UTMB Announcements for 7/18/2025

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***DUE TODAY*** Now Accepting Application for FY26 UTMB Institutional Ethics Committee
It's time to ELIMINATE frequent UTIs
Breaking the Cycle: Exploring the Link Between Stress and Drug Use
SNO Much Appreciation!!!

Repeat AnnouncementsFirst Published
Call for Abstracts: CTD-SPECTRE 2nd Annual TropEID Symposium7/14/2025
Benefits Annual Enrollment – July 15 to 317/15/2025
ORDER your FISCAL YEAR 2025–2026 Calendars NOW!7/14/2025
Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) Benefits Information Session7/17/2025
Optional Retirement Program of Texas (ORP) Benefits Information Session7/17/2025
Now Taking Appointments: ITS Bioinformatics & Biostatistics Studio7/16/2025
Recruiting Blood Donors (including post-COVID) for a Study about Platelet Mechano-activation and Thrombosis7/16/2025
NIH Summer Institute in Biostatistics & Data Science Student Poster Presentation7/16/2025
Check out the latest Nursing Services Chronicle Newsletter!7/16/2025
The Sealy Institute for Vaccine Sciences- Clinical Trials Program is currently recruiting7/17/2025
UPCOMING PRESENTATION: "Intro to Qualitative Research Methods"7/17/2025
BEYOND BLING BOUTIQUE WILL BE AT THE LEAGUE CITY CAMPUS MONDAY AND TUESDAY ONLY!7/17/2025
Need Help with Your Benefits Elections? HR Is Here to Support You!7/17/2025

***DUE TODAY*** Now Accepting Application for FY26 UTMB Institutional Ethics Committee
First Published 7/18/2025

The Institutional Ethics Committee (IEC) is an integral part of the UTMB System Ethics Program to provide comprehensive, integrated ethics support for the institution. The IEC is a multidisciplinary forum for analyzing and discussing ethical issues and standards affecting patient care, professional education, and community interests in service to the organizational mission of improving health. This mission is fulfilled through the Committee’s advisory, educational, policy management, and service functions.

Anyone may submit a membership application. The Committee seeks individuals who have an interest and commitment to ethical discourse, diversity of perspective, and respect for divergent opinions.

 All students are encouraged to apply.

The commitment term for new members is three years (student commitment is for one year). Meetings occur monthly, with the possibility of emergent meetings on an ad hoc basis should the need arise.

 If you are interested in serving on the committee click here to complete an online application.

The application deadline is July 18, 2025. Applicants selected for the IEC Committee will be notified in mid-August. 

Contact:     Email: Marisela Sifuentes     For: Bioethics and Heath Humanities     Phone: 409-747-9488
 
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It's time to ELIMINATE frequent UTIs
First Published 7/18/2025

OBGYN Research Support Unit is looking for Female Research Volunteers who have a history of recurrent Urinary Tract Infections.

 

We are recruiting for A Two‑Part, Phase 2, Double‑blind, Randomized, Active‑controlled, Parallel‑group, Multicenter Study to Evaluate the Safety, Tolerability, Pharmacokinetics, and Efficacy of LBP‑EC01 in the Treatment of Acute Uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infection Caused by Drug Resistant Escherichia coli (a.k.a. ELIMINATE trial).

 

Participants must meet the following criteria:

  • Female patients (≥18 to 75 years of age)
  • Documented history of UTI in the past 12 months, and prior or current uUTI caused by antimicrobial resistant (AMR) E. coli (as single pathogen or part of polymicrobial infection where E. coli is the predominant pathogen).
    • AMR is defined as resistance to one or more antibiotics in one or more classes.
    • Please note that a current infection can be used to meet the requirement of AMR E. coli documentation.
  • Ability to supply a mid-stream, clean catch urine sample or a urine sample by newly placed catheter for microbiological analysis.
  • Active acute uUTI infection defined by:
    • Evidence of pyuria, AND/OR Dipstick analysis of a clen, mid-stream or catheter urine specimen positive for leukocytes AND
    • At least 2 of the following signs or symptoms of UTI: dysuria, urinary frequency, urinary urgency, or suprapubic pain
    • Willing to comply with all aspects of study design including study restrictions, blood, and scheduled, unscheduled and long-term follow-up study visits.
    • The onset of UTI symptoms must not exceed five days prior to enrollment

                                       

                                                       Participants will be compensated for their time.

Contact:     Email: Gabriela Ybarra     For: OBGYN Research Support Unit     Phone: 409-747-4909
 
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Breaking the Cycle: Exploring the Link Between Stress and Drug Use
First Published 7/18/2025
THE DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACOLOGY & TOXICOLOGY
 
Proudly presents
 
The 2025 Chauncey Leake Memorial Lecture
 
John R. Mantsch, PhD
 
Florence J. Williams Professor and Chair of Pharmacology & Toxicology
Medical College of Wisconsin
 
"Breaking the Cycle: Exploring the Link Between Stress and Drug Use"
 
Friday, July 25, 2025
12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
HEC 3.206
 
About Chauncey D. Leake
This annual lectureship is in honor of Dr. Chauncey D. Leake (1896 - 1978), established in 1993. Dr. Chauncey Leake was an internationally known pharmacologist, philosopher, author and linguist. He published over 600 papers and 12 books. His well-known contributions include the popular version of Harvey's "Circulation of Blood”, Yellow Fever in Galveston. Dr. Leake also founded the internationally distributed journal “Texas Reports on Biology and Medicine” at UTMB. He served as President of the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, the American Association of the History of Medicine, and the History of Science Society. A person who is chosen as the recipient of the Chauncey D. Leake Memorial Lectureship is a person that is representative of the skills that Dr. Chauncey Leake exuded. It is much like selecting “The Person of the Year” in Pharmacology and Toxicology.
 
The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology proudly selected John R. Mantsch Ph.D. as the Chauncey D. Leake Memorial Lecturer of the year.
 
Contact:     Email: Rodrigo Salinas     For: GSBS Pharmacology & Toxicology     Phone: 409-772-2404
 
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SNO Much Appreciation!!!
First Published 7/18/2025

Be on the lookout—a sno-cone pop-up is headed your way!

We’re excited to invite staff and students to take a break, cool down, and enjoy a sweet treat as a small token of our appreciation.

📅 When: Afternoons, July 22–24
🪪 What to bring: Your UTMB ID
⚠️ Note: First come, first served!

Stay cool—we’ll see you there!

Contact:     Email: Lori Blackwell     For: Office of Strategic Branding and Communication     Phone: 4097720196
 
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Call for Abstracts: CTD-SPECTRE 2nd Annual TropEID Symposium
First Published 7/14/2025

Call for Abstracts: CTD-SPECTRE 2nd Annual TropEID Symposium
Tropical & Emerging Infectious Diseases for Clinicians and Translational Scientists

Submit your work for presentation at this year’s CTD-SPECTRE Symposium, happening September 16–19, 2025, at the Grand Galvez, Galveston, TX. We welcome abstracts from all disciplines involved in clinical and translational research in Tropical and Emerging Infectious Diseases (e.g., medical, research, social sciences, public health, health professions).

🎓Open to students, trainees, postdocs, and early-career investigators
🏆Awards for top oral and poster presentations
🎯Engage with global experts in research and clinical care

📢Submission Deadline August 19, 2025

Click to Learn More & Apply

Click for more information
Contact:     Email: Ada Jagape Sison     For: Center for Tropical Diseases     Phone: 409-747-1804
 
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Benefits Annual Enrollment – July 15 to 31
First Published 7/15/2025

It’s time to take charge of your benefits! Annual enrollment for the 2025–2026 plan year runs from Tuesday, July 15, through Thursday, July 31. During this period, you can make changes to your benefits elections, add or remove dependents, and enroll in a flexible spending account. 

 To view or update your current coverage, log in to the My UT Benefitsportal with your UTMB username and password. Please note:  

  • No action is required if you do not want to change your coverage. However, you are encouraged to review your elections and dependents to ensure everything is correct. 
  • You must actively enroll each year to participate in a UT FLEX account. 

 Your benefits elections and any new rates will take effect on Monday, Sept. 1. 

 See the Annual Enrollment web pagefor more information, including employee guidebooks, benefits cost worksheets, and helpful videos. 

Contact:     Email: Benefits Services     For: Human Resources     Phone: (409) 772 2630
 
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ORDER your FISCAL YEAR 2025–2026 Calendars NOW!
First Published 7/14/2025

📅 Order Your FY 25–2026 Calendars!

The end of FY2025 is right around the corner—make sure you're ready for the new year
by placing your FY2026 calendar orders today!

 

Orders will be fulfilled in the order they are received, so if you'd like to use this year's funds, don’t wait!
Place your order online at https://utmb.us/asx

📦 Please note: Orders will begin shipping out late August through early September.

 

Need more than calendars? We’ve got you covered with wide-format printing, posters, banners,
signs, brochures, flyers, postcards, table covers, promotional items—and much more!
Whether it’s a small batch or a large run, we’re here to help.

Contact:     Email: Amber Frazier     For: Academic Resources     Phone: (409) 772.5900
 
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Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) Benefits Information Session
First Published 7/17/2025

Thinking about retirement?  

The HR Benefits Center is hosting a virtual TRS informational session on: 

Friday August 8, 2025, from 12:00pm – 1:00pm 

 

This session will cover retirement benefits eligibility, required documentation, 

and other critical items. To register for this retirement session, please click on the link below.  

Once registered, you will receive a confirmation email, which will be saved to your Outlook calendar. 

 

 

If you are unable to attend this retirement session, future dates for 2025 are listed below. 

Please look out for these dates in the UTMB Daily Announcements! 

 

October 3, 2025 

December 12, 2025 

Contact:     Email: HR Benefits Services     For: Human Resources     Phone: (409) 772 2630
 
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Optional Retirement Program of Texas (ORP) Benefits Information Session
First Published 7/17/2025

Thinking about retirement? The Human Resources Benefits Center is hosting a virtual Optional Retirement Program of Texas (ORP) informational session on:

Thursday, August 8th, 2025, from 2:00pm – 3:00pm

 

This session will cover retirement benefits eligibility, required documentation, and other important critical items. To register for this retirement session, please click on the link below.

Once registered, you will receive a confirmation email, which will be saved to your Outlook calendar.

 

Optional Retirement Program of Texas Benefits Information Session

 

If you are unable to attend this retirement session, future dates for this 2025 are listed below.  Please look out for these dates in the UTMB Daily Announcements!

 

October 3, 2025

December 12, 2025

Contact:     Email: HR Benefits Services     For: Human Resources     Phone: (409) 772 2630
 
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Now Taking Appointments: ITS Bioinformatics & Biostatistics Studio
First Published 7/16/2025

 

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

Click for more information
Contact:     Email: Clinical and Translational Science Award     For: Institute for Translational Sciences     Phone: 409-747-2872
 
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Recruiting Blood Donors (including post-COVID) for a Study about Platelet Mechano-activation and Thrombosis
First Published 7/16/2025

Researchers at Chen's lab, UTMB are studying more about how mechanical force regulates platelet function, and whether mechanobiology can be used to better treat arterial thrombosis.

The study may be a good fit for you if you are at least 18 years old and have no history of trypanophobia or anemia.

·         We are recruiting individuals (both young & aged) with healthy ones.

·         We are also looking to recruit multiple types of individuals (both young & aged) individuals with Hypertension, Diabetes, Obesity and/or any other Non-infectious diseases.

·         We can also recruit individuals with comorbidities such as Hypertension+High Cholesterol, or Hypertension+Diabetes, etc.

·         Moreover, if you recently recovered from Covid, you are more than welcome to join the study.

·         We are also looking for recently vaccinated (within 24-72hrs) Healthy individuals.

 

• What we need from you: One visit of about 30 minutes and donation of a small amount of blood.

• The collected blood volume will be 3-30 ml (venous blood draw).

• There is no cost to you, and you will be compensated for your time and participation.

• This study is not testing any drugs or treatments.

There is no cost to you, and you will be compensated for your time and participation. This study is not testing any drugs or treatments.

Contact:     Email: Atreyee Biswas     For: Biochemistry And Molecular Biology     Phone: 409-772-9753
 
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NIH Summer Institute in Biostatistics & Data Science Student Poster Presentation
First Published 7/16/2025
SIBDS Student Poster Presentations
July 24, 2025
9:30am-11:30 pm
UHC Building 4th Floor
RM 4.108
 
The NIH Summer Institute in Biostatistics (SIBS), sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), offers an extensive 7 week summer training course on biostatistics and data science. The course will include relevant examples from data collected in studies of prevention and treatment of infectious, immune-mediated, and chronic diseases. The program will introduce college students and recent graduates to the principles, methodologies, uses, and applica-tions of statistical methods in biomedical and clinical research.
Contact:     Email: Monica Cline     For: Department of Biostatistics & Data Science     Phone: 409-772-6355
 
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Check out the latest Nursing Services Chronicle Newsletter!
First Published 7/16/2025

Take a look at the most recent issue of the Nursing Service Chronicle Newsletter at https://intranet.utmb.edu/nursingservice/chronicle/July-2025!

 

We're always accepting news for the next issue. So if you have something you would like to share, please let us know by visiting https://utmb.us/8vn.

Click for more information
Contact:     Email: Shane Tuttle     For: Nursing Service     Phone: 4092663246
 
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The Sealy Institute for Vaccine Sciences- Clinical Trials Program is currently recruiting
First Published 7/17/2025

 

The Sealy Institute for Vaccine Sciences- Clinical Trials Program is currently recruiting 18–45-year-old

healthy volunteers for an HPV vaccine study

 

Participants must be HPV vaccine naïve and be available for 14 visits over about 13 months.

Reimbursement is provided for time and travel.

 

Please contact Amy McMahan, LVN atanmcmaha@utmb.edu

Or

sivsctp@utmb.edu

409-772-5278

Contact:     Email: Amy McMahan     For: Sealy Institute for Vaccine Sciences     Phone: (409) 772-5278
 
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UPCOMING PRESENTATION: "Intro to Qualitative Research Methods"
First Published 7/17/2025

"Intro to Qualitative Research Methods"

Please join us for the next in our series of presentations on scholarship and research directed toward medical and health professional students and young faculty members. 

Topic:“Intro to Qualitative Research Methods”

Speaker:  Jeff Susman, MD, Senior Associate Dean, John Sealy School of Medicine

Date:  Friday, July 25, 2025

Time: 12-1 PM

Location:  Research Building #6, Room 1.206

Virtual

https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1609477590?pwd=nCW6E1bHCznzL7aTCvGjyy0ndKNU2H.1

Meeting ID: 160 947 7590

Passcode: 809097

Bring your bag lunch and enjoy a stimulating presentation with colleagues!  Research resources: JSSOM Information for Medical Students Doing Research (utmb.edu)

For more information, contact Dr. Jeffrey Susman, Sr. Associate Dean for Educational Performance, at jlsusman@utmb.edu

Click for more information
Contact:     Email: Dr. Jeff Susman     For: Office of Academic Affairs - John Sealy School of Medicine     Phone: 409-772-3619
 
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BEYOND BLING BOUTIQUE WILL BE AT THE LEAGUE CITY CAMPUS MONDAY AND TUESDAY ONLY!
First Published 7/17/2025

 

COME OUT AND MEET OUR NEWEST VENDOR TO UTMB

MONDAY AND TUESDAY IN LEAGUE CITY

 

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.

 

 MONDAY, JULY 21ST   

9:00 A.M. – 3:30 P.M.

AND

TUESDAY, JULY 22ND    

9:00 A.M. – 3:30 P.M.

 

LEAGUE CITY CAMPUS (CLINIC SIDE) - 1ST FLOOR

 

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

 

Proceeds benefit Patient and Volunteer programs.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT!

 

Contact:     Email: Mary Moody     For: Volunteer Services     Phone: (409) 772-2549
 
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Need Help with Your Benefits Elections? HR Is Here to Support You!
First Published 7/17/2025

 

The HR Benefits Services team is offering in-person and virtual support sessions to help employees with the annual enrollment process for the 2025–2026 plan year.

 

Stop by a location near you or join them online during the scheduled times for one-on-one assistance—no appointment needed.

 

Galveston Campus
Monday, July 21 | 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Moody Medical Library, 2nd Floor, OTC Room 238

 

League City Campus
Tuesday, July 22 | 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Medical Plaza One, 2nd Floor, Room 2.204
2240 Gulf Freeway South, League City, TX 77573

 

Angleton Danbury Campus
Wednesday, July 23 | 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
ADC Classroom 1.303
132 E. Hospital Dr., Angleton, TX 77515

 

Clear Lake Campus
Thursday, July 24 | 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Education Room 2.245
200 Blossom St., Webster, TX 77598

 

Virtual Session
Tuesday, July 29 | 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Click here to meet online with an HR representative

 

Whether you’re navigating the MyUT Benefits portal or have questions about your insurance, retirement, and wellness options, HR is here to help!

 

See the Annual Enrollment web pagefor more information, including employee guidebooks, benefits cost worksheets, and helpful videos.

 

Contact:     Email: HR Benefits Services     For: Human Resources     Phone: (409) 772 2630
 
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