Faculty Promotions and Appointments Announced—Fowler,
Yeager Become Institute’s Newest Full Professors—
By Mika Ono
Faculty promotions and appointments were announced at a recent
meeting of The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) Board of
Directors.
Promotions include:
- Velia Fowler, full professor in the Department of Cell
Biology. A member of TSRI's faculty since 1987, Fowler (A.B.,
Oberlin College; Ph.D., Harvard University) investigates
the molecular basis of cell architecture and movement; actin
filament assembly and dynamics; and the roles of tropomyosin,
tropomodulin, and associated proteins. Her research interests
focus on the regulation of actin dynamics in muscle cell
contraction, cell crawling, red blood cell shape and the
development of the eye lens.
- Mark Yeager, full professor in the Department of Cell
Biology. A member of TSRI’s faculty since 1994, Yeager
(B.S., Carnegie-Mellon University; M.Phil., Ph.D. Yale University;
M.D., Yale University School of Medicine) studies the structure
and function of cardiac gap junction membrane channels.
This work is essential for understanding the molecular basis
of current flow in the heart and may provide novel strategies
for treating cardiac arrhythmias.
- Howard Fox, associate professor with tenure in the Department
of Neuropharmacology. A member of TSRI since 1990, Fox (B.A.,
M.A., Johns Hopkins University; Ph.D., M.D. University of
California, San Francisco) investigates the effects of HIV
on the brain and therapeutic strategies that might treat
the resulting neurological symptoms. In another line of
research, he studies the sexual dimorphism of autoimmunity,
wherein women suffer disproportionately from autoimmune
diseases.
- Klaus Hahn, associate professor without tenure in the
Department of Cell Biology. Hahn (B.A., University of Pennsylvania;
Ph.D., University of Virginia) came to TSRI in 1992 as a
senior research associate. He is currently developing new
approaches to examining protein structural changes and interactions
within living cells in real time. He is currently studying
proteins that control both apoptosis and motility, focusing
on how spatial–temporal dynamics are used to regulate
each protein’s participation in these very different
cell behaviors.
- Anne Hanneken, associate professor without tenure in
the Department of Cell Biology. A member of TSRI since 1994,
Hanneken’s (B.S., Marquette University; M.D., Medical
College of Wisconsin) research interests include: regulation
of growth factor activity in vivo by soluble receptors,
structural characterization and biological activity of the
soluble FGF receptors, regulation of soluble FGF receptor
shedding by metalloproteases, and inhibition of FGF-2 induced
angiogenesis.
- Anette Schneemann, associate professor without tenure
in the Department of Molecular Biology. A member of TSRI
since 1995, the work of Schneemann (Diplom, University of
Freiburg, Germany; Ph.D., University of Wisconsin, Madison)
focuses on viruses, most recently on the role of nucleic
acid in structure and assembly of RNA viruses and new methods
of virus inactivation.
- Ana Angulo, assistant professor in the Department of
Immunology. Angulo (Ph.D., Universidad Autonoma de Madrid,
Spain) has been at TSRI since 1993. She studies the molecular
pathways and viral determinants that modulate cytomegalovirus
gene expression, growth and pathogenesis.
- Amanda Roberts, assistant professor in the Department
of Neuropharmacology. Roberts (B.A., University of California,
Santa Cruz; M.S., Ph.D., Oregon Health Sciences University)
came to TSRI in 1995 as a postdoctoral research associate.
She is currently developing models of alcohol drinking in
dependent animals and applying neuropharmacological techniques
to determining the mechanisms underlying craving and relapse.
She also is involved in feeding, drug self-administration
and stress studies and performs behavioral testing of knockout
and transgenic mice in relation to neuroAIDS and other central
nervous system disease states.
- Gary Siuzdak, adjunct associate professor in the Department
of Molecular Biology. Director of TSRI's Center for Mass
Spectrometry since 1990, Siuzdak (B.S., B.A., Rhode Island
College; Ph.D., Dartmouth College), conducts research on
viruses, work which has implications for the design and
screening of anti-viral drugs as well as diagnosing viral
infections. Siuzdak has also developed new bioanalytical
techniques such as desorption/ionization on silicon mass
spectrometry, which is facilitating work in such diverse
areas as protein characterization, drug discovery and forensics.
- Robert Russo, adjunct assistant professor in the Department
of Molecular and Experimental Medicine. Russo (B.A., Ph.D.,
University of California, Los Angeles; M.D. University of
California, Irvine) utilizes intravascular ultrasound, an
invasive cardiovascular technology, for the diagnosis of
coronary artery disease and to guide coronary interventions
(such as angioplasty and stent placement).
New appointments include:
- Zhen Chai, adjunct assistant professor in the Department
of Neuropharmacology. Chai (B.S., Peking University; Ph.D.,
Stockholm University) investigates cytokine production as
a fever response regulator and studies its effects on the
brain.
- Edward Korzus, adjunct assistant professor in the Department
of Cell Biology. Korzus (Ph.D., University of Georgia) investigates
mechanisms regulating learning and memory consolidation
at molecular, cellular, and cognitive levels using genetically
modified mice as a model.
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Velia Fowler, top, and Mark Yeager,
bottom, have been promoted to the rank of full professor.
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