Ryan Vignogna, Postdoctoral Associate in the Fromme Lab, has been awarded the competitive NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship (F32). This fellowship, administered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), supports promising researchers in pursuing postdoctoral training in biomedical, behavioral, or clinical research.

As an evolutionary cell biologist, Dr. Vignogna is broadly interested in understanding how evolution shapes biological processes and how biological processes affect evolutionary outcomes. Specifically, he is interested in studying how cells respond to perturbations in conserved biological processes such as protein modifications, mitochondrial function, and lipid storage over evolutionary time. Dr. Vignogna’s research proposal, titled “Discovery and characterization of a novel family of GTPase activating proteins,” will use a combination of live-cell imaging, genetics, in vitro biochemistry, and structural biology experiments to investigate the regulation of the secretory pathway.

“This recognition underscores Dr. Vignogna’s achievements and promise, and we are excited to see the discoveries he will make as a result of this award,” said Chris Fromme, Professor of Molecular Biology and Genetics with the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the Weill Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology at Cornell University. During the fellowship term, Dr. Vignogna will conduct research under the mentorship of Dr. Fromme. The award provides Dr. Vignogna with valuable resources and training opportunities to deepen his expertise in cell biology and collaborate with leaders in the field.

Dr. Vignogna expressed gratitude for the support received from colleagues, mentors, and collaborators throughout the application process. “Receiving the NIH F32 Fellowship is a honor,” said Dr. Vignogna. “I am eager to embark on this next phase of my research career and contribute to our fundamental understanding of membrane biology.”

For more information please contact: wicmb_admin@cornell.edu.