Faculty Spotlight

Each faculty we spotlight has been selected from recent nominations we received from our department chairs, center directors, and educational leadership.

Introduction

Kiki Nissen, M.D.

Senior Associate Dean, Faculty Affairs
Associate Dean, Graduate Medical Education

Fall 2025 Series

Brett Sloan, M.D., FAAD, professor of dermatology and director of the Dermatology Residency Program, is being honored for his outstanding leadership in medical education, as well as his advocacy for veterans with disabilities, a cause he champions through frequent local and national speaking engagements and active participation on key institutional committees. He was nominated by Dr. Steven Angus.

Michael H. Weber, MD, PhD, FRCSC

Michael Weber, M.D., professor of orthopedic surgery, is an internationally recognized orthopedic spine surgeon chosen for his pioneering research in spinal tumor management and surgical innovation, which has led to over 200 publications and earned him the prestigious 2025 Luiz Vialle AO Spine Knowledge Forum Tumor Award. He was nominated by Dr. Ernesto Canalis and Dr. Isaac Moss.

Guangfu Li, PhD

Guangfu Li, Ph.D., DVM, professor of surgery, was recently named the Carole and Ray Neag Innovation Professor. He is honored for his exceptional research leadership, his development of patented cancer therapies, and his commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration, all of which exemplify UConn Health’s core values of collegiality, curiosity, and collaboration. He was nominated by Dr. Kevin Staveley-O’Carroll.

 

Spring 2025 Series

Fall 2024 Series

Jenna Bartley, Ph.D., assistant professor of immunology, is honored for her two major R01 grant awards from the NIH, ranging from laboratory research to a clinical trial involving aging in older adults. She promotes health, function, and independence in older adults by testing varied geroscience-guided interventions. She was nominated by Dr. George Kuchel and Dr. Anthony Vella.

Sangamesh Kumbar, Ph.D.

Sangamesh Kumbar, Ph.D., professor of orthopedic surgery, is honored for his highly cited research regarding developing innovative biomaterial and micro-nanostructured implants to repair and regenerate tissue injuries, placing him among the top 2% of the most-cited scientists globally. He was nominated by Dr. Ernesto Canalis.

Shakaib Khan, MD

Shakaib Khan, MD, assistant professor of psychiatry, and his team are honored for receiving national recognition as a Center of Excellence from the Huntington’s Disease Society of America for the development of a multidisciplinary program that simplifies access to necessary multidisciplinary care. He was nominated by Dr. David Steffens.

Thomas Manger, MD, Ph.D.

Thomas Manger, MD, Ph.D., professor of medicine, is honored for making a significant impact on the education of medical and dental students fostering a rigorous but supportive learning environment. He developed content threads to improve integration with preparation, an assessment tool, and implemented new conferences to improve student understanding. He was nominated by Dr. Melissa Held and Dr. Christine Thatcher.