A Message from the Interim Senior VP and Dean, JSSOM, and Chief Research Officer

Dear colleagues,

I am pleased to announce that Melissa (Missy) Morrow, PhD, has been appointed Director of the Sealy Center on Aging at The University of Texas Medical Branch. A distinguished scientist, mentor, and leader in the field of rehabilitation research, Dr. Morrow brings a wealth of expertise to her new role.

Dr. Morrow currently serves as Co-Director of the NIA funded P30 Claude D. Pepper Older Adults Independence Center (Pepper OAIC), and she holds the A. Russell Shearn Moody Distinguished Chair in Neurological Rehabilitation. She is a Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences at UTMB’s School of Health Professions.

Her research focuses on improving daily function, independence, and quality of life for individuals with physical disabilities. A biomechanist and rehabilitation scientist, Dr. Morrow integrates wearable technologies, motion capture systems, and mHealth tools in her work to better understand and enhance physical function in real-world settings.

Dr. Morrow earned her PhD in Biomedical Engineering and a Master of Clinical and Translational Science from Mayo Clinic, and a BS in Biomedical Engineering from Tulane University. She completed postdoctoral and early career faculty training in rehabilitation and women’s health research through prestigious NIH-supported T32 and K12 programs.

A recipient of multiple NIH, DoD, and VA grants, Dr. Morrow has led innovative studies on technology development for injury prevention and functional assessment in aging and disability. She is a nationally recognized leader whose work bridges engineering, clinical research, and translational science.

Under Dr. Morrow’s leadership, the Sealy Center on Aging will also serve as a driving force behind UTMB’s newly launched Healthy Aging and Technology (Age-Tech) Initiative, supported by a two-year, $5 million grant from the State of Texas. This ambitious initiative aims to develop and implement intelligent home-based technologies that enable older adults to safely “age in place.”

While nursing home care remains essential for some, many older Americans prefer to remain in their own homes. Age-Tech will accelerate the deployment of solutions in areas such as fall detection, indoor air quality, medication management, robotic assistance, and home-based rehabilitation.

We also extend our sincere appreciation to Dr. Alan Landay, Vice President of Team Science at UTMB and Professor in the Departments of Internal Medicine and Microbiology & Immunology, for his outstanding service as Director ad interim of the Sealy Center on Aging over the past year. His leadership helped maintain momentum in the center’s research mission, and we thank him for his dedication and service during this time of transition.

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Morrow on her appointment as Director of the Sealy Center on Aging. We are grateful for her leadership and commitment to advancing aging research, and we look forward to supporting her vision for the center’s continued growth and impact.

Sincerely yours, Antonio Bianco, MD, PhD