We are pleased to announce the appointment of Kanakadurga Singer, M.A., M.D., as assistant dean for tenure track faculty in the Medical School, effective Nov. 1, 2022. She will provide oversight of tenure track faculty appointments and promotions and advancement, and serve as an advocate for tenure track faculty in the Medical School and University.
The Valerie Castle Opipari, M.D., Professor of Pediatrics and an associate professor of pediatric endocrinology and molecular and integrative physiology, she also serves as a faculty advisor in the Office of Faculty Development, and associate director and faculty ally of the Graduate Program in Immunology. She is active in the Office of Faculty Development and with diversity, equity and inclusion activities, and she currently serves as vice-chair of the Senate Advisory Committee on University Affairs.
After earning a B.A./M.A degree from Johns Hopkins University, Dr. Singer completed her M.D. degree from the University of Michigan Medical School. She also completed her pediatrics residency and her pediatric endocrinology fellowship at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital. She joined the U-M faculty in 2012 and has been supported by grants from the American Heart Association, the Taubman Emerging Scholars Program, the Janette Ferrantino Junior Investigator Award, and grants from the National Institutes of Health National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
Her research focuses on understanding the cellular and endocrine dynamics leading from energy intake to an increase in adipose tissue mass and adipose tissue inflammation. Her lab has been investigating how high fat diet alters hematopoietic stem cells and myeloid precursors contributing to systemic obesity-induced meta-inflammation and metabolic disease, with a focus on understanding sex-differences in metabolic and cardiovascular disease.
Please join us in congratulating Dr. Singer on her appointment as assistant dean, and also in thanking Kevin C. Chung, M.D., M.S., for his tremendous service in this role for many years.
Sincerely,
Marschall S. Runge, M.D., Ph.D.
Dean, University of Michigan Medical School
Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs
CEO, Michigan Medicine
Debra F. Weinstein, M.D.
Executive Vice Dean for Academic Affairs, Professor of Learning Health Sciences and Internal Medicine, Medical School
Chief Academic Officer, Michigan Medicine
Brian J. Zink, M.D.
Senior Associate Dean for Faculty and Faculty Development
Professor of Emergency Medicine