About Us
» Awards & Distinguished Lectures » Calderone Junior Faculty Prize » 2011-2012 Calderone Junior Faculty Prize Recipients
2011-2012 Calderone Junior Faculty Prize Recipients
Junior Faculty Cited for Excellence in Research
Three Mailman School professors were awarded the 2011 Calderone Prize for junior faculty development. The awards, announced by Dean Linda Fried, support research efforts by full-time junior faculty members -- assistant professors and associate research scientists – who hold appointments in one of the departments of the school.
A gift to the Mailman School from the Calderone family established the prize in 1986 and honors Dr. Frank Calderone, marking his distinguished career as an officer in the New York City Department of Health, as chief technical officer and New York office director at the World Health Organization (WHO), and then as medical director of the U.N. Secretariat Health Service.
This year's many excellent applications were evaluated on the scientific merit and public health significance of the proposed research project and the likely impact of the award on the research career of the applicant. The 2011 Calderone Junior Faculty Prize winners are:
 |
Bibhas Chakraborty, PhD, Department of Biostatistics, who was recognized for his research "Estimating Optimal Treatment Policies from Community-based Studies." Dr. Chakraborty uses statistical analysis to develop treatment policies based on the subject's own personal characteristics and past treatments received. The methodology can be applied to a variety of health domains including mental illnesses, substance abuse, cancer, HIV infection, and stroke prevention, consistent with a chronic care model. With the recognition by the Calderone Junior Faculty award committee, Dr. Chakraborty will extend his existing methodologies to develop evidence-based treatment policies to wider community-based studies. |
 |
Megan Hall, ScD, Department of Epidemiology, who was cited for her research "Pilot Study of Choline and Betaine Supplementation in Arsenic-exposed Individuals in Bangladesh." The Calderone award will support her pilot study of two nutrients, choline and betaine, among Bangladeshi adults who are chronically exposed to arsenic in drinking water. The goal of Dr. Hall's work is to generate data for further study on how these supplements affect arsenic detoxification with the ultimate goal of developing low-cost, low-risk nutritional interventions that could lower the long-term health risks associated with arsenic. The project is one of several on which Dr. Hall collaborates with the Columbia University Superfund Research Program. |
 |
Jeanine Genkinger, PhD, MHS, Department of Epidemiology, who will continue her ongoing research on "Epigenetic Markers of Pancreatic Carcinogenesis." Dr. Genkinger, who studies rare, highly fatal cancers, will develop a pilot study of individuals who have been diagnosed with pancreatic adenocarcinoma, in which she will collect epidemiological data and blood and link to tissue specimens. She also will look into how nutritional factors contribute to pancreatic cancer risk and mortality. Ultimately, the goal of Dr. Genkinger's research is to help predict the risk and progression of pancreatic cancer by better understanding modifiable factors and relevant, less invasively collected biospecimens. |
Learn about other recent faculty awards.
