Dean's Celebration of Excellence in Research
The Dean's Celebration of Excellence in Research is an annual three-day event highlighting the research being conducted by junior faculty, senior faculty, postdoctoral trainees, and graduate students at the University of Vermont and the University of Vermont
Larner College of Medicine.
The 2021 celebration was held on Monday, October 25 - Wednesday, October 27. Highlights of this year's event included:
- The Graduate Student Research Showcase provided a venue for developing scientists to share their amazing work and research stories with the Larner College of Medicine community and an opportunity to earn prizes. Each presenter
spoke for 12 minutes or less about their research, followed by 3 minutes of Q&A. Presentations were considered for two prizes in each of two categories - junior graduate student and senior graduate student.
- The Medical Alumni Association Distinguished Graduate Alumni Award Recipient Presentation featured Junjie Chen, Ph.D.'93, Professor and Chair of the department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
View a Recording of Dr. Chen's Presentation
- The 2021 Research Laureate Lecture was given by the 2020 Research Laureate, Anne Dixon, M.D., Professor and Chair of the division of Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care Medicine, and director of the Vermont Lung Center.
- The State of Research at the College and Dean's Excellence in Research Awards included a presentation by Senior Associate Dean for Research Gordon Jensen, M.D., Ph.D., on the State of Research at the UVM Larner College of Medicine, and an
awards ceremony. The awards ceremony included a presentation of awards for Outstanding Research Publication by a Graduate Student, Outstanding Research Publication by a Medical Student, Outstanding Research Publication by a Postdoctoral
Fellow, Outstanding Research Publication by a Resident, Senior Researcher of the Year at the UVM Health Network Medical Group (UVMHNMG), Junior Researcher of the Year at the UVMHNMG, and faculty awards for Research Mentorship, Rising Star
New Investigator, Mid-Career Investigator, Research Laureate, Faculty Clinical Trials Research and two awards that recognize research staff including
the Dean’s Clinical Research Coordinator Award and the Dean’s Scientific Research Staff Award.
View a Recording of the 2021 State of Research at the College and Awards Presentation
View the 2021 State of Research at the College and Awards Presentation
View the 2021 State of Research & Awards Ceremony Program
2021 Dean's Excellence in Research Award Winners
The Graduate Student Trainee Showcase
Junior Graduate Category
Winner: Bryn Loftness for “Developing
Novel Techniques for Assessment and Digital Phenotyping of Childhood
Internalizing Disorders." Loftness' mentors are Ryan McGinnis, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering, and Ellen McGinnis, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Psychiatry.
Runner Up: Allison Morrissey for “Histidine
292 of the MutY DNA Glycosylase Plays an Important
Role in DNA Scanning Mechanisms on Damaged and Undamaged DNA Substrates.” Morrisey's mentor is Andrea Lee, Ph.D. UVM Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
Senior Graduate Category
Winner: JJ Bivona for “Reinventing the wheel to improve voluntary exercise in
mice.” Bivona's mentor is UVM Professor of Medicine, Matthew Poynter, Ph.D.
Runner Up: Jeffrey Brabec for “Discovering
Functional Genetic Associations to AD Through a Multi-Network Re-Prioritization
Approach.” Brabec's mentor is UVM Assistant Professor of Neurological Sciences Matthew Mahoney, Ph.D.
Trainee Awards for Outstanding Research Publication
Graduate Student
Leslie Sepaniac, Ph.D. for "Micronuclei
in Kif18a mutant mice form stable micronuclear envelopes and do not promote
tumorigenesis." Sepaniac's mentor is UVM Associate Professor of Molecular Biology and Bioophysics Jason Stumpff, Ph.D.
Medical Student
Rhys Niedecker for "Effects of early life seizures on coordination of hippocampal-prefrontal networks: Influence of sex and dynamic brain states." Niedecker's mentor is UVM Professor and Chair of the Department of Neurological Sciences Gregory L. Holmes, M.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Michelle Kloc, Ph.D. for "Recurrent
Febrile Seizures alter intra-hippocampal temporal coordination but do not cause
spatial learning impairments." Kloc's mentor is UVM Assistant Professor of Neurological Sciences Jeremy Barry, Ph.D.
Resident
Stephen Ranney, M.D. for "Delay in ICU transfer is protective against ICU readmission in trauma patients: a naturally controlled experiment." Ranney's mentor is UVM Professor of Surgery .
UVM Health Network Medical Group Awards
Junior Researcher of the Year
Tim Plante, M.D., M.H.S., Assistant Professor of Medicine
Senior Researcher of the Year
Roger Soll, M.D., H. Wallace Professor of Neonatology
Research Grants
Diego Adrianzen-Herrera, M.D., Assistant Professor of Medicine
Sherrie Khadanga, M.D., Assistant Professor of Medicine
Innovation Grants
Michael Hehir, M.D., Associate Professor of Neurological Sciences
Larner College of Medicine Staff Awards
Scientific Research Staff
Susan Richardson, Ph.D., Research Analyst
Clinical Research Coordinator
Alex Friend, Clinical Research Coordinator
Patricia Lutton, Clinical Research Coordinator
Larner College of Medicine Faculty Awards
Research Mentorship
Jason Bates, Ph.D., D. Sc., Professor of Medicine
Dean’s Clinical Trials Research Award
Richard Solomon, M.D., Professor of Medicine
Rising Star New Investigator
Michael Previs, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics
Mid-Career Investigator
Jason Stumpff, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics
Research Laureate
Yvonne Janssen-Heininger, Ph.D., Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine