Awards

Research Awards

THE HENRY AND AMELIA NASRALLAH ANNUAL OPPF RESEARCH AWARDS

OPPF encourages scholarly work in Ohio by presenting annual research awards/recognition in three separate categories:

  • General OPPA Members
  • Resident-Fellow OPPA Members
  • Medical Student OPPA Members

The winners and runners-up are invited to attend the OPPA Annual Psychiatric Update which will be held on April 18-19, 2026 at the Hilton Polaris in Columbus. Each winner will receive $250 and a plaque. Each runner-up will receive an award certificate. The registration fee to attend the Annual Meeting will be waived for the winners and the runners-up in each category.

Congratulations to the recipients for work published in 2025 who will be recognized at the OPPA Annual Psychiatric Update on April 18, 2026!

Oppf Ms Research Award 2025 Oppf Rfm Research Award 2025 Oppf Gm Research Award 2025

 

Our congratulations to all the winners and runner-ups, and our compliments to all those who submitted an entry to the OPPF Research Awards Competition.

Enlightenment Award

ENLIGHTENMENT AWARD

The Ohio Psychiatric Physicians Foundation (OPPF) is pleased to announce the Enlightenment Award. The award recognizes outstanding activities, presentations or publications during the past year, which

  1. Enhances the public's access to treatment;
  2. Enhances the public's understanding of mental disorders (including substance use disorders); or
  3. Decreases the stigma often associated with mental illness. 

Nominees can include an individual, organization, government entity, media (newspaper, radio or TV station or internet based communication) or a form of art.

Click HERE for the criteria and nomination form. Nominations can also be made ONLINE.

The submission deadline for next year ends on January 31, 2026.

This year's winner!

2025 Enlightenment Award Winner

Nominated by Dale Svendsen, MD, congratulations go out to Jenny Applegate, Associate Editor, Ohio State Alumni Magazine for her


The Enlightenment Award recognizes outstanding activity or presentations during 2024 which enhance: the public’s access to treatment; enhances the public’s understanding of mental and substance use disorders; and/or decreases the stigma often associated with these disorders

 



 

Poster Display

The OPPF wishes to thank all the authors, presenters and excellent posters that were submitted for display in 2026: 

Navigating Anxiety Treatment in Myasthenia Gravis Crisis with Prolonged QTc: A Consult-Liaison Case Report
Authors:
 Garrison Burky, MD and Todd Ivan, MD
Institutions: Summa Health System –Akron City Hospital, Akron, OH

Burky Oppa Poster

The Effects of Social Determinants of Health on Mental Health in Ohio
Authors:
Kylie Munk, MS1, Matthew Correll, MS1
Mentor:
Dr. Jeannette Manger
Institution:Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine

Correll And Munk 3.20.26 Final Scholarship In Medicine Poster

Telehealth Approaches to Catatonia in Autism Spectrum
Disorder and Intellectual Disability: A Case Series
Authors: 
Sarah Craft1, Austin Graham2, Anuradha Haridhas1, Rakefet Shenkar1, Elizabeth Schindler1, Brendan Carroll1, Larrilyn Grant1
Institution: 
Wright State University Department of Psychiatry

Craft Oppa Annual Meeting 2026 Telehealth Approaches To Catatonia In Asd And Idd Case Series Pdf

Enhancing Psychotherapy Education for Medical Students Through Live Observation and Simulated Therapy Demonstrations
Authors:
MaryyamDurrani, MS21,Hannah Redding, MD1, Alexandra Fowler, DO1, Ramzi W. Nahhas, PhD1,2, JessicaPorcelan, MD, LarrilynGrant, MD1
Institution:
Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine; 1Department of Psychiatry, 2Department of Population and Public Health Sciences

Durranti And G Rant Oppa Poster 4.3 Final

Neuropsychiatric Considerations of a Rare Chronic Bacterial Infection: Literature Review of Whipple’s Disease
Authors: 
Maximilian Fulop, Nita Bhatt MD
Institution:
Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine

Fulop Whipple Disease Poster Final

Golden Years Golden Care
Optimizing Mental Health Care in the Geriatric Population
Authors:
Jacob Gerken, Margarita Kugotova, Blair Hermiller, MD, Navtej Mann, MD, Sabrina Khuder, MD,Dionis Kononov, DO
Institution: The Department of Neurosciences and Psychiatry at The University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences

Gerken Golden Girls Presentation

Social Media in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Patterns of Patient Use, Provider Presence, and Readability of Online Content
Authors: Alina Jordan, Sugapradha Saravanan, Laura Bute, Alexandra Fowler DO, Larrilyn Grant MD, Ramzi W. Nahhas PhD
Institutions: Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry

Jordan Asd Social Media Oppa Poster Final

Breastfeeding After Trauma: A Neuroendocrine and Psychological Framework for Postpartum Mental Health
Authors: 
Shamamah Khan
Institutions: 
Northeast Ohio Medical University

Khan Oppa Poster

Schizencephalic Porencephaly: an Unexpected Finding in an Aggressive Individual with Polysubstance Use Disorder
Authors:
Chi Shing Lam, BS,1 Caroline Sapp, MD,1 Shira Bohrer,2 Sana Chughtai, MD,3 Matthew Phillips, MD, MPH,4 Ethan Coffey, MD,5 Shazadie Soka, MD,6 Eleonora Klisovic, MD1
Institutions:
The Ohio State University,1 University of Vermont,2 Saint Elizabeths Hospital,3 University of North Carolina,4 Coffey Psychiatry,5 University of Michigan6

Lam Oppa Poster Lam Final

Neurobiological Overlap Between Bipolar Disorder and Binge Eating Disorder: Implications for Screening and Management
Authors: Sofia Lopez BS, Henry A. Nasrallah, MD
Institution: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine

Lopez Oppa Poster Pdf

Challenges in Managing Endometrial Cancer in a Patient with Bipolar 1 Disorder: A Case Report
Authors: 
John McCaskey, OMS-IV, Nicole Smith, APRN
Institution: 
Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Kettering Health Cancer Center, Dayton 

Mc Caskey Oppa Poster 2026 Jm

The Path to Early Intervention: Understanding and Preventing Delays in Treatment of First Episode Psychosis
Authors: 
Sean Percival1, Julia N. Stimpfl, MD2,3, Fabiano G. Nery, MD, PhD3, Henry A. Nasrallah, MD3
Institutions: 1Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, 2Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, 3Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati

Percival Sean Oppa Poster

Suicide Prevention in Older Adults: An Educational Intervention Improves Primary Care Providers' Confidence in Identifying and Addressing Warning Signs for Suicide
Authors: Ellie Rizzo, DO, Maaeesha Pushpita, MD, Megan Schabbing, MD
Institutions:  OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital

Rizzo Suicide Prevention In Older Adults Poster

Female-Biased Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Glucose Stress in Drug-Naïve First-Episode Schizophrenia
Authors: 
Angela Rooks1, Aidan R. Butler1, Selah G. McKenney1, Grant Nelson1, Roshan Sirole1, John M. Vergis1, Robert E. McCullumsmith1,2
Institutions: 1Department of Neurosciences and Psychiatry, The University of Toledo College of Medicine, Toledo 2Neuroscience Institute, ProMedica, Toledo

Rooks Female Biased Mitochondrial Dysfunction And Glucose Stress In Drug Naive First Episode Schizophrenia

Systematic Review Protocol: Suicide Screening Instruments in
Individuals with Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Authors: Sugapradha Saravanan, Katherine McGreal, Chauntel Barrymore, Richard Sanders MD, Larrilyn Grant MD
Institution: Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry

Saravanan Asd And Suicide Screening Oppa Poster 1

Addressing Mental Health Needs: Strategies Implemented by Ohio Hospitals
Authors
: Michelle Siddiqui, OMS-III1; Cory Cronin, PhD2; Khyathi Gadag, PhD2; Maddie Morgan2
Institution:1Ohio Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, 2Ohio University, College of Health Sciences and Professions

 

Siddiqui Chna Oppa Poster

Are Depression and Anxiety Screenings Impactful at Annual Visits with Your Primary Care Provider?
Authors: Justice L. Williams, MS1, Yanique Attah 2, Dr. Rhea Rowser, MD 3
Institution:
1Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine 2Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine 3Kettering Health Medical Group Primary Care Miamisburg Byers South

 

Williams Final Oppa Poster Williams Attah

Case Series on Leucovorin (Folinic Acid) in Adolescents
and Adults with Intellectual Disability
Authors: Bethany Winters, BS; Kari Harper, MD; Richard Sanders, MD; Ricky Steiner, MD; Larrilyn Grant, MD, MS
Institution: Wright State University Boonshoft College of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry

Winters Leucovorin Poster

Cells and Crankhouses: Mental Illness at the
Kansas State Penitentiary through 1940
Authors: 
David Zealley, MD
Institution: Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry

Zealley Ksp Poster 2026

Within Normal Limits: AI-Powered Synthesis of Patient-Reported
Experiences Across Online Health Communities
Authors: 
Connor Tukel, MD
Institutions: 
University Hospitals, Cleveland Medical Center