BMB Weekly #26: June 27, 2025

 

"National Academy of Sciences elects 3 MSU faculty as new members"   "Three Michigan State University faculty members have been elected to the National Academy of Sciences this year. Christoph Benning, Jianguo "Jack" Liu and Philip Robertson are among the 120 members and 30 international members being recognized for their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research." Read the full article here.

 

 

 

 

This webinar is designed for Plan A Master’s students and all Doctoral students who intend to graduate this semester. During this workshop students will receive information regarding the following:

• How to format their thesis or dissertation correctly
• How to successfully submit their thesis or dissertation via ProQuest
• How to successfully submit required paperwork, complete their Graduate School degree requirements, and receive their diploma

Students are encouraged to review the Graduate School's Electronic Thesis and Dissertation website where current information about formatting and requirements are listed prior to attending the workshop. Learn more and register here.

Are you having a hard time getting things off your to do list? Would you benefit from a dedicated space and being around others to find motivation and productivity? If so, please join us in a structured community space for supporting goal achievement. We will start at 1pm with a brief time of connecting and sharing goals. We will then have two sessions of about 50 minutes where everyone will work on their individual goals with a 10-minute break in between. Learn more here.

Plant Cell Atlas (PCA) is a center grant affiliated with the Michigan State University Plant Resilience Institute (PRI). This panel discussion is the final installment of the Plant Cell Identity Webinar Series. This series of talks brings together experts around the world to discuss the wonders of plant cell identity. From working out how cells develop their identity to uncovering how cell states change through development and from stress, these webinars will cover how plant cell types and states are defined quantitatively and qualitatively using single-cell and spatial omics approaches. Learn more and register here.

Michigan State University Plant Resilience Institute Associate Director Dr. David Lowry is leading a five-week virtual workshop series on demystifying the academic job application process. Dr. Lowry has hosted these workshops annually since 2020 with the goal of helping trainees gain a better understanding of how to approach writing each component of an academic job package. Participants will read through successful applications, then break down what works well and does not work well piece by piece. Learn more and register here.

The MSU AGEP Learning Community is an informal environment where students from varying disciplines can gather, share their research in a 10-minute presentation, or discover that their graduate toils are not unusual. Those in attendance are privy to information regarding fellowships, career opportunities, even summer internships, pertaining to the group. Learn more and register here.

The MSU Plant Science Community is pleased to share the details of our community event for MSU attendees of ASPB’s Plant Biology 2025 conference in Milwaukee this summer! Join your fellow Michigan State University plant scientists attending Plant Biology 2025 at our community mixer! Taking place at the end of the poster session on Sunday, the event is just a short walk away from the conference at The Brewery in downtown Milwaukee. Current, former, and future Spartans are all invited to attend this casual networking event, so please help us spread the word!

What to expect:

• Food and drinks provided
• Network across disciplines and career levels
• Socialize with fellow MSU plant scientists
• Unwind after a long day at the conference
• Free to attend, no registration required

This event is organized by the MSU Plant Resilience Institute and sponsored by the MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory, Department of Horticulture, Department of Plant Biology, Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, and the Plant Resilience Institute. For questions regarding the community mixer, please contact PRI.admin@msu.edu. We hope to see you in Milwaukee this July! Learn more here.

 

This summer CIRTL is offering 3 courses and 5 workshops for graduate students and postdocs pursuing teaching careers in higher education. Anyone can register to attend programming, but participants from CIRTL member institutions and alumni will receive priority when registering for programming with limited seats; capped programming typically reaches capacity within a week of registration opening. Learn more and register here.

The 6th annual 3M RISE Symposium (Raising Influence in Science and Engineering) is accepting applications! The purpose of the symposium is to introduce emerging doctoral students in science and engineering to the wide range of rewarding careers in research and development at 3M. This is a great way for future STEM leaders to get introduced to the corporate world. Ideal applicants are expected to complete their graduate degree appointment within 24 months of the RISE event. We will accept applicants from any STEM field. Learn more and apply here.

 

Course Design Consultation provides consultation and design assistance with all MSU courses. Using a backward design framework, IT’s instructional designers can make sure that your learning objectives, assessments and content are all aligned, to provide an effective learning experience. Learn more here.

You can find the latest department news over on LinkedIn and BlueSky. Give us a follow and be sure to tag us with research updates, publications, and lab updates to help spread the word!

Hot off the press! The second University Health and Wellbeing Annual Report is now available! Explore the latest insights on how health and wellbeing was advanced on campus and delivered positive impact for the Spartan community in 2024.

The MSU Student Food Bank is a resource available to students and scholars who may be experiencing food insecurity. The Food Bank provides free food and other essential items to those in need within our MSU community. Learn more here.

 

A Research Associate position in the laboratory of Jeremy Lohman in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Michigan State University is available. The researcher in our structural biology and enzymology lab will conduct research, focusing on determining the molecular structures and enzymatic mechanisms of fatty acid and polyketide synthases. This position offers a unique opportunity for scientists to collaborate with experts, drive scientific discoveries, and publish impactful research papers. The successful candidate will perform chemical biology and structural biology experiments, analyze data, and work with a team to advance our understanding of biological processes and guide drug discovery. Mentoring undergraduate students will also be a part of this role, enhancing leadership and communication skills. Strong expertise in enzymology, structural biology, and a passion for scientific exploration are essential. This position provides an excellent platform for career development in a stimulating and innovative research environment. Learn more about this MSU Careers posting here.

The Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology (IPMB), Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan (https://ipmb.sinica.edu.tw/), invites applications for tenure-track faculty positions at all levels in the research areas of plants and plant-related microbes. Successful candidates should have research records complementary to the current IPMB research capacities or have the potential to launch a new research direction. Preference will be given, but not limited to, applicants with research experience in integrative structural biology or translational plant biology.

The mission of IPMB is to explore the functionality of plants and microbes to benefit science, agriculture, environmental sustainability, and human well-being. As a research institution funded by the central government, IPMB maintains well-equipped core facilities managed by Research Specialists/Assistants to provide state-of-the-art resources and key technical expertise for proteomics, genomics, metabolomics, bioinformatics, cell biology, and imaging. The successful candidates will receive generous startup, annual intramural funds, and external competitive grant opportunities to establish independent/collaborative research programs. Learn more and apply here.

 

 

Chen, D., Jiang, J., Hayes, N., Su, Z., & Wei, G. W. (2025). Artificial intelligence approaches for anti-addiction drug discovery. Digital discovery, 4(6), 1404–1416. https://doi.org/10.1039/d5dd00032g

Dang, D., Deogharkar, A., McKolay, J., Smith, K. S., Panwalkar, P., Hoffman, S., Tian, W., Ji, S., Azambuja, A. P., Natarajan, S. K., Lum, J., Bayliss, J., Manzeck, K., Sweha, S. R., Hamanishi, E., Pun, M., Patel, D., Rau, S., Animasahun, O., Achreja, A., … Venneti, S. (2025). Isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 primes group-3 medulloblastomas for cuproptosis. Cancer cell, 43(6), 1159–1174.e8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ccell.2025.04.013

Feng, H., Suwayyid, F., Zia, M., Wee, J., Hozumi, Y., Chen, C. L., & Wei, G. W. (2025). CAML: Commutative Algebra Machine Learning─A Case Study on Protein-Ligand Binding Affinity Prediction. Journal of chemical information and modeling, 10.1021/acs.jcim.5c00940. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jcim.5c00940

González, C. T., Martin, C., Crane, M., Gutierrez, K., Thomas, J., Remisoski, L., Okros, M., Fu, Y., Guzior, D. V., Finkhouse, D., Bridges, C., Mielke, J., Querido, G., Padillo, L., Girgis, R., McClelland, M., Conrad, D., Li, X., & Quinn, R. A. (2025). Microenvironmental Effects of a Non-Antibiotic Therapy for a Chronic Polymicrobial Infection Alter Microbial Physiology, Competition, and Virulence. The ISME journal, wraf125. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1093/ismejo/wraf125

Graf, M., Murgueitio, N., Sheridan, M. A., Quinn, R. A., Carlson, A. L., Vogel, S. C., Styner, M. A., Alex, A. M., Stephens, R. L., Roach, J., Sagarnaga, N., Mills-Koonce, W. R., Azcarate-Peril, M. A., Short, S. J., Knickmeyer, R. C., & Propper, C. B. (2025). Gut microbiome is associated with insula structure in neonates. Physiology & behavior, 115001. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115001

Hird, K., Campeciño, J. O., & Hegg, E. L. (2025). From genes to function: regulation, maturation, and evolution of cytochrome c nitrite reductase in nitrate reduction to ammonium. Applied and environmental microbiology, e0029225. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.00292-25

Kroos, L., Wall, D., Islam, S. T., Whitworth, D. E., Muñoz-Dorado, J., Higgs, P. I., Singer, M., Mauriello, E. M., Treuner-Lange, A., Søgaard-Andersen, L., Kaimer, C., Elías-Arnanz, M., Stojković, E. A., Müller, R., Volz, C., Velicer, G. J., & Nan, B. (2025). Milestones in the development of Myxococcus xanthus as a model multicellular bacterium. Journal of bacteriology, e0007125. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1128/jb.00071-25

Mostofa, M. G., Sahu, A., Xu, Y., Basrai, I., Doron, L., Lefrancois, V., & Sharkey, T. D. (2025). Cryptic isoprene emission of soybeans. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 122(24), e2502360122. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2502360122

Subramanian, S., McGuffin, H., Passage, R., Dover, J. A., & Parent, K. N. (2025). Complete genome sequence of Shigella phage Moonfish isolated from Mid-Michigan. Microbiology resource announcements, 14(6), e0125524. https://doi.org/10.1128/mra.01255-24

 

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College of Natural Science | BMB Weekly | Vol. 58, No.27