Duke University School of Medicine celebrated top PhD students March 17 at the Dean’s Award for Research Excellence award ceremony.
The Office of Biomedical Graduate Education coordinates the annual honors, which this year recognized four outstanding graduate students for their research of cancer, brain development, brain disorders, and the role of proteins in transporting ions and lipids—an essential biological process.
“Today, we celebrate excellence in biomedical science and the unique environment that makes Duke stand out,” said Mary E. Klotman, MD, executive vice president for health affairs and dean of the Duke University School of Medicine. “Very few institutions bring together the research mission, the clinical mission, and the training mission—and do it with absolute excellence. You should all be proud of your work here at Duke.”
Klotman, a physician-scientist, noted that while researchers are working to align their skills with emerging national priorities, the rapid advancements in technology and data science make this an “amazing” time for scientific discovery.
For the students being honored, the event was both an affirmation and an inspiration.
“Today’s recognition isn’t merely about the fantastic results that you’ve already achieved, but also the researchers, thinkers and leaders you’ll be in the future,” said Donna Crenshaw, PhD, associate dean for basic science at Duke School of Medicine.
The 2025 DARE awards recipients include:
- Federica Mosti, a graduate student in neurobiology and molecular genetics and microbiology who worked in the lab of Debra Silver, PhD, examined the genetic basis of brain development in pursuit of new drug targets for DDX3X syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that can cause developmental delays.
- Abbie Ireland, a molecular cancer biology graduate student mentored by Trudy Oliver, PhD, whose defining research of the plasticity of small cell lung cancer, a highly aggressive and often fatal type of lung cancer, demonstrated its ability to cycle through different identities and have multiple subtypes, which is crucial for developing more effective treatments.
- Gus Lowry, a graduate student in biochemistry, studied protein expression at the National Institutes of Health and continued the work in the lab of Huanghe Yang, PhD, where Lowry advanced understanding of cell membrane transport.
- Justin Savage, a graduate student in neurobiology and cell biology, who worked in the lab of Cagla Eroglu, PhD, to study the epigenetics of astrocyte development, cells that guide brain development, and he created SynBot, a tool that streamlines and improves how scientists analyze neuron connections from microscope images.
As award recipients, the PhD candidates received a cash prize and engraved memento.
The awardees were selected by a faculty committee who evaluated their publication record, influence on the research direction of their laboratory, and noteworthy and distinctive contributions to the scientific and academic community.
“I want to thank the mentors for their dedication to their trainees and for nominating them for awards like this,” said Beth Sullivan, PhD, professor of molecular genetics and microbiology and associate dean for research training at Duke School of Medicine. “Great science thrives on great mentorship, and strong mentor-mentee relationships are at the heart of that success.
“I also want to recognize the programs and department chairs who welcomed these students into the basic science community five years ago. You played a vital role in training the next generation of scientific leaders. Our graduate programs are essential, and we deeply appreciate all that you do.”