The University of Oklahoma College of Medicine recognized a longtime Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation physician-scientist and an OMRF board member during its annual Evening of Excellence gala.
Vice President of Clinical Affairs Judith James, M.D., Ph.D., received the Dean’s Award for Distinguished Medical Service.
James’ career extends across both OMRF and the OU Health Sciences Center. At OMRF, she oversees all clinical activities, chairs the Arthritis and Clinical Immunology Research Program, and holds the Lou C. Kerr Endowed Chair in Biomedical Research. At OUHSC, she is associate vice provost for clinical and translational science, a George Lynn Cross research professor, and a professor of medicine.
A board-certified rheumatologist and internationally acclaimed researcher, she is best known for her work in the prediction and prevention of the autoimmune disease lupus. Her research has resulted in OMRF being named a National Institutes of Health Autoimmunity Center of Excellence, one of only eight nationwide.
James, a native of Pond Creek, first came to OMRF as a Sir Alexander Fleming Scholar in 1988. She later became the first graduate of OUHSC’s M.D./Ph.D. program. Since then, James has published more than 330 articles in peer-reviewed publications and has made seminal contributions to understanding how immune diseases start. Her numerous awards and recognitions include becoming the first woman from an Oklahoma institution elected to the National Academy of Medicine.
At OUHSC, she leads the Oklahoma Clinical and Translational Science Institute, which unites universities, nonprofit organizations, tribal communities, public agencies and primary care providers in research focused on improving the health of all Oklahomans. The institute also helps junior investigators launch their biomedical research careers in Oklahoma; since its inception, those previously unfunded scientists have brought more than $60 million in research grants to the state.
“Dr. James is an internationally recognized scientific superstar. Still, she remains focused on improving people’s lives in her home state and training the next generation of scientists,” said OMRF President Andrew Weyrich, Ph.D. “This recognition is a well-deserved reminder of her impact on Oklahomans and the future of biomedical research.”
The 38th annual Evening of Excellence was held Thursday at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum.
OMRF Board of Directors member Michael Cawley received the Dean’s Award for Distinguished Community Service.
Cawley, a former chair of the OU Board of Regents, spent two decades as president, CEO and trustee of The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation. He has been an OMRF supporter since 1975.
“This year’s honorees have truly made a difference in the lives of people in Oklahoma and beyond,” said John Zubialde, M.D., executive dean of the OU College of Medicine. “I am thankful for their commitment to the College of Medicine and the OU Health Sciences Center.”
