A mentor and an advocate: Dr. Gretchen Neigh receives this year’s WISDM award

Gretchen Neigh, Ph.D., has always loved research. With a Ph.D. in neuroscience, 21 years of continuous extramural funding and more than 120 peer-reviewed publications, she is an authority in biomedical science. But what really keeps her going in academia is the opportunity to teach and mentor young researchers. Her dedication to supporting the next generation of scientists is one of many reasons she received this year’s Professional Achievement Award from VCU’s Women in Science, Dentistry and Medicine (WISDM).  

Presented by WISDM, a multidisciplinary group that aims to promote and further the professional goals of women in science at VCU, the Professional Achievement Award recognizes the achievements and contributions of women faculty at the School of Medicine. Colleagues, students and mentees of Neigh nominated her this year, describing her as “a credit to the VCU community,” with clear communication, innovative teaching methods and a lab that has a “nurturing, open and inclusive environment.”  

“I’m very honored to receive the award,” Neigh said. “The trainee letters that went in were very impactful. All I’ve ever wanted to do is make people’s lives better.”  

Neigh, a professor in the Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, explores the biological factors of risk and resilience, and has been foundational in establishing the biological basis of sex-specific stress-induced changes in risk. She said she was initially attracted to VCU because of the university’s emphasis on researchers teaching, and when she joined the School of Medicine faculty in 2016, she was eager to connect with students and postdocs, both in the lab and in the classroom.  

One course she especially enjoys teaching is on grant-writing. When she took it over from a retiring professor, she reshaped the lecture-based class to be more hands on. She shares with students details about her own journey writing grants, including the ones that were rejected.  

“In science, we really only see other people’s success, and the only failures you see are your own, which is part of what makes the field so daunting,” she said. “I show my students that for every grant I do get, there are probably nine that I don’t.”  

One nominator noted that in addition to science and grant-writing, Neigh teaches her students and postdocs practical professional skills like networking, public speaking and navigating interpersonal relationships in an academic setting. She also encourages them to advocate for themselves, ask for what they need and say “no.”  

“Especially as women, I think, it can be hard to say ‘no,’” Neigh said. “It’s ingrained in us, and that leads to people being spread too thin and burnout. I try to be cognizant of what I’m asking of my students.”  

Throughout her career, Neigh has been selected chair of the National Institutes of Health Study Section on Biobehavioral Regulation, Learning and Ethology, presented at numerous conferences in the U.S. and around the world and published a book on sex differences in physiology. Her work has been cited more than 5,500 times, she has been elected as a member of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology and been appointed director of translational research at the VCU Institute of Women’s Health. 

Arturo Saavedra, M.D., Ph.D., dean of the School of Medicine, commended Neigh for her contributions and commitment.  

“Dr. Neigh embodies the spirit of academic excellence and mentorship that defines our mission at the School of Medicine,” Saavedra said. “Her dedication to advancing research and uplifting the next generation of scientists truly enriches our entire community.” 

Send us your stories! 

The School of Medicine communications team is always looking to highlight student success, faculty achievement, cutting-edge research and innovative initiatives around the MCV Campus. If you have an idea for a story, please submit your pitch to laura.ingles@vcuhealth.org.