Faculty & Staff News

People News

New Program Director of DPT–Boston

Associate Professor Kendra Gagnon, PhD, PT, has been appointed Program Director of the Tufts Doctor of Physical Therapy–Boston program. An accomplished educator and academic leader with more than two decades of experience in physical therapist education, Dr. Gagnon brings a strong record of advancing innovative, high‑quality programs, including senior leadership roles at Baylor University and the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. As Program Director, she will guide the DPT‑Boston program’s continued growth and prepare graduates to meet the needs of diverse patients and clinical teams.

Honored by the American Academy of Microbiology

Dean Helen W. Boucher, MD, has been elected a fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology. The academy’s fellows represent the honorific leadership group and scientific think tank of the American Society for Microbiology, one of the world’s largest life science societies. The academy recognizes scientists whose work has advanced microbiology and public health, selecting fellows through a rigorous, peer-reviewed process that rewards excellence, originality, and lasting impact in the field of microbial science. This recognition reflects Dr. Boucher’s decades-long contributions to microbiology and public health.

Cardiovascular Research Excellence

Assistant Professor Margaret Infeld, MD, has been honored as a 2025 Global CardioVascular Clinical Trialists Forum Research Scholar, a recognition that highlights her emerging leadership and contributions in advancing cardiovascular clinical research. This prestigious distinction reflects her commitment to improving patient outcomes through innovative investigation and her growing impact within the field of cardiovascular medicine.

School News

Trustee Sam W. Ho, M76, Dies

Trustee Sam W. Ho, M76, a dedicated primary care physician, health justice advocate, and former chief medical officer at UnitedHealthcare, passed away on January 31 at age 75. A longtime member of the School of Medicine’s Board of Advisors and a University trustee, he leaves a profound legacy of generosity, leadership, and commitment to medical education and equity. His impact will continue through the scholarship he established, the Ho Health Justice Scholars program, and the forthcoming Sam W. Ho Center for Health Care Transformation, to be launched later this year.

Hands-On Health Sciences Pathways

An enrichment program on the Boston Health Sciences Campus offers select UMass Boston students hands‑on learning and mentorship through two pathways: Clinical Careers and Pathway to PhD. Twenty‑four students gained clinical exposure by learning diagnostic skills from Tufts medical students, practicing ultrasounds and physical exams, and shadowing physicians, while building supportive connections across the health sciences community. Another eight students pursued the research track, completing six fast‑paced lab projects over three weeks under the guidance of graduate‑student teaching assistants—an experience that helps launch their future clinical or research careers.

Research News

Understanding Medication Adherence in Minority Communities

Assistant Professor Sebastian Ramos, MD, Associate Professor Lisa Gualtieri, PhD, ScM, doctoral student Grace Sheng and Joronia Chery, M24, published research in Frontiers in Pharmacology exploring how adults from racial and ethnic minority groups manage medications in their daily lives. Their interviews reveal that routines, visual cues, family support, and cultural beliefs all shape adherence, underscoring the need for culturally responsive, behaviorally informed approaches to improve medication‑taking and reduce persistent disparities.

Stopping Nipah Before It Spreads

A recent Nipah virus outbreak in India has drawn renewed attention to this deadly bat‑borne disease, prompting increased airport screening across several Asian countries. To help interpret the global health implications, Tufts experts Felicia Nutter, DVM, PhD, and Jonathon Gass, PhD, shared insights informed by their extensive work studying Nipah and other high‑risk pathogens in vulnerable regions, underscoring the ongoing need for vigilance and preparedness.

How Family Dinners Protect Teens

A new study led by Professor Margie Skeer, ScD, MPH, MSW, found that regular family dinners may help prevent substance use for a majority of U.S. adolescents, but suggests that the strategy is not effective for youth who have experienced significant childhood adversity. The findings provide important insights for practitioners looking to help families prevent substance use, as well as for researchers aiming to develop interventions that better account for adolescents’ unique experiences.

Grants

New Grant Supports Tick‑Borne Disease Prevention Study

Assistant Professor Edouard Vannier, PharmD, PhD, in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Tufts Medical Center, has received a new R21 grant to investigate pre‑ and post‑exposure prophylaxis for tick‑transmitted babesiosis using the antimalarial drug tafenoquine. His work aims to advance urgently needed preventive strategies against this increasingly prevalent tick‑borne disease.

Grant Fuels Kidney Care Research

Associate Professor David Drew, MD, has received an award from the American Society of Nephrology Bridge Grant Pilot Program to support his study, “Hemodialysis and Cognitive Decline: A Longitudinal Study Examining Key Clinical Outcomes and Modifiable Risk Factors.” His research aims to deepen understanding of how hemodialysis affects cognitive health over time and to identify modifiable factors that could help improve outcomes for patients living with kidney failure.

Zucker Research Award

The Natalie V. Zucker Research Center is now accepting applications for its twenty‑sixth annual grant awards through April 17, 2026, inviting junior faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and residents conducting biomedical research at Tufts or its affiliated hospitals to apply. Awards of up to $10,000 (or $5,000 for training and travel only) support projects aligned with the TU‑TM Research Enterprise pillars, with applications and support letters submitted to Isaac Harmon.

Recent Events

John Green Speaks at Tufts

On February 4, a packed auditorium on Tufts’ Boston Health Sciences Campus welcomed author John Green for a conversation with Dean Helen Boucher about his bestselling nonfiction book Everything Is Tuberculosis, this year’s Common Book selection for incoming medical students. Green discussed the science, history, and global inequities surrounding tuberculosis, engaging students and community members in a powerful dialogue about public health advocacy. The event was presented through the Dr. Maurice S. Segal Lecture Series and Tisch College’s Solomont Speaker Series, with additional support from the Tufts Center for Global Public Health and the TUSM Global Health Faculty Council.

A Conversation on Advocacy and Care

On February 11, the Tufts community gathered in the Jaharis Behrakis Auditorium for an inspiring conversation with Latham Thomas, moderated by Assistant Professor Vanessa Nicholson, DrPH, MPH, on centering equity, advocacy, and care in public health. Thomas shared insights from her leadership in women’s health and reproductive justice, offering attendees a meaningful hour of dialogue and connection.