2019 GDBBS Awards Banquet
The 9th Annual GDBBS Awards Banquet was held on April 24, 2019 at the Druid Hills Golf Club.
Marko Bajic, recipient of the Graduate Program in Biology Academic & Professional Achievement Award
Kelsey Maher and M. Edward Quach, recipients of the Margaret and Thomas Lew Graduate Award in Biomedical Sciences in Biochemistry
Suzanne Mays, recipient of the Raymond Dingledine Award for Extraordinary Graduate Achievement
Fadi Pulous, recipient of the William and Catherine Rice Research Award
Susan Suciu, recipient of the Keith Wilkinson Division Service Award
Kelsey Maher, BCDB Program Scholar of the Year
Allyson Koyen, CB Program Scholar of the Year
Hari Somineni, GMB Program Scholar of the Year
Maria White, IMP Program Scholar of the Year
Ashley Cross, MMG Program Scholar of the Year
Cameron Herting, MSP Program Scholar of the Year
Arielle Valdez, NS Program Scholar of the Year
Connor Morozumi, PBEE Program Scholar of the Year
Amanda Mener, recipient of the Graduate Career Award
Xingwen Loy, co-recipient of the TATTO Teaching Award
Matthew Stern, co-recipient of the TATTO Teaching Award
Elizabeth Kline, recipient of the Student Career Teaching Award
Mary Herrick, recipient of the Student Leadership Award
Erica Harris, recipient of the Student Mentor Award
Peter Wenner, PhD, recipient of the Faculty Mentor Award
GIVE Board presentation to Margie Varnado, founder of GDBBS Involved in Volunteerism at Emory (GIVE)
Rachel Turn, one of the recipients of the Outreach/Community Service Award
Valerie Horsley, PhD, recipient of the Distinguished Alumnus Award
Valerie Horsley, PhD, recipient of the Distinguished Alumnus Award (3rd from left), with (L-R) Advisor Grace Pavlath, PhD, Anita Corbett, PhD and Nael McCarty, PhD
Valerie Horsley, PhD, recipient of the Distinguished Alumnus Award, with BCDB Students
30th Anniversary Commemorative Gift
Program Scholar of the Year Awardees
Kelsey Maher, BCDB
Advisor: Roger Deal, PhD
Allyson Koyen, CB
Advisor: David Sung-Wen Yu, MD, PhD
Hari Sominen, GMB
Advisors: Gregory Gibson, PhD; Subra Kugathasan, MD
Maria White, IMP
Advisor: Anice Lowen, PhD
Ashley Cross, MMG
Advisor: Joanna Goldberg, PhD
Cameron Herting, MSP
Advisor: Dolores Hambardzumyan, PhD
Arielle Valdez, NS
Advisor: Gary Bassell, PhD
Connor Morozum, PBEE
Advisor: Berry Brosi, PhD
Award Recipients
Amanda Mener, IMP
Advisor: Sean Stowell, MD, PhD
Xingwen Loy, PBEE & Matthew Stern, NS/MD-PhD
Advisor: Berry Brosi, PhD / Advisor: Robert Gross, MD, PhD
Elizabeth Kline, NS
Advisor: Malú Tansey, PhD
Mary Herrick, NS
Advisor: Malú Tansey, PhD
Andrea Pack, NS & Rachel Turn, BCDB
Advisor: Samuel Sober, PhD / Advisor: Richard Kahn, PhD
Erica Harris, PBEE
Advisor: Nicole Gerardo, PhD
Peter Wenner, PhD (NS)
Distinguished Alumni Award
Valerie Horsley, PhD
Associate Professor of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology and Dermatology Yale University
Valerie Horsley began her scientific training as an undergraduate at Furman University and was awarded her Ph.D. from Emory University with Dr. Grace Pavlath in the GDBBS Biochemistry, Cell and Developmental Biology (BCDB) Program, in 2003. After completing a Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation postdoctoral fellowship in Elaine Fuchs laboratory at Rockefeller University, Valerie started her independent laboratory at Yale University in the Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology There, Horsley's lab uses the mouse as a genetic model system to study how adult stem cells within epithelial tissues maintain tissue homeostasis, can contribute to wound healing, and can be a factor in cancer formation. She is now an Associate Professor of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology and Dermatology at Yale, has received a number of awards including the Pew Scholar Award, Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, and the Rosalind Franklin Young Investigator Award. She is also active in her community, notably running for State Senate in Connecticut in 2018.