Boettcher Foundation Announces 2014 Boettcher Investigators; Celebrating Fifth Class of Colorado's Webb-Waring Biomedical Research Program

Seven early-career scientists are joining the ranks of Boettcher Investigators in the Webb-Waring Biomedical Research Program, with today’s announcement from Theodore F. Schlegel, M.D., Chairman of the Boettcher Foundation Board of Trustees.

“The Boettcher Foundation Board is pleased to celebrate our fifth class in this very specialized and important niche of biomedical research,” Schlegel said. “Our investigators now number 29, and several of our early Investigators are already achieving significant advancements in their areas of research.”

The 2014 Class of Boettcher Investigators in the Webb-Waring Biomedical Research Program includes:

* Kunhua Song, PhD, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Assistant Professor of Medicine - Regenerative medicine and heart development/disease

* Roger A. Bannister, PhD, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Cardiology Division - Skeletal and cardiac muscle physiology

* Subhajyoti De, PhD, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Assistant Professor of Biomedical Informatics and Personalized Medicine - Cancer genomics; lung cancer; somatic mutations; DNA damage and repair; algorithm development; optimization

* Loren Hough, PhD, University of Colorado Boulder, Assistant Professor of Physics - Structural biology of order and disordered proteins

* Christopher L. Gentile, PhD, Colorado State University, Assistant Professor of Food Science and Human Nutrition - Molecular causes of vascular dysfunction

* Amy B. Dounay, PhD, Colorado College, Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry - Medicinal chemistry for African Sleeping Sickness

* Rachel L. Zemans, MD, National Jewish Hospital, Assistant Professor of Medicine - Resolution of Alveolar Epithelial Permeability after Lung Injury

“The new class of Boettcher Investigators represents some of the finest scientific minds in the state, and we are honored to have the opportunity to support their research, which has the potential to have significant impacts on human health,” said Tim Schultz, President and Executive Director of the Boettcher Foundation. 

Boettcher Investigators are awarded grants of $225,000, covering up to three years of research with a goal for these early-career scientists to establish themselves and become competitive for major awards from federal agencies and private foundations. With the addition of the 2014 Class, there are now 29 Boettcher Investigators conducting research in the following Colorado institutions: University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado State University, National Jewish Health, Colorado School of Mines and Colorado College.

The Webb-Waring Biomedical Research Program was created in 2008, as the result of an innovative agreement among the Boettcher Foundation, the Webb-Waring Foundation for Biomedical Research and the University of Colorado. Through the program, the Boettcher Foundation now invests more than $1.5 million each year into efforts to increase Colorado's competitiveness in biomedical science.

Link to the full release

Link to the related Business Wire release

Video: Boettcher Foundation Pres/ED Introduces 2013 Boettcher Investigators to Bioscience Community

Tim Schultz, President and Executive Director of Boettcher Foundation, introduced the 2013 Class of Boettcher Investigators to the Colorado bioscience community at the Colorado BioScience Association (CBSA)Tenth Annual Awards Dinner on November 7 at the Marriott City Center in Denver. Video:

 
http://youtu.be/zLbQJkEdKw4

The 2013 (fourth) Class of Boettcher Investigators in the Webb-Waring Biomedical Research Program includes:

* Dr. Amrut V. Ambardekar, M.D., University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Assistant Professor of Medicine — Cardiology, Myocardial Recovery After Ventricular Assist Device Implantation

* Dr. Joseph A. Brzezinski, Ph.D., University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology, Mechanisms of Retinal Development and Disease

* Dr. Soyeon Park, Ph.D., University of Colorado Boulder, Assistant Professor of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Molecular Mechanisms of Proteasome Biogenesis

* Dr. Abigail L. Person, Ph.D., University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Assistant Professor of Physiology and Biophysics, Corollary Discharge Pathways Underlying Schizophrenia Symptoms

* Dr. Michael Strong, Ph.D., National Jewish Health, Assistant Professor of Genes, Environment, and Health, Genomics of Respiratory Disease Associated Pathogens

* Dr. Lucas Argueso, Ph.D., Colorado State University, Assistant Professor of Radiation and Cancer Biology, Gene Copy Number Variation

* Dr. Brad Borlee, Ph.D., Colorado State University, Assistant Professor of Bacteriology, Molecular Regulation of Bacterial Pathogenesis

* Dr. Melissa Krebs, Ph.D., Colorado School of Mines, Assistant Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Controlled Delivery of Therapeutics from Biopolymer Systems

With the addition of the 2013 Class, there are now 22 Boettcher Investigators conducting research in the following Colorado institutions: University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado State University, National Jewish Health and Colorado School of Mines. All grant awards are $225,000.

Link to the related May 30th Business Wire

Aurora Sentinel: 'Mothering inventions: Leg up for Anschutz researchers'

The Aurora Sentinel's Brandon Johansson recently introduced us to the 2012 Boettcher Investigators...

"Three University of Colorado doctors — including two at the Anschutz Medical Campus — have been chosen for a program aimed at helping researchers get a leg up early in their career.

The doctors, Chad Pearson, Matthew Kennedy and Harald Junge, have been named to the 2012 class of Boettcher Investigators in the Webb-Waring Biomedical Research Program.

The program is in its third year and supports scientists at the start of their careers, when support can be hard to come by...

... At Colorado BioScience Association, officials said the program is vital because it helps nurture early-career research that can lead to important discoveries."

Link to the article

Quoting the Aurora Sentinel: "Chad Pearson stands next to his lab area Friday morning, June 22 at Research Complex 1 South on Anschutz Medical Campus. Pearson is one of three University of Colorado doctors named to the 2012 class of Boettcher Investigators in the Webb-Waring Biomedical Research Program. (Marla R. Keown/Aurora Sentinel)"

CU Connections: 'Trio of CU biomed scientists named Boettcher Investigators'

Quoting from CU's June 7th posting:

"Three University of Colorado researchers have been named to the 2012 class of Boettcher Investigators in the Webb-Waring Biomedical Research Program. This is the third year for the program, which supports early career scientists in their work toward making discoveries that improve human health."

Link to the article

2012 Class of 'Boettcher Investigators' Announced

The Boettcher Foundation Board of Trustees has released the names of the three early-career scientists selected for the third class of Boettcher Investigators in the Webb-Waring Biomedical Research Program.

Timothy W. Schultz, President and Executive Director of the Boettcher Foundation, said "Through this program, the Boettcher Foundation has been able to bring resources to an area where funds are currently lacking and where federal and private research programs provide limited support. Early-career investigators quite frequently have a difficult time securing a first opportunity at an independent research effort that will move them out of the laboratory of their mentors and onto their own new and exciting areas of discovery."

The 2012 (third) Class of Boettcher Investigators in the Webb-Waring Biomedical Research Program includes:

* Harald Junge, Ph.D. , University of Colorado at Boulder, Retinal Vascular Development and Disease

* Matthew Kennedy, Ph.D., University of Colorado – Anschutz Medical Campus, Molecular Mechanisms of Alzheimer's Pathology

* Chad G. Pearson, Ph.D., University of Colorado – Anschutz Medical Campus, Organization of the Microtubule Cytoskeleton for Cell Division and Signaling

With the addition of the 2012 Class, there are now fourteen Boettcher Investigators conducting research in the following Colorado institutions: University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado State University, National Jewish Health and Colorado School of Mines.

Link to the Business Wire release

Link to the PitchEngine Social Media Release

2011 Boettcher Investigators Introduced to Colorado Bioscience Community

The 2011 class of Boettcher Investigators was introduced to Colorado's Bioscience Community at the Colorado BioScience Association's Annual Awards Dinner celebration, December 8, in Denver. Timothy Schulz, Boettcher Foundation Executive Director, made the presentation, along with Ted White, chair of the Boettcher Foundation Board of Trustees.

The 2011 Boettcher Investigators include: Tingting, Yao, Ph.D., Colorado State University; Zhe Chen, Ph.D., University of Colorado Boulder; Jing Wang, M.D., Ph.D., University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus; Robert Doebele, M.D., Ph.D., University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus; and John D. (Nick) Fisk, Ph.D., Colorado State University. Video of the presentation follows:


http://youtu.be/ub8azy2KG8M

Denver-Based Boettcher Foundation: 2011 Class of Boettcher Investigators

The 2011 Boettcher Investigators include (pictured left to right– back row):

Tingting, Yao, Ph.D., Colorado State University

Zhe Chen, Ph.D., University of Colorado Boulder

Jing Wang, M.D., Ph.D., University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

(pictured left to right– front row):

Robert Doebele, M.D., Ph.D., University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

John D. (Nick) Fisk, Ph.D., Colorado State University

Link to the July Colorado BioScience Association FOCUS newsletter featuring the Webb-Waring Biomedical Research/Boettcher Investigators program (page 2 of the pdf)

Video: Program Overview Webb-Waring Biomedical Research Awards/Boettcher Investigators Program

http://youtu.be/ID2N5hsZqe0

The Webb-Waring Institute was founded in 1924 by Dr. Gerald B. Webb and later directed by Dr. James J. Waring. For over 80 years, the organization contributed to the advancement of biomedical research by engaging in basic and clinical research and training research scientists. In 2008, the Webb-Waring Institute became a part of the University of Colorado and is now known as the Webb-Waring Center. The Boettcher Foundation was entrusted with the stewardship of the Webb-Waring Foundation's assets. Through an innovative agreement between the Boettcher Foundation, the Webb-Waring Foundation and the University of Colorado, a new funding area was established at the Boettcher Foundation that will support the work of early-career investigators in the biomedical sciences in Colorado.

For more information about the Boettcher Foundation, please visit http://www.boettcherfoundation.org/grants/biomedical/index.html

Video - Interview with 2010 Boettcher Investigator Melissa Reynolds, Ph.D.

http://youtu.be/MRxidgH-KwE

Melissa Reynolds, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Colorado State University, Boettcher Investigator (2010 class) in the
Webb-Waring Biomedical Research Program.

For more information, visit http://www.boettcherfoundation.org/grants/biomedical/index.html

Rocky Radar: Second Class of Boettcher Investigators Announced

Quoting from the posting:

"The Boettcher Foundation announced its second class of investigators in the Webb-Waring Biomedical Research Program. This program provides grants of between $200,000 and $300,000 to assist early-career investigators (ECIs) engaged in biomedical science research in Colorado. These grants provide ECIs, defined as those who are four years or less from their first academic appointment at a research institution, funds to get research at their own labs underway, as NIH funding can be difficult to attract for those early in their careers. This year’s recipients hail from three different campuses around the state. A list of the recipients and their research topics follows."

Link to Rocky Radar

Boulder Daily Camera: CU scientists named 'Boettcher Investigators' for their work to improve human health

Quoting from the article by Brittany Anas:

"Three University of Colorado researchers — including one scientist from the Boulder campus — have been named to the 2011 class of Boettcher Investigators, a program that supports scientists who are early in their careers and working toward making discoveries that improve human health.

This is the second year for the Webb-Waring Biomedical Research Program."

Link to the dailycamera.com

NCBR: 'CSU professors named Boettcher Investigators'

Quoting from the NCBR:

"Two Colorado State University assistant professors have been named 2011 Boettcher Investigators by the Boettcher Foundation.

John D. (Nick) Fisk, an assistant professor of chemical and biological engineering, and Ting Ting Yao, an assistant professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, were two of only five 2011 Boettcher Investigators named as part of the Webb-Waring Biomedical Research program."

Link to the Northern Colorado Business Report news item

CU News Center: 'CU-Boulder scientist Zhe Chen named 2011 Boettcher Investigator'

Quoting from the posting:

"DENVER – Three University of Colorado researchers have been named to the 2011 class of Boettcher Investigators in the Webb-Waring Biomedical Research Program. This is the second year for the program, which supports early career scientists in their work toward making discoveries that improve human health. CU's 2011 Boettcher Investigators are:
Zhe Chen, Ph.D., assistant research professor of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology at the University of Colorado Boulder, whose research focuses on axon guidance during neural development; Robert C. Doebele, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of medical oncology at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, whose research focuses on resistance mechanisms in oncogene-driven lung cancer; and Jing H. Wang, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of immunology at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, whose research focuses on antibody production and genomic instability in B lymphocytes."

Link to the CU News Center article

CSU News & Information: 'Colorado State University Engineer, Biochemist Named 2011 Boettcher Investigators'

Quoting from the posting:

"FORT COLLINS - The Boettcher Foundation on Wednesday named Colorado State University assistant professors John D. (Nick) Fisk and Tingting Yao two of only five 2011 Boettcher Investigators as part of the Webb-Waring Biomedical Research Program, which helps recruit, retain and advance scientific talent in Colorado.

The two are the only biomedical researchers from Colorado State University to receive the honor, which comes with a three-year, $200,000 grant. Fisk, a chemical and biological engineering professor, and Yao, a biochemistry professor, join researchers from the University of Colorado in the second class of Boettcher Investigators.

Melissa Reynolds, assistant professor of chemistry at Colorado State, received the recognition in 2010."

Link to the CSU News article

Boettcher Investigator Melissa Reynolds: "CSU researcher works toward better healing"

Quoting directly from the article by NCBR's Steve Porter: "The goal of Melissa Reynolds' research at Colorado State University couldn't be much nobler - and that isn't an overstatement. Reynolds, a chemistry professor and a Boettcher Foundation investigator, recently received a three-year, $1.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Defense to develop a revolutionary wound-healing material for treating battlefield injuries...'Dr. Reynolds has been on a steep trajectory in her research career following her recognition as a Boettcher Investigator,' said Bill Farland, CSU's vice president for research. 'The generous grants awarded by the Boettcher Foundation and state's Bioscience Discovery Evaluation Grant Program, through the Office of Economic Development and International Trade, have helped stimulate important research in her laboratory.'"

Link to the Northern Colorado Business Report

Boettcher Investigator Melissa Reynolds Receives $1.3 Million Defense Grant

Quoting from the online postings:

"The Department of Defense has awarded a Colorado State University chemistry professor a three-year, $1.3 million grant to develop an artificial, wound-healing material for battlefield injuries.Melissa Reynolds, assistant professor and the only Boettcher Investigator at Colorado State, has developed a biodegradable polymer with healing properties – essentially a soft plastic – that could be used inside or outside the human body. The material contains nitric oxide, which is a naturally occurring substance within the body that can prevent infection while also promoting healthy cell growth...In 2010, the Boettcher Foundation named Reynolds as one of only six 2010 Boettcher Investigators as part of the Webb-Waring Biomedical Research Program, which helps recruit, retain and advance scientific talent in Colorado.

Link to Northern Colorado 5

Link to the Coloradoan

Congratulations Boettcher Investigator Melissa Reynolds, CSU Professor Receiving $1.3 Million Defense Grant

Quoting from the Colorado State University News & Information site:

"The Department of Defense has awarded a Colorado State University chemistry professor a three-year, $1.3 million grant to develop an artificial, wound-healing material for battlefield injuries. Melissa Reynolds, assistant professor and the only Boettcher Investigator at Colorado State, has developed a biodegradable polymer with healing properties – essentially a soft plastic – that could be used inside or outside the human body. The material contains nitric oxide, which is a naturally occurring substance within the body that can prevent infection while also promoting healthy cell growth. Reynolds and her team are in the early stages of developing a prototype, but eventually, the material will look like gauze in a first-aid kit. This gauze, however, will have additional biological materials to help heal more effectively."

Link to CSU News

Boettcher Foundation Pres/Exec Director Tim Schultz Introduces 2010 Class of Boettcher Investigators to Bioscience Industry at CBSA Awards Dinner

Timothy W. Schultz, President and Executive Director of the Boettcher Foundation, introduced the new Webb Waring Biomedical Research program and the 2010 Boettcher Investigators to the Colorado Bioscience Community at the Colorado BioScience Association (CBSA) Awards Dinner held September 29th during the 8th annual BioWest Conference & Expo.

There are six Boettcher Investigators in the inaugural 2010 class -- three from CU and one each from National Jewish Health, CSU and the Colorado School of Mines. Areas of focus include: chronic beryllium lung disease, translational bioinformatics, Parkinson's disease, Ewing Sarcoma, formation of blood clots and releasing materials for cardiovascular medical devices.

The 2010 Class of Boettcher Investigators in the Webb-Waring Biomedical Research Program includes the following:

• Shaodong Dai, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Immunology, National Jewish Health, Chronic Beryllium Lung Disease
• Robin Dowell, D.Sc., Assistant Professor of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado at Boulder, Translational Bioinformatics Involving Drug Efficacy and Genetics
• Gidon Felsen, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Colorado – Anschutz Medical Campus, Parkinson’s Disease
• Paul Jedlicka, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Pathology, University of Colorado – Anschutz Medical Campus, Ewing Sarcoma, a Common Cancer of the Bone and Soft Tissue Affecting Children
• Keith Neeves, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Role of Blood Flow in the Formation of Blood Clots
• Melissa Reynolds, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Colorado State University, Nitric-Oxide Releasing Materials for Cardiovascular Medical Devices

Link to video of remarks by Tim Shultz a the 2010 CBSA Awards Dinner: