Sealy Center on Aging

Membership Directory

Fellows and Senior Fellows represent all four schools and three institutes at UTMB. Membership in the center is by appointment, based on faculty’s research interest and scholarly work on aging.

Leadership

Postdoctoral Trainees

Karen Schlag, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
E-mail: keschlag@utmb.edu 

Staff

Biostatisticians

Director of Biostatistics

Yong-Fang Kuo, PhD
Don W. and Frances Powell Professorship in Aging Research Director of Biostatistics
Phone: 409-266-9665 Fax: 409-772-8931 E-mail: yokuo@utmb.edu |  Web Biography at PMPH

Director of Data Management

Shuang Li, PhD
Senior Biostatistician, Sealy Center on Aging
Phone: 409-266-9676 E-mail: shli@utmb.edu

Biostatisticians

Matthew R. Miller, MS
Biostatistician, Sealy Center on Aging
Phone: 409-747-1309 E-mail: mrmiller@utmb.edu

Brandon O'Grady, MS
Biostatistician I
E-mail:  bbogrady@utmb.edu

Yong Shan, PhD
Department of Surgery
Phone: 409-266-9693 E-mail: yoshan@utmb.edu

Senior Fellows

** Soham Al Snih, MD, PhD
Professor & Director of Doctoral Program, Nutrition, Metabolism & Rehabilitation Sciences

Jacqueline L. Angel, PhD
Professor of Public Affairs and Sociology
Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs
The University of Texas at Austin

Abbey Berenson, MD MMS, PhD
The Ruth Hartgraves MD Chair in Obstetrics & Gynecology
Director, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Women’s Health

Anish Bhardwaj, MD, MBA, CPE, FACMPE, FACHE, FAHA, FCCM, FAAN, FANA
Vice Provost, designated Institutional Officer, John Sealy Chair of Neurology

** Suresh Bhavnani, PhD
Professor, Biomedical Informatics
Institute for Translational Sciences

Peter Cram MD, MBA
Chair, Department of Internal Medicine
Edward Randall and Edward Randall Jr.,
Professor of Internal Medicine

** David A. Brown, PT, PhD, FAPTA
Senior Vice President and Dean, School of Health Professions

Jin Mo Chung, PhD
Cecil H & Ida M Green Distinguished Endowed Chair in Neuroscience
Chair, Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology

Kathryn Cunningham, PhD
Chauncey Leake Distinguished Professor of Pharmacology
Director, Center on Addiction Research

Kelly Dineley, PhD
Professor
Neurology

James Ellor, PhD, DMin
Professor
Social Work, Baylor University

Linda Elting, DrPH
Professor of Health Services Research
Division of Cancer Prevention & Pop. Sciences
MD Anderson Cancer Center

Ken Fujise, MD
John Sealy Distinguished Centennial Chair in Cardiology
Director, Division of Cardiology

Mariano Garcia-Blanco, MD, PhD
Mildred Hajek Vacek and John Roman Vacek Distinguished Chair
Chair, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

** James S. Goodwin, MD
George and Cynthia Mitchell Distinguished Chair in Geriatric Medicine
Division of Geriatrics

Mark Hayward, PhD
Professor of Sociology & Centennial Commission Professor in the Liberal Arts
Department of Sociology
The University of Texas at Austin

Mark Hellmich, PhD
Professor
Department of Surgery

Vivian Ho, PhD
James A Baker III Institute Chair in Health Economics
Baker Institute for Public Policy
Rice University

Robert Hummer, PhD
Howard W Odum Professor of Sociology
Department of Sociology
University of North Carolina

Deborah Jones, PhD, RN
Senior Vice President and Dean, School of Nursing
Rebecca Sealy Distinguished Centennial Chair

Rakez Kayed, PhD
Professor, John Sealy Chair for Parkinson's Research, Neurology
Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Disorders

 ** Yong-Fang Kuo, PhD
Don W & Frances Powell Professorship in Aging Research
Director, Office of Biostatistics

Michael Laposata, MD, PhD
Professor & Chair
Department of Pathology

Michael Malone, MD
Professor of Medicine & Section Head of Geriatrics
University of Wisconsin School of Medicine & Public Health

Rodger Marion, PhD
Professor Emeritus of Humanities & Basic Science

 ** Kyriakos Markides, PhD
Annie & John Gnitzinger Professor of Aging Studies
Director, Division of Social & Behavioral Sciences

Melissa (Missy) Morrow, PhD
A. Russell Shearn Moody Distinguished Chair in Neurological Rehabilitation and Professor
Department of Nutrition, Metabolism & Rehabilitation Science

Charles P. Mouton, MD
Provost, Executive Vice President, and Dean, School of Medicine

Andres Oberhauser, PhD
Professor
Neuroscience, Cell Biology & Anatomy

 ** Kenneth Ottenbacher, PhD, OTR
Russell Shearn Moody Distinguished Chair in Neurological Rehabilitation
Professor Emeritus

Jose Pagan, PhD
Director
Center for Health Innovation
New York Academy of Medicine

John Papaconstantinou, PhD
Bertha and Robert Bucksch Distinguished Professor of Aging
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

** Kristen Peek, PhD
Professor and Interim Chair
Centennial Chair in Preventive Medicine and Population Health

Regino Perez-Polo, PhD
Adjunct Professor
Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

 ** Mukaila Raji, MD
Edgar Gnitzinger Distinguished Professorship in Aging
Director, Division of Geriatrics

 ** Blake Rasmussen, PhD
Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Director, Center for Metabolic Health
Bertha and Robert Bucksch Distinguished Research Professorship

Linda Rounds, PhD, RN
Betty Lee Evans Distinguished Professor in Nursing
UTMB School of Nursing

 ** Gulshan Sharma, MD, MPH
Vice President, Chief Medical & Clinical Innovation Officer
Director, Division of Pulmonary Critical Care & Sleep Medicine
Sealy and Smith Distinguished Chair in Internal Medicine

Michael Sheetz, PhD
Professor, Robert A. Welch Distinguished University Chair in Chemistry
Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Victor Sierpina, MD
WD and Laura Nell Nicholson Family Professor in Integrative Medicine
Department of Family Medicine

Lawrence Sowers, PhD
John Sealy Distinguished Chair for MD/PhD Combined Degree Studies
Chair, Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology

Maria Suarez-Almazor, MD, PhD
Barnts Family Distinguished Professor
Division of Internal Medicine
MD Anderson Cancer Center

Oscar Suman, PhD
Leon Hess Professor for Burn Injuries Research
Professor, Surgery

Karen Szauter, MD
Professor
Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology & Hepatology

Giulio Taglialatela, PhD
Lawrence J. Del Papa Distinguished Chair in Neurodegenerative Disease, Neurology
Director, Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases Department: Neurology

Barbara Thompson, MD
Sealy Hutchings and Lucille Wright Hutchings Chair
Chair, Department of Family Medicine

Alfredo Torres, MD
Herman Barnett Distinguished Professor in Microbiology and Immunology
Microbiology and Immunology

Carole A. Tucker, PhD, PT
Associate Dean for Research, School of Health Professions
Professor, Department of Nutrition, Metabolism, and Rehabilitation Sciences

Douglas Tyler, MD
John Woods Harris Distinguished Chair in Surgery
Chair, Department of Surgery

Huey-Ming Tzeng, PhD, RN, FAAN
Professor
School of Nursing

 ** Randall Urban, MD
Vice President and Chief Research OfficerVice Dean, Clinical Research in the School of Medicine
Chair, Internal Medicine

 ** Elena Volpi, MD, PhD
Daisy Emery Allen Distinguished Chair in Geriatric Medicine
Director, Sealy Center on Aging
Director, UTMB Pepper Center
Associate Director, Institute for Translational Sciences

** Stanley Watowich, PhD
Professor
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Pamela Watson, RN, ScD
Dean Emeritus
School of Nursing

 ** Susan Weller, PhD
Director, Family Medicine Research Program
Department of Preventive Medicine & Population Health

 ** Rebeca Wong, PhD
Sheridan Lorenz Distinguished Professor in Aging and Health, Vice-Chair for Research, School of Public and Population Health
Director, WHO/ PAHO Collaborating Center on Aging and Health
Associate Director, Claude Pepper Older American Independence Center

Wenbo Zhang, PhD
Professor
Ophthalmology

Fellows

Amber Armstead, OTR/L, DrPH
Assistant Professor
Occupational Therapy

**Jacques G. Baillargeon, PhD
Director, Epidemiology
Preventive Medicine and Population Health

Jose Barral, MD, PhD
Chair of Biomedical Science; Professor
Biomedical Science
Kaiser Permanente

Maria Belalcazar, MD
Associate Professor
Endocrinology

Ludwik Branski, MD
Associate Professor
Surgery

**Phillip Cantu, PhD
Assistant Professor
Internal Medicine - Geriatric

Maria Camacho Hughes, MD
Associate Professor
Internal Medicine - Geriatrics

Yunfeng Chen, PhD
Assistant Professor
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Diane Collins, PhD, OT
Associate Professor
Occupational Therapy

Eileen Curl, PhD, RN
Director of Research
Nursing, Lamar University

**Brian Downer, PhD
Associate Professor
School of Public and Population Health

Xianglin Du, MD, PhD
Professor
Epidemiology, UT Health Science Center at Houston

Ella Englander, PhD
Professor
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

**Steve Fisher, PhD, PT
Associate Professor
Physical Therapy

**Rebecca Galloway, PhD, PT
Director of Clinical Education
Physical Therapy

Syed Gilani, MD
Associate Professor
Cardiology

Sharon Giordano, MD, MPH
Professor & Department Chair
Oncology, MD Anderson Cancer Center

James Graham, PhD, DC
Director, Center for Community Partnerships (CCP)
Colorado State University

Letitia Graves, PhD, MSN, RN
Assistant Professor
School of Nursing

Yonju Ha, PhD
Instructor
Ophthalmology

Gabriela Halder, MD, MPH
Assistant Professor
Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology

Helen Hellmich, PhD
Assistant Professor
Anesthesiology

Claudia Hilton, PhD, MBA, OTR, FAOTA
Associate Professor
Occupational Therapy

**Erin Hommel, MD
Associate Professor
Internal Medicine - Geriatric

**Kimberly Hreha, EdD, OTR/L
Duke University

Vinod Kaushik, MD
Associate Professor
Program Director, Geriatric Medicine Fellowship

Wissam Khalife, MD
Associate Professor
Cardiology

Michael Kinsky, MD
Associate Professor
Anesthesiology

Balaji Krishnan, PhD
Assistant Professor
Neurology

Chih-Ying "Cynthia" Li, PhD, OTR
Associate Professor
Occupational Therapy

Elizabeth Lorenzo, PhD, RN
Assistant Professor
School of Nursing

**Elizabeth Lyons, PhD, MPH
Associate Professor
Nutrition, Metabolism, and Rehabilitation Sciences

**Meredith Masel, PhD. MPH
Assistant Professor
Program Manager - Oliver Center; Rehabilitation Sciences

**Neil Mehta, PhD, MSc, MA
Associate Professor
School of Public and Population Health

**Vineet Menachery, PhD
Assistant Professor
Microbiology & Immunology

Anita Mercado, MD
Associate Professor
Internal Medicine - Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine

**Sadaf Milani, PhD
Assistant Professor
Internal Medicine - Geriatrics

**Andrew J. Murton,PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Surgery

Guy Nir, PhD
Assistant Professor
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Shawn Nishi, MD
Associate Professor & Program Director, PCCM Fellowship Program
Internal Medicine - Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine

Hoang Nguyen, PhD
Associate Professor
School of Nursing

Ikenna Okereke, MD
Vice Chairman, Department of Surgery
Henry Ford Health System

** Monique R. Pappadis, MEd, PhD
Associate Professor
School of Public and Population Health

**Norma Perez, MD, DrPH
Associate Professor, Internal Medicine-Geriatrics
Director, Hispanic Center for Excellence
Associate Dean for Student Affairs, School of Medicine

**John Prochaska, DrPH
Assistant Professor
Preventive Medicine and Population Health

Ana Rodriguez MD, PhD
Associate Professor
OB/GYN

Anna Rotkiewicz-Piorun, MD
Assistant Professor
Internal Medicine - Geriatrics

** Rafael Samper Ternent, MD, PhD
UT Health Houston

Sandra Sanchez-Reilly, MD
Clinical Associate Professor
Geriatric & Palliative Care, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio

Partha Sarkar, PhD
Associate Professor
Neurology

Myrna Katalina Serna, MD, MPH
Assistant Professor
Internal Medicine - General Medicine

Michelle Sierpina
Director, Academy of Lifelong Learning
Osher Lifelong Learning Institut

**Heidi Spratt, PhD
Associate Professor
Preventive Medicine and Population Health

Bartosz Szczesny, PhD
Associate Professor
Anesthesiology

Elizabeth Vaughan, DO, MPH, RD
Associate Professor
Internal Medicine - General Medicine

Eric Wagner, PhD
Associate Professor
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

**Stephen Williams, MD
Chief, Division of Urology
Associate Professor, Urology and Radiology
Robert Earl Cone Professorship

**Andrea Wirt, MSN, RN
Nurse Practitioner
Internal Medicine - Geriatrics

Yumei Ye, PhD
Associate Professor
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Yuhui (Whitney) Yin, PhD
Associate Professor
Pharmacology

**Xiaoying Yu, PhD
Associate Professor
Biostatistics & Data Science