On behalf of the Jakschik Decision Committee and the Roy and Diana Vagelos Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, we are excited to announce that the 2024 Jakschik Award has been given to two students within DBBS this year!
Congratulations to Lily Spatz & Ciyang Wang!
The Barbara Jakschik Award was established in honor of Dr. Barbara Jakschik who retired from the Department of Developmental Biology in 1992. Dr. Jakschik’s career was devoted to research on the mediators of inflammation and her legacy continues on through the women who win this award in her name. She would be proud to see the tenacity and passion that both Lily & Ciyang bring to the field of metabolism research.
Lily is a graduate student in Dr. Aaron DiAntonio’s lab, where she studies the link between the axon degeneration factor SARM1 and metabolic dysfunction. Lily was able to discern the impact of systemic and acute, drug-induced activation of SARM1 on peripheral sympathetic signaling and pancreatic hormone release. With the continued support of her mentor, she aims to decipher endogenous roles for SARM1 in physiological responses to stress.
Ciyang comes from Dr. Carlos Cruchaga’s lab, where she studies genetic metabolite levels in the central nervous system in a systematical way. Ciyang’s research has proven to be very novel and sheds light on the CNS’s unique way to control metabolism through genetics. She is able to then identify metabolites in certain human traits and diseases, such as glycine and its relation with obesity. Ciyang aims to continue on with her research and pursue opportunities where she can apply her work to improving human health.
The Division and The Jakschik Decision Committee are excited to celebrate Lily & Ciyang throughout the following month. Follow DBBS on Instagram and Facebook to hear more about their time with us in DBBS and what receiving the award means to them in the next week. Once again, we congratulate Lily & Ciyang on their accomplishment!