news & notes

In his annual Convocation address in September, Chancellor Michael F. Collins celebrated the accomplishments of the UMass Chan Medical School community and kicked off the year with a rallying cry of “We are not done yet!” He called for continued teamwork, collaboration and encouragement among students, faculty and staff to fulfill the Medical School’s mission.

Chancellor Collins said the collaborative work at UMass Chan is similar to running a marathon, noting the same motivation and inspiration traded between runners to complete a race takes place here as the community advances the education, research, sustainability, philanthropy and social mission goals of advancing diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.

“In our work, there is no finish line, only new starting points. Let us begin this academic year by rounding the corner, arm in arm, and let us commit together to racing to our most ambitious future. There is much to accomplish,” Collins said.

The chancellor listed some of the momentous achievements of the past year that will carry UMass Chan beyond the goals included in the Impact 2025 strategic plan, including: the largest graduate school classes in UMass Chan’s history; the creation of a new regional campus, UMass Chan-Lahey, and enrollment of 32 medical students in its first year; and the opening of the new education and research building.

The following faculty members were honored and invested as endowed professors at the ceremony:

• Daryl A. Bosco, PhD, professor of neurology and biochemistry & molecular biotechnology and associate vice chair of research for the Department of Neurology, was invested as the Paul J. DiMare Chair in Neurodegenerative Disease.
• Kevin Donahue, MD, professor of medicine in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, was invested as the David J. and Barbara D. Milliken Professor of Preventive Cardiology.
• Dale L. Greiner, PhD, professor of molecular medicine and co-director of the Diabetes Center of Excellence, was invested as the Herman G. Berkman Chair in Diabetes Care Innovation.
• John E. Harris, MD, PhD’05, chair and professor of dermatology, was invested as the Lambi and Sarah Adams Chair in Genetic Research.
• Elinor K. Karlsson, PhD, associate professor of molecular medicine, was invested as the Dr. Eileen L. Berman and Stanley I. Berman Foundation Chair in Biomedical Research.
• Danny G. Winder, PhD, chair and professor of neurobiology, was invested as the Worcester Foundation for Biomedical Research Chair I.
• Jeannette M. Wolfe, MD, professor of emergency medicine, was invested into the Joy McCann Professorship for Women in Medicine.

On the heels of the annual Investiture ceremony, Chancellor Michael F. Collins announced the creation of an additional 12 endowed chairs, meeting the institutional goal of 75 endowed chairs by 2025.

In recognition of exceptional faculty and the extraordinary, longstanding partnership and shared destiny of UMass Memorial Health and UMass Chan Medical School, Chancellor Collins announced that a $5 million philanthropic gift from UMass Memorial Health and $2.5 million in matching funds from the University of Massachusetts Foundation would allow UMass Chan to establish five new UMass Memorial Health endowed chairs.

Seven additional endowed chairs were established and approved by the UMass Board of Trustees.

The inaugural holders of the UMass Memorial Health chairs, who were invested at a special ceremony in November, are:

• A.M. Barrett, MD, chair and professor of neurology, was named the UMass Memorial Chair in Neurology.
• Thomas J. FitzGerald, MD’80, chair and professor of radiation oncology, was named the UMass Memorial Chair in Radiation Oncology.
• Diane McKee, MD, chair and professor of family medicine & community health, was named the UMass Memorial Ledwith Chair in Family and Community Medicine.
• Max P. Rosen, MD, MPH, chair and professor of radiology, was named the UMass Memorial Chair in Radiology.
• Matthias Walz, MD, chair and professor of anesthesiology & perioperative medicine, was named the UMass Memorial Kaur Chair in Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine.

Also invested at the special ceremony were the inaugural holders of three new UMass Chan endowed chairs:

• Anil Chandraker, MD, professor of medicine, was named the Jack M. Wilson Chair in Biomedical Research.
• Fernando Martinez, MD, MS, professor of medicine, was named the Joseph D. Early Chair in Biomedical Research.
• Dorothy Schafer, PhD, associate professor of neurobiology, was named the UMass Chan Medical School Chair in Biomedical Research I.

Chancellor Michael F. Collins attended the opening ceremony of the World Health Organization’s WHO Academy in December in Lyon, France. He was personally invited by World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, PhD, during the director-general’s visit to UMass Chan Medical School in June.

The WHO Academy is an eco-friendly facility designed to encourage collaboration. It features a world-class simulation center aimed at addressing gaps in health workforce training among WHO member states, using new technologies and advancements in adult learning.

The opening ceremony featured exhibitions and demonstrations showcasing the academy’s approach to lifelong learning.

The hybrid event was co-hosted by the WHO and the government of France, with Dr. Tedros and French President Emmanuel Macron in attendance.