[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 25]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 34102]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  TWO MEDICAL BREAKTHROUGHS FROM UTMB

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                             HON. RON PAUL

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 12, 2007

  Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, researchers at the University of Texas 
Medical Branch (UTMB) have been responsible for two significant medical 
breakthroughs that have the potential to dramatically improve American 
health care.
  Earlier this year, Dr. Lisa Elferink, an associate professor at 
UTMB's Cancer Center, led a national research team that discovered how 
use of the bacterial pathogen, Listeria monocytogenes could help 
medical researchers and practitioners understand the mechanisms by 
which cancer cells develop. This discovery is a major step in 
developing successful treatments for a variety of cancers.
  Another team of UTMB researchers, lead by Dr. Angela Shepherd, have 
helped American men at risk of osteoporosis by developing the Male 
Osteoporosis Risk Estimation Score (MORES). While osteoporosis 
screening is common for women, many men who are at risk for this bone 
disease are not regularly checked. MORES provides a quick and easy way 
to identify men who may need further screening and possibly treatment 
for osteoporosis.
  The development of MORES and the new use of Listeria monocytogenes 
are just two of the advances in medical research to come out of UTMB. 
UTMB is one of America's leading centers of medical research, as well 
as a source of quality health care for the people of the Gulf Coast of 
Texas. Madam Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to extend my 
congratulations to the researchers involved in these recent 
breakthroughs and to everyone associated with UTMB for their tireless 
work to improve health care.

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