Scripps Research scientist gets fellowship from Autism Speaks

Kristopher Nazor of The Scripps Research Institute has been awarded a two-year Dennis Weatherstone Pre-Doctoral Fellowship by Autism Speaks, the nation’s largest autism science and advocacy group.

Nazor is one of eight fellows selected from a field of 50 highly qualified candidates. Projects were chosen for funding based on the strengths of the training plan, research strategy, mentor’s qualifications, and the relevance of the topic to Autism Speaks’ research priority areas.

Nazor, who joined the Scripps Research Kellogg School of Science and Technology in 2008, is working toward his Ph.D. degree under Professor Jeanne Loring, an authority in the emerging field of stem cell research.

“We’re very excited about Kit’s study because it will give us ideas about new ways to treat autism syndrome disorders,” Loring said. “He will be using pluripotent stem cell technology to understand how neural development is affected in a genetic form of autism, Fragile X Syndrome.”