News

Neil Forbes in the Forbes Lab
  • IALS | Venture Development | Accelerating Research Translation 

Researchers Combine Bacteria and Viruses to Demonstrate a New Way to Fight Cancer

Neil Forbes, professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, and Shradha Khanduja, doctoral candidate and first author, explain their research on using engineered non-toxic Salmonella bacteria to deliver viruses that are safe to humans but potent against liver and pancreatic cancer tumors, both with extremely poor prognosis.

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Ivan Lee
  • IALS | CPHM 

New AI Model Measures Motor Impairment Without Subjectivity

Ivan Lee, associate professor in the Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences and IALS translational cohire, and Juhyeon Lee, PhD candidate and first author, published their findings in IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering which was recognized with a Featured Article Award.

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Hokkaido University Delegation touring Mass Spectrometry Facility
  • IALS | Core Facilities 

UMass Amherst Hosts Hokkaido University Delegation

IALS had the pleasure of hosting Satoko Ishigaki, Keita Suzuki, Hiroki Masumo, and Taena Uemura of Hokkaido University for a tour of the Core Facilities led by directors James Chambers and David Follette, through the H.U.-UMass Two-Way Professional (Technical) Staff Development Program.

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li jun ma 2
  • IALS 

Li-Jun Ma Wins 2026 Mahoney Life Sciences Prize

Li-Jun Ma, professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, has been chosen as this year’s winner of the Mahoney Life Sciences Prize for her work toward mitigating the effects of a fungal pathogen that is causing the functional extinction of the Cavendish banana (see the photo above) most commonly found in U.S. supermarkets.
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Peter H. Reinhart, PhD
  • IALS 

IALS Showcased on WWLP-22 News InFocus

IALS Founding Director Peter Reinhart was recently featured on WWLP‑22 News InFocus, highlighting two major new additions to campus research infrastructure: the Bruker timsTOF fleX Mass Spectrometer in the Mass Spectrometry core facility and the UpNano NanoOne Bio 3D printer in the ADDFab core.

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Simos Gerasimidis and Chengbo
  • IALS 

Innovative Bridge Repair Method that Could Change the Future

A team of researchers from civil and environmental engineering, led by professors Simos Gerasimidis and Chengbo Ai, have received the inaugural IDEAS | next Award from the American Institute of Steel Construction for pioneering a field-ready cold spray additive manufacturing repair technique.

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Thayumanavan
  • IALS 

Sankaran "Thai" Thayumanavan Customizes Cellular Protein to Fight Cancer

Sankaran “Thai” Thayumanavan, distinguished professor of chemistry and biomedical engineering, and Ryan Lu and Jithu Krishna, graduate students and lead authors, have developed precise methods for shredding or repairing and replacing specific cancer-causing proteins in a malignant cell and could have applications beyond cancer to a wide range of immunological diseases.

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TIMS training in Mass Spectrometry core
  • IALS | Spring 2026 

IALS Receives $3.6 Million from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center

The investments, through MLSC’s Research Infrastructure Program, brought a next-generation mass spectrometer for molecular research and a cutting-edge two-photon 3D printing system for precision biofabrication to campus, significantly expanding the university’s research, training and industry collaboration capabilities.

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Seed Funding
  • IALS | Accelerating Research Translation | Manning Family Foundation 

Translational Seed Awards Announced

Twelve campus research teams have been named recipients of the annual Translational Seed Awards. These awards advance applied R&D efforts from UMass-based faculty research groups towards the development of spin-out/startup companies and the out-licensing of UMass intellectual property. 

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