Skip to main content

College of Human Medicine

June College News Headlines

June 29, 2026

Student Success

  • Matthew Foley (M4) is one of 83 students selected to participate in ASCO (American Society of Clinical Onologists) CORE (Clinical Oncology & Research Experience ) through the Conquer Cancer ASCO Foundation. The program introduces medical students to the field of oncology through critical exposure to cancer topics, research, and patient care through an immersive shadowing experience.
  • Angel G. A. Prempeh (M3), Michelle Lai (M3), Mathew Park (M3), and Amir Alexander Young (M3) are among the newest cohort of participants in the Robert A. Winn Clinical Investigator Pathway Program. The six-week summer experience is designed to introduce future physicians to clinical research early in their careers. 
  • Victor O. Akinyemi, MPH, (M2) will serve on the 2026-2027 Michigan State University President’s Student Advisory Council.

Staff and Faculty Success

  • Farha Abbasi, MD, assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry, has been appointed treasurer of the American Psychiatric Association Foundation (APAF).
  • Northern Michigan University’s Northern Today featured Rebecca Mueller, PhD, from the Kanaan Lab, and her work developing a laboratory model that could help researchers observe some of the earliest cellular changes linked to Alzheimer's disease.
  • Teresa K. Woodruff, PhD, MSU Research Foundation and Distinguished Professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology, was elected to the Fellowship of the Royal Society and the American Philosophical Society.

Healthy Communities

  • The 20th East Lansing Teddy Bear Health Fair was held at Demonstration Hall Field. Keith English, MD, professor and chair of the Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, was interviewed at the event by WILX.
  •  The Michigan House Oversight Committee heard testimony from Mona Hanna, MD, MPH, director of Rx Kids and associate dean of public health, about the nation’s first-ever community-wide prenatal and infant cash prescription program. Detroit Free Press, WNEM, The Center Square, Mingo Messenger, Michigan Advance, The Midwesterner, Inc., and Michigan Public reported on the hearing.
  • Research published in The Lancet Public Health shows Rx Kids reduced pre-term births, low birth weights, and prevented neonatal intensive care unit admissions. Michigan Public, and New York Times reported on the findings.
  • "That long-standing disparity, that babies in Flint were not as likely to survive until their first month is not there anymore,” said Mona Hanna, MD, MPH, director of Rx Kids and associate dean of Public Health, in an article about new research showing the neonatal mortality rate has declined by 50% in Flint. Detroit Free Press, WKAR, Michigan Public, MLive, WNMU, Bridge Detroit, and AOL reported on the findings.
  • Rx Kids Summer Rollout. The nation’s first-ever community-wide prenatal and infant cash prescription program will expand to 20 communities this summer. Enrollment opened in seven areas across Jackson, Kalamazoo, and Muskegon counties on June 1. WILX, WLNS, WSYM, JTV, MLive-Jackson Citizen Patriot, WOOD, WZZM, MLive-Muskegon Chronicle, WXMI - Muskegon, WXMI- Kalamazoo, WKZO, and WTVB provided coverage.
  • Rx Kids celebrated its expansion to the 49507 ZIP code in Kent County. WZZM, WXMI, WGVU, School News Network, Spectrum News, West Michigan Newspop, FOX 17 Morning Mix, reported on the news conference.
  • WLUC reported on Rx Kids in the Upper Peninsula and how it helps mothers in rural parts of the state get to prenatal appointments.
  • Good Morning America interviewed Mona Hanna, MD, MPH, Rx Kids director and associate dean of public health, and a mother from Detroit, about the nation’s first-ever community-wide prenatal and infant cash prescription program.

Research and Scholarship

  • "With us studying less potent products, we're not replicating what individuals are using and we're not seeing the health effects of heavy use," said Omayma Alshaarawy, PhD, MBBS, associate professor in the Department of Family Medicine, in this WJRT story examining how federal rules stand in the way of cannabis research.
  • Health insurance and GLP-1s. Jamie Alan, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, explained how pharmacy benefits managers play the role of middleman in this Everyday Health piece.
  • "Migraine is certainly a bad headache, but it is more than that," said Amit Sachdev, MD, MS, assistant professor and director of the Division of Neuromuscular Medicine, in this WXYZ story where he urged people who experience painful migraines to get treatment.
  • Rebecca Schein, MD, assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, urged calm but advised caution for travelers as healthcare professionals work to develop a vaccine to treat the Ebola virus in this WILX story.
  • Asgerally (Asgi) Fazleabas, PhD, University Distinguished Professor, MSU Foundation Professor, and associate chair for research in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Biology, and Gregory Burns, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Biology, spoke about their endometriosis research in this WLNS story.
  • Continuing coverage from Good Men Project reported on the work of Amber Pearson, PhD, MPH, associate professor in the Charles Stewart Mott Department of Public Health, and her study showing the benefits of trees aren’t equally experienced by all.
  • Amit Sachdev, MD, MS, assistant professor and director of the Division of Neuromuscular Medicine, offered his expertise in this Prevention story on tension headache remedies.
  • WILX reported on a proposal dealing with physician-assisted death introduced in the Michigan State House. Leonard Fleck, PhD, University Distinguished Professor in the Center for Bioethics and Social Justice, weighed in on the debate. Fleck also offered his expertise on new Medicaid work requirements in this WILX story. 
  • “You give one dose, you see greater food intake. But then you give repeated doses, you see a reduction in food intake,” said Omayma Alshaarawy, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Family Medicine, in this MedScape article about how cannabis could help create weight-loss drugs.
  • Jennifer McCurdy, PhD, assistant professor in the Center for Bioethics and Social Justice, shared with The Conversation the history of hospital ethics consultants and why the position is critical for patients and families.
  • “These forever chemicals are known endocrine disruptors,” said Jamie Alan, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, in this Women’s Health article taking a look at the link of PFAS exposure to polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS).
  • NBC News reported on the link between pulse pressure and dementia. Charles “Chaz” Hong, MD, PhD, chair of the Department of Medicine, offered his expertise for the article. Related: Yahoo and MSN.
  • Candice Johnson, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, wrote a piece for The Conversation about her research of current and former CDC employees.
  • André Bachmann, PhD, professor in the Department of Pediatrics and Human Development and associate chair for research, spoke about the collaboration behind the discovery of Bachmann-Bupp syndrome on the PeDRA Pearls podcast.
  • Natoshia Cunningham, PhD, Red Cedar Distinguished Professor and associate professor in the Department of Family Medicine, discussed the tie between lupus and mental health and how the TEACH program can help patient’s address their pain on this Radio Health Journal podcast.
  • “Reading often proves the more reliable method for relaying information, sparking imagination, and exercising brain connections,” said Amit Sachdev, MD, MS, assistant professor and director of the Division of Neuromuscular Medicine, in this Health article examining how reading and listening to audiobooks activate the brain.
  • “Physicians have a presumptive ethical obligation to protect the privacy, confidentiality rights of all their patients,” said Leonard Fleck, PhD, University Distinguished Professor in the Center for Bioethics and Social Justice, in this WILX story about a Michigan bill that would give parents full access to their child’s medical records.
  • “The science is moving much more slowly than the marketplace. I wish we could study the exact products more directly and realistically,” said Omayma Alshaarawy, PhD, MBBS, associate professor in the Department of Family Medicine, in this Bridge article about MSU taking its cannabis research on the road.
  • The FDA has approved the first new sunscreen ingredient in decades. Jamie Alan, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, offers up information about bemotrizinol in this Everyday Health article.
  • NBC News reported on the link between pulse pressure and dementia. Charles “Chaz” Hong, MD, PhD, chair of the Department of Medicine, offered his expertise for the article. Related: Yahoo and MSN.
  • Trendy? Or able to deliver essential minerals in every sip? Jamie Alan, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, weighs in on the benefits of drinking from a copper cup in this Everyday Health piece.
  • “We have learned how cancer cells adapt to chemotherapy by altering their internal structure,” said Sachi Horibata, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology. Futurity, ecancer, Pioneer, Huron Daily Tribune, Manistee News, Memesita, MedicalXpress, and Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported on the findings published in Cell Reports.
  • Jamie Alan, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, was quoted in this Women’s Health article about an anti-depressant recall and the risk to patients.

Alumni News

  • Brad Burmeister, MD (’24), has been named the inaugural Dr. Julius Bellin Physician of the Year at Emplify Health by Bellin. Dr. Burmeister was also recognized as one of Insight Publications's 40 Under 40 recipients. 
  • Maura Davenport, MD (’11), has been named the 2026 Dennis Salisbury Family Physician of the Year by the Montana Academy of Family Physicians.
  • Jacob Charron, MD ('26), his wife Alexandra Charron, MD ('25), and their identical twin boys are featured in a College of Human Medicine viral video by Nadija Kadunic, social media and digital marketing manager. The Charron family was interviewed for this NBC News There’s Good News Tonight segment.
  • Dylan Bilicki, MD (’26), was featured in Northern Today as he begins residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
  • Contemporary OB/GYN spotlighted Quynh Tran, MD (’26), and her poster "The State of Sexual Medicine Education in the Midwest: Are Future Physicians Prepared?" 

Upcoming Events


In Memoriam

  • Anesthesiologist Lecia Elizabeth Spriggs, MD (’89) passed away May 26 in Key West, Florida. The Clarion Ledger published her obituary.
  • Asgerally (Asgi) Fazleabas, PhD, University Distinguished Professor, MSU Foundation Professor and associate chair for research in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Biology, died May 29. His scientific contributions helped elevate Michigan State University's reputation as a leader in women's health research both nationally and internationally. Read more about his work here.