Alumni

By Camille Webb

Dyer appointed to Huffington chair

Carmel Bitondo Dyer, M.D., director of the Division of Geriatric and Palliative Medicine in the Department of Internal Medicine, is the new holder of the endowed Roy M. and Phyllis Gough Huffington Chair in Gerontology.

“I am so excited and truly honored to be appointed to the endowed Huffington chair,” says Dr. Dyer, who also is a professor of internal medicine. “This endowment will help us really jumpstart geriatrics at the university.”

The Honorable Roy M. Huffington, Ph.D., a leader in the oil and gas industry, established the endowment in 1988 to focus on improving care of the elderly. He and his late wife, Phyllis Gough Huffington, shared an interest in gerontology due in part to Mrs. Huffington’s mother, who lived to the age of 100.

Dr. Dyer is familiar with the Huffingtons’ generosity and commitment toward geriatric research and medical care of seniors. She completed both her medical degree and internal medicine residency at Baylor College of Medicine and then trained as a geriatrician at Baylor’s Roy M. and Phyllis Gough Huffington Center on Aging, which also was established in 1988 by the Huffingtons.

“It really feels like I’m coming full circle to again have the privilege to take part in some of the legacy building and the programs for seniors generously funded by the Huffingtons,” Dr. Dyer says.

Funding from the endowment will support research on aging, as well as geriatrics education and clinical programs for medical students and residents.

Dr. Dyer came to the UT Medical School in January 2007 to lead its new division in the Department of Internal Medicine. Originally comprised of Dr. Dyer and Kathryn Agarwal, M.D., assistant professor of internal medicine, the division has since added five faculty members, including three physicians, a physician’s assistant, and a nurse practitioner.

Dr. Dyer hopes to take the Division of Geriatric and Palliative Medicine to the forefront of geriatric research, education, and clinical care.

“We want to be a leader in the Houston community and among the UT schools,” she says. “We want to set a trend for excellent research in elder mistreatment and other issues affecting the vulnerable seniors, as well as comprehensive clinical care. Our vision is to make UT students and residents better prepared to handle the demographic changes that are occurring in our patient populations.”

In addition to her endowed position and growing the division, she recently was named the Gerontological Professional of the Year at the 21st Annual Selenia E. and Joseph C. Valley Conference, which is organized by the UT School of Nursing Center on Aging.