The 2025 Research Staff Award recipients are, from left, Brandee Brown, Mikiyas Daniel, MS, and Beverly Woodward, MSN, RN, ACRN. Behind them are the faculty members who nominated them. From left, Eben Rosenthal, MD, Ian Macara, PhD, and David Haas, MD. (photo by Susan Urmy)
By: Bill Snyder

Three of the many people who work behind the scenes to ensure that research conducted at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine is of the highest caliber were honored April 24 during the 22nd annual Research Staff Awards Ceremony at the Kimpton Aertson Hotel in Nashville.

The 2025 recipients and their awards are:

  • Brandee Brown, senior laboratory manager, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery — recipient of the Award for Excellence in Research Contributing to Multi-Investigator Teams.  Brown was nominated by Eben Rosenthal, MD, Barry and Amy Baker Professor and Chair of the Department.
  • Mikiyas Daniel, MS, senior laboratory manager and research scientist in the Macara laboratory and Department of Cell and Developmental Biology — recipient of the Edward E. Price Jr. Award for Excellence in Basic Research. Daniel was nominated by Ian Macara, PhD, Louise B. McGavock Professor and Chair of the Department.
  • Beverly Woodward, MSN, RN, ACRN, research project manager in the Division of Infectious Diseases — recipient of the Vivien T. Thomas Award for Excellence in Clinical Research. Woodward was nominated by David Haas, MD, and April Pettit, MD, MPH, professors of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases.

Presenting the awards were Jennifer Pietenpol, PhD, Chief Scientific and Strategy Officer and Executive Vice President for Research at Vanderbilt Health, and John Kuriyan, PhD, Dean of the School of Medicine Basic Sciences.

In her opening remarks, Pietenpol, who holds the Brock Family Directorship in Career Development, acknowledged the contributions of research staff that have helped the School of Medicine achieve a top 10 ranking among U.S. medical schools in research funding from the National Institutes of Health.

“Your expertise and dedication are what propel discovery and sustain our momentum,” she said.

The Vivien T. Thomas Award honors the pioneering surgical technician who began his career at Vanderbilt in the 1930s. The Edward E. Price Jr. Award recognizes the internationally known research assistant whose career in the Department of Biochemistry and Cardiovascular Physiology Core spanned 50 years.

Members of the Price family attended the luncheon, and his grandson, Randall Jones, said a few words about him.

“It’s an honor to be here,” Jones said. “One thing about my granddad, he was very passionate about what he did. He would come home excited about new discoveries, and he would share those with us.

“Growing up, he would always tell me, ‘Find purpose. Whatever you do, do it to the fullest. And leave a legacy.’

“Thank you all,” Jones said. “We appreciate what you’re doing. Keep it going!”