Washingtoner - Stage IV lung cancer survivor, disparities cancer researcher, family physician appointed as Karmanos' new associate center director

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DETROIT, Nov. 28, 2023 ~ The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit has welcomed Morhaf Al Achkar, M.D., Ph.D., MSCR, FAAFP, as the associate center director for Education. Dr. Al Achkar brings over 10 years of experience in education and teaching, research, and clinical family to his new role at Karmanos.

Dr. Al Achkar is a seven-year stage IV lung cancer survivor and is determined to not let his condition define him or stop him from achieving his goals. He was diagnosed in 2016 after experiencing episodes of shortness of breath and tests revealed the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangement, or ALK fusion, a genetic alteration linked to lung cancer. Advances in treatment have enabled him to live with lung cancer as a chronic condition.

As the associate center director for Education at Karmanos, Dr. Al Achkar oversees the Office of Cancer Research Training and Education Coordination (CRTEC). He is responsible for establishing a vision for the cancer center's education efforts and leads professional development across the training continuum from high school students to tenured faculty and health care professionals throughout the Karmanos catchment area (46 Michigan counties) and beyond. He also oversees the integration of education and training into scientific research programs, assesses active training programs, catalogs cancer education activities through Wayne State University (WSU) School of Medicine, and advocates for new research training and development opportunities to enrich the educational environment for the cancer center community.

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Boris Pasche, M.D., Ph.D., FACP, president and CEO of Karmanos said "The addition of Dr. Al Achkar furthers our research and expands research training and education."

Dr. Al Achkar joins Karmanos following a six-year tenure at the University of Washington in Seattle where he served as an associate professor in the Department of Family Medicine, an adjunct associate professor in the Department of Health Services School of Public Health, and was a core faculty member at AIMS Center within Department of Psychiatry; he also spent five years as an attending family medicine physician and assistant professor at Indiana University where he received Family Medicine Residency Program's Faculty of Year Award; he also received Pearls Award from North America Practice Care Research Network for a research study that will impact clinical practice in 2018; he is involved with North America Practice Care Research Network, Society Teachers Family Medicine & American Academy Family Physicians too

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Dr Al Achkar completed his medical degree at Aleppo University in Syria; he completed residency training at Florida Hospital Orlando & Winter Park where he served as chief resident; holds Master Science Clinical Research from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis & Doctorate Philosophy Inquiry Methodology & Education from Indiana University Bloomington; board certified American Board Family Medicine

Dr Al Achkar began his role at Karmanos in September & joins WSU faculty member School Medicine

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