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Bulletin

2018www.csmb-scbm.ca

The Canadian Society for Molecular BiosciencesLa Société Canadienne pour les Biosciences Moléculaires

CSMB | SCBM Bulletin 2018 1

Bulletin

2018www.csmb-scbm.ca

The Canadian Society for Molecular BiosciencesLa Société Canadienne pour les Biosciences Moléculaires

2 CSMB | SCBM Bulletin 2018

Table of Contents

CSMB Board for 2018 ......................................................................................................................................4President’s Report 2018 ..................................................................................................................................6Incoming Members of the Executive Board ...................................................................................................9 Imogen Coe, Vice-President .................................................................................................................9 Walid Houry, Councillor .....................................................................................................................10Minutes of the 61st Annual General Meeting 2018 ..................................... ...............................................11Financial Statement 2018 .............................................................................................................................1461st Annual Meeting, Banff, Alberta ............................................................................................................19 MeetingReport:“MembraneProteinsinHealthandDisease”.........................................................19 Career Mentoring Session ..................................................................................................................22 ScenesfromtheMeeting...................................................................................................................23 PosterandTravelAwards...................................................................................................................31Trainee Committee Activities 2018 ...............................................................................................................322019 CSMB Award Designates ......................................................................................................................33 CSMBNewInvestigatorAward:JonathanScherzer...........................................................................33 CanadianSciencePublishingSeniorInvestigatorAward:SylvainMoineau.......................................34 JeanneManery-FisherMemorialAward:Anne-ClaudeGingras........................................................35Award Articles 2018......................................................................................................................................36 Arthur Wynne Gold Medal: James Robert Woodgett ......................................................................36 “How to continually make the case for fundamental science – a protein kinases’ perspective” News from Member Departments ...............................................................................................................41 Dalhousie University .........................................................................................................................41 McGill University ...............................................................................................................................42 McMaster University .........................................................................................................................44 Memorial University of Newfoundland ............................................................................................46 Princess Margaret Cancer Centre ......................................................................................................47 Ryerson University ............................................................................................................................49 Simon Fraser University ....................................................................................................................51 Trent University.................................................................................................................................51 Université de Montréal ....................................................................................................................52

Université de Sherbrooke .................................................................................................................53 Université Laval ................................................................................................................................54 University of Alberta ........................................................................................................................55 Biochemistry .........................................................................................................................55


CellBiology............................................................................................................................57 Physiology.............................................................................................................................57 University of British Columbia ..........................................................................................................59 University of Calgary .........................................................................................................................60 BiochemistryandMolecularBiology .....................................................................................60 Biological Sciences .................................................................................................................61 University of Guelph .........................................................................................................................63 University of Lethbridge ....................................................................................................................66 University of Manitoba .....................................................................................................................70 University of Ottawa .........................................................................................................................72 University of Saskatchewan ..............................................................................................................73 University of Toronto ........................................................................................................................74 Biochemistry..........................................................................................................................74 Cell and Systems Biology .......................................................................................................77 MolecularGenetics................................................................................................................80 University of Toronto Mississauga ....................................................................................................83 University of Toronto Scarborough ...................................................................................................84 University of Victoria ........................................................................................................................85 University of Waterloo ......................................................................................................................86CSMB-Sponsored Events ...............................................................................................................................87


CSMB Board for 2018

President/PrésidentDr.TarikMöröyInstitutderecherchescliniquesdeMontrealIRCMLaboratoryonHematopoiesisandCancer110 Avenue des Pins OuestMontreal,QCH2W1R7Tel:(514)987-5501E-mail:[email protected]

Past-Presidents/Présidents Précédent and Chairs, Nominating Committee/Président, Comité de mise en candidatureDr.PhilipHieterUniversityofBritishColumbiaMichaelSmithLaboratories2185EastMallVancouver, BC V6T 1Z4Tel:(604)822-5115Email:[email protected]

Dr.KristinBaetzUniversityofOttawaDepartmentofBiochemistry,Microbiology&Immunology451SmythRoad,RogerGuidonHallOttawaONK1H8M5Tel:(613)562-5800X8592E-mail:[email protected]

Vice-President/Vice-PrésidentDr.ImogenCoeRyersonUniversityDepartmentofChemistryandBiology350VictoriaStreetToronto,ONM5B2K3Tel:(416)305-1946Email:[email protected]

Treasurer/TrésorierDr.JanRaineyDalhousieUniversityDepartmentofBiochemistryandMolecularBiologyTupperMedicalBuildingHalifaxNSB3H1X5Tel:(902)494-4632E-mail:[email protected]

Secretary/SecrétaireDr.JamesDavieUniversity of ManitobaChildren’sHospitalResearchInstituteofManitoba600A-715McDermotAvenue,JohnBuhlerResearchCentreWinnipeg,MBR3E3P4Tel:(204)975-7732Email:[email protected]

Councillor/ConseillerDr.ChristianBaronUniversité de MontréalDépartementdebiochimieC.P.6128,Succ.Centre-villeMontréal,QCH3C3J7Tel:(514)343-6372E-mail:[email protected]

The CSMB Board at their executive meeting in Montreal, November 2018. Standing (from left to right): Tarik Möröy, Nafisa Jadavji, Jan Rainey, Christian Baron, Bensun Fong, Imogen Coe, Julie Poupart (CSMB Secretariat and Webmaster), Paola Marignani, Frances Sharom. Seated (from left to right): Phil Hieter, Hans-Joachim Wieden, Jim Davie, Kristin Bates, Walid Houry. Michelle Scott was connected via Skype.


Councillor/ConseillerDr.WalidA.HouryUniversity of TorontoDepartmentofBiochemistry,FacultyofMedicine661 University AvenueMaRSCentre,WestTower,Room1612Toronto,ONM5G1M1Tel:(416)946-7141Email:[email protected]/Conseiller

Dr.PaolaMarignaniDalhousieUniversityDepartmentofBiochemistryandMolecularBiologySirCharlesTupperMedicalBuilding9G,5850CollegeStreet,POBox15000Halifax,NSB3H4R2Tel:(902)292-4307Email:[email protected]

Councillor/ConseillerDr.MichelleScottUniversitédeSherbrookeDepartmentofBiochemistry3201JeanMignaultSherbrooke,QCJ1E4K8Tel:(819)821-8000x2123Email:[email protected]

Councillor/ConseillerDr.Hans-JoachimWiedenUniversityofLethbridgeDepartmentofChemistryandBiochemistry4401UniversityDriveWLethbridge,ABT1K3M4Tel:(403)329-2303Email:[email protected]

Councillor/ConseillerTrainee Representative/Représentante des stagiairesMr.BensunC.FongUniversityofOttawaDepartmentofCellularandMolecularMedicine451SmythRoadOttawa,ONK1H8M5Tel:(613)404-9104E-mail:[email protected]

Councillor/ConseillerTrainee Representative/Représentante des stagiairesDr.NafisaM.JadavjiCarleton UniversityDepartmentofNeuroscience1125ColonelByDriveSocial Sciences BuildingOttawa,ONK1S5B6Tel:(613)562-5800x8135E-mail:[email protected]

Bulletin Editor/Éditeur du BulletinDr.FrancesSharomUniversityofGuelphDepartmentofMolecularandCellularBiologyScienceComplexRm.4446Guelph,ONN1G2W1Tel:(519)824-2712E-mail:[email protected]


President’s Report 2018 Dr. Tarik Möröy

2018wasaveryimportantyearforCSMB,sincewehaveseenrealprogressinrealizingourmandatetorepresentCanadian researchers from the fields of biochemistry,cellbiology,molecularbiology,andgenetics.Wewereabletopromoteissuesthatareofcriticalimportancetoourmembersandtheresearchcommunityinmolecularbiosciences: increased funding for discovery research,but also adherence to rules ensuring equity, diversityandinclusion.Asisequallyimportant,wehaveenabledcommunication and collaboration among all scientistsfrom the disciplines represented by CSMB throughourmeetings,andbeensuccessful inhelpingthenextgeneration of researchers succeed in their careers,be it in academia, industry or at the entrepreneuriallevel. Ihavehighlightedsomeof themaineventsandachievementsof2018below.

Fundamental Science ReviewThis year, CSMB, together with many scientists andscientific organizations, has led advocacy campaignsfor an increase in funding for open operating grantsto support fundamental research and scientificdiscovery that is investigator- and curiosity-driven.The Fundamental Science Review (FSR) that was ledbyDavidNaylorsetthetargetsandargumentsforthiseffort,andmadeclearandconcreterecommendations.The federal government has been receptive to theinputofthescientificcommunityandimplementedtherecommendationsoftheFSR–atleastinpart.Budget2018showedaclearcommitmentby thegovernmentto increased funding of fundamental science and discovery research. CSMB welcomed this turnaroundandapplaudsthenewmeasuresandincreasedfundinglines. Iwould liketotakethisopportunitytothankallCSMBmembers,and inparticularmycolleagues fromtheCSMBboardofdirectors,fortheireffortstosupportthe FSR recommendations. The many meetings withgovernmentdecisionmakers,ministersandmembersof

parliament,thesciencemarchesandtwittercampaignsand theirengagementwithU15universitypresidents,industry leaders, and the scientific community atlarge have paid off. Iwould also like to underline thecommitmentofCSMBtoworkingcloselywiththeChiefScience Advisor to the federal government, Dr.MonaNemer.HerroleinclarifyingtothefederalgovernmenttheissuesatstakewithrespecttofundingofdiscoveryresearchwaskeytosuccessinourefforttosupporttheFSRrecommendations.

Towards a consolidated funding base for discovery researchIn spite of all the positive news that can be found inBudget 2018, there is still a longway ahead of us tomake Canada competitive again among the world’sleading nations in scientific discovery. Not all of therecommendations of the FSR have been followed bythe federal government, and Canada still falls shortcompared to other nations that are at the forefrontof science and research, such as the U.S., and manyEuropeanandAsiancountries.Manyofthesenationsareimplementingsocalled“excellencestrategies”fortheiruniversitiesandresearchcentresbyprovidingbudgetsthatarenotreachedinCanada.Therefore,CSMBurgesthe federal government to maintain its commitment,and to implementall FSR recommendations in full, toensure that Canada maintains a place among thesenations in scientific research. CSMB has thereforesubmitted recommendations for the pre-BudgetConsultations in advance of the 2019 Budget to theHouseofCommonsPermanentCommitteeonFinances(FINA).CSMBhasoutlinedinitsFINArecommendationsthatmorehas tobedone inparticular for fellowshipsat all levels, and also to increase the funding line fordiscovery research, and augment the investments forresearchoverheadthroughtheResearchSupportFund.CSMBwasinlinewithothergroupsinCanada,suchas

CSMB President, Tarik Möröy


Research Canada, in its recommendations advocatingfor increased research funding, and is confident thatthe Federal Government will make an effort to fullyimplementtheserecommendations.

Conference on “Membrane Proteins in Health and Disease” April 2018This conference has been held every 4 years since1986 and was a great success this year again. Themeeting was held at the Banff Centre in April, andfeaturedtopicsrangingfromstructuralbiology,proteinbiogenesis, and membrane transport to membraneproteinsastherapeutictargets.Manythanksgototheorganizers,whohavedemonstrated their competenceinorganizingconferencesthatarenotonlyinformative,but also provide added value for trainees and giveCSMBahighvisibilitywithinthescientificcommunity.We were honoured to announce at this meetinga number of outstanding colleagues as winners of variousawards:theCSMBNewInvestigatoraward(Dr.KateyRayner,AssistantProfessor,UniversityofOttawaHeart Institute and Department of Biochemistry,University of Ottawa), the Senior Investigator awardsupported by the Canadian Science Publishing Group(Dr. Richard Rachubinski, University Professor of CellBiology, University of Alberta) and the ArthurWynneGold Medal, which was awarded to two outstandingcolleagues this year,Dr.MonaNemer,Director of theMolecular Cardiology Unit, University of Ottawa, andChief Science Advisor, Government of Canada; andDr. Jim Woodgett, Professor of Medical Biophysicsand Director of the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum ResearchInstituteattheUniversityofToronto.

New CIHR PresidentThis yearwe havewelcomedDr.Michael J. Strong asthenewPresidentoftheCanadianInstitutesofHealthResearch (CIHR), who took over from Dr. RoderickMcInnes, who held the position ad interim after theprevious CIHR President, Dr. Alain Beaudet, steppeddown.CSMBthanksDr.McInnesfor“holdingthefort”atadifficulttime,whenresearcherswereunsureaboutfunding levels, success rates, new funding schemesandnewmechanismsofpeerreview.Dr.McInneshasconsolidated funding lines to ensure a minimum success rate that allowedmany Canadian scientists to obtainnewfundingandcontinuetheirresearchprojects;thiswasstillwithdifficulty,sincebudgetsremainedlimitedand many good projects could not be funded. Dr.

Strongwillhavetofindamorepermanentsolutiontothissituationtoavoidprevious investments inscienceinfrastructure and the hiring of many talented newinvestigatorsbeinginvain.Interestingly,Dr.Strong,whoisanactiveresearcher,willkeephislaboratoryrunningwhileactingasCIHRPresident.Thisisanewandunusualcombinationoftasks,andwaswidelywelcomedbytheresearchcommunityandalsobyCSMB.ManyfeelthataCIHRPresidentwhoatthesametimeremainsanactiveinvestigatorwithhisownongoingresearchprojectswillbe closer to the reality of science and the intricaciesof science funding. Dr. Strong will have to reviewthe reforms of the CIHR funding schemes and theirimplementation, and the scientific community awaitshis decisions and recommendationswith anticipation.CSMBwishesDr.Strongallthebestinfindingsolutionsto the funding crisis, and success in the importantrolethatheplays inCanadianhealthresearch;hecancertainlycounton thesupportofCSMBandallactiveresearchersinhealth-relatedbiologicalsciences.

Science advocacy trainingThe mission of CSMB includes advocacy for allmatters touching science and research carried out bybiochemists, cell biologists, molecular biologists, andgeneticists.Oneofthekeyelementsinourmandateisthecommunicationofscientificdiscoverytothepublic,towhomallscientistsworkingwithfederalfundsandatpublicuniversitiesareaccountable.Thisisnotaneasytask, since scientists are usually not formally trainedtospeaktothepublicinlayterms.Wehavepartneredwith the organization “Evidence for Democracy” andput forward a Science Advocacy training webinar forCSMBmembers.Thiswebinargaveanoverviewofthesituation of science funding and its political context,and gave advice on how to contact political decisionmakers,eitherMPs,ministersorheadsofagencies,andtoconveyaclearmessagethatisnotonlyunderstood,butwillhaveanimpactandinitiateactions.Thegoalistoprovideparticipantswithnewtoolstofeelconfidentin meeting with their representatives and advocatingforscience funding,butalso inengaging thepublic inquestionsconcerning scienceand research ingeneral.This has become an ever more important issue, inparticular since we see certain groups questioningscientificfindingsandtheirconclusionsforpublichealth.Thatscientificdevelopmentandmedicaldiscoveriesarekeyelementsofourwell-being,prosperityandprogressappearstobelessgenerallyaccepted.Thismaybedue


totheever-growingcomplexityofscientificdiscoveriesandhowtheyaffectourdailylives,andscientistshavethe responsibility tohelp communicate their findings,theconsequencesoftheirdiscoveriesandtheirsocietalimplicationstothegeneralpublic.

Women in STEM and Athena SWAN charterEquity and diversity strengthen scientific research,itsquality and social relevance,but alsoensurea fairand representative participation of all members ofour society. Increasing diversity and gender equityis therefore part of the mission of CSMB. Concretefirst steps towards this goal are, for instance, a strictpolicy of equality and gender balance at our annualconferences. All CSMB-led events have to maintain agender balanceonpanels, discussion groups, speakerlistsandorganizingcommittees;aneffortthatextendsalsotothecompositionoftheCSMBBoardofDirectors.CSMB’s Vice-President, Dr. Imogen Coe, former Deanof Science at RyersonUniversity and Professor in theDepartmentofChemistryandBiology,andalsoaffiliatedscientistintheLiKaShingKnowledgeInstitute,KeenanResearchCentre,atSt.Michael’sHospital,isoneofthemost active CSMB members advocating for EDI. Sherecently published an article in a special issue of TheLancetentitled“Advancingwomeninscience,medicineandglobalhealth”. In this reviewarticleshediscussesmeasuresandbestpracticestopromotegenderequityandequalityinscienceandmedicine.ShealsoattendedthelaunchofthisLancetspecialissueinLondon,U.K.,inthepresenceofmembersoftheCanadianInstitutesofHealthResearch.TheenormouseffortsthatDr.Coeis making to implement EDI standards in Canadianacademic communities have been recognized by aparticular distinction: next year she will receive theAngelaHildyardRecognitionAwardinEquity,DiversityandInclusion.CongratulationsgoouttoDr.CoefromallmembersoftheCSMBboard!

OutlookAs members of CSMB, we can be proud to havecontributedsignificantlytorenewingtheinterestofthefederalgovernmentinscienceanddiscoveryresearch.Thepositiveconsequencesofouradvocacyefforts,andin particular the actions takenbypast presidents andCSMBboardmembersDrs.PhilHieter,KristinBaetzandChristian Baron and many “at large” members, wereeffectiveandresulted inthe long-awaited increases intri-council funding in Budget 2018. But we also have

witnessedotherchangesinthewaywepromotescienceand research among our members and colleaguesfromcoasttocoasttocoastbyimplementingstrictEDIprinciples in CSMB-led events, also as a result of themany actions taken by our EDI champions. 2018 hasnot only demonstrated that scientists have a strongvoiceinOttawa,butalsothatCSMBcanbeapowerfuldriver for societal change. I am certain that this is astrongmotivation to renew your membership and tomotivateallyourcolleaguesandtraineestojoinCSMB,sincethereismuchmoretodotoensurethatmolecularbiological sciencewill continue to flourish in Canada.Togetherwewillbeas successful in thecomingyearsas we have been in 2018 in reaching our goals andfollowing our mission.


Incoming Members of the CSMB Executive Board

Dr. Imogen Coe, Vice-PresidentDr. ImogenCoearrivedinCanadaasan internationalgraduatestudentattheUniversityofVictoria,B.C.,followingaB.Sc.(Hons.)degreeinbiologyfrom the University of Exeter and K-12 schooling in Cambridge, UK. Hergraduate work was in neurobiology (M.Sc.) and comparative molecularneuroendocrinology (Ph.D.) followed by post-doctoral training at theUniversity of California, San Francisco (UCSF), investigating the role ofnucleosidetransporters inmodulatingtheeffectsofadenosine incellularresponsestoethanol.ShewasthenawardedanAlbertaHeritageFoundationforMedicalResearchPost-doctoralFellowshipwhichsupportedherreturntoCanadaattheFacultyofMedicine,UniversityofAlberta(Biochemistry& Oncology). Here, her research focus shifted to the role of nucleosidetransportersintheentryofnucleosideanalogdrugsinvolvedinanti-cancer,anti-viralandanti-parasitictherapeutics.

In 1997, Dr. Coe was recruited to York University in the Department ofBiologyandin2012shewasrecruitedasthefoundingdeanofthenewlyformed Faculty of Science at RyersonUniversity,where she completed asuccessful term in 2018. Dr. Coe’s research lab is based at St.Michael’sHospitalindowntownToronto,andshecontinuestoworkonthestructure,functionandregulationofnucleosidetransporters.

Inaddition,toherworkasascientist,Dr.CoeisinternationallyrecognizedasaCanadianthoughtleaderintheareaofequity,diversityandinclusion(EDI)inscience,technology,engineeringandmath(STEM).Shehasadvisedacademia,governmentand industryonbestpracticesandapproaches toimproveEDIinSTEM,particularlyintheCanadianpost-secondaryeducation(PSE)sector.Shehaswrittenabouttheseissuesextensively,bothnationallyandinternationally,forplatformssuchastheGlobeandMail,TheLancet,theCBCandTimesHigherEducation,andismuchindemandbyacademia,industry and government as a speaker and panelist. She has receivednumerousawardsforheradvocacyworkinsupportofEDIinSTEMandsitson several advisoryboards related to science communication,healthcareandinnovation.

Dr. Imogen Coe


Dr. Walid Houry, CouncillorDr.WalidA.HouryisProfessorintheDepartmentofBiochemistryandintheDepartmentofChemistryattheUniversityofToronto.HeobtainedhisM.Sc.(1991)andPh.D.(1996)fromCornellUniversityandthendidhispost-doctoraltrainingattheSloan-KetteringInstitute(1996-1997)inNewYorkCity,andattheMaxPlanckInstituteofBiochemistry(1997-2000)inMunich,Germany.

Hisresearchinterestslieinthegeneralareaofcellularstressresponsesandthe role of molecular chaperones and ATP-dependent proteases in theseresponses. To this end, his group utilizes various structural, biophysical,biochemical, proteomic, and cell biological approaches to understand themechanism of function of these chaperones and proteases. His group isalsointerestedinthedevelopmentofnovelanticancerdrugsandantibioticsby identifying compounds that target these chaperones and proteasesandresult inthedysregulationofproteinhomeostasis inthecell.Hisworkhas been recognized by several awards, including Visiting Scientist of theNationalResearchFoundationofSouthAfrica,TokyoBiochemicalResearchFoundationAward,CanadaFoundationfor InnovationLeadersOpportunityFund,CanadianInstitutesofHealthResearchNewInvestigator,andPremier’sResearchExcellenceAward.

Dr.HouryiscurrentlyanassociateeditorofFrontiersinMolecularBiosciences(2014-present)andontheEditorialboardofJournalofBiologicalChemistry(2017-2022)andMicrobialCell(2014-present).HealsoservedasaneditorontwoHenryStewartTalksseries,andasaspecialeditorforBiochemistryandCellBiology.Hehasorganized,orhelped toorganize, several internationalandnationalmeetings,includingKeystonesymposia.

Inaddition,Dr.Houryhasservedinseveraladministrativecapacities,includingas Acting Chair of the Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto(2018)andasAssociateChair (January2012-June2014andJuly-December2016),asDirectorandprincipalapplicantfortheCIHRtrainingprogramgrantin“ProteinFoldingandInteractionDynamics:PrinciplesandDiseases”attheDepartmentofBiochemistry,UniversityofToronto(March2002-May2015),and as Director of the Proteomics and Mass Spectrometry Centre at theFacultyofMedicine,UniversityofToronto(January2005-December2007).

Dr. Walid Houry


Minutes of the 61st Annual General Meeting 2018 Banff, Alberta – Thursday April 12, 2018

Attendees: P. Hieter; J.-H. Wieden; T. Patel; R. Reithmeier; W. Stanford; C. DeKraker; J. Rainey; J. Casey; T. Alexander; R. Johnston; J. Weiner; F. Duong; J. O’Neil; L. Munter; I. Coe; B. Fong; N. Jadavji; T. Möröy; C. Baron; K. Baetz; F. Sharom; C. Brett; M. Scott

1. Welcome and President’s remarks:Hieter indicated ithadbeenabusyandproductiveyear fortheSocietyandrecognizedthe importanceof theexpandedfederalfundingfortheTriCouncilagencies.Hestatedthatageneraldiscussionwithmemberswouldfollowtheconclusionoftheformalagendaforthemeeting.

2. Approval of Quorum and AgendaJohnstondeclaredthataquorumwasachieved.Motion:ReithmeiermovedandWiedensecondedthattheagendawasappropriate.Allmembersapproved.

3. Approval of the Minutes of 60th Annual General Meeting in Ottawa, May 19, 2017Motion:SharommovedandMöröysecondedthatthepreviousMinuteswereappropriate(subjecttothecorrectionofseveralspellingerrorsthatSharomwouldbringtotheattentionofDavie).Allmembersapproved..

4. Business arising from the minutes:JohnstonindicatedthattheBoardhadrequestedthathesubstituteforDavieasGeneralSecretaryforthisevent,duetoanunavoidableDavie familycircumstance. Johnstonnotedthatallaction items listed for thepreviousyearhadbeenachieved,with theminorexception that ithadnotbeenpossible toactivateelectronicvotingprotocolsasearlierhoped.HeindicatedthatasignificantimprovementinSocietyfinanceshadarisenfollowingthesuccessfulOttawameeting,whichcontrastedtothefinanciallossarisingfromtheVancouverinternationalmeetinghostedbytheSocietythepreviousyear.Inaddition,aseriesofBoardCommitteeshadbeencreated,includingMembers-at-Large, with the dual intent of improving Board governance and connections with thebroadercommunityofresearchers.BothstepsareanticipatedtoimprovethesustainabilityoftheSocietyanditscontinuedactivitiesonbehalfofmembers.

5. Secretary’s Report:Membership:Johnstonindicatedthatoverallmembershiphadincreasedfrom~600in2016to~800in2017.Mostoftheincreasewasduetoagrowthinstudentnumbers.Thenumbersofregularmembersincreasedslightly,butwasstillbelow300.Abriefdiscussionensued,focussedontheobservationthatOntariohadthegreatestnumberofmembersoverall,butwithfewerthanexpectedinToronto.NewBoardmembersandMembers-at-LargeintheTorontoareawereurgedtoadvocateonbehalfoftheSocietytotheircolleagues.

6. Treasurer’s Report:(a) Presentationoftheaccountant’sReviewedFinancialStatement:Raineyprovidedadetailedanalysisofexpenses

and incomefor theSociety,confirmingthe improvement inSocietyfinancescomparedwiththepreviousyear.Effortswereunderwayonmultiplefrontstoconstrainexpensesandimprovesustainability.


(b) AcceptanceoftheReviewedFinancialStatement(2017) Motion:StanfordmovedandCaseysecondedthattheFinancialStatementsubmittedbytheSocietybeaccepted.

Allmembersapproved.(c) ApprovalofSigningOfficers Motion:SharommovedandBaetzsecondedthatRaineyandDaviebeapprovedasSigningOfficersonbehalfof

theSocietyforthe2018-2019year.Allmembersapproved.

7. Board Membership for 2018-2019 (Baetz):a) Callfornominationsfromthefloor:Baetzcalledfornominationsfromthefloor,andnonewasreceived.Nominations

were closed.b) CouncillorsandExecutive:BaetzreviewedopeningsontheBoardandnominationsearlierreceivedandnotedthat

thequalityofapplicantswasveryhigh,makingchoicesdifficult.Animportantgoalwastoensuregender,languageandgeographicbalance.AfterdetailedconsiderationbytheBoard,aslateofnomineeswasrecommendedforconsiderationbymembers:

DepartingBoardMembers:B.Karten;J.Nodwell RenewingBoardMembers(2-yearterms):M.Scott;H.-J.Wieden NewBoardMembers(2-yearterms):I.Coe;W.Houry ExecutiveOfficers(2-yearterms):I.CoeforVice-President;T.MöröyforPresident;P.HieterforPast-President(with

K.BaetzalsocontinuingasPast-Presidentfor1year)

Motion:BaetzmovedandFongsecondedthattheslaterecommendedbytheBoardbeapproved.Allmembersapproved.

8. Board Committees and call for volunteers:HieterreviewedthecreationofBoardCommittees(Executive,Advocacy&Communication,Membership&Diversity,Finance&Development,Awards,Conference,NominationandTrainee)andtheirexistingmembership,andencouragedSocietymemberswhomightbeinterestedtosubmitapplicationstotheBoardformembership.Thesecommitteesareconsideredveryimportantforimprovedgovernance,communication,engagementandaccountability.

9. Meeting Reports (Wieden):a)April 11-15, 2018: Banff MembraneProteinsinHealthandDisease;attendanceisverygoodandcostshavebeencloselymonitored,witha

favourablefinancialresultanticipated.b) June 2-5, 2019: Montreal ModelSystemsinCancerResearch;adraftprogramisunderdevelopmentandanorganizingcommitteeiswell

established.M.Scott isaBoardrepresentativeontheorganizingcommittee,withglobaloversightprovidedbyMöröyandBaron.

c) Call for organizers: CSMB Conference in 2020 Possiblesitesareunderconsideration,includingtheTorontoarea.

10. Other Business/Adjournment NootherbusinessnotedAdjournmenttoopendiscussionwithSocietymembers,ledbyP.Hieter,focusingonsciencefundingandtheroleoftheSocietyinadvocacyandcommunicationonbehalfofmembers.


Independent Practitioner’s Review Engagement Report

TotheMembersoftheCanadianSocietyforMolecularBiosciences

IhavereviewedtheaccompanyingfinancialstatementsofCanadianSocietyforMolecularBiosciencesthatcomprisethestatementoffinancialpositionasatDecember31,2018,andthestatementsofoperationsandchangesinnetassetsandcashflowsfortheyearthenended,andasummaryofsignificantaccountingpoliciesandotherexplanatoryinformation.

Management’sResponsibilityfortheFinancialStatementsManagementisresponsibleforthepreparationandfairpresentationofthesefinancialstatementsinaccordancewithCanadianaccountingstandardsfornot-for-profitorganizations,andforsuchinternalcontrolasmanagementdeterminesisnecessarytoenablethepreparationoffinancialstatementsthatarefreefrommaterialmisstatement,whetherduetofraudorerror.

Practitioner’sResponsibilityMyresponsibilityistoexpressaconclusionontheaccompanyingfinancialstatementsbasedonmyreview.IconductedmyreviewinaccordancewithCanadiangenerallyacceptedstandardsforreviewengagements,whichrequiremetocomplywithrelevantethicalrequirements.

AreviewoffinancialstatementsinaccordancewithCanadiangenerallyacceptedstandardsforreviewengagementsisalimitedassuranceengagement.Thepractitionerperformsprocedures,primarilyconsistingofmakinginquiriesofmanagementandotherswithintheentity,asappropriate,andapplyinganalyticalprocedures,andevaluatestheevidenceobtained.

Theproceduresperformedinareviewaresubstantiallylessinextentthan,andvaryinnaturefrom,thoseperformedinanauditconductedinaccordancewithCanadiangenerallyacceptedauditingstandards.Accordingly,Idonotexpressanauditopiniononthesefinancialstatements.

ConclusionBasedonmyreview,nothinghascometomyattentionthatcausesmetobelievethatthefinancialstatementsdonotpresentfairly,inallmaterialrespects,thefinancialpositionofCanadianSocietyforMolecularBiosciencesasatDecember31,2018,andtheresultsofitsoperationsanditscashflowsfortheyearthenendedinaccordancewithCanadianaccountingstandardsfornot-for-profitorganizations.

NumerisCPACharteredProfessionalAccountant Licensed Public AccountantOttawa,OntarioJune3,2019


CANADIAN SOCIETY FOR MOLECULAR BIOSCIENCES

Financial Statement

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION

AsatDecember31,2018UNAUDITED

2018 2017

ASSETS

CURRENTCash $11,186 $9,861

Marketablesecurities-shortterm(note3) 266,255 236,115

Accounts receivable 7,156 50,789

Prepaidexpenses 13,566 25,032

$298,163 $321,797

LIABILITIES

CURRENTAccountspayableandaccruedliabilities $7,154 $6,163

Deferredmembershipfees-shortterm 8,799 3,259

15,953 9,422

DEFERRED MEMBERSHIP FEES - LONG TERM 9,186 5,774

25,139 15,196

273,024 306,601

BALANCE $298,163 $321,797


STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND CHANGES IN NET ASSETSYearendedDecember31,2018UNAUDITED

2018 2017

REVENUESAnnualmeetingrevenue $110,873 $237,078

Membershipfees 25,529 33,236Investment income 6,642 4,015Societyawardssupport 5,000 -Miscellaneous 768 425

$148,812 $274,754

EXPENDITURESAnnualmeeting(note4) 86,229 208,660Boardmeetingsandtravel 19,457 10,573InternationalGeneticsConference 15,570 -Secretariat 14,505 13,134Website 8,111 1,646StudentPDFeventsandtravelawards 6,000 2,500Science advocacy 5,771 4,975Bank,creditcard,andinvestmentmanagementfees 4,712 4,806Awardsexpense 4,457 -Accountingfees 2,375 2,350Insurance 1,723 1,712Officeexpenses 764 474Bulletin - 750

169,674 251,580

(DEFICIENCY) EXCESS OF REVENUES OVER EXPENDITURES BEFORE OTHER ITEMS (20,862) 23,174

OTHER INCOMEGainonsaleofmarketablesecurities 5,219 1,173

DEFICIENCY OF REVENUES OVER EXPENDITURES (15,643) 24,347

NET UNREALIZED GAIN ON MARKETABLE SECURITIES (17,934) 7,638

DEFICIENCY OF REVENUES OVER EXPENDITURES (33,577) 31,985

BALANCE, BEGINNING OF YEAR 306,601 274,616

BALANCE, END OF YEAR $273,024 $306,601


STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWSYearendedDecember31,2018UNAUDITED

2017 2017

OPERATING ACTIVITIESExcess(deficiency)ofrevenuesoverexpenditures $(33,577) $31,985Adjustmentforgainonsaleofmarketablesecurities (5,219) (1,173)

(38,796) 30,812

Changeinnon-cashworkingcapitalitemsMarketablesecurities–shortterm (24,921) (23,044)Accounts receivable 43,633 (15,297)Prepaidexpenses 11,466 13,378Accountspayableandaccruedliabilities 991 (5,987)Deferredmembershipfees–shortterm 5,540 (84)

(2,087) (222)

FINANCING ACTIVITYDeferredmembershipfees-longterm 3,412 437

NET (DECREASE) INCREASE IN CASH 1,325 215

CASH, BEGINNING OF YEAR9,861 9,646

CASH, END OF YEAR $11,186 $9,861


NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

DECEMBER 31, 2018, UNAUDITED

1. NATURE OF OPERATIONS

CanadianSocietyforMolecularBiosciences(wasincorporatedwithoutsharecapitalin1979underPartIIoftheCanadaCorporationsActandisrecognizedasanot-for-profitorganizationforincometaxpurposes.ThemainobjectiveoftheSocietyistofosterresearchandeducationinthemolecularbiosciencesinCanada.

2. SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

TheorganizationappliestheCanadianaccountingstandardsfornot-for-profitorganizations.

(a) Revenue recognition

Theorganizationfollowsthedeferralmethodofaccountingforcontributions.Restrictedcontributionsare recognizedas revenue in theyear inwhich therelatedexpendituresare incurred.Unrestrictedcontributionsarerecognizedasrevenuewhenreceivedorreceivableiftheamounttobereceivedcanbereasonablyestimatedandcollectionisreasonablyassured.

(b) Capital assets

Capital assetspurchasedatacostofless than $2,000 are expensed in the year ofpurchase.TheSocietydoesnotowncapitalassetsatthistime.

(c) Use of estimatesThepreparationoffinancial statements inconformitywithCanadianaccountingstandards for not-for-profit organizations requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect thereportedamountsof assets and liabilitiesat thedateof thefinancial statements and the reportedamounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. By their nature, these estimatesare subject to measurement uncertainty. The effect of changes in suchestimatesonthefinancialstatementsinfutureperiodscouldbesignificant.

(d) Financial instruments

TheSocietyinitiallymeasuresitsfinancialassetsandfinancialliabilitiesatfairvalue.

TheSocietysubsequentlymeasures all itsfinancialassetsandfinancial liabilitiesat amortized cost,except for investments in equity instruments that are quoted in an active market, which aremeasured at fair value.Changes in fair value are recognized in the statementofoperations.

Financialassetsmeasuredatamortizedcostincludecashandaccountsreceivable. Financialliabilitiesmeasuredatamortizedcostincludeaccountspayable.Theorganization’s financialassetsmeasuredatfairvalueincludequotedshares.


3. MARKETABLE SECURITIES – SHORT TERM

CSMB investments are recordedatmarket value. As requiredbyCICASection3856unrealized gains or lossesontheportfolioasawholeatDecember31arerecordedas“Netunrealizedgains on marketablesecurities” and included on the Statement of Operations and Changes in Net Assets.

AllamountsbelowarequotedinCanadiandollars.

2018 2017Cashandshortterminvestments 1,145 379Fixedincome 106,662 82,261Commonequity 92,141 87,137Cashandshortterminvestments(USaccount) 756 2,811Commonequity(USaccount) 65,551 63,527

$266,255 $236,115

4. ANNUAL CONFERENCE EXPENSES

2018 2017Speakerstravelandexpenses 35,621 11,954Receptionsandbanquets 32,502 30,680Meetingorganizerfees 8,930 -Exhibitandfacilityexpenses 4,688 153,877Suppliesandother 2,688 6,723Awards 1,800 5,426

$86,229 $208,660

5. FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES

Theorganization’sfinancialinstrumentsconsistofcash,short-terminvestment,accounts receivable, and accounts payable and accrued liabilities.Unless otherwise noted, it is management’s opinion that theorganizationisnotexposedtosignificantinterestrate,currency, credit,liquidityorcashflowrisks.Thefairvalueofthesefinancialinstrumentsapproximatetheir carryingvalues,unlessotherwisenoted.

Marketriskistheriskthatthevalueofafinancialinstrumentwillfluctuateasaresultofchangesin marketprices,whether the factors are specific to the instrumentor all instruments traded in the market.TheCSMBisexposedtomarketriskduetothevolatilenatureofequityinvestments.


Meeting Report: The 61st Annual Meeting of the CSMB

Membrane Proteins in Health and Disease

This article is re-printed, with permission, from Biochemistry and Cell Biology, 2019, 97(3): v-vi, https://doi.org/10.1139/bcb-2018-0187

OverviewThe 61st annualmeeting of the CSMB focused on thetopicofMembraneProteinsinHealthandDisease.Themeetingwasheld at theBanffCentre inBanff,AlbertafromApril 11th-15th,2018.Themeetingattracted179attendees from 13 countries including Canada, theUnited States of America, Germany, Norway, France,Austria,Denmark,theUnitedKingdom,Poland,Kuwait,Sweden,BelgiumandChina.Participantsheardtalksfrom29internationallyrecognizedscientistsonthesubjectofthestructure,biochemistry,cellbiology,andphysiologyof membrane proteins in both healthy and diseasedstates. Themeetingwasorganizedby the investigatorsof the Membrane Protein Disease Research Group attheUniversityofAlberta.JoanneLemieuxisthedirectorof thegroup.Themeetingprogram included7plenarysessions (described inmore detail below). In addition,therewere15shorttalkschosenfromthe103abstractssubmitted.Theabstractswerepresentedaspostersovertwodifferentsessions.

The meeting also featured four CSMB award lectures(morebelow),apresentationbyNSERCoutliningfunding

opportunities and an honorary lecture by Joe Casey(University of Alberta). Moreover, there was frequentviewing of wildlife, excellent spring skiing, hiking andtime in thehot springs!Thiswasalsoa family friendlymeeting,asmanyinvitedspeakersbroughttheirchildren,spouses,orfamiliestoBanff!

The focus of the meeting was the special group ofproteins that reside in one of the many lipid bilayersthat enable life. These proteins are distinct in theirbiochemicalandcellbiologicalproperties.Consequently,they contribute varied cellular and physiological roles,whichisabundantlyclearfromthediseaseprocessestowhichtheycontributepathogenesis.Themeetingdelvedheadlongintoallofthesesubjects.Further,theawesomeandinspiringsettingcontributedpositivelytonumerousdiscussionsonthistopic,bothinsidethemeetingvenue,atsharedmeals,andlateintothenight.

Keynote LecturesThe opening Plenary Lecture was from David Stokes of New York University. He described the intriguingstructure of the Kdp membrane complex. This uniquecomplexactsasahybridpotassiumpumpandchannel,andthestructureprovidedbyDavidhelpedexplainhowthese seemingly dichotomous properties are mergedintoapotassiumtransportcomplex.Midwaythroughthe

R.ToddAlexander,DepartmentofPediatricsandMembraneProteinDiseaseResearchGroup,UniversityofAlberta,Edmonton,Canada,[email protected]

HowardYoung,DepartmentofBiochemistryandMembraneProteinDiseaseResearchGroup,UniversityofAlberta,Edmonton,Canada,[email protected]


meeting,theKeynoteLecturewaspresentedbySriram Subramaniam,NationalCancerInstitute,USA.Thistourde force talk presented multiple high resolution EMstructuresofavarietyofmembraneproteins,beautifullycombining atomic resolution observations on manytopicsthatareasyetunpublished!

Satellite MeetingsDuring the opening day (Wednesday April 11) therewere two separate satellite meetings held. One washosted by Michael Overduin (University of Alberta)andwason the topicofSMALPs. Thismeetinghad10presenters who discussed the uses of these polymersand newer molecules just coming onto the market inthis area of research. The other satellite meeting wasorganizedbyEmmanuelle Cordat(UniversityofAlberta)andwasonthetopicofThe Membrane Proteome of pH Homeostasis.Thisprogramincluded9talksfromavarietyofinternationalscientistsonthissubject,whichspannedstructuralbiologythroughcellbiologyandphysiologyofpHhomeostasisinavarietyoforganisms.

CSMB Award lecturesThere were four award talks this year. The first waspresentedbyMona Nemer,UniversityofOttawaandChiefScientificAdvisortotheGovernmentofCanada.Shejointlywon theArthurWynneGoldmedalwith Jim Woodgett, University of Toronto. Her talk not only described thefascinatingroleofcardiac-specifictranscriptionfactorsincongenitalheartdisease,butalsoencouragedtheaudiencetobepositiveandproactive inadvocatingforscience inCanada,whilehighlightingher longcareerdoingso.TheCSMBNewInvestigatorAwardwasgivento Katey Rayner fromtheUniversityofOttawa,whodiscussedtheroleofmicroRNA transferbetween inflamedmacrophages. TheCanadianPublishingSeniorInvestigatorAwardwasgivento Rick Rachubinski,UniversityofAlberta,whohighlightedhis seminal contributions to peroxisome biogenesis andinheritance. Jim Woodgett, the other Arthur WynneGoldMedal Awardee, discussed themultiple significantcontributions he made to our understanding of thefunction of Glycogen Synthase Kinase (GSK) over thecourseofhiscareer,punctuatedwithinsightsintowayswecanalladvocateforscienceinCanadaandinternationally.

Trainee/Mentoring SessionsThere were two trainee mentoring sessions. The firstwasheldontheopeningdaybyJoe Casey and Joanne Lemieux from the University of Alberta, who led a

discussiononhowtonetworkinaprofessionalmanner.Thediscussionwasdesignedtoenablethedevelopmentofconnectionsandtoenhanceopportunitiesintheever-expandingjobmarketforgraduatetrainees.Thesecondwas led by Mona Nemer and Jim Woodgett,whoheldadiscussiononsciencepolicyandadvocacyinCanada.

Honorary Lecture – Joe CaseyAMembrane Proteins in Health andDiseaseHonoraryLecture was given by Joe Casey from theUniversity ofAlberta. He has organized the Membrane Proteins inHealthandDiseasemeetingfortheCSMBinBanffthreetimes previously (2002, 2010, and 2014), and he wasthe leader of theMembrane ProteinDisease ResearchGroupat theUniversityofAlberta from2007-2017.Hediscussed10yearsofresearchintoSLC4A11,initiatedbyaphone call fromageneticistwhohad implicated thistransporterineyedisease.Thisworkdescribedtwonewroles for the protein (water transport and adhesion),bothofwhichhelptoexplaintheeyediseasephenotypeandoffernewinsightsintotherapeuticstrategies.

Plenary SessionsMembrane Proteins in Need of TherapyThefirstlectureinthissessionbyGaia Novarino,InstituteofScienceandTechnology,Austria,detailedtheroleofakinaseandatransporter(SLC7A),whichmaintainaminoacidlevelsintheCNS,mutationsofwhichresultinautismspectrumdisorder.ThenJoe Mindell, NIH, described two patients whose alteration in lysosomal pH caused byactivatingmutationsinCLC7resultedinanew,complexdisorder with significant neurological manifestations.This was followed by Joanne Lemieux’s (University ofAlberta) descriptionof the role of rhomboid proteasesinthepathogenesisofParkinson’sdisease.Anika Hartz, UniversityofKentucky,providedinsightintotheroleofP-glycoproteinintheaccumulationofAbinAlzheimer’sdisease,andthenRajini Rao, JohnsHopkinsUniversity,detailed a novel role for SPCA2 in altered calcium handlinginbreastcancer.

Structure, Function and Physiology of Ion ChannelsIsabelle Baconguis, Vollum Institute, commencedthe session with novel insights into the structure ofthe epithelial sodium channel (ENaC), then Barbara Niemeyer, Saarland University, described the role ofthe STIMproteins in regulating store-operated calciumentry.Thiswasfollowedbyadescriptionofthedynamicregulation of Kv1.2 via protein-protein interactions by


Harly Kurata,UniversityofAlberta.The last talkof thefirstdaywasfromTuan Trang, University of Calgary, on thefunctionofpannexin-1channels.

Structure, Function and Physiology of TransportersThe session started off with a description of how theABCC4 organic anion transporter can be targeted todifferentplasmamembranes(i.e.apicalvs.basolateral)by Susan Cole, Queen’s University. Bruce Morgan, UniversityofKaiserslautern,thenprovidednewinsightsinto the subcellular homeostasis of glutathione. ThesessioncontinuedwithadescriptionoftheNBCe1kidney-specific knockoutmouse fromMark Parker, University of Buffalo. Leonid Sazanov, Institute of Science andTechnology,Austria,endedthesessionwithamyriadofhighresolutionstructuresofmitochondrialcomplexIoftheelectrontransportchainfrombacteriatomammals.

Membrane Protein Function and BiogenesisMartin van der Laan, Saarland University, started theeveningsessionoffwithadescriptionofthemembrane-embeddedmachinerythatconnectscristaemembranesto the inner boundary membrane in mitochondria.Next Ellen Lumpkin, Columbia University, provided acompelling visual and auditory characterization of themechanosensationandneurologicalsignalingthatoccursin the excitatory touch response. This was followedby insights into the role of the rhomboid proteasesRHBDL4inAlzheimer’sdiseasefromLisa Munter,McGillUniversity,andthesessionclosedwithatalkfromNina Jones,UniversityofGuelph,whodescribed the roleofnephrinphosphorylationinthemaintenanceofpodocytearchitecture. Molecular Events in Membrane SignalingTerry Hebert, McGill University, detailed elegantmechanisms for determining the varied couplingpathways of GPCRs and then Janos Peti-Peterdi, KeckSchool of Medicine, provided intra-vital microscopicanalysis of renal progenitor cells homing in on themaculae densainresponsetoalteredwholebodyvolumestatus.ThelasttalkinthesessionwasfromDerek Bowie, McGill University, who provided functional insight intoglutamatergicsignalingviastructuralapproaches.

Molecular Insights into Membrane BiologyPoul Nissen, Aarhus University, started the sessionoff with the description of a FRET-based approach tounderstand the transport properties and dynamics of

aP-typeATPase.Thiswasfollowedbyademonstrationof the structural basis for selective small moleculeinhibitors of the lipopolysaccharide transporter MsbAby Christopher Koth, Genetech. John Rubenstein, UniversityofToronto,completedthesessionwithsomebeautifulhighresolutionstructuresofrotaryATPases.

New and Notable in Membrane BiologyThelastsessionstartedoffwithabiophysicaldescriptionof ligand-receptor interactions in the apelinergicsystem from Jan Rainey,DalhousieUniversity.This talkwas followed by a lecture from Chris Brett, Concordia University, who demonstrated how lysosomal nutrienttransporter lifetimes are dependent on the lysosomalintra-luminal fragment pathway. The formal scientificmeeting was closed with a talk from Trevor Moraes, University of Toronto,who provided structural insightsinto the bacterial protein Slam, which serves as atransloconforsurfaceproteins.

TheMembraneProteinsinHealthandDiseasemeetinghas taken place approximately every 4 years formorethan30years-since1986-andtheMembraneProteinDiseaseResearchGroupplanstohostthismeetingagainat theBanffCentre inApril 2022.Wehope to seeyouthere!


Career Mentoring Session CSMB Banff 2018

OnDay3of the61stAnnualMeetingof theCSMB inBanff,Dr.MonaNemer,Canada’sChiefScienceAdvisor,togetherwith Dr. JimWoodgett, Director of Researchat the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, ledan audience of over 30 trainees and researchers ina discussion regarding science policy and scienceadvocacy in Canada.

Dr. Woodgett began by discussing the needs of theaverage Canadian, namely their interests beingcentrally focussed on their families, their health andtheircommunities,aheadofadiverserangeofinterestsclosetotheirhearts.Whilescientistsarethesame,hebelieveswe “rarely justify ourwork in terms that thepublic can relate to”. While support for fundamentalbasic research “should be an easy sell”, advocacyshouldnotfocusonfunding,butratheronthings“thatcanbesoldtothepublicandsupporteduniversallybystakeholders”.Heencouragedresearchersatalllevelstoexplainourworktopoliticiansandthepublic,inordertobuildaconsensuswithbipartisansupport,similartowhatNIHenjoysintheUS.

Dr. Nemer built off her keynote address: “Justbenchmarking and discussing the budget shortfallwas not sufficient to convince politicians. What’s thenarrative, the big deal, if the level of funding is thesameas2006?Thegovernmentstartedlisteningwhenwe pointed out that supporting fundamental sciencefunds the talentpieceof the innovationagenda.”Shenoted that scientists directly support the Canadianeconomythroughtraining,resultingin“peoplewhocangoanywhereinlife,notjustresearch.”Shenotedthatinthecomingyear,theFederalgovernmentwillreviewmanyaspectsofCanadian research, includingCentresofExcellenceandcollaborativenetworks,butwillalsoevaluate training programs, and increase scholarship/fellowshipfunding.

A lively open discussion followed. It was generallyagreedthatwhile“wemaynothave immediacy”, it isnecessaryto“intentionallyengage”studentsforrealmsbeyond benchwork. Furthermore, for establishedscientists, time and resources put towards advocacycannot be scorned for lack of “professional credit”.Rather,itmustbeaquestionofsciencecommunicationbecoming an integral and important part of futurecareers in Canada, aswework towards science beingincluded everywhere that decisions are to be made.Public outreach initiatives including Let’s Talk Sciencewereacclaimed,and initiativesonsmaller, local levelsare encouraged. Attendees were told to reach outto the Prime Minister, Science Minister, and notablylocal MPs, who may better appreciate the personalstoriesandeffortsoftheirscientistconstituents.Whileincreased “granularity” will be needed to respondto the differing needs of particular fields, there wasgeneral optimism about how training today will leadto“interesting”jobsyettocome-aslongasscientistscontinue to advocate for the importance of Canadianscientificcompetitivenessontheworldstage.


Scenes from the 61st Annual Meeting Banff, 2018

Membrane Proteins in Health and Disease, 61st Annual Meeting of the Canadian Society for Molecular BiosciencesApril 11-15, 2018 at The Banff Centre, Banff, Alberta, Canada

Group photo of the Banff meeting attendees

View of the Banff Centre from the Sulfur Mountain gondola

View of the Sulfur Mountain Gondola Summit building from the old cosmic ray station at the top of Sanson’s peak

Tunnel Mountain elk herd outside the conference buildings


Lovely morning after a light snowfall

The meeting was opened by the conference co-Chairs, Howard Young and Todd Alexander, from the Departments of Biochemistry and Pediatrics, University of Alberta

Dr. Jim Woodgett making his presentation at the Career Mentoring Session

Howard Young makes his opening remarks

Drs. Mona Nemer and Jim Woodgett lead a discussion on science policy and science advocacy in Canada at the Career Mentoring Session


Beckman Coulter, a Silver Sponsor of the 2018 meeting

Anatrace, a Gold Sponsor of the 2018 meeting

Drs. Reinhart Reithmeier and Trevor Moraes (University of Toronto) at the coffee break

GE Healthcare, a Gold Sponsor of the 2018 meeting

Conference participants at the exhibitors’ coffee break


CSMB New Investigator Award winner, Dr. Katey Rayner, is presented with her award by CSMB President, Dr. Phil Hieter

Dr. Mona Nemer, Arthur Wynne Gold Medal Award winner, with CSMB Vice-President, Dr. Tarik Möröy

CSMB President, Dr. Phil Hieter congratulates Arthur Wynne Gold Medal Award winner, Dr. Jim Woodgett

Dr. Katey Rayner delivers her conference award talk

Dr. Rick Rachubinski, winner of the Canadian Science Publishing Senior Investigator Award, presents his award talk

Dr. Jim Woodgett, Arthur Wynne Gold Medal Award winner, delivers his award talk


Dr. Sriram Subramanian delivers his talk on Cryo Electron Microscopy of Dynamic Molecular Assemblies

Keynote speaker, Dr. Sriram Subramanian, of the National Cancer Institute US, Center for Cancer Research

Discussions at the poster sessions


Conference attendees making their presentations

Local wildlife around the conference venueFrosty morning at the Banff Centre


Poster and travel award winners


Conference attendees enjoying the banquet

Mountain views from the Banff CentreConference co-Chairs Howard Young (left) and Todd Alexander (right) at the banquet


Poster and Travel Award Recipients 2018 CSMB Annual Scientific Meeting, Banff, AB POSTER PRIZES

AfshanArdalan WilfridLaurierUniversity MatthewSmith,MasoudJelokhani-NiarakiBastienCasu UniversitédeMontréal ChristianBaronHarveerDhupar UniversityofBritishColumbia FrankDuongEitanHoch BroadInstituteofMIT,USA EricLanderJinhongHu UniversityofBritishColumbia NatalieStrynadkaMariaIoannou HHMIJaneliaResearchCampus,USA ZheLiu,JenniferLippincott-SchwartzJustinLee UniversityofAlberta ToddAlexanderCharlineMary UniversitédeMontréal ChristianBaronMuntahiMourin UniversityofManitoba PavelDibrovPaulineSchepsky SaarlandUniversity,Germany JuttaEngelMonaSchoppe SaarlandUniversity,Germany BarbaraNiemeyerEmmaSmith Queen’sUniversity SusanColeIgorTascon GoetheFrankfurtUniversity,Germany IngaHäneltSeanWorkman UniversityofBritishColumbia NatalieStrynadkaEvaZoller UniversityofKaiserslauten,Germany JohannesHerrmann

AWARDEE UNIVERSITY SUPERVISOR

TRAVEL AWARDS

M’LynnFisher UniversityofAlberta HowardYoungDarpanMalhoptra UniversityofAlberta JoeCaseyHarveerDhupar UniversityofBritishColumbia FrankDuongMaryHernando UniversityofManitoba JoeO’NeilAnastassia Pogoutse University of Toronto Trevor MoraesBalaMeenakshiXavier UniversityofOttawa J.Y.(Eric)LeeEmmaSmith Queen’sUniversity SusanColeCharlineMary UniversitédeMontréal ChristianBaron

AWARDEE UNIVERSITY SUPERVISOR

Travel awards were sponsored by CSMB, Bio-Rad, and Avanti Polar Lipids


Trainee Committee Activities 2018Meet your 2018 CSMB Trainee RepresentativesDr. Nafisa M. Jadavji, post-doctoral fellow, CarletonUniversityBensungFongB.Sc.,PhD.Candidate,UniversityofOttawa

Otherat-largeTraineeCommitteemembers:for2018were:

KarinaBaksh,Ph.D.candidate,UniversityofTorontoSarah Chadwick, Ph.D. candidate University of WesternOntarioDr. Priyanka Mishra, post-doctoral fellow, Simon FraserUniversity

Nafisa Jadavji Bensun Fong

Karina Baksh Sarah Chadwick

Dr. Priyanka Mishra

https://csmb-scbm.ca/trainees/

Find us on social media:

TheTraineeCommitteeheldseveralmeetingsduring2018toplaninitiatives,outlinedbelow:

1. Trainee questionnaireThequestionnairewasdesignedtoexplorehowtheCSMBcould be most useful to trainees. Questions included:whichcurrentaspectsofCSMBtraineemembershipareseenasmostbeneficial,whataddedbenefitsaredesired,whethertraineeswouldbepreparedtopayanominalfeefor a traineemembership, awareness of CSMB studentgroup funding, what type of career options and adviceshouldbeprovidedetc.

Data were collected over a 31-day period in January-February2018.Resultswereanalyzed,andareavailableon-line at: https://csmb-scbm.ca/results-of-the-trainee-questionnaire/Next steps included on-line discussions via the traineeSlackcommunity.

2. Information sent to traineesAne-mailwassenttoCSMBtraineemembersexplainingindetailhowBudget2018will impact traineemembersduringthenext5yearsoftheirscientificcareers.

3. Launch of CSMB-CSCBM Slack communityThe CSMB-SCBM Slack Community was launched onSeptember42018.Thishasenabledon-lineintroductions,discussionsandplanningbetweentraineeCSMBmembers.Please contact current trainee representatives formoredetailsonhowtojointhecommunity.

facebook.com/CSMB-SCBM

@CSMB_SCBM

csmb-scbm


2019 CSMB Award DesignatesCSMB New Investigator AwardTheCSMBNewInvestigatorAwardrecognizesmeritoriousresearchinoneormoreofthefieldsofbiochemistry,molecularorcellularbiologyinCanada.Recipientshavetenyearsorlessofindependentresearchexperience,anddemonstrateoutstandingresearchaccomplishments.

Dr. Jonathan Schertzer McMaster UniversityAssociate Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences

Jonathan Schertzer directs theimmunometabolism laboratory in theFarncombe Family Digestive HealthResearchInstituteandMcMasterCentrefor Metabolism, Obesity and DiabetesResearch.HecompletedB.Sc.andM.Sc.degrees at the University of Waterloo,where he was interested in musclecells and studied how intracellularcalcium influenced energymetabolism.He completed his Ph.D. in 2007 at theUniversity ofMelbournewherehewasstudied gene delivery, cell stress, insulin-likegrowthfactorsandendocrinecontrolof metabolism. He then did post-doctoral work withDr. Amira Klip at SickKids in Torontowhere he studied the cell biology ofglucose transport andmetabolism, butthen he got interested in sources of“inflammation” that could influencemetabolism. Since establishing aresearch program at McMaster, heguides scientists to help understandhow xenobiotics, diet and microbialstress promote or combat obesity,prediabetes,anddiabeticcomplications.Dr.Schertzerisexcitedtofosterstudentsand fellows to discover new aspects

in the two-way street between hostglucose and bacteria (both commensaland pathogenic). Dr. Schertzer hasbeen recognizedwith New InvestigatorAwardsfromtheCanadianInstitutesforHealth Research and Diabetes Canada,and an Early Researcher Award fromthe Ontario Ministry of Innovation. Dr.SchertzerholdsaCanadaResearchChairin Metabolic Inflammation, and thelab’s work is funded by the CanadianInstitutesforHealthResearch,DiabetesCanada and the Natural Sciences andEngineeringResearchCouncilofCanada.


Thisawardrecognizesarecordofoutstandingachievementinresearchinoneormoreofthefieldsofbiochemistry,molecularorcellularbiology,undertakeninCanadabyaCanadianscientist.

Dr. Sylvain Moineau Université LavalProfessor, Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Bioinformatics

Sylvain Moineau holds the CanadaResearch Chair in Bacteriophages,and is the Curator of the Félixd’Hérelle Reference Center forBacterial Viruses, the world largestcollection of reference phages. Hisresearchgroupstudiesphagebiologyandphage-bacteriainteractions.

Among others, he has characterizedthemechanismsusedbybacteria toresistphages,includinghislandmarkwork on CRISPR-Cas systems.Professor Moineau has won severalteachingandresearchawards.

Recently,hewasawardedtheNSERCJohnC.PolanyiAward,theCanadianSociety of Microbiologists Murray Award for Career Achievement, andthe DuPont Excellence Medal. Hewas also elected to the Academyof Sciences of the Royal Society ofCanada and appointed an Officer oftheOrderofCanada.

Thomson Reuters and ClarivateAnalytics have ranked him amongstthemostcitedmicrobiologistsforthepastfiveyears.

NRC Research Press Senior Investigator Award


This award is given in honour of the late Jeanne Manery Fisher, Professor ofBiochemistry,UniversityofToronto.Dr.Fisherwasnotonlyanoutstandingbiochemist,but a remarkable teacher. She was instrumental in creating the Society’s EqualOpportunityCommitteeandfoughtdiligentlyforthepositionofwomeninscience.ThisawardrecognizesaneminentCanadianwomanscientistwhohasadistinguishedcareerinthefieldsofbiochemistry,molecularorcellularbiologyorgenetics,resultingfromheroutstandingcontributionstoresearch,teachingorsociety.

Dr. Anne-Claude Gingras, Mount Sinai HospitalSenior Investigator, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, and Professor, Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto

Anne-Claude Gingras is the CanadaResearchChairinFunctionalProteomics,the Lea Reichmann Chair in CancerProteomics and a Senior Investigatorat the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum ResearchInstitute, Sinai Health System. Afull Professor in the Department ofMolecularGeneticsat theUniversityofToronto,shealsoservesasdeputyeditorof Molecular and Cellular Proteomics and as a co-director of the NetworkBiologyCollaborativeCentre(aGenomeCanada technology platform). Her labfocusses on the study of signallingpathways using systematic approachesand the development of quantitativeproteomics technologies. She hasdeveloped computational tools thatenablebetteranalysis andvisualizationof proteomics results, and contributeto training the next generation ofproteomics researchers. Using thetoolsthatshedeveloped,hergrouphasidentified new protein complexes andsignalling components that provide abetter understanding of perturbationsassociatedwithcancerandrarediseases.Dr.Gingrashaspublished>200researcharticles and review articles that havealreadybeencited31,000times.

Anne-Claude Gingras est titulaire dela Chaire de recherche du Canada enprotéomique fonctionnelle et la chaireLea Reichmann en protéomique ducancer.Elleestactuellementprofesseuretitulaire au département of génétiquemoléculaire de l’Université de Toronto,rédactrice adjointe de la revue Molecular and Cellular Proteomics et co-directrice de la plateforme technologique deGénome Canada “Centre Collaboratifsur la Biologie des Réseaux“. Sonlaboratoire se concentre sur l’étudesystématiquedesvoiesde signalisationet sur l’élaboration de technologiesprotéomiques quantitatives. La Dre.Gingras a développé des approchesbioinformatiques permettantd’analyser et de visualiser les résultatsprotéomiques et elle enseigne cesnouvelles approches aux jeuneschercheurs.Enemployantcesoutils,songroupeadécouvertplusieursnouveauxcomplexes protéiques et membres devoiesdesignalisationquisontimpliquésdans le cancer et les maladies rares. La Dre. Gingras a publié >200 articles derechercheetderevuesscientifiques,quiontdéjàétécités31,000fois.

Jeanne Manery-Fisher Memorial Award


2018 Arthur Wynne Gold Medal

How to continually make the case for fundamental science – a protein kinases’ perspectiveJames Robert WoodgettLunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health System, [email protected] @jwoodgett

Summary of the Arthur Wynne Gold Medal talk presented at the CSMB annual meeting held in Banff in April 2018This article is reprinted, with permission, from Biochemistry and Cell Biology (published on the web 21 May 2019): https://doi.org/10.1139/bcb-2019-0130

It is very easy to lose track of scientific progress. Itadvances in non-linear fits and starts. Attempts to pieceback together the various contributions made towardsa significant development are often coloured by voids incontemporaneous evidence, by conflicting opinions, bypressures of claim (whether it be intellectual property/potential for monetary reward or personal gratification/ego) or truly mistaken or distorted memories. Indeed,thetortuousandirregularstepstaken,andthedeadendsencountered,don’tseemvery important in lightofa truemoment of enlightenment. Ask any jurist on a scientificawards committee how easy it is to identify the mostimportantprotagonistsforasignificantadvanceandthey’llusuallyadmititcancomedowntoamixofluck,influentialcolleaguesandwillingnessforself-promotion.Thisisdespitea publication process throughwhichwe are supposed tometiculously document, with evidence, each painstakingexperimentalstep.Ofcourse,rarelyistheimportanceofafindingrealizedatthetimeitismade-otherexplanationstake time to resolve and credibility of the discovery isinverselyproportionaltoitsbreakfromdogmaatthetime.Sothereareinevitablegulfsintimebetweentheinitialscrapsofnovel importandtheacceptanceofmajorsignificance.Fortunately, despite our clumsy rambling and errors asresearchers, the scientific processworks. Time and effortwashawaythedetritusofexperimentaldesignflawsleavinganeverclearerandreliablekernelofnewknowledge.

However,justbecausethescientificprogressisultimatelyimmune toourhumanflawsdoesnotmean it doesusanyfavourswithrespecttounderstandingofhowscienceis done. As a species, we have evolved to accept newdevelopments,toadapttoandassimilatenewinformationand technologies with understanding their genesis.Most scientists, let alone sciencepolicymakers, cannotbe expert in the breadth of continuous developments.Addtothistheimpatienceforsciencetofindsolutions,theextreme technical natureofmost researchandourunfortunate propensity to make exaggerated promisesin exchange for funding considerations and it is hardlysurprising that public expectation bears little similarityto how science is actually done. And there is the rub.Forifwedonotappreciatethefoundationsofscientificprogress,thenwewillunderminethem.

Sowhat’s this got to dowith a protein kinase, youmaylegitimately ask? Bear with me. Despite the transientnatureofresearchanditsconstantreinvention,improvedtechnologiesandchangingfrontiersofunderstanding,myown research interests have, entirely fortuitously, beenanchored around a common theme. It started duringmyPh.D. inDundee in theearly1980s in the laboratoryof Philip Cohen, then an emerging leader in the field ofglycogenmetabolism.Hehadattractedagroupoftalentedpost-doctoralfellowsincludingBrianHemmingsandPeter


Parker, who later made amazing discoveries in signaltransductionintheirowngroups.BrianwasfollowinguponsomepreviousworkintheCohenlabwhichidentifiedmultipleprotein-serinekinaseactivitiesinskeletalmusclethat could phosphorylate glycogen synthase, the ratelimitingenzymeinglycogensynthesis1,2.Peterworkedouthowtoquantitatetheamountofphosphorylationateachoftheserine/threonineresiduesintheproteinthatweretargetedbythesekinases.Today,thatwouldberelativelytrivialusingmassspectrometry(andthiswas laterdone)butatthetimePeterpurifiedglycogensynthasethrougha3dayprocessfromthemusclesofrabbitsthathadbeentreated with adrenaline or insulin, whilst maintainingthephosphorylation stateand thendigested theproteinwithtrypsinandseparatedthepeptidesbyHPLC.Hethenmeasuredthephosphatasepresent ineach fractionand,knowingwhichposition thevariousphosphorylation sitepeptidesmigratedintheHPLCwasabletoquantitatethem.Whathefoundwasprofound.Whileadrenalineincreasedphosphorylation of residues previously linked to cyclicAMP-dependent protein kinase (leading to inactivationofglycogensynthase)3,theeffectofinsulinwaslargelytodecrease the phosphorylation of residues targeted by alargelyuncharacterizedactivitytermedglycogensynthasekinase-3 (GSK-3)4. It was so-named because it was thethird activity to be eluted from phosphocellulose1. ThisimplicatedGSK-3asapossible intermediate inmediatingtheeffectsofinsulintopromoteglycogensynthesis,which,atthetime,wasaHolyGrail.I’dbeenworkingonacoupleofotherprojectsbutBrianandPetereach left tosetuptheirownlabsandhencemyrelationshipwiththisproteinkinasebeganwithaminorstudy5.Indeed,theendofthatproject yielded a tube of highly purified GSK-3 and all Icouldthinkoftodowithitwasmeasureitsnativemassbyequilibriumcentrifugation.

Soon thereafter I joined TonyHunter’s lab as a post-docattheSalkInstituteashewasanauthorityonthenewlydiscoveredimportanceoftyrosinekinasesincancer.Despitethat,IendedupdoingmoreworkonserinekinasessuchasProteinKinaseC6.Mylabbenchneighbour,BillBoyle,hadstartedlookingatthecellularrelativesoftheMybandJunoncogenesand,entirelybychancewelookedatwhethermyoldprepsofserinekinasesfromDundeehadanyeffect.Sureenough,theybothlitupwhenincubatedwithGSK-3.Moreover,inacollaborationwithMichaelKarin’slab,GSK-3phosphorylationofcJuninterferedwithitsabilitytobindDNAandactivateAP-1responsiveelements7.Sowhatwasanobscurekinase implicated inglycogensynthesisdoing

kissinguptoacancer-linkedtranscriptionalregulator?IwasintriguedenoughwiththatquestiontodecidetoinvestingoingbacktostudyingGSK-3whenIhadtheopportunitytosetupmyowngroup,attheLudwigInstituteforCancerResearchinLondon,UK.IwasattractedinlargepartbythechancetoonceagainbeacolleagueofPeterParker,who,in the intervening yearshadpurified and clonedProteinKinaseC (something I’d totally failedataccomplishingattheSalk).However,throughthegenerosityandmentorshipof SteveHanks, I’d learnedenoughmolecular biology toembarkonpurifying,sequencingandthencloningGSK-38.

This resulted in a few surprises. Firstly, there were twoGSK-3 genes, which we termed alpha and beta. But weweren’t the first to clone GSK-3. I used to commute byrailintoLondonandoneThursdaymorningthetrainwasstuckoutsideofEustonstation(notarareoccurrence)longenough that I’d already read the content of thatweek’sNature(yes,inpaperformat,thiswas1990andbeingon-lineformemeantstillstuckonatrain).SoIstartedreadingapaperfromEsterSiegfried inNorbertPerrimon’s lab inBostononafruitflyproteinkinasesincethatwasslightlymore interesting that staringata stopsignal. It includedthesequenceoftheproteinand,havingrecentlylabouredover themanualDNA sequencingofGSK-3, I recognizedanoddcoincidenceofpeptides.Ourownpaperwasdueto be published twoweeks later but, once in the lab, itdidn’t take much alignment to realize that the fly genewaslikelytheflyorthologueofGSK-3.ThenewgenewascalledZeste-White39.Ratherthanbeingthenomdeplumeforadetergent,itwascalledthatbecauseitwasthethird

Figure 1. Purified GSK-3Two figures from Ph.D. thesis showing (left) purified GSK-3 separated by SDS-PAGE and (right) estimated native mass by equilibrium centrifugation


geneticintervalbetweenthezesteandwhiteloci(snooze).After we published themammalian (actually, rat) GSK-3genes,thenextissueofthejournalcontainedanotherfruitflyGSK-3geneisolatedbyMarkBourouisandPatSimpsonin Strasbourg thatwas clearly a spliced variantof Zeste-White3. Because a mutant of this gene displayed extrahairs,theycalleditShaggy10.Aninfinitelybettername.

Thisiswheretheproverbialfanbecameinundated.Threepapers, three very different areas of research, collided.Norbert’sgroupwasstudying thewinglesspathwayand,through genetic analysis, identified Zeste-White3 as anegative regulator and a maternal effect gene. Pat wastryingtounderstandhowNotchactedtodefineorganizationofthewingbladeandidentifiedazygoticroleforShaggy.We’dsimplybeenwonderinghowinsulinmightworkandwhetherthismightbepertinenttocancer.AflurryofpapersdemonstratedthatGSK-3couldrescuetheflymutantsandsoonthereafterthefrequencyofadenomatouspolyposiscoliandβ-cateninmutationsincolorectalcancercementedthefieldsof cancerandWntsignalling. Inanother twist,myfirstgraduatestudent,PaulCoffer,andBrianHemmingsindependentlyhadclonedanovelproteinkinasewehadtermedproteinkinaseB since itwas similarly relatedbysequencetoproteinkinasesAandC.BrianandPhilipwentontoshowthatPKBphosphorylatedGSK-3ataninhibitoryresidueandsincePKBhasbeenshowntobeactivatedbytheproductofphosphatidylinositol3’kinasethatisinducedby stimuli including insulin, a compellingmechanism forinsulintoreduceGlycogenSynthasephosphorylationwasassembled11.

There was also a flurry of cloning studies that led tothe identification of GSK-3 orthologues in a variety of

species, fromArabidopsis to fission and budding yeast,to nematodes and birds12-15.TheseshowedthatGSK-3isahighlyconservedgenebutmoreimportantly,theeffectsofitsmutationinthismultitudeofspeciesrevealedremarkableinsightsintoregulationofdifferentiation,hormonalcontrol(auxinsignallinginplants),andmammaliandevelopment16. In another “you cannot be serious” coincidence, one ofmy post-docs in London, Simon Plyte, wanted to cloneslimemouldGSK-3andRobKay,anexpertinthegeneticsof Dictyostelium discoideum, generously offered to hosthimforafewweekstoscreentheircDNAlibraries.Whilethere his bench mate fellow, Adrian Hardwood, wasusing a new technique of restriction enzyme mediatedintegration (REMI) to screen fordevelopmentalmutants.His first characterized hit was GSK-3 (termed GSK-A inDictyostelium)17. This mutation caused the normallysingle-celledorganismtolosethebasicabilitytoproperlydifferentiateintoamulticellularfruitingbodyinresponseto nutritional deprivation. Peter Klein, while a post-docwithDougMelton,noticedthattreatmentofslimemouldwithlithiumphenocopiedtheeffectofknockingoutGSK-3andwentontoshowthisionactsasadirectinhibitorofthekinase18.Asawidelyusedtherapyforbipolardisorder,lithiumalsocausesbehaviouralchangesinmiceandthesechangesaremimickedbygeneticlossofoneGSK-3allele19.

These studies encouraged twopost-docs, BradDoble andSatish Patel, to first create conditional alleles of the twoisoforms of GSK-3 and then, through Brad’s penchant fordoing tough experiments, to create an allelic series ofembryonicstemcellsthathefoundwerehighlydefectiveintheirpluripotency20(indeed,AustinSmith’s“2i”combinationof a GSK-3 inhibitor with a Mek inhibitor enable muchmodern stem cell research21). Satish and another English

Figure 2. Insulin stimulates glycogen synthesis through PI3K mediated activation of PKB/Akt and inactivation of GSK-3


fellow,KatrinaMacAuley,demonstratedthatthetwoGSK-3 isoformshadquitedistinctmetabolicphenotypeswhendisruptedinmice22-31,workwearestillpursuinginthelab.

Youmightask,“that’scoolandallJim,butwhat’sthatgottodowithsupportoffundamentalscience?”Gladyouasked,as I did get carried away on theGSK-3MagicalMysteryTour.DidImentionIamsomewhatfixatedwithGSK-3?Letmesummarize in the following lessons illustratedby thescientifichistory(innoorderbecause,science):

1.Scientificprogress isnotonlynon-linear, it’smore likea drunken, random pub crawl. Posthoc justifications orexplanations to explain how efficient science can be toansweringquestionsareusuallymanufacturedandalwayssimplified(dittoforthisstory).This iswhypredictingthefutureofscienceislargelyawasteoftimeandtestamentto our arrogance.

2.Studyoffundamentalscientificproblemscanleadtothemost remarkablecollisionswithhumandiseases,despiteunconscious efforts to avoid them. Such insights can bebi-directional so collaborate and be generous with yourreagentsandexpertise.

3. Nothing in science is finished. There is always moretolearnandtorefineandnaturehashadamuchlongertimetofindsolutions.Diversityofbiologicalmodelsandapproachesleadstoenormousadvantagesandcanmakeupforourlackofimaginationand,moreimportantly,ournaivety and biases. 4.Ifyouareoverlyprescriptiveofyourscientificpathand“stayinyourlane”,youmaywellmissopportunities. It isimportant to define project boundaries for reasons offeasibility, let alone having a life, but always be open tofollowingyournose–itmayleadtoaviewthat’sfarmorebeautifulandinstructivethatyourcarefullylaidplan.

5.Scienceispureandwithoutopinionbutwecontinuouslycorrupt its purity with our ambitions, expectations andthe dreary reality of funding. It is essential to explain itin ways non-scientists, even scientists not studying yourparticular niche, canunderstand. Thismeans learning totalkaboutyourresearchintheformofstories.Don’tjustshowthehighlightreel.Scienceishardandunpredictable.Understanding that it is difficult but is the best way torealizeabetterfuturemayleadtobetterappreciationandsupportforbasicresearch.

AcknowledgementsAll of the people I’ve had the privilege to bementoredby, to have trustedmewithmymentorship and have asharedfascinationwithdiscoveringtheunknown.ThanksespeciallytoPeter(s),Pamela,Bernd,Ivan,Eleni,Mike(s),Brian, Colin, Alastair, Zahi, Barry, Phil, Kathy, Clare, Tony,Steve(s),Richard,Nick(s),Bill,Simon,Ken,Vuk,Klaus,Tian,Satish,Brad,Katrina,Mark,Joe,John,Andrew,Bill,Michele,Liz,David, Tom,Trevor,Adrian,Xi, Laurent, Josef,Howie,Eric, Lee-Anne, Friedemann, Lisa, Armen, Gordon, Bill,Jing,Jane,Mark,Maude,Ioana,Sima,Tanya,Tony,Dan(s),Oksana,Ling,Joanna,Sean,Eldad,Meagan,Kiko,Megha,Kevin and Jenn. Also thanks to the Canadian InstitutesforHealthResearchasareasontomaintainvigilanceandCarolineforherpatiencewithscience.

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News from Member DepartmentsDalhousie UniversityDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyCorrespondent: Stephen L. Bearne

The2018-19academicyearwastheyearthatDalhousieUniversity celebrated its 200th anniversary and themedicalschoolturned150yearsold.Manyspecialeventswereheld tocelebratethesetwomilestones, includingtheDepartmentofBiochemistryandMolecularBiologylaunching its Macpherson Seminar Series to recognizegraduates of the department who have distinguishedthemselves in their careers since leaving Dalhousie.The lecture series is named in honour of Dr. Lloyd B.Macpherson,apreviousmemberofthedepartmentandDeanoftheFacultyofMedicineatDalhousieUniversity.It was a pleasure to welcome back Dr. David Edgell (Acting Chair, Department of Biochemistry, WesternUniversity,Ph.D.Dalhousie1997,underthesupervisionof Ford Doolittle) and Dr. David Breckenridge (SeniorDirectorofBiology,GileadSciences,Inc.,B.Sc.Dalhousie1998,andsonof Carl Breckenridge,previousHeadoftheDepartment)tokickofftheseminarseries.

In March, 2018, Jan Rainey hosted Dr. Lewis Kay(UniversityofToronto,notedforhisdevelopmentofNMRspectroscopymethods for thestudyof largemolecularmachinesandpreviouslyinvisiblestatesofproteins)who,as the 2017 Dalhousie Medical Research Foundation/GairdnerLecturer,deliveredacomprehensiveseminartoapackedauditorium,aswellasalectureto~100studentsat CitadelHigh School. Ford Doolittle was awarded an

honorary degree from the University of Kings CollegeonMay31,2018.AretirementpartywasheldforDavid Byers and Carmichael Wallace.WewishbothDavidandCarmichaelall thebest in their retirement. Inaddition,David Byers received theDepartment’s first Excellencein Teaching Award at the Department’s convocationreception held on June 1, 2018. Students will misshis use of vivid analogies for teaching various aspectsof metabolism and thermodynamics that invariablyinvolvedmentioningtheHabsandtheLeafs!

Shannon Sibbald,agraduatestudentwithJohnArchibald,workedwithothergraduatestudentsandpost-doctoralfellows to organize a successful student research daythat featured poster presentations, 3-minute thesispresentations,apopularsciencewritingworkshop,anda seminar by Dr. David Smith (Department of Biology,WesternUniversity).

Dean David Anderson presents Dr. David Edgell and Dr. David Breckenridge with plaques recognizing their participation as Macpherson Seminar Series Speakers during the 150th Anniversary of Dalhousie Medical School. (Photo courtesy of Heidi MacKinnon.)

Ford Doolittle receives an honorary degree from the University of Kings College on May 31, 2018. (Photo courtesy of John Archibald.)

David Byers (L) and Carmichael Wallace (R) open their gifts from the department at their retirement party. (Photo courtesy of Heidi MacKinnon.)

Stephen Bearne (R) presents the department’s first Excellence in Teaching Award to David Byers (L). (Photo courtesy of Heidi MacKinnon.)


The Department continued to celebrate the successesof its students, post-doctoral fellows, and researchassociatesduringthepastyear.Kyungsoo Shin, a graduate studentwithJanRainey,wasawardedthePatrickPrizeforbestPh.D.thesis.Dr. Sophie de Vries,apost-doctoralfellow with Claudio Slamovits, and Calem Kenward, a graduate student with David Langelaan, both receivedBeth Gourley Conference Awards, which were kindlyestablished byCatherine Lazier and her husband JohnLazier. Sergio Muñoz-Gómez, a graduate student withClaudioSlamovitsandAndrewRoger,receivedtheDougHogue Award, recognizing “exceptional dedication andachievementinresearchandintradepartmentalstudentactivity”.Finally,Bruce Curtis,aresearchassociatewithJohn Archibald, received the 2017 Schnare-SpencerPrize,whichwasestablishedbyMike Grayinhonouroftwolong-timeresearchassociatesinhislab.

Our alumni (and anyone else interested) are invitedto find out about the latest news and events of theDepartment of Biochemistry andMolecular Biology atwww.biochem.dal.ca.

McGill UniversityDepartment of BiochemistryCorrespondent: Martin Schmeing (with Maxime Denis, Jason Young, Marlene Gilhooly and with photos from Christine Laberge)

Asalways,2018wasabusyyearfortheDepartmentofBiochemistryatMcGillUniversity.Excitingresearchandteachingcontinuetodrivethedepartment’sactivities.

Faculty news:ThedepartmentrecruitedWilliam Pastor(previouslyapost-doctoral fellowwith Steven Jacobsen, UCLA) andLawrence Kazak(previouslyapost-doctoralfellowwithBruce Spiegelman, Harvard) as Assistant Professors.BiochemistryfacultymembersBhushan Nagar and Josée DostiewerepromotedtotherankofFullProfessor,andPhilippe Gros was appointed Deputy Vice-Principal(Research and Innovation). Sadly, Professor EmeritusGordon Shorediedin2018.Intributetothiswonderfulfriend and colleague, the Gordon Shore Prize fortheses in life sciences was created by CQDM, DiazonPharmaceuticals,theOncopole,andMitacs.

Research news:Notablebreakthroughspublishedthisyearinclude:A study led by Kalle Gehring showed that mutationsin the ubiquitin ligase parkin are responsible for afamilialformofParkinson’sdisease.Crystallographyandhydrogen-deuterium exchange experiments revealedthe large-scale conformational changes upon parkinactivationby the kinasePINK1. (Nature Structural andMolecularBiology,25,623–630).Philippe Gros and Jerry Pelletier collaborated to discover a novel class of natural products (rocaglates)with robustanti-malarialactivity.

Graduate students at the Student Research Day with the invited speaker, Dr. David Smith. (Photo courtesy of Heidi MacKinnon.)

Sergio Muñoz-Gómez received the Doug Hogue Award and is pictured with his supervisors Claudio Slamovits (L) and Andrew Roger (R). (Photo courtesy of Heidi MacKinnon.)

Bruce Curtis, recipient of the Schnare-Spencer Award, with Stephen Bearne, John Archibald, and Mike Gray (L to R). (Photo courtesy of Heidi MacKinnon.)

Dr. Catherine Lazier presents the Beth Gourley Conference Award to Calem Kenward (M.Sc. student). (Photo courtesy of Heidi MacKinnon.)


Thesemoleculesshowanti-inflammatoryactivityaswell,andmaybeof potential novel use in cerebralmalariawhere the pathology is driven by the inflammatoryresponseofthehost(ProcNatlAcadSciUSA,115(10)E2366-E2375). The lead author of the study is David Langlais,whohasjustmovedfromtheGroslabtostarthisownventureinHumanGeneticsatMcGill.Lawrence Kazakgothislabstartedwithasplashbydemonstratingthat creatine transport into adipocytes protects micefromobesity. They showed that in response to caloricexcess,wild-typemiceincreasetheirenergyexpenditureto limit obesity, but mice with fat-specific ablationof the creatine transporter cannot activate energyexpenditureinresponsetocaloricexcess,andthereforebecomeobese(NatureMetabolism1,360–370).Martin Schmeing(incollaborationwithJasonChin(Cambridge)and Chris Boddy (Ottawa)), developed and introduceda new orthogonal amino acid into a synthetase tovisualizeaseriesofintermediatesinthenon-ribosomalpeptidesynthesisofdaptomycin.Thestructuresshowedthat amobile element in the synthetasewas in vastlydifferentconformationswhenanintermediateboundtotheenzymewastobeoligomerizedorcyclized(Nature,565,112-117). A recent paper published by Michel Tremblay’s research group describes a remarkablepost-transcriptional feedback mechanism of the PRLphosphatases,agroupofproteintyrosinephosphatasesinvolved in magnesium transport. An evolutionarilyconservedmagnesium-sensitiveuORFwasidentifiedinPRL mRNA, which allows PRL to regulate intracellularmagnesium levels and consequentlymodulate cellularbioenergetics inmammalians cells (ProcNatl Acad SciUSA,116,2925-2934).

Honours and awards:These and other research successes were recognizedby honours including Distinguished James McGillProfessorships to Albert Berghuis, Erwin Schurr and Michel Tremblay, a spot in the Top 10 Discoveries of2018 in Quebec forPhilippe Gros and Jerry Pelletier, aTier ICRCforAlba Guarné,aTier IICRCrenewal forSid Huang,aFriendsofCIHRAwardofHonour toRod McInnes, a Prix du Quebec to Nahum Sonenberg, and a Cystic Fibrosis Canada Cathleen Morrison ResearchImpactAwardtoDavid Thomas.

Teaching news:Our undergraduate teaching program underwentimportant improvementsand innovations in2018.First,

the teaching approach in our lab course BIOC 220wasreviewed, and students now learn through a stepwiseprocesshowtowritetheirlabreport.Hence,tothesurveyquestion“howwelldoyouthinkBIOC220hasperformedin delivering its learning objectives?” 70% of studentsanswered“verywell”in2018comparedto19%in2017.In its most recent version, BIOC 220 is more enjoyable and betterhelpsstudentstoacquirelabreportwritingskills.Thetaskforcewhoworkedhardtoimprovethecourse,byincludinggoodevaluationpractice,writingguidelinesand tutorials, can be proud of this accomplishment. IncollaborationwithMcGillTeachingandLearningServices,thedepartmenthelda seriesofworkshopsonefficientteaching in biochemistry in June 2018. Twenty peoplefrom 5 departments in Biomedical Sciences learnedabout the learningprocess, competency-based learningand active learning. Several undergraduate coursesweremodifiedbasedontheseworkshops,andtheyalsohelpedmanyofour lecturershonetheirstills, includingco-awardeesofanewannualteachingaward,Uri David Akavia and Vicky Kottis.

The Biochemistry graduate program continued to dowell in 2018.Ournumbers are stable; in Fall 2018wehad115students,with18newadmissions.Ofourtotalstudents,50weremastersstudentsand65weredoctoralstudents;54wereCanadianand61international.Therewere 62 female and 53male students. Thus,we haveadiverseandwell-balancedstudentbodywhich is theheart of the department. The Masters and Doctoralprograms proceeded smoothly. Seminar attendancepolicieswerefirmlyestablishedforgraduatestudents,aswellasasystemforstreamingofseminarsoff-campus.Our graduate and post-doctoral trainees continue toexcel,publishingmanyfirst-authorpapers,andwinningscholarshipsandpresentationawards.

Experience McGill Biochemistry!


McMaster UniversityDepartment of Biochemistry and Biomedical SciencesCorrespondent: John Whitney

Faculty and research news:This past year was highlighted by many outstandingdiscoveries bymembers of our department (BBS). Themajorityofourfacultyareassociatedwithoneofthreemajor research institutes at McMaster. Members ofthe Michael DeGroote Institute for Infectious DiseaseResearch (IIDR) made many seminal contributionsin the fields of infectious disease and antimicrobialresistance. Eric Brown and Brian Coombes identifieda compound that selectively inhibits the growth ofSalmonellawithinmacrophages(Nature Comm,10:197).UsingcomparativeRNAsequencingBrian Coombes’labalso characterized the virulence regulon of Salmonella (Cell Reports, 25:825). Furthermore, his lab uncoveredimportantinsightsintothemechanismsofgutadaptationby the Crohn’s disease-associated bacterium adherent-invasive Escherichia coli (Cell Host & Microbe, 25:301).Members of John Whitney’s group teamed up withthe lab of Stefan Raunser to uncover the mechanismoftoxintranslocationbythebacterialtypeVIsecretionsystem (Nature Microbiol, 3:1142). Faculty inourStemCell and Cancer Research Institute (SCC-RI) also mademanysignificantcontributionstotheirfield.Mick Bhatia discoveredthatasubsetoffoundercellsiscriticalforthedevelopmentofpluripotentstemcells(Cell,177:910).Hisgroupalso identified leukemic-regeneratingcells (LRCs)astheresponsiblecelltypeforacutemyeloid leukemiarecurrence (Cancer Cell, 34:483). Karun Singh and histeampublishedastudyshowingthattheOTUD7Ageneplaysacritical role in15q13.3microdeletionsyndrome

(Am J Hum Genet,102:278).Ray Truant’sgroupidentifieda small molecule that was protective in Huntington’sdiseasemodelneurons(PNAS,115:7081).

OurFarncombeFamilyDigestiveHealthResearchInstitutecelebratedits10thanniversarythispastNovember.TheFarncombeInstituteisahighlyinterdisciplinarygroupofscientistsfrommanydifferentdepartmentsthatfocusongastrointestinalresearch.Overthepastyear,thisgrouphasmademanyimpactfuldiscoveries,includingastudypublished by BBS facultymember Jonathan Schertzer, who discovered that long term exposure to obesity-related microbiota promotes host insulin resistance(Nature Comm,9:4681).

The McMaster Farncombe Family Digestive Health Research Institute celebrated its 10th anniversary this past November. Shown are Farncombe executive members (left to right) Dr. Michael Surette, Dr. Stephen Collins, Dr. Elena Verdu and Dr. Paul Moayyedi.

TheCanadiannationalmediacontinuetoapproachBBSfacultymemberstorelayimportantscientificinformationto thepublic. For example,Gerry Wright was featured on CBC Marketplace to discuss the rise of antibiotic-resistantbacteria found in imported shrimpbeing soldingrocerystoresacrossCanada.Gerryalsodiscussedtheriseofantibiotic-resistantbacteriainhealthcaresettingsinanarticlepublishedbytheNational Post.

McMaster BBS in the media. Dr. Gerry Wright was interviewed by the National Post and CBC Marketplace about the growing concern of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

McGill Biochemistry Ph.D. graduates 2018


BBSfacultycontinuedtoachievehighsuccessratesinresearchfundingcompetitionsandfacultyawards.Inthe2018CIHRProjectGrant competitions, fundingwas awarded toDino Trigatti. 2018 NSERC Discovery Grant Recipients includedEric Brown and Karun Singh,whileGiuseppe Melacini was awardedanNSERCInfrastructureAwardforamuch-neededSEC-MALS instrument. Eric Brownwassuccessful inhisCFIapplicationentitled“GoodBugs,BadBugs”,whichwillallowBBSfacultywhospecializeinmicrobiologytocontinuetocarryouttheir impactfulresearchaddressingtheever-increasingproblemofantimicrobialresistance.Notablefacultyawardsincluded a 2018 YWCAWoman of Distinction nominationto Felicia Vulcu. Mike Surette was elected as a Fellow oftheAmericanAcademyofMicrobiology,anexclusivegroupcomprising theworld’smostaccomplishedmicrobiologists,and Karun Singh was awarded a New Investigator AwardfromtheCanadianAssociationforNeurosciences.

43rd Annual YWCA Women of Distinction Awards Ceremony. Dr. Felicia Vulcu (third from left) celebrates her nomination with BBS Ph.D. students Bushra Ilyas (left) and Celeste Stuart (third from right) and BBS faculty members Dr. Lori Burrows (second from left), Dr. Lesley MacNeil (second from right) and Dr. Sara Andres (right).

Science outreach continues to be an important activitycarriedoutby themembersofourdepartment.Thisyear,BBS faculty member Dawn BowdishandmembersofGerryWright’s lab visited Dundas Central Elementary School tosharetheexcitementofscientificdiscovery.

McMaster BBS outreach. Dr. Dawn Bowdish (second from left) and members of Gerry Wright’s lab at Dundas Central Elementary School.

Graduate program:Thispastfallwewelcomedourincomingcohortofgraduatestudents,whichconsistedof22M.Sc.,8Ph.D.andoneM.D./Ph.D. candidates. Graduate students in our departmentcontinuetoobtainscholarshipsatahighrate,with16majorexternalscholarshipsbeingawardedin2018.AmongtheseawardwinnerswerePh.D.studentsAlyssa VitofromKarenMossman’slabandSaad SyedfromMikeSurette’slab,whowereawardedhighly competitiveVanierCanadaGraduateScholarships. Additionally,Dr. Erin McConnell from YingfuLi’sLabwasawardedaL’Oréal-UNESCOWomeninScienceExcellenceinResearchFellowship.

Biochemistry new student welcome BBQ 2018. Students of the incoming graduate class of 2018 were welcomed to our department by faculty and staff.

Biochemistry students awarded Vanier Graduate Scholarships. Ph.D. students Alyssa Vito (left) from Karen Mossman’s lab and Saad Syed (right) from Mike Surette’s lab were awarded prestigious Vanier Scholarships to support their Ph.D. research.


TheKarlFreemanawards,givenouttostudentswhoweredeemedtohavegiventhebestpresentationsinourgraduatestudent seminar series were awarded to Alexander Oberc (1st place, Coombes lab) and Jennifer Reid (2nd place,BhatiaLab)inthePh.D.category,andKara Tsang(1stplace,McArthur Lab) and Piyanka Sivarajah (2nd place, Lu Lab)intheM.Sc.category.AtourInstituteofInfectiousDiseaseResearch Annual Trainee Day, Puja Bagri (Ph.D., KaushicLab), Kara Tsang (M.Sc., McArthur Lab), and Peter Zeng (undergraduate,Miller Lab)were awardedMichael KaminHartMemorialScholarships.TheseawardsaremadepossiblebythegeneroussupportoftheHartfamily.

Social events:In keepingwith the “workhard, play hard” culture of ourdepartmentwehada record turnout for theBiochemistryOlympics,whichareheldduringtheannualBBSdepartmentalpicnic. In this lab-themed pentathlon, teams compete atevents that reward both textbook knowledge andmanualdexterity-twoessentialskillsofasuccessfulscientist.Inthefaceofstiffcompetition,thegoldmedalwenttotheWrightLab,followedbysilvertotheBrownLabandbronzetotheSlobodaLab.OurannualHalloweenpartywasalsoverywellattendedbyfaculty,staffandstudents.ThecreativityofourfacultyandstudentswasonfulldisplayashighlightedbytheWright lab,whodressedupas theX-men, and the Li andAndreslabs,whoteameduptocreateaMagicSchoolBusgroupcostume.

Annual BBS picnic. Biochemistry students participate in our annual Biochemistry Olympics held during our departmental summer picnic.

Annual BBS Halloween contest. Gerry Wright and his lab dress up as the X-men (top) while Sara Andres and Yingfu Li’s labs team up to bring the Magic School Bus to life (bottom).

Memorial University of NewfoundlandDepartment of BiochemistryCorrespondent: Mark Berry

The on-going renewal of the Memorial UniversityBiochemistry department and programmes continuedin2018.On the teaching front thebiggest change to theundergraduate offerings was the removal of laboratorycomponents from our courses, with these lecture + labcourses now switching to dedicated lecture courses andthecreationofthreededicatedlaboratorycourses.Thefirstofferingofthesecondyearlaboratorycoursewascompletedin the Fall 2018 semester, andwas successful beyond allexpectations. The two third year laboratory courses willget their debuts in the 2019/20 academic year. At thegraduate level, two new mandatory courses, a seminar course and a graduate skills course, were introduced toassiststudentswithacclimatizingtothedifferentdemands


andexpectationsofgraduateschool,andtoalsopromotescientificliteracyandinter-disciplinaryapproaches.

2018wasanothersuccessfulyearforourstudents,with5successfulM.Sc.defencesand5successfulPh.D.defences.GraduatestudentsalsoreceivedawardsfromtheBeatriceHunter Cancer Research Training Programme, CanadianInstitute of Food Science and Technology, InternationalSocietyforNutraceuticalsandFunctionalFoods(ISNFF),andInternationalDivisionoftheInstituteofFoodTechnologists.At the undergraduate level, the department’s annualsummer symposium, now in its 8th year, continues togo from strength-to-strength, with a record attendancein excess of 80. This year’s keynote presentation at thesymposiumwasourfirstinternationalspeaker,Dr.MarkD.Turner,fromNottinghamTrentUniversityintheUK.

At the faculty levelDr. Fereidoon Shahidi was elected as a Fellowof ISNFF for his long-standing contributions andservicestonutraceuticalandfunctionalfoodsresearch.Drs. Rob Brown and Fereidoon Shahidi,incollaborationwithDr.ChrisParrish(OceanSciences),receivedaCFI-JELFawardforanewtandemmassspectrometer.Dr. Sukhinder Cheema received funding from the Nutrition Obesity ResearchCenter at Harvard University. Dr. Sherri Christian received a research grant from the Cancer Research Society, andDrs. Rob Brown, Valerie Booth, and Mark Berry were all successful in theNSERCDiscoverygrantcompetition.Wewelcomed Dr. Scott Harding as our newest faculty member. Scott, a native Newfoundlander, and graduate of ourdepartment,previouslyheldafacultyappointmentatKing’sCollegeinLondon,England.WealsocompletedasuccessfulsearchforanEnzyme/ReceptorBiochemistfacultyposition,withtheselectedcandidateduetostartinJune2019.

Most notablywehad tobid a fond (but sad) farewell toDr. John (Sean) Brosnan, who retired after 47 years ofdistinguishedandinternationallyrenownedservicetonotonly the department, but thewiderMemorialUniversitycommunity. Sean, whowas born in Ireland, received hisB.Sc.atUniversityCollege,Cork,beforecompletingaPh.D.at Oxford University under the supervision of Dr. HansKrebs. Remarkably, he has been continuously funded byMRC/CIHRfortheentiretyofhis47yearsatMUN.Sean’sachievementsarefartoonumeroustolisthere,inkeepingwith his world renowned status, but a few highlightsinclude election to the Royal Society of Canada in 2009,receiving the Danone Institute of Canada DistinguishedNutritionLeadershipAward(jointlywithhiswifeMargaret)

in2012,andreceivingtheJohnLewisPatonDistinguishedUniversityProfessorship,thehighestfacultyawardatMUN,in 2014, amongstmany other national and internationalrecognitions.Inkeepingwithhisunparalleledservices,Seanestablished an endowment fund to create a newnamedlectureseries-theBrosnanLectureinBiochemistry-asapartinggifttotheDepartment.Seanisgoingtobesorelymissed,althoughweexpecttostillseehimaroundoncetheformalitiesofemeritusstatusareconfirmed,andwewishhimtheverybestforalong,enjoyableandwelldeservedretirement.

Wehavealsobidafondfarewelltoanumberofincrediblydedicated and talented staff who retired during 2018.Betty Ann Gaslard and Christine Squire, the facesofourfrontoffice,retiredduringthesummer.Craig Skinner, our laboratorymanager and IT specialist, retired in April. Allthreehadinexcessof30yearsofservicetoMUNandaregoingtobesorelymissed.Replacingthemwillbeincrediblydifficult,butweweredelightedtowelcomeShannon Hayes and Kaitlyn Connollytothefrontoffice,andHeather Fifield asour“newCraig”.

All-in-all another busy and successful year, that isexpectedtocontinueapacein2019.Asmoreretirementstake effect and new position searches commence, thegraduateprogrammeisexpectedtocontinuetogrow,theundergraduate programme continues to be modernized,and building of the new Core Sciences Complex, thedepartment’sfuturehome,continues.

Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, TorontoCorrespondent: Gil Privé

IthasbeenanotableyearforresearchatPrincessMargaret(PM)CancerCentre.Afterseveralyearsunderthedirectionof interim Research Directors Rama Khokha (2016/17)and Mitsu Ikura (2017/2018),Aaron Schimmer has beenappointedasthenewDirectorofResearchatthePM.Aaronhasarticulatedafreshandambitiousplanforthenextphaseof the Institute, with an emphasis on transparency andinclusion.Oneofhisearlyinitiativeshasbeentoreorganizethe Institute into seven programs: Cancer Biology andImaging, Computational Biology and Medicine, Geneticsand Epigenetics, Immuno-Oncology, Protein Structure andFunction,StemCells,andSupportiveCare.


TheInstitutehasbeenactiveinrecruitingnewfaculty,withthearrivalofShane Harding, who studies the interplaybetween DNA damage,genome stability, and cancer, Mohammad Mazhab-Jafari, a structural biologist whowill establish cryo-electronmicroscopy at the PM,and Phedias Diamandis, a neuropathologist with aninterest in chemical biologyandmoleculardiagnostics.

WearealsopleasedtoannouncetherenewalofCanadaResearch Chairs to Rama Khokha (Tier 1) and Trevor Pugh(Tier2).Onthecommercializationfront,AVROBIO,founded by Christopher Paige at the PM, launched ahighly successful IPO on the NASDAQ stock exchange.Thecompanyisdevelopingexvivolentiviral-basedgenetherapiesforthetreatmentofraregeneticdiseases.

Research highlights:Daniel De Carvalholedateamthatdevelopedamethodtomeasuredisease-relatedchanges inthemethylomesof circulating cell-free DNA from cancer patients. Thisadvance, published in Nature, opens up the potentialfor minimally invasive liquid biopsies from plasma forthe detection of early stage cancers. This work hasbeen recognized as one the Top 10 Cancer ResearchPublications by the European Association for CancerResearch.

In work published in Cancer Cell, Linda Penn and collaboratorsfromthePMhavediscoveredthemissinglinkbetweentheMYConcoproteinandgenerepression.

Usingawiderangeoftechniques,theteamdeterminedthat the MYC box II region interacts directly withthe G9a histone methytransferase, thus establishingthe epigenetic mechanism responsible for MYCtranscriptionalrepression.

Aaron Schimmer published work in Cancer Stem Cell showing that tafazzin (TAZ),amitochondrial cardiolipintransacylase, is required for thegrowthandviabilityofacutemyeloid leukemia cells. Thisdiscoveryopens thedoor to novel therapeutic strategies for the treatmentofAMLbymanipulatingphospholipidmetabolismwithsmallmoleculeinhibitors.

Awards and honours:SomeofthehighlightsofawardsgiventoPMfacultyinthepastyearinclude:Tak Mak, the Gold Leaf Prize for Discovery from theCanadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Takalso received the 11th Annual Weinman Award andDistinguished Affiliated Professor, Technical UniversityofMunich.Pam Ohashi,The2018RobertL.NoblePrizefrom the Canadian Cancer Society Research Institute,Rodger Tiedemann and Gelareh Zadeh,the2018WilliamE.RawlsPrizefromtheCanadianCancerSocietyResearchInstitute, Trevor Pugh, the 2018 Stand Up To CancerPhillipA.Sharp Innovation inCollaborationAward,andAvi Chakrabartty theSanofiiAwardforhisprojectonthedevelopment of therapeutic antibodies for combatingimmunoglobulinlightchainamyoloidosis.

Dr. Aaron Schimmer

Dr. Rama Khokha

Dr. Tak Mak Dr. Pam Ohashi

Dr Trevor Pugh

Dr. Rodger Teidemann Dr. Galareh Zadeh Dr. Avi Chakrabartty


Ryerson UniversityDepartment of Chemistry and BiologyCorrespondent: Roberto Botelho

TheDepartmentofChemistryandBiologyencompassesmulti-disciplinary interests in research and educationandishometoalmost40faculty.OurChemistryresearchprograms are generally focussed on macromolecular,syntheticandmedicinalchemistry.Theresearchinterestsin Biology enjoy strengths ranging from biochemistry,molecular and cell biology, to genetics, microbiologyandenvironmentalbiology. Thebreadthandvarietyofresearch interests creates an exceptional environmentthat permits cross-pollination of ideas and an open-conceptmilieuforlearningandteaching.Wearealsothehome department for theMolecular ScienceGraduateProgram,whichnowhostsover50graduatestudentsinthePh.D.andM.Sc.programs.

New faculty:In 2018, our department recruited Dr. Michael Olson from the Cancer Research U.K. Beatson Institute andthe University of Glasgow, U.K., as a Tier I CanadaResearchChair.Dr.Olson’sresearchseekstoidentifyandunderstand the characteristics of cancer cells that arepronetomigratefromtheirprimarysitestosecondarysites.Withover100publicationsandnumerousinvitedtalks, Dr. Olson is an internationally-recognized cellbiologist, having made significant contributions to ourunderstanding of how our cells modulate their actincytoskeletontoenablecancercellmigration,invasionandmetastasis.HeistheEditor-in-chiefofthejournalSmall GTPasesandontheeditorialboardofadditionaljournals.SincestartingatRyerson,hehaspublishedseveralworksontheregulationandfunctionofMRCKkinases,which

aredownstreameffectorsofthe CDC42 GTPase, as wellas the identification andcharacterization of MRCKand ROCK inhibitors thatare being developed furtherwith the goal of reducingthespreadofcancercells,asreportedinUnbekandtet al., 2019,Unbekandtet al.,2018,Rathet al.,2018,andBirchet al.,2018.

Dr. Imogen Coe ends her tenure as first Dean of Science:Onabroaderlevel,2018representedtheendofthetermofthefoundingdeanoftheFacultyofScienceatRyersonUniversity. Dr. Imogen R. Coe, a biomedical researchscientist, long-time member of CSMB and its currentVice President, was recruited from York University in2012tobecomethe foundingdeanof thenewFacultyof Science, which was “liberated” from the formerFaculty of Engineering, Architecture and Science. Overthe six yearsof her term,Dr. Coeworkedwith faculty,staff and community members to achieve an identityfor thenew facultywhichwasbuilt aroundConnectedScience - reflecting the strong sense of support andinterest that students reported feeling about theirexperiencewiththeprogramsandtheirprofessors,thestrong sense connection tomany community partners(such as hospitals, businesses, industry, government),andtheessential“connectedness”thatis(andmustbe)21stcenturysciencewhencomplexproblems,whetherin health or environment, require interdisciplinaryresearch.Sincebeingestablished,theFacultyofSciencebecamethefirstatRyersontooffergraduateprogramsat themastersanddoctoral levelsacrossalldisciplineswithin the faculty, and research output increasedsignificantly from 2012 to 2017. Achievements of thefirst five years of the new faculty can be found in theawarding winning anniversary book (see http://www.nxtbook.com/dawson/ryersonfs/5thanniversary/index.php)Evertheenthusiasticadvocateforresearch,Dr.Coeinvested heavily in new programs to support researchinfrastructureandtrainees(launchingprogramstofundpost-docs, international student exchanges and bringin researchgrantwritersandprojectmanagers tohelpwithproposals).Shealsoworkedwiththeadministrationto secure net new space for research for variousdisciplines including state-of-the-art new biomedicalscience laboratory space atMaRS, which allowed newhiresandearlycareerresearcherstoestablishresearchprogramswith good infrastructure support. ProductivepartnershipswiththebiomedicalcommunityinTorontoandbeyondwereestablishedandstrengthened,notablywith the research community of clinicians, biomedicalengineersandmedicalphysicistsbasedat iBESTwithinSt.Michael’s Hospital (where Dr. Coe’s research groupfinallyrelocatedmorethantwoyearsaftershetooktheposition) and at Sunnybrook Hospital. Despite heavyadministrative demands as a founding dean, Dr. CoesuccessfullyrenewedanNSERCDiscoveryGrantin2017andcontinuestobeanactiveresearcher(e.g.Guoetal.

Dr. Michael Olson


2019NatureChemistryandGrañe-Boladerasetal.2019FASEB J). She also provides leadership nationally andinternationallywithregardtoembeddingequity,diversityandinclusionintheresearchlandscapeinCanada(e.g.Coe

etal.2019TheLancet).On July 1, 2018, shestarted a well-earned administrative leaveand will return as faculty to the Department ofChemistry and Biologytocontinueinvestigatingmembrane proteinfunctionandregulation.

Dr. Imogen Coe

Dr. David Cramb joins as new Dean of Science:With the departure of Dr. Coe as Dean of Science,wewere fortunate to recruit Dr. David Cramb as our next Dean of Science from theUniversity of Calgary,wherehe made significant contributions as a chemist acrossdisciplines. Indeed, if creativity is contagious, thenDavid Cramb’s colleagues, partners and students haveno doubt caught the bug. Dr. Cramb’s commitment tointerdisciplinaryresearch,innovativecollaborationsandnewways of doing just about anything set before himismorethanaprofessionalhabit– it’sastateofmind.Amusician,researcherandteacherinboththeartsandsciences, one of Cramb’s many collaborations is withJenniferAdams,CanadaResearchChairinCreativityandSTEMattheUniversityofCalgary.Drs.CrambandAdamsshare a passion for developing the creative capacitiesneeded in STEM learners to address the challenges ofourworld.“TeachingSTEMsubjectswithanemphasisondeveloping creativity and incorporatingother branchesofknowledgeisapriorityofmine,”hesays.

Providing students with open-ended laboratoryexperiences,wheretheoutcomesarenotpredetermined,is also a priority. “Students learn best by doing andbecomebetterscientiststhroughhands-onexperiences.Theyshouldbegeneratingandtestinghypotheseseveryday,”hesays. Inacareerthathasemphasizedteachingand learning as much as original research, Dr. Crambhasprovidedthatexperienceinoveradozenchemistryandnanosciencecourses.Hehasalsocollaboratedwithcolleaguesinotherfacultiestooffercoursesthatmergeliterature,history,scienceandmusic.

In his own research, Dr. Cramb is focussing on thebehaviourofnanoparticles forbiomedical applications.

Specifically, he is interestedin the use of nanomaterialsfor more effective diagnosisand treatment of disease, especially cancer. “Lookingahead, one of the potentialbenefits of this research isthe diagnosis of early-stagecancer, potentially throughthe application of smarttoilets that analyze urinesamples.”

Dr. David Cramb

Awards and publications:OurresearchershavepublishedinJ. Cell Biol., J. Biol. Chem. Cell Chem. Biol., G3, J. Cell Sci., and Clinical Proteomics, amongothers,withnoveldiscoveriesrelatedtolysosomedynamics,metabolicadaptation,phosphoinositidebiology,enzymatic engineering, host-pathogen interactions,glycobiology,andbiomarkers.ThiswascomplementedbyawardsfromNSERC,CIHR,CFI,andCRCtomembersofourDepartment.

Special events:Our department continues to be a key participant inRyerson’s “Science Rendezvous” that ran in May 2018.Thiswasthe11thScienceRendezvoushostedatnearbyYonge-Dundas Square, arguably the busiest intersectioninToronto.Opentothepublic, iteasilyattractedseveralthousand visitors by showcasing research, hands-onactivities, displays and stage shows that delighted theaudienceanddemonstratedhowscienceplaysapart inour everyday lives.

WealsoheldoursecondDepartmentalRetreatonthenorthshoreofLakeSimcoe,wherewehadtheopportunitytoplanhowtobestintegratechemistryintobiologicalresearchandteaching.Thisisjustoneofseveraleffortsthatwepursuedtofosterinterdisciplinaryresearchandunderstanding.Lastly,wehostedour7thAnnualResearchSymposiumwithmorethan90posterpresentationsandtalks.Theseshowcasedour exciting research activities across various disciplinesand highlighted both undergraduate and graduate-basedresearch activities. Dr. Elizabeth Gilles from WesternUniversitywasthekeynotespeaker,whospokeaboutherongoingcontributionstobringpolymerchemistrytodrugdeliveryandtissueengineering.


Simon Fraser UniversityDepartment of Molecular Biology and BiochemistryCorrespondent: Christopher Beh

This report for theMolecular Biology and Biochemistry(MBB) Department at SFU highlights a number ofaccomplishments by our faculty and students, as wellasothernotablesuccesses inourresearchandteachingprograms. As always, we encourage all our MBBDepartment alumni to contact us [email protected] sowecanhearaboutyoursuccessessinceleavingSFU.

Department highlights:We congratulate Dr. Fiona Brinkman on being named to the Royal Society of Canada in recognition of herresearch involving bioinformatics and computationaltools for studying infectious and microbial disease. Wealso congratulate Dr. David Vocadlo for receiving theBelleau Award from theCanadian Society for Chemistry in recognitionofhisworkon chemical glycobiology. ForexceptionalservicetotheBiophysical Society of Canada, Dr. Jenifer Thewalt was awarded the 2018 Michele Auger Service Award. Dr. Thewalt is an expert on NMRspectroscopy of lipids in model membranes. For theseauspiciousawards,wecommendtheseawardrecipientsaswell as other department faculty, students, and staffwhoalsoreceivedhonoursduringthelastyear.

Faculty retirements and promotions:Duringthispastyear,wealsotoastedacoupleofcolleaguesupon their retirement for their years of hard work andservice to our department. Dr. Barry Honda retiresafter a distinguished career investigating the function ofheterochromatininD. melanogaster. Dr. Rosemary Cornell retiresafterafruitfulcareerstudyingmechanismsofallostericregulationofenzymesbymembranebinding.Bothcontinuetobeforcesinourdepartment,andwethankbothfortheireffortsinshapingthecurrentsuccessofourdepartment.

Regardingfacultypromotions,Dr. Christopher Beh (yourSFUCSMBcorrespondent)wasadvancedtofullProfessor.Dr.Behisamoleculargeneticist/cellbiologistwhoworksonmechanismsofmembranecontactsitesandmembranetransport in budding yeast. We congratulate Dr. Ryan Morin who was promoted to Associate Professor withtenure; he has received great recognition for his use ofhigh-throughputsequencingandbioinformaticstoidentifydrivermutationsassociatedwithcancermalignancy.

Student awards and other news:Congratulations go out toDr. Eric Hall (MBB-GS 2018),who received the coveted Dean’s Convocation Medal fromtheFacultyofScienceforhisPh.D.thesisresearch.Dr. Hall worked in Dr. Esther Verheyen’s lab identifyingnovelmechanismsinvolvingWnt signalling in Drosophila. Currently Dr. Hall is a post-doctoral fellow at St. JudeChildren’sResearchHospitalinMemphis,Tennessee.Fortheir thesis research, Drs. Evan Quon (MBB-GS 2018)and Sunny Jeng (MBB-GS2018)won theDr. Brandhorst “Best Publication” and “Best MBB Ph.D. Thesis” awards, respectively. Both are currently interviewing for post-doctoral fellowships. Katrina Besler (MBB 2018) wasawarded the Gordon M. Shrum Gold Medal for heroutstandingsuccessasaB.Sc.Hons.studentintheMBBDepartment.Ms.Beslerhadalreadystartedstudies inaM.D./Ph.D.programaftergraduation.

Trent UniversityDepartment of Biology and affiliated departmentsCorrespondent: Carolyn Kapron

In 2018, faculty members from Biology, Psychology,ForensicScience,andChemistryjoinedforcestodevelopthe Molecules, Cells, and Systems Research Group. ContinuingthelongtraditionofinterdisciplinaryresearchatTrent,thegroupwillbringtogetherinvestigatorswhoseinterestsfocusonareassuchascellandmolecularbiology,biochemistry, microbiology, developmental biology,physiology, and neuroscience to enhance collaborationsand opportunities. The Group’s first event, now in theplanning stages, will be a research day for graduatestudentstopresenttheirwork.

Dr. Sanela MartichasjoinedTrentasatenure-trackfacultymemberintheDepartmentofForensicScience.Dr.Marticwas previously a facultymember in the Department ofChemistryatOaklandUniversity (2012-2018).While shewasintheUSA,Dr.Martic’sresearchwasfundedbytheNational Institutes of Health, the American ChemicalSociety Petroleum Research Fund, the American HeartAssociation and theMichigan Grant Space Consortium.Dr. Martic received an M.Sc. (2005) in Chemistry fromMcMasterUniversityunderthesupervisionofDr.MichaelA.Brook.ShethenjoinedQueen’sUniversityandobtainedher Ph.D. (2009) in Chemistry under the supervision ofDr.SuningWangandco-supervisionbyDr.GangWu.Dr.


Martic carried out her post-doctoral work at WesternUniversity and University of Toronto Scarboroughwith Dr.Heinz-Bernhard Kraatz. Theresearch inDr.Martic’sgroupis focussed on the molecularinvestigations of biologicalandchemicalprocesses,usinga variety of bioanalytical andbiochemicaltools.

Ph.D. candidateMark Seegobin (Environmental and LifeSciencesGraduateProgram)hasuncoveredexcitingnewinformation about signalling molecules. Working underthesupervisionofDr. Neil Emery and Dr. Craig Brunetti oftheBiologyDepartment,Mr.Seegobinhasdiscoveredthat a range of classical plant hormones, known ascytokinins,arepresentinmammaliantissues.Hisfindings,firstpresentedat the2018AuxinandCytokinin inPlantDevelopment Conference in Prague, were published

in the December issue ofthe Federation of AmericanSocieties for ExperimentalBiology (FASEB) Journal(https://doi.org/10.1096/fj.201800347).He is currentlyfollowinguponthisdiscoveryto attempt to determinewhat role cytokinins have inmammals.

Université de MontréalDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular MedicineCorrespondent: Luc DesGroseillers

New faculty members:Wearedelighted towelcomenew professors to theDepartment of Biochemistryand Molecular Medicine.

Dr. Martin Sauvageau is recognized for his work onlongnon-codingRNAs.Hisgoalis to decipher how lncRNAscontribute to establishment/

progression of diseases in vivo and how they affecttranscriptional programs and signalling pathways. Hislaboratory is located at the Montreal Clinical ResearchInstitute(IRCM).

Dr. Mohan Malleshaiah is a specialist in stem cells, cellreprogrammingandbiologysystems.Hislaboratoryaims

to identify cell state-specificregulators, elucidate theirnetworks and characterizetheir dynamics, at the single-cell level, to eventually reverse-engineer cell states through cell re-programming.His laboratory is located at theMontrealClinicalResearchInstitute(IRCM).

Dr. Mohan Malleshaiah

Dr. Sébastien Lemieux is a specialist in functional andstructuralbioinformatics,aimingtounderstandbiological

processes such as cancerdevelopment. He createsvirtual tools that convertunintelligible raw mega-data into accessible summarizedformsthataremoreamenableto knowledge discovery.His laboratory is located at the Institute for Research inImmunologyandCancer(IRIC).

Dr. Sébastien Lemieux

Thesenewprofessorsusecombinationsofstate-of-the-art techniques in biochemistry, genome editing, high-throughput genomics approaches and bioinformaticstosolveproblems related togene regulation inhumandiseases.

Retirement:We regret the retirement of Dr. Normand Brisson who was a Professor in the department for 34 years.Throughouthiscareer,hecontributedtodecipheringthemechanismsthatplantsusetoprotectthemselvesfrompathogensandtomaintaingenomeintegrity.Hisresearchwasoriginal, innovativeand recognizedworldwide.Wewish him to realize all the dreams he has put on holdduringhiscareerandtoenjoyhisretirement.

Sanela Martic

Mark Seegobin

Dr. Martin Sauvageau


Awards and distinctions:Dr. Stephen MichnickhasbeenelectedaRoyalSocietyof Canada Fellow in the Life Sciences Division of theAcademy of Science. He was elected on the basis ofhis exceptional contributions to Canadian life, hisremarkable scientific and academic accomplishments,andhis leadership inadvancingknowledge inCanada.He developed experimental and theoretical methodsto determine how,when andwhere in the cell novelproteinsinteractwithknownproteins,andhowgroupsof proteins work as ensembles to regulate decision-makingby the cell.Hehas alreadydiscovered severalmechanismsforwhichtheirinterruptionsareimplicatedindiseasesand/oraging.

Dr. Adrian SerohijoswasawardedaJunior1ResearchScholarship from FRQ-S (Fonds de Recherche duQuébec-Santé)forhisprojectonantibioticresistanceentitled“Biophysiqueévolutive:intégrerlabiophysiquedesprotéines,labiologieévolutiveetlagénétiquedespopulationspourprédire l’émergencede la résistanceauxantibiotiquesdesmicrobes”.

Dr. Mohan MalleshaiahwasawardedaJunior1ResearchScholarshipfromFRQ-S(FondsdeRechercheduQuébec- Santé) for his project on stem cell programmingentitled “Révéler les états des cellules souches, leurstransitionsetleursréseauxderégulation”.

Dr. Martin SauvageauwasawardedaJunior1ResearchScholarshipfromFRQ-S(FondsdeRechercheduQuébec-Santé) forhisprojecton lcnRNAs inhumandiseasesentitled “Caractérisation fonctionnelle et moléculairedeslongsARNnon-codantsassociésàdesmaladies”.

Dre. Marlene Oeffinger was awarded a Junior 2ResearchScholarshipfromFRQ-S(FondsdeRecherchedu Québec - Santé) for her project on specializedribosomes entitled “Disséquer les mécanismes et lescomposantsquidéfinissentlafonctiondifférentielledesribosomesdansl’homéostasiecellulaire”.

Dr. Vincent Archambault was awarded a Senior ResearchScholarshipfromFRQ-S(FondsdeRechercheduQuébec-Santé)forhisprojectoncelldivisionentitled“Comprendre et cibler la régulation spatiotemporelledeladivisioncellulaire”.

Dr. Michel Bouvier was appointed as Chief ExecutiveOfficer for a second mandate at the Institute forResearchinImmunologyandCancer(IRIC).

Université de SherbrookeDépartement de biochimieCorrespondent: Michelle Scott

In2018,theBiochemistrydepartmentwelcomedanewfaculty member, Dr. Benoit Laurent,followinghispost-doctoraltrainingatHarvardMedicalSchool inBoston.Dr. Laurent is interested in the biology of geneticsand epigenetics, and their relationship to aging and

the nervous system, andis enthusiastically buildinghis team. The Bachelorprogramsawbigchangesin2018withtheretirementofour long-term coordinator of undergraduate researchlabs, Jacques Lehoux, after 38 years of dedicatedservice. Frédéric Picard-Jean took over hisresponsibilities.

Graduate student news:Our 24th annual graduate symposium held in March2018, co-organized by our two graduate studentrepresentatives, Gabrielle Deschamps-Francoeur andCarolin Brand, as well as by Professor Michelle Scott, was a success. Professor Julie Fradette from theUniversité Laval, our keynote speaker, discussed theuseofhumanadiposetissuestemcellsinregenerativemedicine, while Tatiana Traboulsi, invited Ph.D.student from the Université de Montréal, presentedon the transcriptional repressionmechanismsof anti-estrogens in breast cancer cells. Ten Université de Sherbrooke graduate students from the Biochemistrydepartmentpresentedtheirresearch.Thefinalistswerethe following:Carolin Brand from the Bisaillon groupwonthefirstprize,Camille Martenon-BrodeurfromtheBisaillongroupwonsecondprizewhileSamuel Plante fromtheLabbégroupwasthethird-prizewinner.

New associate member of the Biochemistry department, Dr. Benoit Laurent


24th Annual Graduate Symposium of the Biochemistry department. From right to left: Julie Fradette (invited speaker and judge), Tatiana Traboulsi (invited speaker and judge), Xavier Roucou (department Chair), Fanny Thuriot (judge), Camille Martenon-Brodeur (2nd prize), Carolin Brand (1st prize), Samuel Plante (3rd prize), Michelle Scott (organizer and judge).

Prizes and distinctions:Ph.D.studentFrédéric CouturefromtheDaygroupwontheprizeforthebestthesis,bothattheUniversitédeSherbrookelevelandfromtheassociationofdeansofgraduatestudiesoftheprovinceofQuébec(ADÉSAQ).Ph.D. student Jean-Michel Garant from the Perreaultand Scott labs won the Pierre-Chailler departmentalprizeforbeststudentoftheyear,aswellastheDouglas-Brown Faculty Prize. Several biochemistry faculty andstaff were recognized and celebrated throughout theyear. Professor Luigi Bouchard received the RECMUSPrizeforthebestgraduatestudentdirector,aswellasthePrixTremplin2018forresearchandcreationoftheUniversité de Sherbrooke, and the Young InvestigatorAward of the Canadian Society of Endocrinology andMetabolism.DepartmentHeadProfessor Xavier Roucou received theMarcelBastinPrize for thequalityofhisteaching,studentSamuel RouleauwasgiventheJean-PierreCaillerPrize forhis involvementandexcellence

during his Ph.D.,and lab coordinator Jacques Lehoux won theMaurice-GroleauPrize for leadership,involvement and innovation.

Frédéric Couture, recipient of the best thesis prize for the Université de Sherbrooke as well as the ADÉSAQ (province-wide).

Université LavalDepartment of Molecular Biology, Medical Biochemistry, and PathologyCorrespondent: Jean-Yves Masson

After one year of interim Chair Robert Tanguay, our department is now headed by Yves Giguère. Thedepartment is composed of 40 professors working onmedicalbiochemistryandpathology,andmostlyonbasicresearchandmolecularandcellularbiology.

We are happy to welcomeFrançois Bordeleau as a new faculty member. Françoiscompleted post-doctoraltraininginCynthiaReinhart-King’s laboratory, initiallyatCornell University and now atVanderbiltUniversity.Dr.Reinhart-King is a pioneerand leading expert in thefield of mechanobiologyand the use of engineereddisease models. François isnowaFRQSJuniorIscholar.

François’ work focusses on the importance of physicalcues of the microenvironment and tumour cellmechanicsindrivingcancerprogression.Hisoverarchinggoalistounderstandthemolecularbasisofthetumourcell’sabnormalcontractilephenotypeandwhatarethebiologicalconsequencesandphysiological ramificationson disease progression. Over the past 6 years, he hasestablished himself as an emerging figure in the fieldof mechanotransduction and cancer mechanobiology.His multidisciplinary approach has provided numerousinsights into the role of mechanical stimuli from themicroenvironment in driving biological processes. Hispreviousworkprovidedthefirstevidencethatastimulusin the microenvironment (mechanical or otherwise)can alter splicing events. He discovered that increasedmatrix stiffness regulates splicing throughanAkt/PI3K/Rho-mediatedpathway.Thisworkprovidesaframeworkunder which the properties of the microenvironmentcouldsignificantlyalteracell’sproteinlandscape.

Inasecondproject,alsopublishedinPNAS,hecontributedto demonstrating how tissue mechanics can influence

Dr. François Bordeleau


vascularintegrityandcontributetotumourprogression.François’ expertise in fine-tuning the mechanicalproperties within animal cancer models helped toelucidate how increased stiffness drives disruption ofcelljunctionsandincreasedpermeabilityofthetumourvasculature.Thisworkconstitutesanovelandalternativehypothesistoexplainwhydifferentanti-angiogenicdrugshave not delivered the expected benefits. He has alsodemonstrated an ability to develop technological toolsandsolutions,anabilityfewinthefieldshare.SomeofhisearlierworkwithNormand Marceauhaspioneeredtheuseof optical tweezers. Recently, in apaperpublishedin the JournalofBiophotonics,Françoisanda teamhesupervised demonstrated how a microscopy methodbasedonpolarizedlightcouldbeusedtoquantitativelymeasurecellcontractilityfromboth in vitro and in vivo samples. François’ expertise in mechanobiology andunique interdisciplinarity at the interface of biologyand physics/engineering will be a great asset to ourdepartmentandLavalUniversity.

Several members of our Department had significantaccomplishments in 2018. Samer Hussein and Marc-Etienne Huot received FRQS Junior I and Seniorscholarships,respectively.Asfortheresearchhighlights,Nicolas Bisson’s team (in collaboration with INRS,Guy Poirier and Patrick Laprise) reported that directphosphorylationofSRCHomology3domainsbytyrosinekinase receptorsdisassembles ligand-inducedsignallingnetworks (Molecular Cell 70:995). Martin Simard published in Developmental Cell that somatic andgermlinemicroRNAsformdistinctsilencingcomplexestoregulatetheirtargetmRNAsdifferently(DevelopmentalCell47:239).Jacques Côté’steam(incollaborationwithJean-Yves Masson)hasshownthatphospho-dependentrecruitmentoftheyeastNuA4acetyltransferasecomplexbyMRX at DNA breaks regulates RPA dynamics duringresection(PNAS115:10028).

Jean CharronisnowheadoftheCellularandMolecularBiology program in replacement of Josée Lavoie whodid a fantastic job in the last few years. Carl Séguin, Normand Marceau, and Jacques Huot retired in 2018.They were all heavily involved in teaching or courseresponsibilities.Itwascertainlydifficulttoseesuchnicecolleagues leaving thedepartment, andweall realizedhowmuchefforttheywereputtingintotrainingthenextgeneration. Kudos Carl, Jacques and Normand - yourtirelesseffortsarealreadymissed!

University of AlbertaDepartment of BiochemistryCorrespondent: Joe Casey

Promotions:Dr. M. Joanne Lemieux waspromotedtofullprofessoreffectiveJuly2019.

Graduate milestones:Congratulations to M.Sc. graduates Swai Mon Khaing (Nicolas Touret), Touhidul Islam (Mark Glover),Hector Varga (Marek Michalak), Graeden Winklaar (MichaelOverduin), Steffane Mclennan (Michael Overduin) andAhmed Said (ShairazBaksh).OurPh.D.graduateswereWen An Wang(MarekMichalak),David Kramer(RichardFahlman),Mohamed Salla (ShairazBaksh) andVrajesh Pandya(IngSwieGoping).

Events:The Department of Biochemistry and the Faculty ofMedicine and Dentistry at the University of Albertagraciously hosted a career celebration symposium inhonour of Dr. Brian Sykes (Distinguished UniversityProfessor),thispastJune.

Former students, postdoctoral fellows, and colleaguestravelledfromallovertheworldtohonourtheirformermentorandcelebratehisaccomplishmentsoverhis35yearsat theUniversityofAlberta.The three-dayeventwaskickedoffbyMalcolm Irving(King’s College London),whogavethe29thJohnS.Colterlecture,followedbyafull-daysymposiumwhichhighlightedseveralofBrian’sformertrainees:Frank Sönnichsen (Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel),Heather Dettman(Natural Resources Canada),Joe O’Neil(University of Manitoba),Jim Baleja (Tufts University), Patricia Campbell (Partner at Jones Day), Krishna Rajarathnam, (University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston), Matt Crump (University of Bristol), JianJun Wang (Wayne State University), Campbell McInnes (University of South Carolina), Xu Wang (Arizona State University), Tharin Blumenschein (University of East Anglia), Jan Rainey (Dalhousie University), David Sykes (Massachusetts General Hospital), David Wishart


(University of Alberta), Sam Sia (Columbia University), Lewis Kay (University of Toronto). Finally, Gary Shaw (University of Western Ontario) concluded thesymposium with the12thWilliamA.BridgerLectureship.

Brian was born in Montréal and raised in Calgary. He receivedhisB.Sc.inChemistry(Hons.),attheUniversityofAlbertain1965,andcompletedhisPh.D.atStanfordUniversity in 1969 with John D. Baldeschwieler. HeestablishedhisowngroupintheChemistryDepartmentatHarvardUniversitythatsameyear.HewaspromotedtoAssociateProfessorin1975,justbeforebeingrecruitedback to his alma mater. Throughout his career, Brianpublishedover600papers,graduatedmorethan30Ph.D.students, and trained a large number of post-doctoralfellows. Brian pioneered protein NMR spectroscopy inCanada,andreceivednumerousawardsanddistinctionsthroughouthiscareer,includingmembershipintheRoyalSociety of Canada and theRoyal Society (London), theFlavelle Medal of the Royal Society, and the GerhardHerzberg Spectroscopy award from the CanadianSociety for Analytical Sciences and Spectroscopy. Brian

remains activein protein NMRresearch, pursuinghis interests inprions and heartmuscle regulatory proteins. (Reportwrittenby:Olivier Julien, Peter Hwang, and Leo Spyracopoulos.)

Attendees at the career celebration symposium in honour of Dr. Brian Sykes

Membrane Proteins in Health and Disease - 61st Annual Meeting of the Canadian Society of Molecular Biosciences, Banff Alberta April 11-15 2018:Membersof theDepartmentofBiochemistry servedastheorganizingcommitteefortheannualsocietymeeting,including Howard Young, who acted as Head of theOrganizing committee. Presenting talks at the meetingwere Joanne Lemieux and Joe Casey.

Malcolm Irving FRS, 29th Colter Lecture in Biochemistry 2018:Malcolm Irving, FRS, delivered a wide ranging andexcellent29thAnnualColterLecturetoapackedaudienceinBiochemistryattheFacultyofMedicineandDentistryon June 12th, 2018. Malcolm is currently Professor ofBiophysics at King’s College London, a position he hasheldsince1998,andAssociateDirectorofResearchattheFrancis Crick Institute, London,wherehe is responsiblefortheCrick’spartnershipwithImperialCollegeLondon,King’s College London, and University College London(UCL).

MalcolmwasDirectoroftheRandallDivisionofCellandMolecularBiophysicsatKing’sfrom2002-2016,andwasalsoelectedaFellowoftheRoyalSociety(London)in2003andaFellowoftheAcademyofMedicalSciencesin2006.

MalcolmIrving’smainresearchinterestisinmechanismsunderlying contraction and regulation of skeletal andcardiac muscle. Both types of muscle generate forceand shortening by the relative sliding betweenmyosin-containing thick filaments and actin-containing thinfilaments.MalcolmandcolleaguesdevelopednovelX-rayand fluorescence techniques, and used them to showthat filament sliding in isolated skeletal muscle cells isdrivenbytiltingofthelight-chaindomainofmyosin.TherelationshipsbetweenthesemolecularstructuralchangesandthephysiologicalperformanceofskeletalmuscleweredescribedinaseriesofeightpapersinNatureandCellintheperiod1992-2007.RecentlyMalcolm’s researchhasfocusedontheregulationofmusclecontractionbynovelmechanisms involving structural changes in the thickfilaments,whichMalcolmandcolleagueshaveshowntobekeydeterminantsofthenormalperformanceofbothskeletalandheartmuscleinhealthanddisease.

Gary Shaw, 2018 Bridger Lecturer:OnJune15th,theDepartmentwelcomedProfessorGaryShaw, Western University, Ontario to deliver a superb

Dr. Brian Sykes


12th Annual William Bridger Lecture in Biochemistry.ThetitleofDr.GaryShaw’slecturewas:“TheStructuralBiology of Proteins in Early-Onset Parkinson’s Disease;FromInhibitiontoActivation”.

Dr. Shaw received his B.Sc. (Hons) in Chemistry andBiochemistry fromMcMaster University. He completeda Ph.D. atMcMaster under the direction of Dr. RonaldChilds. During graduate studies Gary used organicsynthesismethodscombinedwithX-raycrystallographicand NMR spectroscopic techniques to examine thestructuresanddynamicsofmodelsystemsforthevisualpigmentrhodopsin.

Dr. Shaw worked with Professor Brian Sykes inBiochemistry at theUniversity of Alberta as an AlbertaHeritageFoundationforMedicalResearchpost-doctoralscholar,applyingNMRmethodstoexaminethestructures,interactionsandassemblyofcalcium-bindingpeptides.

Gary joined the Department of Biochemistry at theUniversityofWesternOntarioasanMRCScholar(1992-97)andlaterasaCanadaResearchChair(2003-17).Hisresearch group has helped define three-dimensionalstructures and mechanisms of the E3 ligase Parkin, acausativeenzymeinearly-onsetParkinson’sdisease,andhehasnowidentifiedhowdisease-causingsubstitutionscanalterthefunctionofthisimportantenzyme.

University of AlbertaDepartment of Cell BiologyCorrespondent: Andrew Simmonds

New faculty:Cell Biology welcomed a new faculty member in 2018, Dr. Qiumin Tan. The Tan lab is interested in aquintessentialsignaltransduction-transcriptionaxis,theRAS/MAPK-capicuaaxis.Inthispathway,theRAS/MAPKsignal cascademodulates the transcriptional activityofcapicuatocontrolgeneexpression.Dysfunctionsinthisaxis, either the upstream RAS/MAPK pathway or thedownstreameffector capicua, can causea spectrumofdevelopmentaldisordersandvariouscancers,dependingonthecelltypesaffectedandthedegreeofdysfunction.Usingmultiplemousegeneticmodels, in vitro systems, and an integrated genomic, transcriptomic, andproteomic approach, the Tan lab addresses how theRAS/MAPK-capicua axis generates cell type-specific

output,andtheimpactoncellularandwhole-organismphysiology when this axisis perturbed. Answers tothese questions will notonly help understand themolecular underpinningsof disease pathogenesis,but also provide atherapeutic entry pointwith broad applicability todevelopmental disordersand cancer.

Dr. Qiumin Tan

Other department news:Also notable news was that our Chair, Dr. Richard Rachubinskiwasnamedthe2018CSMBCanadianSciencePublishingSeniorInvestigatorAwardee.However,aswemoveinto2019,itwillbeatimeofgreatchangeinCellBiologyasDr.RachubinskiwillbesteppingdownasChairafter over 20 years of service. Dr. Andrew Simmondswasnamedas anewassociateeditorofGenome,oneofthetwojournalassociatedwithCSMB.Finallyin2018,Dr. Francesca Di Cara, a post-doctoral fellow with theSimmondsandRachubinskilaboratorieshasstartedasanewfacultymemberatDalhousieUniversity.

University of AlbertaDepartment of PhysiologyCorrespondent: Emmanuelle Cordat

New faculty:In2018,theDepartmentofPhysiologyattheUniversityofAlbertahascontinuedtoexpandwiththerecentrecruitmentof Dr. Jesse Jackson who came to us from the HowardHughesJaneliaResearchCampus.HereisashortsummaryofDr.Jackson’sjourneysofar:“IamoriginallyfromAlberta,anddidmyB.Sc.inPsychologyatRedDeercollegeandtheUniversityofCalgary.Icompletedan M.Sc. in Neuroscience from the University of Calgary(2007)andaPh.D.inNeurosciencefromMcGillUniversityin 2013.Myfirst post-doctoral fellowshipwas carriedoutat Columbia University, and focussed on using advanced in vivo microscopy techniques to measure the neuralactivity of neurons in the neocortex of awake behavingmice.Followingthistime, ImovedtotheHowardHughesJanelia Research Campus, where I began a program tostudytheneurophysiologicalpropertiesandfunctionofthe


mammalianprefrontalcortex.Partofthisresearchledustoinvestigateapreviouslyunderstudiedandmysteriousbrainregionknownastheclaustrum.Theclaustrumsharesneuralconnectionswithmostareasoftheforebrain,yetitsfunctionremainsunknown. In2018, IbegananAssistantProfessorpositionattheUniversityofAlberta,andoneofthemajorthemesofthe laboratory is to identifyhowtheclaustrumcommunicateswithotherbrainregionsandparticipatesingoaldirectedbehaviors.Thelaboratorycombinestechniquessuch as electrophysiology, optogenetics, and calciumimaging to studyhow theclaustrumandconnectedbrainregionsparticipate intheregulationofstress,anxiety,andlearning. Inaddition,weare focussedon identifyingbasicprinciples of neuroanatomical organization, connectivity,ofdifferentinterneuronsubtypesintheforebrainandhowthesecellscontributetotheshapingneuralactivitywithinneuralnetworks.”

Dr.Jackson’slaboratorynowcountstwograduatestudents(BrianMarriottandAlisonDo),threeundergraduatestudents(AngelaFung,AdarshBadesha,MariamSultan),avolunteer(RyanZahacy)andoneResearchstaffmember(TwinkleJoy).

Jesse Jackson lab members (L to R): Angela Fung, Adarsh Badesha, Alison Do, Jesse Jackson, Brian Marriott, Ryan Zahacy, Twinkle Joy (missing: Mariam Sultan).

Research news:Other departmental news includes continued success insecuringoperatingresearchgrants:Dr. Xing-Zhen Chen was awardeda2-yearKidneyFoundationofCanadaBiomedicalResearchgrant($100,000total)andDr. Greg Funk received a5-yearProjectGrantfromtheCanadianInstitutesofHealthResearch($852,976total)aswellasa2-yearLungAssociationof Alberta & NWT grant ($30,000 total). Dr. Greg Funk’stremendousenthusiasminmentoringwasalsorewardedbya University-wide Killam Excellence in Mentoring Awardthisyear.

Members of Xing-Zhen Chen’s lab

In2018,theDepartmentofPhysiologyattheUniversityofAlbertapublishedover90manuscriptsincludinginJournalof Physiology, Nature Reviews Neuroscience, NatureCommunications, Cell Reports, Journal of Neuroscience,ScientificReports,Biochemical journal,Channels,Frontiersin Physiology, Human Mutation, Blood, Hypertension,CirculationResearchtociteafew.

The Funk lab enjoying the scenery at Grassi Lakes

Teaching news:On the teaching side, our Physiology Honours Programhas been flourishingwith a record of 117 undergraduatestudents enrolled in the Program last year, highlightinga great enthusiasm for our program among students.Additionally,ouronlinePHYSL210coursealsocontinuestoattractmore andmore undergraduate studentswilling tolearnabouthumanphysiology,withmorethan100studentsregisteredin2018.

Weareproudofourdepartmentalachievementsfor2018andarelookingforwardtoanevenmoresuccesfulyearin2019!


University of British ColumbiaDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyCorrespondent: Leonard Foster

AftertwoyearsasInterimHead,Leonard Fosteracceptedthe position of Departmental Head for an additionalthreeyears,tocompleteafive-yearleadershipterm.

After many years of decline in our faculty as oldermembersretired,BiochemistryandMolecularBiologyisgrowingagain!Fournewfacultymemberswerehiredinthepastyear.AfteranexhaustivesearchforanAssistantProfessor, we were delighted to offer the positionto rising star Dr. Sheila Teves, from the University ofCalifornia,Berkeley.TheTeves’labstudiestheprocessesthat control gene expression in embryonic stem cells,to understand the programming underlying cell fate.

She uses a combinationof genomics and single molecular microscopy,as well as conventionaltools of molecular biology. She joins the MolecularEpigenetics researchgroup intheLifeSciencesCentre,togetherwithtwoother members of BMB,LeAnn Howe and Ivan Sadowski.

Asecondsearchwascompletedinthelastyear,aswell.A collaborative search with the Djavad MowafaghianCentreforBrainHealth(DMCBH)ledtotherecruitmentof Dr. Annie Vogel-Ciernia.Dr.Vogel-CierniawilljoinusinJuly,2019,withajointappointmentbetweenBMBandDMCBH.Her labwill studytheepigeneticregulationofactivity-dependent transcription. Specifically, her workfocuses on understanding the mechanisms controllinggeneexpressioninavarietyofcontextsincludingseveralmousemodelsof autismand intellectualdisability.Welookforwardtowelcomingherintothefold!

UBC was fortunate to be awarded a Canada Excellence ResearchChairinPrecisionCancerDrugDesign,andthento recruit Dr. Sriram Subramaniamtofillthisposition.Dr.SubramaniamcomestousfromtheNIHinBethesda,andis world-renowned for his development of techniques

foranduseofcryo-electronmicroscopyfordeterminingthehigh-resolutionstructureoflargeproteincomplexes.

Completing an interestingcircle, Dr. Subramaniamactually trained withone of our departments’past Nobel Laureates,Dr. Gobind Khorana. Dr.Subramaniamholdsajointappointment betweenBMBandtheDepartmentof Urology at UBC. He will strengthen an alreadyoutstanding structural biology group in ourdepartment.

Finally,thispastyearwealsowelcomedafamiliarfacetoaformalappointmentinourdepartment.Dr. Alice Mui joins our department, now splitting her appointmentbetweentheDepartmentofSurgeryandBMB.Dr.Mui’slabstudiesthecytokineinterleukin-10(IL10),themajornegative regulator of immune and hemopoietic cellfunction. Loss of the normal IL10 signalling has beenassociated with human inflammatory disorders and

hematological malignancies.Research in the Mui lab isdirectedatcharacterizingthemolecularsignallingpathwaysutilized by IL10 in its targetcells. Understanding thesepathways provides insightintohowIL10works,andalsosupportsthedevelopmentoftherapeutic strategies thatmimic the beneficial effectsof IL10.

In other news, numerous faculty members hadexceptionalyears:Brett Finlay(alsooftheMichaelSmithLaboratories) was inducted into the CanadianMedicalHall of Fame, while Christopher Overall and Shoukat Dedhar (BC Cancer Research Centre) were electedFellowsoftheRoyalSocietyofCanada.Inaddition,Pieter Cullis’labgotthefirstsiRNAgenetherapydrugapprovedby the FDA and EMA (EuropeanMedical Authority) totreatapreviouslyincurablehereditarydisease.

New Assistant Professor, Dr. Sheila Teves

Canada Excellence Research Chair in Precision Cancer Drug Design, Dr. Sriram Subramaniam

Dr. Alice Mui


University of CalgaryDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cumming School of MedicineCorrespondent: Jonathan Lytton

Theyear2018hasbeenabusyoneintheDepartmentofBiochemistryandMolecularBiologyatUCalgary.

We were very excited to welcome three new primarymemberstotheDepartmentin2018!In January, Dr. Sorana Morrissy joined BMB and theCharbonneau Cancer Research Institute as a CRC Tier2 chairholder in Precision Oncology. Sorana received

outstanding training withMarco Marra at the BCGenome Science CentreandtheUniversityofBritishColumbia (Ph.D.) and thenwith Michael Taylor at theUniversity of Toronto and theHospitalforSickChildren(post-doctoral fellow).Sorana’s research programuses translational genomicand bioinformatic analyseswithafocusoninvestigatingtumourevolutionandintra-tumourheterogeneity.

In October, Drs. Myriam Hemberger and David Anderson joined us, both affiliated with the Alberta Children’sHospital Research Institute. Myriam Hemberger is a CRC Tier 1 chairholder in Developmental Genetics andEpigeneticswhomoved toCalgary from theBabrahamInstituteandUniversityofCambridgeintheUK.Myriam

has developed a highlysuccessfulresearchprogramin placental biology andits impact on pregnancyoutcomes. No sooner hadMyriam joined us, thanshe was awarded theinaugural US$1M Magee Prize from theRichardKingMellon Foundation andMagee-Women’s ResearchInstitute,togetherwithtwointernationalcolleagues!

Dr. David Andersonacceptedthepositionof Instructorof Bioinformatics in the Department, with a focus onbuilding and delivering bioinformatics content andresearchexperiencesinourflagshipBachelorofHealthSciencesundergraduatescienceprogram.Davereceivedoutstanding training from the University of Oregon(Ph.D.) and the Universityof British Columbia(NSERC and MSFHR Post-doctoral Research Fellow).Dave shares a passion foreducational programs ininformatics and precisionmedicine, with a researchinterest in the molecularmechanisms that underlieimportant evolutionaryinnovations.

The Department also welcomed jointly appointedmembers, Drs. Alex Lohman and Antoine Dufour.

This year marked the departure of Mark Bieda, whohad been an Instructor and Assistant Professor inthe Department since 2008. Mark left to join SeattleGenomicsasaPrincipalScientist,andwewishhimwellinthenextstageofhiscareer.

OurmemberscontinuetobesuccessfulatCIHRdespitechallengingfundingrates.Inthepastyear,primaryBMBmembers Jennifer Cobb, Maja Tarailo-Graovac and Gareth Williams, as well as joint members Wayne Chen, Marco Gallo, Debbie Kurrasch and Raylene Reimer, all obtainedCIHRprojectgrantfunding.

Mayi Arcellana-Panlilio continues to excel in her roleas Senior Instructor in theBachelorofHealth Sciencesprogram. This year Mayi received the University ofCalgaryStudents’UnionTeachingExcellenceAward,andthe iGEMteamshe ledwonyetanothergoldmedalatthe Boston Giant Jamboree for their “Snip Equip Flip”project that aims to improve the stable integration offoreigngenesintohumancelltargets!

BMBholdsascientificmeetinginBanffeachyear,wherewerecognizeresearchandeducationalachievementsofbothourfacultyandgraduatestudents.ThisyearDave Schriemer received the “Schultz Award for General

New BMB Assistant Professor and CRC Tier 2 Chairholder, Dr. Sorana Morrissy

New BMB Professor and CRC Tier 1 Chairholder, Dr. Myriam Hemberger

New BMB Instructor in Bioinformatics,

Dr. Dave Anderson


Excellence”, Jason de Koning the“LeonBrowderRisingStarAward”,Frans van der Hoornthe“HansvandeSandeLeadership&ServiceAward”andMayi Arcellana-Panlilio the“EducationAward”.Inaddition,postdoctoralfellows,Christoph Schraeder and Shrivani Sriskanthadevan-Pirahas, as well as graduate students Ayan Chanda, Lauren Mak and Beth Barrettowererecognizedfortheiroutstandingcontributions.

BMBattheUniversityofCalgarycontinuestogrowandflourish, andwe are recruiting both new students andfaculty. Please visit our website at UCalgary.ca/bmb/ for moreinformationaboutourDepartment.

University of CalgaryDepartment of Biological SciencesFaculty of ScienceCorrespondent: Vanina Zaremberg

TheBiologicalSciencesDepartmentattheUniversityofCalgary is currentlyorganized in fourclustersbasedongeneral research and teaching interests. They includeBiochemistry, Microbiology, Cell Development &Physiology,andEcology&EvolutionaryBiology.

During this year, several colleagues from Biochemistryhavebeendevotedtoservice inourDepartment:Greg Moorhead and Elmar Prenner continued in their rolesofAssociateDepartmentHead -GraduateProgramand-Operationsrespectively.Sergei NoskovinitiatedhistermasAssociateHead-Research.Ken Ngcontinuedaschairof the Biochemistry cluster andMarie Fraser replacedVanina ZarembergaschairoftheBiochemistryprogram.

Biochemistry isexcelling inboth researchand teachingactivities. It has been a successful year, with many ofourmembersinvolvedinsecuringimportantsourcesoffundingtosupportthedevelopmentofmultidisciplinaryinitiatives. Several of our graduate students havebeenrecognized with distinctions/awards for their excellentresearchandteachingachievements.

Thesearethehighlightsoftheyear:Ontheresearchside,Raymond J. Turner was awarded a visiting professorship to the Institute of AdvancedStudies in Italy in the fall. During his visit he lecturedfor2months ina courseonmicrobial genomicsat theUniversity of Bologna, and was invited to give a number

of seminars throughout northern Italy. Raymond’sexpertise in metal-microbe interactions also led himto edit focussed journal issues on the topics of “SilverBased Antimicrobials”, “Genomics of bacterial metalresistance”and“BioproductionofMetallicNanoparticlesandtheirTechnologicalApplications”.Turner’s researchwithhisPh.D.student,Elena Piacenza,andpost-doctoralfellow, Dr. Alessandro Presentato, in controlling the

metabolism of bacteria to produce metal-basednanomaterials saw contributionspublishedinFrontiers inMicrobiology,Scientific Reports, NewBiotechnology,andCriticalReviewsinBiotechnology.

Tellurium nanorods (Sci. Rep. 2018 Mar 2;8:3923)

Special recognition goes to Turner’s Ph.D. studentNatalie Gugala for leading the Outreach project forBeakerHead - Petri Dish Picasso;wherechildrenpaintedwithbacteria(expressingdifferentfluorescentproteins)forover1,000“paintings”.Natalieisalsocommendedonher research on the biochemicalmechanisms ofmetaltoxicity. Thiswas recognized in thenews in relation to

herstudiestounderstandhowsilverkillsbacteria,whichwasfollowedupbyvariouson-linenews feeds. Turner’s post-doctoral fellow, Dr. Joe Lemire transitionedtomedicalschool,winning the Dr. Lydia SikoraMemorial Award recognizingstudents who are committedtomedicalresearch.

Natalie Gugala

BeakerHead - Petri Dish Picasso


Peter Tieleman and his group continue to work oncomputationalmethodstostudymembraneproteins.Ahighlightwas thepublicationofapaper inACSCentralScience on lipid-protein interactions based on severalyears of work by many current and former groupmembers. This work considered how the presence often different membrane proteins changes the locallipid environment near the protein compared to thedistributionoflipidsinlipid-onlyareasofthemembrane,usingacomplexmixtureofover60differentlipidtypesandyearsofcomputercalculations.Amajorconclusionisthatthelipidenvironmentaroundeveryproteinisunique,whichcouldbeasignificantdrivingforceinshapingthelateralstructureofbiologicalmembranes.ThegroupwasalsoinvolvedintwoextensivereviewpapersnowonlineforChemical Reviews,on lipid-protein interactions andcomputational models to study increasingly realisticbiological membrane models.

TheIan LewisResearchGroup(LRG)continuestomakesignificantadvancesinestablishingrapid,metabolomics-based approaches for identifying pathogens andcharacterizing their drug susceptibility profiles. Thegroupiscurrentlytestingandrefiningasuiteofdiagnosticdevices that will markedly improve the efficacy ofclinical microbiology workflows. In 2018, the LRG wasthe recipient of an $11millionGenome Canada grant,throughwhichithaslaunchedalarge-scaleinitiativetocomprehensively assess the metabolomic, proteomic,andgenomicprofilesofpathogensandlinkthesedatasetswith patient clinical outcomes. These datasets will behosted on the ResistanceDB.org web portal and theywill ultimately inform precision infection managementpractices via ahand-heldapp. The LRG is alsoworkingwith researchers across Canada to better understandthe role thatmetabolism plays in the development ofmicrobiome-associated diseases, and it has solidifieditsroleasthemetabolomicandproteomicshubfortheInternational Microbiome Centre. In addition, the LRGcontinues to expand its parasitology program and haslaunched several new studies investigating the role ofmetabolism in theevolutionofhuman Leishmania and Plasmodiumparasites.

Elmar PrennercontinuedhisteachingintheNanoscienceminorandBiochemistryprograms,andwillendhisroleofAssociateDepartmentHeadforResearchandPlanningin2019.ElmarrenewedhisNSERCdiscoverygrantfocussingon lipid-metal interactions.Otherareasofresearchare

lipid-based anticancer drugs and nanoparticle-baseddrug delivery. His applied research dealing with thedesign of fluorescence instruments and bioanalyticalassayshasmoved intocommercialization.ElmarservesontheeditorialboardofBBABiomembranes.

The group led by Sergei Noskov welcomed several new lab members this year and continued researchin the areas of computational biology and membranebiophysics.NoskovwasalsoveryactiveintheadvancedresearchcomputingcommunityinCanada.Heagreedtoserveon theBoardofDirectors forWest-Grid alliance.The lab activities received a significant momentumwithasuccessfulCIHRprojectapplication(co-PIs:Peter Tieleman and Henry Duff) enabling rational design oflipophiliccompoundstargetingcardiacchannels.NoskovandTieleman co- authoreda comprehensive surveyofmembraneproteins/lipidsmodelsandpublisheditintheprestigiousChemicalReviewsjournal.Thelabexpandeditsworkonmachine-learning(ML)modelsinpredictivecellularbiophysicstoanalysisofmolecularmechanismsunderlyingemergenceofantibiotic-resistanceinbacteria.In 2018, Noskov was co-PI in the successful GenomeCanadaLSARPsubmissionledbyIan Lewis(above).Theproof-of-principleapplicationsofMLtoproteomicsdatafromclinicalsamplespioneeredbyaResearchAssociate,Dr. Soren Wacker, showed excellent promise as ananalytical tool for clinical biochemistry of pathogens.Special highlights of the yearwere graduate and post-doctoral awards to lab trainees. The lab welcomedEyes-High Post-doctoral FellowDr. Hanif Khan, joining from the University of Bergen, Norway. Dr. Hristina Zhekova successfully renewed her Alberta InnovatesPost-doctoral Award. Williams MirandawasarecipientofVanierandKillamgraduatescholarships,whileMario Valdezhasbeenselectedasan InternationalEyesHighEntrancescholarshipwinner.Mary Kudaibergenova was awardedanInternationalGraduateTrainingaward,andisnowconductinghervisitandexperimentalworkattheNationalInstitutesofHealthintheU.S.

Vanina Zaremberg’s group focusses on investigatingthe mechanisms that regulate glycerolipid metabolismand lipid signalling in eukaryotes. Current focus is ondiacylglycerol and phosphatidic acid metabolism, anti-tumourlipiddrugsandthebiochemicalcharacterizationofacyltransferases.ThisyearthegroupwasawardedaGrandChallengeseedgrantforcollaborativeworkwithDr Belinda Heyne (Chemistry Department) supported


by the Faculty of Science, University of Calgary, toinvestigate oxidative stress responses to lipids usinga genomics approach and fluorescent derivatives oftocopherol.Marjan Tavassoli(Ph.D.)defendedherthesison the regulation of the yeast glycerol-3-phosphateacyltransferaseGpt2byphosphorylation.Suria Ganesan (Ph.D.)wastherecipientofaDean’sDoctoralScholarshipand an Eyes High International Doctoral ScholarshipawardedbytheUniversityofCalgary.SuriaalsoreceivedanASBMBtravelawardtopresentherworkonmonitoringdiacylglycerol in yeast at the Experimental BiologyMeetingheldinSanDiego.Laura Sosa(Ph.D.)wasinvitedtogiveanoralpresentationattheAsilomarChromatin,

Chromosomes andEpigenetics Conferenceonherworkontheroleof lipidmetabolismandtelomere silencing in collaboration with Dr.JenniferCobb(CummingSchool of Medicine,University of Calgary).Laura was awarded a QE-IIgraduatescholarship.

Suria Ganesan (left) Laura Sosa (right)

On the Teaching side, Isabelle Barrette-Ng was one of only10Canadiansawardeda20183MNationalTeachingFellowship (https://3mcouncil.stlhe.ca/resources/3m-fellows/3m-fellows-sorted-by/), which is an awardrecognizing educational leadership and teachingexcellenceatthepost-secondarylevel.ShealsowontheUniversity of Calgary Teaching Award for EducationalLeadership in an informal role, and theMcCaig-KillamTeachingaward.

During the fall semester 2018, while on Research andScholarshipLeave,Dr. Robert Edwards, Senior Instructor, wroteaBareBonesBiochemistrytextbooktobeusedasanopeneducationresource.HewillberetiringonJuly12019.Overmore than twodecadesat theUniversityof Calgary, he has helped to obtain accreditation forour Honours Biochemistry Degree, put our physicalbiochemistrycourseonastrongfoundation,developeda number of inquiry-based teaching labs, served asPresidentofthelocalchapterofSigmaXi,anddevelopedeffectivetechnologyforvisualizingproteinsinPAGEgelswithoutstaining.

Elke Lohmeier-Vogel,SeniorInstructor,finishedherlastterm of teaching in the spring of 2018, and retired attheendof theyearwhileonResearchandScholarshipLeave.SheparticipatedwithDr.MayiArcellana-Panlillio(main PI) in guiding the 2018 iGEM teamwork duringthe summer. This University of Calgary initiative waspresented at the international competition in Bostonwhereitwasrecognizedwithgoldmedalstatus.

Left to right: Elke Lohmeier-Vogel, Vanina Zaremberg, Robert Edwards

WeareextremelygratefultobothElkeandRobfortheirpassion and dedication over all these years, helpingdevelopastrongBiochemistryprogram.Theyremainoursourceofwisdom!

University of GuelphDepartment of Molecular and Cellular BiologyCorrespondent: Frances Sharom

New faculty appointments:Rejuvenation of our department continued this year,as three new faculty members joined Molecular andCellularBiologyduring2018.

Dr. Jennifer Geddes-McAlister joined the departmentasAssistant Professor in July 2018. She completedherundergraduate and M.Sc. degree at the Universityof Lethbridge, with a focus on studying host-fungalinteractions in an agricultural settingwith quantitativeproteomics techniques. She then moved to theUniversityofBritishColumbiaforherPh.D.inthefungalpathogenesislabofDr.JimKronstad,whereshereceivedanNSERCCGS-Dscholarshiptosupportherresearch.Dr.Geddes-McAlister brought her expertise in proteomicsto investigate the regulatory role of the cAMP/ProteinKinase A pathway on the cellular proteome andsecretome of Cryptococcus neoformans,anopportunistic


fungal pathogen.Herwork led to the discovery of thefirst biomarkers of cryptococcal infection and a noveldrug-repurposing strategyusing an FDA-approvedanti-cancer drug, bortezomib, to reduce polysaccharidecapsule production and treat cryptococcal infection.In 2015, she received the prestigious Alexander vonHumboldtpost-doctoralfellowship,aswellasanNSERCfellowship,tocontinueherresearchinthelaboratoryofProf.Dr.MatthiasMannat theMaxPlanck InstituteofBiochemistryinGermany.Here,shedefinedtheinterplaybetween Salmonella and the host during infection,usingstate-of-the-artmassspectrometryandadvancedcomputationalproteomicstoidentifyandmechanisticallycharacterize novel and known virulence factors. At theUniversityofGuelph,Dr.Geddes-McAlister investigateshost-pathogen interactions of bacterial and fungalmicrobesfromasystemsperspectiveusingquantitativeproteomics.Theoverallgoalofherresearchprogramisto

increase our fundamental understanding of theinterplay between hostand microbe during infection, and uncovernovel therapeuticstrategies to combat disease. When notpursuing her research,Jennifer enjoys exploringher new home inSouthern Ontario withher husband and twoyoungchildren.

Dr. Rebecca Shapiro joined the department as anAssistantProfessorinJanuary2018.ShecompletedherPh.D.attheUniversityofTorontounderthesupervisionof Dr. Leah Cowen. During her Ph.D., Dr. Shapirodecipheredgeneticmechanismsthatregulatevirulenceinhumanfungalpathogens.Herworkuncoveredcriticalnewfactorsandpathways involved inmediatingfungalvirulence, the fungal response toenvironmental stress,andantifungaldrugresistance.AftercompletingherPh.D.,Dr.Shapiro receivedaBantingPost-doctoralFellowshiptocontinuehertrainingasapost-doctoralfellowattheBroad Institute andMIT in the laboratory ofDr. JamesCollins. Here, she focussed on applying new CRISPR-basedstrategiestofungalpathogens,thuscreatingnewbiotechnologyplatformstoenablelarge-scalefunctionalgenomicanalysis.Additionally,Dr. Shapiro collaborated

on projects focussing on development of new CRISPRsystems in bacterial pathogens, and systems-levelanalysis of antibiotic survival. In her new laboratory atthe University of Guelph,Dr. Shapiro continuesto develop new CRISPR-based platforms for thestudyoffungalpathogens,andfurtherexploitsthesetechnologies to studyimportantfacetsoffungalbiology and genetics,including fungal virulence, thefungalstressresponse,and anti-fungal drugresistance.

InJuly2018,Dr. Wei ZhangjoinedthedepartmentasanAssistantProfessor.Hehasauniquetrainingbackgroundintwodisparatefields:DNArepairandproteinengineering.Hisscientificachievementisevidencedby20publicationsinhigh-profilejournals,13invitedtalks,3pendingpatents,and numerous awards, including the Mitacs Award forOutstanding Innovation and Cancer Research SocietyScholarshipfortheNextGenerationofScientists.Dr.Zhang’sPh.D.research(intheDanielDurochergroupattheLunenfeld-TanenbaumResearch Institute)centredonafundamentalchromosomebiologyquestion:howdocells differentiate natural ends (telomeres) from brokenends (DNA double-strand breaks, DSBs)? Indeed, theuntimelyactionoftelomeraseonDSBswillleadtogenomerearrangements and instability. He conducted a genome-widescreentouncovernewgenesthatarenecessarytoconvertaDSBintoatelomere.Intheendhediscoveredaphospho-regulatorylooparoundasingleserineresidueofatelomerebindingprotein,involvingtheATRfamilyofkinases,PP2Aphosphatasesandaphosphataseactivator,whichunderscores thedelicateregulationofDSBrepair.ThisworkwashighlyrecommendedbytheFaculty of 1000 andwasfeaturedas“Top7 inCancerBiology” inMarch2011 by The Scientist. In the screenhealso identifiedakinesin complex Cik1-Kar3 that contributes to telomerehealing through its cellular motor activity. Later, withcollaborators, he showed that this kinesin complex iscritical foranchoringDSBs to thenuclearperipheryandthespatialorganizationofDNArepair.Tofurtherbroadenhis scientific and technical expertise in cancer biology,he enrolled and graduated from a two-year radiationmedicineprogram(STARS21,withacompetitivefellowship

Assistant Professor Dr. Jennifer Geddes-McAlister

Assistant Professor Dr. Rebecca Shapiro


fromCIHR) in theDepartmentofRadiationOncologyattheUniversityofToronto.For his post-doctoral studies, Dr. Zhang changed hisresearch focus from “understanding” to “modulating”cell signalling,with the visionofbridgingbasic researchand translational research. With a CIHR post-doctoralfellowship,hewasmentoredbyDr.SachdevSidhuattheUniversityofTorontointheareasofproteinscaffoldlibrarydesign,directedevolution,proteinengineering,andphagedisplay, to synthesize molecules to manipulate proteinactivity in cells to reverse the dysregulated signalingpathwaysinhumandiseases.Inparticular,heengineeredubiquitintomodulatetheactivityofmorethan50humanE3 ligases or deubiquitinases, enzymes that controlspecificity, efficiency and patterns of ubiquitination ordeubiquitination, respectively. After the completion ofthe three-year CIHR fellowship, Dr. Zhang obtained ahighlycompetitiveMitacsElevateFellowshiptoworkonindustrialcollaborativeprojectsunderthementorshipofDr.SachdevSidhuandDr.JasonMoffat.HewasfortunatetoreceiveextensivetrainingwithDr.Moffatonlentiviral-

based library construction,functional genomics, andcancerphenotypicscreens.InhisownlabatUniversityof Guelph, Dr. Zhang isleveraging his proteindesign and engineering platform to manipulatecell signal transductioncascades for innovativecancer therapeutics. Hislab is currently supportedbyfundingfromtheCancerResearchSocietyandCIHR.

Faculty news:CongratulationsgotothefollowingMCBfacultymembersforsuccessfullyrenewingtheirnewNSERCDiscoveryGrantsin2018:Mike Emes, Rod Merrill(+DepartmentofNationalDefence Supplement), Robert Mullen, and Annette Nassuth.Inaddition,newfacultymembersJasmin Lalonde, Melissa Perreault, and Rebecca Shapiro (+ AcceleratorAward)obtainedNSERCDiscoverygrants.Steffen Graether, Nina Jones and Chris Whitfield participated in successfulNSERCgroupapplications(RTIgrants)fornewinstrumentsand infrastructure. Anthony Clarke, Cezar Khursigara, Melissa Perreault, Scott Ryan, Rebecca Shapiro and Wei ZhangwereawardedCIHRProjectGrants,andWei Zhang alsowonaCancerSocietyResearchSocietyGrant.

The September 2018 edition of the Canadian Journalof Microbiology entitled “A Decade of Research Advancements in the Legacy of Terrance J. Beveridge- An Integrated View of Prokaryotic Life”wasdedicatedtothememory of Dr. Terry Beveridge. Not only was Terry an internationally renowned microbiologist, he was also aCanadian microbiologist who spent his entire academiccareerat theUniversityofGuelph.The issuepresentsavarietyofmanuscriptsfromcolleaguesandtraineesthatreflectontheprogressinTerry’sareasofresearchinterest(especially geomicrobiology) in the decade since hisuntimelydeath,andpaytributetoTerry’sinfluenceonthescientificcareersofmanyresearchers.

Awards and recognition:In May 2018, Dr. Claire Martin (post-doctoral fellow,Jones lab) was honoured as one of a group ofWomenof Distinction nominees chosen by the Guelph YMCA-YWCA for their lifetime contribution to STEM (science,technology,engineeringandmath)andeducation,trainingandmentorship.

Dr.ChrisWhitfieldwasawardedthe2018FrederikB.BangAward (established by the StanleyWatson Foundation),which recognizes researchaccomplishment by anoutstandingseniorinvestigatorin the field of endotoxinand innate immunity. Over the years, Chris has madeseminal contributions tounderstanding the structureandfunctionofthemolecularmachines that assemble andexport lipopolysaccharides(LPS) and other bacterialglycoconjugates.

Assistant Professor Dr. Wei Zhang

Dr. Claire Martin (centre) is congratulated by her supervisor, Dr. Nina Jones (left) and Dr. Jean-François Coté (right)

Dr. Chris Whitfield, winner of the 2018 Frederik B.

Bang Award


Dr. Emma Allen-VercoereceivedaPartnersinResearchBiomedical Ambassador Award for her exemplaryefforts in outreach education, research and leadershipbenefittingCanadianelementary and secondary schoolstudentsandtheCanadiangeneralpublic.

Partners in Research Biomedical Ambassador Award winner, Dr. Emma Allen-Vercoe

Retirements:Faculty retirements continued in 2018, with Dr. Azad Kaushik retiring in August 2018 after 27 years ofexemplaryservicetotheuniversity.

Graduate student awards:Morgan Stykel (Ryan lab)received a Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship. Theseprestigiousawardsrecognizeleading Ph.D. students foracademic excellence and research potential. Morganwill continue her studiesof Parkinson’s disease, adisorder that causes braincells to degenerate.

ThefollowingstudentsobtainedNSERCawardsin2018:NSERC Post-doctoral Fellowship,Sean Liston (Whitfieldlab); NSERC CGS-Masters Scholarships, Steven Kelly (Whitfield lab), Laura Tempelhagen (Wood/Seah lab),and Madison Wright (Khursigara lab); NSERC CGS-D3Doctoral Scholarships,Andrea Brumwell (Uniacke lab),Liam Doyle (Whitfield lab),Hayley Lau (Jones lab),andChad Williamson(Joneslab).

DonaldR.PhillipsScholarshipswereawardedtoMichal Pyc (Mullen lab) and David Sychantha (Clarke lab).

Victoria Lesy (Colasanti lab)wonanArrell Scholarship,and Chad Williamson (Jones lab) received the RocheMolecular Biochemicals Award of Excellence. Mark Minow (Colasanti lab) was awarded the Class of OAC‘60 Award for Outstanding Teaching Assistant, an ICIScholarshipinBiotechnologywenttoMichal Pyc(Mullenlab), and Simone Renwick (Allen-Vercoe lab) won anOntarioTrilliumScholarship.

CIHRTravelAwardswenttoMegan Brasher (Coppolinolab) and Manali Tilak (Jones lab), while Sahar Mehrpooyan (Emes/Tetlowlab)wonaMitacsGlobalinkTravel Award.

Ashley Brott (Clarke lab) won an Outstanding PosterAwardattheCanadianGlycomicsSymposium.

Congratulationsgoouttoallourstudentawardwinners!

University of LethbridgeCorrespondent: Ute Kothe

Dr. Borries Demeler joins U of Lethbridge as Canada 150 Research ChairOne of the world’s leading biophysics scientists, Dr. Borries Demeler,aworld-renownedexpertonanalyticalultracentrifugation (AUC), has joined the University of

Lethbridge as part of theCanada 150 Research Chairsprogram.Demeler,previouslyaprofessorintheDepartmentofBiochemistryandStructuralBiology at the University ofTexas Health Science Center,San Antonio brought hissophisticatedanalyticallabtoLethbridge in August 2018,andisthenewestmemberoftheAlbertaRNAResearchandTraining Institute (ARRTI) andtheDepartmentofChemistryand Biochemistry at theUniversityofLethbridge.

“This truly promises to be one of the most impactfuladditionswe’vemade toour faculty,” saysDr. ErasmusOkine, the University’s Vice-President Research.“Scientists of his calibre are rarely available, and the

Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship winner, Morgan Stykel

Dr. Borries Demeler is a new Canada 150 Research Chair at the University of Lethbridge


opportunities his research programwill create here attheUof Land forCanadian researchers ingeneralareincredible.We’reveryfortunatetobepartoftheCanada150ResearchChairsprogramandarethrilledtowelcomeDr.Demeler to southernAlberta.”Demeler’swork is inthe field of hydrodynamics, specifically focussed onsoftware and hardware developments in analyticalultracentrifugation and computational biophysics. Theimpact of his multidisciplinary research program isreflectedinover300nationalandinternationalresearchcollaborationshisgrouphasengagedinoverthepastsixyears. He has led the development of advanced high-performance computing platforms involving parallelsupercomputing and cloud-based Science Gateways,an infrastructure that is now implemented worldwidewith servers in theU.S., Germany, India and Australia.Moreover,hisworkiscriticalforthequalitycontrolandmechanisticstudiesofnext-generationtherapeutics formanydiseases. “Simply put, he is oneof the foremostleadersindevelopingtoolsthatallowveryaccurateandrobust studies of therapeutic proteins, antibodies andother molecules,” says Dr. Trushar Patel, a researcherandprofessor in theUof L’sDepartmentofChemistryand Biochemistry. “Researchers herewho are studyingmolecules thatare linkedwithdiseases suchas cancerand bacterial and viral infections are excited that Dr.DemelerisjoiningtheUofL.HisrelocationtoLethbridgewillstrengthenourpositioninbiophysicalresearchonaglobal scale and foster collaborations resulting inhigh-impactpublicationsandthetrainingofnext-generationresearcherswithhighly sought-after techniques for thebiopharmaceuticalindustry.”

Movinghisresearch labtoCanada isahomecomingofsorts for Demeler who, after moving to the U.S. fromhisnativeGermanyasateen,earnedhisB.Sc.fromtheUniversity ofMontana inMissoula. He thenmoved toOregon where he completed a Ph.D. in biochemistryandbiophysicsatOregonStateUniversity,andhasspentthelast25yearsattheUniversityofTexas.“Duringmyundergraduatetime,IfellinlovewithMontana,especiallythe Rocky Mountain front, and built many lifelongfriendships,inparticularwithmembersoftheMontanaBlackfeettribejustacrosstheborderfromLethbridge,”saysDemeler.“Ialways longedtoreturntothispartofthe world and established a second home inWesternMontanatoenablefrequentvisits.Therightprofessionalopportunitiesnevermaterialized toallowapermanentmovebacktothisregion–untilnow.”Demeler’spassion

for science outreach activities, working with minoritypopulations and the interdisciplinary nature of hisresearchprogramareparticularlywellalignedwiththeUofLmission.“Ibelieveintheimportanceofengagingstudents from a young age and I always found it very rewardingtorecruithighschoolstudents fromtheSanAntonio area for summer internships inmy laboratoryand open their minds to the world of biophysics,hydrodynamicsandcomputationalsciences,”hesays.“Ialsohopetocontinuetobeabletorecruitstudentsfromminority pools, in particular from the local BlackfeetNation, among whom I have many friends, stemmingfrommy time at theUniversity ofMontana andwhileservingintheAmericanIndianScienceandEngineeringSociety.”

His lab, known as the Centre for AnalyticalUltracentrifugation of Macromolecular Assemblies(CAUMA),willestablishahydrodynamicresearchcentreattheUofL,expandingthisimportantmethodofresearchtonewresearchgroupsthroughoutthecountry.HeplanstosetuparegionalbiophysicsalliancewithinvestigatorsattheUniversityofMontanaandshareinstrumentation,expertiseandteachingbetweenthetwoschools.“Iamintriguedbythepossibilitiesofworkingataliberalartsinstitutionwhereaninclusiveandprogressiveclimateisencouraged,”hesays.

NSERC CREATE grant for RNA Bioengineering and Innovation Network offered jointly with the Université de SherbrookeTheUofLethbridge, inpartnershipwiththeUniversitédeSherbrooke,hasbeenawarded$1.65millionoverthespanofsixyearstodeveloptheRNABioengineeringandInnovationNetworkCollaborativeResearchandTrainingExperience (CREATE). The U of Lethbridge and theUniversitédeSherbrookearerecognizedasthecountry’sleadingRNA-researchinstitutionsandthroughthisgrant,looktojointlytrainjob-readyscientists.

Thenextrevolutioninbiotechnologyincludesrationallydesigned ribonucleic acid (RNA)-based systems,molecularmachinesanddevices.InordertopreparethenextgenerationofRNAresearchers,theUofLethbridge,Université de Sherbrooke, and industry collaborators,have come together to offer the new RNA Innovationprogram.ThisuniquepartnershipaimstoproducehighlyqualifiedpersonnelwithskillsinadvancedRNAresearch,scientific leadership, and industry experience. “We are


very excited about the training possibilities offered toUniversité de Sherbrooke and University of Lethbridgestudents!” says Dr. Michelle Scott, grant co-applicantand Université de Sherbrooke professor, “these willbe instrumental in helping toprepareour students forfuturebiotech jobs.” Traineeswill developprofessionalskills in management, leadership, communication, andethics. Theywill graduatewith “job-ready” knowledgeof applied and basic research and receive funding foron-siteindustrytrainingandprojectdevelopment,whilegainingaccesstoleadingindustrypartnercollaborations.Astrongsupporterofthenewprogram,RoryDegenhardtfrom Dow AgroSciences says: “We actively seek outgraduates with advanced technical and professionalskillsandarestrongadvocatesforprogramsthathelptodevelopthoseskills.”

The RNA Innovation program is comprised of twokey components, an entrepreneurial research anddevelopment challenge (deepYellow Challenge) and anextensiveinternshipprogram(theTwinningProgram).InthedeepYellowChallenge,traineeswillcollaborateasateamtosolveacomplexscientificproblemproposedbytheprogram’s industrypartners. Through theTwinningProgram, all trainees will be matched with a specificindustryinternship,providingstudentswithmentorshipand a personalized networking experience. Contactsdevelopedduringthistimewillbeextremelybeneficialtothetraineesfortheirfuturetransitionintotheworkforce.“TheUniversityofLethbridgeiscommittedtoupholdingexcellenceinbothresearchandgraduateeducation.Thisprogram will contribute to the training of high-qualitypersonnel, and effectively ensure the sustainability ofCanada’s future knowledge-based economy,” statesDr. Erasmus Okine, VP Research at the University ofLethbridge.Dr. H.-J. Wieden from theUof Lethbridge,who led the NSERC CREATE application process says,“ThestudentsengagingwithRNAInnovationwillbeontheleadingedgeofRNAresearchandwillgraduatewithstrong connections to industry partners and the skillsthattheyarelookingtohire.”

U of Lethbridge iGEM teams awarded gold and silver at international Giant JamboreeTheUofLethbridge’s iGEMstudentshaveprovenonceagain they are among the best andbrightest scientistsin the synthetic biology field. From over 300 teams,representingcountriesfromallovertheworld,theUofL’s collegiate team secured a goldmedal and the high

schoolentryasilveratthe2018InternationalGeneticallyEngineeredMachine(iGEM)competitioninBoston,MA.

The Lethbridge high school iGEM team (left) and collegiate iGEM team (right) participated successfully in the international jamboree 2018

The collegiate team’s project VINCEnT focussed on developingtoolsforothersyntheticbiologyresearchers.Targetingspecifictissues,celltypes,orcellularorganellesisimportantforthecorrecttreatmentofmanydiseases.TheUofLteamcreatedsoftwarethatwouldhelpothersovercome these problems. The team members alsodemonstrated how they can successfully encapsulatecargowithinP22“nano-compartments”thatcantargetzebra and quaggamussels with species-specific toxins.Oneof the largest problems facingAlbertawaterways,zebra and quagga mussels are considered aquaticinvasive species and a threat to the Alberta economy,specifically agriculture, tourismand recreation, as theydestroynatural lakeecosystemsandfisheries.Workonthisapplicationwillcontinueinthefuture.

The Lethbridge high school team’s project, Cu Later, described a method for the capture and removal ofmetals fromtailingspondsandeffluentwaterusinganengineeredbacteriophage systemand receiveda silvermedalandnominationforbestmodel.

Representatives from the U of Lethbridge were alsoinvolvedincoreactivitiesfortheiGEMGiantJamboree.Dr. H.-J. Wieden,alsoaprimaryinvestigatorfortheUofL collegiate team, was one of the competition judges,and Chris Isaac,UofLethbridgebiochemistrygraduatestudent,participatedintheiGEMSafetyCommittee.


Alberta RNA Research and Training Institute welcomes Gairdner Awardee Dr. Azim Surani for RNA and Epigenetics SymposiumTheUofLethbridge’sAlbertaRNAResearchandTrainingInstitute (ARRTI) was proud to host Dr. Azim Surani,recipient of the 2018 Canada Gairdner InternationalAward,inOctober2018.Thismarksthesixthconsecutiveyear that the University has had the opportunity topresentaGairdnerLaureate.Dr.Surani is thedirectorofGermlineandEpigeneticsResearch,WellcomeTrustCancerResearchU.K.GurdonInstitute,andaMarshall-Walton Professor, University of Cambridge. He is one of five2018CanadaGairdnerInternationalLaureatesand,along with Dr. David Solter, has been recognized forthe discovery of mammalian genomic imprinting anditsconsequencesfordevelopmentanddiseasesuchasdevelopmental syndromes like Beckwith-Wiedemann,Angelman and Prader-Willi, and a variety of cancers andneurologicaldisorders.TheworkbyDrs.SuraniandSolter isone thekeydiscoveries that started thefieldofepigenetics.“ItisexcitingforourstudentstolearninpersonfromDr.SuraniabouttherecentprogressontheroleofDNAmodificationindevelopmentoforganismsand how the inappropriate DNA modifications leadto diseases such as cancer,” says Dr. Trushar Patel, aresearcher and professor in the U of L’s Departmentof Chemistry & Biochemistry. And Dr. H.-J. Wieden,directorofARRTI, adds: “Wearevery fortunate tobeabletobringsucharesearchertoourcampus,tospeakonhis researchand inspireour students.”Dr. Surani’svisittotheUofLincludedapublickeynotelectureon“Fromgenomic imprinting to thehumangermline” tokickoffasymposiumfocusedonRNAandEpigenetics.The lecturewas followedbyaseriesof lightning talksbylocalandvisitingresearchersinthefieldsofRNAandEpigenetics.

One of the main goals of the Gairdner Foundationprogram is also to inspire the next generation ofresearchers by giving high school students theopportunitytohearfromandinteractwiththeworld’sleading researchers. “Scientists are normal people,but some scientists like the Gairdner awardees havemadeextraordinaryscientificdiscoveries,”saysDr.UteKothe,aprofessorintheDepartmentofChemistryandBiochemistry. “It was therefore very inspiring for thestudentsatalocalschooltomeetDr.Suraniandtohearabouthislifeinapresentationentitled“OutofAfricatoaCareerinScience”.

U of Lethbridge new Science and Academic Building is ready to host researchers and to enable transdisciplinary researchThe University of Lethbridge’s new Science andAcademic Building is complete, and researchers aregettingreadytomoveinoverthesummerof2019.TheScienceandAcademicBuildingwillbeoneofthemostadvanced facilities for teaching and researching thesciencesinthecountry.Sustainablydesignedwithlocalclimate in mind, students, faculty and community will come together for innovation and discovery. Its openandflexiblelaboratoryenvironmentwillencourageandfoster research between all the sciences at the U ofLethbridge,creatingopportunitiesfortransdisciplinarycollaborations.Ideaswillflourishandgivestudentsandfaculty innovative ways to problem solve with moreresourcesavailablethaneverbefore.

Brian Sullivan, Destination Project program director,saysconstructionoftheScienceandAcademicBuildingwillbecompletedinlateSpring2019,withitsfirstintakeofstudentsinthe2019FallSemester.Sullivansays:“It’salwaysexcitingtoseetheendofaprojectapproachingandwelookforwardtoopeningthedoorsandrealizingitscompletion.”TheUniversityofLethbridge’sScienceandAcademicBuildinghasbeenshortlistedasafinalistfor an award at theWorldArchitecture Festival 2018.“We’ve always known we were creating somethingiconicandthatthisbuildingwouldsetanewstandardforscienceandacademicfacilitiesinthecountry.Nowthatwe’renearingcompletion,it’sexcitingtoseeittakeshapeandberecognizedforitsdesignandfunctionality,whichwe believewill create a revolutionary teachingand research environment,” says U of L Provost andVice-President(Academic),Dr.AndyHakin.

“TheDestinationProjecthasbeenanexperienceof alifetime,”saysVice-President,ArchitectureforStantec,Michael Moxam. “The Integrated Design Processthat brought all the University stakeholders and ourincredibledesignteamtogetherhasresultedinavisionfor the ScienceandAcademicBuilding thatwill breaknewgroundintransdisciplinaryeducationandresearchin science, in environmental sustainability, and in campusbuilding.TheiconiclandscapethatsoinspiredArthur Erickson in the design of University Hall hasequallyinspiredusandthiswillbeclearlyevidentintheexperienceofthebuilding.”


University of ManitobaDepartment of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, Rady Faculty of Health SciencesCorrespondent: Barbara Triggs-Raine

Changing places and new faces:Our department welcomed its newest faculty memberin September of 2018, Dr. Meaghan Jones. Dr. Jonesjoined us as an Assistant Professor in the department,andScientistintheChildren’sHospitalResearchInstituteofManitoba. She completed her B.Sc. atMount AllisonUniversity, followedbyaPh.D. inmolecularepigenetics,andpost-doctoraltraininginpopulationepigenetics,both

at the University of BritishColumbia.Dr. Jones’currentresearch focus is theroleofepigeneticchangesinthelinkbetweenmothers’ exposureto inhaled pollutants likecigarette smoke and theirchildren’s risk of developingasthma. Dr. Jones is excitedto be beginning herindependentcareerinBMG,andishappytohavesurvivedherfirstPrairiewinter.

Fall2018wasatimeofchangefortheDepartmentwithDr. Louise Simard ending a very successful 12-year term asHeadoftheDepartment.Duringthistimetherewereseveralnewrecruitstothedepartment,thedevelopmentof a new M.Sc. program in genetic counselling, andthe introduction of a computational biology teachingand research theme. Dr. Simard has taken on a newadministrative role as an Associate Dean, GraduateStudies,whereshewillcontinuetoprovideleadershipingraduatestudies,anareainwhichshehashadalife-longinterest.

The newHead of the Department,Dr. Barbara Triggs-Raine, has been with the department for more than25 years. She has a long-standing research interest inunderstandingandtreatingraregeneticdisordersusingbothgeneticandbiochemicalapproaches.Shehopestogrow the department’s role in undergraduate teachingwithintheBachelorofHealthSciences.Interestingly,Dr.Triggs-Rainefollowsinthefootstepsofaseriesoffemaledepartment Heads starting with Dr. Phyllis McAlpine

(HeadoftheDepartmentofHumanGeneticsbeforeitsmerger to form Biochemistry and Medical Genetics),followedbyDr.JaneEvans,andmostrecentlyDr.LouiseSimard.

Celebrating outreach:Dr. James Davie has been an avid member of theCanadian Society for Molecular Biosciences for many years.Thisyearheexpandedhis role as a communityleader in science, taking ontheofficeofgeneralsecretaryoftheInternationalUnionofBiochemistry and MolecularBiology (IUBMB) in Januaryof2019.ThisUnionpromotesresearch and education inbiochemistry and molecularbiologyaroundtheworld.

Dr. Francis Amara is a leader in the development ofresearchandeducationinSierraLeone,whichafteryearsofcivilwarhasverylittleinfrastructureforSTEM.Heiscommittedtoworkingwiththeclassmatesofhisyouthtogivebacktotheircountryofbirth.Herecognizestheimportance of empowering the people within SierraLeone to be the next generation of doctors, teachersand researchers.Hehasplayeda verypersonal role inraising money to build infrastructure and is involving membersof thedepartment indevelopingeducationalopportunities for citizens of Sierra Leone. This will befurthered by his recent appointment as Ambassadorfor the IUBMB. Following in his footsteps,Dr. Etienne LeygueofourDepartmentwill joinhiminSierraLeonethisspringtoteachandtrainfutureleadersinSTEM.

Professional development in STEM in Sierra Leone

Dr. Meaghan Jones

Dr. James Davie


Sierra Leone teachers with their certificate of participation

Faculty awards and recognitions:Dr. Pingzhao Hu was recognized for his innovation inartificial intelligence through the Interstellar InitiativeAwardfromtheNewYorkAcademyofSciencesandJapanAgency for Medical Research and Development. Thisaward recognizes and brings together promising earlycareerinvestigatorsinthefieldsofcancer,neuroscienceandartificialintelligence.

The international team (from left to right: Dr Pingzhao Hu (Canada), Dr. Anna Junker (Germany) and Dr. Kazuhiro Murakami (Japan) at The Interstellar Initiative in the New York Academy of Sciences on June 22, 2018

Dr.Hu is one of the foundingmembers of Visual andAutomated Disease Analytics (VADA) program, anNSERCCollaborativeResearchandTrainingExperience(CREATE) funded Program. The VADA program is oneof the only few programs in Canada with a focus onhealth data science. Dr. Hu also plays an active rolein the advancement of statistical genetics within ourInstitution,andfortheStatisticalSocietyofCanadabyorganizingworkshops, journalclubs, trainingandcasestudiescompetitions.

The laboratoryofDr. Mojgan Rastegar received one of thetwo2018OntarioRettSyndromeAssociation(ORSA)researchawardsfor“InvestigatingtheeffectofMetformin

on MeCP2 homeostasis as a potential therapeuticstrategy for Rett Syndrome”. Also her laboratory wasrecognizedandsupportedbyORSAtocreatea“HumanRettSyndromeBrainTissueLaboratoryforTranslationalResearchandInnovation”.

Future leaders:Departmental trainees at all levels demonstrated theircommitment to excellence and innovation in research,acquiring many provincial and national awards. AwardrecipientswereMarjorieBuist,RachelleDinchong,AshleighHansen, Angela Krutish, Chloe LePage (CIHR CanadianGraduateScholarship-Masters);TriciaChoquette,ShaviraNarrandes (Research Manitoba Masters Studentship);LucileJeusset,BerardinoPetrelli(ResearchManitobaPh.D.Studentship);TarynAthey,PromitaGhosh,ClaireMorden(ManitobaGraduateScholarships).

Graduate students and faculty at the Awards Reception in November 2018

Of note, Dr. Brent Guppy,post-doctoral fellowwithDr.Tamra Ogilvie, was awarded the 2018-2020 WilliamDonald Nash Brain Tumour Foundation of CanadaFellowship for his project “Enhancing selumetinib-mediated killing of SHH medulloblastoma“. Of note,onlyoneof these fellowships isawardedannually,andthis is the first time the award has gone toManitoba.We were also very proud that second year geneticcounselling student Ashleigh Hansenwas awarded theNational Society of Genetic Counselors InternationalSpecial Interest Group Scholarship to support herresearch,“ExploringImmigrants’PerceptionsofGeneticCounselling.”


University of OttawaDepartment of Biochemistry, Microbiology and ImmunologyCorrespondent: Kristin Baetz

The Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology andImmunology at uOttawa has undergone a dramaticexpansioninthepast5years.Wearepleasedtointroduceyoutoourlatesttalentedearlycareerresearchers.

Dr. Vanessa D’CostaDr.VanessaD’CostajoinedourdepartmentinJuly2019.She completed her Ph.D. in Biochemistry atMcMasterUniversity,andpursuedherpost-doctoralstudiesintheProgramforCellBiologyatTheHospitalforSickChildren.Dr. D’Costa’s lab is focussed on understanding theintricatehost-microberelationshipsunderlyingbacterialinfection. Understandingthese complexanddynamicinteractions at a molecularlevel can provide importantclues as to how we cantarget infectious microbestherapeutically. It canalso provide new tools tostudy host cell biology, anduncover new fundamental processes that contributeto thehostcellular immuneresponse.

Dr. Mirelle KhachoDr. Khacho’s research focusses on the role ofmitochondria and their dynamic nature in theregulation of stem cell fate decisions and longevity. Disruption of mitochondrial function and dynamics,leadingtoelevatedreactiveoxygenspecies(ROS),area common pathogenic factor in many degenerativediseases and during aging. Dr. Khacho’s studieshave uncovered an important role formitochondrialdynamics in maintaining the self-renewal andregenerative capacity of stem cells. These studieshaveestablishedthat lossofmitochondrialdynamicsand elevated ROS impair the function and life-longmaintenance of stem cells. Her future studies will aim atelucidating the fundamental roleofmitochondrialdynamics and ROS in the regulation of stem cells inmuscle degenerative diseases and aging. As such,

the long-term goal ofher research program isto establish therapeuticstrategies to enhancemitochondrial functionand dynamics in stems cellsinordertorestoretheregenerative potential oftissue within the contextof degenerative disease and aging.

Dr. Jyh-Yeuan (Eric) LeeDr. Jyh-Yeuan (Eric) Lee joined the department asan Assistant Professor in 2017. He obtained hisdoctorate from the University of California, Riverside,in biochemistry and molecular biology, with a focuson cryo-electron microscopy and drug resistance. Hecompleted post-doctoral research first at Texas TechUniversityHealthSciencesCenter,andthenatUniversityof Texas Southwestern Medical Center, where hedeveloped expertise inmembrane protein engineeringand X-ray crystallography. The primary objective of hisresearch team is using protein structural biology andbiophysics methods to study the roles and regulationof the molecular lipid-transporting machinery thatregulatescholesterolmetabolismandlipidhomeostasis.Dr. Lee’s research has focussed on structure-functionstudies of mammalian ABC transporters, a group ofmembrane proteins thatuse ATP energy to regulate cross-membranetraffickingofsmallmolecules(suchascholesterol, phospholipidsor antibiotics). Currently,his laboratory focusses onthe molecular machineryresponsible for cholesterolandphospholipidtraffickingon cellular membranes.

Dr. Erin Mulvihill Erin Mulvihill joined the department in July 2017,and the main objective of her lab is to investigatethe cardiovascular complications of Type 2 diabetes.She completed her graduate studies in lipoproteinmetabolismattheUniversityofWesternOntariowithDr.MurrayHuff.Shethenpursuedapost-doctoralfellowship

Dr. Mirelle Khacho

Dr. Eric Lee

Dr. Vanessa D’Costa


inincretinbiologyattheLunenfeld Tanenbaum Research Instituteunder the direction ofDr. Daniel Drucker. ShehasrecentlyreceivedanEarly Investigator awardfrom both DiabetesCanadaandCIHR.

Dr. Jim SunDr. Sun joined uOttawa in July 2017 as an AssistantProfessor.HeobtainedhisPh.D.attheUniversityofBritishColumbiaandcompletedhispost-doctoraltrainingattheUniversityofAlabamaatBirmingham.Duringthistime,Dr. Sun made significant contributions to our currentunderstandingofthedynamichost-pathogeninteractionsbetween the macrophage and Mycobacteriumtuberculosis. The Sun laboratory is focussed onunderstandingthepathogenesisoftuberculosisusingamulti-disciplinaryapproachthatcombinesmicrobiology,cell biology, immunology, and systems biology. Through studying theinterfacebetweenthehostandpathogen,Dr.Sunseekstoidentifynovelhosttargetsthat are hijacked duringinfection,whichenablethebacteria to persist withinmacrophages, the immunesystem’sfightercells.

University of SaskatchewanDepartment of Biochemistry, Microbiology and ImmunologyCorrespondent: Scot Leary

IthasbeenfouryearssincewecontributedareporttotheannualCSMBBulletin.Oh,howthingshavechanged!July1st, 2018 sawour ancestral department, Biochemistry,merge with the Department of Microbiology andImmunology to form the Department of Biochemistry,Microbiology and Immunology. In addition to theoriginal members of both departments, we welcomedTroy Harkness to the fold, and his transfer from theDepartment of Anatomy and Cell Biology brought ourtotalfacultycomplementto28.

An interim head, Bill Roesler, was appointed for an18-month period and tasked with overseeing theharmonizationofourcollegialprocesses.Billrecognizedthatwiththeincreasedsizeofthedepartment,wewouldbenefit greatly from having an assistant head and thedepartment was fortunate enough that Linda Chelico agreedtoserveinthiscapacity.Wehavealsobenefittedtremendously,aswereorganizeandreformourvariouscollegial processes, from the recent recruitment oftwo superb administrative staff; Shannon DeGagne isassistanttothehead,whileBarbStucklessoverseesourgraduatestudiesprogram.Whiletherewasoptimismthatthemergerwould go smoothly, our expectations havebeen exceeded in this regard! In fact,wehave ratifiedchangestounifyallofourcollegialprocesses,includingthe proposed merger of our two graduate programs,whichwillsoonbeconsideredattheUniversitylevelbytheCollegeofGraduateandPostdoctoralStudies.Wearegratefultothegraduateco-chairsJeremy Lee and Sylvia van den Hurkandthegraduateaffairscommitteesforalltheirhardwork,andtothefacultyforbeingopenaswemeldeduniqueelementsoftheoriginalprogramstocrafta new one.

Faculty news:Inadditiontothemerger,wehavewitnessedchangeswith respect to the composition of our faculty, andexpect this to be a continued theme over the nextfew years. In September2018, we welcomed Kerry Lavender (Rocky MountainLaboratories/NIH) to thedepartment.Wearecurrentlyin the process of hiring twonew recruits at the assistantprofessor level with anexpected start date of July2019, and are very excited by the high number of qualityapplications we have toconsider.

Facultyrenewalhasbeenmadepossiblebywayoftheupcoming retirements ofHughes Goldie (1981-2019),Calliopi Havele (1988-2019)andPeter Howard (2002-2020). We thank Popi, Hughes and Peter for theirinvaluablecontributionsovertheyearsandwishthemwellinretirement.Wealsowishtosharewithyouthesadnewsthatoneofouradjunctmembers,GordonGray,

Dr. Erin Mulvihill

Dr. Jim Sun

New faculty member, Dr. Kerry Lavender


recentlypassedawayattheageof51.Gord’smemorialwas heavily attended byhis University colleagues,and Bill Roesler’s eulogyreminded us of his sharpmind, joy for life, loyalty and tenacity. Several of Gord’spast trainees also shared afewbriefwordsemphasizinghow committed he wasto mentorship. He will be

sorely missed.

Research news:Wealsowishtoshareseveralnoteworthydevelopmentson the research front. This year saw Mirek Cygler successfully renew his Tier 1 CRC chair for another7 years. Linda Chelico had quite a year too, as shesecuredtwoCIHRProjectgrantstoworkontheroleofAPOBEC3cytidinedeaminasesinHIV-1andcancer,andwaspromotedtoFullProfessortoboot.CongratulationsLinda!Scott Napper, Sylvia van den Hurk and Wei Xiao allreceivedsizeablegrants-in-aidofresearchfromtheSaskatchewan Agriculture Development Fund. Joyce Wilson and Scott Napper also received 5-year NSERCDiscoverygrants.

Other department news:This past year we have also been fortunate to haveJoyce Wilson, Yu Luo and Scot Stoneworktogethertoassembleastellarlineupofspeakersforourcombinedseminar series. Of these, we were blessed to hostaboutadozenexternalspeakersandhearabout theirmost recent research developments. We value theirwillingnesstocontributetotheeducationofbothourundergraduateandgraduatestudents,andwehopetosecuresufficientfundsfromtheCollegeofMedicinetoensurethesustainedcontributionsof invitedspeakerstoourtrainingprogramforyearstocome.

Wewouldberemissnottoacknowledgethesuccessesof Zoe Gillespie(Eskiwlab)andDr. Amit Gaba(Chelicolab). Zoe was awarded a Vanier Canada graduatescholarshipinsupportofherPh.D.studiesonprogeriaandaging,whileDr.Gabawastherecipientofapost-doctoral fellowship from the Saskatchewan HealthResearchFoundation.

University of TorontoDepartment of BiochemistryCorrespondent: Alex Palazzo

Faculty news:2018 was an exciting year for the BiochemistryDepartmentattheUniversityofToronto.Justin Nodwell finishedhisfirsttermasChairandtookasabbaticalleaveduring the second half of the year, with Walid Houry presidingasActingChairinhisabsence.

In July, faculty member Jean-Philippe Julien, along with Vivian Saridakis from York University, organizeda symposium to honour Emil Pai, who retired fromthe Biochemistry Department earlier this year. Thesymposium featured presentations by former Pai labmembers and a Connell Lecture by friend and colleague GregPetsko fromCornellUniversity. Emilwill continueworking on some collaborative projects, but he is alsolookingforwardtospendingmoretimewithhisfamily.

From left to right: Vivian Saridakis (York University), Justin Nodwell, Emil Pai, Oliver Ernst, Peter Lewis, Reinhart Reithmeier, and J.-P. Julien.

TheDirectorofourgraduateprofessionaldevelopment(GPD) program, Dr. Nana Lee, continues leading GPDseminars, workshops and consultations at nationalmeetingsandwithotherinstitutions.Somehighlightsfor2018includeUniversityofCalgary,UniversityofAlberta,AmericanSocietyofBiochemistryandMolecularBiology,Canadian Society of Pharmaceutical Sciences, andAmericanAssociationofMedical Colleges -GraduationResearch, Education and Training Conference, andSciencetoBusinessEdmontonChapter.She isdirectingthe third year of faculty developmentworkshop seriesandhasspearheadedandimplementedthefirstcohortofaninnovativePh.D.LeadersProgramattheFacultyofMedicine, University of Toronto.

Gordon Gray


Awards:We are happy to report that Lewis Kay was awarded the 2018 Gerhard Herzberg Canada Gold Medal byNSERC. This prize is awarded annually for both thesustained excellence and overall influence of researchwork conducted in Canada in the natural sciences orengineering.HisresearchfocussesonimprovingNuclearMagneticResonance(NMR)spectroscopy,thetechnology

used to capture images ofproteinswithinhumancells.Thanks to Kay’s innovations,we are taking picturesof larger, more complexproteins than ever before,and actually watching themin motion. This is revealingimportant clues aboutfundamental questionsin physics, chemistry andbiology.

Lewis Kay

We are please to reportthat Hue Sun Chan was as chosen as the 2019 Fellowof the Biophysical Society ofCanada. Hue Sun was also elected as Program Co-chairoftheIntrinsicallyDisorderedProtein(IDP)subgroupoftheBiophysical Society (U.S.). Hewill help organize a meetingtobeheldSaturday,March2,2019inBaltimore,Maryland. Hue Sun Chan

WearealsohappytoannouncethatAlan Davidson was awarded a Tier 1 Canada Research Chairs, while Joel Watts, Haley Wyatt, and Trevor Moraes were awarded TierIICRCs.

Canada Research Chairs (L to R), Alan Davidson, Joel Watts, Haley Wyatt, and Trevor Moraes

Walid Houry will be co-organizing two upcomingmeetings: the inaugural “Proteostasis Researchers inCanada”meeting,whichwillbeheldinToronto,June10-11,2019(https://www.fourwav.es/view/886/info/),andthe Keystone Symposia conference on “AAA+ Proteins:FromAtomic Structures toOrganisms” inGranlibakkenTahoe,LakeTahoe,California,January26–29,2020.

Oliver Ernst and Leonid Brown (University of Guelph)organizedthe18th InternationalConferenceonRetinalProteins,24-29September2018,HockleyValleyResort,Ontario.

GraduateStudentShawn Xiongwasthisyear’srecipientof the Teaching Assistants’ Training Program award attheUniversityofToronto,thesecondtimeintwoyearsthis prestigious awardhasbeengiven to a TA involvedin the undergraduate course BCH210H: Biochemistry I.CongratulationstoShawn!

Promotions:Congratulation to Alex Ensminger, Gregory Fairn and Roman Melnyk who were promoted to the rank ofAssociate Professor, and to Walter Kahr and Aleixo MuisewhowerepromotedtoFullProfessor.

Research highlights:A chemical defence for bacteria against phage infection (Nature.2018564:283-286)TheMaxwelllab,incollaborationwiththeNodwelllab,uncovered a chemical anti-phage defence system thatis widespread in the bacterial family of Streptomyces. Theseproducethreemoleculesthat insert intoDNAtoblock phage replication. Thismechanism of anti-phagedefence probably has a major evolutionary role inshapingbacterialcommunities.

Novel small molecule inhibitors of mitochondrial protein degradation(CellChemBiol.201825:1017-1030.e9)The Houry lab uncovered novel compounds thatdysregulate the activity of human mitochondrial ClpPproteaseleadingtocelldeath.Thesecompoundscouldbedevelopedasnovelanticancerreagents.

New drug that disarms a deadly hospital superbug (NatureCommunications.20189:5233)A team led by Roman Melnyk screened thousands ofsmall-molecule drugs to find any thatmight block theeffects of the deadly toxins secreted by Clostridium


difficile without affecting the gut bacteria. They foundthat Niclosamide protected human colon cells from C. difficiletoxinsbypreventingtheiruptakeintocells.

New structure of a key malaria protein with blocking antibody (Science.2018360:1358-1362)The Julien lab solved theX-ray structureof amoleculeknown to be essential for the malarial parasitePlasmodium falciparum to go through the sexualstagesof its lifecycle,andanantibodyknowntoinhibitits function. The researchdoneby Julien andhis teamshowedwhat the protein looks like, and how such anantibodybinds ittoblock its function.This informationcannowbeusedforvaccinedevelopment. Inaddition,theantibodyitselfcanbeusedasaninterventionwhenadministered to people in malaria-endemic areas, anapproachthatiscalledpassiveimmunization.Indeed,ahumanizedversionofthisantibodyisnowinpreparationforclinicaltrialsinamalaria-endemicregion,whichwillstarttoassesshoweffectivethisbiomedicalinterventioncan be at reducing malaria transmission.

Yeast study reveals clues to maintaining genome size (JournalofCellBiology.2018217:2445)TheBrownlabimplicatedtheRSC(“remodelsthestructureof chromatin”) complex in helping to duplicate yeastcentrosomes(knownasthespindlepolebody),whichhelpstopullchromosomesapartduringmitosis.This isanovelfunctionforthiscomplexandmayexplainwhymutationsinthehumanversionofRSCalsoleadtospontaneousincreaseinchromosomenumber,andhavebeenfoundinrhabdoidtumours,ahighlyaggressiveformofkidneycancer.

Structure of the glucagon receptor in complex with a glucagon analogue. (Nature. 2018 553:106-110),Cryo-EM structure of human rhodopsin bound to an inhibitory G protein (Nature.2018558:553-8)Aspartofamulti-labcollaboration,theErnstlabhelpedtodecipherhowtworelatedproteins,the lightreceptorrhodopsin and the glucagon receptor, are regulated inresponse to ligand binding. This work will lead to newinsights into the function of this group of proteins, theG-coupledproteinreceptors,whicharemajordrugtargets.

10,000 PhDs Project (PLoSONE.201914:e0209898)Ledbyourformerchair,ReinhartReithmeier,the10,000PhDs Project used publicly-available information todetermine the current employment positions of the10,886individualswhograduatedwithaPh.D.fromUof

Tinalldisciplinesfrom2000to2015.Theemploymentoutcome data from the 10,000 (http://www.sgs.utoronto.ca/about/Pages/10,000-PhDs-Project.aspx)can assist students in making more informed choicesabout their own career paths. Themajor results weresummarizedinapaperpublishedinPLoSOneandwerefeatured in Science Careers (https://www.sciencemag.org/careers/2019/03/first-us-private-sector-employs-nearly-many-phds-schools-do).

Departmental events:

Department RetreatOurthirdannualDepartmentRetreatwasheldOctober1-3atGenevaParkinOrillia,Ontario.Ourguestspeakerswere Dr. Jennifer Leeds from Novartis Institutes forBioMedicalResearch,whospoketousabouther latesteffortsindrugdevelopment,andDr.ImogenCoe,Deanof the Faculty of Science at Ryerson University, whospokeaboutequity,diversity,andinclusioninSTEM.Thefocusofthisyear’sretreatwasontheincomingrotationstudents. Indeed, on the first night faculty memberspresentedapostersessionwheretheychatteduptheirlatestworkwithallthenewstudents.

Awardees from the retreat included Yogesh Hooda (Moraes lab) who received the Centennial Award inhonourofSelaCheifetz(topPh.D.studentbeyondyear3),Scott McAuley(Nodwelllab)whocapturedtheDavidA. Scott Award (best all-round BCH graduate student),Nero ThevakumaranwhoreceivedtheMostOutstandingPh.D. Thesis award, andOlesia Ivantsiv (Davidson lab)whoearnedtheTopT.A.award.Publicationawardsweregiven to Matthew McCallum(Howelllab)whoreceivedtheConnell award for thebest first author publicationfor 2017 by a graduate student (McCallum et al., Themolecular mechanism of the type IVa pilus motors.NatureComm.20178:15091)andtoYi-Hsuan Lin(Chanlab)who received the Connell award for the best firstauthorpublicationfor2017byapost-doctoralfellow(Linet al., Phase separation and single-chain compactnessof chargeddisorderedproteins are strongly correlated.Biophys. J.201710:2043-46).Otherawardees includedKyla Germain (Kim lab),Lucie Zhu (Wilde lab) for bestpostersbyM.Sc.students;Kathleen Orrell(Melnyklab),Taylor Sicard (Julien lab),Nicolas Demers (Kim lab) forbest posters by Ph.D. students; and Thiago Seraphim (Hourylab)forbestpost-doctoralfellowposter.


Walid Houry and the poster awardees: Thiago Seraphim (post-doctoral fellow, Houry lab), Nick Demers (Ph.D., Kim lab), Kyla Germain (M.Sc., Kim lab), Taylor Sicard (Ph.D., Julien lab) and Kathleen Orrell (Ph.D., Melnyk lab)

Golf DayThis year’s Golf Day, which took place on June 27th,dawned bright and sunny with a cool breeze that wasperfect for our Departmental tournament. A record 32biochemists (anda sprinklingof Immunologists) headedout tothe little-known jewelofmid-townToronto–theFlemingdon Park 9-holeGolf Course. Each team had itsshareofbeginnersandringersplayinga“bestball”formatthat allowed everyone to contribute to their team. ThecompetitionwasfiercebuttheERADicalsmanagedtoholdontotheirtitle,squeakingoutawinovertheDeadRingerswhowereclosebehind.Agreattimewashadbyall!

Golf Day participants 2018

University of TorontoDepartment of Cell and Systems BiologyCorrespondent: Neil MacPherson

Cell and Systems Biology at the University of Torontohas had a great year, with significant investmentsin modernized teaching spaces, updated researchlaboratories and in strengthening our state-of-the-artimagingfacility.Afteroverhalfacentury,wehavenewanimalresearchsupportfacilitiesandhaveplansintheworkstoenhanceandexpandourplantgrowthfacilities.

Faculty news:In 2018, Professor Melanie Woodin was appointedas inaugural Vice-Dean, Interdivisional Partnerships.In this role she is responsible for the development,implementation and ongoing monitoring of thefaculty’s interdivisional relationships and partnerships.ProfessorWoodin’s leadershipand excellence in research,graduate mentoring, graduate training, undergraduate teaching, and service resultedinherappointmentasDean of Arts and SciencestartingJuly1,2019.Youcanreadmoreabouther neuroscience research inCell and Systems Biology, and her plans for the faculty athttps://uoft.me/DeanWoodin.

Melanie Woodin

Professor Dinesh Christendat was promoted to fullProfessor this year. His work focusses on molecularreconstructionofproteins tounderstand theirevolutionand functional diversification in metabolic pathways.ProfessorChristendat’sgrouputilizesproteinengineeringcoupledwithstructuralbiologytoinvestigatetheevolution

Yogesh Hooda, winner Sela Cheifetz Award, and Walid Houry

Walid Houry and Scott McAuley, winner of the David A. Scott award


of shikimate pathway enzymes. In plants, the pathwayproduces a precursor for anthocyanins, flavonoidsand isoflavonoids, which are potential antioxidants

with nutritional benefitsto humans. The shikimatepathwayisanattractivetargetfordrugdevelopmentbecauseit isabsent inhumans,but isessential for the survival ofmicrobial organisms including Plasmodium falciparum, which causes malaria, andToxoplasma gondii,implicatedinpsychologicaldisordersandtoxoplasmosis.

Dinesh Christendat

Professor Chris Garside was promoted to Associate Professor, Teaching Stream. He uses this position tocreate an interactive environment where students aregiventheopportunitytotakerisksandquestionacceptedtheories, leading to thedevelopmentof critical thinkingthatinspiresanenthusiasmforlearning.ProfessorGarsideis dedicated to investigating and incorporating the bestways to train TAs in order to facilitate the engagement ofour undergraduate students in laboratories. You candiscuss his research withhim and learn about newpedagogical approacheslocally at U of T, provinciallyatoCUBE(OntarioConsortiumof Undergraduate Biology Educators),andinternationallyatABLE(AssociationofBiologyLaboratoryEducation). Chris Garside

Professor Ashley BrucehasbeenappointedDirectorofthe Human Biology Program,the largestundergraduate lifescienceprogramatUofT.HMBprograms, which range fromGlobalHealthtoNeuroscience,enable students to delve into the interdisciplinary field ofhuman biology and specializein their selected area ofinquiry.

CSB at the forefront of computational research:CSB plant scientists address Big Data challenges of large scale plant ecosystem/phenotype/genotype data. Professor Nicholas Provart and collaborators from Saskatchewan,B.C.andQuébecwillhelptowinnowtheabundantharvestofcropdataforuseful traits throughaGenomeCanadagrant“FromePlantstoeEcosystems”aspartoftheBioinformaticsandComputationalBiology(B/CB) competition. Read more at https://uoft.me/ProvartBCB

Exploiting broad range resistance genes that could protect crops against multiple pathogens, reduce losses and increase yield. Professor David Guttman was recentlyawarded$2millioninfundingfromtheGenomicApplications Partnership Program (GAPP) of GenomeCanada to develop broad-range disease resistance ingreenhousevegetables.

CSB Research Day:CSBResearchDaywasheldonMay5th,2018.Amorningof fascinating talks was followed by a poster sessionwherestudentspresentedalltheirdetailedwork.AwardsfromResearchDayandforexcellenceovertheyearwerepresentedduringtheconcludingdinnerparty.

The inauguralRustomH.DasturScholarshiptosupportstudents pursuing studies in botany was awardedto Ahmad Hasan (Ness Lab). This scholarship wasbequeathed by Renate Dastur in honour of her latefather-in-law, a plant physiologist who, among otherresearch,undertookapioneeringstudyontheeffectofblue-violetraysonphotosynthesisin1935.

Research Day

CSB awards were presented for the Valerie AndersonAward to Ahmed Hamam (Kronzucker lab), KennethC. Fisher Fellowship to Amir Arellano Saab (McCourtAshley Bruce


lab), Sheila Freeman Award to Dennison Trinh (Nashlab), Dr. Clara Winifred Fritz Memorial Fellowship toDerek Seto (Desveaux lab),DuncanL.GellatlyMemorialFellowship to Taraneh Zarin (Moses lab), Yoshio MasuiPrize in Developmental, Molecular or Cellular Biologyto Nicholas Guilbeault (Thiele Lab), David F. MettrickFellowshipto Rida Ansari(ThieleLab),Dr.KlausRothfelsMemorial Scholarship to Sherin Mohammed Shibin (Rhee lab), Senior Alumni Association Prize to Trisha Mahtani (Treanor lab),HilbertandRetaStrausAwardtoStuart Macgregor (Goring lab), Vietnamese-CanadianCommunity Award to Annik Yalnizyan-Carson (Richardslab), Elizabeth Ann Wintercorbyn Award to Choden Shrestha(Lovejoylab)andSonhita Chakraborty(Yoshiokalab),RamsayWrightScholarshipto Arthur Cheng(Chenglab), Zoology International Scholarships to Casey Read (Lovejoy lab) and Tatiana Ruiz Bedoya (Guttman lab),ZoologySesquicentennialAward toSteven Chen (Changlab), Alfred and Florence Aiken and Dorothy WoodsMemorial Scholarship to Afif Aqrabawi (Kim lab), JoanM. Coleman Scholarship toAnna Van Weringh (Provartlab)andtheSherwinS.DesserScholarshiptoAlexander Myrka (Bucklab).

CSB public engagement:CSB had an engaged and enthusiastic team to host ourbooth at the annual Science Rendezvous 2018 street festivalonSt.GeorgeStreet.Wepresentedmodelsofplantandanimalcells,showedflymutantsandexhibitedplantpathogens.Visitorsrangedfromelementarystudentseagertolearnabouttheinnerworkingsofthecell,throughhighschoolstudents lookingtochooseaprogram,andontocuriousalumniofallages.Thisyear’sScienceRendezvouswilltakeplaceonMay11th;pleasevisitusinTorontoorgotoanyoftheotherScienceRendezvouseventsaroundCanada:https://www.sciencerendezvous.ca/.

Science Rendezvous 2018

In addition to our presence at Science Rendezvous,CSB also supports the activities of Let’s Talk Science (http://letstalkscience.ca/) and iGEM Toronto (https://igemtoronto.ca/).Professor Belinda Chang alsohostedhighschoolstudentsduringMarchBreakaspartofStep into STEM.

Professor John PeeverspokeabouthisresearchintotheneurobiologyofsleeponThe AgendafromTVO.Thevideocan be found here: https://tvo.org/video/programs/the-agenda-with-steve-paikin/a-good-nights-sleep. Professor Peever aims to understand the mechanismsunderlyingbehaviouralarousalstates(e.g.,wakefulness,REMsleep,non-REMsleep)andthemechanisticchangesthatoccurinsleepdisorderssuchasnarcolepsyandREMsleepbehaviourdisorder.ProfessorPeeverwasalsotheguestinaFutureTechHealthPodcaston“UnderstandingtheRestorativeNatureofSleep”.Linkstothepodcastcanbe found at http://uoft.me/PeeverPodcast

Research:RecenthighprofilepapersfromCSBresearchersinclude:Acargomodelofyolksyncytialnuclearmigrationduringzebrafishepiboly.FeiZ,BaeK,ParentSE,WanH,GoodwinK, Theisen U, Tanentzapf G, Bruce AEE. Development 146(2019).Thiswasaccompaniedbyapostofmoviescollected for thepaper,whichcanbe foundathttps://youtu.be/RCurLXSvwls

Single-cellanalysisuncoversconvergenceofcellidentitiesduringaxolotl limbregeneration.GerberT,MurawalaP,KnappD,MasselinkW,SchuezM,HermannS,Gac-SantelM,NowoshilowS,KageyamaJ,KhattakS,Currie JD,CampJG,TanakaEM,TreutleinB.Science362(6413)(2018)

Oxidative stress orchestrates cell polarity to promoteembryonicwoundhealing.HunterMV,WilloughbyPM,Bruce AEE, Fernandez-Gonzalez R. Dev Cell.47:377-387(2018)

KLF4nuclearexportrequiresERKactivationandinitiatesexit from naive pluripotency. Dhaliwal NK, Miri K,Davidson S, TamimEl JarkassH,Mitchell JA. Stem Cell Reports10:1308-1323(2018)

Collisionofexpandingactincapswithactomyosinbordersforcorticalbendingandmitoticroundinginasyncytium.ZhangY,YuJC,JiangT,Fernandez-Gonzalez R, Harris TJC. Dev Cell45:551-564(2018).


University of TorontoDepartment of Molecular GeneticsCorrespondent: Barbara Funnell

First, we would like to announce that in 2019 theDepartmentofMolecularGeneticswillbe50yearsold!From theDepartment ofMedical Cell Biology foundedbyDr.LouisSiminovitchin1969,andafterseveralnamechanges and amergerwith the formerDepartment ofMicrobiology,webecameMolecularGenetics.Wehaveexpandedtoover100facultymembers,threegraduateprograms (over 350 M.Sc./Ph.D. students, 6 studentsin theM.Sc. inGeneticCounselling,and15students inthe M.H.Sc. in Medical Genomics), and approximately220 undergraduates in the Molecular Genetics andMicrobiology Specialist and Major (MGY) programs.A major initiative begun in 2018 is the planning ofour anniversary celebrations. We will hold a scientificsymposium for alumni and our current community tohighlightpast andpresent scienceonMay31,2019atthe Carlu in downtown Toronto. Two eminent formerfacultymembersarekeynotespeakers,Dr.Lap-CheeTsui(ZhejiangUniversity) and Dr. RoderickMcInnes (McGillUniversity), and the rest of the day will be filled withtalks by Ph.D. alumni in various scientific careers. Weare extremely excited to reunite the members of ourcommunityandshareinthehistoryandaccomplishmentsofthedepartment!

Education updates:M.H.Sc. in Medical GenomicsInSeptember2018welaunchedtheM.H.Sc.inMedicalGenomics,whichisfirstofitskindinCanada.Weaccepted15studentsfromdiversebackgroundsforourinauguralclass,who are now in themiddle of their first year ofstudy. The program teaches practical and theoreticalaspectsofmoderngeneticsandgenomicswithastrongfocus on clinical application. Students graduating fromtheprogramwillobtainprofessionalandpracticalskillsthatwill help situate them inaworld inwhichgeneticandgenomicdataare routinely collectedandanalyzedacrossawiderangeofpatientpopulationsandmedicalindications.

International Doctoral Cluster initiativeThedepartmenthasbeendeeplycommittedtoforgingglobal research alliances with world-class graduateinstitutions. Our most recent International Doctoral

Cluster (IDC) for the Joint Institute of Genetics andGenome Medicine between the University of Torontoand Zhejiang University in China enrolled our firststudentin2018.Charmaine Rodrigues will be jointly co-supervisedbyDr.C.C.Hui andDr.XiHuang inMoGen,andDr.Min-XinGuanatZhejiang.Charmaineisstudyingthe role of mitochondria-associated ion channels inmedulloblastoma, themost aggressive childhood braincancer.

Welcome to new faculty:Dr. Yun Li isaScientist intheDevelopmentalandStemCell Biology program at the Hospital for Sick Children,and recently joined the Department as an AssistantProfessor. She received her Ph.D. at the University ofTexas Southwest MedicalCenter, and her post-doctoral training withRudolf Jaenisch at theWhitehead Institute at theMassachusetts Institute ofTechnology.Dr.Li’sresearchaims to understand howthe human brain forms,whatmakes it unique fromthat of other species, andhow disorders like autismimpactitsdevelopmentandfunction. Yun Li

Dr. Julien Muffat is a Scientist in the Neurosciencesand Mental Health program at the Hospital for SickChildren,andhasrecentlyjoinedtheDepartmentasanAssistant Professor. Dr.Muffat received his Ph.D. fromthe California Institute of Technology, and completed

his post-doctoral trainingwithRudolfJaenischattheWhitehead Instituteat theMassachusetts Institute ofTechnology. His laboratorystudies interactions ofthe nervous and immunesystems, with a focus onunderstanding the roleof the resident innateimmune cells of thebrain,microglia, in neurological andpsychiatricdisorders.

Julien Muffat


Dr. Stephanie Protze isaScientistattheMcEwenStemCell Institute at the University Health Network, andrecentlyjoinedtheDepartmentasanAssistantProfessor.She received her Ph.D. atthe University of Dresden,and her post-doctoraltraining with GordonKeller at the McEwenCentre for RegenerativeMedicine at UHN. Dr.Protze’s research focusseson heart developmentand on advancing new regenerative therapies totreat cardiovascular disease. Stephanie Protze

Dr. Miguel Ramalho-Santos is a Senior Scientist atthe Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute and anAssociateProfessor inMolecularGenetics.He receivedhis Ph.D. at Harvard University, and then was a UCSFFellow at the University of California-San Francisco,where he became an Assistant Professor in 2007. Herecently moved to Toronto to become the Canada 150 Research Chair in Developmental Epigenetics at LTRI. His lab studies theepigeneticregulationofstemcell pluripotency using thelatest techniques in stemcell biology, embryology, molecularbiology,functionalgenomicsandbioinformatics. Miguel Ramalho-Santos

Dr. Philipp Maass is a Scientist in the Genetics andGenomeBiologyprogramattheHospitalforSickChildren,

and has recently joined theDepartment as an AssistantProfessor. He completedhis Ph.D. at the HumboldtUniversityBerlin,MaxDelbrückCenter for Molecular Medicine, and his post-doctoral trainingat Max Delbrück Center forMolecular Medicine and HarvardUniversity. TheMaasslab studies inter-chromosomalinteractions and how they

regulategeneexpression,withparticularfocusonthoseofthenon-codinggenomethatimpactdevelopmentanddiseasemechanisms.

Retirement:Dr. Andrew Bognar retired on July 1, 2018. Andywas with the University of Toronto for 33 years, fromMicrobiology,toMedicalGeneticsandMicrobiology,toMolecularGenetics.Andy’sresearchinterestsconcernedfolate metabolism, the enzymatic mechanisms off o l y l p o l y g l u t am a t esynthetaseinbacteria,andone-carbon metabolism in yeast. Andy also served an important role for theUniversity,astheChairofthe University of TorontoBiosafety committee forover 10 years. We wishhim all the best and anextremely restful andhappyretirement. Andrew Bognar

Faculty highlights and awards:Dr. Lewis Kay has been awarded the 2018 Gerhard Herzberg Canada Gold Medal, Canada’s highesthonour for science andengineering. The prize, whichis accompanied by $1 millionin grant funding, recognizeshis role in improving nuclearmagnetic resonance (NMR)spectroscopy, technologythat elucidates the molecularstructureofproteinsandothermacromoleculeswithincells. Lewis Kay

Dr. Jeffrey Wranahasbeenawardedthe2018 McLaughlin MedalbytheRoyalSocietyofCanada.Themedalisawarded

forimportantresearchofsustainedexcellence in medical sciences, and is one of just 12 researchawards the society granted thisyear. Jeff was nominated for hisseminaldiscoveryoftheTGF-betasignaltransductionsystemanditscontributiontoourunderstandingofbiology,humandiseaseanditstreatment.Philipp Maass Jeffrey Wrana


Canada Research Chairs Nine facultymembers fromMolecularGeneticswereawardedCanadaResearchChairsin2018:

Dr. Amy Caudy - Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Metabolomics for Functional Enzyme Discovery.

Dr. Brian Ciruna - Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Developmental Genetics and Disease Modelling.

Dr. Leah Cowen - Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Microbial Genomics and Infectious Disease.

Dr. Alan Davidson - Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Bacteriophage-Based Technologies.

Dr. Daniel Durocher - Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Molecular Genetics of the DNA Damage Response.

Dr. Xi Huang - Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Cancer Biophysics.

Dr. Laurence Pelletier - Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Centrosome Biogenesis and Function.

Dr. Michael Wilson - Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Comparative Genomics.

Dr. Mei Zhen - Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Neural Circuit Development and Function.

Trainee awards:Eesha Sharma(Blencowelab)hasbeenawardeda2018JenniferDorringtonAward,forherstudiesonnon-codingRNAs and RNA-RNA interactions at the genomic level.The awardwas established in 2006 as a tribute to Dr.JenniferDorrington,whowasaprofessorintheBantingandBestDepartmentofMedicalResearch.

MolecularGeneticsalsohasseveralcompetitiveawardsand fellowships, given annually or biannually to ourgraduate students. Congratulations to all recipients!Theyare:Kristina Stzanko(Davidsonlab):L.W.MacphersonAwardKento Abe(Gingraslab):RomanPakulaAwardEllen Langille (Schramek lab): Hannah Farkas-HimsleyandAlexanderHimsleyMemorialPrizeDmitri Segal (Taipalelab):NormanBethuneAwardAmit Weiner(Gray-Owenlab):EricHaniFellowship

Departmental and community events:Farewell with many, many thanks, Iliana!Iliana Sztainbok, our MoGen Graduate ProgramAdministrator, moved this summer to the position

of Graduate ProgramsAdministrator in the Facultyof Music. Iliana joined MoGen in 1998, and haskept our graduate programrunning smoothly for over20 years. Her commitment and dedication playedan important role in thesuccess of the graduateprogram in the Departmentof Molecular Genetics. Wewish Iliana every success inhernewrole. Iliana Sztainbok

4th Annual MoGen Career Development SymposiumEmpoweringtraineesandengagingalumniareourprimarygoalsfortheCareerDevelopmentsymposiaseriesstartedin 2015. The 4th Annual MoGen Career DevelopmentSymposiumwas held on June 4, 2018, at the ChestnutConference Centre, organized byDrs. Leah Cowen and Barbara Funnell.Themissionofoursymposiaistoprovidementorship for our trainees in themany career optionsavailable to themby highlighting the paths followed bythemanyextraordinaryalumnifromMolecularGenetics.Theafternoonincludedround-tablediscussionsbetweenalumni and trainees, networking sessions, and a paneldiscussionbysixdistinguishedalumni:• Dr.Masha Cemma (Policy Advisor, Office of the ChiefScienceAdvisorofCanada)

• Dr. Blair Gordon (Director of Development, EdesaBiotech)

• Mr.DouglasHamilton(PresidentandCEO,MetaStatInc.)• Dr.PamelaKanellis(SeniorDirector,CanadianInstituteforAdvancedResearch)

• Dr. Liz Patton (Professor andMRC Programme LeaderScientist,UniversityofEdinburgh)

• Dr.AnthonyVecchiarelli(AssistantProfessor,UniversityofMichigan)

In 2019 we will incorporate a Career DevelopmentWorkshop into the 50th Anniversary Symposium (seeabove).Ournext(5th)CareerDevelopmentsymposiumwillbein2020.Staytuned!

MoGen Retreat 2018We have been meeting for an annual DepartmentRetreatforover20years.ThisyearwemetattheGenevaParkYMCAonLakeCouchiching,inOrillia,Ontario,on


September 19-21. The retreat was organized by Drs. Julie Lefebvre, Daniel Schramek, and Leah Cowen, withtheassistanceofKali Iyer, Amanda Charlesworth, Ellen Langille, and theirGSA team.The retreatkickedoff onWednesday evening with Power Hour night, arecruitmenteventforfirstyeargraduatestudentsandfaculty,followedbythemainretreatatwhichalltraineesand faculty are invited. Attendance was great, withover 250 attendees. The retreat showcases researchfromacrosstheentiredepartment,andincludesshortfacultytalksandpostersfromtrainees.Wecappedoffourdaywithafantasticline-upofdinnerentertainmentorganizedby theGSA. The celebrationswent into thenightatthefirepits,andwithmusicanddancingintheBarn.Anothersuccessfulyear!

Participants at the MoGen retreat 2018

Graduate student eventsThe GSA organizes several events every year toentertainand informourgraduate community. In thisnewsletter,wehighlightseveralthatwereheldin2018anddesignedtointroduceTorontotoourinternationalstudents. These students were given first crack atthe signup sheet, and then the events were open toall.Ourfirst activitywasa stroll throughHighPark towelcome the annual cherry blossoms bloom on May13.Bothinternationalanddomesticstudentscameouttobidwinter’sendbyenjoyingsomepicnicfoodkindlyprovidedbytheGSA,friendlyfrisbeetosses,andtheall-aroundniceweather.Otherevents includedapotluckpicniconTorontoIslandsattheendofthesummer,andanoutinginthefallto“FridayNightsLive”attheRoyalOntarioMuseumtoviewthedazzlingarrayofgalleriesaccompaniedbysumptuousfoodanddrinks.

Grad students admiring the cherry blossoms in High Park

A major initiative organized and run by our graduatestudents is the Career Development Program. Theprogramisdesignedtohelptraineesidentifyandachievetheir career goals through a series of workshops andnetworking events that each focus on distinct careeroptionsaccessibletolifesciencestrainees.In2018,thecareer development team hosted 6 events, on topicsrangingfromintellectualproperty,toentrepreneurship,toscienceandart.Theseworkshopsarealwaysverywellattended, andwe aredelighted that our students takesuchanactiveroleincareeroptionsforourgraduates!

University of Toronto MississaugaDepartment of Chemical and Physical SciencesCorrespondent: Voula Kanelis

Voula KanelisandhergroupstudyABCproteinsandHNHendonucleases.Highlightedactivitiesfromtheyearinclude:Sasha Weiditch’s successfully defended her Ph.D. thesis,M.Sc. student Sarah BickerswasawardedanNSERCCGS-M,undergraduate student Tetyana MurdzaobtainedanNSERCUSRA, and undergraduate Agatha Tymczak’s 4th yearprojectoralpresentationtiedforfirstplace!TheKanelislabalso welcomed Jonathan Sayewich,anM.Sc.studentinthegroupwhoisusinghisknowledgeofcomputationalstudiestocalculateprotein/drugstructuresfromNMRdata.

Voula Kanelis has continued her involvement in theAmgen Biotech Experience program, along with co-directorProfessorStevenChatfield(UTMBiology)andsitecoordination and technician Kristina Han. Together, they


haveprovidedhands-onbiotechlabexperiencetoover30schoolsandmorethan1,500studentsinthetwoyearstheprogramhasbeenrunning.

Female NMR spectroscopist trainees from the Kanelis and Prosser labs on the International Day of Women and Girls in Science

David McMillen has been investigating ways to bringbiology-based solutions to problems in low-resourcesettings.Hewas recently awardedaConnaughtGlobalChallengeAwardtitled“Innovatingfortheglobalsouth:acceleratingtheimpactofsyntheticbiologyonhealth”.The award will bring together faculty from across theuniversity-ProfessorsGoh,Sa,Pardee,andChockalingam,fromChemistry,Education,Pharmacy,andPublicHealth-toinvestigatethescientificandpublic-policyquestionsassociated with creating locally-appropriate syntheticbiologysolutionstoimprovepeople’shealth.Thiscouldincludelow-costmethodsofdetectingdiseaseusingcellsorcell-freeextracts,orjust-in-timetherapeuticorvaccineproductionusingmicrobes for biosynthesis. The awardwill also fund the direct participation of internationalstakeholders,sothatwecanbegintounderstandtheon-the-groundneedsinourtargetlocations.

Congratulations to Chris Di Pietrantonio and Jerome Gould in Scott Prosser’s laboncompletingtheirrecentM.Sc.theses.JeromeisofftoindustryandChrishasbeenadmittedtoanewdigitalhealthprogram.Congratulationsto Dmitry Pichuginwhohasofficially repairedhis11thturbo pump. Chris, Kate Huang, Advait Hasabnis, and Alex OraziettipresentedtheirresultsrecentlyinDublin,Ireland.ChriswassoprofoundlyimpressedbyGuinnessbeer that he has started brewing stout at home, fortesting on Friday afternoons. Kate thinks she nowunderstands cholesterol allostery, and Keith Taverner thinkstheBruinswillgoallthewayintheStanleyCup.

Foroneof these two, it’s amatterofwishful thinking.Welcome to Jacob van Reet and Geordi Frere as theybecomefully-fledgedgraduatecitizensofthelab.

Sarah Rauscher andcolleaguescontinue their researchinthedevelopmentofaccurateandefficientsimulationmethods to study intrinsically disordered proteins andproteindynamics inall-atomdetail.Please seehttps://www.utm.utoronto.ca/cps/faculty-staff/rauscher-sarah for more information. Professor Rauscher joins otherUTM colleagues on the organizing committee for theBiophysicalSocietyofCanadaannualmeeting,whichwillbeheldatUTMinlateMay2019.

Jumi ShinpublishedareviewarticleinPeptideScienceon“Peptide therapeutics that directly target transcriptionfactors.” Her research group is also continuing to usetheirphage-assisteddirectedevolutionsystemtorefinetheproteinsthatinhibittranscriptionfactorsinvolvedincancerand,morerecently,asthma.Formoreinformationof theShin lab,pleasesee:https://www.utm.utoronto.ca/~shinjumi/index.html.

Andrew Beharry’s research is at the interface ofbiochemistry andmedicinal chemistry,with the aimofdeveloping tools for cancer diagnostics and treatment.FormoreinformationontheBeharrygroup,pleasesee:http://www.beharrylab.com.

Patrick Gunningandhisgroupcontinuetomakestridesin the generation of drugs against cancer. For moreinformation on the Gunning group, please see: http://www.gunninggroup.ca/home.

University of Toronto ScarboroughDepartment of Biological SciencesCorrespondent: Rongmin Zhao

The Department of Biological Sciences at the UniversityofTorontoScarboroughcampuscurrentlyhas32full-timecore faculty members. Most of our faculty are also cross-appointedtotheDepartmentofCellandSystemsBiology(CSB)and/ortheDepartmentofEcologyandEvolutionaryBiology(EEB)attheSt.Georgecampus.Ourlabsfocusonresearch at molecular, organismal, and ecological levels,andhousemostofthegraduatestudentsonthecampus.


New faculty:Thedepartmenthasbeenrapidlygrowinginrecentyearswiththreesearchescurrently inprogress.Lastyear, twoplant biologists, Drs. Adam Mott and Eliana Gonzales-Vigil, joined theDepartment as assistant professors. Dr.Gonzales-Vigil has been trained in lipid biochemistry.She is interested in theoriginof some specializedplantsecondary metabolites, particularly in poplar trees. Herlabwillstudytheroleofthosemetabolitesinnature,andthemechanismbywhichtheyexerttoxicityorrepellency,thus shaping theacquisitionofnewtraits forplants.Dr.Mott is a plant systems biologist interested in plant-pathogeninteractions,andtherolesthatplantcellsurfacereceptors play in those interactions. His lab combineshigh-throughput techniquesandcomputationalanalysestounderstandhowreceptorsintegratebioticandabioticsignalstoregulateimmunity,growth,anddevelopment.

Faculty awards and recognition:In2018,Dr. Bebhinn Treanor,whostudiesB-lymphocytereceptors and teaches the core immunology courseon campus, has been granted tenure and promotedto Associate Professor, and Dr. Nathan Lovejoy was promoted to the rank of Professor. Dr. Nick Mandrak receivedtheLoftusAward,forhisdistinguishedscientificcontributions toward understanding the healthyecosystemsoftheGreatLakes. Dr. Christina Guzzo,whoisinterestedinthemolecularmechanismsofHIV-1controlandpathogenesis,receivedaJohnR.EvansLeadersFundaward from theCanada Foundation for Innovation.Dr. Blake RichardsreceivedanEarlyResearcherAwardfromtheOntarioMinistryofResearch,InnovationandScience.ThreeotherPIs(Drs. MacIvor, Manson and Terebiznik)received theirNSERCDiscoveryGrants. Particularly,Dr. Mauricio Terebiznik receivedtheDiscoveryAcceleratorSupplementsfundtoboosthisresearchinphagocytosis.

Graduate student news:OurgraduatestudentsatScarboroughcampusalsohadagreatyearin2018.FourmasterstudentsreceivedNSERCCGSM or OGS Awards. Two Ph.D. graduate students,Nicholas Guilbeault(Dr.Thielelab)andDennison Trinh (Dr.Nashlab),receivedtheNSERCPGSDscholarship.Inthe same year,Nicholas Guilbeault also received theYoshio Masui Prize in developmental, molecular andcellular biology for his study of zebrafish in neuronalcontrol of their natural ethological behaviours.Dennison TrinhreceivedtheSheilaFreemanGraduateAward in Zoology. Another student, Ahmed Hamam (Dr.Kronzuckerlab),wontheValerieAndersonAward,which is given to an outstanding graduate student inthedisciplineofPlantBiology.

University of VictoriaDepartment of Biochemistry and MicrobiologyCorrespondent: Perry Howard

Faculty news:Dr. Caroline Cameron won the Genome BC Award forScientificExcellenceinApril2019.SheisalsotheChairofthe23rdbiennialmeetingoftheInternationalSocietyforSexually Transmitted Diseases Research taking place inVancouverinsummer2019.InApril2018,Dr.Cameronwasawardedapatentforapotentialvaccineagainstsyphilis.

Dr. Caroline Cameron (photo courtesy of Uvic Photo Services)

Department news:Phase 1 of Petch building renovations is now (mostly)complete, providing upgraded laboratory space forfive researchers in the department. These laboratoriesoffer open concept spaces with improved space useefficienciesandseparateareasforwetlabanddeskwork,

Adam Mott Eliana Gonzales-Vigil


while meeting all laboratory safety requirements. ThesecondyearMicrobiologyteaching laboratorieswerealsorenovatedandnowprovideabright,safeandprofessionalspaceforundergraduatestudentstoexploretheworldofmicroorganisms.

Thedepartment’sundergraduateteachinglaboratorystaffhasmoved throughsomebigchanges thispastyear.TheSenior Laboratory Instructors, Mr. Glen Pryhitka and Ms. Barb Currie,bothretiredafterspendingover40yearseachteachingundergraduatestudentsthehands-ontechniquesof biochemistry and microbiology. Glen and Barb werekey players in developing the undergraduate laboratoryprogram.

Dr. Stephen Redpath and Ms. Adrienne White havemoved into those leadership roles. Their combined yearsof experience in research and teaching will ensure thelaboratory programmaintains its stellar reputationwhilestayingcurrentwithcuttingedgeresearch.

University of WaterlooDepartment of BiologyCorrespondent: Bernie Duncker

Faculty comings and goings:2018wasagreatyear for faculty renewal inBiologyatthe University of Waterloo, with two new colleaguesjoiningourDepartment.Dale Martin studies molecular mechanisms that promote the clearance of disease-causing proteins in neurodegeneration, includingHuntington disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(https://uwaterloo.ca/martin-lab/), while Julie Messier is a plant functional ecologist interested in the causesand consequences of trait variation and integrationacrossbiologicalscales,fromwithinindividualstoamongcommunities(https://juliemessier.org).

Alongwithnewarrivals,cametheretirementofoneofour most esteemed colleagues, John Heikkila, a world expert on heat-shock proteins. John held a CanadaResearch Chair in Stress Protein Gene Research, wasanAssociateDeanofScience forGraduateStudiesandResearch andwas also a long-servingNSERCDiscoveryGrantpanelChair.

Faculty awards and recognition:UW Biology faculty members were the recipients ofnumerous honours in 2018. Andrew Doxey was theinauguralUWScienceExcellenceinEarlyCareerResearchAward (SEECRA)winner, andalso received theThermoFisher Scientific Award at the annual Canadian SocietyforMicrobiologists conference,whileMark Servos was appointeda2018FellowoftheSocietyofEnvironmentalToxicologyandChemistry(SETAC).

Finally,thefuturelooksbright,with the news that localhigh school student Sajeev Kohli,whowasmentored byBiology Professor Brian Dixon and Chemical EngineeringProfessor Pu Chen, won the 2018 InternationalBioGENEiusChallengeheldinBoston, for his projectwhichimprovesthetargetingabilityof nanoparticles used indeliveringcancermedication. Andrew Doxey

Brian Dixon (L) with Sajeev Kohli (R)

Dale Martin Julie Messier


CSMB-Sponsored Events 2018

McGill UniversityAnnual McGill Biomedical Graduate Conference (AMBGC)Correspondent: Nida Haider

The AMBGC is one of the largest student-run researchsymposia in Canada. The symposium offers graduatestudentsengagedinbiomedicalresearchacrossMontrealtheopportunity topresent their researchfindings in anencouraging environment. The Experimental GraduateStudentAssociation(EMGSS)aimstoprovideconferenceparticipationopportunitiesforgraduatestudentsfromalllabs,regardlessofbudgetaryrestrictions.Inthisvein,weremain committed to organizing a high-quality scientificeventthatdoesnotchargearegistrationfeeforpresenters.AMBGC promotes direct communication across diverseresearchbackgroundsanduniversities;thus,contributingtotheadvancementofbiomedicalresearchinMontreal.

The AMBGC Organizing Committee consisted of: NidaHaider(co-Chair),AlexCooke(co-Chair),KatarinaPessina,SamanthaBovaird,RehkaRaveendrakumar,HollySarvas,Juan-CarlosPadillaandZeinabSharifi.

TheconferencetookplaceonMarch222018,atMcGillUniversity, New Residence Hall, and the conference

themeswere: Oncology, Cardiovascular and RespiratorySystems, Endocrinology and Energy Homeostasis, Cellular and Molecular Biology, Genetics and Gene Expression,Microbiology and Immunology, Epidemiology, Bioethicsand Clinical Research, and Neuroscience. Overall, 83abstractswerepresented.The165conferenceparticipantscomprised 77 M.Sc., Ph.D. and post-doctoral studentpresenters, 30 oral and poster presentation judges,43 attendees, 10 conference organizers and 5 industryrepresentatives.

The Keynote Lecture, entitled “Exercise:NewMolecularDiscoveriesMediating the Beneficial Effects on Health”,wasdeliveredbyaninvitedspeaker,Dr.LaurieJ.Goodyear,whoisaleaderinthefieldofcellularsignallinginskeletalmuscle.Dr.GoodyearisaseniorinvestigatorattheJoslinDiabetesCenterandanAssociateProfessorofMedicineat Harvard University. Her research focusses on theunderlyingmolecularmechanisms behind the beneficialeffectsofexerciseonhealth.WewereincrediblyhonouredthatshewasabletorecentlyjoinusatAMBGC,toshareherresearch.

Graduate eventsTheCSMBprovidesfinancialsupporttograduatestudentsocietiesforavarietyofactivitiesrelatedtobiochemistry,molecularbiology,cellbiologyorgenetics.Examplesofsupportedactivitiesinclude(butarenotrestrictedto)thefollowing:

Scientific Symposium Days, withinvitedscientistsspeakingonsubjectsintheareasofbiochemistry,molecularbiology,cellbiologyorgenetics.Student Research Conferences,wherestudentsdisplaytheirresearchasposters,orgiveoralpresentations.Career Fairs or Career Workshops inareasrelatedtobiochemistry,molecularbiology,cellbiologyorgenetics.

The society will support up to six events each year, to a maximum of $500 per event, on a competitive basis. Student organizations seeking financial support under this program should contact the society Secretary with a short description of the planned event, and the amount of funding requested. The request should also include a Regular Member of the Society as a Sponsor/Coordinator, working with the Student Organization. Requests will be accepted twice each year (up to 3 possible awards for each competition), with deadlines of February 15 and September 15.


Dalhousie UniversityBiochemistry and Molecular Biology Student Research DayCorrespondent: Shannon Sibbald

The2ndannualStudentResearchDayintheDepartmentof Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at DalhousieUniversity took place on Wednesday, November 14th,2018. This one-day student-led symposium aims toshowcasetheworkofbothundergraduateandgraduatestudentsacrossawiderangeofbiochemistryandmolecularbiology related research topics,andencourage scientificcommunicationandcollaborationbetweenstudentsandfacultyacrossthedepartment.Theeventalsofeaturesaseminarfromakeynotespeakerwhoischosenandinvitedbythegraduatestudentsofthedepartment.

This year the focus of the symposium was to improvescientific communication to fellow researchers and thepublic alike. Throughout the day, students were givenvariousopportunitiestocommunicatetheirresearchusingdifferentplatformssuchasacompetitive3-minute thesisstylepresentation,andbypresentingatapostersession.Studentsandfacultyalsotookpart inaworkshop(ledbyourinvitedspeaker,Dr.DavidSmith,whoisalsowellknownforhispopularsciencewriting)oncommunicatinginscienceinformalresearcharticlesandviapopularscienceoutlets.

ThekeynotespeakerthisyearwasDr.DavidSmithfromWesternUniversity,London,Ontario.Hiskeynoteaddressfocussedonthearchitectureoforganellegenomesingreenalgae,investigatingtheextensivegenomesizeandcontentvariationbetweenthemandtheevolutionaryforcesthatmadethemthatway.Itwasattendedbyover75students,post-doctoralfellowsandfacultywhothoroughlyenjoyedhisexcellentandengagingseminar.

This daywas a huge success thanks to theparticipants,organizers,thekeynotespeakerDr.DavidSmith,andthegeneroussupportofCSMB.

Graduate students with the keynote speaker, Dr. David Smith

Students at the poster session

Students at the poster session

Toronto RNA Club Seminar Series Sept-Dec 2018Correspondent: Eliza Lee

TheTorontoRNAClubwasstartedin2014byagroupoftraineesfromresearchinstitutesacrosstheGreaterTorontoArea(GTA)withthegoalofbringingtogetherfacultyandtraineestodiscusstheirresearchintoRNAbiology.Over250 researchers in the GTA (including the Universitiesof Toronto, Guelph, and Western Ontario, McMasterUniversity, andYorkUniversity) study various aspectsofRNAbiology,rangingfromcomputationalbiologytogeneexpression,usingmanydifferentmodelsystemsandtools.The RNA Club is a consistent forumwhere RNA-relatedideasarediscussedandnewcollaborationsareforged.

Our monthly seminar series runs from September toJune,alternatingbetweentrainee, internal,andexternalfacultytalkswherepresentershighlighttheirexcitingnewRNA research. Typically, around 50 researchers attendeachmonth,andthisyearwehavehadoutstandingtalksfrom new University of Toronto faculty members, Dr.JohnCalarco andDr.HyunKate Lee, aswell as traineesAmandaCharlesworth,KarinIsaev,EricWolfandKevinHa.Allmeetings are followed by a pizza-fuelled networking


sessionwherewecontinueourdialogueabout thedatapresentedinthetalks.Thesesessionsarealsowonderfulfor community and collaboration-building. Our RNAClub talks introduce new researchers to the vibrantRNA community, and help to stimulate new ideas andapproaches to answering questions about RNA biology.Wearelookingforwardtothestartofourwinterprogramas we will host our external invitee Dr. Jocelyn Côté(UniversityofOttawa)inJanuary.WethankCSMB-SCBMforsupportingtheTorontoRNAClubtocontinuebuildingastrongcommunityofresearchers.

Trainees presenting at the Toronto RNA Club seminar series

Toronto RNA Enthusiasts’ Day (TREnD) Symposium 2018Correspondent: Amanda Charlesworth

Toronto RNA Enthusiasts’ Day (TREnD) is a student-ledandtrainee-focussedscientificforumforadiversegroupofRNAresearchers inthefield. ItwasheldonJuly31st,2018atthePeterGilganCentreforResearchandLearning(PGCRL)atTheHospitalforSickChildreninToronto.Thisyear’sorganizingcommitteewascomposedofagroupoftrainees fromacross theUniversity of Toronto:AmandaCharlesworth (Ph.D. student, Claycomb Lab, Dept. ofMolecular Genetics), Lauren Ostrowski (Ph.D. student,MekhailLab,Dept.ofLabMedicineandPathobiology),Dr.MatthewHildebrant(post-doctoralfellow,EllisLab,Dept.of Molecular Genetics), Nevraj Kejiou (M.Sc. student,PalazzoLab,Dept.ofBiochemistry),EeshaSharma(Ph.D.student,BlencoweLab,Dept.ofMolecularGenetics)and

Amanda Hall (Ph.D. student,Mekhail Lab, Dept. of LabMedicine and Pathobiology). Support was provided byfaculty mentor, small RNA biologist, Dr. Julie Claycomb(AssociateChair,Dept.ofMolecularGenetics).

TREnDisavitalpartofourRNAcommunity,asitprovidestrainees with valuable scientific feedback, encouragesnew interactions and collaborations, and enablesexposuretonewideas.Withthatinmind,theonlynon-traineepresentationofthedaywasourKeynotespeaker,Dr. Geraldine Seydoux. The rest of the day consisted of12 talks and over 40 poster presentations from post-doctoral, graduate and undergraduate trainees, covering avastswathofRNAbiology,includingTranscription,RNAProcessing,SplicingRegulationandMechanisms,SmallandNon-coding RNAs, RNP, Post-transcriptional Regulation,Translation and the Ribosome, and RNA Structure andComputationalmethodsforRNADataAnalysis.Thisyear,TREnDbroughttogetherover170scientistsfromallovertheGTA,Ontario,Québec,Ohio,andWesternNewYork.

Onenewadditiontothe3rdAnnualTREnDwasa“Lunchand Learn” seminar run by the University of TorontoDepartments of Biochemistry and Immunology’s ownDr.NanaLee (AssistantProfessor, teachingstream).Thisworkshop focussed on building personal developmentplansand identifyingmethodstodevelopsoftskills thatenableyoutohaveamoresuccessfulcareerinthefuture.BecauseofthegeneroussupportfromCSMB,TREnDalsoawardedprizesforthepeople’schoicebesttalk,presentedbyDaliaGhoneim(Matthewslab,UniversityofRochester)and judge-selected best posters, by graduate studentsMatthewBerg(BrandlLab,UniversityofWesternOntario),JosephSamuel(MarsdenLab,UniversityofToronto)andundergraduatestudentJimmyLy(SmibertLab,UniversityofToronto).

Audience in the auditorium at the 3rd Annual TREnD


Career development session at the 3rd Annual TREnD

Poster session at the 3rd Annual TREnD

University of Toronto, Department of Medical BiophysicsJames Lepock Memorial Student Research SymposiumCorrespondent: Joseph Longo

ThegoaloftheJamesLepockMemorial(JLM)SymposiumistoofferaforumforgraduatestudentsintheDepartmentofMedicalBiophysicsattheUniversityofTorontotocometogetheranddiscussthelatestresearchbeingconductedbystudentsinourvariedaffiliatedinstitutes.TheseincludethePrincessMargaretCancerCentre,OntarioInstituteforCancer Research, SickKids Hospital, Sunnybrook HealthSciencesCentreandtheLunenfeld-TanenbaumResearchInstitute. The JLM Symposium is organized by studentmembers of the Medical Biophysics Graduate StudentAssociation.

Thisyear’seventwasheldonMay222018,andtookplaceat the Bahen Centre for Information Technology at theUniversityofToronto.Itconsistedoftwokeynotelectures,a poster session and oral presentations by M.Sc. andPh.D. candidates. Approximately 150 graduate students,post-doctoral fellows, research technicians and facultymembersparticipatedinthisyear’sevent.

In2018,oureventfeaturedkeynotelecturesbyDr.JohnRubinstein, Senior Scientist at the Peter Gilgan Centrefor Research and Learning (SickKids) and Dr. NimmiRamanujam, Professor of Biomedical Engineering andGlobalHealth(DukeUniversity).

Scenes from the 2018 JLM Student Research Symposium

Université LavalJournée Scientifique des Étudiants du Centre de Recherche sur le Cancer de Québec et l’Axe Oncologie du CHU de QuébecCorrespondent: Jonathan Humbert

La22èmeéditiondelaJournéeScientifiquedesÉtudiants(JSE)duCentredeRecherchesurleCancerdeQuébecet l’Axe Oncologie du CHU de Québec s’est dérouléeles15et16août2018auCentredeRecherchesur leCancerdel’UniversitéLaval.Organiséeparlesétudiantsdu Centre de Recherche, cette journée a rassembléenviron 200 participants provenant des diverses


équipes de recherche en cancérologie fondamentaleetclinique,enradio-oncologieainsiqu’ennéphrologie.Plus de 110 stagiaires de premier cycle, étudiantsdiplômés, professionnels de recherche et stagiairespost-doctorauxontprofitédel’occasionpourprésenterleurstravauxderechercheparunexposéoralousousformed’affiche.Cetteparticipationélevéeconfirme lesuccèscroissantdel’évènementaucoursdesdernièresannées.

Les meilleures présentations ont été récompenséespar l’octroi de plus de $9,000 en bourses de congrèset de $2,000 en prix. Chaque année, les étudiantsinvitent pour l’évènement un ou plusieurs chercheursde renommée internationale qui présentent leurstravaux. Pour la 22ème édition, nous avons eu leplaisird’accueillir leDr.TarikMöröyde l’UniversitédeMontréal, et le Dr. Daniel Durocher de l’University ofToronto. Ils ont présenté leurs travaux de rechercheportant sur la dynamique des les mécanismes de laréparationdesdommagesàl’ADN,notammentdanslecadre du cancer. Ces deux conférences de très grande qualité ont été appréciées à la fois par les étudiantsdes différents axes de recherche,mais également parles chercheurs. LeDr.Durocher aégalementparticipéaux évaluations pour la remise de prix aux étudiants.Le comité organisateur tient à remercier la SociétéCanadiennepour lesBiosciencesMoléculairespoursacontributionfinancièreàl’organisationdecetteJournéequi contribue à la vie scientifiquede notre Centre deRecherche.

Les présentations d’affiche à la Journée Scientifique

University of TorontoToronto DNA Replication and Repair SymposiumCorrespondent: Clare So

OnApril20,2018atHartHouse,UniversityofToronto,theToronto DNA Replication and Repair Symposium broughttogether about 80 researchers from the greater Torontoareatoshareanddiscusstheirfindings.Tenoutoftwelveinvitedspeakersweregraduatestudentsandpost-doctoralfellows,representingsevenresearchinstitutionsorgroups.Inaddition, thevastmajorityofattendeesweretrainees.SpeakerspresentedresearchonDNAdouble-strandbreakrepair, regulation of DNA replication, epigenetics, andtargeting genome maintenance factors to selectively killcancer cells. Facultymembers, post-doctoral fellows, andgraduate students had the opportunity to network witheachotherduringcoffeebreaksandlunch.

The symposium itself was organized by a team of fivegraduatestudentsrepresentingfouracademicdepartmentsattheUniversityofToronto.Throughgenerousdonationsfrom CSMB and other groups, the graduate studentorganizerswereabletoinviteandhostDr.KarleneCimprichfrom Stanford University as the symposium’s keynotespeaker. This event was special because even thoughthe DNA replication and repair research community inToronto issizeable, therehadneverbeenaformalvenueforresearcherstomeet,sharetheirexpertise,andestablishcollaborations.Asaresultof theSymposium,researchersfrom different institutions and departments were ableto become acquainted for the betterment of our entireresearch community. After the conclusion of the event,severalgraduatestudentsexpressedinterestinmakingthesymposiumanannualorregularevent.TheSymposiumiscurrentlyscheduledtotakeplaceonceagainin2019.

Dr. Karlene Cimprich answers questions from the audience after her keynote presentation at the Toronto DNA Replication and Repair Symposium

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