The Sealy Center on Aging at UTMBLeading Aging Research Since 1995

A recording is now available for a recent UTMB Pepper Center lecture that highlights skeletal muscle as a key driver of healthy aging, with emerging therapies showing promise in improving strength, function, and overall health span in older adults. Shalender Bhasin, MB, BS, from Harvard Medical School emphasized the need for large-scale clinical trials and collaborative efforts to translate these advances into effective, widely accessible interventions.

The Sealy Center on Aging (SCOA) proudly announces that its director, Dr. Melissa “Missy” Morrow, has been named a Fellow of the American Society of Biomechanics (ASB), the premier professional organization for biomechanics researchers and practitioners across disciplines. This distinction recognizes Dr. Morrow’s significant contributions to the field and her leadership in advancing translational science at the intersection of biomechanics, aging, and health technology.

Researchers and collaborators recently gathered for a dynamic Ideation Jam designed to explore how emerging technologies can advance aging research. Organized by Elizabeth Lyons, PhD; Meredith Masel, PhD, MSW; and Missy Morrow, PhD, with support from the Texas Age-Tech Initiative, Sealy Center on Aging, and UTMB Pepper Center, the two-hour interactive session brought together participants from diverse backgrounds to generate ideas, identify synergies, and uncover opportunities for collaboration.

A new study from the UTMB Pepper Center looked at the role sleep plays in how well older adults recover after a hospital stay. The results showed that people who had worse sleep or felt more tired during the day tended to have poorer balance, weaker strength, and lower overall physical function after going home. Those with improved sleep were more likely to show better physical recovery.