2020 News Archive

December 31, 2020

December

  • Allison Hoppe, a third-year medical student at our Midland campus, garnered attention with a short, impromptu PSA video about her experience receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. Related media: Huron Daily Tribune, LMT Online, Midland Daily News.
  • The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill that includes $4.5 million for the Flint Registry to help families recover from the water crisis. Related media: ABC News 12, Mid Michigan Now, MLive, WNEMTV5news,
  • In an article on MLive, B. Keith English, MD, chair of the Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, comments on the possibility of the COVID-19 vaccine being mandated.
  • Six medical students from the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine Upper Peninsula Campus have received the Mazzuchi Scholarship.
  • Anthony Oliveri, PhD, MPH, assistant professor in the Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, has been appointed the Michigan Public Health Advisory Council to represent toxicologists. His term commenced Dec. 11 and will expire November 1, 2024.
  • In a student view on MSU Today, Jennifer Thompson reflects on having a stroke in her 20s having to stop a previous Master’s in public health, to graduating from the MPH program at MSU College of Human Medicine.
  • In a FOX 17 interview, Lisa Lowery, MD, assistant dean for diversity at the College of Human Medicine, gives insight on longstanding distrust between African Americans and medical field.
  • Mona Hanna-Attisha, MD, director of the Michigan State University and Hurley Children’s Hospital Pediatric Public Health Initiative, has been appointed a co-chair of Governor Whitmer's Protect Michigan Commission. Related media: Crain's Detroit Business, Detroit Metro Times, WOOD TV8.
  • Joel Maurer, MD, assistant dean for admissions, joined ABC News 12 to discuss the increase in medical school applications a
  • In a study led by Natoshia Cunningham, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Family Medicine, pediatric stomach pain is being treated by targeting anxiety.
  • In an article on Futurity, Jed Magen, DO, MS, associate professor and chair in the Department of Psychiatry, discusses how to spot and cope with holiday depression during COVID-19.
  • Michigan State University College of Human Medicine partnered with Western Michigan University and Spectrum Health to create the Health Careers Pipeline Program. The program will introduce West Michigan high school students from underrepresented and minority populations to a variety of careers in health care fields. Related media: MLive, WKZO.
  • MSU received a $3.9M grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to test the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a multilevel intervention to address African American maternal morbidity and mortality in Genesee County and Kent County.
  • Robert Glandon, PhD, professor in the Master of Public Health Program, writes about how to create a healthy environment.
  • Fourth-year student Karen Wong received the 2020 Blake Smith Award.
  • David Morgan, PhD, professor in the Department of Translational Neuroscience, was awarded the Alzheimer’s Association Excellence in Neuroscience Mentoring Award presented as part of the AAIC Neuroscience Net Conference.
  • Robert Bloom, MD, associate professor in the Department of Medicine, received the Lifetime Achievement Award from The Michigan Chapter of the American College of Physicians.
  • Dawn Misra, PhD, professor and chair of the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, discusses the unknown about COVID-19, noting that the "idea that only the elderly and only those with chronic conditions or obesity are really at risk leads people to not fully appreciate their own risk." Related media: Detroit Free Press, Michigan Radio, Microsoft News.
  • College of Human Medicine student Michelle Walls is the first recipient of a Diversity in Medicine Scholarship under a program created by Dr. Mehmet Oz to inspire future doctors in underserved communities. Related media: HealthCorps, TheGrio, Yahoo News.
  • In an article on MiBiz, Claudia Finkelstein, MD, director of Wellness, Resilience and Vulnerable Populations, discusses elevated burnout rates in the medical profession during COVID-19.
  • “Our findings suggest that avoiding excessive recreational sun exposure and tanning beds may reduce your endometriosis risk” notes Stacey Missmer about a study she is the co-lead author on. Related media: Daily Mail, EurekAlert!, Express & Star, Gazette & Herald, Hereford Times, Medical Xpress, MedIndia, Mirror, Microsoft News, News Shopper, The Bolton News, The Irish News, The Press in York, Scienmag Science Magazine.
  • Debra Furr-Holden, PhD, associate dean for Public Health Integration and C.S. Mott Endowed Professor of Public Health, joined a task force to ensure and improve delivery of the COVID-19 vaccine to neighborhoods in need.
  • Michigan State University College of Human Medicine introduced the Research to Reduce Disparities in Disease Program (R2D2), a scholarship program for students interested in performing clinical research in their future careers and aspiring to further their research skills and practice with clinical research.
  • In collaboration with the NAACP of Greater Grand Rapids and the Black Impact Collaborative, Cherry Health, 411GR and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, the College of Human Medicine hosted a flu shot and COVID-19 testing event. Related media: WGRD 97.9, WOOD TV8, WZZM News 13.
  • A team of Michigan State University researchers has been awarded a $1.6M grant from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development to study the effectiveness of pediatric fruit and vegetable prescription programs through the MSU-Hurley Children’s Hospital Pediatric Public Health Initiative.

November

October

September

  • In a New York Times article, Mona Hanna-Attisha, MD, director of the Michigan State University and Hurley Children’s Hospital Pediatric Public Health Initiative, comments on a new rule by the EPA that overhauls the way communities test their water for lead.
  • An MSU research team led by Mieka Smart, DrPH, assistant professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and the Division of Public Health, found evidence that a schools’ neighborhood environment affects academic outcomes in Flint.
  • Lindsey Kiiskila, Collin LaPorte, Darrell Kohli and Ellen Wiitala, fourth-year students in the UP Campus, were recently inducted into the national honor medical society Alpha Omega Alpha. This honor is given to students who have demonstrated strong academic performance as well as scholarship, leadership, professional and community service.
  • Ping Wang, MD, PhD, assistant professor in the Precision Health Program in the Department of Radiology, received the Inspiration Level Award for a recent submission of the concept paper entitled, “Artificial Intelligence Analysis of Magnetic Particle Imaging for Tracking Transplanted Stem Cell Therapy for Diabetes” to the MTRAC AgBio Innovation Challenge.
  • Kipling Bohnert, PhD, joined the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics as an associate professor. Dr. Bohnert, a psychiatric epidemiologist, was recently awarded an R01 from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism to study a PTSD m-Health intervention to improve alcohol treatment outcomes.
  • "Promoting Public Health in Michigan in the Face of COVID-19" is a free self-paced public health course about the history of public health, social determinants of health, health disparities, COVID-19, health literacy and more.
  • Jennifer E. Johnson, PhD, professor in the Division of Public Health, was awarded an NIH grant to study treatment for major depressive disorder among women who have experienced perinatal loss—miscarriage, stillbirth, or early neonatal death.
  • Katie Powell, a student working in the lab of Lorenzo Sempere, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Radiology, received a Summer Research Opportunity Program in Pathology (SROPP) grant from the American Society for Investigative Pathology. The grant allows her to continue research in the fall semester, since the coronavirus pandemic prevented student research on campus during the summer.
  • Clarification for the COVID-19 Early Detection Program: Jack Lipton, PhD, chair of the Department of Translational Neuroscience, is leading a university wide program to test volunteers in the East Lansing community to track cases of COVID-19 on campus throughout the fall semester through a non-intrusive saliva test. Lipton and his team have the capacity to test around 2,000 saliva samples per day, or 10,000 per week through their COVID-19 Early Detection Program. Sign up for the Early Detection Program and join Lipton at a community webinar on October 1 to learn more about this important program. Related media: MSUToday, DBusiness Magazine, MSNBC, WKAR, WGVU.
  • A decade after opening, MSU College of Human Medicine is deemed a ʻcritical ingredientʼ in the growth of the Medical Mile. Full story on MLive.
  • From saliva to sewers, MSU researchers like Jack Lipton, PhD, chair of the Department of Translational Neuroscience, use innovative methods to fight COVID-19. Lipton and his team have the capacity to test around 2,000 saliva samples per day, or 10,000 per week through their COVID-19 Early Detection Program. Related media: MSUToday, DBusiness Magazine, MSNBC, WKAR, WGVU.
  • Nigel Paneth, MD, professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Pediatrics, is among 170 physician-scientists from 50 universities and hospitals who are studying plasma as a treatment for COVID-19 as part of the National COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma Project. Related media: Detroit Free Press.
  • In an op-ed on the Holland Sentinel, Jean Kerver, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, gives her thoughts on fair and healthy elections.
  • College of Human Medicine alum, Michael Harry Zaroukian, MD, PhD, was presented with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award by Marquis Who's Who.
  • A cancer research company co-founded by André Bachmann, PhD, professor of Pediatrics and associate chair for Research, was acquired by the New York biotechnology firm Lodo Therapeutics Corp. in a move that holds potential for the development of innovative drugs that treat cancerous tumors. Related media: MSUToday, Bio Space, First World Pharma, FOX 40, Markets Insider, MarketScreener, The Record, WFMZ 69-News, WBOC.
  • Mona Hanna-Attisha, MD, director of the Michigan State University and Hurley Children’s Hospital Pediatric Public Health Initiative, has been named one of USA TODAY's Women of the Century.
  • Teresa Woodruff, PhD, MSU’s new provost and MSU Foundation Professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive biology and biomedical engineering, has been named a recipient of one of the Endocrine Society’s 2021 Laureate Awards — top honors that recognize the highest achievements in the endocrinology field.
  • Debra Furr-Holden, PhD, associate dean for Public Health Integration, will serve as the vice-chair for the city of Flint community task force which aims to bridge gap between residents and police in Flint.
  • In celebration of AMA’s Women in Medicine Month, catch up on some inspiring stories, extraordinary accomplishments and research milestones of several women physicians, students, faculty and alumni of our college.
  • As the coronavirus spread around the globe, Jeremy Prokop, PhD, wondered, how does it invade the human body, and why is it lethal for some patients and relatively mild for others? He teamed up with several College of Human Medicine students to find answers.
  • A major milestone was achieved at the Doug Meijer Medical Innovation Building with the hoisting of the final steel beam atop the new seven-story building.
  • Join the Bioethics Public Seminar Series for their webinar on September 23 to learn about "Maternity Care Deserts in Rural Michigan" from Dr. Andrea Wendling.
  • The United States Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and the J. William Fulbright Board awarded Vijay Mittal, MD, FACS, adjunct clinical professor in the Department of Surgery, the Fulbright-Nehru Distinguished Chair for Surgery and Surgical Education in recognition of being a surgical educator, leader, mentor and an eminent scholar in education globally.
  • To address the opioid epidemic across Michigan, Michigan State University Extension, MSU’s College of Human Medicine and the Northwest Health Department of Michigan are offering opioid misuse prevention education to communities across the state through the Michigan Substance Use Prevention, Education, and Recovery (MiSUPER) project.
  • In an op-ed on Bloomberg Opinion, Nigel Paneth, MD, professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Pediatrics, says the FDA made the right call in approving the inpatient use of convalescent plasma, which is donated by people who have recovered from COVID-19. Related media: Yahoo News.

August

  • Mona Hanna-Attisha, MD, director of the Michigan State University and Hurley Children’s Hospital Pediatric Public Health Initiative, received the Scroll of Merit Year Award by the National Medical Association at its 2020 Virtual Annual Convention and Scientific Assembly, Friday July 31.
  • The College of Human Medicine celebrated the incoming Class of 2024 in a virtual White Coat Ceremony on August 23. Watch the ceremony on our YouTube channel. 
  • The College of Human Medicine's Upper Peninsula Campus welcomed ten new students to the Rural Physician Program. Related media: The Mining Journal, The Daily News.
  • In an article on the The Detroit News, Nigel Paneth, MD, professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Pediatrics, gives his thoughts on sources of COVID-19 outbreaks.
  • Jamie Alan, RpH, PHARMD, PhD, an assistant professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, comments on a study which says Citriodiol can help kill SARS-CoV-2, “The data seem a bit shaky. I worry about vapors in the air, particularly with little kids and pets, and residue being ingested."
  • Mieka Smart, DrPH, assistant professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and the Division of Public Health, was named a Michigan Center for Urban African American Aging Research 2020 scientist.
  • Debra Furr-Holden, PhD, associate dean for Public Health Integration, shares her experience with her college-age daughter navigating freshman year during the COVID-19 pandemic. Related media: Working Mother.
  • "To the medical student crying in the hallway: I see you. I’ve been you. It’s OK. Caring for your patients is not a weakness" pens alumna Caitlin McCarthy, MD, in an article on Op-Med.
  • Mona Hanna-Attisha, MD, director of the Michigan State University and Hurley Children’s Hospital Pediatric Public Health Initiative, and other leaders held a press conference to urge citizens impacted by the Flint water crisis to get help through the Flint Registry.
  • The College of Human Medicine's Upper Peninsula Campus welcomed ten new students to the Rural Physician Program. Related media: The Mining Journal.
  • The Department of Family Medicine, Michigan State University Extension and the Northwest Health Department of Michigan are offering opioid misuse prevention education to communities across the state through the Michigan Substance Use Prevention, Education, and Recovery (MISUPER) project.
  • In the recent post on Bioethics in the News, Robyn Bluhm, PhD, an associate professor in the Lyman Briggs College, discusses the ethics of COVID-19 research.
  • Ben Wexler, a current MCE student, was chosen as one of the seven prestigious awardees in the U.S. by Rural PREP-Collaborative for Primary Care Research for his grant proposal entitled "The Psychosocial Impact of SARS-CoV-2 on Michigan’s Rural Communities." Chi Chang, PhD, assistant professor in the Office of Medical Education Research and Development, served as a mentor for Ben.
  • Teresa Woodruff, PhD, Bin Gu, PhD, and Steven Ondersma, PhD, have joined the College of Human Medicine's Department of Obstetrics Gynecology and Reproductive Biology.
  • Abby Rentscher, a third-year medical student at the College of Human Medicine's Flint Campus has received a $136,000 grant from the Michigan Health Endowment Fund to launch the Capital Area Prescription for Health Program in Lansing in partnership with Care Free Medical Clinic.
  • The Healthy Flint Research Coordinating Center, MSU Division of Public Health, and community partners host a weekly Flint Community COVID-19 webinar series on Fridays at noon via zoom.
  • The MSU Master of Public Health (MPH) is offering a GRE waiver for all applicants who complete their application on or before September 30, 2020. The MPH team is hosting several drop-in Zoom sessions to give prospective students the opportunity to get one-on-one support and ask questions relevant to where they are in the application process.
  • Helping prevent the spread of COVID-19, African American healthcare leaders, including Debra Furr-Holden, PhD, associate dean for Public Health Integration, served as panelists during a virtual town hall with Dr. Robert Redfield and Rev. Jesse L. Jackson.
  • Jack Lipton, PhD, chair of the Department of Translational Neuroscience, appeared on the Rachel Maddow Show to share how the university plans to use academic labs to monitor asymptomatic COVID-19 spread on campus.
  • Michigan State University and the University of Maryland College Park are working side-by-side to address health equity in opioid use disorder treatment. Julia Felton, PhD, assistant professor in the Division of Public Health, will co-lead a $550,000 grant from the Foundation for Opioid Response Efforts.
  • Knowing more education increases life expectancy and influences healthy living, Claire Schertzing, a Master of Public Health student, is transforming the academic journey for many low-income first-generation college students.
  • Julie Thai, MD, College of Human Medicine alumna, was recognized with a 2020 Michigan Family Medicine Resident of the Year Award by the Michigan Academy of Family Physicians.
  • Birgit Klohs will retire from her post as president and CEO of The Right Place after more than three decades of economic development leadership. The Michigan State University College of Human Medicine is among the largest projects Klohs helped to bring to Grand Rapids. Related media: GRBJ, MiBiz, MLive, WKTV.
  • Michigan State University researchers have been awarded a $3.75 million grant from the National Institutes of Health for research focused on decreasing cardiovascular disease risk morbidity and mortality for minority and low-income populations with diabetes mellitus. Adesuwa "Ade" Olomu, MD, vice chair for research in the Department of Medicine, is the principal investigator on the grant.
  • “I think the biggest thing for me is the microagressions—when there’s a clear sense that people don’t think you belong or you got to your position because of favoritism or that you are underqualified for your position,” says Lisa Lowery, MD, assistant dean for diversity at the College of Human Medicine, in an article on Spectrum Beat.
  • The expanded use of telehealth technology by medical professionals has the potential to produce healthier outcomes, but it also is exposing the disparities in health status that still exist in rural areas, wrote Kelly Hirko, PhD, assistant professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, in a commentary published in the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association.
  • Jack Lipton, PhD, chair of the Department of Translational Neuroscience, joined MSNBC to talk about deploying university scientists as a resource in the fight against COVID-19 and how pool testing may be a way to maintain vigilance about viral spread at schools. Related Media: Healthline.
  • The Academic Affairs Awards Committee announced the 2020 Academic Affairs Award recipients.
  • The National Rural Health Association has named Andrea Wendling, MD, director of Family Medicine, recipient of its 2020 Outstanding Educator Award.
  • Mona Hanna-Attisha, MD, was announced as the 2020 keynote speaker for the annual Impact Nation conference.
  • Three College of Human Medicine students, Harminder Sandhu, Eunice Lee, and Kryssia Campos-Selva, discuss their experiences and observations with the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • College of Human Medicine alumna, Erynne Faucett, MD, shares her experiences with discrimination in medicine.
  • The U.S. House of Representatives has passed an appropriations bill that includes $10 million for the Flint Registry, enough to keep the program for Flint water crisis victims running until the end of 2023. Related: MLive, WNEM News 5.
  • Jonathan Gold, MD, associate professor of the Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, discusses the plummet of child vaccinations during COVID-19 pandemic. Related media: Detroit Free Press, Holland Sentinel, Lansing State Journal.
  • The expanded use of telehealth technology by medical professionals has the potential to produce healthier outcomes, but it also is exposing the disparities in health status that still exist in rural areas, wrote Kelly Hirko, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics.
  • "Women cannot afford 'nice': The unpaid labor of gendered caregiving," by Karen Kelly-Blake, PhD, associate professor in the Center for Ethics and Department of Medicine.
  • Irving Vega, PhD, associate professor of Translational Neuroscience and researcher for the Alzheimer’s Alliance at Michigan State University’s College of Human Medicine, is one of the researchers who participated in the virtual Alzheimer’s Association International Conference. Related Media: Wood TV 8.
  • To improve access to opioid use disorder treatment in underserved communities, Julia Felton, PhD, assistant professor in the Division of Public Health, will co-lead a $550,000 grant from the Foundation for Opioid Response Efforts.
  • A candlelight vigil was held to celebrate the life of Laura Sanchez, who worked as the Retention and Recruitment Coordinator at the College of Human Medicine.
  • To provide free medical services to increase access to care for individuals experiencing homelessness in the greater Grand Rapids area, the college is working with Mel Trotter Ministries to open a free clinic.  Related Media: ABC News 12, AP News, Greenwich Times, MLive, Midland Daily News, U.S News & World Report, Washington Times, WLNS News 6, WNEM News 5, WGVU Public Media.
  •  

July

  • In an article on Travel Weekly, Debra Furr-Holden, PhD, associate dean for Public Health Integration, says the time isn’t right to resume travel.
  • In an article on Everyday Health, Diana L. Bitner, MD, assistant professor, writes about recalibrating after breast cancer.
  • Master of Public Health student, Melody Marzjarani, discusses why she chose MSU and to pursue a public health degree.
  • A team of researchers at Michigan State University led by André Bachmann, PhD, professor in the Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, are looking into innovative treatments for pediatric cancers that are expeditious in more ways than one.
  • In an article on NBC News, Maji Hailemariam, PhD, assistant professor, comments on whether she will be sending her 14-month-old back to day care.
  • Tim Collier, PhD, professor of Translational Neuroscience, had a “Gibby & Friends vs. Parky” research award renewed for a third year in the amount of $100,000.
  • Andrea Wendling, MD, director of the Rural Health Curriculum, Julia Terhune, assistant director of Rural Community Health, and student, Stephen Holihan, presented their research on the podcast This Rural Mission and the rural poverty simulation Unpaved Roads at the National Rural Health Association Annual Conference this June.
  • Caryl Sortwell, PhD has been invited to serve as a standing committee member on the Michael J. Fox Foundation Emerging Targets Committee.
  • The MSU Master of Public Health (MPH) is hosting several Virtual Information webinars to give prospective students the opportunity to learn more about Michigan State University's online public health program.
  • Donna Tran, third-year student and National Interim President of the Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association, was selected as 1 of the 9 students in the prominent National Institute of Aging-sponsored Medical Student Training in Aging Research (MSTAR) Program at UCSF this Summer 2020. She also presented at the Association of American Medical Colleges' (AAMC) webinar "Supporting Minority Medical Student Mental Health."
  • Carol Parker, PhD, MPH, was appointed Interim Community Assistant Dean for the Lansing Campus, effective August 1.
  • Scientists from the College of Human Medicine Department of Translational Neuroscience answer questions about COVID-19.
  • Debra Furr-Holden, PhD, associate dean for public health integration and C.S. Mott Endowed Professor of Public Health, joined Michigan Radio NPR to discuss how systemic racism impacts health care for Black Americans.
  • Nigel Paneth, MD, professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Pediatrics, joined Michigan Radio NPR to explain how antibodies from recovered COVID-19 patients may help with coronavirus prevention or treatment.
  • College of Human Medicine student Cynthia Kuk was awarded a scholarship from the Grand Rapids Trans Foundation, as part of their mission to invest in Trans & nonbinary individuals by removing financial barriers to education and building pathways to equity.
  • Read about how Division of Public Health faculty, students and alumni are making a difference during the coronavirus pandemic.
  • Lisa Lowery, MD, MPH, assumed the new role of Assistant Dean for Diversity and Cultural Affairs in April just as two events made it all the more important and timely.
  • Mauricio Franco, a fourth-year student, has been recognized as a 2020 Inclusion Award Honoree for his work with Queering Medicine.
  • The National Rural Health Association has named Andrea Wendling, MD, director of rural medicine and professor of family medicine, recipient of its 2020 Outstanding Educator Award. 
  • 29 students and 2 faculty of the College of Human Medicine were inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society.
  • While studies in the early 2000s showed that women were 30% less likely to receive clot-busting treatment for a stroke than men, a new analysis of recent studies by Mathew Reeves, PhD, professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, found that the gap has narrowed to 13%.
  • Sisters Osose and Onome Oboh, both fourth-year College of Human Medicine students, take on leadership roles in the Student National Medical Association (SNMA), the nation’s oldest and largest student-run organization founded to support minority medical students.
  • MiBiz discusses the university's letter of intent with Henry Ford Health System in the article "MSU flexes collaborative strategy developed in West Michigan to forge new partnerships."
  • College of Human Medicine alumnus Bryanne Nicole Standifer, MD, was selected Chief Medical Resident at Henry Ford Hospital.
  • Lisa Lowery, MD, MPH, assumed the new role of Assistant Dean for Diversity and Cultural Affairs several months before two events made it all the more important and timely.
  • Mauricio Franco, 4th year LCE student, has been recognized as a 2020 Inclusion Award Honoree for his work with Queering Medicine.
  • The National Rural Health Association has named Andrea Wendling, MD, director of rural medicine and professor of family medicine, recipient of its 2020 Outstanding Educator Award. 
  • 29 students and 2 faculty of the College of Human Medicine were inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society.
  • Carol Parker, MD, was appointed Interim Community Assistant Dean for the Lansing Campus, effective August 1.
  • While studies in the early 2000s showed that women were 30% less likely to receive clot-busting treatment for a stroke than men, a new analysis of recent studies by Mathew Reeves, PhD, professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, found that the gap has narrowed to 13%.
  • Debra Furr-Holden, PhD, associate dean for public health integration and C.S. Mott Endowed Professor of Public Health, joined Michigan Radio NPR to discuss how systemic racism impacts health care for Black Americans.
  • Sisters Osose and Onome Oboh, both fourth-year College of Human Medicine students, take on leadership roles in the Student National Medical Association (SNMA), the nation’s oldest and largest student-run organization founded to support minority medical students.

June

  • Scientists from the College of Human Medicine Department of Translational Neuroscience answer questions about COVID-19.
  • College of Human Medicine student Cynthia Kuk was awarded a scholarship from the Grand Rapids Trans Foundation, as part of their mission to invest in Trans & nonbinary individuals by removing financial barriers to education and building pathways to equity.
  • Read about how Division of Public Health faculty, students and alumni are making a difference during the coronavirus pandemic.
  • In this USA Today article, fourth-year student Osose Oboh opens up about the bias in medical care she experienced and how that influenced her decision to go into medicine. Related: Detroit Free Press, Lansing State Journal
  • Kent Key, PhD, director of the Office of Community Scholars and Partnerships in the Division of Public Health, joined the Genesee County Circuit Courthouse on June 19 as the keynote speaker to commemorate Juneteenth.
  • In a Q&A on goop, Mona Hanna-Attisha, MD, director of the Michigan State University and Hurley Children’s Hospital Pediatric Public Health Initiative, discusses environmental racism and how to fight it.
  • Nigel Paneth, MD, professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Pediatrics, joined Michigan Radio NPR to explain how antibodies from recovered COVID-19 patients may help with coronavirus prevention or treatment.
  • As the number of medical school applicants nationwide has increased, the Lansing State Journal spoke to several future College of Human Medicine students about why they chose to get into the medical field.
  • In an article on The Conversation, Claudia Finkelstein, MD, provides a matrix to help decide how to safely celebrate Father’s Day in a fact-based and safe manner.
  • Debra Furr-Holden, PhD, discusses joining the Michigan Coronavirus Task Force on Racial Disparities on WKAR’s MSU Today with Russ White.
  • The Genesee County Commission adopted a resolution asserting that racism is a public health crisis. Kent Key, PhD, director of the Office of Community Scholars and Partnerships in the Division of Public Health, helped draft the resolution. Related media: Flint Beat, MLive, ABC News 12.
  • Judith Lin, MD, professor and chief of vascular surgery in the Department of Surgery, joins MSU Surgery as a vascular surgeon.
  • Henry Ford Health System and Michigan State University have signed a letter of intent to significantly expand their long-term partnership, a unique primary affiliation among the first of its kind for the region between a fully integrated academic health system and major state university. Related media: Crain’s Detroit, Detroit Free Press, Modern Healthcare.
  • March of Dimes has selected Ripla Arora, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, as a recipient the 2020 Basil O’Connor Starter Scholar Research Award. 
  • A study by Surender Rajasekaran, MD, MPH, and Mara Leimanis Laurens, professors at the College of Human Medicine, found that African American and Hispanic children admitted to pediatric intensive care units for cancer treatment have significantly higher death rates than do Caucasian patients.
  • In an article on The Conversation, Claudia Finkelstein, MD, writes about how to be as safe as possible in your house of worship. 
  • Debra Furr-Holden, PhD, associate dean for public health integration and C.S. Mott Endowed Professor of Public Health, answers questions about the different COVID-19 tests.
  • Gwendolyn Reyes, MD, assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, has been appointed to the Return to Learn Advisory Council by Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
  • In an analysis on Addis Standard, Maji Hailemariam, PhD, MSW, assistant professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology, discuss the challenge of mental health access in Ethiopia during COVID-19.

May

  • Wanda Lipscomb, PhD, senior associate dean for Diversity and Inclusion, has been appointed to serve as the new co-chair for the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Steering Committee at Michigan State University.
  • Jennifer E. Johnson, PhD, professor in our Division of Public Health, was awarded a five-year grant to study the national Stepping Up Initiative, which is helping reduce the number of people with mental illnesses in jails.
  • Diane Wagner, MD, associate dean for Undergraduate Medical Education, comments on medical students going back to the clinical environment in an article on AAMC.
  • In an op-ed on Flint Beat, Debra Furr-Holden, PhD, associate dean for Public Health Integration, discusses the need to address collateral damage of COVID-19 to avoid future public health crises.
  • Third-year student, Osose Oboh, joined the American Medical Association's health equity YouTube series to discuss the immediate and long-term health equity considerations and impact this pandemic poses.
  • Jennifer Edwards-Johnson, DO, and Debra Furr Holden, PhD, were among authors of a study that looks into racial disparity and implicit bias of COVID-19: “Are Clinicians Contributing to African American COVID-19 Deaths?”
  • Meika Smart, DrPH, assistant professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and the Division of Public Health, answers questions about contact tracing on MSU Today.
  • Morteza Mahmoudi, PhD, is using nanotechnology to study how to identify patients most at risk from COVID-19.
    Related Media: DBusiness Magazine, Futurity, News Medical, Phys.org, Science Magazine.
  • In an article on The Conversation, Claudia Finkelstein, MD, Jennifer E. Johnson, PhD, and Julia Felton, PhD, write about the need to focus on our "emotional protective equipment" as reopening begins in uncertain coronavirus times. Related Media: Wisconsin Public Radio.
  • In article on National Geographic, Debra Furr-Holden, PhD, who is a member of Michigan's Coronavirus Task Force on Racial Disparities, discusses the issue of health care inequalities. Related Media: Newsday, Michigan Radio.
  • The MSU College of Human Medicine has partnered with the Kent County Health Department, Spectrum Health, Meijer and the city of Grand Rapids on “Kent County: Back to Work Safely,” an initiative to compile health screening data from employers.  Related media: MiBiz, MLive, FOX 17, Grand Rapids Business Journal, The Rapidian, WOOD TV8.
  • In an article on The Conversation, Claudia Finkelstein, MD, provides guidance on how to practice safe outdoor recreation as distancing measures are lifted.
  • Nigel Paneth, MD, professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, discusses the use of convalescent plasma to treat coronavirus patients. Related media: Amazon Blog, Bridge Magazine, City Pulse, The Detroit News, STAT, Washington State Journal, The Wall Street Journal.
  • In a Bioethics in the News blog post, Sabrina Ford, PhD, writes about the COVID-19 vaccine, the vaccine debate, and herd immunity.
  • Mieka Smart, DrPH, wrote a faculty voice article on MSUToday titled "Promoting exposure to global public health practices."
  • "Rather than hoping a child is tough enough to endure the insurmountable, we must build resilient places where all children can thrive" pens Mona Hanna-Atisha, MD, in The New York Times op-ed titled "I’m Sick of Asking Children to Be Resilient." Related media: PBS.
  • College of Human Medicine faculty Karen Kelly-Blake, PhD, and Sabrina Ford, PhD, were among the co-authors of an op-ed in Detroit Free Press titled "No more business as usual: A black response to COVID-19."
  • In honor of the Class of 2020, the College of Human Medicine hosted a virtual graduation celebration on May 9. Watch on YouTube. Related media: WLNS News 6.
  • Nigel Paneth, MD, and Dawn Misra, PhD, joined FOX 2 Detroit to talk about Michigan's need to increase COVID-19 testing.
  • Kenneth Rosenman, MD, chief of Michigan State University's Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, joined WEMU to talk about the dangers, and measures we can take to mitigate health impacts as the economy reopens.
  • Fourth-year College of Human Medicine student Ani Kazanjian writes about using her previous nursing degree to help fight COVID-19 as an ICU nurse. Read on MSUToday.
  • In an article on The Conversation, Claudia Finkelstein, MD, director of Wellness, Resilience and Vulnerable Populations, offers a decision checklist to help you decide how to safely celebrate Mother’s Day.
  • Daniel Havlichek, MD, chief of Infectious Disease, told Newsweek he expects it to be at least a month before an analysis can be made to determine the effects of states’ easing lockdown measures.
  • Jack Lipton, PhD, appeared on MSNBC to talk about how academic research labs are getting into the pandemic fight.
    Related Media: The College Fix.
  • The College of Human Medicine announced the cancellation of the MSU Gran Fondo scheduled for June 27.
    Related media: FOX 17, MLive, Microsoft News, WOOD TV8.
  • Two student essays were chosen for the 2020 Annie Li Yang Student Essay Contest. Elizabeth Bruce won first prize for her essay "On Being Human" and Mary Hamati won second prize for "Dear Unmatched Applicant."
  • MSU experts are available to discuss a breadth of issues related to mental health, including College of Human Medicine faculty Drs. Eric Achtyes, Bengt Arnetz, Julia Felton, Jennifer Johnson, Jed Magen, and Cara Poland. More on MSUToday.
  • Mona Hanna-Attisha, MD, writes about her battle with COVID-19 and a call to action on Crain’s Detroit Business.
  • “I can say beyond a reasonable doubt our cases are definitely undercounted here in Traverse City,” says Jean Kerver, PhD, MSc, RD, assistant professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, on Traverse City Record Eagle.
  • Dr. Laura Cabrera writes about the promises and perils of using collective data to monitor COVID-19 on Bioethics in the News.

March

  • A new MSU initiative will allow 61 Spartan MDs and other health care students to enter the workforce early to join the fight against COVID-19. Rapidly increasing the number of physicians in local hospitals is core for the college’s contribution to the communities across the state. Related Media: AAMC, ClickOnDetroit, DBusiness Magazine, Crains Detroit Business, Feminist.org, FOX 47 News, Lansing State Journal, MiBiz, MLive, The Detroit News, The State News, WILX News 10, WLNS 6, WOOD TV8, WXYZ-TV Channel 7, 105.1 The Bounce, 95.3 MNC
  • College of Human Medicine students discuss their Match experience – including their virtual celebrations, plans for residency and advice for future medical students going through the process.
  • The Department of Translational Neuroscience teamed up with Crafters Combating COVID to help meet the growing demand for PPE at local hospitals. Researchers used the autoclave machine at the Grand Rapids Research Center to sterilize hundreds of masks before being delivered. 
  • The Michigan State University Psychiatry Residency Program Upper Peninsula track has appointed Kelley Mahar, MD, associate program director, and Megan Dixon assistant program coordinator.
  • First-year student Neej Patel is working with Med Supply Drive to collect and donate unused PPE to local hospitals, ERs, and clinics in Michigan. Learn more about his efforts and how to can get involved. Related media: Michigan Radio.
  • Leonard M. Fleck, PhD, professor and director of the Center for Ethics at Michigan State University's College of Human Medicine, discussed his thoughts on the coronavirus epidemic in an opinion piece on Detroit Free Press.
  • Michigan State University and The Right Place Inc. formed a task force to connect manufacturers to hospitals. Read more on MiBiz.
  • “This blog is not about toilet paper or human responses to fear, but about the question of what is safe, appropriate, and virtuous to do at the individual level, all things considered”  writes Larissa Fluegel, MD, MHS, adjunct assistant professor in the Center for Ethics and Humanities in the Life Sciences, in the recent blog post on Bioethics in the News.
  • Joel Maurer, MD, assistant dean of admissions, shares this admissions statement regarding COVID-19 and winter/spring coursework for current and future applicants.
  • Norman J. Beauchamp Jr., MD, joined Russ White on WKAR to discuss the MSU’s community response to the novel coronavirus outbreak.
  • Students across all seven College of Human Medicine campuses connected virtually to share their Match Day experiences through social media. A record 99% of our students matched in residencies through the 2020 National Resident Matching Program, Military Match and Advanced Matches.
  • Amit Sachdev, MD, and Robert Root, DO, have been selected as associate chief medical officers for MSU Health Care.
  • Chief of the College of Human Medicine’s Infectious Diseases Division Daniel Havlichek, MD, was quoted in Mitch Albom’s article about the coronavirus on the Detroit Free Press and in an article on NewsWeek.
  • Many people believe that your body is better able to break down proteins like collagen when you take them on an empty stomach. James Galligan, PhD, professor of pharmacology and toxicology, weighs in this theory on mbghealth. 
  • Michigan State University emphasizes the importance of completing the 2020 Census. Learn more here.  
  • MSU College of Human Medicine experts weigh in on COVID-19 health-related questions from Bridge Magazine readers.
  • College of Human Medicine alumnus, Daniel Palermo, MD, joined the staff at Harrison Community Hospital.
  • Mona Hanna-Attisha, MD, MPH, director of the Michigan State University and Hurley Children’s Hospital Pediatric Public Health Initiative, appeared on 60 Minutes to take a comprehensive look at the effects of the Flint water crisis, five years after she exposed it.
  • Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Pediatrics Nigel Paneth, MD, MPH, discusses his thoughts on the seriousness of the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Aron Sousa, MD, interim dean of the College of Human Medicine, is encouraging people to practice social distancing. Read more on WLNS 6.
  • Jessica Davison joined the College of Human Medicine’s Office of Admissions as their new admissions counselor.
  • The 2020 Society of Toxicology Merit Award was awarded to Norbert Kaminski, PhD, professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology, for his sustained and highly influential contributions to the discipline of toxicology.
  • Nara Parameswaran, BVSc, PhD, has been appointed as interim associate dean for Faculty Affairs
  • Robey Champine, PhD, assistant professor in our Master of Public Health program, talks about working for the FBI, and how her experiences shaped her understanding of crime and disorder as public health concerns and informed her interests in trauma-informed approaches.
  • A newly published study led by Bengt Arnetz, MD, chair of the College of Human Medicine Department of Family Medicine, has identified two biomarkers in recent Middle Eastern war refugees that appear to be related to post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health problems.
  • 30 medical students, hospital residents and fellows at the MSU College of Human Medicine Flint Campus had the chance to participate in a poverty simulation exercise. Watch coverage of the event on Mid-Michigan NOW.
  • "A Change of Practice: Leadership in Medicine for the Underserved,” the documentary about our Leadership in Medicine Program, was recognized as the Best in Independent Producer by the Michigan Association of Broadcasters.
  • A pair of optical tweezers designed in close collaboration by Jens Schmidt, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, and Matthew Comstock, are helping in the quest for better cancer treatments.
  • Richard Cooper, MD, professor of epidemiology and pediatrics, discusses precision medicine in an opinion piece published on STAT: “Precision medicine: course correction urgently needed.”

February

  • MSU University Distinguished Professor and associate chair of research Asgi Fazleabas, PhD, from the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, was honored with the Carl Hartmann Award, which is the highest award given by the Society for the Study of Reproduction. Read more about the SSR award on MSU Today.
  • Dr. Wanda Lipscomb, PhD, senior associate dean for Diversity and Inclusion, associate dean for Student Affairs, received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Office for Inclusion and Intercultural Initiatives. The Excellence in Diversity Awards Ceremony on February 11 celebrated Lipscomb's more than 25 years of dedication and outstanding efforts in diversity and inclusion.
  • The college is collaborating with Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital and Calvin University to host the Rare Disease Day Symposium on February 29. One in 10 people in the United States has a rare disease. The symposium will bring together patients, caregivers, researchers and advocates in the rare disease community. Sessions include talks from a scientist studying rare diseases, a medical geneticist and patients with various rare disease diagnoses, and other breakouts. Register for the symposium here.
  • Michigan State University has unveiled a new website highlighting the vast amount of cancer research being conducted throughout the university. The site, cancer.msu.edu, features the research of 95 faculty members spread across 20 departments and eight colleges.
  • The college’s Student National Medical Association chapter gave kids and parents a look at the field of medicine. About 200 kids, ages 7-11, got an early peek at their possible futures during this year’s Reach Out to Youth program. Learn more on WOODTV 8.
  • The Flint campus welcomes Jennifer Edwards-Johnson, DO, as the new community assistant dean.
  • Mona Hanna-Attisha, MD, MPH, spoke at the State of Flint Kids conference, hosted by MSU-Hurley Pediatric Public Health Initiative and the Greater Flint Health Coalition. She told attendees at Friday's conference that more needs to be done for Flint kids. Related media: ABC 12, Mid-Michigan Now, Michigan Radio NPR, MLive, WCMU Public Radio, WKAR.
  • John Clements, PhD, assistant professor in the Master of Public Health program, is turning to public health science to address diabetes outcome disparities for the elderly.
  • College of Human Medicine alumus, Michael Hanak, MD, FAAFP, was recently named associate chief medical officer for population health at Rush University Medical Center.
  • Ajay Khilanani, MD, assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, was published on MedPage Today’s Kevinmd.com: “Making humanism in medicine more humanistic.”
  • Philip Gorelick, MD, MPH, professor of translational science and molecular medicine, received a merit award from National Mature Media Awards in the division of Community Organizations for an article he wrote called, “Ask the Provider Importance for Brain Health.”
  • Julie Phillips, MD, MPH, associate professor of family medicine, was selected as the recipient of the 2020 Society of Teachers of Family Medicine Research Paper of the Year award.
  • Registration is now open for the 19th annual Pediatric Research Day, hosted by the Department of Pediatrics and Human Development. The event on March 26 will feature keynote presentations from Douglas T. Kendrick, PhD, Arizona State University Department of Psychology, and Robert J. Pennock, PhD, Michigan State University Lyman Birggs College. 
  • Assistant professor in the Master of Public Health program, Robey Champin shares how her experiences as a former FBI analyst shaped her understanding of crime and disorder as public health concerns and informed her interests in trauma-informed approaches.
  • A study led by Bengt Arnetz, MD, PhD, chair of the Department of Family Medicine, linked neighborhood air pollution to adverse health effects among elderly asthma patients. Read more about the study on MSUToday. 
  • In an article published on NeoScope, Laura Cabrera, PhD, bioethicist in the Center for Ethics & Humanities in the Life Sciences, shares her thoughts about cosmetic leg-extension surgery.
  • Big Data Targets Deadly Liver Cancer: Highly advanced computer programs could sort through a massive amount of “big data” and match the genetic and molecular characteristics of each patient’s liver cancer with the most effective treatment among thousands of compounds, suggested a team of researchers led by Bin Chen, PhD, an assistant professor in the Departments of Pediatrics and Human Development, and Pharmacology and Toxicology. Read more about Bin Chen’s study on MSU Today.
  • Gloria Felix, fourth-year College of Human Medicine student, shares about her medical school experience in an article on AAMC: “Let’s Start With: How are YOU?”
  • Alumni Sarah Bjorkman, MD, and Kurt Bjorkman, MD, who met as students at the College of Human Medicine, each discuss their experience with being married to another physician on Surviving Medicine: “I never thought I would marry another physician” and “What finding love in Medicine taught me.”
  • Traverse City was in the spotlight during the National Cancer Prevention Workshop in Washington, D.C. Kelly Hirko, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, joined a panel of experts to highlight the progress and challenges of cancer prevention and wellness in the region. 
  • College of Human Medicine students Ariel Dempsey and Donna Tran are speaking at the 6th annual TEDxMSU on March 11, 2020. Tickets are on sale. 
  • Daniel S. Mazzuchi is the recipient of the Carl V. Pellonpaa Lifetime Achievement Award because of his dedication to the Upper Peninsula community and serving the health care needs of the area.
  • Too many women with uterine fibroids end up getting hysterectomies. Researchers at the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, Van Andel Institute (VAI) and Spectrum Health have uncovered new information in a study that could help many women avoid surgery. Read more about this study on MLive.
  • The American Physiological Society selected Susan Barman, PhD, professor of pharmacology and toxicology, as the 2020 Bodil Schmidt-Nielsen Distinguished Mentor and Scientist Award winner. This comes one year after she was awarded the Carl Ludwig Distinguished Lectureship of the APS Neural Control and Autonomic Regulation. Both awards are the highest recognition for science and mentoring.
  • ‘Levitating’ Proteins Could Help Diagnose Opioid Abuse, Other Diseases: Researchers Morteza Mahmoudi and Ali Akbar Ashkarranat of Michigan State University’s Precision Health Program have helped develop a fascinating new method for detecting the density of proteins in the blood – a method that could vastly improve the rate at which diseases are detected and diagnosed. Read more about Mahmoudi's research on MSU Today. 
  • "Compassion is a starting point, but radical empathy, the uncomfortable, fearless, willingness and ability to see the world through the eyes of another, is what’s needed,” penned Debra Furr-Holden, PhD, C.S. Mott Endowed Professor of Public Health and associate dean for Public Health Integration. Read "In the Eyes of the Beholder: A Call for Radical Empathy and White Allies."
  • The Office of Admissions welcomes Rachael Vettese as admissions officer.

January

  • Brian Mavis, PhD, received the 2019 Academic Medicine Excellence in Reviewing Award. This AAMC distinction honors Mavis' contributions to peer review, an essential element of scholarly publishing.
  • A study co-authored by Julia Felton, PhD, assistant professor in the Division of Public Health, may have uncovered key predictors for the combination of alcohol use disorder and major depressive disorder, information that could aid in both prevention and treatment
  • The Alzheimer’s Alliance is running a series of clinical trials, connecting the people who have the disease with scientists searching for a cure. Right now, the group is signing up patients for the free PACT Trial — Preventing Alzheimer’s with Cognitive Training.
  • Dr. Morteza Mahmoudi discusses why bullying behavior thrives in academia, its impacts on targets and research, and possible solutions to the problem.
  • The College of Human Medicine's UP campus welcomed eleven new students to their Rural Physician Program. 
  • Health Affairs chose the article "The Decline in Rural Medical Students: A Growing Gap in Geographic Diversity Threatens the Rural Physician Workforce" as a top article in 2019. It was co-authored by College of Human Medicine faculty Andrea Wendling, Iris Kovar-Gough and Julie Phillips; as well as Karen Jones, Janis Orlowski and Scott Shipman from AAMC.
  • Jourden VanArsdall was appointed research administrator in Health Colleges Research Services. 
  • According to a new study led by Andrew Bender, PhD, a larger hippocampus, a curved, seahorse-shaped structure embedded deep in the brain, does not always reliably predict learning and memory abilities in older adults.
  • Robin DeMuth, MD (CHM '04), associate professor of family medicine and assistant dean for Clinical Experiences, has been appointed Chief of Medical Staff at Sparrow Hospital. Related: Fox 47 News
  • Uterine fibroid tumors are the leading cause of hysterectomies in the US, yet little is known about what causes them. A new study by Jose Teixeira, PhD, a professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, has taken researchers one step closer to understanding how these tumors develop and grow.
  • The Flint Registry is hoping to increase enrollment during winter outreach week. 
  • In a recent AMA article, fourth-year student Subah Hanif shares how painful clinical encounters she witnessed during a loved one’s terminal illness have shaped what she wants to do in medicine.
  • Registration is now open for the eighth annual MSU College of Human Medicine Gran Fondo. Join the ride against skin cancer on June 27. 
  • MLive's top photos of the last decade include a 2015 photo from the White Coat and Matriculation Ceremony.
  • Third-year medical student, Mulin Xiong, discusses how she manages a significant-other relationship during medical in a recent article with US News & World Report. 
  • Master of Public Health student Megan Mulvaney recently earned honorable mention as a "Student Who Rocked Public Health" by the Journal of Public Health Management and Practice.
  • Five years into the Flint water crisis, literacy is one way to help mediate some of the negative effects children are experiencing due to lead exposure. The Flint Kids Book project is one-way high school author and public health advocate Olivia Holden is making a difference. Olivia discusses the project on ABC 12's Newsmaker.
  • Donna Tran, second-year MCE student, was selected for the nationally competitive American Association of Geriatric Psychiatry (AAGP) Scholars Program and statewide competitive inaugural Michigan Academy of Family Physicians (MAFP) Mentorship Program.
  • Caryl E. Sortwell, PhD, has been invited to be a member of the Michael J. Fox Foundation Alpha Synuclein Consortium.