Basic scientific research aimed at elucidating the biological, genetic, and molecular mechanisms of life systems is the foundation and fuel for advances in health and medicine.
At the University of Washington School of Medicine BJC Investigator Program Gathers a cohort of the most innovative and skilled basic life scientists in their respective fields. Launched in 2017, the program will eventually bring 10 prominent researchers to St. Louis’ School of Medicine and the Life Sciences Ecosystem. The BJC Investigator Program is a joint effort of BJC HealthCare and the University of Washington.
Built into a rich network of mentors and collaborators at the University of Washington, this cohort of researchers is strengthening the school’s ever-expanding capacity to advance medical care today and develop tomorrow’s leaders.
Meet the investigator
Each BJC investigator brings a wealth of talent, creativity and expertise that has led to the basic discoveries of biology. They are pioneering innovative approaches to major biological challenges, and their job is to find cures and cures for diseases ranging from mental illness to viral infections and birth defects. It is expected to accelerate the progress made.
Dr. Adam Kepetches
Dr. Adam KepetchesRobert J. Terry Professor of Neuroscience
Professor of psychiatry
As part of his research on behavioral neurobiology, Dr. Adam Kepetches has helped explain the neural circuits that underlie decision making. His laboratory focuses on understanding the computational process of cognition and applying that knowledge to the treatment of mental illness. He is a Kavli Frontiers of Science Fellow, John Merck Scholar, Klingenstein Fellow, Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellow and has been awarded the McKnight Foundation Memory and Cognitive Disorders Award.
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Dr. Jonathan Kipnis
Dr. Jonathan KipnisAlan A. and Edith L. Wolff A prominent professor of pathology and immunology
Dr. Jonathan Kipnis is well known for his work on the effects of the immune system on neural function, including the surprising discovery of the lymphatic vessels around the mammalian brain, the drainage vessels of the immune system. He has received the Excellence Award from Knesset, Israel, the Jordi Folch Pi Award from the American Academy of Neurochemistry, and the Pioneer Award from the NIH Director.
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Dr. Karolina Lopez
Dr. Karolina LopezProfessor of Molecular Microbiology
Dr. Karolina Lopez is studying the interactions between viruses and the hosts they infect. Her laboratory provided basic insights into the ability of non-standard viral genomes (versions of viral genomes that are not full-length copies) to influence the process of infection. She is a Fellow of the NIH-sponsored Professional Mentoring Skills Enhancing Diversity (PROMISED) program, an associate professor of pathological biology at the University of Pennsylvania, a faculty mentoring award, and a full-bright scholarship student in the United States.
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Dr. Helen McNeill
Dr. Helen McNeillLarry J. Shapiro and Carol Ann Uetake Shapiro Professor of Developmental Biology
Dr. Helen McNeill joined the University of Washington School of Medicine in 2018 as the first BJC investigator. Her research focuses on the processes that govern early embryonic development, especially the giant molecule called cadherin that binds cells during tissue growth. This study involves giant cadherins in many conditions, including spina bifida and congenital kidney disease. Her achievements have been recognized by the Petro-Canada Young Innovator Award, Lloyd SD Fogler, QC, Award of Excellence, and the Canada Tier 1 Research Chair.
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Dr. Dave Paris Arena
Dr. Dave Paris ArenaHugo F. and Ina C. Urbauer Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology
Dave Pagliarini, PhD, has made great strides in studying mitochondria (the intracellular energy-producing organelles) and identifying their components and their role in health and illness. His achievements include the Glen Award for the Study of Biological Mechanisms of Aging, the Searle Scholarship Award, the Young Researcher of Protein Science Award from the Institute of Protein Sciences, and the Young Earl and Teresa Stadtman from the American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Has won the Researcher Award. Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers from the National Science Foundation.
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Dr. Cody S. Ravichandran
Dr. Cody S. RavichandranDirector of Immunobiology, Pathology and Immunology
Robert L. Crook, Professor of Pathology and Immunology
Kodi S. Ravichandran, PhD, and his team, world leaders in understanding innate immunity, have identified an important mechanism by which dead cells are removed from the body in a process called efferocytosis. Failure of this process is associated with many autoinflammatory diseases. Ravichandran has received many honors and awards, including the Outstanding Scientist of the Year in Virginia and the Prestigious Scientist Award at the University of Virginia. He is dedicated to the education and teaching of dozens of postdocs and graduate students, many of whom have been successful in academia and industry.
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Other BJC Investigator Program Stories »
Selection Committee and Advisory Board
A search committee of approximately 50 researchers at the University of Washington School of Medicine selects BJC researchers based on groundbreaking science, transformative thinking, and a track record of creating research hubs that facilitate further research. ..
An external advisory board of seven members will also support the recruitment of BJC Investigators. Members of the Advisory Board representing the top research institutes across the country include members of the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Medicine, researchers at the Howard Hughes Institute of Medicine, members of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, and Nobel Laureates in Chemistry. It will be.
BJC Investigator External Advisory Board Members:
Dr. Helen M. Blau
Stanford University
Brian J. Drucker, MD
Oregon Health & Science University Night Cancer Institute
Brian Kobilka, MD
Stanford University School of Medicine
Dr. Ruth Lehmann
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Dan R. Littmann, MD, PhD
New York University School of Medicine
Joshua R. Sanes, PhD
Harvard University
Dr. Joan A. Steitz
Yale University
