awards & accolades
Cynthia Sears Honored with Mary Betty Stevens Award
Award honors individuals who have made important contributions through clinical research
Cynthia Sears, M.D.
Published in
IDeas Magazine -
Spring 2026
Cynthia Sears, M.D., was honored by the Maryland Chapter of the American College of Physicians (ACP) with the Mary Betty Stevens Award, which recognizes meritorious contributions to clinical research.
A renowned microbiome and gut bacteria researcher and a celebrated mentor, Sears received the award during the ACP Maryland Chapter’s 2026 Annual Meeting, Feb. 27–28.
In a memoriam, Stevens was noted for her enthusiasm “about teaching, patient care, and the creation of new information. She inspired patients, students, residents, fellows, and colleagues to reach higher, to push back the barriers of our limited knowledge, to excel.”
Stevens received her medical degree from Johns Hopkins in 1955, and received her training in internal medicine from the Osler Residency Program. She joined the Johns Hopkins faculty in 1960 and became the first woman chair of a division when she was appointed to lead the Division of Rheumatology in 1975.
In his presentation of the award to Dr. Sears, Stephen Sisson, M.D., vice president of clinical operations for the Office of Johns Hopkins Physicians, remarked that “It is the rare clinician-scientist whose work has been so impactful that their work has become a household word. It seems everyone is aware of their microbiome, and how gut bacteria can impact our overall health.”
Colleen Christmas, M.D., governor of the Maryland Chapter and associate professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins, noted that “Dr. Sears’ remarkable research achievements coupled with her clinical excellence and expert mentoring made her the perfect recipient of this award.”
A renowned microbiome and gut bacteria researcher and a celebrated mentor, Sears received the award during the ACP Maryland Chapter’s 2026 Annual Meeting, Feb. 27–28.
In a memoriam, Stevens was noted for her enthusiasm “about teaching, patient care, and the creation of new information. She inspired patients, students, residents, fellows, and colleagues to reach higher, to push back the barriers of our limited knowledge, to excel.”
Stevens received her medical degree from Johns Hopkins in 1955, and received her training in internal medicine from the Osler Residency Program. She joined the Johns Hopkins faculty in 1960 and became the first woman chair of a division when she was appointed to lead the Division of Rheumatology in 1975.
In his presentation of the award to Dr. Sears, Stephen Sisson, M.D., vice president of clinical operations for the Office of Johns Hopkins Physicians, remarked that “It is the rare clinician-scientist whose work has been so impactful that their work has become a household word. It seems everyone is aware of their microbiome, and how gut bacteria can impact our overall health.”
Colleen Christmas, M.D., governor of the Maryland Chapter and associate professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins, noted that “Dr. Sears’ remarkable research achievements coupled with her clinical excellence and expert mentoring made her the perfect recipient of this award.”