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In Brief


Kirill Martemyanov Wins Cogan Award for Ophthalmology Research

Kirill Martemyanov, associate professor in Department of Neuroscience at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI), has won the Cogan Award from the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO), a widely respected international eye and vision research organization with nearly 13,000 members worldwide. The award recognizes promising young researchers whose important and worthwhile contributions to ophthalmology research are directly related to disorders of the human eye or visual system.

The award announcement cites Martemyanov’s “seminal contributions” to the understanding of G-protein signaling in photoreceptors, ON-bipolar cells and throughout the central nervous system: “His research in both retina and brain have brought him wide recognition in the vast GPCR signaling community that makes him a leader and an advocate for the value and importance of basic vision research.” Martemyanov will receive the Cogan Award in Spring 2014.

More information on Martemyanov’s research is available on his faculty webpage and lab website.


SOF Announces CA Travel Award Winners

The Society of Fellows (SoF) has announced the fall cycle California Postdoctoral Travel Award winners. The winning postdoctoral fellows, who will each receive up to $1,000 to cover travel expenses to present their work at a national or international scientific conference, are:

  • Kerriann Backus of the Cravatt lab, presenting at the Gordon Research Conference: Bioorganic Chemistry, in Andover, New Hampshire
  • Kyoji Tsuchakama of the Janda lab, also presenting at the Gordon Research Conference: Bioorganic Chemistry, in Andover, New Hampshire
  • Ryan Hoffman of the Ward lab, presenting at the 58th Annual Meeting of the Biophysical Society in San Francisco, California
  • Maoyi Lai of the Changchun Xiao lab, presenting at the Keystone Symposia: Biology of B Cell Responses in Keystone, Colorado

The SoF will award up to six travel grants in 2014 in two evaluation cycles. The next application deadline is March 1. Postdocs who have never attended a scientific meeting to present their current work are encouraged to apply; additionally, previously unsuccessful applicants are urged to re-apply. Visit the SoF website for details.


CA NWiS to Discuss Work–Family Balance

How to balance family life and an ambitious career in research is the topic of the Network for Women in Science (NWiS) Coffee Hour scheduled for Tuesday, November 12, 11:30 AM, in the Faculty Club Tennis Room on the CA campus.

A panel of research scientists from academia and industry will share their experiences and effective strategies to maintain healthy work and family lives.

A pizza lunch will be served. The event is open to TSRI students, faculty and research staff. For further information on NWiS activities and resources, visit the group’s website or Facebook group.


Lunch & Learn: The Courage to Act

Making a life change can be difficult and stress-inducing. The next Lunch & Learn presentation—Healthy Risk Taking, The Courage to Act—aims to offer guidance for those life moments. The session will be held on Wednesday, November 13, noon to 1 PM, in the Keck Amphitheater in the Beckman Building on the CA campus.

Daphne Lurie, director of the TSRI Office of Counseling and Psychological Services, will conduct the session. A licensed psychologist for nearly 20 years, she holds a doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of South Carolina. Working with individual clients and couples at TSRI, Lurie has specialty interests in multicultural concerns and relationships, and health-related and identity/adjustment issues.

Lurie’s presentation will cover:

  • The value of healthy risk taking
  • The difference between healthy and foolish risks
  • Steps to move in the right direction

For details on other resources offered by the Office of Counseling and Psychological Services, visit the department’s website.


Holiday Adopt-a-Family Program Deadline: November 15

Signups for the California ScrippsAssists annual Holiday Adopt-a-Family Program are due Friday, November 15. Aimed at helping San Diego families struggling in poverty, the project is coordinated with long-time ScrippsAssists community partner Home Start, a nonprofit agency serving at-risk children and families.

In the campaign, individuals or groups provide holiday meals and children’s gifts to families in need identified by Home Start counselors. For guidance, donors receive a family description and wish list.

Nearly 123,000 children in San Diego live below the federal poverty line, according to Home Start.

For further program details, contact ScrippsAssists project lead Jessica Sheu-Gruttadauria, a graduate student in the MacRae lab, at x4-7569 or jgruttad@scripps.edu.


CA Onsite Clinics Scheduled for December 2 and 4

The next onsite immunization clinics on the California campus are scheduled for Monday, December 2 and Wednesday, December 4, from 9:30 to 11:30 AM in Building 3366, room 240. Conducted by Sharp Rees-Stealy staff, the clinics provide hepatitis B vaccination free of charge to all TSRI employees. Appointments are not needed.

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, and pertussis (Tdap) vaccines and other titers, immunizations and procedures.

TSRI no longer requires TB testing for TSRI faculty and staff whose work includes exposure to animals. TB testing is provided for employees who, in the scope of their TSRI positions, provide human health care, such as registered nurses, work with human subjects or work with nonhuman primates. Employees authorized for the one-visit Quantiferon tuberculosis test may find further information on the Centers for Disease Control TB Fact Sheet.

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 Rachel Longville, rachellv@scripps.edu or x4-8457.





Send comments to: mikaono[at]scripps.edu

martemyanov
Associate Professor Kirill Martemyanov has won the Cogan Award from the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO). (Photo by James McEntee.)