Department of Biological Sciences

205 Natural Sciences, 4:00 p.m.

November 7, Dr. Mamadi Yilla
Distinguished Alumni 
Deputy Coordinator
US Department of State
“Health and Diplomacy: A surprising approach to U.S. international interests”

November 14, Dr. Sofia Origanti
Assistant Professor, St. Louis University
“Translating Under Stress: Context-Dependent Regulation of the Eukaryotic Initiation Factor 6”

December 5, Dr. Fernando Estrada, Assistant Professor, UB
“Structural and functional regulation of the mycobacterial enzyme CYP121; a drug target in the fight on Tuberculosis”

"Investigating TRAP-mediated attenuation of the trp operon with cotranscriptional SHAPE-Seq"
Authors: Kiel Kreuzer, Molly Evans, Julius Lucks, Paul Gollnick.

Dr. Keil Kreuzer has won "Most Outstanding Talk" at 2019 RustBelt RNA meeting, with an estimated 400 scientists in attendance. Kreuzer is a post-doctoral fellow in the Gollnick Lab. “This work is a collaboration between my lab at UB and that of Dr. Julius Lucks at Northwestern University to use a novel method to examine RNA structure during transcription,” states Dr. Gollnick, “Our work is changing the "textbook" view of how transcription is regulated in Bacillus subtilis.”

The mission of the RRM is to provide unique opportunities for junior scientists. The regional meeting encourages the sharing of ideas and the development of new collaborations. Support is provided by the National Science Foundation along with corporate and academic sponsors. 

See a photograph of what must be UB's most 'Spooktacular Lab'.

"Investigating TRAP-mediated attenuation of the trp operon with cotranscriptional SHAPE-Seq"
Authors: Kiel Kreuzer, Molly Evans, Julius Lucks, Paul Gollnick.

Dr. Keil Kreuzer has won "Most Outstanding Talk" at 2019 RustBelt RNA meeting, with an estimated 400 scientists in attendance. Kreuzer is a post-doctoral fellow in the Gollnick Lab. “This work is a collaboration between my lab at UB and that of Dr. Julius Lucks at Northwestern University to use a novel method to examine RNA structure during transcription,” states Dr. Gollnick, “Our work is changing the "textbook" view of how transcription is regulated in Bacillus subtilis.”

The mission of the RRM is to provide unique opportunities for junior scientists. The regional meeting encourages the sharing of ideas and the development of new collaborations. Support is provided by the National Science Foundation along with corporate and academic sponsors. 

Fall 2019: The Department of Biological Sciences is pleased to welcome a new member of our faculty. Soo-Kyung Lee is engaged in studying gene regulation that directs cell fate determination during development of the central nervous system. Lee's major research models are developing spinal cord and cortex. In collaboration with Jae Lee’s group, she recently initiated a new venture with a neurodevelopmental disorder named FoxG1 syndrome, which is characterized by severe congenital brain anomalies. Lee's major experimental approach involves mouse genetics and genome-wide studies such as single cell RNA-seq and ChIP-seq. The Lee lab is recruiting at all levels and anyone interested in her lab should contact Professor Lee directly. See faculty profile.

Excerpt from national news report:  "Can science save the avocado? Like many commonly cultivated fruits and vegetables, avocados are under threat from climate change. One recent report predicts that by 2050, high temperatures and reduced precipitation in California will dramatically slash yields of the popular fruit, which thrives in moderate temperatures and humidity." Read more.

Fall 2019: The Department of Biological Sciences is pleased to welcome a new member of our faculty. Jae W. Lee studies gene regulation that directs cell fate specification during development of neurons in the hypothalamus arcuate nucleus, which controls growth, metabolism and reproduction. Lee also studies a neurodevelopmental disorder named FoxG1 syndrome, which is characterized by severe congenital brain anomalies, in close collaboration with Soo-Kyung Lee’s group. Experimentally, Lee mainly utilizes mouse genetics and genome-wide approaches such as single cell RNA-seq and ChIP-seq. Lee’s lab is recruiting at all levels and anyone interested in his lab should contact Professor Lee directly. See faculty profile.

The Acoustical Society of America (ASA) has named Kathleen Ohman the winner of the Robert W. Young Award for Undergraduate Research in Acoustics. The ASA is the premiere international scientific society in acoustics, dedicated to increasing and diffusing the knowledge of acoustics and promoting its practical application. Ohman, a Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors student, studies the effects of blast-induced traumatic brain injury on mouse vocalizations.

Rupkatha Banerjee, a graduate student in Dr. Shermali Gunawardena's lab, was awarded Best Talk at the 13th Annual Neuroscience Research Day, October 11, 2019. Her research talk was focused on how Glycogen synthase kinase 3β mediated phosphorylation regulates kinesin-1 activity during axonal transport. Rupkatha's research unravels the complex control mechanisms that likely exist for motor function during axonal transport and how transport defects can affect neurodegeneration.

"The UB Biological Sciences department is a great place to grow as a student and a future communicator of science. Established scientists are really friendly and willing to mentor you, let you work in their labs and even let you be teaching assistants for their classes. I thoroughly enjoyed my time here!"

Current Activities: Ph.D. Student in Molecular & Cellular Biology at Duke University School of Medicine, currently doing lab rotations.

"I loved that the Bio department offered a variety of introductory and specialized courses. I felt the Neurobiology courses and Honors research methodology course prepared me well for graduate school. I am also grateful to the department for awarding me the Knobloch fellowship that helped me pursue my research in the lab of Professor Malcolm Slaughter."
Current Activities: Gates Cambridge Scholar pursuing a PhD in Pharmacology in University of Cambridge, UK, researching arthritic pain to develop novel drug targets. 

Sara Fox has received the 2017 Undergraduate Research Award through CURCA, which includes a grant of $500. supported by the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education. Congratulations Sara and keep up the great work! We look forward to all your future achievements!

"As an undergraduate in the department of biological sciences at UB, I was truly able to receive a unique education with the ability to customize and individualize my experience. Over the course of three years I was able to develop a research project of my own, and receive close mentorship from many faculty members. I developed skills in basic science research, as well as grant writing and public speaking. This led to a summer research internship at Roswell Park Cancer Institute, and a trip to San Diego to present my work at a national genetics conference."

Current Activity: UB Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Class of 2019

"My work in Dr. Gunawardena’s lab focused on developing a methodology to advance our understanding of how proteins and other vital cargos are trafficked across the long distances in neurons. Our new system allowed us to visualize and directly measure the movement of these cargoes over a period of neural development. My success thus far has been the direct result of the opportunities and support I have received during my undergraduate research. These early experiences have helped to make my ambitions of becoming a scientific investigator on the forefront of human knowledge a possibility."

Current Activity: Continuing to develop my ability to explore fundamental problems in nature by pursuing my PhD in Biochemistry at UB.

Generous alumni and friends of the Department of Biological Sciences have provided funds to underwrite a number of scholarships and fellowships to provide support for our students. As a result, our faculty selects six undergraduate students to receive annual fellowships.