BMB Weekly #35: September 6, 2024

 

"Eric Hegg recommended as dean of MSU’s College of Natural Science" Read the full article here. "Sugary Surprise nets UURAF Grand Prize" Featuring Coral Brock and Rachel Kerwin. Read the full article here.

 

 

Alex Dickson from Michigan State University will be presenting "Adventures in pharmacological biophysics".

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

The Fall BMB Seminar Series will run through December 5, 2024. 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.

 

COGS will be at the latest Spartan Nature Walk hosted by the Department of Forestry. Meet at the East entrance located on Bogue Street, next to the Life Science Bldg. Our graduate student guide will be showing participants the beauty of our MSU natural areas while sharing lots of interesting facts about the Woodlot. And for those interested, we'll learn how to use the free app, iNaturalist/Seek. Check this site for details on upcoming Spartan Nature Walks and sign up here for Spartan Nature Walk updates. 

Join us for MPS speaker Georg Jander from Boyce Thompson Institute. The seminar will be held at 4:00PM in room BCH 101.

Georg's talk is titled “Maize defense and growth regulation by COI F-box proteins.” 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 6, 2024 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.

In this workshop series, STEM undergraduate and graduate 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. The introductory workshop will provide an overview of the GRFP award and the benefits. In addition, the workshop will provide a hands-on personal statement writing opportunity for preparation for fellowship applications. Learn more and register here.

MSU Innovations is offering NatSci a fall 1-credit graduate course, Science & Technology Commercialization: Patents, Product Development and Start-Ups, that will meet five times, 3 hours each time this semester (Thursdays, 3-6 p.m.), that will focus on entrepreneurship, developed explicitly for STEM graduate students. Whether or not a student may plan to start a business, this will be a useful course as students consider career options and if students have interest in becoming even more tech-transfer savvy.

The course is cross-listed under three of our departments- STT990, GLG897, and CEM987-003. Students may sign up for whichever section they prefer. The course is limited to 30 participants. Contact Dr. Angela K. Wilson (akwilson@msu.edu) for more information.

Since 2010, MSU has observed the week starting on the third Monday in September to acknowledge the work and dedication of postdoctoral scholars and researchers. To celebrate, there will be events and activities throughout this week, including an ice cream social, sport outings, and more. Learn more and register here.

The Integrative Pharmacological Sciences Training Program (IPSTP) Annual Retreat will be held on September 26th from 9 AM - 4 PM. It will feature student speakers, a poster session, and a Keynote from Dr. Rick Neubig. Lunch and an afternoon reception is included. Everyone from the MSU community whose research includes or is relevant to pharmacology is welcome to attend and present a poster! This includes students (graduate and undergraduate), postdocs, research assistants/technicians, and faculty. Poster presenters are eligible for poster awards, given at the end of day reception. Learn more and submit an abstract here.

With a mission to share the latest, most impactful research findings in the molecular life sciences, the ASBMB Annual Meeting offers an exciting agenda that includes talks by the field's foremost experts, interactive workshops on the latest trends, technologies and techniques, and an invigorating exhibition of posters, services and products. The meeting attracts researchers in academia and industry, educators, trainees and students from across the globe. It offers unparalleled opportunities for collaborating, networking and recruiting. ASBMB members are invited to submit proposals for interest group sessions and workshops for the 2025 ASBMB Annual Meeting. Learn more and submit a proposal here.

 

VentureWell envisions a world in which science and technology innovators have the support, training, and access to networks and resources they need to solve the world’s most difficult problems. VentureWell’s E-Team Program helps student inventors make an impact on the world. The E-Team Program, part of the VentureWell Accelerator, supports student ventures as you embark down the path you’re likely to take as an innovator and entrepreneur. We help you advance your invention through a powerful mix of up to $25,000 in grant funding, entrepreneurship training, mentorship by dedicated staff, national recognition, and networking with peers and industry experts. Link to opportunity: https://venturewell.org/e-team-program/.

For more information, please contact Jess Bitting (bitting7@msu.edu). If you are interested in learning about additional foundation funding opportunities, please visit the MSU Foundation Relations website. 

 

The CIRTL (Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning) Network has released offerings for Fall 2024. These workshops and courses will help attendees with their writing, interview prep, and more. Learn more here.

The MSU Department of Police and Public Safety has released an online Active Violence Incident Awareness Training program that is available for students, faculty, and staff. This training includes a presentation explaining how to respond during an active violence situation. Throughout the training, knowledge checkpoint questions will appear on screen to evaluate participants’ understanding of the content. In addition, a video is in development, which will be included in the training at a later time. Learn more 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.

 

We seek to recruit a highly motivated and skilled postdoctoral researcher with training in molecular biology, plant genetics, or cell biology. The project will leverage recent advances in microscopy, genetics, and physiology to understand molecular mechanisms of dehydration and desiccation tolerance in Arabidopsis. This project is part of a recently funded NSF Biology Integration Institute called Water and Life Interface Institute (WALII, pronounced “Wally”). WALII studies how life interacts with water, from the molecular to the organismal level, across plants, fungi, and animals. WALII is a virtual institute, with scientists located at nine research facilities across the United States. Working together, WALII team members aim to uncover the rules by which organisms interact with water. The candidate selected for this position will be working primarily on Theme 2. Learn more about this MSU Careers posting and apply at this link.

 

Brose, J., Hamilton, J. P., Schlecht, N., Zhao, D., Mejía-Ponce, P. M., Pérez, A. C., Vaillancourt, B., Wood, J. C., Edger, P. P., Montes-Hernandez, S., de Rosas, G. O., Hamberger, B., Jaramillo, A. C., & Buell, C. R. (2024). Chromosome-scale Salvia hispanica L. (Chia) genome assembly reveals rampant Salvia interspecies introgression. The plant genome, e20494. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1002/tpg2.20494

Cavuzic, M. T., de Sousa, A. S., Lohman, J. R., & Waldrop, G. L. (2024). Kinetic characterization of the C-terminal domain of Malonyl-CoA reductase. Biochimica et biophysica acta. Proteins and proteomics, 1872(5), 141033. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbapap.2024.141033

Chen, J., Xu, Y., Yang, X., Cang, Z., Geng, W., & Wei, G. W. (2024). Poisson-Boltzmann-based machine learning model for electrostatic analysis. Biophysical journal, 123(17), 2807–2814. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpj.2024.02.008

Cholico, G.N., Nault, R. & Zacharewski, T. Cell-specific AHR-driven differential gene expression in the mouse liver cell following acute TCDD exposure. BMC Genomics 25, 809 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-024-10730-3

Chu, Y. H., Lee, Y. S., Gomez-Cano, F., Gomez-Cano, L., Zhou, P., Doseff, A. I., Springer, N., & Grotewold, E. (2024). Molecular mechanisms underlying gene regulatory variation of maize metabolic traits. The Plant cell, 36(9), 3709–3728. https://doi.org/10.1093/plcell/koae180

Goff, N. J., Mikhova, M., Schmidt, J. C., & Meek, K. (2024). DNA-PK: A synopsis beyond synapsis. DNA repair, 141, 103716. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dnarep.2024.103716

Gomez, L., Jiang, N., & Grotewold, E. (2024). Extraction and Quantification of Phenolic Compounds in Maize. Cold Spring Harbor protocols, 10.1101/pdb.prot108576. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1101/pdb.prot108576

Jiang, N., Gomez, L., & Grotewold, E. (2024). Extraction and Quantification of Total Anthocyanins, Determination of Anthocyanidin Core Structures, and Characterization of Specific Anthocyanins from Maize. Cold Spring Harbor protocols, 10.1101/pdb.prot108577. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1101/pdb.prot108577

Jiang, N., & Grotewold, E. (2024). Flavonoids and Derived Anthocyanin Pigments in Plants-Structure, Distribution, Function, and Methods for Quantification and Characterization. Cold Spring Harbor protocols, 10.1101/pdb.top108516. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1101/pdb.top108516

Kopriva, S., Rahimzadeh Karvansara, P., & Takahashi, H. (2024). Adaptive modifications in plant sulfur metabolism over evolutionary time. Journal of experimental botany, 75(16), 4697–4711. https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/erae252

Lin, G., Barnes, C. O., Weiss, S., Dutagaci, B., Qiu, C., Feig, M., Song, J., Lyubimov, A., Cohen, A. E., Kaplan, C. D., & Calero, G. (2024). Structural basis of transcription: RNA polymerase II substrate binding and metal coordination using a free-electron laser. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 121(36), e2318527121. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2318527121

Liu, H., Zhao, H., Zhang, Y., Li, X., Zuo, Y., Wu, Z., Jin, K., Xian, W., Wang, W., Ning, W., Liu, Z., Zhao, X., Wang, L., Sage, R. F., Lu, T., Stata, M., & Cheng, S. (2024). The genome of Eleocharis vivipara elucidates the genetics of C3-C4 photosynthetic plasticity and karyotype evolution in the Cyperaceae. Journal of integrative plant biology, 10.1111/jipb.13765. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/jipb.13765

Rafnsdottir, S., Jang, K., Halldorsdottir, S. T., Vinod, M., Tomasdottir, A., Möller, K., Halldorsdottir, K., Reynisdottir, T., Atladottir, L. H., Allison, K. E., Ostacolo, K., He, J., Zhang, L., Northington, F. J., Magnusdottir, E., Chavez-Valdez, R., Anderson, K. J., & Bjornsson, H. T. (2024). SMYD5 is a regulator of the mild hypothermia response. Cell reports, 43(8), 114554. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114554

Raju, A. S., Kramer, D. M., & Versaw, W. K. (2024). Genetically manipulated chloroplast stromal phosphate levels alter photosynthetic efficiency. Plant physiology, 196(1), 385–396. https://doi.org/10.1093/plphys/kiae241

Shiroda, M., Franovic, C. G., de Lima, J., Noyes, K., Babi, D., Beltran-Flores, E., Kesh, J., McKay, R. L., Persson-Gordon, E., Cooper, M. M., Long, T. M., Schwarz, C. V., & Stoltzfus, J. R. (2024). Examining and Supporting Mechanistic Explanations Across Chemistry and Biology Courses. CBE life sciences education, 23(3), ar38. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.23-08-0157

Walker, B., Schmiege, S. C., & Sharkey, T. D. (2024). Re-evaluating the energy balance of the many routes of carbon flow through and from photorespiration. Plant, cell & environment, 47(9), 3365–3374. https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.14949

Wee, J., & Wei, G. W. (2024). Evaluation of AlphaFold 3's Protein-Protein Complexes for Predicting Binding Free Energy Changes upon Mutation. Journal of chemical information and modeling, 64(16), 6676–6683. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jcim.4c00976

 

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College of Natural Science | BMB Weekly | Vol. 57, No.35