» 2012 News Makers - 12 December
  Print Friendly Print

News Makers 2012

- archived News Makers -

  • 12-31-12
    Newborn Screening Program Reaches Middle Age

    The New England Newborn Screening Program celebrates 50 years of existence. Roger B. Eaton, PhD, associate professor of pediatrics, is quoted in the article.
    Enhanced Online News

  • 12-30-12
    Child health study coming to Worcester

    UMass Medical School is enrolling expectant mothers from Worcester County in a pilot program in preparation for the larger National Children’s Study, the landmark undertaking in which 100,000 children will be followed from the womb to age 21 to determine the environment’s impact on growth, development and onset of disease. Marianne E. Felice, MD, professor of pediatrics, is quoted in the article.
    Worcester Telegram and Gazette

  • 12-30-12
    Flu hitting Central Mass. early, hard

    Robert A. Klugman, MD, chief quality officer and senior vice president at UMass Memorial Medical Center and associate professor of medicine, is quoted in an article about the increased number of influenza cases in Massachusetts this year.
    Worcester Telegram and Gazette

  • 12-28-12
    Health Watch Weight Center

    Last week’s Health Watch segment featured Mitchell Jay Gitkind, MD, clinical associate professor of medicine, who discussed programs available for people struggling with obesity and associated medical problems like hypertension, diabetes and cardiac issues.
    Charter TV3

  • 12-28-12
    Health Watch Newtown Tragedy and Kids Extended

    In the wake of the Newtown, Conn. tragedy two weeks ago, Phoebe Moore, PhD, assistant professor in psychiatry, offering advice about talking with your children about the event.
    Charter TV3

  • 12-28-12
    January Physician Focus: Healthy Eating

    A feature story about WooFood, a student initiated project aimed at encouraging healthy dining choices, references the program’s founders, Mitch Li, 2013, Matt DeWolf, 2014, and Adam Chin, 2014.
    Massachusetts Medical Society

  • 12-28-12
    Investments Boost UMass Memorial Surplus

    UMass Memorial Medical Center posted non-operating income due in part to a new clinical and patient billing system for the medical center. John O'Brien, president and CEO of UMass Memorial Health Care, and Robert Brogna, media and public relations manager at UMass Memorial Health Care, are both quoted in the article.
    Worcester Business Journal

  • 12-28-12
    Grant to be used to get better access to therapy for troubled kids

    Jessica Griffin, PsyD, assistant professor of psychiatry and pediatrics, discusses a four-year grant recently awarded to UMass Medical School for improving access to effective trauma therapy services for children and youths ages 6 to 18 in Central and Western Massachusetts.
    Worcester Telegram and Gazette

  • 12-27-12
    DNA of Newtown Shooter Adam Lanza to Be Studied by Geneticists

    Heidi A. Tissenbaum, PhD, associate professor of molecular medicine, is quoted in an article about recently revealed plans to study the DNA of Sandy Hook shooter Adam Lanza for abnormalities.
    ABC News
    Huffington Post
    CNN News
    Yahoo News
    Digital Times
    Global Grind

  • 12-26-12
    Questions are raised about the benefits of soy

    Sybil L. Crawford, PhD, is a co-investigator on a recent study about the relationship between soy and menopausal symptoms which was published in Menopause: The Journal of The North American Menopause Society.
    Food Business News

  • 12-25-12
    Boylston’s Nancy E. von Hone Journeys Through Art

    A feature article about local artists Nancy von Hone, administrator for cell & developmental biology.
    GoLocalWorcester

  • 12-21-12
    Mass. is losing senior voice in Senate

    An article about the impact of Senator John Kerry becoming the next secretary of state, notes Kerry’s work to ensure funding for the NIH which has implications for UMass Medical School.
    Worcester Telegram and Gazette

  • 12-21-12
    Time for parents to warn teens about drinking and driving

    Mariann M. Manno, MD, clinical associate professor of pediatrics and emergency medicine, is quoted in a story about talking to teens about the dangers of drinking and driving.
    Worcester Telegram and Gazette

  • 12-21-12
    New low-cost combined therapy shows promise against malaria

    Douglas T. Golenbock, MD, professor of medicine and microbiology & physiological systems and chief of infectious diseases and immunology, was part of a research team who designed an approach for treating malaria based on a new use of Artemisia annua, a plant employed for thousands of years in Asia to treat fever.
    News-Medical.net
    Worcester Business Journal
    Masslive.com

  • 12-20-12
    Transplanted Neural Stem Cells Slows AlS Onset And Progression in Mouse Models

    New research by Robert H. Brown Jr., DPhil, MD, chair and professor of neurology, shows ALS may be treatable using neural stem cells.
    Science Newsline
    News-Medical.net
    EurekAlert
    Bioscience Technology

  • 12-20-12
    MNA/NNU Opposes Hospital Industry Policies to Mandate Masking of Healthy Nurses and Staff As Part of Flu Prevention Program

    A story about flu vaccination policies at local hospitals mentions UMass Memorial Medical Center.
    Yahoo News

  • 12-20-12
    UMass Memorial Health Care sees operating margin take a hit

    An article about UMass Memorial Health Care’s declining revenue includes comments from John O'Brien, president and CEO of UMass Memorial Health Care.
    Worcester Telegram and Gazette

  • 12-20-12
    Officials aim to have healthiest city in NE

    Worcester city and public health officials resolve to make Worcester the healthiest city in New England by 2020. Quoted in the story are John O'Brien, president and CEO of UMass Memorial Health Care, Monica Lowell, vice president for community relations at UMass Memorial Health Care, and Michael P. Hirsh, MD, professor of surgery and pediatrics and chief of pediatric surgery & trauma.
    Worcester Telegram and Gazette

  • 12-19-12
    Scientists Establish Link Between Inflammatory Process and Progression of Alzheimer's Disease

    Research by Douglas T. Golenbock, MD, professor of medicine and microbiology & physiological systems and chief of infectious diseases and immunology, shows that an inflammatory process already established as a clinical target for rheumatoid arthritis plays an important role in the pathology of Alzheimer’s disease. Drugs now used to target that process may benefit patients with Alzheimer’s.
    WBZ Radio
    Science News
    Science Codex
    Business Standard
    BioSpace
    News-Medical.net
    Medical Xpress
    EurekAlert
    World Medical School.tv

  • 12-17-12
    What causes a pinched nerve and how is it treated?

    Johnny Salameh, MD, assistant professor of neurology, does a Q&A with the Boston Globe about treating a pinched nerve.
    Boston Globe

  • 12-17-12
    Ex-Marlborough Hospital Chief Tapped For Health Secretary

    John Polanowicz, former president of Marlborough Hospital and vice president for operations at UMass Memorial Medical Center, will join the governor’s leadership team as secretary of Health and Human Services.
    Worcester Business Journal

  • 12-17-12
    Hospital Profitability Declines

    An article about declining profit margins for hospitals in Central Massachusetts mentions UMass Memorial Medical Center.
    Worcester Business Journal

  • 12-16-12
    UMass Medical School receives biomed endowment

    Melvin Cutler and his wife, Sandra, local philanthropists and long-time champions of the Worcester Foundation for Biomedical Research, have generously endowed the Melvin S. and Sandra L. Cutler Chair in Biomedical Research in support of innovative basic science research at UMass Medical School.
    Worcester Telegram and Gazette

  • 12-16-12
    Business People

    Cheryl Lapriore, vice president and chief of staff at UMass Memorial Health Care, has been named a newly appointed director for the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce. Chancellor Michael F. Collins is a returning director for the Chamber.
    Worcester Telegram and Gazette

  • 12-15-12
    UMass Medical School to assist New Hampshire's Disproportionate Share Hospital program

    UMass Medical School will assist New Hampshire’s Department of Health and Human Services with its Disproportionate Share Hospital program which provides financial assistance for low-income patients.
    News-Medical
    Worcester Business Journal

  • 12-14-12
    Tom Finneran: Thank You Governor Cellucci

    Tom Finneran thanks former Governor Paul Cellucci for his friendship, leadership and inspiration. In the letter, he also mentions Gov. Cellucci’s fundraising efforts for the UMass ALS Champion Fund.
    GoLocalWorcester

  • 12-14-12
    UMass Medical School program connects med students with patients

    A story about UMass Medical School’s Sidekick program features Meg Preissler, a second-year medical student, who was paired with an eight-year old patient in need of a kidney transplant.
    Boston Globe
    Boston.com

  • 12-14-12
    Pushing biomedicine off cliff

    An op-ed by Chancellor Michael F. Collins explores the detrimental effect the fiscal cliff would have on biomedical research.
    Worcester Telegram and Gazette

  • 12-14-12
    State shuts down UMass pharmacy supplier

    An article about the closing of a medical compounding operation used by UMass Memorial Medical Center includes comments from Robert Brogna, media and public relations manager at UMass Memorial Health Care.
    Worcester Telegram and Gazette

  • 12-13-12
    Hospitals' edict to workers: Flu shot or mask

    A story about flu vaccination policies at local hospitals mentions UMass Memorial Medical Center.
    Worcester Telegram and Gazette

  • 12-13-12
    Southbridge bank donates $1,200 for neonatal camera at UMass Memorial in Worcester

    Southbridge Savings Bank has donated $1,200 to UMass Memorial Medical Center for a new webcam called Nicview which allows parents to monitor and bond with babies admitted to the neonatal ICU.
    Worcester Telegram and Gazette

  • 12-13-12
    HBV Screening Hit or Miss in Rituximab Users

    An article about screening for hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in cancer patients being treated with rituximab (Rituxan), includes a quote from Jayde L. Bednarik, PharmD, assistant professor at the Graduate School of Nursing.
    MedPage Today

  • 12-13-12
    Think you might have AF? There's an app for that
    David McManus, MD, assistant professor of medicine, talks about a new smartphone application that can detect atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients. The app was developed by researchers at WPI and UMass Medical School.
    Theheart.org
    American Council on Science and Health
  • 12-13-12
    TEDx event discusses ‘making ideas happen’

    Lincoln-Sudbury High School student Hannah Woolf spoke about her experience as a summer intern alongside Craig C. Mello, PhD, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, Blais University Chair in Molecular Medicine and distinguished professor of molecular medicine and cell biology, at the TEDxYouth@LincolnSudbury event.
    Wicked Local Lincoln

  • 12-13-12
    Belimumab Revisited: How Has It Performed?

    Jonathan Kay, MD, professor of medicine, discusses the use of belimumab, a monoclonal antibody that inhibits B-cell activating factor. Belimumab is currently being investigated as a treatment for lupus.
    Medscape.com

  • 12-12-12
    Gene Rogers Recognized as Exemplary Mentor

    The Eugene J. Rogers Annual Travel Award was given to Yuna Gong, a laboratory scientist at UMass Medical School.
    UMass Lowell

  • 12-12-12
    ount Pleasant Country Club Brings Holiday Spirit to Hospitalized Children

    Volunteers lift the spirits of young patients at UMass Memorial Medical Center by bringing in gingerbread houses for them to build.
    NECN

  • 12-12-12
    Two baby girls are born in Mass. on 12/12/12 — at 12:12 p.m., no less

    Robert Brogna, media and public relations manager at UMass Memorial Health Care, is quoted in an article about the birth of twins on 12/12/12 at 12:12 p.m.
    Boston.com
    WCVB Boston

  • 12-12-12
    UMass: We could lose $32M in research funding over the fiscal cliff

    University of Massachusetts President Robert L. Caret warns that the pending “fiscal cliff” could impact research funding at the state’s public university system.
    Worcester Business Journal
    Worcester Telegram and Gazette
    Lowell Sun

  • 12-12-12
    Four to leave Patrick’s cabinet

    John Polanowicz, former president of Marlborough Hospital and vice president for operations at UMass Memorial Medical Center, will join the governor’s leadership team as secretary of Health and Human Services.
    Boston Globe

  • 12-11-12
    UMass Memorial Medical Center Lags Behind Peer Worcester Hospitals in Nat’l Safety Scores

    Robert A. Klugman, MD, chief quality officer and senior vice president at UMass Memorial Medical Center and associate professor of medicine, comments on recent safety scores issued by the Leapfrog Group for UMass Memorial Medical Center.
    GoLocalWorcester

  • 12-10-12
    Docs should counsel youth about not smoking: panel

    Joseph R. Difranza, MD, professor of family medicine & community health, is quoted in an article about whether providing counseling to youths about the consequences of smoking could prevent them from trying it.
    Reuters
    Chicago Tribune
    WSBT-TV

  • 12-10-12
    Deep-Tissue Biological Imaging with Fluorescent Nanoparticles

    Gang Han, PhD, assistant professor of biochemistry & molecular pharmacology, talks about his research using photoluminescent nanoparticles for deep-tissue imaging.
    ASoNano

  • 12-10-12
    Local hospitals taking steps to protect patients from flu virus

    A story about how local hospitals are taking steps to protect patients and employees from the flu includes comments from Robert A. Klugman, MD, chief quality officer and senior vice president at UMass Memorial Medical Center and associate professor of medicine.
    NECN

  • 12-10-12
    Compassionate care is rooted in respect for patients

    John Zawacki, MD, professor of medicine, and the recipient of the 2012 Schwartz Center Compassionate Caregiver Award, answers questions about compassionate care.
    The Boston Globe

  • 12-09-12
    Sitting for too long can cause health problems

    An article about the link between prolonged inactivity to blood clots includes quotes from Robert A. Phillips, MD, PhD, professor of medicine, and Louis M. Messina, MD, professor of surgery.
    Worcester Telegram and Gazette

  • 12-09-12
    Worcester Gun Buy-Back Program Turns Up World War II Rifle

    A vintage Japanese rifle from World War II was among the 102 weapons turned in at the UMass Memorial Children’s Medical Center’s 11th annual Goods for Guns program. The story includes comments from Michael P. Hirsh, MD, professor of surgery and pediatrics and chief of pediatric surgery & trauma.
    WBZ TV Boston
    Worcester Telegram and Gazette
    CBS News Boston

  • 12-09-12
    Genome Challenge Emerges in Society Sharing DNA Benefits

    Craig C. Mello, PhD, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, Blais University Chair in Molecular Medicine and distinguished professor of molecular medicine and cell biology, is interviewed for an article about DNA sequencing.
    Bloomberg Businessweek

  • 12-08-12
    Dr. Dickson on WTAG

    Eric W. Dickson, MD, professor of emergency medicine, talks about health care costs on the Jim Polito Show.
    WTAG

  • 12-07-12
    School district urged to upgrade computer technology

    UMass Medical School is part of the Worcester Technology Blue Ribbon Panel, which met last night to discuss the replacement of computers in Worcester schools.
    Worcester Telegram and Gazette

  • 12-06-12
    Extraordinary talents: Twin sisters achieve exceedingly rare feat

    An article about identical twin sisters Asia and Ashley Matthew, first year students in the MD/PhD program, explores their journey from Roxbury to Xavier University to UMass Medical School.
    The Westside Gazette

  • 12-06-12
    Mouse Study Offers Clues to Obesity-Diabetes Link

    An article about a study by Roger J. Davis, PhD, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, H. Arthur Smith Chair in Cancer Research and professor of molecular medicine and biochemistry & molecular pharmacology, examines the relationship between inflammation and diabetes.
    Doctors Lounge

  • 12-06-12
    UMass Memorial LifeFlight celebrates 30 years of saving lives

    UMass Memorial Medical Center celebrates 30 years of LifeFlight.
    Verticle

  • 12-05-12
    Computerworld Celebrates IT Leadership & Achievement With 2013 Premier 100 Awards

    George Brenckle, CIO and senior vice president at UMass Memorial Health Care will be honored as a 2013 Computerworld Premier 100 IT Leaders honoree in March.
    Reuters
    Citybizlist.com
    WebSphere

  • 12-05-12
    UMass Medical School enrolling participants in National Children's Study pilot program

    UMass Medical School is enrolling expectant mothers from Worcester County in a pilot program in preparation for the much larger National Children's Study, the landmark undertaking in which 100,000 children will be followed from the womb to age 21 to determine the environment's impact on growth, development and onset of disease.
    EurekAlert
    PhysOrg.com
    IPS Cell Therapy
    Worcester Telegram and Gazette

  • 12-05-12
    Standardized rehabilitation may improve post-TKA function

    A study conducted at UMass Medical School on types and duration of postoperative physical therapy for total knee arthroplasty found a wide variation among patients.
    Orthopedics Today

  • 12-04-12
    Generic Lipitor Recall 2012 - News Update: FDA Says Pills Are Safe to Take, Even After Glass Shards Found

    Edward Boyer, MD, PhD, professor of emergency medicine, was quoted in an article about the quality control issues faced by Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals Inc., the company that makes a generic version of the cholesterol-controlling medicine Lipitor. Ranbaxy recently halted production of its Lipitor generic when small glass particles, the size of a grain of sand, were found in the ingredients for the pills.
    Latinos Post

  • 12-04-12
    UMass Med Faculty Elected to Top Science Society

    Stuart M. Levitz, MD, professor of medicine and microbiology & physiological systems; Arlene Ash, PhD, professor of quantitative health sciences; Roger J. Davis, PhD, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, H. Arthur Smith Chair in Cancer Research and professor of molecular medicine and biochemistry & molecular pharmacology; and George B. Witman, PhD, the George F. Booth Chair in the Basic Sciences and professor of cell & developmental biology, have been elected as 2012 fellows by the American Association for the Advancement of Science Council (AAAS).
    GoLocalWorcester
    PhsyOrg
    BioMedicine
    EurekaAlert

  • 12-03-12
    Curb Hospital Readmissions

    UMass Memorial Health Care is using transaction analytics software to reduce frequent readmissions for patients with heart attacks, heart failure and pneumonia.
    Wall Street Journal

  • 12-02-12
    Orcutt family heads back to Northfield after surgery

    The family of a teenage boy who underwent head surgery at UMass Memorial Health Care to replace a shrinking bone flap thanks staff members for their compassion.
    The Greenfield Recorder

  • 12-02-12
    Falling revenues squeeze state, local hospitals

    An article about a recent state report showing how changes linked to the national health care reform may affect financial results for Central Massachusetts hospitals references UMass Memorial Medical Center.
    Worcester Telegram and Gazette

  • 12-02-12
    Business People

    Michael F. Collins, chancellor of the University of Massachusetts Medical School and senior vice president for the health sciences at the University of Massachusetts, has been elected to the board of directors of Commerce Bank.
    Worcester Telegram and Gazette

  • 12-01-12
    Turn in a gun, get a shot for the flu

    A story about the Worcester Police Department and UMass Memorial Children’s Medical Center’s 11th annual Goods for Guns program mentions that they will be giving out free flu shots at this year’s event. The story includes comments from Michael P. Hirsh, MD, professor of surgery and pediatrics and chief of pediatric surgery & trauma.
    Worcester Telegram and Gazette
    Worcester Telegram and Gazette