Thursday, May 21, 2020
UM School of Medicine Begins First Innovative Trial of Experimental Stem Cell Therapy to Reduce Deaths in Sickest COVID-19 Patients
Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) have begun testing an experimental stem cell therapy developed by Mesoblast Limited to treat hospitalized COVID-19 patients with moderate to severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) who are on ventilators to help them breathe. The trial, which is being conducted at the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) and additional sites across the U.S, will involve a total of 300 patients randomized to receive either the drug remestemcel-L or a placebo in addition to the recommended standard of care to manage severe COVID-19 infections. The first patient in this national trial was treated at UMMC.
Tuesday, May 19, 2020
Dr. Nancy Ryan Lowitt, Longtime UMSOM Medical Education Leader, Administrator and Beloved ‘One of a Kind’ Colleague; Remembered for Her Extraordinary Compassion and Kindness
Nancy R. Lowitt, MD, EdM, FACP, a longtime University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) educator and national leader in faculty affairs and professional development, who was known across the UMSOM community for her gentle kindness, collaborative spirit and selfless demeanor, has passed away.
Monday, May 18, 2020
In Memoriam: Jane Kroh Satterfield, PT ’64, 1942-2020
The University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) and the Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science (PTRS) are mourning the death of Jane Kroh Satterfield, PT ’64, who passed away on May 10, 2020 at the age of 78. Mrs. Satterfield, a native Baltimorean who received her BS in Physical Therapy from the UMSOM in 1964, was a lifelong advocate for the field of pediatric physical therapy, especially in the care for children with special needs.
Friday, May 15, 2020
UMSOM Holds Virtual Commencement to Celebrate Class of 2020
For the first time in the school’s 211-year history, the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) held a virtual commencement ceremony to celebrate the Class of 2020 on May 14. The ceremony marked the culmination of at least four years of studies for the 166 newly minted physicians, who earned medical degrees as well as combined MD/PhD and MD/Masters degrees.
Thursday, May 14, 2020
Researchers Launch Study to Improve Prescribing of Clozapine for More Effective Management of Schizophrenia
Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center are preparing to launch a new study to increase prescribing rates of the medication clozapine to treat schizophrenia. It will employ an innovative educational telementoring program called Project ECHO (Extension for Community Health Outcomes) that connects centralized experts to prescribers and clinicians throughout the state of Maryland.
Tuesday, May 05, 2020
UM School of Medicine is First in U.S. to Test Unique RNA Vaccine Candidate for COVID-19
In a significant development in the global effort to discover a safe and effective vaccine for COVID-19, researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) became the first in the U.S. to begin testing experimental COVID-19 vaccine candidates developed by Pfizer and BioNTech. The research, funded by Pfizer Inc., will study the safety, efficacy, and dosing of an experimental mRNA -based vaccine.
Monday, April 27, 2020
UM School of Medicine Researchers Test Experimental Therapy to Prevent COVID-19
Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) have begun testing the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine as a therapy to prevent infection and symptoms in individuals who have been exposed to COVID-19-positive individuals. The trial is significant because it focuses on preventing COVID-19 and does not involve individuals who are ill with infection but rather healthy individuals who have been exposed.
Thursday, April 23, 2020
UM School of Medicine Researchers Test Remdesivir as Potential Therapy for COVID-19 Patients
Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) are testing the effectiveness of the investigational antiviral drug remdesivir in hospitalized adult patients with SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). The randomized controlled clinical trial is evaluating the safety and effectiveness of the drug, and it is part of a national study funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Wednesday, April 22, 2020
Dr. Robert Gallo Featured on National Geographic’s “Jane Goodall: The Hope” on 50th Anniversary of Earth Day
For the 50th anniversary of Earth Day on April 22, 2020, the National Geographic channel will broadcast back-to-back premieres of Photo Ark: Rarest Creatures and Jane Goodall: The Hope.
Thursday, April 16, 2020
University of Maryland School of Medicine Launches Center for Substance Use in Pregnancy
Asaf Keller, PhD, Professor and Interim Chair of the Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM), along with UMSOM Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, have announced the formation of a new research center to study the long-term health effects on the brains of children born to women who use drugs and alcohol during pregnancy. The Center for Substance Use in Pregnancy will conduct pre-clinical and clinical neuroscience research, focusing on the use of marijuana, opioids, nicotine and alcohol, all of which have increased dramatically in recent years.