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. Gov. Abbott appoints UTMB Health nephrologist to Texas Chronic Kidney Disease Task Force July 9, 2026 • 11:16 a.m. by Katherine Adams Ajay Israni, MD, chief of the Division of Nephrology at UTMB, has been appointed by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to the state's Chronic Kidney Disease Task Force. UTMB postdoctoral training program recognized by National Postdoctoral Association July 7, 2026 • 3:17 p.m. by Katherine Adams The University of Texas Medical Branch has been recognized by the National Postdoctoral Association for its Postdoctoral Certificate Program, which helps early-career scientists build leadership and professional skills. The award honors the UTMB commitment to supporting postdoctoral scholars' long-term career success. UTMB AI innovators win international hackathon with radiology viewer and teaching tool June 26, 2026 • 11:48 a.m. by Leslie Sanderson A small team of developers at The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) was one of 50 winners out of 4,096 entries in the Google DeepMind Kaggle hackathon. VibeRad, a teaching prototype of a radiology viewer, was created through vibe coding. Jochen Reiser named a 2026 Most Admired CEO by Houston Business Journal June 24, 2026 • 10:33 a.m. by Melissa McDonald Jochen Reiser, MD, PhD, president of The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) and CEO of the UTMB Health System, has been selected as one of the Houston Business Journal’s Most Admired CEOs in recognition of his leadership and strategic vision. Odigie-Okon recognized as a Fellow of the Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance June 18, 2026 • 8:28 a.m. by Margaret Battistelli Gardner An accomplished advanced cardiac imaging cardiologist, Odigie-Okon is the medical director of Cardiac MRI and co-director of Cardiac CT at UTMB. UTMB Health recognizes Compassion in Practice Award winners for 2026 second quarter June 17, 2026 • 11:32 a.m. by Amanda Linford The Patient Experience team at UTMB Health is honoring two teams with the Compassion in Practice Award, which celebrates one inpatient team and one ambulatory team whose efforts help shape positive experiences for patients and families across the health system. Jochen Reiser named Business Person of the Year by The Galveston County Daily News May 26, 2026 • 1:34 p.m. by Stephen Hadley and Margaret Battistelli Gardner From bold innovation to measurable impact, Jochen Reiser, MD, PhD, at UTMB is redefining what leadership looks like in modern healthcare. Learn why The Galveston County Daily News named him Business Person of the Year. UTMB recognized for role in advancing promising Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever vaccine May 21, 2026 • 3:56 p.m. by Margaret Battistelli Gardner The university’s infectious disease researchers helped generate preclinical data that moved the vaccine into FDA cleared Phase 1 trials, earning national recognition for their role in a multiagency effort to counter a growing global health threat. $4 million Sealy & Smith Foundation gift launches nursing scholarship and workforce program at UTMB May 7, 2026 • 8:17 a.m. by Melissa McDonald A $4 million gift from the Sealy & Smith Foundation to UTMB is launching the ISLAND Promise, a program that covers tuition, housing, and living support for nursing students while creating a direct pathway into high-need roles at UTMB Health. In exchange for a two-year work commitment after graduation, the initiative aims to reduce financial barriers, expand access to nursing education and strengthen the long-term workforce pipeline. 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
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.
Gov. Abbott appoints UTMB Health nephrologist to Texas Chronic Kidney Disease Task Force July 9, 2026 • 11:16 a.m. by Katherine Adams Ajay Israni, MD, chief of the Division of Nephrology at UTMB, has been appointed by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to the state's Chronic Kidney Disease Task Force.
UTMB postdoctoral training program recognized by National Postdoctoral Association July 7, 2026 • 3:17 p.m. by Katherine Adams The University of Texas Medical Branch has been recognized by the National Postdoctoral Association for its Postdoctoral Certificate Program, which helps early-career scientists build leadership and professional skills. The award honors the UTMB commitment to supporting postdoctoral scholars' long-term career success.
UTMB AI innovators win international hackathon with radiology viewer and teaching tool June 26, 2026 • 11:48 a.m. by Leslie Sanderson A small team of developers at The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) was one of 50 winners out of 4,096 entries in the Google DeepMind Kaggle hackathon. VibeRad, a teaching prototype of a radiology viewer, was created through vibe coding.
Jochen Reiser named a 2026 Most Admired CEO by Houston Business Journal June 24, 2026 • 10:33 a.m. by Melissa McDonald Jochen Reiser, MD, PhD, president of The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) and CEO of the UTMB Health System, has been selected as one of the Houston Business Journal’s Most Admired CEOs in recognition of his leadership and strategic vision.
Odigie-Okon recognized as a Fellow of the Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance June 18, 2026 • 8:28 a.m. by Margaret Battistelli Gardner An accomplished advanced cardiac imaging cardiologist, Odigie-Okon is the medical director of Cardiac MRI and co-director of Cardiac CT at UTMB.
UTMB Health recognizes Compassion in Practice Award winners for 2026 second quarter June 17, 2026 • 11:32 a.m. by Amanda Linford The Patient Experience team at UTMB Health is honoring two teams with the Compassion in Practice Award, which celebrates one inpatient team and one ambulatory team whose efforts help shape positive experiences for patients and families across the health system.
Jochen Reiser named Business Person of the Year by The Galveston County Daily News May 26, 2026 • 1:34 p.m. by Stephen Hadley and Margaret Battistelli Gardner From bold innovation to measurable impact, Jochen Reiser, MD, PhD, at UTMB is redefining what leadership looks like in modern healthcare. Learn why The Galveston County Daily News named him Business Person of the Year.
UTMB recognized for role in advancing promising Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever vaccine May 21, 2026 • 3:56 p.m. by Margaret Battistelli Gardner The university’s infectious disease researchers helped generate preclinical data that moved the vaccine into FDA cleared Phase 1 trials, earning national recognition for their role in a multiagency effort to counter a growing global health threat.
$4 million Sealy & Smith Foundation gift launches nursing scholarship and workforce program at UTMB May 7, 2026 • 8:17 a.m. by Melissa McDonald A $4 million gift from the Sealy & Smith Foundation to UTMB is launching the ISLAND Promise, a program that covers tuition, housing, and living support for nursing students while creating a direct pathway into high-need roles at UTMB Health. In exchange for a two-year work commitment after graduation, the initiative aims to reduce financial barriers, expand access to nursing education and strengthen the long-term workforce pipeline.