by Dr. Lucy Osborne

Dear IMS Community,

Welcome to a new school year!

I am delighted to welcome you to the Fall 2025 issue of the IMS Magazine, themed Health in the Margins. 

This is an issue of particular importance, as it explores some of the most persistent health inequities affecting underserved groups in our society, including barriers to care, disproportionate burden of illness, and gaps in health policy and representation. At the same time, this issue highlights the exceptional efforts of members of our IMS community who are working tirelessly to address these challenges through innovative and inclusive research. Some of the featured faculty include Dr. Jenny Lau, Dr. Sloane Freeman, Dr. Flora Matheson, and Dr. Aisha Lofters–all of whom are doing groundbreaking work to improve health outcomes for marginalized communities. In addition, the Viewpoint pieces shed light on some of the most topical concerns in our healthcare system, including disparities in access to care faced by specific groups. In this issue, we are also proud to spotlight IMS student Nafia Mirza and IMS alumna Dr. Anna Badner for their exceptional leadership and accomplishments at IMS and beyond.

At IMS, our goal is to be a global leader in graduate education to improve human health. To do this, we must cultivate an environment that champions innovation, equity, and collaboration, and empowers our trainees and faculty alike to drive meaningful change in health research and care. This makes the topics covered in this issue especially significant, and I encourage you to engage with these important conversations, and to carry them forward within your own work as scientists, physicians, caretakers, leaders, and educators.

I would like to extend an enormous thank you to the journalists, editors, and designers of the IMS Magazine for their wonderful work, and to the Editors-in-Chief, Kristen, Kyla, and Nayaab, for their leadership in bringing the Fall 2025 issue to fruition. I hope the stories within these pages inspire our community to continue advancing equity, inclusion, and compassion in health research as we “turn over a new leaf” this fall.

Sincerely,

Dr. Lucy R. Osborne

Interim Director, Institute of Medical Science