The Department of Biological Chemistry at the University of Michigan Medical School has played a prominent role in the development of the subject of biochemistry. Students in the department receive training in identifying important biological problems, in developing models of the underlying biochemistry of these processes, and in using appropriate bio-chemical tools. More

Alcohol's inebriating effects are familiar to everyone. But the molecular details of alcohol's impact on brain activity remain a mystery. A new study by researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies brings us closer to understanding how alcohol alters the way brain cells work. Their findings, published in the current advance online edition of Nature Neuroscience, reveal an alcohol trigger site located physically within an ion channel protein; their results could lead to the development of novel treatments for alcoholism, drug addiction, and epilepsy. ScienceDaily

The Department of Biological Chemistry will host a Mini-Symposium on “Redox Signaling and Disease” Thursday, September 17, 2009. Forum Hall, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm. Invited Speakers: Ruma Banerjee, Ph.D. (University of Michigan). Toren Finkel, MD (NIH). Mark Gladwin, M.D. (University of Pittsburgh). Ursula Jakob, Ph.D. (University of Michigan). Leslie Poole, Ph.D. (Wake Forest University). Nicholos Tonks, Ph.D. (Cold Spring Harbor). Jakob Winther, Ph.D. (University of Copenhagen)

Two state-of-the-art confocal microscopes recently delivered to the Kellogg Eye Center will allow BioChem's Debra A. Thompson to advance her study of the biological mechanisms of inherited retinal diseases. Thompson also received a Senior Scientific Investigator Award from Research to Prevent Blindness for her research project entitled, "Visual Cycle Defects in Inherited Retinal Degeneration." Kellogg

As our technological society has progressed, storing and retrieving data has actually grown more difficult. Researchers have developed a new technology based on carbon nanotubes that promises to permanently preserve individual bits of data. If so, the technology could lead to data archives holding the entirety of human thought and communications potentially forever. Science

William E. M. Lands, who for 25 years was Professor of Biological Chemistry at the University of Michigan before becoming Senior Scientific Advisor at National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, is being celebrated for his life-long work in an article in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. The Selective Placement of Acyl Chains: the Work of W.E.M. Lands

In the first known study of its kind, Chuanwu Xi of the University of Michigan School of Public Health and his team sampled water containing the bacteria Acinetobacter at five sites in and near Ann Arbor's wastewater treatment plant. They found the so-called superbugs—bacteria resistant to multiple antibiotics—up to 100 yards downstream from the discharge point into the Huron River. Michigan News Service

BioChem's Cherisse Rae Loucks and three other students recently traveled to Washington, D.C. to lobby on behalf of graduate education as part of a lobbying action organized by a new national coalition called Student Advocates for Graduate Education. SAGE seeks to advance the quality of life, quality of education, access and affordability of graduate schools at public universities. Michigan Record

Using a MRI to monitor changes in tumor blood volume within individual voxels of an image, BioChem's Brian Ross, and other researchers from the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, have found that as early as one week after beginning treatment for brain tumors a new imaging analysis method was able to predict which patients would live longer. Michigan Newsroom

Poster printing at the Research Information Technology Cooperative (RITC) is now easy with the implementation of a new ticketing system. Simply sign in at Footprints. Once there, fill out a simple form with your name, department, PI name, and a short code. Choose the size poster you want, and upload your file. For more information about posters see RITC Poster Printing

The Medical School's Office of Research has published its June issue of Biomedical News. In it you'll find information about research awards, both upcoming and received; training & education opportunities; and notices of papers published by Medical School colleagues. View complete newsletter in PDF form.

The Howard Hughes Medical Institute has announced that Ming Lei has been awarded an Early Career Scientist award. The award supports scientists who are just beginning their independent research careers, by providing full salary, benefits, and a research budget of $1.5 million over the six-year appointment. The Institute will also cover other expenses, including research space and the purchase of critical equipment. HHMI