MCB Student Cassandra Correa Chosen for 2024 Jackson Laboratory Summer Student Program

February 22, 2024

Cassandra Correa (Lynes Laboratory) has been chosen for the 2024 Jackson Laboratory Summer Student Program (https://www.jax.org/education-and-learning/high-school-students-and-undergraduates/learn-earn-and-explore), and will be working with Dr. Julia Oh, of the Center for Genomic Medicine in Farmington, CT.  Dr. Oh’s work is focused on the development of microbiome therapeutics to treat human disease.

MCB Graduate Stephanie Schofield, (’23 CLAS), Among Ten UConn Fulbright Recipients for 2023-24

February 20, 2024

UConn had 10 students named to the Fulbright U.S. Student Program in 2023-24, a record-setting number for the school.

Stephanie Schofield
Stephanie Schofield ’23 (CLAS) of Shelton, is spending the 2023-24 year at the Institute of Human Genetics at Heidelberg University on a Fulbright research award. (Contributed photo)

Among the recipients is Stephanie Schofield ('23 CLAS). Stephanie earned her UConn undergraduate degree in molecular and cell biology with a minor in psychological sciences. She is spending 2023-24 at the Institute of Human Genetics at Heidelberg University, working with Magdalena Laugsch of the Heidelberg Institute for Human Genetics. She and Laugsch are studying the genetics behind hereditary neurodevelopmental disorders, with a focus on early embryonic human neural crest cell development. Schofield is planning to pursue a career in genetic counseling.

“Contributing to groundbreaking research while connecting and working with people from all over the world has been a highlight of my Fulbright experience,” says Schofield.  “Living abroad has revolutionized my view of the world around me. Heidelberg has very quickly become my second home, full of wonderful new friends, colleagues, and the most beautiful castle I’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting.”

The University of Connecticut has been recognized among the top producers of Fulbright U.S. Student Program award recipients for the first time in school history. These results are from U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and were featured in The Chronicle of Higher Education on Tuesday, Feb. 13.

MCB Fall 2023 Grad Travel Award

February 14, 2024

Josette Nammour, Robinson Lab, received the Fall 2023 MCB Travel Award for her Research in Progress seminar entitled Altered Guanine Nucleotide Binding of BipA Negates Actin Pedestal Formation in EHEC. Congratulations to Josette!

MCB Spring 2024 Conference Participation Awardees Announced

MCB is proud to announce that John Briseno, Nadine Lebek, and Michelle Neitzey have received Spring 2024 Conference Participation Awards from the Graduate School. These awards support doctoral and MFA students’ ability to present their research at national or international meetings and conferences, including both in-person and virtual events.

MCB Undergrad Research Symposium – Submissions Now Being Accepted!

February 8, 2024

Submissions are now being accepted for the 2024 Undergraduate Research Symposium in Molecular and Cell Biology. Graduating senior MCB or Biophysics majors are encouraged to present their research project as a short 15 minute talk. Graduating Biology majors whose project is supervised by a MCB faculty member are also invited to present their work.

If you would like to participate, please e-mail the following information by Friday, March 29
to mcboffice@uconn.edu with
MCB Research Colloquium in the subject line.

Student Name:
Major:
Email:
Thesis/presentation Title:
Thesis Research Adviser:
Honors Adviser (if applicable):
Short bio and current research interests:
Availability: **Please provide time slots during which you have classes or labs that would conflict with your ability to participate. Even if you have no conflicts, please indicate this**

The top three MCB presentations will be selected for participation in the All-Biology Symposium and will be eligible for multiple awards.

The MCB Symposium will be held in two sessions. Session I, 4/9/2024 3:30 - 5:30 pm and Session II , 4/12 12:20 -2:00 pm.

NEW OPPORTUNITY! Undergraduate Education in Aging & Geroscience Research Program

February 6, 2024

New paid summer research opportunities at UConn or UConn Health - Education in Aging & Geroscience Research (EAGR) Program. To learn more about becoming an EAGR
Scholar, enrolling in geroscience coursework, and applying for funded summer research in labs at UConn and UConn Health, visit
 https://education-aging-geroscience.research.uconn.edu/ or contact kenneth.campellone@uconn.edu 

Sophomores & Juniors Apply Now! Deadline February 19, 2024

Dr. Pallavi Limaye Receives UConn Hartford Fellow Award

January 25, 2024

The University of Connecticut Department of Molecular and Cell Biology is delighted to announce that Dr. Pallavi Limaye has been selected as the inaugural UConn Hartford Teaching & Learning Equity Faculty Leadership Fellow to start in Spring 2024.

Read More

MCB Invites Applications for Summer Fellowships

January 18, 2024

Announcing the annual competition for our student summer fellowships in MCB. These distinguished fellowships are made possible by very generous donors and are offered on a competitive basis to the most highly qualified students in MCB.  Additional information about the named fellowships, including short biographies of those they are named in honor of can be viewed on the MCB website.

To facilitate the nomination, review and selection process, it is requested that nomination materials be submitted electronically as a single PDF to the Selection Committee at mcboffice@uconn.edu.  The application deadline for each award is February 12.

Please be mindful the Awards Committee is required to follow the fellowship indentures when considering nominations. Please pay close attention to the requirements of each fellowship as they vary and include examples where student research meets requirements along with dates of exams if applicable. The committee cannot consider any nominations which do not adhere to the requirements.

Claire M. Berg Graduate Fellowship in Genetics

Requirements are for a female graduate student in the field of study of genetics who has completed most course work requirements, made progress in her research, and been an active member in the University, local, regional or national scientific community. Nominations should include a one page letter of recommendation, transcript and a short CV.

Arthur Chovnick Graduate Fellowship in Genetics

Requirements are for a graduate student in the field of study of genetics who has completed most course work requirements, made progress in their research, and been an active member in the University, local, regional or national scientific community. Nominations should include a one page letter of recommendation, transcript and a short CV.

Richard C. Crain, Jr. Memorial Fellowship

Requirements are for a Ph.D. student in Molecular and Cell Biology who has completed three years of graduate studies with a minimum GPA of 3.2, demonstrated academic promise and has established research in the field of biochemistry. Nominations should include a one page letter of nomination including how the student's research meets the requirement for the award, a CV, current transcript and GPA.

Dr. Edward A. Khairallah and Dr. Lamia H. Khairallah Graduate Fellowship

Requirements are for a PhD student in Pharmacy or Molecular & Cell Biology who is producing promising research beyond the second year of study in the fields of Biochemistry, Cell Biology, or Toxicology. Preference will be given to candidates who best demonstrate the interests and talents of the late Drs. Edward A. and Lamia H. Khairallah through integration of the above disciplines in their dissertation research.  Interested applicants should submit:  (1) a brief letter of nomination from their major advisor, (2) a second letter of recommendation from another UConn faculty member, (3) a 2-page CV that includes a 250-word summary of their research project, and (4) a UConn (unofficial) grade transcript.

Jean Lucas-Lenard Special Summer Fellowship in Biochemistry

Requirements are for a graduate student actively pursuing research in gene expression, protein secretion, protein folding or membrane receptors and demonstrated academic promise. Nominations should include a one page letter of nomination including how the student's research meets the requirement for the award, a CV, current transcript and GPA.

 Jean Lucas-Lenard Special Summer Fellowship in Molecular and Cell Biology

Requirements are for a graduate student in Molecular and Cell Biology, actively pursuing (a) any aspect of COVID-19, be it immunology, therapeutics, inflammation, or (b) studying the microbiome, microchondrial diseases, and immunology in general along with exceptional academic promise. Nominations should include a one page letter of nomination and a CV, including current transcript and GPA.

Philip I. Marcus Graduate Student Fellowship in Virology

Requirements are for a graduate student in the field of virology doing research with animal viruses and/or interferon research. Nominations should include a one page letter of recommendation including how the student's research meets the requirement for the award, a CV, current transcript and GPA.

Pfizer Summer Fellowship in Molecular and Cell Biology

Requirements are for a student who has completed at least three years of graduate studies with a minimum GPA of 3.2 and demonstrated academic promise. Nominations should include a one page letter of nomination and a CV, including current transcript and GPA.

Antonio H. and Marjorie J. Romano Graduate Education Fellowship

Requirements are for a student pursuing a graduate program in microbiology. Nominations should include the advisor’s recommendation, a graduate transcript and current CV.

Cross-Disciplinary Fellowship in MCB and Pharmaceutical Sciences

A competitive fellowship to be awarded to a PhD student conducting dissertation research in either Pharmaceutical Sciences in the School of Pharmacy, or in the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology in CLAS. The student must have passed the general exam, demonstrated scientific promise, and contributed to the fundamental understanding of biological systems as evidenced by a record of publications and presentations. Priority will be given to students who are actively engaged in work that combines the interests of both departments.

Nominations should include a CV, a one-page letter of recommendation and the semester/year the student passed the qualifying examination. The awardee will be chosen by a joint awards sub-committee composed of two faculty members, one each appointed by their respective departments.  A student may receive the fellowship once during their tenure at UConn.

Biohaven Fellowship

A summer fellowship for an MCB PhD student conducting dissertation research in the Department of MCB and demonstrated academic promise. Nominations should include a CV and a one-page letter of recommendation. This will be an open award (no limitations on AOC) to be managed by the awards committee with our other fellowships. A student may receive the fellowship once during their tenure at UConn.

UNDERGRADUATE

 Todd M. Schuster Award in Molecular and Cell Biology

Requirements are for an undergraduate student pursuing an MCB major to provide an opportunity to have the practical experience of carrying out a research project developed in the laboratory of a faculty member of MCB. The student must have an established working relationship with a faculty member in MCB, demonstrate a deep interest in science, demonstrate academic promise, and be working on a project that involves the use of chemical and physical methods to investigate biological problems. Candidates whose research projects involve the use of whole animals directly or indirectly (as a source of materials used in experiments) will not be eligible for the award.

Nominations should include a CV, description of the proposed research project, that includes an explicit statement that no whole animals were involved with the research, student transcripts and a letter of recommendation from the student’s faculty research advisor.

NEW OPPORTUNITY! Undergraduate Education in Aging & Geroscience Research Program

December 7, 2023

New paid summer research opportunities at UConn or UConn Health - Education in Aging & Geroscience Research (EAGR) Program. To learn more about becoming an EAGR Scholar, enrolling in geroscience coursework, and applying for funded summer research in labs at UConn and UConn Health, visit https://education-aging-geroscience.research.uconn.edu/ or contact kenneth.campellone@uconn.edu 

Deadline January 31, 2024

MCB Seminar Series: Dr. Michael Church

December 5, 2023

Tuesday, December 5, 3:30 PM, BPB 130

Dr. Michael Church, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Stowers Institute for Medical Research

Host: Stacey Hanlon

Regulating metabolism through control of gene expression

Summary: Protein complexes that affect DNA accessibility by sliding/evicting nucleosomes are conserved throughout Eukarya, and play an important role in gene regulation. In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, one such complex, Swi-Snf, is a well-known activator of gene transcription. However, swi/snf mutants display elevated levels of metabolic gene transcription in contrast to its known role as an activator. We aimed to discover the reason for this phenomenon, and further investigate the relationship between metabolism, chromatin, and the proteins that influence both.

Bio: Dr. Church received both his  B.A. and Ph.D. from the Department of Microbiology at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland, after which he spent a short time working as an industrial scientist. Church moved to Kansas City, Missouri in 2017 to work as a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the lab of Jerry Workman, Ph.D. at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research. He is interested in how metabolism affects proteins that regulate gene expression, and vice versa.

Link to publication