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  • Previous Winners

2023

Travel Award

Elizabeth Genovese, MD
Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC

Medtronic Resident Research Award

Tyler Bauer, MD
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
SETDB2 Regulates Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms

VESS Resident Research Award

Calvin Chao, MD
Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
Role of Sympathetic Nervous System Dysfunction in Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Pathogenesis

Boston Scientific Early Career Investigator Award

Frank Davis, MD
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
The Role of Macrophage and Smooth Muscle Cell Crosstalk in Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Development

Best Paper

Kaohinani Longwolf, MD
University of Utahm Salt Lake City, UT
Exogenous Testosterone Replacement Therapy Is Associated With Increased Risk For Arterial Graft Infections

Spotlight on Previous Award Winners

Starting in the Fall of 2018, the Grants & Awards Committee reached out to previous award winners to find out how they used their funds and what impact the award had on their career.

These interviews can be found in the Society’s Newsletters (starting with the Fall 2018 Issue).

We hope by reading these articles it will inspire more members to apply for VESS grants and continue the tradition of high achievement that the VESS is proud to support.

Travel Award

Jonathan Bath, MD
University of Missouri, Columbia, MO

Medtronic Resident Research Award

Kevin Mangum, MD, PhD
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Regulation of JMJD3 by JAK1/STAT3 in Macrophage Mediated Inflammation in Diabetic Wound Healing

VESS Resident Research Award

Amanda Philips, MD
University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
Improving Follow-up After EVAR

Boston Scientific Early Career Investigator Award

Katherine Hekman, MD
Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
Harnessing Mitochondrial Bioenergetics to Enhance Regenerative Stem Cell Therapies for Peripheral Arterial Disease

Best Paper

Amir Ghaffarian, MD
University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Clinical Outcomes Of A Diagnostic And Management Protocol For Popliteal Artery Entrapment Syndrome At A Large Referral Center

Early Career Faculty Award

Tammy Nguyen, MD
University of Massachusetts, Worcester, MA
Exploring How Adipocyte Signaling and the Diabetic Immune System Contributes to Non-Healing Ulcers

Medtronic Resident Research Award

Kenneth Tran, MD
Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Patient-specific Computational Fluid Dynamics Modeling for Assessing the Hemodynamic Performance of Complex Endovascular Aneurysm Repair

W.L. Gore Travel Award

Tze-Woei Tan, MD
University of Arizona, Tuscon, AZ

Early Career Faculty Award

Sam C. Tyagi, MD, FACS, FSVS, RPVI
University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
The Effect of Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors on BAPN-Induced Aortic Dissection


Medtronic Resident Research Award

Christopher Audu, MD
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
cGAS-STING Regulates Macrophage Mediated Inflammation in Diabetic Wound Healing

W.L. Gore Travel Award

Gregory A. Magee, MD MSc
Keck Medical Center of USC, Los Angeles, CA

Early Career Faculty Award

Andrea Obi, MD
University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI
Epigenetic Influence on Macrophage Phenotype and Development of Post Thrombotic Venous Fibrosis

Medtronic Resident Research Award

Elizabeth Chou, MD
Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
The HDAC9 Complex and Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells in Carotid Atherosclerosis and Stroke

“Thank you to the VESS awards committee and Medtronic for supporting resident research. Grant funds were used to explore how vascular smooth muscle cell dysfunction contributes to peripheral vascular disease and carotid atherosclerosis in particular. The award helped establish a vascular surgery biobank, as well as fund bench work in identifying potential targets to prevent smooth muscle cell dysfunction-associated vasculopathies. Thank you for this spring-board opportunity to explore how vascular surgery residents may contribute to our understanding of vascular disease as surgeon-scientists, and how a career as a vascular surgeon-scientist may be possible.”

Early Career Faculty Award

Jeffrey Siracuse, MD
Boston Medical Center
Perioperative Nutritional Optimization in Patients Undergoing Revascularization for Critical Limb Ischemia

“Funds were used to support a study coordinator, statistical analysis, and nutritional supplementation for the study. The study has progressed well, but has been on hold due to COVID-19 due to state and institutional mandates.”


Medtronic Resident Research Award

Frank Davis, MD
University of Michigan
Epigenetic Alterations in Macrophages Influence Chronic Inflammation in Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms

“As the recipient of the 2018 VESS Awards Committee and Medtronic Resident Research Award, we used the funds to explore the mechanistic causes of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) formation. AAA are a life-threatening cardiovascular disease characterized by an inflammatory macrophage phenotype that contributes to pathological vascular remodeling and predisposes patients to the potentially fatal consequence of aortic rupture. Identifying the mechanisms regulating macrophage-mediated inflammation during AAA development are of critical importance to developing novel pharmacological therapies to prevent AAA progression. Recent evidence indicates that that epigenetic enzymes, specifically the histone demethylase JMJD3, play a critical role in establishing tissue macrophage phenotype. Using both human tissue samples and a mouse model of AAAs, we uncovered that JMJD3 regulates macrophage inflammation and pathological aortic dilation. Further we established that pharmacological inhibition of JMJD3 could prevent AAA development. Thank you for this opportunity and supporting the development of a vascular surgeon-scientist.”

W.L. Gore Travel Award

Nicolas Jano Mouawad, MD
McLaren Health Care

“My specific goals to help transition my institution into a regional referral center and as the flagship for vascular treatment across the 14 hospital health system was facilitated by the opportunities of the Vascular & Endovascular Surgery Society and other national organizations. Uniquely positioned, both geographically and strategically, we are located in Mid-Michigan, quite literally in the middle of the state, and have a huge catchment area where we also do outreach clinics in order to provide vascular
awareness and treatment.

As the recipient of the 2018 VESS/WL Gore Travel Award, I used the funds to visit Dr Patrick Muck at Good Samaritan in Cincinnati, Ohio. I spent several days there and gained valuable insight on directing a very busy community program with scholarly activity and trainee education, and how it has transformed the regional care of vascular disease. I was able to visit the operating rooms while they were doing an open aneurysm repair as well as some complex endovascular procedures. We discussed management considerations between clinical and administrative duties and how to streamline regional referrals by getting imaging sent ahead of time before patient transfers. Of course, we spent some social time together with his team checking out some new breweries too! I also did use the funds to visit Dr Ash Mansour in Grand Rapids and learn about the dramatic impact of championing early endovascular interventions with the necessary technology to provide optimal vascular patient care.

This experience was phenomenal! It an indebted to the VESS for this fantastic opportunity. I highly recommend VESS members to consider applying for this award!”

Early Career Faculty Award

Jean Marie Ruddy, MD
Medical University of So. Carolina
Interleukin-6 initiates ‘Infra-renal aortic remodeling and propagates aneurysm development

“It was a great honor to receive the VESS Early Career Faculty Research Award in 2017 for the project entitled “Interleukin-6 Initiates Infrarenal Aortic Remodeling and Propagates Aneurysm Development.” As my first external funding award, this support from colleagues in Vascular Surgery not only provided a boost to the investigative initiative, but also to my confidence and enthusiasm as a surgeon-scientist. Data acquired from this award was presented at national meetings and became the foundation for an NIH K08 Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award. I am happy to assist others interested in this career path and am available at ruddy@musc.edu.”


Medtronic Resident Research Award

Gayan de Silva, MD
Washington University St. Louis
‘Lipidomics of Diabetic Peripheral Arterial Disease’

W.L. Gore Travel Award

Ying Wei Lum, MD
Johns Hopkins University

“I was very appreciative of the opportunity to use the funds from the VESS Travel fellowship to visit 2 high volume centers that treated patients with Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. I spent a week each with Dr Illig and Dr Thompson and spent time in clinic and the operating room with them. It was a great opportunity to get to know the giants in the field and discuss common dilemmas and opinions regarding such a controversial field. It has led to great networking opportunities that ultimately also helped with my academic promotion.”

Early Career Faculty Research Award
Ryan McEnaney, MD
University of Pittsburgh
Purinergic Signaling and Arteriogenesis

W.L. Gore Travel Award
Justin Hurie, MD
Wake Forest Medical Center, Winston-Salem, NC

W.L. Gore Travel Award
Matthew Mell, MD
Stanford University, Stanford, CA

Young Faculty Research Award
Dawn M. Coleman, MD
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Efficacy of Apixiban in Anti-Inflammatory Induced Vein Wall Remodeling in a Murine Model of Deep Vein Thrombosis

Norman Rich Military Award
Cpt. Daniel Scott, MD
San Antonio Military Medical Center, San Antonio, TX
Use of the Short Musculoskeletal Function Assessment for Limb-Specific Outcomes Following Vascular Injuries

Norman Rich Military Award
Cpt. Marlin Wayne Causey, MD
Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, WA
Pharmacologic Attenuation of the Hyperdynamic Response after Aortic Occlusion

Academic Award (Faculty)
John Curci, MD
Washington University, St. Louis, MO
Elastolytic Activity of Aortic Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells after in vivo Smoke Exposure

Academic Award (Fellow)
Kathleen Lamb, MD
Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA
Adipose Derived Stem Cells as Smooth Muscle Cell Substitutes to Create a Tissue-engineered Vascular Graft

Travel Award
Karen Woo, MD
University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA

Norman Rich Military Award
Cpt. Carol Villamaria, MD
US Army Institute for Surgical Research, Fort Sam Houston, TX
Microvascular Porcine Model for the Optimization of Composite Tissue Auto-Transplantation


Spotlight on VESS Award Grantees

Karen Woo, MD, MS, FACS
2012 VESS Travel Award Winner

See the Spotlight on Dr. Woo in the VESS Summer 2018 Newsletter, and learn how winning this award has enhanced her career.


Academic Award (Faculty)
Guillermo A. Escobar, MD
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Contrast-induced Nephropathy Animal Model

Academic Award (Resident)
Bjoern Suckow, MD
University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
Development of a Disease Specific Quality-of-Life Measure for Patients with Critical Limb Ischemia

Travel Award
Judith C. Lin
Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI

Academic Award (Faculty)
Tara Mastracci, MD
Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH

Academic Award (Resident)
Sara Runge, MD
UCSF, San Francisco, CA

Academic Award (Faculty)
Eugene S. Lee, MD
UC Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA

Academic Award (Resident)
Keri Seymour, MD
SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY

Academic Award (Faculty)
Philip Goodney
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH

Academic Award (Resident)
Matthew Corriere
Wake Forest University, Winton-Salem, NC

Academic Award
Brian W. Nolan, MD
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH

Research Award
James Laredo, MD
Georgetown Univerwity Hospital, Washington, DC

Research Award
Thomas Maldonado, MD
New York University, New York, NY

Travel Award
Vivian Gahtan, MD
Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY

Research Award
Alan Dardik, MD
Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT

Travel Award
Vikram Kashyap, MD
Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH

Research Award
Paul DeMuzio, MD
Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA

Travel Award
Thomas F. Lindsay, MD
Toronto General Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Research Award
Peter L. Faries, MD
Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, NY

Research Award
Peter L. Faries, MD
Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, NY

Research Award
Subodh Arora
VA Medical Center, Washington, DC

Research Award
Paul Gagne, MD
NYU Medical Center, New York, NY

None presented

Research Award
Lewis B. Schwartz, MD
The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL

Clinical Award
John Blebea, MD
Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA

Research Award
Vivian Gahtan, MD
Medical College of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

Clinical Award
Hugh A. Gelabert, MD
UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA

Research Award
William D. Suggs, MD
Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY

Clinical Award
Steven G. Friedman, MD
North Shore University Hospital, Manhasset, NY

Research Award
Julie A. Freischlag, MD
Medical College of Wisconsin

Research Award
Enrique Criado, MD
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC