UTMB School of Public & Population Health

Meet Dr. Brian Downer, Associate Professor at UTMB PHHD. He studies cognition, dementia, and healthcare use in older adults and directs two PhD programs in Population Health and Rehabilitation & Health Services Research.

Watch the full video: utmb.us/ehz

Proud to welcome Dr. Vibhuti Gupta as Associate Professor in Biostatistics & Data Science. He advances multimodal AI with a focus on reliability, transparency, and fairness in health data. utmb.us/elq

Language choices affect access and dignity after brain injury. UTMB’s Monique Pappadis helped a coalition craft clear, shared wording in “Communicating About Brain Injury.” utmb.us/ell

Dr. Michael Goodman presented The Architecture of Flourishing, outlining the Flourishing Community Model in Kenya and Texas. Community-led steps that build connection, resilience, and well-being. utmb.us/eld utmb.us/dvj

UTMB Psychiatry & Women’s Health Symposium: Dr. Sadaf Milani presented on pain and cognition. Older women had more diagnosed pain; in women, Black women had more undiagnosed pain; pain tied to worse cognition; no sex differences. utmb.us/elb utmb.us/elc

Quiet excellence shows up in everyday moments. Kathryne Dunn models steadiness, mentorship, and trust you can count on. Read her story at SPPH. utmb.us/ejx

Latest Newsletter Dr. Caitlin Cotter’s research at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) illustrates how lasting advances in global health are made when an understanding of the local knowledge leads the way. Her research on Lassa fever virus (LASV) and vaccine hesitancy in Nigeria, in concert with the enduring structure and framework of UTMB’s West African Center for Research on Emerging Infectious Diseases, demonstrates why real partnership and respect for context matter.

The latest #OneHealth newsletter from UTMB is out. There's a lot going on in the world. Give this a read - break out of the doomscrolling!
#publichealth @utmbhealth.bsky.social @utmbspph.bsky.social

www.utmb.edu/one-health/n...

Applause for Dr. Meredith Masel, voted Best Professor in The Daily News Readers’ Choice 2025. Galveston readers recognized a teacher whose courses strengthen communication, care, and collaboration. SPPH is proud to learn with her!

From the Texas Public Health Summit, SPPH voices highlight teamwork across disciplines, clear communication to counter misinformation, and vigilance for emerging risks like New World screwworm. Read the reflections: utmb.us/eiu

Ambitious year ahead from the SPPH Student Association: monthly volunteering, Hablamos Spanish club, harm-reduction outreach at Mardi Gras, and student-driven seminars.
Elections start Sept 20 after nominations close Sept 19.
Details utmb.us/ehh

Congratulations to the UTMB Health Claude D. Pepper OAIC on renewed NIA support. This investment fuels research, training, and real-world solutions that support independence as we age. Proud of our UTMB community.

Utpol Das builds on lab training to pursue real-world impact, studying symptom clusters and cognition in older Mexican Americans with mentorship at UTMB SPPH.
Read more utmb.us/egt

BHH hosted its Welcome Lunch last week, keeping our Fun Facts tradition alive. We heard about a paper-map road trip, a Carnegie Hall performance, remembered-since-4th-grade dreams, and a car named “Guanábana.” Congrats to winners Grayson, Carmen, Vishnu, and Evelyn!

Albert Schweitzer Fellowship info session for SPPH students, Monday, Sept 29 at 1 PM. Join on Zoom us06web.zoom.us/j/8611071899...
or attend in person at SHP 1.442.

SPPH invites students to attend the Student Association’s first town hall of the semester. A chance to connect, share input, and enjoy lunch together.

Welcome to our four ConTex fellows from Mexico beginning the MPH: Paulina Alcocer González Camarena, Valeria B. Galán Trujillo, Andrea Villalobos Montoya, and Oscar David Almaraz Aguilar. Three will focus on Public Health Practice and one on Bioethics.

Congrats to MD/MPH student Shilpa Rajagopal and partner Madeline Steck (UTMB GSBS) on a UTMB President’s Cabinet Award. “Reading Together” provides free book bundles (EN/ES) to new parents with UTMB’s Mother/Baby Unit and community partners.

We are excited to recognize the recent promotions of our faculty. Their contributions in teaching, research, and service make a lasting difference.

Partnership in action: Badya students joined UTMB for an August program spanning research training, observerships, and simulation labs. Strong projects, new skills, and a growing academic bridge.
Read more here utmb.us/efb

In Applied Epidemiology, guests from the Overdose Response Strategy showed how public health and public safety work together on overdose response. A sugar-substitute demo showed fentanyl’s strength in tiny amounts.

Key lesson: “The person before the thing.” See the person, not the addiction.

Proud moment for UTMB: Dr. Caitlin Cotter has earned a Global Virus Network seed grant to pilot aerosol sampling for Lassa virus in Nigeria. Her research connects science, health, and community well-being.
Full story → utmb.us/eek

Last week, UTMB’s H-COR brought together faculty and clinicians for its first retreat, charting a shared vision for outcomes research—shaping priorities, training, and partnerships for the future.
Read more: utmb.us/edd

Scenes from SPPH orientation — a full day of meeting faculty & staff, hearing from peers, and connecting with fellow students across graduate programs. These photos capture just a few of the early conversations that are already shaping our year ahead.

📺 youtu.be/S5FXzRzrXjI

This morning’s check-in at Levin Hall marked the first welcome for students beginning their graduate studies at SPPH. Our Student Affairs team made sure everyone felt supported and ready for what’s ahead.

Tomorrow we’ll keep the momentum going at our SPPH orientation in Research Building 6!

When basic needs like food and electricity are uncertain, managing diabetes can feel impossible. UTMB’s new study points to a clear path forward: connect medical care with support for everyday life.
Read more utmb.us/ecw

Yesterday the Office of Biostatistics hosted a short briefing by Dr. Xiaoying Yu and a poster session on AI, ML, and applied methods. The event showed how statistical work moves projects from data to actionable results.

Learn about OBIOS support: www.utmb.edu/spph/departm...

SPPH Student Association leaders Emily Edgar and Izabella Galindo are creating opportunities for students to connect, collaborate, and make an impact in the community.
Learn about their plans for the year → utmb.us/ebk

A big thank-you to Dr. Diddier Prada for sharing groundbreaking work on environmental health and social determinants of health with SPPH faculty, staff, and students.

Four visiting students from Badya University in Cairo are here for our summer program! In week one: welcome dinner, Galveston tour, PT & neuro training, St. Vincent’s House, Grace Clinic, and Old Red.

Learn about our global partnership: utmb.us/drg

Seminar:
Environmental Influences on Vulnerable Populations and Molecular Mechanisms
🧠 Dr. Diddier Prada, MD, PhD (Mount Sinai)
📅 Mon, Aug 11 | ⏰ 12–1 PM | 📍HEC 3.200

Explore how air pollution and toxicant mixtures affect bone health in aging—and the social determinants that shape these risks.