The directorship of G-CAN is pleased to congratulate Natalie McCormick, PhD, recipient of the first G-CAN Junior Faculty Research Prize. An instructor in medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Dr. McCormick has been an active member of G-CAN for more than 5 years, starting as an Early Career Investigator poster presenter at the 2019 G-CAN Annual Symposium. The award review committee selected Dr. McCormick’s proposal from a group of 7 highly competitive finalists who submitted proposals for the award’s first cycle in 2024.
“The competition among the top candidates was very close. After careful deliberation and discussion, the G-CAN Board’s review subcommittee concluded that Dr. McCormick, an exceptional early-career researcher, possesses the track record of high impact publications in the field, a high level of engagement in G-CAN, and many unique qualities required for success as an independent academic investigator,” said Dr. Robert Terkeltaub, G-CAN President. “Her accomplishments in the field encompassed by G-CAN, along with the quality of her proposed new work as prize recipient, made her an exceptionally deserving candidate for this prize.”
Dr. McCormick’s proposed study, Multi-Omic Analysis of Isolated (Non-Comorbid) Gout and Risk of Mortality and Coronary Heart Disease, builds upon the work she is undertaking for her K99/R00 NIH grant award and complements her experience using data from the UK Biobank and Mass General Brigham Biobank. She will take a leading role in study design and interpretation of findings, overseeing and performing the statistical analysis, and will be responsible for authoring and presenting the final manuscripts generated by this research.
The Junior Faculty Research Prize award program, made possible by generous support from SOBI, is designed to recognize and support junior research faculty. It is a novel aspect of the ongoing mission of G-CAN to support and nurture early and emerging career investigators in the field. Eligible candidates for the award must be members of G-CAN, hold an academic appointment and be conducting relevant research in the areas of gout, hyperuricemia, and crystal-associated diseases. The grant provides $58,000 USD direct costs of funding for one year. A second such award will be opened for competition in early 2025, with a different awardee to be selected for this prize.
Dr. McCormick will be presenting an update on her funded study at the annual G-CAN symposium in 2025.
Sincerely,
Robert Terkeltaub, MD, President
Hyon Choi, MD, DrPH, Vice President and Treasurer