BMB Weekly #38: September 22, 2023

 

Welcome Olorunseun Ogunwobi! BMB welcomes Olorunseun "Seun" Ogunwobi as Chairperson.

 

 

Jian Hu from Michigan State University will be presenting "Structure, mechanism, and engineering of metalloproteins"

To join us on Zoom, click this link. Password: bmbseminar

The Fall BMB Seminar Series will run through December 7, 2023. The complete schedule is available on the BMB Fall Seminar Series website. If you are interested in meeting with any of these speakers please email Leslie Williams, glady@msu.edu. Many speakers are planning to visit in-person. A zoom option will continue to be offered for all seminars.

 

Join us for MPS speaker Jonathan Conway from Princeton University. The seminar will be held at 4:00 p.m. in MPS room 1200.

Jonathan’s talk is titled “Engineering Commensal Bacteria from the Rhizosphere to Elucidate Mechanisms of Plant-Microbe Interaction”. We would like to invite graduate students and postdocs to join the speaker for a lunch and discussion. Lunch will be provided at 12:00 p.m. in PLB 168. This is a great opportunity to meet our outside speaker in an informal environment. If you would like to participate in the luncheon, please RSVP to Keri Morris (morrisk@msu.edu) with any dietary restrictions by Friday September 22, 2023 at noon. All students and post docs who are interested in this week’s seminar topic are welcome to attend. You do not need to be in the MPS program or affiliated with an MPS faculty member.

The Dean of the Graduate School, Pero Dagbovie, invites graduate students to join him and his graduate school colleagues for lunch and conversation in Chittenden Hall along the beautiful and historic Laboratory Row. This unique opportunity allows Graduate Students the chance to connect with the Graduate School leadership and staff in a relaxed and informal lunch setting. Connect about career and school journeys, gain understanding of The Graduate School programs that empower graduate student success and engage in candid discussions about university and student life. Learn more and register here.

COGS invites you to join us at Fosters Coffee at 196 Albert Ave, downtown East Lansing. Drop by for a hot beverage, treats and conversation! Check out the full schedule here.

Writing an effective research statement is an important first step to move you from being an "applicant" to an "interviewee". During this session, participants will engage in a discussion about strategies for preparing an effective research statement that leverages your experiences and demonstrates your potential. Learn more and register here.

The PhD unemployment rate is the lowest for any type of degree, but the rumor mill says otherwise. What’s up with that? Career planning and management for those with advanced academic degrees is often haphazard, at best. With a better understanding of the actual career options for scientists and scholars, you can make sure you get to the end of your educational process with a plan for a career that will excite you. Learn more and register here.

This interactive writing workshop is designed to help students develop an individualized plan for understanding graduate school more generally and graduate writing more specifically. It will concentrate on understanding the transition to graduate school, navigating master’s degree coursework and graduation options (thesis, exams, portfolios, etc.), locating and using professional and personal support resources, and writing for both the degree and future job. Learn more and register here.

The MSU AGEP Program is conducting a workshop series that will present NSF GRFP program information and provide structured practice to create competitive GRFP application. Students will participate in a 5-part series that will include an overview of the GRFP and application process, first-hand advice from GRFP reviewers and recent awardees, and two interactive sessions to review and revise their application documents. Learn more and register here.

 

This fellowship is awarded in honor of Dr. Karen Klomparens, Dean of the Graduate School and Associate Provost for Graduate Education at MSU from 1997 until 2014, in honor of her unwavering commitment to graduate education. Applicants should be enrolled in masters or doctoral programs at MSU in any discipline including professional degree programs. Learn more and apply here.

Enrolled MSU graduate students in good standing studying or research any discipline related to human environment and design, including, but not limited, to interior design, retailing, and apparel and textile design are eligible to apply for the fellowship. A maximum of six fellowships will be awarded to the recipients. Learn more and apply here.

 

Eligible to undergraduates, graduates, and professional students enrolled in Fall/Spring semester and without a dining plan. Fruits, soups, pasta, rice, protein, cereal, bread, and fresh produce available year-round! To learn more about visiting the MSU Foodbank, or to donate, visit here.

BoT is a monthly community outreach event during which two scientists give 15–20-minute non-technical talks on topics in biology to the public at a local pub. In addition to engaging in the presentations, the audience can participate in trivia related to the talks for a chance to win prizes! 2023-2024 BoT will be held at Michigan Wildlife Conservancy's Wildlife Pub on the first Thursday of each month at 7 PM, starting in October. That said, we are currently looking for speakers! Talks can be about any topic in biology that interests you and we will work to pair speakers together under a common theme. Scientists at any stage in their career are encouraged to speak. Learn more and register here.

BioRender is a cutting-edge, scientific graphic software designed to revolutionize the way the scholars communicate their research findings. Many faculty and students across the MSU research community are already using this exciting tool and have found great value in it. The Office of Research and Innovation is excited to offer BioRender at the subsidized rate of $100 per year, providing faculty and students with an affordable solution to create stunning, publication-quality graphics that effectively convey complex scientific concepts. Learn more here.

To help field questions, Global Safety has developed a guide with recommended steps and resources. This is available as a PDF and on the Global Safety website at www.globalsafety.msu.edu/positive-COVID-19. The first step is to call ISOS for guidance.

 

We are seeking a highly motivated and dedicated postdoctoral researcher to join our cryo-electron microscopy (Cryo-EM) research lab. The successful candidate will work collaboratively with the Dr. Kim team to advance our understanding of mechanism of post-translational membrane protein targeting to the ER membrane. The position offers an opportunity to contribute to research projects focused on structural elucidation of macromolecular complexes using cryo-EM, and characterization of kinetics of assembly and disassembly of dynamic protein complexes. The ideal candidate will have a Ph.D. in structural biology, biophysics, biochemistry, or a related field, a strong background in protein biochemistry, and a track record of productive research. Experience with cryo-EM is preferred but not required. Learn more about this MSU Careers posting and apply at this link.

A Postdoctoral Research Associate position is available in the laboratory of Melanie Balbach in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. The Research Associate will focus on the metabolic changes and underlying regulatory pathways in the male germ cell during activation and during zygote development. Opportunities for professional development include participation in grant proposal writing, attending and presenting at scientific research symposiums and conferences, networking with other scientists within and outside MSU as well as mentoring of undergraduate and graduate students. Learn more about this MSU Careers posting and apply at this link.

The Rhee lab is hiring undergraduate researchers to investigate plant adaptive strategies to extreme environmental conditions such as drought and heat stress. We focus on metabolic traits at multiple scales including individual genes, pathways, and networks. Current work would assist in growing, genotyping, and transforming plants; developing phenotypic assays for plant growth and seed germination; live cell imaging and microscopy; data collection and analysis; and media preparation. This position has the potential for multi-year, part-time employment in the Rhee lab as well as the possibility to develop your own research projects. If interested, please send a description of how your interests align with our lab, your resume, and your availability to Sterling Field (fieldst4@msu.edu).

The Department of Biology at Colgate University invites applications for a tenure-stream position in molecular biology at the rank of Assistant Professor beginning fall semester 2024. The successful candidate will join a biology faculty committed to innovative teaching and undergraduate-accessible research in a liberal-arts setting. The successful candidate is expected to develop a productive independent research program in molecular biology or genetics with a preference for laboratory-based research. The individual hired will team teach in a foundations course called Molecules, Cells, and Genes; elective courses in molecular biology or genetics; and a senior research tutorial in their area of interest. Learn more and apply here.

 

Arias, C. L., García Navarrete, L. T., Mukundi, E., Swanson, T., Yang, F., Hernandez, J., Grotewold, E., & Alonso, A. P. (2023). Metabolic
         and transcriptomic study of pennycress natural variation identifies targets for oil improvement. Plant biotechnology journal, 21(9), 1887–1903                                  https://doi.org/10.1111/pbi.14101

Boger, B. L., Manfredi, J. M., Loucks, A. R., Salamey, M. Z., Kapeller, L. E., Fricano, A. G., Winkler, A., Yob, C., & Colbath, A. C. (2023).
         Intra-articular triamcinolone acetonide injection results in increases in systemic insulin and glucose concentrations in horses without insulin                                   dysregulation. Equine veterinary journal, 10.1111/evj.14003. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.14003

Chen, J., Woldring, D. R., Huang, F., Huang, X., & Wei, G. W. (2023). Topological deep learning based deep mutational scanning.
         Computers in biology and medicine, 164, 107258. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compbiomed.2023.107258

Feng, H., Wang, R., Zhan, C. G., & Wei, G. W. (2023). Multiobjective Molecular Optimization for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Using
         Generative Network Complex. Journal of medicinal chemistry, 66(17), 12479–12498. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c01053

Heyza, J. R., Mikhova, M., & Schmidt, J. C. (2023). Live cell single-molecule imaging to study DNA repair in human cells. DNA repair, 
         129, 103540. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dnarep.2023.103540

Johnson, L. Y. D., Major, I. T., Chen, Y., Yang, C., Vanegas-Cano, L. J., & Howe, G. A. (2023). Diversification of JAZ-MYC signaling function
         in immune metabolism. The New phytologist, 239(6), 2277–2291. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.19114

Khatri, K., O'Malley, A., Linn, C., Kowal, K., & Chruszcz, M. (2023). Role of Small Molecule Ligands in IgE-Mediated Allergy. Current allergy
         and asthma reports, 23(9), 497–508. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11882-023-01100-2

Kulke, M., Olson, D. M., Huang, J., Kramer, D. M., & Vermaas, J. V. (2023). Long-Range Electron Transport Rates Depend on Wire
         Dimensions in Cytochrome Nanowires. Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany), e2304013. Advance online publication.                                                      https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202304013

Li, X., Chou, M. Y., Bonito, G. M., & Last, R. L. (2023). Anti-fungal bioactive terpenoids in the bioenergy crop switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)
         may contribute to ecotype-specific microbiome composition. Communications biology, 6(1), 917. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-023-05290-3

Sarkar, D., Lee, H., Vant, J. W., Turilli, M., Vermaas, J. V., Jha, S., & Singharoy, A. (2023). Adaptive Ensemble Refinement of Protein
         Structures in High Resolution Electron Microscopy Density Maps with Radical Augmented Molecular Dynamics Flexible Fitting. Journal of chemical                       information and modeling, 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c00350. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jcim.3c00350

Sharaf, A., Ndiribe, C. C., Omotoriogun, T. C., Abueg, L., Badaoui, B., Badiane Markey, F. J., Beedessee, G., Diouf, D., Duru, V. C., Ebuzome,
         C., Eziuzor, S. C., Jaufeerally Fakim, Y., Formenti, G., Ghanmi, N., Guerfali, F. Z., Houaga, I., Ideozu, J. E., Katee, S. M., Khayi, S., Kuja, J. O., …                         Ebenezer, T. E. (2023). Bridging the gap in African biodiversity genomics and bioinformatics. Nature biotechnology, 41(9), 1348–1354.                                           https://doi.org/10.1038/s41587-023-01933-2

 

 

To provide feedback or submit content, please email bmb.web@msu.edu. Don't forget to follow us on social media!

College of Natural Science | BMB Weekly | Vol. 56, No.38