— College of Medicine — Department of Internal Medicine — Divisions — Geriatrics, Gerontology and Palliative Medicine — Research Awards

Research Awards

The Division of Geriatrics, Gerontology and Palliative Medicine gratefully acknowledges the Kinman-Oldfield Family Foundation for support of two annual research awards, The Vada Kinman Oldfield Award for Research in Alzheimer’s Disease and The Nancy and Ronald Reagan Scholarship Awards. These awards follow the directive of Colonel Barney Oldfield to support the initial efforts of junior faculty and students in investigating the cause, evaluation, and treatment of late-life cognitive disorders.

The Vada Kinman Oldfield Alzheimer's Research Fund was established by Barney at the University of Nebraska Foundation after Vada’s eleven-year battle with Alzheimer’s Disease ended in February 1999.

To honor President Reagan’s memory, the Kinman Oldfield Family Foundation has established the Nancy and Ronald Reagan Alzheimer’s Scholarship Fund Award. Each year the award recognizes investigators pursuing promising, innovative work in Alzheimer’s research.

Award History

Vada Kinman Oldfield Award for Research in Alzheimer’s Disease

Nancy and Ronald Reagan Scholarship Awards

Vada and Barney Oldfield

In 1999, Col. Barney Oldfield made a $20,000 gift to the NU Foundation to establish the Vada Kinman Oldfield Alzheimer's Research Fund at UNMC. The fund commemorates the life of his wife, Vada, who suffered from Alzheimer's disease for 11 years before her death on Feb. 25, 1999.

The Oldfield Alzheimer's Research Fund is awarded annually to an individual with a promising new idea in Alzheimer's research. The endowment fund also has drawn a record number of contributions from friends and admirers of the Oldfields as a tribute to Vada and her work. The fund will support Alzheimer's research efforts at UNMC. Once Alzheimer’s is cured, the fund will support research to address other diseases of late-life.

Recent Awardees

2017 Thuy T. Koll, MD
2018 Kelly L. Stauch, Ph.D
2019 Daniel L. Murman, MD, MS
2020 Yuri Lyubchenko, Ph.D
2021 Matthew Van Hook, Ph.D & Xinglong Wang, Ph.D
2022 Susmita Sil, PhD

President Ronald Reagan & Col. Barney Oldfield

President and Mrs. Reagan dedicated themselves to helping accelerate Alzheimer's research. In 1995 they joined with the Alzheimer's Association to create the Ronald and Nancy Reagan Research Institute. This Institute, with its focus on cutting-edge basic science, enabled the Association to develop the biological segment of its research program and move toward funding innovative research aimed at precise molecular targets. To honor President Reagan's memory the Kinman-Oldfield Family Foundation has established the Nancy and Ronald Reagan Alzheimer's Scholarship Fund Award. Each year the award recognizes students and very early investigators pursuing initial work in Alzheimer's research.

Recent Awardees

2017 Rachel Coburn, Alex Hansen, Claire Svec, and Kaleb Thomas
2018 Katherine Olson, PhD
2019 Carly Faller, Claire Ferguson, and Ran Jing
2020 Ahmed Morsy
2021 Tami Braley and Abi Heller
2022 Roland Nashanthea, BS, Seth Springer, BS, Meghan Ramirez, BS, Louise Dow, Mchem, Zachary Van Roy, BS, Luise Daniel Estrella, BS