Danaher Foundation Grant Scholars 2024-25

Akshaya V. Annapragada 

Metro Washington Chapter Scholar
Johns Hopkins University
Biomedical Engineering

There is a great need for accessible and sensitive screening approaches for carcinomas worldwide. Akshaya's research focuses on novel artificial intelligence approaches to enable new whole genome analyses and enhanced understanding of cancer-related genetic changes. These approaches are enabling the development of non-invasive, affordable, accessible blood tests for early detection of cancers across a range of high-impact clinical settings.

Hendryck Gellineau

Illinois Chapter Scholar
Northwestern University
Chemistry

Hendryck has often wondered why those who study medicine aren’t also the ones who make and design medicine. He is training to become a physician–scientist so he can fuse the study and design of medicine to facilitate better drug development. His current research focuses on using metal-based drugs, specifically cobalt complexes, as new antibiotics. Metal-based drugs have been used to fight cancer but are an untapped source of antibiotics. One way cobalt complexes could combat resistant bacteria is by inhibiting their resistance machinery so that old antibiotics can function again. So far, Hendryck has designed and tested four different cobalt complexes, each with some ability to inhibit enzymes that deactivate antibiotics such as penicillin. He is also working on methods to increase the uptake of cobalt complexes into bacteria.

Phoebe Keyes

Minnesota Chapter Scholar
University of Minnesota
Civil, Environmental, and Geo-Engineering

Phoebe's work focuses on identifying the degradation products of polymers when they are exposed to environmental elements such as sunlight. Polymers are large molecules, but when they enter the environment, they get smaller through chemical reactions and, therefore more mobile and potentially toxic. Phoebe’s work is to understand what polymers, such as plastics, are turning into in different environmental conditions.

Cara-lin Lonetree

Minnesota Chapter Scholar
University of Minnesota
Immunology and Microbiology

Cara-lin’s research focuses on genetic engineering of CD8 T cells for novel and effective treatment of pancreatic cancer. CD8 T cells are a crucial component of the immune system that fights off foreign viruses and bacteria, as well as our own cells that have become cancerous. While pancreatic cancer is very good at shutting down the T cells that have made their way into tumors, decades of research have enabled us to manipulate T cell DNA in ways that may improve their functionality and persistence in the solid tumor microenvironment (TME).

Louise Pitcher

Minnesota Chapter Scholar
University of Minnesota
Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Biophysics

Louise is studying the effects of aging on the underlying mechanisms of cellular rejuvenation and the loss of a cell's power to divide and grow. Louise’s research guides her drug discovery efforts by looking at data from multiple sources to give a more comprehensive understanding of molecular changes contributing to normal development, cellular response, and disease. Louise’s goal is to discover or improve a life-changing drug and get it to those who need it.

Sofia Sheikh

Illinois Chapter Scholar
The University of Chicago
Ecology & Evolution

Millions of years of evolution have resulted in a vast diversity of organisms; yet recent studies show that much of this diversity originated via small changes or redeployment of old genes rather than the evolution of new ones. However, the mechanistic basis of this genetic co-option process remains unclear. Sofia is investigating the evolutionary origins and functional basis of co-option using swallowtail butterflies, in which mimicry has evolved by repurposing a gene that controls sex differentiation across insects. These understandings can teach us about microevolutionary processes such as gene co-option; they can also inform how to approach conservation issues as species deal with rapidly changing environments.