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posted Dec 23,2008Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Professor and HHMI investigator, Mike Summers has reached an agreement with the Swedish biotechnology company Vironova, licensing his patents to probe for capsid assembly inhibitors. Mike's patents and innovations will hopefully lead to new drugs and treatments for HIV and AIDS. Follow the link below to see the full story. [ Link] Below is a list of requirements for all chemistry awards. Please put a check next to the award you are applying for. Please return all completed packets to Dennis Cuddy in the Chemistry Department(front desk) no later than January 12, 2009.
Copy of your Transcript.
Briefly tell us what your plans are after graduation.
Provide a paragraph of why you should be a candidate for this award.
Two recommendation letters of support.
__________Victor Vitullo Award for Research
Named after a former distinguished member of the department, the Vitullo award honors an undergraduate student in Chemistry/Biochemistry for research excellence.
___________John Mittino Award for Chemistry Service
Awarded for exceptional level of service in the Chemistry Department.
___________Lise Satterfield Scholarship
The Slatterfield scholarship was established in 2001 and has just attained a level of funding to allow the awarding of endowment funds. Dr. Satterfield has established criteria for the award which recognizes an outstanding junior in chemistry with research experience.
___________Donald Creighton Memorial Scholarship Fund
The Creighton Scholarship was just recently established, by his wife Arlene, in memory of our recently departed colleague. [ Application Form] posted Nov 19,2008Kathie Seley and Pete O'Daniel are the featured cover story in the Journal of Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics for December 08, 2008: O'Daniel, P. I.; Jefferson, M.; Wiest, O.; Seley-Radtke, K. L. "Computational Studies of Expanded Heterocyclic Nucleosides in DNA" J Biomol Struct Dyn, 2008, 3, 283-292.. Pete, who completed his Ph.D. in 2005 is currently a Post Doc at Notre Dame. Congratulations to all! [ Link] Moshen Rajabi has had a recent paper in Journal of Biological Chemistry selected as a paper of the week . Moshen has been working with Dr. Lu on the structures of defensins. Congratulations on the honor. http://www.jbc.org/cgi/content/full/283/31/e99941/DC1 [ Link] Dennis Cuddy, Manager of Facilities and Administration won the University of Maryland System's Regents Award for exemplary service to the institution. Dennis has been involved in the renovation of the Meyerhoff Chemistry building, including the NIH construction grant and building dedication. In addition he has been involved in both the Undergraduate researc Symposium, now completing it's 11th year, and the renovation and set up of the Chemistry Discovery Center. Congratulations. [ Link] In a ceremony held on October 19th, 2008 Dr. Tara Carpenter was honored as distinguished professor of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. Each year during their annual introduction ceremony, the society honors two professors who exhibit and encourage the three principles upon which their honor society is based on; scholarship, leadership and service. Tara was selected for her work in the freshman chemistry classes along with her leadership in the ACS student affiliates. Congratulations!!
posted Oct 27,2008Dr. Elsa Garcin was spotlighted by the Scripps Research institute and Nature for her work on selective inhibition of nitric oxide synthase, the enzyme responsible for nitric oxide production. Elsa was the lead author on the work identifying a new method to chemically target one single NOS isozyme to block excess nitric oxide production, without limiting its beneficial production by other closely related enzymes. This approach provides a general solution that should enable development of new drugs to treat medical problems tied to nitric oxide overproduction, such as arthritis, and may also aid the discovery of treatments for other conditions such as HIV/AIDS and cancer where targeting one of several structurally similar isozymes has proven difficult. Congratulations! Here's the second link to the Nature research highlights: http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v455/n7217/full/4551152d.html [ Link] The American Chemical Society Student Affiliates held a Saccharide Social on October 15 to welcome new members. Fun was had by all roasting marshmallows over a fire for s’mores, making caramel apples and getting to know their fellow members.[ Bonfire Photos] posted Oct 03,2008Once again the annual Symposium was a huge success, with over 400 participants from over 40 institutions spanning 8 states and the District of Columbia. I know many of you had a long day and even longer drive home, so we're posting the winners below. We will be in touch to send out your award and certificate. Photos of the day are available at the link below. Thank you all once again for a successful meeting and we're looking forward to an even more successful 2009. [ Winners] [ Link] The UMBC Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry ACS student associates group won an honorable mention for the 2007-2008 academic year for their activities on the campus and community. With growing numbers and a new study lounge, we expect even better recognition in the future. Congratulations Tara and all students involved! [ Commendation] Samuel Merenbloom, 2004 Vitullo award and 2003 ACS analytical chemistry award winner is prominently displayed in this weeks C&EN cover story. Sam was an excellent student who did research in the Fabris lab, prior to attending grad school at the University of Indiana. See the full article in the link below. [ Link] Graduate Students Ryan Holland and Arie Hawkins recently authored a paper in Chemical Research in Toxicology that the editors have chosen as a Highlight Selection for the October issue. The paper will receive a special write-up at the Journal Website. The joint contribution from the Fabris and Fishbein groups concerns oxidative modification of Keap1 chaperone protein that is involved in the regulation of transcription factor Nrf2, which regulates the expression of genes involved in cellular defense against electrophile and oxidant assault. The paper is entitled "Prospective Type 1 and Type 2 Disulfides of Keap1 Protein" and can presently be found at the Journal web page in the ASAP (as soon as publishable) section.
posted Sep 03,2008Below is a list of requirements for all chemistry awards. Please put a check next to the award you are applying for. Please return all completed packets to Dennis Cuddy in the Chemistry Department(front desk) no later than January 12, 2009.
Copy of your Transcript.
Briefly tell us what your plans are after graduation.
Provide a paragraph of why you should be a candidate for this award.
Two recommendation letters of support.
__________Victor Vitullo Award for Research
Named after a former distinguished member of the department, the Vitullo award honors an undergraduate student in Chemistry/Biochemistry for research excellence.
___________John Mittino Award for Chemistry Service
Awarded for exceptional level of service in the Chemistry Department.
___________Lise Satterfield Scholarship
The Slatterfield scholarship was established in 2001 and has just attained a level of funding to allow the awarding of endowment funds. Dr. Satterfield has established criteria for the award which recognizes an outstanding junior in chemistry with research experience.
___________Donald Creighton Memorial Scholarship Fund
The Creighton Scholarship was just recently established, by his wife Arlene, in memory of our recently departed colleague. [ Application form] posted Jul 30,2008The implementation of the Discovery Learning method of instruction was initiated in CHEM 101 in the fall of 2005 and expanded to CHEM 102 in 2006. The major modification consists of the introduction of weekly two-hour “discovery learning” sessions for all students. In these sessions, students are divided into small groups of four, and they are given carefully crafted worksheets designed to guide them in their development of the ideas and principles that form the basis of the unit being studied. Thus, rather than the instructor promulgating theories, students are asked to develop them on their own (with appropriate guidance from an instructor). Through this method, students become engaged in their own learning and thinking, and they develop supporting skills in teamwork, communication, management, and assessment. Students are trained in proper problem-solving techniques and study habits, develop process skills in the area of learning, thinking, and problem solving, and student-student and student-instructor interactions are increased. Follow the link below to see a brief synopsis of the center and it's success. [ Link] Congratulations to the 2008 Teacher Quality in Chemistry scholars who have successfully completed the summer laboratory experience under the direction of Drs. Tara Carpenter and Tiffany Gierasch with help from Dr. Alexei Gapeev. Using a variety of techniques, they explored the areas of forensics, environmental protection, blood doping and urinalysis using state of the art equipment. We look forward to seeing them all again in the spring.
posted Jun 24,2008
RESEARCH ASSOCIATE (POSTDOCTORAL). 2 year post-doctoral position available August 1, 2008 to work on transition metal ions in Alzheimer’s disease proteins. Ph.D. with a strong background in biophysical inorganic chemistry is required. Familiarity with low-temperature EPR spectroscopy of transition metal ions and some molecular biology/cell culture experience are desired. Other techniques used in our laboratory include standard schlenk techniques, HPLC, PAGE, NMR, CD and fluorescence spectroscopy. Please submit CV along with at least two letters of reference to Dr. Veronika Szalai, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland Baltimore County, 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250. Position will remain open until filled. UMBC is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employers, and applications from women, minorities and individuals with disabilities are especially encouraged.
Please see my website for further information about my research program: http://umbc.edu/chem/general/group/vszalai
[ Link] posted May 14,2008
Dr Tara Carpenter recently won the Advisor of the year for student associations. The American Chemical Association (ACSSA) nominated Dr. Tara Carpenter for Advisor of the Year. The criteria involved in the selection includes:
- involvement as the current advisor and at least since the beginning of Fall 2007
- Has made continuous extensive and effective contributions to the group
- Dedicated to the students and the group
Congratulations to Tara and The ACSSA [ Tara and The ACSSA] posted Apr 22,2008Congratulations to Michael Summers, Chemistry Biochemistry department and HHMI Investigator, for his issued U.S. patent #7,361,459, entitled "Antiviral Inhibition of Capsid Proteins". This invention provides methods for evaluating the antiviral activity of test compounds. To view this patent it its entirety, go to www.uspto.gov, and click on Patents, or click on the direct address below. If you would like more information on patents, copyrights, or start up companies, visit the Office of Technology Development's website at www.umbc.edu/otd. [ Link] I am pleased to report that Prof. Seley-Radtke and her recent work as a Jefferson Science Fellow with the U.S. State Department are covered in this Science story out today. Written by Washington DC Science Writers Association president Brian Vastag, the article examines fellowships that help scientists get more involved with shaping national and local policies. It quotes Prof. Seley-Radtke along with the dean of engineering at Dartmouth and a recent doctoral graduate from Harvard. Congratulations to Prof. Seley-Radtke for such well-deserved recognition! [ Link] Christopher M. Sims, a senior chemistry student in the department of chemistry and biochemistry at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, is the winner of the Dolphus E. Milligan Graduate Fellowship.
The Milligan Fellowship is focused on increasing the number of African-Americans in the chemical sciences. It includes a $30,000 annual stipend, plus tuition, for each of two years to support graduate study at the University of Maryland in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and a 10-week internship within the Chemical Science and Technology Laboratory (CSTL) at the National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST) during the summer that precedes the beginning of graduate studies.
posted Mar 31,2008Congratulations go out to Dr. Marie-Christine Daniel for being selected as one of only five recipients for an AACR career development award this year. Dr. Daniel will be constructing multifunctional nanoparticles to target malignant pancreatic cells. Her work should lead to a dramatic increase in potency and efficacy in pancreatic cancer, while reducing side effects. Best of luck in this exciting research.
posted Mar 06,2008Stephen Mang will be joining the department in august as an instructor for the analytical and p-chem labs. Steve will be completing his Ph.D. in chemistry from UC Irvine, where he won the Department of Chemistry's teaching award for 2006-2007. Please give Steve a warm welcome. [ Link] Dr. Elsa Garcin will be joining the faculty in August from the Scripps Research Institute's Department of Molecular Biology. Dr. Garcin comes with extensive experience in protein expression and purification, Mass-spec and crystallography. If you'd haven't yet and would like to introduce yourself prior to her arrival, Elsa's e-mail is: elsag@scripps.edu Please wish her a warm welcome.
posted Feb 25,2008By request of the bookstore, all textbook adoptions should be done online. Follow the link to register for a secure account and password. The deadline for submitting adoptions for summer is 4/4/08
To accomodate the switch, please join the Bookstore textbook staff for a workshop to learn how to use the online adoption system. Bring your book adoption information and we can guide you through the steps of the process.
The workshop will be:
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
12:00 PM
Engineering 333 [ Link] New links and functions have been added to the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry's homepage. Direct access to safety training videos, MSDS, lab inspection and hazardous wast removal sheets, funding sites and room scheduling and all available. The links are located under the general information tab on the front page and then administrative resources. We will be adding additional links and downloadable forms as the need arises. If you have a suggestion, please contact Dennis Cuddy at cuddy@UMBC.edu [ Link] Robert F. Steiner, a retired professor of chemistry and biochemistry at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, died of a heart attack Dec. 30th at his Ellicott City home. He was 81.
Born in Manila, the Philippines, and raised in Texas, he received a bachelor's degree from Princeton University and a doctorate in chemistry from Harvard University. He served in the Army in the 1940s. He conducted scientific research and served as chief of the physical biochemistry lab at the Naval Medical Research Institute in Bethesda until 1970. In 1966, he received the Department of Defense's Superior Civilian Achievement Award.
From 1970 until his 1995 retirement, he was a professor of chemistry and biochemistry at UMBC. He served as a department chairman from 1974 to 1982.
In 1991, he was made a Fellow of the Society for the Promotion of Science. He was also a private pilot and Civil Air Patrol member for 25 years. After retiring, Dr. Steiner worked for Amnesty International as a member of Chapter 228 and for Howard County Friends of Latin America.He also liked to spend time writing and painting. He published several books of his short stories. Steiner donated his body to medical science.
Survivors include his wife of 51 years, the former Ethel Fisher; two daughters; Victoria Elizabeth Steiner-Larson of Woodstock and Laura Ann Bush of Birmingham, Ala.; and nine grandchildren. |
