{"668583":{"#nid":"668583","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Lieberman Lab Talks Research, Representation, Childhood Glaucoma","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ESince she received her first National Institutes of Health (NIH) research grant in 2011,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003ERaquel Lieberman\u003C\/strong\u003E and her lab have published 30 papers about the protein myocilin, which is linked to childhood glaucoma.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cI do consider it a feather in my cap to have succeeded in working on the molecular aspects of how this protein myocilin misfolds in the eye for as long as I have,\u201d says Lieberman, who holds the Sepcic Pfeil Chair and is a professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry. \u201cThe project is a little like eating an artichoke. We are taking one leaf off at a time until we get to the heart of what\u2018s really going on.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EHer work is supported by the NIH\u2019s National Eye Institute, which also funds supplemental opportunities to recognize excellence in inclusion and accessibility mentorship. Lieberman and Ph.D. student\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EGwen Thomas\u003C\/strong\u003E recently earned this special supplemental funding to continue to expand their research \u2014\u0026nbsp;and representation in the field.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe new funding was awarded the maximum amount, \u201cthe equivalent of an extra year of funding for my lab,\u201d Lieberman says. \u201cThe award allows us to pursue some new research directions that are only possible with these funds.\u201d She credits the award to a record of research progress over the last 12 years \u2014\u0026nbsp;and to efforts beyond the mysteries of myocilin.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ELieberman is the inaugural chair of the Sepcic Pfeil Ph.D. Faculty Endowment Fund to increase the number of women faculty in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry. The Fund was established by Kelly Sepcic Pfeil, a member of the College of Sciences Advisory Board who earned her M.S. and Ph.D. in Chemistry from Georgia Tech.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cAs someone who is still often one of few women in a room full of men, I am very committed to the idea that we need as many different voices in science as possible, so any group of scientists gathered reflects the makeup of our society,\u201d Lieberman adds.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EACS Bridge\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ELieberman and Thomas first met at a scientific conference in 2018, while Thomas was an undergraduate student at another school. \u201cI remember we chatted about her undergraduate research poster that dealt with a coronavirus protein,\u201d Lieberman says. \u201cShe was way ahead of her time.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EA year later, Thomas applied to be Lieberman\u2019s research technician in her lab. \u201cI\u0027ve always dreamed of being a scientist and making an impact on the world, and now with the guidance of my mentor, Dr. Lieberman, I am able to realize that dream,\u201d Thomas says. \u201cSince my time as an undergraduate, I have always wanted to study protein structure and function as it relates to infectious diseases.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EWhen the pandemic hit, Thomas volunteered to keep working on an in-home polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test kit project. \u201cShe made a key protein ingredient in the final formulation, an RNase inhibitor, all on her own \u2014 at all hours of day and night,\u201d Lieberman says.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThomas then decided to work on a master\u2019s degree in chemistry at Georgia Tech, leveraging the American Chemical Society Bridge Program program, which the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry joined in 2020. The program is designed to increase the number of chemical science Ph.D. degrees awarded to underrepresented students by offering resources and mentorship opportunities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EACS Bridge mentors helped Thomas work on her thesis side project: the study of a plastic-degrading enzyme, LtPHBase. She published a paper detailing how she solved the structure of the enzyme that was awarded \u201c2022 Best Paper\u201d from The Protein Society. In July 2023, Thomas traveled to Boston where she gave a presentation on her enzyme project at the organization\u2019s annual meeting.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cGwen has grown so much as a scientist over the past few years,\u201d Lieberman says. \u201cI can\u2019t wait to see how she flourishes now that she has matriculated into our Ph.D. program.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdding new voices\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EFor Lieberman, it\u2019s a new year of adding new voices to the School \u2014 and one more year of research progress and support. \u201cWith any luck, it will continue past 2025 with another renewal.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EFor Thomas, it signals the start of a rewarding career in chemistry research. \u201cIf I were to tell my younger self about all the opportunities that I have access to now, she wouldn\u0027t believe me,\u201d Thomas says. \u201cTPS has been a great avenue for me to meet other junior scientists and get their perspectives on how our generation can shape the world. I look forward to sharing my science.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Raquel Lieberman has received new NIH support for long-running research into myocilin, a protein linked to childhood glaucoma. The professor is joined by Ph.D. student Gwen Thomas in the search for answers."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ERaquel Lieberman has received new NIH support for long-running research into myocilin, a protein linked to childhood glaucoma. The professor and Sepcic Pfeil Endowed Chair in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry is joined by Ph.D. student Gwen Thomas in the search for research answers \u2014 and effort to increase access and representation in the sciences.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Raquel Lieberman has received new NIH support for long-running research into myocilin, a protein linked to childhood glaucoma. The professor is joined by Ph.D. student Gwen Thomas in the search for answers."}],"uid":"34434","created_gmt":"2023-07-25 19:06:58","changed_gmt":"2024-11-13 20:41:05","author":"Renay San Miguel","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-07-25T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2023-07-25T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"671215":{"id":"671215","type":"image","title":"Raquel Lieberman.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003ERaquel Lieberman\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1690312410","gmt_created":"2023-07-25 19:13:30","changed":"1690312410","gmt_changed":"2023-07-25 19:13:30","alt":"Raquel Lieberman.jpg","file":{"fid":"254233","name":"New Raquel Lieberman photo.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/07\/25\/New%20Raquel%20Lieberman%20photo.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/07\/25\/New%20Raquel%20Lieberman%20photo.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":4093519,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/07\/25\/New%20Raquel%20Lieberman%20photo.jpg?itok=BxsoL6ky"}},"671214":{"id":"671214","type":"image","title":"Gwen Thomas explains her research during a poster session at the Protein Society meeting in Boston in July. (Photo Raquel Lieberman).jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EGwen Thomas explains her research during a poster session at the Protein Society meeting in Boston in July. (Photo Raquel Lieberman).jpg\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1690312258","gmt_created":"2023-07-25 19:10:58","changed":"1690312258","gmt_changed":"2023-07-25 19:10:58","alt":"Gwen Thomas explains her research during a poster session at the Protein Society meeting in Boston in July. (Photo Raquel Lieberman).jpg","file":{"fid":"254232","name":"Gwen Thomas explains research during a poster session at the Protein Society meeting in Boston in mid-July. 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