Lab News

Microbiologists are looking at new ways to fight viral infections, including COVID-19, with the bacteria already living in your intestine.

El microbioma, que es el ecosistema que vive en nuestros cuerpos, es vital para mantenernos sanos. Te contamos.

A healthy microbiome builds a strong immune system that could help defeat COVID-19.

The Women in Science video series on UMassMed News highlights the many areas of research conducted by women at UMass Chan Medical School.

Ana Maldonado-Contreras, PhD, assistant professor of microbiology & physiological systems, has been fascinated by the relationship between diet, bacteria in the gut and health throughout her career.

UMass Chan Medical School has announced six members of the Medical School faculty who comprise the 2020-21 cohort of Dr. Marcellette G. Williams Distinguished Scholars, according to Chancellor Michael F. Collins and Dean Terence R. Flotte.

In my experience, most people face incredible challenges in switching to a healthy diet.

These challenges include the high cost of fruits and vegetables, while processed ultra-sugared foods are readily available and usually at lower cost; limited access to fresh foods, what is often referred to as a food desert; misconceptions about healthy food taste; lack of experience in cooking healthy foods; and insufficient time to cook or to learn how to cook. Hence, how can we — scientists and physicians — champion the importance of fruits and vegetables and healthy eating if our patients can’t pay the price or can’t find quality food in the stores nearby?

Ana Maldonado-Contreras, PhD, has received the American Gastroenterological Association Research Scholar Award for her work related to diet, the gut microbiome and inflammatory bowel disease.

Meet Ana Maldonado-Contreras, a researcher in the Lab of Beth McCormick at the UMass Chan Medical School. Ana's research involves bacteria and contributes to our understanding of how bacteria communicate with each other and the cells of the intestine.