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College of Human Medicine

July College News Headlines

July 31, 2025

  • “This is regression,” said Aron Sousa, MD, dean of the College of Human Medicine. The State News explored how future medical students will pay for school and how health care in underserved areas will continue.

Research and Scholarship

  • WILX covered how researchers from the College of Human Medicine and Henry Ford Health have been awarded a $3 million grant to study new treatments for patients who have head and neck cancers caused by HPV. “Our research, if it is successful, then we will develop a new immunotherapy, so the next step will be a clinical trial,” said Dohun Pyeon, PhD, professor in the Department of Microbiology, Genetics, Immunology.

  • ScienMag highlighted the work of Morteza Mahmoudi, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Radiology, and a new diagnostic approach that uses nanomedicine, AI, and causal inference analysis. Related: WOOD.

  • Cara Poland, MD, addiction specialist and associate professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, spoke about how prior authorization affects her work with patients with substance use disorders on the MIRS Monday podcast.

  • “This is an emerging product that’s probably going to be a product that’s going to be in a lot of households,” said Brittany Tayler, MD, the Alice Hamilton Scholar with the Michigan State University-Hurley Children’s Pediatric Public Health Initiative, of nicotine pouches in this article by WLUC about the increase of accidental nicotine overdoses in children.

  • Making magnesium work for you. Jamie Alan, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, explained some of the pitfalls people have with taking the supplement in this Verywell Health article.

  • Mona Hardas, MD, associate clinical professor in the Department of Obstetrics Gynecology & Reproductive Biology, reviewed this article by Mom Junction exploring abortion pain symptoms and risks.

  • "Addiction is a preventable disease. And it has FDA-approved, evidence-based treatments that can save lives.” Michigan Public spoke with Cara Poland, MD, associate professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, who says the Big Beautiful Bill exempts opioid use disorder patients from the work requirements.

  • Could a spit test help diagnosis endometriosis? The Scientist explores the salivary microRNA associated with the disease. Stacey Missmer, ScD, adjunct professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, lends her expertise on the topic.

  • Amit Sachdev, MD, MS, assistant professor and director of the Division of Neuromuscular Medicine, adds his expertise in this article by Women’s Health that explores a scan that could predict Alzheimer’s Disease.

  • "They can have really bright, flashy characters and fonts on the packaging…And then to make matters worse, they also don't have to have child-safe packaging," said Brittany Tayler, MD, the Alice Hamilton Scholar with the Michigan State University-Hurley Children’s Pediatric Public Health Initiative, in this WEYI story examining 7-OH, a by-product of kratom.

  • Eating with our eyes. Jamie Alan, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, shares her expertise in the ongoing coverage of artificial food dyes in this Good Men Project article.

Healthy Communities

  • “We invite the community to come in and have a full day of discussions,” said Barbara Thompson, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics and Human Development. WLNS covered the 9th Annual MSU Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders Family and Professionals Conference as parents, caregivers, and community members met with researchers and educators to build community and learn from each other.

  • “When you have a lead pipe delivering our drinking water, our water is literally flowing through a straw that is a poison and has no safe level,” said Mona Hanna, MD, associate dean for public health and C. S. Mott Endowed Professor of Public Health, in this Washington Post article focused on the completion of lead pipe replacement in Flint.

  • Reframing gun violence as a public health crisis. College of Human Medicine got credit in this article by The Trace for being one of few institutions in the country that offers comprehensive education on the topic.

  • PathBreakers podcast featured Mona Hanna, MD, associate dean for public health and C. S. Mott Endowed Professor of Public Health, about the growth and success of the Rx Kids program.

  • “We’ve long known that the conditions children are born into shape everything that comes after,” said Mona Hanna, MD, associate dean for public health and C. S. Mott Endowed Professor of Public Health, in this Rapid Growth article about Rx Kids.

  • "To have this kind of support means the world to me and my family.” WEYI covered the festive gathering where families came together in Flint for the Rx Kids parade celebrating the cash prescription program for babies and mothers.

Staff and Faculty Success

  • Grand Rapids Magazine compiled a list of West Michigan’s best of the best featuring more than 75 College of Human Medicine alumni and faculty. 

  • Bin Chen, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Pediatrics and Human Development and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, has been appointed to a four-year term on the Biodata Management and Analysis Study Section (BDMA), Bioengineering Sciences & Technologies Integrated Review Group (BST) at the NIH Center for Scientific Review.

  • Jennifer Edwards-Johnson, DO, community assistant dean for the Flint Campus and associate dean for Community Academic Programs, has received the The STFM Excellence in Education Award. The award recognizes demonstrated excellence in teaching, curriculum development, mentoring, research, or leadership in education at regional or national levels.

  • Natoshia R. Cunningham, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Family Medicine, has been named a 2025-26 Mayday Fellow. The MAYDAY Fund’s mission is targeting the alleviation of pain.

  • Shilpa Kavuturu, MD, associate professor and Chief of the Internal Medicine division, has been selected to participate in the inaugural 2025-2026 Henry Ford + MSU Health Innovation Leadership Academy program.

  • Susan Tincknell, student program administrator for the Upper Peninsula Region Campus, retired in late June. Tamara Frank stepped into the position.

  • “No matter how hard you work, how many things you say yes to, or how much you pour yourself out for others, it will never be enough. And it was never supposed to be,” said Cara Poland, MD, addiction specialist and associate professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, in this STAT opinion piece.

Student Success

  • Justin Tran (M4) presented on the growing role of AI in medical education and assessment at the 2025 College of American Pathologists (CAP) annual meeting.

The Value of Research

  • “The federal funding, that keeps the lights on in the lab…. We can’t do that without federal support,” said Jamie Bernard, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology in this story by WLNS.

  • “It’s about the investment in the community. These women trusted us with their information,” said Dawn Misra, PhD, chair of the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, on Michigan Public’s Stateside. Misra and her research partner spoke about their NIH-funded research to better understand the causes of preterm birth in Black mothers—and how that funding was cut halfway through their work.

  • Federal funding cuts to cancer research and what stands to be lost. Jamie Bernard, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, joined U.S. Senator Elissa Slotkin (D) and broadcast legend Katie Couric live on Substack. Michigan Advance covered the conversation.

Alumni

  • Linda Chambliss, MD, MPH (’80), has been named Obstetrics Medical Director for the emergency air medical service programs operating throughout Arizona under Air Methods, the leading air medical service provider in the U.S. Reported by: Morningstar, Yahoo Finance.

  • Paul Berg, MD (’05) was appointed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer to serve on the Public Health Advisory Council as reported by the Midland Daily News.