Waljee appointed assistant dean for global health research

Akbar K. Waljee, M.D., M.Sc., professor in the departments of Learning Health Sciences and Internal Medicine, has been appointed assistant dean for global health research in the Medical School. His role will extend beyond our borders as he oversees and fosters collaborations and partnerships at the international level. He works closely with the dean of the Office of Research to accelerate U-M’s partnerships in global health discoveries in research and advancements in health solutions internationally.

Waljee brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of success to his new role. Born in Nairobi, Kenya, his clinical and research interests are focused on improving health and healthcare access, quality, and efficiency, particularly in resource-constrained settings. He is known for leveraging advanced methodological approaches, including artificial intelligence, to improve decision-making and deliver effective, equitable care locally and globally. His current and prior grant funding are from Veterans Affairs Health Systems Research, NIH, the state of Michigan, and the Department of Defense.

As a professor of learning health sciences and internal medicine/gastroenterology and a research scientist at the VA Ann Arbor Center for Clinical Management Research, Waljee has not only fostered research collaborations locally and globally, but he also has played crucial leadership roles in the Michigan Integrated Center for Health Analytics and Medical Prediction (MiCHAMP), e-Health and Artificial Intelligence (e-HAIL), the IHPI Data and Methods Hub, and as director of the Data Collaborative at the Center for Global Health Equity. His leadership is a testament to his ability to lead and inspire.

Waljee earned his undergraduate degree in biology and medical degree from Emory University. He completed an internal medicine residency and gastroenterology and hepatology fellowship at the University of Michigan and joined the U-M Medical School as faculty in 2009.

Waljee will be working closely with Joseph C. Kolars, M.D., director of the Center for Global Health Equity at the University, and the medical school's global REACH programs to facilitate research initiatives at the medical school level and campuswide.