Five mid-career faculty members at the University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences have been selected for the annual Ascending Star Awards and lecture series.

The awards showcase research by highly productive, creative mid-career faculty members. Selection is based on a nomination from a faculty member and a supporting letter from a senior faculty member — either from the nominee’s department, a collaborator or an affiliated center or institute — highlighting the nominee’s innovation, impact, mentoring, service and collegiality. 

Each awardee receives a $25,000 award and will give a research talk at 3:30 p.m., in Alan Magee Scaife Hall, Room 3785, on the following dates:

Aug. 20: Mehret Birru Talabi, associate professor of medicine (Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology) and assistant dean for the Medical Scientist Training Program, School of Medicine. 

Aug. 28: Lan Coffman, associate professor of medicine (Division of Malignant Hematology and Medical Oncology), School of Medicine

Sept. 24: Maya Ragavan, associate professor of pediatrics, School of Medicine

Oct. 2: Daria Van Tyne, associate professor of medicine (Division of Infectious Diseases), School of Medicine 

Oct. 22: Antonio D'Amore, associate professor of surgery, School of Medicine

Each research talk will open with an introduction of the award by Anantha Shekhar, senior vice chancellor for the health sciences and dean of the School of Medicine, followed by the awardee’s introduction by their department chair, and will conclude with a brief question-and-answer session and reception.