Awards
Awards Heading link
The Department of Physiology & Biophysics has four annual awards. The Philip L. Hawley Distinguished Faculty Award is given to faculty members who best represent those values held by Dr. Hawley. Three further awards are given to students: The Kate Bárány Graduate Student Award, the Mark R. Lambrecht Award for Scholarship and Commitment and the John and Kathy Solaro Endowed Graduate Fellowship.
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In recognition of the faculty members who best represent those values held dear by Dr. Hawley: Supportiveness, Enthusiasm, and Sincerity
Philip L. Hawley, PhD (1928-1993)This award was established by the students of the Department of Physiology and Biophysics to honor Dr. Philip L. Hawley shortly after his sudden death in 1993. Dr. Hawley was born in Hartford, Connecticut. After receiving his undergraduate degree at Bowdoin College and his master’s degree at Wesleyan College he began teaching at the American University in Beirut. He returned to receive his doctorate at the University of Illinois before returning to teaching overseas at the Haile Selassie I University in Ethiopia eventually becoming the dean of students. He returned to the US to teach at Loyola University before joining our Department of Physiology and Biophysics at the University of Illinois at Chicago in 1966. His teaching was very popular with the students, and he was a great supporter of them.
2024 Recipient
2024 - Andrius Kazlauskas
Recipients of the Award
Philip L. Hawley Distinguished Faculty Award
Award recipients
- 2023 – Dr. Naiche Adler
- 2022 – Dr. Monica Lee
- 2021 – Dr. Jonathan Coloff
- 2020 – Dr. Alexandra Naba
- 2019 – Dr. Daniel Shaye
- 2018 – Dr. Henar Cuervo Grajal
- 2017 – Dr. Carlos Stocco
- 2016 – Dr. John M. Kennedy
- 2015 – Dr. Mark Brodie
- 2014 – Dr. Randal C. Jaffe
- 2013 – Dr. Carlos Stocco
- 2012 – Dr. Mrinalini C. Rao
- 2011 – Dr. Carlos Stocco
- 2010 – Dr. R. John Solaro
- 2009 – Dr. John M. Kennedy
- 2008 – Dr. John M. Kennedy
Award recipients
- 2007 – Dr. Geula Gibori
- 2006 – Dr. R. John Solaro
- 2005 – Dr. Mrinalini Rao
- 2004 – Dr. Mark M. Rasenick
- 2003 – Dr. Beata M. Wolska
- 2002 – Dr. Pieter P. de Tombe
- 2001 – Dr. Jesús García-Martínez
- 2000 – Dr. Sergey Popov
- 1999 – Dr. R. John Solaro
- 1998 – Dr. Kate Bárány
- 1997 – Dr. Mrinalini C. Rao
- 1996 – Dr. Geula Gibori
- 1995 – Dr. Mark M. Rasenick
- 1994 – Dr. Mrinalini C. Rao
- 1993 – Dr. James L. Ferguson
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In recognition of a graduate student who is diligent, conscientious, punctual, well organized and displays a high degree of integrity
Dr. Kate Bárány (1929-2011)A renown muscle physiologist, Dr. Kate Bárány joined the faculty of the department of Physiology and Biophysics at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) in 1974. At UIC, Kate continued her scientific accomplishments, while at the same time displaying a unique and avid dedication to classroom teaching, and to helping women students and faculty cope with the special issues facing their pursuit of careers in science, medicine, and education. She received the coveted Golden Apple Award from medical students and University wide teaching recognitions. As an active member of the UIC Committee on the Status of Women, she saw no barrier too big to overcome. Kate was instrumental in establishing the UIC Children’s Center and fought for flexible tenure and career guidance for women in science and for an end to the practice of paying lower pensions to women who had invested the same rate as men. In recognition of her active efforts as well as her history as a role model going back to a period when very few women chose a scientific profession, Kate was named Woman of the Year at UIC in 1996.*
2024 Recipient
2024 - Mete Ozgurses
Recipients of the Award
Mete has excelled at every stage of his education. Prior to arriving at UIC, Mete was ranked first in his class at Birini University in Turkey. This, combined with his outstanding research experience and publication record as an undergraduate, earned him a prestigious Fulbright scholarship to pursue a Ph.D. degree in the United States. This scholarship was clearly well-earned by Mete, who has continued his academic excellence here at UIC by maintaining a perfect 4.0 GPA in his graduate studies. He has superb lab skills: upon joining his advisor’s lab, it was clear that Mete had received excellent scientific training in Turkey. It is rare to have a rotation student with such an impressive breadth of knowledge of biological science. His advisor noted his genuine love of research that has driven his success, as his enthusiasm for discovery is truly unique. He has already contributed to three published papers.
Finally, and perhaps most relevant for the Bárány Fellowship, Mete is an outstanding contributor to the Physiology and Biophysics Department. He has been elected as the student representative to the Outreach Committee for several years, where he has served as a critical voice of the students in Departmental outreach efforts. He has played an especially important role in organizing the Physio Friday events that help to bring our department together outside of the lab. Mete is also now generating the Physiology Student Spotlight for the Departmental website. These activities demonstrate Mete’s extraordinary dedication to making the Department a better place. Mete’s outstanding educational and research performance coupled with his enthusiasm and commitment to the well-being of our Department make him an exceptionally worthy recipient of the Bárány Fellowship.
Kate Bárány Graduate Student Award
Award recipients
- 2023 – Phillippa Burns
- 2022 – Alexa Gadja
- 2021 – Tung Nguyen
- 2020 – Anthony Arena
- 2019 – Alexandra Socovich
- 2018 – Marah Armouti
- 2017 – David Ryba
- 2016 – Bertha Vandegrift
- 2015 – Scott Convissar
- 2014 – Jada Domingue
- 2013 – Sarah Baumgarten
- 2012 – Leonid Serebryannyy
- 2011 – Jill Bennett
Award recipients
- 2010 – Sudarat Nimitvilai
- 2009– Jamie Le
- 2008 – Yalda Afshar
- 2007 – Witchuda Saengsawang
- 2006 – Sarah Scruggs
- 2005 – Patti Engel
- 2004 – Aurora Shehu
- 2003 – Haytham Mansour
- 2002 – Roli Prasad
- 2001 – Veronica L. Rundell
- 2000 – Michael C. Risk
- 1999 – Christian C. Evans
- 1998 – Miroslav O. Stojanovic
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Awarded for Scholarship and Commitment
Mark R. Lambrecht was born March 18, 1966 in Rochester, NY. He moved with his family to Highland Park, IL in 1971 and graduated from Highland Park High School in 1984. He received the BSc from the University of Rochester in 1988. Mark was an exceptional student. His favorite sport was tennis, and his great avocation was black and white photography. Mark decided to explore a career in medicine and research, and in 1988 joined the laboratories of the Department of Physiology and Biophysics, where he was involved in studies on neurobiology, biochemistry and biophysics of behavior. Owing to Mark’s considerable talents and wonderful personality, he took at on a broader role in implementing the use of electronic mail in the department which was then a relatively new and unfamiliar technology. On March 31st, 1989, we lost Mark in a tragic accident. To honor Mark’s memory, the Department of Physiology and Biophysics instituted the Mark R. Lambrecht Award for Scholarship and Commitment as an annual award for pre-doctoral candidates.
2024 Recipient
2024 - Rouci Hu
Recipients of the Award
Ruoci is one of the most talented and driven graduate students. Her academic and scientific achievements are exceptional, as reflected in her course performance, publications, fellowships, and conference presentations. Her dedication, intellectual rigor, and collaborative nature make her an ideal candidate for this prestigious award.
Ruoci began her academic journey by obtaining a B.S. from Shenyang Pharmaceutical University in China, followed by an M.S. from Seoul National University in Korea. Even before joining UIC, she demonstrated exceptional research productivity, publishing five papers during her undergraduate and master’s studies. Among the many bright students in her program, Ruoci was perhaps the most well-published, earning her the prestigious Van Doren Scholarship for the 2020–2021 academic year.
Since joining her mentor’s lab, she published five papers, including two first-author publications in Nature Aging (2024) and Science Advances (2024), and additional co-authored works in Nature Communications, Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology, and Developmental Cell. With two more papers in preparation, Ruoci’s publication record is exemplary for someone at her stage of training and speaks to her future success as an independent scientist.
Ruoci has secured a prestigious American Heart Association (AHA) predoctoral fellowship. Ruoci is not only an exceptional researcher but also an excellent team player. Her peers and undergraduate students frequently seek her guidance, and she is always willing to provide mentorship in experimental design and data interpretation. Her generosity, humility, and respect for others contribute to the positive and productive atmosphere of our lab.
Mark R. Lambrecht Award for Scholarship and Commitment
Award recipients
- 2023 – Kelly Conger
- 2022 – Cody Justice
- 2021 – Anna Barque Falguera
- 2020 – Taliha Nadeem
- 2019 – Anthony Arena
- 2018 – Maximilian McCann
- 2017 – Bertha Vandegrift
- 2016 – David Ryba
- 2015 – Jada Domingue
- 2014 – Sarah Baumgarten
- 2013 – Ryan Lahey
- 2012 – Tanganyika Wilder
- 2011 – Jillian Simon
- 2010 – Domenico Taglieri
- 2009 – Chehade Karam
- 2008 – Kristine Ansenberger
- 2007 – Jamie Le
Award recipients
- 2006 – Aurora Shehu
- 2005 – Steven Wu
- 2004 – John A. Allen
- 2003 – Rashad J. Belin
- 2002 – Eileen M. Burkart
- 2001 – Roli Prasad
- 2000 – Beth A. Nardulli
- 1999 – David E. Montgomery
- 1998 – Jayashree Venkatasubramanian
- 1997 – Michael C. Risk
- 1996 – Miroslav O. Stojanovic
- 1995 – Edward B. Arias
- 1994 – Kimberly A. Palmiter
- 1993 – Sheela G. Bhartur
- 1992 – Karen L. Ball
- 1991 – Constance Albarracin
- 1990 – Mark S. Barthelt
Mark R. Lambrecht Medical Scholar Grant Award
- 2021 – Cody Justice
- 2012 – Leonid Serebryannyy
- 2012 – Esther Calderon
- 2010 – Domenico Taglieri
- 2008 – Amika Singla
- 2008 – Yalda Afshar
- 2007 – Sarah Scruggs
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R. John Solaro served as Head of the Department of Physiology and Biophysics at University of Illinois at Chicago, College of Medicine from 1988 to 2015 and continues as Professor. Solaro was appointed Distinguished University Professor in the University of Illinois System in 1998.
Dr. R. John and Kathy SolaroJohn moved to UIC from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. He trained for the PhD in the Department of Physiology, at University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and in 1971 immediately moved to a faculty position at the Medical College of Virginia. His undergraduate degree is in Pharmacy from the University of Cincinnati. In 1975-76 he was a Fellow of the American and British Heart Associations and worked with Professor S. V. Perry in Birmingham, England. In 1987 he was a Fogarty Fellow working with Professor David Allen at University College London. He is past director and founder of the UIC Center for Cardiovascular Research. At UIC, Solaro received the University Scholar Award, the Faculty of the Year Award, the Mentor of the Year Award, and the Distinguished Service Award. Solaro was a member of the NIH Physiology study section, and is past Chair of the Skeletal Muscle and Exercise Physiology and the Cardiovascular Sciences study sections. He has served on editorial boards of leading biochemical, clinical and cardiovascular journals and as Associate Editor and Editor-in-Chief (2017-2019) of the Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology. Solaro has 387 peer reviewed publications on studies of the molecular, cellular and integrative physiology of the dynamics of the heartbeat with emphasis on developing therapies for acquired and genetic heart disorders. He been continually funded by National Institutes of Health and the American Heart Association since 1974. He continues to be a consultant to Biotech and Pharma related to the development of therapies for cardiac disorders.
After training as a registered nurse at the University of Cincinnati and Christ Hospital, Kathleen Solaro trained at the Medical College of Virginia as a Nurse Practitioner. Kathy had a 20+ year career as a Nurse Practitioner in Women’s Health. Since retiring she has served as volunteer with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in their community outreach programs.
When John was named Head of the Department of Physiology and Biophysics at UIC, Kathy became engaged in interactions with faculty partners and with faculty, many of whom were women. Kathy took the lead in hosting events associated with faculty retreats in the Solaro home and with trainees in the Solaro labs. Kathy was at John’s side in virtually every social and award event in the department and developed a long-standing friendship with the Lambrecht family, who are supporters of graduate students in the department. In view of these long standing and close relations with the department, John and Kathy agreed that it was important to do something tangible to demonstrate appreciation for all the good things that have come their way at UIC. Having experienced the challenges of being in graduate school, while Kathy was a stay at home mom with two babies, It took little planning for John and Kathy to decide that endowing a graduate fellowship would be their choice for supporting and helping the career path of budding scientists.
John and Kathy are the parents of Christopher Solaro (MD, PhD Washington University School of Medicine, BSc Bioengineering, Northwestern University) and Elizabeth Solaro (BA, Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern). John and Kathy have 5 grandchildren.
2024 - Izabela Hawro
2024 - Izabela Hawro
John and Kathy Solaro Endowed Graduate Fellowship
Izabela holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Wroclaw and a Master of Science from the University of Warsaw. In 2022, she joined UIC’s GEMS program as an international student.
Throughout her time in the GEMS program, Izabela has maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA and has been recognized with several awards. She is an insightful and thoughtful individual and has a sincere commitment to the highest level of work and maintains high scientific integrity. She is skillful in communicating with people and persistent in conducting her research studies. Moreover, Izabela has enthusiastically and confidently presented her thesis work at multiple venues in the College of Medicine and at national meetings.
Izabela is an active and valued member of the GEMS community. She consistently volunteers for the GEMS interview process and has served as a mentor through the Big/Lil Mentorship Program, supporting incoming students. She also played a key role in organizing the local meetings.
John and Kathy Solaro Endowed Graduate Fellowship
John and Kathy Solaro Endowed Graduate Fellowship
- 2023 – Mohamed Haloul
- 2022 – Tung Nguyen
- 2021 – Fred Lee
- 2020 – Kristen Lednovich