Assistant Dean for Graduate Programs
Appointed at WSU School of Medicine

Wayne State University School of Medicine Dean Robert J. Sokol, MD, has announced the appointment of Kenneth C. Palmer, PhD, as Assistant Dean of Graduate Programs for the School of Medicine. In this position, Dr. Palmer will be responsible for the curriculum and program development of the WSU basic medical sciences graduate program. There are currently approximately 400 students enrolled in programs leading to Master's and Doctoral degrees in seven basic medical science departments and centers at WSU.

The Office of Graduate Programs is a division of the School of Medicine Office of Research and Graduate Programs, headed by Dr. John Crissman, Associate Dean and Chairman of Pathology.

Dr. Sokol noted: "There simply could not be a better fit than Ken Palmer in this position. He brings a great level of knowledge about both graduate and undergraduate education at the School of Medicine, and he has a strong vision for program development."

An associate professor of pathology, Dr. Palmer has been director of the pathology graduate program since 1981, and has served as director of preclinical curriculum development in the Office of Academic and Student Programs for the School since 1994. During his 19 years of teaching at WSU, Dr. Palmer has been extensively involved in curriculum and professional development through service on many academic committees and advisory panels, including service on the President's Task Force on Computer-Based Education at WSU.

Dr. Palmer joined the WSU faculty in 1981 as assistant professor of pathology and chief of the division of pulmonary pathobiology. He was recruited from Boston University School of Medicine and the Mallory Institute of Pathology, where he was an assistant professor and environmental health and safety officer.

A Massachusetts native, Dr. Palmer received his BA from Merrimack College, North Andover, Mass.; his MS in Developmental Biology from Villanova University in Villanova, Penn.; and his PhD in pathology from Boston University. He is a former awardee of a National Institutes of Health training grant in lung cell biology and biochemistry and a three-year Young Pulmonary Investigator grant.

Dr. Palmer's current research interests include the cell biology of airway lining cells and their function in health and disease, on which he has published and presented extensively. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Toxicology, is a member of a number of professional societies and organizations, and is a recipient of awards and honors for his contributions to both research and teaching.

Wayne State University is a Carnegie I research institution with one of the largest graduate student populations in the country. The Wayne State University School of Medicine is the nation's largest single campus medical school in the country.