Meeting Information
Annual Meeting Awards and Lectures
Josef Warkany Lecture
This lecture recognizes Josef Warkany’s contributions to the Society for Birth Defects Research and Prevention. Dr. Warkany was the first to demonstrate that exposure to environmental chemicals is responsible for the production of congenital malformation. His early studies culminated in the formulation of the scientific principles of teratology. This award recognizes a scientist who has significantly contributed to the field over his/her career. This year’s lecture will be presented by Stephen B. Harris, Stephen B. Harris Group. Dr. Harris will deliver the Josef Warkany Lecture during the meeting on Sunday, June 25, 2023.
F. Clarke Fraser New Investigator Award
This award honors F. Clarke Fraser, one of the founding members of the Society for Birth Defects Research and Prevention, for his many contributions to the field of developmental toxicology. The award recipient must be an active member of the Society for Birth Defects Research and Prevention with evidence of a successful, independent research career in birth defects research. This year’s award recipient is Bethany R. Hannas, Eli Lilly and Company, who will present on Sunday, June 25, 2023.
James G. Wilson Publication Award
This award honors James G. Wilson, one of the founding Society members, and is presented in recognition of the best paper accepted or published in the journal Birth Defects Research during the prior year. The dual purpose of the award is to provide recognition to the author(s) of the best paper and to encourage authors trained in various disciplines to submit high-quality papers to Birth Defects Research. The paper selected for this year’s award is Quantitative in vitro to in vivo extrapolation for developmental toxicity potency of valproic acid analogues, Birth Defects Research, 2022; 114: 1037– 1055. Dr. Xiaoqing Chang, Inotiv-RTP, will present during the meeting on Sunday, June 25, 2023.
Patricia Rodier Mid-Career Award in Research and Mentoring
This award honors the legacy of Dr. Patricia Rodier, a past President of the Developmental Neurotoxicology Society and a past Council member of the Society for Birth Defects Research and Prevention. The purpose of the award is to recognize a mid-career individual who has demonstrated successful, independent research in neurobehavioral teratology, birth defects, or related fields; and has demonstrated a commitment to mentorship of students, postdoctoral fellows, young investigators, and/or trainees. This year’s award recipient is Lori L. Driscoll, The Colorado College. Dr. Driscoll will give her presentation during the meeting on Sunday, June 25, 2023.
Society for Birth Defects Research and Prevention Innovator Award
This award recognizes innovative and translational research at the intersection of at least two of the following areas: basic science, new technologies, clinical research, policy, and outreach.
The three finalists for this year’s award are The three finalists for this year’s award are Loreen Straub, who will present Screening for Elevated Congenital Malformation Risk Following Prenatal Antipsychotic Exposure Using Tree-Based Scan Statistics for Signal Identification; Almut Winterstein, who will present No Time to Lose: Prenatal Exposure to Teratogenic Medications and New Abortion Laws in the United States; and Josh L. Everson, who will present High-Throughput Detection of Craniofacial Defects in Fluorescent Zebrafish. The abstracts will be presented during the Innovator Award Finalist platform session at the meeting on Sunday, June 25, 2023.
Keynote Lecture
The Society is honored to have Christina Bucci-Rechtweg, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, present the Keynote Lecture on Monday, June 26, 2023. Dr. Bucci-Rechtweg is Global Head for Pediatric and Maternal Health Policy at Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation. She has over 20 years of pharmaceutical industry experience with roles in Clinical Development & Medical Affairs as well as Regulatory and Development Policy. In her career, she has developed and implemented clinical programs as a Global Medical Director for pediatric and women’s health in phase II and III and was responsible for the oversight and registration of products in regions across the globe, as well as health policy and international regulatory consensus building on topics relevant to special populations research. Dr. Bucci-Rechtweg has been actively involved in numerous external organizations advancing regulatory and development research policy for pediatric and maternal health globally.
Narsingh Agnish Fellowship
This award recognizes Narsingh Agnish’s contributions to the Society, particularly the implementation of the Education Courses. The Narsingh Agnish Fellowship is awarded to a long-standing member who has made a major contribution to education in the field. This year’s recipient is Thomas B. Knudsen, US Environmental Protection Agency. Dr. Knudsen will give his presentation during the meeting on Monday, June 26, 2023.
Robert L. Brent Lecture
This lecture recognizes Robert L. Brent’s contributions to the Society, particularly for implementing the “Teratogen Update.” The purpose of the Robert L. Brent Lecture is to facilitate the discussion of new and old teratogens during the Annual Meeting. This year’s Robert L. Brent Lecture will be presented by Anne D. Lyerly, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Lyerly will deliver the Robert L. Brent Lecture during the meeting on Tuesday, June 27, 2023.
Edward W. Carney Distinguished Service Award
This award honors Edward W. Carney, Past President of the Society for Birth Defects Research and Prevention, for his exemplary dedication and service to the Society and the field. This year’s Edward W. Carney Distinguished Service Award recipient is Susan L. Makris, US Environmental Protection Agency (Retired). Ms. Makris has a wide-reaching impact on the field of birth defects research and developmental and reproductive toxicology. For over 20 years she has been an active member of BDRP, serving as BDRP President (2021–2022), on Council, and in key roles on several committees. This award also acknowledges her exceptional leadership and contributions to important government reports and peer-reviewed publications, her commitment to teaching scientists, and her successful efforts to partner the Society with sister organizations. Ms. Makris has left an indelible mark on the Society and on the field at large.
Edward W. Carney Trainee Award
This award supports graduate student or postdoctoral scholar travel to meetings that offer significant educational opportunities in the field of reproductive and developmental toxicology, such as the annual meetings of the Society for Birth Defects Research and Prevention and the Society of Toxicology. The award is supported by the Edward W. Carney Trainee Award Fund which was established within the SOT Endowment in memory of Dr. Carney to encourage education and training in reproductive and developmental toxicology. The 2023 recipients for travel to the Society for Birth Defects Research and Prevention Annual Meeting are Sarah G. Avila-Barnard, University of California Riverside and Josh L. Everson, University of Texas at Austin. This award will be presented during the Annual Meeting Awards Presentation and Business Meeting, on Wednesday, June 28, 2023.
Wilson Presentation Award
The Graduate Student/Postdoctoral Platform Session on Sunday, June 25, 2023, showcases the work of eight students and postdoctoral fellows. The participants in this session were selected by the Student Affairs Committee. Two of the trainees presenting in this session will be selected to receive the Wilson Presentation Award, named in honor of founding member James G. Wilson.
Marie W. Taubeneck Award
This award is presented to a student or postdoctoral fellow in recognition of scholarship in research on birth defects and disorders of developmental origin and service to the Society for Birth Defects Research and Prevention and includes a cash prize. The Marie W. Taubeneck Fund established in memory of Dr. Taubeneck supports this award. The 2023 recipient of this award is Madeline Vera-Colón, MS, University of California, Irvine.
James C. Bradford Memorial Poster Award
This is an award for the best poster presentation by a student or postdoctoral fellow at the annual meetings of the Society for Birth Defects Research and Prevention and Developmental Neurotoxicology Society (DNTS). It is jointly sponsored by the Middle Atlantic Reproduction and Teratology Association (MARTA) and Sanofi and includes a cash prize.