Students in the Immunology, Pathology & Infectious Disease (IPID) Graduate Studies Program were honored at a recent ceremony for their achievements in 2025-2026.
The Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center hosts the IPID program, which is part of the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences.
Award winners included:
- Best Oral Presentation, Midwest Student Biomedical Research Forum – Sam Aden, first place; Sarah Uhm, second place
- Best Presentation at the Graduate Student Research Seminar, 2025-2026 – Madison Love, first place; Taylor Burke, second place
- Outstanding Performance in PMI 992-Advanced Topics – Ridhi Bhola, immunology; Brittany Rabe, infectious disease
- Best Performance in IPID Comprehensive Examination, 2025-2026 – Ridhi Bhola
- Travel Awards – Isaac Adediji, Trainee Travel Award, Greenwald Symposium, University of Kansas Medical Center, Poster Presentation, October 2025; Laxmi Baxi Award, Society for Reproductive Investigation Conference, Puerto Rico, oral presentation, March 2026; Ridhi Bhola, Conference Travel Stipend, IDeA State Trainee Cancer Research Conference, West Virginia; April 2026; AAISCR-Dr. Kapil Mehta Travel Scholarship for Career Development, April 2026; Nichole Brandquist, Society for Leukocyte Biology Presidential Scholar-Finalist Travel Award; Del Dsouza, Dean of Graduate Studies Conference Attendance Travel Award; Brigham Killips, American Society of Rickettsikology Travel Award, 2025; Joanna Moody, CAP Foundation 2026 Medical Student Travel Award; Arif Sadi, 2025 International Cytokine & Interferon Society (ICIS)-Travel Award
- Graduate Student of Distinction – Nichole Brandquist (Advisor: Dr. Tammy Kielian); Taylor Burke (Advisor: Dr. Paul Fey); Abigail Hall (Advisor: Dr. Vinai Thomas)
- Graduate Studies Assistantships/Fellowships, 2025-2026
New UNMC awards – Haley Knowles (Advisor: Dr. Lisa Rucks); Abigail Hall, AHA primary funding (graduated in December 2025); Mohammed Hassan (Advisor: Dr. Maher Abdalla), Nebraska Microbiome Research Interest Group (UNMC Program of Excellence) 2025-2027 - Supplements for external funding – Taylor Burke; Gabrielle Schulze (Advisor: Dr. Paul Fey; graduated in December 2025)
- External funding
New funding – Nichole Brandquist, NIH NIAID 1F31AI197749-01, 4/2026-4/2028 “Investigating the role of S. aureus citrate metabolism in prosthetic joint infection”; Sarah Uhm, Global Virus Network Educational and Training Grant for Nebraska West Nile Virus Immunity and Geographic Surveillance; Artha Lotlikar, NIH T32 Trainees, Fundamental Training Program in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Steven H. Caplan, PI
Renewals – Taylor Burke, NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Individual Predoctoral Fellowship (2025-2029)
Other awards:
- Sarah Uhm, Dr. James A. Ferguson Emerging Infectious Diseases Research Initiatives for Student Enhancement (RISE) Graduate Fellowship Program (2026); Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; (CDC)-funded program; Johns Hopkins University, March 2026; Education Support Grant: University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Medicine, July 2025; Star City Pride Scholarship, April 2026; Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association PRIDE Scholarship, January 2026; UNMC E-Learning Awards Program, Cohort 15; Stanford Data Ocean Certificate Program Scholarship, July 2025; ASM Future Leaders Mentorship Fellowship; Unsung Hero Award in Honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Legacy of Service, March 2026; Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) iDMentorship365 Program Mentee, Oct. 2025 – Present
- Claire Garman, Ray Frohn Scholarship for Diversity, UNMC; First Place Oral Presentation in PBT: Physiology at Entomological Society of America (ESA) – November 2025; Second Place Oral Presentation as Voted on by peers at Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) (Biology of Spirochetes) – January 2026; Second Place Outstanding Graduate Oral Presentation – PhD Division at American Society for Microbiology (ASM) Missouri Valley Branch – March 2026
- Isaac Adediji, Oral Presentation Award at the18th Annual Rocky Mountain Reproductive Sciences Symposium, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, May 2026
- Sam Aden, First Place Outstanding Graduate Oral Presentation at the American Society of Microbiology Missouri Valley Branch, March 2026
- Nichole Brandquist, Runner-up Presidential Scholar Society for Leukocyte Biology
- Del Dsouza, Appointed American Society of Microbiology Young Ambassador to Nebraska; ASM Project Fund Grant to Host and moderate a PhD Uncovered Panel at American Society of Microbiology Missouri Valley Branch Conference at UNL
- Amanda Fernandes, Outstanding Poster Presentation Award, Neuroscience Symposium, Department of Pharmacology & Experimental Neuroscience, UNMC, 2025
- Angela Truong, Chancellor’s Outstanding Incoming PhD Student Scholarship, 2025
- Haley Knowles, Missouri Valley Branch – Presentation Award; Third Place Outstanding Graduate Oral Presentation at the American Society of Microbiology Missouri Valley Branch, March 2026
- Bright Manu, Ray H. Frohn Incoming Graduate Student Scholarship, UNMC Office of Graduate Studies, 2025–2026
- Cole Holderjano, UNMC Vice Chancellor of Research/Dr. Larsen Young Physician Scientist Award of Excellence; SHARING Clinic Medical Student Outstanding Involvement Award (Silver); Honorable Mention- Oral Presentation- ASM Missouri River Valley, March 2026
- Brittany Rabe, Naval Research Enterprise Internship Program (NREIP) at Naval Medical Research Command in Silver Spring, Maryland (June – August 2025),
- iTEACH Office of Community Engagement Awards (April 2026): Harm Reduction Advocates and Street Medicine interest groups received awards. IPID students involved in the groups include Del Dsouza, Dylan George, Joanna Moody and Sarah Uhm