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College of Human Medicine

March College News Headlines

March 31, 2025

The Value of Research

  • “Medicine without science is sorcery,” said Charles Hong, MD, PhD, chair of the Department of Medicine, as he rallied against proposed cuts to research on March 7. WLNS provided coverage.

  • “Investment in science, is an investment in people,” said Nathan Tykocki, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, while at the podium at the Stand Up for Science rally in this report from WZMQ.

  • “It is very alarming because this is going to lead to the slowing of progress, the slowing of scientific innovation,” said Jamie Bernard, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, at the Stand Up for Science Rally at the Capitol. WWMT provided coverage.

Student Success

  • Detroit Campus students recently visited high schoolers at University Preparatory Academy High School to spark interest in careers in health care.

  • Amanda Croft-deHagen received the Spartan Volunteer Service Award at the MSU Outreach and Engagement Awards Ceremony on March 20.

  • “My goal is to ensure that rural Americans—those often overlooked by health care systems—are not left behind in the fight for accessible, equitable public health solutions.” Joey Bernert, a MPH student, shared a Student View on their journey to a career in public health.

  • Two College of Human Medicine students appeared at the fourth annual Ignite Talks MSU last month. Watch their talks: Zainab Fayyaz presented Let There Be Light: A Novel IBD Treatment and Lucy Xu, MD/PhD student, presented Targeting the Untouchable in Metastatic Ovarian Cancer. 

  • Eleanor Smith, third-year student, co-created a mental health mini-series for the Michigan Chapter of American Academy of Pediatrics touching on new requirements for pediatric residency.

Staff & Faculty Success

  • The Charles Stewart Mott Department of Public Health and its Flint community partners received the Community Engagement Scholarship Lifetime Achievement Award at the MSU Outreach and Engagement Awards Ceremony on March 20.

  • Basim Towfiq, MD, associate professor in the Department of Medicine, is the first honoree of an award named after him. The Dr. Basim Towfiq Master Clinician Educator Award recognizes an exceptional clinical educator of medical students. As reported by Flint Township View, Hurley Medical Center.

  • Joel Maurer, MD, senior faculty advisor for admissions and associate professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology, and Corey Koperski, MS, student programs administrator for the Grand Rapids campus, have both been selected for the AAMC Group on Student Affairs Central Regional Outstanding Service award. This award is given to a member of the Central Region's Group on Student Affairs (GSA) community who, over the years, exhibited consistent participation, displayed a high level of engagement, and contributed to the issues of concern to the regional and national GSA community. They will be presented with the awards at the 2025 CGEA/CGSA/COSR Spring Conference.

Healthy Communities

  • Rx Kids is expanding to the city of Pontiac. “Investing in mothers and infants is one of the most effective ways to build a healthier and stronger community,” said Mona Hanna, MD, director of Rx Kids and associate dean of public health, in this article by MLive.

  • Joseph Patterson, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Translational Neuroscience, previewed the annual Neuroscience Fair at the Grand Rapids Public Museum with WOOD TV.

Research & Scholarship

  • Creating further challenges in mental health care, patients who go to the ER with severe depression or threats of self-harm may need to be transferred to a different hospital that still has a unit said Jed Magen, DO, associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry, of McLaren Greater Lansing Hospital’s announcement to shut down its psychiatry unit in April. WSYM and WILX reported on the planned closure.

  • “Modern medicine started and continues from the premise that all people should have access to good health care and that there is special value in science-based care.” Aron Sousa, MD, dean of the College of Human Medicine, and Chelsea Wentworth, PhD, MPH, assistant professor in the Office of Medical Education Research and Development, offered their thoughts in this article from Inquisitive.

  • “I don't think anybody could have anticipated that, nor do I think anybody was quite ready for that,” reflected Todd Lucas, PhD, Charles Stewart Mott Endowed Professor of Public Health, of the COVID pandemic five years later. MSN, WWMT.

  • Examining how attitudes toward vaccines have shifted. Victor DiRita, PhD, Rudolph Hugh Endowed Chair in Microbial Pathogenesis and chair of the Department of Microbiology, Genetics and Immunology, and Todd Lucas, PhD, Charles Stewart Mott Endowed Professor of Public Health, commented on vaccine hesitancy in this piece from WZZM.

  • The hit show White Lotus has shone a light on the drug lorazepam. Jamie Alan, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, explains how the drug interacts with the brain in this article by SELF.

  • Popular weight-loss drug Zepbound has seen a price drop. Karl Nadolsky, DO, assistant clinical professor in the Department of Medicine, commented on how the move could make it more accessible to patients in this Health article.

  • The surprising extra health benefit of melatonin is examined in these articles in Prevention and Women’s Health. Jamie Alan, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, offered her expertise on the topic.

  • The cognitive benefits of eating walnuts for breakfast. Amit Sachdev, MD, MS, assistant professor and director of the Division of Neuromuscular Medicine, explained how the nut helps thinking, memory and learning in this article by Women’s Health.

  • Robert C. Smith, MD, University Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Medicine and Psychiatry, shares his opinion on why the U.S. mental health care system is broken and what can be done about it in HealthCare Asia.

  • Could the plant-based compound sulfuretin be the answer to fighting cancer more effectively? Jamie Alan, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, comments on the possibility in this Prevention article.

  • Slushies, a popular summertime sweet treat, are linked to a dangerous syndrome in children. Jamie Alan, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, explains glycerol intoxication syndrome in this article in Women’s Health.

  • “When you look at the individual dyes, there's evidence for almost all of them of instigating or being correlated with behavioral difficulties in children," said Jamie Alan, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, in this National Desk piece on the effects of food dyes.

  • Five years after the pandemic: Jed Magen, DO, MS, chair of the Department of Psychiatry, commented on how the loss of parents during the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted children left behind in this story from WZZM. Related: KENS

  • When a headache is a sign of something more. Amit Sachdev, MD, MS, assistant professor and director of the Division of Neuromuscular Medicine, showed us what to look for in this SELF article.

  • Microplastics are now being connected to dementia. Jamie Alan, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, urges lowering your exposure in this article in Women’s Health.

  • Alarming numbers predict 25.2 million people will be living with Parkinson’s disease by 2050. Amit Sachdev, MD, MS, assistant professor and director of the Division of Neuromuscular Medicine, shared his thoughts in this Women’s Health article examining if society is ready.

  • Is Ozempic tied to hair loss? Jamie Alan, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, explains the more likely culprit in this article in Prevention.

  • Brandon Mancini, MD, associate professor in the Department of Radiology, shared his thoughts on highlights from the 2025 American College of Radiation Oncology Annual Summit in this Cancer Network piece.

  • “A very toned and fit body consumes more oxygen during exercise,” said Amit Sachdev, MD, MS, assistant professor and director of the Division of Neuromuscular Medicine. The connection between a key fitness metric and cognitive decline was explored in an article by Women’s Health.

  • Does cannabis rival opioids with it comes to pain relief? Jamie Alan, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, offers her thoughts in this article in Prevention.

  • “The most important thing to recall is that we never rely on a single test to tell a story in medicine,” said Amit Sachdev, MD, MS, assistant professor and director of the Division of Neuromuscular Medicine, in this Women’s Health piece that examines diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease.

  • The CDC is warning about an increase in dengue fever. Rebecca Schein, MD, assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, offers her expertise to travelers headed to affected areas in this article in Health.

  • Could an experimental anti-amyloid drug be the key to holding off dementia for those who are predisposed? Amit Sachdev, MD, MS, assistant professor and director of the Division of Neuromuscular Medicine, commented on new research in this Women’s Health article.

  • The real impact of air fresheners on your health. Jamie Alan, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, shares how the common household items affect the people and pets in your home in this article from Yahoo.

Other College News

  • Dan English, MD, former chair of the Department of Surgery, passed away Feb. 6. English was instrumental in shaping the curriculum of the College of Human Medicine, training students to have a greater sensitivity to patients’ needs and meeting the medical requirements of small communities. His obituary was reported in The Cape Cod Chronicle.

  • Join the Department of Medicine for the annual Swisher Memorial Lecture on April 28. This year’s speaker is Harvey J. Alter, MD, American medical researcher, virologist, physician and Nobel Prize laureate, who is beknown for his work that led to the discovery of the hepatitis C virus. CME credit available. RSVP by April 18.

  • Attend the Medical Education Scholarship Showcase on May 25, featuring insightful poster presentations highlighting innovative medical education research and scholarship from across the college. CME credit is available during the Maatsch Scholar Presentation, featuring Lara Varpio, PhD. No RSVP required.

Alumni/Donors

  • Lisa von Moltke, MD (’87), has been appointed head of research and development and CMO at biopharmaceutical company Zenas BioPharma, Inc. As reported by StreetInsider, Stock Titan, Investing.

  • "What can we do to make this better for the patient and for how we want to be able to provide for them?” asked twin sisters and College of Human Medicine alums Jana and Lara Baatenburg, MD (‘16), in this WZZM story about their new concierge medical practice.