Mentors to help unveil new IGM labs
A scientific symposium to mark the opening of the new Institute for Genetic Medicine (IGM) laboratories and research center will come to Mayer Auditorium on Friday, Jan. 24.
The day-long meeting will feature research leaders in molecular genetics and gene therapy, including a presentation by Nobel prize-winning researcher Paul Berg of Stanford Univ.
Laurence Kedes, professor and chair of the department of biochemistry and molecular biology and director of the Institute for Genetic Medicine, said that the symposium will be a celebration of the new facility’s opening, pointing to the mission of the IGM in the years to come. “The Institute is focused on understanding the molecular biology of human disease, and on developing diagnostic and therapeutic tools for genetic diseases,” Kedes said. A recent wave of faculty recruitment has left the IGM with a core group of young researchers specializing in fields such as gene therapy, cardiovascular development, melanoma and prostate cancer.
Kedes invited previous research mentors of some of these researchers to discuss their work at the symposium. Four former advisors will speak at the conference: Paul Berg (mentor of assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular biology Juergen Reichardt), Ronald Evans (past advisor of Henry Sucov, assistant professor of cell and neurobiology and biochemistry), Y.W. Kan (former research advisor of assistant professor of pathology and biochemistry Nori Kasahara), and Savio Woo (Reichardt’s postdoctoral advisor).
Kedes hopes that in the future, a second wave of recruitment will bring clinically-based scientists to the research team, helping to build stronger connections between the laboratory and the bedside.
The recently renovated IGM facility is located on Alcazar Street in the Clinical Sciences Building, and is scheduled to open in early February. The center has been designed to provide an innovative atmosphere for scientists at the institute, including “collaboratories” with research space, “interaction studios” for discussion and brainstorming, and “digital crannies” equipped with computers.
After the symposium’s afternoon session, Kedes will host an open house at the new facility.
The symposium is free and open to all.
For more information, call 342-1144.
Comments are closed.