Postdoctoral fellow at LSU Health New Orleans becomes first NIH Outstanding Scholar

Reviewed by Emily Henderson, B.Sc.Nov 11 2020

Khanh Do, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow at LSU Health New Orleans Neuroscience Center of Excellence, is a member of the first group chosen by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as NIH Outstanding Scholars in Neuroscience.

In informing her of the honor, the awards committee wrote,

It was undoubtedly clear from the nomination package we received that your research and scientific training are exceptional thus warranting this distinguished honor."

Khanh Do, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow, Health New Orleans Neuroscience Center of Excellence, Louisiana State University

During the 1st Annual NIH Intramural Research Program Outstanding Scholars in Neuroscience Award Program and Symposium recently held virtually, Do gave a presentation on her research - The Lipidomics in Neurodegeneration.

Lipidomics, an emerging field in biosciences research, is the study of the complete set of the body's fatty molecules and how they interact with each other, proteins, genes as well as their biological roles.

Dr. Do trained and works in the lab of Dr. Nicolas Bazan, Boyd Professor and Director of LSU Health New Orleans Neuroscience Center of Excellence.

She has been working with elovanoids, discovered by Dr. Bazan's lab. Elovanoids, made from omega-three fatty acids, have shown promise as a potential new early diagnostic tool and therapeutic approach for such devastating neurodegenerative diseases as age-related macular degeneration and Alzheimer's.

The NIH Outstanding Scholars in Neuroscience Award Program was designed to recognize and support senior pre-doctoral candidates and early stage postdoctoral fellows who are conducting exceptional research and have great academic potential in their scientific PhD programs across the United States.

There are only 30 awardees nationwide this year. Do earned a PhD in Neuroscience from LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans in 2019.

Her other awards include the Eicosanoid Research Foundation Award (2019); Full Fellowship from Schlumberger Foundation, Faculty for the Future Fellowship (2016-2019); Full Fellowship Vietnam Education Foundation (VEF), US Government (2013- 2015).