In Brief

Look for Scripps California Fall Research Symposium September 21
The Scripps California campus 2011 Fall Research Symposium, scheduled for Wednesday, September 21, will feature oral and poster presentations, and keynote speakers Robert Schreiber, professor of molecular microbiology at Washington University School of Medicine, and Beth J. Hoffman, vice president of biology for Vertex Pharmaceuticals.

Schreiber will speak on "Deconstructing Cancer Immunoediting" from 10 to 11 AM in the Keck Amphitheater. Hoffman will present "Advancing Drug Discovery by Building Collaborative Networks" from 2 to 3:15 PM in the same venue.

Co-hosted by the Society of Fellows (SOF) and the Career and Postdoctoral Services Office, the annual symposium aims to encourage presentation and discussion of research emphasizing the most exciting research projects in the Scripps Research community. This year's event focuses on the general subject areas of cell and molecular biology, chemistry and structural biology, immunology and microbial science, and experimental medicine, neurosciences, and translational research.

Postdoctoral talks are scheduled from 11:15 AM to 12:45 PM and 3:30 to 5 PM in the Keck Amphitheater. A moderated poster session and lunch reception will be held in the Beckman Galleria from 12:45 to 2 PM.

Additional slots for posters at the symposium are available, according to Ryan Wheeler, manager of the Career and Postdoctoral Services Office. Prospective presenters are asked to send an abstract to Wheeler at rwheeler@scripps.edu following the specified template. Abstracts will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis as space permits.

A panel comprising Scripps Research faculty will judge oral and poster presentations. Top oral presentations in each general subject area will receive cash awards ranging from $100 to $300; top poster presenters will receive $50 awards.

More Fall Research Symposium information is available at the SOF webpage.

Career Workshop: Launching an Academic Job Search
Advice and guidance on the academic job search process will be offered in an upcoming workshop sponsored by the Career and Postdoctoral Services Office and the Society of Fellows. "Launching Your Academic Job Search and Preparing Your Application Materials" will be presented by Cynthia Fuhrmann, assistant professor of biochemistry and biophysics and program director of academic career development at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).

The training will be held Friday, September 9, from 11 AM to 1 PM in the Keck Amphitheater, Beckman Building, on the California campus. The session will be streamed live to the Florida campus at 2 PM, Eastern Standard Time, to Room B158.

The workshop will cover job search organization and the components of an application package, including timeline, the anatomy of a strong academic CV and cover letter, and the fundamentals of writing a successful research and teaching statement. Workshop attendees will participate in a mock faculty search committee scenario, critiquing two authentic application packages.

A light lunch will be provided at the workshop. Reservations are required and can be made at http://hris.scripps.edu/training/.

SOF Travel Award Applications Due October 1
Applications for the Society of Fellows (SOF) Postdoctoral Travel Award program for California postdoctoral fellows must be submitted by Saturday, October 1. The awards are intended to provide postdocs opportunities to present scholarly activities at scientific national or international conferences, according to Ryan Wheeler, manager of the Postdoctoral Services Office, which administers the program.

A maximum of three grants of up to $1,000 each will be awarded for conference-related costs, including travel, housing, and conference registration. A selection committee of five Scripps Research postdocs will review the applications.

Previous award applicants may apply again, but past award winners are ineligible. Eligibility, specific application procedures, and proposal guidelines can be found on the Career and Postdoctoral Services webpage.

Non-applicants postdocs willing to serve on the selection committee are asked to contact Wheeler at rwheeler@scripps.edu.

Lunch & Learn: Enhancing Brain Health with Good Nutrition
The role nutrition can play in improving human memory, mood, focus, and attention is the topic of a Lunch & Learn seminar scheduled for Wednesday, September 14, and featuring certified natural health consultant and author Valerie Hall.

Presented by the Counseling and Psychological Services Department, the event will address natural challenges to brain health and provide natural and effective means to help empower optimal brain function.

Specifically, Hall will explore:

• How to empower the brain against stress, anxiety, and depression.
• The effect of different foods upon the brain.
• The importance of "good" fats for the brain.
• Nutrients that benefit brain function.

The Lunch & Learn session will be held at noon in the Keck Amphitheater on the California campus and streamed live at 3 PM, Eastern Standard Time, to Room B158 on the Florida campus.

December Craft Fair Exhibitor Registration Open
Artisans in the Scripps California community are invited to register for the annual Craft Fair, planned for Thursday, December 1, and benefitting ScrippsAssists.

Open to Scripps Research, Scripps Green Hospital, and Scripps Clinic Torrey Pines employees, the fair offers crafters a marketplace for their homemade and handmade items. Employees may sponsor a spouse, significant other, or immediate family member as an exhibitor; however, the employee is expected to attend the exhibit during the fair.

Interested participants are asked to contact Marcia McRae, administration manager for the Molecular and Integrative Neurosciences Department, at mjmcrae@scripps.edu or x4-8402, with the following information:

• Complete contact information (name, employer, email address, and work, home, or cell phone number
• Description of the craft to be exhibited
• Name(s) of everyone staffing the booth

The $20 exhibitor booth fee is due by November 1, checks to be made payable to ScrippsAssists.

Upcoming Onsite Clinics
On Wednesday, September 7 and Friday, September 9, personnel from Sharp Rees-Stealy Medical Group will be onsite on the California campus to conduct TB screenings, hepatitis B immunizations, and tetanus immunizations.

The clinics will be conducted from 11 AM to 2 PM on Wednesday and Friday. The clinic is located in Room 325 of 3366 N. Torrey Pines Court.

Appointments are not necessary. TB screening requires a 48 to 72 hour follow-up. Individuals receiving the TB screen on Wednesday will need to return to have it read on Friday. Initiation of the TB screening process will not be available on Friday, but hepatitis B immunization and tetanus immunizations will still be offered. To learn more about these programs, see the Environmental Health & Safety Occupational Medicine webpage, or call Sunny Gold Schmidt at x4-9299.

Send comments to: mikaono[at]scripps.edu