Tim Mitchison helps NIGMS celebrate turning 50

Tune in tomorrow, October 17 at 1pm to see NIGMS’s celebration of 50 years of supporting basic research.

Speakers:

Carlos D. Bustamante, Ph.D.
Professor of Genetics
Stanford University School of Medicine
Population Genetics in the Personal Genome Era: Genomics for the World

Kathy M. Giacomini, Ph.D.
Professor of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, and Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology
Co-Chair, Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences
University of California, San Francisco
Shifting Paradigms for Pharmacologic Research

Tim Mitchison, Ph.D.
Hasib Sabbagh Professor of Systems Biology
Deputy Chair, Department of Systems Biology
Harvard Medical School
Microtubules: From Basic Biology to Cancer Drugs and Back Again

Direct link to the live video feed here.  If you miss it, it will be archived here.

Position available, U. Michigan

The Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts at the University of Michigan solicits applications for faculty positions at the assistant professor level, but appointment at a more senior level is possible for applicants with suitable experience. The faculty position will be tenured or tenure track with a university year appointment starting September 1, 2013 or January 1, 2014. Successful candidates will be expected to establish a vigorous, extramurally funded research program and to be involved in instruction of both undergraduate and graduate students.
We welcome applications from outstanding biologists in any area of research within the scope of the department, which includes genetic, physiological, and biochemical studies of model organisms (plants, animals, and microbes). We particularly encourage applicants studying genomics/biological networks, molecular/cellular neuroscience, plant molecular biology, or structural biology. For further information about Department research areas, please visit www.mcdb.lsa.umich.edu.

All applications must be submitted on-line. You will be asked to upload the following materials: A cover letter, a curriculum vitae, a brief summary of recent research accomplishments and statement of future research plans, a statement of teaching interests and philosophy, and evidence of teaching excellence for those who have teaching experience. Candidates for appointment as an assistant professor should provide names and contact information for at least three references, as instructed in the on-line application form. To ensure full consideration, all materials should be received by October 8, 2012.

Women and underrepresented minorities are encouraged to apply. The University of Michigan is supportive of the needs of dual career couples and is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.

Apply here.

ICCB-L Assistant Director Position Posting

Harvard Medical School (HMS) invites applications for the position of Assistant Director of the ICCB-Longwood Screening Facility to help support small molecule and siRNA high-throughput screening (HTS) projects. This position is ideal for a broadly trained scientist who is interested in many different aspects of biology and medicine, and who is keen to use their skills to contribute to multiple projects in a non-traditional manner. This position will assist the ICCB-L Director in advising screeners and overseeing staff involved in all stages of the ICCB-L workflow, including HTS assay development, laboratory automation, data analysis and annotation, website management, implementation of facility policies, and database software development. The Assistant Director will also be expected to assist with preparing grants and progress reports. This position will have a high degree of independence, direct and indirect responsibility for multiple staff members, opportunities to present at regional and national scientific symposia and workshops, and opportunities to develop collaborative relationships with HMS investigators.

Candidates should hold a Ph.D. in cell biology or a related field, and have experience with a wide variety of cell biology, biochemistry and molecular biology techniques. Excellent command of written and spoken English is essential, as are strong organizational and interpersonal skills. Direct experience with HTS and cell-based assays is strongly preferred. This opportunity is ideal for academic or industry candidates who are interested in facilitating academic research relating to pharmacology and drug discovery. Additional information about ICCB-L is available at http://iccb.med.harvard.edu/.

Interested parties should submit a letter of application and curriculum vitae to: iccbl_search@hms.havard.edu

Why the seahorse is shaped like a seahorse

If you’ve always wondered about why the seahorse shape evolved, check out this article in New Scientist, and this paper.  The focus of the paper is on why the seahorse’s head is at right angles to the rest of its body, instead of in-line, like its closest relatives (pipefish) and ancestors.  Videos of seahorse feeding and modeling of the mechanics of the seahorse “strike” suggest that the angle between the head and body makes the strike more energy-efficient and helps seahorses reach further than fish with a normal linear head-body arrangement.  This is important, because they don’t swim very well, so they mainly catch prey by lurking in reefs or seagrass beds and waiting for a shrimp or small fish to swim by.  (I have trouble thinking of something so cute as a predator, but that’s biology for you.)

 

Update: Wired Science also has a take on this story, with gorgeous pictures.