Obesity expert Jonathan R. Brestoff, MD, PhD, and regenerative medicine specialist Thorold Theunissen, PhD, both of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, have received High-Risk, High-Reward Research awards from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The program supports scientists showing exceptional creativity and pursuing innovative research programs with the potential to have a wide impact in biomedical, behavioral and social sciences.
Brestoff, an assistant professor of pathology and immunology, received an NIH Director’s Early Independence Award to study how the immune system regulates weight gain, with a goal of finding new ways to treat obesity beyond simply limiting food consumption. Early Independence Awards provide an opportunity for outstanding junior scientists with the intellect, scientific creativity, drive and maturity to flourish independently, launch independent research careers and bypass the traditional postdoctoral training period. The award provides up to $250,000 a year for five years.