Meet some of our surgeons—and your potential collaborators and mentors—and find out what makes them tick.
Here at Michigan Medicine Department of Surgery as part of the Michigan Promise, our goal is to create an environment where every individual thrives. Our passion drives everything we do, and we nurture that passion in others. Collaboration excites us, and our unique perspectives and diverse backgrounds make our work stronger.
We’re opening up our walls virtually, to show you not just what makes us, but who makes us—and what drives us as Michigan surgeons. We are surgeons, researchers, and educators. Get to know us. #WeAreUmichSurgery
Quotes
- 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."
- 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."
- 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."
- 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."
- 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."
- 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."
- 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."
- 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!"
- 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."
- 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."
- 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."
- Donnele Daley, MD, Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgeon: "It is a privilege to care for patients at the most vulnerable points of their lives, to conduct research on some of the most pressing issues in medicine, and to mentor and train the next generation of surgeons and scientists."
- 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."
- 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."
- 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."
- 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!”
- Michael Englesbe, MD, FACS, Transplant Surgeon: "We should always strive to do better. When we see senseless things happening in our systems of care, we should take note, gather data, and fix the problem."
- 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."
- Timothy Frankel, MD, Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgeon: "There is no more fulfilling and humbling part of my job than helping train future leaders of academic surgery."
- 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."
- 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."
- Brian George, MD, MAEd, FACS, Critical Care Surgeon: "We have our greatest impact through teaching the next generation of surgeons. It is they who will care for future patients, discover the next cure, reshape health systems, and ultimately teach a new generation of surgeons to take their place."
- 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."
- 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."
- 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."
- 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."
- David Hughes, MD, FACS, Endocrine Surgeon: "Teaching others the art and practice of medicine allows you to help a nearly infinite number of people when the physicians you've taught go on to care for and teach others."
- Tasha Hughes, MD, MPH, Oncology Surgeon: "I strive to provide care that is equitable, valuable and considerate to patient preference. Working to maximize all three fills my cup and brings me back to work every day."
- Andrew Ibrahim, MD, MSc, General Surgeon: "The real signature of a Michigan Surgeon is not just what you absorb from those around you, but what they help you discover and cultivate about yourself. The department's core value of diversity includes diversity of thought and career vision and is aggressively committed to developing your own vision and your own talent to move the field forward in a way that only you can do it. It's authentic. It's what makes a Michigan Surgeon."
- Grace Kim, MD, FACS, Minimally Invasive Surgeon: "I try to approach each patient with integrity, skill, and compassion knowing that it is an incredible privilege to be a surgeon and that every patient is unique and valued."
- Nadejda Bozadjieva Kramer, PhD, Research Scientist: "Our research efforts leverage both basic and translational science towards a better understanding of the critical factors behind metabolic dysfunction. My passion is to develop the best interventions to meet the enormous unmet needs of patients with obesity and metabolic disorders."
- Gifty Kwakye, MD, MPH, Colorectal Surgeon: "Our patients give us a gift by allowing us to be a part of their journey. My responsibility is to ensure we continue to train excellent surgeons who cherish that trust."
- 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."
- Megan Lane, MD, Plastic Surgery Resident: "Surgical training at Michigan is about learning to be courageous. It is about having the courage to lead in the operating room to take the best care possible for a patient. It is the courage to take on an ambitious research idea and make it a reality."
- Yongqing Li, MD, PhD, MS, Research Scientist: "Faith motivates me to take steps going forward in my life unseen, and genuine wisdom with humility will inspire me to discover targets for diagnosis and treatment of patients with sepsis."
- 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."
- 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."
- 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."
- Adeyiza Momoh, MD, Plastic Surgeon: "It is a privilege to provide cutting-edge reconstructive care to patients. It is both fulfilling and humbling to do this while training future generations of surgeons and conducting research that has a direct impact on patients."
- Michael Mulholland, MD, PhD, Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgeon: "A happy life is equal parts loving family and important work."
- 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!"
- 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."
- 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."
- 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."
- 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."
- 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."
- 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."
- Jeffrey Punch, MD, Transplant Surgeon: "Our patients experience miracles everyday. I'm privileged to be a part of them."
- 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."
- 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."
- 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."
- 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."
- 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."
- 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."
- 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."
- Christopher Sonnenday, MD, Transplant Surgeon: "Our greatest privilege as surgeons is to be invited into people's lives at their most vulnerable moments, and to be entrusted with walking alongside them through their journey. Traveling that path informs everything else we do, and inspires us to always be getting better."
- K. Elizabeth Speck, MD, Pediatric Surgeon: "We have the privilege of helping children and their families during their most vulnerable time. The bonus of being a surgeon at U-M is getting to share my passion with the next generation of #LeadersAndBest."
- Randall Sung, MD, Transplant Surgeon: "I am motivated to have a positive impact every day, whether with patient care, teaching, or supporting my colleagues."
- Pasithorn Suwanabol, MD, Colorectal Surgeon: "As a U-M faculty member, it is my privilege to provide care for our veterans and to train the next generation of surgeons."
- 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."
- Valeria Valbuena, MD, General Surgery Resident: "I want to inspire others to believe fearlessly in their dreams. To reinvent our field's definition of excellence and transform surgery into a specialty where everyone can thrive."
- 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."
- 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."
- 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."
- 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."
- 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."
- 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."
- 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."
- Weiping Zou, MD, PhD, Research Scientist: "Cancer is a global disease and touches nearly every family in some way. Cutting-edge research drives the mission to increase survivorship and improve outcomes. There is hope found in combination therapy – including conventional therapy (surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy) and immunotherapy. I am pleased and honored to be a part of the University of Michigan's front line in cancer immunology and immunotherapy research."
