Faculty Appointments and Promotions – January and February 2025

Congratulations to the following Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine faculty on their recent appointment or promotion.

Professor

Huiping Zhang, PhD, Psychiatry, focuses on the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms underlying substance use disorders (SUDs) and related psychiatric conditions. Dr. Zhang is a pioneer in studying DNA and RNA methylation changes, as well as noncoding RNA dysregulation, in individuals with SUDs. His primary research goal is to identify genetic and epigenetic biomarkers to enhance the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of SUDs. He has served as PI on multiple NIH grants, including a K99/R00, a R21, and two R01 grants, and as site-PI for two additional R01 grants. His research has also received support from several non-federal sources, such as the ABMRF, CTSI, Wang Tat Lee and March of Dimes. Dr. Zhang is a standing member of an NIH study section and frequently serves as an ad hoc grant reviewer for research proposals from both domestic and international institutions. He also is a board member for several peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Zhang mentors junior faculty members, postdoctoral researchers and students at all levels, including medical, graduate and undergraduate students.

Associate Professor

Eric Burks, MD, Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, studies screening-detected non-small cell lung cancer. Dr. Burks’ studies established the diagnostic criteria for an entity now known as pulmonary adenocarcinoma of low malignant potential (LMP) which has been internationally validated and shown to account for overdiagnosis in the National Lung Screening Trial (NLST). His work has further established angioinvasive lung adenocarcinoma as the most aggressive form of early-stage NSCLC. Patients with small (<2 cm) angioinvasive tumors benefit from surgical resection of the entire involved lung lobe whereas the remaining patients are adequately treated with parenchymal sparing approaches such as wedge resection. Dr. Burks is a provisional patent holder (BU-2023-026) for biomarkers associated with angioinvasive lung adenocarcinoma, a co-investigator on a U01, The Lung Pre-Cancer Atlas project, a site PI on two R01s and a co-PI on an American Society of Hematology grant. In addition, he directs hematopathology, the hematology laboratory, the immunohistochemistry and special procedures laboratory, including amyloid pathology, and the hemoglobin diagnostic reference laboratory at Boston Medical Center.

Clinical Associate Professor

Annemieke Atema, MD, Emergency Medicine, is a clinician-educator with expertise in medical student education and mentoring. She served as emergency medicine clerkship director for eight years, during which time she increased the number of students by almost 70% and initiated the establishment of an emergency medicine selective. She was also among the first clerkship directors to integrate simulation-based learning into the curriculum. Dr. Atema has served as a mentor for more than 200 students during her tenure. She also plays a vital role in the emergency medicine residency program, where she developed and implemented an innovative teaching elective to enhance senior residents’ skills in medical student education.

Brian Carmine, MD, Surgery, specializes in minimally invasive and laparoscopic surgery as well as bariatric surgery. With a long-standing interest in resident education and as an advocate of the use of simulation for advanced skill development, Dr. Carmine was involved in the design of the original Solomont Simulation Center at Boston Medical Center as well as the creation of the “surgical arcade,” where minimally invasive fiber optic laparoscopic towers are used to help hone trainees’ surgical skills. Dr. Carmine also is an attending surgeon at Boston Children’s Hospital, where he has served as the director of adolescent bariatric surgery since 2014.

Elaine Lee, PhD, Medical Sciences & Education, is a grant strategist who assists and develops early career faculty to prepare effective grant proposals. From 2017 to date, Dr. Lee has assisted in securing more than $75M in total awards. She played a pivotal role in applying for university-wide grant proposals including the BIRCWH grant and MSTP training grant. Additionally, Dr. Lee has been actively involved in service to the School and the University. She has been an active leader for high school programs such as BAHEC and BEAMS and assisted with the Burroughs Wellcome Fund and NSF proposals for summer programs for high school students. She has co-led the annual BUMC McCahan Education Conference since 2020 and has led the Educators’ Collaborative Lunch since 2018.

Daniel Oates, MD, MSc, Medicine/Geriatrics, returned to BU and Boston Medical Center (BMC) in October 2023 to become medical director of senior services and partnership for the Boston Medical Center Health System. He provides clinical care on the inpatient geriatrics consult service as well as home visits within the Enhanced Care Program, providing addition services and medical support to dual eligible seniors who have both Medicare and Medicaid. In these capacities he precepts medical students during their required fourth-year geriatrics clerkship. The major focus of his scholarly work has been on health literacy and educational interventions related to health literacy that ultimately impact quality and safety. While away from BU and BMC, Dr. Oates maintained an active clinical practice, working as a medical director and treating patients in long-term care, as well as geriatric patients in clinic and at home.

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