Tennessee Health Commissioner John Dunn and members of his leadership team visited the UT Health Science Center campus to present three rural health grants and learn about efforts funded by the Tennessee Department of Health to care for Tennesseans.
The rural health grants include $3.7 million to expand mobile health capacity, $1 million to increase primary care health coaching at rural health hubs and $2.8 million for research to improve adherence to radiation therapy for cancer patients.
The Tennessee Department of Health recently designated UTHSC the Tennessee Rural Health Care Center of Excellence and awarded the university a $12 million grant to lead a four-year initiative to help close health care gaps. The department also is collaborating with the UTHSC College of Dentistry on the Healthy Smiles Initiative, a $53 million project to increase access to dental care across the state.
Pathologists’ Assistant Program Receives Full Accreditation
UTHSC’s Pathologists’ Assistant Program received a five-year accreditation from the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences, the maximum term for new programs.
“This prestigious achievement gives the program credibility and a guarantee that our students are receiving a quality education, meeting the rigorous, nationally recognized educational standards,” Program Director Michael Weitzeil says.
Launched in 2023, the master’s program trains students to dissect human surgical specimens, perform intraoperative procedures and conduct clinical and medicolegal autopsies. The program graduated its first class in December 2024 and continues to see strong application demand.
Researchers Honored for Successful Innovations
The UT Research Foundation held its 2025 Innovation Awards at UTHSC to recognize innovators whose research is generating new intellectual property, licenses and startup companies. The honorees included a startup launched by two researchers, 12 inventors awarded eight new patents and six researchers who secured six new licenses.
Professor Emeritus Dr. James Dale was honored as Innovator of the Year. Dale and his team have developed multiple vaccine candidates targeting Group A streptococcus, the bacterium responsible for strep throat and severe complications such as rheumatic heart disease. Their vaccine candidate StrepAnova has been successful in clinical trials, showing safety and strong antibody response.
Ph.D. Student Wins Thesis Competition
Homa Rezaei, a third-year pharmaceutical sciences Ph.D. student, won first place in UTHSC’s 2025 Three-Minute Thesis competition. Held annually, the competition challenges graduate students to present their theses using only one static presentation slide and language accessible to any audience, regardless of scientific background, within three minutes. Rezaei’s winning topic explored how scientists can turn specific genes on or off to treat genetic disorders. Her presentation won her a cash prize and a trip to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to compete in the regional competition at the Conference of Southern Graduate Schools annual meeting.
