Fall Semester '98                                          Volume 6.1  

It is also a good idea to begin establishing connections at the state and national levels through membership in professional organizations as a student member.  For example, the Microbiology Club is an officially-sanctioned student chapter of the American Society for Microbiology (ASM), and annual student membership in ASM is available for only $15.

So, GET INVOLVED.  Club membership does not consume large amounts of time, but the time spent in club activities can prove valuable in many respects.  Check out the inside of this Newsletter for more information about our clubs, and how you can join.
 

Some Spring Semester Scheduling Advice

COURSE CHANGE FOR SPRING ’99

As registration for Spring semester begins, please be aware of the following change:

BMB 437, Physiological Biochemistry (2 credits), will NOT be offered.

Other notes:

BMB 475, Mutagenesis, Carcinogenesis, and DNA Repair (2 credits) will NOT be offered Spring ‘99.

MICRB 411, Survey of Microbiology Literature (1 credit) will be offered Fall and Spring.

MICRB 497B, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Procaryotic Anaerobes (2 credits) will be offered again Spring ‘99.

BMB/STS 497A, Molecular Medicine (3 credits) will be offered Spring ‘99.  Beginning Spring 2000, the course has been assigned a permanent number and will be listed as “BMB/STS 464”.
 

BMB WELCOMES NEW FACULTY MEMBER

The BMB Department is pleased to announce the addition of Dr. Song Tan to the BMB faculty.

Dr. Song Tan earned his B.S. in physics from Cornell University and his Ph.D. in molecular genetics from the University of Cambridge.  Dr. Tan completed post-doctoral work at the Institute for Molecular Biology and Biophysics in Zurich.   His research seeks to understand how the structure of regulatory complexes control eukaryotic gene expression.  Dr. Tan’s office is located in 3 Althouse Lab.
 

MIXER TO WELCOME FRESHMEN AND TRANSFER STUDENTS

The BMB Department through its student organizations, the Biochemistry Society and the Microbiology Club, will hold its annual mixer on Thursday, September 17, from 4 PM until 5:30 PM, on the patio area between North and South Frear.  This is a good opportunity for all students who are new to University Park to meet the BMB faculty and, perhaps, even bump into an advisor in an informal, enjoyable setting.  It also is another occasion to meet other students in one’s major and begin new friendships that could last over the next two to four years.  BE SURE TO MARK YOUR CALENDARS!!!
 

ATTENTION JUNIORS AND SENIORS PLANNING TO ATTEND GRADUATE SCHOOL!

If you are thinking about or planning on graduate study, you will not want to miss an opportunity to discuss how the graduate school admission process works.  On September 28th, at 5:30 PM, in 101 Althouse, Dr. Jeffrey Brodsky, from the University of Pittsburgh, will give a short presentation on the research conducted in his lab, followed by an open, informal discussion of the graduate program at Pitt, including how applicants are reviewed and selected for admission.  You may have questions about how much weight is placed on the GPA for admission? .. or GRE scores..or letters of recommendation..?  You may want to ask how graduate students are supported at Pitt and elsewhere.  If you have the time free, Dr. Brodsky will also be giving a full seminar on his work (Molecular Chaperones:  Engineers of Protein Biogenesis and Quality Control) to the BMB Department at 4 PM that Monday.  Department seminars are always open to all students and faculty.

By the way...since this opportunity takes place over the dinner hour, pizza and soft drinks will be available!
 

SENIOR UNIVERSITY SCHREYER SCHOLARS HONORED

On May 15, 1998 graduating BMB/MICRB University Scholars received medals recognizing the completion of their formal studies and the writing of senior theses based on original laboratory research.  Following is a list of departmental scholars (Spring and Summer graduates) including the title of each thesis:

Charlotte Berkes, B M B,  Dr. Robert Schlegel,  Characterization and Expression Pattern of Genes Belonging to a Novel Subfamily of P-type ATPases in the Nematode Caenorhabditis elegans

Jason Chapman, BIOCH, Dr. David Tu,  Engineering a Drosophila Glutathione Conjugate Binding Protein Into an Enzyme

Kate E. Cilli, B M B, Dr. David Gilmour, Two Technical Aspects of the Analysis of Mutations in the HSP70 Promoter of D. melanogaster

David J. Kaczorowski, B M B, Dr. B. Frank Pugh,  The Effect of the B-related Factor on the Dimerization of the TATA-Binding Protein

Elizabeth Shank, M C B, Dr. Greg Farber,  Purification and Crystallization of Dihydrofolate Reductase, DCTD,  and NTRC

Jeffrey J. Urban, B M B, Dr. Robert Matthews, The Generation and BiophysicalStudies of a C-terminal Fragmentof theaSubunit of Tryptophan Synthase:  the Role of Strand 6 

Sandra Urtishak, B M B, Dr. Andrea Mastro, Prolactin Receptor Expression in Rat, Small Intestine, Intraepithelial Lymphocytes During Development

The following additional Schreyer Scholars graduated on August 8, 1998:

Babak Bozorgnia, B M B, Dr. Paul Babitzke,  Mutational Analysis of the L-tryptophan Binding Pocket of the Bacillus subtilis trp RNA-Binding Attenuation Protein

Behnam Bozorgnia, B M B, Dr. Paul Babitzke,  Genetic Analysis of the Role of the 5’ Stem-loop in Controlling Expression  of the trpEDCFBA operon of Bacillus subtilis

Sean O’Hearn, B M B, Dr. James Ferry,  Developing a Genetic Transfer System for Methanosarcina  thermophila

Utpalkumar Patel, B M B, Dr. J.M. Bollinger,  Kinetic Study of Oxygen Addition To the RNR R2 DI-IRON(II) Cluster in Wild-Type and Mutant Proteins

ATTENTION JUNIOR CLS STUDENTS

A meeting to explain the Clinical Laboratory Science practicum will be held at 7 PM, September 22, in 112 S. Frear.  Information concerning the application process for affiliated and non-affiliated hospital schools will be presented.  Juniors who will complete all pre-clinical course requirements by the end of Spring semester are eligible for admission to a hospital school.

JOIN THE CLUB. . . .

Clubs exist for the benefit of their members.  What do clubs do?  How can you become a member of a club?  Where can I learn more about clubs?  Read on. . .

In such a large university setting, most students seek to meet others with similar interests.  If you share this feeling or wish to find out about research opportunities at PSU or job opportunities outside the university, come check out the Biochemistry Society of Penn State.

The organization is open to everyone but targeted to those in BMB and related majors.  In past years we have hosted speakers from Penn State research labs and co-op offices and offered laboratory tours for local high school students.  We have also participated in a variety of social and community service activities.

For more information, attend our monthly meetings or the upcoming faculty/student mixer, or get in touch with any of the following officers:

 President:           Erin Criswell             ekc112@psu.edu
 Vice President:    Brian Nelms              bln105@psu.edu
 Secretary:           Jayatri Das                 jxd215@psu.edu
 Treasurer:           Na Young Lee           nyl101@psu.edu
 Social Chair:        Robyn Maher             rlm166@psu.edu
 Education Chair:  Forrest Gulden          fog100@psu.edu
 

Welcome back!  Hope everybody had a great summer and you are ready to get back into the swing of things at Penn State!

For those of you interested in meeting lots of new people and getting involved, you might want to check us out:  The Microbiology Club.  You’ll have a chance to meet students, faculty and get advice from older students who have been “in the trenches”.  We also sponsor a number of speakers from a variety of areas, including graduate schools and pharmaceutical companies.  You can learn about career opportunities and the different things you can do with your major.

Here are some dates you may want to check out:

September 16:  This will be our first meeting of the year.  Come by and see what we’re about!

September 17:  We are sponsoring a student/faculty mixer outside of South Frear.  It would be a great opportunity to meet fellow students and your professors.  Refreshments will be provided.

September 28:  A speaker from University of Pittsburgh graduate programs will be coming to talk briefly about graduate school and the application process.

That takes care of our events in September!!  We hope to see you there!

For more information, email Christina Taulien at cat134@psu.edu
 

 President:             Christine Taulien          cat134@psu.edu
 V. President:         Jonathan Steckback     jds170@psu.edu
 Secretary:             Katherine Peters          kpp106@psu.edu
 Treasurer:             Sharyn Farnsworth     sxw160@psu.edu
 Activities Chair:     Jodi Preisler              jep146@psu.edu
 Publicity Chair:     Deba Sarma               dxs230@psu.edu
 

Thinking about a Co-op???

From the desk of the department’s Co-op Coordinator, Mary Jane Wronski...

 Would you like an opportunity to apply the theory acquired through your academic coursework at Penn State and truly enhance your total college experience?  Why not consider participating in a meaningful co-op experience administered through the Eberly College of Science Cooperative Education Program?

 David Riches, a Microbiology major, participated in a cooperative education program with M & M Mars, Inc. and had this to say about his experience:

 “I don’t think I have done anything more personally and academically meaningful during my time at Penn State than participating in this Co-op assignment...I don’t know what the future will bring where I will end up or how this experience will help me out, but I do know that I would not have had a better chance to prepare myself for the next step in my life without this experience.”

 Susan Zabierowski, a co-op participant working at Smith Kline Beecham Pharmaceuticals offers this advice for co-ops preparing for their first assignment:

 “...don’t be nervous, worried or stressed over it.  It’s an absolutely wonderful learning experience.  Students should not feel ashamed or insecure if they are unsure about something; it’s all part of the learning process.  They should not be afraid to ask questions.  The more questions asked, the more it will show thoughtfulness and initiative...A co-op is a wonderful opportunity to see what it’s like in the ‘real world’ of the pharmaceutical industry.”

 In addition to the positive experiences that participating students have, they do receive an hourly wage and can use co-op credits toward fulfilling the requirements for a degree in the BMB department.

 If you are interested in complementing your academic career at Penn State with a co-op experience, please contact Mary Jane Wronski, the department Co-op Coordinator, for more details, (mjt4@psu.edu), 119 South Frear at 863-2638.

 BMB/MICRB/BIOTC students participating in cooperative education for Fall Semester 1998 are:

Hilder, Tom (Biochemistry) SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals
Miller, Katja (Biochemistry) German Cancer Research Center
Culver, Alison (Biotechnology) SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals
Kabeer, Sarfaraz (Biotechnology) SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals
Shappell, Amy (Biotechnology) SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals
Woodring, Jessica (Biotechnology) SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals
Gunduz, Alper (BMB) Walter Reed Army Institute of Research
Basehoar, Andy (BMB) McNeil Consumer Products
Bender, Corey (BMB) SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals
Booth, Kelly (BMB) SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals
Breslin, Patrick (BMB) SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals
Moravec, Radim (BMB) SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals
Riches, David (BMB) M&M Mars
Rosenzweig, Jason (BMB) Hercules
Traister, Russ (BMB) SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals
Coleman, Hannah (Microbiology) SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals
Heilman, Destin (Microbiology) SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals
Khiabani, Farmin (Microbiology) Walter Reed Army Institute
Kistler, Chris (Microbiology) Walter Reed Army Institute
Mason, Penny (Microbiology) SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals
Stucky, Elizabeth (Microbiology) SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals
Toland, Erin (Microbiology) SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals

Are you looking for research experience????

All students should be reminded that there exists an application process which they must follow to be considered for a research (BMB/MICRB 496) position.  Applications and information packets will be available in 108 Althouse .  The deadline for submitting the application is October 18.  However, students may begin now to investigate the research being conducted by BMB/MICRB faculty by visiting the department’s WEB page (http://www.bmb.psu.edu/) and clicking on the link Courses (BMB/MICRB 496).

Interested in Jobs in the Biotechnology Industry???

Here is a great opportunity you simply must not miss if you are entertaining the idea of a career in the biotechnology industry.  Dr. Bobbi Scheffler, a vice president of U.S. Bioscience, will be visiting the UP campus to receive an outstanding science alumni award from the Eberly College of Science.  Dr. Scheffler specifically asked to meet with undergraduates to share her experience and knowledge of the biotechnology industry.  While seniors may have the more immediate interest in job opportunities, all students - from Freshmen to Seniors - will benefit from hearing what Dr. Scheffler has to share.  Because her time on campus is filled with many activities, the Office of Alumni Affairs has blocked out Friday, October 2, from 11:15 AM to 1:10 PM for her meeting with YOU.  This informal chat with Dr. Scheffler will be held in room 456 N. Frear.

Another by the way...since this meeting will last over the lunch hour, pizza and soft drinks will be available...AGAIN!!
 
 

This publication is available in alternative media on request.

The Pennsylvania State University is committed to the policy that all persons shall have equal access to programs, facilities, admission, and employment without regard to personal characteristics not related to ability, performance, or qualifications as determined by University policy or by state or federal authorities. The Pennsylvania State University does not discriminate against any person because of age, ancestry, color, disability or handicap, national origin, race, religious creed, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status. Direct all inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policy to the Affirmative Action Director, The Pennsylvania State University, 201 Willard Building, University Park, PA 16802-2801; tel. (814) 863-0471; TDD (814) 865-3175.

BMB Undergraduate Newsletter is a publication of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Items for inclusion in the newsletter should be sent to BMB Undergraduate Newsletter, 108 Althouse Laboratory, University Park, PA 16802. Tel. (814) 865-5497; FAX. (814) 863-7024.

U.Ed. SCI 99-24

Editors: - Philip W. Mohr, Ph.D., PWM1@PSU.EDU, Mardi D. Hockenberry, MDH1@PSU.EDU