The Fishman Award Fund

William and Lillian Fishman

Lillian Fishman, Reena Horowitz, and Mary Bradley (taken at the Bradley Innovation Plaza unveiling event).

The Fishman Award Fund was established by Mary Bradley and Reena Horowitz at the Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute (click here to learn more about the institute) in 2001 to honor Dr. William and Lillian Fishman, founders of the Institute (formerly known as the La Jolla Cancer Research Foundation).

A young scientist who has earned his or her Ph.D. still requires years of training and mentoring to gain the experience needed to establish an independent laboratory.

William and Lillian Fishman, understanding the important impact these postdoctoral fellows have on medical research, created a tradition at Burnham of fostering the development of young scientists.

The Fishman Fund honors this tradition by presenting outstanding Sanford-Burnham postdoctoral fellows with a financial award, providing an incentive for young scientists to further their professional development.

Each September, the Fishman Awards ($5,000 each) are given out to five exceptional postdoctoral researchers. The award recipients and generous Fishman Fund donors are honored with an awards ceremony and reception. Click here to make a donation to the Fishman Fund, or if you would like your donation to go to another program at Sanford-Burnham, please contact Jane Langer at (858) 795-5288 or jlanger@sanfordburnham.org. Also, if you would like more information about the Fishman Fund Award please contact Wendy Sunday at (858) 646-3420 or wendys@sanfordburnham.org.

Award Winners 2011

Blackout illuminates the 2011 Fishman Fund Award winner

We knew the Fishman Fund supporters were devoted to postdocs. We didn’t know some of them would sit in traffic for an hour and a half during a blackout to honor these young scientists! Yet when a massive blackout struck a large swath of Southern California late on the afternoon of September 8, that did not stop the Fishman Fund Award ceremony, which was planned for 5:30 p.m. on the La Jolla campus. Granted, adjustments had to be made, but all in attendance considered the event a success.

As Fishman Fund Coordinator Wendy Sunday, Fishman Fund co-founder Reena Horowitz, and members of the External Relations Department finished setting up for the event, they were uncertain whether anyone would be able to attend. Caterers had already arrived, so the organizers invited Institute staff to enjoy pasta and salad on the patio. An impromptu party broke out with people from all areas of the campus chatting and making the most of the situation.

In the meantime, several guests, including members of the Fishman Fund Advisory Board arrived, a bit late but in good spirits. Three of the five awardees were in attendance, including Dr. Gregory Aubért, who traveled from Orlando for the event, as well as Dr. Aman Mann and Dr. Martina Pröll. Each thanked the award committee and gave a brief overview of his or her work. Dr. Caroline Kumsta conveyed her gratitude by video while her PI, Dr. Malene Hansen, accepted the award on her behalf. Unfortunately, awardee Dr. Roberto Tinoco was unable to make it due to traffic. (Read more about the winners and their research below.)

Drs. John Reed and Kristiina Vuori attended, as did a number of other faculty and staff. Altogether, about 50 people gathered for the ceremony. Afterward, everyone reconvened outside Chairmen’s Hall for dinner—supporters in cocktail attire mingling with scientists in jeans, as the caterers worked in semi-darkness. Grad student Judith Scheliga and Business Development Assistant Peijean Tsai, both members of the Sanford-Burnham Science Network (SBSN), provided musical entertainment despite their difficulties reading music in the dark.

The award is, of course, named for the Institute’s founders, Dr. William and Mrs. Lillian Fishman. Although Mrs. Fishman normally attends the reception each year, she was unable to make it during the blackout. Reena Horowitz said a few words in thanks to Mrs. Fishman and promised to convey everyone’s well-wishes to our co-founder.

Congratulations to the award recipients, who will each receive $6,000 for career development, and thank you to all who attended. Heartfelt appreciation also goes to the Institute’s Facilities and Safety staff, who never rested as they made sure the campus and everyone on it was safe.

More images from the event (click image for larger view):

Meet the winners of the 2011 Fishman Fund Award:

Dr. Gregory Aubért (Kelly lab) investigates the circuits that control fuel and energy metabolism in heart cells, with the goal of understanding how improper functioning of those circuits can lead to heart failure. He wishes to combine his expertise in both basic research and the clinic to offer patients up-to-date treatments based on the most recent scientific research.

Dr. Caroline Kumsta (Hansen lab) studies the molecular underpinnings of aging that allow cancer development. She is utilizing a tumor model system in the nematode C. elegans that has the potential to discover new genes that may lead to new cancer therapies. She plans to lead her own research lab at an academic or research institute one day, where she can continue her research on the cellular changes that are associated with age-related diseases.

Dr. Aman Mann (Ruoslahti lab) is currently identifying the characteristics of blood vessels in tumors that allow them to resist therapies that are intended to prevent the blood vessels from growing and nourishing the tumor’s cells. He plans to use his research experience to become an entrepreneur and create his own biotech company focused on cancer research.

Dr. Martina Pröll (Riedl & Reed labs) is interested in understanding how dysfunction of the immune system can contribute to the development of inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s Disease. She plans to continue her research at an academic institution, leading a research group that will continue to conduct cutting-edge research that has the potential to lead to new therapeutics for inflammatory disorders.

Dr. Roberto Tinoco (Bradley lab) studies T cells, a cell type in the immune system, and their ability to eliminate cells that have been infected by viruses. He plans to become a professor at a university that will allow him to use his laboratory and research to train undergraduate and graduate students with an emphasis on increasing diversity and retaining minority students in the biomedical sciences.