News:
March 12, 2008 - Pre-Awards Manager, Kathy Kawamura, Honored by UCLA’s Office of Research Administration
Kathy Kawamura, our Pre-Awards Office Manager, has recently received recognition from the UCLA Office of Research Administration (ORA) for her work as a trainer for OCGA (Office of Contracts & Grants). Kathy is the recipient of an “Apple Trophy” – an award given out annually to individuals who have contributed significantly to the development and implementation of Contracts and Grants coursework taught throughout the University. Kathy was instrumental in the creation of the “Proposal Preparation and Submission” course and served as the course instructor with over 40 staff members participating, the largest class to date. Kathy was also cited for her outstanding contribution to several OCGA Task Force Committees which worked on the evaluation of different electronic proposal systems and final selection of the new submission system that will be rolled out on a campus wide basis in the near future.
January 17, 2008 - Research Leader on Scientific American's List of 50
UCLA’s Desmond J. Smith, Ph.D., (Malibu resident) has been named by Scientific American magazine as one of the “Scientific American 50” – the noted publication’s sixth annual list recognizing research, business and policy contributions worldwide to science and technology from the past year that have exceptional potential to improve society. The “Scientific American 50” appears in the magazine’s January 2008 issue.
Smith was selected in neurological diagnostics – along with his colleague Richard D. Smith from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Washington -- for creating “a complex system for analyzing proteins that combines advanced instrumentation with sophisticated image processing,” the magazine states.
Due to the molecular complexity of the brain, it’s a major challenge to study – about a third of the mammalian genome appears to be dedicated exclusively to brain function. The study of proteins, called proteomics, can offer a greater understanding of the biological function of an organism since thousands of proteins perform the work in cells.
The team used their new technique to inspect one-millimeter cubes or “voxels” of brain tissue from two normal mice and determined an abundance of over 1,000 proteins. Current imaging techniques can identify only one or a few proteins at a time. With the ability to reveal a large number of proteins at once, the method may provide new insight into the relationships between proteins and biological processes..
“Our next step is to use this methodology to compare normal and diseased brain tissue, which may help pinpoint new treatment targets for neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s,” said UCLA’s Smith, associate professor of molecular and medical pharmacology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.
According to UCLA’s Smith, the technique may allow researchers to assess a wide range of molecular differences between normal and diseased brains, with defects in motor skills or with even more complex abnormalities such as dementia.
UCLA’s Smith has received a number of research awards including: the Merck Genome Research Institute Award, a NARSAD Young Investigator Award, and an Alzheimer’s Association Award.
Smith obtained his first degree in physics and a medical degree from Oxford University, England. He also received a doctorate in molecular biology from Cambridge University, England. Smith completed his postdoctoral training at Harvard University and at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. He joined the UCLA faculty in 1997.
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Sept. 25, 2007 - Pharmacology Chair, Michael E. Phelps to Receive 2007 Visionary Award
The division of neurosurgery at UCLA Medical Center announced that UCLA Pharmacology Chairman, Michael E. Phelps, will receive a 2007 Visionary Award on October 4 at its 2007 Visionary Ball fundraiser in Beverly Hills. Dr. Phelps is receiving the award for his leadership role in medical research, educational programs and multimedia technologies, particularly for his work on developing Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scanning used in the detection of neurological disorders. The event will also recognize actor-comedian Tim Allen with the Rodney Dangerfield Legacy Award, as well as honor entrepreneur and founder of the Hard Rock Café, Peter Morton with a Visionary Award.
The Visionary Ball will raise money to help advance neurosurgical research, education and patient care and is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 4, at the Beverly Wilshire Four Seasons Hotel. (UCLA Press Release)
July 20, 2007 - Professor Champions Nanotechnology
Sunday's International Herald Tribune featured a profile of UCLA professor of molecular and medical pharmacology Roy Doumani, an international financier and real estate investor who helped establish the California NanoSystems Institute at UCLA and the University of California, Santa Barbara. Doumani sits on the institute's advisory and oversight board.
July 19, 2007 - New Cancer Therapy Uses Targeted Drugs
CBS Radio's Osgood File featured an interview Thursday with Anna Wu, UCLA professor of molecular and medical pharmacology, about a new class of drugs that use customized human antibodies to target specific cancers.
