Dean Jakub Tolar Celebrates Researchers' First R01s

Last week we celebrated the day 130 years ago when the University Board of Regents signed what would become our Medical School. Smart people! As we stood in the tunnel next to the Wall of Scholarship (confusing the Freshii customers), we reflected back on what students in 1888 would have used and owned—books, medical tools, even admittance tickets to classes. We took a moment to enjoy the fact that Governor Dayton declared it “University of Minnesota Medical School” day. If anyone is still wondering, our mystery man was Perry Millard, the first dean of the school. And then to honor the past, we turned our focus to the future, and recognized thirteen researchers who received their first R01s in the past year. Each received a certificate and a $10,000 bonus.

Caitlin Caspi, ScD Family Medicine and Community Health (2 R01s) Improving nutrition
Frank Cichocki, PhD Medicine Molecular programming of immunological memory
Paul Drawz, MD Medicine Blood pressure and kidney function
Karen Echeverri, PhD Genetics, Cell Biology and Development Scar free wound healing
Jutta M Ellermann, MD Radiology Novel MRI methods
Meredith Gunlicks-Stoessel, PhD, LP Psychiatry Adolescent depression
Ryan C Hunter, PhD Microbiology & Immunology Adolescent depression
Samir S Khariwala, MD Otolaryngology Tobacco carcinogen exposures
Esther Krook-Magnuson, PhD Neuroscience Temporal lobe epilepsy
Ryan A Langlois, PhD Microbiology and Immunology Influenza
Nicholas Levinson, PhD Pharmacology Allosteric activation in CDK2
Raghavendra Rao, MD Pediatrics Iron deficiency induced abnormal brain metabolism
Phu V Tran, PhD Pediatrics Iron deficiency-induced neural gene dysregulation

This is an incredible moment in an investigator’s career and important for our institution. We need scientists, physicians and entrepreneurs to ensure that we as a Medical School are continuing to fulfill our missions to advance the standard of care and improve health and wellness through innovation, training and care delivery. Throughout the year, we will be recognizing other notable achievements in research, education and patient care, in honor of our 130th Anniversary and in anticipation of our future success.

Congratulations!