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 From
the Dean
I'm pleased to announce that Dr. Ricardo Araneda has signed on as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology, beginning in the fall semester of 2006. Dr. Araneda is a cellular neuroscientist who studies the sensation of smell and the detection of pheromones using advanced physiological techniques. He received his Ph.D. from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and is currently a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Dr. Stuart Firestein at Columbia University.
Congratulations to Dr. Margaret Palmer, who has accepted the position of Director of the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Sciences. Dr. Palmer will retain a 25% appointment as Professor of Entomology, and will retain a laboratory and continue to teach and supervise graduate students at the University of Maryland. We thank her for her many contributions to the campus and wish her every success in her new position.
Two advisors in the Student Services Office of the College are moving to new positions this month. Christine McCary will be a Ph.D. student in the Department of Immunology at Northwestern University, and Dan Peabody has accepted a counseling position at High Point High School. We thank Christine and Dan for their leadership and service. Two new advisors will be assuming Christine and Dan's responsibilities. Vinita Warren will be joining us from Montgomery College, where she has been a counselor for several years, and Casey Rice, a graduate and former Peer Mentor in the College, has signed on as an advisor. Welcome to Vinita and Casey.
Enjoy the month of August, and remember that classes begin in only five weeks!
Norma
Allewell
Professor and Dean
Academic
Calendar and Upcoming Events
September 24: Academically Talented Open House
September 30: Visit Maryland Day
October 10: Visit Maryland Day
October 22: Academically Talented Open House
November 11: Visit Maryland Day
November
17: Bioscience
Research and Technology Review
Day. More information: www.bioscienceday.umd.edu.
CLFS contact: Gene Ferrick (gene@umd.edu)
December 22: Graduation in the Memorial Chapel at 9:00 a.m.
February 20, 2006: Open House for Juniors
April 29, 2006: Maryland Day
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Faculty
Recognition and In
the News
Please
send faculty news items to gene@umd.edu.
Dean Norma Allewell participated in a presentation entitled “The Life Science Initiative at the University of Maryland – Strategy, Process, and Results” on the new Bioscience Research Building to the Society for College and University Planners (SCUP) at their annual meeting in D.C.
 Treating the arthropods nicely is a requirement at the Insect Camp. An article in the Gazette highlights the camp run by Dr. Earlene Armstrong, Entomology, that began four years ago. In the Plant Sciences Building children Dr. Armstrong shows children that science can be fun.
Gazette Newspapers, July 28
article
Dr. Jonathan Dinman, Cell Biology & Molecular Genetics, was made the Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Biomedical Science. He recently published a paper in the journal, “5S rRNA: Structure and Function from Head to Toe” (1: 3-4.)
Dr. Dinman also published a second paper, “Structural and functional analysis of 5S rRNA in Saccharomyces Cerevisiae” in Molecular Genetics and Genomics. July 27, 2005
 Dr. John Fourkas, Chemistry & Biochemistry, is interviewed in an article in ScienCentralNEWS. He gets creative with nanotechnology, lasercarving a three-dimensional version of the word “hair” onto a human hair. Fourkas’ work could lead to new technology for human health. A video is also on the site.
Sciencentral, July 17
Dr. Matthew Hare, Biology, gave testimony before the U.S. House of Representatives Resources Committee about adding Eastern Oysters to the endangered species list. Federal Document Clearing House, July 19
http://www.newsdesk.umd.edu/um_in_news/clips/july22q.cfm
On June 19, Dr. William Jeffery, Biology, presented a lecture in Tel Aviv, Israel entitled "Eye Degeneration in Blind Cavefish: Turning a Loss into a Gain" at a meeting, Frontiers in Vision Research: Insights from the Revolution in Biology at the Molecular Level. On the other side of the world, Dr. Jeffery presented a lecture on June 28 to the Grass Fellows at the Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA titled "A Search For the Evolutionary Origin of the Neural Crest."
Dr. Frederick Khachik, Chemistry & Biochemistry, was issued a U.S. Patent for his invention Method for Production of Rare Carotenoids from Commercially Available Lutein.
Dr. Paul Mazzocchi, Joint Institute for Food Safety & Applied Nutrition (JIFSAN) and Chemistry & Biochemistry, established a 3-year, $520,000 contract between JIFSAN and Johnson Diversey, Inc. to establish the Johnson Diversey International Food Safety Initiative within the JIFSAN International Training Center. The overall objective of the initiative is to develop and offer educational seminars to appropriate international officials and representatives on food safety issues.
 Dr. Margaret Palmer, Entomology, received a 6-month, $20,000 grant from the Department of the Interior to study “River Restoration in the Mid-Atlantic, United States: A Scientific Synthesis Based on Project Manager Interviews.” In addition, Dr. Palmer recently accepted the position of Director of the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Sciences.
Dr. Michael Raupp, Entomology, is featured in an ABC News slide show that discusses insect repellent and mosquitoes. The Good Morning America “Bug Guy” delivers advice to reduce the risk of insect bites. June 30
On television on numerous stations around the country, Dr. Raupp talked mosquitoes and ticks and the repellents for both. Some of the stations included WMAR-TV (Baltimore), June 30 and July 22, and WRC-TV (Washington), July 18
http://www.nbc4.com/consumer/4757414/detail.html
WFIE TV (Evansville IN), July 26
http://www.14wfie.com/Global/story.asp?S=3638001&nav=3w6ocZBl
Drs. Paula M. Shrewsbury and Michael Raupp, both from Entomology, are quoted in the Baltimore Sun, the Washington Post, and the Annapolis Capital about the spectacular number of Japanese beetles this year and the extraordinary damage to plants that host the species.
Baltimore Sun, July 20
Washington Post, July 21
Annapolis Capital, July 27
The work of Dr. Larwrence Sita, Chemistry & Biochemistry and Associate Dean, is highlighted in a Washington Post article titled “University of Maryland Gets an 'A' for Its Nanotechnology Research.“ July 7
In an article in Science titled “Are Humans Still Evolving,” Dr. Sarah Tishkoff, Biology, is quoted about evolution's “selective process.” July 8
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/309/5732/234
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Summer Research Fellows - Luncheon and Poster Presentations
The Summer Research Fellows ended their seven-week research experience at Maryland on July 23. The Fellowship Program, which is part of the Graduate Partners Program, offers outstanding undergraduates from partner institutions an opportunity to participate in research projects mentored by college faculty. A luncheon for the students on July 21 featured a review of this year’s program and a discussion of the students’ research posters. Special thanks goes to the faculty who mentored the students. The students, faculty mentors, and the research topics are listed below:
Tamara Butler (mentored by Dr. Michael Doyle, Chemistry & Biochemistry) “Constructing Chiral Diazoacetates Using Diastereoselective Catalytic Mukaiyama Aldol Reaction”
Jasmin Cordy (mentored by Dr. Elisabeth Gantt, Cell Biology & Molecular Genetics) “Effect of Low Temperature and High Light Intensity on Growth and  Isoprenoid Production of Synechocystis 6803”
Kyla Hardaway (mentored by Dr. Steve Hutcheson, Cell Biology & Molecular Genetics) “Site Directed Mutagenesis of Two Cellulase Genes of Accharophagus Degradans Strain 2-40”
Cynthia Lawrence (mentored by Dr. Ken Frauwirth, Cell Biology & Molecular Genetics) “The Effects of Rapamycin & Ly294002 on Tcell Nutrient Transporters”
Victor Leslie (mentored by Dr. Mary Ann Ottinger, Animal & Avian Sciences, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources) “Effects of Transgenic and Non-Transgenic Methods On Spermatogenesis in Rats”
Sharon Lewis (mentored by Dr. Barbara Gerrantana, Chemistry & Biochemistry) “Biochemical Evidence of an Intermolecular Tunnel Within the Enzyme Glutamine Phosphoribosylpyrophosphate Amidotransferase”
Danielle Smart (mentored by Dr. Fatimah Jackson, Anthropology, College of Behavioral & Social Sciences and affiliate in Biology) “Using Ethnogenetic Layering and PSNA to Better Understand and Control HIV/AIDS”
Awharitefe Urhuogo (mentored by Dr. Eric Haag, Biology) “The Evolutionary Diversity of the Rhabditidae”
Kara Van Eden (mentored by Dr. James Culver , Center for Agricultural Biotechnology, UM Biotechnology Institute) “Characterizing the Promoter of an Auxin Responsive Gene-IAA26”
Sing-Lei Wang (mentored by Dr. Shunyuan Xiao, UM Biotechnology Institute) “Defense Associated Protein Phosphatase 1 Type 2C in Plant Defense”
Robert Smith, a doctoral student in Entomology, received a $2500 grant from the Nature Conservancy to study the ‘Effect of urbanization on the adult stage of aquatic insects: Does constrained dispersal contribute to community degradation?”
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Alumni
News
For
more alumni notes, check out the Alumni
Notes Web page. Please
send alumni notes to gene@umd.edu.
The June issue of Natural History Magazine had an article by Luis and Monika Espinasa entitled "Why Do Cave Fish Lose Their Eyes? A Darwinian Mystery Unholds in the Dark", which is based in part on research being carried out in the Dr. William Jeffery laboratory in the Department of Biology. Dr. Luis Espinasa is a former post-doctoral student from the Jeffery lab, who is currently Assistant Professor of Natural Sciences in Shenandoah University, Wincester, VA.
A Howard Hughes Medical Institute article highlights the findings of Dr. Leor Weinberger (B.S. Biological Sciences, ’98) and his colleagues. They note that “random fluctuations in gene expression can influence the fates of cells infected with HIV far more than previously thought.” The research is detailed in an article in the journal Cell (July 29) titled “Stochastic Gene Expression in a Lentiviral Positive-Feedback Loop: HIV-1 Tat Fluctuations Drive Phenotypic Diversity.” Dr. Weinberger was a Howard Hughes Research Fellow while he studied as an undergraduate at Maryland. He is now a postdoctoral fellow at Princeton University.
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Teenagers "Jump Start" into Science at Mar yland
Over the summer, 100 promising young scientists from around the country put on their lab coats and goggles at Maryland to experience scientific advances first-hand. Sponsored by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Maryland, and the College of Chemical & Life Sciences, the Jump Start program introduces students to the frontiers of biotechnology including forensic science, biomedical science, and animal behavior and physiology. Dr. Kaci Thompson coordinates the program that allows young researchers to take part in projects, seminars, and development workshops by working with Maryland undergraduates and faculty members.
http://www.newsdesk.umd.edu/scitech/release.cfm?ArticleID=1106
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Gifts to the College, Recognized with Thanks
Corporate and foundation support: Apple Computer, Inc. $23,671.13, DuPont $2,000 for the Chemistry in Service Fund, and the FMC Corporation $10,000 for Entomology.
Annual Fund Gifts and Pledges
Support of the annual fund of the College of Life Sciences is essential to the progress of the College, and we thank those who have stepped forward in this important effort. Gifts are to the Dean's Fund except as noted.
Colonnade Society: Prof. Eugenie Clark* $5,000 Zoology Fund in Support of Dr. Eugenie Clark's Research, Prof. Todd J. Cooke* $1,000 for Cell Biology & Molecular Genetics.
Roxane B. Anderson, BS'89 (Biological Sciences), Jennifer Lee Bull, BS'00 (Biochemistry), Louis I. Kaplan, JD (MD'65) BS'62, Peter B. Kettler, PhD'91 (Chemistry), Mark C. Lakshmanan, MD (MD'81), BS'77 (Chemistry matched by Eli Lilly and Company Foundation), Mr. Michael J. Loeloff, BS'88 (Microbiology), Elizabeth BS'65 (Microbiology) and Ernest C. Matthews, BS'66, Dr. Laura T. (BS'92 Biological Sciences) and Matthew Pickford, BS'89, Charles H. (MS'53) & Shirley Rolston, PhD'53 and BS'48 (Chemistry), Dr. Carol N. Ruckman, BS'72 Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Fund, Dr. Jay Schuster, BS'83, Roger G. Sorensen, BS'75, Margaret C. Tessier, MS'96 Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Fund, Carol G. Walton, BS'73 matched by GlaxoSmithKline, Henry N. Wixon, JD, MS'80 and BS'76 (Zoology) matched by Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering.
* Faculty or staff of College of Chemical & Life Sciences
If you are interested in learning more about supporting the College of Chemical & Life Sciences, please contact Bruce Shatswell, Assistant Dean for Development and Corporate Relations, bashatswell@umd.edu, 301-405-0295.
Funding
Alerts
How
to Post Your News
If
you would like to share your accomplishments
or other news, please send a note (and
any accompanying photos)
to Gene Ferrick at
gene@umd.edu. Issues are usually sent at the beginning
of each month.
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