Accolades and Milestones
Mike Kraft, clinical nursing director for psychiatric nursing, set to retire
Please congratulate Mike Kraft, Clinical Nursing Director for Psychiatric Nursing, on his retirement from the U-M Health System. Mike came to the university in 2007 to lead the psychiatry areas, bringing with him 30 years of experience as a nursing leader at St. Joe’s and the Catherine McAuley Health Center. He was instrumental in expanding and improving inpatient, ECT, Psychiatry Emergency Services, Activity Therapy, and Child/Adolescent Psychiatry areas during his tenure at Michigan. Mike has served as a strong leader, supportive of his colleagues and dedicated to providing excellent, compassionate care. The organization will celebrate Mike on Thursday, Nov. 1…
Costas Lyssiotis, Ph.D. receives American Cancer Society Research Scholar Grant
Costas Lyssiotis, Ph.D., an Assistant Professor in the Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology was recently awarded the prestigious Research Scholar Grant from the American Cancer Society. The winning project will look at intratumoral metabolic crosstalk mechanisms in pancreatic cancer, studying how tumors survive and grow with the hope of developing targeted therapies. Howard Crawford, Ph.D. and Marina Pasca di Magliano, Ph.D. of the Department of Surgery are co-investigators. The award will provide $792,000 in support over 4 years.
J. Michelle Kahlenberg, M.D., PhD, celebrated for lupus research
Established in 2009, the annual Mary Betty Stevens Young Investigator Prize recognizes the remarkable accomplishments of an investigator in the early stages of their lupus career and memorializes Stevens’ outstanding contributions to lupus research throughout her career. It is given out by the Lupus Foundation of America. This year's winner is J. Michelle Kahlenberg, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor at Michigan Medicine! Kahlenberg has made substantial contributions to the field of lupus-related skin diseases. She is the principal investigator on an ongoing study analyzing how specific chemicals in lupus skin contribute to…
Hammer named president-elect of the Endocrine Society
Members of the Endocrine Society have elected five new officers and council members to lead the world’s oldest, largest and most active organization…
Barb Wetula is retiring
Barb Wetula will be retiring after 28 years of dedicated service to the U-M Health System. Barb began her career here in 1990 and has been an essential part of the department of Nursing ever since. She worked in many areas during her tenure - including Adolescent Psychiatry, Central Staffing Resources, and for many years as a staff specialist reporting to the Chief Nurse Executive. Her contributions to our nursing community are many. She has a long history in nursing and her leadership has touched hundreds of lives over these many years and her contributions have been invaluable. Barb’s last…
The Arthritis Foundation names U-M alumnus Rheumatologist of the Year
The Arthritis Foundation has announced Gary V. Gordon, MD, FACP, FACR as Rheumatologist of the Year. Gordon, who is a graduate of the U-M Medical School and now works in Wynnewood, Pa., was recently honored at the Arthritis Foundation’s 2018 BONE BASH Philadelphia event. Arthritis is a disease that affects more than 50 million Americans. "I am honored to receive this award, having committed my career to helping patients who suffer from various forms of arthritis," Gordon said. "The Arthritis Foundation makes a considerable effort raising money benefiting much needed medical research and…
Mmeje receives Passion for Public Health award
Okeoma Mmeje, M.D., recently received the Passion for Public Health award from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Mmeje, an assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Michigan Medicine and a member of the U-M Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, was recognized for her commitment to connecting her work to public health and positive impact on the health care system. Mmeje was recruited to U-M as part of the Presidential Admission Scholar program focused on Global HIV/AIDS in 2013. Her research focuses on national and international reproductive health, expedited partner therapy (prevention of sexually transmitted infections) as…
LaVaughn Palma-Davis honored for 30 years of service
Following a distinguished career spanning more than 30 years, LaVaughn Palma-Davis will retire from U-M in November. Palma-Davis has served as a leader in both the health care system and universitywide. She most recently served as the senior director for Health and Well-Being Services, providing guidance and support to more than 80 employees in numerous programs and services. Palma-Davis' commitment to health and well-being was instrumental in creating MHealthy, U-M’s wellness and risk reduction program. She also oversaw employee assistance counseling services; occupational health clinical services; and Project Healthy Schools, a…
Help celebrate Marna Flaherty-Robb’s retirement
Marna Flaherty-Robb is retiring on Nov. 1 after nine years as chief nursing informatics officer. Marna designed and developed the organization's Nursing Informatics Department and has successfully transitioned the nursing community into innovative and creative thinkers around technology that impacts the care nurses provide to patients and their families. Her gift as a strategic thinker has outlined a road map for the department that will support its continued successful partnership with Health Information Technology & Services. Please join the team in thanking Marna for all the contributions she has made to Michigan Medicine's nursing community. A retirement reception will take…