Department of Biological Sciences Newsletter
“from biomolecules to the biosphere”
No. 4
January 30, 2015
Announcements
Alberta Innovates Health Solutions (AIHS) has announced the
results of its 2014 Postgraduate Fellowship Competition and
awarded 22 of the 37 fellowships to researchers at the University of Calgary. Our department recieved three of the awards.
Congratuations to the following three.
• Ruo-Xu Gu (D. Peter Tieleman): The mechanism of ATP binding cassette transporters
• Jean-Paul Motta (Andre G. Buret): Correction of dysbiotic gut microbiota biofilms:
A new therapy for inflammatory bowel disease?
• Van A. Ngo (Sergei Y. Noskov): Drug and pH regulations of ion permeability in
sodium and potassium channels: Molecular basis of cardiac dysrhythmias
http://www.ucalgary.ca/utoday/issue/2015-01-27/alberta-innovates-health-solutionsawards-fellowships-22-researchers
30th Annual Darwin Day Celebration
Public Lecture: Time Travel in Experimental Evolution
Dr. Richard Lenski, Professor of Microbial Ecology, Michigan
State University
Join us on Friday, February 6, 2015 as we reach a milestone … the
30th Annual Darwin Day Celebration at the University of Calgary.
Internationally renowned evolutionary biologist, Dr. Richard Lenski, will be delivering a thought-provoking public lecture titled:
Time Travel in Experimental Evolution.
Lenski and his research team perform experiments with microbes to study
evolution in action. He is interested in both the genomic and ecological processes that promote evolution. He is best known for his long-term experiment
with E. coli that has been running for over 25 years with 60,000 bacterial generations.
Date: Friday, February 06, 2015
Time: 4:30 – 6:00 p.m.
Location: Alberta Room, Dining Centre, University of Calgary
Please sign up for the lecture here (so we can keep track of numbers): https://30thdarwindaycelebration.
eventbrite.ca
Important Dates
Feb 6 - 30th Annual Darwin Lecture - 16h30 - 18h00 - AB Room Dining Centre
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Please welcome Dr. Edina Szabo, Constance Finney’s new Eyes High
Post-doc. She comes from Hungary but did her Phd in Scotland. She
will be with Constance for the next 2 years.
Seminars
EEB seminar - Friday at 12h00 in BI 211
Jan 30 - Gabriela Ibarguchi - The Andean seedsnipes: Antarctic ancestry, adaptations and hemoglobin evolution in extreme environments.
EEB 601 seminar - Monday at 12h00 in BI 211
Feb 2 - Tasha Cammidge - To be or not to be a Mammoth During the Pleistocene
BCEM 601 seminar - Monday at 16h00 in BI 211
Feb 2 - Evan Kerek - Interactions of Inorganic Mercury and Cadmium with Biomimetic Membranes and their Effects on Membrane Fluidity
Micro 601 seminar - Wednesday at 12h00 in BI 211
Feb 4 - Mat Frankel - Evaluating the Metal Tolerance Capacity of Microbial Communities Isolated from Alberta Oil Sands Processed Water
ICB 601 seminar - Thursdays at 13h00 in BI 211
Feb 5 - Emily Beaulieu – Regulation of aging by insulin-like peptide release in the
brain of the pond snail Lymnaea Emstagnalis
Graduate Student Affairs
Research Proposals
None currently scheduled.
Ph.D. Candidacy Oral Examination - Candidacy Exams are Closed Exams.
Yan Liu (Supervisor: J. Vamosi) will be holding her Candidacy Examination in the area of
“Evolutionary Biology”, on March 11, 2015 at 8:30 a.m. in BioSciences room 389. (Neutral
Chair: D. Hansen).
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“from biomolecules to the biosphere”
Thesis Oral Examinations - Exams are “Open” unless otherwise noted.
Please note: Pre-defense seminars are a degree requirement for all M.Sc. and Ph.D. students in
Biological Sciences. Typically, the seminar will take place immediately preceding the Oral Defense Exam.
Room bookings for Student Meetings - It is the student’s responsibility to book the necessary
com-media equipment with either Carol (403-220-5261 biorecep@ucalgary.ca) or David (403220-8307) for their examination. Please book the equipment as soon as you have the date set
for your exam/proposal meeting. (defense seminars are held one hour before the stated defense
time in BI 211 unless noted otherwise)
Congratulations to…
Dr. Jessica Rosin, who successfully defended her Ph.D. Thesis Oral Examination,
in the area of “Developmental Biology”, on January 26, 2015!
Sarah Akierman, who successfully defended her M.Sc. Thesis Oral Examination, in the area of “Host Pathogen Interactions”, on January 27, 2015!
“Piled Higher and Deeper” by Jorge Cham
www.phdcomics.com
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Positions / Opportunities
On behalf of the UofC and UofA Nanogroups we are pleased to announce the 2nd Alberta Research nanoSymposium to be held in Banff Centre on May 30-31, 2015.
The symposium will gather researchers from across Alberta to present their work in the
fields of nanoscience and nanotechnology. Moreover, with 2015 being the International
Year of Light, the overarching theme is “Shedding Light on Nano”. This two-day event
will consist of keynote, invited, and student talks, a poster session and a banquet. Undergrads, grads, post-docs, faculty and staff are welcome to register and present at the
nanosymposium.
This year, our distinguished keynote speakers are:
-Dr. Federico Capasso, Applied Physics, Harvard University
-Dr. Alex Brolo, Chemistry, University of Victoria
For more information, please visit: albertananosymposium.ca
We hope to see you there! Apply early, spaces are limited! Deadline for abstracts is February 20, 2015.
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“from biomolecules to the biosphere”
Behind the Leaf
News from the BGSA
• Ski Trip
The absolute last day to get your money in is
Feb 6. Do not delay! The Biological Sciences and Health
Sciences graduate students will be hitting the slopes of Fernie.
For $255 dollars you get a coach bus ride there(and back!) with
a liquor license , six to a condo on hill accommodations and 2
day lift tickets. Only want to ski one day? Or hang out in the
lodge and drink coco? Talk to us about our reduced rates. Cost
must be paid in full by cash or check to “Biochemistry and
Molecular Biology DGA” to reserve your spot. Spaces limited.
Questions and payment should be directed to President Sean
Booth (biogsa@ucalgary.ca).
• Curling
Want to try curling? Or school some newbies? The BGSA is
hosting a Curling event at the Garrison Curling Club Sunday,
Feb. 22 from 4:30-6:30pm. $15 includes a lesson, rentals and
sheet time. Register as a Team of 4, or sign up as a single and
we will place you on a team, yay networking! We will be
celebrating after the event with dinner at the Wild Rose
Brewery. Spaces going fast.
BGSA – University
of Calgary
www.ucalgary.ca/bgsa
“from biomolecules to the biosphere”
@biogsa
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CURLING!
BGSA Presents
When?
Sunday, Feb 22, 4:30-6:30pm
Where?
Garrison Curling Club
Celebrate after
2288 47 St SW
(not included in price)
How much?
$15/person
Sign up as team of 4,
or as a single and we will find you one!
See a BGSA member to register. Space is limited.
(biogsa@ucalgary.ca)
2015 Grad Student Ski Trip
March 13th–15th 2015: Fernie Ski Resort
Price
2 Lift Tickets
$255
1 Lift Ticket
$215
Bus and Room
Only
$140
See your BGSA for details!
First come, first served!
Don’t miss out on this great trip! Buy your ticket, grab your skis/board
and join us for a great weekend on the slopes!!
ST. PADDY’S DAY THEME!!
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“from biomolecules to the biosphere”
Bio-Rad Teacher Workshops
Step-by-step, hands-on experience
Friday, February 13, 2015
Calgary City Teachers’ Convention
Morris Shumiatcher Room
Glenbow Museum (3rd Floor)
12:30-1:45 PM
Bio-Rad. Enzymes and Biofuels – Go From Grass to Gas!
Need Energy? Reveal the power of enzyme kinetics by illustrating the theory
through a real world application to biofuels. Through guided inquiry activities
your students will determine how temperature, pH, the concentration of
substrate and the concentration of enzyme will effect an enzymatic reaction.
In this workshop, you will determine the rate of reaction for the enzyme
cellobiase – a key enzyme in the production cellulosic ethanol (a highly
researched biofuel). Can biofuels solve global warming? Let your students
decide if this is possible!
2:30-3:45 PM
Bio-Rad. Engineer the Tools for Inquiry of Candy Food Dyes
What’s in your candy? Extract colourful food dyes from candy and separate
them on a do-it-yourself agarose electrophoresis box to identify what dyes
make them so appealing. This inquiry based activity is a great skills lab by
teaching pipetting, gel electrophoresis and making solutions with stunning
results. Turn this into a complete STEM activity by building your own horizontal
electrophoresis box so your students can investigate the science and
engineering behind a workhorse in the biotech lab.
“from biomolecules to the biosphere”
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Native Plant Solutions
Conservation Technicians
Ducks Unlimited Canada’s Native Plant Solutions is seeking
Conservation Technicians to work out of our Winnipeg office
from May-August 2015
Native Plant Solutions is looking for enthusiastic, energetic and responsible Conservation Technicians to help us deliver our wetland
and native grassland projects and research programs in Winnipeg, northern Manitoba and Fort McMurray Alberta. Your degree or
completed course work, and relevant work experience, in biology/ecology or environmental sciences will enable you to confidently
handle yourself in the field under a variety of weather conditions. You consider yourself innovative, creative and welcome the
opportunity to work either in a team environment or confidently on your own. You are flexible and willing to pick up other duties as
assigned and work evenings and weekends, or in remote locations, when necessary.
Requirements:
 Enrolled in the programs of, or a completed degree in, biology, ecology or environmental sciences or other related course
work;
 A good understanding of the basics of wetland ecology, plant science, soil science or hydrology is beneficial;
 Relevant work experience in one or more of the science specialties listed;
 Experience in plant identification, performing transect surveys, collecting water and soil samples, working with First Nations
communities or participating in a field program is considered an asset;
 Comfortable working in remote field locations, living in remote field camps, and be willing to work flexible hours;
 Ability to perform fieldwork under sometimes strenuous and challenging conditions, including hiking to field sites carrying
field equipment;
 Practical field skills, with demonstrated strength in organization, data acquisition and protection, supervision of personnel
and management of multiple tasks with good communication skills;
 Ability to work independently, as well as part of a team;
 Experience with data entry, and the use of Excel and other Microsoft Office products is considered an asset;
 Enthusiasm for the outdoors, wildlife and environmental conservation; and,
 Hold a valid driver’s license. First aid and CPR certification is considered an asset.
Applicants with ecology or wetland experience will be given preference. The gross salary for these summer positions is $2,200
CDN/month. Deadline for applications is February 16, 2015.
If you are qualified and interested in this opportunity, please forward your cover letter (including date of availability for work),
resumé, names of three references, and a copy of your academic transcripts by email for confidential consideration to the attention
of:
NATIVE PLANT SOLUTIONS – DUCKS UNLIMITED CANADA
UNIT A, 1238 CHEVRIER BLVD., WINNIPEG , MB R3T 1Y3
ATTN: GLEN KOBLUN
EMAIL: nps@ducks.ca
While Native Plant Solutions would like to thank all applicants, only those considered for an interview will be contacted
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Native Plant Solutions is a consulting branch of Ducks Unlimited Canada and
draws on over 75 years of wetland and native grassland knowledge, research
and restoration experience. We use sound science to restore and create
sustainable landscapes.
“from biomolecules to the biosphere”