January 2007

From the Dean

Happy New Year everyone!  I hope you had an enjoyable and restful holiday.

I have two exciting promotions to report.  First, Dr. Joelle Presson has been promoted to Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Academic Programs.  This promotion recognizes the substantial and expanding role that Joelle has played for several years as a member of the College’s leadership team.  It strengthens our administrative structure, as the increasing depth and breadth of our involvement in undergraduate education at the College and campus levels require.  Joelle has made outstanding and enduring creative contributions to teaching and learning in our College (read more below), and I know we can count on her to continue to provide excellence in leadership in the future.  Please join me in congratulating her on this well-deserved promotion.

Andrea Morris has been appointed Assistant Dean for Development and Corporate Relations for the College.  During the year that Andrea has been Associate Director for
Development, she has made impressive progress in terms of creating a development infrastructure, building our alumni community, organizing successful events, identifying potential donors, and raising funds for the College.  With the public phase of the capital campaign underway, we need to mount a very strong development effort.  I know that Andrea will dedicate herself fully to meeting our campaign goal and I look forward to working with her to achieve it. 

We also have a new faculty member joining the Biology department.  Dr. Jim Battey, Director National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, has been appointed a College Park Professor in the Department of Biology.  Dr. Battey’s vast experience and accomplishments will make him a tremendous resource as we continue to expand the research capabilities of the College. 

Here’s to a prosperous 2007!

Norma Allewell
Professor and Dean

Save the Date

Calix 2007: the Ninth International Conference on Calixarene Chemistry will be held on Campus August 6-9.  Organized by Dr. Jeffery Davis and Dr. Lyle Isaacs, the conference will feature nanoscience, supramolecular chemistry and molecular recognition.  Over 30 speakers from 13 different countries and 150-200 participants from around the world will attend.

Vaccine Development in the College of Chemical & Life Sciences

Dan Stein, Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, and Philip DeShong, Chemistry and Biochemistry, have been working for the past several years on the use of carbohydrate-functionalized nanomaterials for a variety of applications in biomedical science, including diagnostics, drug delivery, and vaccine development.  In particular, carbohydrate coated gold nanoparticles have been investigated because they can be easily prepared, are robust in biological media, and are biocompatible.  Carbohydrate derivatives were chosen as the coating material because carbohydrates are found on most cell surface receptors and are responsible for cell-cell recognition and cell-cell communication. 

In conjunction with CLFS alum and Board of Visitors member Terry Chase, Drs. Stein and DeShong have subsequently started a company, SD Nanosciences, Inc., to commercialize the potential of these carbohydrate-functionalized nanoparticles in vaccine development.  The approach, named Triad, has several potential advantages over existing vaccine methods, the most important being:

(1) The ability to systematically manipulate the surface moieties and thus "tune" the strength of the antibody response, and
(2) The robust nature of the functionalized nanoparticles to environmental conditions, ie. pH, ionic strength, etc.

The initial focus is on the development of carbohydrate-based vaccines for bacterial infections such as meningitis, but, in principle, this approach would be applicable to tumor vaccines.

In addition, SD Nanosciences has licensed a patent (Bill Bentley, Mario Dagenais, and Phil DeShong) that is also related to tumor biology.  This patent describes a new array methodology to find biomarkers on tumor cells.  Once the appropriate biomarker has been determined, then the biomarker can be conjugated onto nanoparticles for investigation as tumor vaccines.   Mario Dagenais (Electrical and Computer Engineering) and John Sauk (UMd. Dental School) are collaborating with Dr. DeShong on the biomarker project.

New Faculty Member Joins Biology Department

Dr. James F. Battey has been appointed as a College Park Professor within the Department of Biology. This is the first such appointment within the College for distinguished members of the outside academic community, made with the intention of strengthening ties to the University, College and Department.

Dr. Battey is currently the Director of the National Institute of Deafness and Other Communicative Disorders (NIDCD), one of the Institutes that comprise the National Institutes of Health (NIH). NIDCD is mandated to conduct and support biomedical and behavioral research and research training in the normal and disordered processes of hearing, balance, smell, taste, voice, speech, and language. The Institute also conducts and supports research and research training related to disease prevention and health promotion; addresses special biomedical and behavioral problems associated with people who have communication impairments or disorders; and supports efforts to create devices which substitute for lost and impaired sensory and communication function.

Dr. Battey is also chairman of the NIH Stem Cell Task and has been at the center of the debate amongst scientists, career administrators and political appointees at NIH and Congress. Through this period, Dr. Battey has worked to educate politicians and the public and maximize the limited opportunities allowed by the current administration. In a contentious debate, Dr. Battey has retrained a very high reputation for integrity and clarity of thought amongst both the scientific and the political establishment. 

The central areas of Dr. Battey’s current research interests – signal transduction at the molecular level and sensory neuroscience - are ones in which the Biology Department has strength and which it would like to continue to enhance. NIDCD currently hosts graduate students from Biology and the Neuroscience and Cognitive Science (NACS) program who perform their research with staff at NIDCD and are co-advised by Biology faculty members.

Dr. Battey has also provided distinguished service to the College, serving on our Board of Visitors from 2001 and as Chair of the Board since 2002. Dr. Battey’s leadership of the College Board of Visitors have been extraordinarily constructive and creative. As we work to further enhance our research efforts and open the Biosciences Building, Dr. Battey has provided an invaluable perspective based on his experience at the national level.

Faculty accomplishments:

Pedro Barbosa, Entomology, has been elected an honorary member of the Entomological Society of America, in recognition of his distinguished career-long contributions to the field and the society. This honor is awarded to those who have served the field of entomology with distinction and have participated actively in the affairs of the Entomological Society of America.

Jonathan Dinman, CBMG, has an article in the December issue of Nucleic Acids Research Journal:  Identification of functional, endogenous programmed –1 ribosomal frameshift signals in the genome of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Jonathan L. Jacobs, Ashton T. Belew, Rasa Rakauskaite and Jonathan D. Dinman

Chemistry Chair and Professor Michael P. Doyle comes up roses on the December 8, 2006 cover of the Journal of Organic Chemistry with the JOC Perspective article “Perspective on Dirhodium Caboxamidates as Catalysts.”  Rhodium (named from the Greek "rhodon" meaning "rose") was discovered in 1803 by the Englishman William Hyde Wollaston. Dark green rhodium acetate, prepared from rhodium(III) chloride and structurally characterized in the 1960s, was first used as a catalyst in the 1970s. Rose-colored nitrile complexes of chiral dirhodium(II) carboxamidates were prepared and developed for catalytic uses in the 1990s.

David Inouye, Biology, is featured in a BBC Radio program “Planet Earth Under Threat.”  The journalists visited the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory last summer and talked with Dr. Inouye for a segment in episode 3, “Nature’s Calendar.”  Click on “listen again” at the bottom of the abstract to hear the segment.

Sang Bok Lee, Chemistry, was honored by the U.S. Chapter of the Korean Instituted of Chemical Engineers (KIChE-US) with the “Outstanding Young  Investigator Award” for his work "Nanotubes beyond Carbon Nanotubes: Applications from Nanomedicine to Electronics."

Margaret Palmer, Entomology, was interviewed by Earth & Sky Radio:  "For many, many years, ecologists have focused primarily on what they call 'pristine' systems. And having gotten my degree 20 years ago, I certainly fall into that category. Up until maybe 10 years ago, I would drive two or three hours away from the University of Maryland, out west of Washington D.C., to find a watershed that I felt was not impacted. Working in systems like that has been extremely important for understanding how ecosystems are put together, and what keeps them together. In fact, that kind of work really has provided the foundation upon which we’re able to do a lot of things. But the bottom line is that most systems aren’t like that, and they haven’t been for a long time. Virtually all ecosystems are influenced by humans. There’s no such thing as a pristine ecosystem. We felt that it was time to acknowledge that, and begin to encourage a movement that has already begun – it’s been going on for 10 years now – that includes the recognition that humans are part of the ecosystem.”

A research team led by Dr. Sarah Tishkoff, Biology, has solved much of the puzzle of how lactose tolerance in adults was achieved through natural selection.  After testing for lactose tolerance and genetic makeup among 43 ethnic groups in East Africa, Dr. Tishkoff and her colleagues have found three new mutations, all independent of one another and of the European mutation, that keep the lactase gene permanently switched on.  The principal mutation, found among Nilo-Saharan-speaking ethnic groups of Kenya and Tanzania, arose 2,700 to 6,800 years ago, according to genetic estimates.  An article in Genetic Engineering News quotes Dr. Tishkoff: “The findings reveal one of the most striking genetic footprints of natural selection ever observed in humans."  The findings of Dr. Tishkoff’s work have been picked up by a host of publications, including: The New York Times, Washington Post, Nature Genetics, Genetic Engineering News, Daily India.
Additional information can be found on the University of Maryland web site.

New Research Funding:

Irv Forseth, Biology, program director, and David Inouye, Biology, program participant received an award from the National Science Foundation for $499,999 for a Research Coordination Network proposal.  The focus of this project is the National Phenology Network, a continental-scale effort to involve both scientists and the public in collection of long-term data on ongoing changes in the timing of seasonal events.

Several faculty members received General Research Board (GRB) awards from the University of Maryland Graduate School:

• Ricardo Araneda, Biology, received a summer award and will be returning to the Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA in the summer.
• Ashton Cropp, Chemistry and Biochemistry, received a summer award
• Michele Dudash, Biology, received a semester award to extend her sabbatical to study grassland conservation in South Eastern Australia.
• Charles Fenster, Biology, received a semester award to extend his sabbatical and will be traveling to China to foster his recent collaborations with Chinese colleagues and institutions, unearth new challenges and solve new puzzles in plant evolution.
• Nicole LaRonde-LeBlanc, Chemistry and Biochemistry, received a summer award
• Herman Sintim, Chemistry and Biochemistry, received a summer award
• Daphne Soares, Biology, received a summer award and will be returning to the Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA in the summer.

Student News

Four undergraduate students – Quinn Burks, Maria Espinoza, Arianne Wilson, and Glendon Wu – received travel grants from the College to attend the American Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS), November 8-10 in Anaheim, California. Wu presented a poster on research he conducted last summer, “Characterization of Natural Killer (NK) Cells in Different Rat Lymphoid Compartments.”  ABRCMS is the largest, professional conference for biomedical students attracting approximately 2,600 individuals, including 1,650 undergraduate students, 280 graduate students, 30 postdoctoral scientists, and 750 faculty and administrators. Students come from over 285 U.S. colleges and universities.

At the December 2006 national meeting of the Entomological Society of America (ESA) two Entomology graduate students were recognized for the papers they presented. Adrianna Szczepaniec was awarded First Place in the ESA, President's Prize, for oral presentations in the Crop Protection Entomology section.  The title of her presentation was “Effects of two systemic neonicotinoid insecticides on the composition of natural enemy communities in boxwood and elm.”  Robert F. Smith, was runner-up in the ESA President's Prize, for oral presentations in the Behavior and Ecology section, for his presentation titled “Patterns among aquatic insect communities in headwater and main-stem streams: A comparison of urban and rural watersheds.”

Marine-Estuarine-Environmental Sciences (MEES) M.S. students David Kidwell and Lauren McChesney have been awarded NOAA Sea Grant Knauss Fellowships for 2007. David, advised Dr. Lowell Adams for his thesis looking at the relationship of surf scoter distribution and macrobenthic fauna in the Chesapeake Bay, will be working at the NOAA National Ocean Service in the Coastal Oceans Program. Lauren, who is working with Dr. Katia Engelhardt on her thesis involving the effects of sediment on submerged aquatic vegetation community dynamics, will be working with the Marine Mammal Commission.

In the field . . .

While working with colleagues at NOAA Fisheries, CONS student Nicole Le Boeuf traveled to Hobart, Tasmania (Australia) to work for the Secretariat for the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP) for three months.  Albatrosses and petrels are among the most threatened birds in the world with all 21 species being considered globally threatened or near threatened with extinction by the IUCN.  ACAP is a multilateral agreement that seeks to conserve albatrosses and petrels by coordinating international activity to mitigate known threats to albatross and petrel populations.  ACAP entered into force in 2004, although the United States has not yet ratified.

Nicole's internship afforded her the opportunity to work with some of the world's leading experts in seabird conservation and to help develop strategies for reducing seabird interactions with commercials fisheries — one of their greatest threats.  As a part of her duties, Nicole helped the ACAP Secretariat prepare for and carry out two major meetings: the “Second Meeting of the ACAP Advisory Committee” was held in Brasilia, Brazil and brought together technical experts in the fields of seabird population status and trends, breeding sites, taxonomy, and bycatch in fisheries; the “Second Meeting of the Parties” was held in Christchurch, New Zealand, where high level officials from nine member, participation nations, and international non-governmental organizations set the priorities for ACAP's work for the next several years.

In her position with the Secretariat, Nicole was uniquely positioned to learn more about the implications of joining ACAP and is now working with NOAA Fisheries to begin inter-agency discussions regarding possible U.S. ratification.  To directly assist in U.S. Government deliberations, Nicole is writing a scholarly paper on the subject of what factors the United States should consider as a part of potentially becoming an ACAP member.  Her analysis will inform officials at NOAA Fisheries, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, and the U.S. Department of State as they decide whether the United States should join.  Through this experience, Nicole was able to benefit the agency she works for, assist in international efforts to protect seabirds, and broaden her experiences within the world of international fisheries management.

Dr. Joelle Presson promoted to Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Academic Programs

Dr Presson holds a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the University of Oregon.  She joined the Department of Zoology as an Assistant Research Scientist in 1987.  Her skills as a teacher and administrator led to her appointment as undergraduate program director in Biology from 1990-94, and Assistant Director of the Biological Sciences program in the College in 1994.   Her responsibilities in the College have expanded significantly with time.  Dr. Presson is currently lead administrator in overseeing the BSCI Introductory Course sequence, which has grown to include the coordination, TA staffing, and facilitation of course teams for five large introductory courses serving several thousand students each year.  Dr. Presson’s entrepreneurial talents have helped to transform the Science in the Evening program from a concept into a thriving academic program for post-baccalaureate students seeking further training in preparation for professional degrees in the health sciences.  This has led to expanded course offerings and enrollments, and has generated significant revenues for the College and its departments.

In addition to her work in these areas, Dr Presson’s expanded roles will include continued leadership in the area of learning outcomes assessment – planning, execution and analysis – in our undergraduate curriculum; guidance of the College Undergraduate Program Committee and its role in curriculum oversight and development; work in the area of K-16 partnerships, including work with high school teachers and on state-wide articulation committees with community college and system institution disciplinary faculty; and continued undergraduate advising, particularly of post-baccalaureate students and those interested in becoming secondary school biology teachers.  Joelle also serves on many campus committees and in other important service roles.  

Dr. Presson’s accomplishments as a teacher and advisor are exemplary.  She continues to advise undergraduates, and has mentored many thousands of advisees during her tenure here.  She has been dedicated to the education of undergraduates, particularly non-majors, and has continued to teach BSCI 103 once each year.  She has also managed to find time to write an introductory textbook for non-majors with her co-author Jan Jenner.  Biology: Dimensions of Life, which will be published by McGraw-Hill in February 2007.        

Alumni News

The Baltimore Sun’s ongoing feature that looks at careers takes a look at Bob Trumbule, a state agriculture inspector who received a B.A. in horticulture and botany, and an M.A. in entomology from the College of Chemical and Life Sciences. His job is to make sure greenhouses are free of pests and diseased plants. "We often fly below the radar but we are guided by a consumer protection as well as an agricultural protection mission," he says.

In Memorium

James Robert McNesby, 84, a scientist and academic who retired in 1982 after six years as chairman of the Chemistry department, died Dec. 12 at his home in Arlington. He had Alzheimer's disease.  His professional honors included the 1958 Rockefeller Public Service Award, the Commerce Department's Silver and Gold medals, and the Robert Rowan award for service to the University of Maryland.” A remembrance also can be found on the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department website and the obituary on the Washington Post website.

Gifts and Giving to the College

A special thank you to everyone who supported the College of Chemical and Life Sciences. Through your generosity we can help open doors for students for generations to come!

If you are interested in contributing or would like information about opportunities to support the College of Chemical and Life Sciences, please contact Andrea Morris via e-mail or 301.405.4572.

Please send feedback on the newsletter to Orly Konig Lopez, Director of Communications, College of Chemical and Life Sciences.