THE MAGIC METABOLISM MUSCLE

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Learn more about this research at uh.edu/studiesshow.

Sedentary lifestylers take heart. Though it’s only 1% of one’s body weight, the soleus muscle effectively elevates muscle metabolism for hours if activated correctly.

Marc Hamilton, a biology and biochemistry professor at UH, made the disruptive discovery of the unassuming posterior leg muscle found in the calf, trademarking the movement the “soleus pushup”. His research, published in the journal iScience, suggests the exercise is more effective at sustaining an elevated oxidative metabolism to improve blood glucose regulation than intermittent fasting, weight loss and even exercise.

Calcaneus

$20M GIFT ENERGIZES COLLEGE OF NURSING

The gift earns the UH College of Nursing a new name and much more as it leads in rejuvenating the field of nursing.

The College of Nursing is now the Andy and Barbara Gessner College of Nursing, in recognition of a transformational $20 million gift from UH alumnus Andy Gessner (’68) and his wife, Barbara. The Gessners’ support comes at a critical point in the nursing profession, which is experiencing a significant labor shortage, and is inspired by the many selfless nurses they know, including their late mothers, Gertrude Smith Gessner and Mildred Roberson Pottenger.

The shortage of registered nurses in Texas is projected to increase to more than 57,000 by 2032, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. However, ambitious students are taking action, and as a result, enrollment in the UH nursing program has increased by 141% since 2018.

“We’re all going to need a nurse at some time in our lives, and there’s just not enough in the workforce or being educated for the future. The primary intent of our gift is to make more nurses available when we need them, now and in the future,” Andy Gessner says.

The donation will support the ambitions and achievements of UH nursing students, who are stepping up to the plate. In 2020, 100% of UH’s first-time test-takers passed the nursing licensure exam, putting the college in the top 8% of nursing schools in the U.S. In 2022, 99% of graduates who earned their Bachelor of Science in nursing were employed—the only exception being a graduate who was expecting a child.

Additionally, the gift will fund endowments for scholarships, graduate student fellowships, adjunct faculty support and marketing and communications.

“We believe in the value of an education,” Barbara Gessner adds. “I think most of the world’s problems could be solved through education, which is why we are so passionate about supporting the University of Houston.”

Kathryn Tart, the college’s founding dean, believes the success of the college and its students will only increase thanks to the Gessners’ incredible generosity, saying: “This gift will have a lasting impact on the nursing profession and our great city, state and beyond for many years to come.”

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Find more on Dean Kathryn Tart’s vision for the future of nursing on page 52.

generosity will significantly contribute to the ongoing success of the college and its students.

Tart believes the