Vaccine Safety Reasearcher Awarded Gwen D. Sebold Fellowship
Monday, October 15th, 2018 -- 10:05 AM
-Jim Donahue, Ph.D., a nationally-recognized vaccine safety researcher known for his work with influenza and human papillomavirus vaccines, was awarded the Gwen D. Sebold Fellowship for Outstanding Research.Donahue, a project scientist at Marshfield Clinic Research Institute’s Center for Clinical Epidemiology & Population Health, was honored Wednesday, Oct. 10, during a presentation at Marshfield Medical Center. The fellowship has been given by D. David “Dewey” Sebold since 1988 to recognize an outstanding medical researcher and support continued research in his or her field. Sebold is a former president and CEO of Tombstone Pizza, a company he helped guide to become the No. 1 brand of frozen pizza in America. He also has served on the boards of many organizations, including as an original member of Marshfield Clinic’s National Advisory Council. Donahue is the 31st researcher to receive the annual Gwen D. Sebold Fellowship for Outstanding Research. Recipients receive $5,000 for continuing research in their field and a memorial plaque presented by Sebold in memory of his sister, Gwen, who grew up in Dorchester, about 30 miles north of Marshfield. She joined Marshfield Clinic as a medical stenographer in 1955 and died in July 1974.
Over the past 15 years, Donahue has become a leading vaccine safety investigator with more than 36 published research articles since joining the Research Institute. He recently led a near-real time analysis to assess the safety of a new human papillomavirus vaccine. He was invited to present the study results to the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices in February 2018. In 2015, Donahue was recognized nationally with the Margaret Kolczak Award for his dedication and outstanding performance in epidemiology and biostatistics that contributed significantly to the Vaccine Safety Datalink. He received attention from prominent national media when the results were shared from the CDC-funded study he led that assessed the risk of miscarriage after receiving the flu vaccine. Donahue credited his epidemiology colleagues and the Research Institute as a whole for contributing to his success.
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