12 & 13. Dr. Judith James & Rebecca Wood
Are there any honors that Dr. Judith James hasn’t received? In 2023, the acclaimed physician-scientist was inducted into both the Oklahoma Hall of Fame and the National Academy of Medicine. With the latter, the Pond Creek native became the first Oklahoma woman so honored. A rheumatologist and immunologist, her work has shifted scientists’ understanding of how diseases like lupus develop. She’s also been instrumental in leading clinical trials that aim to delay and even prevent the debilitating illness. Still, don’t expect OMRF’s executive vice president and chief medical officer to take a victory lap any time soon. “I feel an incredible responsibility to keep pushing forward to better understand these conditions, not only to help improve treatments and outcomes for patients with autoimmune disease but also to bring research to all Oklahomans to live longer, healthier lives,” she says. Indeed, she may soon be joined on that quest by a familiar face. Her daughter, Rebecca Wood, is now a graduate student at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. She’s doing her Ph.D. research in a lab at OMRF, where she is investigating – you guessed it – autoimmune disease.
14. Dr. Ashley Cheyney
Dr. Ashley Cheyney is no stranger to OMRF, but her role is new. As the foundation’s first director of scientific training and outreach, she’s working to support students and trainees at all levels, from undergraduates to postdoctoral fellows. She’s also hitting the road to “teach people about science and the incredible work being done at OMRF.” Ashley first came to OMRF in 2012 as a research technician, and she ended up doing the majority of her Ph.D. work in the foundation’s labs. Now, the native of Ochelata, a small town in northeastern Oklahoma where she was a pre-teen gymnastics prodigy, is drawing on her days climbing the biomedical research ladder to help others doing the same – and to get the word out about OMRF. “My educational background and communication experience allow me to connect with folks in an authentic way,” she says. “And as a native Oklahoman, it’s easy to relate to the broader community.”
15 & 16. Dr. Rodger McEver & Danielle Jamison
Since Danielle Jamison began treatment with Adakveo, a drug based on the work of OMRF Distinguished Career Scientist Dr. Rodger McEver, her life has changed. “I’m able to be much more active and have less pain. It’s such a blessing.” Diagnosed with sickle cell disease as a child, she lived for decades with frequent hospitalizations, regular blood transfusions and constant pain. But once she started therapy with Adakveo, she no longer had to set an alarm to wake up and take pain medication, hoping the dose would get her through the night. “Life is so much better now,” she says. “Every minute I have not dealing with pain is a miracle.”
17-19. Gerard, Kelsey & Luca D’Emilio
Kelsey and Gerard D’Emilio believed they would never become parents because of Kelsey’s multiple sclerosis. Thanks to the care the former opera singer received at OMRF, in 2023 the couple welcomed their son, Luca. “OMRF was an answer to our prayers,” says Kelsey. “It’s where hope begins.”
20. Chase Pierce
As OMRF’s director of food services, Chase Pierce has spent the past dozen years fueling scientific discovery. “I really enjoy feeding the people who make the research happen,” he says. With his team in the Research Café, Chase prepares breakfast and lunch every day for OMRF’s staff of more than 500 people, as well as regulars from the nearby VA Medical Center and University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. A native Oklahoman, he’s expanded his culinary horizons significantly since joining the foundation. “We have people from a lot of different countries and cultures, so we’ve tried to incorporate dishes that appeal to them.” In a recent week, that meant everything from chicken tagine with artichokes (a dish that originated in Morocco) to vegetarian Caribbean black bean soup. Still, Chase can’t help but throw in Oklahoma classics like chicken-fried steak every once in a while. “They might not be that good for the body, but they’re definitely good for the soul.”
20-23. Chase Pierce, Dr. Jacob Brown, Taylor Conner, Joe Woodward
When he’s not nourishing his coworkers, Chase Pierce has found another way to connect with them – through music. Along with Joe Woodward, Taylor Conner and Dr. Jacob Brown, he is a member of the band Potoo. Named after a South American bird known for its large eyes and haunting, high-pitched call, the quartet of OMRFers performs songs that Joe describes as “loud, fast and pretty hardcore.” They’ve played several gigs, which have given fellow employees a chance to see – and hear – a different aspect of their colleagues. Still, says Joe, the side gig shares an important feature with their day jobs. “In science and music, you’re problem-solving. You’re always tweaking something to make it just right.” In other words, they’re both experimental.
