The Endocrine Society has selected five recipients for its Early Investigator Awards. The Early Investigators Awards were established to help develop early career investigators and recognize their accomplishments in endocrine-related research.
Recipients will receive a $1,500 monetary award, complimentary registration and the opportunity to present at ENDO 2026 , one year of free membership to the Society, and public recognition of research accomplishments in various Society platforms. The Endocrine Society’s 2026 Early Investigator Award winners are: Sreekant Avula, MD, FACP, Hennipen Healthcare and the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minn.
— Avula is an endocrinologist at Hennepin Healthcare and an assistant professor at the University of Minnesota. He specializes in diabetes, thyroid disorders and endocrine emergencies.
He established the thyroid biopsy clinic and introduced molecular testing for thyroid cancer at Hennepin Healthcare. He mentors fellows and residents and conducts outcomes research using national databases to improve endocrine care.
Emily Hilz, PhD, University of Texas, Austin, Texas — Hilz is a postdoctoral research fellow in the Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology at The University of Texas at Austin.
Clinical focus includes diabetes, thyroid disorders, and endocrine emergencies.
Notable programmatic contributions include establishing a thyroid biopsy clinic and introducing molecular testing for thyroid cancer at Hennepin Healthcare.
He engages in mentorship of fellows and residents and conducts outcomes research leveraging national databases to inform endocrine care.
A postdoctoral researcher in the Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, identifying as a behavioral neuroendocrinologist.
Her work probes how early life environmental exposures disrupt neurodevelopment and metabolic processes across generations.
Methodologically, she integrates behavioral studies, endocrinology, and neuromolecular approaches to elucidate how endocrine-disrupting chemicals contribute to comorbid conditions such as obesity paired with ADHD.
She is pursuing a PhD on the genetics of adrenal conditions and participates in CHUM’s Clinician-Scientist Program.
Her research seeks to identify factors that explain the variability in clinical presentation of primary aldosteronism, aiming to enhance detection through screening initiatives.
Her endocrinology focus encompasses diabetes and metabolic disorders.
Roles include serving as academic vice chair and associate program director at Lahey, and as an assistant professor at UMass Chan.
Research interests include continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) studies and care-delivery innovations that empower primary care, with additional involvement in pituitary research.
His research concentrates on pituitary neuroendocrine tumors and employs multi-omics, molecular imaging, and analysis of large international clinical cohorts.
The aim is to advance molecular classification, improve precision diagnosis, and enable personalized management of pituitary tumors.
The mix comprises clinicians with strong clinical and translational elements and basic or translational researchers.
No additional numerical outcomes, quantitative results, or post-award claims are presented in the source.
Specific criteria, selection methodology, or the precise nature of the presented works at ENDO 2026 were not described.
The program appears to emphasize mentorship, translational impact, and engagement with national or international cohorts and innovative methodologies.