Donata Vercelli, MD, a professor of cellular and molecular medicine at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson, has been awarded the UA Henry and Phyllis Koffler Prize, marking the first time a College of Medicine – Tucson faculty member has received the award.
The award, made possible by donations from the late President Emeritus Henry Koffler and his wife, Phyllis, recognizes outstanding accomplishments in three categories: teaching; research, scholarship and creative activity; and public service and outreach. The award recognizes a different category each year it is given. This year it was issued to an individual who demonstrates excellence in research, scholarship and creative activity.
Dr. Vercelli was recognized for her long-standing expertise in the prevention of childhood asthma. Her research includes a study that demonstrated for the first time that children raised on farms have lower rates of asthma. Nominators noted that Dr. Vercelli is the first female secretary general of the International Allergy Collegium, an international group of scientists that study allergies and immunobiology.
Dr. Vercelli, who joined the UA in 1999, also serves as director of the Arizona Center for the Biology of Complex Disease, the associate director of the UAHS Asthma and Airway Disease Research Center and is a member of the UA BIO5 Institute.
The Koffler Award typically is given to one honoree who receives a $10,000 prize. This year, two UA awardees and recipients split the prize. Both received medallions and certificates and were recognized at the annual UA Awards of Distinction luncheon and ceremony in April.
About the UA College of Medicine – Tucson
The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson is shaping the future of medicine through state-of-the-art medical education programs, groundbreaking research and advancements in patient care in Arizona and beyond. Founded in 1967, the college boasts more than 50 years of innovation, ranking among the top medical schools in the nation for research and primary care. Through the university's partnership with Banner Health, one of the largest nonprofit health-care systems in the country, the college is leading the way in academic medicine. For more information, please visit medicine.arizona.edu.