March 22, 2021

Dr. Badr recognized with American Academy of Sleep Medicine's Kleitman Distinguished Service Award

M. Safwan Badr, M.D., M.B.A., chair of the Wayne State University School of Medicine Department of Internal Medicine, has been recognized by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine with a prestigious award.

An internationally recognized expert and researcher on sleep disorders, Dr. Badr received the 2021 Nathaniel Kleitman Distinguished Service Award for dedication to the sleep field and significant contributions in the areas of administration, public relations and government affairs.

M. Safwan Badr, M.D., M.B.A.

“I am honored to be the recipient of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine 2021 Nathaniel Kleitman Distinguished Service Award,” said Dr. Badr, chief of the WSU Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, and a staff physician at the John D. Dingell VA Medical Center. “Being recognized by my AASM family means a lot to me, as I have always viewed serving sleep medicine as a true labor of love. In fact, I feel very fortunate for being part of this journey and for witnessing the growth of this field from an esoteric scientific endeavor to an independent discipline helping people live better and healthier lives.”

A professor of Internal Medicine, of Physiology and of Biomedical Engineering, Dr. Badr has been a leading advocate for promoting high quality, patient-centered sleep care. He served as president of the AASM from 2013-2014, challenging the academy to consider new paradigms of care. He is the founding director of the Wayne State University School of Medicine sleep medicine fellowship program and has mentored numerous trainees and junior faculty members who have launched successful academic careers. He continues to support young physician scientists as a faculty member for the AASM Young Investigators Research Forum and as a mentor in the AASM Foundation’s Sleep Research Program for Advancing Careers.

His research has advanced the understanding of ventilatory control and airway mechanics during sleep.

A member of the WSU faculty since 1996, Dr. Badr serves on the board of directors of the American Board of Internal Medicine.

He will be recognized by the academy for his contributions to the field of sleep medicine during the academy’s Virtual SLEEP annual meeting June 10.

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