Assistant Professor Jelena Erceg (Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, CLAS & Institute for Systems Genomics, joint appointment also with the Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, UConn Health) has received a prestigious R35 Maximizing Investigator’s Research Award (MIRA) for Early Stage Investigators from the National Institute of Health (NIH) and National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS). This award will support research in the Erceg Lab on genome folding and regulation over the next 5 years.

The title of the funded project is “Genome Folding and Regulation in Diploid Multicellular Organisms”

About the research and why it is important

MIRA provides support for the research in an investigator's laboratory that falls within the mission of NIGMS. The goal of MIRA is to increase the efficiency of NIGMS funding by providing investigators with greater stability and flexibility, thereby enhancing scientific productivity and the chances for important breakthroughs. The program will also help distribute funding more widely among the nation's highly talented and promising investigators.

The Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) announced that Dr. Klassen’s proposal entitled "Who is Protecting Whom? Defining Defensive Roles in a Multipartite Symbiosis" has been selected for funding of $50,000.

The goal of the OVPR’s Research Excellence Program is to provide seed funding to fuel innovative research, scholarship and creative endeavors that have strong potential for

• Significant extramural funding from federal and state sponsors, corporations, industry partners, and foundations.
• Achievements consistent with the highest standards of accomplishment in the discipline.

This is a Multi-PI, interdisciplinary award. Co-PI is Dr. Marcy Balunas, Associate Professor in Medicinal Chemistry, Associate Professor in Chemistry

Joerg Graf has been awarded the CLAS 2022 Faculty Mentoring of Graduate Students Award. The Faculty Mentoring Awards recognize faculty who demonstrate exemplary support, encouragement, and the creation of opportunities to enrich the learning and professional development of others. Awards are given in three categories each year: mentoring of faculty, mentoring of graduate students, and mentoring of undergraduate students.