Mayo Clinic Alumni Association Donald C. Balfour Award for Meritorious Research
Presented annually, the Mayo Clinic Alumni Association Donald C. Balfour Alumni Award for Meritorious Research recognizes outstanding research by a Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education resident or fellow whose primary training is in a clinical field.
Ideally, nominated research will involve the translation of basic scientific findings into clinical practice at the patient and population levels. This can be novel hypothesis-driven research, clinical (patient-oriented) research or basic science research. Recipients receive an award of $2,000 and a certificate of accomplishment from the Mayo Clinic Alumni Association.
Selection criteria
The nominee must be a Mayo Clinic resident or fellow who currently holds a clinical appointment — or has completed an appointment within the past year — in medical and laboratory specialties, surgery and surgical specialties, or internal medicine and medical specialties. It is preferred that the research or phase of research considered for an award should be completed prior to nomination. Specific criteria considered include:
- Originality and significance of the research
- Strength of letters of reference
- Number of original publications as first or second author resulting from the nominated research (manuscripts published before Mayo training will not be considered)
- Number of research or other academic awards
- Initiative and independent work by the nominee in accomplishing the research
- Final publication of the research or completion of a thesis for a graduate degree are not prerequisites for consideration for the award
A selection committee of scientists from Mayo Clinic and the Mayo Clinic Alumni Association make the final determination.
Nominate
Members of the Mayo Clinic faculty should submit the following to make a nomination:
- A completed nomination form
- A letter of nomination describing in detail how the nominee meets the award criteria
- 1-2 page summary from nominee describing their greatest research contributions and why
- The nominee’s curriculum vitae and bibliography
- Letters of recommendation (three required, no additional letters accepted)
- Nomination deadline: December 20, 2024
Recipients
| Year | Recipient | Year | Recipient |
| 2025 | Nominations close Dec. 20, 2024. | 2024 | Jwan Naser, M.B.B.S. |
| 2023 | Jacob Orme, M.D., Ph.D. | 2022 | Amrit K. Kamboj, M.D. |
| 2021 | John R. Giudicessi, M.D., Ph.D. | 2020 | Christopher Graffeo, M.D. |
| 2019 | Alberto Rubio Tapia, M.D. | 2018 | Yogesh Reddy, M.D. |
| 2017 | Johnathon M. Aho, M.D. | 2016 | Wisit Cheungpasitporn, M.D. |
| 2015 | Robert J. McDonald, M.D., Ph.D. | 2014 | Arthur Beyder, M.D., Ph.D. |
| 2013 | Sahil Khanna, M.B.B.S. | 2012 | Rodolfo Savica, M.D. |
| 2011 | Jonathan N. Johnson, M.D. | 2010 | Howard Masuoka, M.D., Ph.D. |
| 2009 | Mark J. Truty, M.D. | 2008 | Ondrej Lisy, M.D., Ph.D. |
| 2007 | T. Jared Bunch, M.D. | 2006 | R. Houston Thompson, M.D. |
| 2005 | David Dingli, M.D., Ph.D. | 2004 | Sean C. Dowdy, M.D. |
| 2003 | Ruben A. Mesa, M.D. | 2002 | Horng H. Chen, M.D., and Nicholas Vlahakis, M.D. |
| 2001 | Birgit Kantor, M.D. | 2000 | Michael J. Ackerman, M.D., Ph.D. |
| 1999 | David Cable, M.D. | 1998 | Peter A. Brady, M.B., Ch.B., M.D., and Konstantinos N. Lazaridis, M.D. |
| 1997 | Tracy Stevens, M.D. | 1996 | Tushar C. Patel, M.D. |
| 1995 | Stuart Robert, M.D. | 1994 | Amir Lerman, M.D. |
| 1993 | Kenneth Margulies, M.D. | 1992 | Armin Heufelder, M.D., and Mark Perella, M.D. |
| 1991 | Margaret M. Redfield, M.D., and Michael J. Joyner, M.D. | 1990 | Ulrich Specks, M.D. |
| 1989 | Brooks S. Edwards, M.D. | 1988 | David O. Warner, M.D. |
| 1987 | Shigenobu Kanba, M.D. | 1986 | Terrence D. Lagerlund, M.D. |
| 1985 | Mark S. Allen, M.D. | 1984 | Mark R. Pittelkow, M.D., and Roger Tuck, M.D. |
| 1983 | James Morgan, M.D. | 1982 | Kristin Leiferman, M.D. |
| 1981 | John C. Burnett Jr., M.D. | 1980 | Gregory Mathew, M.D. |