News Focus Channel: Hidden - Houston Metro

New UTHealth Houston academic psychiatric hospital opens next month in partnership with state

University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston — Thu, 03 Feb 2022 10:05:44 EST

A new academic psychiatric hospital, part of the John S. Dunn Behavioral Sciences Center, will combine the most advanced patient care, research, and education when it opens next month at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston) in partnership with the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) and the Texas Medical Center.

Houston area long-hauler is on the road to recovery thanks to UTHealth COVID-19 Center of Excellence

University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston — Thu, 30 Sep 2021 11:15:57 EST

Lying in his isolation bed in the intensive care unit (ICU) of Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center, Anthony Garcia could not believe he was one of the thousands of Houstonians that ended up in the hospital battling COVID-19. The husband, father of two, and friend to many had a lot of time on his hands to rest and think. "I was scared, and all of the what-ifs came to my mind," said Garcia. "What if I don't get better; what if I don't get to go home?" But the biggest what-if on his mind was, "What if I would have gotten vaccinated? Would things have gone differently?"

Lighthouse Acquires Burns Consulting Group, Strengthens Managed Care Contracting Services

2021 AACC Annual Scientific Meeting Press Program — Thu, 23 Sep 2021 13:20:42 EST

Lighthouse Lab Services, the nation's leading and full-service medical laboratory consulting and recruiting firm, is pleased to highlight its dual acquisitions of Vachette Pathology and Burns Consulting Group in 2021. With these acquisitions, Lighthouse has added new revenue cycle management consulting and managed care contracting services to its existing offerings for the clinical laboratory and pathology community. The company's growth was also highlighted in Inc. Magazine's 2021 Inc. 5000 list, which annually honors the country's fastest growing private companies. Lighthouse President Jon Harol will be available at the 2021 AACC Lab Expo to take questions on the company's recent expansion and new lines of service.

Significant spread of all coronavirus variants tracked in Houston area

Elsevier — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 12:55:40 EST

In late 2020, several concerning SARS-CoV-2 variants emerged globally. They are believed to be more easily transmissible, and there is concern that some may reduce the effectiveness of antibody treatments and vaccines.

Houston Methodist study reveals COVID-19 UK variant cases doubling weekly in Houston

Houston Methodist — Wed, 31 Mar 2021 18:00:52 EST

Houston Methodist infectious disease pathologists have discovered new COVID-19 cases caused by the SARS-CoV-2 UK B.1.1.7 variant are doubling weekly. By mid-March the number increased sharply to 648 cases from 305 just a week earlier. The findings come from the latest batch of 8,857 virus genomes sequenced from patients with positive COVID-19 tests in the first two months of 2021, representing 94% of Houston Methodist cases.

Houston Methodist finds multiple cases of significant coronavirus mutations, including Brazil strain

Houston Methodist — Tue, 02 Mar 2021 15:05:43 EST

Houston Methodist has sequenced more than 20,000 of Houston's coronavirus genomes since the start of the pandemic and leads the SARS-CoV-2 genome sequencing efforts in the U.S. In the most recent batches of genomes, the U.K., South Africa, Brazil, California and New York variants were detected.

UTHealth shares smoking hot, and healthy, grilling tips

University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston — Fri, 01 Mar 2019 13:05:28 EST

If National Nutrition Month has fired up your imagination to be more creative when cooking in the great outdoors but you don't know the first thing about it, help is at hand, thanks to The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth).

Liquid biopsy as effective as tissue biopsy for non-small cell lung cancer according to MD Anderson study

University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center — Wed, 27 Feb 2019 16:30:00 EST

A multi-center study led by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center revealed that a liquid biopsy test called Guardant360(r), is comparable to standard tissue biopsies in detection of guideline recommended biomarkers in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), has a faster turn-around time, and has the potential to support identification of more patients who can be treated with targeted therapy.

Texas State Rep. Senfronia Thompson calls for new state behavioral health institute

University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston — Wed, 27 Feb 2019 10:05:37 EST

Texas Rep. Senfronia Thompson's recent announcement calling for a statewide institute for training, telehealth, and research to improve mental well-being in children included presentations by Elizabeth Newlin, MD, and Consuelo Walss-Bass, PhD, of UTHealth in Houston.

New surgical technique cuts Tommy John recovery time in half

Houston Methodist — Mon, 25 Feb 2019 14:05:47 EST

High school pitcher Gavan Lomas threw a pitch and felt pain in his right arm. While still on the mound, his first thought was that his pain would lead to the one thing he feared most in his baseball career - Tommy John surgery. His fears were confirmed when he was diagnosed with a torn ulnar collateral ligament, a ligament critical for the stability of his elbow. Not willing to give up on his senior season, he decided to forego the traditional Tommy John surgery for a new technique to get him back on the mound faster.

Be yourself at work -- It's healthier and more productive

Rice University — Mon, 25 Feb 2019 12:05:44 EST

At work, it's healthier and more productive just to be yourself, according to a new study from Rice University, Texas A&M University, the University of Memphis, Xavier University, Portland State University and the University of California, Berkeley.

Nearly $20 million awarded by CPRIT to MD Anderson

University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 16:05:55 EST

MD Anderson received nearly $20 million from CPRIT for research, recruitment and prevention. The awards represented 20 percent of the $96 million CPRIT awarded this time. Since its inception, CPRIT has awarded $ 447.6 million to MD Anderson.

Study finds melanoma brain metastases are immunosuppressive with treatment-resistant metabolism

University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center — Wed, 20 Feb 2019 08:05:56 EST

Melanoma tumors that have spread to the brain are equipped to thwart immunotherapies and targeted therapies that succeed against tumors growing in other sites. Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center report in Cancer Discovery that the heavy reliance of these tumors on a specific metabolic pathway presents a potentially new therapeutic against these lethal tumors.

Research Shows Human Trafficking Screening Tool Effective in Identifying Victims

University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston — Tue, 19 Feb 2019 16:05:34 EST

A screening tool designed specifically to assess for human trafficking was more likely to identify sexual and labor exploitation of youth, as well as the risk factors, than a commonly used psychosocial assessment, reported researchers from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) and Baylor College of Medicine.

UTHealth research highlights findings on thrombectomy, post-stroke anxiety, and caregiver burden

University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston — Mon, 18 Feb 2019 19:05:53 EST

Outcomes in patients treated with mechanical clot removal, results from the only mobile stroke unit in the country using rendezvous transfers, and data on predictors of post-stroke depression and anxiety were among the highlights of activity by investigators from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) at the International Stroke Conference 2019.

Researchers find trigger that turns strep infections into flesh-eating disease

Houston Methodist — Mon, 18 Feb 2019 11:00:00 EST

Houston Methodist scientists discovered a previously unknown trigger that turns run-of-the-mill strep infections into the flesh-eating disease childbed fever, which strikes postpartum moms and newborns, often leaving victims without limbs. Using an unprecedented approach, they looked at the interplay between the genome, transcriptome and virulence. This generated a massive data set, lending itself to artificial intelligence analysis. Through AI they unexpectedly discovered a new mechanism controlling virulence. The study appears Feb. 18 in Nature Genetics.

Small cell lung cancer may respond to combination of immunotherapy and DNA damage repair inhibitors

University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center — Mon, 18 Feb 2019 00:05:00 EST

Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have discovered that a combination of immune checkpoint blockade and targeted therapies that block normal DNA damage repair (DDR) achieved significant tumor regression in mouse models of small cell lung cancer (SCLC), suggesting a promising new approach for treating patients with this aggressive cancer.

Can we trust scientific discoveries made using machine learning?

Rice University — Fri, 15 Feb 2019 11:10:43 EST

Rice University statistician Genevera Allen says scientists must keep questioning the accuracy and reproducibility of scientific discoveries made by machine-learning techniques until researchers develop new computational systems that can critique themselves.

Immunotherapy Combination Generates Responses Against Castration-Resistant Metastatic Prostate Cancer

University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 16:05:13 EST

Some patients with metastatic prostate cancer respond to a combination of immune checkpoint inhibitors after hormonal therapy and chemotherapy have failed, according to early results from a clinical trial led by investigators at MD Anderson

New therapeutic target found for aggressive pediatric cancers with few treatment options

University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 11:00:00 EST

Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have discovered that malignant rhabdoid tumors (MRT), a rare pediatric cancer without effective treatments, may be sensitive to drugs that block the cancer cell's ability to dispose of misfolded proteins. The findings provide a much-needed therapeutic target for these and other cancers caused by mutations in the SMARCB1 gene.