Cade Harkner (Keane lab) says his favorite molecule is RNA, which he views as the “Swiss army knife” of biology. He just had a co-first author paper published in JMB. Check it out here.
CBI Trainee Cade Harkner publishes
Senior CBI Trainee Katelyn Brown Wins Award
Medicinal Chemistry graduate student Katelyn Brown was selected for this year’s Departmental Student Citizenship Award. Nominator Graduate Studies Director Amanda Garner noted that Katelyn is highly participatory in many aspects, including the the American Chemical Society’s local student chapter. Congratulations Katelyn!
Senior CBI trainee Zoe Yeoh does scientific illustrations for EquilibriUM magazine
Zoe’s graduate research focuses on how hosts distinguish between viral RNA and their own mRNA. But she also uses her scientific knowledge to make interdisciplinary connections in science using illustration. Case in point: as an undergrad she couldn’t figure out whether to study biology, chemistry or art, so she studied and held part-time jobs in all three subjects. Enjoy her take on a cellular city on the right. (My favorite this summer is the vacuole pool, but the workout gym/mitochondria is cool too.)
CBI Annual Symposium
CBI trainee Courtney Henthorn gave a great talk at this year’s annual CBI symposium, held at UT Southwestern in Dallas. Trainees Cole Stephens, Megan Medina, Geoffrey Hewett, Caroline Spancake, and Luis Vásquez-Rivera presented posters. There may or may not have also been a fair bit of trying on 10-gallon cowboy hats afterwards.
CBI Faculty Chase Weidmann Wins Teaching Award
Biological Chemistry CBI faculty member Chase Weidmann won the EBS Teaching Award in recognition of his outstanding contributions to teaching and mentoring within the department and across the University of Michigan.
Trainee Zoe Yeoh publishes viral attenuation paper
Zoe Yeoh, her mentors Dr. Janet Smith and Dr. Melanie Ohi, and several collaborators provide new insights into ZAP-mediated attenuation of viruses in research recently published in PNAS. In cells, ZAP (zinc-finger antiviral protein) and KHNYN (KH-like and NYN domain containing protein) act together with partners to recognize and deplete viral RNA containing CpG dinucleotide clusters. Using purified recombinant proteins and biochemical assays, the researchers defined a minimal ZAP:KHNYN complex that degrades single-stranded RNA and proposed a model for how this core would interact with viral RNA that contains CpG clusters.
CBI Trainee Austin Ventura Wins Award
Senior CBI trainee Austin Ventura, working the the laboratory of John Montgomery, was recently awarded a competitive Rackham Predoctoral Fellowship. This fellowship supports outstanding doctoral students who are actively working on dissertation research and writing. Congratulations Austin!
CBI trainee Cole Stephens has research featured in the New York Times
A New York Times article this year showcased the work that trainee Cole Stephens and his colleagues are doing in the Cernak lab. As a medicinal chemist, Cole has a strong commitment to the betterment of human health, but human health and environmental health are intrinsically linked. By applying the technologies and principles of precision medicine, Cole and his group treated a Gila monster named Pebbles for a Cryptosporidium infection.
CBI Trainees Ana Martinez and Katelyn Brown awarded NSF Graduate Research Fellowships
Congratulations Ana and Katelyn! So proud of your accomplishments!
CBI Trainee Katelyn Brown College of Pharmacy Highlight
