The Fishman Fund - Sanford Burnham Prebys

The Fishman Awards

Fostering the Next Generation of Scientists

The Fishman Fund Awards provides funding for exceptional postdoctoral researchers through a competitive application process.

2024 Fishman Award winners

2024 Fishman Award winners. From left: Chiara Nicoletti, Kelly Yichen Li, Jessica Proulx, James Marchant, and Huijie Huang. Not pictured: Zinia D’Souza.

To nurture the careers of future research trailblazers, Sanford Burnham Prebys introduced the Fishman Fund Awards in honor of the Institute’s founders, Dr. William and Lillian Fishman.

In 2001, the Fishman Fund 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 the Fishman Fund Fellowship, a two-year postdoctoral research fellowship, and Fishman Fund Career Development Awards.

Donate to the Fishman Awards

The Fishman Awards

Fishman Fund Fellowship

The Fishman Fund Fellowship will provide exceptional Sanford Burnham Prebys postdocs with a two-year fellowship award. 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 Fund Fellowship will be a sustained investment in future scientific leaders and pioneers.

Fishman Fund Research Excellence Award

Established in 2024, The Cynthia Schwartz Shenkman Research Excellence Award is given to a Sanford Burnham Prebys postdoc for their outstanding biomedical research contributions and demonstrated track record of research excellence.

Fishman Fund Career Development Awards

The Fishman Fund 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 Fund Award
  • Lenka Finci and Erna Viterbi Fishman Fund Award
  • Reena Horowitz and Mary Bradley Fishman Fund Founders Award
  • Don Barach Memorial Fishman Fund Award

2024 Fishman Fund Awardees

Jessica Proulx headshot

Jessica Proulx, PhD

Jeanne Jones and Kathryn Fishback
Fishman Fund Career Award

Jessica Proulx, PhD, is a postdoctoral associate working in the lab of Peter D. Adams, PhD, the director of the Cancer Genome and Epigenetics Program. Proulx investigates how aging alters our bodies at the cellular and molecular levels, a key factor in the increased risk for diseases such as cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic conditions like type 2 diabetes. She is investigating how aging changes our bodies at the cellular and molecular levels. Dr. Proulx uses biological techniques that study the entire landscape of a sample’s genes, proteins or other features. Dr. Proulx works to identify underlying changes that predispose an aged liver to liver disease and liver cancer.

Yichen Li h eadshot

Kelly Yichen Li, PhD

Lenka Finci and Erna Viterbi Fishman Fund Career Award

Kelly Yichen Li, PhD, is a postdoctoral associate in the lab of Kevin Yip. PhD, a professor in the Cancer Genome and Epigenetics Program and the director of the Bioinformatics Shared Resource.

Li studies a phenomenon called cellular senescence that is associated with aging. Senescent cells no longer grow and divide, which can reduce the growth of cancer, but also are associated with chronic inflammation and age-related diseases. She is working to find molecular signatures of senescence to advance aging research, treatments and diagnostics.

Zinia Dsouza headshot

Zinia D’Souza, PhD

Reena Horowitz and Mary Bradley Fishman Fund Founders Award

Zinia D’Souza, PhD is a postdoctoral associate in the laboratory of Hudson Freeze, PhD, the director of the Sanford Children’s Health Research Center and the director of the Human Genetics Program. 

D’Souza’s research is focused on identifying new congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDGs), rare disorders caused by mutations that impair glycosylation—the complex process by which cells build long sugar chains that are attached to proteins called glycoproteins. D’Souza also works to uncover how these rare genetic mutations cause the observed symptoms.

Huijie Huang headshot

Huijie Huang, PhD

Don Barach Memorial Fishman Fund Career Award

Huijie Huang, PhD, is a postdoctoral associate in the lab of Timothy Huang, PhD, an assistant professor in the Degenerative Diseases Program. 

Huang’s research focuses on uncovering the fundamental causes of Alzheimer’s disease, a pressing public health concern as the U.S. population ages and faces an increased risk of this leading cause of dementia. She investigates the fundamental causes of Alzheimer’s disease, the most common cause of dementia. Huang’s primary focus is on the SORL1 (SORLA) gene, a known risk factor for sporadic early- and late-onset Alzheimer’s disease. She believes that developing treatments to boost SORLA’s beneficial effects may prove to be an innovative treatment approach.

Chiara Nicoletti headshot

Chiara Nicoletti, PhD

Cynthia Schwartz Shenkman Fishman Fund Research Excellence Award

Chiara Nicoletti, PhD, is a postdoctoral associate in the laboratory of Pier Lorenzo Puri, MD. She studies epigenetic patterns, which are genetic changes that don’t alter the DNA itself yet modify how genes are expressed to make proteins or other products. She studies epigenetic patterns in skeletal muscle development and disease. Nicoletti hopes to help develop personalized medicine tools for patients suffering from muscular dystrophy.

James Marchant headshot

James Marchant, PhD

Fishman Fund Fellowship Award

James Marchant, PhD, is a postdoctoral associate in the lab of Alexandre Colas, PhD, an associate professor in the Development, Aging and Regeneration Program. 

Marchant’s research focuses on developing a gene therapy to treat heart failure. Heart attacks reduce blood and oxygen flow to heart muscle, leading to scar tissue that can increase the risk of future attacks. Dr. Marchant aims to convert cells within this scar tissue back into healthy muscle cells.

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
  • Jeffrey Adler
  • Cathe Burnham
  • John Cashman
  • Jessica Cline
  • Nan Eastman 
  • Nina Fishman
  • Cynthia Goodman
  • Laura Mitchell
  • Ludvina Nevarez
  • Doreen Schonbrun
  • Aaron Shenkman
  • Judy White

Fishman Fund Award Winners

  • 2008
    Melanie Hoefer
    Jochen Maurer
    Elizabeth Rico-Bautista
    Maria Cecilia Scimia
    Chih-Cheng Yang
  • 2007
    Jennifer Katz
    Ana Miletic Sedy
    Sayantan Mitra
    Derek Ostertag
    Peter Teriete
  • 2006
    Sergio Alonso
    Mari Enoksson
    Amy Howes
    Yuehai Ke
    Lutz Tautz
  • 2005
    Ruchi Bajpai
    Lionel Hebbard
    Nicole K. Noren
    John Stebbins
    Ramón Díaz Trelles 
  • 2004
    Tasmia Duza  
  • 2003
    Sean Oldham
  • 2002
    Hudson Freeze
    José Luis Millán

Joana Borlido, PhD, describes why the Fishman Fund Award has been such a boost to her career.

Fishman Fund Awards Selection Committees

Thank you to the dedicated selection committees for their time and expertise.

Fishman Fund Fellowship

Fishman Fund Career Development Awards

  • Barbara Ranscht, PhD (Chair)
    Professor Emeritus
  • Elena Pasquale, PhD
    Professor and Director of Academic Affairs
  • Sanju Sinha, PhD
    Assistant Professor
  • Nisha Cavanaugh
    Associate Director of Career Development and Postdoctoral Programs
  • Cynthia Goodman, Ed.D.
    Member, Fishman Awards Community Advisory Board

Fishman Fund Cynthia Schwartz Shenkman Research Excellence Award

  • Barbara Ranscht, PhD (Chair)
    Professor Emeritus
  • Linda Bradley, PhD
    Professor and Faculty Advisor for Postdoctoral Training
  • Kevin Yip, PhD
    Professor and Cancer Center Associate Director for Training and Education
  • Aaron Shenkman
    Member, Fishman Awards Community Advisory Board

Donate to the Fishman Fund 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.