On the Heights: February 2026
February highlights include faculty expertise on AI-driven cancer research, youth violence prevention, farmworker housing policy, epigenetics and ultra-processed foods, and a new state advisory appointment.
Biostatistics Results
AI tool can predict heart failure from genetic and health record data
A University of Michigan study demonstrates that combining genetic and clinical data for an individual patient can help predict heart failure, the world’s leading cause of hospitalization, a decade before it’s diagnosed.
On the Heights: December 2025
Michigan Public Health faculty and researchers advance digital health research, examine global school feeding programs, and share expertise on healthcare spending, noise pollution, and the power of public health storytelling.
On the Heights: November 2025
November highlights include a National Academies leadership role, new research on AI adoption in healthcare and youth mental health reporting systems, faculty testimony on medical debt relief, and a new podcast series.
From equations to impact: Advancing public health through biostatistics
Q&A with University of Michigan researcher Jian Kang on mental health, aging and cancer
Jian Kang is a professor and associate chair for Research in the Department of Biostatistics at Michigan Public Health, where he develops cutting-edge statistical methods for analyzing complex biomedical data. He’s particularly interested in brain-computer interfaces and neuroimaging, developing methods that help researchers better understand how the brain works and how it changes with age or disease.
Kelley Kidwell to serve as interim associate dean for faculty affairs
Kelley Kidwell, internationally recognized biostatistician, will serve as interim associate dean for faculty affairs at Michigan Public Health starting July 1, 2025, filling the role vacated when Lynda Lisabeth became interim dean.