T32 Postdoctoral Training Program 

The Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) T32 postdoctoral training program aims to establish a new generation of early career scientists capable of bridging science and medicine for the challenges of chronic and emerging diseases in the rapidly changing world of health care. Basic science, elucidation of mechanisms of diseases, discovery of new therapeutic approaches and drugs, and digital monitoring of health are primary areas of investigation for our members. In addition, an important component of science citizenship is included in our training to promote four important core competencies: (i) scientific rigor, (ii) resilience, (iii) mentorship and (iv) community engagement. The program funds three postdoctoral T32 scholars for up to three years, with a special focus on building research independence and skillsets that align with successful careers in translational science and medicine.

The T32 Program at Scripps Research is linked with the NIH National Center for Advancing Translational Science (NCATS) Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) Program, leveraging the Scripps Research Translational Institute’s unique interdisciplinary environment. Connected to a top-tier life sciences graduate school and its award-winning faculty, the T32 program provides translational science training through specialized coursework and mentorship. Key areas of focus include biostatistics, clinical study design, genomics and computational biology. Founded by Dr. Eric Topol, the Scripps Research Translational Institute emphasizes precision medicine, integrating it into both research and educational frameworks. Through hands-on workshops and collaborative projects, the program equips postdoctoral scholars with practical skills to advance translational science, supporting CTSA’s mission to improve health outcomes.

• U.S. citizen or equivalent as detailed by the NIH/T32 guidelines for recipients of trainee funding.

• Verified completion of a PhD in a relevant scientific discipline (part of the employment verification process for postdoctoral appointment at Scripps Research).

• Mentee of a T32 participating faculty member at Scripps Research or new faculty member willing to join our training program.

• Scientific proposal qualified as translational by the T32 and K12 directors. Mentors and mentees are highly encouraged to contact the program directors before proceeding with their application. This consultation is also critical to establishing relevant connections with clinicians and gaining access to appropriate samples and data.

William Dion, PhD

William completed his BS in biochemistry and molecular biology at Michigan State University and his MS in biological sciences at Michigan Technological University, where he studied the evolution of pigmentation pattern development in Drosophila. He went on to earn his PhD in integrative systems biology at the University of Pittsburgh, where he investigated how ultradian rhythms of nuclear speckle morphology intersect with cellular protein homeostasis. As a postdoctoral T32 scholar training with Luke Wiseman, he studies how dysregulated ER protein homeostasis in the liver affects the conformational integrity of the secreted proteome, leading to the aggregation and deposition of toxic amyloid plaques. He then intends to understand how pharmacological activation of the Unfolded Protein Response may restore balance to the extracellular proteome under conditions of ER stress.

Ruben Elias, PhD

A southern California native, Ruben transferred from community college to UC Riverside to study biochemistry. There his love of research was cultivated, and he went on to obtain his PhD at UC San Diego studying the nature of intrinsically disordered protein binding interactions, amyloidogenesis and liquid-liquid phase separation. His PhD work primarily focused on characterizing proteins in the cellular ESCRT pathway which mediates abscission between dividing cells; however, heading into his postdoctoral career, Ruben became interested in other functions of the ESCRT pathway. As a postdoctoral T32 scholar in the Jeffery Kelly lab at Scripps Research, Ruben studies a cellular organelle, the lysosome, how damaged lysosomes are repaired by the ESCRT pathway, and how repair can be attenuated by small molecules in order to promote neuronal survival in neurodegenerative disease. The goal of Ruben’s research is then to translate work from the lab bench into treatments which impact neurocognitive health.

Bryce da Camara, PhD

Small molecule cancer treatments largely employ carcinogenic chemotherapeutics that are non-tumor-specific and result in negative side effects. Despite substantial financial and research investments, targeted small molecule therapeutics have yet to reach their full potential. Fine-tuning the selectivity of these therapeutics is crucial for effectively implementing cancer therapies, particularly for difficult-to-treat disease types, such as certain lung and pancreatic cancers, the latter of which has a 5-year survival rate of less than 10%.

As a T32 scholar, Bryce is primarily mentored by Michael Erb in the Department of Chemistry at Scripps Research, while Jacob New provides translational support as his clinician co-mentor. Bryce has synthesized a series of heterobifunctional molecules, demonstrating that these new molecules induce unique biomolecular interactions through chemically induced proximity, resulting in potent antiproliferative effects. This innovative therapeutic strategy is likely to be broadly extensible, addressing unmet clinical needs for new cancer treatments.

Bryce graduated from The Evergreen State College with a BS in chemistry and went on to receive his PhD in organic chemistry at the University of California, Riverside. His graduate work involved designing ligands to create biomimetic self-assembled cages and studying their capacity for selective molecular recognition and enzyme-like catalysis. He has now repurposed his expertise in mimicking biological systems toward manipulating non-native biomolecular interactions that have therapeutic relevance.