BMB Weekly #16: April 17, 2026

 

 

 

 

 

The 2026 Boezie Award lecture will be presented by Dr. Mark D. Sutton from University at Buffalo, SUNY.

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.

 

 

This annual conference is proudly sponsored by the University of Minnesota and the Big Ten Academic Alliance. Successful navigation of ethical challenges requires repeated and continuous engagement with Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) principles. These RCR research practices must be embedded in every stage of the research lifecycle, from initial conception and proposal development through to final publication. This free, three-day virtual conference will provide in-depth insights on how RCR intersects across all phases of the research lifecycle. Learn more and register here.

This upcoming Monday April 20, 2026 is the Anton Lang Memorial Awards and Seminar with Sheng-Yang He from Duke University as our lecturer. The title of his seminar is “Plant-pathogen interactions in a warming climate”. The seminar is being offered both in person & via Zoom. View the brochure here.

This workshop will review (i) non-disclosure agreements and (ii) the different types of intellectual property created in the academic setting namely copyrights, patents, trademarks, and trade secrets. The workshop will also introduce the participants to Export Control regulations. Export Controls are U.S. laws that regulate and restrict the release of critical technologies, information, and services to foreign nationals, within and outside of the United States, and foreign countries for reasons of foreign policy and national security. Learn more and register here.

The Graduate Leadership Fellows are collaborating with MSUFCU to host a specialized training session on financial intelligence and wellness tailored specifically for graduate students. The training will cover topics like budgeting, investing, navigating compensation/benefits, debt management, and fraud protection. Food and drinks will be served. Space is limited. All graduate & professional students are invited to attend! Learn more and register here.

The Plant Resilience Institute (PRI) hosts a bimonthly event series, PRI Networking Hour, on the second and fourth Thursday of the month during the fall and spring semesters. These hybrid workshops are open to all at MSU and focus on fostering engaging discussions on essential topics, such as responsible conduct of research, career development, writing skills, and more. Learn more and register here.

The Izzo family has partnered with Playmakers to host this premier experience on the campus of Michigan State University. The mission is to bring together MSU alumni and communities from all across the state and beyond in a shared commitment to giving back, supporting meaningful causes, and building a lasting legacy of service. The events include a 5K Run/Walk, 5K Roll, 1/2 K Walk/Roll, Kids' Races, and a Virtual 5K; all centered on fitness, fun, family, Spartan spirit, and the power of charitable impact. Learn more and sign up here.

The MSU Genetics and Genome Sciences Program is pleased to announce GGS Day 2026! This event is open to all MSU faculty, staff, and students, as well as members of neighboring institutions and the greater community. This year’s GGS Day will feature various talks, panels, workshops, poster sessions, and lunch. The full agenda can be viewed here.

Poster presenters will also have the opportunity to win exciting prizes! Please submit your abstract by April 20th to participate. To register to attend or to submit an abstract, fill out this form. Learn more here.

 

The NSF has recently posted the following funding opportunities:

• Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in Biology (PRFB): Supports postdoctoral fellowships that train early-career scientists to apply AI to biological research, advancing biotechnology innovation while preparing future leaders at the intersection of AI and biology. Proposals are due September 29, 2026.
• Leveraging Innovations From Evolution (LIFE): Supports integrative research that combines evolutionary, molecular and computational approaches to understand how living systems function and adapt, enabling future advances in biotechnology and bio-inspired innovation. Proposals are accepted anytime.
• Plant Genome Research (PGRP): Supports genome-scale plant research and the development of tools and resources that advance functional plant genomics — addressing challenges of biological, societal and economic importance. Proposals are accepted anytime.
• Tool Development for Molecular and Cell Biology (Tools4Cells): Supports development of tools and methods that help manipulate, measure or analyze critical cellular traits or functions — enabling new research areas in cell biology. Proposals are accepted anytime.

View more funding opportunities here.

 

MSU IT Educational Technology is highlighting D2L Brightspace resources, and May workshops focusing on Adobe and D2L Brightspace designed to empower instructors and enhance your courses for the end of the school year. Register on the Educational Technology Events Calendar using this link.

The Virtual Care Kit has been launched by University Health and Wellbeing. This online resource offers practical tools, coping strategies, and campus supports to help students manage stress and maintain their wellbeing as finals approach. Students can access the kit anytime and explore guidance on sleep, nutrition, routines, connection, and emotional health.

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.

 

We are looking for a talented and enthusiastic research assistant to work in the lab of Dr. Sue Rhee, a leader in plant resilience research at Michigan State University. The Rhee lab combines computational and experimental approaches to reveal molecular mechanisms underlying adaptive strategies in plants (https://www.rheelab.org/). The successful candidate will support collaborative projects related to molecular and cell biology and collaborative, international, and transdisciplinary projects, in addition to carrying out lab management and supervisory duties. Learn more about this MSU Careers posting here.

A highly motivated postdoctoral researcher is sought to lead and contribute to cutting-edge metabolomics research at the interface of inflammation, cancer, and translational biology. This position is based at MSU, with opportunities for collaboration with Henry Ford Health. The successful candidate will drive projects focused on colitis and microbiome–metabolite interactions, develop and optimize advanced MS methods in metabolomics (including EAD workflows), data analysis and support collaborative studies with Henry Ford Health. Learn more about this MSU Careers posting 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.

Kilinc, C., Babin, K. M., Pioszak, A. A., & Dickson, A. (2026). Determinants of improved CGRP peptide binding kinetics revealed by enhanced molecular simulations. Biophysical journal, 125(7), 1737–1752. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpj.2026.03.008

Liu, X., Su, Z., Shi, Y., Tong, Y., Wang, G., & Wei, G. W. (2026). Manifold topological deep learning for biomedical data. Nature communications, 10.1038/s41467-026-71392-1. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-71392-1

 

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