The Sealy Center on Aging at UTMBLeading Aging Research Since 1995

Due to the weather and recent schedule adjustments, we wanted to share a quick update for tonight's Winter Series session. Dr. High will be joining us virtually for his presentation, "CMS Requirement for an Age-Friendly Health System—burden or opportunity?"; however, the session itself will still take place in person at the HEC. At this time, there is no virtual option for attendees. A reception will follow the presentation, and we hope you’ll join us for a warm and engaging evening together!

"A Safe & Sound Hospital Stay,” will be presented by Meredith Masel, PhD, MSW this Wednesday January 28th at 1:00PM as part of the UTMB Health Experts Series at the Osher Lifelong Learning Center (OLLI). The class outlines common hospital risks and offers practical tips, such as recording important conversations and using safety checklists, to help patients and families stay informed and actively support care. The class is open to OLLI members; visit the OLLI website for membership and registration details.

A new study supported in part by the NIA-funded Pepper Center at UTMB found that natural shifts in estrogen levels across the menstrual cycle do not impact short‑term muscle growth in women. Although some muscle‑building genes were more active when estrogen was higher, this did not translate into greater muscle protein production; instead, moderate links were observed with testosterone levels. These findings suggest that estrogen plays little role in immediate muscle‑building responses to exercise in women with regular menstrual cycles. Read the full study in the Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism.

The Texas Resource Center for Minority Aging Research (RCMAR), supported by the National Institute on Aging (Grant P30 AG059301), announces a call for applications for 1-year pilot project funding of up to $40,000 in direct costs. Led by the University of Texas Medical Branch and the University of Texas at San Antonio, in collaboration with UT Austin, this program supports junior and mid-career faculty conducting behavioral and social science research on health and aging in under-represented populations, with a particular emphasis on Hispanic communities in the U.S. and Latin America.

We’re proud to share that Dr. Monique R. Pappadis from the UTMB School of Public and Population Health has received a new award from the NIH’s National Institute on Aging. Her team will develop a practical, primary‑care–based program to help identify and address elder abuse among older adults living with mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.