Timothy Collingsworth, a graduate student in Mike Schnieders’ lab, has received one of ten fellowships from the UI Center for the Integration of Teaching, Research and Learning (CIRTL). This fellowship is awarded to graduate students “who have demonstrated an interest in developing innovative, teaching-focused research here at the University of Iowa.” Tim’s proposed project is, “Effect of Recording Lectures on Student Success”. Congrats Tim!

Nicholas McCarty, an undergraduate major in the Dr. Dale Abel’s laboratory, has been awarded the 2017 Montgomery Biochemistry Scholar’s Prize Award for his outstanding research accomplishments and excellent presentation at the Lata Symposium.

This prize was established by mentees, colleagues and friends of Dr. Rex Montgomery, Professor Emeritus of the Department of Biochemistry. Dr. Montgomery began his career at the University of Iowa in 1955, and is admired for his impact as a researcher, teacher and mentor. Dr. Montgomery is an internationally recognized carbohydrate biochemist and textbook author. While on the faculty, he served as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the College of Medicine, the Vice President of Research for the University and was the founding director of the University of Iowa Physician Assistant Program. Dr. Montgomery retired in 2005 after more than 50 years on the faculty

Biochemistry majors Lance Heady (BS 2018) and Steven Huang (BS 2018) presented their outreach projects at the Latham Science Engagement Initiatives Project Engage Showcase and Reception at the IMU on April 29, 2017. Latham fellows learn about science communication and public engagement and in the spring semester and develop individual out reach projects. Lance’s project was on the impact of governmental funding on disease research. Steven’s project was on developing virtual laboratory tours to make research more accessible to the general public.

Lance Heady

Steven Huang

Congratulations to Lance Heady and Laura Fischer, both junior Biochemistry majors, who are recipients of the Excellence in Undergraduate Research award.  This award recognizes outstanding accomplishments in scholarly investigation, artistic creation, or performance by University of Iowa undergraduates.   

Eight students presented at this year’s Undergraduate Honors Program. This year marks the thirteenth year for the Gene F. Lata Undergraduate Research Symposium. Please join Professor Marc Wold, Director of Undergraduate Studies and Honors Advisor, in congratulating these 2017 graduates and their research mentors for a job well done.

(left to right): Emily Britt, Sarah Gardner, Zachary Wehrspan, Maria Núñez Hernandez, Maureen O’Connor, Sarah Van Dorin, Nicholas McCarty, Nicholas Mullen

• Emily C. Britt
  Mentor: Brandon Davies
  Investigating the Interactions Between ANGPTL3, ANGPTL8, and Lipoprotein Lipase
• Sarah H. Gardner
  Mentor: Sheila Baker
  Post-Synaptic Development of the First Visual Synapse
• Maria Núñez Hernandez
  Mentor: Madeline Shea
  Calcium-Dependent Regulation of Calcineurin Activity
• Nicholas S. McCarty
  Mentor: E. Dale Abel
  Exploring Mechanisms by which the Insulin Responsive Glucose Transporter GLUT4 is Regulated in High-Fat Fed Hearts
• Nicholas J. Mullen
  Mentor: David Price
  Oxidative Stress Reveals Mechanistic Insight into Human 5’ mRNA Capping
• Maureen O’Connor
  Mentor: Lori Wallrath
  Lamin localization and genome integrity in rare types of muscular dystrophy
• Sarah Van Dorin
  Mentor: Ronald Weigel
  Role of TFAP2A in Transcriptional Regulation of Melanoma
• Zachary Wehrspan
  Mentor: Ronald Weigel
  TFAP2C orchestrates pH regulation in breast tumors, and its loss leads to EMT, facilitating the Warburg Effect

The symposium also included the presentation of two undergraduate awards, made possible by a gift from Alap Subramanian. The H.G. Wittmann Scholar Award was presented to Nicholas J. Mullen (Price lab) and the H.G. Khorana Scholar Award was presented to Emily Britt (Davies lab), recognizing their exceptional understanding of biochemistry and its value to society.

Congratulations to everyone named above and all of our 2017 graduates!

Biochemistry senior Nicholas McCarty, who works in Dr. Dale Abel’s lab,  has been awarded a nationally competitive Fulbright U.S. Student Program grant. The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government. It is designed to increase understanding between the people of the United States and other countries by providing participants opportunities to study, teach, conduct research, and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns.

Dr. Kris DeMali was selected as the 2017 Honors Thesis Mentor Award recipient. Each year the University of Iowa Honors Program selects a single faculty member to recognize with this honor, which is driven by student nominations. Dr. DeMali will be recognized at the Honors Commendation Ceremony on May 12, 2017.

The 2017 Rex Montgomery Scholarships were award to:

• Laura Fischer, Marc Wold’s laboratory;
• Titus Hou, Ernesto Fuentes’ laboratory;
• Sophia Vogeler, Charles Brenner’s laboratory; and
• Peter Addo,  Ronald Weigel’s laboratory.

Rex Montgomery Scholarships recognize undergraduate students for their outstanding academic record and commitment to research. This scholarship was established by Dr. Rex Montgomery, Professor Emeritus of the Department of Biochemistry. Dr. Montgomery began his career at the University of Iowa in 1955, and is admired for his impact as a researcher, teacher and mentor. Dr. Montgomery is an internationally recognized carbohydrate biochemist and textbook author. While on the faculty, he served as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the College of Medicine, the Vice President of Research for the University and was the founding director of the University of Iowa Physician Assistant Program. Dr. Montgomery retired in 2005 after more than 50 years on the faculty.

Congratulations to Professor Peter Rubenstein who was recently selected, along with UI Professor Larry Weber, as a recipient of the 2017 Michael J. Brody Award for Faculty Excellence in Service. The Brody Award named in honor of the late Michael J. Brody, former president of the UI Faculty Senate, recognizes outstanding faculty who have made exceptionally effective contributions to the UI and the community.

In his nomination letter, Dr. Charles Brenner wrote, “Professor Rubenstein’s altruistic approach to the core missions of the University of Iowa over the past 40 years put him in a class with the late Professor Brody. Through service, teaching and scholarship, he has continually strived to make the University of Iowa a forerunner in education and training at the undergraduate, graduate and professional level. He has been a long-standing leader in faculty governance and played a significant role in curriculum development. He brings novel ideas and integrative approaches to solve challenging problems that improve the overall environment at the University of Iowa. Through his outreach, he has reached countless people in the community, across the state and, indeed, across the world.”

Adam Rauckhorst (center) & Arpit Sharma (second from right) along with the other FOEDRC poster winners.

Graduate Student Arpit Sharma’s poster entitled “Loss of Skeletal Muscle Mpc1 in Mice Stimulates Fatty Acid Oxidation, Nitrogen Retention, and Leanness,” won the award for best poster in the pre-doctoral category.

Postdoc Adam Rauckhorst’s poster entitled “The mitochondrial pyruvate carrier mediates high fat diet-induced increases in hepatic TCA cycle capacity and hyperglycemia,” tied with three others for the best poster in the post-doctoral/Jr. faculty category.