This year's Gwen D. Sebold for Outstanding Research Fellowship is being awarded to an outstanding Marshfield Clinic Research Institute young investigator who is respected amongst her colleagues and peers: Huong McLean, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Amit Acharya, Ph.D., B.D.S., Marshfield Clinic Research Institute executive director and Jill Meilahn, D.O., chair of the Research Institute oversight board along with a few of Dr. McLean's peers and a representative from Marshfield Clinic Health System Foundation surprised Dr. McLean with the news during a meeting Sept. 5.
Though Dr. McLean was shocked and humbled to be selected for the Sebold Fellowship, those who know her were not surprised at all.
“Huong understands and values team-based science, and she is highly regarded by Research Institute scientists and staff," wrote Edward Belongia, M.D., Jennifer King and Kayla Hanson, Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Population Health, in Dr. McLean's nomination letter. “She is an enthusiastic and effective leader and very deserving of the Gwen D. Sebold Fellowship for Outstanding Research."
Dr. McLean is an experienced scientist who is nationally-recognized in vaccine research, having published many peer-reviewed articles, acting as principal investigator on numerous studies and receiving national media coverage. She is also a leader within the Research Institute, heading up the Summer Research Internship Program for six years and personally mentoring five of the program students.
The $5,000 Sebold Fellowship has been given by D. David “Dewey" Sebold since 1988 to recognize an outstanding medical researcher and support continued research in his or her field. This year's Fellowship will be presented Wednesday, Oct. 9.
Research Day – Oct. 9
The traditional Fellowship presentation will culminate the first Celebrating Research Day, honoring the 60th anniversary of Marshfield Clinic Research Institute. The day is dedicated to sharing the meaningful research close together at the Research Institute. Presentations throughout the day will highlight rural health, vaccine, cancer and other types of research taking place right here in Central and Northern Wisconsin. James Conway, M.D., Associate Director for Health Services – Global Health Institute and a Professor of Pediatrics with the University of Wisconsin – Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, will deliver the keynote address on Comprehending Incomprehension-Understanding Vaccine Hesitancy at noon.
Research donors and the public also are invited to events throughout the day to learn about how research impacts better patient care.
A tentative schedule for Celebrating Research Day and the Gwen D. Sebold Fellowship for Outstanding Research can be found here. A Facebook event also is set up for the day. Please RSVP for the daytime or evening activities by contacting Marshfield Clinic Health System Foundation at giving@marshfieldclinic.org or 715-387-9249, by Friday, Oct. 4.