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Abdel Fouda, Ph.D., Bushra Zaman, Prisha Warikoo, and Amit Tiwari, Ph.D., were among the awardees at the Graduate School's Spring Reception on April 15. Image by Nathan Tidwell

Graduate School Spring Awards Recognize Top Performers

April 30, 2026 | The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Graduate School recognized outstanding students and faculty during its Spring Awards on April 15.

“Today we celebrate the achievements of our graduate students and their faculty mentors,” said Graduate School Dean Sean Taverna, Ph.D., during the event at the Helen Guinn Adams Atrium in Biomedical Research I. “Many of the scientific advances realized here at UAMS are a direct result of their collaborative relationships.”

Students Prisha Warikoo and Bushra Zaman received Outstanding Achievement Awards. Warikoo was recognized for receiving a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program Award. Zaman was noted for her award of a PhRMA Foundation Drug Discovery Predoctoral Fellowship.

“These are students who were awarded independent funding to carry out their proposed research,” Taverna said.

The National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program is for graduate students pursuing full-time research-based master’s and doctoral degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. The PhRMA Foundation Drug Discovery Predoctoral Fellowship provides support for students in advanced stages of training and thesis research in drug discovery research.

“I am very happy to receive this award and I’m thankful for the support UAMS has given me,” said Zaman, who is a student in the Graduate Program in Interdisciplinary Biomedical Sciences (GPIBS) – Neurosciences track. “I’m looking forward to what comes next.”

“I am very grateful to mentors for giving this opportunity,” said Warikoo, a student in the Pharmaceutical Sciences program.

Abdel Fouda, Ph.D., assistant professor in the College of Medicine Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, and Amit Tiwari, Ph.D., professor in the College of Pharmacy, received Excellence in Mentoring Awards. Fouda is Zaman’s mentor, while Tiwari mentors Warikoo.

Murad Almasri (Clinical Translational Science) was selected for an Achievement Award for receiving a UAMS Medical Education Foundation for Arkansas Grant.

Additional student achievements:

• Aric Anloague (GPIBS – Cell Biology and Physiology): Young Investigator Award from the Cancer and Bone Society at Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute retreat, UAMS Outstanding Trainee Podium Presentation Award
  

  Graduate School Dean Sean Taverna, Ph.D., presents Murad Almasri with an Achievement Award.Image by Nathan Tidwell

• Debasree Bhadra (GPIBS – Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Experimental Therapeutics): Graduate Student Travel Award for the 2026 Society of Toxicology Annual Meeting and the Toxicology Exposition
• Joyeeta Khan (Pharmaceutical Sciences): First place in Oral Presentations and Unique Talent Award at the Association of Pharmacy Professionals 14^th Annual International Convention and Third Annual Indo-Korean Conference
• Enoch Larrey (Bioinformatics): Radiation Research Society Scholars in Training Travel Award
• Madison McGraw (GPIBS – Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Experimental Therapeutics): American Society of Nephrology Kidney STARS Travel Award
• Isabelle Okito (Biomedical Informatics): Honorable Mention in the 2026 Paulette and Jay Mehta Creative Writing Contest
• Dakota Redlin (GPBS – Neurosciences): United States Association for the Study of Pain High Priority Scholars Award
• Ravi Upadhyay (Epidemiology): Student Volunteer Award, Society for Epidemiologic Research

The following students were recognized for their achievements at the 2026 Student Research Day:

• Tucker Andrews (M.D./Ph.D.): Third place Overall Poster Award
• Katie Cruse (GPIBS – Biochemistry and Molecular Biology): First place in the Three-Minute Thesis (3MT) Semifinals and first place in the 3MT Finals
• Christian Mitchell (GPIBS – Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Experimental Therapeutics): Second place in the 3MT Semifinals and second place in the 3MT Finals
• Laura Osborn (GPIBS – Neurosciences): Third place poster in the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute category
• Sydnye Shuttleworth (M.D./Ph.D.): Second place poster in the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute category, third place poster in the Graduate Student category
• Bushra Zaman (GPIBS – Neurosciences): People’s Choice in the 3MT Semifinals and People’s Choice in the 3MT Finals

The following students were recognized for their efforts in Graduate School recruitment:

• Debasree Bhadra (GPIBS – Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Experimental Therapeutics): Graduate School social media representative to increase recruitment
• Jenna Caswell (GPIBS – Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Experimental Therapeutics): Graduate School social media representative to increase recruitment

Taverna introduced a new category to the awards ceremony, recognizing the 2025-2026 Graduate Student Association officers: Lokesh Akana (president), Jayden Carter (vice president), Finian Chimezie Nwadinigwe (secretary), Wilberforce Twinamatsiko (treasurer), and Debasree Bhadra and Shegufta Neetole (associated student government representatives).

“The Graduate Student Association is an incredibly important part of our UAMS community,” said Taverna. “The GSA officers all do an amazing job of communicating the needs, experiences, and requests of our graduate students to the Graduate School administration, in addition, they organize many supportive functions for students.

The ceremony concluded with recognition of the following faculty with Mentor Awards:

• Clare Brown, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health Department of Health Policy and Management, for mentoring Melanie Boyd (Health Systems and Services Research) and Amy Lallier (Health Promotion and Prevention Research)
• Marine Burdine, Ph.D., assistant professor in the College of Medicine Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, for mentoring Randall Rainwater (M.D./Ph.D.)
• Brendan Frett, Ph.D., assistant professor in the College of Pharmacy Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, for mentoring Daniel Armstrong (Pharmaceutical Sciences)
• Corey Hayes, Pharm.D., Ph.D., MPH, associate professor in the College of Pharmacy Division of Pharmaceutical Evaluation and Policy, for mentoring Filmon Wolde (Pharmaceutical Evaluation and Policy)
  

  Clare Brown, Ph.D., received a Mentor Award.Image by Nathan Tidwell

• John Imig, Ph.D., professor and chair of the College of Pharmacy Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, for mentoring Tsigereda Weldemichael (Pharmaceutical Sciences)
• Samantha Kendrick, Ph.D., associate professor in the College of Medicine Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, for mentoring Mason McCrury (GPIBS – Biochemistry and Molecular Biology)
• William Lu, Ph.D., assistant professor in the College of Medicine Department of Pathology, for mentoring Catherine Kirkpatrick (M.D./Ph.D.)
• Bradley Martin, Pharm.D., Ph.D., professor in the College of Pharmacy Division of Pharmaceutical Evaluation and Policy, for mentoring Nahed El-Hassan (Pharmaceutical Evaluation and Policy), Ruston Koonce (Pharmaceutical Evaluation and Policy), and Allen Smith (Pharmaceutical Sciences)
• Angela Odle, Ph.D., assistant professor in the College of Medicine Department of Neuroscience, for mentoring Ashley Herdman (GPIBS – Neurosciences)
• Mohammed Orloff, Ph.D., associate professor in the College of Public Health Department of Epidemiology, for mentoring Anita Joshi (Epidemiology) and Tianjiao Shen (Epidemiology)
• Kelsey Owsley, Ph.D., assistant professor in the College of Public Health Department of Health Policy and Management, for mentoring Aygul Tarlan (Health Systems and Services Research)
• Nirmala Parajuli, DVM, Ph.D., associate professor in the College of Medicine Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, for mentoring Katie McGraw (GPIBS – Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Experimental Therapeutics)
• Roger Pechous, Ph.D., associate professor in the College of Medicine Department of Microbiology and Immunology, for mentoring Kenneth Appell (GPIBS – Microbiology and Immunology)
• Martha Rojo, Ph.D., assistant professor in the College of Nursing, for mentoring L. Todd Hammon (Nursing Science)
• J. Mick Tilford, Ph.D., professor in the College of Public Health Department of Health Policy and Management, for mentoring Shahed Sufian (Health Systems and Services Research) and Aygul Tarlan (Health Systems and Services Research)
• Daniel Voth, Ph.D., vice chancellor for Research and Innovation, for mentoring Het Adhvaryu (GPIBS – Microbiology and Immunology) and Kathleen Pierce (GPIBS – Microbiology and Immunology)
• Christopher Wardell, Ph.D., assistant professor in the College of Medicine Department of Biomedical Informatics, for mentoring Taiquitha Robins (Biomedical Informatics)