Irvine, CA – October 2, 2018 – University of California, Irvine Neuroscientist Medha Pathak, PhD, an assistant professor of Physiology and Biophysics at the UCI School of Medicine, and member of the Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center and the Center for Complex Biological Systems at UCI, was awarded a prestigious National Institutes of Health Director's New Innovator Award from the NIH Common Fund's High-Risk, High-Reward Research program.
Designed to support unconventional approaches to major challenges in biomedical and behavioral research, the New Innovator Award is given to exceptionally creative scientists proposing high-risk, high-impact research. Pathak will use the $1.5M grant to support her study titled, "Building the brain: How mechanical forces shape human neural development."
"In this project we focus on how, as the brain develops, proliferating cells organize into structures, differentiate, migrate and connect with other cells. I'm interested in how these biological processes produce mechanical forces that, in turn, shape cellular dynamics and organ patterning," said Pathak. "Through our research, we aim to uncover the mechanical paradigms underlying human neural development by generating new molecular, imaging and bioengineering tools. It is an honor to receive the New Innovator Award which provides the resources to pursue bold and risky ideas, and a privilege to do this work in the collaborative community of UC Irvine."
A major unanswered question in developmental biology is how the mechanical forces produced during development are detected and transduced by cells to shape the biochemical and genetic programs of development. Pathak's work will measure and manipulate mechanical forces at different points during the initial steps of human brain. Using human brain organoids, her research is designed to provide quantitative and mechanistic insights on the role of mechanical forces during development and demonstrate how development fails when these forces are disrupted.
"We are very proud of Dr. Pathak's approach to science. Our department seeks to foster a research environment using cutting-edge techniques to address bold questions in biomedical research, exactly as she has succeeded in doing. Kudos to Dr. Pathak for this award which will help to launch a long and productive career," said Distinguished Professor Michael D. Cahalan, chair of UCI's Department of Physiology & Biophysics.
Pathak's New Innovator Award, was one of 58 given this year. Established in 2007, this particular category of award supports unusually innovative research from early career investigators who are within 10 years of their final degree or clinical residency and have not yet received a research project grant or equivalent NIH grant.
The NIH issued 10 Pioneer awards, 58 New Innovator awards, 10 Transformative Research awards, and 11 Early Independence awards for 2018. Funding for the awards comes from the NIH Common Fund and other Office of the Director appropriations; National Cancer Institute; National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health; National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; National Institute of General Medical Sciences; National Institute of Mental Health; and Office of Research Infrastructure Programs.
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