PhRMA Foundation Honors 9 Researchers With 2026 Value Assessment and Health Outcomes Research Awards
March 19, 2026The PhRMA Foundation awarded nine early career researchers a total of $520,000 in 2026 fellowships and grants for their value assessment and health outcomes research. View the award recipients below.
By supporting rigorous, patient-centered research, the PhRMA Foundation is strengthening the evidence base needed to improve health care decision‑making. These outstanding awardees are expanding how we define and measure value in health care, work that is essential to improving outcomes for patients.
2026 Awardees
Predoctoral Fellowships
Predoctoral fellowships provide $30,000 a year of stipend support for up to two years.
Ayobami Aiyeolemi, BPharm, University of Texas at Austin
Project: Stigma in Sickle Cell Disease: Lived Experiences and the Development and Validation of a New Stigma Scale
Yalin Deng, Brown University
Project: Trends and Optimal Implementation of Bisphosphonate Drug Holidays
Emeka (Elvis) Duru, University of Utah
Project: Insurance Design and Access to GLP-1 Therapies for Obesity: Exploring Coverage Barriers, Patient Preferences, and Real-World Outcomes
Pareeta Kotecha, University of Florida
Project: Real-World Adherence and Outcomes Associated with Glucagon Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists in Children and Adolescents with Obesity or Type 2 Diabetes
Neeti Kulkarni, University of Michigan
Project: Utility Estimation in an Evolving Health Landscape of GLP-1 Agonist Treatment for Obesity
Zhongyu Li, Emory University
Project: Type 2 Diabetes Subtypes for Precision Medicine in Electronic heAlth Records – Cancer (T2D-SPEAR Cancer)
Kewei (Sylvia) Shi, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Project: Paid Sick Leave and Cancer Care Among Working-Age Adults
Rhodora Therese Torres, Boston University
Project: Real-World Assessment of Gait and Sleep for Early Identification of Pain Flares in People With Knee Osteoarthritis
Faculty Starter Grant
Faculty starter grants provide $100,000 if project support for one year.
Yuling Chen, PhD, Johns Hopkins University
Project: Feasibility and Efficacy of a Pharmacist-Led, Patient-Engaged, Digital Health-Enabled Shared Decision-Making Intervention to Improve Medication Adherence and Cardiovascular Health (PEACH)