Genomic and Precision Medicine Mentoring Award

Sponsored by the Council on Genomic and Precision Medicine


To qualify for this award, you must meet the following deadlines:

  • June 4, 2026, 9 a.m. (CDT) – Deadline to submit an abstract to Scientific Sessions 2026.
  • June 8, 2026 – Deadline to have an active American Heart Association professional membership at the Premium Professional or Premium Professional Plus tier.
  • June 10, 2026, 6 p.m. (CDT) – Deadline to apply for this award in the Council Awards System.

The Genomic and Precision Medicine (GPM) Mentoring Award exemplifies an unprecedented commitment to moving the field of science forward. The winner of this yearly award must be an accomplished scientist that goes above and beyond to mentor well-trained and well-rounded individuals with a passion for science. The award will be given to an individual who during their career has dedicated leadership and success in mentoring individuals in scientific careers.

Award Recipients

2025 Winner
  • Sharlene M. Day, MD, FAHA
Past Recipients

2020–2024 Recipients

  • 2024 Thomas J. Wang, MD, FAHA
  • 2023 Susan Cheng, MD, MPH, FAHA
  • 2022 Svati Shah, MD, MHSc, FAHA
  • 2021 David M. Herrington, MD, MHS, FAHA
  • 2020 Thomas Cappola, MD, ScM, FAHA

2013–2019 Recipients

  • 2019 Ronglih Liao, PhD, FAHA
  • 2017 Robert E. Gerszten, MD
  • 2016 Simin Liu, MD, ScD, MPH, FAHA
  • 2015 Julie A. Johnson FCCP, FAHA
  • 2014 Andre Terzic
  • 2013 Emelia Benjamin

Applicant / Nominee Eligibility

Applicants or nominees for this award must meet the following criteria:

  • Be a member of the Scientific Council sponsoring this award. Your council affiliation will be validated during the application process. Please note that membership processing may take 3-5 days; do not wait until the proposal deadline to Join or Renew.

Application Criteria

The letters of support must clearly address the following areas:

  • The list of mentees must include the number and background of students mentored and quantitative data utilizing the NIH training grant table format:
    • The completion of graduate programs, goals, fellowship training, publications, and the attainment of pre- or post-doctoral fellowship training grants for trainees o Assisting mentees to present and publish their work, to find financial aid, and to provide career guidance.
    • Providing psychological support, encouragement, and essential strategies for life in the scholarly community.
    • Continued interest in the individual's professional advancement.

Evaluation Criteria

Applications will be reviewed by a panel of accomplished researchers, scientists, clinicians and academicians representing the breadth of cardiovascular sciences.

Contacting the review panel, including but not limited to phone calls, emails, social media messages, or any other form of communication, before submitting your application or during the review process will result in disqualification.

Timeline

  • June 8, 2026 – Deadline to have an active American Heart Association professional membership. Please note that membership processing may take 3–5 days; do not wait until the proposal deadline to Join or Renew.
  • June 10, 2026, 6 p.m. (CDT) – Deadline to apply for the award in the Council Awards Application System.
  • August 2026 – Applicants are notified of their award status (selected or not selected).

Required Documents

Electronic submission through the Council Awards Application System is mandatory. Hard copies of any part of the application will not be accepted.

Your nomination file should contain the following documents in PDF format:

  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Letter of Nomination or Candidate Statement: Original letter drafted on electronic letterhead with a signature. The letter should outline and provide clear examples of how the candidate meets the criteria.
  • List of Mentees and Current Positions

How to Apply / Submit a Nomination

Visit the Council Awards Application System to complete an application.

A Professional Heart Daily (PHD) username and password are required to access the system. If you are creating a PHD profile for the first time, please register using your Professional Membership ID number.

Membership Requirement

Professional Membership with the American Heart Association and affiliation with the Scienitfic Council sponsoring the award is required. Please allow 3–5 days for processing—do not wait until the deadline to Join or Renew.

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Click the link for the Council Awards Application System.
  2. Sign in with your Professional Heart Daily username and password.
  3. Follow these instructions to set up your profile in ProposalCentral. Setting up your ProposalCentral profile will only need to be done the first time you log in to apply for an American Heart Association Council Awards.

    Note: The grant maker named “American Heart Association” in ProposalCentral refers to Research Awards and is a separate funder. Council Awards are listed under American Heart Association Council Awards.

  4. Start Your Application:
    • Select Create New Proposal.
    • Filter by Grant Maker: Choose American Heart Association Council Awards.
    • From the Programs list, select: Scientific Sessions Career Achievement Awards in Mentoring.
    • Click the Apply Now button.
    • Within the application, select the award.

For more detailed information on ProposalCentral, also included are additional materials on specific ProposalCentral functionality.

  1. How to Create an Application in ProposalCentral (PDF)
  2. How to Register a ProposalCentral User (PDF)
  3. How To Add Publications in ProposalCentral (PDF)

Prize

  • Complimentary registration to Scientific Sessions
  • Two (2) complimentary tickets to the CVSA Council Dinner
  • An engraved plaque
  • A $1,000 honorarium and reimbursement for eligible travel expenses up to $1,000

Questions

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AHA Professional Members are Difference Makers

November 7–10, 2026
McCormick Place Convention Center, Chicago, Illinois