In this issue

Frontiers

Leading Salk science into the future

Inside Salk sat down with Rusty Gage to learn more about his background, approach to managing a world-renowned Institute, and vision for Salk science over the next decade.

Observations

Julie Law

Associate Professor Julie Law shares common themes underlying her research and discusses what motivates her both in and out of the lab.

Insights

Gerald Pao

From studying the novel coronavirus to downloading brains to computers, Staff Scientist Gerald Pao is at the forefront of scientific advancement.

Next Gen

Austin Coley

Austin Coley, though only at Salk since 2019, has already taken an active role in everything from conducting innovative research on the brain to spearheading a wide variety of outreach activities.

Executive Letter

“As 2020 comes to a close, I am filled with gratitude for the extraordinary efforts made by our faculty and administrative staff over the past year, which helped the Institute successfully navigate this pandemic.”

Daniel C. Lewis
Salk Board of Trustees Chair

Discoveries

Spotlight

Education Outreach Goes Virtual

Education Outreach Goes Virtual

When the COVID-19 pandemic closed local schools this past year, Salk’s Education Outreach department had to get creative to continue its mission of teaching and inspiring students to pursue careers in science. They quickly adapted and rolled out virtual options for popular programs, to great success.
Edward Stites  receives NIH Director’s New Innovator Award

Edward Stites receives NIH Director’s New Innovator Award

Assistant Professor Edward Stites has been named an NIH Director’s New Innovator for 2020 as part of the National Institutes of Health’s High-Risk, High-Reward Research Program. The award “supports unusually innovative research from early career investigators,” according to the NIH and provides $1.5 million for a 5-year project.
Dannielle Engle wins New Investigator Award

Dannielle Engle wins New Investigator Award

Assistant Professor Dannielle Engle has been awarded a New Investigator Award from the Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program (TRDRP) to examine how tobacco use promotes cellular changes that lead to pancreatic cancer. Engle will receive more than $1 million over 3 years to develop new models for examining how tobacco carcinogens (cancer-causing substances) lead to tumor development and metastasis.
Ronald Evans receives NOMIS Award

Ronald Evans receives NOMIS Award

Professor Ronald Evans, director of Salk’s Gene Expression Laboratory and March of Dimes Chair in Molecular and Developmental Biology, has been awarded a 2020 NOMIS Distinguished Scientist and Scholar Award by the NOMIS Foundation, a Swiss foundation that supports high-risk basic research. The award, which totals $2.5 million, recognizes scientists for their “outstanding contributions to the advancement of science and human progress through their pioneering, innovative and collaborative research,” according to NOMIS.
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Events

Salk launches the Power of Science virtual lecture series

Salk launches the Power of Science virtual lecture series

In the spring, Salk introduced the Power of Science Lecture series, a new format to allow faculty to share recent research with donors that occurred throughout the year. Faculty speakers included Professors Janelle Ayres, Ronald Evans, Martin Hetzer, Susan Kaech, Satchin Panda, Reuben Shaw and Assistant Professor Dannielle Engle on topics ranging from collaborative cancer research; circadian biology; infectious disease; and aging.
Salk Joins Virtual Wellbeing Panel

Salk Joins Virtual Wellbeing Panel

On October 28, Susan Kaech, Salk Professor and Director of the NOMIS Center for Immunology and Microbial Pathogenesis, joined a panel of speakers hosted by Union Bank entitled “Women, Wealth and Health: Connecting Well-Being and Philanthropy in the Age of COVID.” She joined Jennifer Alcorn, deputy director of Philanthropic Partnerships for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; and Eric Verdin, president and CEO of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging, in discussing health and aging research, community involvement and health-related philanthropic efforts.
Ellen Potter Symposium Goes Virtual

Ellen Potter Symposium Goes Virtual

On October 24, Education Outreach held its annual Ellen Potter Symposium, featuring Uri Manor, director of Salk’s Advanced Biophotonics Core. Each fall, teachers are invited to Salk to hear from Salk faculty and researchers in a seminar environment, then collaborate with colleagues to apply what they have learned to their lesson plans.
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