UMass Chan’s Let’s Make a Match program combines dating events with individualized coaching to help autistic adults navigate romantic relationships, communication and social connection. The research team hopes to expand the model to adults with all types of disabilities.

Crista Johnson-Agbakwu, MD, MS, FACOG, received the Worcester Black Excellence Award for Community Leadership, recognizing her work advancing health equity, addressing healthcare disparities and mentoring future medical leaders.

PhD candidates Laurel Stine and Sara Cahill each received grant funding for outstanding immunology research.

Caitlyn Edwards, PhD, and Travis Faust, PhD, were named 2026 Brain & Behavior Research Foundation Young Investigator grantees. 

Aspiring physician-scientist Noah Sciambra has received a grant to study how genetics influence survival to bacterial toxin exposure.

Belmont Learning Community is open to all PhD, nursing and medical students. A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held on Oct. 14.

A total of nearly $170,000 in grants of up to $18,000 each was awarded to this year’s projects. 

The 28th annual UMass Cancer Walk raised more than $500,000 for cancer research and clinical trials at UMass Chan Medical School despite the event’s cancellation due to the nor’easter.

Talaya Reid was the first of three people living with lupus to enroll in a clinical research study at UMass Chan exploring the use of CAR T cell therapy to treat lupus nephritis.

The mini-grants were awarded to teachers at five elementary schools and one high school.

Grace Ryan, PhD, MPH, assistant professor of population & quantitative health sciences, answers common questions about updated childhood vaccine recommendations, including the benefits of the MMR combination vaccine and potential risks of delaying or spacing out routine immunizations.

UMass Chan, Mass General Brigham receive green light from FDA for MLIV gene therapy clinical trial

Dr. Gerber is traveling with his wife, Rebecca Gerber, MLIS, MHSA, a librarian in the Lamar Soutter Library at UMass Chan, to South Korea and will spend the fall semester as a visiting professor at Hallym University.

Congressman Jake Auchincloss toured UMass Chan research laboratories and participated in an open discussion on federal funding changes and other issues.

A highlight of the annual Convocation and Investiture ceremony was the announcement of the 2026 recipients of the Chancellor’s Medals for excellence in teaching, scholarship, service and clinical excellence. 

The Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences recognized 91 UMass Chan students who completed their qualifying exam during the 2025-2026 academic year during a Sept. 16 ceremony.

The Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing at UMass Chan Medical School presented 50 Doctor of Nursing Practice students with their white coats during the annual transition into clinical practice ceremony.

E. Kale Edmiston, PhD, shared ways to support transgender patients during UMass Chan’s 14th annual LGBTQ+ Convocation Celebration, held virtually on Sept. 15.

The Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing at UMass Chan Medical School recognized 35 learners who have completed their pre-licensure year during a pinning ceremony on Sept. 14.

The 225 UMass Chan medical students in the Class of 2030 received white coats on Sept. 11. The White Coat Ceremony marks first-year medical students’ first step into the profession as they start training to become physicians.

Scientists receive $14.7 million to improve vector design for gene therapies targeting alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency 

Circadian rhythm genes also regulate circatidal behaviors in tiny crustaceans Parhyale hawaiensis. 

The six new appointments will be celebrated at Convocation and Investiture on Sept. 17.

Convocation Week runs from Friday, Sept. 11 to Thursday, Sept. 17.

Postpartum psychosis is an uncommon but serious psychiatric emergency that can develop after childbirth, and recognizing its warning signs early is critical to getting new mothers the care and support they need. Uruj Kamal Haider, MD, answers frequently asked questions about the condition.

Shari Harding, DNP associate professor of nursing, wrote an article for The Conversation about how to navigate online mental healthcare, including how to evaluate telehealth options and find the right clinician.

Bastien is a postdoctoral fellow in the lab of Summer Thyme, PhD.

Proceeds from the UMass Cancer Walk, returning to Polar Park on Sunday, Sept. 27, support cancer research and clinical trials at UMass Chan.

Erik J. Sontheimer, PhD, the Pillar Chair in Biomedical Research, professor and vice chair of RNA therapeutics, has been appointed chair of the RNA Therapeutics Institute, effective in January of 2027.

Danny Winder, PhD, and Marie Doyle, PhD, wrote an article for The Conversation about new research in mice that suggests abstaining from alcohol can alter brain circuits in ways that may increase the risk of compulsive drinking.

PhD candidate Emily Blackburn, MPH, received a prestigious grant from the National Cancer Institute to research proliferating cell nuclear antigen, or PCNA.

The Fellows-to-Faculty award will provide $600,000 over three years to support Faust’s research.

UMass Chan clinical trial studies psychedelic medication for adjustment disorder related to serious illness

Phoebe Moore, PhD, associate professor of psychiatry & behavioral sciences, Megan Kelly, PhD, professor of psychiatry & behavioral sciences, and Yael Dvir, MD, professor of psychiatry & behavioral sciences, co-authored an article for The Conversation explaining how teens are using AI chatbots for emotional support and offer guidance to parents and caregivers on keeping young people safe.

UMass Chan Medical School is welcoming 378 new students to campus this week for orientation. Chancellor David McManus, MD’02, ScM’12, MBA, is providing remarks for each school’s orientation.

Scientists identify cell-based “GPS” responsible for guiding immune responses

Free swimming lessons were provided for roughly 100 children and teens at the YMCA in downtown Worcester.

Jessica Griffin, PsyD, professor of psychiatry & behavioral sciences, wrote an article for The Conversation on emotional regulation and practical strategies parents can use to help children manage their emotions.

Novel mRNA treatment developed at UMass Chan Medical School eliminates pancreatic cancer tumors in 50 percent of treated mice.

Endoscopy tech-turned-medical student Rachel Signorello led the LEAD@Lahey summer high school program to teach aspiring physicians, nurses and techs. 

The three grants totaling nearly $8 million were awarded over a six-week period to Fiachra Humphries, PhD.

Li Li, PhD, discusses how the FDA's approval of the first mRNA flu vaccine could accelerate the development of future mRNA-based therapies while highlighting the scientific challenges that remain.

The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute is sponsoring the two-year, $300,000 project.

UMass Chan Medical School researchers have received funding from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center to advance research using artificial intelligence to improve early identification of pregnancy-induced hypertension and to establish a colorectal cancer biobank that will accelerate biomedical discoveries.

Classrooms and labs kept busy this summer at UMass Chan, hosting high school and college students participating in outreach programs.

Nearly 100 students from 20 local area high school students participated in the program.

microRNA targeting SOD1 mutation suppresses production of toxic protein; preserves motor neurons; and improves symptoms in pre-clinical study

The R01 grant will support research on how bacteria cause infectious diseases.

Michelle Trivedi, MD’09, MPH, received a $3.8 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to study school-based health centers.

FDA approves gene therapy clinical trial for Tay-Sachs and Sandhoff diseases by UMass Chan scientists  

Four UMass Chan Medical School faculty members received awards to support interdisciplinary research in neuroscience.

AI project at UMass Chan strives to identify different neuron types from 3D images and video

UMass Chan scientist receives two-year, $140,000 Canada Postdoctoral Research Award for multiple sclerosis research.

Huppert Community Health Scholar in Family Medicine program gives medical students the chance to engage in community health, engagement and leadership experiences for four years.

The project is funded for $3.5 million over seven years by the UMass Center for Clinical and Translational Science.

Barbini credits her success to her co-mentors, Chancellor David McManus and Dorothy Schafer.

AMP modified vaccine adjunct activates robust T cell response. 

UMass Chan researchers discuss the growing evidence behind acupuncture’s role in modern integrative medicine and how it is helping to reduce chronic pain. 

David D. McManus, MD’02, ScM’12, MBA, has officially stepped into the role of chancellor of UMass Chan.

Researchers at UMass Chan are studying whether digital tools for infants can improve health outcomes and expand access to support for families.

The study could start to answer why individuals displaying certain problematic drinking patterns may be more susceptible to relapse than others.

MD/PhD student Jayne Vogelzang is excited to advocate for students as UMass Chan’s student representative on the UMass Board of Trustees.

The three-year predoctoral fellowship is funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

UMass Chan has received state funding for a pilot scholarship program aimed at boosting the number of family medicine physicians.

PhD candidate Jonathan Valeros received a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship for research could revolutionize organ transplant procedures.

MD/PhD student Anna Aristarkhova received a predoctoral fellowship award from the NIH to research the mechanisms underlying visual loss in multiple sclerosis.

The 28 UMass Chan Medical School faculty members who completed the Junior Faculty Development Program this year graduated from the program on June 9. 

UMass Chan Medical School faculty made new company pitches to leaders from nearly two dozen venture capital firms and other industry organizations.

New research finds Medicaid-funded nutrition and housing programs are linked to improved health outcomes and lower healthcare costs in Massachusetts.

The Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing’s Global Health Pathway has expanded from a singular program in the Dominican Republic to include Ghana and Armenia. 

A video tribute to Chancellor Michael F. Collins, who is stepping down as chancellor at the end of June, was shown during UMass Chan’s 53rd Commencement exercises.

Philanthropist Gerald Chan delivered the keynote Commencement address as 270 degrees were awarded on May 31. 

Twenty-five graduating students at UMass Chan Medical School received stoles at the 2026 Deborah Harmon Hines, PhD, Commencement Celebration on May 29. 

The 64 graduates from the Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing Class of 2026 were recognized during an awards ceremony that celebrated the nursing community.  

More than 35 awards were presented to members of the T.H. School of Medicine Class of 2026 and faculty members.

Graduating PhD candidates in the Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at UMass Chan Medical School were celebrated during an awards ceremony on May 28.

The UMass Chan Medical School chapter of the Gold Humanism Honor Society inducted 41 members who have demonstrated compassionate, patient-centered care.

The siRNA-based therapy specifically targets photoreceptor cells in the eye, halting disease progression for six months to a year.

ForHealth Consulting at UMass Chan Medical School is a key partner in launching nursing apprenticeships designed to strengthen Massachusetts’ health care workforce.

Eight UMass Chan faculty members were honored during the 26th annual Women’s Faculty Committee Awards on May 21.

As more people enter pregnancy with type 2 diabetes, researchers and clinicians at UMass Chan are studying new ways to improve care before, during and after pregnancy.

Phillip Tai, PhD, received a $1.6 million grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences to develop adeno-associated viral vectors for gene therapies.

The UMass Center for Clinical and Translational Science has been awarded a seven-year, $50 million renewal of its Clinical and Translational Sciences Award.

Yemini is one of 15 researchers from the United States and Canada to receive a Scialog Collaborative Innovation Award in 2026.

Academic degrees will be awarded to more than 300 students on Sunday, May 31, at UMass Chan Medical School’s 53rd Commencement.

Terence R. Flotte, MD, and colleagues outline plans for addressing the current market challenges for gene therapy treatment of rare and ultra-rare disorders.

Erik Sontheimer, PhD, and Wen Xue, PhD, have developed a gene editing technology that allows for precise, efficient insertion of very large DNA segments into the human genome.

The camp is free and is accepting applications from high school students in the Worcester Public Schools system.

Nursing PhD student William Mar, PhD candidate Humberto Ochoa and MD/MBA student Suhas Suddala will represent their respective peers at UMass Chan’s 2026 Commencement.

The classic science fair format was flipped at UMass Chan as Worcester high school students judged research posters by graduate students and postdocs.

Nursing student Stefan Malek hopes to combine his work experience in substance use facilities with his knowledge of cardiac medicine for his DNP scholarly project.

Marcus Ruscetti, PhD, received a $750,000 2026 Pershing Square Sohn Cancer Prize to advance his lab’s pancreatic cancer research.

Toloo Taghian, PhD, a has received a $3.2 million NIH grant to develop a gene therapy for UBA5 deficiency.  

Howard J. Sachs, MD, associate professor of medicine, delivered the Last Lecture titled “The Inevitable Journey.”

Findings from the SMART-AI trial were recently published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

Ekaterina Pivovarova, PhD, is a principal investigator on a five-year, $8 million grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

UMass Chan is supporting a collaboration among leaders in academic medicine to strengthen nutrition training in medical education.

UMass Chan licenses gene therapy technology to treat maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) to Plowshare Therapies. 

Robert H. Brown Jr., DPhil, MD, is one of 252 people elected to the academy this year. 

Joseph Peng, a sophomore at Shrewsbury High School, is the 2026 Central Massachusetts Brain Bee winner.