Health Disparities Conference a success

Almost 300 medical professionals, students and staff attended the Second Annual Texas Conference on Health Disparities May 31 – June 2 at the Health Science Center. 

Keynote Speaker Dr. Barbara Ross-Lee challenged the group to be agents of change in seeing through a bigger lens to “bring the health vulnerable to higher ground.”  She emphasized treating and understanding individual differences and beginning the evolution to improved healthcare for all Americans.

Dr. Leobardo Estrada brought his insight into healthcare disparities to the conference on Day 2 and joined a panel of local experts at a community forum later that afternoon, stressing healthcare improvements for older Americans.

In addition to sharing valuable information about health disparities, the Center for Health Disparities Star Fellows program recognized grant proposal winners and new fellows.

Winners of the 2006 Star Fellows Grants

• “Addressing Cancer Disparities in the Alabama Black Belt Region: An Investigation of Prostate Cancer and Isothiocyanates” (Pamela Robinson)
• “Asthma Risk among Ethnic Populations in the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex”
  (Bruce F. Benz, Harlan Jones and Nuha Lackan)

2007 Star Fellows
Elyssa Purnell, Assistant Professor, Savannah State University, Savannah, Ga
Martin Farias III, Assistant Professor, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Kingsville
Gregory Buck, Assistant Professor, Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi
Adarsh Gupta, Assistant Professor, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Newark
Jacqueline Kaari, Assistant Professor, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Newark
Saraswathy Nair, Assistant Professor, University of Texas at Brownsville
Gerson Peltz, Associate Professor, University of Texas Pan American, Edinburg
Stephen Matthew, Research Assistant Professor, UNTHSC
Fang Fang Zhang, Assistant Professor, UNTHSC