Bass named holder of Wyss Orthopaedic Trauma Professorship

Dr. Robert L. Bass, Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, and of Plastic Surgery, has been appointed to hold the Hansjörg Wyss Distinguished Professorship in Orthopaedic Trauma.

A noted hand and upper extremity expert, Dr. Bass was first introduced to orthopaedics as a patient. While growing up in Austin, he suffered a shoulder separation and a knee injury. During treatment, he got a close look at the specialty.

Dr. Bass attended UT Austin and graduated from UT Southwestern Medical School in 1988. He completed his orthopaedic surgery residency at the University of Iowa, then undertook advanced training in a hand and microsurgery fellowship in Cincinnati, where he saw thousands of patients with hand injuries and earned certification as a hand surgery specialist.

After completing his training, Dr. Bass practiced hand surgery with a group in Colorado. He later returned to Texas and spent several years each at UT Southwestern and Baylor, and in private practice in Frisco before rejoining the UT Southwestern faculty in 2013.

Most operations on the hand and arm are performed through small incisions. Dr. Bass often uses microscopes during minimally invasive surgeries to help ensure the most precise repairs. For arthritis sufferers, Dr. Bass can perform reconstructive surgery of the elbow, wrist, and hand, including joint replacement. He is also has clinical expertise in endoscopic carpal tunnel release surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome.

Hospitals nurses award Courtney 2015 Golden Pager

Dr. Kevin Courtney, Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine, is the 2015 recipient of the Golden Pager Award.

The award was presented Nov. 17 at the annual University Hospitals Medical Staff Meeting. First awarded in 2010, the Golden Pager goes to a recipient selected each year by the nursing staff of University Hospitals to recognize a physician who demonstrates excellence in care, professionalism, and collaboration. 

Dr. Courtney, a member of the Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, was one of 27 physicians nominated this year by the nursing staff. He is on the medical staff of both the Clements and Zale Lipshy University Hospitals.

Dr. Courtney said he is honored to be recognized as recipient of the 2015 Golden Pager award. “I feel very fortunate to collaborate with the terrific nurses, physicians’ assistants, nurse practitioners, physicians, and support staff here at UT Southwestern,” he said.

Susan Hernandez, Health System Chief Nursing Executive, said the Golden Pager Award underscores the vital importance of teamwork and communication among all patient care providers.

“UT Southwestern nurses are fortunate to work with great physicians willing to openly and supportively communicate with them in an effort to provide the best possible care,” she said. “The award allows nurses to recognize the many great physician partners we have at UT Southwestern.” 

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. 

Parkland selects de la Cruz to be Chief Medical Officer

Dr. Roberto de la Cruz, Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine, has been named as Parkland Health & Hospital System’s Chief Medical Officer over the safety net system’s properties. The hiring of the 15-year veteran hospitalist marks the end of a more than three-year search for the system’s highest clinical position, which had been filled by two interim CMOs since 2012.

De la Cruz began his new duties on Jan. 7 at Parkland, the primary teaching institution for UT Southwestern. De la Cruz has been chief of the Hospitalist Service at Parkland as well as a faculty member of UT Southwestern. He was the Associate Medical Director at Parkland’s East Dallas Health Center from 1998 to 2000 and also served as a member of Parkland’s board of managers from 2011 to 2013. He is a past winner of the Distinguished Physician Award at Parkland (1999) and UT Southwestern’s John S. Miller Outstanding House Officer Award (1996). Baylor University Medical Center honored him with the Teaching Award in 2004.

“I am extremely pleased that Dr. de la Cruz has accepted this appointment and will lead our continuing efforts to sustain the quality and safety of care at Parkland,” said Dr. Fred Cerise, Parkland’s President and CEO. “His experience and demonstrated commitment to quality care ideally qualify him to help direct Parkland forward as we plan for the healthcare challenges and opportunities ahead.”

Dr. de la Cruz attended medical school at the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine and completed his residency training at UT Southwestern and Parkland. He is double board certified in internal medicine and palliative care and hospice medicine.

Gimpel receives state recognition as top educator 

Dr. Nora Gimpel, Associate Professor of Family and Community Medicine, was awarded the Exemplary Teaching Award by the Texas Academy of Family Physicians during the organization’s 2015 Annual Session and Primary Care Summit in The Woodlands on Nov. 14.

The award honors individuals with outstanding teaching skills, and those who have developed and implemented innovative teaching models. Dr. Gimpel has significant experience teaching evidence-based medicine, working with underserved communities, and teaching and performing community-based participatory research.

Dr. Gimpel is also on the advisory board for the Texas Area Health Education Center East DFW Region, and was previously awarded the Academy’s public health award in 2013.

She received her medical degree from the University of Buenos Aires School of Medicine in Buenos Aires, and completed a family medicine residency with the Center of Medical Studies and Clinical Research in Buenos Aires, where she served as chief resident.

The Texas Academy of Family Physicians is dedicated to uniting the family doctors of the state through advocacy, education and member services, and empowering them to provide a medical home for patients of all ages. It has 33 local chapters and is a chapter of the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Historical Society recognizes service, research of Haley 

Dr. Robert W. Haley, Chief of the Division of Epidemiology, has received a 2015 Award for Excellence in Community Service from the Dallas Historical Society.

Dr. Haley is a Professor of Internal Medicine at UT Southwestern who holds the U.S. Armed Forces Veterans Distinguished Chair for Medical Research Honoring America's Gulf War Veterans.

The DHS’ Awards for Excellence in Community Service were presented on Nov. 19 to recipients who are deserving of recognition for their generosity of spirit, civic leadership, and ability to encourage community-wide participation in a particular phase of the growth of the city.

Dr. Haley specifically cited the support of Ross Perot and The Honorable Kay Bailey Hutcheson in providing political support and funding to apply cutting edge science and genomics to Gulf War Syndrome.

Established in 1922, the Dallas Historical Society collects, preserves, and exhibits the unique heritage of Dallas and Texas to educate and inspire future generations. The stories of Dallas are shared each day through the 3 million items that comprise its archives and artifact collections. Housed at the Hall of State in Fair Park since 1938, the Society presents these collections through education programs, exhibitions, tours, access to research materials, and workshops. Each year, the Society hosts more than 160,000 visitors and serves more than 20,000 students through guided tours and educational programming at the Hall of State, as well as outreach programs at school locations.

Levy Molecular Nephrology Chair held by Huang

Dr. Chou-Long Huang, Professor of Internal Medicine, has been selected to hold the Ruth W. and Milton P. Levy, Sr. Chair in Molecular Nephrology.

Dr. Huang, who also holds the Jacob Lemann, M.D. Professorship in Calcium Transport, serves as a Physiology Core Co-Director within the George M. O’Brien Kidney Research Core. His research is focused on genetic diseases in humans caused by ion channel disorders, as well as the biology of the WNK kinase cascade and the anti-aging protein Klotho.

A faculty member at UT Southwestern since 1996, Dr. Huang was educated at Taipei Medical College, and received further training at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (internal medicine), and at the University of California, San Francisco (nephrology).

Jenkins to hold McKenzie Foundation Chair in Psychiatry 

Dr. Celia Jenkins, Professor of Psychiatry, has been selected to hold the McKenzie Foundation Chair in Psychiatry I.

A faculty member since 1996, Dr. Jenkins earned her medical degree in 1992 from the University of Mississippi School of Medicine. She then completed a psychiatry residency at UT Southwestern before being selected for a psychiatry fellowship at the Medical Center.

Dr. Jenkins focuses on treating patients with depression in her clinical practice.

She has won several teaching awards in her career, including being selected for a UT Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award in 2013, UT Southwestern’s 2005 Socrates Award, and the American Psychiatric Association’s 2004 Nancy C.A. Roeske, M.D., Certificate of Recognition for Excellence in Medical Student Education.

Pathologist Jones leading Association for Clinical Chemistry 

Dr. Patricia M. Jones, Professor of Pathology, has begun a one-year term as President of the American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC) for 2016. An active member of AACC since 1986, Dr. Jones is the group’s 67^th President.

Dr. Jones is involved in two different fellowship programs for clinical chemistry and 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. She is also on the faculties of two different fellowship programs for clinical chemistry and pediatric pathology, respectively, at UT Southwestern. Her research interests lie in the field of inborn errors of metabolism, especially disorders of fatty acid metabolism.

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.

Plastic surgeon to lead Medical Editors Association

Dr. Rod Rohrich, Professor of Plastic Surgery, Cell Biology, and Orthopaedic Surgery, has been appointed President of the World Medical Editors Association, a nonprofit voluntary association of editors of peer-reviewed medical journals with more than 1,900 members representing more than 1,000 journals from 92 countries.

Dr. Rohrich, a past President of the American Society of Plastic Surgery, is editor of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgery, and an editor for Selected Readings in Plastic Surgery, a supplement to the teaching curriculum of plastic surgery training programs in the U.S. and 38 foreign countries.

Schmid to receive Katz Award from Biophysical Society

Dr. Sandra L. Schmid, Chair of Cell Biology, will receive the Sir Bernard Katz Award from the Biophysical Society in March 2016. Her latest honor follows on her 2015 election to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and honorary Ph.D. from Stockholm University in Sweden for her research on endocytosis – the fundamental process by which cells internalize nutrients and hormones.

Dr. Schmid’s research has advanced the understanding of clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME), a complex process that is critical for regulating cell signaling, adhesion, nutrient uptake, immune responses, and synaptic transmission.

Dr. Schmid’s laboratory combines sophisticated molecular cell biology, biochemistry, biophysics, and quantitative live-cell total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy to identify and study factors that regulate CME. She and her colleagues have identified dynamin as the master regulator at several crucial points in CME. More recently Dr. Schmid reported that changes in dynamin-regulated CME that can alter signaling, proliferation and survival of cancer cells. Her work also has applications in neurological conditions and neuromuscular diseases, such as muscular dystrophy.

Dr. Schmid is a past President of the American Society for Cell Biology and holder of the Cecil H. Green Distinguished Chair in Cellular and Molecular Biology.

United States Sports Academy honors Snell for track accomplishments

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^th 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.