Honors & Awards 

2020

• Pittman Scholar award recipient from the University of Alabama​

2019

• Nominated for the Pittman Scholar award for research achievements by the Department of Medicine, UAB 
• Selected as a leadership participant for the Department of Medicine, UAB
• Oral presentation award (1st place), 2019 Midwest Islet Club conference, Mentor (with Dr. Rajesh Gupta). 
• Top scoring abstract-Winner of the 2019 Eliezer S. Award for Best Diabetes Research, UAB Diabetes day, Mentor (with Dr. Rajesh Gupta). 

2018   

• Poster 1st Place: Darwin Day UAB, Mentor (with Trung Huynh). 
• Oral Award 1st Place: 17th Annual UA Honors Systems Research Conference, Mentor (with Trung Huynh).
• Goldwater – Institutional Nominee, Mentor (with Trung Huynh).

2017

• Oral presentation award (3rd place), 2017 Midwest Islet Club conference, Mentor (with Trung Huynh).
• UAB Honors College Experiential Fellowship Program, Mentor (with Trung Huynh).
• One of the top abstracts at the conference. Young Investigator Travel Grant Award to American Diabetes Association, San Diego, CA.

2012

• Keystone Scholarship: Pathogenesis of Diabetes: Emerging Insights into Molecular Mechanisms (J8), Santa Fe, NM.​

2008

• Best Poster Award: 2008 FASEB Summer Conferences: Molecular Mechanisms Involved in the Nutrient Control of Cellular Function, Carefree, Arizona.
• Best Poster Award: 2008 E. J.Van Liere Convocation and Research Day, West Virginia University, WV.
• Top 10 Abstracts for Oral Presentations – 2008 E. J.Van Liere Convocation and Research Day, West Virginia University, WV.
• Pfizer Global Research and Development Scholarship Award: Keystone Symposia on Diabetes Mellitus, Insulin Action, and Resistance (A6), Breckenridge, CO.
• Graduate Student Travel Award, School of Medicine, West Virginia University.

Service

Current Involvement 

2019- Present

• ​Member of the IACUC review committee, UAB
• Member of the Research Development Group, Department of Medicine, UAB

2018- Present

• American Diabetes Association Grant Reviewer panel.

2017-Present

• ​Ad Hoc Reviewer for the following scientific journals: a) Molecular Metabolism, b) Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism, c) FASEB, d) PLOS one, e) Scientific Reports, f) Diabetes, g) JDRM, h) AJP. 

Past Involvement

2019

• Reviewed pilot grant from the DRC of the University of Washington, St. Louis 
• Reviewed grant applications for the Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program (PRMRP) Discovery Award Diabetes-2 (DIS-DIA-2), Department of Defense 
• Reviewed fellowship grants for GRD709 mock study section, UAB 
• Reviewed late breaking abstracts for poster presentations for the American Diabetes Association conference.
• Reviewed pre-application grant applications for the Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program (PRMRP) Discovery Award Diabetes-1 (DIS-DIA-1), Department of Defense 
• Reviewed grant for Diabetes UK.
• Session chair for the oral presentations on Novel Mechanisms in Beta-Cell Insulin Secretion at American Diabetes Association conference.

2018

• Reviewed abstracts for oral and poster presentations for the American Diabetes Association conference. 
• Reviewed grant for the Ministry of Health, Jerusalem, Israel.
• UAB Department of Medicine peer-mentoring committee. 

2016

• Session chair for the oral presentations at Midwest Islet Club conference.  

2013- 2014

• ​Reviewed abstracts for oral and poster presentations for the Midwest Islet Club conference. 

Educational Activities

2014

• Instructor, Course: Biochem729 Advanced Topics; Graduate Level Course, Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison. ​

2010-2011

• Graduate Biochemistry 710, “Regulation of Lipogenic Genes: Role of SREBP-1c”. Guest Lecture,Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

2004-2005

• Small group facilitator and study group leader for Medical Biochemistry course, School of Medicine, West Virginia University. 

2002-2003

• Teaching Assistant: Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, West Virginia University.          

2001-2002

• Teaching Assistant: Organic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Houston.

Featured Press Releases 

2011
Project:  Diabetes gene identified: tomosyn-2 regulates insulin secretion 
Featured In:  Science Daily (USA), Press Association (UK), Times of India (India)

2008
Title: WVU research shows new class of hormones may reverse diabetes and obesity
Featured In:  Health Newsletter, West Virginia University, Pittsburgh Post Gazzette