Sealy Center on Aging

@utmbscoa.bsky.social

141 Followers 233 Following

The Sealy Center on Aging focuses on improving the health and well-being of older adults through interdisciplinary research, education & community engagement by integrating the resources and activities relevant to aging at UTMB Health. Please use ALT text!

older man gestures to a colleague while lecturing for researchers in a classroom setting
The Human Brain: A Free, Fun & Informative Conversation with the Neuroscience Community by UTMB
photo of Dr. Morrow, a blonde woman wearing glasses in a studio setting Congratulations! Missy Morrow named fellow of the American Society of Biomechanics
Reminder: Two aging research lectures this week: Tuesday, May 26, at 3PM: Konrad H. Stopsack, MD MPH, Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology, BIPS in Bremen, Germany, will present, "Reproducibility and Integrity in Observational Research: A Research Community Approach." Wednesday, May 27 at noon: Shalender Bhasin, MB, BS, Harvard Medical School, will present, "Targeting Skeletal Muscle to Improve the Health and Wellbeing of Older Adults." utmb.edu/scoa
New scientific publication from the UTMB Pepper Center photo of bedroom Association of Sleep Disturbance and Physical Functioning Following Acute Hospitalisation in Older Adults New study finds poor sleep during and after a hospital stay is linked to slower physical recovery in older adults. Emily Arentson-Lantz, Julia Boyle, Rachel Deer, Manasa Kokonda, Danielle Bennetsen, Samantha Carreon, Jessica Meers, George Taffet, Farhaan S Vahidy, Kathryn Agarwal, Elena Volpi, Sara Nowakowski LINK IN BIO
UTMB logo THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MEDICAL BRANCH Save the Date "Partners in Care: Promoting Health and Wellbeing in Our Community" June 17th, 2026, 8:30 am-3:00 pm Levin Hall Dining Room - 1006 Market St, Galveston, TX 77550
young woman of color wearing sunglasses, smiling while using her phone and leaning on a sandwich board sign that reads, "Technology & Aging Research Ideation Jam Save the Date May 19"
Dr. Lyons, a woman wearing glasses, UTMB logo seal
closeup of wheel chair user outdoors
UTMB logo An announcement from the Sealy Center on Aging Thanks to all our 2026 attendees the 31st annual lefeber hughes winter series on aging, photos of attenbdees and Drs Lefeber and Hughes
TEXAS RESOURCE CENTER ON MINORITY AGING RESEARCH Tx RCMAR logo: texas shape with 3 people icons Join us for the next RCMAR Lecture on March 24, 2026 Date: Tuesday, March 24, 2026 Time: 3:00-4:00pm Location: TEAMS Join the meeting now Meeting ID: 227 747 751 598 9 Passcode: KU9NA9kg Situating Functional and Cognitive Health Among Older Mexican Americans Within Neighborhood Context Presented by Weidi Qin, PhD, MSW, MPH, Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin–Madison Dr. Qin is an Assistant Professor at the Sandra Rosenbaum School of Social Work of the University of Wisconsin–Madison. She is an interdisciplinary scholar trained in social work, gerontology, and social epidemiology. Her program of research program focuses on socio-ecological and contextual factors of cardiometabolic risk and functional limitations among community-dwelling older adults, with a focus on racial and ethnic minority groups. Beyond Dollars and Hours: Understanding Care Characteristics and Caregiver Strain in Family Caregiving for Hispanic and non-Hispanic Older Americans Presented by Stipica Mudrazija, PhD, William L. Dowling Endowed Professor in Health Administration, University of Washington Dr. Stipica Mudrazija is an Assistant Professor and the William L. Dowling Endowed Professor in Health Administration in the Department of Health Systems and Population Health at the University of Washington. He is also a Non-Resident Fellow at the Urban Institute in Washington, DC, and an elected member of the National Academy of Social Insurance. He studies issues related to population aging and the health and wellbeing of adults across the life course, their families, and the broader social systems in the United States and internationally. Institutional logos: UTMB, UT San Antonio, UT and RCCN
UTMB Logo An Announcement from the Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center Call for Proposals LOI deadline April 6 Full Submission May 15 utmb.edu/pepper
Texas RCMAR Lecture March 24, 2026 3-4PM TEAMS Situating Functional and Cognitive Health Among Older Mexican Americans Within Neighborhood Context Presented by Weidi Qin, PhD, MSW, MPH, Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin–Madison Beyond Dollars and Hours: Understanding Care Characteristics and Caregiver Strain in Family Caregiving for Hispanic and non-Hispanic Older Americans Presented by Stipica Mudrazija, PhD, William L. Dowling Endowed Professor in Health Administration, University of Washington Institution logos
UTMB logo An announcement from the Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center photo of Dr. Phongtankuel, middle aged man wearing glasses, smiling Join us for the next Pepper Investigators Lecture Home Hospice Care: A Journey to Understand Hospice Discharge, Symptom Burden, and Family Caregiving Date: Wednesday, March 25, 2026 Time: 12:00-1:00pm Location: TEAMS Join the meeting now Meeting ID: 224 954 890 637 Passcode: UM2FC2Xe Presented by Veerawat Phongtankuel, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Weill Cornell
ICAA logo Call for Papers 2026 International Conference on Aging in the Americas Abstracts Accepted April 16 - May 31 utmb.edu/rcmar institutional logos
group photo of older adults & researchers Thanks to Our Community Advisory Board The University of Texas Medical Branch Sealy Center on Aging Researcher Meet & Greet February 20, 2026
Date: Tuesday, February 24, 2026 Time: 3:00-4:00PM Join the meeting now Meeting ID: 227 747 751 598 9 Passcode: KU9NA9kg The Impact of Lifetime Smoking Exposure on the Cognitive Function of Older Mexican Adults Dr. Jaqueline Avila has a PhD in Population Health Sciences and is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Gerontology at the University of Massachusetts Boston. Her work focuses on social determinants of health outcomes among older adults who smoke in the U.S. and Latin America. The main disciplines in her research are population aging, tobacco control and social epidemiology. Empowering Hispanic Older Adults as Peer Leaders: A Feasibility Pilot Targeting Chronic Pain and Depression Meredith Stensland, PhD, LMSW, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. She holds an MSW and PhD in social work, and her clinical experience includes hospice, geropsychiatry, and behavi
Texas RCMAR logo, event graphic RCMAR Workshop 2026 Handling Survey Weights and Missing Data in Applied Survey Research March 20, 2026 Free Registration utmb.edu/rcmar
Texas Resource Center on Minority Aging Research event announcement photo of Jr. Fleuriet
abstract data image
text repeated in post, photo of Dr. High, a man in a suit wearing glasses, UTMB logo
Texas Resource Center on Minority Aging Research, Call for Pilot Project Applications, due March 15, learn more and apply online
AI Horizon Featuring AI Research at UTMB Jan 14 event flyer
Seminar: Multimodal AI in Healthcare Presented by: Vibhuti Gupta, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Biostatistics & Data Science, School of Public & Population Health, UTMB Date: Tuesday, January 27, 2026 Time: 12:00-1:00PM Join us virtually by registering on Zoom: https://www.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_296DveoQSqOl9m8kUVu7ZA Contact Anirudh Babu (asbabu@utmb.edu) for additional information.
Read Rose's story at the link in post, video slideshow of some quotations with photos of older woman of color and her church
UTMB An Announcement from the Sealy Center on Aging Speaker photos and names details available at link
We wish you Love & Peace this holiday season
Medical Student Trianing in Aging Research (MSTAR) CALL FOR APPLICATIONS DUE February 9, 2026 photos of student participants UTMB logo Apply today for an 8-week summer program visit link for more info
Unpacking Healthcare Utilization and Outcomes for Older Adults with Diabetes and ADRD in the US-Mexico Border Region Date: Tuesday, December 16, 2025 Time: 3:00-4:00 PM Location: Teams Join the meeting now Meeting ID: 227 747 751 598 9 Passcode: KU9NA9kg Presented by Alfonso Rojas-Alvarez, Assistant Professor, Department of Public Health Sciences, The University of Texas at El Paso Bio: Alfonso J. Rojas-Alvarez is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences at The University of Texas at El Paso. He also serves as Director of the Health Policy Lab within the College of Health Sciences, where his research group explores the intersection of public policy and health outcomes. Prior to joining UTEP, Dr. Rojas-Alvarez was a faculty member at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin, where he obtained his PhD. His research investigates how variations in the implementation of public health policies across federal, state, and local governments contribute to health disparities among vulnerable populations, including Hispanic communities, border residents, and older adults with chronic conditions. He employs methods from data science, machine learning, and causal inference to rigorously assess how policies are implemented and what effects they produce.
UTMB logo and photos of lecture participants Save the date! Join us for 5 weekly lectures beginning January 27, 2026. The Lefeber Hughes Winter Series on Aging, now in its 31st year, features nationally recognized experts in gerontology, including research educators, basic scientists, clinicians, and social scientists. This five-week series of presentations is open to all, and we invite UTMB faculty, staff, students, trainees, and members of the local community to attend. Stay tuned for lecture topics! www.utmb.edu/winterseries
Stories of Aging: Humanizing Aging Through Shared Stories graphic with text and photos of medical student and older adult participant
If you rest, well then you rust! Jerome Kunz Pops 92-year-old Galveston Shrimper, photo of older man in front of fishing nets on a boat
The Sealy Center on Aging at UTMB Health: Leading Aging Research Since 1995, photo of Old Red Ashbel Smith building
Texas Resource Center on Minority Aging Research photo of Dr. Martinez Latinidad and Language in Latino Health Date: Tuesday, October 28, 2025 Time: 3:00-4:00 PM Location: Teams Join the meeting now Meeting ID: 227 747 751 598 9 Passcode: KU9NA9kg Presented by Glenn Martinez, PhD MPH, Dean of the College of Liberal and Fine Arts; Professor of Spanish, Bicultural/Bilingual Studies, and Public Health; Stumberg Distinguished University Chair, The University of Texas at San Antonio
New Video: Using Technology to Keep Old People Out of Nursing Homes October 22, 2025, 14:21 PM by SCOA photo of Dr, Goodwin, and older man A video is now available online for the Pepper Investigators Lecture on October 22, 2025, "Using Technology to Keep Old People Out of Nursing Homes," presented by James S. Goodwin, MD, Co-Director, Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center; Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Geriatrics.
Tonight! The 28th annual forum on aging October 16, 2025 4-6pm photo collage of attendees, faculty researchers and staff of different backgrounds, genders, and ethnicities
Tonight! The 28th annual forum on aging October 16, 2025 4-6PM photo collage of attendees, a diverse array of faculty researchers and staff UTMB SCOA logo
AGING WELL: What you need to know What does it take to age well today? Join UTMB Health experts on brain health, aging research, nutrition and geriatric care as they share the latest insights, practical tips and resources for living longer and better Wednesday, October 22, 2025 9:30 am – 11:30 am OLLI at UTMB Health 1200 Market Street Galveston, TX 77555 FREE Parking (Entrance at Mechanic Street) FREE – OPEN TO THE PUBLIC (OLLI Membership not required) FREE Parking (Entrance at Mechanic Street) Register Now: https://utmb.us/ejf AGENDA: 9:30 am - 10:15 am Geriatric Medicine and Your 4 M's Dr. Mukaila Raji, Professor & Director, Geriatric Medicine Nutrition and Sleep Health Dr. Emily Lantz, Assistant Professor, Nutrition Sciences 10:15 am - 10:30 am BREAK 10:30 am - 11:15 am Aging Research - What's Next? Dr. Missy Morrow, Director, Sealy Center on Aging Geroscience: What Is It and How Can You Get Involved? Dr. Alan Landay, Vice President, Team Science
Seminar: Challenges in Non-Inferiority Testing: Why It's Not Just a One-Sided Version of Superiority Testing Presented by: Dr. Samiran Ghosh, Professor & Chair, Department of Biostatistics & Data Science, UT Health Houston Date: Tuesday, October 21, 2025 Time: 12:00-1:00PM Location: in person at UHC 4.108 (lunch will be provided) Can't make it in person? Join us virtually by registering on Zoom: https://www.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_herRtQgoT1qEpJCyppP8jQ Hybrid Seminar: Contact Anirudh Babu (asbabu@utmb.edu) for additional information.
Announcement National Institute on Aging renews funding for the UTMB Health Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center Continuously funded since 2000 2025 - 2030 theme Enhance functional independence in older adults with chronic disabling conditions by reducing health disparities UTMB Health logo photo of Galveston Seawall, waves and rocks, at sunset
Save the Date The 28th Annual Forum on Aging October 16, 2025 4-6pm www.utmb.edu/scoa/forum photos of faculty members smiling, talking about research, networking
photo collage of forum attendees - people of different age, sex and ethnicity in a professional setting, smiling, with certificates in front of research posters The Forum on Aging: Celebrating 28 years of showcasing aging research at UTMB
Faculty Factory Presented by UTMB Health
collage of students presenting posters and giving presentations
UTMB Health Data Management and Analysis Core for Comparative Effectiveness Research on Cancer in Texas Congratulations to 2025-2026 Pilot Project Awardees -Shifa Kanjwal, MD (Assistant Professor, UT Southwestern Dallas): Characteristics and Outcomes of Pregnancy Associated Breast Cancer in Texas using Texas Medicaid. Drs. Lopez & Giordano, Mentors -Gabriel Benavidez, PhD (Assistant Professor, Baylor University): Medicaid Enrollment Timing and Cancer Care in Rural vs. Urban Women. Drs. Goodwin & Kuo, Mentors -Byeongyeob Choi, PhD (Assistant Professor, UTHealth San Antonio): Advanced Causal Inference for ADI Effects on Cancer Diagnosis. Dr. Kuo, Mentor -Ami Sedani, PhD, MPH (Assistant Professor, UTHealth Houston): Assessing Colorectal Cancer Screening and Follow-up in Texas Medicaid. Dr. Lopez & Kuo, Mentors Visit our website to learn more: www.utmb.edu/dmac This project is funded by CPRIT: https://www.cprit.state.tx.us/grants-funded/grants/rp210130
group of older adults seated in a circle with a facilitator, a woman of color
UTMB Health Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center Pepper Investigators Lecture Stronger for Longer: The Interplay Between Lifestyle, Muscle Metabolism, and Successful Aging Date: Wednesday, July 23, 2025 Time: 12-1pm Location: Rebecca Sealy 6.100 & via TEAMS (lunch provided for those in person, first come, first served) Presented by Andrew Murton, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery **Please remember to acknowledge the Claude D. Pepper OAIC grant #P30-AG024832 in all applicable publications.** www.utmb.edu/pepper
UTMB Health DMAC Seminar photos of presenters, details repeated in post
UTMB Health A Special Lecture from the Sealy Center on Aging Tuesday, August 5, 2025 12:00-1:00PM Hybrid: RSH 6.100 and Teams Lunch provided for those in person From Frailty to Function: Engineering New Frontiers in Aging
Dr. Morrow introduces Dr. Milani in a hybrid presentation setting with several in-person participants. The screen reads, "Pain and Cognition Among Older Adults Across Contexts," with the UTMB Health logo and a photo of Old Red building.
Pepper Investigators Lecture: Sadaf Milani, PhD, MPH - Wednesday, June 25, 2025 UTMB Helath logo photo of Dr. MIlani, a young woman smiling Pepper Investigators Lecture: Pain and cognition among older adults across contexts Date: Wednesday, June 25, 2025 Time: 12-1pm Location: Rebecca Sealy 6.100 & via TEAMS (lunch provided for those in person, first come, first served) Presented by Sadaf Milani, PhD, MPH, Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology, School of Public and Population Health Join the meeting now Meeting ID: 224 954 890 637 Passcode: UM2FC2Xe **Please remember to acknowledge the Claude D. Pepper OAIC grant #P30-AG024832 in all applicable publications.** www.utmb.edu/pepper