MCDB News

Gia Voelz, MCDB's newest Assistant Professor, is profiled in a recent Journal of Cell Biology feature entitled: "Gia Voeltz: Shaping Ideas about ER Shape". In it she discusses both personal and professional forces that have shaped her career and how her ideas are shaping the discussion about membrane topology.

Three University of Colorado at Boulder faculty members have been named distinguished professors, the highest honor bestowed by CU on its teaching faculty. The prestigious designation was awarded to Professor Kristi Anseth, of the chemical and biological engineering department; Professor Margaret Murnane, of the physics and electrical and computer engineering departments and JILA; and Professor Norman Pace, of the molecular, cellular and developmental biology department, during the Jan. 24 meeting of the CU Board of Regents. Anseth, Murnane and Pace join 34 other CU-Boulder faculty members who have been named distinguished professors since the Board of Regents established the designation in 1977. “Professors Anseth, Murnane and Pace represent the best of our CU-Boulder faculty,” said CU-Boulder Provost Phil DiStefano. “They have distinguished themselves through their scholarship and teaching and join a prestigious group of colleagues.”

Molecular technology developed by a University of Colorado at Boulder professor to probe extreme life forms in undersea hydrothermal vents has been used to identify unexpected bacteria strains in the lung fluid of Denver children suffering from cystic fibrosis, findings that may lead to more effective therapies.

Graduate Symposium Committe soliciting title ideas

PACE SYMPOSIUM "Molecular Diversity from the Pace Perspective... Let's Continue to Discuss" Celebrate 25years of microbial diversity and "the Big Tree" project, 40 years of RNA, and 65 years of Norm Pace! We will host two days of seminars presented by past lab members of the Pace Lab speaking about their current and future works-and plenty of time for celebration, reflection and reunion!

CU-Boulder's Andrew Staehelin Named First Ever Fellow Of American Society Of Plant Biologists July 26, 2007 University of Colorado at Boulder Professor Andrew Staehelin has been named the first recipient of the new Fellow of the American Society of Plant Biologists award in 2007 for his distinguished contributions to plant biology. Staehelin, a professor in the molecular, cellular and developmental biology department, was presented with the award at the awards ceremony July 7. Targeting members for outstanding service to fields that include research, education, mentoring, outreach and professional service, the new award will be granted to less than 0.2 percent of the current membership each year. Staehelin was previously awarded the inaugural 2006 Haselkorn Scholar Award from the University of Chicago, which carried a $5,000 prize. He spent a week as a visiting scholar there, giving a public talk and workshops for students and postdoctoral fellows. Staehelin was elected to the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2005 for his work on the structural analysis of cells, cellular membranes, cytoskeletal systems and cellular processes.

CU Boulder will be hosting the Cech Symposium from July 12th - 13th, 2007.