UAB Division of Breast & Endocrine Assistant Professor Andrea Gillis, M.D., has been selected as the recipient for the Society of University Surgeon's 2022-2023 George P. Yang, M.D., Ph.D. Junior Faculty Award for the Underrepresented in Medicine for her research project, Mixed Methods Analysis of Molecular Mediators of Social Determinants of Health in Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors.

As an award recipient, Dr. Gillis will receive a one-year award of $30,000 at the commencement of the project term and will present the project findings at the 2024 Academic Surgical Congress.

Dr. Gillis is a health outcome disparities and translational science researcher working in the field of epigenetics, specifically examining differences in gene expression in neuroendocrine tumors by race. She says her desire is to improve the outcomes of all patients including those from minority and underserved backgrounds.

"I am honored to be selected by the Society of University Surgeons for this prestigious award that means so very much to me," says Dr. Gillis.

The award is named after the late Dr. George Yang of the UAB Surgery Department, who was known for his advocacy for underrepresented groups in medicine. His legacy of championing social justice and diversity, equity, and inclusion in medicine and beyond is memorialized through the junior faculty award.