In Brief
Lerner Receives Honorary Degree from Florida Atlantic University
Richard A. Lerner, president of The Scripps Research Institute,
received an honorary degree from Florida Atlantic University
on April 30.
Lerner's 30-year scientific career encompasses a broad scope
of seemingly disparate activities in biomedical research,
ranging from insights into protein structure to identification
of a sleep-inducing lipid.
Recent work, and that for which he is perhaps best known,
involves groundbreaking discoveries of converting antibodies
into enzymes, permitting the catalysis of chemical reactions
considered impossible to achieve by classical chemical procedures.
The work has resulted in the possibility of producing antibodies
overnight for obtaining an almost limitless variety of products
beyond natural ones with an efficiency that may exceed that
of natural enzymes.
Behrens, Hedlund, and Kenny Win Young Investigator Awards
The National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression
has honored four investigators at Scripps Research with Young
Investigator Awards, which provide support for promising young
neurobiologists. In addition to Research Associate Stephan
Millar, whose award was reported in News&Views
last week, these investigators include:
- Assistant Professor M. Margarita Behrens, who is working
on "Impaired NMDA Receptor-Mediated Drive of Inhibitory
Chandelier Interneurons: A Hypoglutmatergic Mechanism of
Schizophrenia";
- Research Associate Peter B. Hedlund, who is working on
"The 5-HT7 Receptor—The Missing Link in Depression?";
and
- Research Associate Paul J. Kenny, whose project is "Measuring
Reward Function in Mice: Relevance to Depression.".
Barbas to Speak in Faculty Lecture Series
Scripps Research Professor Carlos Barbas III will speak on
"Polydactyl Zinc Finger Proteins: Developing Strategies to
Control and Discover Genes," on Wednesday, May 12, as part
of the Faculty Lecture Series. The lecture will be held at
5 PM in the Valerie Timken Amphitheater, Scripps Clinic, 10666
North Torrey Pines Road. No reservations are necessary.
Lunch & Learn: "Caregiving Connections in the Workplace"
Worried about your aging parents? ElderHelp of San Diego will
present "Caregiving Connections in the Workplace" on Wednesday,
May 19, from noon to 1 PM as part of the Lunch & Learn seminar
series. The workshop will cover planning strategies and resources
for eldercare, including: legal and financial safeguards for
elders, home safety and housing options, long-distance caregiving,
communication skills and family dynamics in caring for an
aging parent, alleviating caregiver stress, and local resources.
The event will be held in the W.M. Keck Amphitheater, Beckman
Center. Contact Jan Hill, x4-2950, for more information.
Health Fair Heads-Up
The fifth annual Scripps Research Health Fair will be held
on Wednesday, May 26 from 11 AM to 1 PM on the walkway in
front of the Immunology Building. A variety of health and
wellness topics will be addressed including fitness, nutrition,
and safety. There will be health and wellness screenings,
fitness and recreation demonstrations, chair massages, giveaways,
and food samples from your favorite local restaurants. All
Scripps Research employees and graduate students are invited
to participate in this fun and educational event.
Send comments to: mikaono[at]scripps.edu
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Frank Brogan (left), president of Florida
Atlantic University, congratulates Richard A. Lerner, president
of Scripps Research, on his honorary degree.
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