On September 21, 2016, the National Institutes of Health announced $157 million in awards in fiscal year 2016 to launch a seven-year initiative called Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO). The ECHO program will investigate how exposure to a range of environmental factors in early development — from conception through early childhood — influences the health of children and adolescents.

The University of Vermont announced today an estate commitment with an estimated current market value of $66 million from UVM dual-degree alum and Vermont native Robert Larner ’39, M.D.’42, and his wife, Helen. The commitment to donate – the largest gift ever to a public university in New England – caps decades of philanthropic support from the Larners, whose lifetime giving now will likely reach $100 million.

Recruitment for the largest long-term study of brain development and child health in the United States – the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study – launched September 13, 2016.

The Clinical Simulation Laboratory at the University of Vermont has announced the appointment of Vincent Miller, M.D., assistant professor of anesthesiology, as interim director of clinical simulation, effective September 1, 2016. Miller succeeds Ted James, M.D., who served as director of clinical simulation from July 2012 through June 2016.

Winooski, Vt.-based BioTek Instruments announced August 31, 2016 that University of Vermont graduate student Christopher Ziegler is the recipient of the 2016 Norman R. Alpert Research Prize.

The University of Vermont Cancer Center is hosting two events as part of the Waldron Lecture series on Tuesday, September 13 and Wednesday September 14, 2016 featuring Maureen Connor, R.N., M.P.H., an oncology nurse and leader in the field of patient- and family-centered care.

When University of Vermont Class of 2019 medical student Jacob Reibel and the six other classmates in his group selected their public health project earlier this year, they wanted to get out of the classroom and into the field – literally – to talk to Vermonters about their health concerns.

University of Vermont College of Medicine Human Resources Administrator Karmen Swim is the new president of the UVM Staff Council for the next two years. She was elected in May 2016 and began officially serving in her new role on July 1.

With the temperatures beginning to cool and the return of students to the University of Vermont campus, it's time for the launch of Community Medical School's Fall 2016 series!

Vermont electrophysiologist Peter Spector, M.D., has uncovered a wealth of new information about why the heart’s electrical system works the way it does – or goes awry. And like a guy with a great joke, he feels compelled to share it with others.