February Newsmakers
Dr. Thomas Carroll, Associate Professor of Internal Medicine and of Molecular Biology, has been selected to hold the NCH Corporation Chair in Molecular Transport.
Dr. Carroll, who joined the UT Southwestern faculty in 2004, has research interests that include cancer, cell polarity, developmental biology, morphogenesis, and stem/progenitor cells.
A graduate of the University of California, Davis, Dr. Carroll earned his doctorate degree in zoology from UT Austin (1999).
Oncology Social worker to lead national board
Catherine Credeur has joined the 2016 national board of the Association of Oncology Social Work (AOSW) as President-Elect and will serve as President in 2017.
Ms. Credeur is a licensed and certified Oncology Social Worker and member of the Oncology Support Services team at Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center. She earned her Master’s degree in social work from Louisiana State University and joined UT Southwestern in 2013.
Ms. Credeur previously served AOSW in many capacities, including as a co-moderator of the Social Work Oncology Network from 2006 to 2009, Communications Director from 2010 to 2012 and as a member of the 2015 Annual Conference Committee. In 2011, she was honored with AOSW’s LLS Hematology-Oncology Social Worker of the Year Award.
Pathologist Jones leading Association for Clinical Chemistry
Dr. Patricia M. Jones, Professor of Pathology, has begun a one-year term as 2016 President of the American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC). An active member of AACC since 1986, Dr. Jones is the group’s 67th President.
Dr. Jones is involved in two different fellowship programs for clinical chemistry and for pediatric pathology, respectively, at UT Southwestern. Her research interests lie in the field of inborn errors of metabolism, especially disorders of fatty acid metabolism. She also serves as clinical director of the chemistry and metabolic disease laboratories at Children’s Medical Center Dallas.
She is currently serving as President of AACC’s academy – the National Academy of Clinical Biochemistry – as Secretary of AACC’s Therapeutic Drug Monitoring/Toxicology Division, and as Chair of AACC’s Pediatric Reference Range Committee.
Dr. Jones earned her doctorate in molecular biology with a minor in biochemistry from Texas Woman’s University in 1986. She did her clinical chemistry training as a Fellow at UT Southwestern and was board certified in clinical chemistry by the American Board of Clinical Chemistry in 1992.
The AACC brings together more than 50,000 clinical laboratory professionals, physicians, research scientists, and business leaders from around the world focused on clinical chemistry, molecular diagnostics, mass spectrometry, translational medicine, lab management, and other areas of breaking laboratory science. Since 1948, AACC has worked to advance the common interests of the field, providing programs that advance scientific collaboration, knowledge, expertise, and innovation.
Orthopaedic surgeon elected to national shoulder, elbow group
Dr. Michael Khazzam, Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, has been elected into the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) association.
Membership in the ASES, which has only 491 members, is by invitation only. Nominees must be sponsored by two active members of the organization. Only experienced orthopaedic surgeons who have completed a fellowship in shoulder surgery, elbow surgery, and/or sports medicine are considered for membership, and candidates must meet strict academic and clinical requirements.
Dr. Khazzam earned his medical degree from St. George’s University School of Medicine (2002), and completed internships at Albert Einstein Medical Center, along with research fellowships at the Hospital for Special Surgery and at Medical College of Wisconsin, before receiving training in orthopaedic surgery at the University of Missouri-Columbia (2009) and completing a clinical fellowship in sports medicine and shoulder surgery (2010) at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
A member of UT Southwestern’s Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service team, Dr. Khazzam also uses his advanced orthopaedic skill as an Assistant Team Physician for the National Hockey League’s Dallas Stars.
The ASES was created to enhance the study of shoulder and elbow surgery and to foster advances in the field, serving as an educational body responsible for scientific programs and advances, and patient advocacy. Its mission is to support the ethical practice of evidence-based, high quality, cost-effective, shoulder and elbow care
Morrison serving as President of international board
Dr. Sean Morrison, Professor of Pediatrics and Director of Children’s Research Institute (CRI) at UT Southwestern Medical Center, has been named President of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) Board of Directors. Installed at the ISSCR’s annual meeting in Sweden, Dr. Morrison will serve a one-year term and succeeds Dr. Rudolf Jaenisch, Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research and MIT.
Established in 2002, the International Society for Stem Cell Research is an independent, nonprofit organization established to promote and foster the exchange and dissemination of information and ideas relating to stem cells, to encourage the general field of research involving stem cells and to promote professional and public education in all areas of stem cell research and application.
Dr. Morrison, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator at UT Southwestern who holds the Mary McDermott Cook Chair in Pediatric Genetics, has served in leadership roles on the ISSCR Board of Directors or on the executive committee since 2004. His laboratory studies the cellular and molecular mechanisms that regulate the function of stem cells and cancer cells in the nervous and hematopoietic systems and is particularly interested in the mechanisms that regulate stem cell self-renewal and stem cell aging, as well as the role these mechanisms play in cancer.
Dr. Morrison, recruited to lead the CRI in 2011, has received numerous awards, including a MERIT Award from the NIH (2009), the American Association of Anatomists Harland Mossman Award (2008), the International Society for Hematology and Stem Cell’s McCulloch and Till Award (2007), and the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (2003). He has a doctorate in immunology from Stanford University.
Nero receives award for care of patients with sickle cell disease
Dr. Alecia Nero, Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine and of Pediatrics, has been recognized for one of the 100 Inspiring Women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) Award recipients for 2015 by Insight into Diversity, the oldest and largest publication in higher education.
A 2004 graduate of UT Southwestern Medical School, Dr. Nero completed a residency in internal medicine and pediatrics and a fellowship in hematology and oncology at Case Western Reserve University. Dr. Nero, who grew up in the Houston area, graduated from Houston’s University of St. Thomas, where she earned degrees in mathematics and biology.
After observing discrepancies in coordination of care and resources for children versus adults with sickle cell disease (SCD), she decided to pursue a career that would both enable her to follow those children throughout their lives, and provide the opportunity to pursue research that comes with working at an academic medical center.
Dr. Nero treats patients at UT Southwestern’s Comprehensive Sickle Cell Disease Program and serves as Director of the SCD Transition Program. She is a member of the Office of Patient Transition at Children’s Medical Center Dallas. Her accomplishments include establishing the Adult Sickle Cell Disease Program Support Group.
An advocate for women in STEM, Dr. Nero is active in the UT Southwestern Women in Science and Medicine Advisory Committee and the Diversity in Health Professions Advisory Committee.
United States Sports Academy honors Snell
Dr. Peter Snell, former Associate Professor at UT Southwestern Medical Center and currently an Adjunct Professor, has been awarded a 2015 Distinguished Service Award by the United States Sports Academy in recognition of his Olympic track achievements, as well as his contributions to the study of exercise training and its impact on health and prevention of heart disease.
Dr. Snell represented New Zealand in the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome, setting an Olympic record in the 800 meters run. At the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo, he repeated his gold medal win in the 800 meters and added a gold in the 1500 meters, a combination that has never been repeated.
Dr. Snell earned his doctorate at Washington State University and did postdoctoral work at UT Southwestern. After completing his fellowship, he joined the faculty of UT Southwestern, studying the effects of exercise on exercise performance, aging, and health, and becoming a director of the UT Southwestern Human Performance Laboratory.
In 2000, Dr. Snell was name New Zealand’s Athlete of the 20 Century.
The United States Sports Academy is a non-profit, special mission sports university with the goal of preparing men and women for careers in the profession of sports.
