News Items

In the past year we have witnessed a great deal of activity in the Molecular Biology Program. Research publications from Molecular Biology Program members reveal broad diversity and high quality, as our faculty and students have authored several original research papers and scientific reviews. Congratulations to Lu Hao who was awarded the Arthur J. Schmitt Dissertation Fellowship for the 2008-2009 academic year. The fellowship provides a stipend of $16,000.

Two new PhD students enrolled in the Molecular Biology Program for the 2009-2010 academic year, Rita Verma and Andrew Volk. We also had two students enroll in our new MS program, Sonia Olikara and Allison Rogowski. At the same time we have proudly watched as other students have graduated (Anita Jerome-Morias, Lu Hao, Deepali Bhandari), while more are planning on completing their degree program this coming year.

Our student who entered the program last year recently selected a laboratory for her thesis research: Alyson Lokken has joined Dr. Zeleznik-Le's lab. We also had Yousaf Mian from the Integrated Program in Biomedical Sciences, IPBS, join the Molecular Biology Program. Yousaf Mian has also joined Dr. Zeleznik-Le's lab.

Finally, Fareena Bilwani has returned to the Program from a Leave of Absence, and is back at work in Dr. Knight's lab. Welcome back Fareena!

Laurie Risner (foremerly Riesbeck) (Zeleznik-Le Lab) and Vipin Yadav (Denning Lab) each won an Arthur J. Schmitt Dissertation Fellowship for the 2009-2010 academic year. The Molecular Biology Graduate Program had another very strong performance this year by obtaining two of these competitive awards. Way to go Laurie and Vipin!
Vipin Yadav (Denning Lab) won an Albert M. Kligman Travel Fellowship to attend the 2009 Annual Society for Investigative Dermatology Meeting in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Vipin was one of only 26 recipients out of over 90 applicants from 14 countries. Vipin will be presenting his work entitled "Repression of protein kinase C delta gene expression in human squamous cell carcinomas by a novel Ras-NF-kB signaling pathway" at an oral minisymposium.
Rohit Malik (Marchese Lab) received an American heart Association Predoctoral Fellowship.
Anita Jerome (Denning Lab) was awarded first place at the Annual St. Albert's Day Student Presentation held on November 14, 2008. Congratulations, Anita!

Shuang Lian (Bocchetta Lab) successfully passed her Comprehensive Exam. Congratulations Shuang!

Kinnari Mehta (Osipo Lab) successfully passed her Comprehensive Exam. The topic of her grant proposal was "TGFß activation results in transcriptional repression of the miR-200 family via Smad pathway, thereby relieving the inhibition of ZEB1/2 expression and downregulating E-cadherin during EMT". Congratulations Kinnari!

New Graduate Faculty Members in the Molecular Biology Program

Bruce Cuevas, Ph.D. has joined the Molecular Biology Program as a full member. Dr. Cuevas is also a member of the Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. Please welcome Dr. Cuevas to our program.
Ajay Rana, Ph.D. has joined the Program as a full member. Dr. Rana is a Professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. Please welcome Dr. Rana to our program.
Neil Clipstone, Ph.D. has joined the Program as a full member. Dr. Clipstone is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. Please welcome Dr. Clipstone to our program.

These appointments will expand our contributions to the scientific training of our students across several discipline boundaries.