Boston University Department of Biology

Biology News & Events

Seminars & Events

• November 23, 2009: Biomolecular Seminar Series
• November 23, 2009: EBE Seminar Series
• November 26, 2009: Thanksgiving Day - University Closed
• November 27, 2009: University Holiday - no classes
• November 30, 2009: Biomolecular Seminar Series

Read more seminars and events...

Student News

Aug 21, 2009: Florencia Rago speaks at two symposia.

Florencia Rago (BMB '10) has been on the "lecture circuit" this summer by being selected to speak about her work at two national meetings.  First, as a second-year Beckman Scholar, she was chosen to give a talk at the 11th Annual Beckman Scholars Symposium sponsored by the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation.  This was held in Irvine California from July 23-26, 2009.  Florencia was chosen as one of six student speakers from among all the Beckman Scholars from across the country.  Her talk highlighted her discovery of conformational changes in enzymes that respond specifically to binding of different molecules at the active site.  She made this discovery working in the laboratory of Professor Dean Tolan (Biology), where she has worked since finishing her freshman year.  Second, she was selected as one of five undergraduates from across the country to speak at the 23rd Symposium of the Protein Society, which was recently held in Boston (July 24-29, 2009) with over a thousand participants.  This society, of which she is a member, is a leading international society devoted to furthering research in all aspects of the study of proteins.  Her selection as a speaker in the Undergraduate Student Research Session reflects her accomplishments and the importance of her work in the field of protein science and enzymology.

 

Jul 31, 2009: Justin Touchon awarded Best Student Paper

Recent Ph.D. recipient, Dr. Justin Touchon, was recently awarded the Stoye Award for the Best Student Paper in Ecology and Ethology at the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists meeting in Portland, OR. His talk was entitled "Reproductive mode plasticity in the treefrog Dendropsophus ebraccatus."  Justin studied with Prof. Karen Warkentin and received his Ph.D. in May 2009. 
 

Jun 15, 2009: Justin Touchon, 2009 Belamarich Recipient

The Belamarich Award Committee is very pleased to announce the recipient of the 2009 Belamarich Award for Outstanding Work at the Doctoral Level:  Justin Touchon. 

Justin’s doctoral dissertation, “Developmental Ecology and Reproductive Mode Plasticity of a Neotropical Treefrog: Interacting Abiotic and Biotic Environmental Effects Over Three Life Stages,” was completed with Dr. Karen Warketin and defended this past April. 

Since both Justin and Karen are presently continuing their field work in Panama, we plan an award ceremony some time in early fall. 
 

Read more student news...

Faculty News

Sep 08, 2009: Dr. Kunz's research reaches national audience

Dr. Tom Kunz's research on white-nose syndrome reached a national audience when it was featured on the CBS Evening News on September 7, 2009.  The U.S. bat population is declining at a frightening rate due to the fungus and Daniel Sieberg's report featured Dr. Kunz and other researchers who are struggling to solve this devastating mystery.  In addition to being featured on the Evening News, Dr. Kunz's research was highlighted on the CBS News website and on BU Today.  Continued attention on this ecologically important crisis will hopefully aid in discovering a way to stop the fungus that is killing off the bat population at an alarming rate. 

Aug 31, 2009: Dr. Kaufman receives Partners in Conservation Award.

Congratulations to Dr. Les Kaufman and his team who were recently honored for their work on the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary.  Dr. Kaufman's Long-Term Monitoring Program has received a Partners in Conservation award from the Department of the Interior.  The award recognizes the team's work over several years monitoring coral reef health in the Flower Gardens Banks National Marine Sanctuary.  In presenting the award, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar noted that it was a testament to the work of Les' team that "the Flower Garden Banks in the Gulf of Mexico are among the healthiest reefs not only in the Western Hemisphere, but in the world."
 

Aug 19, 2009: Dr. Sorenson, Fellow of the American Ornithologists' Union

Dr. Mike Sorenson was recently made a Fellow of the American Ornithologists' Union at the annual conference in Philadelphia.  Fellows are be chosen for exceptional and sustained contributions to ornithology and/or service to the Union.

Read more faculty news...

Alumni News

Nov 16, 2009: Dr. Daniel Starczynowski's research featured in Nature Medicine.

Dr Daniel Starczynowski -- who received his PhD with Prof. Tom Gilmore in 2005 and is currently a post-doctoral fellow at the British Columbia Cancer Research Centre -- is lead author on a paper in the November 8, 2009 issue of Nature Medicine.  This paper, "Identification of miR-145 and miR-146a as Mediators of the 5q- Syndrome Phenotype", describes the identification of genes that are involved in myelodysplastic syndrome, a somewhat common human blood disorder that frequently develops into leukemia.
 

Sep 11, 2009: Alumnus Greg Skomal interviewed on NBC's Today Show

With the recent sightings of several Great White Sharks off the coast of Cape Cod, Dr. Greg Skomal was the go-to person concerning shark behavior.  Meredith Viera interviewed Dr. Skomal on the Today show and asked many questions regarding his research on the migratory habits of sharks.  Dr. Skomal earned his Ph.D. in 2006 while working with Dr. Phil Lobel and is an accomplished marine biologist, underwater explorer, photographer, aquarist, and author. He has been a senior fisheries biologist with Massachusetts Marine Fisheries since 1987 and currently heads up the Massachusetts Shark Research Program (MSRP).   Read more on Dr. Skomal and his research.

May 14, 2009: Anthony Capobianco appointed Director of the Molecular Oncology Research Program

Congratulations to Dr. Anthony Capobianco (GRS '93) who was recently appointed Director of the Molecular Oncology Research at the University of Miami Cancer Center.  Dr. Capobianco earned his Ph.D. from Boston University while working in Dr. Tom Gilmore's lab. 

Read more alumni news...

In Memoriam

On January 14, 2008, the Boston University community remembered their friend and colleague, Mary S. Erskine, who died on December 12, 2007, following a long battle with breast cancer. She was 61 years old. Mary was a College of Arts & Sciences Professor of Biology and former director of the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP). For more information, please read the profile on BU Today.