|
Abram's Lab Who's Who: Faculty |
|
|
|
 Professor
of Pediatrics
Baylor College of Medicine
sabrams@bcm.tmc.edu
Attending Physician
Section of Neonatology
Texas Children's Hospital
Our research is focused on the determination of mineral
requirements in infants and children. Using stable isotopes
we have studied calcium, zinc, iron, magnesium and copper
requirements and physiology in children of all ages.
A major area of our interest is in calcium requirements
of children. The goal of this work is to evaluate methods
for optimizing bone mass in childhood using stable isotopes
to measure calcium absorption and bone kinetics. We
perform these studies in infants, toddlers and older
children as well as adolescents. We collaborate with
others in studies of calcium metabolism in adults. Our
second area of interest is in identifying the optimal
forms and amount of iron and zinc to provide to small
children, especially those who live in developing countries.
In these countries, iron deficiency anemia and zinc
deficiency are extremely common and strategies must
be developed for fortifying food sources and providing
complementary foods with adequate amounts of bioavailable
minerals.
We conduct our research both in the US and in approximately
14 foreign countries over the last 5 years. We continue
to collaborate with NASA, the IAEA, UNICEF, PAHO and
numerous other agencies in our research efforts. Our
team is also involved in nutrition and neonatology education
on a global basis. We have conducted educational symposiums
in Peru and Panama recently to educate nursery staff
on the medical, nursing, and nutritional management
of at-risk infants and children.
|
|
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Baylor College of Medicine
igriffin@bcm.tmc.edu
BSc - Pharmacology, University of Leeds, UK, 1986
MBChB - Medicine, University of Leeds, UK, 1989
MRCP -Pediatrics, Royal Hospital for Sick Children,
Glasgow, UK, 1993
I was born in the United Kingdom and studied medicine
at the University of Leeds before completing my pediatric
residency/fellowship in Glasgow, Scotland, specializing
in neonatology. After my residency I worked for 3 years
on a research study examining the growth and nutrition
of former preterm babies after hospital discharge.
In 1997 I moved to Houston to do a Neonatal fellowship
at Baylor College of Medicine. I am now an Assistant
Professor of Pediatrics in the section of Neonatology.
My research interests are concerning iron requirements
for preterm infants, and zinc metabolism. I have been
involved in a number of studies, both in Houston and
internationally, looking at iron and zinc requirements.
As part of these studies I have been lucky enough to
travel to Indonesia and Pakistan to arrange and organize
studies.
My favorite color is green & my favorite number
is 3.
|
|
 Assistant
Professor
Departments of Pediatrics and Internal Medicine
Baylor College of Medicine
Colonel, USMC (retired)
dhilmers@bcm.tmc.edu
BA, Mathematics, Cornell College, 1972
MSEE, Naval Postgraduate School, 1977
Degree of Electrical Engineer, Naval Postgraduate School,
1979
MD, Baylor College of Medicine, 1995
MPH, University of Texas, Houston Health Sciences Center,
2002
I have had a lifelong interest in international medicine.
My aspirations in medicine were “temporarily”
interrupted by a stint of 20 years in the US Marine
Corps of which the last 12 years were spent at NASA
in the astronaut corps. I finally achieved my dream
of becoming a physician in 1995 and after completing
the combined internal medicine and pediatrics residency
program in 1999, I joined the faculty at Baylor College
of Medicine in 1999. In addition to clinical duties
at Texas Children’s Hospital and the Harris County
Hospital District, I worked for nearly two years on
international HIV/AIDS programs and more recently on
a wide range of nutritional research projects with Dr.
Abrams’ group in the CNRC. I also have an interest
in tropical medicine and in medical relief programs,
participating in volunteer programs several times each
year. I am an enthusiastic, although not especially
fluent, student of Spanish.
|
|
