School of Medicine Recognition: Summer 2026
See a round-up of the latest accomplishments of Saint Louis University School of Medicine faculty, staff and students.
Faculty and Staff
Elise Alspach, Ph.D., associate professor of molecular microbiology and immunology, achieved a third percentile score on her recently awarded National Cancer Institute (NCI) grant, placing her proposal among the top percentile of submissions reviewed by the institute. Her award has been reclassified as an R37 MERIT (Method to Extend Research in Time) Award --- a distinction reserved for exceptionally meritorious applications. The change reflects NCI’s strong confidence not only in the significance and rigor of the proposed work, but also in Alspach's sustained leadership and trajectory as an investigator.
Maureen Donlin, Ph.D., research professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, is the co-principal investigator on a newly awarded $1.2 million National Science Foundation Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) grant, "Development of a Computational System for Agricultural Structural Modeling and Analysis." The achievement highlights the strength of collaborative, interdisciplinary research and the impact of faculty scholarship across SLU and its partner institutions.
Kristina Dzara, Ph.D., CEDAR director and assistant dean of scholarly teaching and learning, received the 2026 SSM Health/SLU SOM Outstanding Faculty or Staff award for contributions to fellow education, mentorship, scholarship and professional growth.
David Ford, Ph.D., professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, was named principal investigator on a new R01 award for the project, “Targeting Plasmalogen Dysregulation for Sepsis Prognostication and Treatment."
Chien-Jung “CJ” Lin, M.D., associate professor of cardiology, received a NIH/National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute K08 Mentored Career Development Award for his project, “Extracellular Matrix in Vascular Development and Disease.” His research will investigate how elastin disruption contributes to vascular narrowing following stenting and other vascular injury. The five-year award --- expected to provide $768,420 --- will support his development toward research independence and reflects the strong partnership between the Departments of Pediatrics and Internal Medicine in advancing physician-scientists.
Lin is a mentee in the laboratory of Ajay Kumar Jain, M.D., and is supported by a multidisciplinary mentorship team.
Juliana Navia Pelaez, Ph.D., assistant professor of pharmacology and physiology, received a $200,000 American Heart Association (AHA) Innovative Project Award, co-funded by the American Headache Society (AHS), for the project “Neurogenic Priming of Perivascular Macrophages by Migraine-Associated Peptides Increases Stroke Risk.” Vincenza Cifarelli, Ph.D., serves as collaborating investigator. The project will investigate how migraine-associated neuropeptides drive chronic immune activation in the brain and may increase stroke risk, helping to uncover mechanisms linking migraine to cerebrovascular vulnerability.
Fred Rottnek, M.D., professor of family medicine, received the Carol Keehan Award at the 2026 Catholic Health Assembly in June. The annual award honors individuals who advance the healing mission of Jesus by valiantly advocating for a more equitable and compassionate health system.
Fran Sverdrup, Ph.D., associate professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, was named co-principal investigator on a new award entitled, "Optimization of Orally Efficacious Pyrazolopyrimidines for Treating Cryptosporidiosis."
Kene Chukwuanu, M.D., associate professor of emergency and internal medicine, and associate program director for the SSM Health/Saint Louis University School of Medicine Emergency Medicine Residency Program, was inaugurated as president of the Missouri College of Emergency Physicians during the group's annual symposium. He will serve a term from 2026 to 2028.
Mark Mullen, M.D., assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral neuroscience, was appointed to the City of St. Louis Detention Facilities Oversight Board by Mayor Cara Spencer. His appointment was unanimously endorsed by the Board of Aldermen's Public Safety Committee and approved by the full Board of Aldermen. The board advises the mayor, commissioner of corrections and public safety director on detention facility operations, conditions of confinement and corrections policies.
Phil Vaidyan, M.D., professor of internal medicine and division director of general internal medicine, received the 2026 Missouri ACP Master Teacher Award. This recognition honors his sustained excellence in teaching, clinical practice and mentorship.
Students and Residents
Zachary Foulks, a fourth-year medical and doctoral student in the lab of researcher Kyle McCommis, Ph.D., received a $145,230 fellowship award from the National Institutes of Health. The F30 grant funds students pursuing combined clinical and research doctoral degrees. Foulks' research examines how ketone bodies may help rescue failing hearts. His lab has shown that a ketogenic diet can improve heart function in mice, and his project investigates how ketone bodies bind to proteins in the heart and contribute to these benefits. Ultimately, this work aims to uncover new ways to treat heart failure and better understand how diet influences heart health.
Nour Ibrahiam, M.D., a geriatrics fellow, and Nadine Mahmoud, M.D., an internal medicine resident, received the ACGME Back to Bedside grant for their project, "Nourishing the Relationship," a resident-led quality improvement initiative that aims to strengthen bedside communication through nutrition education. The is the second consecutive year that SSM Health/Saint Louis University School of Medicine internal medicine residents have secured the grant, which supports resident- and fellow-led teams to develop innovative, cost-effective projects that strengthen the physician-patient relationship.
Kyleigh Kirbach, M.D., an internal medicine resdient, and Gerald Wade, M.D., received a $25,000 grant from the American College of Physicians (ACP) to improve nutrition education and counseling across the SSM Health system. The grant will support their project, "Feasibility and Acceptability of STL STRONG, a Shared Medical Appointment Program Targeted at Reducing Obesity and Normalizing Blood Glucose Throughout the Saint Louis Region," which aims to address obesity and improve metabolic health outcomes.
Jaclyn Whalen, a Ph.D. student in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and a member of the lab of Ángel Baldán, Ph.D., received an Early Career Investigator Travel Award of $600. Whalen's research focuses on age-related differences in atherosclerosis development. Her award supported her travel to the Kern Lipid Conference in Breckenridge, Colorado, where she engaged with leading lipid researchers from across the country, learned about the latest scientific advances and expanded her professional network. The recognition highlights both her dedication to research and her contributions to advancing our understanding of cardiovascular disease.
Adam Metivier, a fourth-year medical student, authored the research paper, "A Prospective Cohort Study of Prescription Opioid Use and Change in Generalized Anxiety in Non-Cancer Pain," which was published in General Hospital Psychiatry.
Pranav Sreekumar, a fourth-year medical student, authored the paper, "Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Severity and Cardiac Rehabilitation Utilization Following Myocardial Infarction," which will be published in the Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation and Prevention.