UTMB Announcements for 10/16/2026

The Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology

Proudly Presents

David Wei, MD, Ph.D.

Professor

Department of Internal Medicine

Division of Nephrology

“Circulating immune factors and kidney disease”

Friday, October 16, 2026

12:00 – 1:00 p.m.

BSB 2.212

This seminar will be held in person only

Contact Rodrigo Salinas at risalina@utmb.edu for further information.

 JOIN IPE TEAM TALK PODCAST

Elevating Voices. Empowering Teams.

Moderator

Dr. Ashley Parikh, EdD, MSHS, PTA
Director
Office of Interprofessional Education, Practice and Quality Enhancement Plan
Health Education Center

October 21, 2026, 9:00-10:30am

Location: Virtual MS Teams

Featured Guest

Dr. Jan-Jaap Reinders, PhD
University Medical Center Groningen
University of Groningen, Netherlands

Topic:
Extended Professional Identity Theory (EPIT) in Interprofessional Education and Practice

Register Here to Attend

Department of Psychiatry Grand Rounds

The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston

Tuesday October 20, 2026

10:00 – 11:00 AM

TEAMS Attendance Only

Join the meeting now

Lee S. Cohen, M.D.

Director, Ammon-Pinizzotto Center for Women’s Mental Health

Perinatal and Reproductive Psychiatry Clinical Research Program

Massachusetts General Hospital

Associate Chief of Psychiatry (Philanthropy and Department Communications)

_________________________________________________

The Course and Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders During Pregnancy

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

• Feel confident in knowing which psychiatric medications are safe to prescribe and continue during pregnancy.
• Be more equipped to care for psychiatric patients who are pregnant
• Identify the gaps in knowledge associated with psychotropic medication use during pregnancy and more confidently care for patients across the reproductive lifecycle. 

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

Disclosures:Lee S. Cohen, M.D. has the following disclosure(s): Alkermes, Inc. (Research Funding), Eisai Inc.(Research Funding), Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc. (Research Funding), SAGE Therapeutics (Research Funding), Supernus Pharmaceuticals (Research Funding), Bristol-Myers Squibb (Research Funding), Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, Inc. (Research Funding), Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (Research Funding), National Institutes of Health (Research Funding), The Marriott Foundation (Research Funding), JDS Therapeutics LLC (Consultant), Luminous Minds LLC (Consultant).  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). 

UTMB’s Institute for Translational Sciences (ITS) and the Greater Gulf Coast Translational Science Alliance (GGCTSA) invite you to participate in a conversation on Diabetes Decoded: What Everyone Should Know.       

Location: El Patio, 100 W Magnolia St., Angleton, TX

Date/Time: Thursday, October 29, 2026    

This conversation features Israa Ali, MD, ABOM, Assistant Professor, Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, and Medical Director of Victory Lakes Town Center Subspeciality Clinics, UTMB; Hanaa Sallam, MD, PhD, Associate Professor, Internal Medicine and Endocrinology, UTMB; and Jesse Hedrick, MA, BS, Wellness Program Coordinator, UTMB Health Angleton Danbury Campus. 

Please join us for this SCI Café, as we explore and discuss diabetes. 

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.

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 

Efficacy and safety of nipocalimab in pregnancies at risk for severe HDFN: A Phase 3, Randomized, Placebo- Controlled, Double-Blind, Multicenter Study.

What is the purpose of the study?

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

The Azalea clinical trial is enrolling participants who:

• Have tested positive for red cell antibodies

• Have been diagnosed with HDFN in a prior pregnancy

• Are 18 to 45 years old and are currently pregnant (less than 18 weeks)

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 

The certification period opens on 10/29/2026 and closes on 11/29/2026. All effort cards must be certified no later than the end of the business day on 10/29/2026. Faculty are encouraged to review their schedules in advance to ensure timely completion of certification. Late certifications cannot be accepted.

As a reminder, we will begin to transition into the new effort reporting timeline starting with the 4^th Quarter.  The most significant change is effort no longer uses business days so weekends count for certification and processing. 

New Principal Investigators who have not yet completed the required effort reporting training can access instructions here to self-assign training.  Please contact your Lead Effort Coordinator for further assistance.  

Roberto Logroño, MD Award and Lectureship
for Professionalism in Healthcare

CALL FOR STUDENT/FELLOW/TRAINEE NOMINATIONS

Award
We seek nominations for the annual Roberto Logroño, MD Award and Lectureship for Professionalism in Healthcare for meritorious trainees (students, fellows, residents) of any of UTMB’s five schools: Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, School of Health Professions, School of Medicine, School of Nursing, and School of Public and Population Health. This lectureship and award is given annually in memory of Roberto Logroño, M.D., a Tenured Professor and Director of Cytopathology in the Department of Pathology from 1997 until his unexpected death in 2006. Dr. Logroño exemplified many of the attributes of professionalism, including altruism, accountability, excellence, duty, honor and integrity, and respect for others.

This year’s award ceremony will celebrate UTMB exemplars of professionalism from the past (Dr. Logroño), the present (a faculty member), and the future (a trainee). The recipients of the Logroño Award will be honored at a ceremony to be held in Spring 2027. Awardees will be asked to present their insight about professionalism.

Award Criteria
The nominee should be a UTMB student, resident, post-doctoral fellow or other trainee who is recognizedforahighlevelofprofessionalismintheirdailyinteractionsanddailywork.Desired features include but are not limitedto

• Evidenceofaltruisticactivitiesthatbenefitothers(e.g.,volunteerorprobonoservice, advocacy)
• Demonstrationofgoingaboveandbeyondinserviceofpatients,peers, and/orUTMB students (e.g.,mentorship)
• Commitment to accountability, duty, and integrity (e.g., transparent communication, self-identifying mistakes or challenges and correcting them, actively seekingfeedback to improve personally andprofessionally)
• Commitment to excellence (e.g., exemplary clinical/teaching/researchpractice, recognizing and promoting ethical innovation, ethical attitude and response in interactions, particularly in challengingsituations).

Nominations
Students, faculty and staff may nominate a student/fellow/trainee candidate. Nominations should include a nomination letter (maximum 500 words) describing in detail, with specific examples, how the candidate exemplifies the principles of professionalism in daily interactions with members of the UTMB and/or surrounding community. The nomination packet should also include the candidate’s curriculum vitae (CV) and up to two (2) additional letters of support (maximum 500 words each) from peers, mentors, faculty members, or staff members who are well acquainted with the candidate. Nomination packets that exceed the word or letter counts will not be reviewed.

The deadline for nominations is December 18, 2026. All supporting documents should be sent as one single PDF file, for each nomination, to Ms. Angela Culler at anculler@utmb.edu, with subject heading “Roberto Logroño Lectureship.” All nominees must be available to attend the ceremony on Thursday, April 29, 2027, at 4:00 pm.

Roberto Logroño, MD Award and Lectureship
for Professionalism in Healthcare

CALL FOR FACULTY NOMINATIONS

Award
We seek nominations for the annual Roberto Logroño, MD Award and Lectureship for Professionalism in Healthcare for meritorious faculty of UTMB’s five schools: Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, School of Health Professions, School of Medicine, School of Nursing, and School of Public and Population Health. This lectureship and award are given annually in memory of Roberto Logroño, M.D., a Tenured Professor and Director of Cytopathology in the Department of Pathology from 1997 until his unexpected death in 2006. Dr. Logroño exemplified many of the attributes of professionalism, including altruism, accountability, excellence, duty, honor and integrity, and respect forothers.

This year’s award ceremony will celebrate UTMB exemplars of professionalism from the past (Dr. Logroño), the present (a faculty member), and the future (a trainee). The Logroño Award recipients will be honored at a ceremony to be held in Spring 2027. Awardees will be asked to present their insight about professionalism.

Award Criteria
The nominee should be a UTMB faculty member noted for a high level of professionalism in teaching, research, patient care, or service. Nominees must clearly manifest their commitment to professionalism and nominations should be based on these qualities rather than length of UTMB service or professional achievements. Desired features include but are not limited to:

• Evidenceofaltruisticactivitiesthatbenefitothers(e.g.,puttingtheneedsofpatients, trainees, or others above their own, volunteer or pro bono service,advocacy)
• Demonstrationofgoingaboveandbeyondinserviceofpatients,peers,and/orstudents of UTMB (e.g.,mentorship)
• Commitmenttoaccountability,duty,andintegrity(e.g.,transparentcommunication,self- identifying mistakes or challenges and correcting them, actively seeking feedback to improve personally andprofessionally)
• Commitment to excellence (e.g., exemplary clinical/teaching/researchpractice, recognizing and promoting ethical innovation, ethical attitude and response in interactions, particularly in challengingsituations).

Nominations
Students, faculty and staff may nominate a candidate. Nominations should include a nomination letter (maximum 500 words) describing in detail, with specific examples, how the candidate exemplifies the principles of professionalism in daily interactions with colleagues, students, patients, and community partners. The nomination should also include the candidate’s curriculum vitae (CV) and up to two (2) additional letters of support (maximum 500 words each) from colleagues (including mentees and learners) who are well acquainted with the candidate. Nomination packets that exceed the word or letter counts will not be reviewed.

The deadline for nominations is December 18, 2026. All supporting documents should be sent as one single PDF file, for each nomination, to Ms. Angela Culler at anculler@utmb.edu,with subject heading “Roberto Logroño Lectureship.” All nominees must be available to attend the ceremony on Thursday, April 29, 2027, at 4:00 pm.

UTMB Pharmacy Department's Southeast Texas Poison Center is proud to host our first National Prescription Drug Take Back Day.  Join us Saturday, October 24, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the UTMB Galveston Campus Circle Drive between Levin Hall and the Moody Medical Library.

UTMB employees and members of the surrounding community can conveniently drive up and safely dispose of unused, unwanted, or expired medications without leaving their vehicles. Pharmacy professionals will also be on site to provide medication counseling and answer medication-related questions.

Clean out your medicine cabinet, reduce the risk of accidental poisonings and medication misuse, and help the UTMB Pharmacy Department build a safer, healthier community.

UTMB offers employee flu shots each year through our Flu Free Vaccination Program to help prevent the spread of seasonal influenza. 

• As a condition of employment, all health care workers must get an annual flu shot or complete a declination form by Nov. 4, 2026. All other members of the UTMB community are strongly encouraged to get vaccinated, unless prohibited for medical reasons.
• Employee flu shots will be available at all hospital campuses, primary care clinics, and Employee Health clinics. Visit the Flu Free website for a complete list of vaccination locations.
• Employees are encouraged to register through MyChart to receive a flu shot at any UTMB location. Please note that if you are not a current UTMB patient, you will be able to create a new patient record or register as a guest.
• Employees who do not live or work in the UTMB clinical service area should get their flu shot from a local provider or pharmacy.
• Any employee vaccinated outside of UTMB, or who has recently had a name change, is asked to complete an attestation form and provide proof of vaccination.

For more information about this year’s vaccination program and the MyChart registration process, please see the Flu Free web page.

SPAN

Study of Pregnancy And Neonatal health (SPAN), pregnancy cohort investigating paternal contributions, placental/fetal genetics, and timing of delivery on neonatal health

What is the purpose of this study?

AIMS: This study will establish a cohort from multiple sites to collect common data elements and conduct a randomized trial among women with gestational diabetes.

(1) paternal cardiovascular health in association with fetal and neonatal outcomes accounting for maternal factors and pregnancy complications,

(2) fetal genetic and placental epigenetic markers influencing fetal growth and neonatal outcomes, and

(3) determining the optimal timing of delivery for women with gestational diabetes (GDM) with lowest risk to neonatal morbidity and perinatal mortality

Inclusion criteria:

1. Age ≥18 Years
2. Accurate gestational age as verified by ultrasound*
3. Verified GA* is <24 weeks, 0 days gestation at time of consent
4. English or Spanish speaker
5. Singleton gestation
6. Does not expect to terminate the pregnancy
7. Plans to deliver at the study site hospital
8. Ability to provide informed consent
9. Male partner willing to provide informed consent
10. Verified diagnosis of GDM with abnormal glucose levels or meeting other criteria for poor control

Please contact the study team at obgynrsu@utmb.eduor research coordinators: gaybarra@utmb.edu ,esvillaa@utmb.edu, scrobaze@utmb.edu

COME OUT AND VISIT 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.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 12^TH

11:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13^TH

8:30 A.M. – 4:00 P.M.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14^TH  

8:30 A.M. – 4:00 P.M.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15^TH

8:30 A.M. – 4:00 P.M.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16^TH  

8:30 A.M. – 2:00 P.M.

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

AND

LEAGUE CITY HOSPITAL ENTRYWAY (ACROSS FROM THE PHARMACY)

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

Proceeds benefit patient and volunteer programs.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT!

Your opinion matters!

Please come out and welcome our newest vendor to UTMB!

Wreaths By Gunny creates wreaths, door decor, lanterns, garland, and

tabletop décor to make your doors and living spaces more beautiful.

Wreaths By Gunny creates these beauties for all holidays and

everyday decor as well.  Each piece would be a great gift

for a loved one or a friend, or maybe for yourself.

       MONDAY, OCTOBER 19^TH    

 9:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M.

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

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

Proceeds benefit patient and volunteer programs.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT!

THIS SATURDAY   October 17, 2026          8:00 a.m.

Stewart Beach, Galveston

Join UTMB in supporting the Walk to End Alzheimer’s®, the world’s largest fundraiser dedicated to Alzheimer’s care, support, and research. This family-friendly, dog-friendly, non-competitive event brings our community together to honor loved ones, support caregivers, and advance the fight against Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

Every day at UTMB, patients and families facing Alzheimer’s and dementia turn to our physicians, nurses, researchers, and staff for hope, care, and guidance. While our healthcare teams provide compassionate support to those living with these conditions, our researchers continue working toward new treatments, prevention strategies, and ultimately a cure.

It's Not Too Late to Get Involved!

10 UTMB teams are registered and there is still time to join the effort.

> Join a team
> Donate to a team
> Show your support today

Click on one of the UTMB teams below  or visit  act.alz.org/UTMB

UTMB SCOA/Geriatrics

Moody Brain Health Institute at UTMB

UTMB PA Studies

UTMB Neurology/Mitchell Center

Team Pharmacy

The Memory Makers of the Mitchell Center

Grad Students Against Alzheimer's

Memories in Motion: UTMB Pediatrics & miRcore

UTMB - Stroke Coordination

UTMB Volunteers

Together, we can make a difference for our patients, families, and community. Let’s show our support and demonstrate that UTMB is fighting for a different future for people living with Alzheimer’s disease and other causes of dementia.