In Brief

Makarenkova Lab Abstract Selected as a ‘Hot Topic’

A study by Elena Makarenkova, assistant professor at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI), and her colleagues has been selected as a “Hot Topic”—representing the newest and most innovative research—at the upcoming Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) annual meeting in Denver.

The Hot Topic designation is granted to just six percent of abstracts submitted for the ARVO annual meeting. The largest gathering of eye and vision researchers in the world, the meeting attracts more than 11,000 attendees from more than 75 countries.

Makarenkova’s study, “Progenitor cell transplantation rescues lacrimal gland acinar structure in the thrombospondin-1 null (TSP-1-/-) mice,” focuses on identifying stem/progenitor cells and optimal conditions for their transplantation and lacrimal gland repair as a critical first step in the development of stem cell-based strategies to treat patients with severe dry eye conditions. For more information on the Makarenkova lab, visit her faculty page and laboratory website.

Jian He Wins International Precious Metals Institute Award

Jian He, fourth-year graduate student in the Yu lab, has won a 2015 Student Award from the International Precious Metals Institute (IPMI), recognizing excellence and achievement in the field of precious metals.

A native of Wuhan, China, He’s research focuses on designing novel transition-metal catalysts to provide access to complex molecules and to develop libraries of unnatural amino acids with the goal of facilitating peptide synthesis and drug discovery. He will receive the award and present his research at the IPMI Annual International Conference in June in San Antonio, Texas.

SoF Announces Spring Travel Awards

The Society of Fellows (SoF) has announced the spring cycle California Postdoctoral Travel Award winners. The winning postdoctoral fellows, who will each receive up to $1,000 to cover travel expenses to present their work at a national or international scientific conference, are (in alphabetical order):

Jennifer Hazen of the Baldwin lab, presenting at the International Society for Stem Cell Research 2015 Annual Meeting in Stockholm, Sweden
Mathieu Lavallee-Adam of the Yates lab, presenting at the 14^th Human Proteome Organization’s World Congress in Vancouver, Canada
Sunitha Rangaraju of the Petrascheck lab, who has also served as SoF career development co-chair, presenting at the Chemical Biology Conference in Boston, Massachusetts.

The SoF will also award up to three travel grants in the fall cycle; the application deadline is October 1. Postdocs who have never attended a scientific meeting to present their current work are encouraged to apply; previously unsuccessful applicants are urged to re-apply. Visit the Travel Awards website for details.

Ian MacRae to Speak at April 8 Faculty Lecture

TSRI Associate Professor Ian MacRae is the featured speaker at the next Faculty Lecture Series presentation on Wednesday, April 8. His topic is “Structural Basis for RNA Silencing in Humans.” The lecture will begin at 5 PM in the Timkin Amphitheater in the Green Hospital. A reception will follow in the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Building, first floor. For further information, see Faculty Lecture Series webpage [http://intranet.scripps.edu/california/facultylectureseries/]. The series is supported by an endowment from the Cochrane-Cartan families, established by TSRI Professor Emeritus Charles G. Cochrane.

Meet the Alumni: Dan Treiber of DiscoveRx

Dan Treiber, vice president and site head at KINOMEscan, a division of DiscoveRx, and a former TSRI postdoctoral fellow, will be featured at the next Meet the Alumni event on Thursday, April 16, from 4 to 5 PM on the California campus.

Treiber is a principal inventor and developer of KINOMEscan, BROMOscan and HitHunter Pulse technologies and has more than 15 years of experience in biochemical and cellular assay development and small molecule kinase inhibitor drug discovery and pre-clinical development. In a previous position with Ambit, he contributed to the strategic design of quizartinib (AC220), a FLT3 inhibitor in clinical trials for treatment of acute myelogenous leukemia. Trieber earned a PhD in toxicology from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and completed postdoctoral studies in the MIT and TSRI chemistry departments.

Open to TSRI postdoctoral fellows and graduate students, the Meet the Alumni session will be held in the Hazen Theory building, first-floor conference room. Sponsored by the Career and Postdoctoral Services Office and the Network for Women in Science, the series features a casual setting and discussion format, covering such topics as career influences, transitions and options. Light refreshments will be served. RSVP is required.

Career Workshops: Financial Planning, LinkedIn Skills

Career and Postdoctoral Services has scheduled two upcoming workshops for Scripps California postdoctoral fellows and graduate students.

Financial Planning Concepts

Providing an in-depth look at stock and bond investments, this seminar will be held on Tuesday, April 15, from 3 to 4:30 PM, in the Hazen Theory building, first-floor graduate office dining room. Ciano Ordinola and John Lingelbach, financial planners at Met Life, will conduct the session, covering tax implications, performance measurement, risk management, investment choices and common investing terminology. RSVP is required.

Drop In for LinkedIn

Individualized help with maximizing a LinkedIn profile will be offered Wednesday, April 22, from noon to 2 PM, in the Hazen Theory building, graduate office career resource room. Jean Branan, Career and Postdoctoral Services program coordinator, will provide 10- to 15-minute one-on-one reviews, with tips to improve a LinkedIn presence and build a strong, comprehensive profile. RSVP is required.

Lunch & Learn: The Power of Encouragement

The impact of encouraging words and actions is the focus of the next Lunch & Learn presentation, “The Power of Encouragement: How the Right Boost can Change Your Life,” scheduled for Thursday, April 23, noon to 1 PM, in the Beckman building’s Keck Amphitheater on the California campus.

Daphne Lurie, director of TSRI Counseling and Psychological Services, will conduct the session. A licensed psychologist for more than 20 years, she holds a doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of South Carolina. Working with individual clients and couples at TSRI, Lurie has specialty interests in multicultural concerns and relationships, and health-related and identity/adjustment issues.

Lurie’s presentation will cover:

Why encouragement trumps criticism
How to connect better with staff, colleagues and family
How to self-encourage.

Information on other resources from Counseling and Psychological Services is available on the department’s website.

Scripps California I-5/Genesee Construction: Phase 2 Under Way

Scripps California commuters will encounter intermittent traffic delays and occasional overnight lane closures as Phase 2 of the I-5/Genesee project begins. During the next 16 months, pedestrian access will not be allowed in the project area, although cyclists may continue to use the I-5 shoulder.

Phase 2 work includes the widening of Genesee Avenue, construction on the north side of the bridge and retaining walls, and initial building activities for a new bike path west of the I-5.

Motorists are encouraged to add time to their commutes and anticipate possible traffic delays. Additionally, drivers are required by law to slow down in the construction zone.

The Keep San Diego Moving website provides project updates, plus a construction map, alternative routes and a webcam view. Additional information can also be found on the CalTrans/SANDAG Shift San Diego website.

New Date: Wee Companions Volunteering

A new volunteer date—Tuesday, April 15, 6 to 8 PM—has been scheduled for the newest ScrippsAssists service project with Wee Companions, a nonprofit rescue organization for small furry exotic animals.

Once a month, ScrippsAssists volunteers help clean and set up guinea pig cages at the Wee Companions Adoption Center, 3368 Governor Dr., Suite F, San Diego, 92122, near University Town Center. No animals are handled during this activity.

Wee Companions volunteers can also serve as animal foster-home guardians, provide adoption counseling or help with clerical and staff work. Founded in 1998, Wee Companions provides pet adoption services, a foster-care network, holiday pet-sitting for small animals and pet care education.

To sign-up for the April event or for more information, contact ScrippsAssists project lead Sasha Moola, graduate student in the Wilson lab, at smoola@scripps.edu.

Onsite Clinic Scheduled for April 22 on CA Campus

The next onsite immunization clinic on the California campus will be held Wednesday, April 22, from 9:30 to 11:30 AM, in the Hazen Theory building, rooms 203/205. Appointments are not needed.

Conducted by Sharp Rees-Stealy staff, the clinic will provide hepatitis B vaccination free of charge to all TSRI employees. Environmental Health & Safety Occupational Medicine must pre-authorize all other procedures based on the employee's working conditions. These procedures include tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (Tdap) vaccines and other titers, immunizations and procedures.

At the Auditorium: SF Jazz Collective

The Athenaeum Music and Arts Library in La Jolla concludes its Jazz@ TSRI series Monday, April 20, 7:30 PM, with a first-time Athenaeum appearance by the SF Jazz Collective, an eight-member group of top jazz artists, who include multiple Grammy nominees and winners and MacArthur and Guggenheim fellows. Band members are alto saxophonist Miguel Zenón, tenor saxophonist David Sánchez, vibraphonist Warren Wolf, trumpeter Avishai Cohen, trombonist Robin Eubanks, pianist Edward Simon, bassist Matt Penman and drummer Obed Calvaire. Program and ticket information can be found on the Athenaeum website.

News&Views Breaks for Spring

News&Views will not publish next week to accommodate Spring Break. Regular publication will resume Monday, April 17.

Send comments to: mikaono[at]scripps.edu

FL Team Supports Brain Cancer Research

Some 20 participants from the Scripps Florida campus helped raise more than $200,000 for brain cancer research in the recent Florida Brain Cancer 5K, hosted by Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure. Above, TSRI Associate Professor and team captain Derek Duckett (center) celebrates with Staff Scientist Sahba Tabrizifard (left) and Associate Professor Min Guo. (Photo by Alfred Clayton Photography)

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