Three talented early-career researchers were presented with prestigious Fishman Fund Awards at the 22^nd 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.

Since 2001, the awards have paid tribute to our Institute’s heritage and supported the trailblazers of tomorrow

Last week, the Fishman Fund Awards were presented at the Sanford Consortium, marking the first in-person awards presentation for the scholarships since 2019. The Fishman Fund honors the legacy of the Institute’s founders, Dr. William and Mrs. Lillian Fishman, and its purpose is to support the next generation of scientific leaders.

“The Fishman Fund Awards are important to our community and to the future of science,” said President and CEO David Brenner, M.D., during his comments at the ceremony. “The Fishmans understood that supporting our young scientists is a critical investment in the future of research, and that postdocs are the lifeblood of a scientific enterprise and crucial to the process of discovery.”

Professor Hudson Freeze, PhD, the first Fishman Fund awardee, recalled how the award was given to faculty the first year, but after that became an award exclusively for postdoctoral researchers. “Those are the people who do the work, and without them, there is no Institute,” said Freeze.

Assistant Professor Caroline Kumsta, PhD, who was a Fishman Fund awardee in 2011, also spoke. “The Fishman Fund has shaped many aspects of my life, and I am honored to be one of the recipients,” she said.

The evening was emceed by Reena Horowitz, who established the Fishman Fund with the late Mary Bradley in 2001. Since then, 74 awards have been conferred. This year, three $10,000 awards were given to postdocs to support their career development. An additional fellowship that provides salary and benefits was also awarded.

“These awards are important because they provide the vital funds to young career scientists for professional development and collaborative opportunities,” Horowitz said. “It is these up-and-coming biomedical researchers who will make the medical discoveries of tomorrow, shape the future of healthcare and literally save lives.”

This year’s awards were presented to:
 

Guillem Lambies Barjau, PhD
Jeanne Jones and Kathryn Fishback Fishman Fund Award

“I am honored to be here today. Thank you to Sanford Burnham Prebys and the Fishman Fund for giving me this opportunity.”

Lambies Barjau hopes to improve the outcome of patients with pancreatic cancer. In the lab of Cosimo Commisso, PhD, Lambies Barjau studies how pancreatic cancer cells gather nutrients from their environment to survive and grow. Pancreatic tumors exist in a harsh, nutrient-poor environment, but they can activate a process called macropinocytosis to scavenge molecules as an alternative source of energy. By deciphering this process, Lambies Barjau’s research may reveal novel approaches to slow the growth of these often-deadly tumors.

 

Shanshan Yin, PhD
Lenka Finci and Erna Viterbi Fishman Fund Award

“I am grateful that you are our scientists’ strongest supporters. Together, we’ll do great science.”

Yin is studying the links between aging and breast cancer. About one in eight women will get breast cancer during her life, and the risk increases with age. In the lab of Peter Adams, PhD, Yin uses cutting-edge technology to quantify the activation of specific genes during aging. Identifying these genes may help explain why breast cancer occurs more frequently in older women, and could also lead to preventive treatments to spare the millions affected by the disease.

 

Tanja Eisemann, PhD
Reena Horowitz and Mary Bradley Fishman Fund Award

“I can’t tell you how honored I am to receive a 2022 Fishman Fund Award. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the Fishman Fund donors for their generosity.”

Eisemann is exploring approaches to leverage the immune system against medulloblastoma, one of the most aggressive childhood brain cancers. Although rare, there are still about 500 children in the U.S. diagnosed each year with this dangerous cancer. In the lab of Robert Wechsler-Reya, PhD, Eisemann studies the interactions between T cells and medulloblastoma tumor cells, opening new research avenues to discover therapies that can enhance a patient’s own immune system to slow—or even eliminate—this dangerous brain cancer.

 

Cynthia Lebeaupin, PhD
Fishman Fund Fellowship

“The Fishman Fund Fellowship and the resources at Sanford Burnham Prebys will ensure I canperform science of excellent quality and make a lasting impact. Thank you for your support.”

Lebeaupin works in the laboratory of Randal J. Kaufman, PhD, where she studies how fatty liver disease leads to liver cancer. Fatty liver disease, which affects more than 25% of the U.S. population, develops when the body creates too much fat or can’t metabolize fat efficiently enough. There are no treatments or cures for this chronic liver condition and no methods of early detection. Lebeaupin’s research aims to address this unmet medical need by uncovering the biological pathways that lead to liver cancer and translating these findings into effective therapies.

The Fishman Fund Awards were presented on September 23, 2021, in a virtual ceremony that honored the enduring legacy of our Institute’s founders, Dr. William and Lillian Fishman.

The three exceptional winners were welcomed by Fishman Fund co-founder Reena Horowitz; co-founder designee Jeanne Jones; and 2018 award recipient Laura Martin-Sancho, who commented, “A Fishman Fund Award is more than the money—it means that someone believes in you and believes in your goals.”

Longtime supporter, Institute trustee and namesake Malin Burnham reflected on his first meeting with the Fishmans more than 40 years ago when they were setting the stage for Sanford Burnham Prebys. “The Fishmans were creating a collaborative, inspirational atmosphere for postdocs—the lifeblood of scientific enterprise. This award pays tribute to their vision that young, talented scientists hold the key to curing disease.”

Sanford Burnham Prebys CEO Randy C. Mills thanked our supporters and shared, “Fishman Fund Award winners are on a journey not only to make their mark through scientific discovery, but also to define themselves as scientific leaders. I’m excited to see the vision of better science that they will translate into reality for the benefit of patients in need.”

Reena Horowitz and the late Mary Bradley established the Fishman Fund Awards in 2001 to honor the Fishmans and advance the careers of promising young scientists. Ever since the fund was launched 20 years ago, more than 70 awards have been conferred—now worth $10,000—to support career-development activities. 

This year’s awards were presented to:
 

Cynthia Lebeaupin, PhD
The Lenka Finca and Erna Viterbi Fishman Fund Prize

“I’m especially grateful to be affiliated with a community that supports its postdoctoral researchers, helping us transition into the great leaders of tomorrow.”

Dr. Lebeaupin is studying how fatty liver disease progresses to liver cancer. Fatty liver disease is rapidly increasing in the U.S. and around the world—and there is no cure. Studying how cells respond to stress conditions may open new avenues to target those responses and prevent cancer. Dr. Lebeaupin, a postdoctoral associate in the lab of Randal J. Kaufman, PhD, aims to become a professor of biology in academia.
 

Valeria Guglielmi, PhD 
The Reena Horowitz and Mary Bradley Fishman Fund Founders Award

“Now more than ever, we need people like you who trust scientists and believe science can really make a difference in our lives.”

Dr. Guglielmi is researching nuclear pore complexes and their role in the development and activity of immune cells. This research may lead to novel treatments for health conditions caused by dysregulated immune-cell production and function. Guglielmi is a postdoctoral associate in the lab of Maximiliano D’Angelo, PhD, and her goal is to become an independent investigator to further research on the immune system.
 

Paulina Sosicka, PhD 
The Jeanne Jones and Kathryn Fishback Fishman Fund Prize 

“I’m very grateful and honored to receive this Fishman Fund Career Development Award. Thank you to the founders and donors who made this possible.” 

Dr. Sosicka is investigating the application of dietary supplementation to treat debilitating genetic conditions called CDGs, which are rare diseases—mainly affecting children—caused by defects in the human enzymes and proteins responsible for adding sugar molecules onto proteins and lipids. The research may also provide insights into new approaches to treat obesity and cancer. A postdoctoral associate in the lab of Hudson Freeze, PhD, Dr. Sosicka aspires to become a professor in academia in the field of glycobiology.

 

Event recording

 

Four talented early-career researchers were awarded prestigious Fishman Fund Awards.

When Dr. William and Lillian Fishman founded our Institute in 1976, they knew that nurturing the next generation of scientists was just as important as advancing cutting-edge research. Today, their values live on in the form of the Fishman Fund Awards, which help exceptional postdoctoral researchers develop into scientific leaders.

On September 24, four talented early-career researchers received the prestigious award during an inspiring virtual ceremony. Generous benefactors, past award winners, and family and friends tuned into the event, which featured remarks from Institute president Kristiina Vuori, MD, PhD; professor and Fishman Fund Award recipient José Luis Millán, PhD; Fishman Fund co-founder Reena Horowitz and co-founder designee Jeanne Jones.

“The Fishmans firmly believed in helping brilliant early-career postdoctoral scientists become great principal investigators,” says Ms. Horowitz, who established the Fishman Fund Awards in 2001 with her late friend Mary Bradley. “Our goal with these awards is to encourage and support these researchers in their quest for the next great medical breakthroughs, which might one day be able to save the lives of our family members, friends and neighbors.”

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. The winner of the Fishman Fund Fellowship receives a two-year salary stipend in addition to the professional development funding.

Meet this year’s Fishman Fund Award winners

Fishman Fund Fellowship Award

Kyungsoo Shin, PhD, grew up in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in Canada, where he also attended Dalhousie University for his undergraduate and graduate studies. Dr. Shin works in the laboratory of Dr. Francesca Marassi, where he is advancing a potential treatment for age-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of vision loss in people over the age of 60. Dr. Shin recently showed that a protein called vitronectin is the likely cause of the pebble-like deposits in the back of the eye that underlie the disease. With this information, scientists can now work toward a treatment to prevent vision loss.

Dr. Shin’s career goal is to become an independent researcher focused on understanding how cellular membranes—gatekeepers that regulate what enters or exits a cell—are involved in disease. He hopes to mentor and inspire the next generation of scientists to advance our understanding of human biology.
 

Fishman Fund Career Development Awards

Marie Berenguer, PhD, grew up near Paris and went to school in Bordeaux. She is currently studying in the laboratory of Dr. Gregg Duester and focuses on how a compound called retinoic acid affects the way embryos are formed. Her work may open new avenues to prevent and treat birth defects.

Dr. Berenguer’s career goal is to become a principal investigator and lecturer in genetics and developmental biology. By leading her own research team, she hopes to improve our understanding of genetic diseases and lay the foundation for future therapies.
 

Daniela Dengler, PhD, is from Germany, where she studied pharmacy and worked in a pharmacy for a year before she decided to pursue her PhD at the Friedrich-Alexander University in Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany. Dr. Dengler works in the Conrad Prebys Center for Chemical Genomics with Dr. Eduard Sergienko. She is searching for new drugs that bind to proteins called G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), which mediate many physiological processes in the body. More than 30% of all FDA-approved drugs act on GPCRs.

Dr. Dengler’s career goal is to become a project leader in biotech, where she wants to combine her background in chemistry with her knowledge in assay development and high-throughput screening to find drugs for unmet medical needs.
 

Chiara Nicoletti, PhD, grew up in Gela, in Sicily, and received her PhD at the University of Padua in northern Italy. Dr. Nicletti is in Dr. Pier Lorenzo Puri’s lab and is studying the links between genetic sequences and risk of disease. Her research will open new avenues to help clinicians practice personalized medicine—including predicting who is likely to get a disease, how to prevent it, how to treat it and perhaps even cure the condition.

Dr. Nicoletti’s career goal is to become a principal investigator, leading her own research team that focuses on integrating foundational research with everyday medical practice to improve human health.

 

Watch the Fishman Fund Awards ceremony, which featured remarks from Institute president Kristiina Vuori, MD, PhD; professor and Fishman Fund Award recipient José Luis Millán, PhD; Fishman Fund co-founder Reena Horowitz and co-founder designee Jeanne Jones.

 

Learn more about the Fishman Fund, or, donate now, to support future scientific leaders.

Kyungsoo Shin is the winner of this year’s prestigious Fishman Fund Fellowship Award, which helps talented early-career researchers become scientific leaders

While growing up, Kyungsoo Shin always found himself drawn to science. Learning how the body works was endlessly fascinating to him. But it wasn’t until he was in the middle of his PhD that he became officially hooked on research.

“I was doing a long 16-hour experiment, and around 9 or 10 p.m. I started getting really positive results. I was so excited that I called my supervisors at the time,” recalls Shin. “Even though it was so late, they were just as happy as I was! That was my first introduction to how intoxicating research can be, and the power of a supportive community.”

Today, as a postdoctoral researcher at Sanford Burnham Prebys, Shin is applying his passion for discovery to an area of great need: finding a treatment for dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD). No treatments currently exist for the common condition, which is the main cause of vision loss for people over the age of 60. As a new father, this research became especially meaningful to Shin.

“My son is 3 months old, and just started to smile and laugh,” says Shin. “I couldn’t imagine one day not being able to see him, or my grandchildren. If I had dry AMD, I probably wouldn’t be able to even drive to go see him. I don’t want to imagine that sort of life for anyone.”

Working with a world-renowned scientist

Shin has found a wise mentor in Professor Francesca Marassi, PhD, one of the world’s leading experts on nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. This technology allows scientists to see the shape of a protein, which enables rational drug design. When the job posting first appeared, Shin was writing his PhD thesis—but his supervisor told him to stop writing and apply to the position immediately. The opportunity to work with Marassi was too important.

“Learning from her has fundamentally changed who I am as a scientist,” says Shin. “Before I used to think in terms of completing projects. Now I ‘follow the science,’ which means let the data lead me to my next step.”

This approach has proved successful: Marassi and Shin recently uncovered a new drug target for dry AMD. Using NMR and other cutting-edge technologies located at the Institute, they deciphered the shape of a protein called vitronectin. Then they showed that the sticky, propeller-shaped protein likely “seeds” the formation of pebble-like structures in the back of the eye that cause vision loss.

Fishman Fund Award advances key research

Now, with the support of the Fishman Fund Fellowship Award—which provides a salary stipend and $10,000 for career development—Shin can attend scientific conferences that will help him think outside of the box and grow as a scientist. Receiving an award in honor of the Fishmans—who started the Institute after reaching mandatory retirement age—is special to Shin.

“The Fishmans were so devoted to pushing our understanding of human health that they continued their research even when they didn’t have to,” says Shin. “To receive a fellowship that is named after such inspirational and honorable people is truly an honor. I have a great sense of responsibility to advance research that will have a positive impact on humanity, and could one day benefit my son or his children.”

Sanford Burnham Prebys is grateful to the generous Fishman Fund donors who make the career development awards possible. Learn more about the Fishman Fund, or donate now, to support future scientific leaders.

Three talented early-career researchers were presented with a prestigious Fishman Fund Award at the annual ceremony on September 19. More than 100 generous benefactors, past award winners and family and friends joined the celebration held at the Sanford Consortium. The awards honor the Institute’s founders, Dr. William and Lillian Fishman.

Reena Horowitz, who along with her close friend Mary Bradley established the Fishman Fund Awards, welcomed the audience and shared how the Fishmans truly believed that young researchers need a boost from time to time—and that these awards do exactly that. Recipients who are selected from a pool of Sanford Burnham Prebys postdocs use the $10,000 stipend to attend workshops, network and travel to national and international conferences to learn about the latest developments in their research fields. 

“The young researchers at Sanford Burnham Prebys make discoveries that have an impact in San Diego as well as helping advance science and health around the world,” said Horowitz. “The Institute motto could not ring truer: From Research the Power to Cure.”

Professor Hudson Freeze—one of the very first Fishman Fund Award winners and now director of the Institute’s Human Genetics Program—shared how his nearly 40 years of research has established him as a magnet for a global community of families seeking treatments for rare childhood diseases. He encouraged this year’s winners to take advantage of working in a world-class research center and to pursue meaningful research that will open new avenues to improve human health.

Jennifer Hope, PhD, was presented with the Lenka Finci and Erna Viterbi Fund Prize by Horowitz and Institute supporter Judy White. Dr. Hope works in the laboratory of Professor Linda Bradley, where she is studying cellular and molecular mechanisms that drive the development of T cells that attack cancer. Jennifer’s career goal is to become an independent investigator focused on research to promote patient responsiveness to cancer therapies.

Mafalda Loreti, PhD, was presented with the Jeanne Jones and Kathryn Fishback Fund Prize by Fishman Fund co-founder designee Jeanne Jones and longtime Institute supporter Sam Horowitz. Dr. Loreti is studying the mechanisms that promote muscle growth and repair in the laboratory of Associate Professor Alessandra Sacco. Her career goal is to become an independent researcher in an academic setting, where she will explore the biology of muscle pathologies and approaches to improve muscle health.

Aaron Havas, PhD, received the Reena Horowitz and Mary Bradley Fishman Fund Prize from Horowitz and Institute supporter Doreen Schonbrun. Dr. Havas works in the lab of Professor Peter Adams, where he studies how aging affects gene regulation. His career goal is to work in the biotech industry exploring drugs that target the process to promote healthy aging.

Since the fund’s inception in 2001, 64 prizes have been awarded. Every other year, a 24-month fellowship that provides salary support is given to a deserving postdoc. The fellowship was awarded in 2018, so it will be given again at next year’s ceremony.

The generosity of our Fishman Fund donors enables the tradition of providing career advancement opportunities. On behalf of all of us at Sanford Burnham Prebys, we thank you for your support.

More than 100 supporters of SBP came out to celebrate this year’s Fishman Award recipients: Usue Etxaniz Irigoien, PhD, Koen Galenkamp, PhD, Laura Martin-Sancho, PhD, and Ee Phie Tan, PhD The annual awards ceremony, held September 20 at the Sanford Consortium, recognizes postdocs who have made extraordinary efforts and encourages their passion for careers in science.

The evening began with a warm welcome from founder Reena Horowitz, who described how she began the Fishman Fund with the late Mary Bradley (her dear friend) to honor Dr. William and Lillian Fishman. The Fishmans were the founders of SBP and firmly believed in helping young postdoctoral scientists become great principal investigators—and these awards help boost young researchers to meaningful careers in science.

Jeanne Jones, the Fishman Fund’s co-founder designee, shared that since the fund’s inception, 64 recipients have been awarded. The career development awards—bestowed annually to three postdocs—provide a generous $10,000 stipend to allow them to attend workshops and travel to national and international conferences to learn the latest developments in their research fields. Additionally, a Fishman Fund Fellowship Award, which provides salary support for two years in addition to benefits and a career-development stipend, was awarded this year for the second time in SBP history.

The keynote speaker was Aman Mann, PhD, who won the Fishman Award in 2011. Today, Mann is a research assistant professor at SBP and an entrepreneur and founder of AivoCode, a neuroscience company that licenses technology originally developed at SBP. Mann reflected on how the award gave him added confidence and resources to pursue his career goals—and he encouraged this year’s recipients to similarly follow their dreams.

If you are interested in donating to the Fishman Fund, click here.

The 2018 Fishman Fund Fellowship winner, Usue Etxaniz Irigoien, PhD, was presented with her award by Reena Horowitz. Irigoien, originally from the Basque region of Spain, is the first in her family to pursue a graduate degree in science. She is currently a postdoctoral researcher in the laboratory of Lorenzo Puri, PhD, and is studying the communication between nerves and muscles. Irigoien’s research is providing insights that may lead to improved therapies for neuromuscular diseases such as ALS. In the future, she hopes to become a principal investigator of her own lab.

The Fishman Fund Awardees:

Koen Galenkamp, PhD, was presented with his award by Andrew Viterbi, a distinguished scientist and former SBP trustee. Galenkamp works in the laboratory of Cosimo Commisso, PhD, and specializes in seeking ways to starve pancreatic tumors of the food they need to survive and grow. Originally from Amsterdam, Galenkamp thanked his colleagues and wife—who is also a postdoc in San Diego—and shared his plans to use the funds to attend a comprehensive pancreatic cancer conference at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories.

Laura Martin-Sancho, PhD, a postdoc in the lab of Sumit Chanda, PhD, received her Fishman Fund Award from Armi Williams, a Fishman Fund Board member and longtime SBP supporter. Martin-Sancho is working to develop antiviral medicines that will combat infectious diseases such as influenza, dengue, and West Nile and Zika viruses. Martin-Sancho’s career goal is to be an independent investigator in an academic organization. She will use her stipend to attend a Keystone RNA virus conference in Dublin, Ireland.

Ee Phie Tan, PhD, originally from Malaysia, joined SBP in 2016 to work in the lab of Malene Hansen, PhD Tan is studying autophagy—a cell process that tidies up cell debris and recycles parts to maintain health. Defects in autophagy are linked to many aging-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, and even cancer. Tan received her award from Reena Horowitz and will use the funds to attend a Gordon Research Conference in Texas and a Keystone Symposium in Santa Fe, New Mexico.