Alumni

Notes from the Chairman

Dr. Manickam Sugumaran

Dear Alumni:

Greetings and happy (belated) New Year. This last year has been both productive and eventful for the Biology Department. Professor William Hagar was selected to serve as Interim Dean of the College of Science and Mathematics. A national search for a permanent dean for the college is underway. Professor Kenneth Campbell continues to serve as the Associate Dean of CSM since his appointment in fall 2005. Two of our young and talented faculty - Dr. Adán Colón-Carmona and Dr. Alexia Pollack - received tenure. We commend them for their hard work, excellent teaching, and dedication.

I am pleased to report that our department also seecured a record number of awards during the 2005-2006 academic year. During the June commencement ceremony, Chancellor Michael Collins presented three of the top university awards to members of the Biology and Biochemistry Departments. The John F. Kennedy Award was given to an outstanding biochemistry graduate, Catherine Reyes-Spencer, who, as class valedictorian, gave an inspiring commencement speech. The Chancellor's Distinguished Teaching Award was bestowed upon Professor John Ebersole, and Professor Kamal Bawa was honored with the Chancellor's Distinguished Service Award. In addition, Biology Department faculty were the recipients of three out of five of the CSM Dean's Awards for Excellence for 2006. Last but not least, one of our graduating students, Timothy Menz, earned a Fulbright Scholarship to study and conduct research in India. It was a memorable year for the department, and one that sparkled with many accolades!

Our new faculty, Professor Alexey Veraksa, whose research interests lie in the area of cell signaling, is hard at work setting up his new lab. He and his research students are mapping the Notch signaling network with Tandem Affinity Purification-Mass Spectrometry. One of the new Notch pathway interactors identified by the TAP-MS analysis is Kurtz, a Drosophila homolog of mammalian non-visual beta-arrestins. All our faculty have been maintaining vigorous research programs and continue to enhance classroom and laboratory instruction with innovative use of information technology and integration with research. As you might imagine, it has been an exciting time for the department. I am hopeful that all of you had a wonderful year.

Best wishes to you and your family.

Manickam Sugumaran
Chairman, Professor of Biology

Alumni Newsletter January 2007

Alumni Newsletter May 2005

Alumni Newsletter Sept 2004

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2005 Biology and Biochemistry Honors Undergraduates	Dr. Shiaris and Zachary

Kalynda Gonzales, Dina Tserilson, Zachary Zwirko and Rosmery Jimenez Congratulations to the Graduating Class of 2005!