Faculty and Staff Recognitions
View the recognition archives by clicking here.
Peter Rice, MD, has been awarded the title of professor emeritus of medicine. Dr. Rice is a physician-scientist in the Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology whose work has focused on translational and clinical studies involving vaccines and therapeutics for Neisseria gonorrhoeae and the study of gonococcal immune mechanisms involved in pathogenesis and protection in animal models. In addition to his research, clinical efforts, and service, he served as chair of the Department Personnel Action Committee (DPAC) for the Department of Medicine from 2008 to June 2022.
Dr. Rice joined UMMH and UMass Chan as a faculty member in 2005. Prior to arriving at UMass, he was the chief of the Section of Infectious Diseases at Boston University Medical Center (BUMC) from 1996 -2005, interim director of Infectious Diseases at Boston City and BUMC from 1995-96, and chief of Infectious Diseases at Boston City Hospital from 1990-95.
Congratulations on this prestigious award, Dr. Rice!
Hyein Sarah Lee, an MD/PhD student in the lab of Dr. Apurv Soni at UMass Chan, was awarded second place in the 20th Annual Gerald F. Berlin Prize for Creative Writing for her poem titled, “To Be a Body.” Sarah explains that their poem reflects what it means to be foreign in a body, society, and nation. “The poem came to me when dealing with my mother’s sudden cancer diagnosis as I entered medical school in 2021 when the COVID pandemic was still relatively new, and I began to make connections between the betrayal we experience in different bodies,” said Sarah. “This poem weaves together the anxieties of the COVID-19 pandemic, the violence of anti-Asian racism, and the devastating impact of illness.”
Sarah’s poem will be published in The Interstitium (a blog started in 2019 by a UMass Chan medical student) and was recited at the Gerald F. Berlin award ceremony on Tuesday, March 26, 2024.
The Internal Medicine Residency is excited to share the results of this year’s match that took place on Friday, March 15, 2024. The Categorical, Primary Care, Med-Peds, and Preliminary Tracks all had exceptional matches. Not only did we match 15 UMass Chan Medical School students, but we also matched some outstanding students from some of the top medical schools in the country. We are very much looking forward to our new class of interns that will be arriving in mid-June!
In March, Primary Care Track residents held their annual off-campus day-long retreat at the Worcester Historical Museum where they learned about a variety of topics on gender-affirming care. The focus of this year’s retreat was chosen so that residents would have a greater understanding and increased comfort with how to care for this patient population. “We were fortunate to have local and outside speakers who shared their expertise, and eloquent patients who so passionately shared their journeys,” said Elizabeth Murphy, MD, program director of the Primary Care Track and associate professor of medicine in the Division of General Internal Medicine.
On May 3, the UMass Chan/UMMH community will also have the opportunity to learn more about caring for the trans and gender-diverse community at the Affirming Health Care for our Trans and Gender Diverse Community Summit. “This summit is a great opportunity to bring together faculty, students, and caregivers across the UMMH and UMass Chan community who are committed to improving care for our trans and gender non-conforming patients,” said Deborah Blazey-Martin, MD, MPH, associate professor of medicine, chief of the Division of General Internal Medicine, and vice chair for ambulatory affairs in the Department of Medicine.
Please note that the summit is not open to the general public and pre-registration is required for all attendees. Register
|
|
Apurv Soni, MD, PhD, assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Health Systems Science, Clinical Informatics Section, Neil Marya, MD, assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology, and Honghuang Lin, PhD, professor of medicine in the Division of Health Systems Science, all co-directors in the Program in Digital Medicine, recently presented at the 2024 UMass Chan Media Fellowship in March. There, Drs. Soni, Marya, and Lin presented their work on artificial intelligence in health care.
The Equip Program at UMass Chan Medical School provides mid-career women faculty the opportunity to improve their communication skills through peer coaching and skills-based practice. Led by Jennifer Reidy, MD, course director, and chief and professor of medicine in the Division of Palliative Care, and Emily Green, MD, assistant vice provost of Faculty Affairs, this year’s program included seven faculty from the Department of Medicine. Participants included Isabel Castro, DO, of Palliative Care, Deepika Devuni, MD, of Gastroenterology, Lara Kovell, MD, of Cardiovascular Medicine, Anila Medina, MD, of Geriatric Medicine, and Karen Salomon-Escoto, MD, Zheni Stavre, MD, and Peggy Wu, MD, all of Rheumatology.
The six-session program which ran from January through March was well-received with participants reporting that it was “transformational”, “invaluable”, and a “great experience”.
Shiv Sutaria, MD, associate medical director of the UMass Memorial Health (UMMH) Hospital at Home (HAH) Program and assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Hospital Medicine, was a key contributor to a recent study, led by the Center for Advancing Point of Care Technologies (CAPCaT). The study, published in PLoS One, focused on health care professionals’ perspectives on point-of-care technologies. The team concurrently studied patients’ perspectives toward point-of-care testing. “Our primary findings were that [providers and patients] are open to POCTs—there's trust—but questions remain regarding the cost to patients as well as reimbursement for the providers,” said Dr. Sutaria.
Beyond his role in the POCT studies, Dr. Sutaria’s passion remains deeply rooted in his hospital-at-home work. He has been involved in digital innovations and the development of tools that the emergency department uses to help identify patients who are appropriate for hospital-at-home.
In this month’s Resident Spotlight, we highlight Elizabeth Douglas, DO, MPH, a third-year Internal Medicine Resident on the Primary Care Track. Here, Dr. Douglas describes her clinical and research interests, what makes UMass Chan a great place for residency, and her favorite things to do in the Worcester area.
"I wake up in the morning and look forward to going into work alongside the best admin, residents, fellows, and mentors. I would pick UMass again in a heartbeat just for them, not to mention the variety of cases we get here and patient diversity."
In this month’s Fellowship Spotlight, we highlight Hawa Ozien Abu, MD, PhD, MPH, a Geriatric Medicine fellow. Here, Dr. Abu describes her clinical and research interests, why she chose UMass Chan for her fellowship, and her favorite place to travel with her family.
"The UMass Chan Geriatric Medicine fellowship remains my ultimate choice as the program provides holistic training tailored to enhance my career trajectory as a geriatric physician-scientist and enables me to function at the intersection of the things that I love, compassionate service for older adults through medicine and clinical research."
In this month’s Chair’s Spotlight, we highlight Rahul Sood, MD, director of interventional pulmonology, co-director of pulmonary procedures, and assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care. Dr. Sood is an interventional pulmonologist who works with patients who have lung cancer and other conditions including emphysema and airway stenosis. He also performs several procedures including bronchoscopy in the ambulatory setting. In March, we spoke with Dr. Sood to learn about the path that led him to become a physician and his work as a pulmonologist at UMass Chan Medical School/UMass Memorial Health.
“It's a very collaborative atmosphere at UMass…there's a lot of interdisciplinary collaboration with other divisions, especially with our colleagues in thoracic surgery and radiology, as well as medical oncology and radiation oncology,” Dr. Sood said. “I think that the atmosphere is very collegial here and that's a big draw for me.”
The DoM Clinical Research Core is proud to share that clinical research coordinators, Daniel Mbusa and Matthew McNulty, current members of the PRISM program in the McManus lab, along with clinical research nurse, Ann McCarthy, volunteered for Read Across America at the Elm Park Community School in Worcester on March 2 (Dr. Seuss’s Birthday). Read Across America supports and celebrates a nation of diverse readers and our team members were excited to participate!
We are also excited to announce that both Daniel and Matthew have been accepted to UMass Chan Medical School and will be attending in the fall. Daniel is a graduate of the Worcester Public Schools and joyfully received his acceptance to UMass Chan on the same day that he volunteered for Read Across America.
|
Apurv Soni, MD, PhD, was recently featured on a segment of WCVB-TV Boston’s Chronicle. Dr. Soni is a lead investigator on the COMMODE-seat (Correlating Outcomes with Mobile Monitoring using Digital sEnsors in a seat) study which utilizes the Heart Seat, an investigational “smart” toilet seat, to help patients with chronic diseases better manage their health. Sensors in the seat, developed by Casana, a software and technology company, collect various data such as heart rate and oxygen saturation and help investigators look for patterns associated with changes in patients’ health. |
|
|
Apurv Soni, MD, PhD, assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Health Systems Science, Clinical Informatics Section, and a co-director in the Program in Digital Medicine, collaborated with Dr. Nathaniel Hafer of molecular medicine and Dr. Anuradha Rao of Emery University, on a recent article for The Conversation. In the article titled, “COVID-19 Rapid Tests Still Work Against New Variants – Researchers Keep ‘Testing the Tests,’ and They Pass,” the authors address commonly asked questions about whether existing rapid antigen tests can detect newly emerging variants of COVID-19. They explain that rapid tests perform just as well in 2024 as they did earlier in the pandemic while offering guidance on when to test, when those infected are contagious, and more. 
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a leading cause of cancer death with many PDAC patients dying due to a phenomenon called “cancer cachexia”, a systemic metabolic wasting syndrome marked by profound adipose tissue and muscle loss.
UMass Chan scientists Jason Pitarresi, PhD, assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Hematology/Oncology, and David Guertin, PhD, professor of molecular medicine have received funding from the Department of Defense for their project, “Determining the Molecular Etiology of and Strategies to Block Pancreatic Cancer Cachexia”, to study the mechanisms of PDAC-associated cachexia using novel mouse models and human organoid systems.
This month, we feature Vijaya Sudhakara Rao Kola, PhD, as our Postdoc Spotlight. Dr. Kola is a postdoc in the lab of Dr. Matthew Hemming in the Division of Hematology/Oncology.
"I chose UMass Chan because of its strong commitment to academic excellence and its vibrant community, which exposes me to learning and understanding higher standards for my scientific growth."
This month in our Graduate Student Spotlight, we feature Favour Akabogu, a student in the lab of Dr. Matthew Hemming and the Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.
"The community and student body at UMass Chan is very supportive of students’ growth and development in science and personal life. I chose UMass Chan due to the positive interaction I had with current students and faculty during the admitted student visitation day. That experience has stayed the same. It feels nice to be in a community where you feel supported and seen."
In this month’s Researcher Spotlight, we highlight the work of Matthew Hemming, MD, PhD, a medical oncologist, physician-scientist, and assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Hematology/Oncology. Dr. Hemming’s clinical work is focused on caring for patients with soft tissue sarcoma and his research is focused on understanding the biology and pathogenesis of sarcomas.
"Early in my medical training, I had the privilege to work with and care for several patients with rare forms of cancer called sarcoma,” said Dr. Hemming. "These experiences, together with my appreciation for the unmet need for more effective treatments and better scientific understanding of these diseases, focused my trajectory towards a career dedicated to sarcoma clinical care and research.”
|
|
It is with sadness that we share that Beth Dryden, the lead admin for Gastroenterology, passed away in February after courageously battling cancer. Beth was with GI for the past two years before retiring in August due to complications from her illness. She worked for UMass for 16 years. We extend our heartfelt condolences to Beth’s family, friends, and co-workers. 
Over the February school vacation week, Melanie Trombly, PhD, assistant professor of medicine, and Maritza Vazquez-Byrnes, both of the Department of Medicine, volunteered along with other members of the UMass Chan community at City View Elementary School in Worcester.
As part of UMass Chan’s partnership with the Worcester Public Schools through its North Quadrant Support Initiative, volunteers helped clean out the library in preparation for the school’s new STEM lab, organized the food pantry, and helped sort various school materials.
We thank them for their service to our local community!
Jeffrey Rade, MD, medical director of the Heart and Vascular Interventional Laboratory and professor of medicine in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, was the recipient of the 2024 Heart of Gold Award - Heart & Vascular Professional at this year’s Central Massachusetts Heart and Stroke Ball.
Dr. Rade was honored for his vital role in running the STEMI PCI service at UMass Memorial Medical Center. This service provides support to over 250 patients every year presenting with acute heart attacks, with lifesaving procedures. His leadership of this critical service has been invaluable in improving outcomes for cardiovascular patients in Central Massachusetts and the surrounding areas.
Congratulations, Dr. Rade!
Savant Mehta, MD, associate professor of medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology, has been named a fellow by both the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) and the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE). Both fellowships are awarded to members whose accomplishments and contributions have significantly advanced the field of endoscopy and gastroenterology.
We congratulate Dr. Mehta on these prestigious honors.
In February, Safdar Medina, MD, assistant professor of medicine and director of Pediatrics at Tri-River Family Health Center, spoke with NPR about the ongoing challenges of drug addiction in the pediatric population and the use of medically assisted treatment to help these patients. Dr. Medina is one of the many pediatricians who works with the adolescent population in fighting addiction, and notes it is one of the most rewarding things he does. “If we can take care of it, we have produced an adult that will no longer have a lifetime of these challenges to worry about,” said Dr. Medina.
We also congratulate Dr. Medina for being nominated for the Massachusetts School Nurse Organization (MSNO) Friend of School Nursing Award. Dr. Medina serves as the school physician for the Northborough-Southborough school district and frequently gives his time talking to parents and students about substance abuse, mental health, and diversity. Additionally, he serves as the medical consultant for the School Health Unit at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. The award will be presented at the MSNO spring conference in March.
Dr. James Fanale’s career has been devoted to healing and caring for patients. A former physician and chief of Geriatric Medicine at UMass Chan Medical School/UMass Memorial Health and later CEO of Care New England in Rhode Island, Dr. Fanale’s life took an unexpected turn when he was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer in March 2022 and abruptly thrust into the role of patient. Despite this diagnosis nearly two years ago, his call to care for others did not end. “Jim has been open about his diagnosis and journey, and what he has learned through his experience,” said Sarah McGee, MD, clinical chief and professor of medicine in the Division of Geriatric Medicine. His book, Onward: A Teaching, and a Love Story – for Physicians, and Everyone, and featured in a Special Article in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society, was published this past September and tells of his experience of being both a doctor and the patient.
With myriad professional accomplishments and accolades, Dr. Fanale has indeed made a lasting impact through his leadership roles at hospitals in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, as well as a past president of the American Geriatrics Society. He has also given generously to developing the next generation of geriatricians through his support of programs like the Geriatric Interprofessional Immersion Program for UMass Chan Medical School residents. “Jim pioneered the specialty of geriatric medicine in central Massachusetts,” said Jerry Gurwitz, MD, division chief and professor of medicine in the Division of Geriatric Medicine. “His leadership of the American Geriatrics Society, along with his philanthropic efforts have had an amazing impact on the field of geriatrics at UMass and nationally.” In January, Dr. Fanale was awarded the Stephen J. Hagerty Memorial Award at the Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association’s Annual Meeting, and most recently, the reopening of the Acute Care for Elders (ACE) Unit at Kent Hospital in Rhode Island was dedicated in honor of his groundbreaking work developing ACE units which are now in hospitals all across the country.
Through his personal narrative in Onward, Dr. Fanale continues on his path of service by pulling back the curtain on his own experience as a patient, adding further depth to his many contributions and legacy.
Onward: A Teaching, and a Love Story – for Physicians, and Everyone is available for purchase on Amazon.
Read the feature in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Nancy Skehan, MD, associate professor of medicine in the Division of General Internal Medicine, and Clerkship Director for Internal Medicine, has been hard at work in collaboration with UMass Chan faculty members in developing a new medical student curriculum for the Vista program. The new curriculum goes beyond the biomedical and pathophysiological components of patient care and focuses on understanding patient environments and exploring socioeconomic pressures to keep patients healthy following their time in the hospital.
“A lot of the training that we provide in medical education is inpatient-based and allows us to consolidate a lot of experience in a short period of time,” said Dr. Skehan. “The reality of the care that’s actually delivered to our patients is vastly in the outpatient setting."
Physician-educator, Mary Callery O’Brien, MD, is passionate about medical education. Since she completed her chief residency at UMass Chan Medical School in the mid-1990s, Dr. O’Brien has developed and led innovative curricula for medical students in the T.H. Chan School of Medicine.
Dr. O’Brien finds the work that she does in the medical school profoundly rewarding and encourages her physician colleagues to consider teaching. “Education in the Department of Medicine and at UMass Chan has always been considered important and that's why I have stayed because there are a lot of opportunities, even for community practitioners,” she said.
Like many hospitals, UMass Memorial Medical Center is in the midst of an ongoing capacity crisis which has been particularly burdensome in the intensive care unit (ICU). While the UMass Memorial Health (UMMH) Hospital at Home (HAH) Program, started in August 2021, has periodically cared for patients coming from the ICU, their teams see the potential for greater collaboration.
HAH and Critical Care launched a closer partnership in January which is already showing strong outcomes. “It is still early but we'll continue to work together to build this relationship,” said Taki Michaelidis, MD, MBA, MS, medical director for the UMMH HAH Program.
In this month’s Resident Spotlight, we highlight Jeremy Soonhyouk Kwon, MD, a third-year Internal Medicine resident. Here, Dr. Kwon describes his clinical interests, what makes UMass Chan a great place for residency, and his favorite thing to do in the Worcester area.
"Dr. Kopec and my co-residents make what should be a tough job into a fun job!"
In this month’s Fellow Spotlight, we highlight Fizzah Iqbal, MBBS, an Endocrinology fellow. Here, Dr. Iqbal describes her clinical and research interests, why she chose UMass Chan for her fellowship, and her favorite place to travel.
"I have been fortunate to work with a diverse and experienced team that emphasizes independent thinking and encourages constant learning."
In this month’s Chair’s Spotlight, we highlight Abbas Rupawala, MD, director of the Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Center and assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology. In February, we spoke with Dr. Rupawala to gain insights into what inspires him, and learn about his work, as well as ongoing studies for patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
"Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are debilitating illnesses, but if we can treat them in time and lead our patients’ care appropriately, we can impact their quality of life, so working with these patients is very gratifying.”