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Publisher’s Word: Wins Against Cancer Keep Adding Up

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L-R: Virginia Kaklamani, MD. and Ratna K. Vadlamudi, PhD. Photos by UT Health San Antonio

Mega Doctor News

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Before it was not good news, now the triumphs against cancer, the formidable enemy of humanity, continue to add up. Scientists around the world are in a strong race against this deadly disease.  Today there is new hope for treating the toughest cancers in the planet.

Ratna Vadlamudi, PhD, is professor of obstetrics and gynecology and co-leader of the Cancer Development and Progression Program at the Mays Cancer Center.

The Vadlamudi laboratory is a training ground for tomorrow’s scientists — postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and younger scholars. Vadlamudi, who has made many research discoveries in cancer, advised his protégés that the National Cancer Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, prioritizes the repurposing of FDA-approved drugs as cancer treatments. In this issue, get familiar with the new advances against the fight with cancer.

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On a local note, DHR Health Institute for Research & Development in partnership with the GEAR UP: Pathways to the Future, Region One ESC has initiated a new and innovative program entitled: LASER… Leaders in the Advancement of Science, Education, and Research. A total of 44 eighth grade students with interest in health sciences from 22 regional schools have been selected to participate in this transformative four-year cohort-based pyramidal program that will use the spiral curriculum model.

The program is offered at an undergraduate level culminating in creating a learning community of critical thinkers with scientific publications in reputable journals. Read more inside.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a new status report has found that 5 billion people around the world are still unprotected from harmful trans-fat in their diet which puts them at risk of getting heart disease.  What is called industrially produced trans-fatty acids, is commonly found in packaged food. Trans-fat consumption is responsible for coronary heart disease resulting in premature deaths. Learn more inside.

The UTRGV School of Medicine’s physician training program has been granted continued accreditation from the national council charged with evaluating and accrediting Graduate Medical Education (GME) programs across the United States.  

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In a letter dated Jan. 11 from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), the council – based on the recommendation of the Institutional Review Committee (IRC) – found the university’s GME program in continued good standing. 

“The Review Committee commended the institution for its demonstrated substantial compliance with the ACGME’s Institutional Requirements,” the ACGME letter states. 

The UTRGV School of Medicine’s GME program oversees and sponsors 19 different residency and fellowship programs in the Rio Grande Valley.  Read the rest of the story inside.

Congratulations! The Texas Heart Institute’s Cardiology Fellowship Program at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center is one of the top medical residency programs in the county, and Dr. Daniella Concha, a Rio Grande Valley native, qualified for one of the six coveted spots available from among 1,000 applicants. 

Through the program, Concha will learn new diagnostic and therapeutic technologies in cardiovascular care. She will have an opportunity to train in every aspect of cardiovascular medicine through patient care, research, and education.

Enjoy

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