The Keystone Symposia on Molecular and Cellular Biology has named Dominick Lemas, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Health Outcomes & Policy, as one of ten fellows in its two-year fellowship program for minority junior faculty. The program, funded in part by a Minority Access to Research Careers Training Activities grant from the National Institutes of Health’s Institute of General Medical Sciences, provides fellows with the opportunity to receive training in the field of research science, as well as undergo an in-depth mentoring experience.
The nonprofit Keystone Symposia, headquartered in Silverthorne, Colorado, is dedicated to advancing biomedical and life sciences by connecting researchers through the 50 to 60 conferences the group organizes each year. Criteria for selecting fellows include achievement in research, commitment to diversity efforts in life science research and a well thought-out research career plan.
“This fellowship will be an excellent opportunity to connect with mentors, network with other fellows in the research field of molecular and cellular biology, and develop leadership skills necessary to increase the number of underrepresented minorities in biomedical research here at the University of Florida,” said Lemas, whose research focuses on understanding the fetal origins of pediatric obesity and the complex biochemical interactions that regulate maternal-infant metabolism.
His most recent research project, “Assessing the Evidence for the Microbiome as a Potential Path for Reducing C-sections and Improving Child Health Outcomes in New York City,” aims to reduce the rates of medically unnecessary cesarean sections among low-income women and mitigate the long-term health consequences of these births. Click here to learn more about this research project.