Keriann Backus, assistant professor of biological chemistry in the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, has received $1.5 million from the National Institutes of Health’s High-Risk, High-Reward Research Program as part of the New Innovator Award.
Backus, who is the Alexander and Renee Kolin Professor of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, received the award for her research into the development and application of novel chemistries to determine precisely where and when protein interactions occur.
Established in 2007, the New Innovator Award, supports innovative research from early-stage investigators whose creativity and research have the potential to produce a major impact on broad, important problems relevant to the mission of NIH, including on topics related to behavioral, social, biomedical, applied and formal sciences, as well as basic, translational or clinical research.
Backus’ current research aims to revolutionize the use of mass spectrometry-based proteomics to decipher the functions and therapeutic accessibility of human proteins. She is the recipient of several recent awards, including a V Scholar Grant, Beckman Young Investigator Award, DARPA Young Faculty Award and Packard Fellowship.
