Senyei Awards Accelerate Translational Research Commitment

Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine has announced the recipients of the newly established Drew Senyei, MD, Translational Research Awards. These awards were made possible through a $1 million gift from Dr. Senyei, a medical alumnus and member of the Northwestern University Board of Trustees. The awards support Northwestern’s commitment to enhance programs in translational research throughout the University, Feinberg School, and affiliated hospitals.

“Dr. Senyei’s generosity has helped us jump start our translational research grant program,” says Philip Greenland, MD, executive associate dean for clinical and translational research at the Feinberg School. “The awards allow us to bring together a spectrum of investigators across Northwestern so that we can accelerate our efforts to advance ‘bench-to-bedside’ research studies.”

The awardees were selected from a preliminary group of 24 submissions, which represented more than 75 researchers from across both Northwestern campuses and the affiliated hospitals. Of these, eight were chosen by the review committee to submit full proposals, and four were selected. “The proposals selected for award funding reflect great potential in translating research into practical applications, including enhanced prevention and treatment approaches that may lead to improved patient care,” adds Dr.Greenland.

The recipients of the first Drew Senyei, MD, Translational Research Awards include:

Neural Rejuvenation – A Novel Strategy for Preventing Parkinson’s disease

Principal Investigator: D. James Surmeier, PhD, Nathan Smith Davis Professor and chair of Department of Physiology, Feinberg School of Medicine

Research Team: Richard B. Silverman, PhD, John Evans Professor of Chemistry, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences; John A. Kessler, MD, Ken and Ruth Davee Professor in Stem Cell Biology and chair, Davee Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurological Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine; Tanya Simuni, MD, associate professor of neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine

Nanotechnology Strategies for Ischemic Tissue Revascularization

Principal Investigator: Samuel I. Stupp, PhD, Board of Trustees Professor of Material Science, Chemistry, and Medicine, and director, Institute for BioNanotechnology in Medicine

Research Team: Nirat Beohar, MD, assistant professor of medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine; Jon W. Lomasney, MD, associate professor of pathology, Feinberg School of Medicine; Charles J. Davidson, MD, professor of medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine; William H. Pearce, MD, Violet and Charles Baldwin Professor of Vascular Surgery, and chief, Division of Vascular Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine

Development of an Endothelial Progenitor Cell-Lined Spontaneous Nitric Oxide-Releasing Prosthetic Graft for Vascular Surgery

Principal Investigator: Melina R. Kibbe, MD, assistant professor of surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine

Research Team:  Guillermo A. Ameer, ScD, assistant professor of biomedical engineering, McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science; David A. Dean, PhD, associate professor of medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine

Translating the Gene Signature of Breast Cancer Stem Cells into Improved Predictive Markers and Targeted Therapies

Principal Investigator: Vincent L. Cryns, MD, associate professor of medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine

Research Team: Seema A. Khan, MD, professor of surgery; William J. Gradishar MD, professor of medicine; Fruma Yehiely, PhD, research assistant professor of medicine; John A. Kessler, MD, Ken and Ruth Davee Professor in Stem Cell Biology and chair, Davee Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurological Sciences; Charles V. Clevenger, MD, PhD, Diana, Princess of Wales Professor of Cancer Research; D. Martin Watterson, PhD, John G. Searle Professor of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, all faculty members at the Feinberg School of Medicine

Dr. Senyei earned his MD degree from Northwestern in 1979 and completed residency training at the University of California, Irvine Medical Center. Since 1987, he has served as managing director and general partner of Enterprise Partners Venture Capital, which invests in growth companies in the areas of life sciences, networks, semiconductors, and computing and software services. Dr. Senyei has more than 30 registered patents and has published more than 45 articles in peer-reviewed journals. He resides in La Jolla, California.