UTMB School of Nursing Population Health students partnered with the Galveston Police Department to keep bicyclists safe by developing bicycle lanes near campus. As part of their clinical assignment, the students developed a study for the need of bicycle lanes and conducted numerous surveys that showed most respondents did not feel safe riding their bikes to campus without lanes and signage.

Three UTMB employees were chosen as inaugural recipients of the Regents’ Outstanding Employee Award. Chad Connally, nursing program manager, Emergency Services Administration; Mike Mastrangelo, program director, Institutional Preparedness—Facilities Risk Management; and Scott Woodby, nurse clinician V, MICU/CCU, received the prestigious award in recognition of their outstanding performance, innovation, enthusiasm and dedication in their jobs.

When it comes to opioid addiction, many people don’t see it coming. It can happen to anyone, anywhere—and quickly spiral out of control. “I’ve had patients who had a surgical procedure and three weeks later were addicted to heroin,” said Dr. Edythe Harvey, an addiction psychiatrist at UTMB.

Ruth Perez remembers the days when she could hardly get out of bed because of the headaches and shortness of breath. Always tired, she could hardly do a thing because her body couldn’t handle the exertion.

Flu? Poison Ivy? Spider bite? Broken bone? Rash? You name it, Tasheda Johnson has seen it. “Every day is different—you never know what situation is going to walk through the door when you work in urgent care,” she says.

When medical students Adam and Christine Kley sat in UTMB’s Levin Hall Auditorium in Galveston on March 16 to find out where they would be continuing their training, it was the culmination of a long and winding road that included marriage and a life-changing experience in South America.

“Burnout” is a word that gets thrown around a lot—especially between busy, working professionals. However, research shows that it’s not just a busy schedule that can trigger professional burnout. In fact, there are various levels of burnout that can be experienced by all types of professionals from all walks of life.

When Dr. Laura Rudkin was told not to worry who would be the next chair of their department because she would be there to “help him,” she took it as a challenge.

When Jesus Urzua ran across the Galveston Causeway on March 3 as part of the School of Health Professions’ FunD Run 5K, he did it not just for the stunning bay views—he did it to benefit students, much like himself.

Each year in January, “Warren” enters the UTMB learning environment. Close to 1,000 first-year students from all UTMB schools—Medicine, Nursing, Health Professions and Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences—engage in a fictional interprofessional case study entitled “What’s Wrong With Warren?”

Conservation and sustainability work hand-in-hand to ensure a great future for ourselves and the planet. Here are 10 easy ways to conserve natural resources and promote sustainability at home and at work.

Participants of this UTMB-sponsored event enjoy stunning bay views from atop the Galveston Causeway while raising money for student scholarships. Since pedestrian travel over the causeway is strictly prohibited, it’s a rare opportunity to take Galveston’s only major incline by foot.

Welcome to the latest issue of Impact. This edition highlights many of our people and initiatives that make UTMB a leader in defining the future of health care in Texas and around the world.

Joel Ortiz, animal resource supervisor, and Amanda Heatherly, protocol advisor and liaison with UTMB’s Animal Resource Center, traveled to Cayo Santiago, Puerto Rico— also known as Monkey Island—during the December holidays to help with recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria.

Thousands. That’s how many different laboratory tests physicians may choose from when diagnosing, screening or monitoring a patient. It’s a vast menu—including common tests that measure glucose levels or specialty tests that screen for Zika virus. However, growing evidence shows that just because a test is available, doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to have it done.

With just days to spare, UTMB leaders and participating health care providers were informed that a program providing funding for critical services for underserved patients will be extended another five years.

Ever since she can remember, UTMB graduate student Elizabeth Jaworski has had “a thing” for science. “I love it so much! I really do. It can be a huge challenge but it’s fun—you’re at the forefront of discovery, which is really exciting,” she says.

Vivian Kardow joined the UTMB family in October 2017 as vice president of Human Resources and Employee Services. In this role, she is responsible for partnering with executive leadership to provide overall strategic planning and management of UTMB’s human resource services and programs.

A light that is barely visible to the human eye could be the key to stopping the terrible effects of Alzheimer’s disease. A new UTMB study shows that using near infrared light on the heads of mice can effectively reduce vulnerability to the damaging effects of a toxic chemical in the brain known to be involved with the onset of Alzheimer’s.

If the idea of getting a colonoscopy makes you grimace, you’re not alone. However, the procedure may not be as bad as you think— and it could save your life. Colorectal cancer is the No. 2 cancer killer in the U.S. Early detection and regular screenings are key to avoiding this deadly disease.

In 1895, a German scientist chanced upon a form of radiation capable of “seeing through” most solid objects, rapidly transforming the practice of medicine.

Welcome to the February issue of Impact. We closed out last month with a Jan. 24 Town Hall that covered a variety of topics, including financial and construction updates and FY18 Institutional Priorities.

Raymond (Sonny) Morales, construction manager; Leonard LaComb, principal facilities project manager; and Joel Long, maintenance customer service manager; received UTMB President David Callender’s Way to Go Awards for their dedication to helping the patients and families staying at the Ronald McDonald House in Galveston.

When Dr. Abe DeAnda trained in cardiac surgery years ago, he was given some dangerous advice. “There were a lot of old rules of thumb such as, ‘If you need to give one (unit of blood), give two,’” recalled DeAnda, who is now professor and chief of cardiovascular and thoracic surgery at UTMB. “Every resident memorized that about blood transfusions. It was probably the most dangerous rule you could learn in medicine.”

UTMB liver transplant recipient celebrates 10th wedding anniversary after a journey from near-death to new life.

Vaccine research and development will expand at UTMB with the creation of the Sealy Institute for Vaccine Sciences. The institute, supported by The Sealy & Smith Foundation and approved by The University of Texas System, will help fund and further guide the development of preventive and therapeutic vaccines at UTMB.

UTMB’s Dr. Scott Weaver was named as a Fellow by the National Academy of Inventors and will be inducted into the academy on April 5, 2018 during its annual conference in Washington, D.C. Weaver, globally recognized for his expertise in mosquito-borne diseases, is the director of the UTMB Institute for Human Infections and Immunity and scientific director of the Galveston National Laboratory.

For Jeimmy Banegas and Darion Alexander, working as patient transporters means much more than just taking patients from point A to point B. It’s about providing excellent customer service, supporting patients when they need it most—and always greeting everyone who comes through the door with a smile.

Dr. Vicki Freeman currently serves as interim dean for the School of Health Professions, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. She first joined UTMB in 1996 as chair of the school’s clinical laboratory sciences department and is responsible for leading the program into becoming one of the largest and most dynamic in the country.

As the University of Texas System community continues to mourn the sudden loss of UTMB Police Chief Tom Engells, those who knew him are remembering his charismatic personality and the legacy he built.