CU Anschutz Research Awards

The CU Anschutz campus community produces dynamic, creative and impactful biomedical and fundamental research discoveries. To honor this work, two CU Anschutz faculty members will be selected annually for the Chancellor’s Distinguished Research Lectureship Series.

The awardees will be selected based on the novelty and impact of their research. Awards will be presented at the annual CU Anschutz Research Awards ceremony, and awardees will be invited to present a lecture on their research to the campus community within one year.

Eligibility Criteria: 

Must be a CU Anschutz faculty member. All types of research disciplines are eligible. Multiple awards may be given (e.g., fundamental science, clinical research, data science, patient outcomes, etc.).

Impactful and innovative research recognized both internally and externally for its extraordinary merit. This may encompass longitudinal work on a topic over time or a new discovery which could change the field or understanding of a topic. Considerations include:  

• High impact papers  
  
• National presentations/recognition of the work  
  
• External commentary on the impact of the science  
  
• Internal comments on that process

Nomination must include:

• Nominee’s name
• Written nomination not to exceed 500 words or 1 page
• Nominee's portrait
• Nominee’s CV or resume

This award recognizes an administrative staff member who consistently goes above and beyond to advance research excellence and keeps operations running smoothly across CU Anschutz.

Eligibility Criteria:

Must be a CU Anschutz staff member in a support role.

Nomination must include:

• Nominee’s name
• Written nomination not to exceed 500 words or 1 page
• Nominee's portrait

This award recognizes a team for their outstanding contribution in research collaboration. It highlights effective research collaborations within and across disciplines utilizing a team approach to scientific discovery that brings together different perspectives for greater success and impact.

Eligibility Criteria:

Must be a research team comprised of 4 or more CU Anschutz employees. Award nominations can include collaborations with entities outside of the university. However, only the university employees will be recognized and receive the award.

Nomination must include:

• Nominee’s name
• Written nomination not to exceed 500 words or 1 page
• Team photograph (optional)
• please enter the team leader's name on the form and list all of the team members in the nomination letter.

This award recognizes a member of CU Anschutz for their dedicated and extraordinary efforts to mentor others in their research careers. This award is intended to recognize mentoring of faculty, staff and/or students.

Eligibility Criteria:

Must be a CU Anschutz employee

Nomination must include:

• Nominee’s name
• Written nomination not to exceed 500 words or 1 page
• Nominee's portrait
• Nominee’s CV or resume

This award recognizes an individual staff member for their outstanding contribution in research collaboration. Specifically, this award recognizes an individual who has provided effective research support to an individual lab or core facility within and across disciplines to advance scientific discovery. Eligible nominations would include PRAs, lab managers, core managers, etc.

Eligibility Criteria:

Must be a CU Anschutz staff member.

Nomination must include:

• Nominee’s name
• Written nomination not to exceed 500 words or 1 page
• Nominee's portrait

This award recognizes honors an individual or laboratory at CU Anschutz that has creatively and/or impactfully integrated sustainability into their research operations. Recognized efforts may include significant reductions in waste, water consumption or energy consumption, as well as advancing a culture of sustainable research at CU Anschutz.

Eligibility Criteria:

Must be a CU Anschutz employee or laboratory.

Nomination must include:

• Nominee’s name
• Written nomination not to exceed 500 words or 1 page
• Nominee's portrait or picture of the lab

This award recognizes a junior faculty member who is emerging as a leader in research through significant discoveries and original scholarship. This is designed for researchers in the first 3 years of their tenure-track appointment.  

Eligibility Criteria:

Must be a CU Anschutz junior faculty member

Nomination must include:

• Nominee’s name
• Written nomination not to exceed 500 words or 1 page
• Nominee's portrait
• Nominee’s CV or resume

This award recognizes a trainee’s accomplishments for their excellence in conducting research and scholarly activity that is creative and impactful. It is intended for scholars who show great potential for future research impact during their training.  

Eligibility Criteria:

Must be a CU Anschutz trainee prior to terminal degree/certification (e.g. graduate student, resident/fellow, etc.)

Nomination must include:

• Nominee’s name
• Written nomination not to exceed 500 words or 1 page
• Nominee's portrait
• Nominee’s CV or resume

This award recognizes a trainee’s accomplishments for their excellence in conducting research and scholarly activity that is creative and impactful. It is intended for scholars who show great potential for future research impact during their training.

Eligibility Criteria:

Must be a CU Anschutz trainee prior to terminal degree/certification (e.g. graduate student, resident/fellow, etc.)

Nomination must include:

• Nominee’s name
• Written nomination not to exceed 500 words or 1 page
• Nominee's portrait
• Nominee’s CV or resume

Chancellor’s Distinguished Research Lectureship Award - Basic Science

• Heide L. Ford, PhD, Professor, CU Medicine Endowed Chair, Department of Pharmacology, CU Anschutz School of Medicine

Chancellor’s Distinguished Research Lectureship Award - Clinical Science

• Wendy M. Kohrt, PhD, Distinguished Professor, Nancy Anschutz Chair in Women's Health Research, Department of Medicine, CU Anschutz School of Medicine

Research Administration Award

• Alesia El Ali, CRA, Research Office Program & Post-Award Core Manager, Department of Medicine, CU Anschutz School of Medicine

Research Collaboration Team Award

• Colorado Nutrition Obesity Research Center (NORC)

Research Mentor Award

• Kristine Erlandson, MD, MSC, Professor, Department of Medicine, CU Anschutz School of Medicine

Research Staff Award

• Delaney C. Swindle, MS, Research Services Principal PRA, Department of Medicine, CU Anschutz School of Medicine

Research Sustainability Award

• Hailey Wilkinson, MS, Anatomy Prosection Manager & Instructor, MD Anatomy Lab, Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, CU Anschutz School of Medicine
• Ruby Martini, MS, Anatomy Instructor and Prosector, MD Anatomy Lab, Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, CU Anschutz School of Medicine

Rising Star Research Award - Basic Science

• Gina Bouchard, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences 

Rising Star Research Award - Translational Science

• Paul Christine, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, CU Anschutz School of Medicine

Rising Star Research Award - Clinical Science

• Anna Helena Jonsson, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, CU Anschutz School of Medicine

Steven Fadul Award
This award is bestowed by the University of Colorado School of Medicine and presented at the CU Anschutz Research Awards Ceremony.

• Berenice Cabrera-Martinez, MSc, Research Service Professional, Department of Immunology & Microbiology, CU Anschutz School of Medicine

Trainee Research Excellence Award – Basic Science

• Carley N. Miller, PhD, MD-PhD Student, Department of Medicine, CU Anschutz School of Medicine

Trainee Research Excellence Award – Clinical/Translational

• Ana J. Pinto, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Medicine, CU Anschutz School of Medicine

Chancellor’s Distinguished Research Lectureship Award

• Nanette Santoro, MD, Professor and E. Stewart Taylor Chair, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, CU Anschutz School of Medicine
• David Bentley, PhD, Professor, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Genetics, CU Anschutz School of Medicine  
  

Research Administration Award

• Shannon Onken, Research Services Principal Professional, Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Physical Therapy Program, CU Anschutz School of Medicine

Research Collaboration Team Award

• Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome: 
  • Joaquin Espinosa, PhD, Professor, Department of Pharmacology, CU Anschutz School of Medicine
  • Kelly Sullivan, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, CU Anschutz School of Medicine
  • Angela Rachubinski, PhD, Assistant Research Professor, Department of Pediatrics, CU Anschutz School of Medicine
  • Matthew Galbraith, PhD, Assistant Research Professor, Department of Pharmacology, CU Anschutz School of Medicine

Research Mentor Award

• Richard Benninger, PhD, Professor, Department of Pediatrics, CU Anschutz School of Medicine; Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes; Associate Professor, Department of Bioengineering, CU Denver College of Engineering, Design and Computing
• Raul Torres, PhD, Professor, Department of Immunology & Microbiology, CU Anschutz School of Medicine 

Research Staff Collaborator Award

• Mingjie Zhu, DAOM, MPH, Research Service Senior Professional, Department of Orthopedics, CU Anschutz School of Medicine

Rising Star Research Award

• Ian Stanley, PhD, Assistant Professor-Research, Department of Emergency Medicine, CU Anschutz School of Medicine
• Joanne Cole, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical Informatics, CU Anschutz School of Medicine

Steven Fadul Award
This award is bestowed by the University of Colorado School of Medicine and presented at the CU Anschutz Research Awards Ceremony.

• Jeffrey Kavanaugh, PhD, Research Associate, Department of Immunology & Microbiology, CU Anschutz School of Medicine

Trainee Research Excellence Award – Basic Science

• Parker Nichols, PhD, Undergraduate Student Mentor, Vögeli Lab, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Genetics, CU Anschutz School of Medicine

Trainee Research Excellence Award – Clinical/Translational

• Ahmad Hider, MD, Department of Surgery, CU Anschutz School of Medicine
  

Chancellor’s Distinguished Research Lectureship Award

• Dana Dabelea, MD, PhD
  
• David A. Schwartz, MD
  

Trainee Research Excellence Award

• Daniel Colon Hidalgo, MD, MPH
  
• Michaele Francesco Corbisiero, MSc, MPH
  
• Yan Hu, PhD
  

Research Mentor Award

• Early Career Mentor: Karen Hampanda, PhD, MPH
  
• Senior Mentor: Sean Colgan, PhD
  

Research Administration Award

• Natalie Buys
  
• Fadul Award
  
• Catherine Anderson
  

Research Staff Collaborator Award

• Cole Jurecka, MPH
  

Rising Star Research Award

• Jenna Guthmiller, PhD
  

Research Faculty Collaborator Award

• Daniel Frank, PhD

Faculty Research Excellence Award

• Wendy Kohrt, PhD
  

Research Collaboration Team Award

• Central Research Resource: Center for Innovative Design and Analytics 
  
• Research Team: mAb Colorado Team
  

Research Collaboration Team Award

• Synaptic Plasticity Supergroup
  

Rising Star Research Award

• Suet Nee Chen, PhD
  
• David J. Douin, MD
  

Faculty Research Excellence Award

• Kelly Doran, PhD
  
• Manisha Patel, PhD
  

Research Faculty Collaborator Award

• Amy Huebschmann, MD
  
• Jay Hesselberth, PhD
  

Research Staff Collaborator Award

• Tyler Borko
  

Research Administration Award

• Michaela Montour
  

Trainee Research Excellence Award

• Michal Schafer, PhD
  
• Rachel Culp-Hill
  

Research Mentor Award

• Andrés Henao Martinez, MD
  
• Julie Siegenthaler, PhD
  
• Marcelo Perraillon, PhD
  

The Colorado COVID-19 Modeling Group

• Colorado School of Public Health: Elizabeth Carlton, Debashis Ghosh, Irina Kasarskis, Talia Quandelacy, Tatiane Santos, Meghan Buran, Jonathan Samet;
• University of Colorado School of Medicine: Kathryn Colborn;
• University of Colorado-Boulder Department of Applied Mathematics: Sabina Altus, David Bortz;
• Colorado State University: Jude Bayham;
• Vanadata: Parker Jackson, David Jacobson.
• Previous members from the ColoradoSPH were Andrea Buchwald, Rich Lindrooth, Tatiane Santos, Laura Timm, and Emily Wu.

Immunology Initiative COVID Research Team

• Drs. Elena Hsieh, Ross Kedl, Thomas Morrison, Vijaya Knight, Ashley Fraser-Abel and Rosemary Rochford

Extraordinary Dedication to CU Anschutz Research Community 

• Alison McGrath, Manager for Research Safety and Industrial Hygiene in the Office of Environment, Heath, and Safety

COVID Innovation Award

• Thomas Greany, Clinical Associate Professor, Director of Academic Technology Initiatives, School of Dental Medicine

Outstanding Core Facility Support

• Jennifer Cathcart, Scheduler Manager, CCTSI
• Nicolas Busquet, Manager, Neuro Technology Center’s Animal Behavior Core
• Kimberly Jordan, Assistant Director, Human Immune Monitoring Shared Resource (HIMSR)

Outstanding Clinical Research Coordination

• Haley Steinert, Clinical Research Operations Manager, Neurology
• Kamonthip June Homdayjanakul, Senior PRA, Center for Global Health

Outstanding Contribution to a Research Unit

• Montelle Tamez, Deputy Director for Community Engagement and Research, CCTSI

Outstanding Student 

• Kimberlyn Cook, Team Lead on Contact Tracer Team EH&S – Occupational Health Division
  

Outstanding Basic Research PRA/Senior PRA

• Keith Smith, Senior PRA, Linda Crnic Institute
  
• Crystal Minjarez, PRA, Neuronal Injury Program & Quillinan Lab
  
• Kelsey Barner, PRA, Janssen/Powel Research Group

Outstanding Administrative Professional

• Katherine Kuhn, PRA, Division of Reproductive Sciences
• Christy Vasey, Administrative Assistant, Barbara Davis Center