David Sutherland Distinguished Traveling Scholarship Award

Deadline for Applications - Friday, January 17, 2025


About the Award

A biennial award given to a single research fellow based upon demonstrated research merit and future potential for both scholarly academic research and a commitment to the training of research scientists in the field pancreas transplantation.

David Sutherland, MD, PhD, Professor Emeritus at the University of Minnesota, has a long and illustrious career with many firsts in the field of pancreas and islet transplantation. He began the world's first clinical islet transplants with his mentor, Dr. John Najarian, at the University of Minnesota in 1974.

He went on to perform the world's first living-donor partial pancreas transplant in 1979. He directed the longest standing pancreas transplant program at the University of Minnesota for decades, a program that has done more than 2400 pancreas transplants and nearly 1000 islet transplants. In 1980, he founded the International Pancreas Transplant Registry.

Beyond his clinical achievements, Dr. Sutherland gave back to the transplant community and his peers in many ways. He has trained hundreds of physicians and scientists both in his lab and on the floor. Over 100 of those trainees went on to direct pancreas and islet programs around the world. He has contributed over 1500 publications examining his groundbreaking research in the preclinical and clinical settings. And he is a leader in our community. Dr. Sutherland is Past-President of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons (1990-91), the Cell Transplant Society (1995-96), the International Pancreas and Islet Transplant Association (1996-97) and The Transplantation Society (2002-2004). He was the recipient of the Medawar Prize in 2012, the world's highest dedicated award for the most outstanding contributions in the field of transplantation.

David ER Sutherland
Professor Emeritus
University of Minnesota
Purpose / Description
To provide financial support to travel to 1 or 2 (suggested maximum 2) institutions across the world in order to broaden the clinical/research experience of the scholar during his/her formative training, and to provide an opportunity to learn from established professionals in the field pancreas transplantation.
Amount
$5,000 paid in one installment to the awardee. The funds are intended to support travel and living expenses incurred during the period of training at host institutions.
Applicant Eligibility

The Traveling Scholarship will be awarded to a research or post-doctoral fellow or trainee having a PhD, MD, or MD/PhD degrees who demonstrates scientific merit and future potential for clinical excellence/academic research and mentorship of trainees in the pancreas transplantation. The applicant will be judged solely on merit.

An ideal candidate would be an individual who has not yet reached the level of Associate Professor or an equivalent entry-level independent faculty position, and would be within 10 years of having received their advanced degree.

A letter of support from the intended institution or institutions outlining a clinical/research rotation that totals a minimum period of 2 months should be submitted.

Other Important Information
  • The awardee is expected to submit the names and contact information of the host institution and scientists to where they intend to travel within 2 months of the acceptance of the award. Brief letters of acceptance by the host scientist are expected to accompany this information. The host institutions/scientists proposed by the awardee are subject to approval by the Awards Committee.
  • The name of the awardee will be officially announced during the 2025 IPITA Congress on June 15-18 being held in Pisa, Italy.
  • The awardee is expected to complete travel within 18 months of the presentation of the award and to provide a 500-word written report of their experience to the IPITA within 6 months of completed travel.
  • The awardee will be required to give a 5-10 min scientific presentation at the 2025 Congress (TBD) following their travel.
  • Applicants must hold trainee or regular IPITA membership.
  • The Award is intended to be used exclusively for the expenses related to the proposed and approved travel activities.
Past Recipients
  • 2023

    Joseph Sushil Rao - University of Minnesota, USA

Social

Contact

Staff Directory
+1-514-874-1717 x216
sections@tts.org

Address

International Pancreas & Islet Transplant Association
c/o The Transplantation Society
740 Notre-Dame Ouest
Suite 1245
Montréal, QC, H3C 3X6
Canada