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CSHL grad student wins International Birnstiel Award

photo of Shushan Toneyan and Peter Koo
Dr. Shushan Toneyan (left) and CSHL Assistant Professor Peter Koo (right)

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) School of Biological Sciences (SBS) graduate Shushan Toneyan has won the 2024 International Birnstiel Award for Doctoral Research in Molecular Life Sciences. A member of the SBS Class of 2024, Toneyan is one of six recipients of this year’s award. She received it in recognition of her thesis research in CSHL Assistant Professor Peter Koo’s lab.

“I feel incredibly lucky to have been part of the Koo lab and the CSHL graduate program,” Toneyan says. “I am sincerely grateful to Peter, my thesis committee members, and my lab mates for the many years of encouragement and rigorous scientific discussions. And I thank the SBS for their warm support and nomination.”

Toneyan’s doctoral work culminated in the launch of CREME, a new AI-powered virtual laboratory. With the push of a button, CREME can perform thousands of experiments to study key areas of the genome. It may one day help scientists find new therapeutic targets for genetic diseases.

“I am thrilled to congratulate Shushan on receiving this well-deserved award,” Koo says. “Her pioneering research has advanced the application of artificial intelligence in genomics. I am excited to see how her future work continues to shape our understanding of life sciences and drive innovation in healthcare.”

The International Birnstiel Award was established in 2019. It is awarded each year by the Max Birnstiel Foundation and the Research Institute of Molecular Pathology. Award winners receive a trophy, certificate, and €2,000 prize.

Written by: Nick Wurm, Communications Specialist | wurm@cshl.edu | 516-367-5940

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