A multimillion dollar grant could help researchers develop a novel therapeutic for women recovering from hip fractures. UTMB is part of a consortium of seven universities that has received $15.6 million from the National Institute on Aging for a multisite clinical trial to study the use of testosterone therapy and exercise in post-menopausal women recovering from hip fracture.

Frequent alcohol consumption kills new brain cells in adults, with females being more vulnerable, according to new research at UTMB. Led by Dr. Ping Wu, professor in the Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, the researchers discovered that alcohol killed the stem cells in adult mouse brains. Because brain stem cells are responsible for creating new nerve cells and are important to maintaining normal cognitive function, this study could open a door to combating chronic alcoholism.

A group of scientists led by Dr. Ramkumar Menon at UTMB have gained new insights into what factors lead to preterm birth. These findings could help pregnant women decrease their risk.

Growing up during an era with an active space program, Dr. Joan Nichols and Dr. Joaquin Cortiella were fascinated by space. Now, she and Cortiella, a professor and physician in the Department of Anesthesiology at UTMB, are having the chance to live a childhood dream.

The start of the 2017-2018 academic year was a memorable one for UTMB students and faculty. Just days after welcoming new students from all schools to campus at fall orientation, leaders in UTMB’s Academic Enterprise had the safety of students, faculty and staff in mind when they decided to cancel classes as Hurricane Harvey closed in on the Texas gulf coast.

Immunizing female mice with a Zika vaccine can protect their developing fetus from infection and birth defects during pregnancy, according to new UTMB research. The UTMB study is the first to demonstrate that potential vaccines could protect a fetus from the Zika virus.

Managing asthma in adults can be tricky because the condition can stem from several causes and treatment often depends on what is triggering the asthma. A team of experts from UTMB examined and summarized the current information available from many different sources on diagnosing and managing mild to moderate asthma in adults.

Researchers have found a way to increase the effectiveness of a widely used cancer drug while decreasing the risk of heart-damaging side effects, according to a new study by researchers from UTMB and Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center.

Researchers at UTMB may hold the answer to preventing premature cell death. According to Dr. Ken Fujise, head of UTMB’s cardiology division, the key finding of new research is that the protein fortilin plays a role in the death of cells that could help fight cancer or help preserve an organ that will be used in a transplant.

Pregnant women at risk of Zika virus infection may not be aware of the various ways the virus is spread or be taking the proper preventive measures. A survey conducted by UTMB researchers focused on pregnant women in Southeast Texas.

When you take medication or get a vaccine or chemotherapy, chances are you’re able to do so because of animal research. In fact, most of the major medical advances in the last century were made possible through the help of laboratory animals.

A person carrying variants of two particular genes could be almost three times more likely to develop multiple sclerosis, according to the latest findings from scientists at UTMB and Duke University Medical Center.

New research led by Dr. Fangjian Guo, assistant professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UTMB, suggests that the increase in women receiving BRCA gene testing may not necessarily mean better diagnosis of those at risk of certain types of cancer.

Sometimes, it’s the algorithm that knows best. Dr. Michael Kinsky, a professor in UTMB’s Department of Anesthesiology, has developed a device that can monitor a patient’s oxygen levels and alert medical staff when levels drop and the patient is at risk for pulmonary distress.

Dr. Ping Wu, PhD, professor of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, and Nikos Vasilakis, PhD, associate professor of Pathology, have uncovered the mechanisms that the Zika virus uses to alter brain development.

To help stop the spread of diseases carried by arthropod vectors such as mosquitoes and ticks, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention awarded UTMB $10 million to establish the Western Gulf Center of Excellence for Vector-Borne Diseases. The center’s work will protect public health in the region, the nation and beyond.

UTMB researchers have developed a vaccine against salmonella poisoning designed to be taken by mouth. The findings are detailed in an article published in Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology.

UTMB is the winner of a Grand Challenges Explorations grant, an initiative funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The $100,000 grant will help Alejandro Castellanos-Gonzalez, PhD, assistant professor at UTMB, and his team pursue an innovative global health and development research project aimed at defining targets for drug development against a diarrhea-causing parasite.

A new UTMB study offers important insight into how Alzheimer’s disease begins within the brain. The researchers found a relationship between inflammation, a toxic protein and the onset of the disease. The study also identified a way that doctors can detect early signs of Alzheimer’s by looking at the back of patients’ eyes.

UTMB researchers have developed new potential vaccines that protect animals against the bacteria that causes the deadly plague. These findings are detailed in NPJ Vaccines.