The Fishman Awards
Fostering the Next Generation of Scientists
The Fishman Awards provides funding for exceptional postdoctoral researchers through a competitive application process.
2026 Fishman Award winners. From left: Amador Gallardo de los Reyes, Jimmy Massenet, Lucia Alcober Boquet, Dominic Denk and Robert Wiesheu.
To nurture the careers of future research trailblazers, Sanford Burnham Prebys introduced the Fishman Awards in honor of the Institute’s founders, Dr. William and Lillian Fishman.
In 2001, the Fishman Awards was established by Sanford Burnham Prebys supporters Mary Bradley and Reena Horowitz, to honor the Fishman’s. In 2010, Jeanne Jones became the co-founder designee.
Postdoctoral students can apply for one of the following Fishman Awards: two-year postdoctoral research fellowships, a Research Excellence Award or Career Development Awards.
The Fishman Awards
Fishman Fellowship
The Fishman Fellowship will provide exceptional Sanford Burnham Prebys postdocs with a fellowship for up to two years. This fellowship will be bestowed every other year to the young scientist who is ranked highest by the selection committee, and it will be unique from other institutional postdoctoral grants because of the level of the Institute’s commitment and support. Most fellowships match or only slightly increase the salary compared with standard NIH postdoctoral salary funding. By compensating exceptional postdocs at a higher level, the Fishman Fellowship will be a sustained investment in future scientific leaders and pioneers.
Fishman Research Excellence Award
Established in 2024, The Cynthia Schwartz Shenkman Research Excellence Fishman Award is given to a Sanford Burnham Prebys postdoc for their outstanding biomedical research contributions and demonstrated track record of research excellence.
Fishman Career Development Awards
The Fishman Career Development Awards will provide exceptional Sanford Burnham Prebys postdocs with $10,000 awards. With the funds, postdocs can attend workshops, seminars, conferences and network with top scientists in their field.
- Jeanne Jones and Kathryn Fishback Fishman Career Award
- Erna Viterbi and Lenka Finci Fishman Career Award
- Reena and Sam Horowitz Fishman Founders Career Award
- Don Barach Memorial Fishman Career Award
2026 Fishman Fund Awardees
Dominic Denk, MD, MHBA
Jeanne Jones and Kathryn Fishback
Fishman Career Award
Dominic Denk, MD, MHBA, works with Dr. Michael Karin to study how inflammation and metabolism shape the immune system’s ability to control cancers of the digestive system.
Dr. Denk has linked liver metabolism to the spread of cancer, opening the possibility of strengthening anti-cancer immunity using existing medications.
His long-term goal is to lead an independent, clinically focused research program that translates laboratory discoveries into new treatments.
Robert Wiesheu, PhD
Erna Viterbi and Lenka Finci
Fishman Career Award
Robert Wiesheu, PhD, works with Dr. Kelly Kersten to study immune cells called myeloid cells that influence the growth and spread of melanoma. His research explores how these cells shape the tumor environment, influence the effectiveness of immunotherapy and contribute to metastasis.
Dr. Wiesheu plans to enter the biotechnology or pharmaceutical industry to help guide the development of new cancer therapies. His goal is to accelerate immunotherapy research so that more patients can be treated and live longer, healthier lives.
Amador Gallardo de los Reyes, PhD
Reena and Sam Horowitz
Founders Fishman Career Award
Amador Gallardo de los Reyes, PhD, works with Dr. Xiao Tian to study how the brain ages. His research builds on the discovery that aging brain cells can regain more youthful characteristics.
By investigating how these rejuvenation strategies restore brain function, Dr. Gallardo hopes to uncover new approaches for preventing or treating dementia and other increasingly common neurodegenerative diseases.
His long-term goal is to establish an independent research program dedicated to understanding brain aging and developing new therapies.
Lucia Alcober Boquet, PhD
Don Barach Memorial
Fishman Career Award
Lucia Alcober Boquet, PhD, works with Dr. Michael Karin to study how specialized protein modifications help the body respond to metabolic stress, such as changes in nutrition, energy use, and liver function.
By uncovering how liver metabolism normally works and goes awry in metabolic diseases, she hopes to reveal new opportunities for developing novel targeted treatments.
Dr. Alcober Boquet’s goal is to build a scientific career where she can help translate scientific discoveries into new therapies while fostering a supportive environment for future researchers.
Jimmy Massenet, PhD
Fishman Fellowship
Jimmy Massenet, PhD, works with Dr. Pier Lorenzo Puri to study changes in the way DNA is organized inside muscle cells that contribute to muscle-wasting diseases. He focuses on problematic proteins in diseased cells that no longer properly organize and regulate genetic information.
Dr. Massenet has identified early disease-related changes that may provide opportunities for intervention before significant muscle loss occurs.
He is now investigating new biomarkers and treatment strategies aimed at maintaining muscle mass and function to improve patients’ quality of life.
Fishman Awards Community Advisory Board
The Fishman Awards Community Advisory Board Members have been so important to the continued success of the Fishman Awards. Their participation, advice, and counsel are what makes these awards possible.
- Reena Horowitz
Co-Founder and Co-Chair - Jeanne Jones
Co-Founder Designee - Brad Benter
Co-Chair
- Jeffery Adler
- Myia Barach
- Cathe Burnham
- Nan Eastman
- Nina Fishman
- Cynthia Goodman
- Laura Mitchell
- Ludvina Nevarez
- David Ostrander
- Doreen Schonbrun
- Aaron Shenkman
- Cynthia Shenkman
- Judy White
- Kendyl Woodruff
Fishman Awards Community Advisory Board
Fishman Award Winners
- 2025
Alejandro Lillo, PhD
Kokila Shankar, PhD
Meenakshi Sudhakaran, PhD
Bastien Cimarosti, PhD
Theophilos Tzaridis, MD - 2024
Zinia D’Souza, PhD
Huijie Huang, PhD
James Marchant, PhD
Chiara Nicoletti, PhD
Jessica Proulx, PhD
Kelly Yichen Li, PhD - 2023
Alicia Llorente Lope, PhD
Cheng-Ju Kuo, PhD
Theophilos Tzaridis, MD - 2022
Guillem Lambies Barjau, PhD
Tanja Eisemann, PhD
Cynthia Lebeaupin, PhD
Shanshan Yin, PhD - 2021
Valeria Guglielmi, PhD
Cynthia Lebeaupin, PhD
Paulina Sosicka, PhD - 2020
Marie Berenguer, PhD
Daniela Dengler, PhD
Chiara Nicoletti, PhD
Kyungsoo Shin, PhD - 2019
Jennifer Hope, PhD
Aaron Havas, PhD
Mafalda Loreti, PhD - 2018
Usue Etxaniz Irigoien, PhD
Koen Galenkamp, PhD
Laura Martin-Sancho, PhD
Ee Phie Tan, PhD
- 2017
David Sala Cano, PhD
Michael J. Stec, PhD
Jose Luis Nieto Torres, PhD - 2016
Joana Borlido, PhD
Bernhard Lechtenberg, PhD
Jia (Zack) Shen, PhD - 2015
Jessica von Recum, PhD
Petrus de Jong, MD, PhD
Jacob Brown, PhD - 2014
Karthik Bodhinathan, PhD
Hongbo Pang, PhD
Emily Y. Smith, PhD - 2013
Florent Carrette, PhD
Julia Jellusova, PhD
Louis Lapierre, PhD
Juan Pablo Palavicini, PhD
Rachel Wilkie-Grantham, PhD - 2012
Tufan Aydogdu, PhD
Soda Diop, PhD
Mihee Kim, PhD
Zhi-Gang She, PhD
Jun Wang, PhD - 2011
Gregory Aubért, MD, PhD
Caroline Kumsta, PhD
Aman Mann, PhD
Martina Pröll, PhD
Roberto Tinoco, PhD - 2010
David Castro, PhD
Stefan Grotegut, PhD
George Kyriazis, PhD
Gaurav Sharma, PhD
- 2009
Pilar Cejudo-Martin, PhD
Martin Denzel, PhD
Fabian Filipp, PhD
Lars Pache, PhD
Nai-Ying Michelle Yang, PhD - 2008
Melanie Hoefer, PhD
Jochen Maurer, PhD
Elizabeth Rico-Bautista, PhD
Maria Cecilia Scimia, PhD
Chih-Cheng Yang, PhD - 2007
Jennifer Katz, PhD
Ana Miletic Sedy, PhD
Sayantan Mitra, PhD
Derek Ostertag, PhD
Peter Teriete, PhD - 2006
Sergio Alonso, PhD
Mari Enoksson, PhD
Amy Howes, PhD
Yuehai Ke, PhD
Lutz Tautz, PhD - 2005
Ruchi Bajpai, PhD
Lionel Hebbard, PhD
Nicole K. Noren, PhD
John Stebbins, PhD
Ramón Díaz Trelles, PhD - 2004
Tasmia Duza, PhD - 2003
Sean Oldham, PhD - 2002
Hudson Freeze, PhD
José Luis Millán, PhD
Fishman Awards Selection Committees
Thank you to the dedicated selection committees for their time and expertise.
Fishman Career Development Award
- Barbara Ranscht, PhD (Chair)
Professor Emeritus - Doug Sheffler, PhD
Associate Professor - Sanjeev Ranade, PhD
Assistant Professor - Nisha Cavanaugh
Associate Director of Career Development and Postdoctoral Programs - Cynthia Goodman, Ed.D.
Member, Fishman Awards Community Advisory Board
Fishman Fellowship
- Barbara Ranscht, PhD (Chair)
Professor Emeritus - Robert Oshima, PhD
Professor Emeritus - Alexandre Colas, PhD
Associate Professor and Associate Dean of Admissions - Debanjan Dhar, PhD
Associate Professor - Timothy Huang, PhD
Assistant Professor
Fishman Career Development Awards
- Barbara Ranscht, PhD (Chair)
Professor Emeritus - Hudson Freeze, PhD
Professor and William W. Ruch Distinguished Endowed Chair - Brooke Emerling, PhD
Associate Professor and Director of the Cancer Metabolism & Microenvironment Program - Nisha Cavanaugh
Associate Director of Career Development and Postdoctoral Programs - Cynthia Goodman, Ed.D.
Member, Fishman Awards Community Advisory Board
Cynthia Schwartz Shenkman
Research Excellence Fishman Award
- Barbara Ranscht, PhD (Chair)
Professor Emeritus - Kevin Yip, PhD
Professor and Cancer Center Associate Director for Training and Education - Su-Chun Zhang, MD, PhD
Professor and Jeanne and Gary Herberger Leadership Chair in Neuroscience - Aaron Shenkman
Member, Fishman Awards Community Advisory Board
Fishman Fund Fellowship
- Barbara Ranscht, PhD (Chair)
Professor Emeritus - Robert Oshima, PhD
Professor Emeritus - Kristiina Vuori, MD, PhD
Professor - Lukas Chavez, PhD
Associate Professor - Tim Huang, PhD
Assistant Professor
Donate to the Fishman Awards
The Fishman Awards relies on support from community members. To invest in the next generation of scientists please considering making a gift to support the program.