Annual Giving

1)

The Biotech Photometer is basic equipment needed in the lab to support Molecular methods and immunology courses.  At present, the program has to borrow this equipment from various campus and UH sources. Will be utilized by Med Tech , Bio medtech and Master’s Med Tech students.

2)

Interactive Radiotherapy Planning (Dosimetry) System

1. Interactive Radiotherapy Planning for Students, Simulated Treatment Planning Software; 480 GB x 4 units:

$  3,886

2. 4 pc’s to run the software @ $941 ea:

$  3,764

TOTAL:

With this system in place, our students could learn the intermediate skills needed to transition to the dedicated planning computer systems out in the clinical affiliates.  It would save time for our volunteer clinical instructors and would ensure that all our students received hands-on experience with computer planning before they move on to a $500,000+ radiation therapy planning system.  The IRPS system costs many hundreds of thousands of dollars less than a dedicated planning system, and it is reported to be the only system of its kind in the world.

This system developed by medical physicists in the UK, will provide our radiation therapy students with much needed simulation experience in treatment planning. Presently the students are expected to take the knowledge gained from didactic lectures and directly apply it to real life cases in their medical physics rotation.  This is extremely difficult to accomplish given the complexity of the treatment planning systems in our affiliates. The supervising dosimetrists do not always have the time to provide detailed demonstrations and students left alone to “play” on the equipment they are not familiar with have been known to erase critical patient care data, a totally unacceptable event.
This system would allow our students to gain basic level skills in treatment planning within a simulated environment, before they start their dosimetry rotations in our clinical affiliates.

Orpheus Cardiopulmonary Bypass/ExtracorporealMembrane Oxygenation (ECMO) Simulation Unit

Fluorescent in situ Hybridization (F.I.S.H.) Unit

1. Olympus fluorescent Microscope: 

$14,613

2. Software for Olympus NET CAM to enable Web presentations of live microscopic sessions:

$ 1,995

3. Tri-nocular mount for BX40 microscope to allow use of camera on a newer microscope:

$  1,750

TOTAL:

Fluorescent microscopy is increasingly used in pathology for fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and medical technologists and cytotechnologists are being trained to read these tests.  Our University Hospital Pathology Department has fluorescent microscopes but none which can be used for student training.  Olympus Soft Imaging Systems NET CAM software enables a user to upload real time images to the internet for multiple computers at distant sites to access.  It would be very useful for conferences with students at clinical sites and continuing and/or distance education.

The tri-nocular mount would allow us to use our camera with a newer microscope owned by the department which has better optics than our current microscope.  This system would be used to prepare Cytotechnology and Clinical Laboratory Sciences students in FISH technology.

The fluorescent microscope would serve two academic programs (Clinical Laboratory Science and Cytotechnology) because it is becoming an essential tool in pathology laboratories.  Fluorescent probes for genetic changes indicate inherited disease, specific cancer types or cancer prognosis or predict response to specific therapies.  The Fluorescent in situ Hybridization test is expanding rapidly with the development of new probes and has moved out of the realm of cytogenetics into other areas of the laboratory including microbiology and immunology.  In Anatomic Pathology, cytotechnologists are being trained to read the FISH tests on tissue sections because their microscopic skill and knowledge of morphology enables them to find and count the target cells.  Preparing students to perform this test is a time consuming process and the expanded clinical use of the test leaves little time for student practice.

Radiography Quality Management System

Densitometer:

$  750

Sensitometer:

$  620

Digital Thermometer
Floating Hydrometer
Digital pocket dosimeter

kVp meter:

$1,750

4 1mm thick aluminum plates
Digital Timer or synchronous spinning top

Focal Spot Test Tool:
Beam Alignment tool|
Resolution chart- lp/mm

$  610

Low contrast resolution test tool:

$  380

Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers/ or
American Association of Physicist in Medicine test Pattern
Boston CR test tool
Mammography ACR phantom
Bathroom scale
The Noninvasive Evaluation of Radiation Output (NERO)

TOTAL:

Spinal Traction Unit

TOTAL:

This equipment is used to teach DPT students to safely and effectively provide spinal traction to patients.  As a required component of the curriculum, it is important to have a properly functioning unit.  This replaces an old system that cannot be repaired or upgraded.

Ultrasound Electric Simulator and Laser Pain Relief Units

TOTAL:

Technology is changing, and our students need adequate, current equipment to simulate what is being used in the clinic.  Laser is a new Physical Therapy modality for pain that is being used in many of the clinical rotations.  The department currently has no laser unit and insufficient numbers of up to date ultrasound electric stimulator units. 

Magnet Servo Mechanical Ventilator

TOTAL:

This system is used by the Respiratory Therapy program students to learn to use mechanical ventilators in a teaching laboratory setting:

Teaching/Learning the art and science of mechanical ventilation requires state-of-the-art mechanical ventilators that are the same as, or similar to, those used extensively by our clinical affiliates, and throughout the nation.  Update of the software that drives the function of this machine is easy and quickly accomplished, thereby facilitating increased and improved ventilator functions to reflect actual patient care management in emergency and critical care. The Servo i fulfills all of these requirements and characteristics.  This mechanical ventilator will greatly enhance the educational experience of our students.   The presence of modern equipment will also enhance the respiratory therapy education program’s ability to recruit quality students.