NRI – Page 5 – Texas Children's News

March 8, 2016

3416ChristianSchaaf175 Dr. Christian Schaaf, assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine and investigator at the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute (NRI) at Texas Children’s, has been named the inaugural recipient of the Seldin-Smith Award for Pioneering Research.

The Seldin-Smith Award was established by the American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI) to recognize the most promising young physician-scientists in the country. One recipient will be chosen annually for this honor. Founded in 1908, ASCI is one of the oldest and most highly-respected medical honor societies for physician-scientists in the U.S.

“I am humbled to receive this prestigious award named after Drs. Donald W. Seldin and Lloyd H. ‘Holly’ Smith, heroes of academic medicine,” Schaaf said. “For the past 50 years, they’ve provided exemplary leadership in science, medicine and education. This award recognizes contributions to all three areas. For me, diligently pursuing patient care, science, and medical education has made my work profoundly meaningful.”

Schaaf, a medical geneticist who solves complex and challenging medical mysteries, combines astute clinical observations with meticulous basic research. His studies have led to important contributions in understanding the genetic basis of autism spectrum disorder and to the discovery of several genes for neurodevelopmental disorders and rare genetic syndromes. Two of these rare syndromes now bear his name: Bosch-Boonstra-Schaaf Optic Atrophy syndrome and Schaaf-Yang syndrome. Providing patients with an accurate diagnosis can be empowering. It ensures improved guidance, appropriate genetic counseling, and the ability to connect with similarly-affected families worldwide. These are important steps toward a better quality of life.

For the inaugural Seldin-Smith Award, ASCI sought nominations from outstanding physician-scientists who have demonstrated exceptional creativity and accomplishments in biomedical research. The selection committee comprised top luminaries in academic medicine, including four Nobel Laureates. Schaaf was chosen unanimously after a stringent two-step review of numerous nominations of exceptional early-stage physician-scientists from the U.S. and abroad.

Schaaf will be formally recognized at the ASCI dinner in Chicago on Friday, April 15. Drs. Seldin and Smith, as well as Schaaf’s mentor, NRI Director Dr. Huda Zoghbi, will be among the distinguished guests present at the ceremony.

In addition, Schaaf will receive an unrestricted grant of $30,000 to advance academic efforts, an invitation to deliver a research talk at the 2017 ASCI/AAP Joint Meeting and mentoring by the members of the Seldin-Smith Award Selection Committee and Advisory Committee.

March 1, 2016

Dr. Huda Zoghbi, known for her groundbreaking research on Rett syndrome and other neurological disorders, is the inaugural recipient of the Mechthild Esser Nemmers Prize in Medical Science at Northwestern University.

The Nemmers prize, which carries a $200,000 stipend, is awarded to a physician-scientist whose body of research exhibits outstanding achievement in their discipline as demonstrated by works of lasting significance. A jury of distinguished scientists from around the country made the final selection.

Zoghbi, a professor of pediatrics, molecular and human genetics, and neurology and neuroscience at Baylor College of Medicine and director of the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s, has devoted her career to uncovering the genetic roots of rare neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental diseases that affect her patients.

“The Nemmers Prize in Medical Science recognizes an outstanding investigator whose discoveries have significantly contributed to improving human health beyond the individual patient,” said Dr. Eric Neilson, vice president for medical affairs and Lewis Landsberg Dean at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. “Huda is a superb physician-scientist who has transformed the way we think about the genetic determinants and mechanisms of diseases. We are privileged to honor her with this inaugural award and for her to share her work with us.”

In connection with this award, Zoghbi will deliver a public lecture and participate in other scholarly activities at Feinberg in the coming year.

“It is a tremendous honor to be the inaugural Nemmers Prize recipient in Medical Science, and to have the opportunity to share my research with the stellar community of Northwestern University. It is truly humbling to be rewarded for what I love to do,” Zoghbi said.

February 2, 2016

Dr. Huda Zoghbi, director of the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s, will receive this year’s prestigious Jessie Stevenson Kovalenko Medal for her pioneering advancements in neuroscience research.

The National Academy of Science (NAS) presents this award every two years for outstanding research in the medical sciences. The Kovalenko Fund was gifted by Michael S. Kovalenko in 1949 in memory of his wife, Jessie Stevenson Kovalenko. For the last 63 years, the NAS has chosen distinguished scientists who have made landmark discoveries in medical research to receive this medal.

“Zoghbi unraveled the molecular basis of Spinocerebellar ataxia and Rett syndrome, providing novel insight into the pathogenesis of a broad range of neurologic disorders,” NAS Home Secretary Susan R. Wessler said. “Over the years, she has received numerous awards and prizes that honor her leadership in neuroscience research and exemplary mentorship to young neuroscientists. We couldn’t be more excited about this latest award. Her research initiatives have provided much needed rays of hope for many patients and their families.”

Zoghbi, who is a professor of molecular and human genetics, pediatrics, neurology and neuroscience at Baylor College of Medicine, has made several seminal discoveries in diverse areas of neuroscience. Her work has significantly furthered our understanding of neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders and revealed novel strategies to reverse these conditions. In addition, her forays in basic developmental neurobiology have led to important insights in a broad range of conditions from hearing loss to colon cancer.

Among her many scientific accomplishments, Zoghbi is widely recognized for her pioneering work on Rett syndrome, a form of autism common among girls. In 1999, she and her colleagues discovered that Rett syndrome is caused by loss-of-function mutations in the X-linked gene MeCP2 (methyl-CpG-binding protein 2) which established it as the first autism spectrum disorder that is largely caused by sporadic gene mutations. She would go on to demonstrate that the brain is exquisitely sensitive to levels of what she terms the “goldilocks” protein, MeCP2, and that doubling MeCP2 levels causes another devastating neurological syndrome among boys.

Recently, her lab showed that using small antisense oligonucleotides to normalize MeCP2 levels in the brain reversed the debilitating symptoms of MeCP2 duplication syndrome in a mouse models of that disease.

Zoghbi will receive the Jessie Stevenson Kovalenko Medal on Sunday, May 1, at the National Academy of Science’s 153rd Annual Meeting.

November 9, 2015

Bench and Bedside is a digest of the previous month’s stories about the clinical and academic activities of our physicians and scientists. We welcome your submissions and feedback.

October 6

Transient hypoglycemia in newborns may affect school-age academic outcomes

A new study led by Texas Children’s neonatologist Dr. Jeffrey Kaiser found that a brief drop in blood sugar at birth, commonly referred to as transient hypoglycemia, may be linked to lower literacy and math achievement test scores in fourth grade. More

October 6

Jae named to Baylor College of Medicine curriculum committee

Dr. Andrew Jea, Fellowship Program Director, Director of Educational Programs for the Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, and Associate Professor of Neurological Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine, was recently appointed to the college’s Medical School Curriculum Committee. More

October 6

Four neurologists will receive prestigious honors from the Child Neurology Society

The Neurology division at Texas Children’s was recognized not once, but four times at the 44th Annual Child Neurology Society Meeting in Washington, D.C. on October 9. More

October 6

Division of Otolaryngology experiences tremendous growth under Arjmand

In just a little more than a year, Dr. Ellis Arjmand has turned Texas Children’s Division of Otolaryngology into the largest pediatric ear, nose and throat program in the country. Prior to his coming aboard as chief of Otolaryngology in August 2014, the program had eight otolaryngologists providing services to the entire city of Houston and its surrounding area. Now, Texas Children’s Otolaryngology has 21 physicians stationed throughout Greater Houston. More

October 13

Texas Children’s anesthesiologists contribute to leading textbook in field

Anesthesiologist-in-Chief Dr. Dean Andropoulos and several members of his medical staff helped write and edit the recently published Anesthesia for Congenital Heart Disease, 3rd Edition. More

October 13

Clinical Care Center surgery patients now receiving post-surgery prescriptions at discharge

A pilot project was launched on October 13 in the Clinical Care Center that will allow the opportunity for surgery patients to have prescriptions filled prior to discharge. More

October 13

Super Star Physician: Dr. Sunjeev Patel

Dr. Sunjeev Patel of Texas Children’s Pediatrics Lakewood is the latest Texas Children’s Super Star physician. “Being part of Texas Children’s Pediatrics has allowed me to not only see patients in the office, but it also has given me the opportunity to be involved with understanding and improving quality of care,” Patel said. Read more of Patel’s interview and find out how you can nominate a Super Star. More

October 13

Finishing touches being put on Special Isolation Unit in preparation of opening

Pastel paint, shiny floors and spacious rooms equipped with the latest scientific and technological approaches to biocontainment are just a few of the features of the soon-to-be-finished Special Isolation Unit at Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus. The 8-bed unit designed for children with highly contagious infectious diseases is set to open later in October. More

October 20

Vasudevan receives grant for liver cancer research

The Macy Easom Cancer Research Foundation has awarded pediatric surgeon Dr. Sanjeev Vasudevan a $75,000 grant for research into a form of pediatric liver cancer called hepatoblastoma, which is a disease that usually affects children under the age of five. More

October 20

Texas Children’s Transition Medicine team holds victory celebration dinner

Nearly 90 percent of children born with chronic or disabling conditions are surviving into adulthood, prompting the need for health care providers to develop appropriate and timely transitions of care. Texas Children’s is ensuring patients here experience a smooth transition to adult care. More

October 20

Lee Woodruff inspires packed auditorium at Department of Pediatrics grand rounds

When ABC News Anchor Bob Woodruff was injured by a roadside bomb while reporting in Iraq, his wife, Lee, became his caretaker. Recently, she visited Texas Children’s to share her inspiring patient-family story with the Department of Pediatrics at Grand Rounds. More

October 27

NRI study: Deep brain stimulation restores learning, memory in Rett syndrome mice

In a recent study led by Drs. Huda Zoghbi and Jianrong Tang, and published in the journal Nature, researchers from the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s and Baylor College of Medicine, demonstrated that deep brain stimulation of a specific area of the brain reverts learning and memory deficits in a mouse model of Rett syndrome, a leading cause of intellectual disability in girls. More

October 27

NRI researcher receives the Janett Rosenberg Trubatch Career Development Award

Dr. Mingshan Xue, a Carolina DeLuca scholar and researcher at the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s, has been awarded the Janett Rosenberg Trubatch Career Development Award. More

October 27

2016 Catalyst Leadership Award receipients named at luncheon

Five outstanding Texas Children’s employees who exemplify leadership while upholding Texas Children’s mission and core values were honored October 23 at a luncheon naming the 2016 Catalyst Leadership Award recipients and the Catalyst Leader of the Year. The award was created six years ago by members of Texas Children’s Board of Trustees in honor of Mark Wallace’s 20th anniversary as president and CEO. More

October 27, 2015

This award is conferred by the Society for Neuroscience, the world’s largest professional organization of neuroscientists and physicians dedicated to understanding the brain and the nervous system. The award recognizes two early-career scientists for their originality and creativity in neuroscience research.

Xue was recognized for his significant contributions to the study of cortical circuits. As a graduate student at Baylor College of Medicine, he demonstrated that a protein that regulates neurotransmitter release performs opposite functions in mammals and fruit fly models, highlighting the importance of species differences while also explaining how this and other proteins are able to control neurotransmitter release.

His current research focuses on the balance of excitatory and inhibitory signaling in the cortex, and how this balance is disrupted in neurological disorders like autism spectrum disorder and epilepsy.

Xue, an assistant professor in the Department of Neuroscience at Baylor, received this prestigious honor during the Society for Neuroscience’s annual conference in October.

August 18, 2015

Ready to lace up to support a worthy cause? The Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s and Baylor College of Medicine invite you to join their team for the 2015 Walk Now for Autism Speaks.

The walk will be held on Saturday, September 19, at the Houston Sports Park at 12131 Kirby Drive. The event is part of a nationwide fundraising effort to raise money and awareness for autism research and quality programs to improve the lives of children and adults with autism spectrum disorders.

All participants who raise $150 or more will receive a commemorative T-shirt on Walk Day.

Click here to join the NRI and Baylor team for the 2015 Walk Now for Autism Speaks. For more details about the event, click here.

July 20, 2015

Bench and Bedside is a digest of the previous month’s stories about the clinical and academic activities of our physicians and scientists. We welcome your subsmissions and feedback.

June 30

Blaney’s vision for SAIF helps advance research from bench to bedside

Texas Children’s Small Animal Imaging Facility (SAIF) at the Feigin Center has helped advance scientific investigations. The center allows for collaborations that lead to higher levels of innovative research within the Texas Medical Center. Read more

June 30

Dr. Hugh Allen receives distinguished award from the American Society of Echocardiography

Dr. Hugh Allen, pediatric cardiologist at Texas Children’s Hospital, was presented with the Council on Pediatric and Congenital Heart Disease Founders Award from the ASE. Allen received the prestigious accolade during ASE’s Annual Scientific Sessions. Read more

June 30

Mid-year roundup: NRI publishes groundbreaking research in 2015

Texas Children’s scientific research writer Dr. Rajalaxmi Natarajan highlights some of the 2015 groundbreaking discoveries from the NRI labs of Drs. Benjamin Deneen, Hugo Bellen, Mirjana Malatic-Savatic and Anne Anderson, who continue to pioneer innovative treatments to improve the quality of life for children with devastating neurological diseases. Read more

June 30

Dr. Rachel Rau given Chao Physician-Scientist Award for Leukemia Project

Dr. Rachel Rau received the 2015 Chao Physician-Scientist Award for her project “Defining the Role of DOT1L in DNMT3A-Mutant Leukemia.” Read more

June 23

Texas Children’s Pediatrics launches new mobile health management app

Managing health care decisions and contacting your child’s provider just got easier thanks to Texas Children’s Pediatrics’ new mobile app. The ParentAdvice Center, available for free on iTunes and Google Play, will help families make smart decisions about the level of care needed for their children and offer information about providing symptom relief for minor illnesses or injuries at home. Read more

June 23

The Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) honors Texas Children’s Hospital alarm management team

The Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) has given the AAMI Foundation & Institute for Technology in Health Care’s Clinical Solution Award to Texas Children’s Hospital alarm management team, which combined stakeholders from across the institution in partnership with an innovative healthcare analytics company, Medical Informatics Corp. The team used real-time data to drive decison and change conversations related to alarms to pave the way for quality improvement in the area. Read more

June 16

Dr. Peter Hotez – US Science Envoy

Dr. Peter Hotez, who heads the Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children’s Center for Vaccine Development, works with several leaders in his current position, and he’s recently added leader of the free world to that list. Hotez has been appointed to the role of U.S. Science Envoy by the White House and State Department. Read more

June 16

Maddie’s Mission donates $40,000 plus to CMV awareness efforts, research

Maddie’s Mission, a Katy-based organization dedicated to educating people about a common virus that can cause a serious infection in your unborn baby, recently donated more than $40,000 to the CMV Research Fund to benefit congenital CMV research conducted at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital. Read more

June 16

Texas Children’s Urgent Care is on Facebook

Texas Children’s Urgent Care, now on Facebook, was created to respond to the growing need for expert pediatric urgent care. Read more

June 9

Formerly conjoined twin, Adeline Faith Mata, joins family after being discharged from Texas Children’s Hospital

Formerly conjoined twin Adeline Faith Mata joined her family June 9 after being discharged from Texas Children’s Hospital. Her sister, Knatalye Hope, went home in May, less than three months after she and Adeline underwent a successful separation surgery. Dressed in matching striped pastel sundresses, the girls smiled for cameras capturing the monumental moment. They, along with their family, will stay in Houston for the next month before moving back to Lubbock. Read more

June 9

Dr. Arnold serves as ambassador to grassroots advocacy

Dr. Jennifer Arnold is serving as the face of Speak Now for Kids, a grassroots advocacy effort to get patient families and health care providers promoting issues that matter to pediatric patients. Arnold explains how you can help. Read more

June 9

Texas Children’s/AAP Member in Action: Dr. Julie Katkin

Texas Children’s pediatric pulmonologist Dr. Julie Katkin has been an active, engaged member of the American Academy of Pediatrics for several years. Learn how Texas Children’s partnership with the AAP helps physicians advocate for their patients. Read more

June 9

Pediatric anesthesiologist receives honor from Baylor College of Medicine

Texas Children’s Pediatric Anesthesologist and Baylor College of Medicine Associate Professor Dr. Olutoyin Olutoye recently received the college’s Rising Star Clinician award. Read more

June 9

Texas Children’s pediatric urologists honored by Society of Pediatric Urology

Dr. Jason Au was awarded the top prize for his case presentation, “Urologic Considerations in the Seapration of Conjoint Twins.” Dr. Chester Koh was appointed to serve a three year term on the Society for Pediatric Urology Executive Council. Read more

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