Alison Boyce, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
Boyce is working towards a treatment for fibrous dysplasia/McCune-Albright syndrome (FD/MAS), a rare and debilitating skeletal disease that can cause bone fractures, deformity, pain, and loss of ambulation, vision, and hearing. Her research focuses on the role of the RANKL protein, which regulates bone resorption and plays a role in FD pathogenesis.
Stephanie Chung, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Chung studies the complex association of biological, social, and environmental factors that contribute to the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes and cardiometabolic disease. She focuses on diabetes health disparities in youth and young adults, with the goal to develop improved population-specific screening and therapeutic strategies.
Yogen Kanthi, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Kanthi works to develop improved treatments for patients with venous thrombosis and peripheral artery disease. His research focuses on the role of innate immune activation in the pathogenesis of the diseases.
Jacqueline Mays, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
Mays studies the underlying immune processes of chronic graft-versus-host disease that develop in the salivary glands and other tissues of patients who have had hematologic cell transplants. Her research will deepen the understanding of the initial causes of the disease, and how the immune system functions in autoinflammatory oral disease.
Ian Myles, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Myles examines how human health is affected by the skin microbiome, the normal microorganisms that live on the skin, with a particular emphasis on eczema (also known as atopic dermatitis, AD). He has identified a species of bacteria from normal, healthy skin that offers protection against the development of AD, and has ongoing clinical trials to determine whether these bacteria can function as an effective topical treatment.
Derek Narendra, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Narendra research focuses on the genetics of movement disorders. He is especially interested in understanding the genetics and molecular pathogenesis of Early Onset Parkinson Disease. His research is expected to enhance the understanding of mitochondrial contributors to Parkinson Disease (PD) pathogenesis and enable novel targeted therapies for both the genetic and sporadic forms of PD. In his spare time, he enjoys running, skiing, and hiking with his wife and daughter.
