January College News Headlines

January 30, 2025

Dr. Mona Hanna, associate dean for public health; Sheldon Neeley, mayor of Flint; and Dean Sousa, (above) joined families in Flint to celebrate the first birthday of Rx Kids. Since launching, the program has provided nearly $6 million in cash prescriptions to more than 1,3000 babies and families in the city of Flint.

Healthy Communities

• A program that conveys dignity, as opposed to "programs" that convey shame or stigma. Mona Hanna, MD, associate dean for public health and Charles Stewart Mott Endowed Professor of Public Health, expounded on the success of Rx Kids and touched on its planned expansion in an article in MSN about the cost of postpartum mood disorders.

Research & Scholarship

• What does skipping breakfast have to do with dementia? Amit Sachdev, MD, MS, assistant professor and director of the Division of Neuromuscular Medicine, commented on a study connecting the two in an article by Food & Wine.
• Gayle Shipp, PhD, an assistant professor in the Charles Stewart Mott Department of Public Health, shared her expertise in this CNN article examining the people and organizations working to provide support for breastfeeding parents.
• Examining the brain’s role in chronic pain was the topic of The Health Coach Group podcast featuring Howard Schubiner, MD, clinical professor in the Department of Medicine.
• Revealing biomarkers earlier leads to identifying diseases faster and helps doctors choose the best treatment according to Morteza Mahmoudi, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Radiology and Precision Health Program. His team’s research was featured in DayFR Euro.
• In MedScape’s look at doctors’ concerns about the change in presidential administrations, Keith English, MD, professor and chair of the Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, expressed his frustration with vaccine conspiracy theories and how they could impact the health of children.
• Celebrating National Hug Day with the security Rx Kids provides new and expecting parents was the topic of a piece written in MSUToday by Maya Wolock, a research assistant with the Charles Stewart Mott Department Of Public Health.
• Could iodine deficiency, a health problem of the past, be making a comeback? A study led by Jean Kerver, PhD, an associate professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, was featured in this article by AP, KSAT and Voice of America.
• Microplastics now found in tea bags? Jamie Alan, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, commented on a newly released study in this article by Women’s Health.
• “Once you’re more prepared for what can happen, you’re going to have more choices to react,” said Bengt Arnetz, MD, PhD, professor in the Department of Family Medicine, of a virtual reality training program he helped design. WILX featured a story showing how it works.
• The day the FDA announced it was banning the food dye known as Red 3, Jamie Alan, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, offered her take on the synthetic food dye and what it means for consumers. WXMI and WOOD provided on-air coverage. Related: The National Desk and Yahoo News.
• “They are not saying that nicotine pouches are safe…they are saying that they are safer than cigarettes,” said Brittany Tayler, MD, the Alice Hamilton Scholar with the Michigan State University-Hurley Children’s Pediatric Public Health Initiative, in this WXMI piece about the FDA approving the sale of nicotine pouches.
• Women’s Health reported that bans on PFAS in clothing are being implemented in several states. Jamie Alan, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, highlighted the potential health risks of PFAS, stating, “These ‘forever chemicals’ have received a lot of attention lately for adverse health events.” Alan advised that while PFAS exposure from clothing is less concerning than from food, it’s important to be mindful of overall exposure. Related: Yahoo News.
• Mohamed Satti, PhD, assistant professor in the Charles Stewart Mott Department of Public Health, was featured in an ABC News story about the threat of bird flu in raw milk.
• Shawn Jobe, MD, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, shared common misperceptions, breakthrough treatments, and challenges faced by people living with sickle cell disease in MSUToday.

Student Success

• Second-year students, Nebiyat M. Girma and Michaila Paulateer, presented breakout sessions at MSU’s MLK Student Leadership Symposium. Coverage provided by The State News.
• “Addiction is not won by denial and castigation, but rather via collective responsibility and empathy.” Third-year student, Juan Jimenez, wrote about serving at Wellness Services in Flint in MSUToday. Jimenez is part of the Leadership In Medicine for the Underserved program.
• Second-year student, Angel G. A. Prempeh, appeared on eightWest on WOOD TV promoting the Reach Out to Youth program (above). The student-run event is aimed at children ages 7-11 and will take place February 22 at the Secchia Center.

Staff & Faculty Success 

• Rebecca Schein, MD, assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, has been named to the Castle Connelly 2025 Top Doctors List.
• Mark Brieve, director of community & government relations, has been appointed co-lead of the AAMC’s Government Relations Representatives Rural Health working group. In this role he will provide regional representation and perspectives as the workgroup strategizes ways to most effectively advocate for rural health.
• Teresa K. Woodruff, PhD, MSU Research Foundation Professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, spoke with Russ White on the MSUToday podcast about joining an elite group of Americans who have received two national medals of honor. Related: MLive.
• Aisha Harris, MD, has been named assistant director of the Leadership in Medicine for the Underserved at the College of Human Medicine. Also mentioned in AND.