UTMB News Articles

  • Experimental treatments could help US Ebola patient

    Ebola expert Thomas Geisbert of The University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, who helped develop Merck's Ervebo vaccine against the Zaire species of Ebola, discusses potential treatments, including the antiviral pill obeldesivir and an antibody cocktail called MBP134.

  • Raised garden beds filled with leafy vegetables and flowering plants sit beneath wooden trellises and shade coverings in a community garden. The sunny outdoor space is surrounded by fencing, nearby homes, and utility poles in the background.

    Growing hope close to home with a UTMB-supported garden

    As food pantries face rising demand, UTMB is expanding a St. Vincent’s House vegetable garden through UTMB President’s Cabinet grants. The project grows fresh produce for pantry shelves while giving students hands-on training in community nutrition.

  • Ugandans rue link to Bundibugyo, the Ebola virus type named after a district of cocoa farmers

    The 2007 outbreak in Bundibugyo killed at least 37 people but had been contained by the end of the year. A second outbreak of the Bundibugyo virus, also relatively small, came in 2012 in Congo’s northeast. Initial cases in those outbreaks were identified early, allowing for a quick public health response, according to Dr. Tom Ksiazek, a University of Texas Medical Branch virologist who directed the group within the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that first identified the Bundibugyo virus.

  • Yellow diamond-shaped warning sign reading “Hurricane Season Ahead” overlaid on a satellite map of the Atlantic Ocean, with the southeastern United States, Caribbean, and a visible storm system swirling over the water.

    Essential hurricane tips from UTMB

    Hurricane season on the Texas Gulf Coast is inevitable, making early and consistent preparation essential to reduce risks. UTMB emergency preparedness experts emphasize that even in quieter years, a single storm can cause major damage, so residents should plan ahead, build emergency kits, secure property and stay informed throughout the season.

  • Are bananas sabotaging our health?

    In his column for The Daily News, Dr. Samuel Mathis poses the question, "What if I told you that adding bananas to our smoothies may reduce the beneficial effects of this drink?"

  • Ebola outbreak has global concerns in connected world

    Some Ebola outbreaks have had death rates approaching 50 percent, making it one of the world’s most feared infectious diseases, write Sealy Institute for Vaccine Sciences faculty members Drs. Megan Berman, a professor of internal medicine, and Richard Rupp, a professor of pediatrics, at UTMB.

  • Gov. Abbott appoints four to chronic kidney disease task force

    Ajay Israni, M.D., division chief of nephrology at the University of Texas Medical Branch, is among four medical healthcare professionals appointed by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to a chronic kidney disease task force to coordinate implementation of the state’s plan for prevention, early screening, diagnosis, and management of chronic kidney disease, and educate healthcare professionals.

  • A snow-covered mountain peak rises above a layer of clouds, with sharp ridgelines visible against a clear blue sky, including 3 people holding a UTMB flag.

    UTMB Health pediatric ENT specialist pursues excellence at every altitude

    Having scaled five of the renowned Seven Summits, Dr. Harold Pine, UTMB Health pediatric ENT, plans to attempt the tallest one, Mount Everest, in 2027. But first, he will embark on a Mount Everest medical mission this month, providing round-the-clock medical care for conditions such as altitude-related illnesses, frostbite, and injuries.

  • A middle-aged couple stands together outdoors near the water, smiling at the camera. The man wears a baseball cap and gray long-sleeve shirt, while the woman wears a Texas A&M T-shirt and rests her hand on his chest.

    Against the odds, UTMB Health and EMS give cardiac arrest patient a second chance at life

    Blaine Pogue suffered sudden cardiac arrest during a gym workout in Dickinson, and a rapid “chain of survival" — including bystander CPR, EMS response, and emergency care at UTMB Health — kept him alive after 34 minutes without a pulse. Despite low odds of survival, swift defibrillation, continuous resuscitation, and advanced hospital treatment restored his heartbeat, allowing him to recover.

  • Max Wintermark appears in this headshot wearing a white coat feature an orange and blue UTMB logo.

    Researchers double success rate of initial depression treatment with MRI-guided approach

    A collaborative team of researchers from The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) and Stanford University has published an article in Nature Mental Health showing how MRI can guide treatment decisions for patients with depression. The precision medicine approach doubles the success rate of initial treatment.

  • Limiting children's screen time this summer

    UTMB psychologist Kim Gushanas talks about the risks of too much screen time for children and realistic ways for families to create healthier habits this summer.

  • About two dozen diverse medical students stand on outdoor steps, smiling and raising one finger to celebrate being first in their families to attend medical school, wearing matching light shirts in front of a brick staircase.

    Breaking new ground as first in family to pursue medicine

    For first-generation medical students, earning a white coat represents not only years of hard work, but also breaking new ground for their families and expanding what feels possible for those who follow. At UTMB, students like Ronaldo Tijerina and mentors like Dr. Mahwish Khan are building a supportive community that helps first-in-family students navigate challenges, find mentorship, and turn personal experiences into purpose-driven careers.

  • Scientists race to develop Ebola drugs as outbreak surges

    The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention is evaluating whether to trial the only approved Ebola vaccine, called Ervebo, which was first proven effective during the 2014–16 outbreak in West Africa. The vaccine is highly effective against Ebola Zaire, but it’s unclear how well it would work against Bundibugyo virus, said Thomas Geisbert, a virologist at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. "It's kind of a coin flip," he said.

  • WHO: Ebola outbreak in Africa deemed an emergency

    "Ebola Zaire is the one that got all the attention, for very good reasons," said Susan McLellan, director of the biocontainment care unit at the University of Texas Medical Branch. The development of medical countermeasures, including monoclonal antibodies and vaccines, is less advanced for Bundibugyo, she said.

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