NOVEMBER 2011

New MICaB students for 2011-2012:
Thanks to all of the MIcaB faculty and students who participate in the recruiting activities this past year.. Your participation is essential to the successful recruitment of outstanding students to our program. The following students started the program fall semester 2011:

Ph.D. Students: Nicholas Brady (Boston University), Nicholas Dillon (U of Wisconsin, Madison), Sarah Elliott (U of Minnesota, TC), Eric Hanse (U of Minnesota, Duluth), Jennifer McCurtain (U of Oklahoma), Alice Nomura (U of Wisconsin, Madison),Tarah Regan (Whitman College),Shirdi Schmiel (U of St. Thomas), Estela Shabani (Macalester College), Elizabeth Steinert (Hamline University), Kelly Theede (Winona State University), Emily Thompson (U of Wisconsin, Madison), Michael Vanden Oever (U of Wisconsin, Madison), Darin Wiesner (U of Wisconsin, Madison), Chen Yao (Wuhan University),Sujin Yeom (Korea University, Seoul)

M.D./Ph.D. Students: Rumbidzayi Nzara (College of St. Catherine) Harris lab, Jason Schenkel (Northwestern University) Masopust lab, Alexa Weingarden (Harvard University) Sadowsky lab.

Please welcome these students to the MICaB program!

2012 Milne/Brandenburg Research Recognition Day
Thursday, May 24, 2012,  Coffman Union Great Hall.  Keynote Speaker: Beverly Davidson, Ph.D., University of Iowa, Professor of Medicine, Neurology and Physiology & Biophysics, Roy J. Carver Biomedical Research Chair in Internal Medicine, Vice Chair for Research, Director, Gene Transfer Vector Core, Associate Director, Gene Therapy Center for Cystic Fibrosis and Other Genetic Diseases.

The graduate programs participating include MICaB; Biochemistry, Molecular Biology & Biophysics; Cellular and Integrative Physiology; Molecular, Cellular, Developmental Biology & Genetics; Neuroscience and Pharmacology. Registration information will be available in spring 2012.

Awards
Jeff Hall (Ji lab) and Rachelle Veenstra (Blazar lab) each received $500 awards for their posters at the Life Science Alley Conference and Expo held in Minneapolis, December 7, 2011.  This poster session was sponsored by the UMN Institute for Engineering in Medicine.

Golden Pipetman Award
This award (http://www.micab.umn.edu/current/GoldenPipetman.html) is given to an outstanding MICaB student who has contributed to the excellence of the MICaB program. The contribution can be in the form of publications, outside funding, and/or service to the program. The recipient of the Fall 2011 Golden Pipetman Award is Jeffrey Hall (Ji lab).

MICaB Student Travel Awards
The recipients of the Fall Semester 2011 MICaB Student Travel Awards are:Caitlin Conboy(Largaespada lab), Michelle Gleason (Miller lab), Xazmin Lowman (Kelekar lab), and Nick Zumwalde (Shimizu lab). Each recipient receives a travel award of $1000 to attend a national research meeting and present their research. Congratulations!

Thanks also to the MICaB Travel Awards Review Committee: Kim Mansky (chair), Brian Fife and Steve Rice.

The next MICaB Student Travel Award competition will occur at the beginning of the spring semester 2012. Look for an e-mail announcement.

Congratulations new MICaB Ph.D.s
MICaB students who have earned their Ph.D. degree (February 2011 - present): Dr. Amy Moran (Hogquist lab), Dr. Christopher Johnson (Dunny lab), Dr. Adovi Akue (Jameson lab), Dr. Dare Odumade (Hogquist lab), Dr. Geoffrey Hart (Jameson lab), Dr. Jon Larson (Largaespada lab).

2011-12 Student Representatives
Kristin Anderson (Masopust lab) and Jeff Hall (Ji lab).

MICaB Fall Semester Faculty Meeting
A general MICaB faculty meeting will be held on Monday, December 19, noon, 2-520 Moos Tower.

Email me (penne001@umn.edu) or Louise Shand (shand@umn.edu) your news items for the MICaB newsletter.

Chris Pennell
Director of Graduate Studies
Microbiology, Immunology and Cancer Biology (MICaB) Ph.D. Graduate Program