When Kelly Hartman, MCTM ’20, joined University of St. Thomas as director of its Master of Clinical Translation Management Program, she immediately began working on a new podcast series titled Partnering through the Pandemic.

The podcast series was conceived by UST’s Chief Innovation Officer Dr. Beena George, who served as dean of UST’s Cameron School of Business when she helped launch the MCTM program with partner Houston Methodist Research Institute.

George knows that offering listeners lessons from the pandemic from industry experts is a sure-fire way to get reliable, first-hand intellectual information in a time when we are all searching for answers to the unknowable future.

“There is so much information available to the public and not all of it is reliable. We wanted to offer a way for listeners to hear straight from the people who are on the frontlines of research and education innovation. Our aim is to inform while providing resources for our audience to find out how they can become directly involved through programs like MCTM.”

Partnering through the Pandemic Show Format

This 45-minute podcast series allows listeners to hear from industry experts on how the 2020 pandemic is influencing the future of research, medicine, and academia, and how we can all work together to combat future outbreaks. The podcast will be released to the public every other week and can be accessed through Spotify.

Hartman, who has lined up an impressive list of guest speakers from the Texas Medical Center and beyond, feels the podcast “will put the spotlight on Life Sciences and the Biotechnology industry at a time that people are intensely engaged in both.” Speakers will be given the opportunity to provide their first-hand anecdotes and professionally informed perspectives on the pandemic. The show will include questions posed by MCTM faculty, program leaders, and alumni to encourage lively discussion on the topic.

Dr Timothy Boone, Guest on Inaugural Show

The first guest on the podcast is Dr. Timothy Boone, MD, PhD, from Houston Methodist. Boone is the director of Education for the Houston Methodist Academic Institute and a member of the Neurological Institute at Houston Methodist Hospital. He is professor of Urology at Weill Cornell Medical College and holds appointments as professor of Urology at Texas A&M College of Medicine and Baylor College of Medicine, where he is a clinical professor of Urology. In 2014, Dr. Boone was appointed associate dean at Texas A&M University College of Medicine at the Houston campus

“He comes from a background of clinical patient care, research and education, so he seemed like the perfect person to discuss how the pandemic is affecting the worlds of both research and education,” Hartman said. Boone talks about his experiences with Houston Methodist Research Institute – specifically, its commitment to “bench to bedside” research, and how this philosophy is impacting its potential to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Boone also discusses how the pandemic will influence the clinical translation process moving forward. Visit the link provided to listen to the whole episode on Spotify.

Her Name Encapsulated Heart and Mankind

Hartman – engaging, enthusiastic, and educated through the MCTM program joined the University of St. Thomas this past June. The program, intended to bridge the worlds of business and science for the advancement of global healthcare, will continue to grow through the combined efforts of her and Dr. George.

Hartman, though more recently acclimatized to academic administration, is no stranger to the scientific world. A Pittsburgh native, she earned her undergraduate degree in Cellular and Molecular Biology from Ohio University in Athens, OH, before moving to Houston. She spent two and one-half years in biomedical research with the Houston Methodist Research Institute before pursuing positions within academia.

In her pursuit to support those in higher education, she decided to take on a graduate program herself, graduating from the fourth cohort of the MCTM Program this past June. Her passion for this degree and its mission to educate entrepreneurial candidates reflects that of all MCTM alumni, who develop a strong connection with the program and its affiliates.

She understands that when students learn how to facilitate technology advancement through FDA approvals to the market, the outcome could save lives. This holds particularly true in today’s world with the development of a COVID-19 vaccine becoming a more pressing issue than ever. She also values UST’s emphasis on human dignity and ethics – particularly as it relates to the latest medical advances, whether it be drugs or medical devices.

One-of-its Kind MCTM Program at UST

As Hartman brings her plans to fruition, recruiting students for the MCTM Program is always in the forefront. She wants listeners to know that this unique program earned a #7 ranking as the best blended program among the Top 15 Online Master’s in Clinical Research Programs in the nation by Intelligent.com.

The one-year, online program allows candidates to continue to work full-time while earning their master’s degree. Its three residency periods dispersed throughout the year offer an opportunity for students to visit the campus, study abroad internationally, and attend a Biotechnology conference with their cohort and program leaders. Last year’s cohort went to Costa Rica and heard from industry leaders.

Hartman, who was on the trip, wrote “This immersive experience provided opportunities for us to learn about the industry, become acclimated with Costa Rican culture, and to establish meaningful connections that are sure to supplement our professional endeavors moving forward.”

Good news is that UST is opening its micro-center, The USTMAX Center in downtown Conroe, and Montgomery County prospective graduate students have the opportunity to earn this degree online. To learn more about the MCTM program and how you can launch a career in the Biotech field, contact Kelly Hartman at khartma@stthom.edu.