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VCU Massey Cancer Center physicians and researchers were recently honored at the VCU School of Medicine’s 16^th Annual Faculty Excellence Awards. Established in 1999, these awards formally recognize exceptional faculty for their leadership, mentorship and professional excellence.

Massey hematologist-oncologist J. Christian Barrett, M.D., who is also associate professor in the Division of Hematology, Oncology and Palliative Care and associate chair for clinical operations in the Department of Internal Medicine at the VCU School of Medicine, was awarded the 2014 Educational Innovation Award. His enthusiasm and dedication to mastering new, more effective learning activities earned him this distinction. Barrett also serves as the Hematology-Oncology Fellowship director, and in this role, he meets with new fellows to discuss their individual learning goals and works with them throughout the fellowship to reach those goals. Barrett is also enrolled as a faculty fellow in the Teaching in Medical Education (TiME) graduate certificate program to continue his own education.

“I think the key to Dr. Barrett’s effectiveness as an educator comes from the emphasis he places on being a lifelong learner himself,” said hematology-oncology fellow Vikrant S. Brar, M.D.

Cathy J. Bradley, Ph.D., M.P.A., associate director for cancer prevention and control and Theresa A. Thomas Memorial Foundation Chair in Cancer Prevention and Control at Massey and chair of the VCU School of Medicine’s Department of Healthcare Policy and Research, was awarded the 2014 Women in Science, Dentistry and Medicine Professional Achievement Award (WISDM) for what her colleagues refer to as her balance between supporting and challenging junior faculty. Bradley challenges herself and her colleagues with the desire to create independent people who are confident in their abilities.

April Kimmel, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Healthcare Policy and Research, said, “[Bradley] has given me the freedom to make mistakes and grow on my own timeline, balancing this freedom with well-timed pushes to stretch myself. She does so with great ease, grace, strength and fairness, which inspire confidence along with a drive to strive for more.”

Bradley stated, “If we aren’t challenged we don’t thrive.”

Several Massey research members were also awarded the Outstanding Departmental Teacher Award in Health Sciences Education. These were presented to Tomasz Kordula, Ph.D., member of Massey’s Cancer Cell Signaling research program and professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Roy Sabo, Ph.D., member of Massey’s Developmental Therapeutics research program and associate professor in the Department of Biostatistics; Lindsay Sabik, Ph.D., member of the Cancer Prevention and Control research program at Massey and assistant professor in the Department of Healthcare Policy and Research; Michael Miles, M.D., Ph.D., member of the Cancer Molecular Genetics program at Massey and professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology; and Jennifer Elston Lafata, Ph.D., co-leader of Massey’s Cancer Prevention and Control program and professor in the Department of Social and Behavioral Health.

In addition, students elected the following Massey-affiliated faculty to receive the Outstanding Teacher Awards in Undergraduate Medical Education: J. Christian Barrett, M.D., and Deborah Lebman, Ph.D., member of the Cancer Molecular Genetics research program at Massey and associate professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, for their marrow course; Vernon Orton, M.D., a urologist at Massey, for his course on reproduction; and Huan Vu, M.D., surgical oncologist and research member at Massey, for his surgery clerkship.

A plaque with each award recipients’ name and photo will be displayed in the VCU McGlothlin Medical Education Center. Some of the awards are presented with a monetary prize to be used for scholarship and educational development. 

Written by: Massey Communications Office