A post-doctoral researcher in the University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences has received a prestigious national award in recognition of her transformational scientific research in the visual sciences. Whitney A. Stevens-Sostre, PhD, was recently named a Hanna Gray Fellow by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI).
photo credit: Ilana Bar-av / AP Images for HHMI
Dr. Stevens-Sostre was recognized as one of 25 outstanding early career scientists nationally who have demonstrated a commitment to making foundational discoveries while building an inclusive culture in academic science. Dr. Stevens-Sostre is the only post-doctoral researcher at the UW-Madison to have ever received this prestigious award. Dr. Stevens-Sostre is a postdoctoral researcher in the laboratory of Mrinalini Hoon, PhD, associate professor of ophthalmology and visual sciences.
“Receiving the HHMI Hanna Gray Fellowship is transformative for my career journey,” said Dr. Stevens-Sostre. “This award will support my ongoing research and professional development in Dr. Mrinalini Hoon’s lab and also fund my future transition goal of directing my own research laboratory. Being a part of the outstanding HHMI community as I develop my independent research program provides many opportunities for growth, whether it be by exchanging ideas or by sharing perspectives with other awardees. For me, receiving this recognition as a Hispanic Afro-Puerto Rican mother and stepparent also means that people from all walks of life can succeed in science. I truly hope that my story inspires the next generation of scientists!”
With Dr. Hoon’s mentorship, Dr. Stevens-Sostre investigates the way in which the mammalian retina converts light into visual information and sends it to higher brain centers. She investigates how distinct populations of voltage-gated ion channels – integral membrane proteins that detect changes in voltage and regulate the flow of ions – shape the stimulus responses, connectivity, and intrinsic excitability of retinal neurons.
Using single-cell electrophysiology and high-resolution microscopy, she aims to uncover the functional roles of voltage-gated ion channels in regulating retinal responses to light cues at different developmental stages.
“Whitney’s research combines ion channel biophysics with retinal neurobiology which is exciting and fills a gap in our understanding of the role of ion channels in shaping neural computations in the mammalian retina,” said Dr. Hoon.
The HHMI will invest up to $1.5 million in support for each fellow over the course of up to eight years, spanning postdoctoral training through transition to starting their independent lab as a faculty member. This support allows each fellow the freedom to pursue challenging scientific questions at the forefront of their fields.