Milestones

Awarded:

C. David Allis, the Jonathan Kraft Prize for Excellence in Cancer Research, presented by the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center. The newly established award celebrates achievements in cancer research and includes a monetary prize of $20,000, endowed by Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, in honor of his son. The award was presented to Dr. Allis on April 3. Dr. Allis is Joy and Jack Fishman Professor and head of the Laboratory of Chromatin Biology and Epigenetics.

C. David Allis, an honorary Doctor of Science degree from Indiana University. Dr. Allis, who earned both his master’s and doctoral degrees there, gave the commencement address and was presented with the honorary degree at the university’s 2015 commencement ceremony.

Brian T. Chait, the American Society for Mass Spectrometry Award for Distinguished Contribution in Mass Spectrometry, recognizing a singular significant achievement in the field. Dr. Chait is Camille and Henry Dreyfus Professor and the head of the Laboratory of Mass Spectrometry and Gaseous Ion Chemistry.

David DiLillo, an AAI Thermo Fisher Trainee Achievement Award. Established in 1997 by the American Association of Immunologists, and co-sponsored this year by Thermo Fisher Scientific, the award recognizes promising trainees in the field of immunology. Dr. DiLillo is a postdoc in Jeffrey V. Ravetch’s Laboratory of Molecular Genetics and Immunology.

Elaine Fuchs, the E.B. Wilson Medal from the American Society for Cell Biology. Named for Edmund Beecher Wilson, considered by some to be the first modern cell biologist in the United States, the award recognizes far-reaching contributions to cell biology over a lifetime of science. The medal will be presented at the society’s annual meeting in California on December 15. Dr. Fuchs is Rebecca C. Lancefield Professor and head of the Robin Chemers Neustein Laboratory of Mammalian Cell Biology and Development.

Charles Gilbert, the Edward M. Scolnick Prize in Neuroscience from the McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT. Awarded annually for outstanding advances in any field of neuroscience, the prize is endowed through a gift from Merck Research Laboratories and includes a $100,000 award. Dr. Gilbert is Arthur and Janet Ross Professor and head of the Laboratory of Neurobiology.

Hani Goodarzi, Ziv Shulman, and Jing Yang, Tri-Institutional Breakout Awards for Junior Investigators. A new annual life sciences award for outstanding postdoctoral trainees, established by three Tri-Institutional winners of the 2013 Breakthrough Prize in Life Science, the award honors promising postdoctoral researchers at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Rockefeller University, and Weill Cornell Medical College. The awards are worth $25,000 per recipient. Dr. Goodarzi is a postdoc in Sohail Tavazoie’s Laboratory of Systems Cancer Biology; Dr. Shulman is a postdoc in Michel Nussenzweig’s Laboratory of Molecular Immunology; and Dr. Yang is a postdoc in Marc Tessier-Lavigne’s Laboratory of Brain Development and Repair.

David D. Ho, the California Institute of Technology distinguished alumni award. First presented in 1966, the award is the highest honor the institute bestows upon its graduates, and it recognizes achievements or careers of noteworthy accomplishment. Dr. Ho, who graduated Caltech in 1974 with a B.S. in Biology, is Irene Diamond Professor and scientific director and chief executive officer of the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center.

Gaby Maimon, a McKnight Scholar Award. Dr. Maimon and five other early-career scientists will each receive $75,000 per year for three years. The McKnight Endowment Fund seeks to bolster innovative research designed to improve the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of brain diseases by supporting young scientists working on problems that, if solved at the basic level, would have immediate and significant impact on clinically relevant issues. Dr. Maimon is head of the Laboratory of Integrative Brain Function.

Bruce S. McEwen, the Thomas William Salmon Medal in Psychiatry, presented by The New York Academy of Medicine’s Salmon Committee on Psychiatry and Mental Hygiene to recognize a prominent specialist in psychiatry, neurology, or mental hygiene. The recipient is invited to share his or her research with the New York area psychiatric community.
Dr. McEwen is Alfred E. Mirsky Professor and head of the Harold and Margaret Milliken Hatch Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology.

Shruti Naik, the Regeneron Prize for Creative Innovation. Awarded by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., the prize—which goes to one postdoc and one graduate student annually and includes $50,000 for the recipients, as well as a $5,000 donation to the recipients’ institutions to fund a seminar series—
recognizes innovative young scientists based on proposals they submit that have the
potential to drive biomedical research forward. Dr. Naik is a postdoc in Elaine Fuchs’s Laboratory of Mammalian Cell Biology and Development.

Paul Nurse, 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 honors exceptional innovation by a visionary health leader of international stature. Dr. Nurse will accept the prize and deliver a lecture on December 7, 2015, in Ottawa. Dr. Nurse is president emeritus and head of the Laboratory of Yeast Genetics and Cell Biology.

Jeffrey V. Ravetch, the 2015 Wolf Prize in Medicine. Since 1978, the Wolf Foundation in Israel has awarded annual prizes in the arts and sciences, which are presented by the president of Israel. Dr. Ravetch shares the prize, which includes a monetary award of $100,000, with two other immunologists: John Kappler and Philippa Marrack of National Jewish Health in Denver. Dr. Ravetch is Theresa and Eugene M. Lang Professor and head of the Leonard Wagner Laboratory of Molecular Genetics and Immunology.

Charles M. Rice, the Robert Koch Award. Dr. Rice shares the €100,000 prize with Ralf Bartenschlager from Heidelberg University. The Robert Koch Award is conferred annually by the Robert Koch Foundation, a nonprofit organization based in Berlin, Germany, that supports medical advancement, primarily in the field of infectious disease, through the promotion of basic scientific research. The scientists will be honored for their achievements in at a formal award ceremony in November. Dr. Rice is Maurice R. and Corinne P. Greenberg Professor in Virology and head of the Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease.

Sohail Tavazoie, the Pershing Square Sohn Prize for Young Investigators in Cancer Research. The prize, now in its second year, is awarded to scientists based in New York City. Each of the six winners receive $200,000 of funding per year for up to three years to enable them to continue to pursue explorative and high-risk, high-reward research. The award from The Pershing Square Foundation, in partnership with The Sohn Conference Foundation, helps bridge the gap between academia and the business community and supports scientists at a formative stage in their careers. Dr. Tavazoie is Leon Hess Associate Professor and head of the Elizabeth and Vincent Meyer Laboratory of Systems Cancer Biology.

Named:

Daniel Kronauer, a 2015 Pew Scholar in the Biomedical Sciences. Launched in 1985, the Pew Scholars Program recognizes applicants from all areas of physical and life sciences related to biomedicine who demonstrate both excellence and innovation in their research. Dr. Kronauer is among 22 researchers selected by Pew to receive $240,000 over four years. Dr. Kronauer is head of the Laboratory of Social Evolution and Behavior.

Luciano Marraffini, a life sciences finalist for the Blavatnik National Awards for Young Scientists. The award was announced at the New York Academy of Sciences on May 20. The Blavatnik awards recognize and support America’s top young scientific innovators in three categories: life sciences, physical sciences and engineering, and chemistry. Each year, one finalist in each category is awarded $250,000 in unrestricted funds. Dr. Marraffini is head of the Laboratory of Bacteriology.

Elected:

Jean-Laurent Casanova and Leslie B. Vosshall, to the National Academy of Sciences. Dr. Casanova is elected a foreign associate and Dr. Vosshall a member. Established by an act of Congress, the academy provides independent, objective advice to the federal government and other organizations on matters related to health, science, and technology. New members are elected by their peers based upon their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research. Dr. Vosshall is Robin Chemers Neustein Professor and head of the Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior. Dr. Cassanova is head of the St. Giles Laboratory of Human Genetics of Infectious Diseases.

A. James Hudspeth, a member of the American Philosophical Society, an honorary society founded by Benjamin Franklin in 1743. It is the United States’ first learned society and is unique among its peers for the wide variety of academic disciplines represented by its membership: math and physics, biology, humanities, social sciences and the arts, professions, and leaders in public and private affairs. Its mission is to promote useful knowledge in the sciences and humanities through excellence in scholarly research, professional meetings, publications, library resources, and community outreach. Dr. Hudspeth is F.M. Kirby Professor and head of the Laboratory of Sensory Neuroscience.

Hired:

Rebecca Alvania, executive editor jcb, Rockefeller University Press.

Ulysses Amancio de Frias, visiting student, Brady Lab.

Pradeep Ambrose, visiting student, Rice Lab.

Guadalupe Astorga, postdoctoral associate, Gilbert Lab.

Sasha Benson, development associate, Development.

Rahul Bhosle, laboratory manager, Marraffini Lab.

Ashley Bispo, research assistant, Greengard Lab.

Ashley Brammer, postdoctoral associate, Chen Lab.

Michal Breker, postdoctoral associate, Fred Cross Lab.

Kingsley Brown, animal attendant, Comparative Bioscience Center.

Monica Cano-Vinas, research specialist, Freiwald Lab.

Thiago Carvalho, scientific editor, Rockefeller University Press.

Anthony Carvalloza, chief information officer, Information Technology.

Pierre Casimir, foreign research intern, Casanova Lab.

Ni-Chen Chang, research assistant, Kronauer Lab.

Frances-Camille Cheng, postdoctoral associate, Klinge Lab.

Jacqueline Chiappetta, project coordinator, Nussenzweig Lab.

Alejo Chorny, scientific editor, Rockefeller University Press.

Chi-Shuen Chu, postdoctoral fellow, Roeder Lab.

Carlton Clarke, animal attendant, Comparative Bioscience Center.

Jennifer Connor, animal health technician II, Comparative Bioscience Center.

Giuseppe D’Onofrio, visiting student, Magnasco Lab.

Akinori Ebihara, postdoctoral associate, Freiwald Lab.

Mark Ebrahim, senior staff scientist, Cryo-Electron Microscopy Resource Center.

Lisa Fenk, postdoctoral associate, Maimon Lab.

Glenis George-Alexander, bionutritionist, Hospital Bionutrition.

Simone Giacometti, visiting student, Rout Lab.

Jevon Gilchrist, absorption chiller specialist, Plant Operations Power House.

Norbert Gleicher, member of the adjunct faculty, Brivanlou Lab.

Jovana Golijanin, research assistant, Nussenzweig Lab.

Songyan Han, research support specialist, Flow Cytometry Resource Center.

Christian Hansel, visiting professor, Freiwald Lab.

Qi Hao, postdoctoral associate, Blobel Lab.

Jerome Harriott, hvac helper, Plant Operations HVAC Shop.

Jonathan Hirokawa, mechatronics engineer, Maimon Lab.

Bradley Hover, postdoctoral associate, Brady Lab.

Georgina Hunt, executive assistant, Investments.

Mark Ibrahim, laboratory helper, Roeder Lab.

Agata Jaskulska, visiting student, Konarska Lab.

Junghee Jin, postdoctoral associate, Greengard Lab.

Dane Johnson, animal attendant, Comparative Bioscience Center.

Carter Jordan, computer support assistant, Brivanlou Lab.

Jin Joo Kang, research assistant, Tessier-Lavigne Lab.

Byungchul Kim, postdoctoral associate, Hang Lab.

Hyung Kim, research assistant, Blobel Lab.

Sehyun Kim, postdoctoral associate, Gleeson Lab.

Susan King, executive director, Rockefeller University Press.

Dmitry Krotov, visiting fellow, Leibler Lab.

Norma Kunjravia, postdoctoral associate, Krueger Lab.

Mark Lathrop, visiting professor, Ott Lab.

Marylene Leboeuf, laboratory manager, Allis Lab.

Jose Ledo, postdoctoral associate, Greengard Lab.

Chia-Hsueh Lee, postdoctoral associate, MacKinnon Lab.

Rebeka Levin, nurse coordinator, Nussenzweig Lab.

Lance Lively, analyst, Investments.

Robert MacArthur, director of pharmacy services, Hospital Pharmacy.

Nina Merkel, visiting student, Strickland Lab.

Jakob Metzger, postdoctoral associate, Siggia Lab.

Adi Minis, postdoctoral associate, Steller Lab.

Siddhartha Mitra, scientific programmer, Hospital Informatics.

Tabea Moll, foreign research intern, Pfaff Lab.

Ianessa Morantte, laboratory manager, Ruta Lab.

Ndaya Mwamba, accountant, Finance Controllers Office.

Lily Nguyen, research assistant, Paul Cohen Lab.

Masahiro Okamoto, visiting assistant professor, McEwen Lab.

Katarzyna Ossowska, visiting student, Konarska Lab.

Benjamin Ostendorf, postdoctoral fellow, Tavazoie Lab.

Dominick Papandrea, laboratory manager, Casanova Lab.

Einat Peles, member of the adjunct faculty, Kreek Lab.

Camille Peneau, foreign research intern, Casanova Lab.

Estefania Pereira Cardoso Azevedo, postdoctoral associate, Friedman Lab.

Jill Pilet, foreign research intern, Rice Lab.

Amanda Pitman, special assistant to the president, President’s Office.

Noe Ramirez Alejo, postdoctoral associate, Casanova Lab.

Lavoisier Ramos-Espiritu, research support specialist, High Throughput Screening Resource Center.

Gereon Rieke, visiting student, Nussenzweig Lab.

Markus Riessland, research associate, Greengard Lab.

Ashley Rivera, animal attendant, Comparative Bioscience Center.

Felicia Rydeberg Kjaernet, foreign research intern, Casanova Lab.

Mahan Sadjadi, visiting student, Casanova Lab.

Joshua Salvi, postdoctoral associate, Hudspeth Lab.

Marc Schneeberger Pane, postdoctoral associate, Friedman Lab.

Maya Sen, postdoctoral associate, Kapoor Lab.

Susan Seta, assistant manager for personnel, Comparative Bioscience Center.

Jay Singh, postdoctoral associate, Paul Cohen Lab.

Pradeep Singh, postdoctoral associate, Strickland Lab.

Holly Smith, animal attendant, Comparative Bioscience Center.

Evan Sticca, bioinformatics specialist, Gleeson Lab.

Roman Subbotin, postdoctoral associate, Chait Lab.

Aki Takahashi, visiting assistant professor, McEwen Lab.

Jill Trivedi, research assistant, Rout Lab.

Stephanie Tse, research assistant, Brivanlou Lab.

Yael Udi, postdoctoral associate, Rout Lab.

Werna Uniken Venema, visiting student, Rice Lab.

Paula Upla, visiting fellow, Rout Lab.

Xavier Vila Farres, postdoctoral associate, Brady Lab.

Ariel Waisman, visiting student, Brivanlou Lab.

Junjie Wang, postdoctoral associate, Chait Lab.

Xingyu Wang, visiting professor, Ott Lab.

Brittany Wilhite, research assistant, Friedman Lab.

Wan Fung Wong, postdoctoral associate, Greengard Lab.

Mark Woollett, administrative assistant, Casanova Lab.

Peter Wu, research assistant, Hatten Lab.

Daria Zamolodchikov, postdoctoral associate, Strickland Lab.

Zhe Zhang, postdoctoral associate, Chen Lab.

Promoted (academic appointments):

Joel Correa da Rosa, to senior research associate, Krueger Lab.

Uwe Schaefer, to senior research associate, Tarakhovsky Lab.