An Update for the Jupiter Life Science Community   |   November 26, 2018

This newsletter will highlight activities of the Jupiter Life Science Initiative (JLSI), which unites scientists in research and training programs from FAU’s Charles E. Schmidt Colleges of Science and Medicine, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, FAU Brain Institute, The Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience (MPFI) and The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI). We plan to cover the local and national contributions of FAU Jupiter faculty and JLSI partners from collaborative institutions as the stories emerge. Dr. Rod Murphey, Director

News

FAU and MPFI Set New Annual Records for NIH Funding in 2018 The Palm Beach Post featured a story about the recent increase in federal funding. FAU and the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience (MPFI), located on the FAU Jupiter campus, both set new annual records for federal funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) during the 2018 federal fiscal year that ended Sept. 30th. FAU landed grants totaling $7.3 million in 2018, a 36 percent jump from its 2017 haul of $5.4 million. MPFI brought in $5.3 million, up 16 percent from its 2017 total of $4.5 million. Read more here .

JLSI Research Faculty Receive Research Mentoring Awards

The Division of Research announced the faculty members who were awarded pilot funding as part of their new junior faculty mentoring program. In order to foster the exchange of ideas and best practices in funded research, senior colleagues with significant extramural funding experience are paired with tenure-track and research faculty members. Congratulations to Dr. Alex Keene  (Mentor) and Dr. Johanna Kowalko (Mentee) for winning this award! Read more here .

Biology Master's Student Receives Guy Harvey Scholarship

Breanna Degroot, a Biology Master's student who works in the laboratory of Dr. Matthew Ajemian at FAU's Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute (HBOI), was named one of seven graduate students in Florida to receive the 2018 Guy Harvey Scholarship. This $5,000 award recognizes outstanding achievement of graduate students in marine fisheries science research. “I envision the rest of my career being dedicated to understanding the movement of ecologically and commercially important marine species and relaying my findings to the public in new and interactive ways.” Read more  here .

FAU Study Pinpoints Gene Impacting Sleep and Energy Storage Maria Yurgel , IB PhD candidate who works in the laboratory of Dr. Alex Keene , published a paper in G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics entitled " Ade2 Functions in the Drosophila Fat Body To Promote Sleep." This study identifies the Ade2 gene, which functions in the fat body of fruit flies, as a promoter of sleep and energy storage. The identification of Ade2, and other candidate regulators of sleep, provides a platform for investigating the role of periphery-brain communication in sleep regulation. Yurgel defended her dissertation this month and will walk at the graduation ceremony this December. Read more here .

In The Media

Current Biology Dr. Alex Keene published a study that found a new gene  that promotes wakefulness in fruit flies by limiting the length and intensity of sleep periods. This gene encodes the membrane transport protein known as excitatory amino acid transporter 2 (Eaat2). Read more here . PNAS Dr. Randy Blakely published a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggesting a novel approach to treating autism spectrum disorder by targeting an enzyme normally associated with stress and inflammation Read more here .

J. Biological Chemistry Tyrone Penserga , IB PhD candidate who works in the lab of Dr. Tanja Godenschwege , and former lab mate and IBNS alumna Dr. Priyanka Kakad have published a paper identifying the in vivo effects of L1-type neuroglian and how its nuclear levels are regulated in Drosophila melanogaster. Read more here . Neuropharmacology Dr. Henriette van Praag , Associate Professor of Biomedical Science and member of the FAU Brain Institute, published a paper showing that proteins secreted from skeletal muscle cells may serve as a critical communication link to the brain through factors that enhance neural differentiation. Read more here .

Student Spotlight

Taylor Selman , a junior in the Neuroscience & Behavior B.S. program, received a John Nambu Memorial Summer REU Program scholarship to conduct a research project in the laboratory of Dr. Ken Dawson-Scully , Associate Professor of Biology. Her project “Using a Drosophila melanogaster Alzheimer’s Model to Investigate Possible Therapeutics” created a model of Alzheimer’s disease in fly, consisting of the Arctic mutation. After graduation, Selman plans on attending medical school to become an orthopedic surgeon specializing in pediatrics or sports medicine. "The REU program has allowed me to realize how important research is to the medical community. Without research, we would not have certain drugs to cure diseases or alleviate symptoms of diseases." Read more about the REU program here .

Meet the Jupiter Life Science Staff

Silvana Jaramillo , Budget Coordinator for the Jupiter Life Science Initiative. Please contact Silvana if you have questions about contracts, grants,or need budget support on the Jupiter campus.  Marjorie Cazeau , Program Assistant for the Jupiter Life Science Initiative. Please contact Marjorie if you need secretarial or general support on the Jupiter campus.

Glenn Malone , Biology Student Services and Advising. Please contact Glenn if you have questions about Biology or Psychology coursework and academic advising on the Jupiter campus.  Jana Boerner, Ph.D., Imaging Core Manager. Please contact Jana if you have questions about the Nikon Center of Excellence Core Facility on the Jupiter campus.

The Jupiter Life Science Initiative staff is here to serve students, faculty, and staff. We are always happy to assist as well as answer questions and provide general support during your visit to the FAU John D. MacArthur Campus. For general information, contact Marjorie at 561-799-8060 or mcazeau@fau.edu.

To feature exciting news and accomplishments in this newsletter, please contact  Dr. Stacee Caplan at scaplan4@fau.edu.