What: BRASS 30th Anniversary Celebration

Where: Private residence, River Oaks

The Scoop: A swirl of scientific minds, seasoned mentors, and future biomedical stars filled a River Oaks residence as BRASS (Baylor Research Advocates for Student Scientists) toasted its 30th anniversary. The May 6 gathering of more than 100 supporters honored three decades of trailblazing mentorship and more than $9 million raised for student scientists at Baylor College of Medicine.

Underwritten by Edna Meyer Nelson and The Richland Companies, the event kicked off with remarks from Elsie Eckert and 2021 BRASS Scholar Sharon Bright, now a rising research force and recipient of the 2024 Don D. Jordan Outstanding Trailblazer Scientist award.

Honors flowed as smoothly as the champagne. Dr. James Bonar received the Angel of the Year Award, while Dr. Ben Deneen and Dr. Ganesh Rao were named Mentors of the Year. A standout presence was Dr. Huda Zoghbi, acclaimed neurologist and longtime BRASS advocate, whose appearance anchored the evening with gravitas and inspiration.

A poignant tribute was paid to one of BRASS’s earliest champions, the late Dr. Michael DeBakey, who helped launch the organization and remains its Honorary Lifetime Member.

Longtime partners like the David and Eula Wintermann Foundation and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo were applauded for their multi-million dollar contributions. A moving moment came with the tribute to BRASS Founder Myra Branum Wilson, whose fateful in-flight chat with a Baylor researcher sparked what would become a legacy of scientific support.

Who: Ann Ayre, Tamara Klosz Bonar, Daniel Iron and Kirk Kveton, Dionne Bremen, Andy Delery, Ed McMahon, Hershey Grace, Jody Merritt, Francoise Marks, Peter VanDerlofske, Jacquie Baly and James Craig,, Terri Wang, Beth Wolff, Larry Burns, Cindy Burns,and Shelby Kibodeaux and Bruce Padilla.

  

Photo by Wilson Parish

James Craig, Dr. Jacquie Baly, Ann Ayre, and Terri Wang.