Arkansas Children’s Research Institute (ACRI) is awarding two early-career investigators up to $75,000 each to fund their work as the 2022 Marion B. Lyon Revocable Trust New Scientist Development recipients.
The annual award supports highly promising beginning researchers in their efforts to become independent investigators and fosters an environment where young scientists can flourish.
The 2022 honorees are:
Akilah A. Jefferson, MD, MSc, an assistant professor of allergy and immunology in the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) College of Medicine who also sees patients at Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH). With research focused on asthma and health disparities, Jefferson has a special interest in population health, health policy, and social determinants affecting asthma outcomes. Asthma is the most common chronic condition among children in the United States, affecting more than 5.5 million children nationwide and roughly one in 10 children in Arkansas. Jefferson’s Lyon-funded project will leverage ACH’s electronic medical record (EMR) to identify at-risk children and assess relevant measures in reducing asthma risk. The ACH electronic medical record will give the study access to a large sample of children across the state who receive their care through Arkansas’ only pediatric health system. Population-based risk prediction has the potential to guide interventions to improve health and reduce children’s burden of living with asthma.
Jennifer Rumpel, MD, an assistant professor of neonatology in the UAMS College of Medicine, who also practices at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Her principal research interest is acute kidney injury in premature newborns, which affects at least 30% of babies admitted to neonatal intensive care units. Acute kidney injury results in short- and long-term consequences for premature newborns, raising their risk of chronic kidney disease and greatly increasing their chances of dying. Rumpel’s Lyon-funded project will create and validate a model to predict which babies with acute kidney injury face the highest risks of mortality. With an understanding of modifiable risk factors, continued research can focus on reducing those risks and helping premature newborns live longer, better lives. Healthcare providers could also use the proposed risk stratification score while caring for individual babies, tailoring clinical care to create better outcomes.
The Marion B. Lyon New Scientist Development Award is made possible through a generous gift from the late Frank Lyon, Jr., honoring his mother, Marion B. Lyon. It was established over two decades ago as a competitive award, with honorees selected by a panel of expert researchers. The Lyon family is long-known for their generous philanthropy, investing in numerous charitable, medical and educational organizations throughout Arkansas.
“A crucial role of Arkansas Children’s Research Institute is ensuring young scientists have opportunities to push their ideas and discoveries to new heights while also obtaining the essential training required to be successful independent investigators,” said Pete Mourani, MD, president of ACRI and senior vice president and chief research officer of Arkansas Children’s. “Drs. Jefferson and Rumpel infuse collaborative energy and curiosity into every problem they set out to solve. By funding their projects, ACRI and the Lyon family demonstrate an unyielding commitment to the future of child health.”