Academic Enterprise Announcements

I am pleased to announce that Abbey Berenson, MD, PhD, has accepted the new role of Vice Dean for Research at the John Sealy School of Medicine (JSSOM), effective December 1, 2025.

Susan Chubinskaya, PhD, MS, has been appointed Senior Vice President, Provost, and Chief Academic Officer of The University of Texas Medical Branch.

I am pleased to announce that Zbigniew Gugala, MD, PhD, has accepted the new role of Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Career Advising at the John Sealy School of Medicine (JSSOM), effective Nov. 1, 2025.

I am elated to congratulate our Health Education Center (HEC) team on achieving additional levels of accreditation in Human Simulation and Research from the Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSH). These new distinctions build upon the HEC’s 2024 SSH accreditations in Assessment and Teaching/Education, further highlighting the HEC’s commitment to excellence.

We are honored to announce the retirement of Alan Barrett, PhD, DSc (Hon), Professor and Director of the Sealy Institute for Vaccine Sciences in the John Sealy School of Medicine at UTMB. Dr. Barrett has served UTMB with a distinguished career for 32 years, in the areas of research, education and administration.

We are honored to announce the retirement of Jin Mo Chung, PhD, Professor and Chair of the Department of Neurobiology in the John Sealy School of Medicine at UTMB. Dr. Chung has served UTMB with distinction for 44 years, leaving an indelible mark on our institution through his leadership, research, and mentorship.

Erez Lieberman Aiden, PhD, has been appointed Chair of the Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, effective Aug. 12, 2025. He will also serve as Professor of BioSciences at Rice University, strengthening ties between our institutions.

Dr. Roberto Garofalo and Dr. Heather Stevenson-Lerner were appointed as the new co-directors of the MD-PhD Program at UTMB. Their combined leadership marks an exciting new phase in the development of a program that plays a vital role in the life of our academic medical center.

Melissa (Missy) Morrow, PhD, has been appointed Director of the Sealy Center on Aging at The University of Texas Medical Branch. A distinguished scientist, mentor, and leader in the field of rehabilitation research, Dr. Morrow brings a wealth of expertise to her new role.

Neil Mehta, PhD, MSc, MA, was named the Inaugural Chair of the Department of Epidemiology, SPPH, effective July 1. Dr. Mehta also serves as the Associate Dean for Research in the School of Public and Population Health as well as the Director for the newly established UTMB Center for Health and Clinical Outcomes Research.

Salim Hayek, MD, has been named Chair of the Department of Internal Medicine in the John Sealy School of Medicine, effective July 1. As a board-certified cardiologist, NIH-funded physician-scientist, and nationally recognized leader in academic medicine, Dr. Hayek brings to this position a remarkable blend of clinical insight, research excellence, and operational leadership.

UTMB has announced the recipients of the 2025 Faculty Excellence and Lifetime Achievement Awards. Please join us in sharing congratulations with these outstanding UTMB faculty members! They will be honored at the Faculty Recognition Reception on Thursday, Sept. 4.

The Center for Correctional Health (CCH), a new university-level initiative led by Olugbenga B. Ojo, MD, MBA, FACP, SFHM, CCHP, CCHP-CP, from the Department of Internal Medicine and the Chief Medical Officer and Chief Physician Executive for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Hospital Galveston. The CCH will allow UTMB to build on our unique knowledge and experience and play a vital role in improving the delivery of care to this important and vulnerable population.

Michael B. Whitehead, DHSc, PA-C, DFAAPA, has been named Chair of the Department of Physician Assistant (PA) Studies in the John Sealy School of Medicine. Dr. Whitehead has served as the Interim Chair since January 2025. A member of our PA faculty since March 2021, Dr. Whitehead served as Associate Program Director in the department prior to this appointment.

The Artificial Intelligence (AI) Center at UTMB is a transformative step in our institution’s commitment to innovation, health system excellence, and patient-centered care. As an academic medical center, UTMB has both the opportunity and the responsibility to shape the future of AI in medicine. The AI Center will serve as the institutional platform to meet this responsibility with integrity, scientific rigor, and vision.

Matthew Hutter, MD, MPH, MBA, will join UTMB as Chair of the Department of Surgery in the John Sealy School of Medicine this September. Dr. Hutter is a nationally and internationally recognized leader in the quality movement in surgery and in the field of metabolic and bariatric surgery.

Richard (Rick) Pyles, PhD, and Shikha Wadhwani, MD, MS, FASN, have been appointed as Assistant Research Officers. Dr. Pyles will serve as the inaugural Assistant Research Officer for Research Development and Administration. Dr. Wadhwani will serve as the inaugural Assistant Research Officer for Clinical Research.

The Center for Health and Clinical Outcomes Research (H-COR) is a new university-level initiative led by Neil K. Mehta, PhD, from the Department of Epidemiology in the School of Public and Population Health. H-COR aspires to become a nationally recognized leader in health and clinical outcomes research by leveraging UTMB’s exceptional data infrastructure and multidisciplinary strengths.

Brian K. Walsh, PhD, RRT, RRT-NPS, RRT-ACCS, RPFT, FAARC, has been appointed as the Chair of the Department of Respiratory Therapy, effective February 1, 2025. Dr. Walsh brings with him an impressive 29 years of experience in respiratory therapy and has been a significant asset to UTMB since 2022.

We thank Scott C. Weaver, PhD, for his strong leadership of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology (M&I) since 2015. A renowned researcher whose contributions are reflected by an impressive record of grant support, publications, and patents, Dr. Weaver has helped elevate the department to a world-class entity in the fight against infectious diseases.