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Translational Research Institute

TRI Celebrates 2026 Program Awardees

The Translational Research Institute is thrilled to congratulate 12 new awardees across four TRI programs.

Clinical and Translational Science Pilot Program (CTSP2) Awardees

Tamer Kaoud, B.Pharm, Ph.D., is a man with short , dark hair and wearing glasses. Megha Sharma, M.D., is a woman with long, dark hair. Lindsey L. Wolf, M.D., is a woman with long, dark hair.
  • “Bench-to-Bedside Validation of MAPK Activity Sensors to Predict Checkpoint,” Tamer Kaoud, B.Pharm, Ph.D., assistant professor of pharmaceutical sciences
  • “Leveraging Informatics and Statistics to Assess Saturation Inaccuracy in Oximetry in Neonates (LIASSION),” Megha Sharma, M.D., associate professor of pediatrics, neonatology
  • “Assessing the Feasibility of Training Local Providers to Perform Pediatric Appendix Ultrasound in Rural Emergency Departments,” Lindsey L. Wolf, M.D., assistant professor of pediatric surgery

CTSP2 seeks proposals that employ translational approaches to address the health challenges and geographic constraints creating obstacles to positive outcomes for all Arkansans.

Learn more about the program.

Health Sciences Innovation and Entrepreneurship (HSIE) Training Program Awardees

Brandon Hogland is a man with short blonde hair and wearing a gray shirt. SunYoung Kim is a woman with long, dark hair and wearing a gray coat over a white shirt. Daniel Mann is a man with short, dark hair and wearing a tan suit.
  • Brandon Hogland, Ph.D. candidate
  • SunYoung Kim, M.D., Department of Surgery
  • Daniel Mann, Ph.D., Department of Biomedical Informatics

HSIE helps the next generation of health scientists transform their discoveries into benefits for healthcare. The program is a partnership between the TRI and the Entrepreneurship Graduate Program in the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. The program’s goal is to broaden a scholar’s vision of using entrepreneurship principles and team science to accelerate biomedical discoveries into improved health outcomes in academic settings and enhance readiness for industry, government, and other nonacademic jobs.

Learn more about the program.

K12 Mentored Research Career Development Scholar Awards Program Awardees

Sarah E. Diamond is a woman with long, blonde hair and wearing a lab coat. Mulu Tesfay is a man with a shaved head and wearing a gray suit and glasses. Leah Tobey-Moore is a woman with curly hair bunched up and wearing a lab coat.
  • “Metabolomic Profile of Extremely Preterm Neonates with a Hemodynamically-Significant Patent Ductus Arteriosus,” Sarah E. Diamond, M.D., assistant professor of pediatrics, neonatology
  • “Immuno-virotherapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC),” Mulu Tesfay, Ph.D., assistant professor of pathology
  • “Pain Neuroscience Education for Patients with Spinal Cord Stimulators,” Leah Tobey-Moore, PT, DPT, MBA, assistant professor of psychiatry

The K12 Scholars Program provides promising young clinical and translational investigators with the training, mentoring, and protected time to develop an independent research project. The overall goal of the TRI K12 Mentored Research Career Development Scholars Program is to increase the number and quality of independently funded clinical research investigators and translational scientists.

Learn more about the program.

New Team Science Voucher Program Awardees

Robert J. Griffin is a man wearing a green shirt. Amit K. Tiwari is a man wearing a blue suit with white tie and glasses. Lipika Sarangi is a woman with long, dark hair and glasses and wearing a lab coat.
  • “Radiosensitizer Interactions with Spatially Fractionated Radiation Therapy,” Robert J. Griffin, Ph.D., professor of radiation oncology, and Amit K. Tiwari, Ph.D., DABT, professor of pharmaceutical sciences and associate dean of research, College of Pharmacy
  • “The HASE App Initiative: Building Digitally Accessible Hearing Solutions,” Lipika Sarangi, Ph.D., assistant professor of audiology

The Team Science Voucher Program is designed to support early-stage, cross-disciplinary collaborations and to expand the translational potential of existing research programs. The overall aim of this program is to increase the quantity, quality, and effectiveness of cross-disciplinary research at UAMS.

Learn more about the program.