umhs-puhsc joint institute for translational & clinical research

UMHS-PUHSC Joint Institute for Translational & Clinical Research

ROSTER Anniversary Ceremony and Joint Symposium

September 26-30, 2011

Pamela Andreatta, Ed.D., MFA, MA Assistant Professor Department of Medical Education Assistant Professor Department of Obstetrics and Gynocology Faculty Associate, Center for Global Health University of [email protected]

Pamela Andreatta, Ed.D., M.F.A., M.A., is a medical educator and researcher specializing in the assessment of knowledge, skills, and interpersonal behaviors as they transfer to applied clinical practice. Research is associated with systems-level practices that relate to quality of care and patient safety. I have a background in research methodology, & qualitative and quantitative analyses that supports small sample studies through large scale population projects. Current work involves the design & development of low-cost, high-fidelity training systems for training and competency assessment in Obstetrics/Gynecology, Emergency Medicine, Pediatric Medicine & Anesthesiology. These training systems are designed to be highly transportable to the global community.

Assistant: Lois Phizacklea

(734) 936 – 6886 [email protected]

Brian D. Athey, Ph.D. Professor of Computational Medicine & Bioinformatics Chair Designate, Department of Computational Medicine & Bioinformatics Director, Biomedical Informatics Program, Michigan Institute for Clinical and Health Research (MICHR) Professor of Psychiatry and Internal Medicine Director, Academic Informatics [email protected] (734) 972-6324

Brian D. Athey, Ph.D., has served as elected national co-chair of the NIH (CTSA) Informatics Key Function Committee (IKFC). He is PI of the UM NIH NIGMS Bioinformatics T32 Training Grant; and is PI of the NIH National Center for Integrative Biomedical Informatics (NCIBI.org) since its inception in 2005. Brian established the first nationwide Internet2 Visible Human Project demonstration under contract with the National Library of Medicine (NLM), and was also PI of the DARPA Virtual Soldier Project. Trained as a biophysicist, he was the first to propose the double-helical crossed-linker model for chromatin, at the time controversial but now widely accepted. Brian has served as a special advisor to the Chief Information Officer of the NIH, and currently serves on the Scientific Advisory Boards of several Biotechnology and computing companies

Assistant: Janet Peake

(734) 615-5774 [email protected]

Matthew L. Boulton, M.D., MPH

Matthew L. Boulton, M.D., MPH, research interests are in applied epidemiology, public health practice, infectious illness, vaccine-preventable diseases, assessment of the public health workforce, and public health in China and India.

Assistant: Shawna Matzinger





Associate Professor of EpidemiologyAssociate Professor of Health Management and PolicyAssociate Professor of Preventive Medicine Associate Professor of Internal Medicine, Infectious Disease DivisionDirector, Preventive Medicine ResidencyDirector, Center of Excellence for Public Health Workforce Studies [email protected]

Margit Burmeister, Ph.D. Professor, Psychiatry and Human Genetics Co-Director, Bioinformatics Graduate Program Molecular & Behavioral Neuroscience Institute [email protected] (734) 239-2026

Margit Burmeister, Ph.D., received her Ph.D. in molecular genetics from Heidelberg University in Germany, and trained in Genomics at the University of California in San Francisco. Her lab identifies and studies genes in behavior, neurological and psychiatric diseases using a combination of genetic, statistical, bioinformatic and functional approaches to identify genes. She studies heterogeneous Mendelian disorders such as deafness and ataxia, and complex disorders such as Bipolar Disorder and Alcoholism.

John M. Carethers, M.D. John G. Searle Professor and Chair Department of Internal Medicine University of Michigan [email protected] 858-829-7438

John M. Carethers, M.D., is the John G. Searle Professor and Chair of the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Michigan. Dr. Carethers is a trained gastroenterologist andphysician-scientist who focuses his research in the area of hereditary colon cancer and the development and progression of colorectal neoplasms, using bench to bedside approaches in his translational laboratory. Key ares of interest for Dr. Carethers' laboratory include: DNA mismatch repair, including basic mechanisms that drive tumor progression and how the system handles chemotherapeutic responses, racial and ethnic differences at the biological level for colorectal cancer formation, and disrupted signaling pathways that drive tumor progression.

Assistant: Donna Hall





Valerie P. Castle, M.D. Ravitz Foundation Professor of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases Chair, Department of Pediatrics Physician-in-Chief, C.S. Mott Children's Hospital University of Michigan HealthSystem [email protected] (734) 223-4990

Valerie P. Castle, M.D., is Chair of the Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases. Prior to becoming Chair, Dr. Castle served as Associate Provost for Academic and Faculty Affairs at the University of Michigan. Dr. Castle’s research work has focused on the pediatric solid tumor neuroblastoma. She is specifically interested in determining how neuroblastoma tumors develop and why they are able to escape killing by chemotherapy. Dr. Castle is also an expert on the clinical management of neuroblastoma. Dr. Castle leads the UM Neuroblastoma Research Group, it is comprised of highly accomplished basic and clinical investigators all focused on finding new therapies to better treat neuroblastoma.

Assistant: Julie Erwin


Yuqing Eugene Chen, M.D. Frederick G L Huetwell Collegiate Professor of Basic Research Cardiovascular Medicine Professor of Internal Medicine University of Michigan Medical School [email protected] (734) 846-9880

Yuqing Eugene Chen, M.D. is Professor of Internal Medicine and the Endowed Frederick G. L. Huetwell Collegiate Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of Michigan Medical Center. The long-term goal of Dr. Chen’s research program in cardiovascular medicine is elucidating the molecular basis of obesity/diabetes-induced cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and developing new drugs/technologies to study/treat diabetes and CVD. Dr. Chen is the co-lead of Cardiovascular Program at the Joint Institute for Translational and Clinical Research between the University of Michigan Health System and Peking University Health Science Center.

Assistant: Bev Conklin


Gregory M. Christman, M.D. Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology Division of Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility Principal Investigator, Eunice Kennedy Shriver NICHD

Gregory M. Christman, M.D. is one of seven principal investigators involved in the NICHD Reproductive Medicine Network which is a clinical trial network funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver NICHD branch of the NIH to design, initiate and complete clinical trials to address the treatment of infertility & reproductive disorders in men and women. Dr. Christman is 7 lead study investigator of a clinical trial which will evaluate the effectiveness of microsurgical treatment of varicoceles in men with an abnormal semen analysis to promote fertility in infertile couples. He is also the recent recipient of an NIH RO1 grant focusing on the use of GnRH analogs to prevent the ovarian toxicity of alkylating chemotherapy in women requiring severe immunosuppression for acute disease flares related to several rheumatologic conditions. Current research focuses on the role of uterine muscle stem cells as the site of leiomyoma origin, their role in this




Reproductive Medicine Clinical Trial Network Co-Director and Dual Principal Investigator, NICHD/ NIAMS Rheumatic Disorders National Fertility Preservation Trial [email protected] (734) 635-3019

disorder, and to develop new medical approaches to prevent or enhance long term tumor regression to complement current & evolving minimal invasive therapies for the treatment of uterine leiomyomas.

Assistant: Kelly Studer


Jeffrey Costanzo, M.D. House Officer, Internal Medicine University of Michigan Hospitals UMH H.O. Core Department of Internal Medicine University of Michigan Medical School

Jeffrey L. Curtis. M.D. Professor of Internal Medicine Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine University of Michigan Health System Chief, Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine Section Veterans Affairs Medical Center [email protected] (734) 546-6059

Jeffrey L. Curtis. M.D., studies COPD pathogenesis and treatment via translational and clinical studies. He is currently Co-Principal of the University of Michigan sites of the COPD Clinical Research Network, the Lung Tissue Research Consortium, SPIROMICS, and COPDGene® (on which he is also a member of the Executive Committee). Dr. Curtis is the author of 100 peer-reviewed papers and eight book chapters. The Curtis laboratory (http://sitemaker.umich.edu/curtis.lab/home) studies regulation of pulmonary immunity. Active projects include lymphocyte and dendritic cell recruitment in murine models of lung inflammation, auto-immunity and infection; and the molecular mechanisms and consequences of apoptotic cell ingestion by murine and human alveolar macrophages.

Assistant: Sara Viland





John R. Erb-Downward, Ph.D. Research Investigator Department of Internal Medicine University of Michigan [email protected] (734) 846-4494

John Erb-Downward, Ph.D., is a Research Investigator in the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School. He received his B.S. in biochemistry from Cornell University and a Ph.D in microbiology and immunology from the University of Michigan. Over the the last 10 years he has collaborated extensively with physicians and investigators in the Division of Pulmonary Medicine and Critical Care. He has spearheaded setting up of the bioinformatic infrastructure and the training of personnel in key methods of analysis for the Department of Internal Medicine's arm of the University of Michigan Microbiome Research Initiative. His current research involves using high-throughput pyrosequencing and methods of multivariate analysis to study the microbiome of the human lung in health and disease.

Assistant: Cat Meyers

(734) 936-5010

Sherry Fu, M.D., Ph.D. Division of Gastroenterology Internal Medicine [email protected] (248) 863-7375

Sherry Fu, M.D., Ph.D., is the study coordinator and project manager for UMHS-PUHSC liver HCV study, Division of Gastroenterology, Internal Medicine, University of Michigan.

Santhi K. Ganesh, M.D. Assistant Professor of Medicine Division of Cardiovascular Medicine University of Michigan Health System [email protected] (301) 704-6599

Santhi K. Ganesh, M.D., moved to the University of Michigan last year, where she has established a lab focused on the genetics of vascular remodeling and interactions with hematologic traits. Dr. Ganesh is funded through two NHLBI grants focused on the human genetics and and molecular aspects of vascular diseases. Dr. Ganesh also works with several large consortia focused on genetic association studies and genome sequencing for cardiovascular traits and diseases. She also serves on the leadership committee for the American Heart Association’s Council on Functional Genomics and Translational Biology.




Michael E. Geisser, Ph.D Professor, Department, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Director of Research, The Spine Program Co-Chair, Medical School Institutional Review Board [email protected] (734) 730-2114

Michael E. Geisser, Ph.D., primary area of research involves studying the influence of psychosocial and neural factors on the experience of both acute and chronic pain. Dr. Geisser has served as a board member of the University of Michigan Medical School Institutional Review Board (IRBMED) since 2001, and was appointed as Vice-Chair in 2004, and Co-Chair in 2006. Dr. Geisser also serves as the Co-Director of the Regulatory Support Unit for the Michigan of Michigan Clinical and Translational Science Award.

Assistant: Trish Painter


Margaret R. Gyetko, M.D. Senior Associate Dean for Faculty and Faculty Development University of Michigan Medical School [email protected] (734) 660-1634

Margaret R. Gyetko, M.D., clinical interests are focused on acute lung injury and immunologically mediated lung diseases, inflammatory lung diseases, and the role of lymphocyte populations in acute lung inflammation. Her research addresses lung inflammation and immune responses, with emphasis on the role of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA and the urokinase receptor (uPAR). Areas of investigation include the interaction of the uPA/uPAR system with cytokine networks, and the subsequent effects on immune and inflammatory responses; and the requirement for uPA/uPAR for leukocyte/lymphocyte activation and recruitment. Ongoing work in the laboratory investigates the uPA/uPAR system on the molecular and biochemical levels using both in vitro and in vivo models, including transgenic murine models.

Assistant: Carol Jarema





Ted Hanss, Jr. Chief Information Officer University of Michigan Medical Schoo [email protected] (734) 330-2575

Ted Hanss is the Chief Information Officer of the University of Michigan Medical School. He has significant involvement in national and international standards efforts and consortium activities and is a frequent speaker on leading edge technology topics. He has authored or co-authored three book chapters and several journal and magazine articles. Ted is the PI on a $624K grant from the Hewlett Foundation, “African Health Open Educational Resources Network” and co-PI on a $282K grant from the National Science Foundation, “Virtual Organizations as Socio-Technical Systems: Successful Collaboration between Researchers from Developing and Developed Countries in Virtual Organizations.”

Assistant: Sharon Moskwiak (734) 998-0086

[email protected]

Jan Louise Hewett, J.D. Director, IRBMED University of Michigan Medical School Institutional Review Board [email protected] (734) 763-4768

Jan Hewett is Director of the University of Michigan Medical School Institutional Review Board (IRBMED). Prior to joining the IRBMED in September of 2004, Jan worked as a health law consultant, following her graduation from Law School. As a law student she interned at the Office of Inspector General-Civil Recoveries Branch (DHHS), and the Office of General Counsel – Health Systems Legal Office (UM-HSLO). While in Washington, D.C. Jan has held various clinical research, nursing, grants management, and administrative positions at the George Washington University Medical Center, the Henri Beaufour Institute, and Georgetown University in the Department of Pharmacology General Clinical Research Center (GCRC), the Vincent T. Lombardi Cancer Center, and the Research & Technology Development Service. Jan holds a Registered Nurse Certification and Post Graduate Certification in Operating Room Nursing from the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital School of Nursing at Sydney University, Australia, a B.S. degree from Georgetown University, and J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School. From January 2007 – May 2009 Jan was a member of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Nonprescription Drug Advisory Committee (NDAC).

Assistant: Maria Camilleri (734) 615-5220

[email protected]




Amy Huang, M.D., MHSA Project Manager Office of the Dean The University of Michigan Medical School [email protected] (734) 277-4076

Amy Huang, M.D., MHSA, M.S., is Project Manager for China Initiatives at the University of Michigan Medical School. She serves as the Program Manager for the Peking University Health Science Center – University of Michigan Medical School Joint Institute. Dr. Huang obtained her M.D. degree from the Harbin Medical University and completed her post-graduate training (M.S.) in Cardiology at the Peking University Health Science Center. She then went to the University of Michigan for her post-doctoral training in cardiovascular biology. Dr. Huang furthered her academic training at University of Michigan School of Public Health and obtained her Master degree in Healthcare Service Administration. After completion of the Administrative Fellowship with the University of Michigan Health System, she joined the UMMS Dean’s office to establish and manage the China platform. Dr. Huang’s research interests include the healthcare management and the international collaboration. She has published over 20 manuscripts and books.

Assistant: Robyn Hodges (734) 615-5692

[email protected]

John Y. Kao, M.D., AGAF Director of GI Mucosal Immunology Laboratory Assistant Program Director of Gastroenterology Fellowship Program Director of Michigan Gut Peptide Center Visiting Professor Series University of Michigan Medical School [email protected] (734) 474-0631

John Y. Kao, M.D., AGAF, has established expertise in studying dendritic cell biology in vivo using transgenic cd11c-DTR/GFP mouse system and has experience working with several mouse models of GI tract inflammatory conditions including H. pylori gastritis, TNBS-colitis, DSS (acute and chronic colitis), and S. typhimurium colitis. His clinical interests include H. pylori treatment resistance and the protective role of H. pylori against chronic inflammatory disorders. His administrative experiences as the PI of several NIH-funded grants (KO8 DK06997-01A1, R03 DK081678-01, NIH ARRA: Administrative Supplement for K08, and NIH R01 DK087708-01A) attest to his ability to meet the administrative needs of the Joint Institute collaborative project. With his membership in the Michigan Gut Peptide Center (serving as Director of Visiting Professor Series) and UM Comprehensive Cancer Center, he has assembled a research team that will have access to a wide range of expanding resources.

Assistant: Debbie Tanton (734) 647-2964

[email protected]




Joseph C. Kolars, M.D. Professor of Medicine Senior Associate Dean for Education & Global Initiatives University of Michigan Medical School [email protected] (734) 223-0876

Joseph C. Kolars, M.D., is Professor of Medicine, Senior Associate Dean for Education and Global Initiatives at the University of Michigan Medical School. He co-Chairs the Executive Committee of the Peking University Health Science Center – University of Michigan Medical School Joint Institute. Dr. Kolars obtained his M.D. degree in 1982 from the University of Minnesota Medical School and completed his post-graduate training gastroenterology at the University of Michigan in 1989. After serving as Associate Chair for Medicine and Residency Program Director, Dr. Kolars left the University of Michigan to establish a western based healthcare system in China in conjunction with Shanghai Second Medical University. He lived with his family in Shanghai for three years. In 1999, he joined the faculty at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota and served as Associate Chair and internal medicine residency program director for 5 years. In June of 2009, he moved to the University of Michigan where he oversees the associate deans responsible for the education programs as well as global health initiatives for the medical school. The focus of his scholarship has been on medical education. Over the past 4 years, he has served as a consultant to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation where his work has focused on innovations that strengthen education systems in Africa to improve care. Most recently, he has been serving as a consultant to the China Medical Board.

Assistant: Kelly Espinoza (734) 615-5552

[email protected]

Matthias Kretzler, M.D. Professor Nephrology / Internal Medicine Center for Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics University of Michigan [email protected] (734) 323-6518

Matthias Kretzler, M.D., received his medical training at the University of Heidelberg, Germany and Newcastle upon the Tyne in the U.K. He received his MD/PhD equivalent in Anatomy and Cell Biology on the mechanism of glomerular filtration barrier failure followed by a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Michigan. He completed his internal medicine and nephrology training at the University of Munich and initiated what is now a worldwide network of kidney research centers to define molecular mechanism of renal disease. He is currently Professor of Internal Medicine-Nephrology and Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, Principal Investigator of the Nephrotic Syndrome Study Network, Director of the Applied Systems Biology Core at the University of Michigan and Investigator in the National Center for Integrative Biology and Informatics. He has authored and co-authored more than 150 scientific publications, is a member of the American Society of Clinical Investigation and has received multiple awards, including the Young Investigator Award of the American Society of Nephrology.

Assistant: Chandra Hall





Steven L. Kunkel, Ph.D. Endowed Professor of Pathology Research Director of the Immunology Program Senior Associate Dean for Research University of Michigan Medical School [email protected] (734) 358-0059

Steven L. Kunkel, Ph.D., areas of research have centered on assessing molecular mechanisms of lung inflammation by investigating cytokine directed cell-to-cell communication circuits. A significant amount of this work helped to launch and define the field of chemokine biology. In addition, he has been involved in assessing epigenetic regulation of immune cell phenotypes that dictates the expression pattern of inflammatory mediators. His studies in cytokine and chemokine biology are internationally recognized and have provided a more clear understanding of how these proteins are regulated and participate in the initiation, maintenance, and resolution of acute and chronic lung disease. His research group has provided evidence for specific cytokine phenotypes that dictate the progression of particular chronic diseases. Dr. Kunkel's impact in the field of immunology and inflammation can be effectively demonstrated in a variety of ways: He has co-authored over 550 peer reviewed manuscripts, has been granted 14 United States patents, an H-Index of greater than 100, contributed numerous chapters to different books in his field, presented over 150 lectures as a visiting professor/lecturer in the past 10 years, and maintained continuous funding of major National Institute of Health grants for a number of years. He has served on numerous National Institute of Health peer review study sections, organized a variety of international conferences on inflammation, is an associate editor for various professional scientific journals, and is a past recipient of an NIH MERIT Award. In addition, he is the former chair of the Board of Scientific Counselors for the NIAID-NIH, a member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation, and a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Assistant:

Courtney Godfrey (734) 764-3611

[email protected]

Alan B. Leichtman, M.D. Professor of Internal Medicine Department of Nephrology University of Michigan Health System [email protected] (734) 546-7017

Alan Leichtman, M.D., has served as the Primary Physician for the University of Michigan’s Kidney and Pancreas Transplantation Programs since 1989. He is currently the Associate Director of the data coordinating center for the RELIVE Study, a National Institute of Health sponsored, multi-center epidemiological investigation of living lung and living kidney donor outcomes. His research interests include Kidney and pancreas transplantation clinical outcomes; Outcomes of living organ donors; Histocompatibility; Simulation modeling; Organ allocation, utilization, and public policy .

Assistant: Denice Pryce





Andrew W. Lin, BS Application Programmer Analyst Associate Molecular & Behavioral Neuroscience Institute University of Michigan [email protected] (734) 276-1419

Andrew Lin is a bioinformatics programmer with the Molecular and Behavioral Institute at the University of Michigan. He studied Computer Science at the University of Michigan. He is working with three open-source electronic data capture systems (REDCap, LimeSurvey, and OpenClinica) to prepare them for use in Joint Institute studies, as well as implementing online versions of study forms.

Assistant: Cindy Vance


Anna Lok, M.D. Alice Lohrman Andrews Research Professor in Hepatology Director of Clinical Hepatology Professor of Internal Medicine Associate Chair for Clinical Research Department of Internal Medicine University of Michigan Health System [email protected] (734) 476-8443

Anna Lok’s research focuses on the natural history and treatment of hepatitis B and C, and prevention of hepatocellular carcinoma. Her research is funded by the National Institutes of Health, private foundations, and various pharmaceutical companies. She has published more than 300 papers on viral hepatitis and liver diseases and is the co-author of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases Association Guidelines on “Hepatitis B”. Dr. Lok has trained more than 30 fellows and junior faculty from all over the world. Dr. Lok is currently a Senior Associate Editor of Gastroenterology and is the co-lead of the JI HCV Project. Dr. Lok has made important contributions to raising awareness of hepatitis B among the Asian-American communities and Asian-American physicians. She is one of the founders of the Asian Health Foundation and is currently a member of the Executive Board.

Assistant: Anna Bruhl





Airong Luo, Ph.D. Research Area Specialist Lead Information Science Office of Enabling Technologies University of Michigan Medical School [email protected] (734) 358-9255

Airong Luo, Ph.D., serves as a co-lead of the Collaboration Core of the UM-PUHSC Joint Institute. Her work explores distributed collaboration among academics, and the technologies and social practices that make such collaboration successful. The main focus of her research is to understand the impact of collaboration on knowledge production and educational practices, and how collaboration structure and process are associated with collaboration success. Through her work, she seeks to deepen theoretical understanding of distributed collaboration in order to: (1) assist researchers, educators and policy makers while they design organizational systems to meet their goals for collaboration; (2) inform those who build the technical infrastructure that supports distributed collaboration.

Assistant: Karen Kost


Mary F. Masson Senior Writer University of Michigan Public Relations [email protected] (734) 846-8558

Mary F. Masson is a writer and public relations representative for the U-M Medical School. She writes press releases, coordinates media coverage and promotes the work of the U-M Medical School faculty. Her responsibilities include the Dean’s office, U-M’s Transplant Center, and departments/divisions of Gastroenterology, Neurosurgery, Neurology, General Medicine and Internal Medicine. She has been with U-M for two years. Prior to that, she was a newspaper reporter and editor for the Detroit Free Press, Indianapolis Star and the Flint Journal.

Assistant:

Cristy Barnes (734) 764-2220

[email protected]

Fan Meng, Ph.D. Assistant Research Professor Vice-leader for Biomedical Informatics and Biorepository Core for the Joint Institute University of Michigan [email protected] (734) 353-2716

Fan Meng, Ph.D., is a vice leader for the biomedical informatics and biorepository core for the Joint Institute at the University of Michigan. His main research interests are in high throughput biomedical data analysis and literature mining. His group is helping the selection, development and implementation of data management and analysis solutions for the Joint Institute projects.




Robert M. Merion, M.D., FACS Professor of Surgery University of Michigan Health System President, Arbor Research Collaborative for Health University of Michigan [email protected] (734) 645-7107

Dr. Merion is an abdominal organ transplant surgeon whose clinical and research expertise has been internationally recognized over the course of his 25-plus year faculty career at the UM. He is the director of the UM transplant fellowship training program and previously served as chief of the Division of Transplantation and director of the UM Transplant Center. From 2000-2010, Dr. Merion served as Clinical Transplant Director of the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR), a national database and analytic resource for research on solid organ transplants that is funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). He is currently the principal investigator on two projects funded by the National Institutes of Health: the Adult to Adult Living Donor Liver Transplantation Study and RELIVE (Renal and Lung Living Donors Evaluation Study). Dr. Merion’s research extends globally, as evidenced by many ongoing international transplant registry collaborations, including the China Liver Transplant Registry, the United Kingdom Transplant Registry, and the Australia and New Zealand Transplant Registry. Since 1997, Arbor Research has led the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS) in collaboration with many UM faculty. DOPPS is now being carried out in 14 countries on five continents, with ChinaDOPPS recently added to this influential global study. Dr. Merion is a past president of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons, and has published over 250 peer-reviewed scientific articles and book chapters.

Assistant: Deb Richards





Cheryl A. Moyer, M.P.H. Managing Director, Global REACH Research Investigator Department of Medical Education University of Michigan Medical School [email protected] (734) 417-3116

Cheryl A. Moyer, M.P.H., is the Managing Director for Global REACH, the University of Michigan Medical School’s international program. She is also a Research Investigator in the Department of Medical Education at the University of Michigan. Ms. Moyer is a faculty mentor for the NIH-funded Minority and Health Disparities International Research Training Program (MHIRT) and the NIH-funded Summer Biomedical Research Program (SBRP) for medical students. In that role she has mentored student research projects at Peking University First Hospital since 2006 surrounding issues associated with pregnancy and childbirth. Current and recent research projects include the relationship between optimism/pessimism and delivery outcomes in China, an examination of Zuoyuezi and post-partum depression in China, contraceptive attitudes and practices among women of reproductive age in Beijing, an examination of issues surrounding gestational diabetes in China, a qualitative assessment of the barriers to facility-based deliveries in rural Ghana; a mixed methods study of stillbirth and early neonatal death in northern Ghana; and psychosocial correlates of HIV test acceptance among pregnant women in Ghana. Ms. Moyer is currently the co-investigator and co-Project Director of a Fogarty International Center funded grant to train mid-career Ghanaian post-doctoral fellows in interdisciplinary global health research.

Assistant: Robyn Hodges (734) 615-5692

[email protected]

Jeffrey S. Moyer, M.D., F.A.C.S. Associate Professor Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery University of Michigan [email protected] (734) 417-3115

Dr. Moyer is an Associate Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. He is the Co-Director of the Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship and is actively involved in medical student, resident, and fellow education. His clinical interest focuses on complex reconstruction of facial defects after skin cancer surgery as well as microvascular reconstruction after head and neck cancer tumor extirpation. Dr. Moyer has active clinical and basic science research interests in tumor immunotherapy of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

Assistant: Chris Postma





Margaret Ann Murphy, Ph.D. Research Associate University of Michigan Medical School Administration Office of Enabling Technologies University of Michigan [email protected] (586) 222-9569

Margaret Ann Murphy, Ph.D., has a Ph.D. in Medical Sociology from the University of Michigan. She is a Research Associate at the Office of Enabling Technologies, University of Michigan Medical School Administration, and an investigator on the study entitled Successful Collaboration in the UM-PUHSC Joint Institute for Translational and Clinial Research. She is part of the Joint Institute's "Collaboration Core", and will be studying the collaboration process among UM Medical School and Peking University Health Sciences Center investigators.

Assistant:

Karen Kost (734) 998-7757

[email protected]

Anthony W. Opipari, Jr., M.D., Ph.D. Associate Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Associate Chair for Research Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology University of Michigan [email protected] (734) 717-6608

Anthony W. Opipari, Jr., M.D., Ph.D., primary focus is basic and translational research. His NIH funded research led to the discovery of a novel mitochondrial drug target, novel therapeutic mechanism of action and new class of small molecules that regulate mitochondrial function to treat immune diseases and cancer. Based on this work, he co-founded two companies (GMP Immunotherapeutics and Lycera, Inc.). Presently, his research is focused on elucidating bioenergetic and metabolic characteristics of cells that mediate immune diseases to use to selectively target these disease-causing cells in multiple therapeutic areas ranging from lupus to graft-versus-host disease. As part of the University of Michigan Medical School’s effort to support private-public research partnerships that increase commercial application and translation of University research and technology, Dr. Opipari conducts his research at Lycera Inc., where he has a 50% effort appointment as Senior Director of Biology.

Assistant: Lois Phizacklea

(734) 936 – 6886 [email protected]

Chung Owyang, M.D., has made significant contributions to foster relationship between many universities in China and the University of Michigan. He is a frequent visitor to China and has organized many post-graduate courses for Chinese gastroenterologists. His laboratory has helped to train many Chinese academic physicians who are now leaders in their own right. In recognition for his contributions, Professor Owyang has received honorary professorships from West China Medical University, the Second Shanghai Medical University and the Beijing Union Medical College. Professor Owyang has also served on the Board of Trustees for the Shanghai Jiaotong Medical




Chung Owyang, M.D. Professor of Internal Medicine H. Marvin Pollard Collegiate Chair in Gastroenterology Chief, Division of Gastroenterology Director, Pollard Institute for Medical Research University of Michigan Medical School [email protected] (734) 660-0016

University during its formative years. In many ways, Professor Owyang has played a key role in developing the current generation of academic gastroenterologists in China and in Asia. Currently, he is the Co-Lead for the gastroenterology and hepatology program of the University of Michigan Health System – Peking University Health Science Center Joint Institute.

Assistant: Patricia Lai


Subramaniam Pennathur, M.D. Department of Internal Medicine Division of Nephrology Assistant Professor of Medicine Director, Molecular Phenotyping and Metabolomics University of Michigan [email protected] (314) 724-0592

Subramaniam Pennathur's, M.D., laboratory has made extensive use of mass spectrometric (MS) methods over the past five years to study oxidant injury mechanisms and lipoprotein biology in atherogenesis. We have developed isotope dilution MS methods to quantify various amino-acid oxidation products in patients with Cardiovascular Disease (CVD). Recently, the major focus of our work has centered on developing a wide range of proteomic approaches, including multidimensional protein identification technology and liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem MS analyses of peptides, peptide digests and proteins. The current proposal is an extension of our collaborative work with Dr. Eugene Chen (UMich), Dr. Wei Gao (PUHSC) and Dr. Yong Huo (PUHSC) attempting to mechanistically link oxidative stress, HDL biology and atherosclerosis in Chinese patients with CVD. We propose to develop state-of the art mass spectrometry based platform to identify and validate novel HDL protein markers that would predict risk of endothelial dysfunction in CVD patients. The proposed study will be the first to examine the roles of myeloperoxidase (MPO)-oxidized HDL and HDL proteome in vascular dysfunction in Chinese patients

Assistant: Barbara Turgyan (734) 764-3269

[email protected]




Martin A. Philbert, Ph.D. Dean, School of Public Health Professor of Toxicology University of Michigan [email protected] (313) 530-4450

Martin A. Philbert, Ph.D., research focuses on the development of flexible polymer nanoplatforms for optical sensing of ions and small molecules and the early detection and treatment of brain tumors. Other research interests include the mitochondrial mechanisms of chemically-induced neuropathic states. Dr. Philbert served as the Vice-Chair of the National Academies National Research Council (NCR) Committee for the Review of the Federal Strategy to Address Environmental, Health, and Safety Research Needs for Engineered Nanoscale Bisphenol A. Dr. Philbert served on the National Advisory Environmental Health Council of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and provides consultation to Federal agencies on a variety of issues surrounding emerging nanotechnologies. He is a Standing Member of the USFDA Science Advisory Board and the USEPA Board of Scientific Counselors.

Assistant: Sylvia Koski


Peter J. Polverini, D.D.S., DMSc Professor and Dean University of Michigan School of Dentistry [email protected] (734) 649-5852

Peter J. Polverini, D.D.S., DMSc , research focuses on angiogenesis (the growth of blood vessels) and its relationship to cancer and other diseases. He is the author or co-author of more than 150 scientific articles, textbooks, and chapters in textbooks; has made more than 80 presentations to groups in the U.S. and overseas; is an editorial consultant for more than 30 scientific journals and has four patents. Dr. Polverini is a Diplomate of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, a recipient of the Distinguished Scientist Award in Oral Medicine and Pathology from the International Association for Dental Research and a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences. Dr. Polverini was elected to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies in 2010.

Assistant: Susan Koehler (734) 763-3311

[email protected]




Carmen Cristina Rabadan-Diehl, Pharm.D., Ph.D. Deputy Director, Office of Global Health National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) National Institutes of Health (NIH) United States Director of the NHLBI Global Health Initiative Program [email protected] (301) 547-9390

Carmen Cristina Rabadan-Diehl, Pharm.D., Ph.D., is the Deputy Director of the Office of Global Health at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the US and the Director of the NHLBI Global Health Initiative Program. In addition to global health activities, her areas of scientific expertise include diabetes complications, hypertension, pre-clinical models of disease and developmental origins of adult disease. As a native Spanish speaker, Dr. Rabadán-Diehl is active in Hispanic cardiovascular disease and prevention outreach activities in the US. She is a Spokesperson for “The Heart Truth”, a national awareness campaign for women about heart disease and “We Can”, a national childhood obesity prevention program.

Assistant: Allison Borst

(301) 496-3620

Asher Shafton, M.D. House Officer, Internal Medicine University of Michigan Hospitals UMH H.O. Core Department of Internal Medicine University of Michigan Medical School

Asher Shafton, M.D., is a third year internal medicine resident at the University of Michigan. He is interested in international medicine and cardiology in particular. He and another resident from the University of Michigan have spent the month of September observing medical practices at Peking University. His and his fellow resident’s experiences will hopefully be the first of many future international rotations for University of Michigan residents. He will be a cardiology fellow at the University of Pittsburgh starting in July, 2012.

Thomas P. Shanley, M.D. Professor of Pediatrics & Communicable Diseases University of Michigan Medical School Director, Michigan Institute for Clinical and Health Research Associate Dean for Clinical and Translational Research

Thomas P. Shanley’s, M.D., clinical interests include management of pediatric hypoxemic respiratory failure and severe sepsis and septic shock. His research activity is broadly directed towards improving our understanding of the molecular basis of those inflammatory diseases afflicting critically ill children, notably sepsis and acute lung injury. A comprehensive approach incorporating basic science, translational and clinical research is taken. Investigation in basic science is principally directed at understanding the role of protein phosphatases in counter regulating inflammatory signal transduction. Additional efforts are aimed at understanding the role of Th2 cytokines, principally IL-10, in modulating the host response to viral infections in the lungs. On-going translational research, funded by the NIH, is directed at determining the role of phosphatases in mediating post-cardiopulmonary bypass and post-sepsis immunoparalysis. Clinical research efforts in the laboratory include




University of Michigan Medical School [email protected] (734) 972-7653

collaborative participation in the seminal study examining the genomics of pediatric sepsis using a microarray approach to determine the pattern of gene expression in pediatric septic shock. He is the site PI for C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital within the NICHD-sponsored Collaborative Pediatric Critical Care Research Network (CPCCRN) and is active in the Pediatric Acute Lung Injury and Sepsis Investigators Network. He is the current Secretary-Treasurer for the Society for Pediatric Research and the Federation of Pediatric Organizations (FOPO).

Assistant: Lynne Wardrop (734) 998-7606

[email protected]

Kathleen Sienko, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Departments of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering University of Michigan [email protected]

Kathleen Sienko, Ph.D., directs the Sensory Augmentation and Rehabilitation Laboratory (SARL) and the Laboratory for Innovation in Global Health Technology (LIGHT). SARL focuses on the design, development, and evaluation of medical devices, especially for balance-impaired populations such as individuals with vestibular loss, stroke, traumatic brain injury, peripheral neuropathy, and advanced age. LIGHT focuses on the co-creative design of low-cost and simple technology solutions to healthcare challenges in resource-limited settings. Prof. Sienko has led efforts at the University of Michigan to incorporate the constraints of global health technologies within engineering design at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and has established field sites in Ghana and China at which numerous devices have been conceptualized and refined in collaboration with local end users.

Assistant: Patty Freundl


Elizabeth K. Speliotes, M.D., Ph.D, MPH Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine Assistant Professor of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics [email protected] (617) 642-5497

Elizabeth K. Speliotes, M.D., Ph.D, MPH, area of reaserch uses human population based approaches (genome wide association studies, sequencing, genetic epidemiology) and is developing cell culture/mouse models of disease to elucidate the mechanisms that predispose individuals to developing obesity, nonalcoholic liver disease (NAFLD) and related metabolic diseases. With collaborators at the Second Hospital and Pinggu Hospital, she is collecting information and biological samples on a population based cohort from Pinggu with the aim of elucidating the genetic and environmental influences that predispose individuals to obesity, NAFLD and related metabolic diseases in China.

Assistant: Debbie Tanton (734) 647-2964

[email protected]




Antonia M. Villarruel, Ph.D, F.A.A.N. Associate Dean for Research and Global Affairs Professor & Nola J. Pender Collegiate Chair University of Michigan School of Nursing [email protected] (734 ) 615-9696

Antonia M. Villarruel, Ph.D, F.A.A.N., has an extensive background in health promotion and health disparities research and practice. Her research focuses on the development and testing of interventions to reduce HIV sexual risk among Mexican and Latino youth. Utilizing a community participatory approach, Dr. Villarruel has been the Principle Investigator and Co-Investigator of several NIH and CDC funded studies. She developed an effective evidence based intervention to reduce sexual risk behavior among Latino youth titled ¡Cuídate! (or Protect Yourself!). This program will be disseminated nationally by the CDC as part of their Diffusion of Evidence Based Interventions program.

Assistant: Mary Himich


Shaomeng Wang, Ph.D. Warner-Lambert/Parke-Davis Professor in Medicine Professor of Medicine, Pharmacology and Medicinal Chemistry Co-Director, Molecular Therapeutics Program University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center University of Michigan [email protected]

Dr. Wang’s primary research interest is the discovery and development of novel small-molecule therapeutics for the treatment of human cancer and other diseases and conditions. Dr. Wang has built a comprehensive drug discovery program at the U of M, which consists of three research laboratories. Our computational/informatics laboratory has the expertise in lead identification & lead optimization using structure-based methods and informatics. Our biology biochemistry/pharmacology lab has the capability and expertise for assay development, in-depth molecular mechanism studies in vitro and in vivo and evaluations of the biological activity of our designed compounds in relevant biochemical assays, cellular models & animal models of human cancer, as well as in vivo pharmacokinetics & pharmacodynamic analysis of our designed compounds in animal models. We have advanced two novel anticancer drugs into Phase I & Phase II human clinical trials and additional compounds in IND-enabling and advanced preclinical development.

Assistant: Karen Kreutzer (734) 615-3969

[email protected]

Thomas D. Wang's, M.D., Ph.D. research focuses on molecular imaging for early detection of cancer in the digestive tract, including colon, esophagus, stomach, and liver. He received a B.S. in Physics from Harvey Mudd College in 1985, Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from MIT in 1996, and M.D. from Harvard Medical School in 1998. He is P.I. of the NIH-funded Network for Translational Research (http://sitemaker.umich.edu/ntr). In addition, he is a board-certified gastroenterologist who has pioneered the development of wide-area fluorescence endoscopy, the dual axes confocal microscope, and clinical use of fluorescence-labeled peptides to detect pre-malignant




Thomas D. Wang, M.D., Ph.D. Associate Professor of Medicine & Biomedical Engineering University of Michigan [email protected] (734) 358-4205

lesions in the gastrointestinal tract.

Assistant: Michele Weston (734) 615-3059

[email protected]

James O. Woolliscroft, M.D. Dean, University of Michigan Medical School Lyle C. Roll Professor of Medicine [email protected]

James O. Woolliscroft, M.D., serves as Dean and the Lyle C. Roll Professor of Medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School. He is an internationally recognized scholar and medical educator. He has played major roles in medical student, resident and fellow education at the University of Michigan and nationally. His research interests in medical education have resulted in numerous publications, invited presentations and visiting professorships across the US and internationally. Dr. Woolliscroft was selected as the first Josiah Macy, Jr. Professor of Medical Education, an endowed professorship awarded through a national competition in 1996. In January 2001, he received a second endowed professorship, the Lyle C. Roll Professor of Medicine recognizing his work in enhancing the practice of medicine through education. In 2004, he received the SGIM Career Achievement in Medical Education Award. In 2008, he received the AAMC’s Group on Educational Affairs Merrel Flair Award. Previous administrative roles at the University of Michigan include Associate Chair in the Department of Internal Medicine, Chief of Staff of the University of Michigan Hospitals, Associate Dean and Director of Graduate Medical Education and the Executive Associate Dean of the University of Michigan Medical School.

Assistant: Liz Daniels


Kai Zheng, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, School of Public Health Department of Health Management and Policy Assistant Professor, School of Information Adjunct Assistant Professor, School of Nursing Division of Nursing Business and Health Systems [email protected] (412) 708-2202

Kai Zheng's, Ph.D., is Assistant Professor in Information Systems and Health Informatics jointly appointed in the School of Public Health Department of Health Management and Policy and School of Information at the University of Michigan. His research draws upon techniques from information systems research and human-computer interaction to study the use of information, communication, and decision technologies in patient care delivery and management. He is particularly interested in topics related to interaction design, workflow and sociotechnical integration, and diffusion and evaluation of health information technology.

Assistant:

Karen Phelps (734) 936-4174

[email protected]

umhs-puhsc joint institute for translational & clinical research

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