Tuesday, January 05, 2021
Dr. Kathleen Neuzil, World-renowned Leader in Vaccine Research, Receives Moderna Vaccine
Kathleen Neuzil, MD, MPH, FIDSA, the Myron M. Levine, MD, DTPH, Professor of Vaccinology and Director of the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s (UMSOM)’s Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health (CVD), received her first injection of the Moderna vaccine for COVID-19 on December 31. Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) played an integral part in the dedicated work that led to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issuing an Emergency Use Authorization for the Moderna vaccine in December.
Tuesday, January 05, 2021
University of Maryland School of Medicine Begins Phase 3 Trial of Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate
Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) will participate in a Phase 3 clinical trial of an investigational COVID-19 vaccine to protect against SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus causing COVID-19 that continues to impact millions of people around the world. The clinical trial will test the safety and effectiveness of NVX-CoV2373, being developed by U.S. biotechnology company, Novavax, Inc., based in Gaithersburg, MD.
Tuesday, December 29, 2020
UMSOM’s Dr. Kathleen Neuzil Receives 2020 Marylander of the Year Award for Unprecedented Leadership on COVID-19 Vaccines Research and Treatment
Dr. Kathleen Neuzil, MD, MPH, FIDSA, the Myron M. Levine, MD, DTPH, Professor in Vaccinology and Director of the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s (UMSOM)’s Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health (CVD), has been named this year’s “Marylander of the Year” by the Baltimore Sun. In a historic and challenging year dominated by COVID-19, the Sun editors also named front-line health care and service workers as co-recipients along with Dr. Neuzil, for their essential roles in the battle against the novel coronavirus.
Wednesday, December 23, 2020
UMSOM Physician-Leaders to Join Dean’s Senior Staff as Associate Dean and Assistant Dean and will Head the Office of Faculty Affairs and Professional Development
University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) Vice Dean for Academic Affairs James Kaper, PhD, along with UMSOM Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, announced today that Silke Niederhaus, MD, Associate Professor and Transplant Surgeon in the Department of Surgery, and Ada Offurum, MD, Assistant Professor and Leader of the Hospitalists Program in the Department of Medicine, will together lead the Office of Faculty Affairs and Professional Development as Associate Dean and Assistant Dean respectively. Their joint appointments follow the passing in May 2020 of Nancy Ryan Lowitt, MD, EdM, a longtime University of Maryland School of Medicine educator and Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs & Professional Development.
Tuesday, December 22, 2020
Largest Study of Its Kind Identifies Which COVID-19 Patients Face the Greatest Risk of Mortality During Hospitalization
Hospitalized COVID-19 patients have a greater risk of dying if they are men or if they are obese or have complications from diabetes or hypertension, according to a new study conducted by University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) researchers. In a study published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases, the researchers evaluated nearly 67,000 hospitalized COVID-19 patients in 613 hospitals across the country to determine the link between certain common patient characteristics and the risk of dying from COVID-19. Their analysis found that men had a 30 percent higher risk of dying compared to women of the same age and health status. Hospitalized patients who were obese, had hypertension or poorly managed diabetes had a higher risk of dying compared to those who did not have these conditions. Those aged 20 to 39 with these conditions had the biggest difference in their risk of dying compared to their healthier peers.
Friday, December 18, 2020
Low-Income Preschoolers Exposed to Nurturing Care Have Higher IQ Scores During Their Teen Years, Landmark Study Finds
Preschoolers living in impoverished communities who have access to a nurturing home environment have significantly higher intelligence quotient (IQ) scores in adolescence compared to those raised without nurturing care. That is the finding of a new international study conducted by University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) researchers, which examined data from more than 1,600 children who were followed from birth through their teenage years. Results were published this week in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health journal.
Thursday, December 17, 2020
UM School of Medicine Recruits Preeminent Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgeon to Head Children’s Heart Program
University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) Dean, E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, and Christine Lau, MD, MBA, the Buxton Professor and Chair of the Department of Surgery at UMSOM, announced today that nationally renowned neonatal surgeon, Joseph M. Forbess, MD, MBA, has been appointed Professor of Surgery in the Division of Cardiac Surgery at UMSOM. He will serve as the new Surgical Director of the Children’s Heart Program at the University of Maryland Children’s Hospital.
Wednesday, December 16, 2020
University of Maryland School of Medicine Researchers Create Extensive Gene Expression Database to Gain New Insights into Pneumococcal Infections
Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine published one of the most comprehensive analyses of how genes get expressed during infection (known as a transcriptome). The analyses include three different strains of the bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae, which causes pneumonia, meningitis and middle-ear infections. It also includes analyses of the lungs and four other organs in an animal model where the bacteria resides, multiplies and takes hold in the body. Their findings were published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Tuesday, December 15, 2020
UMSOM Institute of Human Virology’s Shyam Kottilil, MBBS, PhD Receives Top Award from National Physician’s Group
Shyam Kottilil, MBBS, PhD, professor of medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM), and Director of UMSOM’s Institute of Human Virology (IHV) Division of Clinical Care and Research, has been awarded Mastership in the American College of Physicians (ACP), the national organization of internists. Dr. Kottilil is also Chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases in the UMSOM Department of Medicine and is a scientific advisory member of the Global Virus Network (GVN).
Tuesday, December 01, 2020
UM School of Medicine Researchers Receive Federal Grant to Test Innovative Approaches for Rehabilitation
Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) have received a $4.6 million federal grant to study rehabilitation strategies and determine the best course of action to help restore mobility and function to patients who suffer from debilitating strokes and other neurological conditions. The grant was awarded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research.
Thursday, November 19, 2020
Promising Results Seen in Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine After Phase 1 Trial by University of Maryland School of Medicine
Just six months after beginning a clinical development program that first enrolled here at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM), Pfizer and BioNTech report interim results showing an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine had no serious safety concerns and has been found to be 95 percent effective in protecting individuals from COVID-19.
Tuesday, November 17, 2020
UMSOM's Department of Radiation Oncology Announces New Endowed Professorship and Senior Leadership Appointments in the Department
University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) Department of Radiation Oncology Chair William F. Regine, MD, FACR, FACRO, along with UMSOM Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, announced today that three prominent faculty members in the Department of Radiation Oncology will be promoted into leading department positions that recognize their outstanding academic scholarship and success.
Monday, November 16, 2020
University of Maryland School of Medicine Establishes Two New Endowed Professorships Through Private Gifts and Matching State Funds
– University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, announced today that the school has been awarded $1.5 million in matching funds from the Maryland E-Nnovation Initiative Fund (MEIF), administered by the Maryland Department of Commerce. The funds, when combined with private philanthropy, has allowed the creation of two new endowed professorships – one in the Department of Neurology and one in at the Institute of Human Virology (IHV). As part of its goal to attract and retain top faculty and foster the development of new technologies and therapies, the School of Medicine had requested that the funds be used to establish these two new endowed professorships.
Friday, November 13, 2020
Leading Human Immunology and Infectious Disease Experts to Join UM School of Medicine's Institute of Human Virology
Robert C. Gallo, MD, the Homer & Martha Gudelsky Distinguished Professor in Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) and Co-Founder & Director of the UMSOM’s Institute of Human Virology (IHV), announced today that a team of leading scientists in human immunology, virology and stem cell biology, led by Lishan Su, PhD, joined the Institute of Human Virology on October 1 with academic appointments in the UMSOM Department of Pharmacology. As part of the Maryland E-Nnovation Initiative Fund (MEIF) to recruit top research faculty and a donation to the Institute of Human Virology from the Charles Gordon Estate, Dr. Su will be receiving the Charles Gordon Smith Endowed Professorship for HIV Research. Dr. Su will also head the Institute of Human Virology's Division of Virology, Pathogenesis and Cancer.
Friday, November 13, 2020
UM School of Medicine and School of Pharmacy Researchers Identify Promising New Compounds to Potentially Treat Novel Coronaviruses
Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) and School of Pharmacy (UMSOP) have discovered new drug compounds to potentially treat the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. The compounds disrupt the functioning of a protein complex inside human cells that the researchers discovered is critical for the replication and survival of coronaviruses. This finding could lead to the development of new broad-spectrum antiviral drugs that target viruses such as influenza, Ebola and coronaviruses, according to a new study published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) journal.
Tuesday, November 10, 2020
Highly Successful Faculty Recruiting Initiative Attracts Dozens of Preeminent Teams of NIH-Funded Scientists to the UMSOM
University of Maryland School of Medicine Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, announced today the conclusion of the Special Trans-Disciplinary Recruitment Award Program (STRAP), a highly successful faculty initiative that brought dozens of top researchers-physician-scientists and biomedical scientists to the UMSOM faculty. This program will be succeeded by a new Dean's challenge initiative that will focus on large program project and center grants, known as the LGAP Initiative (Large Grant Award Program).
Thursday, October 29, 2020
UM School of Medicine Hosts 25th Annual Conference On Advancing School Mental Health with Focus on Covid-19 Pandemic
The National Center for School Mental Health at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) will be hosting its virtual 25th Annual Conference on Advancing School Mental Health on October 29, 2020, from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM (ET). This year’s theme focuses on equitable and effective school mental health and will include a focus on COVID-19 mental health issues including children experiencing grief from the loss of a loved one during the pandemic and stressors from disruptions in learning.
Friday, October 23, 2020
Landmark Study Suggests Malaria-Preventive Drugs Dramatically Reduce Infections and Improve Health of School Children
With nearly half of the world’s population at risk for life-threatening malaria infections, University of Maryland School of Medicine researchers and their colleagues identified an important public health measure to control the disease. Use of preventive antimalarial treatments reduces by half the number of malaria infections among schoolchildren, according to a new analysis published today in The Lancet Global Health. Preventive treatment also reduces cases of anemia among schoolchildren by 15 percent and is associated with improved learning in children older than 10 years.
Thursday, October 22, 2020
New Landmark Study at UM School of Medicine Finds Aspirin Use Reduces Risk of Death in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients
Hospitalized COVID-19 patients who were taking a daily low-dose aspirin to protect against cardiovascular disease had a significantly lower risk of complications and death compared to those who were not taking aspirin, according to a new study led by researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM). Aspirin takers were less likely to be placed in the intensive care unit (ICU) or hooked up to a mechanical ventilator, and they were more likely to survive the infection compared to hospitalized patients who were not taking aspirin, The study, published today in the journal Anesthesia and Analgesia, provides “cautious optimism,” the researchers say, for an inexpensive, accessible medication with a well-known safety profile that could help prevent severe complications.
Wednesday, October 21, 2020
UM School of Medicine Postdoctoral Fellow Awarded Prestigious AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellowship
Ryan Richardson, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Pharmacology, at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) was awarded a highly prestigious American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science & Technology Policy Fellowship (STPF), placing him at the National Institutes of Health (NIH)’s Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative for a year.
Tuesday, October 20, 2020
UMSOM Launches New Dean's Challenge Award Program Aimed at Securing Large NIH Program / Center Grants
University of Maryland School of Medicine Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, today announced the launch of a major new initiative, called the Large Grant Acceleration Program, or “LGAP,” to further enhance the UMSOM’s upward trajectory as a global leader in biomedical research and discovery.
Tuesday, October 20, 2020
Congratulations to our 163 faculty physicians for being named 2020 “Top Docs” by Baltimore Magazine!
Doctors who practice at the University of Maryland Medical Center University and Midtown Campuses, all members of the University of Maryland School of Medicine faculty, were recognized as "Top Doctors" in the October 2020 issue of Baltimore magazine.
Tuesday, October 06, 2020
UM School of Medicine Scientist Receives Prestigious NIH Director's New Innovator Award
$2.3 million Award Targeted for “High-Risk, High Reward” Research that Aims to Understand Contribution of Blood Flow to Brain Plasticity
Thursday, October 01, 2020
UMSOM Addiction Services Adapt to Challenges of COVID-19 Pandemic
Addiction disorder experts at the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s (UMSOM) Health and Recovery Practice (HARP) have adapted and expanded their services for those especially vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic, providing comprehensive care and other social rehabilitative services.
Wednesday, September 30, 2020
UM School of Medicine Researchers Identify Role of Crucial Protein in Development of New Hair Cells Needed for Hearing
Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) have conducted a study that has determined the role that a critical protein plays in the development of hair cells. Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) have conducted a study that has determined the role that a critical protein plays in the development of hair cells.
Wednesday, September 23, 2020
Having High Cholesterol Levels Early in Life Leads to Heart Problems by Middle Age, UM School of Medicine Study Finds
Having elevated cholesterol during the teens or early twenties increases a person’s risk of having a heart attack, stroke or other cardiovascular event during middle age. That is the finding a new landmark study led by researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM). This increased risk persists even in those who were able to get their cholesterol levels down to a healthy level before reaching their late thirties. The research makes a strong case for doctors to intervene early to treat high levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the so-called “bad” type of cholesterol, the study authors contend. It also provides guidance for future intervention studies aimed at stemming the worldwide epidemic of heart disease and stroke.
Tuesday, September 22, 2020
Stuart S. Martin Awarded New Endowed Professorship Honoring Internationally Renowned Breast Cancer Researcher Angela H. Brodie, PhD
University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, announced today that Stuart S. Martin, PhD, Professor of Pharmacology and Physiology at UMSOM and a nationally recognized breast cancer researcher, has been installed as the inaugural Drs. Angela and Harry Brodie Professor in Translational Cancer Research. The endowed professorship honors the late Angela H. Brodie, PhD, who, with her husband and longtime scientific collaborator, Harry Brodie, PhD, pioneered the development of aromatase inhibitors, a class of hormone-targeting drugs that has changed the face of breast cancer treatment.
Monday, September 14, 2020
COVID-19 Vaccine Trial Begins at the University of Maryland School of Medicine
Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) have begun participation in the Phase 3 clinical trial of an investigational COVID-19 vaccine co-developed by scientists at Moderna Inc. and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This clinical trial is a key step toward final approval of a vaccine to protect against the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus that has impacted millions of people around the world.
Tuesday, September 08, 2020
UMSOM Researchers Receive $7 Million Grant To Establish Data Center for HIV and Substance Use Disorders
Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) have received a nearly $7 million grant to be disbursed over five years from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), which is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The grant, provided to the Institute for Genome Sciences (IGS) at UMSOM, will be used to establish an online data coordination center to enable researchers to store and access data sets generated by a program called Single Cell Opioid Responses in the Context of HIV (SCORCH).
Monday, August 24, 2020
UMSOM Researchers Find Wide Variations in Car Seat Breathing Assessment Conducted on Premature Newborns
A new study from the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) has found wide variations throughout the United States in the way hospitals ensure that premature or low birth weight infants can breathe safely in a car seat before discharging them. The study, published this month in the journal Pediatrics, found that the same infant who passes a screening in one hospital’s newborn nursery (NBN) may fail in similar facilities at another hospital’s nursery. The authors concluded that “further guidance on screening practices and failure criteria is needed to inform future practice and policy” in order to better protect these vulnerable newborns.
Tuesday, August 18, 2020
Mini-Medical School for Kids Program Celebrates Online Graduation
For the first time in its 13-year history, the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) Mini-Medical School for Kids Program was streamed online, allowing over 200 children from Baltimore City and across the country to participate in this year’s cohort.
Monday, August 17, 2020
UMSOM’s Department of Epidemiology and Public Health Center of Excellence in Infection Control Awarded CDC Funds for COVID-19 Research
The Department of Epidemiology and Public Health (EPH) at the University of Maryland School of Medicine was recently awarded $900,000 for COVID-19 research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The funding will be used by faculty in the Department’s Division of Genomic Epidemiology and Clinical Outcomes for research to help identify the most effective measures for COVID-19 infection control in healthcare settings.
Friday, August 14, 2020
Wendy W. Sanders, UMSOM Associate Dean for Research Career Development and Passionate Advocate for Junior Faculty, Announces Retirement
University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) Vice Dean for Academic Affairs James Kaper, PhD, along with UMSOM Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, announced that Wendy W. Sanders, MA, Associate Dean for Research Career Development and Instructor in Epidemiology & Public Health, will be retiring form her post on August 31, 2020.
Monday, August 10, 2020
A New Era in Medical Student Training Begins
The new Renaissance Curriculum for medical students at the University of Maryland School of Medicine officially launched at 8 am on Monday, August 10, with a teleconferenced lecture to students by Adam C. Puche, PhD, Professor of Anatomy and Neurobiology.
Monday, August 10, 2020
UM School of Medicine Establishes Conflict of Interest Program as Part of Office of Research Affairs (ORA)
University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) Dean, E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, announced that the UMSOM’s Conflict of Interest Program, previously led by Nancy Lowitt, MD, will now be housed in the Office of Research Affairs, and will be co-led by Terry Rogers, PhD, and Joni Prasad, PhD.
Thursday, August 06, 2020
Philanthropist and Real Estate Developer, Howard S. Brown Makes $2.5 Million Gift to UMSOM in Honor of Renowned Trauma Surgeon and Leader, Thomas M. Scalea, MD
Mr. Brown’s Gift Memorializes his Daughter, Esther Ann Brown Adler, and Establishes the Thomas M. Scalea, MD Endowed Distinguished Professorship in Trauma Surgery
Wednesday, August 05, 2020
UMSOM Acclaimed Physician-Scientist and Student Mentor, Dr. Miriam Laufer, to Join Academic Affairs Leadership Team as Assistant Dean for Medical Student Research Education
University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) Vice Dean for Academic Affairs, James Kaper, PhD, along with UMSOM Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, announced that Miriam Laufer, MD, MPH, Professor of Pediatrics and Associate Director of the Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health (CVD), will join the Academic Affairs leadership team as Assistant Dean for Medical Student Research Education.
Tuesday, August 04, 2020
UM School of Medicine Researchers Develop Novel Test For ‘Microtentacles’ on Breast Cancer Cells
Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) have developed a novel technology to test for the presence of thin membrane protrusions called “microtentacles” on breast cancer cells, which can help predict whether a tumor is likely to spread. They describe the TetherChip device in a new paper published today in the Royal Society of Chemistry journal Lab on a Chip.
Monday, August 03, 2020
IN MEMORIAM: Distinguished Neuroscientist, Longtime Chair of Anatomy and Neurobiology, and Founding Director of the Program in Neuroscience, Michael Shipley, PhD, Has Passed Away
UMSOM Community is saddened by the loss of another one of its distinguished, long-valued members: Michael Shipley, PhD, who passed away over the weekend. Dr. Shipley was the Donald E. Wilson, MD, MACP Distinguished Professor, preeminent Neuroscientist, longtime Chair of the Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, and Founding Director of the UMSOM Program in Neuroscience. He had retired in July, 2019.
Friday, July 31, 2020
UMSOM Dean Forms New Committee on Faculty/ Staff Behavior and Professionalism as Part of Culture Transformation Initiative
As the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) continues its focus on ensuring a safe, respectful, and inclusive work environment through its Culture Transformation Initiative (CTI), UMSOM Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, has announced the formation of a new committee that will specifically address faculty and staff behavioral issues.
Thursday, July 30, 2020
UMSOM Researchers Discover Stem Cells in the Optic Nerve that Enable Preservation of Vision
Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) have for the first time identified stem cells in the region of the optic nerve, which transmits signals from the eye to the brain. The finding, published this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), presents a new theory on why the most common form of glaucoma may develop and provides potential new ways to treat a leading cause of blindness in American adults.
Monday, July 27, 2020
In Memoriam: Joseph J. Costa, UMSOM Adjunct Faculty Member and MD Class of '90 Graduate, who was Critical Care Chief at Mercy, Passes Away
The UMSOM Community joins our colleagues at Mercy Medical Center in mourning the passing of Joseph J. Costa, MD, an UMSOM Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine and graduate of the UMSOM Class of 1990.
Thursday, July 23, 2020
IN MEMORIAM: Longtime UM School of Medicine Admissions Leader, Milford "Mickey" Foxwell, MD
The University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) Community mourns the passing of one its most respected and best-known figures, Milford M. “Mickey” Foxwell, Jr., MD, ‘80, Associate Dean of Admissions at UMSOM from 1989 to 2018, who passed away at his home in Cambridge, MD, on July 16, 2020. He is survived by his wife, Sue, and son, Louis.
Tuesday, July 21, 2020
University of Maryland School of Medicine Names Renowned Trauma Surgeon-Scientist, Dr. David Efron, as Professor of Trauma Surgery and New Chief of Trauma
Thomas M. Scalea, MD, the Honorable Francis X. Kelly Distinguished Professor of Trauma Surgery and Director of the Program in Trauma at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM), and Physician-in-Chief at the UM R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, along with UMSOM Dean, E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, announced today that David Thomas Efron, MD, one of the leading trauma surgeon-scientists in the U.S., will become the Inaugural Thomas M. Scalea Distinguished Professor of Trauma Surgery in the Department of Surgery, Chief of Trauma and Medical Director of the R. Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center. He will begin his new position effective September 1.
Thursday, July 16, 2020
University of Maryland School of Medicine Recruits Two Preeminent Multi-Organ Transplant Professionals to Build on Legacy of Leadership in Transplantation
University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) Dean, E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, and Christine Lau, MD, MBA, The Dr. Robert W. Buxton Chair of Surgery at UMSOM, announced today the hiring of two internationally-renown transplant professionals: a surgeon scientist and a transplant scientist. The unique pair of transplant professionals provides UMSOM with a powerful combination of leadership in both clinical surgery and surgical science.
Tuesday, July 14, 2020
UM School of Medicine Researchers Identify Mechanism for Treating Cancer Cells
Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) have identified a surprising new mechanism that may significantly expand use of an important cancer drug, called a PARP inhibitor. These drugs are currently only approved to be used in those with certain mutations in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes that are associated with breast and ovarian cancers. The new findings were published online last week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (PNAS) journal in collaboration with a group at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
Thursday, July 02, 2020
UMSOM’s Office of Student Affairs Names Clinician, Educator, and Researcher Dr. Kerri Thom as New Associate Dean for Student Affairs
University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) Senior Associate Dean for Undergraduate Medical Education, Donna Parker, MD, FACP, along with UMSOM Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, today announced the promotion of Kerri Thom, MD, MS, Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health, as the Associate Dean for Student Affairs. Dr. Thom previously served as the Assistant Dean for Student Research and Education in the UMSOM Office of Student Affairs.
Thursday, July 02, 2020
UMSOM Researchers Help Weigh Role of Human Challenge Studies for COVID-19 Vaccine Development
Members of the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) Accelerating COVID-19 Therapeutic Interventions and Vaccines (ACTIV) Working Group, which includes Kathleen Neuzil, MD, MPH, DTPH, the Myron M. Levine, MD, DTPH Professor in Vaccinology and Director of the Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health (CVD) at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM), assessed the practical considerations and prerequisites for using controlled human infection models (CHIMs) to support development of a SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine.
Tuesday, June 30, 2020
From Tradition to Virtual Reality: Online Student Clinician Ceremony Celebrates Next Chapter of Medical Training
The Class of 2022, along with family and friends, logged on from their computers to celebrate this year’s Student Clinician Ceremony, held on Friday, June 19. Now in its 18th year, the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) Annual Student Clinician Ceremony marks the third year of medical education as students transition into clinical clerkships.
Tuesday, June 16, 2020
UM School of Medicine Researchers Receive Federal Funding to Rapidly Test New Treatments for COVID-19
Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) will be partnering on an agreement funded by the federal government’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to rapidly test hundreds of drugs, approved and marketed for other conditions, to see whether any can be repurposed to prevent or treat COVID-19. The compounds will be tested in studies using state-of-the-art technologies in the laboratory of coronavirus researcher Matthew Frieman, PhD., Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. UMSOM will receive up to $3.6 million over the next year to fund this effort.
Monday, June 15, 2020
UM School of Medicine Researchers Help Identify Potent Antibody Cocktail with Potential to Treat COVID-19
Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) evaluated several human antibodies to determine the most potent combination to be mixed in a cocktail and used as a promising anti-viral therapy against the virus that causes COVID-19. Their research, conducted in collaboration with scientists at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, was published today in the journal Science. The study demonstrates the rapid process of isolating, testing and mass-producing antibody therapies against any infectious disease by using both genetically engineered mice and plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients.
Tuesday, June 09, 2020
UM School of Medicine Researchers Identify New Genetic Defect Linked to ALS
Researchers at the UMSOM have identified how certain gene mutations cause amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. The pathway identified by the researchers may also be responsible for a certain form of dementia related to ALS. The finding could offer potential new approaches for treating this devastating condition, which causes progressive, fatal paralysis and sometimes mental deterioration similar to Alzheimer’s disease. Their discovery was published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) and included collaborators from Harvard University, University of Auckland, King’s College London, and Northwestern University.
Wednesday, June 03, 2020
UM School of Medicine's Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science Receives Endowment Gift from Pivot Health Solutions; Will Advance Research and Train Next Generation of Scientists in Physical Rehabilitation
Victoria G. Marchese, PhD, PT, Chair, Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science (PTRS), University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM), announced that Pivot Health Solutions has given $250,000 to fund the Pivot Health Solutions Physical Rehabilitation Science PhD Education Endowment. This important gift will be used as a critical resource for PhD students in Physical Rehabilitation Science in the Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science (PTRS) at UMSOM.
Tuesday, June 02, 2020
UM School of Medicine’s Institute of Human Virology Awarded Grants to Strengthen COVID-19 Response in Sub-Saharan Africa
The Center for International Health, Education and Biosecurity (Ciheb) at the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s Institute of Human Virology was awarded $4 million from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to support coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) response activities in Botswana, Nigeria, Malawi, and Mozambique.
Monday, June 01, 2020
In A COVID-19 World, Another Threat to the Health of Our Children
In the U.S., our children rarely fall ill to grave infections because they are protected by vaccines. Serious illnesses like measles, mumps, congenital rubella syndrome, chickenpox, diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, rotavirus diarrhea, hepatitis (A and B), polio and bacterial meningitis are all preventable through routine childhood vaccinations.
Thursday, May 28, 2020
UM School of Medicine Researchers Develop Experimental Rapid COVID-19 Test Using Innovative Nanoparticle Technique
Scientists from the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) developed an experimental diagnostic test for COVID-19 that can visually detect the presence of the virus in 10 minutes. It uses a simple assay containing plasmonic gold nanoparticles to detect a color change when the virus is present. The test does not require the use of any advanced laboratory techniques, such as those commonly used to amplify DNA, for analysis. The authors published their work last week in the American Chemical Society’s nanotechnology journal ACS Nano.
Tuesday, May 26, 2020
UM School of Medicine Researchers Find No Benefit for Treatment Used to Avoid Surgery for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
A new landmark study by researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) found that patients with a vascular condition, called abdominal aortic aneurysm, received no benefits from taking a common antibiotic drug to reduce inflammation. Patients who took the antibiotic doxycycline experienced no reduction in the growth of their aneurysm over two years compared to those who took a placebo, according to the study published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). The finding could lead doctors to stop prescribing the drug as a way to prevent small aneurysms from growing larger and bursting.
Thursday, May 21, 2020
UM School of Medicine Begins First Innovative Trial of Experimental Stem Cell Therapy to Reduce Deaths in Sickest COVID-19 Patients
Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) have begun testing an experimental stem cell therapy developed by Mesoblast Limited to treat hospitalized COVID-19 patients with moderate to severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) who are on ventilators to help them breathe. The trial, which is being conducted at the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) and additional sites across the U.S, will involve a total of 300 patients randomized to receive either the drug remestemcel-L or a placebo in addition to the recommended standard of care to manage severe COVID-19 infections. The first patient in this national trial was treated at UMMC.
Tuesday, May 19, 2020
Dr. Nancy Ryan Lowitt, Longtime UMSOM Medical Education Leader, Administrator and Beloved ‘One of a Kind’ Colleague; Remembered for Her Extraordinary Compassion and Kindness
Nancy R. Lowitt, MD, EdM, FACP, a longtime University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) educator and national leader in faculty affairs and professional development, who was known across the UMSOM community for her gentle kindness, collaborative spirit and selfless demeanor, has passed away.
Monday, May 18, 2020
In Memoriam: Jane Kroh Satterfield, PT ’64, 1942-2020
The University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) and the Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science (PTRS) are mourning the death of Jane Kroh Satterfield, PT ’64, who passed away on May 10, 2020 at the age of 78. Mrs. Satterfield, a native Baltimorean who received her BS in Physical Therapy from the UMSOM in 1964, was a lifelong advocate for the field of pediatric physical therapy, especially in the care for children with special needs.
Friday, May 15, 2020
UMSOM Holds Virtual Commencement to Celebrate Class of 2020
For the first time in the school’s 211-year history, the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) held a virtual commencement ceremony to celebrate the Class of 2020 on May 14. The ceremony marked the culmination of at least four years of studies for the 166 newly minted physicians, who earned medical degrees as well as combined MD/PhD and MD/Masters degrees.
Thursday, May 14, 2020
Researchers Launch Study to Improve Prescribing of Clozapine for More Effective Management of Schizophrenia
Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center are preparing to launch a new study to increase prescribing rates of the medication clozapine to treat schizophrenia. It will employ an innovative educational telementoring program called Project ECHO (Extension for Community Health Outcomes) that connects centralized experts to prescribers and clinicians throughout the state of Maryland.
Tuesday, May 05, 2020
UM School of Medicine is First in U.S. to Test Unique RNA Vaccine Candidate for COVID-19
In a significant development in the global effort to discover a safe and effective vaccine for COVID-19, researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) became the first in the U.S. to begin testing experimental COVID-19 vaccine candidates developed by Pfizer and BioNTech. The research, funded by Pfizer Inc., will study the safety, efficacy, and dosing of an experimental mRNA -based vaccine.
Monday, April 27, 2020
UM School of Medicine Researchers Test Experimental Therapy to Prevent COVID-19
Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) have begun testing the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine as a therapy to prevent infection and symptoms in individuals who have been exposed to COVID-19-positive individuals. The trial is significant because it focuses on preventing COVID-19 and does not involve individuals who are ill with infection but rather healthy individuals who have been exposed.
Thursday, April 23, 2020
UM School of Medicine Researchers Test Remdesivir as Potential Therapy for COVID-19 Patients
Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) are testing the effectiveness of the investigational antiviral drug remdesivir in hospitalized adult patients with SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). The randomized controlled clinical trial is evaluating the safety and effectiveness of the drug, and it is part of a national study funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Wednesday, April 22, 2020
Dr. Robert Gallo Featured on National Geographic’s “Jane Goodall: The Hope” on 50th Anniversary of Earth Day
For the 50th anniversary of Earth Day on April 22, 2020, the National Geographic channel will broadcast back-to-back premieres of Photo Ark: Rarest Creatures and Jane Goodall: The Hope.
Thursday, April 16, 2020
University of Maryland School of Medicine Launches Center for Substance Use in Pregnancy
Asaf Keller, PhD, Professor and Interim Chair of the Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM), along with UMSOM Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, have announced the formation of a new research center to study the long-term health effects on the brains of children born to women who use drugs and alcohol during pregnancy. The Center for Substance Use in Pregnancy will conduct pre-clinical and clinical neuroscience research, focusing on the use of marijuana, opioids, nicotine and alcohol, all of which have increased dramatically in recent years.
Friday, April 10, 2020
University of Maryland School of Medicine Launches New Large Scale COVID-19 Testing Initiative
University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, announced today the launch of a large-scale COVID-19 Testing Initiative that will significantly expand testing capability over the coming weeks, enabled by new funding of $2.5 million from the State of Maryland.
Tuesday, April 07, 2020
Important Letter from Dean Reece to the UMSOM Community
As many of you undoubtedly heard over the weekend, our public health leaders expect that this week will be the toughest we have confronted thus far in the COVID-19 pandemic, in terms of the number of U.S. cases, and the number of lives lost. This week will also be the measure of the true nature of the virus, as well as the impact it could potentially have on people on the front lines. It is a moment which will deeply and indelibly define our collective history as Americans.
Friday, April 03, 2020
UM School of Medicine Researchers Identify Mechanism to Explain Role of Certain Gene Mutations in Kidney Disease
Researchers from the Center for Precision Disease Modeling at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) have uncovered a mechanism that appears to explain how certain genetic mutations give rise to a rare genetic kidney disorder called nephrotic syndrome. Using a drosophila (fruit fly) model, they found mutations in genes that code for certain proteins lead to a disruption of the recycling of the cell membrane. This disruption leads to an abnormal kidney cell structure and function, according to the study published this week in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
Wednesday, April 01, 2020
Important Coronavirus Update from Dean Reece 04-01
I am sure you are aware of Governor Hogan’s Executive Order that requires all residents of Maryland to stay at home, except for essential activities. The Governor continues to emphasize that we are still just at the beginning of this crisis in Maryland. While the State has been taking the lead with early containment efforts, we are now at a critical point. Each of our actions can lessen the expected surge in cases over the next few weeks.
Wednesday, April 01, 2020
Leading Neurosurgeon-Scientist Dr. Graeme Woodworth Named Chair, Department of Neurosurgery, at the University of Maryland School of Medicine
University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) Dean E Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, announced today that Graeme F. Woodworth, MD, Professor of Neurosurgery at UMSOM and leading neurosurgeon-scientist recognized for his leadership and innovation in research and clinical care, has been named the new Chair of the Department of Neurosurgery. Dr. Woodworth, who worked closely with longtime Neurosurgery Chair Howard Eisenberg, MD, has been nationally renowned for his groundbreaking research using Focused Ultrasound to enable life-saving treatment for brain tumors. He is Director of the Brain Tumor Treatment and Research Center at the UM Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, and has served as Interim Chair of the Department of Neurosurgery since July, 2019.
Wednesday, March 25, 2020
Kids & COVID-19 Website Provides Resources for Pediatric Healthcare Providers and Families
The University of Maryland School of Medicine has launched a special COVID-19 website for pediatric healthcare providers and practices, parents, and children. This resource brings together important research, professional guidance for pediatric practices, and practical tips for parents and caregivers.
Wednesday, March 25, 2020
Important Coronavirus Update from Dean Reece
As we continue to move forward in these challenging times, I would like to bring you a message of encouragement and hope. First and foremost, please be assured and confident that we are, and will continue to do, everything we can to ensure the health and well-being of all within our community. As you will see in this briefing, significant steps are being taken by the State of Maryland, the University of Maryland Medical System and the University of Maryland, Baltimore to ensure that everyone is healthy and safe. We must each do whatever is necessary to ensure that our health comes first.
Monday, March 23, 2020
Anxious About the COVID-19 Pandemic? New Study Shows Stress Can Have Lasting Impacts on Sperm and a Man’s Future Offspring
Prolonged fear and anxiety brought on by major stressors, like the coronavirus pandemic, can not only take a toll on a person’s mental health, but may also have a lasting impact on a man’s sperm composition that could affect his future offspring. That is the finding of a provocative new study published in the journal Nature Communications by researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.
Monday, March 23, 2020
The Wait Is Over: It’s Match Day 2020
Even as physicians across the United States and around the world confront the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of the residency match is more evident than ever. According to the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP), this year’s Main Residency Match is the largest in history, exceeding the more than 44,000 applicants who registered for the 2019 Match. This year, 161 University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) students matched at 73 different hospitals in 29 states. Thirty-eight members of the Class of 2020 will stay in the state of Maryland for their residency training.
Thursday, March 12, 2020
Researchers Predict Potential Spread and Seasonality for COVID-19 Based on Climate Where Virus Appears to Thrive
Researchers at the Institute of Human Virology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) and the Global Virus Network (GVN) predict that COVID-19 will follow a seasonal pattern similar to other respiratory viruses like seasonal flu. They base this on weather modeling data in countries where the virus has taken hold and spread within the community.
Wednesday, March 11, 2020
Dr. Wilbur Chen and Dr. David Marcozzi Named to Maryland Governor’s Coronavirus Response Team
Maryland Governor Larry Hogan has appointed Wilbur Chen, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine and an adult infectious disease expert at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM), and David Marcozzi, MD, Associate Professor and Associate Chair of Population Health, UMSOM Department of Emergency Medicine and University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) COVID-19 Incident Commander, as members of the Coronavirus Response Team. This special panel will advise the Governor and top administration officials on important health and emergency management decisions as the situation continues to evolve. “We are committed to being transparent, providing the facts, keeping Marylanders fully informed, taking actions based on our detailed planning, and making decisions based on the facts on the ground,” said Governor Hogan. “In order to make those decisions and to leverage all of the resources and expertise across our state, at my direction, we are convening a Coronavirus Response Team composed of experts in public health and emergency management.”
Thursday, March 05, 2020
13th Annual “Celebrating Diversity” Dinner Supports Student Scholarships
UMSOM Award Recipients Honored for Promoting Health Equity and Career Advancement for Underrepresented Groups
Thursday, March 05, 2020
Preventing COVID-19 (coronavirus) in Maryland Hospitals:
Hospital epidemiologists are doctors who prevent infections. World leaders in hospital epidemiology and infectious disease prevention, the physicians and scientists based in the Division of Genomic Epidemiology and Clinical Outcomes (GECO) at the University of Maryland School of Medicine are preparing our healthcare system for COVID-19 and COVID-19 transmission prevention.
Thursday, February 27, 2020
UMSOM Department of Psychiatry Creates New Position to Strengthen and Support Research Program
Jill RachBeisel, MD, Interim Chair of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM), along with UMSOM Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, announced today that Gloria Reeves, MD, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, has been appointed to serve as the Vice Chair for Research of the Department.
Wednesday, February 26, 2020
Dr. Rajabrata Sarkar Appointed Director of Faculty Group Practice Operations at the University of Maryland School of Medicine
University of Maryland School of Medicine Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, along with Anthony F. Lehman, MD, MSPH, Senior Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs at UMSOM, announced today that Rajabrata (Raj) Sarkar, MD, a leading vascular surgeon at UMSOM who is the Barbara Baur Dunlap Professor in Surgery, has been appointed Director of Faculty Group Practice Operations for the UMSOM.
Wednesday, February 26, 2020
Researchers Develop First Catalogue of Genes that Comprise Community of Microbes in Vaginal Microbiome
University of Maryland School of Medicine’s (UMSOM) Institute for Genome Sciences (IGS) researchers have created the first catalogue of genes that comprise the community of microbes, which inhabit the human vagina. The catalogue, called human vaginal non-redundant gene catalog (VIRGO), was recently released as a public resource that can be used by researchers to facilitate a more in-depth understanding of the role of vaginal microorganisms in women’s health and to potentially develop future treatments for certain gynecologic conditions.
Wednesday, February 26, 2020
UMSOM’s Office of Student Affairs Names Dr. Kristin Reavis as Director of Student Diversity and Inclusion, and Dr. Constance Lacap as Assistant Dean for Assessment
University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) Senior Associate Dean for Undergraduate Medical Education, Donna Parker, MD, FACP, along with Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, today announced two appointments that will further enhance the quality of medical education at the UMSOM. Kristin Reavis, MD, Assistant Professor of Family and Community Medicine, has been named Director of Student Diversity and Inclusion in the Office of Student Affairs, while Constance N. Lacap, DO, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, has been named Assistant Dean for Assessment in the Office of Medical Education.
Tuesday, February 25, 2020
World Health Organization Names UMSOM Faculty Member as COVID-19 Advisor
Samba Sow, MD, MSc, FASTMH, Director General of the Center for Vaccine Development in Mali (CVD-Mali), and Adjunct Professor of Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM), was appointed by the World Health Organization (WHO) to serve as a special envoy on issues related to coronavirus COVID-19.
Tuesday, February 25, 2020
Experimental Treatment That Resets Immune Cells Markedly Improves Recovery from Traumatic Brain Injury
Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) found that targeting overactive immune cells in the brain with an experimental drug could limit brain cell loss and reverse cognitive and motor difficulties caused by traumatic brain injury (TBI). The findings, published Monday in the Journal of Neuroscience, suggest a potential new treatment for TBI and possibly other brain injuries.
Tuesday, February 25, 2020
Washington Post Visits UM School of Medicine Laboratories, Meets with Scientists About Coronavirus
Result is front-page feature coverage of UMSOM’s leading work in studying the Virus
Monday, February 24, 2020
Institute of Human Virology and OncoImmune Launch Clinical Trial to Lessen Effects of HIV Later in Infection
On February 1, the Institute of Human Virology (IHV) at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) and OncoImmune, Inc. launched a new Phase II clinical trial called CALIBER, which will test whether OncoImmune’s lead product, CD24Fc, can reduce late effects of HIV infection, such as inflammatory abnormalities including cardiovascular disease. This is intended for use in HIV patients who have been receiving the traditional antiretroviral therapies that control, but do not cure, HIV infection.
Wednesday, February 19, 2020
Researchers Identify Pathway for Cell Regulation of Energy Production
Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) identified an important regulatory mechanism by which cells control the production of ATP, a universal energy-rich chemical that enables our brains to think, our muscles to contract, and our hearts to beat. In a recent set of findings published in the journal Nature Metabolism, the researchers found that cells have an elegant mechanism for determining when ATP production needs to be ramped up to meet the increased energy demands required by an activity of an organ, a tissue or a cell.
Tuesday, February 18, 2020
IHV Clinician Selected as UMSOM 2020 Fellow of the Academy of Education Excellence
Devang M. Patel, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Institute of Human Virology (IHV) at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM), was selected as a UMSOM 2020 Fellow of the Academy of Educational Excellence, established by Carolyn J. Pass, MD ’66 and Richard J. Susel, MD ’66. This honor, which was made possible through the generosity of Dr. Pass and Dr. Susel, is designed to recognize faculty members and other educators who demonstrate excellence in bedside, classroom and/or innovative medical education.
Tuesday, February 18, 2020
Dr. Joseph Martinez Appointed Associate Dean for Medical Education and Student Experience
University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) Vice Dean for Academic Affairs James B. Kaper, PhD, along with Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, announced today that Joseph P. Martinez, MD, Associate Professor in the Departments of Emergency Medicine and Internal Medicine, has been appointed Associate Dean for Medical Education and Student Experience. The appointment became effective February 1, 2020.
Monday, February 17, 2020
14th Annual Medical Student Auction Makes Bid to Fight Homelessness
“Our class is very excited about hosting this year’s auction,” says Malina Howard, Class of 2022 MD candidate at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM). “It is going to be a big team effort!” Malina is speaking about the preparations for the Annual Second Year Medical Student Auction, which will be held Thursday, February 20, 2020, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm at the Southern Management Corporation (SMC) Campus Center, 621 W. Lombard Street, Baltimore, MD 21201. This event is open to parents, students, faculty, and staff.
Wednesday, February 12, 2020
UM School of Medicine Names Dr. Steven R. Gambert First Medical Director for Development
UMSOM Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, along with Mary Pooton, Assistant Dean for Development at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM), announced today that Steven R. Gambert, MD, AGSF, MACP, UMSOM Professor of Medicine and Division Head for Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, has been named the school’s first Medical Director of Development.
Tuesday, February 04, 2020
UMSOM Awarded ACCME Re-Accreditation 'With Commendation' for Continuing Medical Education
UMSOM Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, along with Nancy Ryan Lowitt, MD, EdM, Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs & Professional Development, announced today that the UMSOM has been awarded “Re-Accreditation with Commendation” for its Continuing Medical Education programs by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME). The re-accreditation, which is for the next six years, is the highest level of achievement recognized by the ACCME.
Thursday, January 30, 2020
UMSOM Pediatric Infectious Disease Experts Sound Alarm Over Risk of Outbreaks in U.S. Border Detention Centers
Over the past year, at least seven children have died from diseases including influenza while being detained by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency. Infectious disease experts at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) called for protections like influenza vaccinations to prevent serious outbreaks.
Wednesday, January 29, 2020
University of Maryland School of Medicine Mobilizes Virus Experts to prepare for Potential Coronavirus Outbreak
As public health officials around the world are monitoring a new coronavirus strain (2019-nCoV) first identified in the Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) is mobilizing its physicians and scientists in the UMSOM’s Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health (CVD), and in its Department of Microbiology & Immunology, to study the virus and test potential vaccines and other therapies. In addition, the UMSOM is collaborating with the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) on rapid response and preparedness planning in the event of a growing outbreak.
Tuesday, January 28, 2020
What Does the Future Hold for Gene Editing Technologies?
University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) will be holding an expert panel today with Harvard Medical School Dean George Daley, MD, PhD, and UMSOM Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, to confront the promise and peril of the gene editing technology CRISPR. While the innovative technology holds enormous potential for treating and curing diseases caused by genetic mutations, it is also fraught with controversy as scientists and medical experts debate the full ethical implications of editing the genomes of human embryos to permanently alter the human species.
Monday, January 27, 2020
UM School of Medicine's Shock, Trauma and Anesthesiology Research (STAR) Center Announces Leadership Transition
University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, announced today that the UMSOM”s Shock, Trauma and Anesthesiology Research (STAR) Center will begin the next phase of its history with new leadership.
Thursday, January 16, 2020
University of Maryland School of Medicine Research Shows That Older Patients With Untreated Sleep Apnea Need Greater Medical Care
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common and costly medical condition leading to a wide range of health risks such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, depression, diabetes and even premature death. Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) found that the medical costs are substantially higher among older adults who go untreated for the disorder.
Wednesday, January 15, 2020
New Nanoparticle Therapy Appears More Effective Than Standard Therapy at Treating Aggressive Breast Cancer
Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) developed a new nanoparticle drug formulation that targets a specific receptor on cancer cells and appears to be more effective than a standard nanoparticle therapy currently on the market to treat metastatic breast cancer, according to a study published today in the journal Science Advances. The new ‘DART’ nanoparticles bypass healthy cells and tissues and bind to tumor cells, dispersing evenly throughout the tumor while releasing the chemotherapy drug paclitaxel.
Wednesday, January 15, 2020
Dr. Andrea Meredith’s Research is the Cover Story in The Physiologist Magazine
One night just before bed in August 2018, Andrea Meredith, PhD, was reading the New York Times Magazine on her iPad when she came across an article about a six-year-old girl in South Dakota named Kamiyah who had a mysterious disorder. Over 300 times a day, the little girl would fall or slump forward, with large portions of her body paralyzed. An episode would last anywhere from three to 20 seconds. Then, suddenly, she would pop back up and resume whatever she was doing. The article mentioned that Kamiyah had paroxysmal dyskinesia, a type of movement disorder. But the cause was unknown.
Monday, January 13, 2020
University of Maryland Medicine's Novel Critical Care Resuscitation Unit Improves Patients' Chances of Survival, Study Finds
Patients with acutely life-threatening health conditions who were treated in the innovative Critical Care Resuscitation Unit (CCRU) received faster treatment and had better health outcomes, including a 36 percent lower risk of dying than those who were transferred from a hospital’s emergency department then evaluated and treated in a traditional intensive care unit, according to a recent study in the Journal of Emergency Medicine conducted by researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM).
Thursday, January 09, 2020
UM School of Medicine Research Shows Less Severe Cases of Diarrheal Illness can Still Lead to Child Deaths, Even Weeks Following Onset of the Illness
Diarrheal diseases are a leading cause of death for young children, accounting for nine percent of all deaths worldwide in children under five years of age, with most occurring in children under two years of age. Now, researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) found that even milder cases of diarrheal diseases can lead to death in young children.
Thursday, January 09, 2020
Researchers Identify Key Structure of Bacteria that Could Lead to Future Treatments for Healthcare-Associated Infections
Researchers from the University of Maryland School of Medicine and their colleagues have identified the structure of the most lethal toxin produced by certain strains of Clostridium difficile bacteria, a potentially deadly infection associated with the use of antibiotics. The finding, published last week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal, used cryo electron microscopy, X-ray crystallography and other biophysical methods to identify the microscopic structures of the bacteria. The researchers mapped out the delivery and binding components of the toxin, which could pave the way for new drugs to neutralize it.
Wednesday, January 08, 2020
UM School of Medicine Launches New Pathway to Promotion for Non-Tenure Track Faculty; Policy will Specifically Benefit Clinician-Educators and Administrators
UMSOM Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, announced today that a new contemporary pathway to promotion has been created that will directly benefit faculty who are clinician-educators or clinician- administrators. The new policy is based on a recent analysis of faculty promotions in UMSOM’s academic departments that revealed a gender disparity in promotion rates for some clinical faculty in clinical departments.