Researchers recognized for ‘excellence’ in procuring support

During the annual Excellence in Research Awards, 26 University of Mississippi Medical Center researchers were recognized for bringing in the most outside funding for their projects.

“Since the inception of these awards, this year’s group is one of the largest to be recognized,” said Dr. Richard Summers, UMMC associate vice chancellor for research.

Now in its 14th year, the awards recognize those researchers whose projects drew in the top-dollar amounts for the year. Split among four levels – Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum – the researchers were recognized based on their funding totals.

This year, UMMC was among the top 10 academic medical centers in percentage funding increase received from the National Institutes of Health, said Dr. James E. Keeton, vice chancellor for health affairs and dean of the School of Medicine. 

The increase is an unusual one for many medical centers, said Summers. “We need to build on that. We can’t stop now.”

One researcher – Dr. Richard Roman, professor and chair of pharmacology and toxicology and an adjunct professor of medicine, was awarded the Platinum Medallion, signifying research funding of $5,000,000 or more. 

Summers said that level has only been reached six other times since 2000.

He also said the Excellence in Research Awards are likely to expand in the future to also include awards for the most significant discoveries by UMMC researchers during a calendar year, to extend recognition to achievements that might not be easily measured in dollars.

The researchers honored on Tuesday are:

Bronze Medallion - $250,000 total

 • Dr. Brian J. Akerley, associate professor of microbiology

 • Dr. Albert W. Dreisbach, associate professor of medicine

 • Dr. Eric M. George, assistant professor of physiology and biophysics

 • Dr. Chindo Hicks, associate professor of medicine and director of bioinformatics and computational genomics

 • Dr. Jennifer M. Sasser, assistant professor of pharmacology and toxicology

 • Dr. Angela Subauste, assistant professor of medicine

 • Dr. Keli Xu, assistant professor of neurobiology and anatomical services and full member of the Cancer Institute

Silver Medallion - $500,000

 • Dr. Lee Bidwell, assistant professor of neurology

 • Dr. Jussara M. do Carmo, assistant professor of physiology and biophysics

 • Dr. Lir-Wan Fan, associate professor of pediatrics

 • Dr. Amol V. Janorkar, associate professor of biomedical materials science

 • Dr. Donna M. Platt, associate professor of psychiatry and human behavior, with secondary appointment in neurobiology and anatomical sciences

 • Dr. Jan Michael William, assistant professor of pharmacology and toxicology

 • Dr. Gwen Windham, associate professor of medicine

Gold Medallion - $1,000,000

 • Dr. Azeddine Atfi, professor of biochemistry and director of the Tumor Cell Biology Program at the Cancer Institute

 • Dr. Courtney L. Bagge, assistant professor of psychiatry and human behavior, director of suicide research, director of the Mood Disorders Clinic

 • Dr. Kim L. Gratz, professor of psychiatry and human behavior, director of personality disorders research, director of Dialectical Behavior Therapy Clinic

 • Dr. Michael Lehman, professor and chair of neurobiology and anatomical sciences

 • Dr. Merry Lindsey, professor of physiology and biophysics

 • Dr. Luis A. Martinez, associate professor of biochemistry and member of the Cancer Institute

 • Dr. Larry S. McDaniel, professor of microbiology, surgery and medicine

 • Dr. D. Ashley Robinson, associate professor of microbiology

 • Dr. James K. Rowlett, professor of psychiatry and human behavior, with secondary appointment in neurobiology and anatomical sciences

 • Dr. Hong Zhu, professor of otolaryngology and communicative sciences

 • Dr. Jia L. Zhuo, professor of pharmacology and toxicology

Platinum Medallion - $5,000,000

 • Dr. Richard Roman, professor and chair of pharmacology and toxicology, adjunct professor of medicine

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