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| Vol. 23, No. 22 |
| December 1, 2001 |
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Baylor Researchers Receive DeBakey Awards Winners of the annual Michael E. DeBakey, M.D. Excellence in Research Awards were recognized during an awards ceremony and seminar Nov. 14 at Baylor College of Medicine. "Research has always been an integral part of the growth and development of the college," said Dr. Ralph D. Feigin, CEO and president of Baylor. "The dedication and hard work exemplified by these outstanding scientists has helped to make Baylor the respected institution that it is today." Honored for their contributions to research were Drs. Joseph S. Coselli, Dennis R. Roop, Susan M. Rosenberg, Salih J. Wakil and Lutfi Abu-Elheiga. Following the awards presentation, recipients presented summaries of their award-winning research. Dr. Coselli, a professor of surgery, presented "Thoracoabdominal Aortic Aneurysm Surgery: The Quest for Organ Protection and Survival." Dr. Coselli received the award for his work in investigating techniques to reduce the risks of surgery for patients with aneurysms. One randomized trial showed that draining cerebrospinal fluid decreases the incidence of paraplegia/paraparesis. Another trial showed that cold crystalloid perfusion (the infusion of a cold electrolyte substance into the kidneys) reduces kidney temperature more effectively than infusing the kidneys with room-temperature blood. When kidney temperature is lowered during aneurysm surgery, the opportunity to preserve the kidneys during surgery is heightened. Protecting kidneys during aortic aneurysm surgery is imperative, because important arteries branch off the aorta and lead to the kidneys. By targeting risk factors, surgeons hope to develop models to predict adverse outcomes in patients with aneurysms. Dr. Roop, a professor of molecular and cellular biology and dermatology, presented "Epidermal Stem Cells as Therapeutic Targets." Dr. Roop identified a pathway that influences decisions affecting the fate of stem cells. He received the award for developing a mouse model that helped uncover the molecular and cellular basis of certain skin disorders. Findings suggest that epidermal stem cells are potential therapeutic targets for both inherited and acquired skin diseases. Dr. Rosenberg, a professor of molecular and human genetics, presented "Nurture Remodels Nature: Environmentally Inducible Genetic Change." Her research focused on mutations and genome rearrangements that alter chromosome structure. Dr. Rosenberg studied a process where mutation and genome rearrangement is provoked by environmental stress to cells. She found that under stress conditions, a special mistake-prone DNA copying enzyme is produced by cells, and the errors it makes lead to high levels of mutation. Dr. Rosenberg’s group also discovered a second environmentally provoked genome remodeling known as adaptive gene modification, a condition where cell growth is present in stressful environments. These findings may help scientists to better understand cancer formation, tumor progression and cancer resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs. In a collaborative effort, Dr. Salih J.Wakil, professor and chair of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Dr. Lutfi Abu-Elheiga, an assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, presented "The Role of Acetyl-CoA Carboxylases in Fatty Acid Metabolism and Energy Homeostasis." They discovered the enzyme critical to the metabolic pathways that govern the body’s ability to burn fat. Mice were genetically manipulated to make them deficient in the enzyme acetyl-CoA carboxylase 2, or ACC2, which made them eat as much as 20 to 30 percent more than normal mice and weigh 10 to 15 percent less. This enzyme is a target for generating drugs that could regulate the burning of fat and could be important in regulating obesity, treatment of diabetes, and the utilization and accumulation of fat, which could affect diseases such as atherosclerosis. Each awardee received a Michael E. DeBakey, M.D. Excellence in Research medallion and an unrestricted fund in support of their research programs, along with a celebration dinner for each laboratory. Nominations are based on significant published contributions to clinical or basic biomedical research during the past three years.
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