The UMS Science Advisory Board, established by University of Maine System Chancellor Dan Malloy, was formed to stay fully abreast of fast-breaking scientific and medical developments in areas relevant for universities and the COVID-19 pandemic, including vaccine development, diagnostic and serology testing, antiviral treatments, transmission mitigation, contact tracing, and others. The board meets with the UMS Planning Group twice a week.
The team has provided evidence-based information on the COVID-19 pandemic in briefs for the Chancellor and serves as an expert resource to the 2020 Safe Return Planning Committee to discuss science-based approaches to safely welcome students, faculty, staff and the public back to our universities. The team has also presented to the Maine Legislature and other groups, including UMaine Faculty Senate Representatives and the UMaine VPR Research Continuation Task Force.
The UMS Science Advisory Board partnered with Team Maine and Bananas to produce a new video: “COVID-19 101: The science of staying safe.” In it, SAB lead and professor Dr. Melissa Maginnis explains the science behind why we take health and safety measures, including wearing face coverings and maintaining social distance, during this pandemic.
Melissa Maginnis (lead)
Associate Professor of Microbiology, University of Maine
Joan Ferrini-Mundy (chair)
President of the University of Maine
Caitlin Howell
Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering, University of Maine
Sara Huston
Associate Research Professor: Chronic Disease Epidemiologist, University of Southern Maine
Kristy Townsend
Associate Professor of Neurobiology
Robert Wheeler
Associate Professor of Microbiology, University of Maine
News and information
- COVID-19 Wastewater Monitoring Approaches Universal Coverage of University of Maine System Residential Student Population for Spring Semester (January 22, 2021)
- University of Maine System Partners with Shield T3 for Universal COVID Testing (January 15, 2021)
- UMaine, UMass Amherst researchers bioengineering novel membrane to capture COVID-19 airborne droplets (July 21, 2020)
- University of Maine System on Track for Spring Return with More COVID-19 Testing (December 22, 2020)
- Chancellor Malloy Appointing Task Force on Vaccine Planning and Partnership (December 14, 2020)
- USM, Maine Law Moved to Remote Operations For Friday, Nov. 6, Coronavirus detected in USM’s Gorham campus wastewater (November 6, 2020)
- Monitoring Detects Low Levels of COVID Virus in Orono Wastewater (October 30, 2020)
- Wastewater Monitoring Confirms University COVID-19 Expectations (September 22, 2020)
- Claudia Desjardins: Hands-on lab experience benefits human health in pandemic (December 28, 2020)
- New microfluidic water purification system under development by UMaine, Harvard researchers (January 5, 2021)
- UMaine Medicine announces October events (Oct. 5, 2020)
- Melissa Maginnis co-chairs the American Society for Virology Education and Career Development Committee
- The Maine Question podcast: “What can we learn from UMS experts about coronavirus?” (June 25, 2020)
- Register to watch the BioME webinar, ‘The Science of COVID-19’ on-demand
- Maginnis an expert on upcoming BioME ‘The Science of COVID-19’ webinar (May 11, 2020)
- UMaine aids Bangor Public Health by providing vetted coronavirus research, updates (April 6, 2020)
- UMaine science and medicine updates (March 24 – July 3)
