The Global Invertebrate Genomics Alliance (GIGA) has announced that Kate Castellano has received the inaugural GIGA Fellowship in Invertebrate Genomics 2020 Award.

GIGA is dedicated to promoting resources and standards that will facilitate comparative approaches and collaborations for future generations.

About Kate GIGA stated, “With these objectives in mind, we are excited to see Kate’s research that investigates reproductive life history of salps, a group that is in need for expanded genomic resources. We were impressed by her research statement, thoughtful budget and her desire to train future generations in invertebrate –OMICS research.”

Learn more about GIGA

MCB Assistant Professor, Kat Milligan-Myhre was featured in a recent video, Indigenous at UConn, created by UConn Native American Cultural Programs. In the video,  Milligan-Mhyre speaks about both her culture and her science.

Assistant Research Professor, Sarah McAnulty, was recently featured in an article, "When you text the Squidmobile, this Fishtown scientist texts back squid words of wisdom" in the Philadelphia Inquirer. When squid biologist Sarah McAnulty decided to cover her Toyota RAV4 with paintings of squid and write the words “WANT A SQUID FACT? Text 9-RUNG-SQUID” on the back, she was ready for things to get weird. And she was not disappointed. Read full article

The Alder Lab, Nathan Alder PI, was recently awarded three substantial grants. The first, a grant from the National Institute on Aging, (R01AG065879), "First-in-class Peptide Therapeutics for Mitochondrial Disorders: Molecular Mechanism of Action and Optimization of Design." This five-year R01 for $2.5M is focused on investigating the molecular basis by which mitochondria-targeted peptide compounds interact with membranes and their downstream effects on membrane biophysical properties, protein complex structure and function, and mitochondrial physiology. This is a highly multidisciplinary project that includes collaborators within MCB and from The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and Alexandria LaunchLabs. View Abstract   
Alder's research was featured in UConn Today.

The Barth Syndrome Foundation awarded the group a $50K grant to develop peptide-based therapeutics specifically for the treatment of Barth Syndrome (BTHS), "Development of Mitochondria-Targeted Peptide Compounds as Barth Syndrome Therapeutics." BTHS is an X-linked genetic disease resulting from defects in the transacylase enzyme tafazzin, involved in biosynthetic remodeling of the mitochondrial phospholipid cardiolipin. Using a host of biophysical approaches with model membrane systems and disease models, this work will explore a library of compound variants optimized as therapeutics for treating dysfunctional cardiolipin biogenesis. Learn more about how this grant will be used.

The group also received a grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences Grant (R01GM136975), "Mitochondrial Membrane Compartmentalization". This is a multi-PI grant, with collaborator Dr. Steven Claypool (JHU School of Medicine), for $774K over two years. The objective of this work is to elucidate spatial and temporal distribution of lipids and proteins within the subcompartments of the morphologically complex mitochondrion. This will identify how the organelle establishes its ultrastructure as well as differences in spatiotemporal macromolecular distribution relevant to human disease and cellular stressors. This work utilizes novel membrane-active copolymers that extract membrane nanoparticles amenable for protein and lipid analysis. View Abstract

To learn more about the Alder Lab and their research, visit their lab website.

Professors, graduate assistants and support staff have made significant adjustments to courses, preparing multiple lesson plans to meet the needs of in-person and distance learners.

Story in UConn Today

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases has awarded David Goldhamer, Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology a $2.2 million, 5-year award to study Satellite cells. Satellite cells are responsible for the marked regenerative capacity of skeletal muscle. Although these stem cells were discovered more than 50 years ago, the molecular mechanisms that program satellite cells for muscle differentiation are incompletely understood. Using unique mouse lines and strategies, the proposed studies will determine the functions of two key myogenic regulatory proteins (MyoD and Myf5) in satellite cell development, myogenic programming and differentiation.

View complete abstract

Samantha Holmes (M.S. Applied Genomics) and Courtney Gunter (M.S. Microbial Systems Analysis), have been published in the PSM Alumni and Graduation Chronicle, 2020 Issue. See their profiles in the 2020 PSM Chronicle

Spencer Nyholm is part of a team that received a $550,000 award from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation to develop new tools to study symbiotic relationships in the Hawaiian bobtail squid.

The award is part of the Symbiosis in Aquatic Systems Initiative and is investing $19 million over the next three years to support 42 teams of scientists to advance model systems in aquatic symbiosis. Marcy Balunas from UConn Pharmaceutical Sciences is also a Co-PI on the grant.

Learn more about the Symbiosis in Aquatic Systems Initiative

James Cole and Rachel O'Neill among five UConn researchers awarded internal funding to support researchers who are using their expertise to find new solutions to address the Covid-10 pandemic The program will award up to $50,000 to recipients.

Dr. James Cole received $43,439, Targeting the Endoribonuclease of Coronaviruses, Co-PIs: Mark Peczuh, Chemistry

Dr. Rachel O'Neill was awarded $50,000, Rapid and Ultrasensitive SARS-CoV-2 Detection in Wastewater by Smartphone
Co-PIs: Maroun Sfeir, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

See full article in UConn Today