Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the way scientists approach discovery, creating new opportunities to answer complex biological questions with greater speed and precision and fueling innovations that will ultimately improve human health. For five years, the School of Medicine Basic Sciences Brighter Ventures Student Award has provided additional stipend support to high-achieving women in biomedical science Ph.D. programs so they can tap into the most modern computational tools. Alongside their rigorous scientific training, the support from the award will help prepare them to fulfill their scientific goals, accelerating discovery and shaping the future of biomedical research.
This year’s recipient of the Brighter Ventures Student Award is Victoria Howard. Howard is a fifth-year chemical and physical biology Ph.D. student in the lab of Ivelin Georgiev, the Louise B. McGavock Professor and a professor of pathology, microbiology and immunology at the School of Medicine.
Howard applies AI approaches to advance vaccine design strategies against rapidly evolving viruses, particularly seasonal influenza. Using protein language models and other machine learning strategies, Howard is designing vaccine candidates that could provide broader protection against current and future influenza strains. Her work has the potential to improve seasonal vaccine effectiveness and strengthen responses to evolving viral threats.
“This award celebrates the dedication and interdisciplinary curiosity that have driven my research throughout my training,” Howard said. “For early-career scientists, this type of recognition is incredibly motivating. It affirms that our contributions matter and encourages us to continue pursuing innovative work that can improve human health.”
Establishing a legacy of innovation
The Brighter Ventures Student Award has supported graduate students whose innovative research explores the potential of AI in biomedical science since its inception in 2022. Recipients have focused on questions of cell fate, disease screening strategies, opioid use disorder, and evolutionary and functional genomics.
Linh Trinh, the inaugural recipient and a cell and developmental biology student, said that the award came at a pivotal moment in her training. “The award provided both the resources and encouragement for me to explore an emerging area that was largely outside my expertise at the time,” she said. “What started as curiosity transformed into a long-term impact on my career journey, ultimately leading me to pursue research at the intersection of AI and biology today.”
In addition to Trinh and Howard, the other award winners are:
- 2023: Marie-Claire Harrison, biological sciences Ph.D. student in the lab of Antonis Rokas
- 2024: Leigh Anne Tang, biomedical informatics Ph.D. student in the lab of Colin Walsh
- 2025: Adoma Manful, epidemiology Ph.D. student in the lab of Melinda Aldrich
The origin story
The Brighter Ventures Student Award was established in 2022 through the generosity of Laurent Audoly, PhD’97, a Department of Pharmacology alum, and his wife Olga Granaturova, the founder and president of Brighter Ventures, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing women-led entrepreneurship.
“The future of biomedical discovery will be shaped by scientists who can bridge disciplines, combining deep biological understanding with the power of AI and computational approaches,” Granaturova said. “We created the Brighter Ventures Student Award because we believe that innovation requires diverse perspectives, curiosity, and the courage to explore new fields.”
Walter Chazin, Chancellor’s Professor of Medicine and senior associate dean of biomedical research education and training, emphasized that the Brighter Ventures award rewards forward-thinking graduate students who are carrying out their biomedical research with AI in mind. “We are incredibly grateful to Laurent and Olga, who understand the importance of putting our trainees at the forefront of the AI conversation,” Chazin said.
Audoly is a biotech executive, company builder, and the current chair of the SOMBS Council of Visitors. Granaturova is a biotech entrepreneur, company builder, and executive. Together, they bring a shared perspective as investors and leaders building life sciences companies in a rapidly evolving industry.
“We hope this award serves not only as recognition of the outstanding research happening at Vanderbilt, but also as continued encouragement for students to think boldly about what is possible,” Audoly said. “We invite the Vanderbilt community and beyond to continue investing in the next generation of innovators through mentorship, collaboration, and support for programs that expand access to opportunity.”
If you are interested in supporting the Brighter Ventures Student Award fund and future students’ work on AI, you can make a gift to the Office of Biomedical Research Education and Training.