Medical Student Training in Aging Research (MSTAR) Program
Student Presentations at UTSA, June 22, 2017

Two students participated in the Medical Student Training in Aging Research (MSTAR) Program at SCoA this summer. They gave presentations at the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio on June 22, 2017. Edgar Esparza (mentored by Hemalkumar Mehta, PhD), pictured on the bottom left, presented, "Antidiabetic Prescription Drug Trends in the United States from 2007 to 2014." Usama Jazzar (mentored by Stephen B. Williams, MD), pictured on the bottom right, presented, "Population-Based Assessment of the Impact of Psychiatric Illness and Survival Outcomes Following Treatment for Patients with Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer."

Dr. Fry Receives New Investigator Award from the American Physiological Society

April 24, 2017 American Physiological Society

Chris Fry, PhD, Assistant Professor in Nutrition & Metabolism received, "The American Physiological Society Environmental and Exercise Physiology New Investigator Award" during the Experimental Biology Meeting April 22-26, 2017.

Dr. Downer Receives Best Poster Award at the National Pepper Meeting

March 24, 2017 UTMB Pepper Center

Brian Downer, PhD, Assistant Professor in Rehab Sciences received the Best Poster Award at the 2017 National Pepper Older American Independence Center Meeting for his work titled, "Cohort Differences in Pre-Frailty and Frailty for Mexican Americans Aged 77 and Older". Co-Authors were Rafael Samper-Ternent, Bret Howrey, Soham Al Snih, Kyriakos Markides, and Ken Ottenbacher.

RSVP Poverty Simulation

March 15, 2017 Event Brochure Photos

The RSVP Senior Volunteer Program at SCoA sponsored a one-day Poverty Simulation event that gave participants the opportunity to experience a month living in poverty. 91 participants signed up to learn more about the obstacles that poor people face in their day-to-day lives. 20 vendors represented various agencies, work places, schools and other services. Participants were expected to earn income, provide for their families and watch over children. Offenders were sent to jail and CPS could remove children.

Overall, 68% of attendees reported an increase in their level of understanding of the circumstances of poverty after participating in the simulation. Some comments included, "I was surprised how fast I jumped into a role of survival" and "I was confused by the places I had to go, the coldness of trying to get help and the desperation I felt".

Thanks to Ritchie Adoue, Program Director for the RSVP program for organizing this event.

Abundant Living: Nourishing Your Spirit

March 6-8, 2017 Conference Brochure Photos

Each year, the Sealy Center on Aging partners with Camp Allen to create an engaging 3-day program that encourages older adults to embrace aging as a spiritual journey and to live the gift of years to the fullest. Participants are invited to learn from geriatricians; enjoy nature walks, cooking, canoeing and more. The 14th annual Abundant Living conference featured presentations by Drs. Goodwin, Volpi and Raji. Attendance increased by 50% this year and participant feedback was very positive. The 2018 conference is scheduled for the last week of February. Abundant Living is supported by the Center for Spirituality of Aging. Thanks to Rev Dr. Helen Appelberg and Bets Anderson, DrPH, FAAN for organizing this successful event.

More about Abundant Living

Muscle mass declines with age. Here's what you can do

February 23, 2017 LA Times

A small amount of muscle loss is nearly inevitable with age. While the rate varies quite a bit, studies suggest the average person loses about 1% of muscle every year after about age 50, says Dr. Elena Volpi, director of the Sealy Center on Aging at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.
This news also reported in The Morning Call.

The 22nd Annual Lefeber Winter Series on Aging

Tues Evenings January 31 through February 28, 2017

The Lefeber Winter Series on Aging, now in its 22nd year, features nationally recognized gerontology research educators, basic scientists, clinicians and social scientists. Each speaker presents a lecture on an important aspect of aging research and consults with students, faculty and staff on research topics, grant applications and articles being written for publication. Videos Now Available

Dr. Ottenbacher - 1 of 100 Most Influential People in OT Centennial Celebration

February 14, 2017

Dr. Ottenbacher has been selected as one of the 100 influential people in occupational therapy's first 100 years by the American Occupational Therapy Association as a part of their centennial celebration.

"Kenneth J. Ottenbacher, PhD, OTR, has significantly advanced the science of occupational therapy. His research focus is rehabilitation outcomes, with an emphasis on the assessment of change in functional status, disability, frailty, and minority health in older adults." Read more about Dr. Ottenbacher at the OT Centennial website or visit Dr. Ottenbacher's web profile at UTMB.

Getting fit after 55 is easier than you think

January 15, 2017

Staying fit after 55 comes with many benefits. UTMB’s Jim Goodwin said one of the best reasons to exercise is that people feel better when they do. “For the last million years as we’ve been evolving, the species has been very active and stayed very active until recently,” Goodwin told The Daily News. Contact UTMB Media Relations for details.

Rafael Samper-Ternent, MD, PhD returns to UTMB

January 13, 2017

Dr. Samper-Ternent, MD, PhD earned his MD from Javeriana University in Colombia and then earned his PhD from UTMB in Clinical Sciences. Following the completion of his residency in Geriatrics from Javeriana University in Colombia, he joins UTMB's Division of Geriatrics as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Samper-Ternent will spend 20% of his time as a physician in the Geriatrics clinic and the remainder devoted to research and collaboration with SCOA investigators. His research interests include working on Hispanic aging resilience and sarcopenia.