2008 News Makers
DECEMBER
Melissa Blacker, assistant director of the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care and Society, was a guest on the “Doctor Radio” program on Sirius XM Radio. During the December 23 call-in show, Blacker helped answer questions from listeners about dealing with stress during the holidays.
On December 1 the Worcester Telegram and Gazette published a profile of Robert H. Brown Jr., MD, DPhil, chair and professor of that detailed Dr. Brown’s research into ALS and the promise RNAi therapies hold for a potential treatment.
NOVEMBER
Washington Monthly on the radio hosted Jean C. Sullivan, JD, instructor in family medicine & community health, for a segment on health care reform on November 25. Sullivan discussed the recent health reforms in Massachusetts and how they may become a model for national efforts.
Sherry Lynn Pagoto, PhD, assistant professor of medicine, was interviewed on Health Day regarding an editorial she wrote in Archives of Dermatology about sun protection behavior of different types of beach goers and their corresponding risk of developing skin cancer. In the November 18 article, Dr. Pagoto explained that in order to change habits that might lead to skin cancer, researchers and doctors need to understand why people are exposing themselves to the sun. The editorial has generated considerable media coverage since its original publication in November.
A November 17 feature in the Boston Globe explored options other than statins for curbing heart disease in patients. Ira S. Ockene, MD, professor of medicine, stressed the importance of diet and exercise in maintaining a healthy heart.
OCTOBER
Stephen Heard, MD, chair and professor of anesthesiology and surgery, talked about the importance of organ donation in an October 27, Worcester Telegram and Gazette feature story about efforts by UMass Memorial Medical Center to increase the number of donors.
On October 24, WCVB TV-5 broadcast a story about UMass Memorial’s umbilical cord blood donation program, through which women who give birth at the hospital can donate their baby’s cord blood to an international matching program. Mary Herlihy, MD, assistant professor of obstetrics & gynecology, was interviewed about the program, which had provided a unit of cord blood that was matched to a leukemia patient in Italy.
Errol Mortimer, MD, assistant professor of orthopedics & physical rehabilitation and pediatrics, described the limb-lengthening procedure he performed on patient Tiffanie Didonato over the course of several years. Ms. Didonato appeared on the October 13 episode of Good Morning America and has written a book about her experience with dwarfism; in a filmed interview, Dr. Mortimer explained how the procedure takes advantage of the body’s natural ability to heal itself.
SEPTEMBER
The September 28 Worcester Telegram and Gazette featured the work of the new Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine. Both Terence R. Flotte, MD, dean of the School of Medicine and provost & executive deputy chancellor and professor of pediatrics and molecular genetics & microbiology, and Gary S. Stein, PhD, the Gerald L. Haidak, MD, and Zelda S. Haidak Professor of Cell Biology and professor and chair of cell biology, were interviewed by the reporter, who had attended an all-day workshop organized by Public Affairs and hosted at the Center earlier in the month.
In a Sept. 1 Boston Globe story about medical school students coping with stress, Director of the House Officer and Student Counseling Service and Psychiatrist Dr. Daniel Kirsch said that medical students face many of the same stresses as other young people, but that medical school can hamper their ability to deal with those stressors. Kirsch said UMass Medical School offers a variety of programs to support students including: peer support, courses on balancing personal and professional lives and stress reduction clinics.
AUGUST
An article in the Aug. 25 edition of the Telegram & Gazette included quotes from Jennifer S. Daly, MD, professor of medicine. Dr. Daly, who is UMass Memorial Medical Center’s clinical chief of infectious disease and immunology. Dr. Daly discussed treatments for Lyme disease and urged readers to guard against tick bites and pay attention to symptoms.
The Telegram & Gazette featured second-year medical students Elaine Balutis, David Bick, Linda Sinclair and Weizhen Tan in an Aug. 20 article about international medical education at UMMS. The students were among 40 second-year UMMS medical students who travelled abroad to learn the language, culture and health practices of people who are represented among Worcester-area immigrants. Balutis and Sinclair discussed their work in Malawi, Africa while Bick and Tan told of their efforts in Yap, Micronesia.
Robert A. Phillips, MD, PhD, professor of medicine, was interviewed by a reporter for Worcester News Tonight on August 20 when UMass Memorial Medical Center was ranked by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services as one of the countries best hospitals for heart-attack survival rates. Only nine hospitals in the US and two in Massachusetts posted heart-attack survival rates above national benchmarks, based on data gathered from more than 4,000 hospitals.
The Aug. 18 edition of Telegram & Gazette featured an article about artwork by Department of Cell Biology Academic Administrator Nancy E. von Hone. Ms. von Hone has traveled to some of the world’s most remote places, and after every journey, she sets pastel to paper to recreate the landscapes she visited. Her artwork was recently displayed in the Lamar Soutter Library as part of its Artist in Residence Series.
Telegram & Gazette interviewed Frances M. Anthes, MSW, president of the Family Health Center of Worcester and instructor in family medicine & community health at UMMS, for an Aug. 16 article about Family Health Center of Worcester and its annual Neighborhood Health Fair.
Craig C. Mello, PhD, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, Blais University Chair in Molecular Medicine and professor of molecular medicine and cell biology, was featured in a Telegram & Gazette article about three area residents who established goals and worked hard to achieve success. Dr. Mello discussed his upbringing, which led him to pursue a goal of helping humanity through scientific research. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology in 2006 for the co-discovery of RNAi. The article appeared in the Aug. 13 edition.
An article in the Aug. 11 edition of the Telegram & Gazette featured second-year medical student Nana Adoma Owusu-Nyamekye; Marianne E. Felice, MD, professor and chair of pediatrics and professor of obstetrics & gynecology; Rosemary Theroux, PhD, associate professor of nursing; and Robin Toft Klar, PhD, associate professor of nursing. The article included information about international medical education at UMMS. This year, nearly 100 medical students went abroad this summer to learn the language, culture and health practices of people who are well-represented among Worcester’s newest residents.
Telegram & Gazette interviewed Anne M. Gilroy, MA, assistant professor of surgery and cell biology, for an Aug. 4 article about her new textbook, Atlas of Anatomy. The article focused on Ms. Gilroy’s contributions to the text, and her enthusiasm for teaching anatomy.
July
An article in the July 28 edition of the Telegram & Gazette that focused on mosquitoes carrying the West Nile Virus also included a quote from Sharone Green, MD, associate professor of medicine. Dr. Greene discussed the development of vaccines against the virus.
The Boston Globe Magazine interviewed Gary S. Moak, MD, clinical associate professor of psychiatry, for a July 25 article on baby boomers and the issues they will face as they age. Dr. Moak addressed concerns related to the mental health issues that may occur as boomers grow older.
Mary J. R.Gilchrist, PhD, director of the state's Bureau of Laboratory Sciences and clinical professor of medicine, was featured in The Boston Globe on July 23 in an article about the rise in the mosquito population, which could lead to more cases of West Nile Virus.
The July 20 online edition of Nature included the publication of a study led by Steven M. Reppert, MD, the Higgins Family Professor of Neuroscience and professor and chair of neurobiology, identifying a molecule that fruit flies need to sense magnetic fields. The work attracted considerable attention among scientific press and resulted in articles and interviews in Science News, Discover, Science Now (online presence of Science magazine), New Scientist, and on Voice of America, in addition to an online podcast on Nature’s Web site.
A July 18 broadcast of Worcester News Tonight included an interview with Peter Novak, MD, PhD, assistant professor of neurology. Dr. Novak discussed UMass Memorial Medical Center’s new autonomic testing service, which is used to test those parts of the nervous system that are involuntary—such as breathing, sweating and heart rate—to check if they are functioning normally.
Evgeny I. Rogaev, PhD, professor of psychiatry, was interviewed by CNN on July 17 for a story on the 90th anniversary of the murders of Czar Nicholas II and his family. Earlier this year, Dr. Rogaev’s lab conducted research DNA research to analyze remains found in Yekaterinburg, Russia and believed to be those of the Czar’s children, Crown Prince Alexei and Grand Duchess Maria.
WCVB TV/DT – Channel 5 Boston included an interview with Marc C. Restuccia, MD, assistant professor of emergency medicine, in a July 17 news broadcast about gaps in trauma care. The story compared trauma care from one region to the next; experts highly ranked the trauma services in UMass Memorial’s region.
The July 17 broadcast of The Early Show on CBS featured Richard Church, MD, instructor in emergency medicine, about his recent study on caffeine intoxication among teens who consume energy drinks. Dr. Church was also featured on a July 10, WCVB TV/DT – Channel 5 broadcast, and discussed caffeine poisoning calls to poison control centers in the U.S.
Richard S. Irwin, MD, professor of medicine, and Cynthia T. French, a nurse practitioner at UMass Memorial Medical Center, recently received the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s Lou Gehrig Humanitarian Award for their efforts to establish a virtual clinic for patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. The Telegram & Gazette featured Dr. Irwin and Ms. French in a July 9 article.
An article in the July 8 edition of The New York Times featured Darshak M. Sanghavi, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics. Dr. Sanghavi responded to the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation that the use of the cholesterol-lowering drugs, called statins, in children would prevent heart attacks later in life. Sanghavi said the AAP needed to produce data to support their recommendation, which distracts from more common-sense lifestyle changes in diet and exercise.
Associate Vice Chancellor of Facilities Management John Baker was interviewed for a July 4 Boston Business Journal about VFA, Inc., which offers inspection services to gauge the condition of buildings, plus Web-based software to help property owners plan out long-term maintenance and upgrades. UMMS is a VFA client, and Mr. Baker discussed the need for such a service.
The NBC Today Show aired a five-part summer safety series during the week of July 4 that included an interview with Darshak M. Sanghavi, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics and author of A Map of the Child: A Pediatrician’s Tour of the Body. Dr. Sanghavi discussed hyperthermia—a dangerous elevation of the body’s core temperature—and the dangers of leaving a child in a vehicle. Dr. Sanghavi noted that temperatures inside a parked car can rise by 30 to 40 degrees in a very short time, quickly posing a serious health threat especially to infants, who are unable to effectively regulate their body temperature.
Jay S. Himmelstein, MD, chief health policy strategist and professor of family medicine & community health and medicine, was interviewed by The Boston Globe for an article that appeared in the July 2 edition. Dr. Himmelstein commented on Senator Edward M. Kennedy’s office, which has begun convening a series of meetings involving a wide array of health care specialists to lay the groundwork for an attempt to provide universal health care. Himmelstein is a former Kennedy staff member who has been involved in the talks.
June
Mary-Elise Manuell, MD, assistant professor of emergency medicine, was interviewed for a health page feature in the June 30 edition of the Telegram & Gazette which focused on the new Division of Emergency Management and Disaster Medicine, which she directs. Dr. Manuell discussed hospital preparedness for responding to emergency situations and the new fellowship to begin next year within the division.
Rebecca Moles, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics, was quoted in a June 25 Worcester Telegram & Gazette article detailing an all-day Central Mass Interagency Child Abuse Investigation Summit. The summit was presented by UMass Memorial’s Child Protection Program with the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office, Central Mass Children’s Advocacy Center and Department of Social Services and included participants from several police departments and other organizations involved in the investigation, treatment and prevention of child abuse.
The New York Times interviewed Gary S. Moak, MD, clinical associate professor of psychiatry, for a June 24 article on medication overuse in dementia. Dr. Moak commented on the health care system and the need to address the mental, emotional and behavioral problems of the elderly.
Craig C. Mello, PhD, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, Blais University Chair in Molecular Medicine and professor of molecular medicine and cell biology, was featured in the June 19 edition of The Boston Globe in article about the recent biotech law. Dr. Mello discussed the Advanced Therapeutics Cluster at UMMS, which will include RNAi, gene therapy and stem cell research
On June 17, WBZ interviewed Steven B. Bird, MD, assistant professor of emergency medicine, about anti-venom and UMass Memorial’s role as regional center able to treat bites from various poisonous creatures. Dr. Bird discussed UMMS and UMass Memorial’s regional collaboration with the New England Aquarium and Bronx Zoo for more exotic anti-venoms.
A June 16 radio broadcast on WFCR 88.5 featured an interview with Richard Church, MD, instructor in emergency medicine. Dr. Church discussed his recent study on caffeine intoxication among teens who consume energy drinks. Dr. Church was also interviewed by the Daily Hampshire Gazette for an article in the June 10 edition.
Interim Chancellor Michael F. Collins and Provost & Executive Deputy Chancellor and Dean of the School of Medicine Terence R. Flotte were interviewed by WBZ for a June 16 story on Governor Deval Patrick’s signing of the biotech bill into law. Both remarked on the “life sciences moment” at UMMS.
On June 9, Edward W. Boyer, MD, PhD, associate professor of emergency medicine, was featured on news broadcasts on WBZ-TV and NECN. Dr. Boyer discussed the upcoming heat wave and precautions that should be taken to prevent heat exhaustion.
In the June 8 edition of the Worcester Business Journal, Stephen E. Tosi, MD, assistant professor of surgery, was interviewed for a story about a commonplace practice of data-mining from pharmacists and combining that info with physician records purchased from the American Medical Association. Dr. Tosi said most physicians believe it is an invasion of their privacy and object to data-mining if they are aware of it.
The Dallas Morning News interviewed Jerry H. Gurwitz, MD, the Dr. John Meyers Professor of Primary Care Medicine and professor of medicine and family medicine & community health, for a June 8 article about automated drug-dispensing improving care in nursing homes.
May
Computed tomography is considered the gold standard for imaging the appendix, said UMass Memorial Medical Center Radiologist Ajay Singh, MD, in the November issue of ADVANCE for Imaging and Radiation Therapy Professionals. However, MRI can be utilized as a complement to CT, as it better shows morphological features characteristic of appendicitis and increased appendix diameter as well as greater sensitivity to inflammation of the organ. Indeed, MRI is ideal for imaging the appendix of acute patients when time is imperative or patients for whom radiation poses great risk, such as pediatric patients and pregnant women said Singh.
NECN featured Marc C. Restuccia, MD, assistant professor of emergency medicine, in a May 29 news broadcast about a recent carbon monoxide leak in a downtown Worcester building. Many patients who were exposed were treated at UMass Memorial, and Dr. Restuccia discussed carbon monoxide poisoning.
Jerry H. Gurwitz, MD, the Dr. John Meyers Professor of Primary Care Medicine and professor of medicine and family medicine & community health, was featured on a May 29 CNN broadcast about overmedication and the elderly.
The Telegram & Gazette featured Phillip D. Zamore, PhD, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, the Gretchen Stone Cook Chair of Biomedical Sciences and professor of biochemistry & molecular pharmacology, in the May 27 edition. The article focused on Dr. Zamore’s research and his latest appointment as a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator.
An article written by Darshak M. Sanghavi, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics and author of A Map of the Child: A Pediatrician’s Tour of the Body, appeared in May 27 edition of the Washington Post. He remarked on cuts to health care costs, which will impact patients’ treatments.
In the May 27 edition of The New York Times, Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD, professor emeritus of medicine and founder of the Center for Mindfulness at UMMS, was interviewed for an article about mindfulness meditation and its affects on mental health.
The Telegram & Gazette featured the Seven Hills Symphony in a May 9 article. Based at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, the Symphony was founded in 2005 by MD/PhD student Joanna Chaurette. Today, the Symphony has more than 50 members, many of whom are UMMS students, and is open to the residents of Worcester and surrounding towns.
An article in the May 7 edition of the Telegram & Gazette featured Judith K. Ockene, PhD, the Barbara Helen Smith Chair in Preventive and Behavioral Medicine and professor of medicine. One of this year’s recipients of the YWCA Erskine Award, Dr. Ockene was recognized for her role in medicine and science as well as her accomplishments that have improved the community, especially for women and girls.
Joanne Nicholson, PhD, professor of psychiatry and family medicine & community health, was interviewed for a May 5 Telegram & Gazette article about schizophrenia and its effects on patients’ families.
The Telegram & Gazette interviewed Yvette Rodriguez, family partner supervisor for the University of Massachusetts Medical School’s Communities of Care project, for a May 4 article on National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week. The article focused on how UMMS and the City of Worcester assist parents whose children need mental health services.
Douglas M. Ziedonis, MD, MPH, professor and chair of psychiatry, was featured in the Telegram & Gazette in an article about the current crisis in children’s mental health and the Children’s Mental Health Regional Forum. The article appeared in the May 3 issue.
The Associated Press interviewed Evgeny I. Rogaev, PhD, professor of psychiatry, about his recent preliminary DNA analysis of bone fragments discovered last year in the Ural Mountains of Russia. Dr. Rogaev’s analysis confirmed that the remains belonged to Crown Prince Alexei and Grand Duchess Maria—two children of Czar Nicholas II, the last czar of Russia. The article appeared on May 1 in numerous media outlets, including The New York Times and The Los Angeles Times. The Boston Globe, Telegram & Gazette and NECN also reported on the story.
Melissa Blacker, director of professional training at the Center for Mindfulness, commented on anger and agitation in the May issue of Men’sHealth. She provided advice on how to calmly and appropriately handle a confrontation in the workplace.
April
The Telegram & Gazette interviewed Edward W. Boyer, MD, PhD, associate professor of emergency medicine, for an April 29 article on carbon monoxide poisoning. The article stemmed from the carbon monoxide-related death of young boy. Dr. Boyer discussed symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning and early intervention.
An article in the April 27 edition of the Telegram & Gazette featured Beth M. Ewy, program director for the University of Massachusetts Medical School Tobacco Treatment and Research Center. The article focused on Worcester smokers, and Ms. Ewy discussed the need for more public funding to help people quit smoking.
The Fitchburg Sentinel and Enterprise interviewed Darshak M. Sanghavi, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics, for an April 27 article about ADHD drugs and the effects they may have on children’s hearts. Dr. Sanghavi commented on the American Heart Association’s recommendation that children undergo electrocardiogram (EKG) screenings before being prescribed medication for attention-deficit disorders.
UMass Memorial Health Care President and CEO John G. O’Brien and David M. Keller, MD, clinical associate professor of pediatrics and family medicine & community health, were featured in an April 25 Telegram & Gazette article on Common Pathways, a program that is part of a growing national movement to promote healthy communities and empower average Americans to take action on issues affecting their neighborhoods. Mr. O’Brien sits on the Common Pathways Leadership Council, which outlined the city’s biggest problems for about 100 community leaders. Dr. Keller commented on the need to address behavioral issues with children who are being expelled from day care.
WCVB TV/DT – Channel 5 Boston featured Marc C. Restuccia, MD, assistant professor of emergency medicine, in an April 24 news broadcast about the emergency response capabilities across the state. The story concluded that, in contrast to other regions, trauma services in UMass Memorial’s region work very well and should serve as a model for the other regions.
David C. Ayers, MD, the Arthur M. Pappas, MD, Chair in Orthopedics and professor of orthopedics & physical rehabilitation, and Patricia Franklin, MD, MBA, MPH, associate professor of orthopedics & physical rehabilitation and family medicine & community health, were interviewed by the MetroWest Daily News for an April 24 article on total knee replacement (TKR) surgery. Drs. Ayers and Franklin were recently recognized by The Knee Society for their research which identified patient characteristics that impact physical function after TKR surgery.
Joseph DiFranza, MD, professor of family medicine & community health, was featured in the April 21 issue of Scientific American, in which he discussed his findings that cigarette addiction can occur almost immediately in adolescents.
"The Health Report," an Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio program, interviewed Alan D. Michelson, MBBS, professor of pediatrics, medicine, pathology and surgery, for an April 14 broadcast on aspirin resistance. Dr. Michelson commented on platelet function and how aspirin can affect its role.
March
Katherine F. Ruiz de Luzuriaga, MD, professor of pediatrics and medicine, was a featured guest on “The Health Report,” a radio program on Australian Broadcasting Corporation that aired March 31. Dr. Luzuriaga discussed her research related to mother-to-child transmission of HIV and infants acquiring HIV from their mothers, as well as the Epstein-Barr virus.
Fox Business featured an article about a new tool to enable the discovery of microRNAs and other small RNA molecules using the latest genomic analysis technology from Applied Biosystems. The article featured Victor Ambros, PhD, professor of molecular medicine, and appeared in Fox Business online on March 27.
Julia D. Andrieni, MD, associate professor of medicine, and director of the UMass Memorial Office of Primary Care System Integration, was featured March 24 on the WCVB-TV news program “Chronicle.” The program focused on a growing crisis that is leaving many people with no access to primary care. Dr. Andrieni highlighted the medical school curriculum that encourages students to enter primary care, and she was filmed rounding with students, interns and internal medicine resident Barbara Emerson, MD, who was also interviewed.
B. Dale Magee, MD, clinical assistant professor of obstetrics & gynecology, and William F. Corbett, MD, assistant professor of medicine, were interviewed for an article on electronic medical records in the March 24 edition of the Telegram & Gazette. Dr. Magee discussed costs associated with electronic medical records, and Dr. Corbett commented on UMass Memorial Health Care’s electronic medical records system.
Reporters from WBZ-TV, Worcester News Tonight, The Boston Globe, Telegram & Gazette and The Springfield Republican covered Match Day at UMMS on March 20. The news articles and broadcasts, which appeared on March 20 and 21, focused on the day when fourth-year medical students across the United States discover where they’ll begin their careers as physicians. Nearly 100 UMMS students gathered to open envelopes revealing the hospital residency program with which they were matched. The news stories featured numerous fourth-year UMMS medical students, their parents, faculty and administrators.
Jeffrey S. Stoff, MD, professor of medicine and physiology, was interviewed on March 20 by New England Cable News for a news broadcast about kidney disease. Dr. Stoff discussed kidney diseases and the need for Worcester residents to get tested and receive immediate treatment if needed.
New England Cable News featured Jennifer S. Daly, MD, professor of medicine, in a March 18 article about flu shot concerns. Dr. Daly provided information about flu vaccines and precautions to take if someone has the flu.
James P. McNamara, PhD, executive director of the UMMS Office of Technology Management, was interviewed for an article about RXi Pharmaceuticals that appeared in the March 13 issue of the Telegram & Gazette. RXi Pharmaceuticals started trading publicly on March 12, and UMass received stock from RXi as part of the license agreement. Dr. McNamara mentioned that some agreements are reached with equity, and usually with a company that has an opportunity to go public.
Work-Life Manager Janet Hirsh and Associate Vice Chancellor for Human Resources Joanne Derr were featured in the March 3 edition of the Worcester Business Journal. Ms. Hirsh and Ms. Derr discussed the new work-life program at UMass Medical School.
The Telegram & Gazette interviewed Yunsheng Ma, MD, PhD, MPH, assistant professor of medicine, about his recent research, which studied coronary heart disease (CHD) patients’ diets one year after receiving their CHD diagnosis. Dr. Ma and colleagues found that the majority of CHD patients continued poor diets. The article appeared in the March 3 issue, along with an article about cardiac rehabilitation at UMass Memorial, which featured Naomi F. Botkin, MD, assistant professor of medicine.
Vice Chancellor for University Relations Albert Sherman was featured in The Boston Globe on March 3. Mr. Sherman has polycystic kidney disease, a hereditary disorder that leads to kidney failure, and was searching for a kidney donor. The article provided information on new methods patients and families are using to match living donors and recipients. Through matchingdonors.com, a Web site that brings together living donors and patients who need kidneys, Sherman and his wife identified Daniel Hughes of Pittsburgh as the appropriate match. The transplant occurred on Feb. 26.
February
Anne Marie Comeau, PhD, associate professor of pediatrics and deputy director of the New England Newborn Screening Program, appeared in the Feb. 27 edition of The Washington Post in an article about recent newborn screening research indicating a decline in the number of children diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. The research included data from the New England Newborn Screening Program and the Massachusetts Cystic Fibrosis Newborn Screening Work Group. Comeau discussed data that suggested the most severe genotype had dropped out dramatically.
The Worcester Telegram & Gazette interviewed Richard T. Ellison, MD, professor of medicine and molecular genetics & microbiology about public health reporting and how infectious diseases are tracked, for a story a bout the investigation into a number of recent cases of listeria linked to a local dairy. The article appeared in the Feb. 17 edition.
Marc A. Gautreau, MD, assistant professor of emergency medicine, provided important cold weather safety tips for listeners of WTAG 580 AM during a severe cold snap that has gripped the region. On Feb. 15, Dr. Gautreau cautioned listeners to protect against the cold and discussed the symptoms and treatment of frostbite and the need for care in using space heaters that can be a fire or carbon monoxide hazard. He also urged listeners to check on their elderly neighbors who may be homebound due to snow and ice.
Reuters interviewed Yunsheng Ma, MD, PhD, MPH, assistant professor of medicine, for an article that appeared on Feb. 11. The article focused on Dr. Ma’s research, which studied the diets of coronary heart disease (CHD) patients one year after their diagnosis. Dr. Ma and colleagues found that the majority of CHD patients continue with unhealthy diets. Dr. Ma also interviewed by WebMD and HealthDay.
An article in the Feb. 6 edition of the Telegram & Gazette featured Stephen J. Doxsey, PhD, professor of molecular medicine, biochemistry & molecular pharmacology and cell biology, and his receipt of the University of Massachusetts President’s Public Service Awards. Dr. Doxsey received the honored for his work with local high school students.
Robert A. Klugman, MD, clinical associate professor of medicine and chief quality officer for UMass Memorial Medical Center, was interviewed for a feature article in the Feb. 4 Worcester Telegram & Gazette that examined quality measure reports. The article focused on whether consumers use the reports and how hospitals view them as a tool for reviewing internal quality control efforts.
The Boston Globe interviewed Fabian M. Saleh, MD, assistant professor of psychiatry, for an article about the prison release of sex offenders who may pose a threat to children. Dr. Saleh, who is also the director of the Sexual Disorders Clinic at UMass Memorial Medical Center, discussed psychological treatment and intensive behavioral and cognitive therapy for sex offenders. The article appeared in the Feb. 2 edition.
January
The American Academy of Pediatrics issued a statement calling for ABC TV to cancel its Jan. 31 broadcast of “Eli Stone,” a television show that portrays a lawyer who wins a legal settlement against the manufacturer of a vaccine preservative blamed for a child’s autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The story reflects the debate among some who believe that the vaccine preservative thimerosal causes autism, a theory that has not been supported by research or the AAP. New England Cable News interviewed developmental and behavioral specialist Robin H. Adair, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics and medical director of the UMass Memorial Infant-Toddler and Preschool Clinics, for her view, which supports the AAP’s concern that perpetuating the unfounded belief in the connection between vaccines and autism may lead parents to avoid vaccinating their children, putting child and public health in jeopardy. Also interviewed for her perspective was local mother Kelly Hurley, a family health supporter at UMass Memorial Medical Center, who serves as a liaison between the clinic and families whose children have been newly diagnosed. The Boston Globe also interviewed Dr. Adair for a Jan. 28 article on the AAP’s statement.
An article in the Jan. 28 edition of the Telegram & Gazette featured Jerry H. Gurwitz, MD, the Dr. John Meyers Professor of Primary Care Medicine and professor of medicine and family medicine & community health. Dr. Gurwitz discussed his latest research—the use of health information technology to manage medications prescribed to people 65 and older and to prevent medications errors.
Thomas Grisso, PhD, professor of psychiatry and an expert in forensic mental health issues in the juvenile justice system, was interviewed for NECN’s “Worcester News Tonight” for a Jan. 17 story about a teen who is being tried for a murder he committed when he was 16. The defense attorney has argued that because teenagers’ brains are not fully developed, the defendant should not be held fully accountable for his actions and should not face a life sentence. While not commenting on the specific case, Dr. Grisso provided insight into milestones of cognitive development of teens and the importance of social and justice policies that take into account the differences between adults and juveniles.
Ronald Preston, PhD, assistant professor of family medicine & community health, was interviewed by The Boston Globe for an article on CVS Corp. opening limited-medical clinics in nearly two dozen of its Massachusetts drugstores. Dr. Preston described the CVS MinuteClinics as a “reputable business” that can fill a need in communities. The article appeared in the Jan. 10 issue.
The New York Times featured Steven M. Reppert, MD, the Higgins Family Professor of Neuroscience and professor and chair of neurobiology, and his research on monarch butterfly migration in a Jan. 8 article. Dr. Reppert and colleagues have described a novel circadian clock mechanism in monarch butterflies that is important for accurate navigation, and revealed for the first time a genomic resource for identifying the genes involved in monarch migration. Dr. Reppert was also quoted in U.S.News & World Report, Calgary Herald and The Philadelphia Inquirer.