Graduate Student Awards

Michael Beckloff completed his Bachelor’s degree in Cell Biology and Biology at KU. He also did undergraduate research in the lab of Dr. Rob Weaver. He is currently the co-founder of Silvergate Pharmaceuticals and Chief Development Officer for Azurity Pharmaceuticals. Mr. Beckloff’s interest in drug development was sparked by his father, who pursued a medical degree. Interestingly, his grandfather had lung cancer and used a drug that was developed by his father, which further propelled Michael’s passion to discover drugs that benefit patients. He began his career in the pharmaceutical industry at Marion Laboratories and later worked with his father who found a drug development consulting company. He grew  the consulting business, which was eventually acquired  by Cardinal Health, a Top 20 Fortune 500 company. He partnered with The University of Kansas, Children’s  Mercy Hospital, and the Kauffman Foundation, to develop drug products for pediatric medicine, with the goal to change the way pediatric medicine is delivered in the United States.  Silvergate Pharmaceuticals was founded in 2010 after Beckloff and others noticed there was a need for high-quality pediatric medications. 

This fund provides awards for students doing research in the Molecular Biosciences Department of the University of Kansas.  Preference is for students researching rare and neglected diseases, including cancer.

Beckloff Award Recipients

William J. Bell (10 January 1943 – 17 October 1998) was an entomologist, a pioneer of chemical ecology, and professor at the University of Kansas.  He received a BS from Bridgewater State College in 1964 followed by an MS in zoology from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. He then went to study under William H. Telfer at the University of Pennsylvania and received a Ph.D. in 1969 for studies on the juvenile hormone in egg development. After a post-doctoral at the University of Texas, he joined the University of Kansas in 1970 as an assistant professor of entomology. In his laboratory he worked with students on chemosensory perception of insects, innovating methods for experimentation.

This fund provides awards for outstanding undergraduate or graduate students majoring in the Department of Molecular Biosciences at the University of Kansas. They may be used to support a summer research experience for a student or for student travel to national scientific meetings.

Bell Award Recipients

Bill Candlin was an undergraduate slated to work in the laboratory of Professor Jerome Yochim as an National Science Foundation Undergraduate Research Participation Awardee, but was involved in a tragic car accident before he could begin. His family established the award in his name for the then "Department of Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology.”  The award honors outstanding work in Cell Biology or Biochemistry.

Candlin Award Recipients

Dr. Hirata was born in Los Angeles, California.  He received his baccalaureate and master's degrees in zoology at Duke University.  Dr. Hirata first became interested in immunology during his graduate studies in zoology at the University of California at Los Angeles, where he earned a Ph.D. degree in 1958.  His interest matured at the California Institute of Technology where, under the tutelage of Professor Dan H. Campbell, an eminent immunochemist, he carried out postdoctoral research as a National Science Foundation Research Fellow.  In 1960 he moved to the National Institutes of Health in Maryland as a Staff Research Immunologist, and in 1965 he became a Research Fellow in Immunology at Abbott Laboratories in North Chicago, Illinois.  He joined the faculty of the University of Kansas as a Professor of Microbiology in 1973, but returned to Abbott Laboratories in 1975 to become a Senior Research Fellow and Head of the Laboratories of Immunology, a position he held until his death.

Dr. Hirata's life-long scientific interest was immunochemistry, especially as it applied to medical diagnostic technologies.  In this area alone he published many scholarly papers and received more than twenty patents.  He was an active member of more than a dozen professional societies.  His devotion to academic science was evident from his participation in the graduate teaching programs at Northwestern University and the University of Illinois Medical School.  Moreover, throughout his tenure at Abbott Laboratories he maintained a particularly close and active association with the faculty and students in the Department of Microbiology as an Adjunct Professor of Microbiology at the University of Kansas.  This scholarship is presented to a graduate student who has demonstrated excellence in research, academic performance, and service to the Department.​

Hirata Award Recipients

This award was initially set up to remember Philip Newmark who was a faculty member in the former biochemistry department.  He died of a heart attack in 1962.  Phil Newmark is remembered for his activism during and after the McCarthy era, for his commitment to building a strong biochemistry program at Kansas, and for his excellence as a biochemist.  Sympathy notes received after his passing read like a “who’s who” of biochemistry.  In 1991, Marge Newmark’s name was added to the award.  After Phil’s death, Marge raised three children alone, took on the demands of a faculty position, and had a large part in building the department.  She developed a number of the major biochemistry courses, acted as director of graduate studies for 20 years, and attained numerous federal grants to fund educational opportunities within the department. 

Newmark Award Recipients

In the early twenties, Cassandra Ritter received her B.A. and M.A. in the Department of Bacteriology at the University of Kansas.  Her professional career was centered on the public health bacteriology laboratory in Lawrence, Kansas, where she was in charge of the Water Laboratory.  She continued to have a close association with the Department and the University.  After her death, a contribution from the Kansas Section of the American Waterworks Association, and individual contributions from her many friends, established this award in her memory.  The award has been used to recognize undergraduate and graduate students for outstanding achievement.​

Ritter Award Recipients

Stanley L. Twomey received his Ph.D. in Physiology and Cell Biology here at KU in 1971.  “Stan the Man,” as many of his friends called him, was a man of action.  He lived his life according to one of his favorite sayings, “You only get invited to this party once.”  He never hesitated to take on any task or feat.  Stan was successful in his research and professional achievements, and made friends quickly.  Although competitive in nature, he was also a humanist who derived great pleasure in the success of others.  All who knew him were acutely aware of his physical presence; however, some might not know that Stan played the guitar and harmonica, wrote poetry, carved scrimshaw and played major roles in a local theatre group, to which he brought his unique character. 

Stan passed away on July 10, 1979, at the age of 35, after courageously fighting off malignant melanoma for 4 years.  While in the hospital, Stan sustained his usual psychological strength.  Stan gave his last presentation, “Enzyme-labeled immunosorbent assay for serum ferritin” on June 26, 1979, at the American Association for Clinical Chemistry in Montreal.  This award was established by friends and colleagues of Stan “to perpetuate his ‘life’.”

Twomey Award Recipients

Robert F. Weaver is an emeritus professor of the Department of Molecular Biosciences. This fund was donated to provide salary support for graduate research assistants in the Molecular Biosciences Department.

Weaver Award Recipients

The Carrie Whitmire Fellowship is awarded to deserving women graduate students in the field of Microbiology at the University of Kansas. Recipients may receive the fellowship for two to three years depending on the degree they are seeking.

Whitmire Award Recipients

Deadline: Tuesday, April 15, 2025

Awards will be made for reasonable travel and expenses for MB graduate students who will present talks or posters at national or international meetings in their research area; or for training at national laboratories.  Applications will be considered for travels on 4/15/25 - 8/14/25. Priority will be given to students that have not received prior travel awards. To be considered, submit application materials by email to Mizuki Azuma (azumam@ku.edu) with subtitle “MB Travel Awards” by the deadline.

1. Each graduate student will submit in a single PDF file the following 3 items:
   1. A brief letter that includes the following information:
      1.  contact information, email address;
      2.  purpose of travel;
      3.  dates, location, and description of conference;
      4.  budget, limited to our maximum award of $1,000;
      5.  description of any previous departmental travel support.
   2. CV and grade transcript or DPR showing graduate classes and grades.
   3. Title, Author/s, and Abstract that will be presented.
2. Each faculty advisor must provide a letter in PDF file attesting to the applicant’s need and research progress.If there are multiple applicants from a single lab, the letter must rank each applicant. Preference is given to support only one student from each laboratory. Email this letter to azumam@ku.edu.

• Complete the online Travel Request Form, ahead of your travel date. This is a university rule and is not used by the selection committee.
• Awards are given on a reimbursement basis. Submission of original itemized receipts are required for reimbursements.
• For travel after August 15, 2025, apply to the next call for travel awards.
• Send inquiries to Mizuki Azuma (azumam@ku.edu)