Feinstein Institutes Researchers Receive Seven Prestigious Honors at 2026 Shock Society Annual Conference
Sepsis remains one of the most serious and complex medical emergencies facing healthcare systems worldwide. The life-threatening condition occurs when the body’s immune response to an infection becomes dysregulated, triggering widespread inflammation and potentially causing severe organ dysfunction. Despite decades of research and advances in critical care, sepsis continues to claim millions of lives globally each year, underscoring the urgent need for innovative scientific discoveries, improved diagnostics and more effective treatments.
Against this backdrop, research focused on understanding the biological mechanisms behind sepsis and other forms of critical illness remains essential. Investigators at Northwell Health’s Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research are contributing to that effort through a broad portfolio of studies examining inflammation, immune dysfunction, cardiac complications and other factors that influence outcomes in critically ill patients.
The strength of this research was recently recognized at the 2026 Shock Society Annual Conference, where investigators from the laboratories of Ping Wang, MD, received seven prestigious awards. The honors recognized both established researchers and emerging scientists for their contributions to the study of shock, sepsis and related life-threatening conditions.
Dr. Wang serves as chief scientific officer and professor at the Center for Immunology and Inflammation at the Feinstein Institutes. His research teams are focused on advancing the understanding of the immune and inflammatory mechanisms that contribute to critical illness. The recognition received at the annual conference highlights the scientific depth of this work and the growing impact of the investigators involved.
The awards also reflect the importance of collaboration and mentorship in medical research. From competitive research grants and investigator honors to travel awards supporting scientific participation, the recognition covered multiple stages of professional development. Together, the awards demonstrate the strength of the research environment within Dr. Wang’s laboratories and the contribution of the team to the broader field of critical care research.
“I am immensely proud of my team’s well-deserved accolades at the Shock Society Annual Conference,” said Dr. Wang. “This recognition is a powerful testament to their relentless dedication to pioneering research that will ultimately transform how we understand and treat critical illnesses like sepsis.”
Recognition for Research Excellence and Emerging Scientific Talent
Among the award recipients was Hui Jin, MD, PhD, who received the Faculty Research Award. The honor includes a two-year grant totaling $83,000 and recognizes impactful research and a commitment to advancing innovative discoveries in the field of cardiac dysfunction.
Cardiac dysfunction is a significant concern in critically ill patients, particularly those experiencing sepsis and other forms of systemic inflammation. Changes in cardiac performance can complicate a patient’s clinical condition and contribute to poor outcomes. Research examining the mechanisms behind these complications may help scientists identify new approaches to monitoring, preventing and treating cardiovascular dysfunction associated with critical illness.
The Faculty Research Award provides important support for continued investigation in this area. Research grants of this type can help investigators develop new studies, generate additional scientific evidence and explore innovative approaches that may eventually contribute to improved patient care.
Noah Robey, MD, received the highly competitive New Investigator Award, securing first place. The award recognizes promising early-career researchers whose work demonstrates scientific quality and the potential to make a meaningful contribution to the field.
Recognition through a New Investigator Award can represent an important milestone in a researcher’s career. It highlights the quality of a scientist’s work while also providing visibility within the broader research community. For fields such as sepsis and critical care, where major scientific questions remain unanswered, encouraging the next generation of investigators is particularly important.
The continued development of early-career scientists is central to advancing research into shock and sepsis. Young investigators bring new perspectives, emerging technologies and innovative research approaches to longstanding medical challenges. Their contributions may help expand the understanding of disease mechanisms and identify new pathways for therapeutic development.
Supporting Scientific Collaboration and Participation
Kohei Ishikawa, MD, PhD, was honored with the Presidential Travel Award. The award recognizes the merit of the recipient’s research and supports participation in the annual meeting.
Scientific conferences such as the Shock Society Annual Conference provide researchers with opportunities to present their findings, exchange ideas and engage with experts from across the field. For investigators working on complex diseases such as sepsis, these interactions can be particularly valuable. The condition involves multiple biological systems, including the immune system, cardiovascular system and other organ systems, making multidisciplinary collaboration essential.
Travel awards help ensure that promising investigators can participate in these important scientific forums. By supporting attendance, such awards enable researchers to share their work, receive feedback from peers and build professional relationships that may lead to future collaborations.
In addition to the Presidential Travel Award, four investigators from Dr. Wang’s laboratories received individual Travel Awards. Tomoki Abe, MD, PhD; Russell Hollis, MD, PhD; Jeremy Kaplitt, MD; and Yuichi Akama, MD, PhD, were each awarded $1,000 to support their participation in the conference and presentation of their research.
Presenting research at a major scientific meeting is an important part of the research process. It allows investigators to communicate findings to the scientific community and engage in discussions that can help refine future studies. For early-career researchers in particular, conference participation can also provide valuable opportunities for professional development and networking.
The collective recognition of these investigators demonstrates the breadth of research taking place within Dr. Wang’s laboratories. The awards span faculty-level research support, competitive investigator recognition and conference participation, highlighting the contributions of researchers at different stages of their careers.
Advancing the Search for New Approaches to Sepsis
The recognition comes at a time when the medical community continues to search for better ways to understand and treat sepsis. The condition is difficult to manage because it can progress rapidly and affect patients in different ways. An infection that initially appears localized can lead to an uncontrolled systemic response, causing widespread inflammation and damage to vital organs.
The complexity of sepsis has made it challenging to develop universally effective therapies. Researchers continue to investigate the biological processes that influence how patients respond to infection and why some individuals experience severe complications. Understanding these mechanisms is a critical step toward developing more targeted and personalized treatment strategies.
Research into inflammation and immune regulation is especially important in this context. The immune system plays a central role in the body’s response to infection, but an excessive or poorly regulated immune response can contribute to tissue damage and organ dysfunction. Investigators are therefore studying the balance between protective immunity and harmful inflammation in an effort to identify new therapeutic opportunities.
Cardiac complications are another important area of research. When the heart is affected during critical illness, the resulting dysfunction can make it more difficult for the body to maintain adequate blood flow and deliver oxygen to tissues. Research into these processes may help improve clinical understanding of sepsis-related cardiovascular complications.
The work being conducted by researchers at the Feinstein Institutes contributes to this larger scientific effort. By investigating the underlying mechanisms of critical illness, researchers aim to generate knowledge that can ultimately support better approaches to diagnosis, treatment and patient management.
Kevin J. Tracey, MD, president and CEO of the Feinstein Institutes and Karches Family Distinguished Chair in Medical Research, emphasized the potential impact of the team’s accomplishments.
“Dr. Wang’s labs, with their success at the Shock Society conference, isn’t just receiving recognition; it’s a testament to the powerful discoveries that will directly transform care for patients facing life-threatening conditions,” said Dr. Tracey. “This is the kind of accelerated science we need to find useful treatments to cure this disease.”
The Role of the Shock Society in Critical Care Research
The Shock Society has played an important role in supporting research and education in the field of trauma, shock and sepsis for decades. Founded in 1978 by a group of clinicians and researchers, the organization was established with a mission to improve the care of patients affected by these serious conditions.
Its work focuses on promoting clinically relevant research, creating a multidisciplinary environment for the exchange of knowledge and supporting the education and mentorship of future investigators. These goals are particularly important in the field of sepsis, where scientific progress depends on collaboration across multiple disciplines.
Researchers, physicians and other healthcare professionals studying shock and sepsis often work across areas such as immunology, critical care medicine, surgery, emergency medicine and cardiovascular research. Bringing these specialists together can help accelerate the translation of scientific discoveries into clinical applications.
The annual conference serves as a platform for presenting new research and recognizing investigators who are contributing to the advancement of the field. The seven awards received by investigators from Dr. Wang’s laboratories underscore the importance of the meeting as a forum for scientific exchange and professional recognition.
Building the Next Generation of Sepsis Researchers
Beyond the individual awards, the recognition reflects the importance of developing a strong pipeline of scientists dedicated to critical care research. Sepsis continues to present significant challenges, and addressing those challenges will require sustained investment in research and the development of new scientific leaders.
Mentorship plays a key role in this process. Experienced investigators can help emerging researchers develop their scientific skills, refine research questions and navigate the complexities of conducting biomedical studies. Recognition at conferences can further encourage young scientists to continue pursuing research careers focused on difficult and urgent medical problems.
The awards received by investigators from Dr. Wang’s team demonstrate how research programs can support scientists at multiple stages of their careers. Established researchers can receive funding for continued investigation, while emerging investigators can gain recognition for promising work and financial support to participate in scientific meetings.
Together, these opportunities help strengthen the research community and encourage continued innovation.
The seven awards received at the 2026 Shock Society Annual Conference represent an important achievement for the Feinstein Institutes’ sepsis and critical illness research efforts. More importantly, the recognition highlights the potential impact of ongoing scientific work focused on understanding the mechanisms behind life-threatening conditions.
While sepsis remains a major global health challenge, continued research is helping scientists better understand the complex interactions between infection, inflammation, immunity and organ dysfunction. Advances in these areas could eventually contribute to more precise treatments and improved outcomes for patients facing critical illness.
The recognition of Hui Jin, Noah Robey, Kohei Ishikawa, Tomoki Abe, Russell Hollis, Jeremy Kaplitt and Yuichi Akama demonstrates the breadth of research and talent within Dr. Wang’s laboratories. Their achievements also reflect the broader mission of the Feinstein Institutes to advance medical research and translate scientific discoveries into potential improvements in patient care.
As researchers continue to investigate the causes and consequences of sepsis, awards such as these provide valuable recognition and support for the scientific community. They also reinforce the importance of investing in innovative research and developing the next generation of investigators who will continue the search for better ways to prevent, diagnose and treat critical illness.
For a condition that continues to cause millions of deaths worldwide, progress in sepsis research cannot come quickly enough. The work of investigators recognized at the Shock Society Annual Conference represents one part of the global effort to transform scientific understanding into effective therapies and, ultimately, save more lives.
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