Scope - July 2026 | The Scope

Dean's Welcome Message

It has been an absolute privilege to connect with so many of you as I serve as your Interim Dean and Interim Executive Vice President for Health Affairs. Immersing myself in this community has been incredibly rewarding, and I feel a profound sense of optimism about the path before us.
One of our most significant milestones together is the finalization of our new 10-year business agreement with Fairview Health Services and M Physicians (UMP). This agreement brings long-term clarity and stability to our academic health enterprise, giving our faculty, researchers, and learners the secure foundation they need to do their best work.
With this strong footing beneath us, we are shifting our focus toward building our next strategic plan. This will be a truly collaborative effort, not a top-down mandate. I look forward to listening to you and gathering input from across our departments and campuses so we can shape our path forward together.
As we embark on this new chapter, we are also welcoming several wonderful colleagues into interim leadership roles across the health sciences. The fresh perspectives they bring, paired with the deep dedication of our existing teams, infuse our mission with a powerful new energy.
As you read this edition of The Scope, I hope you feel the momentum we are building. Thank you for your partnership, your candor, and your shared dedication to serving the people of Minnesota.

Featured Stories

Advancing Inclusive Care at the 2026 Special Olympics

From June 20-26, more than 3,000 athletes visited the University of Minnesota as a part of the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games. True to form, sports medicine faculty and staff in the University of Minnesota Department of Family Medicine and Community Health came together to create something special for learners and athletes alike.
Welcoming a New Era in Immunology

Internationally recognized immunologists Drs. Carla Rothlin and Souray Ghosh have joined the University of Minnesota as directors of the Center for Immunology. Their lab's groundbreaking research on immune regulation and tissue repair is shaping a vision for the center’s next era.
Inspiring the Next Generation of Rural Physicians

As admissions manager at the CentraCare Regional Campus St. Cloud, Stephanie Kroll connects prospective students with opportunities to explore medicine and supports the campus’s rural health mission. Her outreach, recruitment efforts and community events are helping cultivate future physicians committed to serving rural communities.

Congratulations

Drs. Carlos Aispur, Ryan D’Mello, Maryam Farooqui, William Knopp, Andrew Lyman-Buttler, Nancy Nelson, Samuel Olson, Fariha Qureshi, Emily Ruba, and Michael A. Schroeder-Toya
2026 Department of Family Medicine and Community Health Awards
Congratulations to the faculty and trainees honored at the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health’s 2026 commencement ceremony! Awardees were recognized for excellence in scholarship, teaching, justice and equity, and their commitment to educating the next generation of family medicine physicians.
Dr. Susan Berry
2026 David W. Smith Award for Excellence in Genetics and Birth Defects Education
Dr. Berry has received the American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Genetics’ biennial teaching award, which recognizes individuals with a long and distinguished history of educating AAP members about genetics and birth defects.
Dr. Melissa Brunsvold
May 2026 Office of Graduate Medical Education Partnership Award
Dr. Brunsvold received the OGME Partnership Award, which recognizes colleagues who help the Office of Graduate Medical Education and others achieve success. She was honored for writing and appearing in a series of Excellence in Clinical Teaching videos that will be used in upcoming faculty development workshops.
Dr. Monica Campos
NIH Grant to Study Early Immune Responses to Tuberculosis
Dr. Campo and her research team received a five-year, $3.8 million grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to investigate how lung immune cells influence the earliest stages of tuberculosis infection. The study aims to identify protective immune responses that could inform improved tuberculosis prevention strategies.
Dr. Devaleena Das
2026 American Council of Learned Societies Fellowship
Dr. Das received an ACLS Fellowship for her project, “Grief as Feminist Pedagogy: Rural Care, Community, and Medical Education.” Her work examines how grief can inform approaches to care, community engagement and medical education in rural settings.
Dr. Sean Elliott
American Association of Genitourinary Surgeons Membership
Dr. Elliott was elected to active membership in the American Association of Genitourinary Surgeons, an invitation-only organization of leading academic urologists limited to 75 active physicians. The honor recognizes his leadership in reconstructive urology and sustained contributions to research, education and patient care.
Dr. Cheyenna Espinoza
April 2026 Office of Graduate Medical Education VIP Partnership Award
Dr. Espinoza received the OGME VIP Partnership Award, which recognizes colleagues who help the Office of Graduate Medical Education and others achieve success. She was honored for representing the University at the 2026 Student National Medical Association Annual Medical Education Conference, which supports and advances underrepresented minority medical students.
Dr. Gülin Öz
2026 Carole J. Bland Award for Outstanding Faculty Mentoring
Dr. Öz received the Carole J. Bland Award for Outstanding Faculty Mentoring, which recognizes a University of Minnesota Medical School faculty member for exceptional dedication to supporting and guiding others. She was honored for her collaborative approach to mentorship and commitment to helping colleagues and trainees grow professionally and personally.
Dr. Rui Zhang
2026 AIMBE College of Fellows
Dr. Zhang was inducted into the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering College of Fellows, one of the highest professional distinctions for medical and biological engineers. Representing the top 2% of professionals in the field, he was recognized for pioneering clinical large-language model reasoning and artificial intelligence frameworks that advance disease research and therapeutic discovery

News Around the Med School

Staff with Purpose and Passion: Emily Grey
Department of Pediatrics
Dynamic Duo Earns Randy Shaver High Impact and Angel Award
Center for Genome Engineering
Cailean Dakota MacColl Honors Family Roots and Resilience at Graduation
Medical School
Family Medicine Resident Spotlight: Dr. Sydney Geiger
Department of family medicine & Community Health
A Hunch in the Lab Leads Dr. Alexa Weingarden to BIRCWH Fellowship
Department of medicine
Why I'm a Scientist: Dr. Fang Li
Department of Pharmacology
Matthew L. Reznicek, "Tales of Health: Illness, Disability, and Citizenship in the Romantic National Tale"
Department of Surgery
The (Literal) Pulsing Heart of Medtronic’s Relationship with the University of Minnesota
visible heart lab
Bridging the Healthcare Gap in Uganda Through Local Empowerment
Department of anesthesiology
Why I'm a Scientist: Dr. Devaleena Das
Department of family medicine & biobehavioral health
Healthy Eating, Nutrition and Body Image: Katie Loth, PhD’s Research
department of family medicine & community health
Advancing Clinical Sexual Health with Dr. Chiara Acquati
Department of family medicine & Community Health
Alumni Spotlight: Dr. Joshua Stein Champions Mental Health Care for Children in Minnesota
Department of family medicine & Community Health
BRAINS (Behind Real-World Advances: Inspiring Neuro Stories) — a documentary series from the BRAINERY
department of psychiatry & behavioral sciences
11-year-old finally gets relief from acid reflux after first-in-the-world procedure for children
department of pediatrics