Henry Miller (Bishop Lab) Receives NIA F31 Fellowship Award

Henry MillerCongrats to Henry Miller (Mentor: Alexander Bishop, D. Phil.) on recently being awarded a Ruth L. Kirschstein Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award ,NIA F31 fellowship!

We asked Henry to tell us more about the project he will be leading and how it will affect his future as a researcher.

What is the general scope of your project?

The scope is to study the physiological role of R-loops in the context of cell aging. It’s an essential first step in understanding how R-loops support cellular function and how this goes awry during the aging process. To study this, we will be using a variety of molecular techniques, including genetic manipulations and high-throughput sequencing, that will allow us to tease apart the contribution of R-loops to cellular health and the impact of R-loop dysregulation on the aging process which occurs at the cellular level.

What is the overall goal?

While R-loops are often considered in the context of pathology, however, little study has been paid to their role in promoting crucial physiological processes within the cell. Rather than asking, “how does the R-loop cause pathology?” our lab wants to ask, “how does the R-loop promote normal cell physiology? And how does this protective role become dysregulated with disease and aging?” The goal of the project will be to start teasing apart that question in earnest.

How will you measure the success of this project?

The project’s success will be measured by the number of experiments outlined in the grant which we can successfully execute.

How will this award affect your career path and being a researcher at Greehey CCRI?

This award is my first NIH-funded grant on which I am a principal investigator. So, in many ways, it is the beginning of my funding track record, which is crucial to establish long-term success in academia.

Congrats, Henry!

 

About the Ruth L. Kirschstein Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F31)
The purpose of this Kirschstein-NRSA program is to enable promising predoctoral students with the potential to develop into productive, independent research scientists, to obtain mentored research training while conducting dissertation research.

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Since 2004, UT Health San Antonio, Greehey Children’s Cancer Research Institute’s (Greehey CCRI) mission has been to advance scientific knowledge relevant to childhood cancer, contribute to the understanding of its causes, and accelerate the translation of knowledge into novel therapies. Through discovery, development, and dissemination of new scientific knowledge, Greehey CCRI strives to have a national and global impact on childhood cancer. Our mission consists of three key areas — research, clinical, and education.

Stay connected with the Greehey CCRI on FacebookTwitterLinkedIn, and Instagram.
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Article Categories: PR Stories

Since 2004, UT Health San Antonio, Greehey Children’s Cancer Research Institute’s (Greehey CCRI) mission has been to advance scientific knowledge relevant to childhood cancer, contribute to understanding its causes, and accelerate the translation of knowledge into novel therapies. Greehey CCRI strives to have a national and global impact on childhood cancer by discovering, developing, and disseminating new scientific knowledge. Our mission consists of three key areas — research, clinical, and education.

Stay connected with the Greehey CCRI on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.