News Archive
2024
February 2024
Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Paul A Insel, M.D., received the 2024 The Otto Krayer Award in Pharmacology.
2023
November 2023
Distinguished Professor and Chair, J. Silvio Gutkind, Ph.D., received the American Cancer Society (ACS) Research Professor Award.
September 2023
2023 Roland K. Robins Pharmacology Outstanding Thesis Award Co-Awardee: Nadia Arang, Ph.D. – mentor J. Silvio Gutkind, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor and Chair, Department of Pharmacology.
2023 Roland K. Robins Pharmacology Outstanding Thesis Award Co-Awardee: Alexander Jones, Ph.D. – mentor Alexandra Newton, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of Pharmacology.
January 2023
Posthumous recognition for Roger Tsien, PhD, co-winner of the 2008 Nobel Prize in chemistry and professor of pharmacology, chemistry and biochemistry at University of California San Diego School of Medicine for 27 years. Dr. Tsien was inducted into the National Inventors Halls of Fame.
2022
November 2022
Distinguished Professor Susan Taylor, Ph.D. receives the IUBMB Jubilee Award.
Professor Jin Zhang, Ph.D., receives the 2022 NCI Outstanding Investigator Award.
Department of Pharmacology faculty for their selection as 2022 fellows of the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (FASPET).
October 2022
Distinguished Professor J. Andrew McCammon, Ph.D. receives the 2022 Revelle Medal.
Professor JoAnn Trejo, Ph.D. celebrated her 2021 induction to the National Academy of Medicine. The in-person event was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Distinguished Professor and Chair J. Silvio Gutkind, Ph.D. celebrated his 2019 induction to the National Academy of Medicine. The in-person event was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
September 2022
2022 Roland K. Robins Pharmacology Outstanding Thesis Award: Michael Yoon, Ph.D. – mentor Vivian Hook, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmacology and Neurosciences.
Professor and Vice Chair Jin Zhang, Ph.D. received the 2023 BPS Carolyn Cohen Innovation Award from the Biophysical Society for her pioneering work in elucidating spatiotemporal regulation of signaling molecules in their native biological context, the living cell. Congrats!
Distinguished Professor Susan Taylor, Ph.D. received the 2022 IUBMB Jubilee Award Lecture for her outstanding contributions to understanding protein kinases.
Distinguished Professor Tony L. Yaksh, Ph.D. delivered the James Heavener plenary lecture at the World Congress of World Institute of Pain (WIP) annual meeting in Budapest, and he was the recipient of the WIP Trail Blazer Award, in recognition of his dedication to teaching physicians and alleviating pain and suffering for countless patients around the world.
June 2022
Palmer Taylor, Ph.D., received the Chancellor’s 10th Annual Excellence in Stewardship Awards.
April 2022
Professor Ron Evans, PhD, received the AACR Clowes award for Outstanding Basic Cancer Research.
Professor Jin Zhang, PhD, received the Christian B. Anfinsen Award, sponsored by The Protein Society.
March 2022
Professor Tony Hunter, PhD received the AACR Award for Lifetime Achievement in Cancer Research.
February 2022
Please join us in congratulating our chair, J. Silvio Gutkind, PhD, for his selection as a 2022 Fellow of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB).
January 2022
Associate Professor David Gonzalez, PhD is featured in Digitized Number 2: Stool Samples Reveal Microbial Enzyme Driving Bowel Disease for a study published on January 27, 2022 in Nature Microbiology.
Please join us in congratulating Professor Susan Taylor, PhD who received the 2022 Herbert Tabor Research Award from the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
Professor Jin Zhang, PhD received the 2022 Robert R. Ruffolo Career Achievement Award in Pharmacology from the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET). Congrats, Jin!
2021
October 2021
Please join us in congratulating Professor JoAnn Trejo, PhD for being elected to the National Academy of Medicine (NAM). Election to the Academy is considered one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine and recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievement and commitment to service.
UC SAN DIEGO HEALTH NEWSROOM: “Looking Beyond DNA to See Cancer with New Clarity,” features J. Silvio Gutkind, PhD
UC SAN DIEGO HEALTH NEWSROOM: “Spinach reduces colon cancer risk: Study explores how,” Medical News Today, features Pieter Dorrestein, PhD
UC SAN DIEGO HEALTH NEWSROOM Blog: “Sweet Death,” features Michael Karin, PhD
September 2021
Congratulations to Jin Zhang, PhD who was included in the 2021 class of Fellows of the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (FASPET).
Congratulations to J. Silvio Gutkind who received the 2021 UCSD Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Postdoctoral Scholar Mentoring.
UC SAN DIEGO HEALTH NEWSROOM, Blog: “A Yin and Yang of Alzheimer’s Disease,” features William Joiner, PhD
Congratulations to Jacob Wozniak, PhD (Gonzalez lab) and Cayce Dorrier, PhD (Daneman Lab), BMS graduates and pharmacological sciences trainees, who were selected as the recipients of the 15th annual 2021 Roland K. Robins Pharmacology Outstanding Thesis Award.
August 2021
Congratulations to Susan Taylor, PhD who received the prestigious 2022 Herbert Tabor Research Award from the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
UC SAN DIEGO HEALTH NEWSROOM, Podcast: “From landscaping to the lab: David Gonzalez’s journey through academia,” features David Gonzalez, PhD.
UCSD's Pharmacology Department was ranked #3 in 2022 by the US News and World Report. Congratulations to everyone!
2020
December 2020
“Antimicrobial Soap Additive Worsens Fatty Liver Disease in Mice,” features Robert Tukey, PhD, Mei-Fei Yueh, PhD,and Michael Karin, PhD
November 2020
Congratulations are in order for Morton Printz who was awarded one of two 2020 Edward A. Dickson Professorships.This award, given annually on each UC campus, honors faculty who have made exemplary post-retirement contributions.
“When the Language of Cells is Interrupted,” features Alexandra Newton, PhD, Jin Zhang, PhD, Susan Taylor, PhD, Jack Dixon, PhD, Joan Heller Brown, PhD, Paul Insel, MD, J. Silvio Gutkind, PhD, Nathan Shaner, PhD, Michael Karin, PhD, Pradipta Ghosh, MD, Samara Reck-Peterson, PhD, and Andres Leschziner, PhD.
October 2020
Congratulations to J. Silvio Gutkind, PhD who's been named Chair of the Department of Pharmacology at the UC San Diego School of Medicine. Dr. Gutkind succeeds Joan Heller Brown, PhD, who served as chair of the Department of Pharmacology for 18 years. The department originated in 1987, with founding chair Palmer Taylor, PhD.
Robert Tukey, PhD and Louise Laurent, MD, PhD awarded $5M grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to implement a program of widespread testing for COVID-19 in San Ysidro, focused on pregnant women and children.
September 2020
Congratulations to Tim Baffi, PhD, a BMS graduate student and pharmacological sciences trainee, who has been selected as the recipient of the 14th annual 2020Roland K. Robins Pharmacology Outstanding Thesis Award.
Congratulations to Chair Joan Heller Brown, PhD who was selected as a 2020 Fellow of the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (FASPET), an honor bestowed on members who have demonstrated excellence via their overall contributions to pharmacology and the Society.
Congratulations to JoAnn Trejo, PhD who was selected for the 2020 ASCB Prize for Excellence in Inclusivity.
Congratulations to Tannishtha Reya, PhD who has been selected to receive the Cancer Research Institute’s 2020 Fredrick W. Alt Award for New Discoveries in Immunology.
David Gonzalez, PhD is featured in "How to Spot Patients Most Likely to Die from Blood Infections" for a study published on September 3, 2020 in Cell.
July 2020
Congratulations to JoAnn Trejo, PhD who was selected as a Fellow by the American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB). Election as a Fellow of ASCB is an honor bestowed upon members by their peers in recognition for their meritorious efforts to advance cell biology and/or its applications and for their service to ASCB.
June 2020
Congratulations to Chair Joan Heller Brown, PhD who was elected as a Distinguished Scientist of the American Heart Association for 2020, a designation which honors those who have made extraordinary contributions to cardiovascular and stroke research.
Congratulations to Michael Karin, PhD who was selected for the 2020 AACR-G.H.A. Clowes Award for Outstanding Basic Cancer Research.
May 2020
Krishna Sriram, postdoc fellow and Paul Insel, MD are featured in "What is the ACE2 receptor, how is it connected to coronavirus and why might it be key to treating COVID-19? The experts explain."
April 2020
Congratulations to David Gonzalez, PhD for being selected as a Chan Zuckerberg Initiative awardee to support the study of Inflammatory Bowel Disease along with UC San Diego colleagues Hiutung Chu and Mamata Sivagnanam.
February 2020
Michael Karin, PhD is featured in "Too Much of a Good Thing May Lead to Too Much of a Liver As Well."
January 2020
Congratulations to Chair Joan Heller Brown, PhD who was selected for the 2020 Robert R. Ruffolo Career Achievement Awardin Pharmacology from ASPET for her scientific achievements and significant contributions to the field of pharmacology.
2019
February 2019
Distinguished Professors Susan Taylor and Edward Dennis Appointed Inaugural Chancellor Distinguished Professorships By Chancellor Khosla.
Congratulations to Drs. Olivia Molinar-Inglis (Trejo lab) and Danielle Schmitt (Zhang lab) who were selected as University of California President's Postdoctoral Fellows for 2019-2020. Four UC PPFP’s were awarded to scholars at UCSD; the two in Health Sciences are both in Pharmacology.
January 2019
Alexandra Newton, PhD wins the ASPET 2019 Julius Axelrod Award in Pharmacology.
Palmer Taylor, PhD wins the ASPET 2019 Robert R. Ruffolo Career Achievement Award in Pharmacology.
2017
August 2017
Richard Daneman, PhD was named to the 2017 class of Rita Allen Foundation Scholars, he was also designated as the Milton E. Cassel Scholar for this year's class, a special honor. Dr. Daneman was also awarded a 2017 Klingenstein-Simons Neuroscience Fellowship.
July 2017
CONGRATULATIONS to Robert Tukey, PhD (Director) and the UCSD Superfund Research Center on receiving renewed funding for the next five years! The funding from NIEHS, a part of the NIH, will ensure the center continues its multidisciplinary research to study the impact of environmental toxicants on human health.
Mohit Jain, PhD was awarded the 2017 NIEHS Outstanding New Environmental Health Sciences (ONES) award.
June 2017
Kun-Liang Guan, PhD was featured in "Vivace Uncloaks with $40M, U.S.-China Backing for Cancer Trials"
May 2017
Zhenyu Zhong, PhD from Karin Lab was awarded the Prevent Cancer Foundation Board of Directors Research Fund Award from the Prevent Cancer Foundation for his obesity-related cancer prevention research.
April 2017
Varnavas Mouchlis, PhD from Dennis Lab was awarded the Wiley Computers in Chemistry Outstanding Postdoc Award at the recent 253rd American Chemical Society National Meeting
February 2017
The Salk Institute, La Jolla announces Tony Hunter, PhD has been awarded one of the inaugural Sjöberg Prize for Cancer research
Robert Tukey, PhD and ShuJuan Chen, PhD were featured in "Severe Newborn Jaundice Could be Preventable, Mouse Study Shows"
January 2017
Joan Heller Brown, PhD was awarded the Otto Krayer Award in Pharmacology by ASPET.
Paul A. Insel, MD was awarded the David Lehr Research Award by ASPET.
Jerold J. Chun, PhD accepted a new faculty position with Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute
2016
December 2016
Roger Tsien Lab was featured in "Merry Microscopy and A Happy New Technique"
Kun-Liang Guan, PhD was featured in "Study Reveals New Role for Hippo Pathway in Suppressing Cancer Immunity"
Tracy Handel, PhD was featured in "Researchers Reveal 3D Structure of Cell's Inflammation Sensor and its Inhibitors" and Nature.
November 2016
Tannishtha Reya, PhD was featured in "Antibody Breaks Leukemia's Hold, Providing New Therpeutic Approach" and Cancer Cell.
October 2016
Palmer Taylor, PhD will be honored as a Revelle Medal recipient at the UC San Diego Founders Celebration. The Revelle Medal is the highest honor given by the Chancellor to a current or former faculty member for sustained, distinguished, and extraordinary service to UC San Diego.
August 2016
Andy McCammon, PhD was awarded the Joseph O. Hirschfelder Prize in Theoretical Chemistry. This prize, from the University of Wisconsin, is the highest university-based award in theoretical chemistry; four previous winners have won the Nobel Prize.
May 10, 2016
"Genetic Variations that Boost PKC Enzyme Contribute to Alzheimer's Disease" features Alexandra Newton, PhD. and published in Science Signaling.Feb 25, 2016
"Molecular "Brake" Prevents Excessive Inflammation: Protein p62 keeps macrophages in check" features Michael Karin, PhD. and published in Cell
Feb 1, 2016
UC San Diego Researchers Cited Among "World's Most Influential Scientific Minds"
features Kun-Liang Guan, PhD, Michael Karin, PhD and Roger Tsien, PhD.
Jan 13, 2016
Dr. Jing Yang has been named the 2016 recipient of the John J. Abel Award in Pharmacology given by the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET). Congratulations!
Jan 13, 2016
Dr. Paul A. Insel has been named the 2016 recipient of the Julius Axelrod Award in Pharmacology by the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET). Congratulations!
Jan 11, 2016
NIEHS's "Papers of the Year" included 3 manuscripts from UCSD Superfund Research Center.features Robert Tukey, PhD, Michael Karin, PhD and Ron Evans, Ph.D.
2014
July 1, 2014
Jack Dixon has been selected as the recipient of the ASBMB - The Earl and Thressa Stadtman Distinguished Scientist Award. Congratulations, Jack!
June 30, 2014
JoAnn Trejo has been selected as the recipient of the ASBMB Ruth Kirschstein Diversity in Science Award. Congratulations, JoAnn!
June 4, 2014
Congratulations to the Pharmacology Department Retreat Poster Winners
Best Graduate Student Posters
Corina Antal - Newton Lab
Lindy Jiang - Yang Lab
Bailey Miller - Gerwick/Hook Lab
Best Postdoc Posters
Michael Dores - Trejo Lab
Clare Puddifoot - Joiner Lab
May 1, 2014
Our former graduate student, Ryan Hibbs, is one of six winners of the McKnight Scholar Award for 2014, a very prestigious award for young neuroscientists.
April 4, 2014
Nora Laike is selected as recipient of the 2013 – 2014 Distinguished Teaching Award for Non-Senate Members. Congratulations, Nora!
2013
July 26, 2013
Palmer Taylor has been Awarded France's Legion of Honour Award
March 22, 2013
Susan Taylor has been awarded the Biochemical Society 2014 Centenary Award. The Biochemical Society, based in London, recognizes scientists for excellence and the profound implications that their work has for the research community and wider society.
2012
December 14, 2012
Holiday Party Karaoke!
Yakkety Yak
Sweet Caroline
Crazy
September 21, 2012
Pharmacology Thesis Award Winners Announced:
Mark Eckert (Yang Lab)
Noel Warfel (Newton Lab)
Congratulations to two terrific students and their most capable mentors!
April 23, 2012
Jack Dixon named Royal Society Fellow
2011
October 17, 2011
Michael Karin elected as new member of Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences: http://www.iom.edu/2011members
May 26, 2011
Congratulations to the following Poster Winners at the Pharmacology Retreat!
Loren Brown, Graduate Student, Insel Lab
Meghan Miller , Graduate Student, P. Taylor Lab
Sunny Yang Xiang, Postdoc, Heller Brown Lab
David Lu, Graduate Student, Insel Lab
Karen Tumaneng, Graduate Student, Guan Lab
May 4, 2011
J. Andrew McCammon elected into the National Academy of Sciences
April 5, 2011
Roger Tsien Modifies plant protein to provide a way to see the previously unseen in Public Library of Science (PLoS).
March 14, 2011
Research from the group of Jing Yang provides a new twist on tumor metastasis in Cancer Cell.
Funding Fest 2011 starts May 5th!
February 18, 2011
UC San Diego School of Medicine now ranks ninth in the country for funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Pharmacology ranked #2 in the basic sciences rankings. (We would be #1 except that the University of Pennsylvania's Pharmacology ranking includes a $12M CTSA or Clinical and Translational Research Award.)
February 16, 2011
Michael Karin Identifies Key Culprit in Breast Cancer Metastasis in Nature.
February 11, 2011
Time Magazine, features Roger Tsien, PhD and Quyen Nguyen, MD, PhD
“Light It Up Baby: Glow-in-the-Dark Surgery in the Works” See also The Daily Mail, The San Diego Union Tribune, Drug Discovery & Development, KPBS, TGDaily, Spoonful of Medicine, and India Report.
February 8, 2011
Research by Melvin Simon, PhD and Sang-Kyou Han may help end itching caused by meds: The Hitch In The Drug? The Itch In The DrugJanuary 11, 2011
Drs. Philip Bourne and Kun-Liang Guan elected as AAAS Fellows.2010
September 8, 2010
Michael Karin wins Harvey Prize!
May 03, 2010
Congratulations to Jack Dixon for being elected to the American Philosophical Society! http://www.hhmi.org/news/aps20100503.html
April 30, 2010
Kun-Liang Guan receives CIRM Award of $1.3 Million to Help Answer Fundamental Questions in Stem Cell Biology.
April 23, 2010
Congratulations to the following Award Winners at the EB Meeting in Anaheim:
First Prize, Postdoctoral Fellow Abstract Award, ASPET Molecular Pharmacology Division, Aaron Snead (Insel Lab)
First Prize, Graduate Student Poster Competition Award, ASPET Molecular Pharmacology Division, Alyssa Wu-Zhang (Newton Lab)
First Prize, Graduate Student Poster Competition Award, ASPET Neuropharmacology Division, Meghan Miller (P. Taylor Lab)
March 10, 2010
Dr. Michael Karin is featured in 2 articles about hormone resistant prostate tumors:
US News and World Reports
March 5, 2010
Dr. Michael Karin (with Mark Ellisman) has a new high profile paper published in, and featured on the cover of, Science showing that sestrin, a protein whose expression is turned on by stress, delays the onset of age-related pathologies: Perspective, Sestrin as a Feedback Inhibitor of TOR That Prevents Age-Related Pathologies.Dr. Susan Taylor elected to National Academy of Sciences Governing Council.
March 1, 2010
Dr. Roger Tsien is featured in Technology Review: "Multipurpose molecule for cancer surgery".
February 19, 2010
Dr. Kun-Liang Guan and collaborators have discovered and published in Science that widespread acetylation of metabolic enzymes, suggesting that this protein modification may be as important as phosphorylation in controlling cell function: Perspective, Regulation of Cellular Metabolism by Protein Lysine Acetylation, Acetylation of Metabolic Enzymes Coordiantes Carbon Source Utilization and Metabolic Flux.
2009
December 9, 2009
Congratulations James Halpert on receiving the prestigious Bernard B. Brodie Award in Drug Metabolism for 2010.
November 3, 2009
Susan Taylor was awarded the FASEB 2010 Excellence in Science Award.
October 16, 2009
Susan Taylor awarded Vanderbilt Prize in Biomedical Science.
September 24, 2009
Sylvia Evans receives a 2009 NIH Director’s Pioneer Award Program.
September 18, 2009
J. Craig Venter receives the 2008 National Medal of Science - President Obama Honors Nation's Top Scientists and Innovators.
July 2009
Congratulations Shigeki Miyamoto on receiving the Outstanding Early-Career Investigator Award at the Basic Cardiovascular Sciences Conference 2009.
July 9, 2009
Congratulations to Matthew Buczynski (Ed Dennis Lab) and Ben Sachs (Katerina Akassoglou Lab) on winning the 2008-2009 Roland K. Robins Pharmacology Dissertation Award!
June 8, 2009
Susan Taylor receives the 2010 Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) Excellence in Science Award.
June 5, 2009
CIRM UCSD Stem Cell Training Grant II call for applications for the 2009-2010 year
May 15, 2009
Dr. Nora Laiken was once again chosen by the Freshman Class to receive the Kaiser Award for Excellence in Teaching. Congratulations, Nora!
May 7, 2009
“Expression of Infrared Fluroescence Engineered in Mammals”, (Roger Tsien, PhD; Xiaokun Shu, PhD), Science, The Scientist, ScienceNOW, ScienceDaily
April 27, 2009
Open Access Advocate Philip E. Bourne to Receive 2009 Benjamin Franklin Award
April 23, 2009
"Illuminating Surgery"; The Economist features Roger Tsien, PhD and Quyen Nguyen, MD, PhD.
April 22, 2009
"Instead of Fighting Breast Cancer, Immune Cell Promotes Its Spread", (Michael Karin, PhD; Wei Tan, PhD) , Science Centric , Science Daily.
April 17, 2009
EB Meeting in New Orleans
Palmer Taylor received the 2009 Axelrod Award
Paul Insel received Astellas Award
Joan Heller Brown received the Lucchesi Award and PhRMA Award in Excellence.
Other departmental award recipients include:
Fiona Murray, PhD, post-doctoral fellow, Insel Lab received teh Molecular Pharmacology Division Award for Best Post-Doctoral Abstract
Steven Fuhs, PhD student, Insel Lab received the Clinical Pharmacology, Pharmacogenics and Translational Medicine Division Award for Best Graduate Student Abstract (2nd place Winner)
Anja Zahno, Visiting Scholar, Insel Lab received the Clinical Pharmacology, Pharmacogenomics and Translational Medicine Division Award for Best Graduate Student Abstract
Yousuke Horikawa, MD/PhD student, Insel Lab received the Cardiovascular Medicine Division Award for Best Graduate Student Abstract
Ákos Nemecz, PhD student, P. Taylor Lab received the 2nd place in the best abstract competition in the Molecular Pharmacology Division for ASPET
Travel Awards to the meeting were also given to Meghan Miller, Fiona Murray, Steven Fuhs and Anja Zahno.
April 13, 2009
"Reversing Effects of Altered Enzyme May Fight Brain Tumor Growth", (Kun-Liang Guan, PhD)2008
December 18, 2008
Susan S. Taylor named AAAS Fellow.
December 1, 2008
2008 Nobel Prize Recipient, Roger Tsien, visits the White House.
December 1, 2008
Paul Insel and colleagues identify Potential New Drug Target for Chronic Leukemia.
November 17, 2008
NIH Director's Pioneer Award and NIH Director's New Innovator Award proposal submission starts now.
Proposal submission period for Pioneer Award starts November 17 and New Innovator Award submission starts December 15, 2008.
NIH Pioneer Award Overview
NIH New Innovator Award Overview
Application Flyer
November 14, 2008
Joan Heller Brown Awarded the Benedict R. Lucchesi Award in Cardiac Pharmacology, which was established to honor Dr. Lucchesi’s lifelong scientific contributions to our better understanding and appreciation of pharmacological treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disease and for his mentoring of countless prominent functional (in vivo) cardiovascular pharmacologists.
Read more
November 11, 2008
Important New Findings by McCammon Lab: "Discovery of drug-like inhibitors of an essential RNA-editing ligase in Trypanosoma brucei." PNAS 11/11/08, Vol. 105, No 45, 17278 - 17283
November 06, 2008
Ed Dennis receives Yale Alumnus Award
November 1, 2008
Palmer Taylor awarded 2009 Axelrod Award in Pharmacology
October 19, 2008
Tony Yaksh, Professor in Anesthesiology and Pharmacology, received the 2008 John J. Bonica Distinguished Lecture Award
October 12, 2008
NIH Awards $38 Million Grant Renewal to UC San Diego for Lipid Mapping Project. Visit the LIPIDS MAPS web site: www.lipidmaps.org
October 8, 2008
UCSD Professor Roger Tsien Shares Nobel Prize in Chemistry
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