The MSU chapter of the National Organization of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers will host the Midwest Regional Conference beginning Oct. 31. Green chemistry, green energy and green engineering are part of the “Go Green Technologies” theme. Professionals, alumni and students are all welcome to attend. More details on the NOBCChE conference.
With an improved dome and new seating, Abrams Planetarium has launched a new season with the show “Two Small Pieces of Glass” honoring the 400th anniversary of Galileo’s discoveries. Read more on the program and get show times for Abrams.
Robin Buell, associate professor of plant biology, was part of a team of 39 scientists in 14 countries that has released the first draft sequence of the potato genome. The complete sequence is estimated to be 840 million base pairs, about one-quarter the size of the human genome, and it will will help to improve yield, quality, disease resistance and nutritional value. Read more about the potato genome.
New technology is changing the way scientists ask questions about gene expression in order to battle disease. Helping keep MSU on the forefront is the Gene Expression in Disease and Development group, a community of scholars focused on the mechanisms of gene regulation. The group is marking its 10th anniversary with a ceremony at 2:00 pm on Sept. 18 in the Administration Building Board Room. Read more about GEDD…
Several department chairs and directors have transitioned within the college. New leaders for CNS units include: Hira Koul, chair of Statistics; Fred Derksen, acting chair of FSHN; Kay Holekamp, director of EEBB; and George Leroi, acting director of ESPP.
CNS also welcomes new faculty who joined MSU this summer: Barbara Atshaves (biochemistry), Berton Earnshaw (math), Wade Fisher (physics), Susan Jackson (DSME), Tammy Long (CISGS), Teresa McElhinny (zoology), John McGuire (physics), Susan McQuiston (BLD), Susanne Mohr (physiology), Matt O’Toole (math), Viktor Poltavets (chemistry), Ben Schmidt (math), Nathan Swenson (plant bio.), Dapeng Zhan (math), and Pengpeng Zhang (physics).
Statistics Professor Taps Maiti will be featured in the showcase session “Breakthroughs in Bioinformatics and Statistical Genetics” at the 2010 Joint Statistical Meetings - the largest gathering of Statisticians held in North America. Maiti and his collaborators recently published “Linear Mixed Model Selection for False Discovery Rate Control in Microarray Data Analysis” in the journal Biometrics.
Physiology professor Sandra Haslam and microbiology professor Richard Schwartz are part of a team of MSU scientists who published a study in the Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology examining the genes activated by progesterone and the effects of their activation in a mouse model system. The research shows that exposure to the hormone progesterone activates genes that trigger inflammation in the mammary gland. Read more about the progesterone research…
Gemma Reguera, assistant professor of microbiology and molecular genetics, has developed a process that can be harnessed to produce electricity and fuel from plant biomass. Using a specific selection of metal-reducing microorganisms in the Geobacter species, Reguera was able to design a microbial fuel cell that acts as a natural battery to convert plant biomass into electrical power and produces a high yield, low-cost cellulosic ethanol product. Read more about microbial fuel cells.
Brian Schutte, associate professor of microbiology and molecular genetics, is part of a team of collaborators who are looking for the genetic factors that contribute to common diseases in order to develop new innovative health care procedures for prevention and treatment of these diseases. The research group recently received a Strategic Partnership Grant through the MSU Foundation for the Community-based Cooperative for Studies Across Generations. Read more about CoSAGE.
Professor James McCusker has received a $1.9 million NSF grant as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. This research proposes to develop efficient, solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells using a synergistic collaboration that couples mathematical modeling with synthesis and characterization of novel polymer-based materials for ion conduction. Read more about McCusker’s NSF grant.
