A message from College of Health Sciences Dean William E. Cullinan

Dear alumni and friends of Marquette's College of Health Sciences:

I hope you had a joyous and happy holiday season with family, friends and loved ones. As we enter 2026 and kick off the spring semester at Marquette, I'm eager to share some developments within the College of Health Sciences.

First, we feature Dr. Matthew Hearing, H Sci '03, and a new $2.42 million grant award from the National Institutes of Health for his work on the role of stress in the development of neuropsychiatric conditions. Dr. Hearing and his research team have already made great strides in advancing our understanding of the role of stress in the addiction process. Here, they focus on a key brain protein that regulates neural plasticity in a brain region known to control executive function - the prefrontal cortex - which has been implicated in the development of stress-induced mental disorders.

Our second story features the efforts of Dr. SuJean Choi as she spearheads a virtual reality initiative within the Department of Biomedical Sciences. Dr. Choi and neuroscience graduate student Grace Schamber are developing a simulation that allows students to interact with virtual patients and diagnose them based on clinical signs and symptoms. The end goal is for students to better understand brain and body structures using virtual 3D models, facilitating a deeper understanding of function that can aid them in their academic journey toward clinical practice and research.

In addition, this year the College of Health Sciences is celebrating its 30th anniversary. The college has grown substantially over the past three decades and currently has four nationally ranked clinical professional programs, several robust undergraduate majors and a vast alumni network of highly skilled clinicians and practitioners. These accomplishments were made possible by the strong culture and fast start initiated by our founding dean, Dr. Jack Brooks. Sadly, Jack passed away suddenly in November at the age of 84. He is greatly missed. I'm deeply thankful to have had him as a mentor, and grateful to him and all the faculty and staff in our college who have advanced a culture of collaboration and innovation that has benefited students on the journey to become highly competent and caring clinicians, researchers, educators and persons.

I hope you enjoy this edition of Marquette Health Sciences and encourage you to send ideas for stories that highlight exceptional alumni or accomplishments as we continue to educate the next generation of mission-driven leaders and to advance The Science That Heals.

With warm regards,