🎉 Congratulations to Dr. Susan Q. Shen! 🎉

We are thrilled to congratulate Susan Shen, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, for receiving the prestigious Avenir Award from the National Institute on Drug Abuse — a first for a University of Iowa psychiatrist and the first female psychiatrist from Iowa to earn this honor.

Dr. Shen’s bold and innovative research — exploring the shared genetic underpinnings of substance use and psychiatric disorders — exemplifies the interdisciplinary thinking and fearless curiosity that drive scientific progress. Her work not only bridges important gaps in our understanding of complex mental health conditions but also paves the way toward novel treatment strategies that could improve lives.

The award includes $2.3 million to support her lab’s research over the next five years, reflecting both her outstanding proposal and her commitment to advancing psychiatric science.

We are proud to celebrate Dr. Shen’s visionary leadership and scientific excellence. Congratulations on this well-deserved achievement! 👏