ARLINGTON, Va., June 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, March of
Dimes announces three young investigators as recipients of the 2020
Basil O'Connor Starter Scholar Research Awards: Dr. Ripla Arora
from Michigan State University, Dr.
Corina Lesseur from Icahn School of
Medicine at Mount Sinai and Dr. Jamie
Lo from Oregon Health & Science University. The annual
award supports early-career scientists embarking on independent
research careers who are committed to fighting for the health of
all moms and babies.
Named for the first March of Dimes chairman and president, the
award carries a $150,000 grant and is
part of the nonprofit's efforts to promote actionable science that
turns observations from the laboratory into interventions that
support healthy moms and strong babies.
"We are delighted to recognize these outstanding investigators
with this year's Basil O'Connor Starter Scholar Research
Awards. Their important research will advance our
understanding of serious medical conditions that impact maternal
and infant health and take us one step closer to finding clinical
treatments," said Dr. Rahul Gupta,
Senior Vice President, Chief Medical and Health Officer and Interim
Chief Scientific Officer at March of Dimes. "Research like this is
the backbone of March of Dimes' work to help every mom have a
healthy pregnancy and give every baby the best possible start."
Each investigator's research represents a different area of
pregnancy outcomes:
- Dr. Arora's research will evaluate how
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs influence pregnancy
outcomes and 3D patterning.
Dr. Arora is an Assistant Professor in the Department of
Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, College of Human Medicine at Michigan State and a member of the Institute
for Qualitative Health Science and Engineering.
- Dr. Lesseur's research will characterize the effects of
genetics and gestational diabetes on the placental DNA methylome in
the Pacific Islander community. Dr. Lesseur is a Postdoctoral
Fellow in Environmental Medicine and
Public Health at Mount Sinai.
- Dr. Lo's research will concentrate on the effects of
chronic prenatal and postnatal marijuana exposure on infant
sociobehavioral and neurodevelopmental outcomes. Dr. Lo is an
Assistant Professor in the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine, and is a
March of Dimes sponsored fellow in the Reproductive Scientist
Development Program.
The Basil O'Connor Starter Scholar Research Awards is an early
career grant to young investigators who are embarking on an
independent research career. Candidates are assessed on their
academic background, the strength of the proposal and its clinical
relevance to March of Dimes priorities.
Find more information about the 2020 Basil O'Connor Program
here.
About March of Dimes
March of Dimes leads the fight
for the health of all moms and babies. We support research, lead
programs and provide education and advocacy so that every baby can
have the best possible start. Building on a successful 80-year
legacy of impact and innovation, we empower every mom and every
family.
Visit marchofdimes.org or nacersano.org for
more information. Visit shareyourstory.org for comfort and
support. Find us on Facebook and follow us on
Instagram and Twitter.
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SOURCE March of Dimes