1 April 2015
CISER Honorary Lifetime Scholars
Dr. James M.Burkhead
James M. "Mack" Burkhead, III, a fifth generation Texan originally from Mineral Wells, Texas, graduated
from Texas Tech with honors in 1984 with a Bachelor of Science degree in microbiology. He graduated
from The University Of Texas Health Science Center Medical School-Houston with a Doctor of Medicine
degree in 1989. Subsequently he completed his internship and residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology
at UT-Houston in 1993. For the past 22 years, he has been in private practice, the last 16 of which has
been with Kelsey-Seybold Clinic in Houston. His areas of practice include routine as well as high-risk
obstetrics, gynecology including both medical and surgical care of gynecologic illnesses, and advanced
laparoscopic and hysteroscopic surgery as well. Additionally, he has served for the past 15 years as the
volunteer medical director at a non-profit crisis pregnancy center, The Source for Women, serving
women in crisis pregnancies and providing no cost limited obstetrical ultrasounds, as well as a wide
array of social and family services. Dr. Burkhead's spouse, Sandra Gee, MD, is a board certified
child/adolescent and adult psychiatrist. Their daughter Deborah is a senior in high school and is an
accomplished equestrienne riding a pure bred Arabian in dressage competition.
Dr. Gary Fish - MD, JD, MBA, LLM
Born in Dallas, Texas and Dr. Fish grew up in Big Spring where he graduated from Big Spring High School. He
completed a Bachelor of Science Degree (Zoology) at Texas Tech University in 1968. His father, mother and
three brothers all went to Texas Tech. Thereafter, he attended UT Southwestern Medical School for a medical
degree. Upon completion of medical school, he did his internship in Internal Medicine at the Manhattan
VA/Bellevue/NYU hospital program in New York City, followed by ophthalmology residency at UT
Southwestern in Dallas and a fellowship in surgical retina at Texas Retina Associates, Dallas, echography at the
State University of Iowa hospital, and medical retina at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, England. He has
been practicing retina with Texas Retina Associates in the Dallas area (and occasionally Lubbock) since 1978,
involved in both patient care and clinical research. He is a clinical faculty member at UT Southwestern
Department of Ophthalmology. He is married (Nancy, 42 years) with 2 boys and 2 granddaughters. Other
degrees include JD (Texas Wesleyan University School of Law, now Texas A&M School of Law), MBA (Southern
Methodist University) and an LLM in healthcare law (University of Houston School of Law). Dr. Fish greatly
values opportunities to participate in medical mission work around the world.
Daragh Heitzman – MD
Born in Dublin, Ireland, Dr. Heitzman completed a Bachelor of Science Degree (Microbiology) at Texas
Tech University in 1989. Thereafter, he attended Texas Tech University Health Science Center
(TTUHSC) for a medical degree. Upon completion of medical school, he completed an internship in
Internal Medicine at the TTHUSC in Amarillo, followed by neurology residency at UT Southwestern in
Dallas and a fellowship in EMG, Neurophysiology and Neuromuscular Disease at the Cleveland Clinic in
Cleveland, Ohio. He has been practicing Neurology in the Dallas area since 1994. He is married with 2
boys and 3 dogs. He is currently is involved in both patient care and research, the latter encompassing
both experimental drug trials and basic science research, primarily in the area of amyotrophic lateral
sclerosis (ALS). He is director of the MDA ALS Center at Texas Neurology and is a participant in national
committees regarding ALS and related disorders. Dr. Heitzman is currently a faculty member at UT
Southwestern Medical School Department of Neurology, Baylor University Medical Center Dallas and
Texas A&M Medical School Department of Internal Medicine. He is President of the Neurology
Foundation, a non-profit foundation dedicated to assist local neurologic research and education.
1 April 2015
Dr. Randy Macurak
Randal B. Macurak grew up in Dallas, Texas and attended Texas Tech from 1968-1972. He received a
Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry and went on to earn his Medical Degree from The University of Texas
Medical Branch at Galveston. Upon completion of medical school, he completed three years at the
Internal Medicine at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia and two years of Gastroenterology
fellowship at the University of Mississippi in Jackson, Mississippi. He returned to Dallas in 1981 and
has been a practicing gastroenterologist for 34 years. Initially he began as a solo practitioner,
however he now belongs to Digestive Health Associates of Texas (DHAT), a 75-man gastroenterology
group that is the largest in the country. His practice initially was general gastroenterology however
has developed recently into small bowel endoscopy using a double balloon small bowel endoscope.
This allows visualization and therapy of the small intestine in patients with occult GI bleeding. He
teaches both Family Practice and Gastroenterology Fellows who are in training at Methodist Hospital
in Dallas, Texas. His outside interests are music (Vocal and Classical Guitar) and Golf.
Dr. Jay Vollet - PhD
John J. Vollet III (Jay) grew up in Fort Worth, Texas. His choice for college, Texas Tech, was made
easy as his grandfather; R. Wright Armstrong was first a member of The Texas Tech Board of Regents
and then Chairman. Jay graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology in 1969. Influenced by
his Cell Biology Professor, Dr. Jerry Berlin Jay stayed at Texas Tech to earn a Masters and then went
to Kansas State University for his PhD in Cell & Molecular Biology. This was followed by a National
Cancer Institute Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Virology at Baylor College of Medicine. Staying in
Houston, Jay was then an Assistant Professor of Clinical Microbiology at The University of Texas
Medical School, Houston. A decision was made to enter the pharmaceutical industry where he has
spent the last thirty years. Highlights include traveling to Japan and then biotechnology companies
as a Licensing Director identifying and acquiring Intellectual Property rights for acquisition and then
into Clinical and Scientific Development in Oncology with Pharmacia and then Pfizer. For the last
four years Jay has been serving as a Medical Sciences Liaison for UCB, Inc, a Belgian biotechnology
company working in the area of autoimmune diseases (Rheumatoid Arthritis, Crohn’s Disease,
Lupus) and immunology. This Dallas-based position has him interacting with clinical researchers
involved in UCB-sponsored trials. Jay and his wife Lucy have recently set up a life time gift to the Texas Tech Department of
Biological Sciences to endow two Professorships with one honoring his grandfather who was not only his mentor but his supporter
in attending Texas Tech.