Five faculty researchers were honored for their contributions to mentoring and translational science at the 2026 Edge for Scholars Translational Science and Research Forum, Feb. 18 at the Vanderbilt Student Life Center.
Translational research brings discoveries from the laboratory and preclinical studies to clinical trials and studies in humans. It also investigates ways to enhance community adoption of best practices and evaluates the cost-effectiveness of prevention and treatment strategies. The annual forum is sponsored by Edge for Scholars, which provides comprehensive career development resources to research faculty at Vanderbilt Health.
This year’s awardees are:
- Cheryl Gatto, PhD, operations director of the Center for Learning Healthcare (part of the Vanderbilt Institute for Clinical and Translational Research) and research associate professor of Emergency Medicine. She received the Award for Distinguished Service to Translational Scientists, which recognizes a scientist who makes critical contributions to launching and sustaining shared resources and services that support the productivity and achievement of VH’s translational scientists.
- Lorraine Ware, MD, professor of Medicine in the Division of Allergy, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, was recognized for Excellence in Mentoring Translational Scientists. The award honors a scientist who invests in the next generation by igniting interest in research among trainees, mentoring individual investigators who have achieved independence, and advancing career development in the larger community. Ware’s research focuses on the role of the alveolar epithelium in the pathogenesis and resolution of acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome.
Three faculty were honored for Excellence in Mentoring to Independence, an award recognizing exceptional mentors who have had five or more faculty members on career development awards:
- Daniel Claassen, MD, MS, professor of Neurology and chief of the Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Neurology;
- Alvin Powers, MD, the Joe C. Davis Professor of Biomedical Science and professor of Medicine in the Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism; and
- Christianne Roumie, MD, MPH, professor of Medicine in the Division of General Internal Medicine and Public Health and director of the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Masters in Public Health Program.
This year’s forum featured poster sessions and research talks by seven faculty members. Peter Embí, MD, MS, professor of Biomedical Informatics and co-director of the ADVANCE AI Center, gave the keynote address.
