BIOCHEMISTRY, BIOTECHNOLOGY STUDENTS ATTEND NATIONAL MEETING, WIN TOP HONORS

Five MSUM bioscience and chemistry students (Andrew Haak, Daniel Rastadt, Jenny Canine, Nicole Haverland, Craig Kutz) and faculty, (Mark Wallert, David Rodenbaugh and Joseph Provost ) presented their biochemistry and biotechnology research projects at the 2009 Federation of Experimental Biology National Meeting in New Orleans April 17-22. The students each presented their work at the biochemistry and physiology poster competition and at the main meeting with over 10,000 other scientists.
Kutz, Haak and Canine each earned an honorable mention award for their poster presentation. More than 140 undergraduates from research programs around the country presented their work on topics from cancer to biofuels to biochemical techniques. The poster judges were impressed with the work and the level of research and preparation of the students.
Provost finished his four-year term as chair of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology’s Undergraduate Affiliate Network (ASBMB-UAN) Committee and Wallert completed his six- year term as Northwest United States co-director for the ASBMB-UAN. Both Provost and Wallert were appointed to the ASBMB’s Accreditation committee where they will help design the national standards for biochemistry and molecular biology degrees.
Rodenbaugh was honored by his election to the American Physiological Society’s teaching section steering committee. His role on the committee is planning symposia for the upcoming national meeting, coordinating and planning society events and serving as the society’s treasurer.