In Brief

Takayuki Ota Wins HIV Research Award

Scripps Research Institute Assistant Professor Takayuki Ota is one of 12 grant recipients in the international research program, “Creative and Novel Ideas in HIV Research” (CNIHR), sponsored by the International AIDS Society in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for AIDS Research.

CNIHR aims to promote innovative research and novel ideas from early-stage investigators whose primary focus has been in fields of scientific inquiry other than HIV.

“The studies supported in this grant program span from basic to clinical science on HIV and its associated comorbidities and co-infections,” said Jack Whitescarver, director of the NIH Office of AIDS Research. “This research has the potential to produce an immediate impact, as well as to lead to future advances in AIDS research.”

Ota works with the Burton and Nemazee labs. His CNIHR research project is titled “Rapid characterization of NAbs in vivo using HoxA10 expanded HSC.”

Briana Weiser Receives Kirschstein National Research Service Award

Briana Weiser, a Scripps Research Kellogg School of Science and Technology graduate student working in the Tellinghuisen lab, has received a Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award for Individual Predoctoral Fellows (F31 fellowship) from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Kirschstein, for whom the award was named, was the first woman director of an NIH institute and a strong advocate for research training.

The fellowship is intended to provide support to promising scientists with the potential to become productive, independent investigators in scientific health-related research fields relevant to participating NIH institutes and centers.

The title of her project is “Nipsnap1: A Novel Negative Regulator of Hepatitis C Virus Replication.”

Scripps CA on Track to Double Annual Recycling Totals

Mother Nature must be pleased. In the first six months of 2012, the Scripps California faculty and staff recycled more used materials—more than a half-million pounds—than in all of 2011, announced Ramon Juarez, environmental services training coordinator and Green Team member.

From January 1 through June 30, the campus recycled 507,583 pounds of cardboard, plastics, glass, aluminum/metals, and paper—besting by nearly 5,700 pounds the 2011-year total of 501,890 pounds.

The increase in eco-friendly efforts can be attributed primarily to the single-stream recycling program implemented last year, according to Denise Daggett, manager, Industrial Hygiene for Environmental Health and Safety and Green Team co-chair. Under the campus-wide single-stream recycling program, all recyclables can be discarded into any blue recycle bin.

“The single-stream recycling program has been a verifiable success thanks to the efforts of Environmental Services, the Student Sustainability Initiative, Green Team members, and our campus population, said Daggett. “At our current recycling rate, we could exceed 1 million pounds diverted from our local landfills by the end of the year. People’s interest in the program and daily recycling efforts are making an impact on the quality of life in San Diego. Keep up the outstanding work!”

Academic Careers Roundtable Series Explores Job Applications

The Academic Careers Roundtable, a Scripps Research professional development series, will hold its next California campus discussion, “Preparing Your Academic Job Application,” led by Professor M.G. Finn on Friday, August 17, at noon in the graduate office conference room (3377 Building, Room 300).

Presented by the Career and Postdoctoral Services Office and “dedicated to all things academic,” the bi-monthly series features a variety of topics and faculty discussion leaders in informal sessions with graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.

Registration is required to attend Roundtable events. For additional resources, visit the Career and Postdoctoral Services website.

Outstanding Mentor Nominations Sought

Nominations are now open for the 2012 Outstanding Mentor Award, honoring faculty who mentor Scripps Research graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.

Sponsored by the Scripps California Society of Fellows (SOF) and the Career and Postdoctoral Services Office, the award recognizes “the considerable dedication of faculty who consistently and enthusiastically serve as effective mentors of graduate students and postdocs.”

The award honoree, to be announced at the September 19 SOF Fall Research Symposium, will receive a plaque and a $1,000 cash prize to support team building or training efforts.

Postdocs and graduate students may nominate any faculty member "who has guided and contributed to their personal or professional development through a mutually trusting and respectful relationship." Specifically, award nominees should be faculty who:

Develop mentees' research and professional skills, such as writing, presenting, and networking
Respect and support scholars' goals by articulating clear expectations, providing thoughtful feedback, and facilitating collaborations
Offer valuable career planning advice and are proactive and effective in scholars' job searches
Model effective communication, serve as a role model for conducting research responsibly, and/or act as an advocate in difficult situations

Due Friday, August 24, nominations will be reviewed by SOF Executive Committee members and the Career and Postdoctoral Services Office. The nomination form and instructions are available online.

Send comments to: mikaono[at]scripps.edu

CSULA MORE Scholars Tour Scripps California
MORE

A group of California State University Los Angeles (CSULA) students in the Minority Opportunities in Research (MORE) Scholars program, which encourages minority students to pursue research careers, recently toured labs and met with faculty and graduate students to explore PhD opportunities at The Scripps Research Institute. Shown here are (left to right) CSULA chemistry students Antonia Flores and Maria Flores with Devin Sok, Scripps Research graduate student in the Burton lab.

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