The Faculty Scholars program supports the education of future clinicians for Northeast Ohio and recognizes outstanding NEOMED faculty who have demonstrated a commitment to at least two of the three domains of University Hospitals’ mission, “To Heal. To Teach. To Discover.”
UH-NEOMED Faculty Scholars
Congratulations to the 2026 UH-NEOMED Faculty Scholars
Michael Appleman, M.S.Ed.
Family & Community Medicine
Kristin Baughman, Ph.D.
Family & Community Medicine
Natalie Bonfine, Ph.D.
Psychiatry
Rachel Bracken, Ph.D.
Family & Community Medicine
Lisa Cooper, Ph.D.
Biomedical Sciences
Christine Dengler-Crish, Ph.D.
Pharmaceutical Sciences
Feng Dong, M.D., Ph.D.
Biomedical Sciences
Bernhard Fassl, M.D.
Center for Global Health Innovation
Jessica Ferrell, Ph.D.
Biomedical Sciences
Rebecca Fischbein, Ph.D.
Family & Community Medicine
Nathaniel Flath, CAA
Medical Science in Anesthesia
Sheila Fleming, Ph.D.
Pharmaceutical Sciences
Alex Galazyuk, Ph.D.
Biomedical Sciences
Stacey Gardner-Buckshaw, Ph.D.
Family & Community Medicine
Takhar Kasumov, Ph.D.
Pharmaceutical Sciences
Yong Lu, Ph.D.
Biomedical Sciences
Jeffrey Mellott, Ph.D.
Biomedical Sciences
Vahagn Ohanyan, M.D., Ph.D.
Biomedical Sciences
Moses Oyewumi, Ph.D.
Pharmaceutical Sciences
Priya Raman, Ph.D.
Biomedical Sciences
Erin Reed, Ph.D.
College of Pharmacy
Merri Rosen, Ph.D.
Biomedical Sciences
Fayez Safadi, Ph.D.
Biomedical Sciences
Margaret Sanders, M.A., LSW
Family & Community Medicine
Brett Schofield, Ph.D.
Biomedical Sciences
Matthew Smith, Ph.D.
Basic & Translational Biomedicine
Xinwen Wang, Ph.D.
Pharmaceutical Sciences
Bradley Winters, Ph.D.
Biomedical Sciences
Jesse Young, Ph.D.
Biomedical Sciences
Ping Zhang, M.D., Ph.D.
Biomedical Sciences
2025 scholars
Kristin R. Baughman, Ph.D.
Professor of Family and Community Medicine
Natalie J. Bonfine, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Psychiatry
Samuel D. Crish, II, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Lisa Noelle Cooper, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Anatomy and Neurobiology
Christine M. Dengler-Crish, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Feng Dong, M.D., Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Integrative Medical Sciences
Bernhard A. Fassl, M.D.
Professor, College of Graduate Studies
Jessica M. Ferrell, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Integrative Medical Sciences
Rebecca L. Fischbein, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Family and Community Medicine
Sheila Fleming, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Alexander V. Galazyuk, Ph.D.
Professor of Neurobiology
Stacey Gardner-Buckshaw, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Family and Community Medicine
Paul J. Hartung, Ph.D.
Professor of Family and Community Medicine
Takhar Kasumov, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Yong Lu, Ph.D.
Professor of Neurobiology
Jeffrey G. Mellott, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Anatomy and Neurobiology
Vahagn Ohanyan, M.D., Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Integrative Medical Sciences
Moses O. Oyewumi, Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Chair of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Priya Raman, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Integrative Medical Sciences
Erin Reed-Geaghan, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Merri J. Rosen, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Anatomy and Neurobiology
Fayez Safadi, Ph.D.
Professor of Anatomy and Neurobiology
Margaret B. Sanders, M.A., LSW
Associate Professor of Family and Community Medicine
Brett Schofield, Ph.D.
Professor of Anatomy and Neurobiology
Woo Shik Shin, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Matthew A. Smith, Ph.D. (’17)
Graduate Faculty II College of Graduate Studies
Randon S. Welton, M.D.
Professor and Chair of Psychiatry
Bradley Winters, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Anatomy and Neurobiology
Jesse W. Young, Ph.D.
Professor of Anatomy and Neurobiology
Ping Zhang, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor and Watanakunakorn Chair of Integrative Medical Sciences
2024 scholars
Julie Aultman, Ph.D.
Dean, College of Graduate Studies
Professor, Department of Family and Community Medicine
Marc Basson, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A., FACS
Dean, College of Medicine
Professor, Department of Surgery and Anatomy and Neurobiology
Kristin Baughman, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department Family and Community Medicine
Natalie Bonfine, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Psychiatry
Lisa Cooper, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology
Feng Dong, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Integrative Medical Sciences
Jessica Ferrell, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Integrative Medical Sciences
Rebecca Fischbein, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Family and Community Medicine
Sheila Fleming, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Alex Galazyuk, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology
Stacey Gardner-Buckshaw, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Family and Community Medicine
Rebecca German, Ph.D.
Vice President for Research
Professor, Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology
Paul Hartung, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Family and Community Medicine
Takhar Kasumov, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Yong Lu, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology
Jeffrey Mellott, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology
Erik Messamore, M.D., Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry
Moses Oyewumi, Bparm, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Priya Raman, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Integrative Medical Sciences
Merri Rosen, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology
Fayez Safadi, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology
Margaret Sanders, M.A., L.S.W.
Associate Professor, Department of Family and Community Medicine
Brett Scholfield, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology
Matthew Smith, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Randon Welton, M.D.
Professor, Department of Psychiatry
Bradley Winters, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology
Liya Yin, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Integrative Medical Science
Ping Zhang, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Integrative Medical Sciences
Yanqiao Zhang, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Integrative Medical
About the program
The University Hospitals (UH) Faculty Scholars program at Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED) was created to support the education of future clinicians for Northeast Ohio and to recognize outstanding NEOMED faculty who have demonstrated a sustained and exemplary record of commitment to at least two of the three domains of the UH mission, “To Heal. To Teach. To Discover.”
The program recognizes distinguished full-time NEOMED faculty, through an annually awarded designation as a UH-NEOMED Faculty Scholar. The term of the award appointment is for one year.
- Selected nominees must use the title “UH-NEOMED Faculty Scholar” in conjunction with the NEOMED faculty title on all professional communications, presentations, and academic works. This includes both internal and external presentations and all forms of academic dissemination.
- UH-NEOMED Faculty Scholars will receive recognition in the form of a certificate of appointment and listing on a dedicated UH-NEOMED Faculty Scholars webpage.
- UH-NEOMED Faculty Scholars are required to abide by all applicable UH and NEOMED Policies and Bylaws in the performance of this distinguished role.
- All UH-NEOMED Faculty Scholars are required to provide an updated CV and a summary of academic activity and achievements accomplished during their period of appointment to the NEOMED Provost no later than November 1st of the appointment period.
Nominees must be full-time NEOMED employees.
All nominations must be made by a faculty member’s primary College Dean, the NEOMED Provost or President. All nominations below the level of the President must receive concurrence of the Provost. Nomination letters should make clear how the nominee’s accomplishments place her/him in the top echelon of their field and note how the nominee has demonstrated a sustained commitment to at least two of the three domains of the UH mission, “To Heal. To Teach. To Discover.”
Nomination packages must be submitted by October 1 each year. Each nomination packet will consist of the two sections noted below. Each section should be saved as a separate pdf document. The Provost’s Office will collect the nomination packages when completed.
- A letter of nomination provided by the faculty member’s primary College Dean, the Provost or President. Letters provided by – the Dean must receive the concurrence of the Provost.
- An updated copy of the nominees curriculum vitae.
Nomination packages will be reviewed by a selection committee designated by the leadership of the UH-NEOMED Joint Strategic Oversite Group (JSOG). Selection of awardees from the pool of nominees is made by the JSOG designated selection committee.
Selected nominees will be informed about their UH-NEOMED Faculty Scholar award no later than December 1 (after the first year of the program), with the formal designation as a UH-NEOMED Faculty Scholar beginning January 1 and ending December 31 of each year.
Contact
Office of the Provost
provost@380cebbe0d.nxcli.io