Selom Ametepe, an international doctoral candidate in the Graduate School and International Education’s Cell and Molecular Biology Program, has been honored with the DeLill Nasser Travel Award for Professional Development in Genetics from the Genetics Society of America. This notable recognition aims to support early career scientists in advancing their professional skills.
The DeLill Nasser Travel Award is designed to assist graduate students and postdoctoral trainees with expenses related to attending both national and international conferences, as well as enrolling in laboratory courses. The award is named after DeLill Nasser, a long-serving member of the GSA and a former National Science Foundation program director in eukaryotic genetics, who was regarded as the “patron saint” of genetics.
This award will aid Ametepe, originally from Togo, in her research by funding laboratory courses and enabling her travel to conferences.
“I am honored to receive this award,” Ametepe expressed. “These funds will allow me to attend the next Genetic Society of America conference and expose me to pioneering techniques that researchers are utilizing globally in the field of genetics.”
Ametepe began her journey at the University of A in 2018, where she pursued a master’s degree in cell and molecular biology on a Fulbright Scholarship in the lab of Professor Mary Savin. Although she planned to return to Togo after graduation, a conversation with Doug Rhoads, director of the Cell and Molecular Biology Program, inspired her to continue her studies and pursue a doctoral degree.
Now in the doctoral program, Ametepe is researching the nervous system in fruit flies, aiming to transfer insights to the human nervous system. Her work focuses on understanding the mechanisms that guide axons, the neuron extensions, in forming connections with other cells. Specifically, she investigates the gene Roundabout3, which plays a vital role in nervous system development. Utilizing the CRISPR gene editing technology, Ametepe is examining different sections of this gene to identify which parts are essential for the protein’s function.
Ametepe expressed gratitude to various individuals who supported her in earning this award. “I would like to thank my dad, Christian, who is a lab technician and took me to the lab on Saturdays from a young age,” she said. “I am also grateful to my adviser, Timothy Evans; the Biological Sciences Department; and the Faculty for the Future Fellowship I received as a doctoral student. My dissertation committee members—professors Jeffry Lewis, Adam Pare, and Chris Nelson—also deserve my heartfelt thanks, as do the Harris and Lacey families, especially Tina, for their love and support during my time in the United States.”