Baylor alumni support causes close to their hearts
Baylor College of Medicine’s 2026 Alumni Awards recipients are paying their recognition forward by supporting causes close to their hearts. From advancing research in heart disease and neuroscience to expanding scholarships and opportunities for future healthcare professionals, each honoree has selected an area of Baylor to receive gifts made in their honor. Discover the personal experiences and passions behind their selections and what makes giving back so meaningful.
Lifetime Achievement Award
William E. Cohn, M.D. ’86, Res. ’91, Res. ’93, Hon. Ph.D.
The Mechanical Circulatory Support Research Fund
“The development of Mechanical Circulatory Support (MCS) devices has been a focus of many of my closest mentors at Baylor, including Drs. Frazier, DeBakey and Noon. Many of the important milestones in this field have arisen from their work in Houston. I have had the great fortune to participate in this grail quest for the last 20 years. As heart disease remains the most common cause of death in the United States, advances in MCS have the potential to make an enormous impact on societal health.”
2026 Young Alumnus Award – Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Adam Hansen, Ph.D. ’20
The Benito O. Giurintano Rare Disease Research Endowment
“I spent my Ph.D. at Baylor working on rare genetic disease discovery, including helping identify more than 150 candidate disorders. I saw firsthand how much research effort remains after the initial discovery, and how the diagnosis is the beginning of a new journey for families. I’ve spent my career since then focused on bridging the gap between today’s knowledge and what precision medicine could ultimately make possible for rare disease families, and I’m proud to support the Benito O. Giurintano Rare Disease Research Endowment and the next generation of rare disease research at Baylor.”
2026 Young Alumnus Award – School of Health Professions
Sarah-Ann Keyes, Ed.D., PA-C ’12, DipACLM, FACLM
The Physician Assistant Alumni Student Scholarship Endowment Fund
“I chose the Physician Assistant Alumni Student Scholarship Endowment Fund to help ease the financial burden of PA education and give future students the opportunity to pursue a profession that has meant so much to me.”
2026 Young Alumnus Award – School of Medicine
Lindsay Burrage, M.D., Ph.D., Res. ’13, Fel. ’14
The Center for Precision Medicine Models
“The Baylor Center for Precision Medicine Models is important to me because it aligns directly with my passion for helping patients with rare and undiagnosed diseases find answers. By creating and studying disease models, we can better understand the effects of genetic variants, support diagnoses and genetic counseling and lay the groundwork for new treatments. The Center also extends our impact beyond Baylor, enabling us to provide expertise and resources to patients and providers across the United States who are searching for answers and hope.”
2026 Distinguished Alumnus Award – Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
George Perry, Ph.D., Fel. ’82, Hon. D.
Institute for Brain Health
“Funding students through the Institute for Brain Health means building on Baylor’s tradition of world-class excellence and investing in the next generation of minds who will transform how we treat dementing illnesses.”
2026 Distinguished Alumnus Award – Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Erik Roberson, M.D. ’99, Ph.D. ’97
Department of Neuroscience
“The Department of Neuroscience is quite literally what made me a neuroscientist. I came to Baylor’s Medical Scientist Training Program with plans to study aging and senescence until I heard presentations from the Neuroscience faculty. My neuroscience Ph.D. led to medical training in neurology and my current focus on Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.”
2026 Distinguished Alumnus Award – School of Health Professions
Abigail L. Caswell, DNP ’15, CRNA, APRN
Carol Sammet Legacy Fund
“I would like to direct any gifts made in my honor to the Carol Sammet Legacy Fund. This fund can be utilized by any School of Health Professions student experiencing financial need or an unexpected crisis. I remember very vividly how stressful it is to experience an unexpected financial need while trying to navigate an educational program, so supporting students during challenging times is especially meaningful to me.”
2026 Distinguished Alumnus Award – School of Medicine
Andrew G. Lee, M.D., Res. ’93
Ophthalmology for Students
“A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they shall never sit.”
2026 Distinguished Faculty Award
Saeed Ahmed, M.D., M.Sc. ’14
Clinical Scientist Training Program
“The Clinical Scientist Training Program (CSTP) was an important part of my development as a clinician scientist and helped provide the foundation for the research and global health work I have pursued over the past decade. I’m very grateful to the CSTP, and I am pleased to have the opportunity to support the program and the next generation of trainees.”
2026 Distinguished Service Award
Adriana Strutt, Ph.D., ABPP-CN, Int. ’05, Fel. ’08
School of Health Professions Scholarships – Clinical Psychology Track
“Increasing the diversity of our field requires not only recruiting talented students from diverse backgrounds but also reducing the financial barriers that can limit their ability to pursue specialized doctoral training. My hope is that this scholarship can help expand opportunities for students while also contributing to a neuropsychology workforce that better reflects and serves the communities we care for.”
2026 Humanitarian Award
Tri Dinh, M.D. ’92, Int. ’93
Global Health Research Fund for Travel and Student Development
“In 1992, just months before graduation, I interviewed with Dr. Juan Olivero for a Baylor travel scholarship. I was thrilled to receive it and headed to Peru for an infectious diseases rotation. That month was transformative. I gained invaluable clinical insights (it’s always brucellosis!) and made lifelong friends among the Peruvian medical students. In fact, one of those students is now my colleague at the Mayo Clinic. As a bonus, I finally got to visit Machu Picchu, acting out a childhood dream of being the next Indiana Jones. Years later, the circle closed. I became the physician for a close friend of Dr. Olivero. During a phone call with him about the patient, I finally had the chance to thank him directly and share how much that single scholarship shaped my life and career.”
