Brandeis scientists net major honors

Leslie Griffith and Amy S. Lee win prestigious honors.

Leslie GriffithMike Lovett

Leslie Griffith

Brandeis researchers have received a prestigious award and major fellowship.

Leslie C. Griffith, Nancy Lurie Marks Professor of Neuroscience and Director of the Volen National Center for Complex Systems, has received the SASTRA–Obaid Siddiqi Award for excellence in life sciences.

The prize is given by the Shanmugha Arts, Science, Technology & Research Academy (SASTRA) University in Thanjavur, India.

In an email to Griffith, SASTRA's Vice-Chancellor R. Sethuraman said the award "is our humble tribute to Professor Obaid Siddiqi who has provided relentless service to science and technology" and made "far–reaching and outstanding contributions in the" life sciences. Siddiqi was a pioneering molecular biologist, outstanding mentor and founder of the Molecular Biology Unit of the Tata Institute for Fundamental Research.

"It is a great honor to receive this award," Griffith said. "I was privileged to meet Dr. Siddiqi a couple times, and have always admired his work in building India's stature as a scientific leader."

Griffith will receive the honor on February 28, 2017.


Assistant professor of biology Amy S. Lee has received a 2017 Sloan Research Fellowship. The award is given to an early-career researcher who shows incredible promise. Lee's work focuses on how gene regulation occurs through novel mechanisms of mRNA translation. Winners of the fellowship receive $60,000 to be used as they wish to further their research.

"Early-career recognition can make a significant difference in the life of a scientist," said Daniel L. Goroff, Vice President at the Sloan Foundation and Director of the Sloan Research Fellowship program. "The rigorous selection process and the prominence of past awardees make the Sloan Research Fellowships one of the most prestigious awards available to young researchers."

Categories: Research, Science and Technology

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