Cancer and Hematology Center
General Hematology Program
Iron Disorders and Nutritional Anemias Program
Retinoblastoma Program
Solid Tumor Programs
Texas Medical Center
Address
1102 Bates Ave., Ste. 1025.24
Houston, TX 77030
Richard L. Hurwitz, MD
Director, Retinoblastoma Program
Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology-Oncology, and Department of Ophthalmology, and Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine
Education
| School | Education | Degree | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Minnesota Medical School at Minneapolis | Fellowship | Hematology-Oncology | 1980 |
| University of Minnesota Medical School at Minneapolis | Residency | Pediatrics | 1978 |
| Albany Medical College | Medical School | Doctor of Medicine | 1975 |
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | Bachelors | Bachelor of Science | 1975 |
About
Dr. Richard Hurwitz is a Co-Director of the Retinoblastoma Program. Dr. Richard Hurwitz studies the potential use of gene therapy for the treatment of ocular diseases. He has shown that a novel treatment for retinoblastoma using suicide gene therapy is safe and possibly effective in children. To further refine this therapeutic option, Dr. Hurwitz is studying the cellular origin of retinoblastoma and the differences between invasive and non-invasive forms of this disease.
In addition, in vivo models of retinitis pigmentosa and macular degeneration are being used to develop gene therapy treatments for retinal degenerative diseases. The mechanism of adenoviral-mediated transgene expression in the ocular environment is being explored with goals of providing future molecular targets to modulate adenoviral-mediated gene therapy for both retinoblastoma and retinal degenerative diseases and possibly of controlling adenovirus infection in general.
Clinical Interests
Hematology
Retinoblastoma
Gene Therapy
Research Interests
Gene therapy for ocular diseases
Cellular origin of retinoblastoma
Retinal degenerative diseases
Board Certifications
American Board of Pediatrics
American Board of Pediatrics-Hematology/Oncology
Organizations
| Organization Name | Role |
|---|---|
| American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) | Member |
| American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) | Member |
| American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | Member |
| Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology | Member |
| The Society for Pediatric Research | Member |
Selected Publications
Awards
2016 Norton Rose Fulbright Faculty Excellence Award for Development of Enduring Educational Materials, Baylor College of Medicine
Language
* Texas Children's Hospital physicians' licenses and credentials are reviewed prior to practicing at any of our facilities. Sections titled From the Doctor, Professional Organizations and Publications were provided by the physician's office and were not verified by Texas Children's Hospital.