Houston health care organization to host conference about cardiac health crisis

heartbeat heroes

The Texas Heart Institute is hosting a conference to educate the health care community about Cardiometabolic Syndrome. Photo courtesy of THI

Cardiometabolic Syndrome (CMS) is a major danger to public health around the world. No one knows this better than the Texas Heart Institute, which will host its first Cardiometabolic Syndrome Conference on Friday, August 23.

The conference’s subtitle, “A population health crisis” brings home the unpleasant reality that many recent projections anticipate drastic growth for the condition.

CMS is a combination of interrelated metabolic maladies that are risk factors not just for cardiovascular disease, but also fatty liver disease and cancer. According to THI, the underlying conditions for CMS may include hypertension, insulin resistance and type II diabetes, elevated serum lipids, and obesity, all increasingly common among the global population.

The conference will address the crisis with the help of Arianna Huffington, the founder and CEO of Thrive Global and former editor in chief of The Huffington Post Media Group. Thrive's behavior change technology may be a possible step in the right direction to prevent CMS.

“We are at a pivotal moment in the fight against cardiometabolic syndrome,” Huffington says in a press release. “This conference is not just a gathering of experts, but a catalyst for innovative thinking and actionable solutions. By integrating diverse perspectives and harnessing the collective expertise of our attendees, we can transform disease prevention strategies and improve health outcomes globally.”

THI experts will both lead the conference and participate in discussions. The co-directors are renowned cardiologists, Dr. Joseph G. Rogers, CEO and president of The Texas Heart Institute, and Dr. Stephanie Coulter, medical director for THI Center for Women’s Heart & Vascular Health. Topics will include screening and treatment guidelines, the impact of CMS on children, and integrating social determinants of health into clinical practice. Health professionals among the attendees will include cardiologists, hepatologists and endocrinologists.

“We must transcend traditional healthcare solutions to effectively tackle the rising burden of cardiometabolic syndrome,” says Rogers. “By bringing together key stakeholders and encouraging collaboration among multidisciplinary healthcare professionals, we aim to ignite groundbreaking ideas and forge novel strategies to combat this pressing health crisis."

Speaking of novel technologies, THI and BiVACOR this month reported that they successfully implanted the company's first Total Artificial Heart in a human at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center in the TMC.

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Houston ranks among top 5 cities for corporate HQ relocations in new report

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The Houston area already holds the title as the country’s third biggest metro hub for Fortune 500 headquarters, behind the New York City and Chicago areas. Now, Houston can tout another HQ accolade: It’s in a fourth-place tie with the Phoenix area for the most corporate headquarters relocations from 2018 to 2024.

During that period, the Houston and Phoenix areas each attracted 31 corporate headquarters, according to new research from commercial real estate services company CBRE. CBRE’s list encompasses public announcements from companies across various sizes and industries about relocating their corporate headquarters within the U.S.

Of the markets included in CBRE’s study, Dallas ranked first for corporate relocations (100) from 2018 to 2024. It’s followed by Austin (81), Nashville (35), Houston and Phoenix (31 each), and Denver (23).

According to CBRE, reasons cited by companies for moving their headquarters include:

  • Access to lower taxes
  • Availability of tax incentives
  • Proximity to key markets
  • Ability to support hybrid work

“Corporations now view headquarters locations as strategic assets, allowing for adaptability and faster reaction to market changes,” said CBRE.

Among the high-profile companies that moved their headquarters to the Houston area from 2018 to 2024 are:

  • Chevron
  • ExxonMobil
  • Hewlett-Packard Enterprise
  • Murphy Oil

Many companies that have shifted their headquarters to the Houston area, such as Chevron, are in the energy sector.

“Chevron’s decision to relocate its headquarters underscores the compelling advantages that position Houston as the prime destination for leading energy companies today and for the future,” Steve Kean, president and CEO of the Greater Houston Partnership, said in 2024. “With deep roots in our region, Chevron is a key player in establishing Houston as a global energy leader. This move will further enhance those efforts.”

According to CBRE, California (particularly the San Francisco Bay and Los Angeles areas) lost the most corporate HQs in 2024, with 17 companies announcing relocations—12 of them to Texas. Also last year, Texas gained nearly half of all state-to-state relocations.

In March, Site Selection magazine awarded Texas its 2024 Governor’s Cup, resulting in 13 consecutive wins for the state with the most corporate relocations and expansions.

In a news release promoting the latest Governor’s Cup victory, Gov. Greg Abbott hailed Texas as “the headquarters of headquarters.”

“Texas partners with the businesses that come to our great state to grow,” Abbott said. “When businesses succeed, Texas succeeds.”

CBRE explained that the trend of corporate HQ relocations reflects the desire of companies to seek new environments to support their goals and workforce needs.

“Ultimately, companies are seeking to establish themselves in locations with potential for long-term success and profitability,” CBRE said.

SpaceX test rocket explodes in Texas, but no injuries reported

SpaceX Update

A SpaceX rocket being tested in Texas exploded Wednesday night, sending a dramatic fireball high into the sky.

The company said the Starship “experienced a major anomaly” at about 11 pm while on the test stand preparing for the 10th flight test at Starbase, SpaceX’s launch site at the southern tip of Texas.

“A safety clear area around the site was maintained throughout the operation and all personnel are safe and accounted for,” SpaceX said in a statement on the social platform X.

CEO Elon Musk ’s SpaceX said there were no hazards to nearby communities. It asked people not to try to approach the site.

The company said it is working with local officials to respond to the explosion.

The explosion comes on the heels of an out-of-control Starship test flight in late May, which tumbled out of control. The FAA demanded an investigation into the accident.

Rice University spinout lands $500K NSF grant to boost chip sustainability

cooler computing

HEXAspec, a spinout from Rice University's Liu Idea Lab for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, was recently awarded a $500,000 National Science Foundation Partnership for Innovation grant.

The team says it will use the funding to continue enhancing semiconductor chips’ thermal conductivity to boost computing power. According to a release from Rice, HEXAspec has developed breakthrough inorganic fillers that allow graphic processing units (GPUs) to use less water and electricity and generate less heat.

The technology has major implications for the future of computing with AI sustainably.

“With the huge scale of investment in new computing infrastructure, the problem of managing the heat produced by these GPUs and semiconductors has grown exponentially. We’re excited to use this award to further our material to meet the needs of existing and emerging industry partners and unlock a new era of computing,” HEXAspec co-founder Tianshu Zhai said in the release.

HEXAspec was founded by Zhai and Chen-Yang Lin, who both participated in the Rice Innovation Fellows program. A third co-founder, Jing Zhang, also worked as a postdoctoral researcher and a research scientist at Rice, according to HEXAspec's website.

The HEXASpec team won the Liu Idea Lab for Innovation and Entrepreneurship's H. Albert Napier Rice Launch Challenge in 2024. More recently, it also won this year's Energy Venture Day and Pitch Competition during CERAWeek in the TEX-E student track, taking home $25,000.

"The grant from the NSF is a game-changer, accelerating the path to market for this transformative technology," Kyle Judah, executive director of Lilie, added in the release.

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