Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award: Dr. James “Red” Duke

Dr. James “Red” Duke, professor of surgery, is this year’s winner of the Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award.

The award honors faculty who are exemplary in their compassion and sensitivity in the delivery of care to patients and their families, who administer scientifically excellent clinical care, and who serve as role models to students.

Holder of the John B. Holmes Professorship in the Clinical Sciences, Duke has been a faculty member at the Medical School since 1972. Known nationally for his syndicated television spot, “Dr. Red Duke’s Health Reports,” he was instrumental in introducing Memorial Hermann’s LifeFlight and bringing a Level 1 Trauma Unit to Texas.

He received his medical degree from UT Southwestern and completed an internal medicine internship at Parkland Memorial Hospital and a National Institutes of Health Special Fellowship at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University in New York.

Duke has received numerous accolades and honors, including being inducted into the A&M University Corps Hall of Honor earlier this year. He is a founding member of the American Trauma Society and is an advanced trauma life support instructor for the American College of Surgeons. He was named "Surgeon of the Year" by the James F. Mitchell Foundation in 1988.

Previous winners of the award are Pedro Mancias, M.D., 2008; Keith Hoots, M.D., 2006; Larry C. Gilstrap III, M.D., 2005; Virginia A. Moyer, M.D., M.P.H., 2004; Cheves M. Smythe, M.D., 2003; Oscar Rosales, M.D., 2002; Philip C. Johnson, M.D., 2001; Philip R. Orlander, M.D., 2000; and John R. Stroehlein, M.D., 1999.

— Darla Brown, Office of Communications, Medical School

TMA grants scholarship to new student

Incoming medical student Jose Romero is one of nine students to have received a scholarship from the Texas Medical Association (TMA).

TMA selected the scholarship recipients from a highly competitive pool of minority students who have been accepted to a Texas medical school this fall. Each honoree demonstrated outstanding community service, health care experience, and academic standings.

Romero, of Brownsville, graduated from The University of Texas at Austin. After attaining his medical degree, Romero plans to pursue political involvement in precollege education systems. His goals include improving the quality of education in deficient regions so that students will be prepared and even encouraged to attain a higher education. Additionally, he hopes to allow students on the pre-med path the opportunity to shadow him so that they can receive the same kind of insightful observation that he received from mentoring physicians.

A gift from H-E-B provided Romero’s $5,000 scholarship.

— Texas Medical Association

Dialing up the degrees to fight cancer

“My wish is simple, but I wouldn’t have given it a second thought this time last year,” Joe Castelli said as his eyes welled up with tears. “I want to see my children grow up. I have two daughters who are 9 and 7.”

This longing began soon after he felt pain on his left side last summer. After taking Ibuprofen for a couple of weeks, his physician did a CAT scan. Looking back, Castelli remembers hearing, “There is a spot we are worried about.”

The day after Thanksgiving he had his diagnosis: stage 4 pancreatic cancer.

“I was stunned. First I experienced disbelief, then just fear,” said Castelli, a 41-year-old marathon runner. “My next step was to take control of my treatment options.”

Using the group called Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, Castelli and his wife, who live in Ohio, learned about thermal therapy to fight cancer. At the Center for Thermal Therapy Cancer Treatment at the Medical School, Castelli found Dr. Joan Bull, professor of oncology.

“Thermal therapy is using heat. We’re evoking what the body does to defend itself,” Bull said. “When the body is heated, a danger signal is sent to your immune cells to go out and multiple and destroy the invader.”

After various tests in January, Castelli was approved as a candidate for Bull’s Phase 2 clinical trial funded by the National Institutes of Health.

The center is currently accepting patients with the following stage 4 cancers: small cell lung, non-small cell, neuroendocrine, pancreatic, gastric, breast, endometrial, and cervical cancers.

Bull’s recent research on thermal therapy was published in the December 2008 issue of the International Journal of Hyperthermia.

“God knows what I would be doing now if I hadn’t made it into the study,” Castelli said. His only other option for thermal therapy was to travel to Germany. In the United States, Bull’s clinical trial is the only one approved for pancreatic cancer.

By April, Castelli had received two treatments of chemotherapy along with thermal therapy at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center as part of the therapy. Once inside a heavy-duty sleeping bag, he was warmed by infrared heat lamps to 104 degrees Fahrenheit, which is equivalent to a high fever, all while under a light sedation.

“I would be tired for the first few days after the treatment, but I sure did feel better. Before I went to Dr. Bull, the cancer had already caused me to lose about 25 pounds. In just one month following my first thermal therapy treatment, I gained 10 pounds,” Castelli said.

“Preliminary research has shown that heat increases the effectiveness of chemotherapy drugs in fighting tumors,” Bull said. “The heat also jumpstarts the immune system just like a normal fever does when you are sick.”

Recently, imaging showed that Castelli’s tumor on his pancreas has been reduced by about one-third.

“My goal is to live for the next 14 years so I can see my youngest daughter turn 21,” said Castelli in a voice filled with emotion. “I am headed in the right direction.”

— Melissa McDonald, Office of Institutional Advancement, Media Relations

IOM seeks nominations for mental health award

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) is seeking nominations for the annual Rhoda and Bernard Sarnat International Prize in Mental Health.

The award presents a medal and $20,000 to individuals, groups, or organizations for outstanding achievement in improving mental health. The award recognizes contributions that demonstrate at least one of the following: improvements in the understanding of, or treatment for, mental disorders; innovations in mental health services; or public policy changes that foster science and/or improve mental health services.

Nominations will be accepted from all levels of education and from any profession or discipline and are due June 19.

Please visit IOM's Web site for information.

— AAMC

Texas Heart Institute, UT System strengthen affiliation

Leaders of the Texas Heart Institute and The University of Texas System signed a new, revised affiliation agreement May 18 that will strengthen a collaboration initiated between the two institutions in 2004.

The new agreement calls for aligning the two institutions’ efforts to recruit world-class scientists and cardiac specialists, expanding joint cardiovascular research opportunities at the heart institute and at the UT Health Science Center at Houston, and cooperating together to take cardiovascular education and research to an international level.

"This is a partnership of excellence," said Dr. James Willerson, Texas Heart Institute president. "It will allow THI to expand its research capacity and cooperate with other UT component institutions."

Altogether, the UT System consists of nine academic universities and six health institutions.

Dr. Francisco Cigarroa, chancellor of the UT System, called the enhanced affiliation "the beginning of a new era" that strengthens and unites both institutions in their shared responsibility of saving lives.

"It is also a tribute to Dr. Denton A. Cooley," Cigarroa said, "whose contributions to both institutions are legendary."

Cooley, an alumnus of The University of Texas and founder of the Texas Heart Institute, called the signing of the amended affiliation agreement "a source of great satisfaction."

"Imagine having your alma mater and the institution you founded and nourished join forces to advance the progress against cardiovascular disease," he said. "I am very gratified."

Others participating in the signing were Meredith Long, chairman of the heart institute’s board of trustees; Dr. Kenneth Shine, the UT System’s executive vice chancellor for health affairs; and Dr. Larry Kaiser, UT Houston’s president. Also present were heart institute trustees Elyse Lanier, Rodney Margolis, John Duncan, and Reed Morian; UT System Regents James Dannenbaum and Robert Stillwell; UT System’s Vice Chancellor for External Relations Randa Safady; Vice Chancellor and General Counsel Barry Burgdorf; and Texas Medical Center President Dr. Richard Wainerdi.

— Marc Mattsson, Texas Heart Institute

New kid-friendly transportation

 

Location & Contact

6431 Fannin Street,
Houston, Texas 77030

PO Box 20708,
Houston, Texas 77225

713.500.4472