UTMB News

The Houston Business Journal cover story this week features Deborah Jones, dean at the school of nursing at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. In the past 10 years, the UTMB enrollment numbers have increased by 52%. “We're not post pandemic; we're still going through it,” Jones said. “Nurses are certainly still feeling the impact of that. They’ve had to be at the front lines through the entire pandemic, figured out ways to deliver high quality care to patients with conditions that they had not seen before on this magnitude, while taking care of their children and families at home. They're tired. We're really trying to figure out how do we continue to support nurses so that they can support themselves and be able to stay in the profession.”

Guns are now the leading cause of death in children and teenagers in the United States. “In addition to common-sense gun control, such as safe storage and enforcement of red flag laws, we need universally administered community- and school-based programs that effectively prevent violence,” said Jeff Temple, PhD, a licensed psychologist, and director of the Center for Violence Prevention at the University of Texas Medical Branch.

The University of Texas Medical Branch’s League City Campus reached Advanced Level III trauma facility status. The verification process of trauma levels requires more than a year of preparation to achieve. “You need to have more trauma centers,” League City administrator Christine Wade said. “Otherwise, other hospitals can get overwhelmed.” League City’s growing population will need more trauma care. “The community here and the growth in this area is just unprecedented,” Wade said. “The emergency room has exploded in volume.”

Once you've asked someone how they are, it is important to listen—without shame or stigma. “Be patient, non-judgmental, and open to conversation,” said Dr. Jeff Temple, a licensed psychologist and University of Texas Medical Branch professor. You should be responsive and make eye contact. Hear them out, no matter what. And offer empathy. “You don't have to be an expert to know someone is struggling,” Temple said. “You just must be a caring person who wants to help. This shows the person that they can lean on you for support and rely on you when they're struggling.”

From December 2016 to October 2017, researcher Shannon Guillot-Wright from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston gathered data during interviews and from observations, field notes and photovoice. the seafarers fear that seeking medical attention for an injury or illness will cause them to be viewed as unhealthy and lead to the loss of employment. “In this way, companies penalize seafarers for accessing the protections guaranteed to them despite having contractual rights,” Guillot-Wright writes.

The Australian website referenced scientific research that found most movie villains are portrayed with skin conditions. Researchers from the University of Texas Medical Branch even stated that this portrayal may “foster a tendency toward prejudice in our society directed at those with skin disease.”

Even 40,000 years ago, we have evidence of diseases from animals affecting our ancient human cousins. The “Old Man of La Chapelle,” a partially fossilized Neanderthal skeleton discovered in a cave in central France in 1908, continues to provide new insights. New analysis suggests that he acquired an infection from butchering animals or preparing raw meat.

Mental illness is caused by a combination of biological, psychological and environmental factors. Dr. Sally Robinson explains.

In an era with easier social connections through the internet, text messaging and email, establishing and building friendships is harder than ever. Dr. Samuel Mathis encourages us to make new friends. Want to have coffee soon?

Even under the most optimistic climate scenarios, the coming decades will see roughly 300,000 first encounters between species that normally don’t interact, leading to about 15,000 spillovers wherein viruses enter naive hosts. “It’s a little harrowing,” said Vineet Menachery, a virologist at the University of Texas Medical Branch. The study suggests that the alarming pace at which new or reemergent viruses have caused outbreaks in recent decades is not some abnormal situation, Menachery said, “but what we should be expecting, maybe even with an acceleration.”

The Landmark Award winner in the medical category is the University of Texas Medical Branch League City campus expansion. UTMB's initial League City hospital opened in 2016, and its inpatient services and other service lines quickly reached capacity. The expansion gives the League City campus a total of 97 beds and was designed to support the growing mainland population over the next decade. The new five-story patient tower features several new departments and amenities, adding 60 new patient beds, lab spaces, new food service and dining, and an adjacent helipad. The tower also can support future vertical expansion of up to 12 floors and 360 beds. The first phase of the expansion also included a new parking garage and a pedestrian bridge.

Drs. Victor S. Sierpina and Michelle Sierpina review three books on living a long and fulfilling life. Here’s some advice: “Keep moving; cut calories; eat more plants; drink red wine in moderation; purpose now — take time to see the big picture; take steps to relieve stress; participate in a spiritual community; loved ones first — make family a priority; and right tribe — surround yourself with Blue Zone-minded people.”

The community refrigerator project was planned and executed by medical students at the University of Texas Medical Branch, who approached the church with the idea that was part of a project to battle food insecurity. “What better way is there to address food insecurity and prevent food waste,” said Nicole Michael, a fourth-year medical student at the medical branch. “There are a lot of resources to get people food, like the food bank and churches. The thing that’s different about this is the community sustainability piece of it.”

About 1 out of every 20 COVID-19 tests administered in Galveston County since the early days of the pandemic has been paid for through a county-funded program meant to help keep the tests easily accessible. Since Galveston County and the University of Texas Medical Branch began the local testing program in May 2020, more than 36,000 uninsured people have used the service, according to numbers released by the county.

A UTMB professor says the virus can be especially harmful to pregnant women since the infection can cause birth defects. Dr. Pei-Yong Shi, a professor at the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at UTMB Galveston, says the virus is carried by the bite of infected mosquitoes. It can be especially harmful to pregnant women since the infection can cause certain birth defects. "That virus can infect the fetus's brain, leading to the baby born with a small head.” Austin-based KXAN also reported on UTMB’s research that found a single mutation in the Zika virus could lead to a “major outbreak.” The Indian news outlet Sakshi Post also reported this news.

The Australian news outlet story about intimate partner violence included quotes from Dr. Jeff Temple, an expert on teen dating violence at the University of Texas Medical Branch. “Practice is huge for when they get into that situation in real life,” Temple said. “What the research tells us is that kids who are able to resolve conflicts and manage their emotions are less likely to be in violent relationships later on.”

Women who have certain pre-existing medical conditions – such as thyroid disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma and/or lupus – should note any changes in their condition during pregnancy. “If your thyroid hormone levels are too high or too low, you may be at increased risk of miscarriage,” says Dr. Gayle Olson, a maternal-fetal specialist at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. “If your blood sugar isn’t tightly controlled, you may be at increased risk of miscarriage or fetal abnormalities. Any flare-up in an underlying condition is a red flag and should be followed.” Several other international news outlets included this health story from WebMD.