Two MUSC researchers honored with Governor’s Awards for excellence in science for outstanding achievements in research

Steven A. Kautz, Ph.D., and Jennifer Dahne, Ph.D., receive top recognition for driving innovation, improving health outcomes 

CHARLESTON, S.C. (April 8, 2025) - Gov. Henry McMaster has recognized the work of Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) researchers: Steven A. Kautz, Ph.D., with the Governor’s Award for Excellence in Scientific Research and Jennifer Dahne, Ph.D., with the Governor’s Young Scientist Award for Excellence in Scientific Research. Established in 1985, the awards honor those whose achievements and contributions to science in South Carolina merit special recognition and are examples of the quality and extent of scientific activity in South Carolina.

“Dr. Dahne and Dr. Kautz exemplify MUSC’s mission to drive innovation and improve health outcomes through cutting-edge research,” said Timothy Stemmler, Ph.D., vice president for Research. “These awards are well-deserved recognition of their impactful work addressing critical health disparities and advancing scientific discovery both locally and nationally.”

Kautz is a Distinguished University Professor, the Christie Family Endowed Chair in Stroke Rehabilitation Research and chairman of the Department of Health Sciences and Research in the College of Health Professions. Kautz also serves as a senior research career scientist at the Ralph H. Johnson Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center. With a career spanning 30-plus years and more than $70 million in research funding, he has revolutionized the field of stroke rehabilitation and neural-based functional recovery. As the principal investigator (PI) of multiple centers funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), including the Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence in Stroke Recovery and the National Center of Neuromodulation for Rehabilitation, Kautz’s work has significantly advanced rehabilitation sciences institutionally, nationally and internationally. 

Under Kautz’s leadership, MUSC is investing approximately $20 million to establish the Clinical Research Center for Restoration of Neural-Based Function in the Real World (RENEW), a first-of-its-kind facility that will serve as a national resource, uniting multidisciplinary experts in rehabilitation and behavioral health to drive real-world translational research, particularly benefiting South Carolina’s rural and underserved communities. 

Dahne was recognized with the South Carolina Governor’s Young Scientist Award for Excellence in Scientific Research (YESR). A tenured professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, her research focuses on tobacco use and depression and aims to reduce the public health impact of behavioral health disorders. Dahne is a national and international leader in advancing digital health solutions, developing application-based treatments and electronic health interventions that help to bridge critical gaps in behavioral health care, particularly in underserved populations.

Since joining the MUSC faculty in 2018, she has established a remarkable track record, serving as PI on eight NIH grant awards and securing more than $15 million in NIH funding. In 2022, her contributions placed her in the top 10% of all psychiatry investigators in the nation, earning her a high-ranking position in the prestigious Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research rankings. 

Additionally, Dahne serves as the associate director of the Health Resources and Services Administration-funded Center for Excellence in Telehealth, whose role is to fill important gaps in the national telehealth landscape through a combination of ongoing regional and national collaborations, as well as proactive dissemination of telehealth resources. 

Beyond her research, Dahne is deeply committed to mentorship, guiding trainees and junior faculty in research, innovation and career development. Through her leadership, she continues to inspire and cultivate the next generation of innovators in South Carolina and beyond.  

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About MUSC 

Founded in 1824 in Charleston, MUSC is the state’s only comprehensive academic health system, with a mission to preserve and optimize human life in South Carolina through education, research and patient care. Each year, MUSC educates over 3,100 students in six colleges and trains 950+ residents and fellows across its health system. MUSC leads the state in federal and National Institutes of Health and research funding. For information on our academic programs, visit musc.edu.

As the health care system of the Medical University of South Carolina, MUSC Health is dedicated to delivering the highest-quality and safest patient care while educating and training generations of outstanding health care providers and leaders to serve the people of South Carolina and beyond. In 2024, for the 10th consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report named MUSC Health University Medical Center in Charleston the No. 1 hospital in South Carolina. To learn more about clinical patient services, visit muschealth.org.

MUSC has a total enterprise annual operating budget of $7.1 billion. The 31,000 MUSC members include world-class faculty, physicians, specialty providers, scientists, contract employees, affiliates and care team members who deliver groundbreaking education, research, and patient care.