Academic Enterprise Announcements

Michael B. Whitehead, DHSc, PA-C, DFAAPA, has been named Chair of the Department of Physician Assistant (PA) Studies in the John Sealy School of Medicine. Dr. Whitehead has served as the Interim Chair since January 2025. A member of our PA faculty since March 2021, Dr. Whitehead served as Associate Program Director in the department prior to this appointment.

The Artificial Intelligence (AI) Center at UTMB is a transformative step in our institution’s commitment to innovation, health system excellence, and patient-centered care. As an academic medical center, UTMB has both the opportunity and the responsibility to shape the future of AI in medicine. The AI Center will serve as the institutional platform to meet this responsibility with integrity, scientific rigor, and vision.

Matthew Hutter, MD, MPH, MBA, will join UTMB as Chair of the Department of Surgery in the John Sealy School of Medicine this September. Dr. Hutter is a nationally and internationally recognized leader in the quality movement in surgery and in the field of metabolic and bariatric surgery.

We are thrilled to announce that the UTMB Standardized Patient (SP) Program located in the Health Education Center (HEC) has achieved full accreditation from the Association of SP Educators (ASPE) in human simulation. This prestigious recognition highlights our institution's dedication to excellence in healthcare education.

Richard (Rick) Pyles, PhD, and Shikha Wadhwani, MD, MS, FASN, have been appointed as Assistant Research Officers. Dr. Pyles will serve as the inaugural Assistant Research Officer for Research Development and Administration. Dr. Wadhwani will serve as the inaugural Assistant Research Officer for Clinical Research.

Rebekah Viner, MS, MBA, has been appointed Associate Vice President of Academic and Research Affairs in the Office of the Dean, John Sealy School of Medicine, effective May 1, 2025. Ms. Viner has been an integral member of the UTMB community for the past 15 years, consistently demonstrating outstanding leadership, professionalism, and commitment.

The Center for Health and Clinical Outcomes Research (H-COR) is a new university-level initiative led by Neil K. Mehta, PhD, from the Department of Epidemiology in the School of Public and Population Health. H-COR aspires to become a nationally recognized leader in health and clinical outcomes research by leveraging UTMB’s exceptional data infrastructure and multidisciplinary strengths.

Brian K. Walsh, PhD, RRT, RRT-NPS, RRT-ACCS, RPFT, FAARC, has been appointed as the Chair of the Department of Respiratory Therapy, effective February 1, 2025. Dr. Walsh brings with him an impressive 29 years of experience in respiratory therapy and has been a significant asset to UTMB since 2022.

We thank Scott C. Weaver, PhD, for his strong leadership of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology (M&I) since 2015. A renowned researcher whose contributions are reflected by an impressive record of grant support, publications, and patents, Dr. Weaver has helped elevate the department to a world-class entity in the fight against infectious diseases.

Janice Jones Endsley, PhD, has been named the next Chair of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, effective March 1, 2025. An accomplished microbiologist, educator, and academic leader, Dr. Endsley has been an asset to the department for nearly two decades. She has the vision and experience necessary to lead its next chapter.