Communications leader named to national post; PhD program boosted by grant
Published on Monday, August 4, 2025
By: Gary Pettus, gpettus@umc.edu
Medical Center faculty and staff often are recognized regionally, nationally and internationally for their academic or medical achievements. These accolades place UMMC among health science centers worldwide.
Guilfoyle designated president-elect of AAMC professional development group
Patrice Guilfoyle, APR, director of communications at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, has been chosen as chair-elect for the Group for Institutional Advancement with the American Association of Medical Colleges.
The AAMC is a “not-for-profit association dedicated to transforming health through medical education, health care, medical research and community collaborations,” its website states.
The GIA comprises alumni relations, communications, development, marketing and community relations professionals from member academic medical institutions. It develops and disseminates resources, best practices, educational opportunities and peer-to-peer connections for members to aid in their professional growth and development.
“I am honored to represent UMMC and work alongside my colleagues from across the country to develop supports and strategies for GIA members that will help our institutions meet challenges in health care, research and education missions,” she said.
Guilfoyle earned the BA in journalism at the University of Memphis and the MS in public relations/corporate communications at Mississippi College. She also earned the Accredited in Public Relations credential in 2012. She rejoined UMMC in 2021, after working for the institution from 2004-2012.
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Neuroscience program collects national grant
The UMMC Program in Neuroscience, an interdepartmental PhD degree program, has been awarded a prestigious training grant from the National Institute of Mental Health.
It is believed to be the fourth such award in the state of Mississippi and only the second of this type at a public institution in the Southeast.
The T32 grant is part of the Jointly Sponsored Institutional Predoctoral Training Program in the Neurosciences, whose main objective is to ready individuals for neuroscience careers that have a major influence on the nation’s health-related research needs.
The award supports programs that, for instance, include a curriculum that offers strong grounding in experimental design, statistical methodology and quantitative reasoning, along with laboratory rotations that promote investigations in different research areas, scientific approaches and more.
“I was thrilled to receive the announcement of the Notice of Award for the T32 training grant supporting the PhD Program in Neuroscience,” said Dr. Sydney Murphy, dean of the School of Graduate Studies in the Health Sciences.
“This prestigious grant not only provides essential financial support—through graduate student stipends for pre-doctoral trainees each academic year—but also brings national recognition to UMMC, the School of Graduate Studies in the Health Sciences, and our outstanding Neuroscience faculty.
“Extramural funding of this caliber significantly enhances the professional development and training environment for our students, while also advancing UMMC’s research mission. Securing such a competitive award is a strong testament to the excellence of our Neuroscience graduate program and the dedication of our faculty.
“Their innovative research and deep commitment to mentoring the next generation of scientists continue to strengthen both the educational and research endeavors of our institution.”