Sharon Gerecht to Receive 2026 Florence R. Sabin Award
NAVBO is pleased to announce the selection of Sharon Gerecht, M.Sc., Ph.D., as the 2026 recipient of the Florence R. Sabin Award. Dr. Gerecht currently serves as the Paul M. Gross Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Duke University. The Sabin Award recognizes a unique individual who embodies the spirit of Dr. Florence Sabin (1871-1953), who broke scientific and social barriers with her research and community engagement. This year’s award will be presented to Dr. Gerecht on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, at VB2026 in Pacific Grove, California. READ MORE
2026 Schwartz Award Recipient
Peter Libby, M.D., to receive 2026 Stephen Schwartz Award
NAVBO is pleased to name Peter Libby, M.D., as the 2026 recipient of the Stephen Schwartz Award, named in honor of NAVBO co-founder and revered mentor Dr. Stephen Schwartz. Dr. Libby currently serves as Mallinckrodt Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Senior Physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. The award recognizes a mentor who has contributed significantly to the successful career of scientists who have trained in their laboratory, fostering an environment that facilitates both professional and personal growth. The award will be presented on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, at VB2026 in Pacific Grove, California. READ MORE
NAVBO Committees Seeking Volunteers
Are you passionate about the vascular biology community and looking for ways to make a meaningful impact? We are excited to announce that we are now accepting applications for committee volunteers, and we invite you to apply!Applications are due tomorrow, May 15, 2026.
Whether you're brand-new to NAVBO or a long-time member, we're looking for volunteers to serve on our Communications, Communities, Education, Growth and Enrichment and Membership Committees.
Volunteering for a committee is a rewarding experience that allows you to contribute your skills, ideas, and expertise to important initiatives. It's also a fantastic opportunity to network with other NAVBO members and grow both personally and professionally.
The following committees are seeking new members: Communications Committee Communities Committee Education Committee Membership Committee
Please note: Membership in a committee is limited to active NAVBO members. Apply by May 15, 2026
Spotlight on Trainees
Department of Education holds fast on graduate loan caps
The Trump administration finalized regulations in late April that will put in place new loan limits for postbaccalaureate degrees as well as make changes to how students repay their loans. The finalized rule maintains the department’s recently limited definition of “professional.” Access to the highest amount of federal loans—$50,000 per year and $200,000 in total—will be limited to 11 degree programs: pharmacy, dentistry, veterinary medicine, chiropractic, law, medicine, optometry, osteopathic medicine, podiatry, theology and clinical psychology. All other degree programs will be deemed “graduate,” and students will only have access to $20,500 per year or $100,000 in total.
NAVBO/Frontiers in CVM e-Book
The NAVBO-affiliated Research Topic published by Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine, Immunity, Atherosclerosis and Cardiovascular Disease - An Interdisciplinary Approach to Cardiometabolic Health, is now available in an e-book.
This month we’re highlighting the lab of Dr. Li-Kun Phng, Team Director at the RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dyanamics Research. Dr. Phng’s lab combines state-of-the-art zebrafish genetics, microfluidics, mathematical modeling, and more to study endothelial cell mechanobiology in blood vessel morphogenesis.
Find out more about her lab by visiting her page in our Lab of the Month listing.
IVBM 2026 | 6-10 September 2026 | Adelaide, South Australia
IVBM 2026 is now ready to accept your abstract submissions for oral and poster presentations. We invite you to share your insights and innovation across a wide range of topics including, but not limited to: Blood and lymphatic vascular development, vascular heterogeneity, genetic and epigenetic regulation of endothelial cell identity, immune cell trafficking via the vasculature, vascular engineering, emerging technologies and diseases of the vasculature.
Don’t miss the opportunity to be a part of the 2026 Meeting Program - abstract submissions close on 15 May 2026, 11:59pm ACST.
NAVBO is sponsoring Travel Awards for its trainee members (students or postdocs) to attend this year's IVBM in Adelaide, Australia.
If you would like to apply for an award, pleasecomplete this form after submitting your abstract to the IVBM.
Criteria and additional information is at the top of the form.
Applications are due May 18, 2026 by 11:59pmET.
Did You Know . . .
Take Our Quick Poll
Do You Read the Vascular Network Daily Digest?
We’d love to learn more about how NAVBO members interact with the Vascular Network Daily Digest and the Vascular Network itself. Your feedback will help us improve the community experience and better understand how members stay connected and engaged. Please take a moment to complete this short poll, which should take less than 3 minutes. Thank you.
Jose Gomez-Arroyo, University of California San Francisco
Hanfeng Guo, University of Washington Seattle
Yitao Huang, University of Virginia
Avalon Johnson, European Molecular Biology Laboratories
Douglas Johnston, LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans
Anita Kaw, Emory University
Rami Kheireddine, Washington University in Saint Louis
Alakananda Melethil, Oregon Health and Science University
Solomon Mensah, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Judy Muller-Delp, Kansas State University
Daxiang Na, Yale University
Maliheh Nazari Jahantigh, IPEK-LMU Klinikum
Agnes Noel, ULiege
Betul Orhan, University of Washington
Nawara Osman, McGill University
Rakhshanda Rani, Shihezi University
Zachary Snow, Washington University in Saint Louis
Leon Schurgers, Maastricht University
Jirapath Thammaphet, King's College London
Xiaobo Wang, Columbia University
Emily Warren, Duke University
Alex Yi, Marea Therapeutics
Jianyong Zhong, Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Recent Member Publications
Multi-dimensional plasma proteomic profiling elucidates molecular mechanisms and pathophysiological networks in pediatric severe traumatic brain injury Inflammation Research
Background: Severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI) is a leading cause of trauma-related mortality and morbidity in pediatric populations. The heterogeneous progression of sTBI presents significant challenges for prognosis and pathophysiological investigation, necessitating advances beyond traditional approaches. Read More
Proteomic profiling and pathway analyses reveal molecular signatures and immune networks in pediatric sepsis Inflammation Research
Altered metabolic pathways are critical in the progression of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Identifying differentially abundant metabolites (DAMs) from specific cell types can offer valuable diagnostic and prognostic insights. Read More
Assessing the effects of fluids and antibiotics in an acute murine model of sepsis: study protocol for the National Preclinical Sepsis Platform-01 (NPSP-01) Study F1000 Research
Background: Sepsis remains a leading cause of mortality in critical care. Despite extensive preclinical research on sepsis pathophysiology, the development of effective therapies has been largely unsuccessful. Key obstacles include limited construct validity of animal models, insufficient methodological rigor and the lack of collaborative frameworks akin to clinical trials. Read More
If you recently published a paper and would like to have it included in a future issue of the NAVBO NewsBEAT and/or on our web site. Please send the citation to membership@navbo.org
Industry News
National Academies report on Science Communication workshop
Science communication helps shape informed decisions, stimulate innovation, and broaden the reach of scientific advancements to policymakers, industry, and the general public. A new publication from the NASEM summarizes a recent workshop from the National Academies' Government-University-Industry-Philanthropy Research Roundtable that explored the role of communication in national competitiveness. Discussions focused on public trust, economic and workforce development, policymaking, open science, and intergovernmental organizations.
Share your scientific passions
New England Biolabs has announced its 2026 Passion In Science Awards, recognizing those within the scientific community working to make a difference in the world through scientific mentorship, humanitarian efforts, environmental stewardship, or arts and creativity. Through May 29th, 2026, NEB invites applications for one of these awards. Award winners will be guests at a celebration at the NEB campus in Ipswich, MA; winners will also receive either a $1,000 scholarship or the opportunity to designate a recipient for a charitable contribution from NEB on the winners’ behalf.
Cardiology pioneer Eugene Braunwald has died at 96
Eugene Braunwald, groundbreaking cardiologist whose research helped transform heart disease from a near-certain killer into a condition often manageable with medications, procedures and careful monitoring, died in April. Braunwald helped establish his field as a rigorous scientific discipline grounded in physiology, clinical trials and evidence-based medicine. His research reshaped how doctors understood heart attacks, heart failure and coronary artery disease, and helped lead to therapies that lowered the heart’s workload, reduced blood pressure, and reopened blocked arteries.
Call for Papers
Frontiers In Cardiovascular Medicine Frontiers in Atherosclerosis Research 2026: From Emerging Molecular Mechanisms to Clinical Innovations
A NAVBO sponsored Research Topic
This Research Topic aims to highlight advances spanning the full continuum of atherosclerosis research, from fundamental science through translational research to clinical implementation. Areas of particular interest include novel molecular mechanisms, new therapeutic targets, and the use of single-cell and spatial technologies to dissect vascular and immune cell heterogeneity. We also welcome studies exploring epigenetic and non-coding RNA regulation, the roles of systemic metabolism and the gut microbiome, as well as sex-specific mechanisms in vascular disease. Click here for more information.
Manuscript Submission Deadline 2 July 2026
Frontiers In Cardiovascular Medicine Frontiers in Signaling and Post-Translational Modification (PTM) Research
A NAVBO sponsored Research Topic
The complexity of signaling pathways and post‑translational modifications has expanded dramatically, yet translating these advances into cardiovascular medicine remains difficult due to chronic disease dynamics, resistance, and the overlapping nature of regulatory networks. Integrating AI‑driven modeling and machine learning offers a promising way to decode complex networks and inspire transformative directions for future research and clinical innovation. Therefore, this Research Topic is designed to provide a dedicated platform for transformative thinking, welcoming submissions that push boundaries and offer fresh perspectives on signaling and post-translational modification in health and disease. For more information, click here.
Manuscript Submission Deadline 5 July 2026
Frontiers In Cardiovascular Medicine
Advances in Vascular Malformations: From Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms to Clinical Therapies and Management A NAVBO sponsored Research Topic
In this Research Topic, we aim to gather contributions from scientists and clinicians to share recent advances in our understanding of the biology and treatment of vascular malformations. Ultimately, our goal is to accelerate the development of new therapeutic treatments for patients with vascular malformations affecting blood or lymphatic vessels.
Specific areas of interest are listed on the webpage:
The deadline for manuscript submission is June 14, 2026.
Header image credit: Dr. Elisa Boscolo
Frontiers In Cardiovascular Medicine Cardiovascular Mechanobiology: Molecular Mechanisms, Disease Pathogenesis, and Therapeutic Opportunities
A NAVBO sponsored Research Topic
This Research Topic aims to bring together cutting-edge original research and comprehensive reviews that highlight the central role of mechanobiology in cardiovascular health and disease. By bridging fundamental mechanobiology with translational science, we seek to foster innovation in both the foundational understanding of mechanotransduction and the development of next-generation diagnostics and therapeutics.
Specific areas of interest are listed on the webpage
The deadline for manuscript submission is May 29, 2026.
This collection focuses on the biochemical determinants and risk factors that contribute to the sex differences in cardiovascular disease initiation, development, presentation, and diagnosis. Specific areas of interest include coronary disease, microvascular dysfunction, hormonal and non-hormonal mechanisms of sex-related cardio protection, vascular biomechanics, and impacts of gender (as distinct from biological sex) and related lifestyle on cardiovascular health. The topic editors are Drs. Irena Levitan, University of Illinois Chicago, Catherine Martel, Universite de Montreal, and Benard Ogola, Augusta University. Frontiers | Exploring Sex-Specific Cardiovascular Health: Risk Factors and Molecular Insights. Submission Deadline: July 30, 2026
North American Vascular Biology Organization 18501 Kingshill Road Germantown, MD 20874-2211 (301) 760-7745 info@navbo.org
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