NHLBI Announces the Recipients of 2016 Orloff Science Awards

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) is pleased to announce the 2016 Orloff Science Awards, which recognize outstanding achievements in science and the development of novel research tools in the previous year by investigators within NHLBI’s Division of Intramural Research.

“The awards highlight remarkable achievements in basic science, clinical applications, and innovative methodology and technology,” said Robert Balaban, Ph.D., scientific director of NHLBI’s intramural division. “They also underscore the teamwork among the intramural researchers that makes those achievements possible.”

Among the award recipients are Joel Moss, M.D., Ph.D.; Nihal Altan-Bonnet, Ph.D.; and Brian Glancy, Ph.D.

• Dr. Joel Moss is a senior investigator in the Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Branch at the NHLBI. His basic research focuses on the regulation of protein trafficking by guanine nucleotide-binding proteins and their associated regulatory molecules. He also studies post-translational modifications of proteins by a process known as ADP-ribosylation. His clinical trial work focuses on the pathogenesis of cystic lung diseases, such as lymphangioleiomyomatosis, a rare lung disease that mostly affects women of childbearing age.

• Dr. Nihal Altan-Bonnet is an Earl Stadtman investigator and the head of the Laboratory of Host-Pathogen Dynamics at the NHLBI. Her research focuses on better understanding the dynamic process of viral DNA replication within the host cell.

• Dr. Brian Glancy is a K22 investigator in the Laboratory of Cardiac Energetics at the NHLBI. He is an exercise physiologist studying the molecular mechanisms of muscle energy conversion and power development.

The 2016 Orloff Innovation Awards for technical achievements went to Toren Finkel, M.D., Ph.D.; Keji Zhao, Ph.D.; Warren Leonard, M.D.; and Michael Hansen, Ph.D.

“The Orloff Science Awards allow us to take a step back and recognize truly exemplary science as well as effective teamwork within the Institute’s intramural program,” said NHLBI Director Gary H. Gibbons, M.D. “The program helps scientists pursue the best ideas for the public good. I applaud the award recipients and all our intramural investigators, whose continued commitment to excellence makes NHLBI’s intramural program the preeminent research entity it is.”

The Orloff Science Awards are named in honor of Dr. Jack Orloff, a longtime member of the NHLBI intramural family and scientific director from 1974-1988.

Brief video presentations from the 2015 award recipients are now available. The 2016 selectees will be featured in upcoming videos.

2015 Orloff Science Award Recipient Videos:

• Manfred Boehm, M.D.: https://youtu.be/NMEYSMscPl0.
• Jay Chung, M.D., Ph.D./ Stewart Levine, M.D.: https://youtu.be/EYzIrJ6cUko.
• Cynthia Dunbar, M.D.: https://youtu.be/c3haDhV8BVk.
• Hong Xu, Ph.D.: https://youtu.be/YewksTvhVTs.