UTMB Police Chief Thomas Engells is a co-recipient of the UT System Police Chief of the Year for 2014, sharing the honor this year with Chief Michael Parks, UT Health Science Center San Antonio. The chiefs were honored at the recent UTS Annual Police Chiefs Retreat in Bandera, Texas. Engells received the inaugural UT System Police Chief of the Year in 2011 as well.

Dr. Scott Weaver, Scientific Director of the Galveston National Laboratory and Director of UTMB’s Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, has been selected by the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene and to receive the 2014 Walter Reed Medal.

The accolade recognizes distinguished accomplishments in the field of tropical medicine and is awarded only every third year. Dr. Weaver was given the honor due to his “important contributions to the understanding and control of tropical diseases.’’ 

FAA Administrator Michael Huerta presents award to Tarah Castleberry and Chuck Mathers

Congratulations to UTMB’s Aerospace Medicine Team—Jim Vanderploeg, Tarah Castleberry, Chuck Mathers, and Becky Blue—on their recent recognition from the Federal Aviation Administration.

The group was recognized for their research on Human Spaceflight through the FAA’s Federal Aviation Administration Center of Excellence for Commercial Space Transportation. Of the nine core universities and five affiliate members of the Center of Excellence, the UTMB team was singled out for their research contributions on Human Spaceflight.

The UT System Board of Regents has awarded UTMB $5.7 million to develop a UT System Proteomics Core Facility Network.  D. Alexander Kurosky, Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Director of our Biomolecular Resource Facility, will be the Principal Investigator and Program Director of the network. The main goal of the proteomics core facility network will be to make available high-quality proteomics technologies and expertise to all researchers and trainees across UT System’s nine universities and six health institutions.

The National Institutes of Health has awarded Dr. David N. Herndon a new grant to study the effects of administering fenofibrate, alone or in combination with propanol, in patients with severe burns. The four-year award totals more than $4.3 million.

Insulin resistance can last at least three years in severely burned patients, which delays the patients’ return to normalcy and reduces their quality of life. 
Dr. Junji Iwahara has been awarded a four-year grant totaling $1,059,460 from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences to investigate DNA-scanning mechanisms for zinc-finger proteins at the molecular and atomic levels.

Dr. Lawrence Sowers, Professor and Chair of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Professor of Internal Medicine and Director of the MD-PhD Combined Degree Program, will lead UTMB’s cancer research programs. Dr. Sowers has been funded by the National Cancer Institute for the past 25 years and has been involved in the development and review of our past cancer centers. He will facilitate laboratory and translational studies involving UTMB faculty members, with a primary goal to increase our portfolio of research funded by the NCI.

The Dickinson Diamond Dance Team has made a generous donation to the UTMB Komen team. Team members organized a “Pink Out” day at Dickinson High School and sold T-shirts to raise funds for Susan G. Komen, allowing the team to make a $300 donation through the UTMB Komen Team. As with all donations to the UTMB Komen Team, 100% of funds donated go to Susan G. Komen.