In Brief

George Koob Awarded France’s Highest Civil Honor

George Koob, founding chair of the Committee on the Neurobiology of Addictive Disorders at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI), has been awarded the insignia of Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur (Knight of the Legion of Honor), the government of France’s highest civil honor, in recognition of his contribution to the development of scientific collaborations between France and the United States.

Koob, currently on leave from TSRI to direct the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism at the National Institutes of Health, has a long collaborative relationship with French scientists, particularly Michel Le Moal, professor emeritus of neuroscience at the University of Bordeaux, France. The two co-authored two major reference books in addiction research, Neurobiology of Addiction and Drugs and Addiction and the Brain. Koob has also hosted and trained many young French scientists, including 13 postdoctoral fellows.

French Ambassador Gerard Araud presented Koob the award, established in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte, on behalf of French President Francois Hollande on June 30 in Washington, D.C.

More information about Koob’s research is available on his TSRI faculty webpage and the CNAD website.

koob
TSRI’s George Koob (right) accepts France’s highest civil honor at a recent ceremony in Washington D.C., while TSRI colleagues Barbara Mason (center) and Olivier George look on. (Photo by Bill Branson.)

Yiyang See and Marcus Farmer Receive BMS Fellowships

Yiyang See and Marcus Farmer, fourth-year TSRI graduate students, have received 2016-2017 Bristol-Myers Squibb Graduate Fellowships in Synthetic Organic Chemistry.

See is a member of the Baran lab. His research, titled “Scalable Copper mediated C-H oxidation and its application in the Synthesis of Polyhydroxylated Pregnanes,” seeks to further advance Cu-mediated C-H oxidation strategies, which have already produced the first lab preparation of several biologically relevant natural isolates, important to the development of promising synthetic drug compounds.

Farmer is a member of the Yu lab. His research, titled “Ligand Development for Palladium Catalyzed C-H Functionalization,” focuses on the design of compounds—ligands—that can modulate the properties of palladium catalysts and enable them to cleave and functionalize carbon-hydrogen bonds on organic molecules, leading to more efficient and faster synthesis and evaluation of drug candidates and ultimately, lower drug costs.

See and Farmer will present talks at the Bristol-Myers Squibb Awards Symposium in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, next spring.

Kresge Library Tip: Elements Lab E-Notebook

The latest version of ChemOffice Professional 15.1 includes access to a cloud-based electronic laboratory notebook called Elements, which allows scientists to easily capture and organize scientific data and collaborate with colleagues. Read more about Elements online.

Elements can be accessed from the top menu of a downloaded ChemOffice program: go to File > Cloud > Browse Elements (or Upload to Elements). To access Elements directly, sign in with your ChemOffice username and password when prompted.

Elements e-notebook can be used without downloading ChemOffice. While on campus, go to the SciStore download site and follow the prompts to register and choose Elements from the list of downloads available. Sign in with your newly created username and password.

For additional help, the following vendor-created guides are available while logged into Elements:

For further information, contact the Kresge Library at x4-8705 or helplib@scripps.edu.

Ten Tips: Coping with Tragedy

In recent weeks, a number of devastating events have affected the world community. Conflicts abroad, including attacks in Turkey, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia and Syria, have been tragic. Violence has erupted in the U.S. in ways that are deeply upsetting, too. TSRI’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) office has provided some tips on coping with tragedy and loss.

CAPS counselors are also available to provide individual support to anyone affected by these crises. For more information, see the Counseling and Psychological Services website.

CA Campus Golf Tournament Signups Due July 18

Registrations for the Scripps California 21^st annual TSRI Golf Tournament and Dinner are due Monday, July 18. The event will be held Thursday, August 4, at the Riverwalk Golf Club in San Diego.

The tournament will feature a scramble format, limited to 18 four-person teams. Each team must include at least one TSRI employee. Single-player sign-ups will be matched with other individuals or teams. The $70 per-person cost includes green fees, carts and dinner.

Download the registration form and return with payment to tournament organizer Kathy Spencer, scientific associate in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience. For additional registration information, contact Spencer at x4-8437.

ScrippsAssists Offers Two San Diego Service Opportunities

ScrippsAssists offers the Scripps California community two community service opportunities on July 30.

San Diego Blood Bank 5k Walk/Run

A ScrippsAssists volunteer team is being recruited to help raise awareness for the San Diego Blood Bank (SDBB) and children in the city’s foster care program at the SDBB’s annual 5K Walk/Run on Saturday, July 30, at Waterfront Park, 1600 Pacific Hwy, San Diego, 92101.

For this event, SBDD is partnering with Live Well San Diego, a local 120-member partnership with the County of San Diego promoting healthy, safe and thriving communities. Proceeds will be donated to the SBDD and to foster youth in the county.

The volunteer shift is 6:30 to 11 AM. Volunteers can work on food both set-up, race coordinator assistance, water station staffing or children’s play-area monitoring. To register for the TSRI team, contact project lead Sohyon Lee at sohyon@scripps.edu.

Epilepsy Foundation Education Conference

Volunteers are needed to help staff the Epilepsy Foundation of San Diego’s Epilepsy Education Conference (EEC) on Saturday, July 30, from 8 AM to 3 PM.

Volunteer tasks will include registration staffing; set-up for information tables, lunch and the expressive arts program; and clean-up. Complimentary breakfast and lunch will be provided. All volunteers must attend a 5-10 minute first-aid training session prior to the event.

The Epilepsy Foundation, ScrippsAssists’ newest community partner, has provided education, support and training services to San Diego County since 1954.

The EEC will be held at the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice on the University of San Diego campus. Free parking will be available. To volunteer or for further information, contact ScrippsAssists project lead Kai-Chun Chen at kaichun@scripps.edu.

CA Biosafety Committee Meeting Materials Due July 29

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

FL Biosafety Meeting Scheduled for August 9

The next meeting of the Scripps Florida Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) will be held on Tuesday, August 9, from 9:30 to 11:30 AM, in building B, room 316. RSVP required to Galina Judge, gjudge@scripps.edu.

Emergency Numbers Reminder

In addition to information posted on the TSRI website, the following hotlines are available in an emergency situation:

CALIFORNIA

The California Campus Status Hotline at (858) 784-7000. Scripps California employees can call the hotline in any regional emergency for a recorded message on the work status of the campus. The institute's website and email system serve as additional sources of information.

In case of an emergency on the California campus, dial "77." The call is connected automatically with the security operator located at the Beckman Center front entrance. The security operator will answer, take preliminary information and then ask caller to hold as he/she is transferred to the 911 operator. It is important not to disconnect the call during this transfer; the line will be silent until the 911 operator answers (this may take more than a minute). During the call, other members of the TSRI Emergency Response Team will be alerted to provide additional assistance.

FLORIDA

The Florida Campus Status Hotline at (561) 228-2999. Scripps Florida employees can call the hotline in any regional emergency, such as a hurricane, for a recorded message on the work status of the campus.

In case of a Florida campus emergency, call "911." Dialing 911 from a TSRI phone automatically connects the caller to Scripps Florida Security desk in Building B reception. Security will obtain the critical information and immediately contact the TSRI Emergency Response Team and the Palm Beach County emergency center, which will dispatch the appropriate team from Jupiter Police, Palm Beach County Fire Rescue and/or EMS to the Florida campus.

At the Auditorium: Schumann Festival Continues

The Athenaeum Music & Arts Library’s Summer Festival, featuring piano classics works of Robert Schumann, continues Sunday, July 17 with virtuoso pianist and San Diego native Gustavo Romero performing Schumann’s Album for the Young (F Major), Faschingsschwank aus Wien, Op. 26 and Sonata No. 3 in F Minor, as well as Dutilleux’s Blackbird.

At the festival’s July 24 concert, Romero will perform Schumann’s Arabeske, Op. 18, Kreisleriana, Op. 16 and Fantasietücke, Op. 111, as well as Ginastera’s Suite de Danzas Criollas.

Concerts begin at 4 PM; the final festival concert will be held on Sunday July 31. Ticket and program information is available on the Athenaeum 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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