Vol. 23 | June 2023 – 6 minute read

Donald W. Seldin, M.D., the “intellectual father” of our medical center, was known for encouraging clinicians and trainees to engage in discovery science. Various institutional initiatives, training grants, and a culture of scientific camaraderie have kept this tradition alive.

To better support and nurture those early in their medical careers to address the unmet needs of patients, Dwight Towler, M.D., Ph.D., was appointed inaugural Associate Dean of Resident Research last year.

A dedicated mentor of young physicians, Dr. Towler developed and directs the UT Southwestern Training Resident Doctors as Innovators in Science (TARDIS) program. By providing residents a two-year research training experience and tiered mentorship, TARDIS aims to increase the number of single-degree clinicians who pursue basic and translational research as a career pathway.

Dr. Towler is now working on a plan to create and accredit a new advanced degree-granting curriculum in translational research and molecular medicine that extends the TARDIS experience through fellowship into the first three years of the junior faculty appointment.

Formalized institutional programs that enable continuous participation of motivated M.D.s in the biomedical research enterprise – spanning the medical student, resident, fellow, and faculty continuum – are vital to innovation and future physician-scientist development. 

Saad B. Omer, M.B.B.S, M.P.H., Ph.D., is the founding Dean of the Peter O’Donnell Jr. School of Public Health. He joins us from Yale University, where he was inaugural Director of the Yale Institute for Global Health.

An expert in epidemiology, vaccine science, and infectious diseases, his research portfolio includes epidemiology of respiratory viruses; vaccine trials, immunization coverage and acceptance; and public health preparedness strategies to effectively respond to large emerging and reemerging infectious disease outbreaks. His work has been cited in global and country-specific public health policy, practices, and legislation.

In 2022, Dr. Omer was elected to the National Academy of Medicine for using high-impact science to inform and change vaccine policy and clinical vaccine recommendations in multiple countries, and for his seminal studies on vaccine uptake, maternal immunization, and COVID-19.

With his demonstrated success promoting science to inform policy, Dr. Omer brings the leadership and vision needed to launch our newest school, to foster a pipeline of well-prepared public health professionals, and to advance scientific innovation that ultimately results in improvements in public health that promote a healthy society.

Lina Chalak, M.D., Professor of Pediatrics and Psychiatry, and Vineeta Mittal, M.D., Professor of Pediatrics, have been selected to the 2023-2024 class of the Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM) and the Executive Leadership in Health Care (ELH) program, respectively.

Dr. Chalak, who is also Interim Chief in the Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, will be part of ELAM – a highly competitive program dedicated to developing the professional and personal skills required to lead and manage in today's complex health care environment, with special attention to the unique challenges facing women in leadership positions.

Dr. Mittal, who serves as Division Chief of Pediatric Hospital Medicine, will join the ELH cohort designed for senior-level women leaders interested in advancing their careers in hospitals and health care systems to executive positions. 

Learn more about UT Southwestern’s nomination and internal selection processes for these programs.

Nominations are open for The University of Texas System Kenneth I. Shine, M.D., Academy of Health Science Education. The Shine Academy, composed of a diverse membership that represents many disciplines in health science education, recognizes excellence in teaching.

UT Southwestern may submit up to four nominees for this prestigious honor. Outstanding performance in any of the following categories will qualify faculty for consideration for membership in the Shine Academy:

• Direct teaching
• Curriculum development and instructional design or redesign
• Assessment of learner performance
• Mentoring and counseling
• Educational administration and leadership
• Educational scholarship and research

Submissions are due July 17. For more information, contact Lisa Martinez.

Nominations are also open for the 2023 Leaders in Clinical Excellence Awards, designed to honor clinical faculty who embody the very best in patient care and institutional excellence.  

Anyone can nominate an eligible clinical faculty member for any of the seven awards, including the Patricia and William L. Watson Jr., M.D. Award for Excellence in Clinical Medicine, our institution's highest clinical honor. 

Submissions are due July 19. For more information about the awards, eligibility requirements, and the nomination process, visit the Clinical Faculty Awards website.

Beginning June 22, all incoming messages from external senders will route through the email security solution called ProofPoint before being delivered to your UT Southwestern inbox.

During this phase of the ProofPoint rollout, you will receive:

• Fewer unsolicited emails due to improved spam detection.
• A daily summary of external emails at 2 p.m. called “End User Digest,” which lists the external messages addressed to you that are on hold because they triggered anti-spam rules.

You will be able to manage the messages listed in your daily digest based on your needs and preferences by releasing them from quarantine (Release), adding senders to safe lists (Release and Allow Sender), and reporting false positives (Not Spam). This video (VPN required) explains the “End User Digest” in detail.

Learn more about this IR project by visiting ProofPoint (VPN required) and email the project team with any questions.  

To support students, learners, and employees seeking accommodation due to disabilities, the Office of Institutional Equity and Access has created the Campus Accessibility Services (CAS) team.

CAS will work directly with students, faculty, and staff to enable individuals with disabilities to participate in UT Southwestern academic programs, services, or activities.

Faculty are encouraged to share the accommodation request form with students and learners or refer a student. Faculty in need of reasonable accommodation should use the employee request form or the employee referral form.

Send your questions to Lauren Sebel, Ed.D., ADA/504 Coordinator.  

Faculty Wellness Retreat

Hosted by the Office of Faculty Wellness, the retreat includes interactive workshops on practical ways to maximize your professional fulfillment and operationalizing change in your local health care environment.

• June 9 at Pegasus Park. Register to attend. 

Master of Science in Clinical Science*

Designed for those who aim to accelerate their clinical and translational research careers, the Master of Science in Clinical Science program includes courses on clinical research design, methods and biostatistics, leadership, and scientific writing. 

• Applications are open through June 15.

From K to Research Independence

The K to Research Independence Program is designed to support faculty who have successfully obtained a career development award in their quest for R01 grant approval.

• Apply by June 15.

Call for Applications: KL2 Scholar Program*

The KL2 Clinical Scholar Program provides research and career development support from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) for junior faculty engaged in clinical research.

• Apply by June 19.

Kidney Cancer Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE)                     

The Kidney Cancer SPORE is accepting applications for its Career Enhancement Program and its Developmental Research Program that support pilot projects and high-risk/high-payoff projects on kidney cancer.

• Apply by June 23. Send questions to KCP Coordinator. 

Didactic Session: Time Management Tools for Clinician-Scientists*

Monthly sessions on successful project development and the grant application process are part of the Clinical Researcher Catalyst, a career development program for clinical researchers. 

• June 27. Register to attend.

Grant Writing Library*

UT Southwestern faculty members have free access to a grant writing library designed to help researchers in the process of securing National Institutes of Health funding.

• Request access.

*Sponsored by the UT Southwestern CTSA Program