events Archives - Sanford Burnham Prebys

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Institute News

Women in Science Lecture series features cancer research fundraising leader and entrepreneur

AuthorCommunications
Date

October 20, 2026

Sherine Sun, Robin Toft, Susanne Heynen-Genel and Jessica Proulx. Image credit: Sanford Burnham Prebys.
From left to right: Sherine Sun, Robin Toft, Susanne Heynen-Genel and Jessica Proulx. Image credit: Sanford Burnham Prebys.

The series highlights the groundbreaking work and unique perspectives of women leaders in the biomedical sciences

Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute hosted another inspirational installment of the Women in Science Lecture Series on October 14, 2026. The featured guest speaker was Robin Toft, CEO of Curebound, a community-powered cancer research accelerator in San Diego that has invested more than $50 million in 170 scientific projects.

Toft shared the trajectory of her career in health care and research. Early in her professional journey as a clinical laboratory scientist, she found that she excelled at educating physicians about new technologies. That led her into molecular diagnostic sales and later into the San Francisco biotech industry. After being diagnosed with colon cancer on a business trip, she was determined to move her life and career in a different direction.

Toft built an executive search firm in San Diego focused on serving oncology companies. Her goal was to put the right people in the right places to succeed. After she grew her search firm and it was acquired, Toft focused even more intently on providing service to institutional boards.

“Having served on more than 15 boards in and around this area, I was pulled toward nonprofit service,” said Toft. “Curebound was by far my favorite, so when Anne Marbarger stepped down as CEO, I raised my hand and said, ‘choose me, I really, really need to do this job.’”

Toft then discussed enhancements to Curebound’s leadership team and fundraising strategies aimed at increasing the organization’s ability to invest in the region.

“We love to invest over $10 million annually, and I want that to go up to 15, 20 and 25 in the coming years,” she said.

Toft concluded by providing advice on career advancement for women in academic and industry science based on her experience placing high-level executives.

“It always comes down to three elements: confidence, competence and connections,” said Toft.

Demonstrating confidence starts with candidates applying to jobs even when they don’t meet every single qualification. Competence includes creating and demonstrating value, then leveraging it to ask for additional opportunities. On the topic of connections, Toft discussed mentors who provide direct guidance and sponsors who go to bat for you when you’re not in the room.

“I challenge each of you to create a board of directors for yourself that includes both mentors and sponsors, and you’ll have a network to push you forward.”

Robin Toft, CEO of Cureboung, speaking at the podium

Curebound CEO Robin Toft shared the trajectory of her career in health care and research. She also provided advice on career advancement for women in academic science and industry based on her experience running an oncology-focused executive search firm. Image credit: Sanford Burnham Prebys.

Following Toft’s remarks, Jessica Proulx, PhD, postdoctoral associate in the lab of Peter Adams, PhD, moderated a fireside chat and audience question-and-answer session with Toft, Susanne Heynen-Genel, PhD, director of high content imaging platforms in the Center for Therapeutics Discovery, and Xueqin (Sherine) Sun, PhD, assistant professor in the Cancer Genome and Epigenetics Program at the Sanford Burnham Prebys NCI-designated Cancer Center. Heynen-Genel and Sun have active research projects supported by grants from Curebound.

Topics during the fireside chat included: the importance of funding for high-risk, high-reward research and pilot studies to generate preliminary data; how grantmakers and principal investigators manage risk and balance their professional portfolios; plans for investing in personalized therapy research; and how principal investigators can better serve as mentors and sponsors for female scientists.

The Women in Science Lecture Series features events that are free and open to the public. The series is part of broader efforts at Sanford Burnham Prebys to foster an environment that nurtures the success of individuals from all backgrounds. The events are hosted by the Office of Workforce Engagement & Belonging and highlight the groundbreaking work and unique perspectives of women leaders in the biomedical sciences, while fostering mentorship and collaboration across the Torrey Pines Mesa.

Stay tuned for more information about the next event in the series scheduled for spring 2027.

Institute News

Biomedical Research Symposium celebrates science, community and 50 years

AuthorCommunications
Date

September 22, 2026

graduate student and postdoc alumni group photo. Image credit: Sanford Burnham Prebys.
Graduate student and postdoctoral alumni panel. From left to right: Jonatan Matalonga Borrel, Paloma Sánchez Pavón, Miguel Reina Campos, Eric Lau, Carolina Kumsta and Michaela Romero. Image credit: Sanford Burnham Prebys.

Sanford Burnham Prebys’ 25th annual Biomedical Research Symposium took on special significance this year as scientists and alumni gathered during the Institute’s 50th anniversary to celebrate the discoveries, collaborations and people that have shaped its scientific community.

The symposium showcased research from across the Institute, giving graduate students and postdocs opportunities to present their work, exchange ideas with faculty and colleagues and build new collaborations.

The program opened with a keynote address from Sanford Burnham Prebys alumna Fiona Scott, PhD, who traced a career that has taken her from fundamental research at Sanford Burnham Prebys to biotechnology and drug development. 

“It’s really been built on this idea of maintaining scientific curiosity, maintaining flexibility and open-mindedness,” Scott said of her career.

Scott shared examples from her work translating basic discoveries into potential medicines and reflected on how her experiences at Sanford Burnham Prebys influenced her approach to science. She encouraged trainees to seek out expertise beyond their own areas of study, stay open to unexpected directions and make the most of the people and resources around them.

Fiona Scott, PhD

Fiona Scott, PhD.

The anniversary celebration continued with a special alumni panel moderated by alumna Caroline Kumsta, PhD. Kumsta is associate dean of student affairs in the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and an assistant professor in the Center for Cardiovascular and Muscular Diseases.

Five alumni representing careers in academia and industry discussed how their graduate education or postdoctoral training at the Institute prepared them for what came next. They talked about the value of mentorship and collaboration, learning to communicate science effectively and developing skills and relationships beyond the laboratory.

Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences alumni group photo. Image credit: Sanford Burnham Prebys.

Graduate student and postdoctoral alumni. Image credit: Sanford Burnham Prebys.

Panelists also offered advice to current trainees, encouraging them to build networks, explore different career paths, develop a broad range of skills and remain adaptable as science and technology continue to change.

The conversation took on added meaning during Sanford Burnham Prebys’ 50th anniversary. Asked what it meant to return to the Institute for the milestone, alumni repeatedly described it as a scientific family and a place that continues to feel like home. They recalled the friendships, mentorship and sense of community that defined their time at the Institute and have stayed with them throughout their careers.

The day concluded with a special alumni reception, bringing together current and former members of the Sanford Burnham Prebys community to reconnect, celebrate the Institute’s first 50 years and look ahead.

Institute News

Ceremony celebrates 2026 Fishman Fund awards for outstanding postdoctoral research 

AuthorCommunications
Date

September 18, 2026

2026 Fishman Award winners. From left: Amador Gallardo de los Reyes, Jimmy Massenet, Lucia Alcober Boquet, Dominic Denk and Robert Wiesheu.
2026 Fishman Award winners. From left: Amador Gallardo de los Reyes, Jimmy Massenet, Lucia Alcober Boquet, Dominic Denk and Robert Wiesheu. Image credit: Sanford Burnham Prebys.

Five young scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, whose research spans metabolic disease, cancer, aging and muscle-wasting disorders, were honored on September 17 at the 25th annual Fishman Fund awards ceremony. 

The Fishman Fund was created in 2001 by Sanford Burnham Prebys supporters Mary Bradley and Reena Horowitz to honor Dr. William and Mrs. Lillian Fishman, who founded the Institute in 1976. In 2010, Jeanne Jones became a co-founder designee. 

The awards are intended to support and promote early career scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys. Four career development awards provide $10,000 stipends 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. In addition, the prizes include a two-year fellowship award, and an honor focused on rewarding research excellence. The fund is made possible through the generosity of many donors. 

The ceremony, which included poster presentations, was held at the Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine. The 2026 recipients are:

Don Barach Memorial Fishman Fund Award

Lucía Alcober Boquet, PhD, works with Michael Karin, PhD, 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.

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.

Lucia Alcober Boquet, PhD

Jeanne Jones and Kathryn Fishback Fishman Fund Award

Dominic Denk, MD, MHBA, works with Michael Karin, PhD, to study to study how inflammation and metabolism shape the immune system’s ability to control cancers of the digestive system.

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.

Dominic Denk, MD

Reena and Sam Horowitz Founders Fishman Career Award

Amador Gallardo de los Reyes, PhD, works with Xiao Tian, PhD, 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, 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.

Amador Gallardo de los Reyes, PhD

Fishman Fund Fellowship Award

Jimmy Massenet, PhD, works with Pier Lorenzo Puri, MD, 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. 

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. 

Jimmy Massenet, PhD

Lenka Finci and Erna Viterbi Fishman Fund Award

Robert Wiesheu, PhD, works with Kelly Kersten, PhD, 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.

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.

Robert Wiesheu, PhD

For more information on the Fishman Fund or to learn more about our philanthropy program, please contact giving@sbpdiscovery.org. 

Institute News

LEAP scholars share scientific and professional development achievements

AuthorCommunications
Date

July 6, 2026

From left to right: Yun Ma, Sarina Safavi, Isabel Sakowicz and Josue Navarrete. Image credit: Sanford Burnham Prebys.
LEAP program participants recently shared their research at a capstone presentation event. From left to right: Yun Ma, Sarina Safavi, Isabel Sakowicz and Josue Navarrete. Not pictured: Mahek Shah. Image credit: Sanford Burnham Prebys.

Postbaccalaureate training program participants deliver capstone presentations, thank mentors and colleagues

In late June 2026, trainees in the LEAP (Laboratory Experience As Pathway) to a PhD program at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute participated in a capstone presentation event. The scholars shared their research findings following a year of work and mentorship in labs throughout the Institute.

The LEAP program was designed to bridge the gap between college graduation and a PhD program. It provides recent graduates with hands-on biomedical research experience, career development opportunities and mentorship to enhance their applications for—and ability to succeed in—highly competitive biomedical PhD programs.

With generous support from the Prebys Foundation, the LEAP program is offered through a collaborative partnership between the Sanford Burnham Prebys NCI-designated Cancer Center and Office of Learning and Development.

“Today we celebrate five of our LEAP program participants who have gained new skills, demonstrated research successes and grown as scientists throughout their journeys here,” said Kevin Yip, PhD, during his introductory remarks.

Following Yip’s welcoming address, the LEAP program mentors introduced the participants and invited them forward for their capstone presentations.

Yun Ma, a trainee in the Feng and Yip labs, discussed her study of proteins that group together in what are called protein complexes to carry out biological functions.

Ma developed a method for comparing data on RNA and proteins to identify priority genes affecting how protein complexes form. These priority genes may help shed new light on how diseases progress and may inform efforts to design new medications.

Her presentation was titled, “Inferring disease-associated changes in protein complex assembly from multimodal data.”

Kevin Yip, PhD

Kevin Yip, PhD, the Andrew and Erna Viterbi Distinguished Chair and director of the Center for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, provided opening remarks at the event.

Sarina Safavi, a trainee in the Dhar lab, described her work to understand why cardiovascular disease—especially heart failure with preserved ejection fraction—is the leading cause of death among liver disease patients. Safavi developed tools needed to make new liver disease research models to study how the disease affects the heart.

The continuation of this research may lead to the discovery of new drug targets and methods for identifying liver disease patients at greater risk of heart failure to enable earlier treatments.

Her talk was titled, “Mechanistic understanding of MASLD-associated cardiac dysfunction and its reversibility.”

Josue Navarrete, a trainee in the Deshpande and Yip labs, detailed his project focused on small proteins from areas beyond the protein-coding genes that get the most scientific attention. Increasing amounts of evidence supports these microproteins’ biological importance, including in cancer.

Navarette optimized a computational technique for discovering microproteins which enables large-scale studies of thousands of genes. He tested the approach and found microproteins involved in stem cells becoming blood cells and other cells. Studying these microproteins may lead to new diagnostic techniques and potential treatments for blood cancers.

His lecture was titled, “Optimized pipeline enables genome-wide discovery of candidate microproteins in hematopoiesis.” Navarette will be joining the Institute as a doctoral student this fall.

Mahek Shah, a trainee in the Spruck lab, shared her study of a cancer treatment strategy that compels tumor cells to act as if they are infected by a virus. Known as viral mimicry, this therapeutic approach triggers the innate immune system to respond against cancer cells. Shah described drug screening experiments that identified promising novel candidate compounds.

In further tests, these compounds were found to activate viral mimicry, cause an immune response and to be toxic to cancer cells. Continued research may lead to new treatments that can boost the effectiveness of chemotherapy, radiation therapy and targeted therapies.

Her presentation was titled, “Novel compounds targeting histone modifying enzymes induce viral mimicry in breast cancer.”

Isabel Sakowicz, a trainee in the Tharp lab, discussed her research regarding the most common and difficult-to-treat form of ovarian cancer. These tumors can wall themselves off from the immune system with structural collagen proteins that resemble scar tissue.

Yun Ma, a trainee in the Feng and Yip labs

Yun Ma, a trainee in the Feng and Yip labs, discussed her study of proteins that group together in what are called protein complexes to carry out biological functions.

Sakowicz explored how a potential treatment strategy might reduce levels of a form of collagen known to promote ovarian cancer invasiveness and metastasis. Lowering collagen VI levels may break down the barrier around ovarian cancer cells to make other treatments more effective, including immunotherapies.

Her presentation was titled, “FAK protein loss rewires amino acid metabolism in high-grade serous ovarian cancer.” Sakowicz will be joining the Institute as a doctoral student this fall.

In addition to discussing their respective projects, the trainees credited their mentors, fellow lab members and access to avenues for training and advancing as professionals.

“Beyond my scientific achievements, I have enjoyed many career development opportunities, including attending and presenting at workshops, seminars and conferences,” said Ma.

“Everyone in the lab has contributed to a truly supportive and cooperative environment,” said Safavi. “I would also like to thank the LEAP program coordinators for their efforts and making sure we were set up for success.”

Institute News

Sanford Burnham Prebys Science Network hosts Community Outreach Symposium showcasing early-career research

AuthorCommunications
Date

June 19, 2026

Anna Checheninia presenting at the Outreach Symposium

Graduate students and postdoctoral researchers from across Sanford Burnham Prebys took center stage at the 2026 Community Outreach Symposium, sharing their research with colleagues and mentors from across the Institute, as well as members of the broader community. 

Organized by the Sanford Burnham Prebys Science Network (SBP-SN) and the Office of Learning and Development, the event aims to spark excitement about biomedical research and build trust with the public, while providing trainees with an opportunity to communicate their science to a diverse audience in short 3-minute talks.

The symposium included a Postdoc Pitch Competition, where postdoctoral researchers competed for the opportunity to represent Sanford Burnham Prebys in a mesa-wide competition this fall against peers from Scripps Research, Salk Institute for Biological Studies and the University of California San Diego.

The event also featured a Science Communication Competition, where seven graduate students presented their research and competed for audience votes. The friendly competition highlighted the importance of effective science communication and public engagement.

Postdoc Pitch speakers:

  • Jimmy Massenet, PhD, Puri lab — CTCF: The Pillars That Hold Our Genome
  • Julia Schoenfeld, PhD, Cosford lab — One STEP Forward in the Fight Against Alzheimer’s Disease
  • Ryan Loughran, PhD, Emerling lab — PIPKs: Sorting Out Your Cell’s Delivery System
  • Kokila Shankar, PhD, Sheffler lab — Don’t Stress: Targeting Stress Signaling to Treat Brain Disorders- (First place Judges’ Selection and People’s Choice Award)
  • Jessica Proulx, PhD, Adams lab — Game of Genes: A Song of Activation & Silencing – (Second place Judges’ Selection)

Drs. Kokila Shankar and Jessica Proulx will compete in the Torrey Pines Mesa-wide Postdoc Pitch Competition this fall.

Science Communication Competition presenters:

  • Anamika Yadav, Sinha lab — The Aging Rollercoaster Inside Us
  • Alisha Kirkland, Spruck lab — Cold Breast Tumors Go Viral – (First place People’s Choice)
  • Anna Chechenina, Sinha lab — Your Liver Has a Bad Neighborhood: Finding Where Aging Moves In
  • Sophie Hao, Dong lab — When Yellow Isn’t Mellow: The Race to Cure Biliary Atresia – (Second place People’s Choice)
  • Carolina Cano Macip, Tian lab — Unlocking Nature’s Secrets to Healthy Aging 
  • Erik Hultenius, Tian lab — Anti-Aging Interventions for the Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease
  • Patrick Hagan, Cosford lab — ATG Attack: Developing New Drugs for Pancreatic Cancer

The symposium also featured a keynote presentation by Sanjeev Ranade, PhD, assistant professor in the Center for Cardiovascular and Muscular Diseases. Ranade shared highlights from his research on congenital heart disease and developmental biology, while also reflecting on the mentors, experiences and scientific communication opportunities that shaped his career.

Drawing on his own career journey, Ranade encouraged trainees to take chances and remain open to unexpected opportunities. He shared how a seemingly small decision to submit an abstract ultimately set in motion a series of events that led to new collaborations, funding opportunities and eventually a faculty position at Sanford Burnham Prebys. Success, he noted, often comes not from following a carefully mapped path, but from being willing to step forward when opportunities arise.

The event concluded with award announcements, followed by a reception hosted by SBP-SN that provided additional opportunities for networking and scientific discussion.

By bringing together members of the Sanford Burnham Prebys community and guests from the broader community, the symposium fostered collaboration, scientific exchange and public engagement while helping early-career researchers strengthen the communication skills needed to share their discoveries beyond the laboratory.

Special thanks to our judges for their time and participation:

  • Nan Eastman
    Fishman Community Advisory Board Member
  • Mitchell Furumoto
    Associate Director, International Services, Sanford Burnham Prebys
  • Liz Hincks
    Director, Communications, Sanford Burnham Prebys
  • Eric Meyer
    Assistant Director, Fleet Science Center
  • Jill Roughan, PhD
    Founder and President of Sciencia Consulting
Institute News

Sanford Burnham Prebys recognizes 10 doctoral degree recipients

AuthorCommunications
Date

June 3, 2026

The graduates recognized at the third annual Commencement ceremony, from left to right: Michaela Romero, Yu-Ling (Linda) Chang, Cedomir Stamenkovic, Sviatlana Zaretski, Jiaqian (Emily) Wu, Ximena Diaz-Olea and Adarsh Rajesh
The graduates recognized at the third annual Commencement ceremony, from left to right: Michaela Romero, PhD ’25; Yu-Ling (Linda) Chang, PhD ’26; Cedomir Stamenkovic, PhD ’25; Sviatlana Zaretski, PhD ’25; Jiaqian (Emily) Wu, PhD ’25; Ximena Diaz-Olea, PhD ’25; and Adarsh Rajesh, PhD ’25. Rema Iyer, PhD ’25; Utkarsha Hemant Paithane, PhD ’26; and Ruslan Nuryyev, PhD ’26, were unable to attend.

The Institute’s Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences held its third Commencement ceremony to celebrate new alumni

The Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute’s Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences hosted 10 recent doctoral degree recipients and their family members, friends and colleagues during the school’s third annual Commencement ceremony on May 29, 2026.

These new graduates join the ranks of Institute scientists and alumni that have propelled 50 years of discovery at Sanford Burnham Prebys and 20 years of graduate education.

The graduation ceremony was held at the Institute’s La Jolla campus in the Victor E. LaFave III Memorial Auditorium.

“As you reflect on your first days as a graduate student, I hope you recognize how far you have come, not only as scientists, but also as thinkers, collaborators, mentors and individuals,” said Alessandra Sacco, PhD, the dean of the Sanford Burnham Prebys Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and a professor in the Center for Cardiovascular and Muscular Diseases.

“The growth you have demonstrated through this remarkable journey is extraordinary, and today we celebrate both your accomplishments and the dedication that made them possible. It has been an honor to be part of your journey.”

Following her remarks, Sacco introduced David Brenner, MD, the president and CEO of Sanford Burnham Prebys.

“Yesterday, you were graduate students, today you are graduates and tomorrow you are alumni,” Brenner said. “I want you to feel like this is your second home where you’ll return as peers and colleagues to tell us about your triumphs and contribute to our seminars and symposia as active members of our community.” 

Following Brenner’s comments, Michaela Romero, PhD ’25, spoke on behalf of her fellow graduates.

“Here at Sanford Burnham Prebys, we’ve been immersed in a culture of collaboration where science is not a solo act,” Romero said. “This has not happened by accident and has been built one conversation at a time. 

“Cultures like this need to be nurtured with care, so I hope you create something that feels just as special as this place wherever you go in the future.” 

Romero turned the podium over to Cosimo Commisso, PhD, the deputy director of the Institute’s NCI-Designated Cancer Center and a professor in the Cancer Metabolism and Microenvironment Program, who provided the Commencement address.

Commisso spoke about the importance of carefully contemplating the motivation behind your science and how it can change over time, which he punctuated with a story from his scientific journey about an event he attended for pancreatic cancer patients, survivors and their family members.

“I gave myself permission to evolve and realized that I wanted to dedicate my life’s work specifically to pancreatic cancer research,” he said. “If something like this happens to you, if such an event impacts you in a profound way, I hope you listen to your internal compass and remember that what motivates you today at graduation may likely look very different years later. 

“Evolution of your ‘why’ is a feature and not a bug,” he added. “Let your own ‘why’ be the force that pushes you beyond the familiar to make a difference.”

Diane Klotz, PhD, the chief learning officer at Sanford Burnham Prebys, then provided attendees an overview of the meaning of the hoods and symbols that are used in Commencement ceremonies. She asked faculty members to place the doctoral academic hoods upon the graduates to signify completion of their degrees.

This year, the following graduates were acknowledged:

  • Adarsh Rajesh, PhD ’25, who trained in the Adams lab and was hooded by Peter Adams, PhD, director of and professor in the Cancer Genome and Epigenetics Program
  • Sviatlana Zaretski, PhD ’25, who trained in the Adams lab and was hooded by Adams
  • Yu-Ling (Linda) Chang, PhD ’26, who trained in the Colas lab and was hooded by Alexandre Colas, PhD, associate dean of admissions in the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and associate professor in the Center for Cardiovascular and Muscular Diseases
  • Michaela Romero, PhD ’25, who trained in the Colas lab and was hooded by Colas
  • Jiaqian (Emily) Wu, PhD ’25, who trained in the Cosford lab and was hooded by Nicholas Cosford, PhD, professor in the Cancer Metabolism and Microenvironment Program
  • Ximena Diaz-Olea, PhD ’25, who trained in the Ronai lab and was hooded by Andrei Osterman, PhD, her thesis committee chair, vice dean and associate dean of curriculum of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and a professor in the Center for Metabolic and Liver Diseases
  • Cedomir Stamenkovic, PhD ’25, who trained in the Sacco lab and was hooded by Sacco
  • Rema Iyer, PhD ’25, who trained in the Deshpande lab and was unable to attend the ceremony
  • Utkarsha Hemant Paithane, PhD ’26, who trained in the Bagchi lab and was unable to attend
  • Ruslan Nuryyev, PhD ’26, who trained in the Snyder lab and was unable to attend

Graduate school vice dean Osterman provided the ceremony’s closing remarks.

“What is happening today is because of your genuine accomplishment and is a product of your creativity, genius, effort and everything you invested in the research project that you completed,” Osterman said. 

“Now you will take all you have learned during your time here and choose your own path forward, and a new and exciting adventure begins.”

Institute News

Women in Science Lecture series spotlights structural biology and immunology leader

AuthorCommunications
Date

May 21, 2026

From left to right: Kelly Kersten, PhD, and Erica Ollmann Saphire, PhD, MBA. Image credit: Sanford Burnham Prebys.
From left to right: Sanford Burnham Prebys NCI-Designated Cancer Center scientist Kelly Kersten, PhD, and structural biology and immunology leader Erica Ollmann Saphire, PhD, MBA. Image credit: Sanford Burnham Prebys.

The series highlights the groundbreaking work and unique perspectives of women leaders in the biomedical sciences.

On May 13, 2026, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute hosted the third event in the Women in Science Lecture Series. The first featured speaker was Erica Ollmann Saphire, PhD, MBA, professor, president and CEO of the La Jolla Institute for Immunology.

Saphire told the audience about a turning point in 2013 in her field studying how antibodies work against the Ebola virus. Antibodies are especially important treatments for infectious diseases that lack an effective vaccine, as was the case for the Ebola virus until 2019. Saphire described the challenge that emerged when an antibody predicted to be effective based on laboratory results had no effect on survival in animal studies, whereas a cocktail of three antibodies that was ineffective in laboratory cell culture tests actually protected every animal against the infection.

“Collectively, as a body of scientists, it became clear we were missing some information about how to study the neutralizing effects of antibodies,” said Saphire. “The key was seeing the clue that how well the treatment protected was dependent on what kind of cell it was made in and how that effected the antibodies’ ability to recruit the immune system.”

To enable experiments following up on that lead, Saphire organized a large coalition of academic, industrial and government labs from across the world. Each partner sent their antibodies or neutralization assays to a single location where they could be studied side by side under code names to protect intellectual property. The consortium fast-tracked a smaller study that led to the first therapeutic approved for treating Ebola, and the longer-term comprehensive study would go on to develop much better therapeutics for the disease. Due to this initiative’s success, Saphire was asked to lead a Gates Foundation-supported project to evaluate antibody therapeutics against SARS-CoV-2.

Saphire closed her presentation with her reflections on how to improve the scientific system so that it works better for researchers.

Kelly Kersten and Erica Ollmann Saphire with fireside chat moderator and cardiovascular researcher Sanjeev Ranade, PhD. Image credit: Sanford Burnham Prebys.

Kersten and Saphire with fireside chat moderator and cardiovascular researcher Sanjeev Ranade, PhD. Image credit: Sanford Burnham Prebys.

“I’ve learned over 20 years that a siloed approach very much gives a siloed answer,” Saphire said. “It is important to find out how different experts’ interests and motivations align and intersect and then put resources behind that to find success.”

Sanjeev Ranade, PhD, assistant professor in the Center for Cardiovascular and Muscular Diseases at Sanford Burnham Prebys, then moderated a fireside chat and audience question-and-answer session with Saphire and Kelly Kersten, PhD, assistant professor in the Cancer Metabolism and Microenvironment Program at the Sanford Burnham Prebys NCI-Designated Cancer Center. Topics included: the remarkable power and complexity of the immune system; the contrast in needing to mitigate the immune system in allergies and autoimmune disease versus boosting it in the right ways in cancer and infectious disease; how to effectively introduce your work to people outside of science; how roles change as academic and leadership careers progress; and advice for students and trainees beginning their careers in biomedical research.

The Women in Science Lecture Series features events that are free and open to the public. The series is part of broader efforts at Sanford Burnham Prebys to foster an environment that nurtures the success of individuals from all backgrounds. The events are hosted by the Office of Workforce Engagement & Belonging and highlight the groundbreaking work and unique perspectives of women leaders in the biomedical sciences, while fostering mentorship and collaboration across the Torrey Pines Mesa.

Registration is open for the next event in the series on October 14, 2026.

Institute News

Sanford Burnham Prebys goes Inside the Science of Heart Disease

AuthorCommunications
Date

April 21, 2026

David Brenner with Ehtisham Mahmud, Sanjeev Ranade, Alexandre Colas and Kurt Marek. Image credit: Sanford Burnham Prebys.
David Brenner with panelists Ehtisham Mahmud, Sanjeev Ranade and Alexandre Colas. Kurt Marek moderated the discussion. Image credit: Sanford Burnham Prebys.

Event recording now available for panel discussion with scientists held on April 15, 2026

David Brenner, MD, president and CEO of Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, welcomed members of the San Diego community to the first “Inside the Science” event held on April 15, 2026. This Discovery Series community engagement program offered a behind-the-scenes look at cardiovascular research.

Attendees participated in an afternoon exploring exciting developments in translating science into heart health. Kurt Marek, PhD, the chief research development officer at Sanford Burnham Prebys, moderated the discussion among three featured panelists:

  • Alexandre Colas, PhD, associate professor in the Center for Cardiovascular and Muscular Diseases at Sanford Burnham Prebys and associate dean of admissions for the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
  • Ehtisham Mahmud, MD, professor and division chief of Cardiovascular Medicine at UC San Diego Health and the Edith and William Perlman Chair in Cardiology and executive director of the University of California San Diego Cardiovascular Institute
  • Sanjeev Ranade, PhD, assistant professor in the Center for Cardiovascular and Muscular Diseases at Sanford Burnham Prebys

The program explored how heart disease develops across the lifespan from genetic and early-life factors to aging-related conditions. It also highlighted emerging research and new treatments to repair the heart and improve patient outcomes.

Ehtisham Mahmud, Sanjeev Ranade and Alexandre Colas during panel discussion. Image credit: Sanford Burnham Prebys.

Ranade discussed his research regarding the causes of congenital heart defects. Image credit: Sanford Burnham Prebys.

Watch Recording

Please sign up for the institute’s newsletter to be notified about future events. Recordings of past events are available online.

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Institute News

Southern California metabolism scientists meet on the Mesa

AuthorGreg Calhoun
Date

March 30, 2026

Speakers and attendees at the fourth annual SoCal Metabolism Symposium
Speakers and attendees at the fourth annual SoCal Metabolism Symposium.

The fourth annual SoCal Metabolism Symposium brought together hundreds of experts and trainees to share the latest advances

SoCal Metabolism Symposium co-organizer Brooke Emerling, PhD, opened the meeting held at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute on Friday, March 20, 2026, by celebrating the event’s momentum.

“In 2023, when it started, we had about 12 talks, 28 posters, about 120 attendees and three sponsors, and now we’re up to 18 talks, 64 posters, more than 200 attendees and six sponsors,” said Emerling, director of and associate professor in the Sanford Burnham Prebys Cancer Metabolism and Microenvironment Program.

Speakers were mostly postdoctoral researchers and graduate students from Sanford Burnham Prebys, the Salk Institute, the University of California Irvine, the University of Southern California, the University of California Los Angeles and the University of California San Diego.

The event began with a session of scientific talks focused on the theme of cancer metabolism. Aaliyah Balagtas, a graduate student in the lab of Cosimo Commisso, PhD, at Sanford Burnham Prebys, discussed her research on a cellular scavenging process known as macropinocytosis that pancreatic tumors use to survive and grow when resources are scarce. The morning continued with a second thematic session focused on metabolism in aging and cell fate.

Before the event’s lunch break and poster viewing, Emerling introduced the symposium’s first-ever guest speaker from outside Southern California, Navdeep Chandel, PhD, the David W. Cugell, MD, Professor and professor of Medicine (Pulmonary and Critical Care), Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics at Northwestern University.

Chandel began by sharing his delight that the speakers in the morning sessions showed genuine enthusiasm and interest in studying mitochondria and targeting metabolism to improve human health and treat disease. He thinks there is a significant opportunity to use the fundamental knowledge we’re learning about intermediary metabolism in mitochondria and translate it into concrete advances for human health.

Brooke Emerling, PhD, is the director of the Sanford Burnham Prebys Cancer Metabolism and Microenvironment Program.

Brooke Emerling, PhD, is director of and associate professor in the Cancer Metabolism and Microenvironment Program at Sanford Burnham Prebys. Image credit: Sanford Burnham Prebys.

Chandel focused on one of his lab’s translational projects studying metformin, a longstanding, widely used, cheap and safe drug for treating high blood sugar in prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. Various studies have suggested that metformin also has anti-cancer effects and may reduce inflammation, but it was not clear how the drug worked in our bodies or cells to cause any of this to occur. Chandel shared soon-to-be-published data regarding how metformin builds up in the gut after being taken as a pill, and how it influences mitochondria there to systemically lower blood sugar.

The afternoon opened with a third set of thematic podium presentations centered on the topic of physiological metabolism and new techniques. The fourth and final session of scientific talks were grouped around the theme of immunometabolism.

Cosimo Commisso, PhD, is the deputy director of the National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center at Sanford Burnham Prebys. He currently serves as the interim director while a national search is conducted for a new center director.

Cosimo Commisso, PhD, is the deputy director of the institute’s NCI-Designated Cancer Center and a professor in the Cancer Metabolism and Microenvironment Program. Image credit: Sanford Burnham Prebys.

The symposium’s closing podium talk was the Gina Lee Memorial Keynote, a lecture honoring cancer signaling and metabolism expert Gina Lee, PhD, an assistant professor of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics at the University of California Irvine, who passed away on June 23, 2024, at the age of 39.

Cosimo Commisso, PhD, the deputy director of the institute’s NCI-Designated Cancer Center and a professor in the Cancer Metabolism and Microenvironment Program, delivered the 2026 Gina Lee Memorial Keynote and focused on a new direction for his lab. Aging is a major risk factor for pancreatic cancer that also can limit treatment options if a patient is too frail to be safely treated with surgery or other alternatives.

The average age of a patient diagnosed with pancreatic cancer is 70, and nearly two-thirds of cases are in people over the age of 65. Commisso and his lab members are rethinking how therapies in development will work for a frail and aging population that represents the majority of patients.

Following Commisso’s keynote address, the 2026 SoCal Metabolism Symposium concluded with a reception and second poster session. The next SoCal Metabolism Symposium will be held in March 2027 at the University of California Irvine.

Emerling organized the event in partnership with Peter James Mullen, PhD, assistant professor of Microbiology and Immunology in the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, and Cholsoon Jang, PhD, assistant professor of Biological Chemistry at the University of California Irvine School of Medicine.

Institute News

La Jolla research meeting convenes scientists studying aging

AuthorCommunications
Date

March 25, 2026

La Jolla Aging Meeting speaker Anamika Yadav. Image credit: Anamika Yadav, Sanford Burnham Prebys.
La Jolla Aging Meeting speaker Anamika Yadav, a research assistant in the lab of Sanju Sinha, PhD, discussed her work studying aging by detecting structural alterations in cells and tissues over time captured in images taken of routine medical biopsies. Image credit: Anamika Yadav, Sanford Burnham Prebys.

Scientists gathered at the 9th annual La Jolla Aging Meeting on Thursday, March 19, 2026, in the Salk Institute’s Conrad T. Prebys Auditorium

The event brought together 286 attendees and featured short talks from San Diego-based postdoctoral researchers and students studying the biology of aging.

Anamika Yadav, a research assistant in the lab of Sanju Sinha, PhD, at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, discussed her work studying aging by detecting structural alterations in cells and tissues over time captured in images taken of routine medical biopsies. She used data from the Genotype-Tissue Expression Project, a major National Institutes of Health Common Fund initiative that gathered samples from 970 non-diseased individuals aged 20 to 70. Yadav trained a computational model on more than 25,000 histopathology slides from 40 tissue types to define aging patterns in different tissues. By this approach, Yadav defined distinct patterns of aging in different tissues which ultimately can help to predict specific diseases of aging.

Beatrice Silvestri, PhD, a postdoctoral associate in the lab of Yu Xin (Will) Wang, PhD, at Sanford Burnham Prebys, shared findings from her work on an enzyme called 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-PGDH). Researchers have defined 15-PGDH as a gerontological enzyme or “gerozyme” due its connection with aging in multiple tissues. Silvestri presented results from studying the effects of blocking 15-PGDH to ameliorate the degeneration of the connection between motor neurons and skeletal muscle fibers. Inhibition of this gerozyme might have potential for healthy aging and prevention of many diseases of aging.

In addition to these podium presentations, four Sanford Burnham Prebys scientists shared their research results during the meeting’s poster sessions:

The 2026 La Jolla Aging Meeting concluded with a keynote address by Ana Maria Cuervo, MD, PhD, Distinguished Professor and Robert and Renée Belfer Chair for the Study of Neurodegenerative Diseases at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

Peter Adams, PhD, director of the Cancer Genome and Epigenetics Program at Sanford Burnham Prebys, co-organized the La Jolla Aging Meeting with Alessandra Sacco, PhD, dean of the Sanford Burnham Prebys Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and a professor in the Center for Cardiovascular and Muscular Diseases, and Salk Institute faculty members Jan Karlseder, PhD, and Gerald Shadel, PhD.