September 2025 Experts Highlights & Announcements

Buis named associate chair for Research Programs, Department of Family Medicine 
Laurie Buis, Ph.D., MSI, professor of family medicine, was named the associate chair for Research Programs and the Dr. Max and Buena Lichter Research Professorship in Family Medicine. Buis’ research and scholarship focus on rapidly evolving technology, health promotion, lifestyle and behavior change, and chronic disease self-management.  

Parekh to serve as IHPI policy faculty advisor

IHPI welcomes Anand Parekh, M.D., M.P.H., as the new Policy Engagement and External Relations (PEER) faculty advisor. Parekh will provide strategic advice to PEER team and oversee the annual IHPI Policy Impact Award, provide input on the highly regarded Impact Accelerator Policy & Communications Training Program for faculty, and provide guidance on policy-related events. He joined the School of Public Health as their inaugural chief health policy officer.

Prescott, Tipirneni, Zebrack, and Zivin, named MICHR distinguished research mentors
The Michigan Institute for Clinical and Health Research (MICHR) announced the 2025 Distinguished Clinical and Translational Research Mentor Award Recipients. Four IHPI members were recognized for significant contributions to the research environment at the University of Michigan and their exceptional dedication and commitment to serve as mentors in the field of clinical and translational science. IHPI awardees included:

2025 MICHR Distinguished Clinical and Translational Research Mentor Award

• Hallie C. Prescott, M.D., M.Sc., Toews Family Legacy Professor of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine and Associate Professor in Internal Medicine, Medical School
• Brad Zebrack, Ph.D., M.S.W., M.P.H., Professor of Social Work, School of Social Work, and member of the Rogel Cancer Center, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, Medical School
• Kara Zivin, Ph.D., M.S., M.A., M.F.A., Marcia A. Valenstein, MD, Collegiate Professor of Psychiatry and Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School; Professor of Health Management and Policy, School of Public Health; Research Career Scientist, Department of Veterans Affairs; and Senior Health Researcher, Mathematica, Ann Arbor, Michigan

2025 MICHR Clinical and Translational Research Faculty Peer Mentor Award

• Renuka Tipirneni, M.D., M.Sc., Associate Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Medical School, and Associate Professor of Health Management and Policy, School of Public Health