New Horizons as UTHealth Houston Concludes Fiscal Year 2025

As we close Fiscal Year 2025, UTHealth Houston reflects on a year of remarkable progress and transition. This year marked the conclusion of Giuseppe N. Colasurdo, MD’s distinguished tenure as president—a period that saw three newly named schools and substantial growth across the university. We are also deeply grateful to LaTanya J. Love, MD, who has provided steady leadership as Interim President and guided the university through this important transition.

Amid these changes, one constant has been the generosity of our supporters. This year, more than 2,643 donors contributed nearly $45,070,000 to educate future health professionals, drive innovations that improve patient care and outcomes, and strengthen the well-being of communities across Houston and beyond.

A step forward in medical scholarships

The rising burden of student debt can prove challenging for medical students, dissuading some from pursuing their goals of becoming physicians. Yet, the need for knowledgeable, patient-centered doctors has never been greater. Two families made significant gifts to McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston to help solve this challenge.

Houston attorney Jim Adler and his wife, Deborah, generously established an endowment to provide ongoing scholarship support for medical students. Drs. Susan Nelson and Robert Hart, alumni of McGovern Medical School, endowed a full-tuition scholarship. UTHealth Houston matched both commitments dollar-for-dollar through the university’s Trailblazers program—joining with the Adlers and Drs. Nelson and Hart to strengthen the future of medicine.  

Partnering to address debilitating gastrointestinal illnesses

Although gastrointestinal conditions may not dominate the headlines, they can cause life-altering pain and complications for some patients. Partners like the Jerold B. Katz Foundation are helping our physicians make headway in better understanding and treating these illnesses. The foundation made a significant gift to establish the Jerold B. Katz Foundation Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Research Fund, which has already enabled the purchase of essential equipment to advance studies of conditions like Crohn’s disease and colitis.

A lesson on heart health from ancient Egypt

In February, UTHealth Houston partnered with the Houston Museum of Natural Science to launch a three-part series exploring how ancient history can inform modern medicine. Throughout the series, Jagat Narula, MD, PhD, the K. Lance Gould Distinguished University Chair in Coronary Pathophysiology at McGovern Medical School, presented his studies on the cardiovascular health of Egyptian mummies. His work reveals how heart disease has affected humans for thousands of years and offers a new perspective on how we can better prevent it.

Between February and August, more than 250 donors and friends of both institutions took part in the series, attending a dinner, a reception, or a lecture. These gatherings created opportunities for different audiences to engage with his discoveries while also showcasing the value of partnership between UTHealth Houston and the museum.

Honoring exceptional caregivers

This year, we launched our Honor Your Caregiver program and website, giving patients a heartfelt way to recognize UTHealth Houston physicians and caregivers who have made a difference in their lives. For many patients, facing illness can mean uncertainty and vulnerability. This program offers a powerful way to transform gratitude into impact. With each gift, patients not only honor the caregiver who stood beside them, but also help advance research, education, and technology that strengthen care for countless others in our community. Every honored caregiver receives a commemorative pin—a lasting symbol of the lives they have touched. Already, more than 300 caregivers have been recognized through this program.

Enhancing donor recognition and impact

We transformed UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry’s physical donor wall—honoring supporters who have made significant gifts—into an engaging digital format. Located in the second-floor lobby, the new wall features panels with rotating donor stories, a message of gratitude, and a looping video of donor names. This approach will help us quickly and efficiently recognize new donors, express our gratitude, and share stories of how philanthropy impacts the school.

Looking ahead

As we begin Fiscal Year 2026, UTHealth Houston carries forward the momentum of a year shaped by generosity and progress. That same spirit of growth and impact now sets the stage for the university’s next chapter of leadership.

In August, the UT System Board of Regents unanimously named Melina Kibbe, MD, as the next president of UTHealth Houston. Building on the progress made under Dr. Giuseppe Colasurdo and Dr. LaTanya Love, she will guide the university into a new era of innovation and growth.

“Our vision is clear—we strive to honor the passion of our donors by connecting their aspirations with projects that create lasting change for the people and communities we serve,” says Kevin J. Foyle, MBA, CFRE, Sr. Vice President for Development and Public Affairs. “With the dedication of our community and the leadership of our new president, we are poised to enter the next era of UTHealth Houston stronger than ever.”