1960s

1962

January 31, 1962

The Report of the Recess Commission on the Establishment of a State Supported Medical School (known as the Donahue Report after its chair, Massachusetts Senate Majority Leader Maurice Donahue), recommending the establishment of a four-year medical school, is accepted by the Senate.

July 27, 1962

Legislature enacts a proposal to establish 4-year medical school affiliated with the University of Massachusetts.

1963

December 1963

Lamar Soutter, M.D. named founding Dean of UMMS, effective February 1964.

1965

June 1965

UMass Trustees choose Worcester as site of medical school; a second vote in August 1965 reaffirms that choice.

1966

January 1966

Governor John Volpe signs legislation for acquisition of the Worcester site.

September 1966

The Belmont Street/Lake Avenue site is selected.

November 1966

H. Brownell Wheeler, M.D., appointed first consultant in Department of Surgery.

1967

February 1967

John Stockwell appointed hospital director.

1969

Fall 1969

Governor Francis W. Sargent approves plans for school.

October 23, 1969

Groundbreaking for school building.

Department of Anatomy is established. Sam L. Clark, Jr., M.D. is named founding chair.

Department of Biochemistry is established. R. William Butcher, Ph.D. is named founding chair, 1970.

Department of Community Medicine is established. Hugh S. Fulmer, M.D. is named founding chair.

1970s

1970

Donald J. Morton, Ph.D. named director of the Lamar Soutter Library.

September 1970

Sixteen students enter Class of 1974. Begin classes in Shaw Building (a renovated tobacco warehouse on Belmont Street).

Department of Pathology is established. Guido Majno, M.D. is appointed chair, 1973.

Department of Physiology is established. H. Maurice Goodman, Ph.D. is named founding chair.

1971

January 1971

UMMS and Hahnemann Hospital sign agreement allowing medical students to receive clinical training. The affiliation agreement is the first in city to be signed between the medical school and a hospital. Affiliation agreements were also signed that year with St. Vincent's, Memorial and Worcester City.

September 28, 1971

The House authorizes $53 million for teaching hospital at UMMS.

October 13, 1971

Senate also approves $53 million capital outlay without federal funds (which were earlier denied by federal government).

Department of Medicine is established. Roger Hickler, M.D. is named founding chair.

Department of Orthopedics is established. Arthur Pappas, M.D. is named founding chair.

Department of Microbiology is established. Donald J. Tipper, Ph.D. is named founding chair.

Department of Psychiatry is established. Edward Mason, M.D., interim chair. Stanley Walzer, M.D., is named founding chair, 1977.

1972

March 2, 1972

Governor Francis W. Sargent approves construction of UMass hospital.

April 1972

Teaching hospital construction begins.

1973

Family Practice Residency Program is established, financially supported by limited grant funds, hospitals, and affiliated health centers until 1976 when the Legislature earmarks funds for the Program.

Department of Community and Family Medicine is established (formerly Department of Community Medicine). Hugh S. Fulmer is chair.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology is established. Richard E. Hunter, M.D. named founding chair.

October 1973

Clinical and basic sciences building opens to accommodate 104 medical students and 200 faculty.

1974

H. Brownell Wheeler, M.D., founding Chair of Surgery, appointed Chief of Staff of University Hospital.

Dean Soutter named medical school's chancellor.

Legislation establishes UMass Group Practice Plan.

Department of Cardiology is established. James Dalen, M.D. is named founding chair.

Department of Family Practice is established. Richard Walton, M.D. is named founding chair.

Department of Pharmacology is established. Neal C. Brown, D.V.M., Ph.D. is named chair.

May 1974

First class graduates 16 M.Ds.

1975

Dean Soutter resigns as chancellor/dean.

R. W. Butcher, Ph.D. serves as acting dean until 1976.

Medical School library designated Lamar Soutter Library.

Roger Bulger, M.D., appointed chancellor/dean effective 1976.

Department of Anesthesiology is established. Michael Stanton-Hicks, M.D. is named founding chair, 1977.

Department of Pediatrics is established. J. Barry Hanshaw, M.D. is named founding chair.

Department of Radiology is established. Edward Smith, M.D. is named founding chair, 1980.

February 1975

First occupants of hospital building J.C. Cutler and William Woodring of Hospital Administration.

May 19, 1975

Ambulatory care clinic opens. First ambulatory patient seen by Charles Regan, M.D. in Ophthalmology Clinic. Hospital opening delayed because of hold-up of capital outlay funds.

1976

Susan Mickola Fitzpatrick, R.N., hired as first nurse.

January 18, 1976

In-patient unit opens and first two patients are admitted. Arthur Pappas, M.D., professor and Chair of Orthopedics was admitting physician. He and Wallace Chang, M.D., Chief of Plastic Surgery admitted most of the first week's patients.

Wayne Silva, M.D., acting director of the emergency room and Alvin Blaustein, M.D. of the Ambulatory Medicine Department see the first emergency patient.

March 1976

Medical Center signs contract with Belchertown State Hospital to provide healthcare to 700 residents there.

June 4, 1976

UMMC Gift Shop opens next to cafeteria. Staffed by volunteers, its profits from sales will be turned back to UMMC for scholarships and special purchase equipment.

June 11, 1976

First issue of Centerscope, newsletter for faculty, staff, and students, published.

1977

Department of Family and Community Medicine is established (merger of Family Practice and Community & Family Medicine). Robin Catlin, M.D., is named founding chair.

Department of Neurology is established. David A. Drachman, M.D. named chair.

September 1977

Michael O. Bice appointed hospital director.

October 13, 1977

University of Massachusetts Medical School complex and University Hospital are formally dedicated at ceremonies on the Worcester campus.

October 14-15, 1977

First Open House.

November 1977

Massachusetts legislature directs the Board of Trustees to establish a Learning Contract for students entering in September 1978. The Learning Contract provides for either service or monetary reimbursement to the Commonwealth after the student completes internship and residency requirements.

1978

Tri-River Family Health Center established.

Chancellor/Dean Roger J. Bulger, M.D. resigns.

H. Maurice Goodman, Ph.D. serves as acting chancellor/dean until 1979.

June 12, 1978

Palliative Care Service established as first hospice in country in a university teaching hospital.

December 2, 1978

Pediatric Intensive Care Unit opens.

1979

Danna Peterson, M.B. Ch.B is first director of the anesthesiology residency program.

Stress Reduction Program founded by Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D.

March 1979

Helen Padykula, Ph.D., Professor and Chair, Department of Anatomy, is first woman to chair a department at UMMS.

March 6, 1979

Adult Mental Health Unit opens.

April 4, 1979

Robert E. Tranquada, M.D., appointed chancellor/dean of UMMS.

September 1979

Ph.D. Program in Medical Sciences begins with seven students.

Fall 1979

George E. Wright, Ph.D. serves as acting dean of the Ph.D. Program in Medical Sciences until June 1980 when he leaves on sabbatical.

December 1979

Day surgery unit opens.

1980s

1980

Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology is established (formerly Department of Microbiology). Michael Bratt, Ph.D. is named chair, 1979.

June 1980

Trudy G. Morrison, Ph.D. serves as acting dean of the Ph.D. Program in Medical Sciences until June 1981.

1981

Hospital is designated Central Massachusetts' regional Level 1 trauma center.

June 1981

George E Wright, Ph.D. serves as dean of Ph.D. Program in Medical Sciences until June 1984.

September 1981

First issue of Voice, an employee newsletter, published.

December 1981

Janice B. Wyatt appointed hospital director.

1982

September 22, 1982

Life Flight, the first hospital-based air ambulance service in New England, launched at hospital.

Lynn Eckhert, M.D., M.P.H. is appointed acting chair of the Department of Family and Community Medicine.

1983

August 1983

UMMC is designated Diabetes Endocrinology Research Center and is headed by William Chick, M.D.

Fall 1983

UMMC, Worcester Memorial receive major AIDS grant—John Sullivan, M.D., co-investigator.

November 10, 1983

UMMC performs first major limb reattachment.

December 14, 1983

Emergency Nurses C.A.R.E. program receives Manuel Carballo Governor's Award for Excellence in Public Service.

1984

First students in Ph.D. Program in Medical Sciences graduate.

Thomas B. Miller, Ph.D. appointed dean of Ph.D. Program in Medical Sciences.

Department of Radiation Oncology is established. Joel S. Greenberger, M.D. is named founding chair.

Lynn Eckhert, M.D., M.P.H. is named Chair, Department of Family and Community Medicine.

July 1984

Department of Psychiatry contracts with the Department of Mental Health to provide emergency services for the Greater Worcester area.

Office of Graduate Studies established.

1985

The Harry M. Haidak Professorship in Surgery is established. H. Brownell Wheeler, M.D. is named the inaugural recipient.

Graduate School of Nursing established. Kathleen Dirschel, Ph.D., R.N. appointed Dean.

July 9, 1985

State Public Health Council approves kidney transplant service.

September 4, 1985

Pediatric Day Surgery Unit launched.

December 4, 1985

Center for Health and Fitness opens.

1986

Graduate School of Nursing opens and first class of 30 students matriculates.

Keith J. Waterbrook is named hospital director.

John L. Sullivan, M.D., Professor, Department of Pediatrics and Program in Molecular Medicine, receives the Governor's Recognition Award for AIDS Research.

Ph.D. Program in Medical Sciences becomes Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.

Chancellor Robert Tranquada resigns.

J. Barry Hanshaw, M.D. appointed dean/provost.

James E. Dalen, M.D. serves as acting chancellor until 1987.

January 28, 1986

Hospital begins 10th Anniversary celebration.

1987

J. Barry Hanshaw, M.D. serves as acting chancellor.

Leonard Laster, M.D. appointed chancellor.

J. Barry Hanshaw, M.D. resigns as dean/provost.

First 13 students in Graduate School of Nursing graduate.

1988

The Celia and Isaac Haidak Professorship in Medical Education is established. Gerald L. Haidak, M.D. is named the inaugural recipient.

First M.D./Ph.D. student graduates.

Department of Cell Biology is established (formerly Department of Anatomy). Gary Stein, Ph.D. is named chair, 1987.

Fall 1988

UMMC and Division of Public Health at UMass/Amherst join in Master in Public Health Program (degree from UMass/Amherst).

November 22, 1988

Edward Budnitz Professorship in Cardiovascular Medicine announced. Joseph Alpert, M.D., named first Budnitz Professor.

1989

Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences celebrates 10th Anniversary.

Aaron Lazare, M.D., Chair, Psychiatry, appointed dean ad interim.

UMMC opens new Cardiovascular Center combining three divisions — Cardiovascular Medicine, Cardiothoracic Surgery and Vascular Surgery.

Evan Charney, M.D., Chair, Department of Pediatrics, is elected to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies.

Graduate School of Nursing awarded an unusual, full, initial eight-year accreditation by the Board of Review of the National League of Nursing.

Program in Molecular Medicine is established. Michael Czech, Ph.D. is founding director.

John Sullivan and colleagues demonstrate the effectiveness of the experimental drug Nevirapine in preventing HIV replication in vitro, opening the way for testing of the drug on humans.

Fall 1989

UMMC/Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine establish new Doctor of Veterinary Medicine/Doctor of Philosophy degree program.

1990s

1990

Graduate School of Nursing establishes HIV sub-specialty funded by Health Resources and Services Administration.

Roger J. Davis, Ph.D. named Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator.

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology is established (formerly Department of Biochemistry). Michael Czech, Ph.D., is named chair, 1981.

January 1990

Gail Frieswick, R.N., Ed.D., named hospital director.

May 1990

UMMC surgeons and anesthesiologists perform procedures using various anesthesia techniques during live, trans-Atlantic, anesthesiology-care satellite broadcast from UMMC to Paris.

July 25, 1990

Aaron Lazare, M.D., appointed dean of the medical school.

August 1990

Chancellor Leonard Laster resigns.

UMMS/Milford-Whitinsville Regional Hospital announces affiliation (new training site for internal medicine residency).

UMass/Ben Gurion Exchange Program begins (funded by U.S. Israeli Mental Health Foundation) with Israeli physician Gregori Roitman, M.D., in an advanced elective rotation in neuropsychiatry at UMMC.

September 1990

Aaron Lazare, M.D. appointed chancellor ad interim.

October 1990

UMMC awarded $1.3 million grant for Health Education & Training Center.

UMMC becomes smoke-free institution.

First Medical Center forum held for employees, faculty, staff, students, volunteers.

Michael Hirsh, M.D., Professor, Department of Surgery and Director, Pediatric Trauma Center is selected as recipient of the Manuel Carballo Governor's Award for Excellence in Public Service.

1991

The Richard M. Haidack Professorship in Medicine is established. Neil R. Blacklow, M.D. is named the inaugural recipient.

AHEC receives three-year, $620,000 W. K. Kellogg Foundation grant to help Mass. communities strengthen the delivery of health and human services.

In conjunction with the National Institutes of Health's AIDS Clinical Testing Group, first Nevirapine clinical trials begin at UMMC. Sarah H. Cheeseman, M.D. is first physician to administer Nevirapine to an adult patient.

Transplantation Surgery Program receives state approval to perform pancreas transplants.

Susan E. Leeman, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Physiology, is the first UMMS faculty member elected to the National Academy of Sciences.

UMMC begins nine Total Quality Improvement pilot study projects in anticipation of development of center-wide program.

Katherine Luzuriaga, M.D. gives the first dose of Nevirapine to a pediatric patient in a clinical safety study at UMMC.

Psychiatry Department awarded five-year $1.6 million grant to fund joint program with Worcester Public Schools (WPS), marking the first formal collaboration with WPS.

For the first time in the school's history, all fourth-year medical students matched to their top choices on Match Day.

Aaron Lazare, M.D., appointed chancellor/dean.

Lillian R. Goodman, Ed.D., R.N. named interim Dean of the Graduate School of Nursing.

Dermatology Residency Program begins, the first in Massachusetts outside of Boston.

May 6, 1991

UMMC begins first Medical Interpreter Training Course for bilingual staff.

July 1991

Milford-Whitinsville Hospital becomes new training site for UMMS internal medicine residency program.

1992

University of Massachusetts Foundation purchases Two Biotech.

Joseph T. Benedict Building opens to outpatients.

Transition of Worcester City Hospital to the Family Health Center-Worcester. The site officially becomes UMass City Campus.

Graduate School of Nursing develops HIV/AIDS subspecialty.

Worcester Emergency Medical Services (EMS) becomes part of UMMC when City Hospital closes.

Graduate School of Nursing offers for first time a post-master's certificate option in specialty of adult nurse practitioner preparation.

November 1, 1992

The Generalist Physician Initiative of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, developed to address the shortage of primary care physicians, awards UMMC a preliminary planning grant.

UMass Children's Diabetes Center is established, the only program for children with diabetes in central Massachusetts to be recognized by the American Diabetes Association.

1993

Department of Emergency Medicine is established. Richard V. Aghababian, M.D. is named founding chair.

Tri-River Family Health Center is tripled in size and rededicated.

UMMC establishes Cancer Center. Peter Quesenberry, M.D., named director.

1994

Annanaomi Sams, MLIS, named interim director of the Lamar Soutter Library.

UMMC awarded $10 million contract from National Institutes of Health for Women's Health Initiative, the nation's first multi-center major research study on women's health problems. Judith Ockene, Ph.D., Director of Preventive and Behavioral Medicine serves as principal investigator.

Graduate School of Nursing initiates Ph.D. program with UMass/Amherst.

Graduate School of Nursing establishes Cardiac Nursing subspecialty funded by Health Resources & Services Administration.

State approves funding for neuropsychiatry research institute for UMMC.

Michael R.Green, M.D., Ph.D. named a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator.

Department of Ophthalmology is established. John W. Gittinger, Jr., M.D. is named founding chair.

1995

UMMC launches 25th anniversary celebration.

School breaks ground for new Learning Center. Allan S. Goff Learning Center is completed in 1997.

Lillian R. Goodman, Ed.D., R.N. appointed Dean of Graduate School of Nursing.

First Adult Acute/Critical Care Nurse Practitioner/Clinical Specialist Specialty in UMass system initiated.

Craig C. Mello, Ph.D., assistant professor of cell biology, is named a 1995 Pew Scholar by the Pew Charitable Trusts.

Geriatric Subspecialty established in collaboration with Fallon Elder Care.

Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society founded by Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D. as an outgrowth of the Stress Reduction Program founded in 1979.

Department of Otolaryngology is established. William G. Lavelle, M.D. is named founding chair.

Annanaomi Sams, MLIS, named director of the Lamar Soutter Library.

1996

The Worcester Pipeline Collaborative proposal for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's, Project 3000 by 2000, Health Professions Partnership Initiative, submitted by Aaron Lazare, M.D., Chancellor/Dean, Principal Investigator, Deborah Harmon Hines, Ph.D., Associate Provost, Co-Principal Investigator, and James E. Hamos, Ph.D., Director, Office of Science Education, Co-Principal Investigator is selected and the Worcester Pipeline Collaborative is established.

1997

The Irving S. and Betty Brudnick Chair in Psychiatry is established. Anthony J. Rothschild, M.D. is named the inaugural recipient.

The William and Doris Krupp Professorship in Medicine is established. Aldo A. Rossini, M.D. is named the inaugural recipient.

The Dr. John Meyers Professorship in Primary Care Medicine is established. Jerry H. Gurwitz, M.D. is named the inaugural recipient.

MassBiologics Lab transferred from Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Public Health to UMass Medical School.

Worcester Foundation for Biomedical Research merged with the University of Massachusetts Medical School.

Frank Chlapowski, Ph.D., named interim director of the Lamar Soutter Library.

John L. Sullivan, M.D. and Katherine Luzuriaga, M.D. develop triple drug therapy to reduce level of HIV virus in infants and children infected during birth.

National League for Nursing grants GSN accreditation for eight years.

First Ph.D. candidates in Graduate School of Nursing program graduate.

Graduate School of Nursing Cancer Prevention and Control Education Subspecialty established.

November 25, 1997

Governor A. Paul Cellucci signs legislation authorizing the merger of the University of Massachusetts's clinical system with Memorial Health Care, effective April 2, 1998.

1998

James Hamos, Ph.D. is a recipient of the UMass President's 1998 Public Service Award.

UMass Medical School is one of three medical schools selected for the Macy Initiative in Health Communication. Aaron Lazare, M.D., Chancellor/Dean is co-principal investigator. Michele P. Pugnaire, M.D. is named Project Director and Curriculum Director.

January 1998

First liver transplant outside of Boston performed.

Donna M. Ambrosino, M.D., named first director of MassBiologics Lab following its transfer to UMass Medical School in 1997.

Elaine R. Martin, D.A. named director of the Lamar Soutter Library.

Thomas C. Manning, Vice Chancellor for Operations is selected as recipient of the Manuel Carballo Governor's Award for Excellence in Public Service.

Department of Family Medicine and Community Health is established (formerly Department of Family and Community Medicine). Daniel Lasser, M.D. is named founding chair.

Anne Bourgeois, Ed.D. is named President, University Hospital.

1999

The George F. Booth Chair in the Basic Sciences is established. George B. Witman III, Ph.D. is named the inaugural recipient.

Jeffrey L. Geller, M.D., M.P.H. is a recipient of the UMass President's 1999 Public Service Award.

The Eleanor Eustis Farrington Chair in Cancer Research is established. Peter Quesenberry, M.D. is named the inaugural recipient.

The Arthur M. Pappas, M.D. Chair in Orthopedics is established. David C. Ayers, M.D. is named the inaugural recipient in 2003.

The H. Arthur Smith Chair in Cancer Research is established. Richard B. Vallee, Ph.D. is named the inaugural recipient.

The Vitold Arnett Professorship in Cell Biology is established. Thoru Pederson, Ph.D. is named the inaugural recipient.

The David J. Freelander Professorship in AIDS Research is established. Mario Stevenson, Ph.D. is named the inaugural recipient.

The Gerald L. Haidak, M.D., and Zelda S. Haidak Professorship in Cell Biology is established. Gary S. Stein, Ph.D. is named the inaugural recipient.

Commonwealth Medicine, the health care consulting division of UMass Medical School, is established. Thomas C. Manning is named director.

Graduate School of Nursing Dean Lillian Goodman retires, establishes an endowed chair, and becomes Dean and Professor, Emeriti.

Graduate School of Nursing Correctional/Institutional Subspecialty introduced.

UMass Medical School and UMass Memorial Health Care granted approval to begin cardiac transplant program. First in Massachusetts outside of Boston.

Program in Gene Function and Expression established. Michael R. Green, M.D., Ph.D. is named director.

2000s

2000

Doreen C. Harper, Ph.D., R.N., FAAN appointed third dean of the Graduate School of Nursing.

Craig C. Mello, Ph.D., named a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator.

Paul S. Appelbaum, M.D., Chair, Department of Psychiatry is elected to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies.

The Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology (formerly the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology) is established. C. Robert Matthews, Ph.D. is named founding chair.

Kathleen Thomsen Hall, M.D. is a recipient of the UMass President's 2000 Public Service Award.

Phillip D. Zamore, Ph.D., assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular pharmacology, is named a 2000 Pew Scholar by the Pew Charitable Trusts.

Program in Molecular Medicine is granted departmental status. Michael Czech, Ph.D. is founding chair.

UMass Memorial/Ronald McDonald Mobile Health Clinic, the first in New England, begins providing free primary medical and dental care to underserved populations throughout Worcester.

2001

The Aaron Lazare Medical Research building opens.

Department of Neurobiology is established. Steven M. Reppert, M.D. is named founding chair.

Judith K. Ockene, Ph.D., M. Ed., M.A., Chief, Division of Preventive and Behavioral Medicine and Professor, Department of Medicine is the first woman at UMMS to be appointed to an endowed chair with the establishment of the Barbara Helen Smith Chair in Preventive and Behavioral Medicine.

The Lambi and Sarah Adams Chair in Genetic Research is established. Michael R. Green, M.D., Ph.D. is named the inaugural recipient.

The Barbara and Nathan Greenberg Chair in Biomedical Research is established. Elliot J. Androphy, M.D. is named the inaugural recipient.

The Gladys Smith Martin Chair in Oncology is established. Timothy C. Wang, M.D. is named the inaugural recipient.

The Higgins Family Professorship in Neuroscience is established. Steven M. Reppert, M.D. is named the inaugural recipient.

Linda Weinreb, M.D. and Robert Bass, Ph.D. are recipients of the UMass President's 2001 Public Service Award.

The David J. and Barbara D. Milliken Professorship in Preventive Cardiology is established. Ira S. Ockene, M.D. is named the inaugural recipient.

Geri S. W. Fuhrmann, Psy.D., Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Department of Pediatrics, receives the Manuel Carballo Governor's Award for Excellence in Public Service.

Elaine R. Martin, D.A., Director, Lamar Soutter Library, is awarded the first of 3 National Network of Libraries of Medicine, New England Region $6 million awards from the National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine.

Graduate School of Nursing Advanced Practice Nurse Educator Specialty established.

Worcester Nursing Pipeline Consortium established to address nursing shortage through a collaborative of nursing programs, health care systems, schools and community organizations in Central Massachusetts.

Center for Nursing Excellence established.

Nurse Practitioner Council was initiated by a partnership between the clinical system and the Graduate School of Nursing.

February 27, 2001

First Central Massachusetts heart transplant performed outside of Boston.

2002

Graduate School of Nursing establishes dual track- Adult Nurse Practitioner/Gerontological Nurse Practitioner and Acute Critical Care Nurse Practitioner/Gerontological Nurse Practitioner Specialties.

Roger Davis, Ph.D. Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, H. Arthur Smith Chair in Cancer Research, Professor, Program in Molecular Medicine and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology is elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of London.

Patricia K. O'Day, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Commonwealth Medicine is awarded the Manuel Carballo Governor's Award for Excellence in Public Service.

Anthony Carruthers, Ph.D. appointed dean of Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.

Erik Garcia, M.D. is a recipient of the UMass President's 2002 Public Service Award.

The Arthur F. and Helen P. Koskinas Professorship in Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology is established. C. Robert Matthews, Ph.D. is named the inaugural recipient.

Department of Cancer Biology is established. Dario Altieri, M.D. is named founding chair.

2003

The Blais University Chair in Molecular Medicine is established. Craig C. Mello, Ph.D. is named the inaugural recipient.

The Robert M. and Shirley S. Siff Chair in Autism is established. Jean A. Frazier, M.D. is named the inaugural chair in 2009.

Carol Bova, C.N.P., Ph.D. is a recipient of the UMass President's 2003 Public Service Award.

Marianne Wilson, Ph.D. named Associate Vice Chancellor for Equal Opportunity.

Graduate Entry Pathway (GEP) Program established at the Graduate School of Nursing.

John L. Sullivan, M.D., Professor, Department of Pediatrics and Program in Molecular Medicine, receives the Manuel Carballo Governor's Award for Excellence in Public Service.

2004

Clinical and Population Health Research Doctoral Program is established at the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. Carole Upshur, Ed.D. is founding Program Director from 2004-2012 and is named Associate Dean for the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.

Joseph DiFranza, M.D. is a recipient of the UMass President's 2004 Public Service Award.

Jean Sullivan, J.D., Associate Vice Chancellor, Commonwealth Medicine, receives the Manuel Carballo Governor's Award for Excellence in Public Service.

First Graduate Entry Pathway (GEP) Program students admitted.

2005

Donna Ambrosino, M.D., Director, Massachusetts Biologic Laboratories and Professor, Department of Pediatrics, receives the Manuel Carballo Governor's Award for Excellence in Public Service.

Paulette Seymour-Route, Ph.D., R.N. named interim dean of the Graduate School of Nursing.

The endowed Joy McCann Professorship for Women in Medicine is established. Linda Weinreb, M.D., Professor and Vice Chair, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health is named the first recipient.

Kenneth Appelbaum, M.D. is a recipient of the UMass President's 2005 Award.

The Gretchen Stone Cook Chair in Biomedical Sciences is established. Phillip D. Zamore, Ph.D. is named the inaugural recipient.

The Leo P. and Theresa M. LaChance Chair in Medical Research is established. Robert H. Brown, Jr., D.Phil, M.D. is named the inaugural recipient.

The Ali and John Pierce Chair in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology is established. Peter E. Newburger, M.D. is named the inaugural recipient.

Martin G. Marinus, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology is elected a fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology.

First year of the independent Ph.D. in Nursing program.

Craig C. Mello, Ph.D., elected to the National Academy of Sciences.

Craig C. Mello, Ph.D., is named recipient of the Gairdner International Award.

MassBiologics opens new manufacturing and filling facility in Mattapan.

2006

Craig Mello, Ph.D., Blais University Chair in Molecular Medicine and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, is awarded the Medical School's first Nobel Prize. Dr. Mello shared the 2006 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Andrew Fire, Ph.D., of Stanford University, for their discovery of RNA interference.

Groundbreaking for the 278,000-square-foot Ambulatory Care Center (formerly known as the Advanced Center for Clinical Care, Education and Sciences).

Paulette Seymour-Route, Ph.D., R.N. appointed fourth dean of the Graduate School of Nursing.

The Office of Medical History and Archives (OMHA) of the Lamar Soutter Library is established. Ellen S. More, Ph.D. is founding head and is first UMMS historian.

The Isadore and Fannie Foxman Chair in Medical Research is established. Michael P. Czech, Ph.D. is named the inaugural recipient.

Elaine R. Martin, D.A. is a recipient of the UMass President's 2006 Public Service Award.

Carole Upshur, Ed.D. is awarded the 2006-2007 UMass Presidents' Office Roy J. Zuckerberg Endowed Chair for University Leadership.

November 2006

Collaboration between MassBiologics and Serum Institute of India announced. Launch of Phase 1 clinical trial in India planned for 2007.

2007

Victor R. Ambros, Ph.D., is elected to the National Academy of Sciences.

Michele P. Pugnaire, M.D. is named Senior Associate Dean for Educational Affairs.

First Graduate School of Nursing Graduate Entry Pathway (GEP) class graduates 27 students.

Anthony Carruthers, Ph.D., Dean of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences awarded the Gail Patrick Innovation Award from the American Diabetes Association.

Michael F. Collins, M.D., is named interim chancellor.

Terence R. Flotte, M.D., is named dean of the School of Medicine.

Stem Cell Bank & Registry awarded funding, Gary Stein, Ph.D., director.

Melissa Moore, Ph.D., named a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator.

Jane Lian, Ph.D., is awarded Method to Extend Research in Time (MERIT) award from National Institutes of Health.

Stephen J. Doxsey, Ph.D. is a recipient of the UMass President's 2007 Public Service Award.

2008

International Stem Cell Registry launched.

The Advanced Therapeutics Cluster is established, comprising the Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, the RNA Therapeutics Institute, and the Gene Therapy Center.

Graduate School of Nursing's Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) Program approved and first class accepted.

First student in Graduate School of Nursing's BSN to PhD Pathway program accepted.

Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology established.

Zhiping Weng, Ph.D. is named founding director of the Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology.

Guangping Gao, Ph.D. is named founding director of the Gene Therapy Center.

Michael Collins, M.D. appointed Chancellor of UMMS.

Victor R. Ambros, Ph.D. is awarded the Lasker prize.

The Silverman Chair in Natural Sciences is established. Victor R. Ambros, Ph.D. is named the inaugural recipient.

Victor R. Ambros, Ph.D. receives the Gairdner International Award.

Phillip D. Zamore, Ph.D., named a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator.

Sandra Mayrand, Director of the Regional Science Resource Center, receives Manuel Carballo Governor's Award for Excellence in Public Service.

Jean A. King, Ph.D. and Deborah Harmon Hines, Ph.D. are recipients of the UMass President's 2008 Public Service Award.

Craig Mello, Ph.D., Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, the Blais University Chair in Molecular Medicine, and professor of molecular medicine and cell biology, is elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

2009

Researcher Michael P. Czech, Ph.D., founding Chair and Professor, Program in Molecular Medicine, and colleagues report on novel approach to successfully deliver RNAi therapeutics. Reported in April 2009 issue of Nature.

Researchers Robert Brown, D.Phil., M.D., Chair and Professor, Department of Neurology, and John Landers, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Neurology, discover Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) gene variant that substantially improves survival of individuals with ALS.

Linda Sagor, M.D., M.P.H. is a recipient of the UMass President's 2009 Public Service Award.

The Institute for Drug Resistance is founded. Celia Schiffer, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, is founder and co-director.

Graduate School of Nursing's Genetics Subspecialty initiated.

Leadership plan for RNA Therapeutics Institute announced. Led by Craig C. Mello, Ph.D., co-directors of the executive group are Melissa J. Moore, Ph.D., Phillip D. Zamore, Ph.D., and Victor Ambros, Ph.D.

Department of Quantitative Health Sciences established. Catarina Kiefe, M.D., Ph.D., appointed Chair.

The Penelope Booth Rockwell Chair in Biomedical Research is established. Guangping Gao, Ph.D. is named the inaugural recipient.

Deborah L. Plummer, Ph.D. is named Associate Vice Chancellor for Diversity and Equal Opportunity.

September 17, 2009

Groundbreaking for the Albert Sherman Center, a 500,000 square-foot research and education facility slated for completion in 2012.

2010s

2010

Graduate School of Nursing's Doctor of Nursing Practice Program graduates first class.

Graduate School of Nursing is awarded its first RO1 grant.

The Ambulatory Care Center (ACC) opens.

UMass receives $20 million Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). John L. Sullivan, M.D. is Principal Investigator.

Catarina Kiefe, M.D., Ph.D., Chair, Department of Quantitative Health Sciences is awarded a $6.5 million National Institutes of Health (NIH) Center for Cardiovascular Outcomes Research grant.

The Mary C. DeFeudis Chair in Biomedical Research is established. Michael L. Blute, M.D. is named the inaugural chair.

The Neurotherapeutics Institute is established under the leadership of Melissa Moore, Ph.D., Robert Brown, D.Phil, M.D., Neil Aronin, M.D., and Marc Freeman, Ph.D.

MassBiologics opens second facility on Mattapan campus.

The Chancellor's Medals for Distinguished Teaching, Distinguished Research, and Distinguished Service are established. The inaugural recipients are:

• Susan Gagliardi, Ph.D. — Distinguished Teaching
• Michael P. Czech, Ph.D. — Distinguished Research
• John L. Sullivan, M.D. — Distinguished Service

Raymond Welsh, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Pathology and Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, is elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Lucy M. Candib, M.D. is a recipient of the UMass President's 2010 Public Service Award.

David A. Guertin, Ph.D., assistant professor of molecular medicine, is named a 2010 Pew Scholar by the Pew Charitable Trusts.

Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems (MaPS) is established (merger of Department of Molecular Genetics & Microbiology and Department of Physiology). Allan Jacobson, Ph.D. chair of Department of Molecular Genetics & Microbiology since 1994, is named chair of MaPS.

2011

June 15, 2011

A "topping off" ceremony is held marking completion of the highest level of the Albert Sherman Center building, named for Albert ("Albie") Sherman, Vice Chancellor for University Relations from 1989-2009.

Joyce A. Murphy, MPA, is appointed Executive Vice Chancellor of Commonwealth Medicine.

Melissa J. Moore, Ph.D., Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator receives the William C. Rose Award and Job Dekker, Ph.D., receives the Young Investigator Award from the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB).

Allan S. Jacobson, Ph.D., Chair and Professor, Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems is elected a fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology.

UMass ALS Champion Fund established.

Thomas Fazzio, Ph.D., assistant professor of molecular medicine, is named a 2011 Pew Scholar by the Pew Charitable Trusts.

The Chancellor's Awards for Advancing Institutional Excellence in Civility and Advancing Institutional Excellence in Diversity are established. The inaugural recipients are:

• Lori Pbert, Ph.D. — Advancing Institutional Excellence in Civility
• Warren Ferguson, M.D. — Advancing Institutional Excellence in Diversity

The Chancellor's Medals for Distinguished Teaching, Distinguished Research, and Distinguished Service are awarded. The recipients are:

• William "Jerry" Durbin, M.D. — Distinguished Teaching
• Michael R. Green, M.D., Ph.D — Distinguished Research
• Marianne E. Felice, M.D. — Distinguished Service

Victor Ambros, Ph.D., the Silverman Chair in Natural Science and Professor, Program in Molecular Medicine, is elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

December 2011

Two UMMS faculty members are elected Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS):

• Trudy G. Morrison, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems.
• Steven Reppert, M.D., Higgins Family Professor of Neuroscience, Chair and Professor, Department of Neurobiology.

2012

Victor Ambros, Ph.D., the Silverman Chair in Natural Science and Professor, Program in Molecular Medicine, receives the 2012 Dr. Paul Janssen Award for Biomedical Research.

Juan I. Fuxman Bass, Ph.D., a post-doctoral scholar, was named a 2012 Pew Latin American Fellow in the Biomedical Sciences by The Pew Charitable Trusts. First UMass scientist to be named a Pew Latin American Fellow.

Mark S. Klempner, M.D. appointed Executive Vice Chancellor at MassBiologics.

The Department of Cell and Developmental Biology is established (formerly Department of Cell Biology). Jeanne Lawrence, Ph.D. is named interim chair.

The Department of Neurosurgery is established (formerly a specialty division within the Department of Surgery). Richard P. Moser, M.D., Professor, Department of Surgery is named interim chair.

The Chancellor's Awards for Advancing Institutional Excellence in Civility and Advancing Institutional Excellence in Diversity are presented to:

• John L. Congdon — Advancing Institutional Excellence in Civility
• Pranoti Mandrekar, Ph.D. — Advancing Institutional Excellence in Diversity

The Chancellor's Medals for Distinguished Teaching, Distinguished Research, and Distinguished Service are awarded. The recipients are:

• Sheldon Benjamin, M.D. — Distinguished Teaching
• Roger Davis, Ph.D. — Distinguished Research
• Daniel Lasser, M.D. — Distinguished Service

The Chancellor's Medal for Distinguished Clinical Excellence is established. Oscar Starobin, M.D. is the inaugural recipient.

Three UMass Medical School faculty members are elected fellows of the American Academy of Microbiology:

• Roger J. Davis, Ph.D., Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, H. Arthur Smith Chair in Cancer Research, Professor, Program in Molecular Medicine and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology
• Douglas T. Golenbock, M.D., Professor, Department of Medicine, Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems
• James Reid Gilmore, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology

Four UMMS faculty members are named Fellows of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI):

• Robert H. Brown, Jr., D.Phil, M.D., Leo P. and Theresa M. LaChance Chair in Medical Research, Chair and Professor, Department of Neurology, member of the National Academy of Medicine
• Roger J. Davis, Ph.D., Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, H. Arthur Smith Chair in Cancer Research, Professor, Program in Molecular Medicine and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology
• Craig C. Mello, Ph.D., Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, Blais University Chair in Molecular Medicine, Distinguished Professor, Program in Molecular Medicine and Department of Cell and Developmental Biology
• John E. Ware, Ph. D., Professor, Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Chief, Division of Outcomes Measurement Science, member of the National Academy of Medicine

July 2012

Jeremy Luban, M.D., Professor, Program in Molecular Medicine and the David L. Freelander Memorial Professor in HIV/AIDS Research, is named one of three recipients of the 2012 Avant-Garde Award for HIV/AIDS Research by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health.

August 9, 2012

Clinical trial for rabies monoclonal antibody begins. UMass Medical School and Serum Institute of India, Ltd. partner on clinical trial.

October 2012

Kathleen Miller, Ed.D., Associate Dean for Advanced Practice Programs, Director of the Doctor of Nursing Practice Program, and Professor, Graduate School of Nursing, is inducted as a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing.

December 2012

Four members of UMMS faculty are elected as Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS):

• Stuart Levitz, M.D., Professor, Department of Medicine and Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems.
• Arlene Ash, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Quantitative Health Sciences.
• Roger Davis, Ph.D., Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, H. Arthur Smith Chair in Cancer Research, Professor, Program in Molecular Medicine and Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacology.
• George Witman, Ph.D., the George F. Booth Chair in the Basic Sciences, Professor, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology.

December 12, 2012

The certificate of substantial completion of the Albert Sherman Center is signed at 12:12 pm. The building begins to be occupied in January 2013.

2013

The Chancellor's Awards for Advancing Institutional Excellence in Civility and Advancing Institutional Excellence in Diversity are presented to:

• Tom Hopkins — Advancing Institutional Excellence in Civility
• Deborah Harmon Hines — Advancing Institutional Excellence in Diversity

The Chancellor's Awards for Advancing the UMMS Mission and Excellence in Community Service are established. The inaugural recipients are:

• Jack Luippold — Advancing the UMMS Mission
• Bill Tsaknopoulos — Excellence in Community Service

The Chancellor's Medals for Distinguished Teaching, Distinguished Scholarship, Distinguished Service, and Distinguished Clinical Excellence are awarded. The recipients are:

• Richard Glew, M.D. — Distinguished Teaching
• Thomas Grisso, Ph.D. — Distinguished Scholarship
• Judith Ockene, Ph.D., M.Ed., M.A. — Distinguished Service
• Richard Irwin, M.D. — Distinguished Clinical Excellence

George Witman, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, is elected a fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology.

Mary M. Lee, M.D. is appointed chair of the Department of Pediatrics and Physician-in-Chief of UMass Memorial Children's Medical Center.

The Dr. Eileen L. Berman and Stanley I. Berman Foundation Chair in Biomedical Research is established. Dale L. Greiner, Ph.D. is named the inaugural recipient.

The Endowed Chair in Diabetes Research is established. Silvia Corvera, M.D. is the inaugural recipient.

February 2013

Jeanne Lawrence, Ph.D., Professor and Interim Chair, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, is one of three inaugural recipients of a Translational Research Program grant from the John Merck Fund. The $1 million grant supports translational research into developmental disabilities.

March 2013

UMass Medical School immunologist and professor Katherine Luzuriaga, M.D., along with Johns Hopkins Children's Center virologist Deborah Persaud, M.D., and University of Mississippi pediatrician Hanna Gay, M.D., head a team of laboratory investigators who report the first case of a so-called "functional cure" in an HIV-infected infant.

April 2013

Katherine Luzuriaga, M.D., Professor, Program in Molecular Medicine, Department of Medicine, and Department of Pediatrics, is named to the 2013 TIME 100, TIME magazine's annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world.

May 9, 2013

Marc R. Freeman, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Neurobiology and a leader in the study of glial cells, is named a Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) investigator.

May 28, 2013

Steven M. Reppert, M.D., the Higgins Family Professor of Neuroscience, Chair and Professor, Department of Neurobiology, is awarded the Gregor Johann Mendel Honorary Medal for Merit in the Biological Sciences by the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic.

July 18, 2013

UMMS scientists, Jeanne Lawrence, Ph.D., and Jun Jiang, Ph.D., discover way to silence extra chromosome in Down Syndrome cells.

August 1, 2013

The M.D./Ph.D. program at UMass Medical School is awarded a National Institute of General Medical Sciences Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) grant, one of only 44 programs in the country and only the second such program in Massachusetts. Gyongi Szabo, M.D., Ph.D., director of the M.D./Ph.D. program, is principal investigator.

August 7, 2013

Susan Sullivan-Bolyai, D.N.Sc., C.N.S., R.N., Associate Professor, Graduate School of Nursing and Department of Pediatrics, is inducted as a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing.

August 26, 2013

Ellen M. Gravallese, M.D., Professor, Department of Medicine and Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, is named the inaugural Myles J. McDonough Chair in Rheumatology.

September 2013

Victor R. Ambros, Ph.D., the Silverman Chair in Natural Science and Professor, Program in Molecular Medicine, is awarded the 18th Keio Medical Science Prize by Keio University.

October 2013

Katherine Luzuriaga, M.D., Professor, Program in Molecular Medicine, Department of Medicine, and Department of Pediatrics, is named Vice Provost for Clinical and Translational Research.

November 2013

Roger J. Davis, Ph.D., Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, H. Arthur Smith Chair in Cancer Research, Professor, Program in Molecular Medicine and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology receives Indiana University's 2013 Steven C. Beering Award.

Two UMMS faculty members are elected Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS):

• John L. Sullivan, M.D., Professor, Department of Pediatrics and Program in Molecular Medicine.
• Job Dekker, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology.

December 2013

Katherine Luzuriaga, M.D., Professor, Program in Molecular Medicine, Department of Medicine, and Department of Pediatrics, is named to the list of Foreign Policy's 100 Leading Global Thinkers of 2013.

2014

The Chancellor's Awards for Advancing Institutional Excellence in Civility and Advancing Institutional Excellence in Diversity are presented to:

• Michael Kneeland, M.D., M.P.H. — Advancing Institutional Excellence in Civility
• Jeroan Allison, M.D., M.Sci. — Advancing Institutional Excellence in Diversity

The Chancellor's Medals for Distinguished Teaching, Distinguished Research, Distinguished Service, and Distinguished Clinical Excellence are awarded. The recipients are:

• David Clive, M.D. — Distinguished Teaching
• Allan Jacobson, Ph.D. — Distinguished Research
• Michele Pugnaire, M.D. — Distinguished Service
• Karen Green, M.D. — Distinguished Clinical Excellence

January 2014

Victor R. Ambros, Ph.D., the Silverman Chair in Natural Science, Professor, Program in Molecular Medicine, and co-director of the RNA Therapeutics Institute, is awarded the 2014 Wolf Prize in Medicine.

February 2014

Two UMass Medical School faculty members are elected fellows of the American Academy of Microbiology:

• Jeremy Luban, M.D., the David L. Freelander Memorial Professor in HIV/AIDS Research, Professor, Program in Molecular Medicine
• Trudy Morrison, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems

March 2014

Mitchell H. Sokoloff, M.D., is named founding chair of the Department of Urology.

April 2014

Jean A. King, Ph.D., Professor, Departments of Psychiatry, Radiology & Neurology; Director, Center for Comparative Neuroimaging is appointed Associate Provost for Biomedical Science Research.

Judith K. Ockene, Ph.D., M.Ed., M.A., the Barbara Helen Smith Chair in Preventive & Behavioral Medicine, Chief, Division of Preventive and Behavioral Medicine, and Professor, Department of Medicine, is named the recipient of the Distinguished Scientist Award by the Society of Behavioral Medicine.

Raymond Welsh, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Pathology, is elected a fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology.

Michael R. Green, M.D., Ph.D., Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, the Lambi and Sarah Adams Chair in Genetic Research, Professor, Program in Molecular Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, and Director, Program in Gene Function and Expression, is elected to the National Academy of Sciences.

May 2014

The Worcester Foundation for Biomedical Research endowed chair is established. Vivian Budnik, Ph.D., Interim Chair and Professor, Department of Neurobiology, is named the inaugural recipient.

Katherine Fitzgerald, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Medicine, is awarded the 2014 Eli Lilly and Company-Elanco Research Award from the American Society of Microbiology (ASM).

Heinrich Gottlinger, M.D., Ph.D., Professor, Program in Gene Function and Expression, is named one of three recipients of the 2014 Avant-Garde Award for HIV/AIDS Research by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health.

June 2014

Victor R. Ambros, Ph.D., the Silverman Chair in Natural Science, Professor, Program in Molecular Medicine, and co-director of the RNA Therapeutics Institute, is named co-recipient of the 2014 Gruber Genetics Prize.

Brian A. Kelch, Ph.D., assistant professor of biochemistry & molecular pharmacology, is named a 2014 Pew Scholar by the Pew Charitable Trusts.

Alejandro Vasquez-Rifo, Ph.D. is named a 2014 Pew Latin Fellow in the Biomedical Sciences by the Pew Charitable Trusts.

August 2014

The School of Medicine at UMass Medical School establishes a chapter of the Gold Humanism Honor Society. Sponsored by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation, the honor society recognizes the humanistic achievements of students, residents and faculty.

October 2014

Gyongyi Szabo, M.D., Ph.D., Professor and Vice Chair for Research, Department of Medicine; Associate Dean, Clinical and Translational Science, and Director, M.D./Ph.D. Program is inducted into the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.

Oliver Rando, M.D, Ph.D., professor of biochemistry & molecular pharmacology, receives one of 10 highly competitive National Institutes of Health Director's Pioneer Awards.

Celia Schiffer, Ph.D., professor of biochemistry & molecular pharmacology, and founder and director of the Institute for Drug Resistance at UMass Medical School receives a $7.9 million NIH award to attack drug resistance.

November 2014

The Chancellor's Awards for Excellence in Advancing the UMMS Mission and Excellence in Community Service are presented to:

• Elaine R. Martin, D.A. — Excellence in Advancing the UMMS Mission
• Stephen Colella — Excellence in Community Service

Victor R. Ambros, Ph.D., the Silverman Chair in Natural Science, Professor, Program in Molecular Medicine, and co-director of the RNA Therapeutics Institute is awarded a 2015 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences.

Joel D. Richter, Ph.D., professor of molecular medicine, and colleagues are awarded a $9.5 million grant to establish a Center for Collaborative Research in Fragile X at UMass Medical School, one of three centers designated by the NIH.

December 2014

The UMass Memorial Health Care Chair in Biomedical Research is established. Katherine F. Ruiz de Luzuriaga, M.D. is named the inaugural recipient.

A second Worcester Foundation for Biomedical Research endowed chair is established. Gyongi Szabo, M.D., Ph.D. is named the inaugural recipient.

Katherine Fitzgerald, Ph.D., professor of medicine, receives the Seymour and Vivian Milstein Award for Excellence in Interferon and Cytokine Research by the International Cytokine and Interferon Society.

Phillip D. Zamore, Ph.D., Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, the Gretchen Stone Cook Chair in Biomedical Sciences, Co-Director, RNA Therapeutics Institute, and Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, is named a Fellow by the National Academy of Inventors.

2015

The Chancellor's Awards for Advancing Institutional Excellence in Civility and Advancing Institutional Excellence in Diversity are presented to:

• Janice E. Lagace — Advancing Institutional Excellence in Civility
• Brian Lewis, Ph.D. — Advancing Institutional Excellence in Diversity

January 2015

UMMS receives $6.1 million grant from the Genomics of Gene Regulation (GGR) program at the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), part of the National Institutes of Health. Jeremy Luban, M.D., the David J. Freelander Professor in AIDS Research and professor of molecular medicine, and Manuel Garber, Ph.D., director of the Bioinformatics Core and associate professor of molecular medicine, are the principal investigators on the three-year grant to develop a model for predicting whether a given gene will be turned on or off under specific conditions.

February 2015

C. Robert Matthews, Ph.D. the Arthur F. and Helen P. Koskinas Professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacology, is the 2015 recipient of the Protein Society's Carl Brändén Award.

Three UMMS scientists are elected fellows of the American Academy of Microbiology:

• Beth McCormick, Ph.D., Founder and Director, Center for Microbiome Research, Professor and Vice Chair, Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems
• Oliver J. Rando, M.D., Ph.D., Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology
• Celia Schiffer, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology; Director, Center for AIDS Research, and Founder and Co-director, UMass Institute for Drug Resistance

April 2015

Michael R. Green, M.D., Ph.D., Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, the Lambi and Sarah Adams Chair in Genetic Research; and Chair and Professor, Department of Molecular, Cell & Cancer Biology is appointed director of the UMass Medical School Cancer Center.

May 2015

Job Dekker, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacology and Co-Director, Program in Systems Biology, is named a Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) investigator.

UMass Medical School and Cape Cod Healthcare form an academic affiliation.

June 2015

The George F. and Sybil H. Fuller Foundation Term Chair in Diabetes is established. Laura Alonso, M.D., associate professor of medicine and Director, Beta Cell Biological Studies in the Department of Medicine is named recipient.

The Robert and Sandra Glass Term Chair in Diabetes is established. Michael Brehm, Ph.D., associate professor of molecular medicine is named recipient.

The Glass Charitable Foundation Term Chair in Diabetes is established. Rene Maehr, Ph.D., assistant professor of molecular medicine is named recipient.

The Stoddard Chair of Pediatrics is established. Mary M. Lee, M.D., Professor and Chair, Department of Pediatrics, Professor, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, and Physician-in-Chief, UMass Memorial Children's Medical Center, is named the inaugural recipient.

The Pillar Chair in Biomedical Research is established. Douglas T. Golenbock, M.D., Chief, Division of Infectious Disease and Immunology in the Department of Medicine and Professor, Department of Medicine and Department Microbiology and Physiological Systems, is named the inaugural recipient.

Gina V. Caldas, Ph.D., is named a 2015 Pew Latin American Fellow in Biomedical Sciences by the Pew Charitable Trusts.

July 2015

Jean A. Frazier, M.D., the Robert M. and Shirley S. Siff Chair in Autism, Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Department of Pediatrics, Vice-Chair and Director, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry is named director of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center at UMMS, a new program integrating the Child and Adolescent Neurodevelopmental Initiative (CANDI), the Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders (CANDO), and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center for Developmental Disabilities.

Residency program in urology is established.

September 2015

The Chancellor's Medals for Distinguished Teaching, Distinguished Scholarship, Distinguished Service, and Distinguished Clinical Excellence are awarded. The recipients are:

• Julie Jonassen, Ph.D. — Distinguished Teaching
• Phillip D. Zamore, Ph.D. — Distinguished Scholarship
• Thoru Pederson, Ph.D. — Distinguished Service
• John K. Zawecki, M.D. — Distinguished Clinical Excellence

October 2015

UMass Medical School is awarded a five-year, $15 million grant from the National Institutes of Medicine Common Fund to establish the Center for 3D Structure and Physics of the Genome. Job Dekker, Ph.D., Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology and Co-Director, Program in Systems Biology is co-leader of the Center.

Michael R. Green, M.D., Ph.D., Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, the Lambi and Sarah Adams Chair in Genetic Research, Chair and Professor, Department of Molecular, Cell, and Cancer Biology, Professor, Program in Molecular Medicine, and Director, UMass Medical School Cancer Center, is elected to the National Academy of Medicine.

The Chancellor's Award for Advancing the UMMS Mission is presented to Commonwealth Medicine's Work Without Limits program.

November 2015

Joan Vitello, Ph.D., R.N., is named Dean, Graduate School of Nursing.

December 2015

The Arthur F. Koskinas Chair in Neuroscience is established. Joel D. Richter, Ph.D., Professor, Program in Molecular Medicine, is named the inaugural recipient.

A third Worcester Foundation for Biomedical Research endowed chair is established. Katherine A. Fitzgerald, Ph.D., Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, and Co-Director, Program in Innate Immunity, is named the inaugural recipient.

Thoru Pederson, Ph.D., the Vitold Arnett Professor of Cell Biology, Professor, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacology, and Associate Vice Provost for Research at UMass Medical School is the recipient of the Award for Distinguished Service from the American Society for Cell Biology.

Deborah Harmon Hines, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology and Vice Provost for School Services receives the 2015 Bruce Alberts Award for Excellence in Science Education from the American Society for Cell Biology.

2016

January 2016

The Chancellor's Awards for Advancing Institutional Excellence in Civility and Advancing Institutional Excellence in Diversity are presented to:

• Anthony Covello — Advancing Institutional Excellence in Civility
• Milagros Rosal, Ph.D. — Advancing Institutional Excellence in Diversity

February 2016

The RNA Therapeutics Institute is granted departmental status. Philip D. Zamore, Ph.D., Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, the Gretchen Stone Cook Chair in Biomedical Sciences, and Professor, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacology is named founding chair.

March 2016

Two UMass Medical School faculty members are elected fellows of the American Academy of Microbiology:

• Christopher M. Sassetti, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems
• Erik J. Sontheimer, Ph.D., Professor, Program in Molecular Medicine

University of Massachusetts Medical School-Baystate Health, or UMMS Baystate, the University of Massachusetts Medical School's first regional campus is established.

April 2016

The Timothy S. and Elaine L. Peterson Chair in Rheumatology is established. Jonathan Kay, M.D., Professor, Department of Medicine, and Director, Clinical Research, Division of Rheumatology is named the inaugural recipient.

The Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Mentoring is established. Celia A. Schiffer, Ph.D., professor of biochemistry and molecular pharmacology is named the inaugural recipient.

May 2016

Victor R. Ambros, Ph.D, the Silverman Chair in Natural Science and Professor, Program in Molecular Medicine is co-recipient of the 2016 March of Dimes Prize and Richard B. Johnston, Jr., M.D. Prize in Developmental Biology.

June 2016

Shan Lu, M.D., Ph.D., Professor, Department of Medicine, receives $17.3 million from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) to develop and produce an HIV vaccine to be used in Phase II human clinical trials.

June 2016

Jun Huh, Ph.D., assistant professor of medicine, is named a 2016 Pew Scholar by the Pew Charitable Trusts.

Patrick Emery, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Neurobiology, receives a five year, $4.1 million Maximizing Investigators' Research Award (MIRA) from the National Institutes of General Medical Sciences.

August 2016

Andreas Bergmann, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, receives a five year, $3.5 million Maximizing Investigators' Research Award (MIRA) from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences.

September 2016

The Chancellor's Medals for Distinguished Teaching, Distinguished Scholarship, Distinguished Service, and Distinguished Clinical Excellence are awarded. The recipients are:

• David Hatem, M.D. — Distinguished Teaching
• Steven Reppert, M.D. — Distinguished Scholarship
• Deborah Harmon Hines, Ph.D. — Distinguished Service
• David Drachman, M.D. — Distinguished Clinical Excellence

Cole Haynes, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, is named one of eighty-four faculty scholars by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), the Simon Foundation, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

October 2016

The Massachusetts High-Resolution Cryo-Electron Microscopy Facility at UMass Medical School opens. It is the first in New England and one of only a handful nationwide.

The Chancellor's Award for Advancing the UMMS Mission is awarded to Robert E. Layne, M.Ed., Director of Outreach Programs.

November 2016

Mark D. Johnson, M.D., Ph.D., is named founding Chair, Department of Neurosurgery.

December 2016

The Department of Dermatology is established (formerly the medical specialty of dermatology). Mary Maloney, M.D., Professor, Department of Medicine and Director, Dermatological Surgery, is named interim chair.

2017

January 2017

The Chancellor's Awards for Advancing Institutional Excellence in Civility and Advancing Institutional Excellence in Diversity are presented to:

• Edith Cullen — Advancing Institutional Excellence in Civility
• Jorge Sanchez, Jr. — Advancing Institutional Excellence in Diversity

March 2017

Three UMass Medical School scientists are elected fellows of the American Academy of Microbiology:

• Samuel Behar, M.D., Ph.D., Professor, Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems
• Robert Finberg, M.D., the Richard M. Haidack Professor of Medicine, Chair, Department of Medicine
• Katherine Luzuriaga, M.D., the UMass Memorial Health Care Chair in Biomedical Research, Professor, Program in Molecular Medicine, Department of Medicine, and Department of Pediatrics

April 2017

The Maroun Semaan Chair in Neurosurgery is established. Mark D. Johnson, M.D., Ph.D., founding Chair, Department of Neurosurgery is named the inaugural recipient.

The Maroun Semaan Chair in Biomedical Research is established. Marian Walhout, Ph.D., Professor, Program in Molecular Medicine, Co-director, Program in Systems Biology is named the inaugural recipient.

The Governor Paul Cellucci Chair in Neuroscience Research is established. Fen-Biao Gao, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Neurology, is named the inaugural recipient.

Brian Silver, M.D., Professor and Vice Chair, Department of Neurology, is the first from UMMS appointed to the Endowed Chair in Neuroscience Research, which was approved by the University Trustees in 2014.

Neil Aronin, M.D., Professor, Department of Medicine, Co-director, Neurotherapeutics Institute, Chief, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, is named Higgins Family Professor of Neuroscience.

Justin Maykel, M.D., Associate Professor, Department of Surgery, Chief, Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery, is appointed to The Gladys Smith Martin Chair in Oncology.

The Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Mentoring is presented to Michael Ennis, M.D., Professor, Department of Family Medicine & Community Health and Co-director, School of Medicine Learning Communities.

May 2017

Melissa J. Moore, Ph.D., Professor, RNA Therapeutics Institutes (RTI), is elected to the National Academy of Sciences.

July 2017

The Joseph J. Byrne Chair in Biomedical Research is established. Job Dekker, Ph.D., Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, and Co-director, Program in Systems Biology, is named the inaugural recipient.

The Herman G. Berkman Chair in Diabetes Care Innovation is established. Michael Thompson, M.D., Clinical Professor of Medicine and Chief, Adult Diabetes Clinical Research is named the inaugural recipient.

Craig Peterson, Ph.D., Professor, Program in Molecular Medicine, receives a five year, $4.5 million Maximizing Investigators' Research Award (MIRA) from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences.

August 2017

Marian Walhout, Ph.D., the Maroun Semaan Chair in Biomedical Research, Professor, Program in Molecular Medicine, and Co-Director, Program in Systems Biology, receives a five year, $4.1 million Maximizing Investigators' Research Award (MIRA) from the National Institutes of Health.

September 2017

The Chancellor's Medals for Distinguished Teaching, Distinguished Scholarship, Distinguished Clinical Excellence, and Distinguished Service are awarded. The recipients are:

• Anne Gilroy, M.A. — Distinguished Teaching
• Robert H. Brown Jr., D.Phil., M.D. — Distinguished Scholarship
• Robert Quinlan, M.D. — Distinguished Clinical Excellence
• Michael P. Hirsh, M.D. — Distinguished Service

October 2017

The Chancellor's Award for Advancing the UMMS Mission is awarded to the Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology's administrative team.

The Li Weibo Institute for Rare Diseases Research is created at UMass Medical School.

December 2017

Thoru Pederson, Ph.D., the Vitold Arnett Professor of Cell Biology, Professor, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacology, and Associate Vice Provost for Research at UMass Medical School is named a 2017 fellow of the American Society for Cell Biology.

Guangping Gao, Ph.D., the Penelope Booth Rockwell Chair in Biomedical Research, Professor, Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, Founding Director, Horae Gene Therapy Center & Vector Core, and Co-director, Li Weibo Institute for Rare Diseases Research, is named a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors.

2018

January 2018

The Chancellor's Awards for Advancing Institutional Excellence in Civility and Advancing Institutional Excellence in Diversity are presented to:

• Kenneth Peterson, Ph.D. — Advancing Institutional Excellence in Civility
• Executive Council Ad Hoc Working Group on Underrepresented Minorities in Academic Medicine — Advancing Institutional Excellence in Diversity

Fen-Biao Gao, Ph.D., the Governor Paul Cellucci Chair in Neuroscience Research and Professor, Department of Neurology, receives a Javits Neuroscience Investigator Award, a seven year, $3.2 million grant from the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke.

April 2018

Mary Ellen Lane, Ph.D., associate professor of neurobiology, associate dean for curriculum and academic affairs, and senior director of administration in the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, is appointed dean of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.

Two UMass Medical School scientists are elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

• Michael Green, M.D., Ph.D., Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, the Lambi and Sarah Adams Chair of Genetic Research, chair and professor of molecular, cell & cancer biology, director of the UMass Medical School Cancer Center and co-director of the Li Weibo Institute for Rare Diseases Research.
• Allan Jacobson, Ph.D., the Gerald L. Haidak, M.D., and Zelda S. Haidak Professor of Cell Biology, and chair and professor of microbiology and physiological systems.

The Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Mentoring is presented to Carol A. Bova, Ph.D., RN, ANP, professor of nursing and medicine, and director of the Graduate School of Nursing's Ph.D. program.

May 2018

Roger J. Davis, Ph.D., the H. Arthur Smith Chair in Cancer Research, professor of molecular medicine and biochemistry and molecular pharmacology, and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator is elected to the National Academy of Sciences.

The Li Weibo Chair in Biomedical Research is established. Zhiping Weng, Ph.D., professor of biochemistry and molecular pharmacology and Director, Program in Bioinformatics & Integrative Biology, is named the inaugural recipient.

June 2018

Brian Lewis, Ph.D., associate professor of molecular, cell and cancer biology is appointed Assistant Vice Provost for Outreach and Recruitment.

July 2018

Lisa Colombo, D.N.P., M.H.A., R.N. is appointed Executive Vice Chancellor for Commonwealth Medicine.

August 2018

J. Matthias Walz, M.D., is appointed interim chair of the Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine.

September 2018

The Chancellor's Medals for Distinguished Teaching, Distinguished Scholarship, Distinguished Clinical Excellence, and Distinguished Service are awarded. The recipients are:

• Janet Hale, Ph.D. — Distinguished Teaching
• Katherine Fitzgerald, Ph.D. — Distinguished Scholarship
• Theo Meyer, M.D., Ph.D. — Distinguished Clinical Excellence
• Robert Baldor, M.D. — Distinguished Service

Kola Akindele, J.D., is named Assistant Vice Chancellor for City and Community Relations.

October 2018

The inaugural Dr. Marcellette G. Williams Distinguished Scholars are designated. They are:

• Timothy Kowalik, Ph.D., professor of microbiology and physiological systems
• Stephenie Lemon, Ph.D., professor of quantitative health sciences and medicine, and chief of the Division of Preventive and Behavioral Medicine
• David McManus, M.D., associate professor of medicine in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine and associate professor of quantitative health sciences
• Susan Sullivan-Bolyai, D.N.Sc., M.N., R.N., professor in the Graduate School of Nursing

The Chancellor's Award for Advancing the UMMS Mission is awarded to the Campus Solutions Team, Information Technology.

November 2018

Victor Ambros, Ph.D., the Silverman Chair in Natural Sciences and professor of molecular medicine, is elected as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

December 2018

John Erwin, M.B.A. is appointed Vice Chancellor for Government Relations.

George Witman, Ph.D., Professor of Cell Biology, George F. Booth Chair in Basic Sciences, is named a 2018 fellow of the American Society of Cell Biology.

2019

January 2019

J. Mattias Walz, M.D., is appointed Chair, Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine.

The Chancellor's Award for Advancing Institutional Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion is awarded to Jeffrey Way, a senior administrative manager at MassBiologics.

February 2019

Michael R. Green, M.D., Ph.D., the Lambi and Sarah Adams Chair in Genetic Research, Chair and Professor, Department of Molecular, Cell, and Cancer Biology, and Co-Director, the Li Weibo Rare Diseases Research Institute, is named Vice Provost for Strategic Research Initiatives.

Guangping Gao, Ph.D., the Penelope Booth Rockwell Professor in Biomedical Research, professor of microbiology and physiological systems, Director, the Horae Gene Therapy Center, and Co-Director, the Li Weibo Institute for Rare Diseases Research, is elected to the American Academy of Microbiology.

April 2019

Raul Padron Ph.D., Senior Research Scientist, Department of Radiology, is elected to the National Academy of Sciences.

The Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Mentoring is presented to Peter Metz, M.D., professor of psychiatry and pediatrics.

May 2019

The Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences announces the launch of an ophthalmology residency program beginning in July 2019.

June 2019

M. Diane McKee, M.D., M.S., joins UMass Medical School and UMass Memorial Medical Center as Chair, Department of Family Medicine & Community Health.

August 2019

Justin A. Maykel, M.D., Chief, Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery, Associate Professor of Surgery, is named the inaugural holder of the Joseph M. Streeter and Mary C. DeFeudis Chair in Surgery.

September 2019

Steven B. Bird, M.D., FACEP, FACMT, Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, is appointed the first clinical experience officer for UMass Memorial Medical Center, UMass Memorial Medical Group, and UMass Medical School.

The Chancellor's Medals for Distinguished Teaching, Distinguished Scholarship, Distinguished Service, and Distinguished Clinical Excellence are awarded. The recipients are:

• Mai-Lan Rogoff, M.D. — Distinguished Teaching
• Job Dekker, Ph.D., — Distinguished Scholarship
• Matilde Castiel, M.D., — Distinguished Service
• Sarah Cheeseman, M.D., — Distinguished Clinical Excellence

October 2019

The Chancellor's Award for Advancing the UMMS Mission is awarded to the School of Medicine Admissions Office.

Gregory J. Pazour, Ph.D., Professor, Program in Molecular Medicine, is named a 2019 fellow of the American Society for Cell Biology.

December 2019

Sally C. Kent, Ph.D., associate professor of medicine in the Diabetes Center of Excellence, is named the George F. and Sybil H. Fuller Foundation Term Chair in Diabetes.

2020s

2020

February 2020

The Glass Family Fellow in Diabetes Research is established and presented to Richard A. Siller, PhD

Katherine Fitzgerald, PhD, the Worcester Foundation for Biomedical Research Chair, professor of medicine, Director, Program in Innate Immunity, and Sanjay Ram, MD, professor of medicine, have been elected to the American Academy of Microbiology.

The Chancellor's Award for Advancing Institutional Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion is awarded to Valerie Wedge, MSW, Program Director, UMMS Employee Assistance Program.

April 2020

Cole M. Haynes, PhD, Professor, Molecular, Cell & Cancer Biology receives a Method to Extend Research in Time (MERIT) award from the National Institute on Aging.

Thoru Pederson, PhD, the Vitold Arnett Professor of Cell Biology, associate vice chancellor for research and professor of biochemistry & molecular pharmacology, is elected a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

July 2020

Maria M. Garcia, MD, MPH, professor of medicine, is appointed Assistant Vice Provost for Diversity and Student Success.

The Neil and Margery Blacklow Chair in Infectious Diseases and Immunology is established. Douglas T. Golenbock, M.D., chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, is named inaugural chair.

The Richard V. Aghababian, MD., '74 Chair in Emergency Medicine is established. Gregory A. Volturo, MD, Chair, Department of Emergency Medicine, is appointed inaugural chair.

The Remondi Family Chair in Biomedical Research is established. Anastasia Khvorova, PhD, Professor, RNA Therapeutics Institute, is named inaugural chair.

Erik J. Sontheimer, PhD, Professor, RNA Therapeutics Institute, is recipient of the Pillar Chair in Biomedical Research.

Jennifer A. Reidy, MD, Associate Professor, Family Practice and Community Health and Chair, Division of Palliative Care, is named Joy McCann Professor for Women in Medicine.

September 2020

Kristin Mattocks, PhD, MPH is appointed to the new position of Associate Dean for Veterans Affairs at UMMS.

Kimberly Yonkers, MD, chair and professor of psychiatry, is named the inaugural Katz Family Chair in Psychiatry.

Milagros C. Rosal, MS, PhD, Professor of Population & Quantitative Health Sciences in the Division of Preventive and Behavioral Medicine is appointed to the new position of Vice Provost for Health Equity at UMMS. Dr. Rosal is also named recipient of the newly established Imoigele P. Aisiku, MD '97 Chair in Healthy Equity.

November 2020

Marlina Duncan, EdD is appointed Vice Chancellor for Diversity and Inclusion.

2021

January 2021

Che Anderson is named Assistant Vice Chancellor for City and Community Relations.

February 2021

The Chancellor's Award for Advancing Institutional Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion is awarded to Linda Long-Bellil, J.D., PhD, assistant professor of family medicine & community health and research consultant for Commonwealth Medicine.

April 2021

Katherine Fitzgerald, PhD, the Worcester Foundation for Biomedical Research Chair, professor of medicine, and director of the Program in Innate Immunity, and Nikolaus Grigorieff, Ph.D., Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator and professor of RNA therapeutics, are elected to the National Academy of Sciences.

Roger Davis, PhD, FRS, the H. Arthur Smith Chair in Cancer Research, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, and chair and professor in the Program of Molecular Medicine is elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Brian Lewis, PhD is endowed as the second George F. Booth Chair in the Basic Sciences.

David McManus, MD assumes the Richard M. Haidack Professorship in Medicine.

May 2021

Mireli Fino, MBA, is named Executive Vice Chancellor for MassBiologics.

September 2021

UMass Medical School receives a $175 million donation from the Morningside Foundation. In recognition of the gift, UMass Medical School is renamed the UMass Chan Medical School. The three graduate schools are renamed:

• T. H. Chan School of Medicine
• Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing
• Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences

The Program in Systems Biology becomes the Department of Systems Biology. Marian Walhout, PhD, the Maroun Semaan Chair in Biomedical Research and professor of molecular medicine, is named founding chair.

The Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacology is renamed the Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biotechnology. Celia A. Schiffer, PhD, the Gladys Smith Martin Chair in Oncology, and founder and director of the Institute for Drug Resistance is named chair.

The Chancellor's Medals for Distinguished Service, Distinguished Scholarship, Distinguished Teaching, and Distinguished Clinical Excellence are awarded. The recipients are:

• Robert W. Finberg, MD (posthumous) – Distinguished Service
• Anastasia Khvorova, PhD – Distinguished Scholarship
• Pang-Yen Fan, MD – Distinguished Teaching
• Janice F. Lalikos, MD – Distinguished Clinical Excellence

October 2021

Job Dekker, PhD, Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator, the Joseph J. Byrne Chair in Biomedical Research, professor of biochemistry & molecular pharmacology and systems biology, and Katherine Fitzgerald, PhD, the Worcester Foundation for Biomedical Research Chair, professor of medicine, vice chair for research in the Department of Medicine and director of the Program in Innate Immunity, are elected to the National Academy of Medicine.

December 2021

The community-based outpatient clinic (CBOC) for veterans, built by the VA Central Western Massachusetts Healthcare System and UMass Chan Medical School, opens.

Michelle A. Kelliher, PhD, professor of molecular, cell & Cancer biology and co-leader of the Cancer Genetics Program, is appointed the inaugural recipient of the Our Danny Cancer Fund Chair in Biomedical Research I.

2022

February 2022

The Christine K. Cassel MD'76 Faculty Scholar Award is established.

April 2022

The Donna M. and Robert J. Manning Chairs in neurosciences, orthopedics, obstetrics and gynecology, nursing, and biomedical sciences are established. The inaugural holders of each chair are:

• Robert H. Brown Jr., DPhil, MD, professor of neurology and director of the Neurotherapeutics Institute, for the Donna M. and Robert J. Manning Chair in Neurosciences.
• Mary Ellen Lane, PhD, professor of neurobiology and dean of the Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, for the Donna M. and Robert J. Manning Chair in Biomedical Sciences.
• Tiffany A. Moore Simas, MD, MPH, chair and professor of obstetrics & gynecology and professor pediatrics, psychiatry, and population & quantitative health sciences, for the Donna M. and Robert J. Manning Chair in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
• Michael P. Stauff, MD, associate professor of orthopedics & physical rehabilitation and vice chair for clinical practice in the Department of Orthopedics & Physical Rehabilitation, for the Donna M. and Robert J. Manning Chair in Orthopedics.
• Joan M. Vitello, PhD, professor of nursing and dean of the Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing, for the Donna M. and Robert J. Manning Chair in Nursing.

The Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Mentoring is presented to Vivian Budnik, PhD, the Worcester Foundation for Biomedical Research Chair and chair and professor of neurobiology.

Roberto Caricchio, MD, professor of medicine and chief in the Division of Rheumatology in the Department of Medicine, is named the Myles J. McDonough Chair in Rheumatology.

Celia A. Schiffer, PhD, chair and professor of biochemistry & molecular biotechnology, is appointed the new Arthur F. Helen P. Koskinas Professor Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology.

June 2022

The following UMass Chan faculty are appointed to endowed chairs:

• Eric Baehrecke, PhD, professor of molecular, cell & cancer biology is appointed the inaugural holder of the Our Danny Cancer Fund Chair in Biomedical Research II.
• Jeanne B. Lawrence, PhD, professor of neurology and pediatrics is appointed to the Leo P. and Theresa M. LaChance Chair in Medical Research.
• Alan Mullen, MD, PhD, professor of medicine and academic chief of the Division of Gastroenterolgy, is appointed the Mary C. DeFeudis Chair in Biomedical Research.

September 2022

The Chancellor's Medals for Distinguished Teaching, Distinguished Scholarship, Distinguished Clinical Excellence, and Distinguished Service are awarded. The recipients are:

• Melissa Fischer, MD – Distinguished Teaching
• Marian Walhout, PhD – Distinguished Scholarship
• Ira Ockene, MD – Distinguished Clinical Excellence
• Deborah DeMarco, MD – Distinguished Service

The Cutler Chair in Vascular and Endovascular Surgery is established. Andres Schanzer, MD, professor of surgery and population & quantitative health sciences and chief of the Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery in the Department of Surgery is appointed its inaugural holder.

Sharon B. Cantor, PhD, professor of molecular, cell & cancer biology, is appointed to the Gladys Smith Martin Chair in Oncology.

October 2022

Mary Munson, PhD, professor of biochemistry and molecular biotechnology, is named a 2022 fellow of the American Society for Cell Biology.

December 2022

UMass Chan Medical School and Lahey Hospital & Medical Center sign a master affiliation agreement to establish a regional medical campus to be known as UMass Chan-Lahey. The campus will be based at Lahey Hospital & Medical Center in Burlington, Massachusetts.

2023

January 2023

The Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion is awarded to Robert Layne, MEd, assistant dean for outreach programs and instructor in radiology.

Vivian Budnik, PhD, the Worcester Foundation for Biomedical Research Chair I, and chair and professor of neurobiology, is elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

February 2023

Allan Jacobson, PhD, the Gerald L. Haidak, M.D., and Zelda S. Haidak Professor of Cell Biology, and chair and professor of microbiology and physiological systems is named co-recipient of the 2023 Gruber Genetics Prize.

April 2023

Two UMass Chan Medical School scientists are elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences:

• Katherine Fitzgerald, PhD, the Worcester Foundation for Biomedical Research Chair III, professor of medicine, associated vice provost for basic science research, vice chair of research in the Department of Medicine, chief of the Division of Innate Immunity and director of the Program in Innate Immunity.
• Phillip D. Zamore, PhD, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, the Gretchen Stone Cook Chair in Biomedical Sciences, and chair and professor of RNA therapeutics.

May 2023

The Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Mentoring is presented to Mark Johnson, MD, PhD, the Maroun Semaan Chair in Neurosurgery, chair and professor of neurological surgery and senior vice provost for mentorship, leadership and transformation.

Phillip D. Zamore, PhD, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, the Gretchen Stone Cook Chair in Biomedical Sciences, and chair and professor of RNA therapeutics, is elected to the National Academy of Sciences.

July 2023

UMass Chan Medical School and Southcoast Health sign a teaching affiliation agreement.

September 2023

The Chancellor’s Medals for Distinguished Teaching, Distinguished Scholarship, Distinguished Clinical Excellence, and Distinguished Service are awarded. The recipients are:

• Susan Zweizig, MD – Distinguished Teaching
• Douglas Golenbock, MD – Distinguished Scholarship
• Kathryn Edmiston, MD – Distinguished Clinical Excellence
• Jill Terrien, PhD – Distinguished Service

The Harvey A. Shultz Chair in Diabetes is established. Michael A. Brehm, PhD, associate professor of molecular medicine, principal investigator of the UMass Chan Diabetes Center of Excellence and co-director of the humanized mouse core facility, is appointed the inaugural holder.

Vaikom S. Mahadevan, MD, professor of medicine and chief of the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, is appointed the Edward Budnitz, MD, Professor in Cardiovascular Medicine.

Beth A. McCormick, PhD, the Worcester Foundation for Biomedical Research Chair II and professor of microbiology & physiological systems is named the chair of the Department of Microbiology & Physiology Systems (MaPS).

Michael P. Stauff, MD, the Donna M. and Robert J. Manning Chair in Orthopedics, associate professor and former interim chair of orthopedics & physical rehabilitation, is appointed chair of the Department of Orthopedics & Physical Rehabilitation.

October 2023

Phillip D. Zamore, PhD, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, the Gretchen Stone Cook Chair in Biomedical Sciences, and chair and professor of RNA therapeutics, and Roger J. Davis, PhD, FRS, the H. Arthur Smith Chair in Cancer Research and chair and professor of molecular medicine, are elected to the National Academy of Medicine.

Zhiping Weng, PhD, the Li Weibo Chair in Biomedical Research, professor of biochemistry & molecular biotechnology, and founding director of the Program in Bioinformatics & Integrative Biology, is named the inaugural chair of the newly established Department of Genomics & Computational Biology.

2024

February 2024

Sharina Person, PhD, the Dr. Marcellette G. Williams Senior Scholar and vice chair and professor of population & quantitative health sciences, is named the 2024 recipient of the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion.

April 2024

Mary Munson, PhD, professor of biochemistry & molecular biotechnology, vice chair of diversity for the department, and assistant vice provost for health equity; and Craig L. Peterson, PhD, professor and vice chair of molecular medicine, have been elected as fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

May 2024

Celia A. Schiffer, PhD, the Arthur F. and Helen P. Koskinas Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology and chair and professor of biochemistry & molecular biotechnology, is elected to the National Academy of Sciences.

July 2024

The Department of Microbiology & Physiological Systems (MaPS) is renamed to the Department of Microbiology.

August 2024

The following faculty members are invested as named professors:

• Daryl A. Bosco, PhD, professor of neurology and biochemistry & molecular biotechnology and associate vice chair of research for the Department of Neurology is named the Paul J. DiMare Chair in Neurodegenerative Disease.
• Kevin Donahue, MD, professor of medicine in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, is named the David J. and Barbara D. Milliken Professor Preventive Cardiology.
• Dale L. Greiner, PhD, professor of molecular medicine and co-director of the Diabetes Center of Excellence, is appointed the Herman G. Berkman Chair in Diabetes Care Innovation.
• John E. Harris, MD, PhD, chair and professor of dermatology, is named the Lambi and Sarah Adams Chair in Genetic Research.
• Elinor K. Karlsson, PhD, associate professor of molecular medicine is appointed the Dr. Eileen l. Berman and Stanely I. Berman Foundation Chair in Biomedical Research.
• Danny G. Winder, PhD, chair and professor of neurobiology is named the Worcester Foundation for Biomedical Research Chair I.
• Jeannette M. Wolfe, MD, professor of emergency medicine, is appointed to the Joy McCann Professorship for Women in Medicine.

September 2024

New endowed chairs are established. Faculty members appointed to each chair are as follows:

• A.M. Barrett, MD, chair and professor of neurology, is appointed the inaugural UMass Memorial Chair in Neurology.
• Thomas J. Fitzgerald, MD, chair and professor of radiation oncology, is named the inaugural UMass Memorial Chair in Radiation Oncology.
• M. Diane McKee, MD, chair and professor of family medicine & community health, is appointed the inaugural UMass Memorial Ledwith Chair in Family and Community Medicine.
• Max P. Rosen, MD, MPH, chair and professor of radiology, is named the inaugural UMass Memorial Chair in Radiology.
• J. Matthias Walz, MD, chair and professor of anesthesia & perioperative medicine, is appointed the inaugural UMass Memorial Kaur Chair in Anesthesia and Perioperative Medicine.
• Anil Chandraker, MD, professor of medicine and chief of the Division of Renal Medicine in the Department of Medicine, is named the inaugural Jack M. Wilson Chair in Biomedical Research.
• Fernando Martinez, MD, MS, professor of medicine, academic chief of the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine and inaugural vice chair for clinical and translational research in the Department of Medicine is appointed the inaugural Joseph D. Early Chair in Biomedical Research.
• Oliver Rando, MD, PhD, professor of biochemistry & molecular biotechnology is named the inaugural Endowed Chair in Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology I.
• Dorothy Schafer, PhD, associate professor of neurobiology is appointed the inaugural UMass Chan Medical School Chair in Biomedical Research I.

Stephenie C. Lemon, PhD, professor of population & quantitative health sciences and chief of the Division of Preventive and Behavioral Medicine, is named the new holder of the Barbara Helen Smith Chair of Preventive and Behavioral Medicine.

October 2024

Victor R. Ambros, PhD, the Silverman Chair in Natural Sciences and professor of medicine, shares the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with his long-time collaborator Gary B. Ruvkun, PhD, of Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School for their discovery of microRNA.