BMB Weekly #13: March 27, 2026

 

 

 

 

 

Eunhee Yi from Michigan State University will be presenting the lecture titled "The role of focal oncogene amplifications in the tumor microenvironment".

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

The Spring BMB Seminar Series will run through April 23, 2026. The complete schedule is available on the BMB Spring 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.

 

 

We’d like to offer you the opportunity to get outside, explore nature, go for a walk, and inhale some nice, fresh air. So we bring you, Spartan Nature Walks. Our department tree experts are full of fun facts and will guide you throughout Baker Woodlot for some peace of mind.

The walks begin at the East entrance to the woodlot on Bogue Street, next to the Life Science building, and take place from 1-2 PM. Learn more here.

The MSU Science Festival is a free annual celebration of science, fueled by some of the basic elements essential to scientific inquiry: curiosity, wonder, and discovery. With events for the whole family to enjoy, the MSU Science Festival explores topics ranging from the ordinary to the extraordinary. From astronomy to music, and chemistry to microbiology; scientists and educators across the state are eager to share the wonder of science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics. Learn more here.

The Research Facilitation Network (RFN) is hosting its first AI Research Showcase on April 1 in the MSU Library from 3 to 5 PM as a forum for researchers across campus to share their stories, successes, and struggles with using AI. Presentations come from a variety of disciplines and are tailored to focus on components of their work that are appropriate for as broad of an audience as possible. View the list of presenters and register here.

If you have attended the CCTI or any of our workshops for preparing a Teaching Statement, or Research Statement, this Scaffolding session is for you! Please join us to continue progressing on your materials. Prior to joining, please identify your needs and set goals to complete your work. Learn more and register here.

The thought of working with the media can be daunting. The How to Amplify Your Work through Media & PR workshop provides tips and techniques for successful media interviews, including what journalists are looking for during an interview. Participants learned about:

• Developing and preparing your key messages using straightforward language.
• Staying on message and controlling the interview with media.
• Handling tough questions from TV, news, and radio journalists.
• Working with The Conversation, a media outlet that publishes faculty experts as authors.

Learn more and register here.

Learn the exciting and latest science from the 2026 Biochemistry Poster Presentations. Join us for presentations, food, and drink. Presentations will be held in the Molecular Plant Sciences Atrium (across the street from the Biochemistry building). Come support our Undergraduates!

The 2026 Plant Resilience Institute (PRI) All-Hands Retreat will take place May 6-7, 2026, at the Michigan State University Multicultural Center. This event will provide an opportunity to meet other PRI members, share research, and establish common interests to facilitate collaborations.

PRI will be celebrating its ten-year anniversary in 2026! In honor of this landmark occasion, we are inviting PRI alumni and key stakeholders to join us on the first day of the retreat. We are also pleased to welcome Professor of Agronomy Dr. Ignacio Ciampitti from Purdue University as our keynote speaker. The PRI Scientific Advisory Board (SAB), Richard Dixon, Mary Lou Guerinot, Jan Leach, Corné Pieterse, and Anne Sylvester, will join us for the duration of the retreat to evaluate PRI’s research programs, progress, and impact. Learn more and register here.

 

The Aitch Foundation and Michigan State University’s Office of Research and Innovation invite applications for graduate assistantships in cancer research. Eligible applicants must be current graduate students at Michigan State University who are conducting research in one of the following programmatic areas:

• Early cancer detection and diagnostics
• Genetic and cellular changes contributing to tumor development
• The identification of new cancer targets or therapeutic agents

Learn more and apply here.

Ph.D. students selected for this 12-month fellowship will collaborate with a Lyman Briggs College faculty member on a research project focused on undergraduate teaching and learning. Research topics may include developing and assessing curricular innovations such as inquiry-based labs, interdisciplinary teaching, science ethics, teaching with case studies, and strategies to improve retention and success of diverse STEM students. Each Fellow will work closely with their faculty mentor and receive support to share project outcomes through peer-reviewed journals, conferences, and pedagogy-focused venues. Learn more and register here.

 

The Spartan Community Survey assesses the experiences of students, staff and faculty by exploring topics such as culture, inclusion, and satisfaction. Launching in Spring 2026, the survey will help identify strengths and areas for improvement to support the success of all Spartans. Learn more here.

SPARTANfit is celebrating March Madness with a limited-time offer for MSU students. From now through May 1, students can receive a Comprehensive Fitness Assessment for only $10 (50% off). This assessments gives students a snapshot of their physical health through resting and exercising tests, personalized fitness profiles, and support with goal setting. Book your fitness assessment no later than May 1 to score this limited-time deal. 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!

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.

 

The Topp lab (within the MSU Plant Resilience Institute and Departments of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences and Plant Biology) is seeking a project administrator to support a new multi-institutional research project funded by the U.S. Department of Energy ARPA-E. This role will play a central part in coordinating the SYNCORNET project, which brings together a multidisciplinary team to develop plant genetic and biological solutions that synchronize nitrogen supply and demand in corn agriculture, reduce synthetic nitrogen inputs, and lower greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining yield. The project manager will coordinate the scientific, administrative, and reporting activities of SYNCORNET across partner institutions, ensuring that project milestones, budgets, and compliance requirements are met over the four-year project period. Learn more about this MSU Careers posting here.

The appointee is to provide skilled, specialized assistance to faculty, staff, and students in fluorescence microscopy as well as areas of the applicant’s scientific expertise. Establish, promote, and participate in collaborative research projects with department faculty, staff, and students. Pursue funding as collaborator and co-investigator with department faculty on extramural and intramural grants. Help develop programs involving essential equipment, animals, cell culture models, microorganisms, and facilities for supporting collaborative projects, in consultation with the Chair. Serve on the instructional support staff and participate in the graduate and medical educational mission of the department. Oversee select department core facilities and equipment, including providing user training, oversight, and maintenance. Coordinate relocation of equipment and research space according to department needs in consultation with Chair. Learn more and apply here.

The post-doctoral scholar will be responsible for assessing the data available for publications. Working with the PI, the fellow will perform or oversee data collection to complete 2-3 manuscripts that center around immune-oncology projects ongoing in the laboratory. Experiments will be primarily focused on in vitro or ex vivo data collections. In particular, molecular biology experience is a requirement and experience with metabolomics is an additional benefit. Learn more about this MSU Careers posting here.

Looking for Your Next Step? Check Out the Postdoc Opportunities Board

This free online resource connects you with postdoc positions at 18 world-leading institutions across 11 states. Explore openings and access advice to help you find the right postdoc position to thrive and succeed. Start your search today and take the next step in your career! Learn more here.

Basyal, B., Li, X., Pargulski, V. J., Fu, X., Nightingale, N. M., Overmyer, K. A., Coon, J. J., Zhang, Y., Benucci, G. M. N., Last, R. L., Sato, T. K., & Walker, B. J. (2026). Developmentally specific physiological and metabolic responses support drought resilience in switchgrass and constrain biofuel yield. Journal of experimental botany, 77(6), 1888–1902. https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/eraf533

Blanco-Gonzalez, A., Betancourt, W., Snyder, R. M., Zhang, S., Giese, T. J., Piskulich, Z. A., Götz, A. W., Merz, K. M., Jr, York, D. M., Aktulga, H. M., & Manathunga, M. (2026). Automated Force Field Developer and Optimizer Platform: Torsion Reparameterization. Journal of chemical information and modeling, 66(6), 3206–3219. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jcim.6c00528

Dobson, G., & Balbach, M. (2026). Stable isotope labelling mass spectrometry analysis of isolated mouse sperm. Biology of reproduction, 114(3), 755–772. https://doi.org/10.1093/biolre/ioag022

Ghazy, M. A., Chodavarapu, S., Ramcharan, S., Stowell, G. A., Kaguni, J. M., & Sutton, M. D. (2026). The loop domains of the E. coli β sliding clamp are required for Hda-dependent inactivation of DnaA. Genetics, iyag065. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1093/genetics/iyag065

He, Q., Zheng, J., Jin, J., Wang, Z., Zhang, W., Han, L., Xu, X., Feng, S., Zhou, Y., Shi, K., Yu, J., Last, R. L., & Fan, P. (2026). Functional diversification of WRINKLED3 integrates fatty acid metabolism with insecticidal acylsugar production in Solanaceae species. Nature communications, 10.1038/s41467-026-70439-7. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-70439-7

Sharma, N., Sharkey, T. D., & Brandizzi, F. (2026). Mitochondrial β-carbonic anhydrase is a conserved metabolic rheostat for branched-chain amino acid catabolism and metabolic flexibility. The New phytologist, 10.1111/nph.71056. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.71056

Splichal, R. C., Chan, C., & Walton, S. P. (2026). Endoplasmic reticulum stress induced autophagy alters cellular processing of cationic lipid delivered siRNAs. Drug delivery and translational research, 10.1007/s13346-026-02096-8. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13346-026-02096-8

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