Gilliam Fellowship for Advanced Study

By Gina Wadas

The Howard Hughes Medical Institute awarded Franklyn Hall a Gilliam Fellowship for Advanced Study, which recognizes students who have the potential to be leaders in their fields and advances diversity and inclusion in the sciences.

The award provides Hall and his advisor, INBT director Sharon Gerecht, with $50,000 annually for three years. The funding gives Hall financial assistance, but also support to help Gerecht create professional development activities and training for students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds STEM and in higher education, and for their faculty mentors. “We are grateful for the career-enhancing opportunities that the fellowship offers Franklyn and the assistance to advance our longstanding goal to increase the diversity of our trainees, who are the next generation of science and engineering leaders,” said Gerecht. Hall’s research focuses on creating in vitro models for patients with Marfan syndrome, a genetic disorder that affects the body’s connective tissue. The disorder has many complications including cardiovascular, specifically, the body’s main artery, the aorta. The tissue can tear, leading to a full rupture, and patients may need surgery to repair the damage. Hall hopes to use his models to study the disease on a patient-specific level using their stem cells. Since in vitro models focus on cell behavior, they can help physicians anticipate how the disorder will progress and how each patient will respond to treatments. “The fellowship allows me to overcome the limitations of the materials and techniques used in the lab today to pursue challenging scientific questions as I work to complete my thesis,” said Hall. “Additionally, I look forward to the scientific development opportunities that the fellowship supports outside of my home lab with a new network of Gilliam’s peers.” The diversity activities are under development, but tentatively include a retreat for incoming URM graduate students, professional development workshops, and opportunities to connect with industry professionals. However, according to Gerecht, diversity-enhancing activities will not be limited to students. She also envisions organizing and holding interactive workshops