Raju Kandel, a Ph.D. candidate in the plant sciences program at University of Wyoming, received the 2014 Student Travel Award at the World Forum on Biology, held in Savannah, Georgia, USA as a joint meeting of the Society for In Vitro Biology and the Society for Cryobiology. Mr. Kandel is working on precision breeding, specifically focusing on developing the plant-based reporter gene system on Vitis. Mr. Kandel received a B.Sc. degree in Agricultural Science from Tribhuvan University (2006) and M.Sc degree in Agriculture Extension (2008). While receiving his degree, he was employed by the same university as a lecturer for one year. After his experience as a lecturer, he was awarded a research scholarship at the Fort Valley State University, Georgia, USA and pursued another M.Sc. degree in Plant Biotechnology specialized in genomics of perennial grass species. Mr. Kandel is recently working on the final year of his PhD degree at University of Wyoming (UW) with the aim of improving grapevine tolerance to abiotic stresses. As a requirement of his TA responsibility at UW, he has taught both undergraduate and graduate level courses, including Biology of Plant and Fungi (LIFE 2023); Genetics (LIFE 3050); Viticulture (AECL 3036); and Tissue Culture Biotechnology (PLNT 4050/5050). During his M.Sc. and Ph.D. program he conducted research at the molecular level for developing abiotic stress-tolerance, which included initiating and maintaining embryogenic cultures from commercial grape varieties and rootstocks, and evaluating a Vitis-derived reporter gene system for cold and salinity tolerance. He also worked to optimize the effectiveness of a gene transfer system. This work involved evaluating and optimizing gene insertion and plant regeneration parameters of cold-hardy grapevine cultivars. Mr. Kandel has presented some of his research findings at the International Horticulture Congress meeting, held in Brisbane Australia, on August 17-22, 2014. He is an author/co-author of 5 publications, which include refereed journal articles and oral/poster presentations at conferences. He also has authored a book of 286 pages entitled “An Objective Agriculture” (2008) which includes all the disciplines from plant sciences. Mr. Kandel is also frequently invited for guest lectures by different colleges in Wyoming, including Sheridan College (Science Museum Lecture Series-January, 2014) and University of Wyoming (Monthly Seminar).

Martina Garda of Arkansas State University won first place for her poster “Soybean Anther Cultures: A Preliminary Data Report” at ASWEC (Arkansas Soil and Water Education Conference) – January 31, 2014 Arkansas State University, Jonesboro AR and travel awards to assist at the 2014 World Forum on Biology from the Arkansas State Molecular Biosciences Program, Arkansas State Graduate School and Arkansas State Graduate Student Council. This work was also presented at the Arkansas Center for Plant Powered Production (AR P3) Symposium (July 28-30) at Winthrop Rockefeller Institute in Morrilton AR. Currently, she has a manuscript under review, “ASSESSMENT OF FIELD-GROWN CELLULASE-EXPRESSING CORN” with co-authors Shivakumar P Devaiah, PhD; Deborah R Requesens Mondschein, PhD; Yeun-Kyung Chang, MS; Audrei M Dabul, PhD; Christy Hanson, MS; Kendall R Hood, MS; and Elizabeth Hood. On a personal note, she was engaged to Charles F. Damberger and is expecting a baby boy (Benjamin Charles Damberger) in October 2014.

Dr. Joshua Z. Gasiorowski, Assistant Professor in Biomedical Sciences at Midwestern University (Downers Grove, IL), has published a paper titled “Gradated assembly of multiple proteins into supramolecular nanomaterials” in the journal Nature Materials (Hudalla GA, Sun T, Gasiorowski JZ, Han H, Chong AS, Collier JH. Gradated assembly of multiple proteins into supramolecular nanomaterials. Nature Materials 13(8):829-36, 2014).Use the following link to read the abstract for this publication: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24930032 .

Dr. Annette Gilchrist, Assistant Professor in Pharmaceutical Sciences at Midwestern University (Downers Grove, IL), has published a paper titled “Pharmacological intervention at CCR1 and CCR5 as an approach for cancer: help or hindrance” in the journal Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry (Karash A, Mazzoni MR, Gilchrist A. Pharmacological intervention at CCR1 and CCR5 as an approach for cancer: help or hindrance. Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry, 14(13):1553-73, 2014) Use the following link to read the abstract for this publication: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25159162 . Dr. Gilchrist has also published the paper titled “Identifying bias in CCR1 antagonists using radiolabelled binding, receptor internalization, β-arrestin translocation and chemotaxis assays” in the British Journal of Pharmacology (Gilchrist A, Gauntner TD, Fazzini A, Alley KM, Pyen DS, Ahn J, Ha SJ, Willett A, Sansom SE, Yarif JL, Bachovchin KA, Mazzoni MR, Merritt JR. Identifying bias in CCR1 antagonists using radiolabelled binding, receptor internalization, β-arrestin translocation and chemotaxis assays. British Journal of Pharmacology, 171(22):5127-38, 2014). Use the following link to read the abstract for this publication: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24990525 .

Congratulations to Lauren A.C. Alt, Laboratory Manager in Biomedical Sciences at Midwestern University (Downers Grove, IL), on the birth of her son Gavin Alijah Alt on September 24, 2014. Mom, Dad, and baby Gavin are all doing great!

Shaimar R. González Morales, IVACS student co-chair, received the following awards: SACNAS National Conference Travel Award, 2014, NIH-NCI-Cancer Research Training Award (CRTA), 2014, Marhsall University Deparment of Biological Sciences Travel Award, 2014, Marshall University-Dr. Leonard J. Deutsch Graduate College Professional Development Fund, 2014, and Who’s who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges, 2013.