Science in Service
of
Medicine
President's Letter
Metrics 2019
Cycle of a Cure
Discovery to Clinic
Introduction
Precision Medicine
Introduction
Tracing Tau to Tackle Alzheimer's Disease
Translational Imaging Center Revamps for Revolutionary 7T MRI
Hope for Slowing ALS
The Heart of Progress: Innovative Valves Create a Legacy for the Future
Test-Driving Carbon Fiber Materials in Space
Lab-on-a-chip Shines Light on Bystander Effect
Creating an Antibody to Fight Silent Killers
A New View of Strep
Translational Luminaries
result
President’s letter
2019 Metrics
Cycle of a Cure
Visionary Gifts
Discovery to Clinic
Innovative Education
Translational Luminaries
Introduction
Building Blocks for Bone Regenration
RNA Therapeutics
Mobile App for Healthy Habits for Breast Cancer Survivors
Designing a Flexible Approach to Breast Reconstruction
Introduction
Tracing Tau to Tackle Alzheimer's Disease
Translational Imaging Center Revamps for Revolutionary 7T MRI
Hope for Slowing ALS
The Heart of Progress: Innovative Valves Create a Legacy for the Future
Test-Driving Carbon Fiber Materials in Space
Lab-on-a-chip Shines Light on Bystander Effect
Creating an Antibody to Fight Silent Killers
A New View of Strep
result
Translational Luminaries
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Medical innovation begins and ends with the needs of our patients. Clinicians partner with scientists to solve the most pressing challenges in medicine, often creating multidisciplinary and sometimes multi-institutional collaborations with a science-in-service of clinicians approach to solving complex medical challenges. With seamless integration of research and clinical care and local, national and international collaboration that expand the reach of our institution, Houston Methodist faculty is leading medicine.
Highlighted here are our strategic recruits and a few of the many examples of how our faculty and staff drive our national reputation in academic medicine through leadership appointments to, or distinguished recognition from, national and international organizations.
Cancer Center
The Houston Methodist Cancer Center
expanded its research expertise with the additions of Nestor Esnaola, MD, MPH, MBA, Charles Geyer, Jr., MD, FACP
, and Qing Yi, MD, PhD
. All are serving in key leadership positions to support Cancer Center Director Jenny Chang in driving clinical innovation in cancer treatment through their extensive knowledge in tumor immunology, cancer prevention and control, surgical oncology and clinical trials. 
Nestor Esnaola
, MD, MPH, MBA, FACSNestor Esnaola, MD, MPH, MBA, FACS,
joined Houston Methodist from the Fox Chase Cancer Center-Temple Health. He is the surgical director and associate director of Cancer Control and Population Science in the Cancer Center, professor of surgery and division head of surgical oncology in the Department of Surgery. He also is a Jerold B. Katz Investigator of translational research. 
Charles Geyer
, Jr., MD, FACPCharles Geyer, Jr., MD, FACP
, is the director of the Houston Methodist Cockrell Center for Advanced Therapeutics and section chief for the breast oncology program in the Houston Methodist Cancer Center. Previously, he worked at the Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center where he was the associate director of clinical research. He works to promote and support clinical research operations across Houston Methodist. Qing Yi
, MD, PhDQing Yi, MD, PhD
, joined Houston Methodist from the Lerner Research Institute at the Cleveland Clinic. He is the Ralph O’Connor Centennial Chair, director of the Center for Translational Research in Hematological Malignancies and associate director for basic research programs and professor of oncology in the Cancer Center. Center for Outcomes Research
Farhaan Vahidy
, PhD, MBBS, MPHFarhaan Vahidy, PhD, MBBS, MPH
, joined Houston Methodist as an acting associate professor, associate director and division chief of population health science and health services research for the Center for Outcomes Research. He was previously in the Department of Neurology at the McGovern Medical School at UTHealth. Among his many collaborations, he will serve the Stanley H. Appel Department of Neurology to improve patient outcomes for those undergoing treatment for neurological diseases like stroke, dementia, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and neuromuscular diseases. DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center & Center for Outcomes Research
Khurram Nasir
, MD, MPHKhurram Nasir, MD, MPH
, joined Houston Methodist from Yale University, where he directed population health and system research and was an associate professor in cardiovascular medicine. He works closely with William Zoghbi, MD, Elkins Family Distinguished Chair in Cardiac Health, to advance a multidisciplinary preventive cardiology service for personalized health care based on precision medicine. He is chief of the Division of Cardiovascular Prevention and Wellness in the DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center, co-director of the Center for Outcomes Research and a Jerold B. Katz Investigator of translational research. DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center
The Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center is a national leader in cardiovascular wellness and prevention. The additions of
Mouaz Al-Mallah, MD, MSc, Francisco Altamirano, PhD, Ruli Gao, PhD, Daniel Kiss, PhD
, and Khurram Nasir, MD, MPH
, will support various clinical disciplines within the DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center.
Mouaz Al-Mallah
, MD, MScMouaz Al-Mallah, MD, MSc
, is a professor of cardiology and director of cardiovascular positron emission tomography (PET) in the DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center. Previously, he was a consultant cardiologist and division head of cardiac imaging at the King Abdul-Aziz Cardiac Center, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and an associate professor of medicine at King Saud bin Abdul Aziz University. His research focuses on the appropriate utilization of nuclear cardiology and cardiovascular CT in the management of patients of suspected and known coronary artery disease. Francisco Altamirano
, PhDFrancisco Altamirano, PhD
, previously worked in cardiology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. He is director of the Electrophysiology Basic Science Program, DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center. He collaborates with Miguel Valderrábano, MD, Lois and Carl Davis Centennial Chair, to find new and more effective treatments for atrial fibrillation, including epicardial mapping and ablation. Ruli Gao
, PhDRuli Gao, PhD
, joined Houston Methodist from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center to work with the Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology in the Department of Cardiovascular Sciences to support research in computational biology of single cell analyses. Daniel Kiss
, PhDDaniel Kiss, PhD
, assistant professor of cardiovascular sciences, joined the Center for Cardiovascular Regeneration within the DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center from his previous research role at The Ohio State University. His focus is on the changes that occur in the RNA and molecular biology of cells when cellular stress responses converge to cause cardiovascular disease or cancer. Neurological Institute
Dimitry Sayenko, MD, PhD, Sonya Villapol, PhD
, and Yi-Lan Weng, PhD
, joined the Center for Neuroregeneration to collaborate with Philip Horner, PhD, director of the Center for Neuroregeneration, and Gavin Britz, MBBCh, MPH, MBA, FAANS, Candy and Tom Knudson Centennial Chair in Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosurgery, and co-director of the Center for Neuroregeneration. This collaboration helps generate therapies for people who suffer from chronic paralysis and neurologic loss due to devastating injury, stroke or degenerative disease. Strategic partnerships with clinical and biotherapeutic entities assist in providing restorative medicine solutions for patients. 
Dimitry Sayenko
, MD, PhDDimitry Sayenko, MD, PhD
, joined Houston Methodist as an assistant professor of neurosurgery and previously worked in the Edgerton Neuromuscular Research Laboratory at the University of California, Los Angeles. He researches the extent to which electrical spinal cord stimulation can neuromodulate spinal circuitry to recover motor and autonomic functions. Sonya Villapol
, PhDSonya Villapol, PhD
, was formerly an assistant professor in the Department of Neuroscience at Georgetown University and now serves as assistant professor of neurosurgery. Her research focuses on understanding the mechanisms of neurodegeneration, neuroinflammation or neurogenesis via several models of brain injury and pursuing novel neurorestorative treatments for debilitating brain injuries. Yi-Lan Weng
, PhDYi-Lan Weng, PhD
, previously worked in the Department of Neuroscience at the University of Pennsylvania, and is now assistant professor of neurosurgery. He is researching how the nervous system governs regenerative capacity to eventually provide therapeutic approaches for treatment of injuries, stroke and neurodegenerative diseases. J.C. Walter Jr. Transplant Center
Bin He
, PhDBin He, PhD
, joined Houston Methodist from Baylor College of Medicine to work as an associate professor of transplant immunology in surgery in the Immunobiology & Transplant Science Center. He collaborates with A. Osama Gaber, MD, FACS, J.C. Walter Jr. Presidential Distinguished Chair, and director of the J.C. Walter Jr. Transplant Center, and the Sherrie and Alan Conover Center for Liver Disease and Transplantation to address fundamental challenges in transplant outcomes. New Faculty
Chinnaswamy Jagannath
, PhDChinnaswamy Jagannath, PhD
, scientist in the Department of Pathology & Genomic Medicine, joined Houston Methodist from the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at UTHealth. He works closely with James Musser, MD, PhD, chair of the Department of Pathology & Genomic Medicine, to develop vaccines for infectious diseases, with a focus on tuberculosis and HIV. Masayoshi Takashima
, MD, FACSMasayoshi Takashima, MD, FACS
, is the chair of the Department of Otolaryngology. He works to enhance collaboration between clinicians and researchers and improve surgical training and translational research opportunities through technological and digital innovations. Previously, he served as vice chair of education in the Bobby R. Alford Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine. Share this story
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