UMC Health System Awards Grants in Support of Women’s Health Research

The Women’s Health Committee at UMC Health System will award grants at noon Wednesday (Aug. 14) to researchers working with the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) Laura W. Bush Institute for Women’s Health (LWBIWH) to further research and discovery into issues that affect women’s health.

The grants will aid the work of eight teams of physicians and other faculty members at TTUHSC and Texas Tech University. These projects, which will be led by faculty from the TTUHSC schools of medicine, allied health sciences and nursing, cover a range of health issues important to women or that address the role of gender in health outcomes.

“Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and University Medical Center have developed a fruitful relationship with a shared goal of improving women’s health outcomes,” said Betsy Jones Ed.D., professor of family medicine and regional director of the LWBIWH. “This is also an opportunity to advance the careers of researchers and to encourage them to include questions about the role of gender and women’s health in their work.”

Since 2009, the UMC Women’s Health Initiative has funded 32 grants totaling more than $450,000.

“UMC is proud to support these initiatives through our partnership with Texas Tech,” said David Allison, UMC Health System president and CEO. “For the past two years, UMC has received the America’s Best 100 Hospitals award from WomenCertified, ranking us among the best hospitals for women in the nation. These grants further that dedication to the health of women in our region.”

Seed Grants

Clinton MacDonald, Ph.D., and Petar Grozdanov, TTUHSC Department of Cell Biology & Biochemistry, “Misprocessing of Histone mRNAs as a Prognostic Biomarker in Breast Cancer”
Parastoo Momenti, M.D., and Neha Mittal, M.D., Raffaele Ferrari, Shirin Hejazi Maasumi, TTUHSC Department of Internal Medicine; Naghma Farooqui, M.D., TTUHSC Department of OB-GYN, “Genetic Study of Alzheimer’s Disease in Women”

Jeffrey Thomas, Ph.D., TTUHSC Department of Cell Biology & Biochemistry, “Regulation of the oxidative stress response by src”

Research Scholars Grants

Sharmila Dissanaike, M.D., and Kendra Rumbaugh, Ph.D., TTUHSC Department of Surgery, “Gender Disparity in Burn Injury Survival”

Marcela Nur, M.D., Nancy Beck, M.D., and Daina Dreimane, M.D., TTUHSC Department of Pediatrics, “Are Mental Health Issues in Diabetics from New Mexico and West Texas More Prevalent in Adolescent Girls Than in Adolescent Boys?”

Research Scholars Grant Year 2 of 2

Christina Esperat, Ph.D., R.N., TTUHSC School of Nursing; Jamie Cooper, Ph.D., Texas Tech University Department of Nutritional Sciences, “Zumba Latin Dance Class Intervention in a Type 2 Diabetic Population: A Pilot Study”

Kenneth Nugent, M.D., and Dolores Buscemi, M.D., TTUHSC Department of Internal Medicine, “Intervention Study in Women Wanting to Lose Weight”

Jennifer Phy, M.D., TTUHSC Department of OB-GYN; Ali Pohlheier, Texas Tech University Department of Nutrition, Hospitality and Retailing, “Effect of Dietary Reduction of Carbohydrates from Starch on Clinical and Biochemical Symptoms of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome”

Because gender differences matter, the LWBIWH improves the lives of women and girls through research supporting scientific discoveries unique to women’s health. LWBIWH promotes the education of health care professionals. The institute’s outreach efforts to West Texas women and their families connect with communities for healthier lives. For more information about the LWBIWH, call (806) 356-4617 or visit www.laurabushinstitute.org.

For more breaking news and experts, follow @ttuhscnews on Twitter.