In Brief

Micah Niphakis Receives ACS Scarborough Award

Micah Niphakis, research associate in the Cravatt lab at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI), has received the 2013 Scarborough Graduate/Postgraduate Award for Excellence from the American Chemical Society’s Division of Medicinal Chemistry.

Named in memory of Robert M. Scarborough, medicinal chemist and inventor of drugs such as Natrecor® and Integrilin®, the award recognizes a postdoctoral researcher or graduate student who has had a leading role in scientific discoveries in the field of medicinal chemistry. Niphakis will present his research at the fall national meeting of the American Chemical Society in Indianapolis.

Niphakis’s research focuses on the development of chemical tools to comprehensively map bioactive molecule-protein interactions in the cell. He and his colleagues are currently using the technology to elucidate proteins that regulate a class of neurotransmitters called endocannabinoids, which plays an important role in the regulation of inflammation, pain sensation, mood and appetite.

Career Transition to Industry Workshop: Cultural Aspects and Best Practices

Postdoctoral fellows interested in an industry career are invited to attend a one-day course designed to help participants in the academia-to-industry transition. The workshop, “Career Transition to Industry: Cultural Aspects & Best Practices for a Successful Transition & Career,” is scheduled for Friday, February 1, from 8 AM to 5 PM at the University of California, San Diego(UCSD) Extension office in University City Center.

The course is open to members of the Torrey Pines Training Consortium, a career development collaboration of TSRI, the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute and UCSD.

Presented by industry education provider Bio4Front, the course will be taught by professionals with extensive education and life sciences experience. Topics will include intellectual property protection, project planning and management, industry regulatory environments, and personal skills building.

For TSRI participants, the $50 course fee, which includes refreshments, lunch, course materials and registration, is eligible for the Society of Fellows course reimbursement program. Complete details and course registration is available at http://careertransition2013.eventbrite.com/.

CA Campus Daffodil Days Campaign Begins Final Season

The yellow blooms of the American Cancer Society’s (ACS) annual Daffodil Days campaign will brighten the California campus for a final season this year. ScrippsAssists is currently taking orders.

Aimed at raising awareness and funds for cancer research, the campaign offers a selection of fresh daffodil bouquets for donations starting at $10. Proceeds help fund ACS programs in cancer research, education, early detection efforts, advocacy and patient services. The ACS will discontinue the Daffodil Days campaign following the 2013 event to focus on other activities, such as Discovery Shops, Making Strikes Against Breast Cancer and Relay for Life, explained Leslie Madden, ScrippsAssists Daffodil Days Project Leader.

Daffodil Day donation categories include:

$10: bouquet of 10 daffodils (no vase)
$20: the Sunshine arrangement, 10 daffodils with a 7-inch, clear glass, cylinder vase
$35: Vision arrangement, 20 daffodils with a clear glass, 8-inch, multi-use vase

Two additional donation categories—"Bear of Hope" and "Gift of Hope"—offer opportunities to cheer up local cancer patients, according to the ACS. "Gift of Hope" donations, ranging from $25 to $100, underwrite daffodil bouquets anonymously delivered to cancer treatment patients in local hospitals, medical centers and physician offices. The $25 "Bear of Hope" donations fund delivery of Boyd's teddy bears to pediatric cancer patients at local facilities.

To order bouquets or arrangements, visit the ScrippsAssists Daffodil Days webpage.The ordering deadline is Friday, February 22, at 4 PM. Flowers will be available for pickup on Wednesday, March 20, from 7:30 AM at MB105C. For further information regarding the Daffodil Days campaign, contact Madden at lmadden@scripps.edu.

CA Onsite Clinics Scheduled for January 21 and 23 in New Location

The California campus onsite occupational medicine immunization clinics have changed location for 2013. Offered monthly, except March and November, the clinics will be conducted in Building 3366, room 240 (one floor down from the 2012 clinic location). Clinic hours remain from 9:30 to 11:30 AM.

The next immunization clinics are scheduled on Monday, January 21, and Wednesday, January 23.

Conducted by Sharp Rees-Stealy staff, the clinics provide hepatitis B vaccination free of charge to all TSRI employees. Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) Occupational Medicine must pre-authorize all other procedures based on the employee's working conditions. These procedures include:

Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis (Tdap) vaccines
A new one-visit Quantiferon tuberculosis test (for information on this test, read the Centers for Disease Control TB Fact Sheet)
Other tests, including titers, immunizations, and procedures according to job function

After EH&S pre-authorization, individuals who cannot attend the onsite clinic may visit the Sharp Rees-Stealy occupational medicine clinic by calling (858) 526-6150. The clinic is located at 10243 Genetic Center Drive, off Mira Mesa Boulevard. For further details, contact Sunny Gold Schmidt, gschmidt@scripps.edu or x4-9299.

Emergency Number Reminders

In addition to information posted on the TSRI website, remember the following hotlines are available in emergency situations:

CALIFORNIA

The California Campus Status Hotline at (858) 784-7000. California employees can call the hotline in any regional emergency for a recorded message on the work status of the campus.

In case of an emergency on the California campus, dial "77." The call is connected automatically with the security operator located at the Beckman Center front entrance. The security operator will answer, take preliminary information, and then ask caller to hold as he/she is transferred to the 911 operator. It is important not to disconnect the call during this transfer; the line will be silent until the 911 operator answers (this may take more than a minute). During the call, other members of the TSRI Emergency Response Team will be alerted to provide additional assistance.

FLORIDA

The Florida Campus Status Hotline at (561) 228-2999. Florida employees can call the hotline in any regional emergency, such as hurricanes, for a recorded message on the work status of the campus.

In case of a Florida campus emergency, call "911." Dialing 911 from a TRSI phone automatically connects the caller to Scripps Florida Security desk in Building B reception. Security will obtain the critical information and immediately contact the Scripps Emergency Response Team and the Palm Beach County emergency center, which will dispatch the appropriate team from Jupiter Police, Palm Beach County Fire Rescue, and/or EMS to the Florida campus.

Send comments to: mikaono[at]scripps.edu

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