UTMB News

  • Everything You Need to Know About Bird Flu

    Dr. Gregory Gray also spoke to ZME Science for an in-depth explainer on bird flu. Even with vaccines, though, “we may not be able to put out this fire,” Gray said. “It appears, to many of us, that these viruses are going to be endemic, or we say ‘enzootic,’ for a long time.”

  • The importance of bubbles

    Drs. Norbert Herzog and David Niesel explore the science and scientists who study the bubbles that make champagne fizzy, in their latest column.

  • A new way to treat pain

    The common treatments for pain have not changed in years write Drs. Norbert Herzog and David Niesel but good news may be on the horizon. Scientists have found an entirely new class of pain drugs based on the sodium ion channels related to pain transmission, they write.

  • Dr. Randall Urban stands in a hallway of a hospital wearing his white coat

    Curiosity and clarity around strengths leads to decades long career

    After more than 20 years at the University of Texas Medical Branch, Dr. Randall Urban is now vice president and research director of UTMB’s Institute for Translational Science. His work involves bringing scientists and medical professionals together to work on pressing public health issues and move new discoveries from the laboratory to the patient room.

  • Two women standing on a beach looking out at the ocean

    Shining a Light on Skin Cancer Risk & Prevention

    The medical community shines a light on the damaging effects of sun exposure – namely, skin cancer, specifically calling on individuals to begin a lifelong habit of examining their skin for signs of skin cancer.

  • How AI is helping to save lives when it comes to cancer

    UTMB is the first academic healthcare center in Texas to add an artificial intelligence-based tool to routinely check for prostate cancer, reports KHOU. “AI allows the doctors to become much better at their work by recognizing patterns in medical images that they might otherwise miss,” UTMB’s Dr. Harsh Thaker tells the Houston TV station.

  • Study Explores Mentions of Substance Use, Mental Health in Pop Music Since 2013

    The American Psychiatric Association highlighted new research by UTMB’s Alec Manning, Benita Lalani and Dr. Josheph Shotwell that examines trends in the way popular music reflects national trends in substance use and mental health. “As the world changed, so did the music—and the stories it told about how we’re coping,” the authors of the study write.

  • A young woman helps an older woman stand up with the help of crutches

    UTMB Study Showing Exercise, Not Testosterone, Aids Recovery After Hip Fracture

    Researchers from the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) joined a multi-center team in conducting the largest randomized clinical trial to date on testosterone therapy in women recovering from hip fractures, finding that the hormone treatment did not improve physical function compared to supervised exercise alone.

  • Why dopamine matters and how to naturally boost it

    Dopamine plays a crucial role in our motivation, reward system, learning and even motor control. Understanding its importance and how to naturally influence its levels can significantly impact well-being and productivity, writes Dr. Hasan Yasin.

  • Why placebos don’t belong in vaccine trials

    Once a safe, effective vaccine already exists, giving some participants in a vaccine study a placebo means knowingly withholding protection, write Drs. Richard Rupp and Megan Berman. So, when scientists need to test an updated version of an existing vaccine, instead of giving half the group a placebo, scientists compare the immune response from the new version to what was seen in earlier, already successful trials, Berman and Rupp explain in their Vaccine Smarts column.

  • Something old becomes something new

    Because of the increase in antibiotic-resistant bacteria, scientists are looking to bacteriophages, viruses that infect bacteria, as a treatment for bacterial infections, write Drs. Norbert Herzog and David Niesel in this week’s Medical Discovery News column.

  • Texas health system aims to create ‘Amazon-like experience’ with Microsoft

    “My goal is to push innovation down to the desktop,” UTMB Vice President and CIO George Gaddie told Becker’s. UTMB signed a five-year deal with Microsoft to use the company’s AI and cloud computing capabilities. “We have not just made IT more innovative; we’ve made the organization more innovative, where if people have ideas, they can try them. They’ve got the tools necessary, the training necessary, they’ve got the expertise, the confidence,” Gaddie said. This news was also reported by hoodline.

  • doctor preforming surgery

    Real stories of health, confidence after bariatric surgery at UTMB Health

    For Patients of the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB Health) Bariatric Surgery Program, Weight Loss is Only Part of the Story Bariatric Surgery Program, Weight Loss is Only Part of the Story. With the expert care of surgeons such as Dr. Sarah Samreen and Dr. Lauren McTaggart, patients of the program are not only losing weight but also reclaiming their lives.

  • Measles Roars Back In The US, Topping 1,000 Cases

    "Saying we're going to devote resources to studying therapies instead of enhancing uptake of the vaccine is a profoundly inefficient way of addressing a vaccine-preventable disease," UTMB’s Dr. Susan McLellan told AFP for a story on the continued measles outbreak in the U.S. The story was picked up and printed in news outlets around the world including France 24, The Strait Times, News Central and The Times of India, among many others.

  • Understanding awe and its effect on our health

    There is science to back up the need for humans to experience awe in their lives, writes Dr. Samuel Mathis in his latest column. For example, one study found that individuals who experience awe daily had lower levels of stress, fewer sick symptoms, and a greater sense of well-being.