OETIS Chronicle FY24 Q2

FY24 Q2

The OETIS Chronicle

Office of Education, Training & International Services

Meet Mitchell, In this Lauren Issue

DEIB Program Manager

Meet Lauren Mitchell 3rd Annual GSBS

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I was born and raised in Los Angeles, and moved to the East Coast when I went to college in New York City. I majored in Anthropology and English because I loved learning about how culture shapes the human experience and I wanted to be able to effectively communicate my passion and ideas. I worked for a couple years before pursuing my master’s degree in Marriage & Family Therapy, which enabled me to expand my skills for communication and cultural competence in ways that directly impacted individuals, couples, and families. I returned to California to work at the Salk Institute launching their DEI initiatives.

Open House

What excites you about working at Sanford Burnham Prebys and in the Education & Training space?

Workshops & Events

I am really excited by SBP’s focus on translational research and drug discovery. This focus, to me, conveys a commitment to impactful scientific research that benefits all of humanity. I’m eager to contribute to that commitment by infusing the values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging into the education and training of all SBP faculty, staff, and trainees.

Postdoc & Graduate

NPA Pilot Recognition Program Alumni Feature: Dr. Cynthia Lebeaupin Celebrating our International Scholars Graduations & Grad Student Highlights Upcoming

Student Counts

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What is an accomplishment you are most proud of?

I was asked to give the graduate commencement speech for Seton Hall University’s College of Education & Human Services when I finished my master’s degree. It was such an honor to be recognized by my program’s faculty and to be given the opportunity to share a message of gratitude and inspiration with my fellow graduates.

What led you to pursue a career in DEI in higher education?

I come from a family of educators and always expected that I would end up in this field. My first job after undergrad was as a teaching assistant for kindergarten, and I quickly learned that

3rd Annual GSBS Open House Welcomes 85 Prospective Ph.D. Students By: Paula Checchi, Ph.D.

working with such young students was not for me. While I was in graduate school, I got a position advising college freshmen and fell in love with higher education. I find it so rewarding to work with students who are realizing their potential, and with faculty and staff who are passionate about helping students maximize that potential.

What is one thing about you that would surprise people?

People are often surprised to discover that I consider myself an introvert because I spend so much of my time talking to others and devoting myself to people-centric work. However, when I’m not at work I can usually be found doing solitary activities like listening to a podcast while baking or doing pottery.

Sanford Burnham Prebys’ Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences recently hosted a successful virtual open house, attracting 85 participants globally. The virtual open house showcased the school's commitment to fostering a global community of aspiring biomedical scientists. Prospective Ph.D. candidates interacted with OETIS staff, GSBS Deans, and eleven faculty members, including new hires Assistant Professors Kelly Kersten, Xiao Tian, Sanjeev ("Jeeves") Ranade, and Sanju Sinha. The event provided a platform to share the unique features of GSBS’ Ph.D. program while also facilitating personalized one-on-one discussions with faculty members in breakout rooms. In addition, attendees connected with current GSBS students and gained insights from GSBS alumni

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panelists, Drs. Matthew Tierney, Meher Beigi Masihi, and Paloma Sanchez Pavon. Concluding with an informative Q&A session featuring Program Manager Paula Checchi, Associate Dean of Admissions Duc Dong, Dean Alessandra Sacco, and International Services Program Manager Mitchell Furumoto, attendees learned about application procedures, timelines, and support for non-US citizens. We are excited for the next stages of our recruitment process with our prospective students!

Sanford Burnham Prebys recognized by new National Postdoctoral Association (NPA) Pilot Recognition Program By: Nisha Cavanaugh, Ph.D.

The National Postdoctoral Association (NPA) is a non-profit organization focused on advocating for policy and change that improve the postdoctoral experience. As an NPA organizational member, postdocs, graduate students, and faculty mentors at Sanford Burnham Prebys have access to NPA’s resources and workshops.

At the end of 2023, the NPA piloted a Recognition Program to share policies and practices at specific institutions that align with the NPA’s Recommended Postdoctoral Policies and Practices, while

providing information for peer organizations to evaluate their postdoc activities. Sanford Burnham Prebys was recognized for inclusion of postdocs in its Authorship guidelines and Intellectual Property policy rather than creating separate policies based on employment status. This recognition highlights that our postdocs have direct access to resources such as the Institute’s general counsel office and the Research Integrity Officer for guidance and to ask questions when authorship or intellectual property issues arise.

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Alumni Feature: Dr. Cynthia Lebeaupin By: Nisha Cavanaugh, Ph.D.

This new column will highlight a postdoc or graduate student alum to share their story advancing from their education and training at Sanford Burnham Prebys to landing an independent position. The alum will reflect on their research experience and share advice for current and future students and postdocs who are interested in pursuing a similar Ph.D. career path. Our inaugural alumni story features Dr. Cynthia Lebeaupin who was actively involved in the postdoctoral community and recently left the Institute to pursue research at Takeda that can potentially lead to therapeutics treating chronic liver disease progression.

Former: Postdoctoral Fellow | Kaufman Lab | June 2018 – October 2023 | Fishman Fund Fellow (July 2022 – October 2023) Current: Scientist II | Takeda

Tell us about your new role, research, & responsibilities.

I joined Takeda Pharmaceuticals in San Diego on October 30th, 2023 as a Scientist II in the Gastroenterology Drug Discovery Unit (GI DDU).

My role consists of developing and implementing new patient-focused therapeutic concepts for the treatment of chronic liver diseases with liver fibrosis. This includes human liver-specific drug target identification and validation, assay development, and biological profiling of lead structures for mechanism of action studies using contemporary in vitro and in vivo methods and tools.

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What about your postdoc research and/or training at Sanford Burnham Prebys prepared you for this role?

For this role, experience in chronic liver disease was required and drug discovery was preferred. Fittingly, my position as a postdoc in the lab of Dr. Kaufman consisted of researching liver cancer-promoting roles for stress sensor molecules during chronic liver disease progression. Internally, I “leveraged core resources to accomplish my scientific endeavors,” as stated by the OETIS-hosted workshop of the same name. Externally, I maintained collaborations with labs having access to human tissue biobanks for clinical relevance and biotech companies that enabled me to test therapeutic modalities. I was encouraged and motivated to participate in local, national, and international meetings.

Additionally, I was involved in various writing tasks including research articles, peer reviews, funding applications, and progress reports.

What unique aspect of Sanford Burnham Prebys do you think enhances the postdoc training experience? Why would you recommend the Institute for postdoctoral training?

SBP encompasses numerous attributes that enhance postdoc training. The scientific core resources proved indispensable for advancing my research. I found myself able to engage directly with the core directors and their teams, especially concerning animal studies, metabolic cancer research, histological analysis, viral vector construct development, and omics. Beyond the excellent scientific research training within the lab, I actively engaged in workshops, leadership opportunities, and attended networking events.

This included involvement in OETIS-led programs, the Postdoctoral Training Advisory Group, and SBP-Science Network.

What advice do you have for trainees who want to pursue industry positions?

I would recommend that trainees actively focus on developing both hard and soft skills to keep all doors open for future opportunities. They should acquire technical proficiency or knowledge of scientific skills highly sought after in the industry, practice their communication skills, and recognize the value of effective teamwork.

Attending conferences, workshops, and alumni events not only expands networks but also offers valuable guidance. My career goals evolved during postdoctoral experience, and considering San Diego’s status as a biology hub, promising opportunities may be right around the corner.

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Celebrating our International Scholars By: Mitchell Furumoto

In celebration of International Education Week 2023, we held a postdoc alumni panel and coffee reception on November 15. Our Career Success Stories panel featured Dr. Jose Nieto Torres, Assistant Professor at CEU Cardenal Herrera University in Spain, a former postdoc in Dr. Peter Adams’ lab and Dr. Malene Hansen’s lab, and Dr. Miriam Dutra, Chief Operating Officer at the McGill Centre for Translational Research in Canada, a former postdoc in Dr. Sumit Chanda’s lab, former Professor at the Institute. They discussed their experiences at Sanford Burnham Prebys, both in and out of the lab, and how they made their way into their current careers. Both reflected on the importance of keeping an open mind, as opportunities may come up that you weren’t expecting and that may lead you to a wonderful and exciting new path to explore. They encouraged current trainees at the Institute to take advantage of the different programs offered

by OETIS and the Institute that helped develop their careers.

Following the panel discussion, we held a coffee reception with wonderful pastries from The French Oven Bakery in Scripps Ranch. We enjoyed conversation and played a Jeopardy style game with world trivia.

Dr. Jose Nieto Torres Assistant Professor, CEU Cardenal Herrera University in Spain Alfara del Patriarca, Valencia, Spain

Dr. Miriam Dutra Chief Operating Officer, McGill Centre for Translational Research Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Answer: Bamboo

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Congratulations to Dr. Aleksandr Arzamasov!

Dr. Aleksandr Arzamasov successfully defended his Ph.D. thesis on December 6, 2023.

Dr. Arzamasov conducted his thesis research “GenomicsDriven Reconstruction pf Carbohydrate Utilization Networks in Human-Residential Bifidobacteria,” under the mentorship of Dr. Andrei Osterman.

Reflecting on your graduate school experience, what is a memory you’d like to share of your time in the GSBS?

“A standout memory was the positive shift in the feedback I received for my presentations.

When I just started, I faced challenges with public speaking, but by my third year, there was a noticeable improvement. The support and constructive criticism from the GSBS community played a pivotal role in enhancing my presentation skills.”

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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Recent Graduate Student Accomplishments Yu Fei (Sophie) Hao, a graduate student in the Dong lab, was selected to give a talk at the Zebrafish Disease Models Society Annual Conference within the Regeneration and Stem Cells session in October of 2023. The title of her talk was "The Extrahepatic Duct as a Novel Source of Liver Stem Cells."

Megha Raghunathan, a graduate student in the Haricharan lab, was awarded Best Poster in the Cancer Control Program sub-category at the 2023 UCSD Moore Cancer Center Annual Scientific Retreat.

The title of her poster was “Non-canonical role for mismatch repair proteins in immunomodulation”.

Yu-Ling (Linda) Chang, a graduate student in the Colas lab, was selected to give a talk at the Cell State Conversions Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Conference in October of 2023. The title of her talk was “Investigation of the role of JUNBinteractants during cell fate reprogramming.”

Patrick Hagan, a graduate student in the Cosford lab, was one of eight attendees to receive the “AACR Scholar in Training” Award at the AACR-NCIEORTC International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics in October of 2023.

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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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Postdoc & Graduate Student Counts POSTDOCS AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2023 TOTAL POSTDOCS

62

Postdoc Associate Postdoc Associate, Sr. Postdoc Fellow

54 1 7

GRADUATE STUDENTS AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2023 TOTAL GRADUATE STUDENTS

51

GSBS Graduate Students External Graduate Students

48 3

LAST QUARTER HEW HIRES OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2023 TOTAL

4

Postdoc GSBS Graduate Student External Graduate Student

4 0 0

END AFFILIATION WITH SANFORD BURNHAM PREBYS OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2023 TOTAL Postdoc GSBS Graduate Student External Graduate Student

3 2 1 0

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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, Career Development & Postdoctoral Programs

Associate Director, Institutional Research

Program Manager, Recruitment, Outreach & Achievement

International Services Mitchell Furumoto

Susie Bolor

Manager, International Services

Senior International Advisor

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Lauren Mitchell, M.S. Program Manager, DEIB

Leadership Support Alessandra Sacco, Ph.D.

Linda Bradley, Ph.D.

Dean, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences

Faculty Advisor, Postdoctoral Training

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