SOPH faculty recognized with research excellence awards

The Office of Academic Affairs and the Office of the Associate Vice Chancellor for Research (OAVCR) have announced the recipients of the 2025 Excellence Awards, honoring investigators whose extramurally funded research, implementation science or training programs exemplify innovation and impact.

The Excellence Awards recognize faculty who successfully attract external funding and demonstrate sustained contributions to advancing the university’s research mission. Awards are presented at four levels – Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum – based on total extramural funding received during the fiscal year.

This year, several members of the John D. Bower School of Population Health (SOPH) were recognized for their achievements:

• Dr. Wondwosen Yimer – Gold Level Award

• Dr. Thomas Dobbs – Gold Level Award

• Dr. Yufeng Zheng – Bronze Level Award

• Translational Research Team (BERD Core) – Excellence Recognition

  • Seth Lirette, PhD (Director)

  • Wondwosen Yimer, MD, PhD

  • Yufeng Zheng, PhD

  • William “Bill” Hillegass, MD, PhD

The BERD (Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Research Design) Core, part of the Mississippi Center for Clinical and Translational Research (MCCTR), serves as a vital hub supporting investigators across UMMC, the University of Mississippi, Mississippi State University, the University of Southern Mississippi and Tougaloo College. Over the most recent NIH funding cycle, the BERD Core team has:

• Contributed more than 8,000 consulting hours

• Supported 203 accepted abstracts

• Produced 131 peer-reviewed publications

• Assisted in 34 grant submissions, 13 of which were successfully funded

The Excellence Awards not only celebrate individual and team success but also highlight SOPH’s growing leadership in advancing interdisciplinary, data-driven and translational research that directly improves population health outcomes.