Despite the many challenges presented by the pandemic, the resilience of UVM Cancer Center patients and continued commitment of providers have led to a silver lining: a way to ensure patients in locations throughout Vermont and upstate New York are receiving the physical and mental health support they need right from the comfort of their own homes.

UVM faculty members Andrea Villanti, Ph.D., M.P.H., associate professor of psychiatry, and William Copeland, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry, have been named to a list of the world’s most influential researchers - the Highly Cited Researchers list is compiled and published annually by Clarivate Analytics.

Renier Brentjens, M.D., Ph.D., director of cellular therapeutics in the Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, presented the 5th Annual Stetson Lecture in Technological Advances in Medicine via Zoom on September 8. He discussed “CARs and Armored CARs: Improving CAR T Cell Therapy for Cancer.”

New findings from a collaborative Vermont study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research highlight how having a uniquely flexible survey instrument and using incentives can help capture the most relevant data and keep young Vermonters engaged.

The University of Vermont received $181.7 million in research funding during the 2020 fiscal year - the largest in UVM history by a wide margin. The Larner College of Medicine had the largest number of grants.

Despite the many challenges academic institutions have faced in 2020, the Vermont Integrative Genetics Resource (VIGR) shared core facility at the University of Vermont Cancer Center and Larner College of Medicine has achieved strong funding support and achieved some significant milestones over the past six months.

(MAY 18, 2020) Alissa Thomas, M.D., assistant professor of neurological sciences and residency director for neurology, was featured in a Neurology Today article, titled "Neuropalliative Care During COVID-19—How Clinicians Help Patients and Families Cope with Isolation, Fear, and Life-Limiting Illness."

(MAY 13, 2020) University of Vermont Assistant Professor of Medicine Diego Adrianzen-Herrera was interviewed for an ASCO Daily News special series on treating patients with cancer in the wake of COVID-19.

Larner College of Medicine faculty members Gregory Holmes, M.D., professor and chair of neurological sciences, and Gary Stein, Ph.D., Perelman professor and chair of biochemistry, have been selected as University Scholars for the 2020-21 academic year.

The American Academy of Arts & Sciences has announced the election of University of Vermont Professor of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics Emerita Susan Wallace, Ph.D., to its membership, in recognition of her status as a world leader in the sciences. Wallace joins 275 new members elected on April 23, 2020.

Over one dozen Larner College of Medicine medical, doctoral students and Master of Public Health degree students recently presented their research alongside hundreds of peers from across UVM for the first-ever virtual Student Research Conference.

Often-deadly blood clots are a common complication of cancer care, yet less than five percent of patients receive education on how to prevent them. A team of clinician-researchers at the UVM Cancer Center have published an evidence-based prevention “roadmap” found to reduce blood clots by 38 percent in the highest-risk patients.

Over the last three weeks, a team of scientists, engineers and doctors at the University of Vermont, including Professor of Medicine Jason Bates, have developed a new design—and built a working model—for a simple, inexpensive ventilator.

Research findings, published in JAMA Network Open and led by University of Vermont Cancer Center researcher Brian Sprague, Ph.D., show that breast cancer screening with digital breast tomosynthesis (also known as 3D mammography) improves breast cancer screening performance among most radiologists.

Glenn Goldman, M.D., professor of medicine and chief of dermatology, was invested as the inaugural Rogers and Nancy Follansbee Professor of Dermatology during a formal ceremony held February 3, 2020 at the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont.

Researchers at the University of Vermont’s Vermont Conversation Lab, including Miller Chair of Palliative Medicine Robert Gramling, M.D., D.Sc., have used machine learning and natural language processing to better understand what conversations surrounding life-threatening and serious illnesses look like, in order to help healthcare providers improve their end-of-life communication. Their work was published December 9 in the journal Patient Education and Counselling.

Two University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine faculty have been named to a list of the world’s most influential researchers, based on the number of times their published studies have been cited by other researchers over the past decade. Researchers on the list are in the top 1 percent of all scholars whose work has been cited. The prestigious Highly Cited Researchers list is compiled and published annually by Clarivate Analytics.

The UVM Health Network is partnering with Invitae and LunaPBC on a pilot project to offer Genomic DNA Testing to patients as part of their clinical care. The pilot program is the beginning of an effort to increase the integration of genetic disease risks into routine medical care, which holds promise for providing Vermonters with valuable information to guide their health decisions.

The Larner College of Medicine's fourth annual "Celebrating Excellence in Research" series featured two days of presentations and recognition designed to highlight research performed by junior faculty, senior faculty, postdoctoral trainees, and graduate students at the College.