Rachel Newsome
Rachel Newsome, a fifth-year doctoral candidate in the cancer biology concentration, took home the gold prize in the 48th annual University of Florida Medical Guild Research Symposium on April 12. Rachel won for her research targeting the gut microbiome in lung cancer patients to improve their immune response. Rachel is mentored by Christian Jobin, Ph.D., co-leader of the Cancer Therapeutics & Host Response research program.
Padraic O’Malley, M.D.
Padraic O’Malley, M.D., received the Rising Star Award from the University of Florida Wellness Committee of the Faculty Council. The rising star award recognizes exceptional early-career clinical faculty whose actions and activities consistently exemplify clinical excellence beyond expected levels. Recipients of this award demonstrate exceptional skill and enthusiasm for patient care, show consistent dedication to quality measures and efficiency, and embrace innovations in their chosen field.
Thomas Schmittgen, Ph.D., and Fan Zhang, Ph.D.
Thomas Schmittgen, Ph.D., and Fan Zhang, Ph.D., received a two-year $392,115 grant from the National Cancer Institute for a study, titled “microRNA directed therapy for treating early stage pancreatic cancer.”
Duane Mitchell, M.D., Ph.D.
Duane Mitchell, M.D., Ph.D., accepted the Louis W. Sullivan, M.D., Award from the American Society for Clinical Investigation during the organization’s annual meeting April 21-23 in Chicago. The award recognizes his work to develop innovative immunotherapy treatments for brain cancer.
Ronda Bacher, Ph.D.
Ronda Bacher, Ph.D., was elected president of the Florida chapter of the American Statistical Association. She will preside over the chapter for the next three years.
Carrie Miller, Ph.D.
Carrie Miller, Ph.D., received a two-year $166,347 R03 grant from the National Cancer Institute for a study, titled “Developing a Young Adult-Mediated Intervention to Increase Colorectal Cancer Screening among Rural Screening Age-Eligible Adults.”
Daniel Indelicato, M.D., and Carmen Allegra, M.D.
Daniel J. Indelicato, M.D., and Carmen Allegra, M.D., were honored by the National Cancer Institute, for their work on a national committee to develop and implement clinical trials for adolescent and young adult patients with cancer. The two serve on the National Clinical Trial Network Adolescent and Young Adult Working Group, which received the NCI’s Director’s Award during an awards ceremony on March 27.
In addition, Dr. Indelicato was awarded the prestigious Honorary Fellowship from the Royal College of Radiologists. He accepted the fellowship diploma in person at the Royal College, London, on March 24.
Jatinder Lamba, Ph.D.
Jatinder Lamba, Ph.D., was appointed the new associate dean for research and graduate education. She suceeds Maureen Keller-Wood, Ph.D., a professor of pharmacodynamics, who plans to retire this summer.
Matthew Merritt, Ph.D., and Liang Zhou, Ph.D.
Matthew Merritt, Ph.D., and Liang Zhou, M.D., Ph.D., were among 34 researchers named UF Research Foundation Professors for 2023, an honor given to the university’s most productive and promising faculty members.
Paul Crispen, M.D.
Paul Crispen, M.D., was honored by the UF College of Medicine as a 2022 Exemplary Teacher.
Carl Denard, Ph.D.
Carl Denard, Ph.D., received a National Science Foundation CAREER award. His research focuses on cellular and protein engineering to develop novel strategies to diagnose, target and fight disease.
Paul Crispen, M.D., William Donelan, Ph.D., Padraic O’Malley, M.D., and Li-Ming Su, M.D.
Padraic O’Malley, M.D., Li-Ming Su, M.D., and Paul Crispen, M.D., were coauthors on a posters at the 87th Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Section of the AUA held March 15-18 on Amelia Island, titled “Utility of a urinary exosome biomarker to predict csPCA following negative MRI.” In addition, William Donelan, Ph.D., was a coauthor on a poster, titled “PCR technology to identify uropathogens in patients undergoing kidney stone surgery: Preliminary results from a feasibility and methods study,” and a podium session, titled “Spot urine oxalate testing in a controlled trial of forced hydration and spinach consumption.”
Padraic O’Malley, M.D., and Paul Crispen, M.D., were coauthors on two posters, titled “Pathologic outcomes after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in primary versus secondary muscle invasive bladder cancer – A single institution experience” and “Efficacy of BCG for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer following nephroureterectomy for upper tract urothelial carcinoma.”
Padraic O’Malley, M.D., was also a moderator of a poster session and part of a video session, titled “Bilateral groin vasovasostomy using single-port robot assistance with ICG fluorescent vasography.”
Julie Johnson, Pharm.D.
Julie Johnson, Pharm.D., was presented the 2023 American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (ASCPT) Mentor Award on March 22 during the organization’s annual meeting in Atlanta.
Carma Bylund, Ph.D.
Carma Bylund, Ph.D., was voted to be inducted into the UF College of Medicine’s Society of Teaching Scholars (STS) by its members in February.
Wesley Bolch, Ph.D.
Wesley Bolch, Ph.D., was named Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering Teacher/Scholar of the Year for 2022-23. As the oldest and most prestigious award offered to UF faculty, this award seeks to honor the faculty member whose scholarship or creative activity is recognized nationally and internationally as innovative and pacesetting and whose teaching and mentoring are both exemplary.
Robert Huigens, Ph.D.
Robert Huigens, Ph.D., received a UF College of Pharmacy Teaching Service Award for the 2021-22 academic year. He received the award for exceptional leadership of the graduate program in Medicinal Chemistry, exemplary teaching in the Pharm.D. and Ph.D. programs, and outstanding citizenship in the college.
Ashley Ghiaseddin, M.D., and Kiran Motaparthi, M.D.
Ashley Ghiaseddin, M.D., and Kiran Motaparthi, M.D., received Clinical Excellence Awards from the UF College of Medicine. The awards were presented during the spring faculty assembly, which took place April 14 in the George T. Harrell, M.D., Medical Education Building. These awards recognize the college’s most outstanding, active peers for providing extraordinary service.
William Friedman, M.D., Jianping Huang, Ph.D., Duane Mitchell, M.D., Ph.D., Maryam Rahman, M.D., and Elias Sayour, M.D., Ph.D.
Duane Mitchell, M.D., Ph.D., and Jianping Huang, M.D., Ph.D., were speakers at the ReMission Alliance Summit on Brain Tumors held March 25-26 in Orlando. In addition, Elias Sayour, M.D., Ph.D., Maryam Rahman, M.D., and William Friedman, M.D., facilitated Q&A discussions.
Ben Shen, Ph.D., Hendrik Luesch, Ph.D., Guangrong Zheng, Ph.D., Robert Huigens, Ph.D., Chenglong Li, Ph.D., and Jane Aldrich, Ph.D.
Several UF Health Cancer Center members from the UF College of Pharmacy spoke at The Wertheim UF Scripps Institute Chemical Biology & 5th UF Drug Discovery Workshop held April 20-21 in Jupiter, Florida. Ben Shen, Ph.D., and Hendrik Luesch, Ph.D., gave natural products lectures; Guangrong Zheng, Ph.D., gave a degrader lecture; Robert Huigens, Ph.D., gave a medicinal chemistry lecture; Chenglong Li, Ph.D., gave a drug design lecture; and Jane Aldrich, Ph.D., gave a lecture during the receptors and membrane proteins session. Dr. Luesch also served as co-host of the workshop.
Alessia Rosa
Alessia Rosa, a junior in the UF College of Nursing Bachelor of Science program, was admitted as a member of the UF University Scholars Program, a highly selective program introducing undergraduate students to the world of research. Under the mentorship of Lakeshia Cousin, PhD, RN, AGPCNP-BC, Rosa will build on a previous pilot study that investigated how journaling may improve well-being and physical activity for older Black female breast cancer survivors.
Livingstone Aduse-Poku
Livingstone Aduse-Poku, an epidemiology Ph.D. student who is mentored by Dejana Braithwaite, Ph.D., and Ting-Yuan D. Cheng, Ph.D., presented an abstract, titled “Associations of Total Body Fat Mass and Skeletal Muscle Index with All-Cause and Cancer-Specific Mortality in Cancer Survivors,” at the American Society of Preventive Oncology’s 47th Annual Meeting held March 12-14 in San Diego. He received an NCI Travel Award to attend.
Caretia Washington
Caretia Washington, an epidemiology M.D., Ph.D., candidate, received a first-place award for her poster in the health disparity research category at the UF Diversity Research Symposium. Her poster was titled “Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Survival Among Patients with Advanced-Stage Ovarian Cancer Treated with Systemic Therapy: A Population-Based Study.” She also presented a poster at the 2023 Florida Academic Cancer Center Alliance (FACCA) Retreat.