Milestones

Awarded:

C. David Allis, the 2015 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences. The award recognizes Dr. Allis “for the discovery of covalent modifications of histone proteins and their critical roles in the regulation of gene expression and chromatin organization, advancing the understanding of diseases ranging from birth defects to cancer.” The Breakthrough Prize, worth $3 million, was launched in 2013 by a group of Internet and technology entrepreneurs to recognize transformative advances toward understanding living systems and extending human life. Dr. Allis is one of six scientists to receive the life sciences prize this year; the awards were presented at a celebrity-studded gala awards ceremony November 9 at NASA’s Ames Research Center in Mountain View, California. Dr. Allis is Joy and Jack Fishman Professor and head of the Laboratory of Chromatin Biology and Epigenetics.

C. David Allis, the Charles-Leopold Mayer Prize from the French Academy of Sciences. The prize has been awarded annually since 1961 to researchers who have performed outstanding work in the biological sciences, especially in the areas of cell or molecular biology.

Cori Bargmann, the 2015 Benjamin Franklin Medal in Life Science. She is recognized for her contributions to neurobiology that have led to major discoveries elucidating the relationship between genes, neurons, neural circuits and behavior. She is among nine individuals who will receive awards from the Franklin Institute this year; the awards recognize preeminent accomplishments in science and technology on an international level and have been presented since the Institute was founded in 1824. Bargmann is Torsten N. Wiesel Professor, head of the Lulu and Anthony Wang Laboratory of Neural Circuits and Behavior and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator.

Jean-Laurent Casanova, a 2014 Sanofi-Institut Pasteur Award, recognizing scientific progress in the life sciences. Dr. Casanova is being honored for his discovery of the role of single-gene mutations in infectious diseases, leading to novel treatments for certain pediatric diseases. As this year’s Mid-career Award winner, Dr. Casanova will receive approximately $35,000 and his laboratory will receive about $65,000. The awardees were honored at a ceremony on November 13 in Paris, France. Dr. Casanova is head of the St. Giles Laboratory of Human Genetics of Infectious Diseases and is a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator.

Jean-Laurent Casanova, the 2014 Robert Koch Award from the Berlin, Germany based Robert Koch Foundation. The Robert Koch Foundation is a nonprofit foundation dedicated to the promotion of basic scientific research in the field of infectious diseases, as well as exemplary projects that address medical and hygienic issues. Dr. Casanova is being recognized for groundbreaking work on understanding host genes and their products in infectious diseases.

Agata Smogorzewska, a Doris Duke Charitable Foundation (DDCF) Clinical Research Mentorship, which provides $64,800 to support the development of a mentoring relationship between a DDCF-funded clinical scientist and a medical student who has an interest in becoming a future clinician investigator. The award will support Dr. Smogorzewska’s student Elizabeth Looke-Stewart, a member of the Tri-Institutional M.D.-Ph.D. Program who is working to identify genomic alterations in squamous cell carcinomas from Fanconia anemia patients. Dr. Smogorzewska is head of the Laboratory of Genome Maintenance.

Named:

Stephen Browhan, a Blavatnik Award regional finalist in chemistry by the New York Academy of Sciences. Nine regional finalists were each awarded $10,000 and an award medal at the Academy’s annual gala in November. Dr. Brohawn studies how proteins called mechanosensitive ion channels sense mechanical forces. He is a postdoc in Roderick MacKinnon’s Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology and Biophysics.

Sebastian Klinge, a 2014 Rita Allen Foundation Scholar. Scholars receive grants of up to $110,000 annually for as many as five years to pursue innovative research with above-average risk and promise. Dr. Klinge is head of the Laboratory of Protein and Nucleic Acid Chemistry.

Hired (academic appointments):

Seung Tae Baek, postdoctoral associate, Gleeson Lab.

Jonas Barandun, postdoctoral fellow, Klinge Lab.

Roman Belousov, postdoctoral associate, EGD Cohen Lab.

Florian Berger, postdoctoral associate, Hudspeth Lab.

Karl Bertram, foreign research intern, Tuschl Lab.

Nagarajan Chandramouli, member of the adjunct faculty, Coller Lab.

Jue Chen, professor and head of laboratory, Chen Lab.

Chung-Han Chu, postdoctoral associate, Brady Lab.

Charlotte Cockram, postdoctoral associate, Smogorzewska Lab.

Bruce Conway, member of the adjunct faculty, Coller Lab.

Adeline Crinier, foreign research intern, Casanova Lab.

Mareike Czuppa, foreign research intern, Tuschl Lab.

Maria Elena De Obaldia, postdoctoral fellow, Vosshall Lab.

Esra Dikoglu, research associate, Gleeson Lab.

Scott Drutman, visiting fellow, Casanova Lab.

Rana Eizadpanahian, visiting student, Pfaff Lab.

Stephanie Ellis, postdoctoral fellow, Fuchs Lab.

Amelia Escolano, postdoctoral associate, Nussenzweig Lab.

Benjamin Farber, visiting fellow, Simon Lab.

Alexandre Fuerstenberg, visiting fellow, Sakmar Lab.

Felipe Garcia Quiroz, postdoctoral associate, Fuchs Lab.

Juan Garrido Maraver, visiting student, Steller Lab.

Joseph Gleeson, professor and head of laboratory, Gleeson Lab.

Alicia Guemez Gamboa, visiting fellow, Gleeson Lab.

Rayshonda Hardy, postdoctoral associate, Hang Lab.

Ruina He, postdoctoral associate, Hang Lab.

Laura Heckman, postdoctoral associate, Gleeson Lab.

Evan Heller, postdoctoral associate, Fuchs Lab.

Ryan Heselpoth, postdoctoral associate, Fischetti Lab.

Zhong Hua, postdoctoral associate, Fuchs Lab.

Manizheh Izadi, visiting student, Roeder Lab.

Yelena Janjigian, member of the adjunct faculty, Tavazoie Lab.

Oyebisi Jegede, instructor in clinical investigation, Rice Lab.

Julie Jerber, postdoctoral associate, Gleeson Lab.

Anide Johansen, visiting student, Gleeson Lab.

Hea-Jin Jung, postdoctoral associate, Gleeson Lab.

Hoon-Chul Kang, visiting professor, Gleeson Lab.

Young Jin Kim, postdoctoral associate, Chen Lab.

Gadi Lalazar, instructor in clinical investigation, Simon Lab.

Hongda Li, postdoctoral associate, Gleeson Lab.

David Lin, postdoctoral associate, Chen Lab

Xu Liu, postdoctoral fellow, Pfaff Lab.

Siqi Liu, postdoctoral associate, Fuchs Lab

Louis Lucas, member of the adjunct faculty, McEwen Lab.

Ana Maria Magarinos, visiting fellow, Pfaff Lab.

Jordan Marrocco, postdoctoral associate, McEwen Lab.

Sandra Nissan, visiting student, Pfaff Lab.

Michael Oldham, senior research associate, Chen Lab.

Ana Belen Oromendia, postdoctoral associate, Strickland Lab.

Samantha Peneyra, postdoctoral fellow, Comparative Bioscience Center.

Richard Phillips, visiting fellow, Allis Lab.

Christina Pressl, instructor in clinical investigation, Freiwald Lab.

Brandon Razooky, postdoctoral associate, Tarakhovsky Lab.

Katharina Rehklau, postdoctoral associate, Heintz Lab.

Yuttana Roongthumskul, postdoctoral associate, Hudspeth Lab.

Susanne Roosing, postdoctoral associate, Gleeson Lab.

Ozgur Rosti, research associate, Gleeson Lab.

Fabian Scheid, instructor in clinical investigation, Nussenzweig Lab.

Till Schoofs, postdoctoral fellow, Nussenzweig Lab.

Saera Song, postdoctoral associate, Gleeson Lab.

Elizabeth Stewart, visiting medical student, Smogorzewska Lab.

Petr Sulc, fellow in physics and biology, Center for Theoretical Studies.

Ji Sun, postdoctoral associate, MacKinnon Lab.

Atsushi Tabata, visiting assistant professor, Fischetti Lab.

Masoud Tavazoie, visiting fellow, Tavazoie Lab.

Frej Tulin, postdoctoral associate, Fred Cross Lab.

Gali Umschweif Nevo, postdoctoral associate, Greengard Lab.

Benjamin Ungar, visiting medical student, Krueger Lab.

Andrew Varble, postdoctoral associate, Marraffini Lab.

Koen Vercauteren, postdoctoral fellow, Rice Lab.

Peter Waltman, research associate, Gleeson Lab.

Liling Wan, postdoctoral associate, Allis Lab.

Yen-Chih Wang, postdoctoral associate, Hang Lab.

Kuanhui Xiang, visiting student, Rice Lab.

Peng Xu, postdoctoral associate, Greengard Lab.

BingKan Xue, visiting fellow, Leibler Lab.

Ilker Yildirim, postdoctoral associate, Freiwald Lab.

Zorana Zeravcic, postdoctoral associate, Leibler Lab.

Yinxin Zhang, postdoctoral associate, Friedman Lab.

Zhengdong Zhao, visiting student, Friedman Lab.

Minghao Zhong, member of the adjunct faculty, James Darnell Lab.

Hired (staff):

Devrim Acehan, research support specialist, Electron Microscopy Resource Center.

Atsuko Adachi, research specialist, Maimon Lab.

Amr Almaktari, research assistant, Nussenzweig Lab.

Ricardo Azevedo, research assistant, Tessier-Lavigne Lab.

Andrea Bae, research assistant, Shaham Lab.

William Philip Bartel, research assistant, Ravetch Lab.

Katelyn Bastert, recruitment assistant, Hospital Medical Science.

Colin Belanger, research assistant, Simon Lab.

Doris Berman, research assistant, Blobel Lab.

Timothy Blanchfield, fitness manager and trainer, Human Resources.

Kimberly Bogardus, research assistant, Tuschl Lab.

Nathaniel Braffman, research assistant, Darst Lab.

Timothy Buckley, human resources assistant, Human Resources.

Hoang Chuong Bui Nguyen, research assistant, Tavazoie Lab.

Caroliena Cabada, manuscript coordinator, JCB, Rockefeller University Press.

Jason Carrington, laboratory helper, Fischetti Lab.

Melina Casadio, associate editor, JCB, Rockefeller University Press.

Danielle Casazza, clinical research nurse, Hospital Nursing Outpatient.

Yaneth Castellanos, research specialist, Ravetch Lab.

Oscar Chavez, laboratory helper, Fuchs Lab.

Daniel Cole, research assistant, McEwen Lab.

Brett Copeland, scientific programmer, Gleeson Lab.

Deborah Coutavas, teacher, Child and Family Center.

Kevin Dam, research assistant, Greengard Lab.

Ermelinda Damko, laboratory manager, Chen Lab.

Chelsea Daniels, research assistant, Greengard Lab.

Jakob Dobrowolski, research assistant, Ruta Lab.

Nicholas Dragotakes, research assistant, Greengard Lab.

Ainslie Durnin, assistant director, Parents and Science, Development.

Chad Ethier, director of hospitality services, Human Resources.

Kathleen Gaffney, development assistant I, special events, Development.

Melanie Gao, research assistant, Greengard Lab.

Lauren Gerber, research assistant, Brivanlou Lab.

Mondana Ghias, research assistant, Greengard Lab.

David Giordano, lead doorperson, Housing Faculty House.

Emma Gordon, research assistant, Brady Lab.

Beth Graczyk, laboratory manager, Kapoor Lab.

Emily Greene-Colozzi, research assistant, Simon Lab.

Catherine Guariglia, research assistant, Kreek Lab.

Ndeye Fatou Gueye, research assistant, Blobel Lab.

Sonya Hadrigan, clinical research nurse practitioner, Nussenzweig Lab.

Kaitlyn Hajdarovic, research assistant, McEwen Lab.

Michael Heke, laboratory manager, Brivanlou Lab.

Paige Helmer, research assistant, Tarakhovsky Lab.

Erin Henegan, development assistant I, MIS, Development.

Raquel Hernandez-Solis, research assistant, Gilbert Lab.

Josh Hillman, research assistant, Kreek Lab.

Franklin Hoke, executive director, Communications and Public Affairs.

Peh Hsia, grants and financial administrator, Greengard Lab.

Shinya Iguchi, research assistant, Ruta Lab.

Salina Kalik, research assistant, Greengard Lab.

Sarah Keegan, scientific programmer, Chait Lab.

Elizabeth Kennedy, development assistant I, Development.

Yasmen Khan, science outreach administrator, Dean’s Office.

Nancy Kline, director, Heilbrunn Family Center for Research Nursing, Hospital Administration.

Joshua Kogan, research assistant, McEwen Lab.

Kristie Koos, teacher, Child and Family Center.

Elliot Kramer, research assistant, Casanova Lab.

Manjunath Kustagi, computational biologist, Tuschl Lab.

Hannah Lee, research assistant, Ravetch Lab.

Sharon Lee, research assistant, Blobel Lab.

Jenny Leung, research assistant, Greengard Lab.

John Levorse, research specialist, Fuchs Lab.

Ceyda Llapashtica, research assistant, Greengard Lab.

Caroline Lynch, development assistant II, Parents and Science, Development.

Helen Lyons, human resources associate, Human Resources.

Thomas Mazzarella, mechanic III, Plant Operations Power House.

Sarah McCarry, administrative assistant, Chen Lab

Christopher Morales, custodian, Plant Operations Custodial Services.

Assia Mouri, research assistant, Greengard Lab.

Damir Musaev, research assistant, Gleeson Lab.

Corbyn Nchako, research assistant, Brivanlou Lab.

Jason Ni, research assistant, Greengard Lab.

Brooke Nnatubeugo, research support assistant, Genomics Resource Center.

Jenna O’Neil, research assistant, Young Lab.

Stephanie Phillips, veterinary technician supervisor, Comparative Bioscience Center.

Eliza Prangley, research assistant, Tarakhovsky Lab.

Isidore Ramkissoon, media and design support specialist, Information Technology.

Lisa Randolph, research assistant, Greengard Lab.

Roger Regis, welder, Plant Operations Power House.

Joseph Rios, operations lead, Comparative Bioscience Center.

Basak Rosti, research assistant, Gleeson Lab.

Catarina Sacristan, scientific editor, Rockefeller University Press.

Misa Saito, research assistant, Ravetch Lab.

Saranya Santhosh Kumar, research assistant, Hynes Lab.

Glen Santiago, administrative assistant, Rice Lab.

Rachel Sarnoff, research assistant, Friedman Lab.

Alan Shan, research assistant, Shaham Lab.

Lei Shang, bioinformatics specialist, Casanova Lab.

James Sheridan, carpenter foreman, Plant Operations Carpenter Shop.

Anne Shutkin, assistant general counsel, General Counsel.

Jake Suarez, custodian, Plant Operations Custodial Services.

Jason Tchao, research specialist, Gleeson Lab.

Neena Thomas, research specialist, Nussenzweig Lab.

Helen Tian, research assistant, Tavazoie Lab.

Namita Trikannad, research support assistant, High Throughput Screening Resource Center.

Viet Truong, computer support specialist, Information Technology.

Lisa Tsatsas, clinical research nurse, Hospital Nursing Outpatient.

Rebecca Wahrman, development assistant I, Development.

Elizabeth Waters, lead lab scientist, Dean’s Office.

Jenny Wong, teacher, Child and Family Center.

Mengyu Wu, research assistant, Darst Lab.

Lihong Yin, laboratory manager, Freiwald Lab.

Lola Yu, research assistant, Kapoor Lab.

Hina Zafar, research assistant, Coller Lab.

Leah Zamechek, laboratory manager, Gleeson Lab.

Julie Zimmer, project coordinator, Heintz Lab.

Ilana Zucker-Scharff, research assistant, Robert Darnell Lab.

Promoted (academic appointments):

Karima Bettayeb, to senior research associate, Greengard Lab.

Hironori Funabiki, to professor and head of laboratory, Funabiki Lab.

Jodi Gresack, to senior research associate, Greengard Lab.

Jean-Pierre Roussarie, to senior research associate, Greengard Lab.

Yotam Sagi, to senior research associate, Greengard Lab.

Promoted (staff):

Hans Alcindor, to human resources associate, Human Resources.

Polina Bulkina, to administrative manager, Krueger Lab.

Emmeline Cardozo, to assistant director, Parents and Science, Development.

Jeanne Chiaravalli Giganti, to research support specialist, High Throughput Screening Resource Center.

Victor Cisneros, to senior computer support specialist, Information Technology.

Camille Clowery, to production manager, Rockefeller University Press.

Lindsey Cole, to associate director, Development.

Emily Conrad, to associate director, Development.

Eric Davis, to network engineer, Information Technology.

Marta Delgado, to senior graduate program administrator of finance and student affairs, Dean’s Office.

Benjamin DiMatteo, to development officer, Development.

Denisoon Espinoza, to environmental assistant, Laboratory Safety and Environmental Health.

Evan Greene, to director, MIS, Development.

Sachin Kadam, to associate safety officer, Laboratory Safety and Environmental Health.

Christine Lai, to research support associate, Genomics Resource Center.

Jewel Leonardo, to senior analyst, treasury and accounts payable, Finance Accounting Services.

Margo Lettsome-Henry, to associate director, Development.

Kara Marshak, to senior manager of talent, Human Resources.

Jeanine McSweeney, to assistant university librarian of library operations, Library.

Rada Norinsky, to director of transgenic services, Comparative Bioscience Center.

Erika O’Shea, to director, MIS, Development.

Brian Oh, to client systems support manager, Information Technology.

James Pring, to research specialist, Steinman Lab.

Devin Ramdhani, to systems developer, materials management, Purchasing.

Magdalena Rondiak, to executive administrator, Development.

Jason Rothauser, to production editor, Rockefeller University Press.

Anthony Santoro, to assistant director, Laboratory Safety and Environmental Health.

David Seay, to senior network engineer, Information Technology.

Irina Shimeliovich, to manager of the clinical processing laboratory, Nussenzweig Lab.

Karen Ann Smith, to senior director, development and campaign management, Development.

Teresa Solomon, to senior associate general counsel, General Counsel.

Ilene Spitzer, to associate, Investments.

Emma Stevens, to development officer, Development.

Selamawit Tadesse, to research support specialist, Flow Cytometry Resource Center.

Marlowe Tessmer, to executive editor, JEM, Rockefeller University Press.

Jillian Tintle, to development officer, Development.

Catherine Vanchieri, to senior director, development communications and grant management, Development.

Laura Votey, to assistant director, Development.

Todd Wells, to lead media and design support specialist, Information Technology.

Bryan Whitefield, to environment of care specialist, Hospital Administration.

Brent Winborn, to assistant director, finance and business, Comparative Bioscience Center.

Kathaliya Wongsatittham, to program coordinator, Research Support.