Welcome to Ask the Expert, a UTHealth Houston news series in which leading experts examine pressing health challenges. In this edition, we address National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day.
For alumna Taylor Downs, MPH ‘26, her journey to studying at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health began with her love of fitness, a parental connection to healthcare, and a new perspective on what it means to prioritize health.
Risk factors for cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic disease, a health condition made up of heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes, and obesity, can be identified in children as young as 8, UTHealth Houston researchers discovered.
Recent graduate Jennifer L. Thompson, PhD, MPH, has completed the epidemiology doctoral program at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health and is taking the next step in a career dedicated to research, teaching, and improving public health.
August 5, 2025
Despite Fort Bend County’s reputation as one of Texas’ most prosperous regions, a comprehensive new health assessment reveals significant gaps in access to mental health services and to prenatal care, affecting thousands of residents across this rapidly growing, diverse community.
August 1, 2025
Epidemiology Associate Professor Theresa Ochoa, MD, a distinguished pediatrician and global health researcher, has been awarded the title of Chevalier de l’Ordre de Léopold by His Majesty King Philippe of Belgium.
July 30, 2025
A nationally recognized leader in the field of biostatistics and data science, Samiran Ghosh PhD, steps into his new role as Chair of the Department of Biostatistics and Data Science
July 25, 2025
On July 2nd, Lukas Richards, MD, a resident physician from UTHealth Houston’s Occupational and Environmental Medicine (OEM) Residency program, presented on behalf of the Docside Clinic: Connecting Docs to Docks.
July 23, 2025
Congratulations to the doctoral students who graduated from the UTHealth Houston School of Public Health Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences this summer!
July 21, 2025
Jiaming Liang, an assistant professor at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health in San Antonio, has been awarded the Regional Award (North America) for Excellence in Publication in Behavioral Medicine by the International Journal of Behavioral Medicine. His work, published in 2023, was recognized for its outstanding contribution to the field and will be formally honored at the upcoming 2025 International Congress of Behavioral Medicine in Vienna, Austria.
July 18, 2025
Alumna Angela Branch-Vital, PhD, has been named the Inaugural Dean of the Prairie View A&M University School of Public and Allied Health.
July 17, 2025
Professor Bing Yu, PhD, has been awarded a $4.1 million R01 grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to lead a four-year study investigating heart failure in Hispanic and Latino populations.
July 17, 2025
A trailblazer in dental public health research, Sayali Tungare, PhD, is advancing our understanding of dental pain management and the prescribing patterns of opioids and antibiotics in dentistry. Her work bridges public health and clinical practice by applying human-centered design, mixed methods research, and large-scale EHR (electronic health record) data analysis to real-world challenges.
July 17, 2025
UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, UT Physicians, and Brighter Bites have been awarded a $249,577 grant from The Cigna Group Foundation through its Health Equity Impact Fund. This funding supports a new produce prescription program designed to combat food insecurity and improve diabetes management among Hispanic adults in Houston.
