Feb. 25, 2026 — The University of Florida College of Medicine congratulates the following students, trainees, faculty and staff who have recently been recognized with awards and achievements that honor their hard work and commitment to advancing scientific discovery, improving medical education and helping patients:

• Matthew Gentry, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, was among the 10 recipients of the 2025 Rare Disease Scholars Award. The $100,000 award, bestowed by the Oxford-Harrington Rare Disease Centre, will support preclinical testing of a novel enzyme therapy for Lafora disease, a recessive neurodegenerative disorder that causes childhood dementia.
• Michael Jaffee, M.D., chair of the Department of Neurology, director of the UF Brain Injury, Rehabilitation and Neuroresilience Center and a U.S. Air Force veteran, has been appointed to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine’s Committee to Review Neurodegenerative Outcomes and Selected Military Exposures. Jaffee also recently contributed to a position statement from the American Academy of Neurology, advocating for the federal government to allocate adequate resources for military personnel and veterans with brain and nervous system injury.
• Aline Fares, M.D., a clinical associate professor in the Division of Hematology and Oncology, was selected for the 2026 International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer Academy. Fares, a thoracic oncologist, will conduct a research project that aims to create a risk prediction model that uses imaging biomarkers and molecular profiles. She was one of 40 physicians selected for the program, which provides mentorship and education from internationally recognized lung cancer experts.
• Four College of Medicine graduate students, Karl Ensberg, Alessandro Leo, Caitland Love and Kyle Scheller, were selected for the UF Health Cancer Institute’s Predoctoral Awards, which include $10,000 in funds for lab supplies and travel expenses. Students selected for the award are recognized for conducting innovative cancer research.
• Mark Moehle, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, has been awarded the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics’ 2026 Neuropharmacology Early Career Award, which recognizes a young independent investigator working in the field.
• Christopher Cogle, M.D., a professor in the division of hematology and oncology, has authored an upcoming book, “Public Startup,” which showcases surprising ways that public systems, particularly in health care, can innovate with rigor and accountability. A book launch event will take place at The Lynx on March 19 at 6 p.m.
• Two papers senior authored by Arch G. Mainous III, Ph.D., a professor and vice chair for research in the Department of Community Health and Family Medicine, were recently recognized with awards at the North American Primary Care Research Group annual conference. A paper titled “More evidence of the health risks of normal weight obesity: the association with systemic inflammation” was recognized as a Distinguished Paper, while another titled “Are U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommendations Effective? An Evaluation of the 2015 Prediabetes/Diabetes Recommendation” was selected as a Clinical Pearls Award Winner.
• Naveen Baskaran, M.D., the clinical IT director and a physician adviser in the Department of Medicine, has been selected as a UF Epic Exemplar. This recognition reflects the appreciation and excellent feedback received for the workflow-based Epic electronic health record training developed for trainees and colleagues.
• Emuejevoke “Voke” Chuba, M.D., M.S., an assistant professor in the Department of Anesthesiology, has been accepted into the Karl M. Altenburger, M.D., Physician Leadership Academy for 2026. This Florida Medical Association physician leadership academy is a yearlong program that helps emerging physicians develop leadership skills along with other non-clinical skills.
• Rene Przkora, M.D., Ph.D., FASA, a professor and associate chair for research in the Department of Anesthesiology, has been appointed to two committees. He was selected for the North American Neuromodulation Society’s Continuing Medical Education Committee, where he will serve three years as a reviewer and collaborate with leadership regarding CME compliance and review evaluation data to inform ongoing improvements in CME delivery. Przkora was also appointed to the American Society of Anesthesiologists’ Committee on Scientific Advisory, where he will help maintain the scientific integrity and success of the society’s annual meeting by guiding subcommittees who review abstracts for the conference.
• Elias Sayour, M.D., Ph.D., the the Stop Children’s Cancer/Bonnie R. Freeman Professor for Pediatric Oncology Research in the UF departments of neurosurgery and pediatrics, won a Top 10 Clinical Research Achievement Award from the Clinical Research Forum. Sayour’s study, published in Nature, found that COVID mRNA vaccines spark an immune response to fight cancer.
• Lauren Schmidt, M.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry, has been named Phase 2/3 Teacher of the Year for the UF College of Medicine for 2025-26. This award is voted on by medical students and reflects Schmidt’s extraordinary commitment not only to their education but also to supporting them as individuals.
• Two Department of Psychiatry faculty members have been named editors of General Hospital Psychiatry, a leading international journal dedicated to bridging psychiatry and medicine research. Dimitry Davydow, M.D., M.P.H., FACLP, vice chair for clinical operations, has been named editor-in-chief and Shixie “Max” Jiang, M.D., an assistant professor, has been appointed one of the journal’s associate editors.
• Lauren Berkow, M.D., FASA, a professor in the Department of Anesthesiology, has been elected to a three-year position with the Committee for Review and Recognition by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education. The committee analyzes and integrates data to make recommendations to the council’s Board of Directors regarding the recognition status of state medical societies that wish to accredit intrastate providers of continuing medical education.
• Sam Tringali, D.O., a resident in the Department of Medicine, is a corresponding author on a recent letter to the editor in The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry titled “Reframing the Discussion on Finasteride and Neuropsychiatric Safety: A Call for Balanced Interpretation.”
• The College of Medicine communications team received two 2026 Awards for Excellence from the Association of American Medical Colleges’ Group on Institutional Advancement. The team received a gold award for Print and Publishing – External Audiences for Florida Physician magazine, and Danielle Ivanov received a bronze Robert G. Fenley Writing Award for her magazine feature story “Shiniqua’s Miracle.”