Surgery Research

two reachers in white lab coats work in cederna lab

Discover How We Change Lives

Scientific curiosity and a deeply human commitment to improving our patients’ quality of life guide our researchers at the Department of Surgery.

The Future of Surgery

Our research spans basic science, translational and health services investigation, and our impact speaks for itself. Our department has consistently ranked in the top 5 for National Institutes of Health funding. We have more than 60,00 square feet of research space, and over 2 dozen labs. 

Research Areas

Our faculty, scientists and trainees are pursuing discoveries that shape the future of surgery with innovative patient care and a robust training environment.

Research Hubs

We foster collaboration and cutting edge research in five core areas —basic and translational science, outcomes and policy, training research, surgical innovation and global surgery.

Support from the Ground Up

Faculty and trainees in the department benefit from extensive physical and intangible resources — from more than 50,000 square feet of research space across the U-M medical campus, to a departmental tradition of openness that encourages investigators to work together.

You can see this collaboration in the way that we’ve organized our labs at U-M’s North Campus Research Complex, a 28-building scientific and administrative facility. In this multidisciplinary environment, cancer biologists, pharmacologists, engineers, health policy researchers and others work side-by-side. In just one recent example, a basic scientist has partnered with a biomedical engineer in order to study how miniature organoids could enable tissue transplantation for the treatment of diabetes.

Within the department, this support includes incentives not just for clinical effort, but for research as well, with some faculty spending up to 60 percent of their time on investigation. This freedom enables faculty to accelerate advances, and to invest more time in mentoring the residents and fellows who will become our future colleagues.

Moses cut out at the moses Gunn conference

Moses Gunn Research Conference

This event celebrates our tradition of research and innovation—showcasing projects by residents, fellows, research scientists and medical students.

Learn More About the Conference

Featured News & Stories

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lungs in blue body with yellow and navy background
Health Lab

Advancements and trends in lung transplantation

As U-M Health celebrates its 1,000 lung transplant patient, two lung experts talk about advancements and what to think about when choosing a center to partner with for a lung transplant surgery.
group photo smiling
Health Lab

State of Michigan allows tax credit for private employers of living organ donors

Private employers in the state of Michigan can receive a tax credit for giving living donor employees full medical leave benefits. An addition to living donors receiving a tax credit for their organ donation.
On the left, a man in a stretcher poses with a clinical staff member. On the right, a man smiles while standing with three members of his clinical team.
Health Lab

Tap dancer’s foot rescued after lifesaving heart surgery

After undergoing surgery to repair a life threatening aortic dissection, a performer lost his toes during recovery. Now, he's determined to tap dance again.
close up of shot injection in stomach pink skin teal shirt and pants yellow background
Health Lab

What should you know before starting a GLP-1?

A Q&A with Dr. Howard (Surgeon) and Dr. Seeley (researcher) about microdosing GLP-1 drugs answering common questions about the risks, what it entails and more.
Dr. Jeff Punch with Rwanda's first transplant specialists, urologists urologists Alexandre Nyirimodoka and Emmanuel Muhawenimana
Department News

Rwanda marks 100th kidney transplant through U-M collaboration

A team of surgeons in Rwanda recently performed the nation’s one-hundredth kidney transplant, just two short years since launching a collaboration with Michigan Medicine to build the country’s first-ever renal transplant program.
Residents working in the simulation center with text detailing that the U-M Medical School has 20+ top residency programs in this year's Doximity rankings.
News Release

U-M boasts 15 top 10 residency programs in latest Doximity Residency Navigator rankings

U-M boasts 15 top 10 residency programs in latest Doximity Residency Navigator rankings