a lifelong commitment to caring, how Jim Betts, M.D.’73 gives his all for kids, his community and alma
(below) Class of 2029 students volunteer at Burlington’s Intervale Food Hub. Read more about the class on page 8.
Dean Page participates in the Class of 2029 Orientation.
With each fall season, I am reminded of inevitable and welcome changes—not only in the leaves, but also in our college and university. Just last May, we said farewell to the medical and graduate classes of 2025, with UVM Commencement featuring an honorary degree and address from one of our own, James (Jim) M. Betts ’69, M.D.’73. And now the graduate students and the medical class of 2029 are here and in full swing. We were treated to a perfect autumn weekend for our annual White Coat Ceremony and alumni reunion.
In this edition of Vermont Medicine, we feature several stories of important change. Marlene Tromp, Ph.D., joined us as the 28th President of the University of Vermont, with a formal installation on September 30. Dr. Tromp has already brought renewed energy, excitement and optimism to our campus, and has actively engaged with the Larner College of Medicine, addressing our new medical students during orientation and at our White Coat Ceremony. I was honored to be appointed the inaugural UVM Chief Medical Affairs Officer, directly reporting to Dr. Tromp, as I continue to serve in my capacity as Dean.
As noted in our cover story, after 24 years as the inaugural director of the Vaccine Testing Center (VTC), Beth Kirkpatrick, M.D., professor and chair of the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, has handed leadership duties over to codirectors Kristen Pierce, M.D., professor of medicine and Mary Claire Walsh, PA-C, research program administrator and infectious disease physician assistant. From dengue to COVID, from anthrax to Lyme Disease, the VTC has been a leader in preventing infectious diseases relevant to people from the far reaches of the globe to our own communities here in Vermont.
Another exciting change in our research environment is that we recently opened the BioLabs Innovation Center at UVM. This new facility, located at our Colchester Research Facility, represents a partnership between UVM and BioLabs—a global network offering shared lab and office spaces for life science startups in leading biotech hubs. This Center features a state-of-the-art incubator with wet labs, offices and community areas designed to nurture ideas that translate to successful highgrowth businesses rooted here in Vermont.
Our college is continually “reaching for the stars” in terms of our medical education, research and clinical care; I know we can do just about anything if we put our minds to it. I had not considered this expression literally until one of our own, Imelda Muller, M.D.’17, was named one of just 10 members of NASA’s 2025 class of astronaut candidates! Several members of the Larner community have collaborated with NASA on research projects, but this will be the first Catamount in space!
I hope you enjoy learning more about the positive changes and achievements here at Larner. These accomplishments would not be possible without the support of our loyal alumni and friends. Please let me know if you would like to learn how you might sustain our important work.
Warm regards,
RICHARD L. PAGE, M.D. Dean
Our college is continually “reaching for the stars” ... I had not considered this expression literally until one of our own, Imelda Muller, M.D.’17, was named one of just 10 members of NASA’s 2025 class of astronaut candidates!
New Herrington Appointments and Investiture
Ramsey Herrington, M.D., associate professor of emergency medicine, has been appointed senior associate dean of clinical affairs at the Larner College of Medicine, chief physician executive of University of Vermont Health (UVMH), and president and CEO of the UVM Health Medical Group effective July 7, 2025. Dr. Herrington joined the University of Vermont faculty as an assistant professor of emergency medicine in 2006 after completing his medical degree at University of Alabama–Birmingham School of Medicine and his residency training, including service as chief resident, at Oregon Health & Science University.
In his new role with UVMH, he will be responsible for shaping the strategic direction and performance of the UVMH and UVM Health Medical Group, while also spearheading advancements in research and education through the Larner College of Medicine. He will partner with Larner Dean Richard L. Page, M.D., in overseeing the academic network department chairs and all physicians within the system, and will hold a key role in guiding the clinical, academic, and quality and safety missions across the system. As a senior associate dean, he will serve as a member of Larner’s senior leadership team.
In a separate ceremony held on October 13, Herrington was invested as the inaugural J. Bishop McGill, M.D.’46, Chair of Emergency Medicine. This endowed chair was established in 2022 by longtime College of Medicine supporter and alumnus John McGill, M.D.’78, in honor of his father, known affectionately as “Bish,” who passed away in 2007. Active in community and medical organizations—Bish co-founded the Northeast Medical Society and was a member of the New England Surgical Society, president of the Burlington Chamber of Commerce, and medical director for the Mt. Mansfield Ski Patrol for many years—he was devoted to St. Johnsbury Academy, the University of Vermont, and Fletcher Allen Health Care, where he practiced and taught surgery for more than 40 years.
Faculty
Calabresi of Johns Hopkins
Named UVM Chair of Neurological Sciences
Peter Calabresi, M.D., professor of neurology, neuroscience, and ophthalmology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; director of the Richard T. Johnson Division of Neuroimmunology and Neurological Infections; and co-director of the Johns Hopkins Precision Medicine Multiple Sclerosis Center of Excellence, has been appointed chair of the Department of Neurological Sciences at the Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine at the University of Vermont (UVM) and UVM Health (UVMH), following a national search. His appointment will be effective October 1, 2025.
As chair at Larner, Dr. Calabresi will be responsible for the clinical, research, and education missions of the Department of Neurological Sciences. At UVMH, Calabresi’s responsibilities as chair of neurological sciences will include leading physicians, residents, fellows, and staff at the network’s locations across Vermont and northern New York.
Calabresi received his undergraduate degree in biology from Yale University and his medical degree from Brown University Medical School. Calabresi’s area of expertise is multiple sclerosis, a field in which he has received numerous honors for his work. He has served as Principal Investigator on numerous grants, securing millions of dollars in research funding from private and public institutions, and his research has been widely published in hundreds of academic publications. He has served as associate editor of the Journal of Clinical Investigation and ad hoc reviewer for National Institutes of Health panels, and as a journal reviewer for such scientific journals as the Journal of Clinical Investigation, Lancet, Nature, Science, Cell, and the New England Journal of Medicine. He lends his expertise in several national premier medical professional organizations, including the Scientific Advisory Committee of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and the Scientific Advisory Board of the North American Imaging in Multiple Sclerosis Cooperative. He is co-founder and past president of the International Multiple Sclerosis Visual System Consortium and a Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology, and a member of the American Association of Physicians.
UVM Larner Alum Named NASA Astronaut Candidate
Larner College of Medicine grad with the “right stuff” selected for NASA’s new class of astronaut candidates
On Monday, September 22, NASA named Imelda Muller, M.D.‘17, as one of ten new members of its next class of astronaut candidates.
The ten astronaut candidates were selected from a pool of nearly 8,000 applicants. Dr. Muller’s class is the 24th group of astronaut candidates to be selected by NASA since the first–the famed “Mercury Seven” were chosen in 1959.
“With upcoming exploration missions, we are pushing the boundaries of human performance. The lessons that we learn, the knowledge that we gain, all of these things are going to help us excel not just in space but in areas of human health here on Earth. The future of medicine is now, and I’m incredibly honored to be here with this team, said Muller during NASA’s announcement at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.
After graduating from Larner in 2017, Muller 34, an anesthesiologist, went on to a transitional year at the Naval Medical Center in San Diego, Calif., and later entered a residency in anesthesia and critical care medicine at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. At Hopkins she has also been associated with its Human Spaceflight Lab.
“That experience gave me the opportunity to work with multidisciplinary teams in experimental and saturation diving, and I developed a passion for learning about the way the body adapts in extreme environments,” Muller said at the announcement event. “This led me to pursue medical residency training in anesthesia, where I deepened that understanding of how our body responds when it’s under stress. I am incredibly excited to be here alongside this team and to build on that foundation.”
Muller and her nine fellow astronaut candidates will now begin a two-year training regimen that will include courses in geology, training in land and water survival, and simulations of spacewalks in the Neutral Buoyancy Lab.
“We are immensely proud of Dr. Imelda Muller’s selection as a member of NASA’s 2025 astronaut class. Her journey from Larner to the launchpad exemplifies the spirit of innovation, resilience, and service that we strive to instill in all students. This opportunity is not only a testament to her extraordinary dedication but also a shining moment for our entire medical community,” said Richard L. Page, M.D., dean of the UVM Larner College of Medicine and UVM chief medical affairs officer.
(above) The members of the 24th NASA astronaut candidate class. Standing, far right (and inset photo) is Larner College of Medicine alum Imelda Mueller, M.D.’17.
Page Named as UVM Chief Medical Affairs Officer
The University of Vermont has named Richard L. Page, M.D., dean of the Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine, as its inaugural Chief Medical Affairs Officer. In an increasingly complex environment around medicine and medical education, this role will help the university strengthen its strategic and material responsiveness to its land-grant mission and the well-being of the state.
Dr. Page will continue to serve as dean of Larner, with oversight of nearly 40 percent of the university’s faculty and research awards. In this capacity, he will report to Linda Schadler, UVM Interim Provost and Senior Vice President. As Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Page will report to UVM President Marlene Tromp and serve as a member of the President’s Leadership Council. The latter will aid the university in sustaining and strengthening both cross-institutional collaboration with UVM Health, where he serves on the board of trustees, as well as the leadership team’s engagement with medical affairs, public health, and health care reform at the local, state, and national level.
“This appointment reflects the role of medical education and leadership in fostering partnerships and collaboration with health sciences researchers and health care professionals across our region and will allow us to more fully integrate the entire university’s academic strengths in those critical areas,” said Dr. Tromp. “Dr. Page is perfectly positioned to advance our public mission in the rapidly evolving world of medical care, education, and research. His breadth of experience in both academia and medicine will prove valuable to not only the university, but also to communities in Vermont and beyond.”
Dr. Page is perfectly positioned to advance our public mission in the rapidly evolving world of medical care, education, and research.”
– U VM PRESIDENT MARLENE TROMP
A tenured professor of medicine and nationally recognized cardiologist, Dr. Page has served as dean at Larner since October 2018 and brings decades of leadership in academic medicine, clinical care, and cardiovascular research to this new role. He is a Fellow of the American Heart Association and the Heart Rhythm Society and an elected member of several distinguished medical societies. In addition, Dr. Page has authored more than 200 publications and articles and has served on numerous committees, including as chair of the Circulatory Devices Panel of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
“I am grateful to serve UVM in this new capacity and look forward to working with Dr. Tromp and her leadership team,” said Dr. Page. “Amid the complex challenges confronting health care today, I see great opportunities for UVM to lead in patient-centered care, innovative education, and biomedical research.”
Initiative
Larner Launches New Office of Research and Engagement
On May 28, 2025, Larner College of Medicine Dean Richard L. Page, M.D., announced the establishment of the Office of Research and Engagement, a collaboration by the research and faculty offices to promote a vibrant and productive research environment within the college.
This new initiative, led by Senior Associate Dean for Research Kate Tracy, Ph.D., and Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs Rebecca Wilcox, M.D., is designed to enhance research activity and competitiveness by providing support, expertise, and infrastructure to faculty, staff, and trainees at all stages of research development and engagement.
The Office of Research and Engagement (ORE) will serve as a central hub for accessing resources related to the research, scientific communication, and leadership skills necessary to succeed in an R1 institution. Key goals include:
• Function as a single point of access for resources to support research development and engagement
• Increase the number and quality of grant submissions and improve success rates in securing external funding
• Enhance research funding and productivity and the quality and impact of research conducted within the college
• Support faculty career development and provide learners and postdoctoral fellows with the skills and resources necessary to excel in their chosen careers
• Foster collaborations and interdisciplinary research initiatives and promote responsible conduct of research and ethical research practices
Michael Toth, Ph.D., professor of medicine, and Renee Stapleton, M.D., Ph.D., professor of medicine, will serve as the inaugural codirectors of ORE.
Marlene Tromp Named University of Vermont President
Marlene Tromp, Ph.D., began her tenure as the University of Vermont’s 28th president, on July 1, 2025. A humanities scholar with three decades of experience in teaching, research, and higher education administration, Dr. Tromp comes to UVM after serving as president of Idaho’s Boise State University (BSU), a position she held since 2019.
At BSU she worked in partnership with the faculty to increase the academic excellence and research profile of the school and shattered the graduation record, research funding record and philanthropy record throughout her presidency.
Looking Ahead
Vision 2030 Strategic Planning Begins
Five years ago, the Larner College of Medicine launched Vision 2025—a roadmap that defined the college’s mission, vision, values, and outlined its commitment to 4 strategic priorities, goals and their foundations.
Now, as we approach a new chapter, we’re setting our sights on Vision 2030. Jan Carney, M.D., M.P.H., associate dean for Public Health and Health Policy and professor of medicine, will once again lead the strategic planning process. Dr.
She increased access for students from all backgrounds, providing opportunities and integrating the university deeply with the local community and economy. With academic leaders, she created pioneering partnerships with industry and nonprofits to advance students and the state.
She has been a leader in higher education nationally, serving on the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities Board and the Board of the American Council on Education, as well as on the U.S. Council on Competitiveness, designed to enhance U.S. productivity and prosperity for all Americans. She represented higher education at the international G7 Summit and has overseen global scale institutes and centers on genomics, the environment, microelectronics, community engagement, computing, and tech in the humanities and social sciences.
She has spent the majority of her administrative career at Association of American Universities institutions. She served as the campus provost and executive vice chancellor at the University of California at Santa Cruz and also served as a dean and vice provost at Arizona State University, named the most innovative in the nation ten years in a row.
She remains a dedicated scholar and is the author of several books and many articles on Victorian literature and culture and its relationship to our current cultural moment, and has served as president of the North American Victorian Studies Association.
Dr. Tromp succeeds former president Suresh Garimella, Ph.D., who led UVM as the institution’s 27th president from 2019 until October 2024, when he became president of the University of Arizona.
Carney’s leadership will guide the college in identifying opportunities for growth, alignment with university priorities, and deeper engagement across our community.
Throughout September, Carney hosted a series of Town Halls to gather input through a comprehensive SWOT analysis. That feedback is now being reviewed and will inform the strategic priorities and goals that will shape the next five years of progress at Larner. Vision 2030 will be released in January 2026.
Vision 2025 has served us well, by strengthening our priorities in clinical, educational, research, and community initiatives. We look forward to identifying new goals and opportunities for the Larner College of Medicine and further strengthening our connections across UVM.” – JAN CARNEY, M.D., M.P.H.
Like Father Like Son
A common bond spans 35 years
For some, following in a parent’s footsteps—especially in the same field and alma mater—can feel like walking a tightrope. But for Vinh Le, M.D.’24, and his father Phil Le, M.D.’90, their parallel paths through the University of Vermont’s College of Medicine weren’t just about tradition. They became a shared journey of connection, growth, and generational continuity— transforming legacy into something deeply personal.
When Phil learned of Vinh’s desire to enter medical school, he didn’t hesitate. “I encouraged Vinh to consider Larner,” he said. “Recognizing his interests in music and creative writing, I felt that he would be a good fit for the college, where a humanistic approach to health care is encouraged.” It wasn’t just about academics; it was about finding a place where Vinh could thrive.
And he did. Vinh was involved in student life, eventually serving as Medical Student Council president. Then, one unexpected meaningful moment at an awards ceremony changed everything. He struck up a conversation with Mary Cushman, M.D.’89, M.Sc.—a Larner faculty member, University Distinguished Professor, and co-director of the Vermont Center for Cardiovascular and Brain Health. “We started chatting about advances in cardiovascular and brain health research at her lab,” Vinh recalled. “I knew right away that I wanted to begin research work with her after finishing my medical school curriculum.”
After graduation, Vinh joined Dr. Cushman’s lab as a research assistant, preparing for his upcoming residency in family medicine at Dartmouth. What he didn’t expect was how this decision would echo through his father’s past.
“It turns out Dr. Cushman was a year ahead of me in medical school,” Phil shared. “Dr. Cushman was very dedicated as a student, and in the clinical rotations we shared, I was impressed by her knowledgeable responses to our attending physicians. I wasn’t surprised to see she’s now a leading researcher and faculty member.” Their paths crossed again at the Viridis Montis competition at UVM, where Phil and
It was a beautiful twist of fate to see Vinh working with her. I’m thankful for all she’s done to mentor him.” – PHIL LE, M.D.’90
Dr. Cushman reconnected after 35 years. “It was a beautiful twist of fate to see Vinh working with her. I’m thankful for all she’s done to mentor him.”
For Vinh, that moment was unforgettable. “Seeing my dad and Dr. Cushman reunite—on the same campus where they once studied together—reminded me how our lives can intersect and positively influence future generations.”
(left to right) Phil Le, M.D.’90, his son Vinh Le, M.D.’24, Mary Cushman, M.D.’89, M.Sc.
UVM Commencement Weekend
Larner Graduates Celebrated at 2025 Commencement Ceremonies
On May 17 and 18, 2025, University of Vermont students, families, friends, faculty, and staff came together to celebrate the next generation of biomedical scientists, health care professionals, and physicians during UVM’s Commencement Weekend. Throughout the weekend’s celebrations, members of the Larner community played key roles in marking the close of the academic year. On Saturday, May 17, master’s and doctoral graduates were hooded during the Graduate College Ceremony at the Robert E. Miller Expo Centre, Champlain Valley Exposition. The following morning, Sunday, May 18, under cloudy skies the University Commencement Ceremony on the University Green honored recipients of honorary degrees and University Distinguished Professor titles, while Sunday afternoon saw more than 100 of UVM’s newest medical degree recipients recognized at the Larner College of Medicine Ceremony at Ira Allen Chapel.
Leading the faculty into the chapel for the Larner ceremony was Faculty Marshal Jillian Sullivan, M.D.’04. Class of 2025 graduate Justin P. Henningsen, M.D., served as student marshal and led his classmates into the chapel, where
Larner Dean Richard L. Page, M.D., delivered the opening remarks. The ceremony also featured remarks from Interim President Patricia Prelock, Ph.D., M.A., and a keynote address by Maureen G. Phipps, M.D.’94, M.P.H., professor emerita of obstetrics and gynecology for the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and chief executive officer of MGP Strategies, LLC.
Before the conferral of degrees, Senior Associate Dean for Medical Education Christa Zehle, M.D.’99, offered opening remarks and introduced Class of 2025 student speaker Rachel Thompson, M.D. In her address, Thompson captured the essence of their medical school journey. “After these last four years, I think we can all agree: time is a teacher. It has taught us resilience, patience, and the ability to adapt. It has shown us that no matter what comes next, we have the best education and training to face it with confidence. My utmost gratitude goes out to the Larner College of Medicine as well as each and every patient for their contributions to this foundation as we embark on our next journey,” she said.
Read more at uvm.edu/larnermed/commencement
After these last four years, I think we can all agree: time is a teacher. It has taught us resilience, patience, and the ability to adapt. It has shown us that no matter what comes next, we have the best education and training to face it with confidence.”
– CLASS OF
2025 STUDENT SPEAKER RACHEL THOMPSON, M.D.
Larner Welcomes Class of 2029
The Larner College of Medicine welcomed its newest class of 124 new medical students from across the United States on Monday, August 11, 2025. Orientation represents the first step every medical student takes at Larner. It is a week-long credit-bearing course and serves as an introduction to the college, the University of Vermont, and Burlington, as well as to fellow classmates, deans, and faculty. Each day during Orientation Week features a full schedule of planned activities and events. The first day of Orientation is also the day medical students meet their “first patient,” during the First Patient Simulation exercise led by Lewis First, M.D., M.S., professor and chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Larner and chief of pediatrics at the Golisano Children’s Hospital at UVM Health. During the week, students also participate in community service projects allowing them to interact with diverse populations in the region, identify community needs, and build vital skills, such as leadership, community, and empathy. New UVM president, Marlene Tromp, Ph.D., also joined Orientation and welcomed the class as one of her first official acts in the role.
Leila Amiri, Ph.D., associate dean for admissions, described the Larner Class of 2029 as one of the most selective classes in the college’s history. “From a recordbreaking pool of 10,377 applicants, just 124 remarkable individuals have joined us—not only as future physicians, but as scholars, leaders, and changemakers. Representing 22 states, fluent in 16 languages beyond English, and arriving from 72 universities and 42 different majors, this class embodies excellence across every dimension. With 89 percent engaged in undergraduate research and over 350,000 hours of medical experience, they bring not only academic strength but a deep, lived commitment to service, healing, and humanity. Today, we celebrate a cohort that reflects our mission and promises a brighter future for medicine in our state and the communities we serve,” she said.
Newest Students Receive White Coats
On a glorious fall Vermont day, Larner’s Class of 2029 gathered at UVM’s historic Ira Allen Chapel to be presented with their first white coats. The annual white coat ceremony is a tradition at U.S. medical schools that marks the official entry of new students into the medical profession, acknowledging the responsibilities and obligations that come with wearing the physician’s iconic white coat. Senior Associate Dean for Medical Education Christa Zehle, M.D.’99, welcomed the students and an audience of more than 600 attendees, which included the students’ families, loved ones, mentors, faculty and staff. Larner Dean and UVM Chief Medical Affairs Officer Richard L. Page, M.D., UVM Medical Center President and Chief Operating Officer and Professor of Emergency Medicine Stephen Leffler, M.D., UVM President Marlene Tromp, Ph.D., and Larner Associate Professor of Medicine and keynote speaker Lee-Anna Burgess, M.D., were among those who also shared their reflections.
White Coat Celebration
(left) During orientation, incoming students participate in the exercise “I’m a med student and...” (below) Community service at Kieslich Park.
Investiture
Deborah L. Cook, M.D., Invested as Dinehart Green and Gold Professor of Dermatopathology
Deborah L. Cook, M.D.’90, professor of pathology and laboratory medicine, was invested as the inaugural holder of the Allison and Matthew S. Dinehart Green and Gold Professorship in Dermatopathology on May 30, 2025, in a formal ceremony at the Larner College of Medicine. A medallion honoring this achievement was presented by Debra Leonard, M.D., Ph.D., professor and chair of pathology and laboratory medicine.
Cook completed her medical training at Larner, followed by a pathology residency and fellowships in surgical pathology and cytopathology at the UVM Medical Center (UVMMC), where in her final year of residency she served as chief resident. After completing a dermatopathology fellowship at the Medical University of South Carolina, she returned to Larner and UVMMC as the founding director of the dermatopathology service—at that time, she was the only fellowship-trained and board-certified dermatopathologist in Vermont—and later founded the dermatopathology fellowship program at Larner.
The Allison and Matthew S. Dinehart Green and Gold Professorship of Dermatopathology was established in 2023 by Scott Dinehart, M.D., and Sheri Dinehart in honor of their son, Matthew Dinehart, M.D., a dermatopathologist who completed his residency and fellowship in the Department of Pathology at the UVMMC, and their daughter-in-law, Allison Hudgens Dinehart, M.D., a psychiatrist who also completed her residency there.
The Teaching Academy Turns 10
A Decade of Advancing Medical Educators
On Friday, May 9, the Teaching Academy at the Larner College of Medicine celebrated a decade of dedication to educational excellence with a special celebratory day. This milestone marks 10 years of supporting educators, fostering innovation in medical education, and advancing teaching and learning at the college.
To commemorate the occasion, the Teaching Academy hosted a series of special events, including a photography exhibit, a plenary session featuring expert insights on knowledge transfer in health professions education, and a 10th anniversary luncheon, where inaugural and current members gathered with Larner leadership to honor the academy’s achievements and look ahead.
Established in 2015, the Teaching Academy was founded with the support of Larner department chairs; Frederick Morin, M.D., former Larner dean (2007–2018); the Larner family; the UVM Foundation;
Professor of Pediatrics Ann Guillot, then interim dean of the academy; and many other individuals who contributed to the visioning and planning process. Because of that vision and planning 10 years ago, today the academy membership comprises 27 distinguished educators, 61 expert teachers, 126 members, and 25 associate members.
Larner Dean Richard L. Page, M.D., said, “Over the past 10 years, the Teaching Academy has enhanced the quality of education throughout our college, with positive impacts on educators and learners at all levels. I congratulate Dr. Huggett, and everyone involved in the Teaching Academy, and look forward to the next decade of continued excellence.”
The academy highlights the importance of the education mission at Larner, and members are identified through a peer-review process. The academy also recognizes excellence in teaching and educational leadership through its awards celebrating significant contributions to medical education.
Recognized nationally for its impact, the Teaching Academy offers resources for faculty development, addressing such topics as teaching skills, curriculum design, assessment, course evaluation, and educational research.
With a ribbon cutting, speeches, and tours of its extensive laboratory space, the formal opening of the BioLabs Innovation Center at UVM was celebrated on Tuesday, September 23.
A crowd of more than 50 representatives from the University of Vermont, the Larner College of Medicine, BioLabs, the city of Burlington, local industries, and the center’s first tenants attended the event at the Larner College of Medicine’s Colchester Research Facility in Colchester, VT.
This new facility is a two-year, collaborative effort between UVM’s Office of the Vice President for Research and BioLabs, the premier international network of shared lab and office facilities for life science startups. The opening of this facility marks a significant milestone for the university and region, offering early-stage life science startups and companies critical infrastructure, equipment, and resources designed to foster innovation and entrepreneurship. The University of Vermont represents the first rural university in the BioLabs network.
“At the Larner College of Medicine, we are witnessing a growing commitment among our medical students, faculty, and researchers to drive meaningful change through rigorous scientific inquiry and forward-thinking initiatives,” said Richard
L. Page, M.D., dean of the Larner College of Medicine. “Our scholars increasingly recognize that strategic partnerships beyond the academic realm can enhance both basic and applied research—by uncovering questions shaped by the needs and priorities of Vermont, our region, and the world.”
The center is designed to foster creative interaction and collaboration while leveraging the extensive resources of UVM’s world-class facilities and research teams.
This professionally managed, state-of-the-art incubator features 7,000 sq. ft. of shared wet labs, private labs, flexible office spaces, and community areas, equipped with more than $1 million in cutting-edge technology. By supporting a community of 10 to 20 startup companies, the center aims to catalyze innovation and entrepreneurship that extends beyond campus—serving as a powerful economic engine for a rural region’s continued development.
“In just a few short months since launching, BioLabs UVM is already supporting more than four companies onsite and another four through our Accelerate program. Our goal is to have over 10 resident companies onsite within the next year,” said James Stafford, director of the UVM BioLabs Innovation Center.
Ph.D.
(left to right) Marlene Tromp, Ph.D., Richard L. Page, M.D., Kirk Dombrowski, Ph.D., Kate Tracy,
My Path in Neuroscience
Curiosity, Collaboration, and Circadian Rhythms
Abby Myers is a Ph.D. student in the Neuroscience Graduate Program, a multidisciplinary, Ph.D.-granting program that has more than 50 faculty mentors across nine departments and four colleges including the Larner College of Medicine. She reflects on past childhood dreams to her current cutting-edge research on the pineal gland and path to becoming a neuroscientist.
Student Voices
I grew up in a small town in western Pennsylvania. From a young age, I was encouraged to follow my passions, stay curious, and look for ways to help others. Those values led me to continuously ask questions, explore new ideas, and imagine creative possibilities. If you had asked me as a kid what I wanted to be when I grew up, my answers would have ranged from a teacher to a doctor, or if I was feeling overly confident, a professional basketball player. It wasn’t until about halfway through college that I realized what I really wanted to become was a scientist.
I earned my Bachelor of Science in biochemistry from the University of Hartford in 2021. Some of my favorite learning moments in undergrad were in lab courses, working to form hypotheses, design experiments, and interpret new data. During that time, I joined Andrew Koob, Ph.D.’s research group, where I worked on a project exploring astrocyte-mediated protein interactions in Lewy body dementia, a neurodegenerative condition. This project ignited my passion for neuroscience and ultimately led me to pursue the Neuroscience Graduate Program at the University of Vermont.
It wasn’t until about halfway through college that I realized what I really wanted to become was a scientist.”
– ABBY MYERS, PH.D.
When I started at UVM, I had a broad interest in learning about the brain and was open to many different subfields of neuroscience. Under the mentorship of Dr. James Stafford, assistant professor of neurological sciences at Larner, I quickly found my niche in the field of circadian neurobiology, specifically focusing on the development of a novel model of the pineal gland. This small structure in the brain is responsible for producing the hormone melatonin, which plays a central role in regulating sleep and coordinating neural, cardiac, respiratory, metabolic, and immune function. Thus, the pineal gland is key to maintaining overall physiological health and is a compelling target for deeper study.
However, many current in vitro methods for examining pineal function use 2D culture techniques, which don’t fully capture how the structure of the tissue influences its function. To overcome this, our lab created small, 3D cellular structures composed of melatonin-producing pinealocytes and supporting astrocytes.
These mini pineal glands can be grown and studied in the lab, offering a more realistic and dynamic model of melatonin biology. Our goal in developing this new model was twofold: testing the pineal organoids first as a component of a cell-based therapeutic system to deliver melatonin more naturally and effectively, and second as a platform to improve our understanding of the factors that set the pineal gland’s capacity to produce melatonin, with a specific interest in biological sex differences.
To test the organoids as a therapeutic tool, we integrated them into a 3D-printed medical device that supports cell health, function, and responsiveness. When stimulated, these units produce melatonin and release it into their surroundings—a key requirement for any therapeutic delivery implant. When placed in experimental animals, these devices act as small “biopharmacies,” producing melatonin from within the body for up to 10 days. To further advance our model as an experimental platform for investigating pineal function, we are now collaborating with Yangguang Ou, Ph.D.’s lab at UVM. Together, we’re optimizing a biosensor system that can detect real-time changes in melatonin levels in response to stimulation, hormone treatments, and pharmacological interventions, which will be recorded in male- and female-derived pineal organoids. This will provide new insight into the regulatory factors that influence melatonin production and may reveal new ways to control it for therapeutic benefit.
The development and execution of these studies have been made possible by a team of neuroscientists, materials scientists, chemists, and engineers. One key lesson I’ve learned from this project is the power of interdisciplinary collaboration, and I feel fortunate to work at an institution that values teamwork and innovation. The connections I’ve made with undergraduate students, lab technicians, fellow graduate students, core facility staff, and faculty at UVM have been invaluable to both the success of my project and the growth of my passion for science. As I continue my time at UVM, I’m excited to take a deeper dive into experiments that explore the potential of our pineal organoid system.
Abby Myers, a Ph.D. student in the Neuroscience Graduate Program (left), with Holger Hoock, D.Phil., dean of the Graduate College and vice provost for graduate and postdoctoral studies.
Clinical Trial Leads to Better Treatment for Cystic Fibrosis Patients
New medication makes self-care for people living with cystic fibrosis easier and more effective
A clinical trial at UVM supports the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s approval of new medication that will make self-care for people living with cystic fibrosis (CF) easier and more effective than other medications. Vanzacaftor / tezacaftor / deutivacaftor, produced by Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated under the brand name Alyftrek, is the first CF drug that requires only oncedaily dosing instead of the twice-daily dosing required by other CF drugs. It also has fewer side effects.
Thomas Lahiri, M.D., professor of pediatrics, division chief for pediatric pulmonology,
Discovery Novel Mechanism for Endoplasmic Reticulum
Movement Revealed Salogiannis and Langley unearth travel by “hitchhiking”
and director of the Pediatric Cystic Fibrosis Center at the Golisano Children’s Hospital at UVM Health, and Charlotte Teneback, M.D., associate professor of medicine and director of the Adult Cystic Fibrosis Program at the UVM Medical Center, served as site principal investigators for this study at UVM and other clinical trials that investigated the safety and efficacy of Alyftrek. While enrollment for
Building on previous research, recent work by John Salogiannis, Ph.D., assistant professor of molecular physiology and biophysics, and Allison Langley, a cellular, molecular, and biomedical sciences Ph.D. student working in Salogiannis’s lab, finds that the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)—the largest organelle (specialized subunit) in a cell, uses tiny molecular motors to change its shape in response to cellular
these trials was highly competitive, UVM was able to exceed its site enrollment expectations which began in 2023, and continues to the present day with the follow-up phase.
Physicians are now prescribing Alyftrek for patients at the UVM Medical Center and Golisano Children’s Hospital at UVM Health, and are hopeful that the once-daily dosing will improve patient adherence.
ER uses tiny molecular motors to change its shape in response to cellular stress
stress—can move by a novel mechanism known as “hitchhiking.”
ER movement via hitchhiking occurs when ER tubules associate with motile Golgi-derived vesicles marked by Rab6 proteins (small GTP-binding proteins that play a crucial role in regulating protein transport within the cell). The authors show that this mechanism of ER movement contributes significantly to overall ER movement, which is critical for maintaining cellular homeostasis.
The study, Movement of the endoplasmic reticulum is driven by multiple classes of vesicles marked by Rab-GTPases, was published in Molecular Biology of the Cell.
Thomas Lahiri, M.D. (left), and Charlotte Teneback, M.D., direct the Adult Cystic Fibrosis Center at UVM Medical Center. Clinical trials and observational studies take place at both sites.
Allison Langley
John Salogiannis, Ph.D.
Fentanyl or Ketamine? UVM Researchers Join National Study Evaluating Pain Management
Which is better for treating pain after a traumatic injury: ketamine, an anesthetic; or fentanyl, an opioid?
When a person in the U.S. suffers a traumatic injury, emergency responders commonly give them either fentanyl or ketamine. Both medications reduce severe pain, but physicians aren’t sure which one works better. Both also come with potentially harmful side effects that may continue after treatment has ended.
A research study involving pre-hospital ambulance services and led by the UVM Medical Center is comparing the effectiveness and safety of fentanyl and ketamine. Daniel Wolfson, M.D., M.S., associate professor of emergency medicine at the UVM Larner College of Medicine and the state’s Emergency Medical Services medical director, and Ajai Malhotra, M.D., professor of surgery at the UVM Larner College of Medicine and trauma medical director of the Level I Trauma Center at the UVM Medical Center, are leading the study.
UVM is one of 12 locations across the country participating in this study, which is enrolling injured patients from large academic medical centers and training emergency medical responders to enroll patients. The patients include people who experience a painful traumatic injury and are being
This study will help us identify which medication provides the best care while minimizing risks.” — DANIEL WOLFSON, M.D., M.S.
transported to the UVM Medical Center by a participating ambulance service. They are randomized to receive either fentanyl or low-dose ketamine for pain relief. The patients are carefully monitored both for effectiveness of pain relief and for short- and long-term complications.
“Both ketamine and fentanyl are already used by emergency medical services in Vermont as standard treatment for pain management,” says Wolfson. Fentanyl effectively manages pain but can lower oxygen levels and blood pressure, potentially
worsening an injured person’s condition. There’s also a risk of long-term opioid dependency. Low-dose ketamine is effective for managing pain and can reduce risks associated with opioids, but may cause hallucinations, anxiety, and a feeling of being disconnected. “This study will help us identify which medication provides the best care while minimizing risks.”
The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) is funding this study to inform clinical practice guidelines and update the existing standards for the care of traumatic injuries. Many military service members returning from deployment experience pain, post-traumatic stress disorders, and substance abuse, and the DoD recognizes a need to manage pain and reduce the hazards associated with pain medications. The findings will benefit soldiers and civilians alike.
Because this study involves patients in severe pain from a traumatic injury, there is not time to engage them in a lengthy informed consent process, explains Alex Naumann, the UVM site research coordinator and a paramedic. Anyone may opt out in advance by contacting the research team at 1-800664-0557 or via email to PAINStudy@edc.pitt.edu to receive an opt out “NO PAIN Study” bracelet. Opting out will not prevent injured patients from receiving pain medication as per standard of care, only from enrollment in the study.
“The paramedic will say something along the lines of, ‘We’re going to give you some pain medication now, it’s going to be either ketamine or fentanyl.’ If a patient or family member expresses that the patient does not wish to receive one of those medications or the patient is wearing a NO PAIN Study bracelet, they would not be enrolled in the study and would be given pain medication from our standard treatment,” which would likely include either ketamine or fentanyl, Nauman says.
The study is expected to run until 1,000 patients nationwide are enrolled, which will likely take three to five years, Nauman says.
WORKING LOCALLY, SOLVING GLOBALLY
Benjamin Lee, M.D., conducts research for the UVM Vaccine Testing Center.
UVM VACCINE TESTING CENTER
(top) Physician Assistant Martha Kirk performs a physical exam on clinical trial volunteer Trevor Hultgren ‘25 in the Clinical Research Center.
(middle) Vermont resident Charles Brooks volunteers in a clinical trial for an experimental treatment for dengue.
(bottom) Lab manager Marya Carmolli works under a fume hood in the VTC lab.
COMBATS INFECTIOUS DISEASE
As the nurse feels his lymph nodes, checks his pulse, and examines his skin, Vermont resident Charles Brooks, age 44, reflects on how it feels to join a clinical trial. “I’m interested in the scientific process. I like participating in it firsthand and doing what I can to help with developing cures for disease,” Brooks says.
During her checkup, Olivia Tarney, age 27, remarks on the importance of demystifying clinical trials participation. “It’s not scary, it’s just like a series of doctor’s appointments,” says Tarney, a recent UVM public health graduate. “I feel that science and public health are so important, and this helps move science forward.”
Tarney and Brooks are voluntarily participating in a clinical trial for an experimental treatment for dengue, a mosquito-borne viral disease that poses a growing risk in tropical regions worldwide, including the United States. Supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), this trial is testing a monoclonal antibody, a protein engineered to stimulate the immune system to attack a specific pathogen.
Following an initial screening and examination, volunteers are randomly assigned to receive either the investigational product or a placebo prior to receiving a dose of a mild strain of dengue virus. The weakened virus has been shown to cause a rash but not dengue fever. The volunteers attend regular follow-up visits at the Clinical Research Center at the UVM Medical Center for physical exams and blood draws.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the University of Vermont campus, scientists and research technicians process and analyze the blood samples to document the volunteers’ immune system responses to the virus and evaluate how quickly the virus vanishes from their bloodstream. The lab staff chills the blood, spins it in a centrifuge to separate red and white cells, and examines the clear serum to count virus particles. Researchers use this information to determine how the new product affects the volunteers’ ability to avoid dengue infection compared to placebo and to determine the doses at which it may be effective.
About 80 volunteers are participating in the study at two sites: the University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore. While there are no cases of dengue in Vermont, scientists in the Green Mountain State have led efforts to develop an effective vaccine for it since 2009. This latest study expands this work with a non-vaccine preventive measure, monoclonal antibodies.
This research is one of about 10 trials currently under way by the Vaccine Testing Center (VTC) at the Larner College of Medicine. Founded in 2001 by Beth Kirkpatrick, M.D., professor and chair of the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, the VTC has earned a reputation for tackling some of the most pressing problems caused by infectious diseases. Working with the Clinical Research Center at the UVM Medical Center and collaborators across UVM’s campus, the VTC has tested treatments for a multitude of infectious diseases afflicting people across the globe, helping to drive innovation and improve outcomes for patients.
WRITTEN BY JANET ESSMAN FRANZ
PHOTOS BY ANDY DUBACK, DAVID SEAVER, AND THE VTC
“Thanks to the clinical trials conducted by Dr. Kirkpatrick and her team at the VTC, in partnership with our worldclass academic medical center, our college and community have benefitted people around the world,” says Larner College of Medicine Dean and UVM Chief Medical Affairs Officer Richard L. Page, M.D.
A remarkable feature of the VTC is its relationship with community volunteers, like Brooks and Tarney, who collaborate with the research team to create vaccines and treatments that will improve health, prevent illness, and reduce the enormous impact of infectious disease. “We have always relied on community volunteers. We work very hard to have good relationships. Without their support we couldn’t do this research,” Kirkpatrick says.
This year, as the VTC marked its 24th year of operation, Dr. Kirkpatrick handed her director’s reins to new codirectors Kristen Pierce, M.D., professor of medicine, and Mary Claire Walsh, PA-C, research program administrator and infectious disease physician assistant. “Dr. Kristen Pierce and Mary Claire Walsh are exceptional and dedicated clinical researchers, astute and careful clinicians, and really wonderful people,” Kirkpatrick says. “The VTC is in good hands and I’m happy they have the opportunity to take the VTC in new and exciting directions.”
Kirkpatrick remains committed to her vaccine research and her work as an attending physician at the UVM Medical Center. She continues to serve as chair of the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, which spans the Larner College of Medicine and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and she holds a secondary appointment in the Department of Medicine. She is principal investigator for the Translational Global Infectious Diseases Research Center, a National Institutes of Health–funded Center of Biomedical Research Excellence at UVM. She also serves on a World Health Organization international research committee that helps define and fund polio research around the world.
As she looks forward to spending time focusing on where to take the field next, Kirkpatrick reflects on her passion for vaccine research and the success of the research center she created.
WHY VACCINES, WHY CLINICAL TRIALS?
The intersections of medicine, history, philosophy, and public health have long fascinated Kirkpatrick. She majored in biology and political theory as an undergraduate at Bates College, where she “spent many hours in the library thinking about issues of liberty, human rights, and poverty,” Kirkpatrick says. Through microbiology classes in medical school, she developed a keen interest in infectious diseases that impact low- and middle-income countries. As an example, she points to data showing the close links between a nation’s disease burden and its wealth. “The poorest countries have 50 times the burden of infectious diseases that the wealthiest countries have. The disparity is dramatic and unjust, and it compels me to work on preventive measures like vaccines.”
Kirkpatrick earned her M.D. at Albany Medical College and completed an internal medicine residency and chief residency at the University of Rochester, followed by subspecialty training in infectious diseases research at
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine where she gained foundational experience in microbiology, immunology, and running human vaccine trials. She studied clinical tropical medicine in Lima, Peru. While in Thailand working at a mission hospital, Kirkpatrick contracted dengue, which she says might have sparked a particular interest in this infection. “There’s nothing like having a fever of 103 degrees for a few days to focus the mind,” she notes. More seriously, “I believe that no one should suffer or die from a severe illness that can be safely prevented.”
Vaccines have been so successful that many people cannot grasp why they are important, Kirkpatrick says, explaining that, at the start of the 20th century before vaccines existed, the top causes of death in children in the U.S. included infectious diseases, such as measles, diphtheria, and respiratory and enteric infections. Today, because of vaccines, most U.S. clinicians have never seen many of the vaccine-preventable illnesses in children or adults. These same diseases continue to infect and kill large numbers of people in low- and middle-income countries.
“I believe in the importance of preventing illness, and death, through public health and preventive measures. Developing vaccines is high-value research and it deserves to be a cornerstone of medical inquiry,” Kirkpatrick says.
Kirkpatrick joined the University of Vermont faculty in 1999. While her appointment initially focused on clinical care, her interest in vaccine studies and human immunology inspired her to continue and expand her research. In 2001 she received an opportunity to collaborate with Johns Hopkins researchers on a clinical trial for a vaccine to prevent typhoid fever, caused by Salmonella Typhi. All she needed was a laboratory and staff.
THE RISE OF THE VACCINE TESTING CENTER
Clinical trials with human subjects are very formal studies that follow strict federal regulations around the ethical treatment of volunteer participants, and this requires numerous facilities and “an army of well-trained and dedicated staff,” Kirkpatrick says. A single trial involves 12–20 employees, including coordinators who recruit, screen, and communicate with volunteers; a regulatory expert to make sure that federal regulations are met for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Institutional Review Board; nurses to inject vaccines and monitor volunteers; clinicians to carefully track the subjects and minimize any unexpected side effects; a laboratory team to process and analyze the samples; and one or more faculty investigators who initiate and guide the study, manage the team, and scour the data.
For this initial vaccine study, Kirkpatrick says she “borrowed an outstanding clinical coordinator, Cathy Larsson,” from UVM’s infectious disease division to manage the trial. She received permission to use an abandoned lab space on North Prospect Street and recruited an infectious disease fellow, Brad Robinson, M.D., to assist with care of the volunteers, who were seen in a clinical space at the University Health Center. The name of the
enterprise came from necessity: “We were recruiting volunteers from the community and needed to refer to ourselves as something! So, we simply called ourselves the UVM Vaccine Testing Center.”
With this amount of work to build infrastructure, “you are now set up to do many studies,” Kirkpatrick says. She looked for more clinical research opportunities, applied for grants, recruited faculty investigators, and expanded and trained talented staff, building a multidisciplinary team.
According to co-director Walsh, who joined the VTC in 2008, much of the progress made during the past two decades traces back directly to Kirkpatrick’s leadership and clarity of purpose: “Beth’s mentorship and persistence have shaped not just the direction of the VTC, but the culture within it. Our work isn’t just about producing strong research—it’s about how we approach it, and the values that guide us. We’re fortunate to work with people who are not only skilled and dedicated, but also curious, thoughtful, and committed to doing things well.”
Early trials focused mainly on vaccines for enteric infections including typhoid, cholera, and campylobacter, a food-borne bacteria considered to be among the most common bacterial causes of human gastroenteritis worldwide. One of the first trials the VTC worked on was for anthrax, a bacterial infection that was used as a bioterrorism agent after the September 11, 2001, attacks against the U.S. “Senator Patrick Leahy was sent anthrax in the mail, and we all worried about bioterrorism attacks,” Kirkpatrick says, recalling the October 2001 incident. “We studied one of the new anthrax vaccines. It was important to the United States, and to Vermont, so it was important to us, too.”
CURRENT TRIALS
VTC personnel includes five core faculty researchers and 15 staff members, including clinical coordinators, laboratory professionals, a statistician, a recruiter, and administrators. The team is currently involved in a variety of clinical trials in various stages of research.
Pierce is principal investigator for the dengue monoclonal antibody trial and for a worldwide Phase 3 clinical trial for a Lyme disease vaccine. Sponsored by Pfizer, the Lyme vaccine study is under way at 36 sites where this tick-borne disease is highly endemic, including the northeastern U.S. and Northern Europe. The trial commenced in fall 2023 and is scheduled to conclude in November 2025. Also with Pfizer, the team hopes to participate in a new phase 3 trial to test a vaccine against Clostridium difficile, the most common cause of infectious diarrhea in health care settings.
Jessica Crothers, M.D., associate professor of pathology and laboratory medicine, leads two clinical trials to develop better polio vaccines. Although rare in North America, polio remains a threat due to outbreaks in politically unstable regions around the globe. A 2021 UVM trial, funded by the Gates Foundation, tested a genetically modified oral vaccine designed to prevent reversion to a disease-causing form. A second trial, launched in 2022 with WHO and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, is evaluating an injectable vaccine enhanced with a mucosal adjuvant to boost gut immunity and reduce virus shedding.
Benjamin Lee, M.D., associate professor of pediatrics, investigates how undernutrition affects the gut microbiome and immune development in Bangladeshi children. He also studies diarrheal diseases like rotavirus and adenovirus, and he leads the pediatric arm of the Lyme vaccine trial. With NIH funding, he’s investigating why some vaccinated children remain vulnerable to infectious diseases even when vaccinated, building on eight years of his research at UVM. Lee and Crothers are collaborating on a separate project to examine the infant gut microbiome and how this relates to immunity to vaccines for rotavirus and polio.
Investigations by Sean Diehl, Ph.D., associate professor of microbiology and molecular genetics, seek to understand the immunologic mechanisms occurring in immune cells and antibodies that protect against dengue and Zika viruses, as well as norovirus and sapovirus. Diehl’s research leverages the massive clinical specimen banks of the VTC and its research studies in the U.S. and in Bangladesh, leading to critical discoveries about how humans respond to dengue vaccination and understanding vaccine durability. Diehl’s past research focused also on respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), one of the most common
In the Vaccine Testing Center lab, Beth Kirkpatrick observes as a research technician Cassandra Ventrone pulls a rack of frozen blood cells from a liquid nitrogen canister.
causes of acute lower respiratory infections in children globally. Findings from his postdoctoral training in the Netherlands led to the development of an RSV monoclonal antibody, called Nirsevimab, approved for medical use in Europe in 2022 and the U.S. in 2023.
INVESTIGATOR-DRIVEN, COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS
While some of the VTC’s research studies are initiated by the pharmaceutical industry, most research at the VTC is developed and designed by the faculty researchers and funded by grants from entities including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, World Health Organization, the National Institutes of Health, and the U.S. Department of Defense.
“Investigators will often pick one or two pathogens or vaccines to work on to build a significant amount of expertise in that area,” Kirkpatrick says. “The Vaccine Testing Center provides a way for faculty to have really rewarding careers in clinical and translational research. They can grow their research careers within the context of serving a medical need, and there are so many scientific and biomedical questions to be asked about the natural history of a disease, how the immune system responds to infections or vaccines, and why vaccines work better in some people than others. It’s an endless quest.”
The VTC’s largest research effort centers on dengue fever, in collaboration with NIH virologist Steven Whitehead, Ph.D., and Johns Hopkins School of Public Health (JHSPH) professor Anna Durbin, M.D. Dengue, now spreading into parts of the U.S., causes 100–400 million cases annually around the world. Since 2009, more than 27 clinical trials of Whitehead’s candidate vaccines have been conducted at UVM and JHSPH, yielding major immunologic insights. One vaccine, TV003, is in phase 3 trials in Brazil and has been licensed to five pharmaceutical companies.
Caroline Lyon, M.D., associate professor of medicine and director of hospitalist medicine at the UVM Medical Center, collaborated with colleagues at the University of Maryland and the University of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital to study a single-dose oral vaccine for cholera, an infectious diarrheal disease caused by bacteria in drinking water. While cholera has been mostly absent in the U.S. for more than 100 years, outbreaks in lowresource countries cause rapid illness and death. Lyon’s work was the pivotal study leading to U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for this vaccine. Since 2002, VTC researchers have collaborated with the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research (icddr,b) in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on clinical trials, observational studies, and immunology research with Rashidul Haque, M.B., Ph.D., senior scientist at icddr,b, and colleagues. In response to a massive increase in dengue virus infections in Dhaka over the past decade, their current work includes a large NIH-funded Dengue-in-Dhaka Initiative begun by Kirkpatrick in 2015. VTC scientists travel to Dhaka frequently to meet with colleagues and share skills and assays; they also invite Bangladeshi colleagues to Vermont for extended training. “We’ve done an enormous amount of work with our long-standing collaborators in Dhaka, and we really value this relationship,” says Kirkpatrick.
WHAT IS A VACCINE CLINICAL TRIAL?
Clinical trials are research studies designed to test new biomedical products that are not yet licensed for use in people. These “investigational products” include medicines, vaccines, and devices. Before approval for widespread use in the U.S., vaccines must undergo a series of trials in phases to demonstrate safety, tolerability, immune responses, and efficacy.
Early-stage vaccine trials recruit healthy people to help answer specific questions about the safety and tolerability of the candidate vaccine. All trials include a placebo group—participants who receive an inactive treatment—so any side effect, such as headache or fatigue, can be compared to rates in the non-treated group. All trials are conducted by qualified clinicians and are closely reviewed and monitored by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and by local ethics committees, called Institutional Review Boards, to ensure the protection of participants’ rights and welfare. Participating in a clinical trial is voluntary.
Vaccine clinical trials involve several phases:
Phase 1: To test a vaccine’s safety, it is given to 10–50 healthy volunteers, in the smallest dose possible. After dosing, the volunteers are closely monitored to see how they tolerate the vaccine and observe how it affects their immune systems. Most vaccines and medications do not make it past phase 1.
Phase 2: Vaccines that survive phase 1 are tested on 100–300 volunteers to further assess their effectiveness and side effects, determine the best dosage or number of vaccines, and observe immune system responses.
Phase 3: To confirm a vaccine’s efficacy, or ability to prevent a disease, it is tested on participants who represent the population who will eventually use the treatment. These trials include 10,000 to more than 100,000 people. The trial can take months to years, depending on how much infection is circulating at the time. For the trial to be considered successful, there needs to be a large statistical difference in infection rates between the people who received the placebo versus those who received the vaccine. Human challenge trials are infrequently performed in conjunction with efficacy testing. This involves giving a dose of infectious bacteria to volunteers to test a vaccine’s efficacy to prevent the infection. VTC is one of only a few sites with the expertise to perform challenge trials.
Phase 4: Post-marketing studies performed after a drug has been licensed gather further safety or effectiveness data in routine clinical use.
Marya Carmolli instructs lab technicians in Dhaka, Bangladesh
THE COVID PANDEMIC
In the fall of 2020, the VTC began participating as one of the research sites needed to evaluate the efficacy of one of the new COVID-19 vaccines, from AstraZeneca. Their task was to enroll volunteers thought to be at the highest risk of COVID illness, including people over 65 years old and those from under-resourced communities. From the start, this was the largest and most rapid effort undertaken by the VTC research team.
“Those were dark days. People were waiting for some way out of the pandemic,” Kirkpatrick recalls. “Because we had the expertise at the VTC, UVM was selected to participate. I was asked to announce it at [Vermont] Governor Scott’s press conference. That was a moment!”
To quickly launch this critical study, a new clinic site was established with help from UVM Medical Center President and Chief Operating Officer Steve Leffler, M.D., who facilitated reopening a former primary care clinic. Nurses from the Clinical Research Center joined the effort, and a large team of study staff was hired and rapidly trained. Volunteers at the highest risk for COVID were recruited, educated, and committed to the two-year trial. The goal of 250 participants was reached in just four weeks, with more than 4,500 people registering. The study closed in December 2022. The AstraZeneca vaccine was later approved in multiple countries, saving an estimated 6.5 million lives in its first year.
CULTIVATING SUCCESS
As part of an academic health system, the VTC serves to train the next generation of researchers and providers to advance treatments that prevent illness and reduce impacts of infectious disease. Over the years, numerous
VTC coordinators, statisticians, and laboratory workers who trained at the VTC furthered their careers as physicians and research leaders.
Class of 2028 medical student Andrew Root worked for the VTC before starting medical school, assisting with community volunteers’ medical visits and processing samples with the laboratory team. “Participating on a team conducting promising vaccine research with global impacts helped me realize that this was exactly the scientific and medical community where I wanted to begin my medical career,” says Root, who has personal family experience with pediatric polio and life-extending treatments found through research.
Through her work with the Translational Global Infectious Diseases Research Center, Kirpatrick focuses on supporting emerging faculty investigators and growing institutional strength in this research area. Her mentorship has fostered the careers of many scientists and medical professionals, including VTC co-directors Pierce and Walsh.
“Beth taught me many things about clinical research and leading a team,” says Pierce. “She will always recognize people publicly when good things happen and she always strives to nominate faculty and staff alike for awards. She recognizes that others’ success is her success.”
Walsh says her career has been deeply influenced by the people and projects of VTC and Kirkpatrick’s clear and ambitious vision for what the center could become. “When I joined the VTC, I couldn’t have predicted how much this place—and the people here—would shape my career,” Walsh says about stepping into the VTC co-director role. “The environment Beth fosters—one that values rigor and teamwork—is a community that challenges and supports each other in equal measure. That spirit is what keeps the VTC evolving.”
VTC personnel includes five core faculty researchers and 15 staff members, including clinical coordinators, laboratory professionals, a statistician, a recruiter, and administrators. This group is flanked by co-directors Kristen Pierce and Mary Claire Walsh (far left) and former director Beth Kirkpatrick (far right). (below) To study a vaccine for COVID, the VTC recruited 250 volunteers from the community.
Better Data
Better Health
UVM and UVM Health
Launch Data Enclave to Advance Health Research
In an era where data drives discovery, the concept of a “data enclave” is transforming how researchers access and protect sensitive information. Defined by the National Institutes of Health National Library of Medicine as a secure network for storing and sharing confidential data, these digital fortresses are rapidly becoming indispensable. For scientists and analysts alike, data enclaves offer a powerful gateway to research insights previously buried beneath layers of privacy constraints—unlocking new possibilities in fields from public health to the social sciences.
The University of Vermont (UVM), the Larner College of Medicine, and UVM Health (UVMH) have jointly launched a secure, collaborative research data enclave designed to remove barriers to large-scale, data-driven clinical and population health research while safeguarding patient privacy and integrity. This initiative marks a pivotal step in bridging academic research and sensitive, real-world data in Vermont, laying the foundation for evidence-based policymaking and researchinformed health care delivery.
In 2023, just three months into her role as Senior Associate Dean for Research at the Larner College of Medicine and Director of Research at UVMH, Kate Tracy, Ph.D., joined a leadership workgroup focused on tackling issues surrounding the sharing of data to advance UVM’s academic mission and research enterprise. Tracy recognized the urgent need to strengthen clinical and translational research and to eliminate barriers to accessing and leveraging electronic health data as part of the state’s academic health system. She leveraged her previous experience in establishing a secure research enclave at the University of Maryland, Baltimore with the following goals: catalyze a strong academic partnership between the university, the college, and UVMH, and enable data sharing and improve access to electronic health records to better understand Vermonters’ health from a research and clinical perspective.
BY STEPHANIE KNIFIC
“
Without organized access to aggregated data, we miss critical opportunities to improve health outcomes for Vermonters.”
—
K ate Tracy, Ph.D., Senior Associate Dean for Research, Larner College of Medicine and Director of Research for UVMH
Through a supplemental grant to the Northern New England Clinical and Translational Research Network, funded by the NIH General Medical Sciences IDeA program, Tracy secured $1.6 million dollars to design and implement a protected environment where researchers could access and analyze clinical data without compromising patient privacy. “This is critical in health research, where datasets often contain sensitive information, such as protected health details, insurance claims, electronic health records, and other personally identifiable data,” said Tracy.
By isolating research activities, the enclave helps safeguard data privacy and confidentiality—while still enabling meaningful scientific exploration using electronic health records.
“This is about creating a safe space for researchers to work with sensitive data in a way that supports both innovation and compliance,” said Steve Goldman, M.S., chief information officer at Larner and executive sponsor for the data enclave initiative. “It’s a structured solution to long-standing challenges in data sharing between clinical and academic entities.”
The enclave facilitates integration of multiple datasets—including state-level public health data— allowing researchers to explore complex questions about regional health trends, disparities, and outcomes. “Without organized access to aggregated data, we miss critical opportunities to improve health outcomes for Vermonters,” said Tracy.
“Without this access—and the ability to ask insightful questions about different patient populations and communities—we risk overlooking critical health challenges in our catchment area. That means missed opportunities to intervene, improve outcomes, and deliver more equitable and cost-effective care,” Tracy continued.
Consequently, the adoption of secure data enclaves is expanding at other premier research universities nationwide to support a wider range of data sources. These environments are used across diverse research specialties, such as health care, as well as for administrative data, including admissions and student population metrics. Government agencies have also
implemented secure data enclaves to enhance data access and foster collaboration. At UVM, one such initiative is participation in the National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C), which focuses on advancing COVID-19 research.
As the enclave progresses through its pilot phase, efforts are under way to expand its capabilities. “The initial platform has been built and currently includes Epic health data dating back to January 1, 2020,” said Caitlyn Dayman, M.P.H., research intelligence lead for the Larner College of Medicine.
“A data governance committee has been established,” Dayman continued, “and policies and procedures governing researcher access are under development. The Larner technical services programming team is conducting initial transformation of the data to the Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership (OMOP) Common Data Model (CDM). OMOP is a standardized framework for organizing and representing health care data, enabling consistent analysis across diverse sources by using common structures and vocabularies for conditions, drugs, procedures, and measurements. This harmonization supports reproducible research and facilitates large-scale collaboration.
Although the platform is still in its early stages, we anticipate opening access to more users once governance models are finalized. While the OMOP transformation will take additional time, researchers will be able to work with the raw Epic data in the interim.”
Data science is evolving at an unprecedented pace— becoming more effective, more efficient, and more strategically driven—and reshaping the future of health care. For Dayman, harnessing data that could transform how UVM’s academic health system understands the health of our population, especially in rural areas, and unlocking insights that were previously out of reach is energizing and underscores the power and potential of the enclave.
“What excites me most about the design of the data enclave is its simplicity. It provides a single, secure space where I can collaborate with the broader research team and work with highly sensitive data in one centralized environment.”
She continued, “The research data enclave will give our researchers the ability to use raw clinical data from UVMH to complete research in a UVM environment, providing researchers with access to data and a wide variety of research tools and resources in one location. So rather than transferring data from UVMH to a secure folder on a UVM computer, researchers will be able to log in to a virtual location where they can request the data they need for a project, and then subsequently analyze and summarize it in one place. Having our clinical Epic data transformed into OMOP CDM will also allow for opportunities to collaborate with other institutions and participate in broader research initiatives.”
Dayman noted the enclave’s further impacts on UVM and UVMH researchers, including its potential for new partnerships and collaborations. “While using clinical data for research is not new, we hope the environment we have built will attract researchers because it offers them a single location and agile tools to collect, manipulate, and analyze data,” she said. “The computing environment used to build the research data enclave is also robust enough to allow for the creation of future enclave spaces for secure data storage and analysis of acquired and other external data sources, allowing us to streamline our security and build out central computing resources. Our goal is still to transform the clinical data we receive into OMOP, as it broadens our ability to collaborate with external partners.”
“Clinical data repositories play a vital role in helping health care organizations such as UVM Health improve patient care, run more efficiently, and push medical research forward,” said Ramsey Herrington, M.D., UVMH Medical Group president and CEO, UVMH chief physician
executive, and Larner College of Medicine senior associate dean for clinical affairs. “By partnering with academic researchers, we tap into rigorous, science-driven approaches to solve real-world problems—specifically those affecting Vermonters—with data. A secure data enclave makes this possible by giving approved researchers safe, governed access to sensitive information to drive needed health care policy and research projects.”
UVM researchers in good standing who have completed Institutional Review Board training may request access to the research data enclave. Access to data will be granted only after a project is initiated and the required clinical data are outlined. Dayman noted, “The data governance committee is still working on finalizing these policies and formalizing the process by which users can access data, and currently those details have not been completed.”
The university’s recent R1 designation by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, combined with its deep expertise in health and medicine and its land-grant mission, underscores a vital responsibility: to lead innovation and advance research that addresses Vermont’s most urgent challenges—particularly in health care. The data enclave is part of a broader infrastructure supported by the UVM Office of the Vice President for Research, UVM Enterprise Technology Services, and the Vermont Advanced Computing Center.
“Thanks in part to strong leadership and persistent advocacy, we now have a foundation that can support transformative research across disciplines—from psychiatry to data science—with a full partnership between UVM and UVMH,” said Kirk Dombrowski, Ph.D., UVM’s vice president for Research and Economic Development.
Be Like Jim
Service Is Forever: Lead with Heart, Live with Purpose
BY STEPHANIE KNIFIC
PHOTOS BY ANDY DUBACK, DEANNE FITZMAURICE, AND CEILIDH KEHOE
In a ceremony that celebrated achievement, resilience, and the power of community, on Sunday, May 18, the University of Vermont welcomed a commencement speaker whose life embodies all three of those virtues. The 2025 University of Vermont Commencement Address was given by James (Jim) M. Betts ’69, M.D.’73. Dr. Betts isn’t just an alumnus of UVM and the Larner College of Medicine—he’s an accomplished pediatric surgeon and urologist at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital in Oakland, California, a tactical SWAT team member, a former U.S. Olympic Committee physician, and a volunteer firefighter.
Since his childhood growing up in Bennington, Vermont, Betts was always drawn to service. That innate instinct to serve—honed over decades and rooted in his Green Mountain State upbringing— was never more evident than during one of the San Francisco Bay Area’s darkest times. On October 17, 1989, the magnitude 6.9 Loma Prieta earthquake struck just before game three of the World Series. Betts was working at Children’s Hospital Oakland when the ground shook. Television coverage quickly revealed the devastation: the double-deck Nimitz Freeway had pancaked, trapping scores of people in the rubble. Jim grabbed his gear, joined a rescue team from the hospital, and headed straight to the site.
There, among the twisted steel and shattered concrete, they found a car crushed between the decks. Inside, along with two deceased adults, were two children—siblings Julio and Cathy Beruman. Six-yearold Julio’s legs were pinned beneath the front seats, his right leg crushed beyond saving. Betts climbed up a fire truck ladder, crawled into the wreckage, and began the rescue. With firefighters and two other physicians assisting, he administered fluids and local anesthesia and performed a field amputation at the knee to free Julio and ultimately save his life.
Eight-year-old Cathy, while not trapped, had suffered severe craniofacial injuries. Both children were taken to Children’s Hospital Oakland, where Betts continued operating through the night. Today, both siblings are grown and married. Their lives are a testament to Betts.
“I am forever indebted to UVM for offering me a foundation of learning and instilling a devotion to serve.”
— JIM BETTS, M.D.
Jim Betts, ’69, M.D.’73, outside the Medical Education Center at the Larner College of Medicine.
“Part of me as a first responder, as a trauma surgeon, means you go to where the problem is; you don’t hesitate or stand back. I want to use those skills that I’ve developed to provide assistance to others,” Betts said.
That moment on the Nimitz Freeway wasn’t the beginning of Jim’s story—it was just one of many chapters in a lifelong narrative of service. Growing up in Bennington, Betts’s neighbor, Don Shea, M.D.’56, made house calls at dawn and treated everyone in the community, regardless of their ability to pay. Every morning, Jim would run out to meet the physician, eager to learn, absorbing the quiet nobility of medicine practiced with heart, and again in the evenings so Dr. Shea could share his experiences treating patients with him. Jim was just 10 years old when he decided his career path was pretty much set.
His mother, Eva Betts, ran the family business, the Maple Sugar Bowl restaurant in Bennington 364 days a year, raising Betts and his brother and sister alone after Betts’s father passed away. She fed anyone who came in hungry, whether they could pay or not. Her example of quiet generosity became the blueprint for Betts’s life. “She is my hero,” he says. “Most of my passion for helping others comes from Ma Betts.”
That passion carried him through medical school at the University of Vermont, through residencies in Charleston, Richmond, Philadelphia, and Cleveland, and eventually to Oakland, California, where he joined two senior pediatric
surgeons. There, he built a career not just in pediatric surgery and urology, but in trauma care, community outreach, and advocacy. He chose Oakland because it was diverse and in an underserved region full of children. Betts is the founding director, now emeritus, of the pediatric trauma program at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland. “There are so many different peoples who live in that area from all over the world,” he said. “It is a privilege to care for those children.”
But his service didn’t stop there. In 1979, he became a “physician in residence” for the U.S. Olympic Committee, eventually helping launch the anti-doping movement in sports. He oversaw thousands of drug tests, helped shape national policy, and still lectures today about the dangers of performance-enhancing drugs—especially as it relates to high school students. “That’s still a mission of mine,” he says.
His work with the Olympic Committee began modestly—treating colds and sprains at the Colorado Springs training center. But by 1983, he was accompanying athletes to the Pan American Games in Caracas, Venezuela, where a doping scandal erupted. Betts and his colleagues warned athletes they would test positive if they competed. Some ignored the warning, won medals, and were later stripped of them. That moment catalyzed the creation of an anti-doping committee that would later influence the NCAA, professional sports, and eventually
Jim Betts processes into the 2025 UVM Commencement Ceremony
Jim Betts performing surgery at Children’s Hospital in Oakland, CA,
2003.
the World Anti-Doping Agency, who are still the main testing agency today. He became a founding member of the USOC Anti-Doping Committee and served from 1984 to 2000.
Betts’s role was more than a physician. He personally oversaw thousands of male athletes giving samples, ensuring fairness, integrity, and accountability. It was another way he served—advocating for the athletes who needed someone to protect the spirit of competition.
After settling in California, Betts felt compelled to support those affected by natural disasters. He became a volunteer firefighter with the Big Sur Fire Department, where he is certified in search, rescue, and vehicle extrication and also serves as the department’s medical director. In recognition of his commitment, he was named Firefighter of the Year in 2015. Today, at age 78, he continues to serve as a weekend duty officer when he’s not on trauma call at the hospital.
Amid a story and life that compares to an epic novel, he never forgets the moment the earthquake struck. “I think about earthquakes every day,” Betts admits. “I don’t want to be trapped. But I like to think that if something like that happened now, I would still do the same thing I did before.”
That’s the essence of Jim Betts.
“Part of me as a first responder, as a trauma surgeon, means you go to where the problem is; you don’t stand back. I want to use those skills that I’ve developed to provide assistance to others.” — JIM BETTS, M.D.
That’s why, when the University of Vermont invited him to deliver the 2025 Commencement Address on May 18, he didn’t talk about accolades or his personal achievements. He talked about service, about the importance of caring beyond the classroom, beyond the self. “I am forever indebted to UVM for offering me a foundation of learning and instilling a devotion to serve,” said Betts. “Whichever road you choose, consider one that encourages a passion for caring,” he told the graduates.
His passion for caring and service has kept him deeply connected and engaged with UVM and especially the Larner College of Medicine, where he has served in multiple roles over the years, including president of the Larner College Medical Alumni Executive Committee and the Dean’s Advisory Board. Because of his extraordinary contributions, Betts was awarded an honorary doctor of philosophy degree at UVM’s 2025 Commencement.
In recognition of his unwavering support of Larner, Betts fittingly received the A. Bradley Soule Award in
2003. This award honors an alumnus whose loyalty and dedication to the Larner College of Medicine reflect the exceptional commitment of its namesake, A. Bradley Soule, M.D.’28, a distinguished radiologist, educator, and leader. Over his nearly 54-year career, Dr. Soule was celebrated as both a superb teacher and a guiding force in the college’s growth, leaving a legacy of service, leadership, and devotion to medical education.
Betts’s contributions to UVM admissions, career development, and alumni engagement in the San Francisco Bay Area also earned him the Distinguished Service Award from the UVM Alumni Association. From 2004 to 2010, he served on the university’s board of trustees, playing a key role in the founding of the UVM Foundation. He later joined the UVM Foundation’s board of directors from 2016 to 2022; he continues to lend his insight as a member of its Leadership Council. His heartfelt Commencement message to embrace service wasn’t just for future physicians—it was for all UVM graduating students preparing to enter the world with a degree in hand and a heart full of ambition. He urged the graduates to find the best in others and leave the world a bit better. “To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived … this is to have succeeded,” Betts said.
That’s because Betts knows that service isn’t a profession; it’s a commitment. It’s how you show up every day. It’s how you treat the stranger, the patient, the athlete, the child. It’s how you live when no one’s watching.
He learned that from his mother, who fed the hungry without question. And from Dr. Shea, who made house calls at dawn, and from the children of Oakland, who needed someone to fight for them.
Jim Betts is not just a Vermonter, a Catamount, or a surgeon. He’s a powerful reminder that medicine is more than science—it’s humanity. That caring is not a skill—it’s a choice. And that the most powerful legacy we can leave is in the lives we touch.
So, be the person who runs toward the wreckage. Be the one who sees suffering and helps. Be the one who believes that every act of service and kindness is worth doing.
Be like Jim.
CANCER RESEARCH ROOTED IN VERMONT
By Jane Teeling Chou
When the UVM Cancer Center (UVMCC) was founded in 1974, its mission was clear: to ease the burden of cancer in Vermont and Northern New York. With that geographical assignment came a challenge: how to localize cancer research—a complex and often global endeavor—and connect it meaningfully to the community.
The UVM Cancer Center may be steeped in complex academic research, but it’s no ivory tower. As with many areas of research at the University of Vermont, UVMCC grounds scientific inquiry in the lived experiences of people here, its researchers asking questions that matter locally: How do we improve Vermont’s low screening rates for lung cancer—the state’s deadliest cancer? Why are melanoma rates so high here, and what can be done about it? When can we safely dial back treatment to preserve quality of life without compromising outcomes?
This approach doesn’t just serve Vermont; it strengthens the national cancer research landscape, which depends on insights from every corner of the country. And while the Cancer Center benefits from its connection to a global network of scientific discovery, its mission remains rooted in place: to pursue research that makes cancer care better, more accessible, and more attuned to the communities it serves.
Here are three studies putting that mission into action.
STUDY 1
CAN LESS TREATMENT STILL CURE HPV+ CANCER?
Among the human papilloma virus(HPV) related cancers on the rise is oropharyngeal cancer, a kind of throat cancer that typically begins in the squamous cells that line the throat. And whereas throat cancer was once dominated by smoking-related tumors found mostly in older populations, the HPV positive kind tends to affect younger patients who are often otherwise healthy.
But that’s not the only difference. HPV-positive throat cancers also respond better to treatment and have higher cure rates than their HPV-negative counterparts—a shift that’s reshaping the field of head and neck oncology.
That shift has prompted a new clinical trial at the University of Vermont Cancer Center, led by member Mirabelle Sajisevi, M.D., a Larner associate professor and a specialist in robotic head and neck surgery at UVM Health. The trial, formally titled “De-Intensified Adjuvant Therapy for HPV+ OPSCC,” asks a critical question: If these cancers are more responsive, can we safely dial back treatment?
“Many of these patients will live for decades after treatment,” says Sajisevi. “But the side effects—dry mouth, loss of taste, difficulty swallowing—can be long-lasting and life-altering. We wanted to know if we could reduce those impacts without compromising outcomes.”
The trial’s approach builds upon prior work to stratify patients by risk. Patients undergo surgery first; their pathology results guide the next steps.
Some receive a lower dose of radiation to the pharyngeal constrictor muscles and reduce the risk of dysphagia. Others may skip radiation entirely. The goal is to move away from a one-size-fits all treatment approach, instead tailoring treatment to the tumor.
Opening this trial at the UVM Cancer Center not only reduces toxicity; it can also lower barriers for patients in Vermont and northern New York, for whom long travel times to treatment centers can be a major hurdle. “We wanted to make sure patients could access this kind of care without leaving their communities,” Sajisevi says. That also meant streamlining the trial itself— minimizing extra paperwork and visits and designing it to mirror the standard care process.
Surveillance looks different too. In addition to regular exams and imaging, participants can opt for blood tests that detect circulating HPV tumor DNA—an advanced and highly sensitive method that enables earlier and more precise detection of cancer recurrence. This adds a layer of safety to the reduced treatment approach and offers clinicians an effective way to closely follow patients.
Since opening in January 2025, the trial has seen a strong enrollment. “I think this reflects patients’ desire to be part of clinical protocols that offer stateof-the-art, personalized cancer care in a practical way,” says Sajisevi. “We designed it to be easy to take part in—and that’s made all the difference for our patients.”
SKIN DEEP: TRACING THE DNA CLUES BEHIND SKIN CANCER
UVM Health dermatologist and Larner associate professor Melanie Bui, M.D., Ph.D., spends a lot of time looking at precancerous and cancerous growths on her patients’ skin. But her interests are more than skin deep. Every skin cancer she diagnoses is the result of DNA mutations—often triggered by ultraviolet (UV) radiation, but sometimes by smoking, welding, radiation, topical chemotherapy, or a combination of exposures.
STUDY 2
“It’s fascinating to me that you can tell what the carcinogen might be just by looking at the mutations,” says Bui, a member of the UVM Cancer Center. “If you sequence a tumor, you can see what the patient was exposed to. It’s like detective work.”
That investigative instinct led Bui to team up with geneticist and Larner associate professor Steve Roberts, Ph.D., also a Cancer Center member, for a pilot study exploring the DNA of UV-exposed skin. Their goal: to uncover mutational patterns that might be unique to Vermont, which has one of the country’s highest rates of melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer.
“But the side effects—dry mouth, loss of taste, difficulty swallowing—can be long-lasting and life-altering. We wanted to know if we could reduce those impacts without compromising outcomes.”
– MIRABELLE SAJISEVI, M.D.
The study involves analyzing skin samples from Bui’s patients and comparing them with others taken at partner research programs in Florida and Washington State—two regions with dramatically different climates and UV profiles. If the mutational fingerprints vary by location, it could point to environmental or geographic factors unique to Vermont that influence how skin cancer develops here.
This foundational cancer research has the potential to open a new door in personalized medicine. By decoding mutational signatures in cancer, researchers can pinpoint the carcinogens that caused them in the first place. Not only would this enable dermatologists to offer patients customized prevention strategies; it could also inform their ability to tailor therapies that target each patient’s unique constellation of mutations.
For Bui, the population science aspect of the study feels especially close to home.
“My patients are literally donating a piece of themselves to help others avoid getting skin cancer—or to receive more personalized, effective treatment if they do get it,” she says. “People can be incredibly generous.”
A PERSONALIZED APPROACH TO BRAIN METASTASES
Radiation therapy has long been part of the default treatment for patients with brain metastases—tumors that started somewhere in the body and spread to the brain. But what if it didn’t have to be?
Radiation oncologist and Larner professor Chris Anker, M.D., and his colleagues are challenging conventional wisdom with three integrated clinical trials aimed at reimagining care with more personalized, less intensive approaches.
The trials are designed with UVM Cancer Center’s (UVMCC) catchment area in mind, nearly 78% of whom live in rural communities in Vermont and northern New York and often travel long distances for treatment. Moreover, rural patients are statistically more likely to experience worse outcomes than their urban counterparts—making flexibility, reduced toxicity, and quality of life even more critical.
“Less really can be more,” says Anker, UVMCC’s research program co-leader who leads one of the trials. “Less radiation can mean more good days due to fewer side effects, and potentially even a longer life,” he adds.
The standard approach to treating brain metastases typically includes either a focused, high-precision dose of radiation to the brain metastases, or radiation to the whole brain (if there are too many metastases), followed by other systemic therapies (chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and/ or immunotherapy). The ACTION trial takes a different tack. Funded through a UVMCC grant and led by Anker, this clinical trial starts the patient on several systemic therapies and monitors impact through MRI brain scans. If the brain metastases shrink, patients can defer or
avoid radiation.
If a patient’s brain metastases continue to grow and radiation is needed, they might be eligible for a complementary national trial led by Nataniel Lester-Coll, M.D., UVMCC member, UVM Health Network Chair of radiation oncology, and Larner associate professor. This phase III trial explores whether dividing radiation treatment from one high-dose treatment into three treatments is not only easier on the brain in terms of side effects, but potentially more effective in preventing further tumor growth. This trial is also offered to patients who don’t want or aren’t eligible for the ACTION trial, but desire a different, less intense approach to radiation treatment.
Whichever path they choose, patients can also participate in a third study, which is funded by UVMCC and offers coordinated, enhanced care team support and palliative care integration to increase the efficiency and impact of their clinic visits. Led by Alissa Thomas, M.D., UVMCC member, UVM Health division chief of neuro-oncology, and a Larner associate professor, this study explores how brain metastases patients understand their condition and options, and how they feel about their care experience when they receive wraparound support.
Collaborative and customizable, this trio of interrelated studies at UVMCC reflects a broader shift toward more collaborative, personalized cancer care. “Patients appreciate having a menu of good options they can choose from, with detailed discussions about the pros and cons of each,” Anker notes. “It’s not just about reducing toxicity—it’s about trust, collaboration, and evolving how we care.”
STUDY 3
UVM Larner College of Medicine Alumni Association
Executive Committee Officers (Two-Year Terms)
President
Michael D. Upton, M.D.’94 (2024–2026)
President-Elect
Heidi Schumacher, M.D.’10 (2024–2026)
Secretary
Pramila R. Yadav, M.D.’99 (2024–2026)
Members-at-Large* (Six-Year Terms)
Halleh Akbarnia, M.D.’98 (2024–2030)
JJ Bivona, Ph.D.’21 (2022–2028)
Annie Coates, M.D.’07 (2024–2030)
Brian Cunniff, Ph.D.’14 (2020–2026)
Desiree N. DiBella, M.D.’19 (2024–2030)
Seth Dorsky, M.D.’10 (2020–2026)
Janice M. Gallant, M.D.’89 (2021–2027)
Danie Leahy, M.D.’17 (2024–2030)
Kelly McQueen, M.D.’91 (2024-2028)
Anand Parthasarathy, M.D.’02 (2022–2028)
Cordelia Ross, M.D.’16 (2022–2028)
Nicholas J. Sears, M.D.’78 (2024–2030)
Andra S. Stevenson, Ph.D.’01 (2024–2030)
Community Member (Three-Year Term)
Paul J. Mayer, M.D. (2024-2027)
Ex-Officio Members
Richard L. Page, M.D., Dean
Ginger Lubkowitz, UVM Foundation
*Members as of September 1, 2025
P resident ’ s C orner
Fall is upon us in Vermont. The leaves are turning, and I hope many of you were able to make the journey here for reunions or a visit to Burlington. To those of you who have not been back recently, when you do visit, I encourage you to take a walk around the medical campus, especially the new Firestone Building. The changes are impressive.
2025 has been a difficult year for many of us in medicine. It is timely that elsewhere in this issue you can read about the important work that Dr. Beth Kirkpatrick has led over the past 25 years. For those of us who have encouraged our patients to get their flu shots or reviewed their vaccination history, we have relied on the work of Dr. Kirkpatrick and her colleagues when we tell patients that vaccines are safe, effective and have saved countless lives for many years.
...the desire to serve, heal and make a difference is still what brings us here.
Your representatives who serve on the Alumni Executive Council (AEC) have been busy this year. A subcommittee reviewed our by-laws and presented them to the full AEC at our meeting on September 26, and after some discussion the changes were approved. I want to thank Drs James Hebert, Omar Khan and Nicholas Sears for their support in this process. We hope these updates will designate the important work of the awards committee to be a clearly outlined responsibility of the AEC to ensure we continue to recognize the impact and work of our alumni. Member terms have been reduced from 6 to 3 years that will allow more of our talented alumni the opportunity to serve.
I have been meeting with AEC members to better understand their goals for their service to our alumni association and the college. One common theme that has emerged is having AEC leadership identify more specifics in what they can do to support the college and its mission. As many have expressed a desire to be available to support and mentor students or young alumni, over my remaining months I will be working to formalize some ideas about how best to achieve those goals. The UVM Connect site is one way to connect and hope this can be utilized more frequently. For those of you who would like to have students reach out or who would like to reach out to our students, more information will be made available soon.
While 2025 has brought many challenges, I still enjoy and have the opportunity to talk to students in my practice and on campus. Despite all the changes and some more uncertainty about the state of the world than I remember feeling 35 years ago when I heard my first lecture in Hall A, the desire to serve, heal and make a difference is still what brings us here and I hope those who graduate in 2026 and beyond will find that their experience at UVM will serve them as well as mine served me.
With warm regards,
Michael D. Upton, M.D.'94 President, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine Alumni Association
Thanks to the ongoing support of readers like you, we can continue to share printed copies of Vermont Medicine! If you would like to support our students, our college, our alumni network, and Vermont Medicine, please consider a gift to the UVM Larner College of Medicine Fund.
C lass N otes
Class
1960s
’67
Mimi Reardon, M.D.’67 shares that several medical alums from the Class of 1967 got together informally to re-connect and reminisce in Vergennes this past July.
1990s
’91 Congratulations to John Finnell, ’87, M.D.’91, whom the American Board of Emergency Medicine appointed as Director of Medical Affairs in December 2024.
2000s
’05
Back row: Geoff Smith, M.D.’67, Bruce MacPherson, M.D.’67, Roger Wilson, M.D.’67, John Dick, M.D.’67, Stu Alexander, M.D.’67; Front row: Pam MacPherson, Mimi Reardon, M.D.’67, Kathy Dick, Ursel Danielson, M.D.’67.
1970s
many opportunities for them to embrace. The weather was Vermont spring. Warm with the prospect of summer, or as it was; rain, wind, and just enough of a dry pause to have the ceremony on the green enjoyed by all. As have all institutions of higher education, cuts in our university’s budget have significantly impacted programs, research, and staff. There are many opportunities for us to contribute much needed funding. Consider giving back to the institution which provided us all with a foundation for our careers. For those who have not returned to campus in a while, you will be amazed with the program development, new buildings, and integration of the colleges, students, faculty, and the community. UVM continues to be recognized as an outstanding academic center of learning and research. Return home often.”
’ 73 Robert David Gordon M.D.’73 is returning to Burlington in fall 2025 to be in private practice in dermatology.
’ 75 As noted in the 2006 Class Note, Andrew Cummins, M.S.’01, M.D.’06 shared the sad news that Andy’s father, Jim Cummins, M.D.’75, passed away in October 2022.
Earlier this year, Colonel Shaun R. Miller, M.D.’05 shared that after 20+ years as a cardiologist in the U.S. Army Medical Corps, he retired from active duty in July and planned to transition to civilian practice. Colonel Miller previously served as the Chief of Cardiology for Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany and Regional Health Command Europe Cardiology Consultant. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in July of 2001 in the U.S. Army as an Armed Forces Health Professionals Scholarship Program scholar, completing a residency in Internal Medicine at the Tripler Army Medical Center, HI in 2008 and fellowship at San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium in Cardiovascular Medicine in 2012. During his career, Colonel Miller served in various clinical and operational leadership positions across the U.S. Army Medical Corps and forward deployed twice in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (2009) and Spartan Shield (2016). He is a graduate of the Command and General Staff College, Associate Professor for the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences, recipient of the AMEDD 9A Proficiency Designator and member of the Order of Military Medical Merit. Colonel Miller’s awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal (2 OLC), Army Commendation Medal (3 OLC), and the Joint Service Achievement Medal for his dedicated service to the nation.
’ 73 Jim Betts M.D.’73 writes, “It was an honor and privilege to be the commencement speaker on May 18th at the University’s celebration of the graduating Class of 2025. My charge was to encourage the graduates to consider a commitment of service and mission to others above self. In this world of conflict and uncertainty, there are so CALLING
We’d love to hear from you. Please share your stories with us by phone, email, and/or online. PHONE
of 1967 class photo, including Mimi Reardon, M.D.’67 first row, on the left
Impacting The Health Of A Nation
As surgeon-in-chief for more than a decade, and senior vice president for surgical services at Cincinnati Children’s, Daniel von Allmen’s, M.D.’86, contributions to advancing pediatric health–both in the operating room and through training the next generation of surgeons–have shaped care models that improve outcomes for children worldwide.
Cincinnati Children’s is embarking on the next phase of their collaboration with Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA), the leading healthcare provider in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and a subsidiary of PureHealth, the largest integrated healthcare network in the Middle East, and Dr. von Allmen
Drs. Larry and Laura Weed Inspire Research and Teaching Endowment
has been selected for the role of UAE regional president.
By leading the collaboration, working alongside SEHA Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, a partnership that spans all aspects of pediatric care, research and education, he hopes to set new benchmarks in child health in the region. “I credit UVM with giving me the start that will now allow me to have an impact on the health care of an entire country,” said Dr. von Allmen.
In gratitude for his medical alma mater, Dr. von Allmen and his wife Emily, a 1986 M.S. graduate of UVM, have established an endowed scholarship that will benefit Larner College of Medicine students in perpetuity.
Inspired by the pioneering examples of Drs. Lawrence “Larry” and Laura Weed, Kurt Lauenstein, M.D.’77 and Shirley Dickstein, M.D.’78, recently established the Drs. Lawrence and Laura Weed Research and Teaching Endowment to support the Division of Internal Medicine
“These members of UVM were a beacon of excellence for us as we navigated medical school and our careers. We are forever in their debt for their counsel, dedication, and leadership,” said Drs. Lauenstein and Dickstein.
A professor of medicine from 1969 to 1981, Dr. Larry Weed’s legacy at UVM and beyond continues to guide generations of medical professionals. His revolutionary vision led to creating the Problem Oriented Medical Record (POMR), a national model for clinical reasoning and documentation, advancing ethical, evidence-based care. Furthermore, his Problem Oriented Medical Information System (PROMIS) Laboratory at UVM integrated medical data in patient care—long before the digital health era.
Equally meaningful were Dr. Laura Weed’s teaching and mentorship contributions in nursing. Dr. Laura Weed was one of the original founders of Given Health Care and helped to implement POMR. Together, the Weeds modeled innovation and advocacy for clinical excellence.
To support the Drs. Lawrence and Laura Weed Research and Teaching Endowment, please visit go.uvm.edu/drsweed or scan the QR code
Daniel von Allmen, M.D.’86
(far left) Lawrence “Larry” Weed, M.D. and Laura Weed, M.D.
(left) Shirley Dickstein, M.D.’78 and Kurt Lauenstein, M.D.’77
Scholarship Fund Honors a Father and “Doctor’s Doctor”
His children called him a “doctor’s doctor.”
Specifically, Christopher Marlowe Terrien, Jr., ’63, M.D.’67, was a UVM doctor’s doctor. His roots at the College of Medicine and UVM run deep.
His father was a 1934 and 1936 alumnus of UVM and the College of Medicine. Two of his brothers and two of his children are College of Medicine alumni. Two of his other siblings are UVM alumni. His daughter and granddaughter also are UVM alumni, as are numerous nieces, nephews, and in-laws.
It was partly because of these myriad ties that his three children–Christopher Marlowe Terrien, III, M.D.’03; Paige Terrien Church, ’93, M.D.’99; and Courtney Terrien Kagan, ’91–established the Christopher Marlowe Terrien, Jr., M.D.’67 Scholarship Fund to honor their late father who died in February at age 83.
Through the scholarship, they hope to provide an opportunity for others to recognize their father’s service to medicine and dedication to his patients. He ran a thriving cardiology practice in Burlington for 40 years, many of those years alongside his father.
Thus far they have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support. To date, the fund has received more than 60 gifts in his memory, totaling nearly $23,000.
mini med SCHOOL
Mini Med School is a program that explores health topics that matter to you and our community. Learn from distinguished UVM faculty about life-changing research and advances in clinical care happening here in pediatrics, cardiology, cancer, and more.
For information, please visit: go.uvm.edu/minimedschool
UVM CONTINUING MEDICAL AND INTERPROFESSIONAL EDUCATION CONFERENCES
OBESITY CONFERENCE 2025
November 14, 2025
South Burlington, VT
2026 EMERGENCY MEDICINE UPDATE
January 20–23, 2026
Stowe, VT
37TH ANNUAL EASTERN DERMATOLOGY CONFERENCE
January 29–February 1, 2026
Stowe, VT
For information, please contact: University of Vermont Continuing Medical and Interprofessional Education 802-656-2292 uvmcmie@med.uvm.edu med.uvm.edu/cmie 401 Water Tower Circle, Suite 102 Colchester, VT 05446
Christopher Marlowe Terrien, Jr., ’63, M.D.’67
Alumni Association Awards
The UVM Larner College of Medicine Alumni Association Awards are presented every year at the Celebration of Achievements Awards Ceremony during reunion weekend. More details about the awardees can be found at go.uvm.edu/lcom-awards
A. Bradley Soule Award
Presented to an alumnus/a whose loyalty and dedication to the Larner College of Medicine most emulate those qualities as found in its first recipient, A. Bradley Soule, M.D.’28.
VITO D. IMBASCIANI, PH.D., M.D.’85 completed his undergraduate studies at New York State University, and then earned a master’s degree and Ph.D. in musicology from Cornell University. He spent a year in Rome, Italy, as a Fulbright Scholar. After turning his attention to medicine and graduating from the UVM College of Medicine, Dr. Imbasciani completed surgical and urologic residencies at Yale-New Haven Hospital and the West Haven (Connecticut) VA Hospital. Dr. Imbasciani was commissioned in the Medical Corps of the United States Army in December, 1986 and served as State Surgeon for the California Army National Guard after 9/11. He retired in 2014 with the rank of colonel after 27 years and four combat deployments.
Dr. Imbasciani has practiced urologic surgery in Los Angeles since 1991, and with Kaiser Permanente since 1997. He is presently the Past President of the Los Angeles County Medical Association and a Past President of the California Urologic Association. He was a member of the California Medical Association’s Board of Trustees for ten years. He also served on the Board of the Southern California Permanente Medical
Distinguished Academic Achievement Award
Robert Louis Cloutier, M.D.’95, M.C.R.
Assistant Dean for UME Admissions; Professor of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics; Oregon Health and Science University School of Medicine
Vito Imbasciani, Ph.D., M.D.’85
Chairman of the Board, California Institute for Regenerative Medicine
Former Secretary of Veterans Affairs, State of California Urologic surgeon, Department of Urology, Kaiser Permanente Medical Center
Group (Kaiser Permanente) from 2003-2013, and was its Director of Government Relations from 2007-2015. He served as the Secretary of the California Department of Veterans under two governors, and as a member of the Governor’s Cabinet, he also served on the Board of the California Housing Finance Agency, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Honor Committee, and the Governor’s Military Council. Governor Newsom nominated him to be the Chairman of the Board of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, the state’s $12.5 billion genetic and stem cell research agency in 2023.
He lives with his husband, George Di Salvo, and their two sons in Los Angeles.
Jason M. Shapiro, ’01, M.D.’05
Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown; University, Director of the Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center (IBD); Hasbro Children’s Hospital Research Director for the Division of Pediatric; Gastroenterology, Nutrition and Liver Diseases
Anne Marie Valente, M.D.’96 Chief, Boston Adult Congenital Heart (BACH) and Pulmonary Hypertension; Program, Boston Children’s Hospital, Co-Director, Pregnancy and Cardiovascular; Disease Program, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Professor of Pediatrics, Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Service to Medicine and Community Award
Emanuele “Chip” Chiappinelli, M.D.’75, FAAP Pediatrician, Franklin County, Vermont
Mitchell Wolfe, M.D.’95, M.P.H.
Rear Admiral (Ret.), United States Public Health Service
Early Achievement Award
Andrew Fanous, M.D.’11, FAANS, FCNS
Section Chief of Neurosurgery at Inova Alexandria Hospital; Medical Director of Spine at Inova Health System’s Eastern Region
Robert
Margaret “Greta” Spottswood, M.D.’11, M.P.H.
Vermont Consultation and Psychiatry Access Program, Medical Director
Larner, M.D.’42
Javier Rincon
UVM Larner College of Medicine, Class of 2026
Student Award
Julie Scholes
UVM Larner College of Medicine, Class of 2026
FALL FUN AT REUNION 2025!
Alumni returned to campus for Reunion 2025, where they caught up with classmates and college news through many events including the Larner College of Medicine Alumni Association Awards Ceremony, class dinners, medical-student-led tours of the college and the Firestone Medical Research Building, a town hall with Dean Page, discussions with staff, faculty and students and celebratory picnic.
’50 Marjorie J. Topkins, M.D.
Dr. Topkins, a longtime resident of Manhattan, where she was a professor emerita of clinical anesthesiology at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital / Weill Cornell Medical Center, passed away on June 21, 2025, at age 99. After earning a B.A. at Cornell University in 1946, she attended the UVM College of Medicine at a time when women made up only about 6 percent of the physician workforce nationally. She remained grateful to UVM throughout her successful career as an anesthesiologist at Cornell Medical Center—which spanned more than four decades—and she was a loyal and consistent annual fund donor to UVM for many years; her philanthropy prompted the naming of a classroom in the Larner Medical Education Center as the Topkins Family Room, in memory of her father, Samuel Topkins, M.D.’15, who also graduated from the UVM College of Medicine and was a lifelong supporter. Other UVM alums include her sister, Edith (1941); her husband, Avrom Goodman (1951); and her daughter Michaele Ellen Goodman (1978).
’52
Arthur S. Kunin, M.D.
Dr. Kunin died on July 16, 2025, at the Quarry Hill Residence in South Burlington, Vermont, at age 99. He attended City College in Brooklyn, the first person in his family to attend college—but his education was interrupted by World War II, where he served in the U.S. Army and was awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart for his service. Through the GI bill, he earned degrees in history and economics at Columbia University and an M.D. from the UVM College of Medicine. He began his career as an attending physician and nephrology researcher at University of Vermont College of Medicine in 1957. He married his wife, Madeleine, in 1959. After a two-year fellowship at Mass General, he returned to UVM as one of the first full-time faculty members at the College of Medicine, retiring in 1992. As a staff physician at the Mary Fletcher Hospital, he was known for the excellence of his medical care, the deep empathy with which he cared for his patients, and the great respect he held for the nurses he worked with. In parallel with his career, he played a key role in raising his four children, particularly as Madeleine Kunin entered Vermont politics. He enthusiastically helped with her campaigns and enjoyed his role as the first “First Husband” of Vermont’s first woman governor. Dr. Kunin is survived by his partner Mary Grass; former wife, Madeleine Kunin; four children, Julia, Peter (Lisa), Adam (Jane), and Daniel (Chantal); eight grandchildren; and three brothers and their families.
’58 Charles P. Gnassi, M.D.
Dr. Gnassi of Loch Arbour, New Jersey, passed away at age 94 on May 20, 2025. A graduate of the Hun School in Princeton, Brown University, and the University of Vermont medical school, he was a psychiatrist for the State of New Jersey and in private practice; he also served as a captain in the U.S. Army Reserves. Survivors include his wife, Barbara Emmons Gnassi; children, John Angelo Gnassi, M.D. (Deborah Sutliff), Anne Gnassi Bauman, M.D. (Syd), Teresa Gnassi Cuesta (Frederic); grandchildren; siblings; and his beloved companion, Piper the miniature Dalmation.
’58 Paul M. Stevens, M.D.
Dr. Stevens passed away peacefully in his sleep at his home in Houston on February 18, 2025, at age 91. Born in Berlin in 1934, he grew up in France after his family fled from the Nazis; in 1946 he was able to emigrate to Presque Isle, Maine. After earning an undergraduate degree at the University of Maine and an M.D. from UVM, he became a naturalized citizen of the United States and served in the U.S. Air Force. In 1968 he began a career at Baylor College of Medicine, where he was a pioneer in the emerging field of critical care at one of the world’s premier medical centers and served as chief of pulmonology. During his many years of service at Baylor, he won countless teaching awards and touched the lives of innumerable patients, students, residents, and fellows. He is remembered for his sharp wit, his keen intellect, his generous and gracious spirit, and his joie de vivre. He is survived by his wife of 30 years, Mary Ellen Stevens; three daughters, Joan Romel, Jessica Stevens Runnels, and Melissa Stevens; and four grandchildren.
’59 Jackson J. W. Clemmons, M.D., Ph.D.
Dr. Clemmons passed away on September 10, 2025, at his home in Charlotte, Vermont, at the age of 102, after a very full life building bridges between generations, communities, and continents. A World War II veteran, he earned a B.S. in agriculture (1948), M.S. in biochemistry (1949), and Ph.D. in biochemistry (1956) from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he was the first African American student in the university’s biochemistry department, followed by an M.D. (1959) from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. In 1962 he joined UVM as an assistant professor of pathology; he practiced pediatric pathology until 1991. As only the second African American on the UVM medical school faculty, he advocated for recruitment strategies to attract and retain more students and
faculty of color. Over the course of his career, Clemmons came to be nationally recognized for his groundbreaking work in perinatal pathology and cytogenetics. He also was a farmer and environmentalist, and he and his late wife, Lydia Clemmons—the first African American nurse anesthetist at UVM— raised their children on their 148-acre farm in Charlotte, teaching them how to cherish and cultivate the land. That farm is now a nonprofit they inspired, Clemmons Family Farm, Inc., ensuring its preservation as a center for African American heritage, art, farming, and multicultural community building.
’59 Parker A. Towle, M.D.
Dr. Towle died peacefully at age 91 on May 24, 2025, at The Summit by Morrison in Whitefield, New Hampshire. He graduated from Yale University with a degree in English, then married his high school sweetheart, Phyllis Ann Bartlett, whom he adored for their 70 married years together. After attending the University of Vermont medical school, he practiced and taught neurology at 13 different Massachusetts hospitals. He built a private practice in Norwood, Massachusetts, while raising four kids in Westwood, and later moved to the mountains around Easton, New Hampshire, which to him was paradise. He became the first neurologist in New Hampshire’s North Country, opening a private practice and helping launch a free local clinic before joining the staff at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center; he also taught at Harvard Medical School. In addition, he earned a master of fine arts degree in poetry at Vermont College and wrote poetry, completing six self-published books along with many poems published in outdoor magazines. An honored gentleman, devoted husband, energetic father, and loyal friend, Dr. Towle was first and foremost a family man. He is survived by his wife, four children, and four grandchildren.
’63
Frederic S. Shmase, M.D.
Dr. Shmase of Peabody, Massachusetts, died July 5, 2025, at age 87 after a long and courageous battle with leukemia. A graduate of St. John’s Prep, the University of Vermont, and the UVM Medical School, he was the co-founder of Lynnfield Medical Associates, where he was a beloved and devoted internist to thousands of patients on the North Shore in a career that spanned 55 years. His patients loved him for his medical knowledge, his bedside manner, and his positive outlook, and he served as a father figure to many of his co-workers, encouraging them to be the best versions of themselves by continuing their education. Dr. Shmase
took great pride in his loving family and was thrilled with the close relationships they have with each other, which he called his legacy. Survivors include his wife of 62 years, Henrietta (“Honey”); three children, Jeffrey (Anne), Julie Montalbano (Chris), and Anne Kasperowicz (Pete); and six grandchildren.
’63
John L. Noyes, M.D.
Dr. Noyes passed away on February 25, 2025, in Whitefish, Montana, at age 89. A graduate of the University of Vermont College of Medicine, the lure of the West drew him to internship at Highland Alameda County Hospital in Oakland, California, where he met and married a student nurse named Hope. He went on to serve rural populations as a family medicine practitioner with the Hopi and Navajo Nations in Arizona, and as a family and emergency medicine physician in Alaska, Wyoming, Washington, and ultimately Montana. He also was an artist who made gold leaf frames for fine art, as well as copper windform outdoor sculptures. At 62 he joined Big Sky Martial Arts and ultimately earned his second-degree black belt under the teachings of his son, John Paul. Dr. Noyes enjoyed his local WAG dog park—it was his happy place—and in his later years he remained content sitting in the car and watching dogs run free. He is survived by his wife of more than 60 years, Hope; his son, John Paul (Debbie); his daughter, Allison (Pete); two granddaughters; two nephews; and a sister-in-law.
’64Arthur George Aaronson, M.D.
Dr. Aaronson of Boston, Massachusetts, died on June 12, 2025, just shy of the age of 87. A graduate of Dartmouth College and the University of Vermont College of Medicine, he felt lucky to make pathology his career. After serving two years in the U.S. Army, for most of his career he worked in community hospitals, including the Faulkner Hospital in Boston and Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis. Besides medicine, his talents included sailing, cooking, painting, ceramics, and creating stained-glass lamps. He collected African masks and the prints of Robert Motherwell. He loved to ride his motorcycle. He loved music and was an accomplished pianist. He is survived by his wife of 41 years, Maria Garcia-Aaronson; Stephanie Aaronson and Deborah Aaronson, his daughters with his first wife, Susan Granoff Aaronson, and their husbands; his stepson Ryan Basil; two grandchildren; his brother Peter Aaronson (Harriet); and a sister-in-law. He is predeceased by his parents, Lawrence and Ruth Aaronson; his brother Robert; and his beloved dog Montana.
’66 Joseph A. Guzzetta, M.D.
Dr. Guzzetta of Denver, Colorado, passed away on April 29, 2025, at age 85. Born in Medford, Massachusetts, he graduated from Quincy High School in 1957, earned a B.A. in biology at the University of Massachusetts–Amherst in 1961, and went on to the University of Vermont medical school, where he met his wife, a nurse, Janet Entrup. He served as a U.S. Army major during the Vietnam War, then the family settled in Gardner, Massachusetts, where he eventually became chief of radiology at Heywood Hospital. He retired to Denver. Aside from medicine, he loved golf trips and poker nights with friends, traveling with his family, hiking, walking, swimming, going to the gym, reading, doing practice SAT questions and the daily Wordle to keep his brain sharp, and volunteering his time helping those in need. He was incredibly stoic and never complained, right until the end when ALS was robbing him of his ability to move and breathe. Remaining to cherish his memory are his wife, Janet; his children, Stephen (Denise), Karen (Jim), and Leane (Tim), and five grandchildren; his brother, Francis; and several cousins.
’68
Jon Perley Pitman, M.D.
Dr. Pitman died peacefully on July 9, 2025, at his home in Lewiston, Maine, at age 82. A proud graduate of the Coburn School, Colby College, and the University of Vermont medical school, he built a long and impactful career in radiology and health care leadership, serving in key roles at St. Mary’s General Hospital in Lewiston, as well as hospitals in Waterville and Rockland, and at VA hospitals in Augusta, Maine, and Jackson, Mississippi. He was known as an early champion of hospice care, nuclear medicine, and mammography in Central Maine, helping bring critical innovations to the region long before they were widely available. Beyond his medical career, he invested deeply in his community through business ventures, generous philanthropy, and hands-on service and found meaningful ways to combine his medical knowledge and his faith, including medical mission trips. He loved to read, hunt, and travel. He was predeceased by his wife, Kathleen Crowley Pitman. He is survived by his sister, Sharyn; his three children, Jean (David), Marc (Emily), and Shelly (Nobuharu); and eight grandchildren.
’74
Dennis S. Krauss, M.D.
Dr. Krauss of Walnut Creek, California, a former Barrington, Rhode Island, resident and physician in Providence, passed away on July 1, 2025, at
age 77, following a valiant battle with Parkinson’s disease. After graduating from Harvard College, he attended medical school at the University of Vermont. In 1979, he moved to Barrington, where he joined a private endocrinology practice in Providence focusing on the treatment of diabetes. He became known in the community as a caring and thorough physician. Following his retirement, he and his wife moved to California to be closer to children and grandchildren. There, he fought valiantly against Parkinson’s disease while living an active lifestyle in a retirement community called Rossmoor. Survivors include his wife, Paula; his children, Jeff, Greg, and Emily and their families; and his siblings, Sandra Webber, Beverly Hugo, and Robert Krauss. He was preceded in death by his brother Malcolm.
’76
George Marshall Walker II, M.D.
Dr. Walker died on April 18, 2025, at age 76 surrounded by his family after a short illness. After graduating from Bowdoin College in 1971, he married Cheryl in 1973 and graduated from the UVM medical school in 1976. He eventually settled in North Andover, Massachusetts, where he worked primarily as a trauma and cancer surgeon and gave back to the profession he loved as an adjunct clinical professor at Harvard Medical School (student review: “he gives surgeons a good name”); he also served as chief of surgery at Lawrence General Hospital. Over his 30-year career, he was well known for his unique sense of style, including a ubiquitous bowtie, and his caring bedside manner. He and his wife chose Wells, Maine, as their retirement home, as it had been a long-time family destination filled with familiar faces and fond memories. There, he enjoyed his lifelong love of skiing, playing golf, traveling with family, carpentry projects, the family dogs, and skydiving as a throwback to his time as an amateur trapeze enthusiast and Club Med circus performer. He was predeceased by his parents; sister Pamela and brother Seth; and dogs Floppy, Enzo, Pasta, Dino, and Rocco. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Cheryl; daughter Cynthia (David) and granddaughter Josephine; daughter Catherine (Sid); sister Deborah; dogs Zeb and Ziva; and many extended family and friends.
’79 Michael Vincent Berry, M.D. Dr. Berry, a respected orthopedic surgeon and beloved family man, passed away on June 20, 2025, at the age of 71. He was a graduate of Rice Memorial High School, the University of Vermont—where he remains the only male athlete in UVM history to
captain three varsity sports—and the UVM College of Medicine. A dedicated and compassionate physician, he practiced as an orthopedic surgeon at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital for an extraordinary 40 years, touching countless lives through his care and leadership. An accomplished athlete, he was a record-setting student-athlete at the University of Vermont and a lifelong sports enthusiast. In addition to his remarkable professional and athletic accomplishments, he was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather. He leaves behind his wife, Kathryn; his children, Michael (Rebecca), Elizabeth, Paul (Elyse), Andrew (Lesea), Brooks, Justin (Christina), Wesley, Curtis, Abigail, and Garrett; seven cherished grandchildren; his siblings, Jack (Patty), Paul (Barbara), Kevin (Cathy), and Anne (Cameron); as well as many nieces, nephews, friends, and colleagues.
’85
Mark E. Osborn, M.D.
Dr. Osborn died at age 65 on February 18, 2025, at Strong Memorial Hospital. He realized early on that he wanted to be a pediatrician, and after graduating from Shenendehowa High School and Union College, he attended the University of Vermont medical school. He started his career in pediatrics in private practice in Clifton Park, New York, and went on to become medical director at St. Mary’s Health Center for Children and Adolescents in Troy, followed by a 30-year tenure as chief of pediatrics at St. Peter’s Hospital in Albany. It was his passion to provide care for the underserved populations in Albany. In conjunction with his administrative position, Mark practiced in two pediatric clinics, including St. Peter’s Health Center for Children and the Family Health Center in South Albany. Known for his warmth, strength, and unwavering devotion to family, his daughters (both human and canine) brought him immense joy and he treasured every moment he spent with them. He is survived by his beloved wife, Janet; his two daughters, Olivia and Deanna; his stepdaughter, Sarah; his mother; his siblings; and many loving nieces, nephews, cousins, and dear friends.
’92
Janice Saal, M.D., Ph.D.
Dr. Saal passed away on February 2, 2025, with family and friends by her side, after a period of declining health. A beacon of ambition, a testament to the power of dedication and wit, and a woman whose sharp intellect was rivalled by her compassionate heart, she was a force to be reckoned with from the start, possessing an unrivalled zest for life and an insatiable
curiosity that would shape her future. After graduating from Athol (Mass.) High School, she earned an undergraduate degree in the sciences, a master’s and Ph.D. in cell and molecular biology, and an M.D. from the University of Vermont. She was a respected surgeon at the Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, Massachusetts, for 17 years. Dedicated to her family, her friends, and her dogs, she also was an avid runner— including running the Boston Marathon in the pouring rain—and enjoyed sailing on Lake Champlain, gardening, hosting guests, and laughing often. She is survived by her brother John (Mary); her nephews, Michael (Krista) and David (Kelley), and great-niece, Kennedy; her best friend of 43 years, Gloria Flinn; her dog, Elvis; and an amazing neighborhood of wonderful, caring friends.
’97
Joanna Smith Weinstock, M.D. Dr. Weinstock died on March 16, 2025, at age 77 at the UVM Medical Center, her longtime employer. It was while she was working as a medical librarian at UVM’s Dana Medical Library in her 40s that she learned of the Title IX prohibition against age discrimination for medical school applicants—this lit a spark in her to achieve her long-buried dream of becoming a doctor. She graduated from the UVM College of Medicine in 1997 at the age of 50 and went on to practice family medicine in Alaska, New Mexico, and Mexico. In Vermont, she practiced at clinics across Chittenden, Lamoille, and Washington Counties. She fostered the next generation of doctors by interviewing UVM medical school applicants. She was happiest when active and engaged with the world: cultivating her garden, researching an ancestor’s genealogy or a medication that might help someone she knew, marching for social justice or corresponding with elected officials, creating art with her grandchildren, and exploring cultures firsthand, both near and far. She enjoyed hiking with the “Mountain Mamas,” biking, skiing, dragon boating, paddling, and singing with Mountain Song. One of her last wishes was to donate her temporal bone for medical research to help understand the hearing loss caused by Alport Syndrome, an inherited syndrome that affected her and continues to affect her family. Dr. Weinstock was predeceased by her cherished husband, Henry, in 2021. She is survived by her two children, Benjamin “Jamie” André Weinstock (Michelle) and Katherine “Kait” Weinstock Armstrong (Kent); three grandchildren; her three siblings, Polly, Jeffrey (Jolinda), and Meredith (Robin); and many nephews, nieces, cousins, and friends worldwide.
MOMENT IN TIME
At a ribbon-cutting ceremony, UVM, Larner College of Medicine, and BioLabs leadership and tenants, officially opened the BioLabs Innovation Center at UVM. September 23, 2025 12:04 p.m.
Beth Kirkpatrick’s Legacy Working Locally, Solving Globally; Inside the Vaccine Testing Center.
