GMS Alumni Spotlight: Ana Vitantonio, PhD, ‘25
Ana Vitantonio is a 2025 graduate of the PhD Program in Biomolecular Pharmacology at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine. Her dissertation research in the lab of Professor of Anatomy & Neurobiology Douglas Rosene investigated how lifelong caloric restriction modulates brain aging. Ana has accepted a postdoctoral position at the University of Barcelona in Spain, where she will be taking on research investigating brain cancer. Read more about Ana below! Tell me a bit about your journey to Boston. What brought you to Boston University? I came to Boston University in the Fall of 2020 to begin my PhD in... More
GMS Faculty Spotlight: Sean Tallman, PhD, RPA
Sean Tallman is an associate professor in the Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, with secondary affiliations with the Department of Anthropology and Program in Archaeology on the Charles River Campus. He is a biological anthropologist who specializes in forensic anthropology, human skeletal biology, and forensic archaeology. In the Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Dr. Tallman teaches, researches and advises students through his Forensic and Bioanthropology Laboratory (FAB-Lab) Group in the Program in Forensic Anthropology. His research interests include sex and ancestry estimation in Asian populations, cranial nonmetric variability, population-specific biological profile methods, secular change, issues of human identification, and diversity... More
From The Brink: CTE Can Cause Dementia, According to New Boston University Study
CTE Can Cause Dementia, According to New Boston University Study The Brink; January 27, 2026 Read full story A recent article from The Brink highlighted a new study from the Boston University CTE Center that found people with advanced chronic traumatic encephalopathy have four times higher odds of getting dementia than those without the progressive brain disease. The study was published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association and reports that CTE should be classified as a new cause of dementia. Read the full story from The Brink here.
MHCBM Student Mairelys Cabrera Displays Artwork in GMS Suite
Mairelys Cabrera, a master's student in the Mental Health Counseling & Behavioral Medicine program, opened an art exhibition in the GMS Suite (L-317) on Wednesday, January 21, displaying paintings weaving together "nostalgia, whimsy, cultural influence, lived experiences, and the natural worlds that inspire their creative process." Check out a sample of Mairelys' art in the slideshow below, and stop by L-317 through February 18 to check out their full collection. About Mairelys Cabrera: Mairelys Cabrera (she/they) is a Cuban American artist from South Florida who has turned to art as a sanctuary for as long as she can remember. Art represents a space... More
Graduate Medical Sciences MS in Genetic Counseling Program Celebrates 20 Years at Boston University
BUGCP is New England’s only genetic counseling program located in an academic medical center with a safety net hospital on campus In 2007, the Boston University School of Medicine (now Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine) graduated its first cohort from the Master of Science in Genetic Counseling program. The five-person cohort began their academic journeys in 2005, two years after the completion of the historic Human Genome Project that revolutionized our knowledge of genetics and their applications to disease diagnostics and therapeutics. Twenty years later, the program is celebrating its 20th anniversary with 30 students enrolled between its 2026 and... More
Looking Back on Fall 2025 at Graduate Medical Sciences
To the GMS community, Congratulations on the completion of another busy semester at Graduate Medical Sciences! We have been thrilled to share these moments with you and see just how much you're making a difference in your work and studies every day. Take a look back at some of our events below, and keep scrolling for holiday wishes from the GMS deans: Fall 2025 kicked off with our annual GMS Orientation, which welcomed 486 new master's and PhD students to campus. During Orientation, students heard from Medical and Charles River campus representatives and connected with campus organizations at the Resource Fair. In mid-September, the... More
GMS Spotlight: Chelsey Skeete, PhD ’25
Chelsey Skeete’s passion for science began long before she matriculated into Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine in 2020. Born and raised in Boston, Skeete fondly remembers attending and participating in science fairs throughout the city and gravitating toward science books, even as a young child. As she progressed through school, teachers and mentors encouraged her to pursue extracurricular outreach opportunities that would bolster her interest in scientific research. “I was always very passionate about seeking out those opportunities, and that passion for research just grew,” Skeete said. “To be able to research, to ask questions, to be comfortable... More
Boston University and HENAR Kick off Medical Education Workshops
Boston University and HENAR Kick off Medical Education Workshops November 10, 2025 | Full article On October 7-10, more than 150 Armenian doctors participated in the first of 20 medical education workshops—conducted by six Masters’ degree candidates in Health Professions Education (MHPE), a hybrid program offered by Boston University in collaboration with the HENAR (Health Network for Armenia) Foundation. The program is designed to equip Armenian physicians, clinical educators, and healthcare professionals with contemporary competencies in leadership, teaching, research and monitoring and evaluation skills. Read the full article here.
GMS Students “Boo” It Themselves During Halloween Week Painting Events
GMS students channeled their inner creativity this Halloween week at two different painting events on campus. The first, "Boo-It-Yourself," was sponsored by GMS Student Affairs and the Community Catalyst Center and invited students to decorate a Halloween- or fall-themed wooden sign. Students chose from a variety of stencils available or free-handed their own work. The same afternoon, students in the Oral Health Sciences master's program took part in their annual pumpkin painting event, with students designing a variety of different characters. Check out more photos from the events below!
GMS Students & Postdocs Attend 2025 STEMPeers Conference in Boston
Four PhD students and two postdoctoral candidates from Graduate Medical Sciences attended the 2025 STEMPeers Conference, hosted October 4 at the Boston University Metcalf Trustees Center. STEMPeers is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting and mentoring STEM PhDs throughout their career exploration and transition efforts. The conference was sponsored in part by GMS and the Angle Professional and Career Development Program fund from GMS PhD alum Erika Ebbel Angle. The annual conference brought early- and mid-career STEM professionals and students together for a day of networking and career exploration in academic and non-academic careers. The conference agenda included a keynote address and... More