UTMB News

We generally think of good health in terms of diet, exercise, sleep and mental attitude. We also need to consider as fundamental the amount of water that we drink. Dr. Victor S. Sierpina writes about importance of drinking enough water and why it might be better to have a glass of water before your morning coffee.

AI generated image of a woman with curly hair holding her hands in front of her in a heart shape

The UTMB Cardiology team is committed to combating heart disease, which remains the number-one killer in women ahead of all cancers combined – including breast and ovarian cancers. To increase awareness, Cardiology lead Dr. Hani Jneid and three female clinicians shared their insights on the matter.

A neuroscientist and transplant surgeon at UTMB stumbled upon the realization that transplant patients exhibited a low frequency of dementia, write Drs. Norbert Herzog and David Niesel in their latest Medical Discovery News column. The discovery could have huge implications for the treatment of Alzheimer’s and dementia, they write.

Research has shown that acupuncture may be beneficial for a number of pain conditions, writes Dr. Hasan Yasin in a column for the GCDN. Yasin suggested patients speak to their doctor about alternative or complementary treatments.

UTMB’s Dr. Janak Patel spoke to CBS News about the CDC’s potential elimination of isolation requirements after testing positive for COVID-19. "We have to be very cautious that perhaps another variant that escapes our immunity completely may emerge and may require different precautions," Patel says. "Once we make policy in this forward manner, if we had to have a situation where we would need more caution, it will be very hard to go back to more prolonged isolation."

Groups of faculty, staff and students posing with Dr. Reiser and members of the President's Cabinet

Ten projects that address pressing health needs received a University of Texas Medical Branch President’s Cabinet award. The awards totaled more than $220,000 and will go to 26 UTMB faculty, staff and students working on the winning projects.

patient wearing gown seated while a physician uses a stethoscope during a check up. The image is in black and white

As the rate of heart-disease related deaths continues to rise for pregnant and postpartum mothers and women during childbirth, cardiologist Dr. Danielle El Haddad is laying the foundation for a cardio-obstetrics program to care for at-risk patients.

UTMB’s School of Nursing is in the top 25. Becker’s shared the news that the SoN’s online master’s program was ranked 12th in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. UTMB’s School of Nursing was the top ranked program in the state of Texas.

What’s the world’s deadliest animal? It’s not lions, tigers or bears but instead tiny mosquitoes, write Drs. Megan Berman and Richard Rupp in their latest Vaccine Smarts column. With luck, vaccines can help take away the mosquito’s title of the world’s deadliest animal, they write.

Chocolate has some amazing health benefits when used appropriately, writes Dr. Samuel Mathis in his latest column. But there is a catch, Mathis writes. The benefits come from the cacao seed itself not from everything else added to make modern chocolate.

Drs. Norbert Herzog and David Niesel write a new vaccine that could prevent rheumatoid arthritis in their latest Medical Discovery News column.

A new microscopy technique that enables high-resolution imaging could one day help doctors diagnose and treat brain tumors. “We’re starting to see how important the interactions of neurons and synapses with the surrounding brain are to the growth and progression of tumors,” said UTMB’s Dr. Pablo Valdes. “A lot of those things we really couldn’t see with conventional tools, but now we have a tool to look at those tissues at the nanoscale and try to understand these interactions.” This news was also reported in Interesting Engineering and The Mirage.

New research found that nearly 10% of adolescents worldwide have used non-prescribed weight loss products, like laxatives, to lose weight. While it might lead to weight loss in the short term, laxatives should never be used for weight loss Dr. Samuel Mathis tells health. “This loss of nutrients can lead to malnutrition quickly if done with regularity,” he said. “Malnutrition can cause issues with the growth and development of the body and brain. It can lead to weakened bones and muscles, poor mentation, lower school performance, and can even lead to eating disorders in the long term.”

In new research, scientists have learned more about Long COVID, write Drs. Norbert Herzog and David Niesel in their Medical Discovery News column. Those who had COVID had significantly higher rates of diabetes, heart failure and fatigue; some appearing years after infection. There was an elevated risk of heart disease and mental health conditions for a year after infection.

headshot image of utmb obgyn dr. carpio-solis alongside a headshot of meagan clanahan from houston moms, both featured in round frames above a standard play button on a dark teal background

From screening measures to treatment options and prevention methods, Dr. Marisol Carpio-Solis shared everything she knows about cervical cancer during a recent conversation with our partners with Houston Moms.

UTMB will soon offer an in-person degree in occupation therapy for students in Laredo. “We are delighted to welcome UTMB’s presence at the UT Center at Laredo which now joins UT San Antonio, UT Health San Antonio, UTHealth Houston and UT Rio Grande Valley in a commitment to help meet critical workforce demands in this important region of Texas,” said UT System Chancellor James B. Milliken. The news was also reported in the Laredo Morning Times.