Biology Alumni in the News
Dr. Morin appointed Director of AACR Grants Program
May 16, 2013
In October 2012, Dr. Patrice Morin was named Director of Scientific Review & Grants Administration for the American Association of Cancer Research (AACR), located in Philadelphia, PA. The AACR is one of the leading cancer research organizations in the US, and strives to combat cancer by sponsoring research, education, communication, and collaboration. Dr. Morin had approximately 20 years of experience in cancer research before accepting the new position. Dr. Morin received his PhD with Dr. Tom Gilmore in 1995, and then performed post-doctoral research at Johns Hopkins Medical School. From 1998-2012, he was a Senior Investigator in the Intramural Research Program of the National Institute on Aging at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), overseeing research on the molecular basis of ovarian cancer.
Caroline Polgar (GRS '12) mentioned in Boston Globe
Apr 12, 2013
Recent Ph.D. recipient, Dr. Caroline Polgar (GRS '12) was recently interviewed, along with her past advisor, Dr. Richard Primack, for an article on Henry Thoreau and climate change in the March 10, 2013 edition of the Boston Globe. Drs. Polgar and Primack's research on early bloom times highlighted in the article, "Thoreau, viewed as a scientist" by Kathleen Burge. The article also discusses the opening of a new exhibition at the Concord Museum exhibit, ?Early Spring: Henry Thoreau and Climate Change,? which examines Thoreau as scientist.
Vishal Patel (BMB '10) Attending Medical School
Dec 10, 2012
Vishal Patel (BMB '10) is a first year medical student at Albert Einstein School of Medicine in New York. Prior to medical school, he worked for two years in the Perrimon Laboratory at Harvard Medical School Department of Genetics and Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
Andrea Mislak (BMB '07) Attending Yale University
Dec 10, 2012
Andrea Mislak (BMB '07) is a second year graduate student in Karen Anderson's lab at Yale University in the Biological and Biomedical Science Program. Prior to graduate school, Andrea worked for four years as a Chemist at Merck Research Laboratories in the Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics group.
Luz (Ceballos) Meneghini (BMB '09) Working on Ph.D.
Dec 10, 2012
Luz (Ceballos) Meneghini (BMB '09) is currently a second year Ph.D. student at UC Irvine in Dr. Greg Weiss's lab. Luz worked for two years at Tufts before attending graduate school. Last year she received an Honorable Mention for an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship and she is trying again this year. She also got married this year!
Aileen Leung (BMB '09) Teaching Science and Math
Dec 10, 2012
Aileen Leung (BMB '09), completed her MA in Teaching from USC in 2011. She is currently teaching at the Tilden Middle School in Maryland and is the team leader for 8th grade science and 6/7th grade advanced math.
The Smithsonian highlights Justin Touchon's research
Dec 03, 2012
Alumnus, Justin Touchon's (GRS '09) research was recently highlighted on The Smithsonian Institute's website. Justin's discovery that climate change in Panama may be altering frogs? course of evolution is reviewed in the article, "Climate Change May Alter Amphibian Evolution" and documented in the related film, embedded below. Justin is currently a post-doctoral fellow at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama and his research was also published in the December issue of The American Naturalist. He received his Ph.D. in 2009 after studying with Dr. Karen Warkentin.
BMB Alum Wins Presidential Science Award
Jul 30, 2012
Dr. Peter Crompton, who graduated from BU in 1995 (BA, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology) and performed undergraduate research with Dr. Tom Gilmore, is one of 20 National Institutes of Health scientists to receive the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers
Prof. Primack and Alum Miller-Rushing in NY Times
Apr 19, 2012
Prof. Richard Primack and former doctoral student, Dr. Abe Miller-Rushing published an article, "Early Bloomers", in the April 18, 2012 edition of the New York Times. Using the detailed journals of Henry David Thoreau, Drs. Primack and Miller-Rushing were able to chart the trend towards earlier blooms and concluded that spring is indeed arriving earlier than in years past.
Dr. George Mosialos' Research Featured in Lab Times
Feb 08, 2012
George Mosialos, who received his PhD with Tom Gilmore in 1993, is currently a Professor at the University of Thessaloniki in his homeland Greece. In spite of dire financial times in that country, Mosialos' research group recently uncovered the molecular basis of a key step in the development of the immune system, specifically related to the role that NF-kB plays in T-cell development. This research was published in the Journal of Immunology (Tsagaratou et al, J Immunol 185: 2032) and was highlighted in an article in Lab Times.
Dr. Starczynowski wins 2011 Junior Faculty Scholar Award
Dec 22, 2010
Dr. Daniel Starczynowski was recently awarded a 2011 Junior Faculty Scholar Award from the American Society of Hematology. Dr. Starczynowski received his PhD with Dr. Tom Gilmore in 2005 and is currently an Assistant Professor in the Division of Experimental Hematology at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and in the Department of Cancer and Cell Biology at the University of Cincinnati.
Ryder and Mertl's research published in PLos One.
Dec 13, 2010
Alumni, Drs. Kari Ryder Wilkie and Amy Mertl, along with Prof. James Traniello, reported in PLoS One on the results of the first inventory of the ants of Tiputini. Identifying 489 species in only 0.16 square kilometers and projecting actual richness to be 647-736 species, this region of western Amazonia appears to support the most diverse ant fauna yet recorded.
Dr. Daniel Starczynowski's research featured in Nature Medicine.
Nov 16, 2009
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.
Alumnus Greg Skomal interviewed on NBC's Today Show
Sep 11, 2009
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.
Anthony Capobianco appointed Director of the Molecular Oncology Research Program
May 14, 2009
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.
Dr. Jing Zhao's research published in Science
Nov 14, 2008
Dr. Jing Zhao, who received her PhD in Biology in 2003 while studying with Prof. Eric WIdmaier has recently had her research published in Science. The article entitled, "Polycomb proteins targeted by a short repeat RNA to the mouse X chromosome" was published in the Oct. 31, 2008 edition. Dr. Zhao is now currently working as a post doc at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Ringel featured in BU Today
Feb 13, 2008
Recent biology grad, Nancy Ringel (CAS’07), was featured in BU Today for her HIV/AIDS prevention work as a member of the Peace Corps in Africa, Peace Corps: An Education I Couldn’t Get Back Home.
Kelliher awarded Frank A. Beach Award
Jun 08, 2007
Dr. Kevin Kelliher, who received a Ph.D. from our Department in 2001 under Dr. Michael Baum's supervision, was awarded the 2007 Frank A. Beach Award in Behavioral Neuroendocrinology. This award is given by the Society for Behavioral Neuroendocrinology to an outstanding young assistant professor working in the area of behavioral neuroendocrinology. Kevin received his award and presented a talk on his work on Oct 16, 2006 at the Society for Neuroscience meeting in Atlanta. He is an assistant professor of Biology at the University of Idaho.