Cancer & Tumor Biology
Through a broad portfolio of research, we seek to understand the mechanisms that trigger adrenal cancer, pancreatic cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, and other cancers. For the clinic, we’re developing new treatment approaches — including the development of a new implantable device designed to catch circulating cells before they become tumors, and a novel use of cryoablation as an alternative to surgery for patients with early-stage breast cancer. In the lab, we’re investigating the link between the genetic regulation of stem cells and the role this may play in adrenal cancers — a vital first step toward finding better treatments.
Programs & Investigators
Drug Discovery
New medicines change our perception of what’s possible. We’re working to create vaccines aimed against cancer stem cells, killing cells within the tumor that give rise to new cells, and we’re creating new drugs from natural products, including the Physalis longifolia plant, which has been shown to be highly effective against melanoma, breast cancer, thyroid cancer, colon cancer, glioblastoma, and others.
Programs & Investigators
Health Services & Outcomes
Michigan General Surgery has one of the strongest portfolios of health services and outcomes research in the country. Our faculty serve as leaders and members of multiple statewide quality improvement organizations and other consortia designed to improve patient care, reduce costs, and socialize better methods of care delivery to help more patients in more hospitals. Through the U-M Center for Healthcare Outcomes & Policy (CHOP), we also offer 5 training programs for aspiring health policy and health services researchers.
Programs & Investigators
- U-M Center for Healthcare Outcomes & Policy (CHOP)
- Michigan Bariatric Surgery Collaborative (MBSC)
- Michigan Trauma Quality Improvement Program (MTQIP)
- Michigan Surgical Quality Improvement Program (MSQC)
- Michigan Value Collaborative (MVC)
- Justin B. Dimick, MD, MPH
- Lesly Dossett, MD, MPH
- Brian George, MD, MAEd
- Amir A. Ghaferi, MD, MS
- Mark Hemmila, MD
- Samantha Hendren, MD, MPH
- Hari Nathan, MD, PhD
- Scott Regenbogen, MD, MPH
- Amy Suwanabol, MD
- Dana A. Telem, MD, MPH
Obesity & Metabolic Disease
From clinical outcomes of bariatric surgery to basic research into the role of immunity and inflammation in regulating metabolic dysfunction, we seek new insights into the most effective treatments for obesity and metabolic disease.
Programs & Investigators
- Michigan Bariatric Surgery Collaborative
- Obesity-Adipose Tissue Research Laboratory
- Seeley Peripheral Hormones Lab
- Sandoval Obesity & Diabetes Research
- Justin B. Dimick, MD, MPH
- Jonathan F. Finks, MD
- Amir A. Ghaferi, MD, MS
- Michael Mulholland, MD
- Robert W. O’Rourke, MD
- Randy J. Seeley, MD
- Oliver A. Varban, MD
- Weizhen Zhang, MD, PhD
Surgical Education
Investigators within the Department of Surgery are working on some of the biggest issues in surgical education with the ultimate goal to ensure that newly graduated surgeons are competent. Our work includes theoretical and basic research, application of new techniques, dissemination of our innovations, and regular interactions with national policy makers to ensure that the most refined data and methods influence decisions.
Programs & Investigators
Acute Care Surgery
Trauma, burn, and critical care researchers in General Surgery tackle a broad portfolio of problems. Working to prevent childhood burns through prevention education; using crash data to inform the design of more representative crash-test dummies; and to develop new treatments for severely injured and critically ill patients, including those with traumatic brain injury, acute lung injury and sepsis in a way that improves long-term quality of life for patients.
Programs & Investigators
- Trauma Research Laboratory – Investigation of biologic mechanisms of injury
- International Center for Automotive Medicine
- Morphomic Analysis Group
- Injury Research Center
- Trauma Burn Center
- Hasan B. Alam, MD
- Susumu Ejima, PhD
- Matthew Delano, MD
- Mark Hemmila, MD
- Yongqing Li, MD, PhD
- David Machado-Aranda, MD
- Suresh Madathilparambil, PhD
- Krishnan Raghavendran, MD
- Stewart Wang, MD, PhD
Trauma, Burn, and Surgical Critical Care Clinical Trials
Sponsors
- American Burn Association
- Department of Defense
- Massey Foundation
- NHLBI Prevention and Early Treatment of Acute Lung Injury Network
Available Clinical Trials
- ABRUPT - The Acute Burn ResUscitation Multicenter Prospective Trial
- ACCUTE – Early therapy for necrotizing fasciitis
- CLOVERS – Early volume versus early vasopressors in septic shock
- CODA – Surgery versus antibiotic management in appendicitis
- IRC-005 – Convalescent plasma in severe influenza
- ROSE – Early neuromuscular blockade and outcomes in acute lung injury
- Sepsis immunotherapy – Targeting immune function in septic shock
- SiVent – Sigh ventilation in preventing ARDS
- VIOLET – Vitamin D in reducing mortality in critical illness
- VPA – Testing of valproic acid in patients with hemorrhagic shock
Physicians
