SIU Names Dr. Michael Neumeister Chairman of Surgery

Dr. Michael W. Neumeister has been promoted to chairman of the Department of Surgery at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. He has been chief of the Division of Plastic Surgery since 2002. As chairman of the surgery department, he is responsible for providing leadership and support for the academic and clinical activities, as well as oversight and strategic direction for the surgery department. In the 42 years of SIU School of Medicine, Neumeister is the third chairman of surgery, succeeding Dr. Gary Dunnington (2000-12) and Dr. Roland Folse (1971-2000). “Dr. Neumeister is a national leader in the field of plastic surgery and will be a great asset in his new role leading our surgery department,” said J. Kevin Dorsey, M.D., Ph.D., dean and provost of SIU School of Medicine. “I am looking forward to seeing Dr. Neumeister use his creativity, innovation and leadership skills to take the Department of Surgery, as well as the School of Medicine, to higher levels.” Born in Victoria, British Columbia, Neumeister grew up near Toronto, Ontario. He completed his plastic surgery residency at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg (1996), following a general surgery residency at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, Canada (1993). Neumeister earned his medical degree at the University of Toronto (1988). He earned his bachelor’s degree at the University of Western Ontario in London (1984). Neumeister came to SIU School of Medicine in 1996 following a fellowship at Harvard University’s Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston, Mass. He then completed a one-year fellowship in hand and microsurgery at SIU and became an assistant professor in 1997 and professor in 2005. He was program director of the plastic surgery residency program (1998-2008). He also is program director of the Hand and Microsurgery Fellowship Program and vice chair of research for the surgery department and chief of research and microsurgery. Neumeister is considered an international expert in reconstruction, hand and microsurgery. He is the president of the Plastic Surgery Foundation as well as the American Society of Reconstructive Microsurgery.

Dr. Neumeister is board certified in plastic surgery through the Royal College of Surgeons & Physicians in Canada as well as the American Board of Plastic Surgery. He also holds a Certificate of Added Qualification in Hand Surgery. He is the current editor of the journal HAND, previous associate editor of the Journal of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, the past chair of the Plastic Surgery Research Council, past president of the Midwestern Association of Plastic Surgeons, past treasurer of the American Association for Hand Surgery, current council member for the World Society of Reconstructive Microsurgery, and he is the American Delegate for the European Plastic Surgery Research Council. In 2011, he was named Outstanding Scholar by Southern Illinois University Carbondale, the highest honor awarded by the university. Other academic honors include SIU School of Medicine’s Teacher of the Year award, multiple Department of Surgery Teacher of the Year award, and multiple Researcher of the Year awards within the Department of Surgery. Neumeister has published almost 100 peer-reviewed articles, 16 book chapters and 3 books. He has obtained almost $2 million in grant funding on numerous basic science and clinical trial research projects. He is a co-primary investigator of a Southern Illinois Regenerative Institute grant studying bone healing and blood flow using stem cells. He also is a co-principal investigator in collaboration with SIU-Edwardsville for a grant from the National Institute of Health Pain Consortium. He has received grant funding from the American Foundation for Surgery of the Hand, The Aesthetic Surgery Education and Research Foundation, The Plastic Surgery Foundation, The American Society for Surgery of the Hand, The American Association for Hand Surgery and Memorial Medical Center Foundation. Neumeister’s clinical trials research includes a prospective randomized control study for the use of botulinum toxin for ischemic hands, the analysis of botulinum toxin for chronic pain, the prospective evaluation of topical sulfamuylon solution for thermal injuries as well as numerous outcome studies in hand surgery. His basic science interests include the use of adipose-derived stem cells in tissue engineering, flap prefabrication, follicle stem cells for skin regeneration and microsurgical training.

Raindrops on a Tent

Deep Brain Stimulation brings new life to patients with movement disorders

Diagnosed with essential tremor at age 10, Don Klinker of Decatur has always had a hard time with daily tasks that most people do without thinking. “I love to play golf,” says the 73-year-old father of four and grandfather of five. “But by the time I could take my hand off the ball, I’d knock it off the tee.” So his friends would tee up for him. And drinking coffee or signing checks? Forget it. He gave up coffee and had a name stamp made. Sometimes his wife or friends would do the writing for him. more...