Dr. Salim Hayek has always been driven by a fundamental understanding: not everyone has equal access to health and safety, and those who can make a difference have a responsibility to act.

Dr. Jochen Reiser, president of the University of Texas Medical Branch and CEO of the UTMB Health System, has been awarded the Marilyn G. Farquhar Lifetime Research Achievement Award at the 15th International Podocyte Conference, held June 10 to 13, 2025, in Hamburg, Germany.

The University of Texas Medical Branch School of Nursing has received full 10-year accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, the maximum term awarded, following a rigorous evaluation process and a multi-day site visit.

The University of Texas Medical Branch has opened a new Care Coordination and Referral Center at the UTMB Health Primary Care Pavilion on Harborside Drive in Galveston, further expanding access to care for patients across the island.

When Dr. Yong-Fang Kuo analyzed Medicare data from more than 2 million older adults, the results revealed a striking pattern: those who received annual wellness visits were significantly more likely to receive early diagnoses of mild cognitive impairment—catching memory problems before they progressed to full dementia.

“I just always thought that was intriguing to work with viruses that were that deadly and try to come up with ways to stop them,” Dr. Thomas Geisbert tells The Scientist for an article about how scientists prepare to fight new and emerging pathogens.

UTMB’s Dr. Scott Weaver spoke to the Daily News about the millions in federal research funding that have been cut and the impacts to the university. UTMB has appealed some of the grant cuts and is working with elected officials to reverse the losses.

Researchers at The University of Texas Medical Branch have been awarded a total of nearly $5 million in grants from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas to forward their work.

UTMB received nearly $5 million in research grants from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas as well as another $2 million to recruit a cancer research expert to the university. The research funding will help create more opportunities for HPV vaccinations, advance research in how small changes in proteins, fats and other molecules in the body to help find diseases early, and research new ways to treat some lymphomas that do not respond well to current treatments.

Drs. Norbert Herzog and David Niesel explore the possibility that unique genes are responsible for our complex vocal communication in their latest Medical Discovery News column.

UTMB’s Dr. Gregory Gray spoke about the threat of bird flu for this story on how the virus is affecting peregrine falcons. Even with vaccines, though, "we may not be able to put out this fire," Gray said. "It appears, to many of us, that these viruses are going to be endemic, or we say 'enzootic,' for a long time."

Dr. Jochen Reiser, president and CEO of UTMB Health, tells the Houston Business Journal that UTMB will need to look for new revenue models to fund research but that cuts “won’t reduce the excitement we have for research.”

Allie Murphy, a Master of Public Health candidate at the University of Texas Medical Branch's School of Public and Population Health, has been selected for the highly competitive Fulbright U.S. Student Program award to conduct public health research in El Salvador during the 2025-2026 academic year.

There are numerous studies that highlight the benefit of getting morning sunlight, writes Dr. Samuel Mathis in his latest column. Sunlight can affect our mood, immune system and circadian rhythm, Mathis writes.

“Being present and mindful of the amazing natural world around us is a sure path to relieving pain, improving mood, immunity and reducing risks of heart disease and cancer,” writes Dr. Victor S. Sierpina in his column for the Daily News.

Becker’s spoke to UTMB’s Nathan Vo, Senior Pharmacy Manager of Revenue Integrity, and Michael Eagon, Senior Pharmacy Manager of Ambulatory Pharmacy, about changing workforce strategies. “At The University of Texas Medical Branch, our workforce is evolving to meet the demands of a more complex and patient-centered healthcare landscape,” Eagon said.

Dr. Jochen Reiser recently participated in a two-day meeting on brain health that brought together business and policy leaders to discuss brain health initiatives. “Investing in brain capital means protecting our cognitive health, boosting economic growth and securing a future-ready workforce – goals that we believe Texans will rally behind,” Reiser said.

The University of Texas Medical Branch joined global business and policy leaders this week for a landmark “Brain Capital” summit focused on positioning brain health as a vital economic driver.

Drug and alcohol references in popular music not only correlate with use, but also provide opportunities for engaging young patients, according to a UTMB study. “Music — it’s part of our daily lives, whether we notice it or not, from hearing a song on the radio and listening to it on the way to work, to scrolling through TikTok and getting that one hook stuck in your head,” Benita Lalani, UTMB student and one of the study authors, told attendees at the recent American Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting.

Adding plants to our homes helps to improve our health in several ways, writes Dr. Samuel Mathis in his latest column. Among other benefits, Mathis writes about how plants can help purify the air, help decrease symptoms associated with dry air and even improve our mood and cognition.