News & Announcements

Tom Maresca, Associate Professor of Biology and Associate GPD of MCB, receives the 2018 CNS Outstanding Early Career Award in Research

photo of Tom Maresca

The research focus in the Maresca lab is cell division, a fundamental biological process. Cell division is complex with many opportunities for errors to occur. Their research aims to expand knowledge of how cells detect and correct errors during cell division. They address central scientific questions with both molecular and biochemical approaches, high- and super-resolution microscopy of living cells, and plenty of fun. Read more

Gerry Downes, Associate Professor of Biology, was awarded the 2018 CNS Oustanding Faculty Award for Diversity & Inclusion

photo of Gerry Downes

Gerry Downes, Associate Professor of Biology, was awarded the CNS 2018 Outstanding Faculty Award for Diversity and Inclusion. These awards recognize and honor excellence and achievement in promoting a climate of diversity and inclusion within the college. Successful nominees will have demonstrated, through their actions, leadership and/or innovation in increasing, retaining, and supporting the success of individuals who have been historically underrepresented in CNS and/or in removing the barriers that prevent full participation of all members of our community. Read more

Shelly Peyton and Zhenhua Liu receive 2018 College Outstanding Teaching Awards

Shelly Peyton (Chemical Engineering) and Zhenhua Liu (Nutrition) received 2018 College Outstanding Teaching Awards at the Faculty Honors Dinner April 30. The awards honor individual teaching accomplishments within the university’s schools and colleges, and were presented to 14 faculty members on campus. Read more

Shelly Peyton featured on UMass home page for her interdisciplinary research fighting cancer

photo of Shelly Peyton

In her quest to stop cancer-related deaths, Shelly has brought together a team of UMass Amherst chemical engineers and biologists to learn how breast cancer spreads to other tissues. Watch video

Ira Male Awarded a Distinguished Graduate Student Summer Research Fellowship

photo of Ira Male

Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Student, Ira Male, who works in the Karlstrom lab, has been awarded a Distinguished Graduate Student Summer Research Fellowship.  Ira and three other graduate students (Xiang Li, Caicedo lab, PB; Alison Fowler, Adler lab, OEB; Mariamar Gutierrez Ramirez, Gerson lab, OEB) were selected by the UMass Biology Graduate Fellowship Committee to receive Distinguished Graduate Student Summer Research Fellowships to support their research over the summer.  Biology Graduate Research Grants were awarded to Emma Dauster, Vazey lab, NSB and Josh Moyer, Irschick lab, OEB. Read more 

Researchers Advance Understanding of Disease-Causing Bacteria 

photo of Alejandro Heuck and Yuzhou Tang

A study published recently in the Journal of Biological Chemistry by Alejandro Heuck, biochemistry and molecular biology, with Yuzhou Tang and colleagues, offers new insights on the interaction and assembly mechanisms of channel-forming proteins PopB and PopD in the disease-causing bacterium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Read more

Chemists Develop Molecular Switch for On-demand Release of Molecular Cargo 

photo of S. Thai Thayumanavan

In an unexpected finding, chemist Sankaran “Thai” Thayumanavan and colleagues show for the first time how movement of a single chemical bond can compromise a membrane made up of more than 500 chemical bonds. Their system uses light as a switch to create a reversible, on-demand molecular control mechanism. Read more

Upcoming OPD Workshop: Strategies and Tools to Secure External Funding 

Goodell Building

Wednesday, May 16th - 2:30-3:30pm
LSL N610

Searching for Funding: Interdisciplinary Graduate Programsd in Life Sciences (IDGP)

Would you like to have external funding to support your research, and bolster your CV? Get started by learning about basic tools available to UMass graduate students and postdocs to help find grants and fellowships. Dr. Heidi Bauer Clapp, Assistant Director for Grants & Fellowships in the Graduate School Office of Professional Development, will present an external funding workshop to IDGP Students, Post-Docs, and Faculty We’ll discuss common funding sources for students in the life sciences, how to search for funding as an international student, and strategize how to align funding applications with your graduate career. 

UPCOMING OFFICE OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS

Hardy Wins Inaugural Mahoney Life Sciences Prize for High-Impact, Applied Research 

photo of Jeanne Hardy

Jeanne Hardy, associate professor of chemistry, whose research focuses on a key protein linked to neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, is being recognized with the inaugural Mahoney Life Sciences Prize. Read more

Kathleen Arcaro's research featured in ‘Research that Matters’ video

This week the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (CAFE) released two new videos that highlight the work of an environmental toxicologist and an air quality scientist. CAFE director Jody Jellison says, “Meaningful research being conducted at UMass that impacts our lives in positive ways is of great interest to the public. These short videos, with links to more information, are intended to get the word out.” Read more

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