Micah Batchelor Awards Spur Excellence in Pediatric Research
Four Miller School researchers were recognized for their commitment to advancing solutions to transform children’s health.
Since 2004, the Micah Batchelor Awards for Excellence in Children’s Health Research have recognized trailblazing physician-researchers from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine’s Department of Pediatrics. The annual awards, established through the generosity of the late George E. Batchelor in memory of his grandson, inspire innovative ideas and solutions that will improve the health and well-being of children.
The awards ceremony was held on November 13 at the Batchelor Children’s Research Institute, which was dedicated in 2001 through a $10 million gift from The Batchelor Foundation.
Henri R. Ford, M.D., M.H.A., dean and chief academic officer of the Miller School, highlighted the profound impact of The Batchelor Foundation’s philanthropy.
“The Micah Batchelor Awards applaud the accomplishments of our dedicated physician-scientists and enable them to expand their research in pursuit of innovative treatments that will give new hope to our pediatric patients,” said Henri R. Ford, M.D., M.H.A., “We are extremely grateful to The Batchelor Foundation for their unwavering support of our Department of Pediatrics and research programs.”
Commitment to Advancing Children’s Health
The Micah Batchelor Awards for Excellence in Children’s Health Research are made possible through the ongoing generosity of the Batchelor Foundation. In 2001, during the dedication of the Batchelor Children’s Research Institute, George E. Batchelor announced an additional $5 million gift to establish the Micah Batchelor Award for Excellence in Children’s Health Research. In 2014, the Batchelor Foundation committed another $5 million to create the Fellow and Scholars Award.
Glenn Flores, M.D., chair of the Department of Pediatrics, senior associate dean of child health and the George E. Batchelor Endowed Chair in Child Health at the Miller School, emphasized the dedication and innovation of this year’s awardees.
“Our winners truly embody the Department of Pediatrics core value of relentlessly pursuing excellence, and personify a spirit of inquiry that the renowned philosopher, psychologist and educational reformer, Dr. John Dewey, captured when he said that every great advance in science has issued from a new audacity of imagination,” said Dr. Flores. “We are grateful for The Batchelor Foundation’s generosity and the opportunity to be part of such a powerful collaboration in pursuit of new treatments and cures for pediatric illnesses.”
“Congratulations to our award-winning physician-scientists for their outstanding work to prevent, treat and cure childhood illnesses,” added Guillermo Prado, Ph.D., interim executive vice president for academic affairs and provost of the University of Miami. “Your science and your discoveries will lead to important translation of science into community and clinical practice where it has an important impact.”
Personalized and On-demand Parenting Guidance
The Micah Batchelor Award for Excellence Award will allow Jason Jent, Ph.D., to focus on reducing disparities, access to care and the efficiency of behavioral interventions for children’s disruptive behaviors.
An associate professor of clinical pediatrics and director of training in the Division of Clinical Psychology in the Miller School’s Department of Pediatrics, he designs Pocket PCIT+AI in collaboration with ConnectFamilies, which predominantly serves low-income, Hispanic families. The innovative, mobile health intervention uses artificial intelligence to provide personalized and on-demand parenting guidance based on parent-child interaction therapy, a proven approach for managing child behavior.
“By leveraging AI technology, we aim to make effective parenting support more accessible and engaging for all families, particularly those from underserved communities,” said Dr. Jent.
Maternal Breast Milk and Premature Infants
Teresa del Moral, M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D., professor of clinical pediatrics and the associate director of the neonatal intensive care unit in the Department of Pediatrics at the Miller School and Holtz Children’s Hospital, was awarded the Micah Batchelor Fellow Award.
Dr. del Moral is researching how a mother’s breast milk affects the development of early gut bacteria in premature newborns. She’s comparing breast milk with pasteurized donor breast milk to better define the biological role of breast milk and its potential to prevent postnatal complications and associated morbidities across a patient’s lifespan.
Young Faculty Investigate Cutting-Edge Strategies
Shiyu Luo, Ph.D., and Vaka Kristin Sigurjonsdottir, M.D., received the Micah Batchelor Scholar Awards, which recognize early-career faculty exploring innovative strategies to improve health outcomes for children.
Dr. Luo, a research assistant professor in the Division of Neonatology in the Department of Pediatrics, is focused on novel gene discovery for severe pediatric disease and disease biology studies, with a long-term goal of finding appropriate therapies.
Her research investigates neurodevelopmental disorders’ disease mechanisms.
Dr.Sigurjonsdottir, assistant professor of pediatrics in the Division of Pediatric Nephrology, is studying personalizing immunosuppressive therapy to decrease the risk of life-threatening infections and malignancies due to over-immunosuppression. Her work has led to several publications and national recognition by the American Transplant Congress as a young investigator.
“These awards are significant for early-career investigators, who need this kind of support to pursue novel ideas that may otherwise go unfunded,” said Stephen D. Nimer, M.D., director of Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, executive dean of research at the Miller School and Oscar de la Renta Endowed Chair in cancer research. “These brilliant physicians and scientists have devoted their careers to discovery and finding new ways to approach complex problems facing young patients.”
Tags: Batchelor Children's Research Institute, Batchelor Foundation, Department of Pediatrics, Dr. Jason Jent, Dr. Shiyu Luo, Dr. Teresa del Moral, Dr. Vaka Kristin Sigurjonsdottir, Micah Batchelor Award for Excellence in Children's Health Research, pediatrics