The AGA Research Foundation awards $2.4 million in digestive health research funding

(Press-News.org) Bethesda, MD (April 22, 2025) — The American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) is proud to announce the selection of 74 recipients to receive $2.4 million in research funding through the annual AGA Research Foundation Awards Program. AGA also announces today the addition of 10 pilot grants, totaling $400,000 in funding, to the 2026 awards portfolio to ensure that scientific discovery continues despite federal funding cuts.

“Since we established the AGA Research Foundation in 1984, AGA has been unwavering in the commitment to supporting exceptional researchers, growing the research pipeline, and fostering scientific discovery,” said Michael Camilleri, MD, DSc, AGAF, chair, AGA Research Foundation. “As we face uncertainty in federal research funding, our work is more critical than ever. The AGA Research Foundation is proud to fund some of the most talented investigators in our field and is confident our investment will lead to ground-breaking discoveries that will benefit patients with issues related to digestive health.”

To address federal funding uncertainties and ensure scientific discovery continues, AGA will also invest $400,000 in 10 additional pilot research awards in 2026. Applications for the 2026 cycle open in May.

The AGA Research Awards Program is made possible thanks to generous donors and funders. Learn more about the AGA Research Foundation.

Meet the recipients RESEARCH SCHOLAR AWARDS

AGA Research Scholar Award

Jonathan Downie, MD, PhD, Massachusetts General Hospital Olumuyiwa Awoniyi, MD, PhD, Cleveland Clinic Foundation Simon Gray, MD, PhD, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Jessica Shay, MD, PhD, The University of Utah Sharon Wolfson, MD, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia AGA-Bern Schwartz Family Fund Research Scholar Award in Pancreatic Cancer

Nikki Katherine Lytle, PhD, The Medical College of Wisconsin  SPECIALTY AWARDS

AGA-Caroline Craig Augustyn & Damian Augustyn Award in Digestive Cancer   

Ramon Jin, MD, PhD, Washington University in St. Louis AGA-R. Robert & Sally Funderburg Research Award in Gastric Cancer   

Harshabad Singh, MBBS, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute AGA Fellowship-to-Faculty Transition Award 

Quazim Alayo, MBBS, Washington University in St. Louis PILOT AWARDS

AGA Pilot Research Award 

Yalan Deng, PhD, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Shuang Wang, PhD, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Xiaoqin Wu, PhD, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston AGA-Pfizer Pilot Research Award in Inflammatory Bowel Disease 

Adebowale Bamidele, PhD, Mayo Clinic, Rochester Siyan Cao, MD, PhD, Washington University in St. Louis Shirley Cohen-Mekelburg, MD, The Regents of the University of Michigan UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH AWARDS

AGA-Aman Armaan Ahmed Family SURF for Success Program 

Aishat Adebisi, Washington University in St. Louis Jeremy Ahn, Emory University Nahed El Fiky, University of Maryland Baltimore County Alexa Gramajo, University of Southern California Maryam Omotola Jimoh, The College of Wooster NaShyla McQuirter, University of Connecticut – Storrs AGA-Dr. Harvey Young Education & Development Foundation’s Young Guts Scholar Program 

Aishat Adebisi, Washington University in St. Louis Jacob Cao, University of Pennsylvania Katherine Gell, Vanderbilt University Steven Montecinos, Rutgers University New Brunswick Daliya Rizvi, Duke University Joud Haj Sakor, University of Minnesota – Rochester ABSTRACT AWARDS

AGA-APFED Abstract Award in Eosinophilic GI Diseases

Maya Kota, BS, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Angelica R. Lackey, MPH, University of North Carolina School of Medicine Tursun Turapov, BS, University of Utah School of Medicine AGA Fellow Abstract of the Year Award 

Biju Bharali, PhD, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute AGA Fellow Abstract Awards  

Manik Aggarwal, MBBS, Mayo Clinic, Rochester Anissa Armet, PhD, RD, University of Alberta Eduardo Castillo-Leon, MD, Nationwide Children’s Hospital Yufeng Chen, MD, Massachusetts General Hospital Youngwon Cho, PhD, Vanderbilt University Medical Center Maria Antonia Espinosa, MD, Mayo Clinic, Rochester Akshita Gupta, MBBS, MD, Mount Sinai Hospital Harpreet Kaur, PhD, Vanderbilt University Medical Center Adnan Malik, MD, MBBS, MBA, MPH, Honorhealth Mountain Vista Medical Center Aida A. Metri, MD, Johns Hopkins Hospital Wilmarie Morales-Soto, PhD, Mayo Clinic, Rochester Shaneice Nettleford, PhD, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Rachel C. Newsome, PhD, University of Florida Aisha Qazi, PhD, University of Illinois Chicago Allyson Richardson, MD, Brigham and Women’s Hospital Jiaxian Shen, PhD, Massachusetts General Hospital Jiayu Ye, PhD, Stanford University Zahra Yousefli, MD, MPH, Johns Hopkins University AGA Student Abstract of the Year Award 

Chen Wang, MD, MSc, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health AGA Student Abstract Awards

Ashley L. Cummings, Duke University School of Medicine Hillmin Lei, University of California, Riverside Rita Nakhle, MS, Queen’s University Sameer Rao, MBBS, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School Daniel Martin Simadibrata, MD, MetroHealth Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University Isabella Sirit, Vanderbilt University Vijaya L. Sundaram, Marshall University School of Medicine Eliane F. Tsopmegha, BA, Marshall University Julia M. J. van der Zande, MD, Nationwide Children’s Hospital Xinyu Wang, MBBS, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health AGA–Eric Esrailian Student Abstract Prize 

Emily Guan, Johns Hopkins University Mary McGrath, MD, University of Virginia Ashwariya Ohri, MBBS, Mayo Clinic, Rochester Michael Anthony Perrin, MD, MPH, Baylor College of Medicine AGA–Radhika Srinivasan Student Abstract Prize 

Alexis Guenther, BS, Vanderbilt University Medical Center Jeneane Hamideh, MD, Charles R. Drew School of Medicine Anthony Kerbage, MD, Cleveland Clinic Lauren Lynch, Baylor College of Medicine AGA Abstract Award for Health Disparities Research 

Akhila Chilakala, MD, Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Taranika Sarkar Das, MD, The Brooklyn Hospital Center Gabrielle Waclawik, MD, MPH, University of Wisconsin Abdelrahman Yousef, MD, University of New Mexico Hospital AGA-Moti L. & Kamla Rustgi International Travel Award 

Chen Jiaqi, MD, Shandong University Abhishek Yadav, MD, Pgimer Chandigarh More information   
Learn more about AGA Research Foundation.    
Donate to the AGA Research Foundation.    
View all AGA Research Foundation awards.      
See AGA’s statements on cuts to NIH research funding.

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Contact for media: Annie Mehl, media@gastro.org, 301-272-0013

About the AGA Institute
The American Gastroenterological Association is the trusted voice of the GI community. Founded in 1897, AGA represents members from around the globe who are involved in all aspects of the science, practice, and advancement of gastroenterology. The AGA Institute administers the practice, research, and educational programs of the organization. www.gastro.org

About the AGA Research Foundation
The AGA Research Foundation is the charitable arm of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA). It provides more than $2.4 million in research grants annually to promising investigators in gastroenterology and hepatology.

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