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College of Human Medicine

April College News Headlines

April 28, 2024


Student Success

  • Photo above. Second year medical student Donovan Dennis received the Wilbert C. Jordan Poster Presentation Award at the 2024 Annual Medical Education Conference for his quality improvement project to connect community-based organizations in firearm violence prevention.
  • WOOD TV interviewed first-year medical student Porter Beilfuss about his experience volunteering at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital and the health care insights he has gained during the experience.
  • Faculty and staff, students and donors gathered together earlier this month to celebrate more than 100 honorees at this year’s Student Scholarship and Awards. Watch a recording of the celebration.

Staff & Faculty Success

  • Julie Phillips, MD, MPH, chair of the Department of Family Medicine, and Andrea Wendling, MD, title, recently completed the Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine Program. The prestigious Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine® (ELAM) Program for Women at Drexel University College of Medicine is the only program in North America dedicated to preparing women for senior leadership roles in schools of medicine, dentistry, public health and pharmacy.
  • Jerry Kooiman, assistant dean and chief external relations officer, received the university’s Simmons Chivukula Award for Academic Leadership, in recognition of his community engagement and involvement in major college expansions over the last two decades.
  • Iris Kovar-Gough, health sciences librarian, received the Louise Darling Award for Distinguished Achievement in Collection Development in the Health Sciences from the Medical Library Association.
  • Deana M. Wilbanks, EdD, was appointed director of medical student career advising.
  • Mike Alnarshi, LMSW, was appointed the assistant director of student counseling and wellness in East Lansing.
  • The Department of Medicine appointed Shilpa Kavuturu, MD, to interim division chief of internal medicine.
  • The Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology promoted Xiao Yu, PhD, to assistant professor.

Research and Scholarship

  • Crain’s Detroit suggests a link between the rise in compensation for primary care physicians and the shortage in family physicians in the state due. Fewer medical students are opting to study primary care, with the article citing college data: “This year, only 37% of graduates from the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine chose a residency in primary care, down from 48% the year prior.”
  • On WKAR’s Russ White Show, Sean Valles, PhD, director of the Center for Bioethics and Social Justice, was joined by another MSU expert to discuss vaccine hesitancy and respectfully educating citizens.
  • Several Charles Stewart Mott Department of Public Health faculty participated in media interviews during the 10th observance of the Flint water crisis. See full recap.
  • In MSUToday news coverage, Charles Stewart Mott Department of Public Health researchers discuss a new health equity evaluation tool, the Health Equity Report Card, for Genesee County and the city of Flint. Related: WNEM.
  • The State News interviewed Norbert Kaminski, PhD, Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, on the potential health benefits of cannabis use, particularly the anti-inflammatory properties of cannabinoids and their potential in treating conditions like multiple sclerosis and inflammatory bowel disease.
  • WOOD TV interviewed the College of Human Medicine’s new genetic autism researcher Lucas Pozzo-Miller, PhD, to discuss his work around the neurobiological basis of syndromic forms of autism caused by single-gene variants. Related: Yahoo News.
  • Yahoo! News reports that research “has linked several seemingly random medications to increased longevity.” Among others, Naproxen is an anti-inflammatory medication and “there is significant evidence that inflammation contributes to cellular aging,” according to Jamie Alan, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology. Alan added “there are also likely medications that weren’t linked to a longer life in this study that actually can increase lifespan.”
  • In MSUToday news coverage, Sean Valles, PhD, director of the Center for Bioethics and Social Justice, discusses the social justice implications on the landmark policy change in an Alabama Supreme Court ruling - that frozen embryos stored in the freezers in Alabama in vitro fertilization, or IVF, clinics legally qualified as children.
  • Good Men Project covers research by Jennifer Johnson, PhD, chair of the Charles Stewart Mott Department of Public Health, and Maji Hailemariam Debena, PhD, assistant professor, which looks at increased access to community-based mental health and substance use disorder services could keep more people out of jail. Related: Legal News.
  • Yahoo News: interviewed Jamie Alan, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, on the prevalence and potential health risks of microplastics, which are present in various everyday. She emphasized the need for consumer awareness and choices to reduce exposure to these particles while research occurs on the health effects of microplastics on cells, DNA, and the potential risks such as cancer and fertility issues.
  • Bridge Magazine interviewed Laurel Harduar Morano, PhD, associate professor of occupational and environmental epidemiology, about her recent study of agriculture-related injuries, which found that agriculture is one of the most dangerous industries in Michigan and nationwide. Related: Capital News Service.
  • Yahoo writes about a patient’s endometriosis journey and efforts to raise awareness about the condition. Asgi Fazleabas, PhD, University Distinguished Professor and associate chair of research in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, discusses his endometriosis research, including finding better ways to diagnose and potential treatments for the condition. Related: WLNS.
  • MSUToday discusses the latest research by Morteza Mahmoudi, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Radiology and the Precision Health program, which uses nanoparticles to deliver medicine directly to the brain tissue, offering a new treatment for neurodegenerative diseases. Related: Futurity, Phys.org.
  • Health wrote about the concerning levels of lead and phthalates in some Lunchables and other snack kits. Contributing to this story, Jamie Alan, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, said “In children, I am more concerned about lead and heavy metals at any level because of their developing brain. Lead in particular, but other heavy metals have been thought to interfere with proper brain development.”
  • WKAR’s Russ White spoke with André Bachmann, PhD, professor and associate chair for research in the Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, on being named a senior member of the National Academy of Inventors and his research on drug development in oncology and rare diseases.
  • Crain’s Grand Rapids Business writes about the family doctor shortage in Michigan, noting that 48% of MSU College of Human Medicine graduates chose primary care last year. Contributing to the story, Dean Sousa said “One of the things that you see nationally is that primary care is not paid the way other parts of medicine are, and as students have large amounts of debt, it’s reasonable for them to think about their ability to pay off that debt in the future.” Related: Crain’s Detroit Business.
  • AMA interviewed Cara Poland, MD, addiction specialist and associate professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, about opioid overdose prevention during pregnancy and postpartum.
  • Women’s Health interviewed Mohamed Zeyada Satti, PhD, assistant professor of public health, who discussed health concerns about traces of bird flu in milk. Related: MLive.
  • Michigan Advance writes about the cash prescription program Rx Kids and Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha’s fight against infant poverty.
  • Prevention interviewed Jamie Alan, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, among other experts about “Ozempic face.”
  • Yahoo Finance interviewed Amit Sachdev, MD, MS, medical director in the Department of Neurology, regarding the importance of identifying and treating nutritional deficiencies to address memory problems effectively.
  • The Scientist reported on new research of Timothy syndrome type being “caused by mutation in exon eight A,” to develop a potential TS therapy. Weighing in on the study, Daniel Vogt, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, who was not involved in the research said, “The fact that they can make this eight A variant less representative in the population... that was really nice. It shows that it’s doable.”

Upcoming Professional Development

  • The 2024 Great Lakes Advanced Molecular Sciences (GLAMS) Summer Courses will be held June 20-30, in Holland (near the beaches of Lake Michigan), and will offer intensive study in advanced microscopy, stem cell and organoid biology and molecular imaging. Ideal for graduate students, postdocs and early-career faculty who need to rapidly acquire new skills and knowledge in an adjacent field to help expand their research. GLAMS is presented by faculty from MSU IQ and Western Michigan University. Each course is 3-5 days with instruction and lectures provided by leading scientific experts from across the U.S. The structure is immersive and engaging with lectures in the morning, hands-on experiments and demos in the afternoon, and keynote lectures in the evening. The courses – and the events around the courses – are designed to help build a network of colleagues and resources that will help advance scientific careers. The course content, schedules and registration can be found on the IQ website.