Internal Medicine Research Awards
The UNMC Department of Internal Medicine encourages its faculty, trainees and staff to pursue clinical, translational and basic science research. We support their endeavors in many ways, including our annual internal medicine research awards.
Review the award categories and qualifications below and submit your nomination by March 13, 2026. Nominations will be reviewed by the Internal Medicine Research Council. Contact Lisa Chudomelka with questions.
Award Categories and Qualifications
- Evidence of long-term research success as demonstrated by publication record and history of extramural funding.
- Evidence of a national/international reputation in their field of expertise such as serving on study sections of major funding agencies, selection to committees and offices of national/international organizations, serving on editorial boards of journals, invited presentations at major meetings, awards for their research from other organizations, etc.
- Evidence of research mentoring for investigators both on and off campus.
- Evidence of participation in successful collaborations.
- Other items that the nominator feels reflect the significance of the contributions that the nominee has brought to their given field.
- Assistant and associate professor levels
- Evidence of an emerging and independent research career as supported by publications and extramural funding in the investigator’s area of interest.
- Evidence of an emerging regional or national reputation in their area of interest as demonstrated by presentations at national meetings, participation in committees or special programs at the regional or national level, etc.
- Other items that the nominator feels reflect how the nominee has shown excellence in their research work.
- Description of the initiative and commitment of the fellow or resident in pursuing a research project during their training program.
- Evidence of productivity as demonstrated by either publication or a presentation at a national meeting resulting from the fellow’s research work. For residents, presentation at a regional or national meeting is appropriate.
- Evidence of other outside recognition of the fellow’s research work, including selection of a trainee award at a regional or national meeting, securing trainee-level external funding that was peer-reviewed off campus, etc.
- Other items that the nominator feels reflect excellence on the part of the trainee regarding their research work.
- House staff are in good standing in their training program.
- Description of the initiative and commitment of the post-doc in pursuing a research project during their training program.
- Evidence of productivity as demonstrated by either publication or a presentation at a national meeting resulting from the post-doc’s research work.
- Evidence of other outside recognition of the post-doc’s research work, including selection of a trainee award at a regional or national meeting, securing trainee level external funding that was peer-reviewed off campus, etc.
- Other items that the nominator feels reflect excellence on the part of the trainee regarding their research work.
- Description of the initiative and commitment above and beyond the job description of the staff member and their integral role to research projects over a long-term period.
- Evidence of research productivity as demonstrated in publications or presentations at regional or national meetings or invited roles with research organizations external to UNMC.
- Other information that the nominator feels reflects career excellence on the part of the staff member regarding their role on a research team.
- Description of the initiative and commitment of the graduate student in pursuing a research project during their training program.
- Evidence of research productivity as demonstrated in presentations at regional or national meetings or submission of a manuscript
- Graduate student in good standing in the graduate school.
- Other recognitions to date identifying excellence in the field of research
- Other information that the nominator feels reflects excellence on the part of the student regarding their role on a research team.
- Description of the initiative and commitment of the medical student on a research project in conjunction with others in the UNMC Department of Internal Medicine.
- Evidence of research productivity as demonstrated in presentations at regional or national meetings or submission of a manuscript.
- Medical student in good standing in the medical school.
- Other information that the nominator feels reflects excellence on the part of the student regarding their role on a research team.
- Evidence of the mentoring relationship as demonstrated by meeting frequency, examples of mentoring efforts, and/or participation in formal department mentoring programs.
- Evidence of strongly positive feedback given to the mentor by the mentees as demonstrated by written documentation.
- Evidence of emerging or established independent research careers as supported by publications and extramural funding in the mentees’ areas of interest; describe the mentor's contribution to these efforts.
- Evidence of an emerging regional or national reputation in the mentees’ areas of interest as demonstrated by presentations at national meetings, participation in committees or special programs at the regional or national level, etc.; describe the mentor's contribution to these efforts.
- Other items that the nominator feels reflect the dedication of the mentor to the mentoring relationship.
Past Award Winners
Lifetime Achievement Research Award
2025 James O’Dell, MD
2020 Stephen Rennard, MD
2019 Lynell Klassen, MD
2014 James Armitage, MD
2006 Denham Harman, MD, PhD
Career Excellence Award
2025 Kusum Kharbanda PhD
2024 Jill Poole, MD
2023 Ted Mikuls, MD, MSPH
2021 Andre Kalil, MD
2020 Stephan Rennard, MD
2019 Cyrus Desouza, MBBS
2018 James Campbell, MD
2016 Susan Swindells, MBBS
2015 Carol Casey, PhD
2014 Thomas Porter, MD
2013 Mark Rupp, MD
2011 Debra Romberger, MD
2009 Julie Vose, M.D.
2008 James O’Dell, MD
2007 Joseph Sisson, MD
2006 James Armitage, MD
2004 Stephen Rennard, MD
2003 Howard Gendelman, MD
2002 Lynell Klassen, MD
2001 Michael Sorrell, MD
2000 Dean Tuma, PhD
Clinical Research Award
2025 Christopher D’Angelo, MD
2024 Nico Cortes-Penfield, MD
2024 Thuy Koll, MD
2022, Bryant England, MD
2022 Ben Teply, MD
2021 Sara Bares, MD
2020 Matthew Lunning, MD
2019 Vijaya Bhatt, MD
2017 Kaleb Michaud, PhD
2016 Diana Florescu, MD
2015 Apar Ganti, MD
2012 Andre Kalil, MD, MPH
2011 Cyrus Desouza, MBBS
2006 Jennifer Larsen, MD
2005 Ted Mikuls, MD
2003 Jane Potter, MD
2002 James O’Dell, MD
2001 Thomas Porter, MD
2000 Julie Vose, MD
Basic Science Research Award
2025 Bin Duan, PhD
2024 John Dickinson, MD, PhD
2021 Saras Viswanathan, PhD
2020 Michel Ouellette, PhD
2019 Yiannis Chatzizisis, MD, PhD
2017 Kristina Bailey, MD
2014 Natalia Osna, MD, PhD
2013 Benita McVicker, PhD
2012 Tricia LeVan, PhD
2011 , Jill Poole, MD
2010 Stephen Bonasera, MD, PhD
2009 Dee Harrison-Findik, DVM, PhD
2007 Dahn Clemens, PhD
2005 Kusum Kharbanda, PhD
2004 Robert Bennett, PhD
2003 Frederick Hamel, PhD
2002 Paul Fey, PhD
2001 Geoffrey Thiele, PhD
2000 Todd Wyatt, PhD
Fellowship Research Award
2025 Mansi Oberoi MBBS
2024 Austin Wheeler, MD
2023 Patrick Twohig, MD, MPH
2022 Laura Selby, DO
2022 Tate Johnson, MD
2021 Lindsay Helget, MD
2020 Lindsey Rearigh, DO
2020 Prajwal Dhakal, MD
2019, Scott Lundgren, DO
2019 Joseph Carrington, DO
2017 Bryant England, MD
2016 Kunut Kijsirichareanchai, MD
2015 Sarah Bligh, MD
2014 Vijaya Bhatt, MBBS
2013 Kathryn Lazure, MD
2012 Basem William, MD
2011 Brian Boerner, MD
2010 Shannon Wakeley, M.D.
2007 Kristina Bailey, MD
2006 Daniel Anderson, MD, PhD
2005 Apar Ganti, MD
2004 Wilson Ginete, MD
2003 Amit Arora, MD
2002 Scott Chapman, MD
2001 Ravindra Kashyap, MD
2000 Samer Nakhle, MD
Resident Research Award
2025 Austin Barry, MD
2025 Evangeline Green, DO
2024 Jonathan Trinh, MD
2023 Domenic DiSanti, DO
2022 Austin Wheeler, MD
2022 Gulsen Ozen, MD
2021 Luke Desilet, DO
2020 Amber Johnson, MD
2019 Tate Johnson, MD
2016 Javen Wunschel, DO
2015 Bryant England, MD
2014 Subhankar Chakraborty, MBBS, PhD
2013 Adam Wells, MD
2012 Isaac Berg, MD
2011 Kathryn Lazure, MD
2010 Warren Ancheta Thorp, M.D.
2009 Benjamin Miriovsky, MD
2008 Brian Fay, MD
2007 Kristine Erlandson, MD
2005 Marcus Snow, MD
2004 Kara Petersen, MD
2003 Arthi Sanjeevi, MD
2002 Todd Tessendorf, MD
Postdoctoral Research Award
2025 Mena Krishnan, PhD
2024 Daniel Villageliu, PhD
2023 Bo Liu, PhD
2021 Wen Shi, PhD
2019 Staci Haney, PhD
2018 Shaohua Wu, PhD
2015 Murali Ganesan, PhD
2014 Tara Nordgren-Gries, PhD
2012 Paul Thomes, PhD
2008 Peter Oldenburg, PhD
Medical Student Research Award
2025 Aaron Schwab, PhD
2024 Olivia Paetz
2023 Nozima Aripova
2022 Hannah Tandon
2022 Rebecca Brooks
2021 Kevin Hanna
2020 Evan Ryan
2020 Rohan Khazanchi
2019 Peter Maloley
2018 Bianca Christensen
2018 Matt Purbaugh
2017 Jordan Broekhuis
2017 Logan Jones
2016 Daniel Penrice
2015 Brian Coburn, MD/PhD program
2014 Irina Rozin
2013 Matthew Varon
2013 Marshall Davis
2012 Anthony Cannon
Daughton Award
2024 Carlos Hunter
2021 Jennifer O’Neill, RN, BSN
2020 Amy Nelson
2018 Jacy Kubik
2016 Arthur Heires, MA
2013 Michael Duryee, MS
2013 Jennifer Cavalieri, BSN, RN, CCRC
Research Mentoring Award
2024 Bryant England, MD, PhD
2023 Diana Florescu, MD
2022 Apar Ganti, MD
2020 Ted Mikuls, MD