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Yates Fund from Juckett Foundation
Larner at a Pediatrics Conference in D.C.
Inspiring Discovery: The Jerome W. Yates, M.D., M.P.H., Rural Cancer Outreach Fund
The UVM Cancer Center celebrates the Jerome W. Yates, M.D., M.P.H., Rural Cancer Outreach Fund to advance cancer care and research in rural communities. Backed by a major investment from the J. Walter Juckett Cancer Research Foundation, the fund honors Dr. Yates’s vision of innovation and collaboration and his commitment to ensuring equitable access to high-quality care.
This new fund continues the University of Vermont Cancer Center’s longstanding mission to bring cutting-edge care and discovery to the communities it serves, helping shape the future of cancer research across the region.
Read more about the pledge and what the fund will plan to focus on
Members of the Larner Community at the American Academy of Pediatrics Advocacy Conference in D.C.
A group of representatives from the Larner College of Medicine recently participated in the American Academy of Pediatrics Advocacy Conference in Washington, D.C., engaging directly with federal lawmakers on critical child health issues. The delegation included Heidi Schumacher, M.D., associate professor of pediatrics, Rebecca Bell, M.D., M.P.H., associate professor of pediatrics and pediatric critical care physician, and Christian Pulcini, M.D., M.P.H., M.Ed., assistant professor of emergency medicine and pediatric emergency medicine physician, alongside graduating PGY-3 resident and incoming faculty member Julie Ehrlich, M.D., and fourth-year medical student Eunice Suberu ’27.
During the conference, the group met with Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and his office, Sen. Bernie Sanders’s (I-Vt.) office, and Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vt.) and her office. These conversations focused on the importance of vaccines in protecting child health and strengthening public health infrastructure. In particular, the group advocated for the Strengthening the Vaccines for Children Act, a bill expected to be introduced in the near future, which aims to bolster access to life-saving immunizations for children across the country.
This advocacy work reflects Larner’s ongoing commitment to advancing child health, supporting evidence-based policy, and preparing future physicians to engage in meaningful health policy discussions at both the state and national levels.
Yvonne Janssen-Heininger, Ph.D., Invited to Speak at Yale’s Translational Science Seminar
Yvonne Janssen-Heininger, Ph.D., University Distinguished Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, vice chair for research, and co-leader of the Cancer Cell Research Program at the UVM Cancer Center, recently delivered an invited seminar at Yale University titled “Reversing Protein Oxidation to Target Fibrosis.”
Her presentation focused on the role of protein oxidation in driving fibrosis and explored emerging strategies to reverse these processes as a potential therapeutic approach. The work reflects her lab’s ongoing commitment to advancing understanding at the intersection of basic science and clinical application.
The visit provided an opportunity for meaningful scientific exchange with peers and trainees, generating thoughtful discussion and opening the door to future collaborations that will help advance research in fibrosis and related diseases.
Deidre O’Reilly, M.D., M.P.H., Representing UVM at the March of Dimes in D.C.
Deirdre O’Reilly, M.D., M.P.H., program director of neonatal-perinatal medicine and associate professor of pediatrics at the Larner College of Medicine, represented the University of Vermont at the March of Dimes March for Change Advocacy Day, held March 25–26 in Washington, D.C. Responding to a call for rural state representation, she was on a team with members from Iowa and New Hampshire as part of the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine.
During the event, Dr. O’Reilly met with congressional staff representing U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), as well as U.S. Representatives Zach Nunn (R) and Maggie Goodlander (D). She also attended an evening reception where U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.) was recognized as a champion for maternal and infant health.
Advocacy discussions focused on funding for programs supporting maternal and infant health, such as the PREEMIE Act, the CDC Safe Motherhood Initiative, and budget priorities for the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the National Institutes of Health.
Mary Cushman, M.D.’89, M.Sc., at the British Society for Haematology Conference
In mid-April, Mary Cushman, M.D.’89, M.Sc., attended and presented at the 2026 British Society for Haematology conference in Liverpool, England. Dr. Cushman delivered the prestigious MacFarlane Biggs Plenary Lecture, titled “REGARDing Health Outcomes of Atrial Fibrillation,” drawing on insights from the long-running REGARDS study.
Her presentation highlighted the importance of considering interactions across organ systems when caring for patients with atrial fibrillation, emphasizing a more comprehensive, whole-person approach to treatment. The talk generated strong audience engagement and discussion, reflecting the significance of this work on an international stage.
Cushman’s invitation to present underscores the global impact of her research and its role in advancing care for patients with atrial fibrillation.