Neuroscientist Wins Research Award

The M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust has recognized Tamily Weissman-Unni, associate professor of biology and program cochair of neuroscience, with the 2017 Lynwood W. Swanson Promise for Scientific Research Award. This prestigious award highlights one junior faculty member in the trust’s region—Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington—who has demonstrated exceptional potential in establishing a productive and nationally recognized research program through early research and work with students. The recognition comes with a $7,500 grant to further support her research with undergraduates.

Weissman-Unni’s research asks basic questions about how a complex nervous system forms from a tiny cluster of cells; how cells interact with each other during development; and why some cells surprisingly die during both development and disease. Beyond these specific research questions, she is also passionate about training the next generation of scientists. By incorporating undergraduate students into every aspect of her work, she helps students develop into strong scientists who can communicate their research effectively to others.

In her nomination letter, Weismann-Unni was lauded for many talents, including her “high-quality and productive research accomplishments, her meaningful and caring engagement of undergraduate students, and her leadership in developing and promoting research at Lewis & Clark and beyond.”