Obesity Society Awards announced

Three UAB employees have received a Pat Simons Travel Award from The Obesity Society. Only 15 applicants nationally received the award, which recognizes research excellence by young investigators.

Kathryn Kaiser, Ph.D., a post-doctoral fellow in the Department of Biostatistics in the School of Public Health was selected for her abstract, “In Intervention Intensity Related to Participant Dropout in Obesity Randomized Controlled Trials?”

Tapan Mehta, a statistician in the Department of Biostatistics, was selected for “Has the Relationship Between Obesity and Mortality Changed Over Calendar Time? Evidence From a Raw Data Meta-Analysis of 18 Prospective Cohorts in U.S.”

Mandy Willig, Ph.D., a post-doctoral scholar in the Department of Medicine and a graduate of the Department of Nutrition Sciences in the School of Health Professions, was selected for her abstract, “Race and Gender are Associated with Body Mass Index and Markers of Immune Function among Patients Living with HIV.”

Each finalist will receive $500 to help them attend the 29th annual Scientific Meeting of the Obesity Society, which will be held Oct. 1-5, 2011, in Orlando, Fla.