The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University

10/24/2026

We loved welcoming families and friends to The Warren Alpert Medical School for a weekend of exploring, learning, and spending time together!

From student-led tours and alumni stories to clinical skills demonstrations and lunch with Dean Mukesh K. Jain, MD, Medical Family Weekend offered a closer look at the places and people that make up our community.

Thanks to everyone who spent part of their weekend with us. It was a pleasure sharing our corner of Providence with you!

10/23/2026

Meet Saira, a Seattle native who spent part of her childhood in Nepal, where her family is from. A PLME alumna, she studied biochemistry & molecular biology and film & media studies and is interested in , immigrant and international health, and the intersection of faith and medicine.

➡️What brought you to Brown?

I originally thought I was going to school, but after a lot of thought, I decided to go the medicine route which I felt offered the chance to dive into patient care while still thinking about them as human beings. For me, practicing involves both thinking through the fascinating science behind health and illness, as well as hearing and sharing people’s stories. Hence, I joined PLME as an undergraduate because it emphasized the humanistic side of medicine which I greatly value. To be part of a program for eight years that I could build myself up in and preserve an artistic perspective within a scientific field was important to me.

➡️What are you researching?

Lately I am finishing my thesis, which is focused on how critical care physicians in Rhode Island interact with Muslim patients in the ICU. It’s a near-and-dear project to me as RI has seen an increasing number of Muslim immigrants, but there is currently no literature that investigates how our ICU providers interact with this population.

For many patients, is a cornerstone to making sense of illness, healing, and building communities of support. In this way, I believe a crucial part of healthcare involves addressing our patients’ spiritual needs, which informs many of the decisions we make in the ICU like what treatments are appropriate or how to discuss prognosis. I have seen this play out in my own time at the hospital with my first ever patient, who was a Muslim that passed away in front of my very eyes. Being part of their end-of-life and postmortem care was a privilege I will never forget, and reminds me every day of how we as physicians walk with our patients during their most vulnerable times. I hope with my thesis to better understand the questions our critical care physicians should ask when we have other patients in similar situations. As a follow-up to my thesis, I am also trying to start a patient visitation program at The Miriam Hospital and Rhode Island Hospital. This initiative seeks to invite volunteers from local spiritual centers to speak with patients one-on-one regarding their spiritual needs, help bridge communications with family and medical staff, or simply provide a listening ear.

➡️Get to know Saira Moazzam in the full Cohorts Q&A:
https://ow.ly/97bo50ZOvS3

10/23/2026

A new genetic discovery could help scientists track emerging resistance to some of the most widely used malaria treatments. 🧬

Jeffrey Bailey, MD, PhD, associate professor of translational research and pathology and laboratory medicine, led a study identifying genetic variants linked to reduced susceptibility to multiple malaria drugs.

Published in Nature Medicine, the findings highlight the importance of genomic surveillance as researchers work to protect the effectiveness of existing treatments and develop new therapies.

Read more: https://ow.ly/lYxG50ZZ7C1

10/22/2026

Physicians spend their careers caring for others. But how often does medical training teach them to care for themselves?

Resa Lewiss, MD, adjunct professor of emergency medicine, and Alexander Sheng, MD, associate professor of emergency medicine, explore the role of lifestyle medicine in residency training.

In Healio they discuss how education in nutrition, exercise, sleep and other healthy behaviors could benefit both physicians and the patients they treat.

Read more:

Physicians are susceptible to the same chronic diseases as our patients. Yet we struggle to prioritize our own health and well-being while seamlessly focusing on the care of others. A contributing factor is that we may not know how to prioritize self-care in this way. Historically, medical training....

10/22/2026

The health consequences of war don't end when the fighting stops.

Shufang Sun, PhD, associate professor of psychiatry and human behavior, is among the experts calling for stronger infectious disease monitoring in conflict recovery plans.

In a new article examining health crises in Gaza, Sudan and Ukraine, Sun and her co-authors explain how damaged infrastructure, disrupted health care and displacement can accelerate the spread of diseases like polio and cholera.

Their message: Rebuilding health systems must include the ability to detect outbreaks before they spread.

Read more:

War recovery plans should include detailed monitoring to prevent diseases like polio and cholera from spreading

10/21/2026

Can hospitals reduce waste without compromising patient safety? 🏥

Francois Luks, MD, PhD, professor of surgery, pediatrics and obstetrics and gynecology, explains the four levels of medical gown protection and when reusable options may be appropriate.

In a new episode of Ocean State Media's Possibly podcast, Luks discusses how hospitals can balance infection prevention with environmental sustainability.

🎧 Listen to the four-minute episode:

Disposable surgical gowns are a big source of waste in hospitals. Today we’re taking a look at how healthcare facilities can change that while still meeting sanitation standards

10/21/2026

Some patients are going years without seeing a primary care physician. A new office in Taunton, Massachusetts, is helping change that.

Edward McGookin, MD, clinical associate professor of family medicine and pediatrics, oversees primary care across Brown University Health.

In a recent NBC 10 WJAR, McGookin discusses the growing need for accessible primary care and how a new Taunton office is helping close gaps in care.

Since opening in August, the practice has welcomed approximately 1,100 patients, with room to serve thousands more.

For McGookin, expanding access isn't just about treating illness. It's about detecting cancer earlier, managing chronic conditions and helping patients stay healthier.

Read more:

Brown University Health is addressing the shortage of primary care doctors.

10/20/2026

From building to becoming. 🔬

At today's fifth annual State of BioMed address, Mukesh K. Jain, MD, reflected on five years of progress across Brown University's Division of Biology and Medicine—and shared his vision for what comes next.

From advancing biomedical research and transforming medical education to strengthening clinical partnerships and expanding community impact, BioMed is building on a foundation of discovery, collaboration, and innovation.

Looking ahead, Dean Jain outlined three priorities that will shape BioMed's next chapter: biology for impact, technology leadership, and humanistic health care.

At the heart of it all? The faculty, staff, students, trainees, and partners making this work possible.

10/20/2026

From studying 1,000 genomes to analyzing data from hundreds of thousands, the possibilities for understanding human genetic variation have changed dramatically. 🧬

Sohini Ramachandran, PhD, professor of biology, has spent her career developing computational approaches to understanding human genetic diversity and evolutionary history.

In a new feature celebrating The Scientist's 40th anniversary, Ramachandran reflects on how large-scale biobanks have transformed her research, allowing her team to investigate inherited traits, trace genetic relationships and explore how genetic associations differ across populations.

Her work also underscores the importance of including diverse ancestral populations in genetic research to better understand how findings may apply across patient populations.

Read more about her research and its evolution: https://ow.ly/yEC250ZZ4M4

10/20/2026

The secret to staying active as you age might be finding something you never want to stop doing. 🌊

Andrew Nathanson, MD, clinical professor emeritus of emergency medicine, has been surfing since he was 14. Now 63, he's sharing what a lifetime on the waves has taught him about healthy aging.

In The New York Times, Nathanson explores why accepting physical changes, adapting your activities and finding joy in movement can help you stay active at any age.

His advice extends well beyond the beach.

🏄 Read more: https://ow.ly/E5Ja50ZZ4uy

Some of the best lessons for remaining active in later years can be found on a surfboard.