A special program with area state lawmakers is scheduled for 8 a.m. Dec. 15 at Levin Hall at the corner of Market and 10th streets on the UTMB campus. Dr. David L. Callender will introduce the participants, which will feature State Reps. Larry Taylor and Craig Eiland. The program, which is being presented by the Texas Tribune, will be moderated by Evan Smith, CEO and editor-in-chief of the Tribune.   

 

UTMB is collecting donations for the underprivileged geriatric patient population this holiday season. Suggested items include non-perishable food, along with personal items such as lip balm, facial tissue, lotion and deodorant. Seniors often enjoy cards, books and puzzles and often need quilts, socks, jackets, gloves and scarves. Donation boxes will be available through Friday, Dec. 16 at the Multispecialty Center and Stark Diabetes Clinic, 2660 Gulf Freeway South, League City and the University Eye Center, 700 University Blvd., Galveston. Tax-deductible cash and check donations are also accepted. For more information, contact Kelley Prevou, with the Sealy Center on Aging, at 409-747-1987.      

 

The UTMB Health Center for Obesity and Metabolic Surgery will present a free seminar on weight loss options, including medical and surgical treatments, at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 10, at the Galveston Island Hilton, 5400 Seawall Blvd. For more information or to register, call 832-505-1500 or go to www.utmb.edu/obesity.

 

Members of the the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute may register for free certified training in CPR and the use of automated external defibrillators. The American Red Cross training is made possible through grants from the Isla Turner Friendship Trust and the United Way. The session takes place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 12, at 4700 Broadway, Suite B101. Registration is required and will be on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information or to register, call 409-763-5604. 

 

“Current federal science policy: How to foster a stronger medical countermeasures program — from biosecurity and biosafety to reliability programs” was the topic of the Biosecurity Symposia Series at the Galveston National Laboratory, presented by George W. Korch, co-chairman of the Federal Experts Security Advisory Panel.

 

Dr. Yun F. “Wayne” Wang, associate professor at Emory University School of Medicine and director of microbiology, immunology and molecular diagnostics at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, spoke on mass spectrometry and “changing the landscape of diagnostic microbiology.”

 

“Rapid detection and characterization of viral and bacterial pathogens using microarrays and high-throughput sequencing” was presented by Crystal Jaing, group leader in applied genomics

at the Lawrence Livermore National Lab in California.

 

“Making connections” was the topic of Kartik Venkatachalam, assistant professor of integrative biology at the UT Health Science Center at Houston.