2016 & 2017 External Fellowships and Awards
By Aleida Olvera
BGE Office of Communications
Four Biomedical Graduate Education Ph.D. students have recently been awarded highly prestigious fellowships and awards – Stephen DeVito (Ph.D. Candidate in Tumor Biology), Eric Berens (Ph.D. Candidate in Tumor Biology), Patrick Malone (MD/Ph.D. Candidate in Neuroscience), and Shady El Damaty (Ph.D. Candidate in Neuroscience).
National Cancer Institute (NCI) Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Transition Fellowship (F99/K00)
Stephen DeVito and Eric Berens received the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Transition Fellowship (F99/K00), a highly selective fellowship in which only one nomination is given out per institution per year. The F99/K00 award is given to support outstanding students who aspire to pursue a career as independent cancer researchers.
“They [Stephen and Eric] are both very deserving of this and have put in a lot of time and effort. In addition, they’re both highly motivated, focused, and ambitious graduate students,” said Jadyn Stewart, the Tumor Biology Program Coordinator.
Stephen DeVito
“[Receiving this grant] means that I get to continue to do what I love, fight cancer.“
Eric Berens
“On a broader level, this award signifies that the NCI is finding innovative ways to support the next generation of cancer researchers.“
National Institutes of Health National Research Service Award (F30)
Patrick Malone was awarded a National Institutes of Health National Research Service Award, a predoctoral fellowship that aims to give MD/PhD students the opportunity to receive mentor research training from faculty sponsors for their specific interests. The mentored research training is based on the recipient’s dissertation research project, and the training should enhance the recipient’s potential to become a more productive, independent physician-scientist.
Patrick Malone
“…there is a growing need for physicians with the technical training required to understand and develop computational tools with clinical applications. By supporting me during my graduate training, this fellowship will help me develop the skills required to meet this need.”
National Institute of Justice Graduate Research Fellowship
The National Institute of Justice Graduate Research Fellowship awards students who are engaged in research that addresses crime and justice in the United States, with particular emphasis on research that focuses on the state and local levels. The fellowship provides funding for Social and Behavioral Science research as well as research with a STEM focus. Shady El Damaty was the recipient of this fellowship last year and received an additional extension of funding over the course of two years!
Shady El Damaty
“…The NIJ research dissertation fellowship provides freedom to pursue my intellectual curiosity within the practical limitations of a 3 year PhD project.“
Biomedical Graduate Education congratulates these students on their awards and for what they are doing with their research to better their community.