Rutgers Health

08/08/2025

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On August 6 ,2025, New Jersey Medical School (NJMS) and University Hospital marked a major milestone with the grand opening of the new Clinical Skills Center...

08/07/2025

Incoming students at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School - Piscataway stepped into the next chapter of their journeys during this year’s White Coat Ceremony. For Kofi, Lauren, and Asha, donning the coat represents more than tradition, it symbolizes responsibility, resilience, and a commitment to compassionate care.

RWJMS welcomed 166 new students on July 25, joining future physicians across Rutgers who are embarking on their journeys in medicine. As Rutgers moves toward an integrated School of Medicine, we celebrate the passion and purpose these students bring to our campuses, and to the communities they'll serve.

Read their inspiring stories: go.rutgers.edu/z389lgka

08/07/2025

Are we over-sanitizing our mouths?

Rutgers Health researchers are challenging the “kill all bacteria” mindset behind most mouthwashes. A new study from the Rutgers School of Dental Medicine found that herbal-based mouthwashes may selectively target disease-causing bacteria, while preserving the beneficial microbes that help protect teeth and gums.

This shift toward microbiome-friendly oral care could mark a new era in dental health strategy.

Learn more about the research and its implications: go.rutgers.edu/pxpkrvki

08/01/2025

Perry N. Halkitis, dean of the Rutgers School of Public Health, received the J. Michael McGinnis Leadership Excellence Award from the Interdisciplinary Association for Population Health Science.

07/31/2025

Rutgers Health has launched the Center for NeuroMetabolism, a new research hub dedicated to understanding the brain-body mechanisms driving obesity, Type 2 diabetes, eating disorders, and metabolic disease.

Led by Dr. Zhiping Pang, Henry Rutgers Professor in the Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, the center will bring together researchers in neuroscience, endocrinology, pharmacology, and nutrition to develop targeted therapies with fewer side effects.

💡 Key goals:

Explore how brain circuits impact metabolic behaviors

Improve therapies beyond drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro

Translate basic research into life-changing treatments

Collaborate across Rutgers Health and the future NJ Health + Life Science Exchange

“Metabolic disease won’t kill you immediately, but it can rob you of quality of life,” says Pang. “We’re here to change that.”

Learn more about this initiative:

Rutgers Health recently launched the Center for NeuroMetabolism, which aims to address the weight loss and health challenges many Americans face that can lead to Type 2 diabetes, obesity, eating disorders and other gastrointestinal, vascular and inflammatory disorders.

07/28/2025

Did you know Medical Aid in Dying (MAID) is legal in 10 U.S. states and Washington, D.C., including New Jersey?

A national Rutgers Health study just found that more than 50% of Americans don’t know MAID is even legal, and even in states where it is, awareness is alarmingly low. Only 11% of New Jersey residents surveyed knew MAID was an option in their state.

MAID allows terminally ill, mentally capable adults to request and take life-ending medication. Nearly half of those surveyed said they’d consider it if they were terminally ill, but systemic barriers and a lack of education are keeping this option out of reach.

Researchers are urging more public education, better policy support, and improved communication between doctors and patients about end-of-life care options.

Read more to make informed choices:

Most people in the United States don’t know that medical aid in dying, a legal practice that allows terminally ill patients to obtain a prescription for medication to end their life, is legal in certain states, according to Rutgers researchers.

07/28/2025

For over a decade, a rare and rich pregnancy cohort sat dormant in storage, tracking nearly 5,000 mostly young, low-income women from Camden, NJ.

Now, Rutgers researchers have revived the Camden Study, transferring eight freezers of biospecimens and an extensive dataset to a new research hub, ready to apply modern tools to historical insights.

This cohort includes a racially and economically diverse population often left out of research. Its data has already revealed links between teen growth and birth outcomes, zinc deficiency and preterm birth, and racial disparities in maternal health.

“This is about continuing a scientific legacy while opening the door for groundbreaking research,” said Dr. Emily Barrett.

The Rutgers team welcomes collaboration to further explore maternal and child health, environmental exposures, and long-term outcomes.

Read how this cohort is making remarkable progress:

The Camden Study, a pregnancy cohort of 4,765 women recruited between 1985 and 2006 from one of America’s poorest cities, has found new life at Rutgers University – where it promises to unlock critical insights into maternal and child health for researchers worldwide.

07/26/2025

New research from Rutgers University reveals a major gap in addiction treatment access: patients with only public insurance, such as Medicaid or Medicare, receive significantly fewer therapy sessions for opioid use disorder than those with multiple funding sources.

“This is the exact opposite of how we should be helping people,” said Jamey Lister, lead author and associate professor at the Rutgers School of Social Work. “Health care should be based on need, not insurance status.”

With overdose deaths still rising, these disparities in care demand urgent policy attention, especially as some lawmakers propose reducing public insurance coverage.

Read the insights that could transform addiction care: go.rutgers.edu/lnfs8gbe

07/24/2025

Rutgers Health researcher Maria Gloria Dominguez-Bello has contributed to a global study that advances our understanding of the vaginal microbiome, with key implications for diagnostics and treatment in women’s health.

The international team identified Lactobacillus crispatus as a protective bacterium and emphasized that microbiome diversity varies widely across regions and ethnicities. These findings call for a more inclusive and geographically diverse approach to research on vaginal health.

The study advocates for filling global research gaps especially in underserved populations, and lays the groundwork for better clinical outcomes and equity in women’s health care.

Learn more about the key findings:

Seeking to understand what constitutes a healthy vaginal microbiome, a global research collaboration that includes a Rutgers-New Brunswick scientist has reported a series of findings, including identifying which bacteria thwart vaginal disease and determining that microbiomes vary significantly acro...

07/23/2025

Rutgers New Jersey Medical School has launched the Early Pregnancy Assessment Clinic (EPAC), a new outpatient resource focused on the first trimester of pregnancy, a period where 80% of miscarriages occur.

Founded by Dr. Marianne DiNapoli, EPAC is designed to reduce unnecessary ER visits by providing comprehensive, evidence-based care for early pregnancy complications such as bleeding, cramping, and miscarriage concerns. The clinic offers lab work, ultrasounds, miscarriage treatment, contraception counseling, and grief support, all in a calm, patient-centered setting.

This model of care, common in the UK, is gaining traction in the U.S. for its ability to improve outcomes, reduce disparities, and build trust with underserved populations.

To schedule appointments and know more: https://go.rutgers.edu/vl1ap23u

07/22/2025

Rutgers Health researchers have uncovered how genetic risk for alcohol use disorder (AUD) alters brain cell behavior, a breakthrough that could help develop more personalized treatment strategies.

In a study published in Science Advances, scientists used patient-derived stem cells to create brain immune cells and found that cells from individuals with high genetic risk for AUD showed hyperactivity and excessive "synaptic pruning" when exposed to alcohol, changes that may contribute to cognitive decline over time.

“This is the first study to show how genetic variations impact brain cells related to alcohol use disorder,” said Zhiping Pang, professor of neuroscience at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School - Piscataway

The study draws from Rutgers’ long-standing role in the NIH-funded Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism (COGA) and demonstrates how interdisciplinary approaches are helping decode complex brain-behavior relationships.

Understand how it impacts health:

A Rutgers Health study may help explain why some people are more susceptible to developing drinking problems.

07/22/2025

Rutgers Health is proud to expand its addiction and behavioral health services with the opening of the Rutgers Center for Recovery & Wellbeing (RCRW) in Plainfield, NJ.

Since April, RCRW has been offering outpatient treatment for individuals recovering from substance use and co-occurring conditions. Services include assessments, individual and group counseling, medication management, and case management. Intensive outpatient and inpatient programs will launch later this year.

“With the full continuum of care under one roof, RCRW is one of the most comprehensive addiction treatment resources in the region,” said Program Director Josephine Schettino.

The center accepts Medicaid, Medicare, and most major insurance providers. A community job fair and open house are planned for later this summer.

To schedule an appointment: Call the Access Center at (800) 969-5300
For more details: go.rutgers.edu/qdsnaq9k