2.  Gary Russi was Oakland University’s
president for the better part of two
decades, a period characterized by major
growth in the student population and a rise
in academic standards. Under Gary Russi’s
leadership, Oakland University opened the
William Beaumont School of Medicine,
Michigan’s first new Western medical
school in over four decades.

3.  Students attending Oakland University’s
William Beaumont School of Medicine
(OUWB) often work directly with the
Beaumont Health System, participating in
clinical care as well as research. The
capstone program provides opportunities
for med students to work on projects with
faculty mentors. Rachel Hunt, an MD
candidate, recently worked alongside
Beaumont researchers, observing the
effects of radiation therapy on Alzheimer’s
disease.

4.  The research team of radiation oncologists
was possibly the first to test radiation
therapy on patients with Alzheimer’s. Prior
to the study, the majority of Alzheimer’s
research utilized pharmacological
approaches, which have not yielded long-term
improvements. During the study, Ms.
Hunt assisted researchers in assessing results
through the analysis of cellular markers. She
looked for the buildup of beta amyloid,
which is linked to Alzheimer’s. The study
suggested that radiation significantly
decreased beta amyloid levels in the brain.