Seven Women Named Pew Scholars in the Biomedical Sciences

The Pew Charitable Trusts have announced the 2011 class of Pew Scholars in the Biomedical Sciences. Pew Scholars receive four-year grants of $240,000 to continue their research.

This year 22 researchers were named Pew Scholars from a field of 136 nominations. Of the 22 scholars selected, seven are women (photos below are in order of listing).

Christine M. Dunham is an assistant professor of biochemstry at Emory University in Atlanta. Her research involves investigating how proteins and/or RNA molecules influence ribosome activity. Dr. Dunham is a graduate of Barnard College in New York City. She earned a Ph.D. at the University of California at Santa Cruz.

Melissa K. Gardner is an assistant professor in the department of genetics, cell biology, and development at the University of Minnesota. Her research is focused on discovering the role of protein nanomechanics in regulating key cellular processes. Dr. Gardner is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin and holds a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from the University of Minnesota.

Mary Gehring is an assistant professor of biology and member of the Whitehead Institute at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She is involved in the study of plant genetics. Dr. Gehring is a graduate of Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts. She earned her Ph.D. at the University of California at Berkeley.

Mei Kong is an assistant professor in the department of tumor cell biology at the City of Hope National Medical Center in Duarte, California. Her lab studies the cellular and molecular mechanisms that allow tumor cells to survive periods of metabolic stress. She received a Ph.D. in experimental medicine from McGill University in Montreal.

Erica Larschan is an assistant professor in the department of molecular biology, cell biology, and biochemistry at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. Dr. Larschan is a summa cum laude graduate of Wellesley College, where she graduated with a 4.0 grade point average. She earned a Ph.D. in genetics from Harvard Medical School.

Ann C. Morris is an assistant professor of biology at the University of Kentucky. Her research effort concentrates on studying cellular differentiation and gene expression in the vertebrate retina, the photosensitive lining at the back of the eye. Dr. Morris is a graduate of Florida State University and holds a Ph.D. in genetics and molecular biology from Emory University.

Suzanne M. Noble is an assistant professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of California at San Francisco. Her research focuses on Candida albicans, the most common fungal pathogen of humans. She holds both a medical degree and a Ph.D. from the University of California at San Francisco.