Wednesday, November 13, 2024
Exposure to Marijuana in the Womb May Increase Risk of Addiction to Opioids Later in Life, Study Finds
With the increased legalization of recreational cannabis, as many as 1 in 5 pregnant women in the U.S. are now using the drug to help with morning sickness, lower back pain or anxiety. Evidence has been growing, however, to suggest that tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, poses risks to the developing fetus by impacting brain development. Now a new study finds that this could increase the risk of addiction to opioids later in life.
Wednesday, November 06, 2024
Genomic Databases Need More Diversity
It is commonly known that most genomic databases are biased toward people with European ancestry. Scientists have warned that leaving out other populations could skew results in areas such as drug development, diagnostic testing, and polygenic risk scores—which looks at many genetic variations in a person’s DNA to predict their disease risk.
Monday, October 28, 2024
UMSOM Unveils New State-of-the-Art Anatomy Facility
The University of Maryland School of Medicine unveiled at an Oct. 8 ribbon-cutting ceremony the newly renovated Maurice N. Reid, MD ’99 Anatomy Teaching Facility, a state-of-the-art gross anatomy laboratory and learning facility made possible in part by a $1 million donation by UMSOM alum Maurice Reid, MD, a Board of Visitors member and former CEO and medical director of ExpressCare UrgentCare Centers.
Monday, October 28, 2024
Building a Biomedical Research Enterprise that Leads to More Equity and Healthier Lives
In an effort to address the urgent challenges facing biomedical research, E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA Distinguished University Professor and former Dean, University of Maryland School of Medicine, chaired a prestigious group of physician-scientists who authored a new National Academy of Medicine report released earlier this month.
Tuesday, October 22, 2024
UM School of Medicine's Margaret M. McCarthy, PhD, Elected as Member of Prestigious National Academy of Medicine
Margaret M. McCarthy, PhD, an internationally-recognized neuroscientist, who is the James and Carolyn Frenkil Dean’s Endowed Professor in the University of Maryland School of Medicine's Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Drug Development, and Director of the University of Maryland – Medicine Institute of Neuroscience Discovery (UM-MIND), has been elected as a new member of the National Academy of Medicine.
Wednesday, October 09, 2024
UMSOM Launches New Rural Health Initiative to Address Physician Shortage on Maryland's Eastern Shore
With a commitment to addressing rural health disparities and the challenges faced by Maryland’s rural Eastern Shore residents, the University of Maryland School of Medicine has launched the Rural Health Equity and Access Longitudinal Elective (R-HEALE). The pilot program is designed to train and place incoming medical students in Eastern Shore healthcare practices. It has received $1.4 million in state funding to launch the effort with added funds provided by University of Maryland, Baltimore, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, the Rural Maryland Council and philanthropic donors.
Tuesday, October 08, 2024
Marcelo A. F. Ribeiro Jr. Inducted into Prestigious American College of Surgeons Master Surgeon Academy
Marcelo A. F. Ribeiro Jr., MD, PhD, Professor of Surgery at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM), was inducted into the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Academy of Master Surgeon Educators during an event in Chicago held on September 27. Dr. Ribeiro, who is also the Director of the International Outreach Initiative at R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, is among a group of 76 esteemed surgeon educators nationwide who were inducted this year into membership in this distinguished Academy.
Wednesday, October 02, 2024
Early Results from Multiple Myeloma Clinical Trial Prove Cancer Drug Combination Provides Longer Response and Potential Benefit in Disease-Free Survival
Patients with multiple myeloma, a type of cancer in their white blood cells, have a significantly longer disease-free period and likely long-term survival if they are treated with the monoclonal antibody drug daratumumab along with the standard therapy drug lenalidomide compared to the standard therapy alone. That is the finding of a new national study led by University of Maryland School of Medicine investigators and presented earlier this week at the plenary session of the International Myeloma Society Meeting in Rio de Janerio, Brazil and published online in the journal Blood.
Tuesday, October 01, 2024
Cancer Patients Who Experience Cognitive Decline After Radiation Treatment for Brain Metastases May Regain Full Neurocognitive Function, New Study Suggests
Nearly 40 percent of cancer patients who experienced memory loss, brain fog and other cognitive difficulties after radiation treatment for brain metastases regained full neurocognitive function within six months, according to a new analysis by radiation oncology researchers at the University of Maryland Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center (UMGCCC).
Wednesday, September 18, 2024
UM School of Medicine Establishes Three New Endowed Professorships through Maryland E-Nnovation Awards and UMB Matching Funds
University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) Dean Mark T. Gladwin, announced today that the School of Medicine has been awarded $2 million in matching funds from the Maryland E-Nnovation Initiative Fund (MEIF), administered by the Maryland Department of Commerce. The funds, totaling $4 million when combined with UMB private funding, will enable the establishment of three endowed research professorships.
Thursday, August 29, 2024
28th Annual White Coat Ceremony Welcomes UMSOM Class of 2028
The University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) welcomed 165 new students making their first entrance into the practice of medicine through the tradition of the White Coat Ceremony. The ceremony took place on August 9 with family, friends, faculty, and staff gathering at the historic Hippodrome Theatre to celebrate the Class of 2028 as students received the first white coat of their careers.
Wednesday, August 28, 2024
Leading Computational Scientist and Oncology Researcher Elana Fertig, PhD, Appointed as New Director of the Institute for Genome Sciences at the University of Maryland School of Medicine
University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) Dean Mark T. Gladwin, MD, announced today the appointment of Elana J. Fertig, PhD, FAIMBE, as the new Director of the School’s Institute for Genome Sciences (IGS). She is an internationally-recognized researcher known for her work in integrating spatial multi-omics technologies with mathematical models to develop a new predictive medicine paradigm in cancer. Spatial technologies allow researchers to learn about any cell type inside of natural tissue, including gene activity and cell interactions.
Thursday, August 22, 2024
Gallery: UM Joins Community Block Party to Address Healthcare Needs in West Baltimore
On August 10, Dean Mark T. Gladwin, MD, and Esa Davis, MD, MPH, Associate Vice President for Community Health at the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) and Senior Associate Dean for Population and Community Medicine, took part in the annual Summers in the 7th Block Party at The Village at Mondawmin.
Wednesday, August 14, 2024
Patients with Unexplainable Chronic Itch Have Unique Blood Biomarkers that Could Eventually Lead to New Targeted Treatments
Millions of patients worldwide suffer from a chronic itching condition with no identifiable cause – a condition known as chronic pruritus of unknown origin (CPUO) – that has no targeted therapies approved to treat it. Many of these patients suffer for years with little relief, but a new University of Maryland School of Medicine study may provide hope for future treatments. Patients were found to have lower than normal levels of metabolite biomarkers in the blood plasma that could point to a cause of their excruciating symptoms.
Monday, August 12, 2024
Longtime Chair of Epidemiology & Public Health, Dr. Jay Magaziner, to Step Down as Chair
UMSOM Dean, Mark T. Gladwin, MD, announced today that Jay Magaziner, PhD, MSHyg, has decided to step down at the end of the academic year from his role as Chair of the Department of Epidemiology & Public Health after 17 years of dynamic leadership and academic achievement.
Wednesday, August 07, 2024
Nationally Recognized Behavioral Scientist Dr. Kelly Dunn Named Director of the Kahlert Institute for Addiction Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine
UMSOM Dean Mark T. Gladwin, MD, announced today the appointment of Kelly Dunn, PhD, MBA, one of the nation’s leading researchers on opioid use disorder, as the inaugural Director of the School’s Kahlert Institute for Addiction Medicine. Dr. Dunn is currently a Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine with a joint appointment in Health Policy and Management at the Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health. Dr. Dunn has been the Principal Investigator on projects totaling more than $21 million in awards from the National Institutes of Health. She has authored more than 130 peer-reviewed publications in the area of substance use and opioid use disorder.
Friday, August 02, 2024
Jessica Mong, PhD, discusses why women need more sleep than men.
Do women need more sleep than men? Age and hormones contribute to a greater need for sleep among women
Thursday, August 01, 2024
UM School of Medicine Named Top Among Medical Schools for Primary Care Training in US News Rankings
The University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) has been named among the top medical schools for primary care training in the new 2024 U.S. News & World Report rankings. The school was named a Tier 1 institution, which places it among the top 15 institutions in the nation for primary care training.
Thursday, July 25, 2024
Orthopaedic Surgeon-Scientist Dr. Frank Henn Named Chair of the Department of Orthopaedics
University of Maryland School of Medicine Dean Mark T. Gladwin, MD, announced today that R. Frank Henn, III, MD, Professor of Orthopaedics, who has served as Interim Chair of the Department since 2022, has been appointed to serve as the new Chair of UMSOM’s Department of Orthopaedics, effective immediately.
Friday, July 12, 2024
Study: Living in Disadvantaged Neighborhoods Influences Stress-Related Genes, Which May Contribute to Aggressive Prostate Cancer in African American Men
Those living in disadvantaged neighborhoods have significantly higher activity of stress-related genes, new research suggests, which could contribute to higher rates of aggressive prostate cancer in African American men. The study, which was co-led by the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) and Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), was published today in JAMA Network Open.
Tuesday, July 09, 2024
Faculty Physicians to Establish New Community "Health Village" at Mondawmin Mall
University of Maryland Faculty Physicians has entered into an agreement to lease 17,000 square feet of space at The Village at Mondawmin, University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) Dean Mark T. Gladwin, MD, and Faculty Practice President William F. Regine, MD, announced today. It is part of a larger effort to work in partnership with the West Baltimore community to develop and implement health care delivery based on neighborhood needs and to improve patient access to healthcare.
Monday, July 08, 2024
University of Maryland School of Medicine Announces New Leadership for Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine
The University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) announced today that Jeff Hasday, MD, Dr. Herbert Berger Professor of Medicine, has stepped down from his role as Chief of the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine after more than 23 years of leadership and academic achievement. At the same time, the School announced that a new Division Chief and a new Clinical Chief have been named for the Division. Jason Rose, MD, MBA, Associate Professor and Associate Dean for Innovation & Physical Science Development and Director of Faculty Entrepreneurship has been named new Division Chief. Nirav G. Shah, MD, Professor of Medicine and Assistant Dean for Medical Education, has been named Clinical Chief of the Division. Both started in their new roles on July 1, 2024.
Monday, June 10, 2024
Tribute to John A. Talbott, MD
Psychiatry suffered a major loss on November 29, 2023, when John A. Talbott, MD passed away at the age of 88. A pioneer in the field of Community Psychiatry, he relentlessly advocated for some of the most disadvantaged people in our collective communities– individuals with severe and persistent mental illness–a population that remains stigmatized and forgotten. His career was both defined and fueled by his rage against the neglect and indifference to these sickest members of our society. His advocacy included obtaining the necessary resources and access to care, as well as the need for empathy and understanding for the "person" trapped in the throes of severe mental illness.
Wednesday, June 05, 2024
Drug Used to Treat Eczema May Provide Relief for Patients with Intensely Itchy Skin Diseases
A drug approved to treat eczema provided significant improvement in the symptoms of patients with severe itching diseases that currently have no targeted treatments, according to a new study published in JAMA Dermatology. The drug, abrocitinib, was found to cause minimal side effects during a small 12-week study led by University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) researchers. It was beneficial for those with an itching disease called prurigo nodularis as well as for those with chronic pruritus of unknown origin, a condition that causes chronic unexplainable itching symptoms.
Wednesday, June 05, 2024
Dr. Lisa S. Schocket Named Chair of UM School of Medicine’s Department of Opthalmology and Visual Sciences
University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) Dean Mark T. Gladwin, MD, announced today the appointment of Lisa S. Schocket, MD, as the new Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Services at UMSOM. She is Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at UMSOM and has been serving as Interim Chair since July, 2022. The new appointment takes effect immediately.
Monday, June 03, 2024
In Memoriam: Peter G. Angelos, Esq.
The University of Maryland School of Medicine community mourns the passing of Peter Angelos, the visionary leader and titan in the world of Baltimore sports and law, who was a longtime donor to the School of Medicine and member of its Board of Visitors.
Friday, May 24, 2024
UMSOM Bids Farewell to the Class of 2024
Graduates in the Class of 2024 at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) gathered at the Hippodrome Theatre on May16, along with their families, friends, and School of Medicine faculty and staff, to celebrate their official transition from medical students to physicians. UMSOM Dean Mark T. Gladwin, MD, Vice President for Medical Affairs, University of Maryland, Baltimore, and the John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor, presided over the ceremony marking his second UMSOM graduation as the 31st dean of the School. The graduating class of 139 physicians received their doctoral hoods in front of the assembled audience. Several graduates earned combined MD/Masters and MD/PhD degrees.
Tuesday, May 21, 2024
University of Maryland School of Medicine Launches Vaccine Development Program to Prevent Sepsis in Newborns
University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) researchers at the Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health (CVD) have been awarded up to $3.96 million over three years to develop and test a vaccine in an animal model that could eventually be used in pregnant women to prevent sepsis in newborns and infants.
Monday, May 20, 2024
UMSOM’s Kahlert Institute for Addiction Medicine Hosts Inaugural Research Symposium
The University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) hosted the Kahlert Institute for Addiction Medicine’s Inaugural Research Symposium on Monday, May 6 at the school’s Baltimore campus.
Friday, May 17, 2024
Gov. Moore Signs Significant Funding Bills Securing the Future of Trauma Care for Marylanders
Dozens of Shock Trauma team members, trauma survivors, and supporters traveled to the state capital yesterday to support Maryland Governor Wes Moore, Senate President Bill Ferguson, and House Speaker Adrienne Jones as they signed a consequential bill into law expanding annual funding for Maryland’s renowned statewide trauma system. It will ensure access to world-class trauma care for Marylanders well into to the future.
Wednesday, May 01, 2024
UMSOM Preclinical Study Finds Novel Stem Cell Therapy Boosts Neural Repair After Cardiac Arrest
Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) have identified an innovation in stem cell therapy to regenerate neural cells in the brain after cardiac arrest in an animal model. The study led by Xiaofeng Jia, BM, MS, PhD, FCCM, Professor of Neurosurgery, found that the application of modified sugar molecules on human neural stem cells improved the likelihood of the therapy's success.
Tuesday, April 30, 2024
Miriam K. Laufer Appointed Interim Director of the Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health
University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) Dean, Mark T. Gladwin, MD, announced that Miriam K. Laufer, MD, Professor of Pediatrics, Medicine, and Epidemiology & Public Health, has been appointed as the Interim Head of UMSOM's Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health (CVD).
Tuesday, April 16, 2024
University of Maryland Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center and AstraZeneca Partner to Enhance Community-Based Lung Cancer Screening and Detection for Marylanders at High Risk
With only a small percentage of Marylanders at high risk for lung cancer getting the recommended annual screening, the University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center (UMGCCC) today launched a new statewide effort to increase annual screenings.
Wednesday, April 10, 2024
UMSOM Researchers Identify Safety of a Potential New Treatment to Manage Complications from Sickle Cell Disease
A drug approved to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension may be effective at managing hypertension and end-organ damage in patients with sickle cell disease, according to a new study published in Lancet Haematology. An early phase randomized clinical trial involving 130 patients with sickle cell disease found that the drug, called riociguat, was found to be safe to use and well tolerated in these patients and significantly improved their blood pressure. Preliminary efficacy data suggested the medication might improve heart function.
Friday, April 05, 2024
Researchers Identify New Genetic Risk Factors for Persistent HPV Infections
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the second most common cancer-causing virus, accounting for 690,000 cervical and other cancers each year worldwide. While the immune system usually clears HPV infections, those that persist can lead to cancer, and a new finding suggests that certain women may have a genetic susceptibility for persistent or frequent HPV infections. These genetic variants, identified in a study led by University of Maryland School of Medicine researchers, could raise a woman’s risk of getting cervical cancer from a high-risk HPV infection.
Monday, April 01, 2024
UM School of Medicine Celebrates 2024 Medical Residency Match Day
After years of hard work and steadfast perseverance, University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) medical students gathered at the M&T Bank Exchange at the France-Merrick Performing Arts Center in Baltimore, Maryland on Match Day, March 15, 2024, to recognize their 2024 residency matches with a celebratory reception. Each year on Match Day, graduating medical students from around the country and at UMSOM discover where they will begin their careers as physicians.
Thursday, March 28, 2024
NIH selects Dr. Kathleen Neuzil as Director of The Fogarty International Center
Kathleen M. Neuzil, MD, MPH, Director of the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s (UMSOM) Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, has been named the 13th director of the Fogarty International Center (FIC), which is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Dr. Neuzil will be the first woman to hold the permanent directorship since the center’s founding in 1968 and will also hold the position of Associate Director for International Research at NIH.
Wednesday, March 20, 2024
New Study Reveals Insights into Lack of Durability in COVID Antibody Response to Infections & Vaccines
Researchers at the Institute of Human Virology (IHV) at the University of Maryland School of Medicine published a new study in the Journal of Infectious Diseases investigating the short-lived antibody response following SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID.
Friday, March 15, 2024
UMSOM Rising Third-Year Medical Students Celebrate Annual Student Clinician Ceremony
The University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) recently hosted the annual Student Clinician Ceremony to help prepare rising third-year medical students for their clinical rotations. The Class of 2026 gathered in Davidge Hall on February 27 to hear from selected faculty members and fourth-year students who provided advice and guidance on how the rising third-year students should prepare for clinical rotations. In their rotations, students begin seeing patients alongside doctors and residents as they gain experience in primary care and medical specialties.
Thursday, March 14, 2024
UM Institute for Health Computing Leases New Headquarters in North Bethesda
The UM-IHC is a strategic initiative that aims to improve the health and well-being of those living in Maryland and beyond using advanced computing tools like artificial intelligence, machine learning, and network medicine to create a premier learning health care system. It merges top-tier computational expertise and biomedical research with a vast clinical care network that is diverse socioeconomically and geographically. This network includes access to clinical trial data and de-identified electronic health records from 2 million patients in the University of Maryland Medical System.
Friday, March 08, 2024
People with Diabetes Who Live in Rural Areas More Likely to Develop Complications of the Disease, UM School of Medicine Study Finds
It has been well established that people who live in rural areas in the U.S. are more likely to have diabetes and experience barriers to managing their condition compared to those who live in the suburbs and cities. Now University of Maryland School of Medicine researchers have measured the devastating toll of this health disparity.
Monday, February 26, 2024
UM School of Medicine Awarded $3.5 Million in Federal Funding to Expand Medical Countermeasures Program
University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) Dean Mark T. Gladwin, MD, announced today that UMSOM faculty scientists have been selected as key contractors by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), for the federal agency’s Radiation Nuclear Animal Model Development program. The $3.5 million award that Erika Davies, PhD, Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology, received to develop Acute Radiation Syndrome Animal Models, has a $16 million potential total. The Division of Translational Radiation Sciences (DTRS), within the Department of Radiation Oncology, will support this project.
Wednesday, February 21, 2024
UMSOM and UMB Faculty Receive $10.6 Million in State Funding for Abortion Clinical Care Training Program
A $10.6 million training grant has been awarded to the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) and University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) to administer Maryland’s Abortion Clinical Care Training Program. The grant will be used to expand the number of healthcare professionals with abortion care training, increase the racial and ethnic diversity among health care professionals with abortion care education, and support the identification of clinical sites needing training.
Tuesday, February 20, 2024
Leading Technology Investment Executive Troy LeMaile-Stovall Appointed to University of Maryland School of Medicine Board of Visitors
University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) Dean Mark T. Gladwin, MD, along with UMSOM Board of Visitors Chair Cynthia Egan, announced today that Troy LeMaile-Stovall, an award-winning technology investment, higher education, and management consulting executive has been appointed to the Schools’ Board of Visitors.
Wednesday, January 31, 2024
Large Multicenter Clinical Trial Finds that Antiseptic Containing Iodine Reduces Surgical-Site Infections in Patients with Extremity Fractures
A large multicenter clinical trial co-led by University of Maryland School of Medicine researchers found that an antiseptic containing iodine resulted in about one-quarter fewer post-surgical infections in patients with limb fractures compared to another frequently used skin antiseptic. The results of the study of nearly 8,500 patients across the United States and Canada were published today in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Wednesday, January 31, 2024
Renowned Surgeon Dr. Bartley Griffith Named Vice Chair for Innovation in UM School of Medicine’s Department of Surgery
University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) Department of Surgery Chair Christine Lau, MD, MBA, along with UMSOM Dean Mark T. Gladwin, MD, announced today the appointment of Bartley P. Griffith, MD, as the Department of Surgery’s first Vice Chair for Innovation. In this role, Dr. Griffith will nurture a culture of innovation, entrepreneurship, and collaboration in the Department, and expand the integration of related sciences into surgical practice. The appointment is effective on February 1.
Monday, January 29, 2024
The Cleland Legacy of Giving Runs Deep
The late Bruce Cleland and his family have made an indelible mark on healthcare and countless patients who benefit from their philanthropic investment in UMMS hospital programs and infrastructure.
Thursday, January 25, 2024
Single Dose Typhoid Conjugate Vaccine (TCV) Provides Lasting Efficacy in Children
A single dose of the typhoid conjugate vaccine, Typbar TCV, provides lasting efficacy in preventing typhoid fever in children ages 9 months to 12 years old, according to a new study conducted by researchers at University of Maryland School of Medicine’s (UMSOM) Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health (CVD) and led by in-country partners at the Malawi-Liverpool Wellcome Trust (MLW) Clinical Research Programme.
Wednesday, January 03, 2024
Senior Academic Development Leader Lindsay Farrington, MBA, Named New Vice President of Development at University of Maryland Medicine
University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) President and CEO, Bert W. O'Malley, MD, along with University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) Dean Mark T. Gladwin, MD, announced today that Lindsay Farrington, MBA, a leader in advancement operations for academic and healthcare institutions, will become Vice President of Development at University of Maryland Medicine Philanthropy, the joint advancement operation of the UMMC and UMSOM. Ms. Farrington will report to Heather Culp, Senior Vice President, Chief Philanthropy Officer and Senior Associate Dean. Her appointment began on December 29.
Wednesday, January 03, 2024
Sanford Stass, MD, Longtime Chair of the Department of Pathology and the Department of Medical & Research Technology, to Step Down
Sanford A. Stass, MD, Professor and Chair of the Department of Pathology and the Department of Medical & Research Technology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UM SOM), announced today that he will be stepping down from his longtime role as Chair of the two departments. He will continue as a full-time member of the faculty of the Department of Pathology and the Department of Medical & Research Technology.