Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology

Seminars

BCMB 601 Department Seminar Fall 2025

Wednesdays 3:30–5:00 p.m.
Mossman 202

DateSpeakerTitleHost
August 20Zheng Shi, Rutgers UniversityDecoding Mechanical Signals at the Subcellular LevelSarah Shelby
August 27Sam Yadavalli, Rutgers UniversitySmall Proteins Make Big Connections: Decoding Bacterial Stress NetworksGladys Alexandre
September 3Jens Meiller, Vanderbilt University How artificial intelligence is reshaping protein structure prediction and therapeutic designJeremy Smith
September 10Evgeny Kvon, UC IrvineLong-Range Gene Regulation in Development and DiseaseRachel McCord
September 17Jianbin Wang, UTWhy and how organisms edit their own genomes: programmed DNA elimination in nematodesAlbrecht von Arnim
September 24Kelsey Coffman, UT Institute of AgricultureHow viruses turn good: exploring initial stages of viral mutualism in insectsJae Park
October 1Saikat Mukhopadhyay, UT Texas Southwestern Medical CenterPrimary cilia signaling in development and diseaseMartin Engelke
October 8Sezen Meydan (Fatma Sezen Meydan Marks), Vanderbilt UniversityDeciphering the Regulation of Ribosome Collisions and Their Roles in NeuronsAlbrecht von Arnim
October 15Julian Chen, Arizona State UTelomerase RNA diversity across eukaryotic kingdomsJianbin Wang
October 22Gautam Shirsekar, UTIAGrapes and Graphs: The Pursuit of Wilderness for Innovations in the Plant Immune SystemGladys Alexandre
October 29Richard Vachet, U of Massachusetts AmherstProtein binding interactions on cell surfaces studied by mass spectrometryJie Sun
November 5Deidra Mountain, UTGrad Sch MedLipid nanoparticle technologies for targeted vascular gene therapeuticsGladys Alexandre
November 12Ada Weinstock, U ChicagoLeveraging Weight Loss Insights to Resolve Metabolic InflammationAndrew Monteith/Gladys Alexandre
November 19Dinesh Gupta, UT MicroUncovering the Role of Cytochromes in Archaeal Methane MetabolismGladys Alexandre

Spring 2025 Seminars

DateSpeakerTitleHost
22 JanuaryGyozo Garab Biological Research Center, Szeged, HungaryThe Dynamic Exchange Model: A Framework for Understanding Energy- Converting Biological MembranesBarry Bruce
29 JanuaryPablo Escriba Universitat de les Illes BalearsMembrane structure and lipid proliferation switch: mechanism of action of 2-hydroxyoleic acidFran Barrera
5 FebruaryRonan O’Malley University of ChicagoThe gene regulatory landscape of flowering plantsBrad Binder
12 FebruaryBibo Li Cleveland State UniversityTelomere maintenance and antigenic variationJianbin Wang
19 FebruaryDaniel Matthew UT-Animal ScienceThe in vitro produced embryo: what the endometrium can tell usGladys Alexandre
26 FebruaryShawn Campagna UT-ChemistryMetabolomics and Lipidmics: Investigating Physiology from Microbes to MammalsGladys Alexandre
5 MarchHua Bai Iowa StatePeroxisome-mitochondrial communication in agingAmit Joshi
12 MarchAnne West Duke UniversityChromatin mechanisms of cell-type specific transcriptional plasticity in addictionKeerthi Krishnan
19 MarchNo seminar- Spring Break  
26 MarchRuthie Angelovici University of MissouriToward Tailored Seeds Amino Acid BiofortificationAlbrecht von Arnim
2 AprilGary Stacey University of MissouriPurinergic signaling in plants: More important than generally realizedAlbrecht von Arnim
9 AprilSara Clasen UT-MicrobiologyHow the host turns a blind eye to flagellated commensals in the human gutBrad Binder Gladys Alexandre
16 AprilDouglas Kojetin VanderbiltNuclear receptor function made crystal clear with NMR spectroscopyElias Fernandez
23 AprilWalter Chazin VanderbiltTBARajan Lamichhane
30 AprilBenjamin Meyers University of UtahUnconventional GPCR Signaling in the Hedgehog CascadeMartin Engelke
7 MayGavin King University of MissouriPoking lipid bilayer membranes with sharp needles: biophysical insights via atomic force microscopyFran Barrera

Fall 2024 Seminars

DateSeminar SpeakerTitleHost
8/21Dan Roberts (UTK)Celebration of the career of an exceptional scientific and academic leaderGladys Alexandre
8/28Shannon Eaker Chief Technology Officer, Xcell Biosciences, CA)Cell and Gene Therapy Applications targeting Solid TumorsGladys Alexandre
9/4Megan Behringer (Vanderbilt)Leveraging Experimental Evolution to Unravel Bacterial Metabolism and EpigeneticsGladys Alexandre
9/11Courtney Ellison (UGA)DNA binding capacity sets the limit for natural transformationGladys Alexandre
9/18Tianhu Sun (ETSU)Harnessing Plant Synthetic Biology for Crop Nutritional Quality ImprovementGladys Alexandre
9/25Fran Barrera (BCMB)TBAGladys Alexandre/ Barry Bruce
10/2Jessica KissingerTBAJianbin Wang
10/9Jen Liou (UT Southwestern)Signaling at ER-PM contact sitesAmit Joshi
10/16Rajan Lamichhane (BCMB)Single-Molecule Approaches Demonstrate Activation of G Protein-Coupled ReceptorGladys Alexandre/ Barry Bruce
10/23Ed Lyman (Univ Delaware)TBASarah Shelby
10/30Erik Anderson (John Hopskin Univ)Benzimidazole resistance: Going beyond beta-tubulin in multiple speciesJianbin Wang
11/6Jared Nordman (Vanderbilt)TBAMariano Labrador
11/13Robert J. Johnston Jr. (John Hopskin Univ)An hourglass mechanism to generate neuronal diversity in human retinal organoidsMariano Labrador
11/20Vasanthi Jayaraman (UT Houston, McGovern School of Medicine)Glutamate receptors from single molecules to synapsesRajan Lamichhane
11/27No ClassThanksgiving 

Spring 2024 Seminars

DateSpeaker Name / AffiliationTitleHost
1/24/2024Hameeda Sultana, UTKExosomes and their enriched molecular determinants as novel vaccine candidates to combat vector-borne disease.Rajan Lamichhane
1/31/2024Hugh O’Neill, ORNLAn Intrinsically Disordered Plant Microtubule-Associated Protein that Reorganizes MicrotubulesRajan Lamichhane
2/7/2024Plant Faculty Search CandidateTBDAndreas Nebenführ
2/14/2024Plant Faculty Search CandidateTBDElena Shpak
2/21/2024Plant Faculty Search CandidateTBDBrad Binder
2/28/2024Biochemistry Faculty Search CandidateTBDTessa Calhoun
3/6/2024Matthias Buck, Case Western Reserve UniversityComputational and experimental studies of Ras GTPase and Eph Receptors at (and in) the plasma membraneFran Barrera
3/20/2024Jae Park, UTKDrosophila Neuroendocrine System: metabolism, behavior, and apoptosisElena Shpak
3/27/2024Sharon Kessler, Purdue UniversityProcessing extracellular information: MLO signaling from flowers to rootsAndreas Nebenführ
4/3/2024Ava Udvadia, Appalachian State UniversityGene Regulatory Mechanisms Governing Successful Optic Nerve Regeneration.Rachel McCord
4/10/2024Raluca Gordan, Duke UniversityAn unexpected role for transcription factors in DNA mutagenesisRachel McCord
4/17/2024Jayhun Lee, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston McGovern Medical SchoolThe very hungry parasite: discovering the mechanism of schistosome immune evasion.Jianbin Wang
4/24/2024Vivian Gama, Vanderbilt UniversityDefective Mitochondrial and Peroxisomal Fission Impairs NeurogenesisAmit Joshi
5/1/2024Roger Deal, Emory UniversityTranscriptional control in plant genomes: new discoveries and new questionsElena Shpak

Fall 2023 Seminars

DateName and affiliation of the speakerWebsite/TitleHost
8/23/2023Billy Lau, Departments of Psychology and Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TNNeural basis of behaviorRajan Lamichhane
8/30/2023Ivis Chaple Gore: Department of Nuclear Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TNRadiochemistry Research Capabilities at the University of Tennessee KnoxvilleRajan Lamichhane
9/6/2023Larry York: Biosciences Division Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Knoxville TNFunctional phenomics for carbon efficiency of roots, plants, and ecosystems https://www.ornl.gov/staff-profile/larry-m-yorkRajan Lamichhane /Gladys Alexandre
9/13/2023Ian Wallace: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GAian.wallace@uga.edu https://iwallace36.wixsite.com/wallacelab Synthesis, deposition, and regulation of cell wall polysaccharides in ArabidopsisBrad Binder
9/20/2023Justin Miller: Department of Chemistry, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TNhttps://millerbiochem.wixsite.com/mtsu Investigating the Impact of Novel DNA-Binding Activity Exhibited by Poly(aspartic acid) hydrolase-1 on Biofilm StructuresRajan Lamichhane
9/27/2023Itay Budin: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CAwww.budinlab.com  How lipid chemistry shapes membranes: from mitochondria in our cells to life at the bottom of earth’s oceansSarah Shelby  
10/4/2023Keerthi Krishnan: Biochemistry and Cellular & Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TNTenure talkGladys Alexandre /Brad Binder
10/11/2023Colleen Niswender: Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt School of Medicine, Nashville, TNhttps://lab.vanderbilt.edu/niswender-lab/ Metabotropic glutamate receptor 7 as a therapeutic target in neurodevelopmental disordersKeerthi Krishnan
10/18/2023Jingyi Fe: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, ILhttp://feilab.uchicago.edu RNA-mediated gene regulation: action under the lightRajan Lamichhane
10/25/2023Nora Springer: College of Veterinary Medicine, Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, Knoxville, TNBuilding a Better Model: Utilizing Natural Disease in Dogs to Enhance Translation of Basic Cancer ResearchRajan Lamichhane /Gladys Alexandre
11/1/2023Reza Vafabakhsh: Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, ILhttp://www.rezalab.orgRajan Lamichhane
11/8/2023Shalini Low-Nam: Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, INhttps://www.chem.purdue.edu/people/profile/slownam Molecular mechanisms of CAR T cell activation and tumor cell killingSarah Shelby
11/15/2023James Olzmann: Department of Molecular & Cell Biology, University of California Berkley, Berkley CAhttp://www.olzmannlab.com/ Cellular mechanisms of lipid homeostasis and lipotoxicityAmit Joshi
11/29/2023Jebrell Glover: Department of Chemistry, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PAhttps://sites.google.com/lehigh.edu/glover-research-lab-lehigh/homeFran Barrera
12/6/2023Jonathan Wall: Department of Medicine, University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine, Knoxville, TNhttp://gsm.utmck.edu/internalmed/faculty/wall.cfmElias Fernandez

Spring 2023 Seminars

DateSpeakerTitle of TalkHost
1/25Snow Zhou, MIT (Cellular Faculty Candidate)Of Yeast and MEN: How budding yeast ensures genome partitioning to its daughtersJianbin Wang 
2/1TBA (Cellular Faculty Candidate) Andreas Nebenfuehr 
2/8Kate Lee, University of Toronto (Cellular Faculty Candidate)Mechanisms of stress-induced organelle assembly and disassemblyRachel McCord 
2/15Sho Suzuki, Cornell University (Cellular Faculty Candidate) Amit Joshi 
2/22SaraH Zanders, Stowers Institutewtf causes infertilityJianbin Wang 
3/1Belinda Akpa (ORNL)   Rachel McCord 
3/8Tim Downing, UC Irvine   Rachel McCord 
3/15No Class, Spring Break  
3/22Matt Eddy, University of Florida Biophysical Tools for Investigating Mechanisms of Drug Signaling with Human GPCRsRajan Lamichhane 
3/29Kirk W. Deitsch, Cornell University A Parasite of Many Disguises: How Human Malaria Parasites Avoid Their Host’s Immune Response       Jianbin Wang 
4/5Victor Corces, Emory University  Mariano Labrador 
4/12Anindya Dutta, University of Alabama Birmingham EccDNAs and a 6q22 microdeletion: two tales of the intersection of DNA damage repair and cancerJianbin Wang 
4/19Siyuan Wang, Yale  
4/26TBA  
5/3TBA  

Fall 2022 Seminars

DateName and affiliation of the speakerTitle of the talkHost
8/24/2022Polly Hsu, Michigan State UniversityRoadblocks on mRNAs: Gene Expression Regulation by Upstream Open Reading Frames in PlantsAlbrecht von Arnim
8/31/2022Nils G. Walter, University of MichiganSingle Molecules Come Into Focus: The RNA World We Live InRajan Lamichhane
9/7/2022Tian Hong, UTKModeling Non‐canonical Switch and Oscillator in Gene Regulatory NetworksGladys Alexandre
9/14/2022Tomo Kawashima, The University of KentuckyDynamics in Plant Reproduction: From Fertilization to Seed DevelopmentAndreas Nebenfuehr
9/21/2022Tania Rozario, University of GeorgiaMaking heads or tails of tapeworms: Region‐specific regulation of stem‐ cell driven regeneration in Hymenolepis diminutaJianbin Wang
9/28/2022Eberhard Voit, Georgia TechWeaving Biological Snapshots into Stories through Mathematical ModelingTian Hong
10/5/2022Elena Shpak, UTKRegulation of plant morphogenesis by cell‐cell signaling. Gladys Alexandre
10/12/2022Scott  Lenaghan, UTKDeveloping the Toolbox for Plant Synthetic BiologyElena Shpak
10/19/2022Peter Kim, University of TorontoPexophagy meeting Mitophagy: A case for selective autophagy defect in Peroxisome Biogenesis DisordersAmit Joshi 
10/26/2022Priya Banerjee, University of BuffaloA Programmable Landscape of Biomolecular CondensatesRajan Lamichhane
11/2/2022Aman Husbands, UPennHD‐ZIPIII transcription factors are controlled by deeply conserved START domainsElena Shpak 
11/9/2022David Jackson, CSHLCommunication between plant stem cells by direct transfer of proteins and RNAsElena Shpak 
11/16/2022Bonnie Bartel, Rice UniversityPeroxisome function, dysfunction, and dynamics in ArabidopsisAmit Joshi
11/30/2022Adam Smith, Texas Tech UniversityResolving membrane protein‐protein interactions in live cells with PIEFCCSFran Barrera
12/7/2022Joe Zhou, UPennTBDKeerthi Krishnan