In response to a growing need for skilled pharmacy professionals and a desire to shape the future of the profession, the University of Texas Medical Branch launched a new internship program this past summer to prepare students for careers in pharmacy.

“Ultimately, we aim to equip our pharmacy interns for successful careers in health system pharmacy while inspiring them to pursue advanced training and leadership opportunities,” said UTMB’s Michael Eagon. UTMB started a pharmacy internship program with six interns this year, with the plan to add six new interns each year, said UTMB’s Jared Sheneman.

Dr. Antonio Bianco spoke to Medscape about the complex history of FDA regulation of thyroid medicines. “Because they existed before the FDA, their regulatory pathway is really complicated,” Bianco said.

The Houston Chronicle spoke to Dr. Beth Ulrich for this story on how the demographics of nursing have changed and grown more diverse over time. “A lot of nursing and medicine is collaboration,” Ulrich said. “And the more different views you can put on a team, generally the better the outcomes.”

UTMB scientists have been awarded up to $6.4 million in funding to support an international research consortium working to determine which immune responses protect people against Lassa fever, the Daily News reports. “Once we can measure protection in a blood test instead of a prolonged clinical efficacy trial, we can deliver vaccines to impacted communities much faster,” said UTMB’s Dr. Courtney B. Woolsey.

Scientists at the University of Texas Medical Branch’s Galveston National Laboratory have been awarded up to $6.4 million in funding to support an international research consortium to crack one of the toughest problems in infectious disease science: determining which immune responses protect people against Lassa fever.

Dr. Hasan Yasin writes about the health benefits of turkey tail mushrooms. Turkey tail mushrooms show real promise for immune and gut health, with the strongest evidence for their use as a complementary therapy under medical guidance for certain cancers, Yasin writes.

Drs. Norbert Herzog and David Niesel discuss the differences between human brains and those of our closest primate relatives in their latest Medical Discover News column. In addition to the larger size of the brain and the higher number of neurons, the ability to connect regions of the brain appears to be a defining characteristic that distinguishes the human brain from those of our primate cousins, they write.

A new study from UTMB shows that different strains of Hendra virus can cause markedly different disease outcomes, reports Global Biodefense. The results of the study will inform vaccine and therapeutic development, potentially enabling targeted strategies depending on the genotype detected in an outbreak, the outlet states.

"This research could introduce a new perspective to the discussion of preventing and mitigating the devastating effects of stroke and related brain injuries," says Dr. Matias Costa in this Newsweek story on studies that find that weight loss drugs like Ozempic also protect the brain from stroke damage. This news was also reported in Consumer Affairs and Pharmacy Times.

Becker’s followed up on a CNN story that reports that health care experts are calling for the end of routine use of diphenhydramine citing safety concerns that outweigh benefits. UTMB’s Dr. Manuel Murray said the medication should not be used lightly and “should always be used under the guidance of a medical professional, and it is only indicated to treat allergic reactions and motion sickness.”

Drs. Megan Berman and Ricard Rupp write about a new and improved pneumococcal vaccine for their Vaccine Smarts column. Capvaxive covers up to 85 percent of the strains that cause the most severe forms of pneumococcal disease in adults, they write.

Certain mushrooms with psychoactive compounds as such as psilocybin offer documented benefits in difficult psychiatric conditions, writes Dr. Victor S. Sierpina. Future studies, including those at the VA and Hopkins will hopefully provide better clarity, decriminalization, and protocols for psychedelic assisted therapy, he writes.

The Daily News reported on Blue Zones Ignites interest in partnering with UTMB to work on increasing lifespans through healthier environments, new policy and strong social connections. UTMB’s Dr. Jochen Reiser joined Blue Zones representatives to discuss the potential partnership at a recent community meeting.

Neutrophils are a type of white blood cell that helps heal damaged tissues and fight infections, write Drs. Norbert Herzog and David Niesel in their latest Medical Discover News column. New results have found that they have another skill: they can form a “Band-Aid” around a wound to protect it from invading microbes and foreign molecules.

“Starting at 45 to 50, you could gain as much as 10 years of healthy life and this study just shows the truth of that at a cellular level,” UTMB’s Dr. Thomas Blackwell tells USA Today in his comments about a Chinese Academy of Sciences study on proteins taken from about 70 people ages 14 to 68.

“It should always be used under the guidance of a Medical Professional, and it is only indicated to treat allergic reactions and motion sickness,” UTMB’s Dr. Manuela Murry tells CNN for a story on dangerous misuse of the allergy medication diphenhydramine.

In low-resource settings, infants born with gastroschisis face life-threatening challenges but researchers and medical experts at UTMB, Rice University and UTHealth Houston have come up with a low-cost solution. “Our goal was to replicate the functionality of commercial silo bags using inexpensive, easy-to-source materials,” said UTMB’s Dr. Bindi Naik-Mathuria.

“Biohacking is essentially DIY biology—making intentional changes to your lifestyle, diet, or environment to optimize health and performance,” Dr. Salim Hayek tells Prevention. Hayek recommends looking for scientifically-proven changes and not just trying whatever crosses your social media feed.

UTMB’s Dr. Brent Masel spoke to ESPN about chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a degenerative brain disease that can be diagnosed only after someone has died. Masel told ESPN it can take weeks to do the appropriate testing. “So there will not be an instant answer to that,” he said.