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Changchun Xiao Named Pew Scholar
The Scripps Research Institute Assistant Professor Changchun Xiao has been named a 2010 Pew Scholar in the Biomedical Sciences by The Pew Charitable Trusts. The program enables scientists to take calculated risks, expand their research, and explore unanticipated leads. Scholars receive $240,000 over four years and gain inclusion into a select community of scientists that includes three Nobel Prize winners, three MacArthur Fellows, and two recipients of the Albert Lasker Medical Research Award.

"Twenty-five years ago, The Pew Charitable Trusts identified a tremendous opportunity to impact the world of science by supporting the most promising young investigators and encouraging them to pursue their best ideas without restrictions," said Rebecca W. Rimel, president and CEO of The Pew Charitable Trusts." Motivating scientists at this point in their careers is essential to advancing discovery and innovation, and Pew is honored to continue its commitment to this cadre of high-quality researchers."

In the last decade, small ribonucleic acids (RNAs) have proven to be important regulators of biological processes in mammals. In particular, genetic studies from Xiao's laboratory and other groups suggest that small RNAs play critical roles in immune responses, autoimmune diseases, and lymphoma. To better understand how small RNAs affect the lymph and immune systems, Xiao will analyze the activity of small RNAs in the immune system and in a large collection of lymphoma tissue samples. The proposed research will advance our understanding of the immune system, and could lead to better diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to diseases of the immune system.

Denis Malyshev and Zinaida Polonskaya Selected to Participate in Nobel Laureate Meetings
Denis Malyshev and Zinaida Polonskaya, graduate students at the Scripps Research Kellogg School of Science and Technology, have been selected as young researchers to participate in the 60th Nobel Laureate Meetings in Lindau, Germany. This interdisciplinary meeting will bring together more than 650 young researchers from around the globe with 61 Nobel laureates in the fields of physiology or medicine, physics, and chemistry. At Scripps Research, Malyshev is a member of the Romesberg lab; Polonskaya is a member of the Finn lab.

Phil LoGrasso Profiled on NIH Website
Scripps Research Professor Phil LoGrasso has been profiled on the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) website of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). To view the profile, including print and video content, see "Meet Phil LoGrasso, Biochemist, Jupiter Florida."

Send comments to: mikaono[at]scripps.edu

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