New DOM awards honor 20 faculty members in 2025

Twenty faculty members shared in the honors of new Department of Medicine Faculty Awards presented at the department’s General Faculty Meeting on Wednesday, June 4, in the Social Hall (Room 2500) at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson. 

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The ceremony revives faculty awards presented previously as part of the DOM Education Awards but broadens them beyond the prior awards — which focused exclusively on teaching for faculty, as part of awards for students, residents and fellows, too — to include outreach and engagement, mentorship, patient care and clinical excellence, and research. 

“This is the first year we are giving departmental awards more comprehensively, and we are excited to make this an annual event. It’s nice to be able to honor our faculty’s fierce dedication to their work. We received multiple strong nominations, a testament to the strength of our faculty,” noted Serena Scott, MD, MBA, DOM vice chair for faculty development. “All DOM vice chairs were involved in the final selection of award recipients, and we look forward to presenting these awards again next year to a new set of candidates.” 

DOM Chair James K. Liao, MD, the Robert S. and Irene Flinn Endowed Professor in Medicine, agreed. “I just want to say that after hearing the accomplishments of all our awardees tonight, I’m so proud of the faculty here. And I’m hoping that this event will become a tradition that we can follow every year at the Department of Medicine,” said Dr. Liao, initial proponent of the expanded awards ceremony. 

State of the Department & Announcements 

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Before the ceremony, Dr. Liao, as part of offering a State of the Department address that showed the DOM well positioned for the future in terms of clinical, education and research performance, commented on the following: 

• Several new hires since the last quarterly general faculty meeting (March 5): Hossein Ardehali, MD, PhD (Division of Cardiology: Sarver Heart Center associate director, COM-T associate dean for translational research and director, MD/PhD program, and the Irving J. Levinson Professor of Cardiology); Corey Casper, MD, MPH (Division of Infectious Diseases: chief research officer, Banner Health); Dexter DeLeon, MD (Cardiology); Sulaiman Rathore, MD (Cardiology); Rachel Swartz, MD, PhD (Division of Hematology & Oncology); and Malay Chaklader, PhD, MBA (Cardiology). 

• Promotions of 16 DOM faculty members as of July 1. 

• Appointment of DOM Access Community & Belonging vice chair and PACCS’ division’s Christian Bime, MD, MSc, as Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine division chief at the College of Medicine – Phoenix starting in July. 

• The expected spinoff and launch of the Division of Dermatology as the college’s newest department later this summer, which has been approved by the Arizona Board of Regents. It will be led by current Dermatology Division Chief Clara Curiel-Lewandrowski, MD. 

• And he applauded the Division of Endocrinology’s Jennifer Stern, PhD, and Hematology & Oncology’s Aaron Scott, MD, for taking top research honors at the COM-T 2025 Faculty Awards, two of the 19-out-of-68 awards presented that DOM faculty won earlier this year. 

To see all photos from the meeting and awards ceremony, visit this link. 

View archived video from the meeting.

2025 DOM Faculty Award Winners 

And now for the awards and awardees: 

Community Engagement & Partnership Award 

This award honors a faculty member who demonstrates exceptional leadership and commitment to advancing community engagement and partnership within the department, institution and broader medical community. It acknowledges efforts that foster an inclusive environment, promote health equity and support the success of individuals from diverse backgrounds. 
Presenter: Bijin Thajudeen, MD, new DOM Community Engagement & Partnership vice chair 

Winner

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Alejandro Recio Boiles, MD (Hematology & Oncology – assistant director of Community Outreach and Engagement, U of A Cancer Center, and medical director, Arizona Clinical Trial Network) | “Born in Cuba, raised in Mexico and settled in the USA,” one nominator said of Dr. Recio Boiles, “I don’t think we can find a better person who understands the real essence of diversity.”

An active member of the DOM’s Community Engagement & Partnership Committee, and prior iterations of it, since 2021 and instrumental in arranging several SPARK lectures, Dr. Recio Boiles advocated for this in his division, the department and the U of A Cancer Center. In his community outreach and clinical roles, he’s active in the Southern AZ Health Equity Solutions Forum and ACT Network. He’s part of the equity and access committee of the Arizona Clinical Oncology Society. And he’s an invited planning committee member for the biennial Advancing the Science of Cancer in Latinos conference. He mentors a diverse team that includes medical students, residents, fellows and Mexican-origin Hispanic guest researchers. He’s currently working on research focusing on unmet needs in caring for Hispanic patients with bladder and testicular cancer.

He also led a study and was senior author on “Health Disparities in Presentation, Treatment, Genomic Testing, and Outcomes of Pancreatic Cancer in Hispanic vs. Non-Hispanic Patients,” which was published in April 2023 in the Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities. And the work he’s done in outreach to the Hispanic, Native American and rural communities in southern Arizona has been broad-based across a variety of cancer prevention issues for men and women whether in person, on the radio, or via Zoom in Spanish and English. In addition, Dr. Recio Boiles has several related papers to his credit as well. 

Clinical Operations Leadership Award 

This award recognizes a faculty member whose leadership and contributions significantly enhance efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability of clinical operations at our institution. Through strategic problem-solving, systems thinking and a commitment to excellence, the recipient supports high-functioning clinical environments that benefit both patients and care teams. Their work strengthens the foundation of academic medicine and fosters a culture of continuous improvement. 
Presenter: Mathew Hutchinson, MD, Clinical Operations vice chair 

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Winners

Billie Bixby, MD (Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine – director, Interventional Pulmonology) | Dr. Bixby has catapulted the IP program to a high level of collaborations with endoscopy, surgery, the OR and community engagement, involving excellent workflow optimization at every level. This requires strong collaborations with multidisciplinary teams and stakeholders in lung cancer, including oncologists at the U of A Cancer Center, interventional radiologists, thoracic surgeons, the endoscopy suite and the C-suite. She performed the first case of the Galvanize pulsed electric field treatment for lung cancer in the state of Arizona and is leading the entire state and the U.S. Southwest with this therapeutic approach. 

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Amy Klein, MD (Division of General Internal Medicine, Geriatrics & Palliative Medicine, or GGP – director, Palliative Medicine, Banner – University Medicine Tucson) | Dr. Klein has made numerous contributions in palliative medicine that sustain and enhance efficiency and effectiveness of the consult service at Banner – University Medical Center Tucson (BUMCT). She has the unique ability to envision a strategic plan, outline key objectives, goals and tasks, and bring the plan effectively to fruition. She has excellent systems-thinking skills with clinical operations and the ability to problem solve on the fly to achieve efficiency and sustainability. Her remarkable emotional intelligence — and that’s not a small thing — and strong communication skills has provided a stable framework to lead her team through operational challenges. Her passion for serving our patients living with serious illness and at the end of life, as well as their families, is unmatched. Her commitment to excellence has translated into a creation of a high-functioning clinical program that serves patients, families, staff and trainees, and is always a platform for continuous improvement. 

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Elizabeth B. Juneman, MD (Division of Cardiology – clinical division chief, and medical director, Advanced Heart Failure & Transplantation) | Serving for over 18 months coming out of the pandemic as the second interim division chief and interim Sarver Heart Center director before the arrival of Hesham Sadek, MD, PhD, who took on those roles last May, Dr. Juneman had to make a lot of on-the-ground operational decisions with far-reaching implications. “She shepherded the division and center through that transition while running a heart failure program almost single-handedly and rebooting a heart transplant program twice — no small task. She spent numerous nights in the hospital with our last transplant patient for almost a month. And she did that selflessly, with no remuneration, because she believes in it. More recently, Dr. Juneman was anointed the clinical chief of the Cardiology division, and we're very happy that she’s in that role,” said Dr. Hutchinson. 

Excellence in Peer Mentorship Award 

This award honors faculty who demonstrate exceptional commitment to fostering professional growth and well-being of their colleagues through mentorship. It recognizes individuals who, through their guidance, support and collaboration, have significantly contributed to development of peers across disciplines. Recipients are celebrated for creating a culture of collegiality, inclusivity and continuous learning within the academic medical community. 
Presenter: Serena Scott, MD, MBA, Faculty Development vice chair 

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Winners

Michel T. Corban, MD (Division of Cardiology) | Quoting from his nominator (Division of Inpatient Medicine’s Kamaldeep Singh, MD), Dr. Scott said, “Dr. Corban is known as a skilled interventional cardiologist and one of the top-flight researchers in his field. However, what many may not know is how dedicated he is to his colleagues, particularly junior faculty, who may be looking for direction on learning how to navigate the numerous demands of their time. When I first met him, I was contemplating my place in medicine and felt unfulfilled. He took time from his busy schedule to meet and recommended I start attending his weekly research meetings, made time to meet with me weekly to discuss the future. Through these interactions, he rekindled my love for research and academics. He makes himself available at all hours of the day with a smile, instills a sense of belief, excellence, and inspires his peers to achieve all they can.” 

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April Ehrlich, MD, MHS (GGP Division-Geriatric Medicine – division’s Chief for Clinical Research Development) | Dr. Scott noted from her nominator’s notes that Dr. Ehrlich joined the GGP faculty a little less than a year ago and, as a junior geriatrician physician-scientist, was the U of A’s first faculty member selected for the National Institute on Aging’s Butler-Williams Scholars Program, an intensive career-development workshop for rising aging researchers. She also serves as the Early Career Representative on the American Geriatrics Society Board of Directors, positioning her to connect mentees with nationwide networks and resources. And since then, in only a year, she launched a standing peer mentoring circle for early career clinician scientists. Utilizing her confidence in grant-writing and publications, she has created a peer mentoring group for junior faculty to exchange draft proposals, share reviewer comments, celebrate each other’s wins, all to try to encourage greater research activity. Her mentorship is amplified by national leadership credentials, and she’s able to bring her expertise back to Tucson and really help mentor her peers. 

Excellence in Quality & Patient Safety Award 

This award honors a faculty member who has demonstrated outstanding leadership and commitment to improving patient safety and health care quality. Through initiatives that enhance clinical practices, reduce harm and promote a culture of safety, the recipient has made a meaningful impact on the well-being of patients and integrity of care delivery. Their work reflects dedication to continuous improvement and excellence in clinical outcomes. 
Presenter: Tejo Vemulapalli, MD, Quality & Safety vice chair 

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Winners

Venkatesh “Venki” K. Ariyamuthu, MBBS, MD (Division of Nephrology – Medical Director, Kidney-Pancreas Transplant, Banner – University Medicine Tucson) | Dr. Vemulapalli pointed out that Dr. Ariyamuthu started as a medical director of the kidney-pancreas transplant program in 2020. “He has led transformative improvements in clinical workflows and protocols that are innovative, practical and highly organized. With this, his unwavering commitment to quality and improvement has yielded some profound impacts on both patient well-being and also the staff satisfaction. This not only led to higher satisfaction scores, it transformed the program. And SRTR — the Scientific Registry for Transplant Recipients — actually gave us the highest designation of a kidney transplant and kidney-pancreas transplant program in the entire industry,” Dr. Vemulapalli said, adding, “And for all of you who are contemplating it, we are better than Banner – UMC Phoenix.” 

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Karen Parker, MD, PhD (GGP Division-Geriatric Medicine – director, Geriatric Inpatient Consult Service, Banner – University Medicine Tucson) | Acknowledging her role running a teaching service, Dr. Vemulapalli said Dr. Parker “helps with patients (and their families) who are already going through the high toll of falls, fractures, and other traumatic events. She built an inpatient program focused on maintaining high quality of care for elder patients on the trauma service. I can attest, not only with trauma surgeons, but even orthopedics and general surgery colleagues ask for her at their consults all the time. And she comes graciously and fixes most of the problems. Dr. Parker has embedded a culture of continuous learning into daily rounds. She coaches teams to spot early signs of clinical decline, audits guidelines adherence in real time, and shares quick-fire literature briefs to the residents so they can learn. Dr. Parker, by uniting rigorous science with compassionate advocacy, exemplifies the excellence in quality and patient safety.” She greatly deserves this, he added. 

Innovation in Medical Education Award 

This award recognizes a faculty member who has demonstrates exceptional creativity and impact in the development, implementation or dissemination of innovative educational strategies within medical education. The recipient exemplifies forward-thinking approaches that enhance learning for medical students, residents, fellows or peers, and advance the academic mission of our institution. 
Presenter: Amy Sussman, MD, Education vice chair 

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Winner

Ryan C. Wong, MD (Division of Nephrology – core faculty, Nephrology Fellowship Program; associate program director, DOM Internal Medicine Residency – Tucson; and director, DOM Internal Medicine Sub-Internship) | Dr. Sussman said, “Dr. Wong is a talented educator who’s been able to transform and shape novel curriculum, not only within the GME space, but also the undergraduate medical education space. Most notably, he has completely transformed DOM’s Medicine Sub-Internship, or Sub-I, a passion that began during his chief residency year and has come to fruition over the past few years.” The curriculum and assessment system overhaul, she said, has been incredibly valuable for the college and the department, incorporating clinical reasoning cases, including for struggling learners to better diagnose patients, and affording all students appropriate preparation to transition to residency. 

Innovation in Patient Care Award 

This award recognizes a faculty member who has developed and implemented a novel approach to improving patient care. Whether through clinical process redesign, use of technology, interdisciplinary collaboration or new models of care delivery, the recipient demonstrates creativity, initiative and measurable impact. Their work enhances outcomes, efficiency and patient experience, setting a standard for transformative care. 
Presenter: Serena Scott, MD, MBA, Faculty Development vice chair 

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Winners

Vijay H. Chandiramani, MD (Division of Inpatient Medicine – division vice chief) | Dr. Chandramani started an initiative to improve sleep quality of patients admitted to Banner hospitals in Tucson. Dr. Scott said, “He implemented an order that encourages patients to switch their TVs off by 10 p.m. and limit interruptions such as blood draws and vital checks between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m., so that they can have a restful night. And while this practice may seem simple, it’s actually gone a very long way in improving metrics such as enhancing patient satisfaction.” After implementation on a single team for three months, the HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) score increased by more than 17% on subsequent surveys carried out by the hospital — all due to his sleep initiative. It also ranked the highest when it came to patient preference compared to other things such as food, comfort, and innovation and achievement. 

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John N. Galgiani, MD (Division of Infectious Diseases – director, Valley Fever Center for Excellence) | Dr. Galgiani has improved drastically the diagnosis and care of patients with coccidioidomycosis, or Valley fever, a serious fungal respiratory illness very common in Arizona caused by spores found in soils of the U.S. Southwest, since launching the center in 1996. “For multiple years, he’s (worked within) Banner Health and been on its CCG (Clinical Consensus Group) to create a clinical practice (across the organization) that continuously works toward its implementation in managing Valley fever and specifically its under-diagnosis,” Dr. Scott said. He worked with Banner Data Analytics and, where initially there were less than 2% of patients in 2018 with community-acquired pneumonia being tested for Valley fever, through implementation of his practice, they were able to increase the that to 23%. Since then, his research team also has created a dashboard to provide real-time information about diagnostic patterns and, most recently, won Arizona Biomedical Research Centre grants to, among other things, analyze free text in clinic notes to better define which patients should be tested for Valley fever. 

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D. Alexander Perry, MD, MPH (Division of Infectious Diseases – division co-associate clinical director and director, Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT), Banner – University Medicine Tucson) | OPAT is the program responsible for overseeing patients who are discharged from the BUMCT and Banner – UMC South hospitals that require antibiotic therapy in an outpatient setting. And Dr. Scott said of Dr. Perry, “It was through his leadership that he rebuilt this program from literally the ground up, developed the standard and operating procedures, personally trained all staff in performance of their tasks to now, where this program cares for over 1,200 patients in the outpatient setting.” Through his work in this program, he has saved Banner more than $90 million annually through reductions in length of stay of approximately 25% — or 5,000 patient days annually. “These savings, however, do not even capture the improved patient outcomes, decreased readmissions and improvements in patient satisfaction that are well documented in literature from a well-regulated program,” Dr. Scott added. “So, congratulations to Dr. Alex Perry on this award.” 

Rising Star Clinical Excellence Award 

This award honors early-career faculty who demonstrate an unwavering commitment to clinical excellence, teamwork and professionalism. The recipient is recognized for their exceptional work ethic, compassionate patient care, collaborative spirit, and positive contributions to the clinical and academic environment. They exemplify the values of integrity, collegiality and dedication to the mission of patient-centered care.
Presenter: Serena Scott, MD, MBA, Faculty Development vice chair 

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Winners

Meenakshi Dagar, MD (GGP Division-Geriatric Medicine – director, Ambulatory Geriatrics, Banner - University Medicine Tucson) | An early-career geriatrician, Dr. Dagar has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to delivering high-quality, compassionate, patient-centered geriatric care for older adults and their families. One of her nominators, GGP division chief Mindy Fain, MD, said, “Her patients often share that they feel truly heard and cared for as she guides them through complex conversations of empathy and respect.” She dedicates time to teaching in her geriatric clinics and displays remarkable work ethic, integrity and collaboration. She’s always present and available and creates a positive, supportive learning environment for patients, families, trainees and team members. 

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Abd A. Qannus, MD (Division of Nephrology) | Reading from excerpts of his nominators, Dr. Scott said one offered, “I was deeply impressed by his unwavering commitment to clinical excellence, professionalism and patient-centered care. Others talked about how he always makes himself available. He volunteers to cover weekend shifts multiple times during peak service periods. He puts the team’s and patients’ needs above his own, without seeking any recognition or rewards for his efforts.” All were impressed by his exceptional care as he addressed patients’ physical, emotional and psychological needs with compassion and professionalism — “which truly sets him apart.” His commitment to quality patient care is evident in every interaction, significantly impacting the patient’s angular health routine. 

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Anthony Witten, DO (Division of Inpatient Medicine – associate program director, DOM Internal Medicine Residency – Tucson) | Said one of his nominators, “I’ve had the privilege of caring for multiple patients with Dr. Witten. His expertise as an internist enables him to engage in meaningful conversations with both colleagues and patients. His diagnostic abilities often match, if not exceed, those of specialists. His patient management relies on collaboration, passion, and curiosity. When he cares for his patients, they receive the highest quality care available. His clinical acumen, passion for quality, and compassionate patient care make him the consummate role model for trainees, students and colleagues.” 

Rising Star Research Award 

This award recognizes early-career faculty for their burgeoning excellence in producing new insights into important biomedical problems. These insights may be delivered using clinical, translational or basic research approaches and are demonstrable by high-quality peer-reviewed publications, acquisition of competitive external funding, and the development of sustainable research programs that enhance the department’s research enterprise. 
Presenter: Janet Funk, MD, Research vice chair 

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Winners

Junaid Arshad, MD, MS (Division of Hematology & Oncology – member, Clinical and Translational OncologyProgram and the Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Cancer Team, U of A Cancer Center) | Dr. Funk said Dr. Arshad’s nominator commented, “He is truly an exceptional and prolific clinical investigator.” The nominator added, in just a few years on faculty, he has demonstrated “true clinical research excellence” and served as principal investigator on multiple industry-sponsored clinical trials as well as an investigator-initiated trial on gastric cancer based on science that came out of the lab of Division of Gastroenterology Chief Juanita Merchant, MD, PhD. His work supported by the American Cancer Society, he’s the second highest accruer of recruits to clinical trials in the Cancer Center, where he has mentored multiple trainees in various clinical research projects. He’s also developing a national trial through the Southwest Cooperative Group and has had multiple publications and presentations at national meetings that have come out of his work. 

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Anna Morenz, MD (GGP Division-GIM – member, Cancer Prevention & Control Program, U of A Cancer Center) | Dr. Funk noted Dr. Morenz, on faculty since last fall, is a native Tucsonan and returned with a strong commitment to serve her home community after a research fellowship at the University of Washington. Since then, she’s quickly formed strong relationships with research partners and mentors across colleges with a research focus on improving cervical cancer screening. She’s already been recognized with other awards internally and externally — Cancer Center CPCP, NIH T32 NRSA fellowship and Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine funding as well as the Junior Faculty Excellence in Research Award at the DOM’s SOAR Forum in April. Another nominator said, “She’s emerged onto the academic scene as a clinician investigator whose work is already shaping national conversations about health care equity and value-based payments … launching a longitudinal cohort to evaluate payment reforms that could close screening gaps for low-income populations across southern Arizona.” Her scholarship bridges rigorous epidemiology with policy relevance, and she has impressive momentum toward developing a sustainable, multi-disciplinary career here in research. 

Outstanding Senior Faculty Research Award 

This award recognizes senior faculty who have made significant research contributions toward advancing the field of medicine. This recognizes novel and significant research that will result in impactful advancements of the medical field. Successful candidates will have served as role models for their colleagues by maintaining high standards of excellence and professionalism with their own discipline and the greater institution and demonstrated leadership skills and professionalism. 
Presenter: Janet Funk, MD, Research vice chair 

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Winners

Tara F. Carr, MD (PACCS Division – founding director, division’s Adult Allergy Clinical Program and Allergy & Immunology Fellowship, member, UAHS Asthma & Airway Disease Research Center) | “This award goes to a very deserving Dr. Tara Carr,” noted Dr. Funk. In addition to being chair of AMES (the Academy of Medical Education Scholars chapter at COM-T) and establishing the Adult Allergy & Immunology Clinic and the Allergy & Immunology Fellowship Program, she has served as co-PI of the PrecISE Network: ADAPT (Advancing Severe Asthma Precision Therapy) study and Binational Early Asthma Microbiome Study (BEAMS) involving genetic analyses of asthma incidence between Nogales, Arizona, and Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, “which involves some really hard things to do now across the border,” Dr. Funk added. In addition, she’s had eight publications in 2024 alone. Dr. Carr joined the U of A faculty in 2011. 

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Steven Goldman, MD (Division of Cardiology – the Leonard Pfeiffer Endowed Chair and Professor of Medicine at the Sarver Heart Center since 2015) | Dr. Goldman came to U of A in 1975 and was chief of cardiology at the Southern Arizona VA Health System for over 35 years, after having served as a Navy physician in Vietnam. His laboratory currently is focused on understanding the pathophysiology of chronic heart failure and has a very innovative approach that involves a tissue-engineered bio-platform comprised of stem cells and neonatal fibroblasts to treat chronic heart failure. The findings were published in Nature Communications in 2023. In 2016, he founded a pharmaceutical company, Avery Therapeutics, to commercialize this stem-cell graft technology. He’s served as PI on multiple important clinical trials, including four large multi-center trials, which resulted in long-term grafts patency of up to 10 years. And he also worked on early aspirin administration, which is now standard post-CABG (coronary artery bypass grafting) therapy globally. Dr. Goldman has already been recognized at the university and at the college for the Founders Day Award, and recently received the SOAR Award for Research Mentorship, due to the high number of people he has trained through the years at his laboratory. “You’re so impactful, and … (have) had a very distinguished career here. So, I’m glad to be able to present you with this now,” Dr. Funk said. 

Outstanding Scientific Publication Award 

This award recognizes faculty with exceptional scientific achievement and thought leadership as demonstrated by a high-impact, peer-reviewed publication in calendar year 2024. It’s presented to the first or last author of a publication that significantly advances knowledge in their field and appears in a high-impact journal. Honorees exemplify scientific excellence, innovation and dedication to advancing research that makes a meaningful contribution to their discipline.
Presenter: Janet Funk, MD, Research vice chair  

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Winner

Joshua N. Farr. PhD (Division of Rheumatology – Ethel McChesney Bilby Endowed Chair in Osteoporosis) | Dr. Farr joined the faculty here from Mayo Clinic in 2024. His publication in Nature Medicine, for which he’s receiving this award, is the first evidence in humans that getting rid of senescent cells, which develop in many organs and lead to age-related changes, can be locked out by use of senolytics, drugs designed to selectively eliminate these cells. And it has shown health benefits, specifically focused on reducing bone loss in post-menopausal women. Dr. Funk noted, “And this was all based on an R21 study, so it shows you can do a lot with an R21 grant.” This now is serving as a basis for a multi-center clinical trial that will expand the findings and examine the effect of serine lipids. 

In wrapping up the event’s activities, Dr. Liao added, “I thank everyone for your hard work and your contributions to our department’s success. We have a very strong department. There’s still more work to be done. We have more recruitments in progress. I think we have to do this in partnership with Banner. And that’s not only from a clinical standpoint, but also from the research and educational standpoint as well. Thanks for joining us. Have a nice evening.”

Photos courtesy of David Mogollon, communications manager, Department of Medicine