Two KU researchers chosen for prestigious early-career presidential award

Editor's note: The release previously stated that Fehr and Kwon were the first two researchers to receive the award as KU faculty members. However, Joy Ward received the award in 2008 as a KU faculty member as well. Ward is currently provost and executive vice president of Case Western University.

LAWRENCE — Two University of Kansas professors were recently awarded the highest honor given by the U.S. government to early-career researchers who show great potential for leading scientific advancements in the 21st century.

Anthony Fehr, associate professor of molecular biosciences, and Gibum Kwon, associate professor of mechanical engineering, were among the 400 people chosen earlier this year by then-President Joe Biden as recipients of the 2024 Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE). Established in 1996, the award comes with a plaque and funding from the researcher’s federal agency for up to five years.

Fehr and Kwon are the first two researchers to receive the prestigious award as KU faculty members since 2008, when then-KU faculty member Joy Ward received it. Ward is currently the provost and executive vice president of Case Western Reserve University. KU also has one previous PECASE winner currently on faculty, Suzanne Shontz, associate dean for research and graduate programs in the School of Engineering, who received the award in 2011 prior to arriving at KU.
 

Anthony Fehr

Fehr, whose research is funded by the National Institutes of Health, is working on several projects related to coronaviruses and SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. This includes developing a new SARS-CoV-2 vaccine by deleting or mutating a gene called “Mac1,” which is known to help the virus cause disease. He said a live-attenuated vaccine — a vaccine that uses a weakened form of a virus to stimulate a strong immune response — that could target the lungs through nasal inhalation would be a powerful weapon to add to the current arsenal of COVID-19 vaccines, which may not last as long or be as effective as live-attenuated vaccines. 

Fehr’s lab is also developing antiviral medications that target Mac-1 to better understand the basic biology of how this protein leads to severe disease.

“Any time you think about a virus infection like the flu or like HIV, there are multiple drugs and vaccines that are being developed to try to combat them,” Fehr said. “It’s not a one shot kills all, so we have to have a multipronged approach to address this problem.”

Arash Mafi, executive dean of the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences at KU, said Fehr’s recognition is a reflection of the top-notch research being conducted at the university.

“We are thrilled that Anthony is being recognized with this prestigious presidential award,” Mafi said. “It is just another reminder of the high-caliber work being done here that has real-life implications for improving the quality of life of people around the world.”

Gibum Kwon

Kwon’s work, funded by the National Science Foundation, involves synthesizing and testing a novel material capable of removing dissolved substances from water through a selective absorption process. The effectiveness of such materials has been demonstrated for the first time, and the underlying molecular-level mechanisms behind their behavior have been uncovered, representing a breakthrough in water purification technology. In 2020, Kwon received a Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award from the NSF.

“The overarching goal of my research is to address pressing challenges in sustainability through innovative materials,” Kwon said. “By leveraging materials innovations, I aim to make separation processes more sustainable and versatile, enabling their application across a wide range of industries and processes.”

Mary Rezac, dean of the School of Engineering, said the award reaffirms the exceptional work taking place at KU.

“Gibum’s work is an excellent example of the ongoing world-class research taking place at the School of Engineering in the areas of energy and sustainability,” she said. “This award is a source of pride for the School of Engineering and the university, and we are thrilled to see him recognized for his efforts.”

Jayhawk support

Both researchers said they are honored to receive such a prestigious award, and both thanked their funding agencies and credited their teams for their success.

“This is a reflection on everybody in the lab who works here, not just me,” Fehr said. “It really validates what we do, and I think it’s an incredible honor and hopefully something I can live up to in the future.”

Kwon added: “This achievement would not have been possible without the dedicated efforts of my students, the invaluable advice and encouragement from my colleagues and mentors in the department and the School of Engineering, and the unwavering support of our leadership team.”