Melissa Vaught, PhD
Melissa Vaught, PhD, is the Research Navigator for ITHS. In this role, Dr. Vaught provides personalized guidance to ITHS and related resources for investigators, fellows, and students conducting clinical and translational research. She also engages in outreach to introduce and promote ITHS to small groups, departments, and centers at partner and collaborating institutions. Dr. Vaught oversees the work of ITHS regional navigators, liaisons who connect their local institutions to ITHS as part of a program in the Office of Expanding Regional Collaboration. She contributes to additional initiatives within ITHS.
Dr. Vaught earned her PhD in Chemistry at Vanderbilt University and continued research at the interface of biology and chemistry as a postdoctoral fellow in Boston, MA. As a contractor at the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) for almost four years, she managed daily operations of post-publication projects and conducted research on post-publication events affecting the biomedical literature. Dr. Vaught has strong interests in supporting conduct and communication of research, and scientists’ pursuits of varied career paths. She served as editor-in-chief for the National Postdoctoral Association newsletter for two years and currently sits on the editorial board for the American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.