T. "Doc" Ballard Award
RICHARD WALLACE, MD
Professor of Microbiology Top Infectious Disease Specialist in Texas
KENT WILLIS, PhD
Associate Provost for Institutional Effectiveness and Engagement Career & Technical Association of Texas Champion of the Year
PAGE 26 | VOLUME 01
Summer Externship Offers a Look Inside Medical Science for Future Physicians and Researchers Typically, the summer months are a time when students take a break from studying. However, some high school and undergraduate students in East Texas continue learning through the Summer Externship program at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler. “I want to get rid of that fear of being scared of science or math,” commented Program Director and Molecular Biologist Dr. Usha Pendurthi. Dr. Pendurthi is no stranger to a summer externship. She has been running similar programs since her time at the University of California San Diego hospital more than a decade ago. “I felt that if we could motivate young boys and girls there can be more discoverers,” said Dr. Pendurthi. “They will have a longer lifespan as scientists. I felt that we strongly needed this in East Texas.” The goal of the program is to expose students to both the clinical and research sides of medical science, so they can more comprehensively understand available career paths. Dr. Usha Pendurthi
“This is the time I want them to get exposed to the biomedical as well as the clinical side of the field, so they are able to make informed decisions once in undergraduate school,” commented Dr. Pendurthi.
Dr. Pendurthi believes this program is crucial to forming the East Texas medical professionals of the future.
Sinchana Basoor participated in her second year with the university’s externship program and started her freshman year in Waco at Baylor University this fall. She noted that the program has served as a tremendous inspiration toward her future. “Now, I’m considering a PhD due to working in here,” said Bashoor. “The experience has opened my eyes to an entirely different facet, one filled with discovery.”
“I believe in the three Es, which are equality, education and the environment. All three will be improved with these kinds of programs. That’s my goal: to get more and more East Texans interested in biomedical sciences, especially medicine,” explained Dr. Pendurthi. “As the hub of healthcare in East Texas, we need a lot of doctors in this region. We are importing doctors, so why not grow them here?”
PAGE 27 | VOLUME 01 2019 Summer Externship students
Combatting Colorectal Cancer in East Texas Annually, colorectal cancer affects over 200,000 people in the United States. In East Texas, mortality rates are higher than both the state and the U.S. compared to Texas, and incidence rates are 13% higher with mortality rates at 15% higher, the highest in the state. However, colorectal cancer is one of the most preventable forms of cancer, which is why UT Health Science Center at Tyler is dedicated to their objective of prevention.
2019 Spring Into Good Health event
“If precancerous polyps are detected early, colorectal cancer is very preventable,” said Dr. Paul McGaha, associate professor and chair for the Department of Community Health at UT Health Science Center at Tyler. “In some cases, a skilled physician can remove the polyps during the screen itself.” UT Health Science Center’s School of Community and Rural Health colorectal cancer screening program aims to reduce these statistics, and it is already doing so. Launched in 2016, the project revolves around educating communities about preventive measures available, screenings such as colonoscopies and fecal immunochemical test (FIT) tests and offering these services for free to uninsured individuals. “As a general rule, people should be screened between the ages of 50 to 75,” said McGaha, who was a regional medical director for the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Health Service Region four and five (North) for 19 years before joining the faculty in Tyler. “The vast majority of new cases, about 90%, occur in people who are 50 or over.” “This project has been very successful; I believe our numbers show that,” commented Carlton Allen, program director. “This is all due to the amazing team here. None of this work could be done without them. We will continue to screen East Texans to address colorectal cancer.” The numbers Allen referenced are impressive, having reached a staggering 55,000 individuals over the project’s lifetime through various free avenues such as community education, health professional education and screenings.
Recently, the project’s funding was renewed and expanded with an award of nearly $2 million, which will allow the program to continue to save East Texan lives. “You talk to gastroenterologists who are the ones who typically perform colonoscopies, and they have just saved so many lives,” said Dr. McGaha. “So often, they’re removing polyps that aren’t too bad. They’re small, but given five or 10 years would be the ones that would develop into stage three or four cancer. That’s extraordinary. It’s a cure. Getting screened, despite the inconvenience, is so much better than finding out too late that lesions that could have been removed have developed into cancer.” Annually, the project hosts the Spring Into Good Health community health fair. With over 30 vendors that provide a multitude of free health-related services and promotion of an overall healthy lifestyle, the primary focus revolves around colorectal cancer and educating the community about screenings and preventive measures.
•5 5,000 individuals reached • 1 6,054 community individuals educated
• 1 ,659 health professionals educated
•6 ,192 colonoscopies and cancer screenings
PAGE 28 | VOLUME 01
Colorectal cancer team's inflatable colon
Inspiring the Next Generation of Healthcare Leaders On February 13, 2019, nearly 300 students from 15 East Texas high schools gathered at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler for the second annual Pre-Health Conference. The event served as an opportunity for students to explore educational options, health professions and potential career paths. UT Health Science Center at Tyler Associate Provost Dr. Kent Willis commented, “This is a great opportunity for The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler to partner with local schools and community organizations to promote health careers and educational pathways for students in this
We see ourselves as a resource to the community in preparing the next generation of caregivers.
region. We see ourselves as a resource to the community in preparing the next generation of caregivers.� Attendees enjoyed access to presentations on education and careers in medicine, public health, research and nursing, along with tips and instruction in choosing college majors and minors, resume writing and communication skills. Multiple colleges and universities offered health-related programs, as well as health-industry employers and sponsored information booths for students to visit and learn about various options throughout the region. Participating area colleges and universities included The University of Texas at Tyler, Tyler Junior College, Northeast Texas Community College, East Texas Baptist University, Kilgore College, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston and other institutions. Community organizations included the Joint Admissions Medical Program, Black Nurses Rock, Tyler Area Partnership for Education and the Southwest Center for Agricultural Health, Injury Prevention and Education, as well as various other organizations from the region.
Dr. Kent Willis speaks to Spring 2019's Pre-Health Conference students
PAGE 29 | VOLUME 01
Residents Perform Physicals for 1,100 East Texas Students The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler hosted their annual sports pre-participation exams for 14 area high schools on May 1, 2019. The event, which has continuously grown for nearly a decade, served 1,112 students throughout the East Texas region.
Events like these foster the importance of health maintenance at an early age and expose our students, physicians and residents to a broader scope of patient care.
“It is always a great opportunity when we can combine the general health of our local student-athletes with our primary care clinicians and residents,” said Cody Boyd, CEO of UT Health East Texas North Campus Tyler. “Events like these foster the importance of health maintenance at an early age and expose our students, physicians and residents to a broader scope of patient care.” Dr. James Menard, family medicine associate professor, and Dr. Leslie Tingle, rural family medicine residency director, oversaw the process where UT Health Science Center at Tyler family medicine and rural family medicine resident physicians, in conjunction with the CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances sports medicine training staff, performed the medical screening histories and examinations free of charge to the students. The districts bussed in their students to UT Health East Texas Tyler and Pittsburg locations, where they were seen and then transported back to school. This event provided an undoubted convenience for the districts, students and parents. “This is an excellent opportunity to provide a valuable community service to area students to try to identify any concerning ailments or potential problems before they perform intense athletic activities,” said Dr. Menard.
Participating School Districts included: • Alba-Golden
• Overton
• Arp
• Pittsburg
• Big Sandy
• Quitman
• Gladewater
• Rains
• Harmony
• West Rusk
• Hawkins
• Winnsboro
• Mineola
• Winona
PAGE 30 | VOLUME 01
Psychology Internship Graduation The Psychology Internship program celebrated its 20182019 class of psychology interns on June 19, 2019, as their internships came to a close. Their 2,000-hour, one-year doctoral internship included health service psychology (clinical) training at UT Health Science Center at Tyler, with an emphasis on the interface between psychology and medicine. The internship program provided opportunities to interface at many levels in a medical setting. Interns learned to collaborate with physicians, physicians-in-training, nurses, dietitians, pharmacy students and other consultants. They played a vital role in the care of patients with both mental health and physical health needs. As often as possible, their experiences were longitudinal
to allow interns to develop longer-term professional relationships with treatment team members and patients.
The new class of 10 psychology interns started in July to continue the program's impact in East Texas.
With a mental health provider to citizen ratio of 1:25,000, Northeast Texas suffers from a significant shortage of mental health resources. Many patients seen by the psychology interns have never seen a mental health professional before. Therefore, the interns were eager to serve this unique population in hopes of truly making an impact.
While the 2018-2019 interns have since graduated, the program welcomed its new cohort of interns in July to carry on the program’s mission.
2018-2019 Psychology Internship program graduates
PAGE 31 | VOLUME 01
SUPERNet Celebrates 25th Anniversary In April 2019, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler celebrated their 25th anniversary of the Schools United to Provide Enhanced Resources Network Consortium (SUPERNet) and the 20th anniversary of the SUPERNet II Consortium partnership. The consortiums, partners with UT Health Science Center at Tyler, are collaborative efforts with local East Texas rural school districts to provide affordable internet access and technical expertise to allow for the advancement of education within their district. This connectivity aimed to afford a community of educators and their stakeholders to progress toward the future of education. Beginning in 1994, on the cusp of the World Wide Web’s takeover, the project set forth to fulfill their charge. The beginning of the SUPERNet Consortium converged with major events in public education during 1994. This was a time when schools began to dream about accessing educational resources via the internet, high-stakes testing became the norm, a proliferation of computers emerged in schools, the Texas Legislature published its Long-Range Plan for Technology and the U.S. Department of Education issued Title II Part D mandating a new level of technology integration in public education. However, at the time, there was no connectivity in the East Texas school districts, leaving the districts lagging behind this new education wave. The realization of the region’s trailing progression motivated a small group of schools to band together to support systemic change by the attraction of a higher-education partner, UT Health Science Center at Tyler. Once partnered, the consortium successfully secured alternative funding to build one of the finest technology infrastructures in Texas. The infrastructure’s founding allowed opportunities for collaboration among school districts by leveraging combined buying power to reduce the cost of technology-related services.
SUPERNet Coordinator Patricia Maddox
The SUPERNet Consortium is comprised of 17 East Texas schools: • Arp • Big Sandy • Carlisle • Chapel Hill • Hallsville • Hawkins • Henderson • Jacksonville • Lindale
• New Summerfield • Tatum • Tyler • Union Grove • Whitehouse • White Oak • Winnsboro • Winona
SUPERNet and SUPERNet II are dedicated to forging milestones in curriculum and instruction, professional development and in growing a well-connected professional learning community among member districts, teachers, administrators, technology directors, partners, higher education and community members. Working with a research-based constructivist model, SUPERNet has prepared teachers for the 21st century. The consortium provides wide area network connectivity with strong, stable internet services, offering curriculum resources and courses and a Virtual High School, one of the first in the state. SUPERNet Virtual High School is now a course provider statewide through Texas Virtual School Network (TxVSN). SUPERNet currently serves on the advisory board for TxVSN. Additionally, it delivers video conferencing services and distance learning opportunities with a gateway to colleges and universities through the Northeast Texas Consortium of Colleges and Universities. In its 25 years, the project has gained national recognition, being selected as part of Texas Spotlight Schools to present at the Secretary’s Conference on Education Technology in Washington D.C. The U.S. Secretary of Education’s program review of SUPERNet lauded the consortium, “It is this network of SUPERNet schools that is a single most important factor enabling change to be sustained. Previously isolated in time and space, these schools now know that they are not alone in the change process.” The Collaborative Research and Dissemination research group adopted SUPERNet’s plan for
teacher professional development collaboration as their model for replication in Missouri, an area very similar in demographics to SUPERNet districts. Additionally, the consortia won the Award of Excellence in Education from Microsoft & Intel Teach to the Future. Further, SUPERNet has been featured in two different issues of the EdLiNC publication as an E-Rate success story and has also been featured in publications by Dell, VCOM and the Texas Center for Educational Technology. Moreover, the Texas Distance Learning Association recognized the SUPERNet for outstanding commitment to excellence and innovation in distance learning by an organization. In addition to these recognitions, the consortia has received multiple grants totaling in the hundreds of thousands to continue educational advancement for the region.
The SUPERNet II Consortium is comprised of nine East Texas schools: • Beckville
• Mineola
• Brownsboro
• Quitman
• Hughes Springs
• Rusk
• Martin’s Mill
• Troup • Waskom
Currently, SUPERNet is involved in a wide area network fiber project with East Texas Telephone Coop, Lonestar Education and Research Network and Conterra. SUPERNet has applied for funds with Universal Service Administrative Company and with the Texas Classroom Connectivity Special Construction State Match Grant. As SUPERNet looks to the future, the consortia’s purpose is now more important than ever. K-12 curriculum, college readiness and workplace training demand are now more critical than before. Thus, SUPERNet sets their sights on more connectivity to regional and global resources to continue to deliver the best for their students. The SUPERNet Consortia is another prime example of how The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler is advancing education. Together.
PAGE 32 | VOLUME 01
Ways to Give MANY WAYS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. MANY WAYS TO GIVE.
There are many different ways to make a legacy gift, perhaps some you haven’t ever considered. Here are a few types of assets you can give to achieve your goals:
Cash
Giving cash is simple and is the simplest way to make a difference at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler, and you can deduct the amount immediately on your income tax.
Life Insurance
If you no longer need your life insurance policy because it will no longer benefit your survivors, you can gift it to The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler.
Stocks & Securities
Giving securities, including stocks and bonds, is easy and effective, too. If you have held the securities for more than a year and they have appreciated, giving to UT Health Science Center can provide a tax deduction and help avoid capital gains tax.
Retirement Plans
Giving UT Health Science Center part of your retirement assets, such as from your IRA, 401(k), 403b, pension or other tax-deferred plan, is a simple way to make a gift and can keep you in a more advantageous tax bracket. This is especially true for alumni and friends who are age 70.5 years or older and must take a required minimum distribution each year. Moreover, retirement plans passed to your children and heirs could lose almost half their value through the income taxes they will have to pay. On the other hand, naming The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler as a beneficiary generates no income taxes and the institution receives the full value of your retirement plan.
Mineral Interests
By transferring mineral rights to The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler, you truly are giving the university a “gift that keeps on giving.” The University Lands office has been stewarding the largest land and minerals endowment in the country for over 100 years. Our experts will ensure your natural resources yield maximum value.
Artwork & Collectibles
Paintings, sculptures, coins… if it's worth something to someone, that worth can transfer to the university. PAGE 33 | VOLUME 01
Real Estate & Land
A gift of real estate, such as your home, ranch, vacation property, commercial property or even vacant land, could be your most impactful donation. Moreover, if your property has appreciated, giving it to UT Health Science Center can provide a tax deduction and help avoid capital gains tax.
Will & Estate Plans
You can designate The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler as a beneficiary in your will, living trust or other estate plan document.
Business Interests & Closely Held Stocks
Nothing has growth potential like your stake in a growing company. There are key times in the life of a business when it makes sense to set aside some of the ownership interest for charitable contributions, such as: • When a company is being formed. • Before an initial public offering (IPO). • When a company is being recapitalized. • Before the sale, merger or acquisition of a company. • Before an owner or partner in a company retires. By donating closely held stock before these liquidity events occur, you can claim an immediate tax deduction for the full market value without ever recognizing a taxable gain. You essentially “double up” on the tax benefits.
Intellectual Property & Royalties
Creativity is at the heart of what it means to be a part of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler family, and that creative power can transfer into financial security for the institution through gifts of intellectual property and royalties.
Charitable Gift Annuity
If you are age 55 or older, you can transfer cash or appreciated securities to The University of Texas Foundation, and you are paid a fixed amount (with rates based on your age) annually for the rest of your life. This provides security for you and your loved ones, and some of this income may be tax-free.
Charitable Remainder Trust
As with a charitable gift annuity, a charitable remainder trust allows you to transfer cash and appreciated securities, as well as property, to UT System or your bank/trust company. The difference is that instead of a simple contract, your asset funds a trust, which directs a specific distribution to you or your family with the remainder being distributed to the institution. The trust will provide you with an upfront charitable tax deduction and provide you with income for life (flexible or fixed for life or for a set term of years).
Charitable Lead Trust
You can transfer cash, appreciated securities and/or property into a lead trust that makes gifts to UT Health Science Center for a number of years. You will receive a charitable deduction, and you or your family receives the remainder of the trust at a tax savings.
To explore your planned giving options, contact: Mariyln Abegg-Glass Consulting Vice President of Institutional Advancement marilyn.abeggglass@uthct.edu
Kenneth Sigler Director of Major Gifts kenneth.sigler@uthct.edu Betsy Brush-Hahn Associate Director of Major Gifts betsy.brushhahn@uthct.edu
Institutional Advancement 11937 U.S. Hwy. 271 | Tyler, TX 75708 (903) 877-5135 PAGE 34 | VOLUME 01
Visit www.uthct.edu/give-now to learn more.
Advancing education. Advancing research. Advancing healthcare. Together.
UTHealthTyler
UTHealthTyler
UTHealthSCT
UTHSCT
11937 U.S. Hwy. 271, Tyler, Texas 75708 (903) 877-7777 | uthct.edu PAGE 35 | VOLUME 01