UTMB Announcements for 2/13/2026

TODAY IS THE LAST DAY IN GALVESTON

FOR GRACE ANNA’S BOUTIQUE!!!

Grace Anna’s Boutique offers $6. jewelry and much more – including

necklace sets, rings, bracelets, earrings, fashion accessories, scarves, 

dresses, tops, a great selection of scrubs at great prices, electronics, and more.

They’re also having a Lavish Linens Sale to include sheet sets and bamboo pillows.

   FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13^TH  

7:00 A.M. – 2:00 P.M.

JENNIE SEALY HOSPITAL – 2^ND FLOOR

BETWEEN P.J.’s COFFEE AND THE CSW

Cash, debit cards, and credit cards are all accepted.

Proceeds benefit patient and volunteer programs.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT!

LEAGUE CITY - FRIDAY

Beyond Bling Boutique offers a lot of bling fashion jewelry

ranging from $3.00 - $25.00, including bracelets, charm

necklaces, rings, earrings, fashion headbands, bows,

 freshies, diffusers (for your car), and wristlets.

         FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13^TH       

  9:30 A.M. – 4:00 P.M.

LEAGUE CITY CAMPUS (CLINIC SIDE) - 1^ST FLOOR

Credit cards, Debit cards, Cash App, and Venmo are accepted.

Proceeds benefit Patient and Volunteer programs.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT!

Updated American Heart Association Revisions Affecting 2026 Courses

The new American Heart Association (AHA) Guidelines were released on October 22, 2025.  Within the new guidelines, new course agendas have been developed that will impact the overall length of AHA classes. These new class times will be honored by the UTMB Office of Life Support Education and Training (OLSET)  starting March 1, 2026.  The length of each AHA class is outlined below:

Class                                         Current                                                     New

BLS Initial                             4 hour 15 minutes                               4 hours 30 minutes

BLS Renewal                             3 hours                                                    4 hours

ACLS Initial                            13-14 hours                                          14.5-15.5 hours

ACLS Renewal                      8.5 to 9.5 hours                                  9.25-10.25 hours

ACLS Heartcode                     8.5-9.5 hours                                    6.75 to 7.75 hours

PALS Initial                               12.5 hours                                          12 hours 50 minutes

PALS Renewal                          9 hours                                               9 hours 10 minutes

PALS Heartcode                       5 hours                                                     5.5 hours

There will be new American Heart Association Provider Manuals required for all AHA classes. Starting March 1, 2026, the 2025 Provider Manual is required for all AHA classes. The 2020 provider manual is acceptable through February 28, 2026. 

• Here is a link to the AHA Executive Summary: Part 1: Executive Summary: 2025 American Heart Association Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care | Circulation

• Current AHA card expiration dates remain valid. There is no need to renew your AHA certification prior to  the expiration date.

• There is required pre-course work to attend AHA Advanced Cardiac Life Support  (ACLS) and  Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) classes.  The online pre-course work takes between 2 to 3.5 hours to complete.

• Please feel free to contact OLSET at cpredlab@utmb.,edu for questions or concerns regarding AHA 2026 Resuscitation revisions.

UTMB is now accepting applications for the next cohort of our Certified Nursing Assistant Apprenticeship Program.

The cohort begins Monday, April 13, and offers:

• Full-time employment and benefits as a Hospital Aide
• Minimum starting wage of $15/hour, with progressive increases during the first year of employment
• Paid on-the-job learning and classroom instruction approved by Texas Health and Human Services
• Mentorship by clinical instructors and experienced Patient Care Technicians
• Promotion to Patient Care Technician and endorsement to register for the CNA exam upon successful completion of the training

Program participants must be age 18 or older and able to meet the physical requirements of the job, including prolonged standing and lifting more than 50 pounds.

The deadline for applications is Friday, Feb. 13, and interviews will be conducted Tuesday, Feb. 24. Click here to apply for the CNA Apprenticeship Program.

Want more information? Click here for details about this rewarding program.

For questions about the CNA Apprenticeship Program or the application process, please email HR Workforce Development at hrwrkfrcdev@utmb.edu.

Multicenter, Open-Label, Randomized Study of Nipocalimab or IVIG in Pregnancies At Risk of Fetal and Neonatal Alloimmune Thrombocytopenia (FNAIT) FREESIA-3

What is the purpose of the study?

The purpose of this study is to assess the safety and efficacy of an investigational medication in pregnancies at risk for FNAIT.

The FREESIA-3 clinical trial is enrolling participants who:

• Are 18 to 45 years old

• Are pregnant with an estimated gestational age (based on ultrasound) from week 8 to

18 ^6/7

• Have a history of at least 1 prior pregnancy with FNAIT

Additional eligibility criteria will be assessed by the study team.

All participants in the clinical trial will be reimbursed for study required travel and receive study required medical care at no cost and reimbursement for their participation. 

Please contact the study team at obgynrsu@utmb.edu or lead clinical research coordinator: esvillaa@utmb.edu

The 20026 MVP Survey has officially kicked off, and we want to hear from you. This is your opportunity to let us know what is working well across UTMB and where we can continue to improve.

You can complete the survey using the personalized link sent to your UTMB email by Press Ganey on Monday, Feb. 9. If you do not see the message, check your Junk Email folder or Quarantine page.

• The survey is open to all benefits-eligible employees hired on or before Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025. (Note: In the Academic Enterprise, only physicians, residents, and staff with clinical responsibilities will receive the survey. Faculty and staff who completed the AAMC Survey in March 2025 will not participate in this survey cycle.)
• The survey can be completed in 15 to 20 minutes on any device with internet access and will remain available through Monday, March 2.
• Participation in the survey is voluntary and confidential. All responses are securely collected and managed by Press Ganey.
• Survey results are reported in aggregate form only at the entity, department, and division levels and will not contain any personal or identifying information. Departments and divisions must have at least five respondents to receive area-specific results.
• The feedback collected will support post-survey action planning and UTMB’s Magnet® designation efforts.

To thank employees for participating, UTMB will hold weekly prize drawings. You can choose to opt in to the drawings after completing the survey. Prizes include UTMB-branded swag, Bose QuietComfort Bluetooth headphones, a 14-inch HP laptop, lunch with Dr. Reiser, and more. Departments that achieve 100% participation by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 22, will be rewarded with a team meal funded by UTMB.

For more details about the survey and participant incentives, visit https://utmb.us/eyu.

Department of Psychiatry Grand Rounds

The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston

Tuesday February 17, 2026

10:00 – 11:00 AM

TEAMS Attendance Only

Join the meeting now

Leslie Citrome, MD, MPH

 Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

New York Medical College

Valhalla, New York

_________________________________________________

Differentiating Tardive Dyskinesia: Early Identification and Treatment

Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participants should be able to:

1. Be able to describe the common drug-induced movement disorders (DIMDs) encountered in psychiatric practice
2. Be able to identify the appropriate treatment for each DIMD, with a focus on tardive dyskinesia
3. Understand the deleterious effects of anticholinergic agents

Target Audience and Needs: Physicians, fellows, residents, medical students, nurses, and other healthcare professionals.

Accreditation: In support of improving patient care, The Office of Interprofessional Continuing Education, The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

Credit: The University of Texas Medical Branch designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Educational Method: Lecture

Disclosure:Dr. Citrome discloses the below commercial interests. Any potential conflicts for this presentation have been resolved and the speaker attests that the clinical recommendations within this presentation are evidence-based and free of commercial bias (e.g., peer-reviewed literature, adhering to evidence-based practice guidelines).​

Consultant: AbbVie/Allergan, Acadia, Adamas, Adheretech, Alkermes, Alumis, Angelini, Astellas, Autobahn, Avanir, Axsome, Biogen, BioXcel, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Boehringer Ingelheim, Cadent Therapeutics, Cerevel, Clinilabs, COMPASS, Delpor, Draig Therapeutics, Eisai, Enteris BioPharma, HLS Therapeutics, Idorsia, INmune Bio, Impel, Intra-Cellular Therapies, Janssen, Karuna, Lundbeck, Luye, Lyndra, MapLight, Marvin, Medavante-ProPhase, Merck, Mitsubishi-Tanabe Pharma, Neumora, Neurocrine, Neurelis, Noema, Novartis, Noven, Otsuka, Ovid, Praxis, Recordati, Relmada, Reviva, Sage, Sumitomo/Sunovion, Supernus, Teva, University of Arizona, Vanda,  Wells Fargo, and one-off ad hoc consulting for individuals/entities conducting marketing, commercial, or scientific scoping research

Speaker:AbbVie/Allergan, Acadia, Alkermes, Angelini, Axsome, BioXcel, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eisai, Idorsia, Intra-Cellular Therapies, Janssen, Lundbeck, Neurocrine, Neopharm, Noven, Otsuka, Recordati, Sage, Sunovion, Takeda, Teva, Vanda, and CME activities organized by medical education companies such as Medscape, NACCME, NEI, Vindico, and Universities and Professional Organizations/Societies

Stocks: Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, J & J, Merck, Pfizer purchased > 10 years ago, stock options: Reviva

Royalties/Publishing: Taylor & Francis (Editor-in-Chief, Current Medical Research and Opinion, 2022-date), Wiley (Editor-in-Chief, International Journal of Clinical Practice, through end 2019), UpToDate (reviewer), Springer Healthcare (book), Elsevier (Topic Editor, Psychiatry, Clinical Therapeutics, through Spring 2025)

The Microbiology and Immunology Graduate Program Presents

“The effects of type 2 diabetes mellitus on post-tuberculosis lung disease”

By

Alyssa Varghese

PhD Student

Mentor: Janice Endsley, PhD

Friday, February 20, 2026

12:00 to 1:00 p.m.

HEC 3.206

• Google Chrome is recommended, but any browser should work provided Flash in enabled.
• If paying by PO, select “Pay with PO#”. Please do not include taxes when paying with a PO. Please get with your department’s administrative support for assistance with submitting your PO.
• If paying online, select “Pay Online”.
• Your email address is required to receive a confirmation.
• To avoid late fees, orders must be submitted by March 29, 2026.

On behalf of St. Vincent's Student-Run Clinic, we'd like to invite you to join us on March 5th at 5PM at the Ashton Villa for dinner and a show!

We'd love it if you could join us for food and entertainment provided by our wonderful community members by purchasing a ticket at this link: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/annual-benefit-concert-2

NOW TAKING APPOINTMENTS!

 Need help designing your research study? Assistance in generating or retrieving data?

Guidance with the analysis of your collected data? Other biostatistics, bioinformatics, or health informatics assistance?

 Highly qualified experts in these areas are available for consultation at NO COST* during the

 Institute for Translational Sciences

Biostatistics & Bioinformatics Studio

* Additional services are available; fees may apply.

 3rd Monday of each month

1:00pm-2:00pm

6.110 Research Building 6

Consultations are by appointment only.

To schedule: https://utmb.us/8e2

Now is the time to visit our optical retail shops to take advantage of two limited-time specials! ✨

💘 Valentine’s Day + President’s Day Eyewear Specials 
Love your look and your savings!

✨ Two amazing specials — now through 2/16 ✨

❤️ Valentine’s Special
• 20% OFF sun frames (can be combined with in-clinic lens package pricing)
• 50% OFF an additional complete pair with anti-reflective lenses or non-RX sun purchase
Perfect time to treat yourself or someone you love!

📣 President’s Day Special
• 30% OFF a complete pair (frame + lenses with anti-reflective coating)

📅 Offers valid through February 16
📍 Available at the Galveston and Texas City locations
⚠️ Some brand exclusions apply. Offers cannot be combined with vision insurance, other offers, or previous purchases.

Stop by the shop and let us help you find your perfect pair! 💕👓

Shop our conveniently locations for more details and discover additional specials tailored to fit your budget and needs!

Eye Center, Galveston                 

700 University Blvd, Galveston                                               
(409) 747-5823                               

Eye Center, Texas City

10121 Emmett F Lowry Expressway, Texas City

(409) 978-4315

Need an updated prescription? Call 409-747-5800 for an appointment to schedule your annual comprehensive eye exam at one of our UTMB Health Eye Center locations in Galveston, Texas City, League City and Friendswood.

Catch up on the latest aging research with the Sealy Center on Aging

Get to know Rebecca Galloway, PhD, board-certified geriatric physical therapist, UTMB Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Services.

Check out Stories of Aging, highlighting the unique lives of Galveston's older adults through interviews conducted by medical students.        Kudos to Arati Bendapudi, MS3, for initiating this outstanding project.

Read about NIH/NIA-funded research addressing elder abuse conducted by Monique Pappadis, PhD, and colleagues. 

Join our email list to stay informed about the latest aging studies, research findings, and get our quarterly newsletter in your Inbox.   

Follow us on Facebook

The Caregiver Connection is a support group for family members and friends of people with Alzheimer's or other dementia.  The group is a safe, welcoming place to ask questions, learn about caring for someone with dementia and get tips for caregiver self-care. 

Meetings are held on 2^nd and 4^th Friday monthly from 12 – 1 pm

2^nd Friday is Hybrid meeting – In-person* at OLLI @ UTMB (1200 Market St. Galveston) or Zoom/phone

4^th Friday  -  Zoom /phone only 

Meeting on Friday, February 13, 2026 is a Hybrid/Zoom/Phone Meeting.  

SIGN IN - HYBRID Meeting link (2nd Fridays): https://alz-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/vLlld1nXSo6X6k-6jeaL_A

ORCall the Alzheimer's Association HelpLine to register at 800-272-3900

FIRST TIME ATTENDEES* -SIGN IN with ALL requested information.  *Email Alice Williams in advance:  alwillia@utmb.edu

PREVIOUS ATTENDEES – SIGN IN ONLY with name, email, zip code and preference on receiving Alz. Association emails.   

After sign in, check your email for a link to join the meeting.

Meeting facilitators:  Alice Williams, MS, LBSW  UTMB Sealy Center on Aging  and Virginia Pixley, LMSW, UTMB Social Worker

Caregiver support group meetings are sponsored by the Alzheimer's Association Houston and Southeast Texas Chapter

As part of UTMB’s efforts to continually enhance our services to patients, a new feature is being introduced to our physician and provider directory. The new directory will feature a toggle that will enable search enhanced by artificial intelligence (AI), a capability developed internally at UTMB. The AI-powered search allows patients and other users to use natural language, multilingual and open-ended queries to find suitable providers. 

The application has been undergoing testing and is available now in a development environment; we invite you to try the tool and share your experience. (The test version of the directory requires you to be on the UTMB network or on VPN; appointment making is disabled in this test version.)

• Access the AI-Enhanced TEST Directory

The directory defaults to a conventional search; you’ll need to toggle “ON” the AI features in the area adjacent to the search bar. 

We are grateful for the valuable feedback we've already had from the UTMB community. Add your voice. Share your experience, report any issues or ask questions VIA OUR FEEDBACK FORM.

UTMB’s Institute for Translational Sciences (ITS) and the Greater Gulf Coast Translational Science Alliance (GGCTSA) invite you to participate in a conversation on Where We Live Matters: Environmental Exposures and Community Health.   

Location: The Health Museum, 1515 Hermann Dr., Houston, TX 77004

Date/Time: Saturday, February 28, 2026;  11am – 12pm   

This conversation features Arica A. Brandford, PhD, JD, Associate Director, Community Outreach and Engagement, Houston Methodist Neal Cancer Center; Carolyn Stone, Channelview Health and Improvement Coalition; and Kathleen Garland, PhD, Senior Lecturer, Environmental Management, University of Houston-Clear Lake. 

Please join us as we explore and discuss the current knowledge and research related environmental exposures and community health.

Please RSVP to Krista Bohn at krbohn@utmb.edu.

Light refreshments will be provided. 

SCI Café (where Science and Communities Interact) is a community dialogue about science, health and possibilities among community members, researchers and scientists. The purpose is to engage and connect community members with science and science with the local community. Topics for SCI Cafés are driven by community learning interests and discovery from GGCTSA faculty.

Are you a UTMB graduate student or postdoctoral fellow?  Do you think you can explain your research in layman’s terms…in less than three minutes?

The Institute for Translational Sciences and the Greater Gulf Coast Translational Science Alliance (GGCTSA) presents the annual T1-T4 in 3 (Minutes) competition, an innovative contest that challenges graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to effectively explain their translational research for a lay audience in three minutes or less.

Only 12 abstracts are selected for the competition. 

Date: Thursday, April 16, 2026

Time: 4:00pm – 6:00pm  

Location: UTMB League City - Medical Plaza One, Room 2.210/2.212

1^st Place: $750

2^nd Place: $500

3^rd Place: $250

People’s Choice Award: $750

Applications are due by 5pm on March 16th.  To submit your abstract, please use this link: https://redcap.link/2026T1T4

The Academy of Master Teachers (AMT) is calling for nominations for:

EDUCATOR OF THE QUARTER - WINTER

AMT presents this honor in recognition of educational excellence at UTMB to acknowledge, thank and reward outstanding teachers.

Students, residents, faculty and staff, click below to submit your nomination(s):

Click Here: AMT Educator of the Quarter Nomination Form - Winter FY26 – Fill out form

Nomination Deadline | Friday, February 13, 2026

Questions: Reach out to amt@utmb.edu

The Women’s Resource Group (WRG) at UTMB is pleased to announce that nominations are now open for the 2026 WRG Trailblazer Award. This annual recognition honors an exceptional leader who champions and advocates for women’s empowerment, advancement, and professional development across our institution.

We invite you to nominate an individual who exemplifies outstanding achievement, promotes opportunity for others, and uplifts the voices of women at UTMB.

Please see the flyer located [HERE] for full details and nomination requirements. 

Nomination Form: https://utmb.us/f50
Deadline: Monday, March 6, 2026

SAVE THE DATE- Winner be recognized at this event.
WRG Women’s History Month
Event: Tuesday, March 26, 2026 | 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Location: Health Education Center, Room 2.220

If you have any questions, please email wrg@utmb.edu.

Thank you for helping us recognize and celebrate the leaders who make a meaningful impact on women’s advancement at UTMB.

Are you interested in being part of WRG? Join Here: https://utmb.us/f4w

Did you know the State of Texas has procured free, on-demand, digital accessibilty training for UTMB staff?  With digital accessibility a requirement from Texas, UT Systems, and the Federal Government, this is a great opportunity to get up to speed on the latest requirements and skills needed to create accessible content.

Request your account (will take a day or two) and start your digital accessibility journey today!

Find out more on about your role in creating accessible content on our Digital Accessibility website.