UT San Antonio College of Sciences

Meet Christina Calvo, the administrative associate in the College of Sciences Dean’s Office. Christina joins the College of Sciences after being a public-school teacher in San Antonio and earning her undergraduate degree in writing and rhetoric.

“You can teach AI to write like a human, but AI does not have the human experience of connection with others. Humanity is an overlooked essential when it comes to writing.” said Christina.

Read more:

Christina Calvo | College of Sciences UT San Antonio College of Sciences staff spotlight: meet Christina Calvo, COS Office of the Dean

Meet Iliana Salazar, the Administrative Services Officer III in the College of Sciences Math Department. Iliana describes her role as “the go-to person behind the scenes.” She has been with UT San Antonio for 20 years serving in many administrative roles across the college.

“Every step of this journey has been a privilege, and I look forward to continuing to contribute to this incredible university for years to come.”

Read more: [Link here]

Single-atom substitution redirects KatG reactivity from cofactor biogenesis to stereoselective sulfoxidation - Nature Communications By swapping a single nitrogen atom for sulfur, researchers switched the enzyme KatG from its natural cofactor assembly to stereoselective sulfoxidation, revealing how atomic-level precision can reprogram complex enzymatic pathways.

We congratulate George Perry, PhD, Semmes Foundation Endowed Distinguished University Chair in Neurobiology and professor of neuroscience, on receiving the Meritorious Award at the American Association of Neuropathologists 102nd Annual Meeting. The award recognizes his outstanding contributions to the field of neuropathology.

Research and discovery are happening here at UT San Antonio College of Sciences.
Introducing Dr. Lindsey Macpherson, associate professor of neuroscience, developmental and regenerative biology. Dr. Macpherson shares her research on taste and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain.

See more:

www.youtube.com

We congratulate Jose Lopez-Ribot, PharmD and PhD, for receiving multiple awards and recognitions this month.
Lopez-Ribot is the Margaret Batts Tobin Distinguished Chair in Biotechnology and professor of microbiology and immunology at UT San Antonio. He also serves as the associate director of the South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases.
Lopez-Ribot is receiving the Rhoda Benham Award from the Medical Mycological Society of the Americas in 2026. This award recognizes his lifetime achievements and contributions to the field of medical mycology.
Additionally, he was selected for the “CHOISEUL 100 – Spanish in the Knowledge Economy” list: A prestigious recognition that highlights the top 100 Spanish scientists advancing their fields at universities or institutions outside of Spain.

Are you heading to SpaceCon this weekend? Catch UT San Antonio’s astrophysicist Dr. Chris Packham join Dr. Shawn Domagal-Goldman, Astrophysics Division Director at NASA, speaking on this topic: Could a solar threat like in the film Project Hail Mary happen in reality?

Join in on Saturday June 13th in the Galaxy Theater at 11am.

Event information: https://conventions.leapevent.tech/schedules/view/933885

Dr. Packham’s Research Spotlight: https://youtu.be/tAUjUyvvs8g?si=OMOylUr-9tLTj0Vm

conventions.leapevent.tech

At UT San Antonio College of Sciences, researchers are discovering the connections between stress, hormones, and how to respond to stress disorders between men and women.

Studies suggest that a single stressful event can sharpen how the male brain learns to associate environmental cues with rewards, creating the essential motivational building blocks to master new skills. On the other hand, more prolonged stress can be a deterrent to learning.

After testing this pattern, the research team decided to investigate a new question: Does the female brain respond the same way to stress, and do fluctuations in hormones affect these reactions?

Read more:

Stress and hormones interact in surprising ways, affecting learning in the female brain - UT San Antonio Today Findings from a UT San Antonio lab’s preclinical study improve the understanding of why stress-related disorders appear in women more frequently than men.

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Lorenzo Brancaleon, professor of physics and astronomy, is the new associate dean of graduate studies for UT San Antonio’s College of Sciences. In this role, Dr. Brancaleon will provide strategic leadership for graduate education across the college.

Dr. Brancaleon brings more than two decades of experience at UT San Antonio, including eight years as Graduate Advisor of Record where he led admissions, curriculum development, and student progression, and played a key role in growing the Physics doctoral program into one of the largest in Texas.

Brancaleon is a professor of physics and astronomy. He has been a part of the College of Sciences faculty since 2003 and is looking forward to supporting the College of Sciences graduate studies community.

“Graduate programs in the College of Sciences can shape the future generations of science and technology leaders and to be engines of economic mobility for the area. I would like to serve the College so that existing and new programs can be best positioned to meet this mission.” Brancaleon said.

Read more: https://sciences.utsa.edu/spotlights/staff/2026/lorenzo-brancaleon.html