Three researchers from the University of California, Davis have been recognized with awards from two major institutions. The McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience has awarded two of its 10 McKnight Scholar Awards to UC Davis neuroscientists Theanne Griffith and Sergey Stavisky. Meanwhile, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) has named Griffith and Elisa T. Zhang as Freeman Hrabowski Scholars.
The McKnight Scholar Awards are given to early-career scientists establishing their independent laboratories and research careers. Since its inception in 1977, the award has supported 291 investigators, facilitating numerous breakthrough discoveries. Each recipient will receive $75,000 annually for three years.
Sergey Stavisky is an assistant professor in the Department of Neurological Surgery at UC Davis and co-directs the UC Davis Neuroprosthetics Lab. His research focuses on understanding human cognition and developing neurotechnologies to restore lost abilities using brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). These BCIs aim to restore speech in individuals who have lost this ability due to neurological issues while providing direct access to human neural circuits.
Theanne Griffith is an assistant professor in the Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology at UC Davis. Her research investigates proprioceptors, a class of sensory neurons that connect muscles and mind, traditionally seen as motion detectors. Her lab’s work demonstrates that proprioceptors play crucial roles in motor network development, maintenance, and repair.
Griffith and Elisa T. Zhang were also selected as Freeman Hrabowski Scholars by HHMI, joining 30 new scholars across the United States. This program supports early-career faculty with leadership potential in their fields while fostering inclusive lab environments. Scholars are appointed for a five-year term with a possibility of renewal after evaluation.
Zhang’s laboratory explores the uterus’s capacity for scarless regeneration during menstrual cycles and tissue remodeling during pregnancy. Her work aims to provide insights into uterine disorders and tissue repair by studying how the uterine lining regenerates without scarring each month.
The McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience is funded by the McKnight Foundation of Minneapolis, Minnesota, which was founded by William L. McKnight, an early leader of 3M Company with a personal interest in memory and brain diseases.
The Freeman Hrabowski Scholars Program supports faculty committed to creating thriving lab environments. Scholars receive up to $8.6 million over ten years, including salary, research budget, equipment funding, and professional development opportunities.
