San Marcos,
27
March
2014
|
17:03 PM
America/Los_Angeles

Mothé Appointed to Prestigious NIH Study Section

By Christine Vaughan

 Dr. Bianca Mothé, a prominent researcher in immunology and virology, has recently been appointed as a permanent member of the prestigious Vaccines against Microbial Diseases study section of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Mothé will begin her four-year term on July 1, 2014.

“We are very proud of Dr. Mothé’s appointment to this study section,” said Dr. Katherine Kantardjieff, dean of the College of Science and Mathematics. “Her selection is recognition of her expertise and the quality of her accomplishments in vaccine research.”

In this new role, Dr. Mothé joins a panel of 14 distinguished scientists selected by the NIH to review grant proposals and make recommendations for funding. The study section meets three times a year and reviews up to 300 proposals annually.

The NIH is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and is the largest funder of academic research, awarding nearly $30.1 billion annually in medical research for the American people. The Vaccines against Microbial Diseases (VMD) study section is responsible for reviewing grant proposals for research in the fields of immune responses against pathogens and the development of safe and effective vaccines. Members for NIH study sections are selected on the basis of their demonstrated achievement in their scientific discipline as evidenced by the quality of research accomplishments, publications in scientific journals and other significant scientific activities, achievements and honors.

Dr. Mothé started her appointment at CSUSM in fall 2003, after earning her Ph.D. in Molecular and Cellular Pathology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and conducting her postdoctoral work at Epimmune, Inc. in San Diego, CA. Her areas of specialization are immunology and virology with research interests in designing novel vaccines for rapidly mutating pathogens, including HIV and SIV (Simian immunodeficiency virus).