Yesterday, the Office of the Provost announced two VCU School of Pharmacy faculty members as 2025 recipients of VCU's National/International Recognition Awards (NIRA) and the Excellence in Pedagogical Innovation Awards (EPIA). The honors recognize faculty members who embody the university's commitment to excellence and bring vision, rigor and heart to their work, shaping lives and advancing knowledge in ways that reach far beyond VCU.

Yana Cen, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Department of Medicinal Chemistry at the School of Pharmacy, has been named a 2025 National/International Recognition Award (NIRA) scholar, and Leigh Anne Hylton Gravatt, Pharm.D., an associate professor in the Department of Pharmacotherapy and Outcomes Science, has been named a 2025 Excellence in Pedagogical Innovation Award (EPIA) recipient.

"As our community knows well, Dr. Cen and Dr. Hylton Gravatt excel in research and teaching so we are delighted, but not at all surprised, to see them honored for their work that is elevating the student experience, pioneering the innovations that will advance the health of all and deepening the university's global and local impact," said Dean K.C. Ogbonna, Pharm.D., M.S.H.A.

Cen earns National/International Recognition Award (NIRA)

Now in its third year, the NIRA recognizes VCU faculty who have earned significant national or international recognition in their academic fields. Recipients are chosen based on their demonstrated excellence, as recommended by their deans.

Leading to this recognition, Cen's research focuses on development of chemical tools to study DNA modifications, design and synthesis of chemical probes for epigenetic modification enzymes and targeting NAD metabolism for drug discovery. Among her current projects, she is studying small molecules for drug development that are capable of stimulating certain enzymes, which can play a role in maintaining cardiac health and neuronal viability upon stress and in suppressing tumors.

Cen has served as a mentor to four graduate students since joining VCU in 2019 and teaches in both our graduate and Pharm.D. programs. She earned the School of Pharmacy's Excellence in Research Award this year and Bertha Rolfe Teacher of the Year Award last year.

Cen joins an elite group of NIRA honorees from the School of Pharmacy: Qingguo Xu, Ph.D., from the Department of Pharmaceutics and Shijun Zhang, Ph.D., and Yan Zhang, Ph.D., from the Department of Medicinal Chemistry.

Hylton Gravatt earns Excellence in Pedagogical Innovation Award (EPIA)

Established this year, the Excellence in Pedagogical Innovation Awards (EPIA) honors faculty whose teaching ignites curiosity, fosters deep learning and transforms the lives of students. These honorees are shaping the future of education at VCU, often leading with creativity, compassion and a deep understanding of how students learn.

Hylton Gravatt, who also serves as the department's vice-chair of education, has developed unique learning opportunities for students in the Pharm.D. program since joining VCU in 2011. Her methods of teaching vary, from the annual Infectious Diseases Olympics competitions for students who answer quiz questions correctly to the song/rap contest she hosts at the end of the module, but have one goal in common: to make learning a challenging topic fun.

She serves as co-coordinator of the Infectious Diseases Clinical Therapeutics Module, coordinator of the Advanced Infectious Diseases elective, and co-coordinator of the Fellowship/Residency Preparatory Course. She earned the school's Teacher of the Year Award in 2016 and 2020 and earned the school's Outstanding Preceptor Award in 2009 and 2023. Her research interests include scholarship of teaching and learning, fellowship/residency preparation and infectious diseases.

Beverly J. Warren, Ed.D., Ph.D., interim provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, shared the significance of the new EPIA awards in a VCU News interview yesterday. These awards, she explained, affirm our belief that innovation in the classroom is foundational to academic excellence and celebrate faculty who are transforming the learning experience — those who bring bold, student-centered approaches to teaching, curriculum design and accessible pedagogy.

"At Virginia Commonwealth University, our faculty are the catalysts of discovery, innovation and student success. Their expertise and dedication fuel a university that is both deeply connected to its community and recognized across the nation and around the world," Warren said.

"These distinguished colleagues have advanced knowledge, inspired students and strengthened the very foundation of our academic mission," she said. "I invite you to join me in congratulating them, and in celebrating the vital role faculty play in the growth, excellence and reputation of our university."

These honorees will be recognized at the Faculty Recognition Gala on the evening of Oct. 21 — a celebration of the bold ideas, collaborative spirit and transformative impact that define VCU's faculty.

Congratulations to Drs. Yana Cen and Leigh Anne Hylton Gravatt on these well-deserved recognitions!