KU Molecular Biosciences

Yinglong Miao received a competitive NSF Major Research Instrumentation grant with Brian Laird (PI, Chemistry), Ward Thompson (Chemistry), and Suzanne Shontz (Electrical Engineering and Computer Science). It will allow us to purchase a high-performance computing cluster nicknamed “BigJay” for science and engineering research at the University of Kansas.

Joanna Slusky was named an associate editor for PloS Computational Biology.

The KU Office of Research recently established the KU Center for Genomics. The mission of the center is to coalesce genomic researchers from across the campus. Activities include seminars, symposia, a postdoctoral fellowship, early career mentoring, and pilot grants. Rob Unckless (associate professor) will be the director of the center and Erik Lundquist (professor) will serve on the advisory board. A website will be published soon at genomics.ku.edu.

David Davido and Rob Unckless were awarded an NSF EAGER grant entitled “Toward a tractable genetic model of a DNA virus – Drosophila interaction”.

The Center for Biomedical Research Excellence in Chemical Biology of Infectious Disease (COBRE CBID) funding has been renewed for the next five years. Scott Hefty was recently awarded the competitive renewal grant by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). He will work in association with John Tunge (professor) of the Department of Chemistry, as well as with other researchers from KU and other academic institutions in Kansas. Together, they will continue to encourage research scientists to conduct research in the chemical biology of infectious disease field.

Erik Lundquist is recipient of The Grant Goodman Undergraduate Mentor Award, recognizing faculty members who are selfless with their time and experience, and continue to have lasting mentoring relationships with students long after they leave the classroom.

Berl Oakley has been elected an American Society for Cell Biology Fellow.

Elizabeth Everman is Principal Investigator on a new NIH Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00) entitled “Linking Genomic, Physiological and Behavioral Responses using a Drosophila Model of Heavy Metal Stress”. This highly competitive NIH program provides independent support to help outstanding postdoctoral researchers transition to an independent academic research career. Dr. Everman also received matching funds provided by the KU Office of Research to support her K99/R00 project. Dr. Everman will continue her investigations into the effects of copper toxicity, assisted by Dr. Macdonald, and leverage several genetic and genomic resources available in the Macdonald group.

Jessie Perlmutter received a DeLill Nasser award for Professional Development in Genetics from the Genetics Society of America (GSA).