INDIANAPOLIS – The Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) has named Dr. Alex Lentsch the 2010 recipient of the Dr. Charles Bertram Alumni Award of Distinction. Lentsch is a 1991 graduate of Northern Kentucky University and currently a Professor and Vice Chairman of Research in the Department of Surgery at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. He will be presented the Dr. Charles Bertram Alumni Award of Distinction at the Enterprise Rent-A-Car GLVC Spring Banquet in St. Louis on Tuesday, May 25.

 

Lentsch earned a bachelor’s degree at Northern Kentucky University in Biological Sciences while also competing as a top pitcher for the Norse baseball team. He was an All-Great Lakes Valley Conference selection in 1988 and 1990 and also earned NCAA All-Region honors in 1989 and 1990. The Norse posted a 134-54 record during Lentsch’s four years as a student-athlete.

 

Following graduation at NKU, Lentsch obtained his Ph.D from the University of Louisville in Physiology and Biophysics and was a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Pathology at the University of Michigan Medical School. Lentsh returned to the University of Louisville as an Associate in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics and as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery in 1998. He also served as a research scientist for the Veterans Affairs Medical Center while in Louisville.

 

He became an Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine in 2002 and was granted tenure in 2007. In addition to serving as Vice Chairman of Research, Lentsch is also the Director of the Division of Research and the Director of the Trauma, Sepsis & Inflammation Research Group in the Department of Surgery. He also currently serves as a Research Scientist at the Shriners Hospitals for Children – Cincinnati Unit.

 

Lentsch was awarded the Hugh C. Williams Scientific Advancement Award by the University of Louisville Department of Surgery in 2001 and the Professional Achievement Award by the Northern Kentucky University Alumni Association in 2002.

 

He currently serves on numerous committees at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and has lectured and presented throughout the medical research community. In addition, Lentsch has served as a mentor for 14 research trainees over the past 12 years.

 

The Alumni Award of Distinction is named in remembrance of Dr. Charles Bertram. Dr. Bertram served as a professor and faculty athletic representative at the University of Southern Indiana and is a former president of the GLVC. He contributed a great deal of time, energy and effort to the league’s success and was instrumental in conference operations for many years.

 

In honor of Dr. Bertram, the Alumni Award of Distinction is presented to an individual that displays academic excellence, athletic ability and achievement, character and leadership who has served their institution with personal distinction since their graduation and who has displayed postgraduate public or community service and contributions to athletics at any level.

 

Past recipients of the Dr. Charles Bertram Alumni of Distinction Award include Dr. Sandra Magnus, Pat White, Dennis Rheinbold, Dr. David Porta, Dr. Steven Giles, Julie Fruendt, Dr. Jane Weaver, Jim Vargo, LuAnn Humphrey, Dr. Michael Bernier, Lois Taurman, and Larry Tucker.