Rakez Kayed, PhD, was recently awarded $1.9 million from the NIH’s National Institute on Aging to study the formation and propagation of tau oligomeric strains in Alzheimer’s disease. Brain cells depend on tau protein to form highways for the cells to receive nutrients and get rid of waste.

If you point at any one of the surgical instruments in UTMB’s Sterile Processing Department, bets are Lori Martin knows its name and purpose. No, she’s not a surgeon, but she plays a vital role in patient care. As a sterile processing technician, Martin handles thousands of reusable surgical instruments and devices—from scalpel handles to fiber-optic endoscopes—every week. Her team runs a 24/7 operation and is responsible for washing, sterilizing, cooling, assembling, packaging and storing all medical devices and instruments used by UTMB, from Galveston to Huntsville.

Colt Keo-Meier knows it can be a cruel world for people who don’t conform to societal norms. As a licensed psychologist and preeminent researcher on transgender health, he sees patients from early childhood to adulthood who struggle with not fitting into traditional gender roles.

Eighty-nine incoming Physician Assistant Studies students recently received their white coats in a ceremony to welcome them into their new program of professional study.

Dr. Rex McCallum joined UTMB in 2010 as vice president, chief physician executive and professor of Internal Medicine. In 2014, he became associate dean for clinical affairs. He is a recognized leader and physician executive with expertise in strategic and operational development within a complex health care organization.

A study released in May shows UTMB has a broad and significant economic impact in our local communities, the region and throughout the state.

Wear lightweight clothing. Lightweight, loose-fitting clothing will help sweat evaporate easily and keep you cooler in hot, humid climates. Look for shirts and pants with a tight weave and avoid dark colors, which can absorb heat. Top it off with a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses that protect against UVA and UVB spectrum light.

From East Beach in Galveston, one can see how much UTMB’s Galveston Campus has grown over its 125-year history. What started as one medical school building in 1891 has developed into an academic health center featuring two on-site hospitals, four schools, a national biocontainment laboratory, a comprehensive medical library and numerous clinics and research facilities.

Thanks to your efforts, UTMB is considered a leading academic medical center in our state, focused on providing exemplary patient care, research innovations and educational excellence.

Marcus Yanez, a pharmacy technician at UTMB’s Angleton Danbury Campus, was recently honored by Angleton High School students for being an exceptional teacher. As part of the Health Technology partnership with area high schools, students come to ADC to shadow various positions and learn about health care careers.

Michael Laposata, MD, PhD, vividly remembers an exchange he had with an internal medicine resident back in 1984. “I was a first-year clinical pathology resident at the time and he asked me a simple lab test question; he didn’t know how to further evaluate an abnormally prolonged clotting test for a patient with unexplained bleeding,” said Laposata, professor and chair of UTMB’s Department of Pathology. “It surprised me.”

June 4 marked the start of a busy opening weekend for the Labor, Delivery, Recovery and Postpartum Unit at the new League City Campus Hospital. In three days, five babies were welcomed into the world by the LDRP team.

A new study by UTMB researchers found that pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) therapy among older adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is underutilized, despite its health benefits and cost effectiveness.

Concealed handguns will be permitted on Texas public university campuses beginning Aug. 1 to comply with a new law passed by the Texas Legislature last year.

As a physical therapist at UTMB’s Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation clinic on the League City Campus, Hernandez brings indispensable energy and enthusiasm to her work helping those with injuries or disabilities manage pain, restore mobility and improve their overall quality of life.

When the 2016 School of Medicine graduates received their degrees at the Moody Gardens Convention Center in Galveston on June 4, they also received some advice from a very well-known name in the field of infectious diseases—Thomas Geisbert, PhD.

School of Medicine graduate Victoria Ann Shepard received this year’s prestigious Gold-Headed Cane Award—the highest honor bestowed upon a graduating medical student.

Marcel Blanchard is UTMB’s associate vice president for Utilities Operations within Business Operations and Facilities. His responsibilities include supervising a team of support engineers for capital programs and maintenance support, district energy operations, the campus sustainability program, as well as the business management of two service centers.

When Dr. David Callender arrived at the Beaumont Complex on June 2 for a CMC Town Hall on the Road meeting, he got a firsthand lookat the extraordinary work UTMB CMC employees do on a daily basis—and during disaster situations.

There’s a photo on Marlene Salas-Provance’s desk that shows her standing next to a tired but grateful-looking father and a smiling young girl. It’s a daily reminder of the important work she does around the world.