postdocs Archives - Sanford Burnham Prebys

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Institute News

Theo Tzaridis named 2024 recipient of Eric Dudl Endowed Scholarship

AuthorGreg Calhoun
Date

February 6, 2025

Theophilos Tzaridis profile photo
Theo Tzaridis, MD, a postdoctoral fellow at Sanford Burnham Prebys, was named the 2024 recipient of The Eric Dudl Endowed Scholarship.

Tzaridis, a postdoctoral fellow at Sanford Burnham Prebys, received the honor in recognition of his achievements in research on pediatric brain cancer

Theo Tzaridis, MD, was named the 2024 recipient of The Eric Dudl Endowed Scholarship at Sanford Burnham Prebys.

The scholarship fund was established at the institute to remember Eric Dudl, a postdoctoral researcher whose life was tragically cut short by cancer at the age of 33. Since 2007, 17 postdoctoral scientists have received support for their research from the endowed scholarship fund.

Tzaridis is a postdoctoral fellow in the lab of Peter Adams, PhD, director of the Cancer Genome and Epigenetics Program at Sanford Burnham Prebys. He studies ways to enhance immunotherapy for diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), the deadliest brain tumor in children.

Tzaridis found that targeting a checkpoint molecule called CD155 leads to an enhanced immune response and tumor control. He presented the work at the annual American Association for Cancer Research conference. There he established a collaboration with a company that produces the only available antibody against CD155, enabling Tzaridis to continue his research by testing the antibody’s potential efficacy for treating DIPG in order to pave the way for a clinical trial to improve survival for patients.

David Brenner, Kevin Yip, Theo Tzaridis, the Dudls and Peter Adams

David Brenner, MD, Kevin Yip, PhD, and Peter Adams, PhD, with Robert James and Barbara Dudl and scholarship recipient Theo Tzaridis, MD.

Eric Dudl

The Eric Dudl Endowed Scholarship at Sanford Burnham Prebys was established at the institute to remember Eric, a postdoctoral researcher whose life was tragically cut short by cancer at the age of 33.

Tzaridis has garnered recognition and extramural funding throughout his career as a physician-scientist, including the 2023 Lenka Finci and Erna Viterbi Fishman Fund Award from Sanford Burnham Prebys and the best oral presentation from the American Association of Immunologists during the 2024 La Jolla Immunology Conference. His career goal is to advance research findings into clinical trials that benefit patients, including trials regarding the effective use of immunotherapy as a treatment for brain cancer.

“I’m truly grateful for the support of The Eric Dudl Endowed Scholarship,” said Tzaridis. “Eric’s inspiring legacy as an immensely dedicated postdoctoral cancer researcher lives on through the important work the scholarship helps fund.”

“Theo is an outstanding physician and a superb scientist,” said Adams. “I have no doubt that he will advance the science of brain cancer while also contributing to meaningful improvements for patients and their families.” 

For more information on setting up a scholarship or to learn more about our philanthropy program, please contact giving@sbpdiscovery.org.

Institute News

Guglielmi awarded grant to further investigate genetic condition that results in soft, deformed bones and lost teeth

AuthorScott LaFee
Date

January 9, 2025

Valeria Guglielmi profile photo
Valeria Guglielmi, PhD, postdoctoral associate in the D’Angelo lab.

Hypophosphatasia (HPP) is a rare genetic disorder in which bones and teeth fail to take up sufficient calcium and phosphorus needed to achieve proper hardness and strength. Defective mineralization results in bones that are soft and prone to fracture and deformity, and the loss of teeth. Occasionally, HPP can cause death due to complications.

Prevalence varies by severity and age of onset. It is rarest but most severe at birth (1 in 100,000 live births), with lower prevalence and milder forms in later years. The condition can manifest at any age.

The cause of HPP is a mutation in an enzyme called tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP), which plays a critical role in skeletal and dental mineralization. In 2015, an enzyme replacement therapy developed by José Luis Millán, PhD, a professor in the Human Genetics Program at Sanford Burnham Prebys, was approved to treat pediatric onset HPP, dramatically improving patients’ lifespan and quality of life.

But the effects of TNAP deficiency appears to extend beyond faulty mineralization. HPP patients also experience altered immune responses, suggesting TNAP might have a role in immune cells.

Recently, Soft Bones, an advocacy group for HPP patients, awarded Valeria Guglielmi, PhD, a postdoctoral associate in Maximiliano D’Angelo’s lab, with a one-year, $25,000 seed grant to further investigate the involvement of TNAP in inflammatory responses and immune cell functions.

“This study is in line with my broad interest  for immune cells and their contribution to tissue homeostasis and diseases,” said Guglielmi. “I am excited to explore an entirely new area of investigation on HPP.

“Indeed, very little is known about the role of TNAP in the immune system and only a few studies have provided evidence of TNAP involvement in immune cell function. By uncovering how TNAP deficiency affects inflammatory responses, our research represents the first step toward designing interventions to improve immune system dysfunctions in HPP patients.”

Read Soft Bones’ full news release on the award to Guglielmi on Facebook and Instagram.

Institute News

Treasuring science and fun at the 2024 Annual Biomedical Research Symposium

AuthorGreg Calhoun
Date

October 2, 2024

Ye Zheng giving keynote address at 2024 Biomedical Research Symposium

Annual event shines spotlight on research conducted by postdoctoral associates and graduate students at Sanford Burnham Prebys.

“When I reflect on the most fun I’ve had during my career as a scientist, it was during my postdoctoral fellowship,” said Ye Zheng, PhD, Becky and Ralph S. O’Connor Chair and professor in the NOMIS Center for Immunobiology and Microbial Pathogenesis at the Salk Institute, during his keynote address at the 23rd Annual Biomedical Research Symposium at Sanford Burnham Prebys on September 19, 2024.

“As a postdoc, every time I woke up, I would think about my scientific projects and then go to lab to work with interesting people and do exciting experiments. I had few, if any, distractions. It’s a unique opportunity, and I hope you treasure it.”

Zheng’s words of encouragement helped set the stage for a day filled with a variety of presentation formats to showcase the work of postdoctoral associates and graduate students at the institute. Peter D. Adams, PhD, director of the Cancer Genome and Epigenetics Program at Sanford Burnham Prebys, underscored the event’s importance in his opening remarks.

“This is how science works. You all convening and discussing your work today provides a platform for building new and innovative collaborations.

“You are the next generation of biomedical researchers, and there is no greater pleasure for me as a scientist than to see postdocs and students partnering with one another and enjoying working together.”

The symposium featured three scientific sessions with keynote presentations, podium lectures and brief “flash talks” in which speakers were limited to two minutes and a single slide to entice attendees to visit their posters. Participants voted in a science art competition and for best podium and flash talks.

Following the scientific sessions, Alicia Llorente Lope, PhD, a postdoctoral associate in the lab of Brooke Emerling, PhD, presented the 2024 Mentor of the Year Award to Alexandre Colas, PhD, the associate dean of admissions in the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and associate professor in the Development, Aging and Regeneration Program.

Linda Bradley, PhD, a professor in the Cancer Metabolism and Microenvironment Program and the faculty advisor for postdoctoral training, provided the symposium’s closing remarks. She reminded the audience that the symposium was planned for this week because it was National Postdoc Appreciation Week from September 16-20.

“I want to thank our postdocs for their incredible efforts driving the research forward in our labs,” she said. “I hope we can continue to enhance our environment and provide the best possible opportunities for training and mentorship here at the Institute.”

The 23rd Annual Biomedical Research Symposium concluded with a poster session and happy hour reception. Postdoctoral associate and graduate school alumni were invited to these events to meet with current graduate students and postdoctoral associates and reconnect with their colleagues.

Symposium planning is coordinated by the Sanford Burnham Prebys Science Network, a group of postdoctoral associates and graduate students interested in professional development, networking and social events, and the institute’s Office of Education, Training and International Services.

Tatiana Moreno presenting her post to Soda Diop with other poster presentations in the background

The 23rd Annual Biomedical Research Symposium concluded with a poster session and happy hour reception. Postdoctoral associate and graduate school alumni were invited to these events to meet with current graduate students and postdoctoral associates and reconnect with their colleagues.

“It was a terrific experience working together to build this year’s program,” said Valeria Guglielmi, PhD, a postdoctoral associate in the lab of Maximiliano D’Angelo, PhD, and member of the institute’s Science Network. “I’m especially grateful to our speakers, poster presenters and scientific artists for bringing excellent work that we could highlight.”

Additional awards given at the symposium included:

  • Best podium talk – Judges’ selection
    Valeria Guglielmi, PhD
    Postdoctoral associate in the D’Angelo lab
  • Best podium talk – Popular vote
    James Marchant, PhD
    Postdoctoral fellow in the Colas lab
  • Best flash talk – Popular vote
    Theophilos Tzaridis, MD
    Postdoctoral fellow in the Adams lab
  • Best poster – Judges’ selection
    Armin Aabish Gandhi, PhD
    Pstdoctoral associate in the Adams lab
  • Best science art – Popular vote
    Carolina Cano Macip
    Graduate student in the Tian lab

Speakers at the symposium included:

Scientific Session I—moderated by Michaela Romero and Armin Aabish Gandhi, PhD

Carolina Cano Macip's winging science art image

Participants at the symposium were able to submit votes for a science art competition and the best podium and flash talks. Carolina Cano Macip, a graduate student in the lab of Xiao Tian, PhD, won the science art competition with her piece called “Love is in your gut <3” featuring a heart-shaped section of a mouse colon.

  • Cheng-Ju Kuo, PhD
    Postdoctoral associate in the Kumsta lab
    “Temporal and spatial regulation of the autophagy-regulating transcription factor TFEB/HLH-30 in hormesis and aging”
  • Ximena Diaz Olea
    Graduate student in the Ronai lab
    “Control of melanoma development by B. rodentium in germ free mice”
  • Huijie Huang, PhD
    Postdoctoral associate in the Huang lab
    “SORLA upregulation suppresses global pathological effects in aged taupathy mouse brain”

Scientific Session II—moderated by Katya Marchetti, Namratha Nadig and Chiara Nicoletti, PhD

  • Adarsh Rajesh
    Graduate student in the Adams lab, “A novel role of P21-CyclinD1-CDK6 complex in regulating interferon signaling in senescence and aging” 
  • James Marchant, PhD
    Postdoctoral fellow in the Colas lab, “Single-construct cardiac programming gene therapy for heart failure”
  • Valeria Guglielmi, PhD
    Postdoctoral associate in the D’Angelo lab
    “The nuclear pore complex component Nup358 regulates intestinal epithelium homeostasis”
  • Theophilos Tzaridis, MD
    Postdoctoral fellow in the Adams lab, flash talk
  • Evodie Koutouan
    Graduate student in the Pasquale lab, flash talk
  • Sviatlana Zaretski
    Graduate student in the Adams lab, flash talk

Scientific Session III—moderated by Linda Chang and Theophilos Tzaridis, MD

  • Gabriele Guarnaccia
    Graduate student in the Sacco lab
    “Serum amyloid protein A1 (SAA1) impairs myogenesis and myotube size in pancreatic cancer cachexia”
  • Jessica Proulx, PhD
    Postdoctoral associate in the Adams lab
    “Investigating the role and therapeutic potential of HNF4α in loss of hepatocyte cell identity with age”
  • Michaela Romero
    Graduate student in the Colas lab, flash talk
  • Shanshan Yin, PhD
    Postdoctoral associate in the Adams lab, flash talk
  • Guillem Lambies Barjau, PhD
    Postdoctoral associate in the Commisso lab, flash talk
Institute News

Ceremony celebrates recipients of 2024 Fishman Fund awards honoring exceptional postdoctoral scholars

AuthorScott LaFee
Date

September 18, 2024

2024 Fishman Award winners from left: Huijie Huang, Kelly Yichen Li, Chiara Nicoletti, James Marchant, Jessica Proulx, Zinia D’Souza
2024 Fishman Award winners. From left: Huijie Huang, Kelly Yichen Li, Chiara Nicoletti, James Marchant, Jessica Proulx, Zinia D’Souza

Six young scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys, whose research spans genetic disorders, Alzheimer’s disease, heart failure and aging, were honored September 17 at the 23rd 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 2024 recipients are:

Reena Horowitz and Mary Bradley Fishman Fund Award

Zinia D’Souza, PhD, is a postdoctoral associate in the laboratory of Hudson Freeze, PhD, director of the Sanford Children’s Health Research Center and the director of the Human Genetics Program.Her research is focused on identifying new congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDGs), rare disorders caused by mutations that impair glycosylation—the complex process by which cells build long sugar chains that are attached to proteins called glycoproteins. D’Souza also works to uncover how these rare genetic mutations cause the observed symptoms.

Zinia Dsouza headshot

Don Barach Memorial Fishman Fund Award

Huijie Huang, PhD, is a postdoctoral associate in the lab of Timothy Huang, PhD, an assistant professor in the Degenerative Diseases Program. Her research focuses on uncovering the fundamental causes of Alzheimer’s disease AD), a pressing public health concern as the U.S. population ages and faces an increased risk of this leading cause of dementia. Specifically, she studies the SORL1 (SORLA) gene, a known risk factor for sporadic early- and late-onset AD. Huang believes that developing treatments to boost SORLA’s beneficial effects may prove to be an innovative treatment approach.

Huijie Huang headshot

Fishman Fund Fellowship Award

James Marchant, PhD, is a postdoctoral associate in the lab of Alexandre Colas, PhD, an associate professor in the Development, Aging and Regeneration Program. His research focuses on developing a gene therapy to treat heart failure. Heart attacks reduce blood and oxygen flow to heart muscle, leading to scar tissue that can increase the risk of future attacks. Marchant aims to convert cells within this scar tissue back into healthy muscle cells.

James Marchant headshot

Cynthia Schwartz Shenkman Fishman Fund Research Excellence Award

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

Chiara Nicoletti headshot

Jeanne Jones and Kathryn Fishback Fishman Fund  Award

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

Jessica Proulx headshot

Lenka Finci and Erna Viterbi Fishman Fund Award

Kelly Yichen Li, PhD, is a postdoctoral associate in the lab of Kevin Yip, PhD, a professor in the Cancer Genome and Epigenetics Program and the director of the Bioinformatics Shared Resource. She studies a phenomenon called cellular senescence that is associated with aging. Senescent cells no longer grow and divide, which can reduce the growth of cancer, but the condition is also  associated with chronic inflammation and age-related diseases. Yichen LI is working to find molecular signatures of senescence to advance aging research, treatments and diagnostics.

Yichen Li h eadshot
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

Perkins Fellow Trains Immune System Against Melanoma

AuthorGreg Calhoun
Date

May 15, 2024

Sreeja Roy, PhD, headshot in the lab

Sanford Burnham Prebys scientist works on new methods to boost the body’s natural defenses against melanoma and other cancers

When she was growing up in India, Sreeja Roy, PhD, looked up to her father as he applied his scientific knowledge to care for the patients in his medical practice.

“He was my inspiration,” says Roy. “I found that I was particularly good at biology, and I liked learning about the mechanisms of how things work. Along the way, I realized I didn’t want to be a medical doctor and began focusing on biomedical research—and I fell in love with it.”

After earning her undergraduate degree in biotechnology from The Australian National University in Canberra, Roy obtained a master’s degree in infection biology from the Universität zu Lübeck in Germany. She returned to The Australian National University for her doctoral degree in immunology with an emphasis on viral vector-based vaccine immunology. After completing graduate school, Roy worked as a postdoctoral researcher at Albany Medical Center in New York before joining Sanford Burnham Prebys in September 2021 as a postdoctoral associate in the Immunity and Pathogenesis Program.

“I had been working on basic science in Albany,” notes Roy. “I really wanted to do translational research so I could work on things that would benefit people much sooner. That is why I chose to move to Sanford Burnham Prebys and focus on cancer immunotherapy.”

Roy’s background in immunology prepared her to enter the emerging field of cancer immunotherapy. This discipline involves developing treatments that enhance the human body’s innate immune response to better locate and dispose of cancer cells. She learned about an opportunity to support her interest in translational immunotherapy through the Jean Perkins Foundation Fellowship.

Roy received one of two prestigious fellowships designed to support postdoctoral researchers in the lab of Carl Ware, PhD, director of the Infectious and Inflammatory Diseases Center and professor in the Immunity and Pathogenesis Program.

“The Jean Perkins Foundation Fellowship has been fantastic,” says Roy. “I can work without the pressure of writing an academic grant, which allows me to focus on the science and be more productive.”

Roy’s project at the Ware lab involves making immunotherapies more effective in treating melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.

“Unfortunately, some tumors never respond to immunotherapy treatments,” explains Roy. “Also, tumors can initially begin to shrink before becoming resistant to a treatment.”

Under Ware’s direction, Roy is testing ways to enhance existing immunotherapies through the lymphotoxin-β receptor, which is found on some types of immune cells.

“When the immune system encounters a foreign substance that may cause an infection, a sample of the invader can be shuttled to the lymph nodes as a way of learning about the threat and generating a better immune response,” explains Roy. “Depending on which tissues are being infected, the lymph nodes cannot always be involved, so an active lymphotoxin-β receptor is able to approximate their effect by organizing immune cells in something akin to training centers so that a better attack can be launched.”

Roy and the Ware lab are developing ways to take advantage of the lymphotoxin-β receptor’s ability to recruit and train immune cells as an approach to making immunotherapies more effective.

“If I can target the lymphotoxin-β receptor signaling against tumors, does that enhance the anti-tumor immunity?” asks Roy. “Do the tumors become more responsive to the treatments now? That is what we’re trying to find out.”

With the help of the Jean Perkins Foundation Fellowship, Roy is determined to continue developing her translational science expertise and find ways to improve the effectiveness of immunotherapies for melanoma and other cancers.

“We’ve made quite a bit of progress,” says Roy. “I look forward to sharing our results and seeing how this project advances from the bench to the bedside.”

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

A former Sanford Burnham Prebys postdoc writes about science and social responsibility

AuthorScott LaFee
Date

October 18, 2023

Eric Lau headshot

The laboratory, with its precise protocols and sterile tools, seems far removed from the often discordant chaos of U.S. society. But science does not happen in a socio-political vacuum, says  Eric Lau, PhD, a former student and postdoc at Sanford Burnham Prebys, and research institutions shouldn’t pretend otherwise.

Writing in Nature Reviews Cancer, Lau, now an Assistant Professor in the Department of Tumor Microenvironment & Metastasis at the Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute in Tampa, Fl., calls for scientific institutions to become proactive against discrimination and to speak out against oppression while prioritizing diversity, equity and inclusion.

In a deeply personal essay, Lau chronicles his personal struggles to overcome both xenophobia and the “delusional and detrimental model minority myth” of Asian-American kids, plus persistent homophobia and hate-mongering.

Science and the relationships formed with mentors, such as Kristiina Vuori, Wei Jiang, Robert Abraham, Gen-Sheng Feng and Ze’ev Ronai, as well as a handful of close colleagues at Sanford Burnham Prebys, were life- and career-affirming, he said, “but sadly all too rarely seen in the broader world.”

“Our nation claims to celebrate diversity and immigration….Yet racism and xenophobia are being amplified by governors who viciously traffic vulnerable migrants to other states and by Supreme Court justices who eviscerate affirmative action and approve anti-LGBT+ discrimination,” Lau writes.

“As much as most researchers might prefer to ‘just focus on the science,’ we cannot expect our teams to produce the best science if we turn a blind eye to those being discriminated or the discriminators.”

Willful ignorance and complacency are not options.

Eric Lau headshot in lab coat with old Sanford-Burnham logo

Lau says research institutions can and should take actions to mitigate the socio-political adversity that burdens their team members. Leadership cannot be performative—rather, it must be substantive, transparent and persistent. DEI programs must be built to produce intended results, with zero-tolerance for discrimination.

Lau concludes with a version of Martin Niemoller’s poem “First they came,” written in 1946 about the silence of German intellectuals and clergy (including Niemoller) during the rise of Nazism.
 

First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
 

Scientists, says Lau, must speak up and often.
For themselves.
For others.
For everyone.

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.