Congratulations to the Graduate Medical Sciences Class of 2026!
Over 360 Graduate Medical Sciences students walked during the 2026 Master’s and MD & PhD Convocation exercises, held on Thursday, May 14 at the Boston University Track & Tennis Center. The Master’s Ceremony started at 10 a.m., followed by the MD & PhD Ceremony at 3 p.m. Graduates from August 2025 and January 2026, as well as degree candidates from May 2026 and August 2026, participated. As of May 2026, GMS has conferred the following degrees: 17 PhD 5 MD/PhD 42 MA 334 MS 6 MS/MPH 2 MS/MS The 431 degrees above include totals from August 2025, January 2026, and May 2026. GMS... More
Introducing Our 2026 GMS Commencement Speakers!
We are less than one month away from our Spring 2026 Commencement exercises, where the Graduate Medical Sciences community will celebrate this year’s graduating master’s, PhD, and MD-PhD students. Today, we would like to introduce you to the four students selected to speak during this year’s ceremonies. Three students were chosen to speak at the Master’s Ceremony, and one student was chosen to represent GMS at the MD & PhD Ceremony. All speakers were nominated by their programs, and finalists were selected by a committee of GMS representatives. Meet Sam Camilli, Farihah Chowdhury, Paige Conner, and Jenna Libera below. SAM CAMILLI Master of... More
GMS Alumni Spotlight: Omer Elrayah, DMD, MS ‘18
Omer Elrayah, DMD, MS, is a 2018 graduate of the Master of Science in Oral Health Sciences Program at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine. Following his graduation from Graduate Medical Sciences, Omer attended Tufts University School of Dental Medicine before taking on roles in community health and private practice settings in New England. He also worked as a clinical instructor for third- and fourth-year dental students in Boston. Omer founded Remo Brush, a sustainable, water-activated toothbrush designed with Miswak-infused bristles. Learn more about Omer and his company below! Tell me about your journey to Boston University. I’m originally from... More
GMS PhD Student Wins Boston University Life Sciences Case Competition, Discovering New Career Paths
Sanjana Bhagavatula, a third-year PhD student in the Department of Genetics and Genomics, did not expect that participating in a business school case competition would change how she thinks about her future. After participating in (and winning) the third annual Boston University Healthcare Case Competition in February, however, she discovered that her skills as a scientist extend far beyond the lab. Hosted by the BU Questrom School of Business, the Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine and the College of Engineering, the competition brings interdisciplinary teams together to answer challenging questions bridging life sciences and market strategy. This year’s client was health-tech... More
New Double Terrier Scholarship Available to BU Alumni Beginning in Summer 2026
Boston University has introduced a new Double Terrier Scholarship, designed to make graduate education more accessible and affordable for BU alumni. This scholarship is available to those have earned their bachelor's degrees at BU. It guarantees a 25% award toward eligible master's programs starting in Summer 2026 or later. No separate application is required, as the scholarship is automatically awarded upon admission. Learn more about the Double Terrier Scholarship here! Eligible GMS Programs include: MA in Biophysics MA in Mental Health Counseling and Behavioral Medicine MA in Physiology MS in Anatomy & Neurobiology-Vesalius MS in Biomedical Forensic Sciences MS in Biomedical Research Technologies MS in Clinical Research MS in Forensic Anthropology MS in... More
GMS Alumni Spotlight: Ricardo Almiron, MS ‘25
Ricardo Almiron is a 2025 graduate of the master’s program in Biomedical Research Technologies at Graduate Medical Sciences. His research in the lab of Dr. Vipul Chitalia focuses on the effect of the enzyme IDO1 on the buildup of uremic toxins in chronic kidney disease patients. Ricardo next plans to apply for a PhD program. Read more below! Tell me a bit about your journey to Boston. What brought you to Boston University? Before I came to Boston, I studied a Bachelor of Science in biochemistry. I was also working in a research facility that was more related to wildlife research. However, More
GMS Alumni Spotlight: Sophia Nosek ’25
Sophia Nosek is a 2025 graduate of the Master of Science in Clinical Research program at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine. Sophia currently works as the Research Program Manager for the post-mortem UNITE Brain Bank Study at the BU Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) Center, where she also worked full-time as she pursued her degree at Graduate Medical Sciences. Her research interest lies in the different modifying factors that might play a role in CTE, including age of first exposure to football. Learn more about Sophia’s journey at BU and the CTE Center below! Tell me a bit about... More
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.