Surgery Research

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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 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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Health Lab

Receiving personalized treatment for a rare neuroendocrine tumor

Danielle Schuldt was diagnosed with a rare endocrine tumor and underwent surgery as part of her treatment. She now undergoes regular surveillance to monitor for cancer recurrence.
Black and white cutout of Moses Gunn in a conference ballroom.
Department News

2026 Moses Gunn Research Conference Highlights

Highlights from the Michigan Medicine Department of Surgery's 37th annual Moses Gunn Research Conference.
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UMich Med Mosaic

Beyond the White Coat: Finding Your Voice at the Patient’s Bedside

In this episode of UMich Med Mosaic, host Mackenzie Kay speaks with MD students Josh Chen and Gabriel Culian about what it feels like to step onto the hospital wards for the first time. They reflect on their earliest patient encounters, the transition from standardized patients to real clinical settings, and the role medical students play in building trust, explaining care plans and supporting patients and families. They also discuss witnessing serious illness, grief and life-changing conversations, while exploring how early clinical experiences shape confidence, empathy and the kind of physicians they hope to become.
A group of people standing on a lecture hall stage in business attire. A slide behind them reads "Finding your path in surgical innovation."
Department News

Highlights from the 2026 Reed O. Dingman Research Symposium

Learn about the Section of Plastic Surgery's 36th Reed O. Dingman Research Symposium.
hockey player with doctor on right holding pink and purple jersey
Health Lab

Teenage patient receives treatment for papillary thyroid cancer

Teen hockey player Gavin Hewitt was diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer and underwent surgery and radioactive iodine treatment.
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Health Lab

A smarter helmet for the smallest patients

U-M Health specialists invented a new design for cranial shaping helmets to improve treatment for positional head deformities like plagiocephaly.