Michael Boivin, PhD

University Distinguished Professor

Since joining MSU in 2006, Michael J. Boivin has become internationally recognized as one of the foremost scientists in the neurodevelopmental and neuropsychological evaluation of African children. As a two-time Fulbright research fellow (DR Congo 1990-91; Uganda 2003-04), and a West African Research Association fellow (Senegal, 1997), he has pioneered research over the past 30 years in assessing the impact of interventions for HIV disease, cerebral malaria, konzo disease, intestinal parasite and anemia treatment, and malnutrition in children. He has conducted this work in such countries as Uganda, Malawi, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Benin, Mali, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. He has also served as a consultant for NIH-sponsored studies pertaining to HIV-affected children in Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, and Nigeria. He has won NIH R01 grants and served as PI or Co-PI on NIH-Fogarty, NICHD, NIMH, and NIEHS-sponsored studies in all of these study domains. Dr. Boivin is also an adjunct professor of psychiatry at the University of Michigan.

Dr. Boivin’s research has encompassed on the use of caregiver training to enhance cognitive and psychosocial development in Ugandan children affected by HIV, computerized cognitive rehabilitation training for children surviving severe malaria and children with HIV, the neuropsychological and immunological evaluation of children surviving severe malaria, and Congolese children affected by konzo disease from toxic cassava as well as children, epileptic children affected by nodding disease, and Congolese children in mining regions affected by toxic exposure from heavy metal exposure.