Louis Messina receives NIH grant to support research of aging and immune response New research by Louis Messina, MD, aims to understand why aging slows down wound healing in older adults.

Louis Messina, MD, has received a five-year, $3 million NIH award to try to understand why aging slows down wound healing in older adults: direc.to/o1B2

#aging

Science for Living: A faster path to cervical cancer screening could improve access, save lives Researchers at UMass Chan are looking into rapid point-of-care HPV testing that delivers results in about 30 minutes.

A faster, more accessible approach to cervical cancer screening could be a game changer. Heidi Leftwich, DO, and Elizabeth Allocco, MD, are exploring point-of-care HPV testing that delivers results in just 30 minutes: direc.to/o1r9

#CervicalCancer #HPV #ScienceForLiving

I'm pleased to see GBH News highlight the appointment of Chancellor-elect Dr. David McManus as the next Chancellor of
UMass Chan Medical School.

@gbhnews.bsky.social
@umasschan.bsky.social

David D. McManus appointed chancellor of UMass Chan Medical School The UMass Board of Trustees unanimously approved UMass President Marty Meehan’s nomination of David D. McManus, MD’02, MSc’12, as the next chancellor of UMass Chan.

UMass President Marty Meehan just announced that David McManus, MD’02, MSc’12, will be the next chancellor of UMass Chan Medical School: direc.to/o2AM

Dr. McManus will succeed Chancellor Michael F. Collins in July after Collins retires as chancellor. Congratulations!

#UMass @uofmass.bsky.social

UMass Chan graduate schools ranked among best nationwide Primary care education at UMass Chan ranked first in Massachusetts and among the best nationwide, according to the U.S. News & World Report.

UMass Chan programs are among the best in the nation according to the U.S. News & World Report Best Graduate Schools 2026: direc.to/o2Gw

Primary care education is first in Massachusetts. The Doctor of Nursing Practice program is 29th among 154 nationwide.
#BestGradSchools @usnews.com

DNP program at UMass Chan ranked No. 1 in Mass. by AllNurses.com UMass Chan’s DNP program ranked No. 1 as a result of its licensure pass rates, graduation rates, tuition and the overall quality of education.

AllNurses.com ranked our DNP program No. 1 in Massachusetts in 2026 due to its guaranteed clinical placements, licensure pass rates and tuition: direc.to/o2Zt

The program is offered by the Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing at UMass Chan.

#nursing #rankings #nurses #nurse @uofmass.bsky.social

Mass. Senate eyes free medical school tuition to help shortage of primary care doctors A $10 million pilot program in a spending bill set for a vote next week would cover tuition for UMass Chan Medical School students who commit to practicing family medicine in Massachusetts.

Diane McKee, MD, chair and professor of family medicine & community health at UMass Chan, told @gbhnews.bsky.social that a Massachusetts Senate proposal to offer free medical school tuition to boost the primary care workforce would send a “powerful message” to students: direc.to/o2Xm

#PrimaryCare

UMass Chan researchers shed light on how inflammation in GI tract rewires enteric nervous system Published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, the UMass Chan study revealed that intestinal inflammation changes how nerves are arranged in the intestine.

IBD doesn’t just inflame the gut—it rewires it. New research by Milena Bogunovic, MD, PhD, of UMass Chan, published in @jem.org, shows how inflammation modifies the enteric nervous system, often referred to as the “second brain”: direc.to/o2Xp

#IBD #MucosalImmunology #muscosal #immunology

Phase I study for human monoclonal antibody for Lyme disease demonstrates safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics Developed at UMass Chan, a human monoclonal antibody to prevent Lyme disease demonstrates safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics.

Mark Klempner, MD, presented promising safety data at the World Vaccine Congress yesterday about an injection designed to prevent Lyme disease: direc.to/o8qZ

Licensed by Tonix Pharmaceuticals, TNX-4800 is not a vaccine. It works by inactivating the bacteria in the #tick.

#Lyme #LymeDisease #WVCDC

PhD candidate Hannah Rogers receives grant to study how brain integrates food cues to drive behavior PhD candidate Hannah Rogers received an NIH grant for her research examining how composite signals from neurons work to shape behavioral responses to food.

PhD candidate Hannah Rogers’ grant funded-research on food-search behavior may inform the development of future treatments for psychiatric and neurological disorders: direc.to/o84E

Rogers is a @umassamherst.bsky.social alumna.

#StudentSpotlight #WhyUMassChan #PhDSky @uofmass.bsky.social

Christopher Sassetti, PhD, professor of microbiology at UMass Chan Medical School, spoke to STAT about how his tuberculosis research has been impacted by NIH restrictions on foreign research partnerships. @statnews.com

Fen-Biao Gao named fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science Fen-Biao Gao, PhD, has been named a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

UMass Chan congratulates Fen-Biao Gao, PhD, on being named a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science today for advancing our understanding of disease pathogenesis in frontotemporal dementia: direc.to/o3Dn

#FTD #AAASfellow @aaas.org @rti-umasschan.bsky.social

UMass Chan junior faculty receive child health research grants from Hood Foundation Silvia Galván Peña, PhD, and Jin Zhang, PhD, are two of five recipients of a 2026 Hood Foundation Award.

Two UMass Chan Medical School faculty have received a 2026 Child Health Research Award from the Charles H. Hood Foundation: direc.to/o381

Silvia Galván Peña, PhD, studies the gut’s immune cells. Jin Zhang, PhD, studies how artificial sweeteners desensitize sweet taste. @galvanpenas.bsky.social

MD/PhD student Webb Camille celebrates his match

UMass Chan Medical School students celebrate their match

Karen Ghobrial is photographed by many, many cell phones as she holds up her match letter

Large group of matching students holding up their signs

Students in the T.H. Chan School of Medicine Class of 2026 matched all over the country, with 60 out of the 172 (35 percent) matching in Massachusetts, including 30 here at UMass Chan. Read about the record-breaking class here: direc.to/o3Z4

#UMassChanMatch #Match2026 @uofmass.bsky.social @aamc.org

Matching couples pose for a group photo outside the Medical School Building

UMass Chan had a record-number (18) of couples matching this year—30 students at UMass Chan and 6 partners at other schools. Read about some of those matching couples here: direc.to/o3aj

#UMassChanMatch #Match2026 #UMass @uofmass.bsky.social

Graphic says Join us for Match Day 2026! Friday, March, 20, at 11:15 a.m. Watch live on YouTube.

Don’t forget to tune into UMass Chan Medical School’s Match Day livestream on Friday, March 20. The envelopes will be opened at noon but the coverage starts at 11:15 a.m. on YouTube: direc.to/o5XY

#UMassChanMatch #Match2026 #UMass @uofmass.bsky.social

Cynthia Fuhrmann recognized with Distinguished Service Award from National Postdoctoral Association The honor recognizes sustained efforts or leadership contributions to positively impact the career development of postdoctoral scholars.

The National Postdoctoral Association honors Cynthia Fuhrmann, PhD, the principal investigator of the Professional Development Hub, an initiative developing resources to advance evidence-based practices for STEMM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine): direc.to/o4C1 #NPA2026AC

Welcome CureAlz newly funded researchers, Drs. John Haran and Beth McCormick from UMass Chan Medical School who study how the bacteria in our gut influence our immune system and brain health. #alzheimersresearch

First year MD/PhD student Connor Lewis co-authors New England Journal of Medicine article First year MD/PhD student Connor J. Lewis performed neuroimaging for the study on GM1 gangliosidosis.

First-year MD/PhD student Connor Lewis used computational methods he developed for a study on the rare disease GM1 gangliosidosis, published in @nejm.org: direc.to/o6zM

The average lifespan for Type II GM1 gangliosidosis patients is 20 to 40 years.

#GeneTherapy #RareDisease @uofmass.bsky.social

UMass Chan receives $800K for ALS research The Angel Fund for ALS Research, based in Wakefield, awarded UMass Chan $800,000 to fund the research of Dr. Robert Brown and Daryl Bosco.

The Angel Fund’s sole mission is to fund ALS research and clinical trials at UMass Chan, with the ultimate goal of eradicating the disease.

Graphic says Join us Friday, March 20, for Match Day 2026! #UMassChanMatch #Match2026

It’s the biggest day on a medical school’s calendar: Match Day! Watch UMass Chan Medical School’s Match Day livestream on Friday, March 20, at 11:15 a.m. on YouTube: direc.to/o5XY

Tag @umasschan.bsky.social and use #UMassChanMatch and #Match2026 to share photos. @uofmass.bsky.social

Med school best friends create guide for new immigrants navigating health care system The project is supported by a 2025 Remillard Family Community Service Fund grant.

Friends since they were students at Washington University in St. Louis, fourth-year medical students Rhea Kukkal and Jenna Patel are creating a guide to help immigrants navigate the health care system in Worcester: direc.to/o6ag

#Worcester #HealthCare #MedEd #MedSchool #MedicalSchool #MedSky

Early match triumph for future ophthalmologists Ilana Silverstein, Elisah Huynh and Kimberly Jin Three T.H. Chan School of Medicine students from the Class of 2026 matched into ophthalmology residency programs ahead of the general match on March 20.

Elisah Huynh, Kimberly Jin and Ilana Silverstein matched into ophthalmology residency programs: direc.to/o5Ry

Discover what they’re looking forward to learning at UMass Chan, Scheie Eye Institute at @upenn.edu and @ou.edu’s Dean McGee Eye Institute, respectively.

#OphthalmologyMatch #OpthoMatch

There aren’t enough geriatricians—here’s how older adults can still get the right care Geriatrician Jerry Gurwitz, MD’83, offers practical strategies for older adults and families to ensure high‑quality, whole‑person care, in a piece for The Conversation.

Finding a health care provider with expertise in geriatrics is tough. Jerry Gurwitz, MD, of UMass Chan wrote a piece for The Conversation U.S. detailing five things older adults should discuss with their primary care doctor to get needed care: https://direc.to/o5fd

#aging #geriatics

Nursing PhD students champion maternal health Nursing PhD students Jamie Bourgeois and Melissa Anne DuBois champion maternal health through their dissertation work.

Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing PhD students Jamie Bourgeois, RN, and Melissa Anne DuBois, BSN, are advocating for maternal health in their dissertation work, powered by 50 years of collective nursing experience and collaboration with each other. direc.to/oZJN

#PhDNursing #MaternalHealth

2026 STAT Madness 2026 bracket Welcome to STAT Madness, a bracket-style contest to find the best innovation in science and medicine. Explore groundbreaking innovations from

Time to vote for @umasschan.bsky.social in #STATMadness! The work of Job Dekker, PhD, on the 4D nucleome will help scientists decide how to approach specific research questions. Create an account and click on the UMass Chan logo to vote: https://direc.to/oYD4

@jobdekker.bsky.social @statnews.com

Collage of images of the families featured in the Rare Diseases, Real Stories podcast, with text in the middle that says Rare Diseases, Real Stories Now streaming

Today is #RareDiseaseDay. Families of children with rare diseases are featured on UMass Chan Medical School’s six-episode Rare Diseases, Real Stories podcast. Listen: https://direc.to/oYu1

#RareDiseasesRealStories #RareDiseases #podcast @courageousparentsnetwork.org @rarediseaseday.bsky.social 🎧

UMass Chan study led by Job Dekker selected for STAT Madness STAT News has selected a study on the 4D nucleome led by Job Dekker, PhD, to compete in its annual STAT Madness competition.

STAT has selected a @nature.com paper on the 4D nucleome by Job Dekker, PhD, of UMass Chan to complete in #STATMadness, the bracket-style competition that celebrates the most innovative scientific research of 2025: https://direc.to/oYGD

Voting opens on Monday.

@jobdekker.bsky.social @statnews.com

TECHNOLOGY: Elinor Karlsson from @umasschan.bsky.social and @broadinstitute.org talks about new genomic approaches for exploring recent trait evolution in domestic pets at the 2026 AGBT General Meeting.

#AGBTGM26 #genomics #domestication

Science for Living: Can using AI risk prediction in breast cancer screening improve early detection? Researchers at UMass Chan Medical School are studying how an AI-based risk assessment tool could improve early breast cancer detection.

Researchers at UMass Chan Medical School and MIT are testing an AI tool that analyzes mammograms to predict future breast cancer risk. In early results, MRIs identified as higher-risk by the AI model uncovered cancers that mammograms missed: https://direc.to/oYwt #AI #BreastCancer #ScienceForLiving