• Scientists work to improve efficiency of embryo formation

    Two recent reports in the journals Cell and Nature describe research that started with single cells and provided the right conditions to stimulate the cells to grow into embryos. Drs. Norbert Herzog and David Niesel explored the possibilities in their latest Medical Discovery News column.

  • What are benefits of weight training?

    Research has shown that our muscle mass worsens as we age, wrote Dr. Samuel Mathis in his newspaper column. “This causes us to naturally weaken if we don’t actively work to maintain our muscle tone. By lifting heavy things, we help keep our muscle mass.”

  • replace for older adults

    Now Medicare Part D covers vaccines at no cost

    The new year is starting strong with the news that those with Medicare Part D may receive all recommended vaccines without paying a dime.

  • So, exactly how worried should we be about the XBB.1.5 Variant? An infectious disease expert explains

    The XBB variants are derived from the recombination of two strains of the BA.2 lineage of omicron (an earlier dominant strain), Dr. Vineet Menachery, assistant professor in the department of microbiology and immunology at the University of Texas Medical Branch, explains. Get ready for some scientific jargon: XBB.1.5 has many of the same spike mutations and immune evasion as other omicron strains, according to Dr. Menachery. However, a mutation at position 486 in XBB.1.5 spike is predicted to improve binding to the human ACE2 receptor and is thought to be driving XBB.1.5 emergence through increased transmission.

  • US inks $25 Million deal to fight Ebola with Moderna technology

    Scientists at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, in partnership with Moderna, were awarded $13.5 million over three years to design, manufacture and test mRNA vaccines for Ebola. UTMB could receive an additional $11.1 million to study alternative ways of administering the vaccines. The contract is part of a broader push by the US to protect military personnel using technology that enabled the quick development of COVID-19 vaccines early in the pandemic. Many international and regional news organizations also reported this story.

  • What to know about the ‘most transmissible’ COVID-19 variant

    Some experts worry XBB.1.5 could drive a surge in cases in the coming weeks. The speed of its increase is reminiscent of other variants that previously caused high numbers of cases, said Vineet Menachery, who studies coronaviruses at the University of Texas Medical Branch. “This seems like the next big wave,” he said. “I don’t know that it’ll be as big as previous waves, but I do think we’re looking at a high rate of infection, and that’s what the experience of the last couple years suggests is going to happen.” Many other online news sites reprinted this article.

  • Galveston County likely near top for fentanyl overdoses

    Kathryn Cunningham, director of the University of Texas Medical Branch’s Center for Addiction Research, said Galveston County and Texas are in a fentanyl crisis and there’s no clear evidence the problem is improving. “Texas, which is the second most populous state in the country, has seen a 70 percent increase in overdoses between 2020 and 2022,” Cunningham said. “If you look per capita, the overdose deaths here are more than Harris County,” she said, referring to Galveston County and noting the data was two years old.

  • Researchers test private wells near Jones Road Superfund Site after EPA report finds groundwater contamination is still a concern

    One of the organizations that is pushing for more testing and information is the Texas Health and Environment Alliance, or THEA. They’ve teamed up with researchers from the University of Texas Medical Branch, UTMB, to test the water and air at 55 properties – both inside and outside the EPA’s official boundaries. Lance Hallberg with UTMB said the goal is to have data for the community. “The purpose of whatever we find whether good or bad is for them to be able to utilize that in requesting any additional services from EPA if necessary,” he said.

  • Now Medicare Part D covers vaccines at no cost

    People with Medicare Part D can receive all recommended vaccines without paying a dime. Drs. Megan Berman and Richard Rupp explained it in their recent Vaccine Smarts column.

  • image of individual lying on ground while another person performs CPR

    Cardiac Arrest - What you need to know

    In the wake of the cardiac arrest episode experienced by NFL player Damar Hamlin, UTMB pediatric cardiologist Dr. Ashraf Aly took some time out to visit with our friends at Houston Moms to answer some important questions surrounding the heart and how it works.

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