MaineHealth Institute for Research Community

 Thanks to Anne Breggia for this contribution! Unraveling the Mystery of Zombie Genes Digging into how and why some genes are resurrected after death sounds morbid, but it has practical applications.  By Iris Kulbatski PhD Life begins and ends in low oxygen. Mammalian embryos are submerged in a hypoxic environment before the cardiovascular system and placenta develop. In this low oxygen state, embryonic stem cells hum with activity. They proliferate,  activate developmental genes , and  transcribe DNA  in an intricate dance that choreographs the first buds of existence. 1,2   When this early mass of pluripotent stem cells, the blastocyst, burrows into the lining of the uterus, access to  higher oxygen levels  through the maternal blood supply triggers  stem cells to differentiate  into cells that form the various tissues and organs. 3,4  The genes that initiate and wind the clock of life eventually go dormant as key developmental mi...

  Dear care team members, The safety and well-being of our care team members, patients and visitors is always a top priority throughout MaineHealth, and our work in that area has an even greater urgency following the tragic events in Lewiston last week. I’d like to again thank everyone throughout the system who responded quickly to ensure appropriate measures were taken as the events were unfolding, and to review some of the efforts we’ve undertaken recently to address workplace violence prevention (WVP). Over the summer we stood up our MaineHealth Workplace Violence Prevention Steering Committee, a multi-disciplinary group that has already made good progress in addressing opportunities identified in our extensive system-wide WVP and security assessments. That committee is focused on six areas to improve, standardize and align process and resources across our system: 1.        Patient Conduct Policy and Response 2.        ...

  Healing Together: Supporting Victims and Families of the Tragedy in Lewiston "I know that the people of Lewiston are enduring immeasurable pain. I wish I could take that pain from you, but I promise you this, we will all help you carry this grief. I ask Maine people to join me in offering our comfort to the families and friends who have lost someone and in offering our prayers for a swift recovery to the people who are healing in Maine hospitals today." Governor Janet Mills The Mills Administration has launched this webpage to serve as a clearinghouse of information of ways to support victims and families in Lewiston, organizations involved in the community and health care response, and anyone who might be struggling with mental health during this stressful time. Your involvement can help ensure that the help, kindness and generosity of Maine people gets to those who need it in the days and weeks to come. This page will be updated. Help for victims and families The Family A...

  MaineHealth News & Updates   Express Your Support to CMMC/St. Mary's Colleagues Today Many of you have requested ways to express your support to those affected by the events in Lewiston, especially for our colleagues at Central Maine Medical Center and St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center. A  message board  has been created for our MaineHealth community to share thoughts of care and appreciation to the CMMC/St. Mary’s health care teams for their dedication to the victims and their families. A tragedy of this scale brings our communities together in unexpected ways, and our hope is that this small gesture of support from MaineHealth will convey how much we care and appreciate all they are doing.  Appreciation Message Board Caring for Our Patients and Each Other A speech language pathologist who was inspired at a young age to join a career in health care. A social worker whose work emphasizes collaboration and creativity. A person experiencing homelessness who...