In Brief

Marisa Roberto Wins Society for Neuroscience Award

Marisa Roberto, professor at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI), has been selected to receive the 2016 Jacob P. Waletzky Award from the Society for Neuroscience (SfN). This award, which includes a $25,000 prize, honors a young scientist whose independent research has led to significant conceptual and empirical contributions to the understanding of drug addiction.

“The Society gladly recognizes Dr. Roberto’s contributions to the field of addiction research,” said SfN President Hollis Cline, who also serves as chair of TSRI’s Department of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience and director of the TSRI Dorris Neuroscience Center. “Not only has she offered seminal contributions to our understanding of the brain mechanisms involved in alcohol dependence, but she also demonstrates a strong drive to lead the next generation of researchers.”

Roberto’s research focuses on how changes in synapses—the connections between neurons—may play a role in alcohol and drug dependence. Her discoveries include the finding that alcohol dependence provokes the brain to release a key signaling molecule in the synapse that can hinder certain cell-to-cell communications. Further research in her laboratory suggested that an anti-seizure drug can mitigate some of those effects, offering a potential treatment for alcohol dependence.

Established in 2003 and supported by the Waletzky Award Prize Fund and the Waletzky family, the prize will be presented this month at Neuroscience 2016, SfN’s annual meeting.

For more information on Roberto’s work, see her laboratory website.

SoF Announces New Executive Committee

The Society of Fellows on the Scripps California campus held its annual elections on November 3. The new executive committee will be:

President: Jessica Mayeux
Vice President: Rebecca Berlow
Treasurer: James Ferguson
Career Development Chair: Michael Ledbetter
Industry Bridge Program Chair: Irem Nasir
Distinguished Lecture Series Chair: Luca Gebert
Social Chair: Sebastian Raemisch
Vendor Show Chair: Ben Leach
Vendor Show Co-Chair: Matt Holcomb
Website Manager: Sergey Shnitkind

The SoF encourages professional and social exchange to support postdoctoral researchers within TSRI. All California campus graduate students, staff, and current and former postdoctoral fellows are welcome to participate in SoF activities, including scientific lectures, networking events, "happy hours” and career development forums. For more information on the SoF, see the group's website.

CA Biosafety Committee Meeting Materials Due December 2

To receive consideration at the next TSRI Institutional Biosafety Committee, registration documents must be submitted to Environmental Health and Safety by Friday, December 2, via email to rachellv@scripps.edu. The meeting will be held Wednesday, December 14, 2:30 to 3:30 PM, in the P2 conference room, Building 3301.

CA ScrippsAssists Adopt-A-Family

The holiday season is quickly approaching and once again ScrippsAssists California is coordinating with Home Start.

There are three ways to participate:

Adopt-A-Family Program: You will be matched with a deserving Home Start family and given a list of desired gifts. This is a great option for whole labs or groups of friends!
Holiday Toy Drive: Host a lab-wide or individual toy drive. Your donation of gifts will benefit clients and children who are in need. ScrippsAssists will be holding an institute-wide toy-drive later in November as well, if you are interested in contributing without committing to a full family.
Holiday Funds Donation: If you are more comfortable with a cash donation, Home Start seeks financial donations to fund services that put an end to family violence, assist child victims of abuse and prevent future occurrences.

If you would like to participate in this program, please contact Jess Sheu-Gruttadauria at jgruttad@scripps.edu. This year the deadline for sign-up is November 11. Volunteers will receive family assignments and wish-lists shortly thereafter.

CA ScrippsAssists Craft Fair & Raffle Dec. 8

Calling all crafters! ScrippsAssists, the employee volunteer club of The Scripps Research Institute, invites you to participate in the annual ScrippsAssists Craft Fair and Raffle.

The fair will be held from 11 AM to 2 PM on Thursday, December 8 in the Immunology Galleria. The cost for crafters to participate is just $30 per table. Participants are asked to bring their own table and chairs. All proceeds from exhibitor fees and the Craft Fair Raffle are donated to non-profits serving the local community.

This year there will be two grand prizes of round-trip Southwest Airlines vouchers for two. In addition, two special prizes of Scavengers Beer Adventures for two will be awarded, courtesy of the Society of Fellows (SOF).

This event is open to employees of TSRI, Scripps Green Hospital and Scripps Clinic/Health Torrey Pines. A TSRI/Scripps Green/Scripps Health employee may sponsor a spouse/significant other or family member, however, the employee must be in attendance at the exhibitor's table during the Craft Fair.

For more information, please contact ScrippsAssists Chair Mishelle McClanahan-Shinn, mshinn@scripps.edu.

At the Auditorium: Dorado Schmitt & The Django All-Stars Nov. 29

The Athenaeum’s jazz program at TSRI concludes Tuesday, November 29, at 7:00 PM with the area debut of Dorado Schmitt & The Django All-Stars. For ticket information, visit the Athenaeum website.

The performers will share their swinging “jazz manouche” sound, created in the 1930s by pioneering Gypsy jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt and violinist Stéphane Grappelli.

The Auditorium at TSRI is located at 10640 John Jay Hopkins Drive, San Diego, 92121. Directions and parking information are located on the auditorium’s website.

Send comments to: mikaono[at]scripps.edu

Professor Marisa Roberto has won the Society for Neuroscience’s Jacob P. Waletzky Award. (Photo by BioMedical Graphics.)

Photo: Pet Therapy on CA Campus
pet
Canine ambassadors from the San Diego Humane Society visited the California campus November 7 for a pet “therapy” session with TSRI graduate students. Here, Graduate Student Taylor Loe bonds to golden retriever Marissa.

SEARCH NEWS & VIEWS

What Does It Take to Make a Memory? Study Says New Proteins

Farris Foundation Donates $1.1 Million to Fund TSRI Graduate Fellowship in Florida

Scientists Awarded $6.6 Million for Research in Computational Biology

In Memoriam: Daniel R. Salomon (1953 – 2016)