Postdoctoral researcher Nathan Bullen announced as a 2025 Jane Coffin Childs fellow, supporting his research on how organisms survive when their RNA is under attack

Jessica Helzer — Wed, 02 Jul 2025 21:47:51 +0000

Postdoctoral researcher Nathan Bullen announced as a 2025 Jane Coffin Childs fellow, supporting his research on how organisms survive when their RNA is under attack Jessica Helzer Wed, 07/02/2025 - 15:47

A University of Colorado 51��ý postdoctoral researcher specializing in biochemistry is one of 29 to be awarded a Jane Coffin Childs fellowship in 2025.

Nathan Bullen, a postdoctoral scholar in the CU 51��ý Department of Biochemistry and the Aaron Whiteley Lab, studies how organisms survive when their RNA is under attack. As a Jane Coffin Childs (JCC) fellow, he will receive three years of salary funding to support his research out of the almost $8 million the JCC has committed to its fellows this year.

The Jane Coffin Childs Memorial Fund for Medical Research (JCC Fund) is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious postdoctoral fellowships in the United States. Established in 1937 to honor the memory of Jane Coffin Childs, who died from breast cancer in 1936, and to support cancer research, the JCC Fund has since expanded its mission to include fundamental basic scientific research into the causes and treatment of human disease.

See More in the CU 51��ý A&S Magazine!

Nathan Bullen, a postdoctoral scholar in the CU 51��ý Department of Biochemistry and the Aaron Whiteley Lab, was awarded a 2025 Jane Coffin Childs fellowship.

Off

Traditional

White

Postdoctoral fellow Hannah Ledvina recipient of 2021 Jane Coffin Childs Memorial Postdoctoral Fellowship

Anonymous — Fri, 04 Jun 2021 20:47:14 +0000

Postdoctoral fellow Hannah Ledvina recipient of 2021 Jane Coffin Childs Memorial Postdoctoral Fellowship Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 06/04/2021 - 14:47

Dr. Hannah E. Ledvina, a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Aaron Whiteley’s lab in the Biochemistry Department, is a recipient of the 2021 Jane Coffin Childs Memorial Postdoctoral Fellowship. This prestigious award was first established in 1937 and aims to support cutting edge medical research at the early career level. Each year 25-30 applicants selected “from among the best young scientist” are awarded three years of funding in a rigorous, highly informed selection process conducted by the Jane Coffin Childs (JCC) Board of Scientific Advisors.

The JCC Memorial fund “has taken a broad approach to the study of cell growth and development, emphasizing the study of the basic biology and chemistry of the underlying processes.” Previous awardees include CUs own Dr. Edward Chuong (BioFrontiers and MCDB), Dr. Robert Batey (Biochemistry), and Dr. Aaron Whiteley (Biochemistry).

Prior to joining CU 51��ý, Dr. Ledvina did her PhD research at the University of Washington in the lab of Dr. Joseph Mougous. There, she characterized a novel family of enzymes encoded by bacteria that can manipulate host cell membranes and promote bacterial growth. Additionally, her work revealed a previously unrecognized mechanism utilized by the pathogen Francisella tularensis during infection to obtain essential nutrients from the host. In recognition of her contributions to the field of bacterial pathogenesis, Dr. Ledvina was awarded the Helen R. Whiteley Dissertation Award.

Motivated by the desire to continue studying the molecular mechanisms underlying host-pathogen interactions, Dr. Ledvina joined the lab of Dr. Whiteley here at CU 51��ý. Research in the Whiteley lab is focused on understanding the fundamental aspects of immune signaling and pathogenesis. Specifically, Dr. Ledvina is interested in the antagonist interplay between viruses and their host with the goal of uncovering novel antiviral therapeutic approaches.

Dr. Ledvina’s work funded by the JCC is focused on studying bacterial innate immune systems that defend against the viruses that invade bacteria, phages. Numerous facets of these pathways remain unknown, as do the mechanisms utilized by phages to evade immune detection. Dr. Ledvina plans to combine genetics, biochemistry, and microbiology to uncover to molecular mechanisms underlying these systems. Excitingly, bacterial immune systems are the progenitor to certain human innate immune pathways known to defend against viruses and cancer; therefore, findings from this work have the potential to be directly applicable to human health.

Off

Traditional

White

Be A Biochemist

Postdoctoral researcher Nathan Bullen announced as a 2025 Jane Coffin Childs fellow, supporting his research on how organisms survive when their RNA is under attack

Off

Postdoctoral fellow Hannah Ledvina recipient of 2021 Jane Coffin Childs Memorial Postdoctoral Fellowship

Off