Gerald Carlson, professor emeritus in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Kansas Medical Center, will receive the Distinguished Alumni Award from the Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology at the annual College of Liberal Arts and Sciences alumni awards ceremony on Thursday, Nov. 3. The award recognizes outstanding alumni from the department.

Since earning a doctorate in biochemistry from Iowa State in 1975, Carlson’s career has focused on researching the interplay in skeletal muscle between glycogen catabolism and contraction, especially their simultaneous regulation by calcium ions. A study by Carlson on this topic was selected as the 2012 Paper of the Year by the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Mark Hargrove, who has been named the next chair of the Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology.

Hargrove has been a member of BBMB since 1998, and was honored with the title of Morrill Professor in 2020. He conducts research on protein structure-function relationships and has been conferred several teaching awards.

“I am honored to be selected as the next chair for BBMB and grateful for the support and trust of my colleagues,” Hargrove shared. "I am excited to work with the Iowa State community to advance our contributions to education and scholarship.”

Congratulations to Dr. Keith Yamamoto, who will serve as President-Elect for the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Dr. Yamamoto, a Des Moines native, earned a B.S. in Biochemistry and Biophysics from Iowa State University in 1968 and worked in the lab of Dr. Jack Horowitz. He earned a Ph.D. at Princeton and then joined the faculty at University of California, San Francisco in 1976, where he became their first vice chancellor of science policy and strategy. Dr. Yamamoto is currently Vice Chancellor for Research, Executive Vice Dean of the School of Medicine, and Professor of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology at UCSF.

The 16th Annual Stupka Undergraduate Research Symposium was a great success--and you can read all about it in this LAS article!

Mark your calendars now for the 17th Stupka Symposium: Thursday, March 30, 2023.

Carole Horowitz was a beloved member of the BBMB community. Carole's husband of 52 years, Jack Horowitz, served as BBMB Department Chair from 1971-'74, and Carole and Jack established a scholarship for the Department's undergraduate students. Those wishing to donate to the scholarship may do so here with the note that funds should go to the Jack and Carole Horowitz Scholarship in memory of Carole Horowitz.

Please read more about Carole at her obituary and Plaza of Heroines entry.

Dean Schmittmann has announced that Eric Underbakke and Julien Roche have won two very prestigious College awards — Eric received the LAS Award for Learning Community Leadership and Julien received the LAS Award for Early Achievement in Research!  This is great recognition of the fabulous work our faculty do in two very important areas critical to our mission — undergraduate student success and research — and very well deserved for both of them.  So it is exciting to see their great accomplishments being recognized and valued by the College as well!  They will be recognized at the LAS Fall Convocation on Tuesday, September 6, 2022, at 3:30 pm in the Sun Room, and all are invited to attend to show their support!   Congratulations to both!

The 16th Annual Stupka Symposium will be held April 7, 2022 in the Molecular Biology Building! You can view the schedule, preview talks, meet the planning committee, and register at the Stupka Symposium website.

The Stupka '22 FundISU campaign, open through 4/22, directly supports future symposia. Please share the campaign and consider donating.

Carl Lee Tipton passed away on February 25, 2022 in Ames, Iowa. 

Reuben Peters, Distinguished Professor of biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology at Iowa State University, has been named a 2022 fellow of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB).

Peters is one of 28 distinguished members who are being honored for their outstanding accomplishments in research, education, mentorship and service to the scientific community.

Paiton McDonald, BBMB senior in Biochemistry (CALS), has been selected for the prestigious Wallace E. Barron Award.

This award, established 54 years ago by the ISU Alumni Association, is conferred to outstanding ISU seniors who display high character, outstanding achievement in academics and university/community activities, and promise for continuing these exemplary qualities as alumni.

Congratulations to Gustavo MacIntosh as one of three ISU faculty awarded LAS Dean’s Professorships for their innovative research!  This is a great honor and quite competitive!  We are excited to see his work being recognized in the College this way.  So congratulations, Gustavo, and wishing you continued success in all you do!!

Gustavo MacIntosh studies two primary areas of plant science. His fundamental research delves into the interactions between soybean plants and aphids, a common and destructive pest. This research has enabled key soybean-industry stakeholders to improve pest-management practices and selectively breed more pest-resistant plants.

Gustavo MacIntosh (Christopher Gannon/Iowa State University)

Congratulations to Robert Jernigan, an Iowa State Charles F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor in Agriculture and Life Sciences in the Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology. Jernigan is part of a three-person ISU team awarded a three-year, $969,000 grant from the Department of Energy. The researchers will pursue microbial engineering to expand conditions in which industrial fermentation may occur. In his words, “I’ve studied proteins all of my life and we have incredibly rich data – several hundred million protein sequences – and this is an opportunity to make practical applications of this information."

Don Beitz has been selected as a Fellow of Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Honor Society! The Fellow of Sigma Xi distinction is awarded on a competitive basis to members who have been recognized by their peers. Fellows must be an active, full member for the last 10 years continuously, or a life member, with distinguished service to Sigma Xi and outstanding contributions to the scientific enterprise.

Congratulations to Don on this distinguished honor, it is very well deserved!

Congratulations to Dr. Gustavo Macintosh for being selected for the prestigious "Liberal Arts & Sciences Dean’s Professorship”, funded from the Transforming Liberal Arts and Sciences endowment. Named faculty positions are the highest recognition for scholarly excellence at U.S. research universities, they are rare and prestigious.This award expresses appreciation for Dr. Macintosh's outstanding research on gene expression and metabolic changes during plant defense responses to pests. This professorship will support Dr. Macintosh's leadership role as the elected president of the American Society of Plant Biologists. As part of the professorship, Dr. Macintosh will receive $50,000 in research support per year, beginning January 1, 2022, and ending December 31, 2024, with an option of renewal for an additional three years.