Society Awards

Lifetime Service Award

Past recipients:

• Dr. Madhavan Nair, Florida International University, 2023
• Dr. Howard E. Gendelman, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 2017
• Dr. Pravin Singhal, Hofstra North Shore LIJ Medical School, 2016
• Dr. Robert Donahoe, Emory University, 2015
• Dr. Jag Khalsa, National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2014

Herman Friedman Founder’s Award

The Founders award was renamed in 2008 in honor of Herman Friedman, PhD, Professor and Chair of the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology at the University of South Florida from 1978-2003, who passed away in August 2007. Herman had a long and distinguished career as a research scientist whose work focused on the effects of cannabinoids and other abused substances on immune function and infection. He became a major force in developing neuroimmunopharmacology into a legitimate and exciting field of research. Herman organized the first meeting in the area of drugs of abuse and immunity at USF, leading the way to subsequent conferences and publications that brought together investigators and lead directly to the founding of SNIP. He always encouraged colleagues to pursue work in this field, organized their findings into a leading series of chapters and books, lobbied NIDA for their support, and mentored numerous students and colleagues. He was a prior recipient of the Wybran Award. The Founder’s award was created to recognize individuals whose contribution to SNIP have been visionary and served as a key to the founding of the Society and/or it's continued development and perpetuation. Its rededication in the memory of Herman Friedman exemplifies this focus.

Past recipients:

• Dr. Sanjay Maggiwar, George Washington University, 2023
• Dr. Shilpa Buch, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 2017
• Dr. Mahendra Kumar, University of Miami, 2016
• Dr. Toby Eisenstein, Temple University, 2015
• Dr. Pravin Singhal, Hofstra North Shore LIJ Medical School, 2014
• Dr. Philip Peterson, University of Minnesota, 2013
• Dr. Howard Fox, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 2012
• Dr. Howard E. Gendelman, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 2011
• Dr. Sabita Roy, University of Miami, 2010
• Dr. Thomas Klein, University of South Florida, 2010
• Dr. Micheal Roth, University of California, Los Angeles, 2009
• Dr. Charles Sharp, National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2008
• Dr. Guy Cabral, Virginia Commonwealth University, 2007
• Dr. Robert Donahoe, Emory University, 2006
• Dr. Burt Sharp, University of Tennessee, 2004
• Dr. Sulie Chang, Seton Hall University, 2002
• Dr. John Madden, Emory University, 2001

Distinguished Service Award

The Distinguished Services Award is aimed at recognizing individuals whose efforts and commitment to the Society have been both consistent and exemplary over protracted years of service.

Past recipients:

• Dr. Michal Toborek, University of Miami, 2023
• Dr. Shilpa Buch, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 2023
• Dr. Abraham Bautista, National Institutes on Alcohol Abuse and Addiction
• Dr. Jeymohan Joseph, National Institute of Mental Health
• Dr. Sanjay Maggirwar, University of Rochester Medical Center, 2016
• Dr. Richard Noel, Ponce School of Medicine and Health Sciences, 2015
• Dr. Guy Cabral, Virginia Commonwealth University, 2014
• Dr. Sylvia M. Kiertscher, University of California, Los Angeles, 2013
• Dr. Anuja Ghorapde, University of North Texas, 2012
• Dr. Gayle C. Baldwin, University of California, Los Angeles, 2011
• Dr. John Madden, Emory University, 2010
• Dr. Sulie Chang, Seton Hall University, 2009
• Dr. Diane Lawrence, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, 2009
• Dr. Wen Zhe Ho, Temple University, 2009
• Dr. Norbert Kaminski, Michigan State University, 2008
• Dr. Philip Peterson, University of Minnesota, 2007
• Dr. Sabita Roy, University of Miami, 2007
• Dr. Tom Rogers, Temple University, 2006
• Dr. Thomas Klein, University of South Florida, 2006
• Dr. Jean Bidlack, University of Minnesota, 2005
• Dr. Jag Khalsa, National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2005

Wybran (pronounced Vee-bran) Award

Joseph Wybran, MD, was trained in Immunology and worked for some time in the U.S.A. before returning to his Brussel's home. He was a seminal contributor through the 1970s and into the 1980s to the integration of the fields of neuroimmunology, drugs of abuse and immunity to infection. As a measure of the impact that his science had on the field of neuroimmune pharmacology, his seminal paper published in the Journal of Immunology in 1979 regarding the ability of endogenous and exogenous opioids to modulate T-cell rosette formation in a naloxone reversible way was the most cited research article through the early 1980's. He was killed, presumably, by terrorists reacting to his leadership and participation in Jewish causes. He was shot in his car in the parking lot at his work, October 3, 1989, in Brussels. Sadly, this tragedy occurred at the peak of Joe's career. The Wybran award was created to memorialize Joe's scientific prestige in the area of neuroimmune pharmacology. It is meant, most particularly, to serve as a remembrance of his leading contributions that underpin SNIP. The Wybran Award is the highest honor bestowed by SNIP in recognition of the very best scientific contributions that have resulted in the preservation and expansion of the field of NeuroImmune Pharmacology.

Past recipients:

• Dr. Siddappa Byrareddy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 2023
• Dr. Kamel Khalili, Temple University, 2017
• Dr. Brian Wigdahl, Drexel University, 2016
• Dr. Jonathan Geiger, University of North Dakota, 2015
• Dr. Madhav Nair, Florida International University, 2014
• Dr. Michal Toborek, University of Miami, 2014
• Dr. Kurt Hauser, Virginia Commonwealth University, 2013
• Dr. Shilpa Buch, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 2012
• Dr. Yuri Persidsky, Temple University, 2011
• Dr. Linda Chang, University of Hawaii, 2010
• Dr. Thomas Klein, University of South Florida, 2008
• Dr. Howard Gendelman, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 2007
• Dr. Burt Sharp, University of Tennessee, 2006
• Dr. Toby Eisenstein, Temple University, 2003
• Dr. Martin Adler, Temple University, 2001
• Dr. Phillip Peterson, University of Minnesota, 1999
• Dr. Herman Friedman, University of South Florida, 1996
• Dr. Charles Sharp, National Institute on Drug Abuse, 1995

Outstanding Service and Support Award

This award is given in recognition of individuals who are not necessarily investigators or members, but who have provided extraordinary service in support of the Society and its mission. Awardees may be those working “behind the scenes” promoting the Society through its publication, fundraising, and meetings.

Past recipients:

• Dr. Jonathan Pollock, Chief Genetics and Epigenetics and Developmental Neurosceince Research Branch, NIDA, 2023
• Kelly Jordan-Sciutto, University of Pennsylvania, 2023
• Dr. Peter J. Gaskill, Drexel University, 2017
• Dr. Olimpia Meucci, Drexel University, 2017
• Dr. Marisela Agudelo, Florida International University, 2016
• Dr. Marcus Kaul, University of California, Irvine, 2016
• Dr. Jan Albrecht, Polish Academy of Sciences, 2016
• Dr. Andrzej Malecki, Polish Academy of Sciences, 2016
• Dr. Santosh Kumar, University of Tenessee Health Science Center, 2015
• Dr. Sanjay Maggirwar , University of Rochester Medical Center, 2014
• Xu Wang, Temple University, 2013
• Yvonne Mccommon , University of Missouri - Kansas City, 2012
• David Shurtleff , National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2011
• Dr. Claire Gaveriaux-Ruff , CNRS/INSERM/ULP, France, 2010
• Dr. Abraham Bautista , National Institutes on Alcohol Abuse and Addiction, 2010
• Dr. Dunjing Zhou, Wuhan CDC, China, 2009
• Dr. He Li , Tongji Medical College, China, 2009
• Robin Taylor , University of Nebraska Medical Center, 2008