Awards & Funding
Recognition and support for our team's contributions to endoscopy research.
Mel Schapiro Award & VideoGIE Best of the Best — Digestive Disease Week 2026
Talia Malik, MD (Presenter); Kulwinder S. Dua, MD (Mentor)
American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE)
Awarded the Mel Schapiro Award for the top video submission and VideoGIE Best of the Best at DDW 2026, selected from more than 800 abstracts, for the presentation "Regrowing the Human Esophagus In Vivo with Endoscopic Bioengineering" at ASGE Video Plenary I.
Reducing Neoplasia Recurrence After Non-Thermal Endoscopic Resection of Large Colorectal Polyps
Zachary L. Smith, DO (Co-Applicant, Site PI)
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
Five-year peer-reviewed grant ($952,426 CAD) for a multicenter trial on reducing neoplasia recurrence after endoscopic resection of large colorectal polyps. PI: Daniel von Renteln, MD.
Prevention of Recurrence of Clostridioides difficile Colitis with Ursodeoxycholic Acid Supplementation
Daniel J. Stein, MD (Sub-PI)
Barbour Fund for GI Fellowship Research
Peer-reviewed grant ($20,000) investigating ursodeoxycholic acid supplementation for preventing recurrence of C. difficile colitis. PI: Paraj Patel.
Dysphagia Research Society Gold Medal Award
Kulwinder S. Dua, MD
Dysphagia Research Society
Highest honor from the Dysphagia Research Society, recognizing a career of outstanding contributions to dysphagia research and clinical care.
JCAG Thomson-Williams Award — Best Manuscript Published in JCAG (July 2024 – June 2025)
Zachary L. Smith, DO
Journal of the Canadian Association of Gastroenterology
Awarded for the best manuscript published in JCAG from July 2024 to June 2025, as voted on by the Editorial Board.
ACG Presidential Poster Award and Best Poster Presentation Award — ACG 2024
Hassaan Zia, MD
American College of Gastroenterology (ACG)
Awarded both the Presidential Poster Award and Best Poster Presentation Award at the ACG 2024 Annual Meeting for research on appendiceal orifice polyp resection using a full-thickness endoscopic technique.
Armitage Prize — Best Dissertation, MSc Clinical Trials
Zachary L. Smith, DO
University of Oxford
Awarded the Armitage Prize for the best dissertation in the MSc in Clinical Trials program at the University of Oxford.
MCW Outstanding Medical Student Teacher
Srivats Madhavan, MBBS
Medical College of Wisconsin
Recognized as MCW's Outstanding Medical Student Teacher for the 2022–2023 academic year. Also received the award for 2021–2022.
Konrad H. Soergel, MD Teaching Award
Matthew T. Peller, MD
Medical College of Wisconsin
Named teaching award recognizing excellence in gastroenterology education at the Medical College of Wisconsin (2023–2024).
ACG Best Poster Presentation Award — ACG Regional Course 2023
Hassaan Zia, MD
American College of Gastroenterology (ACG)
Awarded Best Poster Presentation at the ACG Regional Postgraduate Course for research on idiopathic colonic varices as an unusual cause of lower gastrointestinal bleeding.
James M. Cerletty Award for Excellence — Department of Medicine
Daniel J. Stein, MD
Medical College of Wisconsin
Department of Medicine award recognizing excellence in clinical care, teaching, and service at the Medical College of Wisconsin.
Five or Ten Year Colonoscopy for 1-2 Non-Advanced Adenomatous Polyps (FORTE)
Zachary L. Smith, DO (Site PI)
NRG Oncology
National multicenter randomized trial evaluating colonoscopy surveillance intervals for patients with 1-2 non-advanced adenomatous polyps. PI: Robert Schoen, MD.
Multi-Center Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial of Dupixent for Pediatric Eosinophilic Esophagitis
Diana Lerner, MD (PI)
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Industry-sponsored multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial evaluating Dupixent (dupilumab) for the treatment of pediatric eosinophilic esophagitis.
Distinguished Abstract Plenary — Digestive Disease Week 2022
Zachary L. Smith, DO
American Gastroenterological Association (AGA)
Selected for the Distinguished Abstract Plenary Session at DDW 2022 for research on incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma, mortality, and esophagectomy in Barrett's esophagus patients undergoing endoscopic eradication therapy.
Master of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (MASGE)
Kulwinder S. Dua, MD
American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE)
Inducted into the inaugural class of Masters of ASGE for excellence in GI endoscopy and being among the top gastroenterologists in the world.
Tumor Subtypes and Therapy Response in Pancreatic Cancer
Phillip Chisholm, MD (Co-Investigator)
Medical College of Wisconsin
Active peer-reviewed research project investigating tumor subtypes and therapy response in pancreatic cancer. PI: Susan Tsai, MD.
Phase 2/3 Trial of Guselkumab in Moderately to Severely Active Crohn's Disease
Daniel J. Stein, MD (PI)
Janssen Pharmaceuticals
Phase 2/3 randomized, double-blind, placebo- and active-controlled multicenter trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of guselkumab in participants with moderately to severely active Crohn's disease.
Phase 2b Trial of Guselkumab and Golimumab Combination Therapy for Ulcerative Colitis
Daniel J. Stein, MD (PI)
Janssen Pharmaceuticals
Phase 2b randomized, double-blind multicenter trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of combination therapy with guselkumab and golimumab in participants with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis.
Proactive Infliximab Optimization Using a Pharmacokinetic Dashboard (OPTIMIZE Trial)
Daniel J. Stein, MD (Sub-Investigator)
Helmsley Charitable Trust / Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Multicenter trial comparing proactive infliximab optimization using a pharmacokinetic dashboard versus standard of care in patients with Crohn's disease.