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People News

Iris Jaffe, the Elisa Kent Mendelsohn Professor of Molecular Cardiology, has been appointed as the inaugural Director of the Tufts University–Tufts Medicine Research Enterprise. Dr. Jaffe will lead the charge in executing a bold vision for a unified and innovative research ecosystem across Tufts University and Tufts Medicine. Dr. Jaffe will define strategic research priorities, foster interdisciplinary collaborations, and continue to build powerful partnerships between the university and the health system, and with industry and the Boston research community.

Jairam Rao Eswara has been appointed as the new chair of the Department of Urology at Tufts University School of Medicine, effective April 1. Dr. Eswara, an associate professor at Tufts and chief of urology at Tufts Medical Center, succeeds Dr. Gennaro Carpinito and brings a wealth of academic, clinical, and research expertise in genitourinary trauma, reconstruction, and prosthetics.

Majd Alsoubani, assistant professor of medicine, has been named as the director of antimicrobial stewardship at Tufts Medical Center. She completed her IM residency, ID fellowship and ID transplant fellowship here at Tufts, as well as her MS in clinical translational science. She has been an active member of the AMT team since her early fellowship days as well as a key transplant group member.

Wenhui Feng, the Tufts Health Plan Professor of Health Care Policy Research, has been appointed associate editor of the journal of Frontiers in Nutrition, Food Policy and Economics.

Michael Clarke, assistant professor in the DPT-Seattle program, has been selected as a recipient of the 2025 Tufts Teaching with Technology Award. This honor recognizes Michael’s exceptional use of technology to enhance student learning and engagement in his courses. The winners of the Teaching with Technology and Excellence in Online Teaching Awards will be recognized during the final social at the 37th Annual Tufts University-Wide Teaching Conference on May 20th.

Pilar Alcaide, Kenneth and JoAnn G. Wellner Professor, has received the President’s Distinguished Lecture from the International Society for Heart Research. She will present the lecture at the World Congress of the ISHR in May.

Damian Archer, assistant dean for multicultural affairs, and Ramnath Subbaraman, associate professor of public health and community medicine, have been appointment to the Massachusetts Public Health Council. The Council plays a key role in shaping public health policy in Massachusetts. Its responsibilities include approving regulations, reviewing Determination of Need applications, advising on major policy decisions, and authorizing emergency actions to protect public health.

Pamela C. Yelick has been named one of the National Academy of Inventors’ Top 100 for 2024. Yelick, a member of the Genetics, Molecular and Cellular Biology Program and the Pharmacology Program at GSBS, holds a patent for a specialized gel that regenerates dental pulp, potentially revolutionizing tooth repair.

The late Andrew Bohm, an associate professor of developmental, molecular, and chemical biology, has been honored as one of the National Academy of Inventors’ Top 100 for 2024. Bohm's innovative patent introduces a method for efficiently generating edited DNA, from simple point mutations to complex DNA libraries. This groundbreaking technique uses a single-stranded deoxyuridine (dU)-containing template to align DNA oligomers with mutations, enabling the creation of diverse DNA sequences. Bohm's contributions continue to impact the field of genetic research profoundly.

Awards

Small Grants to Advance Translational Science

The Tufts CTSI Small Grants to Advance Translational Science (S-GATS) Program provides proof of concept funding for innovative, collaborative projects aimed at overcoming challenges in translational research and exploring novel pathways to enhance scientific discovery and clinical application.

Karen Errichetti, assistant professor of public health and community medicine, received a S-GATS Award from Tufts CTSI for her project using natural language processing and the OMOP Common Data Model to uncover rare, often undiagnosed diseases in electronic medical records—starting with a canine model to inform advances in both human and veterinary medicine.
Gat Rauner, research assistant professor of DMCB, received a S-GATS Award from Tufts CTSI for his work developing a biomimetic extracellular matrix to improve the accuracy of breast tumor organoid models, enhancing cancer research, drug testing, and personalized therapies.
Paola Sebastiani, professor of medicine, is part of a team awarded a grant for research on the health risks of wildfire smoke exposure for firefighters. The study aims to assess the impact of short-term smoke exposure on cardiopulmonary health and inform new safety guidelines to protect at-risk populations.

Research News

How to Treat Shoulder Pain
Our shoulders enable incredible movements but are prone to injuries. Paul Salamh, visiting associate professor of rehabilitation sciences, shares the latest research on shoulder injuries, focusing on athletes and frozen shoulder. His studies aim to simplify complex information for better patient care and understanding.

Rethinking Feedback
Not all feedback is created equal. In this article, Allen Shaughnessy, professor of family medicine, outline a nuanced framework for giving correction, criticism, praise, feedforward, and grades—emphasizing timing, intent, and empathy to foster effective learning and reduce harm.

Environmental Drivers of Lassa Virus Spread in West Africa
Jon Gass, assistant professor of public health and community medicine, conducted a systematic review of 70 studies to examine how environmental factors—like seasonal rainfall, land-use change, and host expansion—shape the spread of Lassa virus in West Africa, highlighting key knowledge gaps and calling for integrated One Health approaches to reduce future risk.

Advancing Nutrition Equity for Justice-Impacted Individuals
Kimberly Dong, director of public health programs, examines the nutrition-related health challenges faced by incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals, emphasizing the role of registered dietitian nutritionists and calling for policy changes and community support to improve long-term health outcomes.

Zhang D, Jahanfar S, Rabinowitz JB, Dower J, Song F, Wu CH, Hu X, Tracy P, Basik M, Medford A, Lin PH, Huang CS, Bidard FC, Renault S, Pai L, Buss M, Parsons HA, Schlam I. Role of circulating tumor DNA in early-stage triple-negative breast cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Breast Cancer Res. 2025 Mar 12;27(1):38. doi: 10.1186/s13058-025-01986-y. PMID: 40075528.
Perner F, Berg T, Sasca D, Mersiowsky SL, Gadrey JY, Thomas J, Kühn MWM, Lübbert M. Therapeutic targeting of chromatin alterations in leukemia and solid tumors. Int J Cancer. 2025 Apr 3. doi: 10.1002/ijc.35389. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40181550.
Paasche-Orlow MK, Wolf MS. Addressing Health Literacy. JAMA. 2025 Apr 9. doi: 10.1001/jama.2025.2198. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40202765.
Collazo A, Amenta E, Olmeda K, Valentine-King M, Laytner L, Mancera A, Zoorob R, Paasche-Orlow MK, Street RL Jr, Trautner BW, Grigoryan L. A screening question to assess risk of using antibiotics without a prescription: a diagnostic study. BMC Prim Care. 2025 Apr 15;26(1):111. doi: 10.1186/s12875-025-02811-3. PMID: 40234795; PMCID: PMC11998457.
Friedman S, Nielsen J, Andersen ML, Nørgård BM. Complications of ileus and bowel obstruction during pregnancy in women who have had surgery for inflammatory bowel disease: A population-based study. Am J Gastroenterol. 2025 Mar 24. doi: 10.14309/ajg.0000000000003425. Online ahead of print. PMID: 40125854
Cotto HM, Farra YM, Sorenson AG, Shingwekar S, Chen Y, Sebastiani P, Bellini C, Oakes JM. Longitudinal Electronic Cigarette Exposures Impair Respiratory Function and Structure in the Female Apoe/- Mouse. Nicotine Tob Res. 2025 Apr 22:ntaf084. doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntaf084. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40269654.
Singh R, Patel K, Xu H, Adeniyi A, Upshaw JN, Van Buren P, Kaufman PA, Dittus K, Landry KK. Cardio-Oncology and Breast Cancer Therapies. Curr Treat Options Oncol. 2025 Apr 21. doi: 10.1007/s11864-025-01311-x. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40257669.
Kumar V, Hevener AL, Ruby JG, Sebastiani P, Kuchel GA; Participants of the NIA Heterogeneity and Successful Aging Workshop. Workshop Report-Heterogeneity and Successful Aging Part II: Approaches to Investigate Heterogeneity in Aging Research. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2025 Apr 7;80(5):glaf021. doi: 10.1093/gerona/glaf021. PMID: 40257451.
Perrone RD, Garbinsky D, Nunna S, Gandhi HK, Fernandes AW, Burgos G, Olopoenia A, DeCongelio M, Maculaitis MC, Zhou X. Effectiveness of Tolvaptan for Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease in US Clinical Practice With Comparison to Historical Control Data. Kidney Med. 2025 Feb 27;7(5):100988. doi: 10.1016/j.xkme.2025.100988. PMID: 40242785; PMCID: PMC12002913.
Greene T, Collier W, Haaland B, Zhang C, Badve SV, Caravaca-Fontán F, Del Vecchio L, Floege J, Hannedouche T, Imai E, Jafar TH, Lewis JB, Li PKT, Locatelli F, Maes BD, Neuen BL, Perrone RD, Schena FP, Toto R, Wanner C, Woodward M, van Zuilen A, Heerspink HJL, Inker LA; CKD-EPI Clinical Trials Consortium. The Clinical Implications of Slope of Glomerular Filtration Rate in Clinical Trials of Chronic Kidney Disease. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2025 Apr 15. doi: 10.2215/CJN.0000000662. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40237639.
Collazo A, Amenta E, Olmeda K, Valentine-King M, Laytner L, Mancera A, Zoorob R, Paasche-Orlow MK, Street RL Jr, Trautner BW, Grigoryan L. A screening question to assess risk of using antibiotics without a prescription: a diagnostic study. BMC Prim Care. 2025 Apr 15;26(1):111. doi: 10.1186/s12875-025-02811-3. PMID: 40234795; PMCID: PMC11998457.
Yeh GY, Ahn A, Clark J, Irwin MR, Kong J, Lavretsky H, Li F, Manor B, Mehling W, Oh B, Seitz D, Tawakol A, Tsang WWN, Wang C, Yeung A, Wayne PM. The Science of Tai Chi and Qigong as Whole Person Health- Part II: Evidence Gaps and Opportunities for Future Research and Implementation. J Integr Complement Med. 2025 Apr 14. doi: 10.1089/jicm.2024.0958. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40229137.
Tran V, Schmitt A, Kasturi S MS. Prevalence of Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia in Hospitalized Patients with Antiphospholipid Syndrome or Lupus with Antiphospholipid Antibodies. Am J Med. 2025 Apr 12:S0002-9343(25)00235-9. doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2025.04.009. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40228597.
Erenler F, Katcher B, Phan V, Arkun K, Safain MG. Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone/Growth Hormone Cosecreting Pituitary Adenoma With Normal Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone Level. JCEM Case Rep. 2025 Apr 11;3(5):luaf063. doi: 10.1210/jcemcr/luaf063. PMID: 40226088; PMCID: PMC11986576.
Babroudi S, Weiner DE. Acute Kidney Injury Care Following Hospitalization: Care Provision and Public Policy for Acute Kidney Injury Survivors. Adv Kidney Dis Health. 2025 Mar;32(2):205-216. doi: 10.1053/j.akdh.2024.10.002. PMID: 40222808; PMCID: PMC11999246.
Mukherjee M, Jani VP, Osgueritchian R, Mombeini H, Abidov A, Beck G, Erzurum S, Frantz RP, Hassoun PM, Hemnes AR, Hill NS, Horn EM, Kim J, Kwon D, Larive AB, Leary PJ, Leopold JA, Mathai SC, Mehra R, Park MM, Rosenzweig EB, Tang WHW, Jellis CL, Rischard FP, Badagliacca R; PVDOMICS Study Group. Echocardiographic Parameters Enhance Risk Prediction Scores in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Insights from the PVDOMICS Network. Chest. 2025 Apr 11:S0012-3692(25)00431-3. doi: 10.1016/j.chest.2025.04.007. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40222714.
Lumley SF, Mokaya J, Maponga TG, Kramvis A, Dusheiko G, Irving W, Delphin M, Said Mohammed K, Downs LO, Waddilove E, Anderson M, Iwuji C, Msomi N, Ocama P, Hamid S, Adda D, Halford R, Kabagambe K, Benschop KSM, Inzaule S, Chan P, Paul MAS, Izumi K, Nisa T, De Dieu Iragena J, Girón-Callejas A, Kpossou AR, Jamiyu G, Emmanuel O, Balkissa M, Keita M, Prabdial-Sing N, Martinez A, Magongo EN, Shao Y, Sued O, Sereno LS, Shafer RW, Lesi O, Faini D, Easterbrook P, Duncombe C, Jordan MR, Matthews PC. Hepatitis B virus resistance to nucleos(t)ide analogue therapy: WHO consultation on questions, challenges, and a roadmap for the field. Lancet Microbe. 2025 Apr 9:101076. doi: 10.1016/j.lanmic.2025.101076. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40220768.
Kassirer JP. Artificial Intelligence in Medical Practice: Is It Ready? Ann Intern Med. 2025 Apr 4. doi: 10.7326/ANNALS-25-00472. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40183680.
Paasche-Orlow MK, Wolf MS. Addressing Health Literacy. JAMA. Published online April 09, 2025. doi:10.1001/jama.2025.2198
Schoen S Jr, Wang M, Dayavansha S, Naja K, Kumar V, Tadross R, Pope K, Ling L, Hunt D, Peters MK, Iafrate A, Mercaldo ND, Sandstrom K, Kim T, Washburn M, Pierce TT, Samir AE. Increased Mechanical Index Improves Shear Wave Elastography: Pilot Study of Signal Enhancement. Ultrasound Med Biol. 2025 Apr 9:S0301-5629(25)00071-7. doi: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2025.03.003. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40204561.
Anderson E, Choi Y, Buchsbaum RJ, Klein A, Ky B, Landsburg D, Durani U, Ruddy KJ, Yu AF, Leong D, Asnani A, Neilan TG, Ganatra S, Bloom M, Barac A, Yang EH, Deswal A, Cheng RK, Weiss M, Evens AM, Kahl B, Friedberg JW, Parsons SK, Upshaw JN. Hematology-oncology provider perspectives regarding lymphoma treatment and cardioprotective strategies in patients with lymphoma at high risk for heart failure. Leuk Lymphoma. 2025 Apr 8:1-10. doi: 10.1080/10428194.2025.2484367. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40195874.
Najib U, Cheng EM, Halker Singh RB, Ayub N, Nelson SE, Bushard PJ, Jordan JT, Sico JJ, Turbes M, Anderson WE. AAN Position: Opioids. Neurology. 2025 May 13;104(9):e213544. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000213544. Epub 2025 Apr 7. PMID: 40193721.
Gandhi RT, Jordan MR. COVID-19: How Far We've Come and Where We Need to Go Next. Infect Dis Clin North Am. 2025 Apr 3:S0891-5520(25)00025-X. doi: 10.1016/j.idc.2025.03.001. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40185648.
Babroudi S, Tighiouart H, Weiner DE, Neyra JA, Sanders R, Manley HJ, Lacson EK Jr, Drew DA. Association of Social Risk Factors with Kidney Function Recovery among Patients with Acute Kidney Injury Receiving Outpatient Dialysis. J Am Soc Nephrol. 2025 Apr 2. doi: 10.1681/ASN.0000000692. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40172989.
Jung W, Hubbard RA, Smith AM, Ko K, Huang A, Wang J, Isaacs JM, Zhang L, Liu PP, Chen Z, Shah PD, Mintzer D, Bhattacharya S, Knollman HM, Clark AS, Koropeckyj-Cox D, Messinger M, Wilcox NS, Xia C, Narayan V, Upshaw JN, Armenian SH, Ky B. Risk-guided cardioprotection with carvedilol in patients with breast cancer (CCT guide): a phase 1 randomized clinical trial. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2025 Apr 2. doi: 10.1007/s10549-025-07636-3. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40172740.
Grob SR, Tao JP, Aakalu VK, Foster JA, Dagi Glass LR, McCulley TJ, Vagefi MR, Yoon M, Kim SJ, Wladis EJ. Pharmacologic Agents Used in the Assessment or Correction of Blepharoptosis: A Report by the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Ophthalmology. 2025 Apr 1:S0161-6420(25)00072-7. doi: 10.1016/j.ophtha.2025.01.018. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40172501.
Evans SR, Pennello G, Zhang S, Li Y, Wang Y, Cao Q, Komarow L, Hamasaki T, Petrides V, Meier K, Galicia NP, Fowler VG Jr, Boucher HW, Doernberg SB, Banerjee R, Rigatto MH, Kreiswirth BN, Bonomo RA, Chambers HF, Patel R. Intention-to-diagnose and distinct research foci in diagnostic accuracy studies. Lancet Infect Dis. 2025 Mar 27:S1473-3099(25)00070-2. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(25)00070-2. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40158520.
Tingen J, D'Amico A, Kanter M, Riesenburger RI, Kryzanski J. Assessing a dose-response relationship: Preoperative opioid daily MME and duration on lumbar spine surgery patient-reported outcomes. Clin Neurol Neurosurg. 2025 Mar 26;252:108865. doi: 10.1016/j.clineuro.2025.108865. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40157141.

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Recent Events

Barbara McGovern and David Stone Lecture

On April 18, the Barbara McGovern, M.D., and David Stone, M.D., Professorship Lecture was held in Wolff Auditorium at Tufts Medical Center. Established through the generosity of the McGrath Family Foundation, the professorship honors the legacies of esteemed faculty members Barbara McGovern, MD, and the late David Stone, MD. Laura Kogelman, the inaugural holder of the professorship, delivered a talk titled "STIs: Talk! Test! Treat!" highlighting the importance of communication, testing, and treatment for sexually transmitted infections.

Black Maternal Health Conference

The 8th Annual Black Maternal Health Conference, held on April 4-5, 2025, focused on "Centering the Role of Fathers in Addressing Maternal Health Inequities." This year's event brought together Black birthers, families, birth workers, health experts, researchers, students, and community members to tackle the Black maternal health crisis in the United States. The conference aimed to disrupt the status quo, raise awareness, inspire activism, and foster community building. Participants left educated, inspired, and equipped to continue the fight for Black maternal health equity.

Upcoming Events

3rd Annual Feingold Lectureship

Emeritus Professor David Feingold will be retiring from clinical practice after more than 40 years at Tufts Medical Center. He established the Department of Dermatology in 1980 and served as Chair for 30 years before stepping down. He is an inspiration to us all and has demonstrated incredible dedication to the department, mentored countless faculty and trainees, and helped countless patients over his career. This celebration of Dr. Feingold will take place on Wednesday May 14, 2025 at 5:30pm in the TUSM building, Room 114.

Commencement

The School of Medicine and Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Commencement ceremony will take place on Sunday, May 18, 2025, at 11:30am in the Gantcher Family Sports and Convocation Center, 161 College Avenue. This ceremony will recognize MD, PhD, and master’s degree graduates. A separate Phase II ceremony for master's program graduates will take place at 4:00pm on the Carmichael Quadrangle.

Tufts Women’s Health Summit

The inaugural Tufts Women’s Health Summit will take place on June 4, 2025. The daylong event will feature keynote speaker Dr. Vivian Pinn and interactive sessions focused on advancing collaborative approaches to women’s health across the lifespan.

Ghahreman Khodadad Professorship in Neuroscience

On Tuesday, June 10, 2025, at 3:30 PM, TUSM will celebrate the Ghahreman Khodadad Professorship in Neuroscience with a lecture by Emily Newman, PhD, the inaugural holder of the professorship. Titled "Unraveling the Neural Mechanisms of Aggression and Violence," the lecture will take place in the DeBlois Auditorium at the Medical Education Center.

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