Wednesday, April 26, 2023
Dr. Esa Matius Davis Named Inaugural Associate Vice President for Community Health at the University of Maryland, Baltimore and Senior Associate Dean for Population Health and Community Medicine
University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) Dean Mark T. Gladwin, MD, announced today that Esa Matius Davis, MD, MPH, FAAFP, a nationally recognized leader in family and community medicine and population health, has been appointed as the inaugural Associate Vice President (AVP) for Community Health at the University of Maryland Baltimore (UMB) and Senior Associate Dean for Population and Community Medicine at UMSOM, effective July 1, 2023.
Tuesday, April 25, 2023
Immune System Sculpts Rat Brains During Development
Researchers have established that biological sex plays a role in determining an individual’s risk of brain disorders. For example, boys are more likely to be diagnosed with behavioral conditions like autism or attention deficit disorder, whereas women are more likely to suffer from anxiety disorders, depression, or migraines. However, experts do not fully understand how sex contributes to brain development, particularly in the context of these diseases. They think, in part, it may have something to do with the differing sizes of certain brain regions.
Monday, April 24, 2023
UMSOM Rising Third-Year Medical Students Celebrate Annual Student Clinician Ceremony
The University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) recently hosted the Student Clinician Ceremony & Family Celebration to help prepare rising third-year medical students for their clinical rotations. The event took place at the Lyric Baltimore on April 21, 2023. During their rotation year, students begin seeing patients alongside doctors and residents as they gain experience in primary care and medical specialties.
Friday, April 21, 2023
In Memoriam: Rao P. Gullapalli, PhD, MBA
The University of Maryland School of Medicine community is mourning the loss of one of its longtime senior faculty members, Rao P. Gullapalli, PhD, MBA, who was Professor of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Associate Vice Chair for Research in the Department and Director of the Core for Translational Research in Imaging (C-TRIM) and Director of the Center for Metabolic Imaging and Therapeutics (CMIT). He also held several leadership roles in cancer imaging at the UM Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Thursday, April 20, 2023
Researchers Discover Unique Genetic Signature for Mood Disorders in the Old Order Amish
Understanding the root causes of depression, bipolar disorder, and other mental illnesses could lead to new treatments for the 300 million people worldwide who suffer from such conditions.
Thursday, April 13, 2023
Taking a Placebo Improves Adherence to Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder, Study Finds
Substance use disorder affects 20 million Americans, and more than 100,000 people died from a drug overdose in 2021, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While the medication methadone has the strongest evidence-based effectiveness to prevent relapse, about half of patients drop out of their treatment within one year of initiation. The solution could lie in taking a simple “sugar pill” or placebo along with the methadone, according to a randomized clinical trial led by researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.
Wednesday, April 05, 2023
UM School of Medicine Researchers Chart Path Forward on Developing mRNA Vaccines for Infections Beyond COVID-19
After helping to develop and test new mRNA technologies for COVID-19 vaccines, University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) researchers and scientists are turning their attention to utilizing this innovative technology to ward off other infectious diseases like malaria and influenza. Last month, UMSOM faculty in the Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health (CVD) launched a new clinical trial to investigate the use of mRNA technologies to create a vaccine against malaria. CVD Director Kathleen M. Neuzil, MD, MPH, FIDSA also provided commentary in the nation’s leading medical journal on the feasibility of using mRNA to develop a universal influenza vaccine that could eliminate the need for seasonal shots.
Wednesday, April 05, 2023
Understanding E. Coli Strains That Do Not Cause Diarrhea Could Lead to New Treatments
News reports featuring E. coli often tell terrifying stories of intestinal illness and diarrhea or deadly outbreaks from contaminated food. There are, however, many different strains of the bacteria E. coli, or Escherichia coli, and not all are bad.
Tuesday, April 04, 2023
UM School of Medicine Study Finds ChatGPT Helpful for Breast Cancer Screening Advice, With Certain Caveats
As more consumers turn to the newly available ChatGPT for health advice, researchers are eager to see whether the information provided by the artificial intelligence chatbot is reliable and accurate. A new study conducted by researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) indicates that the answers generated provide correct information the vast majority of the time; sometimes, though, the information is inaccurate or even fictitious.
Friday, March 31, 2023
Traumatic Brain Injury Interferes with Immune System Cells’ Recycling Process in Brain Cells
Each year about 1.5 million people in the U.S. survive a traumatic brain injury due to a fall, car accident, or a sports injury, which can cause immediate and long-term disability.