Two UO scientists — biologist Judith Eisen and chemist Brad Nolen — will be in the spotlight Nov. 12 during the annual awards banquet of the Medical Research Foundation of Oregon in Portland.
Eisen will receive the foundation's Discovery Award "for her seminal work in transforming the aquatic vertebrate model, the zebrafish, into a groundbreaking research model for biomedical science."
The Discovery Award goes to an Oregon scientist whose scientific contributions have significantly impacted the health field. Eisen's work in advancing the use of zebrafish as a model organism for research around the world, her role in the emerging field of microbiome research and her leadership in the UO's Science Literacy Program also contributed to her selection.
His research, according to the foundation, has helped to enhance the understanding on how living cells move and change shape — "a fundamentally important problem in biology and biochemistry."
Established in 1942, the Medical Research Foundation — an affiliate committee of the Oregon Health and Science University Foundation — promotes medical research achievement in Oregon. In addition to annual awards, the foundation also provides more than $1 million per year in funding and early investigator grants that support the work of scientists at research institutions across the state.
Eisen is the 10th UO scientist to win the Discovery Award since its inception in 1984. (All Past recipients)
Nolen is the third UO winner of the Richards T. Jones New Investigator Award since it began in 2008. (All Past Recipients)
The UO has had one Mentor Award winner (Christopher Minson in 2011) since selections began in 1986.