New findings from UVM researchers and colleagues describe the discovery of a unique dependence of cancer cells on a particular protein, which could lead to desperately-needed treatment for hard-to-treat cancers.

One of the most alarming realizations of the past year has been the clear link between structural racism in the U.S. and the racial and ethnic health disparities that have led to a disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on communities of color. Thanks to the collaboration of numerous partners in Vermont, members of the New American community are getting the education they need to make informed decisions about their health and the COVID-19 vaccine.

In a commentary in the journal Academic Medicine, titled “We Burn Out, We Break, We Die: Medical Schools Must Change Their Culture to Preserve Medical Student Mental Health,” fourth-year Larner medical student Christopher Veal reveals his personal experiences as a Black man dealing with depression and suicide ideation and calls on the medical education community to change its culture to support the mental health of its learners.

In developing therapies for hard-to-treat breast and ovarian cancers in patients with BRCA gene mutations, scientists aim to identify ways to keep cancer cells from using DNA break repair pathways. New findings from researchers including UVM Professor Sylvie Doublie demonstrate a previously-unknown capability for a key enzyme in this repair function that shows promise as a new avenue for treatment development.

International adult aortic surgery expert Chris Rokkas, M.D., Ph.D., was invested as the inaugural Frank P. Ittleman Chair in Cardiothoracic Surgery at the University of Vermont’s Larner College of Medicine during a remote investiture ceremony held on February 2, 2021 in front of guests from across the United States and around the world.

Members of the Larner College of Medicine’s medical Class of 2023, leaders, medical educators, and staff gathered virtually January 28 to celebrate the students’ achievements and recognize the faculty and staff who have supported them during an online Foundations Celebration event.

​For Professor Elizabeth Bonney, M.D., M.P.H., juggling the roles of scientist, clinician, mentor, and advocate has been the norm for decades. So, it’s no surprise that in a year turned upside-down by the COVID-19 pandemic, the delayed reckoning with racial injustice in America, and political turmoil, she has forged ahead with her science, delivered care on the front lines, and used this pivotal moment in history to raise issues of critical importance not only to science, but society.

An interdisciplinary team of Vermont researchers and a partner at Yale's Smilow Cancer Center, conducted an economic evaluation to establish an overall cost-effectiveness comparison of two approaches to the treatment of low-volume metastatic prostate cancer. Their findings, published in JAMA Network Open, strongly support the addition of prostate radiation therapy to standard androgen deprivation therapy.

While public health and infectious disease experts have discussed strategies to enhance adherence, including the potential use of financial incentives, an examination of the scientific evidence on incentivizing vaccine adherence has not been discussed. A new Commentary in Preventive Medicine by Vermont Center on Behavior and Health Director Stephen Higgins, Ph.D., and colleagues addresses that gap.

A new study conducted by a team of health economists and public health faculty at the University of Vermont suggests that the behavior public officials are now mandating or recommending to slow the spread of COVID-19--wearing a face covering--should come with a caveat. If not accompanied by proper public education, the practice could lead to more infections.