Vikas Kumar, PhD

New role: Assistant Professor and Director of Mass Spectrometry Facility

Hometown: Panchkula, India
Education: PhD in Cardiovascular Proteomics.

Interests: Spending quality time with family and traveling. Dr. Vikas is also passionate about staying informed about advancements in science and technology.

May events

BMB Seminars

May 1 – Pamela Chang

May 8 – Laura Banaszynski

May 15 – Kerry Geiler-Samerotte

May 22 – John Whitney

May 29 – Peter Bea

RIPS

May 3 – Sandhya Yadav, Imbalzano Lab

May 10 – Anna Moyer, Thyme Lab

May 17 – Samirul Bashir, Rhind Lab

SPECIAL ALERT

May 7, 12pm – Janneke Icso THESIS DEFENSE

May 28, 10am – Adam Hedger THESIS DEFENSE

Most Fridays at 12:30, the Outreach Office organizes a “Newbie Lunch” for recent hires (~the last six months). All are welcome, as the goal of the lunch is to help new members of our department meet people and integrate into our community.

May 3 - Paint & Unwind hour

May 4 – Star Wars Day

May 5 – Cinco de Mayo

May 12 – (American) Mother’s Day

May 27 – Memorial Day HOLIDAY

May 23, 2:30pm – Outreach Committee Meeting

Anti-Racism Reading Club (ARC)

Meeting: May 14 at 4pm.

Book: Wondrous Journeys in Strange Lands by Sonia Nimr

Summary: Follow Qamr as she sets out from Palestine on a fantastical travel adventure to discover the world (historical fantasy, folktale).

Volunteer for Science Live!

A STEM outreach program aiming to increase science literacy.

Dr. Mary Munson was elected as a 2023 fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science!!! Elected for her “contributions toward commitment to diversity and inclusion in the scientific field,” for her work both at UMass Chan and with the American Society of Cell Biology, Dr. Munson’s recognition is incredibly well-deserved. Please join us in congratulating Dr. Munson, and learn more about her election in this UMass Chan news article.

Several department members volunteered their time during April Vacation Week. Coordinated by Dr. Leonora Martínez-Nuñez and ScienceLive!, our department shared the excitement of science with young people at the EcoTarium and the Shrewsbury Public Library. Look out for more volunteer opportunities coming up!

The recent publication from Jacob Landeck, Joshua Pajak, Emily Norman, Emma Sedivy, and Brian Kelch was selected as an Editor’s Pick at JBC! Congrats to all the authors on their major discoveries detailed in their publication, “Differences between bacteria and eukaryotes in clamp loader mechanism, a conserved process underlying DNA replication.”

Dr. Gang Han and his team’s recent publication was selected as the cover for the April issue of Nature Reviews Chemistry! “This is a great honor and testament to the hard work and impact of our research,” said Dr. Han. This review article featured organic-based triplet-triplet annihilation upconversion, which has applications in immunotherapy, deep tissue imaging, and more.

We celebrated Autism Awareness Day by featuring the Thyme Lab’s research in a blog post. Check it out to learn more about their innovative drug identification pipeline in zebrafish that could someday find new treatments for the symptoms of neurodevelopmental disorders like Autism Spectrum Disorder.

At the beginning of April, a new doctor was born…
Dr. Jacob Landeck from the Kelch Lab!!! Dr. Landeck successfully defended his thesis with an entertaining and informative presentation. Who knew so many celebrities were interested in clamp loaders??

Blog post

Instagram

X (Twitter)

TikTok

Learn more about a relatively new member of our department, Administrative Coordinator III Kathy Drolet! She’s a big part of the Outreach Office, and her favorite kitchen utensil is a citrus press (and this is a professional opinion!).

May is a big month of awareness, so we thought we could learn a little tidbit about each of the May Awareness Themes. The awareness categories are listed in alphabetical order, and the position of a particular theme within the list does not reflect its importance.

ALS Awareness Month

• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease with no cure that affects 30,000 people in the US. Learn more about ALS research happening right here in our department by reading this blog post, this blog post, Dr. Zuoshang Xu’s website, or Dr. Paul Thompson’s website.

Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month

• The “Asian American & Pacific Islander” (AAPI) label encompasses approximately 50 different ethnic groups that speak over 100 languages. AAPI communities have faced significant harm and discrimination throughout American history. Check out the list of mental health resources below for members of AAPI communities. Learn more about AAPI scientist, Dr. Flossie Wong-Staal, whose HIV research helped to lay the ground for the COVID-19 vaccine.

• Asian American & Pacific Islander Resource Library from the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

• Asian American & Pacific Islander Mental Health Resources from the Mental Health Coalition

• Resources for People in the Asian American and Pacific Islander Community from the National Alliance on Mental Illness Massachusetts

National Barbecue Month

• Apparently grilling things at high heat can promote the generation of poly aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) that are linked to cancer?? So here’s an article about how to minimize your PAH exposure? Also keep in mind that many BBQ sauces are high in sugar!

National Blood Pressure Month

• “High blood pressure is a leading cause and controllable risk factor for stroke and heart disease.” – The American Heart Association. Regularly check your blood pressure, exercise, eat heart-healthy foods, and manage your stress to keep your blood pressure in a healthy range.

National Celiac Awareness Month

• Celiac disease is the result of immune-mediated intestinal damage triggered by the consumption of gluten. If you think you might have celiac disease, try taking this symptom checklist quiz. Always take gluten-free requests seriously – for many people, avoiding gluten is a health imperative, not a fad. For those with celiac disease, you can acquire the celiac disease and gluten-related conditions psychological health manual from the Celiac Disease Foundation at this link.

Creative Beginnings Month

• Being creative makes you happier. Consider trying out a new creative hobby this month!

National Inventors Month

• Celebrate by learning more about how your favorite scientific techniques were invented: Cryo-EM (Jacques Dubochet, Joachim Frank, Richard Henderson); NMR (Isidor Rabi, followed by Edward Purcell and Felix Bloch); microscopes (Hans & Zacharias Janssen); computers (Charles Babbage); or x-ray crystallography (William Lawrence Bragg, who then won a Nobel Prize at age 25…).

Jewish American Heritage Month

• This month is meant to celebrate the “vibrant and varied American Jewish experience.” Jewish people have been discriminated against around the world, including in the United States. A list of Jewish mental health organizations can be found at this link. To celebrate, check out this external blog post about “5 Female Jewish Scientists You Should Have Learned About in School.”

National Lyme Disease Awareness Month

• Massachusetts is a high-risk area for lyme disease! Get chickens so they can eat the ticks out of your yard, wear long pants tucked into socks when you’re out hiking, use tick control tools for your pets, and always do a tick check after being outside!

Mental Health Awareness Month

• Mental health is health! Check in with a friend, check in with yourself, and take care of yourself this month. Mental health resources at UMass Chan can be found on the Office for Well Being and Employee Assistance Program websites.

Military Appreciation Month

• This celebration of the American military is intended to be a symbol of national unity. Consider thanking a military member, military family member, or veteran for their service. Mental health resources for those in and associated with the military can be found at this link.

National Pet Month

• This is a month to celebrate the positive impacts of pets in our lives! Share pictures of your pets with your lab mates, and check out these responsible pet ownership tips from the American Veterinary Medical Association.

National Salad Month

• Apparently a marketing scheme initiated by the Association for Dressing and Sauces, May is a great time to incorporate more salads into your diet. Consider joining a CSA to get fresh local produce, and check out this list of salad recipes!

National Salsa Month

• This is apparently a celebration of the food, not the dance. Learn about the history of salsa and honor its origins in the Inca, Mayan, and Aztec civilizations.

National Strawberry Month

• Strawberry season is upon us! They are full of nutrients and absolutely delicious. Eat up!

National Women’s Health Month

• It is a weird time for women’s health in the United States. People with two X chromosomes and/or who present as femme – make sure to get a yearly well-woman exam, advocate for yourself at the doctor’s office, make sure you and your colleagues use female mice in your studies, and take care of yourself as you navigate our patriarchal society.

Sources:

Country living

NAMI

NHLBI-High Blood Pressure Month

From the UMass Chan Office of Well-Being (OWB)

May has events about resilience, suicide prevention, music, yoga, and more! Check out their calendar at this link.

Check out the Office of Well-Being Newsletter in your inbox from hr.communications+umassmed.edu@ccsend.com for even more resources!

From the NIH OITE

May 22, 4-5:15pm – The epidemic of loneliness