MCW Welcomes New Faculty to the Society of Research Excellence

The Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) recently inducted four new researchers into the Society of Research Excellence.

The Society, overseen by the Office of Research, recognizes high-performing MCW scientists.

Each year, new scientists are inducted based on their achievements in four areas: high-impact research discoveries, effective mentorship of trainees or junior faculty, national or international leadership, and receipt of academic honors and awards.

By bringing together researchers who have excelled in their respective fields, the Society aims to foster a culture of innovation and collaboration that will drive scientific breakthroughs and clinical innovation at MCW.

“All four of this year’s inductees truly embody MCW’s mission of advancing cutting-edge scientific discoveries and translating those findings into real benefits for our patients and communities,” says Ann Nattinger, MD, MPH, MACP, vice dean for research in the School of Medicine. “We are grateful for their ambition, dedication, and quest for new scientific knowledge.”

2026 Inductees

This year’s Society of Research Excellence inductees are four researchers with impressive research accomplishments.

Kathryn Flynn, PhD, professor in the School of Medicine, studies how patients experience illness and treatment. She has also investigated how patients and clinicians communicate, and how that dialogue can be improved. Her pioneering discoveries – resulting in more than 150 peer-reviewed manuscripts – have influenced clinical guidelines, healthcare delivery models, and insurance policies.

“Dr. Flynn is an exceptional scientist whose work exemplifies scientific excellence, sustained research leadership, national and international recognition, and a meaningful impact on patient care,” says Kevin Regner, MD, professor in the Department of Medicine, who nominated Dr. Flynn.

John Mantsch, PhD, professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, researches the neural pathways and mechanisms responsible for stress-induced substance misuse. He also aims to understand how sex hormones mediate this link between stress and substance-seeking behaviors. Beyond the lab, Dr. Mantsch translates these findings to help improve health outcomes for the Milwaukee community.

“Dr. Mantsch is a wonderful example of a leader who ‘walks the walk’ of research excellence,” says Cecilia Hillard, PhD, professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, who nominated Dr. Mantsch. “As a result, he is growing a reputation for MCW as an outstanding institution for substance misuse research.”

The third inductee, Mary Sorci-Thomas, PhD, professor in the School of Medicine, is internationally recognized for her decades-long research unraveling the structure and function of high-density lipoprotein, a molecule that influences the development of diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. Dr. Sorci-Thomas also mentors postdoctoral students through MCW’s Cardiovascular Research Center Postdoctoral Fellowship in Cardiovascular Sciences and undergraduate students through MCW’s ASPIRE program.

“In addition to her research and mentorship, Dr. Sorci-Thomas has made substantial contributions to education, developing and directing graduate and postdoctoral training curricula in cardiovascular biology and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration across the institution,” says Dr. Regner and Dr. Flynn, who nominated Dr. Sorci-Thomas.

The fourth inductee is John R. Raymond, MD, professor of medicine and MCW’s sixth president and CEO. As president and CEO, his impact on MCW’s research enterprise was far-reaching. He opened channels for political and community leaders and researchers to communicate and collaborate, expanded and modernized MCW’s research facilities, and invested in clinical trials and translational research. Under his leadership, MCW’s research-related output rose from $157 to $400 million.

“Compared to when I arrived at MCW in 2011, the research enterprise at MCW is impressively bigger, broader, and deeper, and is benefiting from state-of-the-art facilities that rival those of any major academic health system,” says Roy Silverstein, MD, professor and chair emeritus in the Department of Medicine and one of Dr. Raymond’s nominators. “As president and CEO, Dr. Raymond played a large part in making this happen.”