Thanks to The Hartwell Foundation!

Thanks to The Hartwell Foundation for supporting our research exploring the sympathetic nervous system and childhood obesity.  This work was conceived in consultation with several colleagues around campus studying metabolism including Iggy Provencio, Susanna Keller, Gene Barrett, Thurl Harris, Kyle Thoen, Mike Scott, and several others.  I also appreciate the support of the VPR's team (in particular Tom Skalak, Rick Horowitz, Mike Timko, John Lazo, and Nikki Watson) who shepherded these proposals through and provided great comments and advice.  I'm very excited to work with so many amazing individuals in the Hartwell Foundation and around UVa.  Congratulations also to Silvia Blemker for receiving this honor....her work is mind blowing and promises to help a lot of kids with cleft pallet.  That we could receive two of these awards in one year really speaks to the vibrant research community here at UVa.  Check out some of the articles written about the award:

uvatoday

cavdaily

Sapir wins a summer stipend!

Congratulations to Sapir for being awarded a summer stipend from the college science scholars program.

From the CSS website:

"College Science Scholars began in 2003, as a way to provide a small number of highly qualified undergraduates, selected during admission to the University, with direct access to the very best laboratory research faculty and facilities that can be found at the University. An additional group of Science Scholars is selected from rising second-year students, based on nominations from science and math professors. The College Science Scholars program is overseen by the Chairs of the Departments of Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Mathematics, Physics, Psychology and Statistics."

Holla!! Danielle and Kelvin both win the prestigious Harrison award

Congrats to Kelvin and Danielle for winning the Harrison award.  See description:

Made possible through the extraordinary generosity of the late David A. Harrison III and his family, the Harrison Undergraduate Research Awards fund outstanding undergraduate research projects.

The University of Virginia's Harrison Undergraduate Research Awards program funds outstanding undergraduate research projects to be carried out in the summer following application for the award and the subsequent academic year. 

Kudos to Catherine and Kelvin

Catherine and Kelvin have just joined Danielle as Echols Scholars.  This is a distinct honor shared by only 8.5% of undergrads at UVa.  

From the Echols website:

"The Echols Scholars Program is predicated upon the Jeffersonian ideal of freedom of inquiry and the development of critical thought. It offers special opportunities to those undergraduates in the College of Arts & Sciences who are its most avid learners."

way to go guys!

University of Virginia
Department of Biology