Dr. Rays Jiang, a USF College of Public Health associate professor who pioneered the first genomics lab at the university, has been awarded the Dr. Kathleen Moore Faculty Excellence Award by USF’s Women in Leadership & Philanthropy (WLP).

Each year, the Dr. Kathleen Moore Faculty Excellence Award is presented to six female USF faculty members who demonstrate achievements in research, instructional excellence and the mentoring and engagement of students.

The WLP was formed in 2005 with the intent of making a difference in the lives of women at USF and in the surrounding communities. Since its founding, WLP has given students and faculty over $3 million in scholarships and research awards.

Jiang was selected for the award based on her research studying cell metabolism (chemical reactions that occur in cells) and its impacts on human health and diseases.

“Cell metabolism addresses women’s health in three different domains: women’s cancer, women’s anemia and malaria in pediatrics and pregnancy,” Jiang said.

She and her team have recently found that a group of cell metabolites (substances the body makes or uses when it breaks down food, chemicals, tissue, etc.) can be targeted, meaning they can be acted on selectively by a drug, virus, hormone, etc.

“These metabolites in humans, called porphyrins, are among the most ancient molecules evolved on earth for billions of years, and they can hold the key to solving urgent human health problems,” Jiang explained. “Porphyrins are as old as life itself, and we are the first to discover that they perform certain functions in humans and can be targeted.”

Jiang noted that current therapies for a variety of diseases, including cancer, can have toxic effects.

“Targeting these newly discovered metabolites could provide entirely novel therapies,” she said. “They may provide solutions for combating cancer and malaria and work to protect women’s health.”

As part of her award, Jiang was given a $5,000 research grant.

“I am honored to join the broad and diverse community of the Dr. Kathleen Moore Faculty Excellence Award community,” Jiang said. “My skills are in genomics and biomedical sciences, while other scientists are experts in entirely different aspects of social science, education and community engagement. My hope is that we can work together to safeguard women’s well-being and give them more opportunities to live healthy lives.”

Story by Donna Campisano, USF College of Public Health