Jun 11, 2026
MLS honors graduate Takbir Miah with annual Kupfer Award
At this spring’s pre-graduation ceremony, VCU’s Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences honored graduating senior Takbir Miah with the Kupfer Award, the program’s highest student distinction.
Named in memory of Henry Kupfer, M.D., longtime medical director of the former School of Medical Technology, the Kupfer Award is presented annually to the graduating student judged to be the program’s best all-around medical laboratory scientist. Selection is based heavily on clinical evaluations and reflects not only technical skill, but also professionalism, teamwork, responsibility and concern for patients.
Those qualities were evident throughout Miah’s clinical rotations. According to his preceptors, Miah demonstrated exceptional professionalism and integrity, stepped confidently into team-based bench work and routinely went above and beyond to ensure patient samples were processed without delay. One evaluator described him as “a true joy to have in the lab,” citing his analytical ability and respect for the clinical environment.
At the ceremony, as Miah and his peers listened to MLS Chair Melissa Jamerson, Ph.D., describe the award, he didn’t expect she would speak his name momentarily. “I was really surprised, honestly,” he said.
Miah’s journey into medical laboratory sciences began in his high school years in Haymarket, during the COVID-19 pandemic. “I saw an article about how MLS was a hidden backbone during COVID, as laboratory scientists had to run all those tests and really supported the system,” he said. “I wanted to see how you could become one.”
That curiosity led him to pursue his bachelor’s degree at VCU.
Once enrolled, Miah quickly discovered the curriculum rigor and the heavy time commitment required to keep up. However, he knew early on that his hard work would reap rewards – namely a steady, stable job afterward. He credits the department faculty with providing consistent support throughout his years in the program, particularly chemistry instructor Camden Wilson, whose office hours he frequented. “She was readily available to help and gave really good advice,” he said.
A defining moment during his clinical experience occurred in a Manassas hospital, where he witnessed a massive transfusion protocol in action. He watched as MLS professionals focused intently on efficiently transporting blood to the emergency department. “It showed me that this job is critical to the hospital, not only for routine testing procedures, but for emergency medicine and other areas as well,” he said.
Miah plans to take a gap year before attending medical school, with the long-term goal of becoming a physician specializing in oncology, an interest sparked by his MLS training. As his name is added to the department’s Kupfer Award plaque, his achievement reflects the MLS Department’s mission: preparing graduates who combine scientific excellence with a sense of responsibility to patients and the health care team.
“As I apply to med school, having the MLS degree as a foundation is really beneficial,” Miah said. “Earning the Kupfer Award was a great way to finish this chapter of my journey.”