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CCRI members shine in Excellence Awards

Research award winners who are affiliated with the Cancer Center and Research Institute are pictured.
Winners of OAVCR Excellence Awards who are affiliated with the UMMC Cancer Center and Research Institute include, seated, from left, Dr. David Stec, who serves on the CCRI Faculty Recruitment Committee, Meritorious Research Service-Faculty Award; Dr. Seema Singh, CCRI associate director of education and training, full member, bronze; Dr. Candace Howard-Claudio, full member, silver; Dr. Cynthia Karlson, full member, bronze; and standing, Dr. Ajay Singh, CCRI associate director of basic and translational research, full member, gold; Dr. Gailen Marshall, full member, platinum; Dr. Vinayak Nahar, affiliate member, Richard L. Summers Outstanding Achievement in Clinical Research; Dr. Brigitte Martin, affiliate member, silver; Dr. Matthew Kutcher, clinical member, silver; and Dr. Yufeng Zheng, full member, bronze.

Cancer Center and Research Institute members were among the researchers honored during the 2025 Office of the Associate Vice Chancellor for Research (OAVCR) Excellence Awards ceremony Nov. 12.  

CCRI’s accomplishments – including our new cancer biology PhD track that’s now enrolling students and the addition of 17 new faculty members since 2023 – were hailed in opening remarks by Dr. Lee Bidwell, associate vice chancellor for research. 

“This event is about more than numbers and grants,” Bidwell said. “It’s about celebrating the people whose curiosity, collaboration, and commitment are driving discoveries that make a difference for Mississippians.” 

UMMC saw a total of $101,429,993 in research funding during the past fiscal year. The Medical Center’s research included an all-time high 482 proposal submissions, 336 awards and more than 200 active clinical trials. 

Those honored include: 

Platinum Medallion - $5 million 

  • Gailen D. Marshall, MD, PhD, R. Faser Triplett Chair of Allergy and Immunology and Billy S. Guyton Distinguished Professor, Department of Medicine, full member 

Gold Medallion - $1 million 

  • Ajay P. Singh, PhD, professor of cell and molecular biology and associate director of basic and translational research, Cancer Center and Research Institute, full member 

Silver Medallion - $500,000 

  • Candace Howard-Claudio, MD, PhD, professor, Department of Radiology, full member 
  • Matthew E. Kutcher, MD, associate professor of trauma and critical care surgery, Department of Surgery, clinical member 
  • Brigitte E. Martin, PhD, assistant professor, Cell and Molecular Biology, affiliate member 

Bronze Medallion - $250,000 

  • Cynthia W. Karlson, PhD, professor, Pediatrics, full member 
  • Seema Singh, PhD, professor of cell and molecular biology and associate director of education and training, Cancer Center and Research Institute, full member 
  • Yufeng Zheng, PhD, associate professor of research, Data Science, full member 

Discovery Awards 

Meritorious Research Service-Faculty 

David E. Stec, PhD, Billy S. Guyton Distinguished Professor of Physiology and Biophysics, who was recognized for decades of leadership, mentorship and contributions to kidney and metabolic disease research and serves on the CCRI Faculty Recruitment Committee.  

Richard L. Summers Outstanding Achievement in Clinical Research 

Vinayak K. Nahar, MD, PhD, associate professor of dermatology, who was honored for his research in skin cancer prevention, tele-dermatology, and behavioral health research and is an affiliate member of CCRI 

Translational Research Team Award 

Zheng, along with Department of Data Science colleagues Dr. William B. Hillegass, professor of research, Dr. Seth T. Lirette, associate professor of research and Dr.  Wondwosen K. Yimmer, associate professor of research, was honored with the Translational Research Team Award. Their collaborative efforts in the Department of Data Science are helping transform data into actionable evidence across dozens of clinical and public health studies.