Welcome Back Houston Science Tasters!
As we promised during this year's festival, you will not need to wait almost a year again to get your Science fix as we are working to bring you more regular individual events throughout the year... The next one is coming this summer, on July 12th, as we tackle the hot topic of vaccines. We have gathered a group of local specialists for a round table where they will be answering all your questions about the science of immunization.
How do vaccines work? What is the science behind them? How do we come up with a vaccination schedule? Come get answers to all these questions (and some of your own) at the wonderful Sigma Brewing Company, as you take refuge from the Texas heat while enjoying some of their crafty goodness!
Meet the Scientists and Physicians
Shital Patel, M.D.
Dr. Patel is interested in vaccine development and vaccine strategies especially in high risk populations as well the general population. This has included Phase I, II, and III clinical trials of candidate vaccines in adolescents, adults and the elderly. Current work includes Zika virus research to help characterize the immune response and the persistence of virus.
Robin Goin-Kochel, PhD
Dr. Kochel's research interests focus on phenotypic characterization of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and those with genetic mutations that have been linked to ASD. She has managed data collection for the Simons Simplex Collection and Simons Variation in Individuals Project at http://sfari.org and the Simons Foundation Powering Autism Research for Knowledge (www.sparkforautism.org/texaschildrens). Additionally, she conducts research on the phenomenon of developmental regression in children with ASD, potential causes of regression, effects on long-term outcomes, and how families perceive and manage ASD after they observe such skill losses.
Stanley Spinner, M.D.
Dr. Spinner is the Chief Medical Officer and Vice President of Texas Children's Pediatrics and Texas Children's Urgent Care and has been practicing pediatrics in Houston for over 30 years. In this role he oversees clinical operations in all of the medical organization's 51 locations. As a researcher he published 25 pediatric-focused clinical, protocol-based studies, concerning such topics as vaccines, Clarithromycin, Azithromycin, Augmentin, Penicillin, Amoxicillin, and Diphtheria. Dr Spinner has been named as Outstanding Educator for High School Interns and has been named as outstanding Pediatrician both locally and on the state level