Etcetera

Peter Vogt Receives Gregor Johann Mendel Medal
Scripps Research Institute Professor Peter Vogt received the Gregor Johann Mendel Medal from the National Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic on October 4, 2008. The Mendel Medal is the highest award in the biological sciences conferred by the Czech National Academy. The award is named after the founder of genetics Gregor Mendel, whose studies on inheritance in plants revealed simple rules (known as Mendel's laws), only appreciated after his death. Mendel was the abbot of a monastery in Brno, then part of the Austrian Empire, now capital of Moravia in the Czech Republic. Previous recipients of the Mendel Medal include J. Michael Bishop, James D. Watson, Fotis Kafatos, Harald zur Hausen, and Thomas R. Cech.

SOF Congratulates Fall Research Symposium Prize Winners
The Scripps Research Society of Fellows (SOF) sponsored cash prizes for the top oral and poster presentations at the Fall 2008 Postdoc Research Symposium last week.

ORAL PRESENTATIONS

The winners for oral presentations, who were selected by faculty judges, are: 

Cell & Molecular Biology
First Place: Thomas Pucadyil
Second Place: Ewan Taylor
Third Place (tie): Casimir Bamberger, Jessica Williams

Experimental Medicine, Neurosciences, and Translational Research
First Place: Darren Logan
Second Place: Nicole Steinmetz

Chemistry & Structural Biology
First Place: Rebecca Taurog
Second Place: Jeff Lee
Third Place: Edward Brignole

Immunology
First Place: Elise Landais
Second Place: Nadege Pelletier
Third Place: Christoph Huber

POSTER PRESENTATIONS

The winners for poster presentations, who were selected through votes by symposium attendees, are:

Cell & Molecular Biology
First Place (tie): Prem Sinha, Ritu Pathak
Second Place (tie): Allen Liu, Althea Capul, Dora Koh

Experimental Medicine, Neurosciences, and Translational Research
First Place: Jennifer Barber-Singh

Chemistry & Structural Biology
First Place (tie): Arani Chanda, Deboshri Banerjee

Immunology
First Place: Debbie Liao
Second Place (tie): Daisy John, Kristen Taylor, Philippe Krebs, Ranjeet Sinha, Saskia Hemmers.

Service Awards Celebrate Long-Time Employees
Employees marked 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 years with Scripps Research at the October 19 Employee Recognition Banquet, held at the Stephen Birch Aquarium in La Jolla, California.

"Once again we honor you, our valued employees," said Judith Muñoz, vice president of Human Resources. "TSRI's renown is based on its impressive scientific achievements, our faculty, and the lab members who are responsible for the science. But we recognize that great science also depends on the contribution of direct and indirect support the labs receive from the people in Shared and Support Services... Your longevity and dedication prove that TSRI is a great place to develop and enjoy a career!"

Muñoz noted that among the evening's 165 award recipients were one 35-year, an unprecedented 15 30-year, and 20 25-year honorees.

The evening included mingling and hors d'oeuvres during a cocktail hour, an awards presentation complete with music and video clips, and an elegant dinner.

Send comments to: mikaono[at]scripps.edu

Prof. Pačes, president of the Czech National Academy of Sciences, chats with Professor Peter Vogt at Villa Lanna in Prague before the ceremony awarding Vogt the Gregor Johann Mendel Medal.