AURORA | A trio of scientists from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora was named June 4 to the Boettcher Investigators class of 2015, an honor that guarantees each of them a $225,000 grant to cover up to three years of research.
A part of the greater Webb-Waring Biomedical Research Awards program, the Boettcher Foundation Board of Trustees selected a total of six investigators to become a part of the annual class. The researchers not from CU Anschutz have labs at the University of Colorado Denver and Colorado State University.
The three Aurora-based investigators selected for the grant program are: James Costello, an assistant professor of pharmacology; Melanie Cree Green, a pediatric endocrinology instructor; and Santos Franco, an assistant professor of pediatric stem cell biology. Costello’s lab focuses on cancer systems biology and pharmacogenomics, Green’s explores fatty liver in adolescents with polycystic ovarian syndrome, and Franco’s research centers on brain stem cells in development and disease.
“With the growing national focus on advancing scientific research and promoting STEM careers, the Boettcher Foundation and the Webb-Waring Biomedical Research Awards demonstrate Colorado’s leadership in bioscience and commitment to supporting early-career scientists,” April Giles, president and CEO of the Colorado Bioscience Association, said in a statement. “We thank the Foundation for its significant, long-term commitment to recruiting, retaining and advancing the scientific talent in our state through the Boettcher Investigators Program.”
The recent announcement of the class of 2015 brings the total number of Boettcher Investigators in Colorado to 35. Of that total, 15 investigators are tied to the CU Anschutz Medical Campus. Other institutions with Boettcher Investigators currently conducting research include: University of Colorado Boulder, National Jewish Health, Colorado School of Mines and Colorado College.
The program was started in 2010 to bolster the work of young biomedical scientists, according to the Boettcher Foundation website.
“The 2015 class of Boettcher Investigators represents Colorado’s most promising early-career scientists,” Tim Schultz, president and executive director of the Boettcher Foundation, said in a statement. “We are proud to support their work to prevent disease and improve human health. We created the program to provide the critical funds emerging researchers need to grow their careers and open up promising new areas of inquiry.”
Good luck to these researches, and hopefully they’re able to employ a number of nurses and lab technicians to help with the research. The problem with these grants is the bulk of the money is needed for salaries, so little left for scientific equipment and instrumentation. Perhaps they can share facilities and equipment with other investigators.