Guidance for holiday events
 
 

As we enter the holiday season, UT Health San Antonio shares the following guidelines that allow for more activities and events together, but that also keep us safe. Read this message from the Chief Operating Officer with the latest guidance.


 
 
 
Glioblastoma recurrence and clues to blunt it
 
 

It’s a medical conundrum. Ionizing radiation, which at first extends the survival of glioblastoma patients after surgery, may later, ironically, help drive the brain cancer’s aggressive, untreatable recurrence.


 
 
Last chance to share your mustache progress for men’s health awareness
 
 

Dr. Bob Leverence is challenging you to join him in the #Movember initiative by growing a moustache out to raise awareness for men’s health. Don't forget to share your progress with us by uploading photos to social media and using #UTHealthMoBro and #Movember.


 
 
Amelie G. Ramirez to lead Women in Cancer Research Council
 
 

Amelie G. Ramirez, DrPH, MPH, director of Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio and a leading health disparities researcher, has been selected to serve as the 2021-2022 chair of the Women in Cancer Research Council of the American Association for Cancer Research.


 
 
Nominate a colleague for one of the Presidential Awards
 
 

The Presidential Awards recognize exemplary performance by individuals who excel in their positions and demonstrate a strong commitment to the mission and core values of UT Health San Antonio.


 
 
Robotic surgical approach provides faster recovery for testicular cancer patients
 
 

Read about how surgeons at Mays Cancer Center inserted cameras and surgical instruments inside a patients abdomen and controlled them using robotic systems to remove cancerous lymph nodes.


 
 
Deck the halls with joy! Participate in the tree decorating contest
 
 

This year's holiday tree decorating contest will take place Dec. 1 though 23. All clinical employees, including those working from home, are encouraged to participate.


Employees are invited to participate in this year's Deck the Halls tree decorating contest! 

What: Holiday tree decorating contest (large or small personal trees)

When: December 1through December 23, 2021

Where: All UT Health Physicians clinics (employees working from home encouraged to participate)

How: Send a direct Facebook message with a photo of your tree along with the title and department to @UTHealthSAPhysicians. Submitted photos will be added to a Facebook album for voting. Gather as many likes as you can through December 23 at midnight!

 

**Décor must be small child friendly. No obscene gestures or symbols.**

 

Don't forget to download and share the flyer with your colleagues! 

 
 
 
Paid holidays: Understanding floating holidays, banked holiday and the Battle of Flowers holiday
 

The new Comprehensive Leave Program, launched in September, offers a variety of designated employee holidays. Read more to find an explanation of the terminology and how holidays can be used in fiscal year 2022.


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Dr. Mesa receives Career Translational Research Award at the 20th Anniversary MPN Congress
 
 

Congratulations to Dr. Ruben Mesa, executive director of Mays Cancer Center, on receiving the Translational Research Award at the 2021 MPN Congress. Thank you, Dr. Mesa, for your leadership in new therapy development, the development of national therapy guidelines, and advancing research on symptom impact and quality of life for MPN patients.


 
 
Ask the expert: Are COVID-19 vaccines safe for young children?
 
 

Tess Barton, MD, associate professor of pediatrics who has a specialty in pediatric infectious diseases, shares her knowledge about vaccinations for children ages 5 to 11.


 
 
Halloween Door Decorating Contest starts Oct. 25
 
 

Show your spooky spirit by participating in this year's Halloween Door Decorating Contest, Oct. 25 through 31. All practices and employees working from home are encouraged to participate and multiple doors per practice are allowed.


Click here to download the flyer and share with your colleagues! 

 

How to enter

 

Send a direct message with a  photo of your door along with the title and department to @UTHealthSAPhysicians on Facebook.

 

Get Facebook likes by 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 31. Submitted photos will be added to an album for sharing. Share your door to get the most likes.

 

When: Doors may be on display Oct. 25 – Nov. 1

Doors must be taken down by close of business on Nov. 1.

 

Where: Doors facing lobbies or non-patient care areas.

 

Winners will be announced on Nov. 1. Bragging rights and prizes awarded to 1st, 2nd and 3rd place.

 

Rules

 

Must be small child friendly décor

Do not obstruct any EXITs or immediate access to them | Do not cover a door so that it is not recognizable as an EXIT | Do not cover both sides of any one door (only the public – hallway side may be decorated) | Do not cover the door’s viewing window | Make sure decorations do not hamper the operation of the door | All decorations must be made of fire-resistant material | No Glitter | No Items obstructing walk-ways or hanging from the ceiling or doorway | No obscene or inappropriate symbols, drawings, words, phrases, etc.

 

All practices and employees working from home are encouraged to participate. Multiple doors per practice allowed!

 

Please share with your clinics: 

 

Pink shirts with blue scrub bottoms every Friday in October

 

Guidelines:

  • All pink shirts must be worn with the employee’s blue scrub bottoms.   
  • No large brand names or logos allowed. 
  • No obscene words, gestures or symbols allowed. 
  • If an employee’s shirt is deemed inappropriate for the workplace, they will be sent home to change and vacation leave will be used to make up their time.

 

Halloween costumes permissible in clinic on Oct. 29

 

Costume Rules:

  • Employee must be identifiable
  • No costume masks  
  • No scary or inappropriate costumes
  • If an employee’s costume is deemed inappropriate for the workplace, they will be sent home to change and vacation leave will be used to make up their time.
 
 
Partner with Compliance and have a little fun this week
 
 

During National Compliance & Ethics Week Nov. 7-13, the Institutional Compliance and Privacy Office wants to celebrate and acknowledge the role that everyone at UT Health San Antonio plays in the success of the compliance program.


 
 
Translational science award, request for applications pilot projects
 
 

The Greehey Children’s Cancer Research Institute (Greehey CCRI) is soliciting proposals for pilot project awards. The primary goal of this program is to support collaborative translational studies that will lead to the repurposing of FDA-approved drugs for treating pediatric cancers. The program is supported through Greehey CCRI institutional funds.


TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE AWARD, REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS

PILOT PROJECTS

Deadlines: 
November 15, 2021 (Letter of Intent)
December 15, 2021 (Full Proposal)

Overview

The Greehey Children’s Cancer Research Institute (Greehey CCRI) is soliciting proposals for pilot project awards. The primary goal of this program is to support collaborative translational studies that will lead to the repurposing of FDA-approved drugs for treating pediatric cancers. The program is supported through Greehey CCRI institutional funds.

Eligibility

Greehey CCRI Program

Applicants must hold faculty appointments or equivalent research-level positions at UT Health San Antonio (UTHSA) or The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA).

Only collaborative applications that link studies relevant to pediatric cancer with approaches to identify and test new uses for FDA-approved drugs and/or drugs currently in clinical trials, for treating pediatric cancers will be considered. The focus can include synthetic lethal interactions and novel combinatorial approaches to improve therapy. The use of Greehey CCRI target identification core and/or the Center for Innovative Drug Discovery (CIDD) for identifying candidate drugs and the use of the Greehey CCRI PDX core for testing the anti-tumor efficacy of candidate drugs are highly encouraged.

 

Previous pilot project award recipients may apply, but the new application must be a distinct project or a substantial departure, not a simple extension of the previously funded project. Applicants need not be directly affiliated with the Greehey CCRI but must have a Greehey CCRI faculty member as the collaborator. The relevance of the project to children’s cancer must be clearly defined within the proposal.

Submission, terms, and conditions

An individual may submit no more than one project as a Principal Investigator, plus one as a Co-Investigator.

A required letter of intent (LOI) must be submitted by Monday, November 15, 2021, at 5:00 pm.  It should include the project’s title, principal investigator (PI), a one-page summary of the project, and a list of 3 to 4 potential reviewers from UTHSA, but not from the same department or research group as the PI (Click here for LOI template). The deadline for receipt of the full application is December 15 at 5:00 pm. Note that all applicants must first submit an LOI before the full proposal. Both the LOI and the full proposal should be submitted electronically, each in a single PDF file attached to an email message to Ms. Nickie Akande (Akande@uthscsa.edu).

 

Pilot application forms can be found here.

 

Awards will be made initially for a one-year period starting on or about January 31, 2022. Progress reports will be requested six months (brief) and 12 months after the initiation of funding. For projects involving the use of human subjects or vertebrate animals, no expenditures will be permitted until Greehey CCRI is provided with a copy of the official letter of approval by the appropriate Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). Investigators are encouraged to submit IRB and IACUC protocols early to avoid significant delays in project initiation. Excessive delays in meeting these regulatory requirements may result in the withdrawal of the award. Applicants must also be in compliance with institutional research training and conflict of interest disclosure policies.

Budget and financial policies

The initial budget for these awards is $50,000. Additional funds will be considered based on the project’s progress and subjected to satisfactory review (at six months and 12 months after the initiation of funding) by the scientific review committee. Facilities and Administrative costs are not allowed. Funds may not be used to support the salary of the PI or faculty-level collaborators. Although the PI (and Co-PI/Co-I, if applicable) should be listed in the personnel section of the summary page, there is no minimum effort requirement. Budgets may include non-faculty salaries, but they should not exceed 25% of the total amount requested. In addition, budgets may NOT include funding for travel or the purchase of computers or other equipment unless it can be justified as essential to the project.  Other allowable expenses include consumable laboratory supplies; animal purchase and per diem; Greehey CCRI, or UTHSA core facility fees; costs related to human subject enrollment and management (listed as “Patient Care Costs” on the budget page); and other expenditures that can be justified as being essential for the completion of the project.

Application requirements and format

Applications should be prepared using the templates provided (adapted from PHS Form 398). Font size should be no smaller than 11pt, preferably Arial or Times New Roman. The font size for figures, figure legends, charts, and tables may be smaller but clearly legible. Margins all-around should be at least 0.5”. Pages should be numbered sequentially. The length of the Research Plan (narrative with illustrations included) is limited to 4 single-spaced pages. The organization of the proposal should be as follows:

  • Cover page (p. 1)
  • Project summary (level appropriate for scientific peers in the field) and key personnel (p. 2)
  • Budget (p. 3)
  • Budget justifications (p. 4; maximum 1 page)
  • Biographical sketch for PI (maximum 4 pages; for NIH template, format, (see sample)
  • Biographical sketches for other key personnel (maximum 4 pages each)
  • Research plan (maximum 4 pages; use continuation page template)
  • Hypothesis and specific aims
  • Background and significance
  • Preliminary data
  • Work proposed (including statistical analysis, pitfalls, alternatives)
  • Literature citations (maximum 1 page)
  • Additional information regarding the project (maximum 1 page) to include:
    • Collaborative, interdisciplinary, or community engagement features, if applicable
    • Description of how the pilot project will interact with existing programs of the Greehey CCRI, or UTHSA, as appropriate
  • Letters of support (1-page maximum) from core directors or Research Imaging Institute are required (if applicable)
  • Letters of collaboration (optional; 2-page maximum)
  • Appendices are not allowed
  • A UTHSA Certificate of Proposal (COP) is not required

Review process and criteria

Applications will go through a two-tiered system of review. The first phase, or scientific review, will be performed by a Scientific Review Committee, including members of the Mays Cancer Center. Scientific merit will be scored by these reviewers based on the following criteria:

  • Significance
  • Novelty / innovation
  • Strength of the study protocol, including:
    • Design
    • Feasibility
    • Preliminary data
    • Integration with ongoing research
    • Qualifications of the investigative team
  • Contribution to the career development of basic/translational scientists, if applicable
  • The extent of meaningful interdisciplinary collaboration
  • Likelihood of future NIH or other competitive external funding
  • Use and leveraging of Greehey CCRI, or partner resources (for example, core facilities, biobanking)
  • Potential for ultimately improving health outcomes
  • Protection of human subjects and experimental animals

A programmatic review will be conducted to determine the potential impact on childhood cancer. Funding decisions will be based on scientific merit programmatic relevance.

Funding expectations

Depending on the availability of funds, up to three proposals will receive support.

Responsibilities of the Principal Investigator

The principal investigator of funded projects is required to:

  • Abide by NIH rules and regulations
  • Abide by Greehey CCRI/UTHSA policies and procedures
  • Submit progress reports in a timely fashion
  • Acknowledge support from Greehey CCRI funds in all publications relevant to the pilot project
 
 
Resources for suicide prevention
 
 

With increased stress, loneliness and depression during the pandemic, resources and awareness for suicide prevention can be more important than ever. Find expert advice, resources for suicide prevention and information covering different mental health topics.


 
 
Join us on Sept. 11 for the Kick Cancer tailgate party to kick off UTSA’s football season!
 
 

The countdown is on to football season! UT Health San Antonio is the official health care provider for UTSA Athletics. Come out to the Mays Cancer Center’s “Kick Cancer” tailgate event on Sept. 11, from 2 – 5 p.m. at the Alamodome. 


The countdown is on to football season! UT Health San Antonio is the official health care provider for UTSA Athletics. Come out to the Mays Cancer Center’s “Kick Cancer” tailgate event on Sept. 11, from 2 – 5 p.m. at the Alamodome, to compete against your friends and family, and practice your kicking skills at our 30 foot 3-point field goal kick challenge. Enter to win prizes and hang out with fellow fans as the Roadrunners take on the Lamar University Cardinals at the Alamodome.

 

Follow UT Health San Antonio MD Anderson Cancer Center on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to see all the updates for the big event. Be sure to like, share, retweet and tag us for a chance to win a UT Health San Antonio cooler full of prizes! 

 

WHAT: Mays Cancer Center’s “Kick Cancer” tailgate event

WHEN: Sept. 11, 2021 from 2 – 5 p.m

WHERE: Alamodome

 
 
Event 1
 

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Event 2
 

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HR News Information
 

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HR News Information 2
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More jobs added to support EDGE
 

As part of the Enterprise Design for Growth and Effectiveness (EDGE) initiative, more new jobs have been added to support the services for IT, Human Resources and Marketing and Communications. There are multiple opportunities for varying levels of candidates. UT Health San Antonio is committed to developing our internal talent, and preference will be given to internal candidates. See all jobs available through the EDGE initiative on the Job Postings website.


 
 
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Take this brief survey and share your opinion on the COVID booster
 
 

We want to hear from you! Share your opinion on the COVID-19 booster by taking this brief survey. 

 


 
 
Free Care.com membership helps employees find background-checked providers
 
 

Need quality child or adult care? Looking for a reliable pet sitter? Need help cleaning your home? Benefits-eligible employees can access Care.com for free.


 
 
ECHO Superhub Virtual Event Oct. 18-22
 
 

Join UT Health San Antonio’s Project ECHO for the virtual launch of its superhub Oct 18-22. It's FREE to register and participate in an array of virtual events showcasing ECHO's telementoring hosted virtually through Zoom.


 
 
RISE for Rural Telementoring – RTTC (Oct. 25-29)
 
 

Join us Oct. 25-29 for the virtual launch of Resources, Information, Support and Education – RISE for Rural Telementoring! The Rural Telementoring Training Center (RTTC) provides free training, tools and technical assistance to support the implementation and evaluation of telementoring programs for rural and remote health care workers. Take part in tele-stories, micro-lecturs and numerous events, including an image competition.


 
 
San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium
 
 

Join us for the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium Dec. 7-10. Listen to cancer experts discuss experimental biology, etiology, prevention, diagnosis and therapy options for breast cancer and premalignant breast disease. You can attend virtually or in-person. The symposium is committed to your safety and will adhere to safety guidelines and protocols from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 


 
 
CDC’s urgent warning confirms San Antonio doctors’ concern for unvaccinated pregnant women
 
 

The CDC says 97% of pregnant women being admitted into hospitals in the U.S. are unvaccinated. Dr. Patrick Ramsey, UT Health San Antonio Chief of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, is quoted in this story.


 
 
What’s next in the COVID-19 pandemic
 
 

Dr. Robert Leverence, chief medical officer for UT Health Physicians, discussed the urgency of getting people vaccinated ahead of the possible COVID-19 winter surge during this live interview on Fox 29.


 
 
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Dec. 7-10
 
 
 

 

We are known for doing everything it takes. That’s why we’ve chosen “Everything It Takes” as the theme for our new marketing campaign. We hope you’ll share our new slogan through social media and any way you can. We want all of San Antonio and South Texas to know that we’ll do “Everything It Takes” to serve the health needs of patients in our region and the world!

Learn more


 
 
 
 
Record CME Credits Faster and Easier
 
 

The Long School of Medicine Office for Continuing Medical Education has launched a new system for learners to record CME credit towards transcripts. CME Credit via TEXT is a new platform (transitioning from “Clancy”) to register attendance at Grand Rounds and similar events in just 2 steps! Applying non-UTHSA CME credit is a new available option for learners to record outside activities towards transcripts. 


 
 
COVID-19 Vaccine Information
 
 

The COVID-19 vaccine is available via appointment to everyone 5 years and older.