WITH OUR GRATITUDE Dear Ernie and Elaine,

In grateful recognition for your vision and your generosity to UCLA, we have created this very special book to honor you for the distinguished legacy you have created. With your support we have been able to turn dreams into reality and conquer new frontiers in the life sciences. Now, on the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Warsaw Fellowship Endowment, we are pleased to showcase the outstanding young men and women who have been Warsaw Fellows over the years. Contained in these pages are their words of thanks and the details of their exceptional scientific accomplishments. Your ongoing generosity makes it possible for new Warsaw Fellows to join this prestigious group every year. Your support has also elevated the status of the department, enabling us to attract the best faculty, who, in turn, help secure crucial research funding. The vast reach of the Warsaw Fellowships extends beyond the recipients and their families, to the faculty whose labs receive their valuable support. This vital synergy allows UCLA to contribute leading-edge solutions to the scientific problems facing our world today. We are deeply grateful for your extraordinary commitment and continuing support. With sincere thanks,

EMIL REISLER

JEFFERY F. MILLER, PhD

Dean of Life Sciences

M. Philip Davis Chair in Microbiology and Immunology Professor and Chairman Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics

WARSAW FELLOWS 1988-1989 Peggy A. Cotter Richard I. Smith 1989-1990 Eric T. Harvill Barbara J. Stone 1990-1991 Elizabeth A. Faust Jeffrey Pepe 1991-1992 Randolph N. Mohr 1992-1993 Todd A. Herman Jeffrey B. Lyczak 1993-1994 Lisa S. Martel Joel A. Scambray 1994-1995 Julie L. Badger Maria J. Coloma 1995-1996 Sorel T. Fitz-Gibbon Cindy Weitzman 1996-1997 Marie-Luise Brennan Molly M. He 1997-1998 Bradley E. Aouizerat Nicole G. Robinson

1998-1999 Deborah M. Anderson David G. Brooks 1999-2000 Hajir Dadgostar Vincent Lee 2000-2001 Michelle N. Bradley Luisa Cheng 2001-2002 Mary Anne T. Rubio 2002-2003 Patrick Ng Shomyseh Sanjabi 2003-2004 Paul L. Boutz Melanie Hamon 2004-2005 Ekaterina M. Panina Brian J. Zarnegar 2005-2006 Sean D. Gallaher Natalia A. Kozak 2006-2007 Arnaud D. Colantonio Scot D. Liu 2007-2008 Jessica R. Colantonio Andrea K. Miyahira

1988 ~ 1989

PEGGY A. COTTER

August 27, 2007 Dear Mr. and Mrs. Warsaw, Twenty years have passed since your generous gift first impacted my life. You may remember that I had started graduate school after taking a seven-year “break”, during which I had two children, Kelly and Christopher, and worked as Medical Technologist in the Bowyer Oncology Clinic at UCLA. It seemed to me during that first year of grad school that an enormous amount of new information had been obtained in those seven years and I was worried about whether I could even learn it all. It also seemed like I was the only graduate student with young children and a long commute (we lived in Moorpark) — what was I thinking?! What I was thinking, I guess, was that pursuing my education as far as I could had always been my dream and I had somehow gotten off track. I wanted to go to grad school so badly that I was willing to do anything. My husband summed it up best: “You’ve got to go to graduate school,” he said, “it will be cheaper than psychiatric bills.” He was probably right. But although I was incredibly happy to finally be in school again, learning how to be a scientist, I was also worried: Will I ever catch up? Do I have what it takes? Can I balance career and family life? Perhaps I had bitten off more than I could chew. At the end of that first year I was told that I was chosen to receive a new fellowship, a generous gift from Ernest and Elaine Warsaw, that would be given to the top incoming and second year graduate students in the Microbiology Department to support them the following year. Wow, I thought, if these people whom I didn’t even know were willing to invest their hard-earned money in me, and if the faculty thought that I was worthy of that honor, maybe I could do it. Receiving the Warsaw Award had an indescribable impact on me and my family (you may remember that my husband, children and parents came with me to the reception when those first awards were given)- It gave all of us all a tremendous boost of confidence. It was just what I needed. A lot has happened since then. I joined Dr. Rob Gunsalus’ lab for my dissertation research and earned my Ph.D. in 1992. In Rob’s lab, I learned bacterial genetics and physiology, which provided the foundation for all of the research I have done since.

I then did post-doctoral research with a new Assistant Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology in the School of Medicine at UCLA, Dr. Jeff F. Miller, who is now Professor and Chair of the merged Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics. It was an exciting time to be in the Miller lab. I was the first post-doc, followed quickly by a second, Dr. Hao Shen, who is now an Associate Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, then more grad students and post-docs, including Dr. Eric Harvill, another Warsaw Fellow, who is now an Associate Professor at Penn State. I was having a wonderful time developing genetic tools and animal models to study how bacteria cause respiratory infections, focusing on Bordetella pertussis, which causes whooping cough. I also gained valuable experience mentoring undergrad and grad students during that time. (Hao and I called our postdoctoral years in Jeff’s lab “P.I. school”. P.I. stands for Principal Investigator.) In fact, the opportunities at UCLA, and in the Miller lab specifically, were so rich that my family and I moved closer to UCLA and I stayed well beyond my post-doc, moving into a Research Microbiologist position in 1995 and then an Adjunct Assistant Professor position in 1998. I was awarded my first NIH grant in 1999, took on a graduate student and post-doc to work specifically on that project, and also began teaching in undergraduate, graduate, and medical school courses — it truly was “P.I. school.”

COTTER LAB 2007. L-R: Dr. Corinne Williams (just finished her PhD), Dr. Joseph Mazar (just finished his PhD), Andrea Jani (PhD student), Dr. Brandt Burgess (post-doc), Dr. Robin Hulbert (post-doc), Allison Jones (research associate, finisher her MA with me four years ago), Sabrina Adelaine (MA student), Chris Noel (PhD student), Carol Inatsuka (lab manager, finished her MA with me three years ago), and Toni Brand (undergraduate student).

In June of 2000, my daughter graduated from Louisville High School and that September she started college at UCLA. Having been at UCLA for 22 years myself, it was time to pass the torch: I moved with my husband and son to Santa Barbara and began a tenure-track Assistant Professor position at UCSB in March of 2001. I’ve been fortunate to have wonderful colleagues and mentors here at UCSB who helped me get my lab and research program up and running. They also helped me establish collaborations at UCSB that have moved my research in new and exciting (I think) directions — and I’ve had some fantastic students and post-docs join my lab. Even more wonderful, my son decided to do his undergraduate studies here and although he was not a biology major, we had lunch together nearly every week until he graduated last summer (2006). Due mostly to the hard work of the students and post-docs in my lab, I was promoted to the Associate Professor with tenure in July of 2006. A few weeks after receiving news about my tenure decision, I received an email from the editor in Chief of Molecular Microbiology inviting me to become an editor. Molecular Microbiology is the top microbiology journal and one of the top molecular biology journals. It was a huge and unexpected honor to be asked to be an editor and I accepted immediately. Just over a year later, I have to say that although it is a lot of work, being an editor for this journal is very rewarding and it has increased the breadth of my scientific knowledge tremendously, which, of course, has a positive impact on my own research. The best part though, is helping colleagues improve the quality of their research and the papers they publish. This last year was also an exciting one for me as my first two Ph.D. students at UCSB defended their dissertations. Dr. Corinne Williams will be working with me for one more year before she leaves to pursue post-doctoral studies elsewhere, and Dr. Joseph Mazar is moving next month to accept a position as a Research Scientist at Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah, Georgia. In addition, Dr. Steve Julio, a fantastic post-doc who working with me from 2003-2006, accepted a tenure-track position at Westmont College in Montecito last year, and Dr. Jessica Sexton, another outstanding post-doc, just accepted a position at Cequent Pharmaceuticals in Boston. So twenty years after receiving your generous gift, this is where I am. I didn’t take the ‘normal’ path getting to grad school, and I haven’t taken it since, but I wouldn’t change a thing. I’m sure that being honored with a Warsaw Fellowship has meant something different to each of us. For me, it meant that I hadn’t missed my chance to follow my dreams, that I could have a family and a career in science. Receiving your award gave me the confidence to forge ahead when it all seemed impossible and that has stuck with me. Although it seems so inadequate for such a wonderful gift, I thank you.

COTTER FAMILY 2006. L-R: Kelly, Peggy, Chris and Christopher.

Most gratefully and sincerely yours,

Peggy Cotter Warsaw Fellow 1988

p.s. What kind of a mother would I be if I didn’t tell you what my kids are up to now?! My daughter Kelly earned her B.A. with honors in Psychology from UCLA in 2004 and is now working on her Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology at Brandeis University in Boston. She expects to graduate next May (2008) and hopes to then get a faculty position at a teaching college or university. My son Christopher earned his B.A. in Communication from UCSB in 2006 and just started law school at UC Hastings in San Francisco. Although he may change his mind, right now he’s interested in pursuing contract law, especially as it pertains to sports or entertainment. And I’ve barely mentioned my husband. Chris is a product manager at a start-up company in Santa Barbara called Occam Networks and is doing very well there. He became increasingly supportive of me and my chosen career path over the years and I don’t know how I would manage my career — and life, without his love, advice and ability to keep at least one of my feet firmly planted in reality.

1988 ~ 1989

RICHARD SMITH

DR. RICHARD SMITH joined National Genetics Institute in 1995 as operations manager of the nucleic acid extraction and preamplification division and also served as director of research and development during the early phases of NGI's growth. Currently serving as the company-wide vice president of operations, Dr. Smith has been a major contributor to all FDA submissions, some of which resulted in NGI being the first organization to obtain FDA approval for PCR testing to screen blood or plasma donors for viral infection. Dr. Smith is the primary contact for most of the company's major customers and is intimately involved in the design and implementation of computer systems as well as operational procedures.

Prior to joining NGI, Dr. Smith completed his doctoral studies at the University of California, Los Angeles in the department of molecular biology and molecular genetics. His thesis involved study of the structure and function of human antibody constant regions as well as the design and production of novel human antibody variants.

Immediately following his degree Dr. Smith completed a brief postdoctoral fellowship in the biotechnology industry using advanced molecular biology techniques to produce more potent forms of the company's primary therapeutic product.

1989 ~ 1990

ERIC T. HARVILL

Dear Warsaw family,

I am not very good at deep introspection regarding the impact of particular events on my subsequent life. However, the Warsaw Fellowship was very important, and appreciated, at an early and difficult time of my training. I think that what your family has done has been great, and I hope to someday have the resources to do similarly.

Come to think of it, that may be the highest praise, since it reflects my view of its significance; when I have the resources to create an endowment I will create something modeled after your kind gift.

Best wishes, Eric Harvill, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Microbiology and Infectious Disease Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Science The Pennsylvania State University 124 ASI University Park, PA 16802 phone: (814)863-8522 http://www.vetsci.psu.edu/personnel/faculty/harvill.cfm

1989 ~ 1990

Dear Mr. Warsaw and family,

Thank you so much for your generosity during the past 20 years. As a past student of the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics at UCLA, the support that I received from the Warsaw Fellowship Endowment allowed me to pursue my education in a highly competitive field and to focus on my studies. I was honored to be a recipient of one of the first Warsaw Fellowships.

I was so pleased to hear that you have continued to support the department and the students who work so hard. I regret that I am unable to express my gratitude in person. Mr. Warsaw, I was able to meet you shortly after I received the fellowship and I remember our conversation fondly.

I send my regards to you and to your family.

Sincerely, Barbara Stone, Ph.D.

BARBARA J. STONE

1990 ~ 1991

JEFFREY PEPE

Dear Warsaw family, Receiving the Warsaw Fellowship was an important part of my graduate career — in essence, it provided me with confidence in the work we were doing because the award was recognition by others that we were doing important work and doing it well. Funding is always a challenge for any lab, and this reward may be very important in helping a lab to continue or keep a very promising student. I have always appreciated the gift provided by the Warsaws and, in fact, in the back of my mind I have always thought that if I ever had the means to give back to UCLA, I would.

The generosity of the Warsaws is very much appreciated and a life long inspiration. Thank you!

Jeffrey’s children (L-R): Anthony and Nicole with their two dogs

SHORT BIOGRAPHY

Jeffrey C. Pepe obtained his Ph.D. degree from UCLA's

Jeff is married to Cyndy Masada, also a graduate of UCLA's

Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics under the

Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics. They

mentorship of Dr. Virginia Miller. He then worked as a post-

have two children — Nicole (15) and Anthony (11) both raised to

doctoral fellow in the Department of Microbiology at the

be Bruin fans — and two dogs. Jeff enjoys coaching and

University of Washington and as a Microbiologist at the

watching his kids play sports, playing sports himself, and

National Marine Fisheries Service. His work as a graduate

outdoor activities. Jeff and his family have settled down in the

student and post-doctoral fellow was in medical microbiology

beautiful Pacific Northwest.

(in particular, bacterial pathogenesis). He has extensive teaching and research experience, has authored several scientific publications and reviews, and has presented his scientific work at several national and international conferences. Jeff always loved the lab, but circumstances (i.e., job market) led him to an alternate career in which science is still an important part — patent law.

1991 ~ 1992

RANDOLPH N. MOHR

Dear Warsaw Family, It was indeed an honor to receive the Warsaw award and the recognition did fuel my confidence to finish the graduate work. Although I’ve moved in another career direction, patent law, I still use what I learned at UCLA on a daily basis and my scientific experience has been instrumental in landing me jobs in highly regarded situations. In terms of career progression, I went to New York and worked at a law firm, Pennie & Edmonds LLP as a patent agent, while attending law school at Fordham Law at night. After three years I was able to land a job at Immunex in Seattle where I continued working as a patent agent while finishing school locally. I graduated from Fordham and was subsequently promoted to Corporate Counsel, and at the same time Amgen acquired Immunex. I’ve now been with Immunex/Amgen for almost six and a half years and now have the title of Senior Counsel. The fellowship was a wonderful compliment to my career. Thank you and best regards. Randy

1992 ~ 1993

TODD A. HERMAN

The subsequent instructional development work I performed at UCLA produced "The Field Guide to the Life Sciences," for the Life Science Core department. It is a dynamic, web-based, media-rich instructional resource for students and instructors in the UCLA Life Sciences Core Curriculum. There, approximately 35 instructors prepare more than 6,000 students per year for upper-division, advanced study in seven different departments. The "Field Guide" provides materials and ideas for how students ought to be introduced to the life sciences at UCLA. It identifies the essential ideas taught in each LS Core course as well as offering significant materials, including a photo and video library, and an organized bank of exam questions and syllabi to help Life Sciences instructors. For students, the Field Guide offers the electronic generation of practice exams based on concepts To the Warsaw family,

they select from lists of the concepts covered in each course. I am personally rather proud of the Field Guide, as my work on it impacts

I'd like to give my sincere thanks for your ongoing support of the MIMG

thousands of students who have aspirations of pursuing careers in life

department at UCLA. For me, receiving the fellowship in 1992 meant that I

science fields.

was able to focus on my new path in graduate school and adjust to my new life in California, without having to also worry about supporting myself that

Although my initial plans of pursuing doctorate-level research did not stay

first year. That was a great weight off my shoulders, and again I thank you.

the course, I am quite happy in how I was able to contribute to the advancement of microbiological science in other ways. Teaching MIMG

My science career at UCLA took some twists and turns, as I shifted from

undergraduates the proper ways to approach scientific inquiry has been

MIMG to the Physiological Sciences department, where I earned my Masters

quite fulfilling, and I am grateful that I have had the opportunity. Once

degree. Then I was offered the opportunity to teach undergraduates in

again, thank you for your support as I began my career at UCLA.

MIMG, which I took, expecting to be an educator for just a year or two. But that turned into a lecturing position, as well as an instructional development position. For a decade of teaching for MIMG, I have taught nearly 3000 students in bacteriology and virology laboratory courses, preparing them to approach scientific problems properly, whether their individual goals were research or medicine. My instructional development work for MIMG produced a CD-ROM for the bacteriology lab course, which is still used by the students. It gives them information precisely tailored to their experiments, as well as animation and interactive exercises they can use at their own pace to further understand the concepts behind the more complex experiments.

1992 ~ 1993

JEFFREY B. LYCZAK

Jeff Lyczak sends his best wishes to the Warsaw Family on the 20th anniversary of their fellowship endowment. He is now the associate director of Microbiology at NUCRYST Pharmaceuticals in Wakefield Massachusetts, where he has just inherited several new roles and the oversight of a research branch. NUCRYST Pharmaceuticals develops, manufactures and commercializes medical products that fight infection and inflammation using its patented atomically disordered nanocrystalline silver technology. Wakefield, MA

It has been a busy time for Jeff and his family, as they also welcomed a new son last year. Jeff is traveling to numerous scientific conferences this fall, and is sorry that he won’t be able to attend the event. He sends his best wishes and thinks it’s a marvelous way to thank the Warsaw family for their years of support.

Jeffrey B. Lyczak, PhD Associate Director, Microbiology NUCRYST Pharmaceuticals 50 Audubon Rd. Suite B, Wakefield, MA 01880 TEL: 781-246-6033 (direct), FAX: 781-246-6002 MAIL: [email protected]

1993 ~ 1994

JOEL A. SCAMBRAY

JOEL A. SCAMBRAY is Chief Strategy Officer for Leviathan Security Group, an information security consultancy located in Seattle and Denver. As a member of Leviathan’s executive management team, Joel guides the evolution of Leviathan’s business and technical strategy. He also serves as an advocate and spokesperson on information security within industry, develops and manages strategic business relationships, and works with consultants and customers to ensure consistent sales, product and service delivery. Prior to Leviathan, Joel was a Senior Director at Microsoft Corporation, where he led Microsoft's online services security efforts for three years before joining the Windows platform and services division to focus on security technology architecture. Before joining Microsoft, Joel co-founded security software and services startup Foundstone Inc. and helped lead it to acquisition by McAfee for $86M.

He has spoken widely on information security at forums including Black Hat, I-4, and The Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM), as well as organizations including CERT, The Computer Security Institute (CSI), ISSA, ISACA, SANS, private corporations, and government

He previously held positions as a Manager for Ernst & Young,

agencies such as the Korean Information Security Agency (KISA),

security columnist for Microsoft TechNet, Editor at Large for

FBI, and the RCMP.

InfoWorld Magazine, and Director of IT for a major commercial real estate firm. sed: Windows and Hacking Exposed: Web Applications series.

Joel holds a BS from the University of California at Davis, a MA from UCLA, and he is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP).

Joel's writing draws primarily on his experiences in security technology development, IT operations security, and consulting. He has worked with organizations ranging in size from world’s largest enterprises to small startups.

1994 ~ 1995

MARIA J. COLOMA

Dear Warsaw family,

This is just a short note to thank you immensely for your generosity and your commitment towards science. As a woman, a minority and a foreigner, the Warsaw award has always meant a great deal to me because it came at a time in my life when I did not have many other options to fund my graduate studies and to support myself. I am currently a Senior Researcher at the Infectious Diseases Division at U.C Berkeley where I work on dengue virus. I’m also a founder and Program Director of the Sustainable Sciences Institute (ssi.org), a San Francisco-based non-profit organization dedicated to bringing scientific capacity to the developing world.

Since 1994, I’ve been happily married to Dan, and now a proud soccer mom to Alejandra 10, Simon 8 and having a great time with Lucas, 18 months. Josefina Coloma

1995 ~ 1996

SOREL T. FITZ-GIBBON

Dear Ernie & Elaine,

I am always happy to update my biography and extend my continued gratitude for the past support your generous fellowship. I have been fortunate to be able to continue my work in the field of astrobiology on a casual basis while also devoting much of my time parenting our two wonderful babies (4 & 2 years old). My recent research funding has mostly been from the NASA Astrobiology Institute, an interdisciplinary institute which has had the same broad goals since its inception in 1995: How does life begin and evolve? Is there life else where in the universe? What is the future of life on Earth and beyond? It is exciting working with many top scientists from a wide variety of

I realize how important it is to have received these prestigious awards.

fields such as astronomy, geology & biology. I continue with my

How important they are when applying for a job or when putting in grant

microbiology focus. I’m still doing research on the hyperthermophilic

proposals, especially during this phase of kicking off an independent

microbe Pyrobaculum aerophilum, an organism that lives at 100’C. This

research career.

one was isolated from a boiling hot spring on the coast of Italy. I was working on this organism’s genome sequence while I was a Warsaw Fellow way back in 1995/6. We have now sequenced the genomes of five related microbes and are in the process of analyzing the data in

Thank You! Sincerely.

order to better understand the evolutionary steps from one extremophile

Sorel T. Fitz-Gibbon

to another.

Sorel T. Fitz-Gibbon

Each year I have thanked you for the impact your support had on my ability to focus on research during that year and how it allowed me to

Center for Astrobiology Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics University of California, Los Angeles

travel to meetings and learn from them. I now realize that I should also

Box 951567

thank you for the impact that year continues to have on my career.

Los Angeles, CA 90095-1567

1995 ~ 1996

CINDY WEITZMAN

A THANK YOU

SHORT BIOGRAPHY

I couldn’t express my mind better than G. K. Chesterton

Venezuelan by birth, Cindy has made California her home ever since

when he wrote: “Thanks are the highest form of thought, and

she graduated from the Universidad Central de Venezuela and joined

gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.” Many thanks to

the ranks of the Kaback Laboratory at UCLA in 1991. Pursuing her

the Warsaw Family for their commitment and continued

particular interest in the field of Energy Transduction across Biological

support.

Membranes, Cindy was privileged to be part of a team that, with great tenacity and ingenuity, made highly valued advances in the field using the lactose permease from Escherichia coli as a model (C. Weitzman and H. R. Kaback, Biochemistry; 1995; 34:9374).

Following a most exciting Doctoral Degree came a very fruitful PostDoctoral Fellowship with Dr. Robert Stroud at UCSF, where the focus was another membrane protein, the glycerol-conducting channel from the same bacteria. The protein was crystallized and its structure solved to high resolution, advancing a long quest to understand how cells can precisely select what kinds of molecules they allow in (Fu et al, Science, 2000, 290: 481).

Cindy still lives in San Francisco with her husband and three young sons. During these child-rearing years, she has discovered in writing Science-Adventure for children, a gratifying way to enjoy and share her passion for Science and the wonders of Nature (www.dropets.com). In her free time, Cindy is most likely training or competing on her small sailboat in the San Francisco Bay.

1996 ~ 1997

MARIE-LUISE BRENNAN

To the Warsaw Family,

My research at UCLA focused on mouse models to study the role of myeloperoxidase in cardiovascular disease. I left UCLA in 2000 to go to the Cleveland Clinic so that I could study the role of this enzyme in humans. The project I came to Cleveland to work on has taken much longer than expected, but we now have data on 8,000 patients and are finalizing this project. I started medical school here, when they opened Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine in 2004. This was an unexpected transition for me, but one that has taught me much. I am now in my fourth year of medical school, and look forward to finishing up and continuing to work in medical research.

Sincerely, Marie-Luise Brennan

1996 ~ 1997

MOLLY M. HE

A THANK YOU I am deeply indebted to the Warsaw family for its generous financial support during my graduate years at the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics at UCLA.

With the fellowship, I was able to focus entirely on my research in the lab without worrying about making my ends meet. The fellowship also demonstrated to me how people can empower others with kindness and generosity. I hope I can do the same thing in the future, helping younger generations realize their dreams.

SHORT BIOGRAPHY

After graduating with a PhD degree from UCLA, I went on to

Later, I joined a smaller company Sunesis, founded by Dr.

pursue my new interest in structural biology in a world

James Wells, and became very interested in fragment-based

renowned laboratory under the guidance of Dr. Brian Matthews

screening for drug discovery. While at Sunesis, I discovered a

in University of Oregon. I learned the fundamentals of protein

novel mechanism of inhibition of a cytokine TNF , the main

crystallography and studied the structure and function

target for rheumatoid arthritis. The work was published on

relationships of multiple proteins including lysozyme and

Science in 2005. I have also grown as a project team leader,

glyoxylase.

making bigger impact in drug discovery at Sunesis.

The study of inhibition of glyoxylase triggered my interest in structure-based drug design, making better medicines to improve human lives. I decided to join Chiron Corporation in 2000 and became an expert in structure-based drug design with multiple patents and publications.

1997 ~ 1998

BRADLEY E. AOUIZERAT

What the Warsaw Fellowship has meant to me. Having recently submitted my academic packet for consideration of Promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure, I am again reminded of how I started my research training at UCLA and the defining event that gave the courage to forge ahead with a career in human genetic research. The receipt of the Warsaw Fellowship in 1998 was a transformative event for me in that this acknowledgement of my promise as novice researcher (not to mention the substantial financial support the Fellowship provides!) gave me the confidence to compete for additional training opportunities and awards that would support further my research and career goals. I understood that once I had received the support and recognition of the Warsaw Family’s generous Fellowship award, I had become more competitive for subsequent support. I also reasoned that with each carefully prepared application my skills in grantsmanship would improve and that starting early would serve me in this highly competitive process. I was also determined to demonstrate how, starting with the Warsaw Family’s Fellowship Award, such support concretely contributed to sustained scientific discovery by myself and my future research team. The Warsaw Fellowship alone contributed to the publication of the first nine research articles that I ever published — which were published in high-ranking journals. This productivity led to my acceptance into an NIHfunded Post-doctoral Fellowship at the University of California San Francisco Cardiovascular Research Institute, one of the premiere research institutions in the Nation, and, arguable, the world.

CAREER BIOGRAPHY

My career goal is to identify genetic determinants of clinically relevant traits and diseases and to accelerate their translation into therapies that can improve patient outcomes. Though I was recruited into a murine genetics laboratory for my Doctoral studies, along with my Mentor (Aldons J. Lusis), I took a calculated risk and was the first to pursue studies of a complex trait in humans (dyslipidemia). The field was new and it took several years after the completion of my data collection and analyses to publish some of my findings because of conflicting views of standards and interpretations surrounding mapping genes for complex traits. Persistence led to several much-

I was amazed at the extent to which symptoms were employed clinically to aid in the diagnosis and management of patients, but that the etiologies of these symptoms were almost completely unknown. I elected to focus on common symptoms in health and human disease (e.g., fatigue, sleep disturbance, pain, and depression), sought a Mentor and became involved with the UCSF Center for Symptom Management, which has provided a vital resource for this work. This approach led to several publications and a movement into the area of cancer research because it was the most advanced in terms of research on symptoms.

cited publications. I recently secured a Roadmap K12, which includes rigorous training On completion of my Doctoral studies, I sought to augment my experience with genome-wide analyses and pursued a post-doctoral fellowship under the mentorship of a well-known clinician scientist with whom I conducted several molecular genetic studies. An unexpected byproduct of this relationship was my realization that

and a Master’s Degree (Advance Sciences in Clinical Research) with an emphasis on biostatistical analysis and interdisciplinary and translational research. Throughout this trajectory, I have taken calculated risks and pursued innovative collaborations, projects, and novel experimental approaches to pursue my goals.

interdisciplinary research involving physicians, biostatisticians, and basic scientists is an essential component for translational research to become a reality. I intuited that interdisciplinary research between basic science and nursing science could result in a radical shift in the clinical traits that I could pursue. Subsequently, I took a calculated risk and sought a faculty appointment in the UCSF School of Nursing, consistently recognized as one of the most prolific and highly regarded Schools of Nursing in the nation. I began to partner with nurse scientists within the School and to peruse the nursing science literature to complement the basic and medical research literature to identify traits and/or diseases that have been underserved by the genetics community but that discoveries in which could make important contributions to patient care.

My growing passion to better understand the genetics of symptoms represents an important career decision. This conclusion is based on the fact that while UCSF is well known for its substantial interdisciplinary programs, no investigators at UCSF are actively involved in elucidating the genetics of CRF. In addition, the absolute number of fatigue researchers involved in genetics nationwide is virtually non-existent. Thus, I believe I am poised to make unique and substantial contributions to both the UCSF community and the larger scientific community in the area of the genetics of CRF. Since CRF affects millions of Americans, this program of research has the potential to benefit large numbers of patients.

1997 ~ 1998

NICOLE G. ROBINSON

To the Warsaw Family, I would like to thank you again for you generously awarding my fellowship when I was a graduate student at UCLA. Your support has allowed me to grow as a scientist and has allowed me to impact my chosen field of molecular diagnostics. I now work at Roche Diagnostics in the Medical and Scientific Affairs department where I am a resource for laboratorians, physicians, and indirectly, patients. I help laboratories develop molecular diagnostic tests and educate both physicians and laboratorians on the subject of clinical disease states and how they are impacted by molecular diagnostic testing. The award I received from your family helped me to realize my current achievements — the Warsaw family is truly and inspiration in a world where more and more people seem to have a “what’s in it for me” mentality. Your altruistic support has made a huge impact on many lives, and I thank you! Sincerely, I then accepted a scientist position at Focus Technologies, a reference

Nicole Robinson

laboratory located in Cypress, CA where I worked on Dengue fever virus diagnostic tests as well as other infectious disease diagnostics. I

SHORT BIOGRAPHY I started my graduate career at UCLA in the fall of 1993 where I decided to pursue my graduate studies in Dr. Fuyuhiko Tamanoi’s laboratory studying a small yeast protein, Rho3, and the role that it plays in the budding process of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. During my graduate career, I was awarded the Warsaw Fellowship in 1997 which greatly facilitated my studies. I graduated in 1999 and went on to a postdoctoral fellowship at UC Irvine in the field of neuroscience where I studied neurotrophic factor expression in Alzheimer patient brains. While at UCI, I received a Reeve-Irvine Research Center Postdoctoral Fellowship and participated in a course designed to study spinal cord regeneration.

next moved to Chemicon International in Temecula, CA where I accepted a position as the Research and Development Manager for their In Vitro Diagnostics and Molecular Biology departments. While at Chemicon, I headed groups that developed various infectious disease diagnostic products as well as research based molecular biology products. I also worked closely with business development writing bids and performing testing for various biowarfare/threat agent contracts. I now work at Roche Diagnostics Corporation in the Medical and Scientific Affairs Department as a Principal Applications Scientist where I act as a liaison and resource for diagnostic laboratories and physicians in the area of molecular diagnostics. I also conduct educational seminars and presentations in the areas of virology, microbiology, genetics, and pharmacogenomics.

1998 ~ 1999

DEBORAH M. ANDERSON

To the Warsaw Family, Though I will be unable to attend the upcoming celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Warsaw Fellowship, I want to extend my greetings and best wishes to the Warsaw family, former fellows and colleagues at UCLA. I am currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology at the University of Missouri. I only recently came to this position in July of 2007, after having served nearly four years as the Associate Director of the Great Lakes Regional Center of Excellence for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases at the University of Chicago. My laboratory studies mechanisms of virulence of the plague bacterium, Yersinia pestis, with a particular emphasis on the study of host-pathogen interactions and host immunity to disease. My laboratory is just getting rolling, but currently has one graduate student, one undergraduate and one research fellow, with two students expected to do laboratory rotations later this year. I’d like to extend my gratitude for the Warsaw Fellowship, which I received from 1998-1999 while doing my dissertation research in Dr. Olaf Schneewind’s laboratory. During my year as a fellow, I was able to finish research that resulted in three publications in well reputed journals, which, in turn, helped me obtain a post-doctoral scholar position in the Howard Hughes Medical Institute at the University of California, San Diego. This was a critical point in my career, and helped prepare me for a faculty position at a well known research university. Thus, work performed during my year as a Warsaw fellow was instrumental towards achieving my career goals. I hope the Warsaw Fellowship continues for many years to come, as I know it has been of great value to many young scientists in the preparation for a successful career. Again, please accept my sincerest thanks for selecting me to receive the fellowship back in 1998, and for the long standing support of graduate students in Life Sciences at UCLA. My best wishes to you for the 20th anniversary celebration. Sincerely, Debbie

Deborah Anderson, PhD Assistant Professor, Department of Veterinary Pathobiology Associate Director for Research, Regional Biocontainment Laboratory University of Missouri 302 Connaway Hall Columbia, MO 65211

1998 ~ 1998

DAVID G. BROOKS

To the Warsaw Family,

The Warsaw Fellowship was crucial for my career development because it was the first time I had received money based on my own merit. Aside from being a tremendous confidence boost, the fellowship made me feel that I was able to support myself (i.e., a certain level of independence). Perhaps just as important, the ceremony in which the award was officially presented was the first time I ever presented my own research. This too was an extremely exciting (albeit frightening) experience.

Thanks to the atmosphere of comfort mixed with the desire of the people in attendance to learn, this presentation was a spectacular experience. During subsequent award ceremonies I always enjoyed the interactions with the Warsaw family, the other attendees and the opportunity to listen to the newly awarded investigators presentations. It is undeniable that my work supported as a Warsaw fellow had an important impact on my career. I learned how to organize my ideas, perform important and well designed experiments and then integrate this learned knowledge toward asking the next important question. I received the award at the very beginning of my career and everything that I have done so far, and will ultimately do in the future, was made possible by the foundation provided and the fundamentals I learned as a Warsaw Fellow.

Sincerely, David Brooks

SCIENTIFIC BIOGRAPHY I am interested in the mechanisms employed by viruses to evade immunity

I demonstrated that although T cell activity is rapidly lost during

and persist. The immune system is exquisitely efficient at clearing viral

persistent viral infection, the loss of function is not programmed during

infections; however, the series of events that abort immunity to allow viral

the initial priming interactions (as are many other aspects of T cell

persistence are almost entirely unknown. Identifying these mechanisms will

function), but instead is constantly controlled by signals from the

have important implications for the design of therapies that prevent and cure

antigenic environment. As a result, I showed that effector activity can

persistent viral infections. In my graduate and postdoctoral work I made

be resurrected in dysfunctional CD4 and CD8 T cells. Interestingly,

important advances towards our understanding of both sides of the virus:

these studies suggested that host factors induced during infection

host interaction.

suppressed T cell activity and that the immune system itself may actually facilitate persistent infection. I then identified IL-10 as the

Throughout my career I have been interested in defining the molecular and

central factor that suppresses T cell immunity and demonstrated that

cellular mechanisms that viruses exploit to subvert immunity and persist. In

antibody blockade of IL-10 restored antiviral T cell function and

this pursuit I have made multiple important advances to the understanding of

purged persistent infection. These findings highlight the biological

how viruses evade immune recognition and the mechanisms that regulate T

importance of IL-10 in the context of an in vivo persistent viral

cell function and facilitate viral persistence. In my graduate work with Dr.

infection and provide the foundation to understand the molecular basis

Jerome Zack at UCLA (where I received the Warsaw Fellowship), I explored

of immunosuppression and ultimately, viral persistence. Further, these

how HIV becomes dormant (i.e., latent) to evade immune recognition.

observations provide compelling evidence to explore the utility of IL-

Using the SCID-hu mouse model I developed a novel system in which latent

10 neutralization to treat human persistent viral infections, including

HIV infection was generated in primary human T cells. I used this model to

HIV, HCV and HBV in which high levels of IL-10 are also observed.

show that HIV is truly dormant during latency and identified the cell

How immune stimulatory/suppressive factors modulate T cell function

signaling pathways that reactivated latent virus. I then implemented this

is presently one of my main research interests. In fact, I recently

knowledge to identify molecules that specifically reactivated HIV

received an R21 from the NIAID to study how two novel suppressive

transcription and allowed killing by an anti-HIV immunotoxin. This

factors identified using gene-arrays affect T cell function and potentiate

therapeutic approach is currently being explored in pre-clinical trials of HIV

viral persistence. During my post-doctoral training at Scripps I

infection.

successfully trained two undergraduate UCSD students who are now pursuing post-baccalaureate education. I am currently directing my

Through my work on immune evasion, I became interested in why T cells,

own small research group that includes a full-time technician and a

which are exquisite at purging the vast majority of viral infections, are in

UCSD student.

some instances unable to prevent viral persistence. To study T cell responses in vivo I began work using the mouse model of persistent

In short, I have been trained as both a virologist and an immunologist

lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) infection in Dr. Michael

and it is my ability to integrate these fields to address complex issues of

Oldstone’s laboratory at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California.

host/pathogen interactions that will help me to excel in my future career.

1999 ~ 2000

VINCENT LEE

Dear Mr. Warsaw and the Warsaw family members,

SHORT BIOGRAPHY

Thank you very much for your generous support during my graduate

After receiving the Warsaw fellowship, I graduated from UCLA in

training which allowed me to continue to pursue my scientific

2001 having published four first author and one second author

interests. I am honored to have been a recipient of your fellowship

research publications as well as two scientific reviews. I also

and proud to say that it has helped me tremendously to start my

received the Rittenberg Award for best dissertation in the

academic career. With your support I was able to graduate from

Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular

UCLA and continue to pursue my research interests by going to

Genetics. Upon graduation, I continued my scientific pursuit by

Harvard Medical School for my post-doctoral fellowship. Last year, I

joining the laboratory of Dr. Stephen Lory at Harvard Medical

was able to obtain a position as a faculty member at the University of

School. I was able to apply for the NIH funded NRSA post-

Maryland.

doctoral fellowship and later a post-doctoral fellowship from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

I hope you will continue to sponsor this fellowship to allow the graduate students at UCLA to continue to excel.

During my time at Harvard, I was a part of six research publication and one review article. In 2006, I successfully

Sincerely,

obtained an Assistant Professor position at University of

Vincent T. Lee

Maryland. During this transition, I received a NIH K22 transition

Assistant Professor

award to continue my research on inhibitors of bacterial

Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics

virulence factors. I have started my job in January 2007 and

University of Maryland at College Park

have a number of students in the lab. I would like to thank you again for your support at the beginning of my scientific career.

2000 ~ 2001

Dear Warsaw Family, Words cannot adequately express how thankful I am for the support that you gave me during the pursuit of my Ph.D. I will always be extremely grateful. You are a very gracious and amazing family and I feel privileged to have been a recipient of one of your fellowships. I can only hope that one day I will be in a position to continue your acts of generosity and kindness. I always look forward to the yearly luncheon when I have the chance to tell you in person how thankful I am. I am greatly disappointed that I will miss the 20th anniversary celebration. I will be thinking of you and I will carry my gratitude for your support with me forever! Thank you once again. Michelle Bradley

SHORT BIOGRAPHY As a graduated student, I conducted research in the laboratory of Dr. Stephen Smale. I graduated with my Ph.D. in Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics in 2003. Since then, I have been a postdoctoral research scientist in the laboratory of Dr. Peter Tontonoz. During my time in his lab, I have been professionally and personally productive. Not only has my research been published but I have also had two beautiful daughters. I have completely enjoyed my scientific education and I am proud to say that I am a both a scientist and a mommy. I am currently in the process of looking for a position in industry where I plan to continue contributing to the world of science!

MICHELLE N. BRADLEY

2001 ~ 2002

MARY ANNE T. RUBIO

2000 ~ 2001

LUISA CHENG

Dear Mr. Warsaw and Family, Thank you so much for your long-standing support of our graduate Microbiology program at UCLA! I was a 2000 recipient of your fellowship. The recognition and financial assistance from the fellowship was a tremendous help during my final year of graduate studies at UCLA. To my mentor’s laboratory, it meant extra resources for the increasingly expensive supplies and equipment to carry-out scholarly research, as well as funds for travel to research meetings. To me, being recognized with such an award was a much-needed morale booster in my seemingly endless graduate school career! Work from my year of the Warsaw fellowship resulted in a peer-reviewed research paper published in the Journal of Bacteriology (Cheng, Kay and Schneewind, 2001). I am sure the recognition from your fellowship also helped with my later successes in obtaining post-doctoral grant support and with my last jobsearch. During an interview, one of the scientists I talked to made a comment on my being awarded the Warsaw Fellowship. He was duly impressed (though I must say he was also an UCLA alumnus)!

SHORT BIOGRAPHY

Your continued support of the MIMG graduate program is especially

My career in science started at UC Berkeley where I did undergraduate research

important in recent times, in light of the frequent cut-backs in research

in the laboratory of Dr. Hiroshi Nikaido. The experience was so awesome that I

funding and training grant support for graduate students. Again, my

went on to complete a Ph.D. in Microbiology with Dr. Olaf Schneewind as my

many thanks for your support and I hope we make you proud with our

thesis advisor. At UCLA, I became interested in the molecular mechanisms by

achievements.

which pathogenic bacteria cause diseases. My thesis explored the role of small chaperone proteins in the secretion of toxic proteins from the bacterium Yersinia

Sincerely, Luisa W. Cheng

enterocolitica. I went on to complete a post-doctoral fellowship at UC Berkeley, working with Dr. Daniel Portnoy to study how intracellularly dwelling pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes interact with their hosts. I am now a research scientist at the Foodborne Contaminants Research Unit at the USDA in Albany, California focusing my research on the toxicological effects and sensitive detection of bacterial and plant toxins. I enjoy new challenges and pursuing widely differing research directions immensely and hope to keep contributing to the vast well of scientific knowledge.

2002 ~ 2003

PATRICK NG

Dear Mr. & Mrs. Warsaw,

Thank you so much for your generous support. I eventually published two papers that contain works done during the year I was a Warsaw fellow. After graduation, I came to Stanford University for postdoctoral study. During these two years here, Angel and I bought a house and we are raising our family. My son Hean is now 4 months old and he surely is a bundle of joy. Thanks for keeping in touch. I wish you all the best.

Sincerely,

Patrick Ng

2003 ~ 2004

MELANIE HAMON

Unité des Interactions Bactéries-Cellules Département de Biologie Cellulaire et Infection INSERM U604 - INRA USC2020

Dear Warsaw family, I would like to personally thank you for the support you have given young scientists like myself. Indeed, as a graduate student, funding is not easy to obtain, and it is an honor to have had my work rewarded by your fellowship. The years spent as a graduate student are years during which we learn science, but more importantly, how to become a good scientist. The Warsaw fellowship greatly helps for both of these, but mostly in

SHORT BIOGRAPHY I was born in Paris, France as a dual American/French citizen. I grew up in Paris, but moved to Los Angeles to do my university education, which allowed me to keep my American citizenship. My undergraduate studies were done first at Santa Monica College and then at UCLA, where I obtained my BS in Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics. My love for research started early and as soon as my first year of college I was

the later. The confidence boost provided by this award is

volunteering at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in the laboratory of Nathan

considerable at a time when outside judgment of our graduate work

Fischel-Ghodsian. I delved more deeply into the human genomics project I

is crucial. Furthermore, the need for us to communicate our work to

was working on and soon became a student research fellow, thereby starting

a wide audience is fundamental training for our future career as

my career as a research scientist. My senior year at UCLA, I decided to

scientists.

change laboratories and learn about virology in Lawrence Feldman’s laboratory. When I started graduate school at UCLA in the ACCESS program, I

I truly believe that this award aided in my preparation for my present

already knew that microbiology was my passion, and just needed to find a

career in allowing me to obtain the proper education I needed.

suitable laboratory. I chose to pursue my PhD in the laboratory of Beth Lazazzera on biofilm formation by Bacillus subtilis. I was honored to receive

Once again, thank you, Sincerely, Mélanie Hamon

the Microbial pathogenesis training grant to fund the first three years of research in Beth Lazazzera’s laboratory, and the Warsaw fellowship to fund the last year of my thesis. My training at UCLA has prepared me well for my successful postdoctoral work with Pascale Cossart at the Pasteur Institute in Paris, funded by the Pasteur Foundation fellowship. Indeed, since my graduation, I have returned to Paris with my husband, and this is where we plan to stay to raise our now 8 month old daughter. I will continue to work at the Pasteur Institute, as I have obtained a permanent Research Associate position, which will be effective starting January 2008.

2002 ~ 2003

SHOMYSEH SANJABI

Dear Warsaw family,

I hope all is well with all the members of your family. I am sorry that once again I will have to miss the lunch get-together, as it would be impossible for me to be in California at that time. However, I want to take a moment to write you a personal note to thank you once again for your generous donations to the graduate program at UCLA. It has certainly meant a great deal to me in terms of pursuing my academic goals. Having been awarded the Warsaw fellowship has always been a great reminder to me that my mentors have had a great deal of confidence in my scientific abilities and therefore nominated me for one of the most prestigious fellowships that the UCLA graduate program has to offer. This level of confidence has certainly helped me to apply for other fellowships as a

All the warmest wishes,

post-doctoral fellow at the Yale University. In 2004, I was also awarded a

Shomyseh Sanjabi, Ph.D.

3-year fellowship from the Cancer Research Institute, which allowed me to pursue my academic research in the laboratory of Dr. Richard Flavell at Yale University.

p.s. I have included a picture of my family, which includes my husband Rudolf K. F. Beran (also a former graduate student from the MIMG

Once again I want to thank you for your continuous support and I want to remind you that your contributions to the UCLA graduate program is and will continue to have a large impact on the success of many more young scientists for many more years to come.

department) and our 8-month old son, Rudolf Arman V. S. Beran!

SHORT BIOGRAPHY I grew up in Irvine, CA and graduated from Woodbridge High School in

The research I did for my dissertation ended up in two first-author

1993. I began my undergraduate studies at the University of California,

publications as well as two other collaborative manuscripts. In

Los Angeles and majored in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics. I

October of 2003 I moved to New Haven, Connecticut, joining

completed an undergraduate honors thesis in the laboratory of Professor

the laboratory of Professor Richard A. Flavell at Yale University

Jeffrey F. Miller and graduated with an honors degree in 1997. I decided

for the past three years.

to pursue a career in scientific research and was accepted to the ACCESS program at UCLA. In January of 1998, I joined the laboratory of Professor

My current research is focused on developing new mouse models

Stephen T. Smale in the department of Microbiology, Immunology, and

for understanding the mechanisms that cause autoimmune type 1

Molecular Genetics, and received my PhD in August of 2003.

diabetes.

Several fellowships and awards supported me throughout my graduate studies including a 3-year Microbial Pathogenesis training grant, Dorothy Radcliffe Lee Fellowship Award, Dissertation Year Fellowship, Warsaw Fellowship Award, and Sydney C. Rittenberg Award. I was also the recipient of a Certificate of Distinction in Teaching Award, for two quarters that I was a teaching assistant for an undergraduate Introduction to Molecular Biology course.

2003 ~ 2004

PAUL L. BOUTZ

Dear Ernest, Elaine and Tina,

During the twenty years that your family has generously supported the research of

what we do and wants to learn more about it, is extremely validating

young scientists in our department, you have accumulated a great deal of collective

and drives us forward in our achievements. Knowing that you care

gratitude from both the students and their faculty mentors. Allow me to add a few

and are interested is what most distinguishes your funding program

more words of thanks, as inadequate as they seem in light of the impact your gift has

from the vast majority of fellowships which, after the award, are

had on all of our careers. Thank you for your support. Thank you for your interest in

never heard from again! It is for this reason that I will try to come

and understanding of the importance of our work. And finally, thank you for your

back here, whenever I can in future years, to the annual luncheon

effort to create a lasting community of scientists who, even twenty years after being

honoring the new fellows. You have created a true Fellowship in its

honored as Warsaw Fellows, will return to participate in acknowledging the newest

most literal meaning, and I think that is a special thing.

members of our group, year after year. On behalf of our department, all of the past and future Fellows, and It is often easy to overlook the early support that enables individuals to excel, whether

of course myself, thank you for twenty years of generosity. I’m

they are scientists, Olympic athletes, or in any endeavor that requires a great deal of

looking forward to seeing you all again!

preparation and training. The gold medal athlete is showered with endorsements and opportunities from every corner, but it is those who sponsored the Olympian through

Sincerely,

the tough part — the training and the practice — who deserve the most credit for his or her success. Science is no different; even the Nobel laureate was a struggling graduate student at one point, and it is those sources of support such as your fellowship that make all of the difference in the eventual success of the scientist. To heap accolades on great achievements is a simple matter; to grasp the necessity of providing support during the early part of one’s career, when success is measured years or decades later, is the work of visionaries.

Although it is obviously of great importance to our work, it is not only your financial contribution that has impacted our research. Your genuine interest in the work we are doing and the very fact that you place so much importance in our research is heartwarming and encouraging to us. It is normal for us, as scientists, to be passionate about our science and to believe strongly that it deserves to be funded. But to encounter someone who is not a professional scientist, yet who believes in

Paul L. Boutz, Ph.D.

SHORT BIOGRAPHY I grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico and, as a direct result I love the mountains and the desert, and extremely hot chili peppers.

I developed an interest in science early on, and in high school I found that biology is the branch of science that most intrigued me. Fortunately, I still find it interesting — an important prerequisite for pursuing a career as a research scientist. I attended college at Rice University in Houston, Texas and gradated in 1995 with a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry.

After coming to UCLA, I worked in the laboratory of Dr. Debi Nayak, studying the way in which influenza virus particles assemble. I did my dissertation research in the laboratory of Dr. Douglas Black. In the Black lab, I studied RNA processing in mammalian cells. In November 2006, I received my Ph.D.

I am currently in the process of finding a postdoctoral research position where I will study a family of small RNA molecules called microRNAs. I find scientific research thrilling and hope to eventually run my own lab.

2005 ~ 2006

SEAN D. GALLAHER

Dear Warsaw family,

The emergence of biotechnology is transforming medicine. In the coming decades, genomics, bioinformatics, stem cells, and my chosen field of gene therapy have the potential to revolutionize the way we treat disease and improve the quality of life. Developing these technologies requires vast amounts of hard work, creativity, cooperation, imagination, and of course, money. Unfortunately, in the current political climate, that money is sometimes scarce. My supervising professor and I observed this first hand when we applied for a research grant from the National Institute of Health (NIH). These so-called “R01 grants” represent the life-blood of labs like ours. While the number of researchers applying for these grants has been growing, the NIH budget has remained flat. Consequently, funding rates have dropped to below 10%. Given that, it was not too surprising that our application, which would probably have been approved a few years ago, was rejected.

It is for this reason that I am so very grateful for the generosity of the Warsaw family. Your fellowship has helped me to continue my research during these financially lean times. My hope is the data that I generated while I was a Warsaw Fellow will help us to be more competitive in the next round of grant writing. Your generosity helped make that possible. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Sean David Gallaher

SHORT BIOGRAPHY I was born in San Francisco, California in 1974. I grew up in a quiet Bay

In the end, I came back to UCLA because I so impressed with the

Area suburb with my parents and older sister. As I senior in high school, I

depth and breadth of research there. I was especially impressed

made the propitious decision to move to Los Angeles to attend UCLA.

with the faculty and the graduate students that I had met during recruitment events. One of the most important decisions a

Initially, I began my college career as an electrical engineering major. The

graduate student makes is choosing a mentor. I was fortunate

problem-solving nature of engineering appealed to me, but alas, the

enough to find the ideal mentor in Arnie Berk. In his lab, I was

material did not. While I found my engineering classes to be quite dry, I

able to develop an exciting project in the field of gene therapy. But

was amazed by my introductory biology classes. I promptly transferred to

fortunately for me, the Berk lab’s interests extend way beyond that

the department of Cell and Molecular Biology, and I have not looked back.

field. Through the other members of the lab, I was also exposed to

Biology in general, and biotechnology specifically, appealed to my

disciplines as diverse as gene regulation and virus-host interactions.

engineering nature. But in biology, you solve problems by identifying the solutions that nature has already invented and apply them to your own

I am ecstatic to report that four days before writing this, I filed my

problem.

dissertation and attained the degree of Ph.D. For the immediate future, I will be continuing my research as a post-doctoral fellow

Once I had attained my Bachelors degree, I went to work in the

with Arnie Berk. This is an exciting time for me as I begin to pursue

biotechnology field. My first job was for the now defunct Alpha

new opportunities and develop my nascent career.

Therapeutics Inc. in Alhambra, California. After a year spent building up my resume, I was able to apply successfully for a more challenging research position at Amgen Inc. in Thousand Oaks, California. Any doubts I had about a career choice were laid to rest at Amgen. I greatly enjoyed my time there, but I also felt that my career growth would be limited with only a Bachelors degree.

After a round of applying to graduate programs, I was faced with the happy problem of choosing between universities such as CalTech, Berkeley and UCSD.

2005 ~ 2006

NATALIA A. KOZAK

Thank You! Dear Mr. Warsaw, I want to express my deepest gratitude for supporting my graduate studies and research. The year during my Warsaw fellowship was an extremely fruitful one for me academically, and in terms of advancing my career path. During my fellowship year I: • conducted the majority of experiments for the second part of my research project • wrote, together with another Warsaw fellow, Katya Panina, and Jeff F Miller, an invited book chapter on the Bordetella Type III secretion system, which was recently published. • presented the results of my research at the general meeting of the American Society for Microbiology in Orlando, Florida. During the same year, I applied for a competitive postdoctoral fellowship sponsored by the American Society for Microbiology and the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention and became one of the eight recipients of the fellowship. Last, but not least, I wrote and defended my doctoral dissertation. Indeed, my Warsaw fellowship year was one of the most productive and successful years in my life. Currently, I am finishing the first year of my postdoctoral fellowship in the CDC, Atlanta. I am enjoying my new challenging projects and my new colleagues who came to the CDC from all over the world to work on the improvement of people’s health. Atlanta is a beautiful city and I have fun exploring it. Mr. Warsaw, thank you for helping make all this possible! I wish I could express my appreciation of you and your family in person.

Sincerely,

Natalia Kozak

SHORT BIOGRAPHY

I was born on the 19th of October, 1974, in Kiev, Ukraine. After completing advanced level life science coursework in high school, I was accepted to the Dragomanov State Pedagogic University in Kiev. In the pedagogic university, I was trained as a teacher of chemistry and biology. In 1996, six months before my graduation, my family and I emigrated to the United States. I attended Foothill and DeAnza community colleges in the Bay Area for two years and in 1998 transferred to the University of California, Santa Barbara, majoring in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. At UCSB, I worked in the lab of Dr. David Low who studies pathogenic mechanisms of uropathogenic Escherichia coli. I became fascinated with microbiology and decided to pursue graduate study in bacterial pathogenesis. After graduating with highest honors from UCSB in 2000, I was accepted to the University of California, Los Angeles, and joined the Jeff F. Miller lab. My thesis project was on the regulation of virulence factors in the respiratory pathogen Bordetella. I was a recipient of Warsaw fellowship in the last year of my graduate studies. I became interested in the epidemiological aspects of bacterial infections and applied for the postdoctoral fellowship sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). I received my Ph.D. in Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics in June 2006 and started by postdoctoral fellowship in the CDC, Atlanta, in the fall of 2006. During my first postdoctoral year, I studied the molecular basis of pathogenesis of Legionella pneumophila, a causative agent of Legionnaires diseases, and worked on the annotation of Legionella longbeachae genome. My goal is to obtain a permanent position at the respiratory disease branch of CDC and study virulence mechanisms and epidemiology of respiratory pathogens.

2006 ~ 2007

ARNAUD D. COLANTONIO

2007 ~ 2008

JESSICA R. COLANTONIO

To the Warsaw Family, We send our warmest regards and sincere thanks for the support and the rewards that we’ve both received from winning the Warsaw Scholarships. By way of letting you know how much this honor has meant to us, let us give you a bit of personal background. Arnaud did his undergraduate at UCLA and graduated in 2001. He stayed at UCLA for graduate school and enjoyed every minute of life as a graduate student. Receiving the Warsaw Fellowship allowed him to further his current project focused on understanding how HIV-1 infection of the thymus contributes to the failure of the immune system in HIV-1 infected children. While on the fellowship, he has made significant progress and hopes to publish two papers before graduating in early 2008.

Currently, Jessica is a PhD Candidate in the UCLA Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics. With her advisor, Dr. Kent L. Hill, PhD, she is studying the role of GAS11/Trypanin and the Dynein Regulatory Complex in Metazoan Development and Cilia Function. She expects to receive her PhD in January, 2008. Recently, Jessica gave birth to our first child, Isabella. Maybe some day she will follow in our footsteps and pursue a career in scientific research. After receiving our PhDs, our family is moving to Boston to pursue postdoctoral research. I cannot thank the Warsaw family enough for giving both of us the opportunity to continue our individual research projects.

Best regards, Arnaud and Jessica Colantonio

2006 ~ 2007

SCOT D. LIU

Dear Warsaw family, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for providing the funding for the last year of my doctoral studies. When I received the award in the fall of 2006, it was a positive sign for the school year since I completed my dissertation and received my PhD the following spring. The Fellowship provided me the chance to complete my studies involving a protein called galectin-1. These studies were pivotal since galectin-1 ensures that the immune system develops correctly and does not become too aggressive. In addition, these studies were the first of their kind, which provides a solid foundation

SHORT BIOGRAPHY I was born in May 1975 and raised by my parents Steve and Amy Liu in Torrance,

for future experiments. Thus, not only did the Warsaw Fellowship

California. My childhood and teenage years were fairly uneventful, with the exception

benefit me, but also the research it supported. These findings will no

of the common mischief that goes with growing up and having a younger sister. After

doubt be beneficial for human health. Again, thank you for your

high school, I ventured to the northern part of the state to attend UC Berkeley. While at

kindness and generosity.

Berkeley, I majored in Molecular and Cellular Biology, with an emphasis in Immunology, and graduated in 1998. During my undergraduate years, I performed

Sincerely,

research involving development of the nervous system in leeches. It was an experience that started me on the path towards science.

Scot Liu, PhD

After graduating, I briefly worked at Protein Design Labs, a biotechnology company that specializes in developing humanized antibodies. Although it was a short stint, it was a great introduction to research in immunology. At that time, I was idealistic and wanted to contribute more to basic science; thus, I returned to academia. I returned to UC Berkeley and became a Scientific Research Assistant in the laboratory of Dr. David Raulet. There, I managed the lab and did research in immunology, specifically on Natural Killer cells, which led to authorship on two papers. The graduate students and postdoctoral fellows from David’s lab taught and influenced me greatly, and I believe they prepared me well for graduate school. Two years later, I left Berkeley to return home and attend graduate school at UCLA. After doing my three requisite rotations, I joined the laboratory of Dr. Carrie Miceli in the spring of 2001. There, my doctoral studies centered on the protein, galectin-1, and its role in T cell development and function. I was extremely fortunate to be in Carrie’s lab because of the various things I learned, both intellectually and technically. I graduated in February of 2007 with a PhD and will continue down the path of scientific research.

2007 ~ 2008

Dear Warsaw Family, I am deeply appreciative of the generous and continuing support the Warsaw family has shown for UCLA graduate students including myself, that have been proven to have promising careers in science.

My interest in scientific research stems from my hope to directly contribute in improving the standard of life for others. My thesis project in the laboratory of Dr Genhong Cheng has focused on characterization of the signaling pathways mediating the production of type I interferons (IFNs), critical mediators of host anti-viral immune responses. My studies have focused on the central role of Tank-binding kinase-1, a key kinase at which many pathogen recognition signaling pathways converge in order to activate IFN production. I plan for my future research to bridge the gap between immunity and cancer, addressing the key issue of the inability of the immune system to provide proper defenses against cancer. My long-range goals include obtaining a faculty position at an academic or research institution where I can continue to do research, teach, and prepare my own graduate students for a research career. I hope my current and future research will lead to the development of new strategies for the treatment of patients.

The Warsaw family sets a wonderful example for the community of the importance in supporting and appreciating the efforts of young scientists, even more so in this age of limited federal funding for scientific research. The Warsaw family dissertation year fellowship will greatly lend towards my freedom to further develop as a scientist without financial worries. Furthermore, the interest shown by the Warsaw family reaffirms my hope that science is able to interest and touch the community. Thank you once again. Sincerely, Andrea Miyahira

ANDREA K. MIYAHIRA