January 15, 2026

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CHEAR CHRONICLE

Newsletter of the Susan B. Meister Child Health

Evaluation and Research Center

January 2026

UPDATES

18th Annual Susan B. Meister Lecture in Child Health Policy

The keynote speaker will be Nicola Benedetti, a violinist and passionate advocate for music education who serves as the Director of the Edinburgh International Festival. The lecture will be co-sponsored by CHEAR and the University Musical Society.

Thursday, February 5, 2026

4:00 pm - 5:30 pm

Rackham Graduate School - Auditorium

Congratulations!

New CHEAR director Dr. Kao-Ping Chua was officially named the Marilyn Fisher Blanch Research Professor of Child Health Policy during a ceremony held at the Vanguard Hotel in Ann Arbor on Dec. 12.

The professorship was made possible through a gift from Susan and Paul Meister in memory of Marilyn Fisher Blanch, Susan’s mother. Blanch was a dedicated nurse, wife, and mother known for her lifelong commitment to helping others.

Two Goodbyes and a Hello

Longtime CHEAR faculty investigators Drs. David Sandberg and Kevin Dombkowski presented their career retrospectives and retired in December. We wish them both all the best as they begin the next phase of their lives.

Additionally, we’d like to welcome aboard new faulty investigator Dr. Joseph Zickafoose, a former CHEAR fellow whose research focuses on health care services for children, public health insurance policy, and the intersections between them.

Freed Honored by the University and State

Dr. Gary Freed, who arrived at the University of Michigan in 1998 and founded the Children's Health Evaluation and Research (CHEAR) Center — the first pediatric health services research center in the country — was honored recently with the Distinguished Faculty Achievement Award by the university and a Special Tribute certificate from the State of Michigan.

Learn more >

Modi earns Chair’s Award for Early Career Research

CHEAR faculty investigator Dr. Zubin Modi was notified by the Department of Pediatrics in early December that he had been selected as the recipient of the 2025 Chair's Award for Early Career Research.

The award recognizes an instructor or assistant professor on any track with high-quality scholarship and substantive research accomplishments.

He will be honored during a ceremony at the Ford Amphitheater on Jan. 20.

RESEARCH

Mentorship initiative expands pathways into pediatric surgery

A national mentorship initiative spearheaded by CHEAR investigator Samir Gadepalli and aimed at improving representation in pediatric surgery is showing promising results, according to a new report.

Publication:

Journal of Pediatric Surgery →

Neighborhood deprivation linked to longer hospital stays after children's surgery

A study led by CHEAR investigator Samir Gadepalli suggests that non-clinical factors may be influencing postoperative utilization.

Publication:

The American Journal of Surgery →

Does where you live affect access to surgical care for pediatric renal tumors?

A study led by CHEAR investigator Samir Gadepalli shows that neighborhood deprivation is not significantly associated with either metastatic presentation or the timing of nephrectomy.

Publication:

Pediatric Surgery International →

CHEAR IN THE NEWS

Family that overcame Crohn’s supports research for future patients

Jeremy Adler, MD, MSc

Michigan Medicine Philanthropy News →

Blake Hardin, MD/MPH student: Merging research and advocacy with medicine

Jeremy Adler, MD, MSc

Michigan Medicine Points of Blue →

As Medicaid work requirements loom, study finds links between coverage, better health and higher employment

Sarah J. Clark, MPH

Michigan Medicine Health Lab →

Washtenaw County sickle cell disease researchers and activists see promise in gene therapy, threats in federal funding cuts

Sarah L. Reeves, PhD, MPH

Concentrate →

J&J’s two-drug combo blocked tumors in advanced multiple myeloma

Sarah L. Reeves, PhD, MPH

STAT →

LATEST FROM THE MOTT POLL

Parents say mental health and belonging are as vital to school safety as building security

Parents' top priorities center on equipping teachers and schools to respond to students' emotional and social needs.

More Coverage:

Michigan Medicine Health Lab →

Few parents offer teens guidance on healthy eating during holiday season

Despite concerns about eating habits, relatively few parents polled offer specific strategies to help teens navigate large holiday meals.

More Coverage:

Michigan Medicine Health Lab →

About CHEAR

CHEAR is one of the largest pediatric health services and outcomes research centers in the U.S. Our mission is to advance the health and well-being of all children, adolescents, and families through research and education.

For more information, please visit chear.org

Copyright (C) 2025 Susan B. Meister Child Health Evaluation and Research (CHEAR) Center. All rights reserved.

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CHEAR Chronicle - January 2026

CHEAR CHRONICLE

Newsletter of the Susan B. Meister Child Health

Evaluation and Research Center

January 2026

UPDATES

18th Annual Susan B. Meister Lecture in Child Health Policy

Thursday, February 5, 2026

4:00 pm - 5:30 pm

Rackham Graduate School - Auditorium

Congratulations!

Two Goodbyes and a Hello

Freed Honored by the University and State

Modi earns Chair’s Award for Early Career Research

RESEARCH

Neighborhood deprivation linked to longer hospital stays after children's surgery

Does where you live affect access to surgical care for pediatric renal tumors?

CHEAR IN THE NEWS

Family that overcame Crohn’s supports research for future patients

Blake Hardin, MD/MPH student: Merging research and advocacy with medicine

As Medicaid work requirements loom, study finds links between coverage, better health and higher employment

Washtenaw County sickle cell disease researchers and activists see promise in gene therapy, threats in federal funding cuts

J&J’s two-drug combo blocked tumors in advanced multiple myeloma

LATEST FROM THE MOTT POLL

Parents say mental health and belonging are as vital to school safety as building security

Few parents offer teens guidance on healthy eating during holiday season

About CHEAR