UMCCTS Mentors

Schahram Akbarian, MD, PhD Associate Professor of Psychiatry Director-Brudnick Neuropsychiatric Research Institute• Internationally recognized on the molecular pathology of schizophrenia & other neurodevelop-mental disorders • NIH funded since 2000, studying epigenetic mechanisms in the pathophysiology of depression, psychosis & Rett syndrome • 1997 NIMH Outstanding Resident Award• 2008 NARSAD Staglin Family Schizophrenia Research Award• Mentored more than 10 instructors & assistant professors, post-doc fellows & graduate students

http://www.umassmed.edu/igp/faculty/akbarian.cfm

http://www.umassmed.edu/igp/faculty/akbarian.cfm

Jeroan Allison, MD, MSProfessor & Vice Chair-Quantitative Health SciencesAssociate Vice Provost for Health Disparities • Research focuses on quality measurement,

implementation science, and statistical methods, with special emphasis on eliminating racial/ethnic disparities

• 10-year history of sustained extramural funding, including the NIH, AHQR, RWJ Foundation

• Co-Editor-in-Chief of Medical Care, sponsored by American Public Health Association

[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

Victor Ambros, PhD2008 Lasker Prize for Basic Medical ResearchSilverman Chair in Natural Sciences Professor of Molecular Medicine• Developmental geneticist using the nematode

Caenorhabditis elegans to study genetic regulatory mechanisms that control animal development

• Major focus on microRNAs function in gene regulatory networks • NIH funded for more than 20 years • 2008 Gairdner International Award; Benjamin Franklin Medal in Life Sciences• National Academy of Sciences Member• Mentored more than 20 students & post-docs http://www.umassmed.edu/faculty/show.cfm?faculty=1266

http://www.umassmed.edu/faculty/show.cfm?faculty=1266

Neil Aronin, MDProfessor of Medicine and Cell Biology Chief-Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism• Internationally recognized expert on the pathogenesis of Huntington’s disease • Directs the Neuroendocrinology Laboratory• Basic research focuses on gene silencing for autosomal dominant, neurodegenerative disease• Clinical research examines human growth hormone in patients with hypopituitarism & genetics of familial & sporadic pheochromocytoma • NIH or NSF funded since 1979• Mentors MD/PhD & PhD students & sponsors post-doc fellows for NIH & HHMIhttp://www.umassmed.edu/faculty/show.cfm?faculty=263


Leslie Berg, PhDProfessor of PathologyChair-Immunology & Virology Program • Internationally recognized expert on

lymphocyte signaling, investigating the functions of key tyrosine kinases required for T cell activation &

the generation of a productive immune response to infections• NIH funded to study signaling proteins in

mouse models of immunity • Chair of the Board of Scientific Counselors for the National Institute on Aging • Mentored over 30 graduate students & post-

docs

http://www.umassmed.edu/igp/faculty/berg.cfm

http://www.umassmed.edu/igp/faculty/berg.cfm

Silvia Corvera, MDProfessor of Molecular Medicine • The Corvera lab studies the cellular & molecular basis of energy metabolism• NIH funded studies elucidate factors controlling angiogenesis in human adipose tissue• Bariatric surgery studies are performed in tight coordination & collaboration with surgeons & endocrinologists & closely involve residents, mentored in the basic aspects of the research • Mentored more than 10 students & post-doc fellows in the past 5 years



Michael Czech, PhD Professor of Molecular MedicineFounding Chair-Program in Molecular Medicine • Recognized for major contributions to diabetes research and adipocyte biology • NIH MERIT award; 2000 Banting Medal of the American Diabetes Association• Czech laboratory focuses on the underlying mechanisms of insulin signaling & the molecular basis of insulin resistance in obesity & type 2 diabetes• NIH funded for more than 25 years• Mentored dozens of graduate students & post-doc fellowshttp://www.umassmed.edu/igp/faculty/czech.cfm

http://www.umassmed.edu/igp/faculty/czech.cfm

Roger Davis, MA MPhil, PhD, FRSHoward Hughes Medical Institute InvestigatorH. Arthur Smith Chair & Professor of Molecular Medicine • Internationally recognized expert in signal transduction mechanisms related to the stress response • NIH-funded• Research on cancer, diabetes, inflammation, & stroke has helped identify new molecular targets • Elected to The Royal Society (London) in 2002• Editor-in-Chief, Molecular & Cellular Biology• Mentored many trainees; now successful faculty at other Medical Schools



Kate Fitzgerald, PhDAssociate Professor of Medicine • Internationally recognized expert on innate immunity and host defense with a particular focus in pattern recognition receptors (Toll-Like Receptors, RIG-Like Receptors, NOD-Like Receptors) and their associated signaling pathways• Recipient of several Young Investigator awards • NIH funded since 2004• Actively involved in the Immunology & Virology Program • Mentored post-doc fellows, graduate & medical Students



Terence Flotte, MDDean, Provost, Executive Deputy Chancellor Professor of Pediatrics• Internationally recognized as a pioneer in human gene therapy, currently investigating its use for pediatric genetic diseases, mainly Cystic Fibrosis • First to use adeno-associated virus (AAV) to deliver corrective genes to targeted sites in the body, including the damaged airways of adults with CF, paving the way for new viral vectors for CF gene therapy, currently undergoing pre-clinical testing & soon to be tested in patients• Mentored more than 20 individuals



Patricia Franklin, MD MBA MPH Associate Professor of Orthopedics & Physical Rehabilitation, Director-Musculoskeletal Clinical & Outcomes Research, Director-Clinical/Translational Research Pathway for Medical Students• Expert in clinical and outcome data analysis• NIAMS-funded research on intervention to Enhance TKR patient adherence during rehab• RWJF-funded eHealth research includes a multi-site trial testing the efficacy of emails on diet & physical activity change & development of web-based outcome prediction tools• Supervises orthopedic clinical research of residents (MD) & pre- & post-doc trainees



Robert Goldberg, PhD Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology Director-Master of Science in Clinical Investigation • Internationally recognized for research in

cardiovascular epidemiology & preventive cardiology • NIH funded for 25 years; current MERIT awardee• Recent NIH funding for two large scale epidemiologic studies, one to understand care seeking in patients with acute heart failure, the other studying venous thromboembolic disease • Senior Epidemiologist for the GRACE (Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events) • Mentored more than 50 post-doc fellows, medical & graduate students



Douglas Golenbock, MDProfessor of Medicine, Molecular Genetics & MicrobiologyChief-Division of Infectious Diseases• Internationally recognized expert on the innate immune system, particularly in the recognition & response to microbial products• Recent work includes collaboration with Brazilian investigators on patient studies in the patho-Genesis of P. falciparum malaria• NIH funded since 1987; currently an NIH MERIT awardee from NIGMS• Mentored more than 40 post-doc fellows, graduate & medical students, & ID fellowshttp://www.umassmed.edu/faculty/show.cfm?faculty=382


Ellen Gravallese, MDProfessor of Medicine & Cell Biology Chief-Division of Rheumatology• Internationally recognized expert on pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), with recent emphasis on the destruction of joint bone & cartilage• Lab uses animal models of RA & patient tissue samples to understand pathogenic mechanisms of disease & identify novel treatment pathways • Harvard Medical School Scholars in Medicine Award • NIH and Arthritis Foundation funded • Mentored 14 post-doc fellows, graduate & medical

students, & rheumatology fellows



Michael Green, MD, PhDProfessor of Molecular MedicineHoward Hughes Medical Institute Investigator Director-Program in Gene Function & Expression• Internationally recognized expert in eukaryotic gene regulation & its role in human cancers• Uses molecular biology, molecular genetics, biochemical & RNA interference technology to perform genome-wide screens to identify new genes & pathways & address questions in cancer molecular biology• NIH funded since 1984 • Mentored more than 90 post-doc fellows, graduate & MD/PhD students



Jerry Gurwitz, MDDr. John Meyers Professor in Primary Care Medicine Executive Director- Meyers Primary Care InstituteChief-Division of Geriatric Medicine• Recognized for expertise in optimal drug therapy in the elderly & improving medication safety• Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality funded;NHLB-funded HMO Cardiovascular Research Network• William B. Abrams Award in Geriatric Clinical Pharmacology; George F. Archambault Award; • John M. Eisenberg Patient Safety and Quality Award• Mentored over 25 traineeshttp://www.umassmed.edu/faculty/show.cfm?faculty=649


Thomas K. Houston, MD, MPDirector-Division of Health Informatics & Implementation ScienceProfessor of Quantitative Health Sciences & Medicine• Leader in health informatics &

technologically-based, patient-centered interventions to improve clinical care• Funded through NIH & VA• Co-chair, Behavioral Informatics Group,

Society of Behavioral Medicine• Chair, Consumer Health Informatics working

group, American Medical Informatics Assoc• Editorial board, Journal of Medical Internet

Research [email protected]


Shalesh Kaushal, MD, PhDAssociate Professor of OphthalmologyChair-Department of Ophthalmology • Expert in vitreoretinal disorders & first in the world to use complement inhibitor molecules to treat patients for wet age-related macular degeneration• Current research uses gene therapy to treat a congenital blindness known as Leber Congenital Amaurosis• Basic research targets the biochemical basis of retinal & macular degeneration, including small molecule drug discovery & the molecular & cellular fate of misfolded proteins associated with retinal degeneration

[email protected]


Catarina Kiefe, PhD, MDProfessor and Founding Chair-Quantitative Health Sciences• Continuous research funded since 1993 by

the NHLBI, NCI, AHRQ, VA, and CDC • Nationally and internationally recognized

for work in quality health care measurement and patient outcomes improvement

• Associate Editor of the Annals of Epidemiology (1995-2000)

• Co-Editor-in-Chief of Medical Care• A founding Senior Scholar in the VA

National Quality Scholars Fellowship• Mentored over 60 post-doc trainees &

junior faculty [email protected]


John Keaney, MDProfessor of Medicine & PhysiologyChief-Division of Cardiovascular Medicine • Internationally recognized expert on vascular &

endothelial cell biology• Research involves biochemical, cellular, animal

& human manifestations of vascular disease• NIH funded since 1995, including

Multidisciplinary Training in Cardiovascular Research grant

• Mentored over 25 post-doc fellows, graduate & medical students, & cardiology fellows



Katherine Luzuriaga, MDProfessor of Pediatrics & Molecular MedicineDirector-Clinical Research Scholars (K12) ProgramAssociate Provost-Global Health • Internationally recognized for Informing understanding of viral & host factors influencing the establishment of persistent viral infections (HIV, CMV, and EBV) in infants & children• First to characterize the ability of young infants to

generate virus-specific CD8 T cell responses & to demonstrate the efficacy of early antiretroviral treatment in HIV-infected infants

• NIH funded; NIH Mid-Career Award to mentor graduate students, post-doc fellows, & jr faculty http://www.umassmed.edu/faculty/show.cfm?faculty=296


Craig Mello, PhD2006 Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology Howard Hughes Medical Institute InvestigatorBlais University Chair in Molecular MedicineDirector-RNAi Therapeutics Institute• Internationally recognized as co-discoverer of RNAi, a process & state-of-the-art method by which scientists “knock-out” or silence the expression of specific genes to identify the gene’s function• Mentored more than 40 post-doc fellows & graduate students



John L. Sullivan, MDVice Provost for ResearchDirector-UMass Center for Clinical & Translational ScienceProfessor of Pediatrics & Molecular Medicine • Internationally recognized for pioneering use of nevirapine to reduce HIV maternal-to-fetal trans-mission in sub-Saharan Africa• Ongoing research focuses on immunopathogenicconsequences of HIV infection & pathogenesis of herpes virus infection• NIH funded more than 25 years • Mentored 6 graduate students & 12 post-docfellows



Gyongyi Szabo, MD, PhDProfessor of Medicine Director-Medical Scientist ProgramAssociate Dean-Clinical & Translational Science• Internationally recognized authority on the role of innate immunity in liver disease• NIH funded since 1990• Research includes animal models & patients with

hepatitis C infection, alcoholic & non-alcoholic liver disease• PI on the HALT-C multi-center NIDDK-supported clinical trial • Mentored 18 post-doc fellows



Carole Upshur, EdDProfessor of Family Medicine & Community Health Associate Dean-Clinical & Population Health Research • Nationally known researcher on the integration of primary care & mental health services, organization & management of behavioral health care for children, & treating chronic pain in primary care• Funded through AHRQ, NIMH, Robert WoodJohnson & Annie E. Casey Foundations, & Health Foundation of Central Massachusetts• Mentored over 30 doctoral students



Zhiping Weng, PhDProfessor of Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacology Director-Program in Bioinformatics & Integrative Biology • Known for contributions in two areas—transcriptional regulation & protein-protein interaction• PI on National Human Genome Research Institute grant to computationally predict & experimentally test transcriptional factor binding sites in the human genome (part of the International Consortium called Encyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE) • Mentored more than 30 traineeshttp://www.umassmed.edu/faculty/show.cfm?faculty=1263


Phillip Zamore, PhDHoward Hughes Medical Institute InvestigatorGretchen Stone Cook Professor of Biomedical SciencesProfessor of Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacology • International leader in the study of RNAi & other RNA silencing pathways • NIH funded; High Q Foundation grant to develop therapies for Huntington’s disease • Pew Scholar in Biomedical Sciences; W.M. Keck Foundation Young Scholar in Medical Research; Schering Plough Award• Mentored more than 25 trainees, including medical and graduate students, PhD/MDs, &post-doc fellowshttp://www.umassmed.edu/faculty/show.cfm?faculty=224


Douglas Ziedonis, MD, MPHProfessor of PsychiatryChair-Psychiatry • International expert on co-occurring mental illness & addiction, in particular tobacco dependence & including developing innovative programs, research training, & policy • NIH funded through NIMH, NIDA, & CSAT• Senior Fellow, SAMHSA’s Co-Occurring Disorders Center for Excellence• Norman H. Edelman Clinical Sciences

Mentoring Award • Developed “Training the Mentor” programs



UMCCTS Mentors

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