Vol. 14 | September 2022 – 5 minute read

The recently announced Collaborative Research Grant Incentive (CRGI) seeks to stimulate team science and collaborative research that will benefit the entire UT Southwestern research community – and ultimately – our patients.

The CRGI provides incentive payments to UT Southwestern faculty members who are the overall PIs, co-PIs/MPIs, or project leaders of NIH program projects (P), cooperative research agreements (U), or collaborative program grants for multidisciplinary teams (RM).

Eligibility criteria include (1) minimum four-year term and $2,000,000 total direct cost budget at UTSW, (2) multiple PIs, including at least one additional PI, co-PI/MPI, or Project Leader, (3) indirect costs at the full institutional rate. 

Depending on the total direct costs awarded, contact PIs may receive incentive payments of $15,000, $30,000, or $40,000, while co-PIs/MPIs or Project Leaders may receive $5,000 or $10,000.  

Full details on eligibility criteria, award tiers, and payment options are available online.   

Half a century ago, Michael S. Brown, M.D., and Joseph L. Goldstein, M.D., launched their joint laboratory at UT Southwestern.

On Friday, Oct. 14, UT Southwestern will celebrate the 50th anniversary of this remarkable scientific partnership with an all-day symposium in the Tom and Lula Gooch Auditorium, starting at 8 a.m. Preeminent scientists from leading institutions will gather to present and discuss their work in honor of Drs. Brown and Goldstein. The symposium will be followed by a reception at Eugene McDermott Plaza from 4:45 to 6 p.m.

Drs. Brown and Goldstein were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1985 for “their discoveries concerning the regulation of cholesterol metabolism.” They discovered the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor and revealed its central role in determining plasma cholesterol levels. Their work led to the development of statin drugs, which are highly effective for prevention of heart disease.

Not to rest on their Nobel laurels, Drs. Brown and Goldstein went on to discover the SREBP family of membrane-bound transcription factors, which control all the enzymes that synthesize cholesterol and fatty acids.

In addition to maintaining an innovative and highly productive scientific laboratory for 50 years, they have played major roles as leaders of the scientific community not only at UT Southwestern but also nationally and internationally. Moreover, they have trained 165 graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. Five of their trainees are members of the National Academy of Sciences, one of whom received the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine, and another received the Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences.

As faculty in an academic medical center, you face unique opportunities and challenges that affect your engagement.

On Oct. 4, you will receive the StandPoint Faculty Engagement Survey from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) via email. 

We encourage you to take the opportunity to let us know where you stand in terms of job satisfaction, contribution, and effort. Your feedback will help us improve faculty engagement and continue to attract and retain excellent faculty. 

Two UT Southwestern trainees are among the 25 early-career scientists to be selected as 2022 Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Hanna Gray Fellows. The program supports talented postdoctoral scientists who represent a promising and more diverse future for biomedical science.

Gabriel Muhire Gihana, Ph.D., and Victor Lopez, Ph.D., will each receive up to eight years of support for their research, plus professional development and mentorship.

This year’s cohort also includes Margaret McDaniel, Ph.D., who graduated last year from the UT Southwestern Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Immunology Graduate Program, and was mentored by Chandrashekhar Pasare, D.V.M., Ph.D.

By supporting early-career scientists, HHMI aims to influence academic science at a key career stage, particularly for diverse investigators.

Maria Florian-Rodriguez, M.D., Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, has been awarded the Physician-Scientist Career Development Award to Promote Diversity from the American Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Foundation and the Burroughs Wellcome Fund. The award seeks to enhance the development of future physician-scientist leaders from underrepresented backgrounds in the field of obstetrics and gynecology and promote diversity in the academic workforce. Dr. Florian-Rodriguez specializes in the treatment of pelvic floor disorders and is studying how pelvic floor injury results in initiation of cellular senescence and weakening of the pelvic floor supportive tissue that eventually manifests as pelvic organ prolapse.

Christine Kulstad, M.D., Associate Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine, was named a Harvard Macy Institute (HMI) scholar for the 2022-2023 academic year. Designed for faculty involved in training the next generation of health care providers, the HMI Program for Educators in Health Professions focuses on strengthening skills and expertise in the development of self-designed educational projects as well as preparing faculty for broader educational leadership roles at their home institutions. Dr. Kulstad was selected as a scholar based on her proposal to develop an evaluation tool for medical students that optimizes the timely delivery of feedback for faculty in the Emergency Department.

Norberto Rodriguez-Baez, M.D., Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, won the 2022 Master Educator Award granted by the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition (NASPGHAN). This distinction recognizes individuals who have made a significant and sustained contribution to the field of pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology, and/or nutrition through education scholarship on a national or international basis. An expert in pediatric liver disease, Dr. Rodriguez-Baez has dedicated his career to advancing medical education. He has recently been appointed Assistant Dean for Student Diversity and Inclusion, serving as faculty adviser for Latino and African American medical students.

Demystifying the Promotion and Tenure Process 

This session provides information to help faculty members understand the academic advancement timeline and criteria for each distinct academic rank and track. 

• Sept. 15, noon-1 p.m., on Zoom.  

Call for Mentors: Biomedical Innovation Elective 

The course is looking for faculty who are leading a biomedical innovation project and would like to work closely with medical students to make meaningful progress over the next year. 

• Submit the Mentorship Interest Form by Oct. 1.

UTSW-Parkland Health Equity Scholars Program

The program will provide resources to recruit and retain outstanding faculty committed to care for patients from underserved and disadvantaged populations.

• Submit a nomination form by Oct. 3.

Leadership Emerging in Academic Departments (LEAD) 

LEAD is geared toward junior faculty who aspire to develop their leadership skills. Assistant professors (all years in rank) and associate professors (with fewer than four years in rank) are eligible.  

• Apply by Oct. 7.

Wellness-Centered Leadership Workshop 

Tait Shanafelt, M.D., Chief Wellness Officer at Stanford Medicine, leads this workshop designed to help department chairs and division chiefs promote a culture of wellness.  

• Oct. 7, from 8 a.m.-noon. Register to attend.   

Public Service Loan Forgiveness System 

UT Southwestern is a qualified employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program through the Department of Education. Find out if you are eligible.   

• Apply by Oct. 31.  

UT Southwestern laboratory websites have been successfully migrated to a new content management system that is simple to use, allowing labs to easily keep their online presence up to date. The new platform offers a modern design for better showcasing the lab’s research, personality, and teams. Laboratories are listed alphabetically and can be filtered by department, center/institute and graduate program. Engaging, up-to-date descriptions of our laboratories are critical to advancing both our research and education missions.