Northern Light EMMC

Address: 489 State St. Bangor, ME 04401

View Website for Northern Light EMMC

Northern Light was the first institutional contact as they were partners in the second UMS rural health challenge.  The project studying genetic determinants of chronic renal disease in Maine’s rural populations is led by Dr. Ben King from UMaine and Dr. James Jarvis from Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center.  Studies involve collecting blood samples from incoming patients identified with chronic renal disease of unknown origin by staff at EMMC’s clinical research center.  Genetic material (DNA) is isolated from these blood samples for subsequent genome wide association studies (GWAS).  DNA samples are then sequenced by an external vendor and returned to Dr. King’s lab analyzed by Dr. King laboratory for identification of genetic markers associated with renal disease.  A report of progress on these studies can be found at King Lab @ UMaine.  These studies represent a formal clinical research study carried out between UMaine and Northern Light EMMC sponsored by funds from the UMS rural health grand challenge and carried out in collaboration with the IoM.

The UMaine IoM and Northern Light have been engaged in a number of educational activities over the past year.   These activities include:

1. Joint presentation of a Podcast dealing with the safety of vaccines for COVID-19 presented to the student population and made available to the public;
2. Creating an interactive environment in which physicians and UMaine faculty and UMaine faculty can interact on joint research projects;
3. Providing continuing medical education credits (CME) for faculty engaged in joint seminars and other educational activities. Institute of Medicine Seminars.
4. Joint production of webinars on various aspects of healthy aging and psychological aspects of the pandemic with the Center on Aging.

I meet with Dr. Jarvis every other week to discuss joint interests between the universities IoM and Northern Light related to shared research and educational activities.  Dr. Jarvis was appointed as a University Research Professor of Medicine (uncompensated) through the office of the VPRDGS to facilitate these interactions.

Another interaction with Northern Light Healthcare has been though Dr. Cliff Singer, Chief Physician at Acadia Hospital.  Dr. Singer has a history of working with the UMaine Psychology department, its social science programs the Center on Aging and the Center for Community Inclusion and Disabilities.  He was instrumental in working with Dr. Len Kaye in putting together webinars on healthy aging and psychological effects of COVID-19.  Dr. Singer was appointed as a University Research Professor of Medicine through the office of the VPRDGS.