The Bruce and Cynthia Sherman Charitable Foundation has announced the inaugural recipients of the annual Sherman Prize for Excellence in Crohn's and Colitis. The Sherman Prize provides healthcare professionals, medical researchers and public health advocates with funding to advance work relating to inflammatory bowel disease.
Here are this year's three award recipients:
1. Psychiatrist Eva Szigethy, MD, PhD, was awarded a $100,000 Sherman Prize for her work developing psychosocial care models for IBD patients. Dr. Szigethy built the first behavioral health program for pediatric IBD patients in the United States, which addresses emotional and behavioral challenges of IBD, alongside the physical condition.
2. James D. Lewis, MD, was awarded a $100,000 Sherman Prize for his research into the influence of diet and gut microorganisms on IBD development. Dr. Lewis also developed IBD Plexus, a platform that allows researchers to exchange data about IBD.
3. Lea Ann Chen, MD, was awarded a $25,000 Sherman Emerging Leader Prize for her focus on underserved communities. Dr. Chen is an attending physician at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue, where she treats vulnerable patients with IBD.