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Awards recognize faculty achievements in research

Published on Sunday, November 12, 2017

By: Karen Bascom

The University of Mississippi Medical Center held its annual Excellence in Research Awards Nov. 9 in the Norman C. Nelson Student Union.

Hosted by the Office of Research, the ceremony recognizes faculty members for their achievements in gaining outside funding. The award levels - platinum, gold, silver and bronze - are based on the cumulative amount of extramural funding received by the investigator for their original research.

The 19 medallion recipients, including one platinum, seven gold, five silver and six bronze all contributed to UMMC’s record-high 316 grants and awards for fiscal year 2017.

Dr. Richard Summers, associate vice chancellor for research, said the event is one of his favorite days of the Medical Center year.

“It’s a time for us to celebrate our achievements and accomplishments, and enjoy fellowship amongst our colleagues,” he said.

Summers noted the year’s successes, including progress in the Medical Center’s collaboration with the Mayo Clinic to advance clinical research on both campuses.

The Office of Research also granted Discovery Awards. This year’s peer-nominated and reviewed awards recognized an early-career investigator and meritorious research service from the faculty and staff. The ceremony also recognized this year’s patent recipients.

 

Platinum medallion winner Dr. Ervin Fox, right, with Dr. Richard Summers.
Dr. Richrd Summers, left, congratulates Dr. Ervin Fox, platinum medallion winner.

Platinum Medallion – $5,000,000 total

Dr. Ervin Fox, professor of medicine-cardiology

Fox is a leader in national and international studies of cardiovascular function and a senior investigator with the Jackson Heart Study and Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study. His current R01 grant focuses on the assessment of vascular function using pulse wave tonometry. Fox is also medical director of UMMC’s Clinical Non-invasive laboratory.

 

Gold medallion winners, starting second from left: Dr. Jennifer Sasser, Dr. Kevin Freeman, Dr. Lee Bidwell, Dr. Ray Grill, Dr. Lique Coolen and Dr. Bettina Beech, with Musshafen and Summers. Not pictured: Dr. Robert Annett.
Posing with Dr. Leslie Musshafen, left, and Summers are gold medallion winners, from left, Dr. Jennifer Sasser, Dr. Kevin Freeman, Dr. Lee Bidwell, Dr. Ray Grill, Dr. Lique Coolen and Dr. Bettina Beech.

Gold Medallion – $1,000,000 total

Dr. Robert Annett, professor of pediatrics-child development

Dr. Bettina Beech, dean of the School of Population Health, professor of population health science

Dr. Lee Bidwell, associate professor of neurology

Dr. Lique Coolen, professor of physiology and biophysics

Dr. Kevin Freeman, associate professor of psychiatry and human behavior

Dr. Raymond Grill, associate professor of neurobiology and anatomical sciences

Dr. Jennifer Sasser, associate professor of pharmacology and toxicology

 

Silver medallion winners from Dr. Damian Romero, left, and Dr. Rob Rockhold with Summers. Not pictured: Dr. Joseph Maher, Dr. Michael Puskarich and Dr. Angela Subauste.
Posing with Summers are silver medallion winners, from left, Dr. Damian Romero and Dr. Rob Rockhold.

Silver Medallion – $500,000 total

Dr. Joseph Maher, professor of medicine-hematology/oncology

Dr. Michael Puskarich, associate professor of emergency medicine

Dr. Rob Rockhold, deputy chief academic officer, professor of pharmacology and toxicology

Dr. Damian Romero, associate professor of biochemistry

Dr. Angela Subauste, associate professor of medicine-endocrinology

 

Bronze medallion recipients from left: Dr. Bernadette Grayson, Dr. Fan Fan, Dr. Junie Paula Warrington, Dr. Michael Hall, Dr. Douglas Vetter and Dr. Solomon Musani, with Dr. Richard Summers, third from left, and Leslie Musshafen, far right.
Posing with Summers and Musshafen are bronze medallion recipients, from left, Dr. Bernadette Grayson, Dr. Fan Fan, Dr. Junie Paula Warrington, Dr. Michael Hall, Dr. Douglas Vetter and Dr. Solomon Musani.

Bronze Medallion – $250,000 total

Dr. Fan Fan, assistant professor of pharmacology and toxicology

Dr. Bernadette Grayson, assistant professor of neurobiology and anatomical sciences

Dr. Michael Hall, associate professor of medicine-cardiology

Dr. Solomon Musani, associate professor of medicine-Jackson Heart Study

Dr. Douglas Vetter, associate professor of neurobiology and anatomical sciences

Dr. Junie Paula Warrington, assistant professor of neurology

 

Patent recipient Dr. Drazen Raucher, left, and Dr. Lee Bidwel, second from right, with Summers and Musshafen.
Posing with Summers and Musshafen are Dr. Drazen Raucher, left, patent recipient, and Bidwell.

Patent Recipients

Dr. Lee Bidwell, associate professor of neurology

Dr. Drazen Raucher, professor of biochemistry

 

Discovery award winners starting second from left, Dr. Eric George, Dr. Parminder Vig and Connie Watson, with Musshafen and Summers.
Posing with Musshafen and Summers are discovery award winners, from left, Dr. Eric George, Dr. Parminder Vig and Connie Watson.

Early Career Investigator

Dr. Eric George, assistant professor of physiology and biophysics

Meritorious Research Service-Faculty

Dr. Parminder Vig, professor of neurology

Meritorious Research Service-Support Staff

Connie Watson, CCRP, division business administrator in medicine-cardiology