2026 SVS Foundation Award Winners

The 2026 SVS Foundation award recipients are: 

2026 SVS Foundation and American College of Surgeons Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (K23) 

Andrew Gonzalez, MD, JD, MPH
Indiana University 
Project title: An intelligent clinical decision support system for peripheral arterial disease

 

Clinical Research Seed Grants

Brianna M. Krafcik, MD 
Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center
Project title: Enhancing Shared Decision-Making for Patients with Asymptomatic Carotid Artery Stenosis

Gregory Westin, MD, MAS
Indiana University School of Medicine
Project title: Combined Heat and Compression Therapy for Neuroischemic Diabetic Foot Ulcers: A Pilot Study

 

James S. T. Yao Resident Research Award

Michael Fassler, MD
General Surgery Resident and Research Fellow
University of Florida
Abstract title: Proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibition attenuates abdominal aortic aneurysm formation via enhanced macrophage-dependent efferocytosis

Mentor: Gilbert Upchurch, MD

 

Vascular Care for the Underserved Project Grant – Women’s Vascular Health

Katherine Reitz, MD and Natalie Sridharan, MD
University of Pittsburgh
Project title: Linking Reproductive History to Vascular Health: Understanding Peripheral Artery Disease Risk After Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes 

 

Vascular Care for the Underserved Project Grant – Women’s Vascular Health

Neva White DNP, CRNP, CDCES
Jefferson Health, Philadelphia, PA
Project title: Early Recognition of PAD Through Beauty Salons in High-Risk African American Communities

 

Vascular Research Initiatives Conference Trainee Awards

Majed Abdul-Samad, BSc
University of Toronto
Abstract title: Human Carotid Atherosclerotic Plaque Extracellular Vesicles Modulate Macrophage Efferocytosis

Mentor: Kathryn Howe, MD, PhD

Apoorva Bhandari, MSc, MD
Oregon Health & Science University
Abstract title: Beyond Deficiency: Genotype-Specific Extracellular Matrix Disruption in Vascular Ehlers–Danlos Syndrome

Mentor: Sherene Shalhub, MD, MPH

Erin Risotto-Urbanowicz, MD, MPH
University of New Mexico
Abstract title: Dietary Ocean Nanoplastics Atherogenesis and Organ Accumulation Varies by Time and Diet Type in ApoE-/- Mice

Mentor: Ross Clark, MD

Sama N. Salih
University of Michigan Medical School 
Abstract title: The Histone Acetyltransferase MOF Regulates Macrophage Inflammation During Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Development

Mentor: Frank Davis, MD

 

Student Research Fellowship Awards

Jiaying Bi
Thomas Jefferson University
Project Title: A 3D-Printed Enclosure to Improve Precision and Reduce Tearing in Laser Fenestration of Endovascular Grafts

Mentor: Babak Abai, MD

Mikayla M. Fraunfelder
University of Missouri School of Medicine
Project Title: Investigating the predictive value of neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio in assessment of aortic dissection risk and aortic aneurysm management

Mentor: Jonathan Bath, MD

Havard Lambert 
Medical University of South Carolina
Project Title: Plasma Analysis of Human Aortic Pathology Markers in Thoracic Versus Abdominal Aneurysm

Mentor: Jean Marie Ruddy MD

Sai Prasada Rao Manikonda         
Baylor College of Medicine
Project Title: National Trends in Acute Limb Ischemia: A Comparison of Survival and Limb Salvage in Endovascular vs. Open Treatments

Mentor: Jayer Chung, MD

Rahee Patel
Loyola Stritch School of Medicine
Project Title: Sex and Thrombospondin Regulation of PCSK9 in Hindlimb Ischemia

Mentor: Vivian Gahtan, MD

Beckett Peterson
Stanford University
Project Title: Mechanistic Links Between Endograft Coverage, False Lumen Thrombosis, and Aortic Degeneration Following TEVAR

Mentor: Elizabeth Leigh George, MD

Jared Salrin
Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
Project Title: The long-term comparative effectiveness of endovascular therapy and lower extremity bypass for Chronic Limb Threatening Ischemia based upon the anatomic severity of femoropopliteal occlusive disease

Mentor: William P. Robinson, MD

Shaan Sekhon
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; Harvard Medical School
Project Title: Network-Guided RNA Therapeutic Targets to Improve Prosthetic Bypass Graft Patency

Mentor: Patric Liang, MD

Neil Sharukh Shroff
University of Virginia
Project Title: Targeted Peptide Amphiphile Nanofibers for the Treatment of Atherosclerosis

Mentor: Melina R. Kibbe, MD

Rebecca Anne Skolnick
University of Rochester
Project Title: Changes in Aortic Compliance After the NECTRO Procedure

Mentor: Doran Mix, MD

Camber Smith
University of Michigan Ann Arbor
Project Title: TNF-alpha reduces Jarid1c expression in diabetic macrophages impairing wound repair

Mentor: Katherine Gallagher, MD

Ziheng Wang
University of Washington
Project Title: Engineered iPSC-Derived Endothelial Cell Secretome Modulates Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Function to Suppress Neointimal Hyperplasia

Mentor: Gale L. Tang, MD

 

VOYAGE Scholarships 

Roberto Aru, MD
Thomas Jefferson 

Tiffany Bellomo, MD
Massachusetts General Hospital  

Juliet Blakeslee-Carter, MD
The University of Alabama at Birmingham 

Christopher Cappellini, DO, MS, RPVI
Hackensack Meridian Health 

Edward Gifford, MD
Hartford HealthCare 

Kara Hessel, DO, RPVI
University of Kansas Medical Center 

Vivian Ho, MD, MS
Kaiser Permanente Northern California  

Amber Kernodle, MD, PhD, MPH
Brigham and Women's Hospital 

Young Kim, MD
Duke University 

Chun Li, MD, MPH
Medical University of South Carolina 

Nathan Liang, MD
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center 

Iris Liu, MD
University of California, San Francisco 

Colby Meinke, MD
Maine Health 

Bianca Mulaney-Topkar, MD
Massachusetts General Hospital 

Alaska Pendleton, MD, MPH
University of Rochester Medical Center 

Justin Robbins, MD
University of Maryland 

Scott Robinson, MD, PhD
Maine Health 

Indrani Sen, MBBS
Mayo Clinic Health Systems 

Christine Shokrzadeh, MD
University of Texas Medical Branch 

Bjoern D. Suckow, MD, MS
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center 

Nadia Oliveira Trabelsi, MD
University of Montreal 

Zachary Wanken, MD, MS 
Washington University in St. Louis 

Tahlia Weis, MD 
Mayo Clinic Health System