HUNTINGTON - Whether she is winning prestigious awards from the national honor society for women in chemistry or traveling across the U.S. to present her biochemistry research, Amanda Smythers is setting the standard for what it means to be a young scholar.

Smythers, a 27-year-old biochemistry student from Huntington, has received Iota Sigma Pi's Members At Large Re-entry Award, which recognizes excellence in chemistry achieved by a woman at the graduate or undergraduate level, according to a news release from the university.

In addition to receiving the award, she was invited to present her research at the 2017 Posters on the Hill, a competitive event held in Washington, D.C. The program gives students the opportunity to showcase their research to congressional members, meet with their representatives and learn about advocacy for undergraduate research. Out of hundreds of applications to the program, only 60 are chosen to present their research.

"It really is such a great opportunity to have our research shown on a national platform," Smythers said in the release. "Since they take so few abstracts, I did not think I stood much of a chance, but here we are. It is so important for our national leaders to understand the importance of our work and recognize the quality of research Marshall University contributes to the field."

As a non-traditional student who returned to Marshall with no intention of establishing a career in research, Smythers said she was initially surprised when she found a real passion in chemistry.

"I am excited to share my experiences and show people how great the chemistry program is here. In addition to the funding I received from NASA, I received two scholarships from our chemistry department as well as the summer research fellowship. They have also funded me to travel to a variety of conferences around the U.S., including conferences in Cincinnati, San Diego, Philadelphia and Chicago," Smythers said.

While in Washington, D.C., for the 2017 Posters on the Hill event, Smythers will present research that focuses on making microalgae a more efficient stock for biofuel production. Smythers and her faculty mentor, Dr. Derrick Kolling, will have the opportunity to present their research April 26.

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Chemistry student wins Iota Sigma Pi award - Huntington Herald Dispatch

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Chlortetracycline Hydrochloride Market 2017 Fujian Fukang Pharmaceutical, Pucheng Chia Tai Biochemistry - TechAnnouncer (press release)...

BY MAGGIE ROTERMUD Media Relations Specialist Medical Center Communications Saint Louis University

A Saint Louis University student researcher and one of Rock Falls' brainiest natives recently spent a day on Capitol Hill, advocating for the importance of biomedical research.

Celine Hartman, 24, is a fourth-year graduate student at Saint Louis University, working in its Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

On April 6, she and the rest of a team of student researchers from the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology took their passion for their science out of the lab and did their best to use it to convey to federal legislators the importance of continuing to fund agencies such as the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation.

Hartman, who is a 2010 Rock Falls High School graduate and the daughter of Jim and Dawn Hartman, took part in the society's Hill Day, meeting with lawmakers and congressional staff to talk about the work they are doing.

Celine had the initiative to apply for this wonderful program, said David Ford, who runs the department's lab. Beyond performing exciting and cutting-edge research, it is great that this opportunity is available to students, which allows themto understand the importance of science as an important investment by our government and to advocate science to politicians.

She and the other participants emphasized the critical role that federal investments in research plays in supporting the nations scientific enterprise and how those investments lead to improvements in Americans' quality of life and well-being.

I think people may not realize how cutting the NIH will affect the general public, Hartman said. By cutting basic biomedical research funding, pharmaceutical companies will now have to perform the same fundamental research we are working on, instead of finding drugs to push through to clinical trials. This will, in turn, increase the price of the pharmaceutical drugs even more.

Hartman came to SLU in 2013 after graduating cum laude from Bradley University in Peoria with a biology degree.Herthesis project is focusing on determining the biochemical mechanisms that a pro-inflammatory family of lipids, chlorinated lipids, cause endothelial dysfunction leading to multi-organ failure during sepsis.

She joined the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology last year.

Why this field of research?

Ive always had an interest in cardiovascular research, after having some heart problems when I was a kid. My mom (and many other family members) is a nurse (in the cath lab at CGH Medical Center), so Ive been exposed to the medical field all my life.

I knew I didnt want to become a medical doctor, but I wanted to continue my education after Bradley to have more job options. After meeting and talking to Dr. Ford about the research in his lab, it was an easy decision to join his lab.

What do you do in the lab?

Our lab studies biochemical mediators of sepsis and cardiovascular disease. Specifically, we study a class of lipids (fats) which are chlorinated. We are working on utilizing these lipids as a new diagnostic marker to identify these inflammatory diseases sooner, as well as finding new targets for drug therapies.

As a graduate student in the lab, I design, perform, and analyze the results of experiments, so every day is a new adventure.

Why was it important for you to do this?

With the recent political events in our country, conversations with policymakers regarding the importance of STEM research (science, technology, engineering and math) are more important than ever.

The proposed 20 percent cut to the NIH budget in FY18 is shocking. The proposed cut would essentially prevent any new grants from being funded, which would be devastating to all biomedical research.

As a young scientist preparing to enter the work force in the next 1 to 2 years, I wanted the opportunity to tell policymakers my story and why we need sustainable funding to the NIH. I was able to advocate on behalf of all young scientists in Missouri and beyond.

What did you do on Capitol Hill?

In preparation for Hill Day, we had a webinar training where we discussed the basics of the federal budget, how NIH/NSF are funded, and what the proposed budget cuts could mean.

We also received a lot of information about each member of Congress that we would be meeting with. We prepared by reviewing each persons story, voting history and participation in committees.

On Hill Day, we were paired into groups with one other student and one faculty member who is on the Public Affairs Advisory Committee. My group met with Congressional members (both senators and representatives) from Missouri, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

What was your main message to legislators?

During each meeting, we discussed our own research and why we participated in the Hill Day.

The main message that we wanted to discuss was about the proposed budget cuts.

We would reiterate that we greatly appreciate the support to the NIH thus far, as all of our research progress is possible due to the federal funding of the NIH. We also discussed how we hoped to continue to see sustainable funding over the next few years and how detrimental the proposed budget cuts would be to our own research.

What did you learn on the Hill?

It was very interesting to see the other side of research funding that we dont think of normally. Funding the NIH has strong bipartisan support, so the conversations were very supportive of our research and the potential implications.

Moving forward, I believe conversations like the ones that I had will help support NIH funding and continue to provide jobs for young scientists like myself.

MORE ONLINE

Founded in 1906, the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology is a nonprofit scientific and educational organization with more than 12,000 members.Go to http://www.asbmb.org to learn more.

Established in 1836, Saint Louis University School of Medicine has the distinction of awarding the first medical degree west of the Mississippi River. The school educates physicians and biomedical scientists, conducts medical research, and provides health care on a local, national and international level. Research at the school seeks new cures and treatments in five key areas: infectious disease, liver disease, cancer, heart/lung disease, and aging and brain disorders.

Go to http://www.slu.edu to learn more about the school and all it has to offer.

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Stumping for science: Rock Falls grad student takes her passion to the Hill - SaukValley.com

Tuesday, April 11, 2017

By Nicholas Snow

The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry is proud to present its 22nd annual departmental symposium and poster session in conjunction with the Petersheim Academic Exposition on Tuesday evening April 18, 2017.

The symposium will include a lecture in the Rose Mercadante Seminar Series by Dr. Melissa G. Trainer of the Robert Goddard Space Flight Center, National Aeronautics and Space Administration entitled "Chemistry on Mars: The Search for Habitable Environments with Curiosity" at 5:45 PM in the Helen Lerner Amphitheater, McNulty Hall, Science and Technology Center, Seton Hall University.

Following the lecture, a poster session featuring the research of 50 undergraduate and graduate students in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry will be held at 7:00 PM in the Mary Ann and Pat Murray Atrium in McNulty Hall. All members of the University Community and friends of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry are welcome to attend the lecture and poster session.

Following on decades of exploration of Mars, our knowledge of our neighboring planet has advanced well beyond observations of canals to the comprehensive characterization of surface topology and regional mineralogy. There are clear lines of evidence for past liquid water and a complex climate history. Yet some of the fundamental questions remain: Was there ever life on Mars? Could there have been life on Mars? The Curiosity rover carries the most advanced analytical laboratory sent to another planet, and over the past four and half years the mission has performed a detailed in situ investigation of Gale Crater. The Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument suite in particular has quantified geochemical indicators that demonstrate the environment could have supported life, and has achieved detection of the first organic molecules on Mars. Atmospheric measurements by SAM have identified signatures of planetary change over billions of years and monitored modern activity. This presentation will recount the most important findings on the chemistry of Mars to date, and will discuss the implications for our understanding of whether the red planet was ever habitable.

Dr. Trainer is a Research Space Scientist in the Planetary Environments Laboratory at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, with research interests in the composition of planetary atmospheres and the production of organic organic molecules and aerosols via atmospheric synthesis.

Dr. Trainer has spent more than a decade characterizing the properties of Titan and early Earth aerosol analogs. Her publications on this topic include chemical, optical, and isotopic characterizations of these analogs produced via electric discharge and photochemical irradiation, with recent emphasis on the elemental composition, nitrogen activation, and the influence of trace species such as benzene.

Dr. Trainer is a science team member on the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) experiment aboard the Mars Science Laboratory Mission's Curiosity Rover, with a focus on the compositional measurements of the Mars atmosphere. She has led the campaign to conduct the first in situ multi-year study of the seasonal variations of the composition of the Mars atmosphere through surface mass spectrometry measurements. She also worked with the SAM team to make the first measurements of the full suite of xenon isotopes in the Mars atmosphere as well as the inventory of other noble gases.

The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry offers BS, MS and PhD degrees with specializations in all areas of chemistry. Our unique research environment, including traditional full-time students and part-time students is designed to foster collaborations with industry and colleagues in other disciplines. The Rose Mercadante Seminar Series is named for Rose Mercadante, the departmental secretary for over 40 years, in honor of our alumni, her "boys and girls".

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Chemistry and Biochemistry Symposium to Feature NASA Speaker and Poster Session - Seton Hall University News & Events

Job Dekker, PhD

Job Dekker, PhD, has been recognized by the Biochemical Society, based in London, as the inaugural recipient of the International Award. One of 11 eminent scientists honored overall by the Biochemical Society, Dr. Dekker, Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator, professor of biochemistry & molecular pharmacology, and co-director of the Program in Systems Biology, was recognized for his distinguished and independent interdisciplinary research that illustrates the importance of the molecular biosciences in the advancement of life sciences research. Recipients of the International Award conduct research outside of the UK and Ireland and may be of any nationality.

I am extremely delighted to have been selected for this award, said Dekker. This really honors the work of my students, postdocs, collaborators and colleagues in this field that was started to uncover how cells fold their chromosomes.

Colin D Bingle, PhD, acting chair of the Biochemical Society award committee, said, The Biochemical Society awards are the perfect way to honor exceptional scientists within the bioscience community. As ever, the entry criteria are tough and the standards high and the awards are a real tribute to the talent within our community.

A pioneer in the study of the three-dimensional structure of the genome, Dekker developed the now widely used chromosome conformation technologies used to map the topography of the genome. Although DNA is comprised of a linear sequence of bases, it doesnt exist inside the cell nucleus in a simple, straight form. More like a ball of cooked spaghetti, the genome folds and loops back on itself so it can fit inside the tight confines of the nucleus. How the genome is packed inside the nucleus is tightly controlled and varies from cell type to cell type. And each unique shape has a profound influence on which genes in a cell are turned on or turned off.

Seeking tools and technology for mapping the three-dimensional structure of the genome in detail, Dekker developed a biochemical technique for determining how DNA segments interact and are linked to one another. The result, akin to a molecular microscope, can be used to detect physical interactions between DNA segments. The more interactions between segments, the more closely associated in space they are, due to chromosome folding. This breakthrough discovery was the genesis of what are now termed 3C, 5C and Hi-C tools, used by researchers worldwide interested in mapping the structure and organization of chromosomes inside cells.

Since joining UMMS, Dekker has refined and enhanced the initial chromosome conformation techniques to visualize whole genomes, combining it with next-generation sequencing to create high through put versions. A member of the UMMS faculty since 2003, Dekker received his doctoral degree in biochemistry from Utrecht University in the Netherlands. He trained as a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University with Nancy Kleckner, PhD, studying chromosome structure and developing the techniques that led to the 3C technology.

Dekker was elected to the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2014. In 2007, he was named a Keck Foundation Distinguished Young Scholar in Biomedical Research, and he received the 2011 Young Investigator Award from the American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

The recipient of the International Award, which is new for 2018, will act as an ambassador for the Biochemical Societys international activities. The award aims to recognize the achievements of early to mid-career scientists who are within 20 years of PhD completion. Dekker is invited to deliver a lecture at the 24th International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology/15th Federation of Asian and Oceanian Biochemists and Molecular Biologists Congress in Seoul, Korea, June 4 to 8, 2018, or at a society conference.

Related stories on UMassMedNow: Job Dekker explains DNA organization in New York Times article STAT: UMMS study of 3D genome may reveal hidden world of folding diseases Job Dekker becomes seventh Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator at UMass Medical School Center for 3D Structure and Physics of the Genome established at UMMS

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Job Dekker receives inaugural International Award from British ... - News from the University of Massachusetts

A Dublin-based doctor has offered what he says is a solution to a staffing shortage at the biochemistry department in Cork University Hospital (CUH) which has led to the withdrawal of its clinical advisory service and a decision to voluntarily suspend accreditation.

Bill Tormey, a consultant chemical pathologist at Beaumont Hospital, said he and three colleagues are prepared to offer the clinical advisory service while CUH continues efforts to recruit consultant cover for the lab.

Professor Tormey said he is awaiting a response to his offer from the CEO of CUH. He said four chemical pathologists are willing, pro tem, to provide a comprehensive service to CUH.

His colleagues include Dr Vivion Crowley, biochemistry department, St James Hospital; Dr Gerard Boran of the School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin and Dr Patrick Twomey, consultant chemical pathologist at St Vincents University Hospital.

Prof Tormey said by providing consultant cover, the lab would meet the requirements for accreditation. His offer would give CUH breathing space to continue its hunt for a new consultant following the retirement last year of biochemistry department chief, Dr John OMullane.

When asked about Prof Tormeys offer, a hospital spokesperson said they are looking at a number of options in relation to the provision of the service.

Prof Tormey said he is not offering a free service but would not be looking for agency rates.

Earlier this month, the HSE advertised for a locum consultant chemical pathologist. The hospital has said it is actively recruiting both a locum replacement and a permanent replacement but that as available candidates are not plentiful, it is difficult to put a timeframe on either competition.

A spokesperson said yesterday that a locum post was advertised pending the filling of the post on a permanent basis through the Public Appointments Service.

The hospital has advised GPs that its biochemistry department is currently unable to provide clinical advice and interpretation of lab results due to a lack of consultant cover.

The situation has also prompted the lab to seek voluntary suspension of its accreditation. Accreditation is an external, independent verification of the extent to which an organisation meets a pre-determined set of quality standards.

The hospital has said regardless of the lack of consultant cover, the same scientists will process patient specimens to a high quality standard, as before, and within the same timeframe. And while it cannot directly provide a clinical advisory service at this time, it can advise service users to seek appropriate advice from various other sources.

If a laboratory result appears to be discordant with the clinical situation, initial discussion with senior clinical laboratory personnel in biochemistry and/or with the patients consultant is warranted, it said.

The biochemistry department at CUH processed approximately eight million tests last year, including tests for liver function, renal function, cardiac function, hormones, and general chemistries.

Irish Examiner Ltd. All rights reserved

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Doctor offers solution to biochem staff issue - Irish Examiner

MORGANTOWN Three Northern Panhandle students are among this years class of Bucklew Scholars at West Virginia University.

Wheeling Park High Schools Adam Craig and Mariam Demasi and Weir High Schools Georgia Beatty are among 20 high-achieving West Virginia students accepted to WVU as Bucklew Scholars. The Bucklew Scholarship qualifies them to be considered for a Foundation Scholarship, the highest academic scholarship the university awards.

This years group of Bucklew Scholars comes to WVU with a few common goals most notably, gaining an education that will allow them to search for solutions to what they see as the world problems their generation will be faced with overcoming.

The variety of their experiences brings them to WVU with a broad scope of talents and achievements. Among the 20 high school seniors, two already are published authors and one has her own business. They are musicians, bakers, dancers, runners, actors, readers, hikers, poets, knitters and volunteers.

Craig said he wants to carry his WVU experience farther afield.

With an eye on foreign service work through the Peace Corps, Craig decided hed stay close to home to work on his undergraduate degree in international studies.

WVU has been an important part of my life since I can remember, Craig said. WVU has always been the obvious option. Football games were the best experience. You could feel the spirit and the family this creates.

Research is important to Demasi, who wants to work with Engineers Without Borders. Shes already developed building materials from waste paper, fly ash and lime that will withstand an earthquake, and shes intent on recycling and repurposing what others discard.

Getting her undergraduate career started as a Foundation Scholar would be validation for Beatty, who wants to show that her hard work at Weir High School has paid off.

I cared about something and its going to help me, but its also going to help other people, said Beatty, who wants to be a journalist. Shed like to write about politics, and also travel. If that leads me into politics, so be it.

Beatty has a long game plan that concludes with a doctorate degree in English literature and teaching at a university.

The remaining 17 Bucklew Scholars are:

Breellen Fleming, Wirt County High School Shes already an entrepreneur with her own online business, designing business cards and logos, and also commissioned traditional artwork. She sees art as economic development and believes that it could help retain students who leave West Virginia after college graduation.

Nicholas Miller, Hedgesville High School Miller, who plans to major in biochemistry, then go on to medical school, said he wants to be a surgeon who works in rural areas, but also to travel with Operation Smile, to repair cleft palates.

Molly Powney, Parkersburg High School Powney plans to go to medical school to become an obstetrician/gynecologist and practice in an area that has a low population of female doctors.

Noor Dahshan, George Washington High School Dahshan said her goal is to become a psychiatrist and help address attitudes about mental health.

Jessica Miller, Scott High School She plans to stay in the state and practice rural medicine.

Quinn Hopen, Braxton County High School Hopen wants to earn her degree in biochemistry with a women and gender studies minor so that she can work with Doctors Without Borders.

Larissa Tyree, Woodrow Wilson High School Tyree wants to specialize in infectious diseases and work on HIV/AIDS research with Doctors Without Borders in South Africa.

Sarah Cokeley, Ritchie County High School Cokeleys Mountaineer legacy begins with her grandfather who was on the wrestling team and continues with her father, who was the Mountaineer in the early 1980s. Two of her sisters were Bucklew Scholars and one of those, a Foundation Scholar.

Zach Gilpin, Morgantown High School He appreciates the universitys Honors College, and appreciates all WVU has to offer.

Jessica Hogbin, Hedgesville High School WVU has been one of her dreams since she came to the school in 7th grade with the Governors School for Math and Science.

Alyssa Rittinger, Winfield High School Rittinger, who wants to study in the legal field, said she was determined to go out of state to college until she attended a Mountaineer football game.

David Gainer, Elkins High School He wants to major in biochemistry and develop the use of stem cells in generating artificial organs.

Meagan Dougherty, Berkeley Springs High School Dougherty looks forward to the opportunities shell have at an R1 research institution, where she plans to pursue a career in medicine, beginning with a degree in biochemistry.

Abby Sine, Clay-Battelle High School She wants to study mathematics, and would like to receive a doctorate degree from WVU.

Joseph Sullivan, Hurricane High School He wants to make science accessible to others and admires Bill Nye and Neil Degrasse Tyson for doing that. Sullivan plans on a mechanical engineering degree that will evolve into a career in the aerospace field.

Will McNeil, University High School Hes an Eagle Scout whos written a book about treating others with kindness and respect. Me First: A Modern Day Fable about Service, Scouting, and Self-Esteem features an eagle who thinks only of himself and finally learns that treating others with respect makes him happy, as well.

Grace Bannister, Logan High School Bannister wants to study anthropology and would use her semester abroad in the Andes Mountains, amid the Incan ruins.

The Neil S. Bucklew Scholarship is named after WVUs 20th president and is valued at $32,000, providing its recipients with more than $8,000 per year over four years to be used toward educational costs. All Bucklew Scholars have qualified for the Honors College at WVU, and the scholarship can be used in addition to the states PROMISE Scholarship.

The Foundation Scholarships, which will be announced May 16, are awarded to five Bucklew Scholars.

CHARLESTON (AP) West Virginia lawmakers have voted to raise water-pollution limits, legalize medical marijuana, ...

WHEELING If it isnt vetoed, West Virginias state budget bill passed early Sunday wouldnt go into ...

WASHINGTON (AP) President Donald Trumps national security adviser on Sunday left open the possibility of ...

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Three Local Students Named Bucklew Scholars at West Virginia University - Wheeling Intelligencer

On July 1, 2017, Memorial University will mark a special milestone.

On that date, the Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, which first opened on July 1, 1967, will turn 50 years old. To commemorate, the department is hosting a reunion weekend Sept. 8-10 and hopes to reconnect with many former students, staff and faculty.

Dr. Mark Berry is the current head of the department. He says details about the reunion are still being finalized, but plans include a dinner and reception, and an open house.

We will be opening our labs to visitors on Sept. 9, and students will display posters and share their research, he said.

This will provide our alumni the chance to see new research space that has been added to the department since their time, especially the Biotechnology building facilities which came online in the early 90s, and learn about the research of some of our newer department members.

Photo: Submitted

The reunion dinner and reception will take place on Friday, Sept. 8, at the Johnson Geo Centre, with tickets on sale at $50 per person. The evening has been designed to provide ample opportunity to reconnect and reminisce with old classmates, staff and faculty. The location also provides easy access to the downtown district for those that wish to continue into the later hours.

Things are changing and in five years the department is likely going to look very different. Dr. Mark Berry

Dr. Berry estimates more than 2,200 students have passed through the departments doors over the last 50 years and hes looking forward to the opportunity to meet as many of them as possible.

The great thing about a reunion is it will allow us to get a handle on who our alumni are, he said. We know they feel a great affinity for the Department of Biochemistry, but in the past we havent been great at keeping in touch with them. Also, if anyone has old memorabilia or photos from their time in the department that they are willing to share, wed love to hear from them.

Photo: Submitted

With some of the departments longtime faculty members set to retire in the next few years, Dr. Berry notes this may be one of the last chances for alumni to come back and see some of those familiar faces.

Things are changing and in five years the department is likely going to look very different, he said. Alumni who were here in the 80s and 90s will still recognize most of the people around here, but I suspect not for much longer.

The first course in biochemistry at Memorial was given in the Department of Biology by Dr. Woodrow (Woody) Feltham, who was chief clinical chemist at the General Hospital at the time.

The idea that a Department of Biochemistry shouldbe created was at first rejected by one of the committees looking at thepossibility of establishing a new medical school at Memorial.

They suggested thatthree basic science departments biochemistry, physiology and microbiology should be established before the admission of the first class of medical students. Thesedepartments were to be hosted by the Faculty of Arts and Science untilsuch time as the medical school should be established; they would then become partof the medical school.

This work, in my opinion,was among the most consequential ever carried out at Memorial. Dr. Sean Brosnan

Of these three, only the Department of Biochemistry was established, with Dr.Feltham as its head. A professorof physiology, Ken Roberts, was appointed and also became associate deanof Basic Medical Sciences.

Ken was philosophically opposed to the idea of departments; he felt that theycaused artificial divisions in what should be a seamless body ofknowledge and scholarly enquiry, said Dr. Sean Brosnan, the longest serving member of the biochemistry departments faculty.

He established the Division of Basic Medical Sciences, which has sincebecome the Division of Biomedical Sciences, within the medical school.Woody Feltham decided that biochemistry should remain within the Facultyof Arts and Science, soon to become the Faculty of Science.

When Dr. Brosnan arrived at Memorial in January of 1972, the department had four faculty members: Dr. Feltham, Peter OBrien,Clive Little and John Wheldrake. They were joined by Dr. Brosnan and another assistantprofessor, Peter Penner.

However, Profs. Little and Wheldrake left soon after. Kevin Keough joined inSeptember of 1972; Choi Hew and Margaret Brosnan joined in the fallof 1974.

At the time, research areas included biological oxidation, metabolism, membranes and molecular biology.

Choi Hew teamed up with Garth Fletcher of the Ocean Sciences Centre, then the Marine Sciences Research Laboratory, to pioneer ways ofintroducing foreign genes into salmon, said Dr. Brosnan.This work, which, in my opinion,was among the most consequential ever carried out at Memorial, directlyled to the first genetically modified animal approved for humanconsumption by the FDA.

Drs. Sean and Margaret Brosnan are conservatively estimated to have taught 90-95 per cent of the departments 2,200 alumni in some capacity, and are still going strong.

Photo: Submitted

Its impossible for me to calculate how many undergraduates I may havetaught, said Dr. Sean Brosnan.Certainly, enrolment in the third-year metabolism course hasincreased from about 15 per year to more than 200. I calculate that morethan 100 students have received research training in mylaboratory, as summer/honours students, graduate students orpost-doctoral fellows.

My most pleasant and memorable events have allhad to do with the success of the students, he added.

The department has seen four Rhodes Scholars, Tim Whalen, Ann Colbourne, Paul Boland and Luke Pike; two future Canada Research Chairs, Tim Whalen and Jason Treberg; and twofuture heads of nutrition departments, Jim House and Mark Jois. Manyothers have gone on to careers in academia or the professions,particularly in medicine.

Online registration for the reunion recently opened and alumni, staff, faculty and friends of the department can register here.

The department has also created a dedicated reunion email address, biochem50@mun.ca, for alumni who wish to send in memorabilia, such as photos or copies of old mixer posters and exams, or stories about the department. Sponsorship opportunities are also available and full details can be requested through the biochem50 email address.

To learn more about the Department of Biochemistry, visit their website, or Facebook page.

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Doors open - Gazette

April 10 Beijing Leadman Biochemistry Co Ltd

* Sees Q1 FY 2017 net profit to decrease by 10 percent to increase by 10 percent, or to be 16.2 million yuan to 19.8 million yuan

* Says Q1 FY 2016 net profit was 18 million yuan

* The reason for the forecast is strengthened the management of customer credit account, reduced bad debts risk and decreased income

Source text in Chinese:goo.gl/9R9L4c

Further company coverage: (Beijing Headline News)

April 10 Denmark will on Wednesday lift an order to keep poultry flocks indoors as the threat of bird flu has lessened, the Ministry of Environment and Food said in a press release on Monday.

* Organigram enters into LoI to acquire Trauma Healing Centers

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BRIEF-Beijing Leadman Biochemistry Co Ltd sees Q1 FY 2017 net profit down 10 pct to up 10 pct - Reuters

A shortage of consultant clinical biochemists is causing recruitment difficulties for Cork University Hospital, where the biochemistry laboratory has advised GPs it cannot provide clinical advice or interpretation of test results because of lack of clinical governance.

Dr John O'Mullane: Retired last September.

The hospitals biochemistry department has also advised GPs it has sought to voluntarily suspend its accreditation as efforts continue to recruit a consultant clinical biochemist following the retirement, last September, of department chief Dr John OMullane.

Asked how many staff vacancies were in the department, the hospital said: At any given time, allowing that there are a great number of personnel employed in the laboratory, there can be several or no vacancies.

In terms of the current situation, the hospital said there was one consultant clinical biochemist vacancy and that its medical manpower department is actively recruiting both a locum replacement and a permanent replacement.

The hospital said as available candidates are not plentiful, it is difficult to put a timeframe on either competition.

GPs have been advised that, since March 31, the department has not been in a position to provide a clinical advisory service.

Asked what reassurance it could provide in the absence of this advisory, the hospital said the same scientists will process patient specimens to a high-quality standard, as before, and within the same timeframe.

While we can advise service users to seek appropriate advice from other sources, we cannot directly provide that advice at this time. Specific clinical advice of this nature is not generally required for the majority of results, CUH said.

Asked what loss of accreditation would mean for the hospital, the response was that CUH biochemistry will continue to maintain the existing Quality Management System...designed to ensure the safe processing of laboratory tests, but will not be able to provide clinical advice for the interpretation of results.

The hospital said accreditation an independent verification of the extent to which an organisation meets pre-determined standards is not mandatory for biochemistry laboratories but that most, including CUH, achieve it as confirmation of maintaining the system.

The biochemistry department processed approximately 8m tests last year, including for liver function, cardiac function, , and general chemistries.

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Cork University Hospital crisis due to lack of biochemists - Irish Examiner