Two School of Medicine faculty members have been honored with Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), the highest honor bestowed by the United States government on outstanding scientists and engineers early in their careers.
Diego V. Bohórquez, PhD, associate professor of medicine, and Lauren Brinkley-Rubinstein, PhD, associate professor in population health sciences, were among the nearly 400 recipients of PECASE honors announced by The White House this week.
Bohórquez, who is also an associate research professor in neurobiology and an associate professor of cell biology and neurobiology, is a gut-brain neuroscientist. He is a leading researcher in the relatively new area of sensory neurobiology that explores the connections and communications between the gut and the brain. His research investigates how the brain perceives what the gut feels, how food in the intestine is sensed by the body, and how a nutrient or microbial signal is transformed into an electrical signal that affects behavior.
"It recognizes the dedication of our research team, which is united by the vision 'to heal the brain from the gut,’” Bohórquez said of the presidential award. “We have uncovered how sensing of nutrients and bacteria by gut neuropod cells guides our appetitive decisions. We hope this award inspires other scientists to explore the connection between the gut and the brain and its implications for the future of medicine."
Brinkley-Rubinstein is a national expert in examining how the criminal legal system impacts people, families, and communities. During the pandemic, she co-founded the COVID Prison Project, one of the only national data projects that tracks and analyzes COVID testing, cases, and deaths in prison systems across the country. Her work blends research and policy, which has recently culminated in providing expert consultation to congress relevant to prison standards and data reporting.
“This recognition underscores the critical importance of highlighting and addressing disparities created and exacerbated by the criminal legal system,” Brinkley-Rubinstein said of the presidential award. “I am grateful for the opportunity to advance research that drives meaningful change toward health equity.”
Established by President Bill Clinton in 1996, PECASE recognizes scientists and engineers who show exceptional potential for leadership early in their research careers. The award recognizes innovative and far-reaching developments in science and technology, expands awareness of careers in science and engineering, recognizes the scientific missions of participating agencies, enhances connections between research and impacts on society, and highlights the importance of science and technology for our nation’s future.