Vermont Medicine Magazine
DEPARTMENT OF Biochemistry ~ 2012 Annual Report
Selected Highlights
- Professor Paula Tracy, Ph.D., who served as interim chair for the past seven years, became the director of the Foundations level in the Vermont Integrated Curriculum.
- Faculty published in such journals as Proceedings of the National Academy of Science USA; Biochemistry; Annals of Biochemistry; Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology; and Haemophilia.
- Study section service by faculty included Christopher Francklyn, Ph.D., on the NIH Special Emphasis Panel on Genes, Genomes, and Genetics Integrated Review.
Gary Stein, Ph.D., Chair
In 2012, the Department of Biochemistry has made valued contributions in biomedical research, education and service. The faculty embraces a culture of transdisciplinary collaboration in undergraduate, graduate and medical teaching. For research, the department uses team approaches that combine biochemical, molecular, cellular, in vivo genetic, genomic, proteomic and bioinformatic strategies. Emphasis is on pursuit of regulatory mechanisms in the context of applications through translation to resolution of clinically relevant problems.
After seven years of dedicated service by Paula Tracy, Ph.D., as interim chair, Gary Stein, Ph.D., has joined UVM to chair the department and co-direct the Vermont Cancer Center. Joining Dr. Stein are several well-credentialed faculty and long-standing collaborators, Janet Stein, Ph.D., Jane Lian, Ph.D., Kaleem Zaidi, Ph.D., Jonathan Gordon, Ph.D., Prachi Ghule, Ph.D., and Shirwin Pockwinse. Dr. Tracy accepted a leadership position as Foundations Director for Medical Education. Chris Francklyn, Ph.D., Stephen Everse, Ph.D., and Dr. Janet Stein contributed to the implementation of the MCV program.
Biochemistry faculty, students and fellows are prominently engaged in Vermont Cancer Center initiatives. Extramural grant recipients include Scott Morrical, Ph.D., as a participant in the Project on DNA Repair headed by Susan Wallace, Ph.D. The research team consisting of Dr. Janet Stein, Dr. Lian, Dr. Zaidi, Dr. Ghule, Dr. Gordon and Dr. Stein, received two program project grants to investigate breast cancer, prostate cancer and leukemia. They also received a $2.1 million grant from Pfizer to experimentally define “epigenetic signatures” for diagnostic and therapeutic detection and treatment of breast cancer. Dr. Francklyn is collaborating with Karen Lounsbury, Ph.D., Professor of Pharmacology, on a project to establish a novel dimension to angiogenic regulatory mechanisms that are developed for targets for prostate cancer. Kathleen Brummel-Ziedins, Ph.D., is working with Chris Holmes, M.D., Ph.D., in Medical Oncology to pursue novel parameters of coagulation that are linked to cancer and treating tumors. Dr. Francklyn, Dr. Lian and Dr. Gary Stein play a prominent role in a cancer biology course that will be offered in the spring 2013 semester. The department is involved with the development of a new translational research laboratory that will focus on establishing partnerships between scientists and physician/investigators to pursue regulatory mechanisms that are consequential for cancer prevention, early detection, treatment and survivorship.
Last modified January 25 2013 12:12 PM
