In Brief

High School Student Philanthropy Group Selects TSRI for Donation

The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) has received an “investment” award from a group of Clairemont High School students in San Diego who participated in Main Street Philanthropy, a nationwide project to impact the lives of teenagers and young adults through meaningful, hands-on involvement in charitable giving and community service.

The students, members of the school’s Academy of Business, called themselves the “Trauma Troopers” and spent 10 weeks identifying nonprofit organizations aligned with their personal values. Through quantitative and qualitative evaluations of each group, the students determined TSRI would be the best steward of their $370.44 donation, earned from fundraising efforts and Main Street Philanthropy donors.

“Of those we considered, you rose to the top as one that would do a good job in ensuring that our investment would truly impact the causes we care about,” the students wrote.

For more information on donating to TSRI, see http://www.scripps.edu/philanthropy/index.html

27th Annual Frontiers in Chemistry Symposium: February 5

TSRI’s 27^th Annual Frontiers in Chemistry Symposium at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI), presenting four distinguished speakers on research covering diverse topics within the molecular sciences, will be held on Friday, February 5, from 1 to 5:30 PM.

Dale Boger, Richard and Alice Cramer Professor of Chemistry and chair of the TSRI Department of Chemistry, and Phil Baran, Darlene Shiley Chair in Chemistry at TSRI, will co-host the event.

Symposium speakers and their lectures include:

Peter Schultz, TSRI CEO and Scripps Family Chair Professor, “Synthesis at the Interface of Chemistry and Biology”
Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse at the National Institutes of Health, “The Chemistry of Drugs”
Suzanne Walker, professor of microbiology and immunobiology at Harvard University, “The Split Personality of Human O-GlcNAc Transferase”
Martin Edwards, vice president and head of La Jolla Oncology Medicinal Chemistry for Pfizer World Wide Research & Development, “Heterocycles and Medicinal Chemistry: The Importance of Innovative Synthesis”

Sponsors include Abbvie, Abide Therapeutics, ActivX, AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Genentech, Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation, Incite, Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies, Merck, Lilly, Pfizer, Sigma Aldrich and Wuxi AppTech.

While symposium admittance is free, attendance is limited to 300. Directions to the event, which will be held at The Auditorium at TSRI, and parking details are available at the symposium website or by contacting Mishelle McClanahan-Shinn at mshinn@scripps.edu or Ezra Salazar at esalazar@scripps.edu or (858) 784-2400.

Photo from 2016 Dixon Lecture

dixon
The recent Frank J. Dixon Lecture featured world-renowned immunologist Rafi Ahmed (left), shown here with TSRI Professor Michael Oldstone (right), and Frank Dixon, Jr. with Daniella Foletto. (Photo by Madeline McCurry-Schmidt.)

Career Workshop: Career Options for PhDs

A bicoastal career workshop featuring five presenters speaking on various science-related career paths will be held for TSRI postdoctoral fellows and graduate students on Wednesday, January 27, noon to 1:30 PM Pacific time on the California campus and live video-streamed on the Florida campus from 3 to 4 PM, Eastern time.

Featured speakers include:

Madhushree Gosh, vice president, alliance management, AltheaDx
Gabe Lander, assistant professor, TSRI
Erin Soto, patent agent, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
Sophie Wehrkamp-Richter, technical applications scientist, Illumina
Christopher Yohn, director of biotechnology, Sapphire Energy

Sharing practical advice related to their own professional journeys, the panelists will cover descriptions of their current jobs, opportunities in the field, training options and resources for more information.

The workshop will be held in the Graduate Office seminar room, first floor, Hazen Theory building, in California and in room B158 in Florida. RSVP is required.

TSRI Alumni Association Kick-Off Event February 11

The newly established TSRI Alumni Association will kick off its activities with a panel of three guest speakers on Thursday, February 11, from 5 to 8 PM, in the Keck Amphitheater, Beckman building.

The panel will feature TSRI Professor Phil Baran, (TSRI Class of 2001); John Hood, chief scientific officer at Samumed, a biotech developing therapeutics to address a range of degenerative diseases, regenerative medicine and oncology (TSRI postdoc 1998-2002); and Alan Ezekowitz, president and CEO of Abide Therapeutics, which he co-founded with TSRI Professors Dale Boger and Ben Cravatt.

Open to TSRI faculty, alumni, postdoctoral fellows and graduate students, the event is sponsored by the Scripps California Society of Fellows. A cocktail reception will follow the panel presentation; RSVP at http://tsrialumnikickoff.eventbrite.com

English Language Clinic Begins February 3

The Spring 2016 American English Pronunciation and Communication Clinic will begin Wednesday, February 3, providing speech language services to TSRI graduate students and research associates.

The 13-session clinic is a joint program of the TSRI Career and Postdoctoral Services Office and California State University, San Marcos (CSUSM). Under direct supervision of department faculty, CSUSM speech/language graduate students will conduct the sessions in one-hour time slots from 11 AM to 3 PM.

The clinic provides one-on-one help to improve American English oral and written communications skills. Each session will meet in the Graduate Office, Hazen Theory building, on the following dates:

February 3, 10, 17, 20
March 2, 9, 16, 30
April 6, 13, 20, 27
May 4

To schedule an appointment, contact CSUSM’s Kristen Nahrstedt at mknahrstedt@csusm.edu. Sessions are provided on a first come-first served basis, with preference to previously wait-listed and new clients. For additional information, contact the Career and Postdoctoral Services Office at (858) 784-2819 or cpso@scripps.edu.

Reduced Lanes, Closures Planned for Genesee Construction Near CA Campus

From now through March, Scripps California commuters can expect overnight reduced lanes and intermittent lane closures near TSRI as construction on San Diego’s $105 million road improvement project continues.

Crews will close lanes on eastbound Genesee Avenue to work on a retaining wall east of the freeway. During the closure, two-way traffic will shift to the westbound side of Genesee Avenue. Monday through Thursday night closures will occur between 9 PM and 5 AM. On Fridays, closures will occur between 9 PM and 8 AM. Access for emergency vehicles will be maintained.

Eastbound lanes will begin to narrow just west of the I-5 and Genesee interchange. Two-way traffic will be maintained on the westbound side of Genesee Avenue during the closure. Flaggers will be onsite to assist motorists and bicyclists.

Throughout January and February, ongoing construction requires intermittent, overnight lane closures on I-5, Genesee Avenue and the on- and off-ramps at the interchange.

The construction project—expected to be completed in 2017— will replace the existing six-lane Genesee Avenue overcrossing with a 10-lane structure that will include additional vehicle lanes, new bicycle lanes and sidewalks. For further information, visit the Keeps San Diego Moving website.

CA ScrippsAssists Supports Burn Institute Run/Walk

ScrippsAssists invites the Scripps California community to run, walk or volunteer for the Burn 5K Run/Walk on Saturday, January 30, supporting the Burn Institute’s burn prevention education and survivor programs.

Runners and walkers—including family and friends (including furry, four-legged friends)—can join the TSRI team. The run begins with an 8 AM check-in at RoadRunner Sports, 5553 Copley Drive, San Diego 92111. The cost is $30 per person; fundraise or donate an additional $20 to receive a commemorative Burn Run t-shirt. To participate on the TSRI team, contact Associate Professor Amanda Roberts at aroberts@scripps.edu.

Volunteers are needed from 7:30 to 11 AM to help staff the event’s set-up, check-in, information booth and water stations. To volunteer, contact ScrippsAssists project lead Mishelle McClanahan-Shinn at mshinn@scripps.edu. Additional details on the Burn Run 5K are available at the RoadRunner Sports website. For more information on the Burn Institute, visit the organization’s website.

CA Biosafety Committee Meeting Materials Due January 29

To receive consideration at the next Scripps California Institutional Biosafety Committee, registration documents must be submitted to Environmental Health and Safety by Friday, January 29, via email to rachellv@scripps.edu. The meeting will be held Wednesday, February 10, 2:30 to 3:30 PM, in the P2 conference room, Building 3301.

At the Auditorium: Award-Winning Pianist

The La Jolla Music Society Discovery Series presents pianist Ji, the 2012 Young Concert Artist Winner, on Sunday, January 24, at 3 PM. Ji will perform works by Mendelssohn, Messiaen, Bach and Busoni, including Bach’s Goldberg Variations. Program and ticket information can be found at the society’s website.

The Auditorium at TSRI is located at 10640 John Jay Hopkins Drive, San Diego 92121.

Send comments to: mikaono[at]scripps.edu

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