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In Brief


FL Research Fest Congratulates Poster and Presentation Winners

October 21 marked the seventh annual Research Fest: Scientific Symposium and Vendor Show on the The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) Florida campus, organized by the Scripps Florida Society of Research Fellows (SF-SRF). The event was an opportunity for postdoctoral fellows and graduate students to showcase their research through oral presentations and posters.

Awards for distinguished oral presentations by postdoctoral fellows went to:

  • 1st - Cesare Orlandi of the Martemyanov lab, “The orphan receptor GPR158 is a novel stress-induced modulator of signaling in depression”
  • 2nd - Jeffrey Rudolf of the Shen lab, “Biosynthesis of the Antibiotics Platensimycin and Platencin”
  • 3rd - Tarsis Brust of the Bohn lab, “A G protein-biased ligand of the kappa opioid receptor is analgesic but does not cause sedation or dysphoria”

Awards for postdoctoral fellow poster presentations went to:

  • 1st - Suzanne Rzuczek of the Disney Lab, “Precise Small Molecule Recognition of a Toxic RNA Repeat Expansion”
  • 2nd - Guohui Pan of the Shen Lab, “Discovery of leinamycin family of natural products: Nature’s own combinatorial biosynthesis”
  • 3rd - Vinay Mandati of the Kissil lab, “Crb3 regulation of cell proliferation is mediated through turnover of the Hippo pathway components Amot and Yap”

Afshin Khalili from the Tomchik lab won the best graduate abstract competition and presented a talk titled "Organization of opposite learned behaviors after ‘trauma’ in a mini- brain."


ResearcHERs Brings Neuroscience to the Public

Is it possible to retrain a brain? TSRI Professor Hollis Cline, thinks so. Cline’s laboratory focuses on early brain development and how brain circuits change over time.

“Your brain has one billion neurons, and each of those neurons has a thousand connections,” said Cline, who serves as chair of the Department of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience and director of the TSRI Dorris Neuroscience Center. “These cells are always moving and dancing.”

Cline presented her research at the latest “ResearcHERs: Women Scientists of TSRI” lecture and reception on October 26. This lecture series is organized by the TSRI Female Faculty Group and is free to the public.

Cline compared neurons to trees, with connections that grow and branch out. Scientists are increasingly understanding how these branches are shaped by the stimuli the brain receives. For example, Cline showed the audience how neurons in tadpoles pull back their connections when the tadpoles are in the dark and grow new connections when the tadpoles are in a visually stimulating environment.

This work suggests that exposing the brain to certain stimuli—in essence, “training the brain”—could be a way to treat learning deficits and even age-related cognitive decline.

Cline also noted the environment at TSRI is ideal for translating discoveries from the laboratory into therapies to help patients. “We can work closely with chemists here, and they’re the ones who can develop small molecules for drug development,” she said.

Visit the TSRI website for more information on public events at TSRI.


Erica Ollmann Saphire Opens 2016-17 Faculty Lecture Series at New Time, Venue

Erica Ollmann Saphire, professor in the TSRI Department of Immunology and Microbial Science, will open the 2016–17 Faculty Lecture Series with a presentation titled “The Molecular Tool-kit of Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers” on Wednesday, November 9.

Please note the new time and venue for this series: The lecture will begin at 4 PM in the Committee Lecture Hall in the Skaggs/Molecular Biology building, followed by a reception in the Beckman building first-floor galleria.              

In 2017, other faculty lecturers will include:

  • February 8: Laura Bohn, professor, Department of Molecular Therapeutics, “Refining Opioid Receptor Signaling to Improve the Therapeutic Index”
  • March 8: Ben Shen, professor, Department of Chemistry, “Microbial Genomics: New Opportunities for Natural Product Biosynthesis, Engineering and Drug Discovery”
  • April 12: Francisco Asturias, associate professor, Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, “The ‘Mechanics’ of Transcription Initiation by Mediator”
  • May 10: Bill Schief, professor, Department of Immunology and Microbial Science, "Germline-Targeting Vaccine Design for HIV”
  • June 14: Andrew Ward, associate professor, Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, “CryoEM and Structure-Based Vaccine Design”

For further information, see the Faculty Lecture Series webpage. The series is supported by an endowment from the Cochrane-Cartan families, established by TSRI Professor Emeritus Charles G. Cochrane.


Jeanne Loring to Speak at Female Faculty Lecture Series Nov. 3

The Network for Women in Science (NWiS) on TSRI’s California campus will host the latest installment of the Female Faculty Lecture Series on Thursday, November 3 at 4 PM in the Graduate Office Seminar Room. Jeanne Loring, professor of developmental neurobiology at TSRI, will speak at the event.

All members of the TSRI community are welcome to attend Loring’s lecture, a personal reflection on her career as a research scientist. Graduate students and postdoctoral researchers are also welcome to join NWiS and Loring shortly after the lecture for a light dinner in the TSRI Graduate Office. Space is limited and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

No RSVP is required to attend the lecture. To RSVP for the dinner, email Lauren Smith, lcsmith@scripps.edu.


Library Tip: Science Immunology Trial Access

Institution-wide trial access has been activated for Science Immunology, the newest title from AAAS. Its mission is “to facilitate understanding of the immune system by showcasing innovative advances in the expanding field of immunology, drawing from studies in all organisms and model systems including humans."

The trial runs through the end of the year.

Other AAAS journals the Kresge Library subscribes to include:

Your feedback is appreciated on the Science Immunology trial. Contact the library at helplib@scripps.edu or x4-8705.


Benefits Open Enrollment Ends November 4

Employee Benefits Open Enrollment ends Friday, November 4, 5 PM Pacific time; changes to participant selections, enrollment or re-enrollment in the Health Care and/or Dependent Care Spending Accounts or the Health Savings Account (if applicable) for the 2017 plan year must be completed.

All Open Enrollment communications are available on the Open Enrollment website. It is important to review the information provided in the online Open Enrollment booklet regarding plan information for the 2017 plan year. According to the TSRI Human Resources Department, no changes will be made to the health plan designs or premium deductions this year.

Participants are asked to note that the maximum dollar amount for the Health Care Spending Account is $2,550. Eligible employees who participated in the Health Care and/or Dependent Care Spending Accounts or the Health Savings Account in 2016 still must log on and elect a new deferral amount to participate in 2017. Employees’ 2016 election WILL NOT roll over to 2017. View information on spending accounts on the TSRI Benefits web page.


Upcoming CA SoF Events: Halloween Party, Industry Happy Hour

Halloween Party Oct. 29

Tickets are on sale for the 2016 Society of Fellows (SOF) Halloween Party and Costume Contest on October 29 from 9:30 PM to 1 AM. The event will be held at Party Pals in Sorrento Valley.

The night will feature free hotdogs, popcorn, a cash bar, DJ and a number of attractions at the Party Pals venue. There will also be a costume competition with prizes.

Tickets are available through Eventbrite. They are $10 for TSRI employees, $15 for guests. SOF will be using online ticket sales to determine how much to subsidize the bar, so they ask that attendees purchase tickets online.

Industry Happy Hour Nov. 10

The SOF and Career and Postdoctoral Services Office invite employees on the TSRI California campus to the latest Industry Happy Hour on November 10, from 5 to 7 PM. This networking event is an opportunity to connect and to interact with TSRI alumni and scientist from all levels and areas.

Entrance is free, and all TSRI employees can attend. Drinks and appetizers are complimentary. RSVPs are required.


Run for the Hungry Volunteers Needed Nov. 24

Scripps California employees can help their community this Thanksgiving by volunteering at the Run for the Hungry event on Thursday, November 24 in downtown San Diego, outside Westfield Horton Plaza. This yearly family and dog friendly event supports the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank.

ScrippsAssists is calling for volunteers from 6 AM to about 11 AM to help set up and staff the Food Bank tent, collect canned food donations and encourage and pass out water to runners and walkers. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Project Lead Mishelle McClanahan-Shinn, mshinn@scripps.edu.

If you are interested in joining the ScrippsAssists walking or running team at this event, or for more information, go to http://sdrunforthehungry.org/ and search for team “ScrippsAssists at The Scripps Research Institute” at checkout; then join the team using the password “ScrippsAssists.” If you have questions regarding the run/walk team, please contact Amanda Roberts at aroberts@scripps.edu.


CA ScrippsAssists Craft Fair & Raffle Dec. 8

Calling all crafters! ScrippsAssists, the employee volunteer club of The Scripps Research Institute, invites you to participate in the annual ScrippsAssists Craft Fair and Raffle.

The fair will be held from 11 AM to 2 PM on Thursday, December 8 in the Immunology Galleria. The cost to participate is just $30 per table. Participants are asked to bring their own table and chairs. All proceeds from exhibitor fees and the Craft Fair Raffle are donated to non-profits serving our local community.

This year there will be two grand prizes of round-trip Southwest Airlines vouchers for two. In addition, there will be two special prizes of Scavengers Beer Adventures for two courtesy of the Society of Fellows (SOF).

This event is open to employees of TSRI, Scripps Green Hospital and Scripps Clinic/Health Torrey Pines. A TSRI/Scripps Green/Scripps Health employee may sponsor a spouse/significant other or family member, however, the employee must be in attendance at the exhibitor's table during the Craft Fair.

For more information, please contact ScrippsAssists Chair Mishelle McClanahan-Shinn, mshinn@scripps.edu.


At the Auditorium: Joyce Yang Plays Dvořák

The San Diego Symphony presents pianist Joyce Yang on Wednesday, November 9, 7:30 PM. The program includes Antonín Dvořák’s String Quartet No. 12 in F Major, Op. 96: American. For ticket and program information, visit the symphony’s website.

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





Send comments to: mikaono[at]scripps.edu

fest
Research Associate Vinay Mandati of the Kissil lab discusses his award-winning poster with Staff Scientist Joanne Doherty. (Photo by Olga Ostrovskaya.)




















cline
Professor Hollis Cline presented her research on the brain at a recent public lecture at TSRI. (Photo by Melissa Jacobs.)