Selom Ametepe, an international doctoral candidate in the Cell and Molecular Biology Program at the Graduate School and International Education, has received the DeLill Nasser Travel Award for Professional Development in Genetics from the Genetics Society of America. This prestigious award aims to support early-career scientists by assisting them with expenses related to attending national and international meetings and laboratory courses.
The award is named after DeLill Nasser, a long-time member of the Genetics Society of America and a program director at the National Science Foundation, who was regarded as a significant figure in the field of genetics. Ametepe, who hails from Togo, will use the funding to further her research and attend conferences.
Expressing her gratitude, Ametepe stated, “I am honored to receive this award. These funds will allow me to attend the next Genetic Society of America conference and learn about the cutting-edge techniques that scientists are using in genetics worldwide.”
Ametepe began her studies at the University of Arkansas in 2018, pursuing a master’s degree in cell and molecular biology through a Fulbright Scholarship under the guidance of Professor Mary Savin. Although she initially planned to return to Togo after graduation, she was encouraged by Doug Rhoads, the director of the Cell and Molecular Biology Program, to continue her education with a doctoral degree.
In her research, Ametepe investigates the nervous system of fruit flies, aiming to apply her findings to human biology. Her focus is on the gene Roundabout3, essential for nervous system development, and she employs the CRISPR gene editing technique to identify critical sections of this gene necessary for protein function.
Ametepe expressed her appreciation to those who supported her journey. “I would like to thank my dad, Christian, who has been a great influence and took me to the lab since I was young. I am also grateful to my adviser, Timothy Evans; the Biological Sciences Department; and the Faculty for the Future Fellowship for doctoral students. Special thanks go to my dissertation committee members: professors Jeffry Lewis, Adam Pare, and Chris Nelson, as well as the Harris and Lacey families for their unwavering support during my time in the United States.”