Award recipients from Tulane Faculty Research Synergy Event

The following awards were handed out at the Synergy Faculty Research event, hosted by the School of Medicine and held on Dec. 7, 2021.

School of Medicine (SOM) Outstanding Achievements
Largest Funded Research Awards


Tony Ye Hu, PhD
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
“Mtb and HIV/SIV Antigen Peptide Signatures as Blood Biomarkers to Detect Early Infection to Active Disease in Young Children and NHP”
NIH/NICHD – R01 – $3.7M

“Tonette” Krousel-Wood, MD
Departments of Medicine and Epidemiology
“Supporting Tailored Adaptive Change and Reinforcement of Medication Adherence Program (STAR-MAP): Randomized Trial of a Novel Approach to Improve Adherence in Older Hypertensive Women and Men” 

NIH/NHLBI – R01 – $3.7M

Elizabeth Norton, PhD
Department of Microbiology and Immunology
“Evaluation of Memory Responses and Biomarkers from a Phase 1 Enterotoxigenic Escherichia Coli (ETEC) Intramuscular Subunit Vaccine with dmLT Adjuvant”
NIH/NIAID – R01 – $3.5M

Tony Hu, PhD
Hua Lu, PhD
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
“Digital Nanoplasmonic Quantification of Tumor-Derived Extracellular Vescicles in Plasma Microsamples”

NIH/NCI – U01 – $3.1M

Prasad Katakam, MD, PhD
Ricardo Mostany, PhD
Department of Pharmacology
“Peroxynitrite is a Molecular Determinant of Impaired Microvascular Energetics in Alzheimer's Disease”
NIH/NIA – R01 – $3.2M

SOM Outstanding Achievements
First NIH R01 Awards

Quiyang “Lisa” Zhang, PhD
Department of Structural and Cellular Biology
“The Impact of Aging on Prostate Cancer with Age-related Disruption on the Th17/Treg Axis”
NIH/NCI - R01


James Jackson, PhD
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
“Genotoxic Stress Response and Mutagenesis in a Mouse Model of Homology Directed Repair”
NIH/NIEHS - R01

Zhen Lin, MD, PhD
Department of Pathology
“Human Papillomavirus in HIV Associated Lung Cancers”
NIH/NCI – R01

Tulane National Primate Center (TNPRC) Outstanding Achievements
Largest Funded Research Awards


Jay Rappaport, PhD
Division of Microbiology and Immunology – TNPRC
“Nonhuman Primate Studies Coordination Center (NHP CC) To Support COVID Related Research at the National Primate Research Centers (NPRCs)”
NIH/NIAID – N93 - $1.7M base; $5.1M potential

Chad Roy, PhD
Division of Microbiology and Immunology – TNPRC
“Development of a Pan-Botulinum Neurotoxin Medical Countermeasure”

Mapp Biopharmaceutical, Inc.
Subcontract - $2.6M; $5.8M potential

Jennifer Manuzak, PhD
Division of Microbiology and Immunology – TNPRC
“Mechanisms of Innate Dysfunction in SIV/Malaria Co-infection in Pregnancy”
NIH/NICHD - R01 - $4M

Angela Birnbaum
Office of Biosafety/TNPRC Biocontainment Operations
“TNPRC Regional Biocontainment Laboratory Upgrade for Capacity Building”
NIH/NIAID - G20 - $3.2M

TNPRC Outstanding Achievement
First NIH R01 Awards

Jennifer Manuzak, PhD
Division of Microbiology and Immunology – TNPRC
“Mechanisms of Innate Dysfunction in SIV/Malaria Co-infection in Pregnancy”
NIH/NICHD - R01

School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine Outstanding Achievements
Largest Funded Research Awards

Jane Bertrand, PhD
Department of Health Policy and Management
“FP in DRC: Local Leadership, National Progress, Global Learning”
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation - $4.7M

David Chae, ScD
Department of Social, Behavioral and Population Sciences
“Promoting Color Brave Conversations in Families: A Public Strategy to Advance Racial Equity”
NIH U01 - $3.4M

Tanika Kelly, PhD
Department of Epidemiology
“Clonal Hematopoiesis of Indeterminate Potential in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients”
NIH/NIDDK – R01 - $3.4M

Thomas LaVeist, PhD
Department of Health Policy and Management
“Health Equity Research Learning Collaborative”
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation - $2.9M

School of Science and Engineering (SSE)
Largest New Award Recipient, 
FY 2021

YiPing Chen, PhD
Department of Cell and Molecular Biology
“Characterization and Functional assessment of a novel population of Wnt/ B-catenin driven adipocytes”

SSE Junior Faculty Award,
 FY 2021


Colin Jackson, PhD
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences
“A Combined Chemical and Physical Investigation of Metal-Silicate Reactions in Magma Oceans”


School of Social Work (SSW)
Largest Funded Research Award, FY 2021


Anneliese Singh, PhD
“Impact of Minority Stress on Cardiovascular Disease Risk and Resilience”
Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, Inc. - $142,968

SSW Junior Faculty Award
Largest Award, FY 2021


Samantha Francois, PhD
“Sexual and Reproductive Health During Disasters”
Louisiana Public Health Institute - $30,000