The 2025 Department of Medicine Trainee Research Awards
The 2025 recipients of the Department of Medicine Resident and Fellow Outstanding Research Awards have been named. These awards recognize significant research contributions made during residency and fellowship training, respectively.
Thank you to the nominators and congratulations to the recipients!
Resident Outstanding Research Award
Kendra Marr, MD, PhD
Internal Medicine Residency & Physician-Scientist Training Program (PSTP)
Her mentor and nominator, Josh Lang, MD, MS, professor, Hematology, Medical Oncology and Palliative Care, writes: “Despite a very clinical year as an intern, [Kendra] joined our research team and attended laboratory meetings as well as regularly scheduled research discussions to discuss our active research projects. She was particularly interested in learning more about our research on liquid biopsies for patients with advanced cancer, including the analysis of rare circulating tumor cells that could be used to identify novel therapeutic targets. I was deeply impressed by her interest and commitment while also developing exceptional clinical skills [...]”
Fellow Outstanding Research Award - MD
Trevor Schell, MD
Gastroenterology & Hepatology Fellow
His mentor and nominator, Freddy Caldera, DO, PhD, MS, associate professor, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, writes: “Dr. Schell's professional development shows both intellectual curiosity and methodological versatility that will serve him well as an independent investigator. He has consistently sought opportunities to expand his research toolkit, mastering increasingly sophisticated study designs and analytical techniques that enhance the impact of his work, making him the ideal physician-scientist: a motivated, versatile investigator producing innovative, high-quality research that directly improves patient care.”
Fellow Outstanding Research Award - PhD
Yang Yeh, PhD
Research Fellow (Lamming Lab) - Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
His mentor and nominator, Dudley Lamming, PhD, associate professor, Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, writes: “Dr. Yeh has shown himself to be a determined and dedicated scientist with a promising research career. […] All of his projects strike a harmonious balance of fundamentally-sound basic science and translationally-motivated interventional studies. His projects [are] complex, but [are] highly necessary in the field and produced interesting results that will contribute significantly to the direction of future research.”