San Diego Postdoctoral Researcher Named Grant Recipient

SAN DIEGO, CA — A postdoctoral researcher studying systems neurobiology at the Salk Institute of Biological Studies in San Diego was announced Monday as one of five recipients of L'Oreal USA's 2020 For Women in Science Fellowship, which annually awards grants of $60,000 to five female postdoctoral scientists.

Nancy Padilla-Coreano was recognized for her research into how the brain encodes social dominance, with an objective of aiding in the development of therapies for social deficits that are common to psychiatric disorders.

L'Oreal USA says the program has contributed more than $4 million to 85 postdoctoral female scientists over the past 17 years.

Candidates were chosen based on their intellectual merit, research potential, scientific excellence and commitment to supporting women and girls in science. Applications were reviewed by scientists through a partnership with the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

"(The recipients) represent a depth of expertise across the scientific spectrum, and we are inspired by the world-changing work they are doing," said Danielle Azoulay, vice president of corporate social responsibility & sustainability for L'Oreal USA. "At a time in which we are constantly reminded of the importance of science, it is all the more critical to be supporting the representation of women in STEM."

Other 2020 recipients include:

— Cara Brook, whose research in integrative biology at UC Berkeley focuses on understanding wild bats to illuminate pathways involved in mammalian disease and aging;
— Wendy Brown, whose research in biomedical engineering at UC Irvine focuses on growing cartilage from cells in anatomical shapes and sizes for surgical implantation;
— Kayla Nguyen, whose research in the field of physics and material science and engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is dedicated to taking pictures of the smallest building block in the universe — the atom — using a tool called the electron microscope;
— Silvania da Silva Teixeira, whose research in metabolic diseases at the University of Colorado focuses on the treatment of late-stage Type 2 diabetes (T2D) by stimulating insulin secretion with a daily pill instead of managing insulin levels with daily injections.

— City News Service