From basketball court to crisis and back: UTMB Health guides a young athlete’s healing journey July 22, 2026 • 8:53 a.m. by Margaret Battistelli Gardner and Tristen Kersh When an ordinary basketball play left 9-year-old Jonah with a hidden brain bleed, UTMB Health pediatric experts guided him from a frightening diagnosis to a full return to the sport he loves. Therapy dogs lend a healing paw in teen's recovery at UTMB Health July 21, 2026 • 8:43 a.m. by Katherine Adams Following two major spinal fusion revision surgeries, 16-year-old Lilly Tucker spent six weeks at UTMB Health recovering from temporary partial paralysis. During her rehabilitation, visits from dogs in the pet therapy program provided comfort, eased anxiety, and motivated her to walk farther and faster during physical therapy. Shifts in pain management focus on safer, nonopioid treatments July 20, 2026 • 2:35 p.m. by Katherine Adams Patients seeking pain treatment are increasingly asking about alternatives to opioids. Physicians at UTMB Health emphasize personalized care that targets the source of pain through procedures, physical therapy, lifestyle changes, and psychological support. Weight loss is one battle. Keeping it off is another. July 17, 2026 • 8:33 a.m. by Katherine Adams Weight loss and weight maintenance are two different biological processes, according to UTMB endocrinologist Israa Ali, MD. While losing weight requires creating a calorie deficit, maintaining that loss requires overcoming the body’s natural responses, including a slower metabolism and increased hunger signals designed to restore lost weight. Nishi named chief of pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine at UTMB July 15, 2026 • 8:00 a.m. by Katherine Adams Shawn Nishi, MD, has been appointed chief of the UTMB Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine. A UTMB alumna and longtime faculty member, she aims to expand research, education, innovation, and access to specialized pulmonary care. For Galveston retiree, compassionate cancer care close to home is key to recovery July 10, 2026 • 8:58 a.m. by Leslie Sanderson After Charles Meyer's wife died, his grief was compounded by the diagnosis of ampullary cancer. Working with Dr. Raj Vaghjiani, a surgical oncologist at UTMB Health, Meyer completed immunotherapy and prehabilitation before undergoing the Whipple procedure, a complex surgery to remove the tumor and reconnect the digestive system. UTMB breakthrough cuts heart scan times by 35% July 8, 2026 • 11:21 a.m. by Margaret Battistelli Gardner By redesigning how cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging is managed and streamlining the clinical workflow, average scan times dropped by 35.1% over seven months — from 94.7 minutes down to 61.4 minutes at UTMB Health. UTMB core innovation team codevelopment initiatives improve patient care and outcomes July 2, 2026 • 9:55 a.m. by Leslie Sanderson At UTMB Health, algorithms are used to advance patient care in high-demand specialties, including nephrology, endocrinology, infectious disease, and rheumatology, helping determine which patients should be prioritized. The UTMB ITS core innovation team codevelops and implements these projects. Fireworks safety: How to prevent burn injuries this Independence Day July 1, 2026 • 11:52 a.m. by Amanda Linford Fireworks can cause serious burn injuries in seconds. The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB Health) Blocker Burn Unit encourages simple safety steps and recommends attending professional displays to reduce risk. UTMB researchers awarded USDA funding for projects focused on screwworm detection and response June 25, 2026 • 2:11 p.m. by Margaret Battistelli Gardner UTMB is leading the next generation of agricultural biosecurity by combining artificial intelligence with laboratory science to detect biological threats faster, protect producers, safeguard the food supply, and strengthen national security. Search Categories Awards & Accolades Education Faculty/Staff News Health Care In The News Innovations News Releases Top News UTMB Research Contact Media Team UTMB Experts
From basketball court to crisis and back: UTMB Health guides a young athlete’s healing journey July 22, 2026 • 8:53 a.m. by Margaret Battistelli Gardner and Tristen Kersh When an ordinary basketball play left 9-year-old Jonah with a hidden brain bleed, UTMB Health pediatric experts guided him from a frightening diagnosis to a full return to the sport he loves.
Therapy dogs lend a healing paw in teen's recovery at UTMB Health July 21, 2026 • 8:43 a.m. by Katherine Adams Following two major spinal fusion revision surgeries, 16-year-old Lilly Tucker spent six weeks at UTMB Health recovering from temporary partial paralysis. During her rehabilitation, visits from dogs in the pet therapy program provided comfort, eased anxiety, and motivated her to walk farther and faster during physical therapy.
Shifts in pain management focus on safer, nonopioid treatments July 20, 2026 • 2:35 p.m. by Katherine Adams Patients seeking pain treatment are increasingly asking about alternatives to opioids. Physicians at UTMB Health emphasize personalized care that targets the source of pain through procedures, physical therapy, lifestyle changes, and psychological support.
Weight loss is one battle. Keeping it off is another. July 17, 2026 • 8:33 a.m. by Katherine Adams Weight loss and weight maintenance are two different biological processes, according to UTMB endocrinologist Israa Ali, MD. While losing weight requires creating a calorie deficit, maintaining that loss requires overcoming the body’s natural responses, including a slower metabolism and increased hunger signals designed to restore lost weight.
Nishi named chief of pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine at UTMB July 15, 2026 • 8:00 a.m. by Katherine Adams Shawn Nishi, MD, has been appointed chief of the UTMB Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine. A UTMB alumna and longtime faculty member, she aims to expand research, education, innovation, and access to specialized pulmonary care.
For Galveston retiree, compassionate cancer care close to home is key to recovery July 10, 2026 • 8:58 a.m. by Leslie Sanderson After Charles Meyer's wife died, his grief was compounded by the diagnosis of ampullary cancer. Working with Dr. Raj Vaghjiani, a surgical oncologist at UTMB Health, Meyer completed immunotherapy and prehabilitation before undergoing the Whipple procedure, a complex surgery to remove the tumor and reconnect the digestive system.
UTMB breakthrough cuts heart scan times by 35% July 8, 2026 • 11:21 a.m. by Margaret Battistelli Gardner By redesigning how cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging is managed and streamlining the clinical workflow, average scan times dropped by 35.1% over seven months — from 94.7 minutes down to 61.4 minutes at UTMB Health.
UTMB core innovation team codevelopment initiatives improve patient care and outcomes July 2, 2026 • 9:55 a.m. by Leslie Sanderson At UTMB Health, algorithms are used to advance patient care in high-demand specialties, including nephrology, endocrinology, infectious disease, and rheumatology, helping determine which patients should be prioritized. The UTMB ITS core innovation team codevelops and implements these projects.
Fireworks safety: How to prevent burn injuries this Independence Day July 1, 2026 • 11:52 a.m. by Amanda Linford Fireworks can cause serious burn injuries in seconds. The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB Health) Blocker Burn Unit encourages simple safety steps and recommends attending professional displays to reduce risk.
UTMB researchers awarded USDA funding for projects focused on screwworm detection and response June 25, 2026 • 2:11 p.m. by Margaret Battistelli Gardner UTMB is leading the next generation of agricultural biosecurity by combining artificial intelligence with laboratory science to detect biological threats faster, protect producers, safeguard the food supply, and strengthen national security.