UTHealth Houston

Renato M. Silva, DDS, MS, PhD, returned to UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry on Sept. 30 as its ninth dean, bringing his academic career back to the school where he served as a faculty member and department chair and is an alumnus.

Read more at Go.uth.edu/DeanSilva.

What if the next breakthrough in medicine begins in space?

UTHealth Houston is partnering with Exobiosphere to explore how microgravity can accelerate biomedical discoveries and advance the development of new therapies.

By combining our expertise in antibody discovery, artificial intelligence, and biomedical research with Exobiosphere's orbital research capabilities, this collaboration will explore new possibilities for drug discovery and lay the foundation for a Texas Medical Center Space Medicine Lab at TMC3.

Discover how experiments conducted in orbit could unlock new approaches to drug discovery and improve patient care here on Earth: go.uth.edu/SpaceBiotech

What started as a Saturday morning of Christmas shopping quickly became a fight for Frederick Acka’s life. After experiencing sudden, severe back pain, the 62-year-old learned he had an aortic dissection—a dangerous tear in the body’s main artery.

As his condition worsened, UT Physicians heart and vascular specialists Rana Afifi, MD, and Anthony Estrera, MD, moved quickly with complex surgery to repair his aorta and restore blood flow. After more than 12 hours in the operating room and months of intensive care and rehabilitation, Frederick finally returned home.

Today, he’s rebuilding his strength and remains deeply grateful to the healthcare team that helped save his life.

Read Frederick’s story and how specialized care put him on the path to recovery. https://www.utphysicians.com/story/saving-frederick-acka-repair-of-a-type-a-aortic-dissection-with-complications/

Training for the UTHealth Houston Half Marathon & 10K? Make every mile count!

How you train, fuel, and recover now can make a difference on race day. In the UTHealth Houston Race Webinar Series: Stronger Every Mile, UTHealth Houston experts in sports medicine, nutrition, orthopedics, and athletic training share practical guidance to help you navigate injuries, fuel your long runs, know when to adjust your training, and recover effectively.

Watch and hear expert tips to help you train consistently, stay healthy, and feel ready for race day. https://youtu.be/VcuWURWynDc

National recognition for world-class pediatric heart care.

The Children’s Heart Institute at Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital, in collaboration with pediatric subspecialists at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston and UT Physicians, has been named one of the nation’s top programs for pediatric cardiology and heart surgery by U.S. News & World Report for 2026-27, ranking No. 12 among 79 pediatric hospitals evaluated nationwide.

From caring for children with the most complex heart conditions to advancing research, education, and innovative treatments, our teams are working together to improve outcomes for patients and families across the lifespan.

This recognition reflects the expertise, collaboration, and dedication of the physicians, nurses, researchers, staff, and partners who make this work possible every day.

Read more:

Children’s Heart Institute ranked among nation’s best Health Children’s Heart Institute ranked among nation’s best September 16, 2026 From left: Holly Bauser-Heaton, MD, PhD; Damien LaPar, MD; Jon Meliones, MD. (Photo by Felix Sanchez) The Children’s Heart Institute at Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital was named one of the nation’s top hos...

Expanding access to healthcare means meeting people where they are.

At UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, Jack Tsai, PhD, is putting that idea into practice. From helping veterans who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness build skills that support their health and well-being to bringing preventive screenings into everyday community spaces such as laundromats, his work focuses on people who may otherwise be left out of the healthcare system.

Philanthropy creates the flexibility to test ideas like these, helping turn unconventional approaches into practical solutions that can improve health and expand access to care.

"These are not typical projects you can get federal funding for," Tsai says. "Both the veteran program and the laundromat project are a little out of the box, and that's what makes them effective."

Read more: go.uth.edu/TsaiStory

Beginning with the Fall 2027 semester, Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth Houston will offer a BSN to DNP pathway in its Nursing Leadership and Administration program, enabling nurses across Texas to obtain a doctoral degree and prepare for leadership from the bedside to the boardroom without requiring a master’s degree. Applications are now being accepted. Get the details. https://go.uth.edu/BSN-DNP-Leadership

New BSN to DNP Nursing Leadership and Administration track New BSN to DNP Nursing Leadership and Administration track Applications being accepted for Fall 2027 Updated: September 21, 2026 Prospective students with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) can now apply directly to the Nursing Leadership and Administration track of the Doctor of Nursing Practic...

History made. Now, we look ahead. Today, we celebrated the first presidential investiture in UTHealth Houston's history and the leadership of President Melina R. Kibbe, MD. Together, we are creating what comes next for UTHealth Houston, a future full of bold possibilities.

Today is a special day for UTHealth Houston.
Our university community comes together to celebrate the presidential investiture of Melina R. Kibbe, MD, and a defining moment in our history.
As we celebrate this milestone, we also look ahead to the future we are creating together.

For more information and to watch live at 1:30 p.m., visit go.uth.edu/presidential-investiture.

Sometimes the most meaningful gifts are driven by a simple hope: that someone else's story will have a different ending.

After losing their son, Scott L. Harper, 39, to an undiagnosed hereditary aortic condition, Ed and Becky Harper were determined to help more physicians recognize the warning signs earlier.

"Supporting them would have a big effect on helping doctors learn to diagnose this condition earlier," Ed says.

Today, their philanthropy is advancing education and research McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston–from supporting surgical trainees and expanding physician education to amplifying research focused on the mental health of survivors and their families.

Their story shows how generosity can transform loss into knowledge, strengthen education, and help improve care for generations to come.

Read more: go.uth.edu/HarperStory

For families navigating Down syndrome care, having the right support in one place can make a meaningful difference.

UTHealth Houston is developing a new multidisciplinary clinic, planned for early 2027, to help families access more coordinated care through a centralized team familiar with the unique needs of people with Down syndrome. Families and caregivers are invited to share their experiences and priorities through a needs assessment survey.

Read more about the new expansion and take the survey to share what matters most to your family. https://www.utphysicians.com/community-input-guides-pediatric-down-syndrome-clinic/

25 years after 9/11, what can we learn about protecting firefighters’ health?

In the latest “Ask the Expert,” Jooyeon Hwang, PhD, explores the long-term health impacts of firefighting and why occupational exposures can have consequences decades later.

Through the Texas Firefighter Cancer Study, Dr. Hwang’s research connects firefighters’ exposure histories, biological changes, and long-term health outcomes to better understand cancer risk and identify opportunities for prevention.

Twenty-five years later, the events of 9/11 continue to shape how we protect firefighters today and in the future.

UTHealth Houston researchers are among the top five teams internationally in the AIntibody Challenge, a blinded benchmark published in Nature Biotechnology evaluating AI-driven therapeutic antibody discovery.

Competing as Novamab AI, the team combined machine learning with experimental validation to help identify promising antibody candidates, highlighting the potential of AI to accelerate therapeutic discovery.

Learn more: go.uth.edu/NovamabAI

A new chapter awaits John A. Valenza, DDS ’81, as he has been named dean emeritus, effective Oct. 1. The honor was announced by UTHealth Houston President Melina R. Kibbe, MD, at his retirement celebration, surrounded by colleagues, friends, family, and members of the university community.

His legacy is the students he taught, the faculty and staff he mentored and supported, and the culture of family, pride, and service he helped foster.

Read more at Go.uth.edu/ValenzaEmeritus.

From a coffee robot to a resource fair and plenty of opportunities to connect, Welcome Week looked a little different this year in the brand new public health building!

The UTHealth Houston School of Public Health welcomed students as the fall semester started — marking the beginning of a new chapter for students and our school. A new building. New possibilities. The same commitment to advancing public health.

On Sept. 1, 1987, Dean John A. Valenza, DDS ’81, joined the faculty at UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry.

As he prepares for retirement, we celebrate his nearly four decades of service, leadership, and dedication to our school and community.

Comment below your guess👇🗳️

The fall semester is officially underway at the UTHealth Houston School of Public Health. As classes begin, a new semester brings opportunities for discovery, collaboration, and growth as our students, faculty, and staff work together to advance public health and improve lives.