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Institute News

Michael Alcaraz awarded Melvin and Phyllis McCardle Clause Scholarship

AuthorGreg Calhoun
Date

September 18, 2024

Michael Alcaraz, headshot in lab
Michael Alcaraz is a fourth-year graduate student in the Sanford Burnham Prebys Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.

The scholarship program for graduate students was created by the Clause family’s generous donation to Sanford Burnham Prebys.

Michael Alcaraz, a fourth-year graduate student in the Sanford Burnham Prebys Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, was selected as the 2024 recipient of the Melvin and Phyllis McCardle Clause Scholarship.

“I am very excited about being chosen for this scholarship,” said Alcaraz. “I’ll be gaining mentorship opportunities from researchers in neuroscience that complement my lab’s focus on aging.

“This funding will make a big difference as my research moves forward. The scholarship also provides support for professional development, which will allow me to attend conferences to share what I’m studying and grow my network.”

The McCardle Clause Scholarship was established in honor of Phyllis McCardle Clause after her long struggle with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The award supports graduate student education in age-related neurodegeneration within the Institute’s graduate school.

Alcaraz conducts research in the laboratory of Peter D. Adams, PhD, the director of the Cancer Genome and Epigenetics Program, with a focus on the mechanisms of aging.

With support from the scholarship, Alcaraz will be investigating the fundamental connections between aging and the increased risk of AD, the most common cause of dementia. His project is focused on the role of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), an essential metabolite and building block for enzymes.

NAD+ levels decrease with age in several tissues, including in the brains of humans and mouse models of AD. The decline of this important metabolite is associated with insufficient energy metabolism that is a major hallmark of AD.

“In collaboration with the Conrad Prebys Center for Chemical Genomics, we will test a potential drug to promote production of NAD+ in the brain by activating a key enzyme involved in NAD+ biosynthesis,” said Alcaraz.  The compound was developed by the Conrad Prebys Center for Chemical Genomics led by Michael Jackson, PhD, senior vice president of Drug Discovery and Development.

“The goal of my project is to raise the levels of NAD+ in mice suffering from an analogous condition to AD and test its effects on improving brain metabolism, function and behavior,” added Alcaraz.

“The objective is to build the preclinical foundation for one day achieving benefits for patients. We all know how devastating AD is for patients and families, and the need for new treatments grows greater every single day.

“This project will require a lot of collaboration between experts in aging, drug discovery, neuroscience and behavioral analysis. We have all this expertise available across the Institute, and I’m looking forward to working with an interdisciplinary team on this effort thanks to the generosity of the Clause family.”

Institute News

Chiara Nicoletti, PhD, garners inaugural Fishman Fund Cynthia Schwartz Shenkman Research Excellence Award

AuthorGreg Calhoun
Date

September 12, 2024

Chiara Nicoletti, profile photo in office
Chiara Nicoletti, PhD, studies epigenetic patterns in skeletal muscle development and disease in the laboratory of Pier Lorenzo Puri, MD, director of the Development, Aging and Regeneration Program.

This annual award was established in 2024 to recognize the contributions of postdoctoral fellows at Sanford Burnham Prebys.

Chiara Nicoletti, PhD, a postdoctoral associate at Sanford Burnham Prebys, was selected as the first recipient of the Fishman Fund Cynthia Schwartz Shenkman Research Excellence Award. 

This award is one of two new honors being given during the 23rd Fishman Funds awards ceremony on September 17, marking 2024 as a special year for the Institute and the supporting donors.  

The inaugural Don Barach Fishman Fund Career Award adds a fourth prize in the category of career awards focused on providing professional development opportunities for postdoctoral fellows. In addition, the Fishman Fund Cynthia Schwartz Shenkman Research Excellence Award adds a new third category of honors.  

This award recognizes and rewards experienced postdoctoral fellows who have achieved a track record of research excellence. It is designed to help offset the cost of living in the region, and to benefit recipients as they prepare for the next step in their careers.

“For me, this award provides recognition of my hard work and that of my colleagues,” said Nicoletti. “It also acknowledges my mentor at Sanford Burnham Prebys and how he supports members of his laboratory.”

Nicoletti studies epigenetic patterns in skeletal muscle development and disease in the laboratory of Pier Lorenzo Puri, MD, director of the Development, Aging and Regeneration Program.

“My graduate school mentor met Lorenzo at a conference in 2016,” said Nicoletti. “Lorenzo wanted to apply what was then a very new technique called Hi-C to better understand how the MyoD protein—a key player in the establishment of muscle cell identity—is able to transform non-muscle cells into muscle.

“He wanted to study how changes in the three-dimensional organization of DNA can trigger alterations in gene expression, leading to a switch in cell identity. Few people in the world could analyze the data from these experiments at that time. And one of those people was me.”

Chiara’s accomplishments since joining Sanford Burnham Prebys and the Puri lab in 2018 include her work on dysferlinopathy, a rare form of muscular dystrophy. In collaboration with the laboratory of Jyoti K. Jaiswal, MSc, PhD, at Children’s National Research Institute in Washington, D.C., she developed an atlas mapping how the disease causes changes in the transcription of genes in skeletal muscle. This compendium follows the disease progression of dysferlinopathy at the single-cell level.

Dysferlinopathy patients suffer from progressive muscle loss in which muscle cells are replaced by fat and scar tissue. Understanding how this process takes place may accelerate research to find new drugs to improve muscle function. For her work on this project, Nicoletti was recently recognized with the Young Investigator Award by the Jain Foundation, a nonprofit foundation focused on finding a cure for dysferlinopathy.

“When you get to know people with muscular dystrophy, you immediately see that their minds are bursting with life,” reflected Nicoletti. “Someone I met recently said his dream was to bring his daughter to the altar at her wedding and have a father-daughter dance. If we can do something to improve his quality of life, imagine the ripple effects of what that would mean to his daughter, to his whole family.”

When Nicoletti completes her postdoctoral fellowship, she would like to remain in academia as an independent principal investigator.

“As a bioinformatician with experience in bench research, I hope to bring different labs together to build interdisciplinary collaborations focused on how diverse biological systems and organs interact.

“I also would like to teach as I feel it is our fundamental duty as scientists to train the next generation. I believe it is especially important to educate students and postdoctoral fellows about basic bioinformatics skills so that they are better equipped to evaluate published data and collaborate with computational biologists.”

Nicoletti also expressed a long-term goal of applying computational biology methods to advance knowledge of why patients are more or less susceptible to disease and have different responses to medications. These learnings are critical to personalizing treatment plans for individuals rather than populations.

Nicoletti is thankful for the support of the Fishman Fund Cynthia Schwartz Shenkman Research Excellence Award during the remainder of her postdoctoral training.

“The work I do is very rewarding. It feels close to the best that humanity has to offer when scientists and patients collaborate to achieve a common goal.

“I’m so grateful for this award, which serves as even more motivation for me, my mentor and collaborators. We’re each only given one life, and I’m determined to give back as much as I can to society through science.”

Institute News

Summer interns gain invaluable hands-on research experience at Sanford Burnham Prebys

AuthorGreg Calhoun
Date

August 7, 2024

2024 Preuss interns
The 2024 Preuss interns

Aspiring biomedical researchers and health care professionals spent up to six weeks at Sanford Burnham Prebys participating in meaningful experiments and learning about career opportunities

This summer, Sanford Burnham Prebys welcomed high school students to the Institute to participate in one of two internship programs. One group came from the Preuss School, which is located on the University of California San Diego campus in La Jolla and educates students striving to be first-generation college graduates. Participants in the Preuss internship program gained valuable experience while spending three weeks in Sanford Burnham Prebys laboratories learning research techniques and contributing to ongoing projects. This program is generously funded by Peggy and Peter Preuss, and Debby and Wain Fishburn. 

The Institute welcomed its third cohort of interns this year for the Summer Program to Accelerate Regenerative Medicine Knowledge (SPARK). SPARK is an initiative by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) that provides research opportunities for high schoolers from underrepresented groups throughout California. The SPARK participants completed six-week internships at Sanford Burnham Prebys and completed projects under the supervision of their faculty mentors. 

The Preuss and SPARK interns delivered poster presentations at a joint event held on campus on July 26, 2024. The students detailed their projects and what they had learned over the course of their internships. 

“I enjoyed the experience and know it will help me in the future,” says Lizeth Villa Bardeles, a Preuss intern who worked in the lab of Sanju Sinha, PhD, an assistant professor in the Cancer Molecular Therapeutics Program. “I also learned that artificial intelligence and computational biology methods are important for the future of biomedical research.” 

“The whole internship was super fun,” says Saanvi Dogra, a SPARK intern who worked in the lab of Sanjeev S. Ranade, PhD, an assistant professor in the Development, Aging and Regeneration Program. “I loved being in the lab and trying to get things to work. It really improved my ability to solve problems and confirmed how exciting science can be, and that it could be a great career path for me.” 

SPARK interns 2024

The 2024 SPARK interns with (at left) Evan Snyder, MD, PhD, director of the Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine and a professor in the Human Genetics Program, and (second from right) Sanjeev S. Ranade, PhD, an assistant professor in the Development, Aging and Regeneration Program.

In addition to working in labs, the Preuss and SPARK interns had other educational opportunities such as conversations with scientists and staff members with a variety of roles supporting research. 

“The career talks were really helpful as a way of seeing how many kinds of expertise are needed to run a research organization,” says Fernando Pech, a Preuss intern who worked in the lab of Peter D. Adams, PhD, director of the Cancer Genome and Epigenetics Program. “I believe you can find your passion at Sanford Burnham Prebys, so I would recommend this experience to other students.” 

The Preuss and SPARK interns delivered poster presentations at a joint event held on the institute campus on July 26, 2024. The students detailed their projects and what they had learned over the course of their internships.

“I believe this was an outstanding chance for these students to learn if research is a potential career they would like to pursue,” says Donmonique Chambliss, a senior administrator of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Education and Training Programs in the Institute’s NCI-designated Cancer Center, and the coordinator of the Preuss internship program. 

“These students are amazing,” says Ranade, the director of the SPARK internship program. “They are so motivated already as high school students. They all will go on to do great things, and we’re thrilled that several students are staying on to continue conducting research with their mentors.” 

This year’s SPARK internship culminated with a group trip to the University of California Riverside on August 6 for CIRM’s annual SPARK conference, where the participants from Sanford Burnham Prebys presented their work and networked with interns from other institutions across the state. 

Institute News

Sanford Burnham Prebys celebrates first graduate school Commencement ceremony

AuthorGreg Calhoun
Date

June 7, 2024

Left to right are Rachael McVicar, PhD; James Kent, PhD; Monica Gonzalez Ramirez, PhD; and Stephen Sakuma, PhD
Pictured from left to right are Rachael McVicar, PhD ’23; James Kent, PhD ’22; Monica Gonzalez Ramirez, PhD ’18; and Stephen Sakuma, PhD ’24.

The Sanford Burnham Prebys Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences held its first-ever Commencement ceremony to celebrate nearly 20 years of educating future scientists

On Friday, May 31, 2024, the Sanford Burnham Prebys Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences hosted four graduates, their family members and friends as well as current students, faculty members and staff at the Institute’s campus in La Jolla for the school’s first-ever Commencement ceremony.

In addition to honoring the four graduates in attendance, the event also recognized the 62 other alumni who graduated from the Institute’s graduate school in the nearly 20 years since its founding in 2006.

“The graduate school is a direct extension of our commitment to training the next generation of scientists,” said David Brenner, MD, president, CEO and Donald Bren Chief Executive Chair at Sanford Burnham Prebys, during his welcoming remarks. “We focus on cultivating a collaborative culture where students are full participants. Thank you for your dedication to learning and creating new knowledge, and for your contributions to our mission of translating science to improve health.”

Brenner added, “We’re incredibly proud of you!”

Alessandra Sacco, PhD, director of, and professor in, the Development, Aging and Regeneration Program at Sanford Burnham Prebys, and dean of the Institute’s Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, delivered the Commencement address.

“Hold onto perseverance and trust in yourself as you move forward,” said Sacco. “Never forget the sacrifices you have made, the hours in the lab and the failed experiments that have shaped you into better researchers.”

Sacco also remarked, “You are the next generation of scientists. You can make a difference by pushing on scientific boundaries while also having a positive influence on your communities.”

Alessandra Sacco, PhD, director of, and professor in, the Development, Aging and Regeneration Program at Sanford Burnham Prebys, and dean of the Institute’s Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, delivered the Commencement address.

After concluding her remarks by wishing the graduates great success throughout their professional journeys, Sacco introduced Stephen Sakuma, PhD ’24, to speak on behalf of the Institute’s 66 alumni.

Stephen Sakuma, PhD ’24, spoke on behalf of the Institute’s
66 alumni.

“The faculty and community at Sanford Burnham Prebys have been tremendous and afforded me the most meaningful opportunities to learn and grow,” said Sakuma. “The journey has been long and, at times, arduous, but it also has been exceedingly rewarding.”

Diane Klotz, PhD, chief learning officer at Sanford Burnham Prebys, then discussed the meaning of the hoods and symbols that are used in Commencement ceremonies. She recognized the Institute’s alumni, both present and across the globe, and explained that all graduates are conferred degrees following the completion of all educational requirements and successful defense of their theses.

The Commencement ceremony, then, represents an opportunity to welcome back and celebrate with our alumni and their friends and family, and to pay tribute to alumni unable to attend who entrusted Sanford Burnham Prebys with their graduate education and preparation to enter the field of biomedical research.

Klotz invited the graduates forward and instructed faculty members to adorn them with the doctoral academic hoods signifying completion of a PhD program.

The graduates who attended the Commencement ceremony were:

  • Monica Gonzalez Ramirez, PhD ’18, who trained in the Salvesen lab and was hooded by Guy Salvesen, PhD, emeritus professor
  • James Kent, PhD ’22, who trained in the Marassi lab and was hooded by Dr. Guy Salvesen
  • Rachael McVicar, PhD ’23, who trained in the Snyder/Leibel lab and was hooded by Evan Snyder, MD, PhD, director of the Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine and professor in the Human Genetics Program
  • Stephen Sakuma, PhD ’24, who trained in the D’Angelo lab and was hooded by Maximiliano D’Angelo, PhD, associate professor in the Cancer Metabolism and Microenvironment Program

As the inaugural dean of the Institute’s graduate school, Salvesen provided the ceremony’s closing remarks. He wished the alumni well and supported Sacco’s assertion that their perseverance would be rewarded, which he reinforced with a quote from author and Arches National Park enthusiast Edward Abbey.

“May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view.”

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Graduate School Of Biomedical Sciences

Institute News

The Conrad Prebys Foundation fellows take center stage

AuthorGreg Calhoun
Date

May 20, 2024

Conrad Prebys Foundations fellow symposium panel of speakers

Following a year of hands-on training and scientific inquiry supported by a generous grant from the Conrad Prebys Foundation, a diverse group of early-career researchers recently presented their promising progress on translational research projects.

Twelve scientists-in-training at Sanford Burnham Prebys presented research updates at the Conrad Prebys Foundation Fellows Symposium on May 14, 2024, at the Institute’s Fishman Auditorium.

The presentations were the culmination of a yearlong educational program at Sanford Burnham Prebys providing early-career scientists with workshops, mentorship and research experiences focused on how to transform research discoveries into new treatments. The Conrad Prebys Foundation provided critical funding for the program as part of the foundation’s mission to increase the diversity of San Diego’s biomedical workforce.

“This truly has been a pioneering program at the Institute,” says Alessandra Sacco, PhD, director of, and professor in, the Development, Aging and Regeneration Program at Sanford Burnham Prebys; and dean of the Institute’s Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.

The graduate students and postdoctoral fellows selected to participate in the program conducted projects at the Institute’s  Conrad Prebys Center for Chemical Genomics (Prebys Center), the nation’s leading nonprofit drug discovery center. The Prebys Center specializes in finding new medicines for diseases with a substantial unmet medical need.

Conrad Prebys Foundation fellows poster presentations

“Each participant worked with a pair of co-mentors, one in the laboratory and another in the Prebys Center,” adds Sacco. In addition to extensive mentorship, the program included educational sessions about the drug discovery process.
“This program’s multifaceted approach to training and development has been incredibly rewarding,” says Sacco. Before introducing the symposium’s first speaker, Sacco thanked Michael Jackson, PhD, senior vice president of Drug Discovery and Development at the Prebys Center and director of the Institute’s Cancer Molecular Therapeutics Program; Jessica Colomb, associate director of Administration at the Prebys Center; and all the mentors who contributed to the program’s success.

Conrad Prebys Foundation fellows poster presentations

After the conclusion of the fellows’ formal presentations, Lauren Mitchell, MS, program manager for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) at Sanford Burnham Prebys, moderated a discussion for fellowship awardees regarding how this training program enriched their skillset, benefited their career development and contributed to their overall sense of belonging and community, among other topics.

The symposium ended with a poster session and reception celebrating the Conrad Prebys Foundation, participants, mentors and contributors.

“I would like to express my utmost gratitude to the Conrad Prebys Foundation for this fellowship,” says Xiuqing Wei, PhD, postdoctoral associate in the lab of Lorenzo Puri, MD, director of, and professor in, the Development, Aging and Regeneration Program at Sanford Burnham Prebys.

Wei adds, “It was a wonderful experience working with my co-mentors on an amazing translational research project.” Wei focused on methods for targeting the abnormal regulation of a key proinflammatory cytokine which is associated with muscle waste under the conditions of nerve injuries and cancer.

The Conrad Prebys Foundation fellows who presented at the symposium were:

Postdoctoral Fellows

  • Merve Demir
    Zhao Lab, Ed Sergienko co-mentor
    “Structural studies of MtCK and GCDH enzyme drug targets”
  • Alicia Llorente Lope
    Emerling Lab, Ian Pass co-mentor
    “Exploring PI5P4Kγ as a novel molecular vulnerability of therapy-resistant breast cancer” 
  • Van Giau Vo
    Huang Lab, TC Chung co-mentor
    “Identifying enhancers of SNX27 to promote neuroprotective pathways in Alzheimer’s disease and Down Syndrome”
  • Xiuqing Wei
    Puri Lab, Anne Bang co-mentor
    “Selective targeting of a pathogenetic IL6-STAT3 feedforward loop activated during denervation and cancer cachexia”

Predoctoral Fellows

  • Michael Alexander Alcaraz
    Adams Lab, Steven Olson co-mentor
    “Activating the NAMPT-NAD+ axis in senescence to target age-associated disease”
  •   Shea Grenier Davis
    Commisso Lab, Steven Olson co-mentor
    “Examining PIKfyve as a potential therapeutic target in pancreatic cancer” 
  • Aditi Pedgaonkar
    Deshpande Lab, Ed Sergienko co-mentor
    “SGF29 as a novel therapeutic target in AML” 
  • Patrick Hagan
    Cosford Lab, Ian Pass co-mentor
    “Discovery and development of novel ATG13 degrading compounds that inhibit autophagy and treat non-small-cell lung cancer” 
  • Texia Loh
    Wang Lab, Ed Sergienko co-mentor
    “Investigating the role of HELLS in mediating resistance to PARP Inhibition in small-cell lung cancer” 
  • Michaela Lynott
    Colas Lab, TC Chung co-mentor
    “Identification of small molecules inhibiting ATF7IP-SETDB1 interacting complex to improve cardiac reprogramming efficiency” 
  • Tatiana Moreno
    Kumsta Lab, Anne Bang co-mentor
    “Identifying TFEB/HLH-30 regulators to modulate autophagy in age-related diseases” 
  • Utkarsha Paithane
    Bagchi Lab, TC Chung co-mentor
    “Identification of small-molecule enhancers of Honeybadger, a novel RAS/MAPK inhibitor”
Institute News

Showcasing stellar scientists-in-training: The Rising Stars Symposium at Sanford Burnham Prebys

AuthorGreg Calhoun
Date

May 7, 2024

2024 Rising Stars speakers

The annual event brought 12 doctoral-degree candidates and postdoctoral fellows to the Institute to help nurture diversity in research and feature Rising Stars poised to move science forward.

Sanford Burnham Prebys recently hosted its third annual Rising Stars Symposium, a research meeting and networking opportunity for 12 postdoctoral candidates.

“If I could do another postdoctoral fellowship, I would do it here,” said David Brenner, MD, president, CEO and Donald Bren Chief Executive Chair at Sanford Burnham Prebys, during his opening remarks. “I hope you feel very welcome here as part of the family.”

Following Brenner’s introductory comments, Ani Deshpande, PhD, associate professor in the Cancer Genome and Epigenetics Program at Sanford Burnham Prebys and associate director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Institute’s NCI-designated Cancer Center, introduced the symposium’s keynote speaker, Thomas Martínez, PhD, assistant professor of Biological Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of California, Irvine.

“I have read all the participants’ biographies, and it is clear you all truly are rising stars,” said Martínez. “Every journey in science is unique, but if you find great mentors, adopt an attitude of service and seek to engage with your community, that will carry you a long way.”

The 12 Rising Stars were then invited to give presentations on research they conducted during their graduate school training.

“I was really excited to share my research at Sanford Burnham Prebys,” says Rebecca Mello, a 2024 Rising Star and graduate student at the Scripps Research Skaggs Graduate School of Chemical and Biological Sciences. “It was an amazing opportunity to participate in such a prestigious event.”

Thomas Martinez, PhD, headshot

Keynote speaker, Thomas Martínez, PhD, assistant professor of Biological Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of California, Irvine

Rebecca Mello headshot

Rebecca Mello, 2024 Rising Star and graduate student

In addition to the full-day symposium, the Rising Stars took tours of the Institute, learned about its core facilities and shared research resources, networked with Institute scientists, and gained a better understanding of postdoctoral opportunities at Sanford Burnham Prebys.

“It was really lovely to meet many members of the faculty and staff,” adds Mello. “It seems like a really welcoming community and a well-equipped research institution.”

“When you compare the symposium to a normal recruiting visit where you might go to one lab and some core facilities, this event allows you to have many more interactions and leaves you with a much more complete understanding of the Institute and its collaborative culture,” says Evelyn Sanchez Hernandez, PhD, a 2023 Rising Star who joined Sanford Burnham Prebys as a postdoctoral associate in the Bradley lab and the Cancer Metabolism and Microenvironment Program. Hernandez moderated a session at this year’s event.

The 2024 Rising Star Symposium was sponsored by the NCI-designated Cancer Center and was planned collaboratively by the Institute’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) Council; the Cancer Center’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) team; and planning and selection committees.

The planners are grateful for everyone who contributes to this Institute-wide effort, including workshop facilitators, panelists, the Communications team, the Research Administrative Services team and many volunteers.

“It made me proud to work here seeing the tremendous partnerships in action that make this symposium possible,” says Lauren Mitchell, MS, program manager for DEIB at Sanford Burnham Prebys. “I think we were successful in shaking up the standard recruiting process and opening the eyes of both the Stars and attendees to new potential opportunities.”

Hernandez says, “This event is really important because it helps promote and foster more diversity in the scientific community, which is something I want to contribute to and help make happen throughout my career.”

Institute News

Sanford Burnham Prebys’ Shadow Day supports diversity and inclusion in STEM education

AuthorSusan Gammon
Date

November 20, 2023

Caroline Kumsta speaking to STEM Shadow Day students in her lab

Creating an inclusive environment in STEM is crucial for ensuring a broad range of perspectives and ideas, ultimately contributing to the advancement of scientific research and innovation.

This month, Sanford Burnham Prebys’ DEI Education & Training Committee hosted more than 20 high school and college students from historically underrepresented backgrounds for a day of lab tours and workshops. The event was sponsored by the San Diego MESA alliance, and faculty, staff and current trainees came together to help make the event possible.

“The sponsorship by the San Diego MESA Alliance demonstrates the collaborative efforts between organizations to support diversity and inclusion in STEM education,” said Paula Checchi, PhD, administrator in the Institute’s Office of Education, Training and International Students and leader for our DEI Committee. “Such partnerships play a vital role in breaking down barriers and providing resources to underrepresented students to overcome challenges in pursuing careers in science and technology.”

STEM Shadow Day at Sanford Burnham Prebys serves as a model for other institutions seeking to enhance diversity in STEM fields. By actively engaging with students from underrepresented backgrounds and providing them with meaningful experiences, the Institute is contributing to a more inclusive and equitable future in science and research.

After the opening comments from Checci and Alessandra Sacco, Ph.D, Dean of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Director and Professor of the Development, Aging and Regeneration Program at Sanford Burnham Prebys, high school students attended a workshop on networking skills and mentorship. Meanwhile, college students divided into groups and went on guided tours of labs across campus, where they saw firsthand how researchers are solving pressing problems in medicine.

“I’ve always known that I wanted to go into a biomedical research career,” said Owen Kelly, a high school student at High Tech High in Chula Vista. Kelly “Coming here and seeing how things really are in laboratories is very cool—it makes me even more excited to think about a future in science.”

The event ended with a networking lunch followed by a poster session, featuring work by graduate students and alumni of this summer’s SPARK internship program—a six-week, fully paid internship open to high schoolers from San Diego and Imperial Counties.

“Diversity is a huge resource, especially in scientific research,” Sacco said. “If you’re asking questions nobody has the answer to, and everybody in the room is from the same background with the same mindset, you’re less likely to less likely to find creative answers. Diversity enriches the scientific discussion, and we’re all part of the same research community.”

Institute News

Emily Wu awarded Melvin and Phyllis McCardle Clause Scholarship

AuthorSusan Gammon
Date

September 28, 2023

Emily Wu headshot

A scholarship program enabled by the Clause family’s generous donations to the Institute has been awarded to Jiaqian (Emily) Wu, a graduate student in the lab of Nicholas Cosford, PhD, co-director and professor of the Cancer Molecular Therapeutics Program.

“This award is special to me because it’s more than a scholarship—it’s inspiring and encouraging for early-stage scholars,” says Wu. “My research goal is to discover innovative treatments of Alzheimer’s disease and enhance our understanding of the disease. Receiving this honor from a family who was affected by this devastating disease makes me even more motivated to advance my research. I sincerely appreciate the support.”

The McCardle Clause Scholarship was established in honor of Phyllis McCardle Clause who passed away after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s disease in 2008, in San Diego, California. The award supports graduate student education in neurodegeneration and aging within the Graduate Program for Biomedical Sciences.

Wu’s research focuses on a brain-specific enzyme called STEP, whose levels are increased in the human prefrontal cortex of AD patients. Genetic and pharmacological evidence from mouse studies suggest that targeting STEP, a signaling molecule involved in the initial synaptic dysfunction that occurs prior to the loss of neurons, may provide an early treatment option for Alzheimer’s disease.

“We are using a bold approach to screen for potential drugs that modulate STEP,” says Wu. “The strategy holds great potential in overcoming the historical challenges of drug potency, selectivity and blood-brain barrier penetration efficacy for Alzheimer’s disease.”

“More approaches to stemming Alzheimer’s disease are desperately needed. I’m hopeful that our research will contribute to the field and help people suffering this disease.”

Institute News

Scientific leaders of tomorrow present at 2023 Annual Trainee Symposium

AuthorSusan Gammon
Date

September 22, 2023

People at 2023 Trainee Symposium poster session

An accomplished group of early-career researchers including postdoctoral scholars, graduate students and staff scientists showcased their work at Sanford Burnham Prebys’ 22nd Annual Trainee Research Symposium on Thursday, September 21st.

After introductory remarks by Sanford Burnham Prebys Professor Guy Salveson, PhD, former dean of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, the scientists gave 20-minute podium presentations about their research, which were judged by a panel of Sanford Burnham Prebys faculty and staff.

Speakers included:

  • Patrick Hagan (Graduate Student, Cosford Lab)
  • Alessandra Cecchini, PhD (Postdoctoral Associate, Sacco Lab)
  • James Kent, PhD (Postdoctoral Associate, Osterman Lab)
  • Theophilos Tzaridis, MD (Postdoctoral Fellow, Adams Lab)
  • Jimmy Massenet, PhD (Postdoctoral Associate, Puri Lab)
  • Merve Demir, PhD (Postdoctoral Associate, Sergienko Lab/CPCCG)
  • Guillem Lambies Barjau, PhD (Postdoctoral Associate, Commisso Lab)
  • Michaela Romero (Graduate Student, Colas Lab)

After the first session of presentations, a keynote speech for the symposium was given by UC San Diego Professor Gene Yeo, PhD professor at UC San Diego titled, “Challenges and opportunities in RNA biology for understanding and treating human diseases.” Dr. Yeo is a leader in developing technology and algorithms to explore how RNA-binding proteins influence RNA processing and how dysfunction is associated with human disease.

Following closing remarks from Sanford Burnham Prebys CEO David A. Brenner, MD, a poster session was held where more than 25 early-career scientists were given the chance to present their work.

Cynthia Lebeaupin, PhD headshot in lab

A panel of judges selected the poster of Cynthia Lebeaupin, PhD (Kaufman Lab) for the top prize. Dr. Lebeaupin’s research focuses on how fatty liver disease—an increasingly prevalent health condition—leads to liver cancer.

Michaela Romero headshot

Winner of the judges’ selection for “Best Podium Talk” was awarded to Michaela Romero for her presentation, “Novel role of proteoglycan sulfation as a barrier to direct cardiac reprogramming.”

The event also featured the presentation of Sanford Burnham Prebys’ Mentor of the Year Award to Alessandra Sacco, PhD, who was recently named the new dean of the graduate school.

Congratulations to all the participants in this year’s Symposium, and a special thank you to the staff at the Office of Education, Training, & International Services (OETIS) for organizing the event.

Aaron Havas presenting Alessandra Sacco with Mentor of the Year award
Institute News

2023 Fishman Fund Award ceremony celebrates postdoctoral scholars

AuthorSusan Gammon
Date

September 15, 2023

From left to right: Brad Benter, Cheng-Ju Kuo, PhD, Theo Tzaridis, MD, Reena Horowitz and Sam Horowitz

Three talented early-career researchers were presented with prestigious Fishman Fund Awards at the 22nd annual ceremony on September 20.

More than 100 generous benefactors, past award winners, and family and friends joined the celebration held at the Sanford Consortium.

Fishman Fund co-founder Reena Horowitz greeted the audience and shared how she, along with Mary Bradley, established the Fishman Fund Awards in 2001 to honor Dr. William and Lillian Fishman, founders of Sanford Burnham Prebys.

The Fishmans were committed to fostering the careers of young scientists. The award ceremony honors our founders’ dedication to furthering the careers of promising scientists by gathering each autumn to celebrate exceptional postdocs.

Before the awards were presented to the winners, David Brenner, MD, CEO of Sanford Burnham Prebys, described how important postdocs are to scientific discovery and why investing in their careers is a vital step toward improving human health.

“The postdoc experience is important, as it provides more training, experience and skills, before entering a more permanent science career,” said Brenner. “Postdocs represent the next generation of imagination and innovation, which much be recognized, encouraged and emboldened.”

Meet this year’s Fishman Fund Award winners

The Reena Horowitz & Mary Bradley Fishman Fund Founders Prize
Cheng-Ju Kuo, PhD, a postdoctoral researcher in the lab of Dr. Caroline Kumsta, is studying the biology of aging. Dr. Kuo is unraveling the molecular mechanisms linked to a cellular recycling process that declines with age. His findings could open up new possibilities to treat age-released diseases. Dr. Kuo’s goal is to establish his own laboratory where he will study aging and train the next generation of scientists.

Jeanne Jones and Kathryn Fishback Fishman Fund Prize
Alicia Llorente, PhD, a postdoctoral associate in the lab of Dr. Brooke Emerling, is investigating how breast cancer cells become resistant to therapy. Dr. Llorente combines her expertise in lipid kinases with cancer biology to open possibilities for novel therapeutics for therapy-resistant breast cancer. Her career goal is to combine research with teaching by obtaining a faculty position at a university.

Lenka Finci and Erna Viterbi Fishman Fund Prize
Theo Tzaridis, MD, is a postdoctoral associate in the lab of Dr. Peter Adams, where he focuses on aggressive brain tumors. His research led to the identification of a key checkpoint molecule widely expressed in brain tumors, which is a significant step toward improving immunotherapy as a treatment for brain tumors. Dr. Tzaridis plans to become a leader in translating research findings into clinical trials.

Fishman Fund winners undergo a rigorous selection process that includes a personal interview and a presentation to the selection committee. All winners receive a $10,000 career development award that can be used to attend workshops, network and travel to national and international conferences to learn about the latest developments in their research fields.

A special thank-you to the Fishman Fund donors who make these awards possible.