Impact June 2016 by UTMB Health

UTMB NEWSLETTER • JUNE 2016

Spreading the word about UTMB’s Angleton Danbury Campus Spotlight on Tom Engells, UTMB police chief League City Campus Hospital celebrates opening Finding new life for historic homes

Nursing staff from UTMB’s Blocker Burn Unit coordinated a surprise baby shower for the wife of a patient who had been receiving care in the unit for three months. Sylvia Garcia was seven months pregnant when her husband was injured and taken to UTMB. She switched her doctor from her hometown of McAllen to UTMB to be near her husband. The Burn Unit staff pitched in to buy gifts, decorations and food for the baby shower and invited the couple’s families to attend on May 2. Shortly after, Garcia gave birth at UTMB to a healthy baby boy on May 9. She expressed her gratitude to the nurses and said it was something she’ll never forget. UTMB nurses Meredith Hartzog (Adult Patient Care Services) and Gwen Hildebrand (Neuro/Neurosurgery ICU) were selected as two of the top 150 nurses in the Houston area by the Houston Chronicle. The nurses were honored during National Nurse’s Week at the Salute to Nurses Luncheon presented by the Chronicle on May 5. Hartzog and Hildebrand were selected among hundreds of nominations by a panel of educators and leaders identified by the Chronicle. Mark Hellmich, PhD, a professor of surgery and physiology and biophysics, Harshini Neelakantan, PhD, a research scientist in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and John Stonestreet, a visiting scholar at the Institute for Medical Humanities, were among participants from across Texas who completed the “Successful Entrepreneurship in Healthcare” program in May. Directed by UTMB’s Stanley Watowich, PhD, an associate professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Harshini Neelakantan Biology, the program, in partnership with UT Austin’s delivers a pitch to investors. McCombs School of Business, focused on converting innovative therapeutics and medical device technologies into successful startup companies. Participants showcased their company’s value propositions in an eight-minute pitch delivered to an elite investor panel on the final day of the program. Dr. James Vanderploeg, professor of Aerospace Medicine in the Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, received the 2016 Joe Kerwin Award from the Aerospace Medical Association. The award is named after Dr. Joe Kerwin, the first physician selected for astronaut training in the U.S. space

program. Vanderploeg received the award at the AsMA’s annual meeting in April for his groundbreaking work evaluating individuals with chronic medical conditions undergoing a simulated commercial spaceflight experience. The Andreas Vesalius Osler Student Society and the Willed Body Memorial Ceremony Committee sponsored this year’s Willed Body Memorial Ceremony on April 6 at the Old Red Amphitheater. The event celebrated the lives of those who have generously donated their bodies to science and medicine. Dr. Susan McCammon, vice chair and co-director of UTMB’s Center for Cancers of the Head and Neck, was the featured speaker. Students from the Galveston Campus, including the School of Health Professions and School of Medicine lent an inspirational air to the program through their musical performances and artwork. Several TDCJ Hospital Galveston Correctional Managed Care employees were recognized during a special awards ceremony on May 11, hosted by Dr. Owen Murray, vice president of Correctional Managed Care, and Dr. Olugbenga Ojo, chief medical officer of TDCJ Hospital Galveston. Mohamed Mohamud, a nurse in Medical/Surgical Telemetry, was the winner of this year’s Owen Murray Award for Nursing Excellence; Kellie Perrone, a patient care technician in the Transitional Care Unit, received the Award for Administrative Excellence; Don Bosco, a senior warden, was recognized for his service excellence; and nurses Paula Stangeland and Bryan Hicks were honored for going above and beyond in responding to an accident involving multiple traumas.

Owen Murray Award for Nursing Excellence nominees and awardee: (L-R) Paula Stangeland (who accepted the nomination on behalf of Jayasree Narayanan), Elodia Rodriguez, Bryan Hicks, Oyebamiji Adebayo, Mohamed Mohamud (awardee) and Patricia Crosby.

Administrative Excellence award nominees and awardee: (L-R) Bridget Jones, Kellie Perrone (awardee), Jessica Wallace, Oralia “Lolly” Zuniga, Hemal Amin and Lori Glycenfer.

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From the President

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We have had an eventful spring with the openings of Jennie Sealy Hospital and, on June 4, the League City Hospital. Each is a major milestone in UTMB’s historic mission, and I’d like to thank each of you for contributing to the successful launch of these new facilities and your ongoing work to improve health through excellence, innovation and compassion.

League City Campus Hospital opening

In late April, we held our annual emergency and hurricane preparedness meeting, where we discussed how the university makes decisions in an emergency and what is expected from each employee before, during and after an emergency.

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An active hurricane season is predicted, but as flooding, cybersecurity threats and other disruptions have shown us, preparedness is a year-round effort. I strongly encourage you to visit www.utmb.edu/emergency_plan to familiarize yourself with UTMB’s emergency operations information so that you and your family are well prepared. If you haven’t already done so, please take time now to update your emergency notification information online in Employee Self-Service.

Day in the Life of an ADC senior communications specialist Page 8

You can learn more about the importance of emergency preparations inside this issue, along with stories about our people. Among them: • A day in the life of Tonya Visor, senior communications specialist at UTMB’s Angleton Danbury Campus • A profile of Tom Engells, UTMB police chief • How a new agreement will enable UTMB researchers to work with Cuban scientists in the fight against infectious diseases

Spotlight on Tom Engells, police chief

• How the UTMB Milestones Gala fundraiser celebrated our 125-year history, while also generating $3.7 million in support for scholarship and faculty endowments

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• Tips on getting a good night’s sleep by Thomas Speer, associate professor in UTMB’s Division of Pulmonary Critical Care and Sleep Medicine Enjoy the articles and tell us what you think. Thanks again for all that you do to improve health for the people of Texas and around the world.

Thank you!

Finding new life for historic homes Page 15

Dr. David L. Callender UTMB President

Impact is for and about the people who fulfill UTMB’s mission to improve health in Texas and around the world. We hope you enjoy reading this issue. Let us know what you think! ON THE COVER: Tonya Visor is a senior communications specialist at UTMB’s Angleton Danbury Campus. For more than 17 years, she has made it her mission to embed herself in the local community and spread awareness of the critical health care services offered in a small-town setting. P R INT E D B Y U T MB G R A P H IC D ES IG N & P RIN TIN G S ERVICES

Vice President Marketing & Communications Steve Campbell

Associate Vice President Marketing & Communications Mary Havard

Campus mail route: 0144 U.S. Postal address: UTMB Marketing & Communications 301 University Boulevard Galveston, TX 77555-0144

Editors Kristen Hensley KirstiAnn Clifford Stephen Hadley Art Director Mark Navarro

PAT I E NT C A R E

BY KIRSTIANN CLIFFORD

When you walk into the UTMB’s League City Campus Hospital, it’s

Although the hospital experienced construction delays, many said it was worth the wait.

clear that it was built with the needs of the growing community in mind.

With its convenient location and extra patient room amenities, the 150,000-square-foot hospital opened to patients on June 4, complete with inpatient and emergency care. “Improving access to high-quality health care is a focus at UTMB,” said UTMB President David Callender at the hospital’s ribbon-cutting ceremony in May. “This beautiful, new League City Hospital—supported by our surrounding network of primary and specialty care clinics—allows us to deliver exceptional, close-tohome health care to the nearby mainland communities experiencing unprecedented growth. We are honored to be here, serving patients and families and advancing our mission to improve the health of all Texans.” It was standing room only as a crowd of local dignitaries, UTMB leaders, staff and many friends from throughout the surrounding area attended the May 3 ceremony, which also included a tour of the three-story facility. The LCC Hospital marks UTMB’s expansion to inpatient care on the mainland and is connected to the campus’ specialty clinics, which opened in 2010. Like the new Jennie Sealy Hospital in Galveston, the LCC Hospital was designed in collaboration with patients, families, physicians and staff to create an environment that is both comforting and healing. “You’ll see it in the Labor and Delivery Unit, where a new dad told us, ‘Add more counter space, because when you’re a new parent, you get lots of stuff—you get gifts and flowers and we need a place for it in the room,’” said Deb McGrew, chief operating officer at UTMB. “You’ll see it in our patient rooms with the little refrigerators. Patients and families said those were a ‘must’ in the design process. And you’ll see it in the tick marks on the floor, which was a wonderful suggestion from one of our physical therapists, who said, ‘Put these tick marks so patients will know how long they have walked, because it’s so important to maintain your mobility when you’re in Nurse Jennifer Nguyen (left) and the hospital.’” her colleagues in the LCC ED. 4

UTMB added 150 new positions to support the 24-hour care offered at the LCC. Jennifer Nguyen, an Emergency Department nurse, was excited to transition from the Galveston Campus to the new ED in League City. “It’s a new adventure,” said Nguyen. “Coming from a Level 1 trauma center and transitioning to an ED that is equipped to provide a community hospital response to emergencies like shortness of breath and broken limbs will be a little different. We have a great team of nurses and doctors here in League City. When really critical cases come our way, we will be able to do our trauma nursing assessment, stabilize the patient and then transfer as necessary to Galveston.” As League City continues to grow, the LCC is also positioned for future expansion. The building is designed to accommodate additional patient floors.

Deb McGrew speaks at the LCC ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Hospital Fast Facts • $82 million investment

• 150,000 square feet with three floors • Labor, Delivery, Recovery and Postpartum Unit with specialty care for moms and newborns • 24-hour Emergency Department with 10 rooms and complete diagnostics lab • Sports medicine and cardiac rehabilitation services • 20 medical/surgery patient rooms • 2 cardiac catheterization labs • 4 endoscopy suites • 10 operating rooms • Gift shop and retail pharmacy

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PAT IENT CARE

BY KIRSTIANN CLIFFORD

AS PART OF NURSES WEEK in May, more than 20 UTMB leaders shadowed nurses from across the Galveston, League City and Angleton Danbury campuses to get a glimpse of the successes and challenges nurses experience every day. Dr. Selwyn Rogers, vice president and chief medical officer, put aside his administrative duties for a few hours to shadow Katie Brown, an Emergency Department nurse on the Galveston Campus. “This is a great part of my job—I love it,” said Rogers when asked about shadowing front-line staff. “It’s an opportunity to see first-hand the challenges that our nurses face and recognize all the great work they do. I want to hear about what’s working and what isn’t, and if there’s a problem I can help solve, I want to hear about it.” Rogers still enjoys being on the front lines taking care of patients. In addition to his duties as CMO, he works with the ED on a regular basis, as the trauma surgeon on-call on Friday nights. However, it was his first time meeting Katie Brown, who was getting ready to transition to the League City Campus’ ED. Rogers followed Brown into exam rooms, asking questions and talking to patients and their families. He noted the high census and issues with behavioral health patients who have nowhere else to go for treatment.

“It does reinforce that we have a big need and it’s not unique,” said Rogers. “A number of patients have substance abuse issues, as well. That’s a huge problem nationally.” Brown was happy to have a leader join her for part of the day. “I was glad that Dr. Rogers got to see things really pick up and saw how busy we are,” said Brown, who has been at UTMB for three years. David Marshall, chief nursing and patient care services officer, spent one of his mornings in the neonatal ICU, located in John Sealy Hospital, shadowing nurse Betsy Petersen. Although he admitted that he was intimidated by the pint-sized patients at first, he quickly got the hang of it, asking Petersen questions and helping her feed and take care of the two babies under her watch. When Marshall found out that Petersen had also been a nurse at UTMB in the 1980s, they immediately started comparing notes and talking about what nursing was like back then. “We are seeing much better outcomes than what we saw 20 or 30 years ago,” said Petersen. “The best part of my job is seeing the journey each baby takes from the time they come here to when they go home. I have so much compassion for these babies. They are here by no fault of their own.”

Dr. Selwyn Rogers and Katie Brown, an ED nurse. Marshall said his visit with Petersen was a good reminder of all the incredibly talented people who work at UTMB and do extraordinary things every day. “I think about the impact that Petersen and her colleagues make in these babies’ lives and their parents’ lives and it’s like throwing a stone in the water and watching the ripples go out,” said Marshall. “If you think about each life that is touched by a nurse, it’s pretty amazing.”

2016 Nurses Week and Health System Week UTMB celebrated Nurses Week and Health System Week with various events across the campuses including a “Nurses Wear White Day,” a breakfast and luncheon, blood drive, seminars, professional organization booths and an award ceremony. Join us in celebrating all UTMB nurses, who provide direct patient care seven days a week, 365 days a year. Many thanks to all UTMB nurses for their commitment and dedication to patients. To see more photos from Nurses Week, visit www.flickr.com/photos/utmb. David Marshall and nurse Betsy Petersen check on a baby in the neonatal ICU.

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RESEARCH

BY RAUL REYES

Thanks to a $1.3 million agreement, researchers from UTMB’s National Biocontainment Training Center will embark on a two-year research development program to collaborate with and help train Cuban scientists at the Instituto Pedro Kouri in Havana to better fight infectious diseases, including the Zika virus, which is currently infecting millions internationally. The program, at UTMB’s National Biocontainment Training Center, will develop scientists’ capabilities to work on a range of emerging infectious diseases, such as dengue and chikungunya. The agreement will allow UTMB to: • Work with Cuban scientists to assess the needs for research in Cuba that will benefit the region. • Train Cuban researchers to safely work with emerging infectious diseases of mutual importance. • Develop three joint research projects that will bring Cuban scientists to UTMB to train at the National Biocontainment Training Center.

• Advise and train Cuban officials and scientists on how to develop facilities to safely handle high-risk pathogens. • Improve the diagnostic capabilities of the Instituto Pedro Kouri by training Cuban scientists at UTMB’s assay development core laboratory. • Work with Cuban scientists to identify three pathogens for collaborative research and vaccine development. • Develop an exchange program of scientists. The initiative is being underwritten by The Atlantic Philanthropies, a global foundation established by Chuck Feeney, co-founder of Duty Free Shoppers. “UTMB is proud to be in the vanguard of scientists who will lead the fight against diseases that affect both our nations,” said Dr. David L. Callender, president of UTMB. Christopher G. Oechsli, president and CEO of Atlantic, said, “Atlantic has long been engaged in fostering collabora-

RES EARC H B R I E F S Compiled from press releases written by Donna Ramirez and Christopher Smith Gonzalez. Find out more at www.utmb.edu/newsroom. A multidisciplinary team led by Pei-Yong Shi, PhD, UTMB endowed professor of Human Genetics, is the first in the world to genetically engineer a clone of the Zika virus strain. For 60 years, the Zika virus remained obscure with few identified cases in people and mild disease symptoms. However, since 2007, the virus has sparked frequent epidemics associated with serious diseases such as microcephaly and Guillain-Barre syndrome. The research development could expedite many aspects of Zika research, including vaccine and therapeutics development. Cloning the virus unlocks scientists’ ability to more quickly develop countermeasures and explore whether or how the Zika virus has evolved to spread more quickly and cause more severe diseases in people. The new Zika clone, together with mosquito infection models and the UTMB-developed Zika mouse model, represent a major advance towards deciphering why the virus is tied to serious diseases. There are a number of possible factors that may account for the current Zika virus epidemic that can now be tested with the UTMB clone. The study is available in the journal Cell Host and Microbe.

In addition to his published Zika research, Shi has also received $1.9 million from the Pan American Health Organization to develop a safe and effective Zika virus vaccine. Shi and his colleagues will use two complementary approaches to vaccine development. The first is a subunit vaccine. Vaccines of this type have been successfully developed for other viruses, have been shown to be potent in the closely related West Nile virus in animal models and have outstanding safety data. The second is a live attenuated vaccine using reverse genetic technology. Two regions within the Zika virus will be mutated or deleted to weaken the virus. Yong-Fang Kuo, PhD, professor of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, has been awarded more than $745,000 from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality to conduct the first national population-based investigation of patients who receive their care from a team of both physicians and nurse practitioners in a “shared care” model. Although

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RESEARCH

tion between the U.S. and Cuba on health issues that affect our two nations and populations globally. This partnership between two leading medical research institutions will build upon that base by focusing on prevention and treatment of real and present threats to regional and global health.”

“UTMB is proud to be in the vanguard of scientists who will lead the fight against diseases that affect both our nations.”

Scott Weaver, PhD, director of UTMB’s Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, noted that “the recent escalation of Zika virus infections and awareness throughout the Caribbean demonstrates the importance of enhancing infectious disease research and workforce development throughout the region.”

David Niesel, PhD, chief research officer at UTMB, said that the program with Cuba “begins a scientific chapter of cooperation that will eventually result in Cuban and U.S. scientists being better prepared to combat emerging diseases.”

Callender noted that, with the expected increase in commercial air travel and tourism between the U.S. and Cuba, “enhancing the capabilities of scientists in Cuba to prevent and treat diseases is even more important. The value of stronger ties between Texas and Cuba, Weaver noted that UTMB’s as exemplified by Gov. National Biocontainment Greg Abbott’s recent trip Training Center has trained to Cuba, is something hundreds of scientists from UTMB, other laboratories in the U.S. UTMB wishes to encourage, particularly when it comes to the and institutions from 30 countries worldwide. health of our populations.”

interdisciplinary-team care has been shown to improve outcomes, especially for patients with complex medical conditions that require coordination of care with various health care providers, how these models operate in more diverse patient populations and clinical settings is unknown. The newly funded renewal study will address this critical gap in knowledge. N. Muge Kuyumcu-Martinez, PhD, assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, and colleagues have uncovered a molecular mechanism involved in diabetic cardiomyopathy. Diabetics are up to five times more likely to develop cardiovascular diseases, and cardiac complications are their No. 1 cause of death. For decades, physicians have noticed unhealthy changes in the hearts of diabetics, which can lead to heart failure. The molecular mechanisms responsible for this cardiac disorder are poorly understood, although they are key to revealing new targets for the discovery of better treatments and development of more accurate diagnostics. The study appears in the journal Cell Reports.

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Nichols named 2016 Piper Award Winner Joan Nichols, PhD, a professor of Internal Medicine and Microbiology and Immunology, and associate director for research and operations for the Galveston National Laboratory, is one of 10 professors in Texas to be selected by the Minnie Steven Piper Foundation as a 2016 Piper Professor. The Piper Professor Awards were first introduced in 1958 and honor effective and dedicated professors from two- and four-year colleges and universities in Texas. In letters of recommendation sent to the foundation, Nichols was described as a hardworking, dedicated and inspiring professor and researcher who is just as comfortable in her lab as she is in front of a classroom or speaking to members of the community. Nichols, who has been with UTMB since 1994, said she went back to graduate school for her doctoral degree because she wanted to teach and work with medical and graduate students.

BY KIRSTIANN CLIFFORD

When you first meet Tonya Visor, two words immediately come to mind: energetic and passionate. As a senior communications specialist at UTMB’s Angleton Danbury Campus, she has made it her mission for more than 17 years to embed herself in the local community and spread awareness of the critical health care services offered in a smalltown setting. Whether it’s representing UTMB at a health fair or assisting local newspaper reporters with a story, she brings a vibrant enthusiasm with her everywhere she goes. And it’s evident even at 5:30 a.m. That’s when I meet up with her on a Wednesday morning. I’m still half asleep, chugging coffee; she’s getting ready to instruct a spin class at ADC’s Wellness Center. “I’m so glad you showed up!” she exclaims, as she helps me adjust an exercise bicycle seat and turns up some high-tempo music. For years, Visor has taught exercise classes four mornings a week at the center, which serves UTMB employees and community members. It’s not part of her formal duties as a senior communications specialist—it’s volunteer work that has become another way to engage with the community and promote health and wellness.

After sweating my way through her spin and aerobics class, I catch my breath as she runs home for a quick wardrobe change. The rest of the workday is just as active as the morning, with a health fair to attend, a tour of the hospital to give and a photoshoot to coordinate with the Brazosport Facts newspaper. In between events, she’ll squeeze in work on the redesign of the ADC patient handbook and update the latest faculty profile sheet. Also on the agenda is an evening meeting of the board of directors for the Angleton ISD Education Foundation. It’s mindboggling how many boards and charitable organizations she serves on. “What don’t you do?” I ask her. She replies with a smile, “I don’t do anything clinical [laughs]. But seriously, you can’t be part of your community if you sit on the sidelines.” As the

“I really get true joy out of leading these classes,” says Visor, whose other joy includes spoiling her three grandkids. “I don’t need coffee—I really don’t! I bounce out of bed. I love helping each person meet a goal and encouraging them to do something good for themselves. If I weren’t employed at ADC, I’d be a fitness instructor. I get the best of both worlds here, so it turned out perfectly.” Visor (left) with ADC colleagues Cheryl Vining, Irene Vidana and Michael Washburn at a health fair in Pearland. 8

only senior communications specialist at ADC, Tonya is anything but on the sidelines. “Even before Angleton Danbury Medical Center became UTMB Health Angleton Danbury Campus, it was just me. It was marketing: party of one,” Tonya says. “Since the transition in 2014, I’ve learned how to ask for help, because when you are accustomed to doing everything and working by yourself, you don’t know how to ask. It’s pushed me to expand myself a little bit more, and I can call on my friends in Marketing and Communications in Galveston to help with things like graphics and proofreading when I need it.” But today, she doesn’t even have a chance to ask for help, as a group

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of UTMB medical students interested in public health careers show up for a tour. She quickly turns into tour guide mode, sharing interesting facts about the hospital, which was originally established in 1969 and was the first trauma-designated facility in Brazoria County. Afterward, she grabs a quick bite of lunch before gathering marketing collateral for a health fair in Pearland, where she expects several hundred people. “We’ve done 15 health fairs in the last year,” says Visor. “We use many different mediums to reach people, including social media, newspaper advertisements, health fairs—a little bit of everything. But sharing the services that we have readily available with others is my favorite part.” We say our goodbyes as Visor boards a bus wrapped in colorful pictures and a very fitting motto: “Working Wonders in Our Community.” With her trademark energy and passion, she explains that it’s part of an 1115 Medicaid waiver project with ADC’s Patient Navigation Team—and it’s headed to Pearland to spread the word about improving health.

hats and she does it with ease and grace. I tell other areas of the institution that if they have any interest in doing anything in this market, engaging local leadership is absolutely essential—and you can’t find a better connected, more engaged person than Tonya. She is the face of UTMB in so many ways and really embodies the ability and desire to do everything she can for the greater good of UTMB and Angleton.”

“Tonya is the epitome of how things in this service area are different. You have to wear many hats and she does it with ease and grace.” Visor with Ann Varghese (left) and Katrina Lambrecht (right).

“I always considered this bus my rolling billboard, even though it’s not mine,” she laughs. “I always want to know where it’s going!” Before I leave, I run into Ann Varghese, director of Ambulatory Operations at ADC, and Katrina Lambrecht, ADC vice president and administrator. They both eloquently sum up the special role Visor fills on campus. “Really, in any big initiative that we have going on here, Tonya has a hand in it,” says Varghese. “Although it may not be considered a traditional marketing or communications role, it is a ‘Tonya role’ over here. She’s invaluable.” Lambrecht adds, “Tonya is the epitome of how things in this service area are different. You have to wear many

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Visor gives a tour of the Angleton Danbury Campus to UTMB School of Medicine students.

E D UC AT I O N

UTMB Graduate School awards 39 degrees

UTMB’S GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES awarded 39 degrees during its 48th commencement ceremony May 20 in Levin Hall. David W. Niesel, PhD, chief research officer, senior vice president and dean of the GSBS, presided over the convocation, and Dr. David L. Callender, UTMB’s president, conferred the degrees. “Today’s ceremony recognizes and celebrates the hard work, determination and scholarly achievements that have earned each of you an advanced degree in the field of biomedicine,” Callender said. “With this degree, you are joining a respected group of UTMB alumni making a difference around the globe, including world-renowned biomedical and clinical researchers. “Graduates of UTMB biomedical programs now hold prestigious and influential positions in universities, government and industry in the United States and around the world. Their accomplishments—and those that you will undoubtedly add—are a testament to the strong legacy of our Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.” The Graduate Student Organization presented its Distinguished Teaching Award to Janice Endsley, PhD, associate professor in the departments of Microbiology and Immunology and Pathology. Endsley also serves as director for the Flow Cytometry and Cell Sorting Facility. During the ceremony, Lynn Soong, MD, PhD, professor in the departments of Microbiology and Immunology and Pathology, received the Distinguished Faculty Service Award. A dedicated faculty member for more than 18 years, Soong is also director of the Microbiology and Immunology Graduate Program.

The Distinguished Faculty Research Award was presented to Dr. Allan R. Brasier, professor of Internal Medicine and Nelda C. and H.J. Lutcher Stark Distinguished Chair in Endocrinology. Brasier is the director of UTMB’s Institute for Translational Sciences, and the Sealy Center for Molecular Medicine. He was recognized for his work investigating inflammatory disorders, and for his leadership in new research approaches including translational team science and precision medicine. Slobodan Paessler, PhD, was honored with the GSBS Distinguished Alumnus Award for 2016. A member of the GSBS class of 2007, Paessler has achieved international prominence as a researcher in the field of virology since earning his PhD in Experimental Pathology. Today he is a professor in the department of Pathology at UTMB and also serves as chair of the James W. McLaughlin Endowment. Paessler gave the commencement address. A new award, the GSBS Impact Award, was presented to an individual who has demonstrated outstanding leadership and scholarship, and has brought distinction to the graduate school. The recipient was Dr. Kjell N. Lindgren, a United States astronaut who recently completed a 141-day mission aboard the International Space Station. Lindgren earned his Master of Public Health degree at UTMB in 2007, two years before being named to the astronaut corps. He also addressed the graduates at the ceremony. The commencement mace bearer was Tracy Toliver-Kinsky, PhD, associate professor in the departments of Anesthesiology and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Toliver-Kinsky also led the graduates in reciting the Biomedical Scientist’s Oath during the ceremony. For the entire 2015–2016 academic year, which includes three terms, the GSBS awarded a total of 68 degrees.

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Celebrating 125 Years Black-tie gala fundraiser generates $3.7 million in gifts UT System Chancellor William McRaven was honored during the celebration and presented with a copy of the certificate that showed a majority of Texans voted to establish the state’s first medical school in Galveston. BY STEPHEN HADLEY

UTMB celebrated its 125th Anniversary with a black-tie gala fundraiser at Galveston’s Moody Gardens Convention Center on May 21. More than 750 UTMB supporters attended the “Milestones Gala—125 Years—The Best is Yet to Come.” The event generated $3.7 million in gifts that created 19 faculty and scholarship endowments. “UTMB’s reputation for innovation, for service to our community and to improving health, has rested with the people who have attended our schools, practiced medicine in our hospitals and clinics, and taught in our classrooms,” said UTMB President Dr. David L. Callender during his gala address. “UTMB’s founders likely did not envision that this institution would become an international centerpiece of scientific inquiry and a training ground for the future of medicine, nursing, health professions and biomedical research. Or that UTMB would be a catalyst for improving the health of society, that it would lead innovations in research that continue to transform care throughout the world. “Our success is tied to a story of resilience, of a never-ending quest for excellence, and of a lasting commitment to defining health care.”

From left: Award-winning national news correspondent Stone Phillips interviews UT System Chancellor William McRaven.

“Our success is tied to a story of resilience, of a never-ending quest for excellence, and of a lasting commitment to defining health care.”

The highlight of the evening was an interview with University of Texas System Chancellor William McRaven conducted by award-winning national news correspondent Stone Phillips. In addition, four families and foundations were recognized for their philanthropic legacy to UTMB: The Sealy & Smith Foundation, The Moody Foundation, The Harris and Eliza Kempner Fund, and The Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation. The Sealy & Smith Foundation has given over $900 million to UTMB. Event co-chairs were Pat and Fred Burns, David Gibbs and Dr. Barbara Gibbs, and B.J. and Buddy Herz.

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From left: The 125th Anniversary Gala Co-Chairs were Buddy Herz, B.J. Herz, Fred Burns, Pat Burns, David Gibbs and Dr. Barbara Gibbs.

LEA D E R S POT L I GH T

Spotlight on Tom Engells, UTMB Police Chief UTMB Police Chief Tom Engells joined UTMB in 2010 and is responsible for the delivery of comprehensive police and progressive security services for UTMB and the Galveston National Laboratory.

Tom Engells stands next to his “monster” 20-foot-tall fig tree in his backyard. He credits his liberal application of “grow juice” with producing such a large, fruitful tree.

What does the Road Ahead look like for you? The Road Ahead is our institutional strategic plan. I think our core values are best expressed in our everyday work instead of being just nice words on paper. We have a real commitment to life-long learning. My Road Ahead is dominated by ongoing learning and active-succession management. The preparation of my officers and staff for the demands of tomorrow remains one of my greatest challenges and the most rewarding of all accomplishments. What are the biggest challenges you face as UTMB’s Chief of Police? The position of Chief of Police at UTMB is simultaneously the same as that of my colleagues across the United States, and yet profoundly unique because of the complex academic medical center in which I work. My biggest challenge is maintaining a sense of security awareness within the community. Through a successful and ongoing partnership, we have achieved a minimal level of violent felony criminal activity. That is a true tribute to effective on-theground awareness found within the community and a solid mutual trust between the patrol officers and the people they serve. You’ve been named UT System Police Chief of the Year twice since joining UTMB. What would you attribute most to your success? The Police Chief of the Year honors were both unexpected and very humbling. The recognition on the state level brought significant attention to our work at UTMB. I attribute all the success to the work of my officers. These dedicated men and women do amazing work so regularly here that it has become a routine expectation. From life-saving events to significant charitable campaigns for the community,

Engells has many years of police experience in academic health care settings. In prior roles, he served as assistant chief of police at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. He also has extensive experience in commanding a large police and security operation. Engells is both an assessor and team leader for the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies and a facilitator and assessor for the Texas Police Best Practices Recognition Program. In addition, he is an executive fellow at the Police Foundation. Engells is a Texas Master Peace Officer with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin, a master’s degree in Criminal Justice Management from Sam Houston University and a master’s degree in homeland security and defense from the Naval Postgraduate School. my folks accomplish a lot without fanfare or publicity. My success is attributed to their hard work on a daily basis. What was your first job? I was 12 years old and my first job was newspaper carrier for my hometown’s morning newspaper, the Austin American-Statesman. From a small route of about 75 subscribers, over the next five years, it grew to become a very large route of more than 300 subscribers and I went from a bicycle to a car for deliveries. Today, such work is done by adults and subscribers pay in advance. But back in the early 1970s when Austin barely had 250,000 residents, subscribers paid on a monthly basis for services received. A morning newspaper carrier has a unique vantage point. Some of my subscribers were very poor, but they paid their bills on time (sometimes even with postage stamps). But I also had subscribers of substantial means who would literally hide from a 12 year old who had come to their door to receive payment for newspapers delivered to them the previous month. I will never forget that dichotomy. What do you like to do outside of work? On Saturdays, I truly enjoy going shopping at a local “big box store” and purchasing the discarded refugee plants ($1 plants, but never more than $3). These plants are charitably a sad group of stressed and nearly dead botanicals. My wife and I make it a project to see what we can resurrect from near death to full bloom in our little gardens. I think we average about a 75 percent survival rate. My wife reminds me that my applications of fertilizers and plant stimulants (aka “grow juice”) do not conform to any written directions or manufacturer recommendations.

My stance: “They can grow their plants—I will grow my plants.” Do you have any hidden talents? A somewhat hidden talent is that I make lots of candy each holiday season. For more than 35 years, I have made holiday fudge. Literally, pounds and pounds of fudge are made in our kitchen starting on Thanksgiving evening. We have tried a variety of flavors over the years, each with a differing level of success. I thought dark chocolate with coconut would be a big hit…hmmm, it was not. Making candy can lead to some unexpected results. For example, white chocolate fudge with a blend of cinnamon red hots turns a most amazing color of pink and the red hots turn into gelatinous goo—not a real fan favorite. Finally, if you blend a nice peanut butter fudge with a few cups of dry roasted peanuts, your end result resembles nothing more than peanut cement—also not a top 10 flavor. (Even my Mom called me out on that one.) It is alleged that I am a bit on the conservative side, for I still use a sauce pan purchased in 1982 from Woolworths. My contention is it still works; however, wooden spoons—not so much. What’s something you always wanted to do but have not done yet? I would like to work with iron in a blacksmith shop. I have been fascinated by the work of metal workers and the useful items that they can craft at a forge. I think working with metal could be great fun and a worthy alternative to free weights. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be and why? I would like to return to Washington, D.C. I lived near the District years ago and would like to travel back to hear oral arguments at the Supreme Court on the first day of a term, which is the first Monday in October.

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impact

PREPAREDNESS

BY STEPHEN HADLEY

The start of the Atlantic hurricane season on June 1 provides another opportunity for UTMB and its employees to ensure that emergency preparations are up-to-date. While hurricanes can be a most destructive force, UTMB locations and employees have dealt with numerous other emergencies in recent years, including ice storms, floods, utility outages and other disruptions that can have a seriously detrimental effect on both the workplace and personal lives. The 2016 annual UTMB Emergency Preparedness Meeting was held on April 27 in Galveston. The one-hour meeting, led by Vice President and Chief Medical Officer Selwyn O. Rogers and live-streamed via webcast, offered those in attendance a chance to learn more about how decisions are made when a storm enters the Gulf, the outlook for the 2016 season, your responsibilities as an individual student or employee, and how the university will communicate with you before, during and after a storm. “In fact, we are always in disaster preparedness mode,” Rogers said at the outset of the meeting.

A successful Incident Command depends on a wellprepared university. UTMB employees are strongly encouraged to take the following actions now, before an emergency affects your work site or home, to ensure you are prepared. Consider the list a “Top 10” in which every item is No. 1:

In an emergency, UTMB activates its Incident Command structure to make decisions based on the specifics of the emergency and how they develop. Incident Command includes leaders from a broad range of departments that have direct responsibility for critical business operations. Led by an appointed Incident Commander and in coordination with other agencies when appropriate, the group makes UTMB’s official decisions about the emergency response, including if and when to dismiss students and employees. The group’s decisions are communicated in a variety of ways depending on the severity of the emergency, including email to academic program leaders, managers or all employees; our UTMB Alerts service; the Alerts website; iUTMB; and social media, as appropriate. UTMB offers a number of emergency preparedness resources to help employees plan on the job and at home. Visit www.utmb.edu/emergency_plan to view materials from the 2016 UTMB Emergency Preparedness Meeting, preparedness checklists, related forms and emergency-related policies.

• Become familiar with your department’s emergency plan and your role in an emergency. • Complete the Emergency Acknowledgment Form, available in hard copy and in a new online format (login required). • Consult your supervisor or faculty advisor if you have any questions about your emergency responsibilities or reporting to work/school. • Become familiar with UTMB’s Institutional Emergency Operations Plan (login required). • Enroll in Direct Deposit to ensure your paycheck can get to your bank account even if UTMB is unable to issue paper checks. • Update your UTMB Directory information—particularly your work location (L-code) and departmental mail routing number. Go to Employee Self-Service/ Personal Information/UTMB Directory Self Service. This information is vital to

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our ability to determine who is affected by a particular emergency and will support our efforts to better target emergency-related messages in the future. • Update your UTMB Alerts information. Go to Employee Self-Service/Personal Information/Emergency Alert Information. We recommend listing your cell phone number as the first contact method to ensure the quickest possible notification of an emergency. • Keep computer security in mind. Never reveal your UTMB login information to anyone, and be suspicious of emails asking you to enter your login information. • WEAR your ID badge every day at all UTMB locations, so emergency responders will know you belong. • Develop an emergency plan for your home that takes into account care and safety of dependents and pets.

GO O D NE W S

BY KIRSTIANN CLIFFORD

UTMB leaders and participating health care providers breathed a sigh of relief on May 1, when the federal government announced it was extending Texas’ 1115 Medicaid Waiver program for another 15 months. “Having the extension formalized by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services calms some of the fears for the performing providers because most Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment (DSRIP) projects would have ended abruptly at the end of September otherwise,” said Craig Kovacevich, UTMB’s associate vice president for Waiver Operations and Community Health Plans.

with a live person on screen. It’s helped ensure that patients who require an interpreter have access to services even when staff or department interpreters cannot be present in person on screen. “This project has helped many patients and their families better understand the care they are given and direction for things such as how to take their medication. It has also made a big difference in streamlining the discharge process,” said Kovacevich. “We use the tablets for inpatient and ambulatory services, in various clinics and in the hospital. It’s been a project that the staff, physicians, clinicians and nurses have really come to depend on.”

Kovacevich said the The waiver was originally biggest success of the granted to Texas as a fivewaiver hasn’t been meayear program in 2011, sured by any one DSRIP providing $29 billion in project, but by the collabincentives to health care oration and relationships providers for improving that have come out of patient care for all with them. a special emphasis on Medicaid and uninsured “We really have built patients. UTMB serves as bridges to bring people Eileen Schubert, an American Sign Language interpreter with Patient Services, stands the anchor institution for together,” he said. “You next to one of the iPads used for Video Remote Interpretation services. Region 2, which is comnow go into communities prised of 16 counties and in our region and see prorepresents more than 83 projects. viders and hospitals that would never have interacted, sitting together Kovacevich said the 15-month extension is a key stepping stone to a longer continuation of the program. “The extension allows providers the ability to continue their work while CMS and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission negotiate a long-term plan,” said Kovacevich.

as part of a learning collaborative and working toward common goals: to improve the experience of care, improve the health of populations and reduce per capita costs of health care.” Moving forward, Kovacevich is optimistic that CMS and the state can come together on a long-term plan he refers to as the “1115 Waiver 2.0.”

As negotiations take place, participating providers are encouraged to evaluate their programs and determine whether certain metrics have been met or if changes need to be put in place for the next iteration of the waiver. Many projects have already proved successful by helping patients control their chronic diseases, reducing hospital readmissions and much more.

“I think the federal government understands the significance that the waiver plays in Texas financially and in terms of improving health, and understands how an abrupt stop of these projects could impact progress made so far” said Kovacevich. “Seeing the waiver programs evolve and make a positive impact on countless lives is the most exciting, humbling part of the work that I’ve done over the past four years.

Kovacevich points to several projects, including one at UTMB that uses iPads to offer patients on-demand video language interpretation services

“They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but to walk through a clinic door and see the waiver programs in action is worth a million more.”

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impact

COM M UNI TY

BY STEPHEN HADLEY

UTMB AND THE GALVESTON HISTORICAL FOUNDATION are partnering to find new life for historic homes as part of a relocation and rehabilitation project that began in May.

to the community and preserve the remarkable history of the island we call home,” says Kim McKay, assistant vice president for UTMB’s Facilities Portfolio Management.

The homes, owned by UTMB, are being given to GHF, which hired a contractor to move the structures to new locations on the island. The first two houses, which were located on Church Street just south of the Rebecca Sealy building, were moved in May to two lots at 27th and M½ streets, where the historical foundation will begin rehabilitation work. The Albert M. Darragh-built houses were both constructed in 1913 by the son of pioneer Galvestonian John Darragh.

Crews begin to move the two homes from the Church Street properties.

On a sunny Friday morning, the two homes—which had been loaded onto trailers by Waxahachie-based McMillan Building Movers—began their meandering, miles-long journey to their new locales near Kermit Courville Stadium. The homes traveled along Seawall Boulevard, stopping traffic and attracting crowds of curious onlookers as the residences were being transported. “GHF is pleased to partner with UTMB to save historic houses and return them to the community,” said Dwayne Jones, chief executive officer of Galveston Historical Foundation. “These properties give us an opportunity to experiment with innovative approaches to preserve historic houses on our island and provide new homes for Galvestonians.”

“While our mission is focused on providing exemplary health care, conducting world-class research and training the next generation of clinicians, UTMB prides itself on being good stewards in our local communities. This program allows us to do that in a way that benefits all of Galveston.”

GHF’s Revolving Fund has a proven track record for historic house stabilization and rehabilitation. The foundation’s first revitalization program started in 1972 and was focused on the vacant buildings along the Strand business district. Due to that program’s success, GHF extended its efforts in 1983 to include historic residential properties. More recently, GHF has worked with the city of Galveston to focus on rehabilitation projects that provide affordable housing to qualified low-moderate income families. Since beginning these revitalization efforts, GHF has stabilized and rehabilitated 35 commercial structures and 40 residences.

GHF plans to move three additional UTMB-owned homes in the coming months. GHF’s Revolving Fund rehablitation work supports historic residential and commercial properties for stabilization and rehabilitation prior to sale. The Foundation said the new location for the two houses was strategically chosen due to their proximity to significant cultural resources such as Old Central Cultural Center, Kempner Park and Garten Verein. Moving the homes to their new locations supports UTMB’s Master Plan as it continues its mission of improving health for those in Texas and around the world. “Partnering with the Galveston Historical Foundation in its Revolving Fund rehabilitation program is an excellent way for UTMB to continue to contribute

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The homes after the move to their new location on 27th and M½ streets.

10 tips for a good night’s sleep by Thomas Speer, PhD, D, ABSM, Pulmonary Critical Care and Sleep Medicine Not sleeping as well as you’d like? Healthy sleep habits can make a big difference in your quality of life. Check out these 10 tips for getting the sleep of your dreams.

8. Avoid alcohol, nicotine, caffeine and heavy meals in the evening. Alcohol may initially make you feel tired, but you will end up having fragmented sleep. It also aggravates snoring and sleep apnea. Stimulants such as coffee and cigarettes interfere with your ability to fall asleep and progress into deep sleep. Avoid heavy meals late in the evening, but don’t go to bed hungry. A light snack, especially dairy foods, can help you sleep.

1. Establish a regular routine that includes going to bed and getting up at the same time every day, even on the weekends. Maintaining a consistent sleep-wake cycle is a key to better overall health. 2. Get an an adequate amount of sleep every night. Determine the amount of sleep you need by keeping track of how long you sleep without using an alarm clock for a week. 3. Develop sleep rituals before going to bed. Do the same things in the same order before going to bed to cue your body to slow down and relax. Certain activities, such as listening to soft music, reading or taking a warm bath can help you unwind. Consider turning off all

electronic devices such as cell phones and tablets 90 minutes before bedtime.

or working on a laptop only serve to initiate worries and concerns. Let your mind associate the bed with sleeping and relaxation.

9. Maintain a dark, quiet and cool room to sleep in. Consider using blackout curtains, eye shades, ear plugs, “white noise” machines, humidifiers, fans and other devices as needed.

4. Go to sleep when you are sleepy. If you have trouble falling asleep, go to another room and read quietly or do some other relaxing activity until you feel tired. Avoid overly bright lights as this can cue your wake cycle.

6. Don’t nap for more than 30 minutes or after 3 p.m. Avoiding naps all together will ensure that you are tired at night.

5. Use your bed for sleeping and sex only. Doing other activities in bed such as watching TV, paying bills

7. Exercise regularly. Regular exercise, even for 20 minutes, three times a week, promotes deep sleep.

10. Use sleeping aids conservatively and avoid using them for more than one or two nights a month. Avoid sleeping pills altogether if you have obstructive sleep apnea—it can be a deadly combination.

PA RTING SHOT

Let’s play ball! On May 25, six teams kicked off UTMB’s 2016 Co-Ed Softball League. More than 100 UTMB students, faculty, staff, contract employees and their families play games every Wednesday night from 6 to 8 p.m. at the UTMB Fieldhouse fields through July. This marks the first year the Department of Human Resources (pictured) is taking part in the summer softball league. Imelda Wicks, HR diversity and inclusion coordinator, said it’s an opportunity to build camaraderie within her department. “It feels great to cheer for my coworkers, to high-five them and to celebrate the work that we do as a team, regardless of whether we win or lose.”

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