Department of Family Medicine & Public Health Sciences Marks 10th Annual Research Day in 2026 with Focus on Clinical Impact and Community Engagement
The Department of Family Medicine & Public Health Sciences hosted its 10th Annual Research Day on April 16, 2026, at the Integrative Biosciences Center (IBIO). The event showcased multidisciplinary clinical and public health research and scholarship from Medical Residents, Medical Students, Master of Public Health Students, and Faculty Mentors, highlighting the Department’s commitment to advancing research that improves patient and community health.
This milestone event drew record attendance, including not only DFMPHS trainees and faculty, but also community partners, and faculty and students from across the School of Medicine and other university departments—underscoring the growing reach and collaborative impact of the department’s research enterprise.
The keynote address was delivered by Herbert C. Smitherman, Jr., MD, MPH, FACP, Professor of Medicine at the Wayne State University School of Medicine and President & CEO of Health Centers Detroit Foundation, Inc., who presented “Against the Headwinds – Tested, Targeted and Transformative: Advancing Public Health in a System Built Against It.” His remarks challenged attendees to pursue innovative and equity-focused approaches to public health within complex systems.
Three outstanding oral presentations were recognized, representing each trainee category:
•Medical Resident: Samar Haroun, MD, presented “Wraparound Care as a Population Health Strategy for Recovery After Community Violence: A Mixed Methods Evaluation of Detroit Life Is Valuable Everyday (DLIVE).” Mentors: Tolulope Sonuyi, MD, MSc, James E. Blessman, Jr, MD, MPH, and Youcheng Liu, MD, MPH
•Medical Student: Emily Yao, BS, presented “Determinants of Perceived Disease Severity Among Men with Low-Risk Prostate Cancer: Implications for Shared Decision-Making and Active Surveillance.” Mentor: Jinping Xu, MD, MS
•MPH Student: Keele Thomas, BS, presented “Estimating the Relationship Between Lifetime History of Drug Use and Major Depressive Episode Among U.S. Adolescents.” Mentor: Samatha Bauer, PhD, MS
The poster session featured 25 presentations across practicum, quality improvement, and research categories. Topics reflected a broad and timely scope, including maternal health equity, cardiovascular health education, artificial intelligence applications in behavioral counseling, and nutrition-related decision-making.
Department Chair Jinping Xu, MD, MS, noted the significance of the milestone: “Reaching our 10th annual Research Day is an important moment for reflection. Over the past decade, this event has evolved into more than a showcase of scholarship—it represents who we are as a department: collaborative, inquisitive, and deeply committed to improving the health of the communities we serve.” She emphasized that the work presented reflects “academic excellence and innovation grounded in real-world questions—arising directly from patient care and community needs across metro Detroit and beyond.”
The full 2026 Research Day program will be available in the future on the DFMPHS website: https://www.familymedicine.med.wayne.edu/research.
The event was organized by a dedicated committee: Rhonda Dailey, MD (Co-Chair); Julie Gleason Comstock, PhD, MCHES (Co-Chair); Deborah Ellis, PhD; Hillary Bruce; Youcheng Liu, MD, MPH; Angie Turia, PhD; and Erin Madden, PhD.
