News from the Department of Medicine

  • Obesity Neural Systems Expert Grill Presents Stetson Lecture
    Harvey J. Grill, Ph.D., presented the Annual Stetson Lecture in Technological Advances in Medicine on Friday, September 14, 2018 in the UVM Davis Center’s Silver Maple Ballroom. Grill, a professor of behavioral neuroscience at the University of Pennsylvania and director of the Obesity Unit at the Institute of Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, discussed “Treating the Hyperphagia Driving Obesity: Neural Mechanisms of Feeding Inhibition.”
  • Jensen Co-Authors Global Criteria for Diagnosing Malnutrition
    Although malnutrition is a serious concern associated with adverse outcomes and cost, no single existing approach to malnutrition diagnosis has achieved broad global acceptance. Now, thanks to more than two years’ work by members of the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) working group, a consensus report, which outlines five criteria for malnutrition, has just been published in the latest issue of both the Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition and Clinical Nutrition.
  • LaMantia Invested as Inaugural Holly and Bob Miller Chair in Memory and Aging
    More than 150 people gathered for a formal investiture ceremony honoring the University of Vermont’s newest endowed faculty members and recognizing the donors who made the positions possible on August 21, 2018 at the UVM Alumni House. Michael LaMantia, M.D., M.P.H., was invested as the inaugural Holly and Bob Miller Chair in Memory and Aging and Rosemary Dale, Ed.D., A.P.R.N., was invested as the first Holly and Bob Miller Professor in Nursing Leadership.
  • Teaching Academy Announces 16 New Members
    Kathryn Huggett, Ph.D., director of the Teaching Academy at the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont, has announced the names of 16 new members of the Teaching Academy.
  • Vaccine Testing Center a Site for New NIH Live, Attenuated Zika Vaccine Trial
    Vaccinations have begun in a first-in-human trial of an experimental live, attenuated Zika virus vaccine developed by scientists at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health. The trial will enroll a total of 28 healthy, non-pregnant adults ages 18 to 50 at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Center for Immunization Research in Baltimore, Md., and at the Vaccine Testing Center at the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont in Burlington.
  • Center on Aging Hosts Beers Fund in Geriatrics Lecture on “Caring for the Caregiver”
    The University of Vermont Center on Aging and UVM Geriatric Medicine program will host a presentation, titled “Caring for Caregivers and Transitions from Hospital to Home,” by international experts Horst Vollmar, M.D., M.P.H., and Mary Austrom, Ph.D., on August 3, 2018.
  • Parsons Leads American Thoracic Society, Named ATS Fellow with 3 UVM Colleagues
    At the American Thoracic Society 2018 International Congress, held in May 2018, UVM E.L. Amidon Chair of Medicine Polly Parsons, M.D., was installed as president, and she and Larner College of Medicine colleagues Jason Bates, Ph.D., Sc.D., Anne Dixon, M.A., B.M., B.Ch., and Renee Stapleton, M.D., Ph.D., were inducted as the inaugural class of ATS Fellows.
  • King Elected Chair of Federation of State Medical Boards
    Patricia King, M.D., Ph.D., professor of medicine at the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont, was elected chair of the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) at the organization’s 106th annual meeting in Charlotte, N.C., on April 28, 2018.
  • UVM Larner College of Medicine Clinical Chairs’ Letter to the Community
    On July 18, 2018, UVM Larner College of Medicine clinical department chairs issued a letter to the community.
  • UVM, Dept. of Medicine & Chair Honored for Support of Guard Member Employees
    The University of Vermont and Polly Parsons, M.D., professor and chair of medicine at the UVM Larner College of Medicine, were recognized with the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) Patriot Award, the Above and Beyond Award, and the Pro Patria Award, respectively, at an annual ESGR awards ceremony held May 23, 2018.
  • Wood Named Fellow of the American Society of Clinical Oncology
    Marie Wood, M.D., professor of medicine and director of the Familial Cancer Program in the Division of Hematology/Oncology, was named a Fellow of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (FASCO) at the organization’s annual meeting, held June 1 to 5, 2018 in Chicago, Ill.
  • Plante and Colleagues Say High Ratings Don’t Mean Blood Pressure App Works
    University of Vermont Assistant Professor of Medicine Timothy Plante, M.D., M.H.S., and colleagues say that a high “star rating” doesn’t necessarily reflect medical accuracy or value in a blood pressure app. Based on their latest study results, the researchers are concerned that unregulated mobile health app use could give people a false sense of security, which could lead to dire health consequences.
  • Gagnon Appointed Director of Facilities Administration and Projects
    Gordon Jensen, M.D., Ph.D., senior associate dean for research at the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont, has announced that Eric Gagnon, M.Ed., M.S.S., has been appointed director of facilities administration and projects in the Dean’s Office at the College of Medicine, effective June 1, 2018.
  • Kirkpatrick Appointed Chair of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
    Beth Kirkpatrick, M.D., has been appointed as chair of the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics at the University of Vermont, effective March 1, 2018.
  • UVM Joins High-Profile Regenerative Medicine Consortium
  • LaMantia Named Director of Center on Aging at UVM
    University of Vermont Provost David Rosowsky and Larner College of Medicine Dean Frederick Morin, M.D., have announced the appointment of Michael LaMantia, M.D., M.P.H., as director of the UVM Center on Aging. LaMantia, who is currently associate professor of medicine and neurological sciences, as well as section head of geriatric medicine, will succeed William Pendlebury, M.D., professor emeritus of pathology and laboratory medicine, who will step down from the position in January 2018.
  • A Cyber Approach to ACL Rehab: Toth & Skalka’s BME Grant Breaks New Ground
    In early 2017, University of Vermont researchers Michael Toth, Ph.D., and Christian Skalka, Ph.D. were awarded one of two inaugural UVM Biomedical Engineering (BME) Pilot Research Program grants for their project, “Cyber-physical system innovations to monitor and improve compliance with at-home neuromuscular rehabilitation.” Through the project, Toth and Skalka have worked to create a cyber-physical electrical stimulation system that acts as a bridge therapy for patients immediately post-injury and in the time between surgery and the start of physical therapy.
  • Berry Receives VNA Madison-Deane Award for Excellence in End-of-Life Care
    The Madison-Deane Education Fund presented the inaugural Madison-Deane Award for Excellence in End-of-Life Care to Zail Berry, M.D., M.P.H., associate professor of medicine at the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont, at the program’s “Evening of Gratitude” event held October 24, 2017 at Burlington Country Club.
  • Cushman Presents Study on Increased TV Viewing & Blood Clot Risks at AHA
    Risk of blood clots increases with the amount of time spent watching television, even if people get the recommended amount of physical activity, according to preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2017 in Anaheim, Calif. November 11 to 15, 2017.
  • Johnston '19 & Corse '19 Receive Vermont Medical Society Foundation Awards Scholarships
    The Vermont Medical Society’s Education and Research Foundation (VMSERF) has awarded $5,000 scholarships to Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont students Margaret Johnston and Andrew Corse. The recipients were honored at the Vermont Medical Society’s 204th annual meeting held November 4, 2017 in Woodstock, Vt.