2010 News Makers
DECEMBER
WBJ: Melissa Lucas discusses how corporation are getting serious about the environment. Melissa L. Lucas, sustainability and energy manager, discusses the strides the Medical School is making in its efforts to conserve energy consumption and expand recycling programs.
Time, London Telegraph, The Medguru: Oliver Rando's research spreads. Research by Oliver J. Rando, MD, PhD, associate professor of biochemistry & molecular pharmacology, points to how a father’s diet influences gene function in his offspring.
Los Angeles Times: You are what your father ate
Time: Study: You Are What Your Dad Ate
London Telegraph: We are what our father ate – before we were born
The MedGuru: What father eats affects his offspring- study
eMaxHealth – Father's Diet Influences Next Generation Health
United Press International: What dads-to-be eat affects children later
Boston Globe: Have heart disease? Perhaps dad's diet is to blame
Irish Times: Effects of fathers' diet can be visited on offspring
SmartPlanet.com: You are what your parents ate too
The Economist: Thanks, dad
Austin Statesman: Father's diet can affect future child's health, UT study says
The Horn: You are what he ate
T&G: UMass inventions many. An article about UMass Medical School generating $69 million in technology transfer income in the fiscal year that ended in June 2009.
Slate: Darshak M. Sanghavi explores why eligible people don’t enroll for health care insurance. In an op-ed piece, Darshak M. Sanghavi, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics, explores the reasons why some people don’t enroll for health care insurance despite being eligible.
WCVB-TV: Chancellor Michael F. Collins, MD, talks about the troubling lack of price transparency in health care. Chancellor Michael F. Collins, MD, talks about the troubling lack of price transparency in health care and the risks that poses to health care reform. Channel 5 is focusing on health care this week with a series of pieces running on the 6 p.m. news and a half-hour special on the award-winning news magazine “Chronicle” on Thursday, Dec. 16 at 7:30 p.m. in which Dr. Collins discusses primary care education.
T&G: Maria Bernadette Delrosario comments about patients using in-home dialysis. A story about patients using in-home dialysis includes comments from nephrologist Maria Bernadette Delrosario, MD, assistant professor of medicine.
Worcester Magazine: Michael Hirsh referenced in blog entry. A Worcesteria blog entry references and links to an op-ed by Michael Hirsh, MD, professor of surgery and pediatrics.
Brenda Harvey takes nonprofit post.
T&G: Stephen T. Earls discusses the state’s three-year Patient Centered Medical Home Initiative trial. Stephen T. Earls, MD, clinical associate professor of family medicine & community health discusses the center’s participation in the state’s three-year Patient Centered Medical Home Initiative trial. Ronald N. Adler, MD, assistant professor of family medicine explains how the concept could be used to provide better, more affordable care.
T&G: Michael P. Hirsh comments on Goods for Guns program. A story about the Goods for Guns program includes comments from Michael P. Hirsh, MD, professor of surgery and pediatrics.
Boston Globe: Ira S. Ockene comments on hitting 95 at the net. A story about Bob Newman and his quest to be ranked nationally by the US Tennis Association in the 90-and-over age bracket includes comments from Ira S. Ockene, MD, the David J. and Barbara D. Milliken Professor of Preventive Cardiology and professor of medicine about the benefits of being active regardless of age.
Worcester Business Journal: UMass Med School Has $1.75B Impact. A story detailing the $1.75 billion in economic activity UMass Medical School contributes to the Massachusetts economy annually.
North-East Business: UMMS and Kromek working on improved breast cancer screening. Article about UMass Medical School's collaboration with Kromek to develop new imaging technology for screening for breast cancer.
NECN: Kurt G. Barringhaus quoted in stem-cell coated suture story. Kurt G. Barringhaus, MD, assistant professor of medicine, was quoted in a story about a stem-cell coated suture, developed at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, that may benefit patients who have had heart attacks.
Worcester T&G: $1.75B in economic activity attributed to med school. A story detailing the $1.75 billion in economic activity UMass Medical School contributes to the Massachusetts economy annually.
TCTMD: Study Compares National Outcomes in Early Years After Carotid Stenting Approval. Research by Mohammad Eslami, MD, associate professor of surgery, shows that outcomes for carotid artery stenting has improved since 2005 but still lag behind carotid endarterectomy.
Worcester Business Journal: Joseph Laning, PhD, talks shop. Joseph Laning, PhD, talks about joining UMass Medical School as senior director of the Human Stem Cell Bank and Registry.
Boston Globe: Craig M. Lilly comments on money saving report. A recently published report suggests that Massachusetts hospitals could save money if they all adopted the tele-ICU model being used by UMass Memorial Medical Center; Craig M. Lilly, MD, professor of medicine and anesthesiology and surgery, and director of the UMass Memorial e-ICU program, comments.
Boston Globe: A golden opportunity for the Special Olympics. A column about the health problems facing people with intellectual disabilities discusses how the affiliation between the Special Olympics Massachusetts and the University of Massachusetts Medical School strives to improve care.
NOVEMBER
Burlington Free Press: Jeffrey L. Geller comments on the future of Vermont State Hospital. An article examining the problems facing Vermont State Hospital and its future includes comments from Jeffrey L. Geller, MD, MPH, professor of psychiatry, who was hired to hired to monitor the hospital's progress complying with a 2006 Justice Department court settlement.
Community Advocate: Corrie Painter holds first fund-raiser to bolster knowledge of rare cancer. A nonprofit organization cofounded by Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences student Corrie Painter and dedicated to supporting research for angiosarcoma, a rare and aggressive cancer, will be holding its first fundraising event on December 4.
Vancouver Sun: Muhammad W. Khattak's kidney study and marriage. A study by Muhammad W. Khattak, MD, assistant professor of medicine, finds that people with kidney failure who were married or divorced (or separated) were more than 50 percent as likely to be placed on a waitlist for a new kidney as never-married people. Those who were married were also 28 percent more likely to receive the organ, relative to single people on the waitlist.
Boston Globe: Shalesh Kaushal comments on approval to test stem cell therapy. An article about a clinical trial for Stargardt’s macular dystrophy using human embryonic stem cells includes comments from Shalesh Kaushal, MD, PhD, chair and associate professor of ophthalmology and associate professor cell biology.
NECN: Christopher Rosenbaum discusses the dangers of combining caffeine and alcohol. A story about the possibility that Four Loko might be banned in Worcester, Christopher Rosenbaum, MD, assistant professor in emergency medicine, discusses the dangers of combining caffeine and alcohol.
NEJM: Edward Boyer comments on the FDA’s plans to curtail deaths from overdoses. A look at the FDA’s plans to curtail deaths from unintentional drug overdoses as a result of prescription opioid pain relievers includes comments from Edward Boyer, MD, PhD, professor of emergency medicine and a member of the FDA’s Anesthetic and Life Support Drugs Advisory Committee and Drug Safety and Risk Management Advisory Committee, about the difficulties of tracing the sources of drugs that are implicated in individual overdose deaths.
Worcester T&G: Drink ban nears. Richard J. Church, MD, assistant professor in emergency medicine, discusses the effect mixing highly caffeinated drinks with alcohol has on people, especially young adults.
Worcester T&G: Game fatalities rare. In a story about game-related fatalities among youth athletes, Richard M. Wholey, MD, assistant professor of medicine, explains some of the events and conditions that may lead to cardiac complications on the field
Mass High Tech: UMass Medical gets $7.3 million deal to aid California. The California Department of Health Services awarded UMass Medical School’s Center for Health Care Financing a two-year $7.3 million contract for a project that will identify an estimated 1.1 million people who are dual eligible for Medicare and Medicaid benefits. Read the story.
Shrewsbury Lantern: Local Shrewsbury Event for Cancer Research. Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences student Corrie Painter discusses her quest to create Angiosarcoma Awareness Inc., a nonprofit, patient-driven organization dedicated to advancing research for angiosarcoma, a rare form of cancer.
Concord Patch: Medical Team Makes Return Trip to Dominican Republic. Patricia Ruze, MD, lecturer in family medicine & community health, talks about her return Haiti to help victims of the earthquake and recent hurricane.
WPBF-TV: Colon Cancer Spike Among Young Adults Alarming. A story about the increasing number of young adults with colon cancer includes comments from Justin A. Maykel, MD, assistant professor of surgery.
WBUR: Pilot Project Lets Patients Choose End-Of-Life Treatments. A story about planning for end-of-life care includes comments from Mary A. Valliere, MD, assistant professor of medicine.
Bloomburg Businessweek: Special Infant Formula Might Help Shield Babies from Type 1 Diabetes. New research suggests that using hydrolyzed formula may help prevent type 1 diabetes in children who are genetically susceptible to the disease. David M. Harlan, MD, the William and Doris Krupp Professor in Medicine and director of the Diabetes Center of Excellence, and Mary M. Lee, MD, professor of pediatrics and cell biology, explain why more research needs to be done. Additional coverage appeared in HealthDay, WebMD and MedPage Today (see below).
HealthDay: Special Infant Formula Might Help Shield Babies from Type 1 Diabetes. New research suggests that using hydrolyzed formula may help prevent type 1 diabetes in children who are genetically susceptible to the disease. David M. Harlan, MD, the William and Doris Krupp Professor in Medicine and director of the Diabetes Center of Excellence, and Mary M. Lee, MD, professor of pediatrics and cell biology, explain in this HealthDay story why more research needs to be done.
WebMD: 50% Fewer Kids Fed Nutramigen Get Marker of Type 1 Diabetes in Pilot Study. New research suggests that using hydrolyzed formula may help prevent type 1 diabetes in children who are genetically susceptible to the disease. David M. Harlan, MD, the William and Doris Krupp Professor in Medicine and director of the Diabetes Center of Excellence, and Mary M. Lee, MD, professor of pediatrics and cell biology, explain in this HealthDay story why more research needs to be done.
MedPage Today: Infant Formula May Help Prevent Type I Diabetes. New research suggests that using hydrolyzed formula may help prevent type 1 diabetes in children who are genetically susceptible to the disease. David M. Harlan, MD, the William and Doris Krupp Professor in Medicine and director of the Diabetes Center of Excellence, and Mary M. Lee, MD, professor of pediatrics and cell biology, explain in this WebMD story why more research needs to be done.
NECN: UMass introduces Veterans Associates Program. Eric Cousins, a human resources specialist at Commonwealth Medicine (CWM), talks about the CWM Veterans Associates Program, which helped him transition from military to civilian life.
T&G: McGovern treated for thyroid cancer. An article about U.S. Rep. James P. McGovern, D-Worcester undergoing treatment for thyroid cancer includes an explanation from Giles Whalen, MD, professor of surgery, about presentation and treatment options facing patients with the condition.
Worcester Telegram and Gazette: Dr. Michael Blute makes strides at UMass cancer center. Terence R. Flotte, MD, deputy executive chancellor, provost and the Celia and Isaac Haidak Professor in Medical Education, Michael L. Blute, MD, director of the Cancer Center of Excellence and the Mary C. DeFeudis Chair in Cancer Care and Research, and Walter H. Ettinger Jr., MD, MBA, president of UMass Memorial Medical Center and professor of medicine, discuss the vision for combining patient care with clinical research in the new Cancer Center for Excellence.
Worcester Telegram and Gazette: Time to turn back the clocks. Nicholas Apostoleris, PhD, assistant professor of family medicine & community health, discusses how shorter days impact people psychologically and offers tips for coping with the colder months.
American Medical News: Has participatory medicine's time arrived? In an examination of participatory medicine, in which doctors share decision-making responsibilities with their patients, Frank J. Domino, MD, professor of family medicine & community health, discusses the use of motivational interviewing to engage patients.
In an op-ed piece, Darshak M. Sanghavi, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics, explores why more children are being diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
David Paydarfar, MD, professor of neurology and physiology, discusses his research suggesting that sleep apnea in premature infants can be inherited.
Michael L. Blute, MD, the Mary C. DeFeudis Chair in Cancer Care and Research and professor of surgery, talked about the relative lack of research funding for lung cancer at the Shrewsbury Lung Cancer Vigil.
A feature exploring the science behind animal migration includes comments from Steven Reppert, MD, the Higgins Family Professor of Neuroscience and chair and professor of neurobiology, about the complex migration patterns of the monarch butterfly.
A review of new advances in flow cytometry technology includes comments from Richard F. Konz, director of the Flow Cytometry Core Facility.
Job Dekker, PhD, associate professor of biochemistry & molecular pharmacology and molecular medicine, offers insight into the possibility that much of the human genome might not have a function, suggesting that we still lack the technology to adequately analyze certain pieces of genetic material.
A story about the National Orthopedic Outcome Registry includes comments from principal investigator Patricia D. Franklin, MD, MBA, MPH, the Joy McCann Professor for Women in Medicine and professor of orthopedics & physical rehabilitation and family medicine & community health.
Community Healthlink, a member of the UMass Memorial Health Care system, opens a new emergency services facility in Leominster for people struggling with mental illness. Deborah Ekstrom, MA, MPP, Community Healthlink president and instructor in psychiatry, comments on the need for the facility.
An article about the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) examining pain medication use in elderly patients in an effort to reduce preventable drug-related adverse events includes comments from Jerry H. Gurwitz, MD, the Dr. John Meyers Professor of Primary Care Medicine and professor of medicine and family medicine & community health.
Research by Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology Maksim Zayaruzny, MD, shows that outcomes from aneurismal subarachnoid hemorrhages have improved over the last decade.
OCTOBER
A story about the increasing number of young adults with colon cancer includes comments from Justin A. Maykel, MD, assistant professor of surgery
Kathryn Gunness, a nurse practitioner in women's health at UMass Memorial Health Care, talks about the increased prevalence of breast cancer at the Tri-River Family Health Center's annual breast cancer awareness event.
Worcester Telegram and Gazette – A bus tour took of Worcester highlights organized for marketing professionals from colleges, businesses and cultural entities included stops at the University of Massachusetts Medical School and UMass Memorial Medical Center.
Newton Tab: A roundup of accomplishments by residents of Newton includes Alexander Sloutsky, PhD, assistant professor of medicine, receiving the New England Tuberculosis Consortium’s third annual New England TB Heroes Award.
A story examining the use of gene therapy to treat depression includes comments from Schahram Akbarian, MD, PhD, associate professor of psychiatry.
Worcester Business Journal: A story about attracting more medical students to primary care as a specialty references the learning contract at UMass Medical School and includes comments from Dennis M. Dimitri, MD, assistant professor of family medicine & community health and vice chair of the department of family medicine and community health.
NECN – David M. Harlan, MD, the William and Doris Krupp Professor in Medicine and director of the Diabetes Center of Excellence, talks about the high rate of diabetes in Worcester County and the need for the Diabetes Center of Excellence.
Worcester Business Journal: UMass Medical School receives a "Leading By Example" award from the state Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs for efforts to improve energy efficiency across its campuses.
A story about shortages of primary care physicians in the MetroWest area mentions that enrollment at UMass Medical School was recently increased.
Robert H. Brown Jr., MD, DPhil, chair of neurology, and Daryl Bosco, PhD, assistant professor of neurology, discuss new research done at UMass Medical School that links familial and sporadic ALS.
T&G:UMass researchers find links in types of ALS
MedPage Today: Most ALS May Stem from Protein Misfolding
In an op-ed, Thomas Gassert, MD, assistant professor of medicine, writes about the health dangers associated with mining and calls for improved conditions for workers.
In the Worcester Telegram & Gazette Sunday news article, "In The Pink" Robert Quinlan, MD, professor of surgery at UMMS, discusses the breast cancer treatment breakthroughs that have been achieved over the last decade.
An article about a recent gene therapy trial for Duchenne muscular dystrophy quotes an editorial written for the New England Journal of Medicine by Terence R. Flotte, MD, the Celia and Isaac Haidak Professor in Medicine and executive deputy chancellor, provost and dean of the School of Medicine and Melissa J. Moore, PhD, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator and professor of biochemistry & molecular pharmacology.
SEPTEMBER
Mariann Manno, MD, clinical associate professor of pediatrics, was interviewed by the Worcester Telegram & Gazette and WCVB-TV Boston for stories on Teen D.R.I.V.E , or Distracted Reality an Interactive Virtual Education, a new simulation training program that includes a driving simulator that safely gives teens the experience of trying to text while behind the wheel.
WCVB-TV: High-Tech Tool Teaches Distracted Driving Dangers
T&G: Texting while driving ban takes effect tomorrow
In the Boston Globe article, "2 steps forward, 1 step back," Stephen J. Doxsey, PhD, professor of molecular medicine and biochemistry & molecular pharmacology and cell biology, comments on the the impact of a recent court injunction on research using human embryonic stem cells.
As part of its series “Finding A Way Along Route 9,” WBUR visited Worcester and found plenty to be excited about, including the Albert Sherman Center and the growth in the biotech industry. Craig C. Mello, PhD, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, the Blais University Chair in Molecular Medicine and distinguished professor of molecular medicine and cell biology, was interviewed. www.wbur.org/2010/09/20/route-9
Sherry Lynn Pagoto, PhD, assistant professor of medicine, was interviewed by the Boston Globe, CNN, TIME and other media outlets about her study on the impact of the use of sunless tanning products on an individual’s sunbathing habits, which was published in the September issue of the Archives of Dermatology. News coverage included:
Boston Globe, Sept. 20: Sunless tanning cuts sunbathing, Mass. study says
Reuters, Sept. 20: Skip sunbathing, use tanning lotion, doctors say
MSNBC, Sept. 20: Teens determined to tan, no matter what
CNN, Sept. 20: Study: Spray tans, tanning bed use often go hand-in-hand
Medical News Today, Sept. 21: Sunless Tanning Products May Protect Skin From Cancer And Burns
United Press International, Sept. 21: Sunless tans popular for cosmetic reasons
TIME Magazine, Sept. 22: The Misunderstood Psychology of Fake Tanning
In the Sept. 21 Tampa Bay Suncoast News article, "Two-pronged therapy shows results against brain cancer," Alonzo H. Ross, PhD, professor of biochemistry & molecular pharmacology, discusses his research, published in Cancer Research this week, showing Notch inhibitors in combination with chemotherapy drugs dramatically improved survival in mice with glioblastoma multiforme.
In the Sept. 16 Science News article, "Environmental DNA modifications tied to obesity," Schahram Akbarian, MD, PhD, associate professor of psychiatry, comments on recent research that environmental factors may affect expression of key genes involved in regulating body weight. This story was also picked up by U.S. News & World Report.
Fadi Nukta, MD, assistant professor of surgery specializing in hand and plastic surgery, talks about the use of facial surgery to relieve migraines on HouseCalls: Botox to Reduce Migraines, which aired on CBS 3 Springfield (WSHM-TV).
In the Sept. 15 Boston Globe article, "Cambridge firm hopeful, cautious on gene therapy," Guangping Gao, PhD, the Penelope Booth Rockwell Chair in Biomedical Research, director of the Gene Therapy Center and professor of molecular genetics & microbiology, comments on the potential of a gene therapy treatment for beta thalassemia.
Christine M. Purington, MD, assistant professor of family medicine & community health, discusses two recently reported cases of viral meningitis and tips for keeping healthy in the NECN story "Health officials on high alert after meningitis cases."
The Sept. 12 Worcester Telegram & Gazette article, "Stymied Stems," about the uncertainty surrounding federal funding of research using embryonic stem cells includes comments from John L. Sullivan, MD, vice provost for research and professor of pediatrics and molecular genetics & microbiology and pathology.
AUGUST
Richard T. Ellison, MD, professor of medicine and molecular genetics & microbiology, was featured in a Boston Globe story about the rise in Lyme disease cases in Massachusetts. The August 23 article,"Threat of Lyme disease widens," detailed how the reported number of Lyme disease cases in the state has increased from approximately 1,200 in 2000 to more than 4,000 last year. Dr. Ellison explained how expansions in deer populations and in human developments has increased opportunities for human contact with ticks, which has lead to an increased prevalence of cases in Central Massachusetts.
An Aug. 19 article on Slate.com by Darshak M. Sanghavi, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics and chief of pediatric cardiology, challenges the notion that children are beginning puberty at an early age today.
On Aug. 18, the Worcester Telegram & Gazette reported on a grant that Michael Francis, PhD, assistant professor of neurobiology, received from the MDA to study how neurons interact with muscle cells.
On Aug. 18, Mark Price, MD, PhD, assistant professor of orthopedics & physical rehabilitation, talked about overuse injuries in children on WSHM-TV, Springfield.
A news article in the August 18 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association quoted David Harlan, MD, professor of medicine and director of the Diabetes Center of Excellence regarding the potential link between diabetes and cancer. Dr. Harlan was co-chair of a writing group put together by the American Diabetes Association and the American Cancer Society, which issued a Consensus Report suggesting some association between diabetes and cancer. Released on June 21, the report describes risk factors and mediating solutions common to both diseases, explores possible biological links and discusses treatments for diabetes that may affect cancer risk and prognosis.
Martha Henry, PhD, instructor in pediatrics and director of the office of foster care and adoption, is quoted in the article “Finding Mom on Facebook” in the Aug. 16 issue of TIME magazine. She offers advice to parents of children who use social networking sites to try to identify their birth parents.
On Aug. 16, the Boston Globe published an op-ed by Douglas S. Brown, senior vice president and general counsel at UMass Memorial Health Care and Stephen E. Tosi, MD, chief medical officer and clinical associate professor of surgery, in which they call for tighter restrictions on the relationships between doctors and the pharmaceutical and medical device industries, such as those that were successfully implemented at UMass Memorial Medical Center and UMass Medical School in 2007.
An Aug. 16 story in the Worcester Telegram & Gazette about the opening of the new Ambulatory Care Center includes comments from Chancellor Michael F. Collins, MD, Walter Ettinger, MD, president of UMass Memorial Medical Center and associate provost and David Harlan, MD, professor of medicine and chief of the Diabetes Center of Excellence.
A story in the Aug. 16 Worcester Business Journal about the effect of state restrictions on gifts to physicians includes comments from Stephen E. Tosi, MD, chief medical officer at UMass Memorial Medical Center and clinical associate professor of surgery.
Shalesh Kaushal, MD, PhD, chair and associate professor of ophthalmology and associate professor of cell biology, discusses his research using valproic acid to halt the progression of retinitis pigmentosa in an article published on Aug.12 in the Los Angeles Times.
Christopher Rosenbaum, MD, assistant professor of emergency medicine, was featured on a WCVB news story August 10 about K2, a synthetic marijuana that has been blamed for at least one death and is now banned in nine states. Dr. Rosenbaum, who received his master's in clinical investigation from UMass Medical School in June, is currently researching the effects of K2 and hopes Massachusetts will become the tenth state to ban the dangerous drug before it gains a foothold in the commonwealth. Marketed as incense and not for human consumption, K2 has thus far skirted regulation by drug enforcement officials. Teens smoke the substance, which is sprayed with any of a number of chemical compounds, and often experience serious side effects not commonly seen with marijuana use. Rosenbaum is collaborating with researchers in St. Louis who have seen a rise in emergency room patients seeking treatment for symptoms related to K2, which is starting to gain popularity in other parts of the country. He was also quoted on the same topic in an August 8 Worcester Telegram & Gazette article.
JULY
Jane Saczynski, PhD, assistant professor of medicine in the division of geriatric medicine, was interviewed by several news outlets upon the publication of her study that found having depression may nearly double a person’s risk for developing dementia later in life. In the study, published July 5 in the journal
Neurology, Dr. Saczynski examined data collected as part of the long-term Framingham Heart Study and found that of 949 people followed over 17 years, 22 percent who were depressed at the start of the study developed dementia, as compared to 17 of those who were not depressed at the study outset. The study, published by the
American Academy of Neurology, was reported by several news outlets, including the
Boston Globe,
CNN.com and the
BBC.
JUNE
A June 22 article published by Berkshire.com reported that the Massachusetts Psychiatric Society named Alex Sabo, MD, clinical associate professor of psychiatry and UMMS alum, its 2010 Outstanding Psychiatrist of the Year for Clinical Psychiatry.
Jefferey D. Jensen, PhD, assistant professor of bionformatics & integrative biology and molecular medicine, wrote an op-ed about the advancement of genomic technology and the genetic relationship between humans and Neandertal in the June 30 Worcester Telegram & Gazette.
Darshak M. Sandghavi, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics, examined the contrast between medicine's mythology and reality in “How Should We Tell Stories of our Medical Miracles?” published on June 12 by Lancet Medical Journal.
MAY
UMass Medical School's Worcester Foundation for Biomedical Research is featured in the May 23 article in the Worcester Telegram & Gazette about the 50th anniversary of the invention of the birth control pill. The Boston Globe also covered the anniversary on May 23. Thoru Pederson, PhD, the Vitold Arnett Professor and professor of biochemistry & molecular pharmacology, who was the Foundation's president from 1985 to 1997, is quoted in both articles.
UMass Medical School’s 2010 Commencement speaker, Harold E. Varmus, a Nobel Prize-winning biologist and former director of the National Institutes of Health, was named director of the National Cancer Institute by President Barack Obama, as reported in the New York Times on May 17.
In a May 18 opinion piece in the Worcester Telegram & Gazette, Chancellor Michael F. Collins writes about using price transparency to empower consumers to make informed decisions about their health care. A story in the same issue about the need for price transparency from health care insurers and providers includes comments from the chancellor.
Chancellor Michael F. Collins challenged graduates of the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences to participate in health care reform by living healthier lifestyles and becoming better informed as they consider their own health care decisions. Chancellor Collins spoke to the 206 graduates of the doctor of pharmacy and bachelor of nursing programs at their commencement exercises on Saturday, May 15. Read the story in the Worcester Telegram & Gazette.
APRIL
Darshak M. Sanghavi, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics, offered health information and tips for kids suffering from constipation in an April 13 story appearing in Parents Magazine.
A report issued by the Institute of Medicine found that a cluster of symptoms experienced by some veterans of the 1991 Gulf War is a real disease, but its causes, treatment and potential cure remain unknown. Robert Brown Jr., DPhil, MD, chair and professor of neurology, was a member of the report committee and offered insight into the findings in an April 12 Health Day story.
According to an April 12 story in the Worcester Telegram and Gazette Gov. Deval L. Patrick referenced construction of the Sherman Center at UMass Medical School as he kicked off his re-election campaign.
John Kelly, MD, associate professor of surgery, spoke to WSHM-TV in Springfield on April 9 about health issues linked to obesity and weight loss strategies.
A Sydney Morning Herald story from April 7 about the prevalence of osteoporosis among women referenced results of the Global Longitudinal Study of Osteoporosis in Women, coordinated by the University of Massachusetts Medical School’s Center for Outcomes Research, which found that only 43 percent of women diagnosed with osteoporosis recognized they were at higher risk of bone fracture.
Jennifer Tseng, MD, assistant professor of surgery and cancer biology, discussed the difficulty of diagnosing and treating pancreatic cancer for a story airing on WSHM-TV in Springfield on April 7.
Research by Associate Professor of Molecular Medicine Nathan Lawson, PhD, identified a critical step in blood vessel growth that provides new insight into how vascular systems develop and offers a potential therapeutic target for preventing tumor growth, according to a United Press International story published on April 6.
On April 1, Yvonne Shelton, MD, assistant professor of orthopedics, wrote about the dangers of children carrying too much weight in their backpacks for the Worcester Telegram and Gazette’s MassMoms blog.
Robert W. Seifert, principal associate at the Center for Health Law and Economics, explained how the new national health care law may impact cities and towns in Massachusetts in an April 5 story published by the Boston Globe.
In an April 5 story by the Worcester Telegram and Gazette, Ajay K. Wakhloo, MD, PhD, professor of radiology, and Louis M. Messina, MD, professor of surgery, discussed the use of both stents and surgery to prevent stroke.
An April 1 story in the Biz of Baseball about "Light it up Blue" events in the Massachusetts region mentioned that UMass Medical School will be one of 200 participants in 25 U.S. cities lighting buildings blue for World Autism Awareness Day.
A Redmond Magazine story from April 1 highlighted the energy-efficient IT systems at the new UMass Medical School data center.
MARCH
Sheldon Benjamin, MD, professor of psychiatry and neurology, talked about the intersection of social media and therapy in a March 30th Washington Post article.
A March 30 Worcester Telegram and Gazette story about Mayor Joseph C. O’Brien's Work Group on Job Growth and Retention mentioned that James Leary, vice chancellor of community and government relations, is a member.
Jeffrey Bailey, MD, PhD, assistant professor of medicine, talked about the benefits and opportunities the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center affords new investigators in a Worcester Business Journal article published on March 29.
A March 29 Worcester Business Journal op-ed by Fernando DeTorrijos, director of mindfulness programs in psychiatry and senior teacher at the Center for Mindfulness, explored ways to reduce workplace stress.
A Worcester Business Journal story from March 29 about the biotech sector in MetroWest noted the presence of the University of Massachusetts Medical School as a distinct advantage.
Matilde Castiel, MD, assistant professor of medicine and family medicine & community health, talked about her volunteer work for Reyes House, a substance abuse program tailored for Hispanic men, in a March 26 article for the Worcester Telegram and Gazette.
Mary Maloney, MD, professor of medicine, testified about the dangers of tanning before a federal panel and advocated for changing the classification of tanning beds and prohibiting indoor tanning for children under 18, according to a March 25 article in the Boston Globe.
A March 25 story in the Worcester Telegram and Gazette noted that UMass Medical School alumnus Frank Fechner, MD, received a ‘Hero Award’ at the Red Cross’ eighth annual Breakfast of Champions.
AMarch 24, Boston Globe story about a JAMA study of exercise and weight gain included comments from Sherry Pagoto, PhD, an assistant professor of medicine, about why it's important to exercise every day.
Richard J. Church, MD, assistant professor of emergency medicine, talked about the new trend in relaxation drinks in a March 24, Worcester Telegram and Gazette story, and stressed the importance of reading labels before consuming any of these beverages.
On March 24, Paul Sturrock, MD, assistant professor of surgery, talked about the benefits of screening for colon cancer for WSHM-TV, Springfield.
AMarch 23 story about health care reform aired on WCVB-TV Boston included Michele Pugnaire, MD, associate dean of educational affairs, who discussed how health care reform will benefit primary care providers, and chief resident Christine Brown, MD, who recounted why she was drawn to primary care.
In a Seattle Times story from March 22, David Ayers, MD, the Arthur M. Pappas, MD, Chair in Orthopedics and chair of orthopedics & physical rehabilitation, discussed his research showing high patient satisfaction among people who have had total knee replacement surgery; Ayers also showed that among patients who were taking narcotic pain medication before the operation, most were able to cease taking the drugs afterward.
A March 22 profile of GSBS graduate student Pedro Batista in O Jornal referenced his receiving the 2010 Harold M. Weintraub Graduate Student Award for his work to unravel the molecular mysterious of small RNA pathways.
A Worcester Telegram and Gazette story about March 18’s Match Day focused on fourth-year medical students Rachel Androphy, Christine Larose, Marie King and James Young. Mai-Lan Rogoff, MD, associate dean for student affairs, talked about how important match day is for the students.
Fourth-year medical students Anand Singla, Lauren Busekroos and John Fallon talked about their future plans in a March 19 MetroWest Daily News story about Match Day. Chancellor Michael F. Collins, MD, commented on challenges facing aspiring physicians.
Medical students James Young, Ashley Ferrulo and Michelle St. Fleur talk about their March 18th Match Day results with NECN. Chancellor Michael F. Collins, MD, remarked that 18 of this year's matching class will be staying at UMass Memorial Medical Center for their residency.
Michael A. Brown, MD, assistant professor of orthopedics & physical rehabilitation and pediatrics, discussed knee injuries in sports for a March 19th segment which aired on NESN.
First-year medical student Max Fraden and a partner won the grand prize at the Global Social Entrepreneurship Competition at the University of Washington for their portable, rechargeable lights which are a clean and affordable alternative to kerosene light in Rwanda, according to a March 16th story in the Seattle Times.
AMarch 16th story in Mass High Tech noted that the University of Massachusetts Commercial Ventures and Intellectual Property awarded $25,000 grants from its Technology Development Fund to eight faculty members, including Alonzo Ross, PhD, professor of biochemistry & molecular pharmacology; Uri Galili, PhD, professor of surgery and medicine; and Michael Green, MD, PhD, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, the Lambi and Sarah Adams Chair in Genetic Research and professor of molecular medicine and biochemistry & molecular pharmacology.
A March 15, MetroWest Daily News story about living with multiple sclerosis included comments from Peter Riskind, MD, PhD, clinical professor of neurology.
David Ayers, MD, the Arthur M. Pappas, MD, Chair in Orthopedics and chair of orthopedics & physical rehabilitation, discussed his research showing high patient satisfaction among people who have had total knee replacement surgery in a March 14th story on WebMD.
Darshak M. Sanghavi, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics, discussed the increasing use of hand sanitizers since the H1N1 outbreak last year in an interview aired on New Hampshire Public Radio on March 12.
A March 12 article in Mass High Tech about research funding at the five-campus UMass mentions that the Medical School spent $204 million on research last year.
An article in the Worcester Telegram and Gazette on March 11 about school bullying included comments from Negar Beheshti, MD, assistant professor of psychiatry and pediatrics.
This month’s issue of Nature Reviews Drug Discovery features a profile of Phillip Zamore, PhD, and his career highlights (read more), along with a feature article about the potential for monoclonal antibodies to target drug-resistant bacteria, which includes quotes from Deborah Molrine, MD, MPH, deputy director of clinical and regulatory affairs at MassBiologics (read more).
A March 8, Boston Globe story about nursing home patients and antipsychotic drugs referenced research done by Becky A. Briesacher, PhD, associate professor of medicine, and colleagues at the Meyers Primary Care Institute, which found that nursing home prescribing practices influence the likelihood that patients will receive antipsychotic drugs when they are first admitted to a facility.
Mario Stevenson, PhD, the David J. Freelander Professor of AIDS Research and professor of molecular medicine and molecular genetics & microbiology, commented in a March 7 article in the Scientist on a new study showing that HIV can potentially infect bone marrow cells and hematopoietic stem cells.
Molly Waring, PhD, assistant professor of epidemiology of chronic diseases and vulnerable populations, talked about how weight cycling is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease among normal-weight individuals for a March 5 article in Heart Wire.
A March 3 story on New England Cable Network about a norovirus outbreak at Fitchburg State College included comments from Richard T. Ellison, MD, professor of medicine and molecular genetics & microbiology.
A story about Gov. Deval Patrick’s push to reduce health insurance premium increases for small businesses appeared in the Boston Business Journal on March 1 and included comments from Robert W. Seifert, principal associate of the Center for Health Law and Economics.
FEBRUARY
A February 25 Worcester Telegram & Gazette story about legislation on Beacon Hill that would ban circumcision included comments from Mark A. Vining, MD, an assistant professor of pediatrics.
In a New England Cable News segment aired on February 24, Marc A. Gautreau, MD, assistant professor of emergency medicine, urged residents not to over-exert themselves while shoveling snow.
In a February 22 New York Times article about the growing number of public apologies in the media, Aaron Lazare, MD, the Celia and Isaac Haidak Professor of Medical Education and professor of psychiatry, discussed what makes a good apology. Dr. Lazare also discussed the various components of a sincere apology in an op-ed that appeared in Washington Post the same day.
A February 22 sports column about avoiding running injuries during the winter in the Worcester Telegram & Gazette included comments from David P. Magit, MD, assistant professor of orthopedics.
Anthony DeRoss, MD, assistant professor of surgery and pediatrics, warned parents and children about the dangers of skiing and snowboarding in a February 19 story aired on New England Cable News.
Graduate School of Nursing Assistant Professor Robin Klar talked about the need to restore funding to public health initiatives in the state in a February 19 op-ed for the Worcester Business Journal.
A story about an informal group of civic leaders exploring the possibility of purchasing an official chancellor's residence for the Medical School appeared in the Worcester Telegram and Gazette on February 16 and included a statement from Chancellor Michael F. Collins.
Darshak M. Sanghavi, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics, appeared February 16 on CNN with health correspondent Sanjay Gupta to discuss how health care may change if the current health care reform bill is approved.
Katharine London, principal associate at the Center for Health Law and Economics, is quoted in a February 16 Worcester Business Journal story about the Attorney General's report on disparate health care costs among health providers in the state.
The February 16 Worcester Business Journal included a story about Easeamine, a skin cream that includes a compound discovered by James Dobson, PhD, professor of physiology and medicine.
A February 16 Health Day story about research which found that stroke victims are more susceptible to subsequent strokes contained comments from Majaz Moonis, MD, professor of neurology and psychiatry.
Deborah Harmon Hines, PhD, vice provost for school services and Robert E. Layne, MEd, director of outreach programs, wrote about the benefits of the Worcester Pipeline Collaborative in an op-ed piece published on February 10 in the Worcester Telegram & Gazette.
The Worcester Telegram & Gazette detailed in a February 8th story how a team of doctors and nurses from UMass Medical School traveled to Port-au-Prince, Haiti to help earthquake victims. Terence R. Flotte, MD, dean of the School of Medicine; Katherine Harrison, MD, assistant professor of emergency medicine; Janet Fraser Hale, professor of nursing and associate dean for academic affairs; Christine M. Purington, MD, assistant professor of family medicine & community health; and Michael D. Kneeland, MD, MPH, associate professor of family medicine and community health and medicine, were quoted in the article. Also on the team were Onesky Aupont, MD, MPH, PhD, assistant professor of pediatrics; John Broach, MD, MPH, instructor in emergency medicine; Matthew J. Collins, MD, assistant professor of family medicine & community health; Joseph R. Difranza, MD, professor of family medicine & community health; Jeremy Golding, MD, clinical professor of family medicine & community health; Mariah McNamara, MD, MPH, assistant professor of emergency medicine; Peter J. Murphy, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics; Alexandra A. Schultes, MD, assistant professor of family medicine & community health; and John J. Wixted, MD, assistant professor of orthopedics & physical rehabilitation.
A February 5, Daily Collegian story about the Medical Scholars Pathway program, which looks to increase enrollment of underrepresented groups at the medical school, included comments from Michele P. Pugnaire, MD, senior associate dean for educational affairs.
Darshak M. Sanghavi, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics, appeared on the NBC’s Today show on February 4, to discuss new research that suggests a chemical in the brain may be linked to an increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome.
A February 1 article in the Worcester Telegram and Gazette about Senator John F. Kerry’s visit to UMass Medical School included comments from Chancellor Michael F. Collins, MD, about the importance of medical research to health care reform and economic stimulus initiatives.
JANUARY
Laura Lambert, MD, assistant professor of surgery, talked to the Worcester Telegram and Gazette for a January 29 article about her recent relief work at a field hospital in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
A feature segment about winter health tips aired on January 29 by NBC’s Today included advice from Darshak M. Sanghavi, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics.
A January 29 MedCity News story about a new device being developed for deep brain stimulation which can monitor and record electric/chemical reactions in the brain included comments from Julie Pilitsis, MD, PhD, assistant professor of surgery and director of functional neurological surgery.
Michael P. Hirsh, MD, professor of surgery and pediatrics, wrote a January 28 op-ed in the Worcester Telegram and Gazette about the rise in pediatric ATV-related injuries and deaths and his support of a law restricting all-terrain vehicle ridership to persons 15 and older.
A January 26, New York Times article about the lack of patient safety courses in medical school curriculum included comments from Melissa A. Fischer, MD, Med, assistant professor of medicine, about how she approaches patient safety and medical errors with students. The same story also appeared in the Boston Globe.
Darshak Sanghavi, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics, explained in a January 25, Dallas Morning News op-ed why health insurance mandates won't change the number of people who receive health insurance.
MassBiologics Executive Director Donna Ambrosino, MD, professor of pediatrics, was interviewed by the Boston Globe for a January 21 White Coat Notes article about monoclonal antibodies, developed by MassBiologics, that have shown in a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine to be 72 percent more effective in reducing recurrent Clostridium difficile infection. The NEJM study was also reported in the Canadian Press, Bloomburg News, Business Week, HealthDay News and Web MD.
A New York Times article published on January 19 detailed research conducted by Edward I. Ginns, MD, PhD, professor of psychiatry, neurology and pathology, to identify a gene responsible for canine compulsive disorder and its implication for people who suffer from obsessive compulsive disorder. This story also appeared in the Boston Globe.
Negar Beheshti, MD, assistant professor of psychiatry and pediatrics, explained in a January 17 article in the Worcester Telegram and Gazette that children can feel psychologically vulnerable after a natural disaster, such as the recent earthquake in Haiti, even if they haven’t experienced it first hand.
In a January 15 op-ed in the Boston Business Journal, Chancellor Michael F. Collins, MD, wrote about the need to make vaccines readily available to children in developing nations.
A story about the potential impact of the health care reform bill on private insurance plans, published in the Boston Globe on January 15, included comments from Robert W. Seifert, principal associate of the Center for Health Law and Economics within Commonwealth Medicine.
A January 15 story in the Worcester Telegram and Gazette included comments from Richard V. Aghababian, MD, professor of emergency medicine, and Katherine Ruiz De Luzuriaga, MD, professor of pediatrics and medicine and associate provost of Global Health, about the medical crisis caused by the earthquake in Haiti. A similar story also ran in the MetroWest Daily News.
Shalesh Kaushal, MD, PhD, chair and associate professor of ophthalmology and cell biology, and RXi Pharmaceuticals will collaborate on research into the use of RNAi technology to treat eye diseases, according to a January 15 article in Mass High Tech.
A Worcester Telegram and Gazette story from January 14 detailed the Emergency Assistance Fund, a program through which UMass employees can assist fellow employees during the recession. The story included comments from Chancellor Michael F. Collins, MD; Heather-Lyn Haley, PhD, assistant professor of family medicine and community health; Janet Hirsch, senior manager of the Work-Life program; and Thomas Hopkins, associate director of the Employee Assistance Program.
Richard S. Irwin, MD, professor of medicine and author of the definitive text on cough, was interviewed for a January 12 story in USA Today on the cause, description, diagnosis and treatment of cough.
Becky Briesacher, PhD, associate professor of medicine, and colleagues at UMMS and the Meyers Primary Care Institute reported in the Archives of Internal Medicine that nursing home prescribing practices influence the off-label use of anti-psychotic medications to control patients. This study was picked up on January 12 by BusinessWeek, HealthDay, Science Daily and several science and medical media outlets.
A January 12 article in the MetroWest Daily News about health care reform included thoughts from Terence R. Flotte, MD, dean of the School of Medicine, about the effort to increase in the number of primary care physicians in the state.
Edward Ginns, MD, PhD, professor of psychiatry, neurology and pathology, identified the gene responsible for canine compulsive disorder and discussed its implications for humans with obsessive compulsive disorder in stories printed January 8 in the Worcester Telegram and Gazette and January 4 in the Boston Globe.
A January 7 story in RNAi News about the National Institutes of Health funding new miRNA research included news that Postdoctoral fellow Molly Hammell, PhD, received funding for her investigations into the highly conserved miR-34, which has been shown to have a role in oncogenesis and tumor suppression in C. elegans.
A story about the Institute of Coaching at McLean Hospital appearing in the January 4 edition of the Boston Globe included comments from W. Peter Metz, MD, clinical professor of psychiatry and pediatrics, about how therapy and coaching can be used together.
A January 4 year-end wrap-up of 2009 by RNAi News included comments about the year’s notable discoveries from RNA Therapeutics co-directors Craig Mello, PhD, Victor Ambros, PhD, Phil Zamore, PhD, and Melissa Moore, PhD.
Julie G. Pilitsis, MD, PhD, assistant professor of surgery, explained how deep brain stimulation can be used to treat tremors in a January 4 story in the Worcester Telegram and Gazette.