One of the benefits of doing science at Scripps Research is working with colleagues who are leading experts across a wide range of fields. That breadth is evident in this issue of Scripps Research Magazine, which showcases advances in neuroscience, immunology, metabolism, drug discovery and many other areas. 

Chemistry is one of the fields where Scripps Research is known for pioneering science and two prestigious awards recently recognized our faculty for their contributions. Just after the magazine’s last issue went to print, Scripps Research professor K. Barry Sharpless shared the 2022 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his groundbreaking work developing “click chemistry,” which has had major impacts in chemistry, biology and medicine. This is the second time Barry has received a Nobel Prize and the second Nobel that a Scripps Research professor has received in the past two years. 

Early this year, Scripps Research professor Jeffery Kelly shared in the 2023 Wolf Prize in Chemistry for his seminal work on diseases stemming from misfolded proteins
and developing drugs to treat these conditions. Jeff’s multifaceted research—at the intersection of chemistry, biology and biophysics—has shed new insights into protein folding diseases and, more importantly, offered hope to countless patients. 

You will also read about the important strides Scripps Research scientists are making in understanding the complexity of the body’s metabolism and how it relates to health and disease. This research is revealing new insights into metabolic disorders, weight control and eating habits, and paving the way for the development of drugs and other interventions to treat some of the most common health conditions of our time. 

In an interview with Xin Jin, an assistant professor of neuroscience, she explains how cutting-edge tools, such as the genome-editing tool CRISPR and emerging single-cell technologies, are allowing her to study the brain in new ways. This work sheds light on the differences between the brain’s diseased and non-diseased states, which is critical for addressing neurological disorders that affect many people worldwide. 

You’ll also learn how we are translating foundational discoveries into real-world therapies, such as the switchable CAR-T cancer therapy developed by our drug discovery division Calibr. This innovative approach to immunotherapy is currently being tested in a phase 1 clinical trial, and positive preliminary results suggest this universal platform could greatly enhance the versatility and safety of these powerful cell therapies. 

These inspiring stories are just a handful of those you’ll encounter in this magazine. I hope you’ll leave these pages with an appreciation for the rich diversity of science, but also with excitement for its potential to make a difference in people’s lives.