Congratulations to 2018-2019 MS and PhD graduates Cidney Allen, Deepika Nambiar, Vanessa Nguyen, Lindsey O’Neal, Emily Stow, Haden Scott, and Craig Conner!
Beer & Biotech
BCMB graduate students Kate Halter and Justin Westerfield are helping to connect academics with the local biotech industry. As liaisons for the Academic Alliance, they organize monthly Beer & Biotech networking events where life science professionals can come to meet people and learn about East Tennessee biotech environment. The Academic Alliance is part of Life Science Tennessee, an industry advocacy group, which hosts events across the state.
Graduate Student Organization Updates
The BCMB Graduate Student Organization (GSO) was very busy last year. They participated in the Science Fair at Episcopal school of Knoxville, hosted an evening with the science correspondent for NPR Joe Palca, and organized a seminar “75 years of Oak Ridge” featuring the Oak Ridge historian Ray Smith and Ruth Huddleston, a former calutron operator at Y-12. Learn more about future events organized by GSO online.
The University of Tennessee: The Art of Science
In September, BCMB research associate Elena Ganusova organized an art exhibit at The Emporium to highlight the connection between science and art. The collection included microscopy photographs, images based on mathematical calculations and computer simulations, schemes made in PowerPoint, and abstract images from everyday life in the lab. Most of the images were produced by BCMB students and faculty.
Tournament Raises Funds for Rett Syndrome Awareness
Last August, the Krishnan lab organized a volleyball tournament to raise funds and awareness for a neurodevelopmental disorder called Rett Syndrome, which affects communication, motor, and cognitive functions, primarily in young girls. More than 40 undergraduate and graduate students, professors, and postdocs from four departments (BCMB, microbiology, chemistry, and physics) participated in the tournament. Six teams competed on a sand volleyball court in front of Greve Hall. Team J composed of Jonelle Basso, Rosela Golloshi, Gary LeCleir, Frank May, Jared Smith, and Naomi Gilbert won the tournament.
The tournament will be back next summer. If you are interested in participating, contact Keerthi Krishnan next spring. This fall the Krishnan lab will participate in the Second Tennessee Strollathon for Rett Syndrome, under the team name Vols Love Angels. For more information and to support the team visit https://www.strollathon.org/volsloveangels.
Last year the BCMB department became much more active on social media! Check us out on Facebook and Twitter (@UTK_BCMB). Engage with our undergraduate/graduate students and faculty, hear about our research insights and accomplishments, and share your experiences!