About the Office of Team Science

Mission and Objectives    Focus Areas    Collaborators    Meet the Team

About Us

The Office of Team Science at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) is a new initiative established in the spring of 2024 with the intent of fostering collaboration and facilitating interdisciplinary research. Our goal is to serve as a hub for connecting researchers and physicians from various disciplines, thereby facilitating the formation of interdisciplinary teams to tackle complex scientific questions and health challenges. As a result, we are uniquely positioned to forge collaborations across the John Sealy School of Medicine, the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, the School of Nursing, the School of Health Professions, and the School of Public and Population Health.

Currently, we are working to establish a campus-wide biorepository, expanding our collaboration with the World Health Organization, developing new opportunities for industry partnerships, and designing a new team science pilot fund. In the future, we will offer support in grant development, project management, symposia creation, and institutional/industry collaborations. Through these initiatives, the Office of Team Science at UTMB hopes to accelerate scientific discovery and impact by breaking down silos and promoting collaboration across disciplines.

Contact Us

Office of Team Science (OTS)

  • Email: ots@utmb.edu
  • Mailing Address: 301 University Boulevard, 6th Floor, Galveston, TX 77555-0177

Mission and Objectives

Mission

The mission of the Office of Team Science at UTMB is to accelerate research and advance strategic institutional initiatives through interdisciplinary collaboration. We are committed to creating an environment where diverse expertise converges to tackle the most pressing scientific and societal challenges. By fostering a culture of teamwork, we aim to break down silos, enhance research productivity, and drive transformative solutions that improve health outcomes and enrich lives.

Objectives

Promote Interdisciplinary Collaboration
Facilitate partnerships across departments, institutes, and disciplines to leverage diverse perspectives and expertise in solving complex problems.
Support Collaborative Research Initiatives
Provide resources, guidance, and funding opportunities to enable successful team-based research projects that address critical scientific and societal needs
Enhance Research Training and Education
Offer training programs and workshops that equip researchers with the skills necessary for effective collaboration, communication, and leadership in team science.
Foster Innovation and Creativity
Encourage the development of novel approaches and methodologies by bringing together multidisciplinary teams that challenge conventional thinking and explore new frontiers in science.
Strengthen Community Engagement
Engage with external partners, including industry, government, and community organizations, to ensure that our research addresses real-world challenges and has a meaningful impact.
Measure and Evaluate Impact
Implement metrics and evaluation tools to assess the effectiveness of team science initiatives, ensuring continuous improvement and alignment with strategic goals.

Focus Areas

At UTMB, we are dedicated to advancing knowledge and improving lives through targeted research in key areas of health and medicine. Our work is guided by a commitment to addressing the most pressing challenges of our time. Below are our five primary focus areas. 

These focus areas represent UTMB’s commitment to driving research that has a profound impact on health and well-being, both locally and globally. We are proud to lead in these critical domains and to contribute to the advancement of science and medicine.

Click on the cards below to learn more.

Hands holding an earth
Global Health
Tackling Health Disparities Worldwide
Group of old aged people laughing together
Aging
Promoting Healthy Aging for All
Doctor taking care of a pregnant women
Women’s Health
Advancing Women’s Health Across the Lifespan
Digital representation of brain with hand holding it
Brain Health
Understanding and Enhancing Brain Health
Astronauts sitting on a spaceship
Aerospace Medicine
Pioneering Health in Space and Beyond

These focus areas represent UTMB’s commitment to driving research that has a profound impact on health and well-being, both locally and globally. We are proud to lead in these critical domains and to contribute to the advancement of science and medicine.

Our Collaborators

Collaboration is at the heart of our mission at the Office of Team Science. We recognize that addressing complex health challenges requires the combined expertise and resources of a diverse range of partners. Our UTMB collaborators span all five schools at UTMB, all working together to advance research and improve health outcomes in our key focus areas.

Click on the cards below to visit our collaborators websites.

Biorepository
Galveston National Laboratory
Sealy Center on Aging
Aerospace Medicine
OB GYN
Moody Brain Health Institute
Institute of Human Infection and Immunity

Team

Alan Landay profile picture
Alan Landay, PhD
Vice President of Team Science Professor, Departments of Internal Medicine and Microbiology and Immunology Interim Director, Sealy Center on Aging
Matthew Mendoza profile picture
Matthew Mendoza, PhD
Program Manager of Team Science
Lanette Harris profile picture
Lanette Harris
Administrative Manager of Team Science