Mary Ellen Avery Neonatal Research Award
Established in 2013 by the American Pediatric Society (APS) and the Society for Pediatric Research® (SPR), the Mary Ellen Avery Neonatal Research Award honors Dr. Mary Ellen Avery’s lifetime achievements and seminar contributions to neonatal health. Dr. Avery’s discovery of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) transformed neonatal health. This award recognizes a pediatric investigator who has made significant contributions to neonatal health through basic or translational research.
Submission Deadline: June 22, 2026
Award
Eligibility Criteria
Nomination Requirements
Detailed Letter of Nomination*
Three Letters of Support*
Letters should provide ample evidence of a nominee’s substantive:
Nominee curriculum vitae (CV) with bibliography of published works
* Note: Members of the Selection Committee or Council are not permitted to submit nominations or provide letters of support. Additionally, the Nominator may not write a letter of support.
Selection Process
Current Recipient
Dr. Francis Sessions Cole, III, is Professor of Pediatrics, Emeritus, at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and a senior leader in the NIH-funded Undiagnosed Diseases Network (UDN). As one of Dr. Avery’s mentees at Boston Children’s Hospital, he was inspired by her groundbreaking research on pulmonary surfactant and its role in infant lung function. Dr. Cole’s contributions have expanded understanding of the genetics and epidemiology of surfactant dysfunction and congenital disease, while his more recent work has advanced the use of genomic medicine to diagnose complex pediatric conditions.
Francis Sessions Cole, III, MD
Washington University School of Medicine