Discovery. Breakthroughs.
These are the goals of every scientist, although it takes years, sometimes decades in the laboratory, to reach the ultimate objective.
Even if they don’t, scientists know that something can be learned from every experiment. And, sometimes results lead down an entirely new line of investigation.
Each year, UNMC’s hard-working, emerging and top researchers are recognized and each year it is clear that the depth and breadth of the scientists and their work continues to expand.
UNMC researchers discover new treatments for age-old diseases, new ways to efficiently and effectively deliver drugs to places in the body that need it most and new secrets about the brain and human development.
They work to understand if the processes and markers found in those cells or animals are relevant to people. Then, they consider whether medications or other interventions that block or stimulate those processes can prevent or change the course of disease.
Scientists are not limited to bench research. They also look at large groups of population data to find new patterns or trends and create new interventions to change the health of communities.
Increasingly, science requires interprofessional teams as information found in one setting can prove to be more important to a completely different system or disease.
This is the 10th year Distinguished Scientist, New Investigator, Research Leadership and Community Service to Research awards have been presented. This year’s recipients are from the UNMC colleges of medicine, nursing, public health and pharmacy, the Munroe-Meyer Institute and the Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases.
The Scientist Laureate must meet all the criteria for Distinguished Scientist and conduct research at UNMC for a minimum of five years prior to the award year. The 2015 recipient is Shilpa Buch, Ph.D., professor of pharmacology and experimental neuroscience in the College of Medicine. She was first recognized in 2010 as a Distinguished Scientist.
Eight Distinguished Scientists were honored for their outstanding research programs, published research results in journals of the highest quality and the ability to attract and retain extramural funding.
Ten New Investigator Awards went to outstanding UNMC scientists who, in the past one to three years, secured their first funding from federal sources.
New Investigators also demonstrated scholarly activity in published research and presentations at national conventions.
Scientists who are leaders are particularly valuable. This year, two scientists who have proven to be leaders over the years were given the Research Leadership Award. Both have been previously recognized as Distinguished Scientists, have maintained a longstanding research funding history and serve as research leaders and mentors on campus.
The Community Service to Research Award went to Kae Pavlik in recognition of her significant contributions to research as a tireless volunteer who has a long history of actively supporting and advocating for cancer research at UNMC, including her work with the annual Cattlemen’s Ball.
Said Jennifer Larsen, M.D., vice chancellor for research: “As always, it is the researchers that lead us forward. and it is their work and their achievements we celebrate.”
Web extras
View all of the 2015 winners.