Fifth Annual Research & Faculty Mentoring Awards

Seventeen awards, 14 honorable mentions and countless accomplishments and words of gratitude added up to one very successful awards luncheon on June 5, 2025. “We are here to celebrate and recognize our faculty, staff and trainees for their excellence in research and faculty mentoring,” said Michael Stamos, MD, dean of the UC Irvine School of Medicine, during opening remarks for the Research & Faculty Mentoring Awards ceremony.

Stamos thanked everyone in attendance for their unwavering commitment to the school’s “Discover. Teach. Heal.” mission. “I am indeed humbled by the collective excellence represented here today and I want to thank you for your outstanding service, always.”

Stamos acknowledged that 2025 marks a milestone for the awards program, now in its fifth year of highlighting groundbreaking achievements in both basic science and clinical research across all career stages. “We honor the tireless efforts to push the boundaries of knowledge and shape the future of medicine.”

Inaugural Award for Excellence in Research Trainee Mentoring

New for 2025 is the Trainee Mentoring Award, recognizing faculty who have made an impact on research through their excellence in mentoring trainees, either in Basic Research or Clinical Research.

The Basic Science award is named in honor of Gina Lee, PhD, who joined the Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics as an assistant professor in May 2020. During her time at UC Irvine, she left an indelible mark on research excellence and the advancement of human health. Lee radiated brightness and warmth to everyone she encountered, especially her mentees. Her untimely passing cut short a promising career, and this award honors Lee’s legacy as a scientist, teacher and incredible mentor.

The Gina Lee Award for Excellence in Mentoring Basic Science Research Trainees went to Cholsoon Jang, PhD, from the Department of Biological Chemistry (honorable mention: Matthew Marsden, PhD, from the Departments of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics and Medicine). Jang’s mentorship has been instrumental in the publication of an impressive 64 articles since 2020, many of which have appeared in high-impact journals such as Cell, Nature, and Science. Furthermore, Jang has not only continued Lee’s scientific legacy in RNA metabolism and kidney cancer research but has also upheld her dedication to mentoring by supporting her remaining students and postdoctoral scholars.

The Excellence in Mentoring Clinical Research Trainees award went to Arash Rezazadeh Kalebasty, MD, from the Departments of Medicine and Urology (honorable mention: Nii-Kabu Kabutey, MD, from the Department of Surgery). Rezazadeh has consistently demonstrated an exceptional commitment to mentoring emerging clinical researchers, and his career achievements are a testament to his influence on the field of genitourinary oncology.

Lifetime Research Achievement Award

Two senior scientists were recognized for making significant fundamental contributions to research with a lasting impact on their fields.

Christine M. Gall, PhD, chair of the Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, received the Lifetime Research Achievement Award for Basic Science. Gall is an internationally renowned researcher and a pioneer in the study of memory mechanisms. She was the first to provide definitive evidence for neuronal expression of neurotropic factors and the upregulation of this expression by neuronal activity. Her discoveries have also challenged several entrenched dogmas about the role of estrogen within the hippocampus in learning and memory mechanisms in both males and females. In addition to her tremendous research contributions, Gall has provided selfless leadership by serving as chair of the Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology for the past decade.

Dan M. Cooper, MD, from the Department of Pediatrics, received the Lifetime Research Achievement Award for Clinical Research. Cooper has revolutionized pediatric exercise science, transforming our understanding of physical activity’s role in health and disease during childhood and adolescence. His pioneering research over the past 35 years has provided critical insights into combating inactivity and obesity among children, shaping both clinical practice and public health strategies. As director of the UC Irvine Institute for Clinical and Translational Science, he has made momentous contributions to translational science.

Research Awards

In addition to excellence in research mentoring and lifetime achievements, another nine research awards were announced.

The Outstanding Graduate Student Research Award went to two students conducting outstanding biomedical research:

• Basic Science — Shannon Geels from the Department of Physiology & Biophysics, advised by Francesco Marangoni, PhD. Geels’ research focuses on deciphering cell-cell communication within the immune system (honorable mention: José Morán from the Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, advised by Matthew Marsden, PhD).
• Clinical/Translational Science — Samuel W. Du from the Departments of Physiology & Biophysics and Ophthalmology, advised by Krzysztof Palczewski, PhD. Du, a trainee in the Medical Scientist Training Program who recently defended his thesis, has made multiple critical discoveries in the field of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing (honorable mention: Alexa Kassels from the Department of Dermatology, advised by Christina Kraus, MD, and Michelle Min, MD).

The Outstanding Fellow/Resident Research Award, aimed at residents, clinical fellows and postdoctoral fellows, was presented to the following:

• Basic Science — Won-Suk Song, PhD, from the Department of Biological Chemistry. Song recently published a manuscript regarding his discovery of a previously unknown circulating metabolite that is highly elevated and maintains NAD+ homeostasis in certain pathophysiological conditions (honorable mention: Elodie Bournique, PhD, from the Department of Biological Chemistry).
• Clinical/Translational Science — Omid Yazdanpanah, Division of Hematology & Oncology, Department of Medicine. Yazdanpanah is a third-year fellow advancing genitourinary (GU) oncology research and collaborating with the Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine on tumor microenvironments in African-American patients with prostate cancer (honorable mention: Ravi Rajmohan, MD, PhD, from the Department of Neurology).

The Outstanding Career Scientist Research Award was presented to Jiin Felgner, MS, MPH, from the Department of Physiology & Biophysics. In the 1980s and 90s, Felgner helped pioneer the use of cationic lipids for the delivery of nucleic acids into cells. Ultimately this work led to the development of mRNA vaccines and the ending of the COVID-19 pandemic. She is an unsung hero in the work of the Vaccine R&D Center, which has garnered international attention and awards.

The Outstanding Early-Career Faculty Research Award recognized the scientific impact and novel contributions of two early-career faculty members:

• Basic Science — Lisa Wagar, PhD, from the Department of Physiology & Biophysics. Wager has made breakthrough contributions to human immunology. Her work can be used as a novel platform for optimizing vaccination strategies, and she is working on personalized medicine approaches for cancer treatment (honorable mention: Orkide Koyuncu, PhD, from the Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics).
• Clinical Research — Erlinda Rose (Chulie) Ulloa from the Departments of Pediatrics and Microbiology & Molecular Genetics. Ulloa is redefining traditional antibiotic efficacy testing by investigating the role of antibiotic-immune interactions and the effectiveness of antibiotics under physiologically modeled conditions. She has also made significant strides in combating staphylococcal infections (honorable mention: Patrick Chen from the Department of Neurology).

The SOM Outstanding Mid-Career Faculty Research Award recognized two mid-career scientists who have made novel and significant scientific contributions:

• Basic Science — Kai Kessenbrock, PhD, from the Department of Biological Chemistry. Kessenbrock is a leader in his field with a particular focus on tumor microenvironment and cancer heterogeneity. His pioneering work at the intersection of single-cell genomics and cancer biology has significantly advanced our understanding of breast cancer initiation and progression (honorable mention: Kwang-Mook (Mooky) Jung, PhD, from the Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology).
• Clinical Research — Albert R. La Spada, MD, PhD, from the Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Neurology, Biological Chemistry and Neurobiology & Behavior. La Spada’s contributions have profoundly shaped our understanding of neurodegenerative disorders, particularly his groundbreaking research on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Huntington’s disease (HD), and spinocerebellar ataxias (honorable mention: S. Ahmad Sajjadi, MD, PhD, from the Department of Neurology and Pathology & Laboratory Medicine).

Faculty Mentoring Awards

In addition to the research awards, the following four faculty members were honored for excellence in mentoring other faculty:

• Basic Science Faculty Mentor of the Year — Bert Semler from the Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics. Semler is a compassionate leader, a trusted advisor and a driving force behind the success of countless faculty members at UC Irvine (honorable mention: Yi Xi (Michael) Wu from the Department of Urology).
• Clinical Faculty Mentor of the Year — Arash Rezazadeh Kalebasty, MD, from the Departments of Medicine and Urology. Kalebasty’s dedication, generosity and unwavering commitment to fostering future leaders exemplify the spirit and excellence of mentorship (honorable mention: Jaime Landman, MD, from the Department of Urology).
• Innovation in Mentoring — Gelareh Sadigh, MD, from the Department of Radiological Sciences. Sadigh has shown exceptional dedication to fostering a culture of mentorship that is not only innovative but also deeply aligned with the evolving needs of faculty members at every stage of their careers (honorable mention: Akhil Das, MD, from the Department of Urology).
• Universal Mentoring — Lisa A. Flanagan, PhD, from the Department of Neurology. As chair of the Faculty Mentoring Committee at the UC Irvine Stem Cell Research Center, Flanagan’s exceptional efforts have ensured the success of the SCRC’s early-career faculty members. She has a long track record of mentoring early-career faculty and continuously demonstrates a strong commitment to equity and diversity (honorable mention: Elena Rhoads, MD, PhD, from the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology).

The Fifth Annual Research & Faculty Mentoring Awards celebration closed with a note of gratitude for everyone who helped put on the event and with a final round of applause for the awardees and everyone in attendance!

A recording of the celebration and additional photos are available online.