MaineHealth Institute for Research

06/15/2026

Congratulations to Rachael Blake, MD, and Qingchu Jin, PhD, on their recent NIH-funded research award!

Working with Apriqot, Inc. and the Roux Institute at Northeastern University, their project—“Leveraging EHR and AI for High-Resolution ADRD Prevalence and Risk”—focuses on improving how we understand Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD).

They hope to combine health record data and advanced analytics to create clearer, more localized insights into who is affected and at risk within communities. This approach could help inform more targeted care, planning, and prevention efforts over time.

06/12/2026

Dr. Anyonya Guntur, Faculty Scientist II in the Center for Molecular Medicine, is currently participating in a Fulbright Scholar visit at the University of São Paulo, collaborating with colleagues in the Faculty of Philosophy, Sciences and Letters of Ribeirão Preto.

During this visit, Dr. Guntur is presenting research this week on “Mitophagy and Mitochondrial Derived Vesicle Pathways in Osteoblast Function” as part of the graduate chemistry program’s seminar series.

He will also present at the Ribeirão Preto Faculty of Medicine on “Foxk1/Foxk2 Deletion in MSCs Accelerates Bone Marrow Niche Aging Through Impaired Insulin/IGF-1 Signaling.”

These engagements highlight ongoing international collaboration and advances in understanding bone biology and aging.

Learn more about Dr. Guntur’s research: https://mhir.org/center-for-molecular-medicine/labs-staff/anyonya-guntur-phd-research/

06/11/2026

Meet Ella Coleman, a summer undergraduate intern with our Research & Education Training division! Watch as she gives a quick preview of her summer projects. 🌟

06/10/2026

More news on teams presenting research far and wide!

Clinical Faculty member Abby Fleisch, MD, MPH, and Scientific Manager Lisa Rokoff, PhD, are representing us this week at the National PFAS Conference in Tucson, Arizona.

Yesterday, they presented “From Biosolids to Blood: PFAS Contamination in Water and Blood, and Mental Health in Maine,” sparking strong engagement and discussion around the links between environmental exposure and mental health outcomes.

Great to see their work gaining recognition on a national stage! 🙌

06/09/2026

Proud to see Michaela Reagan, PhD, representing her research on the international stage this week at the Keystone Symposia on Tumor Metabolism in Ireland.

Today, Dr. Reagan presents her poster, “Microenvironmentally-derived Fatty Acid Binding Proteins 4 and 5 are Novel Therapeutic Vulnerabilities in Multiple Myeloma,” and tomorrow she will serve as a moderator on a Career Panel.

Advancing important work and engaging with the global scientific community!
Learn more about the conference: https://www.keystonesymposia.org/conferences/conference-listing/meeting/onpage-program/E12026

06/08/2026

Congratulations to Ziru Li, PhD, Faculty Scientist in our Center for Molecular Medicine, on being named the 2026 recipient of the The American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR) Sevgi Rodan Career Life Balance Award!

This award honors the legacy of Sevgi Rodan, PhD, and supports women scientists in the bone, mineral, and musculoskeletal research field as they balance the early stages of parenthood with their research careers.

Dr. Li will be recognized at the ASBMR Annual Meeting in Boston this October. We’re proud to celebrate this meaningful achievement and her continued impact in advancing science.

https://www.asbmr.org/Resources/Awards-Funding/Recognition-Awards/Sevgi-Rodan-Career-Life-Balance-Award

06/04/2026

Drs. Kevin Stein and Liz Scharnetzki from our Center for Interdisciplinary Population and Health Research are wrapping up a meaningful week of sharing their work at the University of Vermont’s Rural Health and Cancer Conference.

Dr. Stein contributed to conversations on addressing challenges in rural cancer care, while Dr. Scharnetzki is presenting on survivorship in rural communities—continuing her recent engagement as an invited speaker at Maine’s SUD Learning Community Stigma Training Day, where she shared practical, evidence-based strategies to reduce stigma in care.

Proud to see their work advancing more equitable, patient-centered care across rural communities. 👏

https://www.uvm.edu/larnermed/uvmcancercenter/rural-health-and-cancer-conference-0?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23778373396&gbraid=0AAAAA99UW9zvSCCF9L0c-UwDkEExM8CTc&gclid=Cj0KCQjwz9_QBhD_ARIsADnSCfCRuL1eq-c4ao-l7HO2I8aswHA5Bv14S7id3WX-sHfPRTYsuflia6saAkY2EALw_wcB

06/03/2026

Sharing a recent publication led by Carolyn Chlebek, PhD, with contributions from the Lynes lab and external collaborators, now published in Frontiers in Endocrinology.

This study shows that simple blood markers measured early on may help identify people with type 2 diabetes who are at higher risk of future fractures. The findings point to differences in how the body processes nutrients and energy as a potential contributor to bone health.

Kudos to the team at MaineHealth Institute for Research and collaborators for advancing this important work. 👏

Read the full article:

BackgroundType 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2D) is a metabolic disorder with increasing prevalence worldwide. Fractures are increased in people with T2D. Black pati...

06/02/2026

This week marks the start of our Summer Undergraduate Research Program! This year's group includes nineteen undergraduate students from fourteen different universities.

Students will be working on research projects in the Center for Molecular Medicine, the Center for Interdisciplinary Population & Health Research, the Center for Clinical & Translational Science, and the clinical departments of Critical Care Medicine and Neurosurgery and Spine.

Welcome to our 2026 Summer Students🙌

06/01/2026

Publication highlight from the Reagan Lab and collaborators—featured on the cover of Cancer Prevention Research!

This work advances understanding of how obesity influences multiple myeloma risk and progression. The research team found that obesity can accelerate disease development, alongside disruptions to the immune system observed in preclinical models. Complementary patient data analyses revealed differences in gene expression in myeloma cells from individuals with obesity, further underscoring obesity as an important factor in disease progression and prevention.

Congratulations to the Reagan Lab and collaborators on this impactful contribution to cancer prevention research!

Read the full article: https://aacrjournals.org/cancerpreventionresearch/issue/19/6