Research & Faculty Mentoring Awards Research Awards Faculty Mentoring Awards UC Irvine School of Medicine Research Awards The School of Medicine Research Awards celebrate excellence in research. Home About About > Research Awards Celebrating Research Excellence The School of Medicine Office of Research annually recognizes excellence in research and outstanding academic achievement. Each awardee receives a monetary award and an individual recognition plaque. Winners' names are also added to an enduring plaque on display in Irvine Hall. Award Categories Outstanding Graduate Student Research Award Aimed at graduate students, including medical students, (one clinical/translational and one basic science) who show outstanding scientific promise in biomedical research. Two awardees; each will receive $750. Outstanding Fellow/Resident Research Award Aimed at residents, clinical fellows and postdoctoral fellows (one clinical and one basic science) who show outstanding scientific promise in biomedical research. Two awardees; each will receive $750. Outstanding Career Scientist Research Award Recognizing the scientific impact of career scientists (non-faculty; includes Professional Researcher, Project Scientist and Research Specialist series). One awardee will receive a $1,500 award. Outstanding Early-Career Faculty Research Award Recognizing the scientific impact and novel contribution of early-career faculty (includes assistant professors in the HS Clinical, Clinical X, In-Residence, In-Line and Adjunct series). Two awardees: one focused on basic research and one focused on clinical research; each will receive $1,500. Outstanding Mid-Career Faculty Research Award Recognizing mid-career scientists who have made novel and significant scientific contributions (includes associate and full professors in the HS Clinical, Clinical X, In-Residence, In-Line and Adjunct series). Two awardees: one focused on basic research and one focused on clinical research; each will receive $1,500. Lifetime Research Achievement Award Recognizing senior scientists who have made significant fundamental contributions to research with a lasting impact on their fields (includes full professors in the HS Clinical, Clinical X, In-Residence, In-Line and Adjunct series). Two awardees: one focused on basic research and one focused on clinical research; each will receive $1,500. Trainee Mentoring Award Recognizing faculty who have made an impact on research through their excellence in mentoring trainees. The Gina Lee Award for Excellence in Mentoring Basic Science Research Trainees is for faculty who mentor trainees engaging in basic science research. The Excellence in Mentoring Clinical Research Trainees Award is for faculty who mentor trainees engaging in clinical research. Each awardee will receive $1,500. Additionally, the recipient of The Gina Lee Award for Excellence in Mentoring Basic Science Research Trainees will be invited to give a related lecture hosted by the Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics. Selection Criteria Considerations for the awards include: Academic Accomplishment Original Contribution to the Literature Significance of Innovation to the Field Relevance to the Aims & Priorities of the School of Medicine Past Awardees 2025 The Gina Lee Award for Excellence in Mentoring Basic Science Research Trainees Winner Cholsoon Jang, PhD, Department of Biological Chemistry Honorable Mention Matthew Marsden, PhD, Departments of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics and Medicine The Excellence in Mentoring Clinical Research Trainees Award Winner Arash Rezazadeh Kalebasty, MD, Departments of Medicine and Urology Honorable Mention Nii-Kabu Kabutey, MD, Department of Surgery Outstanding Graduate Student Research Award Winners Basic Science: Shannon Geels, Department of Physiology & Biophysics (Adviser: Francesco Marangoni, PhD)Clinical/Translational: Samuel W. Du, Departments of Physiology & Biophysics and Ophthalmology (Adviser: Krzysztof Palczewski, PhD) Honorable Mentions Basic Science: José Morán, Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics (Adviser: Matthew Marsden, PhD)Clinical/Translational: Alexa Kassels, Department of Dermatology (Advisers: Christina Kraus, MD, and Michelle Min, MD, MSci) Outstanding Fellow/Resident Research Award Winners Basic Science: Won-Suk Song, PhD, Department of Biological Chemistry Clinical/Translational: Omid Yazdanpanah, MD, Division of Hematology & Oncology, Department of Medicine Honorable Mentions Basic Science: Elodie Bournique, PhD, Department of Biological ChemistryClinical/Translational: Ravi Rajmohan, MD, PhD, Department of Neurology Outstanding Career Scientist Research Award Winner Jiin Felgner, MS, MPH, Department of Physiology & Biophysics Outstanding Mid-Career Faculty Research Award Winners Basic Science: Kai Kessenbrock, PhD, Department of Biological ChemistryClinical Research: Albert R. La Spada, MD, PhD, Departments of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Neurology, Biological Chemistry and Neurobiology & Behavior Honorable Mentions Basic Science: Kwang-Mook Jung, PhD, Department of Anatomy & NeurobiologyClinical Research: S. Ahmad Sajjadi, MD, PhD, MRCP, Departments of Neurology and Pathology & Laboratory Medicine (joint appointment) Outstanding Early-Career Faculty Research Award Winners Basic Science: Lisa Wagar, PhD, Department of Physiology & BiophysicsClinical Research: Erlinda Rose (Chulie) Ulloa, MD, MSc, Departments of Pediatrics and Microbiology & Molecular Genetics Honorable Mentions Basic Science: Orkide Koyuncu, PhD, Department of Microbiology & Molecular GeneticsClinical Research: Patrick Chen, MD, Department of Neurology Lifetime Research Achievement Award Winners Basic Science: Christine M. Gall, PhD, Department of Anatomy & NeurobiologyClinical Research: Dan M. Cooper, MD, Department of Pediatrics 2024 Outstanding Graduate Student Research Award Winners Basic Science: Jason Lee, Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology (Adviser: Kei Igarashi, PhD)Clinical/Translational: Christopher Yang, Department of Ophthalmology (Adviser: Ken Lin, MD, PhD) Honorable Mentions Basic Science: Emily Tom, Department of Ophthalmology (Adviser: Dorota Skowronska-Krawczyk, PhD) & Valeria Rangel, Department of Biological Chemistry (Adviser: Nicholas Pannunzio, PhD)Clinical/Translational: Armon Azizi, Department of Medicine (Adviser: Farshid Dayyani, MD, PhD) & Nischal Acharya, Department of Surgery (Advisers: Michael Oh, MD, Hao-Hua Wu, MD, and Sohaib Hashmi, MD) Outstanding Fellow/Resident Research Award Winners Basic Science: Naomi Lomeli, PhD, Department of NeurologyClinical/Translational: Muhammed Alaa Moukhtar Hammad, MBBCh, MSc, Department of Urology Honorable Mentions Basic Science: Justin Chan, MD, Department of Orthopaedic SurgeryClinical/Translational: Carly Crowder, MD, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology & Bruce Gao, MD, Department of Urology Outstanding Career Scientist Research Award Winner David Salom, PhD, Department of Ophthalmology Honorable Mention Hye-Lim Lee, PhD, Department of Neurobiology & Anatomy Outstanding Early-Career Faculty Research Award Winners Basic Science: Cholsoon Jang, PhD, Department of Biological ChemistryClinical Research: Olivia H. Chang, MD, MPH, Department of Urology Honorable Mentions Basic Science: Lisa Wagar, PhD, Department of Physiology & BiophysicsClinical Research: Christina Kraus, MD, Department of Dermatology Outstanding Mid-Career Faculty Research Award Winners Basic Science: Shawn (Liangzhong) Xiang, PhD, Department of Radiological SciencesClinical Research: Mihaela Balu, PhD, Department of Dermatology Honorable Mentions Basic Science: Yongsheng Shi, PhD, Department of Microbiology & Molecular GeneticsClinical Research: Dara Sorkin, PhD, Department of Medicine Lifetime Research Achievement Award Winners Basic Science: Tallie Z. Baram, MD, PhD, Departments of Pediatrics, Anatomy & Neurobiology, and NeurologyClinical Research: William E. Bunney MD, Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior 2023 Outstanding Graduate Student Research Award Winners Basic Science: Sunwoo Oh, Department of Biological Chemistry (Adviser: Rémi Buisson, PhD)Clinical/Translational: Megan Donnelly, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery (Advisers: Jeffry Nahmias, MD, and Raj Vyas, MD) Honorable Mentions Basic Science: Gianna Fote, PhD, Department of Biological Chemistry (Advisers: Leslie Thompson, PhD and Joan Steffan, PhD)Basic Science: Jason Lee, Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology (Adviser: Kei Igarashi, PhD)Clinical/Translational: Sina Hosseinian, Department of Surgery (Adviser: Sebastian Schubl, MD)Clinical/Translational: Armon Azizi, Department of Radiation Oncology (Adviser: Steven Seyedin, MD) Outstanding Fellow/Resident Research Award Winners Basic Science: Suhas Sureshchandra, PhD, Department of Physiology & BiophysicsClinical/Translational: Lohrasb Ross Sayadi, MD, Department of Plastic Surgery Honorable Mentions Basic Science: Matthew T. Birnie, PhD, Department of PediatricsBasic Science: Emma M. Lessieur-Contreras, MD, PhD, Department of OphthalmologyClinical/Translational: Alexander M. Lopez, MD, Department of Neurological SurgeryClinical/Translational: Edmund Hsu, MD, Department of Emergency Medicine Outstanding Career Scientist Research Award Winner Jami L. Nourse, PhD, Department of Physiology & Biophysics Honorable Mention David Salom, PhD, Department of Ophthalmology Outstanding Early-Career Faculty Research Award Winners Basic Science: Rémi Buisson, PhD, Department of Biological ChemistryClinical Research: Andrew Browne, MD, PhD, Department of Ophthalmology Honorable Mentions Basic Science: Dorota Skowronska-Krawcyzk, PhD, Department of Physiology & BiophysicsClinical Research: Roshan M. Patel, MD, Department of Urology Outstanding Mid-Career Faculty Research Award Winners Basic Science: Xiangmin Xu, PhD, Department of Anatomy & NeurobiologyClinical Research: Gelareh Sadigh, MD, Department of Radiological Sciences Honorable Mentions Basic Science: Aileen J. Anderson, PhD, Department of Physical Medicine & RehabilitationClinical Research: Faysal A. Yafi, MD, Department of Urology Lifetime Research Achievement Award Winners Basic Science: Timothy S. Kern, PhD, Department of OphthalmologyClinical Research: Sheldon Greenfield, MD, Department of Medicine UCI NIH Grant-Writing Boot Camp Coach's Award An inaugural award for five years of extraordinary service. Winners Kyoko Yokomori, PhD, Department of Biological ChemistryPeter Donovan, PhD, Department of Biological Chemistry 2022 Outstanding Graduate Student Research Award Winners Basic Science: Robert Lewis (Adviser: Emiliana Borrelli, PhD)Clinical/Translational: Nolan Brown (Adviser: Michael Oh, MD) Honorable Mentions Basic Science: Sunwoo Oh (Adviser: Rémi Buisson, PhD)Basic Science: Jason Lee (Adviser: Kei Igarashi, PhD)Clinical/Translational: Elena Heide (Adviser: Jeremy Harris, MD)Clinical/Translational: Sina Hosseinian (Adviser: Sebastian Schubl, MD) Outstanding Fellow/Resident Research Award Winners Basic Science: Dominik Lewandowski, PhD (Adviser: Krzysztof Palczewski, PhD)Clinical/Translational: David Benjamin, MD (Adviser: Arash Rezazadeh Kalebasty, MD) Honorable Mentions Basic Science: Roman Smidak, PhD (Adviser: Krzysztof Palczewski, PhD)Clinical/Translational: Jonathan Lee, MD (Adviser: Shannon Toohey, MD, MAEd) Outstanding Career Scientist Research Award Winner Shivashankar Othy, DVM, PhD, Physiology & Biophysics Honorable Mentions David Salom, PhD, Ophthalmology Xiaorong Wang, PhD, Physiology & Biophysics Outstanding Early-Career Faculty Research Award Winners Basic Science: Kei Igarashi, PhD, Anatomy & NeurobiologyClinical Research: Edward Kuan, MD, MBA, Otolaryngology Honorable Mentions Basic Science: Rémi Buisson, PhD, Biological ChemistryBasic Science: Medha Pathak, PhD, Physiology & BiophysicsClinical Research: E. R. Chulie Ulloa, MD, PediatricsClinical Research: Karen Lindsay, PhD, RDN, Pediatrics/SSIHI Outstanding Mid-Career Faculty Research Award Winners Basic Science: Lan Huang, PhD, Physiology & BiophysicsClinical Research: Lisa Gibbs, MD, AGSF, Family Medicine Honorable Mentions Basic Science: Xing Dai, PhD, Biological ChemistryBasic Science: Anand Ganesan, MD, PhD, DermatologyClinical Research: Lbachir BenMohamed, PhD. OphthalmologyClinical Research: Danh Nguyen, PhD, Medicine: Internal Medicine Lifetime Research Achievement Award Winners Basic Science: Stephen White, PhD, Physiology & BiophysicsClinical Research: Nathan Wong, PhD, MPH, Medicine: Cardiology Honorable Mentions Basic Science: Timothy Kern, PhD, OphthalmologyClinical Research: Dana Mukamel, PhD, Medicine: Internal Medicine 2021 Outstanding Graduate Student Research Award Winners Basic Science: Aliza Le (Adviser: Gary Lynch, PhD)Clinical/Translational: Arash Abiri (Adviser: Edward Kuan, MD, MBA) Honorable Mentions Basic Science: May Hui (Adviser: Kevin T. Beier, PhD)Basic Science: Robert Lewis (Adviser: Emiliana Borrelli, PhD)Clinical/Translational: Samuel Du (Adviser: Krzysztof Palczewski, PhD)Clinical/Translational: John Hong (Adviser: Krzysztof Palczewski, PhD) Outstanding Fellow/Resident Research Award Winners Basic Science: Ghaidaa Kashgari, PhD (Adviser: Bogi Andersen, MD)Clinical/Translational: Arum Wu, PhD (Adviser: Krzysztof Palczewski, PhD) Honorable Mentions Clinical/Translational: Mehdi Abouzari, MD, PhD (Advisers: Hamid Djalilian, MD/William Armstrong, MD)Clinical/Translational: Ross Sayadi, MD (Advisers: Amber Coffey-Leis, MD/Alan Widgerow, MMed) Outstanding Career Scientist Research Award Winner Julie C. Lauterborn, PhD, Anatomy & Neurobiology Honorable Mentions Shivashankar Othy, PhD, DVM, Physiology & Biophysics David Salom, PhD, Ophthalmology Outstanding Early-Career Faculty Research Award Winners Basic Science: Selma Masri, PhD, Biological ChemistryClinical Research: Jessica Shiu, MD, PhD, Dermatology Honorable Mentions Basic Science: Kevin T. Beier, PhD, Physiology & BiophysicsBasic Science: Kei Igarashi, PhD, Anatomy & NeurobiologyClinical Research: Autumn Ivy, MD, PhD, PediatricsClinical Research: Edward Kuan, MD, MBA, Otolaryngology Outstanding Mid-Career Faculty Research Award Winners Basic Science: Wei Li, PhD, Biological ChemistryClinical Research: Shlomit Aizik, PhD, Pediatrics Honorable Mentions Basic Science: Haoping Liu, PhD, Biological ChemistryBasic Science: Yongsheng Shi, PhD, Microbiology & Molecular GeneticsClinical Research: Lisa M Gibbs, MD, Family MedicineClinical Research: Maheswari Senthil, MD, Surgery Lifetime Research Achievement Award Winners Basic Science: Michael Cahalan, PhD, Physiology & BiophysicsClinical Research: Susan M. O’Brien, MD, Medicine