Past winners Celebration of Research faculty award winners
Read about faculty award types presented annually at the Celebration of Research and find a list of past winners.
Outstanding Research Scientist Awards
Outstanding Research Scientist Awards
These awards are given to researchers at the rank of Associate Professor or above whose discoveries have contributed to the understanding of the fundamental underlying principles of biology and medicine in the Basic or Translational Sciences, made significant impact in the fields of artificial intelligence/data science, or have significantly impacted patient care through Clinical, Artificial Intelligence or Data Sciences.

Clinical, Data Science, or Artificial Intelligence Winners
2025 OUTSTANDING RESEARCH SCIENTIST AWARD IN CLINICAL, DATA SCIENCE, OR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE WINNER
Kenneth Cusi, M.D.
Professor, Department of Medicine

2024 OUTSTANDING RESEARCH SCIENTIST AWARD IN CLINICAL, DATA SCIENCE, OR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE WINNER
Brian Hoh, M.D., M.B.A.
Chair and James and Brigitte Marino Family Professor, Lillian S. Wells Department Of Neurosurgery

2023 Outstanding Research Scientist Award in Clinical, Data or Artificial Intelligence Sciences Winner
Michael Haller, M.D.
Professor and Chief, Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics

2022 Clinical Science Research Award Winner
Duane Mitchell, M.D., Ph.D.
Phyllis Kottler Friedman Professor; UF Assistant Vice President for Research; Associate Dean for Clinical and Translational Sciences; Director of the UF Clinical Translational Science Institute; Co-Director of the Preston S. Wells, Jr. Center for Brain Tumor Therapy, Lillian S. Wells Department Of Neurosurgery

Basic or Translational Sciences Winners
2025 OUTSTANDING RESEARCH SCIENTIST AWARD IN BASIC OR TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCES WINNER
Robert McKenna, Ph.D.
Professor and Director of the Center for Structural Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

2024 OUTSTANDING RESEARCH SCIENTIST AWARD IN BASIC OR TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCES WINNER
Zhijian Qian, Ph.D.
Pierre Chagnon Professor of Cancer Research, Department of Medicine

2023 recipient of the Outstanding Research Scientist Award in Basic or Translational Sciences Winner
Todd M. Brusko, Ph.D.
Professor and Assistant Dean of Basic Research, Department of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine

2022 Basic Science Research Award wINNEr
Karyn Esser, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair, Department of Physiology and Aging

Rising Star Researcher Awards
Rising Star Researcher Awards
Given to researchers at the assistant professor level, these awards recognize exceptional research achievements in the Basic or Translational Sciences and Clinical, Artificial Intelligence or Data Sciences.

Clinical, Data Science, or Artificial Intelligence Winners
Basic or Translational Sciences Winners
2025 RISING STAR RESEARCHER AWARD IN CLINICAL, DATA SCIENCE, OR ARTIFICiAL INTELLIGENCE WINNER
Laura Jacobsen, M.D.
Assistant Professor and Pediatric Endocrinologist, Department of Pediatrics

2024 RISING STAR RESEARCHER AWARD IN CLINICAL, DATA SCIENCE, OR ARTIFICiAL INTELLIGENCE WINNER
Tyler Loftus, M.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery

2025 RISING STAR RESEARCHER AWARD IN BASIC OR TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCES WINNER
Mark Moehle, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics

2024 RISING STAR RESEARCHER AWARD IN BASIC OR TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCES WINNER
Erica Dale, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Physiology and Aging

2023 Rising Star Research Award in Clinical, Data, or Artificial Intelligence Sciences Winner
Coralie de Hemptinne, M.S., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Neurology

2023 Rising Star Researcher Award in Basic or Translational Sciences Winner
Olga Guryanova, M.D., Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics

Dr. Mavis Agbandje-McKenna Distinguished Research Mentoring Award
Dr. Mavis Agbandje-McKenna Distinguished Research Mentoring Award
This award recognizes a faculty member at least 10 years into their career for providing outstanding research mentoring to students, trainees, research associates and/or faculty.

2025 Dr. Mavis Agbandje-McKenna Distinguished Research Mentoring Award Winner
Nikolaus Gravenstein, M.D.
Jerome H. Modell, MD, Professor of Anesthesiology and Professor of Neurosurgery and Periodontology, Colleges of Medicine and Dentistry

2024 Dr. Mavis Agbandje-McKenna Distinguished Research Mentoring Award Winner
Linda Bloom, Ph.D.
Professor & Associate Chair, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

2023 Dr. Mavis Agbandje-McKenna Distinguished Research Mentoring Award Winner
Barry Setlow, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Psychiatry

2022 Dr. Mavis Agbandje-McKenna Distinguished Research Mentoring Award Winner
Sara Burke, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Neuroscience
