Addressing Ageism in Healthcare: A Special Seminar 2/14

February 6, 2025

MCB and School of Nursing present a special seminar: Addressing Ageism in Healthcare. Friday, February 14, 2025.

UConn Molecular and Cell Biology Department and the School of Nursing are hosting a special seminar.

The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) leadership team will be presenting a lunchtime seminar on Addressing Ageism in Healthcare

Ageism in healthcare is the systematic and unjust treatment of individuals based on their age, particularly older individuals, within healthcare settings. It manifests in various forms and can have significant negative impacts on the health and well-being of older persons. The challenge is that an innate bias based on age is a long-ingrained part of our culture. Many miss the signs of societal, interpersonal, and especially self-directed ageism. Bringing to the forefront specific examples and context is an important first step to address this pervasive and important issue that affects us all as we age.

Presenters:
Marilyn R. Gugliucci
MA, PhD, FAGHE, FGSA, AGSF, FNAOME
GSA President
Professor & Director, Geriatrics Education & Research
University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine, Maine

James C. Appleby
BSPharm, MPH, ScD (Hon)
Chief Executive Officer
Gerontological Society of America

Please RSVP here by Feb. 12

Apply now to become a 2025 EAGR Scholar!

January 21, 2025

New paid summer research internships at UConn and UConn Health with the undergraduate 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 7, 2025

(see article about the EAGR program in UConn Today)

In Memoriam: Dr. Margaret J. Sekellick

December 16, 2024

Dr. Margaret J. Sekellick, a beloved sister, aunt, professor, and scientist passed away as a result of natural causes on December 4th, 2024, at the age of 81. 

Margaret graduated from Lyman Hall High School and went on to the University of Connecticut where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Zoology, a Masters in Genetics, and her PhD in 1980. She built an exceptional career as a professor and research scientist in the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology. She worked closely with her mentor, colleague, and dear friend Philip Marcus from 1970 until she retired in 2009. Together they made groundbreaking research which advanced the field of molecular biology, including discovering the world’s most efficient inducer of interferon – a single molecule of double stranded RNA. See full obituary

New MCB Undergraduate Scholarship Announcement

October 28, 2024

Carolyn Teschke has organized a new campaign to raise money for an MCB undergraduate scholarship. Gifts to this fund will support scholarships within CLAS for incoming and current undergraduate students majoring in Molecular Cell Biology who demonstrate academic achievement and proven financial need.

Contributions to the fund can be made on the UConn Foundation's MCB Scholarship page.

In Memoriam: Dr. Hans Laufer, MCB Professor Emeritus

September 25, 2024

In Memoriam: Dr. Hans Laufer, MCB Professor Emeritus, October 18, 1929 – August 17, 2024 Hans Laufer

It is with great sadness that we report the passing of Dr. Hans Laufer.  Hans was Professor Emeritus in the Department of Molecular & Cell Biology at the University of Connecticut since his retirement in 1997.

Hans completed his PhD at Cornell University, his Postdoctoral studies at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, and then became a member of the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology at the UConn Storrs campus. During the summer months Hans conducted research as a Visiting Investigator at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole.

Hans’s main research was in the field of crustacean development and hormones.

He was a member of the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering, a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and Elected Fellow of the Royal Entomology Society of London. In 2010 was awarded an Honorary Membership of the International Society for Invertebrate Reproduction and Development, where he served as president and was a member since 1978, and editor of the society journal since 1998. 

 Hans was born in Silesia, Germany. In 1939, after Kristallnacht, he and his family immigrated to the United States. Hans gave several presentations on his experience during this time. He was married to Evelyn Green until her death in 2001. They had three children Jessica, Marc, and Leonard, and six grandchildren.

More about Hans and his family can be found on these websites

https://tbewellesley.org/hans-laufer/

http://www.isird.org/members/Laufer_honorary_ISIRD_member.pdf

Picturing MCB Image Competition Winners Announced

September 10, 2024

In science, art and data are often indistinguishable. To showcase the beauty of the Molecular and Cell Biology (MCB) Department's research and the creativity of its members, we held a Picturing MCB Image Competition! There were four categories: Microscopy, Cool Science, Data Visualization and MCB in Action. The winners were announced at the department's annual retreat. Thank you to all who participated! The winning photos can be seen here

2024 MCB Department Retreat

September 5, 2024

2024 MCB Department Retreat

The Annual MCB Department Retreat was held on 8/22/24 at the beautiful UConn Avery Point campus. Highlights include the presentation of MCB Summer Fellowship Awards, Research talks by new faculty members Dylan Murray and Kristen Ramsey, a Poster Session, food trucks, a lively trivia game, and announcement of the first annual MCB image competition winners.

See photos of the event!

MCB Department Welcomes New Faculty

September 3, 2024

MCB is excited to introduce our two newest faculty members, Dylan Murray and Kristin Ramsey.

Dylan MurrayDylan Murray joins the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology as an assistant professor. Murray earned his doctorate degree in molecular biophysics from Florida State University and worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the National Institutes of Health. Murray’s research interest focuses on how microscopic molecules like proteins and DNA in humans and plants collectively produce much larger phenomena required to maintain life. His work has broad applications from fighting neurodegenerative disease and cancer to engineering plants to produce petrochemicals or to survive drought.
Read more about Dr. Murray -
A Cool Spin on Large Biomolecular Complexes

 

Kristen RamseyKristen Ramsey joins the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology as an assistant professor. She received her bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from Florida State University as a Goldwater Scholar and her doctoral degree at the University of California, San Diego in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. Ramsey previously served as an NIH Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Biophysics at Johns Hopkins University. Her research is focused on integrating molecular biophysical approaches with cell-based functional assays to further understand the fundamental biology of pathogen-sensing and signaling by innate immune RNA sensors from humans, birds, and scavenger species.