The Wayne State University School of Medicine will present the inaugural Thematic Research Symposium on April 13 in the Margherio Family Conference Center in Scott Hall.

The symposium is part of the SOM Thematic Research Program, which seeks to enhance collaborations and promote joint grant applications, provide seed funding for innovative and collaborative projects, host quarterly research mini-symposia and an annual symposium to foster cross-disciplinary dialogue, and provide an informal platform to learn about our colleagues’ research.

The symposium is scheduled to take place from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. All WSU faculty, students, postdocs and trainees are welcome to attend. This is a free event, but registration is required for lunch.

The agenda includes:

8:30 to 9 a.m.: Coffee and doughnuts

9 to 9:20 a.m.: Introduction to the SOM Thematic Research Program: 2025 activity report and 2026 priorities and welcoming remarks

9:20 to 9:45 a.m.: Hayley Thompson, Ph.D., professor of Oncology, Community-Engaged Population Science Theme

9:45 to 10:10 a.m.: Gil Mor, M.D., Ph.D., scientific director of the C.S. Mott Center for Human Growth and Development, and John M. Malone Jr., M.D., Endowed Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, “Defending Two Lives: Immunity, Infection, and the Environmental Pressures of Pregnancy”

10:10 to 10:30 a.m.: Razanne Rafat Zaghloul, M.D. student (Advisor: Jitao Zhang, Ph.D., assistant professor of Biomedical Engineering)  Engineering-Oncology Theme, “Characterizing Stiffness Dynamics of Normal and Malignant Breast Epithelial Spheroids Using Brillouin Microscopy”
 
10:30 to 10:40 a.m.: break

10:40 to 11:05 a.m.: Matthew Allen, Ph.D., assistant vice president for Research and Innovation, and professor of Chemistry in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, “Divalent Complexes of Europium: From Chemistry to Hypoxia Imaging”

11:05 to 11:25 a.m.: Yasmeen Berry, M.D./Ph.D. student (Advisor: Ryan Thummel, Ph.D., interim associate dean of Research and Graduate Programs for the School of Medicine and associate professor of Ophthalmology, Visual and Anatomical Sciences), OVAS-Neuroscience Theme, “Mechanisms Underlying PFHxS-induced Neurobehavioral and Visual System Dysfunction”

11:25 to 11:45 a.m.: Michael Flynn, Ph.D. student (Advisor: Karin List, Ph.D., professor of Pharmacology), Pharmacology-Oncology/Neuroscience Theme, “Investigating the Role of the Serine Protease Matriptase in Corneal Epithelial Barrier Function and Repair”

11:45 a.m. to 12:10 p.m.: Arash Javanbakht, M.D., associate professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, and director the Stress, Trauma and Anxiety Research Clinic, Psychiatry-Neuroscience Theme, “Digital Neuroplasticity: AI and Mixed Reality for Neuroscience-Informed Trauma and Anxiety Treatment”

12:10 to 1 p.m.: Lunch and networking

1 to 1:25 p.m.: Sonia Hasan, M.D., associate vice president of Wayne State University’s Office of Women’s Health and professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, “SOS MATERNITY Network in Michigan: Bundles, Best Practice and Collaboration to Reduce Maternal and Infant Mortality”

1:25 to 1:50 p.m.: Heather Gibson, Ph.D., associate professor of Oncology, Oncology-I3D/Oncology Theme, “The Use of Genetically Heterogeneous Models to Identify Host-intrinsic Immune Regulators”

1:50 to 2:10 p.m.: Manessa Riser, Ph.D. student (Advisor: Tanja Jovanovic, Ph.D., professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Psychiatry-Neuroscience Theme, “Fear Learning Profiles in Youth: Converging Evidence Across Brain, Behavior and Physiology”

2:10 to 2:35 p.m.: Marianna Sadagurski, Ph.D., associate professor of Biological Sciences in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Metabolism/Systems Biology Theme, “Environmental VOC Exposures as 'Gerodrivers' of Metabolic Reprogramming in Brain Aging and Lifespan”

2:35 to 3 p.m.: Maik Hüttemann, Ph.D., professor of Molecular Medicine and Genetics, and of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, and division director for Research in the Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Metabolism/Systems Biology Theme, “Minimizing Brain Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury with Near Infrared Light: Working Toward Clinical Implementation”
 

3 to 3:30 p.m.: Coffee and cookies, research networking with Dean Wael Sakr, M.D., and speakers and participants