By UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MEDICAL BRANCH

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has approved new programs for a doctorate in clinical laboratory sciences and in occupational therapy. The clinical laboratory sciences program will be only the second of its kind offered in the United States. The occupational therapists program will be the second of its kind offered in Texas. The first students to both programs will be admitted this fall.

Guns prohibited at many UTMB locations

A new state law allows concealed handguns on Texas public university campuses. However, carrying a concealed handgun is still prohibited at many University of Texas Medical Branch locations. Based on input from the university community, the medical branch’s Campus Carry Committee developed recommendations that included the establishment of zones across the medical branch’s three campuses where carrying a concealed weapon is not allowed. Those locations include areas designated for patient care, research and critical infrastructure. The medical branch’s plan was approved by The University of Texas System Board of Regents last month. A list of the buildings, clinics and leased spaces where carrying a handgun is prohibited — along with more information about the medical branch policy — is available at www.utmb.edu/campus-carry.

Nature and UTMB launch vaccines journal

The medical branch’s Alan Barrett is editor- in-chief of a new vaccine journal that highlights the most important scientific advances in vaccine research and development. The open access journal, npj Vaccines, is a joint venture of Nature and the medical branch. The journal, according to the Nature Partner Journals website, is one of a “series of online-only, open access journals published in collaboration with internationally renowned partners, driving high impact open science.”

“We want to become a prime source of up-to-date information about vaccine development and how vaccines are helping to improve our lives and saving the lives of millions of people around the globe,” said Barrett, Sealy Center for Vaccine Development director.
The journal is at www.nature.com/npjvaccines.