Accolades
May 11, 2012
It's official: Houston has world-class entrepreneurs
At the Houston Technology Center 2012 gala, “A Celebration of Entrepreneurs,” six of the most celebrated entrepreneurs in their fields were honored. One of the most moving speeches came from Dr. S. Ward Casscells, a professor of medicine and public health at University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, president of Know Med Inc., a senior scholar at Texas Heart Institute and a member of numerous other esteemed organizations and companies. The Houston Business Journal reports.
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Dr. Denton A. Cooley is congratulated by Dr. Charles Fraser, Jr., surgeon-in-chief at Texas Children's Hospital.
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May 3, 2012
Denton A. Cooley, MD honored at Texas Children's Hospital Dr. Denton A. Cooley, surgeon-in-chief and president emeritus of Texas Heart Institute was honored by Texas Children's Hospital Board of Trustees with a resolution honoring his lifetime contributions to children's surgery and to TCH. He was also honored by a City of Houston proclamation designating May 3rd as Denton A. Cooley Day, presented by City Council member Wanda Adams. On May 3, 1968, Dr. Cooley performed the first successful human heart transplant in the United States.
April 30, 2012
Palmer Named Administrator of Awards for Professional Association
Stephen Palmer, PhD, ELS, has been named the 2012 Administrator of Awards for the American Medical Writers Association (AMWA). A research psychologist by training, Palmer changed careers after completing a postdoctoral fellowship in pain and symptom research at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. He has been in the Scientific Publications department at the Texas Heart Institute since 2003. Palmer is a past president of AMWA's Southwest chapter and has served in numerous positions at the regional and national levels, most recently as Administrator of the 2011 AMWA Annual Conference. Palmer earned his doctorate in social and health psychology at the State University of New York at Stony Brook and a bachelor's degree in psychology from Wesleyan University in Middletown, Conn. He is a board-certified Editor in the Life Sciences and has completed core and advanced certificates through AMWA's education program and is the author of several scientific papers.
April 19, 2012
Dr. O.H. "Bud" Frazier, along with three others, received the prestigious Pro Bene Meritis award from The University of Texas at Austin College of Liberal Arts. The award is the highest honor bestowed by the College of Liberal Arts and honors individuals who are committed to the liberal arts, who have made outstanding contributions in professional or philanthropic pursuits, or who have participated in service related to the College. Read the press release from UT announcing the awards.
Dr. Frazier graduated in 1963 from UT with a BA in History. Acclaimed for his pioneering work in the field of heart assist devices at Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, Dr. Frazier holds the titles of Surgical Director, Heart Transplant Program; Chief, Transplant Service; Chief, Center for Cardiac Support; Director, Cullen Cardiovascular Research Laboratory; and Professor, Surgery/Transplant, Baylor College of Medicine.
April 14, 2012
International Honor for THI President
Dr. James T. Willerson, president and medical director of Texas Heart Institute, was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Cadiz, Spain. The award was presented in conjunction with the 10th Annual Ibo-American Cardiology Forum [see news article, in Spanish]. Dr. Willerson, who is the current president of the International Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences, has served as a visiting professor and invited lecturer at more than 170 institutions around the world.
March 30, 2012
"Golden Heart: License to Heal" wins at BioHouston event
In the continuing celebration of its 50th anniversary, the THI team won "Best Themed Booth" as well as placed in the chili competition at the 9th Annual BioHouston Chili Cook-off at the Bayou City Event Center. The team was comprised of 38 members of THI's Basic Science Laboratories and Stem Cell Center. The theme, "Golden Heart: License to Heal," was carried out through music, dance, and James Bond and Bond girls costumes, highlighting THI's efforts in combating heart disease. It was the fourth straight year that THI has won the booth theme award. [Pictured left to right are: Peter Vanderslice, Sayadeth Khounlo, Darren Woodside, Tawana Robinson and Amy Caivano.]
Learn more about BioHouston.
March 27, 2012
Houston VA Doctor Receives Prestigious Award
The editors of Journal of the American College of Cardiology honored Blase A. Carabello, MD, FACC, with the Simon Dack Award for Outstanding Scholarship. The award, named for the founding editor of JACC, recognizes peer reviewers who assist the journal in its mission of publishing important new clinical information. In addition to JACC, he is on the editorial board for a number of peer-reviewed journals including the Journal of Heart Valve Disease, Journal of Cardiac Failure, and Current Cardiology Reports.
"Following Dr. DeBakey's life-long pursuit of excellence and commitment to medical research in order to make a worldwide impact on health care and improving lives, Dr. Carabello is carrying on that tradition today at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center," said Adam C. Walmus, MEDVAMC director. "We are very fortunate to have that level of passion and expertise in advancing medical care for our Nation's heroes." Read the article from The Cypress Times.
Dr. Carabello is Chief of Cardiology and Director, Center for Heart Valve Disease at Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital.
March 6, 2012
Heart Surgeon Earns Black Belt
Dr. Charles Hallman, cardiovascular surgeon at Texas Heart Institute (photo courtesy The Fort Bend Sun) is among a select few who have earned their Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belts. Not for the impatient, earning a Black Belt can take eight to 15 years to achieve. Dr. Hallman remarked that it took him longer to earn his Black Belt (11 years) than it did to become a heart surgeon. "Much more than a piece of cloth tied around the waist to hold up pants, a Black Belt means that one has a made a martial arts journey that tests one physically and mentally." Read the full article from YourFortBendNews.com.
February 11, 2012
AHA Honors Dr. Roberta Bogaev. At the 2012 American Heart Association Heart Ball on February 11, Dr. Roberta Bogaev was honored for her work during her time as the Medical Director of Heart Failure and Transplant at the Texas Heart Institute, and her contributions to the field of medicine, including being an instrumental part of developing the Left Ventricular Assist Device, or LVAD, that is used by former Vice President Dick Cheney, among many others. Read the full story from herehouston.com, Heart expert helps give patients precious time.
February 2012
Distinguished Physicians of the Texas Heart Institute
During the December 2011 meeting of the THI Board of Trustees, Dr. Grady L. Hallman (left) and Dr. George J. Reul (right) were unanimously approved as Distinguished Physicians of the Texas Heart Institute. This distinction recognizes untiring dedication to the eradication of cardiovascular disease, selfless concern for the health and well-being of patients, and generous and exemplary contributions to the advancement of medical science. Previous honorees are Drs. Robert J. Hall, Robert D. Leachman, Arthur S. Keats, Edward B. Singleton, and Denton A. Cooley. Honorees are recognized by plaques in the fifth-floor hallway of the Cooley Building.
February 6, 2012
Dr. James T. Willerson, President and Medical Director of the Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital has earned the honor of being profiled in the February 3, 2012, issue of Circulation Research. Published by the American Heart Association, it is widely considered the most prestigious journal in cardiovascular medicine.
"Jim Willerson is a living legend in cardiovascular medicine," says the editor's preamble to the profile. "He is a splendid epitome of the scholar who has reached the pinnacle in all three facets of the academic triple threat: patient care, research, and education." The profile points out that "[Dr.] Willerson's far-reaching fame is in part due to his research, which has included the elucidation of mechanisms that cause coronary heart disease to convert from stable to unstable, the detection and treatment of vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques, the discovery of genes and proteins responsible for cardiovascular disease, and, more recently, the treatment of heart failure patients with stem cells." Read the full profile.
November 2011
THI's Lei Zhou, MD, PhD, was named one of 5 finalists for the prestigious Cournand and Comroe Young Investigator Prize at this year's American Heart Association scientific sessions. The purpose of the prize is to encourage promising investigators to continue with their research in biomedical sciences.
Zhou presented his work on the use of cell-based prostacyclin gene therapy for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), a progressive disorder characterized by abnormally high blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs, which overloads the right side of the heart and causes death. The prognosis for PAH is similar to cancers; the median survival is less than 3 years. Research has shown that a one-time delivery of the engineered cells offered survival benefit for at least 4 weeks, which may make it a promising option for PAH patients.
Read more in a "Spotlight on Current Research," Wafic Said Molecular Cardiology Research Lab.
October 20, 2011
Health Literacy Innovations honored the THI website with a 3rd place award in the category of Clear Focus Multi-Media for demonstrated commitment to excellence in health literacy in media usability and design. The award recognizes the Heart Information Center online library of health topics as well as Ask a Heart Doctor, Project Heart, and Center for Women's Heart & Vascular Health. View the award certificate (PDF).
September 29, 2011
Best Medical Breakthrough - 2011
The Houston Press "Best of Awards" honored the Defib Task Force with best medical breakthrough 2011 for its Second Chance AED Pads. A group of Rice University bioengineering students (Lisa Jiang, Joanna Nathan, Justin Lin, Carl Nelson and Brad Otto), along with some experts (Texas Heart Institute's Mehdi Razavi and Rice University lecturer Renata Ramos), developed new pads for automated external defibrillators. Read the original Rice University news release, "Unique AED pads give hearts a second chance."
May 12, 2011
Dr. Stephen May was named the Texas Heart Institute's Tauber Outstanding Fellow for the 2010-11 academic year. He was chosen from among the class of third-year fellows by the THI teaching faculty, and is shown receiving the award from Dr. Edward K. Massin, Director of THI's Cardiopulmonary Transplant Division. Stephen has completed postgraduate training at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital. He served as Chief Medicine Resident at Crawford Long Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. May will continue his training by doing an Interventional Cardiology Fellowship at THI at St. Luke's in the coming academic year.
> See past accolades in the archive.
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For media inquiries please contact:
Texas Heart Institute
Frank Michel ♦ 832-355-9510
E-mail: fmichel@heart.thi.tmc.edu
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