UTMB’s Owen Murray recently discussed the use of telemedicine in the provision of offender health services. During the course of the interview, Murray notes that UTMB has been using telemedicine in the prisons for many years, which allowed them to continue services during the pandemic. Community Impact Newspapers across the state published the interview.

There are many changes because of the pandemic that we must get used to going forward, says Victor Sierpina in his most recent column. He also explains why there is a need for more emphasis on public health to prevent illness.

The COVID-19 Drug Discovery Consortium, an international team of computational scientists, medicinal chemists, biochemists, and virologists have come together quickly to identify drug-like molecules that inhibit SARS-CoV-2 replication. “We are uniquely positioned for this,” said UTMB’s Stan Watowich. “We’ve done it for a long time. We know lots of players.”

COVID-19 is constantly evolving, which led Denver’s newspaper to compile what scientists have learned in the last few months. UTMB’s Vineet Menachery explains that the virus is found both in the upper airway and deep in the lungs, which mean the virus, spreads relatively easy and can also cause severe pneumonia. According to Menachery, it is relatively rare for a virus to do both. The Boulder Daily Camera and The Loveland Reporter-Herald also published this story.

The COVID-19 Drug Discovery Consortium, an international team of computational scientists, medicinal chemists, biochemists, and virologists have come together quickly to identify drug-like molecules that inhibit SARS-CoV-2 replication. “We are uniquely positioned for this,” said UTMB’s Stan Watowich. “We’ve done it for a long time. We know lots of players.”

A local photographer has been going around Texas and photographing first responders fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. He recently met up with first responders in League City where he spoke with UTMB’s Christine Wade and Ken Harkey.

Researchers at UTMB have determined that it is possible to disinfect single-use surgical masks and N95 filtering masks, allowing health care workers to reuse the PPE. UTMB’s Miguel Grimaldo and his team used an autoclave to clean the masks. Even after a third cleaning, the masks were still found to be 99 percent as effective as new masks. Houston’s 93.7 The Beat radio also published this information along with other iHEART stations.

The COVID-19 pandemic has health care professionals dealing with long hours and many unknowns. In this local story, UTMB’s Shawn Nishi and Susan McLellan discuss what their lives have been like as they treat patients battling the illness One of McLellan’s patients who participated in the Remdesivir drug trial was also interviewed for the story.

Personal protective equipment, and in particular masks, have been a topic of much concern for front-line health care workers and first responders dealing with spread of the new coronavirus. The global spread of the disease has strained supplies and disrupted supply chain, making the needed masks harder to come by.

A $2.5M donation from The Moody Foundation will help UTMB continue making advances in core mission areas: research, patient care and education. “These generous gifts come at a crucial time for the medical branch and will help us to continue making progress in many different and important fields while also dealing with a worldwide pandemic,” said president ad interim, Dr. Ben Raimer. The Houston Business Journal also reported the Moody Foundation’s donation.