The Wayne State University School of Medicine recently announced the 2020 promotion of faculty members, and the names of five faculty who have attained tenure.

Those who received tenure include Nardhy Gomez-Lopez, Ph.D., associate professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology; Asfar Azmi, Ph.D., associate professor of Oncology; Nerissa Viola, Ph.D., associate professor of Oncology; Elizabeth Berger, Ph.D., associate professor of Ophthalmology, Visual and Anatomical Sciences; and Robert Wessells, Ph.D., associate professor of Physiology.

“Achievement of promotion and tenure is recognition that faculty members have attained advanced levels of academic excellence. Whether they are basic scientists or clinicians, being promoted to the next academic rank indicates that the faculty members have achieved excellence as effective educators, scholars, and/or providers of professional services,” said Basim Dubaybo, M.D., vice dean of Faculty Affairs and Professional Development. “They have become recognized locally, regionally and nationally as experts in their field of endeavor. They are also actively contributing to the academic careers of younger colleagues. Achievement of promotion and tenure is also a reflection of our academic environment. It is recognition that the university and the School of Medicine have created the nurturing environment needed to help faculty members achieve these milestones. We succeed when our faculty succeed.”

Dr. Berger received her doctoral degree from WSU in 2007, became a research assistant in 2009 and became an assistant professor in 2013.

“Being awarded tenure was quite personal for me for a couple of different reasons,” she said. “First, it is the recognition that the ideas and concepts that are generated within my lab are supported by levels of productivity and success that are valued and respected by my colleagues, the School of Medicine and the university. Second, as a working parent who had two additional children while on the tenure clock, it reinforced my own fortitude while also serving as a testament to the strength and support of my lab personnel – the latter of which is key to the achievements of any research program. The family I have both at home and at work are just as much a part of this process. Attaining tenure and promotion is a reflection of their hard work and support, as well.”

Dr. Gomez-Lopez, who also serves as section head of the Maternal-Fetal Immunobiology Unit, Perinatal Research Initiative in Support of the Perinatology Research Branch, joined the faculty in 2012.

“I am honored to receive the promotion of tenure at the Wayne State University School of Medicine. I am grateful to be part of the Perinatology Research Branch, whose translational research is dedicated to improving the lives of mothers and children,” she said. “This accomplishment was largely due to the successful collaborations that I have established in the intellectually stimulating environment within the Perinatology Research Branch. I am particularly grateful to Dr. Roberto Romero and Dr. Chaur-Dong Hsu for their continuous support of women in science.”

The announced promotions are listed by department below:

Anesthesiology
Zulfiqar Ahmed, M.D., clinical associate professor
Shushovan Chakrabortty, M.D., Ph.D., clinical professor
Maria Zestos, M.D., professor

Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics
Allison Jay, M.D., clinical associate professor

Emergency Medicine 
Robert Dunne, M.D., professor

Family Medicine and Public Health Services 
Juliann Binienda, Ph.D., professor
Lawrence Fischetti, Ph.D., adjunct associate professor
Tess McCready, D.O., clinical associate professor
Pierre Morris, M.D., clinical associate professor
Fatin Sahhar, M.D., clinical associate professor
Angela Tiura, Ph.D., associate professor

Internal Medicine 
Rana Awdish, M.D., associate professor
Zeenat Bhat, M.D., professor
Teena Chopra, M.D., professor
Josephine Dhar, M.D., clinical professor
Javier Diaz-Mendoza, M.D., associate professor
Tarik Hadid, M.D., associate professor
Raymond Hilu, M.D., associate professor
Nashat Imran, M.D., associate professor
Zyad Kafri, M.D., associate professor
Sachin Parikh, M.D., clinical associate professor
Preeti Ramappa, M.D., clinical associate professor
Lobelia Samavati, M.D., professor
Abdulghani Sankari, M.D., Ph.D., professor
Ghulam Saydain, M.D., professor
Herbert Smitherman Jr., M.D., M.P.H., professor
Vivek Soi, M.D., clinical associate professor
Neelima Thati, M.D., associate professor
Donald Tynes, M.D., clinical associate professor
Jarrett Weinberger, M.D., associate professor

Neurology 
Iram Zaman, D.O., clinical associate professor
Deepti Zutshi, M.D., associate professor

Neurosurgery
Victor Chang, M.D., clinical associate professor

Obstetrics and Gynecology
Nardhy Gomez-Lopez, Ph.D., associate professor (tenure)
Shari Maxwell, M.D., clinical associate professor

Office of Learning and Teaching
Zsa-Zsa Booker, Ph.D., academic advisor III
Simone Brennan, Ph.D., academic advisor IV
Sonal Patel, M.A., academic services officer III

Oncology
Asfar Azmi, Ph.D., associate professor (with tenure)
Jing Li, Ph.D., professor
Stephan Patrick, Ph.D., professor
Lisa Polin, Ph.D., professor
Nerissa Viola, Ph.D., associate professor (with tenure)
Ira Winer, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor
Jay Yang, M.D., associate professor

Ophthalmology, Visual and Anatomical Sciences 
Elizabeth Berger, Ph.D., associate professor (with tenure)

Orthopaedic Surgery
Vasilios Moutzouros, M.D., clinical professor

Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery
Robert Deeb, M.D., clinical associate professor
Zhengqing Hu, M.D., Ph.D., professor

Pathology
Janet Poulik, M.D., professor

Pediatrics
Premchand Anne, M.D., clinical associate professor
David DaCosta, M.D., clinical professor
Sharon Marshall, M.D., professor
Anita Moncrease, M.D., clinical professor
Lynn Smitherman, M.D., associate professor

Pharmacology
Ana de Carvalho, Ph.D., adjunct associate professor
Sokol Todi, Ph.D. (joint with Neurology), professor

Physiology
Nour-Eddine Rhaleb, Ph.D., professor
Robert Wessells, Ph.D., associate professor (with tenure)

Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences
Arash Javanbakht, M.D., associate professor
Lisa MacLean, M.D., associate professor
Mary Morreale, M.D., professor
Gerald Shiener, M.D., clinical professor

Radiology
Ishani Dalal, M.D., clinical associate professor
Brent Griffith, M.D., associate professor
Horia Marin, M.D., clinical professor
Gauravi Sabharwal, M.D., clinical associate professor
Courtney Scher, D.O., clinical associate professor
Biren Shah, M.D., clinical professor

Surgery
Alfred Baylor, M.D., associate professor
Lydia Choi, M.D. (joint with Oncology), associate professor
Zane Hammoud, M.D., professor
Surya Nalamati, M.D., clinical associate professor
Timothy Nypaver, M.D., clinical associate professor
Lindsay Petersen, M.D., clinical associate professor
Ilan Rubinfeld, M.D., professor

Urology
Ali Dabaja, M.D., clinical associate professor