UND School of Medicine & Health Sciences

10/03/2026

Great to see everyone out at the 2026 University of North Dakota Homecoming Parade today! Thanks especially to the students and faculty from our UND Occupational Therapy, UND Physical Therapy, and UND Department of Medical Laboratory Science programs for showing up!

09/29/2026

Researchers at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences have discovered a surprise benefit to common cholesterol-lowering medications.

Their study suggests that these medications might offer changes to the gut microbiome that improve resistance to intestinal infections. Ana Mansouripour, a Ph.D. candidate in the UND Department of Biomedical Sciences, explained the new finding as quote, "very exciting."

You can read more about their research here: https://blogs.und.edu/for-your-health/2026/09/24/lower-your-cholesterol-raise-your-gut-resilience-und-researchers-discover-surprise-benefit-to-a-cholesterol-lowering-medication/

Cholesterol levels are like your golf score: the lower the better. While common cholesterol-lowering medications can improve your score by lowering your risk of cardiovascular events, a new study published by a research team at UND’s School of Medicine & Health Sciences suggests that these medicat...

09/26/2026

A years-long journey is now two weeks away from premiering in the Red River Valley.

The Study, a North Dakota-based nonprofit for lifelong learners, is screening the film "Expedition: Greenland", which documents an extraordinary 21-day, 1,400-mile expedition across the uncharted long axis of Greenland’s ice sheet — a journey never before completed from south to north. Dr. Jon Solberg a clinical faculty member in the University of North Dakota Department of Emergency medicine, is featured in the film.

The Grand Forks screening will be held on Saturday, October 10 at 2 p.m. at UND's Chester Fritz Performing Arts Center and will include a conversation between Dr. Solberg and UND School of Medicine & Health Sciences Dean Marjorie Jenkins, M.D.

The Fargo screening will be held on Sunday, October 11 at 1 p.m. at the North Dakota State University Festival Concert Hall.

Both events are free and open to the public. You can find more details and register here: https://www.thestudynd.org/expedition-greenland

09/25/2026

Research is always changing at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences, and now there's a new office leading it.

In the latest episode of our 'Health In Action' podcast, Dean Marjorie Jenkins sat down with Dr. Colin Combs, Chair of the new SMHS Office of Research Affairs & Compliance, and discussed how the new office is helping with current and future research at the School.

Check out a preview of the episode below, or click the link to listen to their full conversation: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2610065/episodes/19845269

09/24/2026

This week, the University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences is marking 'Postdoc Appreciation Week', recognizing the contributions of postdoctoral researchers within SMHS.

In the UND Department of Biomedical Sciences, we want to recognize the significant contributions that five postdoctoral scholars are making to UND and the state of North Dakota:

- Dilini Ekanayake, Ph.D., is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Nagamoto-Combs Lab. With over 10 years of experience in biomedical and translational research, her research interests center on identifying novel biomarkers and developing biomarker-based predictive models for the early detection and risk assessment of chronic diseases. Currently, her research focuses on cytokine-based biomarker profiling and machine-learning predictive models to predict behavioral alterations associated with chronic food allergy. She is also contributing to the development of a North Dakota farmer cohort study that will integrate biomarker profiling, bioinformatics, and machine-learning approaches to investigate immune signatures associated with environmental exposures, inflammation, and neurobehavioral health. Her long-term goal is to advance biomarker-based predictive models for the early detection and risk assessment of chronic diseases, ultimately contributing to improved disease prevention and personalized healthcare.

- Darius Quansah is a post-doctoral researcher at the University of North Dakota. His expertise and scientific interests are translational and clinical research in neuroscience, neurological pathologies, and viral infections that contribute to neurodegeneration. Quansah's research focuses on roles that endolysosomes play in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease and other clinical dementias, and how these critical roles can be therapeutically targeted. He has held roles as a Clinical Research Associate, and Laboratory Manager, with experience in providing support for clinical research studies, clinical trials, and validation studies for FDA-facing portfolios. His work in science and leadership have been widely recognized with multiple awards, including the Student Impact Award from UND Department of Biomedical Science, 1st Place for Graduate Research Achievement by UND School of Graduate Studies, Best Post-doctoral Award by the Neuropharmacology Division of the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, and Early Career Investigator Awards from the Society on Neuroimmune Pharmacology and the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine.

- Dr. Hoa Nguyen (Brissette Lab) focuses on the virulence mechanisms and host responses underlying Lyme Neuroborreliosis. Her research combines cutting-edge platforms — including 3D choroid plexus organoids, cell-free DNA analysis, and machine learning — to uncover disease mechanisms and identify potential biomarkers. Dr. Nguyen received 2026 Cornatzer Fund Career Development Awards and the Midwest Microbial Pathogenesis Conference (MMPC) Registration Waiver Award

- Kenta Echigoya recently joined Dr. Motoki Takaku’s lab as a postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Biomedical Sciences. His research background is in chromatin biology and structural biology, with a particular focus on using biochemical approaches and cryo-electron microscopy to study how transcription factors interact with nucleosomes. At UND, he is interested in understanding the mechanisms that regulate chromatin and gene expression in cancer.

- Geetika Verma, Ph.D. is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow working in the Nagamoto-Combs Lab. Her research in neuroimmunology investigates how allergen exposure and avoidance influence neuroinflammation, behavior, and demyelination in mouse models of food allergy, as well as therapeutic strategies to address behavioral deficits and neuroinflammation. Throughout her research career, she has authored 17 peer-reviewed publications, contributed to two book chapters, and reviewed more than 50 manuscripts. Her research has received multiple best-poster and research awards, notably from the American Association of Immunologists (AAI), including AAI Abstract Trainee Awards in 2024 and 2025, and the 2026 Society for Neuroscience Trainee Professional Development Award. She serves as an Academic Editor for PLOS ONE, Emerging Editor for Immunity, Inflammation and Disease, Guest Editor for Frontiers in Allergy, and a Reviewer and Committee Member for the Graduate Women in Science National Fellowship Program. She will present her latest findings at SfN 2026 in November in Washington, DC.

Thank you for all that you do for SMHS and beyond!

09/22/2026

"To serve North Dakota for the benefit of its people and to enhance the quality of their lives."

Along with other University of North Dakota administrators, UND School of Medicine & Health Sciences Dean Marjorie Jenkins and the Director of our Office of DATA, Mandi-Leigh Peterson, presented updates at the North Dakota Legislative Assembly's Higher Education Institutions Committee meeting today, held in the UND Memorial Union.

A full recording of today's meeting can be found here: https://video.ndlegis.gov/en/PowerBrowser/PowerBrowserV3/20260915/-1/35092

09/16/2026

Our same mission. A new celebration.

This year, newly endowed position holders across the University of North Dakota were recognized by the UND Alumni Association & Foundation at the University’s Endowed Faculty Celebration. The new tradition is meant to honor the faculty members and the donors whose generosity helps support their work.

Four faculty members at the UND School of Medicine & Health Sciences were honored at this year's event (listed alphabetically):

•Mentor Ahmeti, MD, FACS, associate professor in the Department of Surgery, was named the Kenneth S. Helenbolt, MD, FACS, Professor in Surgery
•Erin Wei Barrett, MD, MBA, FAAD, chair of the Department of Dermatology, was recognized as the Tareen Family Endowed Chair of Dermatology
•Cornelius D**e, MD, chair of the Department of Surgery, was recognized as the Wadhwani Family Endowed Chair of Translational Research
•Sarah Sletten, PhD, chair of the Department of Medical Education, was recognized as the Robert Arusell, MD, and Janelle Sanda, MD, Professor in Medicine

Congratulations to these four and the thirteen other newly endowed faculty members across campus!

09/15/2026

You can feel the chill in the air. Fall is almost here, which means it's time to schedule your flu shot!

Appointments are now open for this year's University of North Dakota Flu Shot Clinics. Appointments are necessary for students, faculty and staff at the UND Student Health Services Clinic, which will be open from 9 am-3 pm the weeks of September 21-25 and September 28-October 2.

A walk-in clinic will be held at the UND School of Medicine & Health Sciences building on Tuesday, October 6 from 10:30 am-1:30 pm Appointments are not needed for this clinic.

For all appointments you will need your UND ID and health insurance card. You are also asked to wear short sleeves.

For more details, and to schedule your appointment, please visit https://und.edu/student-life/student-health/flu-shot-clinics.html 💉

09/14/2026

09/14/2026

Great see our UND Department of Geriatrics and Dakota Geriatrics team checking blood pressures at the 20th Annual Friends Coalition Community Picnic at University Park in Grand Forks today!