Basic Sciences mourns loss of Dawes
Mary Dawes, who served as an electron microscopist at the Vanderbilt Cell Imaging Shared Resource until her retirement in 2022, passed away in June.
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Dani becomes Rita Allen Foundation Scholar
Neil Dani (Cell and Developmental Biology) was named a Rita Allen Foundation Scholar. This prestigious grant program supports early-career biomedical scientists conducting innovative research.
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Hinton, Davis, Damo awarded PAIR-UP grant
Antentor Hinton Jr. (Molecular Physiology and Biophysics), Jamaine Davis (Meharry Medical College), and Steven Damo (Fisk University) received funds from the Partnering to Advance Imaging Research for Underrepresented Minority Scientists Program for a collaborative research group working on project titled, “A Community Partnership in Achieving Precision Medicine: Addressing the Biological Determinants of Health Disparities in African Americans.”
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Denton, Lindsley, Grueter earn NIMH grant
Jerod Denton (Pharmacology), Craig Lindsley (Pharmacology), and Brad Grueter (Pharmacology) were awarded a four-year, $2.7 million grant from the National Institute of Mental Health to explore drug discovery for schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorder.
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Hodges, Siciliano named Dean’s Faculty Fellows
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Uddin, Duvall, Vickers earn Phi Beta Psi grant
Jashim Uddin (Biochemistry), Craig Duvall (Biomedical Engineering), and Kasey Vickers (Medicine) have received a Phi Beta Psi Trust award. The Phi Beta Psi Sorority is a national civic organization whose members are committed to charitable work and fighting against cancer. Uddin received this award last year as well.
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Carroll Thomas, Barr among 2023 SEC Emerging Scholars
Darian Carroll Thomas (Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Maureen Gannon lab) and Jordyn Barr (Biological Sciences, Julián Hillyer lab) were among the five graduate students selected as the 2023–2024 SEC Emerging Scholars.
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Hinton recognized with ASCB Mentoring Keynote
The American Society of Cell Biology recently recognized Antentor Hinton Jr. (Molecular Physiology and Biophysics) with the Mentoring Keynote as part of its 2023 honorific awards.
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NISE trainees
- Kimberly Bress (Neuroscience, Carissa Cascio lab)
- William Quackenbush (Neuroscience)
- Sarah Vassall (Neuroscience, Mark Wallace lab)
- Omair Khan (Neuroscience)
- Amber Crabtree (Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Antentor Hinton Jr. lab)
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Vue awarded by MSA
Zer Vue (Antentor Hinton Jr. lab) received a Microscopy & Microanalysis Postdoctoral Scholar Award funded by the Microscopy Society of America.
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Torres, Saleh recognized for leadership
Teresa Torres (Microbe-Host Interactions, Mariana Byndloss lab) received the Service Award as part of the 2023 Graduate Leadership Anchor Awards. Nabil Saleh (Cell and Developmental Biology, James Dewar lab) received an honorable mention at the awards ceremony.
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Russell G. Hamilton GLI awards
- Kimberly Bress (Neuroscience, Carissa Cascio lab)
- Jessica Collins (Biochemistry, Neil Osheroff lab)
- Natalie Favret (Molecular Pathology and Immunology, Mary Philip lab)
- Joseph Holden (Neuroscience, David Calkins lab)
- Minh Tran (Chemical and Physical Biology, Kevin Schey and Jens Meiler labs)
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Wolters, McDonald honored at VICB Symposium
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Trainee fellowships
The following trainees earned fellowships or grants from these funding organizations:
- National Cancer Institute: Heather Beasley (Antentor Hinton Jr. lab)
- National Eye Institute: Amy Stark (Pharmacology, John Penn lab)
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute: Avery Bogart (Molecular Pathology and Immunology, Lorraine Ware lab), Kate Clowes (Biochemistry, Chuck Sanders lab)
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases: Dominique Stephens (Antentor Hinton Jr. lab)
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Fernández awarded travel grant
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Fresh-from-the-oven grads
The following graduates successfully defended their dissertations this past month:
- Cell and Developmental Biology: Michael Yarboro, Ph.D.
- Chemical and Physical Biology: John Cordoba, Ph.D.
- Molecular Pathology and Immunology: Brenna Appleton, Ph.D.; Neil Sprenkle, Ph.D.
- Molecular Physiology and Biophysics: Arya Nakhe, Ph.D.
- Neuroscience: Anna Kasdan, Ph.D.; Alisa Zoltowski, Ph.D.
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IJMS names Yan paper as “highly cited”
The International Journal of Molecular Sciences recently certified a 2022 paper from authors Zhizhu Zhang (Tennessee Valley Healthcare System), Ann Richmond (Pharmacology), and Chi Yan (Pharmacology) as being the “highly cited paper of IJMS in 2022.”
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Showcase of high-impact papers
- Assistant Professors:
- Emily Hodges (Biochemistry
- Zixiu Xiang (Pharmacology)
- Associate Professors
- Ken Lau (Cell and Developmental Biology
- Manuel Ascano Jr. (Biochemistry)
- Professors
- Alissa Weaver (Cell and Developmental Biology
- David Cortez (Biochemistry)
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Basic Sciences USAC staff contacts
The following staff members are the 2023–2024 Group 4 University Staff Advisory Council members who represent Basic Sciences:
- David Baughman - Chemical Biology
- Hastings Benitone - Basic Sciences: Office of the Dean
- Jennifer Bennett - Basic Science Administration Pod 2
- T. Renee Dawson - Cell and Developmental Biology
- Tiffany Lawrence Givens - Basic Sciences: Office of the Dean
- Kimberly Turner - Basic Sciences: Office of the Dean
Please do not hesitate to reach out to them with ideas or concerns that they can take to the advisory council. If you would rather submit an idea, suggestion, or comment anonymously, you can do so on their anonymous contact form.
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Close that sash!
A single chemical fume hood can use as much energy as 3.5 households each day—closing your fume hood sash is one of the most impactful things you can do to save energy in the lab. By shutting fume hood sashes when work is complete, you can save up to 40% of energy.
Learn more at My Green Lab, or visit FutureVU Sustainability. Thanks to the CSB for this month’s tip!
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| LAB-TO-TABLE CONVERSATIONS
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Lab-to-Table: Teen mental health
If you missed this month's Lab-to-Table Conversation on teen mental health and how to cultivate wellbeing, worry not and view on your own time. Available on YouTube now!
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Parking Alternatives
In an effort to mitigate traffic congestion during peak hours for the staff, faculty, and postdoctoral scholars who hold annual parking permits who typically park in the 25th Avenue Garage, the university is offering use of garages on campus typically reserved only for the daily parking program.
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"Molecular Muse"
Head over to the Vanderbilt Fine Arts Gallery in Cohen Memorial Hall to see artwork by students in the Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology, and Inflammation Artist-in-Residence Program. This exhibit, “Molecular Muse,” runs through November 17.
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2023 Center for EV Research Retreat
The Center for Extracellular Vesicle Research will host its retreat on September 8 at Scarritt Bennett Center. The retreat will focus on extracellular vesicles in health and disease.
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Healthcare Artificial Intelligence Sessions
The inaugural Healthcare Artificial Intelligence Sessions will take place on September 20 in Langford Auditorium. The conference will focus on developments in AI and healthcare. Register in advance.
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Apex Lecture features Ivet Bahar
The Apex Lecture Series will host Ivet Bahar, Stony Brook University professor of biochemistry and cell biology, on September 20 at 4:00 p.m. in 214 Light Hall.
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Apex Lecture brings Rapé to Vanderbilt
The Apex Lecture Series will be hosting Michael Rapé, a professor of cell and developmental biology at the University of California, Berkeley, on September 29 at 12:00 p.m. in 202 Light Hall.
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Grant pacing workshops
Edge for Scholars is hosting two half-day Grant Pacing Workshops for Fellowship (F), Career Development (K), and Independent Investigator (R) submissions:
- R sessions: September 7 and October 5, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m
- F sessions: September 11 and September 12, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m
- K sessions: September 12 and September 26, 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
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Smith to speak at Emerging Scholars Lecture
The next Emerging Scholars Lecture will take place on October 20 at 12:00 p.m. in 202 Light Hall. Iris Smith, research instructor at Cleveland Clinic, Lerner Research Institute, will present: “Unraveling PTEN Structural and Functional Dynamic Architecture for Therapeutic Modulation in Cancer and Autism.”
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CSB Special Seminar
The Center for Structural Biology will host a special seminar at 1:30 p.m. on October 23 in 1220 MRBIII. Paula Booth from King’s College will speak about co-translational folding of membrane proteins.
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Ingaugural Nature Conference coming to VU!
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17th annual postdoc symposium
The 17th Annual Vanderbilt Postdoc Association Symposium will take place on November 17. This interdisciplinary, one-day conference highlights postdoctoral research and provides a venue for networking and professional development. Lightning round and poster presentation submissions will close on September 4. Register if interested.
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Have a job opening you’d like to promote? Send us a link or a description and contact info, and we’ll post it here for three issues. Renew postings anytime!
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About this issue's bannerThis month’s banner image was taken by David Anderson, a staff scientist in the lab of Jeff Spraggins (Cell and Developmental Biology). Anderson used a technique called MALDI imaging mass spectrometry to look at lipid distribution in the human eye. The highlighted region shows the ciliary processes, which are mainly responsible for secreting the aqueous humor and are located just next to the iris. Part of the goal in taking this image was to differentiate the lipids present in single cells, which can be seen in the bottom right of the image, with red indicating a single layer of pigmented cells next to a single layer of nonpigmented cells. These data were acquired with a 5 µm pixel size, which is currently at the cutting edge of the field.
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Catch up on Basic Sciences news!We regularly update our website with some of the latest VU Basic Sciences news stories. Check it out.
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Faculty and facility profilesCheck out our faculty interviews and our facility highlights here.
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About the newsletterThis newsletter recognizes the achievements and latest discoveries of students, postdocs, faculty, and staff associated with Basic Sciences departments, centers, and cores or who carry out basic biomedical research at Vanderbilt.
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Keep up with biomedical science seminars
To receive weekly email notices about upcoming seminars focused on the biomedical sciences, please email Tracy O'Brien. To submit your event for the weekly email, send it to the "bioseminar" email address.
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Send us your news Got an announcement or an upcoming event? Did we miss out on celebrating you or your lab's successes? Let us know!
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