Selom Ametepe, a 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 esteemed national recognition provides support to early career scientists in their professional endeavors.
The DeLill Nasser Travel Award is designed to assist graduate students and postdoctoral trainees with expenses associated with attending national and international conferences, as well as enrolling in laboratory courses. This award honors DeLill Nasser, a long-time member of the Genetics Society and a former National Science Foundation program director known for her contributions to eukaryotic genetics.
Ametepe, originally from Togo, will utilize the award to further her research through funding for laboratory courses and travel to relevant conferences. She expressed her gratitude for receiving the award, stating, “I am honored to receive this award. These funds will allow me to attend the next Genetic Society of America conference and get exposed to the cutting-edge techniques that scientists are using in the field of genetics all over the world.”
Ametepe began her journey at the University of Arkansas in 2018, pursuing a master’s degree in cell and molecular biology under a Fulbright Scholarship in the lab of Professor Mary Savin. After completing her master’s, she intended to return to Togo until Doug Rhoads, director of the Cell and Molecular Biology Program, encouraged her to pursue a doctoral degree.
In her doctoral program, Ametepe’s research focuses on the nervous system of fruit flies, aiming to translate findings to human biology. She investigates how nerve cells extend axons to form connections with other cells, specifically studying the Roundabout3 gene, vital for nervous system development. Using CRISPR gene editing technology, Ametepe is dissecting the gene to identify essential components for protein function.
Expressing her gratitude, Ametepe recognized several individuals who supported her, including her father, Christian, and her adviser, Timothy Evans, along with the Biological Sciences Department and the Faculty for the Future Fellowship. She also thanked her dissertation committee members—professors Jeffry Lewis, Adam Pare, and Chris Nelson—and the Harris and Lacey families for their continued support during her time in the U.S.