Blake essay recognized by Lasker Foundation
Writer advocates for global equity in microbiome research
Blake
Kevin Blake, PhD, scientific editor in the Department of Pathology & Immunology’s Division of Laboratory and Genomic Medicine at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, has been honored for an essay he wrote titled “Missing Microbiomes: Global Underrepresentation Restricts Who Research Will Benefit.” The piece calls for scientists to increase representation of understudied populations in microbiome research.
Blake’s essay was one of five selected by the Lasker Foundation as part of its international 2024 Essay Contest. The foundation is a nonprofit aimed at supporting biomedical research, public health advocacy and educational initiatives. The contest recognizes early-career scientists and clinicians, awarding each winner $5,000 to be used toward educational expenses. The essayists were asked to “identify a specific unmet need in biomedical knowledge or a scientific question that is insufficiently addressed in biomedical research today.”
Blake, who was a postdoctoral researcher when he penned the essay, said his writing was inspired by the dedication to science and concern for health equity demonstrated by his thesis adviser, Gautam Dantas, PhD, the Conan Professor of Laboratory and Genomic Medicine. He also attributed the award to doctoral training from Washington University faculty in the Division of Biology & Biomedical Sciences and the Plant and Microbial Biosciences Program in Arts & Sciences.
The winning essays will be published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation and also will appear on the Lasker Foundation website.
