Research retreats recap

Pediatric Research Center (PRC)/ Center for Craniofacial Research (CCR)/Department of Pediatrics (DOP) Scientific Retreat

Each year, Department of Pediatrics Vice Chair of Research Jacqueline Hecht, PhD, and the retreat planning committee spearhead planning for the PRC/CCR/DOP Retreat. The Retreat features presentations and posters that showcase a wide variety of research from both the Department of Pediatrics and the School of Dentistry. The 2025 event, held April 22, was informative and exciting as usual, with dynamic keynote speeches from Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences Professor Ramesha Papanna, MD, MPH, in the morning session, and Colorado-based Craniofacial Biology Associate Professor Katherine Fantauzzo, PhD, in the afternoon session. There was also a competitive poster blitz — where researchers had four minutes to give a summarized version of their work — as well as some “long talks” to elaborate on topics of popular interest. The event also included poster presentations, awards, networking, and, of course, food. Attendees got to vote on the best blitz presenters and overall posters. It was a full day of research-related activities and yet only represented a fraction of the extensive research done throughout these Departments.

Lawrence Family Bone Disease Program of Texas Retreat

Dr. Hecht and her team were also involved in the Lawrence Family Bone Disease Program of Texas Research retreat on May 2 at the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute (NRI) building. The Lawrence Family Bone Disease Program is a collaboration between UTHealth Houston, Baylor College of Medicine, and MD Anderson Cancer Center that focuses on disorders that affect the bone and bone health.

This retreat had a broader reach, featuring leading-edge researchers from across the Texas Medical Center. Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Assistant Professor Maria del Mar Romero López, MD, MS, PhD, earned first place and a $45,000 grant in the research competition for her presentation titled “Bone health assessment in premature infants using speed of sound technology (BONE SOS Study).”

Maryam Faisal, a visiting scholar in the Komatsu Lab, was awarded top poster in the student category for her poster titled “Small GTPase Rab34: A key in ciliary signaling and collagen trafficking during craniofacial bone development.”

And still, there is more research to share!

A year-round approach

All this research, so little time. What is the solution? We have a few ideas.

1) Visit and update the Research section on SharePoint. The Department of Pediatrics has this intranet site to serve as a hub of current, useful information, but our communications efforts can only be complete with your input. If you have research you’d like to post, contact Clarissa Webb so she can uplift accurately and effectively.

2) Add your work to McGovern Medical School Under the Microscope. Other Departments could benefit from learning about your research, as could physician scientists beyond UTHealth Houston. Maximize opportunities for collaboration and interdisciplinary health care by posting it for all to see. (Clarissa can help with this as well!)

3) Plan to participate in next year’s Research Retreats! The PRC/CCR/DOP Retreat will be April 17, 2026 — mark your calendar now and start prepping your project! A save-the-date has been sent to your Outlook calendar. The planning team hopes to see a broader range of clinical research from across these Departments at the 2026 event, and that will take intentional action and effort from all involved. It will be worth it!

Research is about being curious and asking questions. Please join these efforts not just because your excellent work deserves to be shared, but because the more we collaborate, the more we can accomplish for all our children.

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