Pediatric Genetics & Metabolism Division Chief [Req#: 839494, Position#: 125729]

Description

The Opportunity

The Department of Pediatrics at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UT Southwestern) is

conducting a national/international search for the next Chief for the Division of Pediatric Genetics and Metabolism. UT

Southwestern is a leader in genetics research and the treatment of genetic disorders. Reporting to the Chair of the

Department of Pediatrics, the Chief of Pediatric Genetics and Metabolism will be charged with delivering state-of-theart

consultation, evaluation, counseling and clinical care to children with inherited diseases as well as known or

suspected genetic conditions at Children’s Medical Centers of Dallas and Plano and in partnership with the NICUs at

UT Southwestern affiliated hospitals. The Chief will also be responsible for developing, scaling, and innovating the

Division’s research and education programs. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to envision and

realize the future growth of an outstanding Pediatric Genetics and Metabolism program, within the vibrant and growing

UT Southwestern Medical Center and Children’s Health, both routinely considered among the nation’s finest.

 

Our Client

The Division of Pediatric Genetics and Metabolism

The mission of the UT Southwestern Pediatric Genetics and Metabolism Division is to provide excellent evaluation,

diagnosis and treatment of children with genetic disorders, including birth defects, malformation syndromes,

genetically defined developmental delays, and inborn errors of metabolism, while advancing the field through research

and innovation, as well as enhancing the education of future physicians.

 

The Division has six full-time faculty members who play a pivotal role in advancing the Division’s clinical and scholarly

programs focused on a wide variety of genetic conditions such as inborn errors of metabolism, newborn screening,

lysosomal storage disorders, craniofacial malformation syndromes, and incontinentia pigmenti. Faculty provide consult

services and outpatient care at Children’s Health and support the NICUs at Parkland Health and University Hospital.

 

Patient Care

With a large and growing team of physicians, genetic counselors, nurse practitioners, dieticians, and social workers,

the Division is a major regional resource for children and families with genetic diseases. The team evaluates more

than 250 patients each month with known or suspected genetic diseases. Particular strengths of the clinical program

include:

▪ The largest regional practice specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of children with inborn errors of

metabolism

▪ 24/7 coverage for patients, with an M.D. Medical Geneticist on call at all times

▪ Several clinics specializing in malformation syndromes and genetic forms of developmental delay

▪ Expertise in the use and interpretation of advanced genetic diagnostics, including tests involving next

generation sequencing

▪ The only clinic in Dallas, and currently the only one in North Texas, that accepts referrals from the Texas

Department of Health's newborn screening program for biochemical disorders

▪ Participation in multidisciplinary clinics specializing in relatively common disorders such as Down syndrome and

22q11.2 deletion syndrome

 

Clinical activities of the Division are focused in the following areas:

▪ Metabolic Disease Clinic - The Metabolic Disease Clinic provides evaluation and testing for children with known

or suspected inborn errors of metabolism (IEMs). UT Southwestern/Children’s Health is a regional center of

excellence in these diseases, establishing the diagnosis in affected children, counseling and educating their

families about these conditions, and optimizing therapy tailored to the needs of each child. Blood, urine,

enzyme, and DNA analyses are performed for diagnosis. Patients with a confirmed diagnosis are then provided

with nutritional evaluation, genetic counseling, and psychosocial assessment as well as long-term care.

− The Metabolic Disease Clinic is closely associated with the Newborn Screening Clinic; the Division is a major

referral center for the Texas Newborn Screening Program. This statewide program seeks to identify newborn

babies with any of 30 different treatable diseases, many of which are genetic/metabolic in nature.

▪ Genetics/Dysmorphology Clinic - Children with conditions involving birth defects, developmental delay or

developmental disabilities, or other known or suspected genetic disorders receive evaluation and testing in the

Genetics/D