Achievement Rewards for College Scientists
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SAN DIEGO CHAPTER ACHIEVEMENT REWARDS FOR COLLEGE SCIENTISTS SCHOLARS’ PROFILES 2019-2020 CELEBRATING 35 YEARS 2019-2020 SCHOLARS SAN DIEGO CHAPTER The San Diego chapter of ARCS began in 1985 and has grown from the original four founders to more than 100 members today. As we reach our 35th anniversary, we have ARCS FOUNDATION, INC. | SAN DIEGO CHAPTER | SCHOLARS 2019-2020 | SAN INC. FOUNDATION, ARCS made more than 1400 awards totaling well over $10 million. Our academic partners are: San Diego State University | Scripps Research University of California San Diego | University of San Diego ARCS Scholars are selected by their institutions in recognition of their achievements and their exceptional promise to contribute significantly to their fields. Basic requirements have been established by ARCS® Foundation, Inc.: Scholars must be U.S. citizens and have at least a 3.5 GPA; they must be enrolled in academic degree programs in science, engineering, and medical research. Awards are unrestricted and merit-based. The San Diego chapter focuses on supporting students in doctoral programs, and the ARCS Scholars we have funded have a 98% graduation rate, compared with the national rate of 60% for graduate students in the sciences and engineering. Annual awards to Scholars range from $5,000 to $7,500. For the 2019-2020 academic year, the San Diego ARCS chapter has awarded $405,000 to 57 Scholars. 2 SUMMARY ARCS Foundation - San Diego Chapter 2019-2020 Scholars All ARCS Scholars supported by the San Diego Chapter are enrolled in doctoral programs Navigate document by clicking on the Scholar name or click to the section by clicking on an institution. ARCS FOUNDATION, INC. | SAN DIEGO CHAPTER | SCHOLARS 2019-2020 | SAN INC. FOUNDATION, ARCS SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN DIEGO John Matthew Allen - Cell and Molecular Biology Bryce Eric Ackermann - Biochemistry Erik Alexander Blackwood - Cell and Molecular Biology Miriam Kathleen Bell - Mechanical Engineering Mariel Manaloto Cardenas - Chemistry Laura Brown Chipman - Biological Sciences Corey Allyn Clatterbuck - Ecology Gabrielle Marie Colvert - Bioengineering Molly Elizabeth Clemens - Ecology Bethanny Patricia Danskin - Neurosciences Liwen Deng - Cell and Molecular Biology Cayce Elizabeth Dorrier - Biomedical Sciences Joshua Terence Kelly - Geological Sciences Michelle T Dow - Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Lucas Aaron Luna - Biochemistry Mickey Finn III - NanoEngineering Clifford Dennis Pickett Jr. - Cell and Molecular Biology Shereen Georges Ghosh - Biomedical Sciences Adriana Sara Trujillo - Cell and Molecular Biology John Patrick Gillies - Biological Sciences Janet Kathleen Walker - Ecology Mark Kalaj - Chemistry Melissa Ann Ward - Marine Ecology Emil Mario Karshalev - Materials Science and Engineering Joi LaGrace Weeks - Cell and Molecular Biology Kevin Richard Kaufmann - NanoEngineering Nicholas Benjamin Williams - Chemistry Andrew Thomas Kleinschmidt - Chemical Engineering Jenna Joaquin Lawrence - Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering SCRIPPS RESEARCH Chi-Wei Man - Biochemistry Carlos Andres Aguirre - Neuroscience Ryan Jared Marina - Biomedical Sciences Lisa Marie Barton - Chemistry Nicole Patricia Mlynaryk - Neurosciences Christopher Andrew Cottrell - Immunology Colman Arthur Moore - NanoEngineering Joseph Michael McGraw - Biomedical Sciences Jessica Yi-Jun Ng - Geochemistry Anthony Nicholas Milin - Biomedical Sciences Victor Wingtai Or - Chemistry Jessica Danielle Rosarda - Chemical Biology Jason Alexander Platt - Biophysics Sophia Louise Shevick - Chemistry Homa Rahnamoun - Biological Sciences Mia Shin - Biomedical Sciences Dimitrious Adrian Schreiber - Electrical and Computer Engineering Leonard Heekyu Yoon - Chemical Biology Benjamin Shih - Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Matthew David Stone - Public Health - Health Behavior Anthony Quoc Vu - Biomedical Sciences Alexander Jeffrey Whitehead - Bioengineering Andrew Ying - Statistics Jiarong Zhou - NanoEngineering UNIVERSITY OF SAN DIEGO Byron Batz - Nursing Nicole Tamara Martinez - Nursing Allison Kathleen Perkins - Nursing Brooke Haley Rakes - Nursing 3 ARCS FOUNDATION, INC. | SAN DIEGO CHAPTER | SCHOLARS 2019-2020 | SAN INC. FOUNDATION, ARCS The San Diego State University doctoral programs here are offered jointly with either the University of California Davis or the University of California San Diego as noted in the Scholars’ profiles. 4 ARCS FOUNDATION, INC. | SAN DIEGO CHAPTER | SCHOLARS 2019-2020 | SAN INC. FOUNDATION, ARCS 5 JOHN MATTHEW ALLEN San Diego State University / University of California San Diego College of Sciences Concentration: Cell and Molecular Biology Specialization: Stem Cell Biology and Regeneration Donor: Reuben H. Fleet Foundation Fund ARCS FOUNDATION, INC. | SAN DIEGO CHAPTER | SCHOLARS 2019-2020 | SAN INC. FOUNDATION, ARCS John’s project works towards understanding how cells make fate decisions. How DNA, or the “blueprints” of the cell, are physically packaged by histone proteins in the nucleus can regulate gene levels and directly influence cell fate. His work focuses on a complex that modifies histone proteins that wind DNA around them. The effect of this modification is to cause a localized compaction of the DNA and histones and cause genes to become silenced. His lab studies this complex during regeneration and examines how stem cells are regulated as re-form tissues. Degree: B.S in Molecular Biology, Harvey Mudd College, Claremont Awards and Honors: ARCS Foundation, Inc. - San Diego Scholar; University Graduate Fellowship; DePietro Scholarship Award Publications and Posters: Ochoa, S. D.; Dores, M. R.; Allen, J. M.; Tran, T.; Osman, M.; Castellanos, N. P. V.; Trejo, J.; Zayas, R. M. A modular laboratory course using planarians to study genes involved in tissue regeneration. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education 2019, 47 (5), 547–559. Strand, N. S.; Allen, J. M.; Zayas, R. M. Post-translational regulation of planarian regeneration. Seminars in Cell & Developmental Biology 2019, 87, 58–68. Strand, N. S.; Allen, J. M.; Ghulam, M.; Taylor, M. R.; Munday, R. K.; Carrillo, M.; Movsesyan, A.; Zayas, R. M. Dissecting the function of cullin-RING ubiquitin ligase complex genes in planarian regeneration. Developmental Biology 2018, 433 (2), 210–217. Allen, J. M.; Ross, K. G.; Zayas, R. M. Regeneration in invertebrates: Model systems. eLS 2016, 1–9. 6 Current Research (expanded description): How cells make fate decisions through development and how they maintain these states is a complicated multi-faceted question that has important implications in understanding many human diseases. Especially important is understanding how an organism can deploy a common set of DNA instructions to form multiple differentiated cell types. My work seeks to understand how cells use epigenetic instructions to guide cell fate decisions through the dynamic process of regeneration. This work will help us understand how an important but understudied epigenetic complex is affecting stem cell regulation. Benefits to Science and Society: Stem cells can self-renew and generate other differentiated cell types. They are essential throughout embryogenesis, and in adult organisms (including humans) they are maintained to renew damaged tissues. Understanding stem cells regulation will shed insight on how they can be utilized, either in situ to potentiate existing adult stem cells to repair damaged tissues or grown in culture and be differentiated DIEGO CHAPTER | SCHOLARS 2019-2020 | SAN INC. FOUNDATION, ARCS towards certain tissue fates for reintroduction. My work investigates epigenetic regulation of stem cells during homeostasis and regenerative processes. ARCS Award: The ARCS Foundation award has been a source of continued support throughout my graduate career. I use part of this award to relieve myself of teaching obligations that significantly hinder my ability to focus solely on conducting the research that is essential to advance my thesis work. I also appreciate the chance to interact with scientific donors and to discuss my work (and science in general) with the public. 7 ERIK ALEXANDER BLACKWOOD San Diego State University / University of California San Diego College of Sciences Concentration: Cell and Molecular Biology Specialization: Molecular Cardiology Donor: ARCS Foundation - San Diego Chapter / Karen and Bob Bowden ARCS FOUNDATION, INC. | SAN DIEGO CHAPTER | SCHOLARS 2019-2020 | SAN INC. FOUNDATION, ARCS Ischemic heart disease is the leading cause of human deaths worldwide and is mainly due to acute myocardial infarction (AMI), where coronary artery occlusion causes rapid, irreparable damage to the heart, increasing susceptibility to progressive cardiac degeneration and heart failure. Erik has identified several lead candidate small molecules that can enhance adaptive signaling and responses in the heart and confer protection against cardiac damage during an AMI. Furthermore, because of the nature of the adaptive response targeted, he is investigating its beneficial effects in disease models targeting other organ systems. Degree: B.S. in PreProfessional Studies, University of Notre Dame Awards and Honors: Best Poster Award, Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on Cardiac Regulatory Mechanisms 2016, 2018; National Institutes of Health Predoctoral F31 Fellowship 2018; American Heart Association Predoctoral Fellowship 2017; Best Poster Award, International Society for Heart Research 2017 Publications and Posters: Blackwood, E.A.; Azizi, K.M.; Thuerauf, D.J.; Paxman, R.; Plate, L.; Wiseman,