2025 Daniel Drake Medals awarded to four distinguished leaders

Mary C. Mahoney, MD

Mahoney, an alumna of the College of Medicine, recently retired as the Benjamin Felson endowed chair and professor of radiology and chief of imaging for UC Health, capping a highly distinguished career. Her extensive institutional leadership included serving as vice chair of research in radiology, director of breast imaging at the UC Cancer Center and fellowship director. Mahoney is widely recognized as a pioneering leader in breast imaging - holding numerous national and international roles, including chair of the Board of Directors and president of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) and leadership positions within the American College of Radiology (ACR). Elected to Alpha Omega Alpha national medical honor society, she played a key role in establishing the multidisciplinary breast center at the UC Cancer Center and advanced research facilities, notably the UC/GE Advanced Science Laboratory Research Center of Excellence - one of only five such centers worldwide. Throughout her career, she has championed initiatives promoting meaningful engagement between radiologists and patients, defining her commitment to patient-centered radiology and shaping the future of imaging care across the globe.

Francis X. McCormack Jr., MD

McCormack, the Gordon and Helen Hughes Taylor chair and professor and director of the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, is a nationally recognized clinician-scientist celebrated for his pioneering research in rare lung diseases, pulmonary fibrosis and advancing the understanding of pulmonary innate immunity. Since joining the College of Medicine in 1994, McCormack has transformed his division into a vibrant, nationally recognized program known for excellence in clinical care, research and education, expanding it to more than 45 faculty members and generating more than $23 million in annual revenue. Most notably, as the founding scientific director of The LAM Foundation, he led the landmark MILES trial that established sirolimus as the first effective therapy for lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM). His tireless resolve in securing FDA approval and subsequent global access for this therapy transformed care for patients worldwide. An elected member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation and the Association of American Physicians, his scholarly impact includes more than 200 peer-reviewed publications and the successful mentorship of dozens of trainees who have gone on to lead federally funded research programs across the country.

Anil Menon, PhD

Menon, emeritus professor in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, served as a UC Distinguished Teaching Professor and former associate dean for undergraduate education, capping a distinguished 45-year career defined by scientific discovery, educational innovation and institution building. As a pioneering biomedical researcher, Menon was part of the team that co-discovered the NF1 gene linked to Neurofibromatosis Type 1, and his early work helped define the role of the p53 tumor suppressor gene in cancer malignancy. Crucially, his translational studies in hypertension led to the identification of key DNA polymorphisms that informed the NIH-funded DASH clinical trial, representing an early success in precision drug treatment. Beyond the lab, Menon founded the highly successful medical sciences baccalaureate program and helped establish the public health baccalaureate program. His institutional leadership helped secure approximately $50 million for UC and Cincinnati Children's, profoundly strengthening the regional research enterprise, and earning him the 2023 UC Faculty Career Award.

Jeffery D. Molkentin, PhD

Molkentin, director of the Division of Molecular Cardiovascular Biology and executive co-director of the Heart Institute at Cincinnati Children's, has been a UC faculty member for more than 28 years. He is one of the world's most highly cited scientists, having published more than 450 original articles and holding a Google Scholar h-index of 161. A former investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), his research focuses on fundamental signaling mechanisms underlying cardiovascular and skeletal muscle disease. His pioneering work defines the molecular mechanisms of cell death, with specific interests in mitochondrial signaling and cardiac repair. Molkentin has secured more than six NIH grants as principal investigator and has been recognized internationally with honors including the American Heart Association's Basic Research Prize and the Lucian Award from McGill University. Critically, he is a dedicated mentor, successfully placing approximately 40 of his past trainees into academic roles as laboratory principal investigators, profoundly shaping the next generation of cardiovascular researchers.

Featured photo at top: Daniel Drake Medal. Photo/University of Cincinnati.