Vermont Medicine Magazine
DEPARTMENT OF Molecular Physiology & Biophysics ~ 2012 Annual Report
Selected Highlights
- Michael Radermacher, Ph.D., and Teresa Ruiz, Ph.D., have been recognized for their expertise in structural biology by serving as chairs for conferences and meetings. Dr. Radermacher served as chair for the 2011 Gordon Conference on Three Dimensional Electron Microscopy; Dr. Ruiz is Program Chair for the Microscopy Society’s Microscopy & Microanalysis 2013 meeting.
- Department faculty published over 30 articles in journals such as Proceedings of the National Academy of Science; Journal of Cell Biology; Current Biology; and Molecular Cell. They also served on editorial boards for several journals.
- The department’s newest faculty recruit, Jason Stumpff, Ph.D., has garnered a prestigious Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Career Development Award.
David Warshaw, Ph.D.’79, Chair
The Department of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics continues to garner international recognition and success in the areas of cardiovascular research, cell division, and protein structure and function. A major research focus is directed at understanding the molecular basis of cellular movement, whether it is processes associated with cell division or muscle contraction. By studying genetic alterations in cellular movement, special emphasis is placed on defining normal and diseased contractile function of the heart, blood vessels, and processes associated with cell division, for example chromosome segregation during mitosis. The department is considered the premier center of muscle and non-muscle cell motility research in the United States. An additional research focus is on protein molecular structure, with expertise in high resolution three-dimensional electronmicroscopy.
The department faculty is involved with two highly prestigious National Institutes of Health (NIH) Program Project Grants to study genetic forms of heart failure and aortic aneurysms. These multi-investigator grants serve as the foundation for collaborative efforts within the department and across institutions (Johns Hopkins, University of Massachusetts, University of Cincinnati, University of Texas — Southwestern, and University of Pennsylvania). During this fiscally challenging time, the department continues to compete effectively for limited extramural funds, with all tenure-track faculty being funded.
Faculty members have been honored as invited speakers at international meetings such as the Biophysical Society in San Diego, Calif. At this meeting, Kathleen Trybus, Ph.D., was a keynote speaker, Christopher Berger, Ph.D., was an invited speaker, and David Warshaw, Ph.D., was a symposium organizer on Molecular Motors. Dr. Warshaw spoke at the Myofilament Meeting in Madison, Wisc., while Matthew Lord, Ph.D., spoke at the American Society for Cell Biology in Denver, Col. Teresa Ruiz, Ph.D., and Michael Radermacher, Ph.D.,organized a workshop and taught at the Microscopical Society of America meeting in Nashville, Tenn. Faculty play key service roles on review panels for the NIH and National Science Foundation.
In education, faculty members contribute substantially to both medical and graduate programs. Dr. Berger serves as Director of Graduate Education for the College of Medicine and was instrumental in the launch of the new umbrella program in Cell, Molecular, and Biomedical Sciences. Drs. Radermacher and Ruiz once again held a “Practical Course on Threedimensional Cryo Electron Microscopy of Single Particles” that attracted over 20 international scientists.
Last modified January 24 2013 09:41 AM
