Awards, Honors, and Recognitions
Desmond Schatz, MD
Dr. Desmond Schatz was among the College of Medicine winners of UF’s Artificial Intelligence and Information Research Institute inaugural Seed Fund Competition!
Madhurima Saha, PhD
Dr. Madhurima Saha received $100,000 from the American Neuromuscular Foundation for her grant “Evaluation of Immune Responses to AAV4E Vector Capsid to Enable Redosing in Gene Therapy for LGMD-2D.”
Timothy Foster, MD
Dr. Timothy Foster received a one-year 2026 Junior Faculty Grant from the Pediatric Endocrine Society in the amount of $40,000.00 beginning July 1, 2026.
Setmelanotide was FDA-approved
Setmelanotide was FDA-approved for treatment of hypothalamic obesity secondary to craniopharyngioma. It is the first FDA-approved therapy for this condition, targeting the MC4R pathway to reduce hunger and body weight.
Dr. Jennifer Miller’s team was the lead trial site.
Elias Sayour, MD
The cover story in the January 2026 issue of The Cancer Letter (the NCI Cancer Center’s trade newsletter) showcases the work done by Dr. Elias Sayour, his team here, and colleagues at MD Anderson CC.
Shelley Collins, MD
Dr. Shelley Collins received the Hippocratic Scholars Award for a third year in a row.
Dr. Jyoti Budania
The Department of Community Health and Family Medicine thanked Dr. Jyoti Budania for permitting its residents to rotate with her within her ambulatory pediatric clinics, allowing their upper-level residents to gain more practical knowledge and a refined clinical experience with pediatric outpatients.
The residents have universally praised Dr. Budania’s teaching style as interactive, informative and efficient.
Type 1 Diabetes: A Review
“Type 1 Diabetes: A Review” was published in JAMA in March 2026.
First author is Dr. Laura Jacobsen and senior author is Dr. Desmond Schatz.
Vicky Campbell
Vicky Campbell was selected as Advanced Practice Provider (APP) of the Quarter by the APP Council!
2026 India Fest
The 2026 India Fest was a huge success, with more than 400 participants! Dr. Ruchita Kachru and Dr. Sara Vas had a booth focused on behavioral health which sparked a lot of interest, with topics including anxiety, depression, and suicide prevention in children and adolescents. Kimberly Clawson helped coordinate the outreach effort.
Welcome New Faculty & Staff
Critical Care Medicine
Joie Cavazos
General Pediatrics/Psychology
Brittany Bailey
Genetics
Faisal Asumda
Neurology/Multi-Disciplinary Training Program
Brenda Wiens
Education Update
2026-2027 Chief Residents
Daniel Valladares
Post Graduate Year Four
Madison Colaw
Carter Gay
Steven Overlaur
Post Graduate Year Three
Keren Fishman
Post Graduate Year Three
Awards & Congratulations
Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society!
- Bahadir Samur, PGY-2
- Melissa Siegert Ospina, PGY-3
Outstanding Resident Instructor Award!
UF COM Society of Teaching Scholars – in recognition of outstanding commitment to medical education.
- Keren Fishman, PGY-2
LEAD Award
UF Health – In recognition of outstanding performance in promoting high-quality patient care.
- Harrison Strang, PGY-2
- Steven Overlaur, PGY-2
R5 Excellence in Medical Education
Faculty:
Gen Peds:
- Mori Stern
- Jyoti Budania
- Maureen Novak
- Zac Gohsman
PEM:
- Maria Quidgley
- Cameron Busk
- Judy Lucas
- John Bahling
Pulmonology:
- Brandy Johnson
- Dima Ezmigna
PHM:
- Eric Nelson
- Macahan Moore
- Nancy Joseph
- Sarah Marsicek
Resident:
PGY-3:
- Michael Meuth
- Melissa Huddleston
- Jenna Knafo
PGY-2:
- Carter Gay
- Nick Henry
- Jaxon Baum
PGY-1:
- Grace Donner
- Sidney Broome
- Alexis Lanier
- Emily Franco
- Donna Herber
- Payton Mulkey
Fellows:
- Heme/Onc: Sam Rodriguez
- Pulmonology: Carla Chikhani
- Neurology: Michael Lattanzi
Save the Date
UF Pediatric Housestaff Graduation
Saturday, June 13, 2026 from 10:00am-12:00pm at the G. Edwards Evans Champions Club
Research Update
The department’s research program continues to make strong progress this year. At approximately 75% of the fiscal year, the department has already secured $27 million in research funding, exceeding last year’s total at the same point and reflecting sustained growth across research areas.
Funding is largely supported by federal sponsors, with additional contributions from industry, the State of Florida, nonprofit organizations, and other partners. Several divisions are leading award activity, including Children’s Health Research, Endocrinology, Child Protection, and Neurology, highlighting the strength and diversity of the department’s research efforts.
Research activity remains high, with more than 120 grant proposals submitted to date and additional submissions expected during upcoming federal funding cycles.
