BMBB faculty member to vet research proposals around drug discovery and molecular pharmacology.
Laurie Parker recently began a six-year term as a member of the National Institutes of Health Drug Discovery and Molecular Pharmacology study section. Members of the review panel read, critique, assess and score up to 20-30 proposals each year with an eye to identifying the most innovative, high-impact ideas for NIH support. The study section meets three times a year to discuss the proposals. Over the course of the six year appointment term, Parker will attend two out of three meetings per year.
“With reviewing I get to see where the fields are going and collaborate on the review process with experts in different areas,” says Parker. “It’s fun when you see exciting proposals to be able to evaluate them and give good feedback.”
Parker’s own research focuses on assay development for post-translational modifications, with an emphasis on protein phosphorylation by tyrosine kinases. She uses proteomics to develop a test to quickly determine the effectiveness of a particular cancer treatment with an eye to improving patient outcomes.