An inside look at the Doctor’s Doctor
For those that have suffered from the loss of loved ones due to recurring cancer, Dr. Tweardy is a beacon of light shining in the future of defeating this monstrous disease with his research at Baylor College of Medicine.
Although Dr. Tweardy did not come from a family of physicians, he admired one of his general practitioners when he was growing up and that sparked his interest in the field of science. In second grade, he told his science teacher that he wanted to be an astronomer, but his current patients are grateful that he chose to pursue a medical degree. He loves to practice medicine, but he is equally enthusiastic about the research behind the medicine. He focused his studies on infectious disease with a diagnostic aspect because he thrives on having an impact on the patient’s outcome by prescribing the correct antibiotic and dosage for his patients.
In 1978, Dr. Tweardy received his Doctor of Medicine from Harvard Medical School. He then served at Case Western Reserve University Hospitals of Cleveland, Ohio as an Intern in Medicine from 1978 to 1979, a Resident in Medicine from 1979 to 1980, and a Fellow in Infectious Diseases from 1980 to 1982. He then served as Chief Resident in Medicine from 1982 to 1983 and Research Associate in Infectious Diseases from 1983 to 1984 as well at the Case Western Reserve University Hospitals in Cleveland, Ohio. From 1984 to 1986, he was an Associate Scientist at The Wistar Institute in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Dr. Tweardy is extremely passionate about the research he is presently conducting. With his background in science, it has been his dream to take what he has learned in this field and develop it into something with global impact. He is currently working on a drug therapy program that determines whether a cell survives or desists. The therapies target the cell when it dies. Through research, his team has identified a signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) 3 molecule, the master regulator of cell survival. They have found that seventy percent of cancer cells have STAT3 molecules and that increases the chances for the recurrence of cancer. Through this research, Dr. Tweardy hopes to incorporate this drug program in combination with the cancer therapy to produce a higher survival rate in patients.
Research is just one of the many hats that Dr. Tweardy wears at Baylor College of Medicine. He also oversees the five venues of clinical care at Ben Taub Hospital, the Veterans Affairs Hospital, Tom Street Clinic, the Methodist Hospital, St. Luke’s Hospital and the Baylor Clinic. He spends the majority of his time teaching at all levels, especially the fellows at Baylor College of Medicine. He gives the fellows the opportunity to return upon completing their fellowship and become independent investigators of infectious diseases. By doing this, he has been able to maintain world class investigators as well as other collaborative efforts.
“David Tweardy has had the most extraordinary success in preparing post-graduate fellows (trainees) in infectious diseases for their own careers as academicians. During his years of tenure, fully two-thirds of the alumni of the fellowship program have applied for and received grants, generally through highly competitive systems.
Dr. Tweardy has established an atmosphere of expectation and has provided or developed the mentoring to make it all possible,” states Daniel Musher, M.D., a professor of medicine- infectious disease and molecular virology and microbiology at BCM, and chief of infectious diseases at the Michael E. De- Bakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center Dr. Tweardy has encountered many physicians along his journey in medicine, but he explained how some have been instrumental in guiding him to become the physician he is today. Dr. Daniel Musher has been critical in helping him to maintain the research program. Dr. Herbert DuPont has given him guidance in administration and Dr. Vernon Knight has been one for him to turn to in advancing his career.
Tweardy’s advice to other physicians is, “Remain positive and optimistic about medicine.” He believes that one of the major impediments to patient care is the availability of primary care physicians and that they are undervalued in our society. He would like to see their importance elevated and more medical students start off in this position to gain invaluable experience before moving onto specialties.
With physicians like Dr. Tweardy with their passion for medicine and research, the possibility of finding a way to fight infectious diseases and prevent the recurrence of cancers seems more of a reality than a dream.t