Last call for School of Nursing alumni to submit their alumni news for the Tribute magazine! We are working on the 2021 Tribute magazine for the School of Nursing and want to feature alumni news! Professional-quality photos are welcome. Share your professional achievements, awards and honors with your alma mater. Please email your news to alumni@uthscsa.edu 
Do not miss out on your dental checkups! The School of Dentistry's dental practice is safely seeing patients for general dentistry and advanced dental care. Jorge Silva, a DDS candidate class of 2021, and alumna Juliana Gaviria, DDS, worked to expedite and simplify a patient's treatment process. 
A research team at our UT Health San Antonio, seeks to prevent Hispanic childhood obesity with the help of a five-year, $1 million grant from Baptist Health Foundation of San Antonio. The potentially groundbreaking research led by principal investigator Lily Q. Dong, PhD, professor of cell systems and anatomy at UT Health San Antonio, is testing whether there is a genetic marker of early insulin resistance in youth that could be controlled, thereby preventing obesity and development of Type 2 diabetes. Currently, most studies and treatment focus on adults, and pediatric anti-obesity drugs have limited effect. The need is particularly urgent for Hispanic children, 27% of whom are obese in Bexar County, where more than 65% of adults overall are overweight and obese. 
The Long School of Medicine's Class of 2021 has set an extremely high bar for graduating classes to come. Bringing in astounding stats from this year's Match Day, our soon-to-be residents have accomplished so much and are nationally recognized for their excellence. Congratulations @thelongsom 
ICYMI: The UT Health San Antonio School of Health Professions’ occupational therapy doctoral program is the first accredited state-supported entry-level OTD program in Texas. Congratulations! 
For the first time in its history, the Joe. R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio was named a top 50 medical school in U.S. News & World Report's Best Grad Schools for 2022. “The Long School of Medicine’s rankings recognize our efforts to inspire each new class of medical students to become the best prepared and most innovative physicians for our community,” said Robert Hromas, MD, FACP, dean of the Long School of Medicine and vice president for medical affairs at UT Health San Antonio. “We are especially proud of the top 50 rankings in primary care and diversity since our region is so diverse and needs primary care physicians so desperately. These rankings would not have occurred without our strong partnership with University Hospital.” Congratulations to our Long School of Medicine! 
Did you know that Latinos represent 18.5% of the U.S. population, but are less than 10% of those in federal cancer and drug studies? This makes it hard for researchers to create treatments that work best for Latinos. To engage more Latinos in research, the Salud America! program at UT Health San Antonio has received a three-year, $650,000 grant from Genentech to create Latino-focused recruitment strategies and systems for clinical trials in cancer treatment and Alzheimer’s disease. 
Humans possess a formidable multi-layered defense system that protects us against viral infections. Better understanding of these defenses and the tricks that viruses use to evade them could open novel avenues for treating viral infections and possibly other diseases. Now researchers from UT Health San Antonio have discovered that SAMHD1 recognizes a unique molecular pattern in nucleic acids. This pattern, called “phosphorothioation,” may act as a signal for action. It’s like a sentinel atop a palace wall who sees an invading horde in the distance and calls the troops to battle stations. Understanding the mechanism of SAMHD1 activation could be a step forward in the fight against HIV/AIDS. 
Nursing Alumni, come help us create history! Please join us in evaluating equipment for the new UT Health Multispecialty and Research Hospital. The event will be held April 5-7 in the Holly Auditorium on the main campus. OR Tables, OR Lights, OR Booms, Video integration, hospital beds/stretchers will be available for evaluations. Please contact Dan Elinskas with any questions at 347-409-3252 (call/text) or Elinskas@uthscsa.edu Thank you for giving back your time to further our mission at UT Health! 
The American Dental Education Association (ADEA) selected Luke Seiler as a recipient of the 2021 ADEA/GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare Preventive Dentistry Scholarship. Luke was one of twelve national recipients to receive an ADEA scholarship in recognition of his academic excellence as a predoctoral dental student. Congratulations, Luke, we are so proud of you! 
It is our honor to recognize Helen V. Fleck, as our next Student Spotlight feature! Helen is a student in the Physical Therapy program in our UT Health San Antonio School of Health Professions. We asked Helen why she choose UT Health San Antonio. “UT Health San Antonio was my first choice due to its reputation for exemplary health care, community involvement, and commitment to education. I first heard of UT Health when I moved to San Antonio in 2009 and was impressed with the school’s renown. I had not yet selected Physical Therapy as my chosen field but was considering a job in the health care field.” It is a true honor to know Helen. She also serves as a delegate on the Student Legacy Council (SLC). The SLC works in collaboration with the Alumni Engagement team to enhance student experience through establishing connections and works to foster a culture of philanthropy by developing and engaging future alumni. We are very proud of you, our alumni and students, as you work tirelessly to make lives better in our communities every day. We want to tell your stories and celebrate your successes while also introducing you to some of the next generation of health care leaders. If you would like to share your story, please email alumni@uthscsa.edu. 
Happy Doctor's Day to our UT Health Alumni Family! Now more than ever we thank you for your commitment to keep us all safe. Thank you for making lives better! 
School of Nursing Alumni news needed! We are working on the 2021 Tribute magazine for the School of Nursing and want to feature alumni news! Professional-quality photos are welcome. Share your professional achievements, awards and honors with your alma mater. Please email your news to alumni@uthscsa.edu by Friday, April 2. 
Congratulations to Ms. Allie Vaiana (Sharp) for receiving a Society for Neuroscience Trainee Professional Development Award. The Trainee Professional Development Award recognizes undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctoral fellows who demonstrate scientific merit and excellence in research. Allie is currently a fifth year Ph.D. candidate in the lab of Dr. David Morilak. She is in the Neuroscience discipline of the Integrated Biomedical Sciences Program. After graduation, she would like to pursue a post-doctoral fellowship within the field of neuroscience. Way to go, Allie! 
Dr. Peter Guarnero of the School of Nursing at UT Health San Antonio addresses who to ask about any vaccine related concerns in today’s Your COVID-19 Questions Answered. 
“Teresa Lozano Long, known as Terry to her many friends, made a significant and profound impact on health care education in her beloved South Texas during her lifetime,” said William L. Henrich, MD, MACP, president of The University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio). Mrs. Long died March 21 at the age of 92. Her legacy lives on in the more than 307 physicians, nurses, health professionals and MD/PhD students whose education at the UT Health Science Center has been funded by scholarships from Teresa Lozano Long and her husband of 63 years, Joe R. Long. “No one can ever fully quantify the positive impact of Terry and Joe Long’s generosity, but it is safe to say that every patient treated, and every family served, by a Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long Scholar in Medicine, Nursing, Health Professions or Graduate Studies has been profoundly touched by their exemplary and caring investment in the future of health for San Antonio and South Texas, as well as our state and nation,” President Henrich said. ‘She will touch our mission forever’ 
There is still time to register! We rescheduled the panel discussion "Nursing Response to COVID-19" to March 23rd from 6 - 7pm. We will share an update on how our School of Nursing has contributed to the COVID-19 efforts and also hear from alumni. 
SAVE THE DATE! Join us virtually on Monday, March 29, to celebrate our decades of preeminence in education, research and clinical care as we unveil the cornerstone for the UT Health San Antonio Multispecialty & Research Hospital. Be a part of history in the making! 
Dr. Sivaramakrishnan, who joined the faculty in December, is establishing her neuroplasticity research program. In particular, she is hoping her research will address gaps in the translation of the potential benefits of non-invasive brain stimulation from lab to clinic. “I’m trying to find out if we can develop tools that will be helpful in improving neuroplasticity,” she said, describing the brain’s ability to change in response to stimulation. “Say you learn a particular instrument, but as you keep practicing you get better because the connections in your brain start widening up.” 
It is our honor to recognize Sheena Marie S. Caramba, DPT, as our next Alumni Spotlight feature! Dr. Caramba is a 2020 graduate from our UT Health San Antonio School of Health Professions. Dr. Caramba graduated with her Doctorate in Physical Therapy in 2020 during the height of the pandemic in a Zoom ceremony – something she will never forget. We asked Dr. Caramba what has been her experience in transitioning into the COVID-19 workforce? “I’ll be completely honest; graduating and job hunting in the middle of a pandemic was a struggle! These unprecedented times were something that no one could ever be prepared for. I truly believe that the quality of the education and the diversity of my clinical experiences I received at UT Health San Antonio helped me stand out as a candidate during the job search and has helped me become a flexible and adaptable PT, which has made me a valuable addition to the rehabilitation team.” If you would like to share your story, please email alumni@uthscsa.edu.