Whitney Grither awarded 2017 DeGutis Prize in Chemical Biology/Medicinal Chemistry

On May 5th, 2017, Whitney Grither was awarded the 2017 Ceil M. DeGutis Prize in Chemical Biology/Medicinal Chemistry. Whitney presented her research entitled: Selective Small Molecule Inhibition of Discoidin Domain Receptor 2. Whitney graduated this Spring from the Biochemistry graduate program. She finished her PhD work in the laboratory of Dr. Greg Longmore with the express purpose of identifying novel modes of inhibiting an underappreciated collagen receptor, DDR2, which they had just shown was critical for breast cancer metastasis in experimental mouse models and humans (Nature Cell Biology, 2013). Following the seminar, a small reception was held in room 264 McDonnell Sciences. After the reception a few members of the search committee, Drs. John Cooper, George Gokel, Tim Wencewicz; as well as, Drs. Greg Longmore and Karen O’Malley, Ms. Whitney Grither and her significant other, Garrett Bahr, attended dinner at Lorenzo’s Trattoria.

Click on the following to view more photos or a slideshow of the photos taken at the event.

The DeGutis award is presented to a senior graduate student, in their fifth or sixth year of graduate study, who has made a significant contribution to the field of Chemical Biology or Medicinal Chemistry disciplines broadly defined. A $250 cash prize and plaque is presented to the awardee.