NEUROMUSCULAR LAB - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Student, University of Michigan
Job Titles:
- Assistant Professor of Pharmacology
Job Titles:
- Physician - Scientist, Instructor, Outdoorsman
Job Titles:
- Medical Student and HHMI Med Scholar, Weill Cornell Medical College
Job Titles:
- Pharmacy Resident, Duke University
Job Titles:
- Member of the Operating Committee
- Professor, Mucosal Inflammation and Epithelial Pathobiology
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Committee
- Department of Learning
Andrea Obi, MD, Vascular Surgeon: "At Michigan, the opportunities are endless. Wherever your scientific query lies, you will find an expert, a colleague and sometimes a newfound friend who is willing to tackle the problem. The cross-disciplinary efforts are extraordinary and give me tremendous hope for the future of medicine."
Andrew Chang, MD, Thoracic Surgeon: "For me, education should go both ways - seek to learn as much, if not more, as can be taught from our students and staff."
Job Titles:
- Member of the Operating Committee
Job Titles:
- Minimally Invasive Surgeon
Anne Ehlers, MD, MPH, Minimally Invasive Surgeon: "I am incredibly privileged to work at Michigan Medicine. Not only can I learn from the tremendous legacy of those who came before me, but I have the opportunity to train the next generation of surgeons to continue and improve upon it."
Job Titles:
- Graduate Student in Pharmacology
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Consultant Regarding Gynecologic Management, Cervical Atypia, and Contraception
Cosmas van De Ven, MD(link is external), Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Consultant regarding patients with high risk pregnancy
Arjun Mohan, MBBS(link is external) conducts research that is focused on evaluating novel therapies in asthma. Dr. Mohan has been an investigator for numerous clinical trials. His research interests also include understanding the heterogeneity of asthma, the performance of various available tools, and developing predictive models for exacerbations and similar outcomes. Dr. Mohan has led large expert panels in projects to develop statements (guidelines) to better guide future research and hence, serve patients.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Operating Committee
- Associate Professor of Dermatology
- Professor of Skin Molecular Immunology
- Professor of Skin Molecular Immunology / Professor of Dermatology
Job Titles:
- Member of the Operating Committee
Job Titles:
- Graduate Student in Immunology
Job Titles:
- Member of the Operating Committee
- Assistant Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology
Job Titles:
- Research Assistant Professor, Department of Neurology / Dept.
Benjamin Singer, MD, PhD(link is external) conducts research on how surviving critical illness increases risk for long-term organ injury, with a focus on persistent brain dysfunction and dementia.
Job Titles:
- Research Professor of Connective Tissue Research Associate Professor, Department of Internal Medicine
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Research
Job Titles:
- Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon
Brent Ward, MD, DDS, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon: "I love the variety of being a surgeon, scientist, educator as well as a national and international leader that inherently comes with striving for excellence."
C. Alberto Figueroa, PhD, Research Scientist: "What excites me about coming to work every day is contributing to our understanding of cardiovascular disease and training the surgeons of tomorrow in cutting-edge modeling and image-based simulation in the cardiovascular space."
Dr. Lumeng is a graduate of Princeton University (A.B. in Molecular Biology) and received his PhD in Human Genetics and MD from the University of Michigan MSTP. He completed residency training in Pediatrics in the Boston Combined Pediatrics Residency Program and completed fellowship training in Pediatric Pulmonology at the University of Michigan. Dr. Lumeng became an MSTP Associate Director in 2019. Dr. Lumeng's research is on the mechanisms by which inflammation contributes to obesity-associated diseases such as type 2 diabetes. His lab has a particular interest in adipose tissue immune cells and their contribution to metabolic disease using pre-clinical and clinical approaches.
Dr. Zahn is a native Michigander who received her medical degree from Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine. She completed her residency in Internal Medicine at Western Michigan University Homer Stryker MD School of Medicine and her adult Rheumatology Fellowship training at the University of Iowa. Dr. Zahn was previously an Assistant Professor at the University of Toledo in their Rheumatology division and served as the Associate Program Director for their Rheumatology Fellowship Program.
Dr. Zahn is delighted to be back in her home state, enjoying the next chapter of her career with Michigan Medicine. She is excited to be working within the Scleroderma Program; She is anticipating the opportunity to open a Rheumatologic-Raynaud Clinic specializing in Raynaud Phenomena evaluation of rheumatologic diseases, especially presentation in early rheumatologic disease.
Job Titles:
- Director of Financial Aid
Job Titles:
- Member of the Operating Committee
- Professor of Pathology
Chandu Vemuri, MD, FACS, Vascular Surgeon: "The beauty in what we do is the opportunity to transform someone's life through surgery. I love my job at Michigan for the clinical opportunities, the privilege to work with the passionate trainees and for the dedication to individuality."
Job Titles:
- Professor of Surgery / Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery
Christian Vercler, MD, MA, Plastic Surgeon: "As a craniofacial surgeon, it is an absolute joy to be able to contribute to the smiles on the faces of my patients - many of whom I meet in utero and get to take care of over their lifetime."
Christina Angeles, MD, Oncology Surgeon: "I am passionate about providing the best care to my cancer patients. To me, this is much more than discussing a surgical procedure, but mean educating my patients about their disease while understanding their values and preferences to allow shared decision-making for their treatment plan. Fortunately, so many patients take part in our translational research program, which is integral to advancing cancer care. We are all working together to make curing cancer a reality."
Job Titles:
- Associate Director
- Member of the Executive Committee
- Research Assistant Professor, Department of Internal Medicine / Deputy Associate Chief of Staff - Research, VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System
- Research Associate Professor, Department of Internal Medicine
As Associate Director, Dr. Freeman oversees the coordination of various community building, peer mentoring, and alumni engagement activities. She co-leads the application and renewal effort of the program's Faculty Ally Grant, which funds many of these opportunities.
Job Titles:
- Career Development and Event Planner
Job Titles:
- Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgeon
Clifford Cho, MD, FACS, Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgeon: "The most amazing lesson in oncology by far: when suddenly asked to confront a life-threatening cancer diagnosis or to contemplate a potentially risky treatment, people are much, much stronger than you ever though possible."
Colin Cooke, MD, MSc, MS(link is external), conducts research in how healthcare policy, the healthcare system, and individual patient characteristics impact the quality, efficiency and outcomes of care delivered to patients in the intensive care unit.
Job Titles:
- Vascular Research Laboratories / Davis Lab
Job Titles:
- Minimally Invasive Surgeon
Dana Telem, MD, MPH, Minimally Invasive Surgeon: "It is exciting to be in an environment where we can apply the same research skills to affect clinical practice change, to culture change."
Daniel Myers, DVM, MPH, DACLAM, Research Scientist: "Michigan Medicine has empowered me to mentor and train the next generation of basic science and translational biomedical researchers in venous and arterial disease. Dedicated people doing lifesaving science!"
Job Titles:
- Member of the University of Michigan School of Medicine
Dr. David Fox has been a member of the University of Michigan School of Medicine faculty since 1985 and served as Chief of the Division of Rheumatology for 28 years, from 1990-2018. In 2013, Dr. Fox became the Frederick G. L. Huetwell and William D. Robinson, MD Professor of Rheumatology.
Dr. Fox's research focuses on defining and characterizing pathways of human T cell activation, determining the role of these pathways in the pathogenesis of autoimmune disease, investigating T cell interactions with synovial fibroblasts, regulating autoimmunity with genetically modified dendritic cells, understanding the role of interleukin-17 in arthritis, and exploring novel approaches to the treatment of scleroderma. He is author of more than 200 scientific papers and book chapters and has served on the Editorial Board of Arthritis & Rheumatism and as an Associate Editor of the Journal of Immunology and the Journal of Clinical Investigation. Dr. Fox is a member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation and the Association of American Physicians.
In 2007-2008, Dr. Fox served as the seventy-first President of the American College of Rheumatology and the sixth ACR President from the University of Michigan.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Committee
- Executive Vice Dean for Clinical Affairs, President, University of Michigan Health, and Professor, Department of Urology ( Ex Officio )
Job Titles:
- Member of the Operating Committee
- Associate Professor of Internal Medicine
- Professor in Cardiovascular Medicine
Job Titles:
- Member of the Operating Committee
- Assistant Professor of Pharmacology
David Lubman, PhD, Research Scientist: "The Lubman Lab is focused on markers of early detection and therapeutic monitoring of various cancers. Our work involves the use of proteomics and glycoproteomics to identify changes in protein structure during the progression of cancer."
Job Titles:
- Chief Department Administrator
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Committee
- Chairman and Professor, Department of Neurology
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Committee
- Executive Vice Dean for Academic Affairs, Chief Academic Officer, Michigan Medicine, and Professor, Departments of Learning Health Sciences and Internal Medicine
Job Titles:
- Researcher, Teacher, Musician
Douglas Arenberg, MD(link is external), conducts research in angiogenesis, the role of migration inhibitory factor (MIF) in cancer, tumor microenvironment and its influence on tumor biology. His research also focuses on lung cancer screening, early detection and risk biomarker studies.
Job Titles:
- Professor of Internal Medicine
Dr. David Markovitz is a Professor of Internal Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Michigan Medicine, who also has appointments in the programs in Cellular and Molecular Biology, Cancer Biology, and Immunology. Dr. Markovitz's laboratory focuses on understanding how human cellular factors control the replication of viruses, and retroviruses in particular. These studies are performed both to understand the biology of viruses and to develop possible therapies for these important human pathogens, as well as to exploit the viruses as a mechanism for understanding human cellular biology and cancer. In pursuit of the latter, his group has made important contributions to understanding how the DEK protein functions in health and disease, and he has developed a therapeutic agent that targets DEK to treat arthritis. More recently, studies of retroviruses led the group into centromere biology and the realization that centromeres are damaged in scleroderma. Dr. Markovitz's work has been recognized by his election to the two principal honorary societies for academic Internal Medicine physicians, the American Society for Clinical Investigation(link is external) and the Association of American Physicians(link is external), as well as to the American Clinical and Climatological Association(link is external). In addition to his research, Dr. Markovitz was a consultant on the Infectious Diseases service for many years and now attends on the inpatient general Internal Medicine service at Michigan Medicine. He has been married to Ruth Hurwicz Markovitz for 39 years, and they have three wonderful [adult] children, Lara, Rebecca, and Adam, and three grandchildren. Dr. Markovitz has a wide range of non-medical interests, and majored in Middle Eastern Studies as an undergraduate. He has a long-time interest in art, music, movies, novels, sports, and both serious and junky TV. Dr. Markovitz has traveled widely, and speaks 3½ languages.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Fellow of the American College of Rheumatology
Dr. Khanna is a fellow of the American College of Rheumatology. He was elected by his peers to the 2011-2018 Best Doctors in America, which recognizes the area's top clinicians.
Dr. Eliza Tsou received her PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the State University of New York at Buffalo and joined Michigan Medicine in 2008.
Dr. Tsou's main role is conducting scleroderma research. She has been actively involved in numerous scleroderma research projects, examining the mechanism of tissue fibrosis and vasculopathy in scleroderma. She utilizes cells isolated from skin biopsies from healthy volunteers as well as scleroderma patients and determines the key factors affecting the disease pathogenesis. Dr. Tsou is currently supported by the Arthritis Foundation.
Dr. Erica Mulcaire-Jones is an Ann Arbor, Michigan native. Dr. Mulcaire-Jones completed her undergraduate degree and MD at the University of Michigan before moving west to complete her Internal Medicine Residency and Rheumatology Fellowships at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, UT. After completing her training, Dr. Mulcaire-Jones was a Clinical Assistant Professor at Intermountain Healthcare in Salt Lake City, UT and also served as the Internal Medicine Associate Program Director for the University of Utah. Dr. Mulcaire-Jones has a particular interest in scleroderma and connective tissue disease associated interstitial lung diseases (CTD-ILD). She is very excited to be part of the Scleroderma Program at Michigan Medicine.
In addition, to providing care in the Scleroderma clinic Dr. Mulcaire-Jones also has two half-days per month seeing patients with CTD-ILD at Taubman Center. Her research interests include novel treatments for scleroderma and CTD-ILD and learning more about how to pick the correct medications for the correct patients at the correct time.
Job Titles:
- Education Scientist
- Research Faculty »
- Vice Chair of Resident Professional Development Associate Professor, Surgery & Learning Health Sciences
Gurjit Sandhu, PhD, Education Scientist: "I was once told: to teach is to touch a life forever. At Michigan Medicine, the very best doctors embrace this responsibility with their patients and the next generation of physician leaders."
Dr. Gurjit Sandhu is a faculty member in the Department of Surgery. Dr. Sandhu completed her B.A. in 1996 from the University of British Columbia, Canada and earned her PhD in 2006 from Queen's University, Canada. She was the Educational Developer for Postgraduate Medical Education at Queen's University before joining the faculty at the University of Michigan in November 2013. Dr. Sandhu's research concentrates on progressive entrustment and graduated autonomy in surgical education. More broadly, her work focuses on the scholarship of teaching and learning, specifically looking at professional education, teaching methods and assessment. Dr. Sandhu also uses her strengths as a qualitative researcher to support her work on social accountability in medical education, health equity and disparities, and global health.
Prior to joining Michigan Medicine as the Chief of Rheumatology in September 2020, Dr. John Varga was the John and Nancy Hughes Distinguished Professor of Rheumatology at the Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine and director of the Scleroderma Program. Dr. Varga earned his BA at Columbia University and his MD from New York University. He completed his internal medicine residency at Brown University and his fellowship in rheumatology at Boston University, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship with Sergio Jiminez at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Varga later held faculty positions at the University of Pennsylvania, Jefferson Medical College, and was Chief of the Division of Rheumatology at the University of Illinois Chicago. He later joined Northwestern's Feinberg School of Medicine as the director of the Scleroderma Program.
Dr. Varga's research focuses on inflammation, fibrosis, tissue repair, and regeneration. He is well-known internationally for his work on defining TGF-beta-mediated fibrosis. Dr. Varga has published more than 250 peer-reviewed manuscripts in journals such as JAMA, Annals of Internal Medicine, Journal of Biological Chemistry, Journal of Clinical Investigation, Nature Communication, and Science Translational Medicine. His research work is funded by the NIH, and foundation and pharmacological grants.
In addition to his research prowess, Dr. Varga's passion is in training, mentorship, and education. He has mentored trainees at all levels, several of whom have gone on to make outstanding careers for themselves.
Dr. Varga is a nationally recognized academic scholar and has received many accolades for his work on the basic mechanisms of fibrosis and scleroderma. He is an elected member of the Association of American Physicians and a Master of the American College of Rheumatology. Dr. Varga received the Scleroderma Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award and was recognized as Mentor of the Year by the Feinberg School of Medicine. Dr. Varga is the Associate Director of the Scleroderma Program.
Dr. Varga serves on the Board of Directors for the Global Fibrosis Foundation and the American College of Rheumatology. He has been a member and chair of several NIH study sections, as well as committees from professional organizations. He is currently co-Editor of Arthritis and Rheumatology.
Job Titles:
- Department Chair
- Department of Surgery
Dr. Susan Murphy is an occupational therapist by training and has over 20 years of experience in rehabilitation research. She completed her doctoral degree in Therapeutic Studies at Boston University, and completed post-doctoral fellowships at Yale University School of Medicine, and the University of Michigan. A major focus of her research is developing and testing rehabilitation interventions that reduce chronic symptoms and improve function. She has received research grants through NIH, the Scleroderma Foundation, and industry to study occupational therapy treatments for people with scleroderma. She works closely with research faculty, clinicians, peer mentors, and patients to develop meaningful and effective interventions with an aim to improve quality of life and well-being in people with scleroderma.
Job Titles:
- Director, ScleroLab / Research Scientist, Department of Internal Medicine
Dr. Swati Bhattacharyya received her PhD from the Indian Institute of Chemical Biology in India, and did her postdoc training at the University of Illinois at Chicago and Northwestern University. Dr. Bhattacharyya is a research scientist and the director of the ScleroLab. She has a long-standing expertise in molecular and cellular mechanisms of fibrosis, with emphasis on cytokines and intracellular signaling pathways in scleroderma patients and animal models of scleroderma. Dr. Bhattacharyya's research primarily focuses on the role of innate immune signaling in fibrosis progression in scleroderma.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Operating Committee
- Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases
- Research Professor
Edwin Wilkins, MD, Plastic Surgeon: "As a surgeon, I love making positive impacts on patients' well-being and quality of life. I am also privileged to mentor the next generation of plastic surgeons, who in turn, make me a better clinician."
Elizabeth (Liz) Speliotes is a graduate of Yale University (BS/MS biology) and the Harvard/MIT MD/PhD program. Dr. Speliotes completed residency training in internal medicine and a fellowship in gastroenterology at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. She carried out post doctoral training in human and population genetics at the Broad Institute and the Framingham Heart Study and completed an MPH at Harvard School of Public Health. She was recruited to University of Michigan in 2011 where she sees patients in gastroenterology and directs her own lab. Her group carries out human genomic studies of obesity and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease to identify genetic variants that predispose to these diseases and define disease subtypes. Her groups targets candidate variants/genes to create cell and animal models of disease to define their mechanism of action and to screen for therapeutics. She has been awarded the Jerome Conn Award for research in Internal Medicine and the Deans award for Basic Science Research. She reviews for multiple NIH, National, and international study sections and journals. She has been elected to and serves as the Institutional Representative for the American Society for Clinical Investigation where she works to recruit and support physician scientists. She is committed to training and serving individuals from diverse backgrounds and serves on multiple committees and organizations to develop and implement policies to improve under represented minority representation and access.
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor, Departments of Internal Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Environmental Health Sciences
Job Titles:
- Research Technician, Former Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program ( UROP ) Student
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Committee
- Associate Professor, Department of Surgery
- Pediatric Surgeon
Erika Newman, MD, Pediatric Surgeon: "My purpose is to serve and advance teams that innovate compassionate health care and to foster a creative learning environment in which all are valued and excel. The privilege to lead knowledge acceleration, skill acquisition, and ensure academic success of our early learners, trainees, and faculty is the cornerstone of my academic passion."
Erika Sears, MD, MS, Plastic Surgeon: "This environment has inspired me to surpass the definition of success that I envisioned as my younger self. For my future self, success will be defined by my ability to inspire others to pursue their passions, carve their own path, and be unapologetically human."
Erin Perrone, MD, Pediatric Surgeon: "I've always wanted to work with children and enjoy interacting with them and their families every day. I am honored when families choose me to be their child's surgeon."
Job Titles:
- Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgeon
Filip Bednar, MD, PhD, Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgeon: "As academic surgeons, we have the opportunity and privilege to attack some of the toughest problems facing our patients. Whether it is developing new treatments for their deadly cancers or understanding how to best deploy the ones that we have, Michigan allows us to work with some of the brightest and most talented people to achieve these goals. I am proud to be a part of this team and effort."
Frank Davis, MD, Vascular Surgeon: "As an academic surgeon at Michigan Medicine, we have the privilege and opportunity to improve the lives of individual patients and transform clinical care through breakthroughs in innovation and scientific research."
Job Titles:
- Professor of Rheumatology / Professor, Department of Internal Medicine
Originally from New Delhi, India, Dr. Dinesh Khanna received his medical degree from the University College of Medical Sciences. Dr. Khanna completed his postdoctoral training as an intern and resident in Internal Medicine at Wright State University School of Medicine in Dayton, Ohio. He then went on to complete a clinical and research fellowship in rheumatology and a master's in clinical research at the University of California at Los Angeles School of Medicine. Dr. Khanna was an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and also the Clinical Director of UCLA's Scleroderma Clinic.
Dr. Khanna is the author of over 480 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters. He has won numerous awards, including the 2011 "Best Doctor of the Year" award from the Scleroderma Foundation and the prestigious 2015 Henry Kunkel Award from the American College of Rheumatology. Dr. Khanna was inducted into the American Society of Clinical Investigation (ASCI)(link is external) in 2023. He is currently funded by the National Institutes of Health with grants from NIAMS and NIAID (he is PI of the University of Michigan Clinical Autoimmunity Center of Excellence(link is external)). Dr. Khanna is the coordinating PI for ongoing and recently completed NIH and industry-funded trials of abatacept, brentuximab, pirfenidone, riociguat, tofacitinib, and tocilizumab in scleroderma and co-PI of the ongoing Scleroderma Lung Study III. He led the development of the ACR-CRISS index(link is external), which is rapidly becoming the primary outcome measure in scleroderma trials.
Job Titles:
- Collegiate Professor of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine / Professor, Department of Internal Medicine
Job Titles:
- Senior Scientist, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals
Job Titles:
- Professor of Surgery / Associate Professor of Surgery
Job Titles:
- Member of the Operating Committee
- Collegiate Professor and Professor of Pathology
Job Titles:
- and Dorothy Mulkey MD Research Professor of Rheumatology / Associate Professor, Department of Internal Medicine
Job Titles:
- Executive Assistant to Dr. Dimick
Job Titles:
- Godfrey Dorr Stobbe Professor of Research Pathology / Scientific Director, Mary H. Weiser Food Allergy Center
Job Titles:
- Associate Director
- Member of the Operating Committee
- Associate Professor of Internal Medicine / Chief, Division of Genetic Medicine / Associate Director of the MSTP
Dr. Narla earned a BS from Santa Clara University in California and an MD/PhD from Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York. He also completed a residency in Internal Medicine and a fellowship in Medical Genetics at Mount Sinai. Following fellowship, he worked at Case Western Reserve University as an Associate Professor. In 2018, he joined Michigan Medicine as Division Chief of Genetic Medicine. Dr. Narla's current research focuses on the identification and characterization of the key negative regulators, tumor suppressor proteins, cancer development and progression, and the development of small molecule-based therapies that activate tumor suppressor genes for cancer treatment.
Job Titles:
- Fellow
- Member of the Operating Committee
Job Titles:
- Senior Director of Business Development, Surgery / Department of Surgery Industry Engagement
Job Titles:
- Professor of Gastroenterology / Chief and Professor, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology
Hallie Prescott, MD, MSc(link is external), conducts research on the long-term outcomes of acute medical illnesses.
Job Titles:
- Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgeon
Hari Nathan, MD, PhD, Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgeon: "To be entrusted with the opportunity to care for patients at their most vulnerable point is the ultimate privilege. To empower others to do so by teaching and to improve our delivery of surgical care nationally and globally further magnifies that impact."
Job Titles:
- Professor of Biomedical Sciences
Job Titles:
- Associate Research Scientist, Dept. of Surgery
Job Titles:
- Member of the Operating Committee
- Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine
- Research
Job Titles:
- Associate Director, Lupus Program
Job Titles:
- Professor of Internal Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine
Jeffrey Curtis, MD(link is external), conducts research on the regulation of pulmonary host defense and immune responses through lymphocyte recruitment and apoptosis and macrophage phagocytosis.
Jeffrey Punch, MD, Transplant Surgeon: "Our patients experience miracles everyday. I'm privileged to be a part of them."
Job Titles:
- Member of the Operating Committee
- Associate Professor of Dermatology
- Professor of Skin Molecular Immunology
Job Titles:
- Assistant Research Scientist, Department of Internal Medicine
Job Titles:
- Member of the Operating Committee
- Professor of Neurology ( Neurosciences Program )
John Magee, MD, Transplant Surgeon: "Integrating students, residents and fellows into our missions of clinical care and inquiry is the greatest part of my job."
John Osterholzer, MD(link is external), conducts research on lung dendritic cell recruitment and immunobiology, pulmonary host defense against fungal organisms, and mechanisms of T cell polarization in the pulmonary microenvironment.
Jonathan Eliason, MD, Vascular Surgeon: "The opportunity to have a positive impact on the health of patients while helping to train the next generation of vascular surgeons brings me great joy!"
Justine is responsible for the overall management of the MSTP Office and student services.
Job Titles:
- Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon
Justine Moe, MD, DDS, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon: "I am a cancer surgeon and also an educator, mentor, friend, wife, and mother. Giving myself space to be human allows me to see the whole person in my patients and to deliver better care."
Job Titles:
- Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon
Karen Carver, DDS, MD, MPH, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon: "One of the best parts of my job is the chance to help patients and families feel comfortable, safe, and supported during a challenging time in their lives."
Katherine Gallagher, MD, Vascular Surgeon: "Mentoring clinician-scientists in translational research is something I am passionate about. Nothing beats the intellectual curiosity and the new inspiration to impact patient care than the next generation of surgeon-scientists."
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Committee
- Associate Professor, Departments of Family Medicine, and Obstetrics and Gynecology
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Operating Committee
- Director of the MSTP / Professor of Internal Medicine and Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Kathleen Collins is a graduate of Wellesley College (BA in Molecular Biology) and the Johns Hopkins University MD/PhD program. Dr. Collins undertook residency training in internal medicine and a fellowship in infectious disease at the Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA. She has been a faculty member at the University of Michigan since 1998 and was appointed Director of the MSTP in 2020. She is an elected member of the American Society of Clinical Investigation (ASCI), The American Association of Physicians, and the National Academy of Medicine. She currently serves as the Editor-in-Chief of the ASCI journal, JCI Insight. Dr. Collins is active in basic research and the teaching of graduate students. Research in the Collins lab focuses on molecular mechanisms of HIV immune evasion and persistence. In 2019, she was the recipient of the Dean's Award for Basic Research.
Job Titles:
- Immunologist, BSSP Scholar
Job Titles:
- Internal Medicine Resident, Indiana University
Job Titles:
- Collegiate Professor of Gastroenterology, Associate Professor of Internal Medicine and Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics
Elizabeth (Liz) Speliotes is a graduate of Yale University (BS/MS biology) and the Harvard/MIT MD/PhD program. Dr. Speliotes completed residency training in internal medicine and a fellowship in gastroenterology at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. She carried out post doctoral training in human and population genetics at the Broad Institute and the Framingham Heart Study and completed an MPH at Harvard School of Public Health. She was recruited to University of Michigan in 2011 where she sees patients in gastroenterology and directs her own lab. Her group carries out human genomic studies of obesity and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease to identify genetic variants that predispose to these diseases and define disease subtypes. Her groups targets candidate variants/genes to create cell and animal models of disease to define their mechanism of action and to screen for therapeutics. She has been awarded the Jerome Conn Award for research in Internal Medicine and the Deans award for Basic Science Research. She reviews for multiple NIH, National, and international study sections and journals. She has been elected to and serves as the Institutional Representative for the American Society for Clinical Investigation where she works to recruit and support physician scientists. She is committed to training and serving individuals from diverse backgrounds and serves on multiple committees and organizations to develop and implement policies to improve under represented minority representation and access.
Kevin Chan, MD(link is external), conducts research in clinical management and outcomes in lung transplantation, infections in lung transplantation, predictors of prognosis in patients with end stage lung disease, and pulmonary hypertension.
Job Titles:
- Professor of Surgery / Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery
Job Titles:
- Professor, Department of Internal Medicine / Associate Program Director, Multidisciplinary T32 Research Training Program in Lung Disease
Kevin Flaherty, MD, MS(link is external), conducts research in pulmonary fibrosis.
Kevin Kim, MD(link is external), conducts research in tissue fibrosis and type I collagen affect on pathology in fibrosis and cancer.
Job Titles:
- Endowed Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine / Associate Chief Clinical Officer, Department of Internal Medicine
Kiran Lagisetty, MD, Thoracic Surgeon: "At Michigan, we are constantly challenging the status quo. We challenge our colleagues and trainees to think outside the box in order to develop the next great advancement in patient care, research, innovation and education."
Krishnan Raghavendran, MBBS, Critical Care Surgeon: "I am privileged to stand in the intersectional space between a world class university and the global stage, trying to facilitate solutions to global surgical problems."
Job Titles:
- Member of the Operating Committee
- MSTP Fellow / 0
Job Titles:
- Assistant Professor of Pharmacology
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Committee
- Professor, Department of Pathology
Liz is the MSTP's financial guru. She is responsible for all matters relating to student funding, payments, travel money, etc.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Committee
- Chairman and Professor, Department of Pharmacology Professor, Departments of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, and Neurology
Job Titles:
- Undergraduate Research Opportunity ( UROP ) Research Assistant
Job Titles:
- Director
- Nancy Williams Walls Research Professor, Microbiology & Immunology / Professor, Microbiology & Immunology
As Director, Dr. Raghavan oversees most aspects of Immunology students' academic experience, leads the development of policies and resources, and acts as liaison between the program and its partnering units, including PIBS, OGPS, and Rackham Graduate School. These contributions include overseeing admission and recruitment activities, directing the weekly Immunology 815 seminar and monthly short course series, administering the preliminary exam process, updating program academic policies, and fielding questions from students. She also acts as a resource in program conflict resolution efforts, seeks feedback from students and faculty, plans the program's annual retreat and DEI activities, and recruits and appoints new faculty to the program
In addition, Dr. Raghavan provides direct support to Immunology students through student advising including coursework and rotation choices, recommendation letters, and program letters.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Operating Committee
- Associate Professor Pharmacology and Director of the Cellular and Molecular Biology Graduate Program
Marc Peters-Golden, MD(link is external), conducts research on the mechanistic aspects of lung inflammation, antimicrobial defense, and fibrosis. Using tools of molecular and cell biology, cells from diseased patients, as well as animal models of disease, we focus on the functions of two key cells in the lung, macrophages and fibroblasts, and how these cells interact with each other and with neighboring epithelial cells. Ongoing current projects include: 1) the role of extracellular vesicles in cell-cell communication in lung health and disease, and 2) cellular programs dictating aberrant fibroblast activation in pulmonary fibrosis. We are currently examining disease states including asthma, cigarette smoke-induced inflammation, lung cancer, lung infection, and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Our ultimate goal is to gain novel insights into lung homeostasis and disease pathogenesis, and to identify new strategies for therapeutic targeting. The laboratory consists of a highly interactive and collaborative group of students as well as M.D. and Ph.D. postdoctoral trainees from around the world.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Operating Committee
- Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine
Job Titles:
- Manager, Surgery Office of Research / Department of Surgery Office of Research
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Executive Committee
- Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs and Dean, Medical School, CEO, Michigan Medicine ( Chair )
Job Titles:
- Fellow
- Member of the Operating Committee
Matthew Corriere, MD, Vascular Surgeon: "We constantly encounter challenges and unanswered questions through our patients. If we pay attention and think critically, we can transform these barriers into knowledge and innovation that advance the field. This cycle energizes me and never seems to run dry."
Matthew Delano, MD, PhD, Critical Care Surgeon: "Compassion when attending to wounds of the flesh is humanistic; however, gratitude while attending to the injuries of the spirit is divine."
Job Titles:
- Professor of Surgical Immunology
MeiLan Han, MD, MS(link is external), conducts research in COPD and airways diseases.
Melissa Pilewskie, MD, Oncology Surgeon: "Being a breast cancer surgeon allows me to combine my passions of women's health and surgical oncology. I strive to deliver compassionate, individualized cancer care while spearheading trials that aim to minimize the morbidity of surgical interventions."
Meredith Barrett, MD, Transplant Surgeon: "I experience miracles-organs coming to life. Donation is the ultimate gift and to be a part of a patient's transplant is incredibly humbling and endlessly rewarding."
Michael Coffey, MD(link is external), conducts research in the regulation of the enzyme 5-lipoxygenase in alveolar macrophages, role of obesity in the pathogenesis of asthma, and sleep disordered breathing and asthma phenotype.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Professor, Radiation Oncology / Assistant Professor, Microbiology & Immunology
Job Titles:
- Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgeon
Michael Mulholland, MD, PhD, Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgeon: "A happy life is equal parts loving family and important work."
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Committee
- Professor, Departments of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics
Michael Sabel, MD, Oncology Surgeon: "Over the course of my career at Michigan, I have been fortunate to study new cancer treatments in the lab, move them into clinical trials, and ultimately offer them to my patients and directly witness the benefits. The chance to help transform cancer care, and be able to educate and encourage others to do the same, has been an amazing opportunity."
Michael Sjoding, MD, MSc(link is external), conducts research on pulmonary and critical care and hospital medicine, with a focus on inpatient hospital quality measures and their unintended consequences, the epidemiology of critical illness, and methods for critical care delivery.
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor, Department of Internal Medicine / Research
- Professor, Internal Medicine, Pulmonary & Critical Care / Professor, Microbiology & Immunology
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Committee
- Department of Microbiology
Job Titles:
- Consultant, JB Ashtin Medical Communications Inc
Job Titles:
- Minimally Invasive Surgeon
Nabeel Obeid, MD, Minimally Invasive Surgeon: "There is no greater privilege than the ability to provide surgical care to a patient in need., while also being afforded the opportunity to train future generations of surgeons who will do the same."
Job Titles:
- Nancy Williams Walls Research Professor, Microbiology & Immunology / Professor, Microbiology & Immunology
Job Titles:
- Student, University of Colorado
Job Titles:
- Godfrey Dorr Stobbe Professor of Research Pathology / Scientific Director, Mary H. Weiser Food Allergy Center
Job Titles:
- Assistant Professor, Researcher, Soccer Player
Job Titles:
- Member of the Operating Committee
- Associate Professor of Biological Chemistry
Paul Cederna, MD, Plastic Surgeon: "We have an amazing opportunity to advance the field of medicine through innovation and discovery. Let's seize this opportunity, make the most of it, and change the world!"
Paul Gauger, MD, Endocrine Surgeon: "Training at Michigan was the most impactful and fortunate experience in my professional life. My goal is to have each surgical resident reflect back to feel that same way about their own training."
Peng Zhang, PhD, Research Scientist: "Our group uses medial imaging and artificial intelligence to design personalized medicine. I believe that medical decisions and treatments should be tailored to individual patients to provide them with the best care."
Peter Henke, MD, Vascular Surgeon: "Being a surgeon at Michigan Medicine is a huge privilege - we have a job that while demanding, never gets routine; through teaching the next generation, providing clinical care, and contributing to new knowledge."
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor, Department of Internal Medicine
Panduranga Rao, MD, DNB, MS(link is external), Professor, Department of Internal Medicine. Provides consultation in the lupus clinic for patients with renal complications of SLE and its treatment
Job Titles:
- Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Associate Chair for Clinical and Administrative Affairs
Rachel Hooper, MD, Plastic Surgeon: "The collegiality and dedication to patient care and optimal outcomes at Michigan Medicine is unmatched. It's both humbling and invigorating to have the opportunity to work and help train the best as we tackle some of the most complex reconstructive challenges."
Job Titles:
- Research Fellow, Department of Internal Medicine
View all Dr. Vittal's publications in PubMed(link is external).
Randall Sung, MD, Transplant Surgeon: "I am motivated to have a positive impact every day, whether with patient care, teaching, or supporting my colleagues."
Randy Seeley, PhD, Research Scientist: "Basic research is driven by our innate intellectual curiosity, but it must be paired with great discipline if we are to ensure that it is relevant to improving patients' lives."
Job Titles:
- Endocrine Surgeon Emertius
Richard Burney, MD, Endocrine Surgeon Emertius: "Teaching and learning are endeavors that require intensity and engagement on the part both of the teacher and the learner."
Rishindra Reddy, MD, MBA, Thoracic Surgeon: "I have the best job. It is a privilege to be able to help our patients during their time of need, while also working with some of the brightest people in the world."
Robert Beaulieu, MD, MSE, Vascular Surgeon: "Working at Michigan Surgery gives me the opportunity to provide world-class care to both adult and pediatric vascular surgery patients in a culture that puts the patients at the center for the team."
Robert Dickson, MD(link is external), conducts research in the area of microbial communities in the respiratory tract.
View Dr. Dickson's lab website(link is external).
Robery Hyzy, MD(link is external), conducts research in the areas of ARDS, ventilator associated pneumonia, sepsis, and delirium.
Ronald Hirschl, MD, Pediatric Surgeon: "In caring for children, we have the opportunity to strive for excellence in not just saving lives, but in saving lifetimes."
Job Titles:
- Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Internal Medicine
Job Titles:
- Fellow
- Member of the Operating Committee
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor / Research Interests
Job Titles:
- Member of the Operating Committee
- Associate Professor of Internal Medicine
- Professor in Cardiovascular Medicine
Job Titles:
- Physician, Researcher, Horseman
Scott Regenbogen, MD, MPH, Colorectal Surgeon: "As a complete caregiver, it's gratifying to improve the lives of individual patients in surgery one day and implement large-scale improvement to our entire healthcare delivery system the next."
Job Titles:
- Principal Investigator
- Associate Professor of Internal Medicine, Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology & Diabetes ( MEND )
Seth Waits, MD, Transplant Surgeon: "Teaming up with our transplant residents and fellows to master foundational surgical skills is my passion. By leveraging affordable, high-fidelity #D models, we can optimize learning opportunities in a low-stress environment."
Job Titles:
- Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology / Oncology / Associate Director for Academic Affairs, Graduate Program in Immunology
- Associate Director for Academic Affairs
As Associate Director for Academic Affairs, Dr. Carty assists with curriculum, student advising, T32-related activities and other academic activities.
Job Titles:
- Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon
Sharon Aronovich, DMD, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon: "Becoming a father and a husband has given me a new perspective on life, allowing me to engage both patients and co-workers with greater empathy, and provide compassionate surgical care."
Job Titles:
- Graduate Student in Immunology
Job Titles:
- Member of the Operating Committee
- Associate Professor of Human Genetics / Associate Chair, Research of Human Genetics / Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Job Titles:
- Member of the Operating Committee
- Assistant Professor of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics Assistant Professor of Human Genetics
Steven Haase, MD, Plastic Surgeon: "I am fortunate to be a hand surgeon at Michigan Medicine, where I can deliver cutting-edge clinical care to my patients while simultaneously passing on what I've learned to the next generation of surgeons."
Steven Huang, MD(link is external), conducts research on the biology, pathology, and treatment of pulmonary fibrosis as it relates to prostaglandin E2 and other eicosanoids.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Committee
- Executive Vice Dean for Research, Chief Scientific Officer, Michigan Medicine, and Professor, Departments of Molecular and Integrative Physiology and Internal Medicine
Job Titles:
- Member of the Operating Committee
- Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases
- Research Professor
Job Titles:
- Scientist, Dog Trainer, Gardener
Job Titles:
- Member of the Operating Committee
- Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Infectious Diseases / Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology / Associate Director of the MSTP
Dr. Dawid obtained a BA in Molecular, Cellular, Developmental Biology from University of Colorado-Boulder and an MD/PhD from Washington University School of Medicine. Dr. Dawid completed residency/fellowship training in pediatric infectious diseases at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. She has been on faculty at here since 2008 and holds joint appointments with the departments of Pediatrics and Microbiology and Immunology. She has been an MSTP operating committee member since 2017 and an Associate Director since 2018. Dr. Dawid is actively involved in the clinical care of pediatric patients with suspected or confirmed infectious diseases. Her research group focuses on inter-bacterial interactions that promote bacterial survival and adaptation using the pathogen, Streptococcus pneumoniae, as a model organism.
Job Titles:
- Associate Research Scientist, Department of Internal Medicine / Director, University of Michigan Flow Cytometry Core Facility
Thomas Sisson, MD(link is external), conducts research on the plasminogen system in the pathophysiology of pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema.
Thomas Valley, MD, MSc(link is external), conducts research on decision-making in the intensive care unit for patients, families, and clinicians.
Thomas Wakefield, MD, Vascular Surgeon: "I come to work every day to improve the lives of patients with venous disease individually and to add to the body of knowledge that directs the diagnosis and treatment of patients with venous diseases globally."
Job Titles:
- Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgeon
Timothy Frankel, MD, Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgeon: "There is no more fulfilling and humbling part of my job than helping train future leaders of academic surgery."
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor of Internal Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor, Department of Internal Medicine
Job Titles:
- Research Investigator, Department of Internal Medicine
Job Titles:
- Cardiology Fellow, Fuwai University, China
Yvonne Huang, MD(link is external), conducts research on microbiome interactions in the human host that shape the pathogenesis and phenotypes of asthma and COPD seen in adult patients.
View Dr. Huang's lab website(link is external).