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UT Health San Antonio, UTSA researchers receive prestigious 2025 Hill Prizes for medicine and technology

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Researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and The University of Texas at San Antonio, institutions set to merge later this year, collaborated to earn prestigious 2025 Hill Prizes in medicine and technology.

SAN ANTONIO, Jan. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — On the eve of a historic merger between The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and The University of Texas at San Antonio, researchers from the two institutions have been honored with highly prestigious 2025 Hill Prizes, in medicine and technology.

The prizes are awarded by the Texas Academy of Medicine, Engineering, Science and Technology (TAMEST), and Lyda Hill Philanthropies, which fund the awards to “propel high-risk, high-reward ideas and innovations that demonstrate very significant potential for real-world impact and can lead to new, paradigm-shifting paths in research,” according to TAMEST.

The prizes are given in six categories: Medicine, Public Health, Engineering, Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences and Technology. They recognize and advance top Texas innovators providing seed funding to advance groundbreaking science and highlight Texas as a premier destination for world-class research. Each of the six winning proposals will receive $500,000 in funding from Lyda Hill Philanthropies to accelerate their work.

The recipient for medicine is Kenneth M. Hargreaves, DDS, PhD, professor of endodontics, pharmacology, surgery, and cellular and integrative physiology at UT Health San Antonio. His co-investigator for the award is Stanton McHardy, PhD, associate professor of medicinal chemistry at UTSA.

And the technology recipient is Robert De Lorenzo, MD, president and co-founder of university tech startup EmergenceMed LLC, and professor and vice chair of research for the Department of Emergency Medicine at UT Health San Antonio. De Lorenzo’s co-principal investigator for the award is R. Lyle Hood, PhD, associate professor of mechanical engineering at UTSA, and an EmergenceMed co-founder.

“These awards will support crucial advancements in key areas of high medical need: non-opiate pain relief and emergency airway protection,” said Robert Hromas, MD, FACP, acting president of UT Health San Antonio. “They are truly collaborative team efforts and are evidence of the extraordinary biomedical development going on here in San Antonio.”

“I’m delighted to see our esteemed researchers and faculty members honored by TAMEST as 2025 Hill Prize recipients, as it speaks to the power of collaboration between the two institutions that will soon establish one, premier powerhouse for continued innovation and advancement in these impactful areas,” said UTSA President Taylor Eighmy, PhD. “This caliber of recognition speaks volumes to the incredible work our colleagues do each day to positively and significantly improve the lives of so many in our communities.”

Developing non-opioid painkillers

Hargreaves, inaugural director of the UT Health San Antonio School of Dentistry’s Center for Pain Therapeutics and Addiction Research was chosen for developing non-opioid analgesics, also known as painkillers, to reduce the use of opioids and prevent drug addiction.

Prescription opioids such as hydrocodone and oxycodone are widely recognized to be a major gateway to opioid use disorder (OUD). The drug overdose epidemic continues to accelerate, with Texas experiencing a 75% increase in death rates over the last five years.

Hargreaves and his team will use the prize funding to develop novel non-opioid analgesics and create a critical bridge to help prompt commercial development. His team identified a new approach to identify novel targets and found several potential candidates.

He will partner with McHardy and other researchers at UTSA to validate the potential novel targets identified and screen active compounds. The outcome aims to create a novel non-opioid analgesic and in turn, reduce opioid use syndrome and the epidemic of related overdose deaths.

“This Hill Award will catalyze the development of novel analgesics, thereby helping to reduce the epidemic of substance use disorder,” Hargreaves said.

Improving emergency airway management

De Lorenzo was chosen for addressing long-standing issues in airway management for emergency, critical care and surgical settings. Current endotracheal tubes (ETTs) have suffered from high failure rates, dislodgement, leakage and a lack of innovation over the past 125 years.

Prize funding will be used to partner with Hood and other researchers at UTSA to redesign the ETTs by developing a Flexible Airway Securement Tube (FAST) and then taking the design to market. The new design features innovative expanding/contracting geometries, smart materials and modular components.

“This award has arrived at a pivotal time for the effort,” said UTSA’s Hood, who serves as chief technology officer of EmergenceMed. “Our team has been exploring new materials and actuation methods for a far more user-friendly and intuitive endotracheal tube. This funding will help us achieve those improvements, broaden the patent portfolio on the technology, and engage with new partners for integrating sensors and smart systems that can respond to patient condition and first responder needs.”

This will enable better adaptability to various trachea sizes, improved fluid sealing and greater stability. This redesign promises to simplify intubation, enhance patient safety and pave the way for future AI-driven advancements in airway management.

Hood’s work has focused on medical device development, resulting in more than a dozen peer-reviewed articles from journals, and patents on the design, prototyping, characterization and field analysis for innovative portable oropharyngeal suction devices, endotracheal tubes and alternatives to the laryngoscope.

Rewarding creative collaboration

A committee of TAMEST members (Texas-based members of the National Academies) selected the recipients, and finalists were endorsed by a committee of Texas Nobel and Breakthrough Prize Laureates and approved by the TAMEST Board of Directors.

“On behalf of TAMEST, we are honored to congratulate this year’s recipients of the Hill Prizes, whose work exemplifies innovation and excellence and helps define Texas as a leader in scientific research and discovery,” said TAMEST President Brendan Lee, MD, PhD (NAM), Baylor College of Medicine. “These prestigious prizes not only recognize their remarkable research but also benefit from the critical support from Lyda Hill Philanthropies to help propel their work forward. We know their discoveries will continue to advance science in ways that will have a lasting impact on our world.”

“The Hill Prizes are designed to catalyze groundbreaking ideas and offer seed funding that bridges the gap between research and real-world impact,” said 2025 Hill Prizes Committee Chair David E. Daniel, PhD (NAE), The University of Texas at Dallas. “There is no shortage of innovation in Texas, and it was an honor to help put forward recipients whose deserving high-potential projects can now move forward thanks to Lyda Hill and her team’s support.”

The projects selected for the 2025 Hill Prizes focus on creative, collaborative approaches to some of the world’s biggest challenges, featuring top-tier, cross-disciplinary teams with leaders and researchers from multiple institutions. Principal investigators of the winning proposals will be recognized the evening of Feb. 4 at the opening reception of the TAMEST 2025 Annual Conference in Irving, Texas.

The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio), a primary driver of San Antonio’s $44.1 billion health care and biosciences sector, is the largest academic research institution in South Texas with an annual research portfolio of $413 million. Driving substantial economic impact with its six professional schools, a diverse workforce of more than 8,500, an annual expense budget of $1.46 billion and clinical practices that provide 2.6 million patient visits each year, UT Health San Antonio plans to add more than 1,500 higher-wage jobs over the next five years to serve San Antonio, Bexar County and South Texas. To learn about the many ways “We make lives better®,” visit UTHealthSA.org.

Stay connected with The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.

The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) is a Tier One research university and a Hispanic Serving Institution specializing in cyber, health, fundamental futures, and social-economic transformation. With more than 35,000 students, it is the largest university in the San Antonio metropolitan region. UTSA advances knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. The university embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property—for Texas, the nation and the world. Learn more online, on UTSA Today or on Instagram, Facebook, X (Twitter) or LinkedIn.

UT Health San Antonio contact: Steven Lee, (210) 450-3823, lees22@uthscsa.edu
UTSA contact: John Elizondo, (210) 458-2087, john.elizondo@utsa.edu

Media Contact

Steven Lee, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 210-450-3823, lees22@uthscsa.edu, https://news.uthscsa.edu/

View original content:https://www.prweb.com/releases/ut-health-san-antonio-utsa-researchers-receive-prestigious-2025-hill-prizes-for-medicine-and-technology-302354499.html

SOURCE The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

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Technology

TELUS announces election of directors

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May 9, 2026

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VANCOUVER, BC, May 8, 2026 /CNW/ – TELUS Corporation (TELUS) (TSX: T) (NYSE: TU) announced today that the nominees listed in TELUS’ 2026 information circular were elected as directors of TELUS. The detailed results of the vote for the election of directors held at TELUS’ annual meeting on May 8, 2026 (the Meeting) are set out below.

Each of the following 14 nominees proposed by management was elected as a director of TELUS:

Nominee

Votes For  

% Votes For  

Votes Withheld  

% Votes Withheld 

Raymond T. Chan

592,322,965

97.91

12,667,245

2.09

Hazel Claxton

599,400,953

99.08

5,589,256

0.92

Lisa De Wilde

583,361,107

96.42

21,629,103

3.58

Victor Dodig

593,352,117

98.08

11,638,092

1.92

Darren Entwistle

586,791,970

96.99

18,198,239

3.01

Thomas Flynn

596,684,564

98.63

8,305,646

1.37

Mary Jo Haddad

577,841,419

95.51

27,148,791

4.49

Martha Hall Findlay     

595,075,545

98.36

9,914,665

1.64

Christine Magee

597,282,615

98.73

7,707,595

1.27

John Manley

579,845,538

95.84

25,144,672

4.16

David Mowat

592,867,380

98.00

12,122,830

2.00

Marc Parent

577,961,748

95.53

27,028,461

4.47

Denise Pickett

596,211,746

98.55

8,778,464

1.45

W. Sean Willy

595,898,668

98.50

9,091,541

1.50

Final voting results on all matters voted on at the Meeting will be published shortly on telus.com/agm, and filed with the Canadian and U.S. securities regulators.

About TELUS

TELUS (TSX: T, NYSE: TU) is a world-leading communications technology company operating in more than 45 countries and generating over $20 billion in annual revenue with more than 21 million customer connections through our advanced suite of broadband services for consumers, businesses and the public sector. We are committed to leveraging our technology to enable remarkable human outcomes. TELUS is passionate about putting our customers and communities first, leading the way globally in client service excellence and social capitalism. TELUS Health is enhancing approximately 170 million lives across 200 countries and territories through innovative preventive medicine and well-being technologies. TELUS Agriculture & Consumer Goods utilizes digital technologies and data insights to optimize the connection between producers and consumers. TELUS Digital specializes in digital customer experiences and future-focused digital transformations that deliver value for their global clients. Guided by our enduring ‘give where we live’ philosophy, TELUS continues to invest in initiatives that support education, health and community well-being. In 2023, we launched the TELUS Student Bursary, which strives to ensure that every young person in Canada who wants a postsecondary education has the opportunity to pursue one. To date, the program has distributed over $6 million in bursaries to 2,000 students and counting. Since 2000, TELUS, our team members and retirees have contributed $1.85 billion in cash, in-kind contributions, time and programs, including 2.5 million days of service–earning TELUS the distinction of the world’s most giving company.

For more information, visit telus.com or follow @Darren_Entwistle on Instagram.

For more information, please contact:

Jacinthe Beaulieu
TELUS Media Relations
Jacinthe.Beaulieu@telus.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/telus-announces-election-of-directors-302767404.html

SOURCE TELUS Communications Inc.

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Technology

CTK BIO SELECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN NGEN’S $62.7M ADVANCED MANUFACTURING INITIATIVE

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May 9, 2026

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VANCOUVER, BC, May 8, 2026 /CNW/ – CTK Bio Canada today announced its selection as a participant in a Next Generation Manufacturing Canada (NGen)-supported advanced manufacturing project, part of a $62.7 million national initiative backing 14 high-impact projects across Canada.

The initiative, recently announced by NGen, represents one of Canada’s most significant investments in advanced manufacturing, supporting collaborations between leading industry and technology partners to accelerate commercialization and strengthen global competitiveness. NGen’s project selection process is highly competitive, prioritizing initiatives with strong technical innovation, commercialization potential, and industry impact.

CTK Bio will contribute to the project titled “Streamlining Cosmetics Packaging with AI Powered Materials Informatics,” which uses artificial intelligence to guide the formulation and validation of packaging materials, ensuring compatibility with cosmetic products while meeting performance and regulatory requirements.

ADVANCING AI-DRIVEN MATERIALS INNOVATION
Through this project, CTK Bio is advancing an AI-powered materials informatics approach that improves how packaging materials are formulated, validated, and scaled for cosmetic applications.

By shifting from traditional trial-and-error methods to predictive, data-driven formulation, CTK Bio aims to:

Increase the success rate of new material developmentReduce formulation and validation timelinesLower development costsAccelerate commercialization of innovative and sustainable packaging solutions

EXECUTIVE COMMENTARY
JK Park, CEO
“This project unlocks synergies between CTK Bio and CTK Clip, where we already have an established global presence in the cosmetics market. By combining advanced materials innovation with existing market access, we can accelerate the commercialization of next-generation packaging solutions.”

ABOUT CTK BIO
CTK Bio Canada is focused on advancing next-generation biomaterials and manufacturing technologies, developing innovative solutions that enable more efficient, sustainable, and scalable production across global industries.

ABOUT NGEN
Next Generation Manufacturing Canada (NGen) is the industry-led organization spearheading Canada’s Global Innovation Cluster for Advanced Manufacturing. NGen brings together industry, academia, and technology partners to drive innovation, accelerate commercialization, and enhance Canada’s global competitiveness.

SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ctkbiocanada
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ctkbiocanada
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ctk-bio-canada

For more information, visit www.ctkbio.com or call (604) 372-4200.

SOURCE CTK Bio

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Technology

During Small Business Month, Reform CIPA Coalition Says Best Way to Support Small Businesses Is to Reform CIPA

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47 minutes ago

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May 9, 2026

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Coalition now includes more than 30 small businesses and nearly 40 organizations representing small business interests statewide

SACRAMENTO, Calif., May 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — One of the best ways to celebrate and support small businesses this May is to protect them from abusive litigation tied to outdated interpretations of a 1960s law. In recognition of Small Business Month, the Reform CIPA Coalition today called on California policymakers  to modernize the California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA), by passing SB 690. The Reform CIPA Coalition continues to grow. Among its 146 coalition members, more than 30 individual small businesses and over 40 organizations representing small business interests across California have joined the movement. Coalition members say momentum is building around the need to clarify that commonplace online tools already regulated under California’s consumer privacy laws should not trigger predatory lawsuits.

“An outdated 1960s law should not be weaponized against businesses using everyday technologies like chat features, appointment scheduling, or analytics tools. These lawsuits drive up costs, discourage investment, and make it harder for small businesses to grow. Senate Bill 690 offers a commonsense fix, and that’s why support for reform continues to expand,” said Michael Hedges, President of the California Small Business Association.

Coalition leaders said reform is not only about legal clarity, but affordability.

“This is an affordability issue caused by a legal issue. When small businesses, like many here in Los Angeles, are forced to spend money defending meritless lawsuits, those costs ripple through the economy. They affect jobs, prices, and local communities. A growing coalition of business leaders is coming together because California needs clear, modern rules that protect privacy without punishing responsible businesses,” said Mitchell Vieyra, Executive Vice President of the Los Angeles County Business Federation (BizFed).

A coalition small business member added:

“California’s small businesses are already navigating rising costs, labor pressures, and economic uncertainty. Being hit with lawsuits over routine website tools that help us communicate with customers and stay competitive is deeply unfair. Reforming CIPA is about protecting small businesses from abusive litigation while preserving strong privacy protections. That’s why more business owners are joining the Reform CIPA Coalition.” — Michelle Leopold, Owner/CMO, Stan’s Ace Hardware

Supporters say the best way to celebrate Small Business Month is to enact reforms that help small businesses survive and grow, not leave them vulnerable to costly lawsuits over routine technologies used every day to serve customers.

Senate Bill 690 would clarify that activities already governed under the California Consumer Privacy Act are not grounds for opportunistic CIPA claims, while maintaining strong privacy protections for consumers.

As Small Business Month continues, Reform CIPA Coalition members urged lawmakers to stand with local employers, entrepreneurs and job creators by advancing common sense reform.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/during-small-business-month-reform-cipa-coalition-says-best-way-to-support-small-businesses-is-to-reform-cipa-302766330.html

SOURCE Reform CIPA

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