The rockefeller university

Awarded:

Jesse H. Ausubel, the 2012 National Ocean Champion Award, presented by the Urban Coast Institute of Monmouth University in New Jersey, for his contributions to marine science and management. Mr. Ausubel joins a distinguished group of awardees, including Jean-Michel Cousteau, who won in 2011. He is the director and senior research associate of the Program for the Human Environment.

Cori Bargmann, the 2012 Kavli Prize in Neuroscience, which is awarded biennially for outstanding achievement in advancing knowledge and understanding of the brain and nervous system. Dr. Bargmann is among the first women scientists to receive the $1 million prize, which was first awarded in 2008 and recognizes her efforts in elucidating basic neuronal mechanisms underlying perception and decision. Dr. Bargmann is the Torsten N. Wiesel Professor at Rockefeller, head of the Lulu and Anthony Wang Laboratory of Neural Circuits and Behavior and an investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

Cori Bargmann, the 2012 Dart/NYU Biotechnology Achievement Award in Basic Biotechnology, for her work in deciphering the neural networks that define individual and group behaviors. Presented by the Biotechnology Study Center of NYU School of Medicine, the prize recognizes the role of pure science in the development of pharmaceuticals and honors scientists whose work has led to major advances in improving patient care.

Jan L. Breslow, the 2012 Robert I. Levy Award, presented by the Kinetics and Metabolism Society. The award, presented in April, is given to a researcher who has made valuable contributions to the field of lipoprotein metabolism. Dr. Breslow is senior attending physician, Frederick Henry Leonhardt Professor and head of the Laboratory of Biochemical Genetics and Metabolism.

Brian T. Chait, the 2012 Pehr Edman Award from the International Association for Protein Structure Analysis and Proteomics. The award is presented to individuals whose efforts have significantly advanced the fields of protein chemistry, protein structure analysis or proteomics. Dr. Chait is the Camille and Henry Dreyfus Professor and head of the Laboratory of Mass Spectrometry and Gaseous Ion Chemistry.

James E. Darnell Jr. and Robert G. Roeder, the 2012 Albany Medical Center Prize in Medicine and Biomedical Research, for pioneering achievements in understanding how genes are regulated and expressed. The nation’s largest prize in medicine at $500,000, the award is given to scientists or physicians whose work has led to significant advances in health care and scientific research with demonstrated translational benefits. Dr. Darnell is the Vincent Astor Professor Emeritus and head of the Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biology. Dr. Roeder is the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Professor and head of the Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Three other Rockefeller scientists have previously received the prize.

Titia de Lange, the Dr H.P. Heineken Prize for Biochemistry and Biophysics for her research on telomeres. The award was presented by the Royal Netherlands Academy for Arts and Sciences and included a $150,000 prize. It was the first time this award was given to a woman. Past Rockefeller recipients include Christian de Duve and Paul Nurse. Dr. de Lange is the Leon Hess Professor and head of the Laboratory of Cell Biology and Genetics.

Herminia de Lencastre, the Professor Nicolau van Uden Prize from the Portuguese Society of Microbiology for lifetime contributions in the field. The prize consists of a personal diploma and honorary membership in the society. Dr. de Lencastre is a senior research associate in Alexander Tomasz’s Laboratory of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.

Andrey Feklistov and Nicholas Stavropoulos, Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists. The awards are given to researchers under the age of 42 who demonstrate highly innovative, impactful and interdisciplinary accomplishments in the life sciences, physical sciences, mathematics and engineering. Dr. Feklistov, a research associate in Seth A. Darst’s Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, is being recognized for his work resolving a fundamental transcription mechanism also important for drug design. Dr. Stavropoulos, a research associate from Michael W. Young’s Laboratory of Genetics, is being awarded for his research on the function and regulation of sleep. They will each receive $15,000 and will be honored at the New York Academy of Sciences’s ninth annual Science and the City Gala in November.

Susana Gardete, the 2012 Young Investigator Award from the Palm Beach Infectious Diseases Institute. The $50,000 award is given to a young investigator to support research in infectious diseases and career development. Dr. Gardete is a postdoctoral fellow in Alexander Tomasz’s Laboratory of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.

Alexander Ploss, a 2012 American Liver Foundation Gregg Allman Liver Scholar Award. The award is given to early-career scientists to encourage the study of liver physiology and disease. Dr. Ploss, a research assistant professor in Charles M. Rice’s Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, will receive $225,000 over three years.

Jeffrey V. Ravetch and Michael W. Young, the Canada Gairdner International Award, presented by The Gairdner Foundation, for significant discoveries in medical science. The award is Canada’s highest scientific award and is considered among the top 10 most prestigious international prizes in science. Dr. Ravetch is recognized for his work demonstrating how our immune system can be both protective and harmful. He is the Theresa and Eugene M. Lang Professor and head of the Leonard Wagner Laboratory of Molecular Genetics and Immunology. Dr. Young is honored for his research on circadian rhythms. He is the Richard and Jeanne Fisher Professor and head of the Laboratory of Genetics. Drs. Ravetch and Young each received a $100,000 prize.

Vanessa Ruta, a McKnight Scholar Award, for her research on the functional organization of the neural circuits underlying olfactory learning. Presented by the McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience, this year’s McKnight awards were given to six early-career scientists who have established independent laboratories and have demonstrated a commitment to neuroscience. Dr. Ruta is assistant professor and head of the Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Behavior. She is one of seven Rockefeller faculty who have won the award, and will receive $75,000 per year for three years.

Caspar Schwiedrzik, the Human Frontier Science Program Long-term Fellowship. The fellowships are given to biologists who wish to broaden their training in a different field of the life sciences in another country. Dr. Schwiedrzik joined Winrich Freiwald’s Laboratory of Neural Systems as a postdoctoral fellow in January.

Caspar Schwiedrzik, the Barbara Wengeler Award, from the Barbara Wengeler Foundation in Germany. The €10,000 award recognizes research conducted at the intersection of neuroscience and philosophy, work that Dr. Schwiedrzik did at the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research.

Marc Tessier-Lavigne, the Henry G. Friesen International Prize in Health Research, established by the Friends of Canadian Institutes of Health Research in collaboration with the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences. The prize recognizes exceptional innovation by a visionary health leader of international stature. It awards $35,000 and an invitation to deliver a public lecture in Ottawa. Dr. Tessier-Lavigne is head of the Laboratory of Brain Development and Repair.

Elected:

Cori Bargmann, to the American Philosophical Society, which elects members who have shown extraordinary accomplishments in the fields of math and physics, biology, humanities and social sciences, among others. She is the ninth Rockefeller University faculty member to be inducted to the society.

Hired:

Elizabeth Adler, executive editor JGP, Rockefeller University Press.
Leandro Alonso, visiting student, Magnasco Lab.
Jeffrey Barnett, research assistant, Breslow Lab.
Claudia Bognanni, research assistant, Tuschl Lab.
Dennis Brown, security guard, Security.
Rachel Chiaroni-Clarke, research assistant, Simon Lab.
Leslie Church, assistant editor, Communications and Public Affairs.
Anne Debassac, human resources administrator, Human Resources.
Rickpaul Dhindsa, analyst, Investments.
Larissa Costa Faustino, visiting student, Pfaff Lab.
Michele Filgate, laboratory administrator, Chait Lab.
Ksenia Gnedeva, postdoctoral associate, Hudspeth Lab.
Jamie Lynn Harden, postdoctoral associate, Krueger Lab.
Raimond Herzog, member of the adjunct faculty, Greengard Lab.
Zachi Horn, postdoctoral fellow, Hatten Lab.
Chung-Hao Huang, visiting student, Chua Lab.
Agata Jacewicz, postdoctoral associate, O’Donnell Lab.
Trevor Johnson, research assistant, Simon Lab.
Christine Lai, research support assistant, Genomics Resource Center.
Emily Lowry, postdoctoral associate, Strickland Lab.
Hector Lugo, animal attendant, Comparative Bioscience Center.
Joel Lutomiah, visiting student, Vosshall Lab.
Juan Carmelo Magniez, foreign research intern, Libchaber Lab.
George Martinez, animal attendant, Comparative Bioscience Center.
Ruben Martinez Barricarte, postdoctoral associate, Casanova Lab.
Cristina Mascaraque, visiting student, Mucida Lab.
Amanda Perkins, teacher, Child and Family Center.
Erica Sanborn, genetic counselor, Smogorzewska Lab.
Claudia Scheckel, postdoctoral fellow, R. Darnell Lab.
Lianna Schwartz-Orbach, research assistant, Rice Lab.
Julia Sliwa, postdoctoral associate, Freiwald Lab.
Brendan Smith, research support assistant, High Throughput Screening Resource Center.
Judit Soy-Platero, visiting student, Chua Lab.
Tom Szymczyk, Web site builder and programmer, Information Technology.
Tiberiu Tesileanu, visiting fellow, Leibler Lab.
Yuko Ulrich, postdoctoral fellow, Kronauer Lab.
Amy Vonk, laboratory administrator, Nottebohm Lab.

Promoted (academic appointments): 

Erin Norris, to senior research associate, Strickland Lab.
Julio Cesar Padovan, to senior research associate, Chait Lab.