Multiple Karmanos researchers, WSU faculty members honored for their significant contributions to further education

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The Office of Faculty Affairs and Professional Development at Wayne State University’s (WSU) School of Medicine annually recognizes faculty who have made outstanding contributions in teaching, mentoring, research and leadership. This year, a number of faculty from Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute and the Department of Oncology at WSU were recipients of these awards, highlighting their significant contributions in education and more.

School of Medicine Awards

The Research Excellence Awards are given to faculty members who demonstrate excellence and achievement through research. Faculty members are awarded in the categories of basic science, clinical scientist and physician scientist. Those recognized with the Research Excellence Award are:

Basic Science

Clinical Scientist

  • Hilary Marusak, Ph.D., member of the PSDR Program, assistant professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences

Physician Scientist

There were a number of faculty honored with the College Teaching Award, given to those who have shown achievement and excellence through teaching at WSU’s School of Medicine. This year’s winners include:

  • Aiden Abidov, M.D., Ph.D., professor (clinical) FTA, Department of Internal Medicine
  • Rouba Ali-Fehmi, M.D., member of the TBM Research Team, professor (clinical), Department of Pathology
  • Siddhesh Aras, Ph.D., M.B.B.S., assistant professor (research educator), Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics
  • Gregory Auner, Ph.D., member of the Molecular Imaging (MI) Research Program, professor, Department of Surgery
  • Rafael Fridman, Ph.D., member of the TBM Research Team, professor, Department of Pathology
  • Edwin George, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor (clinical), Department of Neurology
  • David Ledgerwood, Ph.D., member of the PSDR Program, professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences
  • Sabeena Iqbal Malik, M.D., assistant professor (clinical), Department of Neurology
  • Hilary Marusak, Ph.D., member of the PSDR Program, assistant professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences
  • Kristen Purrington, Ph.D., MPH, member of the PSDR Program, assistant professor, Department of Oncology
  • Shaheena Raheem, D.O., assistant professor (clinical), Department of Internal Medicine
  • Manohar Ratnam, Ph.D., member of the MT Research Team, professor, Department of Oncology
  • Julie Samantray, M.D., M.P.H., associate professor (clinical), Department of Internal Medicine
  • Malathy Shekhar, Ph.D., member of the MT Research Team, professor, Department of Oncology
  • Ayman Soubani, M.D., member of the MT Research Team, professor (clinical), Department of Internal Medicine
  • Wael Taha, M.D., assistant professor (clinical), Department of Internal Medicine
  • Kay-Uwe Wagner, Ph.D., program leader of the TBM Research Team, professor, Department of Oncology
  • Jay Yang, M.D., medical oncologist, member of the Hematology Oncology MDT and the MT Research Team, associate professor (clinical), Department of Oncology

Dean’s Office Awards

Kezhong Zhang, Ph.D., member of the TBM Research Team, professor at the Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics received the Outstanding Research Achievement Award. This honor is given to a faculty member in a basic science or clinical department who has made significant and career-long contributions to the advancement of an area of biomedical, behavioral, clinical or medical research.

Abhinav Deol, M.D., medical oncologist, member of the Bone Marrow & Stem Cell Transplant (BMT), Hematology Oncology and Multiple Myeloma and Amyloidosis MDTs, member of the TBM Research Team and professor (clinical) in the Department of Oncology, won the Excellence in Clinical Science Teaching Award. This recognition is given to a faculty member who has left a mark of excellence and provided learners with a critical understanding of clinical medicine through long and mertirious clinical or behavioral science teaching.

Lauren Hamel, Ph.D., co-program leader of the PSDR Program, associate professor (research educator) in the Department of Oncology, won the Outstanding Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Faculty Scholar award for promoting the advancement of DEI related education, mentorship, service and scholarship.

Promotion and Tenure Awards

In addition, many more faculty members were awarded higher academic statuses:

  • Asif Alavi, M.D., now associate professor (clinical), Department of Oncology, medical oncologist, member of the BMT and Hematology Oncology MDTs, TBM program member
  • Abubaker Ali, M.D., now associate professor (clinical), Department of Surgery
  • Fadi Antaki, M.D., now professor (clinical) FTA, Department of Internal Medicine
  • Sudeshna Bandyopadhyay, M.B.B.S., now professor (clinical) FTA, Department of Pathology
  • Wei Chen, Ph.D., now professor (research educator), Department of Oncology, MI program member
  • Sorabh Dhar, M.D., now professor (clinical), Department of Internal Medicine
  • Rodrigo Fernandez-Valdivia, Ph.D., now associate professor (research educator) with tenure, Department of Pathology, TBM program member
  • Theresa Hastert, Ph.D., now associate professor (research educator) with 50 percent tenure, Department of Oncology, PSDR program member
  • Shakir Hussein, M.D., now associate professor (clinical) FTA, Department of Surgery
  • Prateek Lohia, M.D., M.H.A., now associate professor (clinical) FTA, Department of Internal Medicine
  • Francesca Luca, Ph.D., now professor (research educator), Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, PSDR program member
  • Rohit Marawar, M.D., now associate professor (clinical), Department of Neurology
  • Tamam Mohamad, M.D., now professor (clinical), Department of Internal Medicine
  • Robert Pique-Regi, Ph.D., now professor (research education), Departmentof Obsterics and Gynecology and the Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, PSDR program member
  • Kristen Purrington, Ph.D. MPH, now associate professor (research educator) with 50 percent tenure, Department of Oncology
  • Samantha Tarras, M.D., now associate professor (clinical), Department of Surgery
  • Zeng-Quan Yang, Ph.D., now professor (research educator), Department of Oncology, MT program member

Congratulations to the faculty members who were awarded higher academic status and to the 2022 Faculty Award winners. Click here to see the photo gallery from the awards ceremony.