February College News Headlines

February 29, 2024

Medical students Pedro Bonilla, Melissa Castillo, Montserrat Dorantes, Juan Jimenez, and Delilah Coconubo accept the Latin Medical Student Association Chapter of the Year Award.

Student Success

Photo above. MSU College of Human Medicine's Grand Rapids chapter of the Latin Medical Student Association was recently named Midwest Chapter of the Year! LMSA student leaders accepted the award at the recent LMSA Midwest Regional Conference in Cleveland, Ohio. Congratulations to the chapter for their recognition and hard work within the Latinx community!
WOOD TV 8: Kids learn to ‘map your mind’ at annual Reach Out to Youth event. Related: Yahoo News, BNN Breaking.
The Gander: Fourth-year medical student Madeline Merwin comments on studying reproductive health care after the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
Six students were selected as inaugural inductees of the Epsilon Pi Chapter of the Delta Omega Honorary Society in Public Health. Congratulations to the following students elected in recognition of their merit and commitment to public health work: Donovan Dennis, Kristi Loadholdt, Liz McCormick, Kendra Shannon, Hannah Sloss and Brenden Smith.
The Gander: Leadership in Rural Medicine student Eneka Lamb discusses the unique rural training offered at the College of Human Medicine.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

MSU College of Human Medicine is a founding member of a new alliance that aims to boost health care access for tribal communities.
The Hospitalist: Alum TaLawnda Bragg, MD, was featured in “Teaching, inspiring and championing the next generation of doctors,” as part of a collection of spotlights celebrating black doctors.
A new scholarship honors the memory of Dr. Robert W. Claytor, one of the first Black physicians in West Michigan.
Kent Key was honored at Excellence in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Awards Ceremony for his community-engaged approach to creating community-driven solutions that advance health equity.

Research and Scholarship

MSUToday: MSU College of Human Medicine hosts inaugural Remembrance Conference to address gun violence. Related news:
- Fox 47: MSU College of Human Medicine helps tackle gun violence through addressing public health. Related: Newsbreak
- WILX: MSU working to address community gun violence.
- Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences: Reflections shared at MSU-UB Remembrance Conference. Related: University at Buffalo and UB Graduate School of Education
- WWMT: MSU, Univ. of Buffalo hold inaugural conference on gun violence as public health issue. Related: Newswise, Sciencenewsnet, BNN Breaking
Futurity: A story about the killer compound that pinpoints brain cancer but avoids normal cells features Dr. Chaz Hong’s glioblastoma research. Related: Yahoo, eCancer, Scienmag, Newswise, Medical Xpress, CBS Detroit, PhaMed, Science Blog, World Pharma News, WLNS, Lifespan.io, MedBound Medical Laboratory Observer
USA Today: Mona Hanna-Attisha authored the op-ed: “Moms and babies were struggling in Flint, Michigan. Cash offers a lifeline of hope.” The op-ed was also published in Detroit Free Press and resulted in related coverage — The Atlantic: The case for spending way more on babies, Detroit Public Radio's Created Equal: Flint's Rx Kids program aims to abolish childhood poverty and PBS: A new program prescribes monthly payments for the first year of an infant’s life.
MSUToday: Counties could save money and keep more people out of jail by improving access to community-based mental health and substance use disorder services, according to a study led by Jennifer Johnson, PhD, C.S. Mott Endowed Professor of Public Health.
Yahoo News: Jamie Alan, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, comments on the side effects of ethylene oxide in medical device sterilization. Related: Verywell Health
Calvin University: Rare Disease Day event highlights collaboration among caregivers and families, medical professionals, researchers, advocates, and students.
LA Times: Howard Schubiner, MD, clinical professor, discusses a recent study which finds chronic back, neck pain comes from the mind. Related: KPCC Radio (broadcast only).
Prevention Magazine: Amit Sachdev, MD, assistant professor of neuromuscular medicine, comments on the links between healthy lifestyles and brain health.
Psychology Today: Robert C. Smith, MD, University Distinguished Professor and professor of Medicine and Psychiatry, shares research on how to identify resilience in patients.
AOL: Jamie Alan, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, comments on identifying fake Ozempic.
SELF Magazine: Amit Sachdev, MD, assistant professor of neuromuscular medicine, details symptoms of frontotemporal dementia.
AOL: Jamie Alan, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, comments on Xolair, a new drug that could help prevent allergic reactions in people with severe food allergies.
Earlier this month, Cara Poland, MD, addiction specialist and director of the MI CARES program, met with Michigan congressional offices and spoke on a Capitol Hill panel about improving addiction medicine training in graduate medical education.

Related: Dr. Poland also participated in Bridge Magazine’s “Lunch Break” series on Michigan’s opioid epidemic.

Faculty & Staff Success

State News: Dr. Nagy Youssef, MSU’s new psychiatry and behavior medicine director is expanding research and teaching opportunities.
MSUToday: Andre Bachmann, PhD, professor and associate chair for research in the Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, is among three MSU faculty named senior members of the 2024 National Academy of Inventors.
Jennifer Johnson, PhD, will be the founding chair of the Charles Stewart Mott Department of Public Health, effective April 1.