Connecting the Diabetes, Obesity, Metabolism, and Related Complications Community at the University of Michigan | | |
In this Issue...
* CDI Staff Spotlight
* Institute Happenings
* Training & Mentoring
* Awards & Accolades
* In the News
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* Faculty Publications
* Professional Opportunities
* CDI Community Partnerships
* Funding Opportunities
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CDI Spotlights...Amanda McGuire
We’re delighted to welcome Amanda McGuire to the CDI team!
Amanda brings 16 years of experience at Michigan Medicine, most recently serving as Project Coordinator for the Sound Support Program in the Hearing Rehabilitation Center. With a strong background in program coordination and a passion for meaningful work, she’s a wonderful addition to our community.
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As an Administrative Specialist, Amanda will lead planning for CDI events, including our seminar series and annual symposium, while supporting membership engagement across the institute. Outside of work, she enjoys crafting, making custom cups, and singing karaoke (we’re already curious about her go-to song!).
Please join us in giving Amanda a warm welcome. We’re excited for all she will bring to CDI.
| | RSVP and submit questions for the Q&A here. | | |
Join us this week!
CDI Town Hall Luncheon
This Thursday, we're kicking off our first town hall of the year! The luncheon runs from 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. and includes brief presentations from CDI leadership and faculty.
To conclude the event, CDI Director Martin Myers, MD, PhD, will host a lab meeting for NCRC PIs and lab managers starting at 1:30 p.m. All those with an interest are invited to attend the meeting.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Thursday, February 19, 2026
12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
NCRC Research Auditorium (B10)
Click here for the full agenda.
| | 6th Annual Diabetic Foot Conference | | |
Saturday, February 28, 2026 | 8:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Frankel Cardiovascular Center | Danto Auditorium
ATTENDANCE IS FREE!
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Join the Freezer Challenge: Save Energy, Protect Cold Storage Health!
A laboratory freezer can use as much energy in a year as a residential home! Learn how you can reduce your lab's carbon footprint (and reduce costs) by participating in the Freezer Challenge.
Participants have a chance to win up to $250 in grant funding to support cold storage best practices and sustainable lab innovations.
Learn More
| | Baking Spirits Bright: 2025 CDI Holiday Bake-Off | | "Nerdy Cookies" courtesy of Frederike (Rike) Sass, a postdoctoral fellow in the Myers Lab. | Rosemary Sea Salt Pretzel Knots courtesy of Ainsley Caldwell, a research specialist in the Goforth Lab. | | |
CDI colleagues showcased their baking expertise with deliciously sweet and/or savory goods, and creativity to match. Three talented winners were chosen from the very stiff competition! See the winners below:
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Best Savory:
Rosemary Sea Salt Pretzel Knots
Ainsley Caldwell
Best Sweet:
Vietnamese Coffee Brownies
John-Paul Pham
Best Presentation:
Nerdy Cookies
Rike Sass
Best Overall & Wooden Spoon Winner:
Rosemary Sea Salt Pretzel Knots
Ainsley Caldwell
| | Congratulations to our 2025 Bake-Off Champions, and a special thank you to everyone who helped make this year's event a success. Start bookmarking those recipes now, and we'll see you at the 2026 CDI Holiday Bake-Off! | |
NEW: Mentee and Mentor Award Program
Have a mentor or mentee who you feel demonstrates excellence, leadership, and inclusivity?
Our new CDI Mentee-Mentor Awards Program celebrates these dynamic pairings across four distinct categories:
- Outstanding Mentee
- Distinguished Mentor
- Peer Mentor Recognition
- Community Engagement, Outreach & Service
Don't wait! Make a nomination today as the deadline is quickly approaching!
All nominations are due Friday, February 27.
| | NEW: Caswell Diabetes Institute Faculty & Staff Awards Nomination Program | | The Caswell Diabetes Institute (CDI) Faculty & Staff Awards Nomination Program was created to elevate and expand recognition of our outstanding faculty and staff, both within the University of Michigan and on the national stage. CDI is working to highlight and celebrate the exceptional contributions of our community members by proactively identifying, nominating, and supporting candidates for university-wide and prestigious national honors. | | | |
We're currently seeking nominations for the U-M Research Staff Awards (nominations due February 20), which recognize the vital research contributions of staff at the University of Michigan.
We welcome nominations of deserving faculty and staff and invite interested volunteers to serve on the program committee that will prepare and submit staff award nominations.
Join us in celebrating excellence—nominate a colleague or amplify their impact by joining the nomination committee! Contact Chris Clay at cjsommer@umich.edu for more details.
| | Call for Nominations: Office of Patient Experience Hope Awards | | | | |
Who comes to mind when you think of someone who truly goes above and beyond to elevate the patient experience?
Celebrate their impact by nominating them for the Office of Patient Experience’s HOPE Awards.
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Nominations are open to faculty, staff, teams, residents/fellows, and students. Click the link to learn more and submit your nomination.
Learn More
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Eva Feldman, MD, PhD, to Receive Muraszko Award
Dr. Eva Feldman, along with Dr. Dawn Kleindorfer, will receive the Karen Muraszo, MD, Advancing Women in Academic Medicine and Science Award at the fourth annual Celebrating the Advancement of Women in Academic Medicine and Science ceremony.
The event takes place on February 26 in the Kahn Auditorium in the Alfred Taubman Biomedical Science Research Building from 3-5 p.m.
Learn More
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Drs. Lynn Ang and Nazanene Esfandiari Lead Michigan Medicine to Top Performer Status in GC eQUIPS Benchmark Report
Michigan Medicine was recently honored as a top performer in the Fall 2025 GC eQUIPS Benchmark Report for the critical care category thanks to the leadership of Lynn Ang, MD, and Nazanene Esfandiari, MD. The health system qualified in the following four categories:
Critical care
- Patient Days less than 70; Percentage Day Weighted Mean greater than or equal to 180
- Patient Days less than 70; Percentage Day Weighted Mean Blood Glucose for Population
- Patient Days less than 70; Percent Readings per Stay in Range
- Patient Days less than 54; Weighted Mean Blood Glucose for the Population
This marks the second time in one year that Michigan Medicine has been honored as a top performer in the Benchmark Report. Congratulations on this remarkable honor.
| | Cassie Robertson, PhD, Awarded 2026 Fernandez Buddin Type 1 Diabetes Fellowship Grant | | |
Dr. Cassie Robertson has received the Fernandez Buddin Type 1 Diabetes Fellowship Grant for her project, “Investigating islet mechanisms in type 1 diabetes using long-read single-nucleus sequencing under basal and proinflammatory conditions.”
Dr. Robertson is a post-doctoral research fellow in computational medicine and bioinformatics, currently working with the Parker Lab.
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Kate Bauer, PhD, Receives Impact Institutes Award
We are proud to celebrate Kate Bauer, PhD, MS, on receiving an Impact Institutes Award. As part of its inaugural seed funding cycle, the Impact Institutes selected 10 new institutes across U-M for support.
Dr. Bauer will serve as Director of the newly established Institute for Food, Nutrition, and Health Policy (IFNHP). As a hub for innovative, community-informed policy research, leadership development, and trusted expertise, the IFNHP will help shape health-focused food and nutrition legislation, regulations, and programming.
Learn more
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Melissa Elafros, MD, PhD, and Karen Peterson, DSc, Secure Key Grants to Advance Nutrition and Global Health Equity Research
Drs. Melissa Elafros and Karen Peterson are among the U-M faculty honored with Global Health Awards from the Center for Global Health Equity.
Dr. Elafros, serving as PI, and her team received an Impact Accelerator Grant of up to $100,000 to support their project, "Kukalamba Ndi Ulemu: Dementia and Aging Research in Urban Zambia."
Dr. Peterson and her team were awarded a seed grant of up to $35,000 for their project, "Determining the Balance Between Diet Quality and Sustainability Across Generations and Within a Real-World Urban Mexico Sample."
Congratulations to both teams on this well-deserved recognition and on advancing impactful global health research!
Learn More
| | Note: Some links may require a subscription to access. | | Photo Credit: Getty Images | | | Professional Opportunities | |
Building Industry Partnerships Webinar Series
The Office of Research Development is launching a new webinar series designed specifically for U-M researchers that explores why industry collaborations matter and how to build partnerships that advance shared research and development goals.
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The series kicks off on February 25 at noon and offers practical insights, strategies, and guidance for developing productive, mutually beneficial industry relationships.
Learn More
| | CDI Community Partnerships | | Join Our Teams! Register or Donate Today | | |
Breakthrough T1D Walk
2026
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Sunday, May 3, 2026
9:00 a.m.
Rolling Hills Country Park
Prairie Pavilion
7660 Stoney Creek Rd.
Ypsilanti Township, MI
Join the CDI team and raise just $50 to receive a CDI drawstring backpack!
| | | 2026 ADA Tour de Cure: Michigan | |
Saturday, June 13, 2026
6:30 a.m.
Domino's Farm Petting Farm
3001 Earhart Rd.
Ann Arbor, MI
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Let's Stay Connected
We would love to "Dialogue" with you! If you have stories, information, or events related to diabetes, obesity, metabolism, and their complications that you wish to share, please email Ericka Hudson-Thomas at hudsone@med.umich.edu.
| | Emails going into your "junk" folder? Add michigandiabetes@med.umich.edu to your Safe Senders list in Outlook. Under the Home tab choose either the Junk icon or the ellipsis (...) on the far right. Click Junk, then Junk Email Options, where you will see the Safe Senders tab. | | | | |
