UTMB Researchers Participate in Pepper Annual Meeting

Members of The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) Pepper Center recently contributed to the Pepper Center Annual Meeting, engaging in collaborative discussions and showcasing innovative research in aging and health.

Dr. Erin Hommel served as co-moderator for the Implementation Case Stories panel, helping guide a session that highlighted practical, evidence-based approaches to improving health outcomes among older adults.

The event featured presentations from three UTMB investigators:

• Emily Lantz presented research on improving sleep and cardiovascular health in midlife women. Her work explores behavioral and nutrition-based interventions—including cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) and dietary strategies—to enhance sleep quality and better understand their impact on cardiometabolic risk. (Improving sleep and cardiovascular health in midlife women)
• Alberto Aparicio discussed aging clocks and the measurement of biological aging, examining the scientific validity, ethical considerations, and regulatory challenges surrounding emerging biomarker-based tools used in geroscience and clinical settings. (Aging Clocks at the Limits of Evidence: Validity, Uncertainty, and Governance in the Measurement of Biological Aging)
• Summer Chavez shared findings on healthcare utilization among Medicare Advantage beneficiaries participating in an intergenerational linkage program. Her study highlights how social connection initiatives may influence healthcare engagement, including prescription use and outpatient visits. (Healthcare Utilization by Medicare Advantage Clients Following Participation in an Intergenerational Linkage)

UTMB was well represented at the meeting, with faculty across career stages contributing to the exchange of ideas and advancing the center’s mission to improve the health and well-being of older adults through research, education, and innovation.