Texas Lawmakers Visit University of Texas Health Science Center

David Young of the governor's office, and Troy Alexander, office of the Speaker of the House, listen as Lois Moore, chief administrator for The University of Texas Harris County Psychiatric Center (HCPC), right, discusses mental health challenges faced by HCPC, as Thomas Mendez, HCPC director of nursing, and Andrew Harper, HCPC medical director, look on. On March 6, a group of staff that represents the Governor, Speaker of the House, and House Appropriations Committee, visited the health science center and received briefings from the Development Board and health science center leadership, as well as the School of Health Information Sciences and the Dental Branch. During lunch, they received an update on stem cell research from President James T. Willerson, M.D., and Paul Simmons, Ph.D. They also toured the School of Nursing and The Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine for the Prevention of Human Diseases, in addition to HCPC.

Texas Sen. John Whitmire (D-Houston), center, discusses the latest activities of the Development Board with UT System Regent James Dannenbaum, left, and Government Affairs Advisory Council Chair Fred Zeidman, right. Sen. Whitmire visited the campus on Feb. 20, and received tours of the Dental Branch and the Medical School, including the new research space. Following his visit to the campus, Sen. Whitmire had lunch with health science center leadership and members of the Development Board.