Dr. Lawrence Mandarino Recognized with College of Medicine – Tucson Mentoring Award
Lawrence Mandarino, PhD, professor in the Department of Medicine, was one of six faculty members named as a 2020 Faculty Mentoring Award winner at the May General Faculty Meeting of the College of Medicine – Tucson. Dr. Mandarino, the division chief for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism and the director of the UArizona Center for Disparities in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, has three decades of experience mentoring the next generation of physician-scientists and medical researchers, from high school students to faculty.
Lawrence Mandarino, PhD
“By creating a collaborative research environment, Dr. Mandarino provided me with an opportunity to work with colleagues and experts in the field. When I need advice or want feedback on my work, Dr. Mandarino always has his door open,” said Dawn Coletta, PhD, associate professor of medicine. “He is one of the greatest scientists I have crossed paths with, and I feel lucky to have had his mentorship and friendship throughout the years. Dr. Mandarino has been a trusted mentor throughout my academic career and I will keep pestering him as long as I can!”
For nominees to be considered for the award, now in its sixth year, mentees were asked to submit letters of nomination to the Dean’s Council on Faculty Affairs indicating the types of mentoring they received and how their mentor has contributed to their success. The annual awards honor faculty members who demonstrate outstanding commitment to mentorship and recognize the importance of mentorship for the success of faculty.
“The Faculty Mentoring Awards were established to recognize the selfless faculty who are committed to empowering their fellow colleagues,” said Alice Min, MD, assistant dean of faculty development. “For junior faculty in academic medicine, mentorship is crucial. Finding someone who will support you, coach you through challenges, and help you build networks and find the right opportunities is essential.”
Dr. Mandarino’s research has been supported by the National Institutes of Health for more than 25 years. His research interests include the mechanisms of insulin resistance in skeletal muscle and the liver, and the mechanisms of fatty liver development. His research is aimed at providing new targets for treating insulin resistance syndrome, sometimes referred to as metabolic syndrome, which increases the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other cardiometabolic conditions, all areas of special concern in the Latino population. An active supporter of the training of physician-scientists and biomedical researchers, he has mentored many postdoctoral and medical research fellows and graduate and undergraduate students.
The other 2020 Faculty Mentoring Award winners are:
- C. Kent Kwoh, MD; professor, Department of Medicine
- Helen Amerongen, PhD; professor, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine
- Mindy Fain, MD; professor, Department of Medicine
- John A. Szivek, PhD; professor, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
- Unni K. Udayasankar, MD; associate professor, Department of Medical Imaging