PhD candidate, Johnny Elguero, of the McCall Lab was the recent recipient of the Brenton R. Lutz Award for 2017. Johnny’s research uses the Drosophila melanogaster brain to try to understand how certain genes contribute to neurodegeneration. They look at genes that are important for removing dead cells and cellular debris from the brain, and how mutations in these genes can lead to a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
This award provides support for Ph.D. candidates conducting research in neurobiology or neuroscience and have made significant contributions to their field. Brenton R. Lutz was the first person to receive an M.D./Ph.D. at Boston University, receiving his Ph.D. in 1916. He later became a Professor and Chairman of BU’s Department of Biology. Dr. Lutz also gave the first University Lecture at BU on December 11, 1950 “The Living Blood Vessels.”