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Get to Know Our Staff: Ila Oxendine, Research

Get to Know Our Staff: Ila Oxendine, Research

by | Apr 16, 2025 | Research & Innovation, Spotlight, Uncategorized

What is your job title/your role at Scottish Rite?
I am a cell and tissue core coordinator, and I maintain the operations of cell culture facilities at the hospital. I also work with research labs that perform various experiments and procedures. Currently, the Cellular Path Lab is enthusiastically engaging in the world of histology procedures.

What is the most fulfilling part of your job?
In research, learning is a never-ending process that is always engaging to me.

What makes Scottish Rite a special place to you?
To me, Scottish Rite is a special place because of the unwavering support from my colleagues. Their kindness, thoughtfulness and camaraderie has always been a source of strength to me over the past 15 years. Together, we have navigated the joys and challenges of life. I could not have reached this point or achieved this much without their support and love. I am profoundly grateful to have such caring souls by my side.

What made you choose a career in health care?
I chose health care to have the opportunity to help people. In my case, I get to do that one experiment at a time.

What is something unique you get to do in your position?
I care for cells that grow in little dishes. These cells will be used in future experiments to answer questions and potentially lead to more questions about the cell’s life.

What’s your favorite thing to do outside of work?
I have many favorite things! I love my two fur babies, which is my dog named AnnaRose and my cat named Panda. I am very thankful for them. Also, I enjoy volunteering at Dallas Animal Services and Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity.

Do you have any hidden talents?
Some people may disagree, but my talent is making people laugh in my own way.

Where are you from, and what brought you to DFW?
I was already in the DFW area, because I am indigenous to the land. I am full-blooded Native American. My mother is from the Arapaho Tribe of Oklahoma, and my father is from the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina.

If you could travel to anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
First off, I need to do my travel! On my bucket list, I want to visit the Galapagos Islands, because it’s a unique place with plants and animals found nowhere else in the world.

If you had to pick one meal to eat for the rest of your life, what would it be?
I would eat plain oatmeal with quinoa, hempseeds, flax meal, walnuts, pecans and a dollop of no palm oil peanut butter. I would also include fresh fruit with a strong coffee made from Kona beans. Then, I would finish my meal with a pound cake that I bake.

What movie do you think everyone should watch at least once?
“John Wick” because you should never mess with someone’s dog.

Favorite DFW hidden gem?
Cedar Ridge Preserve. I love all trails.

If you were to have a movie based on your life, which actress/actor would you choose to play your character?
Meryl Streep. She has a very expressive face, and she is very talented.

What is some advice you would give your younger self, OR what’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?
There are two questions that you should ask yourself that have served me well. Is it worth the fight? If so, can you win? To me, my answer will be yes and yes!

NBC 5: Go Move Helps Patients with Cerebral Palsy

NBC 5: Go Move Helps Patients with Cerebral Palsy

by | Apr 8, 2025 | Press Coverage, Research & Innovation

A new website developed by Scottish Rite for Children’s senior clinical scientist Angela Shierk, Ph.D., O.T.R., is helping patients with cerebral palsy reach their goals. Cerebral Palsy is the most common motor disability in children and causes issues with movement, balance and posture. Go Move is a virtual occupational therapy tool that allows patients to perform exercises from the comfort of their home, set specific goals and track their progress.

Evvie is a Scottish Rite patient, who is using Go Move to improve her mobility by leaps and bounds. The 17-year-old credits her daily exercises with helping her achieve key milestones, such as washing her hair or tying her shoes.

Go Move is part of an international research project with partners in Turkey, Poland and Mexico. This technology is making vital care accessible to children who need it, and our team is eager to continue developing the program to help children not only in DFW, but also around the world.

Watch the full story from NBC 5.

Dallas Morning News: Team at Scottish Rite for Children Awarded Grant From National Institutes of Health For Rare Disease Research

Dallas Morning News: Team at Scottish Rite for Children Awarded Grant From National Institutes of Health For Rare Disease Research

by | Mar 27, 2025 | Press Coverage, Research & Innovation

Researchers at Scottish Rite for Children and UT Southwestern Medical Center recieved a $420,000 grant to test a gene therapy they believe may lead to a breakthrough treatment for a disease that causes children to lose nerve and motor control by the age of 5.

The two-year project, led by principal investigator Jonathan J. Rios, Ph.D., and funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, aims to develop and test a new treatment for Childhood-Onset Striatonigral Degeneration (SNDC). SNDC is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder affecting children, leading to loss of nerve and muscle function. Currently, there are no treatments to slow, reverse or stop the progression of this condition.

“The funding provided by this award ensures we can complete the research needed to move this potential new therapy closer to treating children with this devastating condition,” said Rios, who is the director of Molecular Genetics at Scottish Rite, as well as an associate professor in the Eugene McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development and the Departments of Pediatrics and Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UTSW).

SNDC is caused by genetic mutations that affect a child’s neurological functions. Over time, children with the condition experience muscle spasms, trouble with balance and posture and tremors. Children with SNDC may lose the ability to speak or move on their own. The condition is rare and affects an estimated one to nine in 1,000,000 people. Without treatment, the symptoms of SNDC can be debilitating, and in some cases fatal. The gene therapy being studied at Scottish Rite would be the first treatment for SNDC if eventually approved by the FDA.

“Many parents of children with rare diseases struggle with finding hope for a cure,” says Robert L. Walker, president/CEO of Scottish Rite. “Scottish Rite is committed to giving these children and their families the support they need through our research discoveries.”

Read the full article shared by the Dallas Morning News.

Get to Know Our Staff: Kelly Jeans, Movement Science

Get to Know Our Staff: Kelly Jeans, Movement Science

by | Mar 26, 2025 | Research & Innovation, Spotlight

What is your job title/your role at Scottish Rite?
I am the Division Director of the Movement Science Lab (MSL) in Dallas. I also am a researcher with an interest in understanding treatment outcomes in the patients we treat here at Scottish Rite.

What is the most fulfilling part of your job?
The key to successful research is having a strong team of collaborators with technical and clinical expertise. The most fulfilling part of my job is seeing our research efforts directly impact clinical care.

What makes Scottish Rite a special place to you?
The staff is what makes Scottish Rite a special place. The people here are friendly and genuinely happy to help.

What made you choose a career in health care?
I was looking for a research job in biomechanics and found Scottish Rite’s job posting for Clinical Gait Lab Biomechanist. When I came to interview, I got to sit in on the lab’s monthly research meeting. That’s when I knew this was a perfect fit. What makes my career even better is that I get to work with kids and do research!

What is something unique you get to do in your position?
I get to study movement patterns using 3D motion capture, which I think is super cool!

What’s your favorite thing to do outside of work?
Gardening (but not weeding), growing plumerias, travelling and sewing.

Do you have any hidden talents?
I am the “fixer” of all things in my house. Whenever I tell my family something is beyond repair, they get deeply disappointed.

Where are you from and what brought you to DFW?
I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and graduated from college in Southern California. I moved to Dallas to join the MSL team.

If you could travel to anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
I love to travel and have a long bucket list. If I had to pick just one trip, I would really love to make it to Australia and New Zealand. I want to dive into the great barrier reef and do the “Lord of the Rings” tour in New Zealand.

If you had to pick one meal to eat for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Only one meal for the rest of my life?!  If I had to choose, I would have to go with fresh seafood, pasta, a salad and a Diet Dr. Pepper.

What movie do you think everyone should watch at least once?
“Elf.” Will Ferrell still cracks me up after all these years.

What was the first concert you attended?
I want to say Whitney Houston or George Michael, but I can’t remember who came first.

Favorite DFW hidden gem?
I would recommend Gloria’s for their swirl margarita and pupusas.

If you were to have a movie based on your life, which actress/actor would you choose to play your character?
I would pick Drew Barrymore. She seems to be a positive person who might appreciate a good garden.

What is some advice you would give your younger self OR what’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?
The best advice I received was to get on the board of a professional society. It has really been wonderful working with other health care providers who share a passion for treating children.

Sports Physicals – Don’t Rush This Important Process For Your Young and Growing Athlete

Sports Physicals – Don’t Rush This Important Process For Your Young and Growing Athlete

by | Feb 6, 2025 | Research & Innovation

Although schools and sports organizations often require physicals annually, it is frequently overlooked until the last minute. Shane M. Miller, M.D., FAAP, sports medicine physician and the Section Director of Medical Sports Medicine at Scottish Rite for Children, shares his thoughts on the pre-participation evaluation (PPE) in the following article.

Dr. Miller suggests to follow the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics, urging families to schedule an appointment with the child’s primary care provider at least six weeks before the season. To prepare for this apppointment, families can discuss the following topics prior to the visit:

  • Family and child medical and heart-related history and cardiac health
  • Muscle, joint, or bone pain or injuries and pain
  • Eating habits and any desires to gain or lose weight
  • Menstrual cycle frequency and any concerns
  • Use or contemplation of using supplements
  • Changes in sleep, mood, or interest in sports or friends

Learn more about Sports Medicine at Scottish Rite for Children here.

Innovation in Motion: Scottish Rite for Children’s Highlights From the 2025 PRiSM Meeting

Innovation in Motion: Scottish Rite for Children’s Highlights From the 2025 PRiSM Meeting

by | Feb 4, 2025 | Events, Research & Innovation

Scottish Rite for Children attended the 12th annual Pediatric Research in Sports Medicine (PRiSM) Society meeting in Columbus, Ohio. Scottish Rite clinicians and researchers displayed the results of 25 projects through various presentations and posters, resulting in a strong presence at the meeting.

Continue reading for highlights of Scottish Rite’s contributions and accomplishments at the 2025 PRiSM meeting:

Staff in the Spotlight

Director of Movement Science Sophia Ulman, Ph.D., led several presentations, involving the groundbreaking work from the Movement Science Lab team. She also served as a board member for PRiSM.

Director of Sports Medicine and orthopedic sports surgeon Philip L. Wilson, M.D., shared promising results from a study, which included outcomes in treating osteochondritis dissecans in the ankle, specifically the talus bone. The technique was adapted from one previously published by the team in the Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine as a treatment for osteochondritis dissecans in the knee.

Jacob C. Jones, M.D., RMSK, helped lead the pre-conference workshop to introduce attendees to the use of musculoskeletal ultrasound in diagnostics methods for pediatric sports medicine conditions. He also presented several novel investigations from the podium, involving the use of ultrasound to evaluate ankle injuries, as well as elbows, in asymptomatic baseball players and gymnasts.

Learn more about the annual internation Pediatric Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Symposium held at Scottish Rite for Children. Registration for the August 2025 program is open now.

Trainees in the Spotlight

Scottish Rite’s sports medicine team proudly supports young researchers and students in various programs. They mentor the young researchers by helping them prepare presentations for national audiences, such as PRiSM, and publish research, as the lead author or primary investigator.

Medical Student Research Fellow (MSRF)

Rishi Sinha, M.D., is an orthopedic resident at Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine. As he completed medical school at David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, he participated in the one-year Medical Student Research Fellowship at Scottish Rite for Children and collaborated the sports medicine and hip teams. Sinha shared data from the Sports Cohort Outcomes Registry (SCORE), a multicenter registry of pediatric and adolescent arthroscopy cases and complications. His presentation focused on skeletally immature anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructions and was nominated as a top ten contender for the Top Scientific Paper Award.

Clinical Orthopedic Research Assistant (CORA)

Each year, Scottish Rite seeks out college students in pursuing a career in medicine. Clinical Orthopedic Research Assistant (CORA) are hired to help Scottish Rite’s experts in collaborating on clinical research tasks and projects. CORA researchers specialize in an area of study and works with the experts in that department, exiting the program with a well-rounded experience to further their education in medical school or other post-graduate programs.

For the past two years, PRiSM has recognized two Scottish Rite for Children CORA researchers with trainee travel grants to present their projects. Trainee travel grants help members pay for the expenses to travel to conferences or other events to present their research. This year, the following CORA researchers gave two exceptional presentations:

  • James McGinley, B.S., a former baseball player and first-year medical student at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth in Houston, presented findings from an ultrasound study on baseball players and a project on risk factors for osteochondral fractures in first-time patellar dislocations.
  • Cassidy Schultz, B.S., presented a retrospective study on the incidence of rhabdomyolysis in North Texas and an anatomic study of the medial meniscus. She plans to become a physician assistant and will begin her program this summer.

Learn more about the Medical Student Research Fellow (MSRF) and Clinical Orthopedic Research Assistant (CORA) programs. These programs immerse medical students and college graduates in a highly productive academic setting to learn the skills necessary to become a successful musculoskeletal clinician researcher.

 

Awards and Accolades

In addition to the trainee travel grants, PRiSM society award committee members recognized a handful of outstanding projects. Recipients of these and other awards are selected by a small committee during the annual meeting.

Hank Chambers Best Scientific Paper Award

Our team is a significant contributor to data and efforts of the Research on Osteochondritis Dissecans of the Knee (ROCK) study group. The presentation of this data earned the Hank Chambers Best Scientific Paper Award, named for the founding member of PRiSM, Dr. Hank Chambers.

Kevin Shea Best Scientific Poster Award

Lead biomechanist Ashley Erdman, B.S., M.B.A., was awarded the Kevin Shea Best Scientific Poster for her project scrutinizing the medial knee position in the single-leg squat, a test used to evaluate knee collapse, or valgus, a known position that increases risk of ACL injury. The project is called, “Comparison of Most Medial Knee Position and Knee Abduction During a Single-Leg Squat Task: Are We Seeing the Whole Picture?”.

“Top 10” Poster

The poster titled, “Strength and Spatiotemporal Predictors of Fatigue induced Changes in Hip and Ankle Kinetics in High-School Cross-Country Runners,” was a top ten contender for Best Scientific Poster. In this poster and on the podium, sports medicine physician Shane M. Miller, M.D., and physical therapist Jessica Penshorn, P.T., D.P.T., A.T.C., shared findings from work on young runners in a project that began as an idea at the 2024 PRiSM annual meeting. They have tested young, long-distance runners in Scottish Rite’s Movement Science Lab  in a novel study evaluating movement mechanics and running mechanics across the course of a five-mile run.