Board of Governors

Chair Vice Chair Treasurer NANCY ZIMPHER PAUL WALKER ROBERT CATELL President [ex officio] Secretary [ex officio] Fall 2014 ELLIS RUBINSTEIN LARRY SMITH

Governors LEN BLAVATNIK MEHMOOD KHAN FRANK WILCZEK MARY BRABECK ALICE P. GAST JEFFREY D. SACHS DEREK YACH NANCY CANTOR BRIAN GREENE KATHE A. SACKLER MICHAEL ZIGMAN MARTIN CHALFIE THOMAS L. HARRISON MORTIMER D.A. SACKLER MILTON COFIELD THOMAS C. JACKSON GEORGE E. THIBAULT KENNETH L. DAVIS BETH JACOBS PAUL WALKER MIKAEL DOLSTEN JOHN E. KELLY III IRIS WEINSHALL

International Governors Chairman Emeriti Honorary Life Governors SETH F. BERKLEY TONI HOOVER JOHN E. SEXTON KAREN E. BURKE MANUEL CAMACHO SOLIS RAJENDRA K. PACHAURI TORSTEN N. WIESEL JOHN F. NIBLACK GERALD CHAN RUSSELL READ S. KRIS GOPALAKRISHNAN PAUL STOFFELS President’s Council

PETER AGRE GREGORY LUCIER ELLIOTT SIGAL Nobel Laureate & Univ. Nobel Laureate & Former Chairman and CEO, CSO, Bristol-Myers Squibb Prof. and Director, Johns Distinguished Research Prof., Life Technologies Corp MICHAEL SOHLMAN Hopkins Malaria Research Tumor and Vascular Biology RODERICK MACKINNON Former Exec. Director, The Inst., Dept. Molecular Research Center, Faculty of Nobel Laureate & John Microbiology and Medicine, Technion-Israel D. Rockefeller, Jr. Prof., PAUL STOFFELS Immunology, Bloomberg Inst. of Tech., Haifa, Israel The Rockefeller Univ.; CSO, Johnson & Johnson; School of Public Health PETER DOHERTY Investigator, HHMI Worldwide Co-Chairman, contentsColumns Nobel Laureate & GERALD J. MCDOUGALL Pharmaceuticals Group Academy Interview Nobel Laureate & Researcher, St. Jude National Partner, Global MARC TESSIER-LAVIGNE Letter from the President 10 Professor, Columbia Univ.; Children’s Research Pharmaceutical & Health President, The Rockefeller Univ. 2 Big Data Download Investigator, HHMI Hospital, Memphis, TN; Sciences Practice, MARY ANN TIGHE The Dream Scenario: Science as a Univ. of Melbourne PricewaterhouseCoopers CEO, New York Tri-State The Academy catches up with 2013 Blavatnik Awards winner David Blei. Nobel Laureate & President MIKAEL DOLSTEN LLP Region, CB Richard Ellis Executive Editor Community Emeritus, Caltech President, Worldwide RICHARD MENSCHEL SHIRLEY TILGHMAN ETIENNE-EMILE BAULIEU Research and Development; Sr. Director, Goldman Sachs President Emerita and Diana Friedman Former President, French Sr. VP, Pfizer Inc RONAY MENSCHEL Prof. of Molecular Biology, 4 Inside the Academy Cover Story Academy of Sciences MARCELO EBRARD Chairman of the Board, Princeton Univ. Guest Editor News about Academy programs 12 CASAUBÓN Phipps Houses; Board of XAVIER TRIAS An Ode to the Power and Beauty of Nobel Laureate & Prof. Mayor, Mexico City Overseers, Weill Cornell Mayor of Barcelona Hallie Kapner and activities Emeritus, Dept. of EDMOND H. FISCHER Medical College FRANK WALSH Biochemistry, Stanford Univ. Nobel Laureate & Prof. HEATHER CEO, Ossianix, Inc. Science LEN BLAVATNIK Emeritus, Dept. of MUNROE-BLOOM GERALD WEISSMANN Design 6 Academy eBriefings Failure is no match for the first recipients of the Blavatnik National Awards Chairman, Access Industries Biochemistry, Univ. of Principal (Pres.) Emerita / Prof. of Medicine, NYU GÜNTER BLOBEL Washington Prof. of Medicine, McGill School of Medicine Strong Studio NYC LLC Summaries of recent eBriefings for Young Scientists, whose boundary-breaking work is shaping the future. Nobel Laureate & Director, JEROME I. FRIEDMAN Univ. JOHN WHITEHEAD Matthew Strong, Adam O’Reilly Laboratory for , Nobel Laureate & Institute Former Chairman, Lower The Rockefeller Univ. Prof. & Prof. of Physics, Nobel Laureate & Director, Manhattan Development 22 Annals Highlights Op-Ed IRINA BOKOVA Emeritus, MIT IMM Center for Cell Corp.; former Co-Chairman Contributors Recent and upcoming Annals 15 Director General, United JOSEPH GOLDSTEIN Signaling, The University of of Goldman Sachs What Does it Take to Win the Blavatnik Nations Educational, Nobel Laureate & Chairman, Texas at Houston GEORGE WHITESIDES W.M. Akers, David Alvaro, volumes Scientific and Cultural Molecular Genetics, Univ. JOHN F. NIBLACK Woodford L. & Ann A. Award? Organization (UNESCO) of Texas Southwestern Former President, Pfizer Flowers Univ. Prof., Harvard Marina Blinova, Mercedes Gorre, Medical Center Global Research & Univ. Daniel Krieger 26 Calendar Common threads of excellence unite this group of young scientists. Nobel Laureate & S. GOPALAKRISHNAN Development TORSTEN N. WIESEL Distinguished Prof., Salk Inst. Exec. Co-Chairman of the Nobel Laureate & former Upcoming Academy conferences MICHAEL S. BROWN Board, Infosys Technologies Nobel Laureate & President, Secy. General, Human Editorial Office and meetings Donor Profile Nobel Laureate & Prof. of Limited The Royal Society; former Frontier Science Program 18 Molecular Genetics, Univ. President, The Rockefeller Organization; President 7 World Trade Center A Caring Hand for Tomorrow’s Leaders of Texas Southwestern Nobel Laureate & Prof. Univ. Emeritus, The Rockefeller 28 Member News 250 Greenwich St, 40th Fl How Len Blavatnik is leveraging his success to help young scientists change Medical Center of Molecular & Cellular RICHARD ROBERTS Univ. Awards, appointments, and LINDA BUCK , The Nobel Laureate & CSO, FRANK WILCZEK New York, NY 10007-2157 the world. Nobel Laureate & Rockefeller Univ. New England Biolabs Nobel Laureate & Herman Phone: 212.298.8645 announcements about Academy Investigator for HHMI; GLENDA GREENWALD EDWARD F. ROVER Feshbach Professor of member of the Fred President, Aspen Brain President, The Dana Physics, MIT Fax: 212.298.3655 members Hutchinson Cancer Forum Foundation Foundation ERNST-LUDWIG Email: [email protected] Member Memoir Research Center PETER GRUSS F. SHERWOOD ROWLAND WINNACKER 23 KAREN E. BURKE President, Max Planck Nobel Laureate & Prof. of Secy. General, Human Portrait of a Scientist Dermatologist & Research Gesellschaft, Germany Chemistry & Earth Science, Frontier Science Program; Membership & Annals Orders Scientist WILLIAM A. HASELTINE Univ. of California, Irvine former Secy. General, Geneticist and developmental biologist Antonio Giraldez investigates where MARCELO EBRARD President, The Haseltine BENGT SAMUELSSON European Research Council; Phone: 212.298.8640 human life begins. CASAUBON Foundation for Medical Nobel Laureate & Prof., former President, Deutsche Fax: 212.298.3650 Former Mayor, Mexico City Sciences and the Arts; Medical & Physiological Forschungsgemeinschaft, THOMAS R. CECH Chairman, Haseltine Global Chem., Karolinska Inst.; Germany Email: [email protected] Nobel Laureate & Health, LLC former Chairman, The ANDREW WITTY Distinguished Prof., Univ. of Nobel Foundation CEO, GlaxoSmithKline Colorado, Boulder Nobel Laureate & Prof., IVAN SEIDENBERG TAN SRI ZAKRI ABDUL Advertising Inquiries MARTIN CHALFIE & Cell Biology, Advisory Partner, Perella HAMID Nobel Laureate & Univ. Columbia Univ. Weinberg Partners LP; former Science Advisor to the Phone: 212.298.8636 Prof., Dept. of Biological KIYOSHI KUROKAWA Chairman of the Board, Verizon Prime Minister of Malaysia Email: [email protected] Sciences, Columbia Univ. Former Science Advisor to ISMAIL SERAGELDIN ELIAS ZERHOUNI CECILIA CHAN the Prime Minister of Japan; Director, Bibliotheca President, Global Managing Director, Gold Prof., National Graduate Alexandrina, The Library of Research & Development, Visit the Academy online Avenue Ltd. Institute for Policy Studies Alexandria, Egypt Sanofi-Aventis (GRIPS) PHILLIP A. SHARP www.nyas.org LEON LEDERMAN Nobel Laureate & Director, Nobel Laureate & Linus Nobel Laureate & Pritzker McGovern Inst., MIT Center Pauling Chair of Chemistry Prof. of Science, Illinois for Cancer Research and Physics, Caltech Inst. of Tech.; Resident GUANGZHAO ZHOU Scholar, Illinois Math & Former Chairman, Chinese Science Academy Association of Science & Technology Letter from the President The Dream Scenario: Science as a Community The New York Academy of Sciences Neuroscience Conferences

n a world that can seem dispiriting Regional Awards for Young Scientists, ored individuals, but businessmen, young September 30, 2014 October 10, 2014 every time one opens the newspa- Len looked at our extraordinary cadre people, anyone and everyone. SEPT OCT per, nothing is more welcome than of winners and finalists—now Academy The Academy’s third century begins in Elucidating GPCR New Frontiers in the aI small proof that people are generous of members, MacArthur Fellows, and much just two short years, and we have expand- 2014 Functional Selectivity: 2014 Neurobiology of Mental heart. So when we see a splendid instance more—and decided to go national with ed our founding goal to a global scale in Novel Opportunities for Illness of this in the world of science, we appreci- an unprecedented, unrestricted award of an extraordinary way. The scientific com- ate it all the more. $250,000 for each of three winners. munity has always prided itself on two Drug Development This issue is devoted to the inaugu- This was not merely generous—it was characteristics—that politics couldn’t Free Event – Advance Registration Required ral recipients of the National Blavatnik visionary. In addition to furthering the hinder person-to-person interactions, Platinum Sponsors: This symposium is supported by Awards for Young Scientists. In itself, this work of some of the brightest young sci- and that the greatest advances were of- an educational grant from Janssen Research & prize has inspired many—not least the 78 entists working today, it shows the next ten based on global collaboration. Now, Development, LLC and Johnson & Johnson Innovation. renowned senior scientists who devoted generation that science can be both intel- imagine an era in which scientifically in- www.nyas.org/GPCRs2014 www.nyas.org/MentalIllness2014 their truly precious time to nominate lectually and monetarily rewarding. clined children no longer need to feel iso- candidates or judge the nominees. When The most inspiring outcome is yet to lated or beset by uninspired teachers but invited to serve, one after another re- come, however. Since the award winners can go online, find friends the world over October 28, 2014 November 3, 2014 OCT NOV marked that there has never been a more were announced, each of them, along and establish links with young scientists Pharmacologic Resolution Gene Network Changes urgent need to resource and provide emo- with most of the finalists, have asked the offering to be their volunteer mentors. 2014 2014 tional support to young scientists and to Academy how they can give back! This is what many of the Blavatnik of Inflammation as a Novel in Alzheimer’s Disease: develop role models of success for chil- One winner wants to establish a prize scholars have offered to do—mentor and Therapeutic Approach Potential Points for dren who either know nothing about the for gifted high school students in his na- inspire children online. We are joining Therapeutic Intervention joys of research or, worse, wonder why tive country. Many other honorees have forces with the Royal Society, Sweden’s they would devote decades of effort for a asked if they can serve as online mentors Young Academy and many academic and profession that can prevent independence and role models for children around the corporate partners to build an unprece- deep into the 30s. world through the Academy’s new Global dented mentoring team that will catalyze Abstract Deadline: September 26, 2014 Abstract Deadline: September 26, 2014 In my mind, the first goal—that of STEM Alliance. cross-generational collaborations and sending a message that young scientists Space constraints prevent me from forge lifelong friendships. www.nyas.org/ResolutionofInflammation www.nyas.org/GeneNetworkChanges have greater need of our support than describing the Global STEM Alliance in In future issues, you will hear more do the lions of the community— could detail, but we will surely devote a future about the Global STEM Alliance. But if, Stay informed about the Academy’s neuroscience not have been more directly addressed issue to it. Suffice it to say that the offer at any time, you want to participate in it, NOV November 11 - 13, 2014 than when Len Blavatnik joined me at of young scientists to participate in this partner with it or support it—financially Shaping the Developing events, publications, career resources, the Nobel Foundation Ceremony and new program brings the Academy full or otherwise—please let us know. The 2014 Brain: Prenatal through and other offerings. Visit www.nyas.org/Subscribe Gala in 2004 and asked why the world’s circle back to its beginnings. The New family is growing.  and select the “Neuroscience eNewsletter.” most renowned scientists needed prizes. York Academy of Sciences was founded Early Childhood He expressed his interest in establishing 197 years ago by a group of doctors at the Fifth Annual Aspen Brain Forum The New York Academy of Sciences a prize of equivalent prestige not for past city’s first medical school. They named it 7 World Trade Center accomplishments, but for the promise of the Lyceum, and their goal was to create 250 Greenwich St. 40th Fl. Co-presented with Aspen Brain Forum Foundation the future. a place where everyone with an interest New York, NY 10007 After seven years of testing this in science could exchange information Ellis Rubinstein and Science Translational Medicine 212.298.8640 www.nyas.org hypothesis through the Blavatnik and inspire one another—not just hon- President & CEO www.nyas.org/DevelopingBrain

2 www.nyas.org Inside the Academy Inside the Academy “The event was an inspiring display of scientific talent exploring some of the most Reports from the directors of Academy programs and news about important questions in the natural sciences, and a very unique opportunity to Academy activities. Read more online at www.nyas.org/academynews. interact with peers, colleagues at the Academy, and the Blavatnik team.”

—Sarkis Mazmanian, 2014 Blavatnik National Award Finalist, 2014 Blavatnik Science Symposium: Professor of Microbiology at the California Institute of Technology Building a Community

In the eight years since its launch, the Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists has built an exceptional collection of past and current honorees, who together represent one of the most dynamic, innovative, cross-disciplinary networks in the world— the Blavatnik Science Scholars Community. In response to interest on the part of Blavatnik Awards honorees seeking to interact with each other, and to showcase the high caliber of research of the Community members, the Blavatnik Family Foundation and the Academy hosted the first annual Blavatnik Science Symposium to encourage networking, exchanging of ideas, and potential collaborations. Marcia McNutt, editor in chief, Science Len Blavatnik and Academy President & CEO Ellis Rubinstein The inaugural event began with a dinner on July 8 featuring keynote speaker Marcia McNutt, editor in chief of Science, and was followed by a full day of presentations from the honorees on July 9. The Symposium gathered nearly 50 members of the Blavatnik Regional Awards alumni and this year’s National Finalists. The event was attended by Len Blavatnik and other representatives of the Blavatnik Family Foundation, scientific luminaries, and representatives of the press. 

“This unique Symposium brought together an incredible constellation of top young scientists with expertise Sinisa Urban, 2014 Blavatnik National Award Finalist Ruben Gonzalez, 2014 Blavatnik National Award Finalist ranging from black holes to the human genome. Before the meeting started, the only connection between the participants was the Blavatnik Awards. By the end of the Symposium one couldn’t help but feel like part of a scientific family.”

—Ruslan Medzhitov, 2007 Blavatnik Regional Award Winner, Professor of Immunobiology at

Helen Blackwell and Peng Chen, 2014 Blavatnik National Award Finalists Lincoln Benet, CEO of Access Industries, and Alison Galvani, 2012 Leonardo Rastelli, Ruben Gonzalez, Jonathan Kagan, Peng Yin, and Michael Rape, 2014 Blavatnik National Award finalists

4 www.nyas.org The New York Academy of Sciences Magazine • Fall 2014 5 Academy eBriefings Recent eBriefings Academy eBriefings one project, the researchers screened collections of compounds, eBriefings are online multimedia reports documenting recent Academy events. identifying two that reduced neuroinflammation in animals. The Consumer Behavior and Food Science Find new and noteworthy ones previewed here and more at www.nyas.org/eBriefings. molecules seem to decrease the activity of microglia, the inflam- Innovations for Optimal Nutrition matory cells of the brain. www.nyas.org/FoodInnov-eB Jeffery W. Kelly revisited protein aggregation, which drives a family of diseases called transthyretin amyloidoses. Kelly found HIV 2014: Science, Community, and Policy for that activating a cellular mechanism called the unfolded protein Key Vulnerable Populations response could prevent protein aggregation in these diseases. He www.nyas.org/HIV2014-eB obtained similar results in a different protein aggregation defect called light-chain amyloidosis, suggesting that the approach could Unlocking the Secret of Global Health Victories be used to treat a variety of amyloid diseases. Kelly concluded by www.nyas.org/GHIT2013-eB urging other drug developers to use “easier” amyloid diseases as models for more challenging ones such as Alzheimer’s.  Introduction to Teaching Science Online www.nyas.org/onlineteaching-eB The Biology of Aging: Novel Drug Targets Lung Cancer: Advances in Current Treatment for Neurodegenerative Disease Modalities and Patient Classification www.nyas.org/LungCancer2014-eB

n May 2014, the Academy hosted a cessive cellular proliferation, perhaps lead- Attendees next heard from Carmela How to Make Eggs in Space symposium covering basic and ap- ing to cancer. R. Abraham, who recently reported that a www.nyas.org/spaceeggs-eB plied research on age-related neu- Cells normally regulate macroautoph- specific variant of the antiaging gene for rodegeneration.I Speakers discussed new agy and several other aging-related pro- klotho protein enhances cognitive ability findings about the mechanisms of aging cesses through a protein complex called and promotes healthy aging. People with Qatar Clinical Neuroscience Conference: and described novel strategies for treat- mTOR. In genetic studies, inhibiting one copy of the variant form are less sus- Affective Disorders ing Alzheimer’s disease and other neuro- mTOR lengthens healthy life, while induc- ceptible to dementia than people with zero www.nyas.org/QatarNeuro2014Affective-eB degenerative conditions. “The Biology of ing mTOR seems to shorten it. Brendan or two copies. Her team is screening com- Advances in Aging: Novel Drug Targets for Neurode- Manning’s team found that mTOR activ- pounds to identify drugs that might confer Systems Biology Approaches to Secondary generative Disease” was presented by the ity stimulates both protein synthesis and similar benefits. Immunomodulation: Metabolites and Metabonomics Academy’s Brain Dysfunction Discussion protein breakdown, producing an overall Haung Yu returned the focus to au- www.nyas.org/SecondaryMetabolites-eB Group and the Alzheimer’s Drug Discov- increase in protein turnover in the cell. tophagy, specifically its role in controlling ery Foundation. The balance between protein produc- protein aggregation. Autophagy normally The 2014 Ross Prize in In the meeting’s plenary talk, Nir Bar- tion and protein destruction also interests removes misfolded proteins before they mune system that has been used to target individual molecules zilai pointed to aging as the fundamental Richard I. Morimoto. He studies an ancient can aggregate, but in Alzheimer’s and many Molecular Medicine for therapeutic benefit in diseases like rheumatoid arthritis (RA) cause of a plethora of diseases. “Unless you regulatory system called the heat shock other neurodegenerative diseases, exces- and cancer. delay aging, all you could hope for is to response, which marks misfolded pro- sive autophagy seems to clog the protein In June 2014, the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research Cytokines are small proteins produced by immune cells such exchange one disease for another,” he ex- teins for destruction. Working with Cae- degradation machinery and make the ag- and Molecular Medicine presented the 2014 Ross Prize in Mo- as T cells, B cells, and macrophages, and by nonimmune cells plained. A patient saved from heart failure norhabditis elegans, Morimoto found that gregates worse. Yu has found that the sugar lecular Medicine at the New York Academy of Sciences. The such as endothelial cells. Cytokines modulate the immune sys- by advanced cardiovascular disease thera- although the heat shock response declines trehalose slows the progression of neuro- symposium, titled “Advances in Immunomodulation,” honored tem by binding to cell surface receptors and initiating intracel- pies is likely to die from diabetes, cancer, or predictably with age, some of the effects of degeneration in mouse disease models by this year’s awardee, John J. O’Shea, scientific director of the Na- lular signaling pathways that control gene activation, playing an Alzheimer’s disease (AD) instead. Barzilai aging can be reversed by stimulating the modulating autophagy. He is now seeking tional Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Dis- important role in developmental processes and host immune and his colleagues are therefore searching activity of certain heat shock proteins. additional compounds with this effect. eases (NIAMS) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). responses. for the underlying mechanisms of aging. Aging may also involve an untimely re- One drug already in clinical trials In his introductory remarks, Peter Gregersen of the Feinstein Cytokine dysregulation can have pathological consequences Eric H. Baehrecke discussed one such prise of normal developmental processes. points to another potential tactic for treat- Institute for Medical Research cited a recent review by O’Shea, ranging from immunodeficiences to cancer. Over the last three mechanism, macroautophagy. Usually, a Beth Stevens discussed one such process, ing neurodegeneration. As Jerry R. Colca published in Cell, in which O’Shea notes that immunology was decades, O’Shea’s efforts to understand cytokine signaling and cell identifies and digests large pieces of synaptic pruning. Young animals trim ex- explained, the insulin sensitizer mitogli- once a black box that could offer physicians only blunt tools to regulation have helped uncover the genetic and molecular basis itself that have become defective via mac- cess neuronal connections as their brains tazone, MSDC-0160, acts on mitochondria treat inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. of primary immunodeficiencies and autoinflammatory disor- roautophagy, but animal models suggest develop; Stevens discovered that this prun- and decreases mTOR activity. Developed Over the past 40 years, however, innovations in molecular ders such as RA. He was instrumental in discovering and apply- neurodegenerative diseases cause defects ing mechanism shares components with initially for treating diabetes, mitogli- biology and genome sequencing have allowed immunologists ing a new class of immunosuppressive drugs called Janus kinase in this process. Correcting the mechanism, the complement cascade, part of the im- tazone also appeared to prevent neurode- to break open the black box and make sense of the “wires and inhibitors (Jakinibs), the first of which was approved for the however, is difficult, because manipulating mune system. The same proteins become generation in a small group of AD patients. parts” jumbled within. The discovery of cytokines and related treatment of RA in 2003. macroautophagy carelessly could allow ex- more concentrated in the brains of old and Inflammation is a common feature molecules helped assemble a functional blueprint of the im- The award ceremony was followed by presentations by O’Shea young mice, “suggesting that [complement of many age-related diseases, so D. Mar- and other immunologists, who described discoveries that have On the Web factors] could be some sort of age-depen- tin Watterson and his colleagues hope to On the Web enabled therapeutic targeting of cytokine signaling molecules in Full eBriefing by Alan Dove: dent risk factor” for neurodegeneration, identify drugs to selectively dampen pro- Full eBriefing by Hema Bashyam: autoimmune and inflammatory diseases and of immune check- www.nyas.org/BiologyofAging-eB she said. inflammatory cytokines in the brain. In www.nyas.org/RossPrize2014-eB point modulators such as CTLA4 in cancer. 

6 www.nyas.org 7 www.nyas.org The New York Academy of Sciences Magazine • Fall 2014 7 Academy eBriefings

Malaria 2014: Advances in Stroke and Traumatic Pathophysiology, Biology, and Brain Injury: Qatar Clinical Drug Development Neuroscience Conference Over half the world’s population lives in areas where malaria The “Qatar Clinical Neuroscience Conference” focused on two IMPACT is endemic, facing high risks of sickness and death caused by broadly defined categories of brain disorder: stroke and trau- this highly prevalent parasitic infection. Given the human toll of matic brain injury (TBI) and affective disorders (debilitating this disease, government, nonprofit, and medical organizations mood-related psychiatric illnesses such as depression and bi- have shown strong interest in research aimed at improving polar disorder). The Qatar Foundation for Education, Science malaria prevention and treatment. Recent years have seen and Community Development, Weill Cornell Medical College important advances in our understanding of the malaria life in Qatar, and the Academy presented the conference in March cycle, the genetic relationships among malaria species, and the 2014, in Doha, Qatar. physiological interplay between parasite, mosquito, and human Track 2 of the conference, focusing on stroke and TBI, con- host. vened experts in clinical neuroscience to discuss the imaging, In April 2014, the Academy’s Microbiology & Infectious diagnosis, and treatment of disorders caused by external condi- Diseases Discussion Group convened the “Malaria 2014: tions such as cerebrovascular disease, stroke, and TBI. Advances in Pathophysiology, Biology and Drug Development” A recent epidemiological survey identified stroke and trau- symposium to bring together malaria researchers to discuss matic brain injury (TBI) as the most prevalent causes of adult- findings that could lead to solutions for this widespread and onset brain disorders in the United States, resulting in substan- challenging public health problem. tial mortality and disability as well as high economic costs. These Malaria is caused by intracellular parasites belonging to the disorders result from the damage or death of healthy, function- genus Plasmodium. In sub-Saharan Africa, where the malaria ing cells and brain tissue. Download the NatureJournals app for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch disease burden is highest, most cases are caused by Plasmodium Stroke is classified into two categories. Ischemic stroke re- and access over 30 high impact Nature-branded titles. View all falciparum. In other regions where malaria is endemic, including sults from a blockage in the vessels that supply the brain with Southeast Asia and South America, Plasmodium vivax is more blood, and is further classified according to the origin of the news content and open access articles for free, or with an Academy prevalent. Over the years, P. falciparum has been the most intense blood clot. Hemorrhagic stroke results from a ruptured blood Professional membership gain full access to Nature for free. subject of research, but P. vivax is gaining greater attention as its vessel that disrupts blood flow to part of the brain. prevalence has increased over the past few decades. TBI is caused by sudden trauma to the brain during an inci- For membership information contact the Academy Customer On World Malaria Day 2014, researchers gathered at dent such as a fall or motor vehicle accident. The sudden motion Service Department [email protected] or access the Academy to present their latest findings on malaria can cause the brain to move and twist within the skull, damaging the Member Center online at nyas.org/Membership epidemiology, genetics, and clinical manifestations, as well as brain tissue. TBI usually causes brain swelling, or edema, which to discuss treatment options to eradicate these parasites. The can increase intracranial pressure and decrease cerebral perfu- conference included speakers whose work shed light on many sion pressure, the pressure gradient that causes blood flow to the Tap in and discover more. stages of the parasite’s life cycle and ranged from clinical to brain. genetic to epidemiologic. Several speakers described their work Conference speakers assessed the evidence for current man- to discover novel drug targets, to develop new experimental agement guidelines of stroke and TBI, discussed new strategies appstore.com/naturejournals models for testing drug candidates, and to identify parasite for timely treatment, and presented data on the mechanisms resistance to current drugs.  of these brain disorders, which may illuminate new targets for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch are trademarks of Apple Inc. Get the free mobile app at treating the pathology of brain injury.  http://gettag.mobi

On the Web On the Web Full eBriefing by Megan Stephan: Full eBriefing by Jennifer Cable: www.nyas.org/malaria2014-eB www.nyas.org/QatarNeuro2014Trauma-eB

24939-25 NYAS ap 2014 ad.indd 1 05/02/2014 17:07 8 www.nyas.org Academy Interview Academy Interview “What I love about my field is that we can Big Data Download work on so many different problems and learn something about them all—then we David Blei, PhD, is a professor of computer science and statistics at take it back and find the connections to . He was a 2013 winner of the Blavatnik Regional find solutions.” Awards for Young Scientists in the Faculty category. Below, the Academy catches up with Blei to learn more about his work and recent activities. We are able to push the methodology in ways that help neu- have been working on this quite a bit, and this is where I feel roscientists, astronomers, physicists, people in the technology there could be some real progress. industry, even politicians—everyone really. Right now our field has the opportunity to have a big impact on how things work. NYAS: What are some of your biggest daily challenges on the things you’re working on right now? NYAS: What are some of the problems you and your DB: The same as everybody else—getting things done. My big- group are working on right now? gest challenge is managing my time. I find everything so inter- DB: Everybody in my group is working on something with a real esting that I cannot find time to do all the things I want to do. application in mind, something they care about. Right now we What I love about my field is that we can work on so many are working on text analysis, neuroscience, genetics, and recom- different problems and learn something about them all, and then mendation systems. we take it back and find the connections to find solutions. For What I work on quite a bit is something called “unsupervised example, I work with John Storey, the statistical geneticist from machine learning.” The goal is to discover things about the data . We work together to build new models you did not already know were there. One way to divide up and algorithms for simultaneously analyzing large collections of the field of machine learning and statistics is to think about the individuals’ gene sequences. John has taught me a lot about the problems of prediction and classification. For example, identify- state of the art in genetics, and he and I work together to scale up ing if the email you just received is spam is a classical prediction genetic analysis to massive populations. problem or “supervised learning.” On the other side, the “unsupervised machine learning” is NYAS: What do you like to do when you are not in the really about discovery. Ten million amateur astronomers take office? pictures of the night sky and put them on the internet. If I take DB: I have a young family—my wife and I have two kids so they all of these pictures and try to understand how they relate to keep us pretty busy. each other to find something in the universe that was not there before—this is a data problem, but it is not a prediction problem. NYAS: What is the best career advice that you have I now have too much data to be able to look at it or understand it received? by itself. I will need to put this data together in such a way that DB: When I was an assistant professor, one of the tenured Princ- I can then think about it and see something that I haven’t seen eton professors told me, “Just work on what you want to work before to form a hypothesis. on. At the end of the day, maybe you will get tenure, maybe you won’t, but if you have spent seven years doing what you want to NYAS: What is one discovery that you think will move do, you will be happy.” the field ahead? DB: I have a couple of answers to this question. In machine NYAS: What is the most rewarding aspect of your job? learning, statistics, and computer science, we are building al- DB: I love being able to collaborate with lots of different sci- gorithms in order to understand the data. One area people in entists and push the core statistics and machine learning meth- my field are working on is making these ideas, algorithms, and odology forward while having an impact on other fields. I also NYAS: What would you say is the most interesting methods scalable to massive datasets. enjoy being a mentor to students and postdocs. My group is very outstanding question in your field? A more “out there” discovery that is needed is figuring out close and we have a little community. People who have left are DB: I think the most exciting development in my field (machine how we get real information from observational data. Much still in touch with us, we keep an e-mail list, and when we go to learning and statistics) during the course of my career has been of traditional statistics is based around the idea of having nice, conferences we all get together for dinner. I don’t know when the rise in the number of people who want to apply its methods to clean experimental data that is designed and collected in order that became the most rewarding aspect of my job, but at some their work. I went to graduate school in 1999, right when Google to answer the question at hand. The observational data, like in point I realized that it’s something I really enjoy. When my stu- was just starting out, and over the course of the last 15 years it the example I used earlier of amateur astronomers taking pic- dents graduate, they often become colleagues whom I like to col- seems like every field of science and technology—and even the tures of the night sky, is not carefully collected. It’s going to have laborate with.  social sciences and humanities—suddenly became inundated biases. Right now, we can analyze observational data to find con- with data. People want to do things with this data—they want to nections that can help us generate hypotheses. The question is: discover patterns, make predictions, visualize and explore and can we do more than just make a hypothesis from observational Interview by Marina Blinova summarize data. Suddenly machine learning and statistics have data? Can we work with it in ways that give us answers to ques- become relevant to the central activities of many fields. tions in the same way carefully designed experiments do? People

10 www.nyas.org The New York Academy of Sciences Magazine • Fall 2014 11 Cover Story An Ode to the Failure is no match for the first recipients of the Power and Beauty Blavatnik National Awards for Young Scientists, whose boundary-breaking work is shaping the of Science future by W.M. Akers

hen Adam Cohen was in high school, his mother was not surprised to see him come home with a paper bag full of cockroaches. A budding scientist with an in- Wterest in the brain, Cohen wanted to study the sensitivity of the insects’ antennae, and had secured the sack of roaches from a contact at the American Museum of Natural History. “I took them home and I said ‘Hey, look, Mom! Look what I got!’” he says. “She told me I could keep them, but if the cockroaches got out then I was going too.” Cohen, now 35, erected a security system around the cockroach cage and built him- self a tiny operating theater to begin his experiments. As anesthesia he used carbon di- oxide harvested from a bottle of seltzer, but the operation took longer than expected, and the seltzer soon went flat. “I had gotten halfway through the surgery on this poor cockroach and I had no more anesthetic,” he says. “So the thing woke up on the operating table. Of course it was worse for the cockroach, but that was also very traumatic for me.” The experience soured Cohen’s taste for vivisection. He stopped experimenting on the cockroaches, but kept them as pets. He hadn’t learned anything about their antennae, but he had grasped the most important lesson a young scientist can learn—that failure is nothing to fear. This year, Cohen joined Rachel Wilson and Marin Soljačić as the inaugural recipi- ents of the Blavatnik National Awards for Young Scientists. After eight years of honoring scientists in the tri-state area, the Blavatnik Family Foundation has taken their annual award national, accepting candidates from 162 universities in 42 states. A jury of sci- entists chose 30 finalists, ultimately selecting Cohen, Wilson, and Soljačić as the 2014 laureates. They will each be given a $250,000 prize—the largest unrestricted prize awarded to early career scientists—and honored at a black tie dinner on September 15. This year also marked the debut of the Blavatnik Science Symposium, an annual conference that brings together previous finalists and winners, allowing them to share the experiences that have led them this far in their careers. “Our goal is to celebrate America’s exceptional young scientists,” says Len Blavatnik, head of the Foundation, “and showcase their achievements to inspire the next genera- tion.” Though they work in different fields, the three 2014 winners share an understand- ing that in science, failure is often the first step to success. Despite the frustration that unsuccessful experiments often bring, each winner knows that their profession is, in the

12 www.nyas.org The New York Academy of Sciences Magazine • Fall 2014 13 Cover Story Cover Story

2007 2012 2013 2014

The Blavatnik Awards are created The Blavatnik Family Foundation The Blavatnik National Awards are The Blavatnik National Awards receives The Blavatnik Regional Awards receives to celebrate the outstanding “The Blavatnik Awards doubles prize money for winners and created. The Awards grant three over 300 nominations representing over 220 postdoctoral nominations from postdoctoral and faculty scientists are very special because finalists for 2013. $250,000 prizes in Life Sciences, more than 160 American universities 32 institutions in the tri-state area. who work in New York, New Jersey, Physical Sciences & Engineering, and and research institutions from 42 states. and Connecticut. they are given at the Chemistry to faculty scientists. stage of a scientific career when recognition is most meaningful NUMBER OF NOMINATIONS for the 2014 BLAVATNIK NATIONAL AWARDS and have a long- lasting impact. This was certainly the case for 5 1 1 3 1 3 me.” 1 2 31 2 34 — RUSLAN MEDZHITOV 6 1 21 6 4 16 2007 Blavatnik Awards faculty winner, 3 8 6 3 11 ★ Professor of Immunobiology at Yale 6 1 11 University, and Howard Hughes Medical 6 5 3 Institute Investigator 13 6 5 36 2 1 2 4 3

2012 Blavatnik Regional Awards 1 4 5 PUERTO RICO honorees and Len Blavatnik 3 21 1 2013 Blavatnik Regional Awards 12 honoree Bi-Sen Ding

words of Marin Soljačić, “the greatest fun “a death trap,” he says, but “as long as I would ever see in nature,” he says. “It was meant outfitting his lab with equipment at the main library, she made a trip across leave a banana skin in the trash, in the around.” This award will help keep the fun didn’t electrocute myself, I could basically so intense that it basically fried the mol- rarely used by physicists: a tissue culture the river to Harvard Medical School. In morning, there are tons of flies around it. alive—for the future of science and for all do what I wanted in there.” ecule.” hood, a mouse colony, human stem cells, the library and on the quad, she saw an They had to solve a hard problem to find mankind. “I was fascinated by the intricate and After two years of frustration, Co- and live zebrafish. entire community of people dedicating it and get there.” ingenious mechanisms that people had hen was forced to give up on the project. “We’ve gone whole hog biology,” he their lives to scientific research. It was, she Although fruit flies have long been a Whole Hog Biology come up with in order to make everyday Rather than discard two years of work, says, laughing. says, “a revelation.” Research didn’t just workhorse of biology labs, only recently When it wasn’t playing host to cockroach- machines work,” he says, “and how all this he looked for a way to use his lab’s un- If Cohen had given up after the first have to be a means to an end—it could be has their usefulness in neurology become es, Adam Cohen’s childhood bedroom is hidden from the outside if you’re just derstanding of rhodospins to help neuro- experiments with rhodospins failed, none her life. clear. It seems impossible that their tiny was a makeshift electronics lab, packed operating the machines.” scientists visualize electrical activities in of this would have happened. The Blavat- Inspired by her mother, who returned brains could be related to our own, but with computers and televisions he had After receiving PhDs in theoretical neurons. By studying the way rhodospins nik Award is a testament to the fact that to school for a PhD in early childhood Wilson’s neurobiology lab at Harvard has rescued from the garbage in order to take and experimental physics from Cam- produce electricity, he realized it could be he was right to persevere. education after years of teaching, Wilson, been inspired by recent discoveries of di- them apart and put together again. It was bridge and Stanford, Cohen came to Har- possible to observe neural activity at the “We tried 45 experiments, every single 40, has made a career studying the brain. rect parallels between the fruit fly brain vard to run his own lab, investigating the single-cell level in real time—a technique one of which was a complete failure and But while her mother’s passion is the and those of fish and mice. Connections mysteries of the most complex machine which could have untold applications then the 46th one worked,” he says. “And minds of young students, Wilson studies with the brains of larger mammals seem “Though they work of all— the “warm, wet, squishy environ- across medicine. of course, I had no idea that one was gon- something far smaller—the brain of the within reach, which means that every ments” of the human brain. For two years, “So I said to myself, can we run these na work, but when it happened, that was a common fruit fly. Though smaller than question she answers about the fly’s brain in different fields, the he and his team worked to unravel the things in reverse?” Cohen recalls. “In- transcendent moment.” a sesame seed, its 100,000 neurons make could someday inform us about our own. mysteries of rhodospins—proteins that stead of having light come in and a voltage it more complicated than any computer “How can a fruit fly identify and dis- three winners share an microorganisms use to convert sunlight come out, can we use a change in voltage Nuts and Bolts ever built. criminate between odors far better than understanding that in into energy, or to sense sunlight so they to produce a detectable optical signal?” “I’m not one of those people who knew I “Fruit flies live pretty complicated any man-made device?” she asked. “How can move away from it. His goal was to It was, he says, a “very vague, some- wanted to be a scientist at age five,” says lives,” she says. “They can fly—I bet you is the fly able to translate small move- science, failure is often the study the way a single rhodospin would what crackpot scheme,” but it worked. Rachel Wilson. Though always passion- can’t do that! They can fight, and they use ments of its antennae into information react when exposed to light. Soon, they were using “reversed” rhodo- ate about chemistry, she never considered all different kinds of fighting maneuvers. about sounds, and then, on the basis of first step to success.” “But the amount of light that we had spins to understand electrical transmis- pursuing a career in research until she was They court each other, they sing courtship those sounds, avoid a predator or choose a to shine on it to see the signal from a sin- sions, first in bacteria and now in eu- an undergraduate at Harvard. In need of songs, and they can solve pretty compli- mate? These are tricky things. I think that gle molecule was more than the protein karyotes—an avenue of research that has a neuroscience paper that wasn’t available cated navigational problems. So if you there’s a lot of... there’s a lot to be learned

14 www.nyas.org The New York Academy of Sciences Magazine • Fall 2014 15 Cover Story Op-Ed

Nomimation from the biology of this tiny brain that “The war was getting worse and Process we haven’t learned yet and I’m excited to worse,” he says, “and you never know how come to work every day and make some war can end, right?” What Does it Take to Win the progress on that.” His freshman year in Boston was not The winners of the Blavatnik National Outside of the lab, Wilson is mes- easy—his English was “good enough to Awards for Young Scientists were merized by the development of another get me into MIT,” he says, “but not much Blavatnik Award? selected from a pool of nominations remarkable brain—that of her two-and- better than that.” But his education in Za- submitted by 162 of the nation’s most a-half year-old son, a construction enthu- greb had given Soljačić a rich background prominent universities and research siast who likes to spend time in hardware in the sciences, and he thrived in the aca- Common threads of excellence unite this group of young scientists institutions representing 42 states. stores, learning about all the different demic climate of the United States. He Each institution was allowed to nomi- tools. had long ago given up on becoming an in- by Mercedes Gorre nate one life scientist and , “He especially likes the axes,” she says, ventor, but found that “being a professor and one physical scientist or engineer. “which requires a fair amount of supervi- at a research university in America is kind In addition, highly qualified nominees sion on my part. Our local hardware store of as close as it gets.” ow that the Blavatnik Awards are who have outperformed their peers thus experiments, the answers that remain elu- were submitted by members of the has a bucket full of mismatched random After earning his MA and PhD in in their 8th year, with a cadre of far, and are most likely to accelerate on sive—it’s all worth it. They happily perse- Blavatnik Awards’ Scientific Advisory bolts and nuts, and if we find a bolt and physics from Princeton, Soljačić returned successful honorees comprising this path. vere because they love science and are Council. A jury composed of some nut that fit together, they let us take them to MIT in 2000 and became a full profes- theN alumni community, it is an opportune Many of the judging criteria have an dedicated to it. of the world’s most distinguished home for free.” sor in 2011. In 2007, he used his inven- time to step back and ask, “What makes objective aspect to them, as they right- The last tie among winners harks back scientists and engineers undertook It takes a long time to find a bolt and tor’s imagination to found WiTricity, an a Blavatnik Award winner?” Since 2007, fully should. Blavatnik Award winners to Rothman’s comment. He mentioned a rigorous review process to select nut that fit perfectly, which means that engineering company devoted to wire- more than 1,000 outstanding young sci- must, empirically, represent excellence. funding and mentorship as being key to the 27 National Finalists and the 3 Wilson’s son is already learning to be pa- less energy transfer. One of their earliest entists have been nominated in the re- But there are intangibles as well—less his success. Together, I view those critical National Laureates from over 300 tient and push past failure—something breakthroughs was the Wireless Warf- gional program, and 90 have received formal qualities and characteristics that elements as support—something the Bla- nominations of exceptional faculty- Wilson considers essential for any scien- ighter, which charges batteries and mobile Blavatnik Awards. This year, the inaugu- make them really stand out. Biologist vatnik Awards winners enjoy without ex- rank researchers. tist. devices in combat conditions. They are ral Blavatnik National Awards for Young James Rothman, when asked why he was ception and not merely by chance. Blavat- “Sometimes, science can be incredibly currently working to adapt that technol- Scientists drew more than 300 nomina- able to pursue the challenging work that nik Awards winners tend to seek support, discouraging,” Wilson says. “That’s the ogy for consumer use, a breakthrough that tions, yielding 27 finalists and 3 laureates. won him the 2013 in Physi- and often gain it. They know how to com- whole point of it.” Nikola Tesla once wrote, “will bring peace After sitting in on the jury delibera- ology or Medicine, credited three things: municate the importance of their work and harmony on earth.” The difficulties tions for these awards, I can attest to the the “arrogance” or “courage” that comes to funding sources, and are successful at The Best Job in the World that accompany such an endeavor have not fact that discussions about whom to se- with youth, solid funding from govern- obtaining grants. They have cultivated re- As a child in Croatia, Marin Soljačić daunted him. lect are sometimes heated, occasionally ment agencies, and a great mentor. When lationships with their mentors, earned the designed spaceships. Inspired by Carl “It’s crucial to have fun,” he says, “that’s unanimous, but always fascinating and I consider the Blavatnik Awards winners, respect of their peers, and are viewed as Sagan’s Cosmos, he spent his free time the only way to succeed. So, no it’s not a informative. It’s tempting to look for a it seems there are similar intrinsic charac- worthwhile investments by their institu- dreaming of ways to help humanity con- hard job. It’s the best job in the world, as far pattern—are there qualities that Blavatnik teristics and circumstances that tie them tions. It is no surprise that their institu- quer the stars. When he grew up, he was as I’m concerned.” honorees have in common? together. tions submit enthusiastic nominations certain he would be an inventor with a ga- Soljačić no longer designs spaceships, The official criteria for the awards bear Rothman referred to his inner, driv- on their behalf, and that their colleagues “I had gotten halfway lactic bent. but the technology that goes into wireless reviewing. Nominees are judged in four ing force as “arrogance” or “courage,” but contribute outstanding letters of support. “I thought I was drawing a spaceship energy transfer is something that even his main areas. The first is quality, defined as I prefer to say that our alumni are fearless. While there is no perfect formula for through the surgery on that would go to another galaxy or some- childhood self couldn’t have dreamt up. the extent to which the work is reliable, And while that fearlessness maybe attrib- making a winner, honorees of the Blavat- this poor cockroach and I thing,” he explains. “I spent enormous After more than two decades studying in valid, credible, and scientifically rigorous. uted to their relative youth, I believe these nik Awards stand as sterling examples— time drawing these new inventions, [al- the United States, he has not lost the sense At this level, the quality of the work is scientists have an extra degree of tenac- not just of what it takes to achieve this had no more anesthetic… though] they weren’t inventions, because of wonder that carried him into the field universally excellent and many nominees ity and optimism that will stay with them type of recognition, but of how persis- they couldn’t work.” in the first place. To him, science is a cre- score maximum points in this area. through their careers. It fuels their work tence, gratitude, humility, and sheer ge- so the thing woke up on To learn how to make his spaceships ative field—no different from painting or Nominees are also judged on impact— ethic and drives them to make discoveries nius can render even the most difficult fly, Soljačić, now 40, studied engineering sculpture. the extent to which their work addresses in areas that others hesitate to tackle. tasks possible. the operating table. It was at Zagreb’s prestigious math and science “I look at it very much as a form of art,” an important problem and is influential Blavatnik Awards winners are also As is the nature of awards programs, worse for the cockroach, high school. He was planning to attend he says. “The most important, the biggest within their field—and novelty, or the characterized by a striking degree of preparation for the new cycle begins in the University of Zagreb, where his father steps that we make in terms of science or in degree to which their research challenges gratitude and a remarkably humble na- advance. The nominating period for the but also very traumatic is professor emeritus of chemistry, but as terms of engineering are when you look at existing paradigms, employs new meth- ture. When they talk about their work, 2015 Blavatnik Awards is nearly here— he neared high school graduation, the war them and you think, ‘Wow! That is beauti- odologies and pursues answers to origi- it is readily apparent that despite the dif- submissions must be received between for me.” for Croatia’s independence grew more in- f u l .’” nal questions. Both categories have more ficulties and frustrations—and there are September 30 and November 25, 2014. It tense. During the fall of his senior year, And that creativity is what the Blavat- varied assessments and often depend on many—they view the fact that they make is perhaps one of the most exciting times his family spent “almost half our time in nik Award celebrates—the scientists who the individual field and the point of view their living in science as a privilege. Many of the year at the Academy, as news of the the air-raid shelter.” When a friend ap- have been able to push past frustration, of the judges. Finally, there is the category felt their first stirrings of interest in sci- spectacular work of young scientists ar- plied to MIT—which Soljačić knew as and into the realm of beauty.  of promise. This is new to the judging ence as children, and express a sense of rives on our desks from around the coun- the alma mater of his favorite comic book process this year, and I believe it’s one of knowing that this was meant to be their try, and the process begins anew.  character, Martin Mystère,—he decided the most interesting assessments. The cat- life’s work. When winners reflect on their to follow suit. W.M. Akers is a journalist in New York egory aims to capture the idea of trajec- jobs, they often joke that their work isn’t Mercedes Gorre, PhD, is Executive Direc- City tory, and help the judges zero in on those actually work. The long hours, the “failed” tor of the Blavatnik Awards

16 www.nyas.org The New York Academy of Sciences Magazine • Fall 2014 17 Donor Profile Donor Profile

in unrestricted funds has been awarded. Mercedes Gorre, PhD, chairman of Access Industries, a New York-based, privately-held A Caring Hand for executive director of the Blavatnik Awards, says, “These awards industrial group whose investments span the globe and include have successfully identified and celebrated the best young scien- natural resources and chemicals, media and telecommunica- tists in the region at a time in their careers when such recogni- tions, and real estate. Tomorrow’s Leaders tion and support can make the most difference.” Ever appreciative of the crucial role science plays in human A stunning success, the regional awards helped to fulfill endeavors ranging from computer technology and biomedical How Len Blavatnik is leveraging his success to Blavatnik’s goal to boost today’s rising scientific stars, some of advances to quantum physics, he feels strongly that high-achiev- whom may well be on the path toward becoming tomorrow’s ing practitioners be nurtured with a caring hand. “Throughout help young scientists change the world. Nobel Prize winners. “I’m pleased that we are able to provide the centuries, science and technology have served as a catalyst by Daniel Krieger “Young scientists represent the future of scientific thought” hen Len Blavatnik attended the Nobel Prize Cer- emony in Stockholm, Sweden, in 2004, he was awed by both the level of achievement being celebrated as critical support and encouragement to our most promising for progress,” Blavatnik says. “The pace of progress accelerates Wwell as the sheer gloriousness of the occasion. But he was also young scientists as they pursue their careers,” Blavatnik says. with new scientific discoveries, so by encouraging science, I surprised and somewhat disheartened to see that many of the hope to make an impact on society and the lives of everyone in Laureates were being recognized relatively late in their illustri- The Blavatnik Awards Go National the 21st century.” ous careers. Given that the Nobel Prize is a retrospective ac- Though pleased with the new ecosystem for nurturing young Blavatnik has already witnessed how his support of young knowledgment of exceptional work, he suspected that the prize talent he dreamt up a decade earlier, Blavatnik’s vision was still scientists yields promising dividends through groundbreaking money the winners received wouldn’t contribute as much as it growing exponentially. In 2013, he decided to expand the pro- research and scientific discoveries. “It’s extremely gratifying to could to the Laureates’ future accomplishments. He began to gram to the national level, and in summer 2014 the first winners me,” he says. Some winners and finalists, buoyed by the Award’s wonder what kind of impact such a prize could have if the tim- of the Blavatnik National Awards for Young Scientists were an- career-advancing recognition and support, have gone on to lead ing were shifted by a decade or two. nounced. The three national laureates, in the fields of life scienc- university departments, become MacArthur and Guggenheim “We should be supporting young scientists when they need es, physical sciences, engineering, and chemistry, were selected Fellows, and join the National Academy of Sciences. support the most,” he said to Ellis Rubinstein, president and CEO from more than 300 highly innovative faculty-level researchers. In addition to his philanthropic work, Blavatnik sits on of the New York Academy of Sciences, with whom he attended They each received $250,000—the largest unrestricted prize for boards at Cambridge University, , and Tel the ceremony. This observation inspired Blavatnik to conceive young scientists. Aviv University. He also founded the Blavatnik School of Gov- a prize that would grant the most innovative early career scien- It is essential for the award money to be unrestricted, Blavat- ernment at Oxford University to train outstanding graduates tists not only much-deserved recognition, but more important- nik feels, because there are often too many constraints placed from around the world in the skills and responsibilities of gov- ly, crucial financial support to advance them to the next stage on grant funds, putting an undue burden on the recipients, and ernment. Not surprisingly, the school provides a highly practical of their research. Blavatnik envisioned it as a “Nobel Prize for thus, on scientific progress. Furthermore, he would rather the series of courses balancing science, technology, and health with young scientists,” one that would benefit not only the individuals young scientists be free to focus on discovery rather than getting the humanities, social sciences, and finance. but, ultimately, everyone. bogged down by continuously applying for grants. “Developing a strong and steady pipeline of highly trained “Without good science, there is no development of society,” The Future scientific talent is essential if we are to successfully address the Blavatnik says. “And to maintain America’s superiority in science Blavatnik expects that both past and future recipients of the re- many challenges that face our society and world,” he says. and discovery, we need to encourage the best and the brightest to gional and national awards will have a major impact on the qual- go into science, to stay in science, and to achieve the highest level ity of life of future generations, including that of his children and The ‘Nobel’ for Young Scientists is Born of contribution to science.” grandchildren. Three years later, in November 2007, the inaugural awards cer- “I hope that at least some of them become Nobel Prize win- emony for the Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists was held in A Grounding in Science ners in the near future,” he says. “We already have some very New York. The Award is a joint venture between the New York Blavatnik was raised in a Jewish family in the Soviet Union, the strong candidates.” Academy of Sciences and the Blavatnik Family Foundation, a Russian-speaking child of two scientists. He was a superb stu- And someday, when the national awards are well established, philanthropic organization that generously supports education- dent and always had a keen interest in math and physics, which he would like to take a final step to complete his vision, creating al, scientific, cultural, and charitable institutions throughout the he believes paid off in his business ventures. “Studying science is a third Blavatnik award for which young scientists throughout world. good training for life in general,” he says. “It provides a rigorous, the world are eligible. Since 2007, the awards have been given every year to a hand- systematic approach to any problem or issue.” For him, it is no “Young scientists represent the future of scientific thought,” ful of postdoctoral and faculty-rank scientists in the New York coincidence that many of the most successful business people he he says. “By honoring these individuals and their achievements, City tri-state area who are 42 years old or younger and who has encountered in his travels are also trained scientists. we are helping to promote the breakthroughs in science and are conducting highly innovative, interdisciplinary research in After immigrating to the United States with his family in technology that will define how our world will look in 20, 50, the life and physical sciences, mathematics, and engineering. 1978, Blavatnik received a Master’s degree in computer science 100 years.”  Through 2013, 90 winners and finalists have been selected by a from Columbia University and earned his MBA from Harvard judging panel of 200 senior scientists. Funding has grown since Business School. An American citizen since 1984, Blavatnik has the program’s inception, and since 2013, each regional winner— been remarkably successful and active as both an entrepreneur Daniel Krieger is a journalist in New York. chosen from a pool of hundreds of qualified applicants— receives and philanthropist. A multibillionaire, he is the founder and $30,000, while finalists receive $10,000. To date, $1.45 million

18 www.nyas.org The New York Academy of Sciences Magazine • Fall 2014 19 Member Memoir Member Memoir

“Every day I would go to the microscope and find new Portrait of a Scientist genes that were changing the shape of how a fly is made…I discovered something new every day.” Geneticist and developmental biologist Antonio Giraldez investigates where human life begins. by Daniel Krieger Spreading his Wings lular embryo by helping it cast off instruc- found, for instance, that the proteins that Giraldez parted ways with his undergrad- tions from the mother as it develops. “By trigger initial development in embryos uate mentor when he pursued a PhD at learning how the embryo gets rid of these are the same ones that can reprogram the European Molecular Biology Labora- previous instructions, we also learned a mature, differentiated cells into pluripo- ntonio Giraldez, a geneticist and ments.” So he set about mixing all kinds of tory in Heidelberg, Germany, where he fundamental function of how these mi- tent stem cells. developmental biologist special- chemicals that would bubble, smoke and dove deeper into research of fly genetics croRNAs regulate other genes and their The implications of fully understand- izing in embryos, sees the tra- even explode—reactions that pleased him under the guidance of his new mentor, mechanisms,” he says. Giraldez was start- ing how genes are activated to make a new jectoryA of his career in a rather unusual to no end. geneticist Stephen Cohen. Living and ing to make his mark. embryo can be far-reaching, especially in light. For Giraldez, there’s a clear parallel Despite his inquisitive nature, Giral- breathing science like never before, he the treatment of disease. “Learning how between his own development as a sci- dez was a lackluster student until his 8th thrived in this highly collaborative and Finally Making his Mark embryos clean the slate may teach us, for entist and the fundamental transition an grade science teacher inspired him by multidisciplinary environment, interact- When he arrived at Yale in 2006, example, how a cell is able to erase its pre- embryo undergoes that marks the begin- having students conduct physics experi- ing with top-notch scientists from around where he is currently an associate profes- vious programming to become a tumor ning of life. ments and learn about natural science the world. “It was a dream come true,” he sor in the Department of Genetics at the cell, and to then proliferate and invade When an embryo initially forms, in- through experimentation. From that says. His work, studying the genes that School of Medicine, Giraldez was eager other tissues,” he says. structions from the mother’s body guide point on, he took school much more seri- regulate the wing-signaling pathways of to continue his investigation of microR- While at Yale, Giraldez has been the the first few hours of development. Then, ously and grew to love everything related flies, was a major step in his evolution as NAs and their role in regulating embryo recipient of numerous honors. He was a the embryo’s own genome activates and to science—especially chemistry. In high a scientist. “Every day I would go to the development. In 2009, he and his team faculty finalist in the inaugural year of the development continues according to its school, a teacher gave him the keys to the microscope and find new genes that were reported that they had mapped how two Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists in instructions. “Think of it as breaking the lab where he would spend hours play- changing the shape of how a fly is made,” particular microRNAs affect hundreds of 2007, and he received the link with your mom when you become a ing scientist. “It was great fun,” Giraldez he says. Once, while examining mutant muscle genes in a zebrafish embryo. The Young Investigator Award from the Euro- teenager,” Giraldez says. “She has taught says. Meanwhile, at home, he continued flies without wings, he identified a new following year, he made news again, pub- pean Molecular Biology Laboratory the you a lot of things, but you need to ex- his own experiments with chemicals his gene needed for reading instructions to lishing the discovery of “new molecular same year. He also received the Lois E. and plore the world on your own. The embryo father brought home from the sherry make a wing. “I had a wonderful time do- scissors” that Giraldez says represent a Franklin H. Top, Jr., Yale Scholar Award does that, too.” winery where he worked. He got his first ing this genetic screening and discovered novel method by which cells make mi- and was named a Pew Scholar in biomed- His long-term investigations into practical lessons in biology—and stank something new every day.” croRNAs that are essential to the creation ical sciences. This year, he was awarded how this biological process works have up the house—growing things in petri Giraldez came to the United States to of red blood cells. His initial hunch years the Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise in led to important discoveries, all of which dishes, from fungus to bacteria, using a complete his postdoctoral work—a move earlier—that microRNAs play a key role Biomedical Science in recognition of his stem from his endless fascination with closable desk as an incubator. he deemed necessary for any budding in the formation of both animals and dis- groundbreaking research that uncovered the mechanisms that make life happen. Reading and experimenting fueled young scientist. He was drawn to New ease—had been right. the role of microRNAs in the regulation “How a fertilized egg makes a new organ- Giraldez’s passion for science, which just York University—and later, to Harvard— Today, Giraldez oversees a lab of 20 of gene expression in embryos. ism shows that the book of life is written kept growing. When it came time for by his next mentor, Dr. Alexander Schier, researchers, and he has moved beyond Throughout his path as a scientist– with the same language,” he says. “The college, though uncertain about his fu- a molecular and cellular biologist with the study of microRNAs, which are just from the early spark that set off his own same instructions are used over and over ture, his course of study was clear. While whom he felt a special kinship. However, one piece of the puzzle in understanding growth and development through the to make very different species and differ- majoring in chemistry at the University he had doubts about what avenue of in- how the embryo regulates genes. He is many stages that followed—Giraldez has ent parts of the animals, and when these of Cádiz, he conducted many experi- quiry to pursue next. He felt it was time to now studying the trigger that jumpstarts followed his passion. He credits a blend Antonio J. Giraldez signals are activated in the wrong place or ments—like one he devised to figure out branch out into uncharted territory. an embryo’s life. “We want to understand of chance opportunities and his lucky Professor of Genetics and Director of Graduate time, that can cause disease, which is why how to prevent white wine from spoiling. As it turned out, Giraldez’ lab in Hei- how the first genes get activated because encounters with life-changing mentors Studies, Department of Genetics at the School of we need to understand how animals de- But his interest soon shifted to “the chem- delberg had been one of the first to iden- that sets off a domino effect in the making at key transitional moments for shaping Medicine, Yale University velop from an egg.” istry of life,” and that led Giraldez to the tify microRNAs—tiny regulators of gene of an embryo,” he says. “This activation is his work and directing his career. Now a 2007, Blavatnik Awards Faculty Finalist University Autónoma of Madrid, where expression—in a fly embryo. It wasn’t yet what initiates the deletion of the mater- mentor himself, he takes great pleasure in PhD: European Molecular Biology Laboratory, A Scientist is Born he got his first exposure to developmental known if microRNAs were widespread in nal instructions, but we now realize that continuing the cycle, guiding his students Germany An only child growing up in Jerez, a city biology. It was there that Dr. Ginéz Mo- vertebrates, and answering that question the microRNA is not the only mechanism as they devise their own experiments and

Favorite Books: The Pillars of the Earth, by Ken in southwestern Spain, Giraldez’s interest rata, an esteemed developmental biologist struck Giraldez as an exciting prospect. that accomplishes this task. We have un- make new discoveries. One of his long- Follett; Perfume, by Patrick Suskind; Mutants: in science was first sparked by fire. When specializing in fly genetics, took Giraldez “I wanted to find out what they were do- covered novel mechanisms used by the time mentees, Carter Takacs, a senior On Genetic Variety and the Human Body, by he was eight, he moved beyond merely under his wing and steered him on a new ing in the making of a vertebrate,” he says, embryo to clean the slate.” investigator in his lab, has observed his Armand Marie Leroi setting things aflame after his parents path of inquiry that continues to this day. having suspected that microRNAs played “These processes are crucial,” he says, commitment to this process. “He really Hobbies: Swimming and photography gave him a children’s chemistry set called “I learned that by modifying genes, we an important role. “because later steps, like the making of values being able to help younger scien- Motto: “Hard work is the foundation of success” The Little Chemist. “It was much more can modify how an organism is made,” he Using zebrafish, he discovered that the heart, eyes, or skin, depend on the tists grow and mature,” he says.  dangerous than the ones they sell nowa- says. “It’s like playing god. My fascination microRNAs facilitate the process by very first step in that cascade being ac- days,” he says. “You could do real experi- with that hasn’t diminished since.” which a fertilized egg becomes a multicel- tivated correctly.” Giraldez and his team

20 www.nyas.org The New York Academy of Sciences Magazine • Fall 2014 21 Annals Highlights Annals Highlights Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences is the premier publication of the Academy, offering review articles in topical areas and proceedings of conferences. Learn more and order copies at www.nyas.org/annals.

Annals Scholarly Meeting Reports Our Perception of Flow of Time—an Illusion? Physics often finds itself confronting as- time. In this orthodox view of the uni- time’s passage and the significant dispar- pects of dramatic disconnect between our verse, the common human experience of ity between our perception and our un- most comprehensive theories about real- time and its passage is regarded as a neu- derstanding rooted in physical and math- ity and our own individual experiences. rological illusion resulting from the way ematical theory. Much more exploration Annals volume 1321 presents three meet- and Innovations, presents the proceedings economists, and policymakers discuss The objective passage of time is funda- in which the brain must process events. will be required to determine whether ing reports on very different scientific of the December 12, 2013 conference, the challenges and consequences of hos- mental to human consciousness and ex- Typically, a broad and well-established contemporary physics needs to be modi- areas. From an exploration of food sci- “Frontiers in Agricultural Sustainability: pital malnutrition, the clinical challenges perience; however, nothing in our current scientific theory supersedes more subjec- fied to incorporate the concept of flow, or ence innovations to improve the qual- Studying the Protein Supply Chain to of nutrition, and the costs and economic physical picture of the world gives further tive and philosophical descriptions of whether flow should be considered exclu- ity of protein through the global protein Improve Dietary Quality,” organized and benefits of nutrition interventions. evidence of such an objective passage of experience. However, in the case of the sively the domain of neurobiology.  supply chain, to a discussion of the role presented by the Sackler Institute for Nu- Antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs), time. flow of time there is considerable debate of nutrition interventions in improving trition Science at the New York Academy pharmaceuticals comprising an antibody There is no question that we, as hu- among experts as to whether the expe- clinical and economic outcomes at all of Sciences. The report includes discus- linked to a cytotoxic payload, offer the man beings, experience time and its pas- rience of time is completely illusory, or stages of health care, and a review of the sions of the role of agriculture in pro- promise of targeted delivery of a payload sage as essential elements of our world. As whether it should constrain physical incipient potential of antibody–drug con- viding dietary protein, challenges to the to cancer cells via tumor-specific overex- children develop, they pass through typi- theories and needs a new branch of phys- Annals Fast Facts jugate pharmaceuticals for cancer treat- sustainability of protein production, and pressed cell surface antigens. This results cal stages of temporal understanding, be- ics to address it. The upcoming Annals ment, these reports provide examples of a innovative approaches to solving these in improved efficacy and selectivity of the ginning with simple script-like represen- volume Flow of Time explores the de- »»Since its first issue in 1823, the concise, scholarly way to disseminate the challenges in the protein supply chain. payload and reduced normal tissue pay- tations of repeated events and resulting bate over whether the problem of time Academy’s flagship publication proceedings of cutting-edge science pre- Worldwide, 20–50% of hospital pa- load exposure, and thus decreased toxic- in a mature temporal perspective based requires a new physics of passage. The has produced more than 1,300 sented at conferences. tients suffer from malnutrition. This ity and improved therapeutic index. As on orientation using a linear temporal contributors to this volume tackle many volumes. The Food and Agriculture Organiza- condition typically worsens during the such, ADCs are an emerging modality framework. All humans develop a sense different sides of the issue. Some authors »»From an initial subscriber base tion of the United Nations estimates that hospital stay, and is associated with ad- for personalized cancer treatment with of time as a linear ordering of events, in- explore the cognitive and neurobiogi- of about 100, Annals was 843 million people worldwide are chroni- verse clinical outcomes. Nutrition inter- considerable potential. The report, Anti- cluding both representing events from cal aspects of the perception of passage, reaching an audience of 40,000 cally hungry, while approximately one ventions aimed at preventing and treating body–Drug Conjugates: An Emerging Mo- the standpoint of the present moment discussing whether the passage of time by the 1960s. In 2013, nearly 2.3 billion people have inadequate protein hospital malnutrition may improve the dality for the Treatment of Cancer, details (A-series, or deictic time), and represent- is something we truly objectively experi- million people accessed Annals intake. In the coming decades, increases quality of patient care and clinical out- the proceedings of the January 28, 2014 ing them as a sequence of events with no ence or whether it is a perceptual illusion online through a partnership with in the global population and other factors comes and reduce healthcare costs. The conference of the same name presented privileged center (B-series, or sequence arising from the mechanics of our sense Wiley Online Library. will lead to a tremendous increase in the report, Clinical and Economic Outcomes by the Biochemical Pharmacology Dis- time). perception and the nature of memory. »»Margaret Mead contributed demand for food protein—particularly of Nutrition Interventions Across the Con- cussion Group at the New York Academy However, developments in 20th cen- Several propose strategies for incorpo- several articles to Annals during meat—and the corresponding increase tinuum of Care, summarizes the March of Sciences. Experts from industry and tury physics—particularly in the field of rating the notion of flow into the block her tenure as Academy vice in meat production, processing, distri- 13, 2014 conference of the same name academia described the history and the special relativity—have all but eradicated universe and other orthodox theories of president in the 1970s. bution, and associated agriculture will presented jointly by the Abbott Nutrition current state of the art for ADCs. They conventional understanding of time and physics, while others suggest that a new »»Google Scholar ranks Annals have tremendous consequences on the Health Institute and the Sackler Institute highlighted achievements such as the re- its passage, reconceptualizing the uni- physics of passage is unnecessary because in its top 10 most influential environment, ecosystems, and sustain- for Nutrition Science at the New York cent approval of two ADCs (Kadycla® and verse as a four-dimensional block consist- any physics with a time-like extension is health and medical science ability. The report, Production and Supply Academy of Sciences. Experts from a va- Adcetris®) in the United States, ongoing ing of all past, present, and future events already a physics of passage. publications of High-Quality Food Protein for Human riety of disciplines, including clinicians, research foci, present and future chal- in which there is no true present, no lin- Flow of Time provides a reopening Consumption: Sustainability, Challenges, nutrition and health system researchers, lenges in optimizing the components and ear direction of sequence, and no flow of of a critical debate about the nature of For more information on Annals of the combinations of ADCs, and translating New York Academy of Sciences, read “Dispatches from the Democratization Annals Reports efficacy from bench to bedside.  Flow of Time of Science” in the Summer 2014 issue Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences at www.nyas.org/magazine. Volume 1321, August 2014 Volume 1326, Fall 2014

22 www.nyas.org The New York Academy of Sciences Magazine • Fall 2014 23 Annals Highlights Recent Annals

Antimicrobial Therapeutics Reviews The Year in Ecology and Conservation Biology The Year in Evolutionary Biology Volume 1323, Volume 1322, Volume 1320, September 2014 August 2014 July 2014

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Tue, Oct 14 · 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM Tue, Feb 24 · 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM October The Origins of the Universe: Why December Harnessing the Potential of Is There Something Rather than Genome Editing for Drug Discovery: Nothing? Thu, Oct 9 · 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM Tue, Dec 9· 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Translational Frontiers of in vitro Targeting Key Vulnerabilities in Great mysteries still surround the origins Pancreatic Cancer and existence of the universe. Experts from Diabetic Kidney Disease: Drug and in vivo Applications Pancreatic cancer patients currently have the fields of cosmology, astrophysics, and Discovery and Clinical Development The emergence of genome editing tech- limited therapeutic options. This sym- philosophy unite to discuss the most basic Challenges nologies such as TALEN and CRISPR/Cas9 posium explores breakthroughs in the existential question of all: Why are we Identifying and prosecuting drug targets is are revolutionizing our ability to rapidly pathogenesis and progression of pancreatic here? challenging due to a poor understanding engineer mammalian systems. This sym- cancer, and efforts to exploit key vulnera- Tue, Feb 24 · 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM Tue - Thu, Nov 11 - 13 of pathogenesis and few biomarkers. This posium explores the frontiers of genome bilities for novel therapeutic interventions. Oct 21 - Dec 13 Harnessing the Potential of From Scientist to CSO: Experiencing Genome Editing for Drug Discovery: Shaping the Developing Brain: symposium identifies targets for preventive editing and the potential to aid therapeutic Thu, Oct 9 · 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM the Scientific Method as your Guide Translational Frontiers of in vitro Prenatal through Early Childhood or therapeutic interventions and discusses development. Grantsmanship for Graduate to Career Success and in vivo Applications Discover the latest cognitive neuroscience challenges in clinical development. Students and Postdocs Enhance the communication, leadership, The emergence of genome editing tech- research on infant and early childhood The ability to write research grants is now and teambuilding skills that all employers nologies such as TALEN and CRISPR/Cas9 development; social, family, and nutritional Wed, Dec 10 · 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM more important than ever—graduate value by taking From Scientist to CSO, one are revolutionizing our ability to rapidly factors that cause lasting changes to the The Unification of Physics: The students and postdocs should be practicing of the most popular courses offered at the engineer mammalian systems. This sym- brain; and intervention, education, and Quest for a Theory of Everything grant writing skills early in their careers by New York Academy of Sciences. posium explores the frontiers of genome applying for fellowships. Learn concise and editing and the potential to aid therapeutic policy to help at-risk children at the Fifth A “theory of everything” has thus far persuasive writing skills that apply to all Sun, Oct 26 · 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM development. Annual Aspen Brain Forum. eluded physicists seeking to unify the laws types of scientific careers. Conflict Resolution Skills: In and Out of the universe. Physicists Marcelo Gleiser, of the Lab Thu, Nov 13 · 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM Lee Smolin, and Max Tegmark debate Meetings Policy In this weekend workshop you will learn Policies that Influence Gender whether there are scientific and human critical skills and tools to cultivate more November Balance in STEM limits on what can be ultimately known. fulfilling and productive working relation- DATES, TIMES, AND TOPICS OF Join the New York Chapter of the Associa- »» ships. Mon, Nov 3 · 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM EVENTS LISTED HERE ARE SUBJECT Gene Network Changes in tion for Women in Science and Science TO CHANGE. For up-to-date Tue, Oct 28 · 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM Alzheimer’s Disease: Potential Alliance as we discuss the policy initiatives Beyond information, including ticket prices, Pharmacologic Resolution of Points for Therapeutic Intervention that have been put in place to provide sup- please visit our online calendar at Inflammation as a Novel Therapeutic Next-generation sequencing of Alzheimer’s port for gender balance in STEM fields. Wed, Feb 4 · 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM www.nyas.org/events. Approach disease progression reveals gene net- Transcending Matter: Physics and Uncontrolled, chronic inflammation plays works within microglial pathways. This »»Registration is required for most and Sat, Nov 15 · 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM Ultimate Meaning strongly encouraged for all events. To Fri, Oct 10 · 8:00 AM - 3:15 PM a key role in the progression of many symposium focuses on microglia biology, Risky Business – A Pharmaceutical New Frontiers in the Neurobiology of diseases, and elucidation of biochemi- molecular signatures specific to microglial Astrophysicist and blogger Adam Frank, register to attend an event, please use Mental Illness cal pathways provides novel targets. This phenotypes, and phenotype modulation. Industry Strategy Workshop historian of science David Kaiser, and the Academy events calendar online at This conference will explore the translation symposium reviews discoveries, approach- This course gives professionals from inside philosopher of physics Tim Maudlin share www.nyas.org/events or contact the meetings department at 212.298.8640 of recent breakthroughs in neuroscience es, and opportunities for treatment and Thu, Nov 6 · 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM and outside the pharmaceutical indus- their thoughts on what contemporary or [email protected]. into therapies for the more than 25% of prevention. Food Safety Considerations for try—including students and postdocs—a physics can offer in the quest to understand Innovative Nutrition Solutions Americans suffering from mental illnesses much better understanding of how the our place in the universe. such as schizophrenia, depression, fear and This conference will discuss issues of food R&D, business development, and licensing »»Unless noted otherwise, anxiety disorders, autism, and other psy- security, economics, policy, and communi- processes operate. Academy events are held at: chiatric disorders. A keynote lecture by The cation related to food safety. The New York Academy of Sciences Honorable Patrick J. Kennedy will address 7 World Trade Center strategies to abolish the stigma surround- 250 Greenwich St at Barclay, 40th Fl ing mental illness in order to fully realize New York, NY 10007 the potential of these new treatments to improve mental health. »»Photo ID is required for entry.

26 www.nyas.org The New York Academy of Sciences Magazine • Fall 2014 27

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The Academy has been an important part of scientists’ careers for nearly three centuries, and our members continue to do work that will inspire others for generations to come.

Participating in the Academy’s The New York Academy of Shortly after I began my “afterschool program was a “ Sciences serves as a central “career, I joined the Academy. very rewarding experience. hub of science in New York Attending meetings and Not only did I get to refresh and the surrounding area. presenting papers over the my knowledge on genetics, It is the go-to place to hear years widened my vista I also got to experience how seminars and lectures by beyond my own research, hands-on learning can help to leaders in science.” helping me learn about enhance the education Samie R. Jaffrey, MD, PhD significant developments of children.” Professor of Pharmacology, outside my area. Exposure to Regan Johnson, MBA Weill Medical College, Cornell University this variety greatly enriched Director of Operations, Blavatnik Award for Young Scientists my scientific career.” Griffiss Institute Winner 2013 Academy Afterschool STEM Mentor Kiyomi Koizumi, MD, PhD ,MS Distinguished Professor of Physiology & Pharmacology, SUNY Downstate Medical Center Pioneer in hypothalamic electrophysiology Academy member since 1952

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