October 8, 2009

Dear Fellow Cougars,

The Texas Medical Center has some exciting news and I'd like to share it with you.

DATE: October 8, 2009

TO: Texas Medical Center Member Institutions and University of Houston System

FROM: Richard E. Wainerdi, Ph.D
          President, CEO and COO, Texas Medical Center
 
Renu Khator
Chancellor, UH System and President, University of Houston

SUBJECT:       University of Houston joins the Texas Medical Center as its newest member institution

It is our distinct pleasure to announce that the University of Houston is now a full member institution of the Texas Medical Center. This decision is the culmination of several years of discussion between Texas Medical Center and the university, and the next logical step in developing this important partnership that will benefit both organizations and the entire community.  The University of Houston College of Pharmacy has been a valued member institution since 1980.   

This partnership is a critical part of the strategic direction of the university and its UH Health Initiative, and supports the goal to reach tier one status in the foreseeable future.

The University of Houston makes up the twelfth university or system of education and research to become a part of the Texas Medical Center.

This membership is an important step as UH faculty, education and research programs across the colleges and departments partner with institutions in the Texas Medical Center. This year, UH received more than $61 million in health-related research in many colleges and programs, from biomedical engineering to health law.  We expect that the interactions between these outstanding UH researchers and their peers within the Texas Medical Center member institutions will grow dramatically as we move forward.

For example, the University of Houston recently recruited Dr. Jan-Ake Gustafsson, a world-renowned physician, scientist and member of the National Academy of Science, to head the new UH Center for Hormone Receptors and Cell Signaling.  Dr. Gustafsson and his research team are developing innovative, cross-disciplinary approaches to understanding the root causes and potential interventions for cancer, heart disease, diabetes and a host of other complex health problems. The opportunity for multi-institution collaboration of minds, resources and research in these areas could make a material difference in improving the quality of care delivered to patients.

We will be working closely together in the coming months to explore additional ways all of our member institutions and the University of Houston can learn more about each other and begin to develop mutually beneficial relationships at an accelerated rate and collaborations. We look forward to the many exciting opportunities ahead!

Thank you.