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Nursing Biomedical Research Laboratories Open
Donors express deep affection to be associated with the nursing profession and the School of Nursing
A dream came true Nov. 30 when The University of Texas School of Nursing at Houston opened new Biomedical Laboratories in the Center for Nursing Research.
During the Nov. 30 opening ceremony for The University of Texas School of
Nursing at Houston Center for Nursing Research
(CNR) and Biomedical
Laboratories, School of Nursing Dean Patricia L. Starck, D.S.N., right, and
Sandra K. Hanneman, Ph.D., director
of the center, unveil a painting of
Jerold Katz, whose son, Evan Katz represented the family. Photo by Jeff Fitlow
The 22,000-square-foot center, housed on the fifth floor of the School of Nursing and Student Community Center, features a bioscience (“wet”) laboratory, behavioral laboratories, a biomedical engineering laboratory and a controlledenvironment laboratory.
School of Nursing Dean Patricia L. Starck, D.S.N., called the opening “a dream come true,” noting that the inclusion of a wet lab elevates the already stellar reputation of the school.
“This facility puts us in league with the top nursing schools in the country,” Starck said. “It’s the only one of its kind in Texas and one of just a few in the country.”
The $1 million required to equip the biomedical laboratories was generated through philanthropic gifts.
Jack Johnson, a UT Health Science Center at Houston Development Board member and president of the David and Eula Wintermann Foundation, chaired the fundraising campaign and facilitated a $25,000 gift from the foundation. The Wintermann Foundation is a longstanding supporter of the school and awards scholarships to high school students interested in nursing careers.
“When I became a Development Board member in 2001, supporting the School of Nursing seemed a natural fit, so I joined the School of Nursing Advisory Council,” Johnson said. “It’s very rewarding to be able to present scholarships to deserving students and see them succeed and reach their goals. Now, knowing that these students will have the finest, state-of-the-art labs in which to learn and do research makes that an even more rewarding experience.”
UT Health Science Center President James T. Willerson, M.D., said the addition of the Center for Nursing Research and its biomedical laboratories will not only help attract top students to the school, but will advance the university’s overall research efforts, as well.
“Around our campus, we are expanding space for research activities – space for our faculty and students to unravel the mysteries of disease and improve the ways in which we care for those individuals afflicted with disease,” Willerson said during the opening ceremony. “This space at our School of Nursing is an important part of our expanding research facilities, and I am grateful to the generous donors whose contributions allowed us to equip this space.
“In particular, we are grateful to the Jerold B. Katz Foundation for sharing the vision of Dean Patricia Starck and Dr. Sandra K. Hanneman, who have done a great deal to foster the growth of research endeavors at this school,” Willerson added.
In 2004, the Jerold B. Katz Foundation established the Jerold B. Katz Distinguished Professorship with a commitment of $250,000. Sandra K. Hanneman, Ph.D., Department of Acute and Continuing Care, associate dean for research and director of the Center for Nursing Research, was appointed to the endowed position.
During the opening ceremony, Hanneman and Starck unveiled a portrait of Jerold Katz, who was unable to attend the event. His son, Evan Katz, expressed thanks on behalf of his father and said he was touched by the gesture.
“It’s my family’s honor with deep affection to be associated with the nursing profession and with the School of Nursing,” said Evan Katz, a health science center Development Board member since 2003.
Hanneman, whose current work involves an efficacy study on turning patients on respirators to prevent pneumonia, also expressed her appreciation for the Katz family and other donors who made the center possible.
“I really want to thank Evan (Katz) and his father. We are going to make you proud of your investment,” Hanneman said. “By extension, your gift, your time, and your commitment are every bit as important as the work we do.”
The Center for Nursing Research and its biomedical laboratories are still being outfitted with equipment. Eventual plans for studies within the center include research on sleep deprivation, stress reduction, acupressure and the stress hormone, cortisol.
By Wendy K. Mohon, Development