OETIS Chronicle FY24 Q1

The OETIS Chronicle

FY24 Q1

Office of Education, Training & International Services

In this Issue Welcoming our Newest Ph.D. Students

Welcoming our newest Ph.D. Students By: Nicole Villa & Paula Checchi Ph.D.

In early September, we had the opportunity to welcome our incoming class of graduate students. We are thrilled to have these ten scholars join the Sanford Burnham Prebys community as we continue to grow our Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.

Celebrating Postdocs at Sanford Burnham Prebys Stem Cells & STEM Education: Round Two Graduations & Trainee Highlights Upcoming Workshops & Events Postdoc & Graduate Student Counts

Pictured left to right: Namratha Nadig, B.S., M.S., Bangalore University (Ronai Lab); Cheska Galapate, B.S., UC Riverside (Commisso Lab); Megha Raghunathan, B.S., SCM University, M.S., University of Arizona (Haricharan Lab); Caitlin Lange, B.S., UC San Diego (Kumsta Lab); Ashley Neil, B.S., CSU Fullerton (Bang Lab); Anais Equey, B.S., Aix-Marseille University, M.S., Karolinska Institutet (Adams Lab); Monica Nicolau, B.S., Università di Bologna, M.S., Università degli Studi di Torino (Puri Lab); Jeffrey Snowbarger, B.S., Point Loma Nazarene University (Spruck Lab); Shiqi Su, B.S., UC Irvine (Will Wang Lab); Win Ning Chen, B.S., Monash University Malaysia (Huang Lab) Page 1

THE OETIS CHRONICLE

FY24 Q1

Celebrating Postdocs at Sanford Burnham Prebys By: Nisha Cavanaugh, Ph.D.

September 18-22, 2023 marked the 14th Annual National Postdoc Appreciation Week, established by the National Postdoctoral Association. To recognize the significant contributions that Sanford Burnham Prebys postdocs make to biomedical research and to further the Institute’s mission, the Office of Education, Training & International Services (OETIS) in collaboration with the SBP Science Network (SBP-SN) hosted events throughout the week that bring together the postdoctoral community and larger Institute, and highlight the postdoctoral research and career accomplishments. We share representative photos from these events on pages 2-4.

4th Annual Postdoc Town Hall: an open forum to discuss key initiatives that enhance the postdoc training experience and to obtain feedback/input from the at-large postdoc community.

Annual Postdoc Appreciation BBQ Lunch with faculty mentors: foster a sense of community by bringing together postdocs and their faculty mentors in a relaxed environment.

Photos by Nisha Cavanaugh, Ph.D.

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THE OETIS CHRONICLE

FY24 Q1

Celebrating Postdocs at Sanford Burnham Prebys cont.

Fishman Fund Award Ceremony: a formal ceremony that celebrates three postdoc awardees who were selected to receive funds in support of their career goals.

Awardees, Dr. Kuo and Dr. Tzaridis, with their families.

Photo by Vincent Andrunas

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The full story on this event: https://sbpdiscovery.org/news/beaker-blog/2023-fishmanfund-award-ceremony-celebrates-postdoctoral-scholars

Previous Fishman Fund awardees presented posters on their research.

Photo by Vincent Andrunas

Dr. Aaron Havas presented the Mentor of the Year Award to Dr. Alessandra Sacco.

Mentor of the Year in Postdoctoral Training announcement: through a postdoc-led nomination and selection process, Dr. Alessandra Sacco was selected as the 2023 Mentor of the Year to recognize her commitment and dedication to mentoring postdocs.

Photo by Natasha Giusti Page 3

THE OETIS CHRONICLE

FY24 Q1

Celebrating Postdocs at Sanford Burnham Prebys cont.

22nd Annual Trainee Research Symposium: postdocs and graduate students were selected to present their research to the entire Institute through oral presentations, flash talks, and posters.

Postdocs and faculty chatted during a break.

2023 Annual Trainee Research Symposium Keynote Speaker Dr. Gene Yeo.

Lale Cecchini Ph.D., postdoc in the Sacco lab, presented her research.

Postdocs and graduate students presented their research at the poster reception following the oral presentations at the symposium.

Photos by Natasha Giusti Page 4

THE OETIS CHRONICLE

FY24 Q1

Stem Cells & STEM Education: Round Two By: Paula Checchi, Ph.D.

Photo by James Short

Sanford Burnham Prebys’ second cohort of Summer Program to Accelerate Regenerative medicine Knowledge (SPARK) interns were selected from ten high schools throughout San Diego County, a region with considerable economic and ethnic diversity. The SPARK Program is designed to offer California high school students an opportunity to gain hands-on training in laboratories at leading research institutes in California. Throughout the course of their six-week program, our SPARK participants were fully immersed in outof-classroom scientific enrichment experiences and provided mentored learning experiences in stem cell biology.

Working alongside our elite staff scientists and trainees (graduate students and postdoctoral fellows), our interns were transformed into active participants within our diverse, multidisciplinary community. After conducting research within this structured learning environment, interns reported gaining heightened self-confidence, increased independence and a sense of belonging, measures which translate into lasting interest and engagement in STEM. By the completion of their internship, all students developed not only a foundational knowledge of stem cell biology, but also a sense of the excitement of a STEM career.

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THE OETIS CHRONICLE

FY24 Q1

Recent Trainee Accomplishments

Congratulations to Dr. Benjamin Van Espen!

Dr. Benjamin (Ben) Van Espen successfully defended his Ph.D. thesis on August 30, 2023.

Dr. Van Espen conducted his thesis research “RNF185 control COL3A1 expression limits prostate cancer migration and metastaticpotential,” under the mentorship of Dr. Ze’ev Ronai.

Congratulations to Jiaqian (Emily) Wu, member of the Cosford lab, for receiving the Melvin and Phyllis McCardle Clause Scholarship to advance Alzheimer's disease research.

For more on this story: https://bit.ly/3rzOrqf

Have you or a fellow trainee at Sanford Burnham Prebys had a research or career achievement lately? Email OETIS at oetis@sbpdiscovery.org to be featured in an upcoming issue of The Chronicle!

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THE OETIS CHRONICLE

FY24 Q1

Upcoming Workshops & Events

In the Expanding Leadership Program, participants will expand their understanding of the concepts introduced in Foundations of Leadership through self-analysis, peerfeedback, and case studies. In addition, participants will analyze their current leadership behaviors against three key aspects of the leadership process, or how they lead teams. Throughout the program, participants will continually add to their own leadership standards towards developing a clear vision of the leadership climate they want to create for their current and/or future teams. To learn more about the program, visit http://sbpleaders.org/SitePages/ExpandingLeadership.aspx.

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THE OETIS CHRONICLE

FY24 Q1

Postdoc & Graduate Student Counts POSTDOCS AS OF SEPTEMBER 30, 2023 TOTAL POSTDOCS

60

Postdoc Associate Postdoc Associate, Sr. Postdoc Fellow

51 1 8

GRADUATE STUDENTS SEPTEMBER 30, 2023 TOTAL GRADUATE STUDENTS

53

GSBS Graduate Students External Graduate Students

50 3

LAST QUARTER HEW HIRES JULY - SEPTEMBER 2023 TOTAL

17

Postdoc GSBS Graduate Student External Graduate Student

7 10 0

END AFFILIATION WITH SANFORD BURNHAM PREBYS JULY - SEPTEMBER 2023 TOTAL Postdoc GSBS Graduate Student External Graduate Student

11 5 1 5

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THE OETIS CHRONICLE

FY24 Q1

Office of Education, Training & International Services

Diane Klotz, Ph.D. Chief Learning Officer Associate Dean, Administration & Professional Development

Megan Elyamani

Nicole Villa, M.A.

Program Coordinator, GSBS

Program Coordinator, OETIS

Education & Training Nisha Cavanaugh, Ph.D.

Angelica Rocha, Ph.D.

Paula Checchi, Ph.D.

Associate Director, Institutional Research

Program Manager, Recruitment, Outreach & Achievement

Associate Director, Career Development & Postdoctoral Programs

International Services Mitchell Furumoto Manager, International Services

Leadership Support Alessandra Sacco, Ph.D. Dean, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences

Susie Bolor Senior International Advisor

Linda Bradley, Ph.D. Faculty Advisor, Postdoctoral Training

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