Meet The 2022 Class Of Pew Scholars In Biomedical Sciences

The Pew Charitable Trusts announced the newest class of Pew Scholars in the Biomedical Sciences on Tuesday, June, 14. This year’s cohort consists of 22 early-career scientists who are investigating several important research topics in health and medicine.

Each Pew Scholar will receive four years of funding, – $75,000 a year, worth a total of $300,000 in support. The awards may be used at the discretion of the scholar, covering items such as research assistants, equipment, supplies, and travel that’s related to the scholar’s research.

Some restrictions also apply. For example, the amount of the award that may be used for the scholar’s salary is limited to $12,500 per year (including benefits) or $50,000 over the entire grant. And it’s expected that Pew Scholars will spend at least 80% of their time in work or activities related to accomplishing their overall research goals.

Participants are also required to attend an annual meeting, giving them an opportunity to present their research and interact with other leading scientists. And they must submit annual progress reports describing research accomplishments, project status, and future directions, as well as accounting for how grant funds have been expended.

The 2022 class of Pew scholars, who are all early-career, junior faculty, were chosen from 197 applicants nominated by leading academic institutions and researchers across the United States. Each application is reviewed by the program’s National Advisory Committee, which makes its recommendations to the board of directors of The Pew Charitable Trusts.

The new scholars will join an alumni network of more than 1,000 scientists who have received awards from Pew since 1985.

“Biomedical innovation is essential to solving both current and emerging global health issues,” said Susan K. Urahn, Pew’s president and CEO, in Pew’s announcement. “We are pleased to support this talented and inspiring cohort and their research.”

This year’s class includes scientists who are researching a wide range of biomedical topics, including:

• the design of “universal vaccines” against rapidly mutating viruses,
• the brain’s processing of the physical and emotional aspects of pain,
• the mobilization of white blood cells to locate and fight infections,
• the use of microscale robots for drug delivery,
• the means by which the Ebola virus gains entry into host cells, and
• the evolution of cancer-protective responses from radiation exposure.

Here are brief biographies of the 2022 class of Pew scholars in the biomedical sciences:

Ishmail Abdus-Saboor, Ph.D., Columbia University

Amber L. Alhadeff, Ph.D., Monell Chemical Senses Center

Mariana Byndloss, D.V.M., Ph.D., Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Melody Campbell, Ph.D., Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center

Shane Campbell-Staton, Ph.D., Princeton University

Amelia Escolano, Ph.D., The Wistar Institute

Ankur Jain, Ph.D., Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research

Elizabeth Johnson, Ph.D., Cornell University

Naama Kanarek, Ph.D., Boston Children’s Hospital; Harvard Medical School

Jacqueline Kimmey, Ph.D., University of California, Santa Cruz

Sarah Kocher, Ph.D., Princeton University

Maayan Levy, Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania

Matthew Lovett-Barron, Ph.D., University of California, San Diego

Maria M. Mihaylova, Ph.D., The Ohio State University

Matthew Miller, Ph.D., University of Utah

Alban Ordureau, Ph.D., Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Joseph Parker, Ph.D., California Institute of Technology

Steve Ramirez, Ph.D., Boston University

C. Wyatt Shields IV, Ph.D., University of Colorado Boulder

Andrew B. Stergachis, M.D., Ph.D., University of Washington

William Wan, Ph.D., Vanderbilt University

Laura Wingler, Ph.D., Duke University