Coon, Venton Picked for Young Investigator Award

Joshua Coon, assistant professor of chemistry at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and Jill Venton, assistant professor of chemistry at the University of Virginia, are the recipients of the annual Young Investigator Award presented by the Analytical Chemistry Academic Contact Committee of Eli Lilly & Co.

This award is presented to new professors who have quickly distinguished themselves as leaders in the field of analytical chemistry. It is an unsolicited, unrestricted grant of $50,000 per year, renewable for a second year.

Coon is developing and applying new mass spectrometry-based proteomic technologies to examine, with unprecedented chemical detail and sensitivity, the molecular events that commit human embryonic stem cells to exit the pluripotent state.

Venton is developing analytical techniques to measure neurochemical changes. She is also developing rapid capillary electrophoresis separations for analyzing brain fluid samples. The development of new analytical tools will enable a better understanding of neurotransmission, facilitating the development of new treatments for neurological disorders.