Schahram Akbarian, MD, PhD
Associate Professor of Psychiatry
Director-Brudnick Neuropsychiatric Research Institute
•Internationally recognized on the molecular
pathology of schizophrenia & other neurodevelopmental 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
Jeroan Allison, MD, MS
Professor & Vice Chair-Quantitative Health
Sciences
Associate 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
Jeroan.Allison@umassmed.edu
Victor Ambros, PhD
2008 Lasker Prize for Basic Medical Research
Silverman 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
Neil Aronin, MD
Professor 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 & HHMI
http://www.umassmed.edu/faculty/show.cfm?faculty=263
Leslie Berg, PhD
Professor of Pathology
Chair-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
Silvia Corvera, MD
Professor 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
http://www.umassmed.edu/faculty/show.cfm?faculty=267
Michael Czech, PhD
Professor of Molecular Medicine
Founding 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 & postdoc fellows
http://www.umassmed.edu/igp/faculty/czech.cfm
Roger Davis, MA MPhil, PhD, FRS
Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator
H. 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
http://www.umassmed.edu/faculty/show.cfm?faculty=181
Kate Fitzgerald, PhD
Associate 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
http://www.umassmed.edu/faculty/show.cfm?faculty=729
Terence Flotte, MD
Dean, 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
http://www.umassmed.edu/faculty/show.cfm?faculty=1255
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
http://www.umassmed.edu/faculty/show.cfm?faculty=837
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
http://www.umassmed.edu/faculty/show.cfm?faculty=1260
Douglas Golenbock, MD
Professor of Medicine, Molecular Genetics
& Microbiology
Chief-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 pathoGenesis 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 fellows
http://www.umassmed.edu/faculty/show.cfm?faculty=382
Ellen Gravallese, MD
Professor 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
http://www.umassmed.edu/faculty/show.cfm?faculty=1248
Michael Green, MD, PhD
Professor of Molecular Medicine
Howard 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
http://www.umassmed.edu/faculty/show.cfm?faculty=189
Jerry Gurwitz, MD
Dr. John Meyers Professor in Primary Care Medicine
Executive Director- Meyers Primary Care Institute
Chief-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 trainees
http://www.umassmed.edu/faculty/show.cfm?faculty=649
Thomas K. Houston, MD, MP
Director-Division of Health Informatics &
Implementation Science
Professor of Quantitative Health Sciences
& Medicine
•Leader in health informatics & technologicallybased, 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 Thomas.Houston@umassmed.edu
Shalesh Kaushal, MD, PhD
Associate Professor of Ophthalmology
Chair-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
Shalesh.Kaushal@umassmemorial.org
Catarina Kiefe, PhD, MD
Professor 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 Catarina.Kiefe@umassmed.edu
John Keaney, MD
Professor of Medicine & Physiology
Chief-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
http://www.umassmed.edu/faculty/show.cfm?faculty=1219
Katherine Luzuriaga, MD
Professor of Pediatrics & Molecular Medicine
Director-Clinical Research Scholars (K12) Program
Associate 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, PhD
2006 Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology
Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator
Blais University Chair in Molecular Medicine
Director-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
http://www.umassmed.edu/faculty/show.cfm?faculty=240
John L. Sullivan, MD
Vice Provost for Research
Director-UMass Center for Clinical & Translational Science
Professor of Pediatrics & Molecular Medicine
•Internationally recognized for pioneering use of
nevirapine to reduce HIV maternal-to-fetal transmission in sub-Saharan Africa
•Ongoing research focuses on immunopathogenic
consequences of HIV infection & pathogenesis of
herpes virus infection
•NIH funded more than 25 years
•Mentored 6 graduate students & 12 post-doc
fellows
http://www.umassmed.edu/faculty/show.cfm?faculty=302
Gyongyi Szabo, MD, PhD
Professor of Medicine
Director-Medical Scientist Program
Associate 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
http://www.umassmed.edu/faculty/show.cfm?faculty=303
Carole Upshur, EdD
Professor 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 Wood
Johnson & Annie E. Casey Foundations, &
Health Foundation of Central Massachusetts
•Mentored over 30 doctoral students
http://www.umassmed.edu/faculty/show.cfm?faculty=658
Zhiping Weng, PhD
Professor 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 trainees
http://www.umassmed.edu/faculty/show.cfm?faculty=1263
Phillip Zamore, PhD
Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator
Gretchen Stone Cook Professor of Biomedical Sciences
Professor 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 fellows
http://www.umassmed.edu/faculty/show.cfm?faculty=224
Douglas Ziedonis, MD, MPH
Professor of Psychiatry
Chair-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
http://www.umassmed.edu/faculty/show.cfm?faculty=1247