Brain Capital: A Conversation with UTMB President and CEO, Dr. Jochen Reiser

Brain health is the new economic engine.

Dr. Patton is joined by Dr. Jochen Reiser, president and CEO of UTMB, to unpack “brain capital” in the age of AI. During this conversation, you'll learn how investing in mental resilience, cognitive skills, and neurodiversity can boost productivity, reduce sick days, and future‑proof institutions.

Learn more about Dr. Jochen Reiser:

https://www.utmb.edu/president/home/office-of-the-president-home-page

Learn more about the UTMB Blue Zone Project: https://www.utmb.edu/spph/about-us/news/article/news/2026/03/06/utmb-launches-blue-zones-project-in-galveston

Learn more about Dr. Eddie Patton HERE.

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Key Takeaways

1. Brain capital combines brain health and brain skills—like adaptability, judgment, and complex problem‑solving—and is emerging as critical infrastructure for growth in an AI‑driven economy.

2. Brain health and mental health are inseparable; untreated stress, burnout, and mental illness erode productivity, increase sick days, and make the overall “brain economy” negative.

3. UTMB is making brain capital a strategic priority by aligning education, clinical care, research, and innovation around brain and mental health, from preferential funding for brain projects to system‑wide AI adoption that elevates, rather than replaces, human roles.

4. Practical initiatives, like connectivity apps that strengthen workplace relationships, broad town halls about AI, and deliberate inclusion of neurology and psychiatry at the C‑suite table, show how organizations can build trust while rolling out new technology.