Meet the 2023 Awardees: Jeremy Katzen, MD and Tatiana Zyrianova, PhD

Dr. Jeremy Katzen is a physician-scientist and Assistant Professor at the University of Pennsylvania in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine. He received his MD from University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, and then completed his internal medicine residency at Northwestern University’s McGaw Medical Center in Chicago, IL. During this residency and then in a subsequent post-doctoral fellowship year, he worked in Iasha Sznajder’s lab.  He came to the University of Pennsylvania for his clinical and research fellowship training in pulmonary and critical care medicine and completed a post-doctoral fellowship in Michael Beers lab studying the role of alveolar epithelial proteostasis in lung fibrosis. Dr. Katzen is a recipient of a Parker B. Francis Fellowship and a Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation Scholars Program Research Award. His lab focuses on studying the basic mechanisms of lung fibrosis through modeling disruption of alveolar epithelial quality control pathways. 

In his clinical practice, Dr. Katzen manages patients with interstitial lung disease in the outpatient setting, with a specific emphasis on fibrotic lung disease. He is also actively involved within ATS as a member of the RCMB Program Committee, Chair of the RCMB Early Career Professionals Working Group, and has been a leader and organizer of the RCMB mentoring program. 

Dr. Tatiana (Tania) Zyrianova, PhD, is an Assistant Professional Researcher (Junior Faculty) in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). Her research focuses on the role of potassium and calcium channels in protecting against bacterial pneumonia and acute lung injury. As a molecular signaling expert, she has recently developed a strategy that utilizes novel precision medicine bioinformatic tools available online to predict and validate the gene and protein on- and off-target effects of novel drugs used to counteract acute lung injury.

Recently, Dr. Zyrianova was awarded the highly competitive and prestigious Department of Defense Discovery, American Heart Association Career Development, and UCLA Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) Catalyst Awards. She organized and hosted a research panel discussion on International Women's Day, which aimed to promote diversity and inclusion. She has published several first and corresponding author manuscripts in RCMB, Sci Rep, Int J Mol Sci, AJPlung, J Vis Exp, and PlosOne. Dr. Zyrianova serves as a grant reviewer for the UCLA Undergraduate Research Fellows and Scholars Programs and Mock Study Sessions within the UCLA CTSI K Scholars Society Program for Junior Faculty. She is an editorial board member for the Global Journal of Pediatrics and an ad-hoc peer reviewer for six other journals. Additionally, she has supervised and contributed to the mentoring of 20 next-generation scientists, including research assistants, fellows, and undergraduate students who received UCLA Undergraduate Research Scholars and Fellows Program and Dean's Prize Awards.

Actively involved in the ATS, Dr. Zyrianova is a member of the RCMB Program Committee, mentoring program, Early Career Professional (ECP) group, ATS presenter, facilitator, and moderator. In 2022, she received the ATS RCMB Abstract Scholarship and New Faculty Boot Camp Awards.

Description:

This recognition will be awarded to Early Stage Investigators (ESI) in the Instructor to Assistant Professor rank who demonstrate a sustained commitment to develop a productive academic career with focus on areas covered by the RCMB Assembly. This additional RCMB award intends to acknowledge the need for increased recognition of meritorious efforts of ESI by our assembly, expanding the existent Rising Stars and the Carol Basbaum Awards. 

Awards per year: 2

Criteria:

• Instructor or Assistant Professor appointment effective on the date of the award
• In possession of/applying for a Career Development award (NIH K award or foundation award equivalent in years of support/cost, provide application number)
• Attended ATS International Conference at least once and holds RCMB membership for >1 year
• Two letters of recommendation. Letters should address the nominee’s scientific contributions, mentoring/teaching/educational contributions, and ATS participation.
• Updated CV and NIH Biosketch
• Does not require a scientific abstract
• Both U.S. based and international scientists are eligible to apply
• The awardee must be present at the ATS International Conference

Awards and Recognition:

1. Assignment as panel member in RCMB mini-symposia for the following ATS IC cycle
2. Names of the awardee will be placed in an RCMB database for preferred apprentice reviewers for ATS journals.
3. Announcement on ATS RCMB webpage and an announcement at the RCMB membership meeting.

View Previous Award Recipients