Jordan Moore named NIH D-SPAN Scholar

Ohio State University biomedical engineering PhD candidate Jordan Moore has received the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Blueprint Diversity Specialized Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Advancement in Neuroscience (D-SPAN) Award.

This two-phase award supports talented graduate students from diverse backgrounds who are underrepresented in neuroscience research. The award will facilitate completion of the doctoral dissertation and transition of graduate students (F99 phase) to strong neuroscience research postdoctoral positions (K00 phase). It also will provide career development opportunities relevant to their long-term career goal of becoming independent neuroscience researchers.

A graduate research associate in Professor Daniel Gallego-Perez’s Nano-Medicine Lab, Moore’s research focuses on novel nanotechnologies for nerve tissue repair and regeneration. The Gallego-Perez lab specifically focuses on developing nanoscale-based platforms and non-viral therapeutics for wound regeneration. Moore has been applying this methodology to the nervous system. His thesis work focuses on developing and implementing gene and cell-based therapeutics, primarily through cell-reprogramming, for peripheral nerve repair.

In addition to his research, Moore mentors new graduate students and participates in and organizes activities to introduce elementary and middle school students to the STEM field.

“My long-term goal is to establish a research program around gene and cell-based therapies for cerebral palsy and motoneuron-related developmental disorders while actively engaging with the community to educate the youth of the possibilities in STEM,” he said.

Moore has received multiple awards and recognitions for his research and accomplishments, including being selected as a fellow in Purdue University’s first cohort of Black Trailblazers in Engineering.

Moore earned his bachelor’s degree in applied mathematics in 2015 and his master’s degree in biomedical engineering in 2020 from Ohio State.

To learn more about the D-SPAN Award and to view present and past awardees, visit the NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research website.