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College of Human Medicine

Fall Investiture Honors Five College Faculty

October 7, 2026

Five newly endowed Michigan State University College of Human Medicine faculty were recognized at a special university-wide investiture ceremony in East Lansing on September 29, 2026.

The ceremony is a celebration of faculty who represent MSU's commitment to academic excellence and innovation, and the donors whose generous support is making a difference for these highly prestigious, actively engaged faculty positions.

The following College of Human Medicine faculty were among those honored at the event:

Melissa Bauer, center, with the provost and president at the 2026 investiture.Melissa Bauer

Charles Stewart Mott Department of Public Health

Melissa Bauer, DO, MPH, C.S. Mott Endowed Professor of Public Health, is dual fellowship–trained in critical care and obstetric anesthesiology. Dr. Bauer is independently funded by the National Institutes of Health through the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, where her work is focused on reducing maternal mortality and morbidity due to maternal sepsis.

Natoshia Cunningham, center, with the provost and president at the 2026 investiture.Natoshia Cunningham

Department of Family Medicine

Natoshia Cunningham, PhD, Red Cedar Distinguished Professor, is the director of the HELP PAIN Lab, where her research focuses on developing and testing psychological treatments for youth with chronic painful health conditions, studying neural mechanisms of pediatric pain, and increasing access to pediatric behavioral health care. She leads a seven-site U.S.-Canada dissemination implementation trial of a cognitive behavioral intervention she developed and found to be effective for managing common symptoms affecting youth with lupus, as well as a project to increase access to pediatric behavioral health care in schools for students across Michigan.

Cristian Meghea, center, with the provost and president at the 2026 investiture.Cristian Meghea

Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology

Cristian Meghea, PhD, Red Cedar Distinguished Professor, is an expert in women’s health, maternal and child health, global health, health services research, and health economics. He is director and founder of the Maternal Health Lab, with Lee Anne Roman, leading a program of research and evaluation to reduce maternal morbidity, mortality and disparities.

Ted Miller, center, with the provost and president at the 2026 investiture.Ted Miller

Charles Stewart Mott Department of Public Health

Ted R. Miller, PhD, C.S. Mott Endowed Professor of Public Health, is a distinguished expert in public health with over 55 years of experience in health and safety economics, epidemiology, planning, policy, and evaluation research. His research interests are broad and share a common element: making a positive difference in the world, empowering advocates, addressing inequities, and moving research to practice to improve the lives of current and future generations.

Dohun Pyeon, center, with the provost and president at the 2026 investiture.Dohun Pyeon

Department of Microbiology, Genetics, & Immunology 

Dohun Pyeon, PhD, MSU Research Foundation Distinguished Professor, investigates the molecular mechanisms by which Human Papillomavirus (HPV) drives cancer development and evades the host immune system, with a primary focus on Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC). By integrating functional genomics, single-cell analysis, human patient samples, and animal models, Pyeon aims to identify novel therapeutic targets that can reverse immune evasion and improve the effectiveness of current immunotherapies.