our outstanding faculty

October 29, 2014

The deans of the Health Science Center schools and I are honored today to recognize you —the men and women of our UT Health Science Center—for your excellence and outstanding dedication to our missions of education, research, patient care and community service.

Congratulations on your exceptional achievements which have earned you promotion, tenure and/or the prestigious title of Professor Emeritus. Through your efforts, you elevate our university as a beacon of hope for the sick, a stimulating environment for our students and residents, and an exciting center for research and patient care advances.

We celebrate your accomplishments and thank you for your tremendous talent that allows us to continue to make lives better.

Sincerely,

William L. Henrich, MD, MACPPresident and Professor of MedicineUT Health Science Center San Antonio

Message from the president

Honoring our outstanding faculty

October 29, 2014

Welcome and RemarksWilliam L. Henrich, MD, MACP

President

Introduction of Honorees

David C. Shelledy, PhD Dean, School of Health Professions

William Dodge, DDS Dean, School of Dentistry

Eileen Breslin, PhD Dean, School of Nursing

Francisco González-Scarano, MDDean, School of Medicine

Closing Remarks

President Henrich

Promotion and tenure are granted to reward academic excellence in the areas of teaching, research and service. Every member of the Faculty Promotions, Tenure and Appointments Committee (known as PTAC) is dedicated to assuring that the reviews are done in the best way possible. As chair of the university PTAC, I offer my heartfelt appreciation for the tremendous effort that PTAC members expend in reviewing the numerous faculty promotion packets. I also applaud the efforts of departmental PTACs and the behind-the-scenes administrative assistants who make all our jobs easier. Each faculty member who has been promoted and/or awarded tenure has passed through a rigorous process of evaluation, and I congratulate all the newly promoted faculty members on their significant achievements.

Rajeshwar Rao Tekmal, Ph.D.Professor and DirectorCarl J. Pauerstein Professor of Reproductive ResearchDivision of Reproductive ResearchDepartment of Obstetrics and GynecologyChair, Promotions, Tenure and Appointment Committee

Promotion and Tenure

Information for the following listings – including names, credentials, titles, departments and area

of expertise – was provided by the offices of the deans of the respective schools of the

UT Health Science Center.

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Bridgett Piernik-Yoder, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Occupational TherapyDr. Piernik-Yoder is a UT Health Science Center at San Antonio graduate whose clinical expertise as an occupational therapist is in adult neurorehabilitation. She joined the Occupational Therapy Department full-time in 2007 where she teaches courses related to research methodology, clinical medicine and occupational therapy intervention for adults with neuromuscular conditions. She has been a recipient of the UT Health Science Center Presidential Teaching Excellence Award and the Texas Occupational Therapy Association Academic Educator of the Year Award. Dr. Piernik-Yoder’s research emphasis has been on rehabilitation outcomes and various aspects of scholarship of teaching and learning.

Peter T. Gakunga, B.D.S., M.S., Ph.DAssociate Professor with Tenure, Developmental Dentistry, Division of OrthodonticsTeaching, clinical practice and research in orthodontics and craniofacial orthopedics and anomalies.

Michaell A. Huber, DDSProfessor, Comprehensive DentistryDr. Huber is an oral medicine subject expert who provides direct patient care addressing mucosal disease and management. He has a keen interest in oral cancer epidemiology and diagnosis and teaches physical evaluation and oral medicine to both undergraduate and graduate level dental students and residents.

Nathaniel A. Jeske, PhDAssociate Professor with Tenure, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Director of Research, School of DentistryDepartments of Pharmacology, Physiology, School of Medicine Dr. Jeske studies the biochemical and molecular signaling mechanisms that stimulate and maintain inflammatory pain. Dr. Jeske receives state and federal funding to identify important proteins that scaffold the transition from acute to persistent inflammatory pain, supporting the generation of new peptidergic analgesics that relieve chronic pain.

William F. Rose, D.D.S.Associate Professor , Comprehensive DentistryDr. Rose serves as Director of the Predoctoral Division and Group Leader of one of eight General Practice Groups in the Department of Comprehensive Dentistry at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. He is the former Director of the Advanced Education in General Dentistry program (AEGD). Dr. Rose also maintains a private practice in the Faculty Practice Clinic at the Dental School.

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S. Hinan Ahmed, M.D.Associate Professor/Clinical, MedicineDr. Ahmed is an outstanding and highly respected caregiver and interventional cardiologist whose service to our institution has been of high quantity and quality since he joined the Health Science Center in 2008. His commitment to teaching is very strong, and his record of scholarly productivity is notable. His emerging national reputation is readily apparent.

Gregory M. Anstead, M.D., Ph.D.Professor/Clinical, MedicineDr. Anstead, a member of the Division of Infectious Diseases is an outstanding educator in UME and GME. Additionally he is further supported by his extensive and substantial clinical service and sustained and productive research program.

Timothy Barker, M.D.Associate Professor/Clinical, Family and Community MedicineAs Senior Director, Medical Information UT Medicine, Dr. Barker provides physician leadership for the ongoing development, advancement and optimization of electronic health record and related technologies in furthering the clinical and research missions of the UT Health Science Center.

Oralia Bazaldua, Pharm.D.Professor/Clinical, Family and Community MedicineDr. Bazaldua is Director of Departmental Pharmacy Education and Pharmacotherapy Clinic. Her research has focused on “Health Literacy and Medication Use” and she has presented extensively on this topic. She has expertise in the pharmacotherapy of chronic diseases including hypertension, diabetes and thromboembolic disorders. She is co-founder of the San Antonio Health Literacy Initiative and is involved with quality improvement initiatives relating to appropriate medication use.

Benjamin J. Daniel, Ph.D.Associate Professor/Research, Microbiology and ImmunologyDr. Daniel is the Director of the Flow Cytometry Facility, which provides an integral service to the research mission of the university. His research interests entail anti-tumor immunity and more recently modeling T Cell during the aging process.

John R. Downs, M.D.Professor/Clinical, MedicineDr. Downs has made substantial contributions in clinical care and service, both locally and nationally. His activities have been based at the South Texas Veterans Health Care System where he played a major role in the development and implementation of guidelines for the management of veterans with dyslipidemia. His contributions to the entire VA Health Care System are profound, affecting the care of roughly 5 million veteran patients. He also teaches at both the undergraduate and graduate levels and has a palpable record of scholarly productivity.

Andrea E. Berndt, Ph.D.Associate Professor, Family and Community Health SystemsDr. Berndt’s program of research is the application of mixed-methods and statistical approaches to studying phenomena of interest to nursing and health care systems. Since 2007, Dr. Berndt has authored or co-authored 26 peer-reviewed articles, 42 data-based presentations, and served as statistical consultant or co-investigator on 10 interdisciplinary grants funded by private, state, and federal agencies, including among them the National Institutes of Health and the Health Resources and Services Administration.

Linda J. Porter-Wenzlaff, PhD, RN, LPCClinical Professor, Health Restoration and Care Systems ManagementDr. Porter-Wenzlaff holds certifications in advanced administration, finance, six sigma, nursing education, online teaching and family therapy. She is an internationally recognized expert in Animal Assisted Therapy. She teaches across the administration and education graduate majors as well as economics at the doctoral level. As the education major track coordinator she is active in the MATT grant.

Professor EmeritusAdrianne D. Linton, Ph.D., RN, FAANProfessor Emeritus, Family and Community Health SystemsDr. Linton’s teaching excellence and scholarship activities focused on the nursing care of older adults. She published more than 150 chapters focused on geriatric nursing care and sold over 100,000 copies of her medical-surgical textbook to national and international nursing professionals. Her distinguished career and leadership in nursing was recognized in 2010 when she was inducted as a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing, the most prestigious national honor awarded to nursing leaders.

Mickey L. Parsons, PhD., MHA, RN, FAANProfessor Emeritus, Health Restoration and Care Systems ManagementHer scholarship of service centers around leadership to ensure excellence of nursing practice and sustainability of clinical outcomes. Her research is on healthy workplaces and factors for sustainability of Magnet nursing organizations. Her clinical specialty is nursing and health care administration. Her experience spans over 40 years, serving as a nurse manager, assistant/associate director of nursing, chief nursing officer, and Vice President for Nursing and Patient Care Services in three Academic Medical Centers, and in graduate nursing education. She recently retired as the Program Coordinator of the Doctor of Nursing Practice Program for Executive Nurse Leaders.

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Benjamin A. Eaton, Ph.D.Associate Professor, PhysiologyDr. Eaton’s research focuses on the effects of diet and age on neurotransmission using the Drosophila model system. Recently, the Eaton lab observed that neurotransmission abruptly increases with age and that this change represents a long-term change in the output of the neuron. This data suggests the novel model that changes in nervous system function with age might involve both pathological and non-pathological mechanisms. Dr. Eaton is also a committed educator and mentor, and is a member of the summer faculty at the Marine Biology Laboratory at Woods Hole, MA, where he teaches in the renowned Neurobiology summer course.

Sara E. Espinoza, M.D., MScAssociate Professor, MedicineDr. Espinoza serves our institution with great distinction; she has created effective research collaborations, and has established herself as a widely acknowledged expert in human frailty. Her studies span the spectrum from epidemiologic to basic. She is also lauded as an energetic and enthusiastic teacher. She is a member of geriatrics, gerontology and palliative medicine.

Kristin Fiebelkorn, M.D.Professor/Clinical, PathologyDr. Fiebelkorn is a pathologist with credentials in Virology and Molecular Pathology. As the Program Director for our Residency Training Program she is an educational leader and excels in teaching and clinical service. She is currently a member-at-large of the Program Director’s Group (PRODS) of the Association of Pathology Chairs.

Melisa J. Frei-Jones, M.D.Associate Professor/Clinical, PediatricsDr. Frei-Jones is a pediatric hematologist whose passion is teaching. She has not only demonstrated excellence in both undergraduate and graduate medical education but has also been recognized for her contributions to the education of health care providers, patients and their families.

Jonathan AL Gelfond, M.D., Ph.D.Associate Professor, Epidemiology and BiostatisticsDr. Gelfond’s research focuses on the novel application of statistical analysis to clinical areas including human aging, genetics, genomics, and complex expressions of disease patterns. Towards this goal, he has developed novel statistical methodologies in genomics and nucleotide sequence analysis. Dr. Gelfond also promotes the ethical application of statistics in translational research through original publications, informatic methodologies for accountability, and by serving at the national level.

Juan A. Guerrero, M.D.Associate Professor/Clinical, MedicineDr. Guerrero, a hepatologist, is a vital component of our Liver Transplant Program in which he plays an incredibly important role. It should be noted that the Liver Transplant program is a highly prominent regional effort with a national reputation for excellence and represents a flagship program of both the UT Health Science Center and University Health System. He is one of only two hepatologists at our institution. His level of competence is impressive; he provides phenomenal service to the institution, is an accomplished teacher and an active participant in clinical research. He is a faculty member in gastroenterology and nutrition.

Alonso N. Gutierrez, Ph.D.Associate Professor, Radiation Oncology and RadiologyDr. Gutierrez is a radiation oncology physicist who specializes and researches in the areas of stereotactic radiosurgery, stereotactic body radiotherapy and image-guided radiotherapy. He also contributes to the educational training of medical dosimetry students, radiological sciences graduate students, and doctorate of medical physics students.

Janet V. Hays, M.D.Clinical Professor, MedicineDr. Hays is an expert in the field of nuclear cardiology with an undeniable local and national reputation as an outstanding nuclear cardiologist. She is highly valued for her clinical expertise, organizational skills, professionalism and mentoring in this field. She is a key clinician and a highly valued teacher and was recognized by graduating cardiology fellows in 2006 and 2011 as the Outstanding Faculty Teacher.

Javier Hernandez, M.D.Associate Professor/Clinical, UrologyDr. Hernandez is a Board Certified Urologic Oncologist. His expertise is in malignancies of the genitourinary systems with a special interest in the management of metastatic testicular cancer.He has been a member of the Department of Urology since May 2011 after completing a highly successful career as a urologist and residency program director in the Department of the Army. He maintains a very busy clinical practice with particular interest in the management of patients with a wide variety of urologic malignancies. His expertise is primarily in the management of patients with metastatic testicular cancer. Dr. Hernandez’ investigative efforts were recognized in 2012 by naming him a co-winner of the CTRC Clinical Investigator Award. He is also the recipient of Teaching Excellence Awards within the Department of Urology for the last two consecutive years.

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Syed Adil Husain, M.D.Professor, Cardiothoracic SurgeryDr. Husain is the Surgeon-in-Chief of The UT Health Science Center at San Antonio/University Health System Pediatric Services and also serves as the Associate Program Director for the Cardiothoracic Fellowship Training Program. He currently holds the William Randolph Hearst Endowed Chair in Congenital Heart Surgery. His teaching efforts are both with Pediatric Critical Care Fellows as well as Cardiothoracic Surgical Fellows and his clinical interests are in neonatal cardiac surgery and single ventricle physiology. In addition, he is also very involved in international humanitarian surgical mission work as well as local charitable endeavors.

Thomas B. Jansson, M.D., Ph.D.Professor, Obstetrics and GynecologyDr. Jansson has received national and international recognition for his translational research exploring the cellular and molecular mechanisms of regulation of placental nutrient transporters and investigating the role of placental function in determining fetal growth and long-term health. Dr. Jansson has a distinguished publication record, serves regularly on NIH and international study sections and is the Principal Investigator on 6 NIH grants.

Amrita Kamat, Ph.D.Associate Professor/Research, MedicineDr. Kamat has established a successful, well-funded and highly productive research program focused on beta-adrenergic receptor function and the liver. She is nationally recognized for her cutting- edge research. Dr. Kamat provides an example of how creativity and persistence pave a road to discovery and progress in science. She is appointed in geriatrics, gerontology and palliative medicine.

Nameer B. Kirma, Ph.D.Associate Professor/Research, Molecular MedicineDr. Kirma works on the epigenetic and molecular basis of gynecologic cancers and inflammatory disease. His work has encompassed both basic and translational research to elucidate the mechanisms underlying these malignancies and develop viable therapeutic options.

Deborah Jo Levine, M.D.Professor/Clinical, MedicineDr. Levine is a widely acknowledged national and international expert in lung transplantation and pulmonary hypertension and a valuable clinician educator and scientist. She excels in teaching and service and is a member of the pulmonary and critical care medicine team.

Cun Li, M.D.Associate Professor/Research, Obstetrics and GynecologyFor over 30 years Dr. Li has studied the brain development in the rat, sheep, nonhuman primates and humans. She is committed to understanding mechanisms underlying impaired human fetal brain growth and function by using comparative animal models especially the sheep and nonhuman primate models. Currently her interests are on the effects of both maternal under- and over-nutrition and exposure to levels of glucocorticoids higher than is appropriate for the current stage of fetal development on programming of brain development - especially neuroendocrine development and metabolism.

Senlin Li, M.D.Professor/Research, MedicineDr. Li is a dedicated translational researcher with an active record of extramural funding. His research is characterized by scientific innovation with a high level of significance as evidenced by creation of synthetic macrophage promoters, introduction of lentiviral hematopoietic stem cell gene therapy and application of new technologies such as iPS cells and RNA-guided genome editing in his research. He continues to make significant contributions to science through his mentoring, service at local, national and international levels and notably through high-quality collaborative research.

Michael B. Little, M.D.Associate Professor/Clinical, AnesthesiologyDr. Little’s areas of interest are anesthesia for cardiothoracic and transplant surgical patients. As Director of Cardiothoracic and Transplant Anesthesiology, Dr. Little has responsibility for transplant protocol development, management of the perioperative cardiothoracic and transplant teams, resident education, and patient care at University Hospital and the V.A. Hospital.

Devalingam Mahalingam, M.B., B.Ch., B.A.O.Ph.D.Associate Professor/Clinical, MedicineDr. Mahalingam is an outstanding clinical oncologist and a pillar of stability at the CTRC, an outstanding and busy clinician, a superb clinical investigator and a respected teacher. His excellence in clinical care provides a platform for his full engagement in translational research, allowing him to develop and manage an array of clinical studies of novel cancer therapeutic agents. He has a growing national reputation and an effective and collaborative style.

B. Michele McCorvey, M.D.Associate Professor/Clinical, NTT, RadiologyDr. McCorvey, an ABR-certified radiologist involved in MOC, is fellowship trained in Women’s Imaging and a Breast Imaging and Intervention faculty since 2005. Educational achievements include Yale University; medical doctorate - Jefferson Medical College; internship – TJUH; radiology residency and fellowship at George Washington University Medical Center. An ACR CPI faculty since 2007, she has served as the Breast Radiology Panel Chair/Editor since 2013.

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Glen A. Medellin, M.D.Professor/Clinical, PediatricsDr. Medellin demonstrates outstanding principles as a medical educator in the classroom and at the bedside. As a leader in pediatric palliative and comprehensive chronic care, he is a tireless advocate for improved models of care for children in San Antonio and South Texas and is an outstanding role model for students, residents and peers.

John Mark Morehead, M.D., FACSAssociate Professor, Otolaryngology/Head and Neck SurgeryDr. Morehead’s clinical interests are Rhinoplasty, Facial Aesthetic and Rejuvenative Surgery, Facial Reconstruction and Facial Trauma. He is Board certified in Otolaryngology since 1993 and Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery since 1996. His exemplary leadership and devotion to the academic community as the department’s Residency Director reflect great credit on The UT Health Science Center at San Antonio.

Lola Morgan, M.D.Associate Professor, NeurologyDr. Morgan is a neurologist with expertise in epilepsy and clinical neurophysiology. She is the Director of the Neurodiagnostic Center at University Hospital and Assistant Program Director of the Clinical Neurophysiology Fellowship. In addition to her busy clinical practice at University Hospital and the MARC, she is actively involved in the community by conducting epilepsy clinics in Del Rio, Eagle Pass and the San Antonio State Hospital.

Andrew E. Muck, M.D. Associate Professor /Clinical, Emergency MedicineDr. Muck is Associate Program Director of the Emergency Medicine Residency, faculty member of the Center for Medical Humanities and Ethics and Medical Director of the SA Refugee Health Clinic. He was instrumental in establishing our premier emergency medicine residency training program that began in 2013.

Luke A. Newton, M.D.Associate Professor/Clinical, Obstetrics and GynecologyDr. Luke Newton is a general obstetrician gynecologist. His interests are in medical education and minimally invasive gynecologic surgery. He is active in the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) including service on the ACOG Executive Board and multiple committees.

Marlo Nicolas, M.D.Associate Professor/Clinical, PathologyDr. Nicolas is a pathologist with expertise in Genitourinary Pathology and Prostate. He is involved in translational research activities, has excellent peer reviewed publications, and is involved in clinical trials at CTRC and University Health System. He actively participates in the educational mission by providing lectures and demonstrations to the residents, fellows and students who rotate on the Pathology services at University Hospital.

Vijayanadh Ojili, M.D., DNB Associate Professor/Clinical, NTT, RadiologyDr. Ojili is a dual board certified, fellowship-trained abdominal imager with special interest in ultrasound and image-guided interventions. He is a superb radiologist and outstanding educator. In his tenure at the UT Health Science Center, he has contributed substantially to the institution’s educational efforts. He has received numerous awards and has been featured consistently as one of the San Antonio’s best radiologists in the past few years.

Manuel Ángel Oscós-Sánchez, M.D.Professor, Family and Community MedicineDr. Oscós-Sánchez has received multiple federal and state grants to develop, implement and evaluate community-based adolescent health promotion programs. His major focus is on youth violence prevention and health career promotion among youth that have been historically underrepresented in medicine. His work integrates Community-Based Participatory Action Research methods with a Positive Youth Development theoretical framework.

Aaron D. Owens, M.D.Associate Professor/Clinical, MedicineDr. Owens is an outstanding physician, with a superb knowledge base and excellent clinical judgment. His expertise in infectious diseases makes him a particularly valuable consulting physician to other services, such as Transplant, where patients are uniformly immunocompromised and, as a result, are susceptible to numerous infections. He is also a superb teacher, receiving the Outstanding Faculty Award in 2011, 2012 and 2013. Students and residents uniformly praise his teaching prowess, placing him at the top of this group of impressive educators. Dr. Owens is based in the Division of Hospital Medicine.

Jean Petershack, M.D.Professor/Clinical, PediatricsDr. Petershack, an accomplished neonatologist, has demonstrated excellence in clinical care, education and mentorship. She uses innovative teaching methods to acquire and disseminate new knowledge in a scholarly manner to all learners.

Maria Policarpio-Nicolas, M.D.Associate Professor/Clinical, PathologyDr. Policarpio-Nicolas is a Cytopathologist and is the Director of our Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA) service. She interacts with patients and their primary physicians to provide information on the diagnosis and treatment of these patients. She is involved in translational research and has published a number of peer-reviewed articles in highly regarded pathology journals. Her teaching is well regarded by residents and fellows.

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Omid B. Rahimi, Ph.D.Associate Professor, Cellular and Structural BiologyDr. Rahimi, an outstanding teacher, has been awarded an Outstanding Faculty Award from every graduating medical class since 2007. He has received a Presidential Excellence Teaching Award and was elected to the UT Academy of Health Science Education. He directs the Human Anatomy Program and is responsible for the care of body donors gifted to our institution. Every year this program serves over 1,200 future health care professionals, residents, dentists and physicians that utilize anatomical services.

Manjeet K. Rao, Ph.D.Associate Professor, Cellular and Structural BiologyDr. Rao is well recognized for applying molecular analysis to cancer and reproductive biology. His group is currently developing microRNAs as potential therapeutic adjuvants to treat cancer and defining the functions of miRNAs in male reproductive biology. Dr. Rao has competed successfully for funding from the NIH, CPRIT and private foundations and has a national and international reputation in the field of miRNA biology. Dr. Rao received the President’s distinguished junior scholar award.

Vivienne I. Rebel, Ph.D.Associate Professor, Cellular and Structural BiologyDr. Rebel, a hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) biologist, is renowned for her expertise in myelodysplastic syndrome, an age-associated HSC disease. Her research is focused on identifying gene regulatory networks governing cell-intrinsic and cell-extrinsic control of HSCs. Using mouse models and comparative gene expression analysis tools, she is elucidating those networks that prevent the development of myelodysplastic syndrome. She received the CTRC discovery of the year award for her research on this condition.

Sandra E. Sanchez-Reilly, M.D., MScProfessor/Clinical, MedicineDr. Sanchez-Reilly has a national reputation as a superb educator in geriatrics and palliative medicine. She has exceptional organizational skills, professionalism, enthusiasm, creativity and the ability to draw people together from different backgrounds and skills to work together for a common purpose. She provides special clinical expertise in treating elder patients and patients who are facing the end of life, while teaching others how to care for these patients and maintain their dignity. She is also the recipient of multiple local and national awards for her work including the Geriatric Academic Career Award and the Arnold P. Gold Foundation Humanism in Medicine Award. She was inducted into the Academy of Master Teachers and is a Distinguished Teaching Professor at the UT Health Science Center.

Craig A. Sisson, M.D. Associate Professor /Clinical, Emergency MedicineDr. Sisson is Director of the Division of Emergency and Co-Director of the Longitudinal Ultrasound Curriculum for the School of Medicine. He has secured the development of a dedicated ultrasound lab and design and implemented the curriculum for bedside ultrasound training for all four years of medical school.

Mark K. Sparkman, M.D. Associate Professor /Clinical, Emergency MedicineDr. Sparkman is the Associate Program Director for the EMS Degree Program. He has assisted in the transition of the EMS Fellowship program to ACGME-accredited status and mentors residents and students in our University Hospital Emergency Department.

Abhijit G. Sunnapwar, M.D. Associate Professor/Clinical, NTT, RadiologyDr. Sunnapwar is a radiologist who is sub-specialty trained in body MRI. He takes pride in sharing the clinical knowledge that has served our patients well, and the ability to teach our residents, fellows and medical students. As Chief of Body MR Imaging, his duties include MR imaging protocol development and improvement. His interests include MR enterography and hepato-biliary imaging.

Adela S. Valdez, M.D.Professor/Clinical, Family and Community MedicineDr. Valdez is the Regional Assistant Dean at the Regional Academic Health Center and provides a key administrative role in her position. For over 25 years, she has focused on the establishment and development of undergraduate, graduate, faculty and continuing medical educational programs in the Lower Rio Grande Valley.

Brent T. Wagner, M.D.Associate Professor, MedicineDr. Wagner is a physician-scientist with primary contributions in the areas of research and education. He is an individual driven by intellectual curiosity. As director of the clinical nephrology training program, he is in the unique position of being the model academic physician for a large number of medical students, residents and fellows at our institution.

Benjamin J. Wallisch, D.O.Associate Professor/Clinical, AnesthesiologyDr. Wallisch’s areas of interest are perioperative management, regional anesthesia and acute pain management for surgical and obstetrical patients at University Hospital. As Medical Director of Anesthesia Services, Dr. Wallisch is responsible for anesthesia management and scheduling in the general operating rooms, as well as anesthesia patient safety and quality assurance initiatives at University Hospital.

Elizabeth A. Walter, M.D.Professor/Clinical, MedicineDr. Walter, an infectious diseases specialist and committed clinician-educator, is prominent in the areas of teaching and service. She has regional impact primarily through her roles as Chief of ID at the Audie Murphy VA and as President of the Texas Infectious Disease Society, and national impact predominantly through her work on the IDSA Milestones Development Committee. She serves as the Director of the Fellowship Training Program for infectious diseases and is the Divisional (and institutional) leader in the care of HIV/AIDs patients at the FFACTS Clinic for University Hospital and the HIV Clinic at our VA affiliate. She is also responsible for establishing and directing the Travel Medicine Clinic at the MARC.

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Brian Wickes, Ph.D.Professor, Microbiology and ImmunologyDr. Wickes is interested in the genetics and molecular biology of differentiation in the human fungal pathogen, Cryptococcus neoformans. His laboratory also has a substantial diagnostic program, which includes the molecular identification of medically important fungi and bacteria, as well as the identification and characterization of bacterial drug resistance mechanisms.

Thomas Zgonis, DPM, FACFASProfessor, OrthopaedicsDr. Zgonis is known for his work in foot and ankle reconstruction with circular external fixation. His interests include traumatic foot and ankle injuries, deformity correction, diabetic Charcot reconstruction and soft tissue coverage of the diabetic foot. Dr. Zgonis is a nationally and internationally recognized lecturer in the methods and application of the Ilizarov apparatus for external fixation and he has authored numerous articles and book chapters in the field of reconstructive and revisional foot and ankle surgery.

Professor EmeritusJohn M. Johnson, Ph.D.Professor Emeritus, PhysiologyDr. Johnson retired August 31, 2013. His primary area of research interest is the control of skin blood flow as influenced by both thermoregulatory non-thermoregulatory reflexes. His studies focus on discovering the mechanisms, transmitters and intracellular mechanisms through which the adrenergic vasoconstrictor system and the non-adrenergic active vasodilator system function and how local temperature further influences those controls.

James H. Jorgensen, Ph.D.Professor Emeritus, PathologyDr. Jorgensen is a specialist in microbiology; he had the responsibility of leading a diagnostic laboratory at University Hospital. His research activities were devoted to elucidating the mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance. Funding for his research was derived from the CDC and the National Institutes of Health in addition to support from pharmaceutical agencies. He was actively involved with teaching, research, clinical activities.

Valerie A. Lawrence, M.D.Professor Emeritus, MedicineDr. Lawrence has spent her entire career here at our institution, three years as a resident and 28 years as a distinguished faculty member where she brought prestige and honor to The UT Health Science Center. She has made substantial contributions in all areas —research, service and teaching. Her long-standing research and service contributions have been in the area of perioperative evaluation and care and she garnered a national reputation in this field. She has served in both general internal medicine and clinical epidemiology.

Claudia S. Miller, M.D.Professor Emeritus, Family and Community MedicineDr. Miller retired on May 1, 2014 after being with the University of Texas Health Science Center since 1988. She served as Assistant Dean for the MD/MPH program and the Director of the South Texas Environmental Education and Research program. Her main field of study is the medical impact of the chemical environment and leading the U.S. and international community to a better understanding of these areas.

Susan L. Naylor, Ph.D.Professor Emeritus, Cellular and Structural BiologyDr. Naylor, an internationally renowned geneticist, led a team that mapped human chromosome 3 and was a co- author on the Nature publication of the initial human genome sequence. She is an ISI highly cited researcher, and the recipient of the Presidential Senior Scholar Award, the Distinguished Geneticist award from the Texas Genetics Society, and others. Dr. Naylor obtained training grants for cancer research and received the UT Board of Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award.

Robert L. Reddick, M.D.Professor Emeritus, PathologyDr. Reddick retired September 30, 2014 as the Frank M. Townsend, M.D. Professor and Chair of Pathology. His professional expertise includes diagnostic surgical pathology, electron microscopy, the pathobiology of atherosclerosis, and research in reference to mutant mouse models. He has 200 peer-reviewed journal publications, 4 textbook chapters, involvement in prestigious research grants, multiple professional honors and awards, along with contributions to teaching and clinical activities.

Neal C. Robinson, Ph.D.Professor Emeritus, BiochemistryIn his over 30 years at the UT Health Science Center, Dr. Robinson has been continuously funded by the NIH, making groundbreaking contributions to our understanding of how the energy generating complexes within mitochondria function; we depend on these for all our activities. Specifically, his contributions have been unique in that they have helped us understand in intimate detail how the lipid environment, in which these protein complexes sit, can modulate their behavior. He has combined this excellence in research with a real passion for educating students, both in the classroom and in the laboratory.