CAST Annual Awards Luncheon
The Center for Addiction Sciences and Therapeutics (CAST) recently celebrated excellence in addiction research, education, clinical care, and community engagement at its annual awards luncheon, honoring faculty, staff, students, and trainees whose work is advancing the understanding, prevention, and treatment of substance use and mental health disorders.
The annual awards are supported through a series of endowed funds established by generous donors committed to recognizing and encouraging innovation in addiction sciences. During the event, awardees were recognized for their contributions across research discovery, mentorship, education, patient care, and community impact.
Among the 2026 honorees, Randall J. Urban, MD received the Sporar Champion Award for Clinical and Translational Sciences in Whole Person Health, while Beth Cammarn was recognized with the Sporar Distinction Award for Supporting SUD Research Initiatives. The David V. Herin, Jr., Ph.D. Addiction Pioneer Endowment honored Nana A. Goode, PhD with the Herin Breakthrough Award in Mental Health, Julia M. Granchi with the Herin Outstanding Graduate Student Award, and Loree Pryor, OTD with the Herin Award for Promoting Resilience in Substance Use Disorder Patients.
Through the Arran Thomas Amadeo Streppa Endowed Fund, Jones Addiah-Nickson received the Streppa Award for Innovative Drug Discovery in Substance Use Disorders. Recipients recognized through the Frances Adoue Lynch Addiction Research Fund included Jessica Tierney, recipient of the Lynch Rising Star Award in Substance Use Disorder Research and Training; Marysuna Wilkerson, MD, recipient of the Lynch Award for Emerging Clinician and Educator in Addiction Sciences; and Justin Sujith, recipient of the Lynch Research Award for Exceptional Medical Student.
The luncheon also highlighted the vital contributions of staff members whose work supports CAST’s mission every day. CAST Awards were presented to Hong Sun for Excellence in Addiction Sciences Team Research, Allie Murphy for Community Health Services, and Shelley Wolfe for Social Work Leadership.
The annual awards luncheon underscores CAST's ongoing commitment to fostering innovation and supporting the next generation of addiction scientists, clinicians, educators, and community leaders working to address some of today's most pressing public health challenges.