Bouvé College of Health Sciences

We are incredibly proud of Blen Yohannes, a recent Northeastern graduate from our School of Community Health and Behavioral Sciences, who just received the prestigious Samuel Huntington Public Service Award. 🌍

Blen earned her bachelor's degree in health science with a minor in global health, and during a summer internship with Ethiopia's Ministry of Health, she witnessed firsthand how mothers traveling from rural areas to give birth in Addis Ababa often had nowhere to stay and lacked access to the most basic necessities during extended hospital visits. She did not just take note of the problem. She built a proposal to fix it.

With $30,000 in Huntington Award funding, Blen is heading back to Ethiopia to create a dedicated space where new mothers can access essential supplies, health education, and counseling while their newborns receive care. Her Bouvé education, grounded in experiential learning and global health thinking, made this leap possible.

This is exactly what it looks like when we say Bouvé prepares students to tackle health inequity head-on 👏 ➡️ https://news.northeastern.edu/2026/05/22/huntington-service-award-2026/ 🩺

Graduate garners Huntington Award to improve maternal health in Ethiopia Northeastern’s Blen Yohannes received a 2026 Samuel Huntington Public Service Award to help improve maternal health in Ethiopia.

🎮 Bouvé College's own Leanne Chukoskie is part of Northeastern's Games for Life initiative, which is making the case that video games are far more than entertainment for older adults.

Research from the group shows that gaming helps older adults stay mentally sharp, maintain coordination, stay socially connected, and hold onto a sense of independence and agency that can fade with age. 🧠

With more than 57 million gamers over 50 in the U.S., this is not a niche population. It's a growing one. And Chukoskie and her colleagues argue that the games industry needs to catch up by designing with older players in mind, not just young ones. Better tutorials, adjustable controls, and slower-paced gameplay options can open the door for millions of people who want to play but feel left out.

At Bouvé, we know that good health shows up in unexpected places. This research is a great reminder that rehabilitation science, play, and quality of life are deeply connected
🔗➡️ https://news.northeastern.edu/2026/06/02/old-gamers-video-game-industry/

Why older gamers could be the key to saving the games industry At a time when the video game industry is looking for areas of growth, an initiative called Games for Life has the answer: older gamers.

CAR-T cell immunotherapy has transformed treatment for blood cancers, but it has largely failed against solid tumors like lung, breast, and kidney cancer. Bouvé researcher Stephen Hatfield is working to change that.

His lab used a precise gene-editing technique called base editing to engineer CAR-T cells that can resist the immune-suppressive environment inside solid tumors, achieving complete tumor elimination in mouse models. The approach could also make treatments available "off-the-shelf," cutting the months-long wait patients currently face while their own cells are harvested and engineered.

The research, published in Nature Communications, represents a meaningful step toward bringing this therapy into human clinical trials.
➡️ https://news.northeastern.edu/2026/04/09/time-saving-cancer-treatment/

Breakthroughs in solid tumor cancer treatment and immunotherapy New research shows how to remove obstacles to solid tumor cancer treatments with genetic engineering.

History was made at the 2026 London Marathon when Sabastian Sawe of Kenya crossed the finish line in 1:59:30, becoming the first person to officially break the two-hour marathon barrier.

What does it take to run that fast? Bouvé faculty Stephen Clark, David Nolan, and Rui Li break down the science behind the record, from mitochondrial training and breathing technique to shoe technology, race conditions, and the mental focus required to push through the final miles.
➡️ https://news.northeastern.edu/2026/05/07/sub-two-hour-marathon-world-record/

A marathon under two hours has been achieved. What’s next? A marathon officially completed under two hours is an immense feat, Northeastern experts said. What’s the next record for endurance runners?

Menopause affects more than 1 billion women worldwide, yet fewer than 2% of physicians receive training on it. Bouvé researchers are working to change that.

Rupal Patel, Aarti Sathyanarayana, and Leanne Chukoskie have launched the Center for Women's Health and Economic Wellbeing (WHEALTH) at Northeastern to study how menopause impacts not just health, but women's careers and economic lives. From brain fog and sleep disruption to workforce participation, their work addresses a gap that science has too long ignored.

Read more about their research and the new center ➡️ https://news.northeastern.edu/2026/04/08/menopause-workplace-research-center/

Science often ignores menopause. These researchers are changing that. Menopause is a long understudied and under-discussed part of women’s health. Northeastern researchers are working to change that.

Shoulder pain keeping you up at night? You might have a rotator cuff injury, and it may be more common than you think.

Bouvé faculty Jason Parente, David Nolan, Eric Folmar, and Stephen Clark explain what the rotator cuff actually does, why tears are a normal part of aging, and what you should do when wear and tear becomes painful or disabling.

Spoiler: physical therapy is usually the first and best step. Read more ➡️ https://news.northeastern.edu/2026/04/17/rotator-cuff-pain-experts/

Do you have a rotator cuff injury and what to do about it Northeastern experts explain pain, injury, prevention and treatment of the rotator cuff muscles in the shoulder

Commencement season is here, and Bouvé faculty have some wisdom to share with the Class of 2026.

Elyse Watkins encourages new graduates to be kind and invest in their networks. Katherine Simmonds reminds them to follow their passions and bring their talents to people and places that need them. Leanne Chukoskie challenges graduates to shift their thinking from "networking" to building genuine communities of belonging.

Their advice is part of a wider roundup of guidance from Northeastern faculty across the global network. Congratulations to all of our graduates!
🎓➡️ https://news.northeastern.edu/2026/04/27/2026-graduate-advice/

Northeastern professors offer advice for new graduates Northeastern faculty from London to Boston to Oakland offered advice for graduates entering the workforce.

Sneezing is one thing. But the fatigue, brain fog, and irritability that come with spring allergies? Those symptoms often go unrecognized.

Bouvé faculty Mansoor Amiji and Jenny Van Amburgh break down why seasonal allergies drain your energy and what you can do about it, from antihistamines and nasal steroids to simple non-medication strategies.

➡️ https://news.northeastern.edu/2026/04/21/allergy-fatigue-brain-fog/

If you feel cranky and tired, you may have spring allergy fatigue Springtime allergies can cause fatigue and brain fog. Northeastern experts explain what OTC remedies can help.

When hantavirus spread aboard a cruise ship in the Atlantic, killing three passengers, the world had questions. Here's what our Bouvé faculty have to say.

Neil Maniar, Joshua Merson, and Stephen Wood broke down how the virus spreads, why it progresses so quickly, and what makes this outbreak potentially unusual as a rare case of human-to-human transmission.

Read the full Northeastern Global News story to learn what you need to know about hantavirus ➡️ https://news.northeastern.edu/2026/05/05/what-is-hantavirus-cruise/

Hantavirus on small ship may have spread by human contact Three passengers on a Dutch cruise ship have died from hantavirus. Northeastern experts explain how it spreads and what you need to know

💙 Thank you, Bouvé community! 💙

Giving Day 2026 is a wrap, and we are so incredibly grateful. To every donor, sharer, cheerleader, and champion who showed up for Bouvé, we thank you.

Your generosity directly fuels student scholarships, groundbreaking research, and the next generation of healthcare leaders who will change lives. Every single gift is a vote of confidence in the future of health.

We are so proud of this community. Together, you are proving what we've always known: when Bouvé shows up, we show up big. 🩺🎓

Thank you for believing in our students, our mission, and the power of health to move us all forward.