Washington, D.C., Oct. 07, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- UNCF (United Negro College Fund) today announced the selection of two scientists for the E. E. Just Postgraduate Fellowship in the Life Sciences. Heather Beasley, Ph.D., and Shawna K. Brookens, Ph.D., are the 2021 recipients of the post-graduate fellowship program that aims to accelerate the career development of African American scientists pursuing research careers in academia or the biopharmaceutical industry.
“The tremendous support that Bristol Myers Squibb gives to this program provides a unique opportunity to assist the next generation of African American scientists,” said Chad Womack, Ph.D., Senior Director, STEM Programs and Initiatives and founding Executive Director of the Ernest E. Just Life Science Initiative at UNCF. “We believe Drs. Beasley and Brookens are outstanding bench scientists whose research will one day benefit patients who are battling serious diseases.”
Created in 2017 by a partnership between UNCF and Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS), the E. E. Just Postgraduate Fellowship is a three-year award that provides recipients with an annual stipend that includes a base salary, benefits, research budget, and travel funds. The program honors Dr. Ernest Everett Just, one of the most prominent African American scientists of the 20th century.
“We are proud to continue our support of the E. E. Just Postgraduate Fellowship Program, and we congratulate Drs. Brookens and Beasley on this achievement,” said Dr. Rupert Vessey, M.A., B.M., B.Ch., F.R.C.P., D.Phil., Executive Vice President and President, Research & Early Development, Bristol Myers Squibb.
“At Bristol Myers Squibb, we believe that bringing innovative medicines to patients requires a workforce with diverse experiences and personal backgrounds that reflect patients and communities around the world. Our continued partnership with the UNCF allows us to continue critical scientific discovery and advancement in service of our growing patient population.”
Dr. Beasley conducted her Ph.D. dissertation research studies in the field of cancer biology at Meharry Medical College in the Department of Biochemistry and Cancer Biology. Her research was on investigating the role of calcium signaling in breast cancer and the dysregulation of bone metabolism due to hypercalcemia. Currently, she is pursuing her postgraduate studies at Vanderbilt University, studying the role of a novel regulator of mitochondrial dynamics, TMEM135 and its role in protecting against accelerated aging and calcium miscommunication in cancer cells.
Dr. Brookens conducted her Ph.D. dissertation research at Vanderbilt University in the Department of Cancer Biology focused on the role of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in humoral immunity and how AMPK, a conserved energy sensor that helps regulate healthy intracellular ATP concentrations, regulates B cell biology and immunoglobulin production during an immune response. She is currently pursuing her postgraduate studies at the University of Pennsylvania, investigating T cell effector immune function in genetically engineered CAR T lymphocytes and how tumor-specific glycosylation contributes to immunosuppressive microenvironments.
Drs. Beasley and Brookens join a distinguished group of past E. E. Just Postgraduate Fellowship recipients. They include: Dr. Antentor J. Hinton (now on faculty at Vanderbilt University), Dr. Bianca Jones Marlin (now on faculty at Columbia University), Dr. Elizabeth Ransey (Duke University), and Dr. Cornelius Taabazuing (now on faculty at the University of Pennsylvania).
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About UNCF
UNCF (United Negro College Fund) is the nation’s largest and most effective minority education organization. To serve youth, the community and the nation, UNCF supports students’ education and development through scholarships and other programs, supports and strengthens its 37 member colleges and universities, and advocates for the importance of minority education and college readiness. UNCF institutions and other historically Black colleges and universities are highly effective, awarding nearly 20% of African American baccalaureate degrees. UNCF administers more than 400 programs, including scholarship, internship and fellowship, mentoring, summer enrichment, and curriculum and faculty development programs. Today, UNCF supports more than 60,000 students at over 1,100 colleges and universities across the country. Its logo features the UNCF torch of leadership in education and its widely recognized trademark, ‟A mind is a terrible thing to waste.”® Learn more at UNCF.org or for continuous updates and news, follow UNCF on Twitter at @UNCF.
