Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine

This spring, BMC Health System hosted the first annual "Lens on Discovery" photo contest, bringing together researchers and staff from across the system to celebrate the beauty and impact of scientific work.

Winners were selected across six categories, with entries ranging from glowing cells captured in motion under the microscope to striking visual metaphors that depict the real-time precision of cancer radiation therapy.

Check out the winning submissions on and immerse yourself in the stories and inspiration that shaped the art: https://bit.ly/4vVYVM9

The 21st Annual McCahan Day had over 100 attendees as BUMC community members shared their research and attended the keynote address by Thomas McKenna, PhD. To learn more, read the article here: https://bit.ly/4oh7U7W

Please join us in congratulating June's Distinguished Staff of the Month, Ronald Souillard! Ron is the manager of information technology for the Framingham Heart Study. He re-joined our community in January 2024.

His nominators say, “Ron has been instrumental in leading the design of a novel data and security framework for the FHS Center.”

Congratulations!

A new BU study provides insights into the genetics of mitochondria, enhancing our understanding of aging and disease.

Mitochondrial genetic variation across tissues of the human body Abstract. Each mitochondrion contains 2–10 copies of the mitochondrial genome. Multiple mitochondria in a cell allow for mitochondrial genomes carrying dif

A new study with BU’s Eduardo Vega, MD, describes the evolution of laparoscopic right hepatectomy from an “open-translated” operation toward a more distinctly minimally invasive strategy: https://bit.ly/4aqPSdz

Please join us in congratulating June's Distinguished Faculty of the Month, Liberty G. Reforma, MD! Dr. Reforma is a maternal fetal medicine physician at Boston Medical Center. She joined our community in September 2022.

Her nominators say, “Dr. Reforma encourages independent thinking while providing thoughtful guidance when encountering challenging cases.”

Congratulations!

A new study with BU’s Eduardo Vega, MD, finds that patients with gallbladder cancer who had certain documented gene changes in their tumor had a higher risk of death when compared to similar patients based on age, s*x, race/ethnicity, cancer stage, surgery and chemotherapy:

Gallbladder Tumor Biology May Affect Survival | Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine Gallbladder Tumor Biology May Affect Survival Photo by Akram Huseyn on Unsplash. Research Gallbladder Tumor Biology May Affect Survival “Changes inside the cancer cells may help explain why some patients do worse than others, even when they receive similar treatment.” May 14, 2026 Twitter Facebo...

In the Karen Toffler Charitable Trust's podcast "Research Renaissance," BU's Stefan Isaac, PhD, discusses his research on mitochondrial DNA, its role in disease, and his recognition as a 2025 Toffler Scholar:

The Hidden Genome: How Mitochondrial DNA Shapes Aging and Disease Research Renaissance: Exploring the Future of Brain Science · Episode

Today we cheered on the MD and PhD Class of 2026 as they reached this important culmination of their studies: Convocation. Congratulations on your graduation and we wish you well as you continue in the fields of medicine and research!