Issue #722, October 13, 2009

Topics at a Glance: Fun Fest’s ‘Most Wanted’ ... Research Day 2009 ... Flu Center: New Updates ... Parking Validation Refunds ... New Library Fees ... Lecture: Health Promotion ... H1N1 Informative Session at SON ... Seasonal Flu Shots for Students ... Seasonal Flu Shots for Employees ... Upcoming University Events ... IT SecuritySense ... CPR Training ... SEIS Physical Training ... IT Training Classes ... Demystifying the IRB Process ... Annual Holiday Sale Crafters ... Travel Safety Presentation ... Neurology Grand Rounds ... CCTS Lecture Series ... Rec Sports ... Darwin 2009 Houston ... METRO Shuttle Update ... HAM-TMC Library Classes ... Traffic Alerts ... Procurement Services

Fun Fest’s ‘Most Wanted’

You are WANTED at this year’s annual Fun Fest event!. This celebration for health science center faculty, staff and students will be held from 2 – 6 p.m., Friday, Oct. 23 at Grant Fay Park (adjacent to both the School of Nursing and School of Public Health) and will feature a country carnival theme. Be sure to enter the western wear competition and get ready for games, the salsa contest, the chili cook-off and tons of prizes.

See Fun Fest’s Most Wanted and try to figure out which health science center faculty, staff and students are featured on this year’s posters. Who knows, it may be you! The answers will be revealed at the event.

For more information or to volunteer for Fun Fest, contact Rose.M.Betancourt-Trevino@uth.tmc.edu, 713-500-3209.

Research Day 2009

The UT Health Science Center's annual Research Day, "Engines of Discovery" will take place, Friday, Nov. 20, at the Fayez S. Sarofim Research Building of The Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine for the Prevention of Human Diseases. The event will include a faculty seminar followed by student and postdoctoral poster presentations. Prizes will be awarded at the end of the session. The deadline for students and fellows to register is Thursday, Oct. 15.

Visit the Office of Research for guidelines and more details.

The UT Flu Center: New Updates

Visit The UT Flu Center for new updates that may impact your work areas and personal health. If you are off campus, simply log in with your UT ID and password. The UT Pandemic Influenza Subcommittee continues to closely monitor developments related to the H1N1 virus on a regular basis.

For more information, contact the Flu Line at 713-500-3584.

TMC Parking Validation Ticket Refunds

For those UT Departments who currently validate or previously validated parking at TMC garages or lots, TMC will be collecting old, “parking ticket” style TMC parking validations. TMC will collect your validations and will mail UT a refund check. The funds will be disbursed to appropriate departments by general accounting once the check is received. Now that TMC has upgraded its system and currently uses the plastic tokens/coins, ticket validations no longer work. Your department must remit your validations or TMC will not issue you a refund.

Bring the validations you would like to turn in to one of the locations below:

• UCT Lobby – 9 – 11 a.m., Oct. 22
• DB Room 139 – 9 – 11 a.m., Nov. 5

For more information, contact John Hargraves, JHargraves@texasmedicalcenter.org or parking@uth.tmc.edu.

New Library Fees

The HAM-TMC Library has made changes to its fee schedule. Cardholder and non-cardholder fees for photocopies, searches, room rentals, scanning and faxing are available on the education tab on the university’s intranet.

For more information, contact the HAM-TMC Library, 713-795-4200.

John P. McGovern Award Lecture Series

The Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research will present the annual John P. McGovern Award Lecture Series in Health Promotion from noon – 1:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 15, in RAS Auditorium. Award recipient, Russell E. Glasgow, Ph.D., senior scientist at the Kaiser Permanente Institute for Health Research, Denver, Colorado, will present, "Interactive Media for Diabetes Self-Management: Issues in maximizing public health impact.” Lunch will be provided for the first 100 attendees.

For more information, contact Peggy.Tate@uth.tmc.edu, 713-500-9609.

H1N1 Informative Session at SON

The March of Dimes will present, “H1N1 Informative Session,” a free seminar from 9 – 10:30 a.m., Thursday, Oct. 15, at the School of Nursing Lummis Room 330. Learn more about implementing CDC recommendations, special considerations/ treatment for pregnant women, infants and children, risk reduction and prevention strategies. Michele Curtis, M.D., M.P.H., associate professor, UT Medical School at Houston/Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital; and Anna C. Dragsbaek, J.D., M.P.H., executive director, the Immunization Partnership of Houston, will present.

Space is limited. RSVP to jlundgren@marchofdimes.com.

Seasonal Flu Shots for Students

This is a reminder to all students that you are encouraged to get the seasonal influenza vaccine to protect yourself and your patients. Flu shots will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis. If you currently interact with patients, you are in a priority group for receiving the vaccine and are strongly encouraged to do so. UT Student Health Services will administer the seasonal flu vaccine according to the following schedule:

• 9 - 11 a.m., Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays
• 2 - 4 p.m., Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays
• 2 - 4 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays

The cost of the vaccine will be covered by your insurance and student fees. No appointment is necessary. UT Student Health Services is located in The UT Professional Building, Suite 510.

For more information, contact UT Student Health Services, 713-500-5171.

Seasonal Flu Shots for Employees

UT Employee Health will administer the seasonal flu shot for a $25 fee (cash or check only) according to the following schedule:

• Dental Branch B25 – 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., Oct. 15
• MSB B.645 – 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., Oct. 20
• SON Lobby – 1 – 3 p.m., Oct. 20
• SPH 10th floor lobby – 9 – 11 a.m., Oct. 22
• OCB Rio Grande Room 2.200 – 9 – 11 a.m., Oct. 27

This vaccine will not protect against H1N1.

For more information, contact Cindy.A.Crosson@uth.tmc.edu, 713-500-3254.

Upcoming University Community Events

• The 17th Annual Scholarship Golf Classic
  Attention golfers! Learn more about the 17th Annual Scholarship Golf Classic – held this year at 10 a.m., Monday, Oct. 19, at Palmers Golf Course in The Woodlands. This year's celebrity chair is country singer, Clay Walker.
  
  
• The American Heart Walk
  Save the date for the American Heart Walk, 8:30 a.m., Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009, at Sam Houston Park in downtown Houston.

For more information about university community events, contact Rose.M.Betancourt-Trevino@uth.tmc.edu , 713-500-3209.

IT SecuritySense

The October 2009 SecuritySense newsletter is now available at SecuritySense online.

Stories include:

• Trojan Virus Steals Bank Account Passwords
• Keep Your Guard Up When Using Facebook, Twitter
• Spam Trends to Watch Out For

SecuritySense, an online resource for the university, is created each month by Information Technology to discuss recent IT security issues and focus on user awareness.

CPR Training

The School of Nursing Alumni Association will present CPR training for beginners and Recertification CPR and AED training for adult, child and infant, along with the Heimlich Maneuver (choking). Upcoming classes will take place in SON Room 370 from 1 – 4 p.m., Friday, Oct. 16, and Friday, Nov. 13. A $50 registration fee is required, payable by cash or check only.

To register or for more information, contact alumni@uth.tmc.edu.

SEIS Physical Readiness Training

The Student Epidemic Intelligence Society (SEIS) will present, “Physical Readiness Training: Promoting health and preparedness for tomorrow’s public health leaders,” at 6 p.m., Mondays, Oct. 26 and Nov. 9, at the Recreational Center’s athletic field (7779 Knight Rd.) Learn about SEIS and Public Health Services’ fitness guidelines and proper technique, walk, jog or run one and a half miles, do push-ups and sit-ups and learn how to set up your own fitness program.

The goal is to have fun and establish a supportive group atmosphere. Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to attend, wearing comfortable clothes and appropriate shoes for exercise. Attend both sessions and receive a free t-shirt.

For more information, contact Jamie Emert, seis@uth.tmc.edu or 713-500-9438.

IT Training Classes

IT Training will offer classes for new MS Office 2007 users in University Center Tower (UCT) 1160:

• What’s New in Office 2007 – 2 – 4 p.m., Oct. 22
• Introduction to MS Excel 2007 – 8 a.m. – noon, Oct. 22
• MS Word 2007 for the Non-Experienced User – 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Oct. 28
• Introduction to MS Excel 2007 – 8 a.m. – noon, Nov. 11
• What’s New in Office 2007 – 9 – 11 a.m., Nov. 20

To enroll, visit the Training Resource Center (TRC) and login using your UID login and password. Classes are open to UTHSC-H employees as well as contract employees with approval from and prior arrangement by their department.

For more information, contact Jacqueline.Plaza@uth.tmc.edu, 713-486-4830.

Demystifying the IRB Process

The Clinical Trials Research Center will present the second session of “Demystifying the IRB Process,” from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 20, in the UT Professional Building (6410 Fannin), Suite 1100.55. This course, monitored by Amy Johnston, MA, IRB, will focus on the clinical research monitoring program, how to prepare for a monitoring visit and the common deficiencies in monitoring visits.

Registration is required by logging on to the Training and Resource Center and choosing “2010 CTRC IRB-02 Monitoring Process” from the course catalog. Lunch will be provided for the first 20 attendees.

For more information, contact Linda.N.Gilbert@uth.tmc.edu.

Annual Holiday Sale Crafters

The Employee Relations Committee is seeking homemade crafts from the UT community for the 24th Annual Holiday Craft Show, from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 1, in the Medical School’s Leather Lounge. To be included as a vendor in this year’s show, sign up by Saturday, Oct. 31, by contacting Kathryn.W.Merceri@uth.tmc.edu, 713-500-6385 or Debbie.Rivas@uth.tmc.edu, 713-500-6367.

Travel Safety Presentation

UTPD will present, “Safe Passage,” a free presentation that teaches simple techniques for travel safety. Learn about the criteria for selecting a safe hotel, how to spot and avoid scams, which seat is safest on an airplane, strategies to reduce your chance of being robbed and more. A trailer for the presentation is available from the Safe Travel Institute. Register online for one of the following presentations:

• IMM Room 109 – 10:30 a.m., Nov. 3
• SON Room 350 – 10:30 a.m., Nov. 4
• MSB B.100 – 10:30 a.m., Nov. 9

For more information, contact UT Police Crime Prevention at 713-563-7794.

Family & Community Medicine Grand Rounds

The UT Medical School presents the Family & Community Medicine Grand Rounds, 1 – 2 p.m., Wednesdays throughout October, in MSB 2.135.

This month’s theme is neurology and includes:

• Oct. 14 – “After Revascularization: Which test is needed and when,” presented by Grant Fowler, M.D., professor and vice chair, Department of Family Medicine, UT Medical School at Houston.
• Oct. 21 – “Rash-Differential Diagnosis and Treatment,” presented by Ron Rapini, M.D., professor and chair, Department of Dermatology, UT Medical School at Houston.

For more information, contact Carolyn.Love@uth.tmc.edu, 713-500-7604.

CCTS Lecture Series

The Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences presents the following lecture series, noon – 1 p.m., Thursdays throughout October, in the University Professional Building, 11th floor:

• Oct. 15 – “Essential Elements of the Clinical Research Protocol,” presented by Ruby Benjamin-Garner, Ph.D., protocol coordinator, Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences, Clinical Research Unit.

Lunch will be provided for the first 20 attendees. Please take advantage of the train or bus, CCTS will be unable to reimburse parking.

For more information, contact Linda.N.Gilbert@uth.tmc.edu.

Rec Sports

Table Tennis Tournament
Registration for the table tennis tournament at the Rec Center is open through Tuesday, Oct. 20. The tournament, open to men and women will take place on Wednesday and Thursday, Oct. 28 and 29. Registration costs $3 for UT students and Rec Center members, and $5 for all others.

9-Ball Pool Tournament
Registration for the 9-ball tournament at the Rec Center is open to men and women through Tuesday, Oct. 27. The tournament will take place on Monday and Tuesday, Nov. 2 and 3. Registration costs $3 for UT students and Rec Center members, and $5 for all others .

Learn more about the Rec Center’s fall schedule.

For more information, contact Kelly.McNamara@uth.tmc.edu, 713-500-8422.

Darwin 2009 Houston

Darwin 2009 Houston will present, “Surviving: The Great Debate,” from 6 – 8 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 15, at the Health Museum (1515 Hermann Drive.) This event will feature a panel discussion on the evidence for evolution and the debate centering the theory. This event is free for museum members and $5 for nonmember. Visit the Health Museum to register.

View Darwin 2009 Houston for more information.

METRO Shuttle Update

As of Monday, Oct. 12, the METRO Red Shuttle servicing TMC’s Smith Lands parking lot increased the number of buses available during peak afternoon hours by running buses every 15 minutes from 3 – 6 p.m. This increase in service is due to feedback regarding long waits and shortage of space on the buses during this time. METRO Rail service is also available to Smith Lands parkers.

If you have questions or concerns, contact TMC’s Customer Service Help Line, 713-791-6161.

HAM-TMC Library Classes

The HAM-TMC Library offers these upcoming classes:

• Excel 2007 – Intermediate – 2 – 4 p.m., Oct. 14
• PowerPoint 2007 – Basic – 10 a.m. – noon, Oct. 15
• PubMed – 6:30 – 7:30 p.m., Oct. 20
• Open Access Mandates – 3 – 4 p.m., Oct. 20

All classes are free and offered in the library classroom. View the complete class schedule and register.

Traffic Alerts

Highway 288 Southbound MacGregor Exit Ramp
The Highway 288 southbound MacGregor exit ramp will be closed for widening through 11 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 15. Please use the Southmore and Blodgett exit ramp and travel on the Highway 288 southbound frontage road to North MacGregor. The TxDOT Contractor will install detour signs. Highway 288 northbound exit to MacGregor will remain open.

Procurement Services HUB Vendor

Each month, the Procurement Services HUB program will profile a new HUB vendor. This month’s featured HUB vendor is Today’s Business Solutions.

For more information, contact Nina.Lahasky@uth.tmc.edu, 713-500-4862.